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 Baptism of the Lord 

    Today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In today's Gospel, as in the other Gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism, we hear John the Baptist address the confusion of the people who thought that John might be the Messiah. In response, John contrasts the baptism that he performs with the Baptism that Jesus will inaugurate. John the Baptist says that he has baptized with water, but that someone will come and baptize with the Holy Spirit.

    The baptism of Jesus is considered a manifestation of God in Jesus, another "epiphany." On this, the last day of the Christmas season, our Gospel reveals to us Jesus' relation to God: the son of Mary and Joseph is also God's own Son. In Luke's Gospel, all three members of the Trinity are manifested here: God the Father in the voice, the Holy Spirit descending, and Jesus the Son.

2024-2025 Faith Formation In their classroom lessons throughout the year, our young people will meet Jesus in the Sunday Gospels. Our lessons will always focus on the upcoming Sunday Gospel. For example, classes this week focused on the Baptism of the Lord and our lesson included discussions based on the Gospel according to Luke.

    The story of Jesus' baptism in Sunday's Gospel shows the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. After John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan, God announces to the crowd that Jesus is his beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove settled on him. Baptism gives us new life as adopted children of God and gives all the gift of that Holy Spirit. Living the Gospel helps those who follow Jesus be a witness to the world that the Good News is for everyone.

    Talk to your child about the memories you have of his or her Baptism. Talk about the white garments, the candle, the godparents, the priest or deacon who performed the ceremony, and the pouring of the water. Remind them that their baptism made them members of the Church. It is also a call for everyone to act justly and to make a positive difference in all the communities we belong.

    Take some time to share together how important it is for your family to be active members of the Christian community, to worship together, and to be signs to others of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world. Before the evening meal or at some other time when you are all together, renew your baptismal promises to believe what the Church teaches and to follow in the footsteps of Christ.

    If you are in need of a Bible for your family, please don't hesitate to call me. -BW

    We acknowledge, with grateful hearts, this year's Faith Formation Volunteers:

Maria Landry	Kamry Landry	Mona Thibodeaux	Renee' Garris
Roland Brannon	Judy Brannon	Frances Bullard	Jenny Guillot
Elaine Landry	Roz Meranta	Kathy Shilling	Kim Meranta
Melinda Frederick	Cindy Viola	Jane Vaccerella	Brenda Nelson

    God Bless! BW, DRE

Bible Quiz #43 - The Book of Exodus (Chapters 12-16)

1. The Israelites were asked to celebrate Passover in which month?
2. How long was the Israelites instructed to observe the Passover meal?
3. How many years did the Israelites stay in Egypt?
4. The son asks, "What does this mean?" at the Passover meal. What was the father's response?
5. What did Moses carry with him while leaving Egypt?
6. Who/what showed the way to the Israelites after leaving Egypt?
7. How did the Israelites cross the red sea?
8. How did the bitter water at Marah turn into fresh water?
9. When the Israelites kept a part of manna to the next morning, what happened to it?
10. Why did the Lord ask Moses to keep an omerful of manna for their descendants?

DUE DATE - Wednesday - January 29^th

What Is the Jubilee?

    "Jubilee" is the name given to a particular year and comes from the instrument used to mark its launch. In this case, the instrument in question is the yobel, the ram's horn, used to proclaim the Day of Atonement. This Jewish holiday occurs every year, but it takes on special significance when it marks the beginning of a Jubilee year. We can find an early indication of it in the Bible: a Jubilee year was to be marked every 50 years, since this would be an "extra" year, one which would happen every seven weeks of seven years, i.e., every 49 years (cf. Leviticus 25:8-13). Even though it wasn't easy to organize, it was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. It involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.

    Quoting the prophet Isaiah, the Gospel of Luke describes Jesus' mission in this way: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord," (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus lives out these words in his daily life, in his encounters with others and in his relationships, all of which bring about liberation and conversion.

    In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a "Holy Year," since it is a time in which God's holiness transforms us. The frequency of Holy Years has changed over time: at first, they were celebrated every 100 years; later, in 1343 Pope Clement VI reduced the gap between Jubilees to every 50 years, and in 1470 Pope Paul II made it every 25 years. There have also been "extraordinary" Holy Years: for example, in 1933 Pope Pius XI chose to commemorate the 1900^th anniversary of the Redemption, and in 2015 Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of Mercy as an extraordinary jubilee. The way in which Jubilee Years are marked has also changed through the centuries: originally the Holy Year consisted of a pilgrimage to the Roman Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, later other signs were added, such as the Holy Door. By participating in the Holy Year, one is granted a plenary indulgence.

Characteristics of the Jubilee : Pilgrimage

    The jubilee calls for us to set out on a journey and to cross boundaries - preparing ourselves well by planning the route and learning about the destination. The etymology of the word "pilgrimage" has undergone little change in meaning over the years. The word comes from the Latin "per ager," meaning "across the fields," or from "per eger" meaning "border crossing": both possible origins point to the distinctive aspect of undertaking a journey - one that takes place gradually: various routes to choose from and places to discover; made up of particular sets of circumstances, moments of catechesis, sacred rites and liturgies. On this journey, our traveling companions enrich us with new ways of understanding things and fresh perspectives. Contemplation of creation is also part of the journey and helps us to realize that care for creation "is an essential expression of our faith in God and our obedience to his will" (Pope Francis, Letter for the Jubilee 2025). A pilgrimage is an experience of conversion, of transforming one's very being to conform it to the holiness of God.

Characteristics of the Jubilee: Holy Door

    From a symbolic viewpoint, the Holy Door takes on a special significance: it is the most powerful sign of the Jubilee, since the ultimate aim of the pilgrim is to pass through it. The opening of the door by the Pope constitutes the official beginning of the Holy Year. Originally, there was only one door, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. Later, to allow as many pilgrims as possible to take part in the Jubilee experience, the other Roman Basilicas also opened their own holy doors.

    In crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, the pilgrim is reminded of the passage from chapter 10 of St John's gospel: "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." Passing through the Holy Door expresses the decision to follow and be guided by Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd. The door is a passageway that ushers the pilgrim into the interior of a church. This is a symbol of the communion that binds every believer to Christ: it is a place of encounter and dialogue, of reconciliation and peace which awaits every pilgrim, the Church is essentially the place of the community of the faithful.

Characteristics of the Jubilee: Reconciliation

   A Jubilee year is a sign of reconciliation because it establishes a "favorable time" (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:2) for conversion. We are called to put God at the center of our lives, growing toward Him and acknowledging His primacy. It is God who makes this year holy by bestowing on us His own holiness.

    As Pope Francis recalled in 2015, proclaiming the Extraordinary Holy Year, "Mercy is not opposed to justice but rather expresses God's way of reaching out to the sinner, offering him a new chance to look at himself, convert, and believe. [...]God's justice is his mercy given to everyone as a grace that flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, the Cross of Christ is God's judgement on all of us and on the whole world, because through it he offers us the certainty of love and new life" (Misericordiae Vultus, 21).

    In practical terms, reconciliation involves receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation, taking advantage of this time to rediscover the value of confession, and experiencing God's personal words of forgiveness.

Characteristics of the Jubilee: Prayer

   There are many reasons and ways to pray, but at the root of prayer is always the desire to be open to God's presence and His offer of love. It is the Spirit of the Son that calls the Christian community to prayer and allows for each person to return to the Father. It was Jesus who entrusted His disciples with the Lord's Prayer, which is commented on by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (cf. CCC 2759-2865).

    The Christian tradition also offers other texts, such as the Hail Mary, that can help to find words to address God: "By a living transmission-Tradition-the Holy Spirit in the Church teaches the children of God to pray" (CCC 2661).

    The of prayer opportunities on the journey show that the pilgrim holds the path to God "in his heart" (Psalm 83:6). Refreshment is also provided by the various stops and opportunities for rest along the way, which are often organized around shrines, sanctuaries, and other places filled with spiritual significance, where one realizes that - before us and alongside us - other pilgrims have also passed along and traveled those same roads. Indeed, the paths leading to Rome have often been trod by many saints.

Characteristics of the Jubilee: Liturgy

   The liturgy is the public prayer of the Church: in the words of the Second Vatican Council, it is the "summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; [and,] at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10). At the center is the Christian liturgy is the Mass - the Eucharistic celebration, where the Body and Blood of Christ are truly received. As a pilgrim, Christ himself walks alongside the disciples and reveals to them the mysteries of the Father, so that they too can say, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." (Luke 24:29).

    One liturgical rite that is specific to the Jubilee year is the opening of the Holy Door. Until the last century, the Pope would symbolically initiate the demolition of the wall that kept the Holy Door bricked up on non-Jubilee years. Masons would then fully remove the brick wall to be able to open the Holy Door. Since 1950, the ceremony has changed and now the wall is dismantled beforehand and, within a solemn choral liturgy, the Pope pushes open the door from the outside, passing through it as the first pilgrim. This and the other liturgical expressions that accompany the Holy Year emphasize that the Jubilee pilgrimage is not merely an intimate, personal gesture, but is a sign of the journey of the whole people of God toward the Kingdom.

Characteristics of the Jubilee: Profession of Faith

    The profession of faith-also known as the 'Symbol'-is a sign of the identity of the baptized person. The profession of faith expresses the central content of the faith: it succinctly captures the main truths that a believer accepts and witnesses to on the day of his or her baptism and shares with the entire Christian community for the rest of his or her life.

    There are various professions of faith which show the richness of the experience of encountering Jesus Christ. Traditionally, however, there are two that have gained special recognition in the Church: the baptismal creed of the church of Rome and the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed, originally formulated in 325 at the Council of Nicaea, in present-day Turkey, and then refined at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

    "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved," (Romans 10:9-10). This passage from St. Paul emphasizes how proclaiming the mystery of faith requires a deep conversion not only in one's words, but above all in one's understanding of God, of oneself and of the world. "To say the Creed with faith is to enter into communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and also with the whole Church which transmits the faith to us and in whose midst, we believe" (CCC 197).

  Read more at: Jubilee 2025

How Serving In The Church Grows our Faith

    If we continue to believe that our Church does not need us, we will be robbed of the joys God has designed for us to experience through serving. We all need to take a risk and get involved. God will always honor those steps of faith by helping us grow so much more!

Serving...

	DIRECTLY INCREASES OUR FAITH     Watching God work in someone else's life increases our faith. In John 2:1-11, Jesus performs His first miracle at a wedding in Cana by turning the water into wine. Other than Mary, Jesus' mother, only the servers at the wedding witnessed this miracle. The wedding attendees received the benefit of the new wine, and the wedding party saved face because of the miracle, but it was the servers who had the first opportunity to witness Jesus' power. Serving allows us to experience His power firsthand and that naturally produces faith in us.
	HELPS US SEE AND EXPERIENCE WHAT WE'RE MADE FOR     Ephesians 2:10 tells us why: "... we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do." We have been gifted by God, and are incredibly valuable to Him and the Church. We are called to train each other up using the gifts, skills, and abilities God has given us. He uses our serving, and those we serve with, to reveal our gifts to us. When we serve God and others with our gifts, we experience the kind of joy we were made for.
	DRAWS US INTO AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY     God uses the people we serve and serve with to encourage us, pray with us, and teach us. Our relationships with Jesus flourishes as a result of serving. In John 17, Jesus prayed for God to protect us so we would be one as He and the Father are one. This oneness, this community of believers, is best experienced in and through participation in the church - by serving and loving one another well.
	REQUIRES OBEDIENCE AND REDIRECTS OUR FOCUS TO JESUS     The simplest way to follow Jesus is by doing what He did. In Matthew 20:28, Jesus tells us He came to serve, not be served. By being obedient to follow Jesus in this way, we get to know Him on a new level because we experience firsthand His love for others. When we begin to care for and serve others, God redirects our focus.

Small Faith Communities

    In the Gospel, the disciples see someone casting out demons in Jesus' name and try to stop him. Jesus tells them not to stop him because anyone who is not against us is for us. Jesus emphasizes the importance of being inclusive in our ministry and that good works done in His name are valuable.

    When we join together to recognize and support the good works of others, we build a stronger community. We are all working towards the same goal. This spirit of inclusiveness strengthens our faith and unity.

It was Jesus who invited his disciples into community, where they were formed in His way of discipleship. After His death and resurrection, Christians prayed together and broke bread as they were instructed by the Lord, and in doing so, shared their lives and sustenance. They supported one another by living the values that Jesus taught them. This was the early communitarianism character of the early Church.

    It is in ongoing Small Faith Communities that people are especially helped to know and to relate to one another, reflect on their life of faith in the company of others, and strive to apply the Gospel to daily life. It is within these communities that we are able to:

	Share freely about God and our life experiences.
	Learn continually about scripture, tradition, Church Doctrine, and spirituality.
	Mutually support others as well as gain needed encouragement as we share our belief in God.
	Pray, both personal and communal, together.
	Live out the mission oriented values of Christ.

    These Small Faith Communities are designed to connect us to deep, lasting friendships that help strengthen our own relationship with God. It's one of the best ways to get connected and belong to our parish family. Our Lord said, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). The best part about gathering together as Christians is that we can be assured that Jesus is there among us.

    We are One Body in Christ that extends outside of ourselves. We were made to complement each other and to serve God by bringing as many people to him as possible. In a small faith community we find joy, peace, happiness, and hope. It is our strength. Please consider becoming a part of one or more of our small faith communities at St. Bernadette.

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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