By Mary Margaret Edney VICKSBURG – In 1860, a small group of Sisters of Mercy opened the doors of a modest school in Vicksburg with a simple but powerful mission to educate the whole child – mind, body and spirit. Today, 165 years later, that same mission is propelling Vicksburg Catholic School (VCS) into a new era as it breaks ground on a transformative multi-purpose performing arts and athletic complex.
VICKSBURG – Students, community leaders, and school staff gathered for the Vicksburg Catholic School’s groundbreaking ceremony for its Multi-purpose Performing Arts and Athletic Complex on Friday, Sept. 26. (Photo by Anna Griffing)
At a groundbreaking ceremony held Sept. 26, students, faculty, alumni, parents and community leaders gathered to celebrate the start of construction on the new building.
“Today’s groundbreaking represents more than just the start of construction. It’s the next chapter in a 165-year legacy of preparing students to make a difference in the world,” said Kristi Smith, VCS development director. “This new facility will ensure that future generations have a place to discover their talents, push their limits and reach their full potential.”
Designed for use by students in pre-K through twelfth grade, the 20,000-square-foot facility will feature a performance stage for fine arts, dedicated athletic space and an area for schoolwide Masses. The addition will also allow the school to repurpose existing classrooms, creating a dedicated middle school.
“By creating a modern space where creativity, teamwork and scholarship intersect, we’re equipping our students with the skills and confidence to thrive long after graduation,” Smith said.
VICKSBURG – Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz blesses students and staff with holy water during the groundbreaking ceremony for Vicksburg Catholic School’s new performing arts and athletic complex on Sept. 26, as Van Peeples carries the aspersorium. (Photo by Anna Griffing)
The construction site is at the corner of Hayes and Clay Street, next to St. Francis Xavier Elementary School. Formerly the home of Sullivan’s Grocery, the property was acquired by VCS earlier this year. Since then, Smith has been leading a capital campaign team to develop a vision for the land and raise the funds to make it possible.
“When we first began this effort, we knew it had potential to make a big difference, not just for our school, but for the Vicksburg community,” explained David Hosemann, a member of the project steering committee. “Seeing that vision come to life is incredibly rewarding, and it’s a testament to what Vicksburg Catholic School means to this community.”
That vision is now moving forward, thanks to the support of donors who invested in the school’s future. To date, approximately $8 million of the project’s total $10 million cost has been raised.
With construction set to begin this month, the campaign has entered its final phase to secure the remaining $2 million.
“We are incredibly proud and grateful for what we have accomplished so far, and we are confident in what’s still to come,” Smith said. “People love this school – they believe in its mission and its impact – and that loyalty is what’s turning this dream into a reality.”
(For more information about Vicksburg Catholic School, which serves students from pre-K through twelfth grade in the Vicksburg area, visit www.vicksburgcatholic.org.)
MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School choir director Nancy Dent leads the student choir during weekly Mass at the school. Singing from left are Gypsy Macias, Lily Ratcliffe, Chamblee Ezelle, McKenzie Cummings, Atticus Gomez and Ashleigh Mason. (Photo by Terry Cassreino)PEARL – Father César Sánchez of St. Jude Parish visits a Sunday school class led by catechist Christina Overton. (Photo by Tereza Ma)CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth School first grade teacher Ke’Andra Lenard enjoys the annual parish fair with her niece, Pre-3 student Choyce Lenard. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School students Chad Davidson, left, Nick Glorioso and Ann Hardy Wright work on a project in their Human Anatomy and Physiology class. (Photo by Terry Cassreino)MADISON – Dr. and Mrs. Caskey, along with Grandmother Jane Santarufo, admire first grader Joseph Caskey’s work during Grandparents Day at St. Anthony School. (Photo by Kati Loyacono)
COLUMBUS – (Left) Annunciation School third grade students Thomas Nanney, Walker Robertson, Henry Hince and Bo Hamilton work in the school garden.
(Right) Eighth graders take part in the Living Rosary, with Brynn Clapperin center. (Photo by Jacque Hince)
SOUTHAVEN – (Left) Sacred Heart School fourth graders Alexia and Max help Pre-K4 students Theo, Jordan and Kartiar create a craft of the apostles Peter and Andrew in their fishing boat.
(Right) Sacred Heart School eighth graders process with candles during a special Mass on Sept. 17 celebrating the school’s 78th anniversary. Each candle represented 10 years of the school’s history, with eight smaller candles on the altar symbolizing the remaining years. (Photos by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)
MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School Spirit Stepper Michael Michelle and Lady Bruins cheerleader JoJo take the floor during the school’s “Meet the Bruins” event on Sept. 24. Spirit Steppers and cheerleaders performed together to kick off the fall sports season. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
(OSV News) — She prayed with college basketball players before games, counseled them after losses, and reminded them that faith, not fame, was the real victory.
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, longtime chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team and campus icon, gives a thumbs up after the team defeated the Nevada Wolf Pack in the semifinals of the South regional of the 2018 NCAA Tournament in Atlanta. Sister Jean died at age 106 Oct. 9, 2025. (OSV News photo Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)
Now, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the spirited chaplain who became a national symbol of joy, devotion and perseverance, has completed her earthly journey.
Sister Jean, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and longtime chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team, died Oct. 9. She was 106.
For many Americans, Sister Jean became a household name during Loyola’s stunning run to the 2018 NCAA Final Four, when she was 98 years old. Sitting courtside in her maroon-and-gold scarf, she offered pregame prayers, postgame analysis and the occasional strategic suggestion — earning the affection of fans, players, and coaches nationwide.
Yet long before “March Madness” made her famous, she had already spent decades forming minds, shaping hearts and witnessing to Christ’s love through education and service.
“While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy,” said Loyola President Mark C. Reed. “Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community, and her spirit abides in thousands of lives.”
A month prior to her death, Loyola had confirmed Sister Jean had officially retired from on-campus work amid growing health concerns, according to The Loyola Phoenix, the student newspaper.
Born Dolores Bertha Schmidt in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 1919, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1937 and took the name Sister Jean Dolores. She began teaching at Catholic schools in California and Chicago before arriving at Mundelein College in 1961, which later affiliated with Loyola. By 1994, she had joined Loyola’s men’s basketball program as an academic adviser and later team chaplain — a position she held for three decades.
Her spiritual encouragement often blended faith with practical wisdom. During her 106th birthday in August, she urged Loyola students to “make new friends, talk to your old friends,” and to “become the people that God has decided you will be.” Her signature message — “Worship, Work, Win” — became both her personal motto and the slogan that adorns a banner inside Loyola’s Gentile Arena.
“Sister Jean Dolores was a woman of prayer, a dedicated educator, and a bearer of hope,” said Sister LaDonna Manternach, president of her religious order. “She saw God present in all that surrounded her and trusted in His goodness.”
Beyond basketball, Sister Jean led weekly student prayer groups and founded SMILE (Students Moving Into the Lives of the Elderly), pairing Loyola students with residents of The Clare, the assisted-living community she called home. Her influence reached far beyond campus, touching thousands who encountered her through interviews, speaking events, and her bestselling memoir, “Wake Up With Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years” (2023).
Over the years, she received numerous honors: induction into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, the Sword of Loyola in 2018, proclamations from Illinois Gov.J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and even an apostolic blessing from Pope Francis on her 100th birthday. On her 105th birthday, President Joe Biden recognized her for a lifetime of faith-filled service.
When the news of her passing spread, tributes poured in across social media.
“Sister Jean, our beloved friend and inspiration, went home to the Lord today,” Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said in a statement posted on X. “She nurtured the mind and spirit of her students and all who came to know her with dedication, a firm belief in our faith, and a sharp sense of humor. May she rest in the peace she so richly deserves.”
For Loyola fans, her memory will forever be entwined with that magical 2018 season — when the underdog Ramblers captured the nation’s imagination and, in the eyes of many, proved that prayer and perseverance could move mountains.
But for Sister Jean, the real victory was always deeper.
“Don’t let anybody stop you,” she told students on her last birthday. “You are the future leaders of our churches, our schools, our country and our world.”
A celebration of her life and ministry will be held at Loyola University Chicago at a date to be announced.
John Knebels writes for OSV News from suburban Philadelphia.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When catechists teach, their aim is not simply to pass on information about the faith but to “place the word of life in hearts, so that it may bear the fruits of a good life,” Pope Leo XIV said.
“The Gospel announces to us that everyone’s life can change because Christ rose from the dead. This event is the truth that saves us; therefore, it must be known and proclaimed,” the pope told some 20,000 catechists from more than 115 countries attending the Jubilee for Catechists.
Pope Leo XIV greets people from the popemobile as he rides around St. Peter’s Square following Mass for the Jubilee of Catechists at the Vatican Sept. 28, 2025. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
But just proclaiming the Good News is not enough, the pope said in his homily at Mass Sept. 28 in St. Peter’s Square. “It must be loved. It is love that leads us to understand the Gospel.”
During the liturgy, Pope Leo formally installed in the ministry of catechist 39 women and men from 16 countries, including David Spesia, executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis, and Marilyn Santos, associate director of the secretariat.
Before the pope gave his homily, a deacon called the names of each of the 39, who answered in Italian, “Eccomi,” or “present.” After the homily, Pope Leo presented each of them with a crucifix.
“Let your ministry ever be grounded in a deep life of prayer, let it be built up in sound doctrine and animated by genuine apostolic zeal,” the pope told them. “As stewards of the mission entrusted to the church by Christ, you must always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
The Gospel reading at the Mass was the parable of the rich man and Lazarus from Luke 16:19-31.
In the parable, the pope said, Lazarus is ignored by the rich man “and yet God is close to him and remembers his name.”
But the rich man has no name in the parable, “because he has lost himself by forgetting his neighbor,” the pope said. “He is lost in the thoughts of his heart: full of things and empty of love. His possessions do not make him a good person.”
“The story that Christ tells us is, unfortunately, very relevant today,” Pope Leo said. “At the doorstep of today’s opulence stands the misery of entire peoples, ravaged by war and exploitation.”
“Through the centuries, nothing seems to have changed: how many Lazaruses die before the greed that forgets justice, before profits that trample on charity, and before riches that are blind to the pain of the poor,” he said.
In the parable, the rich man dies and is cast into the netherworld. He asks Abraham to send a messenger to his brothers to warn them and call them to repent.
The Gospel story and the words of Scripture that catechists are called to share are not meant to “disappoint or discourage” people, but to awaken their consciences, the pope said.
Echoing the words of Pope Francis, Pope Leo said the heart of catechesis is the proclamation that “the Lord Jesus is risen, the Lord Jesus loves you, and he has given his life for you; risen and alive, he is close to you and waits for you every day.”
That truth, he said, should prompt people to love God and to love others in return.
God’s love, he said, “transforms us by opening our hearts to the word of God and to the face of our neighbor.”
Pope Leo reminded parents that they are the first to teach their children about God, his promises and commandments.
And he thanked everyone who has been a witness to others of faith, hope and charity, cooperating in the church’s “pastoral work by listening to questions, sharing in struggles and serving the desire for justice and truth that dwells in the human conscience.”
Teaching the faith is a community effort, he said, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church “is the ‘travel guidebook’ that protects us from individualism and discord, because it attests to the faith of the entire Catholic Church.”
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Migrants and refugees often are “privileged witnesses of hope through their resilience and trust in God,” Pope Leo XIV said.
“Often they maintain their strength while seeking a better future, in spite of the obstacles that they encounter,” he said Oct. 2 during a meeting with participants in the conference “Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home,” organized by Villanova University.
The Vatican dicasteries for Promoting Integral Human Development and for Culture and Education and the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services were among the co-sponsors of the conference, held in Rome Oct. 1-3 just before the Jubilee of Migrants and the Jubilee of Missions Oct. 4-5.
Pope Leo XIV waves goodbye to participants in the conference “Refugees & Migrants in Our Common Home,” organized by the Augustinian-run Villanova University in suburban Philadelphia, at the end of an audience at the Vatican Oct. 2, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Pope Leo encouraged participants to share migrants’ and refugees’ stories of steadfast faith and hope so that they could be “an inspiration for others and assist in developing ways to address the challenges that they have faced in their own lives.”
Overcoming the widespread sense that no one can make a difference “requires patience, a willingness to listen, the ability to identify with the pain of others and the recognition that we have the same dreams and the same hopes,” Pope Leo XIV told the group.
Before the conference, Villanova held the official launch of its Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration, which promotes programs of scholarship, advocacy and service to migrants.
Pope Leo praised the project’s goal of bringing together “leading voices throughout a variety of disciplines in order to respond to the current urgent challenges brought by the increasing number of people, now estimated to be over 100 million, who are affected by migration and displacement.”
Sister Norma Pimentel, a Missionary of Jesus and executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville, Texas, said migrants “are missionaries of hope to us, because their presence with us honestly sanctifies who and where we are.”
People who fear migrants and refugees or believe they are coming just to take jobs need to take the time to meet them, Sister Pimentel said. Then, “they will stop seeing them as somebody that is invading my space, but rather as somebody who I have the opportunity to be able to show the presence of God.”
Addressing the conference Oct. 1, she said that “in a world marked by fear, division and uncertainty, we are invited to be people of hope, pilgrims of hope, of that hope which comes from our trust in the Lord.” “In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are called to find within ourselves kindness and compassion and courage, especially courage,” Sister Pimentel said.
Rev. Rickson Robert Antony appointed parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Oxford, effective Oct. 1, 2025.Will Foggo will be assigned as deacon to St. Joseph Parish, Starkville and its mission, Corpus Christi in Macon, effective Dec. 3, 2025, after his ordination to the transitional diaconate on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.
NATION WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, as the coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans. The appointment was publicized Sept. 24 In Washington by Cardinal Christophe Piere, apostolic nuncio to the United States. As coadjutor, Archbishop Checchio will assist Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond and automatically succeed him upon retirement. Archbishop Checchio called the New Orleans Archdiocese a “faith-filled” community and thanked both Pope Leo and local church leaders for their warm welcome. As coadjutor, he is coming into an archdiocese faced with having to resolve hundreds of sexual abuse claims. A Camden, New Jersey, native, Archbishop Checchio brings to his new assignment decades of pastoral and administrative experience – including 10 years as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Ordained in 1992, he has led the Diocese of Metuchen since 2016, prioritizing parish visits, child protection and accountability. Notably, the diocese said in a statement, he implemented a bishop abuse reporting system before it was required by church law. Archbishop Checchio has served on national boards, including Seton Hall and the National Catholic Bioethics Center – and once ministered as chaplain to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The 2026 National March for Life theme is “Life is a Gift,” The March for Life Education and Defense Fund announced Sept. 30. Jennie Bradley Lichter, who became president of the March for Life earlier this year, noted the group chooses a theme each year for the annual pro-life march in Washington as “an opportunity to focus our attention on a key message or a timely element of the prolife mission.” “We’re now at a critical moment in our country where the March for Life and what we stand for is more important than ever,” Lichter told reporters at a launch event, adding, “This year, with this theme, we really want to speak to the heart.” The 53rd annual National March for Life is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. A pre-rally concert will feature the Christian band Sanctus Real, Lichter said, and the Friends of Club 21 Choir, comprised of individuals with Down syndrome, will lead the national anthem at the event. Georgetown University Right to Life will carry the banner at the start of the March. Lichter said the group is also launching a “Marchers’ Stories Project” where they will seek video submissions from participants to document the group’s history.
VATICAN VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Loving someone who is sick requires “concrete gestures of closeness,” just like that shown in the Gospel story of the Samaritan who helps the person beaten by thieves, said a Vatican office. The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced Sept. 26 that Pope Leo XIV had chosen the theme for the church’s next celebration of the World Day of the Sick: “The compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by bearing the pain of the other.” The world day is celebrated annually on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Feb. 11. A papal message for the celebration usually is published in early January.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV announced he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the church Nov. 1 during the Jubilee of the World of Education. Speaking after Mass Sept. 28 for the Jubilee of Catechists, the pope said St. Newman “contributed decisively to the renewal of theology and to the understanding of the development of Christian doctrine.” The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints had announced July 31 that Pope Leo “confirmed the affirmative opinion” of the cardinals and bishops who are members of the dicastery “regarding the title of Doctor of the Universal Church which will soon be conferred on Saint John Henry Newman, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Founder of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in England.” St. Newman was born in London Feb. 21, 1801, was ordained an Anglican priest, became Catholic in 1845, was made a cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII and died in Edgbaston, near Birmingham, England, in 1890.
Journalists visit a working area at outside Sagrada Familia following a news conference to announce an update on the works of the basilica in Barcelona, Spain, Sept. 18, 2025. Over a century in the making, the Tower of Jesus Christ, designed by the famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, will soon crown the Basilica of the Holy Family, making it the tallest Catholic church in the world. (OSV News photo/Albert Gea, Reuters)
WORLD BARCELONA, Spain (OSV News) – The iconic Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is nearing a historic milestone: the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ, which will make it the tallest Catholic church in the world. Designed by visionary architect and Servant of God Antoni Gaudí, the tower will stand over 564 feet tall – surpassing both the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Ivory Coast and even Germany’s Ulmer Münster. Head architect Jordi Faulí announced that the central spire is finished, and crews are now preparing to install a massive seven-piece cross atop it. “The cross is made up of seven large pieces that are assembled here and will then be lifted with the crane,” Faulí said. The cross is expected to be in place by early 2026, aligning with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. Construction on the basilica began in 1882 and has weathered wars, pandemics and funding delays. While the main structure is on track for completion in 2026, artistic elements like statues and chapels will continue into the 2030s – bringing Gaudí’s masterpiece one step closer to completion.
By Michael Horten HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – On Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, Philip Jabour was invested with the Knight Commander Cross of the Order of the Fleur de Lis. Jabour was joined by four clergy members and eight lay commanders being invested. The investiture took place at St. Mary of the Springs Catholic Church in Hot Springs.
Knight Commander Jabour and his wife, Linda, reside in Brandon, and attend St. Paul Catholic Church. Jabour is very active in the Knights of Columbus. He created a program to donate coats for kids to Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Jackson. He also serves on the board of the Castlewoods Homeowners Association and has been a Eucharistic minister for 30 years and a member of the parish council for 10 years.
The Order of the Fleur de Lis is an organization of Catholic men incorporated under the laws of Louisiana as a not-for-profit organization. The order’s domain covers a five-state region consisting of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
The objectives of the order include supporting and defending the Catholic Church and its teachings; promoting patriotism and good citizenship; encouraging public morality and unselfish service to God and country; assisting and publicizing the activities of other organizations that share these goals; and honoring the memories and achievements of Catholic leaders in religion, the arts and sciences, philanthropy, education, exploration and archaeology, government and international relations, medicine, jurisprudence and other established professions.
The Order of the Fleur de Lis encourages and recognizes leadership in living the values and principles of the Catholic faith by presenting the Msgr. Joseph Susi Award of Honor to individuals who have excelled as Catholic leaders.
Other Knight Commanders in the Diocese of Jackson include Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, Very Rev. Aaron Williams, William “Bill” O’Connor and James McCraw.
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT DIOCESE/VIRTUAL – The Office of Catholic Education hosts a quarterly Zoom Rosary. Join them from across the diocese on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. to pray the Glorious Mysteries. Details: Join the rosary via zoom at https://bit.ly/OCERosaryOct25.
DIOCESE/MADISON – Fall Faith Formation Day, Saturday, Nov. 15 at St. Francis, Madison from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Department of Faith Formation welcomes all formation leaders and volunteers for a keynote by Robert Feduccia and a variety of breakout sessions to with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope Journeying Together.” Cost: $10. Register at https://bit.ly/FFFDay2025. Deadline is Nov. 5. Details: email fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.
DIOCESE/MOBILE, Ala. – Sister Thea Bowman Jubilee of Hope Bus Pilgrimage, Nov. 15-16 to Mobile and Montgomery, Ala., for a powerful journey of faith, history and fellowship. Highlights include visits to the Africatown Heritage Center, the Equal Justice Initiative and more. Details: Visit https://bit.ly/srtheapilgrimage2025 for more info and to register.
CAMDEN – Sacred Heart, “Living our Best Life in Christ” Women’s Retreat, Saturday, Oct. 25, registration at 8 a.m. with retreat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will engage in a series of enriching guest speakers, group discussions, prayer sessions, and interactive workshops designed to inspire and uplift. Cost: $25 before Oct. 20 or $30 at the door. Registration includes lunch. Details: call Dr. Kathy McMurty, Ph.D. at (601) 566-2769.
CLINTON – Holy Savior, Parish Ladies Retreat, Saturday, Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Join us for a time of fellowship, reflection and prayer. Retreat includes Mass, presentations and lunch. Details: Register at https://bit.ly/HSLadiesRetreat112025.
GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Millions of Monicas – Praying with confidence for our children, each Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers and grandmothers as we pray for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: email millionsofmonicas@stjosephgluckstadt.com.
JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter, “Gratitude Through All Life’s Mysteries” – a Reflection for Women on the Holy Rosary, Saturday Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Don’t miss this spiritual event with speaker Ann Cook. Details: to sign up email lnblaylock@me.com.
VIRTUAL – The North American Vocation Team (NAVT) of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) invites young adults to a monthly prayer on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. CST via Zoom. Remaining dates in 2025 are Oct. 28, Nov. 25 and Dec. 16. Details: visit ssnd.org/events.
PARISH & YOUTH EVENTS CLINTON – Holy Savior, Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat, Wednesday, Oct. 29 in the upper parking lot. Details: church office (601) 924-6344.
COLUMBUS – Annunciation, Parish Fall Festival, Sunday, Oct. 26 from 4-6:30 p.m. Join us on College Street in downtown Columbus for fun for all with trunk or treat, cake walk, games, food and more. No pets please. Details: church office (662) 328-2927.
JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Parish Gala, Saturday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Capitol Club Rooftop. Join us for this no tie occasion to raise funds for the Cathedral kitchen and promote community in the parish. Details: church office (601) 969-3125.
JACKSON – Sister Thea Bowman School, Adopt-A-Student Scholarship Program – Consider sponsoring a full or partial tuition for a child to experience the benefit of a Catholic education. Donations are tax deductible. Details: email Chris Payne at principal@theabowmanschool.com.
JACKSON – St. Richard, Cardinal Fest and Chili Cookoff, Saturday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the football field. Enjoy food, music, games, art and more! Details: purchase your tickets here https://bit.ly/StRCardinalFest2025.
MADISON – St. Francis, Parish Mission “Hope and Pilgrimage,” Oct. 26-27 from 5:30-7:45 p.m., with speaker and author Joan Watson. All are welcome. Please RSVP. Details: church office at (601) 856-5556.
NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, Trunk or Treat and Halloween Carnival, Thursday, Oct. 30 in the parking lot on Union Street across from Memorial Park. Details: church office at (601) 445-5616 or secretary@stmarybasilica.org.
PEARL – St. Jude, Feast Day Potluck, Sunday, Oct. 26. Games for all ages from 2-4:30 p.m., procession and rosary at 4:30 p.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. Details: church office (601)-939-3181.
SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Don’t miss this fun day of fellowship filled with international foods, games, cake walk, live music, white elephant sale and more! Details: church office (662) 342-1073.
(OSV News) – It’s often said that death and taxes are two of life’s most enduring certainties. To that duo, anxious parents of teenagers might add another: rising college tuition.
For high school students yearning to attend a Catholic college, there is an encouraging development: Many Catholic institutions of higher learning are increasingly committed to making academia accessible through free, full tuition programs.
“There’s probably a significant number of students who would be interested in St. Mike’s,” said Brigid Lawler, until recently the vice president for enrollment management at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont. “But they see that initial sticker price and think, ‘I’m not even going to have the conversation because I don’t think I can’t afford that.'”
St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, is pictured in this May 24, 2023 photo. It is one of many Catholic institutions of higher learning making academia accessible through free, full tuition programs. (OSV News photo/courtesy of St. Anselm College)
With about 1,100 undergraduate students from 21 states and 15 countries, St. Michael’s College is the only Edmundite college in the world – founded in 1904 by the French order of priests known as the Society of St. Edmund.
Boasting more than 40 majors and a 10:1 student to faculty ratio, the college has a history of social justice commitment, with more than 70% of students participating in service opportunities.
For the 2025-2026 school year, tuition, food and housing at St. Michael’s College totals $70,990, excluding books, supplies and incidental costs. However, over 90% of its students receive financial aid – and “The St. Mike’s Community Commitment” gives families whose income falls at or below $100,000 a total aid package covering full tuition after federal grants. In addition, all admitted students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.
Because the St. Mike’s Community Commitment launched in late 2024, it’s still difficult to judge the impact of the new financial aid program. But Lawler is both enthusiastic and emphatic.
“We are a campus that has this very strong sense of community, and there is this idea that we want to take care of the folks that are here and help them to stay,” she said, “because we all know that should be a huge part of the mission.”
St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, launched its Anselmian Community Commitment in 2024, “a program that allows New Hampshire students with a family income of $100,000 or less and a GPA of 3.25 or higher to attend the college tuition-free,” according to its website, with school leaders citing the school’s Catholic and Benedictine mission.
Also in 2024, College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, also announced that students whose families have a total income of $100,000 or less “and reasonable assets” will receive a full tuition grant. The move was an expansion of the school’s current financial aid program, which in the 2022-2023 academic year stated that families with a total income of $75,000 or less were eligible for the full tuition coverage.
At Regis University in Denver, undergraduate students in 2025-2026 can expect to pay $47,490, excluding fees and living expenses. However, all first-year students received financial aid in 2023-2024.
“We strive to continue to evolve each year and meet students where they are,” said Catherine Rohde, assistant vice president of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
“We know how transformative a Jesuit Catholic education is, and we hope that these initiatives, including ‘Road to Regis,’ build awareness and excitement about the possibility of attending Regis University,” she continued. “While specific financial aid strategies may shift, especially in light of federal and state budget conversations, our goal of partnering with families to provide support stays the same.”
Unveiled in Oct. 2024, the “Road to Regis” program – through federal, state and Regis funding – provides a financial aid offer of full tuition for up to four years for eligible traditional first-year or transfer college students.
Rohde explained the funding mix that enables Regis to assist students.
“Although we are a private institution, we rely on federal grants and campus-based funding, and we are incredibly thankful for the grant support from the Colorado Department of Higher Education that we receive for our Colorado Residents pursuing a Jesuit Catholic education,” she said.
“Like other financial aid opportunities, we utilize federal and state grant allocations, but we also optimize institutional dollars. Most are unfunded tuition discount incentives, in order to help, particularly our financially neediest families,” Rohde added. “While our endowment dollars are a piece of the puzzle, many endowments are geared towards specific students or programs, per donor wishes. Therefore, these endowments, while critical for our overall budget conversations, do not directly correlate to our Road to Regis offer.”
As the only Jesuit Catholic university in the Rocky Mountain region, Regis offers 83 degree programs to 5,754 enrolled students, with a 9:1 student to faculty ratio. Designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution – 39% of full-time undergraduates identify as “Hispanic/Latine” – Regis is also moving toward becoming a bilingual campus.
According to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, “On average, the published tuition at a Catholic college or university was $37,500 in 2023-2024, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. After financial aid, the average net tuition is $25,220.”
ACCU additionally reports that “84% of students enrolled at Catholic institutions receive any kind of financial aid, with an average amount of $23,771 per student in 2022-2023. Over 91% of students at Catholic institutions received institutional aid.”
There are 230 Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. – distributed throughout 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – attended by some 675,000 students as of fall 2023. In the United States, Catholic schools founded by the Dominican, Franciscan, and Jesuit orders dominate the higher education field.
“A lot of times, students never even considered us because we are a private university and they just automatically think, ‘Unaffordable; expensive; can’t do it,'” said Lynda McKendree, dean of scholarships and financial aid at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.
“So when we started getting more information about why maybe some of the Catholic students in our community weren’t looking at our school, that was the reason,” she explained. “And we knew that some of these families would qualify for very strong financial aid packages.”
Tuition and fees are $35,754 before scholarships and financial aid, but more than 85% of new freshmen – both domestic and international – receive a University of St. Thomas scholarship upon enrolling.
“The St. Thomas Promise” – launched three years ago, with approximately 6% of the student body benefitting – also offers help to prospective scholars.
“If you have a 3.4 or higher high school GPA – and if your family income is $50,000 or less – you qualify for the St. Thomas promise,” said McKendree. “And that is free tuition and fees for four years.”
Founded in 1947 by the Basilian Fathers – a congregation launched in France in the wake of the French Revolution – the University of St. Thomas provides more than 40 undergraduate majors and 30 graduate degrees to 3,600 students, offering a 13:1 faculty to student ratio.
“One thing that’s at the core of our mission at the University of St. Thomas is being able to bring students into that awareness of what is the Catholic university,” said Sara Nevares Johnson, the university’s dean of admissions.
Nevares Johnson said that both the values of “Ex Corde Ecclesiae” – an apostolic constitution issued in 1990 by St. John Paul II regarding Catholic colleges and universities – and the Basilian Fathers’ charism of “goodness, discipline and knowledge” contribute to student formation.
“We bring that into the conversation not only in the classroom, but before they even enter the classroom,” Nevares Johnson said. “When we’re outreaching and recruiting students and families, we’re talking about what it means to grow and thrive in a university community at the University of St. Thomas.”
(Kimberley Heatherington writes for OSV News from Virginia.)
