Dear Westbank Catholic Men, This is an invitation. I’m Father Steve, the director at Archbishop Shaw and I’m inviting you as an alumnus to something important. And the invitation has nothing to do with asking you for a donation. I’m inviting you to a retreat that will help you receive God’s peace and joy in your life. I’m personally inviting you to this special retreat and asking you to say yes. Also, invite a friend or neighbor to go with you. I made the ACTS retreat three months ago and I can tell you it really was personally impactful. The ACTS RETREAT – will be At Our Lady of Holy Cross University. It’s on July 20, 21, 22 and 23. You must register and pay the deposit of $100.00 on line. Register here: https://www.archbishopshaw.org/ministry/worship/acts-retreat/ What is ACTS?- ACTS is retreat for men. It’s a full 3 days. It starts on a Thursday evening and ends on a Sunday Morning. Although the retreat takes place at Our Lady of Holy Cross University in Algiers-- we depart from St. John Bosco in Woodmere at 6:00pm on Thursday the 20th; and we come back to St. John Bosco for the 12 noon Mass on Sunday. Why Go? 1. ACTS will help you get closer to God 2. There are lots of good men who will be going on it. It will help you feel that you are not alone. 3. You will come away with a much better perspective on your life and with a heart full of gratitude. 4. It will strengthen you in your family life. 5. Every Christian man should do something to nourish their spiritual life Why go? Why not? You are a Shaw graduate. Invite a friend of yours to go. All men are eligible. Set your life’s course stronger with God for the rest of your journey. What will it be like? IT’S A BEAUTIFUL RETREAT. It will be well prepared for you by a team- keeping you in an environment of fraternity, prayer and fellowship. Trust the process- it’s a wonderful experience. Questions--Fr. Steve, Chad Sherman, Wade Perrin (St. John Bosco), Pat Connick (82’), Ray Davis (82’), Kevin Nanne (04) Cost $350.00 but do not let that dissuade you. Scholarships are available and we will make it reasonable for all who want to come to come Write to Father Steve at ryan6@archbishopshaw.us Or call him 201-259-7263 (cell) Updates will be given periodically. Please Register now—by July 4th. Come on……. take a chance and tell Our Lord Jesus that He is a priority in your life. Go and experience something that will really help you to become the man God is calling you to be. Your Friend in Don Bosco, Fr. Steve Ryan SDB-- Director

West Bank High Catholic Religion St Martha Church 2555 Apollo Ave Harvey LA 70058 August 19, 2023 Registration from 10:00-10:30am Required parent/student meeting Saturdays 9:00-12:00 Once a month Open to students who are in 9,10,11 & 12 grade and are not currently receiving religions instruction. St. Martha Church 2555 Apollo Ave, Harvey, LA 70058 504-366-1604 St. Martha Church West Bank High Catholic Religion 9th graders 11th graders 10th graders 12th grade Meeting Dates Saturday 9:00 am- 12:00 pm St. Martha Cafeteria September 16, 2023 October 21, 2023 November 11, 2023 December 16, 2023 January 13, 2024 February 3, 2024 March 16, 2024 April 6, 2024 May 4, 2024 St. Martha Cafeteria August 19, 2023 10:00 am There is a $40.00 fee* check can be made out to cash accepted Venmo accepted Forms will be at the meeting Parent and student need to bepresent Registration * if you cannot afford the fee- please speakwith someone the day of registration. Contact: Cathy cathyteachss@gmail.com

We are happy to announce that we will have Transitional Deacon Lawrence Wumya from the Diocese of Yendi in Ghana doing his Internship here at St Joseph and St Anthony. Lawrence was ordained to the Diaconate on Saturday May 20th at St Louis Cathedral. Please give him a warm welcome when you meet him and encourage him in his vocation.

The Order of St. Louis Awards Ceremony took place at 2:30 PM on May 7, 2023, at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 105 Bonnabel Blvd., Metairie. 240 people were presented with medallions for outstanding service to their parishes and the Archdiocese. Congratulations to Peggy LeBlanc from St Anthony; and Geri Mayville and Kathy Danjean from St Joseph in being chosen for this special honor. Thank you ladies for your dedication to our parishes.

Congratulations to the following children who received the Sacrament of First Eucharist at St. Anthony Church on April 22nd: Carter Ray, Avery Capocaccia, Rylee Murphy, Tatyhonor Jenkins, Gia Ramos, Gianni Carter, Marshall Delhom, and Logan Davis

Charlotte Cox Roussel was recognized by her alma mater, St Anthony Elemenatry School, as being an exemplar of the values taught in our Catholic schools. Fifty-four graduates were honored on Tuesday April 25, 2023 in the Schulte Auditorium at Notre Dame Seminary by the Archdiocese of New Orleans Department of Catholic Education & Faith Formation. These Alumni/ae represent a rich tradition of academic excellence, moral integrity, and service to others.

Congratulations to Augustine Mullek who received his First Holy Communion on Sunday April 23rd.

Congratulations to Glenn Esteve who received the 2023 C W Cox Life Enhancement Award in recognition of his leadership, friendship, and humanitarianism to our great city of Gretna. We also would like to congratulate the Honorable Jackie Berthelot who received The Outstanding Service Award for his contributions.

Congratulations to Brandon Romero who was baptized, confirmed & received First Eucharist, and also to Gustavia Matthew who received Confirmation and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil on April 8th.

The Easter Bunny wants to remind all the boys and girls to brush their teeth lest their next visit comes from the Tooth Fairy.

St Joseph's Women's Club and the Parish wish to thank and acknowledge our Holy Family for their contribution to the Altar this year: Joseph -- Carter Magness; Mary -- Sophie Nolen; Jesus -- Jackson Murphy; and Angels -- Kinsey Francis and Jeanne Magness.

Congratulations to Eli Cannon, Anica Sercovich, and Blade Schneider who received the Sacrament of Confirmation at CTK on March 8th.

We congratulate Danielle Nguyen (St Anthony) and Garyn Sercovich (St Joseph) on being selected and honored as our 2022 Altar Servers Of The Year. Our parishes thank them for their outstanding service.

You are Invited to join Fr. Gary Copping on Special Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe April 27-May2, 2023 Our Lady of Guadalupe offers a pilgrimage experience without the jetlag of traveling to Europe or the Holy Land. Only a twohour flight from Houston, Mexico City is home to some of the most beautiful churches and shrines in all of the Americas. Spend a day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, beginning with Mass in the modern Basilica, where the Miraculous image on the Tilma of St Juan Diego is featured above the main altar. Atop the hill behind the basilica, called Tepiac, you will see the original chapel built on the site of Our Lady’s apparition. During your stay in Mexico, you will also visit Tulpetlac, also known as the Church of the Healing, which is the site of Our Lady’s fifth apparition and where St. Juan Diego’s Uncle was cured; the Metropolitan Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Latin America; the Holy Family Church, where you will pray at the tomb of Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro, the Jesuit martyr; and the beautiful city of Puebla to visit St. Dominic’s Church, with it’s magnificent Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, and to visit the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, where you will view the incorrupt body of St. Sebastian of Aparicio. Of course, no trip to Mexico would be complete without a visit to the pyramids of San Juan Teotihuacan where you will see the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. Don’t Miss this Incredible Opportunity! Book your Guadalupe Pilgrimage Tour today! Call Catholic Journeys (800) 715-6670 or visit https://www.catholicjourneys.com/mxcopping $2,599 per person Includes *Roundtrip airfare from New Orleans (Prices available from other cities.) *5 nights at Le Meridien Mexico City (or similar) *Breakfast and Dinner Daily *Wine and Bottled Water with Dinners *Lunch everyday, except day of arrival and departure *All Transfers as per itinerary via Private Motorcoach *Sightseeing and all admissions fees *Local English Speaking Guide *Luggage handling (1 piece per person at hotels) *Flight bag & Travel document portfolio *Daily Mass and Spiritual Activities Coordinated with Fr. Gary Copping

The Mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul - “A network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.” Our Accomplishments – In 2022, within the Joseph and St Anthony Church Parishes boundaries, we assisted 84 families (a total of 360 people) of all religious affiliations with rental assistance, utility payments, clothing, food, and moral support. Through the generous support of its members, those who place money in the poor boxes, those who contribute monthly with their SVdP envelopes, and fund-raisers, the SVdP Society was gifted with $25,385 to assist the poor. $29,653 was distributed to those in need. Your generosity made that possible. Along with the funds distributed, the SVdP Society gave 682 hours of service to the community and drove 646 miles to reach those in need. How to Receive Help – Please leave a voice mail on our phone line (504) 298-6907. A team member will contact you to set up an appointment for a home visit. How to Provide Help – Monetary donations are accepted by placing funds in the Poor Box inside St Joseph and St Anthony Churches. How to Join the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – We welcome all to attend our monthly meetings held in the St Joseph Church Office on the first Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. We begin at 2:45 p.m. by reciting the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you have any questions, please leave a message on our phone line (504) 298-6907.

FR. THOMAS BAMOAH ST ANTHONY OF PADUA PARISH, POST OFFICE BOX 39 WULENSI, N/R, GHANA, WEST AFRICA Phone number: 0249757745 Email: thomasbamoah@gmail.com ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -- Dear people of God, My heart is filled with great joy beyond measure as I write to you on this day. I trust by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are doing very well. As a priest, I have seen and witnessed a lot of things; the good, the bad, painful, and of course sweet and memorable things. The year has been a mixture of events: remembrance of sorrow, and celebration of victories and blessings. All too soon the year is going to an end. For this reason, it is only fitting that we celebrate it with the people who have stood with us through thick and thin, and whose lives the lord has preserved unto this day. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our lord Jesus Christ, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for being a true pillar for me, and the people that surround me in my ministry as a priest. Words alone won’t be enough to say thank you for everything you have done for me: your financial support, your encouragement, your directions, and above all your prayers are but some of the things you have done for me, that as a normal person I will never forget. As we mark the nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I wish you all the very best that this season can offer. I wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR. It is my prayer that through the intercession of our mother Mary and St. Anthony of Padua, you will have a wonderful celebration, devoid of sorrows or any untoward situation that might mar the beauty of the season. Once again; MERRY CHRISTMAS. Sincerely yours, Rev. Fr. Thomas Bamoah Binanbiba FR. THOMAS BAMOAH ST ANTHONY OF PADUA PARISH POST OFFICE BOX 39 WULENSI, N/R, GHANA WEST AFRICA Phone number: +233249757745 Email: thomasbamoah@gmail.com

The Missionaries to the Family initiative consists of three stages: Discernment, Formation and Service. The Discernment stage explores a person’s calling, desire and fit for becoming a Missionary to the Family. The Formation stage provides professional training to the missionaries to help them fulfill their calling. The Service stage follows Formation and empowers the missionary in their mission work within or around the parish. Formation consists of three types of formation over one year’s time: Theological Spiritual Practical Theological formation is provided by the McGrath Institute for Church Life (MICL) at the University of Notre Dame and consists of four online courses. Spiritual and Practical formation is provided by Paradisus Dei through a combination of in person retreats and online coursework. Missionaries should expect to spend approximately two hours per week on the online courses. The Formation year begins with a retreat at Notre Dame in August. The second retreat’s location varies by class year, and the final Commissioning retreat weekend is hosted at the University of Notre Dame.

Interested in Catholic Youth Groups for 5th through 12th Grades? Click on this article for information.

Scandal, division, disease, doubt. The Church has withstood each of these throughout our very human history. But today we confront all of them, all at once. Our response in this moment is pivotal. In the midst of these roaring waves, Jesus is present, reminding us that he is more powerful than the storm. He desires to heal, renew, and unify the Church and the world. How will he do it? By uniting us once again around the source and summit of our faith—the Holy Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is the joyful, expectant, grassroots response of the entire Catholic Church in the U.S. to this divine invitation. Sign up for the Heart of Revival newsletter today and learn how you can get involved: http://www.eucharisticrevival.org