The 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
As you may have noticed in the announcements above, I’ve made the decision to reduce the number of opportunities to receive Holy Communion from the Chalice at Mass.
I want to explain my reasons here just to be entirely transparent and clear.
Let me start with the theological reason. The Holy Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ made truly present in the physical appearance of bread and wine through the celebration of the Holy Mass and the words of Consecration spoken by a validly ordained Priest. Each tiny particle of each host and each tiny droplet from the chalice that can reasonably be considered to be an integral portion of bread or wine is fully and truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus.
At the Council of Trent, it was absolutely and strictly forbidden that the chalice be offered to anyone for Holy Communion, even the deacon at the Mass due to the risk of profanation. The Council specifically noted that there is no spiritual difference whatsoever between the “species” of bread and the “species” of wine. From the point of view of Heaven, they are indistinguishable and so there is no theological reason to receive both. That fact has never been meaningfully disputed.
There are two pastoral reasons for my decision. The first flows from this theological reason. The modern formulas for the Rite of Holy Communion are confusing… I show you the host and say “The Body of Christ” and I show you the chalice and say “The Blood of Christ.” As I just explained, that’s not really an accurate description of what’s happening. Both the host and the consecrated wine in the chalice are the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus. And so the chalice is not the Blood of Christ in any meaningful way that the Host isn’t.
Also, there’s the risk of profanation. When I receive Holy Communion from the chalice, I go to great lengths to see that none of the consecrated wine is left on the purificator (napkin). I carefully pour the wine into the chalice and then pour some water over the trail the wine made in the chalice. After I receive Holy Communion, I add water to the cup so that whatever consecrated wine remains is diluted so much that it is no longer wine in any real sense and thus it is no longer the Holy Eucharist. That means that while there is some ordinary wine on the purificator, the consecrated wine has been completely consumed and only a tiny amount of the Holy Eucharist remains on the napkin. But when Holy Communion is distributed to all, the napkin is doused in the Holy Eucharist. (And that’s without the real possibility of the chalice being spilled or splashed onto clothing or the carpet.)
Pope John Paul II wrote a remarkable document in which he discussed the practical processes of distributing Holy Communion and put forward very specific principles about how the clergy are to balance the right of the faithful to receive Holy Communion and the duty of the clergy to protect against profanation and sacrilege. My decision to limit - rather than remove Holy Communion from the chalice is an attempt to better implement the balance that Pope John Paul II calls for.
Finally, the spiritual reason is simpler. So much of the modern practice of Catholicism is about preferences and what we like or don’t like. We decide on things like music based on taste rather than the truthfulness of the words. We prefer this or that time for Mass. We want things to be done in a way which is immediately pleasing and satisfying. We prioritize our experience over the essential duty of worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth.
Christianity, though, is a religion which puts God at center rather than my preferences. In fact, it’s a religion which demands not only prioritizing the Lord, but actively suffering for Him (if you would be saved, take up your cross). And so there’s a spiritual necessity to have our preferences pushed back against from time to time.
Moving forward, the chalice will be available for Holy Communion every Wednesday morning (9a) and Friday evening (5:30p). There will be a few additional days and a few exceptions (e.g. Good Friday). As always, I am very happy to discuss this or any other pastoral decisions with you at any time!
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and Sunday from 9a until Mass
- June 21 Happy Father’s Day!
- No Pastoral Council meeting this month
For Your Information:
HOLY COMMUNION FROM THE CHALICE will only be offered at Masses on Wednesdays and Fridays beginning on July 1. Holy Communion from the Chalice will not be offered on Tuesdays and Saturdays and we are not accustomed to doing so at Masses offered at the Legacy Nursing Home on Thursdays. I want to balance the right and devotion of those who would like to receive Holy Communion from the Chalice with proper reverence and the inherent challenges in offering Holy Communion from the Chalice to groups of people. THANK YOU to all who have served as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion on Saturday evenings! I may well call on some of you for help at Christmas, on Lenten Fridays, and at other times as needed in the future. Any questions or concerns can be addressed to me at any time. – Fr Ryan
BULLETIN ADVERTISERS As you may have noticed, I’ve been preparing for a change in our bulletin costs structure for a while now. We changed the bulletin layout a while back and I worked the names of the advertisers who have supported us for years into the flow of the bulletin. The whole point of the ads was to subsidize the purchase of misallettes and of bulletins. Our misallettes cost about $1000 per year total. By doing away with the advertising subsidy and using this newer model for printing our bulletins, we’re actually saving a little each year. Moving forward we won’t have ads in the bulletin, but i want to say a grand word of THANKS to all who have subsidized our bulletins and missallettes, YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!
- Delta Bank, deltabk.com
- GB Farm Partnership, Ginny & Billy Marsh
- May & Company, Alyssa Oliver, CPA 318-574-6254
- Robert Charles Brown
- S&B Drugs. K. Scott Nunnalee, R.Ph., 318-574-6363
- Tensas State Bank, Kate Copes, 318-574-9898
ROSARY GROUP meets on Monday at 5:30p for prayer and supper. Everyone is welcome. Contact Louise Magoun (318-341-2403), coordinator for more information.
FORMED.ORG has weekly features at https://watch.formed.org/this-week-on-formed. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at https://signup.formed.org
MAUSOLEUM Construction will begin in the coming months. Our sales representative, Garth Daniels, can be reached at (318) 295-4409. If you have any questions or you know of anyone else interested in making a purchase, please encourage them to speak with Garth or to call the church office.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Gail Graugnard and Mary Agnes York/P Gilfoil
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a For a special intention of the Guizeriz family
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a For healing for Patricia Guizerix
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Brian Stamey/family
- Brya StameThu 9:00a (Legacy Nursing Home) In memory of Thomas Trichell/T Trichell
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Payton and Donald Trichell/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Russell Petersen (anni birth)/Rome
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a In memory of deceased members of Bolton and Howington families
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHC(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/20 5:30p | - | MA Gilfoil | C VanderVieren |
| 6/21 9:30a | Michael, Maura, Ashlyn | Thomas Meyers | - |
| 6/27 5:30p | - | M Rome | M Ernst |
| 6/28 9:30a | Kathleen, Evelyn, & Daniel | D Hamilton | - |
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2025-2026 | $ 2,500 |
| May Budget | $ 10,000 |
| May Collections | $ 18,461 |
| May Expenses | $ 14,557 |
| June Budget | $ 10,000 |
| June 14 Collection | $ 2,192 |
| June to Date | $ 5,565 |
Stewardship The Psalmist assures us that “the Lord hears the poor.” Often, however, He answers their needs through the generous gifts of good stewards.
Community Celebrations
Happy Birthday to Patty Spinks (Jun 23), Cindy Howington (Jun 23), Karla Mason (Jun 25), Margo Corulla (Jun 26), Sally Reynolds (Jun 26)
In Our Daily Prayers…
Please let us know of anyone who is ill or hospitalized and would like to receive a visit from Father. Also, help us keep our prayer list up to date by advising us of those who should be added or removed.
For our Pope, Leo XIV, our Bishop, Robert Marshall; and our Diocesan leaders, our President, Governor, Mayor and national, state and local elected representatives
Our parishioners who are sick, shut-in, under full-time care and for those who care for them, and for those otherwise in need of our prayers: MaryKathryn & Nap Book, Chris, Susan, and David Cagnolatti, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Ann Claire Fordice and her children, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil,Terry Farlow Hall, Sidney & Mary Jane Johnson, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Phillip and Peggy Scurria, Mike & Sue Rome, Lori Sullivan, Mary Trichell
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Danny Beard, Marie Farlow Bellard, Martha Book, Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Gayle Brown (Dukes and Oliver), Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Gene Cox, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Judy Fortenberry, Donna Fulton (Ellerbee), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Morgan, Alex, and Palmer Gilfoil, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Steve Green, Maggie Reynolds Guillory, Rita Hargrave, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Patricia Lively (Wilks), Charles Howington, Callie Halbach Hyams, Jimmy Hopson(Wilks), Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Andrew and Chelsea Keene-Lewis, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Mike Morelli, Randy Parker, Betty Petersen, David Peterson, Quintin Purvis, John Neill, Curt and Brianne Rome, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Debbie Kedrick Sims, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, EmmyLu Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Chandler Wood
