By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
For a quarter of a century, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge has been providing mental health services throughout the region but perhaps never has it been so complex to meet clients’ needs.
Services have continued throughout the pandemic uninterrupted thanks to the creativity and ingenuity of the CCDBR negotiating a labyrinth of technical challenges. Rather than traditional face-to-face meetings, the overwhelming majority of sessions are being conducted through telemedicine, a video option that is becoming increasingly widespread.
“It has been our lifeline for several people who were already in therapy with our services and wanted to continue or people who have experienced difficulty due to (COVID-19) such as social isolation or maybe they’ve got into some financial difficulties because of loss of wages,” said Stephanie Sterling, director of CCDBR’s Maternity, Adoption and Mental
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
With ongoing crisis in the world from medical, social and political standpoints, a group from St. John the Baptist Church in Zachary is seeking the Blessed Mother’s intercession through Mary’s Mantle consecration.
Jennifer Johnson, organizer at St. John, pointed out that the 46-day consecration is based upon an ancient tradition called “El Manto de Maria” that started in barrios in Mexico.
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Teens took a deep look at what it means to belong to the modern world, within the church and ultimately to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at this year’s Red Stick Catholic Fest on Aug. 29. The event, themed “Belong,” was hosted by the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
Father Mathew Dunn, parochial vicar at
Bishop Michael G. Duca on Sept. 13 announced the appointment of Father Brent Maher pastor at St. Agnes Church in Baton Rouge and Father
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
The coronavirus pandemic, social unrest and the Gulf of Mexico furiously churning out one hurricane after another has many people caught
‘Nutrition of love’ served at St. Gerard
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
The Baton Rouge 40 Days for Life Campaign, scheduled for Sept. 23 - Nov. 1, is an opportunity for
In consultation with and upon the recommendation of the Priest Personnel Board, Bishop Michael Duca appoints Father P. Brent Maher to a six-year term as Pastor of St Agnes Parish in Baton Rouge effective Sept. 12, 2020. His office as Pastor of St Ann Church in Morganza and St Vincent
I am grateful to God that the people of our diocese were mostly spared the ravages of Hurricane Laura. However, Hurricane Laura inflicted devastating and long-lasting damage to
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
With ongoing crisis in the world from medical, social and political standpoints, a group from St. John the Baptist
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Teens took a deep look at what it means to belong to the modern world, within the church and ultimately
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
Long before his ordination Father Joshua Johnson would cringe walking through the atrium of the Catholic Life Center,
By Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator
The Catholic Commentator
When completed, the Garden of Peace and Memorial Columbarium under construction at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Baton Rouge
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
For a quarter of a century, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge has been providing mental health services throughout the region but perhaps never has it been so complex to meet clients’ needs.
Services have continued
Structural changes announced
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
The Diocese of Baton Rouge made history when Bishop Michael G. Duca announced the appointment of Ann Boltin as chancellor.
Ann Boltin
Boltin, the diocesan archivist, is the
Two seniors at Colgate University in New York planned to spend their summer implementing a program that utilizes art as a technique for social cohesion among Syrian refugees and Jordanians in Amman, Jordan.
In Jordan, the schools are set up on a “double shift” system with Jordanian
Special to The Catholic Commentator
Catholic elementary and middle schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge have suspended extra-curricular athletics for the fall semester, according to a statement from the Catholic Schools Office.
There are approximately 25 elementary and middle schools in the diocese whose levels of academic instruction and sports programs
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
A worldwide pandemic and a fluid back-to-school calendar presented anomalous challenges to the annual Uniforms for Kids program.
But with a bit of ingenuity, a new matrix of distribution was developed and the 23-year-old ministry of providing school uniforms
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
Schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge are scheduled to open in early August, according to a statement from the diocese released July 22.
The diocese released the statement on the same day the East Baton Rouge School System
Volunteers remodel ICC chapel
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
The
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
During a time when COVID-19 would have people live quietly in despair, church parish music ministry programs in the Diocese of
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
The response was simple and direct.
Jay Jackson, right, who recently retired as chaplain at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, unloads supplies at the prison in 2018. He
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Father Frank Uter sees his upcoming retirement as moving forward into another ministry in
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
During the summer Jesus is coming into homes and unpacking
Empty fonts do not parch waters of faith
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
La Comisión de Armonía Racial de la Diócesis de Baton Rouge, la comisión bi-racial, que consta de 12 miembros e incluye clérigos, religiosos y laicos de la diócesis, continúa reuniéndose bajo la dirección del obispo Michael G. Duca para explorar formas de comprender mejor los efectos del racismo
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
Bishop Michael G. Duca and Gov. John Bel Edwards discussed balancing fear with faith during the nationally syndicated radio program “Catholic Connection” on July 22 on Catholic Community Radio.
Host Teresa Tomeo said in regard to the coronavirus pandemic
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
Schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge are scheduled to open in early August, according to a statement from the diocese released July 22.
The diocese released the statement on the same day the East Baton Rouge School System
Start dates for all diocesan, parochial and private schools which are part of the Catholic schools district are listed on the Catholic Schools Office website at csobr.org.
Schools began communicating this week with faculty, staff and parents outlining the specifics of each
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down Louisiana’s abortion law holds doctor who perform abortions to a lower standard of health care than that of their peers, Danielle Van Haute, Respect Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, said.
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
Schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge are scheduled to open in early August, with principals using the month of July to tweak protocols, according to Dr. Melanie Palmisano, Superintendent of Catholic Schools.
Palmisano emphasized protocols will be tailored
Over the last month, protesters and marches have become frequent occurrences in our country.
The public, brutal killing of George Floyd by police has shaken our nation, and we mourn his death.
The deaths of Mr. Floyd and so many other African Americans and Hispanics – Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks,
As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, the following entry in the diocesan list of credible accusations of sexual abuse by clergy is hereby revised as shown below to reflect the recent receipt of additional allegations:
Fr. George Gensler
Dates of Abuse: Late 1970s
