29th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Thoughts from Fr. Ryan
Modern America is all about the loophole. Too many of us think about rules, laws and even morals in terms of loopholes. And the way in which our young people think about law and even the nature of truth is the natural fruit of that…
Rather than see rules and laws as a means to a good life, modern people tend to see them as obstacles to personal freedom.
Take Abortion. The rule is no. Are there some exceptional circumstances… there really are. Ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo implants outside the uterus. 99+% of ectopic pregnancies without medical intervention end in death of mother and child long before the child can viably survive outside the womb. But how many pregnancies are ectopic, fewer than 1%. So ectopic pregnancy really doesn’t figure into the moral question of abortion, but basically every pro-abortion argument which tries to be rational mentions ectopic pregnancy.
Take Euthanasia. The rule is no. Are there some exceptional circumstances?... maybe. But they are so rare - far less than 1% of terminal or severely chronic diagnoses - that they simply cannot really figure into the general moral rule. And yet… every argument about Euthanasia tends to mention these super-rare edge-cases.
Take Contraception. The rule is no. Again, there are some exceptional circumstances, but those who want their way will use them to find a loophole.
The problem with loophole thinking is that it’s not about truth, it’s about manipulating truth and then demanding that other people simply accept my lies.
Jesus in the Gospel, “knows their malice.”
Loophold thinking gives way to the question of what do I absolutely have to do - the bare minimum - to get into heaven? Or worse - what do I have to do to silence my conscience. And that kind of thinking leads us away from our humanity and away from the Gospel and toward selfishness and ultimately, personal delusion…
It’s not an accident that Jesus asks them to show Him something real - a coin. Then He shatters the delusion and tells them to give the image, the reproduction, the picture, the illusion of Caesar back to Caesar and to give that which is real to God.
We live in a world of virtuality where we can say anything we want and see anything we want whenever we want. AI allows us to watch a video of ourselves fulfilling any fantasy we have. We don’t even need AI to watch videos of basically anything we want to see - good or evil - on youtube, tiktok or elsewhere.
More and more we find ourselves alienated from the Truth. The news is all too happy to lie outright. Politicians and our aristocracy (celebs and influencers) do the same… Did anyone see Kelly Clarkson’s nonsense? How many politicians just this week have been confronted with video proving that they are liars and not even had the common courtesy to blush.
In a world where truth and the rule of law is flouted, rules of society and accountability are easier and easier to set aside. The illusion is easier and easier to fall into… And while that’s destructive to this world - Cæsar’s world, it’s damning - literally - to our souls.
The truth hasn’t changed. It hasn’t gone anywhere. And in the end, it’s all there is. When the phone runs out of battery and whatever the drug of choice is goes away - there’s only God and us forever…
And so we have to be conscious and deliberate in rejecting loophole-thinking. We have to recognize that the truth and the Divine Law are not there to limit our real freedom, but to channel, organize, focus, and direct it.
The great Scottish-American Theologian Alastair McInteryre describes the difference between real freedom as Christians understand it and unbridled liberty as the world understands it as the distinction between “freedom for” and “freedom from.” He says that Christians seek freedom FOR some good purpose whereas the world is only interested in freedom FROM any limitation. He illustrates this by thinking about art. He says a master spends years practicing and learning and studying to be able to create a masterpiece. His work creates a freedom for excellence. The amateur is free from the effort but cannot do anything with that freedom.
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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Oct 18 Living Rosary for our children and adults
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Oct 21 Pastoral Council meeting - 6pm in the Parish Hall
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Oct 25 Altar Server Training, optional, following Sunday Morning Catechism
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Nov 1 Parade of Saints following Sunday Mass in the Parish Hall.
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Nov 1 Blessing of Graves for All Soul’s Day following the Parade of Saints - Silver Cross cemetery first followed by Memorial Park
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Nov 15 Altar Server Training, optional, following Sunday Morning Catechism
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.
THE LIVING ROSARY will take the place of Sunday Morning Catechism on Sunday, October 18. Many thanks to Louise Magoun who has prepared the script and coached the children. All little ones are welcome to participate. As each Hail Mary is prayed, one of our little ones will take the “bead” from the the large rosary and present it to Our Lady. All are encouraged to join us!
PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING will be held on Wednesday, October 21 at 6p in the Church Hall. Members of the Council are: Margo Corulla, Kathleen Ellerbee, Norman Ernst, Christi McEacharn, Elizabeth Naya, Mike Rome. Trustees are Michael Lancaster and Cathy VanderVieren. Finance 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.
ALTAR SEVER TRAINING will be available on two Sundays (Oct 25 & Nov 15). Both sessions will last about 25 mins and are optional. Students who have never served should plan to attend one of them. Students who have never attended a training should plan to attend one of them. Other students are welcome to attend for a refresher… If a student is interested in serving, but not sure, they are welcome to come as well and see what it’s like.
THE PARADE OF SAINTS will take place on Sunday, November 1 in place of Sunday Morning Catechism. All children are encouraged to dress up as a saint and to memorize a sentence or two about that saint to tell Father when he introduces them in the hall during Coffee and Donuts. Afterward, all are encouraged to drive down to the old cemetery (appx 3 mins) for the blessing of the graves for All Souls’ Day. Both of these activities will provide parents an excellent opportunity to talk with their kids about earthly life, eternal life, and the reality of earthly death. All are encouraged to attend!
Mass Intentions for the Coming Week
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Vicki Morelli (birth anni)/family
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a In memory of Terry Murphy (birth anni)/family
- Mon NO MASS
- Tue 9:00a In memory of Dan Fordice/Scott
- Wed 9:00a In memory of Bryan Stamey/family
- Thu 9:00a (Legacy Nursing Center) For a special birthday of Andrew Magoun
- Fri 5:30p In memory of Donald and Payton Trichell/family
- Sat 5:30p In memory of Lillie “MaMe” Jumonville/family
- Sun 8:00a (Traditional Latin Mass) PRO POPULO for the living & deceased members of our parish
- Sun 9:30a In memory of Deceased members of the Roy and Johnson families
Altar Candles this week are burning for the special intentions of the Wilks Family
Assistants at Holy Mass
| Acolytes | Lector | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/17 | 5:30p | - | M Rome |
| 10/18 | 9:30a | Thomas Meyers & Maura | Youth-Jammal |
| 10/24 | 5:30p | - | P Wilks |
| 10/25 | 9:30a | Cooper & Courtland | A Oliver |
Our Return to the Lord
| Weekly Budget FY 2025-2026 | $ 2,500 |
|---|---|
| Sept Budget | $ 10,000 |
| Sept Collections | $ 20,253 |
| Sept Expenses | $ 12,270 |
| October Budget | $ 10,000 |
| October 11 collection | $ 2,119 |
| October to Date | $ 6,059 |
STEWARDSHIP Each year at tax time, we conscientiously give “to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” Does my stewardship indicate that I am as faithful about giving “to God what belongs to God”
Community Celebrations
Happy Birthday to Charlotte Marsh (Oct 18), Ziti Harris (Oct 18), Johnny Jammal (Oct 22), and Dr. Ndubueze Okonkwo (Oct 23)
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, Brian Johnson, 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), Carl Bryant (Wilks), 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), Lil Lancaster, 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), Christopher Weems & Patrina & Bruce Weems, 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.