'... pastoral reimagining... '... this is long-haul healing ...'

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– Continued from page 1 – or LEM establishing a pastoral reimagining committee and having the committee view four ecclesiology video sessions and answer a series of questions designed to guide conversation on who we are as a church, says Fran Lavelle, director of faith formation for the diocese and member of the core team who will be working on the pastoral reimagining process.

The four video sessions, led by Bishop Kopacz will focus on the four marks of the church: one, holy, Catholic and apostolic; and will be available for anyone to view on the diocese website after Pentecost.

Stage two, will include each parish undertaking a parish assessment that includes the current situation at the local parish, the growing edges, the areas that are diminishing, the opportunities for collaboration with other parishes in the area, and other local realities.

With this stage, demographic information will be prepared for each parish, including sacramental data, local economic data and more, says Lavelle.

The third stage will focus on each deanery working though challenges and reviewing the growing edges and diminishing areas of ministry within the deanery.

“The goal is to gain a realistic perspective of the health and well-being of the deanery within the setting of the individual parishes,” Lavelle says.

The final two stages will include a period of discernment on reports from the six deaneries in the diocese and a pastoral letter from Bishop Kopacz, concluding with a diocesan celebration at Pentecost 2024.

“Calling upon the Holy Spirit, we pray that each parish will be encouraged, as well as challenged to be whom God calls us to be,” says Bishop Kopacz.

Sisters celebrate jubilees

Sister Cathyn Kever, SSSF – 70 years

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Sister Cathryn Kever, SSSF was born in Luystown, Missouri. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College (1957) and a master’s degree from the University of Arizona (1968). In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Cathryn taught at Sacred Heart School in Walls (1958-1960) and at Wood Junior College in Mathiston (1985-1987). She also served as pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish in Starkville (1987-1989). Since 2017, Sister has served in the ministry of prayer and presence at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee.

Cards for Sister Cathryn may be mailed in sister’s name, Attn: U.S. Province Jubilee Committee, 1545 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215.

Sister Marilyn Winkel, CSA – 60 years

FOND DU LAC, Wis. – When Sister Marilyn Winkel, CSA assumed her responsibilities as pastoral assistant in Meridian, Mississippi, she was known only to a few people. In November of her first year there at RCIA, Sister Marilyn briefly explained before Mass the meaning of the Rite. Then during Mass, she guided the RCIA individuals in responses and participation.

"After Mass, a parishioner with a visitor remarked that I must be a sister," said Sister Marilyn.

"As I reflected on this comment, I felt affirmed in my ministry, along with my words and demeanor that I was recognized as a vowed woman religious. The keyboard/piano musician for the choir expressed it this way, 'I always admired your acumen when it came to the finished product at St. Patrick’s.'” unteers can do is listen to the victims’ stories and encourage them to talk.

Sister Marilyn was born in Marytown, Wisconsin. She earned a BS in elementary education from Marian University. Sister taught at St. Patrick School in Hudson, Wisconsin (1964); and Holy Family School in Bronx, New York (1969). She served as principal at Our Lady Queen of Angels School, New York (1972); St. John the Baptist School, Waunakee, Wisconsin (1984); Central City Catholic School, Milwaukee (1987); and St. Matthew/St. Lawrence, Milwaukee (1993). Additionally, she served as a volunteer and pastoral associate at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Milwaukee (19992010); director of religious ed at St. Patrick Parish, Bisbee, Arizona (2010); pastoral assistant and religious ed coordinator at St. Patrick and St. Joseph Parishes in Meridian, Mississippi (2013-2020); volunteer at St. Katherine Drexel Shelter and literacy program in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (2021).

Sister Marilyn says, "Of the many years in ministry, in different areas of the country, a great blessing I received is the delight to know so many people! One comes to know them in the stories (struggles and triumphs) they share, the gift of self which they express, their participation in faith, school [and] church activities. I have come to know and appreciate people of many cultures and languages, from within the states and varous parts of the world. I am greatly enriched by all the people with whom I have shared faith and life experiences."

“Each time you relate what you went through, it gets a little easier to talk about. Don’t keep it bottled up inside,” said Clark, who is based in Bradenton, Florida, and has seen plenty of hurricane damage in her decade-plus of SVDP service. “We’ll talk 20-30 minutes with each person to let them get things off their chests.

“It’s especially difficult if you’ve lost family members – there was one man on crutches who told us he’d just lost his mother and grandmother. Another woman said she and her husband lived in a mobile home, and her husband climbed on top of her to protect her. They survived, but the woman was horrified to find that when she looked over at the site where her sister’s mobile home was, it was gone. The sister’s body was found later, unfortunately.

First Baptist Church of Rolling Fork became a central feeding and recovery location for disaster survivors in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

“Pastor Britt Williamson was bringing in counselors to help the victims when we were there,” Clark said. “It’s so important to get children to open up as well as the adults. We give candy to them, try to get them to talk. They’re deeply impacted by what they’ve gone through.”

The inclination by so many goodhearted people once they learn of horrific storm damage is to organize drives to deliver food, clothing, supplies and even furniture. Some even hop in their cars and drive straight to the disaster site, eager to offer whatever help they can.

But despite the best of intentions, those spontaneous acts of generosity can create additional problems. Clark pointed out that when truckloads of furniture and clothing are sent at the very beginning of the recovery, there’s often nowhere to put them because homes and buildings have been destroyed.

“There’s an urge to go in and provide resources without asking,” Robinson said. “The greatest thing we can do is allow those in need to have some dignity, and say to them, ‘We are not the experts. Tell us how we can help you. What is it that you need?’”

Robinson just led a team of volunteers from the St. Richard and Christ the King conferences to Silver City on May 18 to partner with the Mississippi Department of Health and Human Services.

“DHS asked if we could help them feed the residents,” Robinson said. “They’re doing outreach for seniors and the disabled whose services – such as Meals on Wheels – were disrupted because of the storm. We purchased burgers, beans, chips and drinks to serve lunch, and we were also there to find out if there were additional needs from residents, such as those still without electricity.”

Guilbeau and SVDP volunteers all over the Jackson Council will gladly continue to help out in Rolling Fork and Silver City as long as it takes, and in whatever ways are needed – including through spiritual nourishment.

“We have a project called Home in a Box that provides furniture to homes that are being rebuilt,” he said. “The short-term need was for feeding; the long-term need is to rebuild. This is long-haul healing.”

“When we met with Pastor Williamson, he indicated that a lot of Rolling Fork residents are renters,” Robinson said. “Going forward, one of the needs will be to see how we can assist them in moving from renting to home ownership, which creates more stability in the community.

“But the most important thing we’ve done for our friends there – and the most important thing we can continue to do – is pray for them.”

To learn more about SVDP, visit svdpusa.org.