By Joanna Puddister King and Tereza Ma
JACKSON – The Carmelite community of the Diocese of Jackson celebrated the solemn profession of religious vows of Sister Maryann Wambui Koine of Jesus Crucified, OCD, during a Mass on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Carmelite monastery chapel.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz served as principal celebrant as Sister Maryann made her solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience before the Discalced Carmelite nuns, members of the Carmelite Seculars, and friends from the greater Jackson community and beyond.

In his homily, Bishop Kopacz reflected on Mount Carmel and the Carmelite tradition, emphasizing that religious profession points not only to a particular vocation, but to the baptismal call shared by all Christians. Rooted in the mystery of the Cross, he said, religious life bears witness to the hope of eternal life and calls the church to deeper fidelity to Christ.

Religious life, the bishop noted, “points toward heaven,” reminding the faithful that following Christ requires daily self-gift and transformation of heart and mind – a call lived uniquely through the vows of religious life and universally through baptism.

Sister Maryann, originally from Kenya, first entered Carmel in Savannah, Georgia, in 2015. She professed her first vows in 2018 and transferred to the Carmelite monastery in Jackson in 2024 following the closure of the Savannah community. Her solemn profession marks a lifelong commitment to the Carmelite way of contemplative prayer and simplicity.

Speaking after the Mass, Sister Maryann expressed gratitude to those who supported her vocation, thanking the priests, sisters and community members who accompanied her along the journey. “This community has been my second family,” she said. “I am grateful to be a part of it.”

She also acknowledged the presence of her mother, who traveled from Kenya to attend the profession and spent several weeks visiting her daughter at the monastery. While language barriers limited communication during the liturgy, Sister Maryann said the shared joy of the occasion transcended words.

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By Galen Holley
NEW ALBANY – Seven-year-old Luis looked the part, right down to his drawn-on mustache and loose-fitting tilma, and watching him alongside his parents, one could imagine Juan Diego woofing down a cookie prior to the Mass, just as Luis did. The glory and pageantry of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was resplendent on a cold night in New Albany.
“We feel our hearts burning with gratitude to Our Lady,” said Alma Solis, who, on Dec. 12, buzzed around the sanctuary organizing the celebration. Solis, a tireless volunteer, directed altar servers, gave dancers their cues, and translated on-the-fly from English to Spanish.

“The celebration is important for Catholics and especially for Mexicans,” said Solis, whose father-in-law, Pablo Garcia, despite a language barrier, is in formation to become a deacon.
Parents in the Hispanic community had dressed their little boys as the sainted peasant, Juan Diego, the simple indigenous man to whom, in 1531, Mary, the Mother of God appeared. Our Lady visited Juan Diego on the Tepeyac Hill in what today is Mexico City. She admonished the people to turn from pagan practices and offered miraculous signs as proof of Jesus’s love. Mary, through the power of God, caused roses to bloom in winter on the Tepeyac Hill, and Catholicism thenceforth bloomed in Latin America.
Catholics built a church on the site of the apparition in the 16th century, and today it’s among the most visited destinations in all the Christian world. Still, as St. Francis’s pastor, Father Xavier Jesuraj said in his homily on Dec. 12, the basilica represents something deeper.
“The building of the church was not the most important thing for the Blessed Mother,” said Father Raj. “The Virgin was present not only as an outward sign but as a promise that she is with us in our joys and sorrows, in all moments and aspects of our lives. She encourages us to offer our daily lives as a devotion and continuation of the celebration in which we participate tonight.”

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has become the most popular symbol of faith among Mexican Catholics. The inculturated apparition of Mary, with mocha skin and dark hair, is a stark contrast to European images of the Blessed Mother, and suggests her universal character as Mother of the Church. As Father Raj put it, “She came as a sign not only for Latin America but for Europe and all the world proclaiming the love of her son, Jesus.”
The mustaches drawn onto the lips of babies at St. Francis was an adorable sign of just how much the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe means to Hispanic Catholics. The sight of the beatified Lilliputians tottering into the sanctuary, draped in their peasant’s garb, straw hats in-hand, was enough to inspire religious delight.
St. Francis Parish recently celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary, and, as on every Dec. 12, the church was packed. Little Kaitlyn Melany lovingly yet shyly placed a bouquet of flowers before the statue of Our Lady. One-year-old Ulysses Sanchez slept angelically in the arms of his mother, all gussied up in his costume of Juan Diego with red and green. Katherine and her little sister, Melanie, were both dressed as Our Lady, and they seemed to enjoy the pageantry and the energy of the congregation.
Outside, members of the dance troupe from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Ripley, including Emily Juarez, Sandy Ruiz Martinze, and Giovanni Martinez, moved in time with the thumping of the drum. The faithful sang hymns to Our Lady, giving thanks for her intercession and prayers, then they enjoyed a sumptuous meal as children scurried about with smiles and squeals of joy.

(Galen Holley is a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New Albany. Contact him at galenholley@gmail.com and watch his “Saint Michael Podcast” on YouTube.)

By Joanna Puddister King
FLOWOOD – After more than a year of construction, parishioners of St. Paul Catholic Church returned to their newly renovated sanctuary and expanded gathering space for a joyful rededication Mass on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 – the Feast of Christ the King.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz served as principal celebrant, blessing the walls of the church as more than 450 parishioners filled the new pews, admiring the bright, welcoming space they can now enjoy before and after Mass.

Construction began in October 2024 and included new pews, flooring, paint, lighting, a redesigned sanctuary, and a new tabernacle. A major highlight was the expansion of the front entry and the creation of a true main entrance – replacing the previous side-entry layout. The parish’s façade is now illuminated at night, offering what many describe as a warm invitation to all traveling down Highway 25.

“We were one of the few churches in the diocese that didn’t have a front door,” said Father Gerry Hurley, pastor of St. Paul. “It took quite a while – and as we’ve said a couple of times, God’s plan takes quite a while. Thank you for your gifts and generosity. We were able to bring it about eventually.”

In a nod to their year-long displacement during construction, he added with a smile, “We are very thankful to be back in this space after a long sojourn in the desert at the Family Life Center. Like the people of Israel, we weren’t sure we were going to get there … but we’re finally here 12 months later. I am very happy to be back in this space.”

Several priests joined the celebration in support of Father Hurley, including Father Tommy Conway of Hattiesburg, retired priest Father Bernie Farrell, and Father Panneer Selvam Arockiam, chaplain at St. Dominic Hospital. Also joining was Deacon Tony Schmidt.

During his homily, Bishop Kopacz reflected on the parish’s long journey toward this day. “It is joyful to be here with Father Gerry and all the staff at St. Paul’s – all that has come into this moment. It’s incredible to be part of it and to rejoice with you in God’s house,” he said. He noted that one of his earliest visits around the diocese in 2015 included a stop at St. Paul to review building plans, drawing warm applause as he commended Father Hurley for his “incredible dedication to the parish.”

Chris Cox, who helped lead renovation efforts with a committee of other parish leaders, expressed gratitude for the community’s support. “It has been a real blessing to me to work in renovating the church. It has been a true blessing, an honor, and a labor of love,” he said. He thanked parishioners for their generosity to the capital campaign, which not only met but exceeded its goal. “Thanks to all who supported the project financially and spiritually.”

Though nearly everything in the physical space has been refreshed, the parish’s spirit remains unchanged. As several parishioners remarked, the building may be new, but the sense of home at St. Paul is as strong as ever.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul Catholic Church unveiled its newly renovated sanctuary and expanded front entrance during a rededication Mass on Nov. 23, 2025, celebrated by Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz. Parishioners filled the new gathering space following Mass, rejoicing in the parish’s return after more than a year of construction. (Photos by Joanna King)