Church, East to West: Loving Jesus, Serving Jesus, Sharing Jesus
St. Ann Catholic Church, Malden, celebrates 135 th anniversary
The parish was erected under thendiocese of St. Louis, long before the founding of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Malden, MO
Bishop Edward M. Rice gathered with parishioners of St. Ann Parish, Malden on Sun., July 27, to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving for the parish’s 135th anniversary. Father Victor Anokwute serves as Pastor of St. Ann Parish along with St. Teresa Parish, Glennonville. Following the Mass was a parish dinner where many stories abounded of the parish history and its members: the young, the seasoned, and those many who have passed.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis was established as a diocese on July 18, 1826, when it was carved out of the Diocese of Louisiana and the “Two Floridas.” The diocese was elevated to archdiocese status in 1847.
The first bishop to use St. Louis as his see city was Bishop Louis William Valentine DuBourg, who was named Bishop of Louisiana in 1815. A native of the French island of Santo Domingo (now Haiti) who had moved to France at the age of two, as Bishop of Louisiana and the Floridas, Bishop DuBourg made St. Louis his episcopal headquarters from 1817 to 1820. Its boundaries encompassed Wisconsin, Illinois, and “everything west of the Mississippi.”
St. Ann Parish, Malden: 1890
The Catholic church in Malden was first known as St. Patrick’s. Father J.J. Furlong, a priest from New Madrid, traveled a circuit to minister to Catholics in Clarkston, Malden, Sikeston, Caruthersville, and East Prairie. He tried to visit each site every two months.
The first Masses in Malden were celebrated in either the Levi Mercantile Company building or the Keene Hotel. Mr. J.S. Levi, a Jewish resident, decided to donate the lot where the first church was built. Another Jewish resident started the fund drive with a donation of $100. The new frame church was dedicated to St. Patrick on July 15, 1894.
In 1905, the new pastor, Fr. Frederick F. Peters had the church moved to the corner of Park and Douglas, the present location of the parish. While serving at Malden, Fr. Peters was also responsible for established the Catholic colony at Glennonville.
“I know a bit about Fr. Peters,” said Bishop Rice to the congregation on Sun., July 27, at the Mass of Thanksgiving and dinner commemorating the parish’s 135th anniversary. “Where I was a pastor in St. Louis, at St. John the Baptist, his brother, Fr. John Peters was the founding pastor. In our archives, I once found a picture of Fr. Frederick Peters in the record in Glennonville. He was holding a telephone with the caption underneath that said that his rectory was the first home in the county to have a telephone.”
In 1910, the Service Fathers began 41 years of pastoring the parish. Father Bernard Ponce de Leon, OSM, served as pastor from 1910-1934. He is reputed to have been the last male descendant of the “Fountain of Youth” explorer by the same name.
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As the parish grew, the frame church was replaced with a brick building in 1925, at which time the name of the parish was changed to St. Ann. The church was completely renovated and restored in 1999 under thenPastor Fr. Glenn Eftink.
“There have been a lot of changes in history of this parish over 135 years, but what has remained is faith: faith in Jesus, faith in
SACRAMENTAL RECORD—The Catholic church in Malden was first known as St. Patrick’s. Father J.J. Furlong, a priest from New Madrid, traveled a circuit to minister to Catholics in Clarkston, Malden, Sikeston, Caruthersville, and East Prairie. He tried to visit each site every two months. Here is the copy of the sacramental record he submitted to the chancery office in St. Louis, dated Oct. 3, 1893. (The Mirror archives)
the sacraments, faith in the power of the Cross,” Bishop Rice said. “Some eight years after the establishment of this parish was the Spanish-American war, where 4,199 Americans lost their lives. That was followed by WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, down to the various conflicts today in Ukraine, and elsewhere. How may prayers for peace have been voiced to Almighty God from this sacred space?”
“Your history is a reminder of that famous quote from St. Bruno, from the 11th century who founded the Carthusian order,” said Bishop Rice. “The motto of his order applies to each of you, ‘As the world changes, the cross stands firm.’” ©TM
ECUMENISM—In June of 1966, St. Ann Catholic Church held an open house for visitors from the local Methodist and Presbyterian churches in town (The Mirror archives)
MLet’s
commence a revolution of care & gratitude COME, AND YOU WILL SEE
Bp. Edward M. Rice
ore and more grandparents are stepping up to be directly involved in the lives of their grandchildren. Some parents rely on grandparents for babysitting due to economic challenges, divorce, deployment, and other societal issues. The image of “grandma” rocking in a chair or “grandpa” tinkering around the house is not a reality for 2.9 million grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, often with limited financial resources from Social Security.
On July 27 we celebrated World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, which fell on the Sunday after July 26, the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. Pope Leo XIV has called for a “revolution of care and gratitude” by regularly visiting older people. He is calling all of us, “to restore the esteem and affection to which the elderly are entitled.” As we live in a throwaway society, sometimes the elderly can be treated in that same fashion: thrown away. What do they have to offer? What can they contribute? What good are they? They have a breath of wisdom and experience to offer us if we listen. Through their own personal experiences they can contribute in a meaningful way to navigate and respond to the issues facing our present culture. And, what are they good for? Well, no matter how old one might be, no matter how sick or frail, everyone has human dignity and love and experiences to
Everyone has human dignity and love and experiences to share.
share. They are a gift to us, and we are reminded to honor and respect their dignity. As I turn 65, I recognize the importance of the passing of years and the challenge of “Every parish to become a part of a revolution of care and gratitude by regularly visiting older people.” I ask everyone to consider if the homebound and the sick of your parish are being cared for spiritually? How can you alleviate loneliness in your parish? Be part of a movement, a “revolution of care and gratitude.”
WMS COLLECTION THANK YOU
On another note, I recently received a letter from the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, thanking our diocese for the $63,732.00 that was collected on World Mission Sunday 2024. We
by Bishop Emeritus John J. Leibrecht
Before his retirement in 2008 as the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Bishop John Leibrecht wrote a standing column in The Mirror entitled, “Walking Together.” At the end of each article, Bp. Leibrecht would normally share a funny story referencing his travels to the schools, or time with friends, family, or other bishops. The Mirror has decided to share a few of these in an ongoing series entitled, “Another walk through: ‘Walking Together.’” We hope you enjoy them.
October 8, 1993 In a Bible class for young children, the pastor asked, “What do we mean by sins of omission?” A little girl shot up her hand and responded, “Those are the sins we should have committed, but didn’t.”
October 15, 1993 Q. What do you call a smile? A. A mirth mark.
Q. What do you call boasting? A. The patter of little feats.
Q. What do you call courage? A. A fear extinguisher.
Q. What do you call a pessimist? A. One who no’s too much.
October 22, 1993 One of the couples at a wedding anniversary Mass told me a story about the wedding day of a young couple. During the reception, a husband and wife celebrating their 25th anniversary that day said to the newlyweds, “We hope the two of you will be as happy as we thought we were going to be!”
currently have missionaries in our diocese preaching at Masses, seeking financial support for the good works of the congregation to which they belong. I am also grateful to Deacon Mark Kiblinger who took over the work of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith from Fr. Glenn Eftink, organizing the summer missionary visits.
The donations from the annual collection, this year held on Oct. 19, 2026, has the theme “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples.” Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV directly benefited from the annual collection when he was a missionary in Peru. When the Pope met with the members of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in May, he went out of his way to thank Americans in particular for their generosity. Who
would have thought that our southern Missouri donations on World Mission Sunday would support the missionary efforts of our future pope when he served as a missionary in Peru! The Catholic world is small!
PENNIES FROM THE PRECIOUS
I recently received a thank you note from Mr. Matt Grindstaff from Elevate Branson, thanking “the children of the Diocese of Springfield- Cape Girardeau,” for the donation of over $25,000, raised as part of their Lenten Project. I quote from his letter, “Because of your kindness and generosity, these children will now have a safe and welcoming place to play, laugh, and simply be kids.” Isn’t that what all of our parents want for their children? Mr. Grindstaff went on to say, “Your commitment to giving during the Lenten season has planted seeds of hope that will grow in the hearts of children and their parents.” To quote our late Pope Francis, “May our works of mercy never cease!”
“O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment Thine.” ©TM
JFIRST FRIDAY MASS for VOCATIONS
oin Bishop Rice on the First Friday of each month to pray for an increase in Vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. The Rosary will be prayed following the liturgy. Parishes are invited to do the same as we continue to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the diocese.
Fri., Sept. 5 +EMR Holy Land Pilgrimage Mass
Fri., Oct. 3 St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau 5:15 p.m. Fri., Nov. 7 St. Agnes Cathedral, Springfield 5:30 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5 O’Reilly Catholic Student Center, Springfield 12:15 p.m.
DIOCESAN NEWS
BISHOP RICE CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY... FOR AT LEAST A WEEK!
On the occasion of his birthday, July 28, Sr. Rincy Thomas, SKD, JCL, presented flowers and treats to Bishop Rice from her religious community. “This is why I run,” Bishop Rice could be heard saying. Sister Thomas ministers in the Diocesan Tribunal and is a member of the Society of Kristu Dasis (SKD-Handmaids of Christ) (The Mirror)
Bishop Edward M. Rice, Bishop Emeritus John J. Leibrecht, The Very Rev. Shoby Chettiyath, JCL, V.G., and Fr. Timothy Tran, CRM, JCL, celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving on July 25 with diocesan staff to mark Bishop Rice’s birthday. A lunch reception followed the liturgy where diocesan staff gifted Bishop Rice with two (much-needed) new miters for his episcopal vestments (The Mirror)
During the parish reception after the July 26 installation of Fr. Daniel Belken as their pastor, Jackie Griffith, lifelong parishioner of St. Lawrence Parish, in New Hamburg, delivered to Bishop Rice a cake she had baked that would be his first (of many!) birthday cakes closing out the month of July
family
by
HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION: AUGUST 15
Friday, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and is a holy day of obligation. Please check your parish bulletin for local Mass times. The Catholic Center in Springfield will be closed, reopening Mon., Aug. 18.
“Mary’s Assumption into heaven reminds us that life on earth is a pilgrimage to our ultimate destination. We prepare in hope for our own passage into eternal life by the choices we make today. When we choose to love and follow God in our daily lives, we strengthen our relationship with Him, and this relationship is the true meaning of heaven: “To live in heaven is ‘to be with Christ’” (CCC, 1025).
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
DURING THIS EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL, FR. DAVID COON OFFERS THE FOLLOWING QUOTE FOR THE REFLECTION ON THE EUCHARIST:
“The Eucharist is the secret of my day. It gives strength and meaning to all my activities of service to the Church and to the whole world.” —POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II May the Eucharist be the secret of our day.
Father Coon is Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Dexter. He serves the Diocese as Priest Minister for Spiritual Deliverance & Exorcism and the Confraternity of Priest Adorers of the Eucharistic Face of Jesus.
You are invited to the Southeast Missouri... Thu., Sept. 18 | 6:30-9:00 pm
An evening of Adoration, Confession, & a Manly Meal with discussion to follow.
(Photo by Jamie Burger/The Mirror)
The Lyford
of Sacred Heart Parish, Bolivar, presented Bishop Rice with a hand-crafted birthday card by Sarah Lyford, which was signed
her husband and four boys (The Mirror)
Photo credit: Getty Images
Saint Francis Foundation awards 23 scholarships to students pursuing healthcare
Cape Girardeau, MO
The Saint Francis Foundation and Saint Francis
Auxiliary honored 23 students pursuing healthcare careers during a scholarship recognition luncheon on Fri., July 25. Twenty-three scholarships were awarded with each student receiving $2,000 in scholarship funds toward a degree in a healthcarerelated profession. Those recipients and their scholarships include:
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HEALTHCARE CAREERS—Twenty-three scholarships were awarded by the Saint Francis Foundation and Saint Francis Auxiliary to 23 students pursuing healthcare careers during a scholarship recognition luncheon on Fri., July 25. Pictured are (front) Kayla Overbeck, Taylor Fehr, Alexis Dockstader, and Whitney James; (second row): Teyarah Williams, Kaitlyn Jones, Payton Reinbott, Maci Wendel, Harley Glueck, and Emily Cates; (back row) Madison Kribs, Jenna Essner, Jada Long, Eli Glueck, Tyson Underwood, Charles McIntyre, and Kyle Balsman. Established in 1980, the Saint Francis Healthcare Scholarship Program has awarded more than $929,000 in scholarships to support college students pursuing careers in healthcare (SFMC photo)
• Frances Ansberry of Cape Girardeau – Susan Kluesner Hinkebein Memorial Scholarship
• Kyle Balsman of Jackson –Carrie Suedekum Memorial Scholarship
• Lara “Bailey” Beussink of Cape Girardeau – Raymond A. and Lillian K. Ritter Scholarship
• Emily Cates of Sedgewickville –Saint Francis Auxiliary Physician Honor Scholarship
• Alexis Dockstader of Cape Girardeau – Earl Jr. and Lori Wills Memorial Scholarship
• Jenna Essner of Scott City
– Christen Joyel Aufdenberg Memorial Scholarship
• Taylor Fehr of Jackson – Ken Hayden Memorial Scholarship
• Eli Glueck of Chaffee – Joseph and Harriette Hunter McCrate Scholarship
• Harley Glueck of Scott City
– Mark F. Scully Nursing Scholarship
• Courtney Huckabee of Columbia
– Bernadean Campbell Memorial Scholarship
• Whitney James of Jackson
– Lucy Ellen Towse Memorial Scholarship
• Mollie Jennings of Jackson
– Saint Francis Foundation Scholarship
• Kaitlyn Jones of Cape Girardeau
– Sisters of Saint Francis Nursing Scholarship
• Madison Kribs of Chester, IL –Bess Estes Healthcare Scholarship
• Grace Landewee of Scott City –Edythe M. Davis Scholarship
• Alexis Laster of Jackson– Lee George and Katherine Jane Cochran Memorial Scholarship
• Jada Long of Evansville, IL – Mamie Hall Memorial Scholarship
• Charles McIntyre of Jackson
– Saint Francis Auxiliary 125th Anniversary Scholarship
• Kayla Overbeck of Cape Girardeau – Saint Francis Auxiliary Healthcare Scholarship
• Payton Reinbott of Poplar Bluff
– Evalyn and S. David Nunley Scholarship
• Tyson Underwood of Scott City
– Clara D. Newnam Memorial Scholarship
• Macy Wendel of Jackson –Raymond A. and Lillian K. Ritter Scholarship
• Teyarah Williams of Charleston
– Huttegger-Scherer Memorial Scholarship
During the reception, recipient, Whitney James, shared reflections on the impact of the award: “This scholarship is helping me grow not just as a nurse and educator, but
as a role model for the students I teach and the little humans I’m raising at home. Thank you for believing in me and in the future of nursing.” James is a Registered Nurse and Neuro Medical clinical educator at Saint Francis Healthcare System. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Clinical Nurse Leadership at Central Methodist University.
Established in 1980, the Saint Francis Healthcare Scholarship Program is made possible through the generosity of the Saint Francis Foundation, the Saint Francis Auxiliary, and dedicated donors. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $929,000 in scholarships to support college students pursuing careers in healthcare.
“My Mom was called to serve her patients,” said Blair Huckstep, a Registered Nurse in the Surgical/ Operating Room at Saint Francis, who spoke on behalf of her family, sponsors of the Susan Kluesner Hinkebein Memorial Scholarship, in honor of her late mother. “The Saint Francis scholarship program not only gives back to others but allows my mother’s legacy and others like her to live on.”
To be eligible for a Saint Francis Healthcare Scholarship, applicants must have completed at least one year in an accredited healthcare program and be currently enrolled. Additional criteria include maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA, submitting all required materials by the stated deadline, and residing within the Saint Francis service area as defined in the application.
For more information about the Saint Francis Healthcare Scholarship Program, call (573) 331-3192, or visit foundation.sfmc.net. ©TM
LEARN ABOUT THE MANY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE DIOCESE!
DIOCESAN NEWS
Moments of Grace summer reading program included special guests
Bolivar,
MO
Moments of Grace Summer Reading program at Sacred Heart Parish, Bolivar, was held on Friday mornings in July. This opportunity was open to all children, ages two-10 yrs., and included a “special guest reader” each week.
The first week, Fr. Pat Wissman, retired pastor, read The Supper of the Lamb (children’s edition) by Dr. Scott Hahn. The second week, Daniel Dunn, diocesan seminarian, who is spending his summer ministering in Sacred Heart Parish read: Arthur the Clumsy Altar Server, by Theresa Kiser. The Very Rev. Scott Sunnenberg, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and St. Catherine of Siena Mission Church, in Humansville, read the third
week: Sister Clare Gets Ready for Prayer, by Katie Warner. The fourth week, Bishop Edward Rice joined the group to read: How the Angels Got Their Wings, by Anthony DeStefano.
“The reading program was in honor of many new books Sacred Heart Parish has received for its parish library and was a way to promote reading and learning about the Catholic faith and having the kids check out books from the parish library,” said Daniel Dunn, diocesan seminarian ministering this summer in the community.
Each week offered an opportunity for the children to learn more about our Catholic faith, the Church, the liturgy, vocations, prayer, free will, and trust in God (plus ice cream and coloring). ©TM
MOMENTS OF GRACE Special guest to the Moments of Grace reading program, Bishop Edward Rice, read, How the Angels Get Their Wings, on Fri., July 25. Open to children ages two-10 years, the Moments of Grace Summer Reading program at Sacred Heart Parish, Bolivar, was held on Friday mornings in July. The Bolivar parish community also includes St. Catherine of Siena Mission Church, in Humansville. (Photo by Kim Martin/The Mirror)
30 MAKE PILGRIMAGE TO JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE HOLY DOOR
HOLY FIELD TRIP—Father Charles (‘Chaz’) Dunn and Fr. Rabinson Kulandai Samy, HGN, recently led a Jubilee Year of Hope pilgrimage to the diocesan holy door site of St. Agnes Cathedral, Springfield. Roughly 30 parishioners from St. Canera Parish, Neosho, and Nativity of Our Lord Mission Church, Noel, celebrated confession, Mass, and prayed the indulgence prayers together on July 16. Afterward, the group enjoyed lunch and went to De Sales Catholic Book Store. Proclaimed by Pope Francis, the Jubilee Year 2025, also known as the Jubilee of Hope, is a special time of prayer, pilgrimage, and hope through reconciliation. It officially began on Dec. 24, 2024, and concludes on Jan. 6, 2026. (The Mirror)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
On August 15, 2026, we will celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of our diocese (Aug. 24, 1956) during our first-ever Diocesan Eucharistic Congress (DEC) to be held in the West Plains Civic Center. Leading up to these momentous celebrations, all people of the diocese are invited to participate in a year of spiritual preparation by participating in various activities (more information to come!).
PLEASE join Bishop Edward M. Rice as he kicks off our year of spiritual preparation with an Opening Mass at 8:30 a.m., in St. Mary of the Annunciation Cathedral, Cape Girardeau, on Aug. 17, 2025.
Let us entrust all these efforts and activities to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, so that we may be united in bringing the love and peace of Jesus to Southern Missouri.
Aurora—All are welcome as Holy Trinity Parish will have First Saturday devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, every first Saturday with a rosary at 7:30 a.m., followed by Mass at 8 a.m.
Lebanon—St. Francis de Sales Parish will hold its Rummage Sale, Fri., Sept. 12, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., and Sat, Sept. 13, 7 a.m.-Noon. Household goods, home décor, collectables, fall and Christmas decorations, and much more!
Scott City St. Joseph Parish Charity Rummage Sale will be held Thu., Aug. 21; Fri., Aug. 22; and Sat., Aug. 23, at the Knights of Columbus Hall (lower level) located at 28745 Highway 61 in Scott City. Doors open at 7 a.m. and will close at 6 p.m. on Thursday & Friday, and 12-Noon on Saturday. Furniture, appliances, plants, jewelry, toys, bikes, shoes, lots of clothes, and much more!
Springfield—Families, if you have a child with special needs, St. Agnes Cathedral offers a special needs class in Faith Formation. The instructor is
certified in special needs education, and there is a classroom aide who is experienced in special needs as well. We welcome all ages. We also help families to prepare your children for the reception of the sacraments, using a special curriculum to prepare young people. Even if you are not registered at St. Agnes Cathedral as a parishioner, you are welcome. Class meets Sundays at 10 a.m. in St. Agnes Catholic School. If you would like more information, please contact the parish office at (417) 831-3565 or contact Iris Bounds at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.
Springfield—Sacred Heart Parish will hold its Annual Festival of Nations, Sat., Aug. 23, 5-9 p.m. in the Parish Hall and outside grounds. Please mark your calendars and come enjoy delicious food, music, and entertainment from many countries. There will be an area for children to enjoy.
Parishes and organizations are invited to submit notices of future events to be printed on a space-available basis. There is no fee.
SUMMER’S
HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE—A crowd shot taken by a young adult from Pierce City doesn’t fully capture the energy and engagement of the July Steubenville conferences. Since its first conference in 1999, there have been 26 years of Steubenville STL Mid-America Youth Conferences, which includes 45 weekend conferences for 4,168 groups realising some 131,461 hearts touched! Make plans now to attend the 2026 sessions: July 10-12 and July 17-19 back at MSU in Springfield. The mission of these events is to build the Church by evangelizing, equipping, and empowering God’s children to become radical and joyful disciples. For more information about the Steubenville Conferences, visit steubenvilleconferences.com. (The Mirror)
Nearly 600 are ‘Consumed’ at two July Steubenville youth events
By Paula Wright Springfield, MO
For two weekends in July, nearly 600 diocesan youth and chaperones, including 11 priests and five seminarians, from 25 parishes of the Diocese of SpringfieldCape Girardeau participated in the Steubenville STL Mid-America Youth Conferences. Held on the campus of Missouri State University on July 11-13 and July 18-20, Steubenville STL MidAmerica provided a “high-energy youth conference where thousands of teens are invited to encounter Jesus Christ through dynamic speakers, engaging music, the sacraments, small-group discussions, and fellowship with other teens.”
“Steubenville was awesome this year. It’s always special to have so many youth together in one place celebrating their faith,” said Simon Elfrink, diocesan Associate Director of Youth Ministry.
“Of course, it’s easy for young people in the parish setting to feel like they’re the only Catholics in the world. We’re a mission diocese, after all, and our youth find themselves in the spiritual minority everywhere they go: in the classroom, on the court, or playing field, in the workplace. It’s incredibly important for them to come and experience the sacramental life of the Church in a
setting where they can see that they’re not alone.”
The conference theme this year was “Consumed.” Bishop Edward Rice celebrated the opening Masses for staff and organizers both weekends as well as Holy Mass at the closing for both conference weekends.
He encouraged attendees and addressed the theme in his homilies.
“From the Old Testament to the New Testament, down to us today, the Catechism reminds us, ‘The desire for God is written in the human heart,’” said Bishop Rice. “We have this innate desire to be in communion with God, to be one with him. … And I must be just as obsessive in loving my neighbor as myself. …And because of that beautiful obsession, I have come to understand that my frustration, my inability, is actually a ‘holy frustration, a holy desire.’ I’ve come to accept that until the day I take my last breath, I will always be obsessed with striving to live out my desire to be in total union with Jesus.”
Thank you to all diocesan Capital Campaign donors who helped sponsor 60 percent of our diocesan attendees (youth and adult chaperones) to the two Steubenville conferences through the Diocesan Youth Endowment Fund. Your funding is having a real impact for the Church in Southern Missouri! ©TM
Youth Conference in Springfield. (The
‘CONSUMED’—Youth and chaperones from St. Joseph Catholic Church, Springfield, attended the Steubenville MidAmerica Youth Conference July 18-20 on the campus of Missouri State University, Springfield. The theme was “Consumed,” based on Deuteronomy 4:24. (The Mirror)
YOUTH from St. Cecilia Parish, Kennett, MO, caught up with Bishop Rice during a recent Steubenville
Mirror)
ST. EUSTACHIUS PARISH, Portageville (The Mirror)
of Missouri State University, Springfield, for the Opening liturgy for a Steubenville STL Mid-America Youth Conference. (The Mirror)
and their
from
ON BEING ‘CONSUMED’
[Jesus] said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”—Luke 10:27
At the Trappist Monastery in Gethsemane, KY, a sign over the gate to the cloister states, “GOD ALONE.”
A prayer of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, “Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as you deserve; To give and not count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds … That is my desire. To give my all.”
In 1996, Pope St. John Paul II canonized a Vincentian priest, martyred in China in 1840 at the age of 38, St. John Gabriel Perboyre. He has a beautiful prayer of self-offering, “O my Divine Savior, transform me into Yourself. May my hands
be the hands of Jesus … I pray you destroy in me all that is not of You. Grant that I may live but in you, by you, and for you, so that I may truly say, with St. Paul, I live now not as ‘I’ but Christ lives in me.”
Sister Clare Crockett, who died in 2016 at the age of 33 from an earthquake in Ecuador had her own little verse, “All or Nothing.”
St. Vincent de Paul said let us love God, my brothers and sisters, let us love God, with the strength of our arm and sweat of our brow. In serving the poor, we serve Christ.
ST. MOTHER TERESA—”Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls,” by Sarah Lyford, Sacred Heart Church, Bolivar, MO (The Mirror)
measure, without second thoughts, without a desire for reward.”
“Do you get my point?”
Mother Teresa said if you really love one another properly, there must be sacrifice. She went on to say, “We do it for Jesus, with Jesus, to Jesus, by Jesus, in Jesus. We see him in our needy neighbor. We must love as Jesus did, without
asked Bishop Rice. “We must constantly look for that perfect expression in order to give ourselves entirely to Jesus, to be a pleasing sacrifice, an oblation, a holocaust, … to be consumed.” ©TM
Father Nick Zummo; diocesan seminarian Jackson Gaeta, Bishop Edward M. Rice, Thomas Dittmer, diocesan seminarian; diocesan seminarian Jared Koehler, and Fr. Charles Peirano posed for a photo before the Opening Mass for the first July Steubenville Youth Conference held July 11-13, on the campus of Missouri State University, Springfield. (The Mirror)
YOUTH & CHAPERONE from St. Teresa Parish, Glennonville, at Steubenville Mid-America Youth Conference, Springfield, in July (The Mirror)
ST. AGNES CATHEDRAL, Springfield (The Mirror)
CHAPERONES AND YOUTH from Holy Trinity Parish, Springfield, on the campus of Missouri State University, Springfield, for a Steubenville Mid-America Youth Conference on the campus of MSU in July. (The Mirror)
FUN EPISCOPAL CUT-OUT—Young adults
chaperone
St. Mary Parish, Pierce City, joyfully showed diocesan pride with a cut-out of Bishop Edward M. Rice they hoisted during a July Steubenville Youth Conference held on the campus of Missouri State University, Springfield. (The Mirror)
A young adult from St. Agnes Cathedral, Springfield, snapped this photo of Bishop Edward M. Rice as he processed into The Arena on the campus
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL PARISH YOUTH pose for a photo during a Steubenville STL Mid-America Youth Conference held in The Arena on the campus of Missouri State University, Springfield. (The Mirror)
New-pastor Installation Mass: a moment of grace, responsibility & unity
An Installation Mass is a special liturgical celebration in which a newly-appointed pastor is formally installed and officially assumes leadership of a parish. It’s both a spiritual and symbolic moment in the life of a Catholic community, even if the priest has been serving the community as a parochial vicar or administrator for several years.
“In the ‘old days,’ the Rite of Installation of a Pastor was a simple, private event,” said Bishop Edward Rice. “The Dean of the Deanery would simply come to the rectory and the new pastor would make his profession of faith
and sign the documents at the dining room table. Because of that, the public ceremony done these days during Holy Mass is new to many people.”
What happens during an Installation Mass?
The priest or bishop is formally introduced by a diocesan representative (often the bishop or vicar general). The new pastor makes a Profession of Faith and takes an Oath of Fidelity to the Church and its teachings.
The new pastor is introduced to the staff, Parish Pastoral Council, and the Finance Council, and makes a simple
PASTOR INSTALLED FOR ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD
OATH OF FIDELITY—Father Pompeyo Tan, Jr., first-time Pastor, smiled as Bishop Edward M. Rice witnessed his signed Oath Of Fidelity on the altar during the Installation Mass held July 13 in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Springfield. (Photo by Sarah Pittman/The Mirror)
pledge to them: “My friends, I pledge to seek your counsel, guidance, and advice in the spiritual and temporal care of my pastorate.”
And what is his first official act as pastor? He leads the people in the Profession of Faith, the Nicene Creed. Following the Creed, the new pastor makes an Oath of Fidelity in front of the bishop.
“I always find it to be a very touching moment as I hear the words: ‘With firm faith, I believe as well everything contained in God’s word, written or handed down in tradition and professed by the Church—whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and Universal Magisterium—as divinely revealed and calling for faith. I also firmly accept and hold each and everything that is proposed by that same Church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or morals. Moreover, I adhere with religious
FAMILY CELEBRATES PASTOR’S INSTALLATION
FIRST-TIME PASTOR—Bishop Edward M. Rice celebrated Mass in St. Lawrence Parish, New Hamburg, on Sat., July 26, and installed Fr. Daniel Belken as its pastor. Pictured after the liturgy were: (front row) Patrick Belken, John Paul Belken, Laila Belken, Nathan Belken; (back row) Bishop Edward Rice, Michael and Cynthia Belken, Fr. Belken’s parents; Fr. Daniel Belken, and Fr. Maurice Chukwukere. Father Belken also serves as pastor for St. Denis Parish, Benton. (The Mirror)
BLUE SKIES & PLENTY OF BIRDIES HIGHLIGHT ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT FOR CCSOMO
Held June 23, the 2025 Knights of Columbus Charity Golf Tournament for Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri (CCSOMO) was a huge success! With a sold-out field of 35 teams, bright blue skies, and plenty of birdies, it truly was a great day of golf for a good cause at Fremont Hills Country Club, Nixa.
Over the last 10 years, the tournament has generated more than $100,000 in donations. Through the generosity of the players, sponsors, and other donors, Knights of Columbus Council #13681, of
Immaculate Conception Parish, Springfield, has consistently supported CCSOMO and LifeHouse. Catholic Charities is deeply grateful for the continued partnerships with Knights of Columbus councils across the state.
Thank you to the presenting sponsor, The Auto Parlor, and all other sponsors, players, and volunteers who showed up in support of Catholic Charities and LifeHouse. Here’s to another great round – see you on the course in 2026!
For more information on the services of Catholic Charities, to volunteer, or to make a donation, please visit www.ccsomo.org. ©TM
submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff with the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic Magisterium, even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.’” Bishop Rice said.
With these words, the bishop of the diocese is assured that the bonds of unity are strengthened between the parish to the diocese and to the Universal Church.
Why it’s important
Spiritual Leadership: It formally marks the beginning of a new chapter in the parish’s spiritual leadership; Unity and Support: It gives the community a chance to welcome their new pastor and pray for him publicly; Accountability: It reminds both the priest and the faithful of their shared mission—to grow in faith and holiness together.
In short, an Installation Mass isn’t just ceremonial.
“The pastor never acts alone,” said Bishop Rice. “Everything he does in the parish is to be in union with the bishop, who is in union with the Bishop of Rome. In essence, that is what we say every time we refer to our diocesan mutually-shared vision, ‘One Church, East to West.’”
What can destroy it all?
“One simple act of disobedience. That is how fragile the unity of the Church is,” Bishop Rice said. “It does not take much for one’s ego, pride, or arrogance to destroy the unity that a bishop should have with the pope or with his priests. That sentiment is expressed so powerfully in Eucharistic Prayer 1: ‘Be pleased to grant her (the Church) peace, to guard, unite, and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant, Leo, our Pope, and Edward, our Bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on the Catholic and Apostolic faith.’”
“Without unity, the devil drives in a wedge and we become divided and conquered,” said Bishop Rice. ©TM
Nixa, MO
GOLF TOURNAMENT BENEFITS LIFEHOUSE Thirty-five teams, sponsors, and other donors participated in the June 23 Knights of Columbus 2025 Charity Golf Tournament for Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri, at Fremont Hills Country Club, in Nixa, MO. Presenting sponsor was The Auto Parlor. (CCSOMO)
SBy George Weigel
The Catholic Difference: THE SUMMER READING LIST, 2025 EDITION
ome years ago, a friend teaching at a state university told me that he was offering a course on the history of baseball. I asked him for his syllabus, thinking there might be books on it I’d like to read. “What did you say?” he asked. “Books,” I replied. He laughed and said that if his syllabus included more than one book and one article, no one would register for the course.
This is not good for civilization.
So in memory of those halcyon high school days when I was assigned at least five (often very large) books to read each summer, I offer the 2025 edition of my annual Summer Reading List.
Two volumes of The Revolution Trilogy by Rick Atkinson are now available, and I can think of no better preparatory reading for next year’s America-250 semiquincentennial than The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 and The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 17771780. Our national ignorance of our national history is appalling, and a deep dive into the years that forged a nation may help us repair our currently tattered civil culture.
say, “I wish George Pell were here.” Various facets of that extraordinary personality are nicely captured in Remembering George Cardinal Pell: Recollections of a Great Man of the Church, compiled by Tracey Rowland and published by Ignatius Press. Cardinal Thomas Collins ably sums up my old friend’s continuing relevance to the Church that, as Pell’s tombstone has it, he loved vehemently: “We are sent to evangelize, not to be colonized by current intellectual trends, no matter how dominant they are…”
As my colleague Ryan Anderson puts it in his foreword to my colleague Nathanael Blake’s book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All, Nathanael is not afraid of being pilloried as a “professional prude.” That’s because he understands how the dumbing down of sex into a contact sport has wreaked untold personal, societal, and cultural damage. It’s a book by a Protestant that should be given to anyone who’s afraid of being castigated as a “Catholic culture warrior.”
U.S. Catholics are typically unaware of the Church’s often-stormy history in these United States, a familiarity with which might help blunt Chicken Little analyses of our current Catholic circumstance. St. Augustine’s Press has done American Catholicism a great service with the publication of The World and Work of Father John J. Burke: A Mystic in Action, by Douglas Slawson. Largely forgotten today, Father Burke virtually created modern U.S. Catholicism’s national structure and our engagement with public life. His story is worth learning — and then pondering for its 21st-century lessons.
Time after time, in Rome between April 22 and May 19, someone (often eminent) would sigh and
Jim Billington helped bring me to Washington forty-one years ago, so I’m perhaps a suspect witness in claiming that he was the most consequential Librarian of Congress ever. His herculean efforts to put that great institution to work in helping repair the damage done to Russia by seven decades of communist intellectual and political barbarism were not successful, as John Van Oudenaren describes, often in an elegiac key, in The Geopolitics of Culture: James Billington, the Library of Congress, and the Failed Quest for a New Russia. But the effort was nobly intended and the reasons for its ultimate failure teach important lessons about Vladimir Putin’s Russia — and why its aggression must be stopped, if Russia is ever to experience true cultural and political renewal.
Fulton Sheen continues to fascinate many Catholics today. In Prophet of Hope, Derek Rotty puts
the original televangelist into imaginary (and imaginative) dialogue with eight culture influencers in modern America — John Dewey, H.L. Mencken, Henry Luce, Margaret Mead, B.F. Skinner, Jack Kerouac, Betty Friedan, and Michael Harrington. The result demonstrates that the Catholic vision of the human person and the good society can more than hold its own against all comers.
In previous of these lists, I’ve recommended Bishop Robert Barron’s Light from Light: A Theological Reflection on the Nicene Creed, first published in 2021. Now, for this year’s 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council, Bishop Barron is offering a somewhat briefer version of that superb work in What Christians Believe: Understanding the Nicene Creed. Both books are spiritually nourishing while providing readers with a deeper understanding of the inner architecture of Catholic faith.
And given events in the Middle East, permit me to recommend my latest book, Pomp, Circumstance, and Unsolicited Advice: Commencement Addresses and University Lectures, and particularly its last chapter on the much misunderstood just war tradition. ©TM
George Weigel is a Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. George Weigel’s column ‘The Catholic Difference’ is syndicated by the Denver Catholic, the official publication of the Archdiocese of Denver.
TUNE IN TO LOCAL CATHOLIC RADIO AROUND THE DIOCESE!
St. Joseph Catholic Church dedicates Holy Family Prayer Garden
Billings, MO
On the evening of Thu., July 10, parishioners and friends of St. Joseph Parish, Billings, gathered for the dedication of the new Holy Family Prayer Garden and Grotto. The evening began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Rice, concelebrated with Fr. Jose Kumblumkal, CMI, Pastor; Fr. Paul Pudhota, former Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph Parish who now serves as Pastor in Aurora and Pulaskifield; Fr. Sanoop K. Thomas, OSB, former Parochial Vicar, now serving in Aurora and Pulaskifield; and The Very Rev. Shoby M. Chettiyath, JCL, V.G., former Pastor of the parish who now serves as Pastor
of Holy Trinity Parish, Springfield, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Nixa.
Following Mass, those in attendance gathered in the new prayer garden for the dedication, blessing, and ribboncutting. The evening concluded with a reception.
A need to upgrade the former Marian grotto was first identified by the parish Rosary Prayer Group. With the help of many within the parish, and following approvals and a lengthy planning process, fundraising began for what would result in a three-year process. A new statue of the Holy Family was purchased to honor both the Blessed Mother and the parish patron, St. Joseph. Site plans were finalized and construction of a gazebo and surrounding garden began.
“I would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to assist with this project, my family, and the parish for their financial support,” said Sandra Crocket, Project Leader. “I took on this project because I wanted to build something beautiful that spoke not only to Catholics but also to those in our community who are not Catholic. May our Holy Family Prayer Garden give comfort to ALL and draw EVERYONE closer to Jesus.” ©TM
NEW HOLY FAMILY PRAYER GARDEN With the help of many parishioners, a new Holy Family Grotto was constructed on the campus grounds of St. Joseph Parish, in Billings. The grotto was recently blessed & dedicated with a ribbon-cutting by Bishop Edward Rice, with several clergy who previously served the parish on-hand, and many happy parishioners. “I took on this project because I wanted to build something beautiful that spoke not only to Catholics but also to those in our community who are not Catholic,” said Sandra Crocket, Project Leader and member of the parish Rosary Prayer Group. “May our Holy Family Prayer Garden give comfort to ALL and draw EVERYONE closer to Jesus.” (Photos by Brian Crockett/The Mirror)
TRANSITIONAL DEACON ORDAINED FOR CISTERCIAN COMMUNITY IN AVA
ON THE ROAD TO PRIESTHOOD—By the laying on of hands, prayers, and anointing, Bishop Edward M. Rice ordained Lawrence Kim Duong Phung, OCist, to the diaconate on Tue., July 28, for the Cistercian Fathers at Assumption Abbey, in Ava. Area clergy joined the religious community, including special guest from Vietnam Abbot Joseph Khang, OCist, in celebrating the liturgy.
(Photo by Fr. Daniel Belken/The Mirror)
DIOCESAN NEWS/ADVERTISING
You can find support through Courage and EnCourage, ministries that are faithful to the teaching and pastoral guidelines of the Roman Catholic Church regarding homosexuality and gender discordance.
You can also access information resources and further support through the Courage International Website at www.couragerc.org, or by contacting the Courage International Offices directly at office@couragerc.org or (203) 803-1564.
HOLY TRINITY PARISH, AURORA, WITNESSES TO THE FAITH
The VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children Safe Environment training for adults is available online.
Preregistration is necessary: If you are a new registrant please go to www.virtus.org and click on “first time registrant” on the left, and follow the prompts to register for Online training. Instructions for the registration process can also be found on the Child and Youth Protection Page of the diocesan Website.
Both in-person and online training sessions are for adults only. Before engaging in activities involving minors and/or vulnerable adults, new volunteers or employees are required to complete the VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children training for adults, submit a current Background Disclosure and Authorization Form, and read, sign and submit the annual Code of Conduct, which are available on the VIRTUS Website and the Diocese of SpringfieldCape Girardeau Child and Youth Protection Webpage: www.dioscg.org/child-youth-protection/ For more information, please contact the Office of Child and Youth Protection, childandyouthprotection@dioscg.org; or Bill Holtmeyer, billholtmeyer@dioscg.org; or Shelly Ferry, sferry@dioscg.org, (417) 866-0841 www.dioscg.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-Register-for-a-VIRTUS-withOnline-Option.pdf
EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION—On Sun., June 22, 2025, the feast of Corpus Christi, Holy Trinity Parish, Aurora, held an Adoration Procession after Mass, with Fr. Paul Pudhota, pastor, carrying the monstrance with Jesus fully present in the Eucharist. The Procession began at the corner of Highway 60, then wound through the parking lot to the beautiful Outdoor Stations of the Cross on church property, ending at the Marian Grotto by the church. The Procession was accompanied by the Fourth degree honor guard, carrying the Sacred Heart of Jesus Icon. The white canopy was carried by four Third degree Knights of Columbus from Verona Council #2265. Approximately 75 people were in attendance with joyful singing of Benediction and reverent adoration.
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(Photo by Mark Conn/The Mirror)
