By Father Clement “Clem” Olukunle Oyafemi JACKSON – On Pentecost we celebrate the birthday of the Catholic Church. In other words, we celebrate the inauguration of the Universal Church. When Jesus rose from the dead, the first gift he gave to the church was the Holy Spirit. He says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (Jn 20:22-23). Before his ascension, Jesus makes a promise to his disciples. He says to them, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Padre Clement Olukunle Oyafemi
On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and as the Bible attests, “They were devout men (and women) even in Jerusalem from every nation on the earth … and each one was bewildered to hear these men (the apostles) speaking his own language.” (Acts 2:6) They questioned: How does it happen that each of us hears them (the apostles) in his own native language? (Acts.2:8) What is the implication of this message? How does it affect us today? What happened on Pentecost was a miracle. The miracle was that God spoke to people of different nationalities in their own native tongues through the Apostles who were uneducated men. It was a reverse of the division that was experienced at the Tower of Babel (cf Gn 11:1-9). Praise God!. The human race is once again united after many centuries of division and confusion. Through the Holy Spirit the divided world, marked by misunderstanding, conflicts and confusion, is now united. Today there is a serious attempt by some schools of thought to teach the whole world the same verbal language to unite them. That, however, seems to be an expensive joke. What we need today is “inculturation.” That is to allow the gospel message to be born in every culture. Today we are challenged to break down the barriers of division and sectarianism. We are challenged to bring the Gospel to every race and culture and help them understand the marvels of God in their own native languages. We are challenged to help people connect with God in their own concrete historical conditions. We do not need to learn any foreign language to communicate with God, our loving Father. If the church is defined as “the people of God,” then, the language of the church must be the language of God’s people in every part of the world. What we really need in today’s church is the language of love. It is non-verbal and does not require an interpreter. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be able to speak the nonverbal language of love, which cannot be taught by any human technique. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will be able to understand each other in family, in the church, and in society. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the church will have the courage to carry out the universal Mission entrusted to her by Jesus. She will be comforted, directed, and strengthened especially at difficult times. At confirmation, each one of us received the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is meant give us the courage to always witness the Faith, even in the face of death. May the Holy Spirit, which came on Pentecost day, come upon each, and every one of us and renew the face of the entire earth.
(Excerpt from the book Theological Reflections for Sundays and Solemnities of Liturgical Year B, 2011 by Father Clem-alias Clemente de Dios, Coordinator of the Intercultural Ministry of the Diocese since 2020. Father Clem has two master’s degrees, one in theology and the other in religious education, and a BA in Philosophy. Sharing with Sister Thea Bowman a passion for the Lord and music, Father Clem founded the Rejoice Ministry of African Worship Songs –AFRAWOS– in 2002.)
NEW ORLEANS Our Lady of the Cenacle Retreat Center, Women’s Retreat, “Finding Peace in Uncertainty” on July 9-11. Know that by depending on God in trying times, you are putting your faith into action. When we get caught up in the trauma of our trials, God calls us to depend on His power to persevere. We wait in faith, prayer and grace. Presenter: Father Paul Hart, who is director of retreats at St. Joseph Abbey and director of the preaching ministry office of the Mid-America Province of the Capuchin Order. He conducts retreats, parish development programs, and religious education workshops. He also serves as chaplain at Brother Martin High School. The retreat center’s capacity is limited due to COVID-19 and they are currently accepting registration on a first come first serve basis. A non-refundable deposit is required. Details: to register, contact the retreat office at (504) 267-9604 or www.neworleansretreats.org/retreats.
PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are needed on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Please come to 711 Washington Avenue if you can help. Details: church office (662) 335-5251. JACKSON – Catholic Charities, Bishop’s Ball, Friday, June 18, 6:30 p.m. cocktails; 7:30 p.m. dinner at the Country Club of Jackson. Live auction and live entertainment. Dress is cocktail attire. Cost: $85 per person or reserve table at $1,000 for eight people. Online auction and raffles begin on June 10 at www.bidpal.net/bb21. Details: Charities office at (601) 331-1152 or purchase tickets at www.bidpal.net/bb21. OLIVE BRANCH Queen of Peace, Blood Drive will be Sunday, June 20 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Father John Young Center. Walk-ins are welcome. Details: church office (662) 895-5007. JACKSON St. Richard, Fourth of July Family Picnic is back! Sunday, July 4 after 5 p.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 366-2335.
YOUTH BRIEFS
CLARKSDALE St. Catholic Community of St. Elizabeth and Immaculate Conception, Cornhole Tournament, Wednesday, June 2 at 5 p.m. in front of McKenna Hall. All youth entering 7-12 grades are welcome to attend and invite their friends. Wingstop will be served. Details: church office (662) 624-4301. GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School, June 21-24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the parish hall. Details: Contact Mary Ann Barker (662) 335-5251 for more information or to sign up to help. MADISON St. Joseph School, Annual Bruin Burn Color Run 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run, Saturday, July 24. All proceeds support the St. Joe Athletic Program for the benefit of all St. Joe Athletes. Details: Beth Vanderloo at (601) 906-9501 or bethbailey68@yahoo.com. MERIDIAN Catholic Community of Meridian, Youth Gathering, Sunday, June 13 at 4 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Youth sixth grade through seniors are welcomed. Details: for more information, please contact Angela Dove at the Parish Office (601) 436-6025 or by email Angela@catholicmeridian.org. Summer Parish Battle: How well do you know your Catholic Faith? Parish versus parish for a battle of the wits, Saturday, June 19 beginning with lunch/registration at 11 a.m. and ending with 5 p.m. Mass. All parish youth groups are invited to form teams to compete in trivia competitions and physical challenges and end the day with reconciliation, rosary and Mass. Teams can consist of youth (grades 6-12) and adults. Team with the most points at the end of the day wins trophy and bragging rights for a year! Registration is due by June 4 and there is no cost. Details: Angela Dove at angela@catholicmeridian.org or (601) 693-1321 or (601) 436-6025. NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Regnum Dei – Finding God in All Things, June 14-18 (Week 1) and June 21-25 (Week 2). All parish youth groups (grades 9-12) are invited to their summer camp program. You can choose to attend one day, a few days or a whole week and join the youth for their summer service camp and lot of fun. Cost is $50 for the week or less depending on the number of days you plan to attend plus the hotel costs. There will be hotel blocks for any groups wishing to stay overnight. Registration is due by June 4. Details: Carrie Lambert at the church office (601) 445-5616 or stmaryyouth@cableone.net. PEARL St. Jude, Join Vacation Bible School – family style (for youth in kindergarten to sixth grade), Wednesday evenings June 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your picnic blankets or lawn chairs. The theme is Summer Games, centering on the life of Daniel. VBS will be celebrating a different Olympic continent (and saint from that continent) each week as students learn to train, compete and reach the goal through the story of Daniel. Registration is required. Families must register for each day and it will end 24 hours before the event. Details: Register at https://signup.com/group/444217444062 or call Stacy Wolf at 601-939-3181. VICKSBURG (All parishes) Vacation Bible School “Camping in God’s Creation,” July 19-23 from 9-11:30 a.m. for kindergarten through sixth grades in the Vicksburg Catholic School gym and cafeteria. Details: Contact Lindsey Bradley at lindsey.bradley@vicksburgcatholic.org for more information. Newman Connect App Please encourage your Class of 2021 grads to sign-up with the Newman Connection through the new Newman Connect App. This is completely free and it helps connect our young people to the Catholic Campus Ministry programs at the colleges and universities they plan to attend in the fall. Details: https://www.newmanministry.com for more information.
By Joanna Puddister King JACKSON – To celebrate five decades, doctors, staff and program partners gathered to celebrate St. Dominic Behavioral Health on their campus on Friday, May 14. The present facility located on St. Dominic’s north campus was built in 2013 and currently has three patient care units with a total of 77 bed adults, senior and in-patient and outpatient programs, including outreach efforts for the community.
JACKSON – Artist, Kerry Jackson works on a piece of art in honor of St. Dominic Behavioral Health’s 50th anniversary. The piece will hang in the center’s lobby. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King)
At the event, Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth, current foundation associate executive director, shared remarks about the past, explaining that the program had its beginnings in 1971 with a psychiatric unit on the sixth floor of the main hospital on the south campus. In 1992, the psychiatric unit was moved to the north campus when St. Dominic acquired the land. Also on hand at the event, was Dr. Kathy Crocket, executive director of Hinds Behavioral Health Services, who talked about the organizations shared history with St. Dominic Behavioral Health. Hinds Behavioral began in 1971 as the Jackson Mental Health Center and was attached to St. Dominic’s until 2004 when the name changed to Hinds Behavioral explained, Crocket. “I am proud to say that we continue to have a great partnership with St. Dominic’s Hospital,” said Crocket. “We look forward to continuing that partnership for many years to come.” Mental health hits home for Dr. Jared Taylor, a staff psychiatrist at the center. He explained that millions of people have been helped through mental health services. “When I think about 50 years of Behavioral Health Services, I think about the millions of people who have been positively impacted by mental health. And when I say millions of people, I am not only talking about patients, but I am also talking about family members and friends.” Taylor grew up in Jackson with a father, who suffered from schizophrenia. “Unfortunately, he did not get the help that he needed and so part of my goal as a psychiatrist is to help as many people as possible, so the same type of instance doesn’t occur again,” said Taylor. He also talked about the increased rates of depression and anxiety that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on across the world; and that mental health is needed now more than ever. Senior director, Bonnie Moore talked about some of the “wins” in her tenure at Behavioral Health, that included working with the FBI to help a lost and confused woman find her family. “We have a great team that is always thinking outside the box,” said Moore. “Not everyday brings us uplifting experiences but here at St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health, everyday does offer a chance to show kindness to someone,” said Moore. The celebration also included a commissioned live artistry by Kerry Jackson. While panelists spoke, Jackson completed a painting that will hang in the Behavioral Health lobby. Jackson travels the world communicating the Gospel using visual arts and traveled to his hometown of Jackson from Marietta, Georgia to be a part of the celebration. Beginning with name tags with mental health disorders and symptoms, Jackson began painting various colorful shapes. It took a while, but the picture began to come together, and the crowd realized Jesus was there for comfort and support. In his blessing for the celebration, Bishop Joseph Kopacz gave thanks to God. “Loving God, we give thanks for this joyful celebration of the 50th anniversary of the St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Center, that has been a haven of safety, healing and hope for many who have passed through these doors. We thank you for generations of dedicated staff, who have accompanied those in the need of the services of mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing.” (St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Services strives to provide quality and compassionate treatment to individuals and their families suffering from mental illness. Their goal is to help each individual and their family achieve the best possible outcome. Assessment and referral specialists are available 24 hours/7 days a week at 1-800-632-5907.)
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – An elderly man stood alone in St. Peter’s Square May 13, using his wooden rosary beads to pray by a simple plaque marking the place where St. John Paul II was shot exactly 40 years earlier. The man soon was joined by members of “Polska w Sercu” (Polish at Heart), a group of Polish Catholics who have lived for years in Rome but have not forgotten their homeland or their beloved pope. Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who served for more than three decades as personal secretary to the late pope, arrived to process with the group to the plaque where someone already had placed two red roses. They added a bouquet of gerbera daisies – red and white – the colors of the Polish flag. Cardinal Dziwisz had begun marking the anniversary of the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt by concelebrating Mass with Cardinal Konrad Krajewski and dozens of Polish priests at the tomb of St. John Paul in St. Peter’s Basilica. Remembering how Mehmet Ali Agca shot and “almost mortally wounded” St. John Paul, “I still can feel his body slip as if paralyzed and fall into my arms,” Cardinal Dziwisz said in his homily. “I see his blood dripping onto his white pontifical cassock, staining my hands and clothes. I also hear a continual, fainter and fainter, repetition of the invocation, ‘O Mary, O my Mother!'”
Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former secretary of St. John Paul II, looks at the spot of the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt against the Polish pope, after placing flowers in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican May 13, 2021. Cardinal Dziwisz and a small group of Catholics gathered in the square to mark the 40th anniversary of the shooting. In 1981 then-Msgr. Dziwisz cradled the pope after the shooting. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
“How difficult it is to forget the bang of the would-be assassin’s gunshots, which in a single moment could have put an end to this extraordinary pontificate,” the cardinal said, thanking the medical personnel who saved his life and the people all over the world who prayed for his recovery. “Today, 40 years after that event, and 16 years” after his death, “I think with fear of what it would have been like if we had lost him in St. Peter’s Square back then,” he said. “How poor and different the world and our homeland, Poland, would have been without his witness of faith and doctrine, without his indications and his warnings in the face of the dangers and turmoil that can threaten us in today’s world.” Noting the day’s feast of Our Lady of Fatima and St. John Paul’s conviction that she saved his life, Cardinal Dziwisz also turned to Our Lady of Fatima with “a trusting prayer for the world fighting against the coronavirus pandemic,” for a greater commitment to keeping the Ten Commandments and following the beatitudes “and, finally, for fidelity to the teachings and mission left to us by St. John Paul II the Great.”
NATION WASHINGTON (CNS) – South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has signed into law a bill requiring death-row inmates to choose between the electric chair or the firing squad for their executions if lethal injection drugs are not available. The measure, signed by the Republican governor May 14, was touted as a move to restart capital punishment in the state after a 10-year pause due to a lack of lethal injection drugs. Days before it was signed into law, a Catholic death penalty opponent called the measure a “setback for South Carolina” and a move that “stands in stark contrast to powerful efforts elsewhere to abolish the death penalty.” “The decade without executions in South Carolina should be seen as a mark of progress toward a culture of life, not a reason to backslide into immoral and gruesome means of killing,” said Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network. The electric chair and firing squad “should have no place on the state’s list of means to address harm or bring about so-called justice. … There is no reason why the state should be executing people at all,” she told Catholic News Service in a May 10 email.
VATICAN VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Nations of the world must work together to solve the key global crises of migration and climate change, which are questions of justice that can no longer be ignored, Pope Francis told diplomats. “In the development of a global consensus capable of responding to these ethical challenges facing our human family, your work as diplomats is of paramount importance,” he said. The pope’s comments came May 21 in a speech to new ambassadors to the Vatican from Singapore, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Algeria, Sri Lanka, Barbados, Sweden, Finland and Nepal. Speaking to the group of diplomats, the pope recognized the difficulties involved in traveling during the ongoing pandemic and thanked them for being able to attend the meeting in person. The COVID-19 pandemic has made people more aware of how interdependent everyone is and of “our need to be attentive to the poor and the vulnerable in our midst,” the pope said. VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The annual diocesan celebration of World Youth Day is an important event that emphasizes the role young people play in the Catholic Church, the Vatican said. In a document published by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life May 18, the Vatican issued a set of pastoral guidelines for local WYD celebrations “to ensure that younger generations feel that they are at the center of the church’s attention and pastoral concern. The celebration of these youth days at a local level is therefore extremely useful in keeping the church mindful of the importance of walking with young people and of welcoming them and listening to them with patience while proclaiming the word of God to them with affection and power,” it stated. The document was signed by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, dicastery prefect, and Schonstatt Father Alexandre Awi Mello, dicastery secretary. Divided into six chapters, it said local celebrations offer young people “a personal experience of a ‘festival of faith,'” which is especially important for those who cannot attend the international event “because of studies, work or financial difficulties.” World Youth Day is celebrated annually on a local level and every two or three years with an international gathering with the pope. In November, Pope Francis moved the local celebrations of World Youth Day from Palm Sunday to the feast of Christ the King.
WORLD MUMBAI, India (CNS) – The High Court in Mumbai order prison authorities to take an ailing 84-year-old Jesuit to the hospital, as it heard his appeal to receive bail on medical grounds, Indian media reported. The High Court said Jesuit Father Stan Swamy must be taken to JJ hospital at noon May 20. Media reports said the court ordered the hospital to have him examined by a neurologist, orthopedic physician, general practitioner and ear, nose and throat specialist. The court ordered the hospital to report back to the judges May 21. Father Swamy suffers from Parkinson’s disease, hearing loss and lumbar spondylosis. Jesuits and family members believe he might also have COVID-19. “Father Swamy had a severe cold, fever, body pain and diarrhea and could not even attend a call from his legal team. This indicates that he was suffering from COVID-19,” his elder brother, Irudaya Swamy, 90, told a virtual news conference May 15. “We are not sure if he is getting proper medical attention. His health condition is getting worse.” The priest has been in Mumbai’s Taloja Central Jail since Oct. 9, a day after he was arrested in Ranchi, capital of Jharkhand state in eastern India. The activist, who works for the rights of tribal people in Jharkhand, was accused of conspiring with the outlawed Maoist rebels to overthrow the federal government and organize violence. FRANKFURT, Germany (CNS) – Germany’s Third Ecumenical Convention concluded in Frankfurt May 16 with an open-air church service on the bank of the River Main. With the city’s skyline of office towers providing the backdrop, some 400 people attended the service, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. But Bishop Gerhard Feige of Magdeburg, head of the Catholic bishops’ commission on ecumenical relations, told the website katholisch.de that he could not see that the convention gave a particular boost to ecumenism. In terms of language and visually, the meeting “largely took place in an internal church bubble” and was thus unlikely to have reached nonbelievers or people who were distanced from the churches, the German Catholic news agency KNA said May 17, reporting on his remarks. “Nevertheless, I am impressed that the meeting could take place at all at this difficult time and apparently did reach a large number of people.” The convention, or kirchentag, wrapped up three days of events in which approximately 160,000 people, mostly via video conferencing, participated in discussions, Bible readings, worship services and other events exploring theological and social issues. Protestants and Catholics called for the church to work for justice in society and the church. Bishop Feige was critical of the “ecumenically sensitive services” that took place during the convention. He said the issue of shared Communion was “extremely complex and emotionally charged.” This made it all the more important to move forward carefully, he said. ROME (CNS) – The Spanish bishops’ conference expressed concern that migrants were being used to exert political pressure after a sudden influx of migrants in the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla increased tensions between Spain and Morocco. In a statement released May 18, Auxiliary Bishop José Cobo of Madrid, head of the conference’s migration department, and Dominican Father Xabier Gómez, the department’s director, warned of the exploitation of migrants following a diplomatic row between the two countries. “Appealing to the supreme value of life and human dignity, remember that the despair and impoverishment of many families and minors cannot and must not be used by any state to exploit the legitimate aspirations of these people for political purposes,” the statement read. Spanish authorities were caught off guard May 17 when an estimated 8,000 migrants – including more than 1,500 unaccompanied minors – entered Ceuta, a Spanish enclave bordering Morocco. An estimated 86 migrants entered Melilla, another Spanish territory located on the North African coast. According to BBC News, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deployed military forces to the territories to tighten the border controls and deport migrants back to Morocco.
A Moroccan boy cries as he swims using bottles as a float, near the fence between the Spanish-Moroccan border, after thousands of migrants swam across the border, in Ceuta, Spain, May 19, 2021. In a statement released May 18, the Spanish bishops’ conference expressed concern that migrants were being exploited after a sudden of influx of refugees into the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla increased tensions between Spain and Morocco. (CNS photo/Jon Nazca, Reuters)
Por Joanna Puddister King JACKSON – Desde temprana edad, Andrew Bowden tuvo un corazón para el servicio. El 15 de mayo, continuó ese llamado cuando fue ordenado diácono de transición en su parroquia de St. Jude en Pearl. Servirá como diácono hasta la ordenación al sacerdocio el próximo año. “La primera vez que lo recuerdo diciendo algo sobre querer ser sacerdote, estaba en edad de jardín de infantes”, dijo su madre, Rhonda Bowden, quien coordina la liturgia y la atención pastoral en St. Jude. El diácono Bowden recordó haber asistido a una misa alrededor de esa edad, celebrada por el obispo William Houck, que despertó su interés por la vida religiosa. “Tenía una voz increíblemente poderosa y me impresionó. Tan impresionado que la próxima vez que vi a mi pastor, el padre [Martin] Ruane, le anuncié que quería ser obispo, ”se rió el diácono Bowden.
PEARL – St Jude. Durante la ordenación de su hijo al Diaconado (i-d) Rhonda Bowden, quien coordina la liturgia y la atención pastoral en St. Jude, recibe la comunión de manos de su hijo Andrew, en mayo 15. (Foto de Tereza Ma)
El padre Ruane, fallecido en 2015, fue una gran influencia para el joven Bowden. Su sentido del humor, su naturaleza humilde y su alegría eran atributos que Bowden quería emular. “No recuerdo exactamente cómo respondió cuando el niño de cuatro años declaró que quería ser obispo, pero pudo reemplazar esa idea … con el deseo de convertirse en sacerdote”, dijo el diácono Bowden. Casi al mismo tiempo, Bowden también comenzó a hablar de querer ser monaguillo. Aunque la política del padre Ruane era que los servidores alternos debían estar en cuarto grado, amablemente hizo una sesión de capacitación abreviada solo para Bowden en tercer grado, poco antes de dejar St. Jude para una nueva asignación. Bowden también participó activamente en el grupo de jóvenes de St. Jude y disfrutó compartiendo su fe y enseñando a los monaguillos más jóvenes. Su madre, Rhonda, no podía recordar ninguna otra vocación o trayectoria profesional que Bowden mencionara, aparte de los cuatro años diciendo que quería ser un sacerdote arquitecto que construyera iglesias y trabajara en la iglesia, imaginando como solo un niño puede hacerlo, para construir también túneles subterráneos a su casa para que pudiera almorzar con ella todos los días. Al final de la escuela secundaria, el diácono Bowden sintió fuertemente que estaba siendo llamado al sacerdocio. Sus padres apoyaron enormemente su deseo y después de graduarse de Brandon High School en la primavera de 2014, completó su solicitud para el seminario justo cuando el obispo Joseph Kopacz llegó a la diócesis.
PEARL – Durante ordenación al Diaconado, Andrew Bowden, se postra en el piso, en gesto de rendir su vida a Dios. (Foto de Tereza Ma)
“Recomendamos encarecidamente a Andrew que tuviera un ‘plan de respaldo’ en caso de que el nuevo obispo no estuviera ansioso por enviar a un joven de 18 años a seminario universitario. Pero, se mantuvo firme en que la voluntad de Dios prevalecería y que Dios le abriría un camino. Y Dios lo hizo”, dijo la madre de Bowden. Bowden pasó cuatro años en St. Joseph Seminary College en Covington, Louisiana y se trasladó al Seminario de Notre Dame, donde acaba de completar su tercer año antes de ser ordenado diácono de transición el 15 de mayo. “Durante la pasantía del diaconado tratamos de ubicar a nuestros hombres en parroquias que les darán una amplia gama de experiencias”, dijo el padre Nick Adam, director de vocaciones, quien conoció a Bowden en la escuela secundaria, mientras estaba en el seminario. “Esta será la primera vez que un seminarista bautiza a un bebé, presencia una boda o preside un funeral, y queremos asegurarnos de que tengan muchas oportunidades para sumergirse en la vida parroquial y caminar con las familias de esta manera”. A los que están en el diaconado de transición también se les intenta colocar en una parroquia con una escuela para que puedan ser parte del día a día de los niños y tener defectos. Un gran lugar para eso es la Basílica de Santa María y la Escuela Catedral en Natchez, y Bowden espera con ansias su servicio a la comunidad. “Durante el seminario, extrañé mucho la expresión local de la iglesia que es la Diócesis de Jackson. Tengo muchas ganas de pasar los próximos meses en Natchez con el padre [Scott] Thomas y el padre [Mark] Shoffner. … Será muy bueno conocer a la gente allí y aprender cómo puedo servirles mejor”, dijo el Diácono Bowden. La madre de Bowden lloró “lágrimas de felicidad” durante la ordenación diaconal, “Ver a mi hijo tan feliz y saber que estaba respondiendo al llamado de Dios, hizo que mi corazón cantara de alegría,” dijo Rhonda. “El servicio del altar se convirtió en una parte importante de mi pre-discernimiento”, explicó el diácono Bowden. “A través del servicio en el altar en St. Jude mientras crecía, comencé a amar a Dios, la iglesia y el sacerdocio de una manera mucho más profunda.”
Por Padre Clement Olukunle Oyafemi JACKSON – En Pentecostés celebramos el cumpleaños de la Iglesia Católica. En otras palabras, celebramos la inauguración de la Iglesia Universal. Cuando Jesús resucitó de entre los muertos, el primer regalo que le dio a la iglesia fue el Espíritu Santo. Les dice: “Reciban el Espíritu Santo. A quienes ustedes perdonen los pecados, les quedarán perdonados,” Jn 20: 22-23. Antes de su ascensión, Jesús hace una promesa a sus discípulos. Él les dice: “pero cuando el Espíritu Santo venga sobre ustedes, recibirán poder y saldrán a dar testimonio de mí, en Jerusalén, en toda la región de Judea y de Samaria, y hasta en las partes más lejanas de la tierra.” Hch 1: 8 El día de Pentecostés, el Espíritu Santo descendió sobre los apóstoles y, como lo atestigua la Biblia, “Eran hombres (y mujeres) devotos incluso en Jerusalén de todas las naciones de la tierra … y cada uno estaba desconcertado al escuchar a estos hombres (los apóstoles) hablar su lenguaje propio.” Hch 2: 6 Ellos preguntaron: ¿Cómo es que los oímos hablar en nuestras propias lenguas? Hch 2: 8. ¿Cuál es la implicación de este mensaje? ¿Cómo nos afecta hoy? Lo que sucedió el día de Pentecostés fue un milagro. El milagro fue que Dios habló a personas de diferentes nacionalidades en sus propias lenguas nativas a través de los Apóstoles que eran hombres sin educación. Fue al revés de la división que se vivió en la Torre de Babel en Génesis 11: 1-9 ¡Alabado sea el Señor! La raza humana está nuevamente unida después de muchos siglos de división y confusión. A través del Espíritu Santo, el mundo dividido, marcado por malentendidos, conflictos y confusión, ahora está unido. Hoy en día hay un serio intento por parte de algunas escuelas de pensamiento de enseñar al mundo entero el mismo lenguaje verbal para unirlos. Sin embargo, eso parece ser una broma costosa. Lo que necesitamos hoy es “inculturación”. Eso es para permitir que el mensaje del evangelio nazca en todas las culturas. Hoy tenemos el desafío de derribar las barreras de la división y el sectarismo. Tenemos el desafío de llevar el Evangelio a todas las razas y culturas y ayudarlos a comprender las maravillas de Dios en sus propios idiomas nativos. Tenemos el desafío de ayudar a las personas a conectarse con Dios en sus propias condiciones históricas concretas. No necesitamos aprender ningún idioma extranjero para comunicarnos con Dios, nuestro Padre amoroso. Si la Iglesia se define como “el pueblo de Dios”, entonces, el lenguaje de la Iglesia debe ser el lenguaje del pueblo de Dios en todas partes del mundo.
Padre Clement Olukunle Oyafemi
Lo que realmente necesitamos en la Iglesia de hoy es el lenguaje del amor. No es verbal y no requiere intérprete. Cuando estemos llenos del Espíritu Santo, seremos capaces de hablar el lenguaje no verbal del amor, que no puede ser enseñado por ninguna técnica humana. Cuando estemos llenos del Espíritu Santo, podremos entendernos unos a otros en la familia, en la iglesia y en la sociedad. Llena del Espíritu Santo, la Iglesia tendrá el valor de realizar la Misión universal que Jesús le ha confiado. Ella será consolada, dirigida y fortalecida especialmente en momentos difíciles. En la confirmación, cada uno de nosotros recibió el don del Espíritu Santo. Eso significa que nos dé el valor para ser testigos de la Fe en todo momento, incluso frente a la muerte. Que el Espíritu Santo, que vino el día de Pentecostés, venga sobre todos y cada uno de nosotros y renueve la faz de toda la tierra.
(Fragmento del libro Reflexiones Teológicas para Domingos y Solemnidades de Año Litúrgico B, 2011 del padre Clem-alias Clemente de Dios, Coordinador del Ministerio Intercultural de la Diócesis desde 2020. Estas reflexiones llevan el mensaje pastoral del Padre Clem y pueden ser leidas atemporalmente. Padre Clem tiene dos maestrías -Teología y Educación Religiosa y licenciatura en Filosofía. Comparte con la hermana Thea la pasión por el Señor y la música, el P. Clem fundó el Rejoice Ministry of African Worship Songs –AFRAWOS – en 2002.)
Por Catholic News Service JERUSALÉN (CNS) – Los líderes cristianos en Tierra Santa expresaron su profunda preocupación por la creciente violencia israelí-palestina, ya que las dos partes se enfrentaron en Jerusalén e Israel lanzó ataques aéreos en Gaza, en respuesta a los ataques con cohetes. “Los violentos acontecimientos que asolan la Palestina ocupada, no son más que el resultado inevitable de la presión y la opresión practicadas por las potencias ocupantes de la tierra de Palestina durante más de siete décadas,” dijo un comunicado del 11 de mayo. del Consejo de Iglesias de Oriente Medio. Estos acontecimientos relacionados, ya sea en la mezquita de Al-Aqsa o en Sheikh Jarrah, violan la santidad del pueblo de Jerusalén y de Jerusalén como la Ciudad de la Paz”. Sheikh Jarrah es un barrio de Jerusalén donde decenas de palestinos están bajo amenaza de desalojo de los colonos judíos. La última ronda de confrontación comenzó a principios del 10 de mayo, cuando los israelíes se preparaban para celebrar el Día de Jerusalén, conmemorando lo que Israel ve como la reunificación de Jerusalén de 1967 y los palestinos ven como el comienzo de la ocupación israelí. La policía dice que se vieron obligados a responder cuando los palestinos atacaron un puesto policial, arrojando piedras, fuegos artificiales y otros objetos a la policía desde el complejo de la Mezquita Al-Aqsa, un lugar sagrado musulmán. El sitio también es considerado sagrado por los judíos, quienes lo llaman el Monte del Templo en honor a los dos templos bíblicos judíos que se encontraban allí. Más tarde ese mismo día, militantes palestinos en Gaza lanzaron cientos de cohetes contra Israel, matando a dos personas e hiriendo al menos a 10. En respuesta, Israel lanzó ataques aéreos contra Gaza, envió tropas a la frontera y convocó a reservistas militares. El Ministerio de Salud de Gaza dijo el 11 de mayo que al menos 26 palestinos, entre ellos una mujer y nueve niños, habían muerto en los ataques. El Consejo de Iglesias de Oriente Medio al instar a los líderes internacionales a hacer cumplir los derechos de las personas, el consejo dijo: “La violencia solo genera violencia y el odio solo conduce a más odio, la discriminación racial solo hace la revolución, y el extremismo solo genera extremismo, y la privación solo engendra levantamiento, y la única manera de salir de esto.”
An Israeli medic treats a man who was wounded after a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip landed near homes in Moshav Zohar, Israel, May 13, 2021. (CNS photo/Amir Cohen, Reuters)
El Status Quo es un acuerdo del siglo XIX que regula la jurisdicción y el acceso a sitios cristianos clave en Jerusalén para las comunidades católica, ortodoxa y otras comunidades cristianas. La declaración del Patriarcado Latino, que es similar a una arquidiócesis, dijo: “Esta es una ciudad sagrada para las tres religiones monoteístas ytambién una ciudad donde el pueblo palestino, cristianos y musulmanes tienen el mismo derecho a construir un futuro basado en la libertad, la igualdad y la paz,” decía.
Por Joanna Puddister King JACKSON – Cuando el obispo John Joseph Chanche llegó a la recién formada Diócesis de Natchez en mayo de 1841, no había iglesias católicas, solo un par de sacerdotes misioneros, y su rebaño estaba muy lejos. Aceptó el desafío y sentó las bases de la Diócesis de Jackson. La diócesis honra su legado y agradece a quienes continúan construyendo sobre su base con el premio Obispo Chanche por su servicio. Este año, el obispo Joseph Kopacz y la Oficina del Ministerio de la Juventud otorgaron el premio Obispo Chanche a 11 jóvenes: Carolina Acosta – St. James, Tupelo; Anna Elise Crout – St. Joseph, Gluckstadt; Emma Rose Dickerson – St. Alphonsus, McComb; Maria Garcia – St. Therese, Kosciusko; Kirstie Graves – St. Joseph, Meridian; Anna Marie Lamanilao – St. Michael, Vicksburg; Nate Leary – St. John the Evangelist, Oxford; Alida Pérez – St. Joseph, Starkville; Katheryn Prater – St. Francis, Madison; Christopher Tonos – St. Joseph, Greenville y Chase Walter – St. Jude, Pearl Debido a COVID, los premios se entregaron individualmente en las parroquias. Tres de los receptores son jóvenes Hispanos. A continuación está una breve descripcion de ellos, provenientes de los formularios de nominación del Premio Obispo Chanche, ofrececiendo un vistazo de los jóvenes que sirven a la iglesia en la actualidad.
CAROLINA ACOSTA – ST. JAMES, TUPELO Carácter: Humilde, comprometido y trabajador Actividades: monaguillo, lector, líder de la confraternidad cristiana en la escuela Escuela: Tupelo High School, senior Acosta fue nominada por Mary Frances Strange, directora de pastoral juvenil, quien dijo que Acosta vive su fe católica siendo valiente. “Es una de esas personas difíciles de describir, porque hay pocas como ella. El año pasado ofrecí la oportunidad a los Juniors recién confirmados de ayudar como líderes en su último año. Tenía ocho que estaban interesados. Ella era una de ellas,” dijo Strange. Acosta ayuda a dirigir un grupo pequeño en la parroquia y asiste a todos los proyectos de servicio. Este año, incluso ayudó a Strange con el retiro de Confirmación. “Me quedé tan impresionado con ella, fue la ayuda más eficiente y productiva que he tenido como ministro de jóvenes”.
KOSCIUSKO – El obispo Kopacz entrega el premio “Obispo Chanche” a María Guadalupe García, en mayo 8. (foto cortesía de Yolanda Vásquez)
MARIA GUADALUPE GARCIA – ST THERESE, KOSCIUSKO Carácter: Dedicado, leal, confiable Actividades: monaguillo, lector bilingüe, líder del rosario, presidente de CYO, club Beta, club de español, club de lectura, miembro de Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) y voluntario en Shepard’s Touch Clinic Escuela: Middle School Kosciusko, último año García fue nominado por el Padre Odel Medina, ST, párroco de Santa Teresa Kosciusko. “María se merece el premio Bishop Chanche para jóvenes porque está dedicada a ayudar a cerrar la brecha lingüística entre nuestros miembros de la congregación que hablan español e inglés. Es leal a sus deberes y confiable en todo lo que se le pide. Ella es un modelo para su familia, iglesia y comunidad,” dijo el Padre Medina. García está disponible para traducir verbalmente o por escrito del inglés al español o viceversa. Tiene un corazón de siervo. El Padre Medina también dijo que García ha animado y enseñado a los niños más pequeños de la parroquia cómo servir y participar en la Misa. “Ella ha enseñado a varios otros niños de la iglesia cómo servir como monaguillo, rezar el Rosario y participar en las Estaciones de la Cruz. Su perspectiva positiva de la vida es contagiosa y los demás quieren estar cerca de ella y agradarla,” dijo Medina.
ALIDA PEREZ – ST. JOSEPH, STARKVILLE Carácter: Fiel, líder y piadosa Actividades: grupo de jóvenes, monaguillo, coro de la iglesia, coro de la escuela, voluntario de la despensa de alimentos Escuela: Starkville High School, senior Pérez fue nominada por el diácono Jeff Artigues en St. Joseph Starkville, quien dice que vive su fe católica a través de su participación activa en el grupo de jóvenes de la parroquia. “Ella está involucrada … porque quiere fortalecer su vínculo con Dios y sus compañeros católicos,” dijo el diácono Artigues.
Dia del Corpus Christi. Jueves, jun. 3 Fiesta del Inmaculado Corazón de María. Sábado, jun. 12 Festividad del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. Lunes, jun. 14 Dia de los Padres. Domingo, jun. 20 Natividad de San Juan Bautista. Miércoles, jun. 24 Señora del Perpetuo Socorro. Domingo, jun. 27 Solemnidad de San Pedro y San Pablo. Martes, jun. 29
