A month ago, when Ricky Mathews declared breathlessly on behalf of the Newhouse family that New Orleans would become a major league city with a minor league newspaper, I did some channel surfing on the morning news.

A Day of Refreshment for Catholic Women is planned for June 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in River Ridge. The theme for the day is “Behold, I Make All Things New.” Featured speakers are Kim Lukinovich, Patti Mansfield, Linda Kelley and Denise Beyer.

An attorney for the Benedictine monks of St. Joseph Abbey in Covington argued before a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today that a 1932 Louisiana law requiring anyone selling a casket to be a licensed funeral director is unconstitutional and has no rationale other than “pure economic protectionism.” The monks, who make about 30 cypress caskets a month at their St. Joseph Abbey Woodworks, received a favorable ruling last year from U.S. District Court Judge Stanwood Duval, who struck down the Louisiana law, saying it created an unfair industry monopoly.

Ninety-six members of the 61st graduation class of St. Charles Catholic High School received diplomas following a Mass May 18 at Ascension of Our Lord Church, LaPlace. Father Walter Austin, the school’s chaplain, was the main celebrant, and diplomas were distributed by Andrew Cupit, principal.

One hundred thirty-four students from St. Scholastica Academy received diplomas May 19 from principal Mary Kathryn Villere in the Msgr. Joseph Chotin Center at Our Lady of the Lake Church, marking the school’s  109th graduation.

To Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans:Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ: The bishops of the United States are calling all Catholics to observe a Fortnight for Freedom from June 21 to July 4.

There are many images of the priest, the ordained minister who stands in the person of Christ to offer the sacraments, to forgive sins and to preach and teach the Word of God. But at the June 2 ordination of four new priests for the Archdiocese of New Orleans – Fathers Emile G. (Buddy) Noel, Garrett M. O’Brien, Kyle J. Sanders and Kurt R. Young – Archbishop Gregory Aymond offered a spiritual reflection on the image of the chalice, which each man was being ordained to use so that common wine might be transformed into the blood of Christ.

As the summer begins and graduation ceremonies have wound down, I was reminded of the bleak reality facing job candidates when I asked a friend of mine, a newly graduated senior from my alma mater, what she planned on doing.

Mayo es un tiempo ocupado para usted, con graduaciones y confirmaciones, ¿Pero esas ceremonias permiten interactuar y celebrar con los jóvenes y sus familias? Sí. Estas son oportunidades para honrar a los graduados y sus logros en el colegio y universidades, para celebrar con ellos mientras se preparan para la siguiente fase de su viaje por la vida.

Deadline: Submissions due Thursday (10 days before each issue) calendar@clarionherald.org (504) area code unless noted June 9-23 DON’T MISS ➤ What: Annual Corpus Christi Mass and procession ➤ When: June 10, Mass at 9:30 a.m. celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond at the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, 2701 State St., New Orleans, followed by one-mile procession at 10:30 a.m. down State Street to Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6363 St. Charles Ave., for benediction at noon.

Pope Benedict XVI voiced regret for the turmoil surrounding the recent publication of leaked Vatican documents, but thanked the vast majority of people who work at the Vatican for their dedication and fidelity.

The mantra that Scott Gibbons adopted as a childhood wrestler proved valuable in high school – never settle for second. “In any competition, second place is never good,” he said. “It’s first place or bust.

Their kinship shared over a lifetime has as much to do with Catholic faith as being related and their 9th Ward neighborhood. Parishioners at St. David Church are as close as family. That bond strengthened when many were displaced for months after Hurricane Katrina, and they tracked each other down through what was called the St. David Catholic School Community Net.

The picture in the Saints’ bounty scandal recently became clearer – and the latest revelations do not reflect favorably on the Saints’ two biggest on-field leaders. When reports of a “ledger” detailing Saints’ bounties surfaced, middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma’s attorney shot back.

Archbishop Hannan High School is just one reclassification from saying goodbye to Class 1A athletics. But before the Goodbee school moves up to Class 2A, its softball team is leaving an indelible mark on its 1A class-mates.

(Selected and photographed by Ron Brocato) CO-COACH OF THE YEAR Becky Lambert guided Archbishop Hannan to a second straight Class 1A championship. CO-COACH OF THE YEAR Ginger Dilworth took the Academy of Our Lady to 20 victories and to the Class 4A semifinals for the first time in just her third season as head coach.

My father has been deceased for several years. I recently ran into one of Dad’s buddies, who with a look of genuine sadness, said, “I can’t believe where our country is headed morally, Father, and the attack on religious liberties is unreal.” Indeed it is.

In order to provide pastoral care for the people of God in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Archbishop Aymond has made the following appointments: ADMINISTRATOR Reverend Joseph McKinley, S.S.J., as Administrator of Corpus Christi/Epiphany Church until the pastor, Reverend John G. Harfmann, S.S.J., is fully recovered from heart surgery, effective immediately.

Tragedy struck in the wee hours of the morning May 31 when fire ravaged a Kenner home, leaving in its wake a family without a mother and daughter. The Rumbo family – Eloy Rumbo, Elideth Lopez and their children Eloy, 14, Emanuel, 10, and Escarlett, 5 – had only lived in the New Orleans area for approximately three years, having moved here from Florida.