Author Archives: Joseph Kopacz

United in Mission, anchored in prayer

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Bishop Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Capital Campaign, United in Mission, Forming Shepherds + Strengthening Parishes has begun to sink its roots and spread its wings across the diocese. There is no doubt that the expertise within our Catholic Foundation and Diocesan Temporal Affairs, in collaboration with our highly experienced campaign organizers, Guidance in Giving, has produced a clear and compelling case that is already gaining traction for this first ever diocesan-wide campaign.

However, the engine that drives this bus is not so much a matter of the best practices in fundraising and organizational dynamics, as essential as these are, but prayer.

The faithful of the diocese have been planting the seeds for this campaign with heartfelt prayer for vocations to the priesthood and religious life for the past 12 1/2 years of my tenure as bishop, and no doubt well before then. During this time, the Holy Spirit has awakened many in the Catholic Church to treasure the gift of the priesthood, the sacramental life that flows from it and the spiritual leadership across our ministries.
Anchored in prayer, the Holy Spirit has raised up a strong diocesan ministry of vocations and opened the hearts and minds of many more viable candidates to discern a vocation to the priesthood. Indeed, we have sought first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33); we have begged the Harvest Master, as the Lord commanded us (Matthew 9:35-38); now we must continue to remain faithful in prayer so that United in Mission campaign will bring about an abundant harvest for the formation of future shepherds.

The second of two essential pastoral pillars of our campaign is the strengthening of parishes. Covering 65 counties, the diocese is composed of a panorama of parishes, often with unique needs, opportunities and limitations. During our recent diocesan Pastoral Reimagining journey each parish was invited to discuss, discern and pray about how it could better flourish under the gaze of the Holy Spirit.

We call upon the Holy Spirit again so that each parish in the United in Mission campaign can build upon Pastoral Reimagining and identify needs, opportunities and dreams that can be addressed with prospective financial resources that otherwise would not materialize. Pastors, parish leadership and parishioners can walk together as co-responsible disciples building up the Lord’s body in their parish.

The first Christian community in Jerusalem, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, is the standard for all parish communities and dioceses in every age. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Two chapters later we read that “all of the believers were one in heart and mind” (4:32).

United in prayer, all are invited to be one in mind and heart for the flourishing of our diocesan family, the Body of Christ. Inevitably, there will be differences of opinion, uncertainty and anxiety over such a major endeavor that we are undertaking. Yet, the Lord calls us to walk together patiently, respectfully and kindly, devoted in daily prayer, at the Eucharist, especially on the Lord’s Day, and in fellowship, all the while clothed by God’s embrace in our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic tradition under the gaze of the Holy Spirit.

Along the way, each of us will be asked to prayerfully consider how God is directing us to be united in mission. We entrust this endeavor to the intercession of our Blessed Mother, whose presence at Pentecost was a source of consolation and peace for the disciples, united in mission in eager anticipation to be clothed with power from on high.

Unidos en la misión, anclados en la oración

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
La Campaña Capital de, Unidos en la Misión, Formando Pastores + Fortaleciendo Parroquias, ha comenzado a producir raíces y a ampliar sus alas por toda la diócesis. No cabe duda de que la experiencia de nuestra Fundación Católica y Asuntos Temporales Diocesanos, en colaboración con nuestros organizadores de campana altamente experimentados, Guidance in Giving, ha producido un caso claro y convincente que ya está captando tracción para esta primera campaña diocesana.

Sin embargo, el motor que impulsa este autobús no es tanto una cuestión de las mejores prácticas en recaudación de fondos y dinámica organizativa, por esenciales que sean, sino de la oración.

Los fieles de la diócesis han estado sembrando las semillas de esta campaña con oraciones fieles para vocaciones del sacerdocio y para la vida religiosa durante los últimos 12 años y medio de mi mandato como obispo, y sin duda mucho antes. Durante este tiempo, el Espíritu Santo ha despertado a muchos en la Iglesia Católica para valorar el don del sacerdocio, la vida sacramental que de él fluye y el liderazgo espiritual en nuestros ministerios.

Anclados en la oración, el Espíritu Santo ha elevado un fuerte ministerio diocesano de vocaciones y ha abierto los corazones y mentes de muchos candidatos más viables para discernir una vocación al sacerdocio. De hecho, primero hemos buscado el Reino de Dios (Mateo 6:33); hemos suplicado al Maestro de la Cosecha, como el Señor nos ordenó (Mateo 9:35-38); ahora debemos seguir siendo fieles en la oración para que la campaña Unidos en la Misión dé fruto a una cosecha abundante para la formación de futuros pastores.

El segundo de dos pilares pastorales esenciales de nuestra campaña es el fortalecimiento de las parroquias. Con 65 condados, la diócesis está compuesta por un panorama de parroquias, a menudo con necesidades, oportunidades y limitaciones únicas. Durante nuestro reciente encuentro diocesano de Reimaginación Pastoral, cada parroquia fue invitada a discutir, discernir y orar sobre cómo podría florecer mejor bajo la mirada del Espíritu Santo.

Invocamos de nuevo al Espíritu Santo para que cada parroquia de la campaña Unidos en la misión se pueda construir sobre la Reimaginación Pastoral e identificar necesidades, oportunidades y sueños que puedan abordarse con recursos financieros futuros que de otro modo no se materializarían. Los pastores, el liderazgo parroquial y los feligreses pueden caminar juntos como discípulos corresponsables edificando el cuerpo del Señor en su parroquia.

La primera comunidad cristiana en Jerusalén, tal como se recoge en los Hechos de los Apóstoles, es el estándar para todas las comunidades parroquiales y diócesis en todas las épocas. “Se entregaron a la enseñanza y a la comunión de los apóstoles, a la partida del pan y a la oración” (Hechos 2:42). Dos capítulos después leemos que “todos los creyentes eran uno de corazón y mente” (4:32).

Unidos en la oración, todos estamos invitados a ser uno en mente y corazón para el florecimiento de nuestra familia diocesana, el Cuerpo de Cristo. Inevitablemente, habrá diferencias de opinión, incertidumbre y ansiedad por una empresa tan importante que estamos emprendiendo. Sin embargo, el Señor nos llama a caminar juntos con paciencia, respeto y bondad, dedicados en la oración diaria, en la Eucaristía, especialmente en el Día del Señor, y en comunión, todo ello vestidos por el abrazo de Dios en nuestra Única, Santa, católica y Apostólica tradición bajo la mirada del Espíritu Santo.

A lo largo del camino, se nos pedirá a cada uno de nosotros que consideremos en oración como dios nos está dirigiendo para estar unidos en la misión. Confiamos este esfuerzo a la intercesión de nuestra Santísima Madre, cuya presencia en Pentecostés fue fuente de consuelo y paz para los discípulos, unidos en misión en una ansiosa anticipación de ser vestidos con poder desde lo alto.

A shepherd who gave his life

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, planted the seed of a vocation to the priesthood in Stanley Rother, an Oklahoma farm boy, and once it took root and he set his hand to the plow there was no looking back.

In 1968, already a priest for five years in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma, the Lord directed his life to mission territory in Santiago, Guatemala, where he served until his martyrdom in 1981. With the heart of his Lord, the Good Shepherd, he immersed himself in the world of the indigenous Mayan people entrusted to him. He applied his expertise in farming to improve crop output, and to develop land co-ops with agricultural training centers. He translated the New Testament into their native tongue, launched a radio station that aired the Gospel and church teachings in the region and prepared catechists for the far-flung indigenous communities. He cultivated hope.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

But by the late 1970s, civil war in Guatemala was raging and government death squads had Father Rother in their sights, viewing his achievements as threats to their power and control.

This film is an exceptional rendering of an American martyr whose heart was with his people in life and is enshrined with them in death. He did not run, and in giving his life for the sheep he joined the company of martyrs gathered around the throne of the Lamb of God. The blood of the martyrs, indeed, irrigates the soil, making it fertile for the spread of the Gospel and God’s kingdom.

The above is my review for the documentary “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story.” It’s ironic that I, who infrequently attend movies at the theater or watch at home, have been asked on occasion in recent years to review productions such as “Cabrini,” “The Father Flanagan Story,” “The Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” and others. It’s been a joy to do so, and, in the process, I have learned a great deal from these outstanding servants of God in our Catholic tradition.

Over 20 years ago, I was privileged to go on pilgrimage to El Salvador and Guatemala to the shrines of the martyrs sponsored by the Maryknoll Fathers. Countless women and men were martyred during these proxy wars and among them the following are revered as martyrs.

The Archbishop of San Salvador, Óscar Romero, was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass after repeatedly calling on the military government to stop human rights abuses and assassinations. Maryknoll Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel, and lay missionary Jean Donovan were abducted, raped and murdered by members of the Salvadoran National Guard soon after Archbishop Romero’s death for their work supporting displaced refugees. In 1989, six prominent Jesuit priests – including Ignacio Ellacuría, along with their housekeeper Julia Elba Ramos and her teenage daughter Celina Ramos, were murdered by an elite military battalion at the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañasin in San Salvador. They were targeted for advocating for a negotiated end to the civil war.

During the height of the Guatemalan Civil War, particularly between 1978 and 1983, the military regime systematically targeted local Catholic catechists, Indigenous community organizers, and cooperative leaders whom the state viewed as political threats. An estimated 200,000 people, largely Indigenous Maya, were killed or disappeared during the conflict. Among them was Blessed Stanley Rother, who was serving the Tz’utujil Maya population in Santiago Atitlán. He was shot and killed in his rectory after being falsely labeled a subversive by military forces. He was beatified in Oklahoma City in 2017, a Mass that I was privileged to attend.

Lastly, nearly a decade after the formal end of the civil war, the Auxiliary Bishop of Guatemala City Juan José Girardi was bludgeoned to death in his garage on April 26, 1998. Why? For ten years he led a truth and reconciliation commission that was the first opportunity for survivors and families of victims of human rights violations to share their experiences and denounce what happened during the conflict. For years he had endured criticism, stigmatization and threats for his commitment to peace, human rights and the poorest in society. His work led to the wide-ranging report “Guatemala: Nunca más,” presented on April 24, 1998. Two days later Bishop Girardi was martyred.

Recently Bishop Robert Barron released a book entitled, “What do their Deaths Demand? Christian Persecution Today” – a study which authenticates that the blood of the Lamb of God is poured out through the witness of the martyrs in every generation around the world. This reality confronts our commitment as Christians and ought to enliven our courage to serve the Lord unreservedly.

“American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” will be shown Aug. 25-27 at Malco Grandview Cinema in Madison and Malco Desoto Cinema in Southaven. The film will inspire us to walk faithfully with the Lord in a world that is crying out for the integrity of the Gospel.

Un pastor que dio su vida

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
El Buen Pastor, el Señor Jesús, planto la semilla de una vocación al sacerdocio en Stanley Rother, a un niño de granja en Oklahoma, que una vez que echó raíces y puso su mano en el arado, no hubo vuelta atrás.

En 1968, ya sacerdote durante cinco años en la Arquidiócesis de Oklahoma, el Señor dirigió su vida al territorio de la misión en Santiago, Guatemala, donde sirvió hasta su martirio en 1981. Con el corazón de su Señor, el Buen Pastor, se sumergió en el mundo del pueblo indígena maya que se le había sido confiado. Aplicó su experiencia en la agricultura para mejorar la producción de cultivos y para desarrollar cooperativas de tierras con centros de formación agrícola. Tradujo el Nuevo Testamento a su lengua materna, lanzó una emisora de radio que transmitía el Evangelio y las enseñanzas de la iglesia en la región y preparó a los catequistas para las comunidades indígenas más dispersas. Cultivó la esperanza.

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Pero a finales de los años 70, la guerra civil en Guatemala hacia estragos y los escuadrones de la muerte del gobierno tenían al padre Rother en la mira, viendo sus logros como amenazas a su poder y control.

Esta película es una representación excepcional de un mártir estadounidense cuyo corazón estuvo con su pueblo en vida y está consagrado con ellos en la muerte. No huyó y, al dar su vida por las ovejas, se unió a la compañía de mártires reunidos alrededor del Cordero de Dios. La sangre de los mártires, en efecto, riega la tierra, haciéndola fértil para la difusión del Evangelio y del reino de Dios.

Lo anterior es mi reseña del documental “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story”. Es irónico que yo, que rara vez asisto al cine o veo películas en casa, en los últimos años me hayan invitado en ocasiones a reseñar producciones como “Cabrini”, “La historia del padre Flanagan”, “La voz de la esperanza: La historia de Possum Trot” y otras. Ha sido un placer hacerlo y, en el proceso, he aprendido mucho de estos excepcionales servidores de Dios en nuestra tradición católica.

Hace más de 20 años, tuve el privilegio de hacer una peregrinación a El Salvador y Guatemala a los santuarios de los mártires defendidos por los Padres Maryknoll. Incontables mujeres y hombres fueron martirizados durante estas guerras por poder y, entre ellos, los siguientes son venerados como mártires.

El arzobispo de San Salvador, Óscar Romero, fue asesinado el 24 de marzo de 1980 mientras celebraba misa tras pedir repetidamente al gobierno militar que detuviera los abusos y asesinatos de los derechos humanos. Las hermanas Maryknoll Ita Ford y Maura Clarke, la hermana ursulina Dorothy Kazel y la misionera laica Jean Donovan fueron secuestradas, violadas y asesinadas por miembros de la Guardia Nacional salvadoreña poco después de la muerte del arzobispo Romero por su labor en apoyo a refugiados desplazados. En 1989, seis sacerdotes jesuitas acusados entre ellos Ignacio Ellacuría, junto con su ama de llaves Julia Elba Ramos y su hija adolescente Celina Ramos ellos fueron asesinados por un batallón militar de élite en la Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañasin en San Salvador. Fueron atacados por abogar por un fin negociado de la guerra civil.

Durante la cima de la Guerra Civil Guatemalteca, primordialmente entre 1978 y 1983, el régimen militar apuntó sistemáticamente a los catequistas católicos locales, a los organizadores comunitarios indígenas y líderes cooperativos que el Estado consideraba amenazas políticas. Se estima que 200.000 personas, en su mayoría mayas indígenas, murieron o desaparecieron durante el conflicto. Entre ellos estaba el Beato Stanley Rother, que servía a la población maya tz’utujil en Santiago Atitlán. Fue asesinado a tiros en su rectorado tras ser falsamente etiquetado de subversivo por las fuerzas militares. Fue beatificado en Oklahoma City en 2017, una misa a la que tuve el privilegio de asistir.

Por último, casi una década después del fin formal de la guerra civil, el obispo auxiliar de la Ciudad de Guatemala, Juan José Girardi, fue asesinado a golpes en su garaje el 26 de abril de 1998. ¿Por qué? Durante diez años dirigió una comisión de verdad y reconciliación que fue la primera oportunidad para que los supervivientes y familias de víctimas de violaciones de los derechos humanos compartieran sus experiencias y denunciaran lo ocurrido durante el conflicto. Durante años soportó críticas, estigmatización y amenazas por su compromiso con la paz, los derechos humanos y los más pobres de la sociedad. Su trabajo dio lugar al amplio informe “Guatemala: Nunca más”, presentado el 24 de abril de 1998. Dos días después, el obispo Girardi fue martirizado.

Recientemente, el obispo Robert Barron publicó un libro titulado “¿Qué exigen sus muertes? Persecución cristiana hoy” – un estudio que autentifica que la sangre del Cordero de Dios se derrama a través del testimonio de los mártires en todas las generaciones alrededor del mundo. Esta realidad se enfrenta a nuestro compromiso como cristianos y debería empujar nuestro valor para servir al Señor sin reservas.

“American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” se proyectará del 25 al 27 de agosto en Malco Grandview Cinema en Madison y Malco Desoto Cinema en Southaven. La película nos inspirará a caminar fielmente con el Señor en un mundo que clama por la integridad del Evangelio.

Prayer ‘that all may be one’

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Bishop Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The excommunication promulgated by Pope Leo XIV against the ordaining and newly ordained bishops of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has garnered the attention of many within and outside of the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church.

This is a sad chapter whose story began immediately after the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. At that time, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the Society of St. Pius X, a group that opposed many of the changes inaugurated by the Council, especially with respect to the liturgy, ecumenism, church discipline and the authentic development of doctrine.

For the next 20 years, there was considerable engagement and fraternal dialogue with the leadership of the SSPX but to no avail. On June 30, 1988, Archbishop Lefebvre ordained four bishops without the approval of Pope St. John Paul II, who immediately responded with a decree of excommunication. The Holy Father followed with the Apostolic Letter “Ecclesia Dei” which addressed the grave matter of schism brought about by the rebellious actions of Lefebvre.

Pope St. John Paul II wrote: “In itself, this act was one of disobedience to the Roman Pontiff in a very grave matter of supreme importance for the unity of the Church, such as the ordination of bishops whereby the apostolic succession is sacramentally perpetuated. Hence, such disobedience, which implies in practice the rejection of the Roman primacy, constitutes a schismatic act.”

He also emphatically stated, “I wish to make an appeal both solemn and heartfelt, paternal and fraternal, to all those who until now have been linked in various ways to the movement of Archbishop Lefebvre, that they may fulfill the grave duty of remaining united to the Vicar of Christ in the unity of the Catholic Church, and of ceasing their support in any way for that movement. Everyone should be aware that formal adherence to the schism is a grave offense against God and carries the penalty of excommunication decreed by the Church’s law.”

Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms with his episcopal motto, “In Illo uno unum,” literally “In the One (Christ), we are one,” is seen in an image published by the Vatican Secretariat of State May 10, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope St. John Paul II followed up his Apostolic Letter in 1988 with a historic pastoral response to the schism with the establishment of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. This Clerical Society of Apostolic Life was created as a bridge for those who in good conscience were committed to the traditional Latin Mass, but at the same time desirous of remaining in the fold of the Catholic Church. In their own words, “we chose Saint Peter as our special patron to express the gratitude, filial love, and loyalty to the Supreme Pontiff.” In 1993, Bishop James C. Timlin of the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, invited the Fraternity to establish their North American Headquarters in the diocese where they are based to this very day. The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the Society of St. Pius X are not to be confused as one and the same.

Pope Benedict XVI lifted the ban of excommunication against the Society of St. Pius X in 2009 in the hope that they could be reconciled to the Catholic Church in the manner of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. As Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict had worked closely with the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, and now as the Holy Father he dearly wanted to heal the fractured relationship.

However, the succeeding generation of leadership following the example of their founder, Archbishop Lefebvre, remained a defiant body. They continue to be such and nearly 40 years later Pope Leo XIV finds himself in the same schismatic waters that Pope St. John Paul II had to navigate in 1988.

In the aforementioned apostolic letter, Pope St. John Paul II expressed his grief over the failed efforts for reconciliation. “This affliction was particularly felt by the Successor of Peter to whom in the first place pertains the guardianship of the unity of the Church.”

For certain, this is the same sorrow of Pope Leo over this most recent division in the Body of Christ. Recall that his motto is In illo uno, unum, or in the one, (Christ), we are one.

Even more than most popes, Leo XIV’s particular charism is the unity of the Church. As an Augustinian, his papal crest contains a heart pierced by an arrow resting on the Bible. For certain, his heart is pierced by the schismatic decisions of the SSPX and the ensuing excommunication. Let us recall that standing under the Word of God, we hear the Lord’s timeless prayer for unity at the Last Supper, “that all may be one.” (John 17:21) This is binding for all who are faithful members of the Lord’s body, the Church.

Bishop Kopacz outlines future structure for Metro Jackson Catholic schools

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Editor’s note: The following letter was shared by Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz with the Catholic community of the Diocese of Jackson on June 23, 2026, regarding the future governance structure of Metro Jackson Catholic schools.

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz

Dear Friends in Christ,

Just over a year ago, I wrote to you expressing my support for a comprehensive study of our four metro Jackson Catholic schools and three early learning centers. Since that time, a dedicated 23-member committee – comprised of pastors from parishes with schools, the Vicar General, the Executive Director of the Office of Catholic Education, and lay representatives from each metro parish – has prayerfully carried out this work.

The committee developed a request for proposals, selected our consultant (Partners in Mission), listened carefully to the voices of our Catholic community, and conducted a thorough assessment. They have now presented their recommendations, which I have accepted and shared with our pastors. I am grateful for their faithful service and am pleased to share with you our path forward.
Two primary recommendations will guide us:

– The formation of an organization of Metro-Jackson schools including St. Joseph Catholic School (Grades 7-12), St. Richard Catholic School (Pre-K3-6), St. Anthony Catholic School (Pre-K3-6), and Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School (Pre-K3-6). A unified system will provide a seamless path for our children, from early childhood through high school. Our early learning centers are expected to join the organization after the new structure is fully operational.

– The organization will be structured within the Diocese of Jackson and work with the Office of Catholic Education. The metro schools will be administered through a board of directors made up of both clergy and lay faithful. This board will be entrusted with providing strategic direction, fundraising, and governance of the schools. The board will hire and evaluate the President, establish the central administrative office, and ensure the long-term financial sustainability and mission effectiveness of the organization.

I have authorized the formation of the new entity and the necessary legal and canonical steps have begun. The committee will continue its work by collaborating with Diocesan legal representatives regarding formation of the organization, shaping the board, and beginning the search for a president. We will move forward thoughtfully and faithfully, with both urgency and prudence trusting always in the Lord’s guidance.

As we take these steps, we remain rooted in what makes Catholic education a vital part of the Church’s mission: forming young people in the light of Jesus Christ, nurturing the whole person, and striving always for excellence in both faith and learning.

I am confident that these efforts will strengthen our schools and serve our families well for many years to come. Above all, it is my hope that our students will come to know, love, and follow Jesus Christ, living lives of faithful intentional discipleship.

Please join me in praying for our schools, our leaders, our teachers, and especially our students. May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to fulfillment.

Oración ‘para que todos sean uno’

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Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
La excomunión promulgada por el Papa León XIV contra los obispos ordenantes y recién ordenados por la asociación de San Pío X (SSPX) ha llamado la atención de muchos, dentro como fuera de la jurisdicción de la Iglesia Católica.

Este es un capítulo triste cuya historia comenzó inmediatamente después de la conclusión del Concilio Vaticano II en 1965. En ese momento, el arzobispo Marcel Lefebvre fundó la Sociedad de San Pío X, un grupo que se opuso a muchos de los cambios inaugurados por el Concilio, especialmente en lo que respecta a la liturgia, el ecumenismo, la disciplina eclesiástica y el Desarrollo auténtico de la doctrina.

Durante los siguientes 20 años, hubo un compromiso considerable y diálogo fraternal con el liderazgo de la SSPX, pero fue en vano. El 30 de junio de 1988, el arzobispo Lefebvre ordenó a cuatro obispos sin la aprobación del Papa San Juan Pablo II, quien respondió inmediatamente con un decreto de excomunión. El Santo Padre continuó con la Carta Apostólica “Ecclesia Dei ” que abordaba el grave asunto del cisma provocado por las acciones rebeldes de Lefebvre.

El Papa San Juan Pablo II escribió: “Este acto en sí mismo fue de desobediencia al Pontífice Romano en un asunto muy grave de suma importancia para la unidad de la Iglesia, como la ordenación de obispos, por la cual la sucesión apostólica se perpetúa sacramentalmente. Por lo tanto, tal desobediencia, implica en la práctica el rechazo de la primacía romana, que constituye en un acto cismático.”

También declara enfáticamente: “Deseo hacer un llamamiento solemne y sincero, paternal y fraternal, a todos aquellos que hasta ahora han estado vinculados de diversas maneras al movimiento del arzobispo Lefebvre, para que puedan cumplir con el gran deber de permanecer unidos al Vicario de Cristo en unidad con la Iglesia Católica, y de cesar su apoyo de cualquier manera a ese movimiento. Todos deben ser conscientes que la lealtad al cisma es una grave ofensa contra Dios y conlleva la pena de excomunión decretada por la ley de la Iglesia.”

El Papa San Juan Pablo II siguió su Carta Apostólica en 1988 con una respuesta pastoral e histórica al cisma con la creación de la Fraternidad Sacerdotal de San Pedro. Esta Sociedad Clerical de la Vida Apostólica fue creada como un puente para aquellos que, en buena conciencia, estaban comprometidos con la Misa tradicional en latín, pero al mismo tiempo deseaban permanecer en la Iglesia Católica. En sus propias palabras, “elegimos a San Pedro como nuestro patrón especial para expresar la gratitud, el amor y la lealtad al Sumo Pontífice.” En 1993, el obispo James C. Timlin de la Diócesis de Scranton, Pensilvania, invitó a la Fraternidad a establecer su centro en Norteamérica en la diócesis donde tienen su lugar hasta el día de hoy. La Fraternidad Sacerdotal de San Pedro y la Sociedad de San Pío X no deben confundirse con una sola y misma.

El Papa Benedicto XVI levantó la prohibición de excomunión contra la sociedad de San Pío X en 2009 con la esperanza de que pudieran reconciliarse con la Iglesia Católica al estilo de la Fraternidad Sacerdotal de San Pedro. Como cardenal Ratzinger, el Papa Benedicto había trabajado de cerca con el liderazgo de la Sociedad de San Pío X, y ahora, como Santo Padre, deseaba profundamente sanar la relación fracturada.

Sin embargo, la siguiente generación de liderazgo, siguió el ejemplo de su fundador, el arzobispo Lefebvre, siguiendo, siendo un cuerpo desafiante. Casi 40 años después, el papa León XIV se encuentra en las mismas aguas cismáticas que el papa San Juan Pablo II tuvo que navegar en 1988.

En la mencionada carta apostólica, el Papa San Juan Pablo II expresó su pesar por los intentos fallidos de reconciliación. “Esta aflicción fue especialmente sentida por el Sucesor de Pedro, a quien primero que nada le pertenece la protección de la unidad de la Iglesia.”

Sin duda, este es el mismo dolor del Papa León por esta división más reciente en el Cuerpo de Cristo. Recuerda que su llamado es In illo uno, unum, o En Aquel que es Uno, somos uno.

Incluso más que la mayoría de los papas, el carisma particular del papa León XIV es la unidad de la Iglesia. Como agustino, su escudo papal contiene un corazón atravesado por una flecha que reposa sobre la Biblia. Sin duda, su corazón está herido por las decisiones cismáticas de la SSPX y la excomunión que sigue. Recordemos que, bajo la Palabra de Dios, escuchamos la oración eterna del Señor por la unidad en la Última Cena, “para que todos sean uno.” (Juan 17:21) Esto es vinculante para todos los que son miembros fieles del cuerpo del Señor, la Iglesia.

A consecration of hope

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
In his final major work Delixit Nos (He Loved Us) in the months leading up to his death, Pope Francis affirmed that everything written before is intimately linked with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He expresses this eloquently in the closing paragraphs of his encyclical.

Bishop Kopacz

“This present document on the Sacred Heart of Jesus can help us to see that the teaching of the social Encyclicals Laudato Si, and Fratelli Tutti is not unrelated to our encounter with the love of Jesus Christ. For it is by drinking of that same love that we can become capable of forging bonds of fraternity, of recognizing the dignity of each human being, and of working together to care for our common home.”

The nation’s consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the bishops of the Catholic Church at 250 years emanates from this integrated vision for our county and world.

Along with being the culmination and cornerstone for Pope Francis’ major writings and pastoral vision, Delexit Nos is also a bridge to Pope Leo XIV in a remarkable way – shedding more light from the heart of the Church on the decision to consecrate the land of the free and the home of the brave on this landmark anniversary.

Pope Leo’s crest, fashioned at the outset of his episcopacy, is a classic expression of the theology of St. Augustine. It is the pierced heart upon the Word of God and represents St. Augustine’s proclamation of faith. Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo – You have pierced my heart with your Word. Pope Leo’s motto – In illo uno unum (In Christ We Are One) – combined with his crest, stirs within our hearts the desire for greater unity and peace for church and nation. This hope comes directly from the heart of Jesus in his great priestly prayer at the Last Supper (John 17) and is fulfilled with the blood and water flowing from His pierced side on the Cross.

Many question today whether or not the curtain is falling on the virtues of compassion, forgiveness and respect that ought to flow from humanity’s beating heart. With the consecration to the Sacred Heart, the Church is unambiguously and unreservedly stating that each generation must rediscover these attributes of heart and soul afresh. Parents, educators, religious leaders, and fellow citizens of goodwill are entrusted with the honorable task of teaching the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power and the wonders he has done. (Psalm 78)

During the recent Jubilee Year, we were challenged to be pilgrims of hope, because the love of God that is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit through faith does not disappoint. (Romans 5:5) Taken to heart we can be the light of the world and salt of the earth.

In the closing paragraphs of Delixit Nos, Pope Francis proposes the constant challenge for Christians to be in the world, but not of the world. “In a world where everything is bought and sold, people’s sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money. We are constantly being pushed to keep consuming and distracting ourselves, held captive from looking beyond our immediate and petty needs. The love of Christ has no place in this perverse mechanism, yet only that love can us free from a madness that no longer has room for love. Christ’s love can give a heart to our world and revive love wherever we think that the ability to love has been lost.”

Therefore, during this consecration, we pray to recognize and reconcile the excesses and abuses of our liberty, evident through racism, militarism and rampant materialism. Equally as a nation, we give thanks for the blessings of liberty that have fostered incredible generosity at home and abroad.

As a Church, we are grateful for the first amendment of the Constitution that empowers us and many religious traditions to flourish. May these blessings be guiding lights for the future.

Lastly, we will be eternally indebted to all who have sacrificed for our nation, for all who have sacrificed to raise families and build communities, and for all who have sacrificed for the flourishing of religious faith.
Indeed, this consecration is a blessing for our country, imploring God’s providence to transform our nation’s innate optimism into the “hope that does not disappoint.”

Una consagración de esperanza

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
En su última gran obra, Delixit Nos (Él nos amó), en los meses previos a su muerte, el Papa Francisco afirmó que todo lo escrito anteriormente está íntimamente ligado al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. Lo expresa elocuentemente en los párrafos finales de su encíclica.

“Este actual documento sobre el Sagrado Corazón de Jesús puede ayudarnos a ver que la enseñanza de las encíclicas sociales Laudato Si y Fratelli Tutti no está ajena a nuestro encuentro con el amor de Jesucristo. Porque bebiendo de ese mismo amor es que podemos ser capaces de formar lazos de fraternidad, de reconocer la dignidad de cada ser humano y de trabajar juntos para cuidar nuestro hogar común.”

Obispo Kopacz

La consagración de la nación al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús por los obispos de la Iglesia Católica a los 250 años proviene de esta visión integrada para nuestro país y el mundo.

Además de ser la culminación y la piedra angular de los primeros escritos y la visión pastoral del Papa Francisco, Delexit Nos es también un puente para el Papa León XIV de una manera notable, proyectando más luz desde el corazón de la Iglesia sobre la decisión de consagrar la tierra de los libres y el hogar de los valientes en este aniversario histórico.

El escudo del Papa León, diseñado al inicio de su episcopado, es una expresión clásica de la teología de San Agustín. Es el corazón atravesado sobre la Palabra de Dios y representa la proclamación de fe de San Agustín. Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo – Has atravesado mi corazón con tu Palabra. El lema del Papa León – In illo uno unum (En Cristo Somos Uno) – combinado con su escudo, despierta en nuestro corazón el deseo de mayor unidad y paz para la iglesia y la nación. Esta esperanza viene directamente del corazón de Jesús en su gran oración sacerdotal en la Última Cena (Juan 17) y se cumple con la sangre y el agua que fluyen de su costado perforado en la cruz.

Muchos se preguntan hoy si el telón está cayendo o no sobre las virtudes de la compasión, el perdón y el respeto que deberían fluir del corazón palpitante de la humanidad. Con la consagración al Sagrado Corazón, la Iglesia afirma de forma indiscutible y sin reservas que cada generación debe redescubrir estos atributos del corazón y del alma de nuevo. Los Padres, educadores, líderes religiosos y conciudadanos de buena voluntad tienen la honorable tarea de enseñar a la próxima generación los actos encomiables del Señor, su poder y las maravillas que ha realizado. (Salmo 78)

Durante el reciente Año del Jubileo, se nos desafió a ser peregrinos de la esperanza, porque el amor de Dios que el Espíritu Santo derrama en nuestros corazones a través de la fe no decepciona. (Romanos 5:5) Tomados en serio, podemos ser la luz del mundo y la sal de la tierra.

En los párrafos finales de Delixit Nos, el Papa Francisco propone el desafío constante para que los cristianos estén en el mundo, pero no ser del mundo. “En un mundo donde todo se compra y se vende, el sentido y valor de las personas parece depender cada vez más de lo que pueden acumular con el poder y el dinero. Estamos constantemente siendo empujados a seguir consumiendo y distraídos, manteniéndonos dependientes para que no busquemos más allá de nuestras necesidades inmediatas e insignificantes. El amor de Cristo no tiene lugar en este mecanismo perverso, sin embargo, solo ese amor nos puede librar de una locura que ya no tiene espacio para el amor. El amor de Cristo puede dar un corazón a nuestro mundo y revivir el amor dondequiera que pensemos que se ha perdido la capacidad de amar.”

Por lo tanto, durante esta consagración, oremos para reconocer y reconciliar los excesos y abusos de nuestra libertad, evidentes a través del racismo, el militarismo y el materialismo desenfrenado. Igualmente, como nación, damos gracias por las bendiciones de la libertad que han fomentado una increíble generosidad tanto en casa como en el extranjero.

Como Iglesia, estamos agradecidos por la primera enmienda de la Constitución que nos da la oportunidad a nosotros y a muchas tradiciones religiosas para prosperar. Que estas bendiciones sean luces de guía para el futuro.

Por último, estaremos eternamente en deuda con todos los que se han sacrificado por nuestra nación, con todos los que se han sacrificado para criar familias y construir comunidades, y con todos los que se han sacrificado por el florecimiento de la fe religiosa.

Efectivamente, esta consagración es una bendición para nuestro país, implorando la providencia de Dios para transformar el optimismo propio de nuestra nación en la “esperanza que no decepciona”.

Let there be a rising tide of the Spirit

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
During the heart of the Easter season, I celebrated my 49th anniversary of priesthood. From the sanctuary of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton on May 7, 1977, to the sanctuary of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson on Feb. 6, 2014, until this present moment, I have been caught up, in the words of Pope St. John Paul II, in this “gift and mystery” of the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Actually, my first celebration of ordination occurred on April 23, 1976, with the call to the diaconate. Therefore, for more than 50 years, by God’s grace, I have fought the good fight and kept the faith, but have not yet finished the race. May there be many more years ahead in the plan of God’s providence.

Indeed, let us give thanks for all of our priests, past and present, mindful of those who are celebrating their anniversaries at this time of year. Ad multos annos!

The Diocese of Jackson rejoices this weekend with the ordination to the priesthood of Will Foggo who will celebrate his first Mass at St. Paul in Flowood.

During the Easter season, the Church also rejoices in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Our catechumens and candidates entering the Church at the Easter Vigil were the first to receive the gift of God’s loving spirit, followed by candidates in many parishes throughout the diocese.
In fact, a bishop’s travels throughout his diocese in the Easter season mirror the missionary journeys portrayed in the Acts of the Apostles, when the apostles and the first evangelists traversed far and wide to carry the Gospel across the Mediterranean world and strengthen fledging Christian communities. The proclamation of the Gospel to the nations and the sanctification of existing communities and individual believers is the work of the Holy Spirit, begun at Pentecost and continuing until Christ comes again.

With Pentecost on the horizon, let there be a rising tide within us to entreat an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. May we also know and understand the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence and the poverty of his absence. We are invited, therefore, to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit, both in prayer and in everyday life, listening to his voice within us.

“The Holy Spirit, breath of Jesus and atmosphere of heaven, is also the breath of his body, the Church. And we are aware of his presence if the Church is itself in the full sense; that is, if it is kingdom of God, heaven come down on earth, because of unity. We are reminded that without the Holy Spirit, God is distant, Christ remains in the past, the Gospel is a dead letter, the Church is a mere organization, and ‘mission’ is mere propaganda. But being in the Holy Spirit, the cosmos is lifted up and groans in the gestation of the kingdom of God, the risen Christ is present, the Gospel is the power of life, the Church signifies trinitarian communion and ‘mission’ is a Pentecost.” (Chiara Lubich, Essential Writings)

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.”