MS Catholic 01 16 2026

JANUARY 16, 2026

mississippicatholic.com

Christians must resist allure of power, serve humanity, pope says at end of Holy Year

BY CAROL GLATZ

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The powerful and violent cannot control, suppress or commodify God’s grace, friendship and will to usher in a new dawn, Pope Leo XIV said.

“Around us, a distorted economy tries to profit from everything. We see how the marketplace can turn human yearnings of seeking, traveling and beginning again into a mere business,” he said, celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany, and officially closing the celebration of the Holy Year dedicated to hope.

“Let us ask ourselves: has the Jubilee taught us to flee from this type of efficiency that reduces everything to a product and human beings to consumers?” he asked. “After this year, will we be better able to recognize a pilgrim in the visitor, a seeker in the stranger, a neighbor in the foreigner and fellow travelers in those who are different?”

Before the Mass, the pope, cardinals and bishops present in Rome, Pope Leo XIV closes the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 6, 2026, at gathered in the atrium of the basilica the Vatican, marking the official end of the Jubilee Year. (CNS photo/Vatiand gave thanks to God for the gifts can Media)

received during the Holy Year. Dozens of the world’s cardinals were in Rome to attend the pope’s first extraordinary consistory Jan. 7-8, to pray, support and advise the pope on the life and mission of the church.

Pope Leo went to the threshold of the Holy Door and pulled each side shut. The door will be sealed until the next Holy Year, which is likely to be 2033, the 2000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

While the last of the Holy Doors in the city was closing, “the gate” of God’s mercy will never be shut, Pope Leo said before shutting the door. God “will always sustain the weary, raise up those who have fallen” and offer “good things” to those who place their trust in him.

In his homily, Pope Leo compared the millions of men and women who came to Rome on pilgrimage to modern-day Magi, “who left palace and temple behind” in search of a new “king,” which they found in the baby Jesus in a humble grotto in Bethlehem.

“Yes, the Magi still exist today.

– Continued on page 6 –

New Orleans archbishop apologizes to abuse survivors as settlement takes effect

BY GINA CHRISTIAN

(OSV News) – Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans has issued a formal apology to abuse survivors in that archdiocese, following last month’s court approval of a $230 million settlement in the fiveyear-long bankruptcy case.

“With this letter, I

express on behalf of the clergy, religious, and laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, my predecessors, and myself, profound regret over the tragic and inexcusable harm you have suffered at the hands of your abusers,” said Archbishop Aymond in a widely distributed Dec. 26 letter addressed “to all child abuse claimants” in the archdiocese.

The seventh amended plan for the archdiocese’s Chapter 11 filing – dating to 2020, and prompted by some 500 abuse claims – was approved by Judge Meredith S. Grabill on Dec. 8.

The archdiocese advised the court on Dec. 29 that “all conditions” required for the plan’s taking ef-

INSIDE THIS WEEK

fect had been satisfied as of Dec. 26.

Archbishop Aymond’s apology letter was posted to the archdiocesan website and that of the Clarion Herald, the archdiocesan newspaper, the print edition of which will also include the message. Bayou Catholic, the official paper of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, will include the text in its upcoming February edition.

In a Jan. 3 press release, the Archdiocese of New Orleans announced that Archbishop Aymond’s letter, posted to the archdiocesan website, would also be printed in full “throughout the upcoming days and

– Continued on page 6 –

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CSA 2026 Kick-off See the impact your gift to the Catholic Service Appeal

From the archives 8 Woodward continues tales from the Diocesan archives

Youth 11 Photos of youth activities from around the diocese

JANUARY 16, 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC

2 PARISH SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

DIOCESE – Engaged Encounter 2026 dates, Feb. 27-March 1; May 1-3; Aug. 28-30; Oct. 2-4. Details: couples may register at https://jacksondiocese.flocknote.com/signup/230073 or email debbie.tubertini@jacksondiocese.org.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Saturday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Jackson. Theme is “Beholding the Dream” with speaker Dr. William Jemison. Details: email amelia. breton@jacksondiocese.org.

HERNANDO – Holy Spirit, Millions of Monicas – Praying with confidence for our children, each Monday from 5-6 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers and grandmothers as we pray for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: church office (662) 429-7851.

JACKSON METRO AREA – Theology on Tap, Feb. 3 with speaker, Ann Cook; March 3 with speaker, Mary Woodward. Meet at Blaylock Photography, 117 N. Wheatley, Ridgeland at 7 p.m. Details: amelia. rizor@jacksondiocese.org OXFORD – Diocesan Campus Ministry Winter Retreat “Radical Grace: Living the Gospel Upside Down,” Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church. Cost: $20 – Registration deadine is Jan. 23. Come and be renewed!

Details: amelia.rizor@jacksondiocese.org.

OXFORD – St. John the Evangelist, “Beloved Sons” Men’s Conference, Saturday, Feb. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m in the parish hall. Event features Joe Heschmeyer, speaker for Catholic Answers and host of the Shameless Popery podcast; and Dr. Mario Sacaca, marriage counselor and host of the Always Hope podcast. Tickets $50. Details: register at https://stjohnolemiss.flocknote.com/signup/238790.

St. John the Evangelist, “Beloved Daughters” Women’s Conference, opening potluck on Feb. 6 from 6-8 p.m. and conference on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Event features Catholic speaker, Devanie Cooper. Cost: $35 and includes light breakfast after Mass and a catered lunch. Details: register at https://stjohnolemiss.flocknote.com/signup/238779.

PILGRIMAGE – Travel to Italy with Father Jose de Jesus Sanchez of St. Joseph Greenville, Feb. 16-25, 2026. See the Vatican, Assisi and more. Details: visit catholicjourneys.com/tour/shrines-of-italy-pilgrimage.

PARISH & YOUTH EVENTS

CLINTON – Holy Savior, Annual Garage Sale, Saturday, Jan. 31 from 7 a.m. to noon. Details: church office (601) 924-6344.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul, “Back to 80’s” $10,000 Drawdown, Saturday, Jan. 31 in the Family Life Cen-

ter. Cost: $150/admits two. Details: https://bit.ly/StPaul80sDrawdown2026.

GREENWOOD – St. Francis, Mardi Gras Ball, Saturday, Feb. 14 from 7-11 p.m. at the Andrew McQueen Civic Center. Cost: $45/person. Details: (662) 453-0623.

JACKSON – Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court #199, Annual Mardi Gras Ball, Feb. 7 at Fondren Hall from 7-11 p.m. Cost: $40/person. Attire: “after five.” Details: Christ the King church office (601) 948-8867.

JACKSON – St. Richard, Krewe de Cardinal Mardi Gras Ball, Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Westin Jackson.

Details: visit https://bit.ly/4pGfEAc for more info.

MADISON – St. Joseph School, Annual Draw Down, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Reunion Country Club. Details: school office (601) 898-4800.

MADISON – St. Francis, Mexican Fiesta Parish Dinner, Wednesday, Jan. 21 starting at 5:15 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Youth will serve your choice of a nacho bar or hotdog and chips, plus dessert and drink. Cost: $7/person or $25 per family. Proceeds benefit the Saltillo Mission. Details: church office (601) 856-5556.

NATCHEZ – Basilica of St. Mary, Rectory Open House, Saturday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. Wear your best purple, gold and green to celebrate Mardi Gras! Details: church office (601) 445-5616.

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MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 16, 2026

let there be light 3

Pope urges people to protect, cultivate even smallest signs of peace, hope Editor’s note: Bishop Joseph Kopacz serves on the International Justice and Peace committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He and others will be traveling to the Holy Land this month. Please pray for peace in our world and take a moment to read the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s message for World Day of Peace at https://bit.ly/49piqTt.

BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The “confrontational” tone dominating both global and national politics is “deepening instability and unpredictability day by day,” Pope Leo XIV wrote in his message for World Peace Day. “It is no coincidence that repeated calls to increase military spending, and the choices that follow, are presented by many government leaders as a justified response to external threats,” he wrote in the message for the Jan. 1 observance.

But peace must be protected and culPope Leo XIV appears tivated, Pope Leo said. “Even when it is at the central loggia endangered within us and around us, of St. Peter’s Basilica like a small flame threatened by a storm, following his election we must protect it.”

Throughout the coming year, Pope as pope May 8, 2025.

(CNS photo/Lola Go- Leo will give visiting heads of state signed copies of his message, which was mez) released by the Vatican Dec. 18, and Vatican ambassadors will distribute it to government leaders in the countries where they serve.

(Read the entirety of Pope Leo XIV’s message for World Day of Peace at https://bit.ly/49piqTt)

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz announces the Closing Ceremony for the Diocesan Phase of Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman, FSPA, will be held on Monday, Feb. 9, at 12 p.m. in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle.

Bishop Kopacz along with other bishops and clergy from the Province of Mobile will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving.

Following Mass, the Closing Session will begin in the Cathedral with the Postulator from Rome and the Cause Tribunal sealing the boxes containing the acts (documents and findings) of the diocesan phase exploring the life and virtues of Sr. Thea. These boxes will be shipped to the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington for transfer to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican. All are invited.

Volume 72 Number 3 (ISSN 1529-1693)

PRESS DATE: JAN. 9, 2026

P.O. Box 2130 Jackson, MS 39225-2130 Phone: 601-969-3581 E-mail: editor@jacksondiocese.org Publisher ............................................................................................. Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz Communications Director ........................................................................ Joanna Puddister King Production Manager .................................................................................................... Tereza Ma MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC is an official publication of the Diocese of Jackson, 601-969-1880, 237 E. Amite St., Jackson, MS 39201. Mississippi Catholic mails 12 editions per year.

For address changes, corrections or to join the email list for the digital edition, email: editor@ jacksondiocese.org. Subscription rate: $20 a year in Mississippi, $21 out-of-state. Periodical postage at Jackson, MS 39201 and additional entry offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mississippi Catholic, P.O. Box 2130, Jackson, MS 39225-2130.

Website: www.mississippicatholic.com  www.jacksondiocese.org

BISHOP’S SCHEDULE Sunday, January 25, 10:30 a.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, St. Richard Church, Jackson

Wednesday, January 28, 1 p.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, Sister Thea Bowman School, Jackson

Monday, January 26, 8 a.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, Cathedral School, Natchez

Thursday, January 29, 8:15 a.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, Vicksburg Catholic Schools

Tuesday, January 27, 9:15 a.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, St. Anthony School, Madison Wednesday, January 28, 8:15 a.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, St. Joseph School, Madison; and 1 p.m.

Friday, January 30, 9:30 a.m. – Catholic Schools Week Mass, St. Joseph School, Greenville All events are subject to change.

Check with parishes, schools or organizations for further details.

JANUARY 16, 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC

4 VOCATIONs CALLED BY NAME Each January the seminarians and Bishop gather for an Epiphany Party to celebrate the birth of the Savior. This has been a fun tradition that began when I ran out of time one year to get everyone together before Christmas. It ended up working out well because Epiphany falls after all the busyness of the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s, and the seminarians are still on break. I am grateful to my assistant in the Vocations Office, Debra Padula, who has been the ‘party Father Nick Adam planner’ in the Vocations Office for many years now. Debbie has done a great job creating fun traditions that our guys look forward to each year.

She really goes for it with the Epiphany theme, helping us proclaim that Jesus is King while keeping everything to a very strict budget.

The best tradition, I think, are the crowns from Burger King that she has for all the guests. The crowns are specially decorated with the diocesan seal taped to the front. It’s a fun gag and it sets a great tone for the evening.

This is one of our core events that are held each year that help to foster fraternity among our men. I’m especially happy when I see them ‘coming early and staying late’ when we have events.

This means that they enjoy each others’ company and are forming bonds that will last beyond their years in seminary. In a diocese that is so spread out, it is important that we provide our seminarians with opportunities to build fraternity and actively show them how to do it. Our men do this on their own as well. Each spring a group of guys will head up to Starkville to see a Mississippi State baseball game and spend the weekend at St. Joseph Parish. They also go to concerts together in the New Orleans area while they are in school, and they are very intentional about a weekly meal together as di-

ocesan brothers.

Each summer we hold a convocation with all of our seminarians over a few days deep in the woods at a great deer camp that is donated to us by parishioners here in the diocese. These official events only work if our men understand the importance and the urgency of building bonds of friendship and trust with one another. I’m grateful to say that ‘they get it,’ and they are very intentional about this part of the their preparation for priesthood. I know it will serve them well when they enter into ministry, and they’ll be able to lean on one another for support and encouragement when the going gets tough!

(Father Nick Adam is Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jackson. He can be contacted at nick. adam@jacksondiocese.org.)

Wearing festive crowns, seminarians share laughter and gifts during the Diocese of Jackson’s annual Epiphany celebration with Bishop Joseph Kopacz, a tradition that emphasizes fraternity and joy following the Christmas season. (Photo courtesy of Father Nick Adam)

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is back in 2026 with a patriotic twist

By Maria Wiering

(OSV News) – The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is back for 2026 with a special route that will travel the East Coast from St. Augustine, Florida, to Portland, Maine, ending in Philadelphia, organizers announced Jan. 8.

The pilgrimage – the third of its kind – will begin in May on Memorial Day weekend and end July 5. This year’s pilgrimage celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with the theme “One Nation Under God,” and its route incorporates key sites in the history of the country and its Catholics.

Organizers described the pilgrimage as “a nationwide call to renewal, unity and mission rooted in the Eucharist.”

In a Jan. 8 media release announcing the route, organizers noted that 2026 marked the 75th anniversary of the lobbying campaign, led by the Knights of Columbus, to add the phrase “One nation under God” to the nation’s Pledge of Allegiance.

“One Nation Under God is not a borrowed slogan; rather, it is an invitation to realign our lives, our communities, and our country under the sovereignty of Jesus Christ,” said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress, in the media release.

“Our hope is that Catholics will come together on this significant anniversary to give thanks for our country and to pray for our future,” said Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, who serves as chairman of the National Eucharistic Con-

gress, in the statement.

“We want all Catholics to be inspired with missionary zeal to bring revival through the light and love of Jesus Christ.”

The pilgrimage has been placed under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian-American immigrant and the first U.S. citizen to be canonized a saint. It will also take place in solidarity with the U.S. bishops’ call to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The pilgrimage will launch Memorial Day weekend with Mass at A graphic depicts the 2026 route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, Our Lady of La Leche which begins in St. Augustine, Fla., and ends in Philadelphia. (OSV News Shrine in St. Augustine, graphic/National Eucharistic Congress) the site of the first Mass in the Archdiocese of Washington and the Diocese of celebrated on American soil in 1565. It will also include commemorations of Arlington, Virginia; and stops in the Archdiocese of the Georgia Martyrs, five Franciscan missionaries Baltimore, the nation’s first Catholic diocese.

The pilgrimage will pass through most of the who were killed for their faith in 1597, whose path for beatification Pope Francis cleared in January original 13 colonies, with stops in 18 dioceses and 2025; the celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi archdioceses.

MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 16, 2026

Spirituality 5

Praying for Israel and Jerusalem IN EXILE

By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI

Christ is much larger than its historical manifestation in the Christian churches.

Kenneth Cragg, a Christian missionary, after living and ministering for years in the Muslim world, offered this comment: I believe it will take all the Christian churches to give full expression to the full Christ. To this, I would add, that it will not only take all the Christian churches to give full expression to the mystery of Christ, it will also take all people of sincere will, beyond all religious boundaries, and beyond all ethnicity, to give expression to the mystery of Christ.

When my pious Oblate brother who struggled to understand metaphor and symbol asked me why we were always praying for Jerusalem and Israel, and I replied that he might simply substitute the word Church and Christianity for those terms, my answer to him (taken literally) was itself over pious, simplistic, and a too-narrow understanding of the mystery of Christ. Those terms Church and Christianity, as we see in the progressive unfolding of revelation in scripture, must themselves be de-literalized.

For whom are we praying when we pray for Jerusalem or for Israel? We are praying for all sincere people, of all faiths, of all denominations, of all races, of all ages. They are the new Jerusalem and the new Israel.

I once lived in community for several years with an Oblate brother who was wonderfully generous and pious to a fault. But he struggled to pick up symbol and metaphor. He took things literally. For him, what the words said is what they meant!

This caused him considerable confusion and consternation when each day praying the psalms we would pray for Jerusalem and Israel and would occasionally pray for the demise of some other nation. Coming out of prayer, he would ask: “Why are we praying for Jerusalem? For Israel? What makes those places more special in God’s eyes than other cities and other countries? Why does God hate some countries (Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a professor of spirituality at Oblate School of and cities?”

Theology and award-winning author.)

We would try our best to have him understand that these names were not to be takThe Pope’s Corner en literally, as places on a map, but rather as symbols.

Wisely or unwisely, I would sometimes say, “Brother, whenever you read the word ‘Jerusalem’ or ‘Israel’, just take that to mean the ‘church’, and whenever a nation or a city is named that God seems to hate, take that to mean that God hates sin.”

We might smile at his piety and literalism, but I’m not sure we don’t all still struggle with our own litcoming year in this way: as an open journey to be

By Carol Glatz eralism in understanding what in fact the scriptures VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The world is not saved discovered.” mean by words like Jerusalem, Israel, Chosen people, “Indeed, through grace, we can venture forth by threatening violence or by judging, oppressing and God’s elect. Indeed, as Christians, what do we on this journey with confidence – free and bearers or getting rid of others, Pope Leo XIV said. mean with the words Christian, Church, and Body of “Rather, it is saved by tirelessly striving to un- of freedom, forgiven and bringers of forgiveness, Christ? derstand, forgive, liberate and welcome everyone, trusting in the closeness and goodness of the Lord For whom are we praying when we pray for Jeruwithout calculation and without fear,” the pope who accompanies us always,” he said. salem and Israel?

Overlooking St. Peter’s Square after Mass, Pope said during Mass on Jan. 1 in St. Peter’s Basilica What we see in scripture is a progressive de-literfor the feast of Mary, Mother of God, and World Leo urged Christians to help usher in “an era of alizing of names and places. Initially, Israel meant an peace and friendship among all peoples.”

Peace Day. historical nation, Jerusalem meant an historical city, “The Jubilee ... has taught us how to cultivate Therefore, at the beginning of a new year with the Chosen People meant a genetic race, and God’s “new and unique days that await us, let us ask hope for a new world. We do this by converting our elect was literally that nation, that city, and that gethe Lord to help us experience at every moment, hearts to God, so as to transform wrongs into fornetic race. But as revelation unfolds, these names and around us and upon us, the warmth of his fatherly giveness, pain into consolation, and resolutions of concepts become ever more symbolic. embrace and the light of his benevolent gaze,” he virtue into good works,” he said.

Most parts of Judaism understand these words The Son of God also illuminates “the consaid in his homily. symbolically, though some still understand these The Mass marked the 59th World Day of Peace sciences of people of goodwill, so that we can build words literally. For them, Jerusalem means the actucelebrated by the church. The pope’s message for the future as a welcoming home for every man and al city of Jerusalem, and Israel means an actual strip the world day, published in December, was dedicat- woman who comes into the world,” he said. of land in Palestine.

“The heart of Jesus, therefore, beats for every ed to the humble, “unarmed and disarming” peace Christians mirror that. Mainstream Christian man and woman; for those who are ready to welof the risen Christ who loves unconditionally. theology has from its very origins refused to identify Thousands of people were present in the basili- come him, like the shepherds, and for those who do those names and places in a way where (simplisticalca for the celebration on New Year’s Day, including not want him, like Herod,” he said. ly) Jerusalem means the Christian Church and Chris“His heart is not indifferent to those who have young people dressed as the three kings who visittians are the Chosen Race. However, as is the case ed Jesus. A figurine of the infant Jesus was before no heart for their neighbor: it beats for the righwith parts of Judaism, many Christians, while de-litthe altar, in keeping with the Christmas season of teous, so that they may persevere in their dedicaeralizing these words from their Jewish roots, now celebration, and an image of Our Lady of Hope tion, as well as for the unrighteous, so that they take them literally to refer to the historical Christian was to the side of the main altar as a sign of the may change their lives and find peace,” Pope Leo churches and to its explicitly confessing members. said.

Jubilee of hope, which will end Jan. 6.

Indeed, my answer to my Oblate brother (“Jerusalem In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on means the church, Israel means Christianity”) seems the mystery of Mary’s divine motherto suggest exactly that. hood, which “helped give a human face to However, the words Church and Christianity the source of all mercy and benevolence: themselves need to be de-literalized. The church is a the face of Jesus.” reality which is much wider and more inclusive than By being born of Mary in a grotto, its explicit, visible, baptized membership. Its visible, he said, “God presents himself to us ‘unhistorical aspect is real, is important, and is never to armed and disarming,’ as naked and debe denigrated; but (from Jesus through the history of fenseless as a newborn in a cradle.”

Christian dogma and theology) Christianity has al“He does this to teach us that the ways believed and taught clearly that the mystery of world is not saved by sharpening swords, Christ is both visible and invisible. Partly, we can see nor by judging, oppressing or eliminating it and partly we can’t. Partly it is visibly incarnated our brothers and sisters,” he said. Rathin history, and partly it is invisible. The mystery of er, the world is saved by seeking to underChrist is incarnate in history, but not all of it can be stand, forgive, free and welcome everyone seen. Some people are baptized visibly, and some peowith love. ple are baptized only in unseen ways.

“Thus, at the dawn of the new year, Moreover, this is not new, liberal theology. Jesus the liturgy reminds us that for each of us, Pope Leo XIV receives the offertory gifts from children himself taught that it is not necessarily those who every day can be the beginning of a new dressed as the Magi during Mass for the feast of Mary, say ‘Lord, Lord’ who are his true believers, but rather life, thanks to God’s generous love, his Mother of God, and World Peace Day in St. Peter’s Bait’s those who actually live out his teaching (however mercy and the response of our freedom,” silica at the Vatican Jan. 1, 2026. (CNS photo/Vatican unconsciously) who are his true followers. Christian Pope Leo said. “It is beautiful to view the Media) theology has always taught that the full mystery of

New year marks time to usher in era of peace, friendship among all people, pope says

6 NATION

JANUARY 16, 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC

‘... It is wonderful to become pilgrims of hope ...’

– Continued from page 1 – They are the people who sense the need to go out and search, accepting the risks associated with their journey, especially in a troubled world like ours that may be unpleasant and dangerous in many ways,” he said.

However, Pope Leo cautioned, today’s seekers must encounter in today’s churches and sacred places the same humble source of life, hope and joy that the Magi encountered in Bethlehem.

“How important it is that those who pass through the doors of the church perceive therein that the Messiah has just been born, that a community gathers in which hope springs forth and that a story of life is unfolding!” he said.

“Jesus encountered and allowed himself to be approached by all people,” he said, because “the Lord wants his presence to grow among us as God-withus.”

“No one can sell this to us. The child whom the Magi adore is a priceless and immeasurable good,” the pope said, criticizing “a distorted economy,” which even tries to exploit and commodify the human desire for freedom and true fulfillment.

God revealing himself to humanity as man is “a gift,” Pope Leo said. “He reveals himself and lets himself be found.”

“His ways are not our ways, and the violent do not succeed in controlling them, nor can the powers of the world block them,” he said, recalling the great joy the Magi felt upon finding the Messiah and despite

Herod’s efforts to destroy what had been promised.

The fear and violence unleashed by King Herod “make us think of the many conflicts by which people resist and even damage the new things that God has in store for everyone,” he said.

“Loving and seeking peace means protecting what is holy and, consequently, that which is newly born like a small, vulnerable, fragile baby.”

“God challenges the existing order,” the pope said. “God is determined to rescue us from both old and new forms of slavery. He involves young and old, poor and rich, men and women, saints and sinners in his works of mercy and in the wonders of his justice.”

“Let us ask ourselves: is there life in our church? Is there space for something new to be born? Do we love and proclaim a God who sets us on a journey?” Pope Leo asked.

“Fear does indeed blind us. Conversely, the joy of the Gospel liberates us. It makes us prudent, yes, but also bold, attentive and creative; it beckons us along ways that are different from those already traveled,” he said.

“It is wonderful to become pilgrims of hope,” who journey together and are amazed by God’s faithfulness, he said.

“If we do not reduce our churches to monuments, if our communities are homes, if we stand united

and resist the flattery and seduction of those in power, then we will be the generation of a new dawn,” he said. In Jesus, “we will contemplate and serve an extraordinary humanity, transformed not by the delusions of the all-powerful, but by God who became flesh out of love.”

Outside on a cold, rainy winter morning, St. Peter’s Square was filled with thousands of people watching the Mass on big screens and awaiting the pope to recite the Angelus at noon.

Hundreds of people dressed in traditional and festive costumes took part in an annual folkloric Epiphany procession along the main boulevard in front of the basilica.

Marching bands and people in Renaissance costumes paraded up the street behind the Three Kings on horseback.

Before reciting the Angelus from the balcony of the basilica’s loggia, the pope prayed that God’s words “come to fulfillment in us, may strangers and enemies become brothers and sisters.”

“In the place of inequality, may there be fairness, and may the industry of war be replaced by the craft of peace,” he said. “As weavers of hope, let us journey together toward the future by another road.”

‘... Pledges to keep children and all vulnerable people safe in our ministry ...’

– Continued from page 1 –

According to Fox 8 New Orleans, Archbishop Aymond declined to specify how much each parish would be expected to pay toward the settlement.

OSV News previously confirmed with the archdiocese that its legal fees in the case totaled approximately $50 million as of November.

The arduous bankruptcy proceedings appeared to stall even in their final months, with one group of bond investors calling for further discussion of the archdiocese’s Chapter 11 reorganization plan, then in its fifth version, despite an overwhelming vote of approval of the plan by a committee of survivors and additional creditors.

Grabill appeared to lose patience with the case in April 2025, issuing an order on a potential dismissal of the “particularly contentious” suit, which had failed to reach a reorganization plan after five years of litigation.

Along with the wranglings over bankruptcy and survivor compensation, the archdiocese’s battle to resolve sex abuse claims has also included: -The recusal of a previous judge in the Chapter 11 case.

-The guilty plea and life sentence of Msgr. Lawrence Hecker for rape and other crimes committed in 1975-1976.

-An investigation by the Louisiana State Police and the FBI – with a search warrant issued in May 2024 – to determine if archdiocesan officials covered up child sex trafficking by clergy over several decades, with some alleged victims reportedly taken out of state to be abused and marked for further exploitation among clergy.

OSV News has found that from 2004 to 2024, U.S. Catholic dioceses collectively paid a total of more than $5 billion to settle abuse claims.

In September, Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, N.J., as coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans. Archbishop Checcio will assist Archbishop Aymond until the latter’s canonically required resignation, submitted upon reaching the age of 75, is accepted by the pope.

weeks in the various media markets.”

The “extensive media outreach” – which includes some two dozen secular outlets in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas – is part of the archdiocese’s “commitment to the nonmonetary provisions laid out in its Chapter 11 settlement plan,” said the press release.

In his letter, Archbishop apologized to the victims “for the trauma caused to you and to those close to you as a survivor of sexual abuse perpetrated by a member of the clergy, a religious sister or brother, or a lay employee or volunteer working within the Catholic Church.

“Sexual abuse is an inexcusable evil, and I am ashamed that you or anyone should have been sexually abused by someone working within the Catholic Church,” he said. “Please know that you are not to blame for the abuse perpetrated on you. You were and are completely innocent and did nothing to deserve the pain you have suffered because of the hideous crime of sexual abuse of a minor.”

He said the archdiocese “takes responsibility for the abuse you have suffered and pledges to keep children and all vulnerable people safe in our ministry.” He added, “It is my fervent hope that as we bring these Chapter 11 proceedings to a close, you will achieve some sense of peace, justice, and healing.”

The closing hearings of the case in early December included testimony from 23 survivors, with Judge Grabill addressing them through tears ahead of her final ruling.

One survivor filed a handwritten letter to Judge Grabill, thanking her for her empathy and saying the court decision “will give children a voice ... who have been silenced for so long.”

The survivor – noting a lifelong inability to “shake the stigma of the abuse” – said the decision to come forward “was very powerful for my own healing and to help move the Catholic Church to a safer environment.”

With the proceedings also involving 157 affiliated Catholic organizations – in(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @ cluding parishes, schools, Catholic Charities organizations, and other ministries – the $230 million settlement will require parishes to contribute a total of some GinaJesseReina.) $60 million. A possible $75 million may be supplied by insurance funds.

2025 CSA IMPACT REPORT DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST, I write to offer my heartfelt gratitude for your generous support of the 2025 Catholic Service Appeal. Your gift is a living expression of hope and unity – an investment in our Church and in the lives of those we serve across the Diocese of Jackson.

Thanks to your generosity, we are able to continue the vital work of 14 essential diocesan ministries. These ministries are the heart of our diocesan mission, touching lives in every corner of our diocese.

To honor your generosity and share the impact of your support, I invite you to review the 2025 Impact Report.

This report outlines how the funds were allocated to each ministry and offers a clear picture of the good that is being accomplished – because of you.

As we look to the future, your continued partnership will be important.

Our next Catholic Service Appeal launches this month, and it is your ongoing generosity that will help sustain and grow these ministries. I ask that you continue to keep in prayer all those who serve, and all those whose lives are touched by these ministries. United as co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord, may we continue to lift one another in faith and love.

May God bless you for your faithful stewardship and continued support. Let us continue walking together in faith as we build up the Body of Christ in our local Church.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

because of yoU Ministry ThriVes

Heavenly, Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, trusting in the promises of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who gave us the Beatitudes as a path to blessedness. Make us humble, that we may depend fully on You. Comfort those who mourn, especially the forgotten and imprisoned. Strengthen our seminarians with courage and gentleness, and bless our retired priests who have given their lives in service. Fill us with a hunger and thirst for righteousness, that justice and compassion may shine through Catholic Charities and all ministries of mercy.

Grant us pure and merciful hearts, that we may love as Christ loves and see Your presence in one another. Guide us to be peacemakers in our families, parishes, and communities. Give courage to all who face hardship for the sake of faith.

Lord, let hope rise in every corner of our diocese.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Most Reverend Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz

Amen.

Your generosity makes a difference! The chart below shows how your gift to the Catholic Service Appeal is shared between Diocesan Ministries and Catholic Charities – supporting both the spiritual and corporal works of mercy in our community. The Allocation Panel on the back page of this impact report provides the complete view of how your support is changing lives.

Catholic Diocese of Jackson Ministries

$932,276

73%

Catholic Charities

27% $350,000

RETIRED PRIESTS: $200,000

INTERCULTURAL MINISTRY: $40,000

SEMINARIAN EDUCATION: $175,000

Thanks to your support, our Intercultural Ministry celebrates the faith and traditions of Black, Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Native American Catholics. Through leadership training, retreats, and workshops, we strengthen parish life and ensure every culture's gifts are embraced in our Church.

Thanks to your support, we are able to care for 18 retired priests who have dedicated their lives to serving our parishes. Even in retirement, many continue to minister, and their wisdom and presence remain a true blessing to our Church.

Thanks to your support, the Office of Vocations is guiding twelve men as they prepare for the priesthood through prayer, formation, and mentorship. Will Foggo will be ordained a priest in our diocese in Spring 2026 – an inspiring reminder of how your gift is shaping the future of our Church.

Hope in Action FAMILY MINISTRY: $30,000

CLERGY HEALTHCARE: $203,106

Thanks to your support, the Office of Family Ministry strengthens marriages and families, promotes a culture of life, and provides marriage preparation, NFP, pro-life initiatives, and family support programs – helping couples and families grow in faith and uphold the dignity of life.

PRISON MINISTRY: $10,000 Thanks to your support, Catholic Prison Ministry brings the light of Christ to the incarcerated through Mass, the sacraments, and prayer. Bible studies and faith formation offer hope and healing, reminding them that God's mercy and love are never out of reach.

Thanks to your support, we are able to provide quality medical care for our priests and seminarians – through health insurance, longterm care, and help with medical expenses.

Your gift helps safeguard the well-being of those who have devoted their lives in service to the Church.

Ways to Give in support of DiocesAn Ministries Mail Send your pledge to: Catholic Service Appeal P.O. Box 22723 Jackson, MS 39225

Please make checks payable to: Catholic Service Appeal and notate your parish name in the memo line if you have misplaced your pledge card.

Online

At your parish

Other

Visit our secure online site at csa.jacksondiocese.org or scan the QR code to make your gift today.

Place your envelope in your parish's collection basket the weekend of Feb. 14-15, 2026.

Call us: (601) 960-8479 Text: GiveCSA to (601) 202-5979 Stock/IRA contributions: Call (601) 960-8477

16 de enero de 2026

mississippicatholic.com

Sirviendo a los Católicos Hispanos de la Diócesis de Jackson desde 1997

Los cristianos deben resistir la tentación del poder y servir a la humanidad, afirma el papa al término del Año Santo POR CAROL GLATZ

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) – Los poderosos y violentos no pueden controlar, suprimir o mercantilizar la gracia, la amistad y la voluntad de Dios de dar paso a un nuevo amanecer, afirmó el papa León XIV. "A nuestro alrededor, una economía distorsionada intenta sacar provecho de todo. Vemos cómo el mercado puede convertir los anhelos humanos de buscar, viajar y empezar de nuevo en un mero negocio", dijo, celebrando la misa en la basílica de San Pedro el 6 de enero, fiesta de la Epifanía, y clausurando oficialmente la celebración del Año Santo dedicado a la esperanza.

"Preguntémonos: ¿nos ha enseñado el Jubileo a huir de este tipo de eficiencia que lo reduce todo a un producto y a los seres humanos a consumidores?", preguntó. "Después de este año, ¿seremos más capaces de reconocer al peregrino en el visitante, al buscador en el extranjero, al vecino en el extranjero y a los compañeros de viaje en aquellos que son diferentes?".

Antes de la misa, el papa, los cardenales y los obispos presentes en Roma se reunieron en el atrio de la basílica y dieron gracias a Dios por los dones recibidos durante el Año Santo. Decenas de cardenales de todo el mundo se encontraban en Roma para asistir al primer consistorio extraordinario del papa, celebrado los días 7 y 8 de enero, para rezar, apoyar y asesorar al papa sobre la vida y la misión de la Iglesia.

El papa León se acercó al umbral de la Puerta Santa y cerró ambos lados. La puerta permanecerá sellada hasta el próximo Año Santo, que probablemente será en 2033, cuando se cumpla el 2000 aniversario de la muerte y resurrección de Jesús.

– Continúa en la página 2 –

Papa León XIV cierra la Puerta Santa de la Basílica de San Pedro el 6 de enero de 2026 en el Vaticano, marcando el cierre del Año Jubilar. (Foto CNS/Pool, Franco Origlia)

Mientras Maduro se enfrenta a un juicio en Nueva York, la incertidumbre persiste para los migrantes venezolanos POR KATE SCANLON

(OSV News) – Cuando el derrocado presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro compareció por primera vez el 5 de enero en un tribunal de Nueva York acusado de narcoterrorismo, después de que la administración Trump llevara a cabo lo que el presidente Trump denominó en las redes sociales "un ataque a gran escala contra Venezuela", la incertidumbre sobre su estatus migratorio seguía presente para algunos migrantes venezolanos en Estados Unidos.

Astrid Liden, responsable de comunicación del Hope Border Institute, un grupo que trabaja para aplicar la perspectiva de la doctrina social católica en la política y la práctica a la región fronteriza entre Estados Unidos y México, y venezolano-estadounidense, declaró a OSV News: "En los últimos años, cientos de miles de venezolanos han buscado protección en Estados Unidos .... Millones de venezolanos viven en el extranjero debido a la situación en Venezuela, y compartimos su esperanza en el fin del reinado de Maduro, cuyo gobierno ha provocado el desplazamiento de tantas personas".

Sin embargo, añadió: "El reciente fin del TPS para los venezolanos por parte de la administración Trump sienta un precedente muy peligroso y pone en riesgo a cientos de miles de venezolanos".

Sin embargo, añadió: "El reciente fin del TPS para los venezolanos por parte de la administración Trump sienta un precedente muy peligroso y pone en riesgo a cientos de miles de venezolanos".

Maduro fue procesado en un tribunal federal de Manhattan por el juez Alvin Hellerstein. Las cámaras están prohibidas en la mayoría de los procedimientos judiciales federales, pero según los periodistas, Hellerstein dijo: "Mi trabajo es garantizar que este sea un juicio justo".

En la breve audiencia, Maduro dijo a través de un intérprete que era "inocente" y que "seguía siendo presidente de mi país". El régimen de Maduro era considerado ilegítimo por muchos países de todo el mundo, incluida la Unión Europea. La oposición venezolana demostró, mediante el recuento digitalizado de los votos, que su candidato, Edmundo González Urrutia, ganó las elecciones presidenciales de 2024 con el 67 % de los votos, pero Maduro se negó a ceder el poder. La administración Biden, que reconoció a González como el presidente electo legítimo de Venezuela, afirmó en enero de 2025 que Maduro "perdió claramente las elecciones presidenciales de 2024 y no tiene derecho a reclamar la presidencia".

Sin embargo, los líderes mundiales también expresaron su preocupación por el hecho de que la ac-

ción militar de Estados Unidos para derrocar a Maduro infringiera el derecho internacional.

En una reunión de emergencia del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas celebrada justo antes de la audiencia de Maduro, el secretario general de la ONU, Antonio Guterres, dijo que estaba "profundamente preocupado por el incumplimiento de las normas del derecho internacional", mientras que el embajador estadounidense Mike Waltz calificó la acción como una "operación quirúrgica de aplicación de la ley".

El día anterior, el papa León XIV expresó su "profunda preocupación" tras la captura de Maduro.

"Esto debe garantizar la soberanía del país, asegurar el Estado de derecho consagrado en la Constitución, respetar los derechos humanos y civiles de todos y trabajar para construir juntos un futuro sereno de colaboración, estabilidad y armonía, con especial atención a los más pobres que sufren debido a la difícil situación económica", dijo tras recitar la oración del Ángelus con los peregrinos reunidos en la Plaza de San Pedro el 4 de enero.

En una conferencia de prensa celebrada el 3 de enero, Trump afirmó que Estados Unidos "gobernará

– Continúa en la página 2 –

16 de enero de 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATÓLICO

2

'... Es maravilloso convertirse en peregrinos de la esperanza...'

– Viene de la página 1 – Mientras se cerraba la última de las Puertas Santas de la ciudad, el papa León dijo antes de cerrar la puerta que "la puerta" de la misericordia de Dios nunca se cerrará. Dios "siempre sostendrá a los cansados, levantará a los caídos" y ofrecerá "cosas buenas" a quienes depositen su confianza en él.

En su homilía, el papa León comparó a los millones de hombres y mujeres que acudieron a Roma en peregrinación con los Reyes Magos de hoy en día, "que dejaron atrás el palacio y el templo" en busca de un nuevo "rey", al que encontraron en el niño Jesús en una humilde gruta de Belén.

"Sí, los Reyes Magos siguen existiendo hoy en día. Son las personas que sienten la necesidad de salir y buscar, aceptando los riesgos asociados a su viaje, especialmente en un mundo convulso como el nuestro, que puede ser desagradable y peligroso en muchos sentidos", afirmó. Sin embargo, advirtió el papa León, los buscadores de hoy deben encontrar en las iglesias y lugares sagrados actuales la misma humilde fuente de vida, esperanza y alegría que encontraron los Reyes Magos en Belén. "¡Qué importante es que quienes cruzan las puertas de la iglesia perciban en ella que acaba de nacer el Mesías, que se reúne una comunidad en la que brota la esperanza y que se desarrolla una historia de vida!", dijo.

"Jesús se encontró con todas las personas y per-

mitió que se le acercaran", dijo, porque "el Señor quiere que su presencia crezca entre nosotros como Dios con nosotros".

"Nadie puede vendernos esto. El niño al que adoran los Reyes Magos es un bien inestimable e inconmensurable", dijo el Papa, criticando "una economía distorsionada", que incluso intenta explotar y mercantilizar el deseo humano de libertad y verdadera realización.

Dios revelándose a la humanidad como hombre es "un regalo", dijo el papa León. "Él se revela y se deja encontrar".

"Sus caminos no son nuestros caminos, y los violentos no logran controlarlos, ni los poderes del mundo pueden bloquearlos", dijo, recordando la gran alegría que sintieron los Reyes Magos al encontrar al Mesías y a pesar de los esfuerzos de Herodes por destruir lo que había sido prometido. El miedo y la violencia desatados por el rey Herodes "nos hacen pensar en los muchos conflictos con los que las personas se resisten e incluso dañan las cosas nuevas que Dios tiene reservadas para todos", dijo. "Amar y buscar la paz significa proteger lo que es santo y, en consecuencia, lo que acaba de nacer, como un bebé pequeño, vulnerable y frágil".

"Dios desafía el orden existente", dijo el papa.

"Dios está decidido a rescatarnos de las formas antiguas y nuevas de esclavitud. Involucra a jóvenes y ancianos, pobres y ricos, hombres y mujeres, santos y pecadores en sus obras de misericordia y en las maravillas de su justicia".

"Preguntémonos: ¿hay vida en nuestra Iglesia? ¿Hay espacio para que nazca algo nuevo? ¿Amamos y proclamamos a un Dios que nos pone en camino?", preguntó el papa León.

"El miedo nos ciega. Por el contrario, la alegría del Evangelio nos libera. Nos hace prudentes, sí, pero también audaces, atentos y creativos; nos invita a recorrer caminos diferentes a los ya transitados", afirmó.

"Es maravilloso convertirse en peregrinos de la esperanza", que viajan juntos y se maravillan de la fidelidad de Dios, dijo.

"Si no reducimos nuestras iglesias a monumentos, si nuestras comunidades son hogares, si permanecemos unidos y resistimos la adulación y la seducción de los poderosos, entonces seremos la generación de un nuevo amanecer", dijo. En Jesús, "contemplaremos y serviremos a una humanidad extraordinaria, transformada no por las ilusiones de los todopoderosos, sino por Dios, que se hizo carne por amor".

Afuera, en una fría y lluviosa mañana de invierno, la plaza de San Pedro se llenó de miles de personas que veían la misa en pantallas gigantes y esperaban que el papa recitara el Ángelus al mediodía.

Antes de recitar el Ángelus desde el balcón de la logia de la basílica, el papa rezó para que las palabras de Dios "se cumplan en nosotros, para que los extraños y los enemigos se conviertan en hermanos y hermanas".

"Que en lugar de la desigualdad haya justicia, y que la industria de la guerra sea sustituida por el arte de la paz", dijo. "Como tejedores de esperanza, recorramos juntos el camino hacia el futuro por otra vía".

' ... Se hará justicia en el caso Maduro, no será en un futuro próximo ...'

– Viene de la página 1 – el país" de Venezuela "hasta que podamos llevar a cabo una transición segura, adecuada y prudente", pero siguen existiendo dudas sobre ese proceso.

Sin embargo, esta medida también ha puesto de manifiesto la incertidumbre que sienten algunos venezolanos en Estados Unidos.

En 2025, la administración Trump puso fin al Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) de unos 600 000 venezolanos que vivían en Estados Unidos. El TPS se concede en ocasiones a países en los que los desastres naturales o los disturbios civiles han provocado desplazamientos.

Cuando se le preguntó durante su aparición en "Fox News Sunday" el 4 de enero si los venezolanos en Estados Unidos que anteriormente estaban bajo el TPS pueden solicitar asilo, la secretaria de Seguridad Nacional, Kristi Noem, sugirió que pueden hacerlo, pero no abordó si continuarían las deportaciones a ese país.

"Todas las personas que se encontraban bajo el TPS tienen la oportunidad de solicitar el estatus de refugiado", dijo Noem, sin dar más detalles sobre cómo se llevarían a cabo esas evaluaciones.

En un comentario sobre el tema en su conferencia de prensa, Trump dijo: "Francamente, algunos quieren quedarse y otros probablemente quieran regresar".

Los defensores católicos de la inmigración instaron anteriormente a la administración Trump a mantener el estatus TPS para países como Venezu-

ela, en parte debido a su inestabilidad política.

"El desmantelamiento de un régimen autocrático corrupto no se produce simplemente con la destitución de su líder", afirmó Linden. "Esta protección en Estados Unidos debe mantenerse hasta que el retorno voluntario y seguro sea una opción viable.

Como dijo el papa León XIV, debemos garantizar que se siga consagrando "el bien del querido pueblo venezolano", tanto el que se encuentra en el país como el que está en el extranjero.

Debemos ver a los venezolanos, incluidos los líderes elegidos en 2024, involucrados en un proceso de transición democrática para que haya un país al que los venezolanos puedan regresar".

J. Kevin Appleby, investigador principal de políticas del Centro de Estudios Migratorios de Nueva York y exdirector de políticas migratorias de la USCCB, declaró a OSV News: "El TPS debería renovarse al menos hasta que haya un gobierno elegido democráticamente en el poder, para que las personas sientan que no sufrirán persecución al regresar".

Añadió: "Además, las remesas que llegarían al país procedentes de medio millón de venezolanos con TPS ayudarían a estabilizar la economía del país".

En declaraciones a los periodistas sobre la audiencia de Maduro, el profesor de la Facultad de Derecho de Notre Dame y experto en crimen organizado Jimmy Gurulé, exfiscal federal y exfiscal general adjunto de los Estados Unidos, dijo que la audiencia es probable-

mente la primera parte de lo que será un largo proceso legal.

"Aunque finalmente se hará justicia en el caso Maduro, no será en un futuro próximo", afirmó. Según Gurulé, es poco probable que el juicio con jurado del caso Maduro comience antes de 2027.

"Inicialmente, los abogados defensores impugnarán la legalidad de la jurisdicción del tribunal sobre Maduro", dijo. "La defensa argumentará que la invasión militar estadounidense de Venezuela y la posterior detención de

Maduro no solo violaron los principios del derecho internacional, sino que constituyeron un delito de agresión".

"Los abogados defensores de Maduro solicitarán una amplia divulgación de pruebas penales, lo que podría incluir una solicitud de divulgación de pruebas clasificadas", añadió. Afirmó que eso podría implicar un largo litigio en virtud de la Ley de Procedimientos de Información Clasificada, que "equilibra las necesidades del Gobierno de proteger los secretos con los derechos del acusado a un juicio justo".

Una persona reacciona sosteniendo banderas venezolanas y estadounidenses mientras inmigrantes venezolanos celebran en el barrio neoyorquino de Brooklyn el 3 de enero de 2026, después de que Estados Unidos atacara Venezuela y capturara a su presidente Nicolás Maduro y a su esposa Cilia Flores, quienes fueron trasladados al Centro Metropolitano de Detención.

(Foto de OSV News/Eduardo Muñoz, Reuters)

16 de enero de 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATÓLICO

El Año Nuevo marca el comienzo de una era de paz y amistad entre todos los pueblos, afirma el Papa Nota del editor: El obispo Joseph Kopacz es miembro del Comité Internacional de Justicia y Paz de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos. Él y otras personas viajarán a Tierra Santa este mes. Por favor, recen por la paz en nuestro mundo y dediquen un momento a leer el texto completo del mensaje del papa León XIV para la Jornada Mundial de la Paz en https://bit. ly/49piqTt.

POR CAROL GLATZ

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) – El mundo no se salva con amenazas de violencia, ni juzgando, oprimiendo o eliminando a los demás, afirmó el Papa León XIV. “Sino más bien (se salva) esforzándose incansablemente por comprender, perdonar, liberar y acoger a todos, sin cálculos y sin miedo”, dijo el Papa durante la Misa en la basílica de San Pedro con motivo de la fiesta de María, Madre de Dios, y del Día Mundial de la Paz, el 1 de enero.

Por lo tanto, al comienzo de un nuevo año con “días nuevos y únicos que nos esperan, pidamos al Señor experimentar en todo momento, a nuestro alrededor y sobre nosotros, el calor de su abrazo paterno y la luz de su mirada que bendice”, dijo en su homilía.

La Misa marcó la 59.ª Jornada Mundial de la Paz celebrada por la Iglesia. El mensaje del Papa para la jornada mundial, publicado en diciembre, estaba dedicado a la paz humilde, “desarmada y desarmante” de Cristo resucitado, que ama incondicionalmente.

Miles de personas asistieron a la celebración en la basílica el día de Año Nuevo, entre ellas jóvenes disfrazados de los tres reyes que visitaron a Jesús.

Una figurita del niño Jesús se encontraba ante el altar, en consonancia con la temporada navideña de celebración, y una imagen de Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza estaba al lado del altar mayor como símbolo del Jubileo de la esperanza, que finalizará el 6 de enero.

En su homilía, el Papa León reflexionó sobre el misterio de la maternidad divina de la Virgen María, que “contribuyó a dar a la Fuente de toda misericordia y benevolencia un rostro humano: el rostro de Jesús, a través de cuyos ojos de niño, luego de joven y de hombre, el amor del Padre nos alcanza y nos transforma”.

Al nacer de María en un pesebre, dijo, Dios se nos presenta "desarmado y desarmante", tan “desnudo, indefenso como un recién nacido en la cuna”.

“Y esto para enseñarnos que el mundo no se salva afilando las espadas, juzgando, oprimiendo o eliminando a los hermanos”, afirmó. Más bien, el mundo se salva buscando comprender, perdonar, liberar y acoger a todos con amor.

María Santísima, quien lleva al niño Jesús en su vientre, representa “dos inmensas realidades ‘desarmadas’” que se unen, dijo: “la de Dios que renuncia a todo privilegio de su divinidad para nacer según la carne, y y la de la persona que con confianza abraza totalmente Su voluntad”.

“Así, al inicio del nuevo año, la Liturgia nos recuerda que cada día puede ser, para cada uno de nosotros, el comienzo de una vida nueva, gracias al amor generoso de Dios, a su misericordia y a la respuesta de nuestra libertad”, dijo el Papa León. “hermoso pensar así el año que comienza: como un camino abierto, por descubrir”.

“Y es, en el que aventurarnos, por gracia, libres y portadores de libertad, perdonados y dispensadores de perdón, confiados en la cercanía y en la bondad del Señor que siempre nos acompaña”, dijo.

Contemplando la plaza de San Pedro después de la Misa, el Papa León instó a los cristianos a ayudar a inaugurar “una época de paz y amistad entre todos los pueblos”.

“El Jubileo, que está por concluir, nos ha enseñado cómo cultivar la esperanza de un mundo nuevo: convirtiendo el corazón a Dios, para poder transformar los agravios en perdón, el dolor en consolación y los propósitos de virtud en obras buenas”, dijo.

El Hijo de Dios también ilumina “las conciencias de

buena voluntad, para que podamos construir el futuro como casa acogedora para todo hombre y toda mujer que nace”, dijo.

“El corazón de Jesús late por todo hombre y toda mujer. Por el que está dispuesto a acogerlo, como los pastores, y por el que no lo quiere, como Herodes”, dijo.

“Su corazón no es indiferente ante quien no tiene corazón para el prójimo: palpita por los justos, para que perseveren en su entrega; y por los injustos, para que cambien de vida y encuentren paz”, dijo el Papa León.

Cada niño no nacido revela “la imagen divina impresa en nuestro cuerpo”, dijo, y pidió oraciones por la paz: “sobre todo entre las naciones ensangrentadas por conflictos y miseria, pero también en nuestras casas, en las familias heridas por la violencia y el dolor”.

“Con la certeza de que Cristo, nuestra esperanza, es el sol de justicia que nunca declina, supliquemos confiados la intercesión de María, Madre de Dios y Madre de la Iglesia”, concluyó antes del rezo del Ángelus.

16 de enero de 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATÓLICO de semana del Día de la Independencia, para conmemorar la adopción de la Declaración de Independencia en la Casa del Estado de Pensilvania, ahora el Independence Hall de la ciudad, el 4 de julio de 1776.

VATICANO

por el cardenal Pietro Parolin, secretario de Estado del Vaticano, en enero de 2025. A pesar de los cielos nublados, la lluvia cesó durante la misa, un momento que los líderes religiosos calificaron de señal de bendición en Jordania, un país con escasez de agua.

Los responsables eclesiásticos destacaron el papel único de Jordania en la historia cristiana, señalando que es el único país visitado por cuatro papas. Los líderes también expresaron su esperanza de que se renueve la paz en la región e invitaron a los peregrinos de todo el mundo a encontrar la fe como un camino arraigado en el bautismo, la reconciliación y la esperanza. El obispo Iyad Twal, vicario patriarcal de Jordania, dijo a los periodistas que ha vuelto cierta calma y paz a la vecina Palestina y Gaza. Afirmó que el cardenal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, patriarca latino de Jerusalén, se sintió animado durante una reciente visita al enclave costero al ver "una genuina determinación de comenzar una nueva vida con optimismo".

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (OSV News) — Los obispos católicos de América Latina y el Caribe han expresado su cercanía pastoral al pueblo de Venezuela, tras la intervención militar estadounidense del 3 de enero que supuso la captura del presidente Nicolás Maduro y su esposa, Cilia Flores, y las pretensiones de tomar el control temporal del país antes de que la vicepresidenta de Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez, jurara el cargo como presidenta interina de Venezuela.

En una carta del 5 de enero, los obispos del Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano y del Caribe, conocido como CELAM, compartieron lo que denominaron un mensaje "sencillo, fraternal y esperanzador" con motivo de la Epifanía del Señor, un acontecimiento que revela "a un Dios cercano a su pueblo, que camina con él, ilumina las tinieblas y abre nuevos caminos incluso cuando todo parece incierto". En su carta, los obispos dijeron que "comparten y abrazan con profundo sentido pastoral las palabras del papa León XIV, quien se refirió a la situación en Venezuela y nos recordó que el bien del pueblo debe estar siempre por encima de cualquier otra consideración".

Los obispos subrayaron: "Queremos reiterar que no están solos. El CELAM camina con ustedes y con el pueblo venezolano, alentando todos los esfuerzos para tender puentes, sanar heridas y avanzar en la reconciliación, sin excluir a nadie. La Iglesia está llamada a ser una casa abierta, un espacio de encuentro y una voz serena que inspire esperanza, incluso en medio de las dificultades".

ROMA (OSV News) – El papa León aprovechó su primer discurso de Año Nuevo ante el cuerpo diplomático, el 9 de enero, para defender enérgicamente el matrimonio, la vida familiar y los no nacidos, instando a las naciones a dar prioridad a la protección de la vida por encima de políticas que calificó de perjudiciales para la Un gráfico muestra la ruta de la Peregrinación Eucarística Nacional de 2026, dignidad humana. Dique comienza en San Agustín, Florida, y termina en Filadelfia. (Gráfico de rigiéndose en inglés a los diplomáticos acreditOSV News/Congreso Eucarístico Nacional) ados ante la Santa Sede, el papa dijo que el aborto "trunca una vida en crecimiento" y no acoge la vida AUSTIN, Texas (OSV News) – El hijo de cinco como un regalo. Reafirmó la doctrina católica sobre años del influyente católico Paul J. Kim sucumbió a el matrimonio como la unión exclusiva e indisolula gripe y la sepsis después de que decenas de miles ble entre un hombre y una mujer, diciendo que este de personas se unieran en oración a finales de dic- vínculo fundamenta la vocación al amor y a la vida. iembre para pedir por la curación de Micah. Kim, El papa Leo advirtió que las familias se enfrentan a un popular conferencista católico y artista musical, una creciente marginación y fragilidad, provocadas anunció la muerte de su hijo el 31 de diciembre en un por diversas circunstancias, entre ellas la violencia emotivo mensaje de video de dos partes publicado en doméstica y las presiones sociales. Criticó el uso de Instagram el 1 de enero, en el que citó varios pasajes fondos públicos para el aborto, incluidos los esfuerde las Escrituras y destacó su fe inquebrantable en zos transfronterizos para acceder a lo que denominó medio de su pérdida. El 21 de diciembre, Kim había el "supuesto derecho al aborto seguro", y rechazó pedido oraciones por Micah, diciendo en un mensaje enérgicamente la subrogación y la eutanasia. En escrito en Instagram que el niño "tenía una emer- cambio, dijo, la sociedad y los gobiernos "tienen la gencia médica en ese momento" y que "lo llevaban responsabilidad de responder concretamente a las al hospital en ambulancia". Durante los días siguien- situaciones de vulnerabilidad" y ofrecer soluciones tes, Kim publicó actualizaciones, incluidas imágenes y "políticas de auténtica solidaridad". El Papa afirmó de Micah en su cama de hospital, y solicitudes adicio- que una sociedad solo progresa verdaderamente nales de oraciones para "inundar el cielo", buscando cuando protege toda vida la intercesión de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, San humana, desde la concepJosé, San Miguel y los ángeles y santos. La campaña ción hasta la muerte natude oración y las actualizaciones diarias de Kim en las ral. redes sociales atrajeron a decenas de miles de parVírgenes, Santos y ticipantes de todo el mundo, tanto católicos como no católicos, que intercedieron por la recuperación de Días Festivos Micah, dijo Kim. BETHANY BEYOND Natalicio de Dr. Martin Luther FORT WAYNE, Indiana (OSV News) – La PeregriTHE JORDAN, Jordania King Jr. nación Eucarística Nacional de 2026 recorrerá la cos19 de enero ta este desde San Agustín, Florida, hasta Portland, (OSV News) – Católicos de Maine, y terminará en Filadelfia, según anunciaron toda Jordania y de todo Santa Inés, Virgen y Mártir. los organizadores el 8 de enero. La peregrinación, el mundo se reunieron el 21 de enero 9 de enero en el lugar del la tercera de este tipo, comenzará en mayo, durante el fin de semana del Día de los Caídos, y terminará bautismo de Jesús en el Día de oración por la protección el 5 de julio. La peregrinación de este año celebra río Jordán para celebrar la legal de la criatura en el viente Epifanía, conmemorando el el 250 aniversario de Estados Unidos con el lema materno.

"Una nación bajo Dios" y su ruta, que incluye lug- lugar que la Iglesia católica 22 de enero reconoce como el inicio del ares clave en la historia del país y de sus católicos.

Los organizadores describieron la peregrinación ministerio público de CrisNuestra Señora de la Paz. como "un llamado nacional a la renovación, la uni- to. Clérigos de múltiples 24 de enero ritos católicos orientales y dad y la misión arraigadas en la Eucaristía". La peregrinación pasará por las diócesis de Savannah occidentales se unieron a Santa Ángela Merici, Virgen.

(Georgia); Charleston (Carolina del Sur); Charlotte la liturgia, renovando un 27 de enero (Carolina del Norte); Richmond (Virginia); Arling- llamado global a los pereSanto Tomás de Aquino. ton (Virginia); Washington; Baltimore; Wilmington grinos para que visiten uno 28 de enero (Delaware); Camden (Nueva Jersey); Paterson (Nue- de los lugares más sagrados del cristianismo.

La celeva Jersey); Springfield (Massachusetts); Manchester Santo Juan Bosco.

(New Hampshire); Portland (Maine); Boston; Fall bración incluyó una misa 31 de enero River (Massachusetts); Providence (Rhode Island) y en la recién consagrada Iglesia Católica del Bautismo Filadelfia. La peregrinación terminará en Filadelfia con eventos programados para el 4 y 5 de julio, fin de Jesucristo, inaugurada

NACIÓN

TOME NOTA

MUNDO

Envíenos sus fotos a editor@jacksondiocese.org Síganos en Facebook: @DiócesisCatólicadeJackson Únase a lista de correos electrónicos Mande un texto: MSCATHOLIC a 84576 LÍNEA DIRECTA DE PREVENCIÓN DE FRAUDE El Departamento de Asuntos Temporales de la Diócesis de Jackson ha contratado a Lighthouse Services para proporcionar una línea directa anónima de fraude financiero, cumplimiento, ética y recursos humanos.

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MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 16, 2026

BRIEFS 7

he called harmful to human dignity. Speaking in English to diplomats accredited to the Holy See, the pope said abortion “cuts short a growing life” and fails to welcome life as a gift. He reaffirmed Catholic teaching on marriage as the exclusive and indissoluble union of a man and a woman, saying this bond grounds the vocation to love and to life. Pope Leo warned that families face growing marginalization and increasing fragility, brought about by various circumstances, including domestic violence and social pressures. He criticized the use of public funds for abortion, including cross-border Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Men- efforts to access what doza (15) and running back Roman Hemby (1) celebrate on the podium he called the “so-called after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2026 Rose Bowl and right to safe abortion,” quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day at and strongly rejected Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. The Hosiers defeated Alabama 38- surrogacy and euthanasia. Instead, he said, so3. (OSV News photo/Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images via Reuters) ciety and governments “have a responsibility to respond concretely to situations of vulnerability” and offer solutions and BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (OSV News) – As he waited “policies of authentic solidarity.” The pope said a sofor the announcement of who would win the Heisman ciety truly progresses only when it safeguards every Trophy – awarded to the best college football player human life, from conception to natural death. of the year – Dominican Father Patrick Hyde turned to one of his fellow friars and said, “I have never been so invested in the outcome of an award.” After all, Father Hyde has become a big fan of Fernando BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN, Jordan Mendoza, the star quarterback of the football team at Indiana University in Bloomington, where the (OSV News) – Catholics from across Jordan and priest serves as pastor of St. Paul Catholic Center on around the world gathered Jan. 9 at the site of Jethe school’s campus and where Mendoza has attend- sus’ baptism on the Jordan River to celebrate Epiphed Mass. Father Hyde not only celebrates the foot- any, marking the place the Catholic Church recogball player that Mendoza is, he also appreciates the nizes as the beginning of Christ’s public ministry. person Mendoza is and the way the quarterback em- Clergy from multiple Eastern and Western Catholic braces his faith in God. So, when Mendoza was an- rites joined in the liturgy, renewing a global call for nounced as the winner of the Heisman on Dec. 13 in pilgrims to visit one of Christianity’s most sacred a ceremony in New York City, Father Hyde rejoiced sites. The celebration included Mass at the newly with the other friars watching the event on televi- consecrated Catholic Church of the Baptism of Jesion. His speech was also an all-inclusive thank-you sus Christ, inaugurated by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to all the people who have made a difference in his Vatican secretary of state, in January 2025. Despite life, starting with the way he has begun nearly every cloudy skies, rain paused during the Mass – a mopost-game interview this season. Mendoza thanked ment the faith leaders called a sign of blessing in God, his family, team and community. “This moment water-scarce Jordan. Church officials highlighted Jordan’s unique role in Christian history, noting it is an honor. It’s bigger than me,” he said.

BEL AIR, Md. (OSV News) – Well before he was a is the only country visited by four popes. Leaders University of Maryland transfer who used his final also voiced hope for renewed peace in the region and year of college football eligibility to become a major invited pilgrims worldwide to encounter faith as a success story as a running back at Indiana Universi- journey rooted in baptism, reconciliation and hope. ty, Roman Hemby said he owed much credit to John Bishop Iyad Twal, patriarchal vicar of Jordan, told Carroll School in Bel Air for instilling vital Catho- reporters that some calm and peace has returned to lic values that guide him today. Hemby, a Maryland neighboring Palestine and Gaza. He said Cardinal graduate who grew up in Edgewood, is one of nu- Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusamerous transfers who have turned the 2025 Indiana lem, was heartened during a recent visit to the coastHoosiers into a No. 1-ranked, unbeaten (13-0) pow- al enclave to see “a genuine determination to begin erhouse. The Hoosiers entered the College Football new life with optimism.”

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (OSV News) – The Catholic Playoff as its No. 1 seed. “I had the utmost faith that things would work out. The atmosphere at John Car- bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean have exroll let me know that God had a plan for me,” said pressed their pastoral closeness to the people of Venezuela, following a Jan. 3 U.S. military intervention Hemby. that saw the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and claims of a temporary takeover of the country before Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as Venezuela’s ROME (CNS) – Pope Leo used his first New Year’s interim president. In a Jan. 5 letter, the bishops of address to the diplomatic corps Jan. 9 to strongly de- the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Counfend marriage, family life and the unborn, urging na- cil, known as CELAM, shared what they called a tions to prioritize the protection of life over policies

NATION

WORLD

VATICAN

Mississippi Catholic 2026 Publication Schedule

The staff at Mississippi Catholic is looking forward to a busy and productive 2026 As always, we invite participation from faithful from across the diocese. Please submit your stories, photos and events so we can include them in the paper, as time and space allow. The publication schedule for 2026 follows:

Friday, Jan. 16 Friday, Jan. 30 Friday, Feb. 13 Friday, March 13 Friday, April 17 Friday, May 15 Friday, June 19 Friday, July 17 Friday, Aug. 21 Friday, Sept. 18 Friday, Oct. 16 Friday, Nov. 20 Friday, Dec. 18 Look for special sections this year marking Catholic Schools Week, Graduations and the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation.

Send submissions to editor@jacksondiocese. org. Submit information three to four weeks before or within one week after an event. Again,due to space constraints we will not be able to publish all information received. Visit the paper online at www.mississippicatholic.com.

The staff at Mississippi Catholic thank you – our readers – for your prayers and support. We wish you a blessed New Year. “simple, fraternal and hopeful” message marking the Epiphany of the Lord – an event that reveals “a God who is close to his people, who walks with them, illuminates the darkness, and opens new paths even when everything seems uncertain.” In their letter, the bishops said they “share and embrace with a profound pastoral sense the words of Pope Leo XIV, who spoke about the situation in Venezuela and reminded us that the good of the people must always be above any other consideration.” The bishops stressed, “We want to reiterate that you are not alone. CELAM walks with you and with the Venezuelan people, encouraging every effort to build bridges, heal wounds, and advance reconciliation, without excluding anyone. The Church is called to be an open house, a space for encounter, and a serene voice that inspires hope, even in the midst of difficulties.”

8 DIOCESE

History layered on history FROM THE ARCHIVES

By Mary Woodward

JACKSON – As of this writing, I am recovering from the Ole Miss Rebels losing to the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl last night in Arizona. Ole Miss had a historic run playing for a spot in the college football national championship game. I know everyone has their favorite school and team, but it is exciting that a team from our state reached such a high level on the national sports scene.

Several of my nieces and nephews went to Ole Miss, and we currently have one there and one playing in the band at Mississippi State, so our family is very diverse when it comes to college sports among other things. I went to Millsaps, so I like to see everyone do well.

Back in the early part of the 1900s, Oxford was not the sports or Catholic epicenter it is today. The thriving town of Water Valley was the central parish of that region. From Water Valley came Grenada, Oxford, and Holly Springs. All these were missions of Water Valley.

In October of 1941, Bishop Richard Gerow made a visit to that region after picking up Bishop William O’Brien, president of the Catholic Church Extension Society in Chicago, at the “airfield” in Memphis. Bishop O’Brien was coming down for the dedication of St. Peter’s in Grenada. Extension had supported the building of the church there.

The plan was to stay the night before the dedication at the rectory in Water Valley with the pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Father Cletus Manon. If you haven’t been there, Water Valley is about halfway between Grenada and Oxford on Hwy 7. It’s the Coffeeville exit just north of Grenada off I-55. Make sure you stay close to the speed limit on that stretch.

Back to the story. After arriving at the rectory, the men devised who would sleep where in the quaint structure. Because he would be celebrating the Mass at the parish the next morning before going over to Grenada, Bishop Gerow decided to take the small bedroom closest to the church.

In his diary, he offers an interesting tale about the situation: “As I was preparing to go to my room, the housekeeper very timidly approached me and with a look of anxiety in her eye said to me, ‘I hope you will be able to sleep in that room tonight’; and when I inquired as to the cause of her anxiety, she told me that the room was haunted.

“She told me that at night strange noises were heard in this room that had disturbed others who had attempted to sleep there. I assured her that I was not afraid of haunts, and that I was very glad that I had been assigned to this room rather than one of the other Bishops.

“When I entered the room to prepare for the night, I had the theory that there was probably some loose furniture or some loose article in the room that in the still of the night might be caused to vibrate when trucks would pass by the house.

“Accordingly, I examined the furniture and the articles in the room but found nothing there that might indicate a tendency to rattle on vibration.

So, I went to bed and went to sleep. During the course of the night, I heard

WATER VALLEY – St. Patrick Parish in Water Valley is shown in January 1940, when it served as the central parish for Catholic mission communities across north Mississippi. (Photo from archives)

JANUARY 16, 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC the knocks and creaking that she had spoken about, and it was not long before I readily discovered the cause of it.

“During the heat of the day preceding, the timbers of the room had expanded, and now in the chill of the night they were contracting, and this contraction of the timbers was the cause of the knocking and the creaking and the weird noises about which the housekeeper had spoken.

“So now having satisfied myself definitely as to the nature of the spooks, I went back to sleep. The following morning, I told her of my discovery, and, while she did not exactly want to doubt the word of a bishop, nevertheless I don’t think that I thoroughly convinced her.”

During his stay in Mississippi, Bishop O’Brien visited Oxford and celebrated Mass for the Catholic students at Ole Miss. It was then that he along with Bishop Gerow saw the need for a church building in Oxford.

After almost passing out when Father Manon told everyone the good Bishop from Extension had promised $50,000 toward building a church there, Bishop O’Brien ended up pledging $10,000 from Catholic Extension. A few years later, Bishop O’Brien was back from Chicago to celebrate the dedication of St. John Church in Oxford.

This is a great story that reminds us of our connection with Catholic Extension and how they have helped and continue to help our diocese grow and spread the Good News. I imagine at the dedication of the new St. John’s 80+ years ago, the students let out a boisterous “Hotty Toddy” for Bishop O’Brien to take back with him to Chicago.

(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson.)

JANUARY 16, 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC

COLUMNs 9

Priest, Prophet and King THINGS OLD AND NEW

BY RUTH POWERS

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord ends the Christmas season and provides ample food for meditation for us on Baptism, the first of the sacraments and our initiation into the Body of Christ. Baptism is a sacrament which is incredibly rich in meaning and in the grace it bestows, but I want to focus on one particular aspect of it for now: that by initiating us into Christ’s body, the Church, Baptism gives us a share in His three roles of Priest, Prophet, and King.

Although this phrase is not found verbatim in the Bible, application of these three roles to the person of Jesus is found throughout the Scripture, prefigured in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the new.

They also refer to the ministries of Christ shared by ordained priesthood – to sanctify (through the sacraments), to teach, and to rule. In the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium and later in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the three roles are also applied to the laity. By our baptism, we are called to express these ministries in ways specific to the lay state, an idea sometimes called the priesthood of all believers. This idea is found in 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a

people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” So, what are we called to do to live this calling?

What is the role of a priest? Primarily it is to offer sacrifice, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and to intercede for his people. We can share in this role not only by prayer and participating in the Mass, but also by presenting our daily life, both blessings and hardships, as a spiritual offering to God. We pray for others and the world, making sure not to neglect Jesus’ command to pray for our enemies.

We can also strive to make our lives an example that will draw others to closer relationship with God. Do we do this? Are we not only striving to grow closer to God ourselves, but is our life the kind of example that will lead others, especially nonbelievers, to God? If we profess to follow the two great commandments of love God and love neighbor, do we actually do so openly and actively, or do we love only selectively?

The prophet is one who speaks God’s truth, including being willing to speak truth to power. In order to speak God’s truth, we must first know what that truth is. Do we take the time to actually study and meditate on the word of God, listening also to the guidance of the magisterium of the Church, or do we cherry-pick interpretations to fit our preconceived prejudices or the talking points of a political

Hope in Ordinary Time ORDINARY TIMES

BY LUCIA A. SILECCHIA

On the Feast of the Epiphany, the 2025 Jubilee Year came to a close as the Holy Doors in Rome were sealed once again. I am sorry to see the Jubilee Year come to an end.

I did not visit Rome this year. I did not attend any special Jubilee events. Despite much attention paid to the Jubilee in Catholic media, I did not give it much deep thought as the months of 2025 passed by so quickly.

Yet, I am sorry to see the Jubilee Year end because of its beautiful theme: “Hope does not disappoint.”

In inadvertently dreary headlines, I have recently read reports that “The year of hope has ended …” or words of similar effect. That these reports greet us at the start of a new year seems a particularly unfortunate juxtaposition. If there is anything that should fill the start of a new year, it is the spirit of hope.

At times, though, it seems that hope is in short supply for all too many people and for all too many reasons. Whether it is disillusionment with politics, unease about finances, disappointment about careers, concerns about health, fears about local and international peace – or the lack thereof, angst about relationships, worries about health, or dissatisfaction about how life is unfolding, so many report a lack of hope about the future, both their own and that of their communities. In a particular way, even young people with their whole lives ahead of them can also fall prey to a lack of hope when they look toward their own futures and do not see good things for the years that lie ahead.

I wonder, then, if the start of a new year is a time to think, once again, about the importance of hope. Yes, a year with hope as its central theme may have ended. Yet, the message that “hope does not disappoint” is a timeless one, as relevant in 2026 as it was when St. Paul first wrote those words to the Romans of his day. He explained further that the reason hope does not disappoint is “because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5) What a beautiful thought with which to start the new year!

In these cold January days, we often wish each other “happy new year.” Certainly, happiness, joy, good health and dreams fulfilled are all wonderful things that, with a full heart, I wish to my loved ones in the cards I send, the texts I

party or social group? To be a prophet is to be willing to speak up for God’s truth even if what we say will be unpopular or uncomfortable. Remember that we “speak” prophetically through our actions as well as our words.

We are called to make our entire lives a witness to the life of God within us, working always for ongoing conversion in our own lives so that our lives may be an example of conversion to others. As a paraphrase of one of the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the Gospel always. Use words if necessary.”

Finally, there is the role of King. This is the Old Testament image of the king where he was both leader and, more importantly, servant of his people.

Christ gives us the ultimate example of this kind of kingship at the Last Supper where he washes the feet of the apostles and commands them to do likewise.

We are to live the baptismal role of King through humble service to others, following Jesus’ example.

We are called especially to use the talents, graces and gifts God has given us to advance His reign on earth through working to establish justice in our families, our communities and the world.

(Ruth Powers is the program coordinator for the Basilica of St. Mary in Natchez.)

type and the phone calls I make.

Yet, I wonder if it might be wiser to wish loved ones a “hopeful new year.” In this, there is recognition that as a new year dawns we have no idea how it will unfold or what will lie ahead for ourselves, our loved ones and our world. We may have plans, but we have no promises. We may have goals, but we have no guarantees. We may look back on 2026 as the best year of our lives or the most challenging – or somewhere in between. Now, though, at the threshold of the new year, what will be is hidden from our view.

Nevertheless, one thing that we can wish for each other and pray for each other is an abundance of hope. It is hope that can bring solace to those who face the new year with trepidation. It is hope that can animate the joy of those who face the new year with eager anticipation. It is hope that can calm all of us who know we do not know what lies ahead.

The one thing that we do know, with certainty, is that God has poured, is pouring and will continue to pour His love into our hearts, just as St. Paul announced so long ago. It is from this love that springs the hope that can fill our hearts as a new year we begin.

So, to you and yours, I wish you a hopeful new year!

(Lucia A. Silecchia is Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. Email her at silecchia@cua.edu.)

MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 16, 2026

YOUTH 11

Around the Diocese

COLUMBUS – Annunciation Catholic School second-grader Boone Morgan works on a watercolor project. Students later added biblical affirmations to their artwork as reminders of God’s love. (Photo by Jacque Hince) NATCHEZ – A Cathedral School student pauses at the Nativity scene during a special school Mass at St. Mary Basilica on Jan. 7. (Photo by Brandi Boles)

CLINTON – Holy Savior Parish children portray the Nativity during a Christmas program presented at Mass. (Photo by Janeth Mazy)

12 NATION

JANUARY 16, 2026 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC

SEEK 2026 summons youth to draw close to Christ

BY GINA CHRISTIAN

(OSV News) – Thousands of youth and young adults across the nation were assured of God’s love – and encouraged to respond to his call in their lives – during an annual gathering spanning three cities, with Pope Leo XIV delivering a special recorded message to participants.

“Be open to what the Lord has in store for you,” the pope said in a video address to those attending the SEEK 2026 conference.

This year’s conference took place Jan. 1-5 at three event locations – Columbus, Ohio; Denver; and Fort Worth, Texas – drawing an estimated 26,000 participants in total for talks and workshops on encountering Jesus Christ. The schedule included daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, the sacrament of reconciliation and fellowship.

Among the numerous conference speakers were Father Mike Schmitz, Matt Fradd, Chris Stefanick, Sister of Life Mary Grace and Sister Josephine Garrett, a sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

In his Jan. 4 keynote address, Curtis Martin – founder of conference sponsor FOCUS, an international Catholic missionary outreach which serves at more than 200 college campuses in the Attendees cheer Jan. 3, 2026, at the SEEK26 conference in the Gaylord Rockies Resort U.S., Mexico and Europe, as well as at some 20 parishes – told at- & Convention Center in Denver. Young Catholics and attendees of all ages were invited to embrace the conference’s theme inspired by St. Pier Giorgio Frassati: “To the Heights,” tendees that God “wants to dance with” them.

Martin stressed the transformative power of God’s love, which This year SEEK the Jan. 1-5 conference was being held in Columbus, Ohio, and Fort enables those infused with it to in turn become missionary disci- Worth, Texas, in addition to Denver. (OSV News photo/courtesy FOCUS) ples, able to “go love the world.”

SEEK 2026 centered on the theme “To the Heights,” a favorite School in Fort Worth, described the conference as an ideal way to begin 2026, exhortation of the recently canonized St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, an avid moun- deepening both faith and fellowship. taineer and patron of young adults.

“Going to SEEK starts off the year with Jesus,” she told North Texas Catholic.

Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus reflected in his homily at the SEEK “It’s inspirational to be in the room with so many Catholics.”

2026 opening Mass in that city Jan. 1 that the conference’s timing and its 2026 theme harmonized well.

(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Contributing to this re“The mighty God descended from the starry heaven and became a child so port were Hannah Heil of The Catholic Times/Diocese of Columbus; André Escaleithat we might go up to heaven, ‘toward the heights,’ as Pier Giorgio Frassati ra, Jr., and Jacqueline Gilvard Landry of Denver Catholic/Archdiocese of Denver; might say,” Bishop Fernandes said. and Susan Moses of North Texas Catholic/Diocese of Fort Worth.)

In his pre-recorded video message to the SEEK attendees, which was posted along with a transcript to the Vatican website, Pope Leo also appeared to echo St. Frassati’s sentiment, urging SEEK attendees to reflect on the call of the first two disciples of Jesus as detailed in John 1:35-51.

The pope said that St. Andrew and the other disciple – initially followers of St. John the Baptist – pursued Jesus, whose first recorded words in John’s Gospel were a question posed to the two: “What do you seek?”

The Catholic Diocese of Jackson is seeking a full-time Jesus “directs this same question to each one of you,” said the pope, adding, Event Planning Coordinator to support diocesan “The answer is found in a person. The Lord Jesus alone brings us true peace and events, meetings, and hosted programs that strengthen joy, and fulfills every one of our deepest desires.”

The pope’s message deeply resonated with Jetzemany Rincon, 22, who was our parishes, ministries, and communities of faith. This among the 16,000 SEEK participants in Columbus. position is based in Jackson, Mississippi.

“When I saw the pope come on, I started crying because I realized that he has such a big Church ... and he was able to center down,” Rincon, a member of the The coordinator will oversee the planning and execution of a wide Columbus Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization parish, told The Catholic Times, the newspaper for the Columbus Diocese. range of diocesan events; manage logistics, timelines, and communicaDiscerning one’s God-given vocation was a core element of SEEK 2026, with tions; and work closely with clergy, staff, donors, and volunteers. The Sister Catherine Rotterman of the Felician Sisters of North America, who was on ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-driven, and committed to hand at the Fort Worth gathering, saying the conference enables young adults to see themselves as part of a “much bigger Church.” serving the people of God with professionalism and hospitality.

“SEEK helps them dream of where God might be leading them,” Sister Catherine told North Texas Catholic, the newspaper serving the Diocese of Fort Worth.

Qualifications: At the Denver gathering, archdiocesan vocations director Father Jason Wal• Minimum three years of event planning experience lace described SEEK as an opportunity for young people to “set themselves aside and put God first” to discover what he has created them for.

• Strong communication and organizational skills “God created some people to be married, he called some people to be priests; • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously so it’s not so much what I want to do, it’s what God created me to do,” Father Wal• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially PowerPoint and Excel) lace told Denver Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Denver. “That was in his mind from all eternity, what he created me for.”

• Ability to work some evenings/weekends and travel within the Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver, who celebrated the conference’s Jan. Diocese 1 opening Mass in that city, highlighted Mary as the model for developing a pro• Commitment to the Catholic faith and familiarity with Catholic found relationship with Christ, and discerning his will for one’s life.

“If we ponder that within our hearts and open our hearts to that truth of who traditions we have become in Baptism, we will only grow in a deeper encounter and deeper intimacy with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit, putting our confidence A bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, Nonin them,” said Archbishop Aquila. “And pondering in our own hearts what it profit Management, or a related field is preferred. means to be a disciple, what it means to be a beloved son, a beloved daughter of the Father, to receive our true identity. Not an identity founded in the world, but an identity that is given, bestowed upon us by a God who loves us and wants us to To apply, please submit a résumé and cover letter to rebecca.harris@ be with him forever.” jacksondiocese.org. Applications accepted until position is filled.

Four-time SEEK attendee Angelina Roa, who teaches at St. Rita Catholic

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