Our

Lad

y of G

race

Rom

an C

atho

lic C

hurc

h

PARISH STAFF P Rev. Fr. Christopher Chike Amadi, S.S.J. P A A Mrs. Martha S. Creecy (985) 536-2613 Ms. Valencia Dunn (985) 536-2613 ****************************************** P P C Mrs. Charlotte Hooker (504) 559-4573 P F C Mr. Edward Phillips (985) 536-2613 D R E Mrs. Myrtle Lucas (985) 536-2028 D Y M (CYO) Mrs. Tracy Watson (504) 296-7852 E M H C Mrs. Vanessa Noble (504) 220-7674 P W Mrs. Precious A. Joseph (985) 536-3115

RCIA CLASSES Any adult interested in joining the Catholic Faith or knowing more about the Catholic Religion should contact the parish Office to sign up for RCIA faith classes. ******************************************Announcements for the bulletin can be brought to the parish office, faxed or sent via email to olgchurch@arch-no.org The deadline to submit announcements to be placed in the bulletin is on Mondays by 12 noon.

MASS SCHEDULE TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

VIGIL MASSES

Saturday 4:00 PM Sunday 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM

WEEKDAY MASSES

Monday NO MASS Tuesday 6:00 PM Wednesday 5:00 PM Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 6:00 PM Sick of the Parish Thursday 8:30 AM Special Intentions Friday 8:30 AM Parish Mass Saturday 8:00 AM (1ST SATURDAY ONLY)

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Begins 1 Hour before each Mass and ends 15 minutes before Mass or by appointment anytime.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Parents and god-parents preparation is held on the 3rd Sunday of each month after the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Baptism will take place on the 4th Sunday of each month. Baptismal registration takes place ONLY at the Parish Office prior to baptism preparation class.

MARRIAGES Please notify the Priest at least six months prior to planning the wedding.

PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK Please call the rectory if someone is sick or hospitalized.

FUNERALS Please call the rectory before making arrangements with the Funeral Director.

780 Hwy. 44 • P.O. Box 464 Reserve, Louisiana 70084

Rectory: 985-536-2613

Fax: 985-536-1819 Email: olgchurch@arch-no.org

_______________

Parish Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

________________

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT Our purpose, at Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church, is to provide a place of spiritual worship and growth for our members, our children, and all visitors. We wish to instill a spirit of prayer, integrity and generosity in each other, with a special concern for the poor, sick, elderly, disabled, the unborn and the weak. We especially encourage our parish members and organizat ions in their practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy with the poor and infirmed.

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2016 4:00 PM Joseph Bert Hall, Willi Hall, Cecile Ogretta Wilson-Hall, Melvin Charles Hall, Agnes Hall (L), Special Intentions, Laura Rainey, Maria Fenelle, Richard Dumas (L), Mary Ann Parquet, James Duhe, Sr. SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 8:00 AM St. Catherine Alumni Living/Deceased, Our Lady of Grace School, Clarence Berzat 11:00 AM Our Lady of Grace Parishioners & Families, Kantrell Collins TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 6:00 PM Sick & Shut-In Parishioners WEDNESDAY SEPEMBER 7, 2016 5:00 PM HOLY HOUR 6:00PM More Vocations to the Josephites THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 8:30 AM Our Lady of Grace Parishioners FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 8:30 AM Special Intentions

Agnes Hall, Joshua J. Morgan, Allen Wheeler, Joseph Dupas, Olga Leblanc, Alethea Bardell, Anita Perrilloux, Carolyn Cole, Kenisha Anderson, Leroy Houston, Joann Gray, Christine Gagnier, Victoria Dominique, Margie Collins, Lucille Adams, Brianna Nicholas, Paul Vampran, Hilton Francois, Michael Lipps, Ernest Morgan Jr., Catherine Twine Simon, Trellious Wilkes, Craig Watson, Michelle Marcadel, Cornel Jones, Montrelle Dennis, Romond Taylor, Shirley Johnson, Devon Walker, Rosalee Sylvas, Rosemary Pidgeon, Donald Lipps, Donna C. Jackson, Sandra Simoneaux, Elizabeth Hebert, Sr. John Mary Jackson, Tierney Smith, Torriel Charde Smith, Karen Duhe-Wilson, James Jackson, Travis Thomas, Ceola Gerard, Albert French, Gary Sylve, Arthur D. Parquet, Felton Parquet, Lorita Savoie, Shelia P. Melancon, Gloria Ferrygood, Lois Clement, Chandra Johnson, Lindsay Marts, Dianne Sylve Lewis, John Sylve, Sr., Sharon Parquet, Jeniffer Sylve Banks, Cynthia Lawrence, Hilton Farlough, Monique Joseph, Theresa Fleming, Beverly Harris, Wilbert Lumar, Sr., Ruby Porter, Johnny Henry, Jr., Lois Gray, Ann Means, Susan Montufar, Barbara Rainey, Carol Lennix, Deborah Nelson, Paul Perrilloux, Sr., Daisy Roussel

St. Paul must have understood today’s Gospel very well. Like Jesus, he knew what being a disciple would cost. It landed him in prison. Yet he seems to have no regrets; he accepts that imprisonment as part of his discipleship. Also like Jesus, he is not afraid to ask others to take that discipleship seriously. And he is not ashamed to ask a favor: Would Philemon accept his runaway slave, Onesimus, back into his home? Not just as a slave, but as a member of his family. He shamelessly calls himself a prisoner for Christ five times in the short letter (three times in our reading). If that didn’t tug Philemon’s heartstrings, Paul also calls himself an old man. In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship. Paul takes that a step further; he reminds us to accept that cost freely. He could have ordered his friend to free the slave. Paul was an apostle, a leader in the early church. Instead of giving an order, he called on Philemon to respond freely to his request. Perhaps we can learn from that example. Like Paul, when Jesus commands us to love one another, he leaves us free to accept that challenge. Remember, he always says, “Love one another, as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Jesus was never compelled to cure anyone or forgive their sins. No one ordered him to feed the hungry with loaves and fishes or raise Lazarus from the dead. Yet how often do we go to church because we were told we have to? Do we volunteer for the picnic only because the pastor twists our arm? Or do we love Jesus so much that we volunteer to help without being asked? Do we love Jesus enough to invite others to follow him? We can live life just doing what we have to. Or when Jesus offers us a new motive—love for God because God loves us—we can choose to follow him freely. In John’s Gospel, there is no Agony in the Garden. He shows us that Jesus chose to obey his Father and willingly took up the cross. Let us ask the Spirit to fill us with the freedom to love.

SCRIPTURE VERSE: Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.— Psalm 90:14

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS (SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 TO SEPTEMBER 10, 2016)

Sunday: Wis 9:13-18b; Ps 90:3-6, 12-17; Phlm 9-10, 12-17; Lk 14:25-33 Monday: 1 Cor 5:1-8; Ps 5:5-7, 12; Lk 6:6-11, or, for Labor Day, any readings from the Mass “For the Blessings of Human Labor,” nos. 907-911 Tuesday: 1 Cor 6:1-11; Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b; Lk 6:12-19 Wednesday: 1 Cor 7:25-31; Ps 45:11-12, 14-17; Lk 6:20-26 Thursday: Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30; Ps 13:6; Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 [18-23] Friday: 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27; Ps 84:3-6, 12; Lk 6:39-42 Saturday: 1 Cor 10:14-22; Ps 116:12-13, 17-18; Lk 6:43-49

OUR LADY OF GRACE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH RESERVE, LA

SANCTUARY LIGHT IN THE CHURCH The Sanctuary Light will be lit for: Deceased Adams Family Members Requested By: The Adams Family

From: September 1, 2016 to September 30, 2016

SANCTUARY LIGHT IN THE CHAPEL The Sanctuary Light will be lit for:

Requested By: From:

BIBLE STUDY: Tuesday’s at 6:30 PM in the former rectory. All are invited and welcome to attend.

AUGUST 27-28, 2016 REGULAR COLLECTION $ 5102.00 CLARION HERALD $ 282.00 TOTAL $ 5384.00

15TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY MASS & PICNIC OCTOBER 2, 2016

The 15th Annual Community Mass & Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 10:00 AM. Please note that there will be no 8:00 AM or 11:00 AM Mass on that day. However, the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass will take place on Saturday. This year’s theme is “With the Lord there is Mercy and Fullness of Redemption.” Psalm 130:7 T-Shirt orders are now being taken and forms are available in the foyer of the church. Order forms are due by September 11, 2016. Donations are also being accepted. Please see the donation list on the bulletin board in the foyer of the church. Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation can pick up an envelope from the information rack in the foyer of the church. The next planning meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 6:30 PM. Everyone is invited to attend the meeting. Please see the flyer on the bulletin board in the foyer of the church for additional information.

ALTAR SERVER MEETING/PRACTICE There will be a altar server meeting/practice on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 10:30 AM. Everyone must be in attendance at the meeting/practice. Anyone who is interested in becoming an altar server should also attend this meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Tracy Watson at 504-296-7852.

PARISH CCD/RELIGION CLASS CCD registration and the first class for the 2016-2017 session will begin on Monday, September 12, 2016 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM for grades kindergarten through high school. The registration fee is $20.00 per student. After October 3, 2016, the registration fee will be $30.00. Returning CCD confirmation students must also register for CCD class. CCD applications will be available in the foyer of the church. Please contact the DRE, Myrtle Lucas at 985-536-2028 or the parish office at 985-536-2613 if you have any questions.

THE PARISH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY.

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT OUR LADY OF GRACE ROMAN CATHOLIC

CHURCH FISCAL YEAR

JULY 1, 2015 TO JUNE 30, 2016 Total Revenue $ 462,572.08 Total Expenditures $ 422,721.29 Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash $ 39,850.79 Previous Checking Account Balance $ 90,081.64 (As of July 1, 2015) Current Checking Account Balance $ 129,932.43 (As of June 30, 2016) PLEASE NOTE: Our last year’s Archdiocesan tax(parish share) was $6553.08 monthly. Therefore, we paid $78,636.96 for the fiscal year July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. This year our Archdiocesan tax (parish share) is going to be $6890.17 monthly. Thus, we will pay a total of $82,682.04 for the fiscal year July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017. Of this amount, $10,269.00 is for flood insurance for our entire properties. I have also requested for an exception for some consideration for a reduction from our parish share. Hopefully, if this is granted, we may experience a slight change. Thank you for your continued support to our church and its ministries. May God continue to bless you through Christ our Lord. Amen. —- Rev. Christopher C. Amadi, SSJ

PRAYER FOR PROTECTION AGAINST STORMS AND HURRICANES

Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during this Hurricane season from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.