Rev. Kevin Slattery, appointed sacramental minister for St. John Parish in Crystal Springs and its mission St. Martin in Hazlehurst, effective Feb. 1, 2022.
Rev. Mark Shoffner, appointed administrator pro tempore of St. Mary Basilica and Assumption Parishes in Natchez, effective Feb. 9, 2022.
Rev. Scott Thomas, granted a leave of absence from ministry, effective Feb. 9, 2022.
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
GREENWOOD Locus Benedictus, Healing Retreat, Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., presented by Maria Vadia; Mental Well-being and Trust workshop, Sunday, April 10 2-4 p.m., presented by Michael Whelan, Ph.D.; God’s Love Retreat, Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. presented by the Locus Benedictus ministry team. Details: email contactlocusbenedictus@gmail.com or call (662) 299-1232.
NATCHEZ You are Enough and Beloved Women’s One Day Retreat, Saturday, March 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mass at the St. Mary Basilica O’Connor Family Life Center. Cost is $10 and includes continental breakfast, snacks and lunch. Retreat will address many of the struggles experience over the past two years. Come for a day to rediscover or discover that you are enough and very beloved. Retreat facilitated by Carrie Lambert and overseen by Ruth Powers. Please RSVP. Details: (601) 455-5616 or youth@stmarybasilica.org.
PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
BROOKHAVEN St. Francis, White Elephant Sale on April 2 by the Knights of Columbus. No clothing. Details: church office (601) 833-1799.
CLEVELAND Our Lady of Victories, Lenten Lunch prepared by parish on Wednesday, March 9 at First United Methodist Church. Details: To help, please call Mary Helen Waller, (662) 721-2855.
FLOWOOD St. Paul, Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent at 6 p.m., followed by a fish dinner prepared by the Knights of Columbus in the Family Life Center. Details: church office (601) 992-9547.
JACKSON Cathedral of St. Peter, Mardi Gras Social, Tuesday, March 1 at 5:30 p.m. in the Cathedral Center. Bring a party food to share. The Knights of Columbus will provide Mardi Gras beads. Details: church office (601) 969-3125.
JACKSON 40 Days for Life, March 2 – April 10. Gather on the sidewalk outside of Jackson Women’s Health Organization at 2903 N. State Street in Jackson. Vigil held 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Details: office@prolifems.org or call (601) 956-8636, ext. 1.
MADISON St. Francis, Fat Tuesday Parish Pancake Supper, March 1 from 5:15-7 p.m. Everyone is invited to feast before the Lenten fast. Pancakes, sausage and drinks will be prepared and served by youth group. Cost $5/person or $15/family is suggested. Details: church office (601) 859-5556.
MERIDIAN St. Patrick School, Spirit Night at Raising Canes Meridian on Fat Tuesday, March 1 from 4-9 p.m. A percentage of sales will be donated to the school.
St. Patrick, Parish Mission, March 7-9. Each evening the mission will begin at 6 p.m. in St. Patrick Church. The featured speaker is Father Clem. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Save the Date: Blood Drive on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from 1-5:45 p.m. Blood donors are desperately needed. Online scheduling begins in April. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
St. Mary Basilica, Fish Fry, The Knights of Columbus will hold their annual Lenten Fish Fry each Friday of Lent, beginning March 4 from 5-7 p.m. at the Family Life Center. Catfish dinners $12; shrimp dinners $12; combo dinners $14. Dinners include fries, hush puppies and coleslaw. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
YOUTH BRIEFS
FLOWOOD St. Paul, Big Deal Youth Group will host Meatless Meal after 6 p.m. Ash Wednesday Mass on March 2. Join them for food and fellowship in the Family Life Center. Donations accepted for future youth events. Details: church office (601) 992-9547.
SEARCH retreat for juniors and seniors, April 1-3, at Camp Wesley Pines in Gallman. Retreat is “for teens, led by teens” and is an experience like none other; with a strong focus on vocations. SEARCH engages youth in a special way and calls them to live out their Catholic faith in a bold real, active and healthy way. Cost $125. Details: abbey.schuhmann@jacksondiocese.org.
SAVE THE DATE
YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST A parish mission on the Eucharist and the Mass is available in the diocese at two locations this Lent. Father Aaron Williams will offer a three day mission at St. Mary’s Basilica Natchez from March 8-10 and at Immaculate Heart of Mary Greenwood from March 27-29. All sessions will begin at 6 p.m.
LENTEN NOTE
Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten Season. Prepare yourself with meditation and reflection. The Lord’s life during this period of His life brings us together for the salvation of humanity. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence. Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
FASTING: The norms of fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. The law of fasting allows only one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking two smaller meals for keeping up strength, but those two meals combined must still be smaller than the full meal.
ABSTINENCE: Catholics 14 years of age and older are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent and Good Friday; unless health is an issue.
Por Carol Zimmermann
WASHINGTON (CNS) – La Cuaresma, la temporada espiritual de oración y sacrificio, tiene un atractivo adicional este año porque una vez más – por tercera vez, más precisamente – estará bajo la nube de la pandemia de coronavirus.
Y aunque la tercera Cuaresma en una pandemia puede parecerse mucho a la tercera caída de Jesús en el camino al Calvario, las personas que hablaron con Catholic News Service se enfocaron más en el camino de la temporada hacia la Pascua y cómo la Cuaresma de este año también coincide con un optimismo en torno a la caída de casos de COVID-19 en Estados Unidos.
“Es como una tormenta perfecta: números más bajos (de coronavirus) justo cuando se acerca la Cuaresma”, expresó Mary DeTurris Poust, exdirectora de comunicaciones de la Diócesis de Albany, Nueva York.
Poust, quien enseña yoga, dirige retiros, y escribe un blog llamado “Not Strictly Spiritual” (No estrictamente espiritual), indicó que durante los retiros virtuales recientes que ha dirigido, es evidente el deseo de la gente de volver a conectarse en persona.
Y tal vez esta Cuaresma, que comienza con el Miércoles de Ceniza el 2 de marzo, es el momento de hacer precisamente eso, señaló Poust, estar con la comunidad parroquial – reunirse para misas, para servicios de oración, como también para las cenas que incluyen sopa y pescado frito.
Después de las tremendas pérdidas de los últimos dos años, expresó, esta Cuaresma podría ser un buen momento para reiniciar. “La Cuaresma es la oportunidad perfecta para recalcular el GPS interno” de adónde nos dirigimos, dijo Poust, hablando no solo de individuos, sino también, más ampliamente, de lo que pueden hacer las parroquias cuando buscan dar la bienvenida a las personas.
A muchos católicos les gusta el ritual de la Cuaresma y todas sus “campanas y olores”, dijo, lo que hace que esta temporada sea una gran oportunidad “para darles la bienvenida de la mejor manera”.
Jen Sawyer, editora jefe de Busted Halo, un sitio web paulista y un programa de radio satelital, dijo que, en tiempos de incertidumbre, las personas “confían en la memoria muscular” de las prácticas religiosas tradicionales a las que están acostumbradas. Sin embargo, este año, ella cree que las tradiciones habituales de Cuaresma podrían provocar una sensación diferente.
“Parece que esta es la Cuaresma para la que estamos más preparados; todos hemos sacrificado mucho”, acotó. La experiencia del desierto de la Cuaresma ya se ha vivido y, con tanta gente agotada en los últimos dos años, dijo que esta Cuaresma ofrece nuevas oportunidades para encontrar paz, comunidad, y fe.
El padre paulista Larry Rice, capellán del campus del Instituto Politécnico Rensselaer en Troy, Nueva York, estuvo de acuerdo, y dijo que la iglesia está más que lista para la Cuaresma de 2022 y espera que esta ayude a las personas a “responder a todo el trauma por el que hemos pasado”.
“Vivimos con un trauma de bajo grado y a largo plazo”, dijo, y agregó que, para muchos, el dolor está apenas debajo de la superficie y él ve a la Cuaresma como el antídoto. “Como cristianos, creemos que nuestro destino no es el Viernes Santo. Pasamos por eso para llegar a la Pascua”, expresó.
El padre Rice también dijo que este año tiene la esperanza de que “para cuando lleguemos a la Pascua, la pandemia que estamos experimentando se verá diferente”. Y con la sabiduría adquirida en los últimos dos años, agregó: “No hay garantías, puede haber nuevas variantes (de coronavirus)”.
Las últimas dos Cuaresmas no contaron con esa misma esperanza.
La Cuaresma de 2020 comenzó sin problemas, con solo una pequeña cantidad de casos de COVID-19 en el país; sin embargo, durante la segunda semana de Cuaresma, a principios de marzo, algunas diócesis instaron a las parroquias limitar el darse la mano en el signo de la paz y la Comunión del cáliz. Para la tercera semana de Cuaresma, muchas diócesis levantaron la obligación de la misa dominical y suspendieron las misas públicas y los servicios de Cuaresma, como las Estaciones de la Cruz y los servicios de oración.
El año pasado, durante la Cuaresma, se abrieron más iglesias, aunque muchas limitaron el tamaño de las congregaciones y exigieron que los feligreses se registraran para asistir a misas. Las ventas tradicionales de pescado frito en parroquias estadounidenses regresaron – con la opción de comida para llevar – y las cenizas se rociaron sobre las cabezas de los feligreses el Miércoles de Ceniza.
Este año, las parroquias están abiertas, con diferentes regulaciones de uso de cubrebocas y distanciamiento social vigentes. Por su parte, las ventas de pescado frito durante los viernes de cuaresma han regresado a las parroquias con opciones de consumirlas en el lugar o para llevar.
“Estos últimos dos años para todos nosotros no han sido fáciles, pero Dios ha estado con nosotros”, manifestó la hermana Carolyn McWatters, liturgista y presidenta del Comité de Oración y Rituales de las Hermanas de la Misericordia.
La hermana McWatters, que vive en el Convento del Sagrado Corazón en Belmont, Carolina del Norte, y participa en el ministerio allí con las hermanas jubiladas de la orden, enfatizó la necesidad de reflexionar sobre la experiencia de la pandemia esta Cuaresma. Ella dijo que es importante reconocer cómo vivimos más allá de lo que podíamos controlar, los recursos internos en los que confiamos, y dónde vimos la bondad y la gracia en acción.
“La cruz nunca es un callejón sin salida. Señala una nueva vida. ¿Dónde están los signos de vida para mí, mi comunidad, el país, el mundo?” ella preguntó.
El crecimiento espiritual a menudo se trata de renunciar al control, indicó, lo que ciertamente fue un aspecto de la vida pandémica, pero el coronavirus también implicó las dificultades del aislamiento que experimentaron especialmente las hermanas jubiladas.
El convento, parte de un centro nacional para las hermanas de la Misericordia, había sido un lugar frecuente de reuniones y encuentros y muchos asistían a las misas y cenas dominicales, todo lo cual se suspendió durante los últimos dos años.
“Todo el mundo está esperando el final”, acotó.
La opinión de estas hermanas jubiladas de la Misericordia hace eco de lo que muchos sienten, pero la hermana McWatters también advierte contra las personas que se enfocan en ser víctimas en este momento y ven la pandemia simplemente como “pobre de mí”.
Del mismo modo, dijo, la Cuaresma no es pesimismo y ruina, sino que debe ser un “abrazo gozoso de lo que me ayudará a crecer más profundamente”.
Sawyer también enfatizó que la fe está destinada a ser alegre y dijo que Busted Halo con su “Fast Pray Give Lent Calendar” y el desafío fotográfico InstaLent tiene como objetivo transmitir eso y continuará esta Cuaresma particularmente al instar a las personas probar algo nuevo: un nuevo libro u oración, y para comunicarse con otros después de tanto aislamiento pandémico.
“No solemos pensar en la Cuaresma como un momento vibrante de conexión comunitaria”, dijo, y agregó que los católicos están “acostumbrados a la experiencia del desierto” que a menudo se asocia con la temporada. Pero esta Cuaresma, eso podría cambiar.
By Joanna Puddister King
GREENWOOD – The faith-filled parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Greenwood refuse to let a break-in that desecrated their parish triumph over their spirit, choosing to forgive and pray for the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of the perpetrators.
On Wednesday, Jan. 26 choir members arriving for practice discovered their parish had been vandalized. Some parishioners described the scene as if a tornado had blown through it.
The altar was overturned, hymnals were ripped from their spines with papers strewn around the sanctuary, the pulpit was overturned, as well. A statue of Mary, over 100 years old, was pulled down and her face broken into pieces. Many other items were turned over and bent. Also broken was an antique baptismal font.
Most disturbing for some parishioners was that the tabernacle was breached and the Blessed Sacrament removed, it being place on the church’s original altar. But through grace, the hosts did not appear to be touched. Parishioners like Mary Jane Faulkner felt the situation could have been worse.
“They didn’t break the windows … they could have caught the church on fire, when they destroyed Mary next to the candles,” said Faulkner, who also works for the parish in communications. “So, we were blessed. It is amazing they didn’t demolish some of the other things they could have,” she concluded.
According to the USCCB at least 120 incidents, like the one occurring at Immaculate Heart, have occurred across 31 states and the District of Columbia since May 2020. Incidents include arson, statues beheaded, limbs cut, and smashed and painted, gravestones defaced with swastikas and anti-Catholic language and American flags next to them burned, and other destruction and vandalism. The conference even has a dedicated page on its website listing news stories that detail vandalism by month, since they began tracking incidents in May of 2020.
Pastor of Immaculate Heart, José de Jesús Sánchez expressed his “shock and grief” over the break-in over social media to the Catholic community, alerting them of the destruction in his parish. He was away at a family wedding in his home country of Mexico at the time of the incident.
People were hit hard by the images shared by Father Sánchez, including Bishop Joseph Kopacz, who said “at the same time, much prayer has been offered” from those across the diocese through the power of social media.
Amid all of the destruction at Immaculate Heart, Bishop Kopacz traveled to the parish on Wednesday, Feb. 1 to reconsecrate the church.
“We will reconsecrate this church once again to God in the Lord,” said Bishop Kopacz. “With great faith, hope and love with the desire to truly go forward, knowing that we have reconciled on a very deep level.”
Some in the parish, felt that the intent behind the destruction was to have parishioners lose their faith but the faith of the Immaculate Heart community is strong.
“We give thanks for this gift of faith, that can be assaulted, that can be hurt, but cannot be overcome in the Lord,” said Bishop Kopacz.
During his homily, Bishop Kopacz spoke of the destruction and evil that occurred within the walls of the church, mentioning the overturned pulpit and altar.
“The Word of God, another sacred part of who we are, was overturned, as if to say ‘We don’t want this Word proclaimed from this pulpit,’” said Bishop Kopacz, likening the destruction as malice. “That’s not just juvenile, ‘let’s just wreak a little havoc in this building.’”
Additionally, mentioned was the overturned altar and disturbed sacrament with Bishop Kopacz stating that “it was a deliberate blow to all that is sacred to us.”
As a part of the reconsecration of the church, Bishop Kopacz took great care in anointing the altar and with Chrism, in addition to the use of holy water to renew the baptismal promise of those present. “This seeks to make right, what has been wronged,” he said.
“Our altar represents Christ – it is Christ. … In the anointing, we are allowing the Lord to again come before us in a most powerful way to be our Good Shepherd and for us to know Him. For us to then enter deeply into the mystery of his life. … Heaven and earth are joined together each time we celebrate the Eucharist.”
After the Mass, parishioners like Faulkner expressed their gratitude and were moved by the beauty in the care of the reconsecration.
“I have never seen anything like it. It was extremely moving and beautiful,” said Faulkner.
Father Sánchez gave thanks for the experience of the reconsecration and was grateful for the feeling of hope, also witnessing a consecration of a church for the first time. “It was really beautiful and we know that we are not alone.”
“It is a new opportunity for all of us in the Body of Christ … and we can say to the enemy that if Christ is with us, who is against us.”
Parish coordinator and director of religious education, Emelia Joseph, who has worked tirelessly getting new keys, meeting with police officers and more in the wake of the break-in, is thankful for the support of the Greenwood community and the people of the diocese.
“We know through the grace of God and all the people who have contacted us, with prayer and their support, that we are not only going to rally through this, but we are going to be stronger than ever.”
By G. Mark LaFrancis
NATCHEZ – The broad stately oaks and rolling manicured lawns of Edgewood just off Airport Road beckon those who visit to enjoy its serenity.
Thus, it seems, Edgewood has become a natural setting for a monastery, the new home of a chapter of the international Institute of the Incarnate Word, a Catholic religious order of missionary priests and brothers.
“So, the monastery is a place where he (the monk) can find solitude where he has everything that he needs, and, and it’s the place where he can orient his whole life towards God, through work, through prayer, through silence,” said Father Charles Yaklin, a member of the order and local superior.
The institute will occupy a portion of the property, which is owned by Jerry and Hedy Boelte. Including Father Charles, there are four monks living there who are from around the globe.
Establishing a monastery at Edgewood was, in a way, decades in the making. Hedy Boelte has attended and organized many religious retreats and prayer groups in her Roman Catholic life. “Ever since I was a little girl, I have always desired to do things for others based on my Catholic faith, so I was born to serve. And in doing that, I worked with the nuns at my school and my priest. And I love my Catholic faith more than anything.”
The moment of significant religious transformation for Boelte came in 1987 when she attended a retreat. “I went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje and had the call to devote the rest of my life to serving Jesus through Mary. Starting prayer groups, organizing retreats, giving testimonies, serving God by living a fully dedicated Catholic life was the outcome of this willingness to work for the Kingdom of God. The Monastery is the pearl of great price, and we will continue to pray, serve and trust.”
She began what could be described as a religious stepladder, each new rung creating a new opportunity for her to invest her life and property to serve the Lord. All the while, she said, she prayed for direction. “Every time my husband would buy a piece of property as an investment or for the protection of the land and wildlife, I would always dedicate that property to a saint. And I would ask the saint, ‘What are we going to do with this property?’”
For years, Boelte sponsored retreats, prayer groups and events at those properties and at Edgewood, but the concept of the 100-acre property becoming a monastery gelled several years ago when she and her husband traveled to Wyoming where they own a ranch. There, she learned about Institute of the Incarnate Word and the monks. After a series of meetings and consultations, including with Father Scott Thomas, pastor at St. Mary Basilica in Natchez, wheels were in motion for the establishment of the monastery at Edgewood.
“It’s stunning,” Father Charles said of his first impression of Edgewood. “So, we’re seeing how we can make our mission work in this beautiful place to foster a move to prayer, which is really what we’re trying to do.”
Father Charles said the monks will pray for the entire Natchez community, not just Roman Catholics. “Yes, absolutely, for everyone. God wants all men to be saved and to come the knowledge of the truth. So, we pray for everyone.”
He said other monks may arrive and become part of the local monastery. Although the order is contemplative, that is, they spend considerable portions of the day in prayer, there will be opportunities for interaction with the community.
Already, retreats and prayer groups are in the planning session. “As a rule, we will be staying put here in the house and working on the grounds here, but we do have to get groceries, for example. So, you may see us at Walmart; that has happened a few times already, but other than that, we try to stay put.”
Father Charles said his journey in the religious life took many turns until he said he discovered his calling with the Institute of the Incarnate Word, a missionary religious congregation established in Argentina in 1984, which now has missionaries working in more than 40 different countries. Its members are priests, seminarians and brothers, the majority of them forming part of the “apostolic branch” of the Institute, typically working in parishes. The four monks who now live in Natchez belong to the “contemplative branch” of the Institute and contribute to the missionary work by their life of prayer.
A brochure about St. Joseph Monastery and the congregation states, “We want to be rooted in Jesus Christ. We want to love and serve Jesus Christ, and to help others love and serve Him. The Eucharist is the center and root of our consecration as religious.”
Father Charles added, “Seven times a day, we go to the chapel to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. This is a way of sanctifying all the hours of our day by interrupting our activities and returning to chapel, to pray, to be in the presence of God, and in this way to prolong each morning’s Mass throughout the whole day.” The pool house has been converted to a chapel for the monks and the celebration of the Mass for the community. Special additions to the chapel will be made soon, Boelte said.
A monastery in Natchez might seem unusual, but monasteries exist worldwide. Father Charles said, “Monastery comes from the Greek ‘monos’ meaning alone. And so, the monk lives alone, even though he can be in a community. He spends the majority of his time in solitude and not for the sake of being away from other people, but for the sake of being in silence with God.”
Father Charles said that a Spanish Mass is under consideration as well as regular Masses on weekends. Also, the monks are considering producing items to sell as a way to help sustain their lives at Edgewood.
(Story special to Mississippi Catholic. More information is available at the website saintjosephmonastery.com.)
By Julia Williams
JACKSON – Stewardship is about love, and love is about stewardship. It is about loving your neighbor, loving your enemy and loving God. Stewardship is about how we live our lives and make our choices.
Love, as an expression of stewardship, means that we consider all of God’s abundant gifts and how we can make best use of these gifts so that we can love our neighbor, so that we can return our thanks and praise to God, and so that we can do every little thing with great love.
The word ‘love’ appears more than 500 times in the Bible. Clearly this idea of loving is important for us as Christian Catholics, and the Lord makes it eminently obvious that love of one another needs to be at the center of our way of life.
GOD IS LOVE
“God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16
ACT OF LOVE
O my God, I love Thee above all things with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon for all whom I have injured. Amen.
Excerpts: SOLI, Stewardship of Life Institute, stewardshipoflife.org
PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth, 22nd annual Draw Down, Friday, Feb. 25 at The Bank. Tickets cost $100 (or $125 with insurance), available at the church office or from St. Elizabeth students. Ticket admits two, and includes food, drinks, live band and a chance at $10,000. Details: church office (662) 624-4301.
GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Spring Fling 2022, $10,000 Cash Drawdown Mardi Gras, Saturday, Feb. 26 at The Gin at Dunleith in Leland. Drawdown begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 and may be purchased at church or school office. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.
FLOWOOD St. Paul, Black & White Ball/Annual Drawdown, Saturday, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center. Tickets: $125 and raffle tickets $1. Details: Pat Scanlon (601) 953-6370.
JACKSON St. Peter Cathedral the Apostle, Bishop Chanche Awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. These service awards honor those who have shown exemplary service at the parish and/or diocesan level in the areas of evangelization, faith formation and service to the community.
JACKSON St. Richard School, Krewe de Cardinal, Friday, Feb. 25. This festive evening features a brass band, silent and live auctions, cash drawing, cocktails and cuisine. Tickets: $50/per person or $100/per couple, in advance. Details: development@strichardschool.org.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Save the date: blood drive on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from 1-5:45 p.m. Blood donors are desperately needed. Online scheduling begins in April. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
PEARL St. Jude. Father Lincoln Dall will be offering Spanish lessons beginning on Thursday, Feb. 24, with sessions lasting approximately six weeks. Program will start with the basics, including pronunciation and learning basic words and grammar. The emphasis will be on Spanish in the context of the church, including basic prayers and basic church vocabulary. Program will also look at some of the Spanish Catholic cultural traditions. Father Lincoln has an MA in Education from Ole Miss specializing in the teaching of languages, and was a member of the Mississippi Teacher Corps for four years from 2000-2004, where he taught Spanish on the high school and elementary level in the Greenville Public Schools. He has also studied in Argentina, Chile and Costa Rica, and has traveled extensively in Spain, mostly on pilgrimage. Lessons will be one hour each, with home practice, as well. Two of the lesson times each week will be in-person. There is also an option on Zoom, for those who do not feel comfortable coming in-person. First lessons: Thursday, Feb. 24, 6:30-7:30 p.m., in-person in the classroom in the church office building; Thursday, Feb. 24, 7:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom; or Friday, Feb. 25, after the 10 a.m. Mass in the St. Jude classroom. Details: Contact the office at (601) 939-3181 or by email if you would like to attend one of these session or by zoom.
TUPELO St. James, Adult Trivia Night, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at Kingfisher Lodge. Food and drinks served. RSVP to Mary Frances Strange at https://linktr.ee/stjamestupelo Details: church office (662) 842-4881.
VICKSBURG 39th Annual $10,000 Drawdown on the River on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Levee Street Marketplace for Vicksburg Catholic Schools. Everyone is invited to purchase a ticket, as this is the first in-person drawdown since 2020. To purchase a ticket, visit https://bit.ly/VCSDrawdown2022 or call school office at (601) 636-2256.
YOUTH BRIEFS
SEARCH retreat for juniors and seniors, April 1-3, at Camp Wesley Pines in Gallman. Retreat is “for teens, led by teens” and is an experience like none other; with a strong focus on vocations, SEARCH engages youth in a special way and calls them to live out their Catholic faith in a bold real, active and healthy way. Cost $125. Details: abbey.schuhmann@jacksondiocese.org.
SAVE THE DATE
YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST A parish mission on the Eucharist and the Mass is available in the diocese at two locations this Lent. Father Aaron Williams will offer a three day mission at St. Mary’s Basilica Natchez from March 8-10 and at Immaculate Heart of Mary Greenwood from March 27-29. All sessions will begin at 6 p.m.
TRIPS WITH FATHER DAVID O’CONNOR Father O’Connor will be hosting trips to Italy (May 28 – June 6), England and Wales (June 23 – July 3) and Ireland (Sept 7-15). Details: For Italy trip visit caragrouptravel.com/italy-with-father-oconnor-2022/. For England and Wales trip visit caragrouptravel.com/england-and-wales-with-father-oconnor/. For Ireland trip visit caragrouptravel.com/tour-of-ireland-with-father-o-connor-2022/.
COVID NOTE
As the Omicron variant continues, the Diocese of Jackson STRONGLY ENCOURAGES the wearing of masks to Mass and all parish gatherings. Social distancing of three feet is recommended. Keep in mind that the church always dispenses from the Sunday obligation when any of the faithful are confronting serious health concerns.
We appreciate all of your efforts to keep each other safe. Each parish may adapt protocols and make decisions according to the local reality of their individual parish communities.
Por Joanna King
GREENWOOD – Llenos de fe, los feligreses de Immaculate Heart of Mary en Greenwood se niegan a permitir que un allanamiento que profanó su parroquia triunfe sobre su espíritu, eligiendo perdonar y orar para que el Espíritu Santo llene los corazones de los perpetradores.
El miércoles 26 de enero, los miembros del coro que llegaron para practicar descubriendo que su parroquia había sido objeto de vandalismo. Algunos feligreses describieron la escena como si un tornado la hubiera atravesado.
El altar fue volcado, los himnarios fueron arrancados de sus lomos con papeles esparcidos por todo el santuario, el púlpito también fue volcado. Una estatua de María, de más de 100 años, fue derribada y su rostro destrozado. Muchos otros artículos fueron volteados y doblados. También se rompió una fuente bautismal antigua.
Lo más perturbador para algunos feligreses fue que se abrió una brecha en el tabernáculo y se retiró el Santísimo Sacramento, que se colocó en el altar original de la iglesia. Pero por gracia, las hostias no parecieron ser tocadas. Los feligreses como Mary Jane Faulkner sintieron que la situación podría haber sido peor.
“Al menos no rompieron las ventanas… podrían haber incendiado la iglesia, cuando destruyeron a María junto a las velas,” dijo Faulkner, quien también trabaja en las comunicaciones para la parroquia. “Entonces, fuimos bendecidos. Es increíble que no demolieran algunas de las otras cosas que podrían tener,” concluyó.
Según la USCCB, al menos 120 incidentes, como el ocurrido en Immaculate Heart, han ocurrido en 31 estados y el Distrito de Columbia desde mayo de 2020. Los incidentes incluyen incendios provocados, estatuas decapitadas, extremidades cortadas, destrozadas y pintadas, lápidas desfiguradas con esvásticas y lenguaje anticatólico, banderas americanas quemadas junto a ellas y otros actos de destrucción y vandalismo. La conferencia incluso tiene una página dedicada en su sitio web que enumera noticias que detallan el vandalismo por mes, desde que comenzaron a rastrear incidentes en mayo de 2020.
El párroco del Inmaculado Corazón, José de Jesús Sánchez expresó su “conmoción y dolor” por el allanamiento a través de las redes sociales a la comunidad católica, alertándolos de la destrucción en su parroquia. El Padre José estaba en una boda familiar en su país de origen, México, en el momento del incidente.
La gente se sintió muy afectada por las imágenes compartidas por el padre Sánchez, incluido el obispo Joseph Kopacz, quien dijo que “al mismo tiempo, se han ofrecido muchas oraciones” de personas de toda la diócesis a través del poder de las redes sociales.
En medio de toda la destrucción en Immaculate Heart, el obispo Kopacz viajó a la parroquia el miércoles 1 de febrero para volver a consagrar la iglesia.
“Volveremos a consagrar esta iglesia una vez más a Dios en el Señor”, dijo el obispo Kopacz “…con mucha fe, esperanza, amor y con el deseo de seguir verdaderamente adelante, sabiendo que nos hemos reconciliado a un nivel muy profundo”.
Algunos en la parroquia sintieron que la intención detrás de la destrucción era hacer que los feligreses perdieran la fe, pero la fe de la comunidad del Inmaculado Corazón es fuerte. “Damos gracias por este don de fe, que puede ser atacado, que puede ser lastimado, pero no puede ser vencido en el Señor,” dijo el obispo Kopacz.
Durante su homilía, el obispo Kopacz habló de la destrucción y el mal que ocurrió dentro de los muros de la iglesia, mencionando el hecho de volcar el púlpito y el altar. “La Palabra de Dios, otra parte sagrada de lo que somos, fue anulada, como diciendo ‘No queremos que esta Palabra sea proclamada desde este púlpito’,” dijo el obispo Kopacz, comparando la destrucción con la malicia. “Esto es más que juvenil, ‘vamos a causar un poco de caos en este edificio’.” Además, el obispo Kopacz mencionó el altar volcado y el sacramento perturbado afirmando que “fue un golpe deliberado a todo lo que es sagrado para nosotros”.
Como parte de la nueva consagración de la iglesia, el obispo Kopacz tuvo mucho cuidado en la unción del altar con el Crisma, además del uso del agua bendita para renovar la promesa bautismal de los presentes. “Esto busca corregir lo que se ha agraviado,” dijo. “Nuestro altar representa a Cristo, es Cristo. … En la unción, estamos permitiendo que el Señor venga nuevamente ante nosotros de la manera más poderosa para ser nuestro Buen Pastor y para que lo conozcamos. Para que luego entremos profundamente en el misterio de su vida. … El cielo y la tierra se unen cada vez que celebramos la Eucaristía.”
Después de la Misa, feligreses como Faulkner expresaron su agradecimiento y se conmovieron por la belleza en el cuidado de la consagración. “Nunca he visto algo así. Fue extremadamente conmovedor y hermoso”, dijo Faulkner.
El padre Sánchez agradeció la experiencia de la consagración y agradeció el sentimiento de esperanza, siendo testigo también por primera vez de una consagración de una iglesia. “Fue realmente hermoso y sabemos que no estamos solos.”
“Es una nueva oportunidad para todos nosotros en el Cuerpo de Cristo… y podemos decirle al enemigo que, si Cristo está con nosotros, quién contra nosotros,” concluyó.
La coordinadora parroquial y directora de educación religiosa, Emelia Joseph, quien ha trabajado incansablemente para obtener nuevas llaves, luego de reunirse con oficiales de la policía a raíz del robo, está agradecida por el apoyo de la comunidad de Greenwood y la gente de la diócesis.
“Sabemos, por la gracia de Dios y de todas las personas que nos han contactado con oración y apoyo, que no solo vamos a superar esto, sino que seremos más fuertes que nunca.”
