By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
JACKSON – The Scripture readings for last Sunday featured the prayer of the young Solomon taking over the reins from his father David as Israel’s king. The task ahead of him was daunting and in his encounter with God in a dream he was inspired to pray humbly and honestly. “I pray that you grant me wisdom of heart so that I may know how to govern your people and distinguish between right and wrong. Without wisdom who would be able to govern rightly?“

In the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament, there is a corpus of literature that is categorized as Wisdom Literature. These fascinating books of the bible were written over hundreds of years in the post exilic era. The Book of Wisdom features a prayer attributed to Solomon that reveals his heart and mind and his dependency upon God, at least in the earlier years of his reign. “God of our fathers, wisdom resides with you and knows all your works, from creation to this moment. She knows what is pleasing to you and in accord with your commandments. Send forth this wisdom from on high where all is holy that she may be at my side in my labors so that I may know what is pleasing to you. May she guide me with prudence in all that I do that I may guide your people justly. For who knows God’s counsel, or who can conceive what the Lord intends? For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and uncertain our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthly vessel weighs down the mind with its many concerns. Who can know your counsel unless you give wisdom and send your holy spirit from on high?” (Chapter 9)

The wisdom of Solomon, anchored in prayer, is a path for all who are making decisions that affect the lives of others during these agonizing pandemic days. This includes just about everybody, our elected officials, all who are serving in health care, business owners on every front, educators and students, church leaders, and parents and caregivers who decide on behalf of their children. In the gospel passage last weekend we heard the words of the Lord at the conclusion of the section on the parables in Matthew’s Gospel. “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of the household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” (13:52-53)

We must go deeply into the storehouse of our faith and experience to call upon time tested wisdom to negotiate all that is new, spiritually, mentally and materially. The world has not seen such a pandemic in over 100 years, and these are unchartered waters where the next bend in the rapids might present unexpected risks. We walk by faith, indeed.

Wisdom, the cornerstone of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is not just about choosing wisely. The wisdom literature is vast, as is evident in the books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, Wisdom, the Psalms and the Song of Songs. The themes from these inspired works have their origin in life’s joys and sorrows, triumphs and tragedies, and in the reality of death. The book of Job wrestles with the agonizing question of suffering, especially when it afflicts an innocent person. Always a part of life, today we are witnessing widespread suffering and anxiety. For all disciples, the wisdom in the Book of Job finds its fulfillment in the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, and his resurrection from the dead. May all who are suffering exceedingly find renewed strength and hope in the God of our Lord Jesus Christ for this life and the next.

In last Sunday’s Gospel Jesus speaks about the pearl of great price and the treasure buried in a field. As St. Matthew constructed his Gospel he knew that he had found this pearl and treasure when the Lord looked at him with loving mercy and called him to abandon his way of life in order to proclaim a treasure hidden to him up until that moment. He who previously had oppressed his people with the ledger, now was providing light and hope with the living Word of God. In the midst of this world-wide crisis may the loving gaze of the Lord Jesus empower us to respond with wisdom and conviction to what life is serving us.

St. Paul gifted us with a pearl of great value and wisdom in the second reading from last Sunday. “All things work for good for those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) By God’s grace may we deepen our faith, hope and love during this time of crisis, an opportunity to value the things that truly matter.

Bishop calendar

Thursday, Aug. 6, 6 p.m. – Pro-Life Mississippi Banquet, Jackson
Saturday, Aug. 29-30 – Mission Appeal, Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Only public events are listed on this schedule and all events are subject to change. Please check with the local parish for further details.

By Most Reverend Louis F. Kihneman and Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
JACKSON – We join our voices to vehemently denounce racism, a plague among us. It is an evil and a force of destruction that eats away at the soul of our nation. Ultimately, it is a moral problem that requires a moral remedy — a transformation of the human heart — and compels us to act. “The evil of racism festers in part because in our nation there has been very limited formal acknowledgement of the harm done to so many, no moment of atonement, no national process of reconciliation and all too often a neglect of our history.” (Open Wide Our Hearts)

“Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love — a pastoral letter against racism” was officially endorsed in November, 2018 at the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Annual Conference in Baltimore. Following upon this near unanimous endorsement, the Cause for Canonization of Sister Thea Bowman, the granddaughter of slaves, the only African American member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, a woman who transcended racism to leave a lasting mark on Catholic life in the late 20th century, was introduced and overwhelmingly approved by the bishops. A prophetic document and a prophetic life combined to show our nation a better way, the path to greater justice and peace, whose beginning and end is the dignity of the human person.
As the church seeks to be a leaven in society for solidarity, liberty and justice for all, we must recognize our participation in the chains of racism. “Therefore, we the Catholic bishops of the United States acknowledge the many times when the church has failed to live as Christ taught, to love our brothers and sisters. Acts of racism have been committed by leaders and members of the Catholic church, by bishops, clergy, religious and laity, and her institutions. We express deep sorrow and regret for them.” (Open Wide Our Hearts)
Significant numbers of African Americans are born into economic and social disparity. We must recognize that generations of African Americans were disadvantaged by slavery, wage theft, “Jim Crow” laws, and the systematic denial of access to numerous wealth-building opportunities reserved for others. Racism can be institutional, when practices or traditions are upheld that treat certain groups of people unjustly. The cumulative effects of personal sins of racism have led to social structures of injustice and violence. (Open Wide Our Hearts)
The heartless killing of George Floyd sparked a national outcry against the tyranny of racism. The actions and inactions of the officers involved are symptomatic of a pattern that has reached critical mass and has exploded across our nation and beyond. That brutal assault violates the fundamental truth lamented in “Open Wide our Hearts” that all people are created in the image and likeness of God. When this truth is ignored, the consequence is prejudice and fear of the other, and all too often, hatred. In the Gospel of John 3:16 we hear the foundation of the Christian faith that “God so loved the world he sent his only Son.” Not surprisingly, in the first letter of John 3:15 we hear “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.”
Despite the great blessings of liberty that this country offers, especially our freedoms afforded in the First Amendment, which includes both the freedom of religion and to peaceful protest, we must admit the plain truth that for many of our fellow citizens, interactions with the police are often fraught with fear and even danger. At the same time, we reject harsh rhetoric that belittles and dehumanizes our law enforcement personnel as a whole, most of whom labor to keep our communities safe, and we condemn attacks against police and the rioting and violence taking place across our country.
Sister Thea addressed the toxic reality of racism on many occasions and spoke on behalf of her people. “When I was growing up, many of the old women who had undergone the ignominy of slavery were around, and they told us about slavery because we had to know about freedom. They told us about misery. The black woman has a task when the world says to her children, when the world says to her husband, when the world says to her mamma and to her, ‘there is something wrong with you. Your skin is too black. Your nose is too flat. Your hair is too nappy and too short. And you’re slow. And you’re ignorant. And you can’t learn like white folks. And you’re immoral.’ That’s what the racist society told us and told our children about themselves. The result was one of the great problems of the black community, the problem of low self-esteem, and it kills us.” (Mercy College of Detroit 1989). A poster at one of the peaceful protests in our nation illuminates this lament. “We said black lives matter. Never said: only black lives matter. We know: all lives matter. We just need your help … black lives are in danger.”
The enduring call to love is the heart of the matter and the antidote to this toxin. Love is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. For many in Mississippi who strive to live by the Word of God, we cannot ignore the prophets. “You have been told, o mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice, to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8), and from the prophet Amos, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)
Sister Thea’s life is a living legacy and testimony to the sacrifice and commitment of many in the Catholic Church for generations across Mississippi in the quest to overcome racism. Sister Thea was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, December 29, 1937, and grew up in Canton. Her mother was a teacher and her father was the only African American physician in Canton. Her parents sent her to Holy Child Jesus School. Thea was reared as a Protestant, until at age nine when she asked her parents if she could become Catholic. “I was drawn to examine and accept the Catholic faith because of the day-to-day witness of Catholic Christians who first loved me, then shared with me their story, their values, their beliefs; who first loved me, then invited me to share with them in community, prayer and mission. As a child I did not recognize evangelization at work in my life. I did recognize love, service, community, prayer and faith.” (The non-Catholic in the Catholic School)
Gifted with a brilliant mind, beautiful voice and a dynamic personality, Sister Thea shared the message of God’s love through a teaching career. After 16 years of teaching at the elementary, secondary school and university level, the bishop of Jackson, Mississippi invited her to become the consultant for intercultural awareness. In her role as consultant Sister Thea gave presentations across the country; lively gatherings that combined singing, gospel teaching, prayer and storytelling. Her programs were directed to break down racial and cultural barriers. She encouraged people to communicate with one another so that they could understand other cultures and races. In 1984, Sister Thea was diagnosed with breast cancer. She prayed ‘to live until I die.’ Her prayer was answered, and Sister Thea continued her gatherings seated on a wheel chair. In 1989, the U. S. Bishops invited her to be a key speaker at their conference on Black Catholics. At the end of the meeting, Sister Thea’s invitation, the bishops stood and sang “We Shall Overcome” with gusto. Sister Thea lived a full Life. She fought evil, especially prejudice, suspicion, hatred, and things that drive people apart. She fought for God and God’s people until her death in 1990. (Cause for Canonization)
As bishops in our time in Mississippi, we recommit ourselves to continue to liberate the Church from the evil of racism that severely compromises our mission to make disciples of all nations in the name of Jesus Christ. With the ordained priests and deacons, religious and laity in our diocese we pledge ourselves to strengthen our Catholic tradition to educate, to serve, and to empower all who are on the margins in our communities, especially those who are oppressed by the yoke of racism. We are not powerless and the witness of Sister Thea’s life is an icon of hope that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Por Obispo Most Reverend Louis F. Kihneman and Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Unimos nuestras voces para denunciar vehementemente al racismo, una plaga que existe entre nosotros. Es un mal y una fuerza destructiva que devora el alma de nuestra nación. Es definitivamente, un problema moral que requiere un remedio moral, una transformación del corazón humano, y nos obliga a actuar.

“El mal del racismo se agrava en parte porque en nuestra nación ha habido un reconocimiento formal muy limitado del daño hecho a tantas personas, ningún momento de expiación, ningún proceso nacional de reconciliación y, con demasiada frecuencia, un descuido de nuestra historia”, tal como se expresa en “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love” (Abramos nuestros corazones), una carta pastoral contra el racismo y que fue respaldada oficialmente en noviembre de 2018 en la Conferencia Anual de la Conferencia Católica de Obispos de los Estados Unidos en Baltimore.
Tras este respaldo casi unánime, la Causa de Canonización de la Hermana Thea Bowman, nieta de esclavos, la única afroamericana de las Hermanas Franciscanas de la Adoración Perpetua, una mujer que trascendió el racismo para dejar una marca duradera en la vida católica a finales del siglo XX fue introducida y abrumadoramente aprobada por los Obispos. Este es un documento y una vida proféticos combinados para mostrarle a nuestra nación un mejor camino, el camino hacia una mayor justicia y paz, cuyo principio y fin es la dignidad de la persona humana.
A medida que la Iglesia busca ser una levadura en la sociedad para la solidaridad, la libertad y la justicia para todos, debemos reconocer nuestra participación en las cadenas del racismo. “Por lo tanto, nosotros los obispos católicos de los Estados Unidos reconocemos las muchas veces que la Iglesia ha fallado en vivir como Cristo enseñó, en amar a nuestros hermanos y hermanas. Actos de racismo han sido cometidos por líderes y miembros de la Iglesia Católica, por obispos, clérigos, religiosos y laicos, y sus instituciones. Expresamos profundo pesar y arrepentimiento por ello. “ (Open Wide Our Hearts).
Un número significativo de afroamericanos nace en la disparidad económica y social. Debemos reconocer que generaciones de afroamericanos se vieron en desventaja por la esclavitud, el robo de salarios, las leyes “Jim Crow” y la sistemática negación al acceso de numerosas oportunidades de creación de riqueza reservadas para otros. El racismo puede ser institucional cuando las prácticas o tradiciones, injustamente, han mantenido ese trato con ciertos grupos de personas. Los efectos acumulativos de los pecados personales del racismo han llevado a estructuras sociales de injusticia y violencia. (Open Wide Our Hearts).
El despiadado asesinato de George Floyd desató una protesta nacional contra la tiranía del racismo. Las acciones e inacciones de los oficiales involucrados son sintomáticos de un patrón que ha alcanzado una masa crítica y ha explotado en toda nuestra nación y más allá. Este asalto brutal viola la verdad fundamental expresada en la carta Open Wide Our Hearts, que todas las personas son creadas a imagen y semejanza de Dios. Cuando esta verdad es ignorada, la consecuencia es el prejuicio y el miedo al otro, y con demasiada frecuencia, el odio. En el Evangelio de Juan 3:16 escuchamos el fundamento de la fe cristiana de que “Dios amó tanto al mundo que dio a su único Hijo”. No es sorpresa que en la primera carta de Juan 3:15 escuchemos que “todo el que odia a su hermano es un asesino.”
A pesar de las grandes bendiciones de libertad que ofrece este país, especialmente nuestras libertades otorgadas por la Primera Enmienda, y que incluyen tanto la libertad de religión como la protesta pacífica, debemos admitir la clara verdad que para muchos de nuestros conciudadanos, las interacciones con la policía a menudo están llenas de miedo e incluso de peligro. Al mismo tiempo, rechazamos la severa retórica que menosprecia y deshumaniza en su conjunto a nuestro personal encargado de aplicar la ley, la mayoría de los cuales trabajan para mantener a nuestras comunidades seguras, condenamos los ataques contra la policía, los disturbios y la violencia que tienen lugar en nuestro país.
La hermana Thea abordó la realidad tóxica del racismo en muchas ocasiones y habló en nombre de su pueblo. “Cuando iba creciendo, muchas de las ancianas que habían sufrido la ignominia de la esclavitud estaban todavía vivas y nos contaron sobre la esclavitud y porque teníamos que saber sobre la libertad. Nos contaron sobre la miseria. La mujer negra tiene una tarea cuando el mundo le dice a sus hijos, cuando el mundo le dice a su esposo, cuando el mundo le dice a su mamá y a ella: ‘hay algo mal contigo’; ‘Tu piel es muy negra’; ‘Tu nariz es demasiado plana’; ‘Tu cabello es demasiado enroscado y demasiado corto; ‘Y eres lento’; ‘eres ignorante’; ‘no puedes aprender como los blancos’; y ‘eres inmoral’. Eso es lo que la sociedad racista nos dijo y le contó a nuestros hijos sobre ellos mismos. El resultado fue uno de los grandes problemas de la comunidad negra, el problema de la baja autoestima, y que nos mata.” (Mercy College de Detroit, 1989).
Un cartel en una de las protestas pacíficas en nuestra nación ilumina este lamento. “Decimos que las vidas negras importan. Nunca digas: solo las vidas negras importan. Lo sabemos: todas las vidas importan. Solo necesitamos su ayuda … las vidas de los negros están en peligro.”
El llamado permanente al amor es el meollo del asunto y el antídoto para esta toxina. El amor es una fuerza extraordinaria que lleva a las personas a optar por un compromiso valiente y generoso en el campo de la justicia y la paz. Para muchos en Mississippi que nos esforzamos por vivir según la Palabra de Dios, no podemos ignorar a los profetas. “El Señor ya te ha dicho, oh hombre, en qué consiste lo bueno y qué es lo que él espera de ti: que hagas justicia, que seas fiel y leal y que obedezcas humildemente a tu Dios.” (Miqueas 6:8), y del profeta Amós, “Pero que fluya como agua la justicia y la honradez como un manantial inagotable.” (Amós 5:24)
La vida de la hermana Thea es un legado vivo y un testimonio del sacrificio y el compromiso de muchos en la Iglesia Católica por generaciones en todo Mississippi en la búsqueda para superar el racismo. La hermana Thea nació en la ciudad de Yazoo, Mississippi, el 29 de diciembre de 1937, y creció en Canton. Su madre fue maestra y su padre era el único médico afroamericano en Canton. Sus padres la enviaron a la escuela Holy Child Jesus. Thea fue criada como protestante, hasta los nueve años, cuando le preguntó a sus padres si podía convertirse en Católica. “Me atrajo examinar y aceptar la fe católica debido al testimonio diario de los cristianos católicos que primero me amaron, luego compartieron conmigo su historia, sus valores, sus creencias; quienes primero me amaron y luego me invitaron a compartir con ellos en comunidad, oración y misión. Cuando era niña, no reconocí la evangelización en el trabajo en mi vida. Reconocí el amor, el servicio, la comunidad, la oración y la fe.” (The non-Catholic in the Catholic School — El no Católico en la escuela Católica)
Dotada de una mente brillante, una voz hermosa y una dinámica personalidad, la hermana Thea compartió el mensaje del amor de Dios a través de su carrera docente. Después de 16 años de enseñanza en el nivel primario, secundario y universitario, el obispo de Jackson, Mississippi, la invitó a convertirse en consultora para la conciencia intercultural. En su rol de consultora, la hermana Thea hizo presentaciones en todo el país; reuniones animadas que las que combinaba canto, enseñanza del evangelio, oración y narración de historias. Sus programas estaban dirigidos a derribar las barreras raciales y culturales. Alentó a las personas a comunicarse entre sí para que pudieran entender otras culturas y razas. En 1984, la hermana Thea fue diagnosticada con cáncer de seno. Rezó “para vivir hasta que muera”. Su oración fue respondida y la hermana Thea continuó sus reuniones sentada, en una silla de ruedas. En 1989, los obispos de Estados Unidos la invitaron a ser una oradora clave en su conferencia sobre los negros católicos. Al final de la reunión, por invitación de la hermana Thea, los obispos se pusieron de pie y cantaron con entusiasmo “We Shall Overcome — Nosotros Venceremos”. La hermana Thea vivió una vida plena. Ella luchó contra el mal, especialmente los prejuicios, las sospechas, el odio y las cosas que separan a las personas. Ella luchó por Dios y el pueblo de Dios hasta su muerte en 1990. (Causa de canonización)
Como obispos, en nuestro tiempo en Mississippi, nos comprometemos a continuar liberando a la Iglesia del mal del racismo que compromete gravemente nuestra misión de hacer discípulos de todas las naciones en el nombre de Jesucristo. Con los sacerdotes y diáconos ordenados, religiosos y laicos en nuestra diócesis, nos comprometemos a fortalecer nuestra tradición católica para educar, servir y empoderar a todos los marginados de nuestras comunidades, especialmente aquellos que están oprimidos por el yugo del racismo. No somos impotentes y el testimonio de la vida de la Hermana Thea es un icono de esperanza que para los que aman a Dios, todas las cosas funcionan para bien, “Sabemos que Dios dispone todas las cosas para el bien de quienes lo aman, a los cuales él ha llamado de acuerdo con su propósito.” (Romanos 8:28)

In other words, how we pray establishes what
we believe and determines how we are to live.
Worship, belief and life are to be a seamless
garment, not a torn fabric.

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
“You are indeed holy, O Lord, and all you have created rightly gives you praise, for through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the power and working of the Holy Spirit, you give life to all things and make them holy, and you never cease to gather a people to yourself so that from the rising of the son to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.”

This splendid prayer of praise is the opening section of the third Eucharistic prayer which is overflowing with our beliefs, our worship, our posture before God’s marvelous creation and the solidarity among all nations and peoples. It truly is an amazing expression of who we are and whose we are as a people of faith.

On Pentecost Sunday last weekend, we proclaimed from God’s Word “the power and working of the Holy Spirit” to the 11 apostles, upon the 120 gathered in the upper room and in the church through manifold gifts, ministries and works. This weekend we proclaim the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our God of the alive in the handiwork of creation and in the design of salvation. All of our Eucharistic prayers at Mass are in thanksgiving for God’s creative and redeeming love “as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.”

“From the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name,” invites us to recall always that the Gospel has indeed gone out to all the nations, the promise of Pentecost, and the church is reborn and renewed each day around the world through this pure sacrifice of the Mass brought about “through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.” The feasts of Pentecost, the Most Holy Trinity, and Corpus Christi flow seamlessly from the same fountain of God’s mercy.

“Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi” is a fundamental truth regarding our relationship with God, one another and the world in which we live. The Latin phrase is literally translated, the law of praying, the law of believing, the law of living. In other words, how we pray establishes what we believe and determines how we are to live. Worship, belief and life are to be a seamless garment, not a torn fabric. As we cautiously respond to the pandemic in our public liturgical gatherings, let us not overlook what the opening section of the third Eucharistic prayer is proclaiming. “All you have created rightly gives you praise” and “you give life to all things and make them holy.”

On May 24, 2015 Pope Francis, following upon this first encyclical, Evangelii Guadium, The Joy of the Gospel, gave to the church and the world the gift of Laudato Si, in praise of creation and our responsibility to care for our common home.

By far, knocking out the pandemic is our most pressing world-wide challenge, but we must not lose sight of the urgent need to foster integral human development on behalf of the planet and the poor. From section ten in this amazing document, we get a glimpse into the passion of Pope Francis. “I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. He is the patron saint of all who study and work in the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non-Christians. He was particularly concerned with God’s creation and for the poor and the outcast. He loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, concern for the poor, commitment to society and interior peace.” On the fifth anniversary of this landmark encyclical may our worship inspire us to raise up God’s creation and the most vulnerable.

“From the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name,” is our commitment as a universal church to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all the nations. This mission must rest upon a profound respect for the dignity of all peoples, their culture, traditions and way of life. This vision must also be incarnated in our marvelous melting pot of a nation, our own United States who in the moment is plagued once again by our original sin of racism. Recently, (2018) the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a precious document entitled “Open Wide our Hearts – The Enduring Call to Love: A Pastoral Letter Against Racism.” The unrest, violence and destruction that currently rages across America demonstrates the sad relevance of this document. Just last week the USCCB issued a statement decrying the injustice of racially motivated violence against people of color in our nation. (This statement is included in this edition of the paper on page 6.) Liberty and justice for all is embedded in our nation’s founding vision.

Laudato Si and Open Wide our Hearts are well grounded in our identity as Catholics who embrace “lex orandi, lex creyendi et lex vivendi.” “You are indeed, holy, O Lord.”

From the feast of Pentecost I conclude with the ardent prayer of St. Augustine that we might make it our own for daily worship and living. “Breathe on me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may be holy. Act in me that my work also may be holy. Draw my heart that my love may be holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit that I may defend all that is holy. Guard me, O Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.”