Welcome! Thank you for visiting us at Saint Bernadette Church, which is a Roman Catholic parish located in Bayou Vista - between Patterson and Berwick, Louisiana, in the Diocese of Lafayette .   St. Bernadette Church continues the Sacramental Traditions of Jesus Christ as handed down by the Apostles, we strive to live lives of Communion and Participation as we seek to fulfill the mission bestowed upon us by Christ. Our Pastor is Father Thainese Alphonse.

The Liturgy of the Word for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

    In today's Gospel, we read the report of the return of the Twelve, who were sent by Jesus to preach repentance, heal the sick, and drive out demons. When the apostles return to Jesus, he invites them to come away from the crowds and rest. But the crowds will not give them peace. As the Twelve have shared in Jesus' ministry, they now appear to share in his popularity.

    Jesus chose twelve men from among his disciples whom he sent to share in his ministry of preaching and healing. We who are Jesus' disciples today have also been sent to share the Gospel with others. Perhaps our commitment to following Jesus as his disciple leaves us feeling tired and overwhelmed. In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus affirm the importance of times of rest and renewal. Jesus wanted his disciples to come away and spend time alone with him. This is what we seek and find in our life of prayer and in our celebration of the Eucharist.

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

Planning Balance Into Our Lives

    Michael Faraday was a 19th century British physicist and chemist, best known for his discoveries of electromagnetic induction (the principle behind the electric transformer and generator) and of the laws of electrolysis. His biggest breakthrough in electricity was his invention of the electric motor. This great scientist once addressed a convocation of scientists. For an hour he held the audience spellbound with his lecture on electromagnetic induction, electrolysis, the electric motor and their future applications.

    After he had finished, he received a thundering ovation. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, stood to congratulate him. The applause thundered again. Just as quickly, a deadened silence pervaded the audience. Faraday had left. It was the hour of a mid-week prayer service in a little church of which he was a member. Do we have a similar commitment? Like Faraday, have we pledged our allegiances to a Power that outlasts the short-lived name and fame of this world?

    One of the reasons we gather for worship each week is for the refreshment of our spirits, the recharging of our spiritual batteries. We need to shut the world out and focus our attention on God's presence in our lives. Today's Gospel tells us how Jesus takes the worn-out apostles to a lonely place to minister to them and gives them rest and refreshment. Jesus knew the value of getting away to a quiet place. Our Catholic families need one thing which is very essential - a revival of piety, the piety of our past generation.

    In our world, it seems we get one crisis resolved and here comes another. If it is not a child in trouble at school, it's an aging parent needing our attention. If it is not an unhappy client, it is an expensive car repair - one stressful thing after another. There is no rest for the weary, we say. And that is so, UNLESS we plan balance into our lives.

    The Christian life is a continuous passage from the presence of God to the presence of people and back to God again. Prayer is essentially listening to God and talking to him. One of our main problems is that we do not truly allow God the opportunity to speak to us.  We also do not know how to be still and listen. Hence, we are often in danger of refusing to allow God to recharge us with spiritual energy and strength. In addition, we do not set aside enough time for God to speak to us and for us to speak to him.

    How can we shoulder life's burdens if we have no contact with the Lord of life? How can we do God's work unless we rely on God's strength? And how can we receive that strength unless we pray to him individually, in the family, and as a parish community in the Church, and receive his grace by participating in the Holy Mass and through the reception of the Sacraments?

    However, we must never seek God's fellowship in order to avoid the fellowship of men but always in order to prepare for it. Let us remind ourselves that the Christian life consists of meeting with God in the secret place so that we may serve people more effectively in the market place.

In the service of the Lord,

Article Archives

Secretly Meeting with God on The Road

    In his article, Father Thainese reminded us that life consists of meeting with God in the secret places. Stopping to spend time with the Lord in and around this world he created for us may be one of the hardest things to do when we have busy lives. It was only in the last few years that I realized how to constructively use a favorite family pastime to really learn about and enjoy all that God has provided.

    For as long as I can remember, my parents would drive directly to our destination. That destination may have been to church for Mass, the mall, McNeese in Lake Charles for my sister, Terri Lynn's graduation, to the airport in New Orleans to drop off Paula, or to bring groceries to my brother, Tommy, on the tugboat down in Venice. In returning, they would always take the back roads home. To this day, I still do the same. Through this time on the roads less travelled, God has shared beautiful ways for me to enjoy time with him - secret meeting places on the road. Having shared this, I want to highlight one place that my mom and I discovered. I hope that you, too, can find and enjoy this place.

    Located on River Road, between White Castle and Plaquemine (on the way to Baton Rouge), there is a chapel that Ripley's Believe It or Not once listed as the "smallest church in the world"? We were just driving along and saw a sign. I still think of it as a literal sign from God. Next time you take Hwy 1 to and/or from Baton Rouge, allow some time to hop onto River Road to spend time at Iberville Parish's Madonna Chapel.

    Off the beaten path in Iberville Parish, an unassuming, white chapel stands watch over the Mississippi River. A white picket fence encircles the property, forming a barrier between the tiny church and the neighboring homes with their wandering cattle. The church is easily overlooked on a drive along River Road, overshadowed by larger attractions such as nearby Nottoway and the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site. Yet, for more than 120 years, its presence here has been a constant reminder of gratitude for an answered prayer.

    The story dates back to the turn of the last century, when the eldest son of Italian sugar farmer Anthony Gullo fell ill. Gullo prayed to the Virgin Mary to help his son, and in exchange for her intercession, he promised to build a chapel in the Blessed Mother's honor. When the child recovered, the farmer kept his promise and constructed the Madonna Chapel in 1903.

    Built from La. cypress donated by neighbors, the original structure measured only seven feet by seven feet and, according to local resident Betty Aucoin, was octagon-shaped. After a new Mississippi River levee was constructed in 1924, the chapel was moved and rebuilt to be slightly larger - at nine feet by nine feet. Now, the front and two sides are square, but the back still retains the original octagon profile. A sign notes that it was once listed in Ripley's Believe It or Not as the "smallest church in the world". The church is located on Highway 405 River Road, just north of Bayou Goula.

    Every August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, a Mass is held in the tiny chapel - honoring the woman whose intercession inspired its inception.

Kristy Christiansen,
Country Roads Magazine

    God has a significant purpose for our lives - a mission. We can call it our life's mission. Fulfilling that mission should be our primary goal in life because we weren't put on Earth to just be consumers wasting time and living uninspired lives. God wants us to be contributors who make a difference. Like Paul, we should respond, "I consider my life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus" (Acts 20:24).

    God's mission for us is "to bear witness to the gospel of God's grace." Just as he called Amos from being a shepherd in the first reading this Sunday and the apostles from their daily work in the gospel, he calls each of us. We are to listen for His call, be ready, and know how to respond.

    There's no doubt that many of us are unsure how to answer this call, and we won't likely learn how at work, in school, or around the house. The best place to learn how to fulfill our mission is with our church family where we are blessed with spiritual riches that give us strength and hope.

    We are chosen and redeemed. We are blessed by the Holy Spirit. We are given ample opportunities to repent and turn away from our sinful ways. Let's take advantage of these blessings by allowing them to inspire us to live holy lives and share God's love with others. Let's trust in God's guidance and start readying ourselves through participation at Mass every Sunday as we worship and praise God. Don't wait for FF Family Mass to come grow with me in faith and love. Come now, and every weekend so that we can have the courage to follow where He leads.

    God Bless! Becky Wiggins, DRE

Five Things Women Can Learn from St. Mary Magdalene

Liturgical Ministers needed at St. Bernadette

The word "liturgy" itself is derived from a Greek word meaning "the work of the people," a work undertaken together for the glory of God. "When the Church comes together in the liturgical assembly to celebrate the Mass, her members do not gather simply as a crowd. They gather in a variety of ministries and roles. Lay people who place their time and talent as acolytes (altar servers), lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, cantors, choir members, instrumentalists, and ushers become more fully in union with Christ and with each other.

    All the baptized should understand that part of their duty regarding liturgy is to accept some responsibility for the liturgy and place themselves and their God-given talents at the service of the liturgical community whenever possible.  The celebration of liturgy is not just the responsibility of the pastor. Pastors need the help of their people, the people who are serious about living out their baptismal right and responsibility to worship" (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).

    St. Bernadette has only 24 adult parishioners who have answered God's call to serve as scheduled lector, sacristan, or Eucharist Minister. Only 11 are volunteering to be altar servers. We are now begging you to come serve with us. We need your help. St. Bernadette needs your help. GOD needs your help. Our parish can only grow if those, who are able, become more active.

   Our current ministers are ready to partner up with any and all who are willing to say yes. At one time, we were all nervous and feared stepping into the sanctuary of the church - some of us are still nervous today. As lectors, we might not know how to pronounce all the words or people might look at us or we might read too low or too loud, but when we remember we are serving God by reading , none of those things matter. If the voice in your head tells you that you are not worthy to assist in reverently distributing the Body of the Lord, know that it is our adversary, the devil, telling you that, not the Lord! If the regular struggle with sin were the universal disqualifier for us to serve God, the world would be empty of pastors, readers, leaders, teachers, choir members, and all who serve in any way. Choosing to ignore the call to serve hurts the Church. It hurts our church. You don't have to do it alone. We will support and guide you.

The Mass Explained When someone wants to show you their affection and friendship, they invite you to their home. There are two important things which occur next: conversation and a meal. In the celebration of the Mass, it is Jesus who invites us to participate in his friendship, during which we also encounter these two important moments: conversation, which is when Jesus speaks to us through his Word and we respond with our prayers; and a meal, when Jesus offers us the Eucharistic banquet giving us his Body and Blood.

The Mass Explained

Bible Quiz # 38 The Book of Genesis Chapters 37 to 41 ANSWERS

1. Why was Joseph hated by his brothers? - His father loved him best and because of his talk about his dream. (37:4-8)
2. "We must not take his life" - Who said this about whom?- Reuben said this about his brother Joseph (37:21)
3. Who took Joseph after saving him from the cistern and to where?- Midianite traders to Egypt (37:28)
4. Who was courtier of Pharaoh? - Potiphar (37:36)
5. Who took a liking to Joseph? - Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh (39:4)
6. Why was Joseph put in jail?- Potiphar's wife wanted him to commit a crime with her (39: 11-20)
7. What was the favor Joseph asked the cupbearer and baker of Pharaoh for interpreting their dream? - To speak for him with Pharoah
8. What was the interpretation by Joseph to Pharaoh's dream? - Seven years of great abundance and seven years of severe famine (41:25-32)
9. What was the reward given to Joseph for interpreting Pharaoh's dreams? - Placed him in charge of the whole land of Egypt (41:41)
10. How were the people of Egypt saved from famine for seven years? - Because they had stored the grains in all the cities for seven years (41:57)

Thanks to the following Bible Quiz participants:
Galen & Jenny Guillot, Christina Wallace, Allison Cook, Kenny Zimmer, Kathleen Louviere, Becky Wiggins, Landry Family, Brenda Nelson, Julia Hepler, Catherine Cali, Alberta LeBlanc, Susan Legendre, Lois Bosworth, Debbie Hannegan, Mary Jo Beadle, Renee' Garris, Barbara Cothron, Cindy & Sammy Viola, Roland & Judy Brannon and Ella Walker, Rachel Torres

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, oh Maria. Hail, mother of mercy and of love, oh Maria. Triumph all ye cherubim, Sing with us ye seraphim. Heaven and earth resound the hymn. Salve, Salve, Salve Regina. The beautiful tradition of May Crowning reflects the beauty of the 5th Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary which it evokes. Honoring Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth, honors her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ Who first crowned her as His Queen. Adorning Our Lady with a crown of flowers is a custom of great devotion to Our Holy Mother and recalls the beauty of her love for us during difficult times in the world.   Our Lady always guides as a loving Mother. Her Immaculate Heart and her maternal beauty will always triumph over the ugliness of sin and suffering. As we crown the Blessed Virgin on Mother's Day, we ask that she intercede for us to her Son.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. Read more...

Sharing in the Blessedness of Christ

Holiness demands a constant effort, but it is possible for everyone because, rather than a human effort, it is first and foremost a gift of God, thrice holy. The Apostle John remarks: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. It is God, therefore, who loved us first and make us his adoptive sons in Jesus. Everything in our lives is a gift of his love: how can we be indifferent before such a great mystery? How can we not respond to the heavenly Father's love by living as grateful children? In Christ, he gave us the gift of his entire self and calls us to a personal and profound relationship with him. Consequently, the more we imitate Jesus and remain united to him the more we enter into the mystery of his divine holiness. We discover that he loves us infinitely, and this prompts us in turn to love our brethren. Loving always entails an act of self-denial, "losing ourselves," and it is precisely this that makes us happy….

  In truth, the blessed par excellence is only Jesus. He is, in fact, the true poor in spirit, the one afflicted, the meek one, the one hungering and thirsting for justice, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemaker. He is the one persecuted for the sake of justice. The Beatitudes show us  the spiritual features of Jesus and thus express his mystery, the mystery of his death and Resurrection, of his Passion and the joy of his Resurrection. This mystery, which is the mystery of true blessedness, invites us to follow Jesus  and thus to walk toward it. To the extent that we accept his proposal and set out to follow him—each one in his own circumstances—we too can participate in his blessedness. With him, the impossible becomes possible and even a camel can pass through the eye of a needle; with his help, only with his help can we become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.

  Pope Benedict XVI
  2005—2013

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The Beatitudes - Matthew 5:1-12

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration

One of the greatest graces for our parish is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in our chapel.

To quote Pope John Paul II; "We come here to meet the Heart of Jesus pierced for us, from which water and blood gush. It is the redeeming love, which is at the origin of salvation, of our salvation, which is at the origin of the Church. Now still today, the living Christ loves us and presents His Heart to us as the source of our redemption… We are called not only to meditate and contemplate on this mystery of Christ's love; we are called to take part in it. It is the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the center of our Faith, the center of our worship of Christ's merciful love manifested in His Sacred Heart, a mystery which is adored here night and day. In the Eucharist – this is also the meaning of perpetual adoration – we enter the movement of love from which all interior progress and all apostolate efficacy springs."

Mother Teresa taught "When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now."

If you would like to participate in adoration please contact Becky Wiggins at the rectory for more information.
Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association

Examination of Conscience for Adults

This examination of conscience is not intended merely as a checklist to be used prior to confession. The purpose of this examination is to help souls to know what actions or attitudes are sinful and the gravity of the particular sin. The hope is that this knowledge will serve to keep people from committing these sins.

* Three things are necessary for a sin to be mortal: 1. Serious matter (things listed on this sheet); 2. Knowledge or firm belief that the act is seriously wrong prior to committing the act; 3. Full consent to the will.

All three of these conditions must be present simultaneously for a sin to be mortal. This means that if you did not know the act was seriously wrong, then you are not guilty of having committed a mortal sin. If you did not will the act, e.g., if you were forced or if it was in a dream, you are not guilty of having committed a mortal sin.

All mortal sins committed since your last confession must be confessed by both type and number, i.e., the title of the sin and how many times it was done. If there is a mortal sin from the past that was forgotten and has not been confessed, it should be confessed at your next confession. It is not necessary to confess venial sins, but it is a good and pious practice.

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Catholics Come Home

There's an old saying that goes, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic." Maybe you have been away from the Church for a little while or quite some time, but somehow you now feel a tug at your heart calling you back home to the Catholic Church. That's why we're here.

Whether or not you know you want to return to the Catholic Church, we're here to help you take that second look. That mysterious pull inside you, driving you to look into your faith once more, comes directly from God. Your Heavenly Father is yearning for a relationship with you again, in the Church founded by Jesus 2000 years ago. He's waiting for you with open arms. 
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USCCB - Pro-Life Activities

Laws that permit or promote abortion, infanticide, human cloning, destructive embryo research or physician-assisted suicide ignore the sanctity of each human life and undermine the foundation of a just and healthy society. As citizens and people of faith, each of us should actively advance our convictions in the public square in every legitimate and ethical way. We should rededicate ourselves to upholding the sanctity of human life, and hold those elected to represent us to the same standard.
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Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

This voter's guide helps you cast your vote in an informed manner consistent with Catholic moral teaching.

This voter's guide identifies five issues involving "non-negotiable" moral values in current politics and helps you narrow down the list of acceptable candidates, whether they are running for national, state, or local offices.
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