St. Stephen meets challenge of change
By Fabvienen Taylor
MAGEE — St. Stephen needed someone to lead the parish after losing their resident priest, Father Joe Keena, ST, in December.
The shortage of priests in the Diocese of Jackson as well as in the Missionary Servants (ST), or Trinitarians, who had served the parish since 1992, meant no priest was available to be in residence.
St. Stephen’s mission, Raleigh St. Paul, was closed in January. Some of the mission parishioners now attend St. Stephen.
To fill the sacramental needs of the parish, Bishop Joseph Latino appointed Divine Word Father Darrell Kelly, SVD, Jackson Holy Ghost pastor, sacramental minister effective Jan. 28.
But the parish still needed someone in Magee to provide pastoral care to parishioners and perform the daily, practical and adminstrative tasks it takes to run a parish.
The Jackson diocese requires such a person to be certified as a lay ecclesial minister (LEM).
At St. Stephen, a 50-family parish 30 miles south of Jackson, two people met the diocese’s criteria.
Effective Sunday, Feb. 1, Eula Purvis was appointed lay ecclesial minister of the parish. She volunteered for the job and was recommended to Bishop Latino by the parish council and finance council.
On Sunday, March 15, Vicar General Msgr. Elvin Sunds, on behalf of Bishop Latino, led the installation of Purvis as lay ecclesial minister and Father Kelly as sacramental minister. A reception followed.
“My parish had a need so I stepped in,” Purvis said. “We didn’t need a rutterless ship. I felt it was what I needed to do and it has worked out pretty well.”
Christine Shoemaker is parish council president and works part-time as secretary for the parish.
“For over a month we had no leader until we figured out what was going to happen. I don’t know what we would have done if Eula had not stepped up to the plate,” said Shoemaker.
“It might have been a long time before we had anybody in the interim after our pastor left.
“Eula has done a really good job so far. We all try to pull together. We are really a close family church,” she said.
Father Kelly had worked with a pastoral associate before, but not a lay ecclesial minister.
“I like it,” he said. “I like working with Eula. She takes care of everything and is in charge of everthing except the sacraments.”
Purvis said the feeling is mutual: “We love him.”
She moved to Simpson County in 1994 from Texas with husband, John, and children Jonna and Johnathan, now grown.
In Texas she had taught religious education many years at her parish, St. Ann in Burleson, to children preparing for the sacraments – reconciliation, Eucharist, confirmation — and to junior and senior high school students.
“I enjoyed it so much. I love children,” Purvis said.
At St. Stephen she taught high school religious education and after several years the pastor, Trinitarian Father Bob Goodyear, prompted Purvis and Alicia Keith to complete the Diocese of Jackson training to qualify as coordinators of religious education (CRE).
After becoming certified coordinators of religious education they took additional classes offered through the Office of Faith Formation.
That office has a track for pastoral ministers and lay ecclesial ministers.
“We ask pastors to recommend people in their parish for this type of training,” said Alice Hughes, director.
“The most important qualities they need are first, compassion, and then leadership skills.”
Hughes’ office also offers programs/classes for persons wanting to continue evangelizing and enriching their own faith life or that of others.
Shoemaker and Purvis credit former pastor Father Bob Goodyear, ST, who was there 14 years, with preparing them to meet the challenges they now face.
“Father Bob took us from a parish that didn’t really know a whole lot about running ourselves to a parish that can run itself,” said Purvis.
“When he was here we got together a parish council and he told us what our duties were and basically trained us to take care of ourselves.”
Shoemaker said Father Goodyear trained people in their individual ministry, such as the parish council, religious education, etc.
“I worked in community life, socials, that type of thing,” said Shoemaker. “So when he left we were very prepared.”
While St. Stephen parishioners weathered the shock of losing their resident priest and having to decide what they would do in a matter of weeks, they continue to prepare themselves for leadership in the ministries in their parish.
On Monday, April 20, eight parishioners began an eight-week course of “Basic Theology” through the Office of Faith Formation.
Sister Michele Doyle, OSF, who works for the office is teaching the course in Magee and one in Yazoo City for St. Francis and St. Mary parishes.
“This course is directed to leaders in the parish,” she said. “Alice says there are lots of people doing good things but they don’t have the theological background. These courses will give them that background.”
“Anyone who works in a ministry or wants to work in one is attending the class,” said Purvis, from the music director to persons interested in youth ministry.
Shoemaker said Purvis has a plan. “I think what Eula, even though she is the lay ecclesial ministry, is pushing for is to have leaders in all the roles in the parish.
“She knows she can’t possibly do it all and she wants to bring all those people in to learn more about their faith and be able to step up as leaders in different areas,” she said.
The Office of Faith Formation can provide some assistance for persons enrolling in courses it offers.
Another source of funds for on-going evangelization in the Jackson diocese is through the annual Catholic Service Appeal (CSA).
“Imitate Christ’s Love” is the theme of the 2009 CSA collection set the weekend of May 2-3, 2009.
Other areas receiving CSA funds are Catholic Charities, seminarian education, priest retirement and clergy assistance, campus ministry and mission parishes/schools.
