The Catholic Commentator

Mass attendance encouraging

As many churches in the Diocese of Baton Rouge reopened the weekend of May 16-17, pastors were not sure what to expect.

Sure, safety measures were in place, several parishes had established a reservation protocol and pews were distinctly marked for social distancing.

But the underlying question was how many people would actually attend.

Using the first two weeks of reopening as a small sample size, the results have been encouraging.

http://thecatholiccommentator.org/pages/?p=54122

Photo: Small bottles of holy water, missalettes and armbands that say “Pray Louisiana!” on one side and “Heal Our Land” on the other were distributed after all Masses at St. Patrick Church in Baton Rouge the weekend of May 23-24. The parish requested 500 bracelets from Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office. The idea was originally introduced at the governor’s Prayer Breakfast on March 10.

Good neighbor: St. Paul the Apostle Church in Baton Rogue

Cars lined Gus Young Avenue as St. Paul the Apostle Church in Baton Rouge dished out jambalaya lunches seasoned with faith, hope and charity to some of the area’s poorest residents on May 8.
“When I looked at the unemployment figures this morning for the area, it was near 20 percent. In this neighborhood it’s probably closer to 70 percent unemployment,” said St. Paul pastor Father Rick Andrus SVD as he scooped jambalaya into Styrofoam containers. “That’s why we needed to do something like this.”

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http://thecatholiccommentator.org/pages/?p=53946

COUPLES GO ON WITH MARRIAGE PLANS DESPITE RESTRICTIONS

Church pews were mostly empty as bride and groom met at the altar, but that’s where God’s presence filled any lack as they established their lifelong relationship, say couples in the Diocese of Baton Rouge who have married during the coronavirus pandemic.

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http://thecatholiccommentator.org/pages/?p=53773
Pictured below, from left, Sidney and Michael Batson with Fr. Jamin David; Megan and Michael Willis; and, Irene and Christopher Lilly.