Category Archives: Bishop’s Column

La misión en Saltillo continúa creciendo

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Obispo Joseph Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Una amplitud y profundidad de liturgias y fiestas marcaron los cuatro días de mi cuarta visita pastoral a la Misión San Miguel en Saltillo y a sus ranchos en lo alto del desierto con Mons. Mike Flannery. Era el fin de semana del domingo de la Divina Misericordia dentro de la octava de Pascua, un tiempo en que la Iglesia universal está alegremente encontrando al Señor crucificado y resucitado en la efusión de su amorosa compasión. Poco después de haber llegado el jueves por la tarde, celebré la Santa misa en la iglesia de la Divina Misericordia, la cual está funcionando desde su consagración hace dos años. La Novena de la Divina Misericordia, que comienza el viernes Santo, se observa durante toda la octava de Pascua, una semana que hace realidad lo que fue prometido durante la conmemoración de la Semana Santa con el Triduo Sacro. En efecto, nuestro Señor crucificado ha resucitado verdaderamente y su misericordia es eterna. Esta esperanza viva fue evidente en la devoción de los fieles, antes, durante y después de la misa, proporcionando un buen comienzo para la visita pastoral.
El maratón comenzó el viernes con nuestra partida a los ranchos a las 7 de la mañana. La primera de tres Misas de confirmación de ese día tuvo lugar en la Iglesia San Francisco a las 9 a.m. Fue alentador ver a los jóvenes con sus padres y padrinos en la iglesia vistiendo su atuendo formal, despiertos y deseosos de celebrar la confirmación. En la fiesta había una abundancia de comidas recién preparadas y sopa.
De allí salimos hacia el escabroso paisaje del desierto a visitar a las familias de cinco ranchos más para celebrar dos misas de confirmaciones y tres servicios cortos de oración. Como es costumbre, cuando la camioneta se acerca a cada rancho (comunidad) el conductor comienza a tocar la corneta por unos buenos cinco minutos para alertar a la gente que los misioneros han llegado. Al llegar a la iglesia tocan las campanas para dar la bienvenida a cualquier persona que no haya escuchado la corneta para reunirse para orar. Es estimulante el acompañar a estos dedicados sacerdotes, a los catequistas, a los choferes y a los jóvenes que trabajan en los diversos ministerios litúrgicos: servidores del altar, coro, lectores y sacristanes que viajan hacia los márgenes de la diócesis de Saltillo unas pocas veces cada semana. Esto no es una novedad para ellos.
Un día completo de viaje en el alto desierto del estado de Coahuila es una fascinante experiencia que penetra los huesos y la médula ósea. Aquí es donde los caminos no son caminos, sino apenas tramos navegables sobre largos senderos. Pero el paisaje del alto desierto es fascinante y cambiante. En algunas extensiones hay arbustos y cactus cuyas flores en abril ablandan sus defensas espinosas. Una especie de cactus luce un tono rojo que es encantador. Después de un tiempo el paisaje cambia y aparecen grandes árboles de palma con configuraciones creativas que en las sombras del anochecer o amanecer la imaginación podría ver fácilmente contorsiones amenazantes o entretenidas caricaturas. A veces en senderos estrechos uno puede ver en lo alto cordilleras sobresalientes o mirar hacia abajo y ver un terrorífico precipicio en cañón. Siempre había polvo, avivado por el constante trote de los neumáticos sobre superficies rocosas que no favorecieron la lectura o una siesta.
Sin embargo, con la misión siempre delante de nosotros, todo mereció la pena o, como uno dice en español, vale la pena. La prueba de resistencia del viernes terminó a las 8:30 p.m. en El Cuervo, un hotel de cacería situado en 10,000 acres de tierra, que es el hogar de una gran variedad de vida salvaje del desierto donde los cazadores vienen de todo México para probar sus habilidades en el desierto. Es realmente un hotel muy confortable, donde hemos sido tratados excepcionalmente bien por los propietarios durante los últimos tres años.
Dejamos El Cuervo bien temprano el sábado cuando estaba amaneciendo sobre el desierto para un recorrido de dos horas a la Capilla del Ejido la Brecha. Con el Obispo Raúl Vera, el Ordinario de Satillo, acompañándonos para celebrar la misa, bendecimos y colocamos la primera piedra, el primer paso para una nueva iglesia en el sitio. Nombrada por San José, modelo de los esposos, la fecha escogida para la consagración es el 1 de mayo de 2019, día de la fiesta de San José. Después de otra fiesta nos dirigimos a la Presa de San Pedro donde celebramos la confirmación con 24 candidatos, el mayor número en este año en curso. Al llegar a Saltillo por la tarde el Padre Mike y yo, junto con el Padre David y el Padre Evelio, dedicados sacerdotes de la Misión de San Miguel, tuvimos una agradable cena con el Obispo Raúl Vera.
En la mañana del domingo, la fiesta de la Divina Misericordia, nos quedamos en casa, por así decirlo, y celebramos dos misas festivas para este día de la Pascua de la misericordia. El agua fluyó en nuestra misa de las 9 a.m. con la renovación de las promesas bautismales, seguida del bautismo de siete niños después de la homilía. La celebración de la última confirmación enriqueció notablemente la misa de la 1 de la tarde, y el Obispo Vera, predicó y concelebró. Su profética homilía no será olvidada pronto por todos los asistentes, un apasionado llamado a ungir nuestras sociedades con el aceite mayor de justicia y paz. Descansado ahora y volviendo a pensar en inglés, recuerdo las últimas palabras del Evangelio de San Juan para el Domingo de la Divina Misericordia. “Estos signos de Jesús son grabados para que creáis que Jesús es el Mesías, el hijo de Dios, a fin de que creyendo, tengáis vida en su nombre.” La vida en su nombre abunda en la misión de Saltillo y nosotros, los fieles de Jackson y Biloxi, somos una parte importante de este camino de fe. Gracias a Dios.
Mañana es un día de descanso antes de viajar a Aguascalientes para la ordenación al diaconato de Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas en su parroquia natal. Un agradable cansancio se ha asentado en mí.

Saltillo mission continues to expand

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Bishop Joseph Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
A breadth and depth of liturgies and fiestas marked the four days of my fourth pastoral visit to the Saltillo Mission of San Miguel and its high desert ranchos with Msgr. Mike Flannery. It was Divine Mercy weekend within the Octave of Easter, a time when the universal Church is joyfully encountering the crucified and risen Lord in the outpouring of his loving compassion. Shortly after arriving on Thursday, I celebrated Mass in the church of Divina Misericordia, functioning now for two full years since its consecration. The Novena to Divine Mercy which begins on Good Friday, is observed throughout the Octave of Easter, a week that brings to fruition that which was promised throughout the Holy Week commemoration with the Sacred Triduum. Indeed, our crucified Lord is truly risen and his mercy endures forever. This living hope was apparent in the devotion of the faithful before, during and after Mass, providing a fitting start to the pastoral visit.
The marathon began on Friday with our departure to the ranchos at 7 a.m. Our first of three Confirmation Masses that day took place at the Church of San Francisco at 9 a.m. It was inspiring to see los jovenes, (the young people), with their padres and padrinos in formal church attire awake and eager to celebrate Confirmation. The fiesta afterwards teemed with an abundance of freshly made foods and soup. From there we set out for the rugged desert landscape to visit the families of five more ranchos to celebrate two more Confirmation Masses, as well as three shorter prayer services. As is the custom, when the van approached each rancho the driver would lay on the horn for a good five minutes to alert the people that the missionaries have arrived. Upon driving up to the church the bells are then rung to welcome anyone who may have missed the vehicle’s call to gather for prayer.
It is stirring to accompany these dedicated priests, catechists, drivers and young people who serve in various liturgical ministries: altar servers, chorus, readers and sacristans who travel to the margins of the Saltillo Diocese a few times each week. This is not a novelty for them.
A full day of riding in the high desert of the state of Coahuila is a riveting experience that penetrates bone and marrow. This is where roads are not roads but scarcely navigable trails over long stretches. But the high desert landscape is captivating and ever-changing. For some tracts it is shrubbery and cactus plants whose April blossoms soften their thorny defenses. One species of cactus plant sports a red hue that is enchanting. After a time, the landscape shifts to large palm-like trees sporting creative configurations that in the shadows of dusk or dawn one’s imagination could easily see threatening contortions or entertaining caricatures. At times on narrow passes one could look up at jutting ranges or look below at a scary drop-off into a canyon.
Always there was dust, stirred up by the constant drum beat of tires upon rutted surfaces that did not favor reading or napping. However, with the mission always before us, it was all worth it, or as one says in Spanish, vale la pena. Our Friday test of endurance ended at 8:30 p.m. at El Cuervo, a Hunting Lodge on 10,000 acres of land, that is home to a variety of desert wildlife to where hunters come from all over Mexico to test their skills in the wilderness. It’s actually a very comfortable lodge where we have been treated exceptionally well by the owners over the past three years.
We left El Cuervo bright and early on Saturday as dawn was breaking over the desert for a two-hour ride to La Capilla del Ejido la Brecha. With Bishop Raul Vera, the Ordinary of Saltillo, on hand to celebrate the Mass we blessed and placed La Primera Piedra, the first stone, the first step to a new church on the site. Named for San Jose, Modelo de los Esposos (Saint Joseph, model for married men) the target date for the consecration is May 1, 2019, the feast of Saint Joseph.
Following another fiesta, we drove on to Presa San Pedro where we celebrated Confirmation with 24 candidates, the largest number on this year’s circuit.
Arriving back in Saltillo by late afternoon Father Mike and I, along with Padre David and Padre Evelio, the dedicated priests of the San Miguel Mission, had a leisurely dinner with Bishop Raul Vera.
On Sunday morning, the feast of Divine Mercy, we stayed at home so to speak and celebrated two festive Masses for this Easter day of Mercy. The water flowed at our 9 a.m. Mass with the renewal of our Baptismal promises, followed by the Baptism of seven children after the homily. The final celebration of Confirmation greatly enriched the 1 p.m. Mass at which Bishop Vera preached and concelebrated. His prophetic homily will not soon be forgotten by all in attendance, a passionate plea to anoint our societies with the oil of greater justice and peace.
Unwinding now and back to thinking in English I recall the final words of the Gospel of John for Divine Mercy Sunday. “These signs of Jesus are recorded in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, so that believing, you may have life in his name.” Life in his name abounds in the Saltillo Mission and we, the faithful of Jackson and Biloxi, are an important part of this journey of faith. Gracias a Dios.
Tomorrow is a day of rest before traveling to Aguascalientes for the Diaconate ordination of Adolfo Suárez -Pasillas in his home parish. A pleasant tiredness has settled in.

New Year offers chance to dedicate time to service

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Kneading Faith
By Fran Lavelle
I got a text from our great nephew Drew the other day inquiring, “How would I request Billy Graham as a saint?” He is 11 years old and a cradle Catholic. But growing up in Mississippi he has had his fair share of friends of all faith traditions. His simple question really stirred my thinking.
I have avowed for many years that young people are telling us their truth. We saw it recently with the school walk out. The question is as adults, catechists, teachers, pastors and parents are we able to hear them? In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” I think of the young people in my life. I think about how they are yearning for authenticity, meaning and purpose.
All generations are a product of the family and the culture. As catechists and adults responsible for the faith formation of our young people, we are called to engage and inspire our youth to live the Gospel. Hopefully they are being shaped and formed to reflect the love of God on Earth. It baffles me that adults make generalizations about an entire generation without reflecting on their own youth. Sometimes we speak of young people like they were delivered by an alien spaceship and we don’t quite know what to make of them. Or they attribute these generalizations to the “culture.” Guess what folks, we formed these young people and we are part of the culture.
That takes me back to our great nephew Drew. Drew is all boy. He goes 100-miles an hour and stops for air, food and sleep only when necessary. He loves visiting his grandparents in the country. He loves fishing, playing sports and hanging out with his family. But he is also very deeply introspective, funny, thoughtful, and smart.
A few years ago, before he made his First Communion, we were at the family pool and I asked him to tell his Opa what the epiclesis is. Without skipping a beat, he placed his hands in the proper posture and said, “It’s when the priest calls down the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into Jesus.” He was very matter of fact about it. But, in his casual reply you could tell that he not only knew this intellectually, he perceived with the eyes and heart of faith.
To his parents’ credit all three children are bright, kind, caring and faith filled young people. It is obvious that somewhere in their day they find time to think about important questions, have thoughtful conversations and are present to one another. After all, he was inquiring if I knew how one goes about getting Billy Graham canonized. This kind of thoughtfulness comes from a place where questions and inquiry are encouraged. He has not grown up in a place where everyone he meets is Catholic, far from it. And, because of that, it is entirely possible for him to see people of other faith traditions as good, holy, and virtuous examples of faith.
In my response to Drew I told him that the formal process of canonization took quite a long time and is a very detailed process. While a non-Catholic has not been formally recognized as a saint it is far from me to say it could never happen. What is most telling about his inquiry is that Drew did not question if a Southern Baptist preacher could be a saint, he wanted to know how we could go about making it happen. I assured him that the Church recognizes countless people who are uncanonized saints, those faithful Christians who have entered into the presence of God for all eternity. We see this clearly referred to in Revelation 7:9, as the “great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.” We have reason to hope that we know a lot of souls in the canon of saints. I think of my Dad and my grandparents as saints. Billy Graham too.
Drew, as well as his siblings and parents, remain in my prayers of thanksgiving. They remind me that we are not lost as long as we keep seeking God in all things, asking good questions, and looking for truth with the eyes of faith and love. “Dear young people, please, don’t be observers of life, but get involved. Jesus did not remain an observer, but he immersed himself. Don’t be observers, but immerse yourself in the reality of life, as Jesus did.” — Pope Francis, July 27, 2013 Youth Prayer Vigil at Rio. Keep asking good questions, Drew. It’s one of the best ways to stay immersed in the reality of life.

(Fran Lavelle is the director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Jackson.)

Sitios cristianos benefician de visitas, colecciones locales

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Obispo Joseph Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Para los peregrinos que visitan la Tierra Santa, en cualquier momento desde que la peregrinación comienza, la meta y la experiencia culminante son la llegada a Jerusalén. Este es precisamente el camino de salvación que los evangelistas, Mateo, Marcos, Lucas y Juan describen en sus narraciones de la vida, muerte y resurrección del Señor Jesús.” Su ministerio público comenzó en Galilea y continuó hacia el sur como el Río Jordán en dirección a Jerusalén. Seguimos este corredor del Evangelio en la reciente peregrinación patrocinada por los Caballeros y Damas del Santo Sepulcro. Al principio nos instalamos en el área del Mar de Tiberias en el norte de Israel, la ubicación de Nazaret, Cafarnaún, Cana, el Sermón de la montaña y la Transfiguración, antes de dirigirnos al sur hacia Jerusalén. Aunque la región está azotada por el odio, la violencia y los brotes periódicos de hostilidades mortíferas, una realidad consistente es que los peregrinos son siempre bienvenidos. Obviamente, esto es lo pragmático que hay que hacer, pero este es también un signo del infinito respeto y buena voluntad que muchos en Israel y Palestina, judíos y musulmanes por igual, tienen las antiguas iglesias cristianas.
Sin duda, para los cristianos que trágicamente están disminuyendo en número a través del patriarcado de Jerusalén, la Iglesia madre de toda la cristiandad que engloba a Israel, Palestina y Jordania, la presencia de los peregrinos es crítica para su supervivencia. “Las peregrinaciones son una forma de sustento para la supervivencia de miles de familias.” (Cardenal Leonardo Sandri: Congregación de las Iglesias Orientales: carta de llamamiento del Viernes Santo) No sé el impacto financiero total anual de los peregrinos que vienen de todo el mundo, pero es sustancial. Sin embargo, podemos cuantificar el dinero que se recolecta para la Tierra Santa cada año el Viernes Santo. El año pasado, los católicos en los Estados Unidos, incluyendo la Diócesis de Jackson, la cual recaudó más de $32,000, contribuyeron más de $20.000.000 para la misión y ministerios del Patriarcado Latino de Jerusalén. Con esta generosidad, los fieles de la Tierra Santa renovaron y restauraron la Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro en Jerusalén y la Iglesia de la Natividad en Belén. Recientemente estalló un conflicto cuando la Municipalidad Judía de Jerusalén con una inminente votación en la Knesset, iba a codificar un derecho tributario opresivo a las iglesias cristianas con la posibilidad de exclusión y confiscación de propiedades si las cuotas no eran pagados. Las tradiciones cristianas que supervisan la Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro, los ortodoxos, armenios y católicos, respondieron con el cierre temporal de este lugar sagrado de la crucifixión y entierro del Señor.
Esto provocó una reacción internacional y la Knesset canceló la votación, al menos por ahora. Naturalmente, los cristianos no deberían embarcarse en una cruzada en el sentido clásico, sino espiritual y el apoyo económico sí importa. La generosidad, la oración y la atención de muchos católicos y otros cristianos el viernes Santo y durante todo el año hacen una diferencia. ¿Por qué deberíamos estar preocupados? “La fe cristiana tuvo el primer impulso de la Iglesia madre de Jerusalén, la cual tiene una vocación especial para vivir la fe en un contexto multi-religioso, político, social y cultural, nada menos que para mantener viva la memoria de nuestra redención”. (Cardenal Sandri) Por supuesto, no es sólo una cuestión de preservar los sitios antiguos, sino también de fomentar la misión universal de nuestro Señor crucificado y resucitado a través de los ministerios modernos de las Iglesias que luchan por sobrevivir y prosperar.
El Cardenal Sandri escribe, “a pesar de las dificultades y las inseguridades, las parroquias continuan sus servicios pastorales con una atención preferencial a los pobres. Esperamos contra toda esperanza, que las escuelas sirvan como un lugar de encuentro entre cristianos y musulmanes, donde preparen un futuro de respeto mutuo y colaboración, que los hospitales, las clínicas y centros de reunión continuen acogiendo a los que sufren y a los necesitados, a los refugiados y a personas desplazadas, personas de todas las edades y religiones, golpeados por el horror de la guerra.
Un gran número de ellos están en edad escolar, que apelan a nuestra generosidad para reanudar su vida escolar y el sueño de un futuro mejor.” En su carta el Cardenal Sandri amplía la situación de muchos cristianos de toda la región. “Nuestra atención se dirige a la pequeña comunidad cristiana en el Oriente Medio, la cual sigue sosteniendo la fe entre las personas desplazadas procedentes de Irak y Siria y entre los refugiados en Jordania y el Líbano. La Jornada Mundial de la Paz del papa fue dirigida a la crisis de los refugiados. “En un espíritu de compasión abracemos a todos aquellos que abandonan su patria huyendo de la guerra y del hambre, o forzados por la discriminación, la persecución, la pobreza y la degradación ambiental”. La mayoría de los cristianos iraquíes y sirios quiere regresar a su propia tierra donde sus casas fueron destruidas, con escuelas, hospitales e iglesias devastadas. No los dejemos solos.”
Sabemos que el camino cuaresmal no es un acto solitario, sino un itinerario de solidaridad por el cual cada uno de nosotros está llamado a la pausa y, como el Buen Samaritano, a acompañar a nuestros hermanos que por muchas razones les es difícil levantarse y continuar su viaje. Esto es claramente la realidad en la Tierra Santa y en todo el Oriente Medio y oramos para que la colecta del Viernes Santo eleve a nuestras hermanas y hermanos cristianos. Somos bendecidos por haber podido hacer una peregrinación a la Tierra Santa, una vez en la vida quizás, pero una vez al año durante la Semana Santa, podemos hacer una peregrinación espiritual mediante la oración y la generosidad para estar en solidaridad con muchos que están sufriendo persecución y penurias. Por favor, sean generosos.

Las Iglesias en Jerusalén cierran el Santo Sepulcro  en señal de  protesta

https://ofm.org/es/blog/las-iglesias-jerusalen-cierran-santo-sepulcro-senal-protesta/

Christian sites benefit from visits, local collection

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Bishop Joseph Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
For pilgrims who visit the Holy Land, at whatever point on the compass the pilgrimage begins, the goal and culminating experience are the arrival in Jerusalem. This is precisely the path of salvation that the Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describe in their narratives of the Lord Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. His public ministry unfolded in Galilee and flowed southward like the Jordan River in the direction of Jerusalem.
We followed this Gospel corridor on the recent pilgrimage sponsored by the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulcher. At first, we settled in at the Sea of Tiberius in northern Israel, the location of Nazareth, Capernaum, Cana, the Sermon on the Mount and the Transfiguration, before turning southward toward Jerusalem. Although the region is wracked by hatred, violence and periodic outbreaks of deadly hostilities, a consistent reality is that pilgrims are always welcome. Obviously, this is the pragmatic thing to do, but this is also a sign of the abiding respect and good will that many in Israel and Palestine, Jews and Muslims alike, have for the ancient Christian Churches.
Without a doubt, for the Christians who tragically are diminishing in number across the Jerusalem Patriarchate, the mother Church of all Christianity encompassing Israel, Palestine and Jordan, the presence of the pilgrims is critical for their survival. “The pilgrimages are a form of sustenance for the survival of thousands of families.” (Leonardo Cardinal Sandri: Congregation of the Oriental Churches: Good Friday Appeal Letter) I do not know the total annual financial impact of the pilgrims who come from across the globe, but it is substantial. However, we can quantify the money that is collected each year from the Good Friday Holy Land collection.
Last year Catholics throughout the United States, including the Diocese of Jackson that raised ore than $32,000, contributed more than $20,000,000 to the mission and ministries of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. From this largesse the faithful of the Holy Land were able to renovate and restore the Churches of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Recently, a conflict erupted when the Jewish Jerusalem Municipality, with an impending vote in the Knesset, was about to encode in law oppressive taxation upon the Christian Churches with the possibility of foreclosure and seizure of properties if assessments were not paid. The Christian traditions who oversee the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Orthodox, Armenian, Catholic, responded with the temporary closure of this holiest of sites of the Lord’s crucifixion and burial. (Their statementis posted on www.mississippicatholic.com with this column.)
This sparked an international response and the Knesset canceled the vote, at least for now. Naturally, Christians would not and should not embark on a Crusade in the classic sense, but spiritual and economic muscle do matter. The generosity, prayers and attention of many Catholics and other Christians on Good Friday and throughout the year make a difference. Why should we be concerned? “The Christian faith had the first impulse from the mother Church in Jerusalem which has a special vocation to live the faith in a multi-religious, political, social and cultural context, nothing less than keeping the memory of our Redemption alive.” (Cardinal Sandri)
Of course, it is not only a matter of preserving the ancient sites, but also of fostering the universal mission of our crucified and risen Lord through the modern day ministries of the Churches fighting to survive and thrive. Cardinal Sandri writes: “Notwithstanding the challenges and insecurities, the parishes continue their pastoral services with a preferential attention for the poor. We hope against hope, that the schools serve as a place of encounter between the Christians and the Muslims, where they prepare a future of mutual respect and collaboration, the hospitals and clinics, the hospices and meeting centers continue to welcome the suffering and those in need, refugees and displaced, persons of all ages and religions, struck by the horror of war. A great number of them schooling-age, who appeal to our generosity to resume their scholastic life and dream of a better future.” In his letter Cardinal Sandri elaborates upon the plight of many Christians throughout the region. “Our attention goes to the small Christian community in the Middle East, which continues to sustain the faith among the displaced persons from Iraq and Syria and among the refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. The Pope’s World Day of Peace was directed to the refugee crisis. ‘In a spirit of compassion let us embrace all those fleeing from war and from hunger, or forced by discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homeland.’ Most Iraqi Christians and Syrians want to return to their own land where their houses were destroyed, with schools, hospitals and churches devastated. Let us not leave them alone.”
We know that the Lenten journey is not a solitary act, but an itinerary of solidarity by which each one of us is called to pause, and like the Good Samaritan, accompany our brethren who for many reasons find it difficult to stand up and continue their journey. This is clearly the reality in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East and we pray that the Good Friday collection will raise up our Christian sisters and brothers.
We are blessed to be able to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, once in a lifetime perhaps, but once a year during Holy Week we can make a spiritual pilgrimage through prayer and generosity to be in solidarity with many undergoing persecution and hardship. Please be generous.

Churches in Jerusalem close the Holy Sepulcher in protest

https://ofm.org/blog/churches-jerusalem-close-holy-sepulcher-protest/

 

Iglesia, mundo necesita reconciliación

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Obispo Joseph Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
Como parte de nuestro camino cuaresmal, dimos la bienvenida a la Diócesis de Jackson las reliquias de San Padre Pío, ya que viajan en su peregrinación inaugural a través de los Estados Unidos gracias a la Fundación para el Santo Padre Pio. Yo estaba inseguro acerca de su posición en la Comunión de los Santos en el estado de Mississippi y en todo el sur del país, pero la respuesta fue inspiradora en el número de personas que acudieron a la Catedral para las dos misas que se celebraron el 1 de marzo y durante todo el día.
En el noreste de los Estados Unidos son muchos los que tienen devoción por él, pidiendo su intercesión ante el sufrimiento y las luchas de la vida. Él ha llevado a muchos a Jesucristo, especialmente desde su canonización por el Papa Juan Pablo II el 2 de mayo de 1999 al inicio del tercer milenio. Hablando a los peregrinos en la Plaza de San Pedro en el día después de su canonización, San Juan Pablo II elogió la santidad del San Padre Pio. “Queridos hermanos y hermanas, el testimonio del Padre Pío es una fuerte llamada a la dimensión sobrenatural, que no debe confundirse con una exagerada preocupación por los milagros, una desviación que él siempre y decididamente rechazó. Los sacerdotes y las personas consagradas, en particular, deberían mirar hacia él.
Les enseña a los sacerdotes a convertirse en instrumentos dóciles y generosos de la gracia divina, la cual les cura a las personas la raíz de sus males, restaurando la paz del corazón. El altar y el confesonario fueron los dos puntos de enfoque de su vida. La carismática intensidad con que celebraba los misterios divinos es un testimonio muy saludable para alejar a los presbíteros de la tentación de la rutina y ayudarlos a redescubrir día a día el tesoro inagotable de la renovación espiritual, moral y social que ha sido puesta en sus manos.” Durante muchos años, el Padre Pío pasaba más de la mitad del día en el confesionario, un enorme testimonio de la misericordia de Dios, que es puro don. Incluso los sacerdotes más fervorosos estarían abrumados por este compromiso incesante. El siguió los pasos de San Juan María Vianney, que también fue un instrumento estelar del perdón de Dios y la reconciliación, y era contemporáneo de Santa Faustina, un instrumento de la Divina Misericordia.
La Eucaristía, la mesa de la Palabra y del Sacramento, y el sacramento de la reconciliación siguen siendo los caminos reales para el arrepentimiento y la reconciliación en la Iglesia en el mundo moderno.
Recuerden que una de nuestras prioridades pastorales es que seamos “comunidades acogedoras y reconciliadoras,” con el arrepentimiento como una apremiante demanda del Señor para cumplir su voluntad en nuestras vidas y en nuestro mundo. Si somos sinceros, a veces la iglesia resulta deficiente y el grito de arrepentimiento y reconciliación debe ser proclamado y escuchado en el mundo. Un ejemplo impactante está retumbando alrededor de nuestro país en este momento.
Después del reciente tiroteo y matanza en el Colegio Marjory Stoneman Douglas en Parkland, Florida, los estudiantes lanzaron una nueva campaña para darle a conocer a la población acerca de los horrores de la violencia con armas de fuego. Los estudiantes están aprovechando y centrando su profundo dolor y rabia contra la indiferencia y la intransigencia que impregna la sociedad americana sobre una revisión sincera de la Segunda Enmienda de la Constitución.
Reflexionando sobre la lectura del evangelio de San Juan el pasado domingo, en la que Jesús reveló la justa ira de Dios sobre la escandalosa actividad en el Templo en Jerusalén, nos podría llevar a escuchar el grito de la justa indignación de nuestros jóvenes y sus partidarios por la indignación de sus abatidos amigos y seres queridos en su comunidad escolar.
La casa de oración de Dios, el punto de unión entre el cielo y la tierra, se había convertido en un mercado, y los negocios como de costumbre prevalecían. Así también, nuestros jóvenes están volteando la enlatada retórica de nuestros políticos y cabilderos de las armas con la esperanza de lograr un diálogo genuino que puede conducir a la nación a la cordura y mayor seguridad.
Por otra parte, aquí está un ejemplo donde la Iglesia está fallando miserablemente. La Iglesia Santuario en Newfoundland, PA, invitó a sus feligreses a traer sus fusiles AR-15 para un servicio en la iglesia para la celebración de la “vara de hierro”. Aquí está la información. Iglesia Santuario en Newfoundland, NEWFOUNDLAND, Pennsylvania – Un distrito escolar de Pennsylvania cancelará las clases en una escuela elemental el miércoles debido a que una iglesia en la calle del colegio está organizando una ceremonia con fusiles AR-15. La organización Paz Mundial y Unificación Santuario en Newfoundland cree que las AR-15 simbolizan la “vara de hierro” en el libro bíblico del Apocalipsis, y están animando a las parejas a llevar las armas a una ceremonia de compromiso.” Usted puede buscar esta información en el internet para ver la magnitud de esta locura. En esta instancia, el Espíritu de Dios es evidente en todo el mundo, y no en la Iglesia.
Nuestra nación necesita un mayor compromiso por el bien común, una actitud racional en lo referente a los derechos, responsabilidades y limitaciones.
En la esecuela de Parkland, Florida, quizás nuestros jóvenes sean los que nos guíen a nuestros sentidos. Al nivel más profundo, esto es sobre el arrepentimiento, la reconciliación y la construcción de puentes entre facciones opuestas en nuestra nación. Esta es la locura de la Cruz, la sabiduría de Dios, que tiene el potencial de florecer en nuestra nación ante la trágica pérdida.
El mandato del Señor en el miércoles de ceniza es nuestra brújula durante estos 40 días de la cuaresma, y los animo a que reciban el sacramento de reconciliación durante el tiempo previo a la Semana Santa. Exhorto especialmente a nuestras comunidades parroquiales y a las escuelas a que se vean a sí mismos como embajadores de Cristo y ministros de la reconciliación, para la renovación de nuestra diócesis, y como levadura para nuestras comunidades, estado y nación.
Como el ritual del bautismo proclama, “Esta es nuestra fe, ésta es la fe de la Iglesia y nosotros nos gloriamos de profesarla en Cristo Jesús, Señor nuestro.” San Padre Pio gritaría su aprobación desde su lugar en el cielo.

Church, world in need of reconciliation

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Bishop Joseph Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
As part of our Lenten journey, we welcomed to the Diocese of Jackson the relics of Saint Padre Pio as they travel on their inaugural pilgrimage through the United States thanks to the Foundation for Saint Padre Pio. I was uncertain about his standing among the Communion of Saints here in Mississippi and throughout the South, but the response was inspiring in the number of people who came to the Cathedral for the two Masses on Thursday, March 1, and throughout the day.
In the Northeast of the United States there are many who have a devotion to him, asking his intercession to face the suffering and struggles of life. He has led many to Jesus Christ, especially since his canonization by Pope Saint John Paul II on May 2, 1999, as the third millennium dawned.
Speaking to the pilgrims in Saint Peter’s Square on the day after his canonization, Saint John Paul II extolled the signature holiness of Saint Padre Pio. “Dear brothers and sisters, Padre Pio’s witness is a powerful call to the supernatural dimension, not to be confused with exaggerated concern for miracles, a deviation which he always and resolutely shunned. Priests and consecrated persons in particular should look to him. He teaches priests to become the docile and generous instruments of Divine grace, which heals people at the root of their ills, restoring peace of heart to them. The altar and the confessional were the two focal points of his life. The charismatic intensity with which he celebrated the divine mysteries is a very salutary witness, to shake priests from the temptation of habit and help them rediscover, day by day, the inexhaustible treasure of spiritual, moral and social renewal which is placed in their hands.”
For many years Padre Pio spent more than half of his day in the confessional, a herculean witness to the mercy of God that was pure gift. Even the most zealous of priests would be overwhelmed by this relentless commitment. He followed in the footsteps of Saint John Vianney who was also a stellar instrument of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation, and was a contemporary of Saint Sister Faustina, an instrument of Divine Mercy.
The Eucharist, the table of Word and Sacrament, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation remain the royal roads for repentance and reconciliation in the Church in the modern world. Recall, that one of our pastoral priorities is to be “welcoming and reconciling communities,” with repentance as an ever pressing demand of the Lord in order to accomplish his will in our lives and in our world. If we are honest, sometimes the Churches falls short and the cry for repentance and reconciliation must be proclaimed and heard in the world. One striking example is rumbling around our country at this time.
After the most recent mass shooting and carnage in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, students launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the horrors of gun violence. Students are harnessing and focusing their deeply felt grief and anger against the indifference and intransigence that pervades American society regarding an honest reappraisal of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Reflecting back on last Sunday’s scripture from the Gospel of John, in which Jesus revealed God’s righteous anger over the the scandalous activity in the Temple in Jerusalem, might prompt us to hear the cry of the righteous anger of our young people and their supporters over the outrage of mowed down friends and students in their school.
God’s house of prayer, the point of union between heaven and earth, had become a market place, and business as usual prevailed. So too our young people are overturning the canned rhetoric of our politicians and the gun lobby with the hope of bringing about genuine dialogue that can lead the nation to sanity and greater security.
On the other hand, here is an example where the Church is failing miserably. The “Sanctuary Church” in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, invited their members to bring their AR-15 rifles to a church service for a celebration of the “rod of iron.” Here is the news clip. Sanctuary Church in Newfoundland, NEWFOUNDLAND, Pa. — A Pennsylvania school district will cancel classes at an elementary school on Wednesday because a church down the street is hosting a ceremony featuring AR-15 rifles. World Peace and Unification Sanctuary in Newfoundland believes the AR-15 symbolizes the “rod of iron” in the biblical book of Revelation, and it is encouraging couples to bring the weapons to a commitment ceremony.”
You can search the story online to see the extent of this lunacy. In this instance the Spirit of God is evident in the world and not in the Church. Our nation needs a greater commitment to the common good, a rational stance regarding rights, responsibilities and limitations. In the aftermath of Parkland, Florida perhaps it may be our young people who guide us to our senses. At the deepest level this is all about repentance, reconciliation and bridge-building among opposing factions in our nation. This is the foolishness of the Cross, the wisdom of God, that has the potential to flower in our nation in the face of tragic loss.
The Ash Wednesday mandate of the Lord is our compass during these forty days of Lent, and I encourage the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the time leading to Holy Week. I exhort especially our parish communities and schools to see themselves as ambassadors for Christ and ministers of reconciliation for the renewal of our diocese and as a leaven for our communities, state and nation. As the Baptism Ritual proclaims. “This is our faith, this is the faith of the Church; we are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Saint Padre Pio would shout out his approval from his place in heaven.

Pilgrimage offers fodder for Lenten reflection

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By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
I returned from my Holy Land pilgrimage, sponsored by the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulcher, on Friday night, Feb 16. As the cobwebs from jet lag after 15 hours of flying are gradually swept away by blessed sleep and home sweet home, I can see that the Scripture readings for the first Sunday of Lent are a bridge between my Holy Land experience and the beginning of this sacred season.
The theme of Baptism was foremost on this year’s first Sunday in Lent as we heard in the first letter of Peter reflecting back on the great flood in Noah’s time. “Noah and his family were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Immediately before Jesus was driven out into the desert by the Holy Spirit, last Sunday’s Gospel, he was baptized by John in the Jordan River and revealed as God’s beloved Son.
During the course of 40 days in the wilderness, in solitude and communion with his heavenly Father, yet not sheltered from the assaults of temptations, Jesus fortified his identity as God’s beloved Son. Upon leaving the desert, immediately he hit the ground in full stride, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and the call to reform our lives and believe in the Gospel, our Ash Wednesday ritual, sealed by our Amen.
One of the most poignant moments of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land was our gathering at the Jordan River. We are not talking about a Mississippi-sized river, but more of a large stream of water that flows of the Sea of Galilee in the North into the Dead Sea to the South. Yet, it has profound meaning for all Christians as the place where the public ministry of Jesus flowed from the heart of God. The story of Noah and the great flood is a powerful faith story, as we know, but we cannot locate these events in space and time. On the other hand, the Jordan river is real, the ministry of John the Baptist is historical, and Jesus is the one for whom John prepared the way.
Through the eyes of faith and the desire to renew our baptismal covenant in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we pilgrims stood on the bank of the Jordan and professed our faith. The Rite of Sprinkling followed with the brown water from the river, heartfelt, but also squeamish over the possibility of swallowing any of it. All around us a steady stream of pilgrims came to renew their Baptism, or to be baptized for the first time in the flowing waters. A quick glance around the walkways and river banks revealed disciples of the Orthodox traditions, as well as those from the Evangelical and Baptist denominations who were standing in the river and celebrating full immersion. They were in the river, while we were at the river. A big physical difference, but in either ritual it is the faith that we have in the Lord Jesus and his call to live as his disciples that is the heart of the matter. Will it change our lives where we need it most once the water evaporates? This graced moment occurred approximately half way through the pilgrimage which began in Galilee at the Sea of Tiberius. From there we were able to launch out and visit Nazareth, the place of Mary’s birth and the site of Jesus’ hidden life before his public ministry.
Capernaum also was part of the northern circuit where we stood at the site of the synagogue where Jesus initiated his formal public ministry by preaching, teaching, driving out demons, healing Peter’s mother-in-law and forgiving the sins of the paralytic whose friends lowered him through the roof at Peter’s home across the street from the synagogue. This all occurred after Jesus announced the Kingdom and the call for repentance. Archaeological discoveries and excavated sites from the second half of the 20th century have authenticated the gospel accounts of the synagogue and home of Peter in Capernaum.
Back to the river. After the renewal of our baptismal covenant at the Jordan River, we turned our sights on Jerusalem and the final days of our Lord’s life. Today we know these days as Palm Sunday and Holy Week, leading to the Lord’s death and resurrection. This second half of the pilgrimage also included visits to Jericho and Bethany, the site of the community of Essenes at Qumran and the Dead Sea. The photos alone, hundreds and hundreds of them, some of which I tweeted after each day’s events, will provide many moments of reflection and edification for me during Lent.
With the Church and in our personal lives, the Lord calls each of us during this 40-day pilgrimage of Lent to turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel, to remember that we are dust and unto dust we have returned, and that in the end there are three things that remain, faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. May our intentional Lenten prayer, fasting and almsgiving lead us to value the things that really matter in Christ Jesus, to discard those that don’t, and to know deep within that our citizenship is in heaven. We are God’s beloved children in Jesus Christ, and may we live in the full stride of the master.

Obispo recorrerá la Tierra Santa al comenzar la Cuaresma

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Obispo Joseph Kopacz

Por Obispo Joseph Kopacz
El Señor Jesús, que siempre está cerca, va a reunir a la Iglesia Católica Universal para escuchar su llamada a “reformar nuestras vidas y a creer en el Evangelio” a fin de que podamos superar el veneno del pecado y el aguijón de la muerte. Nuestra observancia del Miércoles de Ceniza es una invitación a renovar las promesas hechas en el bautismo a través de la oración fiel, el ayuno significativo y la limosna generosa. En armonía con la mejor bienvenida al renacimiento de la primavera escuchamos las palabras de San Pablo para convertirnos en una nueva creación en Cristo, sus embajadores en las obras de penitencia y de reconciliación en nuestros corazones y hogares, y por justicia y paz en nuestras comunidades, nuestra nación y el mundo. Nuestra ciudadanía está en el cielo, nuestro destino final, y el viaje eterno que ya ha comenzado en nuestro diario caminar con el Señor. En este momento estoy en la Tierra Santa en peregrinación con los Caballeros de Colón y las Damas del Santo Sepulcro. Por supuesto que ya ustedes saben esto a través de las redes sociales de la Diócesis de Jackson.
Será muy raro que no esté en la diócesis en nuestra Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol el Miércoles de Ceniza y el comienzo de la cuaresma. En mi mente y en mi corazón, la única razón aceptable para esta ausencia es una peregrinación a la Tierra Santa, donde la historia de nuestra salvación se desplegó en la vida, muerte y resurrección de Jesucristo.
La única vez que he viajado a la Tierra Santa fue en 1981 en una gira de estudio bíblico que abarcó Jerusalén y Roma durante tres semanas. Fue memorable por muchas razones y, en particular, no pudimos tener una audiencia con San Juan Pablo II a causa de la tentativa de asesinato contra su vida a principios de ese año. ¡Cómo ha cambiado el mundo! Los medios de comunicación social, cuando se usan de manera educada en un espíritu de solidaridad, pueden ser una herramienta excelente para edificar y no derribar.
Espero poder compartir con ustedes los acontecimientos de cada día como una forma especial de avivar la llamada del Señor durante la cuaresma. Recordemos que en nuestro proceso visionario diocesano la primera prioridad pastoral establecida es que seamos comunidades de fe acogedoras y reconciliadoras en nuestras parroquias, colegios y en todos nuestros ministerios de apoyo. Esto va mucho más allá de ser ambientes amables y acogedores, aunque este es un primer paso crucial. Esta es la obra del Evangelio, siempre antigua y siempre nueva, que nos llama a arrepentirnos, a girar nuestras vidas a donde sea necesario, y a hacerle frente a la realidad de división en nuestras familias, en las comunidades eclesiales y en la sociedad. Las heridas de pecado y de división pueden ser profundas y de larga duración, y si la curación debe ocurrir nuestra respuesta a la llamada del Señor a la conversión debe ser intencional y fiel. Y queremos que la sanación ocurra porque Jesús nos quiere dar vida en abundancia, su paz que el mundo no puede dar, su alegría que nos eleva a una vida nueva, y el camino a la libertad.
Todos hemos recibido el Espíritu Santo de amor, poder y disciplina, y la Cuaresma es un tiempo para rezar y animarnos el uno al otro a abrir estas puertas de gracia y esperanza. Cuarenta días constituyen un tiempo sagrado para que la vida de Dios y nuestras vidas se crucen una vez más, de modo que podamos ver más claramente que Cristo es el camino, la verdad y la vida. Que nuestra determinación no disminuya durante este tiempo de gracia. Oremos también por nuestros catecúmenos y candidatos mientras la llamada del Señor profundiza en sus vidas, y espero estar con muchos de ellos en el Rito de la elección el primer domingo de Cuaresma en la Catedral. ¡Qué la paz esté con ustedes!

Bishop to tour Holy Land as Lent begins

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Bishop Kopacz

By Bishop Joseph Kopacz
The Lord Jesus, who is always near, will be gathering the Catholic Church universal to hear his summons to “reform our lives and believe in the Gospel” in order that we may overcome the poison of sin and the sting of death. Our Ash Wednesday observance is an invitation to renew the promises made at Baptism through faithful prayer, meaningful fasting, and generous almsgiving.
In harmony with the most welcome spring rebirth, we hear the words of Saint Paul to become a new creation in Christ, his ambassadors in the work of repentance and reconciliation in our hearts and homes, and justice and peace in our communities, nation and world.
Our citizenship is in heaven, our ultimate destiny, and the eternal journey has already begun in our daily walk with the Lord. At this time, I am in the Holy Land on pilgrimage with the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher. Of course, you may already know this through the Diocese of Jackson’s social media platforms. I will be using the hashtag #BishopJKHolyLand for the trip.
It will be highly unusual not to be in the diocese at our Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. In my mind and heart, the only acceptable reason for this absence is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where the story of our salvation unfolded in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The only other time I had traveled to the Holy Land was way back in 1981, on a biblical study tour that encompassed Jerusalem and Rome for three weeks. It was memorable for many reasons, and in particular, we were not able to have an audience with Saint John Paul II because of the attempted assassination on his life earlier that year. How the world has changed!
Social media, when used civilly in a spirit of solidarity, can be an amazing tool for building up and not tearing down.
I look forward to sharing the events of each day as a unique way to enliven the Lord’s call during Lent. Let us recall that in our diocesan envisioning process the first stated Pastoral Priority is to be inviting and reconciling communities of faith, in our parishes, schools, and in all of our supporting ministries. This goes far deeper than being friendly and welcoming environments, although this is a crucial first step.
This is the work of the Gospel, ever ancient and ever new, to repent, turn our lives around where need be, and to address the realities of division in our families, church communities, and in society.
The wounds of sin and division can be deep and long standing, and if healing is to occur, our response to the Lord’s call to conversion must be intentional and faithful.
And we do want healing to occur because Jesus wants to give us life in abundance, his peace that the world cannot give, his joy that raises us to new life, and the path to freedom.
We have all received the Holy Spirit of love, power and discipline, and Lent is a time to pray for and encourage one another to open these doors of grace and hope.
Forty days comprise a sacred time for God’s life and our lives to intersect once again so that we can see more clearly that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. May our resolve not wane during this season of grace. Let us pray also for our catechumens and candidates as the Lord’s call deepens in their lives, and I look forward to being with many of them at the Rite of Election on the first Sunday in Lent at the Cathedral.
Peace be with you!