The Parish Patronal Feast of St Edward the Confessor
From The Font
"Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.”
English is a language that invites exaggeration. Unlike really any other language, English has adopted the vocabularies of so many other languages that we have dozens of ways to say basically everything. Whereas in Spanish, I’m stuck saying “Los tacos son sabrosos” or, maybe and incorrectly, “Los tacos son buenos.” In English, I could say that the tacos are delicious, tasty, appetizing, delectable, enticing, piquant, savory, tempting, or yummy. In fact, most other languages don’t have anything like a thesaurus. They don’t need one.
This quirk of English makes it hard for us to really grasp why the Lord Jesus is hesitant to be called “good.” In Greek, the word is ἀγαθὲ (agathe) and it has to do with moral perfection. You can’t say that a taco is “good” in Greek. Goodness is an attribute of moral perfection. And so when Jesus replies to the young man who has called Him “good teacher,” Jesus isn’t trying to be pedantic or humble-brag about His teaching skills. Rather, Jesus is re-claiming the deeper meaning of goodness.
In ancient Hebrew culture, Rabbis considered themselves morally superior to the rabble of the uneducated poor. Their ability to read the law made them feel nearer to God and thus they thought themselves “good” because of their knowledge. That’s why this young man knelt before Jesus and buttered Him up with praise. In response, Jesus challenges the idea that being a Rabbi made Him morally good.
Further, Jesus challenges the idea that knowing the law is enough to be morally good or be saved... Rather than simply observing the law, Jesus tells the rich young man that he would need to be willing to give up his wealth.
And so neither knowledge nor courtesy makes one good. Goodness is found in God and comes from God by participation. The closer we are to God, the better we are. This is why Adam and Eve and everything made before the Original Sin was “good.” It was near to God. Sin, by damaging that nearness, makes us bad. And confession, by repairing our nearness to God restores goodness. Of course, prayer and spiritual exercises are also a necessary part of “being good.”
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
October 13 was the feast day of St. Edward the Confessor from the mid 1500s until 1965. And for most of that time for most people, it was just another day on the calendar. The Mass of St. Edward was also known as the Missa Os Justi.
But two events, each of profound and possibly related spiritual consequence took place which make October 13 a day worth knowing about.
First, in 1884, Pope Leo XIII was offering his morning Mass, the Missa Os Justi, in his private chapel in the papal apartments. After Holy Communion, the Pope was deeply in prayer for a long time… I mean a long time… When he finally stirred, the attendants at Mass were confused. The Pope hurried through the last prayers of the Mass and rushed to his private office. He emerged several hours later wide eyed and holding two prayers, both addressed to St. Michael the Archangel. Only later did the Holy Father share with a few select people the mystical experience that he had during Mass… In that experience, he had a vision of Jesus and Satan in grave conversation. The short version is that the devil claimed that he could destroy the Church entirely if he was given a century of free reign. The vision so upset the Pope that he commanded every Mass to conclude with the prayers we say after Mass here at St. Edward: three Hail Marys, the Hail Holy Queen and the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel which Pope Leo composed for that purpose.
Thirty-Three years later - to the day - across Europe in a backwater village that makes Newelton look cosmopolitan, three Children were praying the Rosary in a field during a torrential rainstorm. Some 75-90,000 people came from all around to witness a promised miracle. Even the Communist newspapers were there. At noon, the rain suddenly stopped and the sun seemed to dance around the sky for about 12 minutes. It seemed that the sun was going to fall out of the sky and destroy the whole world… It was the largest and most corroborated public miracle since the Parting of the Red Sea about 3,200 years earlier…
Now, I don’t know if either of these events had anything to do with our venerable patron St. Edward or not… But the timing of these events and their connection with hugely important appearances of Our Lady at Lourdes, La Salette, Garabandal, Knock, Rue de Bac, and elsewhere seems to confirm that nothing Our Lord does is accidental.
As such, I think we have every reason to feel privileged to have a patron so connected with the single most important spiritual event of the last thousand years. Don’t buy into the hype - there’s nothing that even comes close… No council, no saint, no religious order, nothing even comes close to the importance and significance of Our Lady at Fatima…
Whether we’re a parishioner here at St. Edward or you’re just reading these words, I heartily recommend raising a prayer to St. Edward that he might aid us in our devotion to Our Lady and to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Edgar Lancaster (death)/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of A E (Bubba) Jumonville (birth)/family
- Wed 9:00a In memory of deceased members of the Johnson and Roy families/family
- Thurs 9:00a In memory of Kathleen Mills/Massey Legacy Senior Care Center
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Howington and Bolton families/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Philip and Nettie Scurria/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 Blanche and Prentiss Wilks
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/12 5:30p | None Scheduled | M Rome | M Ernst |
| 10/13 9:30a | Maura & Thomas Meyers | D Hamilton | - |
| 10/19 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | N Ernst |
| 10/20 9:30a | MaryKatherine & Courtland | Youth | - |
| 10/26 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | A Keene |
| 10/27 9:30a | Cooper & Maura | A Oliver | - |
Stewardship In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks the rich young man to give away all that he has in order to have treasure in heaven. But, he is unable to free himself from his possessions, and so he goes sadly away. Does what I own keep me from following Jesus?
SECOND COLLECTION this weekend (Oct 13) for Catholic Charities. See notes elsewhere in the bulletin
Next weekend (Oct 20) World Mission Sunday
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| September Budget | $ 10,555 |
| September Income | $ 15,822 |
| September Expenses | $ 10,384 |
| October Budget | $ 8,444 |
| October 6 Collection | $ 1,848 |
| October Income To Date | $ 1,848 |
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
Oct 12/13 Feast day of St Edward the Confessor
Oct 12 Potluck Supper following Saturday Mass… all are invited to participate in the Feast Day celebrations
Oct 16 Pastoral Council meeting - 6 p.m. - Parish Hall
Oct 18 Quarterly Healing Mass - 5:30 p.m.
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
PASTORAL COUNCIL... will hold its regular meeting on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2024 at 6:00 p.m in the Church Hall. Appointed members of the Council are: Kathleen Ellerbee, Norman Ernst, Jamie Howington, Mike Rome, Jason Trichell and Shannon Wood.. 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.
HEALING MASS… Every few months, our usual Friday evening Daily Mass is offered especially for the sick parishioners of our parish and Father will offer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for those of advanced age or those suffering serious health conditions. This quarter’s Healing Masses will be offered on October 18.
EMPOWERING GOD’S CHILDREN… parish volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and go online regularly at www.virtus.org for the latest training bulletins. Any questions or issues can be reported to the office. Printed resources are available on the table at the entrance to the Church. “Protecting our Children, Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse” includes Resources and Contact Numbers for reporting abuse. “Protecting God’s Children, Teaching Touching Safety Quick Reference Guide” The Diocesan Policy for the Protection of Minors and The Diocesan Code of Pastoral Conduct for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers, Administrators, Staff, and Volunteers are available in the Safe Environment section of the diocesan website at DioceseAlex.org or a copy may be requested from the Safe Environment Office (318) 445-2401.
PLEDGE TO HEAL...If you or a family member has been abused or victimized by a representative of the Catholic church or a member of the clergy, please believe in the possibility for hope and help and healing. Dr. Lee Kneipp, Clinical Psychologist, Victim Assistance Coordinator, Diocese of Alexandria encourages those persons to come forward and speak out. Dr. Kneipp is establishing support groups in the central Louisiana area for victims and family members. The focus of these groups is to further emotional and spiritual healing as an adjunct to therapy, in an atmosphere of others who understand the pain, betrayal, and fear associated with abuse. Dr. Kneipp can be reached at 318-542-9805. All calls are confidential.
SPECIAL COLLECTION… October 13…. this weekend, we will take up a collection for Catholic Charities of Central Louisiana. Catholic Charities of Central Louisiana has helped hundreds of people in need by providing Mental Health Services, Disaster Response, and Basic Needs Assistance. Their efforts have impacted hundreds of individuals and families across the four deaneries of the diocese. Interns and volunteers give their time and talent; however, this work requires funds to address the physical needs of residents. The Sunday, Oct. 13, second collection is for Catholic Charities; thank you for blessing them with the means to bring the corporal works of mercy to our communities.
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Sidney Johnson (Oct 13), Kenny Smith (Oct 14), William Marsh (Oct 16), Kathleen Oliver Kelley (Oct 17), Charlotte McKay Marsh (Oct 18)
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, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Mike & Sue Rome, Jason Trichell
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), 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), Randy Parker, 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... through Christ our Lord. Amen
