Principal (Oct. 1)
Casey Thomas
Annunciation School, Columbus
By Staff Reports
JACKSON – In April 2025, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson’s Office of Catholic Education successfully completed its system reaccreditation with Cognia, a globally recognized mark of educational quality.
First accredited as a system in 2019, the office underwent a comprehensive review that engaged administrators, teachers, students, parents and clergy in evaluating the effectiveness of diocesan educational operations. Through Cognia’s system accreditation, every school – large or small – benefits from consistent standards, aligned goals and the strategic sharing of resources, ensuring excellence across the diocesan network.
Cognia: A Mark of Excellence
Cognia’s accreditation framework draws from more than 130 years of expertise, serving more than 36,000 schools in 90 countries. Through a combination of rigorous standards, research-based tools and personalized professional support, Cognia helps school systems set a high bar for academic achievement and organizational effectiveness.
The result is a visible, global designation that signals to families, educators and the broader community that the system is committed to excellence.
Benefits of Cognia Accreditation
Through system accreditation, the diocese benefits from a single, unified review every six years, replacing multiple individual school visits and saving time, resources and costs.
The process offers:
Continuous Improvement Journey
Cognia’s accreditation process is built on the belief that improvement is a continuous journey. Evaluators partner closely with schools to conduct a thorough self-assessment grounded in both perception and performance data.
Unlike accrediting bodies that rely on a checklist, Cognia emphasizes meaningful growth and measurable progress. As Cognia affirms: Every institution, regardless of where they are today, can be better tomorrow.
This guiding principle shaped our approach throughout the reaccreditation process, inspiring us to reflect honestly, celebrate strengths and identify new opportunities for excellence.
How Did We Do?
The recent Cognia Accreditation Engagement Review confirms that Catholic schools in the Diocese of Jackson are excelling in many areas while identifying opportunities for continued growth.
The review awarded the diocese an Index of Education Quality (IEQ) score of 389 out of 400 – well above the Cognia network average of 296.
Key strengths noted include:
Accountability That Inspires Confidence
Choosing Cognia system accreditation is a choice to operate at the highest level of accountability and educational quality. It unites all diocesan schools under one collective vision – fostering a culture where every learner is known, valued and challenged to succeed.
For the families of our diocese, it means confidence that their children are part of a school system that meets rigorous global standards while remaining firmly grounded in the mission of Catholic education.
What are you waiting for? Come join us in spreading the Gospel through academic excellence in our Catholic schools.
(Visit https://jacksondiocese.org/schoolfinder to find one of our Diocesan Catholic Schools today.)
Aug. 22
22 de augusto
July 18
Julio 18
June 13
Junio 13
May 23
Mayo 23
April 25
Abril 25
April 11
Abril 11
March 28
Marzo 28
March 14
marzo 14
February 28
Febrero 28
February 14
Febrero 14
January 31
31 de enero
January 17, 2025
By Madelyn Johnson
JACKSON – Grayson Foley and EJ Martin, seminarians for the Diocese of Jackson currently studying at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, planned their pilgrimage to Italy months in advance. What they didn’t realize was that their visit would become a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The two were called to join the Pilgrimage of Hope through Rome. After booking their trip in February, they were shocked to learn that a new pope – Pope Leo – had been elected the day before their flight to Rome.
While in Rome, Grayson and EJ visited with other seminarians at the Pontifical North American College and spent time with Grayson’s older brother, Sterling Foley, a seminarian with the Legionaries of Christ based at their House of Formation in Rome. The trio toured the city and visited all four major basilicas, walking through each Holy Door during this Jubilee Year.
“We went through all of the basilicas’ Holy Doors, continuously praying for the people back home in Mississippi and those who made the trip possible,” said Grayson Foley.
Shortly after their arrival, news broke that the Installation Mass for Pope Leo XIV – the first American pope – would take place on May 18. The seminarians were faced with a choice: should they stay and serve at the historic Mass? The answer was clear – yes.
Thanks to the hospitality of the Legionaries of Christ seminarians, tickets were secured for EJ, Grayson, and Grant Caillouet, a seminarian from the Diocese of Baton Rouge, to assist with the distribution of Communion during the Installation Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Approximately 200,000 people were in attendance. They were seated to the right of the altar and remained there until the Creed.
“During the Creed of the Mass, we were shuffled back into the adoration chapel within St. Peter’s,” Grayson recalled. “As EJ and I walked into the gigantic empty St. Peter’s, it was the part within the Creed when the words, ‘Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam’ are chanted – which translates to ‘And (I believe in) one holy, Catholic and apostolic church.’ This amazing sight of the Church of St. Peter and how foundational that spot is for the church brought tears to my eyes, but I had to keep it together because we were about to distribute Communion.”
Each seminarian was given 100 hosts to distribute to the crowd of thousands attending the historic Mass. They moved into the crowd calling out “Corpus Christi!” as they gave the Eucharist to the faithful.
“EJ is tall with long arms and he distributed Communion to as many as he could,” said his mother, Dana Martin, who witnessed the event via livestream. “There were barriers holding people behind the pathway and EJ kept pushing through the crowd with Communion – Corpus Christi! Corpus Christi! Corpus Christi!”
After they finished distributing the hosts, the crowd separated them. Grayson found his way back inside St. Peter’s and witnessed Pope Leo greeting dignitaries from around the world, including the King and Queen of Spain.
EJ reflected, “Being so close to the installation of the first American pope was incredible. Praying with Jesus in my hands in an empty St. Peter’s was incredible. But the most incredible part was distributing Communion to the people. How joyful they were to receive Jesus at that Mass. These people had probably been waiting five-plus hours for this opportunity. Such a blessed experience – one I will never forget.”
EJ and Grayson were honored to be part of such a profound moment in church history and are thankful to all who supported them in making the pilgrimage possible. As they continue their formation for the priesthood with the Diocese of Jackson, they carry with them the joy of having served Christ and His church in the heart of St. Peter’s – an experience that deepened their call and strengthened their commitment to serve God’s people.
More photos from Father Jeffrey Waldrep’s Celebration
More photos from Father Sam Messina’s Celebration
By Gina Christian
MOBILE, Ala. (OSV News) – The Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, will welcome a new shepherd, as Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi and appointed Auxiliary Bishop Mark S. Rivituso of St. Louis as his successor.
The resignation and appointment were announced in Washington July 1 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S.
Archbishop Rodi, 76, had submitted his resignation to the pope in March 2024 upon reaching his 75th birthday, as required by canon law.
The archbishop, who has served in his current see for more than 17 years, will continue as apostolic administrator of the Mobile Archdiocese until the installation of now-Archbishop Rivituso.
Archbishop Rivituso’s installation Mass is set to take place Sept. 3 at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile at 11 a.m.
Archbishop Rodi hailed the appointment of his successor, saying in a July 1 statement he was “most grateful to the Holy Father for sending us this outstanding bishop.”
“Every time I have an opportunity to truly serve others, that’s always a blessing,” Archbishop Rivituso said at a Mobile news conference about his appointment. “This is a wonderful opportunity with the Catholic faith community and other partners of goodwill. I hope to work together for the greater good, to especially be mindful of the poor, those who are marginalized, those who are suffering, those who are in need.”
“There’s been a recent precedent of welcoming Midwesterners to our universal church with Pope Leo to Chicago,” he continued. “I appreciate you are faithful to that precedent and welcoming this Midwesterner from St. Louis to be part of this archdiocese.”
“I will say I have already been won over by your Southern charm and hospitality. I feel a sense of belonging. … I do feel at home in ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’” he added, referencing a popular song.
Archbishop Rivituso, 63, a St. Louis native and the sixth of eight children, has ministered extensively throughout the St. Louis Archdiocese and has served as its vicar general since 2011.
A graduate of Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary, both in St. Louis, he earned a licentiate in canon and civil law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario.
His 1988 priestly ordination in St. Louis foreshadowed a future connection to Mobile: The late Archbishop John L. May, who ordained him, had led the Alabama archdiocese prior to his St. Louis appointment.
He has long experience in prison and death-row ministry – an issue particularly relevant to Alabama, which carried out the first-ever nitrogen gas execution in the U.S. in 2024. Archbishop Rivituso advocated for the end of capital punishment in Missouri and has worked with Catholic Mobilizing Network in death penalty abolition efforts.
“The late Pope Francis really taught me about making sure that we’re mindful of those who are on the peripheries,” he told the St. Louis Review in an interview published July 1. “I feel like that’s always something that’s going to be important in my heart and ministry. The church is so blessed to be involved in the works of compassion, and I think that’s where we truly live what Jesus has called us to do about living his works of mercy.”
At the press conference, Archbishop Rivituso said, “I am blessed. … I will labor with the shepherding love of Jesus for all of you because I want to love you as Christ loves. I want to do what I can to lift each other up so we live out the goodness of our life and just know that we’re here for each other.”
(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina. Contributing to this was Rob Herbst, editor of The Catholic Week, news outlet of the Archdiocese of Mobile.)
Editor’s note: This month’s Called by Name column is written by seminarian Grayson Foley, who is stepping in for Father Nick Adam, director of vocations for the Diocese of Jackson, this month. Please continue praying for our seminarians and that others may hear and respond to God’s call.
The excitement in the air at Notre Dame Seminary wasn’t just because finals were wrapping up and everyone was ready for summer. As the May days continued, we knew it was only a matter of time before white smoke rose from the chimney in Rome.
I was in my room and thought my seminarian brother was pranking me when he ran by yelling, “White smoke!” I felt like Thomas in disbelief – until I heard the bells. As I ran downstairs to see that there was a new pope, I was filled with both excitement and a small wish that the election had taken place just a bit later – only because I was flying to Rome the next day.
That next day couldn’t come fast enough. EJ Martin and I were filled with anticipation for the trip we had planned months before. God had a wonderful plan for us. A new pope had been elected just a day before our trip, and I would get to see all of my seminarian brothers studying in Rome, visit my older brother Sterling, walk the streets of the Eternal City – and see the newly elected pope.
It was my first time flying to Europe, and that alone was exciting enough. But the Lord was ready to shower me with so many more blessed opportunities.
We stayed with two different seminary communities in Rome, ate lots of gelato, walked through the Holy Doors of all four major basilicas for the Jubilee Year, drank lots of espresso, visited an incredible number of churches, went on the Scavi Tour and saw where the bones of St. Peter lie under the basilica – and in the same week, had the blessed opportunity not only to serve at the pope’s inauguration Mass but to distribute Communion for it.
Some of the brothers in my older brother’s religious order gave up their tickets so that EJ, Grant Caillouet (a seminarian for the Diocese of Baton Rouge), and I could serve at the first public Mass of the first American pope.
It was an amazing experience, but the most moving part was walking through the doors of an empty St. Peter’s Basilica during the Creed to pick up the ciboria filled with hosts – as 20,000 Catholics behind me chanted, “Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.” (“And [I believe in] one holy, Catholic and apostolic church.”)
That moment made me feel, in the heart of my heart, that I was truly a part of the mystical body of Christ – bigger than myself – and I was completely humbled to be able to participate as a servant in that way.
As we finished our trip to Europe, I had a relatively quick turnaround to good ole Oxford, Mississippi.
Serving the people of God here in Oxford, working alongside Father Mark Shoffner, and getting to know all the parishioners and college students has been an absolute blessing. I have learned so much this summer and have grown to love the people of this diocese even more.
I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store as I continue on the path of love.
Grayson Foley, seminarian
By Francesca Merlo
(Vatican Media) – Addressing the faithful gathered for his Sunday Angelus on July 6, Pope Leo offered a reflection on the missionary nature of the church, grounded in the Gospel of Luke.
The pope focused his reflection on Jesus’ sending out of 72 disciples, an act which, he explained, represents the universal scope of the Gospel. “The hope of the Gospel is meant for all peoples,” he said, adding that this reflects “the breadth of God’s heart and the abundance of His harvest.”
However, Pope Leo continued in quoting Jesus: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” He explained that while the world may seem overwhelmed by distractions and noise, people today still “yearn for a greater truth,” seek justice, and carry within themselves “a longing for eternal life.”
He described God as a sower who has generously gone out and sown in people’s hearts “a desire for the infinite, for a fulfilled life and for salvation that sets us free.” Despite this, there are few who are able “to distinguish, with the eyes of Jesus, the good grain that is ripe for harvesting.”
– Be a laborer of faith –
The pope warned that faith should not become “merely an external label.” What the church and the world need are not occasional participants but “laborers who are eager to work in the mission field, loving disciples who bear witness to the Kingdom of God in all places.”
He acknowledged that there may be many “intermittent Christians who occasionally act upon some religious feeling or participate in sporadic events,” but there are far fewer who are ready “on a daily basis, to labor in God’s harvest.”
Pope Leo stressed that this mission does not require “too many theoretical ideas about pastoral plans.” Instead, he said, “we need to pray to the Lord of the harvest.” Giving priority to one’s relationship with the Lord and cultivating dialogue with Him, he added, allows people to become true labourers, ready to be sent “into the field of the world to bear witness to His Kingdom.”
At the end of his Angelus address, Pope Leo greeted those from around the world who had come to St. Peter’s Square, saying “in the great heat of this time of year, your journey to pass through the Holy Doors is even more courageous and admirable!”
He also expressed his condolences and assured his prayers for those suffering through the flooding in Texas.
“I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe river in Texas in the United States,” he said. “We pray for them.”
And he called for peace, requesting that all people “ask the Lord to touch the hearts and inspire the minds of those who govern, that the violence of weapons be replaced by the pursuit of dialogue.”
(Reprinted with permission by Vatican Media. OSV News contributed to this report.)
By Kate Scanlon
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – President Donald Trump on July 4 signed a reconciliation bill enacting much of his legislative agenda on taxes and immigration during an Independence Day ceremony at the White House.
“Our country has had so much to celebrate this Independence Day as we enter our 249th year. America’s winning, winning, winning like never before,” Trump said in comments at the ceremony.
“We have officially made the Trump tax cuts permanent,” he added. “That’s the largest tax cut in the history of our country. … After this kicks in, our country is going to be a rocket ship, economically.”
Previously, the U.S. House on July 3 approved the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in a 218-214 vote.
The Senate earlier approved the reconciliation package on July 1, after Trump urged them to do so by July 4.
Catholic leaders have alternately praised and criticized various provisions in the legislation. But in a July 1 action alert emailed to its supporters, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops ultimately said the bill “currently fails the poorest families.”
Only two Republicans – Reps. Thomas Massie, Ky., and Brian Fitzpatrick, Pa., – voted against the measure. Massie cited the bill’s projected increase to the national debt, while Fitzpatrick, who is Catholic, cited the way Medicaid cuts would impact his district.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, USCCB president and head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, said in a July 3 statement after the vote, that he and the bishops had “repeatedly and consistently” urged lawmakers to make sure the bill would help families in need and “to change course” on aspects “that fail the poor and vulnerable.”
“The final version of the bill includes unconscionable cuts to healthcare and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God’s creation,” Archbishop Broglio said. “The bill, as passed, will cause the greatest harm to those who are especially vulnerable in our society. As its provisions go into effect, people will lose access to healthcare and struggle to buy groceries, family members will be separated, and vulnerable communities will be less prepared to cope with environmental impacts of pollution and extreme weather.”
The USCCB president said, “More must be done to prevent these devastating effects.” He noted the church’s own teaching on human dignity and the common good compels it “to redouble our efforts and offer concrete help to those who will be in greater need and continue to advocate for legislative efforts that will provide better possibilities in the future for those in need.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said at a press conference following the vote, that Republicans “did not want to waste that opportunity” of having control of both chambers of Congress and the White House to enact Trump’s agenda.
“A lot of the estimations about what this legislation would do in a negative manner to communities in my state or any other are far overblown,” Johnson said when asked about criticism of the bill from faith groups in his state. “I can tell you that this bill is going to be a great thing for everybody around the country, my constituents, especially. What’s good for Louisiana is good for America.”
During his eight hour and 44 minute floor speech – part of a House procedure known as the “magic minute” where members in leadership can speak for as long as they please during “one minute” speeches without subtracting the extra time from the debate, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y said, “I rise today in strong opposition to Donald Trump’s disgusting abomination.”
Jeffries said the legislation “guts Medicaid, rips food from the mouths of children, seniors and veterans, and rewards billionaires with massive tax breaks.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated nearly 12 million people will lose health coverage under the legislation.
Ingrid Delgado, national director of public policy and advocacy for The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, told OSV News “such large cuts to the social safety net are really concerning, with how it’ll impact our most marginalized.”
“The Catholic Church approaches both access to food and health care as fundamental human rights,” Delgado said. “And so the people who access SNAP in our country and the people who access Medicaid are our most marginalized and poorest brothers and sisters.”
Delgado said cuts to those programs could lead to “more people who are uninsured, who don’t have food on their tables, and more people facing the risk of homelessness.”
The legislation will significantly increase funds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, and Customs and Border Patrol as the Trump administration seeks to implement its hardline immigration policies, including the mass deportation of immigrants lacking legal authorization to live and work in the U.S. It authorized about $150 billion in new spending for immigration and border enforcement. Prior to the bill’s passage, Vice President JD Vance touted immigration enforcement as the key reason he thought Congressional Republicans should approve the bill.
Others celebrated a provision in the legislation that would strip funds from Planned Parenthood for only one year – down from an original proposal of 10 years – with funding resumed thereafter.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, told OSV News the day before the House vote that “this is the possible culminating point of the first year where federal taxpayers are not forced to fund Big Abortion and that would be huge.”
In a fundraising pitch on its website, Planned Parenthood said the impact of the legislation “will be immediate and devastating.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the legislation would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion from 2025 to 2034. The U.S. national debt currently stands at $36.2 trillion, and has downstream impacts on the rest of society.
A June 26 letter to senators from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops praised the provision that would strip funds from Planned Parenthood while opposing others that they said would raise taxes “on the working poor while simultaneously giving large tax cuts to the wealthiest.” The letter added, “Because of this, millions of poor families will not be able to afford life-saving healthcare and will struggle to buy food for their children. Some rural hospitals will likely close.” The bishops called these provisions “unconscionable and unacceptable.”
The same day 20 U.S. Catholic bishops signed onto an interfaith effort urging the Senate to reject the bill, citing cuts to nutrition assistance and Medicaid, and its impact on immigrants among other concerns, calling it “draconian” and a “moral failure.”
(Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.)
More online at Mississippi Catholic.com
Read how 20 U.S. bishops joined an interfaith effort calling the legislation a “moral failure” at: http://bit.ly/3ImH0e2
For an in-depth analysis on how the bill’s costs could hit the poor hardest, visit: http://bit.ly/46aZHeF
For Joanna King, storytelling is more than a profession – it’s a ministry. As director of communications for the Diocese of Jackson and editor of Mississippi Catholic for the past six years, Joanna has used her talents to uplift voices of faith from every corner of the diocese.
Born in Jackson, Joanna’s Catholic roots run deep in Mississippi. After moving to Natchez as a child, her formative years were spent at St. Mary Catholic Church – now Basilica – and attending Cathedral School. “I was baptized, received First Communion, graduated from high school, and even got married at St. Mary’s,” she said.
Today, Joanna lives in Madison and attends St. Paul Catholic Church in Flowood with her husband, Justin, and their son, Chris. Her journey into ministry communications grew out of her early career in the nonprofit world, where she spent 13 years serving as a director of public relations and marketing – and often much more. “With a small staff, I was also a case manager, volunteer director, store manager, event coordinator – whatever was needed,” she said. “I worked with families in crisis, often providing the most basic necessities: food, clothing, shelter and a listening ear.”
That time had a lasting impact. “I spent a lot of time simply listening to people’s stories,” Joanna shared. “Their resilience and strength stayed with me and inspired me. That desire to tell meaningful stories ultimately led me to Mississippi Catholic.”
Joanna also sees communications as a way to unify the far-reaching parishes of the diocese. “Our diocese is geographically large, but Mississippi Catholic helps us stay connected,” she said. “It’s a blessing to help bridge those distances through stories that remind us we are one family in faith.”
Her role today allows her to continue that work of compassionate listening – now within the context of the Church. “Each story reveals how God is at work in ordinary – and extraordinary – ways across our diocese,” she said.
Since joining the diocese, Joanna has found that her ministry has deepened her own faith. “I definitely pray more,” she said. “I’m inspired every day by the faith of others across the diocese – it strengthens my relationship with God.”
One story in particular continues to move her: the tribute she wrote for Father Brian Kaskie, a beloved priest who passed away in 2021. “He was just out of seminary when he came to St. Mary’s in Natchez, and he made it seem cool to love Jesus. He was also a family friend, and re-reading that piece still makes me misty,” she said.
Joanna’s work – and the communication ministry she leads – is made possible in part by the Catholic Service Appeal. “To all who give, thank you. Your generosity makes ministry like ours possible,” she said. “If you’re considering a gift, know this: You’re helping tell the stories of our church, stories that bring people closer to Christ. That’s something truly special.”
