Category Archives: Diocesan News

Assistance rules revised after public comment on drug testing

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JACKSON – Children’s rights advocates are applauding a revision in the rules governing Mississippi’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. During the last legislative session, lawmakers passed a provision which would force some people who apply for TANF to take a drug test. A positive result would mean an end to the assistance for the whole family.
Children’s advocates argued the practice would punish children in those families and did not provide adequate resources for the parents, who would be expected to pay for the test and any ensuing treatment. The state took comments at a July 22 public hearing and the Mississippi Department of Human Services revised the rules so children will still receive assistance. The Mississippi Center for Justice, one of the organizations speaking out against the harsher drug testing rules, released a statement Aug. 5.
“We applaud DHS for adopting a provision that protects TANF payments for children. This action comes after a July 22 public hearing that we called for and that featured heartfelt testimony calling for the change to protect payments for children, among other things. While we are generally very pleased with the new regulations, we continue to express concern about the viability of the chosen screening instrument, and reassert that TANF recipients should not be required to pay for the treatment process,” the statement said.
Other critics of the law, including the Mississippi Economic Policy Center, argue that drug testing, especially when the person knows the date of the test, is inefficient and ineffective and that recipients are already screened by a case worker who should be able to identify and address any substance abuse problems. The revised rules went into effect Aug. 1.

Faith Formation Day offers catechists resources, fellowship

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MADISON – Sister Michele Doyle, OSF, leads a workshop on faith and moral development at the Faith Formation Day organized by the diocesan Office of Faith Formation. The day-long series of five workshops at St. Francis of Assisi Parish Saturday, Aug 16, offered catechists training in the creed, prayer and spirituality, sacraments and scripture. Dr. Tom Ryan from Loyola University, New Orleans, was the keynote presenter speaking about Pope Francis’ spirituality. Thirty-six catechists representing 10 parishes, including one in Biloxi attended.  (Photo by Fabvienen Taylor)

Catechists trained in Call to Protect workshop

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By Maureen Smith
MADISON – The diocesan Office for the Protection of Children welcomed Audrey Oliver, a safety analyst from Praesidium, for two workshops in August. Praesidium is the company that produces “Called to Protect,” the program used in schools and parishes in the Diocese of Jackson.
Oliver led workshops in Madison and Tupelo for catechists and parish leaders who will actually be training youth. “We talked about boundaries, how molesters violate them and how teens can protect themselves,” she explained. In these workshops, Oliver goes through the training process, even asking the adults to participate in the activities teens will do during their trainings. Each group gets a sample situation and they have to discuss how they would react. This exercise in Madison inspired a lively group discussion about how the teens might react.

Audrey Oliver, standing, left, trains catechists in “Called to Protect” during a workshop at St. Joseph School. (Photo by Maureen Smith)

Oliver said she often gets feedback to take back to Praesidium from these trainings. “A lot of people said they have to deal with teens who act as if they don’t want to take this training seriously. This material can be hard to talk about, it can be embarrassing. Sometimes this is the first time people are giving them information about sexual abuse,” she said. “What I tell the trainers is that it isn’t just meant to be you teaching. It’s also about having a discussion with youth. It’s about them talking about their feelings and you have to assure them you are available to them,” Oliver added. Trainers have reported that victims of abuse have come forward as a result of the trainings.
In the afternoon sessions Oliver talked specifically about bullying. “I talked about how to recognize bullying as being different than normal teenage conflict and how to monitor high risk areas and activities for bullying,” said Oliver.
“Bullying is intentional, repeated conduct or negative behavior against a youth who has trouble defending himself or herself,” she explained. Teens will have conflicts, but in normal conflict the people involved are on equal footing and they seek some resolution to their conflict. Bullying, said Oliver, is about how the bully feels as a result of the behavior.
Oliver said the participants had lots of discussion during this segment of the training. Her advice for preventing bullying is for teachers and catechists to be present in as many situations as possible, standing in the hall during class changes and even checking bathrooms and hang-out spots to see if teens are bullying. If a situation arises, she suggests separating the parties and trying to find out why the bullying started. The bully may also need help. “Getting to the root of what’s going on is important.” She suggested telling the bully you support him or her as a person, but you cannot support his or her behavior.
Social media has added a whole new term to the discussion, cyberbullying, or using online tools to target an individual. Oliver urges catechists and parents to do their research so they know what apps and social media networks their teenagers are using.
At the end of the day, she said, catechists and teachers can’t control behavior outside their classrooms, but good communication and a good understanding of Catholic teachings will help prevent this kind of bullying.

School library cleanup results in book donation

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JACKSON – St. Andrew’s Episcopal School donated more than 1,000 books to Catholic Charities in August. The books will go to the many children’s programs of the agency, including Therapeutic Foster Care, the domestic violence shelter and more.

Amy Turner, program director of Therapeutic Foster Care joins fellow therapists Sherrita Harrison, Stacy Pajak, Ann Skelton and Jill Cauthen in selecting books for their clients. (Photo by Michael Thomas)


The donation, according to lower school librarian Laura Ginsberg, was the result of a regular culling of library resources. When books are no longer being checked out, or are a little worn, the library will replace them. The originals are still in good shape, so the librarians started looking for agencies that could make good use of them. When Ginsberg heard about the many children served by Catholic Charities, it seemed like the perfect fit.
Most are children’s books, but some young adult and high school material added. “We had a book fair Aug. 11-14, allowing therapists from all Catholic Charities programs to get books for their consumers,” said Kim Thomason, volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities. “Our programs were excited for this opportunity to share with their children.  We are very appreciative of this generous gift,” she added.

Cursillo members invited to renewal weekend

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Members of the Diocese of Jackson Cursillo Secretariat are inviting Cursillistas to join them for a Spiritual Renewal weekend at the new Duncan Gray facility in Canton Friday evening, Oct. 24, to Sunday afternoon, Oct. 26. A small team from Cursillo Regional will host the retreat and the focus will be on the 4th Day. For more information, contact JacksonCursillo@comcast.net.
Cursillo started in Mexico with a group of men who wanted a closer relationship with Christ. Linda Perez, a member of the group, shared her reflection on what the movement has done for her and her family.
Jerry and I were high school sweethearts and have been married 41 years. We have three children and six fabulous grandchildren! I am an elementary school librarian and Jerry is a quality assurance analyst who works from home.
We made our Cursillo weekends in early 1985 at Regina Coeli Retreat Center in Covington, La.  Jerry was a cradle Catholic with 12 years of parochial school and I was a new Catholic of five years, having grown up in the Methodist faith. We were struggling as a young family searching for a way to strengthen our growing family, our domestic church.
Cursillo gave us a simple method to live our Catholic faith – to keep our lives in balance – to hold us accountable.  We were encouraged to increase our prayer life, to be lifelong students of our faith and to share it more effectively with others in our environments.
Though our walk of faith has not always been a straight or easy path, we have always been drawn back when we’ve stumbled by our community of Cursillista friends who share our faith and priorities. We know that Christ is counting on us and we on Him!
(Linda Perez made her retreat in New Orleans Cursillo #114)

Latin, chant workshop set

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JACKSON – Una Voce Mississippi is hosting a priest and altar server training in how to celebrate and serve the extraordinary form of the Latin Rite (commonly known as the traditional Latin Mass) Sept. 2-5. This training workshop will be held in the parish center at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, and will culminate with a Missa Cantata (sung mass) Friday evening, Sept. 5.
Father Scott Haynes and Father Anthony Rice of the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius at St. John Cantius Parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago are facilitating the Sancta Missa Workshop. The Sancta Missa Program offers tutorials, regular training workshops, and other resources for priests and laity in the extraordinary form liturgy.
In addition to priestly education and altar server training, there will be workshops focusing on Schola formation and the use of Gregorian chant in a liturgical setting. Scholas are specialized choirs that concentrate on the study and implementation of plain chant to support liturgies through music. Father Haynes is a native of Starkville and Father Rice is from Tuscaloosa, Ala. Both are looking forward to being home and sharing their knowledge with the Diocese of Jackson.
Una Voce Mississippi is a Catholic lay organization, whose  mission is to promote a restored sense of beauty and reverence in the church’s liturgy. In particular, Una Voce promotes the liturgical use of Latin and the sacred music tradition of the church, which the Second Vatican Council called “a treasure of inestimable value.” This tradition includes Gregorian chant and polyphony.
For more information visit www.unavocemississippi.org or email unavocems@gmail.com.

Comunidad de Santa María se muda a Santa Teresa

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Por Elsa Baughman
JACKSON – La comunidad hispana de la Parroquia Santa María celebrará su última misa en español en esta iglesia el domingo 31 de agosto. Después de la misa de las 12:30 de la tarde, la comunidad procesará en carros con la imagen de la Virgen de Guadalupe y acompañados por el Padre Ricardo Phipps, párroco, hacia la parroquia donde continuarán su comunidad de fe, Santa Teresa.
A su llegada, los hispanos serán recibidos por los miembros de esa parroquia   para realizar un servicio de oración y un agasajo de bienvenida.

Cerca de 100 niños asisten a las clases de catequesis de la Parroquia Santa María en Jackson. Estas clases comenzarán el 7 de septiembre a las 10:30 a.m. en la Parroquia Santa Teresa, nueva sede de la comunidad hispana de Santa María. (Foto de Elsa Baughman)


Cerca de 100 niños asisten a las clases de catequesis de la Parroquia Santa María en Jackson. Estas clases comenzarán el 7 de septiembre a las 10:30 a.m. en la Parroquia Santa Teresa, nueva sede de la comunidad hispana de Santa María. (Foto de Elsa Baughman)

El Padre Phipps celebró la primera misa en español en la Iglesia Santa María el último domingo de octubre de 2006 y el Padre Anthony Quyet continuó la celebración en el 2011 cuando fue nombrado párroco de esa parroquia.
“La comunidad hispana ha sido una parte integral de la vida parroquial de la Iglesia Santa María desde el 2006”, dijo el Padre Phipps. “Pero debido a la situación de sus necesidades pastorales presentes a raíz del rápido crecimiento de los miembros en tan corto tiempo, nos vimos en la necesidad de buscar una edificación que pudiera acomodar sus actividades, clases y reuniones de una forma más eficaz”, explicó.
El Padre Phipps indicó que este cambio fue decidido con el apoyo de los líderes de la Diócesis de Jackson.
Los miembros de la comunidad, aunque tristes por el cambio, piensan que  éste es beneficioso ya que las edificaciones de la Parroquia Santa Teresa les va a ofrecer el espacio necesario para realizar todas las actividades que quieren realizar. Karina Solano, catequista de Santa María desde el 2006, dice que donde los ubiquen allí se mudan. “Nosotros no adoramos el edificio, venimos a adorar a Dios y si el cambio es necesario lo aceptamos con gusto”, dijo.
Solano indicó que hay unos 100 niños tomando clases de catecismo y los cuatro salones que están disponibles en Santa Teresa van a proporcionar el espacio necesario para tener unos 20 o 30 niños en cada salón. “Nos vienen como anillo al dedo”, indicó.
Ademas del espacio, cada salón tiene  un televisor y computadoras y hay canchas de futbol y el gimnasio va a estar disponible para las diferentes actividades que ellos realizan.
Sobre el cambio de residencia, Joel Montaya, ministro de la Eucaristía, proclamador de la palabra, y director del grupo juvenil, dijo que lo importante es que la comunidad de fe se mantenga junta. “Todo cambio, mientras sea para bién, es bienvenido”, señaló, indicando que todos los programas se van a mantener igual, incluyendo la hora. “Unicamente nos estamos cambiando de edificio”, dijo.

Karina Solano (der.) catequista de la Parroquia Santa María, impartió el taller sobre “Protección de los Niños” de la Diócesis de Jackson para personal laico el domingo 17 de agosto después de la misa de las 12:30 p.m. La misa continuará en el mismo horario en la Parroquia Santa Teresa. (Foto de Elsa Baughman)


Karina Solano (der.) catequista de la Parroquia Santa María, impartió el taller sobre “Protección de los Niños” de la Diócesis de Jackson para personal laico el domingo 17 de agosto después de la misa de las 12:30 p.m. La misa continuará en el mismo horario en la Parroquia Santa Teresa. (Foto de Elsa Baughman)

Ahora la diócesis está discerniendo el futuro de la Iglesia Santa María cuya historia comenzó a finales del 1937 cuando el Obispo Richard Gerow compró cinco acres en la Avenida Claiborne. Pero pasaría  una década antes de que los primeros pasos fueran dados para organizar la parroquia.
En el otoño de 1948 se realizó un banquete en el prestigioso Hotel Robert E. Lee para recoger fondos para la construcción de la iglesia. La primera misa se celebró en la capilla del viejo edificio de la Administración de los Veteranos el Día de Acción de Gracias en noviembre. Un censo realizado ese año indicó que habían unas 1,200 personas, muchos de ellos de origen irlandés y libanés.
Esta capilla se utilizó para celebrar dos misas los domingos hasta que se construyó el gimnasio el cual estuvo listo para el Domingo de Ramos en 1949 cuando se celebró la primera misa. En una columna en este periódico católico diocesano, que para ese entonces se llamaba “The Mississippi Register”, mencionó que ese día hubo una fuerte lluvia pero nada pudo detener el espíritu de los felices parroquianos que caminaban sobre el lodo alegremente para poder participar en la misa y honrar al Dios Todopoderoso … en su propio auditorio.
La narración cuenta que algunos de los presentes dijeron que era una forma de Dios de enviarles ‘una lluvia’ de bendiciones. El Obispo Gerow dedicó la actual Iglesia de estilo gótico y su rectoría el 25 de octubre de 1955.
La Parroquia Santa Teresa también está ubicada en el sur de Jackson a lo largo de la Calle McDowell y fue establecida a finales de 1955. Su primera edificación fue bendecida por el Obispo Gerow el 23 de diciembre de 1956. Actualmente la parroquia tiene una nueva iglesia que fue dedicada el 23 de enero de 1994. El Colegio Santa Teresa abrió sus puertas el 8 de septiembre de 1959 y cerró en mayo de este año.
La primera misa en Santa Teresa se celebrará el domingo 7 de septiembre a las 12:30 p.m. Las clases de catecismo se comenzarán a partir de las 10:30 a.m.

New initiative honors married life

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VICKSBURG – Janice Waring, Geraldine Rossi and Barbara Hill look at wedding pictures couples brought to the inaugural St. Paul Date Night, a new program to honor married life. Organizers recognized the longest married couple, Bill and Beverly Pinner, celebrating 63 years, and the most recently married, Mike and Sarah McMillin, celebrating two years. Attendees filled out questionnaires before they left with suggestions for future date night gatherings. Organizers say Father Thomas Lalor, pastor, came up with the idea for the program (Photos by Connie Hosemann)

VICKSBURG – Janice Waring, Geraldine Rossi and Barbara Hill look at wedding pictures couples brought to the inaugural St. Paul Date Night, a new program to honor married life. Organizers recognized the longest married couple, Bill and Beverly Pinner, celebrating 63 years, and the most recently married, Mike and Sarah McMillin, celebrating two years. Attendees filled out questionnaires before they left with suggestions for future date night gatherings. Organizers say Father Thomas Lalor, pastor, came up with the idea for the program (Photos by Connie Hosemann)

Catholic Charities continues assistance

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Louisville – A defiant homeowner in Louisville displays a message of hope May 2, days after a series of deadly tornadoes leveled this block of homes. Catholic Charities continues to help with case management and recovery efforts in all the affected areas. (Photo by Ben Garrott)

Three months after a series of deadly tornadoes caused unbelievable damage to several communities, Catholic Charities’ Disaster Response Teams continue to help manage long-term recovery efforts.
“To date $26,500 has been raised from private donations, diocesean donations and Catholic Charities USA. Currently we are working with local long-term recovery committees in Warren, Winston, Lowndes, Itawamba and Lee County. We are also partnering with Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” explained Chamon Williams, a program specialist with Catholic Charities.
Catholic Charities’ Disaster Preparedness and Response program provides assistance with unmet needs by partnering with committees to ensure that families get proper case management and all available resources are exhausted while looking to see that there is not a duplication of services.
On April 28, more than a dozen tornadoes touched down affecting multiple counties within the Diocese of Jackson. “Catholic Charities, Inc. Disaster Preparedness & Response program are ‘early responders,’ which means we enter to provide disaster relief 72 hours after the disaster. Teams conducted damage assessments in Itawamba, Lee, Rankin and Winston counties in coordination with the Warren County EMA. The Knights of Columbus assisted with managing debris removal and volunteers,” said Williams.
“The Disaster Preparedness and Response team would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ to all who prayed, donated and volunteered. We would not have the ability to provide disaster assistance without you,” Williams said.
It is not too late for those affected by the storms to seek assistance, contact the team at 601-850-9532. Donations are also still welcomed.