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The Knights of Columbus CYLA Scholarship is open to all Catholic graduating High School Seniors. Local winners will receive a scholarship and compete at the State level for up to a $5,000 1st place prize. Application deadline is January 25th, 2022. The application is located on the Louisiana KC website, http://louisianakc.org/programs/ cyla. Once completed, signatures must be obtained and the completed application turned in to Council #2436 in Reserve. Contact Robert Beadle or Joel Ocmand for additional details.

The Ladies Altar Society is still an important ministry of St. Peter Parish. Monies collected and members help to maintain the sanctuary and some other areas of the interior of the church. If you want to be a part of this ministry, dues of $10 can be put in the collection basket at Mass or brought to the rectory. This helps to provide income to continue to fund projects like purchasing flowers for special occasions, altar and cleaning supplies. Also, we are in need of some ‘younger’ members to add to some of our monthly cleaning teams (mostly to help with vacuuming the sanctuary). This commitment is just for one month a year. If you’d like to help, please call Peggy Bienvenu @ 504-487-8769 soon as she will be working on the 2022 cleaning schedule.

As I mentioned last week, we are in the Ordinary Time of the Church year. It will last from now until Mardi Gras day (March 1, 2022). The Mardi Gras season is long this year, giving us more time to eat “King Cake.” Today’s readings from Sacred Scripture reveal the transformative effect God has upon the world. Isaiah prophesies that God will transform the Israelites and their land from “forsaken” to “espoused,” as a suitor rejoices in his bride. Saint Paul extols the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which transforms each person differently, but all to serve the same Lord. In the Gospel, Jesus transforms water into wine at a wedding in Cana, revealing His glory and inspiring His disciples to believe in Him. As we listen to God’s Word, let us reflect on how God will transform us and our world.

The ChristmasEpiphany season officially comes to a close with today the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Ordinary Time resumes tomorrow (Monday, January 10 th ) and goes until Tuesday, March 1st (Mardi Gras). Today’s feast celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and a voice from the heavens rang out, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” No dove was seen, or voice heard when we were baptized, yet the Holy Spirit did descend upon us in baptism and we were welcomed into this holy family, initiated into the body of Christ.

By now many have undecorated the Christmas trees and their homes and have returned to “normal” events in life; however, the Church is still within the Christmas-Epiphany Season. Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Aware of the significance of the blessed star and drawn by its distinctive light, the magi traveled from distant lands to reach Bethlehem. They are the first people outside the immediate area to come and greet the newborn king. Today’s liturgy celebrates the manifestation of God to the whole world, not only to Jerusalem.

Yesterday, we gathered as a faith community to celebrate the greatest gift of all time—the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel: God-with-us. Today, we continue to celebrate the Christmas season with the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In the opening Collect (Opening Prayer) the Church prays, “O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity…” Families come in all shapes and sizes, but we are all part of a family. The Church, too, is a family of believers, who comes together to support one another in our journey of faith.

We enter the Fourth Week of Advent in which we experienced a season of waiting—a season of preparation. For three weeks we have been anticipating the glorious day that is quickly approaching— the birth of Jesus the Christ at Christmas. Let us break from all the hustle and bustle that threaten to overwhelm the true meaning of this holy event and share in the pure joy of Mary and Elizabeth, two mothers expecting their first children, who in today’s Gospel exult in each other’s blessedness.

Today, on this Third Sunday of Advent, is traditionally called “Gaudete Sunday.” The word means rejoice. The third candle (pink) will be lit on the Advent wreath. The priest and deacon will wear rose/pink vestments this weekend.

Wrapped gifts with ornament tags must be returned to the rectory no later than December 14th .

Congratulations to Scott and Missy Becnel for being named Family of the Month for November. All practical Catholic gentlemen 18 years and older are invited to join our council.  Contact Robert Beadle or Joel Ocmand for details. 

As we journey together on this Second Week of Advent, John the Baptist, a prominent Advent character comes on the scene. Each Synoptic Gospel, (Matthew, Mark, Luke), recalls his preaching and his role as the immediate precursor of the Lord. In today’s Gospel, we hear John the Baptist proclaims a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Let us include the Sacrament of Reconciliation in our Advent preparation.

Our Mass Intentions Book for 2022 is opened

We begin a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is a time to prepare for the coming of the Lord, whom we portray as a precious infant in a simple manger at the end of this season. There are two more arrivals of our Lord to contemplate during this season of preparation and they tend to be overlooked. One day Jesus the Christ will come again in glory as the world ends and He delivers His final judgment. He gives a glimpse of this to His disciples in today’s Gospel. Let us also consider His third appearance—to each of us personally, into our hearts and into our lives as we embrace Him as His disciples. As we journey together during this Advent season of waiting, preparation, and anticipation, let us consider how we can welcome Jesus ever more intimately into our lives.

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. As we close the liturgical year with today’s solemnity, it reminds us that Christ is King and ruler over all humanity. He is the king of the eternal heavenly kingdom. To His followers, Jesus referred to this kingdom as the Kingdom of God or his Father’s Kingdom, but through His ultimate act of self-sacrifice He became the firstborn of this kingdom, ready to show us the way.

THANKSGIVING DAY Mass of Thanksgiving, 8:00 am Thanksgiving Basket Collection

Next weekend there will be a special collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Currently 38 million people in the United States live in poverty. This collection funds programs that empower local communities to address the challenge they face. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development supports those living in poverty across the country. It identifies and addresses the unique obstacles people face as they work to lift themselves out of poverty. In addition, 25% of the funds collected remain in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to fund local antipoverty projects. By supporting this collection, you are giving those on the margins a hand up, not a handout.

November 7-13 is National Vocation Awareness Week. As Catholics we firmly believe that God has a plan for our lives. He calls some to marriage, some to the priesthood, and others to religious life or to live as generous single people. Fully living our own vocations—and teaching young people how to discern God’s call—is a serious duty, but also a joyful one. May each one of us continue to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Let us pray that someone from our parish of St. Peter will be open to God’s call to priesthood or religious life.

Our Book of All Souls will be in the sanctuary from All Saints’ - Thanksgiving for you to write the names of your departed ones in the book. They will be remembered at Masses during the month of November (the month of All Souls).

Tomorrow we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints when we recognize those people who we believe have gained the eternal rewards and are forever in the presence of God. Today, we hear Jesus tell a scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God,” suggesting that this anonymous functionary who was close to being a saint. To be a saint should be the goal of every man, woman, and child.

Today is WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. We celebrate this day by remembering our baptismal call—to bring the Gospel to all! Annually, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on the next to last Sunday in October. As described by Saint Pope John-Paul, II, World Mission Sunday is “an important day in the life of the Church because it teaches how to give: as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration for all the missions of the world” (Redemptoris Mission, 81).