FEBRUARY 11, 2022
mississippicatholic.com
Bishop reconsecrates church, parish community stronger after desecration BY JOANNA PUDDISTER KING
fire, when they destroyed Mary next to the candles,” said Faulkner, who also works for the parish in communications. “So, we were blessed. It is amazing they didn’t demolish some of the other things they could have,” she concluded. According to the USCCB at least 120 incidents, like the one occurring at Immaculate Heart, have occurred across 31 states and the District of Columbia since May 2020. Incidents include arson, statues beheaded, limbs cut, and smashed and painted, gravestones defaced with swastikas and anti-Catholic language and American flags next to them burned, and other destruction and vandalism. The conference even has a dedicated page on its website listing news stories that detail vandalism by month, since they began tracking incidents in May of 2020. Pastor of Immaculate Heart, José de Jesús Sánchez expressed his “shock and grief” over the break-in over social media to the Catholic community, alerting them of the destruction in his parish. He was away at a family wedding in his home country of Mexico at the time of the incident. People were hit hard by the images
GREENWOOD – The faith-filled parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Greenwood refuse to let a break-in that desecrated their parish triumph over their spirit, choosing to forgive and pray for the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of the perpetrators. On Wednesday, Jan. 26 choir members arriving for practice discovered their parish had been vandalized. Some parishioners described the scene as if a tornado had blown through it. The altar was overturned, hymnals were ripped from their spines with papers strewn around the sanctuary, the pulpit was overturned, as well. A statue of Mary, over 100 years old, was pulled down and her face broken into pieces. Many other items were turned over and bent. Also broken was an antique baptismal font. Most disturbing for some parishioners was that the tabernacle was breached and the Blessed Sacrament removed, it being place on the church’s original altar. But through grace, the hosts did not appear to be touched. Parishioners like Mary Jane Faulkner felt the situation GREENWOOD – Bishop Joseph Kopacz pours Chrism on the altar at Immaculate could have been worse. “They didn’t break the windows ... Heart of Mary parish after a break-in desecrated the altar, statues and other sathey could have caught the church on cred items in the church. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King)
– Continued on page 16 –
New monastery established at Edgewood BY G. MARK LAFRANCIS
NATCHEZ – The broad stately oaks and rolling manicured lawns of Edgewood just off Airport Road beckon those who visit to enjoy its serenity. Thus, it seems, Edgewood has become a natural setting for a monastery, the new home of a chapter of the international Institute of the Incarnate Word, a Catholic religious order of missionary priests and brothers. “So, the monastery is a place where he (the monk) can find solitude where he has everything that he needs, and, and it's the place where he can orient his whole life towards God, through work, through prayer, through silence,” said Father Charles Yaklin, a member of the order and local superior. The institute will occupy a portion of the property, which is owned by Jerry and Hedy Boelte. Including Father Charles, there are four monks living there who are from around the globe. Establishing a monastery at Edgewood was, in a way, decades in the making. Hedy Boelte has attended and organized many religious retreats and prayer groups in her Roman Catholic life. “Ever since I was a little girl, I have always desired to do things for others based on my Catholic faith, so I was born to serve. And in doing that,
I worked with the nuns at my school and my priest. And I love my Catholic faith more than anything.” The moment of significant religious transformation for Boelte came in 1987 when she attended a retreat. “I went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje and had the call to devote the rest of my life to serving Jesus through Mary. Starting prayer groups, organizing retreats, giving testimonies, serving God by living a fully dedicated Catholic life was the outcome of this willingness to work for the
Kingdom of God. The Monastery is the pearl of great price, and we will continue to pray, serve and trust.” She began what could be described as a religious stepladder, each new rung creating a new opportunity for her to invest her life and property to serve the Lord. All the while, she said, she prayed for direction. “Every time my husband would buy a piece of property as an investment or for the protection of the land and wildlife, I would always dedicate that property to a saint. And – Continued on page 6 –
INSIDE THIS WEEK
HBCUs bomb threat 8 HBCUs including Xavier University receive threats
From the archives 9 Woodward delves into IHM history amid break-in
Youth 18 Youth images and features around the diocese
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth, 22nd annual Draw Down, Friday, Feb. 25 at The Bank. Tickets cost $100 (or $125 with insurance), available at the church office or from St. Elizabeth students. Ticket admits two, and includes food, drinks, live band and a chance at $10,000. Details: church office (662) 624-4301. GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Spring Fling 2022, $10,000 Cash Drawdown Mardi Gras, Saturday, Feb. 26 at The Gin at Dunleith in Leland. Drawdown begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 and may be purchased at church or school office. Details: church office (662) 335-5251. FLOWOOD St. Paul, Black & White Ball/Annual Drawdown, Saturday, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center. Tickets: $125 and raffle tickets $1. Details: Pat Scanlon (601) 953-6370. JACKSON St. Peter Cathedral the Apostle, Bishop Chanche Awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. These service awards honor those who have shown exemplary service at the parish and/or diocesan level in the areas of evangelization, faith formation and service to the community. JACKSON St. Richard School, Krewe de Cardinal, Friday, Feb. 25. This festive evening features a brass band, silent and live auctions, cash drawing, cocktails and cuisine. Tickets: $50/per person or $100/per couple, in advance. Details: development@strichardschool. org. NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Save the date: blood drive on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from 1-5:45 p.m. Blood donors are desperately needed. Online scheduling begins in April. Details: church office (601) 445-5616. PEARL St. Jude. Father Lincoln Dall will be offering Spanish lessons beginning on Thursday, Feb. 24, with sessions lasting approximately six weeks. Program will start with the basics, including pronunciation and learning basic words and grammar. The emphasis will be on Spanish in the context of the church, including basic prayers and basic church vocabulary. Program will also look at some of the Spanish Catholic cultural tra-
ditions. Father Lincoln has an MA in Education from Ole Miss specializing in the teaching of languages, and was a member of the Mississippi Teacher Corps for four years from 2000-2004, where he taught Spanish on the high school and elementary level in the Greenville Public Schools. He has also studied in Argentina, Chile and Costa Rica, and has traveled extensively in Spain, mostly on pilgrimage. Lessons will be one hour each, with home practice, as well. Two of the lesson times each week will be in-person. There is also an option on Zoom, for those who do not feel comfortable coming in-person. First lessons: Thursday, Feb. 24, 6:30-7:30 p.m., in-person in the classroom in the church office building; Thursday, Feb. 24, 7:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom; or Friday, Feb. 25, after the 10 a.m. Mass in the St. Jude classroom. Details: Contact the office at (601) 939-3181 or by email if you would like to attend one of these session or by zoom. TUPELO St. James, Adult Trivia Night, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at Kingfisher Lodge. Food and drinks served. RSVP to Mary Frances Strange at https://linktr.ee/stjamestupelo Details: church office (662) 842-4881. VICKSBURG 39th Annual $10,000 Drawdown on the River on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Levee Street Marketplace for Vicksburg Catholic Schools. Everyone is invited to purchase a ticket, as this is the first in-person drawdown since 2020. To purchase a ticket, visit https://bit.ly/VCSDrawdown2022 or call school office at (601) 636-2256.
ocese at two locations this Lent. Father Aaron Williams will offer a three day mission at St. Mary’s Basilica Natchez from March 8-10 and at Immaculate Heart of Mary Greenwood from March 27-29. All sessions will begin at 6 p.m. TRIPS WITH FATHER DAVID O’CONNOR Father O’Connor will be hosting trips to Italy (May 28 – June 6), England and Wales (June 23 – July 3) and Ireland (Sept 7-15). Details: For Italy trip visit caragrouptravel.com/italy-with-father-oconnor-2022/. For England and Wales trip visit caragrouptravel.com/england-and-wales-withfather-oconnor/. For Ireland trip visit caragrouptravel. com/tour-of-ireland-with-father-o-connor-2022/.
COVID NOTE
As the Omicron variant continues, the Diocese of Jackson STRONGLY ENCOURAGES the wearing of masks to Mass and all parish gatherings. Social distancing of three feet is recommended. Keep in mind that the church always dispenses from the Sunday obligation when any of the faithful are confronting serious health concerns. We appreciate all of your efforts to keep each other safe. Each parish may adapt protocols and make decisions according to the local reality of their individual parish communities.
YOUTH BRIEFS
SEARCH retreat for juniors and seniors, April 1-3, at Camp Wesley Pines in Gallman. Retreat is “for teens, led by teens” and is an experience like none other; with a strong focus on vocations, SEARCH engages youth in a special way and calls them to live out their Catholic faith in a bold real, active and healthy way. Cost $125. Details: abbey.schuhmann@ jacksondiocese.org.
SAVE THE DATE
YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST A parish mission on the Eucharist and the Mass is available in the di-
FEATURED PHOTO ... Farewell to Sister Paula ... MADISON – Sister Paula Marie Blouin, SSND celebrated her retirement on Friday, Feb. 4 in her home parish of St. Francis of Assisi. Sister Paula opened the Assisi Early Learning Center at St. Francis in 1987 and served as the director. She helped cultivate the prototype for all Early Learning Center in the diocese. Her devotion to child development for Catholic families has been nothing less than exceptional. She wanted all children in her care to know that Jesus loved each of them and that they should, in turn, love each other. The diocese extends our warmest gratitude to Sister Paula for her dedication to the young people of the metro Jackson area and her contribution to the high standards used by all of the Early Learning Centers in the diocese: St. Paul Early Learning Center and the Sisters of Mercy Early Learning Center in Vicksburg. Sister Paula takes with her many prayers and best wishes for a happy and restful retirement. (Photo by Maria Teresa Salzman)
APPLIANCE AUDIO VIDEO BEDDING FURNITURE SUPERSTORE
Jackson Flowood R dgeland Pearl Cl nton V cksburg Tupelo Columbus Laurel Oxford Hatt esburg
let there be light
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 28, 2022
Synod, foundation of church restoration By BisHoP JosePH R. koPaCZ, D.D.
The fire that nearly destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris seems like a distant memory. In fact, it occurred less than three years ago on April 15, 2019, but we would agree that it has faded from the public’s awareness. This is due in large part to the pandemic which has been burning non-stop for the past two years with its accompanying social and economic upheavals. Yet, the labor of love to restore this world-renowned icon has not lost momentum, although it progresses out of the public view. The massive undertaking for the complete restoration of Our Lady’s house of worship is slated for 2024. This anticipated time frame is nothing short of a miracle, and it brings to light the commitment of the French nation, believer and non-believer alike, to restore this priceless national treasure. Although the practice of the Catholic faith in France and in much of Europe is struggling to emerge out of the ashes of disregard, the flow of pilgrims and tourists to this 800-year-old Medieval masterpiece is robust. Neither the church nor the state wants to face the future in the absence of this transcendent icon of faith and culture. Fortunately, the statues of the 12 Apostles got out of town four days before the fire for their own scheduled
restoration. They are providing a good foundation upon which to rebuild. On that note, Pope Francis, the successor of St. Peter, in collaboration with bishops throughout the world, the successors of the Apostles, is calling for a grass roots effort among the faithful to embrace a process of renewal and restoration in the church through the Synod on Synodality. In recent times, many forces have ravaged the church like a destructive fire and scattered the faithful, including the pandemic, scandals, divisions and a general hostility toward all things religious. Pope Francis hopes that the Synodal process of communion, participation and mission can be a counterweight to the pressures that are tearing at the fabric of the church’s unity and integrity. The spirit of the Synod has been evident in the major works of Pope Francis since the outset of his papacy. From the Joy of the Gospel to his most recent works, Fratelli Tutti and Let us Dream as the pandemic continued to engulf the world, his heartfelt vision is that fraternity will rise to the level of liberty and equality, creating an authentic solidarity within the church and among the nations of our world in the face of glaring disparity. His hope is that through a world-wide synodal process the Holy Spirit can breathe new life into the church, and in turn the church can be a witness to the world of the
good fruit of dialogue, respectful listening and discernment on behalf of the common good. Experience informs us that this Synodal process of encounter and accompaniment cannot succeed apart from prayer and the Word of God. Otherwise, polarization and politicization will derail the best of intentions, and the divisions within the church and all around her will spoil the moment. Rather, arising from our fundamental identity as the Body of Christ, we have developed a process in the Diocese of Jackson of communion, participation and mission that appeals to our better angels. Under the gaze of the Holy Spirit seeks to kindle the voice of the faithful in order to better read the signs of the times with the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. We have developed the process in order to maximize the level of participation in our parishes and schools, and in a whole host of organizations and extra-parochial ministries. We hope that there will be much to digest from which will emerge our diocesan 10page synthesis that eventually will be a stream flowing into a mighty river that will flow all the way to Rome. If believers and non-believers in admirable fraternity can commit themselves to the full restoration of Notre Dame, a transcendent icon of faith and culture, then it is our hope that the Holy Spirit will guide the people of God in the Diocese of Jackson and throughout the world in the restoration of the church which is the icon and sacrament of salvation. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!
Sínodo, Fundamento de Iglesia Restaurada PoR oBisPo JosePH R. koPaCZ, D.D.
El incendio que casi destruye la catedral de Nuestra Señora de París (Notre Dame) parece un recuerdo lejano. De hecho, ocurrió hace menos de tres años, el 15 de abril de 2019, pero estaríamos de acuerdo en que el hecho se ha desvanecido de la conciencia del público. Esto se debe en gran parte a la pandemia, que ha estado ardiendo sin parar durante los dos últimos años, con todos los trastornos sociales y económicos que la acompañan. Sin embargo, el trabajo de amor para restaurar este ícono de renombre mundial no ha perdido impulso, aunque la restauración progrese fuera de la vista del público. La masiva empresa para la completa restauración de la casa de culto de Nuestra Señora está programada para 2024. Este marco de tiempo anticipado es nada menos que un milagro, y saca a la luz el compromiso de la nación francesa, creyentes y no creyentes por igual, para restaurar este tesoro nacional de valor incalculable. Aunque la práctica de la fe católica en Francia y en gran parte de Europa está Volume 68 Number 5 (ISSN 1529-1693)
luchando por emerger de las cenizas del desprecio, el flujo de peregrinos y turistas a esta medieval obra maestra de 800 años es muy fuerte. Ni la iglesia ni el estado quieren enfrentar el futuro sin este ícono trascendente de fe y cultura. Afortunadamente, las estatuas de los 12 Apóstoles salieron de la ciudad, cuatro días antes del incendio, para su propia restauración programada y las mismas están proporcionando una buena base sobre la cual reconstruir. En ese sentido, el Papa Francisco, el sucesor de San Pedro, en colaboración con los obispos de todo el mundo, los sucesores de los Apóstoles, está llamando a un esfuerzo de base entre los fieles para abrazar un proceso de renovación y restauración en la iglesia a través del Sínodo sobre la Sinodalidad. En los últimos tiempos, muchas fuerzas han devastado la iglesia como un fuego destructivo y dispersado a los fieles, incluida la pandemia, los escándalos, las divisiones y la hostilidad general hacia todo lo religioso. El Papa Francisco espera que el proceso sinodal de comunión, participación y misión pueda ser un contrapeso a las presiones que están desgarrando el tejido de la unidad e integridad de la iglesia. – Continúa en la pág. 11 –
BISHOP’S SCHEDULE P.O. Box 2130 Jackson, MS 39225-2130 Phone: 601-969-3581 E-mail: editor@jacksondiocese.org Publisher ........................................................................................... Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz Communications Director ...................................................................... Joanna Puddister King Production Manager ...................................................................................................Tereza Ma Contributors ......................................................................................................... Berta Mexidor
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC is an official publication of the Diocese of Jackson, 601-969-1880, 237 E. Amite St., Jackson, MS 39201. Published twice per month January - April and September December; one per month June, July and August. Subscription rate: $20 a year in Mississippi, $21 out-of-state. Periodical postage at Jackson, MS 39201 and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mississippi Catholic, P.O. Box 2130, Jackson, MS 39225-2130. Website: www.mississippicatholic.com www.jacksondiocese.org
Saturday, Feb. 19, 11 a.m. – Bishop Chanche Awards, Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Jackson Sunday, Feb. 20, 10:30 a.m. – Mass and Youth Bishop Chanche Awards at DCYC, Vicksburg Convention Center Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. – St. Richard Krewe de Cardinal, The South, Jackson Saturday, Mar. 12, 11 a.m. – Rite of Election, Christ the King, Southaven Saturday, Mar. 24, 8:30 a.m. – School Mass, St. Patrick, Meridian All events are subject to change. Check with parishes and schools for further details.
4 VOCATIONS
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
CALLED BY NAME I apologize for my absence in the last issue, but as our editor shared I was on my annual silent retreat. This is a nice segue to exploring the second dimension of priestly formation that a man is responsible for nurturing and developing during his time in the seminary: Spiritual. The Spiritual Dimension of priestly formation is cultivated through building a consistent habit of silent prayer. It is so important that a man is able to be in regular conversation with the Lord and to allow the love of the Father deep into his heart and soul. This will help him to persevere during long years of priestly formation, and it will also sustain him in ministry once he is ordained. The seminary plays an important role in providing opportunity for men to pray each day. Every morning at both of our seminaries there is time for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament before the regularly scheduled morning prayers with the community. This time of silent encounter with Jesus is one of the best ways to stay connected with the Lord. But outside the structure of the seminary a man must be dedicated to renewing his relationship with God whenever it begins to wane. Father Nick Adam
Just like there are times when couples need a retreat, a weekend, a family vacation to recharge, so too a priest needs to be attentive to making sure he is taking time in silence and deep prayer to be with the Lord. The seminary can give men the tools to do this and they can mandate times in the schedule to facilitate prayer, but eventually the seminarian must be responsible for taking that time with the Lord on his own. It can be very tempting to see silent prayer time as a “waste,” even as a priest. After all, there are many different responsibilities that need tending to for all of us, and yet if a priest does not provide that good example for his people, his parishioners will likely begin to believe that prayer is optional for them as well. And if a priest does not take time to connect with the Lord who loves him and who has called him to this ministry, it can be easy to forget that he was called at all. One way that we seek to cultivate a deep love for prayer in our seminarians is a summer experience at the “Institute for Priestly Formation.” IPF hosts 175 seminarians each summer at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. During the eight-week program, the seminarians are taught the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius and go to various seminars helping them understand spiritual movements in a deeper, more relational way rooted in the truth that at baptism we are made beloved sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father in Christ. Participants also have many opportunities to pray together in a way that builds up bonds of friendship and support that can help them throughout their time in seminary and into priesthood. Some of my best friends were men who attended the IPF summer program when I was there in 2015, and I know that I can seek their support when I need to deepen my prayer life and be held accountable for my attention to the Lord in silence and prayer. My annual retreat was filled with graces from the Lord for which I am very grateful. I encourage all of you to build in times of silent prayer each day, and I pray that our future priests will help to guide you in your own relationship as beloved sons and daughters of the Father. – Father Nick Adam
For the love of stewardship: a valentine’s day reflection BY JULIA WILLIAMS
JACKSON – Stewardship is about love, and love is about stewardship. It is about loving your neighbor, loving your enemy and loving God. Stewardship is about how we live our lives and make our choices. Love, as an expression of stewardship, means that we consider all of God’s abundant gifts and how we can make best use of these gifts so that we can love our neighbor, so that we can return our thanks and praise to God, and so that we can do every little thing with great love. The word ‘love’ appears more than 500 times in the Bible. Clearly this idea of loving is important for us as Christian Catholics, and the Lord makes it eminently obvious that love of
one another needs to be at the center of our way of life. GOD IS LOVE “God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16 ACT OF LOVE O my God, I love Thee above all things with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon for all whom I have injured. Amen. Excerpts: SOLI, Stewardship of Life Institute, stewardshipoflife.org
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. Based in Deerfield, Illinois, Lighthouse Services maintains ethics, safety and fraud hotlines for over 4,100 organizations between the U.S. and abroad.
To make a report visit www.lighthouse-services.com/jacksondiocese or call 888-8300004 (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, Attn: Cathy Pendleton, P.O. Box 2248, Jackson, MS 39225-2248
Spirituality 5
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 11, 2022
Theology and spirituality – writing about it or writing it IN EXILE By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
In the world of the arts, they make a distinction between persons who create an artifact, an artist, a sculptor or a novelist, and persons who write about artists and their works. We have novelists and literary critics, artists and art critics; and both are important. Critics keep art and literature from bad form, sentimentality, vulgarity and kitsch; but it’s the artists and novelists who produce the substance; without them critical assessment has no function. For example, the book The Diary of Anne Frank is a masterpiece. Countless books and articles have been written about it, but these are not the masterpiece, the substance, the artifact that so deeply touched the soul of millions. They are commentaries about the artifact. Of course, sometimes a person can be both, a novelist and a literary critic, an artist, and an art critic; still the distinction holds. These are separate crafts and separate disciplines. That same distinction holds true within the area of theology and spirituality, though it is often not recognized. Some people write theology and others write about theology, just as some people write spirituality and others write about spirituality. Right now, I’m writing about theology and spirituality rather than actually doing theology or spirituality. Perhaps an example can help. Henri Nouwen was one of the most popular spiritual writers in the past seventy years. Nouwen wrote spirituality; he never wrote about it, he wrote it. He was not a critic; he wrote spiritual texts. Many people, including myself, have written about Nouwen, about his life, his works, and why he influenced so many people. Strictly speaking, that’s writing about spirituality as opposed to writing spirituality as Nouwen did. Truth be told, we don’t have an abundance of spiritual writers today the caliber of Nouwen. What we do have, particularly at an academic level, is an abundance of critical writings about spirituality. I offered the example of a contemporary spirituality writer, Henri Nouwen, but the distinction is perhaps even clearer when we look at classical spiritual writers. We have in fact created a certain “canon” of spirituality writers whom we deem as classics: the Desert Fathers and Mothers, the Pseudo-Dionysius, Julian of Norwich, Nicholas of Cusa, Francis of Assisi, Dominic, Ignatius, John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Francis de Sales, Vincent de Paul and Therese of Lisieux, among others. None of these wrote works of criticism in se, they wrote spirituality. Countless books have been written about each of them, critically assessing their works. As valuable as these books are, they are in the end not spirituality books, but books about spirituality. The same is true for theology. We have infinitely more books written about theology than we have books that are actual theology. The word “theology” comes from two Greek words, Theos (God) and logos (word). Hence, in essence, theology is “words about God.” Most theology books and courses on theology contain some “words about God,” but these are generally dwarfed by “words about words about God.” This is not a criticism, but a clarification. I have taught and written in the area of theology and spirituality for nearly fifty years and am blissfully unaware of this distinction most of the time, mainly because we need both and the two simply flow in and out of
each other. However, there is a point where it becomes important not to confuse or conflate the critical assessment of an artifact with the artifact itself, and in our case to recognize that writing about theology and spirituality is not the same thing as actually doing theology and doing spirituality. Why? Why highlight this distinction? Because we need the artist and the critic to speak to different places inside of us and we need to recognize (explicitly at times) where we need to be fed or guided. The artist speaks to the soul with one kind of intent, namely, to inspire, to inflame, to deepen, to bring new insight and to move us affectively. The critic speaks with a different intent: to guide, to keep us balanced, sane, robust, clear-headed, and within the bounds of decency, community, proper aesthetics, and orthodoxy. Both are important. One saves the other from unbridled sentimentality and the other saves the other from simply being an empty exercise. In a vast over-simplification, we might
put it this way. Critics define the rules of the game and hold the players to the rule; but art, theology and spirituality are the game. Games need to be refereed or they quickly degenerate. In our churches today there is often a tension between those who are trying to create new insight, generate new enthusiasm, and speak more affectively to the soul; and those who are guarding the castles of academia, orthodoxy, liturgy and good taste. Academic theology is often in tension with devotional life; liturgists are often in tension with pastors, and popular spiritual writers are often in tension with critics. One or the other may irritate us, but each is ultimately a friend. (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
Be moved by Spirit, not ‘mechanical repetition,’ pope says By Junno Arocho
ened St. Peter’s Basilica, faintly lit by the congregation’s VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Holy Spirit, and not candles as the choir sang, “O radiant light, eternal splenthe need for recognition, must be the primary motiva- dor of the father, Christ the Lord immortal.” Pope Francis blessed the candles and prayed that the tion in one’s religious life, Pope Francis told consecrated Lord would guide all men and women “on the path of men and women. good” toward his Son, “the light that has no end.” “Sometimes, even behind the appearance of good In his homily, the pope works, the canker of narcisreflected on the Gospel readsism, or the need to stand ing from St. Luke, in which out, can be concealed. In oththe young Mary and Joseph, er cases, even as we go about along with baby Jesus, meet doing many things, our relithe elderly Simeon and Anna, gious communities can appear who “await in the Temple the moved more by mechanical fulfilment of the promise that repetition – acting out of habGod made to his people: the it, just to keep busy – than by coming of the Messiah.” enthusiastic openness to the Just like the elderly SimeHoly Spirit,” the pope said in on recognizes the Messiah “in his homily Feb. 2. the guise of a poor little baby,” “Let us today examine our religious men and women are interior motivations and discalled to be “moved by the cern our spiritual movements, Spirit” rather than success or so that the renewal of conseprestige in their congregations. crated life may come about, “The spirit moves us to first and foremost, from there,” see God in the littleness and he said. vulnerability of a baby, yet we Hundreds of men and at times risk seeing our consewomen belonging to religious Pope Francis holds a candle as he celebrates cration only in terms of results, orders attended the Mass for Mass marking the feast of the Presentation goals and success: We look for the celebration of Candlemas of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatinfluence, for visibility, for – the feast of the Presentation ican Feb. 2, 2022. (CNS photo/Remo Casilli, numbers,” the pope said. “The of the Lord – which also marks Reuters) Spirit, on the other hand, asks the Vatican celebration of the for none of this. He wants us to cultivate daily fidelity World Day for Consecrated Life. and to be attentive to the little things entrusted to our During the Mass, Pope Francis exchanged consecratcare.” ed bread and wine with Armenian Catholic Patriarch Secondly, Simeon’s example of seeing and recognizRaphaël Pierre XXI Minassian, who was elected in Seping Christ is a testament to the “great miracle of faith” tember, thus sealing their ecclesial communion. that “opens eyes, transforms gazes and changes perspecIn September, after the election, the pope granted tives.” the Armenian patriarch’s request for unity, which is “Let us open our eyes: The spirit is inviting us amid sealed with the gesture of partaking of the Eucharist toour crises, decreasing numbers and diminishing forces, gether. The Armenian Patriarchate, based in Beirut, is to renew our lives and our communities. Let us look one of 22 Eastern Catholic Churches that is in full unity at Simeon and Anna: Although they were advanced in with the Holy See and the Catholic Church. years, they did not spend their days mourning a past The Mass began with the traditional blessing of canthat never comes back, but instead embraced the future dles. Led by several candle-bearing acolytes, Pope Franopening up before them,” he said. cis processed toward the Altar of the Chair in a dark-
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
6 DIOCESE
'... Monks will pray for the entire Natchez community ...' – Continued from page 1 –
Father Charles added, “Seven times a day, we go to the chapel to I would ask the saint, ‘What are we pray the Liturgy of the Hours. This is going to do with this property?’” a way of sanctifying all the hours of For years, Boelte sponsored reour day by interrupting our activities treats, prayer groups and events at and returning to chapel, to pray, to those properties and at Edgewood, be in the presence of God, and in this but the concept of the 100-acre propway to prolong each morning's Mass erty becoming a monastery gelled throughout the whole day.” The pool several years ago when she and house has been converted to a chapel her husband traveled to Wyoming for the monks and the celebration of where they own a ranch. There, she the Mass for the community. Special learned about Institute of the Incaradditions to the chapel will be made nate Word and the monks. After a soon, Boelte said. series of meetings and consultations, A monastery in Natchez might including with Father Scott Thomas, seem unusual, but monasteries expastor at St. Mary Basilica in Natist worldwide. Father Charles said, chez, wheels were in motion for the “Monastery comes from the Greek establishment of the monastery at ‘monos’ meaning alone. And so, the Edgewood. NATCHEZ – The chapel at Edgewood was created for religious activities and cele- monk lives alone, even though he “It’s stunning,” Father Charles bration of the Mass at the new St. Joseph Monastery. (Photos courtesy of G. Mark can be in a community. He spends said of his first impression of Edgethe majority of his time in solitude LaFrancis) wood. “So, we're seeing how we can and not for the sake of being away make our mission work in this beaufrom other people, but for the sake of tiful place to foster a move to prayer, which is really what we're trying to do.” being in silence with God.” Father Charles said the monks will pray for the entire Natchez community, not just Father Charles said that a Spanish Mass is under consideration as well as regular Roman Catholics. “Yes, absolutely, for everyone. God wants all men to be saved and to Masses on weekends. Also, the monks are considering producing items to sell as a way come the knowledge of the truth. So, we pray for everyone.” to help sustain their lives at Edgewood. He said other monks may arrive and become part of the local monastery. Although the order is contemplative, that is, they spend considerable portions of the day in (Story special to Mississippi Catholic. More information is available at the website saintprayer, there will be opportunities for interaction with the community. josephmonastery.com.) Already, retreats and prayer groups are in the planning session. “As a rule, we will be staying put here in the house and working on the grounds here, but we do have to get groceries, for example. So, you may see us at Walmart; that has happened a few times already, but other than that, we try to stay put.” Father Charles said his journey in the religious life took many turns until he said he discovered his calling with the Institute of the Incarnate Word, a missionary religious congregation established in Argentina in 1984, which now has missionaries working in more than 40 different countries. Its members are priests, seminarians and brothers, the majority of them forming part of the "apostolic branch" of the Institute, typically working in parishes. The four monks who now live in Natchez belong to the "contemplative branch" of the Institute and contribute to the missionary work by their life of prayer. is now accepting A brochure about St. Joseph Monastery and the congregation states, “We want APPLICATIONS FOR PRINCIPAL to be rooted in Jesus Christ. We want to love and serve Jesus Christ, and to help others love and serve Him. The Eucharist is the center and root of our consecration FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR as religious.”
Our Lady Academy Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Active Member of the Catholic Faith In Good Standing with Catholic Church Master of Education 486 Administrative Certification or Ability to Obtain Certification Complete application at www.biloxidiocese.org Forward with resume and license to Dr. Rhonda Clark Superintendent of Education rclark@biloxidiocese.org 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 228-702-2130 NATCHEZ – Monks who have moved to the St. Joseph Monastery off Airport Road are, from left, Brother Denis Lemire, Brother Nelson Pena, Father Gabriel Prado, and Father Charles Yaklin, local superior.
Applications accepted through February 18, 2022
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 11, 2022
NATION 7
Knowing Black Catholic history can help end racism Catholic Church as are Europeans. Since then, Williams said, her work as been “grounded in the fundamental belief in the transformative power and possibilities of Black historical truth-telling in the fight against racism and white supremacy.” Williams invited attendees to bring justice to the margins by undertaking a series of actions that promote racial equality. One step is to pray to end “individual and institutional racism and the toxic reality of anti-Blackness,” she said. A second action would be to “always educate ourselves” through a reading club that includes books on anti-racism and the diversity of the American Catholic Church and inviting speakers to address Black Catholic history. Williams suggested that events in parishes and other communities can be scheduled during Black History Month (February), Black Catholic History Month (November) as well as Women’s History Month (March), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), Hispanic Heritage Month (September) and Native American Heritage Month (November). Learning about the history of diverse communities will help address racism while promoting understanding and equality, Williams said. Williams also called on Catholics to be “intentional” in supporting racial justice causes through actions such as special collections for historically Black Catholic schools and others Members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver pray during a Mass marking Black Catholic History serving marginalized people; scholarships and Month Nov. 21, 2021, at Our Lady of Victory Church in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, N.Y. (CNS fellowships for descendants of enslaved and colonized people; and programs addressing mass photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) incarceration, environmental racism and voter past 15 years, about the history of Black Catholics since By Dennis Sadowski suppression. DAYTON, Ohio – The history of Black Catholics and early in the founding of the United States. “For me, the possibilities of racial justice, of reconcilWilliams confessed it was a history she knew little iation and peace are only possible through this ongoing other marginalized people in the U.S. church covering more than two centuries is one worth knowing and can about until she began researching a topic during grad- power of Black Catholic historical truth-telling,” she said. guide the church’s response to the challenges of racism uate studies. Growing up and throughout her schooling, Williams and social justice, historian Shannen Dee Williams beadmitted that she was not interested in Black Catholic lieves. Addressing the online opening session of the annu- history and, although she was a lifelong Catholic, she had al Catholic Social Ministry Gathering Jan. 29, Williams never seen a Black woman religious. “In fact, the only Black sister that I knew at the time explained that the journey of how people who are often was Sister Mary Clarence, the fictional character played overlooked have influenced by Whoopi Goldberg in the critically acclaimed ‘Sister church history deserves Act’ franchise,” she said. But while searching for a topic on which to focus her more than a footnote in hisgraduate work, Williams came across a story about the torical record. The gathering convened formation of the National Black Sisters’ Conference in online for the second con- 1968. She excitedly called her mother later in the day to secutive year because of the discuss her discovery. Williams recalled that her mother was unaware there coronavirus pandemic, addressing the theme “Justice were Black nuns serving the church. In the course of her research, Williams soon learned Shannen Dee Wil- at the Margins.” about the rich history of Black women who endured Williams, associate proliams, associate prodiscrimination within the church and religious congrefessor history at the Univerfessor of history at the gations in their attempts to live a religious vocation. She sity of Dayton, focused her University of Dayton also found stories and documents about the Black Cathcomments on the history in Ohio, speaks Jan. olic experience overall. The more she read, the more she of Black women religious, 29, 2022, during the wanted to learn more. who faced racism within the virtual Catholic Social “One of the powerful of those myths was my belief Ministry Gathering’s church from religious congrethat Black Catholics were footnotes in the story of the gations and clergy. She highopening plenary sesdevelopment of the U.S. Catholic Church, that the story lighted the lives of Mother sion on “Justice at the of the Black Catholic community did not become signifMary Lange and Sister Thea Margins.” (CNS screen icant until the 20th century, when their numbers grew Bowman, who have the title grab/courtesy CSMG) “Servant of God,” and Vener- significantly as African American Southerners migrated able Henriette Delille, all of to Northern, Midwestern and Western cities and convertwhom withstood discrimination as they carried out their ed to Catholicism,” Williams said. Her research led to the revelation that Black Cathcall to a religious vocation. She called on attendees to learn, as she did over the olics are as much a part of the story of the American
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
8 NATION
Xavier University of Louisiana receives bomb threats Feb. 1
By Carol Zimmermann
Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans is seen in this undated photo. The Catholic university, along with other historically Black colleges and universities, received a bomb threat Feb. 1, 2022. Areas of Xavier were evacuated and classes held virtually until about noon while the incident was investigated. Residential students also were told to shelter in place for a time. It was the second time in a less than a month that Xavier had been threatened. (CNS photo/courtesy Xavier University of Louisiana)
WASHINGTON (CNS) – On Feb. 1, Xavier University of Louisiana was among a group of several historically Black colleges and universities in the United States that received bomb threats. The threats to the university and at least 12 other historically Black colleges and universities came a day after at least six other similar schools received these same threats. A tweet issued by the university Feb. 1 said: “Xavier University of Louisiana received a bomb threat early this morning and is cooperating with investigating law enforcement. The campus has been cleared and classes will continue as scheduled starting at noon.” A statement from Patrice Bell, the university’s vice president and chief of staff, said that when the school received the threat “an immediate evacuation of the area and a shelter in place for our residential students were issued” until the university received clearance to from campus, local, state and federal agencies.
She also noted the university would “continue to increase surveillance and mitigation efforts to safeguard its community.” Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation’s only historically Black Catholic university, held its classes virtually that morning. This was the second bomb threat the university received in less than a month. On Jan. 4, the university also was targeted along with other historically Black colleges and universities. The recent wave of threats falling just before or at the start of Black History Month, observed every February, was not lost on school leaders and others. A Feb. 2 statement by the general council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters said they were “horrified by the series of bomb threats that have closed down historically Black colleges and universities during the past month” including those that occurred on “the first day of Black History Month.” “Although no bombs have been found, these terrifying and disruptive threats of violence against innocent students, faculty and staff are an assault against the foundational freedoms of our democracy -- and a threat to us all,” the sisters added. They said that as women of faith, they “stand in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters at these iconic educational institutions and call for a thorough investigation and prosecution of these despicable hate crimes.” The sisters said they prayed that “God’s loving care and protection” would surround and safeguard theses schools and also prayed “for the conversion of all whose hearts are poisoned by hatred.” Both the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said they were investigating the school threats. On Jan. 31, after the first wave of recent threats, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said they were “certainly disturbing” and said the White House was in touch with federal law enforcement leadership about them. In a Feb. 1 statement, the NAACP said it was monitoring these threats and noted that the “Black community has long been plagued by threats of domestic terrorism against them in their schools, homes and houses of worship.” In other reaction, the leaders of the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus said in a Jan. 31 statement that they were deeply disturbed by recent bomb threats at these campuses. “Learning is one of the most noble and most human pursuits, and schools are sacred places that should always be free from terror,” the statement said. The group also stressed that “solving these crimes and bringing those responsible to justice should be a top priority for federal law enforcement.” Xavier University of Louisiana opened in 1925 and currently has about 3,000 students. It got its start from St. Katharine Drexel, who opened a high school in 1915 on the property where the university was founded by the saint and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the order St. Katharine founded in 1891. Follow Zimmermann on Twitter: @carolmaczim
NFL Hall of Famer Bettis goes back to Notre Dame for degree By Catholic News Service
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Jerome Bettis, in his football days, got the nickname “The Bus” because he was carrying wouldbe tacklers along with him during his punishing runs from scrimmage. Today, what Bettis is carrying is a full load of classes at the University of Notre Dame, as he strives to finish what he started in his college days more than 30 years ago – a bachelor’s degree in business. Bettis, now 49, is on track to graduate this spring and get that coveted Notre Dame diploma. If he does, the Pro Football Hall of Famer will have made good on a promise to his mother, Gladys – you may remember their Campbell’s Chunky Soup commercial from 20 years ago – that he would get his sheepskin. “I promised my mother that I would get my degree,” he said. “In my immediate family, I’ll be the first person to graduate from college,” Bettis told NBC’s “Today” show Jan. 28. And at commencement exercises in May, Bettis getting a diploma means that all 21 Notre Dame football recruits from 1990 will have graduated. Bettis has lived much of his life in public eye as a throwback of sorts. In an era of pro football where running backs dipped, dived and swerved to avoid tacklers, Bettis was the hard-charging fullback who plunged into the line, dragging
defenders with him as he motored for that extra yard. It served him well: Bettis is eighth all-time in NFL rushing yardage at 13,662 yards, not to mention eight 1,000yard seasons, 91 touchdowns, six Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl championship after the 2005 season, his final season before retiring as a player. On campus, Bettis is another throwback. Most of the students at Notre Dame aren’t even half his age; Bettis turns 50 Feb. 16. They take their class notes on tablets or laptops; Bettis takes his notes with pen and paper. Still, he told NBC’s Anne Thompson – herself a Notre Dame graduate: “I am a much better student at 49 because I want to learn, I want to know all of this information.” The degree will come in handy in his post-football career, which has involved trucking, staffing, development and marketing companies as well as his career as a television personality, where Bettis is on camera for the NFL Network. “I say to all our coaches that there are three things we should be concerned about versus integrity: Do things the right way, second is help these kids get a degree and do well in their lives, and the third is winning on the field,” said Holy Cross Father John Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president, on “Today.” “And Jerome getting a degree after all his success just underscores how important that is.”
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis competes against the Cincinnati Bengals in this 2002 file photo. (CNS photo/ John Sommers II, Reuters)
ANNUAL REPORT 2022 CATHOLIC SERVICE APPEAL
Catholic Diocese of Jackson 1
Catholic Service Appeal Annual Report - February 11, 2022
Dear Friends in Christ,
As I reflect on the past year I see the impact of the pandemic upon all areas of our lives. It continues to be a trying time, but not without points of light. When I look beyond the surface level I realize how our church has not just survived but has thrived. Each parish had to come up with new ways to bring the Gospel message to their parishioners. We have all become more tech savvy so we could stay connected. Our Catholic Schools are educating more students, and Catholic Charities continues to serve vulnerable populations across the state as a visible sign of Christ’s love. Family members have become closer, realizing we need one another now more than ever. We all have realized along the way the things that are truly important to us. As I looked over the CSA annual report for this past year, it struck me again how important these ministries are to the people of our diocese. As you review this report, I hope that you will see how each of these ministries and all of them combined are the face of Jesus Christ in varied and many ways. I would like to personally thank you for your donation to the Catholic Service Appeal. I am so proud of how you and so many others have come together to support these important ministries of our diocese during these uncertain times. Your prayers and generosity make a difference. Please know that I am praying for you and your family. Most Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Bishop Joseph Kopacz
SEMINARIAN EDUCATION
$ 150,000
Your gift to the Catholic Service Appeal supports our six seminarians who are in formation to become a priest in our diocese. We are so lucky to have these men who are discerning to one day become priests in our parishes.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$ 300,329
Catholic Charities works to improve the lives of those they serve. They work to strengthen families and nurture the children and youth they serve, break the cycle of domestic violence for women and their children, welcome and integrate immigrants and refugees, and parish and community engagement. Catholic Charities reaches out to the vulnerable and poor in the community through direct services, crisis outreach, community education and advocacy each year.
RETIRED PRIESTS / CLERGY ASSISTANCE
$ 175,000
Our retired priests have served our parishes for many years, and they continue to serve our Diocese even in retirement. The diocese has 19 retired priests that the appeal helps to support, as well as our clergy who may need assistance during the year.
Catholic Service Appeal Annual Report - February 11, 2022
2
FORMATIONAL MINISTRIES
$ 150,500
Religious Education and Faith Formation Office brings people into a closer relationship with God through educational and experiential opportunities for encounter. This ministry helps prepare parish volunteers become certified catechists so they can work with adults and youth. They provide training, retreats and certification for parish lay ministries and Catholic School teachers who are involved in catechesis, RCIA, Liturgy, Lay Ecclesial Ministry, Pastoral Ministry and more. The Intercultural Office works with Black, Hispanic, Vietnamese and Native American Catholics in our diocese to develop leadership, celebrate diverse cultures and strengthen parish engagement. The staff offers leadership training, family programs and retreat experiences to celebrate their gifts and deepen their Catholic faith. The Family Ministry Office works with couples preparing for the sacrament of matrimony by offering programs that support couples, families, and individuals by way of marriage preparation, remarriage preparation enrichment, divorce support and Natural Family Planning. Their goal is to strengthen the vocation of marriage for those entering a lifelong commitment. The Youth Ministry Office – With the Catholic population in our diocese at only 3%, Youth Ministry allows our Catholic youth to gather at retreats and conferences, so they interact with other Catholic youth and engage in their faith. An emphasis is placed on learning the importance of developing a relationship with God. Through youth ministry the kids in our parishes deepen their faith and can participate in diocesan events like SEARCH Retreat, Catholic Youth Convention and other activities that help them strengthen their Catholic faith.
MISSION PARISHES AND SCHOOLS
$ 75,000
Mission Parishes – The Catholic Service Appeal helps to provide grant opportunities for parishes to help with projects in their parish. Our mission parishes are filled with parishioners who are dedicated to their Catholic faith. These parishes are small but determined to build a strong Catholic community. Because they are small, they need the support of larger churches to help them accomplish the mission of our Catholic faith. Mission Schools – Catholic Schools have provided education in our diocese since 1847, offering a Catholic education in a Christ-centered environment. Your gift to the Catholic Service Appeal contributes to grant opportunities for our schools to help them provide a quality education to these children.
CAMPUS MINISTRY
$ 50,000
Our young adults at college in our diocese need to be supported in their faith. Campus Ministry helps connect them to a parish to help them meet their spiritual needs and develop faith-filled friendships. Campus Ministry provides a community of believers who share a desire to live a Catholic Christian lifestyle.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
$ 50,000
Your support not only helps to keep our Catholics up to date on local, national and worldwide Catholic events through our Mississippi Catholic newspaper and website, but also offers the church’s teachings to the broader community. Our mission is to promote the Catholic Church and the Gospel message through media relations, public relations and multimedia efforts, including broadcast and web-based communications.
3
Catholic Service Appeal Annual Report - February 11, 2022
Message from the Stewardship and Development Director As we kick off the 2022 Catholic Service Appeal, we remember all that has changed in our world and our lives over the past 24 months. We also remember that our Catholic faith has been there in these trying times. Each year the Catholic Service Appeal raises money for the ministries listed in this insert; ministries that are central to our diocese and our faith. As you look over this report, I hope that you are inspired by the work that is done to help so many supported by the Appeal. Our theme for this year is Hope Rising. With your Rebecca Harris gift to the CSA, you become the ‘Hope Rising’ to those served by the Appeal. Bishop Kopacz mailed letters to all parishioners in the diocese asking you to support the Catholic Service Appeal. If you did not receive your letter, please do not hesitate to contact the Catholic Service Appeal Office. You can also make your gift online by scanning the QR code with your mobile phone or you can go to csa.jacksondiocese.org. We also have a text to give feature to give online by texting 601-706-5858. If you have questions, please contact me at (601) 9608477.
Scan to Give
CSA ALLOCATION 4%
DONATE & LEARN MORE CSA.JACKSONDIOCESE.ORG
BISHOP’S CIRCLE OF BENEFACTORS The Bishop’s Circle is a community of benefactors who take a leadership role in the work of the church through the Catholic Service Appeal. As a member, you pledge to become partners in a shared vision for the future of the Diocese of Jackson as you set an example of good stewardship and reach out with love to people and ministries in need of your assistance.
CIRCLE OF FAITH .............................$10,000 OR MORE Faith requires a strong, unshakeable and sincere belief in something meaningful.
16%
CIRCLE OF HOPE ............................... $7,500 TO $9,999 32%
Hope is a gift from God and your actions of giving reach out to people and ministries in need of your assistance.
CIRCLE OF CHARITY .........................$5,000 TO $7,499
An act of charity is a true expression of benevolence and is at the heart of humanity.
19%
CIRCLE OF MERCY ............................ $3,500 TO $4,999 5%
8%
12%
5%
To be merciful is to show compassion for others, especially the least, the last and the lost in our society.
CIRCLE OF WISDOM ..........................$2,500 TO $3,499
Wisdom is a true understanding of our whole life and all our actions are for God’s honor and glory.
CIRCLE OF FORTITUDE..................... $1,500 TO $2,499
To have fortitude shows an understanding that action must be taken to be good stewards with the gifts that God has so graciously shared with us.
Catholic Charities 32%
Campus Ministry 5%
Evangelization/PR 5%
Formational Ministry 12%
CIRCLE OF GENEROSITY ...................$1,000 TO $1,499 Generosity requires an unselfish spirit and reflects a warm sympathetic nature.
CIRCLE OF GRATITUDE ........................... $500 TO $999 Gratitude is a way of expressing one’s appreciation for all God has given.
Mission Parishes/Schools 8%
Retired Priests/Clergy Assistance 19%
Seminarian Education 16%
Youth Ministry 4%
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS ................................ $250 TO $499 Friends support and share the Bishop’s vision for the services and ministries of our diocese.
Catholic Service Appeal Annual Report - February 11, 2022
4
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 11, 2022
DIOCESE 9
Vandalism damages items procured from days of ‘Apostle of the Delta’ FROM THE ARCHIVES By Mary Woodward
JACKSON – Somewhere around Jan. 26, our diocesan church family was wounded by an act of violence and evil against Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Greenwood. Most likely the work of someone high on crack or mentally ill, nonetheless the church was broken into and vandalized – the altar was overturned, and an antique five-foot statue of the Blessed Mother was heavily damaged. The Blessed Sacrament was removed from the tabernacle and placed on the church’s original altar. The antique baptismal font was damaged, and songbooks were strewn all over the pews. Fortunately, no spray paint was involved. Throughout its early history, Greenwood Catholics were served from Water Valley and Lexington. The initial church structure was built in 1901 and in 1912, Father John Clerico, a young priest from Italy, was appointed the first resident pastor. Father Clerico was ordained on June 9, 1906, in Genoa, Italy and came to the diocese in March 1907, where he began serving in Shelby at St. Mary Church and its missions. Father Clerico who became a monsignor in 1951, became known as the “Apostle to the Delta” because he ministered to much of the area from Greenwood for the next 52 years until 1964. Msgr. Clerico considered the entire area, which included Greenwood, Shelby, Leland, Hollandale, Anguilla, Indianola and Belzoni, as his parish and he knew all the families of the region. Hence, he was given the title mentioned above. There is even a park named after him in Greenwood. Many of the furnishings in IHM church were procured from Italy by the apostle. The 100-year-old statue which was heavily damaged was hand-painted and made of plaster. I have brought it to Jackson in the hopes that a local artist might be able to repair it. The altar that was turned over was restored more than 10 years ago and was rededicated by Bishop Joseph Latino in a beautiful ceremony with the whole parish present. The parishioners were so excited to have another piece of their history becoming a part of their worship. On Tuesday, Feb. 1, in a very moving and compassionate manner, Bishop Joseph Kopacz celebrated a Mass of Rededication for the parish and again anointed the altar and walls of the church returning it to sacredness from the evil that had been wrought upon it. There was a sense of resolve and relief among those present that what Msgr. Clerico had put in place was now made whole and healed once more. It is hard to put into words the myriad of feelings experienced when evil attacks the church – even if it was a misguided or mentally ill person who perpetrated the acts. It was still evil. IHM is home to many, and the violence of this vandalism was heart-breaking. In its infinite wisdom, Holy Mother Church has beautiful and deeply profound rituals that bring solace and a renewed sense of hope in the Lord by reclaiming the sacred from the profane. I consider it a blessing and a privilege to have been present for Bishop Latino’s dedication of the refurbished altar many years ago and for the rededication on Feb. 1, by Bishop Kopacz. As Bishop Kopacz anointed the walls of the church with Chrism, I imagined Msgr. Clerico looking down lovingly upon all gathered in IHM from where he now celebrates endlessly at the table of the heavenly banquet. The next morning as I was driving home from Greenwood in the rain with the broken statue of the Blessed Mother lying in the back of my car, I reflected on the liturgy the night before and the beautiful depth of faith shared at IHM. What an awe-inspiring
numinous moment in the life of our universal church where the communion of saints joined with the people to restore a sacred space. When it began to rain harder and I approached several 18-wheelers spraying blinding mist on my windshield, I felt fear rising in my heart as I engaged to pass them one at a time on the slick, ponding road. We have all been in this situation and it is no fun thinking about passing these mammoth vehicles in those conditions. Suddenly, I remembered I had the Blessed Mother with me in the back seat. Even though she was battered and broken in many pieces, she came together and gave me the strength to put the pedal to the metal and get past those trucks. Thank you, Blessed Mother! What a great church! (Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson)
Msgr. John Clerico was known as the “Apostle to the Delta” because he ministered to much of the area, including Grenwood, Shelby, Leland, Hollandale, Anguilla, Indianola and Belzoni. Many of the items damaged in a break-in at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish were procured from Italy by Msgr. Clerico.
GREENWOOD – On left, pieces of the Blessed Mother statue damaged in a break-in at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, pictured below, ride in the back of Chancellor Mary Woodward’s vehicle brought back to possibly be repaired by a local artist. (Photos by Joanna Puddister King)
10 BRIEFS
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC members in Minnesota. “We’re at a disadvantage from multiple perspectives,” added Mason, herself a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Band. “It’s not even the same Monopoly game that we have an opportunity to play.” Vogel said one solution would be to “rewrite the rules of the game. Or maybe we’re creating a whole new board for us to operate in.” Pete Upton, board chair of the Native CDFI Network – CDFI is an acronym for community development financial institution – is trying to rewrite those rules. And if he can’t do it, he suggested that Congress can.
VATICAN
the document on human fraternity signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019, by Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt.
WORLD
MEXICO CITY (CNS) – Retired Bishop Onésimo Cepeda Silva of Ecatepec – the colorful and controversial Mexican bishop who rubbed shoulders with the rich, served one of the country’s roughest dioceses and made a brief, but disastrous foray into electoral politics – died Jan. 31. He was 84. The Diocese of Ecatepec confirmed Bishop Cepeda’s death, as did the Mexican bishops’ conference, which barely 10 months earlier disavowed his registration as a legislative candidate for a minor political party. Bishop Cepeda had contracted COVID-19 three weeks earlier, according to church statements. Mexican media reported he had been intubated. Bishop Cepeda cut a controversial course through Mexico’s public life. He served the ramshackle suburbs of Mexico City, but appeared in society publications and played golf at expensive country clubs. Politicians and business elites regularly attended his birthday celebration. He reputedly came under investigation for his acquiring a wealthy church donor’s art collection, which contained works by Latin masters Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo. Bishop Cepeda also served as a godfather to bullfighters, according to Mexican media. ADELAIDE, Australia (CNS) – Mercy Sister Janet Mead, who earned gold records for her 1974 hit version of the Our Father, died Jan. 26 in her native Adelaide. She was 84 and had been battling cancer. In 1974, “The Lord’s Prayer,” set to an uptempo rock beat, scaled up the charts, peaking at No. 4 in the United States and No. 3 in Australia, earning her gold records for the single. Sister Mead was an unlikely pop star. The only other nun in U.S. history to crack the top 10 in the United States was Soeur Sourire, better known as The Singing Nun, for her lively folk ode to St. Dominic, 1963’s French-language “Dominique.” Sister Mead also was the first Australian to have a gold record in the United States. The single was distributed to 31 countries, according to ABC, Australia’s government-subsidized broadcaster, selling, by various accounts, 1.5 million, 2 million or 3 million copies worldwide. Sister Mead was even nominated for a Grammy, but lost out to Elvis Presley. She declined an offer to tour the United States and donated all her royalties to charity. But for those who weren’t monitoring Top 40 radio in 1974, they might have heard her arrangement played during Masses at Catholic churches and schools.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Akash Bashir, a 20-year-old volunteer security guard who was killed by a suicide bomber in 2015, is the first Pakistani to be given the title, “servant of God,” an initial step on the path to sainthood. Archbishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore, Pakistan, informed Catholics of his archdiocese that Pope Francis had granted the title to Bashir Jan. 31, the feast of St. John Bosco. “We praise and thank God for this brave young man, People gather outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City who could have escaped or tried to save during the funeral Mass for Officer Wilbert Mora of the New himself, but he remained steadfast in his York Police Department Feb. 2, 2022. Mora, 27, was fatally faith and did not let the suicide bombshot in the line of duty while responding to a domestic violence er enter the church. He gave his life to call in Harlem Jan. 21 and died of his wounds Jan. 25. (CNS save more than a thousand people present in the church for Sunday Mass,” the photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters) archbishop said, according to Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Bashir had studied at the Don NEW YORK (CNS) – In emotional remarks Feb. 2 at Bosco Technical Institute in Lahore and was one of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the sister of slain Officer Wilbert parishioners of the Church of St. John who volunteered Mora paid tribute to her brother and his late partner, to provide security outside the church. “Akash was on Officer Jason Rivera, but also decried the “violence and duty at the church entrance gate on March 15, 2015, crime” taking the lives of police as they try to protect the when he spotted a man who wanted to enter the church citizenry. “It hurts me to know that two exemplary young with an explosive belt on his body,” Fides said. “Akash men, like Officer Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, were blocked him at the entrance gate, foiling the terrorist’s taken before their time,” Karina Mora told the mourners plan to massacre those inside the church.” who packed the cathedral for the funeral Mass for her VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The “true gold medal” at brother. The service took place less than a week after the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games goes to Rivera’s funeral Mass, also at the cathedral. These were everything that helps the global community be more weltwo young men “who wanted to make a difference and a coming and accepting of all people, Pope Francis said. At change in their city with their service and their sacrifice,” the end of his general audience Feb. 2, the pope focused said Karina Mora, who spoke in Spanish, with her words on the bonds that unite all people in one interpreted in English for the congregation. “Now I only human family as he prayed for the people ask myself, how many Wilberts, how many Jasons, how of Myanmar, spoke about the upcoming many more officers will have to lose their lives for this 2022 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics system to change?” she said. “How many other lives who and anticipated the International Day of protect us will be taken away by violence and crime? Human Fraternity. For more than a year, How many mothers? How many more mothers, how “we have watched with pain the violence many children will have to lose their family and live this staining Myanmar with blood,” the pope trauma and this kind of tragedy?” said. A coup Feb. 1, 2021, ended the WASHINGTON (CNS) – Trying to advance the country’s experiment with democracy economic status of American Indians is like playing a and set off protests and repression, death game of Monopoly that they can never win, said pan- and detention. Joining an appeal launched elists during a Jan. 30 plenary session of the Jan. 29- by the country’s bishops, the pope called Feb. 1 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering. “Imagine you on the international community “to work arrive to the game late ... and you see what properties for reconciliation between the parties inare remaining. On this monopolized board, all the prop- volved. We cannot look away from the erties are taken. That’s where we come in. We were in- suffering of so many of our brothers and vited to play the game decades later,” said Lakota Vogel, sisters. Let us ask God, in prayer, for conexecutive director of the Four Bands Community Fund solation for that tormented population.” in South Dakota. “We come to the Monopoly board Pope Francis also noted that Feb. 4 would without money to buy the property, and we can’t even be the second celebration of International build houses there. We just hope we build something Day of Human Fraternity, a U.N.-declared Mercy Sister Janet Mead of Australia, who topped the 1974 that makes everybody else pay taxes,” said Tara Mason, observation to promote interreligious dia- pop charts with a rock version of the “Our Father,” died Jan. historical trauma coordinator for the Niibi Center, a non- logue and friendship on the anniversary of 26, 2022, in Adelaide, Australia, at age 84. (CNS screen grab/ YouTube, ABC News Australia) profit organization serving the White Earth Reservation
NATION
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 28, 2022
dIOCESE 11
Sculptor Edmonia Lewis shares message of human dignity through time By Dennis Sadowski (CNS)
to pursue sculpting in her preferred medium of marble. “Rome becomes a place where she can truly not just discover herself but become everything she always dreamed to be,” Lev told Catholic News Service. “The limitations she felt and were real in many ways in the U.S. were not limitations (in Rome).” Lev described Lewis’ worked as reflecting her mixed ancestry as she created sculptures of notable abolitionists as well as figurative images that reflected experiences of people of color, particularly following the abolition of slavery. Lewis also portrayed religious images, at times imitating neoclassical and Renaissance artists. One such work from 1875 depicts Moses in an imitation of Michelangelo’s 16th-century statue of the man who led the Israelites out of oppression. An 1874 piece portrays Hagar, an Old Testament heroine who was the maidservant to Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Hagar is shown after Sarah banished her to the wilderness in a jealous rage over Hagar’s son Ishmael, whom Abraham fathered. Hagar has an empty jug at her feet while looking heavenward as she seeks water. Art experts have surmised that Lewis chose Hagar as a symbol of courage and survival, a symbol of her own experiences. Details of Lewis’ early life are limited. She was born in 1844 in Greenbush, New York, near Albany. Later in life, Lewis maintained she was born July 4 that year. Her father was Haitian American and her mother was Chippewa. Both died before Lewis was 5. Lewis was raised by her mother’s family until she was 12 and was known as “Wildfire,” according to a Smithsonian – Viene de la pág. 3 – American Art Museum biography. In 1859 El espíritu del Sínodo ha sido evat age 15, her older brother, who had beidente en las principales obras del come a successful gold miner in CaliforPapa Francisco desde el comienzo de su papado. Desde la Alegría nia, helped Lewis enroll at Oberlin College del Evangelio hasta sus obras más recientes, Fratelli Tutti y Soñein Ohio, one of the first institutions in the mos, mientras la pandemia continuaba envolviendo al mundo, su country to admit African Americans. She visión sincera es que la fraternidad se elevará al nivel de libertad e took the name Mary Edmonia Lewis. igualdad, creando una auténtica solidaridad dentro de la iglesia y She did not graduate, however. Despite entre las naciones de nuestro mundo frente a la flagrante disparithe school welcoming African Americans, dad. Su esperanza es que, a través de un proceso sinodal mundial, Lewis was subjected to racism and sexism. el Espíritu Santo pueda dar nueva vida a la iglesia y, a su vez, la In 1862, two friends became ill after Lewiglesia pueda ser testigo al mundo del buen fruto del diálogo, la is served them wine, opening the way to escucha respetuosa y el discernimiento en nombre del bien común. charges that she poisoned them. La experiencia nos enseña que este proceso sinodal de encuenThe charges were dismissed at trial, tro y acompañamiento no puede tener éxito sin la oración y la but soon after Lewis was severely beaten Palabra de Dios. De lo contrario, la polarización y la politización by white vigilantes who left her for dead. harán descarrilar las mejores intenciones y las divisiones dentro y About a year later, she was accused of alrededor de la iglesia estropearán el momento. Más bien, surgienstealing artists’ materials from the school, do de nuestra identidad fundamental como el Cuerpo de Cristo, en but again was acquitted because of a lack la Diócesis de Jackson hemos desarrollado un proceso de comuof evidence. Lewis left Oberlin in 1863 for nión, participación y misión que apela a nuestros mejores ángeles. Boston, again with her brother’s assistance. Bajo la mirada del Espíritu Santo buscamos encender la voz There she studied under portrait sculptor de los fieles para leer mejor, con la mente y el corazón de JesuEdward Brackett. cristo, los signos de los tiempos. Hemos desarrollado el proceso In the resolutely anti-slavery atmopara maximizar el nivel de participación en nuestras parroquias, sphere of Boston, Lewis was inspired to escuelas y en una gran cantidad de organizaciones y ministerios create busts of abolitionists John Brown, extra parroquiales. Esperamos que haya mucho que digerir, de lo who led the doomed slave rebellion at cual surgirá nuestra síntesis diocesana de 10 páginas que, eventualHarper’s Ferry, West Virginia, and Col. mente, será una corriente que desemboque en un río caudaloso Robert Gould Shaw, who was killed while que fluirá hasta Roma. leading the all-Black 54th Massachusetts Si creyentes y no creyentes, en una fraternidad admirable, Regiment in the Union Army’s unsuccesspueden comprometerse con la restauración completa de Notre ful second assault on Fort Wagner near Dame, un ícono trascendente de fe y cultura, entonces esperamos Charleston, South Carolina, in 1863. que el Espíritu Santo guíe al pueblo de Dios en la Diócesis de Lev said Lewis’ work in Boston and Jackson y en todo el mundo en la restauración de la iglesia que es Europe was inspired by her experiences icono y sacramento de salvación. as well as by the faith of the abolitionists, María, Madre de la Iglesia, ¡Ruega por nosotros! whose belief in human dignity was rooted
Edmonia Lewis, the first African American and Native American sculptor to achieve international recognition through works that reflected her Catholic faith and the dignity of people, is being commemorated on a new postage stamp. The stamp, the 45th in the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage series, will be issued Jan. 26 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington. The stamp’s design features a painted portrait based on an Augustus Marshall photograph taken between 1864 and 1871 while Lewis was in Boston, the USPS said. Lewis overcame multiple obstacles before arriving in Rome in 1865 and opening a studio where she incorporated the neoclassical style popular at the time and establishing herself as one of the most significant sculptors of the 19th century. Her work is in the permanent collections at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Howard University Gallery of Art in Washington. Works also are scattered in church institutions in the U.S. and Europe. Some continue to be discovered after being missing for decades. Art historian Elizabeth Lev, who grew up in Boston and has lived in Rome for 30 years, said it was in the Eternal City, where its cosmopolitan atmosphere meant skin color mattered little, that Lewis found inspiration
‘... la restauración de la iglesia ...’
in their deeply held religious principles. Having saved enough money from the sale of her work, Lewis traveled to Europe in 1865 at age 20 in the hope of establishing her sculpting career. After stops in London, Paris and Florence, Italy, Lewis settled in Rome, where she opened a Edmonia Lewis, an African Ameristudio during can and Native American sculptor the winter of who was Catholic, is honored on 18 6 5 - 18 6 6 a stamp as part of the U.S. Postc o l l a b o r a t - al Service’s Black Heritage series, ing with oth- set for release Jan. 26, 2022. (CNS er female photo/courtesy U.S. Postal Service) sculptors in a male-dominated discipline. Lewis’ work caught the eye of several benefactors, including John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, known as the 3rd Marquess of Bute, a Scottish magnate who became Catholic at age 21. Crichton-Stuart financially supported Lewis, allowing her to craft works that gained enthusiastic reviews. Lev, other art historians and scholars continue to study and teach about new understandings and discoveries about Lewis and her sculptures. Lev said that how Lewis became Catholic is uncertain. Lev related one story which finds that the Native American tribe that raised her in New York was being ministered to by Jesuit missionaries. Lev, however, doubts that was the case and points to Lewis’ time in Rome as likely being more influential in the development of her Catholic faith. “There’s the Catholicism of this Scottish convert who is very excited about her work and she is brought into this world of Catholic patronage in Rome. Part of it is the welcome of the Catholic community,” Lev said. One of Lewis’ most well-known sculptures is “Forever Free,” created in 1867. It depicts a Black man and woman emerging from the bonds of slavery. Lev said that while the man is standing, the woman is shown on her knees praying in thanksgiving for being freed of the bonds of slavery. That sculpture and others, Lev said, is how Lewis used her art to communicate in a subtle and nuanced way to address issues of social justice. “That’s where I think we can learn from someone who knew about racism really, the woman who was beaten to within an inch of her life at Oberlin. The woman who every step of the way had to overcome obstacles,” Lev told CNS. (Lewis died in London in 1907 at age 63. She never married and had no children. She is buried in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in city’s borough of Brent.)
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
12 Columns
We need more funerals SPIRIT AND TRUTH
By Father Aaron Williams
It seems that more and more we are referencing time today by “before” or “after” COVID. One of the effects of the pandemic has been a tendency for families to request to forego the normal funeral Mass and to simply have an outdoor graveside service for their deceased loved ones. Usually this is done to avoid gathering a large crowd, and because it is outside and in open air. However, I fear that sometimes families are having graveside services in order to avoid the stress or expense that usually comes with planning a full funeral. In these situations, I usually like to counsel people that it is far less likely they will regret having a funeral for their deceased loved one, than they would regret not having one. But we as Catholics do not believe in the necessity of funeral Masses simply because it seems like “the right thing to do.” The Catholic Funeral Mass, we believe, accomplishes a spiritual work, which is absent in a funeral outside a Mass, let alone a graveside service. (Perhaps it is important to mention that there is technically not a Catholic rite for a ‘graveside service.’ There is simply the rite of burial which is always done at a graveside whether a funeral Mass precedes it or not). The secular world has started to call funerals “celebrations of life,” but this opposes the Catholic understanding of a funeral. When a Catholic goes to a funeral, we are not there because we need to celebrate a life
lived. In death “life is changed, not ended,” we say in the funeral preface. A funeral which merely makes mention of a person’s earthly life denies our belief in the resurrection, and the very real need that the dead have of our prayers. In the Second Book of Maccabees, we hear the story of Judas Maccabeus and his soldiers gathering the bodies of the those who had fallen in battle and offering prayers and sacrifices for them. This was done because Judas realized these fallen men had committed the sin of idolatry, which needed to be atoned. Afterwards, the sacred author records, “they turned to prayer, beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out ... [and they] also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this [Judas] acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.” (2 Maccabees 12:42-44) The fundamental purpose of the Catholic funeral is to pray for the dead, and the most efficacious prayer we can ever offer is the Holy Mass. Hence, there is no greater prayer for our dead loved ones than a funeral Mass. In doing so we fulfill both a spiritual and corporal work of mercy, by praying for and burying the dead. All of the texts and prayers of the Catholic funeral point to this double reality: that the dead are in need of prayer and purification because of their sins; and that God is merciful and promises us the hope of resurrection unto eternal life. We come to the funeral, in the words of
All church documents are not created equal THINGS OLD AND NEW By Ruth Powers
As Catholics we believe the Holy Spirit is guiding the church and that the teachings of the church develop with this inspiration. This belief, however, has led to some misunderstandings by non-Catholics (and a few Catholics) regarding the level of authority carried by a somewhat bewildering array of documents and pronouncements issuing from the Vatican under its authority to teach on faith and morals (magisterium). Ordinarily, Catholics are expected to accept magisterial teachings without any need to delve into levels of authority. However, sometimes it is important to know, especially in times of controversy when some Catholic dissenters may try to dismiss teachings that are infallible while others either underestimate the authority of recent magisterial teachings or overestimate the authority of earlier ones. Non-Catholics may believe that we think every utterance of the pope comes directly from God. The agent proposing the doctrine on faith or morals has some bearing on the level of authority of what is taught. These agents are the Pope, Ecumenical Councils, and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (whose teachings must be accepted by the Pope). Let’s first consider papal documents. In order of descending authority, they are: Ex cathedra statements — These statements are sometimes called extraordinary magisterium and are few and far between. They occur when a pope defines a document as the head of the church. These statements are explicitly stated to be infallible. An example is the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. Infallible doctrine — These statements are sometimes called ordi-
nary magisterium and occur when the pope affirms a previously taught doctrine as infallible. Apostolic/Dogmatic/Papal Constitutions — This is the most solemn form of document issued by a pope. Ex cathedra statements and definitive teachings are generally issued in this form of document, as are legislative acts by the pope meant to make changes in Canon Law. Examples are Ex Corde Ecclesiae by St. John Paul II (rules governing Catholic Universities) and Pascite gregem Dei, issued by Pope Francis in December of 2021 which reformed parts of Canon Law dealing with investigation and penalties for certain offenses, especially child abuse. Papal Bulls — So named because of the lead seals, or bulla, attached to them. These documents were used widely until the 19th century but not so much anymore. They affirm a wide variety of things, such as the excommunication of Henry VIII when he remarried after his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Papal Encyclicals – A pastoral letter addressed by the pope to the whole church. Encyclical letters generally address matters of faith or morals, encourage a particular commemoration or devotion, or deal with matters of church discipline which are to be universally observed. Apostolic Letters — Letters written by a pope to a specific community or to address a specific need. Apostolic Exhortation – Exhortations generally encourage some virtue or activity. They are frequently issued following a synod of bishops, in which case they are known as post-synodal apostolic exhortations. Exhortations do not define church doctrine and are not considered legislative. An example would be Amoris Laetitia, issued by Pope Francis after the Synod on the Family. And finally, there are homilies, audiences and interviews, which carry the least weight of authority. A term that has received much attention lately is moto proprio. This is not a document but rather refers to how a document was issued. When a pope issues a doc-
Father Paul Scalia (preaching at his father — Antonin Scalia’s funeral) “to lend our prayers to that perfecting, to that final work of God’s grace, in freeing [the dead] from every encumbrance of sin.” The overall emotion of the funeral Mass is mercy, which is why even in the reformed liturgy the prescribed liturgical color for a funeral is violet or black. In the Dioceses of the U.S., white is given by indult as a third option “when pastorally appropriate.” It should be noted that in some cultures, particularly in some Asian cultures, white is the color of mourning. The funeral Mass is not, as some call it, a “celebration of resurrection,” as we know that before being raised to the perfection of heaven, most Christians must undergo the spiritual purification that God offers to souls in purgatory. We do our deceased loved ones a great injustice by failing to pray for them. Often, when planning funerals, we are filled with difficult emotions, and we want to forget the reality of death by distracting us with happier thoughts. But the truth is that death is a result of the fall — of the sin of our first parents, and our inherited sinfulness. The hope and joy of Christian death is that Christ can purify us with His grace and make us worthy of His presence forever. And we can lend our aid to this perfecting by our own works of prayer, fasting and almsgiving and most especially by our offering of the Holy Mass. (Father Aaron Williams is parochial vicar at St. Patrick and St. Joseph Meridian.)
ument moto proprio it means he does so of his own interest and signals that this is a matter of special importance to him. In the church, the pope is both an executive and a legislator, and if a document issued moto proprio, he acts in his legislative capacity. Legislative changes made by the pope overrule decisions made by other Vatican departments. Another source of official church teachings are the documents of ecumenical councils, which are those councils made up of bishops from the whole church rather than from a specific region. Council documents, in descending order of authority, are dogmatic constitutions, decrees, declarations and pastoral constitutions. These apply to the entire church, whereas documents issued by regional councils apply only to the regions involved. The third source of teaching is the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith. The material coming out of this Vatican office is varied. They can also issue discipline, sometimes with penalties, to clergy misconduct. Documents take the following forms, in descending order of importance: decrees, declarations, monita (“warnings”), responsa (answers to questions), explanations and press conferences. The theological weight given to a particular document depends on the pope’s manner of acceptance. The greatest weight is given to decrees approved in modo specifico (in every part). The next level is formal acceptance (which is often used in disciplinary matters). Next is simply acceptance, and finally is the order that a document is published (least theological weight). As you can see, not all materials released by the Vatican carry the same level of authority. A comment by a pope during a homily is not to be interpreted as having equal weight as an apostolic constitution or an encyclical, although secular media tends to treat them as such. Knowing what kind of a document contains a statement can help Catholics unpack its level of impact on the teachings of the church. (Ruth Powers is the program coordinator for St. Mary Basilica Parish in Natchez.)
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 11, 2022
DIOCESE 13
“Jezebel” in Deuteronomic history - a Lenten reconciliation THEOLOGY AT THE MOVIES By James Tomek, Ph.D
Is “Jezebel,” a 1938 movie set in the 1850s South with Bette Davis, worth seeing from a theological view? Turner Classic Movies shows it regularly. The protagonist, Julie Marston, appears to have little in common with Jezebel, Elijah’s enemy, in the 800s BCE, seen in the Book of Kings. However, by comparing the two characters, we can arrive at a positive interpretation of the Deuteronomic moral code of the Bible. A review of the evil manipulative workings of Jezebel, and its connection with the Deuteronomic Covenant, will reveal her as an evil conscience influence on the mind of Julie, scheming to keep her man in an 1852 New Orleans business world, with the backdrop threat of Yellow Fever. Is there a deeper reading of the Deuteronomic code than just reward and punishment for being faithful, or not, to the Moses’ covenant? Does Julie have a perfect contrition? Jezebel comes to Israel via King Omri, who succeeded Solomon and reestablished the Northern Kingdom’s power with Samaria as a base. He married his son Ahab to Jezebel, a Phoenician, who came with her pagan god Baal, along with the Phoenician ambition in commerce. Baal is a Canaanite god of rain that promises wealth and good crops, without imposing any ethical responsibilities. She and Ahab are central figures in the struggles with the major prophets
of the era – Elijah and then Elisha. Elijah wins a fire battle against her prophets, ending a drought that he inflicted on the land. Jezebel’s overall power continually frightens Elijah. She and Ahab, in a murderous plot, take the land of Naboth for their vineyard. Jezebel writes secretive letters that eventually doom Naboth. She dies unrepentant and punished – her dead body eaten by dogs. Julie Marston is a plantation owner in love with Preston “Pres” Dillard (Henry Fonda), a banker who persuades his New Orleans colleagues to invest in railroads and factories instead of the river economy and slave labor. Pres’s business dealings preoccupy his mind, causing him to neglect his love interest. To get his attention, Julie resorts, shockingly, to wearing a red dress, reserved for married women, at the annual Olympus Ball, instead of white, the mandatory color for unmarried women. She also tries to incite Columnist, Jim Tomek explores the 1938 movie “JePres’s jealousy by asking her former beau, Buck zebel” set in the 1850s South, starring Bette Davis, Cantrell (George Brent), to take her to the ball. Pres drawing from the books of Deuteronomic history. (Phohas a mean streak as he refuses to take Julie from to courtesy of BigStock) the ball, punishing her, by keeping her shamefully on the dance floor, for refusing his request to wear The “prophets” who praise profit would be one. Quick white. He ends his relationship with Julie, going North on fixes instead of long run thinking. While the treatment business, returning with a wife, Amy. of blacks in this film are a little outdated, the message Julie, in a mixed-up state on how to win Pres back, of white condescension is still clear. Julie undergoes a does succeed in causing anger between her former conversion, as she will accompany and care for Pres at beaus, who are opposites. Cantrell is a Southern gentle- “Lazarus” Island, the doomed colony for fever victims. man, comfortable with the slave way of life and happy She convinces Pres’s wife of her husband’s love for her. with an economic system that relies on slavery and the The story ends with Julie in the cart of victims going to river trade. He accuses Pres Dillard, with his interests their sure death. However, she feels clean again. in railroads, factories, and non-slave labor, of being an In Deuteronomic history, from Moses down through abolitionist and traitor to Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel to the Book of Kings the Southern way of life. to the Babylonian exile of 585 BCE, one sees that faithTheir disagreements car- fulness to Moses’ covenant is rewarded, while disobery over to the treatment dience brings punishment. While this outcome is not of the Yellow Fever epi- always true, as we see in Job, there is a sense of peace demic. The “Old South” brought on when one does the right thing covenant-wise. conservatives prefer to The prophet Micah aptly sums up the covenant – do think of the “plague” as right, love goodness and walk humbly with God. passing, while the “New Some film critics thought that Julie’s conversion South” liberals, like Pres was too sudden. Theologically, especially in the lament and Dr. Livingston, want psalms, God’s grace arrives quickly and undeservedly. to learn from the previ- Take Psalm 22, for example, the one we read on Palm ous 1832 outbreak and Sunday. The sufferer cries out “My God my God, why clean the swamps and have you forsaken me?” Look at the sudden reversal of city streets. fortune from verses 21 to 22. Julie’s manipulations in having the men fight v19 But you O Lord do not be far away! O my help over her fail, as Buck, come quickly to my aid! having insulted his riv20 Deliver my soul ... from the power of the dog! val’s “Yankee” wife, is v21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! killed in a duel by Pres’s v22 From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued brother Ted. Pres, him- me. self, is bitten by a mosquito carrying the fever Julie’s character is complex as she does not seem to virus, while Julie’s Aunt know what she wants. She is a strong-willed woman in a Belle labels her a Jezeb- patriarchal society. In an early scene, she is being fitted el – a person who has with a white dress that is wide and fluffy, giving her an done evil in the sight of impressive stature. When the dress makers lift the dress God. While not as mali- off, we see her very slim small body inside a cage that ciously evil as her Bibli- served to keep the dress wide. It takes a lot of work to cal counterpart, Julie is go from appearance to reality. Julie does get real in her possessed by her schem- repentance and does stay true to the Deuteronomic code ing spirit. by doing good in the sight of the Lord. The reward is in The Jezebel of the the sacrament of penance itself. Bible brings with her Baal and the false proph(James Tomek is a retired language and literature proets or idols who allow fessor at Delta State University who is currently a Lay Echer to justify her greed. clesial Minister at Sacred Heart in Rosedale and also active What are the idols in in RCIA at Our Lady of Victories in Cleveland.) Julie’s and our age?
14 YOUTH
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
Cathedral School/St. Mary Basilica youth attend March for Life, meet Senator Hyde-Smith WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy HydeSmith (R-Miss.) welcomed Mississippians in the nation’s capital to participate in the 2022 March for Life, greeting students and issuing an optimistic statement for the annual pro-life advocacy campaign. On Thursday, Jan. 20, Hyde-Smith met with March for Life students from Cathedral School and St. Mary’s Basilica in Natchez. Under an “Equality Begins in the Womb” theme, Friday’s march comes on the heels of U.S. Supreme Court consideration of Mississippi’s abortion law, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. “With hope and prayer, thousands have marched each year for decades at the annual March for Life. Today, we march with greater hope and prayer for the Supreme Court to show grace to the unborn in the Dobbs case,” Hyde-Smith said. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Cindy HydeSmith spent time with students from Cathedral School and St. Mary Basilica Natchez during March for Life on Thursday, Jan. 20. She spoke to the group about the importance of service and answering the call to stand up for others. (Photo courtesy of Senator HydeSmith’s office)
SEPI student reflections CANTON – Three young adults from Holy Child Jesus parish in Canton traveled to Miami to attend the “Journeying Together” youth leadership gathering that SEPI (Southeast Pastoral Institute) hosted Jan. 3-7. The program was centered on Pope Francis’ call to journey with the church towards synodality. Below are reflections of the young adults who attended the conference. Victoria Alexander I had the honor to be invited along with two parishioners from Holy Child Jesus Catholic Church of Canton to attend the SEPI journey in Miami. I learned so much from this journey through the five days that we were attending. We had various activities and experiences that we went through. We were given three spiritual words to reflect on the whole time we were there: community, beauty and mercy. We all experienced demonstrations of these words and the meanings behind them through the people we encountered or events we went to, and inspirational speakers that spoke to
CANTON – Left to right: Vincent Alexander, Victoria Alexander, Father Guy Wilson and DeAsia Evans. The group bid farewell to Father Guy and the congregation of Holy Child Jesus on Sunday, Jan. 2 before their trip to Miami for the SEPI “Journeying Together” conference. (Photo by Sister Mary Anne Poeschl, RSM)
us about their journey on how they got where they are. One of my favorite parts of the experience was the morning sunrise prayer we had on the beach early that morning and listening to Father read the word and Gospel was so beautiful during that moment. I had never experienced the Holy Spirit like I did that moment. I am so thankful that I learned more about how beautiful and diverse our Catholic community and church are and what an impact young people can make in the world as young parishioners or missionaries in the church. We were so very blessed to attend this institute and I will never forget this as it has changed the way I view society and the church culture around the world. DeAsia Evans My experience of going to Miami for the Youth Leadership gathering was very inspiring. I had the honor of going to the gathering with the help of SEPI and Catholic Extension. Youth leaders from different states all gathered to share their experiences and what they are doing to better their parish when it comes to the youth. While we were at the gathering, there were three words to remember during our time there. They were beauty, mercy and community. Throughout my trip, I was able to experience all of those things. I saw beauty when we had sunrise prayer on the beach. We read the Gospel and said prayers as we watched the sun rise. There were even two seminarians there who shared their experience of being in seminary school and talking about how they were born in the Catholic faith. Mercy was shown through adoration when we spent a precious moment with the blessed sacrament and worshiped with The EPIC band. Lastly, community was shown when we came together and made hygiene bags, lunch and provided Christmas presents to those in need and for those who did not have a place to stay. Overall, it was such memorable experience that I will never forget, and it is something that I will do again. Vincent Alexander I am blessed and honored to have been chosen to attend the SEPI trip; I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I learned about the diversity in the Catholic community, as well as how things get more interesting within SEPI and other organizations. One of the days I learned about how to connect with others, even those you might not expect to have a story. I learned about meeting and having a relationship with God, not just having a relationship, but also telling others to believe in him and trust in him. Making sure you have a relationship with him helps you to get where you need to go in life and to always have a relationship with him. Prioritize him. I’ve also realized that God can change my church and help people in a variety of ways. I’d like to thank SEPI and everyone who helped make this possible for me, my church, and so many others. It was a true blessing and life-changing event.
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC FEBRUARY 11 2022
YOUTH 15
The art of pour painting SOUTHAVEN – On Jan. 28, Rhonda and John Grillo talked to third graders at Sacred Heart School about the art of painting. They then demonstrated the fun technique of pour painting with the help of floetrol added to acrylic paint and helped the students do their own pour paint projects. On left: Brooklyn helping her paint flow to get just the right pattern. Below: the Grillos explaining the "how to" of flow painting to students. (Photos by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)
Catholic Schools Week 2022
VICKSBURG – (Above) St. Aloysius students, Miracle Flowers, Marcus Flowers, Kayla Flowers and Eva Evans, shared their experience with Catholic education with St. Mary's parish families. (Right) Bishop Joseph Kopacz distributes the Eucharist to students at the annual Catholic Schools Week Mass. (Photos by Lindsey Bradley)
FEBRUARY 11, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
16 DIOCESE
'... We are going to be stronger than ever ...' – Continued from page 1 –
shared by Father Sánchez, including Bishop Joseph Kopacz, who said “at the same time, much prayer has been offered” from those across the diocese through the power of social media. Amid all of the destruction at Immaculate Heart, Bishop Kopacz traveled to the parish on Wednesday, Feb. 1 to reconsecrate the church. “We will reconsecrate this church once again to God in the Lord,” said Bishop Kopacz. “With great faith, hope and love with the desire to truly go forward, knowing that we have reconciled on a very deep level.” Some in the parish, felt that the intent behind the destruction was to have parishioners lose their faith but the faith of the Immaculate Heart community is strong. “We give thanks for this gift of faith, that can be assaulted, that can be hurt, but cannot be overcome in the Lord,” said Bishop Kopacz. During his homily, Bishop Kopacz spoke of the destruction and evil that occurred within the walls of the church, mentioning the overturned pulpit and altar. “The Word of God, another sacred part of who we are, was overturned, as if to say ‘We don’t want this Word proclaimed from this pulpit,’” said Bishop Kopacz, likening the destruction as malice. “That’s not just juvenile, ‘let’s just wreak a little havoc in this building.’” Additionally, mentioned was the overturned altar and disturbed sacrament with Bishop Kopacz stating that “it was a deliberate blow to all that is sacred to us.” As a part of the reconsecration of the church, Bishop Kopacz took great care in anointing the altar and with Chrism, in addition to the use of holy water to renew the baptismal promise of those present. “This seeks to make right, what has been wronged,” he said. “Our altar represents Christ – it is Christ. ... In the anointing, we are allowing the Lord to again come before us in a most powerful way to be our Good Shepherd and for us to know Him. For us to then enter deeply into the mystery of his life. ... Heaven and earth are joined together each time we celebrate the Eucharist.” After the Mass, parishioners like Faulkner expressed their gratitude and were moved by the beauty in the care of the reconsecration. “I have never seen anything like it. It was extremely moving and beautiful,” said Faulkner. Father Sánchez gave thanks for the experience of the reconsecration and was grateful for the feeling of hope, also witnessing a consecration of a church for the first time. “It was really beautiful and we know that we are not alone.” “It is a new opportunity for all of us in the Body of Christ ... and we can say to the enemy that if Christ is with us, who is against us.” Parish coordinator and director of religious education, Emelia Joseph, who has worked tirelessly getting new keys, meeting with police officers and more in the wake of the break-in, is thankful for the support of the Greenwood community and the people of the diocese. "We know through the grace of God and all the people who have contacted us, with prayer and their support, that we are not only going to rally through this, but we are going to be stronger than ever.”
Pictures from Facebook posts show some of the damage done to the parish from a break-in discovered on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
GREENWOOD – (Above) Father José de Jesús Sánchez prepares to read the Gospel during the reconsecration Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, while Father Joachim Studwell, OFM looks on. (Below) On Feb. 1, parishioners assist Father Sánchez in replacing the altar linens after Bishop Joseph Kopacz reconsecrated the altar after the parish was broken into and the altar overturned a week earlier.