Category Archives: Diocesan News

Class of 2016

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By Catherine Cook
JACKSON – The four Catholic high schools within the Diocese of Jackson graduated 177 young men and women this year. The history of these schools dates back to the mid-1800s,  so, the graduates of 2016 join a long list of persons formed in faith and educated for the world in the Catholic schools of Mississippi.
Our graduates collectively earned $13.4 million in scholarships based on their academic and athletic performances, as well as their leadership and community service. Our 2016 graduating class is a diverse group – racially, economically, and yes, religiously. Seventy-one percent are Caucasian and the remaining 29 percent are African- American and other ethnic backgrounds. Fifty percent are from other faith traditions. Our students are diverse, too, in their talents and interests. As Superintendent I am proud of the teachers, administrators and students who work hard to form the students who will go on to become our leaders, educators and the future of the Church. Thank you to all parents, alumni, and patrons who support the ministry of Catholic education in our schools. Congratulations to the class of 2016!
(Catherine Cook is the diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools.)

GREENVILLE ST. JOSEPH
VALEDICTORIAN: Virginia French Virden
GPA: : 4.3538 – ACT: 29

From her speech: The memories that fill my mind when I think of St. Joe will forever be filled with this class. You are the people who have inspired me the most, and I can not thank you all enough for that.062416grad01
… I ultimately decided on being myself and trying my best to put into words the unconditional love I have for the school that built me and the people that surround me. I wanted my class to know how much they mean to me and how highly I think of each and every one of them. I wanted them to know the joy I have when seeing their smiling faces and the sadness I will feel when we will all go our separate ways. But ultimately, I wanted them to know the huge impact they have had on my life and on me becoming the person I am today. I cannot describe in enough words the life-changing impact you all have had on me but it will forever be in my heart. … It is finally our time, let’s make the most of it.
Member of St. Joseph Catholic Parish
Scholarships: Southern Methodist University, Francis P. and Annie C. Unkel Trust Scholarship, National Honor Society Semi-Finalist. Virden was offered an additional $259,980 in scholarship funds to seven universities in the Southeast.

Awards/honors: STAR Student; National Honor Society (president), Wendy’s Heisman School Winner, Class Officer (9-12), SJS Ambassador, Mayor’s Youth Council, Youth Retreat Team Leader (9-12), Mu Alpha Theta, The Society of Torch and Laurel, Delta Democrat Times Star Scholar, Guaranty Bank Guaranteed Achiever, Principal’s List, Homecoming Court,  Mississippi HOBY representative, Girls’ State (elected Chancery Court Clerk),  Tennis – Girls’ State Singles Champ (2015), Doubles Champ (2013), Named St. Joseph Outstanding Senior Female Athlete.
Activities: tennis, soccer, cheering
Favorite subject: History
Favorite service project: Mayor’s Youth Council where she completed numerous service projects around the community while working with students from all area schools.
Plans to attend: Southern Methodist University to study political science.

SALUTATORIAN: Adrian Thomas Azar
GPA: 4.3196 – ACT:  33

From his speech: Going to St. Joseph’s has made a tremendous impact on my life, as I know it has on us all. St. Joe has given us the opportunity to excel and to be who we are. Throughout my years here, I have built life­long friendships and have become very close with so many of you. Being here has allowed me to find a true love for the game of 062416grad02basketball and further enhance my education. The most important characteristic that Saint Joseph has to offer is its diversity. We are different in so many ways but still we have become so united. The bonds we have made will never be broken. We will always be like a family.
As we now prepare to venture on and take the next step in our lives, let’s reflect upon not only the great memories we have shared but also recognize those regrets we may have.
So my fellow graduates, we must make a commitment to never take anything for granted as we go our own separate ways. We all have a great purpose in our lives that with God’s help we can discover. We will accomplish great and daunting tasks.
Go out into the world and crave that success, because we never know when our time will run out. Going to St. Joe was the best thing that could have happened to me, so while we are on our individual journeys, we must keep one thing in mind: Don’t ever forget where we came from and who we came with, because we would not have gotten to this point in our lives without each other.
Member of St. Joseph Catholic Parish
Scholarships: University of Mississippi Academic Excellence, UM Bledsoe Scholarship, UM Salutatorian Scholarship, UM Competitive Edge Scholarship, UM Academic Excel Tech Award, Betty & Hodding Carter Family Foundation Scholarship, Washington County Ole Miss Scholarship, Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant.

Awards/honors: Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Principal’s List, Mississippi Governor’s School Achievement Award, Scholars Bowl Championship Team (10th), Wendy’s High School Heisman School Winner, Winter Fest Court, Selected to compete in Academic Hoop Group Elite Program, Basketball MVP  (2015 & 2016).
Activities: Basketball, golf
Favorite subject: History
Favorite service project: Delta Soul celebrity golf and charity event
Plans to attend: University of Mississippi to study biology/pre-medicine.

MADISON ST. JOSEPH
VALEDICTORIAN: JOSEPH COLLINS
GPA: 4.37 – ACT: 35

From his speech: By his graduation speech, Joseph Collins showed his fascination with heroes and told why stories about super heroes appeal to us. “I think it is because we know these outlandish stories are not too far from the truth . . . Why is it important to understand our relationship to our super powered fantasies? As we transition from high school to the next step in our lives we are undergoing an experience that parallels a hero’s first true victory.062416grad03
… However, as any comic fan knows, in the words of Uncle Ben, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ We cannot leave and forget the lessons we have learned. We must strive to develop our skills further, to continue to learn. We cannot stop helping others just because we do not have to turn in service hours anymore. We do not have to be able to fly or run faster than a speeding bullet in order to make a difference. We are graduating from a Catholic school after all. Our beliefs and our knowledge give us the power to affect real change, by setting examples, by caring for others. We will have to make sacrifices, to forgo comfort in favor of the right thing. It was Albus Dumbledore who said, “We must choose between what is easy and what is right.” So trust in us, you have taught us well. We may falter, but we will not abandon the path.
Member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish
Scholarships: University Scholar from Notre Dame, Presidential Scholar from Stevens Institute of Technology, Gustav Mesmer Scholarship from Washington University in St. Louis, Presidential Scholarship from Rhodes College, Blitz 16-BankPlus Scholar Athlete Scholarship, BankPlus 360 Scholarship.

Awards/honors: Elected Lt. Governor of American Legion Mississippi Boys State, alternate to American Legion Boys Nation, selected as counselor to American Legion Boys State, Scholar Athlete Award from St. Joe, Wendy’s Heisman winner, National Honor Society, President Mu Alpha Theta, National English Honor Society,
National Junior Classical League, State officer, swimming state champion: 100 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay, Most Valuable Swimmer, swim team captain, Most Valuable Bowler, Academic Excellence Awards, Service Award.
Activities: Band, orchestra for musical, swimming, bowling, reading.
Favorite service project: Dance Marathon “Bruinthon” for Children’s Hospital.
Plans to attend: University of Notre Dame to study mechanical engineering.

SALUTARORIAN: William Doherty
GPA: 4.24 – ACT: 31

From his speech: Both St. Joseph Catholic School and our families have given us a strong foundation for us as we venture into the next chapter of our lives. It is now up to us to take that foundation and build upon it. If we do not build upon this solid foundation, then we wasted our education. This will not be easy. There will be times when the going gets tough and you fall. The odds will be against you. You will want to give up because it is difficult. However, Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred, in “Batman Begins” tells us that we fall “So that we learn to pick ourselves up.”062416grad04
It is through failure that we find out who we are and what our purpose on this world is. So go out and try new things and do not worry about falling. Go be an underdog and beat the odds like Leicester City, who won the British Premier League with five thousand to one odds.
… Do not be afraid to fail, because if we have the courage to continue despite our failures, we will find success in each of our future endeavors.
Member of St. Richard Catholic Parish
Scholarships: Vice Presidential Scholarship at St. Louis University (SLU), Higher Purpose Scholarship at SLU, Merit Scholar from Millsaps, Merit Scholar from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.

Awards/honors: Delegate to American Legion Mississippi Boys State, Sportsmanship Award from St. Joseph, Principal’s Honor Roll, National Honor Society, Treasurer; Mu Alpha Theta, National English Honor Society, National Junior Classical League, Basketball tournament sportsmanship award, and Academic Excellence Awards.
Activities: Cross country, track, basketball, faith life youth group, Retreat Team.
Favorite subject: History
Favorite service project: Alive in You Project in Mobile.
Plans to attend: St. Louis University.

NATCHEZ CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
VALEDICTORIAN:  DEJA HARRIS
GPA: 4.357 – ACT: 29

From her speech: In her speech, Harris shared three Major Key Alerts: First, prepare to fail. We are all going to fail at something in life. As cliché as it is, failure is a part of life; we all have to fail so that we know what not to do on our journey to success and happiness. In order to achieve success and happiness, we have to learn from our failures and not dwell on them.062416grad05
Second Major Key Alert: Be loud and proud of what you believe in… Do not change or smother your views on an issue in order to please others. Most of my classmates have never had an issue with voicing his/her opinion. You have to remain true to yourself although, there will be situations in which doing so seems difficult. We should never be afraid to express how you feel; however, you should respect those whose opinion may differ from yours.
(Third) Major Key Alert: Spread your blessings. Remain open to helping and serving others… We all have a mission in life that is not quantified by the amount of money we make, the status or position we hold, or the materials we possess, but by the difference we make in other people’s lives, our imprint on society, and how well we serve God.
Member of Spiritual Filled Life Christian Church
Scholarships: Scholarship to Loyola Marymount University, $172,000, over 4 years.

Awards/honors:
Activities: Voted Most Likely to Succeed, state winner at Science Olympiad Competition, president of the Key Club.
Favorite service project: Kids Against Hunger meal packing project.
Plans to attend: Tougaloo College to study art and minor in psychology.

SALUTARORIAN: Addie Netterville
GPA: 4.259  – ACT: 27

From her speech:  When I was just a baby, I almost lost my life — I was born prematurely. However, through fluent prayer, I survived the near fatal experience. Throughout my younger years, I was diagnosed with a speech and language disability.062416grad06
Tonight, Class of 2016, I challenge you to dare the “impossible.” I challenge you to not be bound by your limitations, to not accept the “diagnosis,” and to not accept what others believe about you. My parents and I refused to accept that I was “disabled.” We chose, and believed, that I was “healed,” because the “Holy One,” God the Father, says that I am “healed.”
Each of us was appointed by God for a specific mission — to serve Him, to love Him, to spread the Word of God, and to live life for His Glory. Let no man discourage you, be discouraged by no one. In life, we are born. In life, we die. We each have limitations, which, through God, we overcome and are healed. All we have to do is ask God for help, which we may not receive instantly, or verbally. However, through another person’s kind words, actions, and over time, we shall receive God’s confirmation — we received the victory.
Prepare, Class of 2016, because tonight, you become young men and women — it’s time to grow, to put aside foolishness, because the choices you make will affect you for the rest of your life.
Member of Church of God
Scholarships: Millsaps College, $26,000, per semester for 4 years.

Awards/honors: Inducted into the National Honor Society, A average all 4 years Science National.
Activities: Writing, poetry, devoting time to God, soccer and writing music.
Favorite subject: college algebra, trigonometry and speech:
Favorite service project: Natchez Children’s Home
Plans to attend: Grand Canyon University to study bio-medical engineering.

VICKSBURG ST. ALOYSIUS
VALEDICTORIAN:  KATIE MARTIN
GPA: 4.76 – ACT: 34

From her speech: I am honored to be the valedictorian of the Class of 2016. To all of our dedicated teachers and coaches, thank you for teaching us, inspiring us, and encouraging us to be better than we thought we could be.
… Growth and improvement are part of the expectations for the St. Al swim team. My St. Al swim coach, Coach Bruce Ebersole, always reminds the swim team to “Make the little things count.” The only way to improve in swimming is to make small consistent 062416grad07improvements. In a sport where milliseconds separate the medalists, those little things make all the difference.
Focusing on little things also applies to life. Whether it is spending 10 minutes developing a relationship or a moment throwing away a piece of trash, those little things will accumulate into a stronger relationship and a healthier environment.
We are what we do often and since we live one second at a time, the only way to change anything is through the little things. Focus on the little things – those small choices will determine how you change the world.
I have always liked the Irish blessing the priests use, so I will close with this:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warmly upon your face,
The rains fall softly upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Member of The Church of the
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Scholarships: Accepted: Knights of Columbus Essay Scholarship, Purdue University Alumni Association and Presidential Scholarships, United Way Teen Help Bruce Alan Ebersole Jr. Scholarship. Others: William Carey University, Belhaven University, Mississippi College, Mississippi College Science and Mathematics Academic Scholarship, University of Rochester Xerox, University of Mississippi Academic Scholarship, Mississippi State University Academic Scholarship, University Illinois Academic Scholarship, U.S. Military Academy Scholarship.

Awards/honors: Mississippi Economic Council Star Student, Bronze Presidential Service Award, Math and Science Team, Academic Quiz Bowl, English, Social Studies, Science, Theology Awards, Gold A Award, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, 4.0 Presidential Award, Honor Graduate with Special Distinction.

Favorite subjects: math, science and English
Favorite service project: Camp Silvercloud with the Junior Auxiliary
Plans to attend: Purdue University to study engineering

SALUTATORIAN: Katelyn Brock
GPA: 4.65  – ACT: 28

From her speech: My classmates and I are excited to stand before you today as the St. Aloysius Class of 2016. During our time at St. Al, we have had special experiences with people that have helped us to grow into the men and women we are today.062416grad08
One word that I could use to sum up this class is determined. There isn’t a task we decide to do that we won’t try our hardest on. We are a class that takes the phrase “all or nothing” quite literally. The results may not be what we wanted them to be, but no one can ever say that we didn’t give our best efforts. As we move forward, I hope that we will keep this sense of determination with us and utilize it in whatever we may do.
At the beginning of senior year, Dr. Strickland gave us a challenge, and today I give you the same one. I dare you all to be great. In these next years, we won’t all be together, but I want to hear of all the wonderful things the Class of 2016 is doing. I dare you to be the absolute best version of you by giving everything you have to be great. Never give up and always keep fighting. We have learned many things at St. Aloysius and now I dare you to utilize those things to further you to greatness.

Member of Crawford Street United Methodist Church
Scholarships: Accepted: Merit Health River Region Joe and Feeney Elliot Scholarship, Mississippi College Science and Mathematics Academic Scholarship, Mississippi College Dean’s Scholarship.
Others: Louisiana Technical University Outstanding Student Bulldog Scholarship.
Awards/honors: ”I Dare You Award,” Gold Service Award, Gold A Award, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and an Honor Graduate with Special Distinction, 4.0 Presidential Award.
Activities: Member of Swim Team, Retreat Team, Key Club, Mu Alpha Theta, NHS, President of Church Youth Group, Conference Council of Youth Ministry, Math and Science Team.
Favorite Subjects: Biology, all sciences.
Plans to attend: Mississippi College to study biology, pre-medicine to become a pediatrician.
Favorite service project: Good Shepherd Senior Service Project.

Rogation Days still part of rural Mississippi faith

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By Father Scott Thomas
May 24 marked the one-year anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si, in which he spoke to humanity about its relationship with creation. In rural Mississippi, especially in the Delta, people still depend on the yield of the land. So many jobs are based on farming, so naturally the Holy Father’s encyclical is very relevant to our diocese and state. Towards the end, the Holy Father says, “The rich heritage of Christian spirituality, the fruit of twenty centuries of personal and communal experience, has a precious contribution to make to the renewal of humanity.” One of those contributions is the celebration of Rogation Days in the month of May.

Father Thomas blesses St. Elizabeth parishioner, Mark Agostinelli's field in Clarksdale. In rural Mississippi, especially in the Delta, people still depend on the yield of the land.

Father Thomas blesses St. Elizabeth parishioner, Mark Agostinelli’s field in Clarksdale. In rural Mississippi, especially in the Delta, people still depend on the yield of the land.

Rogation Days within the Christian church can be traced back to the days of St. Mamertius (d. 475). His diocese suffered different natural disasters so he recommended the faithful to turn to fasting in asking for divine assistance and protection over the course of the three days before the Ascension. This continues today, but unfortunately with less participation since the reform of the Roman Calendar following the Second Vatican Council.
During that reform, Pope Bl. Paul VI asked that during Rogation Days prayers for vocations to the priesthood be added. After all, the flock of Christ is seen as a harvest in Sacred Scripture (Luke 10:2), and many laborers are needed to work this harvest. Paul VI’s interest in these days shows that he himself intended for Rogation Days to still be celebrated in some fashion because he saw the value in them.
The church teaches us through her social doctrine that our work can be a participation in the creation of the world. Pope Francis recently said that Jesus “sanctified human labor and endowed it with a special significance for our development.” Thus, as St. John Paul II stated, through our work humanity “in a way collaborates with the Son of God for the redemption of humanity.” God blesses our work in a number of ways, most visibly through the church and her priests as farmers take their pastor into the fields during the Rogation Days.
St. Elizabeth parishioner, Richard Noe, has farmed in the Clarksdale area for 55 years. These days he farms with his son Richard and is joined by his grandson Zachary during the summers. According to Noe, during the days of Msgr. McKenna, one or two retired farmers would pick up the priest and take him around to all of the farms in the parish boundaries. But today each individual farmer meets the priest or picks him up and escorts him to a patch of fledgling crops. This way more are involved and the pastor greets his flock on their turf, in their “natural habitats” away from the parish rectory.
Jude Watts, also a parishioner of St Elizabeth who farms with his son Thad, says that the farmer learns very quickly to trust in God’s providence. “Farming is good proof that God is in control. We can’t control the rain so of course God’s blessing on our crops is needed,” said Watts. There is a lot that farmers have to contend with, whether it be a lack of rain, high winds blowing sand on the crops, a scorching sun, or pests such as wild hogs.
While we can till the ground more efficiently, improve seeds, and have access to beneficial chemicals, even as technology grows, we are still dependent upon God and His grace for us. Rogation days are a marvelous reminder of this as we fast and pray for God’s blessing on our farms and gardens. Of course, we in no way should limit these prayers to just three or four days. Rather, we should always pray to God for favorable weather and a good harvest for the benefit of the farmers, their community and beyond.
(Father Scott Thomas is the pastor of Clarksdale St. Elizabeth Parish)

Making a difference in MS gleaning a generous harvest

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According to the USDA, 27 percent of all the food produced each year in the U.S. is lost (or wasted) at the retail, consumer and food service levels. That turns out to be nearly 1.5 tons of food per year for every man, woman and child in the United States who faces hunger. To put it another way, we throw away about 263 million pounds of food every single day! And much of what is wasted actually is just surplus food. It is perfectly edible. And that doesn’t even count the food left in the fields or discarded before delivery.
Meanwhile, there are more than 40 million Americans who struggle daily to get enough to eat. Nearly half of these people are children. A large number are elderly. But no matter who they are, or where they live, or why they are impoverished, there is no excuse for anyone to go hungry in America when so much food goes to waste.
One major area of food waste in America is in farmers’ fields, where crops that don’t meet top-grade quality are left to rot or be plowed under. The Society of St. Andrew (SOSA) found a way to put that un-harvested produce into the hands and homes of the hungry by using a technique that is thousands of years old – gleaning. Gleaning is a practice that goes back to biblical times of gathering the remainder of a crop that has been left in the fields. In the Book of Ruth, Ruth was allowed to go after the harvesters and pick up wheat that was left behind. In the same way, since 1979, the Society of St. Andrew has salvaged fresh, nutritious produce from American farms – produce that otherwise would have gone to waste – and delivered it to agencies across the nation that serve the poor.
St. Andrew’s Gleaning Network coordinates volunteers, growers and distribution agencies. Tens of thousands of volunteers from churches, synagogues, scout troops, college campuses, senior citizen groups and other organizations participate each year in Society of St. Andrew gleaning activities, including volunteers right here in Mississippi. Each year, tens of millions of pounds of produce are salvaged and given to those in need at no cost to them or to the food pantry or kitchen that feeds them.
The regional office of SOSA serving Mississippi and Arkansas is located in Jackson. With the help of countless volunteers, it has delivered more than 21 million pounds of salvaged potatoes and other food in these states through its Potato and Produce Project. This has resulted in almost 62 million servings of food going to hungry families in Mississippi and Arkansas.
Heading the Mississippi/Arkansas office of SOSA is Andy Lemmon, Program Coordinator of the Mississippi Gleaning Network. Although he is new to his post, he has a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and commitment to the program. Andy describes his opportunity to serve the SOSA as a leap of faith and an answer to a divine calling.
“I was in church one Sunday and the sermon really hit me,” recalls Lemmon. “The minister said ‘when are you going to quit dating your calling and get serious and make a commitment?’ That struck me because I liked my job, but I didn’t feel like I was doing anything that would make a real difference. So I prayed about it and out of the blue a friend told me about a job opening with the Society of St. Andrew. It was funny, he said the notice didn’t sound like a job description, it sounded like me. I talked to my wife about it and after thought and prayer, we decided I should go for it.”
According to Lemmon, the process is very simple. It is just a matter of coordinating all of the different elements. He has found that it is just incredible to see how much good can come of a few people that are willing to give of themselves.
“It takes everybody in the process to make this work, from the farmers who donate the produce, to the volunteers who glean, to the agencies that pick it up and distribute it and the individuals and organizations that contribute to SOSA financially,” Lemmon explains.
“Not only is providing food for the hungry a worthy cause, but an effective one. Imagine this example, a few weeks ago we gleaned in a turnip field near Brandon on a Saturday, and many of those turnips were already in the hands of people who needed them by the end of the day.
The most amazing thing was that we had postponed the gleaning twice already because of bad weather, so we lost some potential gleaners because of scheduling. We had gotten the number of pounds of turnips that each agency, church or organization could accommodate, and at the end of the day, we had just enough to fill every single order.”
To find out more about how you can volunteer, offer surplus produce to be gleaned, or donate financially to The Society of St. Andrew, contact Andy Lemmon at 769-233-0887 or visit gleanms@endhunger.org.
(This article was reprinted with permission from Well-Being Magazine, May/June 2016. For more from Well-Being visit www.wellbeingmag.com.)

Deacons’ wives offer gift of novena prayers

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By Andrew Morgan
The wives of the deacons both in the Diocese of Memphis and Jackson played a special role in their formation and ordination. Many of them attended all but a handful of the classes with their husbands during the five-year formation. At the ordination Mass, the wives carried their husband’s vestments in the procession and presented them to the priests or deacons at the time of vesting.
Another example of their commitment to the ministry was the unusual gift they gave their husbands – the gift of prayer. The wives and a volunteer organized and prayed a novena starting on May 13, for the men in the Memphis diocese, and then a second time beginning May 26 for the men in Jackson. The volunteer was praying for the unmarried candidates.
The novena was composed by Sarah D’Addabbo, wife of Mike D’Addabbo of the Diocese of Memphis. D’Addabbo felt called to write a small prayer as part of her spiritual preparation for her husband’s ordination. She collaborated with Shona Moore, wife of Philip Moore,  also from Memphis.
The pair started gathering writings and ideas. D’Addabbo found  some lines written by Father John McKenna, CSSR, that became her inspiration for the prayer. when she obtained his permission to use his writings, Father McKenna said he was honored his words would be used for a novena.
D’Addabbo shared the prayer with family and friends who wanted to pray it as well, and they adjusted it to make it fit their relationship with the men they know.
Dawn McGinley, John McGinley’s wife, was closely involved with her husband through his formation. “I was blessed to be able to attend all but three of the formation classes with my husband. It helped us grow together as a couple and see our faith in a new way, she noted. “It was a great privilege to watch each of these men grow spiritually and personally. Each one has a wonderful gift that will benefit our diocese, the parishes and the people they will serve.”
She had this to say when asked why they chose to say a novena for their husbands. “Novenas are beautiful prayers that require a special discipline to pray every day. I personally have felt that God is asking me to pray for my husband and his vocation in the diaconate,” she said.
“I feel it is a way I can share in his ministry. I may not even know who he is helping or what they need but when he gets called to serve, I can pray. We, as a couple, personally know the power of intercessory prayer. We have experienced the power of prayer and God’s response to that prayer through many trials in our life. It is a great gift,” McKinley added.
(Andrew Morgan is a rising sophomore at The Catholic University of America and a graduate of Madison St. Joseph School.)

Memphis deacons share bond with Jackson families

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MEMPHIS – Twenty-two men were ordained into the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Memphis on Saturday, May 21, by Bishop J. Terry Steib. In a Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, visiting clergy and diocesan deacons joined with hundreds of parishioners in the ordination ceremony. The men ordained from the Diocese of Jackson went through their formation program in Memphis with these men, traveling to Tennessee for classes. Instructors from St. Meinrad Abbey in Indiana would fly to Memphis to offer the classes.
The two classes of deacons became quite close. The candidates from Jackson attended the Memphis ordination. The newly ordained deacons from Memphis then turned around to attend the ordination of deacons in Jackson.

Diocese already blessed with trio of active deacons

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By Andrew Morgan
The six men ordained to the diaconate Saturday, June 4, are not the first deacons to serve in the Diocese of Jackson. This diocese was one of the first in the nation to ordain deacons. There are currently three permanent deacons serving here.
Monday, May 23, Deacon Henry Babin celebrated his 40th anniversary of ordination. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, but later served in Houma-Thibodaux until his relocation to Mississippi in 1992, where he has remained since. He is currently serving at Olive Branch Queen of Peace Parish.
Prior to his ordination, Babin worked as a school administrator in Houma, and in the DeSoto County school system as a counselor. Deacon Babin felt called to the priesthood in his youth and entered seminary in the 10th grade, but soon felt this was not the path for him. When the office of permanent deacon was restored during Vatican II, he knew that was the right ministry for him. He was ordained into the second class of permanent deacons for New Orleans after a two year formation process consisting of biweekly meetings and lessons.
Deacon Babin’s primary responsibilities have included pastoral counseling, baptism and marriage preparation, RCIA instruction, preaching, conducting wake and funeral services, performing Communion services and visiting the sick. Additionally, he has preached for diocesan mission appeals, and on the national level he has served as the executive director for the National Diaconate Institute for Continuing Education (NDICE), an organization he joined in 1979.
“The most pleasing part of serving the church,” he explained, “is making people feel that they are the church. I enjoy all the ministries I am involved in, but I love meeting people and making them feel welcome the most.”
He offered this advice to those discerning the diaconate and the newly ordained: “My advice to everyone is to be yourself. Realize that you are not a mini-priest and remember that you are in a servant ministry. Sometimes you have to say ‘no,’ and be aware of spreading yourselves too thin and treat all as equals.”
Deacon Theodore Klingen was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. He ministers at Oxford St. John Parish.
After receiving both a bachelor and master degrees from St. Louis University, he served in the Air force, eventually earning a Ph.D. in chemistry from Florida State University. In 1964, he came to the University of Mississippi as a professor of chemistry and remained on the faculty until 2012. He was ordained as a deacon at St. John in July of 1982 by Bishop William Houck.
In addition to his duties of performing marriages, funerals and preaching at Sunday Masses, he has worked also on marriage and baptism preparation, assisted with more than 40 annulment cases and instructed RCIA classes. Currently he works as a chaplain for Baptist Hospital, North Mississippi, the Oxford Police Department and the local Council of the Knights of Columbus. He has been married since Sept. 1958 to Maura Downey Klingen. They have a daughter and a son.
Deacon Klingen said the most rewarding thing about his 34 years of service as a deacon is realizing the difference one can really make in a person’s life, a realization which is especially true in annulment cases.
Brother Senan Gallagher, ST, a New York City native, has been a brother for the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity for 60 years. For 16 of those he has ministered as a deacon. He is currently stationed at Canton Holy Child Parish and he helps at Batesville St.  Mary Parish and at Sardis St. John the Baptist Mission.
The witness of the Marist brothers and sisters at his childhood school cultivated his call to religious life. He felt specifically called to the diaconate as part of his desire to work in parishes with people, leading to his formation and ordination in New Orleans and later assignments in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. Brother Senan said he is especially grateful for having been assigned to the South. He regards it as a blessing, because he gets to serve with so many dedicated lay people.
He thanks God for his vocation, as well as the vocations of the men just ordained. An even greater blessing he said is the restoration of the permanent diaconate itself. He looked forward to seeing the candidates, many of whom he knows through Cursillo retreats. Brother Senan also described the diaconate as “two for the price of one” since wives take part in formation and are an important part of ministry. “Not only ought we all be grateful for new, dedicated deacons, but also for the couple dynamic between husband and wife. The blessings abound.”
(Andrew Morgan is a rising sophomore at The Catholic University of America and a graduate of Madison St. Joseph School.)

Office of deacon restored by Vatican II

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By Msgr Michael Flannery
The diaconate developed gradually in the early church. We have its foundation in the Acts of the Apostles: 6:1-6. Stephen was one of the first deacons chosen for the ministry of service to widows. We are all called to a ministry of service, but this is especially so for a deacon.
The Didache, an ancient manuscript, mentions that deacons assisted with administration in the church and speaks of them as being men of integrity. Ignatius of Antioch speaks of the fully developed order of bishop, priest and deacon. The pre-Nicene period was the golden era of the diaconate. We find deacons running dioceses as administrators and attending councils of the church. Deacons became very powerful and even assigned priests to parishes.
A deacon comes directly under a bishop. As in the Acts of the Apostles, when the diaconate was first set up, it came under the apostles and it was a way for the apostles to ensure that the social ministry was carried out giving the apostles time to peach the word of God.
The developing role of the priest as celebrant of the Eucharist hinted at the diaconate decline. The Council of Nicea stated: “Let deacons remain in their proper place, knowing that they are ministers of the bishop and less than presbyters.”
Pope Leo the Great named deacons as ambassadors. There began a growing friction between the deacons and the priests over liturgical roles. Eventually, it was reduced to a stepping stone on the way to the priesthood. By the 10th century deacons were a temporary and ceremonial order of the hierarchy in the west. An order from the Council of Trent to restore the diaconate was never implemented. .
The movement for the restoration of the diaconate began in Freidburg, Germany in 1951. During Vatican II, a petition was sent to the council fathers for the restoration of the diaconate in July 1959. Central America, South America, Thailand and Eastern Europe favored it. Africa, the United States, Spain, Italy and Portugal opposed it, but the petition passed.
Deacons would be ordinary minsters of Baptism and Holy Communion and preside over some liturgical services. Strangely enough there are very few permanent deacons in Central America, South America, Thailand and Eastern Europe. World-wide, there are 39,564 active permanent deacons and there are more than 15,000 active permanent deacons in the U.S. One third of all the permanent deacons in the world are in the U.S. Yet initially, the American bishops did not favor it.
In our theology, the church is a priestly community. It is the sacrament of Christ’s presence in the world. Christ is the Eternal Priest and all priestly functions come from Christ. There is the priesthood of the laity and the priesthood of the ordained ministry. Priesthood and diaconal service are both hierarchical participations in the priesthood that have been transmitted through the bishops. The episcopacy is the fullness of the hierarchical priesthood and the priest and deacon are sharers in that fullness of power. Deacons and priests are assembled around the bishop and support him in his work.
The bishop is the successor of the apostles, the priest performs sacerdotal functions and the deacon diaconal functions. Deacons are not substitutes for the shortage of priests, but in their own right play a vital and a specific role in the church’s apostolate.
Deacons are not less than priests. They have a vital role to play in the apostolate. The Constitution on The Church states: “Deacons have a threefold ministry of word, liturgy and charity.”
1) The ministry of the Word: In the rite of ordination of a deacon, the bishop places the Book of the Gospels into the hands of the deacon and says: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.” The deacon is authorized to preside over the Liturgy of the Word and over public prayers of the people.
2) In the ministry of liturgy: A deacon is authorized by the church to administer baptism solemnly, to distribute Holy Communion, to preside over marriages, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read sacred scriptures to the faithful, to administer sacramentals and to officiate at funerals.
3) Ministry of charity: The Constitution on the Church states: “They are ordained not unto priesthood but ordained unto ministry, their diaconal service is far reaching.” It includes not only ministry to the poor, but ministry of the temporalities of the church.
(Msgr. Michael Flannery, a retired priest of the Diocese of Jackson, is the former Judicial Vicar and currently assists in the Tribunal.)

Mercy Center administration reorganized

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By Maureen Smith
MOUND BAYOU — St. Gabriel has been a school, a parish and a community service center. This year, it started a new chapter in its history as a community center run by the community.
When the Sisters of Mercy left the center in 2015, a community of four Franciscans took over. They found a set of vibrant programs, a capable staff and an appreciative clientele. What was lacking, according to executive director Sister Monica Mary DeQuardo, OSF, was a sense of ownership. The sisters launched a reorganization aimed at moving the people already on staff into the right spots.
The new organizational model is based on an administrative team. Trena Robinson, a nine-year veteran of the St. Gabriel team has been promoted from administrative assistant to director of advancement, communications and public relations.
“I was hesitant initially when Sister approached me, I had never written grants, but I was wiling to try,” said Robinson. She holds an MBA and has experience as a paralegal.
Tiffany Mitchell has been advanced from GED instructor to Administrative Assistant. Mitchell studied at both Clark Atlanta and Xavier University, earning a masters in biology and teaching. When a position opened at St. Gabriel to teach GED classes she took it. The new job is a full time position, but still gives her the flexibility she needs as a mom. “It’s very important when you can help people – even if its just something simple like sending a fax. The closest place may be the library in Cleveland and many people don’t have transportation,” Mitchell said. She added that the thrift store and social service programs are big helps to the people in the area.
Mavis Honorable has been named Chief Operating Officer in addition to her responsibility as assistant director. Sister DeQuardo continues to serve as the Executive Director. Honorable grew up in Mound Bayou, but spent much of her career in Chicago. “I started at SoftSheen hair care products for five years. I was looking in the paper and I saw that DePaul University had this program for continuing education. After I finished that I started at a steel company as a consultant.
“Then, again, I was reading in the paper and saw an ad from Allstate saying ‘if you think you can do this, call’ and I thought I could do it! I worked there for 10 years in their technology program; I helped implement their agency programs,” she said. She returned home when her father and sister became ill, taking a job at Monsanto. When that operation closed, she found a job at the Mercy Center.
The team meets weekly to discuss long-term goals as well as day-to-day operations and challenges. Sister DeQuardo believes these meetings have opened up lines of communication that help the staff work better together.
The center offers almost a dozen programs. A senior outreach coordinated by Dwana Lyles, provides activities and meals to senior citizens in the area. A sewing class gives women a skill they can use to make money and a boutique where they can sell their creations. In some cases, people come pick their fabrics and have items custom made.
Candace Chase runs an emergency assistance office, distributing nearly 200 bags of food every month as well as helping people who might need assistance to pay emergency utility and medical bills. She also oversees the volunteer operations. Service groups from around the country come to Mound Bayou to help around the community every year.
Volunteers staff a thrift shop where people can buy low-cost clothing and household items. The center still operates a computer lab for people who want to take online classes or need access to a computer. GED classes help those who left school early get back on track. On the wall of fame for that program is a photo of a student who went on to earn a college degree.
Families in the area can enroll in the Parents as Teachers program to have an educator come to their home once a month from a child’s birth until three years of age. The educators help the mothers give their babies the best possible start in life.
“We encourage them to read to the children, talk to them, listen to them and how empowering this is to the child,” explained Clestine Davis, one of the educators.
“If you do this, the child will grow to know their mom is always there and they can talk to their moms. Communication skills start at the early age of three months, even though the baby can’t talk back, they are looking at you and they are listening!”
She and Martha Black record data on their visits to provide to the national Parents as Teachers program. If they notice a possible delay, the pair can refer the parents for professional help early. Parents in the program are invited to a monthly meeting at the center for an educational program as well.
Davis worked at St. Gabriel school before it closed in 1990. She said she and many in the community miss the school, but the center continues to offer resources to strengthen Mound Bayou- and for many, a way to come home.
To learn more about the programs and staff or to contribute to the programs, visit www.saintgabrielmc.org.

Six deacons ordained for diocese

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON — Saturday, June 4, Bishop Joseph Kopacz ordained six men into the permanent diaconate in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. The men have spent the last five years in formation, spending weekends in Memphis studying spirituality, cannon law, homiletics and learning how to administer sacraments. The Diocese of Memphis partnered with Jackson to bring professors down from St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana to teach the classes.
Each of the men will serve in his home parish. The new deacons are: Jeff Artigues of Starkville St. Joseph Parish, Richard Caldwell of Vicksburg St. Mary, Denzil Lobo from Madison St. Francis, John McGinley, also from Starkville, John McGregor of Pearl St. Jude Parish and Ted Schreck of Southaven Sacred Heart. Read more about the men and their wives on pages 9-13.
Father Sam Messina, pastor of Batesville St. Mary Parish, oversaw their formation. “They went to St. Meinrad’s last summer and studied homiletics – preaching. I got some of their DVDs of their practice,” he explained during an interview this past winter. “A deacon’s thrust of ministry is service and the Word. They work with charity, visit hospitals, visit prisons, helping with food pantries, that sort of thing, as well as assisting at the altar,” he added.
Permanent deacons are ordained and can administer baptisms, marriages and perform funerals. In hospital ministry, they can pray over someone in the name of the church. They cannot consecrate the Eucharist, although they can preach at Mass and Communion services. “They can teach, prepare a couple for marriage, they can work on marriage cases, preparing them for the tribunal. Of course they work in the field of charity. When people come to the parish for help they can size up the needs of the people, share with the pastor and reach out to the people in need,” said Father Messina.
They can be married when they are ordained, but cannot remarry, even if they become widowers. The wives of those ordained play an important part in the preparation and ministry. Father Messina said all of the wives were required to take a year of the classes and could attend more if they wanted. Families have to prepare themselves for a ministry of service to the church. An unmarried man ordained into the permanent diaconate cannot marry.
“The diaconate is a supplement to what the priest does. It goes back centuries. There were deacons in early churches. As you well know, in the acts of the apostles they talk about ‘we can’t wait on tables and take care of the spiritual needs of the people so we’re going to have men (to do that),’ and they chose eight men – and all their names are in the Acts of the Apostles and they will help us ministering to the tables and preaching- supplement what we priests can do, what the bishops can do,” said Father Messina.
The formation period is more than just education. Those who enter it must be fully aware of their life-long commitment. “An ordained deacon is not a volunteer. He’s committed for life. He’s a great asset to the community, in my opinion,” said Father Messina.
Father Kevin Slattery, vicar general for the Diocese of Jackson, said the diocese hopes to have another class of deacons, but is still working out the logistics. The age limit to enter is 45. Anyone who feels called to this ministry should first go to his parish priest.