The 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Sep 8

From The Font

If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die," and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

There is a phenomenon in human nature called the bystander effect in which we become more averse to helping people as the size of the crowd increases. Most of us would be helpful in a situation like that of the Good Samaritan - we see someone in need and we’d dial 911 or help as we can. But if we’re in a crowd, we just assume that someone else will help. It’s so much of a problem, that the first protocol for non-professional first responders is now to choose one individual from the group and instruct that person directly to call 911. Just shouting “call 911” won’t work!

The same effect happens with our Faith which is strongly communal. We, as Catholics, tend to expect that because we’re part of one highly organized Church, someone else will take care

of what needs to be taken care of... If there’s a spiritual thing, the priests (or nuns or bishops) will take care of it. If there’s a building thing, the local parish volunteers will handle it. If there’s a social justice thing, Catholic Charities will handle it.

But the Church’s actual teaching is that every Christian is obliged to offer the Spiritual Works of Mercy as the need and opportunity arises. The Spiritual Works of Mercy are tough because they tend to require not just time or energy or money, but they require us to put ourselves “out there” for others... It’s relatively easy to give to the poor or visit the sick. It’s harder to offer the Spiritual Works of Mercy which are:

To instruct the ignorant
To counsel the doubtful
To admonish sinners
To bear wrongs patiently
To forgive offenses willingly
To comfort the afflicted
To pray for the living and the dead

Come Holy Spirit and help us to show the mercy we, ourselves, need so much!

Thoughts from Fr. Ryan

Each month of the year has a traditional devotion attached to it. Usually, that’s because the month contains an important feast day. St. Joseph’s Day is March 19 so March is for St. Joseph. The general list is:

January - The Holy Name of Jesus
February - The Holy Family
March - St Joseph
April - The Holy Eucharist (Holy Thursday)
May - The Blessed Virgin Mary (the Visitation of the BVM and Fatima)
June - The Sacred Heart of Jesus
July - The Precious Blood of Jesus
Aug - The Immaculate Heart of Mary (the Assumption)
September - The Sorrows of the BVM
October - The Holy Rosary
November - The Holy Souls in Purgatory
December - The Immaculate Conception

These can change a bit from place to place as specific communities may emphasize different feast days (such as that of a patron saint) or because of a cultural event. The Saint Joseph Altar, for example, is a BIG DEAL in New Orleans and among Catholic communities in the Gulf South... Devotion to St Patrick is far more significant in the very Catholic Irish communities of New England. And even St Joseph can be overshadowed at times by Holy Week or a crisis event like COVID.

Even though each year and each place is different, we all know the value of associating a specific time of year with certain thoughts, feelings, and activities. In the US, we are entering “holiday season.” Pumpkin Spice everything is being placed on grocery shelves as I write this. Halloween Decorations are imminent. And even though we’re still in the sweaty part of football season, all the associated feelings, memories, and anticipations are already brewing in us. Soon the holiday music and the family plans will begin to crystalize and we’ll be in holiday mode. It’s part of our human nature to associate different times with specific “modes” of being. When the holidays end, we’ll have a precious month of neutral feelings before Mardi Gras will be upon us. Then will come Lent, Easter, End of School, Summer, Back to School, and over and over again.

We do the same thing week to week with that Friday feeling, that Monday feeling, that Hump Day feeling...

By associating whole months with representative feast days, the Church invites us to a stable pattern of spiritual growth and awareness. This month of September is associated with the Exaltation of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows. It’s a time to be aware of our struggles - mental, physical, financial, familial, etc - and to offer them to the Lord with trust. By looking at Our Lady who stood beneath the Cross, we come to realize that God understands human suffering deeply and that He chose to die the way He did in order to transform suffering into something redemptive, useful, and sanctifying! When we offer our trials to Him, we ask Him to do the same and to make our struggles work to our benefit.

It’s not something we necessarily want to think about every day, that’s why we have next month.

Mass Intentions for the Coming Week

Sat 5:30p In memory of Pat Bullard, Patrick Thomas, and Eva and R.L. Reynolds/Bullard
Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
Mon No Mass
Tue No Mass
Wed No Mass
Thu 9:00a (Legacy Nursing & Rehab) In memory of R. L. Reynolds (death anni)/Bullard
Fri 5:30p In memory of Mary Agnes G. York/P Gilfoil
Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton Trichell/family
Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living Deceased Members of our Parish

ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Blanche and Skeeter Wilks

Assistants at Holy Mass

Date	Servers	Lectors	EMHCs
9/9 5:30p	None Scheduled	A Farlow	M A Gilfoil
9/10 9:30a	Kathleen and Evelyn	M Lancaster	None Scheduled
9/16 5:30p	None Scheduled	MA Gilfoil	A Keene
9/17 9:30a	Chandler and Annie	Youth	None Scheduled
9/23 5:30p	None Scheduled	M Rome	C VanderVieren
9/24 9:30a	MaryKatherine & Courtland	A Keene	None Scheduled

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
September 10 Sunday Catechism begins following the 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.

PILGRIMAGE!... Fr Ryan is leading a Pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome in Italy in September of 2024. More information is available at HolyTravels.org/FrHumphriesItaly . Please pass the word around!

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

VICKSBURG CATHOLIC MOMS GROUP….. our friends in Vicksburg have invited anyone who might be interested to join the group on Sunday, September 10 from 2-4 p.m. in St Paul’s Glynn Hall for a planning meeting for prayer, fellowship, and refreshments. Contact Brittany McFall or vicksburgcatholicmomsgroup@gmail.com.

Stewardship Am I my brother’s keeper? All three readings today suggest that for the Christian steward, the answer is YES.

SECOND COLLECTION this weekend is for Catholic University of America.

Our Return to the Lord


Weekly Budget FY 2022-23	$ 2,111
August Budget	$ 8,444
August income	$ 9,372
August Expenses	$ 12,273
September Budget	$ 8,444
September 3 Collection	$ 1,045
September Income To Date	$ 1,045

Let us Rejoice in the Lord!

Happy Birthday Lori Sullivan (Sept 11), Dan Copes (Sept 12), Gabriel Paz (Sept 15, 2014), Ann Claire Fordice (Sept 15)

Happy Anniversary Sally and Bobby Reynolds (Sept 9)

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; 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, Leslye Ellerbee, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret and Pat Gilfoil, Terry Farlow Hall, C.W. and Alyce Keene, Bill Kennedy, Hannah Wood McCarty, Ed Mills, Terry and Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Sue & Mike Rome

Those under full-time care: Frances Kennedy, Carol Dunning, Keith Capdepon

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), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Tommy Bickham (C Copes), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Fran Castile (Keene),the family of Michael Collins, Jr. (Nadeau), Jeannie and Donald Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Bobbe and Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Don Deweese, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), Charlotte Green, Rita Hargrave, Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Dee Jones (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Cindy Mathieu (Wilks), Boyce Miller, John Neill, Caryn Oliver, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), George and Ann Shepherd, Debbie Kedrick Sims, Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Mary Claire Warner and her parents , MaryBeth and Steve

Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Bruen Johnson, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Emmy Lu Marsh, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Marsh Wood

PRAYERS FOR OUR FARMERS! O God, Source and Giver of all things, Who manifests Your infinite majesty, power and goodness in the earth about us, we giveYou honor and glory. For the sun and rain, for the manifold fruits of our fields,for the increase of our herds and flocks we thank You. For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace, we are grateful. Supreme Lord of the harvest, graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil, in union with Christ Your Son, as atonement for our sins, for the growth of Your Church, for peace and charity in our homes, for salvation to all. Amen.

Fr. Ryan Humphries