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

From The Font

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

For any number of reasons, many modern Catholics have latched on to the concept of mercy as a way to escape or to avoid the fundamentally confrontational nature of Christianity. Many in the clergy embrace this mentality jumping immediately to mercy and forgiveness without expecting or demanding repentance of the sinner or even identifying the sin. But the words of Jesus are clear here.

Not only are we expected to love our neighbor enough to want him to go to Heaven, we’re expected to love our neighbor enough to take an active part in his getting there. That means hand-off participation by praying for him, but it also means hand-on participation by teaching, encouraging, and, as necessary, challenging.

Each of the stages of challenge given in the Gospel is certainly firmly attached to the way that Jews practiced religion two millennia ago, but that doesn’t absolve us of the duty we have in Christian charity to admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, and encourage the hopeless. The spiritual works of mercy still demand that we help those we love to recognize and repent of their sins.

Would anyone look at us askance if we tried to help a loved one suffering from an addiction? Is it wrong to try and convince a friend not to give in to a drug habit? Why, then, would it be wrong to help a friend to recognize the spiritual danger in pornography, gossip, overzealous politics, or excess love of money?

As with addiction, this first step is truly the hardest. Once someone recognizes the sin, the journey is well-begun. Today’s Gospel really is about that recognition and our obligation to help those we love to recognize what may be harming them. Failure to do that isn’t mercy or tolerance, it’s a lack of genuine love.

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

As we step into the month of September, I can’t help but hope that somehow, this crazy year will come to close cleanly and easily on December 31 so that I can say to myself, “aaah good, only four months to go.” For better or worse, though, we know that what will be will be without any reference to the twelve months that make up our calendar.

While I have to admit a sense of fatigue with the never-ending crises - many of which I believe to be invented out of whole cloth by the media - I also have to admit that I’m more hopeful than I have been in a long time. I’m not hopeful in the Hallmark™ movie channel sense, where I can look at the runtime on the movie and predict down to the second when the two beautiful people will kiss and the credits will roll. Rather, I’m hopeful in the Christian sense that God is using this chaos for a very specific reason.

There are lots of interesting little signs of the times (as Vatican II called them) which point to this moment being especially privileged by the Holy Spirit as a time of Grace. Is it a time of chaos? Absolutely! Still the Lord has used chaotic moments in the past to set the stage for incredible things…

The Roman Emperor Diocletian was one of the most brutal persecutors of Christianity. He was ruthlessly efficient. His co-Augustus Maximian was even worse. Saints Sebastian, Agnes, and Lucy were killed by them. But that set the stage for the Emperor Constantine who legalized Christianity in the Empire.

Other events like the collapse of Rome, various Islamic Invasions, and even the Black Plague set the stage for remarkable, even epochal, moments in history.

Right now, we’re witnessing the implosion of Protestantism as a philosophical system! That’s gigantic. We’re witnessing the collapse of economic globalism as a model for international relations. There are quite literally dozens of huge, history-making things taking place right now in our Church and in the world. And while all change is fundamentally scary, there are good, intellectual reasons to be very hopeful that what comes from this chaos will be profoundly GOOD for us as a Human race and for us as Catholics.

In 1969, then Monsignor Joseph Ratzinger gave an interview in which he predicted that the future of the Catholic Church would not look much like it does today. The political lobbying, the expansive buildings, and facilities, the huge bank accounts and all that flotsam would be stripped away and what would remain is a core of people who want to be saints and who are willing to sacrifice for that. The future Pope remarked that the modern world has never really seen anything like that on any kind of large scale. When that happens, he said, the Church would find a vitality and an evangelical power that the world hasn’t known since Constantine.

So I am tired. I admit it. I’m fatigued. But I’m also more hopeful than I’ve been in a few years. Let’s pray together that whatever comes will be a time of special and privileged Grace!

Upcoming Events

Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass at 5:30p
Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall after the 9:00a Mass unless otherwise indicated
Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Tuesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated

Sept 15 Pastoral Council Meeting – Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
Sept 16 Wednesday Night Catechism - Parish Hall - 6 p.m.
Sept 20 Youth Mass followed by Benediction

For Your Information:

SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM … Sunday Morning Catechism along with Coffee and Donuts on Sunday after the 9 a.m Mass. As has become our program, Fr. Ryan will present a short teaching using the projector which is correlated to a specific chapter in our workbooks. Workbooks for all ages will be available in the Hall, free of charge, to anyone who needs one throughout the year. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend these presentations as they will help you, as your child’s teacher, teach your children and, hopefully, increase your own knowledge and understanding of our Faith.

PASTORAL COUNCIL..will hold its regular meeting on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, at 6:00 p.m in the Church Center. All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. Appointed members of the Council: MaryAnne Gilfoil, Louise Magoun, Ginny Marsh, Beth Sullivan, Levi Washington, and Blanche Wilks. 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. Parishioners are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.

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.

Mass Intentions for the Coming Week

Sat 5:30p In memory of Sue Scurria/Altar Society
Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
Mon 9:00a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
Tue NO MASS - Fr Ryan Funeral for Delhi
Wed LIVE-STREAM ONLY - In memory of Gus Gremshell
Thu 9:00a In memory of Dale Magoun/Vedros
Fri 5:30p In memory of “Skeezix” Jumonville/family
Sat 5:30p In memory of Beverly Lancaster (birth) & Becky Lancaster/family
Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Dale Magoun as requested by the Rome family

Lectors at Holy Mass

9/5 5:30p
- M Rome
9/6 9:00a
- D Ellerbee
9/12 5:30p
- A Farlow
9/13 9:00a
- B Sullivan
9/19 5:30p
- C VanderVieren
9/20 9:00a
- Youth

Our Return to the Lord

Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
July Budget $8,444
July Income $11,621
July Expenses $8,705
August Budget $10,555
August 29/30 Collection $1,755
August income to Date $13,401

Stewardship Am I my brother’s keeper? All three readings suggest that for the Christian steward the answer is “YES!”

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Kathleen Ellerbee (Sept 8, 2009), Lori Sullivan (Sept 11), Dan Copes (Sept 12)

In Our Daily Prayers…

Prayer for Hurricane Season Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during the Hurricane Season from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI; 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, 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, 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 Cedotal

Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Stella & Fernando Calvo (Keene), Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Karen Cobb, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Kim Dorbeck (Keene), Eli Edgecomb(Gilfoil), 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), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Theresa Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas , Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Terri Wilson, 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 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.