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There is an intimate link between Advent and the National Eucharistic Revival, say priests and lay leaders of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Advent increases the anticipation and longing for God dwelling among us at the Incarnation, and the Eucharistic Revival increases the anticipation and longing for the risen Lord dwelling within us in the Eucharist. 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (CCDBR) has extended the deadline to Friday, Dec. 8 to sponsor seniors and families in crisis through its Christmas program. 

In a proactive move designed to combat a national and local teacher shortage, the Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools Office along with St. Michael High School is hosting a Catholic Education Career Expo December 14, , 5:30– 7:30 p.m. at St. Michael High School, 17521 Monitor Ave., Baton Rouge.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul hosted its annual turkey carving contest on Nov. 22 in the SVDP Dining Room. Bishop Michael G. Duca (center) was among the leaders in the community participating in the event. Pictured with Bishop Duca are, left, D-D Breaux, former LSU women’s gymnastics coach; and Sharon Weston Broome, Mayor-President of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish. Everyone was a winner by helping SVDP in its mission of eliminating poverty. The contest was a day to celebrate as SVDP prepared to serve its annual Thanksgiving meal at the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room, Raising Cane’s River Center, St. Gerard Majella Church in Baton Rouge and McKinley Alumni Center. By the end of the year SVDP is expected to serve more than 260,000 meals. Photos by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator

On Nov. 17, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and other adoption services providers joined families at the Capitol Park Museum to celebrate the making of “forever families” at the National Adoption Day program. The East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court hosted the event.

On Nov. 10, almost forty years after the arrival of the Hispanic community in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Bishop Michael G.  Duca and Vicar General Father Jamin David met with priests of the diocese who currently collaborate with the Hispanic Catholic faithful in the diocese and those interested in formalizing pastoral work and service with them. 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (CCDBR) is again matching donor families, businesses and organizations with seniors and families in crisis through its Christmas program. 

In a celebration exuding energy and excitement the Black Catholic community affirmed that Black Catholic history is U.S. history during the Diocese of Baton Rouge African American Mass Nov. 4 at St. Gerard Majella Church in Baton Rouge.

Deacon Natale Garofalo led an All Saints Day prayer service Nov. 1 at Rose Memorial Park Cemetery in Hammond. Although typically considered a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, Garofalo said, “This is not a Catholic thing. It is a Christian thing. There is but one God.”​​​​​​​ Photos provided by Richard Meek | The Hammond Daily Star 

On Oct. 26,  early guests began lining up under fair skies for lunch outside of the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room in Baton Rouge for lunch. Just around the corner from them a group of people prayed and prepared to “put two feet of love into action” by affirming their dignity by serving them.

The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) is announcing the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection, scheduled in parishes throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge on Dec. 9–10. 

As churches in the Diocese of Baton Rouge commemorated All Saints' Day on Nov. 1 they honored and remembered the dead through the blessing of the graves. At St. Joseph Cemetery, a prayer service was held and Father Cary Bani, pastor of St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge, blessed the graves and visited and blessed individual graves at the request of the deceased’s loved ones. Photos by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator ​​​​​​​

St. George Church and School have combined their efforts to take care of God’s creation as called for in Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato si’: On Care for Our Common Home.”

Students and faculty have quickly settled into the newly dedicated St. Francis Hall, a bustling center of education and faith at the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University campus.

Father Jamin David was invested into the Order of the Fleur de Lis in a special ceremony at St. Joseph Abbey in Covington, Louisiana on Oct. 18 alongside Abbot Gregory Boquet, OSB. 

Early afternoon sunlight shining through one of the stained glass windows of St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge illuminated the scene depicting the finding of the Christ Child in the temple.

On Oct. 10, faith leaders met with Governor John Bel Edwards to present him with a letter signed by 100 faith leaders and asked him to intervene so hearings can begin for the 56 death row inmates seeking clemency.

During their struggle to understand the “whys” of the Catholic faith many admit defeat and look elsewhere for truth. The lay Catholic apostolate, Fullness of Truth, seeks to “call people home” by sharing the inestimable gift and irrefutable truth of the Catholic Faith.

Woman’s New Life Clinic celebrated a new chapter in its mission of providing women with unplanned pregnancies with counseling, care and hope for the future at the blessing of its new and renovated space on Sept. 27.

On Sept. 22, a large crowd got their first glimpse of the new St. Alphonsus Liguori Church in Greenwell Springs Parish Activity Center during its dedication. Their consensus was “it’s beautiful” and “very much needed.” ​​​​​​​