Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
I hope and pray that the joy of the Risen Lord is flooding your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Sometimes it’s hard to tell, especially if you gave up something sugary, that feeling may be a minor diabetic incident! But we’ll hope it’s the Lord!
Holiness is different for each of us... That’s part of the reason that the lives of the saints are such an important part of our faith. I may be a relatively introverted person who has an affinity for intellect and art, while you may be a relatively extroverted person who has an affinity for sports and games. Holiness for me is going to look very different than it is for you. What may be virtuous for me may not be for you. What may be prideful for me may not be for you. What may be encouraging and fulfilling spiritually for me may not be for you.
That’s by design! Before us, the Lord created Angels, every single one of whom was as different from every other as a cabbage is from a question mark! The Lord likes different. And so it is that we each have to seek the Lord in our own way... not because He doesn’t want to be found, but because no one else has ever been just like you or me. If you really want to get your inner philosopher worked up - how does any of us know what the other actually sees or thinks? What is green to you, may be purple to me. There’s literally no way we can tell! And so I have to seek the Lord because my eyes are the only eyes I have. I have to work to hear His voice, because my ears are often trained not on Him but on my own interests. I have to refocus my mind on Him because my mind is often overly focused on my own stuff.
That can seem daunting if we let it... It can be heavy to think that I have to figure out how to seek the Lord on my own. And it’s not entirely true. The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves and so He has given us teachings and rules and images and ideas which are universal to all of us. In particular, He’s given us worship which brings together our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls in a way that is both uniquely human and profoundly divine. We’re not in this alone and the Lord is not asking us to start from scratch. Still, we can’t just copy one another and we shouldn’t be concerned if my prayer life doesn’t look like yours.
St Francis of Assisi’s spiritual life couldn’t be more different than St. Ignatius of Loyola’s. St. Andre Bassett’s intellectual life couldn’t be more different than Pope Benedict’s. Fr. Ferre’s style of being a priest was pretty different from my own and both of us are totally different from Fr. Pat Murphy or Bp. Greco. And I expect all four of us were totally different from Pope John Paul or St. Augustine. Some Christians feel strongly, while others don’t. Some Christians thrive in silence, others don’t. Some Christians pray with brilliant and sophisticated words, others are simple. Some Christians experience Easter as a relief, others as a joy, others in an intellectual way, and others still as first and foremost a family event.
However this Easter finds you and yours, I hope and pray that the joy of the Risen Lord is central and fulfilling and wonderful!
Happy Easter!!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 8:00p In memory of Thomas Magoun/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon-Thu No Mass
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Lee Rome (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 the Keene family
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHC(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/19 8:00p | See Schedule | Mike, Beth, MaryAnne | None Scheduled |
| 4/20 9:30a | Annie, Thomas Meyers, Katelynn | D Ellerbee | - |
| 4/26 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome | C VanderVieren |
| 4/27 9:30a | Michael, Finley, Ashlynn | K Collins | - |
Upcoming Events
- Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and Sunday from 9a until Mass
- Sunday Morning Catechism in the Hall (with Coffee & Donuts) after the 9:00a Mass during the School Year unless otherwise indicated
- Pastoral Council meeting monthly on the third Wednesday at 6p unless otherwise indicated
- April 21-25 Father Ryan away on vacation. No daily Mass Monday - Thursday.
- April 27 First Holy Communion, Reception following Mass
- May 18 End of School Potluck Social following 9:30 am Mass
For Your Information:
ENVELOPES FOR EASTER FLOWERS AND LILIES can be found on the tables at the entrance of church. If you would like to make a contribution, please pick up an envelope. If you would like that to be in Memory of or In Honor of, please make that notation.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION for our young people will be on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27. A reception to honor them will follow in the Hall and all are invited to join in.
PARISH QUARTERLY SOCIAL on Sunday, May 28 following 9:30 a.m. Mass. Q2 Social Committee: Libby Bullard, Angel Farlow, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, MaryAnne Gilfoil, Terry and Andy Hall, Isabell Hernandez, Cindy and Jamie Howington, Ann Keene, Alyce and C.W. Keene, Elizabeth and Paul Naya, Bobby Reynolds, and Cathy VanderVieren.
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 has pages of weekly featured content 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 https://signup.formed.org
Stewardship Today’s Gospel has encouraging words for good stewards – “Give and it shall be given to you. For the measure you measure with will be measured back to you.” What encouragement to give generously of the resources entrusted to our care
The SECOND COLLECTION on Easter, will support the Infirm Priests Fund and will remain in our parish to offset the monthly charge assessed to our parish. It is unassessed (taxed) and 100% will remain at St Edward.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| March Budget | $ 8,444 |
| March Collections | $ 11,810 |
| March Total Expenses | $ 10,362 |
| April Budget | $ 8,444 |
| April 13 Collection | $ 2,412 |
| April Collections To Date | $ 5,382 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Marie Ernst (April 21)
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, Norman and Marie Ernst, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil,Terry Farlow Hall, Sidney & Mary Jane Johnson, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome, Kenny and Betty Smith
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Marie Farlow Bellard, Nap and Martha Book, Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Dick & Sue Boyd (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene), Caroline and Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Teresa Carney Condra, Jami Cook (Wilks), Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Wayne Edwards, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Emily Fortenberry, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, Theresa Gunter, Rita Hargrave, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Callie Halback Hyams, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Ruth McDonald (Copes), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Randy Parker, John Neill, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Dianne Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Debbie Kedrick Sims, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, EmmyLu March, Charlize Richardson, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Chandler Wood, Marsh Wood
