Father Mario Solórzano appointed associate pastor of of St. Joseph Church, Starkville, effective July 1, 2014.

Father Thirumalareddy Suresh Reddy, appointed pastor of St. Teresa of Avila Church, Chatawa, and St. James Mission, Magnolia, effective July 1, 2014.

Father Xavier Amirtham, O Praem, appointed pastor of Holy Family Church, Jackson, effective July 1, 2014.

+Joseph R. Kopacz
Bishop of Jackson

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – More than 300 Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver gathered in downtown Jackson the weekend of May 3-4 for a regional conference. At the closing Mass chaplain, Father Vernon Huguley, urged them to “be people of the resurrection, not crucifiers.” The Mass included a roll call and prayers for all the Knights and Ladies who have died during the past year.

At a banquet following the Mass keynote speaker, Jackson Police Chief Lindsey Horton, spoke about the ongoing problem of drugs in every community. He urged everyone in attendance to reach out to someone they may know who struggles with addiction. Different chapters and knights and ladies were recognized at the banquet for outstanding work.

At every conference the group selects a local charity to support. This year, Catholic Charities got a cash donation in addition to a large collection of baby items. Executive Director Greg Patin thanked the members for their generosity and told them their baby donations will help the Born Free, New Beginnings program which helps mothers and pregnant women who are coping with addiction.
One historical note, this was the first conference attended by three former Supreme Knights and two former Supreme Ladies, offering a wealth of experience and history to the gathering.

By Jeanne Howard
MADISON – “In a culture where ‘bigger is better’ is a way of life, the notion of ‘small is beautiful’ may appear quaint,” begins Msgr. Michael Clay in his book “A Harvest for God.” Father Clay will lead a workshop on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) for the Diocese of Jackson in June.

Msgr. Clay continues with an explanation that rural, small town and Southern culture would beg to differ. In our culture people really want to know how you feel and will take time to listen, relationships are central. We don’t befriend someone for utilitarian purposes, but rather because we care deeply about others and life. A sense of belonging is essential to our way of life.

The RCIA is concerned with these same values: relationships with God and his people as well as a sense of belonging. Initiation catechesis should then be relational and conversational, embracing the candidate into a community of faith. This approach is more than religious education, the model most catechists rely on as they accompany these adults on their journey of faith.

Msgr. Clay, a priest of the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, will present his workshop on Saturday, June 28,  from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Madison St. Francis of Assisi Parish. This workshop will explore what this initiatory model of formation looks like so that catechists may be better equipped in the formation of future Catholics.
The cost is $25 per person or $20 per person for three or more attending from same parish. To register, contact Fabvienen Taylor, 601-960-8470, Fabvienen.taylor@jacksondiocese.org.

By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – J. White credits the Rape Crisis Center of Jackson with saving her life. White, a survivor of sexual assault, said she didn’t know where to turn after her attack. Even when she did get a referral to a Catholic Charities’ counselor she hesitated. “The day of my appointment I sat over there on a bench and cried for an hour,” said White, now a volunteer for the Rape Crisis Center. She spoke at the 30th anniversary event for the organization held in Smith Park on Thursday, May 1, in downtown Jackson across from the Catholic Charities office.

“In the first 30 days after my rape, I experienced a despair that I thought I could never recover from. The compassion, patience and care I received from Catholic Charities Rape Crisis Center, restored my faith in humanity and in turn gave me the tools to rediscover my dignity and esteem. It was there that I realized that I was bruised and not broken and through the combination of faith and works, restoration was possible,” White said later.

The center started with a crisis line and 10-15 volunteers. After the celebration Gwen Bouie-Haynes, the director of adult services for Catholic Charities detailed the operation now. “Today, the Center has 35 volunteers a volunteer coordinator, clinical coordinator, court liaison, and director.  The program has formed mall watch programs, self defense classes, speak out, counseling, advocacy court liaison and empowerment groups,” said Bouie-Haynes.

“Some of our services include hospital intervention, crisis, individual and family counseling, support groups and advocacy,” said Nadia Gaynor, clinical coordinator at the center. “We also provide community education and prevention awareness to the community.  We serve the counties of Hinds, Rankin, Madison, Warren, Simpson, Sharkey, Issaquena and Yazoo,” she added.

She went on to explain that the mission of the center is unique. “This anniversary is significant because we have been the only crisis center in the capital city for the last 30 years providing services to those in need. We help individuals who have been victimized to realize they are not a victim, but survivor. Our goal is to help them regain their sense of power and control over their life and future,” said Gaynor.

At the event Bishop Ronnie Crudup, Sr., pastor at New Horizon Church International detailed the next initiative the agency is launching, called Engaging Men for the Future, which seeks to educate men and boys about respect for women, the roots of violence and what it takes to stop sexual assault.
Court liaison Deborah Alford challenged the crowd to take an active stand against violence. State Senator Hillman Frazier read a proclamation from the legislature congratulating the rape crisis center. Bouie-Haynes, director, thanked the staff and volunteers for their many years of service while volunteers distributed teal balloons to the crowd and the program closed with a balloon release.

According to Bouie-Haynes, someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes. Girls, aged 14-34 are the most common targets, but men make up about 10 percent of all the cases. The Rape Crisis Center still operates a confidential 24-hour crisis hotline, 601-982-7273.

By Mary Woodward & Maureen Smith
TUPELO – Rebuilding and recovery efforts are well underway in several Mississippi communities after 23 tornadoes ripped across the state on Monday, April 28. Catholic Charities has set up several ways to give, including a link on its website, a gift registry at Walmart and a special collection at the parishes.

One of the hardest hit communities was Tupelo, where Father Lincoln Dall had a tree for an office mate at St. James Parish, where he serves as pastor. St. James Church along with its parish life center sits on a hill overlooking North Gloster Street where a tornado travelled devastating homes, hotels, restaurants, gas stations and just about anything in its path. The church and center sustained roof damage. All parish facilities were without power for several days.
Elquin González, who helps with Hispanic ministry at St. James lost his business and rode out the storm in his car. He described it as “the most terrible experience of my life.” González was on his way to his business, a gas station and store, when the storm struck. He was trying to get to his wife and three children who were inside.
“I was in my car and the wind pushed me off the road. I was trying to get to my store because my family was still there.  I was 300, maybe 500 feet from the store.
“The wind pushed my car off the road into the hotel parking lot. I put my head down on the passenger seat and pulled the back of the seat down over my head,” he said.
“I remember hearing something like many voices – when many people are angry – like the devil’s voice. Maybe it was many things. All the metal coming down. I saw many things flying, but you could not see more than 5-10 feet and everything was a white color, not really clear,” he said. When the tornado was gone, González said he stood outside his car in the rain for a minute or two in shock before he ran to the store. He could not find his family, who had taken shelter inside the cooler in the store, and thought for a few terrible minutes that everyone had died. When interviewed later in the week of the storm he said his children still don’t want to be far from their parents, but everyone was physically fine.
Although he did not suffer any visible injuries, González said he did not sleep for days after the storm. “Every time I close my eyes it’s like a video (of the storm) plays in my head,” he explained. He also had to be treated for back pain in the days following the storm. Despite his losses, González is thankful. He and his family plan to rebuild, but know it will take time. “The most important thing is your prayers, keep us in your prayers,” he said.
González worried for the Hispanic members of his community so he called the Mexican consulate and the agency sent a representative to Tupelo to help.
“We were set to host a deanery confirmation celebration this Saturday [May 3], but we are postponing that until the end of the month or early June,” said Father Dall.
“Many of our families have lost homes and property and they need to get their lives back together,” Father Dall continued. He remarked that Oxford St. John volunteered to host the confirmation for those in other parts of the deanery who would have come to St. James. About 40 young men and women were confirmed in Oxford.
Fourteen people died in Winston County, mostly in and around Louisville, home to Sacred Heart Parish. Lay Ecclesial Minister Barbara Sturbaum said the church structure is fine, but several parish members lost their homes or suffered major damage. “I was here in the church. I got into a closet and I heard the tornado go by. When it got quiet I got out, but I heard it again so I got back in.” she said. She spent the day following the storm, checking on parishioners and surveying the damage.
Aid agencies reported within hours, including the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Knights of Columbus and Catholic Charities were there too. As so-called “second responders,” they support and continue the mission of first-responder agencies. Colby Mitchell, a student at Mississippi State in Starkville and a Louisville native, drove home Tuesday to check on family and friends and to volunteer with fellow knights at a volunteer response center, where they interviewed and screened volunteers to help place them in the best spot for their skills.
“I came in from the north and there was already damage, power lines down and debris. It was hard for me to get into town. Then I got to the south side of town and nothing was there anymore,” he described. “I went to find a friend of mine who lost his home to see if I could help and I could not even recognize a street I have passed almost every day.”
Mitchell said he and the knights expect to be on-site for about a month and while he is still stunned at the destruction, he did find hope on one ruined street. “One thing that made me happy was seeing the faith of the community of Louisville. When I went to try and find my friend even though I could not recognize the street, I found a whole group of people together, laughing and literally praising God among the rubble-filled streets,” said Mitchell. The Knights are working with a veteran-led organization called Team Rubicon which allows vets to use their military skills to assist in disaster recovery and cleanup efforts.
Catholic Charities will be operating in Warren, Lee, Issaquena and Rankin Counties for even longer. Monique Davis, director of parish based ministries for Catholic Charities, led one of several teams that went out to survey damage and assess the needs of the community. She said Catholic Charities leaves the immediate need fulfillment to national and federal agencies. Catholic Charities is there for the longer recovery. “We want to make them as whole as they were before the storm,” she explained. The agency has set up a wish list on www.walmart.com or the Catholic Charities facebook page where people can order supplies which will be delivered to a Catholic Charities distribution point. Use “help” as the first name and “ms tornado” as the second name. Catholic Charities Jackson is also accepting donations online at www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org or at its Jackson headquarters at 200 North Congress Street, Jackson, Miss, 39201. Finally, Bishop Joseph Kopacz has authorized a second collection to be taken up any time a parish can include it to benefit the Catholic Charities’ effort.
(Editor’s note: The Tupelo confirmation celebration is now set for June 1, 3 p.m.)

JACKSON – This June the Diocese of Jackson will honor four priests and a bishop emeritus who are celebrating significant anniversaries of ordination. Together they represent 235 years of service to the church. Each will mark these years with a Mass of Thanksgiving and reception open to the faithful.
Bishop Emeritus Joseph Latino will celebrate a delayed 50th anniversary Mass on Friday, June 6, at 6 p.m. in the Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle. Bishop Latino marked 50 years in May 2013, but was unable to have a public celebration due to his hospitalization on Good Friday and subsequent recovery process which continued for the remainder of 2013.

Ordained in St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans on May 25, 1963, Bishop Latino served in parishes in Houma and New Orleans before being named the 10th bishop of Jackson by St. John Paul II on Jan. 3, 2003. He was ordained a bishop in St. Peter Cathedral two months later on March 7.
Bishop Latino is featured in the late Archbishop Philip Hannan’s book “The Archbishop Wore Combat Boots” for his time serving in the Desire Project in New Orleans during the Civil Rights’ movement. He spent the majority of his priesthood in Cajun country at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral in Houma, where he served as cathedral rector and vicar general for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

His time as bishop saw major growth in ministry to immigrants from Latin America, the establishment of the Bishop Chanche Medal – a diocesan award for laity, the implementation of the new translation of the Mass, deanery and regional confirmation celebrations, and an increase in seminarians – both home grown and from other countries. Bishop Latino retired as Ordinary on Dec. 12, 2013, when Bishop Joseph Kopacz was appointed as Bishop of Jackson. He served as administrator of the diocese until Bishop Kopacz’s ordination on Feb. 6, 2014.
All are invited to the Friday night liturgy on June 6. A reception will follow in the Cathedral Center.

On Tuesday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m., Msgr. Michael Flannery, pastor of St. Francis Parish in Madison, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Francis to mark 50 years or ordination. A native of Limerick, Ireland, Msgr. Flannery was ordained on June 14, 1964, in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles, Ireland, after finishing his studies at St. Patrick College in Thurles.
In addition to Madison, Msgr. Flannery’s life of service to the church includes parish ministry in Jackson, Pascagoula, Cleveland, Rosedale and the mission in Saltillo, Mexico.

In 1984 he received a degree in Canon Law from St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada. He was appointed diocesan Judicial Vicar in 1986 and then Vicar General of the diocese in 1994, by then Bishop William Houck. He continued to serve as Vicar General until January 2005, when he was then appointed pastor of St. Francis.
Msgr. Flannery has served in many other diocesan capacities including chaplain to the Carmelites, chancellor, moderator of the curia, and member of the priests’ council.  He is currently a member of the college of consultors. Pope John Paul II named him an honorary prelate or monsignor in 2002. In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI added to that honor by giving him the rank of Apostolic Protonotary.

Greenville St. Joseph Parish will host a 60th anniversary celebration for Father Frank Corcoran, on Monday, June 9, at 5:30 p.m. Father Corcoran resides at the parish and though he retired in 2001, remains very active in ministry.

Born in Nenagh in County Tipperary, Ireland he was ordained to the priesthood on June 6, 1954, in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow, Ireland, having completed his seminary studies at St. Patrick College in Carlow. His priestly ministry in the diocese includes assignments in Jackson, Vicksburg, Meridian, Greenville, Crystal Springs and Hazelhurst. While in Vicksburg he was chaplain to Mercy Hospital.

On the diocesan level, Father Corcoran served as director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), confessor to the Carmelites and as Irish vocations director. Other offices in which he ministered were as dean, priests’ council member and consultor. Father Corcoran continues to live out his priestly commitment by visiting the sick and celebrating Mass in St. Joseph Parish.

A reception will be held in the parish center immediately following the Mass.
Father Robert Dore, pastor of Annunciation Parish in Columbus, will celebrate his 25th anniversary of ordination with a Mass and reception on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m.  After completing his seminary studies at Mundelein in Chicago, Father Dore, who grew up in Natchez, was ordained on June 10, 1989, in St. Mary Basilica.
In addition to Columbus, he has served in Greenville, Vicksburg, Chatawa, Magnolia and West Point. Father Dore also has been dean of Deanery II and an auxiliary chaplain to the Air Force Base in Columbus.
Father Dore is currently guiding the restoration of the original Annunciation Church which is a historic building designed by Father Jean-Baptiste Mouton in the mid 19th century.

A native of County Limerick, Ireland, Father David O’Connor will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving on Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. in St. Mary Basilica in Natchez. Father O’Connor presently serves as pastor of the basilica and Assumption Parish.
Upon completion of his studies at St. Patrick College in Thurles, Ireland, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Father O’Connor arrived in Meridian at St. Patrick Parish in 1964 for his first assignment as a young priest.

In addition to Natchez his 50 years of service have included parish ministry in Bay St. Louis, Oxford, Crystal Springs, Jackson and Greenwood. His diocesan ministries include: priests’ council president, chairman of the continuing formation committee, vicar forane, development director for St. Joseph School in Madison, defender of the bond and dean. Early on in his ministry he served as director of Irish vocations for the diocese. Father O’Connor holds a doctorate in ministry from Emory University in Atlanta.
A reception in the Family Life Center will follow the Mass.