GREENWOOD – St. Joseph student, Jerrian King tries his hand at sledding on a Mississippi snow day. (Photo courtesy of Nikki Thompson)
JACKSON – St. Richard fourth grader Hank Harkins attended class virtually during the recent ice storm. (Photo by Haley Harkins)
MERIDIAN – Father Andrew Nguyen applies ashes to Laney Palmer’s forehead Friday, Feb. 19 at St. Patrick Catholic School as her classmate, Charli Robin, looks on. Due to the winter storm, school was canceled on Ash Wednesday and a special Mass was held Friday for the students. (Photo by Emily Thompson)
Chapel time at Sacred Heart
SOUTHAVEN – Monica Winans conducts Friday chapel for Sacred Heart School second graders. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)
Catholic Schools Week Service Project
MADISON – (Right) St. Anthony students painted flowerpots and planted succulents for residents of St. Catherine’s Village as part of a community service project during Catholic Schools Week. Pictured are fourth grade students Markin Klar (left) and Mamie Heitzmann (right). (Photo by Kati Loyacono)
CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth students Emery Ellis Alderson and Amelia Freeman, experiment with different types of eggs after learning about them on a virtual field trip during Catholic Schools Week. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)
NATCHEZ – Father Scott Thomas blesses the throat of Cathedral fourth grade student Tenley Wilson. Tenley is dressed as Mary Magdalene for her saint project. (Photo by Cara Serio)
COLUMBUS – Students at Annunciation get in line to enjoy sno cones on “Students Day” during Catholic Schools Week. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
COLUMBUS – Annunciation celebrated Catholic Schools Week with their annual “In Our Nation Day Parade” around the school block. Students wore patriotic clothing and played instruments. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
JACKSON – St. Richard students (top row sixth grade, bottom kindergarten and in pews fourth grade) performed a special presentation for Bishop Joseph Kopacz during Catholic Schools Week Mass on Wednesday Feb. 3. (Photo by Vanessa Cochran)
GREENVILLE – On Feb. 3, St. Joseph students – ChaKoreia Holmes, Jasmine Ross and Maxwell Washington – paid a visit to the Washington County Convention Center to pass out goodie bags to the National Guard. This was a small gesture of thanks for all that they are doing during the pandemic. (Photo by Nikki Thompson)
JACKSON – St. Richard, fourth grade student Ruby Hospodor reads at in person school Mass on Wednesday, Jan. 13. (Photo by Tereza Ma)COLUMBUS – Kindergarten students, Cambell Dimino, Preston Hartley, and Addison Moser, throw “snowballs” during the annual kindergarten snowball fight. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)MERIDIAN – The sixth grade class at St. Patrick School recently used building blocks to design special equipment for a playground accessible to students with special needs. It included a ramp and extra safety features. Pictured from left to right are: Laney Palmer, Harlee Sellers, Charli Robin and Elizabeth Crudup. (Photo by Melinda Graham)
YOUTH BRIEF NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Sunday, Feb. 14, 12-2 p.m. – Mardi Gras Around Town Event. Various places around town will participate by decorating and having “throws” for cars that drive by. People/families are invited to drive around and roll by the “house/location” floats. Participants should keep their windows down to catch throws as they pass the locations. A list of participating addresses will be available on St. Mary’s website and will be published in the bulletin on Feb. 13-14. We are doing this safely – by distancing outside and staying in cars that drive by and parade items will be thrown by people wearing gloves. Details: contact Carrie Lambert at stmaryyouth@cableone.net.
CHOCTAW – Confirmation at St. Therese Church in Choctaw was originally scheduled in April 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic, then postponed again after some candidates were quarantined after exposure in November. Confirmation was finally celebrated on Sunday, Dec. 6. Pictured left to right: Sierra Wallace, Kelin Kelly, Sydney Nickey, Veronica Williams, Father Bob Goodyear, S.T., Onnahili Williams, Katelin Williams and Alexis Williams. (Photo courtesy Father Bob Goodyear)
GREENVILLE – Students from St. Joseph collected canned food donations for several weeks for St. Vincent de Paul. On Nov. 20, they were able to drop off and sort through all of the donations for a special Thanksgiving distribution. St. Vincent received 256 clients and passed out about 265 food bags with the students help. (Photo courtesy of St. Joseph Catholic School)
CLARKSDALE – Students at St. Elizabeth School took time to honor the feast day of St. Elizabeth on Nov. 5. Students brought pasta (instead of bread like usual) for the care station. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)
COLUMBUS – At Annunciation School, Father Jeffrey Waldrep helps kindergarten student Kate Ross Miller make her thanksgiving day bracelet. Kindergarten students read a thanksgiving story about the meaning of each color on the bracelet while they made it. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
JACKSON – Fourth grade students at St. Richard School enjoy some well earned free time on their iPads after a spelling test. (Photo by Maya)
COLUMBUS – Sixth grade students learn how engineers design and construct buildings to withstand earthquake damage by building their own model structures using toothpicks and marshmallows. They experimented to see how earthquake-proof their buildings are by testing them in an earthquake simulation made of Jell-O. Pictured left to right are Jayden Lee, Joseph Portera and Campbell Callaway. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
NATCHEZ – Cathedral School has a newly founded shooting team led by alumni Coach Nathan Stubbs (’99) and Coach Ryan Marchbanks. On Saturday, Nov. 14 the Cathedral School ‘7SorrowsShooting’ team traveled to Sardis to compete in the Mississippi Scholastic Shooting Program. Coach Stubbs and Coach Marchbanks, along with parents accompanied and supported the team at McIvor Shooting Range. Several boys shot their personal best. The game wardens and officials noted how well-mannered and polite the boys were during the competition. Pictured is Coach Ryan Marchbanks on right and senior, Hartley Pyron, at the competition. (Photo by Jessica Stubbs)
AMORY – Carlos and Yoselyn Meza received their First Holy Communion at St. Helen parish on Saturday, Oct. 17. They are pictured here with Father Joseph Le. (Photo by Jean Pinkley)
COLUMBUS – Annunciation students showed that they are Paws-itiviely Drugs and Bully Free by making donations to Columbus Lowndes Humane Society during Red Ribbon Week. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
JACKSON – Saint Richard celebrated its annual All Saints Mass that features first graders dressed as their favorite saints. For weeks, these conscientious students studied their assigned saint, created art renderings and gathered information to present an oral report after Mass. Shown here is first grader Bo Zimmerman dressed as St. Christopher, the patron saint of travel. He even brought his own walking stick sourced from his own backyard. (Photo by Emily Myers Garner)
MADISON – St. Joseph Senior, Josh Briscoe, gave treats to hundreds of kids “drive-through style” for the annual St. Joe Trunk or Treat on Tuesday, Oct. 27. (Photo by Clay Blanchard)
MERIDIAN – (left) St. Patrick Catholic School preschool students learned to pray the rosary Friday, Oct. 23 with rosary bracelets the students made themselves. Students and staff recited a decade of the rosary every Friday. Pictured is Liza Thompson. (Photo by Helen Reynolds)
COLUMBUS – (above) Annunciation sixth grade student, Sophia Heinkel, tells about the life of her saint to fifth grader, Isabella Nguyen. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
JACKSON– Each month Saint Richard School has a “Service Project of the Month” for students and staff. They recently collected donations for “SOCKTEMBER” in honor of the Sisters of Mercy’s Sock Ministry. Saint Richard believes that service to others is an integral part of teaching students to be like Christ. Shown collecting socks are Hank Harkins, Avery Toth, Kate Donaldson and Hills Ezelle. (Photo by Emily Myers Garner)
JACKSON – The youth group at St. Therese parish prepared an altar to remember the souls of departed family members on Oct. 17. (Photo by Johana Velázquez D Magaña)
COLUMBUS – Kindergarten students – Mary Hayden Morgan, Cali Bradley and Miller Graham stomp the hallways of Annunciation School on Sept. 25 to “scare” the older students during the annual kindergarten dinosaur parade. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth school parent, Rone Walker and St. Elizabeth alum Patrick Montgomery, load spaghetti meals in the Fair-Drive-Thru on Tuesday, Oct. 6. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)
NATCHEZ – Father Mark Shoffner, parents, youth and adult mentors participated in a fun kickball tournament at Cathedral School on Sunday, Oct. 4. (Photo by Carrie Lambert)
MADISON – St. Anthony third grade student Evelyn Spellings creates a mobile from her favorite parts of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. “Love is patient, love is kind …” (Photo by Michele Warnock)
JACKSON – Third and fifth grade students attended in-person Mass at St. Richard Church with Father John Bohn on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Pictured is Christopher King delivering part of the Prayers for the Faithful to his classmates. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King)
VICKSBURG – Landon Stanchfield recently celebrated Confirmation at St. Paul parish with Father Rusty Vincent. (Photo courtesy of St. Paul Vicksburg)
JACKSON – Father Nick Adam celebrates Mass at Millsaps College on Sunday, Sept. 20. About 20 students joined for Mass and fellowship. (Photo by Rhonda Bowden)
JACKSON – Father Nick Adam celebrates Mass at Millsaps College on Sunday, Sept. 20. About 20 students joined for Mass and fellowship. (Photo by Rhonda Bowden)
CLINTON – Holy Savior Parish, Confirmation, Sept. 9. Bottom row, l-r: Chenoa Dillon, Dawson Dubra, Cecelia Ballentine, Katherine McCombs, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Katrina Sanchez, Matthew Weiss, Kaitlyn Hamilton and Joseph Thaggard. Middle row, l-r: Father Nick Adam, Levi Tripp, Tristan Ballard, Lily Nalker, Payton Galloway and Abigail Vargheese. Back row, l-r: Max Thornhill, Evan LaMarca, Raegan Jones, Belle West, Ashton Senger, Father Thomas McGing, Father Noel Prendergast. (Photo by Charlie O’Clair)
LELAND – Allye Franklin and Rick Smythe, II received the sacrament of first communion on Sept. 20 at St. James Parish on Sept. 20 from Father Sleeva Mekala. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Ruggeri)
Youth
COLUMBUS – (Above) Miller Graham says a blessing with his class over the canned food they collected for Helping Hands. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
MERIDIAN – (Above) Rush Health Systems recently donated 140 reusable cloth masks to St. Patrick School. Pictured is Emily Thompson giving a mask to St. Patrick PreK student Jehrrod Johnson. (Photo by Montse Frias)
JACKSON – (Right) On the first Friday of the month, Saint Richard students pray the rosary together. Pictured, Fourth grader Emma Williams prays silently as she waits for her teacher’s next instruction. (Photo by Emily Garner)
GREENVILLE – St. Joseph had visitors for Mass! Father Nick Adam from Jackson and Father Stephen Hart from Lake Village both celebrated Mass with students in the school gym. (Photo by Nikki Thompson)
MADISON – (Below) St. Anthony pre-K3 student Claudia Castilleja-Montalvo enjoyed observing nature close-up. Students held a baby lizard, dug for worms and watched march flies. Then, they released all of God’s little creatures back into the wild. (Photo by Amy D’Alfonso)
COLUMBUS – Mrs. Moore’s fourth graders at Annunciation School worked to create a large timeline for Mississippi history events. (Photos by Katie Fenstermacher)
Learning is yummy
CLARKSDALE – Learning is fun (and yummy) in Mrs. Curcio’s first grade math class at St. Elizabeth School. Student Bowen Anderson sorts and graphs using skittles. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)
Southaven silly socks
SOUTHAVEN – Students celebrated the 73rd anniversary of Sacred Heart School with crazy sock and shoe day on Sept. 16. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)
Field day fun in Natchez
NATCHEZ – On Sept. 13, St. Mary’s CYO members had some field day fun at Memorial Park behind St. Mary Basilica. (Photo by Carrie Lambert)
Sacraments
FLOWOOD – Mariah Grace Morris St. Paul Catholic Church received the Sacrament of First Communion on Aug. 9. (Photo by Jamie Morris)
GREENWOOD – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, First Communion, Aug. 16, Left to Right: Orla Barnes with sponsor Jessica Barnes; Lucy Hicks with sponsor Meredith Brown; Michael Martin with sponsor David Grossman; Nate Slater with sponsor Mandy Skelton; Kittrell Smith with sponsor Javier Zapien; Britt Nokes with sponsor Barry Barth; Jack Stuckey with sponsor Daniel Smith; and Louis Brown with sponsor Matthew Hicks. (Photo by Caroline Stuckey)
LELAND – (right) St. James Parish, Confirmation, Sept. 10, Front row (l-r): Ellie Zepponi, Graci Pickell, Madison Henry, Hannah Lloyd and Lane Walker. Back row: Reeves Polasini, Walker Zepponi, Leland Zepponi, Kaid Polasini and Brett Chustz. (Photo by Deborah Ruggeri)
CORINTH – St. James Parish, Confirmation, Aug. 15, Pictured are Ania Ambrocio, Andrew Ayala, Angela Fuentes, Eulises Cobos, Brisanda Luna, Julia Martinez, Kevin Posadas, Elizabeth Soliz, Luis Zuñiga, Jesus Robles, Oswaldo Mejia, Mateo Molina and Italy Molina. (Photo by Josefina Preza)
CORINTH – St. James Parish, Laisha Sorcia received her First Communion certificate on Aug. 15 from Father Mario Solorzano. (Photo by Josefina Preza)
VICKSBURG – Jackson Fontenot and Elizabeth Theriot recently received the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Michael parish in Vicksburg. They are pictured with Father Robert Dore.
VICKSBURG – Jameson Piazza is all smiles after receiving his First Holy Communion at St. Michael from Father Robert Dore. (Photos by Caroline Stuckey)
MERIDIAN – Pictured left to right, Manning Miles, Matthew Heggie and Lauren Massey received their First Communion from Father Andrew Nguyen and Father Augustine Palimattam on Saturday, Aug. 1 at St. Patrick Parish. (Photo by John Harwell)
MERIDIAN – Ollie Holcomb received her First Communion at St. Joseph Parish from Father Augustine Palimattam on Sunday, Aug. 16. (Photo by John Harwell)
FLOWOOD – Tennyson Walker receives a certificate for his First Communion at St. Paul parish from Father Gerry Hurley on Sunday, Aug. 9. (Photo by Kimberly Walker)
FOREST – Morton’s Confirmation group at St. Michael Parish, Pictured left to right: Emily Ponce, Hugo Salazar, Diana Carrillo, Father Roberto Mena, ST, Catti Pérez, Iris Pérez and Marvin. (Photo courtesy of Father Roberto Mena, ST)
COLUMBUS – On Aug. 27, kindergarten students practiced their parachuting skills in P.E. class with Father Jeffrey Waldrep. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
NATCHEZ – (Below) Teens, parents and Knights of Columbus joined together to work on yards on Sunday, Aug. 30. Every six weeks youth from St. Mary Basilica get together with the Knights of Columbus to work on the yard of an older person who needs help. (Photo by Carrie Lambert)
JACKSON – (Left) Father Nick Adam recently spoke to the sixth grade classes at Saint Richard School about vocations. The children had the opportunity to ask questions and visit with Father Nick about his new role as director of vocations for the Diocese of Jackson. (Photo by Emily Myers Garner)
Mississippi Catholic will publish Sacrament pages in upcoming editions. This means we need 2020 First Communion and Confirmation photos. Due to COVID-19, we understand there may not be group shots, so individual pictures are accepted. email to: editor@jacksondiocese.org Please include full names, parish, date, name of sacrament celebration and name of photographer, if possible.
GREENVILLE – St. Joseph Parish, First Communion, Aug. 9, First row (l-r): Father Aaron Williams, Ann Archer Brown, Sandy Dominguez, Caroline Barham and Mary McClain Morlino. Back row: Matthew Lipscomb, Campbell Hooker, Brayden Hillman, Walt Milam and Noah Signa. (Photo by Mary Lynn Powers)
MERIDIAN – St. Patrick Parish, First Communion, Aug. 1, First row (l-r): Manning Miles, Matthew Heggie and Lauren Massey. Second row (l-r): Father Andrew Nguyen and Father Augustine Palimattam. (Photo by John Harwell)
FLOWOOD – St. Paul Parish, First Communion, Aug. 9. Nicholas Mangialardi celebrated his First Communion with his parents Sam and Ashley Mangialardi. (Photo by Anthony Mangialardi)
FLOWOOD – Father Gerry Hurley distributes first communion to Piper Pollard on Aug. 9. (Photo by Monica Walton)
MERIDIAN – (Above) St. Patrick Parish, First Communion, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020. L-r: Ava Cayer, Blakely Purdy, Father Augustine Palimattam, Jeremiah Mari and Kyler Williams.
St. Joseph Parish, First Communion, Aug. 9, L-r: Geraldine Medrano and Josselyn Reyes with Father Augustine Palimattam. (Photos by John Harwell)
NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, First Communion, Aug. 2, Front row (l-r): Frances Daniel, Mary Virginia Waycaster, Vivienne Gibson, Camille Anderson, Laura Verucchi, Grace Anne Biglane and Macy Carter. Second row (l-r): Audrey Janette, Brooklyn Rayborn, James Brown, Rivers Atkins, Grayson Tosspon, Tyler Orr and Alex Rojo. Back row: Father Mark Shoffner and Father Scott Thomas. (Photo by Shannon Rojo)
CARTHAGE – St. Anne Parish, First Communion, July 25, Front row (l-r): Edward Lopez, Amber Salvador, Alan Modesto, Casandra Lopez, JaDavis L. Rayveon and Lou Joyner (catechist). Back row (l-r): Poedro Lopez, Father Odel Medina S.T., Enmanuel Modesto and Yens Snyder Lopez. (Photo courtesy of Father Odel Medina)
CLEVELAND – Our Lady of Victories Parish, First Communion, twins Noah Turner Gaddy and Jase Cooper Gaddy. (Photo by Catherine Gaddy)
MERIDIAN – St. Patrick Parish, First Communion, Aug. 15, First row (l-r): Beckett Ethridge, Mariana Mora Cordova and Guadalupe Garcia. Second row (l-r): Father Andrew Nguyen, Xofia Rose Joyner, Isaac Rigdon and Father Augustine Palimattam. (Photo by John Harwell)
GREENVILLE – St. Joseph Parish, Confirmation, Aug. 16, Front row (l-r): Anna Grace McGaugh, Mecklyn Claire Vaught, Haylee Elizabeth Trussell, Lauren Elizabeth Shelley and Ella Synclaire Millwood. Back row (l-r): Madison Claire Cain, Christopher George Tonos II, Bishop Joseph Kopacz and Father Aaron Williams. (Photo by Mary Lynn Powers)
MERIDIAN – St. Patrick, First Communion, Aug. 8, Front row (l-r): Jude Saylor, Christopher Hall, Avery Matthews, Ruben Hernandez and Richard Hernandez. Second row (l-r): Father Andrew Nguyen and Father Augustine Palimattam. (Photo by John Harwell)