Thirty years ago, the Superdome changed the men’s Final Four forever. The 1982 Final Four is best known for North Carolina freshman Michael Jordan’s game-winning jump shot that beat Georgetown for the championship, 63-62.

In dedicating the new Archdiocese of New Orleans Northshore Pastoral Center on Feb. 15, Archbishop Gregory Aymond said the 6,800-square-foot facility in Covington would serve to “symbolize the mission and ministry that we embrace as a local church.” Located at 69090 Highway 190 East Service Road, the center will be the home of Catholic Charities on the northshore and provide ample space for meetings and other services.

Ahora que ha regresado a Nueva Orleáns desde su visita de “ ad limina” en Roma, probablemente ha recibido muchos comentarios sobre la respuesta de los obispos de U.S. con el mandato de HHS de los planes de seguro de salud para las entidades Católicas que incluyen cobertura para inducir el aborto por medio de medicamentos, control de la natalidad y la esterilización quirúrgica.

Deadline: Submissions due Thursday (10 days before each issue) calendar@clarionherald.org (504) area code unless noted Feb. 18-25 EVENTS OPUS SANCTORUM ANGELORUM (Work of the Holy Angels) meeting, Feb. 18, 9:30 a.m., National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, 2701 State St., New Orleans.

Pastors/administrators are reminded that nominations for the Order of St. Louis IX Awards should be sent no later than March 1 via email to the Clarion Herald at jfoltz@clarionherald.org or by fax to 596-3020.

Even before you walk into Dooky Chase Restaurant in New Orleans, the aroma of home cooking is wafting in the parking lot. But get invited inside Leah Chase’s kitchen, and something more powerful is visible – her Catholic faith in the form of multiple crosses on the wall.

School Sister of Notre Dame Mary Joan of Arc Rockenbaugh, who taught at Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Baton Rouge, died Jan. 14 at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa, Miss.

Sister of Mercy Elizabeth Rita Rhodes, who served as teacher, principal and development director at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Kenner, died Jan. 13 at Notre Dame Hospice, New Orleans. She was 87.

What is the Creed? Where did it come from? On Sundays and solemnities, after the homily, the congregation stands for the Creed or Profession of Faith. The name “Creed” comes from its opening word in Latin – “Credo,” meaning “I believe.” This beautiful prayer is a summary statement of our faith that was developed as a result of two great ecumenical councils of the church: Nicaea I (in the year 325) and Constantinople I (381).

Every woman deserves love and commitment. But a tragic consequence of Roe v. Wade is that it creates a social environment where men can sexually objectify women and then subtly or overtly coerce abortion if pregnancy results.

God is near even though it may seem like he does not hear people’s prayers or has abandoned his flock, Pope Benedict XVI said. “Faced with difficult and painful situations, when God seems to not hear us, we must not be afraid to give him all of the weight we carry in our heart, we should not be afraid to cry out to him about our suffering,” he said.

On national letter of intent day, the drill for the media is the same. Television cameras huddle around the top recruits. Parents, head coaches and administrators speak of the value of education. At press conferences later in the day, head coaches rave of the signings, saying they got what they needed from “this class.” Several great things happen on signing day away from the cameras.

The journey for the vagabond Tigers is nearing its end. For a handful of senior basketball players at Holy Cross, recounting their multiple practice and playing sites over the last several years will bring hours of entertainment in the decades to come.

Catholic churches in the Central Business District of New Orleans will celebrate Ash Wednesday and Lenten Masses as follows: ➤ St. Louis Cathedral will offer Masses at 7:30 a.m., noon and 5 p.m. on Ash Wednesday, with ashes distributed at all Masses following the homily.

Oftentimes, the season of Lent is thought of as merely a period of fasting that culminates in the remembrance of Jesus’ death and the celebration of his resurrection. However, there is an important element that frequently is forgotten during the season of Lent: baptism.

Click here for the image gallery A part of town that was severely flooded by waters from Hurricane Katrina – the 9th Ward – is witnessing signs of renewal. Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation has committed to building 150 affordable, energy-efficient houses; an elementary school is under construction; and FEMA is funding a community center now being carved from the former St. Mary of the Angels Catholic School on North Miro Street.

“Come Encounter Jesus” is the name of the Lenten Mission that Passionist Father Cedric Pisegna is giving at Mary Queen of Peace Feb. 27-29 and St. Jane de Chantal March 3-7. He will preach at all weekend Masses preceding the mission.

The yellow and beige processional cross, fashioned from cardboard and construction paper, was as light as a feather. The sinister act that forced the faculty of Resurrection of Our Lord School in New Orleans East to create it was about as dark and heavy as a sin can be.

As a clerk for the Kansas City Southern Railroad at Union Passenger Terminal, Sam Catalanotto had a heightened and precise sense of time, schedules and deadlines. Time is a funny thing. You think you have all the time in the world to be with your wife and three kids, until suddenly you wake up one day and your wife, an effervescent woman who as a teenager loved to dance, goes in for an operation to relieve chronic spinal pain and comes out of the hospital paralyzed from the chest down.

Feb. 15, 2012 A Letter to Catholics Statewide: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently ruled that Catholic institutions must provide health insurance that offers sterilizations, abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives.