Together in Faith: Reopening our churches

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

Current Liturgical Directives and allowances AS OF MAY 18
• The faithful are dispensed from the Sunday Obligation until further notice.
• Livestreamed Masses may ONLY be celebrated with no congregation present
• No public distribution of Holy Communion – such as drive-thru distribution in the parking lot.
• Sacraments and Rites that are allowed:
• Reconciliation – masks and social distancing of six feet required
• Baptism – must be Outside of Mass with 10 or less people present
• Matrimony – must be Outside of Mass with 10 or less people present
• Funerals – Graveside only with 10 or less peo- ple present
• RCIA Elect and Candidates may be received into the church in gatherings of 10 or less.
• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament may occur in the church with 10 or less present at one time. Masks and social distancing are required. Adora- tion may also be held in the parking lot if people remain in their cars and can maintain proper so- cial distancing.

General Directives BEGINNING MAY 30, 2020
• Bishop Kopacz will continue to dispense all the faithful from the Sunday Obligation to participate in Mass until further notice.
• The public celebration of Mass will begin on the Solemnity of the Feast of Pentecost at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.
• Home Masses: At this time, Masses may not be celebrated in private homes or properties of parishioners. This places everyone at risk.
• The sacraments and rites currently in place are continued with proper social distancing. (See above)
• First Holy Communion and Confirmation celebrations may begin August 1, 2020.
• Bishop Kopacz has delegated individual pastors to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation for the remainder of 2020.
• If a candidate will be moving away prior to August 1, pastors may confer the sacrament individually for this family in the church.
• Social distancing will be kept in accord with the state and local health recommendations and local ordinances.
• Each parish and mission should have a plan in place by May 25, for re-opening that includes seating map, training of ushers and hospitality ministers in the plan, a method for parishioners to sign up for Mass, and a communique sent to parishioners explaining the plan.
• Parish Mass schedules may be expanded to accommodate the faithful but taking great care not to spiritually bankrupt clergy with too many celebrations – a maximum of two vigils on Saturday evening and four masses on Sunday.
• Choir and Ensemble singing and practices are suspended until further notice.
• Livestreaming of Mass may continue. Additionally, livestreaming to overflow crowds in parish centers or gyms on parish campuses though not ideal for participation will be allowed during this time.
• These directives may not encompass every minute detail. The overriding maxim is: use common sense. According to health officials, this virus will linger in our communities for longer than we can project. Stay safe and be vigilant!

THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST & COMMUNION RITE
• The gifts of bread and wine should be brought to the altar from the credence table in the sanctuary. There is no offertory procession involving congregation members.
• For the offertory, baskets will not be passed in the pews. An offertory station can be used, run by the ushers. Baskets should be sanitized before and after Mass.
• Exchanging the sign of peace should not involve physical contact.
• Distribution of the Precious Blood continues to be suspended.
• Distribution of Holy Communion will be in the hand. Distribution on the tongue is suspended. Medical personnel have emphasized that saliva is one of the worst fluids for transmission.
• Preferably, younger priests and/or younger Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in good health should distribute communion.
• The use of gloves to distribute Holy Communion is no more effective than distributing with the bare hand. Indeed, gloves would have to be changed for each communicant. Use of tongs or other instruments would, likewise, come into contact with each communicant’s hands.
• The Communion Rite is an essential and unmovable element of the Order of Mass. It is not to be celebrated after Mass.
• Masses may not be celebrated in private homes or properties of parishioners.

Safety and Hygiene: The Duty of Every Individual
• Those who are sick or symptomatic should stay home! This includes clergy!
• Vulnerable individuals, those 65 and older or with underlying health conditions, should continue to shelter in place. Families with vulnerable individuals are encouraged to continue to take special precautions.
• We would like for parents to consider the vulnerability of infants, toddlers and small children during this time, considering not bringing them to Mass or to perhaps bring them to a Mass during the week that is less attended rather than one of the busier weekend Masses.
• Wash hands at home and use hand sanitizer upon entering the church.
• Face masks are mandated for all assembly members over the age of two.
• Pastors must use face masks in proximity to parishioners, especially during the distribution of communion.
• Pastors and LEMs should make every effort to clearly communicate good hygienic practices and liturgical alterations to their parishioners prior to May 30, in light of continuing public health concerns.

Walking by faith

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

Yet, decisions must be made each day, in the church and in the world, to uphold our way of life and cherished traditions, and at the same time to protect the common good.

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
Over the next nine days the church throughout the world prepares in various ways to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the culmination of the paschal mystery, the Lord Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.

Like the headwaters of mighty rivers which seem so modest at their point of origin, but in short order cascade into awesome currents of life giving waters, so too the Pentecost experience, modest in scope, 120 gathered in the sacred space of the Upper Room, swelled into saving rivers of grace that continue to empower the church and enliven many in our world. In both instances, consider the far-reaching impact of the Mississippi River and of the universal catholic church.

The Holy Spirit of God, the mind and heart of Jesus Christ, is at one and the same time obvious with the plan of salvation yet shrouded in mystery. We have the advantage of nearly 2,000 years of history to observe what the Lord wants for his people, and what he does not want. Yet, in the present moment we often see things dimly as in a mirror, recalling Jesus’ words that: “The wind blows where it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from, or where it is going, so it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

In the past two and a half months we have called upon the Holy Spirit often to make the right decisions regarding our response to COVID-19. Like the wind, we are not certain where this destructive force came from, nor where it is going, or where it will carry us. Yet, decisions must be made each day, in the church and in the world, to uphold our way of life and cherished traditions, and at the same time to protect the common good. This requires the wisdom of Solomon, so to speak, or far more all-embracing, the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The celebration of Confirmation throughout our diocese has been delayed but the gifts of the Holy Spirit are at our disposal: knowledge, understanding, wisdom, right judgement, courage, piety and fear of the Lord. In our diocese, with these gifts as our guiding principles we have taken steps to avail the faithful of the gifts of the sacraments, most notably the Eucharist via live-streaming, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Clusters of ten or less also have gathered in prayer for grave-side services, baptism, marriage and the R.C.I.A.

With much care, we decided to resume the public celebration of Mass in our churches on Pentecost weekend. This timeframe allows for ample time to prepare parish leadership to welcome smaller congregations in order to abide by the recognized ways to contain the virus.

The packet of directives and guidelines is widely disseminated for parish and diocesan leadership to be implemented and adapted to each parish based on seating capacity and the makeup of the congregation.

In the gospel passage last weekend from John, Jesus was preparing his disciples for his withdrawal from their lives, while assuring them that they will not be left powerless, like orphans. He sought to relieve their anxieties with the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit, fortified them with the gift of peace, and promised them at the Ascension that he would be with them always until the end of time.

Walking by faith, still rattled by doubt and anxiety, they were obedient to the Lord’s instruction to return to Jerusalem and wait in prayer to be clothed with power from on high, the Holy Spirit.

Every generation of Christians, including and especially ourselves in the midst of a once in a century pandemic, can be rattled by doubt and anxiety in our attempts to reconcile God’s promises with the shadows and darkness in our lives and in our world. We do not take these matters lightly.

Before the reception of communion at each Mass, the priest ardently prays: “Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our day, so that by the help of your mercy we may be free from sin and protected from all anxiety as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
There is a growing sense that the pandemic will compel us to run a marathon in the time ahead. In which case, along with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we will also need “the fruit of the Spirit to be centered in God and a blessing for one another: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

As we look forward to the resumption of the public celebration of Mass on Pentecost, may the Holy Spirit of God illuminate us to sanctify Jesus Christ in our hearts, (1Peter 3:15) to continue to serve one another and the common good of all, and, in all instances, to give God the glory.

The Good Shepherd is with us

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

We celebrated the consecration and turned to the
Good Shepherd in the heart of the Easter season, to hear the voice of the one who laid down his life for us, who knows each of us by name, our fears and dreams, our struggles and hopes, and wants to hear our voices
in prayer and in concern for one another.

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
On Friday, May 1, the Diocese of Jackson in solidarity with all Catholic dioceses in the United States and in Canada renewed the consecration of the United States to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The following statement of faith and hope along with the opening prayer unfolds the tradition of the centrality of the Blessed Mother’s singular vocation whom all generations will call blessed. “When our Risen Lord appeared to his disciples on Easter Sunday he said: ‘Peace be with you.’ We can be confident that he desires this same peace for all the members of his body, the church, and for the people of the entire world. In this difficult time, we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace, to ask that she intercede with her Son for all those who are affected in any way by this pandemic. As we renew the consecration of our country and of ourselves to the Mother of the God, we implore her maternal care for her children.
Let us pray.
“O God, Father of mercies, whose Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, to be our Mother also, grant, we pray, that with her loving help your Church may be more fruitful day by day and, exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (John 19:26-27)
Mary’s identity as the Mother of the Church was sealed on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon her once again, along with the other 119 disciples at the church’s inception. (Luke 2)
Earlier in the Gospel of John she was present at the wedding of Cana, the site of her son’s first sign or miracle, where he changed the water into wine. In that moment she was a witness for all who want to be disciples when she said to the waiters, “do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5) These words link the prayer of consecration with Good Shepherd Sunday and the call to hear the voice of the Lord, and to do whatever he tells us. Not as an escape from reality, which is very complicated at this time, but as an invitation to know that God is with us always.
We celebrated the consecration and turned to the Good Shepherd in the heart of the Easter season, to hear the voice of the one who laid down his life for us, who knows each of us by name, our fears and dreams, our struggles and hopes, and wants to hear our voices in prayer and in concern for one another.
The 23rd Psalm, our responsorial Psalm of the day, is a beacon of courage and hope. “Although we walk through a dark valley, we fear no evil, because you are at our side with your rod and your staff that give us courage.” God never abandons the flock. We know this in Jesus Christ whose suffering and death and resurrection are a healing balm for our suffering and the promise of life in abundance. “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” (Romans 8:39)
We possess abundant treasures in the storehouse of faith. The grace of God already has led us to the restful and renewing waters of Baptism, to the anointing of our heads and hearts with holy oils, and to the Eucharistic table, filled with life and love in abundance. The Good Shepherd is at our side, in our homes, in all the spaces we carefully navigate. It is true that the borders and edges of our reality are blurred, and life and death are locked in mortal combat for all to see, too close for comfort. Yet, out of darkness and the shadow of death the voice of the Good Shepherd is not silent. May our shelter-in-place and safety at home provide for us a channel to hear his voice and follow his paths. We must drink deeper of the waters of our faith in creative in life-giving ways. It is true that we are scattered and sacramentally separated from the flock, the Body of Christ, the green pastures of our spiritual lives, but the grace and love of the Shepherd remain a living fountain that does not run dry, and already flows upward to eternal life.
We all yearn for the day when we can feast directly at the table of plenty, the Eucharistic banquet, the body and blood, soul and divinity of the Good Shepherd. The time is drawing nearer when we will hear the voices of the communion ritual: “The Body of Christ” and “Amen.” Afterall, Holy Communion with the Lord and with one another is what the Good Shepherd desires for us. But while we wait in joyful hope, let us not waste time fretting over what we are lacking, but rather, celebrating all that we have in abundance in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. With our Blessed Mother, may our souls also proclaim the greatness of God and rejoice in God our Savior. (Luke 1:45-46) This is our faith and we are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

El Buen Pastor esta con nosotros

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Tereza Ma

Celebramos la consagración y recurrimos
al Buen Pastor en el corazón de la temporada
de Pascua, para escuchar la voz de quien dio su vida
por nosotros, que nos conoce por nuestro nombre,
nuestros miedos y sueños, nuestras luchas y esperanzas
y quiere escuchar nuestras voces en oración y
preocupación por los demás.

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
El viernes primero de mayo, la Diócesis de Jackson, en solidaridad con todas las diócesis católicas de los Estados Unidos y en Canadá, renovó la consagración de los Estados Unidos a la Bienaventurada Virgen María. La siguiente declaración de fe y esperanza junto con la oración de apertura revela la tradición de la centralidad de la vocación singular de la Santísima Madre, a la que todas las generaciones llamarán bendita. “Cuando nuestro Señor resucitado se apareció a sus discípulos el domingo de Pascua, dijo: ‘La paz sea con ustedes’. Podemos estar seguros que Él desea esta misma paz para todos los miembros de su cuerpo, la iglesia y para la gente de todo el mundo. En este momento difícil, nos volvemos a la Santísima Virgen María, Madre de la Iglesia y Reina de la Paz, para pedirle a ella que interceda con su Hijo por todos aquellos que se vean afectados de alguna manera por esta pandemia. Al renovar la consagración de nuestro país y de nosotros mismos a la Madre de Dios, le imploramos a ella por su cuidado maternal para con todos sus hijos.”
Rezamos:
“Oh Dios, Padre de misericordia, cuyo Hijo Unigénito, mientras colgaba de la Cruz, eligió a la Santísima Virgen María, su Madre, para ser también nuestra Madre, concédenos, te rogamos que, con su amorosa ayuda, tu Iglesia pueda ser más fructífera día a día, exultando la santidad de sus hijos, que ella pueda atraer a su abrazo a todas las familias de los pueblos. Te lo pedimos a través de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, tu Hijo, que vive y reina contigo en la unidad del Espíritu Santo, un solo Dios, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.” (Juan 19:26-27)
La identidad de María como la Madre de la Iglesia fue sellada el día de Pentecostés cuando el Espíritu Santo descendió sobre ella una vez más, junto con los otros 119 discípulos en el inicio de la iglesia. (Lucas 2).
Anteriormente en el Evangelio de Juan, ella estuvo presente en la boda de Cana, el sitio del primer signo o milagro de su hijo, donde cambió el agua en vino. En ese momento, ella fue testigo de todos los que quieren ser discípulos cuando les dijo a los camareros, “hagan lo que él les diga”. (Juan 2:5) Estas palabras vinculan la oración de consagración con el Domingo del Buen Pastor y el llamado a escuchar la voz del Señor y hacer lo que nos diga, no como un escape de la realidad, que es muy complicado en este momento, sino como una invitación a saber que Dios está con nosotros siempre.
Celebramos la consagración y recurrimos al Buen Pastor en el corazón de la temporada de Pascua, para escuchar la voz de quien dio su vida por nosotros, que nos conoce por nuestro nombre, nuestros miedos y sueños, nuestras luchas y esperanzas y quiere escuchar nuestras voces en oración y preocupación por los demás.
El Salmo 23, nuestro Salmo responsorial del día, es un faro de coraje y esperanza, “Aunque pase por el más oscuro de los valles, no temeré peligro alguno, porque tú, Señor, estás conmigo; tu vara y tu bastón me inspiran confianza.” Dios nunca abandona el rebaño. Sabemos esto en Jesucristo, cuyo sufrimiento, muerte y resurrección son un bálsamo curativo para nuestro sufrimiento y la promesa de vida en abundancia. “ ¡Nada podrá separarnos del amor que Dios nos ha mostrado en Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor!” (Romanos 8:39)
Poseemos abundantes tesoros en el almacén de la fe. La gracia de Dios ya nos ha guiado a las aguas tranquilas y renovadoras del Bautismo, a la unción de nuestras cabezas y corazones con aceites sagrados, y a la mesa eucarística, llena de vida y amor en abundancia. El Buen Pastor está a nuestro lado, en nuestros hogares, en todos los espacios que navegamos cuidadosamente. Es cierto que las fronteras y los bordes de nuestra realidad están borrosos, y la vida y la muerte están encerradas en un combate mortal para que todos las vean, demasiado cerca, para su comodidad. Sin embargo, desde la oscuridad y la sombra de la muerte, la voz del Buen Pastor no es silenciosa.
Que nuestro refugio en el lugar y la seguridad en el hogar nos brinden un canal para escuchar su voz y seguir sus caminos. Debemos beber de las aguas más profundas de nuestra fe en formas creativas y vivificantes. Es cierto que estamos dispersos y sacramentalmente separados del rebaño, el Cuerpo de Cristo, los verdes pastos de nuestra vida espiritual, pero la gracia y el amor del Pastor siguen siendo una fuente viva que no se seca, y que ya fluye hacia arriba en busca de la vida eterna.
Todos anhelamos el día en que podamos deleitarnos directamente en la mesa de la abundancia, el banquete eucarístico, el cuerpo y la sangre, el alma y la divinidad del Buen Pastor. Se acerca el momento en que escucharemos las voces del ritual de comunión: “El cuerpo de Cristo” y “Amén”. Después de todo, la Sagrada Comunión con el Señor y con los demás es lo que el Buen Pastor desea para nosotros. Pero mientras esperamos con gozosa esperanza, no perdamos el tiempo preocupándonos por lo que nos falta, sino celebrando todo lo que tenemos en abundancia en Jesucristo, el Buen Pastor. Con nuestra Santísima Madre, que nuestras almas también proclamen la grandeza de Dios y se regocijen en Dios nuestro Salvador. (Lucas 1:45-46) Esta es nuestra fe y estamos orgullosos de profesarla en Cristo Jesús, nuestro Señor.

God’s word: a call to us all

Posted on February 4, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

If God’s word could land on the fertile soil of
our hearts and minds it would produce a
harvest of thirty, sixty and a hundredfold.

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
This weekend marks the first annual celebration of Sunday of the Word of God which will land every year on the third Sunday in Ordinary shortly after the conclusion of the Christmas season. There is not another Christian denomination that proclaims the Word of God as faithfully and comprehensively as does the Catholic Church, 365 days per year. Make that 366 days in 2020.

At the Saturday Vigil Masses and throughout the day on Sunday the People of God in the Catholic Church throughout the world hear four distinct scripture readings based on a three year cycle, two from the Old Testament, including a Psalm response, and two from the New Testament, culminating with a passage from one of the four gospels. If God’s word could land on the fertile soil of our hearts and minds it would produce a harvest of thirty, sixty and a hundredfold. The following scripture passages reveal God’s call and promises and the urgency to respond that goes out to the ends of the earth to all of the Lord’s disciples.

Solid foundation: “Everyone who listens to my words and acts on them will be like the wise who built their houses on rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Jesus and his family: “Jesus was told, your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you. He said to them in reply in reply, my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” (Luke 8:20-21)

Lasting wealth: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16)

Power: “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, even able to discern thoughts and reflections of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

Constant recourse to Sacred Scripture: “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” (2Timothy 3:16)

Promise, understanding and enlightenment: “How sweet to my tongue is your promise, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I gain understanding; therefore, I hate all false ways. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.” (Psalm 119: 103-105)

The storehouse of grace: “Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (Matthew 13:52)

Indeed, the word of God is a lamp and a light for all that the Church believes, teaches and lives in every generation. The power underlying Martin Luther King’s prophetic call and action to the point of shedding his blood originated with the Old Testament prophets and surged throughout this land like Jesus announcing the Kingdom of God and the call to repentance. A sampling of the prophets follows.
Justice: God said, “I hate, I despise your feasts; I take no pleasure in your solemnities. Rather, let justice surge like waters, and righteousness like an unfailing stream.” (Amos 5:21-24)

Justice—Goodness—Humility: “You have been told, o mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: only to do justice and love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Let us set things right: “Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wrongs; hear the orphans plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right.” (Isaiah 1:16-18)

The Kingdom of Heaven: “For the kingdom of heaven is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

This week marks the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision, Roe v. Wade, that has made a wasteland of unborn life. The word of God, on the other hand, exalts the beauty of unborn life as the foundational reality for all stages of human life.

The elegance of creation: “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. My bones are not hidden from you when I was being make in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:13-15)

The Call of Isaiah: “Before birth the Lord called me, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He said to me: You are my servant; in you I show my glory … Though I thought I had toiled in vain, for nothing and for naught spent my strength. Yet my right is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God.” (Isaiah 49:1, 3-4)

The Call of Jeremiah: “The word of the Lord came to me: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jeremiah 1:4-6)
John the Baptist encounters Jesus: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment that the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leapt for joy.” (Luke 1:41-44)

Indeed, the word of God, the Bible, is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path, both in our personal lives and in our quest for the Kingdom of God in this world. With the right to life of the unborn as the foundational life issue, we embrace the entire drama of the human condition from beginning to end. May our love for what is just, true and good find their origin in God’s holy word and proceeding through nearly 2000 years of our Church’s tradition, may we embrace our vision for life as a good scribble in the Kingdom of Heaven who can take from the storehouse of treasures both the old and the new. We give thanks for all who labor in our generation for a world on behalf of life, justice and peace.

Reflections on life and death

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

In recent years, in quiet moments of reflection, Uncle Joe, like Simeon, righteous and devout, expressed his gratitude for many blessings and his love for all in his life. Indeed, God allowed his servant to go in peace on the morning of the feast of the Holy Family …

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
During the morning of the Feast of the Holy Family, Dec. 29, 2019, in the heart of the Christmas season, my Uncle Joe Calomino peacefully died at the age of 96 on his birthday. I was blessed to be on my annual holiday to the Northeast to be with family at this noteworthy moment when the curtain fell on the last member of that generation, respectfully referred to as the greatest.

There were nine siblings on my mother’s side and seven on my father’s. My Uncle Emil died this past summer at the age of 94 and he and Uncle Joe braved stormy winter weather on Feb. 6, 2014 to be present at my ordination and installation as the 11th Bishop of Jackson. Both lived lives of loving service that were deeply rooted in faith in the Lord Jesus and love for him in the Eucharist. Daily Mass, with the rosary beforehand, was the bedrock of Uncle Joe’s day, providing his daily bread and inspiring him to hold fast to our ultimate goal of having communion with Jesus Christ forever. A stroll down memory lane provides the background for why our family celebrated his funeral with joy and pride and a small measure of sadness, a life well lived.

Uncle Joe was born in 1923 and graduated from high school in 1942 as World War II raged. Immediately, he enlisted in the Army and was sent to southern England to be part of the effort that would crest with the invasion of Normandy. There were six brothers in this branch of the Calomino clan and five of them served in WWII. The sixth was heartbroken when he was not able to enlist because of disqualifying physical impairments. Families and the nation were overwhelmingly of one heart and one mind in the 1940s in defense of our allies and freedom, perhaps for the only time in our history.

Afterwards, like countless others, Uncle Joe returned home to marry and build a life with his beloved Angeline, Aunt Lena, a marriage of 62 years that ended when she died in 2009. They were not blessed with children, but the extended family would have had a gaping hole without their loving presence. At the funeral we were unable to count how many godchildren they had together, perhaps a dozen or more.

After his retirement at the age of 65 as a warehouseman for food distributors, he began volunteering at the food stand at the local playground association, serving baseball and soccer players and their families until this past October when the season ended. Over the course of this extraordinary life, he was a blessing for family, for neighbors, for the church, for the community and for the nation.

Reflecting upon his life and death, I am drawn to the figures of Simeon and Anna who were the venerable ones featured in the Infancy narrative of Saint Luke’s Gospel during the Presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple by Joseph and Mary. Their lives were a testimony to faith and hope, faithfully waiting for and actively praying for the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah. There would be a gaping hole in the Christmas story if not for these elders who were there to encourage and spiritually support Mary and Joseph in God’s plan of salvation for them and for all the nations.

Recall these inspired words in Saint Luke’s Gospel. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. … When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God saying: Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)

In recent years, in quiet moments of reflection, Uncle Joe, like Simeon, righteous and devout, expressed his gratitude for many blessings and his love for all in his life. Indeed, God allowed his servant to go in peace on the morning of the feast of the Holy Family when he was born into eternal life.

This weekend is the culmination of the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord Jesus in the Jordan River at the hands of John the Baptist. Through faith and baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ and the family of God, adopted children, no longer slaves to sin, but heirs to eternal life.

We are God’s children, sisters and brothers of the Lord Jesus, and Temples of the Holy Spirit. May we not receive the gift of God in vain, squandering our inheritance on the vanities of life. Instead we are invited to make our lives something beautiful for God. May we be inspired by others in our lives, in every generation, who daily respond to God’s call with wisdom, knowledge and grace.

Requiescat in pace, Uncle Joe, as you join the Cloud of Witnesses who encourage us to fight the good fight, stay the course, and finish the race in eternal life. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Reflexiones sobre la vida y la muerte

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Tereza Ma

En los últimos años, en momentos tranquilos de reflexión, el tío Joe, como Simeón, justo y devoto, expresó su gratitud por muchas bendiciones y su amor por todos en su vida. De hecho, Dios permitió a su siervo ir en paz en la mañana de la fiesta de la Sagrada Familia …

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Durante la mañana de la Fiesta de la Sagrada Familia, el 29 de diciembre de 2019, en el corazón de la temporada navideña, mi tío Joe Calomino murió pacíficamente, en su cumpleaños, a la edad de 96 años. Tuve la bendición de estar, en mis vacaciones anuales al noreste, con la familia en este momento notable cuando cayó el telón sobre el último miembro de esa generación, respetuosamente llamada “la más grande.”
Fueron nueve hermanos del lado de mi madre y siete del lado de mi padre. Mi tío Emil murió el verano pasado a la edad de 94 años y él y el tío Joe desafiaron el tormentoso clima invernal del 6 de febrero de 2014 para estar presente en mi ordenación e instalación como el onceavo Obispo de Jackson. Ambos vivieron vidas de servicio amoroso profundamente arraigadas en la fe en el Señor Jesús y en el amor por él en la Eucaristía. La misa diaria, con el rosario de antemano, fue la piedra angular del día del tío Joe, su pan de cada día y que lo inspiró a aferrarse a nuestro objetivo final de tener comunión con Jesucristo para siempre. Un paseo por el carril de la memoria proporciona los antecedentes de por qué nuestra familia celebró su funeral con alegría, orgullo y un poco de tristeza por una vida bien vivida.
El tío Joe nació en 1923 y se graduó de la escuela secundaria en 1942 cuando se desataba la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Inmediatamente, se alistó en el ejército y fue enviado al sur de Inglaterra para ser parte del esfuerzo que se alzaría con la invasión de Normandía. Eran seis hermanos, en esta rama del clan Calomino, y cinco de ellos sirvieron en la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El sexto estubo desconsolado cuando no pudo alistarse debido a discapacidades físicas descalificantes. Las familias y la nación estuvieron abrumados, en un corazón y una mente, en la década de 1940 en defensa de nuestros aliados y la libertad, tal vez por única vez en nuestra historia.
Después, como muchos otros, el tío Joe regresó a casa para casarse y construir una vida con su amada Angeline, la tía Lena, un matrimonio de 62 años que terminó cuando ella murió en 2009. No fueron bendecidos con hijos, pero la extensa familia habría tenía un gran agujero sin su presencia amorosa. En el funeral, no pudimos contar cuántos ahijados estuvieron juntos, tal vez una docena o más. Después de su retiro a la edad de 65 años, como almacenista de distribuidores de alimentos, comenzó a ofrecerse como voluntario en el puesto de alimentos de la asociación local de juegos, sirviendo a los jugadores de béisbol y fútbol y a sus familias hasta el pasado octubre, cuando terminó la temporada. En el transcurso de esta vida extraordinaria, fue una bendición para la familia, los vecinos, la iglesia, la comunidad y la nación.
Al reflexionar sobre su vida y muerte, me recuerda a Simeón y Anna, que fueron las figuras venerables que aparecen en la narración de la infancia del Evangelio de San Lucas durante la presentación del niño Jesús en el Templo por José y María. Sus vidas fueron un testimonio de fe y esperanza, esperando fielmente y orando activamente por el cumplimiento de la promesa del Mesías. Habría un gran vacío en la historia de Navidad si no fuera por estos ancianos que estaban allí para alentar y apoyar espiritualmente a María y José en el plan de salvación de Dios, para ellos y para todas las naciones.
Recordemos estas palabras inspiradas en el Evangelio de San Lucas. “En aquel tiempo vivía en Jerusalén un hombre que se llamaba Simeón. Era un hombre justo y piadoso, que esperaba la restauración de Israel. El Espíritu Santo estaba con Simeón, y le había hecho saber que no moriría sin ver antes al Mesías, a quien el Señor enviaría. Guiado por el Espíritu Santo, Simeón fue al templo; y cuando los padres del niño Jesús lo llevaron también a él, para cumplir con lo que la ley ordenaba, Simeón lo tomó en brazos y alabó a Dios, diciendo: «Ahora, Señor, tu promesa está cumplida: puedes dejar que tu siervo muera en paz. Porque ya he visto la salvación que has comenzado a realizar a la vista de todos los pueblos, la luz que alumbrará a las naciones y que será la gloria de tu pueblo Israel.» (Lucas 2: 25-32)
En los últimos años, en momentos tranquilos de reflexión, el tío Joe, como Simeón, justo y devoto, expresó su gratitud por las muchas bendiciones y su amor por todos en su vida. De hecho, Dios permitió a su siervo ir en paz en la mañana de la fiesta de la Sagrada Familia, cuando nació en la vida eterna.
Este fin de semana es la culminación de la temporada navideña con el Bautismo del Señor Jesús en el río Jordán a manos de Juan el Bautista. A través de la fe y el bautismo, nos convertimos en miembros del Cuerpo de Cristo y la familia de Dios, hijos adoptados, ya no esclavos del pecado, más bien herederos de la vida eterna.
Somos los hijos de Dios, hermanas y hermanos del Señor Jesús, y Templos del Espíritu Santo. Que no recibamos el don de Dios en vano, derrochando nuestra herencia en las vanidades de la vida. En cambio, estamos invitados a hacer de nuestras vidas algo hermoso para Dios. Que seamos inspirados por otros en nuestras vidas, en cada generación, que responden diariamente al llamado de Dios con sabiduría, conocimiento y gracia.
Requiescat in pace, tío Joe, mientras te unes a la Nube de Testigos que nos alienta a “pelear la buena batalla, mantenernos fiel y terminar la carrera” en la vida eterna. (2 Timoteo 4: 7)

Que haya luz

Posted on January 9, 2020 by Tereza Ma

Queridos amigos en Cristo:

Escribo la revisión del año, después de haber celebrado esta semana tres Misas y fiestas en honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Su día de fiesta, el 12 de diciembre, es muy cercano y querido para mí, porque en este día, hace seis años me anunciaron como el 11º Obispo de la Diócesis de Jackson.

¡Gracias a Dios! El 2019 ha sido rico en ministerio y bendiciones que han superado con creces las cargas y luchas de nuestros tiempos. A lo largo de la diócesis, muchos trabajan en nombre del Señor para servir a los demás, inspirar discípulos y abrazar la diversidad, que es nuestra declaración de visión diocesana. Diariamente inspiramos desde nuestros púlpitos y por el testimonio de nuestras vidas; servimos en nuestras escuelas, a través de Caridades Católicas y en nuestras parroquias; adoptamos la diversidad, agitada por el imperativo evangélico de reunir a las personas como contrapeso a la polarización que se dispersa en nuestro país.

Pope Francis greets Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, Miss., during a meeting with U.S. bishops from Regions IV and V making their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican, Dec. 3, 2019. The regions include the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

La misión de la Iglesia fue evidente después de las redadas de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) en agosto, en varias comunidades de nuestra diócesis. La generosidad llegó de todo el país, y las agencias de todo Mississippi confiaron a Caridades Católicas la misión de ayudar a las familias que fueron devastadas por las redadas. Finalmente, tan importante como cualquier ministerio, nos mantenemos atentos para proporcionar un ambiente seguro para nuestros niños y jóvenes, y nos mantenemos firmes en nuestro compromiso de ayudar a aquellos afectados por el abuso sexual.

2019 también tuvo oportunidades distintivas para viajar al extranjero, por así decirlo.

En febrero, emprendí una visita pastoral a la India durante dos semanas. ¿Por qué, podrías preguntar? Trece, de nuestros 70-75 sacerdotes activos que sirven en la Diócesis de Jackson, son de la India. Trate de imaginar un país del tamaño del nuestro con mil millones de personas más. Fue intenso e inspirador.

En julio, nuestra diócesis marcó el 50 aniversario de nuestra misión en Saltillo, México. Fue festivo y alegre estar con la gente del noreste de México para este hito, una solidaridad en Jesucristo que ha sido mutuamente enriquecedora para muchos en el último medio siglo.

En diciembre, yo y los obispos de nuestra región, fuimos a Roma durante una semana en lo que se llama Ad Limina Apostolorum, una peregrinación requerida para cada obispo de todo el mundo cada 5-7 años, para renovar nuestra unidad con la Iglesia y con el sucesor de Pedro. Después de visitar las tumbas de San Pedro y San Pablo, 40 obispos se reunieron con el Papa Francisco durante 2 horas y media de diálogo. Esto fue estimulante y edificante. ¡Nuestra Iglesia Católica es verdaderamente mundial!

En medio de todo lo que la vida nos envía, que siempre seamos conscientes de que la Luz del Mundo brilla en la oscuridad, llena de gracia y verdad, y que la oscuridad no puede vencerlo a Él.

¡Ven Señor Jesús! ¡Feliz Navidad! ¡La Paz de Dios!

                                          +Obispo Joseph Kopaz

P.D. Amigo, mi querido perro labrador, está envejeciendo, con casi 13 años, pero aún móvil, una vez que se mueve, y le aseguró a usted que 20 horas de descanso y sueño por día es lo que prescribe el veterinario.

Let there be light

Posted on January 9, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

Dear Friends in Christ,

I write the year in review after just having celebrated three Masses and Fiestas in honor of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Her feast day is Dec. 12, near and dear to me, because on this day six years ago I was announced as the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson.

Gracias a Dios! 2019 has been rich in ministry and blessings which have far surpassed the burdens and struggles of our times. Throughout the diocese many labor on behalf of the Lord to serve others, to inspire disciples and to embrace diversity which is our diocesan vision statement. Daily we inspire from our pulpits and by the witness of our lives; we serve in our schools, through Catholic Charities, and in our parishes; we embrace diversity, stirred by the Gospel imperative to gather people as a counterweight to the polarization in our country that scatters.

The Church’s mission was evident in the aftermath of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in August in several communities in our diocese. Generosity poured in from all over the country, and agencies throughout Mississippi entrusted to Catholic Charities the mission of assisting the families who were devastated by the round ups. Finally, as important as any ministry, we remain vigilant in providing a safe environment for our children and young people and steadfast in our commitment to help those broken by sexual abuse.

2019 also had distinctive opportunities for travel abroad, so to speak.

In February I embarked on a pastoral visit to India for two weeks. Why, you might ask? Thirteen of our 70-75 active priests serving in the Diocese of Jackson are from India. Try to imagine a country about the size of ours with a billion more people. It was intense and inspiring.

In July our diocese marked the 50th anniversary of our mission in Saltillo, Mexico. It was festive and joyful to be with the people of Northeast Mexico for this milestone, a solidarity in Jesus Christ that has been mutually enriching for many this past half century.

In December I and the bishops of our region went to Rome for one week on what is called the Ad Limina Apostolorum, a required pilgrimage for every bishop around the world every 5-7 years to renew our unity with the Church and the successor of Saint Peter. After visiting the tombs of Saint Peter and Saint Paul 40 bishops gathered with Pope Francis for 2.5 hours of dialogue. This was exhilarating and edifying. Our Catholic Church is truly worldwide!

In the midst of all that life sends our way, may we be always mindful that the Light of the World shines in the darkness, full of grace and truth, and the darkness cannot overcome Him.

Come, Lord Jesus! Merry Christmas! God’s peace!

+Bishop Joseph Kopaz

P.S. Amigo, my dear Labrador, is aging, nearly 13,
but still mobile once he gets moving, and assures
you that 20 hours of rest and sleep per day is just
what the Vet prescribes.

Let us be a beacon of justice and peace

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Joseph Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
The Word of God in Advent overflows with a vision of justice and peace, hope and reconciliation, solidarity and community in order that time may be a foretaste of eternity. At the outset of this season of expectation and preparation last weekend on the first Sunday in Advent we proclaimed God’s dream for our world from the prophet Isaiah.

The following passage from sacred scripture was heard throughout the Catholic Church soon after Pope Francis spoke with great emotion at the memorials of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the sites of the nuclear nightmares that marked the culmination of devastation at the end of World War II:

“This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: ‘Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.’ For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O’ house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!”

At the memorials where the gates of hell blew open, Pope Francis stood in solidarity with the long line of Old Testament prophets, along with the popes of the modern and post-modern era, once more to cry out for justice and peace in the human community, Saint Pope John XXIII wrote Pacem in Terris in 1963 less than two decades from the end of World War II addressing, in part, the awful waste of resources in the maddening arms race, the voracious beast of the military-industrial complex of which President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned in the 1950s. On Oct. 4, 1965 Saint Pope Paul VI, the first pope to appear before the United Nations, spoke of the horrors of war and the absolute necessity of world peace. He pleaded, with deep emotion in his voice, “No more war! War never again!”

Two years later he penned Populorum Progressio, the Development of Peoples, that addressed the terrible toll that the development, deployment and use of weaponry took on the human family, draining away much need resources for development, as well as killing the human spirit. This Apostolic teaching called for the full development of each person and the whole person. (n.14)

Saint Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict directly experienced the hell of World War II in Poland and Germany and often spoke out with prophetic zeal for the dignity of the human person, justice and peace. On the 50th Anniversary of Populorum Progressio in 2017 Pope Francis established the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, applying his passion to the vision of Isaiah cited above. Pope Francis loves the concept of integration and sees its urgent need in every dimension of life. Development cannot be restricted to material growth; it means integrating body and soul which finds its source in the Incarnation, the God-Man, Jesus Christ. Integral development gives glory to God and is in relationship with others. From the personal to the global our call is to integrate the peoples of the earth in a sustainable harmony. Solidarity and subsidiarity are at the heart of the social integration of the economy, finance, labor, culture, family life and religion in service of the web of life.

Pope Francis eloquently asserted that “human life is like an orchestra that sounds good if the different instruments are in accord and follow a score shared by all: person means relationship not individualism; it affirms inclusion, not exclusion, uniqueness with an inviolable dignity, rather than exploitation; freedom not coercion. Integral human development is the road of good that the human family is called to travel.”

In late November 2017 in Rome at an international symposium called: “Prospects for a World Free from Nuclear Weapons and for Integral Development” he reminded the participants that the integral disarmament called for by Saint Pope John XXIII in Pacem in Terris is yet to be accomplished. Bleak pessimism must give way to healthy realism Pope Francis stated, and cited the recent declaration of the United Nations in 2015 condemning nuclear weapons as an illegal means of warfare, joining the ranks of outlawed biological and chemical weapons. The catastrophic humanitarian and environmental effects would be unthinkable. The Holy Father pressed the point that the unrelenting arms race, nuclear and so called conventional, “divert resources away from the fight against poverty, the undertaking of educational, ecological and healthcare projects and the development of human rights. … International relations cannot be held captive to military force, mutual intimidation, and the parading of stockpiles of arms. … Progress that is both effective and inclusive can achieve the utopia of a world free of deadly instruments of aggression, contrary to the criticism of those who consider idealistic any process of dismantling arsenals.”

On the flight back from Japan, as for nuclear weapons, the pope reminded reporters after visiting Nagasaki and Hiroshima, “I said again that the use of nuclear weapons is immoral; this must go in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. And not only the use, but the possession.” The United States is the lone superpower at this point in humanity’s evolution and we have the potential to be a beacon of greater justice and peace who can lead the nations of the world on the path of integral disarmament toward integral human development, or in the longing of Isaiah, “come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!”

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