“The childlike are those who, like children, feel needy and not self-sufficient; they are open to God and let themselves be astonished by his works ...” - Pope Francis

Local efforts are being made to educate people about the 5 1/2 million people trafficked in the United States every year - many right here in Louisiana - and to provide safe houses for them and share these methods in other states.

Clarion Herald business manager Mark Lombard writes poignantly about his son Matthew, whose brain cancer diagnosis has forced him to reassess his life.

Benedictine Father Gregory Boquet was elected the sixth abbot of the Benedictine community of St. Joseph Abbey on July 14.

"It takes more courage to seek peace than to wage war. It takes more courage to promote encounter than confrontation, to sit at the negotiating table than to continue hostilities. ...” - Pope Francis

" ... we cannot truly understand or live the meaning of the Eucharist if our hearts are closed to our brothers and sisters, especially those who are poor, suffering, weary or may have gone astray in life.” - Pope Francis

“Jesus, however, says not to fear, not because everything will be all right in the world, no, but because we are precious to his Father and nothing that is good will be lost,” (said Pope Francis).

Sister of the Holy Family Sylvia Thibodaux and historian Dr. Virginia Gould traveled to Rome in January to meet Hilgeman, who had been recommended by Cardinal Peter Turkson because of his credentials and his current work in promoting other sainthood causes.

The working synod document includes worksheets with questions (1) “for discernment” that synod members will be asked to read and pray with before arriving in Rome. ... (2) shared responsibility in a church that believes its hierarchical structure is willed by Christ and is a gift. ... and (3) further education in the Christian faith, Catholic social teaching.

" ... we have a unique responsibility to reach out to our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ." - Tony Magliano, Making a Difference

This is Archbishop Aymond's summary from - not an official document of - the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) meeting of June 14-16, 2023.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) global spending for war and war preparation is at an all-time high – over $2 trillion. The five largest spenders in 2021 were the U.S., China, India, the U.K., and Russia.

With hurricane season upon us, Second Harvest Food Bank is prepared.

Events from June 11-July 29, 2023 Please send event announcements two weeks before each issue to calendar@clarionherald.org NEXT ISSUE: JUNE 24, 2023

By Father Thomas Hoisington St. Martin Church, Caldwell, KS

The Louisiana Department of Insurance has a website with tips on how to protect your home and other assets in the event of a hurricane.

Christians, he said, should ask themselves whether they are living in harmony with what they believe, “Am I consistent, or am I a little ‘so-so’?”

President John F. Kennedy's “A Strategy of Peace” 1963 commencement address ... rang out with confident, courageous hope that ... a far more peaceful world ... with practical, doable steps, was indeed achievable in the here and now.

Reflection for Pentecost by Jesuit Father Larry Gillick, Creighton University