The 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of it.
Many modern Christians accidentally create a kind of idol of the mind. They think the posture of the body doesn’t matter. They think that supernatural beings like angels and demons don’t have any real effect on the world. They don’t believe that relics or Holy Water or sacred gestures or even sacred words mean anything. And they tend to read this story from the book of Exodus as the superstitious silliness shared by all ancient peoples. In fact, they tend to judge the story as an outright lie or deception. The battle, they say, wasn’t affected by Moses’ arms at all. That’s just a metaphor or a superstitious misunderstanding.
That’s a dangerous attitude. Certainly plenty of Catholic exorcists would be all too happy to set those folks straight. It turns out that kneeling does matter. Gestures do have real spiritual power. So do sacred words. There are real, supernatural realities all around us. They are affected by all sorts of things.
Many of the spiritual masters of the last 100 years have made special note of the danger of losing sight of the superanturality of our Faith. Our Church isn’t just a moral system with a series of rituals to satisfy some psychological need. Neither is our Faith a private intellectual worldview that helps us find meaning around us. Our Faith is the worship of God who really exists. We worship Him with prescribed rituals, words, and gestures which have real, actual effect upon the world around us. We are, at all times, surrounded by near-infinte supernatural but invisible beings who have real effect upon our lives.
And before we dismiss that as meaningless or silly, realize that the most cutting-edge science on the planet is the effort to define the “Higgs Field” which is an invisible but infinite aspect of nature which was previously unknown but which functionally defines reality at every point in space… The idea of a supernatural reality which is beyond our comprehension but is also real and everywhere isn’t superstition, it’s cutting-edge science. We don’t know as much as we think we do…
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 deeply 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 deep 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 Crowville 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 3200 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 cause 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. Big things are happening and while 100 years might seem slow to us - for the Holy Spirit, there’s no limit!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Lee Rome/LeBeaux - Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased | embers of our Parish | - Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of deceased members of Regan, Adams, and Weimer families/family
- Wed 9:00a In memory of May DiTomasso
- Thurs 9:00a In memory of Rosa Gremshell
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Lillie “MaMe” Jumonville (birth anniversary on 25th)/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Curley Mills/Mills-Thompson
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
ALTAR CANDLES this week are burning for the special intentions of Margo Corulla
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/15 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard |
| 10/16 9:00a | Cooper & Maura | Youth: Henry & Kathleen |
| 10/22 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow |
| 10/23 9:00a | Kathleen and Evelyn | J Howington |
| 10/29 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil |
| 10/30 9:00a | Henry, MaryKatherine, & Maura | M Lancaster |
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
October 15/16 Celebration of Feast of St Edward the Confessor - Potluck Supper in Hall on Saturday following 5:30 Mass
- October 22 America Needs the Rosary in St Joseph at 10 a.m. (see notes below)
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.
FR RYAN’S RECOMMENDATION AT FORMED.ORG... If you haven’t had a chance to watch The Chosen (https://watch.formed.org/the-chosen) yet, don’t wait another second!!! It’s amazing! Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at http://signup.formed.org
WE HAVE A NEW WEBSITE!! St. Edward has a new Website at http://www.SaintEdwardTallulah.church You can find the bulletin there (and subscribe to our emails). In the coming months, Fr Ryan will be putting videos of talks and presentations up there as well as links to info at FORMED.ORG.
FEAST OF ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR… is October 13 and our faith family will celebrate the Feast at the Masses on October 15 & 16. Following the Saturday 5:30 p.m. Mass, there will be an informal, casual potluck supper (soup, salad, sandwiches). All are invited to be a part of the event in the Church Hall!
AMERICA NEEDS THE ROSARY …. St Joseph Catholic Church in St Joseph will host a rosary and faith procession on October 22. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and the procession will begin at 10 a.m. from the Church. A procession with the statue of Our Lady of Fatima will go from the church to the downtown St. Joseph Amphitheater. All are invited to participate.
ANGEL TREE RECIPIENTS….Do you know of a family who needs help with Christmas gifts and food items for their children? Additionally, we will expand our program to include the elderly and special needs adults who may be in need. We are attempting to identify those persons by the end of October. If you know of need, please advise Father Ryan or the Church Office as soon as possible.
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
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2020-21 | $ 2,111 |
| September Budget | $ 8,444 |
| September Income (including Retired Priests Fund) | $ 20,892 |
| September Expenses | $ 9,966 |
| October Budget | $ 8,444 |
| October 8-9 Collection | $ 2,364 |
| October Income To Date | $ 3,889 |
Stewardship
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday William Marsh (Oct 16)
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, Leslye Ellerbee, Mary Ernst, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Kathleen Mills, Terry and Susie Murphy, 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), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Kathryn Wood Allsopp (D Wood), Jenna Faye Allen (Florence), Pam Amacker (Gilfoil), James Arceneaux (Book), Marie Farlow Bellard, Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Sarah Cannon (Gilfoil), Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Kevin and AnnaBeth Collins (Book), Diane Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Don Deweese, Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Ashley and Chuck Edwards (Keene), Joe Farlow, Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Monique Florence, Judy Fortenberry, April Franklin (Wilks), Thom Gilfoil, Charlotte Green, Carol Drawe Guidry (Gilfoil & Keene), Rita Hargrave, Arlice Evans Headley, Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), John and Carlyle Ashly Hoogland, Melissa Jennings (Gilfoil & Keene), Dee Jones (Keene), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Caryn Oliver, Sue Perrilloux (D Wood), Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Frances Robinson (Wilks), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy), Albert Thom (Rome), Meg Keene Thomas, Gabby Trejos (Wilks), LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Joe Yerger
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Bruen Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Emmy Lu Marsh, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Brice Wood, Marsh Wood
