The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks our Lord Jesus’ initiation into public ministry. At His baptism, Jesus is fully revealed as the Beloved Son of God. With this celebration we recommit ourselves to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Initiated through our baptism we too are the Beloved of God, commissioned to proclaim Good News with our lives.
The observance of National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) began in 1976 when the National Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year as the beginning of NVAW. In 1997 this celebration was moved to coincide with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
During this Year for Priests that our Holy Father has proclaimed, we pray in a special way for Priestly vocations. Please do not fail to encourage the young men of our parish whom the Lord may be calling. We need Priests!!
The above information is found at the following link below:
For more information on teaching guides and materials please visit this website:
O Jesus, Good and Gentle Shepherd grant that those you are calling from our community, may have the grace and the courage to hear and answer Your call to the Sacred Priesthood or Religious Life. Give them the wisdom to realize that life is a gift. Let them realize their life is part of YOUR plan. Call forth those You have chosen to spread the gospel message, and help them to freely respond to a life of service in the Church. May the parents and families of our parish, support and encourage our young men and women to search for, follow and answer the call of God in their lives. AMEN
Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Lafayette:
The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God on Friday, January 1, is a holy day of obligation. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered in our parish as follows:
Thursday, Dec 31 4:00pm (Anticipated) St. Peter Church
Thursday, Dec 31 6:00pm (Anticipated) St. David Chapel
We are in need of volunteers to help decorate St. Peter Church on Wednesday, December 23 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please offer your time in service to the Lord to help decorate His Holy dwelling for the feast of His birth.
The holy season of Advent begins on November 29, the First Sunday of Advent. This short liturgical season of four weeks is meant to prepare us for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas. And while we focus on His first coming in the form of man at Christmas, we also prepare ourselves for His second coming in glory to judge the living and the dead. It is becoming more and more difficult for we who are Catholic to take advantage of this holy season of Advent. The Secular “Christmas” is already in full swing: decorations and gifts are already in stores; Christmas music is already being played on the radio stations; and Christmas decorations are in full display in towns and yards. Each year as the secular celebration of Christmas begins earlier and earlier, I ask myself, “Is there any wonder that almost everybody is tired of Christmas by the time December 25 gets here??” Whereas, for us, that’s when the twelve days of celebration begins!
As difficult as it may be, it is entirely possible to be spiritually prepared to celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus at Christmas. And when, prepared, that celebration will bring great joy to our lives! To help us prepare for the mystery of Christmas, our parish will offer several things for this Advent Season. I also invite you and your families to take advantage of this great website set up by the Bishops for families with prayers, ideas for activities, and resources: click here.
1. PREPARATION FOR TOTAL CONSECRATION
There is no better person to prepare us for the birth of Christ than she who experienced it first hand: the Blessed Virgin Mary. During this season of Advent, we should seek to grow closer to Her, Our Mother. One way we can do this is through the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary according to the devotion of St. Louis de Montfort. It will take place on Tuesday, December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God. If you have never consecrated yourself, I highly encourage you to do so. It is important that we receive the gift of Mary’s Motherhood that Jesus Himself gave us from the cross. As St. Louis de Montfort affirms, Mary “is the surest, the easiest, the shortest and the most perfect means of going to Jesus Christ” In this consecration, we entrust ourselves to Mary, body and soul, without reserve, that we may belong entirely to Jesus Christ.
2. COME, LORD JESUS FOR ADVENT
During Advent, we should also read the Word of God, which is richly provided in beautiful readings. To help us do this, we will offer a few Come Lord Jesus groups for the four weeks of Advent. If you have never heard or experienced Come, Lord Jesus, it’s a weekly group that gathers to pray, reflect upon, and discuss the Scriptural readings of the upcoming Sunday. I hope that you will take advantage of it! For more info, click here.
3. ADVENT BOOKLETS
Word Among Us booklets with daily meditations on the Advent readings from Mass are available all families who would like to celebrate the season with personal prayer. This will be especially good for members of our parish who are home bound. They can be found at the entrances of the church.
4. ADVENT PENANCE SERVICE
Finally, there will be a Penance Service offered here at St. Peter Church on Tuesday, December 15, at 6:30pm in the church. Several Priests from the area will be here to assist in hearing confessions.
During the Holy Season of Advent, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. During this particular season of the Liturgical Year, we are reminded of our family and friends who have drifted away from the Church. Once again, the Diocese of Lafayette is sponsoring the annual “Come Home for Christmas” program. We want our brothers and sisters to return home to be with their spiritual family. Every active Catholic is encouraged to invite someone to accompany them to Mass on Christmas Day. Offer to pick them up and bring them with you. Please pray for the success of this outreach. We also encourage you to participate in your parish program by submitting to the church office the name of a special friend or family member that you would like to invite to Come Home for Christmas. Please submit their names and addresses by December 11th.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Tuesday, December 8, is a holy day of obligation. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered in our parish as follows:
Monday, Dec 7 5.30pm (Anticipated) St. Peter Church
Tuesday, Dec 8 8.15am St. Peter Church
Tuesday, Dec 8 6.00pm St. David Chapel
For more information about Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, click here.
St. Peter Church and School congratulates Gueydan High School for their successful and historical Football season as District Champs! We are proud to say, “Go Bears!”
In celebration of the 110th anniversary of Gueydan, the Gueydan Museum has had a history exhibit from Sep 1 – Nov 28. Among the many historical artifacts present in the exhibit, St. Peter Church has had a display. The Catholic Faith has been present from the beginning and has nourished the faith of the people of Gueydan during those 110 years. Articles that are part of the display include the first Baptismal Register containing the records of the earliest baptisms of the Parish, a pyx from the 1920’s, the announcement book of long-time Pastor, Fr. Garneau, and two original liturgical vestments: a cope and a surplice. Also displayed are many photos from throughout the history of St. Peter Church. To learn more about the rich history of St. Peter Church, click here: Parish History.
