Category Archives: Diocesan News

SHSM welcomes summer volunteers

Posted on by
Reply

By Laura Grisham
SOUTHAVEN – Summer is finally here! School is out, much to the relief of teachers and students alike. Vacations are at the top of the list, but in addition to planning for beach or mountain getaways, many people have decided to spend a time in the Mississippi Delta with Sacred Heart Southern Missions’ (SHSM) Volunteer Program.
Local and long distance guests have rolled up their sleeves over the past few weeks to lend a hand on a number of rehab projects. The amount of work that has been accomplished is phenomenal.

Sadie Dixon helps her father Paul Dixon build a wheelchair ramp. The whole family does summer service.

Sadie Dixon helps her father Paul Dixon build a wheelchair ramp. The whole family does summer service.

The Dixon family, who attend Olive Branch Queen of Peace Parish, is no stranger to SHSM. Earlier in the spring, Crystal, Paul and their four youngest children, helped plant seedlings at the Garden Cafe in Holly Springs. Cafe guests were able to see and eat the fruits of their labor, as the first eight bell peppers were harvested in June. Soon, squash, peppers, carrots, beans, cantaloupes, and tomatoes will all be on the menu!
Itching to get their hands dirty again, the Dixons helped construct wheelchair ramps for two of our clients and have plans to work on roofing, plumbing, painting and sheetrock projects in the upcoming weeks. Crystal said that it was a real blessing to work with SHSM and was pleased to be able to enrich the family with a service experience. “We were looking for an opportunity for the family to work together. I made lots of calls and many were accepting of us adults, but thought the children would get in the way,” said Dixon. “Sacred Heart welcomed all of us with open arms.”
In addition to families, SHSM has been blessed with the youth of the six parishes in the region contributing time and talent to many projects. In mid-June, 20 young men, along with a handful of chaperones, made a decided difference at three client homes, the Garden Cafe and Dehon Village.

Nine-year-old Jake Dixon works on a wheelchair ramp with his family.

Nine-year-old Jake Dixon works on a wheelchair ramp with his family.

From painting and sheetrock to plumbing and cooking, these teens got a real workout, but also benefited from the service experience. Ryan Harra of Queen of Peace Parish said he was surprised that there were so many people in need so close to home. Another commented how he took ‘the little things’ for granted until he saw how little others had.
First time retreat participant and Eagle Scout Lyndon Meng, put part of the scouting oath into action. The oath reads: “Many people need help. A cheery smile and a helping hand make life easier for others. By doing a Good Turn daily and helping when you’re needed, you prove yourself a Scout and do your part to make this a better world.”
But it was not all work and no play for the retreat participants. Evening respites of bowling, swimming and a cookout rejuvenated the young men for the week’s work. The experience for them culminated with the June 12 feast of the Sacred Heart Mass and celebration at Christ the King—a fitting end to a week of service.

A volunteer for Sacred Heart Southern Missions paints a home in North Mississippi.

A volunteer for Sacred Heart Southern Missions paints a home in North Mississippi.

The next week girls from the same parishes made a service retreat and picked up where the boys had left off, completing several projects, including new plumbing for one client as well as paint and repair work on several homes.
A group from Chicago to Memphis of more than a dozen high school students from the St. Ignatius Seniors Rising program and chaperones made their annual trek. They made much needed repairs to rotted areas of exterior wood and added two good coats of paint to two homes.
Holly is a 68-year-old veteran chaperone for St. Ignatius and has been volunteering for their “summer immersion” for the past 17 years. Despite her family’s request to slow down, she is determined to continue until age 70, when she plans to ask her family to join her on the volunteer trip as their “birthday present” to her.
Another volunteer, 17-year-old Jack, perched atop a ladder slathering paint on carport trim, stated it was his first time with the group. He said he had enjoyed his time so far and was pleased that he had been able to meet the elderly lady for whom he invested his time.
Just north at another client site, Isabel was fighting wasps and heavy humidity as she coated a window sash with paint. Her group repaired and re-glazed all of the windows and tackled an all-wood exterior thirsty for a good coat of paint at an early 1930s home north of Red Banks. Isabel shared that this particular day was her favorite, as the group was able to bring a project to fruition. “Being able to see how your work helps people is so

Young women from the parishes in the Sacred Heart Southern Missions area spent a week doing service in their community. (Photos courtesy of Laura Grisham)

Young women from the parishes in the Sacred Heart Southern Missions area spent a week doing service in their community. (Photos courtesy of Laura Grisham)

rewarding, and is the Jesuit way,” she said. (St. Ignatius was the first Superior General of the Jesuit order of religious. Part of Jesuit formation is the undertaking of service specifically to the poor and sick in the most humble ways.)
These are just some of the volunteers that have made a difference recently. Anyone interested in participating in the volunteer program should contact Laura Grisham at lgrisham@shsm.org or 662-342-3316
(Reprinted with permission from the Sacred Heart Southern Missions June 18 newsletter.)

Little sister, Sadie, age 3, wanted to get in on the action too.
SHSM’s Lee Smith (left) and volunteer Paul Dixon (right) pause with homeowner “Henry” to show him the progress on his new wheelchair ramp.

Summer mission work highlights drive to serve

Posted on by
Reply

By Maureen Smith
GREENWOOD – They come from the frozen north and from around the corner. They paint, clean, build and run summer camps. They offer a bit of themselves in service and return home all the richer for it. Summer is the season for service trips.  Groups from Chicago, Wayne, Ill., Manitowoc, Wis., and local young adults spread out in the Delta and in North Mississippi in June and July to do service work during their summer.
A group of 70 adults and young adults caravaned from Resurrection Catholic Community in Wayne, Ill., to spend two weeks in Greenwood in early June. This is the largest group to come from Illinois, but is the seventh time a group has made the trip.

Volunteers from Wayne, Ill., and representatives from Sherwin Williams painted 14 homes in Greenwood in June. (Photo courtesy of Kim Walker)

Volunteers from Wayne, Ill., and representatives from Sherwin Williams painted 14 homes in Greenwood in June. (Photo courtesy of Kim Walker)

Father Gregory Plata, OFM, was associate pastor at Resurrection 25 years ago. He made many friends there, including a man who was an executive at paint manufacturer Sherwin Williams and Kim and Marty Walker. “Eight years ago he was up visiting,” said Kim Walker. “We asked him if he would have projects to work on if we got a group together to come down,” she said. Father Plata had a long list of things a volunteer group could do and a tradition was born.
The Walkers divided the group into three sections. The first ran a vacation Bible school at Greenwood Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in the mornings. “It is one of the only ones open to kids of any faith, any race, any background,” said Walker. They also provided lunch for the 70 kids who attended.
A second group ran an afternoon enrichment program. “They read a story that provided a theme for the day and each day had a different theme,” explained Walker. The group helps run a fish fry fundraiser midway through their visit.
The remaining volunteers fan out around town to power wash and paint houses and other structures. This year they painted 14 homes, washed four and painted a downtown building that will be used as an after-school center. Sherwin Williams donates paint, ladders and other supplies and also opens up the trip as an opportunity for employees to do service. This year nine managers from around the country joined the group to paint, but that’s not all. “They come down to inspect the homes we painted, even the ones from seven years ago,” said Father Plata. “They want to make sure the paint lasts and is holding up,” he explained.
Both Walker and Father Plata explained that these projects do more than just make things look better. Last year the group painted a community center in Baptist Town, one of the poorest sections of town. “It was great to see people from Baptist Town come out while we worked, they brought drinks and interacted with the kids,” said Father Plata.
“Some of the people who helped with that were able to go back this year and see the building in use. It has Pilates classes, meeting places, classrooms and kids activities,” said Walker. Father Plata said the work this group does often acts as a catalyst in conjunction with the work of other church and community groups to revitalize a structure and the surrounding community.

Vacation Bible school and an afternoon program at Immaculate Conception included games for local kids. (Photo courtesy of Kim Walker)

Vacation Bible school and an afternoon program at Immaculate Conception included games for local kids. (Photo courtesy of Kim Walker)

“I really appreciate that they are working out in the Mississippi heat, especially coming from the north. I have gone out there with them when they are painting and – God bless the work they are doing because it can be brutal,” said Father Plata.
The week after the Illinois group left, another came, this time from Manitowoc, Wis. For the past six years, this group has been traveling from St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Manitowoc to the parish of the same name in Greenwood. The trip was the brainchild of Deacon Rich Bahnaman, who started an ecumenical service organization that spends time overseas and in America helping those in need. The Franciscan Sisters who teach at the school in Greenwood are based in Manitowoc so the parishes have a connection already.
This year 10 volunteers ran a week-long summer camp at St. Francis of Assisi School. On the first day of the camp, Monday, June 22, a hundred children attended. The school served breakfast and lunch.
First-time volunteer Danielle Lipski is not Catholic, but did a school counseling internship under Deacon Bahnaman. “When I did my internships I had no cultural experience and it’s just important to experience different cultures. For example, some of the kids here don’t know English as well as the other kids so that was a new experience,” said Lipski.
“My wife has been down here many times and many good friends like Mark and Lisa (Knipp) have been down here and have nothing but good things to say about it. They all say there is a piece of Greenwood in their hearts,” said Jerrod Jirikowic, another first-time volunteer. “This was actually a stepping stone for my wife to do mission trips. It was the first one she was on and now she has since gone down to Jamaica a couple times,” he added.
Lisa and Mark Knipp are regulars. This year they brought along their 14-year-old daughter Abbey for the first time. Both said they have enjoyed watching some of the kids who attend camp every year grow up and become camp volunteers. “Our oldest daughter Erin was a freshman in college when she came. She always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but was kind of struggling at the end of that freshman year, so she came down and after we left, she said ‘yes, I am supposed to be a teacher,’” said Lisa.
Walker said members of her group have had similar experiences. “To me it’s overwhelming that it started as a ‘can we help’ thing with about 20 people,” said Walker. “I never signed on to change people’s lives, but that’s what has happened,” she said. In addition to watching the community pride build as projects are completed and expanded, Walker said the volunteers go home changed. At the end of the week volunteers are invited to share the impact the trip has had on them. More than one has changed their course of college study or changed their idea of what career to pursue.
(Editor’s note: see page 16 for related story)

Diocesan Catholic Schools Class of 2015 by the numbers

Posted on by
Reply

ST. JOSEPH GREENVILLE
Graduates: 28
Graduation rate: 100 percent
Percentage of college bound: 96 percent
Percentage of scholarship recipients: 75 percent
Largest scholarship awarded: $262,072
Total scholarship money earned: $1,761,311 earned
Notable colleges: Washginton University in St. Louis; Washington & Lee; Trinity University (San Antonio).
Senior class service hours: more than 2,800

MADISON ST. JOSEPH
Graduates: 67
Graduation rate: 100 percent
Percentage of college bound: 99 percent
Percentage of scholarship recipients: 75 percent
Largest scholarship awarded: $640,000
Total scholarship money earned: $3.600,000
Senior class service hours: 12,730
Notable colleges: University of San Diego, Catholic University of America, University of Notre Dame, Fordham, U.S. Army

NATCHEZ CATHEDRAL
Graduates: 38
Graduation rate: 100 percent
Percentage of college bound: 97 percent
Percentage of scholarship recipients: 100 percent
Largest scholarship awarded: $125,000
Total scholarship money earned: $3.5 million +
Senior class service hours: 10,000+
Notable colleges: University of Virginia, University of Kentucky, Spring Hill College, TCU, SMU, Seattle Pacific University, Reed College, Baylor University, United States Marine Corps, Aveda Institute

ST. ALOYSIUS  VICKSBURG
Graduates: 43
Graduation rate: 97.7 percent
Percentage of college bound: 98 percent
Percentage of scholarship recipients: 88 percent
Largest scholarship awarded: $450,000
Total scholarship money earned: $6,769,445
Senior class service hours:  3,947
Notable colleges: West Point (2) Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Cornell.

Carmelite community kicks off centenary celebration with Mass

Posted on by
Reply

JACKSON – The Discalced Carmelite nuns, Carmelite Seculars of the Diocese of Jackson and Father Bonaventure Sauer, OCD, provincial delegate, attended a Mass in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, celebrated by Bishop Joseph Kopacz Saturday, June 6, in honor of the fifth centenary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila. Retired Bishops Joseph Latino and William Houck concelebrated.
Father Sauer was the homilist and centered his message on the theme the sisters chose for this special anniversary, “keeping Christ present is what we of ourselves can do.” “We are called to a life of ‘keeping Christ present’ to ourselves in our families, our friendships, our work, our play, in the movements of our hearts, in the working and rumination, the prejudices and presumptions of our minds,” he said.
Father Sauer noted when it comes to prayer, we can learn to quiet ourselves, to gather up our scattered minds and still our busy hearts, setting aside all the internal clutter we are collecting each day, every day, all the stuff that is piling up like so many scraps of paper. “We can, very simply, strive to be still and, in that inner stillness, right here, right now, enter into the presence of Christ, our crucified and risen Lord.”
Members of the Carmelite order will continue celebrating this milestone for an entire year. All are invited to the monastery on Terry Road in Jackson for the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel on Sunday, July 19, at 7 p.m.

Catholic young adults share ideas, discuss challenges at listening session

Posted on by
Reply

By Maureen Smith
Christopher Luke, coordinator for the office of Stewardship represented the Diocese of Jackson at a listening session for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church – African American Affairs.
Twenty-five black Catholic young adults from across the nation gathered in Marriottsville Md., the last weekend in May. In the invitation, the USCCB stated that the intent of the meeting was “to help us begin to develop viable approaches and resources to effectively evangelize and cultivate leadership from this group (black young adults) within the Catholic Church.”
The selection process was competitive. USCCB asked dioceses and institutions to nominate participants who are active in their faith and have the potential to be leaders in the Catholic community. The group ranged in age from mid-20s to mid-30s. Will Jemison, Coordinator of Black Catholic Ministry for the diocese, nominated Luke. “The session allows those of us at the diocesan and parish level to learn more of what our young adults and youth experience in their faith journey; what they wish to see done to improve their Catholic experience; and ability to understand, translate, and share their faith with others,” he said.
Participants met at Bon Secours Retreat Center, in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, for a full weekend of presentations, discussion, fellowship, liturgy and personal prayer. Luke said he enjoyed the meeting and came back energized by what he learned. There were five sessions during the weekend, each with its own theme including ‘what is your experience of church,’ ‘what do Catholics believe,’ ‘finding our story in the Christian story,’ ‘our role in the Catholic Church’ and ‘cultivating an evangelizing spirit.’
One of the speakers presented the six models of the church community from Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ. The cardinal wrote a book explaining that the six, church as institution, community, sacrament, herald, servant and school of discipleship must work in balance for a parish community to work as it should.
“When those six models come together we come closer to living as the body of Christ,” said Luke. He said other speakers challenged the participants asking if their beliefs are reflected in how they live and urging them to take an active role in their parishes and communities. “In the last session we talked about what our role is and what we want to be, so that in the next step, to move toward what we want to be.”
Luke said the conference speakers encouraged those present to examine and strengthen their personal prayer and spiritual lives. He said the group was very dynamic. “It (the meeting) provided good insights. Everybody had good ideas and they weren’t too shy to let you know what’s going on and what needs to happen,” he said.  He also noted that it was interesting to hear people from vastly different communities are facing similar challenges. “As you told your story, everybody else had the same story,” Luke added.

Donor challenges diocese, Habitat to build Pope Francis House

Posted on by
Reply

JACKSON – For more than 30 years, Catholics across the Diocese of Jackson have supported Habitat for Humanity through Catholic Build projects. This year, an extra house honoring Pope Francis, is being added to the project list. An anonymous donor has offered half of the funds needed for a Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capitol Area house for a low-income family needing a safe, decent place to live if the community can raise $40,000 in matching funds.
The donor has provided grants to build several other Pope Francis houses, including ones in St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Huntersville, North Carolina. The anonymous donor said the purpose is to honor Pope Francis for his commitment to social justice and reinvigorating the Catholic Church; to provide a unifying, celebratory opportunity for both Catholic and non-Catholic volunteers to work towards a common goal; and to further Habitat’s mission of building and preserving homes.
“The challenge from an anonymous donor is a special opportunity for both the Catholic and non-Catholic communities to build a home for a local family in need, while honoring Pope Francis’ teachings that, ‘The love of the poor is at the heart of the Gospel,’” said Bishop Joseph Kopacz. Bishop Kopacz spoke with several media outlets in support of the project and all the work Habitat does to help rebuild communities. “He is encouraging us to improve people’s lives by breaking the cycle of poverty and building our community, which is certainly the focus of Habitat for Humanity.”
“When they told me, I was just speechless,” said Shavers Houston, who will receive the Pope Francis House. “It is an exciting time for me, because it’s going to be the first time I’m going out on my own to buy a house,” he said. Houston has four children ranging in age from 13 to six. Teams of volunteers will build the family a five bedroom, two bath home on Greenview Drive, next to Jackson St. Therese Church. This is not the first time the Catholic community has been a part of a Greenview project. Last year, volunteers from a number of churches in the area including St. Therese, participated in a Habitat sponsored cleanup day on the block. Habitat hopes to revitalize the whole block in time.
“When I told them they didn’t believe me!” He said of his children. “I had to tell them, ‘I’m telling the truth.’ They are very excited,” said Houston. The kids will have to change schools and make some other adjustments, but Houston, who grew up in the neighborhood where the house is being built, said they love school and learning so he is not concerned. Houston works as a maintenance man at a Jackson apartment complex, a job he loves.
Getting to this point was a long road for the family. Houston heard a radio advertisement about Habitat 10 years ago. “All I did was give it a shot and call.” Before he could qualify he had to take classes on home ownership, perform community service at Stewpot and contribute ‘sweat equity’ by working on other Habitat homes. “I’m just so honored to know this home is going to be historic. People are going to know I live in a house dedicated to Pope Francis – that’s amazing,” said Houston, who is not Catholic, but is grateful for the support from the Catholic community.
“Anytime a donor is able to give a sponsorship of a Habitat house in honor of someone, that makes the build all the more special,” said Cindy Griffin, executive director of HFHMCA. “Giving our community the opportunity to work together ecumenically to honor Pope Francis is a very special build,” Griffin said. “We encourage the community to be a part of this exciting partnership by donating today so we can meet the match and not lose this opportunity to honor the Pope and help a family in need,” added Griffin.
“I just want to thank all the people who are donating toward the build. I want to than the anonymous donor. It is a blessing to know that people are giving their hard-earned money to help others,” said Houston. The Pope Francis House is being built in addition to the regular Catholic Build house this year, so organizers must raise the $40,000 matching grant in addition to $80,000 for the Catholic Build.
To donate or learn more about the Pope Francis Build, visit the HFHMCA website at www.habitatmca.org or call 601-353-6060.

Class of 2015 leaders profiled, honored . . .

Posted on by
Reply

GREENVILLE ST. JOSEPH
VALEDICTORIAN: katherine anne terracina
GPA: 4.304 – ACT: 32
Member of Greenville St. Joseph Parish
Parents: Donna and Joseph Terracina
From her speech: Terracina wrote her speech as if she were attending her own daughter’s graduation.
… The thought of high school sure could be intimidating at times, but overall I think we all agree it was a time of so much growth. I firmly believe that we blossomed at St. Joe because we were surrounded by awesome classmates, faith and teachers that kept us motivated.
While at Lourdes we learned many things … important things like all 50 states and their capitals, we also learned the importance of treating everyone with kindness … all of us as equals. We learned what true religion is and the meaning of being Catholic. Our teachers were the epitome of what a good educator is – knowledgeable, nurturing and wonderful role models to each and every one of us. … These women were more than just teachers; they were models of how to live your life in a Godly fashion … how we should proceed into our future.
Scholarships: The Johnson Scholarship at Washington and Lee, $262,072, and the Betty W. and Hodding Carter Jr. Family Foundation Scholarship- $2,500.
Awards/honors: Star Student, St. Joseph School Hall of Fame, Chuck Early Humanitarian Award, Coca-Cola Scholastic Award, Mississippi Scholar, Delta Honor Graduate, Herff Jones Principal’s Award, Spirit of Kindness Award, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Attended Duke TIP field studies, attended Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Washington, D.C., Sportsmanship Tennis Award, Tennis All-Star Team and All-State Tennis Team, Individual Girls Doubles State Champion, Tennis State Champions 2014-2015, All-American Cheerleader.
Activities: Dance, piano, cheer captain, soccer, tennis, swim, yearbook editor, school newspaper editor, Carrie Stern mentor, retreat team, Interact Club president, Ambassador at St. Joseph, class president, blood drive organizer, YADA (Youth Against Drugs and Alcohol) president, secretary of Mayor’s Youth Council.
Favorite subject: Math
Favorite service project: Mayors Youth Council: It allows me to be involved in a variety of service projects in my community. We paint parks, clean up trash, volunteer at community events like the Mississippi River Marathon, participate in both park and city-wide clean up days, volunteer in the city Christmas parade and other activities.
Plans to attend: Washington and Lee University to study medicine.

SALUTATORIAN: EMILY MANSOUR
GPA: 4.25  – ACT:  31
Member of Greenville St. Joseph Parish
Parents: Michael and Kathleen Mansour
From her speech: Time is relative … The average lifespan for humans in the United States lasts for 690,220 hours. Therefore, the 60 minutes that we spend here tonight reading and listening to speeches and walking across the stage is relatively minor in the grand scheme of life. What’s more important is the time spent leading up to his moment and the change that this ceremony represents, the relationships that we have built along the way, all of the knowledge that we have gained and the memories that we have shared.
The time each of us has invested in making it to this moment is finally being rewarded. The diplomas that we are handed tonight symbolize all of our hard work that now finally translates into something tangible.
… I encourage the Class of 2015 to welcome change and overcome all of the challenges that we might face after we each go our separate ways. We have learned through faith that in times of triumph it is always most important to give thanks, to remember those who have helped along the way and to offer help to others when possible.

Scholarships: Thomas H. Elliot Scholarship (Washington University in St. Louis), Lindy Callahan scholarship, Junior Auxiliary of Greenville, service excellence scholarship, Greenville Clearinghouse scholarship, Education Foundation of Greenville, Progressive Art and Civic Club’s scholarship, E. J. Lueckenbach memorial scholarship, Coach Powe memorial scholarship.

Awards/honors: Student Government Association president, Honors Graduate, Mississippi Scholar, Delta Council Scholar, Principal’s Recognition Award, Most Likely to Succeed, Hall of Fame, Lindy Callahan State Winner, NISCA All America Interscholastic Academic Team, Mississippi Blood Services Award, Mississippi High School All State Swim Team- First Team, Best of Mississippi Preps First Team All Star Team, Entergy Bright Future Award, Coca-Cola Scholastic Award, Charles S. Kerg Award for Best Senior Female Athlete, third place at National Catholic Swimming Championship, MHSAA Class I State Record, MHSAA Class I State Championship, Swimming Most Valuable Performer, Delta Democrat Times Player of the Week, MHSAA All Region Football Team, MHSAA All Region Softball Team, swim team captain, soccer team captain.

Activities: Student Government Association, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, Scholars Bowl, School Ambassador, Interact Club, Youth Against Drugs and Alcohol, yearbook editor, school blood drive coordinator, varsity swim, soccer, football, and softball teams, Delta Aquatic Club, Greenville Arts Council Volunteer, Mayor’s Youth Council, Carrie Stern mentor, St. Joseph Church Catholic Youth Organization, St. Joseph Parish lector.
Favorite subject:  Math
Favorite service project: School blood drive
Plans to attend: Washington University in St. Louis to study Liberal Arts.

MADISON ST. JOSEPH
VALEDICTORIAN: Reilly reeves
GPA: 4.38 – ACT: 32
Member of Jackson St. Richard Parish
Parents: David and Carla Reeves
From her speech: St. Joe is an environment that has shown us how to accept responsibilities and most importantly it taught us how to serve. Through service, I became more aware of the value of my education at St. Joe.  While painting classrooms at a Catholic elementary school in Mobile, Alabama, over the summer, I was made aware of how blessed I have been to spend my high school years at St. Joe. The elementary school in Mobile had lost its certificate of occupancy because of unacceptable conditions and would not have opened last August without the service by teens like myself. The service requirement at St. Joe became something I looked forward to over the years.  The work benefited me more than it did the organization I served.
St. Joe instilled in us what it means to be true servants of God and what it means to put another’s needs before our own, displaying the true meaning of our school theme this year, the acronym, JOY: Jesus, Others and Yourself.
…“sing the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
Scholarships: Valedictorian Scholarship, Mississippi State University Provost Scholarship, Engineering Excellence Scholarship.
Awards/honors: Academic Excellence, Principal’s Honor Roll, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, National English Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society.
Activities: retreat team
Favorite subject: Math
Sports: Track, soccer and cross country.
Favorite service project: “A live in You.”
Plans to attend: Mississippi State University to study engineering.

SALUTATORIAN: THOMAS BENSON
GPA: 4.30 – ACT: 31
Parents: Robert and Brenda Benson
Member of St. Matthews United Methodist Church
From his speech: I enjoyed my time at St. Joe. Whether I was learning in the classroom or participating in extracurricular activities, I was almost always having fun. St. Joe provided a place to get to know classmates, teammates, and teachers. This allowed me to enjoy learning and created a desire within me to learn. This along with the faith based Christian values has helped me to face and overcome challenges. We were taught that God is in control and he has a plan and a purpose for all of us. This faith helped whether I was pitching, studying for exams, or writing essays. These teachings will be what we lean on as we face challenges in the future.
Benson talked about Moses’ faith and perserverance. “When we fail we must learn from our mistakes and persevere, with faith that God will see us through. So go  forth with the faith of Moses and live out your dreams and dream big.”
Scholarships: Academic Excellence scholarship, Mississippi State University Engineering Excellence scholarship, Presidential Excellence scholarship.
Awards/honors: National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta.
Favorite subject: Math
Sports: Baseball, soccer
Plans to attend: Mississippi State University to study engineering.

NATCHEZ CATHEDRAL
VALEDICTORIAN: Jay Vaughan
GPA: 32
Parents: Chris and Susan Vaughan
Member of First Presbyterian Church of Ferriday, La.
From his speech: As many as you know, I love running. It is an activity that tests both physical fitness and mental fitness. Running, I feel, contains many applications to life. We are all running the race, or better yet – the marathon – of life, moving to the finish line and hoping to reach glorious heights. Although sporting races are generally competitive, the race of our lives is not competitive.
… We are not competing with one another for success. We should run the race of life to compete with our individual selves, to achieve individual success. Don’t let what other people are doing, how fast they are “running” affect our own personal race. Your race is the only one that really matter.
… We are all running for our own personal “prize,” not the “prizes” of our friends, families or mentors. The only way to win our personal “prize” is by harnessing our particular talents, our special gifts and our inclinations so that they bring us success and glory.
… I cannot wait to hear all of your successes! … “run your race” proudly; and go for the ultimate, eternal prize, your personal crown.
Scholarships: University of Mississippi Eagle scholarship, Academic Excellence scholarship, Bledsoe scholarship and Valedictorian scholarship, Lindy Callahan scholarship and Musical Arts League of Natchez.
Awards/honors: Cathedral High School’s DAR Good Citizen, CARE Award, three track and field awards, two cross country awards, member of Quiz Bowl 2014 division winning team.
Activities: National Honor Society, Boy Scouts of America, Cathedral Peer Ministry and the math and science teams. Attained Eagle Scout in Oct. 2014.
Sports: Cross country, track and field teams.
Favorite subject: Science
Favorite service project: Eagle Scout project (gazebo and serenity garden at Riverland Medical Center).
Plans to attend: The University of Mississippi to study chemistry.

SALUTATORIAN: Arden hale mcmillin
GPA: 4.406,  – ACT:  29
Parents: Ronnie and Susan McMillin
Member of First Baptist Church, Natchez
From her speech: After mentioning that she complained her way through senior year, she said: I would like to send the Class of 2015 off with a challenge to the future: Do what you love with every breath of every day of your life so you never feel the need to complain.
Pursue a career and lifestyle that attracts you from your very core, tugs at your heartstrings, and engages your whole spirit. Do not put it off or talk yourself out of it for fear of failing because you never really regret what you do – it’s what you do not do.
I have to brag on my class for fearlessly exhibiting incredible diversity and determination so early in life. I know that it is rare to see such conviction in high school students and I pray to our great God with all my heart that the passion in each of you continues to live and thrive all the days of your lives as it has all these years at Cathedral High School. “Seek and ye shall find.” Congratulations to the Class of 2015. Here is to your future and your dreams.
Scholarships: King’s College in New York, LSU with Presidential/Tiger Excellence Award, TOPS scholarship.
Awards/honors: American Legion Award, Junior National Duck Stamp Competition, Letters About Literature essay competition in Mississippi, second place in One Book, One Community essay competition.
Activities: Performing at Natchez Little Theatre, painting, drawing, writing poetry, member of the Key Club, the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, being an extra in films such as Get On Up, Same Kind of Different As Me, Rise Again, and Hot Pursuit.
Favorite subject: AP English Literature
Favorite service project: Working at Natchez Indian Village and Natchez Children’s Home.
Plans to attend: Louisiana State University to study digital arts animation (think Pixar)

VICKSBURG  ST. ALOYSIUS  
 CO-VALEDICTORIAN: Luke Eckstein
GPA: 4.65  –  ACT: 35
Parents: Col. and Mrs. Jeffrey Eckstein
Member of Vicksburg St. Michael Parish
From his speech: When I was writing my speech, I tried to think of one word to perfectly describe this class. Nothing. We are indescribable. To label us as athletic, intelligent or talented is very nice but still misses the target. It’s not that we are not these things, as evidenced through our great sports seasons with multiple championships, our ACT average and a student-written play. It’s that we are all of these things and more.
The Class of 2015 is full of compassionate, loving and faithful servant leaders. In these seats, there are future doctors, veterinarians, engineers, soldiers, lawyers, graphic designers and many more great occupations. But what truly separates our class is our Catholic education. At St. Aloysius, we have dedicated and passionate staff who mentor and foster in us a relationship with God. This is a commodity in rare supply.
… Throughout our years at Vicksburg Catholic School, our class was taught to put other’s needs before our own. In keeping with this lesson, we have become Disciples of Christ dedicated to the well-being of others.
Scholarships: Appointments to West Point, Naval Academy and Cornell.
Awards/honors: U.S. Presidential Scholar, Star Student, Bronze Presidential Service Award.
Activities: Capt. for the Quiz Bowl and Math and Science teams.
Favorite subject: Math and American Government
Sports: Basketball, tennis and track.
His favorite service project: food pantry volunteer.
Plans to attend: West Point (Military Academy) to study chemical engineering.

CO-VALEDICTORIAN: Jacob kitchens
GPA: 4.65  –  ACT: 34
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Steve Kitchens
Member of Crossway Baptist Church
From his speech: … Though memories are great, what is important is that we take what we have learned at St. Aloysius and do great things. Since elementary school we have been taught the value of community and camaraderie. We have learned that success is dependent on working together. We have also been taught the importance of leadership.
Everyone in the Class of 2015 has been leaders in their own right. These skills, in addition to others that we have acquired in the halls of St. Al, will get us far. However, one thing I have learned from someone much smarter than myself is that there are many shiny things out there.
Shiny things are things that distract you from your goals. Will Rogers said that the road to success is dotted with many parking lots. Though we have the ability to go far in life, we need to do our best to avoid the shiny things and stay away from parking lots. We should always work hard and never say enough is enough. We should live life to the fullest, love like we have been loved and pray often.
It’s bittersweet to say goodbye, but I am honored to leave St. Al with the class of 2015, going forward to shock the nation.
Scholarships: Mississippi State University National Merit, Auburn, Louisiana Tech.
Awards/honors: National Merit finalist, Bronze Presidential Service Award.
Activities: Quiz Bowl and Math and Science and Robotics.
Favorite subject: AP physics
Sports: Football
His favorite service project: First Robotics Competition, volunteer with fifth graders.
Plans to attend: Mississippi State University to study mechanical engineering.

SALUTATORIAN: SARAH BETH NEWMAN
GPA: 4.58 – ACT: 33
Parents: Dr. and Mrs. John Kent Newman
Member of Crossway Baptist Church
From her speech: … From the time we set foot in the halls of St. Francis and St. Aloysius, the Class of 2015 has been extraordinary. We have set the bar exceptionally high in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. You don’t have to see far to see that our class is a melting pot of gifted scholars, athletes, artists, writers, performers, leaders and uniquely talented individuals who, above all else, hear the Gospel.
… My fellow classmates, as we go our separate ways I challenge you to stay unforgettable. Never stop striving for excellence in all that you do, never stop seeking to learn more tomorrow than you knew today, never stop leading others in the right direction and most importantly, never stop lacing others before yourself.
I have learned so much from each of you during my time at Vicksburg Catholic School, and I look forward to seeing how the men and women of the St. Aloysius Class of 2015 continue to change the world.
Scholarships: Mississippi State University National Merit, Auburn, Louisiana Tech, University of Birmingham, Rensselaer Poly
Awards/honors: Silver Presidential Service Award.
Activities: Robotics Team, Math and Science team.
Favorite subject: AP physics
Favorite service project: Good Shepherd Community Center and Operation Christmas Child.
Plans to attend: Mississippi State University to study aerospace engineering.

Bishop’s Ball honors Good Samaritans, raises money

Posted on by
Reply

Photos and text
By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – An almost sold-out Bishop’s Ball drew people from across the Jackson area to the Country Club of Jackson Saturday, June 6. The crowd bid on a number of silent auction items including fine art, jewelry, trips, home and patio accessories and more. During dinner, Catholic Charities honored Archie R. McDonnell Jr., of Citizens National Bank and Beth and Robert Gaston with the Good Samaritan Award for their dedication to the mission of Catholic Charities.
A lively live auction featured furniture, a trip to Italy with Bishop Joseph Kopacz and other items.
After dinner, the band These Days packed the dance floor. The Bishop’s Ball is the main fund-raising event for Catholic Charities’ Children’s Programs.

Parishes utilize apps to update faithful, evangelize

Posted on by
Reply

By Mark Pattison
WASHINGTON (CNS) – In an increasingly mobile and digital world, Catholic parishes and other institutions are finding that the ubiquitous mobile app can work for them. In Mississippi, parishes in Tupelo and Greenwood have launched personalized apps to help keep their communities connected.

The home screen of the Greenwood community app showing the three parishes and school. (Courtesy of Catholic Parish Apps)

The home screen of the Greenwood community app showing the three parishes and school. (Courtesy of Catholic Parish Apps)

More parishes are going the app route, and more companies are tailoring their business for the church trade. Among the app developers are thechurchapp.org, churchapplady.com and Catholic Parish Apps.
Edmundo Reyes, founder and CEO of Catholic Parish Apps, the company that developed the Greenwood parishes’ app, told Catholic News Service that since his venture opened for business less than a year ago, he has gotten 65 parish apps off the ground, has another 75 or so in the works, and has secured contracts for the 70-parish Diocese of Orange, Calif., and the 213-parish Archdiocese of Detroit, where he doubles as director of institutional development for the archdiocese and its seminary.
“Not all of them are going to get the app, but a number of them will,” said Reyes, whose company’s site is parishapps.com.
“We wanted to found a company that would really be at the intersection of technology and ministry,” he added. “We want things for the parish to be easy to use. We want our app to be flexible. Each parish is different, each ministry is different.” According to Reyes, parishes are interested in at least one of three things, based on how the pastor perceives his ministry: communication, collaboration and evangelization.
He referred to a 2013 survey conducted by the Detroit Archdiocese that garnered 44,000 responses. When asked how they got connected to their parish or the diocese, “95 percent of the people said the bulletin. Below them was the vicariate newsletter, and the thing about it is that the newsletter is included in the parish bulletin,” Reyes said. “The parish website and parish email efforts were only 45 percent. Now that’s a big gap between 95 and 45 percent.”
“People aren’t using computers or even laptops anymore, they really are using their smartphones to communicate,” said Father Lincoln Dall, pastor at Tupelo St. James, who used the company myParish app for his parish. He said he has already used the app to notify parishioners about prayer requests, funerals and changes in liturgy schedules. Some parishioners even said they attended one fund-raiser because of a reminder sent through the app.
Father Gregory Plata said Catholic Parish Apps was able to work with him to include all four of his faith communities, three parishes, a mission and a school, in one app. This helped keep the cost reasonable and allows him to communicate with all four at one time. While all four parishes are on one app, each offers different options depending on the needs of that faith community.
One early adapter was Nativity Parish in Timonium, Maryland, a Baltimore suburb. “The app allows people to check out basic information about Nativity such as service times and where we are. It has a map so people can come and check us out that way,” Hamilton said. “There’s some more in-depth information about some programs like our kids and teen programs.”
Weekend Mass announcements are posted. “We also put our pastor’s messages on the app as well. We break down our messages in series so over the course of four or six weeks we can have a series of messages,” Hamilton said. Nativity has since taken to broadcasting its Masses for viewing via the app, which also links to the pastor’s blog.
Holy Spirit Parish in Dubuque, Iowa, after nearly eight months of development, unveiled its app on Easter, and got 119 people to download it right away.
“It’s a tool for collaboration in the parish and it’s a tool for the new evangelization,” said Brandon Kuboushek, a member of the parish evangelization committee. “We want people to use it to get more information, get questions answered about the parish. We also hope people walking down the street will download it and it’s a way to evangelize. People are being bombarded with media all the time. This is a way to use that new technology.”
Kuboushek spent more than 40 hours volunteering, working with members of the committee and parish officials to get the app off the ground.
“We did this based on how can we get the attention of younger people or anyone who has gone away from the church; (we thought) ‘what are some ways we can appeal to them?’” Leslie Foley, another member of the evangelization committee, told The Witness, Dubuque’s archdiocesan newspaper.
Then there’s iBreviary, replacing the hefty leather-bound volumes of the Liturgy of the Hours. It’s a must-have, Father Clements told The Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Diocese of Phoenix. A handful of priests from the Diocese of Jackson downloaded iBreviary when they attended a training session earlier this year. The app has settings to alert the user to prayer times and offers music and other prayer options.
(Contributing to this story were Dan Russo in Dubuque, Zita Taitano in Jonesboro, Dwain Hebda in Little Rock, Ambria Hammel in Phoenix and Maureen Smith in Jackson.)

Deacon Johnston takes next step on journey to priesthood

Posted on by
Reply
Andrew, Sarah Beth and Sophie Johnston, the deacon's nephew and nieces, hand out prayer cards before the liturgy. (Photos by Maureen Smith)

Andrew, Sarah Beth and Sophie Johnston, the deacon’s nephew and nieces, hand out prayer cards before the liturgy. (Photos by Maureen Smith)

Deacon Jason Johnston surrounded by brother clergy during his ordination at St. Paul Parish. (Photos by Maureen Smith)

Deacon Jason Johnston surrounded by brother clergy during his ordination at St. Paul Parish. (Photos by Maureen Smith)

By Maureen Smith
VICKSBURG – On Saturday, May 16, Jason Johnston was ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Joseph Kopacz in his home parish of Vicksburg St. Paul. Deacon Johnston’s mother, two brothers, sister-in-law, two nieces and nephew sat in the front row of the packed church to celebrate the day. His father died three years ago. Bishop Kopacz remembered him at the end of the Mass. Deacon Johnston’s extended family, many of whom are not Catholic, also came out in force to celebrate his ordination.
“It was really great to have the support of the home parish and people I grew up with. In a lot of ways it seemed like it meant so much to a lot of people to see a vocation come from Vicksburg. People I hadn’t seen in years came up to me with tears in their eyes,” said Deacon Johnston.
Even several days after the ordination, the deacon was elated. “Saturday was awesome. I was very excited and at the same time very nervous.  I was reflecting on it the whole day — kind of ‘did this really just happen,’ it was kind of a surreal experience,” he said. “I am feeling a lot of gratitude and thanksgiving — first for the gift of ordination and God’s calling me as well as that the bishop was willing to say ‘yes’ to my ordination and all the support I have had over the years,” he added.
Deacon Johnston said he remembers vocations being promoted in elementary and grade school and he gave seminary passing consideration over the years, but it wasn’t until he had finished college and was working in the state auditor’s office that he decided to pursue his vocation. “After college I started asking questions of my own commitments and what I saw myself doing in 25 years. I wondered, would I look back on my life as an auditor and say ‘you have done well good and faithful servant?’ And for me personally that wasn’t really what I felt called to do. I wanted to do something to be involved directly in people’s lives and be a servant to others,” explained Deacon Johnston.
His nieces and nephews passed out prayer cards before the liturgy. Deacon Johnston explained what he selected. “Something about the diaconate that’s important to me is the idea of service, to conform onself to be like Christ the Servant.  So in the picture, Christ came to serve and not be served, he had just said that. He is washing what appears to be Peter’s feet and Peter is somewhat resistant, but Peter is allowing himself to be served which is taking some humility there as well. The verse on the back comes from the Gospel of John when Christ washed the disciples feet – ‘I give you a new commandment that you love one another.’ I think for me that encapsulates the diaconate.
“One of the questions the bishop asks (during the rite of ordination) is ‘do you promise to conform yourself to Christ whose blood you will be the minister of?’ This question’s answer is ‘I do, with the help of God.’ For all of the other questions the answer is simply ‘I do,’ but this one is the pinnacle of what I am trying to do, which can only be done with the help of God, with God’s grace,” he explained.
Johnston will spend the summer in the Catholic Community of Meridian at St. Patrick and St. Joseph parishes and looks forward to working in whatever parish community he is assigned next.
“I love Mississippi because really there is a variety of parishes. We have the smallest of parishes and the big city parishes so I am open to whatever the bishop thinks is best. There is something about both sides of that which I think is great; and I can see myself doing any of it.” Deacon Johnston will be ordained to the priesthood next May. In October, Joseph Le will be ordained to the transitional diaconate Oct. 10 in Greenville St. Joseph Parish.