Category Archives: Parish News

Grenada St. Peter offers retreat to kick off prayer apostolate

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By Annette Tipton
GRENADA – Joy, peace and clarity were the observed fruits from a thought-provoking retreat held at St. Peter parish as part of the community’s ‘Year of Faith.’ “Becoming thoughtful men and women of God” was the theme for the adult faith formation retreat offered by the Apostolate of the Returning King on Oct 13-14.
The event included talks given by the team consisting of a humorous priest, a humble layperson, and a sharply knowledgeable psychologist. Father Darragh Connolly, the spiritual director and priest for the Apostolate, presented the organization’s mission and history. Anne, a layperson, shared ways to become self-aware with a challenge for the participants to change negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Margaret, a psychologist, brought all the talks together with striking teachings on how the brain functions.
“The speaker, Margaret, was exceptionally brilliant,” said Barbara Liberto. The retreat was a mixture of parishioners and non-parishioners, who were all greatly touched by the deep commitment and passion the team brought to their lessons about dealing with anxiety and stress using Contemplative Prayer.

GRENADA – Representatives from the Apostolate of the Returning King presented a faith formation retreat at St. Peter Parish Oct. 13-14. (Photo by Annette Tipton)

The focus of the apostolate is as follows: “We lay people seek to develop as co-responsible Catholics. As we become more aware of God’s presence, accepting His love and healing, we are able to bring His light and love to those around us. By allowing Jesus to love others through us, we call them back into the safety of the family of God. Jesus calls this a rescue mission for souls. It involves people accepting their call to personal holiness, which then leads to service in the Church.”
Lori Arreola explained that the retreat “helped me to become more aware of how my brain works and to focus on reinforcing a positive uplifting atmosphere around myself and others.”
The retreat also included Saturday morning Mass, confession and adoration. “One take away for me was the Blessed Sacrament: it is not only you looking at Jesus, but Jesus looking back at you,” said Teresa Owens.
Many of the attendees also expressed their joy at the contemplative prayer structure, which teaches a way to quietly and slowly go through parts of one’s life with Jesus so He can bring healing and truth.
St. Peter in Grenada has a lay apostle prayer group that reads and discusses the writings of the apostolate every second Thursday of the month after 8 a.m. Mass. All are welcome. Anyone interested in starting a Lay Apostle prayer group in their parish can contact Annette Tipton at 985-518-5674. Additional information is available on the website, www.directionforourtimes.com.

(Annettee Tipton is the director of religious education for Grenada St. Peter Parish.)

Vicksburg looks to open early learning center

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By Mary Margaret Halford
VICKSBURG – Almost 160 years ago, the Sisters of Mercy first laid the foundation for quality Catholic education in Vicksburg, and since then, that tradition has continued at Vicksburg Catholic School (VCS).

Building rendering

Today, VCS is looking to extend that tradition. Beginning in August, the school will open its doors not only to elementary and high school students, but to babies as young as six weeks old.
In October, the school launched a major fundraising effort, a capital campaign titled “Continuing the Legacy”, after realizing Vicksburg has an urgent need for more childcare options.
Vicksburg is home to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center, which plans to grow by hundreds of employees over the next few years – employees who will likely end up being young parents. In early 2017, officials with the research center approached VCS to discuss how their employees need more options for childcare.
“Vicksburg’s child care needs are growing and evolving as new industry moves into the area and ERDC expands by 800 new employees,” said Kristi Smith, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs at the school.
An early learning center was something that had been casually talked about at VCS for years, but after touching base with other industry and government employers across Warren County and recognizing growth trends school officials decided it was time to step up and make themselves an option for children from birth all the way through high school graduation.
Riley Nelson, president of the VCS Advisory Council, said that the new facility is not only a great addition to the Catholic community, but to the town as a whole.
“The early learning center at VCS will be a win-win for the school and the community,” Nelson said. “The center will enrich early learning opportunities in Vicksburg and surrounding communities.”
VCS is situated off Clay Street, which serves as the primary gateway to downtown Vicksburg from Interstate 20. Because the school is in an urban area, acquiring new land isn’t always an easy option. However, right around the time early discussions were happening about the childcare center, obtaining a new piece of property suddenly became possible.
Sam Scott, an alumnus, contacted school leadership about a piece of land just next to the campus that was for sale. Scott said that if the school would use it, he would buy it.
And once the land was purchased, the idea of an early learning center shifted into more than just a conversation – it grew into a tangible plan.
From there, plans were drawn up for the building and discussions about fundraising strategies began.
On October 12, VCS officially launched the capital campaign to raise the money needed to build the early learning center. With an ultimate goal of $1.2 million in mind, school officials and volunteers hit the ground running to get the message out.
The proposed center will measure at approximately 8,300 square feet, with a total of nine classrooms and space for about 100 students.
“It will be cost comparable to the other facilities in town, between $100 and $120 a week,” Smith said, adding that the hours (7 a.m. until 7 p.m.) will compare to other area childcare centers to accommodate working families.
“VCS Early Learning Center will offer a quality, Christian early childhood education,” Smith said. “VCS stands ready to be a partner in meeting the needs of our community. We believe that by answering this call, we can attract and retain young, working families in Vicksburg.”
Through the early learning center, VCS will seek to continue that tradition first set out by the Sisters of Mercy of a safe, faith-based hub for education.
“As a parent of a three-year-old child at St. Francis, it has been amazing for me to watch my child’s faith grow at such as young age,” Nelson said. “ I am extremely excited we will able to offer this to even younger children.”
For more information on how to donate to the VCS Capital Campaign, visit https://www.vicksburgcatholic.org/apps/pages/capitalcampaign.

(Mary Margaret Halford is a freelace writer and member of Vicksburg St. Paul Parish)

El Día de los Muertos

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Por Melisa Muñoz
PEARL – El jueves 2 de noviembre, en la fiesta Católica de Todas las Almas, las comunidades latinas de la diócesis de Jackson celebraron el Día de los Muertos. Esta tradición a veces se interpreta mal como la versión latina de Halloween, pero la celebración colorida de la vida en realidad está relacionada con la Iglesia Católica en México y Centro América. El día es un momento especial para celebrar las vidas de los seres queridos que han muerto. Muchas iglesias, cementerios y familias construyen altares u ofrendas, decorados con fotos, flores, velas, calaveras de azúcar y los alimentos favoritos de sus seres queridos.

PEARL – Los feligreses fueron invitados a escribir los nombres de sus seres queridos fallecidos en un frente de altar de tela que permanecerá en el altar durante todo el mes de noviembre. (Fotos por Melisa Muñoz)

 

¿Dónde estamos y cuál es el siguiente paso en el proceso del V Encuentro Nacional Hispano y en nuestra Diócesis?

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Por Hermana Maria Elena Méndez, MGSpS y Elsa Baughman

Sister Maria Elena, MGSpS.

Veronica Lopez

Maria Isamar Mazy

Danna Johnson

Siguiendo la línea de tiempo del proceso a nivel nacional aplicado a nuestra Diócesis de Jackson, ya hemos dado hasta ahora los siguientes pasos: creado un equipo diocesano, entrenar a los equipos parroquiales de las parroquias que participaron, la creación de pequeños grupos en las parroquias para vivir los cinco temas con sus experiencias misioneras, los encuentros parroquiales y el encuentro diocesano que, en nuestro caso, se hizo en dos áreas: Túpelo y Madison. En esto encuentros hubo testimonios de personas profundos y significativos como estos: María Susana de Mejía, Corinth St. James. Dijo que todavía se siente impactada por todo lo vivido, compartido y por los temas que se trataron en las reuniones de grupos pequeños. “No hay algo en particular que me impacto”, dijo. “Todo me gustó, desde la animación del seminarista Cesar Sánchez, la explicación del Padre Octavio, la pequeña dinámica que hicieron las dos mujeres en forma de entrevista y los momentos de compartir en los pequeños grupos. El Señor me dejó maravillada”. Mayra Martínez, Túpelo St. James. Para ella el Encuentro fue una experiencia inolvidable. “El poder convivir con personas de otras comunidades y poder intercambiar opiniones y experiencias acerca de nuestras parroquias y de las necesidades de cada una de ellas y ver cómo se puede trabajar en ello fue muy importante”, dijo. Laura Méndez, Pontotoc St. Christopher. “Viví la gran experiencia del V Encuentro. Entendí la importancia de ser discípula misionera, testigo del amor de Dios y de involucrar a los jóvenes a participar en el mejoramiento del futuro de nuestra iglesia en el camino hacia nuestro Dios. Kathya Sánchez, Tupelo St. James. “Para mí ha sido un buen aprendizaje el saber lo que nuestra iglesia necesita y cómo podemos ayudar a nuestra iglesia y a nuestra comunidad. El ver todo lo bueno que nuestra fe puede lograr y que si nos unimos podemos hacer muchas cosas buenas unos por otros, el legado que le podemos dejar a nuestros hijos. Gracias a Dios y a las personas que hicieron posible este V Encuentro”. Cesar Alberto Ruiz, 17 años, Corinth St. James. “Mi experiencia más bonita es que aprendí que podemos invitar a la gente a la iglesia que esté perdido en la vida y que no sabe mucho de Dios. También podemos ir a predicarle a la gente que no va a la iglesia para que puedan aprender más de Dios”. Oswaldo Vázquez Mejía, 14 años, Corinth St. James. “Lo que más me gustó del V Encuentro fue que todos los jóvenes tuvimos la oportunidad de compartir juntos en pequeños grupos y las pláticas que dieron para fortalecer nuestra fe y trabajar juntos en comunidad. Sonia Torres, Houston Inmaculado Corazón de María. “Hubo un tiempo que decía que necesitábamos a gente de fuera que viniera a proclamar el amor de Dios a mi comunidad porque estábamos un poco apagados. Ahora sé que no necesitamos que alguien venga de fuera, necesitamos despertar porque todos somos llamados a ser discípulos misioneros”. Para Mayra Martínez de la Parroquia St. James en Túpelo, el Encuentro fue una experiencia inolvidable. “El poder convivir con personas de otras comunidades y poder intercambiar opiniones y experiencias acerca de nuestras parroquias y de las necesidades de cada una de ellas y ver cómo se puede trabajar en ello, fue muy importante”.
Ahora, después de vivir ese momento, la oficina de ministerio hispano, junto con las personas delegadas para representar a nuestra diócesis (Isamar Mazy (St Peter, Jackson), Susana Becerril (Our Lady of Victories, Cleveland), Danna Jonhson (St Christopher, Pontotoc) y de parte de la oficina de ministerio hispano, la H. María Elena Méndez MGSPS y Verónica Lopez), nos reuniremos el sábado 18 para discernir de nuestras áreas de necesidad diocesana, cuáles son las áreas de prioridad compartidas con región V o Sureste después de ser aprobadas por nuestro Obispo Joseph Kopacz. Estas áreas, se trabajarán en la reunión regional del 22 al 24 de febrero en Miami, de ahí, se elegirán las que deben pasarán a ser estudiadas en la reunión nacional en septiembre del 2018.
Les pedimos a todos que apoyen a nuestras delegadas diocesanas con su oración, pero también económicamente si es posible para ustedes como parroquias, familiares y amigos.

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, ruega por nosotros: estudio dice que la devoción puede afectar la salud de los inmigrantes

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Por Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Una buena conversación con tu madre todos los días podría mejorar tu salud. Al menos, eso es lo que sucedió para los inmigrantes en una comunidad de Mississippi. Según un estudio de la Universidad de Alabama, aquellos con devoción a Nuestra Señora tienen menos problemas negativos de salud relacionados con el estrés.
“Esto demuestra la importancia de la fe. En los resultados del estudio, encontré que el bienestar disminuye con el tiempo a las personas que están expuestas al estrés. Aquellos que eran devotos a nuestra Señora rompieron ese modelo,” explicó Rebecca Read-Wahidi, la autora del estudio que creció en Forest, donde la mayor concentración de hispanos del estado trabaja en las fábricas de pollos.

FOREST- Esta foto del 2012 muestra la procesion de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe saliendo de la corte del condado de Scott County hacia la Iglesia de San Miguel. Rebecca Read-Wahidi hizo una investigacion para su doctorado conectando esta devocion con la salud de los inmigrantes de Forest y Morton.

La preocupación constante por los allanamientos de inmigración puede desgastar a una población que ya es pobre. Read-Wahidi fue contada historias de un bloqueo en 2012 que llevó a la deportación de 40 personas, enviando una ola de miedo a través del resto de la comunidad. Tener una patrona, una protectora y una madre sustituta ayuda a aliviar ese estrés físico y mental.
Read-Wahidi estudió en la Universidad Estatal de Mississippi. Sus estudios de español la llevaron a México donde estuvo expuesta a la devoción generalizada a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. “Mientras estuve allí, me interesé por el catolicismo mexicano porque era diferente de lo que estaba familiarizada,” dijo. Cuando regresó a su hogar, comenzó a ver a la Virgen en su propia ciudad natal.
“Es realmente fascinante para mí porque realmente es un contraste en Mississippi, que es muy protestante. Aquí está esta fiesta mexicana que se lleva a cabo en las calles de un pueblo de Mississippi,” dijo. Read-Wahidi escribió su tesis sobre Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe y las comunidades de migrantes en Mississippi. “Pasé de (mirar) la celebración a cómo la usan para luchar contra el estrés, específicamente el estrés de la inmigración,” agregó.
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es más que una figura materna para su gente, ella es su madre. Read-Wahidi dijo que la mayoría de los devotos que entrevistó tienen conversaciones con ella durante el día. La hermana Lourdes González, MGSpS, quien ayudó con el estudio, dijo que Maria “escucha sus preocupaciones”. Es una forma de orar, la gente le habla como si estuviera en la habitación. Ella tiene un lugar especial en la familia.”
Esta conexión con los pobres puede ser la razón por la cual las personas ven a María como la intercesora perfecta. “Puede que no se sientan cómodos hablando con Dios, pero pueden hablarle a la Virgen”. Ella es la figura materna. Cuando están tan lejos de casa, necesitan una figura materna,” dijo Read-Wahidi.
Read-Wahidi escribió en un artículo que los inmigrantes ponen su estrés en manos de Maria. “Cuando les pregunté a qué le pedían a la Virgen, mencionaron: encontrar y conservar trabajo, no ser deportados o arrestados, la salud de su familia, la seguridad de los miembros de su familia que cruzaban la frontera, y su propio regreso seguro a casa “.
Estas oraciones ofrecen alivio del estrés de su vida cotidiana. “Ellos son vistos como extraños.” Ellos tienen la experiencia del racismo. Es una manera de recordarse a sí mismos que, en los ojos de la Virgen, todos somos iguales,” dijo Read-Wahidi. Esta idea se ha extendido a otros inmigrantes a través de celebraciones públicas que rodean la fiesta.
“Hacemos procesiones porque sabemos que en la vida, estamos en un viaje: caminamos hacia el cielo, hacia Dios,” dijo la hermana González.

Women of Grace

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WINONA – Sacred Heart Parish hosted the first of five sessions of Women of Grace this fall. Tara Trost, standing, leads ladies from four different parishes in a discussion of the Women of Grace Foundational Study Series, Full of Grace and the Abundant Life. It encourages all women to explore the powerful influence God calls her to be in the home, in the Church, and in the world at large. Along the way, partcipants will grow in the knowledge of their Catholic faith, Sacred Scripture, and the spiritual life in general. (Photo by Cathy Edwards)

Delta parish offers thriving prison ministry, welcomes donations, volunteers

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By Sandra Cirilli
GREENVILLE – St. Monica’s Prison Ministry of HOPE began at St. Joseph Parish in January 2011. This ministry includes a team of men and women who visit the Washington County Correctional Facility in Greenville once a month representing the light of Christ within the darkness of prison.
This team of ministers facilitate programs on subjects such as forgiveness, faith, Catholicism, the Beatitudes, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, gratitude, Christian parenting, self-esteem, the power of the love of Christ, how to pray, fruits of the spirit, the rosary and more.
During Christmas there is a birthday celebration for Jesus and the inmates have a nativity play. This ministry teaches the inmates about Christ in hopes they will be prepared to live a Christian lifestyle upon returning to society. Priests visit Catholic inmates, offering sacraments and sacramentals.
Along with visits and programs, the ministry distributes donated items such as Bibles, devotional material, notebooks, journals, prayer cards, pens, greeting cards, reading glasses, rosaries and toiletries. This ministry works closely with the St. Vincent de Paul Society associated with St. Joseph and Sacred Heart Parishes to donate clothing to the inmates upon their release. The Washington County Correctional Facility is located on King Stokes Road off of Highway 82 West, in Greenville. The facility houses up to 600 inmates. Currently, there are approximately 300 women and 150 men housed there. Volunteers visit the women every second Monday of every month and the men on the secondTuesday. Any and all donations are very appreciated. Contact St. Joseph Catholic Church at 662-335-5251; Sandra Cirilli 662-820-820-0757 or Frank Dantone 662-820-5523 to get involved.

GREENVILLE – Members of St. Monica’s Prison ministry pack boxes of supplies for inmates. They provide notebooks, pens, cards, books and toiletries as well as spiritual classes during their visits. (Photo courtesy of Sandra Cirilli )

(Sandra Cirilli founded this ministry with Father Richard Somers and remains the leader of it.)

Foundation offers legacy giving

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JACKSON – People plan so many things throughout their lives. They put tremendous thought into Christmas or wedding gifts for loved ones. Purchasing a house or car can take months of research and debate. So why not take the time to plan that last gift to something that has been such a big part of your life – your Catholic faith?
There is often confusion surrounding the term ‘planned giving.’ What does that really mean? Simply put, it means taking time to determine what gift will become a legacy, usually given to an organization that is close to your heart.
The staff at the Catholic Foundation can help plan out that gift. There are different giving opportunities and staff can help determine which type of gift is right for each person. A family can start a trust or designate a gift through a will. Other options include a charitable gift annuity or a gift of life insurance.
Many people have chosen their legacy gift because they want a loved one to be actively remembered at their parish after they are gone. Another misconception is that only the very wealthy can leave a legacy gift. This is not the case. Planned giving can be affordable for any family with the right deliberation.
“When I first started with The Catholic Foundation, I was speaking to a donor who started a trust. He said, ‘My wife poured so much love, sweat and tears into her students and the school. I want the school and even the future students to continue to feel that love, so I started a trust in her memory. It may not be much in terms of dollars, but for me, knowing that her legacy will strengthen this school brings me comfort,’” said Rebecca Harris, executive director of the Catholic Foundation. “These are the stories I often hear from our donors. I enjoy working with people throughout our diocese helping them to structure gifts that will honor their legacy. When you come to the Foundation you are not giving to the Catholic Foundation but rather, through the Catholic Foundation. We simply invest and administer your donations so that your gift will benefit your parish, school or the ministries that are important to you,” added Harris.

JACKSON – Members of St. Richard Parish listen to a presentation on planned giving and end-of-life issues offered by the Catholic Foundation and the parish in October. (Photo by Rebecca Harris)

Recently, the Foundation worked with Father John Bohn, pastor of Jackson St. Richard Parish and his development director Shannon Garner, to host a life planning seminar. “I normally like to host a seminar annually to share with parishioners information about our Catholic teachings on end-of-life issues, and then incorporate stewardship and planned-giving information into it.,” said Father Bohn. “As healthcare technology advances, it is important for Catholics to know what is and is not acceptable in regards to preserving human life. Likewise, I like to share information with them about the need for wills, durable powers of attorney, and advanced directives for healthcare. Finally, it is appropriate to also encourage parishioners to begin to think long-term about making gifts to the Church, be it money, property, stocks or other types of investment vehicles. Parishioners who have attended these seminars are always grateful for the information they receive. We answer a lot of their questions, and we ‘plant seeds’ for giving that consistently bear great fruit for our Church,” he added.

The Catholic Foundation provided a will planning guidebook designed to help families think about how to divide their estates prior to visiting with their estate planning attorney. John Fletcher, an attorney at Jones and Walker in Jackson, answered questions and gave advice on the importance of having a will and keeping it updated.
Steve Massey from Wealth Partners was on hand to discuss the different types of planned gifts and answer any questions. Massey is an advocate for planned giving as a way to honor his parish community. “Over the years, St. Richard’s Church and School have provided so much of our family’s faith foundation. Planned giving is a way for us all to be good stewards of the valuable gifts we have received and to make sure these institutions remain viable and financially sound to provide for future generations,” said Massey. No one likes to think about death and dying. However, simple decisions made now can help those left behind. A Foundation representative will ask each family to consider what had an impact on its faith life – perhaps their parish, a Catholic school, a service center. Supporting seminarian education, or possibly retired priests will resonate with a particular family. Those interested in a planning session can contact Rebecca Harris at 601-960-8477 or rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org.

New Hope Village relaunched with new name, ownership, management

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By Maureen Smith
HOLLY SPRINGS – The Diocese of Jackson, Sacred Heart Southern Missions (SHSM) and a newly formed 501c-3 charity have partnered to create a new ministry in Marshall County. Bishop Joseph Kopacz joined Father Jack Krups, SCJ, executive director of Sacred Heart Southern Missions, Father Thi Pham, pastoral leader for the area, and the SHSM board on Friday, Nov. 3, to bless and dedicate the Bishop William Houck New Hope Village.
The village has been in the community for many years. According to Lyle Hennen, one of the original founders, a group of business owners and community leaders came together in 1996 to purchase a motel complex and turn it into a homeless shelter. The collection of small cottages offered separate housing units for homeless men and women as well as a clothes closet and small food pantry. The group let businesses or church groups sponsor one building at a time for renovations.
The Knights of Columbus and Mens’ Club from Olive Branch Queen of Peace Parish would often help with donations. “Two years ago we decided to renovate a couple of the units,” said Jeff Bell, who was just a volunteer at that time. He is now the manager of New Hope Village. “We had to gut them to the studs because we found black mold and water damage throughout,” he explained. The volunteers also discovered that the charity was having a hard time keeping its doors opened.
The Diocese of Jackson stepped in to help create the new partnership. The diocese purchased the property. Bell acts as director under the new 501c-3. SHSM took over the food pantry and offered to help with some social services. “The work of Sacred Heart Southern Missions and Bishop Houck New Hope Village complement each other well,” said Father Krups. “We both offer vital services to support those who are most vulnerable — thus strengthening the fabric of the entire community,” he added.
“New Hope can put a roof over their heads, which is a good start, but we can help with the bigger picture,” explained Laura Grisham, SHSM development director. The missions already runs several food pantries so its employees are familiar with federal rules and best practices. They have a social service office at Holly Springs St. Joseph Parish so they can offer the long-term assistance many people need to step out of an emergency situation and into a recovery plan.
“Once we get them in the shelter, then they can come to the food pantry and get some food. We have training programs and resume help so we can assist them in getting a job. We can do more than just house them. This partnership can help people get back on their feet,” said Grisham.
Last summer the diocese took over the property and offered Bell the job of fixing it up and getting the operation back up and running. He lives in one of the units and has committed to live onsite for a year. He said the next step is to get community support. “We are trying to get the facility to a point where we can show it to the community and share our vision of what it could be so we can get the local churches, civic and county leaders involved.” The operation has a board at the diocesan level, but Bell is working to create a local advisory board. These board members would help with volunteers and fund-raising to hire more staff.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz blesses Bishop William Houck New Hope Village on Friday, Nov.3. A new partnership between the Diocese of Jackson, Sacred Heart Southern Missions and the community is giving new life to the homeless shelter. (Photos by Vickie Stirek)

Bishop Houck village

“This will continue the vision we had for the outreach to the poor of five counties in northern Mississippi,” said Hennen.
Currently two families and a handful of single men and single women are staying on the site. New Hope offers immediate overnight housing to anyone, but people can request to stay for 90 days. “During that time, the residents meet with me every week to tell me what they are doing to find a job,” said Bell. They can also take advantage of the social service office. If someone secures a job, but just can’t afford housing yet, they can apply to stay for up to nine months while they save money and seek housing.
“We are trying to give people a little breathing room – let them get a job and get a little money in their pockets without having to worry about rent or utilities for a little while,” said Bell. Several units on the site are still under renovation and Bell has plans to turn a larger building into a larger-capacity shelter for women and children. He takes on each renovation as its own project so he can continue to expand as he builds partnerships with the community and his board.
Bell is a general contractor. His daughter has volunteered to help with intakes and paperwork while she finishes school, but he hopes to add staff as funding sources come online. The charity can now accept donations to an account housed at the Bank of Holly Springs. Look for a facebook page in the coming weeks to keep up with progress.