The 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
From The Font
"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
One of the great modern misunderstandings (and there are many) is that the Lord owes us whatever we ask. Jesus certainly tells us in the Gospels to ask the Lord for whatever we want, but He specifies that we need Faith to receive it. Modern skeptics criticize this last bit as a loophole and point to goofy Christians who try to convince themselves that God has answered their prayers even if He hasn’t... As much as I like the song “Unanswered Prayers,” poor Garth Brooks is making the claim that by not keeping him together with his old girlfriend, God is, in fact, answering his prayer in a roundabout way (even if he then left that better wife for someone else).
The underlying principle Jesus establishes is what we call “docility.” Basically, we are told to bring to the Lord all the needs, desires, wants, intentions, hopes, etc that we have. (We’re also told to bring all the frustrations, sins, anxieties, etc along with the good stuff.) And having brought all of this to the Lord, we’re told by Jesus to entrust ourselves to the Lord and to do our best to listen to His direction in the quiet of our hearts. We’re told to trust that God’s plan is what’s best for us (in this way, Garth got it right!) and for everyone else.
Considered from this point of view, there’s nothing wrong with me wishing to be rich or beautiful or smart or well-liked. Considered from this point of view, there’s nothing wrong with me asking God for the health and recovery of a friend or the end of a war or even the sudden departure of a troublesome officemate.
The right Christian attitude is to trust in the Lord. That shouldn’t prevent us from asking the Lord for whatever we desire, so long as we retain the proper attitude in doing so. It’s not selfish to ask the Lord for good things for ourselves. It’s not humble to think as if God doesn’t want to hear from me. (That idea is a mishmash of the modern American Protestant “Gospel of Prosperity” and the 18th century heresy of Jansenism.) In fact, God wants us to come to Him with the same trust, honesty, and vulnerability that we would bring to our most intimate relationships. This is what it means to ask for something in Faith.
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Halloween, All Saints and All Souls… It’s a great little trilogy of days.
Halloween is about confronting our natural fear of death. All Saints is about confirming our Christian Hope that even I can be saved and spend eternity with the Lord in Heaven if I give it my all. And All Souls brings the other two together by embracing one of the most important components of Christian Hope: Purgatory.
In our predominantly Protestant area, Purgatory is more of an accusation or a criticism than an expression of God’s mercy… But that mostly comes from a lack of understanding.
Purgatory arises from two contrary Biblical ideas. One the one hand, NONE but the pure of Heart shall see God… From God covering the eyes of Moses way back in the Book of Exodus through to the Sermon on the Mount, it’s clear that Heavenly communion is for the perfect. BUT… St. Paul is clear that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. Jesus, Himself, asks if any are good. And so there’s a heck of a chasm there. If we’re all sinners and only the perfect can exist in Heaven, then what? Well, the short answer is that EVERYONE goes to Hell. Right?!? If Jesus is right that only the pure shall see God and He then questions whether any are really good on this Earth… Then all of us, every single one, are going to Hell. BUT, Jesus tells the “good” thief, who isn’t all that good, that he will be in paradise “today.” In short, we’ve got a lot of very mixed messages. And even if we trim a few of the more confusing ones, we still have the core problem of Heaven requiring perfection.
A purgatory, like its English cognate a “purge,” is about purification. For us as Catholics, we assume some process of purification by which those who ardently desire to spend eternity with the Lord and who have lived lives which make that possible are fully and completely purified. That’s it. It’s not so controversial. Purgatory isn’t an alternative to Heaven or Hell. It’s not an eternal place. It’s a process.
Now, many saints and mystics have had much to say about it and that may or may not be helpful to consider if you’re interested in understanding Purgatory. But the basics are completely sufficient for most of us: Purgatory is a gift - a manifestation of God’s mercy. And without it, most of us would be damned to Hell.
I, for one, LOVE celebrating all three of these days. I love to watch a good scary movie on Halloween because I want to face my fears. Then, I want to think about all those people who loved Our Lord in this life without special fanfare or dramatic accomplishment. I guarantee they don’t care that their names aren’t part of our liturgical calendar! They’re in Heaven with the Lord and that’s more than enough for them. And then, I want to celebrate All Souls by blessing the cemetery and praying for those who I love who have died. Just as I hope those who love me will pray for me when I die.
All this talk of death can seem a bit heavy, but I think once a year, we can handle a few days of heavy thoughts!!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Philip and Nettie Scurria/family
- Sun 9:30a Pro Populo for the Living & Deceased Members of our Parish
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a For a special intention of the Magoun family
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Gail Gilfoil Graugnard/Nettles family
- Thurs 9:00a In memory of Lillie “MaMe” Jumonville/family Legacy Senior Care Center
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky Lancaster/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Payton and Donald Trichell/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/19 5:30p | None Scheduled | C VanderVieren | A Keene |
| 10/20 9:30a | MaryKatherine & Courtland | Youth-Michael M | - |
| 10/26 5:30p | None Scheduled | P Wilks | A Keene |
| 10/27 9:30a | Cooper & Maura & Michael M | A Oliver | - |
| 11/2 5:30p | None Scheduled | L Bullard | L Magoun |
| 11/3 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | B Sullivan | - |
Stewardship All discipleship involves mission. The Bishops’ pastoral letter on stewardship reminds us, “Every member of the Church is called to evangelize, and the practice of authentic Christian stewardship inevitably leads to evangelization.”
SECOND COLLECTION this weekend (Oct 20) for 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 13 Collection | $ 2,022 |
| October Income To Date | $ 3,870 |
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
Oct 23 Rescheduled Pastoral Council Meeting … 6 p.m. Parish Hall
Oct 31 Vigil of All Saints (Holy Day of Obligation) … Mass at 5:30 p.m.
Nov 1 All Saints Day (Holy Day of Obligation) … Mass at 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Nov 24 Fourth Quarter Social … Potluck Brunch….following 9:30 Mass
For Your Information:
Our MAUSOLEUM project is now underway. We are in the pre-sales phase where those who are interested in any way are asked to give us your name and mailing address so that the company can judge if there is sufficient interest to complete the project and so that they can send preliminary information. (Signing up is not an obligation to buy.) If you would like to sign up, you can do so at any Mass or by contacting us via email at the address listed on the inside page of the bulletin. Thanks!
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
FOURTH QUARTER SOCIAL…..NOVEMBER 24, 2024….in the Church Hall following 9:30 a.m. Mass.All are encouraged to put this date on your calendar and plan to attend. Fourth Quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) Social Committee responsible for setting up, decorations (if desired), and clean up consists of Skeeter and Blanche Wilks, and Louise Magoun chair, Leslye Ellerbee, Susan and Johnny Gilfoil, Sherry Lynn and Timmy Harris, Michael Lancaster, Billy and Ginny Marsh, William and Sharyn Marsh, Hannah McCartney, Sug Regan, Skipper and Christy Guizerix
Let us Rejoice in the Lord!
Happy Birthday Tori Kivett (Oct 25), Mariza Paz (Oct 26), Elizabeth Naya (Oct 28)
Happy Anniversary Courtney and Billy Nadeau (Oct 24)
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), Fred and Cathy Fulton, 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
