https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCVQcRjkPFxEs_CvqH1nR7w/videos
 

Parish Services Ongoing:

1) Daily Mass uploaded on YouTube around 9:30 am
2) Adoration chapel open for prayer: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm daily (limitation up to 4 people) ; Pavilion open  24 hours daily
3) Confessions: 3:00-3:45 pm Saturday; 7:30 - 7:50 am on Wednesday and Saturday mornings; after the 8 am Saturday Mass; and by appointment - contact Parish Office
4) Bulletin on website; paper copy in Church
5) Food Bank open at Metairie Rd Entrance to St. Joseph Hall, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Thursdays
6) ALL MASSES OPEN TO 205 PEOPLE AS OF JUNE 5 - SEE DETAILS BELOW
7) Parish Office open 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday and  8:30 am - 2:00 pm on Friday.  For spiritual, sacramental or other needs, call 504-834-0340 or email  rgriffin@stfrancisxavier.com.  Emergency Line:  504-837-4733.


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        Tuesday, August 4
               The Cure of Ars
      Next Update:  Friday, August 7
Today’s 8 am Mass celebrated and preached by Fr. Thien and accessible at church.stfrancisxavier.com

Statement of Fr. Joe about Deacon V.M. Wheeler:  Please see the statement at the end of this email.

Reflection on Saint John Vianney:  Today the Church celebrates the memory of St. John Vianney, the Cure or Pastor of Ars and the Patron Saint of Priests.  St. John was the unlikeliest of men to become the Patron Saint of Priests.  He was born into a poor family in France in 1786 just prior to the start of the French Revolution – when the people of France revolted against injustice by the French monarchy.  John was a very pious boy and early on sensed a call to priesthood.  However, because he was largely uneducated, he could not pass his academic course work and twice failed out of seminary.  Unfazed by failure, John underwent extensive tutoring.  Eventually, his bishop decided to ordain him a priest because of his holiness and prayerfulness.  The bishop assigned him to the tiny village of Ars, where the townspeople loved to drink and were totally apathetic to their faith.  Through extensive prayer and fasting and through minimal sleep, John invoked the curiosity of the people of Ars.  In time, many returned to the faith.  By the last decade of John’s life, more than 100,000 people were making a pilgrimage annually to Ars to meet this holy priest, attend his masses, hear his homilies and be reconciled of their sins by him in confession.  St. John proves, once more, that God can do amazing things with modest resources and prayerful people.  Through the intercession of St. John Vianney, we ask God to revive faith in us and in our nation and we especially ask God to bless priests with fidelity, prayerfulness, holiness and a spirit of sacrificial love. 

“Finding Hope in Addiction,” Talk 2, tomorrow evening:  The first talk by Mary Lou McCall on “Finding Hope in Addiction” was excellent. The second talk is scheduled for tomorrow evening, Wednesday, August 5, from 7-8 pm in St. Joseph Hall. There will be testimonials on the power of prayer and community in healing addiction. Please come and help us spread the news.

Food Bank Thursday:  Our Parish Food Bank will be open on Thursday from 9 am – 11 am in St. Joseph Hall.  Thanks for supporting this ministry.
 
Holy Hour for Reopening of School this Thursday:  Want to spend a worthwhile hour getting ready for the new school year?  Come pray a holy hour for God’s protection and blessing on our school this Thursday, August 6, at 6:30pm in Church.  All school families, teachers and school staff are invited to attend.

Parish and School Offices closed this Friday:  Our Parish and School Offices will be closed this Friday, August 7, as the Parish and School staffs attend a day of prayer and formation at the seminary.

Parish School of Religion begins September 13; RCIA begins in mid-September:  Our Parish School of Religion, for children in grades K-11^th who attend public or private school, will begin on Sunday, September 13.  Our RCIA Program, for adults who wish to enter the Catholic faith, will begin in mid-September.  Please register for both programs by August 25 so we can prepare properly for their start-up.  Contact Claudia Todaro for information (834-0348).

Weekday Mass, Confessions, Adoration Chapel, Office Hours and Bulletin: Weekday Masses are at 6:30 am and 8 am Monday through Friday.  Confessions are from 7:30 – 7:50 am on Wednesday and Saturday, at 8:30 am on Saturday, and from 3:00 – 3:45 pm on Saturday, or by appointment.  Adoration Chapel open daily from 7 am to 6 pm.  Parish Office open from 8:30 am – 4 pm Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm on Friday (but closed this Friday for the Parish Staff day of formation).  Weekly Bulletin accessible on the parish website and in Church.

Weekend Finances:   Thank you for your financial contribution this past weekend to the mission and upkeep of our Church.

Statement of Fr. Joe about Deacon V.M. Wheeler:  Yesterday I sent an email to our community with the Archbishop’s statement removing Deacon V.M. from ministry.  I also spoke about this issue at both parish masses this morning.  To re-cap, yesterday afternoon, Archbishop Aymond removed Deacon V.M. from diaconal ministry because of an abuse allegation formally filed against him within the past week.  The claim alleges abuse 20 years ago.  Deacon V.M. was ordained a deacon two years ago, in June of 2018, and has served at St. Francis since his ordination.  There have been no allegations of abuse or misconduct against him during his time of service as a deacon.  The current allegation is against Deacon V.M. personally rather than against the Church.  We need to take all allegations of abuse seriously and pray for all the abused.  We also need to pray for everyone who is accused of abuse.  In that spirit, let us commit to praying for everyone affected by the present allegation.  May God bring grace, healing and truth for all.  I stand ready as your Pastor to speak with anyone who would like to talk about this situation.  You may contact me at the Parish Office.  God bless.  Fr. Joe 

The next Email Update with be on Friday, August 7. 
 

Memo from Archbishop Aymond to Priests and Deacons re Facial Covering at Mass (June 30, 2020)

“Some civil parishes are sending representatives to visit churches and businesses to make certain that the guidelines regarding large gatherings are being enforced.

“Please make sure social distancing is observed and masks are worn.  In Orleans and Jefferson parishes, masks are required.  We want to observe these rules so as not to spread the virus.  The Catholic Church is a leader in this effort.

“God’s peace to you and your people.”

                              + + + + +

Loving and faithful God, through the years the people of our Archdiocese have appreciated the prayers and love of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in times of war, disaster, epidemic and illness. We come to you, Father, with Mary our Mother, and ask you to help us in the battle of today against violence, murder and racism.
 
We implore you to give us your wisdom that we may build a community founded on the values of Jesus, which gives respect to the life and dignity of all people.
 
Bless parents that they may form their children in faith. Bless and protect our youth that they may be peacemakers of our time. Give consolation to those who have lost loved ones through violence.
 
Hear our prayer and give us the perseverance to be a voice for life and human dignity in our community.
 
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. Mother Henriette Delille, pray for us that we may be a holy family.