Synod leaders share lessons learned in listening with U.S. students
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The listening that has been part of the Synod of Bishops changes people, can change the Catholic Church and can change the world for the better, four synod members told U.S. university students in Rome.
“The person with a different opinion is not an enemy,” Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the relator general of the synod, told about 140 students gathered Oct. 18 in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall at the tables used by synod members.
The students, from 16 Catholic universities in the United States – along with a small group of young adults from Germany, Austria and Switzerland – had spent a week in Rome studying synodality and had questions for synod leaders.
The questions included: whether the listening sessions held at the beginning of the synod process reached enough people; why young people who are not involved in the church should care; how they could guarantee that the synod’s outcomes would be faithful to the teaching and tradition of the Catholic Church; and would the synod really change anything.
Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the synod, told the students that “it aches me” when people say the listening sessions reached only
Continued on page 6 –
Centennial of faith: Our Lady of Victories journey
By Joanna Puddister King
CLEVELAND – In 1924, a tiny church building and three-room rectory were built on a lot in Cleveland near the railroad tracks. When it rained in the Delta, the tiny church was described as looking “like it is standing in the middle of a sea,” by accounts from Bishop R.O. Gerow in his diaries. Father Victor Rotondo, pastor in 1924, stated in accounts that the church had no electricity and had to use small birthday candles for light.
Today, Our Lady of Victories Church has grown immensely from its humble beginnings 100 years ago, moving to its final location on the west side of Cleveland in 1976 and with beautiful renovations that took place in 2020-2021.
Parishioners celebrated the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Victories on Sunday, Oct. 6 with a special Mass with Bishop Joseph Kopacz and Father Kent Bowlds, pastor. Families celebrating the mile-
stone traveled from near and far to reminisce over past parish events and sharing memories of past pastors, including Msgr. Michael Flannery and Father Charles Bucciantini, both present at the celebration.
Bishop Kopacz delivered a homily at the 100th anniversary event commemorating Our Lady of Victories milestone, summing up the rich history of the parish:
“The image of the Lord embracing and blessing the child, and his words demanding conversion of mind and heart to grow in God’s image and likeness describe much of what has taken place at Our Lady of Victories for a century. To welcome, to bless, to forgive in the name of our Lord as his body is the work of the church.
“After reading the history of the parish from many perspectives from the binder that Father Kent sent to my office, possibly the first time that I have ever received such a corpus in anticipation of a milestone anniversary, I have a much deeper appreciation for the name of the parish – Our Lady of Victories. I enjoyed the narrative, page by page.
– Continued on page 6 –
Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, center, speaks to the artist who made a mosaic with thoughts about the Synod of Bishops and prayers for the synod written by U.S. university students as Cardinal Mario Grech, kneeling, adds his prayer to the mosaic in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Oct. 18, 2024. (CNS photo/Pablo Esparza)
PARISH 2
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
GREENWOOD – Locus Benedictus, Healing Retreat with Maria Vadia on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The retreat is free; a love offering will be taken. Details: call (662) 299–1232.
OFFICE OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION – The OCE hosts a Zoom Rosary the first Wednesday of each month during the school year at 7 p.m. On Nov. 6, St. Elizabeth School will lead us in prayer. Join early and place your intentions in the chat. Details: Join the rosary via zoom at https://bit.ly/zoomrosary2024 or check the diocese calendar of events.
PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
CLEVELAND – Our Lady of Victories, CYO Halloween Carnival, Sunday, Oct. 27 in the parish center after 5 p.m. Mass. Details: church office (662) 846-6273. Our Lady of Victories, Taste of Italy Lasagna Dinner, Thursday, Nov. 14 from 4:30-7 p.m. Details: church office (662) 846-6273.
COLUMBUS – Annunciation, Fall Fest/Trunk or Treat, Sunday, Oct. 27 from 4-6 p.m. Youth can enjoy trunk or treat, cake walk, games, hall of saints, food and more. No pets. Details: church office (662) 328-2927.
Annunciation School, Open House, Thursday, Nov. 14, 9:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. classrooms open, 8:30 a.m. Mass (optional). Little Eagles Preview at 6 p.m. for PreK-3, PreK and Kindergarten. Details: RSVP to marketing@annunciationcatholicschool.org.
FLOWOOD – St. Paul, Trunk or Treat, Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Details: church office (601) 9929547.
GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Parish Picnic and Trunk or Treat, Saturday, Oct. 26 after 4 p.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 856-2054.
GREENVILLE – St. Joseph School, Trunk or Treat, Sunday, Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.
GREENWOOD – Immaculate Heart of Mary, CYO Spaghetti Supper and Halloween Carnival, Monday, Oct. 28. Spaghetti supper available for drive-thru,
carry out or dine in beginning at 4:30 p.m. Carnival booths open at 5:30 p.m. and bingo at 6 p.m. Cost: $15 Details: church office (662) 453-3980.
HERNANDO – Holy Spirit, Trunk or Treat, Sunday, Oct. 27 at 2-4 p.m. in the church parking lot for ages 0 to fifth grade. Details: church office (662) 4297851.
JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter, Fall Festival, Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy games, food, music, parade of saints contest, touch-a-truck and more. Details: church office (601) 969-3125.
MADISON – St. Francis, Trunk or Treat, Wedneday, Oct. 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. Details: email maggie. spence@stfrancismadison.org.
McCOMB – St. Alphonsus, Treats in the Schoolyard, Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 5:30 p.m. Details: church office (601) 684-5648.
MERIDIAN – St. Patrick, Gender and Theology of Your Body hosted by Jason Evert, Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 6-9:15 p.m. Tickets are $15. Proceeds go to the Chastity Project. Details: https://tinyurl.com/ stpatmeridian
St. Patrick, 25th annual Talent, Fashion Show and Dinner, Saturday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Details: for tickets call Rory at (601) 9177343.
St. Patrick School, Candy Cane Dash, Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8:30 a.m. Register by Nov. 10 to guarantee a shirt. Details: register at https://time2run.raceentry.com/candy-cane-5k-dash/race-information.
NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, Trunk or Treat, Monday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
St. Mary Basilica, Fatima Rosary, Saturday, Oct. 26 at 12 p.m. in the prayer garden.
St. Mary Basilica, Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Dinner, Sunday, Oct. 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Dine-in or take-out (bring your own container). Tickets: $10. Details: Darren at (601) 597-2890.
OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Trunk or Treat, Sunday, Oct. 27 from 5-7 p.m. Enjoy games, food
cake walk and more. All are welcome. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.
SENATOBIA – St. Gregory, Halloween Party, Sunday, Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. Details: church office (662) 562-5318.
SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Adult Halloween Party, Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of dancing, food, fun, fellowship and fright in the social hall. Music by DJ Fernando. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.
Christ the King, Halloween Bash – for kids in grades K through fifth, Thursday, Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m. Cost: one large bag of candy. Enjoy carnival games and more.
STARKVILLE – St. Joseph, Fall Trivia Night, Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the parish hall. Cost: $20/person or $10 college undergrads. Dinner provided. BYOB. Details: reserve a table, email ben. bachman@gmail.com.
TUPELO – St. James, Fall Festival, Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 5-8 p.m. Enjoy games, food, trunk or treat, music and fellowship. Details: church office (662) 842-4881.
VICKSBURG – St. Mary, Fall Fest, Sunday, Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Vicksburg City Park Pavilion. Enjoy Mass followed with food, fellowship, and fun. Details: Virginia at (601) 994-4622.
DIOCESE
JOB OPENING – The Diocese of Jackson’s Office of Communications is looking for a full-time communications specialist. Role involves creating and promoting content across multimedia platforms, including social media, websites and promotional materials. The position requires strong communication skills, knowledge of Catholic teachings and proficiency in design and communication software. College degree required with two years experience. Send a cover letter and resume to joanna.king@ jacksondiocese.org. If you would like a full job description, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/employment-1.
YOUNG ADULTS – Trivia on Tap, Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at Blaylock Photography in Ridgeland. Guest speaker will be deacon candidate, Jeff Cook. Ages 21+ are welcome.
R dgeland Cl nton
APPLIANCE AUDIO VIDEO BEDDING FURNITURE SUPERSTORE
V cksburg Tupelo Columbus Laur el r Oxford Hat t esburg Hat t esburg
Jackson Flowood Pearl
FEATURE PHOTO
... Seminarian Slide ...
JACKSON – Father Nick Adam and seminarians – Francisco Maldonado, Joe Pearson, Grayson Foley, Will Foggo and Wilson Locke – slid into a fun-filled weekend on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Mississippi State Fair before the Homegrown Harvest fundraiser for seminarians at the Two Mississippi Museums. (Photo courtesy of Father Nick Adam)
Inviting all to God’s Banquet
By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
World Mission Sunday, which is always celebrated on the second to last Sunday of October, was undertaken on Oct. 20 this year. Instituted in 1926 by Pope Pius XI as a mandatory, global second collection, the banquet that is World Mission Sunday has since then been hosted by the Pope, and the table set by those who answer Christ’s call to “Go and make disciples of all nations,” (Mt 28:19) extending an inclusive invitation to all corners of the earth. Meant to be held in every parish in the world, the proceeds benefit 1,150 territories where the Gospel has not yet been received, has been only recently embraced, or is courageously upheld in the face of persecution. It is a special commemoration that unites Catholics worldwide in prayer, solidarity and support for the church’s mission efforts.
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Francis, is rooted in the Gospel of Matthew: “Go and Invite Everyone to the Banquet,” reflecting the inclusive and urgent call to bring God’s love to everyone. This is the universal mission to spread the Gospel and invite all to experience the joy of Christ’s message! In recent times the world-wide pandemic weakened our church’s missionary efforts, and the annual Mission Sunday collection was adversely affected. This created a ripple effect whereby many throughout the
world in the mission churches felt the pain of diminished resources coming their way. The past couple of years have seen a gradual return to pre-pandemic levels and we are hopeful that we continue to trend in the direction of greater generosity and prayerful solidarity.
Recently, Pope Francis undertook an amazing pastoral journey, considering his age, to several countries in Asia, including Indonesia, Singapore, and Papua New Guinea. During his homily in Papua New Guinea, he touched upon various themes that provide for us a deeper understanding of God’s providence for all nations and peoples. In the recalling of the pioneer missionaries in their country, Pope Francis shared these thoughts. “Our forebearers in the faith had the courage to begin, the commitment to share their lives in the beauty of being present, and the profound hope of growing what they began. They did this in a spirit of closeness to the people with compassion and tenderness.” This is the Gospel worldview that galvanizes the mission fields of evangelization and re-evangelization. Although we cannot be physically transported to the far-flung corners of our universal church with the Holy Father, we can be there through prayer, generosity, and a more thoughtful understanding of the mission entrusted to us by Jesus Christ.
The Diocese of Jackson’s direct connection to the mission experience has been our relationship with San Miguel (Perpetuo Socorro for the first 30 years) in the Diocese of Saltillo, Mexico for 55 years. Although they are not a church undergoing persecution, nor are they a young church; nonetheless, they need our financial assistance throughout their chapels and desert ranchos where economic devel-
opment is marginal. My recent annual trip to San Miguel with Bishop Louis Kihneman of Biloxi reenforced for us the strong bond that we share with our brothers and sisters in another country and culture. In the works of Pope Francis ours is a relationship marked by closeness, compassion and tenderness.
This year’s theme for Mission Sunday, “Go and invite everyone to the Banquet” harmonizes well with the Eucharistic Revival. The banquet of God’s abundant love is proclaimed each time we gather around the table of God’s Word, and his Body and Blood, and one of the earthly goals of Mission Sunday is to gather all the nations at the Eucharistic banquet, the holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Thank you to all for your prayer and generosity on behalf of the universal call to bring the Gospel to all the nations.
Happy Ordination Anniversary
October 10
Deacon Mark White
October 19
Father Jack Kurps, SCJ
October 27
Father Tim Murphy
Thank you for answering the call!
P.O. Box 2130 Jackson, MS 39225-2130
Phone: 601-969-3581 E-mail: editor@jacksondiocese.org
Volume 70 Number 19 (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-of-state. Periodical postage at Jackson, MS 39201 and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mississippi Catholic, P.O. Box 2130, Jackson, MS 39225-2130. Website: www.mississippicatholic.com w www.jacksondiocese.org
BISHOP’S SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. – School Mass, Annunciation School, Columbus
Saturday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. – 75th Anniversary Mass, Holy Family School, Holly Springs
Saturday, Nov. 10, 10 a.m. – 50th Anniversary Celebration and Mass for Deacon Mark White, Queen of Peace, Olive Branch
Nov. 11-15 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Fall Plenary Assembly, Baltimore, Maryland
Sunday, Nov. 24, 9 a.m. – Christ the King Feast Day Celebration, Christ the King, Jackson
Tuesday, Nov. 26 – Thanksgiving Meal, Parchman Penitentiary
All events are subject to change. Check with parishes for further details.
We had a wonderful evening at the 5th Annual Homegrown Harvest. I didn’t get an official count, but we packed the space at the Two Mississippi Museums downtown. The final proceeds of the event stand at $113,500. All these funds will go to pay for seminarian tuition, books and fees along with helping to fund our discernment groups within the diocese and other ways that we are fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Our next big event will be our Called By Name Weekend. When you come to Mass on Nov. 9 or 10, you will be asked if you know of any young men in your parish who you think should consider the priesthood. These recommendations will be used by the Department of Vocations to invite even more guys to take part in discernment groups, which will lead to even more guys being open to priesthood, which will lead to more visits to the seminary, more seminarians entering the seminary, and more priests for our diocese in the long run. This will be an annual event in the diocese going forward, as we are truly trying to take the long view and we are setting the foundation for a greater number of seminarians and a greater number of ordinations in the future. Right now, according to my records, we have 25 guys in discernment groups. This number should rise greatly following the Called By Name Weekend.
The Homegrown Harvest is the most public way that we are increasing awareness and support for these vocation initiatives, but I know that there are many people who support us throughout the years in various ways. I truly appreciate your prayers and support, and as I told the guests at the Homegrown Harvest, I always wants to be clear about how your donations are being spent. Thank you all for your support and thanks to our great team at the Chancery Office, the Vocation Department, and the team of volunteers and seminarian parents that helped us make this year’s Festival a big success. Special thanks to Lynne Evans, Shelia Foggo, Laura Foley and Danielle Murphy for running the silent auction and raffle, and to Frances Nelson who teamed up with the Vocation Department to decorate the space at the venue. See y’all next year!
– Father Nick Adam, vocation director
Father Nick Adam
JACKSON – Father Nick Adam speaks to Homegrown Harvest attendees on the vocations office’s new partnership with Vianney Vocations on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Two Mississippi Museums. (Photos by Joanna Puddister King)
A “packed house” at the fifth annual Homegrown Harvest fundraiser for Jackson seminarians on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson.
Diocesan seminarians gather for introduction to those in attendance at the fifth annual Homegrown Harvest fundraiser.
Mature love or just going through the motions?
IN EXILE
By Father ron rolheiser, oMi
As a Lutheran priest, Dietrich Bonhoeffer would frequently offer this advice to a couple when he presided at their wedding: Today you are in love and believe your love will sustain your marriage, but it can’t. Let your marriage sustain your love.
Wise words, but what exactly do they mean? Why can’t love sustain a marriage?
What Bonhoeffer is highlighting is that it is naïve to think that feelings will sustain us in love and commitment over the long haul. They can’t, and they wouldn’t. But ritual can. How? By creating a ritual container that can keep us steady inside the roller coaster of emotions and feelings that will beset us in any long-term relationship.
Simply put, we will never sustain a long-term relationship with another person, with God, with prayer, or in selfless service on the basis of good feelings and positive emotions. This side of eternity, our feelings and emotions mostly come and go according to their own dictates and are not given to consistency.
We know the inconsistency of our emotions. One day we feel affectionate toward someone and the next day we feel irritated. The same is true for prayer. One day we feel warm and focused and the next day we feel bored and distracted.
And so, Bonhoeffer suggests we need to sustain ourselves in love and prayer by ritual, that is, by habitual practices that keep us steady and committed within the flux of feelings and emotions.
For example, take a couple in a marriage. They fall in love and commit themselves to love each other and stay with each other for the rest of their lives, and at root they fully intend that. They respect each other, are good to each other, and would die for each other. However, that’s not always true of their emotions. Some days their emotions seemingly belie their love. They are irritated and angry with each other. Yet, their actions toward each other continue to express love and commitment and not their negative feelings. They ritually kiss each other as they leave the house in the morning with the words, “I love you!” Are those words a lie? Are they simply going through the motions? Or is this real love?
The same holds true for love and commitment inside a family. Imagine a mother and a father with two teenage children, a boy of sixteen and a girl of fourteen. As a family they have a rule that they will sit together at dinner for forty minutes every evening, without their cellphones or other such devices. Many evenings when the son or daughter or one of the parents comes to the table (without their cellphone) out of dram duty, bored, dreading the time together, wanting to be somewhere else. But they come because they have made that commitment. Are they simply going through the motions or showing real love?
If Bonhoeffer is right, and I submit he is, they are not just going through the motions, they are expressing mature love. It’s easy to express love and be committed when our feelings are taking us there and holding us there. But those good feelings will not sustain our love and commitment in the long-term. Only fidelity to a commitment and ritual actions that undergird that commitment will keep us from walking away when the good feelings go away.
In our culture today, at most every level, this is not understood. From the person caught up in a culture addicted to feelings, to a good number of therapists, ministers of religion, prayer leaders, spiritual directors, and friends of Job, we hear the line: If you aren’t feeling it, it’s not real; you’re just going through the motions! That’s empty ritual!
Indeed, it can be an empty ritual. As scripture says, we can honor with our lips even as our hearts are far away. However, more often than not it is a mature expression of love because it is now a love that is no longer fueled by self-interest and good feelings. It’s now a love that’s wise and mature enough to account for the human condition in all its inadequacy and complexity and how these color and complicate
The Pope’s Corner
everything – including the one we love, our own selves, and the reality of human love itself. The book we need on love will not be written by passionate lovers on their honeymoon, just as the book we need on prayer will not be written by a religious neophyte caught up in the first fervor of prayer (nor by most enthusiastic leaders of prayer). The book we need on love will be written by a married couple who, through ritual, have sustained a commitment through the ups and downs of many years. Just as the book we need on prayer will be written by someone who has sustained a life of prayer and church going through seasons and Sundays when sometimes the last thing he or she wanted to do was to pray or go to church.
(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a theologian, teacher and award-winning author. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.com.)
Pope calls for Mideast cease-fire; prays for peace in Ukraine, Haiti
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis called again for “an immediate cease-fire on all fronts” in the Middle East, urging leaders to “pursue the paths of diplomacy and dialogue to achieve peace.”
The pope made the appeal Oct. 13 after leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer with visitors in St. Peter’s Square.
A year after Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing and taking hundreds of hostages, Israel’s retaliation and attack on Gaza continues. Fighting has expanded to the Israeli-Lebanese border, with Hezbollah militants firing on northern Israel and Israel invading southern Lebanon and bombing Hezbollah positions in Beirut. Iran, which supports Hezbollah, fired ballistic missiles at Israel Oct. 1 and Israel was expected to retaliate.
All forces involved have inflicted death and hardship on civilians.
After reciting the Angelus, Pope Francis told the crowd, “I am close to all the populations involved, in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, where I ask the United Nations peacekeeping forces to be respected.”
Several U.N. peacekeepers were wounded in Lebanon in the days before Pope Francis spoke; it was not clear who was responsible, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the United Nations Oct. 13 to move the peacekeepers from the border area, claiming Hezbollah was using the peacekeepers and their bases as shields.
to security, it is a defeat for all, especially for those who believe they are invincible,” he said. “Stop, please!”
Two days after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pope Francis also appealed for peace and humanitarian assistance for the victims of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“I appeal for the Ukrainians not to be left to freeze to death,” he said, referring to the approach of winter and Russia’s destruction of power plants and gas supply lines. “Stop the airstrikes against the civilian population, which is always the most affected. Stop the killing of innocent people!”
Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, the pope’s envoy for peace in Ukraine, arrived in Moscow Oct. 14 to speak with government officials “to facilitate the family reunification of Ukrainian children” forcibly taken to Russia and about “the exchange of prisoners, with a view to achieving the much hoped-for peace,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office.
Pope Francis waves to people gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the recitation of the Angelus prayer Oct. 13, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
While Pope Francis prayed for “all the victims (and) for the displaced” throughout the region, he also repeated his call for Hamas to release the hostages they took a year ago.
“I hope that this great pointless suffering, engendered by hatred and revenge, will end soon,” the pope said.
“Brothers and sisters, war is an illusion, it is a defeat: it will never lead to peace, it will never lead
Pope Francis also told the crowd that he is following the “dramatic situation in Haiti” where extreme gang violence “continues against the population, forced to flee from their own homes in search of safety elsewhere, inside and outside the country.”
Since 2020 Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has been the scene of ferocious gang battles, and since February most of the capital has been in the control of gang members. But the violence is spreading. In the town of Pont-Sondé Oct. 3 gang members killed at least 115 people and caused more than more than 6,000 people to flee their homes.
“I ask everyone to pray for an end to all forms of violence” in Haiti, Pope Francis said, and he encouraged the international community “to continue working to build peace and reconciliation in the country, always defending the dignity and rights of all.”
‘
... Beauty and hope ... marks Our Lady of Victories’ history ...’
cilities. …
“The Word of God today inspires us to appreciate that the courage, beauty and hope that marks Our Lady of Victories’ history in a spirit of closeness, compassion and loving support. These virtues are to be lived daily in the home, as the heart and soul of loving marriages and families. In smaller parish communities there is a closeness among the members, and when the Holy Spirit is driving the bus, families and parish communities flourish as a gift to one another. The parish community has heeded the Lord’s words to “let the children come to me” through the sacraments, baptism, reconciliation, confirmation eucharist, marriage, anointing of the sick, through catechetical formation, and through numerous parish activities. As we heard in the Gospel the Lord wants the church to be a family where God’s children, younger and older are welcomed, loved, and blessed, and set on the path to eternal life.
“We know that our generation is faced with many challenges in our call to faithfully follow the Lord. With 100 years under your belts, we pray for the courage to begin again at the beginning of this second century for the grace to remain close to the Lord, and with hope that fosters dreams and growth.
“Asking the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Victories, and all the saints let us continue to walk confidently in faith, because our Lord Jesus has given us the ultimate victory in his death and resurrection, he who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.”
(Editor’s note: An anniversary slideshow of parish memories can be found at https://www.olvcleveland.com/anniversary.)
– Continued from page 1 –
“The parish family has faithfully gathered for worship, education, fellowship and service over the past century and longer, and at key moments have rallied together to overcome setbacks, adversity and obstacles. Under the title and mantle of Our Lady of Victories, the parish remained steadfast in the face of flooding, earthquake and fire. Indeed, you have endured and have compiled numerous victories. …
“We see these realities in the lives of the faithful from the beginning of Our Lady of Victories: courage, mutual support, with hopes and dreams for the parish. This closeness and loving support for one another flow from the heart of God in Jesus Christ for as his body the church. The Lord’s absolute commitment to us, an eternal yes, inspires our commitments in marriage and family, and in the family of the church. …
“Father Rotundo who served for over 20 years was not overwhelmed, and he and the parishioners wasted no time in making the improvements through sweat labor and financial contributions. The courage to begin in that moment set the standard for many critical moments to follow over a century when the members rallied to begin again in successive generations with the second and third church structures, and the numerous accompanying fa-
‘ ... Synodality is for the sake of the mission ...’
– Continued from page 1 –
a small percentage of Catholics when the outreach for the 2021-2024 synod was much broader than anything achieved before and will keep growing.
Cardinal Hollerich, noting that most of the students were from the United States, told them, “When I see on television about the elections in the States, there are two worlds which seem to be opposed, and you have to be enemy of the other – that thinking is very far from synodal thinking.”
The synodal listening, he said, helps people experience that “together we are part of humanity, we live in the same world, and we have to find common solutions.”
Company of Mary Sister Leticia Salazar, a U.S. synod delegate and chancellor of the Diocese of San Bernardino, California, told the students that learning to really listen changes a person.
“We come together, we get to know each other, we pray. We listen to one another,” she said. Members hear from people with similar ideas and experiences, but also hear “our differences, our cultures, our way of seeing things, our ways of experiencing God. And at the end, we realize that we are in communion, that we are the church and that we are one church, and we are transformed by that.”
“Once you are touched with that experience, you take it with you,” she said, “and you prolong it in time, and you share it with the people that you encounter.”
Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, one of synod’s presidents delegate, said he was asked in his own diocese about the purpose of the listening sessions and
whether there were plans to change church teaching.
“The aim of synodality is for the sake of the mission,” he said. “And the mission is to announce the Gospel and to invite (people) to a richer, fuller life that comes through Christ, crucified and risen from the dead.”
But, he said, “we really do have to be real.”
“That is to say, you can’t keep announcing the Gospel if you don’t have a sense of the reality people are living,” the bishop told the students.
The listening is not just about hearing someone’s words, he said. It is trying to hear “the realities under the words – the experiences, the pains, the hopes and the longings, because underneath a lot of the words there is a longing. And one of the church’s convictions is that the longing is for a sense of belonging and a sense of communion.”
“It is a gift when somebody tells you something about their life,” Bishop Flores said. “It’s a gift that you should appreciate as something rather sacred.”
But the synod also is listening “to the voice of those who have gone before us” –Catholic tradition – and, especially, to the Scriptures and to the voice of the Holy Spirit in prayer.
“I trust the Holy Spirit,” the bishop said. “I really do. I mean, the church has been messy for 2,000 years, and the Holy Spirit still manages to keep us together. It’s bumpy, it’s messy, but I have faith that we will be faithful to the teaching of the church.”
CLEVELAND – Pictured left to right, Msgr. Michael Flannery, Deacon Mark Bowden, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Father Charles Bucciantini and Father Kent Bowlds took part in the 100th anniversary celebration Mass at Our Lady of Victories parish on Sunday, Oct. 6.
(Photos by Rhonda Bowden)
Bishop Joseph Kopacz jokes with Deacon Mark Bowden about accidentally left in the church as a young boy after an earthquake in the Delta many years ago.
March for Life unveils 2025 theme: ‘Every Life: Why We March’
By Kate Scanlon
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The March for Life Education and Defense Fund Oct. 10 unveiled the theme for its upcoming event: “Every Life: Why We March.”
The 52nd annual March for Life is scheduled for Jan. 24, just days after the winner of the 2024 presidential election will be inaugurated, and it comes amid what the group’s president, Jeanne Mancini, described as a time of “confusion and erroneous messaging” about abortion.
The theme, Mancini told reporters at a media briefing, was selected because the group believes “we really deeply want to do everything possible to encourage that we’re on the right side of history, that we’re in this for the long game, and that we need to lean in.”
“Our theme is returning to the basics, she said, adding, “This year in particular, the topic of abortion has emerged as a major political conversation,
both on the national stage and in households across America. So we want to go back to the very basics on showing why life is important. So we plan to return to some of the fetal development truth that we know, just facts, biological facts, that we know to show the beauty of the unborn child. We plan to draw people together in unity, and we plan to just encourage people, really, to know that they’re in this for the long game.”
Mancini said in her travels to state marches, she has encountered discouragement among the group’s supporters about the political landscape just two and a half years after the Supreme Court reversed the Roe. v. Wade decision that prompted the original 1974 March for Life, especially when it comes to ballot measures, which have so far eluded pro-life activists. Voters in Ohio, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont and Kansas either rejected new limitations on
abortion or expanded legal protections for it as the result of ballot measures since Roe was overturned, and about 10 more will be on the ballot Nov. 5.
As a result, the group wanted to “just to return to the basics, pro-life 101, and especially within that some fetal development, but the fact that every life is inherent human dignity from the moment of conception. Because look at it, it seems like our culture is for our culture is forgotten right now, and that is so important.”
Jennie Bradley Lichter, who was named in September as the group’s president-elect and who will take the reins of the organization after the Jan. 24 event, told reporters she was drawn to the role because “I’ve always loved the March for Life. I love its positive spirit. I love its joyfulness and its youthfulness and the esprit de corps (the common spirit), and I love the doggedness of people who come year after year after year, even when it’s snowing.”
Mancini added the upcoming event will feature Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, author and motivational speaker, as the keynote speaker at the event, and its first female athlete to participate in that capacity.
(Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @kgscanlon.)
In memoriam: Sister Noel Le Claire
MILWAUKEE – Sister Noel Le Claire, who lived her religious vocation in education and a wide range of pastoral care and social service ministries, died at Our Lady of Angels in Greenfield, Wisconsin, on Sept. 13, 2024. Sister Noel was 94 years old.
Sister Noel was born on Dec. 23, 1930, in Escanaba, Michigan. She was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis on June 13, 1947; made her first profession of vows on June 21, 1949; and final (perpetual) vows on June 21, 1955.
Sister is survived by her sisters, Therese (John) Remski of Canton, Michigan, and Sister Margaret Le Claire, SSSF of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; nieces and nephews; and by the School Sisters of St. Francis community with whom she shared life for 77 years.
Beginning in 1951, Sister Noel ministered in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister served as a social service worker at Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Holly Springs from 1992-1994 and at a Holly Springs social services agency from 1994-2005.
Sister Noel retired in 2017 and ministered through prayer and presence at Our Lady of the Angels until the time of her death.
A funeral Liturgy was held on Oct. 2 at St. Joseph Hall in Milwaukee, followed by a burial service at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Movie Review: Conclave
By John Mulderig
NEW YORK (OSV News) – A serious, even lugubrious, tone and a top-flight cast add heft to the ecclesiastical melodrama “Conclave” (Focus). Yet the film is fundamentally a power-struggle potboiler kept roiling by attention-grabbing plot developments the last and most significant of which Catholic viewers will likely find uncomfortable at best.
The story centers on Ralph Fiennes’ Cardinal Lawrence. In the wake of the sudden death of a fictional, unnamed pope (Bruno Novelli), it’s Lawrence’s duty as dean of the college of cardinals to organize the gathering of the title.
A trio of leading candidates for the papacy quickly emerges as down-to-earth liberal Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) vies with flamboyant conservative Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) as well as with Africa’s favorite son, the supposedly reactionary Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati). A Canadian prelate, Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), is also in the running.
As these favorites jockey for position, complications arise. Rumors swirl of shady behavior on the part of Cardinal Tremblay while an unexpected newcomer, Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), makes his mysterious presence felt. Benitez, the Archbishop of Kabul, Afghanistan, produces documentation that the late pontiff appointed him to the cardinalate but kept the matter secret.
Neither references to Lawrence’s shaky hold on his faith nor the clay feet several of his colleagues turn out to possess are cause for much alarm. But rival viewpoints within the church are caricatured with a broad brush in director Edward Berger’s adaptation of Robert Harris’ 2016 novel and the deck is predictably stacked in favor of those who advocate change.
As scripted by Peter Straughan, the movie gets canon law wrong, since promotions such as Benitez’s traditionally known as nominations “in pectore” (within the chest) are null and void if not publicly announced during the lifetime of the pope who made them. And Benedict XVI is implicitly slandered in the dialogue via an allusion to a past pontiff who fought for Hitler.
“Conclave” also traffics in sordid secrets of varying plausibility in the lead-up to a climactic revelation that many will find offensively exploitative, others merely loopy. Since this concerns a rare anatomical anomaly rather than any kind of lifestyle choice, its inclusion makes more of a symbolic statement than an ethical one either acceptable or otherwise.
Still, for all the delicacy and bet-hedging with which the matter is han-
Movie review: White Bird
By John Mulderig
NEW YORK (OSV News) – Fans of the 2017 film “Wonder” may recognize the character of Julian Abans (Bryce Gheisar), a student on whose adjustment to a new school the opening scenes of the touching wartime drama “White Bird” (Lionsgate) focus. Julian was the bully who persecuted the facially deformed but heroic-hearted protagonist of the earlier movie.
Having been expelled for his misconduct, Julian is navigating his present environment and wavering
dled, it constitutes a characteristic instance of the way the picture elevates the pieties of the current zeitgeist over eternal truths. Thus Lawrence assures his peers early on that the ultimate sin is certainty.
Not only professors of dogmatic theology but all moviegoers committed to the church’s creeds will, accordingly, want to approach this earnest, visually engaging but manipulative and sometimes sensationalist production with caution. The ideological smoke it sends up remains persistently gray.
The film contains murky moral values, plot developments requiring mature discernment and a couple of mild oaths. The OSV News classification is L limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
(John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @JohnMulderig1.)
films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. (OSV News photo/Focus Features)
between the proffered friendship of an outsider and the somewhat reluctant patronage offered to him by a callous member of the private academy’s elite. Opportunely, Julian’is grandmother, Sara (Helen Mirren), decides to intervene at this decisive point.
A celebrated artist visiting Julian’s native New York from Paris for a retrospective of her work, elderly Grandmere believes that Julian will profit from her own life lessons. So, in a series of flashbacks that make up the bulk of the story, she recounts to him for the first time the travails she endured as a young Jewish schoolgirl (Ariella Glaser) in occupied France.
Initially pampered at home and popular among her peers, youthful Sara is gifted but selfish and ethically neutral. Thus, although she refrains from joining in the persecution of her school’s main outcast, partially-crippled polio victim Julien Beaumier (Orlando Schwerdt), neither does she come to his defense. Instead, like most of those around her, she simply shuns him.
As the domination of her homeland progresses, however, Sara’s life and outlook change dramatically. Soon German soldiers are rounding up local Jews, both adults and children alike, and Sara is suddenly separated from her loving parents Max (Ishai Golan) and Rose (Olivia Ross) and forced to flee into the woods.
Desperate to stay one step ahead of her pursuers, Sara finds that the only person willing to come to her
aid is Julien. Not only does he put himself at risk by helping her evade those hunting her down, he also provides her with long-term shelter in his family’s barn.
With the active help of his father (Jo StoneFewings) and mother (Gillian Anderson) who eventually come to regard Sara as their adoptive daughter Julien succeeds in concealing Sara over the weeks and months that follow. As the two youngsters mature, meanwhile, their bond of friendship is gradually transformed into a burgeoning romance.
A paean to kindliness and the power of imagination, director Marc Forster screen version of R.J. Palacio’s 2019 graphic novel “Wonder” was also based on Palacio’s work lacks subtlety at times. Yet, as scripted by Mark Bomback, “White Bird” effectively tugs at the heart by showcasing altruistic heroism in the face of dire evil.
The picture’s formative moral impact, moreover, outweighs its few problematic elements, making it a valuable experience for teens as well as grownups. Both age groups will find themselves rooting enthusiastically for the central pair and joining in the screenplay’s recurring slogan: “Vive l’humanite!”
The film contains mostly stylized violence with a few brief images of gore, mature themes including ethnic persecution, a single crude term and a couple of crass expressions. The OSV News classification is A-II adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Orlando Schwerdt and Ariella Glaser star in a scene from the movie in a scene from the movie “White Bird.” The OSV News classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (OSV News photo/Larry Horricks, Lionsgate)
Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci star in a scene from the movie “Conclave.” The OSV News classification is L – limited adult audience,
Bishop Janssens heads to Natchez
FROM THE ARCHIVES
By Mary WoodWard
Following up on the last edition’s column where we learned about the fourth bishop of the diocese, Francis Janssens, this edition will share the accounts of the bishop-elect’s ordination in Richmond, Va., and his subsequent arrival in Natchez.
Bishop Gerow’s book documenting the Janssens’ administration from 1881-1888 contains many rich details of these events so I am sharing them as gathered by him. The language is descriptive and indicative of the times which makes the actual verbiage employed a part of the experience of our collective history.
“Bishop Janssens was consecrated in St. Peter’s Cathedral at Richmond on May 1, 1881, by Archbishop James Gibbons, assisted by Bishops Becker of Wilmington and Keane of Richmond. Archbishop Elder, his predecessor in Natchez, preached the sermon. There were present also Bishops Lynch, Gross, Moore and Kain, and about fifty clergymen. Of this ceremony John Gilmary Shea says:
‘The ceremony was the grandest ecclesiastical function every seen in Richmond and attracted the largest gathering known in the history of the Church in the State.’
“After his consecration Bishop Janssens delayed little in Richmond. In his diary he says:
‘May 4th, left Richmond. Arrived 6th at Vicksburg. Was met by a delegation at Edwards. Arrived in Natchez 7th, where a great demonstration was given me.’
“The Natchez paper the next day gave an account of his arrival. He had to come down from Vicksburg on the Steamer Cannon. A committee of thirteen from Natchez had taken a tug up to Good Hope landing, where they boarded the Cannon on its way down to Natchez.
‘With Father Grignon at their head the committee repaired to the ladies’ cabin where Bishop Janssens was in waiting. Here a circle was formed about the reverend gentleman by the committee, and Capt. Jas. W. Lambert, the speaker of the occasion, addressed him in a very neat and appropriate five minutes speech.
“After explaining the motives that actuated the committee in meeting him on the boat, and the hearty welcome that awaited him at Natchez, Capt. Lambert concluded his address in the following words:
‘It is, therefore, to gratify no passing fancy, nor to confer merely ceremonial honors, that induce the faithful of your flock to come out today and deck themselves to greet you, but we come, Right Reverend Bishop, to tender you our veneration, confidence and affectionate homage, recognizing you as the ap-
ostolic successor Him Who rules both storm and wave, Who proclaimed from darkbrowned Calvary’s frowning heights, ‘Peace on earth and good will to men,’ and Who holds the destinies of men and of worlds, as a grain of sand, in the hollow of His hand.
‘It is in their spirit that all come out today and we of the committee are happy indeed to be amongst the first of the city of Natchez to give you greeting and have the honor of presenting to you our congratulations, mingled with the sincere congratulations of those whom we represent. Long may you dwell with us in peace and rule with gentle sway the Holy Priests and faithful children in our good city, and throughout the Diocese of Mississippi. For ourselves, and in behalf of our people, permit us to bid you a thrice hearty welcome to our shores, our homes and our hearts.’
“When, finally, it was announced that Natchez was in sight, the Bishop hastened to the guard rail to view the city which was to be his home.
“Amid the booming of guns … at the wharf another ovation awaited the Bishop. After meeting quite a number of our Catholic clergy and citizens, the carriages were announced to be in readiness, and the Bishop, attended by Fathers Grignon, Finn and Meerschaert and the various members of the reception committee, left the steamer.
“A procession was then formed at the foot of Silver street, the Bishop being seated in a carriage drawn by four horses and driven by a well-known citizen, and the march to the Cathedral commenced, the Independent Cornet Band furnishing the music.
“Arriving at the Cathedral, Bishop Janssens and his attendants retired to the Episcopal residence, where they donned their clerical robes, and then, preceded by the acolytes, they marched up the center aisle of the church, which had been strewn with flowers, and the Bishop then took formal possession.
“Upon taking possession, Bishop Janssens addressed a few remarks to the very large assembly, after which the impressive
Bishop Francis August Janssens was appointed fourth Bishop of Natchez in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII. He served the diocese until 1888, when he was appointed Archbishop of New Orleans. (Inset) The crest of Bishop Janssens with his motto Fortitudo Mea Deus – God is my strength. (Photos from archives)
ceremonies closed with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.”
“The morning after the arrival being Sunday, St. Mary’s Cathedral was crowded.
“The Bishop ascended the pulpit after the Mass, and in an eloquent address, partaking more of an inaugural than of a sermon, expressed his pleasure at the many marks of honor, esteem and affection bestowed upon him by the people of this diocese. He was, he said, unworthy of the high ecclesiastical honors that had been bestowed upon him by his church but would endeavor in his humble way to prove worthy of them.
“The modest, unassuming and gentle demeanor of Bishop Janssens has already endeared him to Catholic hearts and his hold upon them will in time surely become second to none, not even to that of the good Bishop Elder.”
“On that same day at the evening devotions, Bishop Janssens gave Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and after the devotions a reception for the Bishop was held at his residence next to the church.”
Because of the tenure of Bishop Janssens having a very important event in the life of the diocese, namely the formal dedication of the cathedral after 46 years of building and financial struggles, I am adding a third article on Janssens’ adventures in the diocese and the long-awaited dedication of St. Mary.
(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson.)
NATION
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – National Eucharistic Pilgrimage organizers are seeking eight young adults to spend six weeks traveling with the Eucharist from Indiana to California next summer as perpetual pilgrims in the United States’ second national Eucharistic pilgrimage. The route is scheduled to begin Pentecost Sunday, May 18, following a Mass of thanksgiving in Indianapolis and end in Los Angeles on the feast of Corpus Christi June 22 with a special event hosted by the National Eucharistic Congress Inc. and a citywide Eucharistic procession. The pilgrimage route will cover several Southwestern states, with route details forthcoming in early 2025. The pilgrimage expects to visit the tomb of Father Emil Kapaun, a servant of God, in Wichita, Kansas, and the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City. The route’s perpetual pilgrims will be accompanied by two chaplains and participate in weekly service projects in communities they visit. The 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage was inspired by last year’s first-ever National Eucharistic Pilgrimage that preceded the National Eucharistic Congress in July. Perpetual pilgrim applications are due Nov. 1. More information is available at eucharisticpilgrimage.org.
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The U.S. bishops are gathering in Baltimore Nov. 11-14 for their 2024 fall general assembly, which takes place just weeks after the conclusion of the second session of the Catholic Church’s synod on synodality in Rome. Only two days of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ meeting, Nov. 12-13, will be public and livestreamed on the conference’s website. As in years past, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the USCCB, will both address the assembly. Although the conference said its agenda for the November assembly is subject to change, the bishops plan to consider updates for a collaborative effort on Dignitas Infinita which concerns human dignity; an update on the interim implementation of Antiquum Ministerium, which concerns the ministry of the catechist; the pastoral implementation of Pope Francis’ teaching document Laudato si’, which concerns environmental stewardship; as well as the confer-
ence’s mission directive for the years 2025-2028. The bishops also plan to have a consultation on the sainthood causes of Sister Annella Zervas, a professed religious of the Order of St. Benedict, and for the Servant of God Gertrude Agnes Barber. During the assembly, the bishops will vote for the new conference treasurer, as well as chairmen-elect of five conference committees.
VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis called on the faithful to yearn to serve, not thirst for power, as he proclaimed 14 new saints, including Canada-born St. Marie-Léonie Paradis, founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, and 11 martyrs. “Those who dominate do not win, only those who serve out of love,” he said Oct. 20, World Mission Sunday, in St. Peter’s Square. “When we learn to serve, our every gesture of attention and care, every expression of tenderness, every work of mercy becomes a reflection of God’s love,” he said. “And so, we continue Jesus’ work in the world.”
The pope said the new saints lived Jesus’ way of service. “The faith and the apostolate they carried out did not feed their worldly desires and hunger for power but, on the contrary, they made themselves servants of their brothers and sisters, creative in doing the good, steadfast in difficulties and generous to the end.” “This is what we should yearn for: not power, but service. Service is the Christian way of life,” he said.
WORLD
LIVERPOOL, England (OSV News) – A court has convicted a British army veteran of violating a “buffer zone” around an abortion clinic after he prayed silently within the boundary. Adam Smith-Connor was given a conditional discharge – in which a fine or prison sentence will be imposed if he repeats his offense in the next two years – and ordered to pay prosecution costs of 9,000 British pounds (US $11,700). The Oct. 16 judgment of the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council, or court, on England’s south coast, represents the first time anyone has been convicted for praying silently outside an abortion facility in the U.K. The court decided that his posture had expressed “disapproval for abortion,” noting that his hands were joined in prayer and his head was bowed solemnly. Afterward, Smith-Connor said: “Today, the court has decided that certain thoughts – silent thoughts – can be illegal in the United Kingdom. That cannot be right. All I did was pray to God, in the privacy of my own mind – and yet I stand convicted as a criminal.” Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK, described the ruling as “a legal turning point of immense proportions.” “A man has been convicted today because of the content of his thoughts – his prayers to God – on the public streets of England,” he said.
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (OSV News) – In an early October massacre, at least 150 people, including many Christians, were killed in northeastern Burkina Faso’s town of Manni, in what turned out to be a brutal terrorist rampage. Days after the massacre, Aid to the Church in Need, a pontifical charity working for the cause of persecuted Christians globally, learned that the attack had occurred Oct. 6. Manni is home to a large Catholic community, and many Christians, as well as Muslims, were killed in the massacre, ACN said on the organization’s website. Sources told ACN that the terrorists first cut mobile phone networks before attacking the local market, where many people had gathered after Sunday Mass. “They then opened fire indiscriminately, looted shops and set fire to several buildings, burning some victims alive. The same sources reported that the next day, the perpetrators returned to attack medical staff and kill the many wounded in the city’s hospital,” ACN said. A new incursion took place two days later, when the terrorists again invaded the town of Manni, massacring all the men they could find. Many of the victims were residents from nearby villages who had sought refuge in Manni after being driven out of their homes by terrorists. “The situation is beyond horrific,” one of the local sources told ACN. “But even if the terrorists burned everything, they didn’t burn our faith!”
A pilgrim wears a scarf featuring an image of St. Elena Guerra ahead of her canonization Mass, presided over by Pope Francis, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 20, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
Catholic’s
By Mike Latonad ITHACA, N.Y. (OSV News)
– While cleaning out your house or a loved one’s, you come across a batch of rosaries, crucifixes and other religious artifacts. You hesitate to throw them out, recoiling at the thought of treating such spiritually significant items as mere garbage.
Yet you may not wish to keep them for yourself. What to do?
One popular option – as Erika Lindsell knows from experience – is to leave the goods at the local parish. Lindsell, the administrative assistant at Immaculate Conception in Ithaca, has often found boxes full of religious objects on the office doorstep upon arriving for work.
“People leave stuff there figuring the church will know what to do with it,” Lindsell remarked. The rub, she said, is that it’s not so simple for parishes to place the objects, especially if there are large quantities.
Earlier this year, Lindsell received an email from a ministry in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, addressing that very dilemma. The organization, St. Mary Recycle Mission Group, offered to come to Immaculate Conception to pick up unwanted items belonging to the parish and parishioners, repurposing them for use elsewhere.
“I thought, ‘Hey, now this makes a lot of sense,’” Lindsell told the Catholic Courier, newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester.
ministry is collecting used religious objects to give to churches in need of them
A box of religious items destined for recycling by St. Mary Recycle Mission Group is seen July 27, 2024, at Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca, NY. Based in Lancaster, Pa., the mission group picks up unwanted items belonging to the parishes and parishioners all over the northeastern United States, repurposing them for use elsewhere. (OSV News photo/Mike Latona, Catholic Courier)
A drop-off took place at Immaculate Conception’s weekend Masses July 2728. On July 29, the recycling ministry – essentially a two-person operation – took away many containers full of religious items, as well as a Stations of the Cross set the parish no longer needed.
St. Mary Recycle Mission Group is operated by Kimberly Walters, a Catholic who formerly lived in the Diocese of Rochester and attended church at Rochester’s Our Lady of Victory Parish. She travels with her husband, Mike, all over the northeastern United States, letting parishes know in advance they’ll be in their area if interested. They arrive in town with their pickup truck – and, if the need calls for it, a trailer that serves as their warehouse back home.
Walters and her husband go to as many as 40 churches in a week. Their recent trek involving Immaculate Conception also included stops at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester, the Carmelite Monastery in Pittsford, St. Joseph Church in Penfield and St. Patrick Church in Victor.
The couple hauls away such used items as vestments, crucifixes, statues, rosaries, chalices, altar ware, candlesticks, tabernacles, relics, monstrances, holy medals and cards, linens, framed religious pictures, musical instruments and prayer books.
At St. Patrick Church, the parish published in its bulletin a list of religious items the group would accept for several weeks over the summer in advance of their July 26 pickup date, according to Cathy Fafone, secretary at the parish.
“It’s a lot. It’s labor intensive,” Walters said of the pickup process.
Objects are eventually shipped by request to other churches and individuals, including in Third World countries. Walters said all items are donated, not sold, noting that few have any real monetary value due to their age.
The ministry’s website, www.StMaryRecycleMissionGroup.com, offers contact details so those interested can access a full list of accepted objects, state their needs, and arrange for deliveries and exchanges. Walters prefers to work with objects not needing repairs, although the ministry is able to arrange for some refurbishing. Her local Knights of Columbus council helps with the restoration and placement of items as well as travel expenses; Walters assumes the bulk of the ministry’s operational costs.
The recycling effort got its start after Walters rescued several religious articles in usable condition from a dumpster at a Rochester-area parish in 2004. She eventually sent hundreds of items to a New Orleans parish that had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The initiative has grown since Walters’ move to Lancaster 18 years ago –largely, she said, due to goods becoming available through church closings.
Walters said her ministry is faithful to Canon 1171 in the Code of Canon Law, which states: “Sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use.”
Walters strives to find homes for all of her inventory, regardless of knowing which objects have been blessed by a priest or deacon: “We try not to let anything go to waste.” However, she has burned and buried some items, especially those in poor shape. Doing so, she said, reflects more reverence in the eyes of the church than if they were thrown out.
Yet by and large, Walters manages to place her abundant stock. Her unique ministry can be exhausting – “Every day I wake up with 15 voicemails” – but she’s happy that God has assigned her this special mission.
“I think it’s a great purpose, myself,” she said. “It becomes a passion; it drives me.”
(Mike Latona is senior staff writer at the Catholic Courier, newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester.)
Liar, liar, pants on fire – Voting and the 8th Commandment
FROM THE HERMITAGE
By sister alies therese
I read this somewhere … truth without grace is mean, grace without truth is meaningless. Very similar to how Buddhist writer Pema Chodron cites it this way, “Without clarity and honesty, we don’t progress. We just stay stuck in the same vicious cycle. But honesty without kindness makes us feel grim and mean, and pretty soon we start looking like we’ve been sucking on lemons.” (When Things Fall Apart, Heart Advice for Difficult Times, Shambhala Classics, Boston, 2000).
The 8th commandment: you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Our CCC 2464 (pages 591-600) reminds us, “The 8th commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relation with others … offenses against the truth expressed by word or deed are a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and undermine the foundations of the covenant.”
Copendium to CCC
521. every person is called to sincerity and truthfulness in acting and speaking
523. the 8th forbids false witness, perjury, and lying … the gravity of which is measured by the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims.
524. The 8th requires respect for the truth accompanied by the discretion of charity in the field of communication and the imparting of information…
We have it clearly … in these two sources, indeed in the Scriptures where we are challenged to believe
that Jesus is the ‘way, truth, and life’. Yes, you say, but in political campaigns everybody lies in order to get voted in. No one is going to do what they say once they are in office. Really? One way to check that is to listen carefully not only to what they say … but how they say it. CCC 2505 reminds us, “…show oneself true in deeds and words guarding against duplicity, dissimulation and hypocrisy.”
“Liars are not believed even when they tell the truth.” So says Aesop.
In an African proverb we hear, “A lie comes back sooner or later.”
How are you going to decide who has lied? Or maybe just expanded the truth? CCC 2489: “Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons …” What are the offenses against truth? Well, begin with false witness and perjury. Move on to respect for the reputation of another, rash judgment, detraction (tells another’s faults), and calumny. CCC 2480 goes on to say, “Every word or attitude which by flattery, adulation, or complaisance, encourages and confirms another in malicious and perverse conduct.” What about those lies?
US author Bertrand Brinley says, “That’s one of the troubles with a lie. You’ve got to keep adding to it to make it believable.”
“A good many lies, there are at least two sides to them and you can take a point of view. But this was a flat lie. You couldn’t get around it”. Joseph Krumgold, US author, in Onion John
The battles we fight
LIGHT ONE CANDLE
By Father ed dougherty, M.M
October 28 marks the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. Tradition holds they were martyred together in the first century while preaching the Gospel in Persia and that their remains were later moved to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where a single tomb commemorates them to this day.
St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Bernard of Clairvaux both had visions where God identified St. Jude as the Patron St. of the Impossible, and for centuries, pilgrims to his grave have reported powerful intercessions. Today, Catholics throughout the world invoke the intercession of St. Jude in the most desperate circumstances, and the Prayer to St. Jude is credited with bringing much relief in times of trial.
As for St. Simon, history tells us little about him other than the story of his mission of evangelization with St. Jude that led to martyrdom for them both. But he is named as one of the twelve Apostles in all three Synoptic Gospels and in the Book of Acts.
St. Simon is referred to as “Simon called Zelotes” in the Synoptic Gospels to distinguish him from Simon Peter, which led to his being called “Simon the Zealot” as it is believed he was a former member of the Zealots, a revolutionary political party of the time. However, these fragments of information bring into focus the life of a man who underwent a profound conversion. The Zealots were committed to overthrowing the Roman occupation through violent revolution. So, if Simon was a member of the Zealots, then following Christ would have affected within him a radical change of heart.
The very fact of being one of the twelve, and then later an evangelist, traveling from town to town and through the
St. Augustine, “A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving.” Is that the game of politics…deception? Or is there some responsibility for candidates to tell the truth and leave it up to the voter to select? Who will serve the people? Who will govern? To lie is to purposefully lead a neighbor into error … failures of justice and charity, to allow others to become unsafe. In Elfsong by Ann Turner, a US author, “Elves cannot lie. A lie stinks on our skin, like rotten meat. Anyone can smell it.”
What is stinky around this election? As citizens, we have to find it and then decide. I appreciate FDR, past President, who remarked on a radio show in 1939, “repetition does not transform a lie into truth.” It’s that old story … even if you sit in your garage by the hour … it does not make you a car!
Finally, Peterson (The Message, 2003), “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse, … God who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.” (Phil 2:8-9)
DO VOTE.
(Sister alies therese is a canonically vowed hermit with days formed around prayer and writing.)
nations of the region speaks to this conversion. And his path in many ways represents the universal Christian conversion to turn from worldly power to the power found only in the love of Christ.
As for the life of St. Jude, we hear only a bit more about him in the New Testament than we hear about St. Simon. He was the disciple who asked Christ at the Last Supper, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
Christ’s answer to this question was, “If a man loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him.”
It’s an interesting exchange considering St. Jude’s role as patron of the impossible because our prayers for help must contain the same kind of faith Christ speaks of here. We must have faith even when we don’t see Him, and even when the things we ask for aren’t answered in exactly the way we expect.
St. Jude also wrote an epistle, which is the second to last book of the New Testament, where he encourages the faithful to persevere through trying circumstances. This is yet another interesting consideration in light of Jude’s role as intercessor for the impossible because sometimes the first help God gives us is strength to persevere through that which seems impossible to face. So, we might see in these two key parts of the bible why St. Jude is such a powerful intercessor, and also why it is so fitting that he is paired with St. Simon for a single feast day, because they both point us towards renunciation as the ultimate way to follow Christ.
(For a free copy of The Christophers’ LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS, e-mail: mail@ christophers.org)
Padre pens annual Saltillo chronicles
By Monsignor Michael Flannery
Bishop Louis Kihneman, (Bishop of Biloxi), Bishop Kopacz, Terry Dickson, (editor of Gulf Pine Catholic), Juliana Skelton, (photographer), and I, have returned from our yearly visit to our mission, San Miguel, Saltillo. We flew into Monterrey on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and returned on Sept. 29. Father David Martinez, pastor of San Miguel was there to meet us with the parish van. We rode 75 miles to Saltillo. As always, Father David had a full schedule lined up for the bishops.
After getting settled in at our new surroundings we had Mass at San Miguel and a meal with the parish council. On Wednesday morning, bright and early, we were on the road, heading for the rancho of San Francisco, which is about 60 miles from Saltillo. Confirmations were scheduled for 9:30 a.m. We were met about a mile from the village, with a float, complete with streamers, tied to a tractor. We rode the tractor into the village. About 100 villagers were there to greet us, singing Alabare a mi Senor. (I will praise my Lord). From there the bishops journeyed on to another village, Nuevo Gomez where we had First Holy Communions. Again, the same performance with a procession greeting the bishops. On return to Saltillo, there was time to visit the burial site of Father Quinn, who was the founding pastor of our mission in Mexico.
Each day of our visit was taken up with visiting the mountain villages for Mass and Confirmations. After evening Mass at San Miguel, each evening, the bishops were introduced to different parish groups, ranging from Eucharistic ministers, choirs and catechists. Saturday morning was reserved to visit the churches served by San Miguel within the city. At each site there were parishioners there to meet the bishops.
On Saturday afternoon, we met with Bishop Hilario, Bishop of Saltillo. He expressed his gratitude to all the people of Mississippi who have supported the mission in the past and continue to do so. He expressed his intentions of creating a new parish in Derramadero where a good deal of the factories from the United States have built such as GM, BMW and Ford. Already, 8,000 people have settled in the area and the projected growth over the next 10 years is that there will be over 100,000 people there. That is a sizeable city.
At 6:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, a procession began of the catechism children, from the churches in the outlying area, came dressed as angels. Each
of the churches within the city under the direction of San Miguel were represented such as: St. Michael the Archangel, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Christ the King, St. William, St, Francis of Assisi, Divine Mercy, The Mexican Martyrs and Juan Diego. After the closing Mass there was a “Noche Mexicana” (a Mexican night) complete with Mexican dancing, the Mariachi band, and ending up at 11:30 p.m. with a firework display. It was a full five days for the bishops.
The only negative note in our visit to San Miguel, was the fact we became aware of a break in at the parish medical and dental clinic which was donated by Dr. Charles Caskey some years ago. The break in took place two months ago. Any moveable equipment within the facility was stolen. It seemed like an organized group did it. They broke away the iron protection bars in the front window and entered the building. From there, they broke the front door lock. The means of escape seemed to be through the back door where transportation was awaiting them. I spoke to one of the nurses who donates her time to assist the patients served by
SALTILLO, MEXICO – Bishop Kopacz performed many Confirmations on his annual trip to the Saltillo mission in Sept. 2024. (Photos courtesy Terry Dickson/ Diocese of Biloxi)
the medical and dental clinic. She cried all the way through, giving her description and explaining to me how the clinic serves so many poor people who cannot afford a doctor’s visit and have no insurance. Services at the clinic are for suspended for the moment. Bishop Kopacz and Bishop Kihneman have assured Father David that restoring the medical and dental services to the poor will be their top priority. However, some safeguards must be in place such as: a secure alarm system and a modern security system. We will also check with the insurance company as to what reimbursement we might expect for the damage done. The good news is that the mission work begun more than 50 years ago continues south of the border.
This past year at San Miguel there were 60 Baptisms, 116 Confirmations, 171 First Holy Communions and 24 marriages. The pastor’s name is Father David Martinez Rubio and the associate pastor is Father Michael Angel Sifuentes.
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 800-216-1288 (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 39225-2723
Bishop Joseph Kopacz talks to staff at the San Miguel parish medical and dental clinic about a recent break in that damaged equipment and left little in terms of medical supplies, leaving the clinic unable to serve those in need in the community.
MADISON – St. Francis of Assisi Early Learning Center recently received a visit from the local Fire Department for a presentation on fire prevention.
(Photo by Chelsea Scarbrough)
GREENVILLE – Several young ladies in the St. Joseph choir got in some extra practice with Laura Jackson before a Mass with Bishop Kopacz on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
GREENVILLE – St. Joseph school celebrated a special Mass with Bishop Joseph Kopacz on Wednesday, Oct. 16 before a blessing of the new athletic facility made possible by a generous bequest from alumni, Salvador Sarullo.
Pictured: Father Gabriel Savarimuthu, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Father Sleeva Reddy, Fletcher McGaugh, Tayshun Bonney and Victor Baker as altar servers. (Photos by Tereza Ma)
PEARL – St. Jude youth celebrated Hispanic Herritage month on Sept. 18 with an afternoon full of creative activities and delicious food. Pictured: David Hall, Kathleen Edwards and Lauren Roberts help children choose items for their chosen project. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School students Keden Murry, left, Riley Bianchini and Pierce Johnston pack donated items in a box for the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Jackson. St. Joe students, faculty, staff and families have spent the past few weeks collecting non-perishable food items, paper towels and other items for the Hope Lodge where cancer patients stay free of charge when receiving necessary medical treatment. St. Joe and St. Richard Catholic School in Jackson combined this year to collect more than 3,000 items and more than $3,500 in cash to help Hope Lodge. (Photo by Terry Cassreino)
FOREST– St. Michael celebration in Gattis park on Oct. 6. Jeunn Guroin and Jerry Tambriz preparing piñata for yourgdters. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
JACKSON – Students line up at this year’s St. Richard School Cardinal Fest Dunk Booth for a chance to dunk their teachers! This is a favorite for all students! (Photos by Celeste Saucier)
MACON – St. Jude youth leaders Lauren and Jojo Roberts with youth participants in Midle School Retreat on Oct. 5/6. (Photo by Lauren Roberts)
Blessing of the Animals
WINONA –Sacred Heart Church recently held a St. Francis Blessing of Pets and fundraiser for WAAG (Winona Animal Advocacy Group). All proceeds from the event went to the WAAG organization. Pictured: Brenda Mancini and Father Hilary Brzezinski, OFM. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Ruffo)
MERIDIAN – Father Carlisle Beggerly gave a special blessing to all dogs who came to St. Joseph parish. (Photo courtesy of Ida Bea Tomlin)
NATCHEZ – Father Aaron WIlliams welcomed animals to St. Mary Basilica on Oct. 2 for a blessing. (Photo courtesy of parish)
TUPELO – Father Tim Murphy blessed winged and four-legged friends of St. James parish. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Harkins)
PEARL – Father Cesar Sanchez gave blessing to all animals who came to St. Jude. Pictured: Sosha – Dr. Norton’s dog and his wife Jackie. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
WEST POINT – Animals were blessed on Oct. 6 at Immaculate Conception. Pictued: J.R. Pope and Maria Sandown with Blaise, Rosey Baby, Cricket, Katsu and Gary. (Photo courtesy of Maria Sandown)