The 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
“Some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.”
If God is all-good, all-powerful, and all-loving, then why, oh why, is the world a mess? Why is there evil? Why do bad people even exist? Well, a large part of the answer to that question is found in this little innocuous sentence from Today’s Gospel. The seed, which ultimately represents the grace of the Holy Spirit, is perfect and unlimited. But the soil, which represents our willingness to receive the Holy Spirit, is very much limited. We are limited by our intellectual capacity to understand the world as it is. We are limited by our selfishness. We are limited by our animalistic needs for life, emotional support, etc. We are limited by all sorts of things. And so the Holy Spirit is offering us all the good things of this life and the next at every moment! We can be happy! We can be free of the concerns of our circumstances! We can love and be loved all the time! But we choose to hold grudges or to over-prioritize our emotional comfort or our bodily ease. We choose not to pray or fast or love our neighbor because we believe - falsely - that we find more happiness in doing this or that for ourselves.
We see this all the time in our own lives. How many of us have chuckled at the kid who refuses to go to bed and eventually nods off and falls off the couch? Just go to bed! How many of us decide to have one more drink or to eat something that we know is going to give us indigestion and then regret it later? How often do we speed on the highway just to get home two minutes quicker? All of us can look back on our lives and cringe at choices that we made in our past and acknowledge that our motivations were just plain stupid. All of us can look back at opportunities that we missed because we weren’t paying adequate attention.
That’s a lot of why Christianity begins with repentance. We have to acknowledge that our failures - even the non-malicious ones - are our failures. Even nowadays where we have to be honest that the Church and the Clergy have not been shining examples of the saving love of Jesus, we have to acknowledge also that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. If we were sinless, then we would find even in the horror of suffering, that Jesus and His saving Cross were there. And that’s what we do find when we let the Holy Spirit in.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
This week, on Wednesday (and not Tuesday), the Pastoral Council will meet to discuss the needs, concerns, and direction of our parish. The big topic on the agenda this month is Youth Ministry and Religious Education. We’ll also approve the budget for the parish, the tentative calendar of events, and discuss a few future projects.
The members of the Pastoral Council are Mary Katheryn Book, Kendra Collins, Darryl Ellerbee, Norman Ernst, Jamie Howington, Michael Lancaster, Jason Trichel, Cathy VandeVieren, and Shannon Wood.
Pastoral Councils have existed in the US for a long time, going back almost to the War Between the States. When the Bishops met for Vatican II in the 1960s, much of Europe was in disarray following the two World Wars and the idea of lay leadership was seen as a way to re-normalize religious life. As such, Vatican II called for Church Law to require Pastoral Councils at the diocesan level and, according to the Bishop’s discretion, at the parish level. As with so much of Vatican II, that instruction from the council was jumbled up by the people who implemented the Council, and the law now demands Pastoral Councils in every parish, but not in the diocese. C’est la vie!
Honestly I love Pastoral Councils. I’ve always been a fan of lay leadership in the parish and I’ve always tried to make sure that a few of the folks on my councils disagree with me on some things. I want conflict! I want people to speak up. I want to be told that some decision I’ve made didn’t go as expected. Why? Because I’m a very flawed human being and I know I am making mistakes.
I want to be the best priest and pastor I can be and so I want to be corrected. If my sermons are bad, I want to know! Thanks to those who have reminded me that I have a habit of speaking too quickly when I preach!!
I also know that I’m not from the ArkLaMiss. I was born in CenLa and the culture there is very different. There’s a lot that makes this part of Louisiana special and I need help engaging that. I need help knowing what works and what doesn’t. I need help to know what topics need to be in my sermons and what teachings need to be in my talks. I need help to know what major financial decisions to make and what is going to benefit us liturgically. The Pastoral Council is meant to be that help.
Here at St Edward, at various times, the Pastoral Council has also been an executive committee which handled some day to day operations of the parish. Some priests like that. Really, it’s not the purpose of the Council and most parishes don’t benefit from being run by committee. Thankfully, everyone here at St Edward has been nothing but helpful since day one because we all genuinely want what’s best for the parish and the people. That’s an immeasurable blessing!
If you have any input for me or for the parish council, please don’t hesitate to speak up! If you’d like to attend the meetings, you are more than welcome! If you’d prefer to contribute something anonymously, that’s fine too. No topic is off-limits and no concern is too small. That’s half the blessing of a small Church - each and every voice has its place and is important!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Patrick Thomas/family
- Sun 9:00a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon No Mass
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Mary Agnes Gilfoil York/P Gilfoil
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Mary Ernst/Gustafson
- Thu 9:00a Rosa and Gus Gremshell and May DiTomasso
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Jim Jumonville/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Jackson Jumonville/family
- 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
ALTAR FLOWERS this week are offered in memory of Jack Ellerbee
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Date | Servers | Lectors | EMHCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/15 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard | Mike Rome |
| 7/16 9:00a | Kathleen and Evelyn | Youth | None Scheduled |
| 7/22 5:30p | None Scheduled | A Farlow | MaryAnn Gilfoil |
| 7/23 9:00a | Chandler and Annie | S Marsh | None Scheduled |
| 7/29 5:30p | None Scheduled | MA Gilfoil | Cathy VandeVieren |
| 7/30 9:00a | MaryKatherine and Courtland | A Oliver | None Scheduled |
Upcoming Events
Confessions every Friday & Saturday from 5p until Mass and on Sunday from 9a until Mass
July 19 Pastoral Council Meeting – Parish Hall – 6 p.m.
- July 27 Thursday Daily Mass moves from the Church to Legacy Nursing & Rehab Center
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, JULY 19, 2023 at 6:00 p.m in the Church Hall. Members of the Council include MaryKathryn Book, Kendra Collins, Norman Ernst, Jamie Howington, 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.
MASS AT LEGACY NURSING (AKA Olive Branch)... Beginning Thursday, July 27, we will once again be offering a weekly Mass for the local community and the residents of the Legacy Nursing & Rehab Center on Crothers drive. When COVID hit in March 2020, most American “Nursing Homes,” that’s not the right term but we’ll just go with it, went on high alert. In the past three years, Legacy has been very strict in their effort to protect their patients. Even in the past year, Fr Ryan wasn’t allowed to visit on several occasions. This month, though, Legacy has finally lifted their remaining restrictions and has invited us to begin offering a weekly Mass in the chapel. On Thursday, July 13, we had Mass there just to see if everything would still work out smoothly. Thankfully, everything went very well and so beginning on Thursday, July 27, we will not have a Thursday morning Mass in the Church, but we will have Mass at 9am at LNH (32 Crothers Drive, Tallulah). Please note - IF YOU ARE ILL, Legacy asks that you don’t risk spreading infection by coming into the facility.
Stewardship May our stewardship of time, talent, and treasure show us to be among those who have heard the message of Christ and taken it in, yielding a hundred- or sixty- or thirty fold!
Second collection today is for the Solidarity Fund for the church in Africa.
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2022-23 | $ 2,111 |
| June Budget | $ 8,444 |
| June Income | $ 14,015 |
| June Expenses | $ 14,718 |
| July Budget | $ 10,555 |
| July 8-9 Collection | $ 1,463 |
| July Income To Date | $ 3,951 |
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Luke Aucoin (July 15), Sue Rome (July 16), Caroline Marsh (July 19), Kendra Collins (July 21), Preston Collins (July 22)
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, Bill Kennedy, Hannah Wood McCarty, Ed Mills, Terry and Susie Murphy, 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), Ruthie Coenen (Wilks), Jami Cook (Wilks), Bobbe and Gene Cox, Marla Evans Cummings, Susan Ward Daigle (Gilfoil & Keene), Don Deweese, 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), Josh and Kim Wallace (Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Cindy Mathieu (Wilks), Boyce Miller, John Neill, Caryn Oliver, Wayne Pitre (Gilfoil), Levi and Kristin Reagan and their infant twins, Mary Anne and Adam Todd (Gilfoil/Ginn), Janie Saxon (Lancaster), Bailey, Scott and Tiffney Rome, Dianne W. Roper (Murphy),Tuleta Sasser (Wilks), the families of Stewart Scurria and Brad Terrel,Tommy Trichell, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Joe Yerger,
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Callie Ezell, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Chris Hall (USMC), Nick Hall, Bruen Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Emmy Lu Marsh, Blake Sullivan, Carter Sullivan, Walker Sullivan, Marsh Wood
