Author Archives: Mississippi Catholic

Patriots Day: Honoring service, unity and sacrifice in our community

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By Laura Grisham
WALLS – Patriots Day is a significant moment to reflect on the values of service, unity and sacrifice. It commemorates the lives lost and the heroism displayed during the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. More than a remembrance of loss, Patriots Day reminds us of the resilience and courage shown by everyday people – firefighters, police officers, medical professionals, and ordinary citizens who responded selflessly in the face of unimaginable danger.

HOLLY SPRINGS – Holy Family student Gilberth hands out cards of thanks to Holly Springs first responders during the school’s Patriot Day celebration on Sept. 11, 2024. (Photo by Laura Grisham)

Last week, our schools celebrated first responders. Sacred Heart School extended an invitation to the school’s weekly Mass to Southaven Police, Fire and EMT staff, as well as the parents and family of students who are first responders, for a special blessing. Father David Szatkowski, SCJ, who is a volunteer chaplain for the Southaven Police Department and a Mississippi Area Representative to the International Conference of Police Chaplains, was the celebrant.

About his service as a volunteer chaplain, Father David said, “I support officers emotionally and spiritually. I also assist with death notifications, prayer and other support as requested.”

Father David is also involved in recruiting new chaplains, encouraging law enforcement agencies to have chaplains, and facilitating the training of chaplains through the International Conference of Police Chaplains.

Holy Family School also celebrated Patriot Day by inviting the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and the Holly Springs Police and Fire Department to a prayer service and breakfast in their honor. Father Guy Blair, SCJ, offered a special prayer of thanks and extended a special blessing on those in attendance.
Each guest was invited to introduce themselves, share where and in what capacity they serve and how long they have been in service to the community. Some of the first responders attended Holy Family or were the sons or daughters of our graduates, each proudly announcing that distinction. Many of the guests also had words of encouragement for our students, emphasizing their support and extending their friendship to the young people.

Michael Holmes, a five-year veteran of the Holly Springs Fire Department, shared the ultimate commitment of each of the first responders. “I just want to thank you all for everything you are doing for us and I want you all to remember that just as those (police and) firefighters laid down their lives of protect people in New York, that we, here at the Holly Springs Fire Department, would do the same for each of you.”

SOUTHAVEN – With all hands outstretched, a prayer and special blessing was offered at Sacred Heart School’s Patriot Day Mass for all first responders. (Photo by Laura Grisham)

Addressing the students and guests, teacher Lisa Milan shared that often these first responders go unnoticed for their hard work and heroism. Referencing Matthew’s Gospel, she reminded students, “Jesus said that one who wants to be the greatest is not the one with the biggest house, is not the one with the most expensive car, but the one who is the greatest among you is the one who serves others.”

Holy Family students wrote poems, created patriotic artwork and wrote notes of support for all of the law enforcement, fire and EMT attendees. Following the prayer service, the special guests lined up across the gymnasium as every child in the school presented them with their handmade masterpieces. The gesture brought several to tears.

Service on Patriots Day goes beyond just honoring those who served that day; it’s a call to action for all of us to serve our communities in big and small ways. Whether through volunteer work, supporting veterans, or simply helping a neighbor, every act of service strengthens the fabric of our community, our nation, and our world. It’s about standing together and building a future where unity and compassion prevail over division and fear.

(Laura Grisham is the PR and Communications manager for Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Walls, Mississippi.)

Eucharistic Congress in Ecuador closes with cry for Earth; Australians overjoyed Sydney to host 2028 gathering

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By Eduardo Campos Lima
(OSV News) – As Ecuador’s International Eucharistic Congress wrapped up in the country’s capital, Quito, Australians burst into joy as the announcement was made that they will host the 54th congress in 2028.
Other significant moments during the congress came when speakers focused on the church’s environmental concerns and the need to take care of the Earth – our “common home.”

The International Eucharistic Congress is held every four years, and the gathering in Sydney is expected to draw tens of thousands of faithful Catholics from across the globe.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney, present at the final Mass in Quito Sept. 15, said that this will be the largest gathering held on Australian shores since World Youth Day 2008.

“The International Eucharistic Congress is a joyous occasion that will deepen our understanding of the truth of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist,” he said.

“It is my hope that in hosting the International Eucharistic Congress we might renew the sense of solemnity, mystery, welcome and joy in the liturgical life of our city, revitalize our Christian lives, and increase our outreach to those most in need,” Archbishop Fisher said.

The bid to host the event had the backing of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia and will see Sydney become the global capital of Catholicism for one week.
The highlights of the event will be the large opening and closing Masses and a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Sydney.

Australians burst into joy in Quito, Ecuador, Sept. 15, 2024, the last day of the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress, as they learn that the 54th congress will be held in Sydney in 2028. (OSV News photo/courtesy International Eucharistic Congress)

The IEC in Quito concluded with such a procession Sept. 14 and with a closing Eucharistic celebration Sept. 15 with presider Cardinal Baltazar Porras Cardozo, retired archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela, and pontifical legate for the congress. On both occasions, as well as in several moments of the congress, the need to take care of the Earth – our “common home” – was emphasized.

The message was especially timely as South America faces some of the most serious wildfires in its history.

According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, as of September, there have been more than 346,000 wildfires in South America this year, especially in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Paraguay. The figure surpassed the previous annual record set in 2007. The monitoring study of fires began in 1998.
A serious drought in most of the region has created the ideal conditions for the spread of wildfires. In many cases, ranchers begin a fire in order to clear the terrain and prepare the soil for the seeds. With the lack of humidity, the flames end up spreading throughout the vegetation, provoking broad devastation. That has been the case in the Amazon rainforest, especially in Brazil.

In his homily, Cardinal Porras said that “care for the common home is a fruit of fraternity.” He added that Latin America is “a continent devastated by the irrational exploitation of nature,” recalled the Synod for the Pan-Amazon region, promoted in 2019, and said that nature is a dimension that cannot be ignored.
On the previous day, Archbishop Luis Cabrera of Guayaquil, Ecuador, who led the Eucharistic procession, said that “God loves this earth, many times contaminated and exploited.” By believing in Jesus, he said, the faithful have the strength to feel they are the “administrators and not owners of the Earth’s goods.”

The most important moment of the congress when the church’s environmental concerns were addressed occurred Sept. 13, when Bishop Rafael Cob of Puyo, Ecuador, who heads the Pan-Amazon Ecclesial Network, known by its Spanish acronym REPAM, talked about the rainforest.

“The contemplation of God in the Eucharist may lead us to see that the human being is devastating his creation,” Bishop Cob told OSV News.

The Eucharist must lead us not only to a commitment to our brothers and sisters, but also to our common home, he added.

“God’s creation, manifested in the Amazon, needs to be taken care of and defended from its destroyers,” Bishop Cob said.

He added that REPAM has been working in that direction since its foundation in 2014, with the goal not only of protecting the environment but also of being side by side with the Amazonian peoples, whose rights have been continually violated.

Bishop José Adalberto Jiménez of the Aguarico Vicariate, Ecuador, who attended the whole event, felt that the theme of the protection of the Amazon and of the “common home” as a whole should have been mentioned with more intensity at the Eucharistic congress, given the seriousness of the current crisis.
“We have been facing a strong drought in Ecuador and there are wildfires in several provinces. River Napo, which begins in Ecuador, crosses Peru and reaches River Solimões in Brazil, “is terribly low now,” Bishop Jiménez told OSV News.

In Aguarico, the church has been continually denouncing the presence of 300 backhoes near River Punino. The machines are operated by illegal miners connected to large drug trafficking gangs. Illegal mining has been severely impacting the region and the local communities, but the authorities haven’t taken any measure against it, Bishop Jiménez lamented.

“We also have to deal with oil drilling in the area. More than 500 lighters have been burning without pause, causing many problems for the environment and for the people’s health,” he added.

Bishop Jiménez stressed that REPAM has launched several initiatives to protect the environment and help the Amazon to recover.

“But we certainly don’t have any power to deal with illegal miners. They have equipment and guns, and the authorities fail to act. We denounced them, but we feel impotent,” he lamented.

In the opinion of Bishop Cob, the fact that people from almost 60 countries attended the congress and heard the reports concerning the Amazon’s devastation generates hope.

“As Christians, we are called to cultivate fraternity in a world with so many divisions. We are also invited to struggle for the environment, to struggle for the Amazon. I think people from several countries are taking back with them that message,” Bishop Cob concluded.

(Eduardo Campos Lima writes for OSV News from São Paulo.)

Youth

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Around the diocese

COLUMBUS – (Above) Second grader, Henry Hince receives a blessing from Father Jeffrey Waldrep at Annunciation School. (Photo by Jacque Hince)
HOLLY SPRINGS – Holy Family School student Sophia hands first responders her “thank you” card for Patriots Day on Sept. 11. (Photo by Laura Grisham)
JACKSON – St. Richard students George Rutherford, Gabriel Sullivan and Joseph (Reeves) Buckley that are part of Cub Scout Pack 30 led the procession for Patriots Day Mass on Sept. 11. During this Mass students, families and supporters sang “God Bless America,” said the Pledge of Allegiance and spoke about the significance of our country’s flag and its symbolism. (Photo by Celeste Saucier)
GREENVILLE – First Communion, St. Joseph, May 5, 2024. Pictured: Ryker Ruggeri of St. James, Leland; Father Jose Sanchez; Luke Jones of Our Lady of the Lake, Lake Village, Arkansas; Matthew Cannatella of Our Lady of the Lake, Lake Village; Cesare Wilson and Owen Swafford of St. Joseph Church. (Photo courtesy of Mary Lynn Powers)
NATCHEZ – Dual enrollment students in Anatomy and Physiology dissected rats in class. Pictured: Brittany Smith, Ella Skates, Ally Blanton and Molly Shirley. (Photo by Sarah Welch)

CLARKSDALE – Students at St. Elizabeth School joined around the American flag for a Patriots Day prayer service on Sept. 11. (Photos by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)

(Below) FLOWOOD – Ms. Betty Taylor reads to nursery babies at St. Paul Early Learning Center. (Photo by Susan Irby)

MADISON – St. Anthony second grader, Lawson Griffin reads with his sixth grade reading buddies Liza McCarthy and Channing Smith. (Photo by Celeste Tassin)

JACKSON – Sister Thea Bowman students, JaKauzi Brown, Joelle Carpenter and Amirah Wilson play the game “Monkeys in a Barrel” to see how many “monkeys” they can get, then worked on creating a bar graph for a graphing lesson. (Photo by Christopher Payne)
MERIDIAN – (Above) Fifth graders at St. Patrick School try out their balloon rocket in science class. Pictured (l-r): Patrick Pittman, Kayleigh Johnson and Nolan Alexander. (Photo by Kasey Owen)

Encountering, following Jesus changes everything, pope says

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By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – It is not enough to know about Jesus, one must encounter him, be changed by his Gospel and follow him, Pope Francis said.

“I can know many things about Jesus, but if I have not encountered him, I still do not know who Jesus is,” the pope told visitors and pilgrims who joined him in St. Peter’s Square Sept. 15 for the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer.

“It takes this life-changing encounter; it changes one’s way of being, one’s way of thinking, it changes the relationships you have with your brothers and sisters, your willingness to accept and forgive, it changes the choices you make in life,” he said.

In the day’s Gospel reading from St. Mark, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
Peter responds correctly, saying that he is the Christ, the pope said. However, Peter still has a “worldly” way of thinking that believes the Messiah must be strong and victorious, and can never suffer or die.
“So, the words with which Peter responds are ‘right,’ but his way of thinking has not changed,” Pope Francis said. “He still has to change his mindset; he still has to convert.”

This is the same message for all Catholics, who must ask themselves, “Who is Jesus for me?” he said. It is not enough to respond with something learned in catechism class, to know doctrine and to recite prayers correctly.

Pope Francis greets visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Angelus at the Vatican Sept. 15, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

“In reality, to know the Lord, it is not enough to know something about him, but rather to follow him, to let oneself be touched and changed by his Gospel. It is a matter of having a relationship with him, an encounter,” he said.

The faithful, he said, should be “bothered” by the questions and ask “who Jesus is for me, and what place does he occupy in my life? Do I follow Jesus only in word, continuing to have a worldly mentality, or do I set out to follow him, allowing the encounter with him to transform my life?”

“Everything changes if you have truly come to know Jesus!” the pope said.

What an autumn poem teaches us about God’s love

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GUEST COLUMN
By Father Patrick Briscoe, OP
As the long days of summer fade and autumn’s cool, crisp air starts to settle in, it’s hard not to feel a shift in our spirits, too. I’m not one to have a favorite season; I love them all. But there’s so much to praise about fall. The vibrant colors of the leaves, the shorter days and the cozying up with a warm drink all invite us to slow down, to take stock of where we are in life and to savor our many blessings. Fall naturally draws us to reflection. What better way to do that than through the lens of our faith? And the Catholic poet Rainer Maria Rilke can help.

Father Patrick Briscoe, OP

Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem, “Autumn,” really nails the essence of this season. He writes, “The leaves fall, fall as from far, / Like distant gardens withered in the heavens; / They fall with slow and lingering descent.” The leaves, with their acquiescing descent, are more than just leaves – they are symbols of a fundamental principle in the spiritual life: surrender. Tempted to clutch the boughs of their trees, the leaves give in, however reluctantly, to nature’s summons.
When they begin their descent, they let go of the branches they cling to. Entrusting themselves to wind and breeze, they yield to the whims of current and weather. Whether tossed violently or permitted to descend gracefully, leaves accept it all as it comes. Each leaf relents and falls.

Rilke’s words remind us that this reluctance to let go isn’t just about the leaves. It’s something we all experience, isn’t it? Life is full of changes, and sometimes we resist them, even though we know they’re part of God’s plan. Rilke says in his poem that the Earth itself is falling – “And in the nights the heavy Earth, too, falls / From out the stars into the Solitude.” We’re falling, too, sometimes feeling like we’re drifting into precarity or uncertainty. And it’s so tempting to feel like we’re alone. But here’s the thing: God is found only in the solitude.

“The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people,” writes the Trappist monk Thomas Merton. “But the man who learns, in solitude and recollection, to be at peace with his own loneliness, and to prefer its reality to the illusion of merely natural companionship, comes to know the invisible companionship of God.” Solitude isn’t emptiness or darkness.

(Photo courtesy of BigStock)

Rilke doesn’t leave us hanging in despair. The beauty of his poem is that it leads us right back to God. In the midst of all this falling – whether it’s leaves, the Earth, or our own lives – there’s One who holds everything “infinitely softly in His hands.” The poem concludes, “Thus all doth fall. This hand of mine must fall / And lo! the other one: – it is the law. / But there is One who holds this falling / Infinitely softly in His hands.” How comforting is that? In a world that’s constantly changing, where everything seems to be in motion, God is the steady hand holding it all together. He’s unchanging, always there, gently guiding us through the ups and downs, the letting go, and the holding on.

So, as we move into the heart of autumn, let’s take a moment to really see the falling leaves for what they are – a summons to surrender. But even in that surrender, we’re never abandoned. Each leaf that falls is held by the same God who holds us. He’s there in every season, every transition, guiding us with a love that never fails.

(Father Patrick Briscoe, OP, is editor of Our Sunday Visitor. Follow him on X @PatrickMaryOP)

Dignity and rest for deceased embryonic children

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GUEST COLUMN
By Geralyn Gray-Lewis, RN
“A person’s a person, no matter how small.” – Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss.

Many of our friends and family find themselves on the unexpected and sorrowful pilgrimage of infertility. We know as the cost of adoption rises, the availability of infants for adoption has also declined, as many women in crisis turn to abortion in their pains. adoption, likewise, has also declined as many women in crisis turn to abortion in their pain.

Thus, many couples find themselves pursuing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as a means to build their family. However, as many embryos are often created and then frozen for future use, there exists an unintended consequence: surplus.

It is estimated that between 600,000-1 million embryos are frozen in reserve. However, life is fluid and often goals for family size are regrettably not realized, cost of continued freezing unsustainable or the embryos died before transfer. Ordinarily, such deceased tiny humans in IVF labs are disposed of as “medical waste.”

What should be our proper response to the “disposal” of deceased human embryos?

In 2018, Sacred Heart Guardians began offering a free, dignified, simple Christian cemetery burial for deceased embryonic children. This ceremony occurs every third month and to date 1,611 small humans have been cared for. Parents and family can attend the service in person headquartered in Minnesota or virtually. “This process provides a perpetually cared for place in this world for these special children and their families.”

In so, doing the Sacred Heart Guardians provide dignity to the child and great comfort to families.

For more information, visit www.sacredheartguarduians.org.

(Gerry Gray-Lewis is a parishioner of St. Richard Church in Jackson.)

Pope thrives, hits main themes of his pontificate during Asia-Pacific trip

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By Cindy Wooden
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM SINGAPORE (CNS) – The 87-year-old Pope Francis not only survived the longest trip of his pontificate, but he drew energy from the crowds who came to see him, and he seemed to enjoy his 12-day visit to Asia and the Pacific.

Unity, respect for one’s culture, interreligious dialogue, care for the poor and for the environment were the main themes of his talks in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore Sept. 2-13.
Except for in Jakarta, Indonesia, his last event in each country was a meeting with young people. And despite his age, all the meetings he already had sat through, and changing time zones with each country, Pope Francis seemed to draw the most energy from the young.

He did not follow a single prepared text for his gatherings with teens and young adults, and none of the meetings finished on time. Instead, picking up on a phrase or two of what he heard from his young hosts, he’d launch a dialogue, revving up the crowd with “I can’t hear you” when they didn’t respond loudly enough.

Pope Francis waves to young people gathered for a meeting on interreligious dialogue at the Catholic Junior College in Singapore Sept. 13, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

The 45th trip of his pontificate took him from predominantly Muslim Indonesia to predominantly Christian Papua New Guinea and from poverty-stricken Timor-Leste to super-affluent Singapore.
While poverty, development and the consolidation of democratic institutions are still challenges for the country, which won its independence in 2002, Pope Francis said he was impressed by how young the population was, by the people’s enthusiasm and by their faith.

In fact, an estimated 600,000 people showed up for Mass with the pope Sept. 10 in a park in Tasitolu; the country itself has a population of only 1.3 million people – 96% of whom are Catholic. Excluding Vatican City State, it was the largest percentage of a local population ever gathered for a single Mass, Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister, told reporters.

With government leaders Pope Francis addressed some of the key challenges each country faces, and with church workers he pleaded for ministry that was close to the people, willing to share their struggles and always conveying the joy of knowing one is loved and forgiven by God.

He did not shy away from talking about the serious divide between rich and poor in Indonesia.
“Some people want to deal with this” by resorting to “a law of death, that is, limiting births, limiting the greatest wealth a nation has – new births,” he said, referring to a long-running government program promoting the use of contraceptives.

The pope elicited smiles and laughter when he told government and civic leaders Sept. 4 that in some countries, “families prefer to have a dog or a cat.”

Pope Francis visited Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque – the largest mosque in southeast Asia – Sept. 5, and he and Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam, signed a short document committing members of their religious communities to defending human dignity, especially when threatened with violence, and to defending the integrity of creation.

But recognizing the sensitive situation of Indonesia’s Catholic community, Pope Francis told church workers that the Christian call to share the Gospel is not about trying to win converts at all costs, but about living in a way that exudes Christian joy and always treats others with respect.

“Proclaiming the Gospel does not mean imposing our faith or placing it in opposition to that of others, but giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ, always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone,” the pope told bishops, priests, religious and catechists at a meeting Sept. 4.

He made the same point, in a slightly different and less precise way Sept. 13, when he spoke extemporaneously to young adults engaged in interreligious dialogue in Singapore – a country where many religions coexist but where a significant portion of the population follows no religion at all.

“If we always say, ‘My religion is more important than yours’ or ‘My religion is true and yours is not,’ where will that lead us?” he asked the young people.

“Every religion is a path toward God,” who is the creator and father of all, the pope said. And if there is only one God and father, then all people are brothers and sisters.

In Papua New Guinea, where some 98% of the population is Christian, Pope Francis asked for a greater focus on “the peripheries of this country” with “people belonging to the most deprived segments of urban populations, as well as those who live in the most remote and abandoned areas, where sometimes basic necessities are lacking.”

“I think too of the marginalized and wounded, both morally and physically, by prejudice and superstition, sometimes to the point of having to risk their lives,” the pope said. “The church desires especially to be close to these brothers and sisters, because in them Jesus is present in a special way.”

A group of missionaries – priests and sisters – from Argentina were ministering in the jungle, and Pope Francis decided to pay them a visit.

The Australian Royal Air Force flew him 600 miles to Vanimo near Papua New Guinea’s border with Indonesia Sept. 8 for a meeting in a field with about 20,000 people and then a short drive to the missionaries’ church and school in Baro.

Father Tomás Ravaioli, one of the Argentine Incarnate Word missionaries working in Baro, told reporters, “at his age, in his condition, this is an enormous sacrifice. But it shows that what he says, what he writes, he also demonstrates” in his closeness and service to people.

Briefs

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James Earl Jones, poses for photographers as he stands next to Darth Vader at the premiere of the film “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” at the TriBeCa Film Festival in New York City May 12, 2002. The late actor, a Catholic with a storied career that included voicing the character Darth Vader, died the morning of Sept. 9, 2024. (OSV News photo/Chip East, Reuters)

NATION
DUTCHESS COUNTY, N.Y. (OSV News) – James Earl Jones, a distinguished actor known for his resonant voice and a Black Catholic, died Sept. 9 in Dutchess County at age 93. His numerous and versatile roles over an illustrious 70-year career included the voice of Darth Vader in “Star Wars,” beginning in 1977, and Mufasa in “The Lion King” (1994); a reclusive author in “Field of Dreams” (1989); and Admiral James Greer in “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), as well as Broadway and Shakespearan plays. He was also the dramatic voice behind CNN’s tagline “This is CNN.” A convert to the Catholic faith as a young man while serving in the U.S. Army, Jones wrote in 1993, “Perhaps my greatest honor came when I was asked to read the New Testament on tape,” pointing to an unabridged recording of the King James Version of the New Testament he made in the 1980s that was remastered for CD in 2002. His talent earned him the elusive “EGOT,” having garnered Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. The Oscar was an honorary Academy Award granted in 2011. Jones’ passing coincided with the feast of St. Peter Claver, a patron saint of Black Catholics.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, repeated – without evidence – claims about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of residents in Springfield, Ohio. But Vance’s fellow Ohio Republican officials have said such claims are false, and Catholic leaders have called for respect for migrants. At a Sept. 10 debate, former President Donald Trump also repeated the viral, unverified claims – refuted by local authorities – about Haitian migrants, a largely Catholic population, living in the city of Springfield, Ohio, that accuses them of abducting pets and eating them. In a Sept. 15 interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Vance was confronted by anchor Dana Bash about that claim, which he has also repeated. “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast,” Vance said. Vance’s fellow Ohio Republicans including the state’s governor and Springfield’s mayor, called the claims that Haitian migrants are kidnapping and eating pets false. “We have a big-hearted community, and we’re being smeared in a way we don’t deserve,” said Mayor Rob Rue, also a Republican. Credible estimates vary, but a few thousand immigrants from Haiti have settled in Springfield, Ohio, city officials said, and most have legal status. Most came as a result of a local Chamber of Commerce effort to revive Springfield as a manufacturing hub.

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The second session of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, set to bring 368 bishops, priests, religious and laypeople to the Vatican, will begin by asking forgiveness for various sins on behalf of all the baptized. As synod members did before last year’s session, they will spend two days on retreat before beginning work; that period of reflection will conclude Oct. 1 with a penitential liturgy presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican announced. The liturgy will include time to listen to the testimonies of three people: one who suffered from the sin of abuse, one from the sin of war and third from the sin of indifference to the plight of migrants, according to a Vatican statement announcing the liturgy. Afterward, “the confession of a number of sins will take place,” said the statement, released Sept. 16. “The aim is not to denounce the sin of others, but to acknowledge oneself as a member of those who, by omission or action, become the cause of suffering and responsible for the evil inflicted on the innocent and defenseless.” The liturgy is open to all but is specifically geared toward young people, as it “directs the church’s inner gaze to the faces of new generations,” the Vatican said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Maybe it is a sign of aging, Pope Francis said, but he is increasingly concerned about what kind of world he and his peers will leave for younger generations – and the prognosis is not good. “This isn’t pessimism,” the pope told about two dozen representatives of popular movements and grassroots organizations meeting Sept. 20 at the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Pope Francis said he feared adults are leaving behind “a world discouraged, inferior, violent, marked by the plundering of nature, alienated by dehumanized modes of communication,” and “without the political, social and economic paradigms to lead the way, with few dreams and enormous threats.” But, he said, if people join forces, especially with those who are most often the victims, things can change.

WORLD
HANOI, Vietnam (OSV News) – More than 100 people, including a Catholic religious sister, are still listed as missing after Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year, left at least 233 dead in northern Vietnam. Sister Maria Nguyen Thi Bich Hang from the Lovers of the Holy Cross congregation is believed by her family to have been killed in the storm. On Sept. 9, heavy rain collapsed the Phong Chau Bridge over the Red River in Phu Tho province and eight people, including 35-year-old Sister Maria Nguyen, were washed away. With winds of up to 92 mph, Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful typhoon to hit Asia in 2024, wreaked havoc in northern Vietnam Sept. 7-11. Besides the death toll, the subsequent landslides and floods also left 807 people injured and 103 missing, according to government figures. In a Sept. 12 telegram signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, the pope said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the destruction wrought by Typhoon Yagi, offering his “spiritual solidarity to the injured and to all those suffering the continuing effects of this disaster.” The church and the government agencies have provided aid to victims of the storm that hit 20 out of Vietnam’s 25 northern provinces. In the Hung Hoa Diocese in Phu Tho province, Caritas workers were distributing instant noodles, milk, rice and clean water to flood victims.

KRAKOW, Poland (OSV News) – Poland’s government is preparing a decree of a state of natural disaster as the southwestern part of the country was severely flooded by torrential rains caused by Storm Boris. Throughout the weekend of Sept. 14-15, the storm continued to wreak havoc across Central and Eastern Europe. In Austria, Poland and Czech Republic, 11 people were confirmed dead in the regions affected. “I want to express our sympathy to those who have experienced this great drama, but at the same time assure them that they are not left alone,” Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdansk, president of the Polish bishops’ conference, said in a Sept. 16 statement as thousands of people were evacuated from the flood-affected region of the country. “Water, after heavy rains, flooded many houses, schools, kindergartens, and hospitals. Many homes and public buildings have been destroyed, and the entire road infrastructure in that area has been badly damaged,” the archbishop said. A 17th-century Franciscan monastery in Klodzko was dramatically affected by the flood. “The whole main church was flooded,” said Father Ignacy Szczytowski, guardian of the monastery. “We’re located right at the curve of the Nysa Klodzka River. There were no chances that with this amount of water we would manage to stop it from coming,” he said, estimating the monastery’s losses at $3.5 million.

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
FLOWOOD – St. Paul, “Bee Attitudes” Women’s Retreat, Oct. 18-20 at Our Lady of Hope Retreat Center in Chatawa with Father Anthony Quyet. Ladies of St. Paul, come experience the Beatitudes from the perspective of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and Paula D’Arcy’s A New Set of Eyes. Details: email finance@spaulcc.org.

GREENWOOD – Locus Benedictus, Healing Retreat with Maria Vadia on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The retreat is free; a love offering will be taken. Details: call (662) 299–1232.

JACKSON – St. Richard, “Inspire” – a day retreat for women of all ages, Saturday, Nov. 2 from 8:30-3:30 p.m. in Foley Hall. Suggested donation: $30. Register by Oct. 15. Details: claudiaaddison@mac.com or (601) 594-3937.

OFFICE OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION – The OCE hosts a Zoom Rosary the first Wednesday of each month during the school year at 7 p.m. On Oct. 2, Vicksburg Catholic School will lead us in prayer. Join early and place your intentions in the chat. Details: Join the rosary via zoom at https://bit.ly/zoomrosary2024 or check the diocese calendar of events.

VIRTUAL – Healing Racism: Achiving a Eucharistic World Webinar by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m. This webinar includes presentations on raising and promoting social consciousness towards the vision of eucharistic compassion and a more racially just church. Details: register at www.katharinedrexel.org/SJCwebinar.

PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
ABERDEEN – St. Francis of Assisi, Parish Picnic, Saturday Oct. 5 following the 5 p.m. Mass. Details: email abstfrancis@gmail.com.

BROOKHAVEN – St. Francis, Parish Picnic, Sunday, Oct. 6, following 10 a.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 833-1799.

COLUMBUS – Annunciation, Fall Festival, Sunday, Oct. 27 from 4-6:30 p.m. Have an amazing halloween experience for youth with trunk or treat, cake walk, games, contests, hall of saints, food and more. No pets. Details: church office (662) 328-2927.

CLEVELAND – Our Lady of Victories, 100th Anniversary Celebration, Sunday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. Mass with Bishop Kopacz, followed by a luncheon. Details: church office (662) 846-6273.

FOREST – St. Michael, Feast celebration with Mass at Gaddis Park. Sunday Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. Details: church office (601) 469-1916.

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Parish Picnic and Trunk or Treat, Saturday, Oct. 26 after 4 p.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 856-2054.

GREENWOOD – Immaculate Heart of Mary, CYO Spaghetti Supper and Halloween Carnival, Monday, Oct. 28. Spaghetti supper available for drive-thru, carry out or dine in beginning at 4:30 p.m. Carnival booths open at 5:30 p.m. and bingo at 6 p.m. Cost: $15 Details: church office (662) 453-3980.

GREENWOOD – St. Francis, Feast of St. Francis, Sunday, Oct. 6. Bilingual Mass at 12 p.m. followed by parish potluck. All are invited, bring your favorite dish. Details: church office (662) 453-0623.

HERNANDO – Holy Spirit, Cocktails and Catholicism, Liturgical Music with Stacy Michael on Friday, Oct. 11. Doors open at 6 p.m. 21+ and over. BYOB. Details: church office (662) 429-7851.

JACKSON – St. Richard, Special Kids Golf Tournament, Thursday, Oct. 10 at Deerfield Golf Club in Canton. Morning and afternoon scrambles available. Details: for more information visit https://saintrichard.com/special-kids-day or email golf@saintrichard.com.

St. Richard School, Cardinal Fest and Chili Cook-off, Sunday, Oct. 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Entry cost: $20. Enjoy games, food, music and more. Chili cook-off teams needed! See more info at https://bit.ly/3TDIXFu. Details: school office (601) 366-1157.

Cathedral of St. Peter, Hispanic Heritage Potluck, Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 5:30 p.m. Details: RSVP at https://bit.ly/HHPotluck2024.

LELAND – St. James, Spaghetti Dinner and Fair, Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. Booths open at 6 p.m. Cost: $15 per plate. Details: Debbie at (662) 684-7352.

MADISON – St. Francis, A Taste of St. Francis Feast, Sunday, Oct. 6 in the Family Life Center after 10:30 a.m. Mass. Details: sign up forms at the entrance of the church or call (601) 856-5556.

St. Francis, Blessing of the Animals, Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. in the courtyard. Pets must be leashed or in a crate. Details: church office (601) 856-5556.

St. Francis, Parish Mission, Becoming People of the Eucharist: Encountering Christ, Oct. 7-8 at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.

MERIDIAN – St. Patrick, St. Anne and St. Catherine Brunch, Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Father Vally Room. This event is for anyone who has suffered infertility, miscarriage or loss of child. Join us for a time of comfort, prayer and gentle conversation with others who understand. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.

St. Joseph, Octoberfest and Health Fair, Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Beginning with blessing of the animals. Enjoy food, games, activities and fun for all. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.

NATCHEZ – Cathedral School, Fall Festival, Oct. 5 and 6. Enjoy midway games, shopping, raffles, adult night, bingo and more. Details: visit @CathedralFallFest on Facebook.

St. Mary Basilica, Blessing of the Animals, Sunday, Sept. 29 at 3:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.

OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Halloween Bash, Sunday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. Enjoy games, food trunk or treat and more. All are welcome. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.

Queen of Peace, 50th Anniversary Celebration for Deacon Mark White, Sunday, Nov. 10, Mass at 10 a.m. with Bishop Kopacz. Details: RSVP to queenop@shsm.org.

PEARL – St. Jude, Hispanic Heritage Potluck Fest, Sunday, Oct. 6 after 12:15 p.m. Mass. Bring your favorite dish to share. Details: church office (601) 939-3181.

PONTOTOC – St. Christopher, Outdoor Mass and Potluck at the Tanglefoot Trail Pavilion on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 9:30 a.m. Details: church office (662) 842-4881.

SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Christ the King, Adult Halloween Party, Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of dancing, food, fun, fellowship and fright in the social hall. Music by DJ Fernando. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.

VICKSBURG – Knights of Columbus 898, Drawdown Dinner, Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. Cost: $75 for two – dine in only and one draw for $3,000 grand prize. Details: www.kc898.square.site

DIOCESE
JOB OPENING – The Diocese of Jackson’s Office of Communications is looking for a full-time marketing specialist. Role involves creating and promoting content across multimedia platforms, including social media, websites and promotional materials. The position requires strong communication skills, knowledge of Catholic teachings and proficiency in design and communication software. College degree required with two years experience. Send a cover letter and resume to joanna.king@jacksondiocese.org no later than Oct. 25, 2024. If you would like a full job description, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/employment-1.

JACKSON – Homegrown Harvest for Jackson Seminarians, Saturday Oct. 12 at the Two Mississippi Museums. Tickets: $100, admits two. Details: bit.ly/HGHarvest2024.

YOUNG ADULTS – Trivia on Tap, Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at Blaylock Photography in Ridgeland. Guest speaker will be pro-life advocate, Anja Baker. Ages 21+ are welcome.

Second Annual Kickball Tournament, Sunday, Oct. 27 from 2-4 p.m. at St. Francis Madison. All young adults ages 18-35 are welcome. Details: to join email amelia.rizor@jacksondiocese.org.

Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage, May 12-27. Father Lincoln Dall will be leading this once in a lifetime journey. Space is limited. Email amelia.rizor@jacksondiocese.org for more information.

YOUTH – Diocesan SEARCH Retreat for tenth through twelfth graders, Jan. 17-19, 2025 at Camp Wesley Pines, Gallman. Diocese High School Confirmation Retreat, Jan. 25-26, 2025 at Lake Forest Ranch, Macon. Diocese Catholic Youth Conference – DCYC for ninth through twelfth grades, March 21-23, 2025 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Details: contact your individual parish offices or contact Abbey at (601) 949-6934 or abbey.schuhmann@jacksondiocese.org.

CATHOLIC ENGAGED ENCOUNTER – CEE is our diocesan marriage prep program for couples preparing for the sacrament of marriage. The upcoming weekends for 2024/2025 are: Oct. 11-13; Feb. 21-23, 2025; August 1-3, 2025; and Oct. 24-26, 2025 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton; and April 25-27, 2025 at Lake Tiak-O’Khata in Louisville. Register at https://bit.ly/CEE2024-2025. Details: email debbie.tubertini@jacksondiocese.org.

Congreso Eucarístico en Quito: Las respuestas proféticas que laIglesia puede dar en tiempos de crisis

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Por Eduardo Campos Lima
(OSV News) – Los dos primeros días de ponencias del 53 Congreso Eucarístico Internacional en Quito, Ecuador, contrastaron las penurias que actualmente enfrentan muchas personas en diferentes partes del mundo con las respuestas proféticas que la Iglesia puede dar en tiempos de crisis.

Los oradores que intervinieron en este evento, que se desarrolló del 8 al 15 de septiembre, compartieron sus puntos de vista sobre las duras realidades que viven millones de personas en la actualidad, desde las víctimas inocentes de la guerra en Ucrania hasta las familias de inmigrantes que emprenden viajes traicioneros desde Sudamérica a Estados Unidos y acaban encontrando más exclusión y violencia.

En su intervención, Rodrigo Guerra, secretario laico de la Pontificia Comisión para América Latina, resumió la mayor parte de las actuales “heridas del mundo”, como vienen llamando los organizadores del congreso a los problemas sociales que pueden ser sanados por el sentido de fraternidad que proporciona la Eucaristía.

An Indigenous woman takes notes at a panel Sept. 10, 2024, during the International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador. The Sept. 8-15 congress focused on a call to build fraternity as a way of healing the wounds of a world full of fractures and violence. (OSV News photo/courtesy International Eucharistic Congress)

Él mencionó la desigualdad social y el aumento de la brecha entre ricos y pobres, algo especialmente alarmante en América Latina; la falta de cuidado de la Tierra, con todas las consecuencias ecológicas que esto conlleva; y la inexistencia de fraternidad y perdón cuando se trata de desacuerdos políticos.

“Muchos de nuestros países están desgarrados por tremendas polarizaciones por oposiciones ideológicas gravísimas”, dijo Guerra, añadiendo que el populismo – tanto de derecha como de izquierda – es el resultado indeseable de esas fracturas sociales.

También mencionó la inmigración masiva – y la ausencia de una acogida adecuada por parte de los países de destino – como uno de los retos más complejos de la actualidad.

Leyden Rovelo-Krull, que dirige la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, compartió su experiencia de trabajo con inmigrantes que acaban de ser liberados por el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos tras un largo viaje desde Sudamérica o Centroamérica hasta la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México.

Recordó que en 1983 la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de EE.UU. afirmó que la presencia hispana y latina en la vida eclesial estadounidense era “una bendición de Dios para la Iglesia y para nuestro país”, dado que esos inmigrantes habían revitalizado parroquias en todo el país.

A pesar de ello, un alto porcentaje de ciudadanos estadounidenses ha manifestado su oposición a la llegada de migrantes latinoamericanos, incluidos fieles católicos.

Rovelo-Krull describió los sufrimientos de algunas de las personas que ha conocido durante su trabajo, como una madre que perdió a su hija de 5 años mientras cruzaba Centroamérica y tuvo que enterrarla por el camino, en un punto que no sabe exactamente dónde está.

El trauma de tantas familias inmigrantes puede ser comparable al de las víctimas de la invasión rusa a Ucrania, descrita vívidamente por el obispo auxiliar Hryhoriy Komar, de la eparquía católica de Sambir-Drohobych, ciudad cercana a la frontera con Polonia. Contó a la audiencia que al menos 20.000 niños ucranianos han sido secuestrados por los ocupantes rusos.

“Ahora en el mundo hay 6 millones de refugiados ucranianos y 10 millones de refugiados dentro del país. Muchos pueblos y ciudades ya desaparecieron, sepultando bajo ruinas a la gente”, afirmó.

Los rusos han ocupado gran parte del país, por lo que no es posible saber cuántos ucranianos fueron asesinados, añadió el obispo Komar.
Para muchos participantes, esas descripciones les llevaron a reflexionar sobre sus propias realidades. Ese fue el caso del obispo Geovanni Paz, de Latacunga, Ecuador.

“Algunos de esos temas me impactan mucho, como los desafíos de la inmigración, que también se notan en mi diócesis”, dijo a OSV News.

Mons. Paz afirmó que de vez en cuando salen autobuses que llevan decenas de personas al norte con gente de las pequeñas comunidades andinas de su diócesis que buscan una vida mejor.

“Antes recibíamos grupos de 1.200 niños para la catequesis y ahora somos sólo 400”, dijo, y agregó que muchos niños son dejados por sus padres para vivir con sus abuelos, y terminan abandonando la escuela e involucrándose con las drogas y la delincuencia.

“Algunas de esas personas son deportadas a Ecuador apenas llegan a Estados Unidos. Nos cuentan las violaciones de derechos humanos que sufren en el camino”, lamentó monseñor Paz.

Mientras el Papa Francisco defiende los derechos de los inmigrantes, la mayoría de las sociedades los han estado rechazando, dijo el obispo.

“Tenemos que ser una Iglesia profética. De lo contrario, estaremos siendo cómplices”, argumentó.

Al día siguiente hubo presentaciones sobre fuertes voces proféticas. El 10 de septiembre, los obispos latinoamericanos hablaron de algunas de las figuras más veneradas en la historia de la Iglesia católica de la región. Es el caso del obispo ecuatoriano Leônidas Proaño (1910-1988), que dedicó su vida a los indígenas y campesinos, y de San Óscar Romero (1917-1980), arzobispo salvadoreño asesinado por el régimen militar.

El padre Juan Carlos Garzón, secretario general de la CEI, dijo que “en los momentos más difíciles Dios nos envía los profetas de nuestro tiempo”.

“Queríamos descubrir las heridas del mundo y luego ver después cómo Cristo viene a redimirnos”, explicó el padre Garzón.

(Eduardo Campos Lima escribe para OSV News desde São Paulo.)