Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: June 11, 2017
Congratulations are in order for Kayla Filostrat, Joey Moffett, and Joseph Patrick, our parishioners who received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Robert Muench this past weekend at our 12 noon Pentecost Sunday Mass. 96 other people from around the entire Diocese of Baton Rouge were also confirmed. It was a lovely ceremony, but even more wonderful is the inner transformation which the Holy Spirit can work within the cooperative souls of those who welcome Him!
If you’re reading this issue of The Carpenter before this Saturday, June 10, remember that seven “permanent deacons” will be ordained for our diocese at a special 10 am Mass: Stephen Brunet and Kirk Duplantis of Denham Springs; Byrd Corbett and Tim Messenger of Ponchatoula; George Hooper and Minos Ponville of Baton Rouge; and Gary Mooney of St. Gabriel. You’re welcome to come to the ordination, but even if you can’t, please offer prayers for them as their ministry begins! (And throw in an extra prayer or two for Gary Mooney (and his wife Sue). He’ll be helping out a little as Deacon Assistant here in our Parish effective July 1! We’ll be introducing them here and at our weekend Masses soon!
Finally, wasn’t it wonderful to see our own parishioner, Deacon Tim Grimes, up in the sanctuary this past weekend? He assisted and preached at the first two Masses – and barely looked nervous doing it! – and then helped Bishop Muench and Deacon Joe Scimeca at the other two Masses. After all of that he did admit that he now had a new appreciation as to why clergy look forward so much to their “Holy Nap of Obligation” each Sunday afternoon!!
Our Knights of Columbus Council No. 13632 thinks that its Barbecue Chicken Dinners on Sunday makes this weekend special! Well, they’re right, of course. But honestly I have to insist that it is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity that gets top billing. In many ways it can be called “the Feast of God Himself,” because in focusing on the Trinity we focus upon Divinity itself. While we also can consider what they do for us – after all, God the Father is our creator, God the Son is our redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit is our sanctifier – it is important to remember that the Trinity does not need us.
No, within the mystery of God is a wholeness and a completeness of love and of wisdom and of perfection that is completely independent of any created reality. While the vastness and complexity of His universe is certainly something to be proud of, God the Father rejoices in it but does not depend on it. While God the Son wished to save us from our sins by a complete offering of His life on the cross, it was a freely-chosen act of love, not something He had to do. While God the Holy Spirit can work mighty and even miraculous works, He is content merely as the divine bond between Father and Son. In one sense the Trinity gives us a joyful example of “simply being ourselves” no matter what else goes on around us: the “right thing” is not so much something we do but who we are. God knows it; we should too!
Sincerely in the Lord,
Fr. Paul
