Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.”
Since the 1950s in the US and the 1970s in Europe, this little sentence from the Book of Proverbs has been seen as an insult rather than as praise. For better or worse, femininity has become a focus of disdain and an icon for outdated thinking.
Surely, no one can decry the call that all human beings, regardless of their sex, race, income, etc should be treated with respect and dignity and given equal treatment under the law and in society… But it speaks volumes that the collective result of the so-called liberation of women is the hatred of women.
In Scripture, contrary to the prevailing narrative, the worthy wife is not June Cleaver who cooks, cleans, and keeps her husband happy at all costs. She, along with the Lord, is the only one to whom her husband’s heart is entrusted. In Scripture, she runs the home, which is no casual thing. Until very recently, running the home was of equal dignity to running a business or working outside of the home. In many cultures, running the home was more important and of greater dignity. What’s more, the education of the children and thus the genuine determination of the direction of all of society was in the hands of women. Anyone alive in the 60s knew that the nuns, not the priests, were the driving cultural force in the Church. In society, too, the women and not the men decided core values. The men, then, simply implemented those values.
As Eve was tricked by the Devil to disobey the Lord for a reward that she already possessed, so, too, modern women have been deceived by that same devil, to believe that “equality” with men (which women already have!) can be gained by abandoning femininity and embracing the worst parts of masculinity.
Hence the Scripture that was so “stuck” in its ancient culture is now proven to be true once again… “When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.”
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
This Sunday draws to a close the long season of Ordinary Time… But as with so many aspects of this year, nothing about it has been very ordinary. Everything this year seems to have ranged from the mildly unexpected to the entirely unthinkable with little to no matter-of-fact to be had.
While every end of the year article is going to start with a paragraph like this, I want to specifically call to mind the role of the ordinary, especially in our world where fads and novelty are considered almost essential to happiness. The end of the era of martyrdom in the early Church set the stage for monks and later nuns. The normalcy that followed the ascendance of Constantine and later Theodosius and +Ambrose, gave rise to what was originally called “the way of perfection.”
By embracing a life of unrelenting routine, the monks discovered a dynamism and a drama in the spiritual life which is almost entirely hidden by business and change in the world. We know this intuitively… When we want the kids to focus on school, we turn off the TV and remove distraction. When we want to pray seriously, we find a quiet place with minimal distractions. Even the sound of music in another room can yank us out of focus. It’s one of the hardest challenges in Church to listen to the sermon or follow the prayers when a baby cries or a fellow parishioner chit chats. What we used to call the routine of life (and we now wrongly call boredom) makes it harder for us to find that inner focus and to tune out the chaos around us...
The thing about this year, though, is that despite all the craziness and the lockdown and the storms and the political chaos, nothing has genuinely come into our homes and prevented us from establishing a routine or rhythm or pattern of life which prioritizes the interior life of the mind or the interior life of the soul. Even now that we’re back out and living our lives, it’s only our own choices that prevent us from making a priority of regularity and normalcy. Sure, there are a lot of what-ifs. There are a lot of reasons for anxiety and concern… But there always have been and always will be. However the election turns out, we’re less than two years away from the media churning everything up again. Whether or not we have another global scare (real or invented), we’re going to be facing more government intrusion. Whatever the future holds IN THIS WORLD, the future that matters isn’t in this world.
If we don’t make a priority of the interior life now, the world in which we’re living just won’t matter when we face the moment of judgement. This world has made for us lives of constant change, refocus, fad and distraction. Ordinariness and life-routines are one of our best weapons against that mentality and this year we missed an opportunity to celebrate this in Ordinary Time but we gained an opportunity to see clearly the essential role that ordinariness plays in our own happiness, our own sanity and our own holiness.
As we say farewell to the green of Ordinary Time at Mass, let us recommit ourselves to living it out in our daily lives.
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
- Nov 17 Pastoral Council Meeting -- 6 p.m. Parish Hall
- Nov 18 Wednesday Night Catechism (Apparitions of Mary) -- 6 p.m. Parish Hall
- Nov 22 Thanksgiving Celebration … Brunch following Sunday Mass
For Your Information:
SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM… Sunday Morning Catechism along with Coffee and Donuts after the 9 a.m Mass. Workbooks for all ages are 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 of our Faith.
ANGEL TREE … beginning November 21, you will have the opportunity to select Angels that you may want to purchase gifts for during the Christmas season from the tree in the Church Hall. Dana Dukes is giving leadership to our Angel Tree project this year. If you have questions, please contact her or the church office.
ROSARY GROUP … a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join with the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403
THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION POTLUCK BRUNCH… on Sunday, November 22, following Mass. Mark your calendar and plan to join our faith family!
Host for the event is the Fourth Quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) Social Committee- Skeeter and Blanche Wilks, and Louise Magoun chairs, Dorothy Dyer, Leslye Ellerbee, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Sherry Lynn and Timmy Harris, Michael Lancaster, Billy and Ginny Marsh, William and Sharyn Marsh, Hannah McCartney, Sug Regan, Robert Wood, Edward and Margaret Yerger,
KEYPAD ENTRY for the Church. Now that the parish has a Shrine in Honor of St. Edward and one of his miraculous relics, Fr. Ryan wanted a way for people to be able to pray whenever they may want or need. This past week, he installed a keypad entry system for the side door of the Church. If you’d like to stop in and pray any time, just text or call Fr. Ryan for the code. While the code is not especially secret, we do want to provide some security for the Church and so we’re asking that the code not be given out to anyone who isn’t a regular Massgoer at St Edward except by Fr. Ryan. Thanks!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT CATECHISM … This Wednesday, November 18, in the Church Hall at 6 p.m. Topic for this is “Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. Father will answer questions after the talk. Guests are welcome!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Inez, C.B., and Claude DeMoss and Clint Durr/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Marie P. Michelle/C Phillips
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Anna May Farlow/family
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Thomas Trichell/T Trichell
- Sat 9:00a Private Intentions of Father Ryan (Traditional Latin Mass)
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
FLOWERS ON THE ALTAR are in memory of Inez, C.B. and Claude DeMoss and Clint Durr.
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning in memory of Inez, C.B. and Claude DeMoss and Clint Durr
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 11/14 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil |
| 11/15 9:00a | Carter, Chandler, MaryKatherine | Chandler & Henry |
| 11/21 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks |
| 11/22 9:00a | Preston, Marsh, Evelyn | S Marsh |
| 11/28 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome |
| 11/29 9:00a | Caroline, Henry, Kathleen | B Sullivan |
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2019-20 | $2,111 |
| October Budget | $8,444 |
| October Income | $8,181 |
| October Expenses | $8,840 |
| November Budget | $10,555 |
| November 7/8 Collection | $1,680 |
| November income to Date | $3,431 |
Stewardship Good stewards are like the industrious and reliable servants in today’s Gospel, prudently using and multiplying the gifts entrusted to them by God.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Isabel Hernandez (Nov 19), Libby Bullard (Nov 20), Darryl Ellerbee (Nov 22)
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: Connie and Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Mary Ernst, Monique Florence, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, Susan and Johnny 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, Marie Cedotal
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Especially all of those impacted by hurricanes, Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Molly Corulla, Georgie Gilfoil Breard, Hattie Brown (Lancaster), Jerry Bullard, Stella & Fernando Calvo (Keene), Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Karen Cobb, Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Kim Dorbeck (Keene), Tommy Dunning, Eli Edgecomb(Gilfoil), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Meg Gaumnitz (Copes), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Terry Lynn Jones (Howington), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), James H. Lossin (Keene), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Pops Neumann, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Linda Sanchez (Wilks), Theresa and Albert 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.