Communities of color have known for years what the media began to devote more attention to during the COVID-19 pandemic this past year: that there are disturbing health disparities between white and non-white Americans.
Inside the hospital, where medical workers perform heroic acts daily without a word of complaint, the stress can be overwhelming. Not only is there concern about their own health, these same medical professionals are also worried about the health of their families.
Jesus is calling us to follow him every day in every way. Unlike the first disciples we, the living faithful, have somewhat of an advantage. We have the gift of faith by the grace of God.
Many who came through the enormous challenges of 2020 feeling wobbly in their faith may resolve to make it stronger this year. With Pope Francis’s announcement that 2021 is the Year of St. Joseph, Catholics, especially those in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, where St. Joseph is the patron saint, can be confident they have a heavenly companion to help them pick up the spiritual hammer and nails and do that.
On a crisp, starry December night, people embarked on a locomotive ride from St. Isidore Church in Baker to the North Pole with lightening quick dips, careens, as well as a break-slamming, screeching halt for a large herd of caribous on the tracks.