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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 19, 2020

From The Font

‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest.’

Our modern world with its problems inside the Church and everywhere else is nothing new. From the time of Moses establishing the religion of Judaism to the roller coaster that is AD 2020, every generation has asked why God allows certain evils to persist… Jesus was surrounded by religious hypocrites called Pharisees and Sadducees. He was also leading a nation under the oppression of the brutal and pagan Roman Empire. In our day, the weeds among the wheat are many… We have plenty of incompetent, disobedient, and even seemingly evil clergy. We have print, broadcast, and online media who lie freely and without any compunction. Many of our leaders - political and economic - are bought and paid for by industries, unions and\or foreign powers.

And yet in spite of all of this and plenty of other evils in our world… In spite of that fact that more and more people ask how and why a good and loving God could or would let things be like they are… In spite of the rise of sin, error and atheism, the Lord gives to us the same answer He gave to His own Apostles when they asked the same questions we do. The Lord tells us, as He told them, “I will not pull up the weeds among the wheat. If I did so, I might harm the wheat itself and more souls would be lost. And so, I will let the weeds and wheat grow alongside each other until the day of judgement. On that day, the weeds shall know the truth and shall be destroyed by it and the wheat shall be rewarded.”

It’s a hard answer to swallow, but it makes sense if we sluff off the many errors and misunderstandings about Christianity which are so prevalent. Christianity is not about alleviating suffering, it’s about finding the meaning of it. Following the Lord isn’t just about “positive emotions,” it’s about taking up our cross and following Him. Salvation is not easy, simple, and automatic, it’s the narrow way and many refuse the path. The Lord Jesus wants to save us and the world wants to prevent it. The more we keep our eyes on Him, the more likely we will be to find joy on that day of Judgement.

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

This week the Parish Council will meet to discuss our religious education program here at St. Edward. Our program is quite different than most Catholic Churches of our size or in our area.

For one, we have a fairly robust program for adult catechesis and instruction. If we don’t factor in the near constant tech problems of the live-stream for the past six weeks, I have been doing at least one talk every week since the COVID craziness and I was doing a monthly Wednesday Evening Catechism before that. We’ve also had numerous Advent and Lenten missions and a handful of bible studies or special events. Sadly, most Churches don’t give much attention to the need for ongoing instruction in the religious life. Thankfully, our parishioners have turned out for these talks in massive numbers. When a parish like St. Rita in Alexandria or Good Shepherd in Monroe does an event like this, they have 50-75 in attendance. That number may seem good, but as a percentage of the congregation, it’s positively pathetic. When we had Fr. Dale Meade last Lent, over half of our parish turned out! That’s astounding! It’s hard to describe how consoling it is to me as a pastor when y’all take your Faith so seriously!!

The other big part of our catechetical program is, of course, our kids. Our program is more akin to Sunday School than it is to CCD or PSR. The reason is simply about consistency of attendance. When I first got to Tallulah, one newcomer to our area approached me especially and asked to teach CCD. I set him up with a class but in the first four weekends, he only had four kids in two groups and no repeats… You can’t make your way through a curriculum unless most of the students are there every week. Sadly, most of our other teachers had the same experience and so I insisted on a change.

That gave us what we have now: 25 lessons taught over the course of the school year after the Sunday Mass. The lessons are mapped to our age-appropriate textbooks and parents are expected to be teaching the material from those textbooks to their own kids. It’s certainly imperfect! IF one priest were in charge of St. Edward and the Churches of Tensas Parish, there might be a way to run a consistent curriculum between the Churches whether our families are on the lake or back home, but for the time being, the model we’re using works ok.

As I said, the Parish Council meets this week to discuss our education program and I would very greatly appreciate any and every idea you might have! Please share your ideas with the members of our Parish Council or with me personally. One of the most important innovations of the past hundred years in our Church’s governance is the structural advice of the faithful. As the priest is called on to be more and more things, your advice is essential as we move forward.

Our Parish Trustees are Michael Lancaster and Cathy VandeViren. Darryl Elerbee is our special financial advisor. Our at large members are: Ginny Marsh, Beth Sullivan, MaryAnne Gilfoil, Levi Washington, Louise Magoun, and Blanche Wilks. Please feel free to speak with them and to share your mind!

Calendar of Events

  • Saturday, July 18
    • 5:00p Confessions
    • 5:30p Holy Mass
  • Sunday, July 19
    • 9:00a Holy Mass Live-Streamed
    • 11:15a Holy Mass @St Theresa, Delhi
  • Tuesday July 21
    • 9:00a Holy Mass
  • Wednesday, July 22
    • 9:00a Holy Mass Live-streamed
    • 10:00a The CU Catecast Live-streamed
  • Thursday, July 23
    • 9:00a Holy Mass
  • Friday, July 24
    • 5:00p Confessions
    • 5:30p Holy Mass Live-streamed
  • Saturday, July 25
    • 5:00p Confessions
    • 5:30p Holy Mass

For Your Information:

PASTORAL COUNCIL... will hold its regular meeting on TUESDAY, JULY 21, at 6:00 p.m in the Church Center. All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. Parishioners are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.

PASTORAL COUNCIL… for 2020-2023 newly appointed members of the Council Louise Magoun and Blanche Wilks join Ginny Marsh and Beth Sullivan (2018-2021), and MaryAnne Gilfoil and Levi Washington (2019-2022). Newly appointed as Trustees by the Bishop are Michel Lancaster and Cathy VanderVieren. Appointed by the pastor to serve as Finance Council Chair is Darryl Ellerbee.

Our Return to the Lord

  • Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
  • June Budget $8,444
  • June Income $6,942
  • June Expenses $7,988
  • July Budget $8,444
  • Collection July 11/12 $2,940
  • July income to Date $7,245

Stewardship “Those who are just must be kind,” says today’s first reading. If our words and deeds are kind and selfless, we will be like the good seed in the Gospel parable and gathered as wheat in the Lord’s harvest.

Mass Schedule & Intentions for the Coming Week

  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Sue Scurria/Wilks
  • Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
  • Mon NO MASS
  • Tue 9:00a In memory of Enoul “Jim” Jumonville/family
  • Wed 9.00a In memory of Billy Hodge/family
  • Thu 9:00a In memory of Gus Gremshell
  • Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
  • Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard
  • Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning in memory of Pat Bullard by the Rome family

Lectors at Holy Mass

  • 7/18 5:30p
    • C VanderVieren
  • 7/19 9:00a
    • K Collins
  • 7/25 5:30p
    • MA Gilfoil
  • 7/26 9:00a
    • D Ellerbee
  • 8/1 5:30p
    • A Farlow
  • 8/2 9:00a
    • B Sullivan

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Caroline Marsh (July 19), Kendra Collins (July 21), Preston Collins (July 22)

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: 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, Terri Wilson, 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, 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.