Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From The Font
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you”
The notion of being especially chosen by God is built into the deepest DNA of the Jewish religon. God chose Abraham. God chose Isaac rather than Ishmael. God chose Jacob rather than Esau. God chose Joseph rather than any of his brothers. The same with Moses and Aaron and Joshua and Elijah and David and Solomon and Mary and Joseph and Peter and Paul and on and on.
There’s certainly an oddity about that in local ancient religions of the East. The gods of the non-Jewish religions of the area didn’t choose people, they were worshipped and in return for the worship, the gods gave blessings or what have you. But the Lord God wasn’t selling His blessings. God chose who He chose. He gave blessings to many - beyond the few He chose - but He chose to give His blessings THROUGH those that He chose.
Jesus, too, did a lot specifying. He picked out the Apostles, a herd of disciples, a handful of women, a slew of individual paupers and sick people to heal. He specified that this or that group (of Pharisees, Scribes, etc) had sinned and deserved punishment. He chose and He specified and He selected. And even today, unlike Islam or Hinduism, each Christian should have the sense of a personal and direct relationship with the Lord who calls each of us to specific vocations and services and duties according to the specific gifts, talents, and inclinations that He, Himself, has knit into our very beings…
The idea of a personal call to holiness goes back to the beginnings of Christianity. While the phraseology may be newish to our day and age, the notion of a personal vocation is as old as the Church.
Jesus has called each and every one of us to holiness and to a personal relationship with Him. He has also called each and every one of us to a personal attitude and disposition of service that we call a “vocation.” For most of us, that vocation is Christian family life. For some, it’s religious life or the priesthood or dedicated missionary work. Beyond that fundamental disposition, the Lord calls us day by day to specific acts of trust in Him. From visiting the sick, to personal sacrifice, to sharing a word of encouragement or admonition, to anything! God never stops calling out to us.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Thank you for all of your prayers during my retreat this past week!
Retreat is always a privileged time. Going into my retreat this year, I have been especially aware of the ongoing need to seek forgiveness of even the smallest faults and failings.
I usually try to ask forgiveness if I consciously or directly offend or hurt someone… I tend to be looser with my tongue than is charitable or prudent. But nowadays, so many of us are being slowly trained by our society to be offended by words! I find that the wisdom of my youth - Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me - doesn’t hold up so well.
I’ve been thinking about that for a while now… After all, the single oldest and hardest problem of all religious ministers, Christian and non-Christian alike, is “how do I deliver the hard truths that all of us NEED to hear.” It’s one thing to speak about something that’s uncomfortable like contraception or the sins of the clergy. It’s entirely another, though, to share the teachings of Jesus which are deeply misunderstood or which our society actively convolutes… The teaching of the Church, for example, on immigration is not remotely aligned to the open borders idealism of the political left in the United States. The teaching of the Church regarding people who exeperience same-sex attraction doesn’t remotely resemble much of the silliness that comes from Churches or Catholics with rainbow flags on their social media profiles. In fact, genuine charity to immigrants, migrants, and refugees is basically the opposite of what the mainstream news media portrays it to be! Showing genuine charity to those who experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria isn’t about unconditional acceptance, it’s the opposite. If those folks want to get to Heaven, they are called directly by scripture (Mt 19:12) to embrace their particular cross and to offer to the Lord as a powerful means of personal holiness. There’s no virtue or salvation in trying to Christianize the #YOLO hashtag or it’s cultural equivalent “I want to have my cake and eat it too!”
But boy oh boy… In our society today, these kinds of words are violence… Sticks and stones are what modern people would prescribe as the proper response to these hurtful words. And that puts all of us in a difficult spot… Jesus tells us to proclaim the truth “in season and out of season." We are definitely out-of-season at the moment!
And so I’ve just been swirling this around in my mind… Again, I want to apologize for my own faults and failures and when I’ve spoken rudely or uncharitably or imprudently or in any other hurtful way. I really am sorry. At the same time, I ask for your prayers for me and for all of us who are called by God to “say the things that men need to hear” (Eph 4:29). It’s not just the clergy who need to get their minds around the difficulties with language - it’s all of us who are charged with bringing the Gospel to all that we meet. After all, however contrary it may seem in this or that society or context, the freedom that God promises comes from His truth.
You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:32
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Curley Mills/Mills-Thompson
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Lillie “MaMe” Jumonville (anni birth)/family
- Wed 9:00a In memory of May DiTomasso
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Pat and in honor of Libby (anni)/Bullard family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Peyton Trichell/Lancaster
- 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/23 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 |
| 11/6 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren |
| 11/7 9:00a | Henry, MaryKatherine | K Collins |
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 26 CHANGED….. Pastoral Council Meeting - Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
- Oct 27 Wednesday Evening Catechism - Parish Hall - 6 p.m.
- Nov 1 All Saints’ Day is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation in 2021 as it falls on a Monday and the obligation is dispensed.
- Nov 2 All Soul’s Day - Mass in the cemetery (weather permitting) followed by Blessing of Graves
- Nov 21 Thanksgiving Potluck - Parish Hall - following 9:30 a.m. Mass
For Your Information:
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.
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 Hall. 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.
WEDNESDAY EVENING CATECHISM… October 27, 2021 at 6 p.m. in the Church Hall. All are invited to attend.
FOURTH QUARTER SOCIAL … Sunday, November 21 in the Church Hall following 9:30 a.m. Mass, we will have a Potluck h quarter social group comprised of…..Brunch to celebrate the Thanksgiving season. All faith family members as well as family and friends are encouraged to participate in this event!
Fourth Quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) Social Committee- Skeeter and Blanche Wilks, and Louise Magoun will serve as chairs, other members include 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, Don Wood, Robert Wood, Edward and Margaret Yerger
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 All discipleship involves mission. The bishops’ pastoral letter on stewardship reminds us, “Every member of the Church is called to evangelize, and the practice of authentic Christian stewardship inevitably leads to evangelization.
SECOND COLLECTION THIS 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 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| September Budget | $ 8,444 |
| September Income | $ 8,955 |
| September Expenses | $ 9,405 |
| October Budget | $ 8,444 |
| October 16/17 collection | $ 1,887 |
| October To Date | $ 5,900 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Tori Kivett (Oct 25), Hannah McCarty (Oct 31)
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.