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Catholic Schools share MAIS awards and athletic accomplishments

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Art Fair – Overall winners
Painting Only Art Room – 2nd place – 5th grade: Carys Dishman (St. Elizabeth Clarksdale)
Mixed Media Art Room – 1st place – 2nd grade: Beckham Shed (St. Elizabeth Clarksdale)
Mixed Media Art Room – 2nd place – 6th grade: Conner Lunceford (St. Elizabeth Clarksdale)
Drawing Art Room – 2nd place – 2nd grade: Maddison Lenard (St. Elizabeth Clarksdale)
Drawing Art Room – 1st place – 5th grade: Gabby Jones (St. Elizabeth Clarksdale)
Drawing Art Room – 1st place – 6th grade: Ulric Henning (St. Elizabeth Clarksdale)
Printmaking Classroom – 2nd place – 1st grade: Garrett Naegele (St. Anthony Madison)
Printmaking Jr. High and High School – 2nd place: Madolyn McGaugh (St. Joseph Greenville)
Photography Jr. High and High School – 2nd place: Kent Tonos (St. Joseph Greenville)

Reading Fair – Overall Winners
Individual Fiction Character Portrayal – 2nd place – 5th grade: Anna Cooper (Cathedral Natchez)
Individual Non-Fiction Character Portrayal – 3rd place – 5th grade: Haley Burnsed (Cathedral Natchez)
Fiction Individual – 2nd place – 4th grade: Mary Hannah Amborn (Vicksburg Catholic)
Non-Fiction Individual – 1st place – 5th grade: Madeline Jex (Cathedral Natchez)

District Fair Winners
Fiction Board Winners: Anna Cooper – 1st place; and Rivers Atkins – 2nd place (Cathedral Natchez)
Fiction – Best Portrayal of Character: Anna Cooper – 2nd place; and Rivers Atkins – 3rd place
Non-Fiction Board Winners: Maddy Jex – 1st place; and Haley Burnsed – 2nd place (Cathedral Natchez)
Best Portrayal of Character Award: Maddy Jex – 1st place; and Haley Burnsed – 2nd place
2nd place overall in fiction – 4th grade: Mary Hannah Amborn (Vicksburg Catholic)
2nd place overall in fiction – 5th grade: Cash Ferrell (Vicksburg Catholic)

Spelling Bee – Overall Participants
Sophia Keith – Annunciation Columbus
Samantha Struber – Annunciation Columbus
Michael Lickteig – Sacred Heart Southaven
Caryn Jackson – St. Joseph Greenville
Estephan Choufani – St. Joseph Madison
Addison Bednar – Vicksburg Catholic School

Spelling Bee- District
1st place in 7th grade, District II – East: Samantha Struber (Annunciation Columbus)
1st place in 5th grade, District II – East: Sophia Keith (Annunciation Columbus)

Regional Science Fair
3rd Grade: (All St. Patrick Meridian)
1st place Physics – Avery Hook
1st place Organic Chemistry – David Donkor
4th place Organic Chemistry – Cayden Gray
2nd place Inorganic Chemistry – Ashton Brown
1st place Botany – London Wilson
2nd place Microbiology – Wiljann Sopa
2nd place Engineering – Dominic Meachum
1st place Animal Science – Aubre Laws

4th Grade: (All St. Patrick Meridian)
4th place Inorganic Chemistry – LaDarius Ranson
4th place Microbiology – Kyler Hill

5th Grade: (All St. Patrick Meridian)
1st place Physics – John Quedado
3rd place Physics – Katelyn Meachum
6th place Organic Chemistry – Brandon Franklin
1st Inorganic Chemistry – Aiden Walker
1st Animal Science – Micah Laurent

6th Grade: (All St. Patrick Meridian)
1st place Behavioral Science – Aiden Palmer
1st place Animal Science – Ayden Everington
2nd place Inorganic Chemistry – Madison Powell
2nd place Animal Science – Bryce Rush
2nd place Mathematics – John Martinez
2nd place Physics – Ayden Rush
2nd place Botany – Juan Pablo Garcia

Quiz Bowl
Cathedral Middle School Team A – 2nd place out of 24 teams.

Scholarship
4-Way Rotary Scholarship – Jacob Venuti (St. Joseph Greenville)

Stellar Academic Students
Julianna Jojoa-Portilla – St. Joseph Greenville
Lockard Williams – St. Joseph Madison
Parker Baroni – Cathedral Natchez
Stephen Clement – Vicksburg Catholic

Choral Ensemble Festival
Vicksburg Catholic SSA and SATB received Superior rankings

National Academic Quiz-bowl Tournament (NAQT)
Cathedral Middle School’s two teams- placed 3rd and 5th overall. One team qualified for Nationals in May.

Robotics
Vicksburg Catholic Team 456 won the Engineering Inspiration Award from NASA at the Bayou Regional Competition. Attended World Championship Competition in Houston, Texas.
Annunciation School’s Robotics Club placed 1st at Regionals.

Bughouse Chess Championship
Two teams placed 1st and one team placed 2nd from Annunciation Columbus (two person teams playing blitz style- 5-minute games)

MSCA Chess Championship:
5th place – Lydia Frauendienst and Nathanial Rush (Annunciation Columbus)

MAIS Stem Competition (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
Best Overall – Bryan Sescu (Annunciation Columbus)

Teacher Recognition
Lauren Young – Annunciation Columbus: named Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce Elementary Teacher of the Year
April Moore – Annunciation Columbus: selected to present at NCEA
April Moore – Annunciation Columbus: selected Elementary VFW Teacher of the Year
Dr. Robika Mylroie – St. Anthony Counselor- awarded the Livesay Award from her alma mater Millsaps College.

Athletics

Archery – Championship
Class 4A: 3rd place – St. Joseph Greenville
Class 6A: 5th place – St. Joseph Madison

Soccer
Boys Soccer: All Star White Team – Greg Fore (St. Joseph Madison)
Boys Soccer: All Star Blue Team – Fritz Barbour and Braylon Poindexter (St. Joseph Madison)
Girls Soccer: Futures White Team – Elaina Price (St. Joseph Madison)
Girls Soccer: Futures Red Team – Sydney Leib (St. Joseph Madison)
Girls Soccer: White All Star Team – Stella McCarthy (St. Joseph Madison)
Girls Soccer: Blue All Star Team – Campbell Miller (St. Joseph Madison)
Braylon Poindexter signed to play at Gulf Coast Community College (St. Joseph Madison)
Fritz Barbour signed to play at Northwest Community College (St. Joseph Madison)

Basketball
Girls 4A-5A-6A Basketball: All Star Blue Team – Maia Turner (St. Joseph Madison)
Boys 4A-5A-6A Basketball: All Star Blue Team – Brandon Cooley (St. Joseph Madison)
Boys 4A-5A-6A Basketball: All Star Blue Team Assistant Coach – Jonathan Albright (Cathedral Natchez)
Girls Basketball Futures Red Team – Gabby Gray (St. Joseph Madison)
Boys Basketball Futures White Team – Brandon Burkes (St. Joseph Madison)
Boys Basketball Futures Red Team – Chris Gordon (St. Joseph Madison)

Holy Family School (Holly Springs) – NMAC Girls Champions, Lady Panther Teyuana Reaves named Conference Play of the Year
Maia Turner signed to play at Tougaloo College (St. Joseph Madison)

Football
All-MAIS 3A Team: Tyler Mongomery, Eli Williamson, Victor Baker, Mikael Jones and Chris Mayfield (St. Joseph Greenville)
3A Coach of the Year: John Baker (St. Joseph Greenville)
1A-2A-3A: All Star White Team – Chris Mayfield and Tyler Mongomery (St. Joseph Greenville)
4A-5A-6A: All Star White Team – Lonnie Smith (St. Joseph Madison)
4A-5A-6A: All Star Blue Team – Cam’Ron Tanner (Cathedral Natchez) and Demariet Davis (St. Joseph Madison)

Futures Gray Team – Victor Baker (St. Joseph Greenville) and KeyShaun Coleman (St. Joseph Madison)
Futures Red Team – ZyCameron Williams and Ryan Rainer (St. Joseph Madison)

MAIS 3A Football Champions – St. Joseph Greenville

Lonnie Smith signed to play football at Copiah- Lincoln Community College (St. Joseph Madison)

Varsity Swim Meet
1st place Boys 100 yard backstroke – 9th grade: Christopher Brown (St. Joseph Madison)

Spirit Competition
School Dance Kick Varsity Small – 1st place: Vicksburg Catholic
School Cheer Non-Tumbling Varsity Small – 2nd place: St. Joseph Madison
School Dance Kick Varsity Medium – 3rd place: Cathedral Natchez
School Cheer Non-Tumbling Varsity Medium – 3rd place: Vicksburg Catholic
School Dance Pom Varsity Small – 1st place: Vicksburg Catholic

Volleyball
Futures White Team – Calese White (St. Joseph Madison)
All Stars White Team – Alyssa Leonard (St. Joeseph Madison)
All Stars Blue Team – Assistant Coach Sydney McEachem (St. Joseph Madison)

Baseball
5A District 4 Play of the Year – Tristan Fondren (Cathedral Natchez)
Josh Ingram (Cathedral Natchez) signed to play at Millsaps College and is recipient of Presidential Scholarship.
Jackson Navarro (Cathedral Natchez) signed to play at Meridian Community College.

Softball
Liza Gregg committed to play for Millsaps College.

Tennis
5A MAIS Boys Singles South State Champion – Alex Monagan

Dance:
Maddie-Claire Spence (St. Joseph Madison) – Dixie Darling at University of Southern Mississippi

Schools were asked to submit awardees for this listing by the Office of Catholic Education.

Youth

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Around our schools

COLUMBUS – (Left) Annunciation students Levi Struber, T.J., Chris, and Henry Hince and Reed Sancho celebrate “Purple Up” day for Military children. Annunciation School was recently named a Military Star School by the Department of Education.

(Right) Avynn Clapper works hard on her gardening skills at Annunciation School. (Photos by Jacque Hince)

JACKSON – First and second grade students in Ms. Moses’ class at Sister Thea Bowman School, eagerly await to enter the church for Mass. The students were very proud of their artwork depicting “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (Photo by Deacon Denzil Lobo)

Spring Sacraments

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SPRING SACRAMENTS – Mississippi Catholic will publish a Spring Sacraments edition in July. This means we need First Communion and Confirmation photos! Send photos with parish name, date of sacrament, names listed left to right by row of those pictured, plus name of the photographer; no later than Friday, June 7. Email in the highest resolution possible to editor@jacksondiocese.org.

First Communion and Confirmation

COLUMBUS – (Left) Chris and Janel Vander-Zanden had two of their children – Isaiah and Everett – baptized by Father Jeffrey Waldrep in the month of February. (Photo courtesy of Annunciation Church)
CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth, First Communion on Sunday, April 14. Pictured (l-r): Catelin Britt, Emily Guevara, Allison Zuniga, Alexa Zuniga, Emery Ellis Alderson, Elizabeth Blaine Cauthen and Father Raju Macherla.
CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth, Confirmation on Saturday, April 6 at 6 p.m. Pictured (l-r): Catelin Britt, Kevin Elias, Angel Zuniga, Dominic Birdsong, Priscila Lopez, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Bella Favi, Ayden Lutts, Bailey Martin and Father Raju Macherla. (Photos courtesy of St. Elizabeth Church)

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Around our schools

JACKSON – Students at Sister Thea Bowman School were pumped to view the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. (Photos by Deacon Denzil Lobo)
COLUMBUS – First graders at Annunciation School were in awe of the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. (Photo by Jacque Hince)
MADISON – St. Joseph students received a standing ovation for their performance “All Shook Up!” The play featured the music of Elvis Presley and was based on a book by Joe Dipietro. (Photo by Tereza Ma)

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Around the diocese during holy week/Easter

MERIDIAN – First graders at St Patrick School performed live stations. (Photo by Kasey Owen)
MAGEE – Children at St. Stephen parish receive instructions
before their Easter egg hunt. (Photo by Kirby J. Rivere)
YAZOO CITY – Children at St. Mary parish participated in an Easter egg hunt after Mass on Easter Sunday with Father Panneer Selvam. (Photo by Babs McMaster)
MADISON – St. Joe senior, Adriana Terrazas, a reporter for Bruin News Now, sets up to interview seminarian Joe Pearson, along with four seminarians Will Foggo, EJ Martin and Grayson Foley on Tuesday, March 26. All four seminarians were former St. Joe students. The Bruin News Now story was included in the Thursday, March 28, edition of the award-winning, student-produced weekly newscast. (Photos by Tereza Ma)
St. Joe seniors, Andrew Doherty and Adam Williams set up the camera for a special interview with Bishop Joseph Kopacz by Bruin News Now anchors, Emerson Erwin and Maddie-Claire Spence, on Tuesday, March 26 before the annual diocese Chrism Mass during Holy Week. The journalism students interviewed Bishop Kopacz and seminarians for an edition of their award-winning weekly newscast – Bruin News Now.

Around our schools

JACKSON – The Cardinal Men’s Club of St. Richard School is hosting their annual Flight to the Finish 5k and fun run on Saturday, April 20. Pictured (l-r) celebrating the upcoming event are Thea Saucier, Charliegh Luzardo, Townes Crews, Thomas Eastus, Elizabeth Elmore, Patrick Crews (Past President), Andrew Ueltschey (President), Thiel Crews, Elsie Ueltschey, Sam Williams, Max Jones and Thomas Ueltschey. (Photo by Celeste Saucier)
COLUMBUS – Annunciation fourth grader, Joel Heard prays during adoration. (Photo by Jacque Hince)
VICKSBURG – On Feb. 28, 2024, Fathers Nick Adam and Rusty Vincent offered a Spanish Mass at the St. Francis Xavier Chapel for the Spanish II class at St. Aloysius. The students read, responded and participated in Spanish. (Photo by Vivian L. Velazquez)
VICKSBURG – Davis Jarabica from the one-year-olds class, explores rosary beads and baby’s Bible from the Lobby Altar at Sisters of Mercy Early Learning Center. (Photo by Shannon Bell)
SOUTHAVEN – Students Nico and Aniyah enjoy the Holy Thursday Craft Retreat at Sacred Heart School. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)

Distinct Biloxi church reminds us to ‘keep an eye on the Gulf’

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Pictured is St. Michael Church Biloxi in December of 1963. The church features a distincitive shell roof and round shape.

From the Archives
By Mary Woodward

JACKSON – This past week several chancery staffers, including myself, attended a regional conference in Biloxi for the Diocesan Fiscal Managers of several dioceses and archdioceses in the southeast. The opening Mass on Sunday evening was celebrated in St. Michael Church by the two host bishops, Bishop Louis Kihneman of Biloxi and our own Bishop Joseph Kopacz.

Established by Bishop John Gunn and known as the “church of the fishermen,” St. Michael dates back to 1917. Being just a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico, it has been buffeted by several hurricanes. As our group approached the church with its distinctive shell roof and round shape, images of that roof from the helicopter flyover on the news the morning of Aug. 30, 2005, filled my mind.

Religious statues lie on the floor of St. Michael Church in Biloxi, Miss., March 1, 2006. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

From the air the church looked intact, as if it had miraculously survived unscathed from the 28-foot storm surge of Hurricane Katrina the day before. But as the days went by and reports came into the chancery in Jackson from Biloxi, we learned the church interior was decimated. That distinctive roof seen from above was hiding the massive power of Mother Nature gone wild.

The five-ton marble altar was cast to the side off its platform and much of the interior appointments had been swept away by the surge leaving an almost empty shell behind. The waterline was well up the interior walls of the church.

Now more than 18 years later, St. Michael stands as a testament to the resilience of the people of the Gulf Coast, who have survived more than one catastrophic storm over the past 100 years. Memories of Aug. 29, 2005, still linger in the physical landscape of the Gulf Coast, which took the direct hit of Katrina. These memories also are carried in the collective psyche of those who endured the wrath and persevered in rebuilding a vibrant community.

Moving forward in faith as intentional disciples while always keeping an eye on the Gulf.

(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson.

Youth

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DCYC 2024 – Vicksburg

Andrew Doherty, Anna Williams and Madalyn Weisenberger, all of St. Joseph School in Madison, pose for a photo with Bishop Joseph Kopacz with their newly bestowed Bishop Chanche Youth Awards. (Photo by Kristen Doherty)

VICKSBURG – High-school youth from across the Diocese of Jackson gathered at the Vicksburg Convention Complex from March 1-3, for the annual diocesan youth conference – DCYC – organized by the Office of Youth Ministry. This year’s theme was “More Than Enough,” and it featured keynote presenter Doug Tooke and worship leader, Steven Joubert. (Photos by Amelia Rizor)

Andrew Doherty of St. Richard Jackson receives a handshake from Bishop Joseph Kopacz during the annual Bishop Chanche Youth Awards at DCYC. (Photo by Kristen Doherty)

Youth

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2024 YOUTH BISHOP CHANCHE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Hampton Derivaux, St. Paul Vicksburg
Andrew Doherty, St. Richard Jackson
Jaime Mendoza, Jr., Holy Family Jackson
Greta Nalker, Immaculate Conception Raymond
Jeremy Napoles, Christ the King Southaven
Travis Ross, St. Joseph Meridian
Menelik Rozelle, St. Alphonsus McComb
Elese Serio, St. Joseph Greenville
Benjamin Sylve, Jr., St. Joseph Gluckstadt
Agatha Taquino, St. Joseph Starkville
Madalyn Weisenberger, Holy Savior Clinton
Anna Williams, St. Francis Madison
Loria Williams, St. Francis Madison
Grace Windham, St. Francis Madison

Around our schools

JACKSON – St. Richard School students are presented with “Cool 2B Kind” awards by John Dorsa for earning the highest points in their houses for virtuous and honorable deeds. (Photo by Chelsea Dillon)

COLUMBUS – Annunciation school recently held a Robotics Pep Rally. (Photo by Jacque Hince)

YAZOO CITY – Youth at St. Mary’s Church celebrated Valentine’s Day with treats and bingo. (Photo by Babs McMaster)
JACKSON – St. Richard School students learn to type with “Keyboarding Without Tears.” (Photo by Chelsea Dillon)

Decade of faith: Bishop Kopacz celebrates 10-year milestone

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By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz, surrounded by priests and deacons from the Diocese of Jackson, commemorated his 10th anniversary of ordination to the episcopacy at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson with a special Mass on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Bishop Kopacz was ordained and installed as the 11th Bishop of Jackson on Feb. 6, 2014, but he fondly remembers getting the initial call the day before Thanksgiving – in an unforgettable Italian accent – “Holy Father is directing you to be the bishop of Jackson in Mississippi.” Bishop mused to those gathered at his anniversary Mass, that “it was an offer you can’t refuse.”

JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz lays prostrate during his ordination as Bishop of Jackson on Feb. 6, 2014 at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. He recently celebrated his 10th anniversary at the Bishop for the Diocese of Jackson. (Photo from archives)

“These 10 years later has given me an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the call and the ongoing challenge and blessing of serving as the 11th bishop of the diocese,” said Bishop Kopacz.

He fondly remembered traversing the diocese by airplane days after being installed as Bishop and visiting a few parishes across the diocese, including St. Mary’s Basilica in Natchez, St. Joseph in Greenville, St. James in Tupelo and to St. Joseph in Starkville. “It was great to experience and see what a large swath of land the diocese covers,” said Bishop Kopacz. “So, 10 years later and possibly 300,000 miles later on my car, I think I can say I know a little bit about Mississippi and its geography.”

But more than miles, Bishop Kopacz reflected, are the countless souls who have touched his life along the way through parishes and the variety of missions and ministries that make up the diocese. He continued by celebrating the dedication of the clergy, the resilience of parishioners and the transformative power of God’s grace working through each individual.

In his homily, Bishop Kopacz credits his enthusiasm and energy for the diocese to the Eucharistic prayer at Mass when the clergy pray for him every day. Joking with those clergy present, that they “can’t skip that part … as a lot of grace flows from that on good days and bad. It truly carries me forward.”

Turning 74 later this year, Bishop Kopacz says that he hopes to still be around to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the diocese in 13 years. He expressed how grateful he was for the people of the diocese, all of the priests and religious, coworkers at the Chancery and all the staff at parishes across the diocese who respond to God’s call every day.

“I thank everyone for the kindness and generosity for the 10th anniversary of my consecration and installation as the 11th Bishop of Jackson,” said Bishop Kopacz. “It was a splendid and joyful occasion.”

JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz celebrated his 10th anniversary as the Bishop for the Diocese of Jackson with priests and deacons from around the diocese on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Cathedral of St. Peter. Inset, a comemorative photo collage with scenes from the past 10 years. (Photos by Tereza Ma)