Fifth Sunday of Easter
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
There are two aspects of practical devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary... There's the theologically-dense aspect in which Our Lady is the new Eve, the new Ark of the Covenant, the living temple of the Holy Spirit, the Mother of Jesus, Mother of God, and "Full of Grace." And then, there's the consolingly-human aspect in which each of us is a Beloved Disciple and each of us hears the words of Jesus from the Cross "Behold, your Mother!" Each of those aspects is essential to our Faith just as our mothers, alive or dead, are essential to our lives.
As young children, our mothers were the source of security, comfort, encouragement and stability. As we grow up, the father is meant to step in and teach us how to think and act independently, to endure difficulty, and, ultimately, to live as an adult. Even so, the mother always remains as a kind of stylized ideal of safety and security. So, too, the Blessed Virgin Mary is an ideal for us. She was a young girl when the Holy Spirit came to her. She helped her cousin Elizabeth. She rode on a donkey while she was very pregnant and she was forced to give birth - without labor pains! - in a stable. Even so, she wondered in awe as shepherds came to see her child lying in the feed trough. She wondered again, to see wise men from the East appear with gifts. She wondered as her husband claimed to have a vision from an angel and moved the whole family to a foreign land. Even after His ministry and His death, Mary was the emotional heart of the Apostles. Tradition tells us that the Holy Spirit provided that all the living apostles were at her side when she died and they were all still in her home when she was taken into Heaven body and soul.
In our own day, the Blessed Virgin Mary - now in the clothing of a queen - continues to play her role in the Church. She seeks out young children and shares with them the great mysteries of Faith. She appears all over with messages both honest and hopeful. She is - in a real, genuine way - our Mother still.
Every woman can be like Mary. Every Mother is called by God to be like her. Only these women, these mothers, can share the feelings of her heart as she watched in the stable or searched in the city or wept along the way of the Cross. Motherhood is an incredible gift and a privilge. It is also a demand beyond just the care of one's own children. It's a vocation that calls for imitation of the Mother of God and the work of brining her gentle love to the entire Body of Christ.
Today is a day to celebrate mothers! It's also a day to remind mothers that the Church needs you. The whole Church needs your unique motherly gift in the midst of this world.
Calendar of Events
notes:
- Masses Monday - Saturday are open the public. Limit 9 people in the pews at any one Mass. Gloves and masks available in the Church if you need one.
- Sunday Masses are not open to the public at this time. Please contact Anne Keene to reserve a spot in one of the brief communion services to be offered throughout the morning.
- Please contact Fr. Ryan with any questions or concerns.
- Saturday May 9
- 9:15a Holy Mass
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- Sunday May 10
- 8:15a Holy Mass (Traditional Latin Form)
- 9:15a Holy Mass
- 10a, 10:30a, 11a (more as needed every half hour) Communion Services (Contact Anne Keene for reservations REQUIRED)
- Monday May 11
- 9:15a Holy Mass
- 12:00p DriveThru Confessions
- Tuesday May 12
- 9:15a Holy Mass
- 11:00a COVID-Catechism
- Wednesday May 13
- Thursday May 14
- 9:15a Holy Mass
- 11:00a COVID-Catechism
- Friday May 15
- 9:15a Holy Mass
- 12:00p DriveThru Confessions
- 3:00p Holy Hour with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Rosary & Evening Prayer
- Saturday May 16
- 9:15a Holy Mass
- --- Hopefully, Governor Edwards' plan to implement President Trump's Phase I will go into effect on Friday, March 15 which will allow us to offer our usual weekend Mass Schedule of 5:30p Saturday and 9:00a Sunday beginning this weekend...
- TENTATIVE 5:30p Holy Mass
- Sunday May 17 - TENTATIVE 8:00a Holy Mass (Traditional Latin Form)
- TENTATIVE 9:00a Holy Mass
- PASTORAL COUNCIL ...will hold its regular meeting on TUESDAY, MAY 19, at 6:00 p.m in the Church Center. All members are requested to make special effort to attend. Normally, parishioners are encouraged to attend but due to the current quarantine, only memebers are asked to attend.
Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 9:15a In memory of Eva and R. L. Reynolds/Bullard
- Sun 8:15a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
- Sun 9:15a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased members of our Parish
- Mon 9:15a In memory of Bitsy Adams Weimer/Regan
- Tue 9:15a In memory of Fred Wyly/Magou
- Wed 9:15a In memory of Marie P Michele/Phillips
- Thu 9:15a In memory of Gus Gremshell
- Fri 9:15a In memory of Dale Magoun/Family
- Sat 9:15a In memory of Josephine Hodge/G Cox
- Sun 8:15a In memory of May DiTomasso NB IF Phase I begins, this will be the intention for Sat PM
- Sun 9:15a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Our Return to the Lord
- Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
- April Budget $8,444
- April Income $7,085
- April Expenses $7,910
- May Budget $10,555
- Collection May 2/3 $2,865
- May Income to Date $2,865
Stewardship “The one who has faith in me will do the works I do, and far greater than these,” Jesus tells his disciples. That’s quite an assignment for us as Christian stewards!
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Mary Anne Gilfoil (May 13), Eddie Mills (May 14)
In Our Daily Prayers…
Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; Archbishop Aymond, Bishop-elect Robert Marshall 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, Libby Bullard, Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Mary Ernst, Margaret Gilfoil, Susan Gilfoil, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell and Don Wood
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Carol Dunning, Margaret Fortenberry of Tensas, Sharon Hansen of Gonzales, Consuelo Marsh of Lake Providence, Jean Cantrell, Marie Cedota
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Karen Cobb, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Meg Gaumnitz (Copes), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Bo Holloway, Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire (Gilfoil), Tobie McKowen (Wilks), Keith Melancon (Regan), Debbie Pettis (Rome), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Beverly Sibile (Gilfoil), Theresa Thom (Rome), Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Todd Windham 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.