Category Archives: Parish News

Pastor who served in Clarksdale dies

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Father Patrick McDermott

Father Patrick McDermott of the Diocese of Biloxi died Sunday, September 17, in Ocean Springs. Father McDermott, 77, a native of Donegal, Ireland, was ordained at St. John College in Waterford on June 14, 1964. In the Diocese of Jackson he served at Clarksdale St. Elizabeth Parish. On the coast, he served as assistant pastor of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Biloxi and St. James Parish, Gulfport. His assignments as pastor included St. James Parish, Gulfport; Our Lady of Victories Parish, Pascagoula; Sacred Heart Parish, D’Iberville and a second stint as pastor of Our Lady of Victories Parish in Pascagoula, where he served until his retirement in January 2010. In retirement, Father McDermott resided at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Biloxi. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, September 25 at Our Lady of Victories Church, 503 Convent Avenue, Pascagoula, Visitation is set for noon to 3 p.m., when the Mass will start. Father McDermott will be buried in Ireland.

Silver Rose Pilgrimage

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OXFORD – St. John the Evangelist Knights of Columbus Council 10901 participated in the international devotional to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of North America, on September 7th at the Knights of Columbus meeting Room at St. John. At the conclusion of the Devotional, a Silver Rose was carefully packed in its travel box for it’s journey to the next Knights jurisdiction. This year, the Silver Rose was received from the Batesville Council and was carried to the Meridian Council by James Reid, the Coordinator for this year’s devotional.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Pilgrimage has been a tradition for 57 years and was started by a youth group associated with the Knights called the Columbian Squires in 1960. Six Silver Roses travel different corridors in the Western, Central and Eastern portions of North America, with Knights hand-carrying each in specially constructed boxes. Two of the six roses will end their journey at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Monterrey, Mexico, on December 12th, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Photo by Gene Buglewicz)

Parish calendar of events

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PARISH, SCHOOL AND FAMILY EVENTS

COLUMBUS Fall into Art, Trotter Convention Center, Friday, October 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $30 at Annunciation School office or $35 at the door. Auction items can be art pieces, giftcertifi cates, donations from a retail store, etc. to donate, please deliver to the school by October 25. Details: contact Katie Fenstermacher at acsmarketing@cableone.net.

CLEVELAND Our Lady of Victories, Women’s Resource Center banquet, Tuesday, October 10, at 6 p.m. in the Parish Center. Details: church office (662) 8466273.

GRENADA St. Peter, altar society is selling Advent wreaths which include a 12½” brass holder, green wreath and candles for $20. The money will be used to purchase a new base and Advent wreath for the church Deadline for orders is October 1. Details: Jerome Boudreaux (662) 809-4974 or Irene Stark (662) 417-0968. St. Peter, Adult Faith Formation Retreat, October 13-14, Friday, 6-9 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m., concluding with Mass at 6 p.m. Presenters: Anne, the lay apostle, and Father Darragh Connolly, Registration is $40. All adults are invited. Details: Annette Tipton (985) 518-5674

JACKSON Christ the King, Father Lawrence Watts Council 199 – Knights of Peter Claver will hold their Annual Fish Fry, Friday, September 29, 4-8 p.m. Plates are $10 and include choice of catfish fillets or pan trout, 2 sides, dessert and drink. Details: church office (601) 948-8867 or see any council member. Holy Family Parish Anniversary, September 29-30 and October 1, celebrating 60 years of worship, praise and joyful events. Banquet on Friday night at 7:00 p.m., a family outing on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Sunday Mass with Bishop Kopacz at 10 a.m. All former parishioners, priests and sister churches are invited to join. Details: contact Father Xavier at 601362-1888 or xavieramirtham@gmail.com . St. Richard Parish, Evening with Mary, Tuesday, October 10, 6-8 p.m. This year’s reflection will be on “Our Lady of Guadalupe – patroness of the Americas.” Women of St. Richard come together for prayer, reflection and to share a dessert in a Marian atmosphere. Presenters: Suzan Cox, Josephine Garcia and Sandra Flores. Cost: There is no fee, but reservations are required. Details: Suzan Cox at cox@saintrichard.com or (601) 3662335.

MADISON St. Francis of Assisi, “A Taste of St. Francis” annual multi-cultural event, Sunday, October 1, in the Family Life Center after 10:30 a.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 856-5556 or Amy Horback (601) 953-4182 to volunteer with food or any other area.

NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, St. Mary Book Club, first and third Tuesdays at 6 p.m. (next date is Tuesday, October 3) in the O’Connor Family Life Center. “Aquinas for Armchair Theologians” by Timothy Resnick. Details: church office (601) 445-4616.

SOUTHAVEN Christ the King, National Prayer Event, Let’s Life Chain America, Sunday, October 1, 2-3 p.m. It is a silent prayer vigil to communicate opposition to abortion. Details: Barbara Dean (901) 486-6470 or MaryAnn (662) 429-7851 or (662) 429-0501.

YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Annual craft, flea market, garage sale in the gym, Saturday, October 7, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. A small donation is encouraged to reserve a space. Profit from your items is yours to keep. This is a fundraiser for the Religious Education Program. Details: call Diane Melton (662) 746-1680 if you have items you wish to donate.

YOUTH BRIEFS COLUMBUS

2nd Annual Friends of the Poor 5K Walk/Run sponsored by Annunciation School at the Boat Ramp Pavilion on the right of Wilkins Wise Rd, Saturday, September 30. Raising money for the St. Vincent de Paul. Details: https://www.fopwalk.org/ eventlisting/eventdetail/?eventid=1765 to register.

MADISON St. Francis of Assisi, Youth volunteers (7-12
grades) are needed to lead children’s games at “A Taste of St. Francis” on Sunday, October 1. Sign up to help at WOW! or on Sunday nights. Details: church office (601) 856-5556 or Amy Horback (601) 953-4182. St. Anthony School, 9th annual Starry Night Gala, Saturday, December 9, 7-11 p.m., with a VIP cocktail hour and auction preview from 6-7 p.m. Live music, live and silent auctions, raffles, food by the Knights of Columbus and area restaurants. The attire will be cocktail, festive Christmas with a holiday atmosphere. Details: Jennifer Schmidt, (601) 214-9656 or Jenniferschmidt819@ yahoo.com

NATCHEZ Cathedral School, Fall Festival Used Book Sale, September 30 – October 1. Drop off donations of books, VHS tapes or DVDs at the cafeteria stage. Details: Sissy Dicks (601) 334-0784.

SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKSHOPS

Catholic Charities Office of Social Justice is offering half-day workshops on Faith in Action in the Diocese of Jackson. All workshops are from 8:30 -11:30 a.m. Deanery 2 St. Alphonsus, McComb, November 4 Deanery 3 St. Francis of Assisi, Greenwood, October 14 Deanery 4 St. Elizabeth, Clarksdale September, 23 Deanery 5 St. Helen, Amory October, 28 Deanery 6 Sacred Heart, Louisville September, 30 Details: Sue Allen at 601-383-3849 or sue.allen@ catholiccharitiesjackson.org

St. Gabriel Mercy Center celebrates finalist status

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By Maureen Smith

MOUND BAYOU – The staff and clients at St. Gabriel Mercy center were honored to be ranked among the finalists for the Lumen Christi Award. This year, the organization recognized eight ministries across the country for their work in bringing Christ to the margins. Extension wrote brief profiles online of the finalists and offered longer features in its fall magazine. They include the winner, Father Enrique Herrera, a pastor in California working to send the immigrant children in his care to college, a military chaplain helping heal the wounds of war, two pastors working with Native American populations, women religious bringing the gospel to their dioceses and lay leaders welcoming a booming Hispanic population in their communities. The St. Gabriel Center was in the middle of this amazing group of evangelizers and pastors. The Sisters of Mercy opened the center. It is now run by a community of Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity and a staff of local lay people. Education is at the center of the work there. Teenagers and young adults attend GED classes, adults learn how to sew and sell their creations, and the Parents as Teachers program demonstrates how to become better advocates and caregivers. The senior program offers a meal, exercise and activities. On a Thursday morning in August, the center was packed. Every program was in session, including a birthday party for the seniors. “It’s always busy,” said Mavis Honorable, COO. “We just prayed that God’s will be done,” said Sister Monica Mary DeQuardo, executive director of the center, when she found out they were among the finalists. She was delighted that the work of her predecessors and present staff caught the attention of Bishop Joseph Kopcaz and Catholic Extension. She and the staff released a joint statement about this year’s winner. “We acknowledge the contributing and outstanding efforts of Father Enrique Herrera in his Faith Community of Holy Trinity Church in the Salinas Valley of the Diocese of Monterey, Calif. There is no doubt that Father Enrique is a very pivotal person – as pastor – in the continuing education and Catholic social outreach for the many Hispanic people of his parish as well as the civic community of Greenfield and surrounding areas where the Catholic Church is growing immensely and rapidly,” it read. Sister DeQuardo and Sister Emy Beth Furrer have served at the center for the past two years. Much of the lay staff, including Honorable, Trena Robinson, development director, are natives of Mound Bayou and proud of their Delta town. It remains the oldest all-black community in the United States. It was founded by freed slaves and boasted a booming local economy, healthcare and a train station in days past. Today, much of the industry has left, and with it, much of the population. In recent years, groups have started working to preserve the heritage in this town. Honorable takes visitors on a tour, showing them the elegant founder’s houses, which are under renovation with hopes of becoming bed-andbreakfast destinations; and a modern medical complex where residents can get a low-cost ride to visit a doctor or dentist. Honorable said when she was younger, the complex was a collection of trailers. Peter Wood and his brothers still operate Peter’s Pottery just across a field from the center, drawing collectors from across the Southeast to the heart of the Delta. St. Gabriel is also expanding. Youth volunteers from Biloxi and Hattiesburg have transformed the old church building into classroom spaces. Sister DeQuardo hopes to expand adult education into those rooms. “Many of our parents can’t help their kids in school, because they are lacking in education,” said Sister DeQuardo. The project was moving along nicely, but stalled this summer. “We need a new roof,” she explained. Heavy summer rains revealed a leak in the newly renovated building. Honorable is in the process of getting bids to replace it. Then, the staff will turn to the task of raising the money. Sister DeQuardo said they also need a van to pick up their seniors. And furniture for the classrooms would be nice. There may be a long list of needs, but the staff is undaunted. They tackle their challenges one at a time. It’s the same way they serve their clients, as individuals with dignity and potential.

MOUND BAYOU – Bobbie Dulaney, center, coordinates the sewing progam for the St. Gabriel Center. On August 15, she works with two of her clients. (Photo by Maureen Smith)

Greenville parish rediscovers historic bell

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By Mary Alford
GREENVILLE – It’s no secret Greenville is full of rich history.
But, what folks might not know about is a bell dating back to 1854 that can be found in the steeple at St. Joseph Catholic Church — an item even some of the parishioners had long forgotten existed.

GREENVILLE – Seminarian Mark Shoffner demonstrates the bell in the St. Joseph bell tower. Parishioners had largely forgotten it was there until this summer. The parish hopes to raise enough money to restore the whole church and ring the bell once again. (Photo courtesy Delta Democrat Times)

Members of the church discovered the 550-pound bell in the midst of their recent renovation campaign for the church, which was built in 1908 and was the third church of the Catholic community in Greenville.
“It’s been a good church but now the roof has gotten to the point that now the copper nails that they used to tack the slate on they started to erode away and we get a little bit of leakage on the side anyway,” Greenville native and seminarian Mark Shoffner said.
The bell, Shoffner said, was cast by Henry Hoover in Boston, Massachusetts. Hoover happened to be an apprentice to Paul Revere.
“He learned how to make bells from Paul Revere and later bought Paul Revere’s Foundry. So that bell was cast in Paul Revere’s Foundry and under his name. He is one of the most prominent bronze casters in American History,” Shoffner said.
Unfortunately, the bell hasn’t been in service for a number of years — maybe even since the 1940s.
But, Shoffner has set a goal to get the bell set up and ready to ring throughout downtown.
Shoffner said it will ultimately cost around $8,500 to get the bell ringing again, and he’s determined to accomplish this in his lifetime.
“It’s not just for us; it’s for the whole city to have those historic bells ringing and to have such a nationally historical bell in Greenville. We don’t know how it got here, but it’s here and we’re gonna run with it,” Shoffner said, noting this type of bell doesn’t typically exist outside of the northeast.
Bells are an important part of the Christian faith, Shoffner said, especially in the Catholic church. However, he said a bell can’t just be put up in a church.
“Bells have voices and they sing. … because the church looks so highly upon bells and they play such an important role in worship, they have to be consecrated by the bishop; it’s like a baptism. Bells and people are baptized and it’s only in the Catholic tradition that bells are baptized,” Shoffner said.


“In an old historic town, when you hear those bells chiming, it doesn’t only remind you of history but it makes you stop and that is the point of them.”
The parish has set up an account on the website Go Fund Me to restore the entire structure of St. Joseph, including the bell tower. Donors can also send checks for the restoration directly to the church, St. Joseph Church, P O Box 1220, Greenville MS 38702.
(Story reprinted with kind permission from the Delta Democrat Times. Mary Alford can be reached at makford@ddtonline.com)

 

Vardaman camp offered summer enrichment

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By Danna Johnson
VARDAMAN – Summer 2017 had a different flavor for about 35 children from Vardaman. This was possible thanks to the partnership between Vardaman Victory Project Enterpreneurial Learning Center (ELC), part of the University of Mississippi’s MacLean Institute, and Catholic Charities’ Vardaman office. The mission of this program was to provide a fun, educational experience for students to keep them engaged during the summer.
Karson Nelson, Seth Dickinson, and Jessica Clarke were the enthusiastic students from Ole Miss who brought to town this wonderful learning experience. The camp offered speakers, sports and games, engaging activities and enrichment opportunities. Local authorities and parents supported the effort as did businesses such as Sweet Potato Sweets, and Mi Valles Restaurant.
As part of the citizenship and civic enrichment, children had the opportunity to hear from Kenney Scott, Vardaman’s chief of police, about the importance of “making good choices in life, because every choice has a consequence.” He also spoke about falling prey to bad influences, drugs and delinquencies.
Janet Swindle, Director of the Vardaman Public Library, offered a marvelous class about gardening. Each child received a gardening container and planted seeds at the beginning of the summer program. Every week as they were watering and caring their plants, Swindle graciously cultivated the habit of reading in children’s minds and hearts. Each child also received a library card and were able to take home their favorite books and movies. At the end of this program children toured the Ole Miss campus, and closed with a symbolic evening ceremony where each child received a certificate of participation. Organizers wanted the participants to keep learning in the summer, develop healthy habits, and participate in experiences that built self-esteem.
The staff and board members of the Catholic Charities Northeast office are delighted with the outcome and offer thanks to all the supporters of our programs. It is our hope to continue to carry out the mission and vision of the Diocese of Jackson in everything we do: to serve, to embrace, and to inspire.
(Danna Johnson is the director of the Catholic Charities office in Vardaman.)

VARDAMAN – Kenny Scott, Vardaman’s Chief of Police spoke to campers about the making good choices in life as part of a good citizenship unit for the young people in the community. (Photos courtesy of Danna Johnson)

Janet Swindle, Director of Vardaman’s Public Library with Seth Dickinson of Ole Miss. Swindle offered a class on gardening as part of the summer program.

McComb couple travels to Africa to see fruits of their generosity

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – A McComb couple took the trip of a lifetime in February to meet a child they have supported for 14 years, but never met. Andy and Gail Spinnato spent 10 days in Nairobi, Kenya, on a tour with the Christian group, Unbound. They took with them 250 rosaries donated by the Knights of Columbus to distribute to the people they met.
Unbound was founded by four Catholic siblings and a friend as an effort to reach out to the marginalized people of the world. The organization sets up sponsorships for children and supports communities all around the world. The Spinnatos first heard about it from a visiting priest who preached at their parish more than a dozen years ago. “I picked a boy from Kenya. I was a teacher and my students were primarily African-American, so I wanted a child I could tell them stories about,” said Gail.
The Spinnatos sent money monthly and wrote letters to Peter for many years and they received letters and photos in return. This year, Unbound offered them a chance to go to Africa to see the results of all those years of work. “It was absolutely awesome,” said Gail of the meeting.
Peter is now 22 and wants to get a certification in plumbing so he can find work. “It’s interesting that he wants to do that since they have no running water in their home,” she added. When they met Peter and his mother, they did an art project together using hand prints. Gail went with Peter’s mother to the restroom to wash off the paint and realized she did not know how to operate the soap dispenser or automatic faucet because the African woman has never had running water in her home. One of the community projects Unbound is taking on in Peter’s village is a cistern to collect rainwater. Currently, everyone has to walk to a river a mile away to collect all the water they use. Projects like that one fall outside the monthly sponsorships, so the Spinnatos have been collecting for it since they returned.
Before the trip, the Spinnatos spent some time reflecting on their time as sponsors. “I went back through all the letters he has written. I made copies of some of them so he (Peter) could see the progress he made,” Gail explained. “He was very shy when it came to talking. Like many young people from foreign countries, he was hesitant to speak to a native speaker – still you could feel the connection through the love of Christ because he knows that love is how we are connected,” said Gail.
Fourteen other Unbound sponsors came on the trip, so the Spinnatos got to meet those families as well. As they traveled, they distributed rosaries made by fellow St. Alphonsus parishioner, Charles Schovel, who makes rosaries as a hobby. He recently donated more than 250 rosaries to the Knights of Columbus council there. Andy Spinnato is the Grand Knight of the council. When the knights heard about the Spinnatos trip, they decided that was the perfect place to distribute the rosaries.
“We take so much for granted. So to actually visit in homes and see people in such need, but to also see how they have so much dignity and pride and to see what they have been able to accomplish for themselves, it was amazing,” Gail said.
The Spinnatos left Africa with another connection. They were about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They had asked the priest celebrating Mass for a blessing, but he had another idea. “He called us up and we had to pull our wedding rings off our arthritic fingers and we renewed our vows,” she said.
Back in the states, the couple is currently making presentations at clubs or gatherings to invite others to become sponsors or donate to community development projects. They plan to return next February to travel into the country and see where Peter and his family live. The Spinnatos have decided to sponsor his younger sister, so the cycle of education and empowerment can continue.

College scholarships available

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Two scholarships are available to college students in the Diocese of Jackson. The Bishop Brunini Memorial Scholarship was established to be used specifically for tuition assistance for undergraduate or advanced studies at any accredited Catholic college or university. There are no specific restrictions for the field of study.
The Stella Schmidt Memorial Scholarship was established to be used specifically for tuition assistance for advanced studies in theology or religious education at Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala.
Full and part-time graduate students are eligible to apply for the scholarship. If the recipient is currently enrolled in the Department of Faith Formation’s Pastoral Ministries Program and receives tuition assistance from the diocese and their school or parish, scholarship money can be used to offset the amount of tuition paid out-of-pocket by the individual.
The specific annual amount of the scholarships will be determined by the interest shown. Applications are due to the Department of Faith Formation by October 15. For more information, please contact Fran Lavelle, director of the department of Faith Formation at (601) 969-1880 or by email at fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.

Christ the King member again honored by National Bar Association

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JACKSON – Christ the King Parish member Parris Watts has again represented Mississippi as a regional winner in the Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Essay Competition, sponsored by the National Bar Association and Met Life. She had to write an essay and present an oral argument supporting it.
The topic this year was about a student protest staged after President Donald Trump was elected. Students walked out of their classes to “to express their dissatisfaction with the election results and in condemnation of Trump’s politically charged comments about women, minorities and immigrants”. The Bar Association asked contestants if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have supported the protest. Watts earned the same honor last year with an essay about the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I was selected as the first place regional winner representing Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. I received a scholarship for winning first place at the regional level and a monetary reward for being a finalist at the National Competition,” wrote Watts in an email to Mississippi Catholic. On August 3, Watts competed against all the other regional winners at the Bar Association convention in Toronto, Canada.
According to the association’s website, this competition is “designed to motivate high school students to excel in education. The competition encourages students to express their views on a preselected topic and focuses on the ability of the students to communicate orally and in writing.”
“I entered the competition again because I knew that this would be great experience and another great opportunity to meet lawyers and get a better insight to the career that I would like to pursue. I plan to become a civil rights attorney,” explained Watts. “I approached the essay by reviewing the question and forming an answer of my own. I also researched information about how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have approached this situation,” she added.
Watts, a 2017 graduate of Richland High School, serves as the Vice Grand Lady for the Junior Daughters of the Knights of Peter Claver court 199.