Participen con una donación el 29 de noviembre

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

Print La Diócesis de Jackson está en segundo lugar entre las organizaciones participantes en #iGiveCatholic. En primer lugar está el fundador de este programa, la Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleáns.
Por primera vez este año, el 29 de noviembre, será un día en el cual la comunidad católica de todo el mundo podrá hacer donaciones en el internet a su(s) organizaciones de preferencia. #iGiveCatholic, Día Mundial de Donación, es un llamado para compartir nuestras bendiciones con la iglesia y los que la iglesia ayuda y apoya en nuestras comunidades.
El equipo detrás de este ‘Martes donante’ pensó que debería haber un día en el cual la gente pueda ofrecer donaciones a sus comunidades durante los días feriados. Ellos crearon un movimiento en el internet alentando a la gente a dar donaciones a sus organizaciones favoritas de caridad durante el martes después del Día de Acción de Gracias y anunciar su donación usando el hashtag #GivingTuesday como una manera de alentar a otros a donar.
Este 29 de noviembre, casi 50 parroquias, escuelas y misiones en la diócesis recibirán donaciones durante 24 horas a través de la página web www.igivecatholic.com. Vea los perfiles de estas organizaciones en sus paginas de internet para averiguar cómo utilizarán el dinero.
La idea se ha expandido de manera que la gente puede ahora honrar su fe con su donación. Varias diócesis han unido fuerzas para crear este año #iGiveCatholic.
Las organizaciones recibirán todo el dinero que les sea donado mientras iGiveCatholic mantendrá la página web y su infraestructura.
Rebecca Harris, directora ejecutiva de la Fundación Católica, recientemente dijo que espera que todos visiten la pagina de facebook de la Diócesis de Jackson y ayuden a correr la voz al publicar su donación.
Oficinas diocesanas y fondos:
Caridades Católicas
La Fundación Católica
Archivos de la Diócesis de Jackson
Oficina del Ministerio de los Negros
Oficina de Educación Católica
Oficina de Vocaciones
Oficina del Ministerio de los Jóvenes
Orden de las Carmelitas Descalzas
Fondo de Retiro de los Sacerdotes
Fondo de Educación para los Seminaristas

Parroquias y misiones
Amory St. Helen Parish
Batesville St. Mary Parish
Bruce St. Luke the Evangelist Parish
Clarksdale Immaculate Conception Parish
Clarksdale St. Elizabeth Parish
Greenville St. Joseph Parish
Greenwood St. Francis Parish
Grenada St. Peter Parish
Hernando Holy Spirit Parish
Holly Springs St. Gregory the Great Parish
Holly Springs St. Joseph Parish
Jackson Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle
Jackson St. Therese Parish
Leland St. James Parish
Madison St. Francis of Assisi Parish
McComb St. Alphonsus Parish
New Albany St. Francis of Assisi Parish
Olive Branch Queen of Peace Parish
Pearl St. Jude Parish
Pontotoc St. Christopher Mission
Robinsonville Good Shepherd Parish
Sardis St. John Parish
Senatobia St. Gregory
Southaven Christ the King Parish
Tupelo St. James Parish
Vicksburg St. Michael Parish
Colegios:
Clarksdale St. Elizabeth
Columbus Annunciation
Flowood St. Paul Early Learning Center
Greenville Our Lady of Lourdes
Greenville St. Joseph
Greenwood St. Francis of Assisi
Holly Springs Holy Family
Jackson Sister Thea Bowman
Jackson St. Richard
Madison St. Anthony
Madison St. Joseph
Meridian St. Patrick
Natchez Cathedral
Southaven Sacred Heart
Vicksburg Catholic

Turn back time: visit Cranfield St. John the Baptist mission

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

Cranfield St. John the Baptist mission is a country church, often the Sunday home to Louisiana Catholics who are visiting nearby hunting camps.

By Mary Woodward

CRANFIELD – On Sunday, Nov. 6, a beautiful, fresh autumn day, more than 100 people gathered with Bishop Joseph Kopacz to mark the centennial of St. John the Baptist Mission at an early afternoon Mass. The wood-framed church holds roughly 50 people. The overflow congregation was sheltered in a tent outside under the trees.

Shortly before the Mass was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., a communicant arrived on a four-wheeler, reflecting the mission’s proximity to nearby hunting camps where many Louisiana Catholics come during hunting season. She zipped in and parked opposite the tents and took her place among the congregation.
The windows of the church were wide open and the breeze of the day kept the natural flow of creation present as those gathered entered into the Divine Liturgy. The setting of the day brought us back to 100 years ago when Bishop John Gunn, SM, preached an eloquent sermon on the parable of the Good Samaritan likening the Cranfield mission to the protagonist who cared for the one in need.
The history of the mission is a prime example of a dedicated shepherd who traversed fields and valleys, climbed hills and braved thickets to find his flock. In his time Father Matthew Morrissey, SSJ, became known as the “Father of Missions” in the southwest corner of the diocese.

The inside view of the church.

The Natchez ministry of Father Morrissey began in 1901 when he arrived at Holy Family Church. The parish was established in 1890 to serve African American Catholics in the Natchez area. Having been invited by Bishop Thomas Heslin, the Josephites have staffed Holy Family since 1895.
Under Father Morrissey, Holy Family soon became the mother church of four missions – Cranfield, Harriston, Laurel Park and Springfield. On Monday mornings after his weekend duties at Holy Family, Father Morrissey would head out into the county in search of any Catholics and also those who were not church-going. During his circuit he often came upon Catholics who were not able to get into Natchez very often to receive the sacraments. This is where the story of Cranfield has its roots.
According to a history of the Cranfield mission written in 1945 by Father Arthur Flanagan, SSJ, pastor of Holy Family at the time, Soon after his arrival in Natchez, Father Morrissey came upon the Irish Catholic family of John Gordon Fleming living on the outskirts of Cranfield. Fleming told Father Morrissey the family originally came from County Mayo, Ireland in the late 1870s. Fleming’s relative, Holliday Fleming, was the oldest son of the immigrants and brought with him his wife and children. The family would go to Mass in Natchez at St. Mary on Easter and Christmas – weather permitting. The children were all baptized and received sacraments from St. Mary.

Before the anniversary Mass, Father George Ajuruchi, SSJ, was installed as pastor at Natchez Holy Family and Fayette St. Anne. Some of his friends and family, pictured above, from his home country of Nigeria came for the day of celebrations. (Photo by Valencia Hall)

The next half of the story told by Fleming holds a true Mississippi cultural twist and a wonderful image of the people of God. Fleming explained to Father Morrissey that Holliday Fleming had been “true to his name, [and] went holidaying with the result that he was blessed” with a growing African-American family. Father Morrissey made sure these children were brought to Holy Family for sacraments and given their father’s name.
Soon after meeting the Flemings, Father Morrissey laid plans to build a church in Cranfield. After a few years of saving pennies and nickels from various appeals, there finally were enough funds to build the church on the land donated by Mrs. Boggart, a local Catholic. The mission priest, along with the older African-American Fleming children, built the church themselves. As great artists often sign their masterpieces, Linda Floyd, a descendant of the original Fleming family, relayed that the young men who worked on the church inscribed their names in the steeple.
Initially religious education, taught by Rosie Washington, was held in the church as there was no other building on the site. In 1938, a bus from Natchez came to bring the children to St. Francis School at Holy Family. On the weekend when Mass was not celebrated in the mission the bus often was used to bring people from the missions to Mass at Holy Family.
As the years passed, the other three missions closed. Today Cranfield is the last of the four built by Father Morrissey. His missionary zeal reflects the true spirit of our diocese as a rural mission territory. For Bishop Kopacz – 100 years later – the day began in Natchez with the installation of Father George Ajuruchi, SSJ, as new pastor of Holy Family; then we traveled to Fayette St. Anne for Father Ajuruchi’s installation there as pastor.
From Fayette we headed to Cranfield. The road soon became narrower and less paved and we witnessed the terrain of Father Morrissey. Driving from Holy Family to Fayette and then down to Cranfield gave us a great lesson in history and an even greater perspective on mission life in the church.

A sweet personal touch to the celebration — cookies made in the image of the church.

It was 100 years ago on Sept. 3, 1916, when Bishop John Gunn, SM, dedicated the mission church built by Father Matthew Morrissey, SSJ, and his flock. Since then many striking autumn days have filled the hearts and minds of the people of this unique mission. For those who live in larger parishes, a trip to Cranfield St. John the Baptist would be good for the Catholic soul.
(Mary Woodward is the diocesan chancellor.)

Called to Serve: Pray for seminarians, priests, religious

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

During National Vocations Awareness Week, we ask you to keep the seminarians, priests and religious for the Diocese of Jackson in your prayers. Here is a look at orders serving in the Diocese of Jackson.

Brothers:
Congregation of Christian Brothers, C.F.C
Franciscans, O.F.M.
Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, S.T.

Priests:
Priests of the Sacred Heart, S.C.J.
Diocesan Priests
Franciscan Friars, O.F.M.
Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, S.T.
Norbertine Fathers, O.Praem.
Redemptorist Fathers, C.Ss.R.
Society of the Divine Word, S.V.D.
St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart, S.S.J.

Sisters:
Adrian Dominican Sisters, OP
Congregation of Humility of Mary, CHM
Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, CSA
Dominican Sisters of Racine, WI, OP
Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, WI, OP
Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL, OP
Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, OSF
Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN, OSF
Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, FSPA
Missionaries Guadalupanas of the Holy Spirit, MGSpS
Order of the Discalced Carmelites, OCD
Sisters for Christian Community, SFCC
School Sisters of Notre Dame, Atlantic Midwest Province, SSND
School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central
Pacific Province, SSND
School Sisters of St. Francis, OSF
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, SCN
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, US/Ontario Province, SNJM
Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate, S.H.Sp.
Sisters of the Living Word, SLW
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, South Central Community, RSM
Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, PBVM
Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family, OSF
Sisters of St. Francis, OSF
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, CSJ
Sisters of St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill, SSJ
Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, PA, CSJ
Solitary, Diocese of East Anglia, UK
Union of Presentation Sisters, PBVM

‘God charmed me’ into life of simplicity, joy

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

JACKSON – Missionaries Guadalupanas of the Holy Spirit Sisters Lourdes Gonzalez (right) and Obdulia Olivar share a happy smile during the recent meeting of Hispanic ministers in Jackson.

By Sister Lourdes Gonzalez, MGSpS
“Vocational experience! Are you crazy? What is happening to you? I don’t understand anything” These are some of the comments I heard from several people when I shared with them my desire to respond to God’s call, when He was calling me to be part of his life, to dedicate my life to him, in service to my brothers and sisters.
With simplicity, I share with you the way in which God charmed me and I let myself be seduced by him.
I was 20-years-old when suddenly, without knowing why, I began to feel a sense of emptiness, of dissatisfaction. Nothing of what I did or saw around me made sense. By then I had finished my interior decoration studies at the University of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and I was working. With my savings I had bought a new car which made me feel like I was living in a dream. I was very pleased to have achieved one of my dreams in such a short time.
And I had a boyfriend. He was a nice young man, a professional, responsible and respectful. It was a good match, as it is commonly said. I also had good friends with whom I traveled frequently to the beach and other places we enjoyed and I had a good relationship with my extended family. I could not understand why I was feeling this inner emptiness.
Although my parents were active Catholics, I only attended Mass on Sundays and Holy Days but tried to live my life in a very healthy and responsible way. I say this to mention that God’s call came without me asking.
I put in my lips the words of the Prophet Amos, “I was not a prophet nor the son of prophet, I was a pastor and seller of figs.” The Lord took me from following the flock and said to me, go prophesy to my people Israel.”(Amos 7:14-16)
I went through a period of uncertainty, searching in my inner self, trying to figure out, to discover what was going on. I wanted to get to the root of this feeling so strange that I was experiencing in my heart.
By chance, one day I met Mother Mary of Jesus Ramos, MGSpS, who worked in my parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary. She had been working there for two years but I didn’t know her. I remember very well, it was a Tuesday. Luckily, I was at home that day and at 5 in the afternoon as she knocked on the door to lead a Bible study, something she did weekly at different homes as part of her apostolate.
As soon as I saw her my heart began to beat at a rapid pace, as if the presence of a religious was a novelty to me, as if I had never seen a Sister in my life. That was not the case because I had studied at a Catholic school with the Servants of Jesus of the Blessed Sacrament.
Since the first moment I was very impressed by Mother Mary – her joy, her joviality, when my gaze crossed with hers, and I liked the way she conducted the meeting, so cordial, direct when she spoke to all the people gathered there.
From then on I asked her to talk with me so she could help me discover what was going on in my life. Kindly she accepted, I don’t remember how often we gathered and for how long we talked.
Finally I asked her to let me live an experience with the community to learn more, to see how they lived and what they were doing. A short time later she told me I could go to Morelia to have an experience with the postulants (girls who are starting their process in religious life).
I remember that when I arrived at the community’s house, and from the moment they opened the door I said ‘here it is! This is what I am looking for!’
The ministry I have undertaken as a Missionary Guadalupana of the Holy Spirit has been in this beloved country, United States, specifically in California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and now here in Mississippi for almost six years. Currently I am serving the Hispanic community of Jackson St. Therese Parish.
“You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong form me, and you triumphed. (Jr. 20:7)

Sr. Bernadette felt call to religious life early

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

By Sister Bernadette McNamara, S.H.Sp.
I’m a Sister of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate. Our Motherhouse is located in San Antonio, Texas, the cradle of our foundation.
I grew up in a loving and faith filled family on Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland. I was the third oldest of 12 children. I had a wonderful childhood though because of health issues, aggravated by the dampness on the island, my father had to work in England and we only got to see him, for a week, every few months.
As a young girl, Missionary Sisters often visited our elementary school, many of whom worked in Africa – they told us stories and showed us pictures of their missionary work among African children who were very poor. They asked us to sell tickets and fill “mite boxes” with our pennies to support their work. I began to dream of one day working with those children – my vocation was born.

Sister Bernadette McNamara narrates the annual Holy Family Early Learning Center Passion Play in this 2014 file photo.

I didn’t know how my dream would become a reality, but the Holy Spirit has a way of guiding each one of us exactly where God wants us to be. I went to live with my aunt, in County Galway; she lived close to the convent and high school where the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate lived and taught. I was 12 years old at that time.
When I was 15, I told my parents that I had decided to join the sisters. On January 6, 1950, I bid farewell to my beloved family and with two others, I entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate. A few months later, on July 4, we left on the Mauretania – a passenger ship bound for New York. We made the trip to San Antonio by train. There I received my formation as a Sister of the Holy Spirit, and continued my education, first at St. Mary’s University and later at the University of Incarnate Word.
I pronounced my first vows as a religious sister in 1952. During the next 64 years I lived a full and rich life, which had its challenges but also an abundance of joys and blessings. In the earlier years I taught in schools in Texas, and in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I taught for a year and then became the school principal.
I had the privilege of ministering with and for the people of Mississippi for 21 great years – 12 as principal of St. Peter the Apostle Elementary School in Pascagoula and nine at Holy Family in Natchez. St. Peter the Apostle School in Pascagoula was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and the pastor decided it was not feasible to rebuild. And so ended my ministry there.
I volunteered to go to Natchez to teach. Two years after I arrived, the elementary school closed because of financial challenges. In the fall of 2007 an Early Childhood Learning Center opened at Holy Family and I was asked to serve as the Catholic identity and financial director of the Program. Talk about life after death. The following eight years were a mixture of so many joys and blessings, but also some serious challenges.
In March 2015 I had a serious fall. I broke my second cervical vertebra. After time in the hospital and physical therapy I was able to travel. I moved to our Motherhouse in San Antonio where I now reside. Although I had to leave Natchez, I left my heart there with the beautiful people who were such a blessing in my life. I continue to support the program from a distance, through my daily prayers and in any other way I can offer my support.
(Sister McNamara lives in retirement in San Antonio. See the ad on this page for an address.)

SHSM hosts international educational mission convention

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

Holly Springs Holy Family Principal Clara Isom leads the choir of educators throughout the conference. Holy Family students also participated in the event.

By Laura Grisham
SOUTHAVEN – Mission Education. Every few years a contingency from the U.S. Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ) and their affiliated organizations gather to learn about Father Leo John Dehon, founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, as well as the congregation that carries on his ministries. This October, Sacred Heart Southern Missions (SHSM) hosted the eighth such gathering of the SCJs. The two-day conference was the second one held here in North Mississippi.
The time and talent exerted in putting the event together did not hold a candle to the spiritual treasure and fellowship received by all who attended.
Titled “Mission in Mercy,” the conference was infused with music and prayer — a celebration of God’s mercy and the opportunity to extend that mercy to others through all of our various missions and daily tasks.
On Monday, Sacred Heart School welcomed attendees. The activities began with the voices of the ‘educators’ choir, lead by Holy Family School principal Clara Isom. Among their musical selections, the group sang “Who Will Speak?” encouraging audience participation and setting the tone for the conference.
Father Jack Kurps, SCJ, greeted the crowd, visually introduced the contingents from all corners of the country and in doing so, showed our solidarity – united in our common mission of mercy. With so many facets, one might think it a “Mission Impossible,” but in a clever video production, Father Kurps showed that our mission is possible, relevant and much needed, especially today. The superior general of the congregation, Father Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, who also appeared via video, echoed Father Jack’s sentiments.
“An Interview with Father Dehon,” provided a look back to the challenges he faced more than a century ago. It was a clever presentation involving a reporter, Province Communications Director Mary Gorski, and Father Dehon, played by Dave Schimmel, province director of Dehonian Associates, helped participants gain an understanding of his work.

Father Quang Nguyen, SCJ,spoke of the economics of proverty. He demonstrated the gripping realities that so many in the country face every day.

Father Quang Nguyen, SCJ, spoke of the economics of poverty while SHSM’s director of programs, Shakebra Young, made the numbers personal as she shared her own struggles of poverty here in the Mississippi Delta. Both demonstrated the gripping realities that so many in our country face every day.
Ekpe, a local entertainer, and his band, told the story of “From Africa to Beale Street.” This performance highlighted a rich legacy of music. Ekpe moved the audience and had them on their feet.
Sister Cathy Bertrand, SSND, a member of the SHSM board of directors, facilitated several panel discussions about Mercy In Action throughout the conference. The discussions brought members from the various service aspects of SHSM and other SCJ affiliated organizations to the table to share how they perceive their role of mercy in their particular area or ministry.
Bishop Joseph Kopacz, bishop for the Diocese of Jackson, and Mary Woodward, diocesan chancellor, also addressed the gathering, speaking about the Church and its challenges in Mississippi. The largest diocese east of the Mississippi River, it encompasses some of the poorest areas of the nation. He lauded the contributions and accomplishments of Sacred Heart Southern Missions and the SCJs in caring physically and spiritually for those living in the northwestern counties of the diocese.
Bishop Kopacz was also the main celebrant at Mass on Monday afternoon at Holy Spirit Church in Hernando. A traditional southern barbecue dinner was served immediately following with a performance by local blues artists Sean “Bad Apple” Appel and Stud Ford to close the day.
Tuesday morning attendees were bused to Holly Springs to continue the conference at Holy Family School.
The day began with praise and thanksgiving. Isom and the ‘educators choir’ mesmerized the audience, singing ‘Jesus Love and Mercy’ and “I Feel Like Traveling Home.” Images from the Heart of Christ, narrated by Dave Schimmel, also gave participants an opportunity to reflect on how they saw and related to Jesus in the Sacred Heart. Holy Family students presented a “Live Wax Museum” of African American inventors, surprising many with their knowledge of historical facts.

Music and dancing was part of the event. A performance by local blues artists Sean “Bad Apple” Appel and Stud Ford closed the day.

Panel discussions continued, facilitated by Sister Bertrand, and were sprinkled with opportunities for table and room discussions by all in attendance before and after lunch. And speaking of lunch, there was not a soul present that did not have rave reviews for the traditional “Thanksgiving” dinner, cooked by the fine members of Strawberry Baptist Church.
The conference began as it ended, in song. Mercy in Mission.
(Reprinted with permission from SHSM’s newsletter. )

St. Dominic Hospital works to prevent racism

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

By Lillian Hawthorne, RN, BSN
On April 16, 1946, ownership of a rundown 20-bed Mississippi hospital was transferred to the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL. The Jackson Infirmary, to be known henceforth as St. Dominic Hospital, became the first hospital in the nation dedicated to the founder of the Order of Preachers. It put the Dominican Sisters in the midst of one of the greatest challenges to face the white ruling class in the country: dismantling Jim Crow.
When the Sisters took charge, the hospital was still facing segregation, as laws hadn’t changed. Black patients were admitted into dank basement rooms; black employees earned lower wages than white employees; and it was obvious that the black and white staff did not interact well, if at all. The Sisters admit to not always knowing in which direction to move, but they knew they were part of a divine mission, so they launched a desegregation campaign.
First, they raised the wages of black employees to parity with whites. They upgraded facilities for black patients, including a modern pharmacy, laboratory, and kitchen. They also began hiring black employees to positions such as registered nurses, surgical technologists, laboratory technicians and pharmacists. By the end of 1965, all public areas had been desegregated. A black woman had enrolled at the school of nursing in the R.N. program.

A statue of St. Dominic stands outside the hospital chapel in Jackson. (Photo and story courtesy of St. Dominic’s Hospital)

Today, St. Dominic Health Services (SDHS) is the only Catholic healthcare provider in the state of Mississippi.
In 2005, in sync with the Dominican Sisters’ commitment to dismantling institutional racism in all of their institutions, the health system established an anti-racism team that works to transform a culture of institutional racism. People of color are found in every facet of the organizational chart, from environmental services to vice president.
As a member of the St. Dominic anti-racism Team (StDART), I am grateful to the Dominican Sisters for their support in addressing institutional racism. The StDART team has the full support of SDHS administrators as well. On more than one occasion, Claude Harbarger, St. Dominic Health Services President, has shaken my hand and said, “Thank you for doing this work for us. We know it will be worthwhile.” That’s the hope I have as well, that the work we are doing will indeed be worthwhile.
(Author Lillian Hawthorn, RN, BSN, is a RN Clinical Educator at St. Dominic.)

New Carmelite leader gives parents credit for deep faith

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

In this file photo from 2015, Sister Mary Jane of the Resurrection (right) shares a laugh with Sister Cor Christi Abenio and Lloyd Chatham during the art show of Sister Mary Muriel Ludden, a Discalced Carmelite nun who died in 2013.(Photo by Elsa Baughman)

By Elsa Baughman
JACKSON – Before she came to the United States from the Philippines to serve at the Carmelite Monastery, Sister Mary Jane of the Resurrection had been a Carmelite nun for 35 years. She says her calling began to develop at a very young age when her neighbor would come to her house to read her and her siblings children’s books about the life of the saints. “I was about seven years old, and these stories, which were very easy to follow, taught us about how to practice virtues such as acts of love, kindness,” she remembers. “These hidden messages stuck with me.”
One of the books she loved the best was the life of St. Therese of Avila. Later in life, Sister Mary Jane was attracted to silence and solitude, something she thinks is a gift from God because while she was surrounded by all the noise she was able to feel the presence of God. “I think I got this feeling from St. Therese.”
She learned a lot from reading the life of St. Therese but she attributes her faith to her parents who were devoted Catholics.
She had a normal life growing up in the Philippines. She had friends, went to parties, joined clubs, was a ballet dancer. But her calling was haunting her. “I wanted to put this feeling aside because I wanted to enjoy the life I was having but the calling kept haunting me,” she noted. “I even considered marriage life in the future but then I thought if I married there was not coming back.
“With time I began to feel the need to address God’s will for me and when I made my decision to answer His call there was this feeling of liberation, of peace, it was a confirmation that God was going to protect me.”
She grew up with the Columban Sisters from Ireland who ran the school she attended. Remembering her childhood, when she started to hear the Lord’s calling, Sister Mary Jane said she was attracted to their mission but at the time she was looking for something that she didn’t find in that congregation.
At the age of 15, she thought about applying at the Carmelite congregation and without telling anyone she went to their monastery to speak to the prioress, a French nun who could barely speak English. When she told her about her intentions to enter the monastery the nun told her, “Oh my child, there is only one St. Therese.” Sister Mary Jane had a good laugh reminiscing this scene.
The prioress encouraged her to go back home, to continue her high school studies and to return after she was sure about her vocation. “And I just did that. I really wanted to ‘taste’ how their life was.”
At 18 she returned to the monastery to begin her religious life. She said she thought that if she didn’t like it she would go back home to start college.
“Here I am, 45 years later and enjoying my life as a Carmelite nun. She says she could have gone the other way but this was a special call. “I have always felt I am one of the few chosen. Everything comes from him and I did his will. I am happy where I am. My life as a Carmelite nun is a life of prayer. We spend much of our life praying not only for the church but for all people of the world, for peace, for refugees, for the unborn. We do it for our love for him, to save souls, to save sinners. This is my great joy, praying.”
In fact, the sisters gather seven times a day to pray as a community and they are required to have individual prayers in the morning and in the evening as well as spend time in silence.
Sister Mary Jane, who has been living in the Carmelite Monastery for 10 years, was elected as prioress of her community on May 24 of this year and installed by Bishop Joseph Kopacz during a special Mass at the monastery.
About her new role in the community she says that it’s a big responsibility. “I do my part to serve the community and I feel myself as a servant of the servants.”
There are five sisters living in the monastery at his moment.

Dominicans offer invitation to adventure

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

Dear Catholic Women of Mississippi,
National Vocation Awareness Week is wrapping up. Will you join me and all of our Springfield Dominican Sisters in Jackson and around the world in praying for young people who are discerning religious life?
Do you know someone you feel has the gifts to be a sister?
Be in touch. I’m happy to share with you some tips for how to water the seed of God’s call in someone you know and love. Check out springfieldop.org/a-gift-for-you/.
Interested in Dominican life for yourself? Keep reading!
Do you have a heart made for God?

Sr. Marron

Here’s the secret: everyone does! It’s just a matter of being quiet long enough to hear where your heart, already connected to God, is calling you. Do you think religious life takes courage? It does, some. Having courage is the same thing as having “heart.” The ‘cour’ in courage means heart. St. Paul’s talk about being members of the body of Christ is another way of saying that we are deeply connected to one another and to all of God’s creation in the heart of Jesus, God’s love-made-human for us all.
Do you have a sense of adventure?
Do you like the idea of learning a second language? Traveling overseas? Giving a year of service in an unfamiliar city? Then you already have that sense of adventure that might make you an excellent sister-candidate! There is no shortage of adventure when you belong to the Dominican family: sisters, nuns, priests, brothers, laity and associates who circle the globe and are deeply committed to one another and the preaching mission that St. Dominic imagined when he founded the Order of Preachers 800 years ago.
Do you want to be happy?
Who doesn’t! There’s all kinds of evidence that the one thing that makes us happiest — no matter who we are — is a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of our life, the little and big pleasures, wonders, and surprises that keep us aware of the movement of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives and in our world. Being a Catholic sister comes with a HUGE happiness quotient when it’s the right fit for you.
Are you looking for a place to belong?
Sooner or later every person develops her own sense of identity and the awareness that her gifts are meant, not just for herself, but for the well-being of the world. When you come to that realization, life in religious community can be a fantastic place to land!
More about us
People who know us well say that we Springfield Dominican Sisters are effective ministers, powerful pray-ers and hospitable, down-to-earth folks. They see us as leaders in places where God’s people are alive and thriving. We’ve served in the Diocese of Jackson for 70 years at St. Dominic’s Health Services. We also have a broad reach across Illinois, where we are based, in several other states, and in the peaks and valleys of Peru. With us, you and other like-minded women have the opportunity to live out your dreams in ways that can change the world.
It is never too early — or too late — to consider joining St. Dominic’s family, the Order or Preachers. We’d be honored to accompany you on your journey of discernment no matter what time in life you are ready to respond to God’s call.
The easiest way to learn more about being a Dominican Sister is to talk with a Dominican Sister. You can reach out in all the traditional and electronic ways, but the best way is to get to know one of us. You are most welcome to call Sister Susan Karina Dickey at St. Dominic’s in Jackson at 601-200-6829, or to touch base with me in Springfield at srteresa@spdom.org or 217-787-0481.
We are known most prominently for our education and healthcare ministries, but we also minister to people in need of spiritual guidance, pastoral care and counseling. We are caretakers of 150 acres of land in central Illinois where our mission is to care for Earth, our common home. Our sisters have traveled the world to witness to the urgent needs of God’s people in areas of conflict and poverty around the globe.
At our three Illinois high schools — Rosary High School, Aurora; Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield; and Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights — we teach and preach the Gospel, passing along to young women and men excellent intellectual training, a love for Jesus, a commitment to truth, and the skills needed for productive and faithful adulthood.
This year we celebrate 70 years of compassionate, healing service to the people of central Mississippi at St. Dominic Health Services, Jackson, where the opportunities to fulfill Jesus’ healing mission are countless.
We also minister in places like Our Lady of the Sioux, at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Oglala, South Dakota, and are deeply engaged in accompanying women and men who want to learn English and become U.S. citizens at our two literacy centers in the Chicago area.
Unsure of Where to Use Your Gifts?
That’s okay! You can make your path by walking it. Our Springfield Dominican family includes both North and South Americans. Our Peruvian sisters minister high in the rural Andes and in Lima’s urban center in parishes and in a shelter for homeless elderly women.
We are passionate in our commitment to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and Peru. Our modest efforts have begun to ripple throughout our spheres of influence in exciting, and we believe Spirit-led ways to root out systemic racism.
Let God Prove You Wrong
If you love God and God’s people, and are attracted — even a little bit — to finding yourself by losing yourself in service to the Gospel, then be in touch with us!
Why not give God the opportunity to prove you wrong? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! There is a place for you as a Springfield Dominican Sister.
I’d love to hear from you. Please be in touch.
In Jesus and St. Dominic,
Sister Teresa Marron, OP

Southaven Christ the King to celebrate anniversary

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Maureen Smith

By Donna Williamson
SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King Parish will celebrate its 50th anniversary on the feast of Christ the King, Saturday, Nov. 19.
The celebration will begin with a bilingual Mass at 5 p.m. celebrated by Bishop Joseph Kopacz. Dinner will be served following the Mass. All are welcome. A special invitation is extended to anyone who has been a part of the parish in the past 50 years. Those planning to attend should call the church office, 662-342-1073, so that enough food is prepared for dinner.
Christ the King began as a mission of Sacred Heart Church in Walls. In 1966, having no church building, 18 families gathered in a car auction barn every week for Mass. Father Bob Werner, SCJ, the first full-time priest, was welcome in August 1966 with a big reception at the barn.
In 1969 a church was built on Stateline Road in Southaven. The mission grew into a parish at this location.
After more than 30 years, Christ the King began building a new church at its present location on Church Road in order to better meet the needs of the fast growing community. The parish now serves 1,800 families.
The Priests of the Sacred Heart have served Christ the King since the beginning. Now, a team of three priests work together to serve a cluster of six parishes: Christ the King, Hernando Holy Spirit, Olive Branch Queen of Peace, Senatobia St. Gregory, Robinsonville Good Shepherd and Holly Springs St. Joseph.
This collaboration of the priests and the people give all six parishes many opportunities to come together in celebration and faith sharing.
Cooperation marked the mission’s infancy. One parishioner built the portable altar. Responsibility for setting up the barn for Mass was shared by various families. Everyone helped clean up afterward.

The parish picnic draws many families. (File Photo courtesy of the parish)

The blessing of the fire at Easter. (photos courtesy of the parish)

The parish also celebrates a blessing of the pets in honor of St. Francis. (Photos courtesy of the parish.

Mississippi Catholic - Serving Catholics of the Diocese of Jackson Since 1954

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Southaven Christ the King to celebrate anniversary