The Diocese of Baton Rouge marked the year 2022 with listening sessions for Catholic faithful, victory for the unborn, goodbyes and new starts.
In response to Pope Francis’ call to engage in a synodal process entitled “Toward a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission,” the diocese hosted a series of listening sessions. Every corner of the diocese was touched as listening sessions were held in each deanery.
The listening sessions looked at how the local church was doing in evangelizing, serving and being inclusive of the marginalized and the separated and divorced and young people. The final report of listening sessions was published in the July 1 issue of The Catholic Commentator.
Two men took their next step toward the priesthood when Bishop Michael G. Duca ordained them transitional deacons May 28 at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge. Deacon Joseph Bresowar and Deacon Albert Blount are scheduled to be ordained in May at St. Joseph Cathedral.
A victory on behalf of the life of the unborn occurred on June 27 when the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. In retaliation, a group of vandals defaced Woman’s New Life Clinic in Baton Rouge, which supports women in crisis pregnancy situations. Undaunted, the clinic quickly re-opened and it and other crisis pregnancy centers, church parishes and pro-life ministries increased their efforts to support mothers with unplanned pregnancies.
The year also saw the development of “new things” within the diocese.
First, there was the creation of the Office of Life, Peace and Justice.
“Offering strategic leadership to parishes and apostolates through advocacy, education and service are essential for the church to reach out to the most vulnerable and have been one of the bishop’s top priorities in his episcopacy,” Vicar General Father Jamin David said.
Among the ministries coordinated by office director Deacon Randall Waguespack are prison, respect life and hospital/nursing homes.
The Office of Stewardship of the Diocese of Baton Rouge also launched a Women’s Giving Circle, a group dedicated to glorifying God. Their mission is to “give, pray, bless.”
In its first year, the organization distributed $73,000 among six non-profit organizations.
Bonnie Mart, co-founder of the Women’s Giving Circle, said at the award presentation in May at the Cypress Springs Mercedarian Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, “We couldn’t have expected or wanted anything better” for the developing organization.
In an historic moment for the diocese, the Hispanic Apostolate celebrated the Rite of Election at St. Pius X Church in Baton Rouge on March 13. There were 70 welcomed at the ceremony. Bishop Duca celebrated the ceremony, including the homily, entirely in Spanish.
“It is an honor and a profound joy to serve as a bridge for so many of our brothers and sisters who have a strong fervor to receive Jesus Christ and be part of this process,” Julia Scarnato, director of the Hispanic Apostolate, said. “It has been a very significant step from a faith of hope.”
With the war in Ukraine dominating the world scene, on March 25 Catholics in the diocese united with Catholics worldwide during a consecration service led by Bishop Michael G. Duca at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge. Pope Francis had invited bishops throughout the world to join on the feast of the Annunciation, March 25, to consecrate Russia and the Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The bishop began the service, which was attended by a standing-room only crowd, by leading the rosary. He also led praying the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
“There are times when we pray for someone but there are moments we kneel down in earnest and we pray,” the bishop said. “And we pray this prayer (the Act of Consecration) today because we do believe, through the intercession of Mary, (God) will intervene.”
In launching a new path in combining excellence in faith and education, the Catholic Schools Office welcomed a new superintendent of schools, Dr. Pattie Davis. Davis has spent a lifetime in the classroom, teaching at every level in Catholic education from elementary through high school, along with serving in various administrative roles, including superintendent positions in two dioceses.
“I think (parents) are going to be proud when they watch the formation of their children over the years,” Davis said in an interview with The Catholic Commentator. “I think that we can prepare them and give them the community these families seek so much these days that they will not find in another school.”
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge had a busy year helping refugees fleeing the Russia-Ukraine War and other places of conflict, poverty and natural disasters.
Receiving special honors was Lisa Namikas, whom Catholic Charities USA selected as its Volunteer of the Year.
A strong advocate and supporter of refugees from Afghanistan, Namikas helped to rally hundreds of volunteers and collected truckloads of household goods to welcome refugees from Afghanistan resettled by CCDBR since that country fell to the Taliban in August 2021.
Also, prior to the annual Hurricane Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral on June 1, Bishop Duca blessed a 26-foot box truck, which CCDBR was able to purchase with funds raised during the 2016 flood earmarked for disaster preparedness through Catholic Charities USA. The truck will be used to assist the agency distribute relief materials after a disaster.
Also in 2022, ‘native son’ Archbishop Shelton Fabre moved from the land of “gumbo” to the land of “barbecue” as he was appointed archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky. A New Roads native and graduate of Pointe Coupee School, Archbishop Fabre served in several parishes in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, including St. Francis Xavier Church and Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, both in Baton Rouge, before he was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
From 1999-2005 he served as director of the Office of Black Catholics and from 2003-2007 was chairman of the Pastoral Planning Committee. He also helped author “Open Wide Our Hearts,” the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ letter on racism.
There was also definitely lots of “new” going on in the parishes, with some celebrating the completion of projects and some breaking ground on new ones.
St. Thomas More Church in Baton Rouge celebrated the rededication of its church. The two-hour ceremony was the culmination of a two-year project hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply shortages.
The $4.2 million project not only included renovating the church but also construction of a new parish office. Also included was construction of a plaza in front of the church that features benches, beautiful landscaping and statues of the Blessed Mother and the Sacred Heart.
“This is our place of worship,” said STM pastor Father Michael Alello. “And we truly come to be fed by God’s word so we may hear God’s word in our lives.”
Most Blessed Sacrament School in Baton Rouge also celebrated a ground-breaking on a new multi-purpose building.
“In order for the parish to grow we need to grow (the facilities),” MBS pastor Father Todd Lloyd said. “(The new structures) will help us with all of that.”
There’s also been a lot of celebrating on top of Catholic Hill by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in St. Francisville.
The church opened a new gift shop that is completely manned by volunteers and most recently celebrated a groundbreaking on a new religious education building. The groundbreaking signaled the final stage of a master plan developed a decade ago.
“It will be a great investment in our youth and will ensure the beauty of our beloved hill,” OLOMC pastor Father Brad Doyle said.