The church's dedicated employees who serve in parishes, schools and ministries were well within their rights to receive federal payroll protection.

Prayer makes every day better, even the most difficult days, Pope Francis said.

This month the Clarion Herald profiles four black Catholics who have had a major impact on the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Today: Dr. Norman C. Francis

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Catholics in the Archdiocese of New Orleans received their traditional Ash Wednesday ashes in very non-traditional ways.

A Clarion Herald survey of the 10 deans of the Archdiocese of New Orleans indicates many parishes recently have begun to see increases in Mass attendance. (File photo from March 2020)

Even though COVID-19 has created huge challenges for parish ministry, 250 men and women will enter the Catholic Church at Easter, which has Archbishop Aymond excited.

Updated story: Local SNAP leader Kevin Bourgeois says Archbishop Gregory Aymond deserves applause for taking concrete action to improve the way in which the archdiocese reaches out to clerical sex abuse survivors.

With Lent comes a variety of choices for the Friday fast at local parishes. Some received so far follow.

Father Manuel Solorzano offers his homily for the weekend fo Feb. 13-14.

Clarion Herald sports editor Ron Brocato selects the 2020 Elite Football Team among Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Husband and wife Jaclyn and David Warren collaborate on a new book, "“Brilliant!” geared to show middle school students that science and religion are compatible.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond commissioned 12 students who completed their studies in the Institute for Lay Catholic Ministries (ILEM), a formation program at Notre Dame Seminary for lay men and women in various parish ministries. The ceremony was held Jan. 31 at St. Louis Cathedral, the fifth cohort since the program's inception in 2013.

Mount Carmel Academy art students worked with the Sisters of Mount Carmel to turn the nuns' house into a neighborhood house float as part of the Krewe of House Floats, using the theme, "Simply the Best."

Today we mark the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita.

WWL-TV anchorman Thanh Truong narrates “Mary Queen of Vietnam,” documentary by LSU writer/producer Glen Pitre and student Bar Ngo, a MQV parishioner, airing on WYES Channel 12 Feb. 9 at 10 p.m., and livestreaming at www.wyes.org/live/.

At the Catholic Schools Week Mass, Archbishop Gregory Aymond said he was touched by a student's gift of a stuffed rabbit so that he wouldn't feel alone preaching in an empty cathedral.

Human trafficking, a modern-day form of slavery, is "the business of stealing freedom for profit" according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The Catholic Church designates Feb. 8, the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, as the "International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking."

Jem Sullivan reflects on Mary's words to Bernadette Soubirous when she appeared to her in Lourdes saying "to pray and do penance;" and God's invitation to us to accompany Jesus the healer during this time of pandemic.

Kids’ Clarion asked Teresian Sister Gloria Murillo to look ahead to the Second Reading for Feb. 7, the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23).

Father James Wehner launched the Eucharist Lecture Series Jan. 27 by saying there is no Catholic Church without the Eucharist.