Saint Augustine

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Devotion - tomb of the unknown slave

Thanks to all who were able to join for the first devotion at the Tomb of the Unknown Slave in November. We look forward to our Spring devotion.

For more information and photos of November event, click here.
HURRICANE IDA UPDATE

Due to Hurricane Ida damage to St. Augustine Church, our Sunday Mass is currently being celebrated in the parish hall at 10:00 a.m. On Wednesdays we pray the Rosary at 4:30 p.m., Mass follows at 5:00 p.m. The entrance to the parish hall may be found through the gate on Governor Nicholls St. or through the parking lot on Treme St.

Sunday Mass is also live-streamed at facebook.com/saintaugchurch. Everyone is welcome to join us in person or via Facebook. For more information call the office Tuesday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (504)525-5934.
grant received!

We are proud to announce that St. Augustine Catholic Church has received $200,000 in funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

This funding will support the masonry and plaster repair and restoration of St. Augustine Catholic Church.

Since 2017, the Action Fund has raised more than $91 million in philanthropic funding, and serves as the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places.

See the full list of this year’s grantees and site descriptions here.
DONATIONS & TITHINGS

Donations to our general fund, including tithings can be made here.

Please give here.
ALL ARE WELCOME

For nearly 200 years, Saint Augustine Catholic Church has welcomed
people from every walk of life, creed, and color to worship side by side.
Perhaps that is why Saint Augustine has not only served as the heart
of the Tremé community but has also played an integral role in
shaping the culture of the city of New Orleans.

Today's Readings
- Monday of the Second Week of Easter
  
  Reading 1 Acts 4:23-31
  Responsorial Psalm Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
  Gospel John 3:1-8
Pastor's Corner

PASTOR'S CORNER APRIL 27, 2025

HIRING OF NEW PARISH SECRETARY

We are glad to announce the hiring of a new parish secretary. It is Mrs. STEPHANIE GALLO. She is a member of our parish and participates in the Ladies Altar Society and the Ladies Knights of St. Peter Claver. She is a graduate of Nicholls State University and Delgado Community College. She has professional management background at Rouses, Murphy's and Sam's Club. We welcome Mrs. Gallo to our staff and anticipate God's blessings of service through her.

We are also planning a gathering of gratitude for our outgoing secretary Mrs. Linda Harris. When details are finalized, we will inform everyone.

© Father William “Bill” Mason, OMI, 2025

PASTOR'S CORNER - Easter Sunday ~ April 20, 2025

RESURRECTION IS NOT RESUSCITATION

The gospels tell us that Jesus brought three people back to life: his friend Lazarus, Jairus' daughter and the son of the widow from Nain. All three died again. Resurrection is not bringing us back to the same life we had before. Resurrection is giving us an altogether new life. It is giving us divine life, a life that is everlasting. This divine life starts in our baptism; we have already started eternal life. The presence of the Trinity within us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, means that we have less to fear when we pass from this world. This lessening of the fear of death enables us to live life here on earth with more depth. We can have the confidence that whatever suffering we endure here on earth God will resurrect some new life out of it.

© Father William “Bill” Mason, OMI, 2025

PASTOR'S CORNER - April 13, 2025

WE ALL HAVE A SACRED TIME

As individuals and as community there are sacred times in our lives. As individuals birthdays and graduations are sacred moments for us. As married couples anniversaries are sacred days. As a nation we hold July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Memorial Day and others as sacred for our country.
As Christians Holy Week is sacred for us. As we remember Christ's last supper with his disciples on Holy Thursday we celebrate the sacredness of our bond with each other in the Eucharist. On Good Friday we hold sacred Christ's victory over death for us. On Easter we experience the divine life we have in Christ. This week is sacred because of the meaning it has for us. May we reverence this week with the sacredness it deserves.

© Father William “Bill” Mason, OMI, 2025

Pastor's Corner - April 6, 2025

HOLY WEEK IS APPROACHING
Fifth Sunday of Lent

As Lent winds down we are getting closer and closer to a very sacred time, Holy Week. This is the week when we remember and celebrate important moments in the life of Jesus. In Palm Sunday we celebrate his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. In Holy Thursday we remember the Lord's last Supper with his disciples. In Good Friday we remember his suffering and death for us. In Holy Saturday, the Easter vigil, we anticipate the celebration of new life in Jesus. And on Easter Sunday we celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead.
This year during Holy Week on Holy Tuesday we will have celebration of communal reconciliation at 6 PM in our hall. This sacrament of reconciliation is a special way to prepare for the Holy Week ceremonies. Please plan on participating.

Fr. William "Bill" Mason, O.M.I.

Pastor's Corner - March 30, 2024

SPECIAL SERVICE OF SACRAMENT OF RECONCILITATION
On Tuesday of Holy Week, April 15th at 6 PM in our hall we will host a special celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. It will be a way of preparing ourselves for the celebration of Holy Week, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Since it is Holy Week we will be doing the sacrament in a little different way. During the examination of conscience, each person will have paper and pencil and will write down whatever it is they want to confess. The priest will be upfront and members will approach the priest, give him the piece of paper, he reads it gives it back to the member and then gives individual absolution. This is not general absolution. Then the member takes the paper and goes to the buckets and candles which are on the side, lights the paper and throws it in the bucket to symbolize the burning away of our sins. This little bit different way of confessing may appeal to your family and friends so please feel free to tell them about it.

Fr. William "Bill" Mason, O.M.I.

PASTOR'S CORNER - March 23, 2025
Jesus cites two examples of people who died because of tragedy (one human at the hands of Pilate and one natural, the collapse of a tower) and they were no more guilty than Jesus' listeners. Jesus uses that to repeat his call to repentance to all of us during Lent. He reminds us of the words of the prophet Joel on Ash Wednesday: Rend your hearts, not your garments. The challenge of Lent is to become better people, both as individuals and as a community. We are getting closer and closer to returning to worship in our church. Will we be a better church community when we do return? That will depend on how well we repent during this Lent.
Pastor's Corner - March 16, 2025
HOW DID LENT DEVELOP INTO 40 DAYS
The number 40 has meaning from the Bible. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sanai. 40 days for the great flood of Noah. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert. By the 4th century the biblical connections had influenced the church to formalize Lent into 40 days.
In 325 AD the Council of Nicaea was pivotal in establishing Lent as a unified practice for the church. The bishops of the church sought to standardize Lent as a season for repentance, penance and spiritual preparation for Easter. By the Middle Ages the Lenten observance had expanded to include specific liturgical rites, communal fasts and penitential practices. The evolution of lent continued through the centuries adapting to different theological understandings and pastoral needs while remaining a foundational period of reflection and preparation for the Easter Mystery.
© Father William “Bill” Mason, OMI, 2025
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT - March 9, 2025
Since this is a jubilee year the Pope has asked us to be pilgrims of hope. We are invited on a 90-day pilgrimage, 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter and 50 days from Easter to Pentecost. It is a journey to become more deeply living God's gift of hope.
This first Sunday of Lent is the gospel about Jesus being tempted in the desert by the devil. The devil uses the scriptures to subtly tempt Jesus use his power to satisfy his hunger, worship the wrong person and to put God to the test. Jesus can see more deeply into the devil's intentions and so resists the temptations. As we go on our 90-day pilgrimage we will be subtly tempted to think everything is all right and we do not have to change. In this first part of our pilgrimage, we are called to repent, to change our outlook and improve the way we live and love. May God's Holy Spirit give us the wisdom and insight to recognize our temptations and the energy and grace not to give in.

Fr. William "Bill" Mason, O.M.I.
Pastor

PASTOR'S CORNER - March 2, 2025

THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON OF LENT
This coming Wednesday, March 5th is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the liturgical season of Lent. We will have our normal praying of the rosary at 4:30 with celebration of the eucharist at 5 PM. During the mass we will distribute the ashes as a symbol of our willingness to repent during the season of Lent. During Lent we are asked to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent as an expression of communion with the sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday. We will also have the devotion of the Stations of the Cross on the Fridays of Lent at 6 PM. All are welcome.

© Father William “Bill” Mason, OMI, 2025
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