APRIL 15, 2022
mississippicatholic.com
Catholic pro-life heroes recognized at Her PLAN event BY JOANNA PUDDISTER KING
JACKSON – Nearly 30 honorees across at least eight denominations were recognized as pro-life heroes by Her PLAN (Pregnancy and Life Assistance Network) on Thursday, March 17 at Fondren Church in Jackson. Ranging from sidewalk advocates of Mississippi’s only abortion facility, adoption leaders, pregnancy center leaders and policy champions, these heroes have been at work in the pro-life movement for decades making strides against abortion. Those leaders included several Catholics from around the diocese: Dr. Beverly McMillan of St. Richard Jackson, Tanya Britton of St. James Tupelo, Monica Walton of St. Paul Flowood, Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth, OP of St. Dominic Health Services and Charlene Bearden of Holy Family Jackson and coordinator of the office of family ministry for the Diocese of Jackson. Anja Baker, Mississippi state coordinator for Her PLAN and parishioner of St. Jude Pearl, said that her reason for having a “Mississippi Moment” with pro-life heroes was two-fold. The first being to reflect
and acknowledge all of the hard work that has been done to save the lives of the unborn, but also to talk about preparing for a pivotal moment in history – the possibility of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion nationwide, with Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, set for a decision in June. “Regardless of what happens this summer, regardless of what changes in policy, we know that a larger safety net of support is needed,” said Baker. Born in 1994, Baker got her start in the pro-life movement at age 15 when she saw a “40 Days for Life” flyer in the back of church. This led to attending pro-life banquets and getting involved in Students for Life before eventually working as a coordinator for Her PLAN. A project of Susan B. Anthony List, Her PLAN also operates in Georgia, Virginia and West Virginia, and facilitates collaboration between assistance providers and their comJACKSON – Charlene Bearden and Dr. Corinne Anderson, parishioners of Holy Family munities to empower women and Jackson, speak to Erin Kate Goode, executive director of the Center for Pregnancy families through comprehensive Choices Metro area at a luncheon held by Her PLAN recognizing Mississippi pro-life medical, social and material support. heroes on Thursday, March 17 at Fondren Church. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King) – Continued on page 9 –
As three feasts converge, Holy Land Christians hope for peace, tourism BY JUDITH SUDILOVSKY
JERUSALEM (CNS) – With pandemic restrictions almost fully lifted, churches and shopkeepers alike are hopeful that the streets of Jerusalem will fill up once again as Easter, Passover and Ramadan converge. Joseph Hazboun, regional director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association-Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem, noted that the pandemic has left its mark not only on people in the tourism industry but also on some monasteries and convents that depend on the sales of their homemade products. Though there are signs of returning pilgrims, he said, it is still a long way off from the high numbers of three years ago. And with the continuing unchecked vandalism attacks on church property, especially but not only in Jerusalem, INSIDE THIS WEEK Christians feel threatened, he said. In addition to vandalism, in March, Israelis and Palestinians saw an increase in violence. In early March, seven Palestinians were killed in separate clashes with Israeli forces, and in late March three terrorist attacks that killed 11 people left Israelis reeling. On April 2, the patriarchs and heads of local churches of Jerusalem condemned the violence and called on Christians, Muslims and Jews to show mutual respect for one another at the rare confluence of the three major reliCalled by name gious holidays. They called on government authorities to Meet new seminarian "exercise policies of religious tolerance, restraint of force, and de-escalation of conflict." Martin
"In these coming weeks that are sacred to our respective religious traditions, we encourage all people of good faith to walk in the pathway of peace that is so central to the symbolism of Jerusalem, the City of Peace. In this way, we can be true witnesses to the world of the common vision of peace/shalom/salaam that is enshrined within the heart of our separate but intertwined religious beliefs," they said. This is not the first cycle of violence the Holy Land has experienced, said Sami El-Yousef, chief executive officer of the Latin Patriarchate, and the region has always found a way to rise above it all during religious celebrations. "If we are faithful to our religion – regardless whether Muslim, Jewish, or Christian – Continued on page 9 –
4 "EJ"
From the archives 8 First state Mass dates back to Easter 340 years ago
Youth 14 Youth and school happenings around the diocese
APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
JACKSON Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Divine Mercy Holy Hour with Bishop Kopacz for healing and prayers for victims of sexual abuse by clergy and church personnel, Sunday, April 24 at 6 p.m. NATCHEZ Our Lady of the Oaks ladies retreat at Grand Coteau, Louisiana. The ladies of the Natchez area will be attending their annual three day retreat December 1-4, 2022. You are invited to join us to rest in the care of the Lord in silence, solitude, deep prayer and reflection. It is time to send in deposits ($50) to hold rooms as they fill up quickly. Deposits should be sent in as soon as possible. Details: Kot Morris at (601) 334-8339.
PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
COLUMBUS Annunciation Catholic School, Draw Down/Art Auction on Friday, April 22 from 6:30-11 p.m. at the Trotter Convention Center. Adults only with dinner and open bar. Draw down ticket $100. Art auction ticket $35 at the door. Details: school office (662) 328-4479. GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Paul and Wadel Abide Memorial Golf Classic, Friday, May 13 with 1 p.m. tee time at the Greenville Golf and Country Club. Following golfing is dinner with beverages. Teams will consist of 4-man scrambles. Sponsorships available. Details: Bonda Abide at (662) 931-0490. St. Joseph School, Calling St. Joe class of 2002, it’s your 20th reunion. Please update your mailing address, email and phone number to receive all reunion details with Leslie Anderson at leslieabideanderson@gmail. com. HOLLY SPRINGS St. Joseph, Glorious Dawn Pancake Brunch for all six Northwest parishes on Sunday, April 24 from 1-3 p.m. Sponsored by St. Joseph Youth. Details: church office (662) 252-3138. JACKSON Sister Thea Bowman Virtual Draw Down,
FEATURED PHOTO
Saturday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 for a chance at $5000 grand prize. Details: contact Shae Robinson at (601) 352-5441. JACKSON St. Richard Men’s Club, Flight to the Finish 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run will be held at the school/ church campus on Saturday, May 7. Details: call (601) 366-1157. MADISON St. Anthony School, Golf Tournament at Whisper Lake Golf Club, Wednesday, April 27. Details: school office (601) 607-7054. St. Anthony School, Color Fun Run on Friday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. Details: school office (601) 607-7054. MADISON St. Francis, Parish picnic Sunday, May 22 after 10:30 a.m. Mass. Picnic is full of activities for children, along with food and fellowship for all. Details: church office (601) 856-5556. St. Francis, Floyd Q. Doolittle Golf Classic at Whisper Lake Country Club on Saturday, May 14, with all proceeds going directly to seminarian education. In addition to playing the course, compete in a putting contest and a closest-to-the-pin event. Also enjoy a tasty lunch and a wonderful supper prepared by the Knights of Columbus Council 9543 at St. Francis, and you may win a door prize! Details: Art Ring at (601) 559-8581 or somerville3817@gmail.com if you’d like to play, sponsor or volunteer at the tournament. MADISON Run Foster Run 10K run/5K walk/1 mile fun run for 12 and under on Saturday, April 30 at 8 a.m. – benefiting the Foster Care Programs of Catholic Charities. Details: Visit raceroster.com/ events/2022/58524/run-foster-run. MADISON St. Joseph School, Bruin Classic Golf Tournament at Annandale Golf Club Monday, May 2. Please register by April 29. Details: Paige Harrison at stjoebruinclassic@gmail.com. MERIDIAN St. Patrick School, Annual Countdown fundraiser on Friday, April 22. Tickets are $100 for a full ticket but partial tickets can be bought for as little as $25. Grand prize is $5,000. Details:
school office (601) 482-6044. NATCHEZ Cathedral School, 38th Annual Crawfish Countdown Saturday, May 7, 6-10 p.m. Live music by 90 Degrees West. Tickets $120 each and $30 for second chance insurance. Details: more information and tickets available at cathedralgreenwave.com.
JOB OPENINGS
JOB OPENINGS Catholic schools across the diocese have a variety of positions open from assistant principals to substitutes. Please visit https://schools.jacksondiocese. org/education-overview/employment/ for an opportunity near you.
SAVE THE DATE
JACKSON St. Richard, VBS 2022, June 6-9. Online registration open May 1-10. No registrations will be accepted after May 10. Details: church office (601) 3662335. MADISON St. Francis, VBS 2022, June 20-24 for all children going into Pre-K4 through fourth grades. Registration will begin in May if enough volunteers sign up to assist with the camp. Details: Mary Catherine at mc.george@stfrancismadison.org. PONTOTOC St. Christopher Catholic Friendship Camp, ages 7-11, June 12-18; and ages 12-14, June 19-25. Details: Heidi Stephens campsm@juno.com or https://www.campfriendshipmississippi.com.
... St. Jude “master chefs” ...
APPLIANCE AUDIO VIDEO BEDDING FURNITURE SUPERSTORE
PEARL – Knights of Columbus “master chefs,” Bob Summers and Blackie Marales prepare a fish fry for St. Jude parishioners on Friday, April 1 after Stations of Cross with Father Lincoln Dall. “Master chefs” not pictured are Johnny Grant, Todd Jardee and Ronnie Smith. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
Jackson Flowood R dgeland Pearl Cl nton V cksburg Tupelo Columbus Laurel Oxford Hatt esburg
let there be light
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
Chrism Mass calls to the faithful to invoke Spirit of God By BiShoP JoSePh r. KoPACZ, d.d.
Welcome back to the beauty and joy of our Chrism Mass to celebrate our unity as the People of God in the Diocese of Jackson, to celebrate the renewal of the priesthood, and the blessing and consecration of the holy oils, all under the loving gaze of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the church at Holy Mass. This is our custom, and we are joyful to reclaim it after three years. It’s been that expanse of time since the Cathedral brimmed with the faithful, yearning to gather once again in the fullness of our Catholic faith. On this day the Scripture is fulfilled in our hearing because the Spirit of the Lord is upon us in whom we have been anointed through faith and Baptism. The Gospel of St. Luke is the centerpiece of God’s Word for this Liturgical year. Likewise, Luke’s Good News is the cornerstone for our process of synodality which has touched every corner of our diocese over the past several months. The traditional Gospel passage for the Chrism Mass, Jesus’ inaugural address, is also the inspired Word for our regional gatherings, because the anointing of the Spirit of the Lord is the engine that drives renewal and a Year of Favor, liturgically and pastorally, a gift that the world is incapable of giving nor sustaining.
As we gather in Eucharistic unity and solidarity, it is important for us to know and cherish that one of the dominant themes and hopes expressed throughout the diocese in the synod process is a deep-rooted desire for healing and unity. On the one hand, this yearning identifies the loss, pain, and broken relationships from the pandemic’s impact. Beyond this brokenness, the cry of the human spirit for healing and unity, the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s Anointing, also arises from the divisions that plague our church and society, the violence and killings in our communities, the wars that assault the dignity of the human person made in God’s image and likeness, the pain of the victims of sexual abuse, those who still languish and long for healing, and the hurts and struggles that burden the faithful who are in need of reconciliation. This pervasive woundedness is the bad fruit of sin, original and personal, in the church, in family life, and in the world. Pope Francis is wise when he observes that the church at its core is a field hospital, providing healing and hope for humanity, spiritually and physically. We grieve these assaults against God’s gift of life, but we do so with hope because of the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ in his life-giving death and resurrection. He died to set free those oppressed by sin and injustice, and we have the power and means to do so. We are an Emmaus people whom the Lord accompanies on the road to redirect our path when we are lost; he remains with us in the Eucharist, in the breaking
of the bread through the shedding of his blood on the Cross. We have the Anointing of the Spirit of the Lord for the blessing and consecration of our Holy Oils, circulating far and wide a season of refreshment and a Year of Favor from the Lord. It is the church as the Good Samaritan pouring in oil and wine, walking the extra mile, and not counting the cost, in order to accomplish the Lord’s mission to foster enduring and eternal freedom, to be a light in the darkness, and to be the Good Vews of healing and unity It is a mighty task, and in moments of grace, we know that there is no better way to live. In the midst of God’s dream for humanity, and in the heart of the church is the priest who is Minister of the Word, the Good News of Jesus Christ, Steward of the Sacred Mysteries, the Sacraments and Servant-Leader. Priests with all of the baptized, in good times and in bad, rejoice and struggle, give thanks and ask forgiveness, and seek community and friendship with the Lord, with brother priests, and with the people of God. In recent times especially, I am grateful to God for the generosity and perseverance of our priests who are walking the extra mile in service to the Lord and God’s people, and in many instances for their esprit de corps as they rally around each other in fraternal support. I thank many throughout our diocese who care for and pray for the priest in their midst. In particular, I give a shout-out to our retired priests who continue to bear the – Continued on page 11 –
Misa Crismal llama a fieles a invocar Espíritu de Dios Por oBiSPo JoSePh r. KoPACZ, d.d.
Bienvenidos de nuevo a la alegría y belleza de nuestra Misa Crismal para celebrar nuestra unidad como Pueblo de Dios en la Diócesis de Jackson, para celebrar la renovación del sacerdocio y la bendición y consagración de los santos óleos, todo bajo la mirada amorosa del Espíritu Santo en el corazón de la iglesia en la Santa Misa. Esta es nuestra costumbre y estamos gozosos de recuperarla después de tres años. Este lapso ha pasado, desde que la Catedral rebosaba de fieles, anhelando reunirnos una vez más en la plenitud de nuestra fe católica. En este día oímos como se cumple la Escritura, porque el Espíritu del Señor está sobre nosotros en quien hemos sido ungidos por la fe y el Bautismo. El Evangelio de San Lucas es la pieza central de la Palabra de Dios para este año litúrgico. Asimismo, la Buena Nueva del evangelio de Lucas es la piedra angular de nuestro proceso de sinodalidad que ha tocado todos los rincones de nuestra diócesis en los últimos meses. El pasaje evangélico tradicional de la Misa Crismal, el discurso inaugural de Jesús, es también Palabra inspirada para nuestros encuentros regionales, porque la unción del Espíritu del Señor es el motor que impulsa, litúrgica y pastoralVolume 68 Number 9 (ISSN 1529-1693)
P.O. Box 2130 Jackson, MS 39225-2130 Phone: 601-969-3581 E-mail: editor@jacksondiocese.org Publisher ........................................................................................... Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz
mente, la renovación y un Año de Favor, un don que el mundo no es capaz de dar ni sostener. Al reunirnos en unidad y solidaridad eucarística, es importante que sepamos y apreciemos que uno de los temas y esperanzas dominantes expresados en toda la diócesis en el proceso del Sínodo es un deseo profundamente arraigado de sanación y unidad. Por un lado, este anhelo identifica la pérdida, el dolor y las relaciones rotas por el impacto de la pandemia. Más allá de este quebrantamiento, el grito del espíritu humano por la sanación y la unidad, fruto de la Unción del Espíritu Santo, surge también de las divisiones que plagan nuestra iglesia y sociedad, la violencia y los asesinatos en nuestras comunidades, las guerras que atentan contra la dignidad de la persona humana hecha a imagen y semejanza de Dios, el dolor de las víctimas de abusos sexuales, las que todavía languidecen y anhelan la curación, y las penas y luchas que agobian a los fieles que necesitan reconciliación. Esta herida generalizada es el mal fruto del pecado, original y personal, en la iglesia, en la vida familiar y en el mundo. El Papa Francisco es sabio cuando observa que la Iglesia en su esencia es un hospital de campaña, que brinda sanación y esperanza a la humanidad, espiritual y físicamente. Sufrimos estos ataques contra el don de la vida de Dios, pero lo hacemos con esperanza debido a la victoria de nuestro Señor Jesucristo en su muerte y resurrección que da vida. Él murió para liberar a los oprimidos por el pecado y la injusticia, y tenemos el poder y los medios para hacerlo. – Continúa en la pág. 11 –
BISHOP’S SCHEDULE
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; once 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
Tuesday, April 19, 6 p.m. – Regional Synod Listening Session, St. Mary Basilica, Natchez Friday, April 22-23 – 118th Knights of Columbus State Convention, Robinsonville Saturday, April 30, 8 a.m. – Catholic Charities Run Foster Run, St. Francis, Madison All events are subject to change. Check with parishes and schools for further details.
APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
4 VOCATIONS CALLED BY NAME
I am pleased to announce that we have a new seminarian enrolling the fall. Mr. Richard Martin, Jr. (EJ) has been accepted to study for the priesthood for the Diocese of Jackson and will be enrolling at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans this August. EJ grew up at St. Richard Catholic Church and attended St. Richard and St. Joseph Catholic Schools. After graduating from Spring Hill College in Mobile, EJ was working in Austin, Texas, but discerned that the Diocese of Jackson is where he is called to continue his discernment. It has been a great gift to walk with EJ, who I had met a few times here and there as he came home to visit family when I was the parochial vicar at St. Richard. I have gotten to know him much better over the past year or so as we have embarked on a ‘pre-discernment’ process which has led him to this point. Our application process for the priestly formation program in the diocese is very involved, but it helps the applicant, and the church, decide whether or not the diocesan seminary is the right place for formal discernment. One of the aspects of the process which is particularly helpful is the vocations board. This is a group of parishioners from around the diocese (mostly the Jackson area) that agree to meet with an applicant after he has met all the other ‘objective’ requirements for admisFather Nick Adam sion. As the vocation director, I provide them with a review of the application process, and then every applicant meets speaks with them about his journey so far. The Board is then invited to ask any questions of the applicant, and of me, about the process and to discuss frankly whether seminary is the right choice for that man. This is a great opportunity for the church to speak with men who, God-willing, will be future priests, and it also gives me perspectives that are extremely valuable which are brought to the Bishop as he decides whether each applicant is a good fit for seminary formation. I believe God is calling many more men to the seminary than are currently in the seminary, but we almost must be prudent, patient and collaborative in this process. I am so pleased that we have accepted another excellent applicant Richard (EJ) Martin to study for the priesthood. When we as a church send a man off to seminary, we simply can’t predict whether the Lord will call him ‘all the way’ to the priesthood, but we can do our best to ensure that he is a position spiritually, personally and emotionally to thrive in the seminary program, and whether or not he reaches ordination, he will be an great asset and continue to build up the Kingdom of God in the Diocese of Jackson. Please keep EJ in your prayers as he embarks on this next step, I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for him, and I know he’ll be a great asset to our excellent group of seminarians! – Father Nick Adam If you are interested in learning more about religious orders or vocations to the priesthood and religious life, please email nick.adam@jacksondiocese.org.
Invite the Holy Spirit into your stewardship journey the Holy Spirit; asking that He be showered upon us. The Holy Spirit is always there and “helps us in our By Julia Williams weakness; for we do JACKSON – The not know how to pray POWERFUL PRAYER TO month of April is dedias we ought, but that cated to the Third Person THE HOLY SPIRIT very Spirit intercedes in the Trinity, the Holy with sighs too deep for Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and Spirit. Every time we rewords.” (Romans 8:26kindle in them the fire of your love. cite the Nicene Creed, we 27) worship the Holy Spirit as In your daily Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And God. prayers, invite the Holy You shall renew the face of the earth. • The love of the FaSpirit into your stewther for the Son is total. ardship journey, asking O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did God the Father empties for guidance on how instruct the hearts of the faithful. Grant that by the Himself completely, holdyou can share your same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy ing nothing back from the gifts in love of God and His consolations, Son. neighbor. • The love of the There are many Through Christ Our Lord, Amen. Son for the Father is tovariations of prayers tal. God the Son empties available, but the Himself completely, holdprayer below is a very ing nothing back from the popular and powerful prayer. Father. Together in our journey of steward• The love of the Father for the Son and the Son ship, may God bless us and may we for the Father is the Holy Spirit. The love that is the respond as faithful disciples – faithful exchange of Persons between Father and Son is the Life stewards. that is the Spirit, with no beginning and no end. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, Stewardship is a conversion journey of receiving and God will establish your plans” ProvGod’s love and returning love to Him. A conversion re- erbs 16:3 quires prayer, reflection, and time to allow God to show us who we are and the person of love that we can be(To subscribe to the monthly Stewardcome. ship PATHS newsletter, scan the QR code. The apostle Jude reminds us to make every prayer in Excerpts: bigcatholics.blogspot.com)
STEWARDSHIP PATHS
The Holy Spirit, traditionally depicted as a dove, is pictured in a stained-glass window at St. John Vianney Church in Lithia Springs, Ga. Other symbols include a flame, wind, lamp, rays of light and clouds. The feast of Pentecost, marking the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, is June 5 this year. (CNS photo/ Michael Alexander, Georgia Bulletin)
Spirituality 5
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC JANUARY 14, 2022
Straining to hear the voice of Good Friday IN EXILE By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
They shall look upon the one whom they have pierced! A phrase that names the voice that’s left behind on Good Friday. In 1981, an anonymous young girl was brutally raped and murdered by the military at an obscure location in El Salvador, fittingly called La Cruz (the Cross). Her story was reported by a journalist named Mark Danner. In his account of this, Danner describes how after a particular massacre some soldiers shared how one of their victims haunted them and how they could not get her out of their minds long after her death. They had plundered a village and raped many of the women. One of these was a young girl, an evangelical Christian, whom they had raped many times in a single afternoon and tortured. However, throughout it all, this young girl, clinging to her belief in Christ, had sung hymns. The soldiers who had violated and eventually executed her were haunted by that. Here are Danner’s words: “She kept right on singing, too, even after they had done what had to be done and shot her in the chest. She had lain there on La Cruz with the blood flowing from her chest and had kept on singing – a bit weaker than before, but still singing. And the soldiers, stupefied, had watched and pointed. Then they had grown tired of the game and shot her again, and she sang still, and their wonder began to turn to fear – until finally they had unsheathed their machetes and hacked her neck, and at last the singing had stopped.” (The Massacre at El Mozote, N.Y., Vintage Books, 1994, pp. 78-79.) They shall look upon her whom they have pierced! Notice the feminine pronoun here because in this instance the one who is looked upon after being pierced is a woman. Dying such a violent, unjust, and humiliating death with faith in her heart and on her lips makes her the crucified Christ, and not just because she (like all Christians) is a member of the Body of Christ. Rather because at this moment, in this manner of death, with this kind of faith overt in her person, like Jesus, she is leaving behind a voice that cannot be silenced and which will haunt those who have done violence to her and all the rest of us who hear about it. What haunted those soldiers? The haunting here is not that of some wounded spirit that now seeks retribution by frightening us and forever unsettling our dreams. Nor is it the haunting we feel in bitter regret, when we recognize a huge, unredeemable mistake which had we foreseen the consequences of, we would never have made. Rather, this is the voice that haunts us whenever we silence, violate, or kill innocence. It’s a voice which we then know can never be silenced and which irrespective of the immediate emotions it evokes in us, we realize we can never be free from, and which paradoxically invites us not to fear and self-hatred but to what it embodies. Gil Bailie, who makes this story a corner-piece in his monumental book on the cross and non-violence, notes not just the remarkable similarity between her manner of death and Jesus’, but also the fact that, in both cases, part of the resurrection is that their voices live on. In Jesus’ case, nobody witnessing his humiliat-
ing death on a lonely hillside, with his followers absent, would have predicted that this would be the most remembered death in history. The same is true for this young girl. Her rape and murder occurred in a very remote place and all of those who might have wanted to immortalize her story were also killed. Yet her voice survives, and will no doubt continue to grow in history long after all those who violated her are forgotten. A death of this kind morally scars the conscience and leaves behind a permanent echo that nobody can ever silence. When we parse out all that’s contained in that echo, when we take a reflective look at Jesus on the cross or at the death of this young evangelical, we cannot but feel a wound at a gut level. To gaze upon the one whom we have pierced, Jesus or any innocent victim, is to know
(in a way that undercuts all culpable and invincible ignorance) that the voice of self-interest, injustice, violence, brutality, and rape will ultimately be silenced in favor of the voice of innocence, graciousness and gentleness. Yes, faith is true. A critic reviewing Danner’s book in the New York Times tells how, after reading this story, he kept “straining hopelessly to hear the sound of that singing.” In our churches on Good Friday, we read aloud the Gospel account of Jesus’ death. Listening to that story, like the soldiers who brutally murdered an innocent young, faith-filled woman, we are made to look upon the one whom we have pierced. We need to strain to hear more consciously the sound of that singing. (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
Blood of Bucha massacre victims ‘cries out to heaven’ By Junno Arocho
several Ukrainian children who recently arrived in Italy VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis once again and asked the crowd to “greet them and pray together pleaded for an end to the bloodshed and violence in with them.” The children, accompanied by two women, went up Ukraine after images of innocent civilians apparently executed in Bucha sparked outrage and horror around to the pope. One young boy held a hand-made poster of the Ukrainian flag, with a smaller Italian flag in the the world. “The recent news of the war in Ukraine, instead of center and outlines of small hands. The pilgrims present at the audience hall applaudbringing relief and hope, attest to new atrocities, such as the massacre of Bucha,” the pope said April 6 before ed loudly as the pope welcomed the children, with one shouting, “Slava Ukraini” (“Glory to Ukraine”).” concluding his weekly general audience. Gently rolling up the Ukrainian flag, the pope reverThe world is witnessing “ever-more horrendous acts of cruelty done against civilians, unarmed women and ently kissed it before handing out chocolate Easter eggs children, whose innocent blood cries out to heaven and to the children, prompting one of the women, holding implores, ‘End this war. Silence the weapons. Stop sow- a baby in her arms, to wipe away tears from her eyes. “These children were forced to flee and come to a ing death and destruction,’” he said. Videos and photographs released April 3, after foreign land. This is one of the fruits of war,” Pope FranRussian troops retreated from Bucha and other towns, cis said. “Let us not forget them and let us not forget the showed dead bodies in the streets and in the yards of Ukrainian people.” homes. Many appeared to have been shot in the head, Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju execution style, and the hands of many of the corpses were bound. Although Russia dismissed the accusations of war crimes as “fake news,” evidence of mass executions sparked outrage, prompting several countries to expel Russian diplomats from their lands and leading to renewed calls for tougher actions against Russia. After leading pilgrims in a silent prayer for the country, Pope Francis held up a Ukrainian flag that was sent to him “from that tormented city of Bucha.” The pope then Pope Francis meets Ukrainian refugees during his general audience in the Paul VI hall invited to the stage at the Vatican April 6, 2022. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
6 DIOCESE
APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
DIOCESE 7
APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
8 DIOCESE
First Mass on Mississippi soil dates back to Easter 340 years tablishing the boundary between Spanish West Florida and the U.S. at Latitude 31 BY MARY WOODWARD N, a short distance south of Roche DaviJACKSON – Possibly a little-known fact by most of us on. Because of its strategic location on the is this Easter is the 340th anniversary of the first Mass river, the site became the last military outcelebrated on Mississippi soil. In the southwest corner of post before French territory and served the State of Mississippi in Wilkinson County, there exists as the port of entry for the United States. a very important site of church and American history. The name was then changed to Fort AdOn Easter Sunday in 1682, Father Zenobius Mem- ams after the President John Adams who bre, an Order of the Friars Minor Recollect priest, cel- was in office at that time. ebrated Easter Mass on the bluff above the river near It is here that in 1801, the Choctaws present day Fort Adams as part of Sieur Robert Cavelier signed the Treaty of Fort Adams ceding de LaSalle’s expedition down the river from Montreal to more than 2.6 million acres of Choctaw its mouth. land to the U.S. When the Louisiana PurAlthough this is the first documented Mass in the chase occurred in 1803, the more than area, there is much evidence that the Hernando deSoto 500 troops on site were moved to New expedition in 1540 would have had Masses celebrated Orleans, but Fort Adams continued to in what is now southern Alabama. It is believed by the function as a post until the War of 1812. time the expedition reached the Mississippi, where deSoWith time and the river’s changing to died of a mosquito born illness in 1842 near present course, Fort Adams population dwindled day Ferriday, Louisiana, the priests travelling with him as happens in many cases. Those who would have run out of the wine needed for Mass. remained eventually saw the building of After de LaSalle claimed the territory along the en- a small church dedicated to St. Patrick tire river for France and named it Louisiana, the Bish- on the town’s main square in 1900. The op of Quebec sent missionary priests down the river to church, along with St. Joseph Church built evangelize the various tribes of indigenous people. Fa- in 1873 were serviced by priests from ther Antione Davion was one of these missionaries, who Natchez mostly until 1940, when St. Jocame to the area around 1698 and established a small seph was established as a parish again. mission near the site of what is now Fort Adams. He Nowadays, Fort Adams has become built a small church on the bluff, which became known largely a hunting and fishing camp with as La Roche a Davion, and ministered there until he left only a few houses and two churches rethe mission in 1720. maining, including St. Patrick. Although, In 1795, after the Revolutionary War, the United the river is now distant from the town, it States signed the Treaty of San Lorenzo with Spain, esoften visits after a few heavy rains and floods most of the area including the FORT ADAMS – On Easter Sunday 1682, the first recorded small church, Mass on Mississippi soil took place in Wilkinson county. St. Patwhich a few rick’s Church was built in 1900 on Fort Adams town square. years ago was Today, the town has largely become a hunting and fishing camp given to a group and was named to the 2021 list of Ten Most Endangerd Places of local parish- in Mississippi by the Heritage Trust. (Photos by Mary Woodioners devoted ward) to saving the church building. cause there is a pond in the middle of it. It includes a Candidates should have the following: Mass is no longer celebrated small general store and post office and a couple of cabins there and most of the sacred overlooking the pond. - Practicing Roman Catholic in good-standing items are stored safely in highI have often wanted to return to Pond and one of - Hold or working toward a Master of Education er ground. its cabins to spend a few days steeped in the history of degree in school leadership On a visit to Woodville the area. But I also remember Shep casually stating, as - Previous teaching and/or administrative experi- and Fort Adams a few years we stopped and looked down a road headed south, that ago, I was given a tour of 20 minutes down this scenic highway was Angola State ence in Catholic education the area by my dear cousin, Prison. So that was a reality check. Shep Crawford, local lawyer The entire town of Fort Adams was named to the and judge, who has lived in 2021 Ten Most Endangered Places in Mississippi by the Wilkinson County near Wood- Mississippi Heritage Trust. It is recognized for its once ville for many years. Shep and pivotal role in the development of borders among naI toured Fort Adams on a dry tions as our country and state grew into existence. - Hold or be eligible to obtain a Mississippi Edday and were able to see St. So, on this Easter Sunday, imagine back 340 years Patrick and the almost perma- and a missionary journey that brought the sacred mysucator License nent water line four feet up teries to a small corner of God’s Kingdom. The history is on the church exterior wall. there, and the spirits of the past linger as an inspiration Pontoons boats were parked of commitment and dedication to our Catholic Faith. We on the land adjacent to it. Res- give thanks to Almighty God for them. - Hold High School diploma or GED idents of the area live up on I credit the Heritage Trust website for historical informathe hillsides that once looked tion included in this article. You can learn more about the out of the “father of waters.” 10 most endangered places at https://www.10mostms.com/. We then made our way around to the small hamlet of (Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Pond, which is named so be- Diocese of Jackson.)
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MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
DIOCESE 9
' ... This is our Christian belief; this is our Catholic belief ...' – Continued from page 1 –
At the event, Baker acknowledged all of the work those present had done since Roe, saying “my generation and generations to come have a lot to learn from you. Your voice and your example is the reason we have something to build upon in the first place and the reason ... Mississippi is the one everyone is talking about.” One of those examples is Walton, who was called to be actively pro-life back in high school after her best friend asked her to drive her across state lines to have an abortion. Today, Walton is the executive director for Birthright of Jackson, joining the group as a volunteer in 1994; as well as, office manager for St. Paul Flowood. “I love the Birthright way of gentle love and care for women struggling with an unplanned pregnancy. We sit with them and listen to their worries – free of judgment, pressure and scare tactics. We make sure they have all the information to make a good decision about the future of their unborn child,” said Walton. Sitting across from Walton at the event, Bearden’s passion for life was sparked in the 1960s after she and her husband Booker, lost their first child right after her first birthday due to meningitis. “Bishop Brunini ... welcomed Booker and me, and our other two young children into their community of various social and faith formation activities at St. Peter. ... I became very interested in the church’s teachings pertaining to social justice, poverty, and the respect for all life,” said Bearden. Her passion then grew to promote the sanctity of life at the time the Supreme Court instituted Roe in 1973
and after the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released the “Declaration on Procured Abortion” in 1974. As time progressed, Bearden began praying against abortion outside the abortion clinic. She even worked on a “whole life” front, from 1999-2006 with the Mississippi Department of Human Services to design, develop and support a computer application to track abused, exploited, neglected and adopted children. Today, Bearden works with the Office of Family Ministry for the diocese, promoting and supporting a variety of pro-life programs. Among a long list of pro-life causes and events, she works with the Knights of Columbus to fund ultrasound machines for pregnancy care centers, collaborates with Catholic Charities of Jackson to respect life through a variety of services, offers support to parishes in the diocese for the USCCB’s “Walking with Moms in Need” program, and provides support and referrals to pregnancy care centers, among many other programs. Walton and Bearden’s work are just some of the many connections Her PLAN hopes to make in its campaign to create a network of helping hands for new mothers in need. “What ties us together is the battle to protect the unborn and the women that hold that life within them,” says Baker. Bearden is also collaborating with Her PLAN to share resources through the diocese for women in need of support, whether it is medical, social or material. Their goal is to help empower women and have them choose life. Bearden says, “Respect for the dignity of all life and the support of all life, especially pregnant mothers in cri-
' ... I believe that peace will one day prevail ...' – Continued from page 1 –
– the upcoming season must present a different track to take us all back to the basics and celebrate the majesty of Jerusalem." He said the season must be "the symbol of unity and peace rather than division and violence." Having just returned from Gaza, El-Yousef noted that the Christian community was "very happy" that this year, for the Easter holiday, 720 Israeli travel permits for 80 days were issued. Israel and Egypt have blockaded the Gaza Strip for more than 15 years. In the northern Israeli city of Haifa, Reem Abunassar, 46, who teaches religious education at St. Joseph Catholic Parish, is still traumatized by the riots last year in Israeli mixed cities at the end of Ramadan, when violence broke out between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Her four young adult daughters were attacked by a Jewish mob in front of their house. During Lent she has been praying for peace, she said. "To get into the spirit of Easter, I pray each and every day that there will be peace in the world," she said. "I don't believe in any violence, in any terrorist attacks, in killing of any kind. This is not in my religion. I believe in peace, and I believe that peace will one day prevail, because I pray a lot for this." Sister Bridget Tighe, a member of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood and general director of Caritas Jerusalem, noted that while this Easter season people are hoping the economy will slowly get back on track, especially with the return of tourism in Bethlehem, West Bank, it will take time, and there is still need for assistance. In his call for the Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land, Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, noted how the unprecedented situation of the past two years has affected the Christian communities throughout the Middle East. "With difficulty we have tried to support materially the weakest communities: the community of Bethlehem and that of Jerusalem, with no more pilgrims and no work; the communities of Lebanon, devastated by an increasingly economic and political crisis; those of Syria, which remains like a prisoner of a war that seems to never end. Also this year on Good Friday, please remember us, your brothers and sisters who live in the Holy Land. Help us according to the generosity of your heart, remembering the words of our Lord Jesus: 'There is more joy in giving than in receiving'" he said in the statement.
sis, is critical to supporting and being pro-life. This is our Christian belief; this is our Catholic belief.” (To learn more about Her PLAN visit herplan.org.)
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
NATION
WASHINGTON (CNS) – Two members of a group called Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising said April 5 that five fetuses taken by the police a week earlier from the Capitol Hill residence of one of the activists were “proof of illegal abortions” being performed at a Washington abortion clinic. Activists Lauren Handy, 28, and Terrisa Bukovinac, 41, made the comments at a news conference. The same day, a group of 23 congressional Republicans wrote a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Robert J. Contee III asking for a thorough investigation of the remains “of five preborn children” and urging they not assume – “without conducting any medical evaluations” – that “each child died as the result of a legal abortion.” Handy and Bukovinac said the fetuses are from a box of medical waste they got from the driver of a medical waste truck at an abortion clinic, and they claimed the fetuses looked like they were from late-stage abortions. According to a Washington Post story and other news accounts, the two women described walking up to a Curtis Bay Medical Waste Services truck outside the Washington Surgi-Clinic, one of a few U.S. abortion clinics that does late-term abortions. They said they asked the driver if he had picked up anything from the clinic. The driver told them yes, they said, so they asked for a box. “The driver asked what they would do with the remains inside,” The Washington Post reported. “After they told him they would give the (fetal) remains a funeral and bury them ... the driver gave them a box.” NEW ORLEANS (CNS) – The attack in which Marianite Sister Suellen Tennyson, 83, was abducted from her convent in Yalgo, Burkina Faso, the morning of April 5 was conducted by at least 10 armed men, the Marianites of Holy Cross said in an electronic newsletter. The congregation said Sister Tennyson, the former international congregational leader for order and a native of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, was sleeping when the men burst into the convent, ransacked the living quarters
BRIEFS 10 and kidnapped her, leaving behind two other Marianite sisters and two young women who also live in the convent. “There were about 10 men who came during the night while the sisters were sleeping,” Marianite Sister Ann Lacour, congregational leader, said in the e-bulletin April 6. “They destroyed almost everything in the house, shot holes in the new truck and tried to burn it. The house itself is OK, but its contents are ruined.” Sister Lacour, who currently is attending a congregational meeting in Le Mans, France, said the Marianites have contacted both the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso and the U.S. State Department, and “they have assured us that this is a high priority case for them.” The congregation also has contacted the apostolic nuncios to the U.S., Burkina Faso and France as well as the Vatican’s secretary of state and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the U.S. The other two Marianites at the convent – Sister Pauline Drouin, a Canadian, and Sister Pascaline Tougma, a Burkinabé – were not abducted and did not see many of the details. “They think there were more men on the road. They have heard nothing from or about Suellen since she was taken.”
VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Artémides Zatti, a Salesian brother who was a pharmacist in Argentina and known for his care for the sick; the miracle clears the way for his canonization. During a meeting April 9 with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, the pope also signed decrees advancing the sainthood causes of four other men and five women. Born in the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia in 1880, Blessed Zatti’s family immigrated to Bahía Blanca, Argentina, in 1897. At the age of 19, he was accepted by the Salesians to study for the priesthood. However, he was forced to abandon his
studies after falling ill with tuberculosis. According to his biography published by the Vatican, he moved to the Andean city of Viedma to recover and, during that time, he made a vow to Mary to serve the sick and the poor for the rest of his life if he was healed. After his recovery, he made good on his promise and, after professing his vows as a Salesian brother in 1908, he worked at a Salesian-run hospital where he served for more than 40 years as a trained pharmacist, nurse and operating-room assistant as well as handling the hospitals budget and personnel. Blessed Zatti was diagnosed with liver cancer and died in 1951.
WORLD
NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) – The Nigerian bishops said lack of arrests in widespread attacks gives credibility to the idea that the government is either complacent or compromised. “Nigerians are sick of flimsy excuses and bogus promises from the government to deal with terrorists,” wrote Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji of Owerri, newly elected president of the Nigerian bishops’ conference, on behalf of the bishops. “Considering the billions of naira appropriated for security and the fight against terrorism in recent times, it is difficult to imagine that a large number of terrorists, who unleashed terror on unarmed and law-abiding citizens can disappear in broad daylight without a trace. “It is indeed very hard to believe that our security apparatus lacks intelligence or the ability to fight and defeat terrorists in our nation,” the archbishop said. His April 4 statement came as the country was still dealing with a March 28 attack on a commuter train. Gunmen detonated a bomb on the tracks and opened fire on the train; when Archbishop Ugorji issued his statement, more than 150 people were still missing.
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MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
dIOCESE 11
Movie Review: Father Stu
the motions of becoming a Catholic, though an awkward confession and other interactions show that he has yet to be won over in reality. By John Mulderig All that changes after a motorcycle acNEW YORK (CNS) – Positive priest characters are cident and a close brush with death during which he certainly a rarity in contemporary films. So Catholics will experiences the presence of the Virgin Mary. The result welcome the uplifting fact-based biography “Father Stu” is not only a genuine conversion but a prayer-inspired (Columbia). realization that God is calling him to the priesthood. While deeply moving, however, this dramatization Predictably, the news of this radical change in diof the life of Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) is also hard- rection proves crushing to Carmen. It’s also a source edged, particularly in terms of its dialogue. of consternation to his emotionally abusive father, Bill Yet that’s part of the point. The movie is fundamen- (Mel Gibson), an implacable atheist, and his caring but tally about God’s ability to use seemingly unpromising equally unbelieving mother, Kathleen (Jacki Weaver). people to do his will, in this case a once-boozy ex-boxer. A tribute to a future cleric who showed dogged deWith the continuance of his somewhat successful ca- termination and grit in the face of a series of apparreer in the ring rendered too dangerous by a medical ently insurmountable obstacles, writer-director Rosalind Mark Wahlberg stars in a scene from the movie “Facondition, Stuart moves to Los Angeles and tries to rein- Ross’s profile also showcases Stuart’s unconventional ther Stu.” The Catholic News Service classification vent himself as a Hollywood star. Instead, he winds up as but effective approach to preaching the Gospel. And is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association rata directionless supermarket clerk. Wahlberg brings his striking, memorable character viv- ing is R – restricted. (CNS photo/Sony Pictures) But things begin to turn around for him when he falls idly to life, skillfully portraying Stuart’s odd combination at first sight for Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a devout CCD of crudity and idealism. speech and behavior. If the outcome of that calculation teacher. Determined to win her over, he goes through Grown viewers will easily get past the earthy lan- were either increased zeal or, in particular, openness to guage with which the script is filled journeying down the path Stuart himself followed, his to appreciate the picture’s faith-inspir- hard-won spiritual triumph might be replicated in real ing core. But the persistent vulgarity, life. The film contains some physical violence, a bloody while justified in context, may prove accident, offscreen premarital sexual activity, about a more problematic for younger movhalf-dozen uses of profanity, several milder oaths and ie fans who might otherwise benefit Somos un pueblo Emaús – Viene de la pág. 3 – pervasive rough and crude language. The Catholic News from this portrait of a vocation. al que el Señor acompaña en Service classification is A-III – adults. The Motion PicStill, at least some parents may el camino para reconducir nuestro camino cuando estamos perdidos; ture Association rating is R – restricted. Under 17 refeel that the credibility lent to Stuart’s permanece con nosotros en la Eucaristía, en la fracción del pan por el quires accompanying parent or adult guardian. struggles by the saltiness of his startderramamiento de su sangre en la Cruz. ing point outweighs what would norTenemos la Unción del Espíritu del Señor para la bendición y consa(Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service) mally be objectionable elements of gración de nuestros Santos Óleos, circulando por todas partes una temporada de refrigerio y un Año de Favor del Señor. Es la Iglesia como el Buen Samaritano vertiendo aceite y vino, caminando la milla extra, y sin calcular el costo, para cumplir la misión del Señor de fomentar la libertad duradera y eterna, ser una luz en la oscuridad y ser la buena noticia de la sanación y la unidad Es una tarea poderosa, y en los moheat of the day, so to speak, stretching themselves in service – Continued on page 11 – mentos de gracia, sabemos que no hay mejor manera de vivir. to the Lord and to the People of God. Thank you! You are En medio del sueño de Dios para la humanidad, y en el corazón de an inspiration! la Iglesia, está el sacerdote que es Ministro de la Palabra, de la Buena The Chrism Mass celebrates the conviction every year that working in the Lord’s vineyard Noticia de Jesucristo, Administrador de los Sagrados Misterios, de los is the responsibility of all the baptized. The synod process brought home this standard time and Sacramentos y Siervo-Líder. Los sacerdotes, como todos los bautizados, again. At the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday, the renewal of the promises of Baptism throughen las buenas y en las malas se alegran y luchan, dan gracias y piden out the universal church recommits all of us to the Lord Jesus’ mission and vision first proclaimed perdón, buscan la comunidad y la amistad con el Señor con sus herin the Synagogue at Nazareth and sealed in his death and resurrection. manos sacerdotes y con el pueblo de Dios. But on this day in the Diocese of Jackson, in a focused and intentional way, the church calls Especialmente, en tiempos recientes, estoy agradecido a Dios por upon the faithful to invoke the Spirit of God to bless our priests who renew their vows to the la generosidad y la perseverancia de nuestros sacerdotes que caminan Lord, their unity with me, their bishop, and their commitment to the Body of Christ. Uniquely, la milla extra en el servicio al Señor y al pueblo de Dios, y en muchos they were anointed, configured to Christ the High Priest, and set apart to serve the deepest yearncasos por su esprit de corps (cuerpo de espíritu) mientras se unen unos a ings of the faithful for healing and unity. They need your prayers to support their best intentions otros en apoyo fraternal. Agradezco a muchos en nuestra diócesis que in order to live their vocations, faithfully and fruitfully, as ministers of God’s Word, stewards of cuidan y oran por los sacerdotes. En particular, hoy saludo a nuestros God’s mysteries, and servant-leaders. Thank you for your faith, hope, and love. sacerdotes jubilados, que continúan soportando el calor del día, por así decirlo, esforzándose al servicio del Señor y del Pueblo de Dios. ¡GraThe Diocese of Jackson has launched a third-party reporting system that will encias! ¡Ustedes son una inspiración! able all diocesan employees, volunteers and parishioners to anonymously (or named La Misa Crismal, cada año, celebra la convicción que trabajar en la if preferred) make reports. Examples of this activity include fraud, misconduct, safeViña del Señor es responsabilidad de todos los bautizados. El proceso ty violations, harassment or substance abuse occurring at a Catholic parish, Cathodel Sínodo trajo, una y otra vez, a casa este estándar. En la Vigilia Paslic school or at the diocesan level. The system is operated by Lighthouse Services. cual y el Domingo de Pascua, la renovación de las promesas del BautisBased in Deerfield, Illinois, Lighthouse Services maintains ethics, safety and fraud mo en toda la iglesia universal nos vuelve a comprometer a todos con hotlines for over 4,100 organizations between the U.S. and abroad. la misión y la visión del Señor Jesús, proclamadas por primera vez en la Sinagoga de Nazaret y selladas en su muerte y resurrección. To make a report visit www.lighthouse-services.com/jacksondiocese Pero en este día en la Diócesis de Jackson, de manera enfocada e or call 888-830-0004 (English) or 800-216-1288 (Spanish). intencional, la Iglesia llama a los fieles a invocar el Espíritu de Dios para bendecir a nuestros sacerdotes que renuevan sus votos al Señor, su uniThe Association of Priests of the Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi provide a small dad conmigo, su obispo y su compromiso con el Cuerpo de Cristo. Expension to our retired priests. As you consider your estate plans, please remember cepcionalmente, fueron ungidos y apartados y configurados para Cristo, these faithful servants by making a donation or leaving a bequest to the Association el Sumo Sacerdote, para servir los anhelos más profundos de los fieles of Priests. Our parish priests dedicate their lives to caring for us, their flocks. Let us por la sanación y la unidad. Los sacerdotes necesitan sus oraciones now care for them in their retirement. Donations can be made payable to the Assopara apoyar sus mejores intenciones a fin de vivir sus vocaciones, fiel y ciation of Priests and can be mailed to: fructíferamente, como ministros de la Palabra de Dios, administradores Diocese of Jackson, Attn: Cathy Pendleton, P.O. Box 2248, Jackson, MS de los misterios de Dios y siervos líderes. Gracias por su fe, esperanza 39225-2248 y amor.
‘... la Iglesia llama a los fieles ...’
‘... church calls upon the faithful ...’
APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
12 Columns
Wisdom for Lent ON ORDINARY TIMES By Lucia A. Silecchia
It is likely that, for many, a significant number of favorite family photos are snapped around a dinner table. Among the most joyful of those photos are the ones in which there are new faces around that table – when marriages, births, engagements, adoptions, friendships, and the bonds of neighborliness draw more people, with love, into the family circle. Some of the saddest of those photos are the ones in which loved ones are missing. Perhaps death parted them from their families. Perhaps ill health, travel difficulties, competing obligations, work responsibilities, military deployments, canceled flights, limited funds, divorce or other estrangements kept others away. Whatever the reasons, absence brings sadness or emptiness in its wake. Then, there are the bittersweet family photos. These are the ones in which there are both new faces and missing loved ones. These are the ones when there are new people drawn into the heart of the family’s love at the same time that others, also beloved, are not there. I have been thinking about this as I anticipate the Easter season, soon to be upon us. At the great Vigil of Easter, new sisters and brothers in Christ will join us, fully, around the table of the Lord when we will worship together with that special joy that comes when new members of the family are with us. For months, we have prayed for our catechumens and candidates; for weeks we have met them through the scrutinies of Lent; for much of the past year they have joined us in our parish life, in eager anticipation of the Baptisms, Confirmations and First Holy Communions of
Eastertide. As is true of any family, the joy of welcoming new members and gathering to celebrate the Eucharist with them for the first time and after is a source of great happiness and celebration. Yet, this joy may be a bit bittersweet if there are also loved ones missing from our celebrations – loved ones who will not be with their parish families for the great celebrations of Easter and beyond. Some, certainly, have been separated by death. The realities of this have been particularly painful these past two years as the shadow of mortality has been on the minds of many. For those who have passed from this life, may God bless you as you journey on your way to your true home. But so many others are missing from our parish communities for myriad reasons that are as unique as they are. It may be that they cannot physically come to Mass – or can only come with the assistance of others that may be hard to find. It may be that they are burdened by the exhausting challenges of demanding jobs, young children, long hours, or over commitments to other things – even other things that are good. It may be a hurt, pain or bad memory that keeps some afar. For others it may be a single time when a lack of hospitality or an unkind word was just enough to turn them away. It may be that because our fast-paced world does not value Sabbath rest as it once did, there is pressure to use Sunday as a catch-up day before a new week begins. It may be a lack of opportunities to learn about the faith – and the difficulty that it is to love what is unknown or misunderstood. It may be the deep struggle of wrestling with a challenging teaching or practice of the Church. It may be guilt about a past mistake, the convenience of viewing Mass on-line, fear of close contacts, or a language barrier that makes participation difficult. It may be
disillusionment engendered by scandal or bad example. It may be pressure from friends or family hostile to or skeptical about faith. It may be grief about something so deep it has shaken faith to its core. It may be a million other things known only to God. But, the gatherings of our faith communities are poorer whenever someone, anyone, is missing – just as our own families are poorer in the absence of a loved one. Maybe, as the Easter season comes, it can beckon each of us to think of one person we know who might be missing from our parish celebrations. We may know that person well, or casually; we may know why he or she is away, or we may not; we may have wise words of wisdom to share, or, more than likely, we may not. But, as spring comes, as Covid-19 wanes, and as the greatest celebration of the Christian year arrives, this may be the perfect opportunity to invite someone to join us – not just for the Easter season, but also for the ordinary times to follow. There is no substitute for a personal invitation. Christ, after all, called each of His apostles, individually, by name. This Easter season may give us the chance to call someone by name to join us as our family gathers again to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. The joy of welcoming our new brothers and sisters will be so much sweeter if our churches are filled with the whole family that welcomes them. To my new sisters and brothers in Christ – welcome! To my returning sisters and brothers in Christ – welcome back! May God bless us all as we journey together through the joys of Easter, as a family together now and in ordinary times. God bless you and yours as Lent gives way to Easter. (Lucia A. Silecchia is a Professor of Law at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America.)
O Come Let Us Adore Him: Eucharistic Devotions THINGS OLD AND NEW By Ruth Powers
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday celebrates one of the central beliefs of the Catholic Church: that Christ is totally, physically present in bread and wine of the Eucharist. The appearance remains that of bread and wine, but the essence becomes Christ through His gift to us at the consecration of the Mass. This was the belief from the very earliest days of the church, as attested in the letters of St. Paul; and from this belief grew the practice of treating the consecrated bread and wine with special reverence since it is, after all, Jesus himself. The practice of reserving the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass has a long history in the church. In the earliest centuries, the purpose was to reserve it to take to the sick and dying, as described by St. Justin Martyr and Tertullian. However, once Christianity was legalized and worship could be public, there is reference to reserving part of it in special containers for adoration outside of Mass. St. Basil the Great is described as reserving a part of the Eucharist in a container shaped like a dove in a description from A.D. 379. As Christianity spread throughout Europe, churches began to be built with tabernacles on or above the altar for the reservation of the consecrated bread although there is little specific mention of specific practices for adoration. In 1079 Pope Gregory VII began something of a “Eucharistic Renaissance” in Europe when he issued a statement affirming the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist after a prominent cleric had denied it. From this time forward, we see the development of Eucharistic processions, special acts of adoration, encouragement of visits to the church to adore the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle and a renewed emphasis on adoration by members of religious orders. Members of the Benedictine order in France and England took the lead in promoting adoration there while St. Francis of Assisi is credited with introducing the practice in Italy. The host began to be elevated at the consecration of the Mass so that people could adore (the elevation of the chalice came later, after the Council of Trent). In 1264, Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of Corpus Christi in recognition of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The great theologian St. Thomas Aquinas wrote the text and hymns for the Mass and the Office of the feast, some of which are still in use today like Panis Angelicus, Pange Lingua, Tantum Ergo, and O Salutaris
Hostia. Around this same time, we begin to see the devotion that would come to be known later as Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, where the Eucharist is exposed for adoration for a time and then used to bless the people. By the 15th century, elaborate containers for exposition of the Eucharist, called monstrances, became popular. In the wake of the Protestant Reformation, the Council of Trent emphasized the Real Presence in response to Protestant insistence that the Eucharist was only symbolic. The Council declared that Eucharistic adoration was a form of latria, or worship of God. The Council further stated that “the Sacrament, therefore, is to be honored with extraordinary festive celebrations (and) solemnly carried from place to place in processions according to the praiseworthy universal rite and custom of the holy church. The Sacrament is to be publicly exposed for the people’s adoration.” Growing from this pronouncement was the practice of “Forty Hours” where continuous prayer and meditation is made for forty continuous hours before the exposed Eucharist. Some religious orders also performed perpetual adoration, where the Eucharist was exposed 24 hours a day and someone was always in prayer before it. By the 18th century, promotion of quiet personal visits to churches to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, called Holy Hours, were being promoted by saints such as Alphonsus Ligouri and Benedict Joseph Labre. St. Alphonsus explained that a visit to the Blessed Sacrament is the practice of loving Jesus since friends who love each other visit frequently. After a brief decline in the early 19th century, Eucharistic devotions became popular again in the late 19th through the mid-20th centuries. Eucharistic Congresses, large meetings to promote devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, became popular events. Unfortunately, both understanding of and devotion to the Eucharist has declined precipitously in recent years. A 2020 Pew Research study found that more than two-thirds of Catholics, including those who attend Mass regularly, do not believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist! They believe it is only a symbol. Because of this decline in the understanding and devotion to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has begun a three year plan to focus on the Eucharist and has declared a “Year of the Eucharist” beginning on the Feast of Corpus Christi this year. The focus period will culminate in a national Eucharistic Congress in 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Spend some time in the upcoming months renewing or deepening your faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. (Ruth Powers is the program coordinator for St. Mary Basilica Parish in Natchez.)
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
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Please, give generously April 23 & 24, 2022
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APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
School life around diocese COLUMBUS – (Below) On Friday, March 25, students at Annunciation school joined Pope Francis, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, and other Bishops around the world in praying the Rosary for peace and an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
HOLLY SPRINGS – Anita Temple assists in judging science fair projects at Holy Family School. (Photo by Phyllis Parker) JACKSON – (Left) Students Brennyn Bolden and Cassie Anderson from St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison head out of the Cathedral of St. Peter after the Consecration of Russia, Ukraine and the Diocese of Jackson to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday, March 25. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
JACKSON – St. Richard student, Ruby Hospodor serves up the ball during a volleyball match on April 7 against First Presbetarian Day School. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC APRIL 15, 2022
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Student life at Catholic schools
MERIDIAN – Above: Miss Mississippi, Holly Brand spoke to the fourth, fifth and sixth graders at St Patrick School on Monday, March 28. Left: Fifth grader, Bryson Walk presents his reading fair project to judges. Anne Larkin Vollor looks on. (Photos by Emily Thompson)
NATCHEZ – PreK-3 teachers, Paige Iseminger and Hailey Tosspon with assistants Dana Dupre and Jody Upton, took their students MADISON – Fifth and sixth grade students at St. Anthony directed aplay. Pictured are outside for their prayers for peace time for Ukraine and Russia. Kee Curro, Arie Strong, Lily Kate Lloyd and Maddie Morris. (Photo by Katie Signa)
NATCHEZ – Pleasant Acre Day School requested assistance on replenishing their supply of Mardi Gras beads and Cathedral Green Wave families were happy to help. Pictured is Torri Webber's first grade class assisting with loading up beads to be delivered to the day school. (Photos by Cara Moody)
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APRIL 15, 2022 MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC
Pastoral Assignments
Rev. John Bohn, granted a leave of absence from ministry, effective May 1, 2022.
Rev. Mark Shoffner, appointed pastor of St. John Parish in Oxford, effective May 12, 2022.
Rev. Joseph Tonos, appointed pastor of St. Richard Parish in Jackson, effective May 12, 2022.
Rev. Aaron Williams, appointed pastor of St. Mary Basilica and Assumption Parishes in Natchez, effective May 12, 2022.
Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz Diocese of Jackson
The Resurrection is depicted in this 18th-century painting by American artist Benjamin West. Easter, the chief feast in the liturgical calendars of all Christian churches, commemorates Christ's resurrection from the dead. Easter is celebrated April 17 this year. (CNS artwork/ Benjamin West, Bridgeman Images)