Special Diocesan Observances

Diocesan Observances

Liturgical Feasts

In the Diocese of Baton Rouge, there is one local diocesan-wide feast day. The "Anniversary of the Dedication of St. Joseph Cathedral" is observed throughout the diocese on September 30 with the rank of feast, unless September 30 falls on Sunday when the Ordinary Sunday observance takes precedence. (In the cathedral itself the day is always observed with the rank of Solemnity.)

Since the principal patronal feast of the diocese and of its cathedral is that of St. Joseph, which is already celebrated with the rank of Solemnity throughout the entire universal Church, there is no additional diocesan liturgical norm for the feast of St. Joseph on March 19. Bishop Muench's name-day is the Optional Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine on September 17.

Each parish celebrates, with the rank of Solemnity, the "Anniversary of the Dedication" of its church-building. This observance is impeded only by liturgical days having greater precedence. Also, the feast or memorial of the titular patron of a parish is also celebrated as a Solemnity within that parish, even if of lesser rank in the universal calendar.

There are two special feasts observed in the Diocese of Baton Rouge and the other six dioceses which make up the Metropolitan Province of New Orleans. The first is the Solemnity of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Patroness of Louisiana, observed on January 8 unless impeded by another solemnity (e.g., Epiphany or the Baptism of the Lord). The other is the Feast of St. Martin de Porres, also a patron of the Province, on November 3.

Other Anniversaries

The creation of the Diocese of Baton Rouge was announced by Blessed Pope John XXIII on July 21, 1961. The actual erection of the diocese and installation of the Most Reverend Robert E. Tracy as our First Bishop took place on November 8, 1961. Thus these days too are special to the community of the Christian faithful here. Finally, the diocese celebrates with Bishop Muench the special anniversaries in his life: his birth (December 28, 1942); his priestly ordination (May 18, 1968); his ordination as a bishop (June 29, 1990); the announcement of his transfer to Baton Rouge (December 15, 2001); and his installation as Fifth Bishop of Baton Rouge (March 14, 2002).

National Observances

The particular liturgical calendar for the United States differs from the universal liturgical calendar in a number of ways (e.g., different days or ranks for certain weekday celebrations):

	the Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego on December 9;
	the Feast of Our Lady of Guadelupe on December 12;
	the Obligatory Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton on January 4;
	the Obligatory Memorial of St. John Neumann on January 5;
	the Optional Memorial of Blessed André Bessette on January 6;
	the Particular Day of Penance for violations to human dignity through acts of abortion on January 22;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Katharine Drexel on March 3;
	the Optional Memorial of Blessed Damien de Veuster of Moloka'i on May 10;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Isidore the Farmer on May 15;
	the Optional Memorial of Blessed Junípero Serra on July 1;
	the Obligatory Memorial of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha on July 14;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis on July 18;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances Frémiot de Chantal on August 18;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Mother Theodore Guerin on October 3;
	the Optional Memorial of Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher on October 6;
	the Obligatory Memorial of Sts. Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and the other North American Martyrs on October 19;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Paul of the Cross on October 20:
	the Obligatory Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini on November 13;
	the Optional Memorial of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne on November 18; and
	the Optional Memorial of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro on November 23.

Additionally in the USA, Independence Day on July 4 and Thanksgiving Day on the Fourth Thursday of November may be observed using the appropriate liturgical texts found in the Roman Missal and Lectionary.