Author Archives: Tereza Ma

Movies reviewed

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The Lion King

By John Mulderig
NEW YORK (CNS) – Advances in moviemaking technology allow a story that could only previously be told as a cartoon to be enacted, so to speak, by animals. And so we get “The Lion King” (Disney).

The characters Nala, voiced by Beyonce Knowles-Carter, and Simba, voiced by Donald Glover, appear in the movie “The Lion King.” The Catholic News Service classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. (CNS photo/Disney)


Director Jon Favreau’s remake of the 1994 animated musical – also the basis for the Broadway hit that opened three years later and is still running – uses a blend of live-action techniques and computer-generated imagery to retell a tale so familiar it represents a touchstone of contemporary culture.
As we know, however, just because a thing can be done doesn’t mean it should be. Thus diehard fans of the original may find Favreau’s whole project redundant. The reaction of other viewers will largely depend on how comfortable they feel seeing nonhuman characters mouth dialogue and interact in the manner of homo sapiens.
This is, of course, the fictional biography of Simba (voice of Donald Glover), a lovable young lion with a royal destiny. As opening scenes show us, Simba’s birth is greeted with joy by most of the creatures over whom his parents, King Mufasa (voice of James Earl Jones) and Queen Sarabi (voice of Alfre Woodard), benevolently rule.
The rejoicing, though, is not universal: Simba’s evil Uncle Scar (voice of Chiwetel Ejiofor) broods over the fact that the new arrival has displaced him as heir to the throne. Biding his time, Scar schemes against his growing nephew and, after enlisting the help of a pack of malignant hyenas, led by Shenzi (voice of Florence Kasumba), he succeeds in sending the emotionally vulnerable lad into self-imposed exile.
Two friends with whom Simba takes up during his absence, meerkat Timon (voice of Billy Eichner) and warthog Pumbaa (voice of Seth Rogen), urge him to pursue a carefree existence. But Nala (voice of Beyonce Knowles-Carter), Simba’s best pal from childhood – with whom he ultimately shares a deeper bond – remains resolute that he should fulfill his weighty responsibilities.
The two opposing outlooks on life presented in Jeff Nathanson’s script – and encapsulated in a duo of songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, the interconnectedness-themed “Circle of Life” and the worry-eschewing ditty “Hakuna Matata” – are strictly secular. Yet it is at least the more ethically respectable worldview that prevails.
The struggle to achieve a happy ending, though, involves animal combat that would likely prove upsetting to small kids. And some parents may not care much for the momentary gastrointestinal humor in which Nathanson dabbles.
There’s also a bit of extra-biblical mysticism on display via the activities of simian shaman Rafiki (voice of John Kani). But this aspect of the narrative is too fleeting and undeveloped to pose much of a spiritual threat.
Is this iteration of the blockbuster franchise really necessary? Probably not. Still, while it’s unlikely to make a lasting impression, “The Lion King” does offer a pleasant enough pastime for all but the most sensitive tykes.
The film contains considerable stylized violence among animals, characters in peril, nonscriptural rituals and fleeting scatological humor. The Catholic News Service classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Crawl

What Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” did for sharks, director Alexandre Aja’s deliberately claustrophobic chiller “Crawl” (Paramount) sets out to do for alligators. The result involves some undeniably frightening moments but also an amount of bloodletting the casual moviegoer will find excessive.
With a major hurricane bearing down on her home region of Florida, college student Haley (Kaya Scodelario) becomes concerned when her divorced and semi-estranged father, Dave (Barry Pepper), fails to return her calls. So she sets off first to the condo where he’s been living since the breakup of his marriage, then to the family home he’s been forced to put up for sale, but to which he remains emotionally attached.

Barry Pepper and Kaya Scodelario star in a scene from the movie “Crawl.” The Catholic News Service classification is L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.(CNS photo/Paramount)


There she finds him unconscious with gaping wounds to his shoulder and leg. The cause of his injuries becomes apparent even before he regains consciousness as Haley has her own close encounter with the first of the many man-eaters with which she and Dad will eventually have to do battle.
To make matters worse, the basement crawl space where the gators have the duo pinned down is rapidly flooding. Fortunately, as early scenes have established, Haley is a gifted competitive swimmer (Dave was her coach in childhood). Even so, the odds remain uncomfortably long.
Those not put off by watching the main characters be gnawed on and the extras devoured will discern the glimmers of a family-solidarity theme faintly gleaming through the murky waters of this gory horror flick. Dave also encourages Haley to believe that she has the resourcefulness and will power to prevail. Still, the desperate proceedings will strike most as more torturous than entertaining.
The film contains much explicit bloody violence, numerous gruesome sights, a vague sexual reference, occasional rough language and some crude terms. The Catholic News Service classification is L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

(Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic News Service.)

Child’s Play

By Joseph McAleer
NEW YORK (CNS) – The nicest thing that can be said about the reimagined horror film “Child’s Play” (Orion), it that is just 88 minutes long. Any longer and it could be designated a method of torture.
Perhaps most disturbing about this remake of the 1988 film about a toy doll run amok (which spawned six sequels of its own) is its tone. Director Lars Klevberg, working from a screenplay by Tyler Burton Smith, frames this as a black comedy. The audience is expected to cheer along as “Chucky” (voice of Mark Hamill, straying far, far away from his heroic “Star Wars” persona) goes on a murderous rampage, starting with the family cat.
Awash in sadistic violence and gore, “Child’s Play” is anything but, and should be approached by adult viewers only with caution.
Single mother Karen (Aubrey Plaza) is concerned that her young son, Andy (Gabriel Bateman), is depressed. They recently moved to a new neighborhood and Andy is having trouble making new friends.
At the toy store where Karen works, a customer returns a defective “Buddi” doll. Karen decides to steal it and give it to her son as a companion.
“Welcome to your new best friend,” says Henry Kaslan (Tim Matheson), creator of the chatty artificial-intelligence plaything. Once synched to a cellphone, Buddi bonds with its owner and connects to all devices, effectively controlling the entire home environment.

Chucky and Gabriel Bateman appear in the movie “Child’s Play.” The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (CNS photo/Orion Pictures)


Unbeknownst to Karen, Andy’s Buddi has been sabotaged by a disgruntled worker in the sweatshop factory in Vietnam. All of his safety protocols have been disabled and this particular doll responds to negative energy. The first warning sign? Its name is Chucky, not Buddi.
It’s not hard to predict what happens next. Chucky’s evil nature emerges whenever Andy is upset or threatened, such as when the cat scratches him, or his mom’s sleazy boyfriend Shane (David Lewis) overstays his welcome.
If there’s a lesson to be learned from the ensuing carnage, it’s the addiction to technology which limits healthy human interaction. For wholesome child’s play, power down and unplug.
The film contains gratuitous bloody violence and gore, sexual banter, partial nudity, frequent crude and profane language, and one obscene gesture. The Catholic News Service classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

(McAleer is a guest reviewer for Catholic News Service.)

‘We need a habitat on the moon’

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By Jo Ann Zuniga and James Ramos
HOUSTON, TEXAS (CNS) – Upcoming space travel plans need to include living on the moon, similar to scientific habitats in the Arctic and Antarctica, said Gene Kranz, NASA’s former flight director.
“I believe we need a habitat on the moon just like we have scientists living at the North and South Poles,” Kranz said, a parishioner at Shrine of the True Cross Catholic Church in Dickinson, Texas. “The challenge of a long-term facility and learning to use the resources of the moon is needed for scientific and economic objectives, not political reasons. It needs to be a world project.”

Gene Kranz is seen during a May 17, 2019, video shoot in his Dickinson, Texas, home. Kranz, flight director for Apollo 11, is a parishioner at Shrine of the True Cross Catholic Church in Dickinson, Texas, near Houston. (CNS photo/James Ramos, Texas Catholic Herald)


Still in the Houston-area, at age 85, Kranz remains a very busy man. During his 34 years with NASA, he directed the Gemini and Apollo programs, including the first lunar landing mission of Apollo 11. Now Kranz has been at the forefront of celebrating the 50th anniversary of man’s touchdown on the moon July 20, 1969.
He has shared his experiences in making history and dreams for the future in speaking to multiple community and business groups and at NASA’s Johnson Space Center events. He is scheduled to address the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s upcoming Prayer Breakfast July 30 in Houston.
Asked whether he ever wished that he’d flown into space himself, the aerospace engineer and retired fighter pilot said, “In the very early days of the Mercury program, astronauts would be limited to doing one or two missions. I’ve been involved, in various capacities, with 100” missions, up through the Shuttle missions.
With each Apollo spacecraft’s successful splashdown, Kranz could breathe a sigh of relief and offer a prayer of thanksgiving.
Following the fatal tragedy that claimed the lives of three NASA astronauts during a dress run of Apollo 1, Kranz told his team at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston: “From this day forward, Flight Control will be known by two words: ‘tough’ and ‘competent.’ ‘Tough’ means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do,” he said. “’Competent’ means we will never take anything for granted.”
That commitment remained a hallmark of his storied career, especially highlighted in his efforts to safely bring the Apollo 13 crew back to Earth. Kranz was the lead flight director during the Apollo 13 mission.
The hit film, Apollo 13, chronicled Kranz’s work to devise the plan at NASA’s Mission Control that would safely bring the ship and its crew of three astronauts, Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, home after its oxygen system failed. Actor Ed Harris portrays Kranz in the award-winning film, which was directed by Ron Howard.
Of the effort, Kranz said, “It wasn’t about me; it was about the teams and the people in Mission Control. We truly believed that, in our line of work, failure is never an option.”
“It involves team-building and respect that goes both ways,” Kranz said. “Integrity is really the driver.”
In discussing current plans to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024 and Mars in the 2030s, Kranz said, “We have a marvelous array of technology and a gifted group of young trained individuals. What we need is leadership and support from the top.”
Kranz also helped spearhead a recent effort to restore NASA’s Apollo Mission Control Center, located at Johnson Space Center in Houston, to its exact appearance. Debuted in June ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the restored center features $5 million of full restoration.
The restoration features original artifacts that were cleaned and restored, or items recreated based on original samples, according to a NASA news release, including paint colors, carpet, coffee mugs and even ashtrays, all placed just as they were 50 years ago.
In a Space Foundation survey in 2010, Kranz was listed second among space heroes who inspired the public, only behind No. 1 pick astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1933, Kranz graduated from St. Agnes Elementary School and Central Catholic High School in Toledo.
In 2007, NASA awarded Kranz the Ambassador of Exploration Award during a presentation ceremony at Central Catholic High School, where the award, a lunar moon rock sample collected by Apollo 16 astronauts, remains today. Central Catholic is the only high school in the world with a lunar rock, said Kranz.
Taught and mentored by men and women religious throughout his education, Kranz is a 1951 graduate of Central Catholic. The award recognizes the sacrifices and dedication of the Apollo, Gemini and Mercury astronauts.
The moon rock is encased in Lucite and mounted for public display at the school as inspiration to a new generation of explorers who will help return humans to the moon and eventually travel on to Mars and beyond. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of samples collected during the six Apollo lunar expeditions from 1969 to 1972, according to NASA records.
An inscription describes the rock as “a symbol of the unity of human endeavor and mankind’s hope for a future of peace and harmony.”
Kranz retired from NASA in 1994 after 37 years of federal service. He and his wife, Marta, are the parents of six children, and reside in Dickinson, where he is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Father Roach Council No. 3217.
Kranz may be one of the few Catholics ever immortalized as a LEGO mini-figure. As part of a collector’s set featuring Apollo 13 astronauts, a two-inch representation of Kranz sports his trademark high and tight haircut and white vest. He’s depicted holding a tiny version of the Apollo 13 flight plan. A London-based company, MiniFigs.me, created the set, as well as the only other featured Catholic, a Pope Francis mini-figure.

(Zuniga and Ramos are on the staff of the Texas Catholic Herald, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.)

St. Catherine’s dedicates new nursing and rehab center

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By Joanna Puddister King

MADISON – A crowd of about 200 people gathered July 17 to celebrate the completion of The Clarence and Sue Smith Rehabilitation Center and The Tuscany Skilled Nursing Center at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison, Mississippi with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony.

Among the crowd, were several distinguished guests including First Lady Deborah Bryant, wife of Phil Bryant, governor of Mississippi, who is dedicated to improving health care services in Mississippi as part of her office held since 2012. Guests also included Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Dominican and Franciscan sisters, Madison Chamber of Commerce members and residents and staff of St. Catherine’s retirement community.

MADISON – The chamber of commerce held a ribbon cutting for the Clarence and Sue Smith Rehabilitation Center and Tuscany Skilled Nursing Center at St. Catherine’s Village on July 17. Above from left, Justin Suber, A.J. “Sonny” Stone, Lester Diamond, Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth, Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler, Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Tommy Terry, Lisa Wilburn, Felichia Fields, Angela Brinkley, First Lady Deborah Bryant and Scott Kersh. (Photos by Joanna King)

Lisa Wilburn, executive director of St. Catherine’s Village, introduced the crowd to the facility. The three-floor tower with 59,000 square feet of floor space features 54 private rooms, with in-room showers and a skilled nursing staff. Wilburn stated that the center has the advancements to give residents the best care with state-of-the-art lighting and activities, a daily living center, a walking path and a spacious rehabilitation gym.

In addition to the state-of-the-art facilities, the nursing center also boasts a collection of beautiful artworks, which grace the walls throughout the building. Most of the pieces come from the collection of the Clarence Smith family, former resident of St. Catherine’s. Featured at the building entrance are two large art instillations on either side of a grand fireplace made possible through generous donations of St. Catherine’s Village employees. The pieces titled Angel in Disguise one and two, are by local artist Ginger Thomas. Full of beautiful hues of blue and gold, the powerful pieces induce a state of calm and peace upon entering the building.

Dominican Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth was thankful for the gift of former St. Catherine’s residents, Clarence and Sue Smith, “a brother and sister with philanthropic hearts,” she said blessing the celebration in their loving memory. To “all of those who gave of their time, talents and treasure to make [the] Tuscany center a beautiful place for residents to enjoy life and for the staff in which to minister,” she offered her gratitude and blessing as well.

Serving as mayor of Madison since 1981, Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler reflected on the vision of St. Catherine’s Village and her over 30-year history with the facility in her city. Hawkins-Butler said that “there is a sweet spirit in this place. . . . This is where God has laid his hands and blessed it in a mighty way.”

Thanking the staff of St. Catherine’s Village for providing such a caring and loving environment, Hawkins-Butler in her powerfully poised voice stated of St. Catherine’s, “There is none like it in this state. There is none like it in the Southeast. And Madison is honored and proud to say that this place belongs not only to Madison, but to those who want to come experience the true healing spirit and the faith of Jesus Christ, because it was built on a vision and a mission of mercy and kindness and hope.”

Bishop Joseph Kopacz, on hand to bless the new facility, said to the crowd that the facility “brings to mind the work of creation. . . . We’re extending really the work of creation when we collaborate with God’s gifts in this world and build something that is for the sake of others, for the sake of community, for the sake of caring for people. Especially this, what they say (is) the last and best chapter of life. Getting ready to return to God, who brought this all into being.”

Housing options at St. Catherine’s Village include independent living in apartments and garden homes, assisted living in Marian Hall, memory care in Campbell Cove and Hughes Center and skilled nursing in Siena Center.

The all-inclusive life care community also offers 160 acres of wooded grounds, unparalleled facilities, a caring staff, companionship, 24-hour on-duty security, protected and beautiful outdoor spaces, access to on-site resident-centered care and a mission-focused environment that encourages residents in all levels to enjoy fullness of life, health and faith.

St. Catherine’s Village is a service of St. Dominic Health Services, Inc. and is sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. The private, gated community is dedicated to providing the best care for seniors as they gracefully age and their needs change in their retirement years.

Youth news

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Vacation Bible School

Madison, Ms

St. Francis of Assisi Miraculous Mission theme for VBS, children working on their “Mary, Queen of the Universe” prayer booklets.
4 year-olds – 4th grade “astronauts” perform at the closing VBS program
(Photo by Mary Catherine George

Greenville, Ms

A Wilderness Adventure Through the Sacraments –Jesus in my Heart Noah Signa, Ashley Alexander, Campbell Hooker, Ann Leighton Maranto and Warren Signa.
(Photo by Rayetta R. Serio)

Flag retirement at St. Richard

JACKSON – On Sunday, June 30, Jackson St. Richard Parish hosted its annual Fourth of July Celebration. At the start of the picnic, the Boy Scouts hold a flag retirement ceremony using flags the parish has turned in. American Flags which are torn or worn out can be retired by burning if the ceremony is conducted in a proper way. The Knights of Columbus had an honor guard on hand for the service. As a side note, this is the last time the Knights will wear this regalia. Starting in July, they will wear the new regalia, which uses a beret-style hat instead of the feathered hat and a jacket. (Photo by Maureen Smith)

Companions on the journey – Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady welcome St. Dominic into health system

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By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – July 1 marked a sponsorship change from the Dominican Sisters for St. Dominic Health Services to the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. With the completion of the transfer, St. Dominic’s became the seventh regional center served by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS).
Prior to the transfer, St. Dominic Health Services had been sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, since 1946, when the Sisters purchased the Jackson Infirmary in the center of the city. Following more than 70 years of dedicated support, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield sought to secure the future of the system and its mission, as their numbers dwindled. The partnership with the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, the largest Catholic health care organization in Louisiana, will preserve a bright journey of continued service to the Jackson community.


The sponsorship change was marked with a celebration at the St. Dominic Medical Mall during a “Companions on the journey” ceremony. Throughout the event, speakers talked about continuing the steadfast mission of providing Catholic health care in the area. Emphasis also focused on the unique partnership between the Dominican Sisters of Springfield and the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, truly companions over the years on a journey to provide compassionate care blessing the lives of those in need of physical and spiritual healing.
The celebration began with Claude Harbarger, past president of St. Dominic Health Services, welcoming a large crowd. Among the hundreds of people at the event were members of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield and the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. Harbarger thanked Bishop Joseph Kopacz and retired Bishop Joseph Latino for being on hand and celebrating Mass before the ceremony. He said that Bishop Kopaz provided “a spiritual focus . . . reminding us that the underlying reason for today’s events is to strengthen our collective ability to continue the St. Dominic healing ministry.”
Dr. Richard Vath, president and chief executive officer of FMOLHS, recognized that both parties have had a decades long relationship, as Catholic health care providers have been a close-knit family, united in mission and striving to provide the best care for patients and their families. Dominican Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth and Harbarger worked with FMOLHS serving on the board for many years prior to talks of a change in sponsorship. Lester Diamond, president of St. Dominic Health Services, also served on the board for a short period of time, as the health care systems began discussions to assume sponsorship of St. Dominic.
Vath is delighted in the joining of St. Dominic and FMOLHS and pleased that of Diamond is staying on as president. “We know we do the same work, we know that we have really the same mission, we have similar ministries, we all lead by the Church’s guidance and by Christ’s will. But really to see it come together today is really, really special for us.”
Even though, “FMOLHS itself is taking over operations, we want to make sure we continue the influence, the charism, the word, [and] the mission of the Dominican sisters of Springfield,” said Vath.
Diamond spoke on a positive note saying that St. Dominic has “a partner who will be a guide to even more exciting opportunities.” Optimistic about the changes, he said, “that this is not the end of something great, but … the beginning of something potentially greater.”
Also speaking at the event was Sister Barbara Arcenaux, regional minister of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. She shared the story of the day St. Francis and St. Dominic met and reflected on the saint’s beautiful words. “St. Dominic said to St. Francis, ‘You are my companion,” she said. “We will work together supporting one another toward the same end and no one will prevail against us.’”
She concluded her talk directing her own powerful words to her sisters in Christ. “Let us always remember we are companions on the journey,” Sister Arcenaux told the Dominican Sisters of Springfield.
As the event neared its close, Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, prioress general of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield let the crowd know that “this call [of Christ’s healing ministry] will remain as our sisters continue to be present and our associates and our co-workers carry this legacy into the future.”
Additionally, to share her deep gratitude to the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, Sister Gemma presented Sister Arcenaux a “gift of grace and remembrance,” a picture of the mosaic in the Dominican motherhouse chapel. The mosaic with small pieces of colored glass, stone and other materials, formed images of Dominican saints, including St. Dominic and St. Catherine with Christ featured at the center. The picture also contained a Dominican blessing.
To close the “Companions on the Journey” ceremony, Sister Gemma reiterated that she and the Dominican sisters had hope in the future. She then offered the Dominican sisters’ blessing. In unison, the sisters sang the blessing. The song was by no means a goodbye song bringing tears of sadness. It was a song of moving forward with the help of God and continuing to closely work together as companions and as healing ministers serving God and his people, a joyful note to the end of a historical day.
St. Dominic Health Services, Inc., which includes St. Dominic Hospital, the Community Health Clinic, St. Dominic Medical Associates (physician network), New Directions for Over 55, The Club at St. Dominic’s, the School Nurse Program, St. Dominic Health Services Foundation, St. Catherine’s Village and Care-A-Van, will join Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady sites across Louisiana, which include Our Lady of the Angels in Bougalusa, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital in Lafayette, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Gonzales and St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe.

Saltillo mission 50th anniversary

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JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz and Bishop Louis Kihneman are traveling to the Diocese of Saltillo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Jackson and the Diocese of Biloxi’s relationship with the missions, July 11 – 15.
Bishop Kopacz and Bishop Kihneman are visiting San Miguel, Ranchos Notillas, San Jose, Garambullo, Rancho La Brecha, Rancho La Ventura and Rancho Rocamotes (they will bless Father Quinn Hall in the village). The bishops will concelebrate Masses at Divine Mercy, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Garambullo. They will concelebrate a Mass of Dedication of a new church in La Brecha and concelebrate Confirmation Masses at San Miguel and San Jose Church in La Brecha.
Others on the anniversary celebration trip to Saltillo include Msgr. Michael Flannery, Dr. Charles Caskey (Jackson St. Richard), Msgr. Michael Thornton and Father Sergio Balderas of the Diocese of Biloxi, as well as, Terry Dickson and Juliana Skelton with the office of communications for the Diocese of Biloxi.

Make gift and receive income

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By Rebecca Harris
JACKSON – Are you interested in a charitable gift that provides you income? It is not often that a person can give a gift to a charitable organization and receive income in return. However, the Catholic Foundation can work with an individual on a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). Some people are scared by the idea, but the staff at the Catholic Foundation can walk anyone through the process. Simply put, a CGA is a simple contract where a donor makes a gift and in return receives fixed payments for life. The remaining balance of the gift benefits a designated parish, school or Catholic organization in the Diocese of Jackson.
A CGA is a contract between an individual and The Catholic Foundation where, in return for a gift, the Foundation agrees to pay the individual a fixed amount of money annually for the donor’s lifetime. After the individual’s lifetime, the balance in the annuity account is given to the Foundation to support a ministry, parish or school in our diocese. The Foundation will work with a donor to determine what is meaningful to them.
The Foundation follows the rates set by the American Council on CGA’s, an independent nonprofit organization that recommends charitable gift annuity rates for use by charities nationwide. Life expectancy is one factor used in determining the rates. Therefore, older donors qualify for higher annuity rates compared to younger donors. Gift annuity payments are a general obligation of the Foundation. Even if an individual gift annuity account is exhausted, the Foundation will still make annual payments for life to the annuitant.
There are tax benefits associated with a charitable gift annuity. In the year that a donor establishes a gift annuity, he or she is eligible to claim a charitable contribution income tax deduction for that tax year. The deduction amount is equal to the present value of the gift amount. If the donor cannot use the entire deduction amount in the first tax year (because the deduction exceeds the amount of income that may be offset), the deduction may be carried forward for up to five years. Donors should always consult their own tax advisers before making a gift. Each payment is partially tax-free for several years, a period measured by the donor’s life expectancy. After that period, the entire payment will be treated as ordinary income to the donor. If the donor funds the gift annuity with appreciated securities (whose market value exceeds the cost basis) that have been owned for more than one year, a portion of the capital gains tax (that would be due if the donor sold the stock) is avoided. The rest of the capital gains tax is paid ratably (proportionally) over the donor’s life expectancy period.
The process to set up a CGA is simple. All the staff needs to get started is the donor’s name, date of birth including the month, day and year, address and the amount with which he or she wishes to fund the CGA. If a donor is going to include a spouse, the foundation will need their information as well.
Once the CGA is established, the donor will receive a monthly payment. Donors can even defer payments. In fact, the longer someone waits to receive payments, the higher the percentage will be, thus the higher the income will be. Seed funds for CGAs can come from cash, stock and securities. Donors can use an IRA or retirement account; however, the IRS will not allow an investor to simply roll those over into a CGA without paying taxes on those monies since the donor will be receiving the tax deduction for the CGA. Once the CGA is established the donor may not withdraw funds. The IRS sees this to be a charitable gift that is irrevocable.
For more information, please contact Rebecca Harris at (601) 960-8477 or Rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org. A staff member is a phone call away. He or she will provide you with a detailed illustration showing a personalized payment rate, income tax deduction for the year and capital gains savings before the donor makes the gift.

(Rebecca Harris is the Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Jackson.)

What sets Catholic health care apart

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Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
On Monday, July 1, Catholic healthcare in central Mississippi took a historic stride forward when the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois passed on the torch of sponsorship to the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Franciscan Calais Ministry has been providing Catholic health care needs in north-central Louisiana since 1911, while the Dominican Sisters launched their mission with Catholic health care in Jackson in 1946. Both envisioned and fostered the compassionate and healing ministry of Jesus Christ as a vital dimension of the mission of the Catholic Church to foster the Kingdom of God in our world while never losing sight of our eternal destiny. The theme that the Dominican and Franciscan sisters chose for the landmark transition is “Companions on the Journey.” They reached back in time nearly 800 years to a conversation between their respective founders, Saint Dominic and Saint Francis, to chart their course for the future. “You are my companion; we will work together, supporting one another to the same end, and no one will prevail against us,” said Saint Dominic to Saint Francis, while both were in Rome to receive official blessings for their fledging religious orders.
One might ask why a transition into one health system was necessary in the first place. Although the St. Dominic health care system is quite extensive, employing in the neighborhood of 3000 individuals across a range of services, and at this time financially stable, it is actually small in comparison to existing Catholic or non-sectarian health care systems throughout the United States. No free-standing health care provider of the size of St. Dominic’s would survive for long in today’s market. With this merger Catholic health care is strengthened for the foreseeable future across north-central Louisiana and central Mississippi. The new system remains part of the nation-wide Catholic network that provides one sixth of the nation’s health care needs. Large, medium, or small the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care inform the mission and set the standards for Catholic health care providers. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ratified the sixth edition of the Directives in June 2018, a document that is the fruit of collaboration for many who are committed to advancing the compassionate and healing love of Jesus Christ from the heart of the Catholic Church.
The Ethical and Religious Directives, a 40 page pamphlet, provides a substantial presentation of who we are and whose we are in our mission of health care as Catholics. I will quote extensively from this document in order to appreciate how blessed we are to have now an enlarged Catholic health care presence in our region, with the merger of the Dominican and Franciscan traditions. “The Church has always sought to embody our Savior’s concern for the sick. The gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry draw special attention to his acts of healing: he healed lepers; he gave sight to the blind; he enabled one who was mute to speak; he cured a woman who was hemorrhaging; he brought a young girl back to life. Indeed, the Gospels are replete with examples of how the Lord cured every kind of ailment and disease…Jesus’ healing mission went further than caring only for physical affliction. He touched people at the deepest level of their existence; he sought their physical, mental and spiritual healing. He came that they might have life and have it more abundantly…The mystery of Christ casts light on every facet of Catholic health care; to see healing and compassion as a continuation of Christ’s mission; to see suffering as a participation in the redemptive power of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, and to see death transformed by the resurrection, as an opportunity for a final act of communion with Christ.”
The mission and vision of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady and the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois align seamlessly with the Lord’s mission, as evident in their health care services since their inception.
The Ethical and Religious Directives further elaborates on what sets Catholic health care apart from other providers.” First, Catholic health care ministry is rooted in a commitment to promote and defend human dignity; this is the foundation of its concern to respect the sacredness of every human life from the moment of conception until death…The right to life entails a right to the means for the proper development of life, such as adequate health care. Second, the biblical mandate to care for the poor requires us to express this in concrete actions at all levels of Catholic health care… Attention should be given to the health care needs of the poor, the uninsured and the underinsured. Third, Catholic health care ministry seeks to contribute to the common good, the conditions that ensure protection for the fundamental rights of all individuals and enables all to fulfill their common purpose and reach their common goals. Fourth, Catholic health care ministry exercises responsible stewardship of available health care resources. Fifth, within a pluralistic society, Catholic health care services will encounter requests for medical procedures contrary to the moral teachings of the Church. Catholic health care does not offend the rights of individual consciences by refusing to provide or permit medical procedures that are judged morally wrong by the teaching authority of the Church.”
What a blessing it is that this new creation in Catholic health care embodies the mind and heart of Jesus Christ, who invited all to the banquet of life, especially the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind (Luke 14:13). “Catholic Health care services rejoice in the challenge to be Christ’s healing compassion in the world and see their ministry not only as an effort to restore and preserve health, but also as a spiritual service and a sign of that final healing that will one day bring about the new creation that is the ultimate fruit of Jesus’ ministry and God’s love for us.” May God who began the good work in the vision of our Dominican and Franciscan sisters continue to bless their commitment for many years to come and bring it to fulfillment on the day of Christ Jesus.

Lo que diferencia a la atención médica católica de otros proveedores

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Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
El Sistema Católico de Atención Médica, en el centro de Mississippi, dio un paso histórico el lunes 1 de julio de 2019, cuando las Hermanas Dominicas de Springfield, Illinois, pasaron la antorcha de patrocinio a las Franciscanas Misioneras de Nuestra Señora con sede en Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
El ministerio Franciscano de Calais ha estado proporcionando atención médica católica en el centro-norte de Louisiana desde 1911, mientras que las Hermanas Dominicas empezaron su misión, con atención médica católica, en Jackson en 1946. Ambas congregaciones imaginaron y fomentaron el ministerio compasivo y sanador de Jesucristo como una dimensión vital de la misión de la Iglesia Católica para fomentar el Reino de Dios en nuestro mundo, sin perder nunca de vista nuestro eterno destino .
El tema que las hermanas Dominicas y Franciscanas eligieron para esta histórica transición reza “Compañeros en el Viaje,” tema con el que recorrieron en el tiempo casi 800 años atrás, a una conversación entre sus respectivos fundadores, Santo Domingo y San Francisco, para trazar su curso para el futuro. “…Tú eres mi compañero; trabajaremos juntos, apoyándonos uno al otro hasta el mismo fin, y nadie prevalecerá contra nosotros…,” dijo Santo Domingo a San Francisco mientras ambos estaban en Roma para recibir la bendición oficial de sus órdenes religiosas.
Uno podría preguntarse, en primer lugar, por qué una transición en este sistema de salud era necesaria. Aunque el sistema de atención médica de St. Dominic es bastante extenso; empleando a cerca de 3 mil personas en una amplia gama de servicios, y en este momento es estable financieramente; en realidad es pequeño en comparación con los sistemas de salud católicos o no sectarios existentes en todo Estados Unidos. Ningún proveedor de atención médica independiente del tamaño de St. Dominic sobrevivirá por mucho tiempo en el mercado actual. Con esta fusión, la atención médica católica se fortalece en el futuro inmediato para el centro-norte de Louisiana y el centro de Mississippi.
El nuevo sistema sigue siendo parte de la red católica de salud nacional que proporciona una sexta parte de las necesidades de la atención médica de toda la nación. Las Directivas Éticas y Religiosas para la Atención Médica Católica informan a la misión y establecen los estándares para los proveedores grandes, medianos o pequeños de atención médica católica. La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos ratificó, en junio de 2018, la sexta edición de las Directivas un documento que es el fruto de la colaboración de muchos, comprometidos a promover el amor compasivo y sanador de Jesucristo desde el corazón de la Iglesia Católica.
Las Directivas Éticas y Religiosas para la Atención Médica Católica , un folleto de 40 páginas, ofrece una presentación sustancial de quiénes somos y quiénes somos en nuestra misión de atención médica como católicos.
A continuación citaré extensamente este documento para apreciar cuán bendecidos estamos de tener ahora una presencia católica ampliada en nuestra región, con la fusión de las tradiciones Dominicana y Franciscana:
“La Iglesia siempre ha buscado encarnar la preocupación de nuestro Salvador por los enfermos. Los relatos del evangelio del ministerio de Jesús atraen una atención especial a sus actos de curación: curó a los leprosos; dio vista a los ciegos; le permitió hablar a uno que estaba mudo; curó a una mujer que estaba sufriendo una hemorragia; Él trajo a una joven a la vida. De hecho, los Evangelios están llenos de ejemplos de cómo el Señor curó todo tipo de dolencias y enfermedades … La misión de sanación de Jesús fue más allá de preocuparse solo por la aflicción física. Tocó a las personas en el nivel más profundo de su existencia; buscó su curación física, mental y espiritual. Él vino para que tuvieran vida y la tuvieran más abundantemente … El misterio de Cristo ilumina cada faceta de la atención médica católica; ver la curación y la compasión como una continuación de la misión de Cristo; Ver el sufrimiento como una participación en el poder redentor de la pasión, muerte y resurrección de Cristo, y ver la muerte transformada por la resurrección, como una oportunidad para un acto final de comunión con Cristo”.
La misión y visión de los Franciscanas Misioneras de Nuestra Señora y las Hermanas Dominicas de Springfield se alinean a la perfección con la misión del Señor, como lo demuestran sus servicios de atención médica desde su inicio.
Las Directivas Éticas y Religiosas para la Atención Médica Católica explican con más detalle lo que diferencia a la atención médica católica de otros proveedores, cito – “Primero, el ministerio de atención médica católica se basa en el compromiso de promover y defender la dignidad humana; este es el fundamento de su preocupación por respetar lo sagrado de cada vida humana desde el momento de la concepción hasta la muerte … El derecho a la vida conlleva el derecho a los medios para el desarrollo adecuado de la vida, como la atención médica adecuada. Segundo, el mandato bíblico de cuidar a los pobres requiere que expresemos esto en acciones concretas en todos los niveles de la atención de salud católica … Se debe prestar atención a las necesidades de atención de salud de los pobres, los no asegurados y los que tienen un seguro insuficiente. En tercer lugar, el ministerio católico de atención de la salud busca contribuir al bien común, a las condiciones que aseguran la protección de los derechos fundamentales de todos los individuos y permite que todos cumplan su propósito común y alcancen sus objetivos comunes. En cuarto lugar, el ministerio católico de atención médica ejerce la administración responsable de los recursos disponibles de atención médica. Quinto, dentro de una sociedad pluralista, los servicios de atención médica católicos encontrarán solicitudes de procedimientos médicos contrarias a las enseñanzas morales de la Iglesia. La atención médica católica no ofende los derechos de las conciencias individuales al negarse a proporcionar o permitir procedimientos médicos que se juzgan moralmente incorrectos por la autoridad de enseñanza de la Iglesia”.
Qué bendición es que esta nueva unión, en la atención médica católica, encarna la mente y el corazón de Jesucristo, quien invitó a todos al banquete de la vida, especialmente a los pobres, a los lisiados, a los cojos, a los ciegos (Lucas 14:13). Y cito “Los servicios de atención médica católica se regocijan en el desafío para ser la sanación compasiva de Cristo en el mundo y ver su ministerio no sólo como un esfuerzo para restaurar y preservar la salud, sino también como un servicio espiritual y un signo de esa curación final que algún día vendrá sobre la nueva creación que es el fruto final del ministerio de Jesús y el amor de Dios por todos nosotros.”
Que Dios, que comenzó el buen trabajo en la visión de nuestras hermanas Dominicas y Franciscanas, continúe bendiciendo su compromiso durante muchos años y lo lleve a cumplimiento en el día de Cristo Jesús.

World becoming more elitist, cruel toward excluded

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By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN (CNS) – The excluded, especially migrants and refugees, are the ones who ultimately pay the price for humanity’s greed, Pope Francis said.
In a new video message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which the Vatican will celebrate Sept. 29, the pope warned that “today’s world is increasingly becoming more elitist and cruel toward the excluded.” “Those who pay the price are always the little ones, the poor, the most vulnerable, who are prevented from sitting at the table and are left with the crumbs of the banquet,” the pope said in the message released July 2.
The message, according to the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, is part of a campaign that “will offer reflections, insights and resources for the promotion of pastoral activities” for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

Migrants from Afghanistan are seen at a makeshift camp for refugees and migrants in Samos, Greece, June 25, 2019. Pope Francis said in a July 2 video message that the excluded, especially migrants and refugees, are the ones who ultimately pay the price for humanity’s greed. (CNS photo/Giorgos Moutafis, Reuters)


Reflecting on the theme, “It’s not just about migrants; it’s about not excluding anyone,” the pope lamented the exploitation of natural and human resources in developing countries “for the benefit of a few privileged markets.”
He also called out countries that foment war through arms sales while closing their doors to innocent men, women and children escaping violence.
“Wars only affect some regions of the world,” the pope said, “yet weapons of war are produced and sold in other regions, which then refuse to accept the refugees produced by these conflicts.”
Pope Francis said the church must take the initiative and seek “those who have fallen away.”
The Catholic Church should “stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast whom we ourselves as a society are excluding,” the pope said. “Real development is fruitful and inclusive, oriented toward the future.”

(Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju)