By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV thanked the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem for supporting the Christian communities in the Holy Land, especially during the “tragic days of war.”
“In a world where arrogance and violence seem to prevail over charity, you are called to bear witness that life conquers death, that love conquers hatred, that forgiveness conquers vengeance, and that mercy and grace conquer sin,” he told members of the ancient Catholic chivalric order.
The pope met with more than 3,000 knights and dames of the Holy Sepulchre in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall Oct. 23 during their Jubilee pilgrimage to Rome. Cardinal Fernando Filoni, grand master of the order, was also present.
The order, a lay institution under the protection of the Holy See, supports the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with prayers, financial assistance and regular pilgrimages. There are more than 30,000 members around the world.
Pope Leo thanked them for “the considerable help you give, quietly and without publicity, to the communities of the Holy Land, supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in its various activities: the seminary, schools, charitable work and assistance, humanitarian and educational projects, the university, aid to churches, with special interventions in times of greatest crisis, as was the case during COVID and the tragic days of war.”
Pope Leo XIV greets members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Oct. 23, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) Inset: Father Mark Shoffner, pastor of St. John Parish in Oxford, who attended the audience, said the pope looked directly at him and waved. (Photo courtesy of Father Shoffner)
With concrete and varied assistance, he said, “you show that safeguarding the tomb of Christ does not simply mean preserving a historical, archaeological or artistic heritage, however important, but is supporting a church made of living stones, which was born around it and still lives today as an authentic sign of Paschal hope.”
“To pause at the Lord’s tomb means, in fact, to renew one’s faith in God who keeps his promises, whose power no human force can defeat,” the pope said.
“How often, thanks to your work, a glimmer of light reappears for individuals, families and entire communities who risk being overwhelmed by terrible tragedies at every level, particularly in the places where Jesus lived,” he said.
Pope Leo encouraged the order’s members to continue with their “task of being guardians of the tomb of Christ” with “the confidence of expectation, the zeal of charity and the joyful enthusiasm of hope.”
By Father Nick Adam We are looking forward to a unique Thanksgiving weekend at the end of November. Seminarian Will Foggo will be ordained to the transitional diaconate at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson.
This is not the usual time for a deacon ordination. In recent years, they have typically taken place in the spring, but because of changes to the national formation plan for seminarians implemented by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Will’s class is scheduled for diaconate ordination late this fall and priestly ordination in the spring. After this year, the schedule should return to its usual rhythm. Will’s journey is unique. He will serve as a deacon for about six months before being ordained a priest on May 16, 2026.
Will Foggo will be ordained to the transitional diaconate at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Jackson. He will serve at St. Joseph Starkville until his priestly ordination on May 16, 2026.
It will be especially meaningful for me to see Will reach this milestone. He began his seminary journey around the same time I became director of seminarians. I remember in the spring of 2020 receiving a call from Father Jason Johnston, Will’s pastor while he was a student at Mississippi State University, saying he thought Will might be contacting me soon about applying for seminary. I didn’t waste any time – I called Will myself and texted him the application that same day.
I already knew Will and his family well. They are longtime parishioners at St. Paul Catholic Church in Flowood, and his mother, Sheila, is a longtime teacher at St. Richard Catholic School in Jackson. Will had also attended a Come and See retreat in February 2020, so I had seen enough to know he was someone we should encourage and support.
Will entered seminary at the height of the pandemic, and I’ve been impressed by his steadiness and maturity throughout the process. He was part of the first group of seminarians who participated in our summer Spanish immersion program and has been active in diocesan youth ministry events such as SEARCH and DCYC. He has also served as master of ceremonies at Notre Dame Seminary for several years – a demanding role that requires ensuring liturgies run smoothly day after day, often with visiting clergy and dignitaries.
Please plan to come and pray for Will and thank the Lord for his vocation on Nov. 29. A reception will follow the Mass in the Cathedral Center. Will is also preparing to graduate from seminary with his master’s degree in theology. That ceremony will take place Thursday, Dec. 11, at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.
It seems like just yesterday we were giving Will a tour of Notre Dame Seminary during that Come and See weekend – but that was nearly six years ago. His story is a great reminder that building a culture of vocations takes time, but it is always worth the effort.
(For more information on vocations, visit jacksonvocations.com or contact Father Nick at nick.adam@jacksondiocese.org.)
IN EXILE By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI “God behaves in the psalms in ways he is not allowed to behave in systemic theology.”
That quip from Sebastian Moore might be highlighted at a time when fewer people want to use the psalms as a form of prayer because they feel offended that the psalms speak of murder, revenge, anger, violence, war-making and patriarchy.
Yet for centuries the psalms have been central to both Jewish and Christian prayer. They form the very heart of the Divine Office (the church’s prayer for the world), are sung in Vespers’ services, are prayed daily by millions of men and women, and have been chanted by monks for centuries as a central part of their prayer.
Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
Why the objection to the psalms? Some ask: “How can I pray with words that are sometimes full of hatred, anger, violence, and speak of the glories of war and of crushing one’s enemies in the name of God?” For others, the objection is to the patriarchal nature of the psalms. For yet others, the offense is aesthetic: “They’re terrible poetry!” they say.
Perhaps the psalms aren’t great poetry and they do, undeniably, smack of violence, war, hatred of one’s enemies in the name of God, and the desire for vengeance. They’re also patriarchal in character. But does that make them poor language for prayer? No, to the contrary.
One of the classical definitions of prayer suggests that “prayer is lifting mind and heart to God.” Simple, clear, accurate. Our problem is that we too seldom actually do this when we pray. Rather than lifting to God what’s actually on our minds and in our hearts, we treat God as someone from whom we need to hide the real truth of our thoughts and feelings. Instead of pouring out mind and heart, we tell God what we think God wants to hear – not murderous thoughts, desire for vengeance, or our disappointment with him.
But expressing those feelings is the whole point. What makes the psalms so apt for prayer is that they do not hide the truth from God and they express the whole gamut of our actual feelings. They give honest voice to what’s actually going on in our minds and hearts.
Sometimes we feel good and our spontaneous impulse is to speak words of praise and gratitude. The psalms give us that voice. They speak of God’s goodness – love, friends, faith, health, food, wine, enjoyment. But we don’t always feel that way. Our lives also have their cold, lonely seasons when disappointment and bitterness smolder under the surface. The psalms then give us honest voice and we can open all those angry feelings to God.
At other times, we fill with the sense of our own inadequacy, with the fact that we cannot measure up to the trust and love that’s given us. The psalms give us voice for this, asking God to have mercy, to soften our hearts, to wash us clean, to give us a fresh start. And then still there are times when we feel disappointed with God himself and need in some way to express this. The psalms give us this voice (“Why are you so silent? Why are you so far from me?”) even as they make us aware that God is not afraid of our anger and bitterness but, like a loving parent, only wants us to come and talk about it.
The psalms are a privileged vehicle for prayer because they lift the full range of our thoughts and feelings to God.
But we tend to struggle with that. First, because our age often fails to grasp metaphor and taken literally, some of the images within the psalms are offensive. Second, we are often in denial about our true feelings. It’s hard to admit that we feel some of the things we sometimes feel: grandiosity, sexual obsessions, jealousies, desire for revenge, murderous thoughts. Too often our prayer belies our actual thoughts and feelings and tells God what we think God wants to hear. The psalms have more honesty.
As Kathleen Norris puts it: If you pray regularly “there is no way you can do it right. You are not always going to sit up straight, let alone think holy thoughts. You’re not going to wear your best clothes but whatever isn’t in the dirty clothes basket. You come to the Bible’s great book of praises through all the moods and conditions of life, and while you feel like hell, you sing anyway. To your surprise, you find that the psalms do not deny your true feelings but allow you to reflect them, right in front of God and everyone.”
Feel good aphorisms that express how we think we ought to feel are no substitute for the earthy realism of the psalms which express how we actually do feel at times. Anyone who would lift mind and heart to God without ever mentioning feelings of bitterness, jealousy, vengeance, hatred and war, is better suited to write greeting cards than to give out spiritual counsel.
(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a professor of spirituality at Oblate School of Theology and award-winning author.)
From the Archives By Mary Woodward With the arrival of November – Black Catholic History Month – I wanted to give an update on the canonical process for Sister Thea Bowman’s cause for canonization. The process is in full swing and the historical commission, postulator, and myself as chancellor/archivist are getting down to the minute details of formatting pages, indexing materials and verifying sources.
The hope is to have all this completed by the end of the year so that in February we can officially close the diocesan phase of the process with a Mass and sealing of the Acts ceremony. Then we will send two copies of the Acts to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. Once this happens, the Roman Phase begins where everything in the Acts is reviewed by experts at the Vatican.
Sister Thea Bowman appears with a choir in this undated photo from the diocesan archives.
As mentioned above, the small details of bringing the Acts together involve strict formatting, numbering thousands of pages for corresponding index sections, and transcribing dozens of audio interviews. Margin widths, five-digit page numbers, consistent source citations all are part of the work of the historical commission and chancellor. Truly, it is a labor of love for all involved.
In completing much of this work, we have involved all types of resources and technologies. Artificial Intelligence has been a big help in formatting many of the sections. I have been amazed at how AI can assist in this process by very accurately transcribing audio files. Naturally, we must read through and make sure various terms such as “convent” do not get transcribed as “covid,” but AI has been a big help.
So, as I was contemplating what to write today, I thought let me see how AI would write a column about Sister Thea’s cause. In the sidebar is what AI produced when I asked that very question.
Reading the story from ChatGPT, I see the beauty and the dangers of AI. It can produce a lovely column and facilitate efficient transcriptions, but it can induce laziness and complacency in the human spirit – quite antithetical to Sister Thea Bowman.
This was an experiment, and I pledge that this will be the only time I use AI to write this column. Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, pray for us.
(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson.)
What AI wrote
Walking with Sister Thea: A milestone in her cause for canonization
During Black Catholic History Month, the Diocese of Jackson continues to celebrate the legacy of Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA. Progress continues in the cause for her canonization, as the diocese works diligently to complete the final steps of the diocesan phase before sending the Acts to the Vatican for review.
By ChatGPT As the church continues her journey toward recognizing holy witnesses from our own time and soil, the Cause for Beatification and Canonization of Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA, stands as a remarkable sign of grace and hope. Across the nation, and particularly within our Diocese of Jackson and among the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, the life and legacy of this extraordinary woman continue to inspire discipleship, unity, and joyful faith.
Sister Thea Bowman – teacher, evangelizer, scholar, singer, and prophetic voice – taught us that holiness blooms in every culture and vocation, and that the Gospel is most powerful when shared with authenticity, music, truth and love. She invited the church to “walk together, children, and don’t get weary.” Those who encountered her knew they were in the presence of a soul deeply rooted in God’s love and aflame with missionary zeal.
Current progress in the cause Today, her cause is moving steadily and prayerfully forward. Over the past several years, the diocesan team has worked diligently to gather testimony, review personal writings, authenticate historical records, and interview those who knew Sister Thea personally. This stage – known as the diocesan inquiry – is a painstaking and sacred process, ensuring that every aspect of her life and virtues is examined with integrity and reverence.
Witness interviews, archival research, and historical documentation have formed a rich tapestry of evidence regarding Sister Thea’s heroic faith, enduring joy amidst suffering, and fearless commitment to the dignity of every person. The final steps of this diocesan phase are underway, and once complete, the documentation will be sealed and sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome.
A Call to Prayer and Participation As we move forward, the faithful are encouraged to pray through Sister Thea’s intercession. Many already turn to her for healing, encouragement and strength. Stories of grace continue to surface – testimonies of hope, reconciliation, and renewed faith inspired by her witness.
The church invites us not simply to admire holy people, but to imitate them. Sister Thea once said, “I come to you as a Black woman … a Catholic … a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration … and I come to you in love.”
May we, like her, bring all that we are to Christ and to one another.
Looking Ahead with Hope The road to canonization is long, but every step is filled with prayer, discernment and joyful expectation. We trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding this work, and we are grateful for all who support the cause through prayer, pilgrimage, testimony, research and devotion.
May Sister Thea’s song continue to echo in our hearts and in our church. And may the day come when the universal church proclaims what so many already know – that Sister Thea Bowman is a saint among us.
Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, pray for us. Walk with us. And help us sing a new church into being.
FAITH ALIVE By Cecilia A. Moore From the 1920s through the 1960s more than 300,000 African-Americans across the country chose to enter into communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Their choices to become Catholic set them apart from most African-American Christians who were members of Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and Holiness traditions.
Cecilia A. Moore is associate professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton in Ohio. (CNS photo/University of Dayton)
However, in choosing Catholicism, African-Americans were returning to the earliest Christian traditions of their ancestors. African Christians figured prominently in shaping the Catholic tradition, making their imprint on Catholic theology, doctrine and religious practices.
St. Augustine’s teachings on grace and sin, monasticism and traditions related to intercessory prayer are just three examples of African influence on Catholicism. Christian kingdoms flourished for more than four centuries in Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan before Christianity had durable roots in Western Europe.
And, although Muslims were successful in establishing their faith throughout North Africa and in parts of sub-Saharan Africa by the ninth century, Christianity did preserve in parts of Africa and by the beginning of the 16th century, Catholicism was reintroduced to Africa by way of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Twentieth-century African-Americans who chose to become Catholic were rich, poor, middle-class, famous, infamous, ordinary, eccentric, well-educated, poorly educated, Southern, Northern, Midwestern, Western, raised as Christian, religiously unaffiliated, politically engaged, apolitical and so much more.
No matter their individual characteristics, they had their own reasons for choosing Catholicism. Some did so to answer a call to religious life. Some felt an internal spiritual call to Catholicism. Some joined the Catholic Church because they were married to Catholics, and others were attracted to the faith because they had Catholic friends.
There were women and men who found Catholicism to be the truest expression of Christian faith, finding themselves deeply attracted to the rituals and theology of Catholicism. Many were children who learned about Catholicism while attending Catholic schools. It was not uncommon for these children to bring their entire families into the church with them.
Some became Catholic because the church reached out to them when they were in need. The Catholic stance on political and social issues drew others in. There were also 20th-century African-Americans who converted who said they experienced a sense of equality in the church that they didn’t experience in other aspects of their lives.
Whatever their reasons for were for choosing Catholicism, African-Americans changed the look and the experience of American Catholicism in the 20th century.
November is Black Catholic History Month. Use this month to learn about some of these 20th-century African-Americans who chose Catholicism and made great contributions to the American Catholic experience. Here are three that you might consider.
African-American children’s book author, Ellen Tarry, became a Catholic when she attended St. Francis de Sales, a Catholic boarding school for African-American girls run by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in the early 20th century. As a young woman she got involved in the Harlem Renaissance and in Catholic interracial justice work.
Tarry’s books for children featured aspects of Catholicism and African-American life. She also published frequently in Catholic publications on issues that pertained to African-Americans. Her autobiography “The Third Door: The Autobiography of an American Negro Woman” is a fine way to begin learning about her and her contributions to American Catholicism.
Several of the more famous African-Americans who joined the Catholic Church in the 20th century were in the performing arts. Mary Lou Williams is one of the most famous and interesting. Williams was a renowned jazz pianist and composer. Becoming a Catholic in 1957, Williams came to regard jazz as a gift that God gave her to give the church. Jazz inspired her composition of dozens of hymns.
Finally, an especially fitting way to celebrate Black Catholic History Month would be to read “The History of Black Catholics in the United States” by the late Benedictine Father Cyprian Davis. Father Davis’ work was integral to bringing attention nationally and internationally to the ways that people of African descent helped to develop Catholicism from the earliest days up through the middle of the 20th century.
Though trained in monastic history, Father Davis is most well-known for developing black Catholic history as a distinctive field study and scholarship around the country, but especially at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana.
(Cecilia A. Moore is associate professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton.)
JACKSON – Author Monica Walton returns with “Advent Reflections for Our World Today,” a weekly devotional designed with the busyness of the Advent season in mind.
“This pocket-sized weekly devotional offers readers a rich and meaningful experience for the season of Advent, drawing us closer to Jesus by exploring His message for us at this time,” Walton said. “Written in the style of Lectio Divina with a focus on the Sunday Gospel readings for liturgical year A, it inspires readers to reflect on one powerful Scripture passage each week and explore God’s Sacred Word through a contemporary lens, making the material more relatable and manageable during this busy time.”
The author of “Lean Into Lent” and “Advent Reflections for This Day” (which focused on Year B readings), Walton now lives in Ocean Springs and attends St. Alphonsus Church after 31 years at St. Paul in Flowood.
“At first glance, the cover draws us into the story of the Birth of our Savior, and the material within helps all Christians prepare for His Second Coming,” Walton said.
“So many of us have the best of intentions when it comes to Advent study, but we get behind – and often give up – because of Christmas shopping, holiday parties and travel,” said publisher Joe Lee, an active member of St. Francis of Assisi in Madison.
“Advent Reflections for Our World Today offers all the spiritual nourishment of a daily Advent study, and the modern-day parables are timely and will stay with you.”
Bishop Joseph Kopacz endorsed the book, saying, “In a most creative way, this book enfolds the richness of the church’s wisdom to prepare the way of the Lord. The power of God’s Word to change lives, the inspiration and comfort of traditional prayers, weekly modern day parables, practical guidance, and much more all combine to offer a season of hope and peace that the world cannot give. Embrace this remarkable treasure and welcome the Lord!”
Priced at just $8.95 per copy with generous discounts available for group purchases, “Advent Reflections for Our World Today” is ideal for church-wide study, prayer and Bible study groups, or individual study.
Monica’s work can be found in The Word Among Us and on her blog, sacredandsensible.com. For signed copies of “Advent Reflections for Our World Today,” or for more information about bulk discounts for parishes, visit dogwoodpress.com.
(OSV News) — Many parishioners at San Antonio de las Huertas Parish in Mexico City remember their deceased loved ones by building altars in their homes for Day of the Dead.
The altars burst with marigolds, are often adorned with colourful “papel picado,” or decorative cut paper, and usually feature food and drink, including Coca-Cola, tequila and beer. People believe their relatives return the nights of Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 to reunite with family.
Father Pedro Lira, pastor at San Antonio de las Huertas, supports the practice of building altars. But he also encourages his congregation to pray for their deceased loved ones and to remember the promise of eternal life.
A file photo shows workers assembling an altar in Mexico City’s Zocalo Square, which is part of an art installation to celebrate the Day of the Dead. The traditional celebration honors children on All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, and adults on All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2. (OSV News photo/Tomas Bravo, Reuters)
“Upon lighting the candles many people stop and pray the Our Father without really knowing how to pray at the altar,” Father Lira told OSV News. “It’s the confidence of saying, ‘Even after death, I can do something for you?'”
Day of the Dead — famed Dia de los Muertos — marks one of Mexico’s deepest cultural traditions, dating to pre-Hispanic times, in which people commemorate and commune with their deceased loved ones. Mexicans build altars and visit graveyards for candlelight vigils.
Many Mexicans visit churches, too, where prayers are said for All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2.
“The church commemorates, does not celebrate, the faithful who have departed,” Father Lira said. “We entrust them to God’s mercy. We no longer know if they share in his glory, but we do entrust them to God’s providence. And that is why as a church we pray for them.”
Death holds a unique place in Mexican culture. Pre-Hispanic populations celebrated a version of Day of the Dead around harvest time, according to research. Early Catholic evangelists “Christianized” that remembrance of the dead, according to Father Lira, who emphasized, “The Christian message is death as a passage to eternal life. … Mexican culture did not see life after death.”
The tradition has become a spectacle, too — all thanks to the 2015 James Bond movie, “Spectre,” which featured an apocryphal Day of the Dead parade. Mexican tourism officials copied the parade — complete with giant skeleton marionettes — which draws throngs to central Mexico City.
Onlookers paint their faces black and white and dress in La Catrina costumes — elegant skeletons previously used to mock the Mexicans aspiring to be Europeans. Tourists, meanwhile, increasingly make trips to graveyards to witness the festivities, bringing much needed economic activity to downtrodden rural towns, but disrupting commemorations.
“The people of Oaxaca (state) have managed to create a second Day of the Dead that is exclusively meant for tourists and strangers,” Shawn Haley, a Canadian anthropologist studying the holiday, told OSV News. The alternative Day of the Dead “redirects the strangers focus away from the village celebrations that can then remain restricted to the community and family.”
Observers say a renewed sense of pride in Mexican traditions, along with movies such as “Coco,” have hastened the embrace of Day of the Dead. The renewed interest in Day of the Dead, meanwhile, has largely diminished interest in Halloween, which had been brought back by migrants and had been gaining ground until recently. “It is viewed as a quaint American holiday,” Haley said.
Mexican church leaders have long warned of the rise of Halloween. Father Andrés Larios said a group of young people in his parish in Michoacán even tried to turn the parish event hall into a haunted house — something he used as a teaching opportunity.
“The church much prefers promoting that one day we will meet our loved ones who died for this world, but who continue living in the other, rather than getting rid of all these things that come from the United States” such as Halloween, said Andrés Larios, a parish priest in the Diocese of Apatzingán.
Practicing Catholics still refer to Day of the Dead as All Saints, which remembers the saints, and All Souls, which remembers all believers, to “distinguish themselves from nonpracticing Catholics,” according to Haley, though “the actual celebration is exactly the same.”
He added, “In non-Catholic homes, the deceased loved ones are expected to return home where in Catholic homes, the altar becomes more of a memorial to the deceased. Less celebrating and more remembering.”
Priests are emphasizing faith, along with remembrance.
“It’s very important to recall the importance of praying for the saints on Nov. 1 and praying for the dead on Nov. 2,” Father Alan Camargo, spokesman for the Diocese of Matamoros-Reynosa, told OSV News.
“The Catholic faith, at its core, is Christ who dies and conquers death,” he continued, adding that “altars to the dead, skulls, those don’t clash with the Christian faith as long as we discover the importance of respect for life and also respect for death.”
(David Agren writes for OSV News from Buenos Aires.)
Sophia Forchas, who survived a gunshot wound to the head during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis Aug. 27, 2025, and her father, Tom Forchas, exit a limousine at Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis Oct. 23, just after her release from Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul. A police escort led by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara arrived at HCMC for a brief visit with hospital staff there who treated Sophia. (OSV News photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit)
NATION MINNEAPOLIS (OSV News) – Sophia Forchas, who was critically injured in an Aug. 27 shooting during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, has been discharged from the hospital and was greeted with signs and cheers Oct. 23 in Minneapolis. Sophia, 12, was in critical condition for two weeks after suffering a gunshot wound to the head. Then, Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis reported on Sept. 11 that she had moved into serious condition – defined as having “a chance for improved prognosis.” On her way home from Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul Oct. 23, where she was receiving inpatient rehabilitation, Sophia was escorted to Hennepin Healthcare. She was greeted by staff who clapped and cheered. Some staff cried and hugged each other. They held signs that included birthday messages and sang the “Happy Birthday” song to her. Sophia, a seventh grader, turns 13 on Oct. 25. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was part of the escort. Sophia’s neurosurgeon, Dr. Walt Galicich, credited staff at Hennepin Healthcare for assisting in the girl’s recovery. Sophia’s family, members of St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, stated her healing progress was “nothing short of miraculous; an undeniable testament to the mercy and intervention of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – A coalition of Catholic organizations held prayer vigils across the country on Oct. 22 for what organizers called “a national day of public witness for our immigrant brothers and sisters.” The vigils came amid growing concern from some faith communities – including a Catholic parish in Chicago – about the impact of the Trump administration’s rollback of a policy that prohibited immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, such as churches, schools, and hospitals. The “One Church, One Family: Catholic Public Witness for Immigrants,” vigils took place in multiple locations around the country on Oct. 22, with a second series of events scheduled for Nov. 13, the feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, universal patroness of immigrants. The protest and prayer vigil in the nation’s capital took place in front of the headquarters for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as employees entered the building and as rush-hour drivers occasionally honked at the group in apparent acknowledgement. Judy Coode, communications director for Pax Christi USA told OSV News at the Washington vigil, “We wanted to be a witness.” “Both as Catholics and also as U.S. citizens, we have a responsibility to bear witness to injustices that we see,” Coode said.
VATICAN VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The pursuit of synodality should strengthen the Catholic Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel and help all Catholics learn to collaborate to make the world a better place, Pope Leo XIV said. “As Pope Francis reminded us on numerous occasions,” the pope said, the purpose of synodality “is to help the church fulfill its primary role in the world, which is to be missionary, to announce the Gospel, to give witness to the person of Jesus Christ in every part of the world, to the ends of the earth.” That witness includes speaking up for justice, caring for the planet and promoting peace, Pope Leo said during a meeting late Oct. 24 with participants in the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies. “The church has a voice, and we need to be courageous in raising our voice to change the world, to make it a better place,” he told the pilgrims, who included about 150 representatives from the United States with 15 U.S. bishops.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and its Creed, as well as reaffirming hopes for peace in the Middle East, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Turkey and Lebanon Nov. 27-Dec. 2. The Vatican released the itinerary for Pope Leo’s first foreign trip Oct. 27. The trip to Iznik, Turkey, site of the ancient Nicaea, initially was planned for Pope Francis. But Pope Leo, just days after his election in May, announced his intention to commemorate the anniversary with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The patriarch announced at a liturgy in Istanbul Oct. 22 that he had invited the three other patriarchs of the ancient “pentarchy” to join him and the pope for the Nicaea celebration, according to the Orthodox Times website. The heads of churches invited are: Greek Orthodox Patriarchs Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Theodore II of Alexandria and John X of Antioch.
WORLD PARIS (OSV News) – Students from Trinity High School in Whitesville, Kentucky, found comfort in faith after witnessing chaos in Paris. The group of 20 sophomores, juniors and seniors, along with three chaperones, were visiting the Louvre on Oct. 19 when a dramatic jewel heist unfolded just hours before their flight home. Principal Emily Hernandez, who led the group, said they were in line by 8:45 a.m for their 9 a.m. tour, and they first went to see the “Mona Lisa.” Then they headed to the Gallery of Apollo when one student heard what sounded like “power tools.” Moments later, crowds were ushered out of the museum. Not “until we were out of the Louvre,” Hernandez said, did the group learn of the robbery, in which nine items were stolen from the Gallery of Apollo by several masked thieves. Hernandez said she believes the sound of power tools heard by the student turned out to be the chainsaw used to break open the window into the gallery. The experience left students shaken but safe. They attended Mass together at Notre Dame Cathedral later that day. “After Mass, everyone was calm,” Hernandez said. “They really took care of each other.”
TEHRAN, Iran (OSV News) – In Iran, a new metro station in Tehran dedicated to the Virgin Mary is drawing attention – and reflection. Belgian Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, who leads the Archdiocese of Tehran-Isfahan, says the “Maryam-e Moghadass” or “Holy Mary” station offers commuters a daily reminder of God’s love for all. Writing Oct. 22 in Fides agency, the cardinal described the bas-relief images of Jesus, Mary, and a dove representing the Holy Spirit that decorate the station. He said their serene faces “invite those passing by to contemplate the love of the one God” and to walk the path of peace. Located near the Armenian Cathedral of St. Sarkis, the station also honors Iran’s Armenian Christian community – the country’s largest minority. While the artwork signals interreligious respect, religious freedom in Iran remains limited. A U.S. commission reports Christians still face imprisonment and persecution for practicing or sharing their faith. The Marian images at the metro station feature various verses from “Surah Maryam,” the 19th chapter of the Quran dedicated to Mary. As the mother of Jesus, the third chapter of the Quran states that Mary, who is highly venerated in Islam, was chosen by God “from all the women of the world.”
PEARL – St. Jude Parish celebrated its feast day on Sunday, Oct. 26, with dancers from Danza Tonantzin, a procession, dinner and games. In front are altar servers Ximenia and Olinsser Villafranka, Ivana Lozano and Abbygale Roberts. (Photo by Lauren Roberts)
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth, Jubilee Year of Hope Celebration Mass, Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. Details: RSVP to church office (662) 624-4301.
DIOCESE/CLINTON – Diocesan Youth Adult Day of Reflection “Prepare the Way,” Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Camp Garaway, Clinton. Register at https://bit.ly/YAReflection25. Deadline Nov. 19 at noon. Details: amelia.rizor@jacksondiocese.org.
GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Millions of Monicas – Praying with confidence for our children, each Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers and grandmothers as we pray for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: email millionsofmonicas@stjosephgluckstadt.com.
PARISH & YOUTH EVENTS STARKVILLE – St. Joseph, CYO Garage Sale, Saturday, Nov. 15 from 8-11 a.m. in the parish hall. Details: church office (662) 323-2257.
OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Card Night hosted by the Men’s Club, Friday, Nov. 14 in the social hall. Dinner at 6 p.m. and games at 7 p.m. All are invited to this fun evening of cards and fellowship. Entry fee: $20 – includes poker chips, dinner and beverages. Games: three 50-minute rounds with 10 minute intermissions. Choose from Black Jack or Texas Hold’em. Details: sign up in the Commons or contact Tracy at (901) 828-4848.
EMPLOYMENT JACKSON – Diocese of Jackson seeks an Assistant Stewardship and Development Director to support fundraising and stewardship, including the Annual Catholic Service Appeal; full-time. Requirements: bachelor’s (related field), 3+ years development/fundraising, strong writing skills, Excel, relationship skills; practicing Catholic in good standing. Apply by Nov. 15: send résumé and cover letter to Rebecca Harris, Diocese of Jackson, PO Box 2248, Jackson, MS 39225.
JACKSON – Diocese of Jackson seeks a Facilities Manager to support parishes and schools. Oversees contract review, construction, and diocesan property/life-health-safety policies; manages maintenance and repairs for the Chancery and diocesan sites. Bachelor’s/associate degree in facilities or construction preferred; CFM preferred; 5+ years facilities/construction management required. Email résumé and cover letter to Cathy Pendleton at cathy.pendleton@jacksondiocese.org.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR POSITIONS – The Diocese of Jackson seeks qualified, faith-filled leaders to serve as administrators in our Catholic schools. Positions available at St. Joseph School, Madison (Grades 7–12), St. Joseph School, Greenville (Grades PK3–12), and St. Elizabeth School, Clarksdale (Grades PK3–6). Applicants should be practicing Catholics with leadership experience, strong communication skills, and a commitment to Catholic education. For details and applications, visit jacksondiocese.org/administrator-employment.
JACKSON PARENTS SHARE YOUR VOICE IN THE METRO SCHOOL SURVEY JACKSON – Families with children from early childhood through 12th grade are invited to take part in the Jackson Catholic Schools Family Survey on Education.
Whether your children attend Catholic schools or not, your feedback will help us better serve families across our Catholic community. The short survey asks about your experiences and how you make schooling decisions. Take the survey today at https://tinyurl.com/JacksonCatholicEd.
