Look to Easter for missionary message

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
Throughout the 50 days of the Easter Season the Catholic Church proclaims in Word and Worship the inception and growth of the Church in the first century after the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord between 30 and 33 AD. The bloody sacrifice in death of Jesus the Nazorean was transformed by the loving power of God in resurrection into the greatest movement ever unleashed in human history. Sad divisions aside, the church has proclaimed the Gospel for nearly 2000 years, and presently there are around two billion Christians, more than half being Catholics, throughout the world. Granted many are Christian in name only, but there are countless millions whom the Holy Spirit has transformed into the living Body of Christ for the salvation of souls and the good of humanity.
Throughout the Easter Octave, or the eight days following Easter Sunday, the risen Lord appeared to his broken apostles and disciples in order to heal them, reconcile them to God and to one another in order to set them on their pilgrimage of faith, hope and love in His name. The Acts of the Apostles especially is a narration by Saint Luke of the persistent growth of the early Church from its humble beginnings in Jerusalem to the world stage in Rome, destined to follow the Lord’s command to teach all nations to the ends of the earth.
St. Peter and St. Paul, and the 11 other disciples, with the faithful support of many of the early disciples, laid the foundation for the early Church evident in the many communities that sprung up around the Mediterranean world. In solidarity with their Lord on the cross, the blood and the water continued to flow.
Jews and Gentiles alike experienced their second birth in the flowing waters of Baptism, and the blood of the martyrs became the spring of life for the early Church’s vitality. Early on in the Acts of the Apostles we hear of the water with the Baptism of thousands on Pentecost Sunday, and the blood, with the brutal killing by stoning of the deacon Stephen, the Church’s first martyr. The beheading of James, the brother of the Lord followed and the persecution began that went on for nearly 300 years.
St. Peter is featured in the first half of the Acts of the Apostles while St. Paul’s star rises in the second half of the book. In Chapter 10 the Holy Spirit set the stage through Peter for a second Pentecost day in the home of Cornelius by descending upon all the members of his household with an eruption of tongues and praise.
Peter could only stand by and marvel as God opened the door of faith to the first Gentiles to become Christians. Peter proceeded to baptize them, but that was the easy part. Afterwards, he had to return to Jerusalem with Paul and Barnabus to convince the others that the Gentiles, or pagans, that is non-Jews, did not have to become Jews first before becoming Christian. It was a fierce struggle but in the end God prevailed, and at the Council of Jerusalem only four restrictions laid upon the Gentiles: “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.” (Acts 15,29)
Of course the Ten Commandments remain fundamental for us but more than 600 laws were shed as the Christian tradition emerged. The command of the Lord to teach all nations was now unencumbered by an exacting Jewish tradition.
After Chapter 15 in the Acts of the Apostles St. Paul took up the torch from Peter and became the Apostle to the Gentiles, further empowered by the Jerusalem Council to be the missionary to the Greek and Roman worlds. Paul’s three missionary journeys are traced upon the pages of the Acts.
Many feared him, remembering his fierce persecution of the early Christians prior to his conversion, and many hated him because he was unrelenting in his zeal to set aside the Law of Moses in the light of Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead. Ultimately, this animosity led to his beheading in Rome.
In our era Pope Francis is calling us to be missionaries who bring the Good News, the joy of the Gospel, to many who are foundering in the world’s mire. This is our origin; this is our constant calling. As we hear about and/or read about the growth of the early church it is readily apparent that many had the missionary spirit. Saint Paul in particular was the missionary par excellence, who never tired of planting the seed of faith, and nurturing the young plant through his letters and pastoral visits. As he wrote in 1Corinthians: “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” (1Cor 3, 6)
As I reflect upon my new life as the 11th Bishop of Jackson during my many journeys throughout the diocese during the Easter season, whether it be for confirmations, graduations, anniversaries, etc., I appreciate that this is the life and ministry of a bishop, set in motion by the apostles and their successors.
I labor in the vineyard of the Lord, building upon the foundation laid by Bishop Chanche and a few others in the late 1830’s. Whether it was the original planters, or the later generations who followed, God is making it grow through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus, raised from the dead.
We are part of a tradition of faith with deep roots, nearly two thousand years young. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2Peter 3,8) So we are just approaching the beginning of the third day of the Christian era, and our call is to plant and build as long as we have life and breath. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns”. (Philippians 1,6)

Trio of spiritual giants offer inspiration

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
During 2015 we are marking anniversaries of life’s beginnings and endings of three significant Christians and Americans whose legacy will endure for generations to come. These outstanding citizens in hope of the Kingdom are Sister Thea Bowman, Thomas Merton, and Abraham Lincoln. Sister Thea succumbed to cancer 25 years ago; Thomas Merton, born one hundred years ago, died unexpectedly in Bangkok, Thailand, by accidental electrocution in 1968, and Abraham Lincoln passed at the hand of an assassin’s bullet 150 years ago. The lives of all three were cut short but their words and their deeds are likely to inspire for as long as people of good will and transcendent faith search for meaning in their lives.
A series of local events have marked the 25th anniversary of Sister Thea’s death, and there are many alive today who walked and served with her in the Diocese of Jackson. Recently “Thea’s Turn” was staged at Madison St. Joseph School, and the brilliance of the presentation captured the ordinariness of the young Bertha and the saintliness and historic virtue of Thea, the passionate religious. Her little light shone brightly during this and other commemorative events held locally and in many settings throughout our region and nation. In 1987, a few years before here death, Sister Thea appeared on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace. She inspired him and many viewers with the following.
“I think the difference between me and some people is that I’m content to do my little bit. Sometimes people think they have to do big things in order to make change. But if each one would light a candle we’d have a tremendous light.”
Many of the Christian faith, especially in the Catholic Church, but also throughout the inter-faith world and among people of no religious faith, are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk who was passionately committed to a life of solitude and social justice on the world stage. Out of solitude as a monk in Gethsemane, Kentucky, he wrote prodigiously as an author (more than 70 books), a poet and a letter writer, corresponding with people in all walks of life from all corners of the globe. His way of life as a monk, combined with his prophetic world view on issues of justice and peace, and his personal letters in response to all who wrote to him, proclaimed to the world what he believed, that “We are already One.” This vision for humanity resounds in the following quotation from his works.
“What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it, all the rest are not only useless, but also disastrous.”
Abraham Lincoln was the determined public servant who sought the highest office in the land at the time when the nation was on the brink of Civil War. He became, in life and in death, the symbol of its blood soaked struggle for unity as the 16th president, the first in a line of four assassinated presidents. Throughout his adult life he experienced enormous setbacks, including a failed business, the death of his son, a nervous breakdown, election defeats for the State Legislature of Illinois, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Senate, as well as nomination for the Vice Presidency. He finally achieved electoral success as the President of the United States, and the rest is history. He was passionately committed to the preservation of the Union as he proclaimed at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in the aftermath of that brutal battle. We recall a portion of his address.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal… It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here, have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Whenever we probe more deeply into the lives of people we consider worthy of honor and emulation we discover that their lives were not without struggle, suffering and sacrifice. Let us not forget during this Easter Season to look no further than the suffering and death of the Lord on the cross, and his ultimate triumph in the resurrection. In earthly terms, Jesus the Nazarene was put to death at a much younger age than Sister Thea, Brother Thomas, and President Abraham, but his sacrificial death raises up all who lay down their lives for the salvation and advancement of humanity.
Certainly, our three great souled men and woman would be the first to acknowledge that they were “earthen vessels” holding an eternal treasure as Saint Paul writes so poetically to the Corinthians. In a colloquial manner of speaking, they had “clay feet” but their vision for humanity was eternal. They understood the mandate of Jesus to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew’s Gospel. “Let your light shine before all, so that others may see goodness in your acts, and give praise to your Heavenly Father.” Likewise, may the Lord inspire us during this season of Easter hope to reflect his light in our time upon the earth.

Mississippi prison system needs reform

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
In the year 2000, the Catholic Bishops of the United States wrote a Pastoral Letter, Responsibility, Rehabilitation-Restoration, in the spirit of jubilee justice for the new millennium that addressed the agonizing reality of crime, punishment, and recidivism afflicting far too many people in the United States of America.
More than a decade later most of these intractable problems remain with us, and as Christians and citizens committed to the common good, we are called to redouble our efforts to bring about a more just and humane society that allows for greater liberty and justice for all.
I want to cite in its entirety the introduction to the Pastoral Letter as a forum for reflection, and a call to action to our Catholic people who can point proudly to a strong commitment to social justice in our state.
“As Catholic bishops, our response to crime in the United States is a moral test for our nation and a challenge for our church. Although the FBI reports that the crime rate is falling, crime and fear of crime still touch many lives and polarize many communities. Putting more people in prison and, sadly, more people to death has not given Americans the security we seek. It is time for a new national dialogue on crime and corrections, justice and mercy, responsibility and treatment. As Catholics, we need to ask the following: How can we restore our respect for law and life? How can we protect and rebuild communities, confront crime without vengeance, and defend life without taking life? These questions challenge us as pastors and as teachers of the Gospel.
Our tasks are to restore a sense of civility and responsibility to everyday life, and promote crime prevention and genuine rehabilitation. The common good is undermined by criminal behavior that threatens the lives and dignity of others, and by policies that seem to give up on those who have broken the law (offering too little treatment and too few alternatives to either years in prison or the execution of those who have been convicted of terrible crimes).
New approaches must move beyond the slogans of the moment (such as “three strikes and you’re out”) and the excuses of the past (such as “criminals are simply trapped by their background”). Crime, corrections, and the search for real community require far more than the policy clichés of conservatives and liberals.
A Catholic approach begins with the recognition that the dignity of the human person applies to both victim and offender. As bishops, we believe that the current trend of more prisons and more executions, with too little education and drug treatment, does not truly reflect Christian values and will not really leave our communities safer. We are convinced that our tradition and our faith offer better alternatives that can hold offenders accountable and challenge them to change their lives; reach out to victims and reject vengeance; restore a sense of community and resist the violence that has engulfed so much of our culture.”
“We approach this topic, however, with caution and modesty. The causes of crime are complex. The ways to overcome violence are not simple. The chances of being misunderstood are many.”  However, the time is upon us to act.
“All those whom we consulted seemed to agree on one thing: the status quo is not really working — victims are often ignored, offenders are often not rehabilitated, and many communities have lost their sense of security. All of these committed people spoke with a sense of passion and urgency that the system is broken in many ways. We share their concern and believe that it does not live up to the best of our nation’s values and falls short of our religious principles.”
Lawmakers in Mississippi recently took a strong step forward in the state’s criminal justice system by changing the sentencing laws for non-violent offenders. This is a just and humane approach that places front and center the rehabilitation of the offender and his or her restoration to family and society as the primary goal.
However, much more needs to be done and an accompanying letter by C.J. Rhodes exposes the serious injustice of the prison-for-profit industry in the state of Mississippi. As Pastor Rhodes so rightly points out a for-profit industry “will lobby to lock up as many people as possible, keep them there as long as possible, and make sure they return as many times as possible.”  Fifteen years ago this industry was emerging around the country.  In 2015 it has mushroomed, especially in Mississippi.
For-profit prisons along with our state and federal prisons reveal an ongoing bleak picture for our minority brothers and sisters. Recent studies show that African, Hispanic, and Native Americans are often treated more harshly than other citizens in their encounters with the criminal justice system (including police activity, the handling of juvenile defendants and prosecution and sentencing). These studies confirm that the racism and discrimination that continue to haunt our nation are reflected in similar ways in the criminal justice system.  Moreover, our society seems to prefer punishment to rehabilitation and retribution to restoration thereby indicating a failure to recognize prisoners as human beings.
As we approach the culmination of Lent and the most sacred of days during Holy Week, a time when we celebrate the forgiveness of our sins, the promise of eternal life and the presence of the Kingdom of God in our midst, perhaps we can apply the wisdom of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a model for personal responsibility, restoration and reconciliation in our society.
The four traditional elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation have much to teach us about taking responsibility, making amends, and reintegrating into community:
Contrition – Genuine sorrow, regret, or grief over one’s wrongs and a serious resolution not to repeat the wrong.
Confession – Clear acknowledgment and true acceptance of responsibility for the hurtful behavior.
Satisfaction – The external sign of one’s desire to amend one’s life (this “satisfaction,” whether in the form of prayers or good deeds, is a form of “compensation” or restitution for the wrongs or harms caused by one’s sin).
Absolution – After someone has shown contrition, acknowledged his or her sin, and offered satisfaction, then Jesus, through the ministry of the priest and in the company of the church community, forgives the sin and welcomes that person back into “communion.”
The blood of the Innocent One poured out for the salvation of all from the cross is the reason for our hope that justice and peace on a grander scale are achievable, even in our broken world.
(On Friday, March 20 from 10:00-12:00 Noon the first hearing before the Governor’s Task Force on Prison Reform is to take place. Our Catholic voice will be heard on this occasion and moving forward.)

Perfect for Lent: reflection on vocation

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
Our first Covenant with God began in the moment of our Baptism. Whatever our vocation in life, we all live this common ground, and at the beginning of Lent the Church, the Body of Christ, proclaims the Lord’s faithful and undying love for us, and the challenge to come back to him with all our heart.
It is the season of the renewal of our vows of Baptism that will be our pledge at the Easter Masses. After his own Baptism and temptation in the desert, Jesus walks through our lives as he walked through Galilee two thousand years ago, “this is the time of fulfillment, repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Whatever our vocation in life we are all called to repentance. We can never become complacent or indifferent to the urgency of the Lord’s call in our lives. The call is to turn away from sin, to die to self, to resist the temptation of selfishness, and self-centeredness that can be deadly to all other relationship in our lives. We are able to die to self in this life-giving way because Jesus Christ has made this possible at the core of our lives in his life giving death and resurrection.
In the midst of this grass roots annual renewal the Church finds herself in the midst of the year of consecrated life, and in the middle of the process of broad-based consultation on the vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the modern world. All of it works together because although we are hearing the call of the Lord at a deeply personal level, we are all connected to one another in family, work places, neighborhoods, and communities of faith. Whatever change happens in an individual’s life, for better or for worse, is going to affect others in our circle of life.
The Diocese of Jackson is now participating in the worldwide preparatory document on the Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Modern World that will contribute to the dialogue, discernment and decision-making later this autumn during the 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the family with Pope Francis presiding. (Through Monday, March 16, we are inviting the Catholic faithful to participate in this preparatory document through the diocesan website. See page 1 for details.)

The Synod is pastoral in its purpose and this becomes clear by examining some of the chapter headings in the preparatory document.

Part II
Looking at Christ: the Gospel of the Family
Looking at Jesus and divine teaching in the
Gospel
The family in God’ salvific plan
The family in the Church’s documents
Indissolubility of Marriage and the joy of sharing
life together
The truth and beauty of the family
Mercy toward broken and fragile families

Part III
Confronting the situation: pastoral perspectives
Proclaiming the gospel of the family today in
various contexts
Guiding engaged couples in their preparation
for marriage
Pastoral care for couples civilly married or living
together
Caring for wounded families: separated, divorced
and not remarried, divorced and remarried,
single parent families
Pastoral attention towards persons with
homosexual tendencies
The transmission of life and the challenges of
the declining birthrate
Upbringing and the role of the family in
evangelization

The call of the Lord in our lives during Lent permeates the particular circumstances of our vocations and responsibilities. Marriage is unique in that it best represents the undying love of Jesus Christ for all of humanity, but especially the Church. This is sacred. Jesus Christ is not ‘yes’ today, and ‘no’ tomorrow. He is ‘yes’ forever.
Man and woman in marriage strive to embody the heart and mind of Jesus Christ by raising up permanency and fidelity in their sacramental covenant. Two weeks ago we gathered in our Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle for World Marriage Day with couples who were celebrating 25 to 71 years of marriage. The renewal of their covenant in God mirrors what we are about in Lent.
As male and female complement one another in marriage, the vocations of married life & religious life compliment one another in the Church and in the world.  Marriage in its essence reveals the Lord’s active love for his church every moment of every day, the here and now of life in this world. Consecrated religious life in its essence reveals that ultimately we are all destined for heaven so that even the blessings of marriage and family life can be sacrificed for the blessing that surpasses all that we know in this life, our eternal home and salvation.
We also know that many single people serve the Lord in ways often known only to God. They who are single are not just spending time before getting a real life. Rather we know that the call of the Lord can be just as real in a way of life that enjoys greater freedom and flexibility. They are in the marketplaces and public squares of our world with an opportunity to bring the Lord out onto the fringes of societies, as Pope Francis is fond of saying.
Another way in which we can appreciate the diversity of lifestyles and gifts in the Church is the opportunity to be inspired by each other. The daily sacrifices that support our faithful living, the ordinariness of our lives graced by God, and the joyful spirit of our calling are signs of the Word of God made Flesh. Often we need one another to stay on the path as we follow the Lord each day. Let us pray for one another as we walk further along on the Lenten journey.

Oración, ayuno, limosna

El Obispo Kopacz visitó y celebró misa en todos los colegios católicos de la diócesis.

El Obispo Kopacz visitó y celebró misa en todos los colegios católicos de la diócesis.

por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Hay una temporada para todo bajo el cielo, dice el inspirado texto del Eclesiastés, y, una vez más, el momento de renovación comienza para toda la iglesia, para cada comunidad y cada creyente. Es un tiempo que concierne a muchos católicos en nuestras vidas porque nos damos cuenta de que es tan fácil ser complacientes o indiferente a las cosas que realmente importan, o mejor dicho, las relaciones que  realmente importan. El Señor nos ha dicho cual es ese camino para sus discípulos: amar al Señor nuestro Dios con todo nuestro corazón, alma, mente y fuerza y amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos.
Nuestro vecino por supuesto es que cada persona viva, comenzando en el hogar y extendiendose a las márgenes del mundo. Estos dos mandamientos nunca están fuera de temporada, pero nuestros 40 días de viaje espiritual es un extra-ordinario tiempo para crecer en la gracia de Dios como los discípulos del Señor.
El Evangelio del Miércoles de Ceniza de san Mateo nos da el plan de acción que nos llevará más profundamente al corazón de Dios quien   luego nos remite uno a otro en su espíritu. Es tan clara como uno, dos, tres, o la oración, el ayuno y la limosna. Nuestra experiencia de estas tres disciplinas cuaresmales nos ha demostrado que estos son los elementos básicos para poder superar nuestro egocentrismo, nuestro egoísmo y nuestro pecado.
La oración en sus muchas formas eleva el corazón y la mente a Dios. Ponemos a un lado nuestro ego para  conocer mejor el corazón y la mente de Cristo Jesús. La Eucaristía es el centro, fuente y cumbre de nuestra oración, pero hay muchas corrientes de oración que alimentan el espíritu y el cuerpo del Señor, la iglesia.
En alguna ocasión cuando los apóstoles fueron incapaces de ayudar a un hombre asustado cuyo hijo estaba en las garras de un demonio, Jesús les aseguró que el miedo es inútil; lo que se necesita es confianza. Confiando en el poder de Dios no es posible sin constantes oraciones que alimentan el espíritu y dan vida al Cuerpo de Cristo.
El ayuno es a menudo el menos valorado de los tres mandatos cuaresmales. Como la oración sólo es posible cuando dejamos de lado nuestro valioso tiempo para centrarnos en Dios, el ayuno también requiere sacrificio porque estamos diciendo menos es mejor. Como sabemos, el Miércoles de Ceniza y el Viernes Santo son días de ayuno de consumo normal de alimentos y abstención de comer carne. Estos son los puntos esenciales de nuestros 40 días de peregrinación y siguen siendo muy importantes en nuestro calendario espiritual. Sin embargo, constituyen una forma de vida para nosotros que puede ser mucho más.
Menos es mejor. La disciplina del ayuno nos ayuda a reducir la comida y bebida que ingerimos para que podamos digerir más fácilmente la Palabra de Dios. Nos ayuda a deshacernos de la lentitud de espíritu que acompaña el exceso. El ayuno se aplica también a reducir al mínimo el nivel de ruido que inunda nuestra vida diaria. Ser creativo para lograr más silencio y tranquilidad para poder orar y pensar en Dios es la senda del ayuno.
Por ejemplo, bajarle el volumen al ruido que choca con nuestra vida es una forma de ayuno de este maremoto de estimulación que puede desgastar el espíritu. El ayuno y la oración, por lo tanto, van mano a mano. Ayunamos con el fin de orar más ardientemente; oramos con el fin de utilizar los bienes del mundo con una mayor integridad como discípulos del Señor.
La limosna se deriva de la libertad de espíritu que la oración y el ayuno están seguros de inspirar. No vivimos sólo de pan, y a través de la oración fervorosa y el ayuno podemos más pacíficamente compartir nuestro pan con los demás. Qué experiencia tan gozosa es poder dar de nuestro tiempo, talento y tesoro para que otros puedan lograr más en sus vidas.
La limosna a menudo se entiende como la caridad generosa hacia alguien que tiene necesidad, o, quizás, a una causa que merece la pena. Esto no es un error, pero la limosna puede ser mucho más. Es un movimiento hacia otros más necesitados, sea que viven en nuestra propia familia o alguien que posiblemente nunca podremos conocer personalmente.
Quiero concluir mi reflexión con algunas reflexiones del Papa Francisco quien habla desde el corazón de la iglesia en Cuaresma con un profundo entendimiento del drama humano.
“Por encima de todo, es un “tiempo de gracia”. Dios no nos pide nada que él mismo no nos ha dado primero. Amamos porque él nos ha amado primero. No es ajeno a nosotros. Cada uno de nosotros tiene un lugar en su corazón. Él nos conoce por nombre, él se preocupa por nosotros y nos busca cada vez que nos alejamos de él. Él está interesado en cada uno de nosotros; su amor no le permite ser indiferente. La indiferencia es un problema que nosotros, como cristianos, necesitamos confrontar.
“Cuando el pueblo de Dios se convierte en su amor, encuentra respuestas a las preguntas que la historia se hace continuamente. Uno de los desafíos más urgentes que quiero referir en este mensaje es precisamente la globalización de la indiferencia.
La indiferencia hacia el prójimo y hacia Dios también representa una verdadera tentación para nosotros los cristianos. Cada año durante la Cuaresma necesitamos oír una vez más la voz de los profetas que exclaman y perturban nuestra conciencia.
“Dios no es indiferente a nuestro mundo; lo ama tanto que dio a su Hijo por nuestra salvación. En la encarnación, en la vida terrena, la muerte y la resurrección del Hijo de Dios, la puerta entre Dios y el hombre, entre el cielo y la tierra, se abre una vez por todas. La iglesia es como la mano que sostiene abierta esta puerta, gracias a su proclamación de la palabra de Dios, su celebración de los sacramentos y su testimonio de la fe que obra a través de amor de hermanas”.
En esta Cuaresma, pues, hermanos y hermanas, vamos a pedirle al Señor: Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum, “Haz nuestros corazones como el tuyo. De esta manera recibiremos un corazón que es firme y misericordioso, atento y generoso, un corazón que no está cerrado, o indiferente al mundo que nos rodea”.

Prayer, fasting, almsgiving

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
There is a season for everything under heaven, says the inspired text of Ecclesiastes, and once again the time of renewal dawns for the whole church, for each community and for every believer. It is a time that touches many Catholics at our core, because we realize that it is so easy to become complacent or indifferent about the things that really matter, or better said, the relationships that really matter.
The Lord has told us what is that path for his disciples: to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as our ourselves. Our neighbor of course, is every living person, beginning at home, and extending to the margins of the world. These two commandments never go out of season, but our 40 day spiritual journey is an extra-ordinary time to grow in God’s grace as the Lord’s disciples.
The Ash Wednesday Gospel from Saint Matthew gives us the blueprint that will take us deeper into the heart of God who will then turn us back to one another in his Spirit. It is as clear as one, two, three, or prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Our experience of these three Lenten disciplines has shown us that these are the basics for transcending our self-centeredness, our selfishness and our sinfulness.
Prayer in its many forms raises our hearts and minds to God. We place aside our ego in order to better know the heart and mind of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is the center, source and summit of our prayer, but there are many streams of prayer that nourish the spirit and feed the Lord’s body, the Church. On occasion when the apostles were unable to help a frightened man whose son was in the grip of a demon, Jesus assured them that fear is useless; what is needed is trust.” Trusting in the power of God is not possible without faithful prayer that nourishes the spirit and gives life to the Body of Christ.
Fasting is often the most underrated of the three Lenten mandates. As prayer is only possible when we set aside our precious time to focus on God, fasting also requires sacrifice because we are saying less is better. As we know Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting from normal food consumption and abstaining from meat. They are the hinges of our forty-day pilgrimage and remain very important days on our spiritual calendar. But they represent a way of life for us that can be so much more. Less is better.
The discipline of fasting helps us to reduce our intake of food and drink so that we can more easily digest the Word of God. It helps us to shake off that sluggishness of spirit that accompanies excess. Fasting also applies to minimizing the level of noise that floods our everyday life. Being creative about carving out more silence and quiet so that we can pray and think about God is the path of fasting. For example, turning down the volume of noise that collides with our lives is a form of fasting from this tsunami of stimulation that can wear down the spirit. Fasting and prayer, then, go hand in hand. We fast in order to pray more ardently; we pray in order to use the world’s goods with greater integrity as the Lord’s disciples.
Almsgiving arises from the freedom of spirit that prayer and fasting are sure to inspire. We do not live by bread alone, and through faithful prayer and fasting we can more peacefully share our bread with others. What a joyous experience it is to be able to give of our time, talent, and treasure so that others may reach higher in their lives.
Almsgiving often is understood as charitable generosity to someone in need, or perhaps to a worthy cause. This is not misguided, but almsgiving can stand for so much more. It is a movement toward others in need whether they live in our own family or possibly someone we may never know personally.
I want to conclude my reflection with some thoughts from Pope Francis who speaks from the heart of the Church on Lent with a keen understanding of the human drama.
“Above all it is a ‘time of grace.’ God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first given us. “We love because he first has loved us’. He is not aloof from us. Each one of us has a place in his heart. He knows us by name, he cares for us and he seeks us out whenever we turn away from him. He is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent. Indifference is a problem that we as Christians, need to confront.
“When the people of God are converted to his love, they find answers to the questions that history continually raises. One of the most urgent challenges which I would like to address in this message is precisely the globalization of indifference.
Indifference to our neighbor and to God also represents a real temptation for us Christians. Each year during Lent we need to hear once more the voice of the prophets who cry out and trouble our conscience.
“God is not indifferent to our world; he so loves it that he gave his Son for our salvation. In the Incarnation, in the earthly life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, the gate between God and man, between heaven and earth, opens once for all. The Church is like the hand holding open this gate, thanks to her proclamation of God’s word, her celebration of the sacraments and her witness of the faith that works through love, sisters.”
“During this Lent, then, brothers and sisters, let us all ask the Lord: Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum – ‘Make our hearts like yours. In this way we will receive a heart that is firm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart which is not closed, or indifferent to the world around us.”

Reflexionando sobre las bendiciones del año

por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Qué diferencia puede hacer un año para cualquiera de nosotros, y nunca ha sido esto más cierto en mi vida desde que salí hacia Jackson el pasado año durante este mismo tiempo para prepararme para mi ordenación e instalación como el 11avo obispo de esta increíble diócesis el 6 febrero. Hoy hace un año estaba cargando mi Subaru Forester al máximo en anticipación de las 1,200 millas que hay del noreste al sur del país. Fue un momento de gran expectación junto con una justa dosis de ansiedad y temor.
Le mencioné a algunos funcionarios de la cancillería  la semana pasada que el tiempo alrededor del primer aniversario de mi ordenación es mucho menos estresante que el mismo período el año pasado. Ellos no podría estar más de acuerdo. La planificación necesaria para la ordenación de un obispo es enorme y el plazo para hacerlo es compacto. Recuerden, una diócesis normalmente espera un año para el anuncio de un nuevo obispo, y cuando finalmente sucede el Nuncio Apostólico organiza la fecha para la ordenación, y/o instalación.
No se trata de una misión imposible, pero consume el tiempo y el talento del personal de la diócesis y muchos otros desde el momento del anuncio hasta el día de la ordenación/instalación. ¡Felicidades al personal y a los voluntarios que organizaron una espléndida celebración!
Sin embargo, debajo de la ráfaga de actividad estaban las más profundas bendiciones. Muchas personas de la Diócesis de Scranton y de la Diócesis de Jackson estaban orando fervientemente por mí y por todos los que participaban en este proceso de transición.
La liturgia de la ordenación y toda la logística de apoyo a los peregrinos que vinieron, a los grupos locales de religiosas, autoridades cívicas y a los asistentes me pareció que fluyó sin problemas. Por supuesto, que sabía yo que estaba en una nube de desconocimiento, en otras palabras, en una neblina. Las más profundas  bendiciones, por supuesto, derivan de nuestra fe, esperanza y amor en el Señor Jesús y su eterno amor por su cuerpo, la Iglesia, y la gran alegría que el pueblo de nuestra diócesis tenía en darme la bienvenida a mi como su nuevo pastor.
Cuando miro hacia este año pasado no puedo evitar sorprenderme. Hojeando las hojas del calendario del año reavivo la biblioteca de recuerdos que se ha convertido en la base sobre la que construir. Por supuesto, están las celebraciones litúrgicas de Cuaresma, Semana Santa y Pascua. Son tan inspiradoras, y la Misa Crismal del martes de Semana Santa me permitió celebrar con los sacerdotes, religiosos, religiosas, lideres laicos eclesiales, y los laicos de la diócesis que se reúnen en torno a su obispo para recibir los santos óleos de unción en la vida sacramental de sus parroquias.
Enseguida me di cuenta que el tiempo de Pascua es quizás la época más activa de un obispo diocesano. Comienza el calendario de confirmación y los recorridos en carretera me llevaron a muchos rincones de la diócesis.
Cada visita pastoral fue una oportunidad para reunirme y celebrar con las comunidades parroquiales. Las graduaciones de secundaria y los aniversarios de ordenación de los sacerdotes se convirtieron en una tras otra bendita oportunidad de entrar cada vez más profundamente en la vida de la diócesis.
En el marco de estas celebraciones, la ordenación de tres sacerdotes de nuestra diócesis fue un momento singular. Yo nunca había estudiado un ritual tan cuidadosamente con el fin de garantizar un resultado válido. Esta época del año se caracterizó también por el retiro pastoral, un encuentro con los obispos regionales en Covington, La., y mi primera participación en la Conferencia Nacional de Obispos Católicos en Nueva Orleans.
Al evocar estos eventos a través del ojo de la mente, creo que se pueden dar una idea de que el establecimiento de un obispo en una diócesis se realiza de ladrillo a ladrillo en cada encuentro. En el curso de conocer a los obispos de cerca y de lejos, muchos de los eventos me han dado la oportunidad de conocer el grupo de nuestro seminaristas que están discerniendo la llamada del Señor en sus vidas. Oren por ellos así como ellos oran por ustedes.
En armonía con todas las celebraciones sacramentales en la Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol y en todo el territorio de la diócesis, he podido realizar visitas pastorales a muchas de nuestras parroquias y ministerios en los 65 condados que componen la Diócesis de Jackson. Entre mi coche y viajando junto con otros en algunas ocasiones he acumulado alrededor de 30,000 millas por el año. (Esto no incluye dos ocasiones en las que he viajado por avión.)
Ininterrumpidamente he podido participar en la vida pastoral de muchas de nuestras parroquias, y mi objetivo es visitar todos los sitios de la manera más oportuna y posible. Estas visitas pastorales establecen el vínculo espiritual que un obispo debe tener con el Pueblo de Dios encomendado a él, el cual se estima que debe ser pastoral y personal.
En medio de esta actividad pastoral en el 2014 pude organizar un tiempo de vacaciones en el noreste del país y con unos amigos de mi ciudad natal que pudieron visitarme. Debo de decir que las pautas de mi ministerio pastoral, ocio y vacaciones las pude organizar bastante bien a lo largo de todo el primer año y eso sin tener tan siquiera un mapa de las carreteras con el cual empezar. Una parte de mi tiempo de ocio, por supuesto, es pasear y jugar con mi tonto perro labrador. El es bueno para los nervios.
En el artículo (en inglés) que es parte de la edición de esta semana, me preguntaron si yo soy feliz en mi nueva vida. ¿Cómo mide una persona su estado de felicidad? Puedo decir que después de un año de ser su obispo tengo mucha motivación, energía, y entusiasmo por mi ministerio como obispo, salpicadas con un estado estable de paz y tranquilidad en la mayoría de los días.
Por lo tanto, creo que puedo decir que soy feliz. Estoy agradecido de haber sido llamado a servir en una zona que no conocía, pero que he aprendido a amarla en un corto período de tiempo.
Miro hacia el futuro con confianza, esperanza y amor al caminar juntos como el Pueblo de Dios en la Diócesis de Jackson a un futuro desconocido donde el Señor Jesús nos espera.

Carta del obispo sobre el Llamado al Servicio Católico

Carta del Obispo Joseph Kopacz a la comunidad hispana sobre el Llamado al Servicio Católico (CSA por sus  siglas en inglés)
Hermanos y hermanas en Cristo:
Como su obispo, es importante que sepan que nuestra diócesis está dedicada a abrir las puertas de nuestra iglesia a las hermanas y hermanos hispanos que viven entre nosotros. Estamos aquí por ustedes y hemos estado sirviendo la población de habla hispana en algunas instancias durante los últimos 30 años. Todos hemos sido llamados a servir a otros del mismo modo que Jesús lo hizo, con amor y humildad. Él nos dio este regalo cuando lavó los pies de los discípulos.
Nuestro tema de este año para el Servicio Católico es el “Llamado a Servir”. Hoy me gustaría compartir con ustedes cómo servimos a nuestras hermanas y hermanos católicos a través de la Diócesis de Jackson.
En los años recientes, nuestra diócesis ordenó tres sacerdotes hispanos. Actualmente tenemos a Adolfo Suárez y a Cesar Sánchez de México estudiando para ser sacerdotes en nuestra diócesis. En total, hay cinco sacerdotes hispanos que hoy en día sirven a nuestra diócesis, y el Llamado al Servicio Católico ayuda a estos sacerdotes y seminaristas con su educación y formación después de su ordenación.
Además, muchos de nuestros sacerdotes junto con otros ministros pastorales nativos de los Estados Unidos, han trabajado duro para comprender y hablar el español con el fin de servir mejor a la población hispana en nuestro entorno. Por ejemplo, también hay cuatro nuevos sacerdotes redentoristas en nuestra diócesis trabajando en el Delta para evangelizar e integrar en nuestras comunidades parroquiales a la población hispana, así como para identificar y responder a las necesidades sociales de manera inminente. Estos sacerdotes llegaron el año pasado y están comprometidos a servir con nosotros los próximos cinco años.
El Llamado al Servicio Católico también apoya a la oficina del Ministerio Hispano. El hermano Ted y las hermanas María Elena y María Josefa viajan a través de la diócesis  para servir a la población hispana dentro de nuestras parroquias y los ministros de servicio social.
La oficina del Ministerio Hispano ha capacitado a más de 120 personas para ser líderes en sus comunidades parroquiales a través del Instituto Pastoral del Sureste (SEPI), el liderazgo y los talleres litúrgicos en aquellas parroquias que lo requieran. Esta oficina trabaja actualmente con más de 27 parroquias hispanas a lo largo de la diócesis. También trabajan con el Movimiento Familiar Cristiano (MFCC), que está trabajando con más de 50 familias en las áreas de Jackson y Tupelo, ayudando a formar comunidades de fe promoviendo las vocaciones y la vida familiar católica.
El Llamado al Servicio Católico también apoya al Centro de Apoyo Migratorio de Caridades Católicas. Esta oficina proporciona servicios directos como la renovación de la autorización de empleo, extensión de visas y el estatus de protección temporal. También ayuda a educar a la población hispana sobre sus derechos en los Estados Unidos. A menudo, colaboran con el gobierno y los dirigentes cívicos para llevar a cabo estos servicios de ayuda a las personas para a conocer y lograr sus derechos. El Centro de Apoyo Migratorio también ofrece todos los jueves clases de inglés gratuitas.
Su regalo para el Llamado al Servicio Católico es para apoyar y fortalecer todos los increíbles ministerios mencionados en esta carta y para estar preparados para responder a nuevas posibilidades en el futuro. Les invito a dar un regalo al llamado de este año mientras continuamos nuestro camino de fe para seguir el ejemplo de Jesús como todos hemos sido “Llamados para Servir.”
Sinceramente
tuyo en Cristo,
Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Reflexionando en las bendiciones del año

por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Qué diferencia puede hacer un año para cualquiera de nosotros, y nunca ha sido esto más cierto en mi vida desde que salí hacia Jackson el pasado año durante este mismo tiempo para prepararme para mi ordenación e instalación como el 11avo obispo de esta increíble diócesis el 6 febrero. Hoy hace un año estaba cargando mi Subaru Forester al máximo en anticipación de las 1,200 millas que hay del noreste al sur del país. Fue un momento de gran expectación junto con una justa dosis de ansiedad y temor.
Le mencioné a algunos funcionarios de la cancillería  la semana pasada que el tiempo alrededor del primer aniversario de mi ordenación es mucho menos estresante que el mismo período el año pasado. Ellos no podría estar más de acuerdo. La planificación necesaria para la ordenación de un obispo es enorme y el plazo para hacerlo es compacto. Recuerden, una diócesis normalmente espera un año para el anuncio de un nuevo obispo, y cuando finalmente sucede el Nuncio Apostólico organiza la fecha para la ordenación, y/o instalación.
No se trata de una misión imposible, pero consume el tiempo y el talento del personal de la diócesis y muchos otros desde el momento del anuncio hasta el día de la ordenación/instalación. ¡Felicidades al personal y a los voluntarios que organizaron una espléndida celebración!
Sin embargo, debajo de la ráfaga de actividad estaban las más profundas bendiciones. Muchas personas de la Diócesis de Scranton y de la Diócesis de Jackson estaban orando fervientemente por mí y por todos los que participaban en este proceso de transición.
La liturgia de la ordenación y toda la logística de apoyo a los peregrinos que vinieron, a los grupos locales de religiosas, autoridades cívicas y a los asistentes me pareció que fluyó sin problemas. Por supuesto, que sabía yo que estaba en una nube de desconocimiento, en otras palabras, en una neblina. Las más profundas  bendiciones, por supuesto, derivan de nuestra fe, esperanza y amor en el Señor Jesús y su eterno amor por su cuerpo, la Iglesia, y la gran alegría que el pueblo de nuestra diócesis tenía en darme la bienvenida a mi como su nuevo pastor.
Cuando miro hacia este año pasado no puedo evitar sorprenderme. Hojeando las hojas del calendario del año reavivo la biblioteca de recuerdos que se ha convertido en la base sobre la que construir. Por supuesto, están las celebraciones litúrgicas de Cuaresma, Semana Santa y Pascua. Son tan inspiradoras, y la Misa Crismal del martes de Semana Santa me permitió celebrar con los sacerdotes, religiosos, religiosas, lideres laicos eclesiales, y los laicos de la diócesis que se reúnen en torno a su obispo para recibir los santos óleos de unción en la vida sacramental de sus parroquias.
Enseguida me di cuenta que el tiempo de Pascua es quizás la época más activa de un obispo diocesano. Comienza el calendario de confirmación y los recorridos en carretera me llevaron a muchos rincones de la diócesis.
Cada visita pastoral fue una oportunidad para reunirme y celebrar con las comunidades parroquiales. Las graduaciones de secundaria y los aniversarios de  ordenación de los sacerdotes se convirtieron en una tras otra bendita oportunidad de entrar cada vez más profundamente en la vida de la diócesis.
En el marco de estas celebraciones, la ordenación de tres sacerdotes de nuestra diócesis fue un momento singular. Yo nunca había estudiado un ritual tan cuidadosamente con el fin de garantizar un resultado válido. Esta época del año se caracterizó también por el retiro pastoral, un encuentro con los obispos regionales en Covington, La., y mi primera participación en la Conferencia Nacional de Obispos Católicos en Nueva Orleans.
Al evocar estos eventos a través del ojo de la mente, creo que se pueden dar una idea de que el establecimiento de un obispo en una diócesis se realiza de ladrillo a ladrillo en cada encuentro. En el curso de conocer a los obispos de cerca y de lejos, muchos de los eventos me han dado la oportunidad de conocer el grupo de nuestro seminaristas que están discerniendo la llamada del Señor en sus vidas. Oren por ellos así como ellos oran por ustedes.
En armonía con todas las celebraciones sacramentales en la Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol y en todo el territorio de la diócesis, he podido realizar visitas pastorales a muchas de nuestras parroquias y ministerios en los 65 condados que componen la Diócesis de Jackson. Entre mi coche y viajando junto con otros en algunas ocasiones he acumulado alrededor de 30,000 millas por el año. (Esto no incluye dos ocasiones en las que he viajado por avión.)
Ininterrumpidamente he podido participar en la vida pastoral de muchas de nuestras parroquias, y mi objetivo es visitar todos los sitios de la manera más oportuna y posible. Estas visitas pastorales establecen el vínculo espiritual que un obispo debe tener con el Pueblo de Dios encomendado a él, el cual se estima que debe ser pastoral y personal.
En medio de esta actividad pastoral en el 2014 pude organizar un tiempo de vacaciones en el noreste del país y con unos amigos de mi ciudad natal que pudieron visitarme.
Debo de decir que las pautas de mi ministerio pastoral, ocio y vacaciones las pude organizar bastante bien a lo largo de todo el primer año y eso sin tener tan siquiera un mapa de las carreteras con el cual empezar. Una parte de mi tiempo de ocio, por supuesto, es pasear y jugar con mi tonto perro labrador. El es bueno para los nervios.
En el artículo (en inglés) que es parte de la edición de esta semana, me preguntaron si yo soy feliz en mi nueva vida. ¿Cómo mide una persona su estado de felicidad? Puedo decir que después de un año de ser su obispo tengo mucha motivación, energía, y entusiasmo por mi ministerio como obispo, salpicadas con un estado estable de paz y tranquilidad en la mayoría de los días.
Por lo tanto, creo que puedo decir que soy feliz. Estoy agradecido de haber sido llamado a servir en una zona que no conocía, pero que he aprendido a amarla en un corto período de tiempo.
Miro hacia el futuro con confianza, esperanza y amor al caminar juntos como el Pueblo de Dios en la Diócesis de Jackson a un futuro desconocido donde el Señor Jesús nos espera.

Reflecting on year of blessings

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
What a difference a year makes for anyone of us, and never has this been more true in my life since setting out for Jackson last year at this time to prepare for my ordination and installation as the 11th Bishop of this amazing diocese on February 6th.  One year ago today I was loading up my Subaru Forester to the max in anticipation of the 1200-mile trek from the Northeast to the Deep South. It was a time of great anticipation along with a fair dose of anxiety and trepidation.
I mentioned to a few of the Chancery Staff over the last week that the time surrounding the one-year anniversary of my ordination is a lot less stressful than the same time last year. They could not agree more. The planning required for a bishop’s ordination is enormous and the time frame in which to do it is compact. Remember, a diocese typically waits a year for the announcement of a new bishop, and when it finally happens the Apostolic Nuncio arranges the date for the ordination, and or installation.
It’s not exactly mission impossible, but it does consume the time and talent of the diocesan staff and many others from the moment of the announcement to day of the ordination/installation. Kudos to the staff and volunteers who organized such a splendid celebration!
However, beneath the flurry of activity were the deeper blessings. Many people from the Diocese of Scranton and from the Diocese of Jackson were praying ardently for me and for all involved in this transition.  The liturgy of ordination and all of the logistics in support of the pilgrims from afar, and the local groups of religious, civic attendees appeared to me to flow seamlessly.
Of course, what did I know; I was in the cloud of unknowing, in other words, in a fog. The deeper blessings, of course, flowed from our faith, hope, and love in the Lord Jesus, and his eternal love for his body, the church, and the great joy that the people of our diocese had in welcoming me as their new shepherd.
As I look back from the one-year perch, I cannot help but be amazed. Scrolling through the year’s calendar rekindles the library of memories that have become the foundation on which to build. Of course, there are the liturgical celebrations of Lent, Holy Week and Easter.  They are so inspiring, and the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week allowed me to celebrate with priests, religious, lay ecclesial leadership, and laity from around the diocese who come to gather around their bishop and receive the holy oils for anointing in the sacramental life of their parishes.
I soon realized that the Easter season is perhaps the most active time of year for a diocesan bishop. The confirmation schedule commences and the road trips took me to many corners of the diocese. Each pastoral visit was an opportunity to meet and celebrate with the particular parish communities. High school graduations and priests’ anniversaries of ordination became one blessed opportunity after another to enter more deeply into the life of the diocese. In the midst of these celebrations the ordination of three priests for our diocese was a singular moment.
I had never studied a ritual so carefully in order to assure a valid outcome. This time of year was marked also by the priests’ retreat, a gathering with the regional bishops in Covington, La., and my first national meeting with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in New Orleans.
As you run these events through your mind’s eye, I think you get the picture that a bishop’s settling into a diocese happens one brick at a time with each encounter. Along with getting to know the bishops from near and far,  many events have given me the opportunity to know our corps of seminarians who are discerning the Lord’s call in their lives.  Pray for them as they pray for you.
In harmony with all of the scheduled sacramental celebrations at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and throughout the diocese, I have been able to make pastoral visits to many of our parishes and ministries across the 65 counties that comprise the Diocese of Jackson.  Between my car and hitching a ride with others at times, I have amassed about 30,000 miles for the year. (This doesn’t include two occasions on which I could fly around.) Steadily I have been able to participate in the pastoral life of many of our parishes, and the goal is to visit all sites in as timely a fashion as is possible. These pastoral visits establish the spiritual bond that a bishop must have with the People of God entrusted to him which is intended to be pastoral and personal.
In the midst of this pastoral activity across 2014 I was able to arrange for vacation time back in the Northeast, and a few friends were able to visit from the home area. I must say that patterns of my pastoral ministry, leisure, and vacation jelled rather well throughout the first year for not having much of a road map with which to begin. A daily part of my leisure time, of course, is my regular walks and playing with my goofy Labrador Retriever. He is good for the nerves.
For the companion article that is part of this week’s edition, I was asked if I am happy in my new life. How does a person measure his or her state of happiness? I can say that after one year as your bishop I have ample motivation, energy, and enthusiasm for my ministry as your bishop, sprinkled with a steady state of peace and calm on most days.
So, I guess I can say that I am happy.   I am grateful to have been called to serve in an area I knew not, but have grown to love in a short period of time.
I look ahead with trust, hope, and love as we journey together as the People of God in the Diocese of Jackson into an unknown future where the Lord Jesus awaits us.