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Prayer, fasting, almsgiving

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By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
There is a season for everything under heaven, says the inspired text of Ecclesiastes, and once again the time of renewal dawns for the whole church, for each community and for every believer. It is a time that touches many Catholics at our core, because we realize that it is so easy to become complacent or indifferent about the things that really matter, or better said, the relationships that really matter.
The Lord has told us what is that path for his disciples: to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as our ourselves. Our neighbor of course, is every living person, beginning at home, and extending to the margins of the world. These two commandments never go out of season, but our 40 day spiritual journey is an extra-ordinary time to grow in God’s grace as the Lord’s disciples.
The Ash Wednesday Gospel from Saint Matthew gives us the blueprint that will take us deeper into the heart of God who will then turn us back to one another in his Spirit. It is as clear as one, two, three, or prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Our experience of these three Lenten disciplines has shown us that these are the basics for transcending our self-centeredness, our selfishness and our sinfulness.
Prayer in its many forms raises our hearts and minds to God. We place aside our ego in order to better know the heart and mind of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is the center, source and summit of our prayer, but there are many streams of prayer that nourish the spirit and feed the Lord’s body, the Church. On occasion when the apostles were unable to help a frightened man whose son was in the grip of a demon, Jesus assured them that fear is useless; what is needed is trust.” Trusting in the power of God is not possible without faithful prayer that nourishes the spirit and gives life to the Body of Christ.
Fasting is often the most underrated of the three Lenten mandates. As prayer is only possible when we set aside our precious time to focus on God, fasting also requires sacrifice because we are saying less is better. As we know Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting from normal food consumption and abstaining from meat. They are the hinges of our forty-day pilgrimage and remain very important days on our spiritual calendar. But they represent a way of life for us that can be so much more. Less is better.
The discipline of fasting helps us to reduce our intake of food and drink so that we can more easily digest the Word of God. It helps us to shake off that sluggishness of spirit that accompanies excess. Fasting also applies to minimizing the level of noise that floods our everyday life. Being creative about carving out more silence and quiet so that we can pray and think about God is the path of fasting. For example, turning down the volume of noise that collides with our lives is a form of fasting from this tsunami of stimulation that can wear down the spirit. Fasting and prayer, then, go hand in hand. We fast in order to pray more ardently; we pray in order to use the world’s goods with greater integrity as the Lord’s disciples.
Almsgiving arises from the freedom of spirit that prayer and fasting are sure to inspire. We do not live by bread alone, and through faithful prayer and fasting we can more peacefully share our bread with others. What a joyous experience it is to be able to give of our time, talent, and treasure so that others may reach higher in their lives.
Almsgiving often is understood as charitable generosity to someone in need, or perhaps to a worthy cause. This is not misguided, but almsgiving can stand for so much more. It is a movement toward others in need whether they live in our own family or possibly someone we may never know personally.
I want to conclude my reflection with some thoughts from Pope Francis who speaks from the heart of the Church on Lent with a keen understanding of the human drama.
“Above all it is a ‘time of grace.’ God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first given us. “We love because he first has loved us’. He is not aloof from us. Each one of us has a place in his heart. He knows us by name, he cares for us and he seeks us out whenever we turn away from him. He is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent. Indifference is a problem that we as Christians, need to confront.
“When the people of God are converted to his love, they find answers to the questions that history continually raises. One of the most urgent challenges which I would like to address in this message is precisely the globalization of indifference.
Indifference to our neighbor and to God also represents a real temptation for us Christians. Each year during Lent we need to hear once more the voice of the prophets who cry out and trouble our conscience.
“God is not indifferent to our world; he so loves it that he gave his Son for our salvation. In the Incarnation, in the earthly life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, the gate between God and man, between heaven and earth, opens once for all. The Church is like the hand holding open this gate, thanks to her proclamation of God’s word, her celebration of the sacraments and her witness of the faith that works through love, sisters.”
“During this Lent, then, brothers and sisters, let us all ask the Lord: Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum – ‘Make our hearts like yours. In this way we will receive a heart that is firm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart which is not closed, or indifferent to the world around us.”

Grief healing workshops on tour in diocese

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By MaureenSmith
JACKSON – The Office of Family Ministry has partnered with the Health Ministry office to take sculptor and grief counselor Bob Willis on something of a tour of the diocese. Willis will lead his unique grief workshop in five cities in March, Brookhaven, Vicksburg, Clarksdale, Tupelo and Meridian.022015grief01
Each stop will include a daytime training session from 8:15 a.m. to noon for health professionals and an evening session around 6 or 6:30 p.m. for anyone who may feel the need. Check with the individual parish for exact times. The office is working to make continuing education credits available for the professionals.
“Adapting to change, grief and loss training,” as the workshop is called, will include a look at different forms of grief, theories of how grief progresses, a look at normal responses to grief, a guide to ways to express feelings of loss and will identify and develop referral and community resources.
Willis has a unique presentation style. In addition to presenting the latest research and academics, he sculpts while he speaks. The sculptures, sometimes a broken heart and sometimes a bust of Christ wearing a crown of thorns, help illustrate many of the points he makes.
Willis came to the diocese in 2014 to present at Jackson St. Richard Parish as well as in Brookhaven, where several Faith Community Nurses serve at St. Francis Parish. Cheri Walker is one of those nurses. She said Willis’ presentation was particularly timely. A pair of hospital employees had recently lost family members and the staff had cared for several infants with chronic illnesses.
“We are caregivers in a hospital setting and sometimes we get a bit overwhelmed,” said Walker. She said she learned many useful things from the workshop. One of Willis’ suggestions is to ask a grieving person how he or she met the loved one they lost. “This opens up positive memories, early memories of the love you had. This helps take away the anguish and I think that’s a real gift,” said Walker.
It is important to note that death is not the only form of grief addressed in the workshops. “This is applicable to any major life changes. A child leaving home can cause grief, or a divorce. This is not just about death,” she said.
Willis emphasizes that adjusting to any big change in life can make us feel a sense of loss and stress and this can trigger a grief reaction. He offers strategies for caregivers, grievers and friends to use during times of grief. His work is based in the gospels and he brings scripture and prayer into his workshops as well.
Walker said she learned something every time she saw Willis present and encourages everyone who is a caregiver or feeling some kind of loss or grief to attend.
See the sidebar for dates and locations and registration information.

Knights ready fryers, kitchens for Lent

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OXFORD – The Knights of Columbus Council 10901 set aside the weekend of February 7-8 to clean and check the operation of their catfish fryers and cookers in anticipation of the first Lenten fish fry of 2015 to be held on Friday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. The traditional Lenten fish fry is held every Friday night during Lent at St. John the Evangelist Parish.

Grand Knight Burke Nichols (left) and Knights of Columbus member Ricky Berry scour the well-used fish fryers in anticipation of the first Lenten fish fry at St. John the Evangelist Parish on Friday, Feb. 20. (Photo and text submitted by Gene Buglewicz.)

Grand Knight Burke Nichols (left) and Knights of Columbus member Ricky Berry scour the well-used fish fryers in anticipation of the first Lenten fish fry at St. John the Evangelist Parish on Friday, Feb. 20. (Photo and text submitted by Gene Buglewicz.)

“The Knights catfish meals have been a Lenten tradition in Oxford for years.  It’s the best deal in Oxford on Friday nights,” said Grand Knight Burke Nichols. Cost is $8 per plate for a generous helping of Mississippi catfish filets, hushpuppies, cole slaw, drinks and dessert.
Proceeds from the events support St. John the Evangelist charitable activities in the Oxford-Lafayette County area as well as University of Mississippi student programs.
The Feb. 20 event will also feature a United Blood Services bloodmobile from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(Editor’s Note – Mississippi Catholic welcomes photos and stories about your parish’s Lenten revivals, fish fries or other activities. Send material to editor@mississippicatholic.com.)

Supreme Court to take on marriage cases

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WASHINGTON (CNS) – The Supreme Court Jan. 16 agreed to hear four cases over the constitutionality of same-sex marriage, tackling the questions of whether the 14th Amendment requires states to allow such marriages and whether it requires them to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states.

A woman walks to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington late last year. On Oct. 6, 2014 the court declined to hear appeals on rulings striking down same-sex marriage bans. This cleared the path for same-sex marriages to be legally recognized in more states, but also caused some confusion and disappointment for those on both sides of the issue. (CNS phopto/Joshua Roberts, Reuters)

A woman walks to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington late last year. On Oct. 6, 2014 the court declined to hear appeals on rulings striking down same-sex marriage bans. This cleared the path for same-sex marriages to be legally recognized in more states, but also caused some confusion and disappointment for those on both sides of the issue. (CNS phopto/Joshua Roberts, Reuters)

In brief orders, the court accepted petitions from Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio, consolidating them into one hearing that will be held probably in late April, meaning a decision would likely come before the end of the term in late June. The court allotted an unusually lengthy period of time for oral arguments, two and a half hours, compared to a typical 60-minute period.
As of Jan. 16, 36 states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriages, either under court rulings or state laws. In the other 14 states, they are prohibited, but those bans are all under legal challenge.
The Catholic Church upholds marriage as a union between one man and one woman and teaches that any sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful. The church also teaches that homosexual attraction itself is not sinful and that homosexual people “must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.”
The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage said that a decision by the Supreme Court on whether a state may define marriage as the union of one man and one woman “may be the most significant court decision since the court’s tragic 1973 Roe v. Wade decision making abortion a constitutional right.”
“It’s hard to imagine how the essential meaning of marriage as between the two sexes, understood in our nation for over 200 years, and consistent with every society throughout all of human history, could be declared illegal,” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco said in a Jan. 16 statement.
Upholding traditional marriage “is not a judgment on anyone,” he said. “It is a matter of justice and truth. The central issue at stake is: what is marriage? The answer is: a bond which unites a man and a woman to each other and to any children who come from their union.”
After the court announced it would take the marriage cases, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the Obama administration would file an amicus, or friend of the court, brief calling for a decision by the justices that would “make marriage equality a reality for all Americans.”
James Esseks, director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & HIV Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement the ACLU was “thrilled the court will finally decide this issue. … The country is ready for a national solution that treats lesbian and gay couples fairly.” The ACLU is a co-counsel in the Kentucky case.
In 2013 the Supreme Court — in separate 5-4 rulings — struck down parts of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, defining marriage as between one man and one woman, and also refused to rule on the merits of a challenge to California’s Proposition 8, the voter-approved initiative barring same-sex marriage.
In the June 26 ruling on DOMA, the court said the federal government could not deny benefits to same-sex couples that were legally married in states that allow such unions based on the Equal Protection Clause. The justices the same day sent back to lower courts a challenge to Prop 8, saying the individuals who defended the law in court lacked the legal standing to do so. On June 28, 2013, a stay on allowing same-sex marriage in California was lifted and such marriages were able to resume.
During his trip to the Philippines, Pope Francis made one of his strongest calls as pope against movements to recognize same-sex unions as marriage.
“The family is also threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage,” the pope said Jan. 16, hours after warning that Philippine society was “tempted by confusing presentations of sexuality, marriage and the family.”

Seminarian takes step toward Holy Orders

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By Maureen Smith
GREENVILLE – Joseph Le was accepted into candidacy for Holy Orders at a 5:30 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Parish Saturday, Jan. 17. Le, who was born in Vietnam and immigrated with his family as a teenager, spent 17 years as a Carmelite brother. He said he felt called to be a priest and started looking for the right place. He spent some time in Alaska, but knew that was not the right community.

Joseph Le processes out of St. Joseph church in Greenville after he was admitted to candidacy for Holy Orders Saturday, Jan. 17.


Joseph Le processes out of St. Joseph church in Greenville after he was admitted to candidacy for Holy Orders Saturday, Jan. 17.

Le met Father Anthony Quyet, who used to be Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Jackson, and decided to move to Mississippi. He spent time at St. Joseph and the warm greetings he got from many parishioners the evening of the Mass was evidence of how well he fit into the community. He is currently studying theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.
Admission to candidacy is one of the steps toward ordination. In the rite, a seminarian is presented to the bishop, makes promises to pursue his studies and is accepted.
The readings for the day included the story of Samuel hearing God calling him, but thinking it was his mentor Eli and of the calling of the first Apostles. “The readings are ideal when we consider the path of vocation in the church,’ said Bishop Joseph Kopacz during his homily. “The call to vocation, we know, is to each person who belongs to Christ,” he added.
He also reflected that many times children show up at their parents’ bedside when they think they hear a voice in the night, just as Samuel ran to Eli when he heard a voice. Eli realizes the voice is from God and tells Samuel how to respond. “That is a great image of family life – of how we are introduced to God in our prayers, especially our nighttime prayers,” said the bishop.
He commended Le for responding. “Certainly the hand of God has been working through your life, with your family traveling to the U.S and your journey through the Carmelites and now on your path to priesthood,” said Bishop Kopacz.
Le said he was excited about taking this step. “Even though it’s not as important as ordination, you feel like it’s just a beginning, a stepping into the water. And to see how people are responding – it means a lot to me,” he said.
Le will be ordained a transitional deacon later this year.

Knights deliver coats for children in shelters

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Four Mississippi Knights of Columbus councils participated in the National Coats for Kids program this year, donating more than 70 coats to Catholic Charities’ shelters for battered women. Members of the councils from Flowood, Gluckstadt, Madison and Pearl delivered six cases of coats to Arteria Puckett, the shelter director, at Catholic Charities’ downtown Jackson headquarters on Friday, Dec. 12.
Philip Jabor, Chris Sigler, Tunney Vandevender and Tony Kumor brought some samples up to the office and then helped Puckett load the cases into her vehicle so she could deliver the coats to children in both the Jackson and Natchez shelters, which are usually full at this time of year. “This is perfect. We had a little boy in the Jackson shelter last night ask for a coat, so this couldn’t come at a better time,” said Puckett.

Tony Kumor hands a donated coat to Arteria Puckett, director of the Catholic Charities Battered Womens’ Shelter.

Tony Kumor hands a donated coat to Arteria Puckett, director of the Catholic Charities Battered Womens’ Shelter.

The Knights of Columbus work with a manufacturer on a national level to make the coats available at discount rates. Each case of 12 fleece-lined, puffer coats in blue and pink costs $220 and contains a variety of sizes. Last year was a record-breaking year for the program nationally.
“We usually try to find out how many coats Catholic Charities needs and then ask each council who is willing to sponsor as many cases as they can,” said Jabor, the state treasurer who has organized the drive for the past few years.
“We really appreciate these coats. Even if we don’t give them all out right now, we now have enough to last most of the winter season and that’s a good feeling,” said Puckett.

Pope teaches children joy of Christmas

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) – No saint was ever known for having a “funeral face,” Pope Francis said; the joy of knowing one is loved by God and saved by Christ must be seen at least in a sense of peace, if not a smile.
Celebrating the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, Dec. 14, Pope Francis paid an evening visit to Rome’s St. Joseph Parish, meeting with the sick, with a group of Gypsies, with a first Communion class and with dozens of couples whose newborn babies were baptized in the past year.

A Nativity scene and Christmas tree decorate the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Dec. 15. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

A Nativity scene and Christmas tree decorate the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Dec. 15. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

“Be joyful as you prepare for Christmas,” he told them at Mass, urging as a first step that people thank God each day for the blessings they have been given.
A Christian’s Christmas joy has nothing to do with “the consumerism that leads to everyone being anxious Dec. 24 because, ‘Oh, I don’t have this, I need that’ — no, that is not God’s joy.”
With Christmas “less than 15 days away, no 13 days, let us pray. Don’t forget, we pray for Christmas joy. We give thanks to God for the many things he has given us and for faith, first of all.”
Earlier in the day, reciting the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis blessed the statues of the Baby Jesus that will take center place in Nativity scenes in Rome schools, churches and homes.
Addressing the children who brought their figurines to the square, the pope said, “When you pray in front of your creche at home, remember to pray for me, like I will remember you.”
At the end of the Angelus, volunteers distributed a little booklet, marked “gift of Pope Francis,” containing the texts of the Our Father and Hail Mary and other “traditional prayers,” as well as prayers drawn from the Psalms and the “five-finger prayer.”
Using the fingers on one hand, the prayer guides people in praying for those closest to them, for those who teach, for those who govern, for those who are weak and – on the pinkie or smallest finger – for one’s own humility.
“The human heart desires joy,” the pope said in his Angelus address. “We all want joy; every family, all peoples aspire to joy. But what kind of joy are Christians called to witness? It is that joy that comes from closeness to God and from his presence in our lives.”
“A Christian is one who has a heart full of peace because he or she knows how to find joy in the Lord even when going through difficult moments in life,” he said. “Having faith does not mean not having difficulties, but having the strength to face them knowing that we are not alone.”

Pope Francis greets a boy as he arrives to celebrate Mass at St. Joseph Parish in Rome Dec. 14. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis greets a boy as he arrives to celebrate Mass at St. Joseph Parish in Rome Dec. 14. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

When joy or at least peace shines through a person’s face, he said, others will wonder why, opening the possibility of sharing with them the Gospel.
With Christmas approaching, the pope said, “the church invites us to give witness that Jesus is not just a historical figure; he is the word of God who continues to illuminate people’s paths today; his gestures – the sacraments — show the tenderness, consolation of love of the Father for every human being.”
Dressed in rose vestments for the evening Mass at the parish on Rome’s western edge, Pope Francis explained that usually Advent vestments are a dark color, “but today they are rose because the joy of Christmas is blossoming.”
“The joy of Christmas is a special joy, a joy that is not only for Christmas Day, but for the entire life of a Christian,” he said.
Speaking without a prepared text, the pope said someone could say, “’Oh, father, we make a big meal (at Christmas) and everyone is happy.’ This is beautiful. A big meal is good, but it is not the Christian joy we’re talking about.”
Christian joy, he said, “comes from prayer and from giving thanks to God.” It grows as one reviews all the blessings God has given.
“But there are people who do not know how to thank God; they always look for things to complain about,” the pope said. Speaking confidentially, he told parishioners that he used to know a nun who worked hard, “but her life was all about complaining,” so much so that “in the convent they called her ‘Sister Whiner.’ But a Christian can’t live that way, always looking for something to complain about!”
(Copyright © 2014 Catholic News Service/United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news services may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to, such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method in whole or in part, without prior written authority of Catholic News Service.)

Women of Spirit: Diocesan Sisters celebrated

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The Leadership Conference for Women Religious has turned a touring exhibit, seen above, into a one-hour documentary called “Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America.” The documentary is coming to Jackson St. Richard Parish in January. (Photos courtesy of www.womenandspirit.org)

As part of the celebration for the Year of the Consecrated Life, St. Dominic Hospital and Jackson St. Richard Parish are hosting a screening of the documentary, “Women and Spirit, Catholic Sisters in America,” as well as a discussion on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015, at 1 p.m.
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) prepared an exhibit that traveled to several cities in the U.S. The documentary is an offshoot of the exhibit. The exhibit and film, according to press materials, narrates the virtually untold story of women who exercised leadership at a time when few women enjoyed such possibilities. Theirs is a story of quiet courage during many dramatic moments in the history of America.
The one-hour film documents the work these women did in healthcare, education, social justice, civil rights, research and many other fields as well as profiling modern women religious with an eye to the future.

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Sisters were able to advocate at events such as the March on Washington. The documentary tells the story of how Catholic religious women in America took on leadership roles and how they impacted the history of the nation through their work in healthcare, education, social justice and many other areas.

“To understand what the women religious have done for our state of Mississippi and their faithful engagement in ministry the past 150 years, is an overwhelming gift to us as well as all of America,” said Sister Therese Jacobs, BVM, the event organizer. After the screening, Sister Helen Garvey, BVM, the chairperson of the LCWR Committee which prepared the traveling exhibit, will speak. “Sister Helen is informed, articulate, delightful and has a great sense of humor,” said Sister Jacobs.
In the morning, before the public viewing, sisters from across the diocese will enjoy a reception and luncheon in their honor. To learn more about the exhibit and film, visit www.womenandspirit.org.
The planning committee is also hoping to make DVDs of the documentary available after the event. For information, contact Sister Jacobs, 601-366-2335.

St. Joe juniors elected Youth Legislature governor, lieutenant governor

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00121214legilsatureMADISON – Two St. Joseph Catholic School juniors were elected to the top two leadership spots at the Mississippi Youth and Government 2014 Youth Legislature held Nov. 19-21. Benjamin Payne ran unopposed for governor, while Noah Greene won a two-person race for lieutenant governor. This is the first time that St. Joe students have won and will serve in the top two Youth Legislature leadership positions at the same time.
“This is a great and notable achievement for two outstanding students,” St. Joe Principal Keith Barnes said. “To win the top two elected positions – one unopposed – says a lot about Ben’s and Noah’s leadership skills and their ability to get things done. It also says a lot about the quality of students we have here at St. Joe.”
During the three-day conference, high school students from across the state proposed, debated and voted on legislation in a mock legislative session that took place in the Old Capitol, the War Memorial building and the Marriott in downtown Jackson.
Payne and Greene led a 27-member delegation from St. Joe that attended Youth Legislature this year. Payne and Greene will preside as governor and lieutenant governor over the Junior Youth Assembly in spring 2015 and over Youth Legislature in fall 2015. Junior Youth Assembly is for sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth graders; Youth Legislature is for high school students.