Photo by Kacie Fuselier

SJA Celebrates Multicultural Mass

The St. Joseph’s Academy community gathered in the Activity Center on January 27 to celebrate the annual Multicultural Mass. Father Paul Yi, SJA chaplain and associate pastor at Our Lady of Mercy, was the presider. He was joined by Deacon Robert Kusch, who serves at St. Alphonsus and is the father of Rachel, a 2007 Academy graduate, and Rebecca, a junior.

“In the midst of the business of school, God still calls you in the quiet of your heart.” Father Paul Yi, chaplain

The Multicultural Mass is planned each year by Students for Unity.

Senior Sabrina Stansberry welcomed the large gathering. “As God’s people, we come from different cultures and speak many different languages,” she said. “Our common bond is that we are all children of God. Let us pray during this Eucharist to be open and faithful to our God, no matter what culture we come from or what languages we speak.”

Freshman Ameenah Henderson read from the second book of Samuel.

In his homily, Fr. Paul reflected on the works of Sisters in various parts of the world, from Sister Dianne Fanguy’s ongoing service to the impoverished people of Nicaragua to Mother Teresa’s efforts to save abandoned orphans in Lebanon to the voyage to Haiti by a group of six Sisters from Baton Rouge and Lafayette to offer comfort to survivors of the recent earthquake.

“What can one Sister or one small group of Sisters do in poverty-stricken Nicaragua or war-torn Lebanon or in the chaos of Haiti?” Fr. Paul asked. “St. Paul said, ‘I can do all things in Christ whom strengthens me.’ Jesus said, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to everyone.’

“Have you heard Jesus’ call in your heart?” Fr. Paul continued. “You may not have heard it, but that doesn’t mean He is not calling. In the midst of the business of school, God still calls you in the quiet of your heart. These Sisters heard the call and are doing the impossible because God makes all things possible.”

Prayers of the faithful were offered in languages representative of the SJA student body. Participating students and the languages spoken were senior Lucie Calderon, French; sophomore Krisha Sherburne, Polish; senior Kathryn Jakuback, Gaelic; senior Rachel Bozeman, sign language; junior Erynn Campesi, Italian; senior Aleen Kaltakdjian, Armenian; senior Olivia Gulino, Latin; sophomore Laura Flandez, Spanish; senior Tam Hoang, Vietnamese; and senior Stephanie Pham, English.

Aimee Phebus directed the Liturgical Choir. Seniors Katie Fredieu and Rivers Berryhill served as cantors. Musical accompanists were Mickel Blaize, piano; Calderon, flute; Crystal Eldringhoff and junior Kat Peek, guitar; and Stephen Barrios, percussion. Members of the Liturgical Dance group, under the direction of Kris Cangelosi, added their talents to the mass.

Following mass, Principal Linda Fryoux Harvison thanked all who planned and participated in the celebration, and theology teacher Nicholas Mitchell offered his thoughts about diversity.

“Throughout human history, our differences have been used to foment strife,” he said. “Our different accents and skin tones cited to justify struggles between ‘us’ and ‘them.’ The word of God says there is no us nor is there any them. There is only we. We must not be enemies. We must be friends. Our collective fates, no matter who we claim to belong to, are intertwined. So let it begin here, in this place. Let us move from us and them to we as we go forth and connect our sacred threads.”


Mindy Brodhead Averitt
Communications Director