ATTENTION ALL YOUTH AND THOSE WHO STILL FEEL LIKE A KID @@@@@@@ Sign up for Abbey Youth Fest &&&& Event is Saturday March 23, 2019 From 9am to 9pm ^^^^^^MISSION STATEMENT +++++ The Abbey Youth Festival is an apostolic service of Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College. It is designed to provide young people with an opportunity to experience a day of prayer and faith formation with an exposure to the Benedictine tradition. Its focus is evangelization and vocational discernment by means of Liturgy, prayer, worship, music and education appropriate for Catholic young people.****** HISTORY%%%%%% Abbey Youth Fest began in 2001 under the leadership of Dr. Chris Baglow and a dedicated seminarian task force. The seminarians of Saint Joseph Seminary College continue to play a vital part in the production of AYF in conjunction with the seminary staff. It has, in 12 short years, turned into the largest event in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, drawing nearly 250 different groups from all across the south and surpassing 4500 participants per year for the last few years. AYF is an event you don't want to miss!

The Golden Wedding Anniversary Celebration will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m in St. Philip Neri's Church in Metairie. All participants must register with their church parish before March 1, 2019.

Lenten Mission -- Save the date -- Fr. George Knab OMI will lead us in our Lenten Journey from March 24 to March 28 from 7 to 8 pm.

++ "The Spirit of Truth: Signs, Wonders, and Miracles" is the theme for the annual Catholic Charismatic Conference March 29-31, 2019, at the Copeland Tower Suites and Conference Center, Metairie, LA. Well-known speakers and authors include: Dr. Mary Healy, Fr. Mathias Thelen, and Barbara Heil. Also featured will be Fr. Deogratias Ekisa, Deacon Larry Oney and Andi Oney, and Casey Sprehe. The program will include a greeting by Archbishop Aymond, dynamic preaching, prayer for healing, Eucharistic celebrations, Late Night Worship, adoration, inspiring music, charismatic ministry and prayer for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pope Francis has called upon the Charismatic Renewal to "share the grace of the Baptism in the Spirit with the whole Church." That is the aim of this conference. Pre- register at https://ccrno.org/2018/12/10/2019-southern-regional-conference-registration/ Single sessions register at door. For more information on schedule and hotel: visit www.ccrno.org or call CCRNO at 504-828-1368.

All are welcome to pray with us at the Memorial Service for the Unborn and blessing of the new Holy Innocents Prayer Garden St. Patrick Cemetery No 1. (5000 Canal St., New Orleans) January 22, 2018 at 12 noon Archbishop Gregory Aymond will preside over the prayer service. As we come together this year, we pray for those innocent lives lost and for those who mourn the loss of a child. The Holy Innocents Prayer Garden is located in the rear of St. Patrick Cemetery No. 1 near Calvary Mausoleum. Parking in the cemetery is available. For more information contact: Archdiocese of New Orleans Respect Life Office at (504) 286-1119 or respectlife@arch-no.org

In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help from this icon pictured on the left) we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son above has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! .......... Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three Hail Marys).......... First placed in the Church of San Matteo in Rome in 1499, the picture was thought to be lost at one point after Napoleon’s armies sacked that church in 1798. Fortunately, however, it was in the care of the Augustinian fathers until Pope Pius IX ordered that the icon be given to the Redemptorist order at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome in 1866 for public viewing once again. Since then it has been copied and venerated in churches and homes all over the world. Note in this picture how Jesus, while safely cradled in his mother’s arms, looks anxiously at St. Gabriel the Archangel, who holds the cross and nails for His Crucifixion. (St. Michael the Archangel, at left, holds the lance, spear, and the vessel of vinegar and gall for our Lord's Passion as well.) The Blessed Mother looks at us solemnly, perhaps as if in contemplation of her beloved Son’s future Passion and death for our salvation! Remember that when we pray this novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help, that we are not choosing to worship her over her Divine Son. She is "our Mother on the order of grace,” according to a Vatican II document, and all the graces Mary gives us come directly from our Lord. She is always ready to intercede with Him on our behalf, but never for anything contrary to His wishes. As long as we approach her as we do Him, with sincerely humble and contrite hearts, we can count on her aid and guidance. Mary’s last spoken words in the Gospels concerned her Son when she said at the wedding feast at Cana “Do whatever he tells You” (John 2:5). If we persevere in our intentions to do Christ’s will for us, we are doing hers as well.

The Archbishop will be joining with other religious denominations of New Orleans to pray together in a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood with all the different religions. Event starts at 7pm at Central Saint Matthew United Church of Christ at 1333 S Carrollton Ave NOLA 70118

On any given Sunday, 80% of the congregation at Mass has either been afflicted with, or affected by the disease of addiction. This disease is an equal opportunity illness, disregarding gender, occupation, age, race, nationality, or social status. It is conservatively estimated that each afflicted person will affect a minimum of four (4) other people. A notable characteristic of this disease is denial, based in shame and sustained by a “conspiracy of silence.” The first step in addressing the problem is to begin talking about it, thus reducing the shame and opening the door to treatment and recovery. It is commonly said that there are only three ways out of addiction: Treatment, Incarceration, or death! It is widely noted that if there is an addict or alcoholic in the family, the whole family needs to be treated because of the pain and suffering that it causes. But there is hope! St Joseph Church has begun the process of creating a parish SUBSTANCE ADDICTION MINISTRY (SAM) What is SAM? S.A.M. stands for Substance Addiction Ministry. SAM is a parish-based ministry that is designed to provide a safe, confidential place for people touched by addiction to share their personal experiences with others. SAM provides educational information about addiction through professionals in this field. If you have any questions, contact the office. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at St Joseph Church Office at 7pm.

Isaiah 43 is a parenting and mentoring program that provides services to families, church parishes, and communities that strengthen their capacities for peacebuilding. Created in partnership with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Isaiah 43 is rooted in Judeo-Christian values and teachings. Youth and families are empowered to be peacemakers, to be active in promoting peace in their neighborhoods, and to live by the values of love, peace, and forgiveness. The program engages youth and parents to encourage peaceful conflict resolution, skillful communication, constructive discipline, forgiveness, and leadership development. Isaiah 43 was developed to help youth, families, and parishes strengthen skills for peacebuilding through mentoring activities, parenting fellowships, family support, ministry development, and community collaboration. Isaiah 43 partners with parishes interested in supporting families with these services.

With professional instruction, Natural Family Planning has proven itself to be safe, effective, and a moral way for couples to plan their families. It is a method which respects the meaning of human sexuality as God created it and thus marital love is enhanced and strengthened. Come join the class series that the Office of Marriage and Family Life is offering in the Sympto-Thermal Method of Natural Family Planning conducted by Mrs. Gayle Rizzo of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The dates of the class series are January 26, February 9, February 23 and March 9, 2019. The classes will be held at St. Dominic Parish in New Orleans. Preregistration is required and the cost is $100.00. For more information and registration please call the Office of Marriage and Family Life, 504-861-6243.

Jan 26 8:30-3:30 St Catherine of Siena 105 Bonnabel Blvd Metairie LA. Lunch and Refreshment provided. Please bring your computer. Learn more about how Catholic Relief Services can help your parish implement its synod goals through all components of parish life from faith formation to social ministry outreach! Meet members from other parishes from across the archdiocese sharing the same goals. Reflect on our call to solidarity with our Global Family and plan your parish activities fro the year with professional assistance.

In the last week of January we join the nation in celebrating Catholic Schools Week. Our schools work continuously to remain institutions of academic excellence, deeply rooted in Christ’s teachings. However, in order to remain successful, Catholic schools depend on financial resources. Catholic schools are not in it for the money, but just like most things in today’s evolving world, it costs to continue the ministry of Catholic Education. Teachers must be paid a just wage, facilities must be kept up to date, and the schools must work hard to keep up with the latest in educational practices. Though I do not know how to make Catholic schools more affordable, I am working on ways to make them more available for our Young Church through financial assistance. By offering financial support to the mission and ministry of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, you are allowing a child the opportunity for a Catholic education. Catholic schools help form disciples who live out our Christian faith; it is the responsibility of every Catholic to assist in these efforts. Every parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans will take up a second collection January 26-27 to support Catholic schools, and I ask you to be as generous as you can. The money collected through the second collection will support the Champions of Catholic Education fund in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. This fund provides assistance to children whose families may not be able to afford Catholic school tuition, thus making Catholic education available to more children. Our Catholic schools, and our Catholic parents, need your support. We receive many requests and we do our best to assist as many as possible.

In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help from this icon pictured on the left) we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son above has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! .......... Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three Hail Marys).......... First placed in the Church of San Matteo in Rome in 1499, the picture was thought to be lost at one point after Napoleon’s armies sacked that church in 1798. Fortunately, however, it was in the care of the Augustinian fathers until Pope Pius IX ordered that the icon be given to the Redemptorist order at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome in 1866 for public viewing once again. Since then it has been copied and venerated in churches and homes all over the world. Note in this picture how Jesus, while safely cradled in his mother’s arms, looks anxiously at St. Gabriel the Archangel, who holds the cross and nails for His Crucifixion. (St. Michael the Archangel, at left, holds the lance, spear, and the vessel of vinegar and gall for our Lord's Passion as well.) The Blessed Mother looks at us solemnly, perhaps as if in contemplation of her beloved Son’s future Passion and death for our salvation! Remember that when we pray this novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help, that we are not choosing to worship her over her Divine Son. She is "our Mother on the order of grace,” according to a Vatican II document, and all the graces Mary gives us come directly from our Lord. She is always ready to intercede with Him on our behalf, but never for anything contrary to His wishes. As long as we approach her as we do Him, with sincerely humble and contrite hearts, we can count on her aid and guidance. Mary’s last spoken words in the Gospels concerned her Son when she said at the wedding feast at Cana “Do whatever he tells You” (John 2:5). If we persevere in our intentions to do Christ’s will for us, we are doing hers as well.

This weekend is the Collection for the Church in Latin America! Many people in Latin America and the Caribbean do not have access to church programs and ministries because of a rising secular culture, rural terrain, and a shortage of ministers. Your generosity makes it possible for our brothers and sisters in Latin America and the Caribbean to share in the life of the Church and grow closer to Christ. Please be generous to the special collection! To learn more, please visit www.usccb.org/ latin-america.

Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be held at St Anthony Church every 1st Friday after the 8:30 am morning mass.

Special Screenings available at a nominal charge to detect health problems. These tests could save your life.

Come join us at St Martha for a discussion on the US Conference of Catholic Bishop's New Pastoral Letter "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call To Love, A Pastoral Letter Against Racism". Saturday February 2 from 10am to 12noon. Please read the document in advance. Document can be found at following link: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/upload/open-wide-our-hearts.pdf

6th Annual Soup Cookoff February 2, 2019 (*rain/freeze date February 9, 2019). Soup tasting 11-1 - Rain or shine. Taste them all - $5 per person. Fun - Food - Prizes. Team Entries -- 4 gallons of soup for entry $30 for 4 person team. People's Choice Awards -- 1st place -- $150 & Trophy --- 2nd place --- $100 & Trophy --- 3rd place --- $60 & Trophy.

In honor of St Blaise, there will be a blessing of the throats at all weekend Vigil masses and Sunday masses on February 2rd and 3rd at both St Joseph and St Anthony. Please come and have your throats blessed.

In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help from this icon pictured on the left) we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son above has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! .......... Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three Hail Marys).......... First placed in the Church of San Matteo in Rome in 1499, the picture was thought to be lost at one point after Napoleon’s armies sacked that church in 1798. Fortunately, however, it was in the care of the Augustinian fathers until Pope Pius IX ordered that the icon be given to the Redemptorist order at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome in 1866 for public viewing once again. Since then it has been copied and venerated in churches and homes all over the world. Note in this picture how Jesus, while safely cradled in his mother’s arms, looks anxiously at St. Gabriel the Archangel, who holds the cross and nails for His Crucifixion. (St. Michael the Archangel, at left, holds the lance, spear, and the vessel of vinegar and gall for our Lord's Passion as well.) The Blessed Mother looks at us solemnly, perhaps as if in contemplation of her beloved Son’s future Passion and death for our salvation! Remember that when we pray this novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help, that we are not choosing to worship her over her Divine Son. She is "our Mother on the order of grace,” according to a Vatican II document, and all the graces Mary gives us come directly from our Lord. She is always ready to intercede with Him on our behalf, but never for anything contrary to His wishes. As long as we approach her as we do Him, with sincerely humble and contrite hearts, we can count on her aid and guidance. Mary’s last spoken words in the Gospels concerned her Son when she said at the wedding feast at Cana “Do whatever he tells You” (John 2:5). If we persevere in our intentions to do Christ’s will for us, we are doing hers as well.

Christ in the City, an evening of Eucharistic Adoration for young adults 18-39, is held at the Chapel at Notre Dame Seminary the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm sponsored by the CYO/Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The hour-long service of adoration includes scripture and a reflection, music, silent time for prayer, the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and benediction. A social follows across the street at Rock n' Bowl.

Come join the St Vincent DePaul Society or come volunteer to help the poor in our parishes.

Isaiah 43 is a parenting and mentoring program that provides services to families, church parishes, and communities that strengthen their capacities for peacebuilding. Created in partnership with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Isaiah 43 is rooted in Judeo-Christian values and teachings. Youth and families are empowered to be peacemakers, to be active in promoting peace in their neighborhoods, and to live by the values of love, peace, and forgiveness. The program engages youth and parents to encourage peaceful conflict resolution, skillful communication, constructive discipline, forgiveness, and leadership development. Isaiah 43 was developed to help youth, families, and parishes strengthen skills for peacebuilding through mentoring activities, parenting fellowships, family support, ministry development, and community collaboration. Isaiah 43 partners with parishes interested in supporting families with these services.

Open House -- Feb 7 -- Sign up for tour

Take a baby bottle home, fill it with money to help save the unborn from abortions, and bring it back.

Environmental justice through the lens of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Sí will be addressed by Rev. Eduardo Scarel, O.Carm., an internationally-respected priest-climatologist. The event is February 12, 2019, 6:00-8:00 PM at Schulte Auditorium on the campus of Notre Dame Seminary. Please save the date and spread the word. Fr. Scarel will offer reflections on the relationship between science and faith and between spirituality and ecology, all flowing from the rich experience of his academic research and membership on international climate panels. Presented by the Carmelite NGO. Endorsed by the Maryknoll Mission Education Office , the Archdiocese of New Orleans, LCWR Region V, the Jesuit Social Research Institute, Department of Religious (Archdiocese of New Orleans), Tulane Office for Latin America, Ropollo Memorial Endowment, to date.

In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help from this icon pictured on the left) we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son above has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! .......... Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three Hail Marys).......... First placed in the Church of San Matteo in Rome in 1499, the picture was thought to be lost at one point after Napoleon’s armies sacked that church in 1798. Fortunately, however, it was in the care of the Augustinian fathers until Pope Pius IX ordered that the icon be given to the Redemptorist order at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome in 1866 for public viewing once again. Since then it has been copied and venerated in churches and homes all over the world. Note in this picture how Jesus, while safely cradled in his mother’s arms, looks anxiously at St. Gabriel the Archangel, who holds the cross and nails for His Crucifixion. (St. Michael the Archangel, at left, holds the lance, spear, and the vessel of vinegar and gall for our Lord's Passion as well.) The Blessed Mother looks at us solemnly, perhaps as if in contemplation of her beloved Son’s future Passion and death for our salvation! Remember that when we pray this novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help, that we are not choosing to worship her over her Divine Son. She is "our Mother on the order of grace,” according to a Vatican II document, and all the graces Mary gives us come directly from our Lord. She is always ready to intercede with Him on our behalf, but never for anything contrary to His wishes. As long as we approach her as we do Him, with sincerely humble and contrite hearts, we can count on her aid and guidance. Mary’s last spoken words in the Gospels concerned her Son when she said at the wedding feast at Cana “Do whatever he tells You” (John 2:5). If we persevere in our intentions to do Christ’s will for us, we are doing hers as well.

On any given Sunday, 80% of the congregation at Mass has either been afflicted with, or affected by the disease of addiction. This disease is an equal opportunity illness, disregarding gender, occupation, age, race, nationality, or social status. It is conservatively estimated that each afflicted person will affect a minimum of four (4) other people. A notable characteristic of this disease is denial, based in shame and sustained by a “conspiracy of silence.” The first step in addressing the problem is to begin talking about it, thus reducing the shame and opening the door to treatment and recovery. It is commonly said that there are only three ways out of addiction: Treatment, Incarceration, or death! It is widely noted that if there is an addict or alcoholic in the family, the whole family needs to be treated because of the pain and suffering that it causes. But there is hope! St Joseph Church has begun the process of creating a parish SUBSTANCE ADDICTION MINISTRY (SAM) What is SAM? S.A.M. stands for Substance Addiction Ministry. SAM is a parish-based ministry that is designed to provide a safe, confidential place for people touched by addiction to share their personal experiences with others. SAM provides educational information about addiction through professionals in this field. If you have any questions, contact the office. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at St Joseph Church Office at 7pm.

A Monthly Rosary For Peace for law enforcement, emergency personnel, firefighters, military, and peace in the world will be held at St Joseph Church. Everyone is invited to attend. For more information call Mary Grace at 504-367-7515.

In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help from this icon pictured on the left) we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son above has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! .......... Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three Hail Marys).......... First placed in the Church of San Matteo in Rome in 1499, the picture was thought to be lost at one point after Napoleon’s armies sacked that church in 1798. Fortunately, however, it was in the care of the Augustinian fathers until Pope Pius IX ordered that the icon be given to the Redemptorist order at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome in 1866 for public viewing once again. Since then it has been copied and venerated in churches and homes all over the world. Note in this picture how Jesus, while safely cradled in his mother’s arms, looks anxiously at St. Gabriel the Archangel, who holds the cross and nails for His Crucifixion. (St. Michael the Archangel, at left, holds the lance, spear, and the vessel of vinegar and gall for our Lord's Passion as well.) The Blessed Mother looks at us solemnly, perhaps as if in contemplation of her beloved Son’s future Passion and death for our salvation! Remember that when we pray this novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help, that we are not choosing to worship her over her Divine Son. She is "our Mother on the order of grace,” according to a Vatican II document, and all the graces Mary gives us come directly from our Lord. She is always ready to intercede with Him on our behalf, but never for anything contrary to His wishes. As long as we approach her as we do Him, with sincerely humble and contrite hearts, we can count on her aid and guidance. Mary’s last spoken words in the Gospels concerned her Son when she said at the wedding feast at Cana “Do whatever he tells You” (John 2:5). If we persevere in our intentions to do Christ’s will for us, we are doing hers as well.

In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Mother of Perpetual Help from this icon pictured on the left) we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son above has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! .......... Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three Hail Marys).......... First placed in the Church of San Matteo in Rome in 1499, the picture was thought to be lost at one point after Napoleon’s armies sacked that church in 1798. Fortunately, however, it was in the care of the Augustinian fathers until Pope Pius IX ordered that the icon be given to the Redemptorist order at the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome in 1866 for public viewing once again. Since then it has been copied and venerated in churches and homes all over the world. Note in this picture how Jesus, while safely cradled in his mother’s arms, looks anxiously at St. Gabriel the Archangel, who holds the cross and nails for His Crucifixion. (St. Michael the Archangel, at left, holds the lance, spear, and the vessel of vinegar and gall for our Lord's Passion as well.) The Blessed Mother looks at us solemnly, perhaps as if in contemplation of her beloved Son’s future Passion and death for our salvation! Remember that when we pray this novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help, that we are not choosing to worship her over her Divine Son. She is "our Mother on the order of grace,” according to a Vatican II document, and all the graces Mary gives us come directly from our Lord. She is always ready to intercede with Him on our behalf, but never for anything contrary to His wishes. As long as we approach her as we do Him, with sincerely humble and contrite hearts, we can count on her aid and guidance. Mary’s last spoken words in the Gospels concerned her Son when she said at the wedding feast at Cana “Do whatever he tells You” (John 2:5). If we persevere in our intentions to do Christ’s will for us, we are doing hers as well.

On any given Sunday, 80% of the congregation at Mass has either been afflicted with, or affected by the disease of addiction. This disease is an equal opportunity illness, disregarding gender, occupation, age, race, nationality, or social status. It is conservatively estimated that each afflicted person will affect a minimum of four (4) other people. A notable characteristic of this disease is denial, based in shame and sustained by a “conspiracy of silence.” The first step in addressing the problem is to begin talking about it, thus reducing the shame and opening the door to treatment and recovery. It is commonly said that there are only three ways out of addiction: Treatment, Incarceration, or death! It is widely noted that if there is an addict or alcoholic in the family, the whole family needs to be treated because of the pain and suffering that it causes. But there is hope! St Joseph Church has begun the process of creating a parish SUBSTANCE ADDICTION MINISTRY (SAM) What is SAM? S.A.M. stands for Substance Addiction Ministry. SAM is a parish-based ministry that is designed to provide a safe, confidential place for people touched by addiction to share their personal experiences with others. SAM provides educational information about addiction through professionals in this field. If you have any questions, contact the office. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at St Joseph Church Office at 7pm.