Category Archives: Diocesan News

St. Joe Alumna directs ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ at her Alma Mater

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By Leila deGruy
MADISON – St. Joseph Catholic School alumna Leslie Ann Harkins is leading the theater department’s production of Bye Bye Birdie, which she starred in as a student in 2004. The show opens Thursday, April 5, with performances at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, April 7. We asked Harkins about her role as a teacher and director, and how the production has changed since her high school days.
Q: What made you want to teach theater at St. Joseph?
A: I had a lot of great memories and mentors growing up in Mississippi, especially in the theatre world. I could not think of a better way to give back to the place that gave me so much than to return to my alma mater and work with students who are as passionate about the arts as I am.
Q: What is Bye Bye Birdie about?
A: Bye Bye Birdie is a story that is based on the pop-star Conrad Birdie. His character is very much like Elvis Presley. He goes into the army, and the story shows how that decision impacts his manager, his manager’s girlfriend, his manager’s mother and this whole town of Sweet Apple, Ohio.
Q: What can you tell us about this year’s production of Bye Bye Birdie?
A: This is by far the largest production I have put together at St. Joe. There are 78 people involved including 14 student and professional musicians in our live orchestra, six backstage crew members, eight working on lighting and sound, and the rest make up our student cast. The majority of our cast and crew are students at the school. We are very fortunate to have talented performers, musicians and technical crew as part of our student body.
Q: How will this year’s production be different from 2004, when you played the role of Helen?
A: When I played the role of Helen while in high school at St. Joe, the show was performed in our school gym. The most significant difference between our 2004 show and this year’s show comes in the form of our Fine Arts facility that was built nine years ago. The facility offers a professional and state-of-the-art experience for both the actors and the audience. To see this production on the “big stage” versus the gym floor is a very exciting thing for me.
Q: Can you tell us about your students and what makes this year’s Bye Bye Birdie cast and crew so special?
A: The theatre experience at St. Joe is very special for a number of reasons. First, our cast and crew are comprised of students from seventh to 12th grade. It is one of the few opportunities that all students have to come together and represent the entire student body. The younger students not only get the opportunity to experience the entire audition, rehearsal and performance process, they also get to benefit from strong mentorship from the older students who also have spent years on the stage. This inclusive process is very special and somewhat unique in high school theater.
To purchase tickets for Bye Bye Birdie, visit www.stjoetheatre.booktix.com. For more information visit www.stjoebruins.com or call 601-898-4800.

(Leila deGruy is a junior at Madison St. Joseph School.)

Sr. Thea researcher spreads her story

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Redemptorist Father Maurice Nutt barely had time to get settled in his new office in the chancery before he was called upon to share his knowledge of Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA. Sister Thea is one of five women being honored by the Connecting the Dots foundation at their annual Women of Courage and Strength banquet on Saturday, March 24. As part of the banquet, each honoree is invited to submit a video to tell their story. A local non-profit called Spark-O-Matic offered to produce the video about Sister Thea.
On Tuesday, March 13, three Spark-O-Matic students took time out of their spring break to interview Father Maurice at Medgar Evers Library in Jackson. The group is made up of local college and high school students who want to learn more about digital literacy. They have a robotics team and have learned about audio and video production, have gotten lessons in photo editing and have already produced a documentary that will be featured at the Crossroads film festival.
The students had never heard of Sister Thea before they started on this project. They watched a video of her addressing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and read stories about her life. Using photos of Sister Thea, quotes from her writings and Father Maurice’s interview, they plan to produce a video to introduce her to the banquet audience and for use on the diocesan website.
One student, Angel Walton said she was inspired when she watched Sister Thea addressing the bishops. Sr. Thea was in the last stages of her cancer and used a wheelchair by that time, but still spoke with energy and challenged the bishops to stand, link arms and sing “We Shall Overcome.”
Father Maurice is investigating Sister Thea’s life in hopes that the diocese can open a cause for her canonization. He lives in New Orleans, but will travel between his home and the chancery as well as the motherhouse for the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Wisconsin to complete his research.

Diocesan archives offer rich resource for researcher studying school integration

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Bishop Oliver Gerow

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Catholic Extension is usually lending a helping hand to dioceses, parishes and schools, but this year, the Diocese of Jackson was able to offer its own help to the organization. Timothy Muldoon, director of mission education for Extension, spent a couple days in Mississippi doing research in the diocesan archives for a project on the work of the Church in the Civil Rights Movement.
He is working on a written treatment of “the process that led to the desegregation of Catholic Schools.” His project focuses on the late 1950s through 1964. He came to Mississippi for two reasons, its preeminent place in the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the rich detail offered in the archives here. “My interest is in the fact that the Diocese of then Natchez-Jackson was a place where we had the high-profile murders of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers that cast a spotlight on the state and the diocese,” said Muldoon.
During that time, Bishop Oliver Gerow shepherded the diocese. Bishop Gerow was a photographer and historian as well as being the leader of the local church — keeping a daily diary of his activities and thoughts and creating an index of diocesan history from the founding of the diocese up to his episcopacy. “He had, clearly, a keen sense of preserving history. This is not somebody who did it in a catch-as-catch can way. He was very meticulous,” said Muldoon.
Bishop Gerow worked to unite other faith leaders at the time to soothe racial tensions and bring about reform without violence. Archivist Mary Woodward said his files are some of the most popular among researchers. “We have had several people come and do this topic so we know where everything is so it’s easy. Bishop Gerow has an index that goes all the way up through his time, 1966. His diary has an almost daily account of what went on and in there is a lot of history you don’t get in the history books such as the early efforts of the Episcopal, Methodist and Catholic bishops trying to do something in Jackson to address the racial divide. Meeting with black pastors in different places – having lunch at the Walthall and how Rabbi (Perry) Nussbaum got involved. A lot of that is the flavor behind the history that we have because of Bishop Gerow,” said Woodward.
Researchers are welcome in the archives, but they need to submit a written request to Woodward and they should be working on a specific project, usually an academic one. Genealogists are not able to access these archives, although there is someone families can pay to look up sacramental records. Many of the documents here are originals and not for public viewing. Woodward usually pulls exactly what a particular researcher will need before they arrive to save time and preserve the precious documents.
Bishop Gerow carefully planned and executed school integration in Catholic schools throughout the state. “Bishop Gerow had this sense that you can’t just have a mandate to integrate,” explained Muldoon. “He was concerned with the safety of black congregants. He didn’t want to issue a fiat. He said ‘we have to move carefully,’” Muldoon added. While he was pastoral, Bishop Gerow did sometimes have to draw the line. “We had several incidents of parishioners not being as friendly as they should be and (the archives show) how the bishop reacted to them in terms of telling them ‘this is how it is and if you are going to make people feel unwelcome you can’t receive communion until you go to confession to me,’” said Woodward.
This research is “the perfect focal point for telling the broader story of what was happening in the Catholic Church at that time and what was happening in the nation at that time,” said Muldoon. He explained that examining the phenomenon of segregated parishes can be politically charged so putting it in context is important. There is a difference, he explained, between a segregated parish and a segregating parish. “Individual parishes provided a point of integration into the larger church for many immigrant communities,” he said. Muldoon spoke to Mississippi Catholic from an office in Chicago just a few blocks from four or five different parishes with separate ethnic communities attached to them.
“Initially, parishes provided an integrating community of like-minded people. Black parishes provided cover, for shelter,” he said. He also pointed out that cultural differences do not make parishes less Catholic. “There is a critical difference between homogeneity and Catholicity. It is not about making everyone the same or making them do the same thing,” he said.
Muldoon hopes to complete his writing and find the right spot to publish it in the next few weeks. Watch Mississippi Catholic for publication details.
While he was in the state, he took the opportunity to visit several parishes supported by Extension, including Camden Sacred Heart, Newton St. Anne and a stop at Sister Thea Bowman’s home in Canton. He posted a reflection called “11’o clock on Sunday Morning” about the vibrant community in Camden on the Catholic Extension Website here

 

Vía Crucis

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ABERDEEN – Parroquia de San Francisco, los miércoles a las 4 p.m.

BROOKHAVEN – Parroquia de San Francisco, estaciones y bendición viernes a las 5:30 p.m., seguido por una comida de cuaresma

CLARKSALE – Parroquia de Santa Elizabeth, viernes a las 2:15 p.m. (con estudiantes) y a las 5:30 p.m.

COLUMBUS – Parroquia de la Anunciación, viernes a las 5:30 p.m. seguido por una comida de pescado frito

GLUCKSTADT – Parroquia de San José, los miércoles a las 6 p.m. seguido por la misa

GREENVILLE – Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón, viernes a las 6 p.m. con misa y vía crucis
Parroquia de San José, viernes a las 5:30 p.m. Los Caballeros de Colón ofrecerán una comida de pescado frito en el salón parroquial el 23 de marzo de 5 a 7 p.m., $ 10 por persona

GRENADA – Parroquia de San Pedro, viernes a las 6:15 p.m. seguido por una cena de sopa y ensalada, a excepción de una cena de pescado frito el 23 de marzo

HERNANDO – Parroquia del Espíritu Santo, viernes a las 6:30 p.m. seguido por una cena de sopa. $ 1.00 de donación por persona beneficia a los pobres de la comunidad. Para ayudar, llame a Pat Kuehnel al (662) 996-6622

IUKA – Parroquia de Santa María, Adoración y Estaciones, los miércoles a las 9:20 a.m. Misa a las 10 a.m.

JACKSON – Parroquia de Cristo Rey, viernes a las 6 p.m.
Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia, viernes a las 6 p.m.
Catedral de San Pedro, adoración y estaciones, viernes 4:30 – 6 p.m. seguido por una comida ligera.
Parroquia de San Richard, los viernes a las 2:15 p.m. con la escuela
Parroquia de Santa Teresita, viernes a las 5:30 p.m. (inglés) seguido de una cena de sopa y un mensaje y los domingos, (español) a la 1:30 p.m.

MADISON – Parroquia de San Francisco de Asís, viernes a las 6 p.m., rosario, estaciones y comida de cuaresma

NATCHEZ – Parroquia de la Asunción, viernes a las 5: 30 p.m. Basílica de Santa María, viernes a las 12:05 y 5:15 p.m. seguido por una comida de pescado frito en el centro familiar

PEARL – Parroquia de San Judas, viernes a las 6 p.m. seguido por una comida de pescado frito

SHAW – Parroquia de San Francisco, viernes a las 6 p.m. después de la misa

CIUDAD DE YAZOO – Parroquia de Santa María, los martes a las 5:30 p.m. seguido por la misa

MERIDIAN – Parroquia de San Jose, viernes a las 6 p.m. con una comida de pescado frito

Tome Nota

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El programa “Hands ON + Hearts IN” (Manos ENCIMA + Corazones DENTRO) brinda experiencias en Holly Springs, Mississippi de discernimiento de una semana para mujeres que están considerando la vida como hermanas católicas. No hay costo para los participantes. Las próximas experiencias están programadas para el 7 al 11 de mayo, del 21 al 25 de mayo, del 20 al 24 de agosto y del 10 al 14 de septiembre.

Durante cinco días completos, las mujeres estarán acompañadas por hermanas de varias órdenes para proporcionar servicios prácticos a los necesitados como tutoría de niños, ayudar en una despensa de alimentos, limpieza de hogares para personas mayores, reparar casas dañadas o sirviendo comidas en un comedor de beneficencia.

Todas vivirán en comunidad durante la semana, compartiendo oración, cocina, reflexiones, orientación y mucha diversión. Los solicitantes deben registrarse un mes antes del inicio de un programa específico. Acompañados por los Ministros de Vocaciones, la experiencia de lunes a viernes ofrece una oportunidad práctica para ayudar a los necesitados mientras se discierne la vida como una hermana.

Para obtener más información sobre esta oportunidad de discernir la vida como hermana, contáctese con Hermana Sharon Glumb, SLW sglumb@slw.org; 847-577-5972 ext. 233 (oficina); 601-291-6738 (celular).

Rectory renovation begins with bee removal

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Renovations at the rectory for the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle caused quite the buzz in downtown Jackson during the second week of March. The restoration crew had to call in a beekeeper to remove a five-foot tall hive from one of the columns on the rectory porch. The operation drew news crews and concern from bank employees next door, but was completed smoothly and safely. Rectory staff and reporters even got to take home sections of honey comb.

JACKSON, Miss., Workers from Durable Restoration remove part of a five-foot tall beehive from a column on the porch of the rectory for the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in downtown Jackson on Friday, March 2. The bees have been in the nest about 10 years, but needed renovations forced their removal. Beekeeper Michael Everett, who will relocate them to a Mississippi State University Experiment station in Crystal Springs, estimates the hive had about 50 pounds of honey in it. Cathedral staff hope to auction the honey at a ministry fair later this spring.

Traci Avalon, office manager for the rectory, said she has known the bees had a hive in the column for a decade, but since they didn’t seem to bother anyone and she knows bees are endangered, she left them alone. When it came time to renovate, she included bee removal in the bid process. “I told them I did not want the bees destroyed. I know some beekeepers and I knew they can be moved,” she said.
Durable Restoration, a sister company to Durable Slate, took on the project. The company worked on the cathedral renovation several years ago and has done a lot of work in churches. Jacob Lammers, a public relations vice president for Durable Restoration, said this is not the first time the company has worked with a beekeeper to remove a hive. While beekeeper Michael Everett from Magee led the effort, Durable Slate employees donned protective bee-suits and did the heavy-lifting.
Workers drilled holes in the column and used a camera to precisely locate the hive. Then, they carefully cut the wood around the hive to remove a whole section from the column, bringing with it 10-years worth of honeycomb, honey and insects. “As bees build a nest, they continue to make it go down every year. They start at the top and as they have space they will go down. The column was about 20 inches inside and the bees have 3/8 of an inch crawl-space so they will suspend the combs and build from there,” Everett captured the queen bee and drew the workers out to her. The whole operation, started in the late afternoon, took about three hours. He guessed there was about 50 pounds of honey in this hive.
“These were Italian bees, a three-banded Italian. They were yellow with little black rings,” Everett explained. He has been a beekeeper for 13-years. He used to work in construction so he uses his knowledge of how structures are built to find creative ways to remove bees. These days he raises his own queen bees and helps with the occasional hive removal. He said as long as the bees are moved more than one mile from their original location, they will not return to their old nest. The cathedral bees will have a new home at the Mississippi State University Agricultural Experiment Station in Crystal Springs where they will pollinate local crops and continue to make honey.
Avalon said she will extract the honey from the comb she got and put it up for auction at the St. Peter Ministry Fair later this spring.

In memoriam: Fr. Leonard Elder, SCJ, retired Holly Springs pastor

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Father. Leonard Elder, SCJ

Father Leonard Elder, SCJ, died March 6, after suffering a heart attack. He was 76, and had served from 2004-2015 at Holly Springs St. Joseph Parish. For the past two years he continued to be in residence at the parish in retirement.
Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and raised in Kentucky, Father Leonard attended the minor seminary as a teen with the intention of pursuing ordained ministry. But instead of continuing his seminary studies he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. In some ways, his time of military service was an extended period of discernment. After four years with the Air force “I asked to return to the community as a religious brother.”
He professed his first vows with the Priests of the Sacred Heart in 1967.
As a religious brother, he served for nine years as a missionary in Zaire (now, the Democratic Republic of Congo). It was in Africa that he once again felt the call to ordained ministry. “God, through the voices of many people where I served, called me to pursue studies for the priesthood,” said Father Leonard.
He returned to the States and earned his M.Div. at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Hales Corners, WI, in 1996. He was ordained shortly after.
Father Leonard said that what he enjoyed most about his years in Africa “were the challenges; learning new cultures, languages, and the daily struggles to overcome the lack of almost everything I was accustomed to using. However, joined with those challenges was discovering a people eager to celebrate God’s love and to share in their lives and struggles.”
Following ordination, Father Leonard served in pastoral ministry in Houston from 1996-2004, and until retirement, at St. Joseph’s parish in Holly Springs.
The Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians) is an international Catholic religious order of priests and brothers. In northern Mississippi, the order operates Sacred Heart Southern Missions, which includes parishes, schools and social outreach.

St. Martin offers parental support as part of Priority work

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By Ali and Patricia Lopez
HAZELHURST – Since October 2017, parents from St. Martin of Tours Mission have met on the first Sunday of every month for a program called “School for Parents.” The classes were adapted from a program already in use in Latin America and are part of the parish’s efforts to support the Pastoral Priority of the formation of life-long disciples. About two dozen families participated.
The focus of the program is to support parents who have children enrolled in religious education, especially those who have children preparing for First Communion this year. Themes included effective communication within the family, self-esteem in children, family values, parents’ responsibility to educate their children in the faith and the importance of family prayer.
Jaime and Herlinda Martinez led the closing session, Sunday, March 4. Jaime and Herlinda are graduates of the school of ministries offered by the Southeastern Pastoral Ministries Institute (SEPI) for training in becoming parish leaders. SEPI classes are coordinated by the Office of Hispanic Ministry.

(Alí and Patricia López are members of St. Martin of Tours Mission)

Mission grant applications

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The diocesan office of temporal affairs is accepting applications for its Mission Grant program through the end of the month. Mission grants can go to any parish, school or Catholic ministry. They are generally meant to be used for a specific project, such as supplies or capital improvements.
They are not meant to pay operating costs or salaries.
In the past, grants have been used for new sidewalks or signs; to pay for Vacation Bible School or other religious education materials or for unexpected repairs. These one-time expenses can weigh heavily on a smaller parish or school. Mission grants can ease the burden.
Parish or school administrators need to fill out a four-page application detailing their project. Applications are reviewed by a committee and grants are awarded in the summer. Applications are due March 30. Call or email Cathy Pendleton at 601-969-2135 or cathy.pendleton@jacksondiocese.org for an application.