During Lent, weekday Masses are held at St. John
at 7:00AM,
Wed-Friday
and in Clinton
at 6:30 PM on Tuesdays
Confession
15 minutes before
weekday Masses
4 PM Saturdays
(until
Time Change)
Adoration
Noon-6 Daily
at St. John
Who's Who at St. John's?
Whether you are new to the parishes of St. John the Baptist or Our Lady of
the Assumption, or you would just like to get to know our parish families
better, check this page out frequently to see "Who's Who" among the faithful.
We will periodically add photos of individuals and families during church
socials, religious education events or youth ministry activities. Who
knows? Perhaps you'll be on here soon!
Our Staff
Click on the name of the individual to send an e-mail
Father M. Jeffery
Bayhi, a native of Baton Rouge, LA was ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Baton Rouge on May 26, 1979 at St. Patrick
Church in Baton Rouge, LA. He received his degree in
Psychology at St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict, LA; his
Masters of Divinity at Notre Dame in New Orleans, LA, and
his Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling from Graduate
Theological Foundation in Donaldson, IN.
Throughout Father
Bayhi’s training, as well as his priesthood, he has been
involved in various types of ministries. He has worked a
great deal with the retreat movement on many different
levels, including high school and college, parish missions,
diaconate and priesthood retreats, and continuing education.
Father Bayhi has also worked extensively in several prison
systems, including the hospital for the criminally insane in
central California, as well as being an associate pastor and
pastor for many years in several rural Louisiana parishes.
He has a special interest in youth retreat work, and has
plans to build a retreat center through the Metanoia
Corporation, which he established early in his priesthood.
Father Bayhi has
written several books, the first being a book of
reflections, "Then Comes the Morning", the second is "Paved
with Souls" written on his experiences while working with
Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta.
He has also produced a video on Medjugorje: "Two Men's
Journey to the Top," as well as a CD / Cassette entitled
"Doing It Their Own Way" that is a contemporary meditation
of the Way of the Cross which he and Aaron Neville
co-produced and recorded.
Father Bayhi has been very fortunate during his priesthood
to have traveled on many occasions to Medjugorje and
Calcutta, both of which have had a profound effect on his
own spiritual journey. He was Pastor of St. Jules Parish in
Belle Rose, Louisiana from July 1984 until July 1995. At
that time July 1995, he was named Director of Vocations and
Seminarians for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. In June 2001
following the death of its founder Father Harold Cohen,
Father Jeff was asked to carry on Father Cohen’s work with
Closer Walk Ministries as their Chief Executive Officer. He
remained Vocation Director for the Diocese of Baton Rouge
until July, 2005.
Presently, Fr. Bayhi is assigned Pastor of St. John the
Baptist Catholic Church in Zachary and its mission
church--Our Lady of the Assumption in Clinton,
Louisiana--and has made his home in Zachary.
Father Bayhi's Sermon -
Fortnight for Freedom, 6/24/12
Father Jeff Bayhi's Opening Prayer
U.S. House of Representatives - July 29, 2012
Who IS
that Guy Next Door?
The
Spiritual Journey of
Deacon
Donald Ard
On Saturday, June 12,
2010, Bishop Robert Muench ordained Donald Ard, long-time
parishioner of St. John’s, as a Permanent Deacon for the diocese of
Baton Rouge.
What does this mean? What is a
Deacon?
According to the U.S.
Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), "A deacon is an ordained
minister of the Catholic Church. Deacons are ordained as a
sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came
"to serve and not to be served." The entire Church is called by
Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental
ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in
a servant-Church."
As ministers of Word,
deacons can be asked by the Pastor to perform any combination of the
following tasks: proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name
of the Church; baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness
marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services. As ministers of
Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs
of others, then marshalling the Church's resources to meet those
needs. Deacons are also dedicated to eliminating the injustices or
inequities that cause such needs. But no matter what specific
functions a deacon performs, they flow from his sacramental
identity. In other words, it is not only WHAT a deacon does, but WHO
a deacon is, that is important.
Who is Donald Ard?
For those of you who do not know Donald very well, here is a
summary of his life’s journey:
- He enlisted in the Navy
1969, designated for submarine nuclear power program
-
He
served aboard 4 submarines, 1 surface ship, with 2 tours of duty as
instructor at Nuclear Power Training Unit.
- He married his wife,
Jackie, Nov. 1983. 5 children--7 grandchildren (and
lots of pets) between them!
- He and Jackie have
served as hosts to 9 foreign exchange students throughout the
years
Donald’s Spiritual
Life
Donald began active adult
ministry in Virginia at Langley Air Force Base, in 1986. His
ministry expanded to shipboard Catholic Lay Leader, which granted
him the privilege of transporting the Blessed Sacrament to conduct
Eucharistic Service while at sea. While in the military, Donald
heard the call of God on a regular basis and was certain that he had
much more to do for the Lord. He was first recommended for candidacy
in the Diaconate in 1991 but formation was delayed due to relocation
after retirement from the military.
Donald and Jackie moved
to Zachary 1994, where the vocational calling continued but had to
be placed on hold for a while. However, Donald remained actively
involved in various liturgical ministries. He assisted with the
RCIA and Renew programs, taught high school CCD for
several years, and became involved with the St. John’s Men's Club
and the parish chapter of the Knights of Columbus (through which he
is now a member of the 4th degree), and annual retreats at Manresa.
Throughout the years, Donald also assisted the late Father Matthew
J. Faschan with weekly Mass at Oakwood Village Assisted Living
Community, until Father Faschan’s death in 2009.
After being diagnosed
with prostate cancer in 2004, Donald had to, yet again, re-align his
family and work priorities but, in the Fall of 2004, he enrolled in
RSI, more seriously considering the diaconate. He began "formation"
in the Fall of 2006.
Why
try to juggle a career, a family and all of life’s other
priorities to be a Deacon?
Donald responded to this
question: "A lifetime of preparation and 5 years of dedicated study
brings me to a new starting point, the beginning of a "ministry of
service" that I expect to be as rewarding and fulfilling as it is
demanding, as I am sure it will be. I am truly indebted to the
parishioners of St. John the Baptist for their inspiration,
encouragement, and continued prayerful support, especially while I
struggled to keep up with studies through intense work schedules and
personal illness.
Following his ordination
on June 12, 2010, Bishop Robert Muench has assigned Donald to serve
as Assistant Deacon at St. Isidore the Farmer Catholic Church in
Brownsfield. In addition to his duties in that parish, Donald will
also provide outreach ministry to inmates at Dixon Correctional
Facility in Jackson, LA.
On behalf of the parish
family at St. John’s, we would like to congratulate Donald on his
accomplishment but, more importantly, for accepting the call of Our
Lord to spread Our Lord’s Gospel message throughout the community at
large. He exemplifies Our Lord’s call to evangelize and his
dedication to his faith will assuredly pay off for many throughout
the community at-large.
Our Organizations
St. John's Rosary Altar Society - President, Martha Simmons
". . .to foster the Catholic
religion among its members; to assist the Pastor; to care for the altar;
to furnish and launder altar linens, priest’s vestments, etc.; to
provide various articles/ supplies necessary for Mass and other
devotional services; to decorate the church. . ."
Father Bayhi has been very fortunate during his priesthood
to have traveled on many occasions to Medjugorje and
Calcutta, both of which have had a profound effect on his
own spiritual journey. He was Pastor of St. Jules Parish in
Belle Rose, Louisiana from July 1984 until July 1995. At
that time July 1995, he was named Director of Vocations and
Seminarians for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. In June 2001
following the death of its founder Father Harold Cohen,
Father Jeff was asked to carry on Father Cohen’s work with
Closer Walk Ministries as their Chief Executive Officer. He
remained Vocation Director for the Diocese of Baton Rouge
until July, 2005.
