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

From The Font

Then, in anger, his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.

It does us all well to remember how different our society is from those of years past. We are rich. We have it easy. Poverty and struggle in the US are better than prosperity and ease in most of the rest of the world. And yet, human beings and human nature are exactly the same everywhere.

With all of our ease and luxury, forgiveness should be easy… How bad did that person really harm me? Did they bruise my ego or in some small way damage my reputation? Did they cause someone I love to shed a tear? Certainly, bad people do bad things and we may well be victims of genuine violence and harm! But how much of our unforgiveness is due to events and words and deeds which have no real impact upon our daily lives...?

From personal experience, several people I have to work with on a regular basis betrayed me and actively sought my detriment… They did so for petty motives and they hurt people that I love… For years, I held a grudge. But then I took a moment to look around myself… Surely, some of the ‘collateral damage’ is still going on and some people are being harmed in an ongoing way by the failures of some of those same people. But… No one is being tortured or starved or deprived of anything real… So why am I holding a grudge? Why am I wasting my energy raging at the past? Why am I not forgiving? In many ways, today’s gospel in today’s context is even more potent than it was in an era when I could hand my debtors over to torturers.

For the vast majority of us, there’s no good reason not to forgive. There’s only pride, ego, vanity, and self-concern that separate us from a deeper and better relationship with the Lord… Forgiveness isn’t magical. Our human nature will remain. We will still have feelings of retribution or anger. But forgiveness is the better solution for everyone. We may not be wise to trust those who wronged us, but we are surely unwise not to forgive them...

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

This Monday is the thirteenth anniversary of the publication of a landmark document from Pope Benedict XVI titled Summorum Pontificum. In that short text, Pope Benedict asserted and determined that the so-called Missal of Pope Paul VI did not and, in fact, could not eradicate the previous forms of the Holy Mass.

The History of the Mass is complicated. The basic building blocks go back to St. Paul. In the 50s AD, there were introductory prayers, readings from the Old Testament, especially the Psalms, and readings\recitations from what would become the Gospels. There was a sermon and there was a lengthy, structured prayer associated with consecrating the bread and wine. By the 300s, most of the prayers were standardized. By the 800s, most of the introductory prayers, the creed, and the scripture readings were locked in place. Of course, each region had its own nuances. The French (the Leonine Rite) was all about big gestures and very specific rules for vestments and music. The Brits "Sarum" Rite was longer, with lots of extra prayers and readings. The Middle East had long hymns that made the Sunday Mass go on for hours. The Africans had drums and dances. The Italians allowed Deacons to preach.

When Islam and later the Protestant Revolt threatened the Church, Councils were called and the Bishops standardized things. Still, though, the central aspects of the Mass were unchanged. In the 1960s, when WWII and the Cold War threatened the whole world, the Church called a Council just like before. Vatican II called for the same kind of circling the wagons as the Church had done in the past. The big difference this time was that instead of just hammering down the details around the center of the Mass (vestments, gestures, music, etc), changes were made to the Mass itself. The words of consecration of the Eucharist, unchanged since the 200s AD, were changed. The prayers of preparation for the bread and wine, in place since before the 1100s, were completely rewritten. The cycle of scripture readings and opening prayers (“collects”), many of which dated back to the 600s and 700s, were thrown out and replaced with little or no oversight. All the while, the PR said that the “new Mass” was “just the old Mass in English and facing the people, there’s nothing wrong with that!”

For very good reason, there was a strong backlash among the clergy and the laity. Nearly a quarter of priests and nuns left the Church in 10 years. Almost half of the laity left the Church in 25 years. Many of those who remained but stood by the traditional rites were insulted and ridiculed as “extremists” and "fundamentalists.” They still are.

In 2007, Pope Benedict called for a less ideological and more rational view of the last 100 years. He said that the changes made were dramatic enough that those who want to use the older forms were free to do so. The day of publication - the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - was a day of incredible liberation for a large group within the Church that had long felt abandoned by their mother the Church. Whatever our personal preferences, this week is a good time to pray for those tradition-minded folks.

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.

THE WORD AMONG US….if you are one of those people who uses The Word Among Us, you have already realized that when you picked up a copy it was actually for October. We contacted the company and they have provided the proper edition for September and they are on the table at the entrance of church so please pick up your September edition!!! Hang on to the October one as you will need it next week.

MAGNIFICAT…. we were given a large number of copies of the September edition of MAGNIFICAT. Please feel free to pick up a free copy from the table at the entrance of church!

Mass Intentions for the Coming Week

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
Mon NO MASS
Tue 9:00a In memory of Suzanne Wood/Fulton
Wed 9:00a In memory of May DiTommaso
Thu 9:00a In memory of AJS “Jackie” Jumonville(birth)/family
Fri 5:30p In memory of Barbara Tryon/Mills-Thompson
Sat 5:30p In memory of R. L. Reynold(death)/Bullard
Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of the Wilks family

Lectors at Holy Mass

9/12 5:30p
- A Farlow
9/13 9:00a
- B Sullivan
9/18 5:30p
- C VanderVieren
9/20 9:00a
- Walker Sullivan
9/26 5:30p
- MA Gilfoil
9/27 9:00a
- J Howington

Our Return to the Lord

Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 $2,111
August Budget $10,555
August Income $13,401
August Expenses TBD
September Budget $8,444
September 5/6 Collection $3,175
September income to Date $3,175

Stewardship Stewardship is not optional! “None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his own master,” saysSt. Paul. “While we live, we are responsible to the Lord; and, when we die, we die as his servants.

Special Collection This weekend (Sept 12/13) In support of Catholic University of America...in educating the future leaders of our Church as well as our nation.

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Dan Copes (Sept 12), Bruin Johnson (Sept 18, 2002)

Happy Anniversary Shannon and Bart Wood (Aug. 15), Sue and Mike Rome (Aug 19)

In Our Daily Prayers…

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: Especially all of those impacted by Hurricane Laura, 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.

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

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.