The Third Sunday of Easter
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
As I said last week, Pope Francis leaves behind a challenging legacy, one aspect of which is the body (collegio, “college”) of Cardinal-electors which he appointed. Unlike American politics, these electors don’t fit neatly into simple categories. The Cardinal Electors from Africa, for example, aren’t “conservative,” even though their general way of thinking overlaps strongly with traditionally-oriented Catholics. At the same time, Italian Cardinal Parolin is not “liberal” even though his thinking overlaps with many aspects of what we would oversimply as liberal Catholicism or liberal Christianity.
What’s more, each Cardinal is not necessarily thinking in terms of power or representative government. In the US, we want to see someone elected who will make decisions consistent with the decisions we would make. In the Church, we want a Pope who is holy, even saintly. We want someone who will say the hard things that need to be said. And the Cardinal-electors each want to choose the man who will best embody the unique responsibilities of the Papacy.
The Pope is meant to “confirm the faithful and their pastors in the faith of Jesus Christ.” He does this by 1) teaching, 2) sanctifying, and 3) governing. Every pope has his human faults to contend with as well and the cultural and ethnic biases held by everyone else... Pope Benedict, for example, was associated (by pathetically dishonest journalists) with the Nazis simply because he was a German of a certain age. A future Pope from Africa or India would face an uphill battle in Europe because of strong racist attitudes against those cultures, especially in Germany and France. Bizarrely, the President of France has publicly asked French Cardinals to campaign against the election of Robert Cardinal Sarah (my personal top choice) who is from Ghana and, arguably, the most saintly of the Cardinals.
And so the Cardinal-electors can’t be summed up into simple groups like “liberal,” “conservative,” “traditional,” “moderate,” etc. Cardinal Parolin is not remotely moderate by our American understanding of that word and Cardinal Tagle isn’t Liberal by our understanding of that word. Neither are Cardinals Burke, Sarah, or Erdö “conservative.”
The process of the election will formally begin on May 7 with Holy Mass and two reflections given by cardinals who are elected by the college of Cardinal-electors. Afterwards, a single vote will be taken. This is VERY UNLIKELY to yield any results. It’s just there to take the temperature of the room. Then the Cardinal-electors will retire for the day. For the next three days, they will meet in the Sistine Chapel for prayer. Each morning they will conduct two votes, then take lunch, and then conduct two more votes. We expect a result by May 11, but that will depend on the ebb and flow of the results which are never publicly released.
Each vote takes several hours. Each Cardinal must write his vote in longhand and then walk forward individually to the vote box. As he places his ballot in the box, he reads a long-ish promise - in Latin - that this vote represents his prayerful belief that the vote he is casting is what the Holy Spirit wants. With 135 electors, each vote and the counting can easily take two hours! After the counting, the results are delivered by voice in Italian and, if no selection passes 2/3 of the votes, then the ballots are burned with a small packet of chemicals to make the smoke black. If a Pope is elected, the ballots are still burned, but with a small packet of chemicals to make the smoke white... And then, we have a new Pope.
Next week, I’ll explain what that looks like.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30 pm In memory of Pat & Marleigh Bullard, Patrick Thomas, & Eva & RL Reynolds/family
- Sun 9:30 am Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon 9:00 am In memory of J E “Boyzie” Jumonville/family
- Tue - NO MASS
- Wed 9:00 am In memory of Thomas and Delia Trichell/Tommy
- Thu 9:00 am In memory of Bryan Stamey/family
- Fri 5:30 pm In memory of Gail G Grangnard/Nettles family
- Sat 5:30 pm In memory of Payton and Donald Trichell
- Sun 9:30 am Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning in memory of Vicki Morelli
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHC(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/3 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | M Rome |
| 5/4 9:30a | Kathleen, Evelyn M, Daniel M | C Guizerix | - |
| 5/3 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | M Ernst |
| 5/4 9:30a | MaryKatherine, Maura, Elizabeth M | D Hamilton | - |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and Sunday from 9a until Mass
- May 4 Sunday Morning Catechism and Donuts after Mass
- May 11 Final Sunday Morning Catechism and Donuts after Mass (until September)
- May 18 End of School social following Mass. See notes inside.
- May 21 Pastoral Council meeting at 6 pm in the Hall
For Your Information:
FORMED.ORG has an entire page of weekly featured videos that are worth checking out 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
ROSARY GROUP a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.
ALTAR CANDLES Anyone wishing to provide candles for the altar in honor of their loved one or in prayer for some intention may do so simply by asking. A small donation is recommended, but not required. A list of dates is in the sacristy and a date can be reserved up to one year in advance.
SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM is winding down. We have our last two classes on May 3 and May 11 along with coffee and donuts in the Hall after Mass. Our end of School social (see below) concludes our Catechism / School year. We’ll pick up again with a new Catechism / School year at the beginning of September. Many, many THANKS to those who have donated time and money to provide donuts and sweets for our children. You are APPRECIATED!! As always, Fr Ryan is very open to feedback about the structure, style, content, or method of his presentations. Please let him know if something could be done better!
PARISH POTLUCK SOCIAL on Sunday, May 18, a Potluck Brunch will be held as our Second quarter social following 9:30 a.m. Mass. Second Quarter (April, May, June) Social Committee who will set up tables, do decorations and clean up afterwards is composed of Libby Bullard, Angel Farlow, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, MaryAnne Gilfoil, Terry and Andy Hall, Isabell Hernandez, Cindy and Jamie Howington, Ann Keene, Alyce and C.W. Keene, Elizabeth and Paul Naya, Bobby Reynolds, and Cathy VanderVieren
Stewardship In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells Peter again and again, “If you love Me, feed my sheep.” He says the same to each of us. “If you love Me, use the gifts I have given you to serve your brothers and sisters.”
SECOND COLLECTION is for our monthly building fund.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2023-2024 | $ 2,111 |
| March Budget | $ 8,444 |
| March Collections | $ 11,810 |
| March Total Expenses | $ 10,362 |
| April Budget | $ 8,444 |
| April 27 Collection | $ 2,144 |
| April Collections To Date | $ 10,588 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Hunter Sullivan (May 4), Father Ryan Humphries (May 6), Skipper Guizerix (May 11)
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 the Repose of the Soul of Pope Francis, RIP and for his successor and the cardinal-electors
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, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Norman and Marie Ernst, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil,Terry Farlow Hall, Sidney & Mary Jane Johnson, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Marie Farlow Bellard, Nap and Martha Book, Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Dick & Sue Boyd (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Caroline and Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Teresa Carney Condra, Jami Cook (Wilks), Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Wayne Edwards, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Theresa Gunter, Rita Hargrave, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Callie Halbach Hyams, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Ruth McDonald (Copes), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Randy Parker, John Neill, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Dianne Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Debbie Kedrick Sims, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, EmmyLu Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood
