27th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Wednesday is the Feast day of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, AKA Our Lady of Victory. It celebrates a naval battle in 1571 in the Bay of Lepanto between Greece and Turkey. The battle was a last ditch effort. For 500 years, Christian forces had been fighting back against Muslim invasions in what we call Europe... The Christians had burned up all their resources fighting this war. A last ditch effort led by John of Austria was put together to prevent a new Muslim invasion into Greece. (The modern Muslim invasion is not an innovation, it’s living proof that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it…)
The Christians were significantly outnumbered and the natural wind patterns gave the huge Muslim fleet the natural advantage. John of Austria brought everything he could, even the Pope. The battle started badly for us. Around midday, the Pope saw an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the clouds and he promised to establish a feast day if the Muslims were repelled. Well, the wind shifted unexpectedly and the Muslim fleet was cast into massive disarray. The Muslims lost most of the ships and enough wealth and supplies that they were unable to launch any of their planned ground attacks into Europe in the following years. Basically, today celebrates the end of the Muslim efforts to conquer Europe. And so it’s celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory or the Feast of Lady of the Holy Rosary.
And it’s providential that it coincides with our Gospel for today because there’s significant overlap between them. In the Gospel, Jesus describes servants who think that they’ve got it all figured out. They think they’ve got the upper hand. But Jesus chides them and says that they’re ability to recognize reality is warped. He sums it up by saying that the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone - put another way, these professional builders misjudged the quality of the stone to their detriment. Put yet another way, the Jewish leadership didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
In our world, too, there are plenty of us - Christians, Catholics, Clergy included - who have lost the ability to recognize Jesus. It’s easy enough to find examples of Christians, Catholics, and clergy who think that they’re clever, but they can’t seem to find Jesus.
In their defense, the modern world is LOUSY with people and things pretending to be Jesus or Jesus-like.
And it can be legitimately difficult to sort out truth from fiction. Which brings us back to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary. Mary is like a COMPASS which always POINTS TO JESUS. The Rosary is THE MOST IMPORTANT PRAYER - other than the sacraments - that we have! If you’re struggling with doubts, pray the Rosary! If you’re not sure what to believe, pray the Rosary! If you’re concerned about the leadership in our Church, pray the Rosary! If you’re stuck in a habitual sin, dealing with an illness, depressed, anxious, unsure, WHATEVER, pray the Rosary!
Mary is not part of our faith by accident. She hasn’t been appearing in Europe for the past 200 years randomly. Her purpose is to POINT TO JESUS. It can seem COUNTERINTUITIVE, but it’s no accident that bad clergy never talk about Mary. It’s no accident that goofball priests and wacko theologians hate mention of Fatima and Lourdes and Garabandal. It’s no accident that the disasters within the Church are always associated with distance from Mary and the Rosary.
While she was alive, the Apostles always deferred to her. They went to visit her as much as they went to visit Peter. Our Lady is a profoundly important part of our Faith. I’d go so far as to say that it’s not really possible to be a good Catholic without devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
So if you’re already a saint, then you do you. Otherwise, on this feast day of our Lady, don’t trust yourself to identify the cornerstone from the counterfeit. Trust that Mary ALWAYS POINT TO JESUS! Pray the Rosary and ask Mary to show you to Jesus!
Upcoming Events
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Confessions every Fri & Sat ~5p until Mass and Sunday ~9a until Mass
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Sunday Morning Catechism (with Coffee & Donuts) after the 9:30a Mass unless otherwise indicated
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October 3-4 First Sunday Benediction at the conclusion of weekend Masses
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October 10-11 Feast of St Edward the Confessor (Oct 13) celebrated
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October 10 Saturday evening Potluck Social following Mass
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October 16 Quarterly Mass with Anointing of the Sick
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October 18 Living Rosary for our children and adults
For Your Information:
ROSARY GROUP meets on Monday at 5:30p for prayer and supper. Everyone is welcome. Contact Louise Magoun (318-341-2403), coordinator for more information.
FORMED.ORG has weekly features at https://watch.formed.org/this-week-on-formed. Remember to sign in using our parish’s zip code (71282) at https://signup.formed.org
MAUSOLEUM construction is expected to begin in the next two months. If you have any questions or you know of anyone else interested in making a purchase, please encourage them to call the church office for additional information.
FIRST SUNDAY BENEDICTION for the weekend of October 3-4 will conclude Masses as part of our larger program of Eucharistic Devotion.
OUR PARISH PATRONAL FEAST DAY will be celebrated at weekend Masses on October 10-11. St Edward’s feast day is October 13, but the Church allows us to replace the readings and prayers of a nearby Sunday if that Sunday is in Ordinary Time. Further, our Patronal Feast Day is a Solemnity for members of our parish which means you are morally obliged to celebrate!! Plan your steak, cake, or stinky cheese purchases accordingly.
EMPOWERING GOD’S CHILDREN Parish volunteers must be VIRTUS trained and go online regularly at 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.
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Jackson Jumonville (death anni)/family
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a For healing for Patricia Guiteriz/family
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Mary Agnes York & Gail Graugnard/P Gilfoil
- Wed 9:00a In memory of John “Skeezix” Jumonville ((death anni)/family
- Thu 9:00a (Legacy Nursing Center) In memory of Bryan Stamey/family
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Becky, Beverly, and Edgar Lancaster/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of deceased members of the Larpentier and Rome families
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a In memory of Edgar Lancaster (death anni)/family
Altar Candles this week are burning in memory of Becky, Beverly, and Edgar Lancaster
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Acolytes | Lector | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/3 | 5:30p | - | Farlow-VanderVieren |
| 10/4 | 9:30a | Finley & Ashlyn | M Lancaster |
| 10/10 | 5:30p | - | MA Gilfoil |
| 10/11 | 9:30a | Kathleen & Evelyn | S Marsh |
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2025-2026 | $ 2,500 |
|---|---|
| August Budget | $ 12,500 |
| August Collections | $ 19,350 |
| August Expenses | $ 13,598 |
| September Budget | $ 10,000 |
| September 27 Collection | $ 1,490 |
| September to Date | $ 10,139 |
STEWARDSHIP In the Gospel today, the owner of the vineyard sent messengers to collect his share of the harvest from the tenant farmers; but, there was not a single good steward on the property. God is the owner, we are the tenants. What sort of stewards are we?
SECOND COLLECTION this weekend supports our Building Fund.
Community Celebrations
Happy Birthday to Sharyn Marsh (Oct 8), Marsh Wood (Oct 11), Sidney Johnson (Oct 13)
Happy Anniversary to Sharyn and William Marsh (Oct 5)
In Our Daily Prayers…
For our Pope, Leo XIV, 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, Chris, Susan, and David Cagnolatti, Connie & Dan Copes, Elizabeth Crothers, Leslye Ellerbee, Ann Claire Fordice and her children, Susan & Johnny Gilfoil, Margaret & Pat Gilfoil,Terry Farlow Hall, Timmy Harris, Sylvester and Isabell Hernandez, Sidney & Mary Jane Johnson, Frances & Bill Kennedy, Ed Mills, Susie Murphy, Bobby Reynolds, Phillip and Peggy Scurria, Sug Regan, Mike & Sue Rome, Lori Sullivan, Mary Trichell
Our friends and relatives who need our prayers: Ashley Alexander (Regan), Graham Allen (S Gilfoil), Marie Farlow Bellard, Martha Book, Kay Boolos (S Gilfoil), Chris Breard (Gilfoil), Gayle Brown (Dukes and Oliver), Albert Christman, Jeannie & Donald Collins, Jami Cook (Wilks), Gene Cox, Carol Dipert (Rome), Mac Donaldson (Ellerbee), Mike Farlow, Patty Farlow, Judy Fortenberry, Donna Fulton (Ellerbee), Fred and Cathy Fulton, Morgan, Alex, and Palmer Gilfoil, Thom Gilfoil, Wyly Gilfoil (Gilfoil), LaVonne Givens, Charlotte Green, family of Wade Hargrave, Ricky Hendrix (Howington), Evie Hilburn (Lancaster), Charles Howington, Will Irby (P Gilfoil), Diane Johnson, Andrew and Chelsea Keene-Lewis, Kerry and Todd LaBiche(M Gilfoil), Carla Leese (S Gilfoil), LaLa Lopez (Hernandez), Caroline Marcello (Watts), Mona Martin (MA Gilfoil), Jessica McCoy (Reynolds), Michelle McGuire(Gilfoil), Kiely McKellar (S Gilfoil), Boyce Miller, Mike Morelli, Randy Parker, Betty Petersen, David Peterson, Quintin Purvis, John Neill, Curt and Brianne Rome, Bailey, Scott, and Tiffney Rome, Debbie Kedrick Sims, LeeAnn Rome Tranchina (Rome), Randy Watts, Jr.
Our collegiates: Aidan Collins, Preston Collins, Henry Ellerbee, Lilly Falgout, Jag Gilfoil, Matilda Johnson, Caroline Marsh, Charlize Richardson, Will Richardson, Chandler Wood
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.