Category Archives: Diocesan News

Nursing workshop aims to integrate faith with care

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Registered nurses have the opportunity this summer to participate in a 38-hour workshop and retreat on the concept of faith community nursing. The workshop, organized by Catholic Charities, is based on the Westberg Institute in Memphis, which specializes in faith-based community nursing. It is set for June 9-10 and June 23-25 at Belhaven University in Jackson.
Participants will learn about spirituality, holistic health and community as it relates to community nursing. “Faith community nursing provides a ‘wholistic’ blending of nursing expertise and spiritual care as professional nurses practice in congregations, faith-based organizations and other institutions as part of ministry team,” according to a flier for the event. This program is designed to help faith communities get closer to the ideal and develop community outreach opportunities.
“The training is for nurses, although I have had other individuals taking the course as well. I am working hard to provide a retreat-like setting, so we can minister to the participants as they minister to others wholistically,” explained Ann Elizabeth Kaiser, coordinator for the Catholic Charities faith-based nursing program. “I hope faith communities and other health institutions may sponsor individuals, so they may attend the event and bring knowledge and compassion to their congregations,” she added. The workshop costs $200, but scholarships are available.
Several congregations in the Diocese of Jackson have a faith-based nursing ministry. In some cases, they offer health education in their parishes, keep an eye on those in the parish who may be having health issues or sponsor health screenings for the community.
To register for the workshop or find out more about scholarships, contact Ann Elizabeth Kaiser at (601) 213-6378 or annelizabeth.kaiser@catholiccharitiesjackson.org.

Pastoral ministries workshop, retreats mesh with new priorities

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By Maureen Smith
The Office of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Jackson continues to respond to the diocesan priority of intentional formation of life-long disciples with new offerings at its annual Pastoral Ministries Retreats and Workshops in the first week of June at Lake Tia O’Kahata.
“One recurring theme that was brought up at all of the listening sessions with Bishop Joseph Kopacz was intentional faith formation for catechists and other lay persons in pastoral ministries including adult faith formation, youth ministry, RCIA and pastoral care,” wrote Fran Lavelle, director of Faith Formation for the diocese in an email. “As we move forward, we are evaluating the programs, workshops and retreats provided by the diocese for professional development and catechetical training. The Pastoral Ministries Workshop is a useful tool to help form and inform Catholic lay leadership for your parish,” she added.
The retreat and workshop is really three events rolled into one week: a retreat for those in ministry, an opportunity for an extended retreat, and a four-day workshop including classes needed to be certified as a lay minister for the diocese. The certification process is five years long and starts at the Pastoral Ministries workshop.


The retreats are guided. The shorter one starts Sunday, June 4, and ends at lunch on Monday, June 5. The cost is $120. The extended retreat starts Monday and runs through Thursday, June 8, and can be combined with the workshop. The extended retreat alone costs $400. The theme this year follows the 2017-2018 catechetical theme announced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, ‘Living as Missionary Disciples.’
The workshop is part of the five-year certification process and each year builds on the previous one, so people taking it tend to form a community with others going through the program. It runs from Monday, June 5, through Thursday, June 8. Classes progress from introductory level theology through prayer, canon law and administration in a parish. The workshop is $500. Those taking a combination of the workshop and the retreat will pay reduced rates and scholarship money is available. The deadline to register is May 15.
The classes are taught by a team of excellent presenters, the atmosphere is relaxing, the daily liturgies are inspiring and for those attending the retreat there is ample opportunity for personal quiet time and reflection. Lavelle said a concerted effort is made to create a welcoming and inviting environment. “A lot of our attendees work for the Church in full time capacities, but some work full time in a job outside the church.” Lavelle hopes to provide a solid formation experience, mixed with great liturgies, and time to make connections that are helpful the other 51 weeks of the year. “We try to maximize the benefits of the limited time we have together,” Lavelle added.
Patti Greene, youth minister at Gluckstadt St. Joseph, and Canton Sacred Heart Parishes, is completing her last year in the program. “For me, the Pastoral Ministries Workshop has made all the difference in how I conduct my ministry. My first year, I had no idea what to expect, and was not looking forward to ‘another workshop.’ But this is not just a workshop. The Pastoral Ministries Workshop is where I finally surrendered my reservations and preconceptions about my ministry and opened myself to the guidance of the Spirit to truly lead my ministry. It was there that I found value in becoming a lifelong disciple and servant, so I could become a better teacher and leader” she said. “Each year that I attend, I discover multitude of resources in materials shared as well as in a network of common experiences and bonds with my brothers and sisters in Christ and in ministry. During this time of spiritual and professional renewal, I began once again my creative process of shaping the next year of our youth ministry. This year, my fifth year, as June approaches, I grow increasingly impatient to begin my next, but hopefully not last, journey to Lake Tiak O’Khata,” Greene added.
To enroll in the certification process or inquire about the retreats, contact Fran Lavelle at (601) 960-8473 or by email at fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.

Catholic Charities celebrates new office opening with blessing, ribbon cutting

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JACKSON – On Friday, May 5, Bishop Joseph Kopacz cut a Ribbon for and blessed the new Catholic Charities offices on East River Place in Jackson. The staff has been in the facility since January, getting settled and getting programs up and running. The new space is larger and has much better parking than the old headquarters downtown. 

Bishop blessed the new building

Program seeks to connect students, campus ministry

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By Abbey Schuhmann
For the past several years the Diocese of Jackson has partnered with the Newman Connection in an effort to help connect our high school seniors with a Catholic campus ministry program at their chosen college, university, or community college. The Newman Connection is a non-profit organization that provides structure and support to dioceses, parishes, Catholic high schools and Catholic campus ministry programs across the nation free of charge.
Newman Connection is focused on strengthening today’s Catholic young adults in the faith during their college years; they work with nearly 50 dioceses to help connect as many young people as possible. This program fits in very well with our renewed diocesan mission and vision and supports the priority to facilitate life-long formation of intentional disciples.
How to get connected? High school seniors at our parishes and Catholic high schools will be asked to fill out a brief information card from Newman Connection that includes their name and school they plan to attend in the fall; that card is then collected by the parish or high school and mailed back to Newman Connection. This program is completely free for participating parishes and schools and what a great way to help keep our young people engaged with their Catholic faith as they begin this new adventure into college life.
A senior Mass, banquet, or Baccalaureate are great opportunities to have your students fill out the information cards. The Newman Connection enters the information into their database that will then reach Catholic campus ministers at more than 400 campuses around the United States. Catholic campus ministers will then know who the incoming freshman are, what diocese they are from and can reach out to them and encourage them to get involved in the Catholic campus ministry program.
The staggering fact is that “80 percent of students stop practicing their faith at some point during college, while only 15 percent look for a campus ministry on their own.”
But together, we can change this. Let us get connected and stay connected. Newman Connection packets have been sent to all parishes and Catholic high schools in our diocese and information cards should be available. You may also go on the Newman Connection website, www.newmanconnection.com and “connect” individually or to find out more about the Newman Connection program and other resources available.
Please contact Abbey Schuhmann in the Office of Youth Ministry if you have any questions about the implementation of the enrollment process with Newman Connection. Abbey.Schuhmann@jacksondiocese.org or 601-949-6934
(Abbey Schuhmann is the coordinator for youth ministry for the Diocese of Jackson.)

National music educator to offer liturgical workshop in Pearl

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By Mary Woodward
The diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy is sponsoring a retreat-style conference entitled “Liturgical Music: Ministry Encounters Mystery” for liturgical music ministers, clergy and LEMs, June 8 – 9, at Pearl St. Jude Parish. The presenter for the experience is Alexis Kutarna, director of music for St. Mary Seminary in Houston, Texas.

Alexis Kutarna

Born and raised in Canada, Kutarna has been involved in church music ever since she was a child. Kutarna earned the Master of Arts in Liturgy at The Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, where she wrote her thesis on “The Sacramental Nature of Sacred Music.” She holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in music, as well as a performer’s certificate.
Kutarna has a special interest in the spirituality of liturgical music, and was privileged to study chant with Fr. Columba Kelly, OSB. She has served as a parish music and liturgy director, working with singers of all ages.
In a letter to parish leaders and musicians, Bishop Joseph Kopacz remarked: “In my travels around the diocese, I have experienced some wonderful liturgies with all kinds of musical offerings. This retreat experience will help affirm and broaden our parish musical horizons.
“Everyone from the novice to the most accomplished will benefit greatly from this conference. It is meant to inspire us to grow more deeply in our understanding of the divine mysteries and the unique and sacred role music plays in that mystery,” wrote the bishop.
“More deeply inspired and thoughtful liturgies based in our rich spiritual and theological tradition give us the fuel to embody and live the Gospel and proclaim it to others.”
Frequently asked to speak on music and the liturgy, Kutarna presents in a variety of contexts, from parish choirs and retreats to lectures and conferences. She has presented on seminary musical formation, the spirituality of chant, liturgical participation, and singing the Mass, including at the 2016 NPM convention.
She teaches the Summer Learning Schola for the St. Basil School of Gregorian Chant. In April of this year, she spoke on music and heaven at the “Transfigured” young adult conference in Chicago, hosted by the Liturgical Institute.
Kutarna teaches courses on the liturgy and liturgical music at the University of St. Thomas for the seminary, the permanent diaconate program, and the master of sacred music program.
The retreat will incorporate prayer, instruction, reflection and interaction. It is designed for those who actively engage in music ministry on the parish level. It also is designed to benefit clergy in additional knowledge of the role of music in the liturgy.
Retreatants will enjoy a journey into the sacred mysteries and gain a better understanding of their ministry as musicians in the liturgy. Topics for reflection include: Mystery and Liturgy, Mystery and Silence, Mystery and Music and From Mystery to Ministry. Though the retreat will be in English, resources for Spanish and bilingual Masses will be a part of the retreat.
As a prayer experience, the Liturgy of the Hours will be sung throughout and there will be a session on practical applications during the Mass.
The tentative retreat schedule will begin with check- in at 1 p.m. on Thursday, with overview and first session beginning at 2 p.m., and run until 9 p.m. Thursday night; it will begin on Friday at 8:30 a.m. and end with Mass at 4 p.m.
Cost is $60, which includes three meals and materials. Participants must make their own lodging arrangements. For more information contact Mary Woodward, chancellor, at 601.960.8475 or mary.woodward@jacksondiocese.org.
(Mary Woodward is the chancellor and coordinator for the Office of Liturgy.)

Carmelite shop renovated, updated, ready for new business

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JACKSON – The Carmelite gift shop on Terry Road in Jackson celebrated a grand re-opening on Saturday, April 22. The shop was relocated to the convent for a couple of months while work crews overhauled the space. Father Kevin Slattery, vicar general for the Diocese of Jackson, blessed the space and welcomed guests after Mass.
The Knights of Coulmbus from Clinton Holy Savior built two ramps, one from the outside of the store and another from the convent to the back door.

In addition to new floors, workers removed walls to create more open space inside the store. The inventory was reorganized and is displayed together. Sr. Donna Degnan, OCD, is visible greeting Peggy Harkins, at left, at the grand re-opening.

Workers removed some walls inside the buidling, a pre-Civil War house, to create more open space and either restored or replaced the wood flooring. The windows were uncovered and cleaned and the shop has new lights and new paint. The result is a much brigher, open space. The shop’s signature Fontanini nativities have their own room and the other inventory has been reorganized.
The sisters are grateful for the many years of support from the faithful and want to remind people they are open for business.

Charities to recognize Maloney siblings at Bishop’s Ball

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Catholic Charities has started selling tickets to this year’s Bishop’s Ball, a premire fundraising event set for Saturday, June 10, at the Jackson Country Club. In addition to dinner, a silent and live auction and dancing will keep the evening lively. During dinner, Bishop Joseph Kopacz will present the Good Samaritan Award to the Maloney siblings, a family whose support of the church spans several generations.
In the 1950s, James C. “Cowboy” Maloney was a residential builder in the Jackson area. With the post-war building boom rapidly transforming Jackson, the contractor and his wife Dolly carved out a comfortable living to support their family of three sons and a daughter: Con, Bridget (Fielder), Eddie and Johnny. As a way to provide better prices for his construction, in 1952 Cowboy and Dolly opened Maloney Supply Company as a local lumber yard, offering building materials at wholesale pricing. Maloney soon realized he had failed to factor in a crucial detail: his targeted consumers – building contractors – were also his direct competition in the construction business. To overcome the hurdle, Maloney retired from the construction business to concentrate on his new retail/wholesale venture. In addition to lumber and building materials, he began selling built-in appliances used in residential construction.
Creative marketing, personal customer service and affordably-priced appliance additions to his lumber lineup helped Maloney Supply flourish. “We quickly evolved to a full-line appliance dealer and from there became a TV dealer when the first television station came on line in Mississippi,” said Con, the eldest of the three Maloney sons who now share the reins of the appliance empire. “It’s the best of worlds, retail-wise,” explains Johnny, who came on board after graduating from Ole Miss in May 1978. “You’ve got Eddie who’s great with finance and Con who’s the best at marketing and I stay in between.”
Bridget no longer works in the family business, but “when she did, she was one of the best sales associates we ever had. She could sell ice to an Eskimo,” Johnny bragged.
Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth, OP, associate executive director of the St. Dominic Health Services Foundation, said the Maloney family is most deserving of this special recognition. “They exemplify their Catholic faith by their actions and involvement in parish functions and their service on various boards within the diocese. Their love for the Church and for community runs deep in the family roots. The Maloney family has been a pillar for St. Dominic’s, the only Catholic healthcare facility in Mississippi and has played an important role in its growth,” she said.
Tickets to the ball are $85 per person. Call 601-326-3758 to reserve seats.

Bishop Ball

Egypt: beacon of hope and refuge

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By Junno Arocho Esteves
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Just as it had been for centuries, Egypt can be a sign of hope for those who long for peace, Pope Francis said.
During his weekly general audience May 3, the pope reflected on his recent visit to Egypt and said that because of its religious and cultural heritage as well as its role in the Middle East, Egypt has the task of promoting a lasting peace that “rests not on the law of force but on the force of law.”
“For us, Egypt has been a sign of hope, refuge and help. When that part of the world suffered famine, Jacob and his sons went there. Then when Jesus was persecuted, he went there,” he said. “ Egypt, for us, is that sign of hope both in history and for today, this brotherhood.”
The pope’s April 28-29 visit to Cairo began with a gathering organized by Egypt’s al-Azhar University, Sunni Islam’s highest institute of learning.
The visit to the university, he said, had the twofold purpose of promoting Christian-Muslim dialogue and promoting peace in the world.
Peace between Christians and Muslims in Egypt, he said, is a sign of the country’s identity “as a land of civilization and a land of covenant.”
“For all of humanity, Egypt is synonymous with ancient civilization, treasures of art and of knowledge, of a humanism that has, as an integral part, a religious dimension – the relationship with God,” he said.
Christians in Egypt, the pope continued, play a pivotal role in contributing to peace in the country and are “called to be a leaven of brotherhood,” but that is possible only if Christians themselves are united in Christ.
The historic agreement signed by Pope Francis and Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II ending a longtime disagreement between the churches over the sacrament of baptism “renews the commitment” to peace and is “a strong sign of communion,” he said.
“Together we prayed for the martyrs of the recent attacks that tragically struck that venerable church,” Pope Francis said. “Their blood made fruitful that ecumenical encounter, which included Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, my dear brother.”
Talking about his Mass with the country’s Catholic community and his meeting with the country’s priests and religious men and women, Pope Francis said he encounter a “community of men and women who have chosen to give their lives to Christ for the kingdom of God.”
“I have seen the beauty of the church in Egypt,” he said, “and I prayed for all Christians in the Middle East so that, guided by their pastors and accompanied by consecrated men and women, they may be salt and light in that land.”
(Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.)

Catholic educators reminded of mission at NCEA conference

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – How do 31 educators and administrators get to the biggest gathering of Catholic educators in the nation? They ride a bus. The Office of Education for the Catholic Diocese of Jackson chartered a bus to take representatives from almost every school in the diocese to the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) conference in St. Louis April 18-20. Southaven Sacred Heart School garnered some national recognition at the conference as one of three schools nominated for an award in educational innovation (See sidebar for details).
“We were talking about how many people were going and how St. Louis was not that far away and I said, ‘we should get a bus,’” said Catherine Cook, superintendent of Catholic Schools. The offhand idea turned into a plan that saved money and allowed for some valuable networking time.
“We got to know each other. The principals are able to see each other at our meetings, but our teachers don’t always get to do that,” said Jennifer David, principal of Meridian St. Patrick School and bus rider.
“Professional development and supporting our educators is important, so we want to facilitate that in any way we can,” said Cook. The bus started in Jackson where teachers and administrators from Jackson, Madison and Meridian boarded and made a stop in Winona to pick up representatives from Greenwood, Greenville and Columbus. A second stop in Southaven allowed principals and teachers from Southaven and Holly Springs onboard. Other schools made their own travel arrangements.
David said the conference was amazing from start to finish. “It really fires you up for the mission of Catholic education. It unites us in that mission.” She said the message of the keynote speaker, Jonathan Doyle, resonated with her. “We all have different mission statements, but the mission is the same – to ensure future generations (of Catholics), to teach gospel values and to allow students to have an encounter with Christ,” she said.
Bridget Martin, principal of Southaven Sacred Heart agreed. “Overall the experience of being there with other Catholic educators is good. You can get bogged down in policy and day-to-day stuff. We need to remind ourselves of our mission,” Martin said. She commented on how each workshop kept that theme at the forefront. “For example, you might go to the data workshop, but we talked about how we are ‘data informed,’ but mission-driven,” she added.
David called teaching a vocation and said it is important to give teachers a chance to recharge. “It is no accident that God has called you to this vocation and no matter what, he will sustain you through it,” she added.
David said one of her favorite features was a lunch-and-learn with other administrators. The teachers had one as well. “They asked us what challenges we were facing today. Almost every single one of us had the same or similar answers,” David explained. The groups exchanged ideas and support for the entire session. “NCEA is going to type up all the answers and send them to all of us,” explained David.

Southaven Sacred Heart School recognized for service learning program

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Southaven Sacred Heart School brought some national recognition home from this year’s National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) convention held in St. Louis April 18-20. Sacred Heart School was one of three finalists in Innovations in Catholic Education (ICE) award presented by the magazine Today’s Catholic Teacher.
The school was nominated for its Catholic identity program. It’s a two-pronged program. “Our theme for this year was ‘mercy knows no bounds,’” explained Bridget Martin, principal. Each month, the school highlighted two things, the diversity within its own community and contributions the students can make on their own.

WALLS – Elian Munoz from Sacred Heart School works at the Sacred Heart Southern Missions food Pantry in November as part of service learning. The school was one of three recognized nationally for innovative Catholic identity programs. (Photo by Laura Grisham)

“Our 325 students represent 17 nationalities,” said Martin. Each month families from these nations get space in the school lobby to put up a display about their culture and students learn more about their neighbors. This month, Guatemala takes center stage. The second part of the identity program highlights community involvement.
The priests of Sacred Heart sponsor 13 different social service ministries in northeast Mississippi. Students learn about each one in a way appropriate to their age group. “Each month a representative from a different ministry comes to speak to them. The sixth, seventh and eighth graders will even go to the ministries to do service projects,” said Martin. At the end of the month the students have ‘denim days’ on which they can pay to wear denim and the money goes to the ministry of the month. “So we have been learning about and praying for and supporting the ministry all month,” said Martin.
“We hope that when they grow up, if they find they are in need, they will know where to go for help. We also hope that when they grow up, if they have a gift or a talent they will volunteer or donate to help their communities,” said Martin. She added that many students who go on to Catholic high schools in Memphis return to fulfill their service hours at Sacred Heart or one of the social service organizations.
This is not the only innovative program the school has offered. This year, Sacred Heart switched its fund-raiser from golf to running, but with a twist. The school offered a fun run during the school day. Different classes ran during different times of the day and were joined by parents and other community members. “The police came out at one point and ran with the kids and they loved that,” said Martin. The activities included inflatable bounce houses.
Martin promised if they topped $20,000 she would sleep on the school roof. On Tuesday, May 2, the effort had gathered $31,000 and Martin was headed up with a member of her maintenance staff to find a safe spot to ‘camp.’ “The last time I promised to do this my school had a flat roof,” she joked. The money will go toward new library furniture.