Category Archives: Bishop’s Column

In God’s family, “it’s a small world” after all

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Wednesday papal audience regularly gathers pilgrims from around the world in St. Peter’s Square, and during this Jubilee Year the square could not contain the vast throng. The universality of the church was on full display during the nearly two-hour audience with Pope Leo XIV, which was well worth the 6 a.m. departure from our hotel.

The Holy Father’s message, delivered in eight languages, went out to all the earth with the passion of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Human speech echoed around the square to the delight of all physically present and to the virtual cloud of witnesses around the world.

Pope Leo XIV leads his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Oct. 29, 2025. Dozens of representatives of the world’s religions were at the audience, which was dedicated to “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on relations with Judaism, Islam and other world religions. The landmark document was promulgated 60 years ago: Oct. 28, 1965.
Inset shows Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, who was among those in attendance. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

With each audience, bishops are invited to come forward to sit near the stage, and our hearty group’s early arrival gave me an excellent vantage point to see, hear and appreciate the unpretentious yet splendid presentation surrounding Pope Leo’s message. As an added bonus, I was fortunate to sit next to the archbishop of Bangkok, Thailand, who spoke about the church’s reality in a country that is 96% Buddhist, where Catholics number around 500,000 – about 1% of the total population.
It was a relevant portrayal because, to my left, there were as many Buddhist monks at the audience as there were bishops. Pope Leo had just conducted an interfaith prayer service for peace at the Colosseum the day before with representatives from all major religious traditions.

The central focus of the pope’s words at the Colosseum and the audience was prayer and a plea for peace, justice and reconciliation, inspired by the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (In Our Age), a document of the Second Vatican Council that highlighted the need for interfaith prayer, dialogue and study for God’s glory and a more just and peaceful world. The love of Jesus Christ impels us to proclaim the Gospel of salvation and peace everywhere and for all time.

At the conclusion of each audience, all bishops are welcome to form a line to personally greet the Holy Father. This procession and the entire audience are preserved on the Santa Sede Vaticano website, with the unabridged encounters of each bishop with the pope. It is a treasured moment that is stored in memory for me and preserved on social media for countless others.

What words were exchanged between us during that heartfelt greeting? I introduced myself as being from the Diocese of Jackson and the state of Mississippi, and he smiled and said, “Ah, the United States.” Pope Leo XIV is the first successor of St. Peter to know that Mississippi is more than a river. After thanking him for his ministry in the church, I departed with a pair of rosaries – a prized gift from the Holy Father.

Immediately afterward, there was a joyful reunion with our diocesan group of pilgrims, who had advantageous seating in the square, allowing them to view the stage and capture it all on the big screen nearby. Afterwards, while walking through the square in my episcopal house cassock as everyone was spilling into the neighboring streets and passageways, there were many interactions and conversations.

I spoke to, prayed over, and took photos with pilgrims from France, Mexico, Ireland, Peru, the Philippines and Indiana. What a delight! This is where it came full circle with my recent travels. I asked the pilgrims from Mexico where exactly they live, and the first place blurted out was Saltillo. How true it is that all roads lead to Rome.

The mission trip to Saltillo was an exceptional springboard into pilgrimage and will be the subject of another column. One of the pilgrims from Peru stated the old adage in another way: “Obispo, es un mundo pequeño.” (“Bishop, it’s a small world.”)

Verdad, peregrino, verdad! True, pilgrim, so true. The message of the Good News of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, goes out to the ends of the earth and back again. The Wednesday audience left no doubt about this truth.

In God’s family, “it’s a small world” after all

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Wednesday papal audience regularly gathers pilgrims from around the world in St. Peter’s Square, and during this Jubilee Year the square could not contain the vast throng. The universality of the church was on full display during the nearly two-hour audience with Pope Leo XIV, which was well worth the 6 a.m. departure from our hotel.
The Holy Father’s message, delivered in eight languages, went out to all the earth with the passion of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Human speech echoed around the square to the delight of all physically present and to the virtual cloud of witnesses around the world.

Pope Leo XIV leads his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Oct. 29, 2025. Dozens of representatives of the world’s religions were at the audience, which was dedicated to “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on relations with Judaism, Islam and other world religions. The landmark document was promulgated 60 years ago: Oct. 28, 1965. Inset shows Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, who was among those in attendance. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

With each audience, bishops are invited to come forward to sit near the stage, and our hearty group’s early arrival gave me an excellent vantage point to see, hear and appreciate the unpretentious yet splendid presentation surrounding Pope Leo’s message. As an added bonus, I was fortunate to sit next to the archbishop of Bangkok, Thailand, who spoke about the church’s reality in a country that is 96% Buddhist, where Catholics number around 500,000 – about 1% of the total population.
It was a relevant portrayal because, to my left, there were as many Buddhist monks at the audience as there were bishops. Pope Leo had just conducted an interfaith prayer service for peace at the Colosseum the day before with representatives from all major religious traditions.
The central focus of the pope’s words at the Colosseum and the audience was prayer and a plea for peace, justice and reconciliation, inspired by the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (In Our Age), a document of the Second Vatican Council that highlighted the need for interfaith prayer, dialogue and study for God’s glory and a more just and peaceful world. The love of Jesus Christ impels us to proclaim the Gospel of salvation and peace everywhere and for all time.
At the conclusion of each audience, all bishops are welcome to form a line to personally greet the Holy Father. This procession and the entire audience are preserved on the Santa Sede Vaticano website, with the unabridged encounters of each bishop with the pope. It is a treasured moment that is stored in memory for me and preserved on social media for countless others.
What words were exchanged between us during that heartfelt greeting? I introduced myself as being from the Diocese of Jackson and the state of Mississippi, and he smiled and said, “Ah, the United States.” Pope Leo XIV is the first successor of St. Peter to know that Mississippi is more than a river. After thanking him for his ministry in the church, I departed with a pair of rosaries – a prized gift from the Holy Father.
Immediately afterward, there was a joyful reunion with our diocesan group of pilgrims, who had advantageous seating in the square, allowing them to view the stage and capture it all on the big screen nearby. Afterwards, while walking through the square in my episcopal house cassock as everyone was spilling into the neighboring streets and passageways, there were many interactions and conversations.
I spoke to, prayed over, and took photos with pilgrims from France, Mexico, Ireland, Peru, the Philippines and Indiana. What a delight! This is where it came full circle with my recent travels. I asked the pilgrims from Mexico where exactly they live, and the first place blurted out was Saltillo. How true it is that all roads lead to Rome.
The mission trip to Saltillo was an exceptional springboard into pilgrimage and will be the subject of another column. One of the pilgrims from Peru stated the old adage in another way: “Obispo, es un mundo pequeño.” (“Bishop, it’s a small world.”)
Verdad, peregrino, verdad! True, pilgrim, so true. The message of the Good News of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, goes out to the ends of the earth and back again. The Wednesday audience left no doubt about this truth.

Fe, esperanza y dignidad de toda persona humana

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
No olvidemos que estamos en el año del Jubileo de la Esperanza con la invitación obligatoria a llevar la luz del Evangelio a todos los rincones de nuestra vida.

Por lo tanto, “con gran alegría celebramos octubre como el Mes del Respeto a la Vida en medio del Año Jubilar de la Esperanza de la iglesia. Este Año jubilar nos ofrece la oportunidad de apreciar de nuevo, y con inmensa gratitud, el don de la nueva vida que hemos recibido en el bautismo, una vida capaz de transfigurar el drama de la muerte. La vida, muerte y resurrección de nuestro Señor Jesucristo es el fundamento de nuestra esperanza. A través de Cristo, nuestros pecados son perdonados, la muerte es vencida y la vida es victoriosa”, dijo el obispo George Thomas, USCCB.

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

El refrán del Año jubilar, “la esperanza no defrauda”, revela un horizonte infinito más allá de este mundo y, al mismo tiempo, nos ancla más firmemente en nuestras rutinas y responsabilidades diarias. Debido a que el amor de Dios se ha derramado en nuestros corazones a través de la fe que despierta la dignidad de cada persona humana hecha en la imagen y semejanza de Dios, el respeto de la iglesia por la vida desde el momento de la concepción hasta la muerte natural permanece indestructible.

Que caigan las escamas de nuestros ojos para ver la belleza de la vida que nos rodea, desde la concepción y el nacimiento de un hijo, hasta los sacrificios diarios de los padres y cuidadores que lo dan todo por el bienestar de sus hijos, por las bendiciones de la educación, la recreación, la familia y la comunidad. Para los ancianos que han soportado el calor del día y que son cuidados hasta el final en el seno de la familia o en los centros de atención que acompañan a la familia durante los años crepusculares, celebramos y damos gracias.

“Sin embargo, los titulares del día a día nos recuerdan lo desesperadamente que nuestro mundo está, anhelando la esperanza que solo Dios puede proporcionar. Todos los días somos testigos del abrumador desprecio por la vida humana: a través del aumento de los derechos de aborto y suicidio asistido; los asesinatos de estudiantes inocentes, incluso en oración; el maltrato de nuestros hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes mientras soportan un ambiente de agresión; la violencia política e ideológica infligida contra víctimas desprevenidas. Estos ataques amenazan la vida precisamente cuando es más vulnerable y necesita protección”, dijo el obispo Thomas.

A pesar de estas realidades, el don de la vida humana existe como un signo de esperanza para nuestro mundo de hoy, desafiando los poderes de las tinieblas y la cultura de la muerte. El Papa Francisco en la Bula de Convocación que inauguró el Año Jubilar nos recordó que la esperanza es amor en acción que responde al sufrimiento en nuestras puertas. Esta virtud aperitiva debe encenderse en los corazones fragiles de nuestros jóvenes, en los enfermos, en los ancianos abandonados, en los que están en la pobreza extrema, en las víctimas de la violencia y la guerra, en los asilados, refugiados e inmigrantes explotados, y la lista continúa.

Sin embargo, la iglesia y muchas de sus parroquias, escuelas y ministerios pueden invocar y llaman a la vida del cielo a través del poder de la fe, la esperanza y el amor. De hecho, esta es una realidad diaria, y por ello damos gracias.

Con respecto al respeto por la vida, el Papa León XIV ha citado el poder emergente y el potencial de la inteligencia artificial, que puede ser una fuerza para el bien o para el mal. En sintonía con los recientes Santos Padres, el papa León ha levantado la dignidad de la persona humana en el centro de una mayor solidaridad y unidad en todo el mundo.

En la segunda Conferencia Internacional de Inteligencia Artificial en Roma, durante una sesión celebrada intencionalmente en el Palacio Apostólico del Vaticano, el Santo Padre compartió el siguiente pensamiento: “La sabiduría auténtica tiene más que ver con reconocer el verdadero significado de la vida, que con la disponibilidad de datos”.

En este sentido, el Santo Padre expresó su esperanza de que las deliberaciones de la conferencia “consideren también la IA dentro del contexto del aprendizaje intergeneracional necesario que permitirá a los jóvenes integrar la verdad en su vida moral y espiritual, informando así sus decisiones maduras y abriendo el camino hacia un mundo de mayor solidaridad y unidad”.

Faith, hope and the dignity of every human person

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Let us not forget that we are in the Jubilee of Hope with the pressing invitation to bring the light of the Gospel to every corner of our lives.

Therefore, “with great joy we celebrate October as Respect Life Month amid the church’s Jubilee Year of Hope. This Jubilee Year offers us the opportunity to appreciate anew, and with immense gratitude, the gift of the new life that we have received in baptism, a life capable of transfiguring death’s drama. The life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of our hope. Through Christ, our sins are forgiven, death is overcome, and life is victorious,” Bishop George Thomas, USCCB said.

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

The refrain for the Jubilee Year, “hope does not disappoint” unveils an endless horizon beyond this world while at the same time anchoring us more securely in our daily routines and responsibilities. Because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through faith awakening the dignity of every human person made in God’s image and likeness, the church’s respect for life from the moment of conception to natural death remains unwavering.

May the scales fall from our eyes to see the beauty of life all around us – from the conception and birth of a child, in the daily sacrifices of parents and caregivers who give their all for the well-being of their children, for the blessings of education, recreation, family and community. For the elderly who have borne the heat of the day and who are cared for until the end in the bosom of family or centers of care that accompany the family during the twilight years, we celebrate and give thanks.

“Yet, the daily headlines remind us of how desperately our world is thirsting for the hope that only God can provide. Every day we witness the overwhelming disregard for human life: through rising rates of abortion and assisted suicide; the killing of innocent schoolchildren, even at prayer; the mistreatment of our immigrant sisters and brothers as they endure an environment of aggression; and political and ideological violence inflicted against unsuspecting victims. These attacks threaten life precisely when it is most vulnerable and in need of protection,” Bishop Thomas said.

Despite these realities, the gift of human life exists as a sign of hope to our world today, defying the powers of darkness and the culture of death. Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction inaugurating the Jubilee Year reminded us that hope is love in action that responds to the suffering at our doorsteps. This life-giving virtue is to be enkindled in the fragile hearts of our youth, in the sick, the forsaken elderly, those in crushing poverty, victims of violence and war, exploited exiles, refugees, and immigrants, and the list goes on.

However, the church and many of its parishes, schools and ministries can and do call down the life of heaven through the power of faith, hope and love. In fact, this is a daily reality, and for this we give thanks.

With regard to respect for life, Pope Leo XIV has cited the emerging power and potential of artificial intelligence, which can be a force for good or evil. In harmony with recent Holy Fathers, Leo has raised up the dignity of the human person at the center of greater solidarity and unity across the globe.

At the second annual international Artificial Intelligence Conference in Rome, during a session intentionally held at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, the Holy Father shared the following thought: “Authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life, than with the availability of data.”

In this light, the Holy Father expressed his hope that the conference’s deliberations “will also consider AI within the context of the necessary intergenerational apprenticeship that will enable young people to integrate truth into their moral and spiritual life, thus informing their mature decisions and opening the path towards a world of greater solidarity and unity.”

Fe, esperanza y dignidad de toda persona humana

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Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
No olvidemos que estamos en el año del Jubileo de la Esperanza con la invitación obligatoria a llevar la luz del Evangelio a todos los rincones de nuestra vida.

Por lo tanto, “con gran alegría celebramos octubre como el Mes del Respeto a la Vida en medio del Año Jubilar de la Esperanza de la iglesia. Este Año jubilar nos ofrece la oportunidad de apreciar de nuevo, y con inmensa gratitud, el don de la nueva vida que hemos recibido en el bautismo, una vida capaz de transfigurar el drama de la muerte. La vida, muerte y resurrección de nuestro Señor Jesucristo es el fundamento de nuestra esperanza. A través de Cristo, nuestros pecados son perdonados, la muerte es vencida y la vida es victoriosa”, dijo el obispo George Thomas, USCCB.

El refrán del Año jubilar, “la esperanza no defrauda”, revela un horizonte infinito más allá de este mundo y, al mismo tiempo, nos ancla más firmemente en nuestras rutinas y responsabilidades diarias. Debido a que el amor de Dios se ha derramado en nuestros corazones a través de la fe que despierta la dignidad de cada persona humana hecha en la imagen y semejanza de Dios, el respeto de la iglesia por la vida desde el momento de la concepción hasta la muerte natural permanece indestructible.

Que caigan las escamas de nuestros ojos para ver la belleza de la vida que nos rodea, desde la concepción y el nacimiento de un hijo, hasta los sacrificios diarios de los padres y cuidadores que lo dan todo por el bienestar de sus hijos, por las bendiciones de la educación, la recreación, la familia y la comunidad. Para los ancianos que han soportado el calor del día y que son cuidados hasta el final en el seno de la familia o en los centros de atención que acompañan a la familia durante los años crepusculares, celebramos y damos gracias.

“Sin embargo, los titulares del día a día nos recuerdan lo desesperadamente que nuestro mundo está, anhelando la esperanza que solo Dios puede proporcionar. Todos los días somos testigos del abrumador desprecio por la vida humana: a través del aumento de los derechos de aborto y suicidio asistido; los asesinatos de estudiantes inocentes, incluso en oración; el maltrato de nuestros hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes mientras soportan un ambiente de agresión; la violencia política e ideológica infligida contra víctimas desprevenidas. Estos ataques amenazan la vida precisamente cuando es más vulnerable y necesita protección”, dijo el obispo Thomas.

A pesar de estas realidades, el don de la vida humana existe como un signo de esperanza para nuestro mundo de hoy, desafiando los poderes de las tinieblas y la cultura de la muerte. El Papa Francisco en la Bula de Convocación que inauguró el Año Jubilar nos recordó que la esperanza es amor en acción que responde al sufrimiento en nuestras puertas. Esta virtud aperitiva debe encenderse en los corazones fragiles de nuestros jóvenes, en los enfermos, en los ancianos abandonados, en los que están en la pobreza extrema, en las víctimas de la violencia y la guerra, en los asilados, refugiados e inmigrantes explotados, y la lista continúa.

Sin embargo, la iglesia y muchas de sus parroquias, escuelas y ministerios pueden invocar y llaman a la vida del cielo a través del poder de la fe, la esperanza y el amor. De hecho, esta es una realidad diaria, y por ello damos gracias.

Con respecto al respeto por la vida, el Papa León XIV ha citado el poder emergente y el potencial de la inteligencia artificial, que puede ser una fuerza para el bien o para el mal. En sintonía con los recientes Santos Padres, el papa León ha levantado la dignidad de la persona humana en el centro de una mayor solidaridad y unidad en todo el mundo.

En la segunda Conferencia Internacional de Inteligencia Artificial en Roma, durante una sesión celebrada intencionalmente en el Palacio Apostólico del Vaticano, el Santo Padre compartió el siguiente pensamiento: “La sabiduría auténtica tiene más que ver con reconocer el verdadero significado de la vida, que con la disponibilidad de datos”.

En este sentido, el Santo Padre expresó su esperanza de que las deliberaciones de la conferencia “consideren también la IA dentro del contexto del aprendizaje intergeneracional necesario que permitirá a los jóvenes integrar la verdad en su vida moral y espiritual, informando así sus decisiones maduras y abriendo el camino hacia un mundo de mayor solidaridad y unidad”.

Catechists: teachers of faith, bearers of hope

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Our God of perseverance and encouragement continues to pour out abundant grace during this Jubilee Year of Hope in creative ways. This year’s theme for Catechetical Sunday is “Always be ready to give an explanation … for a reason for your hope,” taken from 1 Peter 3:15. Pilgrims of hope are summoned to do so because the light of Christ that burns within us is intended for the world as well as for the believer who walks by faith.

This verse is from the first of two letters of St. Peter and is wisdom that is ever ancient and ever new. The full verse is one of the New Testament’s finest gems: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Bishop Kopacz

Numerically, 1 Peter 3:15 easily calls to mind John 3:16: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” To believe that God so loved the world positions the person of faith to be ready to share the hope that lives within.

As an aside, John and Peter were the first apostles, following the lead of Mary Magdalene, to run to the empty tomb — a foretaste of the hope that was on the horizon for them and for the world.

Therefore, our parish and Catholic school catechists — teachers of religion — have a unique ministry. They not only teach the Catholic faith from Sacred Scripture and tradition but are also empowered to witness to the reason for the hope that is within them.

It is a demanding ministry that requires the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, and the motivation for ongoing formation in wisdom, knowledge and grace in order to teach the next generation. Asking God’s blessing upon them on our annual Catechetical Sunday harmonizes this honorable ministry with the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith.

The treasures of our faith are inexhaustible, and many in each generation have labored to organize the story of salvation in a comprehensive, systematic and balanced way. The most wide-reaching compact assertion of our faith is the Nicene Creed. At 1,700 years young, and as the centerpiece of our tradition, it is certain to be proclaimed until Christ comes again. As we move through the verses of the Creed at each Mass, in reality we are professing the reason for the hope that lives within.

Gentleness and respect are underscored by St. Peter as the essential dispositions when sharing and teaching the faith. These run counter to the climate of meanness and disrespect that overwhelm so much discourse today in society and the church, and therefore are all the more indispensable in the classrooms of our parishes and schools. They are signs of love. And faith and hope without love, the greatest of the three theological virtues, produce a clanging cymbal — an apt way of visualizing contemporary discourse.

On the other hand, the first scripture reading from the prophet Amos on Catechetical Sunday brings full circle how the love of Christ within impels us to live justly and compassionately outwardly. Amos, Isaiah and Micah come to mind as prophets of social justice, who, like John the Baptist, prepared the way for the Lord in whom they find their fulfillment.

Amos did not mince words in last week’s proclamation: “Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land … Never will I forget a thing they have done.” Where do God’s words through the prophet cry out today?

Recently, on the diocesan level, we hosted a prayer service at the cathedral on behalf of immigrants, refugees and dreamers — to be in prayerful solidarity, raise awareness and inspire more just and compassionate attitudes and actions in our country. Amos can find a niche here, and the prophet Micah further shapes our words and actions: “God has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

All who are baptized in the Lord are called to be pilgrims of hope. May this Jubilee Year, and all commemorations and gatherings, be a time of renewal and a year of favor from the Lord.

Catequistas: maestros de fe, portadores de esperanza

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Nuestro Dios de perseverancia y aliento continúa derramando abundante gracia durante este Año Jubilar de la Esperanza de maneras creativas. El tema de este año para el Domingo Catequético es “Estar siempre listo para dar una explicación … una razón de vuestra esperanza”, tomado de 1 Pedro 3:15. Los peregrinos de la esperanza están llamados a hacerlo porque la luz de Cristo que arde en nosotros está destinada tanto al mundo como al creyente que camina por fe.

Este versículo es de la primera de las dos cartas de San Pedro y es una sabiduría siempre antigua y nueva. El versículo completo es una de las mejores joyas del Nuevo Testamento: “Pero en vuestros corazones venera a Cristo como Señor. Estar siempre preparados para dar una respuesta a cualquiera que pida la razón de la esperanza que tiene. Pero hazlo con gentileza y respeto”.

Bishop Kopacz

Numéricamente, 1 Pedro 3:15 recuerda fácilmente a Juan 3:16: “Tanto amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna”. Creer que Dios amó tanto al mundo posiciona a la persona de fe para estar lista para compartir la esperanza que vive en su interior.

Por otro lado, Juan y Pedro fueron los primeros apóstoles, siguiendo el ejemplo de María Magdalena, en correr hacia la tumba vacía, un anticipo de la esperanza que estaba en el horizonte para ellos y para el mundo.
Por lo tanto, los catequistas de nuestra parroquia y escuela católica, maestros de religión, tienen un ministerio único. No solo enseñan la fe católica desde la Sagrada Escritura y la tradición, sino que también están capacitados para dar testimonio de la razón de la esperanza que hay dentro de ellos.
Es un ministerio exigente que requiere los dones y frutos del Espíritu Santo, y la motivación para una formación continua en sabiduría, conocimiento y gracia para enseñar a la próxima generación. Pedir la bendición de Dios sobre ellos en nuestro domingo catequético anual armoniza este honorable ministerio con la Eucaristía, la fuente y cumbre de nuestra fe.

Los tesoros de nuestra fe son infinitos, y muchos en cada generación han trabajado para organizar la historia de la salvación de una manera íntegra, sistemática y equilibrada. La afirmación compacta de más amplio alcance de nuestra fe es el Credo de Nicea. Con sus 1.700 años, como pieza central de nuestra tradición, será proclamado hasta que Cristo venga de nuevo. A medida que avanzamos a través de los versículos del Credo en cada Misa, en realidad estamos profesando la razón de la esperanza que vive en nuestro interior.

La mansedumbre y el respeto son subrayados por San Pedro como las disposiciones esenciales al compartir y enseñar la fe. Estos van en contra del clima de mezquindad y falta de respeto que abruma tanto discurso hoy en la sociedad y la iglesia, y por lo tanto son aún más indispensables en las salas de nuestras parroquias y escuelas. Son signos de amor. Y la fe y la esperanza sin amor, la mayor de las tres virtudes teologales, producen un címbalo que resuena, una forma adecuada de visualizar el discurso contemporáneo.

Por otro lado, la primera lectura de las Escrituras del profeta Amós el domingo catequético cierra el círculo de cómo el amor de Cristo en nuestro interior nos impulsa a vivir con justicia y compasión exteriormente. Amós, Isaías y Miqueas vienen a la mente como profetas de la justicia social, quienes, como Juan el Bautista, prepararon el camino para el Señor en quien encuentran su cumplimiento.
Amós no se anduvo con rodeos en la proclamación de la semana pasada: “Escuchad esto, vosotros que pisoteáis a los necesitados y destruís a los pobres de la tierra… Nunca olvidaré nada de lo que han hecho”. ¿Dónde claman hoy las palabras de Dios a través del profeta?

Recientemente, a nivel diocesano, organizamos un servicio de oración en la catedral en nombre de los inmigrantes, refugiados y soñadores, para estar en solidaridad en oración, crear conciencia e inspirar formas y acciones más justas y compasivas en nuestro país. Amós puede encontrar un nicho aquí, y el profeta Miqueas moldea aún más nuestras palabras y acciones: “Dios te ha mostrado, oh hombre, lo que es bueno. ¿Y qué exige el Señor de ti, sino que hagas justicia, ames la misericordia y camines humildemente con tu Dios?” (Miqueas 6:8)

Todos los que son bautizados en el Señor están llamados a ser peregrinos de esperanza. Que este Año Jubilar, y todas las conmemoraciones y reuniones, sean un tiempo de renovación y un año de favor del Señor.

Providence in new beginnings

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, in an inspiring gathering of faith and tradition, the Archdiocese of Mobile celebrated the installation of the Most Rev. Mark S. Rivituso as the third archbishop and the 10th bishop of Mobile. The Diocese of Jackson, along with the dioceses of Biloxi and Birmingham, comprises the Province of Mobile in solidarity with the archdiocese.

During the Mass, Bishops Louis Kihneman, Steven Raica and I were front and center in the sanctuary as a sign of unity and fraternity. The faithful and clergy from Mobile to St. Louis, the home of Archbishop Rivituso, filled the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to overflowing.

Bishop Kopacz

Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, now emeritus, officially welcomed the assembly at the outset and delivered a riveting history of the Archdiocese of Mobile that included ties with the Archdiocese of St. Louis. At the end of the liturgy, the congregation gave a standing ovation to Archbishop Rodi for his 17 years of dedication as their shepherd. May he enjoy the good fruit of retirement under God’s loving gaze.

Following Archbishop Rodi, Christophe Cardinal Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, extended a warm greeting on behalf of Pope Leo XIV, whom the cardinal represents to all the dioceses and archdioceses in the country. He then read the papal bull – the document from the Holy See that made Archbishop Rivituso’s appointment official.

The bull dramatically announces the pope as the “Servant of the Servants of God,” a title first adopted by Gregory the Great in A.D. 590. Sept. 3 happened to be the feast day of this remarkable shepherd and doctor of the church. This surely was a moment of divine providence for the new archbishop as he undertakes his ministry, asking the intercession of St. Gregory and all the saints.

In his homily and closing remarks, Archbishop Rivituso joyfully expressed his gratitude for the honor and gift bestowed upon him to serve in his new home in the church of Mobile.

During my 11 and a half years as bishop of Jackson, I have been blessed to be a concelebrating bishop at the consecration and installation of Bishop Kihneman in Biloxi, the installation of Bishop Raica in Birmingham, and now the installation of Archbishop Rivituso. These are fond memories that are carried along by the rivers of time.

This sacred event in the Archdiocese of Mobile has further personal significance for my ministry. On Sept. 16, I reach the age of 75, when all active bishops are required to submit their letter of resignation to the pope. Although a resignation may be accepted immediately in urgent cases, the usual sequence is an extension of ministry for one or two more years. Nonetheless, it is a milestone in time that requires unambiguous action from a bishop.

What follows is my letter to the Holy Father:

Your Holiness,

On Sept. 16 this year, I will be 75 years old. Abiding by the wisdom of the church as contained in the Code of Canon Law, I am submitting my letter of resignation. Of course, I will continue to serve the Lord Jesus and his church unreservedly as ordinary until I am directed otherwise, or until the day my successor is chosen and in place as the 12th bishop of the Diocese of Jackson.

I give thanks to our loving God for your apostolic ministry as the successor of St. Peter in the first year of your pontificate during this Jubilee of Hope. May the Lord continue to bless and prosper your Petrine ministry for many more years.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
+Joseph R. Kopacz
Bishop of Jackson

Indeed, some birthdays are more significant than others. In a counter-intuitive way, there is a sense of freedom in not knowing when the resignation will be accepted. “Therefore, keep watch, for you know not the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13) is the wisdom of the Lord Jesus in the Gospels.

This is the familiar spirituality of Advent – a blessing and a reminder that the gift of time is finite, and the work in the vineyard of the Lord awaits with the dawn of each new day.

La Providencia en nuevos comienzos

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
El miércoles 3 de septiembre, en una inspiradora reunión de fe y tradición, la Arquidiócesis de Mobile celebró la instalación del Reverendísimo Mark S. Rivituso como el tercer arzobispo y el décimo obispo de Mobile. La Diócesis de Jackson, junto con las diócesis de Biloxi y Birmingham, que incluye la Provincia de Mobile con la arquidiócesis.

Durante la misa, los obispos Louis Kihneman, Steven Raica y yo nos colocamos estuvieron al frente y al centro del santuario como signo de unidad y fraternidad. Los fieles y el clero desde Mobile hasta St. Louis, el hogar del arzobispo Rivituso, llenaron la Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción.

El arzobispo Thomas J. Rodi, ahora emérito, dio la bienvenida oficial a la asamblea desde el principio y compartió una historia fascinante de la Arquidiócesis de Mobile que incluyó vínculos con la Arquidiócesis de St. Louis. Al final de la liturgia, la congregación aplaudió de pie al arzobispo Rodi por sus 17 años de dedicación como pastor. Que disfrute del buen fruto de la jubilación bajo la mirada amorosa de Dios.

Después del arzobispo Rodi, el cardenal Christophe Pierre, nuncio apostólico en los Estados Unidos, extendió un cálido saludo en nombre del Papa León XIV, a quien el cardenal representa ante todas las diócesis y arquidiócesis del país. Luego leyó la bula papal, el documento de la Santa Sede que hizo oficial el nombramiento del arzobispo Rivituso.

La bula anuncia dramáticamente al papa como el “Siervo de los Siervos de Dios”, un título adoptado por primera vez por Gregorio Magno en el año 590 d.C. El 3 de septiembre fue el día de la fiesta de este notable pastor y doctor de la iglesia. Este fue sin duda un momento de divina providencia para el nuevo arzobispo al emprender su ministerio, pidiendo la intercesión de San Gregorio y de todos los santos.
En su homilía y palabras de clausura, el Arzobispo Rivituso expresó con alegría su gratitud por el honor y el regalo que se le otorgó para servir en su nuevo hogar en la iglesia de Mobile.

Durante mis 11 años y medio como obispo de Jackson, he tenido la bendición de ser un obispo concelebrante en la consagración e instalación del obispo Kihneman en Biloxi, la instalación del obispo Raica en Birmingham y ahora la instalación del arzobispo Rivituso. Estos son buenos recuerdos que son cargados por los ríos del tiempo.

Este evento sagrado en la Arquidiócesis de Mobile tiene un significado personal adicional para mi ministerio. El 16 de septiembre, cumplo 75 años, cuando todos los obispos activos deben presentar su carta de renuncia al Papa. Aunque la renuncia puede ser aceptada inmediatamente en casos urgentes, la secuencia habitual es una extensión del ministerio por uno o dos años más. Sin embargo, es un hito en el tiempo que requiere una acción irrefutable de un obispo.

Lo que sigue es mi carta al Santo Padre:

Su Santidad,
El 16 de septiembre de este año, cumpliré 75 años. Cumpliendo con la sabiduría de la iglesia contenida en el Código de Derecho Canónico, presento mi carta de renuncia. Por supuesto, continuaré sirviendo al Señor Jesús y a su iglesia sin reservas como ordinario hasta que se me indique lo contrario, o hasta el día en que mi sucesor sea elegido y ocupe el puesto como el 12º obispo de la Diócesis de Jackson.
Doy gracias a nuestro Dios amoroso por vuestro ministerio apostólico como sucesor de san Pedro en el primer año de vuestro pontificado durante este jubileo de la esperanza. Que el Señor siga bendiciendo y prosperando vuestro ministerio Petrino durante muchos años más.

Sinceramente suyo en Cristo,
+Joseph R. Kopacz
Obispo de Jackson

De hecho, algunos cumpleaños son más significativos que otros. De una manera contraria a la intuición, hay una sensación de libertad en no saber cuándo se aceptará la renuncia. “Por tanto, velad, porque no sabéis el día ni la hora” (Mateo 25:13) es la sabiduría del Señor Jesús en los Evangelios.

Esta es la espiritualidad familiar del Adviento: una bendición y un recordatorio de que el don del tiempo es finito, y el trabajo en la viña del Señor espera con el amanecer de cada nuevo día.

Play ball in the stadium of God’s Kingdom

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Jubilee of Hope has defined Pope Leo XIV’s first 100 days and will continue to be front and center in the early stages of his papacy until the Holy Door is closed on the Feast of the Epiphany in 2026. Eventually, the Holy Father will travel to the ends of the Earth, but for now pilgrims from every country where the Catholic Church has pitched its tent are flocking to Rome in Jubilee faith, hope and love.
Throughout May, June and July, Pope Leo embraced them in the love of God. In an extraordinary way, the Jubilee Year has seamlessly witnessed the transition from the Ignatian Francis to the Augustinian Leo.

Recall that Pope Francis departed this world on Easter Monday, the day after the great day of hope, and his last public appearance was his Urbi et Orbi papal blessing on Easter Sunday. Since his installation one month later as the successor of Peter, Leo XIV has wrapped himself in the banner of hope, praying for peace and unity in the world and in the church in order to create a civilization of love.

The Holy Father’s preaching and teaching are directed to the hearts and minds of all people, but especially to those who have been baptized into the body of Christ and are on the path of discipleship. His words are both a message of consolation and encouragement, as well as a call to conversion and mission.

Pope Leo XIV delivers a video message during a public celebration organized by the Chicago White Sox and the Archdiocese of Chicago for the election of the pontiff before a Mass in his honor at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on June 14, 2025. The Chicago-born pontiff, elected on May 8, is the first American pope in history. (OSV News/Carlos Osorio, Reuters)

Among his many noteworthy addresses was his message to a packed stadium on the South Side of Chicago. On this occasion, Pope Leo was beamed in from Rome to the faithful gathered at Rate Field – home of the Chicago White Sox – for the celebration of the Eucharist – a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Archdiocese of Chicago for their native son’s emergence as the successor of Peter. Cardinal Cupich imaginatively dubbed his message the “Sermon on the Mound.” The occasion was one of a kind, but his message was universal.

After words of greeting, the Holy Father rejoiced to celebrate on the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, the source of all unity, love and peace. “I begin with that because the Trinity is a model of God’s love for us. God: Father, Son and Spirit. Three persons in one God live united in the depth of love, in community, sharing that communion with all of us.”

During his address, the Holy Father spoke directly to the young people gathered in the stadium and to their peers participating online. It is a powerful message of hope, which I quote in large part: “I’d like to send a special word of greeting to all the young people – those of you gathered together today, and many of you who are perhaps watching this greeting through technological means, on the internet. As you grow up together, you may realize, especially having lived through the time of the pandemic – times of isolation, great difficulty, sometimes even difficulties in your families, or in our world today.

“Sometimes it may be that the context of your life has not given you the opportunity to live the faith, to live as participants in a faith community, and I’d like to take this opportunity to invite each one of you to look into your own hearts, to recognize that God is present and that, perhaps in many different ways, God is reaching out to you, calling you, inviting you to know his Son Jesus Christ, through the Scriptures, perhaps through a friend or a relative … a grandparent, who might be a person of faith. But to discover how important it is for each one of us to pay attention to the presence of God in our own hearts, to that longing for love in our lives, for … searching, a true searching, for finding the ways that we may be able to do something with our own lives to serve others.”

In his reflection, Pope Leo addressed every generation in the People of God to know their dignity as God’s children, to personally know the Lord Jesus as a friend, and to embrace the call to be ambassadors for hope in this world. “So, I would like to invite all of you to take a moment, to open up your own hearts to God, to God’s love, to that peace which only the Lord can give us. To feel how deeply beautiful, how strong, how meaningful the love of God is in our lives. And to recognize that while we do nothing to earn God’s love, God in his own generosity continues to pour out his love upon us. And as he gives us his love, he only asks us to be generous and to share what he has given us with others.”

In other words, play ball in the stadium of God’s kingdom.