Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world…”
In one sense, these words of Jesus are very, very simple. He is sending the apostles into the world as a transformative force. Salt, at the time, was used to make food more nutritious and longer lasting. Then, as now, it was one of the primary flavors of all food. Light, at the time, was a precious commodity. In a world without candles and where oil was expensive, the primary source was natural. But when God turned out the lights at sunset, oil lamps were all that remained. Jesus sent His apostles to enhance and better the world. And He used images that were easy for everyone to understand.
But in another sense, these words of Jesus are quite profound. Salt, then as now, doesn’t so much change the flavor of the food as it makes the food taste more like itself. Science might reference taste receptors on the tongue, but any home cook knows that salt “brings out the flavor” more than it brings its own flavor to the food. Light, too, doesn’t change the room that it illuminates so much as it makes the room look more like itself. A well lit room isn’t different than a poorly lit room, but the decor is more pleasing to look at, the art is more moving, the colors more effective, and the conversation all the better because of it.
Christianity IS a force for change in the world. But Jesus’ metaphors here have especially potent meaning when we realize that He appoints US to go into this world (which is our world) and make it what it can be… what it should be… what the Lord made it to be!
Certainly, there are things which are just bad… Landfills and un-recycled batteries and plastic in rivers are just bad. That stuff needs to be cleaned up and disposed of… But much of the world doesn’t need to be destroyed so much as it needs to be reminded of its purpose, mission, and true nature.
In this lifetime, Christianity has to be oriented first toward salvation and then toward making the world into what God created it to be - a living embodiment of His love for us. Salt makes food taste more like itself. Light allows us to see things as they are with clarity and detail. As Christians, we have the same missions in regard to the truths of eternity and the truths of this present age.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
After Masses on Sunday, Fr. Sklar and I will be heading to the small town of Hanceville, Alabama to begin a week-long retreat.
The Church’s official code of law (AKA Canon Law) requires every priest to make a retreat every year. It doesn’t recommend one or even strongly encourage one… It requires the priest to make a retreat every year.
The primary reason for that in history is that priesthood is a full time gig and there needs to be a deliberate pause for the priest to reset himself and reorient himself to the Lord. Nowadays, though, the retreat is all the more important and all the more difficult to find…
Priesthood even 75 years ago, was pretty straight-forward. Unless the priest was a missionary or he lived in a place of religious persecution, priesthood was a pretty cushy way to live. ...Get up every morning, say a Mass or two, visit the school, drop by the homebound, lunch at the rectory, and then maybe a meeting or two in the evening… Even in a small parish, the administration and business affairs were on the shoulders of the trustees or the diocese. Priests back then were thoroughly trained in seminary and while society around him may have had moral question marks to consider, the local priest was the teacher and preacher of divine truth.
Nowadays, though, the priesthood is more akin to a water ride at a sketchy theme park in the height of summer! Priest training in seminaries is hopelessly limited. That’s not because the seminaries don’t try - it’s because a priest these days isn’t “just” a teacher and preacher of divine truth. Modern priests, and especially modern pastors, are expected to defend the teachings of the Church rather than just teach them. Those teachings are being denied by the news, by other priests, and even by bishops on Twitter and on TV almost every day. We’re also expected to know the language of modern communication and to teach in a way that reaches Baby Boomers and Millennials and GenX and GenZ and non-English speakers and folks who drive in from elsewhere and non-Catholic relatives alike.
The priest is also expected to be a businessman with excellent financial management skills. He needs to have top notch people skills. He needs to be an armchair psychologist, an amateur social worker, a decent party planner, a small-scale logistics manager, a toastmaster, and he needs to be able to make sense of however the news is reporting the latest from Pope Francis…
I’m certainly not complaining, mind you! I love being a priest and I love being the pastor of St. Edward - but I also want to make clear just why the Church says that a retreat is necessary and not just helpful.
Because on top of all of this practical stuff, the modern priest\pastor is also expected to be a disciple… And a living embodiment of Jesus on the ground in his parish… His parishioners want him to be a saint. And they deserve nothing less!
But sanctity takes time, effort, and long-proven spiritual exercises like retreat. So, I hope you’ll pray for me and for Fr. Sklar and for all our priests that they can keep their focus amidst the present chaos. Come Holy Spirit!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon-Fri No Mass
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Curley Mills/Mills-Thompson
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Louise Magoun
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/16 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanerVieren |
| 10/17 9:00a | Chandler, Kathleen, Maura | Youth |
| 10/23 5:30p | None Scheduled | M K Book |
| 10/24 9:00a | Preston, Evelyn, Courtland | C Guizerix |
| 10/30 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil |
| 10/31 9:00a | Caroline, Cooper, Maura | J Howington |
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
- Oct 16 Potluck Supper following 5:30 p.m. Mass to celebrate the feast of our patron saint
- Oct 16-17 Celebration of Feast of St Edward the Confessor
- Oct 18-22 Clergy Retreat -- no weekday Mass
- Oct 26 CHANGED... Pastoral Council Meeting - Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
For Your Information:
CONFIRMATION & FIRST HOLY COMMUNION… If you or your child is hoping to be confirmed or receive First Holy Communion this year and you haven’t gotten a text from Fr. Ryan yet, please check in with him! We’ll be starting classes soon. Thanks!
ROSARY GROUP… a group of parishioners is meeting on Monday at 5:30 p.m. to pray the Rosary. Everyone is invited to join the group. If you need additional information, please contact the Coordinator, Louise Magoun, at 318-341-2403.
FEAST OF ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR… The Church strongly encourages all parishes to celebrate their patronal feasts and even offers a Plenary Indulgence for members of that parish who do so. Our feast day is technically October 13, but the Church allows for us to celebrate it on an adjacent Sunday. This year, on the weekend of October 17, all parish Masses will be celebrated in Honor of St. Edward the Confessor. Everyone who attends and is a member (officially or de facto) of our parish may receive a Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions for participating.
POTLUCK SUPPER - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 … There will be an informal parish potluck on Saturday, after the 5:30 p.m. Mass in celebration of the Feast of our patron saint. Our thanks, in advance, to MaryKathryn Book and MaryAnne Gilfoil who will give leadership to this project.
FATHER RYAN ON RETREAT: OCT 18-22… Fr. Ryan will make his required annual retreat in Alabama this year. Neighboring priests (Fr. Taylor Reynolds & Fr. Dale Meade) will be available in case of emergencies. There will be no daily Masses for that week. The Mass schedule will resume as normal on Saturday evening, October 23.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING CHANGE DUE TO CLERGY RETREAT…COUNCIL will hold its October meeting on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, at 6:00 p.m in the Church Center. Appointed members of the Council: MaryKathryn Book, Kendra Collins, MaryAnne Gilfoil, Louise Magoun, 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. All members are requested to make a special effort to attend. Parishioners are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.
PRAYER FOR HURRICANE SEASON… Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us from all harm during this Hurricane Season. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Amen. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to our help!
Stewardship Good stewards must not argue about who is the most important. Today’s Gospel says clearly that those who aspire to greatness must humbly serve the needs of all. Even Jesus came not to be served, but to serve.
SECOND COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND World Mission to support mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe where the church serves the world’s most vulnerable!
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2021-2022 | $ 2,111 |
| September Budget | $ 8,444 |
| September Income | $ 8,955 |
| September Expenses | $ 9,405 |
| October Budget | $ 8,444 |
| October 9/10 collection | $ 2,358 |
| October To Date | $ 4,013 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday William Marsh (Oct 16), Kathleen Oliver (Oct 17), Charlotte McKay Marsh (Oct 18, 2016), Terry Murphy (Oct 18), Tori Kivett (Oct 25)
In Our Daily Prayers…
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.
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, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Charlotte Marsh and Lance and Stephenie, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Sue & Mike Rome, Delia Trichell, and Don Wood
Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Carol Dunning
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Kathryn Wood Allsopp (D Wood), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Molly Corulla, Sara Cannon (Gilfoil), Truman and Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Carol Dipert (Rome), Tommy Dunning, Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Kathy Garley Hanlon (Gilfoil), Rita Hargrave, Carroll Holmes and family (Keene), Sharon Jackson (Wilks), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin-Mills (M Gilfoil), Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), Lee and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Theresa and Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Elaine and James Trimble (Rome), Teresa Vidrine (Wilks), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Calli Ezell, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Emmy Lu Marsh, Maddie Oliver, Bailey Rome, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood
Those Catholics residing at Christian Acres, Louisiana Transitional Center for Women, and our local Detention Centers and for their families and loved ones.