Holy Rosary celebrates 125th anniversary By Fr. Bob Goodyear
PHILADEPHIA — In 1883 a priest came from Holland to found a church that would minister to the Choctaw Indians who were left in Mississippi after the “removal.” Father Bartholomew Bekkers came to the Tucker community just south of the town of Philadelphia.
The plight of the Choctaw people was dire. They were homeless, helpless, and nearly invisible in the land that was once theirs. A simple log church was built on land purchased with money Father Bekkers raised by writing articles published in his native Holland. An “Indian Village” was established for Choctaws on 480 acres of church land.
As Choctaw people came to live on the mission land, the first Indian school was opened on mission land. In 1884, 26 Choctaw children were enrolled.
For 125 years Holy Rosary Indian Mission has been an advocate and protector of the Choctaw people, a voice for a people who had no voice, a source of hope for a people who had lost hope.
Much of the present-day Choctaw reservation is located on land given by the church in trust for the Mississippi Choctaws. Eventually the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians was recognized by the federal government and a reservation was formally established, but the church continued to stand with the Choctaw people often suffering the same persecution.
Holy Rosary Indian Mission has a truly remarkable history of service and ministry to the Choctaw Indian people, but what is truly remarkable is that from its very beginning Holy Rosary has not been just a Choctaw church, or a white church, or any other color church. Holy Rosary is and has always been a Catholic Church.
In the Tucker community Choctaws and whites grew up as neighbors and friends, played sports together, worked together, and worshipped together. The church was built not by the hands of Choctaws or by Nahollos (white people), but by the hands and hearts of the people of Holy Rosary. In spite of the overwhelming material needs and the pressing spiritual needs, Holy Rosary is a sacrament of unity and a living sign of faith lived among different peoples as a church family.
A Catholic Church is Catholic and “catholic” means “everybody.” Holy Rosary Indian Mission is “everybody’s church.” It always has been and that is what fills the church with grace and makes it a truly remarkable Catholic community.
The people of Holy Rosary chose to mark the 125th anniversary of the founding of the church with a spiritual celebration. Mass was celebrated together, then a holy hour of prayer including the rosary that ended with Benediction. After receiving spiritual food, there was a potluck dinner in the parish hall including traditional Choctaw hominy and fry bread.
Missionary Servantscelebrate 65th
As part of the anniversary celebration of Holy Rosary Indian Mission, the church also celebrated the 65th Anniversary of the Missionary Servant of the Most Holy Trinity priests and brothers coming to Holy Rosary.
In 1944, the Missionary Servants were a young religious community founded in Holy Trinity, Ala., when the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson invited them to come and staff two missions in Mississippi: Holy Rosary Indian Mission in Tucker and Sacred Heart Church in Camden. These two missions are now the oldest Missionary Servants missions in Mississippi.
The Missionary Servants are devoted to the development of lay ministry and forming lay leadership in the church. The founder, Father Thomas Judge, taught, “Every Catholic is called to be an apostle.”
As an American religious community founded in the United States, the Missionary Servants have a special gift for working with people helping them recognize and develop their talents and gifts. At one time Missionary Servant priests and brothers ministered to all the Catholic churches between Philadelphia and Jackson including Louisville, Kosciusko, Carthage, Camden and Canton, Magee and Raleigh as well Holy Cross Church in Philadelphia.
Today Missionary Servant (ST) priests and brothers staff Holy Rosary Indian Mission in Tucker, St. Therese Church in Pearl River, St. Catherine in Conehatta, Holy Cross Church in Philadelphia and its mission in Louisville, Sacred Heart Church in Camden and the mission in Kosciusko, and St. John Parish in Charleston.
In addition Missionary Servant priests have served the Diocese of Jackson on the marriage tribunal as judicial vicars and as psychological experts, helped establish the first diaconate program in the diocese, helped develop training manuals for liturgical ministers particularly a Resource Training Manual for Eucharistic Ministers, as well as faith formation materials available through the diocesan faith formation office.
For more information about the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity and their ministries visit them online.
In spite of the overwhelming material needs and the pressing spiritual needs, Holy Rosary is a sacrament of unity and a living sign of faith lived among different peoples as a church family.
