The Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
"If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve”
All ancient peoples understood the fact that human beings are religious by nature. There is no such thing as being non-religious. Even if we don’t believe in a god or a divinity, we need something to explain to us all the invisible realities of the world in which we live...
In the modern world, many people claim to be non-religious, but they make religions out of social causes or philosophies of life. Even many Christians who claim to follow Jesus have filled in the gaps in their belief systems with secondary religions or beliefs.
Take for example “Christian Unitarians.” These folks believe that the whole message of Jesus is kindness and acceptance. That leaves them without a way of understanding the injustices of the world and so Unitarians tend to be really dogmatic and intense about social causes like climate issues and sexual identity issues as a way of replacing Christ’s teaching about Divine Justice.
In the same way, most of us have encountered what I jokingly call “Evangelical Vegans” who are obsessed with preaching about their beliefs about a vegan diet and animal cruelty. It’s one thing to have a strongly held personal belief, it’s entirely another to insist that others come to believe as you do.
And, of course, that’s what we see with so many younger people who can’t even share a meal or have a conversation with someone whose beliefs on social issues don’t exactly match their own.
This evokes the old wisdom that people shouldn’t discuss politics or religion over dinner because, ultimately, many people think about politics in a religious way. This doesn’t make anyone a bad person, it just reinforces the fact that human beings are deeply religious in our human nature and nothing can change that about us. If we choose not to direct that natural religious nature toward God, we WILL direct it toward something.
As a parallel, this is what we do in all aspects of our nature. If we don’t deal with anger or arousal or any passion in a healthy way, that passion doesn’t go away, it WILL come out in some way or another... That’s human nature.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
St Monica has a dubious title. She is the patron of disappointing Children! Monica was a Christian married to a pagan in North Africa in the 300s. She had a son whom she named Augustine. That son was incredibly brilliant and had a meteoric rise intellectually and politically. But Monica’s main concern for her son was his spiritual health.
Spiritually, Augustine first embraced an atheistic philosophy. He took up a playboy lifestyle and set aside his mom’s concerns for his spiritual well-being. Monica prayed and prayed. It’s all she could do. Although she was a smart woman, few people in world history could’ve kept up with her brilliant son.
After several years, Monica’s prayers seemed to have some success as Augustine took up a type of heretical Christianity called Manicheism which was not really Christianity, but just another wrong philosophy with a lot of Christian vocabulary. Rather than just be deflated, Monica prayed and she shared her Faith with Augustine who, by now, was weighed down by the consequences of his lifestyle and was looking for a richer sense of meaning. It helped that the world was collapsing around him and that the Roman Empire was on its last legs. People start to take eternity more seriously when the here and now is a mess.
Finally, after three decades of prayer, Augustine listened to his mother and became a real Christian. He took responsibility for his hedonism and his past lifestyle. And, as he did with everything else in his life, he studied and mastered everything there was to know about Christianity, the Church, and Jesus Christ.
It may seem crazy to us, but Augustine was made a bishop almost immediately. And he was a great bishop, but this article is about his long-suffering mother who prayed and managed to hold on to her hope even when everything seemed lost. And, perhaps even more heroic, she held onto her Christian conviction that her son’s salvation and spiritual well-being were more important than his intellectual or political success. She wasn’t content with sketchy ideas of good enough.
How many of us are praying for each other daily? What does that prayer look like? Are we just saying something like “Lord Jesus, look after Mary and Bob?” Are we repeating that prayer? Are we attaching that intention to our Rosary? Are we being more specific: “Lord Jesus, please bring Bob back to Mass and convince him to go to Confession. Lord, please soften his heart and humble him and bring him back to You!”
Have we perhaps lost some of our hope and fallen into bad thinking like: “well, at least he’s going to Church somewhere?” Whew! That’s a bad, bad way of thinking. St Monica understood that just because some church identifies itself as Christian doesn’t make it so. Half of the New Testament is made up of letters saying “do NOT assume that every teacher is truthful - obey the true teaching of the apostles as reject false teachings!” St Monica is a remarkable saint and one that every parent of every child should be invoking every day.
Her disappointing child went on to become one of the greatest saints in the Church! Prayer works!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In celebration of a special anniversary of the Magoun family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a For the special intentions of the family of Matthew Schur
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Rosa and Gus Gremshell and May DiTomasso
- Thu 9:00a In memory of Kathleen Mills– at Legacy Nursing Home
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Gail Gilfoil Grugnard/Nettles family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Madeline Howington (birth)/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Dead members of our Parish Family
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of MaryAnne Gilfoil
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome | N Ernst |
| 8/25 9:30a | MaryKatherine & Courtland | K Collins | - |
| 8/31 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | A Keene |
| 9/1 9:30a | Cooper & Maura | D Ellerbee | - |
| 9/7 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | C VanderVieren |
| 9/8 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | C Guizerix | - |
Stewardship “In today’s first reading, Joshua challenges the people to decide whom they will serve. Recalling God’s faithfulness to them and to their ancestors, the peop;e declare, “We also will serve the Lord for he is our God.” May we, too, be mindful of God’s gifts to us and renew our commitment to serve Him with grateful hearts.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| July Budget | $ 8,444 |
| July Income | $ 8,906 |
| July Expenses | $ 10,902 |
| August Budget | $ 8,444 |
| August 17-18 Collection | $ 3,329 |
| August Income To Date | $ 6,888 |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and on Sunday from 9a until Mass
- Sunday Catechism with Coffee and Donuts after Mass unless otherwise indicated
- Wednesday Morning Catechism about 9:30 a.m in Church and on Facebook and YouTube
- Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p
- Sept 2-12 Trip to Italy for members of our faith family–our weekday schedule will be changed. as we will not have week-day 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.
FORMED.ORG… FORMED has an entire page of weekly featured videos that are worth checking out at https://watch.formed.org/this-week-on-formed. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at http://signup.formed.org
FUNDRAISING WITH GROCERY TICKETS... If you shop at Doug’s and do not already do so, you may want to save your grocery tickets and place them in the box on the table at the entrance to church. The church will be given 1% of the total of combined purchases (excluding milk, cigarettes, and alcohol). Our thanks to the ANGEL who collects the tickets and prepares them to submit to Doug’s
VICKSBURG CATHOLIC MOTHERS GROUP… will be launching another exciting year! Join them Sunday August 25th at 5:30 pm in St. Paul's Glynn Hall (side entrance off of Walnut St.) for a kick-off event to celebrate this vibrant ministry focused on supporting moms in their vocation of family life. Whether you are newly returning to the faith or are a cradle Catholic looking for fellowship, there is a place here for you. See you there! You may reach them at vicksburgcatholicmomsgroup@gmail.com or on Facebook at Vicksburg Catholic Moms Group. Leaders are Brittany Fall and Kathleen.
THE WORD AMONG US… September edition available….a monthly publication serving as a daily devotional guide, can be found on the table at the entrance of church. Please feel free to take a copy to use in your daily prayer life. In addition to the daily scripture and meditation, there are interesting theme focused articles for study.
ALTAR CANDLES… Anyone wishing to provide candles for the altar in honor of their loved one or in prayer for some intention may do so simply by asking. A small donation is recommended, but not required. A list of dates is in the sacristy and a date can be reserved up to one year in advance.
THANKS… to everyone who participated in the Third Quarter Social Potluck Brunch last Sunday. There was a great turnout, the food was plentiful, and the fellowship was outstanding!! A big thanks to the Committee who made it all happen!
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Dana Daigre Hamilton (Aug 30), Chandler Brook Wood (Aug 31)
Happy Anniversary Mary Jane and Sidney Johnson (Aug 26), Kendra and Dave Collins (Aug 29)
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 Pope, Francis; our 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, under full-time care and for those who care for them, and for those otherwise in need of our prayers: MaryKathryn & Nap Book, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil, Terry Farlow Hall, C.W. & Alyce Keene, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Hannah McCarty, Ed Mills, Terry & Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Lee Adams (Smith), Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Kathryn Wood Allsopp (D Wood), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), Marie Farlow Bellard, Tommy Bickham (C Copes), Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Dick & Sue Boyd (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), David Cagnolatti, Willetta and Mac Cagnolatti, Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Jeannie & Donald Collins, Teresa Carney Condra, Jami Cook (Wilks), Bobbe & Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Jimmy Fordham (Gustafson & Fordice), Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Theresa Gunter, Rita Hargrave, Ralph Harris (Gilfoil), Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Chelsea Keene & Andrew Lewis, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), Emery and Kale Kirkland (Gilfoil), Lynn Lisonbee, LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), James Albert Martin, Ruth McDonald (Copes), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Vickie Morelli (Ernst), John Neill, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Debbie Kedrick Sims, Gannon Sims, Robbie Sims, Keri Post, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Mary Claire Warner and her parents, MaryBeth and Steve, Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood
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, hastened to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
