Corpus Christi - The Solemnity of the Body & Blood of Jesus
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
"I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you…”
While there are some challenges to living in the Bible Belt, nobody, and I mean nobody, takes to heart this Gospel message like Evangelical Baptists. They have my absolute greatest respect because so many of the Baptists I know are entirely fearless about sharing their faith - which is bold, unapologetic, and sustaining! Catholicism in the US, at least, developed under a powerful veil of suppression, abuse, and bigotry. Further, the American obsession with multiculturalism, diversity, and acceptance - all of which are just euphemisms - has conspired to make confident Catholicism akin to an affront against American values.
That makes it difficult to hand on to others what we receive from the Lord. Honestly, a confident, faithful Catholic who reads in John 6 “Unless you eat the flesh of the son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within you” has literally no choice except to share with everyone he or she loves that the Eucharist is all-but-necessary for salvation! And yet, it’s remarkably rare for us Catholics to say with boldness much of anything about our faith.
But now that I wagged my finger at you guys in the pews for a bit, let me turn that finger-wagging to the fancy dressed guys in the pulpit - myself included.
You can’t pass on what you haven’t received! And there’s no doubt that despite having some wonderful pastors in our local history, many Catholic priests are afraid or uninterested in preaching about the “things that men need to hear” (Eph 4), the kind of message that Proverbs (27:17) says “sharpens” us.
Partially, that’s a result of human weakness. It’s always easier to say something encouraging than something challenging. But more than that, we are coming to the end of a horrible moment in our recent Church history in which our leadership seems to have been consciously disposed to destroy the Church. Pope Paul VI said “the smoke of Satan has entered the sanctuary” when he called out the many, many priests, bishops, and even cardinals who seemed to delight in crushing those who love the Lord. I, myself, was brutalized by brother priests in this diocese who happily tried to have me cast out of the priesthood for the crime of being too traditionally minded. One of my first pastors gave me a harsh talking to for preaching about Freemasonry and another for mentioning contraception. I know many guys who applied to become priests in Shreveport (a diocese desperate for priests) and were sent home without even being allowed to apply because they didn’t pass a theological litmus test about the ordination of women to the priesthood or because they were “too devotional.” In our own time, there is a bizarre caste of priests and bishops who have been “cancelled” by their religious superiors for the crime of faithfulness to Church teaching. One denied Holy Communion to a pro-abortion politician... Another gave a sermon that made someone upset.
I say all this to point out that this rather simple principle of passing along what we have received is not so easy as it is simple. It’s genuinely challenging for all of us! There are real consequences for all of us! And so while I DO wag the finger a bit at all you reading this and at myself and all the priests and bishops who stand behind pulpits around the world, I DON’T believe that our reasons for not saying the hard things are necessarily cowardice or malice. It really is hard to say what people may not want to hear, especially in this day and age.
But the fact that it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not what Jesus taught us to do. The fact that it’s hard doesn’t mean that it won’t come up on the final exam at those pearly gates. The fact that it may cost us doesn’t mean that cost isn’t worth paying.
I can say from my own personal experience that while my zeal got me booted from a bigger and more prestigious parish, it landed me in the lovely land of Tallulah! I have never been happier as a priest than I have been here at the edge of the diocese. God is Good! He rewards faithfulness and courage - both now and in the life to come.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30 pm In memory of Pat and Marleigh Bullard, Patrick Thomas, Eva & R L Reynolds/family
- Sun 9:30 am Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00 am In memory of Mary Agnes G York/Nettles
- Wed 9:00 am In memory of Mellard BJoe Farlow/
- Thu 9:00 am In memory of Terry Murphy/Keene
- Fri 5:30 pm In memory of Becky Lancaster/J Williams
- Sat 5:30 pm In memory of Joe Farlow/M Ballard
- Sun 9:30 am Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHC(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/21 5:30p | - | C VanderVieren | M Ernst |
| 6/22 9:30a | Cooper and Courtland | A Oliver | - |
| 6/28 5:30p | - | P Wilks | N Ernst |
| 6/29 9:30a | Annie/Thomas Meyers/Katelyn | B Sullivan | - |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and Sunday from 9a until Mass
- Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
- June 22 Deanery wide picnic at Lake Bruin (see notes inside)
- July 6 Latin Mass moves from Saturdays to Sundays at 8am
For Your Information:
ROSARY GROUP meets on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join in prayer. For more information, contact Louise Magoun (318-341-2403), coordinator.
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
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.
MAUSOLEUM Arrangements have been completed with American Cemetery Consultants LLC to build a beautiful new Garden Mausoleum in St Edward’s Eternal Hope Cemetery (opposite the Church across Bond St). The program has the full approval of Bishop Marshal and the Diocese of Alexandria. Mr Garth Daniels, ACC Rep, is available in Tallulah for the next several weeks at (318) 295-4409 to answer questions about the Mausoleum. The number of crypts reserved before construction will determine the size of the mausoleum. Crypts will be reserved on a first-come-first-served basis. More information is available at AmericanCemeteryConsultants.com/open-projects
SPECIAL MASS & DEANERY-WIDE PICNIC on Lake Bruin on Sunday, June 22. We will have our usual Weekend Mass Schedule here at St Edward on the weekend of June 22, which is the Feast of Corpus Christi. Fr Taylor and several other priests will offer an additional Mass under the big pavilion at Lake Bruin State Park at 4:30p. Socializing will begin at 3p and a potluck-style dinner will be served around 5:30p. Families can expect a Splash Pad and Playground for the kids as well as plenty of opportunities to socialize. All are welcome to attend and there is no charge. The Mass will count for your weekend obligation.
SUNDAY TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS will be offered at 8am on Sundays beginning with the Mass of July 6. There will no longer be a Mass on Saturday mornings. The Sunday Morning Traditional Latin Mass does count for your Sunday Mass obligation. English translations of the readings and prayers will be provided and the sermon will be in English.
Our Return to the Lord
Stewardship In today’s Gospel, the disciples suggest that Jesus disperse the crowd so that they might individually seek food and lodging. The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is Jesus’ powerful reminder that when we share our gifts in His name there is always more than enough!
Next week, June 29, there is a Second Collection, Peter’s Pence, to support the special charitable works of Pope Leo.
| Weekly Budget FY 2023-2024 | $ 2,111 |
| May Budget | $ 8,444 |
| May Collections | $ 12,691 |
| May Total Expenses | $ 17,475 |
| June Budget | $ 10,555 |
| June 15 Collection | $ 3,811 |
| June Collections To Date | $ 9,573 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Cindy Howington (June 23),Margo Corulla (June 26), Sally Reynolds (June 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, 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, Beth and Chip Sullivan
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), Gayle Brown (Dukes and Oliver), 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,Cole Norris, Randy Parker, John Neill, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Sara and Jess Shields (Keene), 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, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood
