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The Most Holy Trinity

June 7, 2020

From The Font

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you..”

God’s nature as the Most Holy Trinity is one of the most central mysteries of our Faith. It’s not a mystery in the sense that there are just some parts of His story that we don’t know… It’s a mystery in the sense that our minds are too limited to comprehend it… Much like we don’t have the ability to imagine a four- or five-dimensional sphere, we can’t fathom the way in which God exists as both One and Three.

The images we use are all very, very lacking. The three-leaf clover of St. Patrick gives us a sense that the Three Divine Persons are connected, but it misses entirely their genuine interconnection. St. Augustine’s example of the three stages of water (steam, liquid water, and ice) gives us a sense of Their unity, but it fails completely to understand how They share a singular Divine Love and Will and Mind. Other images from other thinkers fail not because they aren’t wise or insightful, but because God, Himself, is beyond our capacity to limit to an idea - no matter how clever.

As Christians, the mystery of the Trinity is a constant reminder that God exists in a way that is fundamentally different from the way in which we exist. Unlike the Greek gods, the Most Holy Trinity isn’t just an immortal, super-hero-ish version of us, He is something, someone entirely different. God is as different from us as a houseplant is from the color mauve.

This mystery of the Holy Trinity comes into effect in our Faith as soon as we begin to ask any question about who God is, who I am or what is right and what is wrong. God’s nature is the measure of all things and God has revealed to us His nature as a Trinity of three Divine Persons. Before Jesus, the practice of Faith was much simpler. It was a Faith of simple obedience and so God revealed His nature only in a limited way. He showed Himself to be Father. With Jesus, God gave to us a vastly more profound insight into His nature and so our religious practice, belief, and outlook must grow in their own profundity and depth.

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

I spoke to my mother this week and she complimented me for showing restraint on FaceBook with all the political discussion… She doesn’t have Twitter and so she was blissfully unaware! It’s been a week of intense ideology and politics and arguments and mostly people shouting at each other without showing any interest at all in what the other person believes or has to say. It’s been more than a week of that actually. For the last twenty years or so, public discourse has been in steep decline.

Lots of people have lots of opinions as to why that is, but whatever the reasons, it’s a fact that we - as a nation - don’t know how to talk to each other anymore. It’s also a fact that we don’t really care all that much about the way other people see themselves or the world around us. I say “we,” but there isn’t really such a thing as we. Each of us is his or her own person and so each of us has a certain moral duty to ourselves to be the kind of person who empathizes with other people. It’s incredibly easy to fit others into “them” and even to fit ourselves into “we.” There’s a great quotation that goes something like “each of us tends to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.” Put another way, we know our own intentions and so we naturally assume the intentions of others.

BUT. I can hear you thinking - wink - Fr. Ryan YOU just said “we.” Indeed I did. The “we” I’m using here is the “we” that shares human nature. I’m not thinking about a group or a clique or a faction or a political party or an age group. We as human beings share a nature that is both unifying and dividing. As people around us move further away from Jesus Christ - who alone reveals our own nature to us - those individuals lose more and more perspective on everything.

Human nature, in that it was created by God, unifies us. In it we share self-awareness, the capacity for love and sacrifice and we share the universal call to find our true purpose in Jesus Christ. But that same human nature inherits the sin of Adam and Eve. The same human nature which God created and called “very good” was twisted by the Serpent and became the Tower of Babel and the city of Sodom and the Pharaoh of Egypt and the Pharisees and Judas and Pilate and Hitler and Stalin.

In our Human Nature, we find supernatural potential and the possibility of truly diabolical. And that’s why it’s so essential to listen to one another and to speak the truth boldly and to insist that words not be stripped of their meaning. The US media are liars… They’re not even trying to hide it. The 24-hour news stations are without any doubt responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in the US alone since CNN got started in 1992. They stoke up rage and incite violence and lie with impunity and relish the devastation that follows. But why do they do it? Why do we believe them? Why do we disbelieve them? Why do we or don’t we take action?

It’s easy to point fingers, but it’s essential to take stock - of others and of ourselves. It’s easy to judge, it’s hard to understand. We are united by our human nature but we are divided by our sins.

Up To Date Information on COVID-19

For up to date info on St. Edward’s response to the COVID situation, please visit StEdward.space and click on QUARANTINE or type in Stedward.space/pages/live.

You can also visit Facebook.com/StEdwardTallulah. We also have a shared calendar that you can add to your phone or your computer calendar at Bit.ly/stedwardcalendar. Please feel free to call\text (318-542-3316) or email (frhumphries@gmail.com) Fr. Ryan at any time if you have questions, concerns, ideas, suggestions, or pastoral needs.

Calendar of Events

  • Saturday, June 6
    • 9:00a Holy Mass & First Saturday Devotions
    • 5:00p Confessions
    • 5:30p Holy Mass
  • Sunday, June 7
    • 9:00a Holy Mass
    • 11:15a Holy Mass @St Theresa, Delhi
  • Monday, June 8
    • Fr. Ryan usually offers a private Traditional Latin Mass around 9a. If he decides to live-stream or invite public attendance, it will be posted on his own twitter profile (@FrHumphries) and the parish Facebook page Facebook.com/StEdwardTallulah.
  • Tuesday, June 9
    • 9:00a Holy Mass
  • Wednesday, June 10
    • 9:00a Holy Mass (Live-streamed)
    • 10:00a The CU Catecast (Formerly “COVID-Catechism”, Live-streamed)
  • Thursday, June 11
    • 9:00a Holy Mass
  • Friday, June 12
    • 5:00p Confessions
    • 5:30p Holy Mass & First Friday Devotions (Live-streamed)
  • Saturday, June 13
    • 5:00p Confessions
    • 5:30p Holy Mass
  • Sunday, June 14
    • 9:00a Holy Mass
    • 11:15a Holy Mass @St Theresa, Delhi
  • Monday, June 15 - Thursday, June 25 - Fr. Ryan on Vacation in Texas (Weekend Masses as usual)

Notes on Events in the Church

  • All are asked and expected to observe the precepts of “social distancing.” Masks and gloves are welcome and strongly recommended, but not required.
  • Holy Communion is available only under the single species of the Sacred Host.
  • THANK YOU for your patience with us and for your cooperation!
  • Further information from Archbishop Aymond and Bishop Marshall regarding the re-opening of Public Masses is available at DioceseAlex.org.

For Your Information:

NO PASTORAL COUNCIL IN JUNE…..traditionally, the council does not meet in June or December.

EMPOWERING GOD’S CHILDREN… parish volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and go online regularly at www.virtus.org for the latest training bulletins. Any questions or issues can be reported to the office. Printed resources are available on the table at the entrance to the Church.

  • “Protecting our Children, Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse” includes Resources and Contact Numbers for reporting abuse.
  • “Protecting God’s Children, Teaching Touching Safety Quick Reference Guide”

The Diocesan Policy for the Protection of Minors and The Diocesan Code of Pastoral Conduct for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers, Administrators, Staff, and Volunteers are available in the Safe Environment section of the diocesan website at DioceseAlex.org or a copy may be requested from the Safe Environment Office (318) 445-2401.

PLEDGE TO HEAL...If you or a family member has been abused or victimized by a representative of the Catholic church or a member of the clergy, please believe in the possibility for hope and help and healing. Dr. Lee Kneipp, Clinical Psychologist, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Diocese of Alexandria encourages those persons to come forward and speak out. Dr. Kneipp is establishing support groups in the central Louisiana area for victims and family members. The focus of these groups is to further emotional and spiritual healing as an adjunct to therapy, in an atmosphere of others who understand the pain, betrayal, and fear associated with abuse. Dr. Kneipp can be reached at 318-542-9805. All calls are confidential.

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 30/31 $ 2,935
  • May Income to Date $12,405

Stewardship The Gospel today is sometimes called ”the Gospel in miniature because it so concisely sums up the Gospel message. In even more condensed form, “God loved...God gave…; it is the paradigm for stewardship--we give because we love.

Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Coming Week

  • Sat 5:30p For a special intention of the Magoun family
  • Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
  • Tue 9:00a In memory of Bill Adams/Regan
  • Wed 9:00a In memory of Suzanne Luckett Wood/Fulton
  • Thu 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
  • Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Thomas Trichell/family
  • Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning in honor of Katie, Anna Beth, and MaryKathryn, who have birthdays and in memory of Inez and C.B. DeMoss by family

Lectors at Holy Mass

  • 6/6 5:30p
    • A Farlow
  • 6/7 9:00a
    • A Keene
  • 6/13 5:30p
    • MA Gilfoil
  • 6/14 9:00a
    • S Marsh
  • 6/20 5:30p
    • C VanderVieren
  • 6/21 9:00a
    • B Sullivan

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Billy Marsh (June 8), MaryKathryn Book (June 13), Emily Ginn (June 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 Wilson, Libby Bullard, Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Mary Ernst, 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), Fr Chris Decker and The Catholic Underground Ministry, Carol Dipert (Rome), Kim Dorbeck (Keene), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Meg Gaumnitz (Copes), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Bo Holloway, Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), James H. Lossin (Keene), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Mary and Spencer Sevier and family, Beverly Sibile (Gilfoil), Theresa Thom (Rome), Ray Thornton, Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Todd Windham

Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Anna Ginn, Josh Hall, Chris Hall (USMC), Matt Hall (USArmy), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, 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.