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.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bishop William Houck was a prolific writer. Even in retirement, he wrote a weekly meditation for Catholic Extension Society which was emailed to thousands of people and posted on the organization’s website. This is his final meditation submitted just a few days before his death.
Throughout this Lenten Season, I have been reflecting on the suffering of Our Lord on the Cross. How unimaginable that pain is for us to comprehend – to be whipped, dragged and forced to carry a heavy beam of solid wood for such a long distance, only to then be nailed to that beam and hoisted skyward. What pain he must have endured during this passion journey. I cannot begin to fathom His suffering and yet as we approach the Sacred Triduum we journey with Him through Sacred Scripture to Good Friday and we are witnesses of his suffering.

Bishop William Houck pictured at the ordination of Bishop Joseph Kopacz Feb. 6, 2014. (Photo courtesy of Joe Ellis, The Clarion-Ledger)

There is an ancient hymn about the cross written by Venantius Fortunatus, a sixth century bishop. The hymn carries the same title as St. Thomas Aquinas’ hymn for the Eucharist – Pange Lingua. Pange Lingua basically means “Speak, Tongue” or better “Sing, My Tongue.” This hymn by Fortunatus has a beautiful line describing the agony of the cross. In Latin the line is: dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. This has been elegantly translated in many ways, but my favorite translation is: “O sweet wood, sweetly sustaining with a nail, the sweet fruit.”
The image of our Lord hanging like fruit with an iron nail sustaining His weight is shocking and gruesome, but it is this very image and moment in time that compel us to reflect on His suffering. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy and these remaining weeks of Lent, let the image of Christ on the Cross guide you to be merciful and compassionate with those around you so that you may better reflect the mercy and love poured out for us on the Cross and the ever-flowing mercy and compassion of God, our Father. In doing this you will not only more prayerfully enter into the sacred mysteries of Holy Week liturgies, but more importantly you will be strong vessels of God’s mercy and love in our very troubled world.
(To read more about Bishop Houck’s impact on Extension and to see a video from one of his talks, visit https://cathext.in/1XfdnrN)

CHICAGO, IL (Marketwired) – Catholic Extension, the national Catholic organization supporting the American Church in under-resourced regions, announced that its president emeritus, Bishop William R. Houck, died in the early hours of March 9 in Jackson, Mississippi.
Appointed by Pope John Paul II as president of Catholic Extension, he served from 2001 until 2007. During his tenure, Catholic Extension sent more than $84 million in total funding to more than 4,000 communities. He dedicated about $5 million of the organization’s resources to helping rebuild the Catholic Church’s infrastructure throughout the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

Monsignor Jerome O. Sommer, (left) Bishop Houck, Father Luis Studer, OMI, at the Catholic Extension100th exhibit. Reprinted with permission from Catholic Extension. Copyright 2016.www.catholicextension.org

Father Jack Wall, who succeeded Bishop Houck as president, said Catholic Extension had received the news of his death “with great sadness and, at the same time, a deep and heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful and continuing gift he was to Catholic Extension.”
“What he brought to this leadership position,” Father Wall said, “was a wisdom 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’s deep connection with Catholic Extension went back seven decades because, as a young seminarian, he was the recipient of the support of Catholic Extension donors, who helped pay for his seminary education.

Father Jack Wall

Having served both as a priest and a bishop in Alabama and Mississippi, “he was a great champion for helping the Church in under-resourced areas,” Father Wall said.
“If anybody embodied the joy of the gospel,” Father Wall said, “it was Bishop Houck. He had a deep spiritual joy about him. At the same time, he also had a keen insight into what the needs and concerns of mission dioceses were.”
It was a testament to his boundless energy and profound dedication that he agreed to serve as president at age 75, after he had turned in his resignation notice as bishop of Jackson. When he was appointed president in 2001, Bishop Houck had already been serving on Catholic Extension’s board of governors for 12 years, and he continued to contribute to and advocate for Catholic Extension’s work as an honorary board member after his tenure as president.
As president emeritus, he also continued to share his spiritual insights with Catholic Extension donors through his popular weekly meditations.
In a recent message to Catholic Extension donors, Bishop Houck applauded them for “answering Jesus Christ’s call to discipleship,” and for making “a truly extraordinary and lasting difference” by “sharing the gift of our Catholic faith with others in need.” Those words also sum up his own commitment to Catholic Extension’s mission of building faith at the margins, in America’s underresourced mission dioceses.
“Bishop Houck is in our fondest prayers,” said Father Wall, “and together with our chancellor, Archbishop Blase Cupich, our board of governors, the bishops of the 94 mission dioceses we serve and the thousands of Catholic Extension donors, we express our deep sympathy to the Diocese of Jackson and pray with profound gratitude for the gift of the life and ministry of Bishop Houck.”

The Holy Father was saddened to learn of the death of Bishop Emeritus William R. Houck and he offers heartfelt condolences to you and to the clergy, religious and laity of the diocese.
In commending the late Bishop to the love and mercy of Christ the Good Shepherd, he joins in your prayer of thanksgiving for the many graces which accompanied his years of episcopal ministry to the Church in Jackson. To all who mourn Bishop Houck in the sure hope of the Resurrection, His Holiness cordially imparts the Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Lord.
With gratitude for your value assistance, I remain yours sincerely in Christ,

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Vatican Secretary of State

I’m going to miss Bishop Houck a great deal, he was one of the most unselfish and warm and loving bishops that I have ever met. From the first time that I ever became a bishop in 1999 all the way to the last meeting I had with him in January at our bishops’ retreat, he constantly reached out to others, praised the good in others, and really was the figure of Christ.
I am very grateful for the chance to honor him. After completing his work as the bishop of Jackson I know he served in a beautiful way as president of Catholic Church Extension Society and really served the wider church in that capacity. I’m very proud to have known him.

Archbishop joseph E. Kurtz,
President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky

With the death of Bishop William R. Houck, 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.
Through his lifelong ministry as a priest and bishop in mission dioceses of the deep South, Bishop Houck knew firsthand the many joys and challenges Catholics experience in America’s missions.
Serving as a longtime board member, as president from 2001 until 2007, and since then as president emeritus of Catholic Extension, he made many lasting contributions to our mission and work.
Our hearts and prayers go out to his family, especially his sister, Millie Houck Reilly; and to the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, which he loved and served as its good shepherd.
We will greatly miss his joyful spirit, his guidance and wisdom and his dedication to spreading the Good News. May he rest in God’s peace.

Archbishop Blase Cupich
Chancellor of Catholic Extension

I was saddened by the news of the death of Bishop Houck. The Catholics of the Diocese of Jackson and all the people of Mississippi have suffered a great loss. A native of Mobile, he remained grateful for and connected to his Alabama roots even as he proudly and lovingly served the people of the Magnolia State.
He was a man of deep faith and his love of God showed powerfully in his genuine love of neighbor. He was committed to serving those in need and fostering understanding and respect among all.
He was tireless in his dedication to ministry even into his “retirement” years. I am personally grateful for the kindness and support he extended to me when I was appointed Bishop of Biloxi and he served as Bishop of Jackson.
His advice and encouragement meant a great deal to me. His kindness to me was typical of the way he treated everyone. May this good man rest in peace.

Archbishop Thomas Rodi
Archbishop of Mobile

Last month, I had the opportunity to visit with Bishop Houck during the annual Catholic Day at the Capitol and, as always, he was very gracious and, seemingly, in great spirits. So, I was shocked and saddened to learn of his passing. Bishop Houck was a good, faithful shepherd to the people of the Diocese of Jackson and a trusted friend to the Diocese of Biloxi.
He was a very kind and compassionate man, who showed genuine care and concern for our brothers and sisters, particularly those in the greatest of need. Bishop Houck was very knowledgeable about the needs of our mission dioceses in the United States, especially here in the Deep South, which is why Pope John Paul II appointed him as president of Catholic Extension, a role in which he continued to serve after his retirement as bishop of Jackson.
As president of Catholic Extension, Bishop Houck was a constant presence on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, offering tremendous comfort and support. With gratitude for the life and ministry of Bishop Houck, I pray that he may rest in peace.

Bishop Roger Morin
Bishop of Biloxi

I first met Bishop Houck when he was pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Birmingham, Alabama. He was ordained an auxiliary bishop by St. John Paul II in May of 1979 in Rome and that’s when I really got the chance to know him.
He was named bishop of Jackson after Bishop Joseph Brunini retired. He certainly took care of Bishop Brunini in the greatest fashion. He was a great friend to Bishop Brunini. We worked together for a long time and he was a very kind and considerate bishop.
He was an outstanding bishop. We’ve constantly kept in touch since he retired. Just recently, I got a letter from him. I wrote a thank you letter for a Christmas gift he sent me – a box of popcorn – and he wrote me back. I was sad to hear that he had died. I was shocked.
I celebrated Mass in my private chapel for the repose of his soul as soon as I heard the news and I will continue to do so. He was an outstanding priest and an outstanding bishop.

Bishop Joseph L. Howze
Retired Bishop of Biloxi

“Listen to your conscience.” It’s a hallmark of our faith. Yet, freedom of conscience is at risk all across America. Catholic Charities and other faith-based adoption agencies in other states have been forced to stop serving children because their policies require homes with a married mother and father.
A Massachusetts college almost lost its accreditation because of its adherence to the Bible’s teaching on sexual morality. A Pennsylvania homeless shelter was threatened with loss of funding because of its beliefs regarding marriage, even though it served all-comers and never had a complaint.
Such instances of government-sanctioned discrimination are the reason why the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is supporting federal legislation to protect conscience rights. Here in Mississippi, we can do our part by joining with Bishops Joseph Kopacz and Roger Morin in supporting HB 1523: “The Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act.” The bill is currently being studied by the Senate Judiciary A committee and needs to pass out of committee by March 22.
As the USCCB warns: “It is becoming apparent that some who promote marriage redefinition do not support the coexistence and tolerance of different ideas in a pluralistic society but instead have a ‘comply or else’ agenda.” State-level legislation, such as HB 1523, would protect Mississippi churches, schools, nonprofits and public employees from government discrimination.