Catholic Charities continues its mission to serve the poor and vulnerable across all 65 counties. Interim executive director Christina Bach said the agency remains grounded in the national theme: “Love Your Neighbor.”
“Our work is rooted in this call,” Bach said. “We live it out through programs such as adoption and maternity services, counseling and wraparound support, substance-abuse treatment for pregnant and parenting women, foster care for unaccompanied refugee minors, domestic violence and rape crisis services, immigration legal assistance, disaster response and parish-based ministry.”
Christina Bach, interim executive director of Catholic Charities, Inc. of the Diocese of Jackson.
Bach shared a recent example from the Kinship Navigator program, which helps relatives caring for children when parents cannot. The program supported a caregiver who had taken in her sister’s two children while the family was facing homelessness. “When we first met them, they needed housing, move-in assistance, birth certificates, clothing and other essentials,” Bach said. “Kinship was able to pay the deposit and rent so they could secure a place to live.”
The caregiver later told staff, “I appreciate y’all going to bat for me and the kids. I’ve been getting the runaround from others. This is a huge help.” Bach said responses like this show how vital the program is in keeping children connected with relatives instead of entering foster care.
Bach said that poverty and unaddressed trauma continue to be the biggest challenges for many families. “Trauma also has a high cost to individuals and to the community. We work to break those cycles by giving a hand-up, building family capacity, and teaching people to advocate for themselves.”
She emphasized that Catholic Charities aims not only to meet immediate needs but also to help families move toward long-term stability. “We want everyone we meet to be in a better situation than when we met them,” she said.
Bach believes the organization’s long history of responding to underserved needs distinguishes it from others. “We’ve often been approached by community leaders to provide programs no one else is offering,” she said. “We take seriously the call to assist the ‘least of these,’ and we believe all of God’s children deserve love and care.”
Looking ahead, Bach said she finds hope in the new strategic direction emerging nationally. “The message for 2026–2030 is simple: ‘Love Your Neighbor,’” she said. “It is timeless, and I have hope because our community is choosing to move forward with this as our guide.”
She said the Catholic Service Appeal is essential. “The CSA allows us to put funds where they’re most needed,” Bach said. “It helps us sustain the programs doing the most good.”
Bach added one final message: “Catholic Charities is a way for the local community to have a statewide impact.”
Diocesan Catholic Schools witness historic digital encounter with Pope Leo XIV
SOUTHAVEN – Students at Sacred Heart School watch a livestream of the National Catholic Youth Conference, using guided questions to follow along and discuss afterward. Younger students enthusiastically called out answers during the presentation. (Photo by Bridget Martin)
MADISON – Sixth graders at St. Anthony School watch as Pope Leo XIV engages with young people during a historic live digital encounter at NCYC. (Photo by Kati Loyacono)
COLUMBUS – After school Mass, Father Jeffrey Waldrep joined first graders Colin Baucom, Jason Hood, Harrison Barranco, Huff Morgan and Luke Thomas for a game of four square at Annunciation Catholic School. (Photo by Jacque Hince)VICKSBURG – On Nov. 6, 2025, joined by Father PJ Curley, Father Mario Solórzano and Father Rusty Vincent celebrated a Spanish Mass at St. Francis Xavier Chapel for the St. Aloysius Spanish II class. Students read, responded and participated in Spanish, with several Spanish I students also taking part. (Photo by Vivian L. Velazquez)VICKSBURG – At the Sisters of Mercy Early Learning Center’s annual Balloon Parade, teachers Alexa Eb and Marisha Davis walk with one-year-old students Millie Moody, Beau Brock, Anderson Parker and Ryland Miller. James Hyland is pictured at right with his mother, Liz Hyland. (Photo by Shannon Bell)JACKSON – During the St. Richard School Veterans Day program, veteran Bob Metzger is pictured with his grandchildren, Oliver and Hadley Metzger, who attend the school. (Photo by Gina Metzger)
By Cindy Wooden BEIRUT (CNS) – Even in the face of difficulties and the constant threat of war, the young people of Lebanon and the country’s religious leaders have enormous resources that can build a better future for all people, Pope Leo XIV said.
“The true opposition to evil is not evil, but love, a love capable of healing one’s own wounds while also caring for the wounds of others,” he said Dec. 1 as he met thousands of young people outside the headquarters of the Maronite Patriarchate of Antioch in Bkerké, overlooking Beirut.
Pope Leo met the 15,000 young people after meeting their elders – representatives of the country’s Christian, Muslim, Druze and Alawite communities – in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, which honors those who fought for Lebanon’s independence and were executed there in 1916. The martyrs came from every religious community.
At their meeting, the young people posed two questions to the pope: How to preserve one’s inner peace and hope “in a country deprived of stability, whether in terms of security or economy”; and how can people keep their families, marriages and friendships solid in a world dominated by the digital and ephemeral.
Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Sheikh Ali Kaddour, head of the Alawi Islamic Council in Lebanon during an ecumenical and interreligious meeting in Martyrs’ Square in Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 1, 2025. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
Pope Leo told them to look for good examples around them.
“Draw from the good roots of those dedicated to serving society without using it for their own interests,” he said. “Be the source of hope that the country is waiting for!”
For Christians, the pope said, Jesus is the first person to look to for help both with peace and with relationships because both require love.
“If our ego is at the center of a friendship or loving relationship, it cannot bear fruit,” he said. “Similarly, it is not true love if we only love temporarily, as long as the feeling lasts: if love has a time limit, it is not truly love.”
Love and charity express God’s presence in the world “more than anything else,” the pope told them. “Charity speaks a universal language, because it speaks to every heart.”
Pope Leo encouraged them to look at the example of their peers who have not been discouraged “by injustices and negative examples, even those found within the church. Instead, they have tried to forge new paths in search of the kingdom of God and its justice.”
“Drawing on the strength you receive from Christ, build a better world than the one you inherited,” he told them, and make friends with people from different cultures and religions.
In a tent in the shadow of the Mohammad Al Amin Mosque in Beirut, Pope Leo told the leaders that the central role of faith in the life of Lebanon is obvious.
The pope prayed that every toll of the bell and every call to prayer would “blend into a single, soaring hymn … to lift a heartfelt prayer for the divine gift of peace.”
Too often, he said, when people think of the Middle East, they think of ongoing conflict.
“Yet,” Pope Leo said, “in the midst of these struggles, a sense of hopefulness and encouragement can be found when we focus on what unites us: our common humanity, and our belief in a God of love and mercy.”
“In an age when coexistence can seem like a distant dream,” he said, “the people of Lebanon, while embracing different religions, stand as a powerful reminder that fear, distrust and prejudice do not have the final word, and that unity, reconciliation, and peace are possible.”
By Jacob Eftink OXFORD – For many years, Knights of Columbus Council 10901 has faithfully supported the Oxford Pregnancy Center, a local resource that offers compassionate, confidential and high-quality care to women and families. The center provides free services, including pregnancy testing, ultrasound imaging and counseling – all made possible through the generosity of community donors.
Located in an area of visible need and serving a major university community, the center reaches many women in vulnerable situations. The nearest abortion facility is more than 75 miles away in Memphis, making the Oxford Pregnancy Center’s presence all the more essential.
Recognizing the importance of life-affirming care, the Oxford council partnered with the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council Ultrasound Program, which helps pregnancy centers obtain state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment. In 2018, after a survey conducted by the Diocese of Jackson, the Oxford Pregnancy Center qualified for the program and dedicated its first ultrasound machine that December.
By 2024, the center’s leadership identified the need for an upgraded machine to continue providing the highest level of care. Once again, Council 10901 stepped forward. Through its major fundraiser – the St. John’s Knights of Columbus Car Parking Event – the council raised about $30,000, covering half the total cost. The Supreme Council’s Ultrasound Program matched the amount, bringing the final purchase price to $59,243.
OXFORD – St. John the Evangelist Knights of Columbus Council 10901 recently donated a new ultrasound machine to the Pregnancy Center of Oxford. On Nov. 13, Father Mark Shoffner blessed the machine during a small gathering. Pictured from left are Danielle Lewis, Theodore Cutcliffe, Father Mark Shoffner, Father Robert Antony, Louis Cutcliffe and Grand Knight Jim Herzog. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Newsom)
The collaboration among the Oxford Pregnancy Center, the Diocese of Jackson, the local council and the Supreme Council was a testament to faith in action and a shared commitment to the sanctity of life. The new ultrasound machine was dedicated Nov. 13, 2025, at a ceremony held at the Oxford Pregnancy Center. Father Mark Shoffner offered a blessing over the machine, and attendees included staff, board members, parishioners from St. John’s Catholic Church, and members of Council 10901.
A highlight of the celebration came when the center’s sonographer demonstrated the clarity of the new equipment, showing guests the vivid images it produces. She noted that the difference in image quality was dramatic – and potentially life-changing.
As one Knight observed, “The ultrasound room is truly sacred space – where decisions for life are made every day.”
Through their faith, generosity and unity, the Oxford Knights of Columbus and their partners have once again brought hope, compassion and life-affirming care to their community.
By Joanna Puddister King and Tereza Ma JACKSON – The small community of Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Jackson celebrated a milestone in their monastery on Saturday, Nov. 22, as Sister Marie Claire professed her first vows during a quiet morning ceremony in the chapel.
Originally from the Congo, Sister Marie Claire made her temporary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience before a small gathering that included members of the Carmelite Seculars and supporters from the greater Jackson community. After Mass, she greeted guests with a radiant smile, wearing a crown of flowers symbolizing her vocation as a bride of Christ and her commitment to a life of purity and devotion.
Sister Marie Claire and Bishop Joseph Kopacz on Nov. 22. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
Founded in 1951, the Carmelite monastery has long served the diocese as a place of contemplation, where the nuns devote their lives to prayer, silence and simplicity in service to the People of God.
For those present, the ceremony was a moment of deep joy and inspiration.
“It was a day of great joy,” said Dorothy Ashley, a Carmelite Secular. “I praise God for her vocation and will be praying for her – and hope she’ll be praying for us too.”
For Taylor Coe, who entered the church this past Easter, witnessing his first profession of vows was especially moving. “It was a very enlightening experience,” he said. “Seeing someone commit their entire life to God was beautiful. The nuns have been such a blessing in my life, especially their prayers and their presence.”
The Carmelite community continues to welcome visitors seeking quiet, prayer and the presence of Christ – a mission they describe as sharing “an overflow of contemplation” with the world.
By Junno Arocho Esteves (OSV News) – In his papal bull proclaiming the Jubilee Year, the late Pope Francis emphasized the theme of hope, a much-needed virtue in a time of uncertainty, war and tribulation.
Yet in “Spes Non Confundit” (“Hope Does Not Disappoint”), the pope unknowingly described what many Catholics would feel in the year to come.
“Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring,” he wrote.
While the intense monthly schedule of Jubilee events was worrisome, there was still the hope that the ailing pontiff would be able to participate.
Pilgrims from the Diocese of Jackson prepare to enter the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, led by Bishop Joseph Kopacz in October 2025. (Photo by Abbey Schuhmann)
However, those hopes were dashed once his health took a turn for the worse in February, and on April 21, just one day after delivering what would be his final Easter Sunday “urbi et orbi” blessing, Pope Francis died.
For Archbishop Rino Fisichella, organizer of the Jubilee 2025 events and pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, the pope’s death “created a silence that was felt in the streets of Rome and the world, as well as in every Christian community.”
In an interview via email Dec. 3, Archbishop Fisichella told OSV News that it was in those days of mourning that “the motto of the Jubilee took on a different light.” “The faithful understood that Christian hope is not a sentiment, but a promise,” he said.
Interregnum Despite his ill health, Pope Francis’ death still came as a shock to many and triggered a series of events that occurred only once in the Catholic Church’s history.
The last time the death of a pope and the election of his successor occurred in a Jubilee Year was in 1700 with the death of Pope Innocent XII and the election of Pope Clement XI.
Aside from the uncertainty regarding who would be the next leader of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Fisichella acknowledged that it “was useless to deny” that the interregnum period caused “a certain objective difficulty.”
Alessandro Gisotti, deputy editorial director of Vatican Media, told OSV News Nov. 11 that the Jubilee faced challenges even before the pope’s death.
“When the pope was at Gemelli Hospital, the Jubilee continued, but without the pope, it was naturally more subdued,” Gisotti said.
For both Archbishop Fisichella and Gisotti, the death of Pope Francis and the conclave and election of Pope Leo XIV did not stop the Jubilee but instead redefined it.
Despite the demanding schedule, the archbishop added, “Pope Leo XIV accepted the calendar without fear and, from the beginning, chose to maintain the programmed Jubilee commitments.”
A door opened, a door closed In December 2024, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s, marking the beginning of the Jubilee. The task of closing that door now falls to his successor, Pope Leo XIV.
For Archbishop Fisichella, the fact that Pope Francis would not be the one to end the Jubilee of Hope is one of “profound symbolic value.”
“Let this unfinished gesture become an invitation for every believer: The mission of the church never closes,” he said.
“Crossing the Holy Door means assuming the responsibility to bring hope where it is missing,” he said.
“The ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ return to their dioceses with a stronger sense of belonging and, above all, with the awareness that daily witness is the first place of evangelization.”
(Junno Arocho Esteves writes for OSV News from Malmö, Sweden.)
Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in Dolton, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, is pictured May 9, 2025. Dolton’s board of trustees on Dec. 1 approved a motion to officially declare the house a historic landmark. Shortly after the former Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope, the board purchased the residence in July for $375,000. (OSV News photo/Carlos Osorio, Reuters)
NATION DOLTON, Ill. (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home just outside of Chicago has been declared a historic landmark. The village of Dolton’s board of trustees approved a motion for the designation during a regular meeting Dec. 1 that began with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. Mayor Jason House described the property as one of the “most culturally and spiritually significant locations in the United States,” according to ABC-7 Chicago. The modest, one-story brick residence, located at 212 E. 141st Pl., was purchased by the village’s board in July for $375,000, an amount that included all applicable realtor and auction fees. Weeks after the election of the first U.S.-born pope, the board had moved to acquire the 75-year-old home where the former Robert Prevost and his family lived until 1969. The site immediately became a tourist attraction and even a place of pilgrimage after Pope Leo’s papal election. Speaking during the board meeting ahead of the vote, House said the move represented “a very big moment for residents” of the village, noting the “target timeline” for developing the site is spring 2027 – but adding, “Hopefully it’s faster.”
VATICAN VATICAN CITY (OSV News) – A commission set up by Pope Francis to study women deacons has voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons while also supporting more study on the issue. It also expressed hope that women’s access to other ministries would be expanded. Pope Francis established the “Study Commission on the Female Diaconate” in 2020 as a follow-up to a previous group that studied the history of women deacons in the New Testament and the early Christian communities. The Vatican published the synthesis, including the results of votes the commission members took on eight different statements or “theses.” One proposition that showed members split exactly down the middle was: “The masculinity of Christ, and therefore the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders, is not accidental but is an integral part of sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ. To alter this reality would not be a simple adjustment of ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.” When this statement was put to a vote among 10 members in February, it received five votes in favor, confirming its current form, while the other five members voted to remove it. A statement that received six votes against, two for and two abstaining was: “The undersigned is in favor of the institution in the church of the female diaconate as understood as the third degree of holy orders.”
WORLD ABUJA, Nigeria (OSV News) – Church leaders in West Africa are pleading for the safe return of hundreds of children and teachers kidnapped from a Catholic school in central Nigeria. The Nov. 21 attack on St. Mary’s School in Papiri left the rural community reeling, with Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora describing widespread trauma and confusion. As of Nov. 26, 265 people – including 253 children – remained in captivity, while about 50 students who escaped have been reunited with their families. Local residents say entire families were taken, and at least one parent died from the shock of learning his young children were abducted. Nigeria’s government has launched a military search-and-rescue mission, and Pope Leo XIV used his Nov. 23 Angelus address to call for the hostages’ release – as well as for the release of kidnapped clergy in Cameroon. Church leaders there warn they may shut down parishes and schools if abductions continue. “The frequent kidnapping of our priests and mission personnel has pushed us to the wall and we say that this should stop with immediate effect,” a Nov. 23 press release signed by Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda said. “We think these people need to live in tranquility and peace,” he said.
By Lauretta Brown and Gina Christian INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV encouraged American youth in a unique digital discussion Nov. 21, telling them that they were not only the “future of the church,” but “the present,” saying “your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now.”
He spoke in response to questions from students in a 45-minute virtual dialogue at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis with an estimated crowd of 16,000 young people ages 14-18.
Katie Prejean McGrady, host of the “Katie McGrady Show” on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel, moderated the discussion at Lucas Oil Stadium in which Pope Leo fielded questions from five high school students: Mia Smothers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore; Ezequiel Ponce from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Christopher Pantelakis from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas; Micah Alcisto from the Diocese of Honolulu; and Elise Wing from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa.
Pope Leo XIV listens to a question from Christopher Pantelakis from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas during a meeting livestreamed from the Vatican with 16,000 young people gathered at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis Nov. 21, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
The questions touched on themes of technology use, artificial intelligence, forgiveness, hope and the church’s future. The students developed them in meetings with other students and organizers and they were sent to the pope in advance.
Elise Wing, who had asked the Holy Father about the future of the church, told reporters following the event that “walking up on that stage felt like history.” Wing said it was an honor that the pope “said our names,” and she found his response to her “personable and so profound.”
“He gave us so much hope for the future and for the church and the coming ages,” she said.
Ezequiel Ponce, who asked Pope Leo for advice about perseverance in prayer amid difficult times, said he thought the pope “gave an incredible answer” like “he was speaking directly to me.” He said he was sure the pope’s response “definitely resonated” with others.
The pope told Ponce, “Jesus does not just understand our struggles from a distance. He actually wants us to hand them to him, because he loves us. And that kind of trust starts when we have a real relationship.” The Holy Father encouraged Eucharistic adoration and daily prayer, saying Jesus “often speaks to us gently in stillness.”
“Scripture says that faithful friends are like a strong shelter and a treasure,” he added, “I hope you are forming friendships like that, even during this conference, friendships rooted in faith, rooted in love for Jesus; whether it is a trusted adult or close friend, it’s important to speak honestly about what you feel, what you think, what you experience.”
Pope Leo started things off light by responding to a comment from McGrady that she had given the pope a pair of socks some time ago and also wanted to know what he used as an opening word when he played Wordle each day.
“I just want to say I only wear white socks, and I use a different word for Wordle every day, so there’s no set starting word,” he said with a laugh. Pope Leo is well-known to be a fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team.
McGrady told reporters the pope’s digital encounter started off a moment of connection with young people right at the beginning “when he laughed right when we got started, and then just started to ease into his answers.” She saw that the pontiff was truly being a spiritual father in the encounter.
Caty Traub, a high school student attending the event from Our Lady of Grace Parish in the Diocese of Lafayette, told OSV News that it was “really cool” to see Pope Leo on the livestream and he answered “questions that I’d been holding in my heart.”
Lane Hull and Peyton Kauzlick, also high school students at the conference coming from Our Lady of Grace Parish in the Diocese of Lafayette, reflected on the historic nature of the moment. Kauzlick told OSV News that since a pope has never had this sort of digital encounter with U.S. teens, being among the first to witness it was “pretty neat.” Hull called the encounter “really humanizing” because “you see him a lot on the news, on social media but to actually get to interact with him, that was really special.”
Even students viewing the livestream hundreds of miles away told OSV News that the pope’s digital encounter with youth was “magical.”
That was the word Maddiana Telusma and Julia Gonçalves, both sophomores at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in Philadelphia, used to describe the event.
Fellow student Chelsea Sadowski, a senior at the school, said she was struck by Pope Leo’s emphasis on “building close friendships that are rooted in Jesus.”
Little Flower sophomore Sophia Clark also resonated with the pope’s insights on friendship admitting, “I had a really rocky road with friendships when I was younger … and it really touched me, what he said.” Cara Flaherty, a junior at Little Flower, pointed to Pope Leo’s reminder that “Jesus is close to the brokenhearted,” and that “even when you don’t feel him, he’s still there.”
Angela Pometto, director of the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, said the fact that the digital encounter happened said a lot about Pope Leo.
“It says that he knows the importance of investing in young people, even if it’s just the gift of his time. I’m sure his schedule in Rome is very full, but he made time to encounter the young people at NCYC in this way,” she said. “It was also beautiful how they included several young people in the process both in discerning what questions to ask the Holy Father and in asking the questions. In a very real way, that was a moment of allowing the young people to be protagonists who are playing a leading role in the story. That was a beautiful opportunity for those young people. In that process, I think that the pope is leading by example and as church leaders, we need to seek ways to make similar opportunities available to our young people.”
MADISON – Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz cuts the ribbon for Sister Clare Hogan Hall at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, marking the opening of the parish’s new facility. The building, which replaces the more than 40-year-old St. Anthony Hall, was constructed to provide additional space for the parish’s growing community and is a major milestone of the capital campaign launched in 2023. (Photo by St. Francis of Assisi Parish)
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Millions of Monicas – Praying with confidence for our children, each Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers and grandmothers as we pray for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: email millionsofmonicas@stjosephgluckstadt.com.
CANTON – Sacred Heart, Advent Penance Service, Monday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. Details: church office (601) 859-3749.
CLEVELAND – Our Lady of Victories, Advent Confessions, Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 4-6:30 p.m. Several priests will be available.
JACKSON – St. Richard, Ladies Retreat, Feb. 6-8, 2026 at Our Lady of Hope Retreat Center in Chatawa. Open to women age 21+. Cost: $300/person, includes accommodations and all meals. Deadline to register is Jan. 16. Details: email claudiaaddison@mac.com.
MERIDIAN – St. Patrick, Advent Penance Service, Monday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.
OXFORD – Diocesan Campus Ministry Winter Retreat “Radical Grace: Living the Gospel Upside Down,” Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church. Cost: $20 – Registration deadine is Jan. 23. Come and be renewed! Details: amelia.rizor@jacksondiocese.org.
PARISH & YOUTH EVENTS GREENVILLE – St. Joseph, Christmas Tree Sale, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.
GREENWOOD – St. Francis, Christmas Bingo Night, Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Fun for the whole family, with prizes, concessions and more. Details: church office (662) 453-0623.
JACKSON – Carmelite Monestary, during this holiday season, they are currently taking orders for their famous Rum Cakes and Brown Breads. To order yours, please call the Gift Shop at (601) 373-1460 during store hours (Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. When you pick up your order check out the wonderful gift shop. Details: www.jacksoncarmel.com or (601) 373-1460.
MADISON – St. Joseph School, Annual Draw Down, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Reunion Country Club. Details: school office (601) 898-4800.
OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Christmas Tree Sale, Monday through Friday 4-7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday 12-5 p.m. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.
PARISHES OF NORTHWEST MS – World Youth Day in South Korea, Aug. 3-7, 2027. Join the Priests of the Sacred Heart on an unforgettable pilgrimage that includes Mass with Pope Leo and so much more. For ages 16-23. Cost: $1,333 plus fundraising efforts. Application packets available in the parish office. Details: Contact Vickie at (662) 895-5007.
PEARL – St. Jude, Posadas, Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Details: church office (601) 939-3181.
EMPLOYMENT DIOCESE – The Diocese seeks a Facilities Manager to support parishes/schools. Oversees contract review, construction, and diocesan property/life-health-safety policies; manages maintenance and repairs for the Chancery and diocesan sites. Bachelor’s/associate degree in facilities or construction preferred; CFM preferred; 5+ years facilities/construction management required. Email résumé and cover letter to cathy.pendleton@jacksondiocese.org.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR POSITIONS – The Diocese seeks qualified, faith-filled leaders to serve as administrators in our Catholic schools. Positions available at St. Joseph School, Madison (Grades 7–12), St. Joseph School, Greenville (Grades PK3–12), and St. Elizabeth School, Clarksdale (Grades PK3–6). Applicants should be practicing Catholics with leadership experience, strong communication skills, and a commitment to Catholic education. For details, visit jacksondiocese.org/administrator-employment.
