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Juez de Texas bloquea intento de Paxton de cerrar Casa Anunciación

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Por Kate Scanlon
(OSV News) – Un juez estatal bloqueó temporalmente el 11 de marzo las demandas del fiscal general de Texas de obtener los registros de la Casa Anunciación (Annunciation House), citando preocupaciones de que el estado tenía un motivo “predeterminado” para cerrar la organización católica sin fines de lucro que presta servicios a inmigrantes.

El juez de distrito Francisco Domínguez en El Paso emitió una orden bloqueando la citación del fiscal general de Texas, Ken Paxton, a Casa Anunciación, indicando que el esfuerzo de Paxton parecía motivado políticamente y que debía pasar por el debido proceso en el sistema judicial estatal.

“Los esfuerzos del Fiscal General para pisotear la Casa Anunciación, sin tener en cuenta el debido proceso o el juego limpio, ponen en duda la verdadera motivación del intento del Fiscal General de impedir que la Casa Anunciación brinde los servicios humanitarios y sociales que brinda”, escribió Domínguez.

En febrero, Paxton presentó una demanda en un intento de cerrar la Casa Anunciación, acusándola de “contrabando de personas”, en una medida denunciada por defensores católicos de la inmigración, incluido el obispo de El Paso, Mark J. Seitz.

El obispo de El Paso, Texas, Mark J. Seitz, y el fiscal general de Texas, Ken Paxton, aparecen en una foto combinada. La Casa de la Anunciación (Annunciation House) organizó una conferencia de prensa el 23 de febrero de 2024 para abordar su postura en respuesta a los esfuerzos de Paxton por cerrarla y poner fin a su ministerio con los migrantes. (Foto OSV News/Tyler Orsburn/Elizabeth Frantz, Reuters)


En una declaración, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, que representa a la Casa Anunciación, dijo que el tribunal decidió “que se seguiría un proceso ordenado para decidir qué documentos se deben presentar al procurador general según la ley, y el procurador general no podría hacer cumplir su citación sin supervisión judicial”.

Jerome Wesevich, abogado principal de TRLA en el caso, dijo: “Estamos muy satisfechos con el fallo de la corte con respecto a Annunciation House”.

“La corte exige que se sigan los procedimientos civiles estándar, lo que significará un proceso justo y ordenado para determinar qué documentos la ley permite ver al fiscal general”, dijo.

“Annunciation House necesita recopilar información confidencial, incluida información de salud, sobre sus huéspedes, y es imperativo para la seguridad y el bienestar de la comunidad que la divulgación de esta información confidencial se maneje con cuidado y teniendo en cuenta la ley”.

Rubén García, director de la Casa Anunciación, dijo a los periodistas en una conferencia de prensa el 23 de febrero que la organización sin fines de lucro ha estado proporcionando recursos básicos como alimentos, refugio y agua a los migrantes y refugiados que llegan a la frontera durante casi 50 años en consulta con la Oficina de la Patrulla Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos.

“Hay individuos que han decidido que eso debe ser ilegal”, dijo.

(Kate Scanlon es reportera nacional de OSV News que cubre Washington.)

Que el Espíritu Santo nos guíe durante Semana Santa y más allá

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

La Cuaresma llega a su etapa final con el Domingo de Ramos y el inicio de la Semana Santa. Es un tiempo intensivo para acompañar al Señor Jesús en su pasión y sufrimiento, a través de su muerte, para la gloria de la resurrección.

La singularidad de la Misa del Domingo de Ramos se encuentra en el rito de entrada con las palmas en la mano, la procesión y la proclamación del relato de la pasión. Este año, la pasión del Evangelio de Marcos resonará en todo el mundo católico, y en un grito de abandono profundamente descarnado, el Señor habla por toda la humanidad. “Dios mío, Dios mío, ¿por qué me has abandonado?” (Marcos 15:34) Entre el Domingo de Ramos y la Vigilia Pascual, la gran mayoría de los fieles se reunirán al comienzo de la Semana Santa para permitir que las últimas horas y palabras del Señor los bañen con la sangre y el agua que fluye de su costado.

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz


Chiara Lubich, fundadora del Movimiento de los Focolares, expresa así el gran misterio de nuestro Señor abandonado: “Contemplamos en Él la cumbre de su amor porque fue la cumbre de su sufrimiento. Qué más nos podría dar un Dios, que pareciera que se olvida que es Dios … Jesús convirtió al mundo con sus palabras, con su ejemplo, con su predica, pero lo transformó cuando brindó la prueba de su amor: la Cruz.”

Lubich y todos los que ven al Señor con los ojos de la fe están construyendo sobre el fundamento inquebrantable de San Pablo sobre el poder de la Cruz. “El mensaje de la muerte de Cristo en la cruz parece una tontería a los que van a la perdición; pero este mensaje es poder de Dios para los que vamos a la salvación. … Los judíos quieren ver señales milagrosas, y los griegos buscan sabiduría; pero nosotros anunciamos a un Mesías crucificado. Esto les resulta ofensivo a los judíos, y a los no judíos les parece una tontería, pero para los que Dios ha llamado, sean judíos o griegos, este Mesías es el poder y la sabiduría de Dios. … Y, estando entre ustedes, no quise saber de otra cosa sino de Jesucristo y, más estrictamente, de Jesucristo crucificado. … para que la fe de ustedes dependiera del poder de Dios y no de la sabiduría de los hombres.” (1 Corintios 1:18, 22-24; 2:2-5)

Con su sangre y con su grito, Jesús crucificado y abandonado abrió todas las posibilidades para esta vida, incluido el perdón, la unidad, la justicia y la paz, y la vida eterna por venir. Es cierto que toda la humanidad está en el exilio, pero hay quienes cuyo abandono es extremo. Durante estos días tan sagrados de fe, somos conscientes de aquellos en Tierra Santa, especialmente, pero no exclusivamente, que son crucificados y abandonados en la guerra, la destrucción, la muerte y el desplazamiento. Estos abandonados se configuran más estrechamente con nuestro Señor crucificado en su sufrimiento.

Lubich ofrece esta visión y esperanza: “Jesús abandonado es el más podado, a quien ni el cielo ni la tierra parecían querer… Porque había sido desarraigado, tanto de la tierra como del cielo, unió a los desarraigados de Dios.”

Por lo tanto, Él y sólo Él es el camino para llegar más allá de las barreras del odio y la violencia hacia la unidad por la que oró en la Última Cena, “para que todos sean uno.” (Juan 17:22)

Nuevamente, de la sabiduría de Lubich y del Movimiento de los Focolares leemos: “Esto es todo, amar como él nos amó, hasta el punto de experimentar por nosotros la sensación de estar abandonado por su Padre. Por Jesús, de hecho, ganamos perdiendo, vivimos muriendo. El grano de trigo tiene que morir para producir la espiga; necesitamos ser podados para poder dar buenos frutos. Ésta es la ley de Jesús, su paradoja. El Espíritu Santo nos está haciendo comprender que para realizar la oración de Jesús ‘que todos sean uno’ es necesario acoger a Jesús abandonado en nuestra desunión. Jesús abandonado es el camino, la llave, el secreto.”

Estas son palabras de sabiduría para nosotros durante la Semana Santa en la línea de San Pablo. El Espíritu Santo ha inspirado a muchos en los procesos sinodales y de reinvención en nuestra diócesis para abordar la necesidad de una mayor sanación y unidad en nuestras comunidades de fe.

El Espíritu Santo nos guía durante la Semana Santa a mirar a Cristo crucificado y abandonado como el poder y la sabiduría de Dios en quien todo es posible. El Espíritu Santo que resucitó a Jesús de entre los muertos y que habita en nosotros por la fe y el bautismo, nos inspirará a proclamar el ¡Aleluya! el Domingo de Pascua porque ha resucitado. Pero antes de llegar a la tumba vacía, que el Señor crucificado y abandonado nos lave en su sangre.

Papa: Santos no son ‘excepciones’, sino ejemplos de virtud humana

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Por Justin McLellan

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) – Los santos no son “excepciones de la humanidad”, sino personas ordinarias que trabajaron diligentemente para crecer en la virtud, dijo el Papa Francisco.

Es un error pensar en los santos como un “estrecho círculo de campeones que viven más allá de los límites de nuestra especie”, escribió el Papa en la catequesis para su audiencia general del 13 de marzo en la Plaza de San Pedro. En cambio, son “aquellos que llegan a ser plenamente ellos mismos, que realizan la vocación propia de todo ser humano”.

“¡Qué feliz sería el mundo si la justicia, el respeto, la benevolencia mutua, la amplitud del corazón y la esperanza fueran la normalidad compartida, y no una rara anomalía!”, escribió.

Al igual que en su audiencia general del 6 de marzo, el Papa Francisco dijo a los visitantes de la plaza que, debido a un leve resfriado, un ayudante, monseñor Pierluigi Giroli, leería su discurso. Sin embargo, el Papa parecía recuperado cuando leyó la totalidad de su homilía – añadiendo muchos comentarios improvisados y solicitando la participación de la multitud – durante un servicio penitencial de Cuaresma en una parroquia de Roma el 8 de marzo.

Continuando su serie de catequesis sobre virtudes y vicios, el Papa escribió que una persona virtuosa no es aquella que se desnaturaliza deformándose, sino que “es fiel a su vocación, (y) realiza plenamente su ser”.

Una fotografía de archivo muestra una estatua de Santa Teresa de Lisieux sosteniendo un crucifijo y flores en la Iglesia de la Misión de Santa Ana en Acomita, Nuevo México, en la reserva india de Acoma. (Foto de OSV News/Bob Roller)


Reflexionando sobre la naturaleza de la virtud, que se ha discutido y analizado desde la antigüedad, el Papa dijo que la virtud no es un bien “improvisado” y “casual” que se ejerce de vez en cuando. Incluso los criminales, señaló, han realizado actos buenos en determinados momentos.
La virtud es más bien un “bien que nace de la lenta maduración de la persona, hasta convertirse en una característica interior suya”, escribió.

“La virtud es un ‘habitus’ (expresión) de libertad”, escribió el Papa. “Si somos libres en cada acto, y cada vez estamos llamados a elegir entre el bien y el mal, la virtud es lo que nos permite tener un hábito hacia la elección correcta”.

El Santo Padre a la gente a no olvidar la lección enseñada por los antiguos pensadores, “que la virtud crece y puede ser cultivada “, y escribió que para los cristianos desarrollar la virtud depende principalmente de la gracia de Dios.
Al desarrollar la apertura mental, la buena voluntad y la sabiduría para aprender de los errores, escribió, las personas pueden ser guiadas hacia una vida virtuosa frente a las “fuerzas a veces caóticas” de la pasión, la emoción y el instinto a las que la humanidad es susceptible.

Al tomar el micrófono para saludar a los peregrinos al final de su audiencia, el Papa Francisco compartió que le habían regalado un rosario y una Biblia que pertenecían a un joven soldado muerto en combate, aunque no especificó en qué conflicto.

“Tantos jóvenes, tantos jóvenes van a morir”, dijo. “Recemos al Señor para que nos dé la gracia de superar esta locura de la guerra que es siempre una derrota.”

Diocese enters third phase of pastoral reimagining process

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By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson began a year-long pastoral reimagining process at Pentecost 2023 and looks to conclude by Pentecost this year. This process was initiated as a result of the diocesan Synod on Synodality in 2021.

During the Synod process three priorities were articulated across the diocese which included all demographics (age, gender, race, etc.). They were a call for healing and unity; greater catechesis at all levels; and a deeper understanding of scripture.

The reimagining process spreads across five major phases. The first phase ran from Pentecost through early September of 2023, with each pastor or lay ecclesial minister (LEM) establishing a pastoral reimagining committee and having the committee view four ecclesiology video sessions and answer a series of questions designed to guide conversation on who we are as a church.

NATCHEZ – Bishop Joseph Kopacz speaks on the pastoral reimagining process to priests, deacons and LEMs from across the diocese on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at a convocation event at the Family Life Center of St. Mary Basilica. (Photo by Joanna King)

Bishop Kopacz said that phase one, “set the table in reminding ourselves what it means to be a church and what our identity as Catholics requires of us in the world. Our desire was to create a common understanding from which to grow a vision for the Diocese of Jackson.”

“In other words, to foster a sense of unity underscored by the four marks of the church.”

Parishes were given until the end of January this year to complete phase two, with each parish undertaking a parish assessment which included the current situation at the local parish – the growing edges; the areas that are diminishing; and the opportunities for collaboration with other parishes in the area and other local realities.

Bishop Kopacz previously stated that in phase two, “we will reimagine the responsibilities of each parish and mission to foster a sense of unity, underscored by the four marks of the church and grounded in data,” said Bishop Kopacz.

This phase also included a detailed report on diocesan demographics by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) of Georgetown University. The report summarizes the overall demography of the diocese, as well as a profile of the Catholic population living in the confines of the diocese.

“After analyzing the demographic data, parishes were given opportunities to look to the report for areas of growth; to evaluate ministries and evaluate challenges that could be addressed,” said Fran Lavelle, director of faith formation for the diocese and member of the core team working on the reimagining process.

At a convocation for priests, deacons and LEMs held in Natchez during February, Bishop Kopacz and Lavelle covered findings from phase two from the CARA report and gave an overview to those gathered on phase three of the reimagining process.

The report indicated that during COVID, as expected, there was a 50% decline in all Sacraments within the diocese, with the exception of infant Baptisms and Confirmations, which each saw 39% declines.

Bishop Kopacz reported at the convocation that the CARA research indicates that nationally Mass attendance is now only 2% below pre-COVID levels.

Part of the CARA report highlighted the Pew Religious Landscape Study from 2014, in which 4% of adult respondents living within the Diocese of Jackson self-identified as Catholic. With a reported current population of 2,138,154 within the diocese, the survey-based estimates would assume that there are 85,513 Catholics within the diocese, reported Bishop Kopacz.

In 2021, the reported Catholics registered at parishes numbered 42,850. “Thus, one can assume there are approximately 42,663 self-identified Catholics in the diocese who are not attending Mass or active in a parish in any other way,” said Bishop Kopacz to those gathered at the convocation.
“So, there are many who could be welcomed back and evangelized.”

If current trends continue, the Catholic population of the diocese is expected to grow to nearly 54,000 by 2030; and to nearly 56,000 by 2040.

Bishop Kopacz also highlighted the growing Hispanic population and raised the question to consider – how do we serve them faithfully and effectively.

“I’m grateful to a number of our parishes that have opened up with inviting the Hispanic population through having Mass and liturgy. It’s just amazing to see the growth.”

Bishop Kopacz reported that some parishes, like Sacred Heart in Canton, are considering adding second Spanish Masses to accommodate the numbers attending with sometimes only standing room left available.

The synthesis of the parish reports from phase two of the reimagining process showed areas of opportunities, such as the growing Hispanic population, outreach to different ethnic groups within the diocese and economic development in various areas of the diocese. The growing Hispanic population was also pointed out as one of three challenges within the Diocese of Jackson – specifically in how to evangelize to the population. The two other challenges include the aging population and the migration of young adults out of the state.

At the convocation event, each priest within their respective deaneries received the reports each completed in phase two with the data analysis they completed, as they enter phase three of the reimagining process. “Each parish has identified their reality and what’s important … like exploring growth opportunities in general, such as reaching the growing Hispanic population,” said Bishop Kopacz.

He also reminded each to remember the theme of the synod to reach a deeper level of “Communion, Participation and Mission” as they meet to examine their respective deaneries and parishes.

This month, the third phase of the reimagining process will consist of guided and facilitated sessions for each of the Diocese of Jackson’s six deaneries to work through challenges, both the growing edges and diminishing areas of ministry locally and within the deanery.

“The goal of phase three is to gain a realistic perspective of the health and well-being of the deanery within the setting of the individual parishes; and to look at areas of redundancy and potential areas for sharing resources,” shared Lavelle.

As for the reports compiled from almost every parish, Lavelle said the material “is very powerful and that a lot of really good, thoughtful work has been done on the parish level to look at challenges, growing edges and to as what is it that is needed to continue to grow our parishes.”

Lavelle also pointed out it is not just about priest or religious making change in their respective parishes. “We have to start thinking about who it is that occupies our pews on the weekend and engage them and empower them to do the work with us.”

In April, Bishop Kopacz will be visiting each deanery to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving and meet with the key people who worked on the pastoral reimagining for each parish.

Pope Francis through the synod process asked bishops to engage their respective dioceses more. Bishop Kopacz said that through the deanery visits and engaging in “a Thanksgiving Eucharistic conversation,” the diocese is doing just that through the reimagining process through fruitful dialogue, discernment and the openness to the Holy Spirit.

The fourth phase of the reimagining process will include a period of discernment on reports from the six deaneries in the diocese and a pastoral letter from Bishop Kopacz, outlining the finding in each deanery and set forth parameters for implementation of an overall diocesan vision.

“I think faithful to the spirit of synodality and all that can come from that through the power of the Holy Spirit … this is a good process that will bear fruit moving to the future,” said Bishop Kopacz.

Living in different times

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From the Archives
By Mary Woodward

JACKSON – Managing the Diocese of Jackson’s historical archive is always an adventure and takes me down many paths to a plethora of requests for great grandparent’s marriage records, decrees of establishing long lost churches, name of saint whose relic is in an altar, and so on. Unfortunately, I cannot always fulfill these requests because the information might not have been recorded or it might not be in the place it is supposed to be according to the index.

I always tell people our diocesan archives do not exist for genealogical purposes or answering various questions from the street; and that as a “lone arranger” it will take a long time before I can even get to their request. Most people are fine with that.

Bishop Joseph Brunini is pictured in the 1930 “Ye Domesday Booke,” the yearbook for Georgetown University. (Photos courtesy of archives)

With that being said, working with history and the documentation of it is quite a rewarding adventure. Right now, I am working on developing a project that will look at some pivotal moments in recent history that affected our state, country and church. Recent for people in archives is 75 years or less. I always laugh and cry a little to myself when someone asks for an old baptismal record from 1970.

As part of this still evolving venture, I ran into another research mission that had been initiated more than 10 years ago and had fallen by the wayside as can happen when you get distracted by more pressing matters in church life.

In 2012, as part of exploring possible events to highlight our diocese’s 175th anniversary, I came across a thread that led me to the location of the original handwritten copy of Bishop William Henry Elder’s diary he kept during the Civil War.

Bishop William Henry Elder, a native of Baltimore, studied at Mount St. Mary College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He graduated in 1837 and entered Mount St. Mary Seminary. Following completion of seminary studies, he was sent to Rome for graduate studies at the Pontifical Urban University where he earned a Doctor of Divinity in 1846.

After his ordination there on March 29, 1846, he returned to Maryland and Mount St. Mary where he served as a professor at the seminary. Eleven years later in 1857, he was named the third Bishop of Natchez by Pope Pius IX. In 1880, he was named co-adjutor Archbishop of Cincinnati.

Upon departing the then Diocese of Natchez in 1880, Bishop Elder took many of his personal papers with him to Cincinnati. His Civil War diary was one of these items. The diary travelled even more making stops in the collections of Mount St. Mary Seminary, Woodstock College, and ultimately the archives of Georgetown University in Washington.

Twelve years ago, I had made contact with the Georgetown archivist, a Jesuit, and worked with him to get the diary in digital format. Bishop R.O. Gerow had created and published a typed version of the diary, but here we had the handwritten version. In the midst of the project which involved complicated file formats for our fledgling digital system, contact was lost, and the project was forgotten.

Recently, while researching the current project mentioned above, I did a side search for the diary in the Georgetown archives special collections. There it was the original handwritten diary available for viewing in PDF format. Soon I’ll have a link to it on our website.

Bishop Joseph Brunini, our eighth bishop and only native son from Vicksburg, went to Georgetown in the late 1920s and graduated in 1930. He was editor of the campus newspaper The Hoya. His brother Ed was The Hoya’s sports editor.

According to the description next to his senior photo in the 1930 Ye Domesday Booke, Georgetown’s yearbook, Joseph B. Brunini was: “The Hoya’s high priest. Joe lives a hectic life dashing around from printer to printer…all the while pulling copy from the humble newswriters by means of his persuasive Southern ‘oil.’”

Pictured is a digital copy of the handwritten Civil War diary of Bishop Elder, which over the years was found in the archives of Mount St .Mary Seminary, then Woodstock College and ultimately at Georgetown University in Washington.

In his senior year, Bishop Brunini was also vice president of the Philodemic Society, one of the country’s oldest debating societies in the United States and the oldest secular student organization at Georgetown. In fact, Philodemic was marking its centennial in 1930. That’s kind of a big deal.
Like Bishop Elder, upon completion of his collegiate studies at Georgetown, Bishop Brunini was sent to Rome where he finished his seminary studies at the North American College, which at that time was in downtown Rome. He was ordained there on Dec. 5, 1933.

As you can see, exploring archives creates a web of interconnectedness among collections scattered across not only the country but also across epochs of time. It is easy to end up down a different rabbit hole from the original one intended.

The phrase “hunh, what a small world” is heard and uttered infinitely. Until next time…

(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson.)

Around the diocese: Lenten meals, Stations and Reconciliation

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LENTEN MEALS/STATIONS
BATESVILLE – St. Mary, Fish fry, Friday, March 22. Dine-in or takeout. Cost: $12/plate.

BROOKHAVEN – St. Francis of Assisi, Stations every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m. with meal following. Knights of Columbus Fish Fry on March 8. Details: church office (601) 833-1799.

COLUMBUS – Annunciation, Fish dinner following Stations, every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m. Details: church office (662) 328-2927.

CORINTH – St. James, Soup supper, 5 p.m. Fridays during Lent. Stations to follow at 5:45 p.m. (bilingual) and Mass at 6:30 p.m.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul, Fish Fry following Stations, every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m. Participants in Sattions served first, then if enough food, take-out orders may be available.

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Fish Fry, Friday, March 22 after Stations at 6 p.m. Cost $10/plate – includes fried catfish, fries, hushpuppies, coleslaw and drink.

GREENVILLE – St. Joseph, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, Friday, Feb. 23 in the parish hall. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.

GREENWOOD – Immaculate Heart of Mary, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, every Friday during Lent through March 22 from 5-7 p.m. Cost: $15 per plate. Details: church office (662) 453-3980.

HERNANDO – Holy Spirit, Soup and Stations, every Friday during Lent at 6:30 p.m. Variety of meatless soups available with bread/crackers and tea. Donation of $1 per person with proceeds to go to Hernando Catholic Social Services.

Holy Spirit, Men’s Association Fish Fry, Friday, March 15 beginning at 4 p.m. Dine-in or take out. Cost: $13/plate or $6 for children under 12 –includes fish, fries, hushpuppies, slaw and dessert.
JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter, Stations in English at 5:30 p.m and in Spanish at 7 p.m. Simple Lenten meal served in between.

JACKSON – St. Richard, Knights of Columbus Fish Fry following Stations, every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m. Dine-in at Foley Hall or carry out. Plate cost: $12 adult; $6 children; $40 all inclusive price for families of four or more. Details: church office (601) 366-2335.

MADISON – St. Francis, Stations every Friday during Lent at 6:30 p.m. with Lenten meal at 7 p.m.

MERIDIAN – St. Patrick/St. Joseph, Stations and Lenten Fish Fry, every Friday in Lent. Fry follows Stations at 6 p.m. Rotates between parishes. St. Joseph on March 8 and 22; St. Patrick on March 15 is led by youth group with soup and salad. Cost: $10/plate. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.

NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, Lenten Fish Fry, every Friday during Lent from 5-7 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Cost: catfish $12; shrimp $12; combo $14. Dinners include fries, hushpupppies and coleslaw. For grilled catfish call 30 minutes ahead to Darren at (601) 597-2890.

OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Lenten Fish Fry, Friday, March 15 at 5:30 p.m. Dine-in or carry out. Meal includes fried catfish, fries, coleslaw and dessert. Cost: $12 per plate or $35 per family.

PEARL – St. Jude, Lenten Fish Fry, Every Friday during Lent, immediately following 6 p.m. Stations. Menu: catfish, fries, hushpuppies, coleslaw and tea. Dine-in only. Proceeds benefit Knights of Columbus community programs. Details: church office (601) 939-3181.

SENATOBIA – St. Gregory, Stations every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m. followed by Lenten potluck meal.

SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Lenten Fish Fry, March 15 from 4-7 p.m. Dine-in or carryout. Cost: $13/adult plate and $6/children under 12 plate. Meal: catfish, fries, hushpuppies, slaw and dessert. Potluck Lenten meals, March 8 and 22. Meals at 5:30 p.m. with Stations at 7 p.m. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.

STARKVILLE – St. Joseph, Fish fry every Friday after Stations at 5:30 p.m. Cost: $10/plate or $30 per family. Meal includes fried or baked catfish, fries, coleslaw and hushpuppies. Email Richard to reserve a plate at rcoughlin@gmail.com.

St. Joseph, Men’s Lenten Lunches, every Tuesday through March 26 at 11:30 a.m. in the parish hall. Topic is “Seven Last Words of Jesus.”

VICKSBURG – Knights of Columbus Council 898, Fish Fry, Fridays during Lent from 5:30-7 p.m. Cost $15, dine-in or carry out. Meal: fried or grilled catfish, hushpuppies, fries, coleslaw, baked potato, baked beans and bread.

LENTEN RECONCILIATION
BATESVILLE – St. Mary, Penance Service, Thursday, March 21 from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

BROOKHAVEN – St. Francis, Reconciliation Service, Monday, March 18 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and 7:30-until.

CORINTH – St. James the Less, Reconciliation Service, Tuesday, March 12 at 5:30 p.m.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul, Reconciliation Service, Monday, March 25 at 6 p.m.

OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Reconciliation Service, Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m.

STATIONS ONLY
BATESVILLE – St. Mary, Stations, every Friday during Lent at 10:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 11 a.m.

CANTON – Holy Child Jesus, Stations every Friday during Lent at 12 p.m.

CORINTH – St. James, Stations every Wednesday during Lent at 2 p.m. and Fridays at 12 p.m.
Bilingual stations at 5:45 p.m. on Fridays.

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Stations every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m.

GREENVILLE – St. Joseph, Stations every Friday during Lent at 5 p.m.

GREENWOOD – St. Francis, Stations every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m. (English) and 7 p.m. (Spanish).

HOLLY SPRINGS – St. Joseph, Stations every Friday during Lent at 7:30 p.m. and each Friday following Mass at 4 p.m.

JACKSON – Christ the King, Stations every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m. Rosary after Stations.

MAGEE – St. Stephen, Stations every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m.

NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, Stations every Friday during Lent at 5:15 p.m.

Assumption, Stations every Friday during Lent at 5:30 p.m.

PEARL – St. Jude, Stations every Friday during Lent after 10 a.m. Mass.

SARDIS – St. John, Stations, every Wednesday during Lent at 4:30 p.m. followed by Mass at 5 p.m.

(Please email editor@jacksondiocese.org to add information for your parish, if it is missing. We don’t always see everything! Thank you for your help!)

Veronica’s compassionate hands

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JACKSON – St. Veronica’s Compassionate Hands is a small women’s group that meets weekly to create items to help post-operative patients, as well as the homeless in the Jackson area. Most recently, the group has started making plastic mats for the homeless out of plastic shopping bags, using a weaving loom. By partnering with Sister Trinita, known for her heart for the poor through the Central Urban Ministry Center (Stewpot and St. Dominic Community Healthy Clinic), the mats will be distributed to the homeless in the Jackson area. The group is named after St. Veronica who displayed a great act of kindness and charity by wiping the face of Jesus with her veil while on His way to Calvary. If interested in volunteering, contact Marie Morris at pinkpanther5518@yahoo.com.
Pictured (l-r): Rosemary Grantham and Marie Morris work on a plastic mat project. (Photos by Julia Williams)

Vatican publishes full papal schedule for Holy Week, Easter

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By Justin McLellan
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis’ calendar for Holy Week and Easter is just as full as in previous years despite a mild illness which has caused him to cancel meetings in the days leading up to the release of his liturgical calendar for March.


The pope canceled meetings Feb. 24 and Feb. 26 due to “flu-like symptoms,” the Vatican said. Although he held his general audience Feb. 28, an aide read Pope Francis’ prepared remarks, and the Vatican said he briefly visited a Rome hospital after the audience for medical tests.


The pope is scheduled preside over all the major liturgical celebrations of Holy Week.


As is customary when first publishing the pope’s calendar for Holy Week, the Vatican did not provide the time or place for his celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, March 28.

Pope Francis has made it a tradition to celebrate the Mass and foot-washing ritual at a prison or detention center, refugee center or rehabilitation facility; last year he did so at a prison for minors in Rome.


Here is the schedule of papal liturgical ceremonies and events for March released by the Vatican Feb. 29:

– March 24, Palm Sunday, morning Mass in St. Peter’s Square.

– March 28, Holy Thursday, morning chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

– March 29, Good Friday, afternoon liturgy of the Lord’s passion in St. Peter’s Basilica.

– March 29, Way of the Cross at night at Rome’s Colosseum.

– March 30, Easter vigil Mass in the evening in St. Peter’s Basilica.

– March 31, Easter morning Mass in St. Peter’s Square, followed at noon by the pope’s blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world).

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage to include shrines, secular landmarks, diocesan events

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By Maria Wiering
(OSV News) – On May 18-19, groups of eight young adults will leave San Francisco; New Haven, Connecticut; San Juan, Texas; and Itasca State Park in Minnesota.

For eight weeks they’ll travel, mostly on foot, along four routes through major U.S. cities, small towns and countryside toward Indianapolis, where they’re expected to arrive July 16, the day before the opening of the National Eucharistic Congress.

Together, they’ll cover more than 6,500 miles over 27 states and 65 dioceses. With them every step of the way will be the Eucharist, held in a specially designed monstrance, or reserved in a support vehicle’s tabernacle.

This is an updated map showing the four routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage to the National Eucharistic Congress in 2024. Pilgrims traveling in “Eucharistic caravans” on all four routes will begin their journeys with Pentecost weekend celebrations May 17-18, 2024, leaving May 19. They will all converge on Indianapolis July 16, 2024, the day before the five-day Congress opens. (OSV News illustration/courtesy National Eucharistic Congress)

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is a major prelude to the National Eucharistic Congress, which expects to bring together tens of thousands of Catholics July 17-21 in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium for worship, speakers and Eucharist-centered events. The pilgrimage and the congress are part of the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative of the U.S. Catholic bishops that began in 2022 with the aim of deepening Catholics’ love for the Eucharist.

“A cross-country pilgrimage of this scale has never been attempted before,” said Tim Glemkowski, CEO of the Denver-based National Eucharistic Congress, Inc., in a Feb. 22 media release announcing updated routes and related events. “It will be a tremendously powerful action of witness and intercession as it interacts with local parish communities at stops all along the way.”

The pilgrimage’s four groups of Perpetual Pilgrims are young adults ages 19-29 selected in an application process to travel the full length of each route. Their names will be announced March 11.

People who wish to travel as a “day pilgrim” or attend a pilgrimage-related event along the routes may register online at www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org. Day pilgrims must make their own arrangements for meals, transportation and lodging, as needed.

Each route passes religious and secular landmarks, including Folsom State Prison in California, Ellis Island in New York, the campuses of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and Benedictine College in Kansas, and the shrines of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin, the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Maryland.

Dioceses that the routes cross through have planned special events to welcome the pilgrims. Detailed event information for these events and each of the routes – the St. Junipero Serra Route from the West, St. Juan Diego Route from the South, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route from the East and Marian Route from the North – will be posted at www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org.

Pilgrimage events will include Masses, Eucharistic adoration and prayer, as well as service projects. All public events are free.

Supporting the Perpetual Pilgrims spiritually will be a “rotating cadre” of 30 Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Father Roger Landry of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, plans to accompany the Seton Route pilgrims for the entire route.

“Following Jesus and praying through cities and rural towns is going to be life changing for the church across America,” Glemkowski said. “I personally cannot wait to participate in this pilgrimage!”

(Maria Wiering is senior writer for OSV News.)

NOTES: For details on the Southern route of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage traveling through the Diocese of Biloxi, visit https://biloxidiocese.org/eucharist.

To learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival, Congress and Pilgrimage visit: https://www.eucharisticcongress.org. Scholarships are available to the National Eucharistic Congress, visit https://www.eucharisticcongress.org/solidarity-fund for more information.

Still sick, pope has aide read his audience talk on envy and pride

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By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Arriving in a wheelchair instead of walking with his cane, Pope Francis began his weekly general audience by telling visitors and pilgrims, “I’m still a bit sick,” so an aide would read his prepared text.

The pope had canceled his appointments Feb. 24 and Feb. 26 because of what the Vatican press office described as “mild flu-symptoms,” but Pope Francis led the recitation of the Angelus prayer Feb. 25 without obvious difficulty.

At his general audience Feb. 28, his voice was hoarser and softer. Besides briefly telling the crowd he would not be reading his prepared text, he took the microphone only to pray at the beginning and end of the gathering and to read his appeals for peace and for an end to the use of landmines.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that Pope Francis went from the audience to Rome’s Gemelli Isola Hospital for a checkup before returning to the Vatican. In late November when he was suffering similar symptoms, he had gone to that hospital for a CT scan of his lungs.

The Vatican press office later said the pope had gone to the hospital for “diagnostic tests.” It provided no other information.

Pope Francis gathers with a group of religious sisters for a group photo at the end of his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Feb. 28, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Francis’ main audience talk focused on envy and vainglory, or exaggerated pride, as part of his continuing series of audience talks about vices and virtues.

Envy and vainglory “go hand in hand,” the pope wrote. “Together these two vices are characteristic of a person who aspires to be the center of the world, free to exploit everything and everyone, the object of all praise and love.”

Reading the Book of Genesis, envy appears to be “one of the oldest vices: Cain’s hatred of Abel is unleashed when he realizes that his brother’s sacrifices are pleasing to God,” he wrote.

“The face of the envious man is always sad: he’s always looking down, he seems to be continually investigating the ground; but in reality, he sees nothing, because his mind is wrapped up in thoughts full of wickedness,” he said. “Envy, if unchecked, leads to hatred of the other. Abel would be killed at the hands of Cain, who could not bear his brother’s happiness.”

The root of the vice and sin of envy, he said, “is a false idea of God: we do not accept that God has His own ‘math.’”

As an example, Pope Francis cited the parable from Matthew 20:1-16 about workers hired at different times of the day to work in a vineyard, but the owner pays them all the same.

When those who worked longest protest, the owner says, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?”

“We would like to impose our own selfish logic on God; instead, the logic of God is love,” the pope’s text said. “The good things he gives us are meant to be shared. This is why St. Paul exhorts Christians, ‘Love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor’ (Rom. 12:10). Here is the remedy for envy!”

Pope Francis described vainglory as “an inflated and baseless self-esteem,” which leads to having no empathy and to seeing others only as objects to be used.

The vainglorious person “is a perpetual beggar for attention,” the pope wrote, and when recognition is not given, “he becomes fiercely angry.”

Usually, he said, the remedy for such pride comes automatically when people offer criticism rather than praise.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

A wise person recognizes, as St. Paul did, that freedom comes from recognizing one’s weaknesses and failures, relying only on God for strength, Pope Francis’ text said.