Author Archives: Tereza Ma

Research key in improving abuse response

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Reba McMellon

Part of the Solution
By Reba J. McMellon, M.S.,LPC

(Editor’s note: This is the first installment in an ongoing series to address the questions parishioners and clergy have regarding response to and healing from sexual abuse in the church. To submit a question, email editor@mississippicatholic.com. Names will be kept in confidence.)

 

Research key in improving abuse response
Addressing child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church raises many questions and concerns. Answering questions and concerns directly and clearly is the hallmark of preventing these crimes from happening again.
Some have asked why Catholic bishops should trust the advice of psychologists when psychologists have mislead them in the past. I think this concern dates back to a time when we, in the field of professional psychology, were going on the assumption that pedophilia was a mental illness, one that could be treated. Those guilty of child sexual abuse were sent to treatment programs and in some cases, put back into service.
While research began in the late 1970’s on pedophile subtypes and treatment outcomes, it wasn’t until the mid to late 1980’s that the widespread rule of thumb was to have the criminal justice system deal with those who commit crimes against children. The research consistently shows the rate of recidivism is very high and the risk is great.
One of the largest studies done on child sexual abuse was done by John Jay College of Criminal Justice in May of 2011. The 130-page comprehensive report includes populations such as youth service organizations, religious institutions, seminary formation teams and more. The study was requested and paid for by the Catholic Church. It is accessible here: https://bit.ly/1Tp2UdH and through the Diocese of Jackson’s website in the section on Child Protection. This study and many others show that mental health treatment alone is not effective and the offenders of sexual crimes against children should be dealt with through the criminal justice system.
Another issue that is important is the crime of aiding and abetting physical, sexual and emotional abuse of a child. In some states, it is referred to as contributing to the harm of a minor. This includes those who know of the offense and knowingly ignore it, choosing to protect the criminal rather than protect the child. It cannot be overstated that this too is a crime, punishable by law.
In summary, psychology is a relatively new science, and like all other sciences, improves with ongoing research. Rest assured, criminal justice professionals and psychologists have worked together resulting in sound knowledge on the subject of sexual abuse of children.
The effect of sexual abuse on the victim can be not knowing the difference between love and abuse. Sexual abuse halts the development of the victim. It interferes with trust, spiritual development and shatters the psyche. While it can be mended, the victim will forever be effected. Abuse causes the innocence of the childhood to falter and sometimes disappear altogether. It shatters the soul, mind and body. The effects can be healed but the scars remain throughput the survivor’s life.

(Reba McMellon, M.S. is a licensed professional counselor with 35 years of experience. She worked in the field of child sexual abuse and adult survivors of sexual abuse for more than 25 years. While living in the Atlanta area, Reba was a member of the first child sexual abuse treatment team in the state of Georgia. She later became director of the team which included mental health, social services, juvenile court, district attorneys and detectives in the sexual victims unit of Cobb County, Georgia. Reba went into private practice in 1987 and continued to serve as an expert witness in child sexual abuse cases. She moved back to Mississippi in 2001 and works part-time as a mental health consultant and freelance writer.)

My top ten books in spirituality for 2018

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Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI

IN EXILE
By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
This year I will restrict myself to focusing only on books that deal explicitly with spirituality, notwithstanding some very fine novels and books on social commentary that I read this year.
But first, an apologia: Taste is idiosyncratic. Keep that in mind as you read these recommendations. These are books that I liked, that spoke to me, and that I believe can be helpful for someone seeking guidance and inspiration on the journey. They may not speak to you in the same way.
Which spiritual books did I find most helpful this year?
• Veronica Mary Rolf, Julian’s Gospel, Illuminating the Life and Revelations of Julian of Norwich. Julian of Norwich is one of the great Christian mystics, but her thought is not easily accessible to most readers. This book gives a good introduction to her life and her writings and highlights as well how much of a spiritual oasis she was in a time when most parts of Christianity conceived of God in very harsh terms.
• John Shea, To Dare The Our Father, A Transformative Spiritual Practice. Shea takes up each article within the Lord’s Prayer to challenge us regarding various aspects of our lives, not least vis-à-vis our struggle to come to reconciliation with others. The section on Jesus’ own struggle in Gethsemane is especially insightful.
• Gerhard Lohfink, Is This All There Is? A world-class scripture scholar takes up the question of the afterlife as spoken of in scripture. This is first-rate scholarship rendered accessible to everyone. Lohfink is a gifted scholar and gifted teacher. This is a graduate course on the afterlife made available to everyone regardless of academic background.
• Benoit Standaert, Spirituality An Art of Living. Standaert is a Dutch Benedictine monk and this book (easy to read because it is broken up into short meditations) is gem of wisdom and challenge. Those of you with Protestant and Evangelical backgrounds schooled on Oswald Chambers’ classic will know what I mean when I say this book is a “My Utmost” for all Christians.
• Thomas Moore, Ageless Soul, The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy. Moore is always brilliant and this book is no exception. He’s one of our generation’s best defenders of soul. But this book comes with a bit of a warning label: Some people may find it a bit too much of a stretch in terms of lacking religious boundaries. Be that as it may, it’s a brilliant book.
• Elizabeth Johnson, Creation and the Cross, The Mercy of God for a Planet in Peril. One of the foremost Catholic theologians of our generation pushes her thought (and ours) a little further apposite the issue of how the incarnation of God, in Christ, is a “deep incarnation” that affects physical creation as well as humanity. Christ came not only to save the people on this earth, but also to save the earth itself. Christ also takes in nature. Johnson helps explain how that might be better understood. The book contains an expert theological synthesis on Christian views of why Christ came to earth.
• Jordan Peterson, 12 Rules for Life, An Antidote to Chaos. This is one of the most argued about books of this past year. It’s brilliant, a good read, even if you don’t agree with everything or even most of what Peterson says. Some conservatives have used the book very selectively to suit their own causes; just as some liberals have unfairly rejected the book because of some of its attacks on liberal excesses. Both these readings, to my mind, are unfair. Peterson’s overall depth and nuance doesn’t allow for the way it has been misused on the right and criticized on the left. In the end, Peterson lands where Jesus did, with the Sermon on the Mount. Its title is somewhat unfortunate in that it can give the impression that this is just another popular self-help book. It’s anything but that.
• Makoto Fujimura, Silence and Beauty. This is a beautiful book, written by an artist highly attuned to aesthetics. It’s a book about art, faith, and religion. Fujimura is a deeply committed Christian and an artist. For most people this would constitute a tension, but Fujimura not only shows how he holds faith and art together, he also makes a sophisticated apologia for religion.
• Pablo d’Ors, Biography of Silence. Ors is a Spanish author of both novels and spiritual essays. This book (small, short, and an easy read) can be a good shot in the arm for anyone who, however unconsciously, feels that prayer isn’t worth the time and the effort. Writing out of a long habit of silent meditation, Ors shows us what kind of gifts prayer can bring into our lives.
• Trevor Herriot, Towards a Prairie Atonement. Herriot is a Canadian writer and in this, his latest book, he submits that just as when we wound others reconciliation demands some kind of atonement, so too with our relationship with earth. We need to make some positive atonement to nature for our historical abuses.

Happy reading!

(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher and award-winning author, is President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX.)

Prayer involves recognizing self as God’s beloved child

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By Carol Glatz
VATICAN (CNS) – Christians are not better than other people, but they do know that God is their father and they are called “to reflect a ray of his goodness in this world thirsting for goodness, waiting for good news,” Pope Francis said.
Leading his first general audience of 2019, the pope continued a series of talks he has been giving about the Lord’s Prayer. But he also welcomed artists from CirCuba, the national circus of Cuba, who were performing in Rome over the holidays.
One of the performers even had a very willing pope help him with his act by balancing a spinning ball on his finger. At the end of the audience Jan. 2, the pope praised the performers for their hard work and for the way they lift people’s spirits with their shows.
In his main audience talk, Pope Francis explained how the Gospel of Matthew presents the Lord’s Prayer as part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which also includes the Eight Beatitudes.
Proclaiming the beatitudes, the pope said, Jesus affirms the blessedness and happiness of “a series of categories of people, who – in his time, but also in ours – are not particularly esteemed. Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, the humble of heart. This is the revolution of the Gospel! Where the Gospel is, there is revolution because the Gospel does not leave things as they were.”
With the beatitudes, he said, Jesus is telling people that those “who carry in their hearts the mystery of a God who revealed his omnipotence in love and pardon” are those who come closest to understanding him.
The core of the Sermon on the Mount, he said, is: “You are sons and daughters of your Father who is in heaven,” which is why Jesus then teaches the crowd to pray the Our Father.
Summarizing his talk in Spanish, Pope Francis said, “God does not want to be appeased with long streams of adulation, as the pagans did to win the benevolence of the deity; it is enough to talk to him like a father who knows what we need before we even tell him.”
“The Christian is not someone who tries to be better than others, but one who knows he or she is a sinner,” the pope said. A Christian knows how to stand before God with awe, to call upon him as Father and try to reflect his goodness in the world.
Jesus urges his followers not to be like the hypocrites who pray just to be seen, the pope said. “How often have we seen the scandal of those people who go to church, spend the whole day there or go every day and then they live hating others or speaking badly of others – this is a scandal. It would be better not to go to church.”
“If you go to church, live like a child (of God) and like a brother or sister” to others, Pope Francis said.
In teaching the Our Father, Jesus was helping his followers learn the essence of prayer and the importance of not thinking that using more words makes for a better prayer, he said. “The pagans thought that by speaking, speaking, speaking, they were praying.”
Praying isn’t like being “a parrot,” who repeats an endless stream of words, the pope said. “No, praying comes from the heart, from inside.”
“It even could be a silent prayer,” he said. “Basically, it is enough to put yourself under God’s gaze, recognize his fatherly love – and that’s enough to be heard.”
“How beautiful it is to think that our God does not need sacrifices to win his favor. He needs nothing,” the pope said. “He asks only that we keep open a channel of communication with him to discover continually that we are his beloved children.”

Diocese of Jackson 2019 Special Collections

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Throughout the year the faithful are asked to contribute to their parishes through a weekly collection to help cover the cost of operations and support ministries. Sometimes, the parish will take up a second collection with a specific purpose. Many of these are national collections coordinated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). These national collections offer an opportunity to help our neighbors in the light of the Gospel. The national collections are a powerful expression of this community. Our contributions help people across the street and around the world, people who struggle to practice the faith, people who live in great need.
Some of these collections are strictly local and will be distributed within the diocese. For additional resources and information about each collection, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/catholic-life/second-collections/.

*February 2 & 3 – Catholic Service Appeal
March 9 & 10 – Black & Indian Mission
March 30 & 31 – Catholic Relief Service
April 18 – Rice Bowl
April 19 – Good Friday Holy Land
*April 20 & 21 – Education of Future Priests
May 4 &5 – Catholic Home Mission
June 1 & 2 – Catholic Communication
June 29 & 30 – Peter’s Pence
September 7 & 8 – Extension Society
October 19 & 20 – World Mission Sunday
*November 2 & 3 – Diocesan Missions
December 7 & 8 – Support of Retired Religious

* local collection

Grief expert offers comfort, practical tips

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By Charlene Bearden
JACKSON – Through a partnership between Catholic Charities’ Parish Health Ministry and the Catholic Diocese of Jackson’s Office of Family Ministry, Bob Willis, artist, author, sculptor and grief specialist from Oklahoma presented a series of half-day workshops and discussions on grief, and how to adapt to loss. The program was a Diocesan event that was also supported by St. Dominic Hospital.
The workshops were presented November 28 – 30, 2018 at Hernando Holy Spirit Parish, Indianola Immaculate Conception Parish, Starkville St. Joseph Parish Gluckstadt St. Joseph Parish.

HERNANDO – Bob Willis, at right, scuplts a broken heart during a grief workshop at Holy Spirit Parish. (photo by Charlene Bearden)

Sister Pat Clemen, Coordinator of Parish Health Ministry at Catholic Charities, and Charlene Bearden, Coordinator of the Office of Family Ministry for the Diocese of Jackson, planned and organized the workshops for anyone experiencing loss of any kind, including the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job, pet, security, trust, dreams, hopes loss of good health or any grief they were experiencing. Also, three Continuing Education (CE) contact hours were earned by nurses and social workers who attended. In addition, organizers hoped the opportunity would inspire people to receive proper training to help start a grief support group.
Sister Clemen and Bearden agreed, Bob Willis “provided information and tools to help individuals to mourn, or to express the pain of loss” in a healthy manner. Participants offered very positive comments. Their names are withheld out of respect for their privacy.
“As a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s support group and at Baptist DeSoto Hospital, I can use the information/tools presented. Also, in my own grief, said one attendee at Holy Spirit who didn’t want to leave her name.
“I felt that everything he said was spoken only to me and my feelings. Thank you so much for presenting such a heartwarming talk. May God bless you,” added an Immaculate Conception attendee.
Someone from Starkville offered this reflection: “Powerful and amazing presentation. I’m blessed to be here!”
“A really wonderful presentation—not only because of really helpful information and tools, but because of the love it was with,” stated one of the people who came to Gluckstadt.
As he sculpts a broken heart in clay, Bob shares information on grief, loss, and caregiving. He relates the grief process to faith and invites people to reconnect with the suffering Jesus.

(Charlene Bearden is the Coordinatorfor the Office of Family Ministry)

Scholarships benefit Catholic college students

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Every year the Diocese of Jackson awards a pair of scholarships to students studying at Catholic colleges and universities. This year Patti Greene, youth minister at Gluckstadt St. Joseph Parish, will receive the Stella Schmidt Scholarship while Nicole Becker, member of Tupelo St. James Parish, will receive the Bishop Brunini Memorial Scholarship.
“What a blessing it is to be able to provide scholarship assistance to students studying at Catholic colleges and universities,” said Fran Lavelle, director of faith formation for the Diocese of Jackson. “The Bishop Brunini Memorial Scholarship goes to an undergraduate student at any Catholic college or university. Any undergraduate can apply as there are no restrictions to field of study,” Lavelle continued.
Becker is studying mathematics at St. Mary’s and engineering at Notre Dame. “It was so apparent from her essays that she is dedicated to her Catholic faith. The love she expressed for serving God and his holy people was palatable,” said Lavelle. While Becker is a sophomore at St. Mary, this is her first year at Notre Dame. She is hardly intimidated by going to two schools at once or by the rigor of her studies. The best part of school for her – the growth of her faith life.
“I went to a non-denominational Christian high school. I loved Bible study and being able to talk about faith, but I wanted to learn more about my Catholic faith,” said Becker. Each dorm at Notre Dame offers a different Mass for students. The Masses sometimes have themes or traditions such as waffles or milkshakes after Mass. “I love the milkshake Mass at 10 p.m. on Thursday nights. There are about 80 people in a chapel built for 50. People are sitting on the floor and the music is great and the priest is so welcoming and great,” she explained. The dorm offers milkshakes after the Mass, but the main attractions, according to Becker are the community atmosphere and the dynamic priest. Becker hopes to attend Mass in every dorm before she graduates.
“All my hard work is paying off for me both academically and in my faith. To be honored or recognized as a woman of faith (through the scholarship) means a lot to me,” said Becker. She does not yet know what she wants to do when she graduates, but knows she wants to serve others with her life.
The Stella Schmidt Memorial Scholarship is for graduate students enrolled at Spring Hill College studying to earn a masters degree in Theological or Pastoral Studies. “Patti Greene exemplifies the role of life-long learner. She has a thirst and drive to keep growing as a youth minister to better serve her students. She sets a high standard for the quality of ministry she provides,” said Lavelle.
Greene believes getting her certification as a catechist is important to her ministry so as she completed the diocesan courses and attended professional developments and retreats, she came to realize the value of continuing on to Spring Hill for the masters. “It was the obvious next step as far as my personal formation goes,” she said. The program has helped her grow both academically and in her faith life. “I am learning so many things I can pass along to the students in my parish,” said Greene. “I would not be able to do this without support from the diocese and the staff in the Office of Faith Formation,” she added.
Both scholarships come from trusts administered by the Catholic Foundation. Executive Director Rebecca Harris said this is a tangible way donors can see how their support builds up the church in Mississippi. “Each year the Catholic Foundation is pleased that a student in our diocese can receive a scholarship from the Brunini Catholic College Scholarship Trust to attend a Catholic college of their choice. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Schmidt Jr. also established the Stella Schmidt Memorial Trust for tuition assistance for advanced studies of religious education at Spring Hill. We are so pleased that the Foundation can be part of helping students with these scholarship programs,” said Harris.
The scholarships are available annually. Applications will be posted again next fall. For additional information about applying, contact Fran Lavelle at fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org. For information about starting or supporting a trust, contact Rebecca Harris at rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org.

Obituary for Sister Mary Ann Grausam, SLW

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Sister Mary Ann Grausam

CHICAGO – Sister of the Living Word Mary Ann Grausam died December 5 in Chicago.
Born in New Ulm, Minnesota in 1940, Sister Mary Ann made her final vows in 1967. She joined the Sisters of the Living Word in 1975. She taught in schools in Iowa and Michigan, and served as a pastoral minister in Michigan, Mississippi, and Illinois. She was the Novice Director for the SLW for 14 years.
In the Diocese of Jackson, she was a pastoral associate at Carthage St. Anne from 1992–1994, at Canton Sacred Heart from 1992–2001, and at Holy Child Jesus from 1992–2001. She was a Social Service Minster at Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Holly Springs from 2002–2003 and Director of RCIA at St. Joseph in Holly Springs from 2012–2013. She also was a homeless shelter volunteer from 2012–2013, and in prayer ministry in Holly Springs from 2013–2015.
Her funeral Mass was December 8 at St Martha in Morton Grove, Illinois.
Sister Mary Ann is survived by her sisters Patricia (Steve) Burdick and Nanette (Robert) Helgeson; her brothers Robert (Nancy) Grausam, Michael (Kathleen) Grausam, Tom (late Theresa) Grausam, John (Evie) Grausam and James (Sandra) Grausam and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Obituary for Sister Mary Joan Mike

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Sister Mary Joan

NEW ORLEANS – Sister Mary Joan (aka Sister Mary Jo) Mike, the long-time principal of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Elementary School, passed away on January 2, at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans after a second battle with cancer. Sister Mary Jo was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on November 30, 1951.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Agnes Mike.
Sister Mary Jo is survived by her sibling sister, Judi Berger; her nieces and nephews; and her dearest friends, Margy and Dale Van Lerberghe of Port Clinton, Ohio.
Sister Mary Jo came to the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, from her Presentation Parish in St. Paul in 1970. She made her First Profession of religious vows in 1972 and her Final Profession in 1975. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the former Mary Manse College in Toledo and her Master’s from the University of Detroit. She taught in schools in Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Louisiana and served as principal in Ohio and Mississippi. She served on the Sylvanian Franciscan Health Board for several years. She also held leadership positions in the Diocese of Biloxi where she was the beloved Principal of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) Elementary school for 27 years. Sister Mary Jo mentored several generations of children in Biloxi and beyond.
Attesting to her superior work in education, Sister Mary Jo received the highly acclaimed Principal of the Year Award given by the National Catholic Education Association in 2015 held at their annual convention in Orlando. That same year, Sister Mary Jo served as a liaison to the Holy See in a symposium held for Catholic Education throughout the world.
She was awarded for her 25 years of service at Nativity BVM Elementary School in 2017 with a plaque and a ticket to the Saints/Viking opening game (being an avid football fan). Not only did Sister Mary Jo excel in leadership in our Catholic Schools, she was a valuable community leader in Biloxi highly respected for her willing cooperation with the City. Sister Mary Jo came to the assistance of the City of Biloxi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when she opened her school to the City’s first responders, whose facilities were heavily damaged and turned it into a “M.A.S.H. unit.” By her cooperation, the City’s firemen and policemen operated out of the school in the immediate days following the catastrophe. Despite the chaos, and amidst damaged buildings, Sister Mary Jo managed the school’s reopening for regular classes within only a few weeks after the storm.
Sister Mary Jo was an outstanding school principal. She helped develop Nativity BVM Elementary school as a premier Catholic elementary school excelling in academics, child health, sports, robotics, and faith. She was instrumental in developing the only Special Education component within the Catholic School System in the Diocese of Biloxi. Over the years, she built up a highly qualified and stable staff of teachers which the school enjoys even to this day.
To know Sister Mary Jo was to know someone who loved her vocation as a religious Sister and educator. She loved her God, her religious community, her students, co-workers and the many families she served. Her sense of humor, her ready smile, her bravery under duress (cancer and hurricanes) are just some of the characteristics of Sister Mary Jo Mike that will be dearly missed by the Sisters in her community, her sister, her family as well as the beloved people of Nativity BVM Mary Parish in Biloxi.
A visitation for Sister Mary Jo was held at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Thursday evening, January 3. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Friday, January 4. Sr. Mary Jo will be sent to Sylvania, Ohio for interment in Porta Coeli Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Sister Mary Jo requested that donations be made to The Nativity School Foundation. The proceeds from this perpetual foundation go directly to tuition reduction of the parents of school children. Donations should be mailed to Nativity School Foundation, P.O. Box 453, Biloxi, MS 39533-0453.

Nine Days for Life novena available

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WASHINGTON – On January 14, thousands of Catholics across the country will join in prayer for “9 Days for Life.” The prayer campaign, sponsored by the Committee on Pro Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, leads up to the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. The novena and day of prayer are a time of recollection and reparation in observation of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade — the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the United States.


The overarching intention of the novena is that all human life will be respected. Each day of the “9 Days for Life” novena highlights a related topic and provides a reflection, educational information, and suggested daily actions. For example, on the first day, the participant is asked to pray “May a culture of life grow ever stronger in our communities.” He or she will then read a reflection taken from Evangelium Vitae and decide which act of reparation to make for that day: abstain from caffeine, unplug from electronics for a time, or offer a sacrifice they feel called to make. Participants can subscribe to receive the daily prayers at www.9daysforlife.com.
Since 2013 more than 100,000 Catholics have joined together to pray this annual novena for the respect of human life sponsored by the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
9daysforlife.com is the dedicated website for joining the novena and for accessing resources. Participants can receive the novena by downloading the free 9 Days for Life app, or by subscribing to daily emails or text messages. A printable version is also available online. Those who join the campaign are invited to pray a multi-faceted novena that includes a new intention, brief reflection, related information, and suggested actions for each day. Participants can also share information about the campaign on social media platforms as they go.

Diocesan Catholic Day at Capitol seeks restorative justice

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By Sue Allen
STARKVILLE – On Wednesday, February 27, Catholic Charities Office of Parish Social Ministry will again host a Catholic Day at the Capitol in Jackson. This day is an opportunity for Catholics to interact with their legislators as well as learn about key topics of interest from the perspective of Catholic Social Teaching. The topic this year is reform aimed at restorative justice – especially in the criminal justice system. The diocesan Faith in Action Team (FIAT) works for months to organize this event annually.
Laws in the United States and here in Mississippi follow the traditional legal system inherited in part from English common law, which is adversarial and retributive in nature. That is, when a lawsuit is filed or a crime is thought to have been committed, a victim, through his lawyer, brings charges of wrongdoing against an offender, who, usually with the help of his lawyer, makes a defense. The two sides present their cases before a neutral judge and/or jury which makes a determination as to guilt. If found guilty, the offender is sentenced to an appropriate punishment. In Retributive Justice, punishment, retribution or retaliation is considered morally justifiable if the punishment is proportional to the offense. Even in this system, factors such as criminal intent, and competence are supposed to be taken into consideration. The mentally ill, intellectually disabled and children are not to be subject to punishment, although compensation of victims is still sought. Under a retributive system, individuals found to be guilty are required to be punished, to “pay their debt to society,” usually by “doing time” in facilities in which inhumane conditions exacerbate the problem, at great expense to society and which are ineffective as a deterrent to crime.
Restorative justice follows the model presented in the gospel and is more focused on restoring the community, and individual relationships to where they were before a crime was committed. In a restorative justice system, the truth about what happened and who is responsible is still sought. But the search for truth does not end there. Restoration of the health, wellbeing and/or material possessions of the victim – a relief of the victim’s spiritual and emotional suffering is sought, but not in a way which diminishes the dignity of the offender, who is helped to return to a condition of wholeness, holiness and reconciled participation in the community when that is possible. Christians are commanded to deal with injury, real or perceived, in ways that are loving, and non-judgmental, that is with forgiveness and mercy. And so real opportunities to ask for forgiveness and to be forgiven are provided when possible. This is truly a way to see and implement justice according to Gospel principles. It is also an approach to justice which happens to result in a number of other positive outcomes such as a reduction is recidivism, a reduction in the the overwhelming cost of running overcrowded prisons, finding and addressing the root causes of crime, and the of strengthening of families and communities as a whole.
Catholic Day at the Capitol will cover several aspects of this topic: prison reform, re-entry, ending the the death penalty and how to practice restorative justice in families, parishes and communities. Speakers include John Koufos, national director of reentry initiatives for Right on Crime and Haley M. Brown, Oktibbeha County prosecutor and law professor at Mississippi State University. The day starts at 9 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and wraps up with networking at 3 p.m. It will include Mass and lunch as well as a visit to the capitol building. Registration will be available soon on the Catholic Charities of Jackson website. Look for more detail on the topic of restorative justice in upcoming editions of Mississippi Catholic.

(Sue Allen is the coordinator for the Office of Parish Social Ministries for Catholic Charities of Jackson.)