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 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

    In today's Gospel, the disciple John questions Jesus about an unknown exorcist who was driving out demons in Jesus' name. John's question might have been motivated by jealousy. Previously in Mark's Gospel, Jesus healed a boy whom the disciples had been unable to heal. John's question is further evidence that the disciples have not yet grasped Jesus' words to them. They continue to compare themselves to others who seem to have greater healing powers, and they do not want to share the power of Jesus' name with others.

    The disciples observed that the unknown exorcist invoked Jesus' name and was successful in his healing efforts. This unknown healer recognized the power of Jesus' name, yet he was not a follower of Jesus. In his reply to his disciples, Jesus acknowledges that deeds of faith can precede the words of faith. He also teaches that the disciples should not be reluctant to share Jesus' healing powers with others. Later in this Gospel, Jesus teaches us not to create obstacles for those who are just beginning to have faith but to encourage even the smallest signs of faith. In vivid terms Jesus teaches his disciples the consequences to those who would put obstacles before people who are on the road to faith.

The Story of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

    Early in the fourth century, St. Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, went to Jerusalem in search of the holy places of Christ's life. She razed the second-century Temple of Aphrodite, which tradition held was built over the Savior's tomb, and her son built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher on that spot. During the excavation, workers found three crosses. Legend has it that the one on which Jesus died was identified when its touch healed a dying woman.

    The cross became an object of veneration. At a Good Friday celebration in Jerusalem, according to an eyewitness, the wood was taken out of its silver container and placed on a table together with the inscription Pilate ordered placed above Jesus' head. Then "all the people pass through one by one; all of them bow down, touching the cross and the inscription, first with their foreheads, then with their eyes; and, after kissing the cross, they move on."

    Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox alike, celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the September anniversary of the basilica's dedication (September 14). The feast entered the Western calendar in the seventh century after Emperor Heraclius recovered the cross from the Persians, who had carried it off in 614, 15 years earlier. According to the story, the emperor intended to carry the cross back into Jerusalem himself, but was unable to move forward until he took off his imperial garb and became a barefoot pilgrim. (vaticannews.va)

    Today, the cruelty of the Cross is not what is exalted, but the Love that God manifested to humanity by accepting death on the Cross: "Who, though in the form of God, emptied himself, taking the form of a slave. This is the glory of the Cross of Jesus!" (Pope Francis)

A Message from Father Thainese

My dear Parishioners,

    I am glad to inform you that I am having my home visit from September 2 to October 2, 2024. This visit is planned exclusively to solemnize the marriage of my nephew (my brother's son). The sacramental marriage will take place on 15 and 16 of September at my village church - Our Lady of Rosary Church. I will have the privilege of seeing my relatives whom I have not seen for over 3 decades.

    I will make two pilgrimages (Our Lady of Thainese Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health) with our newly wedded couple for Mother Mary's blessing upon them. Along with my immediate family members, some people from my village will also join us. I assure you of my prayers in both places.

    I will have the opportunity to attend my 1985 ordination class meeting on 18th and 19th of September in a place some 4 hours drive from my home.

    My home visit holiday will be for 4 weekends. Fr Mike Bergeron from Houma will do the Masses for the first three weekends and the last weekend will be by one Mission appeal priest, Fr Paul.

    Weekday Masses will be only on Tuesday and Friday, celebrated by Fr Francis of Holy Cross.

I request you to pray for my successful trip.

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 will focus on the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, and our lesson will include discussions based on the Gospel according to Mark.

In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that God's love is not reserved just for them or for any particular group. In classes this week, we learned that everyone belongs in the embrace of God's love. Jesus wants his followers to be ready to accept others, work with them, learn from them, and appreciate the gifts they have to share.

Knowing that Jesus wants us all to belong to his family, we discussed how important it is that we gather together for Mass as His family. We also learned that the Scripture readings at Mass are Jesus' messages for all members of His family.

This week, take time to pull out and place your family Bible in a special place. Read the Gospel (Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48) together, then talk about ways your family can share yourselves with others.

    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

    Family Faith Practices

• Dedicate a special area for prayer and for reading the Gospel.
• Light a candle to invite the Holy Spirit into your home and begin with prayer.
  The glory of the Creator calls us. The love of the Son shines on us. The power of the Spirit fills us with life and peace. Amen.
• Encourage your child to find the Gospel reading in the Bible.
• Together or taking turns, read the passage aloud.
• Picture the scene of the passage and imagine yourselves with Jesus.
• Discuss:
• How does it look and feel?
• Who am I standing or sitting near?
• Where is Jesus and what is he doing or saying?
• What does Jesus what me to learn from this passage?
• End with prayer: Loving Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are with us here and now. Be with us even when we forget to turn to you. Keep us in your care today and always. Be with us when we are fearful and failing. Be with us when we are joyful and succeeding. Keep us close and safe, now and forever. Amen.

Let's Get Real: Addressing Habitual Sin

Have a habit of eating too many donuts? A habit of gossip? A habit of laziness? A habit of lust? Let's get real.
    I'm not perfect. In fact, nobody is perfect. Some see this as a bad thing, but I see it as one of the best things. Here's what I mean; every saint was a sinner, which means being a sinner is a requirement for becoming a saint! More importantly, being a sinner is a requirement to be Christian, because it allows Jesus to save us! That means that you and I are qualified!

The Ugly Truth
    If we know that we are qualified to be Christians and saints by being sinners, then we know that we sin. Sometimes this can mean different things for different people, but I want to make sure that we are all clear on what I mean when I say "sin".
    Sin is anything that breaks our relationship with God. Sin is knowing that God is calling us to do something but choosing to do something else.
    If we want to be best that we can be, then we have to acknowledge where we sin. This feels bad because we have to reflect on the times that we were not who we want to be. It's ugly and can hurt, but it's necessary to become the people that we all want to be. So here's what I want you to do: write down where in your life your relationship with God is broken. List it out. Take a few moments to think about it.
    I'm just going to take a guess here, but I bet you have one or two sins that you struggle with all the time. I know that I have and still do.

The Beautiful Lie
    This is one of Satan's biggest and favorite lies to tell us; that this sin is a part of us that we can never get rid of. It's easy to fall into the trap of accepting this, because it's always been there and you've never been able to turn away from it. Get it in your head right now that this sin, whatever it is, is not a part of you, but just a bad habit. That's all that it is.
    One of the best things that we can do to combat this lie is to pray for God to reveal the truth about our habits. Understanding the truth is wonderful, but how can we get rid of these bad habits?

    Here are six steps to getting rid of habitual sin:

	Write down the excuses you usually make for committing that sin.     Study them, and learn what lies Satan is trying to put into your head so that you know what to look out for. These are red flags; whenever these thoughts go through your head, an alarm should go off.
	Physically remove yourself from anything that leads you to the sin.     Move things, throw things away, leave doors open, avert your eyes, change your schedule; whatever it is, do it.
	Confide in someone you trust with the sin you are struggling with.     Get this accountability partner so you don't have to walk this road alone.
	Replace that sin with prayer.     If sin is turning away from God, the best way to build that relationship up is to turn towards God in prayer. Commit yourself to a new devotion in prayer. One of the best ways to commit yourself to prayer is to pray a rosary for anyone else, known or unknown, who is struggling with that same sin.
	Acknowledge and pray to your guardian angel.     One of our greatest assets and friends is one that we can't see and that we rarely think about. Our guardian angels are always with us, fighting for our righteousness, protecting us from Satan and sin.
	Go to Confession!     This one is huge. It's the game-changer. Without it, most people would not be able to get out of habitual sin. Inside the confessional is where Christ's triumph over death and sin is fulfilled today. He is a God of love and mercy, and He wants to give that mercy to you.

Matt Muhich, student, Newman Catholic Campus Ministries, www.bulldogcatholic.org

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.

Bible Quiz #40 - Genesis Chapters 46-50

1. Where did Israel offer sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac?
2. Where did Joseph meet his father?
3. Where did Joseph settle his father and brothers?
4. What was the law Joseph made for the land in Egypt with regard to produce?
5. What was the promise Joseph made to his father?
6. Where was Israel's (Jacob's) wife Rachel buried?
7. On whose head Israel put his right hand and blessed?
8. Where did Joseph bury his father?
9. How did Joseph react to his brothers when they expressed their fear and insecurity in Egypt after the death of their father?
10. What was the favor Joseph asked his brothers to do after his death?

DUE DATE - October 3^rd

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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