The Solemnity of Ss. Peter & Paul

Jun 27

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

The Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul doesn’t happen on Sundays too often and so this Sunday is a rare treat. In years past, when the Mass had a way to celebrate more than one feast at the same Mass, every feast of St Peter included a secondary celebration of St Paul and every feast of St Paul included a secondary celebration of St Peter. These two saints always go together.

St Paul’s mission, given to Him by the Holy Spirit, was to preach to and to convert the non-Jewish peoples of what we would call Europe and the Middle East. St Paul did encounter Jewish people along the way, but the bulk of his work was addressed to the so-called “Gentiles,” the non-Jewish people. And to that end, St Paul travelled extensively from what we would call Turkey across the Slavic states to Italy, Greece, and various Mediterranean islands.

St Peter’s mission was both greater and more localized. Peter was charged with presiding over the early Church’s organizational system of bishops. He had to decide on the rules of how someone could become a Christian in a formal way. Do they, for example, need to become Jewish and then follow the way of Jesus? Do they need to be circumcised? What about the Jewish law? Do they have to follow rules about food restrictions and tithing? And what about money? Where would they get it and what would they do with it? Peter was tasked with a lot of those kinds of details. At the same time, He was preaching in and around Jerusalem, mostly to the Jewish people there.

Despite their significance, St Peter and St Paul weren’t in the same place at the same time very often. There are two big moments that stand out. First, after Paul’s conversion, he spent a few years in study and personal retreat. The Bible intimates that he did this somewhere in “Arabia” (a gigantic region). After that time, St Paul went to Jerusalem to confer with Peter and to make sure that his teaching was 100% correct. Paul spent some time with several of the apostles and the early bishops in order to let them know about what Jesus had directed him to do and to make sure no one was stepping on anyone else’s toes.

The second big meeting of Peter and Paul took place at the so-called “Council of Jerusalem” when drama arose about that question of how to become Christian… Peter originally thought that a person should become fully Jewish before becoming Christian because Christinaity was an extension of Judaism. Among various debates, Paul made an argument that Christianity was not, in fact, a type of Judaism, but an entirely new and separate thing.

It’s worth remembering that Peter was an ordinary fisherman, a blue collar worker. Jesus had shown him special attention and given him special instruction, but these debates were a matter of logic rather than simple revelation. Paul, on the other hand, was a trained and experienced Rabbi with several languages and an extensive understanding of what Judaism was and was not. And so Paul “won” the debate and Peter declared that it would not be necessary for those (men) wanting to be Christian to be circumcised before being Baptized.

Both of these moments show that Paul understood that Peter was in charge and that Peter understood Paul was genuinely charged by Jesus with a major mission and was a legitimate Apostle. And so the Church has always held them up together as iconic of the early Church. Even today, while there are Basilicas in Rome dedicated to each of them separately (St Peter’s and St Paul Outside the Walls), there is a special shrine to the two of them together in the Cathedral Basilica of Rome at St John in Lateran. And while St Peter’s bones are kept at St Peter’s under the main altar, St Peter’s skull is preserved, along with St Pauls’ skull, above the Altar of Privilege at the Lateran Basilica.

The two-part mission Jesus gave to Peter and to Paul is the mission given to the Church at large - Peter was sent to the Jews and Paul was sent to everyone else: the Church is SENT to all the people of the world. Whether Jew or Greek, male or female, whatever race, wealth, or politics…

Mass Intentions for the Coming Week

Sat 5:30 pm In memory of Joe Farlow/M Ballard
Sun 9:30 am Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
Mon NO MASS
Tue 9:00 am In memory of Becky Lancaster/J Williams
Wed 9:00 am In memory of Joan Hennessey Koestler/Guizerix
Thu 9:00 am In memory of C. L. Keene/family
Fri 5:30 pm In memory of Carol Folk LaHItte/P Lancaster
Sat 5:30 pm In memory of Marion Roy/Johnson
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)
6/28 5:30p	-	P Wilks	N Ernst
6/29 9:30a	Annie/Thomas Meyers/Katelyn	B Sullivan	-
7/5 5:30p	-	A Keene	A Keene
7/6 9:30a	Michael/Finley/Ashlyn	K Collins	-

Upcoming Events

Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and Sunday from 9a until Mass
Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall (with Coffee & Donuts) after the 9:00a Mass during the School Year unless otherwise indicated
Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated

July 4 First Friday devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus - 5:30 p.m.
July 6 Latin Mass moves to 8 a.m. on Sunday morning.
July 6 First Sunday Benediction following Mass.

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

TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS will be offered at 8 a.m. on SUNDAY 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.

FIRST FRIDAY JULY 4 Mass and Devotions at 5:30 p.m. Make a special devotion to the Sacred Heart and attend first Friday devotions for nine consecutive months.

FIRST SUNDAY BENEDICTION JULY 5 & 6 at the conclusion of weekend Masses as part of our larger program to improve Eucharistic Devotion and to understand what a gift we have in the Most Holy Eucharist.

WELCOME TO OUR FAITH FAMILY to ARLO ROBERT HARRIS, infant son of Brian and Kathleen Harris, Vicksburg, MS, was baptized at St Edward last Sunday, June 22, 2025. Arlo was born May 6, 2025 in Vicksburg and has older siblings, Izetta Eula and Abner George Harris. Arlo’s Godparents are Elizabeth Grace Blough and Brian McFall.

Our Return to the Lord

Stewardship “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus asks Peter in today’s Gospel. Does my use of the gifts and talents entrusted to me accurately reflect my answer to that same question? How willing am I to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow in His steps?

This week, June 29, there is a Second Collection, Peter’s Pence, to support the special charitable works of Pope Leo.


Weekly Budget FY 2022-23	$ 2,111
May Budget	$ 8,444
May Collections	$ 12,691
May Total Expenses	$ 17,475
June Budget	$ 10,555
June 22 Collection	$ 1,474
June Collections To Date	$ 11,047

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Candler Hamilton (July 5, 2016), Jude Nadeau (July 7, 2022)

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, 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), Gayle Brown (Dukes and Oliver), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Caroline and Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Teresa Carney Condra, Jami Cook (Wilks), Mike Coullard (Oliver), Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, 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), 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, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, EmmyLu Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood

Fr. Ryan Humphries