MS Catholic 10 10 2025 by jacksondiocese

VCS breaks ground on multimillion-dollar performing arts and athletic complex

BY MARY MARGARET EDNEY

VICKSBURG – In 1860, a small group of Sisters of Mercy opened the doors of a modest school in Vicksburg with a simple but powerful mission to educate the whole child – mind, body and spirit. Today, 165 years later, that same mission is propelling Vicksburg Catholic School (VCS) into a new era as it breaks ground on a transformative multi-purpose performing arts and athletic complex.

At a groundbreaking ceremony held Sept. 26, students, faculty, alumni, parents and community leaders gathered to celebrate the start of construction on the new building.

“Today’s groundbreaking represents more than just the start of construction. It’s the next chapter in a 165-year legacy of preparing students to make a di erence in the world,” said Kristi Smith, VCS development director. “This new facility will ensure that future generations have a place to discover their talents, push their limits and reach their full potential.”

Designed for use by students in pre-K through twelfth grade, the 20,000-square-foot facility will feature a performance stage for ﬁne arts, dedicated athletic space and an area for schoolwide Masses. The addition will also allow the school to repurpose existing classrooms, creating a dedicated middle school.

“By creating a modern space where creativity, teamwork and scholarship intersect, we’re equipping our students with the skills and conﬁdence to thrive long after graduation,” Smith said.

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VICKSBURG – Students, community leaders, and school staff gathered for the Vicksburg Catholic School’s groundbreaking ceremony for its Multi-purpose Performing Arts and Athletic Complex on Friday, Sept. 26. (Photo by Anna Griffing)

Catholic Charities prepares for Journey of Hope with return of Father Burke Masters

BY JOANNA PUDDISTER KING

JACKSON – Catholic Charities of Jackson is preparing to welcome the community to its largest annual fundraiser, the Journey of Hope luncheon, with events scheduled for Oct. 22 at the Country Club of Jackson and Oct. 23 at St. James Parish in Tupelo.

The event is free to attend and brings together supporters from across the diocese to

celebrate the work of Catholic Charities, which provides vital services for families, children and individuals throughout Mississippi.

“Journey of Hope is our largest fundraiser each year,” said Michael Thomas, development director for Catholic Charities of Jackson. “It brings awareness to the community on all the programs that we have. Since it is a free event, we have the opportunity to reach more members of the community.”

Thomas noted that the funds raised provide a cushion for programs that grants and other restricted funding sources do not fully cover. Catholic Charities’ ministries range from adoption ser-

vices, domestic violence shelters and counseling, to emergency assistance and family support. The reach extends across the diocese, including the Vardaman o ce in North Mississippi, which operates a family center o ering after-school programs and summer camps.

This year, Catholic Charities added the Tupelo luncheon to expand awareness in North Mississippi and highlight the Vardaman o ce’s work. “We wanted to increase awareness for our programs in North Mississippi,” Thomas said. “The Tupelo

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

DIOCESE/VIRTUAL – The O ce of Catholic Education hosts a quarterly Zoom Rosary. Join them from across the diocese on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. to pray the Glorious Mysteries. Details: Join the rosary via zoom at https://bit.ly/OCERosaryOct25.

DIOCESE/MADISON – Fall Faith Formation Day, Saturday, Nov. 15 at St. Francis, Madison from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Department of Faith Formation welcomes all formation leaders and volunteers for a keynote by Robert Feduccia and a variety of breakout sessions to with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope Journeying Together.” Cost: $10. Register at https:// bit.ly/FFFDay2025. Deadline is Nov. 5. Details: email fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.

DIOCESE/MOBILE, Ala. – Sister Thea Bowman Jubilee of Hope Bus Pilgrimage, Nov. 15-16 to Mobile and Montgomery, Ala., for a powerful journey of faith, history and fellowship. Highlights include visits to the Africatown Heritage Center, the Equal Justice Initiative and more. Details: Visit https://bit.ly/ srtheapilgrimage2025 for more info and to register.

DIOCESE/NATCHEZ – Diocesan Young Adult Pilgrimage to St. Mary Basilica in Natchez, Nov. 8. Register by Nov. 1. Cost $25. Fee does not include transportation, meals or optional overnight stay. Details: https://jacksondiocese.ﬂocknote.com/signup/222556 or email amelia.rizor@jacksondiocese. org.

CAMDEN – Sacred Heart, “Living our Best Life in Christ” Women’s Retreat, Saturday, Oct. 25, registration at 8 a.m. with retreat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will engage in a series of enriching guest speakers, group discussions, prayer sessions, and interactive workshops designed to inspire and uplift. Cost: $25 before Oct. 20 or $30 at the door. Registration includes lunch. Details: call Dr. Kathy McMurty, Ph.D. at (601) 566-2769.

CLINTON – Holy Savior, Parish Ladies Retreat,

Saturday, Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Join us for a time of fellowship, reﬂection and prayer. Retreat includes Mass, presentations and lunch. Details: Register at https://bit.ly/HSLadiesRetreat112025.

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Millions of Monicas – Praying with conﬁdence for our children, each Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers and grandmothers as we pray for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: email millionsofmonicas@stjosephgluckstadt.com.

JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter, “Gratitude Through All Life’s Mysteries” – a Reﬂection for Women on the Holy Rosary, Saturday Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Don’t miss this spiritual event with speaker Ann Cook. Details: to sign up email lnblaylock@me.com.

VIRTUAL – The North American Vocation Team (NAVT) of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) invites young adults to a monthly prayer on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. CST via Zoom. Remaining dates in 2025 are Oct. 28, Nov. 25 and Dec. 16. Details: visit ssnd.org/events.

PARISH & YOUTH EVENTS

CLINTON – Holy Savior, Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat, Wednesday, Oct. 29 in the upper parking lot. Details: church o ce (601) 924-6344.

COLUMBUS – Annunciation, Parish Fall Festival, Sunday, Oct. 26 from 4-6:30 p.m. Join us on College Street in downtown Columbus for fun for all with trunk or treat, cake walk, games, food and more. No pets please. Details: church ofﬁce (662) 328-2927.

JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Parish Gala, Saturday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Capitol Club Rooftop. Join us for this no tie occassion to raise funds for the Cathedral kitchen and promote community in the parish. Details: church o ce (601) 969-3125.

JACKSON – Sister Thea Bowman School, AdoptA-Student Scholarship Program – Consider sponsoring a full or partial tuition for a child to experience the beneﬁt of a Catholic education. Donations are tax deductible. Details: email Chris Payne at principal@theabowmanschool.com.

JACKSON – St. Richard, Cardinal Fest and Chili Cooko , Saturday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the football ﬁeld. Enjoy food, music, games, art and more! Details: purchase your tickets here https://bit. ly/StRCardinalFest2025.

MADISON – St. Francis, Parish Mission “Hope and Pilgrimage,” Oct. 26-27 from 5:30-7:45 p.m., with speaker and author Joan Watson. All are welcome. Please RSVP. Details: church o ce at (601) 856-5556.

NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, Trunk or Treat and Halloween Carnival, Thursday, Oct. 30 in the parking lot on Union Street across from Memorial Park. Details: church o ce at (601) 445-5616 or secretary@stmarybasilica.org.

PEARL – St. Jude, Feast Day Potluck, Sunday, Oct. 26. Games for all ages from 2-4:30 p.m., procession and rosary at 4:30 p.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. Details: church o ce (601)-939-3181.

SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Don’t miss this fun day of fellowship ﬁlled with international foods, games, cake walk, live music, white elephant sale and more! Details: church o ce (662) 342-1073.

FEATURE PHOTO: ... Pray to end abortion ...

MADISON – Arnold Landry, Ken Pribyla and Dennis Riecke of KC 9543 at St. Francis of Assisi in Madison install a Respect Life banner after putting crosses into the ground behind the St. Francis parking lot. The banner and crosses will be up all month. (Photo by Joe Lee)

Faith, hope and the dignity of every human person

BY BISHOP JOSEPH R. KOPACZ, D.D.

Let us not forget that we are in the Jubilee of Hope with the pressing invitation to bring the light of the Gospel to every corner of our lives.

Therefore, “with great joy we celebrate October as Respect Life Month amid the church’s Jubilee Year of Hope. This Jubilee Year o ers us the opportunity to appreciate anew, and with immense gratitude, the gift of the new life that we have received in baptism, a life capable of transﬁguring death’s drama. The life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of our hope. Through Christ, our sins are forgiven, death is overcome, and life is victorious,”

Bishop George Thomas, USCCB said.

The refrain for the Jubilee Year, “hope does not disappoint” unveils an endless horizon beyond this world while at the same time anchoring us more securely in our daily routines and responsibilities. Because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through faith awakening the dignity of every human person made in God’s image and likeness, the church’s respect for life from the moment of conception to natural death remains unwavering.

May the scales fall from our eyes to see the beau-

ty of life all around us – from the conception and birth of a child, in the daily sacriﬁces of parents and caregivers who give their all for the well-being of their children, for the blessings of education, recreation, family and community. For the elderly who have borne the heat of the day and who are cared for until the end in the bosom of family or centers of care that accompany the family during the twilight years, we celebrate and give thanks.

“Yet, the daily headlines remind us of how desperately our world is thirsting for the hope that only God can provide. Every day we witness the overwhelming disregard for human life: through rising rates of abortion and assisted suicide; the killing of innocent schoolchildren, even at prayer; the mistreatment of our immigrant sisters and brothers as they endure an environment of aggression; and political and ideological violence inﬂicted against unsuspecting victims. These attacks threaten life precisely when it is most vulnerable and in need of protection,” Bishop Thomas said.

Despite these realities, the gift of human life exists as a sign of hope to our world today, defying the powers of darkness and the culture of death. Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction inaugurating the Jubilee Year reminded us that hope is love in action that responds to the su ering at our doorsteps. This life-giving virtue is to be enkindled in the fragile hearts of our youth, in the sick, the forsaken elderly, those in crushing poverty, victims of violence and war, exploited exiles, refugees,

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P.O. Box 2130 Jackson, MS 39225-2130 Phone: 601-969-3581 E-mail: editor@jacksondiocese.org

Volume 71 Number 17 (ISSN 1529-1693)

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. Published digitally twice per month January – April and September – December; once per month June, July and August. Mississippi Catholic mails 14 editions per year – twice per month in December and January; and once per month February – November. 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-ofstate. 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

and immigrants, and the list goes on.

However, the church and many of its parishes, schools and ministries can and do call down the life of heaven through the power of faith, hope and love. In fact, this is a daily reality, and for this we give thanks.

With regard to respect for life, Pope Leo XIV has cited the emerging power and potential of artiﬁcial intelligence, which can be a force for good or evil. In harmony with recent Holy Fathers, Leo has raised up the dignity of the human person at the center of greater solidarity and unity across the globe.

At the second annual international Artiﬁcial Intelligence Conference in Rome, during a session intentionally held at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, the Holy Father shared the following thought: “Authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data.”

In this light, the Holy Father expressed his hope that the conference’s deliberations “will also consider AI within the context of the necessary intergenerational apprenticeship that will enable young people to integrate truth into their moral and spiritual life, thus informing their mature decisions and opening the path towards a world of greater solidarity and unity.”

BISHOP’S SCHEDULE

Tuesday, October 14, 7:30 a.m. – Mass, Carmelite Monastery, Jackson

October 15-20 – Trip to Saltillo Mission in Mexico

Tuesday, October 21, 5 p.m. – Catholic Foundation Annual Meeting & Dinner, Country Club of Jackson

Wednesday, October 22, 12 p.m. – Catholic Charities Journey of Hope with Father Burke Masters, Country Club of Jackson

Thursday, October 23, 12 p.m. – Catholic Charities Journey of Hope with Father Burke Masters, St. James, Tupelo

Thursday, October 23, 6 p.m. – Catholic Charities Purple Dress Run, The District at Eastover, Jackson

October 25-November 3 – Jubilee of Hope Pilgrimage to Rome

Sunday, November 9, 10:30 a.m. – Mass and Blessing of Sister Clare Hogan Hall, St. Francis, Madison

November 10-15 – USCCB Fall General Assembly, Baltimore

Tuesday, November 18, 7:30 a.m. – Mass, Carmelite Monastery, Jackson

Wednesday, November 19, 5 p.m. – Deanery IV Jubilee Year Celebration/Adoration, St. Elizabeth, Clarksdale

Saturday, November 22, 10 a.m. – Day of Reﬂection on Legacy of Sister Thea Bowman, Sacred Heart, Camden

Sunday, November 23, 9 a.m. – Feast of Christ the King Mass and Celebration, Christ the King, Jackson

Sunday, November 23, 3 p.m. – Mass and Dedication of Sanctuary/New Building, St. Paul, Flowood

All events are subject to change. Check with parishes, schools or organizations for further details.

BY FATHER NICK ADAM

Father Tristan Stovall, Bishop Joseph Kopacz and I enjoyed a wonderful visit to Notre Dame Seminary in late September for the ﬁnal faculty evaluation for Will Foggo. Will began his journey through seminary formation back at the very height of the pandemic in August 2020. I was blown away by his courage and perseverance to join the seminary at such a challenging time.

Now, ﬁve years later, Will is completing his classwork and, after his evaluation, is ofﬁcially recommended to be admitted to the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He will be ordained a deacon on Saturday, Nov. 29, at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle at 10:30 a.m., and he will be ordained a priest on Saturday, May 16, 2026 after a six-month period of work as a deacon in a parish.

There are three levels of holy orders: deacon, priest, and bishop. A man must be a deacon before he is ordained a priest, and a priest before he is ordained a bishop. As a deacon, the man is blessed with sacramental grace to act in the person of Christ the servant, while the priest is ordained to act in the person of Christ the priest. The bishop receives the fullness of holy orders and acts as the shepherd of the whole diocese. Of course, bishops and priests don’t ‘stop’ being deacons after ordination. They must lead and sanctify the people with a servant’s heart, and they will need to draw on the graces of the sacrament in order to be faithful to their duty for life.

So, it was a joyful evening at Notre Dame Seminary following Will’s evaluation. We gathered in the ‘Bib,’ short for bibliotheca (Latin for ‘library’), which is the hangout area for the seminarians ‘after hours.’ Father Tristan cooked a wonderful meal that we all enjoyed, and I love seeing our seminarians, veterans and rookies, having a great time together.

I mentioned to the rector of the seminary, Father Josh Rodrigue, who joined us for the meal, that I always dreamed that we could have a gathering like this one. I cherished my time with my own diocesan brothers in the seminary, but to see so many Jackson men together and having a great time gathered around their bishop was very moving to me.

Our discernment groups are launching once again for the fall semester, and the vocation team is inviting men to take part in a group, visit the seminary, or both. My discernment group in Jackson began the ﬁrst week of October, and I’m planning on taking at least three men down to St. Joseph Abbey to visit the seminary on Columbus Day weekend. Five discernment group participants from last year ended up in the seminary this year, so this is a model of accompaniment that is repeatable and works.

We are focusing this year on encouraging visits to the seminary as they seem to have the greatest impact on the men. I always remind the guys — we do not offer these opportunities to force them to become priests, but we are giving them resources to explore the call. We see potential in them, yes, but they cannot make a free choice for the Lord if they never get to speak to anyone about what priesthood is like or what the seminary entails. Please keep these discerners in your prayers and pray that the Lord continues to bless us with more seminarians who desire, like Will, to be servant leaders in our diocese.

(For more information on vocations, visit jacksonvocations.com or contact Father Nick at nick.adam@jacksondiocese.org.)

Visit jacksondiocese. ocknote.com and join the Vocation Supporters list to hear more from Father Nick Adam and happenings in the vocation o ce.

Reminder: e Solemnity of All Saints is on Nov. 1. Since this Holy Day falls on a Saturday, the obligation is suspended.

Father Nick Adam

A tradition of the heart – Roman Catholic devotions

IN EXILE

By Father ron rolheiser, oMi

Growing up in a Roman Catholic home, devotions were always a vital part of our religious diet. While our family saw the Eucharist as more important than devotions, we nourished our spiritual lives a lot on devotions, as did many Roman Catholics back then.

Among other things, we prayed the rosary every day, prayed the Angelus daily, prayed special litanies (St. Joseph in March, Mary in May and October, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June), prayed the Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent, were anxious to attend Eucharist on First Fridays and First Saturdays to obtain special promises from God, and said special prayers to obtain indulgences.

As well, there were pilgrimages to Marian shrines for those who could afford them and most everyone wore medals from Lourdes or Fatima and had a special devotion to those shrines (with a special devotion in my own family and parish to Our Lady of the Cape, at Cap De Madeleine, Quebec). Devotions were a big part of our spiritual lives.

What’s to be said about devotions from a theological view and from the view of a culture that mostly distrusts them?

We might begin with the reaction of Martin Luther and the great Protestant reformers. They were fearful of two things in devotions. First, at that time, some devotions were too unbridled and were simply bad theology (famously, selling indulgences). Second, they saw devotions, not as necessarily bad in themselves, but as often displacing Jesus and God’s Word as our center and main focus. And so, they distanced themselves from basically all Roman Catholic devotions, the unbridled as well as the healthy.

For the most part that Protestant and Evangelical distrust of Roman Catholic devotions has come down right to our own day. While that distrust is breaking down today in some non-Roman churches today, it is still the prevalent attitude inside most Protestant and Evangelical circles. In brief, they distrust most devotions because they are seen not just as deflecting our focus from the centrality of Jesus and the Word, but also as potentially unhealthy contaminates, as junk food in our spiritual diet.

What’s to be said about that?

It’s a fair and needed warning to Roman Catholics (and others) who nourish their spiritual lives with devotions. Bottom line, devotions can easily ground themselves on shaky theology and can be a junk food contaminating our spiritual diet: where devotions replace scripture, Mary replaces Jesus as center, and certain ritual practices make God seem like a puppet on a string.

However, that being admitted, as Goethe once said, the dangers of life are many and safety is one of those dangers. Yes, devotions can be a danger, but they can also be a rich healthy supplement in our essential diet of Word and Eucharist.

Here’s how Eric Mascall (the renowned Anglican theologian at Oxford with C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers, and Austin Ferrar) spells out both the danger of devotions and the danger of not having devotions as part of your spiritual life: The protestant reformers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli) were so afraid of contamination by Roman Catholic devotions, that they put us on a diet of antiseptics. When you’re on a diet of antiseptics, you won’t suffer from food poisoning, but you can suffer from malnutrition.

That’s an equal challenge to both those who practice devotions and those who fear them. The theology undergirding certain devotions admittedly can be sloppy (for example, Mary is not a co-redeemer with Jesus). However, inside many devotions (to Mary, to the saints, to Eucharist adoration, to the Sacred Heart) there can be a rich nutrition which helps nourish the center, namely, God’s Word and the Eucharist.

The late Wendy Wright in her book “Sacred Heart: Gateway to God” makes a wonderful apologia for Catholic devotional practices, particularly devotion

to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For her, Catholic devotional practices are a tradition of the heart. While Jesus remains central and his resurrection remains the real anchor for our faith, devotions can give us something beyond just this raw essential.

Using devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as an example, she writes: “In this devotion, we, and Jesus and the saints, exist in some essential way outside the chronology of historical time. The tradition of the heart makes this vividly, even grotesquely, clear. The divine–human correspondence is intimate. It is discovered in the flesh. Our fleshy hearts are fitted for all that is beyond flesh by conforming to the heart of Jesus. That divine–human heart is the passageway between earth and heaven. That heart is the tactile tracings of divine love on the created order. That heart is the widest, wildest longing of humankind’s own love.”

The dangers of life are many and safety is one of those dangers. Devotions can deflect us from what’s more central and can take their root in some questionable theology, but they can also, in Wendy Wright’s words, be a blessed passageway for the heart between heaven and earth.

(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a theologian, teacher and award-winning author. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.com.)

The Pope’s Corner Migrants, refugees are often models of hope and faith, pope says

By Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Migrants and refugees often are “privileged witnesses of hope through their resilience and trust in God,” Pope Leo XIV said.

“Often they maintain their strength while seeking a better future, in spite of the obstacles that they encounter,” he said Oct. 2 during a meeting with participants in the conference “Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home,” organized by Villanova University.

The Vatican dicasteries for Promoting Integral Human Development and for Culture and Education and the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services were among the co-sponsors of the conference, held in Rome Oct. 1-3 just before the Jubilee of Migrants and the Jubilee of Missions Oct. 4-5.

migration, which promotes programs of scholarship, advocacy and service to migrants.

Pope Leo praised the project’s goal of bringing together “leading voices throughout a variety of disciplines in order to respond to the current urgent challenges brought by the increasing number of people, now estimated to be over 100 million, who are affected by migration and displacement.”

Sister Norma Pimentel, a Missionary of Jesus and executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville, Texas, said migrants “are missionaries of hope to us, because their presence with us honestly sanctifies who and where we are.”

Pope Leo XIV waves to participants in the conference “Refugees & Migrants in Our Common Home,” organized by Villanova University, at an audience at the Vatican Oct. 2, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Leo encouraged participants to share migrants’ and refugees’ stories of steadfast faith and hope so that they could be “an inspiration for others and assist in developing ways to address the challenges that they have faced in their own lives.”

Overcoming the widespread sense that no one can make a difference “requires patience, a willingness to listen, the ability to identify with the pain of others and the recognition that we have the same dreams and the same hopes,” Pope Leo XIV told the group.

Before the conference, Villanova held the official launch of its Mother Cabrini Institute on Im-

People who fear migrants and refugees or believe they are coming just to take jobs need to take the time to meet them, Sister Pimentel said. Then, “they will stop seeing them as somebody that is invading my space, but rather as somebody who I have the opportunity to be able to show the presence of God.”

Addressing the conference Oct. 1, she said that “in a world marked by fear, division and uncertainty, we are invited to be people of hope, pilgrims of hope, of that hope which comes from our trust in the Lord.”

“In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are called to find within ourselves kindness and compassion and courage, especially courage,” Sister Pimentel said.

‘...

Testament to what Vicksburg Catholic School means to

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The construction site is at the corner of Hayes and Clay Street, next to St. Francis Xavier Elementary School. Formerly the home of Sullivan’s Grocery, the property was acquired by VCS earlier this year. Since then, Smith has been leading a capital campaign team to develop a vision for the land and raise the funds to make it possible.

“When we ﬁrst began this effort, we knew it had potential to make a big di erence, not just for our school, but for the Vicksburg community,” explained David Hosemann, a member of the project steering committee. “Seeing that vision come to life is incredibly rewarding, and it’s a testament to what Vicksburg Catholic School means to this community.”

That vision is now moving for-

‘...

ward, thanks to the support of donors who invested in the school’s future. To date, approximately $8 million of the project’s total $10 million cost has been raised. With construction set to begin this month, the campaign has entered its ﬁnal phase to secure the remaining $2 million.

“We are incredibly proud and grateful for what we have accomplished so far, and we are conﬁdent in what’s still to come,” Smith said. “People love this school – they believe in its mission and its impact – and that loyalty is what’s turning this dream into a reality.”

(For more information about Vicksburg Catholic School, which serves students from pre-K through twelfth grade in the Vicksburg area, visit www.vicksburgcatholic.org.)

this community ...’

I love returning to Mississippi ...’

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event allows us to reach new people who may not be as familiar with all that Catholic Charities o ers.”

The featured speaker for both luncheons will be Father Burke Masters, who is making a return appearance at Journey of Hope after previously drawing crowds of more than 800. A former Mississippi State University baseball player who went on to play in the Chicago White Sox organization before entering the seminary, Father Burke is now known for his dynamic preaching and work as a Catholic priest.

“I love returning to Mississippi! It always feels like a homecoming each time I return,” Father Burke said. “I’m excited to support the Catholic Charities Journey of Hope event again this year. I’m hoping we can raise

money and awareness for those in need, as Jesus speaks clearly about the importance of serving those who are less fortunate than we are.”

While careful not to give away the full scope of his talk, Father Burke said his message will encourage attendees to deepen their faith. “I hope people will become more intentional disciples of Jesus Christ after my talk,” he said. “My goal is to inspire the listeners to take one step closer to Jesus as we live out our faith in the world.”

Thomas added that guests can expect “an encouraging and enlightening conversation with Father Burke” at both luncheons. For those who may not get a seat in the main room at the Jackson event, Catholic Charities has arranged an additional space to broadcast Father Burke’s presentation live, followed by an opportunity to meet him for those guests.

Although attendance is free, registration is required. When signing up, attendees are asked to specify whether they will attend the Jackson or Tupelo luncheon. Seating in Jackson is extremely limited, with some guests placed in an overﬂow room where the talk will be broadcast live; however, if cancellations occur, some seats may open in the main area. Tupelo currently has more availability. To register, email info@ccjackson.org or call Michael Thomas at (601) 331-1152.

For those who cannot attend but want to support the mission, Catholic Charities invites donations through their website or by texting JOH25 to 50155.

“Every contribution goes directly toward strengthening our programs and helping us reach those most in need,” Thomas said. “Journey of Hope is not only a fundraiser but also a reminder of the hope that Catholic Charities strives to bring to every family and individual we serve.”

Pastoral Assignments

VICKSBURG – Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz blesses students and staff with holy water during the groundbreaking ceremony for Vicksburg Catholic School’s new performing arts and athletic complex on Sept. 26, as Van Peeples carries the aspersorium. (Photo by Anna Griffing)

Rev. Rickson Robert Antony appointed parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Oxford, e ective Oct. 1, 2025.

Will Foggo will be assigned as deacon to St. Joseph Parish, Starkville and its mission, Corpus Christi in Macon, e ective Dec. 3, 2025, after his ordination to the transitional diaconate on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. Bishop of Jackson

JACKSON – Father Burke Masters is pictured at Catholic Charities Journey of Hope event in 2017. He is set to return to headline the event on Oct. 22 at the Country Club of Jackson and on Oct. 23 at St. James Parish in Tupelo. (Photo from archives)

CATHOLIC OCTOBER 10, 2025

‘The

work continues’ – Bishop Kopacz marks 75 with gratitude and new chapter of ministry

By Joanna Puddister King

JACKSON – Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz reached a milestone on Sept. 16 as he celebrated his 75th birthday with Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and a luncheon with chancery staff. The day carried both personal and ecclesial significance: under canon law, bishops are required to submit their resignation at age 75.

In a video message leading up to the day, Bishop Kopacz reflected on the process and what it means for his ministry. “It’s special because it’s my 75th birthday. Canon law requires that I send my letter of resignation into the Apostolic Delegate,” he explained. The letter was submitted to Christophe Cardinal Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States.

Still, as the bishop reminded the faithful, acceptance of the letter does not come right away. “Every bishop is obligated to do this … but typically the nuncio will write back and say, continue serving in the diocese,” he said. That time of waiting often lasts a year and a half or longer.

“I look at it as being an extended Advent,” Bishop Kopacz said. “A bishop knows not the day nor the hour when he will receive notice of a successor. That allows me the time then to realize – time is important – and there’s much ministry to attend to in collaboration with priests and leadership in the diocese.”

The bishop spoke of gratitude for the years behind him and the ministry still to come. “Although the letter is going in, not much is going to change, practically speaking, except I’m getting older and grateful to God for living a long life up to this point and being able to serve the Lord and be active in ministry.”

At the Mass marking his birthday, Bishop Kopacz reminisced about his consecration as Bishop of Jackson at the “young age of 63 and a half years old,” he quipped. With many other bishops turning 75 or nearing that milestone, he told those gathered, “Now it’s a matter of waiting for the announcement of a successor. But until then, we continue to walk together.”

At the chancery luncheon, Bishop Kopacz lightened the moment with humor. “I have documentation of my baptism certificate … that shows I was baptized on Oct. 1, 1950. That’s not a recent convert. I think I qualify with longevity here,” he said, drawing laughter.

Looking back on his years in Jackson, he said: “It’s been an amazing 11 and a half years as bishop … really such a blessing in many ways. A few rough patches – welcome to life, right? But overall, a blessing.”

He also spoke of the diocese’s breadth and diversity. “Looking at the folks from Natchez and Fayette, and priests from Amory and New Albany … the heart of the Delta … it really is amazing,” he said. “Together we’re serving the Lord and serving the church, and it really doesn’t end. Wake up tomorrow – it continues.”

Third space

FROM THE HERMITAGE

By sister alies therese

Imagine, if you can, a huge pot of bright red paint – another of yellow. Now picture a pot entirely of orange made by mixing the two. A third space –the coming together of two separate things to make something brand new.

Or see a neighborhood full of people from Peru. Nearby is a neighborhood of people from Appalachia. Two miles away is a neighborhood full of folks from Appalachia and Peru, living side by side, sharing in most things. That becomes a third space – overlapping into a completely new neighborhood.

Some of the characteristics of a third space are people coming together for social connection, creativity and belonging. The concept of “third space” is attributed to sociolinguist Homi K. Bhabha, expressing a theory of identity and community realized through language, though its application has expanded over the years. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg popularized the phrase in 1989 in his book “The Great Good Place,” where he emphasized “their crucial role in civic engagement and social interaction.” In an article for the UNESCO Courier, he defined them as “informal public places where people can gather, socialize and maintain a democracy.”

The bishop’s reflections place him among a growing group of American church leaders at the same juncture. Canon law requires bishops to submit their resignations at 75, but the pope decides when to accept them. Until then, bishops continue in their ministry.

This September, Bishop Kopacz was not alone in marking the milestone. Bishop Francis Malone of Shreveport turned 75 on Sept. 1, and Bishop David Talley of Memphis turned 75 on Sept. 11. Across the United States, dozens of bishops are reaching retirement age, part of a larger generational shift in church leadership.

JACKSON – Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz delivers the homily at a Mass celebrating his 75th birthday on Sept. 16 at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. (Photo by Tereza Ma)

National data underscores the trend. By the end of 2023, 13 U.S. diocesan bishops were already over 75, the highest number since the 1960s. Over the next five years, more than a third of current diocesan bishops will submit their resignations as they turn 75. Many, like Bishop Kopacz, are expected to remain in their dioceses for a time before successors are appointed.

For the Diocese of Jackson, that means continuity for now. “Although the letter is significant, the work of the ministry continues,” Bishop Kopacz said. “God bless you. Let us go forward confident again in our Lord’s love for us.”

The day’s celebrations reflected both the seriousness of the moment and the joy of community. Parishioners, priests and diocesan staff joined in thanksgiving for Bishop Kopacz’s life and leadership. While change will eventually come, the bishop expressed hope and confidence in God’s providence for the road ahead.

(Watch Bishop Kopacz’s video message on turning 75 and read the full text of his resignation letter at https://bit.ly/BishopKopacz75.)

We can look back in history and discover these spaces, such as trading posts, Greek agoras, Roman forums, medieval taverns or your favorite pub.

What is first or second space, you might ask? First is home; second, work or school. These are the spaces in which you live the most and hopefully find comfort, have your responsibilities and success. But a third space is critical for your well-being, especially your mental health.

These are the overlapping places where what you come from – your routines and practices – lessen, and you enter into another world, so to speak. Here, you socialize with folks unknown to you, who you would consider different from yourself. Alternative spaces are explicitly created to address unmet needs, so local community engagement at a coffee shop (often regularly) or a library lessens loneliness and encourages all people to experience a new sort of connectedness.

There are opportunities to grow in any number of ways, to experience laughter, as well as to listen to others. Community gardens or river walks – all third spaces. Parks, support groups or hairdressers are among the many different types of third places. There are running groups (or walking), book clubs, or my favorites – my place of worship, Sacred Heart Catholic Church; Koty Earl’s, where I frequently eat breakfast; and GIRLFRIENDS, where I engage in art and devotion with other women weekly.

There is, I think, yet another sort of third place, and we see it expressed in the Scriptures. It is not a

physical place but a turning of the heart. Consider the stories of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25ff) and the tender moment where Jesus from the cross invites John to take Mary into his home (Jn 19:26ff). Both of these bring us into a world of compassion from a world of hurt and challenge us to live differently.

We know both these stories and the worlds of anguish they represent; do we hear the unmet cry for compassion where all is new? Marcel Proust said, “Love is space and time measured by the heart.”

Compassion is a third place we all need to travel to, to learn to live in. We can look about in the other worlds we inhabit, those of social media and political chatter. We can become as brittle as the priest or Levite and pass by the opportunity to grow or be of service, or we can bend down like the Samaritan and discover a neighbor in distress. We can open our homes like John and at the same time receive the gift Mary has to bring.

So, what’s your favorite third space? Is it physical, digital or like compassion, from the heart? Maybe you need to create one. Where will you help connect folks so that compassion might be lived out? What are your unmet needs? What is unmet when you carefully look around?

“Compassion is another name for community. It is the mirror of relatedness that accepts the pain and weakness of another as one’s own. It is an expression of love that says, ‘You belong to me,’” wrote Sister Ilia Delio, OSF, in her book “Compassion.”

Blessings.

St. James Knights support Talbot House with gift

By Brian Volman

TUPELO – The Knights of Columbus Council 8848 at St. James Church presented a check for $11,500 to Talbot House, supporting its mission of serving those in need.

The donation marked the culmination of the Knights’ summer project, which included selling tickets to their annual charity concert and securing contributions from local businesses. Ticket sales began in May and concluded with the concert on Aug. 2 at the Catholic Life Center on the grounds of St. James.

The evening’s concert highlighted the talents of local residents and parishioners, who provided outstanding entertainment for the community.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization founded on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity. Council 8848 continues to serve the Tupelo community through faith-driven charitable works and service projects.

Jabour receives Knight Commander Cross

By michael horten

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – On Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, Philip Jabour was invested with the Knight Commander Cross of the Order of the Fleur de Lis. Jabour was joined by four clergy members and eight lay commanders being invested. The investiture took place at St. Mary of the Springs Catholic Church in Hot Springs.

Knight Commander Jabour and his wife, Linda, reside in Brandon, and attend St. Paul Catholic Church. Jabour is very active in the Knights of Columbus. He created a program to donate coats for kids to Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Jackson. He also serves on the board of the Castlewoods Homeowners Association and has been a Eucharistic minister for 30 years and a member of the parish council for 10 years.

The Order of the Fleur de Lis is an organization of Catholic men incorporated under the laws of Louisiana as a not-for-profit organization. The order’s domain covers a five-state region consisting of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The objectives of the order include supporting and defending the Catholic Church and its teachings; promoting patriotism and good citizenship; en-

couraging public morality and unselfish service to God and country; assisting and publicizing the activities of other organizations that share these goals; and honoring the memories and achievements of Catholic leaders in religion, the arts and sciences, philanthropy, education, exploration and archaeology, government and international relations, medicine, jurisprudence and other established professions.

The Order of the Fleur de Lis encourages and recognizes leadership in living the values and principles of the Catholic faith by presenting the Msgr. Joseph Susi Award of Honor to individuals who have excelled as Catholic leaders.

Other Knight Commanders in the Diocese of Jackson include Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, Very Rev. Aaron Williams, William “Bill” O’Connor and James McCraw.

‘El trabajo continúa’: el obispo Kopacz celebra sus 75 años con gratitud y un nuevo capítulo en su ministerio

JACKSON – Los sacerdotes de la Diócesis de Jackson se reúnen con el obispo Joseph R. Kopacz en el altar durante la misa celebrada con motivo de su 75.º cumpleaños en la Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol el 16 de septiembre. (Foto por Tereza Ma)

Por Joanna PUDDisTer KinG

JACKSON – El obispo Joseph R. Kopacz alcanzó un hito el 16 de septiembre al celebrar su 75 cumpleaños con una misa en la Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol y un almuerzo con el personal de la cancillería. El día tuvo un significado tanto personal como eclesiástico: según el derecho canónico, los obispos deben presentar su renuncia a los 75 años.

En un mensaje de video previo a la fecha, el obispo Kopacz reflexionó sobre el proceso y lo que significa para su ministerio. “Es especial porque es mi 75.º cumpleaños. El derecho canónico exige que envíe mi carta de renuncia al delegado apostólico”, explicó. La carta fue entregada al cardenal Christophe Pierre, nuncio papal en Estados Unidos.

Sin embargo, como recordó el obispo a los fieles, la aceptación de la carta no es inmediata. “Todos los obispos están obligados a hacerlo... pero normalmente el nuncio responde por escrito y dice que sigan sirviendo en la diócesis”, afirmó. Ese tiempo de espera suele durar un año y medio o más.

"Lo veo como un Adviento prolongado”, dijo el obispo Kopacz. “Un obispo no sabe el día ni la hora en que recibirá la notificación de su sucesor. Eso me da tiempo para darme cuenta de que – el tiempo es importante – y que hay mucho ministerio que atender en colaboración con los sacerdotes y los líderes de la diócesis”.

El obispo habló de su gratitud por los años que ha vivido y por el ministerio que aún le queda por delante. “Aunque se va a enviar la carta, en la práctica no va a cambiar mucho, salvo que me estoy haciendo mayor y estoy agradecido a Dios por haber vivido una larga vida hasta ahora y por poder servir al Señor y estar activo en el ministerio”.

En la misa con motivo de su cumpleaños, el obispo Kopacz recordó su consagración como obispo de Jackson a la “joven edad de 63 años y medio”, bromeó. Con muchos otros obispos cumpliendo

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Catholic Charities se prepara para el Viaje de la Esperanza con el regreso

Por Joanna PUDDisTer KinG

JACKSON – Catholic Charities of Jackson se prepara para dar la bienvenida a la comunidad a su mayor evento anual de recaudación de fondos, el almuerzo Journey of Hope, con actos programados para el 22 de octubre en el Country Club de Jackson y el 23 de octubre en el St. James Parish Hall de Tupelo.

La asistencia al evento es gratuita y reúne a simpatizantes de toda la diócesis para celebrar la labor de Catholic Charities, que presta servicios vitales a familias, niños y personas de todo Misisipi.

“Journey of Hope es nuestra mayor recaudación de fondos cada año”, dijo Michael Thomas, director de desarrollo de Catholic Charities de Jackson. “Conciencia a la comunidad sobre todos los programas que tenemos. Como es un evento gratuito, tenemos la oportunidad de llegar a más miembros de la comunidad”.

Thomas señaló que los fondos recaudados proporcionan un colchón para los programas que las subvenciones y otras fuentes de financiación re-

del padre Burke Masters

stringidas no cubren en su totalidad. Los ministerios de Catholic Charities abarcan desde servicios de adopción, refugios y asesoramiento para víctimas de violencia doméstica, hasta asistencia de emergencia y apoyo familiar. Su alcance se extiende por toda la diócesis, incluida la oficina de Vardaman, en el norte de Misisipi, que gestiona un centro familiar que ofrece programas extraescolares y campamentos de verano.

Este año, Catholic Charities añadió el almuerzo de Tupelo para dar a conocer su labor en el norte de Misisipi y destacar el trabajo de la oficina de Vardaman. “Queríamos dar a conocer nuestros programas en el norte de Misisipi”, explicó Thomas. “El evento de Tupelo nos permite llegar a nuevas personas que quizá no estén tan familiarizadas con todo lo que ofrece Catholic Charities”. El orador destacado en ambos almuerzos será el padre Burke Masters, que vuelve a Journey of Hope

después de haber atraído anteriormente a más de 800 personas. El padre Burke, exjugador de béisbol de la Universidad Estatal de Misisipi que pasó a jugar en la organización Chicago White Sox antes de ingresar en el seminario, es ahora conocido por sus dinámicas predicaciones y su labor como sacerdote católico.

“¡Me encanta volver a Misisipi! Cada vez que regreso, siento como si volviera a casa”, dijo el padre Burke. “Estoy emocionado por apoyar de nuevo este año el evento Journey of Hope (Viaje de esperanza) de Catholic Charities. Espero que podamos recaudar fondos y concienciar a la gente sobre los necesitados, ya que Jesús habla claramente de la importancia de servir a los menos afortunados que nosotros”.

Aunque se cuidó de no revelar el contenido completo de su charla, el padre Burke dijo que su men-

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

'...

Seguiremos caminando juntos

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75 años o acercándose a esa edad, dijo a los allí reunidos: “Ahora solo queda esperar el anuncio de un sucesor. Pero hasta entonces, seguiremos caminando juntos”.

En el almuerzo de la cancillería, el obispo Kopacz aligeró el momento con humor. “Tengo la documentación de mi certificado de bautismo ... que muestra que fui bautizado el 1 de octubre de 1950. No soy un converso reciente. Creo que reúno los requisitos de longevidad aquí”, dijo, provocando las risas.

Al recordar sus años en Jackson, dijo al personal: “Han sido once años y medio increíbles como obispo... realmente una bendición en muchos sentidos. Ha habido algunos momentos difíciles, pero así es la vida, ¿no? Pero, en general, ha sido una bendición”.

También habló de la amplitud y diversidad de la diócesis. “Al ver a la gente de Natchez y Fayette, y a los sacerdotes de Amory y New Albany ... el corazón del Delta ... es realmente asombroso”, dijo. “Juntos servimos al Señor y a la Iglesia, y esto realmente no tiene fin. Mañana nos despertaremos y seguirá”.

Las reflexiones del obispo lo sitúan entre un grupo cada vez mayor de líderes eclesiásticos estadoun-

...'

idenses que se encuentran en la misma situación. El derecho canónico exige que los obispos presenten su renuncia a los 75 años, pero es el papa quien decide cuándo aceptarla. Hasta entonces, los obispos continúan con su ministerio.

Este mes de septiembre, el obispo Kopacz no fue el único en alcanzar este hito. El obispo Francis Malone, de Shreveport, cumplió 75 años el 1 de septiembre, y el obispo David Talley, de Memphis, cumplió 75 años el 11 de septiembre. En todo Estados Unidos, decenas de obispos están llegando a la edad de jubilación, lo que forma parte de un cambio generacional más amplio en el liderazgo de la Iglesia.

Los datos nacionales subrayan esta tendencia. A finales de 2023, 13 obispos diocesanos estadounidenses ya tenían más de 75 años, la cifra más alta desde la década de 1960. En los próximos cinco años, más de un tercio de los obispos diocesanos actuales presentarán su renuncia al cumplir los 75 años. Se espera que muchos, como el obispo Kopacz, permanezcan en sus diócesis durante un tiempo antes de que se nombre a sus sucesores.

Para la diócesis de Jackson, eso significa con-

' ... Mi objetivo es inspirar a los oyentes a dar un paso más hacia Jesús ...'

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saje animará a los asistentes a profundizar en su fe. “Espero que, después de mi charla, las personas se conviertan en discípulos más comprometidos de Jesucristo”, dijo. “Mi objetivo es inspirar a los oyentes a dar un paso más hacia Jesús mientras vivimos nuestra fe en el mundo”.

Thomas añadió que los invitados pueden esperar «una conversación alentadora y enriquecedora con el padre Burke» en ambos almuerzos. Para aquellos que no consigan un lugar en la sala prin-

cipal del evento de Jackson, Catholic Charities ha habilitado un espacio adicional para retransmitir en directo la presentación del padre Burke, seguida de una oportunidad para conocerlo en persona. Aunque la asistencia es gratuita, es necesario registrarse. Al inscribirse, se pide a los asistentes que especifiquen si asistirán al almuerzo de Jackson o al de Tupelo. Las plazas en Jackson son muy limitadas, por lo que algunos invitados se ubicarán en una sala adicional donde se retransmitirá la charla en directo; sin embargo, si se producen cancelaciones, es posible que se liberen algunas plazas en la sala principal. Actualmente hay más plazas disponibles en Tupelo. Para inscribirse, envíe un correo electrónico a info@ ccjackson.org o llame a Michael Thomas al (601) 331-1152.

Para aquellos que no puedan asistir pero deseen apoyar la misión, Catholic Charities invita a realizar donaciones a través de su sitio web o enviando un mensaje de texto con la palabra JOH25 al 50155.

“Todas las contribuciones se destinan directamente a fortalecer nuestros programas y ayudarnos a llegar a los más necesitados”, afirmó Thomas. “Journey of Hope no es solo una recaudación de fondos, sino también un recordatorio de la esperanza que Catholic Charities se esfuerza por llevar a todas las familias y personas a las que atendemos”.

Una paloma en el pastel de cumpleaños del obispo Kopacz se lleva su carta de renuncia a Roma.

tinuidad por ahora. “Aunque la carta es significativa, la labor del ministerio continúa”, dijo el obispo Kopacz. “Que Dios los bendiga. Sigamos adelante con confianza en el amor de nuestro Señor por nosotros”. Las celebraciones del día reflejaron tanto la seriedad del momento como la alegría de la comunidad. Los feligreses, los sacerdotes y el personal diocesano se unieron en acción de gracias por la vida y el liderazgo del obispo Kopacz. Aunque el cambio llegará eventualmente, el obispo expresó su esperanza y confianza en la providencia de Dios para el camino que tiene por delante.

(Vea el mensaje en video del obispo Kopacz al cumplir 75 años y lea el texto completo de su carta de renuncia en https://bit.ly/BishopKopacz75).

El padre Burke Masters se dirige a una multitud en el evento Journey of Hope (Viaje de esperanza) de Catholic Charities en 2017. Este año volverá a intervenir en el evento, que se celebrará en Jackson y Tupelo. (Foto de archivo)

Fe, esperanza y dignidad de toda persona humana

Por obisPo JosePh r. KoPacz, D.D.

No olvidemos que estamos en el año del Jubileo de la Esperanza con la invitación obligatoria a llevar la luz del Evangelio a todos los rincones de nuestra vida.

Por lo tanto, "con gran alegría celebramos octubre como el Mes del Respeto a la Vida en medio del Año Jubilar de la Esperanza de la iglesia. Este Año jubilar nos ofrece la oportunidad de apreciar de nuevo, y con inmensa gratitud, el don de la nueva vida que hemos recibido en el bautismo, una vida capaz de transfigurar el drama de la muerte. La vida, muerte y resurrección de nuestro Señor Jesucristo es el fundamento de nuestra esperanza. A través de Cristo, nuestros pecados son perdonados, la muerte es vencida y la vida es victoriosa", dijo el obispo George Thomas, USCCB. El refrán del Año jubilar, "la esperanza no defrauda", revela un horizonte infinito más allá de este mundo y, al mismo tiempo, nos ancla más firmemente en nuestras rutinas y responsabilidades diarias. Debido a que el amor de Dios se ha derramado en nuestros corazones a través de la fe que despierta la dignidad de cada persona humana hecha en la imagen y semejanza de Dios, el respeto de la iglesia por la vida desde el momento de la concepción hasta la muerte natural permanece indestructible.

Que caigan las escamas de nuestros ojos para ver la belleza de la vida que nos rodea, desde la concepción y el nacimiento de un hijo, hasta los sacrificios diarios de los padres y cuidadores que lo dan todo por el bienestar de sus hijos, por las bendiciones de la educación, la recreación, la familia y la comunidad. Para los ancianos que han soportado el calor del día y que son cuidados hasta el final en el seno de la familia o en los centros de atención que acompañan a la familia durante los años crepusculares, celebramos y damos gracias.

"Sin embargo, los titulares del día a día nos recuerdan lo desesperadamente que nuestro mundo está, anhelando la esperanza que solo Dios puede proporcionar. Todos los días somos testigos del abrumador desprecio por la vida humana: a través del aumento de los derechos de aborto y suicidio asistido; los asesinatos de estudiantes inocentes, incluso en oración; el maltrato de nuestros hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes mientras soportan un ambiente de agresión; la violencia política e ideológica infligida contra víctimas desprevenidas. Estos ataques amenazan la vida precisamente cuando es más vulnerable y necesita protección", dijo el obispo Thomas.

A pesar de estas realidades, el don de la vida humana existe como un signo de esperanza para nuestro mundo de hoy, desafiando los poderes de las tinieblas y la cultura de la muerte. El Papa Francisco en la Bula de Convocación que inauguró el Año Jubilar nos recordó que la esperanza es amor en acción que responde al sufrimiento en nuestras puertas. Esta virtud aperitiva debe encenderse en los corazones fragiles de nuestros jóvenes, en los enfermos, en los ancianos abandonados, en los que están en la pobreza extrema, en las víctimas de la violencia y la guerra, en los asilados, refugiados e inmigrantes explotados, y la lista continúa.

Sin embargo, la iglesia y muchas de

La Esquina del Papa

sus parroquias, escuelas y ministerios pueden invocar y llaman a la vida del cielo a través del poder de la fe, la esperanza y el amor. De hecho, esta es una realidad diaria, y por ello damos gracias.

Con respecto al respeto por la vida, el Papa León XIV ha citado el poder emergente y el potencial de la inteligencia artificial, que puede ser una fuerza para el bien o para el mal. En sintonía con los recientes Santos Padres, el papa León ha levantado la dignidad de la persona humana en el centro de una mayor solidaridad y unidad en todo el mundo.

En la segunda Conferencia Internacional de Inteligencia Artificial en Roma, durante una sesión celebrada intencionalmente en el Palacio Apostólico del Vaticano, el Santo Padre compartió el siguiente pensamiento: "La sabiduría auténtica tiene más que ver con reconocer el verdadero significado de la vida, que con la disponibilidad de datos".

En este sentido, el Santo Padre expresó su esperanza de que las deliberaciones de la conferencia "consideren también la IA dentro del contexto del aprendizaje intergeneracional necesario que permitirá a los jóvenes integrar la verdad en su vida moral y espiritual, informando así sus decisiones maduras y abriendo el camino hacia un mundo de mayor solidaridad y unidad".

Los migrantes y los refugiados son a menudo modelos de esperanza y fe, dice el Papa León

by cinDy

WooDen

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) – Los migrantes y refugiados suelen ser "testigos privilegiados de esperanza a través de su resiliencia y su confianza en Dios", afirmó el Papa León XIV.

"A menudo conservan su fuerza en la búsqueda de un futuro mejor, a pesar de los obstáculos que encuentran", dijo el 2 de octubre durante una reunión con los participantes en la conferencia internacional "Refugiados y migrantes en nuestra casa común", organizada por la Universidad de Villanova, dirigida por los agustinos, en las afueras de Filadelfia.

Los dicasterios vaticanos para el Desarrollo Humano Integral y para la Cultura y la Educación, así como los Servicios de Migración y Refugiados de los obispos estadounidenses, fueron algunos de los copatrocinadores de la conferencia, celebrada en Roma del 1 al 3 de octubre, justo antes del Jubileo de los Migrantes y el Jubileo del Mundo Misionero, del 4 al 5 de octubre.

"las voces más destacadas de diversas disciplinas para responder a los urgentes desafíos que plantea el creciente número de personas, estimado actualmente en más de 100 millones, que se ven afectadas por la migración y el desplazamiento".

La hermana Norma Pimentel, misionera de Jesús y directora ejecutiva de Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley en Brownsville, Texas, dijo que los migrantes "son misioneros de esperanza para nosotros, porque su presencia entre nosotros santifica honestamente quiénes somos y dónde estamos".

El papa León XIV recibe un cuadro de la hermana Norma Pimentel, artista, misionera de Jesús y directora ejecutiva de Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley en Brownsville, Texas, durante una audiencia en el Vaticano el 2 de octubre de 2025. (Foto CNS/Vatican Media)

El Papa León animó a los participantes a compartir las historias de fe y esperanza inquebrantables de los migrantes y refugiados, para que puedan ser "una inspiración para otros y ayudar a desarrollar formas de abordar los desafíos que se les han presentado en sus vidas".

Antes de la conferencia, Villanova celebró la inauguración oficial de su Instituto Madre Cabrini sobre Inmigración, que promueve programas de becas, defensa y servicio a los migrantes en la universidad y con la comunidad local.

El Papa León elogió el objetivo del proyecto de reunir

Las personas que temen a los migrantes y refugiados o están convencidas de que emigran solo para quitarles el trabajo a los ciudadanos deben tomarse el tiempo de conocer realmente a un recién llegado, dijo la hermana Pimentel. Entonces, "dejarán de verlos como alguien que invade mi espacio, sino como alguien a quien tengo la oportunidad de mostrar la presencia de Dios".

En su intervención en la conferencia del 1 de octubre, afirmó que "en un mundo marcado por el miedo, la división y la incertidumbre, se nos invita a ser personas de esperanza, peregrinos de esperanza, de esa esperanza que proviene de nuestra confianza en el Señor. Es una fuerza viva, que moldea nuestra forma de ver a los demás, de actuar y de responder".

"En este Año Jubilar de la Esperanza, estamos llamados a encontrar en nosotros mismos bondad, compasión y valentía, especialmente valentía", dijo la hermana Pimentel.

Periodistas visitan una zona de trabajo en el exterior de la Sagrada Familia tras una rueda de prensa para anunciar las últimas novedades sobre las obras de la basílica en Barcelona, España, el 18 de septiembre de 2025. Tras más de un siglo de construcción, la Torre de Jesucristo, diseñada por el famoso arquitecto español Antoni Gaudí, pronto coronará la Basílica de la Sagrada Familia, convirtiéndola en la iglesia católica más alta del mundo. (Foto de OSV News/Albert Gea, Reuters)

NACIÓN

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – El papa León XIV ha nombrado al obispo James F. Checchio, de Metuchen, Nueva Jersey, arzobispo coadjutor de Nueva Orleans. El nombramiento fue anunciado el 24 de septiembre en Washington por el cardenal Christophe Piere, nuncio apostólico en Estados Unidos. Como coadjutor, el arzobispo Checchio asistirá al arzobispo Gregory M. Aymond y le sucederá automáticamente cuando este se jubile. El arzobispo Checchio calificó a la Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleans como una comunidad "llena de fe" y agradeció tanto al papa León como a los líderes de la Iglesia local por su cálida bienvenida. Como coadjutor, llega a una arquidiócesis que se enfrenta a la necesidad de resolver cientos de denuncias de abusos sexuales. Nacido en Camden, Nueva Jersey, el arzobispo Checchio aporta a su nuevo cargo décadas de experiencia pastoral y administrativa, incluidos 10 años como rector del Pontificio Colegio Norteamericano en Roma. Ordenado en 1992, ha dirigido la diócesis de Metuchen desde 2016, dando prioridad a las visitas a las parroquias, la protección de los niños y la rendición de cuentas. Cabe destacar, según ha declarado la diócesis en un comunicado, que implementó un sistema de denuncia de abusos por parte de obispos antes de que lo exigiera la ley eclesiástica. El arzobispo Checchio ha formado parte de juntas nacionales, entre ellas la de Seton Hall y la del Centro Nacional Católico de Bioética, y en su día fue capellán de los Philadelphia Eagles de la NFL.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – El tema de la Marcha Nacional por la Vida 2026 es "La vida es un regalo", según anunció el 30 de septiembre el Fondo para la Educación y la Defensa de la Marcha por la Vida. Jennie Bradley Lichter, que asumió la presidencia de la Marcha por la Vida a principios de este año, señaló que el grupo elige cada año un tema para la marcha anual en favor de la vida que se celebra en Washington como "una oportunidad para centrar nuestra atención en un mensaje clave o un elemento oportuno de la misión provida". "Nos encontramos en un momento crítico en nuestro país en el que la Marcha

por la Vida y lo que defendemos es más importante que nunca", declaró Lichter a los periodistas en un acto de presentación, y añadió: "Este año, con este tema, realmente queremos llegar al corazón". La 53.ª Marcha Nacional por la Vida está prevista para el viernes 23 de enero de 2026. Según Lichter, el concierto previo a la marcha contará con la participación de la banda cristiana Sanctus Real, y el coro Friends of Club 21, formado por personas con síndrome de Down, interpretará el himno nacional en el evento. Georgetown University Right to Life llevará la pancarta al inicio de la marcha. Lichter dijo que el grupo también está lanzando un "Proyecto de historias de los marchistas", en el que solicitarán vídeos a los participantes para documentar la historia del grupo.

VATICANO

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) – Amar a alguien que está enfermo requiere "gestos concretos de cercanía", tal como se muestra en la historia evangélica del samaritano que ayuda a la persona golpeada por los ladrones, dijo una oficina del Vaticano. El Dicasterio para el Servicio del Desarrollo Humano Integral anunció el 26 de septiembre que el papa León XIV había elegido el tema para la próxima celebración de la Jornada Mundial del Enfermo: "La compasión del samaritano: amar llevando el dolor del otro". La jornada mundial se celebra cada año el 11 de febrero, festividad de Nuestra Señora de

10 de octubre de 2025

Lourdes. El mensaje papal para la celebración suele publicarse a principios de enero.

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) – El papa León XIV anunció que proclamará a San John Henry Newman doctor de la Iglesia el 1 de noviembre, durante el Jubileo del Mundo de la Educación. Tras la misa del 28 de septiembre por el Jubileo de los Catequistas, el papa dijo que San Newman "contribuyó de manera decisiva a la renovación de la teología y a la comprensión del desarrollo de la doctrina cristiana". El Dicasterio para las Causas de los Santos había anunciado el 31 de julio que el papa León "confirmó la opinión afirmativa" de los cardenales y obispos miembros del dicasterio "respecto al título de Doctor de la Iglesia Universal que pronto se conferirá a San John Henry Newman, cardenal de la Santa Iglesia Romana, fundador del Oratorio de San Felipe Neri en Inglaterra". San Newman nació en Londres el 21 de febrero de 1801, fue ordenado sacerdote anglicano, se convirtió al catolicismo en 1845, fue nombrado cardenal en 1879 por el papa León XIII y murió en Edgbaston, cerca de Birmingham, Inglaterra, en 1890.

MUNDO

BARCELONA, España (OSV News) – La emblemática Sagrada Familia de Barcelona está a punto de alcanzar un hito histórico: la finalización de la Torre de Jesucristo, que la convertirá en la iglesia católica más alta del mundo. Diseñada por el visionario arquitecto y Siervo de Dios Antoni Gaudí, la torre tendrá una altura de más de 172 metros, superando tanto a la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Paz en Costa de Marfil como a la catedral de Ulm en Alemania. El arquitecto jefe Jordi Faulí anunció que la aguja central está terminada y que los equipos se están preparando para instalar una enorme cruz de siete piezas en lo alto de la misma. "La cruz está formada por siete grandes piezas que se ensamblan aquí y luego se elevan con la grúa", explicó Faulí. Se espera que la cruz esté colocada a principios de 2026, coincidiendo con el centenario de la muerte de Gaudí. La construcción de la basílica comenzó en 1882 y ha superado guerras, pandemias y retrasos en la financiación. Aunque la estructura principal está en camino de completarse en 2026, los elementos artísticos, como las estatuas y las capillas, continuarán hasta la década de 2030, lo que acercará un paso más la obra maestra de Gaudí a su finalización.

TOME NOTA

Vírgenes y Santos

Día de Cristobal Colón. 13 de octubre

Santa Teresa de Jesús. 15 de octubre

San Ignacio de Antioquía. 17 de octubre

San Lucas. 18 de octubre

San Pablo de la Cruz. 20 de octubre

San Juan Pablo II. 22 de octubre

Santos Simón y Judas, Apóstoles. 28 de octubre

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. Esta línea directa permite un método adecuado para reportar sucesos relacionados con la administración temporal dentro de parroquias, escuelas y la oficina de cancillería.

www.lighthouse-services.com/ jacksondiocese Hispanohablante USA: 800-216-1288

Journalists visit a working area at outside Sagrada Familia following a news conference to announce an update on the works of the basilica in Barcelona, Spain, Sept. 18, 2025. Over a century in the making, the Tower of Jesus Christ, designed by the famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, will soon crown the Basilica of the Holy Family, making it the tallest Catholic church in the world. (OSV News photo/ Albert Gea, Reuters)

NATION

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, as the coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans. The appointment was publicized Sept. 24 In Washington by Cardinal Christophe Piere, apostolic nuncio to the United States. As coadjutor, Archbishop Checchio will assist Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond and automatically succeed him upon retirement. Archbishop Checchio called the New Orleans Archdiocese a “faith-filled” community and thanked both Pope Leo and local church leaders for their warm welcome. As coadjutor, he is coming into an archdiocese faced with having to resolve hundreds of sexual abuse claims. A Camden, New Jersey, native, Archbishop Checchio brings to his new assignment decades of pastoral and administrative experience – including 10 years as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Ordained in 1992, he has led the Diocese of Metuchen since 2016, prioritizing parish visits, child protection and accountability. Notably, the diocese said in a statement, he implemented a bishop abuse reporting system before it was required by church law. Archbishop Checchio has served on national boards, including Seton Hall and the National Catholic Bioethics Center – and once ministered as chaplain to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The 2026 National March for Life theme is “Life is a Gift,” The March for Life Education and Defense Fund announced Sept. 30. Jennie Bradley Lichter, who became president of the March for Life earlier this year, noted the group chooses a theme each year for the annual pro-life march in Washington as “an opportunity to focus our attention on a key message or a timely element of the prolife mission.” “We’re now at a critical moment in our country where the March for Life and what we stand for is more important than ever,” Lichter told reporters at a launch event, adding, “This year, with this theme, we really want to speak to the heart.” The 53rd annual National March for Life is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. A pre-rally concert will feature the Christian band Sanctus Real, Lichter said, and the Friends of Club 21 Choir, comprised of individuals with Down syndrome, will lead the national anthem at the event. Georgetown University Right to Life will carry the banner at the start of the March. Lichter said the group is also launching a “Marchers’ Stories Project” where they will seek video submissions from participants to document the group’s history.

VATICAN

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Loving someone who is sick requires “concrete gestures of closeness,” just like that shown in the Gospel story of the Samari-

tan who helps the person beaten by thieves, said a Vatican office. The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced Sept. 26 that Pope Leo XIV had chosen the theme for the church’s next celebration of the World Day of the Sick: “The compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by bearing the pain of the other.” The world day is celebrated annually on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Feb. 11. A papal message for the celebration usually is published in early January.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV announced he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the church Nov. 1 during the Jubilee of the World of Education. Speaking after Mass Sept. 28 for the Jubilee of Catechists, the pope said St. Newman “contributed decisively to the renewal of theology and to the understanding of the development of Christian doctrine.” The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints had announced July 31 that Pope Leo “confirmed the affirmative opinion” of the cardinals and bishops who are members of the dicastery “regarding the title of Doctor of the Universal Church which will soon be conferred on Saint John Henry Newman, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Founder of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in England.” St. Newman was born in London Feb. 21, 1801, was ordained an Anglican priest, became Catholic in 1845, was made a cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII and died in Edgbaston, near Birmingham, England, in 1890.

WORLD

BARCELONA, Spain (OSV News) – The iconic Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is nearing a historic milestone: the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ, which will make it the tallest Catholic church in the world. Designed by visionary architect and Servant of God Antoni Gaudí, the tower will stand over 564 feet tall – surpassing both the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Ivory Coast and even Germany’s Ulmer Münster. Head architect Jordi Faulí announced that the central spire is finished, and crews are now preparing to install a massive seven-piece cross atop it. “The cross is made up of seven large pieces that are assembled here and will then be lifted with the crane,” Faulí said. The cross is expected to be in place by early 2026, aligning with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. Construction on the basilica began in 1882 and has weathered wars, pandemics and funding delays. While the main structure is on track for completion in 2026, artistic elements like statues and chapels will continue into the 2030s – bringing Gaudí’s masterpiece one step closer to completion.

Photos essential to archival documentation

FROM THE ARCHIVES

By Mary WoodWard

While flipping through Bishop Richard Gerow’s Reminiscences I came across a photo he took of the exterior of his home parish church in Mobile. The photo is from the Conti Street side near the rear of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

Bishop Gerow grew up in the shadows of the Cathedral in the heart of Downtown Mobile. He was baptized, received first communion, confirmed and ordained a bishop there. His family lived a few blocks from the historic church, and he served Mass there almost daily as a young boy before heading off to college and ultimately seminary in Rome.

An avid photographer, Bishop Gerow took photos throughout his life and his photo collection in our archives has helped document the history of early 1900s Mobile and Rome and all places in between where he travelled. He captured the churches, people, buildings, and other various slices of life in our diocese from 1924 – 1966 during his tenure as chief shepherd in Mississippi.

Photos are essential tools in archival work to document and date the history of a particular time and location through visual images. This is one of the more fun parts of archival research.

This particular photo of the exterior of his beloved Mobile Cathedral shows the beauty of the structure in black and white, but something one would never really notice is a small magnolia tree halfway down the side of the church. The photo dates to around 1910 after Bishop Gerow’s return to Mobile from Rome following his ordination to the priesthood in 1909.

If you travelled to Mobile today, that little starter tree is still there. Now, it rises majestically to the roof line of the church and spreads its massive network of limbs throughout this section of the cathedral gardens.

I have heard many people walking past it wondering aloud how old the tree might be. Because we have the 1910 photo, we can better answer that question by saying it is at least 115.

I took a photo of the tree in September 2023, while I was waiting to be freed from the cathedral garden after I had been locked inside the gate on a Friday afternoon. The light was still good, and I tried to capture the centenarian and its sprawling limbs.

The planter of the tree is long gone and unknown to me. Perhaps there is some record of it in the Mobile archdiocesan archive. This magnolia is a wonderful testament to the proverb that the one who plants a tree for others in the future to enjoy its shade has begun to understand the meaning of life.

That tree has shaded many young men on their way to ordination. It has provided a backdrop for countless marriage proposals in the gardens it towers over. And it provides shade for so many on hot summer days.

The Mobile magnolia has journeyed from a small bundle of potential to a wise elder gracing the grounds of history. Bishop Gerow certainly would be impressed and happy to see it now.

More from Bishop Gerow’s Reminiscences next time. In the meantime, enjoy the shade as we transition into the fall of the year.

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

MOBILE – A circa 1910 photo taken by Bishop Richard Gerow (above) shows a newly planted magnolia tree, circled in black, outside the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. More than a century later, the same tree (left) now towers to the roofline, shading the cathedral gardens. (Archive photo from the Diocese of Jackson Archives; recent photo by Mary Woodward)

The Diocese of Jackson has launched a third-party reporting system that will enable all diocesan employees, volunteers and parishioners to anonymously (or named if preferred) make reports. Examples of this activity include fraud, misconduct, safety violations, harassment or substance abuse occurring at a Catholic parish, Catholic school or at the diocesan level. The system is operated by Lighthouse Services.

To make a report visit www.lighthouse-services.com/ jacksondiocese or call 888-830-0004 (English) or 800-2161288 (Spanish).

The Association of Priests of the Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi provide a small pension to our retired priests. As you consider your estate plans, please remember these faithful servants by making a donation or leaving a bequest to the Association of Priests. Our parish priests dedicate their lives to caring for us, their flocks. Let us now care for them in their retirement. Donations can be made payable to the Association of Priests and can be mailed to: Diocese of Jackson, P.O. Box 22723, Jackson, MS 392252723

Hispanic Saints to know

St. Cristobal Magallanes Jara Feast Day: May 21

This Mexican saint shares his feast with 21 other priests and three laymen martyred between 1915 and 1937, when Mexican authorities persecuted the Catholic Church.

Many of these Cristero martyrs, canonized in 2000, were tortured and executed when apprehended. Father Magallanes, a zealous pastor in his home state of Jalisco, also did mission work among the indigenous Huicholes. Before they were shot, he said to his priest-companion, “Be at peace, my son; it takes but one moment, then it will be heaven.”

St. Cristobal Magallanes Jara and companions are the patron saints for persecuted Christians.

St. Louis Bertrand, OP Feast Day: October 9

Louis became a Dominican at 18 and was ordained a priest in 1547. He was novice-master in his native Spain on and off for 30 years and gained a reputation for holiness by caring for plague victims in Valencia in 1557. In 1562, he went as a missionary to the Caribbean, working in Colombia, and the Leeward, Virgin and Windward Islands for six years. His apostolic zeal, aided by the gift of tongues and other miraculous events, resulted in 15,000 conversions among the Indian populations. After he returned to Spain, he trained preachers for the missions, saying the only effective preparation was humble and fervent prayer. He was canonized in 1671 and is the principal patron saint of Colombia.

St. Louis Bertrand is the patron of Buñol; New Granada; and Colombia.

St. Juan Diego Cuāuhtlahtoātzin Feast Day: December 9

Baptized at 50, this Indian was walking to Mass on Dec. 9, 1531, when Mary appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, near Mexico City. She asked him to petition the bishop for a shrine to be built there. But the bishop asked for a sign.

On Dec. 12, Juan returned to Tepeyac; Mary told him to pick flowers blooming atop the hill and put them in his cloak to take to the bishop. When Juan opened the cloak, the flowers fell out and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe adorned his garment. This miraculous image is preserved in the famous basilica in Mexico City. Juan lived out his days as a hermit near the first chapel built there; he was canonized in 2002.

St. Juan Diego is the patron of indigenous peoples.

St. Toribio of Mogrovejo

Feast Day: March 23

Spanish-born Toribio taught law in Salamanca until 1574, when he was appointed inquisitor of Granada. In 1580, though not yet a priest, he was named archbishop of Lima, Peru, with his episcopal ordination in Seville.

After arriving in Lima in 1581, his 25 years of missionary service included diocesan and provincial synods, visits around the vast diocese, clergy reforms, and Indian-language catechisms. He also introduced European religious orders into Peru, opened the first seminary in the New World and encouraged Indians to become priests.

St. Toribio of Mogrovejo is the patron of Latin American bishops, native rights and Lima, Peru.

St. Josemaria Escrivá de Balaguer

Feast Day: June 26

Born in Barbastro, Spain in 1902, Josemaria Escrivá was ordained a priest in 1925. In 1928, he founded Opus Dei, Latin for “God’s work,” as an apostolate in the ordinary circumstances of life, especially work, focusing on the universal call to holiness. It includes laypeople, priests and seminarians.

His best known publication is “The Way,” which sold milllions of copies. In 1975, Msgr. Escriva died at age 73 in Rome, where he had lived, directing the international organization, since 1946. In 1982 Opus Dei was given the status of a personal prelature, the equivalent of a nonterritorial diocese. Its founder was beatified in 1992 and canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

St. Josemaria Escrivá is the patron of Opus Dei and people with diabetes.

St. Martin de Porres Feast Day: November 3

This illegitimate son of a freed Pana manian slave and a Spanish knight became a hero to the people of Lima, Peru, his birthplace, for his compassionate care of the sick and poor.

Apprenticed at age 12 to a barber-surgeon, Martin also learned herbal medicine from his mother. After working for several years at a Dominican monastery as a Third Order member, he made his profession as a lay brother in 1603. He founded an orphanage and foundling hospital, ministered to African slaves, practiced great penances and experienced mystical gifts. Martin was carried to his grave by prelates and noblemen and all Peruvians acclaimed him their beloved saint. He is the patron of hairdressers and interracial justice.

All photos and descriptions from CNS Saints.

Jesus and Superman

REFLECTIONS ON LIFE

By Melvin Arrington

Our world today seems overpopulated with fictional superheroes of all sorts. Humans, animals, aliens, robots – even something that looks like a monster may, in fact, be a superhero. They appear not only in comics, but also on TV shows, and on the big screen. The various media are saturated with them. What is it about these strange characters that has so captured the public imagination?

When I was a kid growing up in the 1950s, only one superhero captured my imagination, and that was Superman. In addition to being a devoted reader of comic books about the Man of Steel, I was also a huge fan of the popular TV show “The Adventures of Superman,” starring George Reeves. Whenever that program came on, you could always find me glued to the TV set. I was simply enchanted with that “strange visitor from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.”

Like many boys my age, I wanted to be like Superman; actually, to be honest, I wanted to be Superman because he could do all kinds of amazing things: he was “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.” He could also “change the course of mighty rivers” and “bend steel in his bare hands.” But most importantly, he could fly!

the planet Earth. The space ship crashes in farmland in the state of Kansas. Jonathan Kent and his wife, Martha, discover the strange little boy in the wreckage, become his adoptive parents, name him Clark, and raise him in the American heartland.

In the 1978 film “Superman,” Clark is tempted to show off in front of a few kids from his high school by demonstrating some of the marvelous things he can do, but Mr. Kent advises caution, explaining to Clark that there’s a reason he has amazing powers. Clark eventually rises above these temptations, and when he becomes an adult, he leaves the farm, discovers why he was sent to Earth, and goes off to the crime-ridden city of Metropolis to fulfill his purpose: to save people everywhere from the forces of evil.

Similarly, God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus, from heaven to earth to be our redeemer. Our Lord grew up with Mary and his foster father, Joseph, in the backwater town of Nazareth.When it was time to begin His ministry, Jesus left home and went into the wilderness to fast and pray. There, Satan came and offered Him three temptations, but Our Lord refused each one because He had to accomplish the purpose for which He was sent. In Jerusalem, after overcoming another great temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane, He went to Calvary and carried out His mission: to save us from our sins by dying on the Cross, and to defeat death by rising again on the third day.

In his “Reflections on Life” column, Melvin Arrington explores the parallels between Superman and Jesus – both figures of hope and salvation. Artwork symbolizes the handshake between faith and imagination. (Illustration created using ChatGPT AI image generator)

I have many wonderful childhood memories of playing with friends on swings. We would all try to see how high we could go. At the highest point I would bail out and, at least for a moment, fly through the air like my hero. Somehow I survived all those “flights” without any broken bones.

Back in those days the City of Jackson also afforded me an opportunity to pretend that I could fly. Do they still send trucks into neighborhoods to spray for mosquitoes? In the 1950s, it was a regular summertime occurrence. Some would ride their bicycles behind the truck, but whenever I saw it coming down our street, I would go get a towel (my makeshift cape), tie it around my neck, dash outside, and run through all that fog with my arms extended in front of me, like I was Superman flying through the clouds. Cumulatively, over several summers, I must have breathed in a truckload of that toxic spray (it was DDT back then). It’s surely a miracle that I made it to adulthood!

Superman was created by two 18-year-old Jewish boys in Cleveland, Ohio, in the late 1930s. During that decade Hitler would come to power, establish the Third Reich, and attempt to exterminate the Jews from the face of the earth. At the same time, our country (and the rest of the world) found itself mired in the depths of the Great Depression. The Jews needed a messiah, a savior, to rescue them from annihilation, and Americans needed a heroic figure, if only a fictional one, to lift our spirits. Superman satisfied both needs.

We, too, should be on a mission. But what is our task? The 4th-century theologian St. Athanasius of Alexandria said, “the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” At first glance that sounds impossible, even though we know that we came from God, and one day we hope to return to Him. Perhaps our mission has something to do with Superman. If children can pretend to be the Man of Steel, why can’t we as adults try to be more like the Son of God?

(Melvin Arrington is a Professor Emeritus of Modern Languages for the University of Mississippi and a member of St. John Oxford.)

Now Hiring!

Assistant Stewardship & Development Director

Catholic Diocese of Jackson – Jackson, MS

So why all this fascination with flying like Superman? Perhaps it’s because that famous superhero fulfills a desire in all of us for the supernatural, a longing to reach for something beyond our grasp. We yearn to escape our earthly limitations and soar upward to God, to the Source of our being. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all have a hunger for the spiritual, for the infinite, for God; that’s the way the Creator made us. As St. Augustine said, “Our hearts were made for Thee, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in Thee.” It’s not difficult to see how Superman can serve as a remedy for some of this restlessness. He can satisfy these cravings because he’s a kind of messianic figure, a Christ-like figure.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the parallels between Jesus and Superman. We know that the divine Son of God, is omnipotent; there are no limits to what He can do. We also know that the Man of Steel is a “strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.” Also, Jesus has a human nature and a divine nature, while Superman likewise has two identities: he is Clark Kent, “mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper,” as well as a superhero.

Jor-El is Superman’s father (“El” in Hebrew means “God”). Superman’s real name is Kal-El, and since he is Jor-El’s son, he serves as a type of the Son of God, Jesus, who is also God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Moments before the planet Krypton is destroyed, Jor-El places his only son, baby Kal-El, in a small capsule and sends it out into space headed for

Join our mission-driven team! We’re seeking a practicing Catholic with a heart for service to support fundraising and stewardship efforts, including the Annual Catholic Service Appeal. This full-time role requires strong organizational and communication skills, experience in development or nonprofit work, and a commitment to the Church’s mission.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (related field)

• 3+ years in development/fundraising

• Strong writing, Excel & relationship skills

• Practicing Catholic in good standing

Apply by Nov. 15.

Please send a cover letter and résumé to: Rebecca Harris, Diocese of Jackson PO Box 2248, Jackson, MS 39225

Honoring the past, building the future: Catholic education leadership transitions

FLOWOOD – Joni House, executive director of the Office of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Jackson, spends a few moments cuddling a baby at St. Paul Early Learning Center while visiting schools in the Jackson area on Thursday, Oct. 2. House stepped into the role following the retirement of longtime Catholic educator and diocesan schools director Karla Luke at the end of September. (Photo courtesy of Joni House)

BY JOANNA PUDDISTER KING

JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson is marking a signiﬁcant transition in Catholic education as longtime leader Karla Luke retires and Joni House steps in as the new executive director of Catholic Education.

Luke, who retired at the end of September after more than 33 years in Catholic education, has been a steady and faith-ﬁlled leader for diocesan schools. During her tenure, she helped guide the diocese to national recognition when its Catholic schools were named a Cognia “School System of Distinction,” one of only four Catholic institutions worldwide – and the only Catholic diocese – to receive the honor.

“Over the past 33 years, the most recent accomplishment of having Cognia recognize the Diocese of Jackson as a System of Distinction has been an overwhelming and rare experience,” Luke said. “However, in the everyday realm of the work, I am most proud of being able to interact with so many students, teachers and principals. It is very humbling to know that you have been a tiny part of a student’s life for a short time.”

Bishop Joseph Kopacz praised Luke’s leadership and dedication, noting how she guided schools through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and into a period of growth. “Karla has dedicated her professional life to the spread of the Gospel and the teachings of the church through Catholic education,” he said. “Her servant-leadership culminated in the exceptional rating from Cognia for the Diocese of Jackson’s Catholic School System. May the Lord bless her in retirement with family, friends, and in all her new adventures.”

House, formerly principal of Annunciation Catholic School in Columbus, began her new role in ear-

ly September. She was chosen following a ﬁve-month national search. With more than 14 years of experience as a Catholic school administrator and several years as a Cognia accreditation specialist, she brings both practical leadership and a big-picture vision.

“I felt called to this role because it allows me to serve our schools and communities in a new way,” House said. “Being a principal taught me the everyday challenges and joys of school leadership, and my Cognia work showed me how powerful continuous improvement can be. Together, those experiences help me bring both practical understanding and a big-picture vision to this role.”

House said she sees exciting opportunities ahead for Catholic schools in the diocese: welcoming more families, strengthening academic programs with new approaches, and deepening students’ faith life so they leave ready to serve others. At the same time, she acknowledged challenges such as enrollment, ﬁnancial sustainability, and teacher retention, which she hopes to address through collaboration and strong parish partnerships.

She also expressed gratitude for the work done by Luke. “I want to build on the work she started, while also embracing the new opportunities that lie ahead for our schools, families, and communities,” House said.

“The recognition as a Cognia School System of Distinction afﬁrms the hard work of our schools, and it challenges us to sustain and grow that culture of continuous improvement so Catholic education in our diocese remains strong and vibrant.”

Bishop Kopacz said he is conﬁdent in her leadership. “She has a vibrant faith in the Lord Jesus and is committed to the Great Commission to teach the nations and form disciples,” he said. “Her passion for the children and their families, and her professional support for educators and sta have prepared her well to lead our Catholic school system into the future. I look forward to her leadership in the time ahead.”

Luke, in her retirement letter, expressed deep gratitude to Bishop Kopacz, chancery colleagues, pastors, and especially the administrators and teachers who form “the heart and soul” of diocesan schools. “Though my time in this role will come to an end, my commitment to Catholic education remains steadfast,” she wrote.

For Luke, the joy has always been in the relationships built along the way.

After 33 years in Catholic education, Karla Luke retired at the end of September, leaving a legacy of faith and excellence.

For House, the excitement is in the new opportunities that lie ahead. Together, their stories reﬂect the mission at the center of Catholic education in the Diocese of Jackson: forming students in faith, knowledge and service.

FAITH KNOWLEDGE SERVICE . .

Now Hiring: Principal

e Diocese of Jackson O ce of Catholic Education is seeking a quali ed and faith- lled leader to serve as Principal of St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison, Mississippi.

Join us in our mission of Faith, Knowledge, and Service.

visit to complete the application process: https://jacksondiocese.org/administrator-employment

Applications must be submitted by November 1 to the O ce of Catholic Education.

For questions, please contact Joni House at joni.house@jacksondiocese.org.

Or scan the QR code for quick access.

Learning, leading and living the Catholic faith

PEARL – Father César Sánchez of St. Jude Parish visits a Sunday school class led by catechist Christina Overton. (Photo by Tereza Ma)

MADISON – (right) Dr. and Mrs. Caskey, along with grandmother Jane Santarufo, admire first grader Joseph Caskey’s work during Grandparents Day at St. Anthony School. (Photo by Kati Loyacono)

CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth School first grade teacher Ke’Andra Lenard enjoys the annual parish fair with her niece, Pre-3 student Choyce Lenard. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)

MADISON – (Above) St. Joseph Catholic School choir director Nancy Dent leads the student choir during weekly Mass at the school. Singing from left are Gypsy Macias, Lily Ratcliffe, Chamblee Ezelle, McKenzie Cummings, Atticus Gomez and Ashleigh Mason. (Photo by Terry Cassreino)

MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School students

Chad Davidson, left, Nick Glorioso and Ann Hardy Wright work on a project in their Human Anatomy and Physiology class. (Photo by Terry Cassreino)

eighth graders process with candles during a special Mass on

Each candle represented 10 years of the school’s

symbolizing the remaining years. (Photos by

MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School Spirit Stepper Michael Michelle and Lady Bruins cheerleader JoJo take the floor during the school’s “Meet the Bruins” event on Sept. 24. Spirit Steppers and cheerleaders performed together to kick off the fall sports season.

(Photo by Tereza Ma)

SOUTHAVEN – (Above) Sacred Heart School fourth graders Alexia and Max help Pre-K4 students Theo, Jordan and Kartiar create a craft of the apostles Peter and Andrew in their fishing boat.

(Above, Right) Sacred Heart School

Sept. 17 celebrating the school’s 78th anniversary.

history, with eight smaller candles on the altar

Sister Margaret Sue Broker)

COLUMBUS – (Left) Annunciation School third grade students Thomas Nanney, Walker Robertson, Henry Hince and Bo Hamilton work in the school garden. Above, eighth graders take part in the Living Rosary, with Brynn Clapperin center. (Photo by Jacque Hince)

DIOCESAN MINISTRY ASSISTANCE FUND

NOV. 1 & 2, 2025

YOUR GIFT STAYS HERE AT HOME!

This special second collection supports our parishes, schools and ministries across the diocese – funding vital projects that strengthen our faith community.

Together, we can keep our parishes welcoming, our schools inspiring, and our ministries reaching those in need.