News Post

St. Joseph’s Academy gathered as a school community on January 13 to celebrate the annual Respect Life Mass. Father Josh Zelden, SJA’s chaplain and parochial vicar for Our Lady of Mercy Parish, was the presider for the Eucharistic celebration in the Academy Student Center.

Freshman Audrey Williamson welcomed the large crowd. “We gather today to celebrate our good and gracious God’s precious gift of life,” she said. “We recognize God’s call to respect the dignity of every life from conception to natural death, to treat our dear neighbor with merciful love and to embrace, without distinction, all of God’s children. We ask God for the strength to stand up for all of those who are vulnerable, including the unborn.”  
 
Junior Amelia Walker lit the candle of remembrance to honor those members of the Academy community who have passed, especially those who have passed since SJA’s last mass. 

Junior Sadie Bozeman read from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians. Senior Ava Doucet and freshman Elise Becnel led the prayers of the faithful. 

Father Josh called forth the students who are participating in the upcoming March for Life in Washington, D.C., and offered a special blessing. 

Following mass, Mission Integration Director Jade Spears announced that the SJA community will join Catholic schools from across the nation to celebrate Catholic Schools Week 2026 at the end of January. The celebration will include daily activities. 

As part of the Diocesan celebration, SJA will participate in a weeklong collection drive for Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge. Items to be collected include gift cards, baby wipes, baby shampoo/wash, diaper cream, baby lotion/powder, thermometers and pacifiers, among others. 

Spears also announced that the faculty and staff have selected 10 seniors to represent SJA at the Diocesan Catholic Schools Week Mass: Elizabeth Bertucci, Virginia Braud, Hayley Cavalier, Camille Cotton, Louisa deBlieux, Linley Denstel, Isabella DuBos, Olivia Funes, Sydney Kline and Clare Valluzzo. 

Senior Catherine Raemsch closed the gathering by leading the singing of the alma mater.

The choir was under the direction of Danielle Laird. Also lending their musical gifts to the celebration were Raemsch and senior Evie LeBlanc, cantors; Angela Sneed, keyboard; Hugo Andricain, guitar; sophomore Isabella Campesi, cello; and sophomore Ellen Craig, flute.