After watching St. Augustine cruise through the Allstate Sugar Bowl CYO basketball tournament for the second straight year, I am almost convinced there is one team in Class 4A that has the ability to beat the Purple Knights this year.

Why do we bless ourselves with holy water as we enter church? When Catholics enter church, we should bless ourselves by dipping our finger in holy water from either the baptismal font or from a holy water font and making the sign of the cross.

Ansel Augustine’s life has come full circle, and now he is racing as fast as he can to share with teens the unvarnished realities of life as well as the wisdom he picked up from the aunt who reared him about overcoming hard knocks and fully living the Christian faith.

You gathered for two days last week with the bishops of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama at St. Joseph’s Abbey. What was the purpose of the gathering? We get together every December and May. It’s a chance to socialize, share some of the things were are grateful for in our dioceses as well as some of the challenges, and then we have the opportunity to pray and celebrate Mass together.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond urged liturgical ministers to use the upcoming liturgical “Year of Renewal: Offering a Worthy Sacrifice of Praise” in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to deepen their “understanding of and appreciation for the Eucharist” and also to reach out to Catholics, especially young parents, who have drifted away from the practice of their faith.

Father Mike Mitchell realized he could draw with nearly photographic precision as a fifth grader, after sketching a classmate playing marbles at recess. “I looked at (the finished drawing) and I said, ‘It looks just like him!’” recalled Father Mitchell, pastor of Our Lady of Divine Providence Church in Metairie.

To help students better understand their Catholic faith in the realm of other world religions, seniors from Mount Carmel Academy traveled recently to Anshe S’Fard Synagogue in New Orleans. Rabbi David Polsky gave an overview of the Orthodox Jewish faith, pointed out different symbols present in the synagogue and answered questions about Orthodox Jewish customs that might be different from the Catholic faith the teens know.

“God lives at Camp Abbey,” said Monique Pontiff and other former campers, counselors and administrators Nov. 30 at the dedication of the newly renovated Camp Abbey Retreat Center in Covington. “This is the real deal.

They lost their father, Robert, in his sleep in 2008. Then, in August 2011, 14-year-old twins Sophia and Audrey Poitevent lost their mother, Traci, to pulmonary failure. The girls live with and are being cared for by their elderly grandparents, Lynne and Joe Calcagno, and aunt Gina Calcagno, but times are not easy.

Already home to one of Louisiana’s top high school trombonists, Brother Martin now can claim a nationally touted player of the sliding brass instrument nicknamed the “bone,” the “t-bone” and the “slushpump.” Brett Storms, the first-chair trombonist and drum major of Brother Martin’s Crusader Marching Band, is one of 125 hand-picked musicians slated to perform at the half-time show of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio on Jan. 7.

The crowning touch of the St. Katharine Drexel Chapel at Xavier University of Louisiana  – a 7-foot cross – was installed Nov. 23. Dr. Norman C. Francis, right,  joined workers from Landis Construction for the ceremony.

The first Sunday of Advent ushered in the new translation of the Roman Missal – the prayers and responses used during Mass – and as expected, there was a lot of verbal fumbling while parishioners of the Archdiocese of New Orleans attempted to familiarize themselves with the new language.

Este es el primer domingo de Adviento, y la nueva redacción de las oraciones de la misa se utilizará por primera vez. ¿Cómo les irá? Por lo que he oído, tanto de la gente en la arquidiócesis, así como de personas en la reunión de los obispos de U.S., estamos listos para comenzar.

Dominican Father Val McInnes died Nov. 22 after a lengthy illness. He was 82. At the time of his death, he was serving as a chaplain for the Southern Commandery of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, senior chaplain, Grand Priory of America, Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem USA and Chaplain Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Southern Lieutenancy USA.

What should I do to prepare myself for Mass? One of the most important things to do in order to prepare for Mass is to plan your schedule around Mass – not Mass around your schedule. By planning your day around spending time worshipping God, you automatically put God in the place of highest priority.

Pope Benedict XVI said his second trip to Africa left him convinced that the joy and faith of the continent’s people – especially the young – represent a hope for all humanity. The pope made the remarks at his general audience Nov. 23, three days after returning from a weekend visit to Benin in West Africa, where he unveiled a major document on the future of the church on the continent.

And so we stir the pot with a few thoughts on race, often referred to as the proverbial elephant in the room. Instead of ignoring the large beast, let’s examine race; we’ll get back to that pot later.

Twelve St. Mary’s Academy seniors participated in a focus group on life issues Oct. 13 for the Committee of Cultural Diversity of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishops hoped to learn from young people what they knew and believed about pro-life issues and to solicit suggestions about the best way for the bishops to communicate with youth.

To the Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ: “On Sunday, stop by for a visit before the game. Sincerely, God.” I remember seeing this billboard several years ago.