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Author Archives: Mississippi Catholic
Happy Ordination Anniversary
May 7
Bishop Joseph Kopacz
(ordained priest)
May 11
Father Mark Shoffner
Father Adolfo Suarez Pasillas
May 14
Father Panneer Selvam Arockiam;
Father Andrew Bowden;
Father Jason Johnston; and
Father Joseph Le
May 17
Father Matthew Simmons
May 18
Father Tristan Stovall
May 23
Deacon Hank Babin
May 24
Father Bob Goodyear, ST
May 27
Father Carlisle Beggerly
Father Charles Bucciantini
Father Leon Ngandu, SVD
May 29
Father Hilary Brzezinski, OFM
May 31
Father Nick Adam
Father Lincoln Dall
Father Binh Nguyen
Father José de Jesus Sanchez
Father Rusty Vincent
Father Aaron Williams
Bishops’ Civil Rights pilgrimage shows need to face past to build new future
By Gina Christian
(OSV News) – Several U.S. bishops recently traveled on pilgrimage to key sites commemorating the nation’s Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination – with two bishops telling OSV News the journey showed the need to face the past, before seeking to change the future.
“It’s important to learn about the past, as odious as this is, as evil as the sin of racism and slavery is,” said Bishop William A. Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida. “We have to admit it, that it was part of our history, part of our nation, really a part of our culture. … It’s hard to move on if we have not confronted it together.”
Bishop Wack was among six prelates who traveled to Alabama for a March 18-20 “Lenten Experience in Montgomery and Selma.”
Joining Bishop Wack were Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California; Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, Tennessee; Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, Mississippi; Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala of Washington; and Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido of San Diego.
The second such event coordinated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation and the Catholic Mobilizing Network, the trip saw the bishops – along with USCCB and network staff, and USCCB subcommittee consultant Gloria Purvis – visit multiple locations in just two and a half days.
During the pilgrimage, the bishops celebrated Mass at local parishes, and met with civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, as well as Dianne Thelma Harris, a foot soldier in the peaceful 1965 Voting Rights March.
The itinerary featured stops at Montgomery’s three Legacy Sites: the Legacy Museum, which surveys the nation’s 400-year span of enslavement, racial terrorism, codified segregationism and mass incarceration; the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which memorializes more than 4,400 Black people lynched between 1877 and 1950; and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, which provides an immersive view into the lives of enslaved persons.
Other Montgomery sites in the tour were City of St. Jude, which was the final stop for Civil Rights marchers from Selma before their arrival at the state capitol on March 24, 1965, and the Dexter Parsonage Museum, where Civil Rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family lived during his 1954-1960 tenure as pastor of the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church.
Bishop Wack told OSV News the parsonage – which had been bombed several times during Rev. King’s pastorate – left a deep impression, as he recalled a pivotal moment when Rev. King, sitting at his kitchen table after an attack, prayerfully discerned a call to persist in the Civil Rights Movement.
“He became a real person to me sitting right here – there’s the sink, here’s where he made the coffee. And then he sat down and he had this moment of deep, intense prayer with God,” Bishop Wack recalled. “As a bishop, I’ve had moments like that: ‘God, what do you want me to do? Where should I go?’”
In Selma, the group crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where in 1965 some 600 Civil Rights marchers for voting rights were brutally attacked by law enforcement, with the violence filmed by local television and later broadcast. While in Selma, the pilgrims dined at the Edmundite Missions, a Catholic social services agency through which the Society of St. Edmund has offered support for 90 years.
Bishop Kopacz told OSV News that the pilgrimage revealed “incredible truth and reconciliation opportunities.”
He pointed to the need to document the historical sweep of slavery, racism and injustice in the nation’s history, and to see its ongoing effects.
“What Alabama has done is really brought forward the history that goes back to the onset, to the the transatlantic passage and the beginnings of slavery,” he said.
The slave trade saw some 12 million to 20 million Africans enslaved in various Western nations, including the U.S., over a period of four centuries. The United Nations recently condemned the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity,” and passed a resolution also calling for reparations by member states to affected nations.
Recalling his visit, Bishop Kopacz traced how the legacy of slavery continued through “the years of Jim Crow,” the codified racial caste system that prevailed in southern and border states from 1877 to the mid-1960s; racial lynchings; and through capital punishment, which Stevenson and others argue disproportionately impacts people of color.
Bishop Kopacz said that capital punishment – which the Catholic Church condemns – is “dragging forward this chapter of our life here in America” marked by the violent history of slavery and racism.
Slavery “wasn’t just ended with the Emancipation Proclamation,” said Bishop Wack, referencing the 1863 presidential decree that declared slaves in some U.S. states free.
Rather, said Bishop Wack, slavery “perhaps took different forms,” as “there was a lot of discrimination that continued.”
Both Bishop Kopacz and Bishop Wack told OSV News they planned to bring their pilgrimage experiences back to their respective flocks, encouraging prayer, reflection and – as Bishop Wack said – “courageous conversations” to help counter the sin of racism.
“In order to have reconciliation and change toward greater justice, we need that deepening awareness,” said Bishop Kopacz.
(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News.)
Pope Leo’s prayer intention for May: ‘That everyone might have food’
By Courtney Mares
ROME (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV has dedicated his prayer intention for the month of May to one of humanity’s most persistent challenges: hunger.
In a video message released on April 30 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, the pope called on Catholics worldwide to confront the problem of food insecurity with both prayer and concrete action.
“Today we recognize with sorrow that millions of brothers and sisters continue to suffer from hunger, while so many goods are wasted at our tables,” the pope said in the video, recorded inside the Church of San Pellegrino in Vatican City.
At least 318 million people are expected to face food crisis conditions or worse this year, according to the World Food Program’s 2026 Global Outlook. The ongoing war in the Middle East could push an additional 45 million people into severe hunger before mid-year. In 2025, two famines were recorded in parts of Gaza and Sudan.
At the same time, the U.N. Environment Program reports that more than 1 billion tons of food are wasted globally every year, a contrast the pope addressed directly in his message.
Pope Leo called for a shift away from what he described as “the logic of selfish consumption” and toward “a culture of solidarity,” urging Catholic communities to take up practical measures including food banks, awareness campaigns and simpler, more responsible lifestyles.
“May our communities promote concrete gestures,” the pope said, adding that believers should approach every meal with gratitude, consume simply and “share with joy” in the knowledge that the fruits of the earth are “destined for all, not just a few.”
The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, also known as the Apostleship of Prayer, releases a prayer intention from the pope each month as part of its mission to unite Catholics in prayer for the Church’s global concerns.
Father Cristóbal Fones, director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, said the intention is a deeply personal concern for the pope.
“This intention comes from the pope’s heart. It pains him deeply that so many people in the world cannot access something as essential and human as food,” Father Fones said. “This is why he is asking everyone not to remain indifferent but to take decisive action, first with prayer, then with concrete gestures of solidarity.”
(Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.)
Catholicism in the Lower South: Thriving communities built on French and Spanish foundations
GUEST COLUMN
By Father Anthony D. Andreassi
In this continuing series on the origins of Catholicism in the 50 states, the story now turns to the lower South and the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. What began as a fragile missionary presence with the Spanish and French would only gradually develop into a more established Church.
Catholic roots in Georgia reach back well before the English colonies, to the era of Spanish mission activity along the southeastern coast.
Nearly two decades before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Franciscan missionaries left Spain to evangelize and minister to the Indigenous peoples of the region. Living among the Guale along the Georgia coast, they preached the Gospel and celebrated the sacraments, while insisting on Christian norms of marriage in contrast to the practice of polygamy.
Their faithfulness brought them into conflict with local leaders, and in September 1597, five friars were killed, in part for upholding Church teaching against polygamy. Recognized now as the Georgia Martyrs, these brave missionaries are set for beatification on October 31 of this year, and their witness stands as the earliest chapter in the Catholic story of Georgia.
The creation of the Diocese of Charleston in 1820, encompassing the Carolinas and Georgia, underscored how limited Catholic life remained in the region. In Georgia, the first parish, Most Holy Trinity in Augusta, had been founded only a decade earlier.
Moving down the coast to Florida, the Catholic story begins earlier than anywhere else in what would become the United States. Spanish expeditions in the first half of the sixteenth century sought to establish colonies, but a lasting presence only came in 1565 with the founding of St. Augustine, the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States.
There, the mission of Nombre de Dios was established with a secular priest as its first pastor. The missionary impulse quickly expanded, leading to the founding of the first Catholic hospital in 1598 and a Franciscan seminary in 1605. In 1606, Bishop Juan de las Cabezas de Altamirano of Cuba became the first bishop to set foot in territory that would one day be part of the United States.
As was true in most other places in the Americas, missionary life was often difficult in what would become the state of Florida. At times, Mass could not be celebrated for months due to the lack of bread or wine. Yet the work continued.
A Franciscan missionary who arrived in 1595 labored among the coastal Timucua and produced a grammar and dictionary of their language, aiding the spread of the faith.
Over the centuries, as colonial control shifted, the Church in Florida was administered in various ways, often under bishops in Cuba and elsewhere, until 1870, when the Diocese of St. Augustine was established to encompass the entire state. Today, with its rapid growth in the twentieth century, Florida is home to seven dioceses serving a diverse Catholic population of over 1.9 million.
Moving west along the Gulf Coast, the Catholic story in Alabama began to take shape in the early eighteenth century, when much of the Mississippi Valley, including present-day Alabama, formed part of the French Empire.
The first parish was established in Mobile in 1703, with Father Henri Roulleaux de La Vente, a priest from the Diocese of Bayeux in France, serving as its first pastor after arriving by way of Canada.
In these early years, Mass and other sacraments were celebrated in the chapel of Fort Louis until a parish church was built outside the fortifications in 1708.
For much of the next century and a half, Catholic life remained largely confined to the Gulf Coast, with limited expansion inland. A more stable institutional footing came in 1829 with the establishment of the Diocese (today Archdiocese) of Mobile.
For much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Alabama remained overwhelmingly Protestant, and Catholic growth was slow. Parishes gradually spread inland, with foundations in Tuscaloosa in 1844 and Birmingham in 1872 marking that expansion. In recent decades, however, the rise of the Sun Belt and immigration from outside the United States have strengthened the Church’s presence, and today about 6.8 percent of Alabamians are Catholic.
Just to the west, Mississippi presents a closely related but distinct chapter in the Catholic story of the Gulf South. Catholic beginnings in Mississippi date to 1682, when French explorers descended the river to its mouth and claimed the region for France, accompanied by Father Zenobius Membré, an Augustinian Recollect, who celebrated what is likely the first recorded Mass in what would become the nation’s twentieth state.
French settlement followed in 1699 at Old Biloxi, where priests ministered to the first European colonists. Missionary work quickly extended to Native peoples, where a chapel was built among the Houma, and Father Jacques Gravier performed what is likely the first recorded baptism in Mississippi.
In 1779, control of the region passed to Spain, and in 1788, a church dedicated to the Holy Savior was built in Natchez, on the site where St. Mary Basilica stands today. Despite this early foundation, Catholic life remained fragile. By the time Pope Gregory XVI established the Diocese of Natchez (today Jackson) in 1837, encompassing the entire state, there was not a single Catholic church or resident priest, and the first bishop named to the see declined the appointment.
Stability came only in 1841, when John Joseph Chanche of Baltimore accepted the role, becoming the first bishop to establish a lasting Catholic presence in Mississippi.
Like neighboring Alabama, Mississippi has seen significant Catholic growth in recent decades, and today about 110,000 Catholics are served by the Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi.
The Catholic story of the lower South reflects a long journey from mission to a mature presence. Early efforts by Spanish and French missionaries laid foundations that would only slowly develop into a stable Church. Today’s growing Catholic communities stand as a testament to that enduring, if often overlooked, history.
(Father Anthony D. Andreassi, a priest of the Brooklyn Oratory of St. Philip Neri, holds a doctorate in history from Georgetown University. His research and writing have focused on the American Catholic community. He is on the staff of the Oratory parishes of Assumption and St. Boniface in Brooklyn, New York.)
From conflict zones to ancient Christian sites, Pope Leo XIV brings message of peace, hope to Africa
By OSV News
Pope Leo XIV concluded his first trip to Africa April 23, capping a four-country visit marked by urgent calls for peace, direct engagement with conflict zones and a backdrop of international political tension.
Traveling April 13–23 through Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, the pope met civil and religious leaders, celebrated public Masses and encouraged Catholics to remain steadfast witnesses to the Gospel.
His visit brought him into regions scarred by violence, including Cameroon’s separatist conflict, while also addressing inequality and corruption in Angola, promoting interreligious dialogue in Algeria and a just society in Equatorial Guinea.
– Algeria –
Pope Leo’s 11-day trip began with an unexpected controversy after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized him in a late-night April 12 post on Truth Social.
Trump called the pope “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” accusing him of believing “it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” The remarks followed the pope’s criticism of the Iran war and his repeated calls for peace.
Journalists aboard the papal flight quickly pressed for a response.
“I have no fear, neither of the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do,” Pope Leo said.
“We are not politicians,” he added. “We are not looking to make foreign policy … but I do believe in the message of the Gospel: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ is the message that the world needs to hear today.”
The remarks sparked backlash from religious and political leaders, but the pope declined to escalate tensions.
“I don’t want to get into a debate,” he said, emphasizing that his mission is to proclaim peace.
“I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”
Despite the dispute, Pope Leo struck a positive tone before landing, saying he was “very happy to visit the land of St. Augustine again.”
In Algiers, he visited the Great Mosque, calling the encounter a sign “that we can learn to respect one another, live in harmony and build a world of peace.”
Later, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa overlooking the Mediterranean, he honored Algeria’s Christian martyrs and highlighted interreligious dialogue in the Muslim-majority nation.
The basilica, he said, is a “sign of our desire for peace and unity,” symbolizing “a Church of living stones, where communion between Christians and Muslims takes shape.”
On April 14, the pope traveled to Annaba, near the ruins of ancient Hippo Regius, where St. Augustine spent his final years. The visit held personal significance; Pope Leo has often described himself as “a son of Augustine.”
Celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine, he urged Christians to follow the saint’s example, “fervently seeking the truth and serving Christ with ardent faith.”
“Be heirs to this tradition, bearing witness through fraternal charity … as a hope of salvation for the world,” he said.
Addressing Algeria’s small Christian community, he praised their quiet witness.
“Your presence in this country is like incense,” he said. “A glowing grain that spreads fragrance because it gives glory to the Lord and joy and comfort to so many.”
– Cameroon –
During his flight to Cameroon, Pope Leo reflected on Algeria as “a special blessing,” noting that St. Augustine’s life offers a vision of unity and respect across differences.
That message carried into Cameroon, a country scarred by separatist violence. Addressing authorities in Yaoundé, the pope acknowledged the suffering caused by conflict in the English-speaking northwest and southwest regions.
Since 2017, fighting between separatist militias and government forces has killed more than 6,500 people and displaced over 500,000.
“Lives have been lost, families displaced, children deprived of schooling and young people no longer see a future,” he said. “Behind the numbers are the faces, stories and shattered hopes of real people.”
Days before his arrival, separatist groups declared a three-day ceasefire to allow safe travel during the visit.
The highlight of the April 15–18 stop was the pope’s visit to Bamenda, in the heart of the conflict zone. Addressing Catholics at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the pope was met with enthusiasm after declaring, “I am here to proclaim peace.”
After hearing testimony from local residents – including a chief imam who described a deadly attack on a mosque – the pope strongly condemned violence carried out in God’s name.
“But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain,” he said, warning against dragging what is sacred “into darkness and filth.”
Celebrating Mass for 20,000 people at Bamenda’s airport, he urged hope rooted in faith.
“This is the moment to change, to transform the story of this country,” he said. “The time has come, today and not tomorrow.”
He called on Cameroonians to “restore the mosaic of unity” by embracing the country’s diversity.
On April 17, he celebrated Mass in Douala for an estimated 120,000 faithful, urging Africans to share God’s love by feeding the hungry and offering spiritual nourishment.
Though the visit brought hope, media coverage continued to frame the trip through the lens of tensions with Trump – something the pope later addressed directly.
– Angola –
While the pope’s warning to those who use God to justify violence resonated with suffering Cameroonians in Bamenda, several media outlets ran headlines insinuating that Pope Leo was making an indirect dig at Trump.
En route to Angola, Pope Leo clarified that his remarks in Cameroon had been prepared weeks earlier and were not directed at the U.S. president.
“My speeches were written well before the president ever commented,” he said. “It is not in my interest to debate,” adding “there has been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all its aspects.”
Arriving in Luanda, he shifted focus to Angola’s challenges and the Church’s role in offering hope. Home to more than 20 million Catholics, Angola has deep Christian roots but continues to struggle with inequality, corruption and the legacy of a civil war that claimed up to 800,000 lives.
Addressing government leaders, the pope urged them to prioritize the common good.
“Place the common good before every particular interest,” he said. “Never confuse your own part with the whole.”
He warned that the people have suffered when power is abused.
“They bear the scars not only of material exploitation, but also of the presumption of imposing an idea upon others,” he said.
On April 19, Pope Leo celebrated Mass for about 100,000 faithful in Kilamba. Reflecting on the Gospel story of the road to Emmaus, he cautioned against despair in societies marked by prolonged suffering.
“When one is long immersed in a history characterized by pain, one can risk losing hope and remaining paralyzed by discouragement,” he said.
Afterward, he traveled to the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima, southern Africa’s most visited Catholic shrine, where tens of thousands had gathered – many camping for days in intense heat.
Calling the shrine a place where “the heart of the Church” is alive, he noted its enduring role in Angola’s spiritual life.
“For centuries, many have prayed here in joy and sorrow,” he said. “Mama Muxima has quietly kept the heart of the Church alive and beating.”
On April 20, the pope flew east to Saurimo, near Angola’s largest diamond mine. There, he visited a nursing home housing 74 elderly residents, many rejected by their families due to superstitious beliefs.
“The care of the weakest is a sign of the quality of a nation’s social life,” he said. “The elderly must not only be assisted, but listened to, because they preserve the wisdom of a people.”
Celebrating Mass for tens of thousands, he also addressed exploitation linked to the diamond industry.
“How often the hope of many is frustrated by violence, exploited by the overbearing and defrauded by the rich,” he said.
“We were not born to become slaves,” he added. “Every form of oppression, violence and dishonesty negates the resurrection of Christ, the supreme gift of our freedom.”
– Equatorial Guinea –
The final leg of Pope Leo’s 11-day journey took him to Equatorial Guinea. Upon landing on the island of Malabo, the pope was welcomed by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the oil-rich Central African nation since seizing power in a 1979 coup and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most authoritarian leaders.
Nevertheless, in his address to the country’s civil authorities, the pope appealed for justice and ethical governance in a country long criticized for corruption and human rights abuses.
Drawing from St. Augustine’s classic work “The City of God,” Pope Leo noted that the “city of God” is characterized by love, especially for the poor, while the “earthly city … is centered upon the proud love of self, on the lust for power and worldly glory that leads to destruction.”
“Every human being can benefit from the ancient realization of living on earth as a pilgrim,” he said. “It is essential to discern the difference between that which lasts and that which passes, remaining free from the pursuit of unjust wealth and the illusion of dominion.”
Celebrating Mass April 22 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in the eastern city of Mongomo, the second-largest Catholic Church in Africa, the pope renewed his call to the country’s leaders and citizens to prioritize the common good.
“May the Lord help you to become a society in which everyone, each according to their respective responsibilities, works ever more fully to serve the common good rather than private interests, bridging the gap between the privileged and the disadvantaged,” he said.
In his final Mass in Malabo Stadium April 23, Pope Leo offered a word of hope to the country’s Catholics, urging them to seek strength, justice and hope from the Gospel and the sacraments.
Encouraging the faithful to “joyfully proclaim” that “Christ is everything for us,” Pope Leo reminded Christians that in Jesus, “we find the fullness of life and meaning.”
“Our problems do not disappear in the Lord’s presence, but they are illuminated,” he said. “Just as every cross finds redemption in Jesus, so too the story of our lives finds its meaning in the Gospel.”
As the Mass concluded, the pope bid farewell to the African continent, saying that his visit was “an invaluable treasure of faith, hope, and charity.”
Highlighting the continent’s significance, the pope said that “today, Africa is called to contribute significantly to the holiness and missionary character of the Christian people.”
“I entrust this intention to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, to whom I commend myself wholeheartedly, as well as your families, your communities, your nation, and all the peoples of Africa,” the pope said.
Briefs
NATION
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – President Donald Trump on May 5 continued his series of social media and verbal attacks on Pope Leo XIV, accusing him in a radio interview of “endangering” Catholics through his opposition to the Iran war. Trump claimed in an interview that aired May 5 with Hugh Hewitt, a conservative talk radio host, that “the pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” Trump has repeatedly claimed that the U.S.-born Pope Leo supports Iran having nuclear weapons; however, the pontiff never made any such statement and has consistently called for the rejection of nuclear weapons. The president accused the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people” by opposing the war with Iran. Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of war generally, including those initiated by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28. In comments May 5 to journalists in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Pope Leo said that ever since his election, “I said, ‘Peace be with you,’ and the Church’s mission is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace.” He said, “If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so with the truth. The Church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt about this, and I simply hope to be heard for the sake of the Word of God.”
CHICAGO (OSV News) – A lighthearted story about a customer service call from Pope Leo XIV is drawing widespread attention and offering many Catholics a glimpse of the pope’s ordinary side. Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, the incoming provincial superior of the Midwest Augustinians, said he has been surprised by the reaction since sharing the anecdote at an April 29 gathering for fathers and sons at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Naperville, outside Chicago. According to Father McCarthy, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost – now Pope Leo XIV – called his Chicago bank several months after his election to update his phone number and account information. After answering multiple security questions, the pope was reportedly told the changes could not be made unless he appeared at the bank in person. Father McCarthy said Pope Leo explained that would be difficult because he was “out of town.” When he finally added, “Would it matter if I tell you I’m Pope Leo?” the customer service representative hung up on him. The issue was later resolved after a fellow Augustinian contacted the bank president, who agreed to make the change rather than risk losing “the account of the pope.”
VATICAN
POMPEII, Italy (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV marked the first anniversary of his election May 8 with a pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Pompeii, entrusting his pontificate to the Virgin Mary. Celebrating Mass before an estimated 20,000 people, the pope recalled that his election in 2025 coincided with the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii. “I therefore had to come here to place my ministry under the protection of the Blessed Virgin,” he said. The Augustinian pope’s first year included international trips, canonizations and Jubilee events. In his homily, Pope Leo spoke at length about the importance of the rosary and urged Catholics to place their hope in Christ. “Brothers and sisters, no earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love,” he said. Pope Leo also honored St. Bartolo Longo, the former Satanist turned saint who founded the Marian shrine and its charitable works for orphans and prisoners’ children. The pope closed with a renewed appeal for peace amid ongoing global conflicts. He was scheduled to continue his pastoral visit with a trip to the nearby city of Naples before returning to Rome by helicopter in the evening.
WORLD
WARSAW, Poland (OSV News) – A Marian sanctuary in Gietrzwald – often called the “Polish Lourdes” – could soon draw global attention, as Pope Leo XIV has been invited to visit the site where the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared about 160 times. As the Church enters May, the Marian month, preparations are underway for the 150th anniversary of the 1877 apparitions. Polish bishops and President Karol Nawrocki have extended the papal invitation, raising hopes of a major pilgrimage moment. The apparitions, experienced by two young girls, are among the most intense in Church history – and Poland’s only Vatican-recognized Marian apparition site. Unlike Lourdes or Fatima, they included extended conversations with Mary. “That’s a unique aspect,” filmmaker Jan Sobierajski said. The message from Mary centered on prayer and conversion: “Pray the rosary every day,” Sister Anna Wojciechowska said, adding Mary’s assurance: “Do not be afraid, for I will always be with you.” The story of Gietrzwald is inseparable from the two young visionaries at its center: Barbara Samulowska and Justyna Szafrynska. Both were children – Samulowska was just 12 years old – when they reported seeing the Virgin Mary. In March, the Church recognized the heroic virtues of Sister Barbara, granting her the title venerable and advancing her sainthood cause.
DEBEL, Lebanon (OSV News) – A photo showing an Israeli soldier appearing to desecrate a statue of the Virgin Mary in Lebanon has sparked renewed outrage over anti-Christian incidents tied to the ongoing regional conflict. The image, shared online May 6, appears to show an Israel Defense Forces soldier holding a cigarette to the mouth of a Marian statue. IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani condemned the act, saying the soldier’s behavior “completely deviates from the values expected” of military personnel. He said the incident, reportedly photographed weeks earlier in the Lebanese village of Debel, is under investigation. The controversy follows another recent incident in the same area in which a soldier was photographed striking a statue of Jesus with the blunt side of an axe. Poland’s foreign ministry sharply criticized the latest episode, saying such actions offend Christians’ religious sentiments and undermine peace efforts in the Middle East. The incident also comes days after an Israeli settler was charged in the assault of a French nun near the Cenacle in Jerusalem, traditionally revered as the site of the Last Supper.
‘Leave a Legacy’ of faith and stewardship
By Staff Reports
JACKSON – As Catholics across the country observe Leave a Legacy Month in May, the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Jackson is encouraging families to take an important step in planning for the future while also considering how their faith can continue to make an impact for generations.
Most Catholics intend to create a will, but many delay the process, according to Rebecca Harris, executive director of the Catholic Foundation.
“Creating a will is one of the simplest and most important ways to care for your loved ones,” Harris said. “It ensures that your wishes are clearly known and provides peace of mind for your family.”
The Catholic Foundation has partnered MyCatholicWill.com to provide Catholics in the Diocese of Jackson with access to a free online platform that allows users to create a simple and legally valid will in about 20 minutes.
Harris said the process is not only about financial planning, but also about faith and stewardship.
“Planned giving is not only about finances. It is about faith,” Harris said. “It is a way to continue living out the Gospel values of generosity and stewardship for generations to come.”
The Foundation is also encouraging Catholics to consider including charitable giving in their estate plans. Through a will, individuals can establish a perpetual trust or named endowment through the Catholic Foundation to support a parish, school or diocesan ministry long into the future.
“These funds are invested and a portion is distributed each year, providing ongoing support for the ministries that matter most to you,” Harris said.
The Foundation noted that gifts of any size can help sustain ministries such as Catholic education, vocations, youth ministry and parish outreach efforts.
In addition to the free will resource, the Foundation has released a short video about the importance of leaving a legacy of faith. The video can be viewed on the Diocese of Jackson’s YouTube channel or by scanning the QR code provided.
“Your family deserves clarity. Your faith can leave a lasting mark,” Harris said. “This May, consider making your will and your legacy a reflection of both.”
(Questions? Email rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org)
Calendar of Events
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
GRENADA – St. Peter, Teatime with Mother Mary, Sunday, May 31 at 3 p.m. All girls, young and old, mothers, daughters, single women are invited to attend including non-practicing Catholics, friends of parishioners, etc. Details: contact Cecilia at (662) 688-3024.
OXFORD – St. John the Evangelist, Catechist Workshop, Saturday, Aug. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with speaker, Dr. Tom Neal. Details: register at https://bit.ly/oxford-catechist-event-26.
PILGRMAGE – Travel with Father Carlisle Beggerly to Italy/Greece, Oct. 7-20, 2026. Cost: $5,999 per person. Details: Contact Proximo Travel (855-842-8001) or visit proximotravel.com (enter Fr. Carlisle in search box).
Travel with Father Raju Macherla to Portugal, Spain and France, July 6-17, 2026. Cost: $5,500 per person (sharing room), with departure from Memphis. Details: visit https://bit.ly/4efWoql.
MADISON – Millions of Monicas will transition from St. Joseph Church to praying at St. Catherine’s Village chapel. Meetings will now take place on the second Tuesday of each month, with the first gathering scheduled for May 12. Please note that our meeting time will change to 6 p.m. The Chapel is located at 200 Dominican Drive, Madison. When you arrive at the gate, let the team know you are joining the Millions of Monicas ministry, and you will be directed to the chapel. After entering through the roundabout, the chapel will be on your left. Please, mark your calendars for the following meeting dates: May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Dec. 8, 2026. Details: call (601) 613-8526.
YOUNG ADULTS – Young adults are invited to join the Archdiocese of New Orleans on a Pilgrimage to Seoul, South Korea, August 1-10, 2027. Details: contact James Behan at (504) 836-0551 ext. 3228 or email: yam@arch-no.org.
PARISH & YOUTH EVENTS
CLINTON – Holy Savior, Baby Bottle Drive, Get a bottle, fill it with coins, cash, or a check, and return it in the coming weeks. Every donation will help support pro-life ministries and life-affirming services for mothers, babies, and families in our community. Volunteers are needed to distribute and collect bottles. Details: call Chris at (601) 757-9910.
JACKSON – Holy Family, Pentecost Cultural Diversity Picnic, on Saturday, May 23, from 5-7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear red, bring tents and lawn chairs. Personal fans are also recommended. Music and games will be provided. Details: call Joyce at (601) 214-6123.
VBS
GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School, Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 26, 2026, from 5:15 to 8 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Dinner and games are from 5:15-6 p.m. Open to all children entering K-6th grade, Cost: $15 per child/$30 Max per family. Details: https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/stjosephgluckstadt and select one-time donation and then VBS to make your payment.
STARKVILLE – St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School, Calling all 4 year olds through fourth graders – Save the date: June 1-4, 2026.
HOLLY SPRINGS – St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School, June 16–18, 2026. Details: call Teri (Teresa) Mason at (815) 729-4219.
DIOCESE EVENTS
ENGAGED ENCOUNTER 2026, Aug. 28-30; and Oct. 2-4. Details: couples may register at https://jacksondiocese.flocknote.com/signup/230073 or email debbie.tubertini@jacksondiocese.org.
PERMANENT DIACONATE ORDINATION: Six men will be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate on Saturday, July 18 at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Jackson. Blessings to Enrique Amador, Donald Clinton Coker, Jeff Cook, Pablo Garcia, Christopher Halliwell, William Griffith Vautrot, and Hunter Yentzen.
PASTORAL MINISTRIES WORKSHOP, July 31 through Aug. 2 at Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond. Cost is $300, which includes room, meals, and course materials. (Commuter rate: $125) Registration deadline is July 10. Register at https://bit.ly/pmw2026. Details: fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.
Escuchar conduce a un nuevo centro de formación laico que honra el legado del obispo William Houck
Por Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – Una nueva iniciativa diocesana centrada en fortalecer el liderazgo laico y la formación en la fe en toda la Diócesis de Jackson se está tomando forma a través del recién establecido Centro Bishop William R. Houck para la Formación Laica, un esfuerzo que los líderes de la iglesia afirman surgir directamente de las sesiones de escucha realizadas durante el proceso diocesano de Reimaginación Pastoral.
Dirigido por la Oficina Diocesana de Formación en la Fe bajo la dirección de Fran Lavelle, el centro está diseñado para ofrecer oportunidades accesibles de formación y capacitación ministerial para líderes parroquiales y escolares, catequistas, ministros juveniles y otros líderes laicos en toda la diócesis.
“La mejor parte de mi ministerio es trabajar con la gente”, dijo Lavelle. “La segunda mejor parte de mi trabajo es buscar formas de servir mejor a nuestras parroquias y escuelas, especialmente con respecto a la formación en la fe.”
Lavelle dijo que la idea del centro surgió después de que las sesiones de escucha parroquiales y del decanato identificaran repetidamente la necesidad de una formación más fuerte en el liderazgo laico.
“Una mejor formación para los líderes laicos fue uno de los llamamientos más claros tanto de las parroquias individuales como de los decanatos”, dijo. “Cuando preguntas a la gente cómo puede la Iglesia servirles mejor, es importante actuar según lo que oyes.”
Un comité asesor formado a finales de 2024 comenzó a reimaginar cómo la diócesis podría apoyar el ministerio laico y el desarrollo del liderazgo. Ese proceso llevó finalmente a la creación del Centro del Bishop William R. Houck para la Formación Laica.
El centro lleva el nombre en honor al ex-obispo William R. Houck, quien sirvió a la Diócesis de Jackson desde 1984 hasta 2003 y fue ampliamente reconocido por su compromiso con la educación católica, la evangelización y el ministerio laico. Durante su mandato, Houck fue presidente del Comité de Obispos de EE. UU. sobre Evangelización, que publicó el documento histórico de 1992, Ve y haz discípulos: un plan nacional y estrategia para la evangelización católica en Estados Unidos. El documento, que aún se utiliza hoy en día, sigue animando a los católicos a aceptar la misión del discipulado.
“El obispo Houck era un estimado educador y un devoto defensor del ministerio laico”, dijo Lavelle. “Su visión y voz afirmaron las bases para la formación de liderazgo laico en la Diócesis. Esperamos ampliar su visión para ofrecer capacidad y formación de alta calidad en cada parroquia, misión y escuela.”
Según la página web del centro, su misión es “proporcionar educación, capacidad y formación a líderes laicos en la Diócesis de Jackson con énfasis en aplicaciones catequéticas, pastorales y eclesiales.”
La iniciativa se basa en tres pilares fundamentales: educación, evangelización y el desarrollo de líderes laicos bien formados. El sitio web señala que la formación continua en las Escrituras y la enseñanza católica enseñan los discípulos a cumplir su llamado, mientras que las comunidades parroquiales fuertes dependen de líderes preparados que puedan servir con “conocimiento, confianza y compasión”.
A diferencia de un instituto diocesano tradicional, es que el Centro Houck no se encuentra en un edificio físico. Si no en un lugar, que funciona como un centro de recursos en línea alojado a través del sitio web diocesano. Los participantes pueden acceder a talleres diocesanos, cursos en línea, recursos ministeriales y oportunidades de desarrollo de liderazgo en diversas áreas ministeriales.
“Realmente queríamos algo accesible para la gente sin importar dónde vivan en la diócesis”, dijo Lavelle. “Se trata de reunirse con los líderes parroquiales donde están y ayudarles a seguir creciendo en confianza y fe.”
Las áreas actuales de formación incluyen el ministerio universitario, la formación de catequistas, el ministerio familiar, el ministerio intercultural, la liturgia, la OCIA, el ministerio penitenciario, el ministerio juvenil y el ministerio de adultos jóvenes, junto con oportunidades de formación en liderazgo, consejos pastorales y equipos de ministerio parroquial.
Una de las primeras grandes iniciativas del centro es un Taller de Ministerios Pastorales rediseñado, un programa de liderazgo diocesano de larga trayectoria que ahora ha sido reestructurado para acomodar mejor a los voluntarios parroquiales y líderes ministeriales con tiempos limitados. Anteriormente ofrecido como un programa de cuatro años que requería que los participantes asistieran a una sesión de verano de una semana cada año, el taller se ha transformado en un modelo intensivo de un fin de semana más flexible.
“El tiempo que se tardaba en completar el antiguo programa, junto con la dificultad que muchos voluntarios tenían para escaparse toda una semana, nos hizo darnos cuenta de que necesitábamos un formato más accesible”, dijo Lavelle. “Queríamos preservar la riqueza de la formación haciéndola realista para quienes sirven en el ministerio parroquial.”
El nuevo programa de dos años consta de seis sesiones de cuatro horas centradas en la oración, la teología, el liderazgo pastoral y habilidades prácticas del ministerio. Los cursos se ofrecerán simultáneamente en inglés y español, reflejando la diversidad de la diócesis y el énfasis del centro en la desarrollada facilidad.
Los temas de los talleres de este año incluyen los fundamentos del ministerio pastoral católico, la identidad pastoral y espiritualidad, y la comunicación y la construcción de relaciones en el ministerio. Los participantes explorarán temas como el liderazgo de servicio, la comunicación intercultural, la transformación de conflictos y las prácticas espirituales que sostienen el ministerio.
Lavelle afirmó que el taller está destinado no solo a nuevos ministros y catequistas, sino también a líderes parroquiales experimentados que buscan apoyo y renovación en su formación.
“Nuestro objetivo principal es proporcionar una fundación en el ministerio pastoral católico a través de la oración, la teología, las experiencias prácticas y la reflexión”, afirmó.
El taller de este año se celebrará del 31 de julio al 2 de agosto en el Eagle Ridge Conference Center de Raymond. La inscripción está abierta hasta el 10 de julio. Se puede encontrar más información sobre el Centro Bishop William R. Houck para la Formación Laica en jacksondiocese.org/bishop-houck-center-for-lay-formation.
(Para preguntas sobre el Centro o el próximo Taller de Ministerios Pastorales, contacte a fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.)