PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
COLUMBUS Annunciation, Blood Drive, Sunday, March 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bank First parking lot. Sign-ups available soon.

GREENVILLE St. Joseph, 113th annual Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday March 5, 8 a.m to 1 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Hall at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Village, Arkansas. Cost: $15 adults/$10 children. Dinner includes noodles, red gravy, meatballs, italian salad, lemon dessert and bread. Details: limited reserved tables and individual dine-in tickets. For dine-in call (214) 533-0227 or (870) 489-2883.

HERNANDO Holy Spirit, Cocktails and Catholicism, Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. in church gym. Join us for a presentation by Deacon Ted Schreck “Where do you find hope? Jean Valijean’s life changed in a moment.” Details: sign up at https://bit.ly/March2023CocktailsCatholicism.

JACKSON St. Richard, Men’s Prayer Breakfast with Bishop Kopacz, Monday, April 3 at 7 a.m. in Foley Hall following Mass at 6:30 a.m. Details: contact Anthony at (601) 573-8574 or eanthonythomas@gmail.com.

MADISON St. Joseph School, 17th annual Bruin Classic Golf Tournament, Monday, March 27. Register or sponsor a hole by visiting https://bit.ly/17thStJoeGolfTournament. Details: email danacaskey15@gmail.com.

St. Joseph School, Egg My Yard Fundraiser, For Madison County residents only. Order your pre-filled eggs to be hidden in your yard the night before Easter. Book your spot today. Orders due by March 24. Cost: 30 eggs $30; 50 eggs $45; 70 eggs $60. Proceeds benefit St. Joe cheer programs. Order at https://bit.ly/StJoeEggMyYard2023. Details: email sjcheer@stjoebruins.com with questions.

MADISON St. Catherine’s Village, Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group, meets fourth Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Campbell Cove building. Lunch provided. All are welcome. Details: call to RSVP (601) 856-0123 or email cynthia.armstrong@fmolhs.org.

MCCOMB St. Alphonsus, St. James Lenten Mission, Sunday, March 5 at 7 p.m. through Wednesday, march 8 at 6:30 p.m. “Behold, I Make All Things New,” presented by Jim Murphy, a Catholic missionary and evangelist. Mission schedule: March 5 at 7 p.m.; March 6, 7 and 8 at 6:30 p.m. Reconciliation held on Wednesday, March 8. Supper will be served in Liguori Hall at 5:30 prior to the Mission Monday through Wednesday.

MERIDIAN Travel with Father Augustine to Italy and France, Sept. 9-19. Trip includes stops in Rome, Tuscany, Florence, Assisi, Venice, Italy and Lourdes, France. cost is $4,999 – airfare and all included. Details: contact (855) 842-8001 or register online at proximotravel.com.

MEMPHIS 40 Days for Life, Feb. 22 – April 2. Vigil location at Memphis Center for Reproductive Health, 1203 Poplar Ave. Details: Sarah at (901) 450-5433 or sarah@memphiscoalitionforlife.org.

PHILADELPHIA Holy Rosary, Lenten Mission (for Holy Rosary, St. Therese and St. Catherine) with Father Dennis Berry, ST, March 9-11. Thursday and Friday at 6:30 p.m. with Mass and Saturday at 5 p.m. followed by potluck supper in the parish hall. Details: church office (601) 656-2880.

RIDGELAND Catholic Charities, Sleep Safe Event, Friday, March 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Event for expectant women, couples, fathers and caregivers on awareness of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Free giveaways and resources with guest speaker. Event at 731 S. Pear Orchard Rd, Ste. 51, Ridgeland. Details: Register at https://bit.ly/March17SleepSafeEvent or call (601) 355-8634.

SOUTHAVEN Christ the King, Forgiveness Walk, Tuesday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Walk is a silent meditative prayer journey reflecting on our own need for forgiveness and need to forgive. Opportunity to stop at nine different stations each with its own theme to read a short scripture passage and reflect on questions. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.

SAVE THE DATE
COLUMBUS Annunciation School, Draw Down and Art Auction, Friday, April 14 at the Trotter Convention Center from 6:30-11 p.m. Adults only (21 and up). Event includes dinner and open bar.

JACKSON 17th Annual Sister Thea Bowman School Draw Down, Saturday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose building. Details: school office (601) 352-5441.

MADISON St. Francis, Rock Railway VBS express, June 19-22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. All pre-K4 through fourth graders are invited.

MERIDIAN St. Patrick School, Countdown scheduled for April 21. Grand prize $5,000. Tickets on sale soon!
DIOCESE Join us in honoring 2023 Bishop Chanche service award winners. Adult awards presentation and Mass, Saturday, March 4 at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Jackson. Youth award presentation will be during the closing Mass at DCYC in Vicksburg on Sunday, March 5.

SPECIAL LENTEN NOTICE
Abstinence: Catholics abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22, 2023) and Good Friday; and also on Fridays during Lent; however, Bishop Joseph Kopacz has granted a dispensation from the requirement of abstaining from meat on Friday, March 17, 2023 in honor of the Feast of St. Patrick, as on this feast day various cultural dishes with meat are traditionally served. The dispensation is granted with the condition that those who take advantage of the dispensation will substitute another profound act of penance, such as prayer and alms giving to mark this day. Norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding on Catholics from age 14 onwards.

Fasting: Catholics fast (eating one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal) on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22) and Good Friday (April 7). Catholics 18-59 years old are bound by this obligation.