LELAND – Lt. Colonel Howard W. Johnson, USA (Ret.), an Army chaplain and Catholic priest, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2020, in Bethesda, Maryland. He was 86 years old. He led a life full of service to his country and the Lord.
Father Johnson spent his formative years in Leland, Mississippi and was born in Washington, D.C. in 1933. Father Johnson attended St. Joseph’s High School in Greenville, graduating in 1952. His studies next took him to St. Bernard’s Seminary in Alabama, where he graduated with a degree in Theology. He continued his graduate studies at Notre Dame University, in South Bend, Indiana, studying religious education. His love of learning later led Father Johnson to earn two Master degrees, one from Baylor University, for pastoral psychology, and another from Long Island University (New York), for guidance and counseling.
He was ordained on May 26, 1960 at St. James Church (Diocese of Jackson) in Leland. From 1960 to 1964, he returned to his high school alma mater, where he was the assistant pastor and high school religious education teacher at St. Joseph’s Parish and High School in Greenville.
Father Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1964, and attended Chaplain’s Officer School at Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, New York. As a Chaplain for the U.S. Army for nearly twenty-five years, he provided spiritual and religious coverage at the Battalion, Brigade, Division and Post levels. He served twelve years overseas, including tours in Korea, Panama, Vietnam, and Germany. He also had posts throughout various army bases in the United States, including at the United States Military Academy at West Point. For his service providing spiritual and religious coverage during his overseas tours he received numerous service commendations and awards, including The Bronze Star Medal for his coverage to soldiers in combat in Vietnam.
When he returned to the United States, he provided counseling to veterans as part of his chaplaincy duties. He worked tirelessly with veterans afflicted with drug addiction, not only as a spiritual counsel, but as a friend and advocate. His gentle spirit provided solace to many.
After completing 24 years of distinguished active duty military service, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Johnson retired from the military in 1988. He then served for several years as the director of religious education for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, living in Washington, D.C., until he fell ill. He resided in the D.C. area for the remainder of his life, mostly at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, D.C.
In addition to spending time with family and friends, Father Johnson very much liked reading mystery novels and Washington Redskins football.
Father Howard’s ashes will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia at a time to be determined later.

Sister Mary Patricia
DETROIT – Sister Mary Patricia, Cecilia Pyszynski, of Detroit, Michigan, completed her life’s journey of 93 years on April 17, 2020 in Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent, Livonia, Michigan. Sister was in religious life for 75 years.
The former Cecilia Pyszynski, was the first of seven children of John and Veronica (Balcerak). At the age of 10 she was afflicted with polio and was unable to walk for a year.Through therapy she gradually regained the use of her limb.

She entered the Seminary of the Felician Sisters in Detroit in 1940, and after graduation, June 11, 1944, was admitted to the postulancy on June 29, 1944. During the investiture ceremonies the following year, Cecilia received the name, Sister Mary Patricia. Final profession of vows was in 1952.
Sister Mary Patricia earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Madonna (College) University and a Master of Arts in religious education from Aquinas College. On a journey that spanned 60 years in the ministry of education, 31 years were in teaching and 29 years as Director in religious education.
Sister taught primary grades in nine different schools within the Archdiocese of Detroit. In other dioceses Sister taught at: St. Joseph Jackson; St. Mary Alpena; St. Stanislaus Ludington; St. Cecilia Clare; Holy Spirit and St. Jude Grand Rapids; St. Hyacinth Bay City; and St. Stanislaus Dorr.
Sister Patricia was permanently transferred to St. Joseph Convent in 2007 where she continued to be active in pastoral ministry until 2011. Her health steadily declined, and she was placed in hospice care. Her life peacefully ebbed away and on April 17, 2020, Sister Mary Patricia slipped into the Lord’s embrace and journeyed to eternity.
Internment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Michigan on April 22, 2020.

Sister Mary Alice Ann
BAY CITY, Mich. – Sister Mary Alice Ann, Alice Gradowski, of Bay City, Michigan, entered eternal life April 25, 2020 while in St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, Michigan. Sister was 73 years old and was in religious life for 55 years.
Born on May 5, 1946 Alice was the fifth of five children born to Stanley and Alphonsa (Andrzejewski): Virgil, Ernest and Robert; and one sister – Maxine Kolat. Alice was baptized and confirmed at St. Hedwig Church in Bay City, Michigan where she also attended the parish grade school.
Following graduation 1960, she attended Felician Academy in Detroit, Michigan. In June 1964, Alice was accepted as a postulant to the Felician Congregation, and the following year, at the Investiture Ceremony, she received the name of Sister Mary Fernanda, later changed to Sister Mary Alice Ann. Final vows were professed in 1973.
Sister Alice Ann earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Madonna University in Livonia and a Master of Arts from Eastern Michigan University in preparation for a ministry of education that spanned thirty-six years. For the first 13 years, Sister mainly taught primary grades at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Wyandotte; St. Valentine, Kawkawlin; and St. Christine, Detroit. For the next 23 years Sister was assigned as principal at St. Dunstan, Garden City; St. Joseph, Jackson; St. Hyacinth, Bay City; and St. Thecla, Clinton Township.
As principal, Sister was involved in many extracurricular activities: Eucharistic minister, parish council, teaching in the R.C.I.A. program, conducting Share-the Word discussion groups and participating in week-end renewals. Attendance at basketball and soccer games, school dances and parish raffles were also an important part of her life as principal.
Sister Alice Ann served as local minister of several of the convents for a total of 14 of years. When the Presentation Central Convent held elections in the year 2000, Sister Alice Ann was elected to the Livonia Provincial Administration as Third Councilor and director of education until 2006.
Following a short residence St. Francis Home in Saginaw and a final assignment at St. Stanislaus Convent, Bay City, Michigan, Sister retired to Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent, Livonia. Assigned to dining room assistant and the ministry of prayer, sister performed her duties joyfully for 12 years. One of the first sisters in chapel in the early hours of morning, sister could be seen scurrying down the corridors in her wheelchair to visit the Blessed Sacrament and join in community prayer.
In early April her health began to decline, and Sister was taken to St. Mary Mercy Hospital. On April 25, 2020, during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sister Alice Ann left this earth for her final journey to the God whom she served with joy for 55 years in religious life.
Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on April 29.

By Carol Warfield
JACKSON – Kevin, a 16-year-old, was displaying a nonchalant attitude, short attention span, depression and feelings of hopelessness. When his mother saw a social media post stating “My end is near” she knew his feelings had turned to possible suicidal tendencies and called Catholic Charities Hope Haven for help. Kevin met with a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with mixed anxiety disorder.
Catholic Charities Hope Haven program provides home-based counseling and service coordination to families with children ages 3 to 18 in crisis in the Hinds, Madison and Rankin county areas. Support is provided in both school and community environments. Services are available to families whose children have a mental health diagnosis or would be eligible for care upon evaluation by a psychiatrist or psychologist. Counseling services are designed to assist the family in resolving a crisis and keeping the youth at home. Services are typically provided for a three to six-month period.
Hope Haven utilizes wraparound Mississippi Youth Programs Around the Clock (MYPAC), a family driven process that utilizes the strengths of a child and family, as well as, their support system to create an individualized plan to meet their needs and reach desired outcomes. Wraparound revolutionizes the way in which Catholic Charities works with families, communities and service providers.

For Kevin, the Catholic Charities Hope Haven wraparound facilitator met with his family to explore his feelings and worked with them to develop better communication methods. Kevin learned new coping skills to deal with his emotions and the facilitator helped Kevin expand his activities at church and school by creating a community of support.
In addition, Hope Haven offers a crisis line which is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Crisis services include telephone and mobile response, as well as outreach services. Mobile crisis services involve on-site intervention of a crisis and telephone services involve phone support and/or referral information to community resources.
It is Hope Haven’s belief that families and youth deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, at no time more so than when they are facing a crisis. When a youth has a serious emotional disturbance, the youth and each family member face many challenges and they deserve compassion and support as they face them. Catholic Charities recognizes the importance of family and community and works diligently to help families resolve crises without disrupting the family unit. Home and neighborhood-based interventions and collaborating with families’ informal and formal support systems are key program components.
With help from Hope Haven, Kevin’s social skills improved, along with positive self-esteem and self-worth. He learned to openly communicate his feelings and now seems to be very happy and upbeat. Today he is in a better place emotionally and mentally. Kevin has improved his grades and has a healthy social life. He has a bright future ahead!
Hope Haven staff is always guided by what is in the best interest of the youth and families. Services are specifically tailored to youth and family’s needs, to create hope and opportunity in those situations which have traditionally been viewed as difficult. For more information on Hope Haven call: 601-376-0500 or visit www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org.

(Carol Warfield is the program director of Hope Haven at Catholic Charities Jackson)