Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time | St. Edward Catholic Church, Tallulah

From The Font

“Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land!”

We live in a world of exaggeration and willful misrepresentation. So-called “fake” news has trained us not to care about the truth of a situation and to be numb when we see someone called “Hitler” or “Uncle Tom” for the simple crime of disagreeing with someone else… Bad thinking tends to infect the entire mind and so it is that many people read scripture with the same sense of hysteria.

So what does Amos mean when he condemns those who trample on the needy? I assure you, he’s not talking about food stamps or inadequate conditions in a detention center. He’s not berating people who question the value of government entitlement programs nor is he calling people out for using politically incorrect language.

We have to be careful about being poisoned by the hysterical way of thinking that surrounds us. Politics is a terrible lens for trying to understand the moral life. US immigration policies on illegal immigration, for example, are never going to be a reflection of the Catholic teaching on refugees. The choice to support or reject some specific political policy is never going to be a reflection of the moral choice to follow Jesus Christ. Amos was writing about the end of the world. He was reminding the Jews not to think that they were automatically saved just because they were the Chosen People. He said that God expects moral lives from them.

He was criticizing the king, Jeroboam II (who had been on the throne for 35+ years), and his soldiers; and, Amos was writing just after a huge earthquake has scared the pants off of the entire northern kingdom of Israel.

Politics is, at best, theater. At worst, it’s deliberate lies infused with malice and when politics “embraces” the Church, it doesn’t do so to be generous, but to manipulate and to gain.

The next time someone (with or without a Roman Collar) says that supporting a policy makes anyone a good or a bad Christian, pray for them and remember that no one can serve two masters...

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

A few months ago, Darryl Ellerbee, representing our Parish Finance Council, hosted a couple of town-hall-style meetings to provide information on the possible purchase of the large plot of land immediately across the street from the Church. The consensus of those meetings was very positive and so we moved forward with the relevant details and now, we’re ready to make the purchase.

We are purchasing two of the available lots (about two-thirds of the total property) for a cash payment of $37,500. Because of the nature of the purchase, the Diocese has approved a short-term donation plan where cash given to this purchase will be assessed (“taxed”) at a much lower rate than ordinary donations.

Cash gifts of less than $5,000 will be assessed at 3% and cash gifts over $5,000 will be free from assessment entirely. These gifts, just like regular donations or earmarked donations are entirely tax-deductible and will be included in the annual letter that we send out in January.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can send or deliver a check or cash to myself or the parish office. Simply indicate that the gift is for the land purchase and we’ll take care of the rest.

As you’re able, please plan to submit these gifts by October 1, 2019, when we’re hoping to finalize the sale.

I do want to be clear, our financial situation at St. Edward is actually pretty good right now. We’re financially stable and we have a comfortable store of cash in our operating and in our savings accounts. If we couldn’t afford to make this kind of expenditure without your help, we wouldn’t be making it at all. Still, your help is important. It’s a sign of life and sustainability in our parish. This purchase opens up possibilities for growth and new construction and signals that St. Edward is not on auto-pilot. I hope and pray that if you’re able, you’ll be generous with this investment. This land is a good thing for us, as Darryl explained.

Because we are waiting on a bishop, we cannot get approval to designate the land for any given purpose right now. We’ve discussed several possibilities of what we might do with the land, but all of those will need to wait until we have a bishop. For the time being, all we’re doing is purchasing the property. When the time comes to do something with the property, we’ll have another town-hall meeting to discuss possibilities and we’ll go from there. With the new Madison parish hospital and industrial investments being made in our community, the future of the Catholic Faith in Tallulah is brighter than it has been in many years. This small project and your response to it is an essential part of gauging for ourselves and for the Diocese the possibilities of the Catholic Faith in northeastern Louisiana.

My own work in Delhi and the possibility of new industrial investment in Lake Providence make this moment and this project something genuinely special and exciting.

Any questions at all many be addressed to Fr. Ryan or to Mr. Darryl Elerbee. Thanks in advance for your prayerful support and for any financial gift you’re able to make!

Calendar of Events

Confessions every Fri & Sat from 5p until Mass at 5:30p and on Sun from 9a until 9:30a Mass
Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday after the 5:30p Mass
Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:30a Mass unless otherwise indicated

Fr Ryan is out of town this week. If you have any issue, please call his mobile phone.

For Your Information:

Next weekend is the last weekened our schedule will be:

Sat. 4pm - Waterproof
Sat. 6pm - Tallulah
Sun. 9am - Tallulah
Sun. 11:00am - St. Joseph

Beginning October 5\6, our schedule will be:

Sat. 5:30pm - Holy Mass
Sun. 9am - Holy Mass in Tallulah
Sun. 10am - Sunday Morning Catechism
Sun. 11:15am - Holy Mass in Delhi

NEW ALTAR SERVER TRAINING… those children who have made their First Communion and are interested in becoming altar servers will have the opportunity to have training this Fall. Parents should contact Father Ryan for arranging a schedule that is mutually convenient.

PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON… Our Father in heaven, through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us from all harm during this hurricane season, and protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to our help. Amen

PRAYER FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW BISHOP...Praise to you, Lord our God, our eternal shepherd and guide. In your faithfulness, grant to the Diocese of Alexandria a new bishop whose watchful care will serve to continue the good work of his predecessors. In your Love, give us a shepherd who will lead us in being Christ’s heart of mercy, voice of hope,and hands of justice. Help him to fill our minds and hearts with the truth of the Gospel, the power of the sacraments, and the desire to build up your holy Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ,your Son our Lord, in the unity of the HolySpirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

ON THE WEB … St. Edward has a Facebook page (Facebook.com/StEdwardTallulah). Fr. Ryan is sharing our parish bulletin and his Sunday sermons from his own website there weekly. We also have a shared calendar (Bit.ly/stedwardcalendar) and email address (StEdwardTallulah@gmail.com). Fr. Ryan is also active on the web. He has a blog\webpage at FrHumphries.com and all are encouraged to friend, like or follow him on Facebook (Facebook.com/frhumphries), Twitter (Twitter.com/frhumphries) and Instagram (Instagram.com/frryan).

Our Return to the Lord

Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
August Budget $8,444
August Income $8,516
August Expenses $7,836
September Budget $8,444
Collection Sept 14/15 $2,005
September Income to Date $5,692

Stewardship The dishonest manager in today’s parable knew how to manipulate money to his own advantage. But, the Gospel warns that on one can serve both God and money. Which do I serve? Is my stewardship such that anyone can tell?

SPECIAL COLLECTION This weekend, we will participate in the Retired Priests collection for our priests who have reached retirement age after years of faithful and dedicated service to the Diocese. With costs continually escalating, the monthly retirement benefit for our 15 retirees must be adjusted periodically as well. Your generosity in helping to assure that the needs of our retired priests will continue to be met is appreciated and you are asked to also keep them in your prayers.

Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Coming Week

Sat 6:00p* In memory of Marie Phillips Michele/Weaver
Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased members of our Parish
Mon NO MASS
Tue NO MASS
Wed NO MASS
Thu NO MASS
Fri NO MASS
Sat 6:00p* For a Special Intention of the Magoun Family (St Raphael)
Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Louise Magoun

Assistants at Holy Mass

9/21 6:00p
- Lector: MA Gilfoil
- EMHCs: C VanderVieren & L Bullard
9/22 9:00a
- Servers: C Sullivan & C Wood
- Lector: D Ellerbee
- EMHCs: B Smith & K Collins
9/28 6:00p
- Lector: C VanderVieren
- EMHCs: A Farlow & M Rome
9/29 9:00a
- Servers: P Collins & M Wood
- Lector: A Oliver
- EMHCs: N & M Ernst
10/5 6:00p
- Lector: L Bullard
- EMHCs: MA Gilfoil & A Keene
10/6 9:00a
- Servers: TBA
- Lector: B Sullivan
- EMHCs: B Smith & K Collins

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday “Bugs” Brown (Sept 23), Leslye Ellerbee (Sept 25), Bishop Johnson (Sept 26), Blake Sullivan (Sept 26)

In Our Daily Prayers…

Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; Archbishop Aymond and our Diocesan leaders, our President, Governor, Mayor and national, state and local elected representatives

Our parishioners who are sick, shut-in, or otherwise in need of our prayers: Terri Brown, Pat Bullard, Connie Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Susan Gilfoil, Josephine Hodge, Bill Kennedy, Dale & Louise Magoun, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell and Don Wood

Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Sue Scurria (Texas), Jim Farrell of Vicksburg, Margaret Fortenberry of Tensas, Sharon Hansen of Gonzales, Consuelo Marsh of Lake Providence, Jean Cantrell, Marie Cedotal Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Weimer Alexander (Regan), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Margaret Baker (Magoun), Marie Farlow Bellard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Colton Bullock (Farlow), Richard Chappuis (Johnson), Karen Cobb, Jami Cook (Wilks), Jackie Daniels (Lancaster), Carol Dipert (Rome), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Melinda and son, Will, Fewell (Farlow), David Fortenberry, Thom Gilfoil, Melissa Grady (D Wood), Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Cooper Harris (R Wood), Bo Holloway, Diane Johnson (Johnson), Jeannie Kivett, Ben Lenhart (G Marsh), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire (Gilfoil), Tobie McKowen (Wilks), Keith Melancon (Regan), Tucker Melancon (Johnson), Lindsay Mills, Thomas Joseph O’Dowd (Army Ranger/Italy/M Scurria O’Dowd), Ted Osborne, Debbie Pettis (Rome), Sam and Betty Phillips (Hodge), Yvonne Phillips (Hodge), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Debbie Prine (Wilks), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Walter Scott, Andy Sevier, Spencer and Mary Sevier, Beverly Sibile (Gilfoil), Theresa Thom (Rome), Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Adam Triplett (Reynolds), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Conner and Hudson Wood (nephews of Bart), Max Yerger

Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Norman Ernst, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver, Bailey Rome, Blake Sullivan, Brice Wood

Those Catholics residing at Christian Acres, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and our local Detention Centers and for their families and loved ones.

PLEASE LET US KNOW OF ANYONE WHO IS ILL OR HOSPITALIZED OR WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A VISIT.

PLEASE HELP US TO UP-DATE OUR PRAYER LIST BY ADVISING US OF ANYONE WHO SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PRAYER LIST.