In memoriam: Sister Helen Strohman, CHM

Sister Helen Strohman (Mary Maurice), CHM, 90, died April 7, 2023, at the Humility of Mary Center (HMC) in Davenport, Iowa.

Helen Anne Strohman was born Dec. 13, 1932, in Keswick, Iowa to Leo and Mary Agnes (Dunn) Strohman. She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1952 and professed final vows in 1957.

Sister studied education both at Ottumwa Heights College in Ottumwa, and Marycrest College in Davenport, the latter conferring on her a BA in Elementary Education in 1967.

Sister Helen’s career in education began before profession of final vows; in 1954, she began her life as a teacher at St. Anthony School in Des Moines, Iowa. She traveled frequently, serving as a teacher, minister, and educational program director at over 20 locations in Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi and Illinois. Her teaching missions in Iowa include St. Anthony, Christ the King, West Des Moines; and Holy Trinity, Des Moines; St. Alphonsus, Davenport; St. Mary, Marshalltown; St. Donatus in the town of St. Donatus; Assumption, Granger; and St. Mary and St. Patrick in Ottumwa. She also taught at St. Austin, Minneapolis. In Mississippi, her teaching positions included Sacred Heart in Camden and the Rainbow Literacy Center in Canton.

Outside the role of traditional teacher, she also served as the director of the CHM Seeds of Hope program in Des Moines; and the YES program, the Rainbow Literacy Center and the MadCAAP educational program, all in Canton, Mississippi, programs dedicated to bringing educational opportunities to those who otherwise lack them. In particular, her work at MadCAAP focused on providing education for county jail inmates, helping them to earn their GEDs. She also served as a pastoral minister and caregiver in North English, Iowa and Peoria, Illinois. Finally. in 2003, she became the director of the Sacred Heart Hispanic Outreach in Canton. In 2022, she returned to Humility of Mary Center after beginning hospice care in Mississippi.

Sister Helen’s family and friends will miss her humor, kindness and her deep commitment to persons often overlooked or needing someone to reach out to them. She was gifted at providing these.

Sister Helen is preceded in death by her parents, brothers John Patrick and Joseph Strohman, and sisters Martha Flynn, Katie Grady, and Margaret Strohman. She is survived by sisters Rita Strohman, Sheila Falk (Howard), many nieces, nephews, cousins and her CHM community.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, April 12, followed by burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport.

Memorials may be made to the Congregation of the Humility of Mary.

In memoriam: Sister Bernadette McNamara, SHSp

Sister Bernadette McNamara, SHSp died peacefully at her home, the Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate, on March 28, 2023.

Born on May 2, 1934 on Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland, Sister Bernadette grew up in a loving and faith-filled family with her eleven siblings. Her love for her native Ireland and for her family fed her spirit until her last breath.

On Jan. 6, 1950 at the age of fifteen, Sister Bernadette came to San Antonio following her dream of becoming a missionary. Last June, she joyously celebrated her 70th jubilee of religious profession.

In her early years of religious life, she was known as “Sister Mary Jude” and she spent those years in service of students and families whose situations often seemed hopeless. As a teacher, principal and a fundraiser, she stretched out her years in compassionate ministry in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, including St. Peter the Apostle School in Pascagoula, for 63 years. The religious congregation that she loved so deeply was blessed to have had her generous and gracious spirit with them for so long.

Sister Bernadette is mourned by her sisters and brothers, her 58 nieces and nephews, her over 70 grandnieces/nephews, her many friends and by the members of her religious community, some of whom she had known since she was twelve years old.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Monday, April 3 at the Motherhouse Chapel in San Antonio, Texas. Sister Bernadette is interred in the Community Cemetery. Services can be viewed on the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate Facebook page.

Donations can be made in Sister Bernadette’s memory to the ministries of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate.

Holy Child Jesus parish celebrates Sister Thea Bowman

By Joanna Puddister King
CANTON – Faithful from around the diocese gathered to celebrate Sister Thea Bowman at her home parish of Holy Child Jesus in Canton on Sunday, March 26. Sister Thea died on March 30, 1990 in her family home in Canton from breast cancer. Parishes throughout the country celebrated Sister Thea leading up to the 33rd anniversary of her death.

“We made sure to perform some of Sister Thea’s favorites,” said Myrtle Otto of the musical selections for the event.

Myrtle Otto performs “Oh, It’s Jesus” at the Sister Thea Bowman celebration at Holy Child Jesus on Sunday, March 26. (Photos by Joanna King)

Otto, a student of Sister Thea’s who performed on the Holy Child Singers album “The Voice of Negro America” in 1967, said that some of the songs included in the celebration were “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.” Otto was featured during the celebration singing “Oh, it is Jesus,” backed up by the combined choirs of Holy Child Jesus and Sacred Heart Camden.

During Mass, Bishop Kopacz often closed his eyes to fully experience the unity of the body of Christ through song. “It was obvious that even without the music, the choir was singing fully and unsparingly, in perfect harmony. The music gave the celebration even more life,” said Bishop Kopacz, referencing the piano player being tied up at another celebration early in the Mass.

Instead of wearing his traditional vestments, Bishop Kopacz opted for a piece of history in the diocesan archives to honor Sister Thea – a vestment from Mound Bayou, one of the first African-American incorporated towns in the United States.

A lifelong friend of Sister Thea, Mamie Chinn present for the event summed up the day perfectly.
“It’s always a good day to celebrate Thea.”

‘Pray for God’s hand’ over Mississippi: destructive tornado kills, injures dozens

By Maria-Pia Negro Chin, Gina Christian

(OSV News) – Powerful tornadoes tore through rural Mississippi the night of Friday, March 24, killing or injuring dozens and causing widespread destruction.

By Saturday night, an update from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reported the death toll had risen to 25 and dozens of others were injured; four persons reported missing are accounted for. Multiple state agencies and partners have been working together to help in response and recovery efforts. News reports said that search and recovery crews continue to dig through destroyed homes and buildings on Sunday. Updated reports have the death toll from the storms as 21.

“The loss will be felt in these towns forever,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a Twitter post on Saturday. “Please pray for God’s hand to be over all who lost family and friends.”

An aerial view of the aftermath of a tornado, in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, U.S. March 25, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a video. Dozens are dead or injured after a least one powerful tornado tore through rural Mississippi March 24. (OSV News photo/SevereStudios.com, Jordan Hall via Reuters)

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, extended his prayers and encouraged Catholics to support all communities affected by this tragic event. “We join in prayer for all those affected by the storms that crossed our state,” he said in a statement posted on the diocesan website March 25.
During his Angelus, Pope Francis also prayed for the victims of the deadly weather and the people recovering from the loss of life and devastating destruction, according to Vatican News.

“We pray also for the victims of the terrible tornado that struck Mississippi in the United States,” the pope said at the end of his Angelus prayer on March 26.

Early Sunday morning, President Joe Biden ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected, due to the major disaster in Mississippi.

According to the White House disaster declaration, funding would be available to aid people in the counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey, and it can include grants for temporary houses and home repairs, as well as loans to cover uninsured property losses.

The National Weather Service confirmed tornado damage about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of Jackson, Mississippi, with a lot of the destruction reported in Silver City and Rolling Fork, a rural town of more than 1,800 people.

Processing information from damage surveys could take days to complete, but the National Weather Service noted the Rolling Fork/Silver City tornado has a preliminary EF-4 rating, which estimates wind speeds to have been 166-200 mph. Preliminary statistics from the National Weather Service said that tornado traveled approximately 59 miles over the course of an hour and 10 minutes. The Blackhawk/Winona tornado now has a preliminary EF-3 rating, with severe wind speeds in the 136-165 mph range.

“My city is gone. But we are resilient,” Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker said on CNN. Video and photos of the area showed houses reduced to rubble. On Twitter, Governor Reeves shared photos of relief efforts underway in Rolling Fork, Silver City, Amory and Winona, noting perseverance, unity and even prayer behind the response of responders and volunteers.

In an interview with OSV News, Marvin Edwards, a lay ecclesial minister of Sacred Heart Parish in Winona, shared what it was like to be in the tornado’s path. He said that he and his wife – who live 20 miles away from the parish – were in bed for the night when the tornado struck.

“This is the first time a tornado hit us directly. My emergency tornado watch went off on my cell phone. That’s not unusual, so I didn’t pay a lot of attention. All of a sudden, I heard this loud noise as my wife and I were laying in bed. We jumped up and the roof went away. We didn’t have time (to shelter); all of a sudden it (the tornado) was there,” he told OSV News.

Saying it all happened quickly, Edwards said they were not injured and only saw the damage once it was morning. “The tornado had a mile-wide path, and it picked up (strength) as it moved across the lake,” he said. “It took the roof off my house. I’ve got two cars with a big tree sitting across them; both of them are smashed.”

“As far as I know, all of our parishioners (at Sacred Heart) are OK. We don’t have a lot of parishioners; we’re a small mission church,” he said. “My immediate thought was, ‘I got angels protecting me evidently.’ I just thanked him (God). Something was protecting me.”

A local TV station reported a crisis shelter opened in Rolling Forks to provide a medical station, as well as cots, toiletries, and water. The state’s emergency management agency said shelters have also been opened in Belzoni and Amory to provide shelter to those affected, which includes hundreds of people who lost their homes.

On March 25, Gov. Reeves issued a State of Emergency in all counties affected by the tornado and severe storms that occurred across Mississippi. He called on agencies to set forth the emergency responsibilities delineated in Mississippi’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

“We give thanks and pray for first responders, who are working tirelessly in affected communities trying to reach those missing, restore power and assist those surviving,” Bishop Kopacz said in a statement on the Diocese of Jackson website.

A man stands amid the debris of a destroyed home in Rolling Fork, Miss., March 26, 2023, after a tornado swept through the town. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late March 24. (OSV News photo/Cheney Orr, Reuters)

“I encourage all to continue to pray and find ways to support all affected communities,” he added. “We will be reaching out through our Catholic Charities Disaster Response team to assist in recovery efforts.”

The National Weather Service of Huntsville, Alabama, also confirmed four tornadoes touched down in their state overnight March 24-25, all of which were EF-1 or EF-2 strength. The New York Times reported Saturday morning that at least one person died in Alabama as a result of the severe storm system.

In a Saturday afternoon email, Donald Carson, the Diocese of Birmingham’s communications director, noted Alabama did not experience similar levels of lives lost or destruction as the neighboring state.
“We will pray for all whose lives were lost in Mississippi and those who love them and all affected by the storms,” he said.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency’s Twitter and Facebook page, @MSEMA, also warned Mississippians that a large portion of the state has the potential for more severe storms Sunday evening and “tornadoes cannot be ruled out.”

(Maria-Pia Chin is Spanish editor for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @MariaPiaChin. Gina Christian is a national reporter for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @GinaJesseReina. Megan Marley is digital editor for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @mnmarley.)

For information on how to support the Diocese of Jackson Catholic Charities’ relief efforts, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/storm-donations

In memoriam: Msgr. Joseph Clement Mercier

HATTIESBURG – Msgr. Joseph Clement Mercier “Father Joe,” a native of Hattiesburg, passed away on March 20, 2023 after a long and full life of priestly ministry.

Msgr. Mercier was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Ella Mae McGinley; five brothers, Albert Lucien, Patrick Bernard, Adrian Gabriel, Delphins Francis & Michael James; two sisters, Agnes Therese Morgan and Mary Claire Debrow. Msgr. Mercier is survived by his brother, Damian Mercier of Hattiesburg; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews; and many priestly brothers and deacons.

Msgr. Mercier graduated from Sacred Heart High School, Hattiesburg, in 1944. After a brief tour in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He began his seminary training at St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict, Louisiana, and then completed his formation at the North American College and Gregorian University, both in Rome, Italy. He was ordained a priest at the Church of The Twelve Apostles in Rome for the Diocese of Natchez on July 17, 1955. As a priest, Msgr. Mercier served as associate pastor of St. Mary’s parish, Jackson; Nativity Cathedral, Biloxi; St. John the Evangelist parish, Gulfport; and Sacred Heart parish, Hattiesburg. He then served as pastor of Christ the King and Holy Family parishes in Jackson; Sacred Heart parish, Pascagoula; St. John the Evangelist parish, Gulfport; and Sacred Heart parish, Dedeaux.

During his nearly 68 years of priestly ministry Msgr. Mercier served the Catholic community in many roles. He served as a teacher in three Catholic high schools in Mississippi, overseeing many parishes with attached schools, he also served Catholic students at the University of Southern Mississippi as chaplain of the Newman Club on campus and acquired the land on behalf of the diocese where St. Thomas Church and the Newman Center are today. He also served on the diocesan board of consultors, clergy council, diocesan liturgical commission, personnel board, synodal examiner, parish priest consultor for the “Mississippi Register” newspaper (now “Mississippi Catholic”) for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson.
While at Sacred Heart parish, in Dedeaux, he was the priest director of the Cursillo movement of South Mississippi and lay retreats. After his retirement he spent many years assisting fellow priests by traveling to celebrate Mass, hear confessions and continued ministry with the Cursillo movement.

Msgr. Mercier spent his last years at The Claiborne assisted living facility in Hattiesburg where he continued to celebrate Mass for small groups in his room until his health prevented him from continuing.
A Mass of Christian burial was held at Sacred Heart Church for Msgr. Mercier, with interment at Sacred Heart Cemetery on Bonhomie Road.

‘New pro-life agenda’ sees wins in state battles to expand Medicaid coverage for new moms

By Kimberley Heatherington

(OSV News) – The pro-life movement in post-Dobbs America requires robust support for health care and social service programs to accompany parents who choose life, some clergy, legislators and advocates told OSV News – including efforts to expand Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers.

The most recent front in the struggle to deliver such assistance is Mississippi, home to the city of Jackson referenced in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that overturned Roe v. Wade. After a two-year clash of political wills, Mississippi’s House March 7 finally passed 88-29 a Medicaid postpartum coverage extension already approved by the state Senate, after the governor said this legislation was part of the “new pro-life agenda.”

JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz and other faith leaders gathered at a press conference offering their support of the extention of postpartum coverage for Mississippi mothers on Monday, Feb. 27 at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. (Photo by Tereza Ma)

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that gives health coverage to some individuals, families and children with limited income and resources. It’s also the largest single payer of pregnancy-related services, funding 42% of all U.S. births in 2019. According to a 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation study, the average U.S. birth costs $18,865; for those insured, the average out-of-pocket expense is $2,655.
In Mississippi, low-income mothers will now be eligible for a full year of postpartum coverage instead of just 60 days. With the signature of Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who as lieutenant governor helped craft the Dobbs brief, the bill becomes law.

“I am grateful for the prayer, hard work and collaboration that brought this bill to the finish line,” Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson told OSV News. “One big step forward for the common good.”

“Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it is very important that we provide support to moms and parents who are keeping their babies rather than aborting them,” Debbie Tubertini, coordinator in the Diocese of Jackson’s Office of Family Ministry, told OSV News.

Jennifer Williams, diocesan director of Catholic Charities of South Mississippi, also shared with OSV News that “expanded Medicaid for postpartum benefits will allow our clients and others across the state the opportunity to receive much-needed medical care and mental health care.”

Both Bishop Kopacz and Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III of Biloxi, Mississippi, issued a Feb. 24 letter urging lawmakers “to protect the life and health of mothers in this state.”

Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicates Mississippi has the country’s highest infant mortality rate, and its population includes a sizable number of women with chronic medical conditions.

While federal law requires all states to provide Medicaid coverage without cost sharing for pregnancy-related services to pregnant women with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, individuals with pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage typically lose benefits two months after the end of pregnancy.
The 2021 American Rescue Plan Act allowed states to extend Medicaid pregnancy coverage from 60 days to one year postpartum – however, the law’s provision expires in May.

Not all states have taken legislative action – some have done so in varying degrees – owing to political disagreement about the role of government when it comes to assisting mothers in need. Some advocate the government should provide a wider and stronger social safety net, while others oppose efforts to enlarge government programs and spending.

“It’s a philosophical difference about the role of government. I understand that,” said former Congressman Dan Lipinski, a Catholic pro-life Democrat who represented his Illinois district in the U.S. House 2005-2021.

“But I believe that (extending postpartum coverage) is the right thing to do. I don’t think that it is the government stepping in too much to help women who are really in need.”

Two pro-life groups, Democrats for Life of America and Americans United for Life, outlined a proposal declaring that “to change the future, we need a new model, a better paradigm. Birth in the United States of America should be free.”

Lipinski said the pro-life movement is at a critical moment “to demonstrate – now that Roe is gone – what we really stand for, and what we really want to do.”

Lipinksi’s call to comprehensive pro-life action has been echoed on the other side of the political aisle.
“As we take steps to protect the unborn, we also have an obligation to support pregnant and new moms, as well as their young children,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told OSV News. “My Providing for Life Act provides a national blueprint to do exactly that, and I am encouraged to see states across the nation stepping up to do the same.”

Rubio’s plan would enable paid parental leave; expand the Child Tax Credit, Child Support Enforcement requirements, tax relief for adoptive parents and access to social services; provide additional funding, with reforms, to the Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, program, and more.

Wyoming state Rep. Cody Wylie, R-Sweetwater, grabbed headlines when he declared in support a bill to expand temporarily postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months through 2024, “If we’re going to hold the line and protect life by outlawing abortion, we also need to be damn sure we’re prepared and willing to roll up our sleeves and fund programs for mothers and children.”

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed the bill into law March 3 calling it a “signature piece of pro-life legislation” that is expected to help as many as 2,000 low-income Wyoming mothers.

Patrick Brown, a Catholic and fellow in the Life and Family Initiative at the Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington, told OSV News that both Lipinski and Rubio are “champions in trying to think through what an authentically pro-life policy agenda should be.”

“We should be prudently – but also meaningfully – investing in families, because they’re doing the important work of carrying on society for the next generation,” Brown explained. “That’s my overarching argument for why these kinds of policies are important.”

Nonetheless, “big changes like this don’t happen overnight,” he said. “It took 49 years to overturn Roe v. Wade – and we’re not even in the first year of what a post-Dobbs reality looks like.”

(Kimberley Heatherington writes for OSV News from Virginia.)

Lenten meals, Stations and Penance services across the diocese

LENTEN MEALS AND STATIONS
BATESVILLE St. Mary, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry on March 31 from 5-7 p.m. Cost $12/plate.
BROOKHAVEN St. Francis, Stations every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m. followed by a light meal.
CANTON Sacred Heart, Stations every Friday at 5:30 p.m. followed by a soup supper in the parish center (no charge). All are welcome!
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth, Lenten lunch and reflection on Fridays during Lent from 12-1 p.m. in McKenna Hall.
COLUMBUS Annunciation, Fish Fry in the Activity Center, after Stations every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m. in the chapel.
FLOWOOD St. Paul, Knights of Columbus Fish dinner every Friday after Stations at 6 p.m. Donations accepted. All are welcome.
GLUCKSTADT St. Joseph, Lenten dinner/Fish Fry on March 31 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Stations every Friday at 6 p.m. Cost: $10 per plate. Includes three strips of catfish, coleslaw, fries, hushpuppies, tea or water. Dine-in or carry out. Grilled cheese sandwiches with fries for $3.
GREENWOOD Immaculate Heart of Mary, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, every Friday during Lent from 5-7 p.m. Cost is $12 per plate. Dine in or carry out.
HERNANDO Holy Spirit, Men’s Association fish fry on March 31 beginning at 4 p.m. – eat in or takeout.
JACKSON St. Peter Cathedral, Stations at 5:15 every Friday in Lent, followed by simple, meat-free meal in the parish center. Spanish stations at 7 p.m.
JACKSON St. Richard, Stations at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays during Lent with Knights of Columbus Fish Fry in Foley Hall following. Dine-in or carry out. Cost: $12 adults; $6 children; $40 Families of 5+ members.
MADISON St. Francis, Rosary 6 p.m., Stations 6:30 p.m. and Lenten meal 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent.
MERIDIAN St. Joseph, Stations at 6 p.m. on March 31, followed by fish fry in Kehrer Hall. Plates $10 each.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, every Friday of Lent, from 5-7 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Cost: Catfish $12; Shrimp $12; Combo $14. Dinners include fries, hush puppies and coleslaw. For grilled fish, call 30 minutes ahead. Details: Darren (601) 597-2890.
OLIVE BRANCH Queen of Peace, Soup Suppers at 5:30 p.m. March 24 and 31.
OXFORD St. John, Stations in Church at 5 p.m. and Knights of Columbus Fish Fry at 5:30 in parish hall. Dine-in or take-out. Cost $10, plate includes fish, fries, hushpuppies, slaw and a drink.
PEARL St. Jude, Fish Fry following Stations every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m. Reservations required. Dinner includes catfish, fries, huspuppies, coleslaw and tea. Dine-in only. No cost, donations encouraged. Details: church office (601) 939-3181.
STARKVILLE St. Joseph, Knights of Columbus catfish dinner after Stations in the Church at 5:30 p.m. every Friday during Lent.
SOUTHAVEN Christ the King, Fish Fry at 5:30 p.m. and Stations at 7 p.m. on March 31.
TUPELO St. James, Lenten Pasta Dinner, Friday, March 31 at 5:30 p.m. in Shelton Hall. Dine-in or carry-out. Meatless spaghetti (choice of red or white sauce), salad, garlic bread and dessert. Cost: adults $9; kids $6.
VICKSBURG Knights of Columbus Fish Fry every Friday during Lent.
YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Stations and Soup, Tuesdays during Lent at 5:30 p.m.

PENANCE/RECONCILIATION SERVICES
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth, Reconciliation with several priests available, Thursday, March 30 from 5-7 p.m.
FLOWOOD St. Paul, Penance Service, Monday, March 27 at 6 p.m.
GREENVILLE Sacred Heart, Penance Service and Individual Confessions, Wednesday, March 29 at 6 p.m.
MAGEE St. Stephen, Penance Service, Saturday, April 1 at 4 p.m.
OXFORD St. John, Penance Service, Monday, March 27 from 5-6:30 p.m.
SHAW St. Francis, Penance Service and Individual Confessions, Monday, March 27 at 6 p.m.
STARKVILLE St. Joseph, Penance Service, Tuesday, March 28 at 6 p.m.
TUPELO St. James, Reconciliation Service, Thursday, March 30 from 5-7 p.m. in the Church.

STATIONS ONLY
For a list of Stations only, visit https://bit.ly/CDJStations2023.

Happy Ordination Anniversary

April 10
Father Pradeep Kumar Thirumalareddy
St. Mary, Batesville & St. John the Baptist, Sardis

April 12
Father Raju Macherla
St. Elizabeth, Clarksdale & Immaculate Conception, Shelby

Father Sleeva Reddy Mekala
St. James, Leland & Immaculate Conception, Indianola

April 14
Father Suresh Reddy Thirumalareddy
St. Alphonsus, McComb & St. James, Magnolia

April 18
Father Vijaya Manohar Reddy Thanugundla
St. Francis, Brookhaven

April 19
Father Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD
Sacred Heart, Greenville & St. Francis, Shaw

April 24
Father Arokia Stanislaus Savio
St. Peter, Grenada

April 26
Father Jesuraj Xavier
St. Francis, New Albany

Thank you for answering the call!

Annual tournament raises funds for seminarian education

By Joe Lee

MADISON – The annual Luella and Floyd Q. Doolittle Memorial Golf Classic has an updated title to honor the family matriarch who passed away in January, but the family’s devotion to seminarian education and the Knights of Columbus goes back decades.

“(My brother) Floyd and I are grateful to the Knights for carrying on this great cause,” said Roger Doolittle. “Dad and Mom both felt strongly that there should be local support for seminarian education to educate priests for our diocese. Our parents felt that this was a worthwhile cause and enjoyed greatly the fellowship with the Knights of Columbus and their spouses in this endeavor.”

The tournament, which has raised as much as $15,000 in past years, is set for Saturday, April 15 at 1 p.m. at Whisper Lake Golf Club in Madison. Every single penny brought in goes toward priest education.
“We want to leave the door as open as possible for young men to discern the priesthood,” said Father Nick Adam, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jackson. “Part of this is making sure that the cost of seminary education is never a hurdle that they have to clear. It costs about $50,000 a year to educate one seminarian.

The annual Luella and Floyd Q. Doolittle Memorial Golf Classic will take place on Saturday, April 15 at 1 p.m. at the Whisper Lake Golf Club in Madison. Proceeds from the event support diocesan seminarians.

“This includes tuition, books, room, board, and other necessary supplies and services that a seminarian needs during the year so he can focus on listening to the Lord’s voice during his discernment. This budget year, we allocated almost $400,000 for tuition, books, and fees alone, and that’s before providing the seminarians with stipends, insurance and other necessities.”

Tunney Vandevender, a past Grand Knight with St. Francis of Assisi Council 9543 in Madison, is an avid golfer as well as a strong supporter of the tournament’s cause.

“Having lately seen a surge in local Mississippi men making decisions to go to seminary, time is of the essence in generating support for them,” Vandevender said. “Seminarian education is essentially a college education steeped in theology and Catholicism.

“Given the cost to send one seminarian for one year to seminary, it is imperative to help lighten the financial strain on the diocese and others involved. (The tournament) shows our support for their brave decisions in a world that often is against them and our faith.”

Vandevender described the course as being moderately challenging, with water in places and varying elevations. He finds it shorter than many courses and mentioned a pair of hidden holes that make it fun.
To register an individual or team, visit https://bit.ly/DoolittleGolf2023 through the accompanying QR code, or email information and your questions to Art Ring at somerville3817@gmail.com. Lunch, followed by a putting contest and a closest-to-the-pin contest, will begin the day’s fun at 12 p.m. The tournament begins at 1 p.m. with a shotgun start. A three-course Cajun meal will be served after the awards presentation, which will take place around 4:45 p.m.

Scan or visit https://bit.ly/DoolittleGolf2023 for more information or to register for the Luella and Floyd Q. Doolittle Golf Tournament.

CSA FAQ’s

By Rebecca Harris, Diocesan Director of Stewardship & Development

Below are frequently asked questions about the annual diocesan Catholic Service Appeal. We hope that you find these “answers” helpful in discerning your gift to the CSA in support of 14 ministries throughout the diocese.

Question: What is the annual Catholic Service Appeal?
Answer: Since 1992, the annual Catholic Service Appeal has been a unified effort in which all parishioners in the Diocese of Jackson are asked to provide critical financial support to fourteen diocesan ministries. We are all united in our Catholic faith and are called to charity.

Question: Why should Catholics in the Diocese of Jackson support the annual Catholic Service Appeal?
Answer: The annual Catholic Service Appeal provides funding for ministries and program resources on which parishes reply and which no one parish could fund. As you review all the ministries that are supported by the annual Catholic Service Appeal you can see these are ministries that are important to our faith and to our diocese. With your support we can ensure these ministries thrive in our diocese. It takes each and every parishioner to accomplish this task.

Question: Does the Catholic Service Appeal support ministries outside of the Diocese of Jackson?
Answer: The donations given to the Catholic Service Appeal only supports ministries here in the Diocese of Jackson. There is a complete list of those ministries along with a brief description of what they do on the diocesan website: csa.jacksondiocese.org.

Question: Who benefits from the annual Catholic Service Appeal?
Answer: Currently we allocate monies raised by the annual Catholic Service Appeal to fourteen ministries of the Diocese of Jackson. Please go to csa.jacksondiocese.org. Scroll down and click on “Supported Ministries” to get a complete list of all fourteen ministries.

Question: Where do I go to donate to the annual Catholic Service Appeal.
Answer: We have made giving online simple and easy. Go to csa.jacksondiocese.org and click the giving button. You can always send a check to Catholic Service Appeal; PO Box 22723; Jackson, MS 39225-2273. If you have questions, you can call our office at (601) 960-8477.

Question: Can I make a gift to the CSA using stock, a donor advised fund or a qualified IRA distribution?
Answer: Yes you can make gift through stock, donor advised funds, or a qualified IRA distribution. We ask that you go to the Jackson Diocese website to get the stock form and email it into the CSA office so that we know who the donor is and the gift amount. This helps us alert our brokerage company. We also ask that you let us know if you are making a gift from a brokerage account or qualified IRA distribution. Often times we get checks from brokerage companies and we do not know the name of the donor. Brokerage companies are not allowed to give us your name, so we cannot credit you or your parish for the gift.

Question: Do you send out a report showing how the money raised was allocated?
Answer: Every year in November a brochure is mailed to all donors showing how much was allocated to each of the ministries supported by the Catholic Service Appeal. The report is also on the Jackson Diocese website. (jacksondiocese.org) In February each year prior to the Catholic Service Appeal second collection the annual report is in the Mississippi Catholic showing all the ministries and the amount that was allocated to each ministry.

Question: How much of my gift actually goes to support the ministries of the appeal?
Answer:
91 percent of your gift to the Catholic Service Appeal supports the ministries in the Diocese of Jackson. That is 91 cents of every $1.

Question: Is any of the CSA money spent on lawyers or diocesan lawsuits?
Answer: No money raised through the annual Catholic Service Appeal goes to lawyers or lawsuits. Please know that all the money that is raised is only allocated to the ministries supported by the Catholic Service Appeal. To be transparent an annual report is on the website.

Question: How is the Diocesan annual goal and the individual parish goals established?
Answer: The Bishop and the Catholic Service Appeal Office establish the annual Catholic Service Appeal goal taking into consideration the ministerial needs of our diocese. Parish goals are then calculated using the established diocesan goal. We then calculate a five-year offertory average multiplied by 5%.

To give a gift online, review the ministries supported by the annual Catholic Service Appeal, to review the 2022 Annual Report Allocations, and to see personal testimonies of people served by the appeal please scan the QR code. You can also go to csa.jacksondiocese.org.