By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Abbey Schuhmann, a native of Gulfport, will step into the role of Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Jackson this June. Schuhmann is currently the director of youth ministry for Madison St. Francis Parish.
“I’m excited and open and I’m ready to take on the challenge and hopefully bring some new energy to our youth on the diocesan level,” said Schuhmann. Fran Lavelle, Director of Faith Formation, said her search committee was thrilled to find a candidate close to home after a nationwide search.

Schuhmann

“There was a search committee that included a priest, a youth minister from a large parish, one from a small parish, a representative of Catholic schools, Hispanic ministry and myself,” said Lavelle. The group interviewed candidates from in and out of state. Some of this was happening during the recent listening sessions. The need for invigorating youth ministry was a common topic at the sessions so Lavelle said she felt very affirmed during her long and intensive search.
Schuhmann was raised in the Methodist Church and was very active in her youth group there. She attended Catholic middle and high school on the coast. While she attended Mississippi State University she began to attend events at the Catholic campus ministry program. “By my senior year I decided to go through the RCIA program. I just really felt called to the Catholic Church. I really felt like that’s where I belonged, that’s where I was being fed spiritually, that’s where I was being nourished and I was very comfortable in Catholic Church,” said Schuhmann.
When she graduated, she and her husband moved to Jackson and immediately got involved in youth ministry.  “My husband and I were attending St. Richard and got involved as volunteers with the youth program there. We started helping with Sunday night activities, chaperoned some of the SEARCH retreats,” she said.
“Youth ministry has always been a part of my life- ever since I was a participant through high school, through campus ministry at State, at St. Richard. Then a full-time position became available at St. Francis. The opportunity came about at what I felt like was a good time in my life to jump in feet first and I have loved it ever since. It’s just a part of who I am and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Schuhmann added.
She added a word of thanks to her pastor, Msgr. Michael Flannery and the entire staff at St. Francis. “I’m very blessed to have spent 9 years at St. Francis in the role as Youth Minister and more recently as High School Religious Education coordinator and I am grateful to all that I had the pleasure of working with,” she said. While Schuhmann won’t start her work full time until later this year, she and the team from the office of Faith Formation have already been setting goals and making plans.
“We’ve established short-term goals for the academic year as well as long-term goals that include the reestablishment of something like the youth convention. It might not look like the old youth convention, but it will be some kind of similar gathering,” explained Lavelle.
The calendar includes at least one diocesan-sponsored youth event a month except at Christmastime and in the busy months of April or May. The calendar includes service opportunities for the summer, retreats and trips to regional and national events such as Abbey Youth Fest and March for Life.
Schuhmann has been putting thought and prayer into her upcoming role. “I do have a vision for what I want it to look like. I want our youth to come together from all over our diocese to see the greater church. I want them to see they are no alone. We are such a minority in our state and I want them to know there is a greater group — they are not alone in their faith. There are a lot of teenagers who embrace the fact that they are Catholic. I want them to feel that unity and know they have support,” said Schuhmann.
“She understands where we have been and where we need to go and she has a vision for that and it includes really connecting our young people in a way that’s holy and fun. She’s got youthful energy, but she’s got some wisdom behind it so I really respect that in her,” said Lavelle.

JACKSON – Catholic Charities will award the Good Samaritan Award to Michele and Thomas Harris and the late Bishop William Houck during this year’s Bishop’s Ball in June. Bishop Houck was selected before he died in early March and the board decided to honor him posthumously for all his devotion to the organization.
“Many of the programs in Catholic Charities and within the diocese were started by Bishop Houck. Catholic Charities was in the beginning stages under Bishop Houck’s leadership and his vision to see the works of the organization truly assist those who throughout the diocese is being met,” said Mike Brechtel, chairman of the Catholic Charities governance council.

Houck

“His service both to our diocese as a bishop and then as president of Catholic Extension Society helped more people than you can imagine. He is truly deserving of this honor and his legacy and service will never be forgotten,” added Brechtel.
The Harrises are both CPAs and have successfully worked together at Home-Land Title, since 2003. They have two children, Mabry, who is a junior at Mississippi State University, and Jonathan, who is a junior at Hartfield Academy.
Michele has served on the board of the Catholic Foundation for a number of years and is also a member of the Diocesan Finance Council.
Thomas’ first experience with Catholic Charities was through his mother, who served on the board in the late 80’s and early 90s, serving as chairman of the development, finance and audit committees, and as chairman of the governance council.
“Being CPA’s always lead to treasurer/finance positions in many organizations that we found ourselves through the years, which in turn led to so much more knowledge and insight about how to serve and assist them in accomplishing their missions,” said Michele.
At Flowood St. Paul Parish, Thomas has severed as pastoral council president for eight years. He also served on the RCIA instruction team, a tradition, like Catholic Charities, that was handed down from his mother. He is a past membership chairman for the Knight of Columbus Council 10216, and has also served his parish as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, catechist, commentator, lector and usher.

Michele & Thomas Harris

Michele has served on the chairman of the finance committee at St. Paul’s for an even longer period of time. She was the administrator of the building committee that oversaw the construction of St. Paul’s family life center. She has also served as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, board member of the St. Paul’s Learning Center, and as a catechist.
“Thomas and Michele truly have servants’ hearts and lead by example bring many people of different faiths together to work and have fun doing it, said Brechtel. “I have personally witnessed many individual families who have benefitted from their acts of kindness and I know they never seek recognition,” he added.
“Connecting people with resources offered by Catholic Charities whether it is financial, spiritual or physical has been our most gracious gift to share,“ said Michele.
The ball is set for Saturday, June 4, at the Country Club of Jackson and tickets are available now for $85 per person. To reserve tickets call 601-326-3714.

By Amy Turner
Does the number 5,142 mean anything to you? What about 4,367? According to a report from the New York Times, As of December 2015, there were 5,142 children in the Mississippi foster care system. There were another 4,367 children being monitored but not yet placed in the system. For the Mississippi Department of Family and Children Services to be involved, some type of abuse or neglect has been reported or has occurred.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Much of the staff at Catholic Charities of Jackson are dedicated to both preventing further abuse and healing the hurts of past abuse all year round, but we welcome the opportunity to raise awareness of this pressing issue in our community. Many people think of abuse as just physical, but there are many forms including:
Physical – physical harm or injury to a child that is non-accidental. This can include kicking, punching, biting, beating, etc.
Sexual – when a parent or other person in charge sexually molests or uses a child for sexual purposes or knowingly fails to protect a child from sexual abuse or sexual exploitation
Emotional – emotional or mental injury to a child. This can include calling names, withholding affection, exposing a child to violence, belittling or humiliating the child.
Neglect – caregiver does not provide for a child’s physical, developmental, medical, emotional or psychological needs
The emotional effect on children who have been abused or neglected can last a lifetime. Even when the physical wounds have healed, the internal and external traumatic scars remain. These scars can damage a person’s sense of self, inhibit the regulation of their emotions, impact the ability to have trusting and healthy relationships, and impact the ability to function in home, work or school environments. In some cases, victims of abuse are not able to work and can become dependent on social services for care. Sometimes they become abusers themselves and perpetuate the cycle into a new generation.
This does not have to be the case. With proper treatment and support, victims can become survivors and can contribute to society. They can stop the cycle and help our entire community be stronger and safer.
Child abuse and neglect occurs in all types of families, regardless of race, ethnicity or socio-economic status. However, children who witness domestic violence, who live with an alcoholic or addict, or are being parented by a caregiver with untreated mental illness can be at an increased risk of abuse. Also, abuse risks are increased by caregivers with a lack of parenting skills, a lack of support from family, friends or community or increased financial stress in their lives.
If you suspect child abuse, call 1-800-222-8000. You can do this anonymously. Be specific and give as many details as you can. It is not your responsibility to investigate, but it is your responsibility to report.  You may not know the results of the investigation, but if you continue to suspect abuse, continue to report. You may not feel it is your place to get involved, but remember, the consequences of NOT reporting could be a detriment to a child’s safety or even life threatening.
Once abuse is reported, there are things we can do to help a child heal. Catholic Charities provides an array of services to assist children and their families who have been affected by abuse and neglect.
Programs include intensive counseling for children and their families through Hope Haven Home Based, Hope Haven Residential, and Solomon Counseling Center. The Therapeutic Foster Care Program and Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program provide services to children in a foster or group home setting. Domestic Violence Services and Alcohol and Drug Services are available as well.
We offer many of our services for free or on a sliding scale to make them affordable for working families. For more information or to support the work of Catholic Charities, visit our website, www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org.
(Amy Turner, LMSW, is the Director of Children’s Services for Catholic Charities of Jackson).

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson has a new Safe Environment Program in place for all employees and volunteers which uses a monthly email to build awareness and further training for adults who work with children and vulnerable adults. The program, called Virtus, is run by National Catholic Risk Retention Group.
National Catholic was started in the 1980s. A former board chairman, Msgr. Kevin McCoy, asked a simple question that led to the creation of Virtus: can child sexual abuse be prevented and how? The company continues to utilize experts in many disciplines to seek every means of preventing abuse and fostering healing within communities.
“That question is so important in what we are doing today,” said Pat Neal, director of programs for Virtus. “We have seen results with this program in preventing abuse and in healing,” she added. Neal paid a visit to the diocese in March to help get the program online.
The diocese utilizes the monthly training bulletins issued by Virtus. Each volunteer and employee will get an email reminding them to log onto the website to read a short article and answer a question about it. The bulletins are not limited to child sexual abuse. They cover topics as varied as Internet safety, human trafficking, protecting vulnerable adults and more.
“We have experts we work with on a daily basis writing on these topics,” said Neal. “We even hear from Virtus users who may ask a question and we will ask an expert to write on that topic,” she added.
The diocese will still use an initial training program from Praesidium called “Called to Protect,” and will still conduct a criminal background check on all volunteers and employees. Virtus is meant to keep training up-to-date. Virtus’ website explains that the program targets both institutional change and individual behavior modification. “In reading a monthly bulletin, we believe it will help people apply the training (they have received),” explained Neal. The goal is not just to make people aware of the need for a safe environment, but to help them see where they can be part of creating it.
Before he became the bishop of Jackson, Bishop Joseph Kopacz used Virtus in his home diocese of Scranton. He spoke at the listening sessions about how much he admired it and said he feels like the time spent keeping up-to-date on issues of abuse is critical to the success of any child protection program.
“This diocese has always been so proactive when it comes to safe environment,” said Vickie Carollo, coordinator for the Office of Child Protection. “We have always provided not only initial training, but re-training. I think adding ongoing training through Virtus is wonderful,” she added. “I like that the bulletins have different material every month and that they cover a variety of topics. In fact, the subject matter is good not just for volunteers and employees, it’s of interest to our parents as well. These topics are relevant to raising their children,” said Carollo.
She said she appreciates all the work the schools, parishes and service centers have put into these programs. “It takes all of us working together to provide a safe environment for our children, not only in our churches, but also in our homes and communities. We all play a part in the eradication of child sexual abuse.”

What to do if a child discloses abuse
If a child or young person is attempting to disclose abuse, it is important that you communicate to the child:

It is not your fault.
I believe you.
I am glad that you told me.
I will try and help you.
Abuse is wrong and we take reports of abuse very seriously.
It is important that you DO NOT:
As the child or young person if he or she is telling you the truth.
Promise the child or young person that you will not tell anyone else.
Criticize the abuser, as it may be someone the child cares about.
Express shock or panic.

Qué hacer cuando un menor de edad le informa del abuso:
Si un(a) niño(a) un(a) joven intenta revelarle el abuso es importante que usted le diga lo siguiente:

!No es tu culpa!
Te creo.
Te agradezco que me lo hayas dicho.
Voy a tartar de ayudarte.
El abuso es malo y nosotros tomamos la información sobre el abuso muy en serio.
Es importante que usted no haga lo siguiente:
No le pregunte al niño(a) o al (la) joven si está diciendo la verdad.
No le prometa al niño(a) o al(la) joven que usted no va a decirselo a nadie.
No critique a la persona que cometió el abuso, ya que podría ser que dicha persona sea alguien que es importante para el(la) niño.
No muestre sobresalto o pánico.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz will commission the following team to prayerfully discern pastoral priorities for the Diocese of Jackson during the next several months. The process will begin with a training in June and continue through the fall. Please keep the process and the team in your prayers. (See page 4 for related story)
Lorenzo Aju, lay ecclesial minister, Houston Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Terry Casserino, teacher, Madison St. Joseph School
Marvin Edwards, Lay Ecclesial Minister, Winona Sacred Heart Parish
Thomas Harris, Flowood St. Paul Parish
Joyce Hart, Jackson Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle
Kris Ivancic, Tupelo St. James Parish
Danna Johnson, Pontotoc St. Christopher Parish, Catholic Charities Vardaman
Jane Letchworth, Shelby St. Mary Parish
Angelica Mazy, Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle
David Phillips, Brookhaven St. Francis Parish
Father Kevin Slattery, Vicar General, Gluckstadt St. Joseph Parish
Msgr. Elvin Sunds, Jackson St. Therese Parish
Cathy Watson, Jackson Holy Family Parish
Thomas Welch, Meridian St. Patrick Parish

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – For three weeks, four days a week, Bishop Joseph Kopacz and his vicar general, Father Kevin Slattery, listened to the people of the Diocese of Jackson.  More than 1,200 people turned out for the 17 listening sessions scheduled all across the diocese representing the church in most of Mississippi.

CLARKSDALE – Bishop Joseph Kopacz reviews his notes as Father Rusty Vincent, facilitator for several listening sessions, reviews the instructions to those gathered in Clarksdale. (Photo by Maureen Smith)

These sessions were the first step in a pastoral planning process. During the sessions, facilitators asked people to reflect on what the diocese is doing that helps them grow in faith, what broad areas they see as places the diocese can focus energy and resources and what specific projects they would like to see the diocese embrace in the next two to three years. People shared their thoughts in small groups and then had the opportunity to address Bishop Kopacz directly.
Several themes emerged during the often energetic sessions. Many people expressed their thanks for Bishop Kopacz’s presence in the parishes throughout the year. People want a robust youth ministry that gathers young people together to share and strengthen their faith. They appreciate opportunities for faith formation, but want more. People were grateful for the Mississippi Catholic and the work of the Office of Communications, but asked to see more diocesan presence on social and digital media. Members of the Hispanic community expressed their gratitude for Masses in Spanish, while others asked for bilingual Masses and more Spanish-language training for priests and lay ministers.
A number of people would like to see more outreach to fallen away Catholics.
Patty Kreider, a retired court reporter, acted as a scribe at several listening sessions. Her job was to record written comments as an additional record of what people offered. A member of Canton Sacred Heart Parish, she said she enjoyed meeting people around the diocese and hearing their ideas. “I thought the format was very good. It was encouraging that we have a bishop who has taken the time and effort to find out what the priests and laity have on their minds,” she said.
She believes people appreciated the opportunity to speak for themselves directly to the shepherd of the diocese. “People did not hold back and I think he got a lot of good information,” said Kreider.

MADISON – Evelin López, from Carthage St. Anne Parish, shares thoughts with the bishop at St. Francis of Assisi Parish. (Photo by Elsa Baughman)

“This was a wonderful thing because people who might not otherwise come forward came to these sessions,” she added.
Everyone was asked to write their thoughts down on a form provided by Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI), the consulting company facilitating the pastoral planning process. All those forms were collected and representatives from CLI will compile them into one document.
Bishop Kopacz will commission a leadership team composed of people from across the diocese. (see page 11 for leadership team) That team will meet with CLI for several one and two-day workshops during the next year to be trained in strategic planning and to discern pastoral priorities for the diocese. Bishop Kopacz and the team will write some specific pastoral goals with timelines attached and the bishop will write a pastoral letter to accompany them later this year.
The leadership team will eventually transition into a pastoral council for the diocese. Bishop Kopacz has asked for prayers to accompany the planning process.

JACKSON (CNS) – Retired Bishop William R. Houck of Jackson, who led the diocese from 1984 to 2003 and in recent years had served as president of Catholic Extension, died March 9 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. He was 89.
“It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I announce the death of our beloved former bishop,” Jackson Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz said in a statement.
He said Bishop Houck had been recovering from a recent single bypass surgery for blockage in a main artery before taking “a turn for the worse.”

Bishop Houck and Bishop Latino greet Pope Benedict XVI during a 2012 visit to Rome.(CNS photo)

“We rejoice in the confident knowledge that he is at peace,” the bishop added.
The reception of Bishop Houck’s body took place at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson the afternoon of March 15, followed by a viewing that evening and the next day and evening, to be followed by a vigil service.
The funeral Mass was to be celebrated at the cathedral midday March 17. After the Mass, the bishop was to be buried in the bishop’s cemetery next to the cathedral.
In 2001, when he was 75, Bishop Houck turned in his resignation to St. John Paul II as required by canon law, but as he told Catholic News Service in an interview some years ago, he mentioned in the resignation letter he would like to be considered for the presidency of Catholic Extension because he was so impressed with it. He was appointed its president, a post he held until retiring in 2007.
“We will greatly miss his joyful spirit, his guidance and wisdom and his dedication to spreading the good news,” said Chicago Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, chancellor of Chicago-based Catholic Extension. The organization helps pay for church construction, religious education, outreach ministries, salaries and operating expenses in mission areas in the U.S.

Bishop Houck rejoices at a chancery celebration of his 80th birthday. (Mississippi Catholic file photos)

In a March 10 statement, the archbishop added that Catholic Extension “mourns the loss of a true servant leader who dedicated much of his life and ministry to helping build the Catholic faith in America’s under-resourced dioceses.”
Bishop Houck, a native of Mobile, Alabama, was born June 6, 1926, to William and Mildred Houck.
He studied at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore and earned his master’s degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington. He was ordained a priest in 1951.
After his ordination, he served as parish priest and also spent more than two decades in education, including 18 years as a high school principal and a few years as superintendent of Catholic Schools in what was then the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham, Alabama. He was ordained an auxiliary bishop for the Jackson Diocese in 1979 and was installed as its bishop in 1984.
During his tenure as head of the diocese, he focused on many issues involving education and evangelization. He was chairman of the U.S. bishops’ evangelization committee and helped develop and publish the document: “Go and Make Disciples: A National Strategy for Catholic Evangelization,” which is still in use. He also was actively involved in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.
Bishop Houck also was a member of several national Catholic boards and the Mississippi Governor’s Task Force on Infant Mortality. He was also president of Ecumenical Health Care Organization for Whispering Pines, a hospice ministry for AIDS patients whose families had abandoned them.

Saint John Paul II ordains Bishop Houck in Rome. Almost 30 bishops were ordained by the then-pope during one Mass.

In a 2003 interview with Catholic News Service, the bishop said he always thought he would work in mission territory after he was ordained.
Even though he was primarily involved in education, he said, his life had been “kind of lived in mission territory in this country. I’m aware personally and vividly of what Catholic Extension has done to reach the Catholic Church in mission territory.”
During Bishop Houck’s presidency, Catholic Extension sent more than $84 million to more than 4,000 communities. The bishop also dedicated about $5 million of Catholic Extension’s resources to help rebuild the church’s infrastructure in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
Father Jack Wall, who succeeded Bishop Houck as Catholic Extension president, said the group received the news of the bishop’s death “with great sadness and, at the same time, a deep and heartfelt gratitude” for his work.
He said the bishop brought wisdom to his position “grounded in his lifelong experience of serving in the missions of the deep South and a passion for helping the poor. He really had a pastor’s heart.”

Bishop Houck places ashes on the forehead of a baby on Ash Wednesday in the cathedral in this undated photo.

He also noted that Bishop Houck had “a deep spiritual joy about him” and keen insight about the needs and concerns of mission dioceses. (Father Wall’s full statement.)
When he was named president of Catholic Extension, he moved to Chicago, but he moved back to Jackson in 2007. He still played an active role as president emeritus of the national organization.
The bishop is survived by a sister, Millie Houck Reilly (Warren) of Mobile; his brother-in-law, Richard Hebert of Jennings, Louisiana; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Elizabeth Houck Hebert and a brother, Ray.