We are beginning to repair the Garden House in our Holy Family Garden. Original estimates put the repair at $30,000 and the Gretna Historical Society has blessed St Joseph with a substantial grant to help us in our repairs. However, as the roof is being removed and walls taken down, the damage is much more severe than first anticipated. Years of termite infestation have caused extensive damage. If you would like to help us in our repairs, please remember to donate to our Maintenance Fund to help defray the costs of repairs. Thank you for your generosity.

Father Gary's emails are gcmetairie@hotmail.com (personal) and gcopping@arch-no.org (Church). Beware of an email that has no subject and is coming from churchonline4real213@gmail.com. This is a scam.

Thank you Eli Cannon and Blade Schneider for assisting the poor and needy.

The Society of St Vincent dePaul (SSVdP) for both St Joseph and St Anthony Churches in Gretna held its annual reverse food drive this month. Over 1,000 food items were collected and distributed to 22 households, where 70 family members were treated to variety of meats, fruits, vegetables, and pasta non perishable food items. The reverse food drive works like this. Selected food items are written on a slip of paper and parishioners would randomly choose which item we request they donate. This method would bring in an even amount of different canned meats, vegetables, and fruit. For example, the slips of paper would list tuna, corn, chili, peanut butter..etc. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was started in 1833 in Paris, France by Frederic Ozanam. As a student at the School of Law at the Sorbonne, University of Paris, Ozanam was part of a group that met on Saturdays to discuss various topics, except politics. During one particular meeting, he and his other fellow Catholics were questioned about what good the Catholic Church is doing in the community now. This inspired Ozanam to create the “Conference of Charity” to assist the poor. Later, the name was changed to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in honor of their patron saint. The group wanted to show their faith by caring for those in need while deepening their love for God. The mission of the Society inspired others across the world to join the organization. Today, there are over 800,000 members and the Society is present in five continents. The St. Joseph SSVdP Conference meets on the 1st Wednesday of the month in the St Joseph Social Room at 3 p,m. Membership is open to all.

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng issued an emergency proclamation on Monday, June 29th. The public is required to wear masks inside all businesses and public places within Jefferson Parish. The order will begin on Wednesday, July 1st, and has no end date. People in Jefferson Parish must wear face coverings when they are in the high-risk situations listed below: Masks are required inside any indoor public space, including but not limited to restaurants, retail, spas and places of worship. Masks are required upon entering and exiting a restaurant or bar but not while sitting at a table. Masks are required upon entering and exiting a gym but not while exercising. Masks are required in any room or an enclosed area where other people are present and unable to physically distance. Masks are required while walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators and parking facilities. Masks are required while riding on public transportation or paratransit. The following individuals are exempt from wearing a mask or face covering: Children younger than two years old. Individuals with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This order also excludes schools, summer camps and daycares, as they should follow the guidance set forth by the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Department of Education.

God our Father, giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. You are the rock on which this nation was founded. You alone are the true source of our cherished rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for your glory and dwell among your people. Send your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation’s leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing your will. Lead us into a new millennium of life. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen. (Contributed by Father Michael Gilligan, American Catholic Press, Copyright 1992. Used with permission.)

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Church teaching is that marriage and the Sacrament of Matrimony are between a man and a woman. According to reports, the pope’s comments in a brief passage in the documentary film, “Francesco,” are similar to the position the Holy Father took while archbishop of Buenos Aires and echo remarks he has made in several interviews during his pontificate. While always defining and defending marriage as between a man and a woman, the pope’s recognition of civil unions is his acknowledgement of the “civil rights” of those in same-sex civil unions as provided by governments.

Early voting is under way in Louisiana! Please vote yes on Amendment #1, the Love Life Amendment! There is a lot of misinformation being circulated about Amendment #1. I need your help to share the truth! Nearly all of misinformation comes from pro-abortion groups that would love nothing more than for state judges to force abortion-on-demand in Louisiana forever. Click on this article to see a 30-second video that tells about the Love Life Amendment.

We are raising the ribbon on our Restoration Banner! Thanks to Historic Tax Credits and James Rolf (Parishioer and Preservationist), we are close to meeting our goal. To learn more, click on this article to be redirected to Mary Helen William's blog on The Gretna Glance.

As Catholics in the United States, we will soon mark our annual observance of October as Respect Life Month. It is a time to focus on God’s precious gift of human life and our responsibility to care for, protect, and defend the lives of our brothers and si sters. This year’s theme, “Live the Gospel of Life,” was inspired by the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical The Gospel of Life. Pope John Paul’s masterfully articulated defense of the right to life for children in the ir mothers’ wombs, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and the marginalized is more relevant today than ever before. This past November, the U.S. bishops reaffirmed that “the threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attac ks life itself, because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family, and because of the number of lives destroyed.” While we noted not to “dismiss or ignore other serious threats to human life and dignity such as racism, the environmental crisis, pov erty, and the death penalty,” we renewed our commitment to protect the most fundamental of all human rights – the right to live. This past January, I shared with Pope Francis that the Bishops of the United States had been criticized by some for identi fying the protection of the unborn as a pre - eminent priority. The Holy Father expressed his support for our efforts observing that if we fail to protect life, no other rights matter. Pope Francis also said that abortion is not primarily a Catholic or eve n a religious issue, it is first and foremost a human rights issue. The Gospel of Life provides a blueprint for building a culture of life and civilization of love. The important work of transforming our culture begins by allowing the Gospel of Christ t o touch and transform our own hearts and the decisions we make. May we strive to imitate Christ and follow in his footsteps, caring for the most vulnerable among us. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, may Our Lord grant us the grace to live courageously and faithfully his Gospel of life.

As we approach the upcoming local, state, and national elections, I have received many emails, calls, and letters with questions from Catholics and other people of faith regarding how to vote. I would like to take this opportuni-ty to clarify some important points, particularly for Catholics. Let me start off by saying that no member of the Catholic bishops, priests, deacons, religious, or laity in church leadership may endorse or oppose any candidate for office. The US Catholic Bishops document “Forming Con-sciences for Faithful Citizenship” prohibits any endorsement of a candidate by church leadership but challenges Catholics to vote with a properly formed conscience. To quote the document, “Clergy and lay people have comple-mentary roles in public life. We bishops have the primary responsibility to hand on the Church's moral and social teaching. Together with priests and deacons, assisted by religious and lay leaders of the Church, we are to teach fundamental moral principles that help Catholics form their consciences correctly, to provide guidance on the moral dimensions of public decisions, and to encourage the faithful to carry out their responsibilities in political life. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the Church's leaders avoid endorsing or opposing candidates.” It is in my role as bishop, charged with handing on the Church’s moral and social teaching that I write today. It is our right and responsibility to vote with a well-formed conscience. A well-formed conscience is formed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit through prayer, scripture, and reflecting and informing oneself about the moral teach-ings of the Catholic Church as guided by “Faithful Citizenship”. It is our responsibility as disciples of Jesus to look carefully at the platform of each candidate and compare these principles to the teaching of Christ and the Church. There are many moral and social issues we must be aware of to form our conscience and decide how to vote. The issues of public policy concern for Catholics are listed below. Abortion and euthanasia are identified in the bish-ops’ document as being preeminent issues because it is upon the protection and sanctity of human life within the family unit that all other life issues are built. This does not mean we can dismiss or ignore other serious threats to human life and dignity or caring for the vulnerable among us, but we must stand firm on issues that directly attack life itself, the most fundamental good and the condition for all others. We must emphasize the need to respect all human life regardless of race, religion, cultural, or social differences. To once again quote from “Faithful Citizen-ship”, “The fact that much of our political rhetoric has become very negative and that political polarization seems to have grown should not dissuade us from the high calling to work for a world that allows everyone to thrive, a world in which all persons, all families, have what they need to fulfill their God-given destiny.” As Christians, we believe in the values handed on to us by Jesus and our tradition. I invite the faithful and all peo-ple of good will to study carefully the information from the bishops’ conference and, through prayer, make a re-sponsible decision based on a well-formed conscience in the upcoming election. Let us together pray for our country and for peace in our world. Issues of Public Policy Concern for Catholics: Address the preeminent requirement to protect human life Protect the fundamental understanding of marriage as a life-long commitment between a man and a woman Achieve comprehensive immigration reform Help families and children overcome poverty and ensure access to education Ensure full conscience protection and religious freedom Provide healthcare that respects human life and dignity Oppose unjust discrimination Establish and comply with moral limits on military force Pursue peace, protect human rights and religious liberty, and advance economic justice and care for creation. To find other helpful resources, visit https://nolacatholic.org/vote.

Congratulations to David and Susan Kalil of St Joseph Church & Shrine and Rory and Maureen Cadres of St Anthony Church on being chosen as recipients of the Order of St Louis Medallions in recognition of their great dedication and years of service to the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Order of St Louis is one of the highest and most cherished honors bestowed by the local Church on a member of the laity. It was established more than 50 years ago to recognize individuals who have given unselfishly of their time and talent to the work of the Church for many years. The Medallion will be presented in special ceremonies in the special prayer service at St Catherine of Siena Church, 105 Bonnabel Blvd., Metairie, on Sunday October 18 at 2:30 pm.

Congratulations to our two altar servers of the year: Carter Magness from St Anthony and Eli Cannon from St Joseph. We thank them for their dedicated service to the Church and we appreciate the time they give to assist the Priest and the Parish assisting at the Masses.

Come join Fr. Gary on Pilgramage June 3-12, 2022. Click this article for more information. Zoom Meeting with details is forthcoming. See Parish Events area on right hand side to view a webinar on the trip.

Help fight crime in our community. Text anonymous tips to Gretna Police Department to fight crime and help keep our community safe! Fighting crime is a partnership. In Gretna, the public is the greatest crime fighting resource. With tip411, you can share anonymous information about crime, drugs, domestic violence, bullying, suspicious activity and other crimes via text message or the free smartphone app. It is 100% anonymous. The tip411 system removes all your identifying information so officers receive no identifying information about you -- not your name, not your phone number, not your address. Nothing! How do I use it? 1. Send anonymous text tips -- send a text message to 847411, then type the keyword GPDTIPS, add a space, type your tip info, and hit send. 2. Submit anonymous tips using FREE smartphone app. Download free Gretna PD app for iPhone and Android to submit anonymous tips from a smartphone. 3. Use anonymous web tip form on your computer. Visit the Gretna PD website at www.gretnapolice.com

This season has brought about several changes for Community Center for Life, but our ministry has been privileged to remain open as an essential services operation. We have served families across 20 different zip codes with a specific increase in requests for assistance with diapers, groceries, baby formula, and other necessities. We have continued to provide crisis intervention and long-term counseling, ultrasounds, prenatal and parenting classes, and more - all at no cost to our clients. Since the pandemic, we have conducted over 550 varied appointments ranging from in-person, virtual, curbside pick-up, and home delivery. Even with the onslaught of changes, the mission to glorify God by sharing the overwhelming love and hope of Christ remains the same. Here is a testimony of one woman who was considering abortion during the pandemic and texted a staff member the next day with this message: “I wanted to thank you for just being able to hear me, not judge me, and welcome me with open arms. I thank you for the counseling because I did notice a few things about myself that I never took the time to think about or even speak about to anyone. Thank you for just helping women all over make us feel comfortable enough to trust you. You are a blessing and I thank God for meeting you!” This is the testimony of a mother who remembered us after receiving help in the past and recently gave birth during the pandemic: “I am a single mom with one daughter and I do it all on my own. When I found out I was pregnant again, I felt lost and had no hope. The center immediately popped into my head the moment I found out. I knew they could help me see over this mountain. They not only helped me to keep my baby but also helped me to see a different version of myself. I learned a lot talking with the counselor…and now I have hope!” Please join us in our mission via this virtual Baby Bottle. Click on link for more information on how to participate and get involved. We rely completely on the support of our local churches to protect the unborn and serve the most needy and vulnerable families in our community. We covet your prayers and your partnership! Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information or for requests to help families in your area.

In an effort to better serve the faithful of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, we are pleased to announce the creation of the Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation. The Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation will include Catholic schools, parish schools of religion, RCIA programs, evangelization, adult education, and catechist certification programs focused on a shared ministry of forming life-long disciples. Dr. RaeNell Houston will serve as Executive Director and Superintendent of Catholic Schools and will be supported by Deputy Superintendents, Deacon Michael Whitehouse and Mrs. Martha Mundine along with additional professional staff. By creating this department, it is our hope to eliminate a duplication of efforts enabling us to focus resources on Catholic education and religious education for all ages in both our parishes and our Catholic schools. The mission statement of the Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation is: Led by the Holy Spirit and centered in the person of Jesus Christ, the mission of the Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation is to provide service, support and guidance to all parish and school communities in the shared ministry of evangelizing, catechizing and educating with standards of excellence to form life-long Disciples who witness God’s love with joy.

Watch special Elections 2020 programming at EndAbortion.TV or any of the platforms listed on that page. Programming includes a daily airing of political speeches without the spin given by the fake news. Priest For Life will also have hard-hitting detailed presentations and discussions about how to educate and mobilize voters each weeknight, live, at 8pm CT.

Remember to sign up for FORMED so you can watch free Catholic films, read Spiritual Books, and listen to relevant topics of our Faith. It is easy to do.