By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – There are hungry and homeless in Mississippi. There are college students that need to be ministered to. There are seminarians that need our help to become our future priests. And there are retired priests that need our assistance after a lifetime of service. These are just a few of the ministries that the annual Catholic Service Appeal (CSA) supports.

“Due to COVID protocols, we did not have a second collection in February of 2021 and opted to postpone to a later date. We hoped that we would meet our goal without a second collection for the CSA,” said Rebecca Harris, director of stewardship and development for the diocese. “Unfortunately, that has not happened. We are $344,000 from our goal.”

Parishes will have a second collection on Aug. 28-29 and pledge envelopes will be available to help reach the CSA 2021 goal.

The Catholic Service Appeal is important to many vital ministries of the diocese. These ministries help carry out the mission of the church and reaching this goal will ensure these ministries do not have budget cuts.

There are eleven collective ministries that no one parish could support on its own; however, joined as one, the diocese can make a difference. The appeal supports educating seminarians, Catholic Charities, campus ministry, mission parishes and schools, youth ministry, formational ministries, priest retirement and clergy assistance, evangelizing and communications. More information on each ministry is available on the diocese website.

“We understand that many individuals and families have faced challenges during the pandemic and will not be able to support the CSA due to changing circumstances. Please know that our prayers continue to be with you and your family, and I ask for your prayers for the ministries served by our appeal,” said Harris. “For those who have already given we greatly appreciate your support.”

The theme of this year’s appeal is Embrace – Serve – Inspire, with beloved Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman as the inspiration. She once asked of God, “Touch me with your love so that I can help somebody, so that I can serve somebody, so that I can bless somebody.”

It is not too late to make a difference – to help, to serve, to bless somebody. For online donations and to learn more about each ministry the Catholic Service Appeal supports go to csa.jacksondiocese.org.

By Joanna Puddister King and Stephanie Brown
JACKSON – The 2020-2021 school year was one like no other before it. First, the pandemic challenged the Office of Catholic Education to assess how it has functioned and how they can best support schools in the diocese. As schools navigated the year, new tasks and responsibilities were created to deal with the demands of virtual learning, contact tracing and overall management of our response. Then, in March of 2021, it was announced that Superintendent, Cathy Cook, was planning to retire.

When Cook’s retirement was announced, it opened the door for the office to critically examine how to address areas of improvement that they observed during their system-wide accreditation that came to fruition in October 2019; as well as, make any changes to the structure of the office.

“To help us better understand our schools’ current trajectory, we decided to dive into as much data as possible. We looked at survey results, enrollment, and finance figures, as well as current policies. After looking at everything, it was determined it is time to do something different. One theme that we focused on was the difference between a public-school superintendent and a Catholic school superintendent. While their titles are the same, the scope and authority of the roles are very different,” explained Karla Luke of the Office of Catholic Education.

The office even reached out to Kathy Mears, a senior consultant for the National Catholic Educational Association, to discuss national trends that should be considered. “She explained that many dioceses across the country are reevaluating the structure of their education offices to try to meet the needs of their schools better,” said Luke.

After much discussion and research, the office decided to make a move. Rather than seek to fill the superintendent position, it was decided that the Office of Catholic Education would have three new positions: executive director of school operations, director of curriculum and development, and coordinator of school support. Luke, believes that a change in title and reassignment of responsibilities will better articulate what the office does to best serve schools in the diocese.

Luke has assumed the position of executive director of school operations for the diocese. In this role, she will continue many of her responsibilities as associate superintendent and interim superintendent. In addition, this position will oversee the diocesan advisory council for education, local school advisory councils, personnel and legal issues, parent and student concerns, and government programs.

Stephanie Brown, the former assistant superintendent, assumes the position of director of curriculum and development. Previously, Brown oversaw the accreditation process, curriculum, assessment and professional development. In this new role, she will also work closely with the Department of Temporal Affairs on ensuring financial viability and increasing enrollment in all diocesan schools.

The third position in the restructured office will be the coordinator of school support. This role will be similar to an administrative assistant but will play an active role in daily operations at diocesan schools. “We hope that this position’s addition will help us streamline many of our administrative tasks, such as record-keeping and verification, school reporting and textbook procurement,” said Brown. They are actively looking for the right person to join the office in this new role.

The Office of Education, working in its newly established structure, recognizes that they have a great deal to be proud of and a great deal of work to do moving forward; and have set five areas of focus for the coming year and beyond.
Their number one priority will be focusing on marketing, development and advancement. While increasing enrollment is always a goal, the office recognizes that they must also seek alternative sources of income outside of just tuition. “As the cost of living rises, we must find the funds necessary to provide all staff members with equitable wages that they deserve while also pursuing the resources and infrastructure needed to provide the highest quality of education to all of our students” said Luke. “It is important to look for other ways to keep our schools financially viable outside of raising tuition.”

Second, the office hopes to improve their service and outreach to minority communities across the diocese. “When we look at enrollment trends at our schools that serve our minority communities, we see a larger decline in enrollment,” said Brown. “We have challenged ourselves to find ways to better meet the needs of these communities by looking at barriers to accessibility.”

Their next goal is to continue to focus on college and career readiness, with a large emphasis on career planning. “We hope to help our students identify their God-given strengths and talents and set them on a path toward success in a career they will enjoy by providing the tools they need to adequately prepare for college or whatever their next step may be,” expressed Brown.

Additionally, the office also hopes to standardize clerical tasks completed at schools across the diocese. Brown said that they found that many staff members and administrators at schools spend time doing tasks that could easily be consolidated and performed at the diocesan level. “With the addition of the Coordinator of School Support, we hope to find ways to free up the time of our administrators by taking these tasks off of their plate.”

Finally, just as the office evaluated roles and job descriptions, they hope to spend time clarifying job descriptions for all positions within our schools. “Accountability is the key to forward movement. We hope that by clearly delineating responsibilities, everyone can better understand their role in moving our school communities forward,” said Luke.

Will Vollor – St. Patrick School, Meridian
This year, like every year of his career, Will Vollor says he looks forward to serving others. This year he will get to serve and support the teachers, staff, parents and students at St Patrick School in Meridian. Vollor was named principal of St. Patrick last spring and has hit the ground running as he prepared for this school year. Vollor received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi, and master’s degree from Mississippi College. Before becoming principal of St Patrick, he taught and coached at St Aloysius High School in Vicksburg, and Lamar School, Enterprise-Clarke High School, and Northeast Lauderdale High School in the Meridian area.

When asked what made him decide to go into education he said, “Several members of my family were educators, so I had a great deal of admiration for the profession. Most influential to me as an educator was Valera Meachum Vollor. Besides being my grandmother and hero, she was a teacher herself at St. Francis Xavier Elementary School in Vicksburg for twenty-two years.”

Vollor is married to Leslie Horn Vollor, and they have two daughters, Anne Larkin and Lauren. They are active members of St. Patrick Catholic Church, where they have taught both parish school of religion and children’s church in the 10 years that they have resided in Meridian.

Jessica Carter – Cathedral School, Natchez
In April, Jessica Carter was named the next lead administrator of Cathedral School in Natchez. This year marks somewhat of a homecoming for Carter as she has previously served as a teacher and the middle school coordinator at Cathedral. She comes to her new position with fourteen years of experience in education, including four years as the assistant principal at Vidalia High School in Vidalia, Louisiana. Carter received her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Carter is married to her husband Mark, who is an alumnus of Cathedral School. They have two children, Macy, who is in fourth grade, and Maddie Paige, who is one year old. They are active members of St. Mary Basilica parish.

When she accepted this new position, Carter said, “I am excited to serve as the next lead administrator of Cathedral Catholic School. I am deeply honored to be entrusted with the leadership of our great school and want to thank Father Scott Thomas and the principal search committee for bestowing upon me this great responsibility. As a member of St. Mary Basilica and past employee of Cathedral, I want the tradition of a rich Catholic education to continue in our community. I want to lead the school to continued success and build on the positive impact it has had for students, parents, alumni, stakeholders and the community since 1847.”

By Rebecca Harris
JACKSON – The Catholic Foundation was established in 1973 to help donors with planned giving gifts to support parishes, schools, and ministries in our diocese. Donors wish to express their gratitude to God for a lifetime of blessings. Due to the pandemic many of us have been thinking about our mortality. After all, each day on the news we are told how many people are dying of COVID in our country. That starts us thinking about – what if? We should also be asking ourselves what happens? What will happen to the things in my life if I have no will. Who decides where my possessions go if I have no will?

Those are important questions to ask yourself. Our loved ones may not know our intentions. The Catholic Foundation can help you think about how to plan out your will. They offer an estate planning kit to help understand the benefits of smart estate and gift planning. With the guidance of your own estate planner, you can determine what strategies work best for you.

What is planned giving?
A planned gift is a charitable donation that is structured during a donor’s lifetime, and it typically funded upon or after death. Planned gifts are a way for you to create a lasting legacy for future generations and support the ministries that matter most to you. Most planned gifts options require no cash outlay during your lifetime. Just as you plan for your future, so must parishes, schools and diocesan ministries like retired priests and seminarian education must plan for their future.

Are you ready to start your will?
Creating a will is not as difficult as it sounds. The Catholic Foundation can provide you with a will planning workbook; and is here to help with the bequest wording that you will need if you wish to leave a parish, school or ministry in your will. The will planning workbook can then be taken to your estate planning to help you execute your plan.

The Foundation office can also provide you with a funeral planning guide to take the burden of planning a funeral off your loved ones by providing them with your funeral wishes.

The Founcation is here to help!
The staff at the Catholic Foundation is here to help you determine which opportunities will work best for you. You do not have to be wealthy or at a certain stage of your life to make a difference. The Foundation hopes that when you are working on your estate planning that you consider your parish, Catholic school or other Catholic ministry in your decisions. A bequest in your will to your parish will have a long-term impact and you are putting your Catholic values in action.

The Catholic Foundation would be happy to work with you on the various ways to give and answer any of your questions. Please contact Rebecca Harris at the Catholic Foundation at 601-960-8477.

By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – On Thursday, Sept. 16, the 39th annual Bishop’s Cup Golf Tournament will take place at Lake Caroline Golf Club. All are invited to sign up for a great day of golf or even just join Bishop Joseph Kopacz and the Catholic Foundation for dinner and a live auction at The Mermaid Café.

“Last year we had to cancel our dinner at the Mermaid Café. We had to put strict COVID protocols in place so we could have the tournament. We are really excited about the tournament this year. Golfers will be able to socialize before the tournament and we are looking forward to gathering at the Mermaid Café afterwards. We hope some of our non-golfing friends will be able to join us as well,” said Rebecca Harris, Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation.

Each year the Catholic Foundation supports grant projects around the diocese. Parishes, schools and Catholic ministries submit grants proposals each year. The Catholic Foundation has funded projects like parish renovations, STEM labs, Catholic Charities domestic violence program and pro-life billboards just to name a few. This year proceeds from the tournament will go to the Bishop Joseph N. Latino Memorial Trust. This trust will support future grant projects around the diocese.

Steve Carmody has chaired this event for the past 29 years. “The tournament continues to grow each year, and we are always excited to see our golfers return. We would like to thank all past sponsors who have helped to make the tournament a success. We hope that you will join Bishop Kopacz and the other participants again this year,” said Carmody.

Tee time will be at 1 p.m. for the event with lunch served at 12 p.m. The cost per player is $200 and priests play for free. Each golfer receives lunch, 18 holes of golf with a cart, snacks and beverages on the course, a large golf towel and dinner with two free drink tickets at The Mermaid Café. Also, with the event the Catholic Foundation offers a hole in one prize of $10,000.

Even if someone isn’t a golf player, fun can be had after the tournament at The Mermaid Café at 6 p.m. Dinner tickets are $40 per person and there will be a silent and live auction.

For more information on the golf tournament or to sponsor the event, visit one.bidpal.net/bishopscup2021. If you would like to donate an item to the auctions or volunteer, contact Julia Williams at 601-960-8481.

By Sister Beth Murphy, OP
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Early in the morning on the day after she made her perpetual profession of vows as a Dominican Sister of Springfield, Sister Kelly Moline was in a car travelling back to Jackson, Mississippi, where she ministers as a chaplain in the COVID-strained St. Dominic’s Hospital.

The day before, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, a defining moment of Sister Kelly Moline’s life had come and gone. Beyond that moment, what follows is a lifelong commitment to her vows of consecration to God as a Dominican Sister of Springfield. That, of course, is not a small or simple thing. As Dominican Brother Timothy Radcliffe said while he was Master General of the Order of Preachers, “What we profess in a moment we live in to for a lifetime.”

This, Sister Kelly does not do alone. In addition to the grace of God which accompanies every person through life, she also has the support of her Springfield Dominican Sisters and a global Dominican Family that includes thousands of others who have been claimed for the Order of Preachers as sisters, brothers, ordained ministers and laity.

Sister Kelly’s parents, Kevin and Cindy Moline, of Glendale, Arizona, raised Sister Kelly and her brother Jay in Minnesota, Florida, Iowa and Missouri. “I was itinerant before I knew what that was,” Sister Kelly quipped, referring to the Dominicans’ desire to be willing to move anywhere to fulfill the preaching mission of the order.

In an interview for the new podcast, F.L.O.W.cast, Sister Kelly said, “There is a certain joy that comes in knowing you are where you are supposed to be.” She likes to quote the famous Dominican mystic St. Catherine of Siena who said “Be who you are meant to be and you will set the world on fire.” Like the 14th Century Dominican, Sister Kelly seems to have found her place. “To be with the poor, to be with the sick, to provide them hospitality, that is what brought me joy,” Sister Kelly said.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in gerontology from Missouri State University in 2005, Sister Kelly worked in continuing care retirement communities in St. Louis and Southbury, Connecticut, before taking the position that synced her coordinates with several Springfield Dominican Sisters.

“I moved to Springfield for work in 2009 and kept bumping into Springfield Dominicans,” she said in 2019. “I’d been thinking about religious life already. The joy I saw in those first three sisters I met — Sister Maxine, Sister Concepta and Sister Loyola — made me want to learn more about Dominican life.”

Sister Kelly began formation in Dominican consecrated life in 2013, giving three years toward prayer, study and ongoing discernment of her call to religious life. Her first year was focused on learning the basics of faith, religious life and the charism and history of the Order of Preachers. A second year was spent with other women discerning Dominican consecrated life in the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate in St. Louis. During the third year the focus was ministry, when she experienced the pillars of Dominican life — prayer, study, preaching and common life — alongside already-professed members of the congregation at various mission sites.

During that time, she accompanied English language learners at the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora, Illinois; learned the challenges of life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation while ministering alongside Sister Barbara Ann Bogenschutz at Our Lady of the Sioux Parish, Oglala, South Dakota; was introduced to the life and ministry of our sisters in Jarpa and Lima Peru; and spent time with our sisters who carry out a variety of ministries at St. Dominic Hospital and St. Catherine’s Village in Jackson. It is there she now ministers, serving as a chaplain’s assistant at St. Dominic’s.

After professing her first vows in 2016, Sister Kelly completed a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Catholic Theological Union while living in community with Springfield Dominican Sisters at St. Martin de Porres Convent in Chicago.

During Sunday Mass on the feast of the founder of the Order of Preachers, St. Dominic de Guzman, Sister Kelly knelt in the sanctuary of Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, placed her hands in the hands of Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, the congregation’s prioress general, and proclaimed the vows that Dominicans have proclaimed for centuries:

I, Sister Kelly Moline, make profession, and promise obedience to God, to Blessed Mary, to Blessed Dominic, and to you, Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, the Prioress General of our congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, and to your successors, according to the Rule of St. Augustine and the Constitutions of this congregation. I will be obedient to you and your successors until death.

“With these ancient words, Sister Kelly became the most recent in a long line of women and men who have been drawn by God toward a life of prayer, study, common life and preaching,” said Sister Elyse Ramirez, who has accompanied Sister Kelly as director of initial formation for the Springfield Dominicans. “Sister Kelly’s yes puts her in good company. Her commitment is a courageous one at this time of such dramatic change in the church and the world. We are so happy to have her alongside us and encourage other women to consider the same rewarding, challenging path.”

To learn how you can become a member of the Dominican Family visit https://springfieldop.org/join-us/ or contact Sister Denise Glazik at dglazik@spdom.org.

(The Dominican Sisters of Springfield are part of a worldwide Dominican family, the Order of Preachers. For more than 800 years, Dominicans have preached the Gospel in word and deed. The Springfield Dominicans were established in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1873 and relocated to Springfield in 1893. Today, thousands of Dominican sisters, nuns, priests, brothers, associates, and laity minister in more than 100 countries around the world.)

Abbot Thomas DeWane, O, Praem
DE PERE, Wis. – Abbot Emeritus Evermode Thomas DeWane, O. Praem., 89, a member of the Norbertine Community of St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, Wisconsin and a Norbertine priest, passed into God’s eternal kingdom on July 31, 2021.

Abbot DeWane was born on Feb. 26, 1932 in Green Bay to the late Thomas and Angeline (Bos) DeWane. His home parish was St. Willebrord in Green Bay.

After graduating as salutatorian from what was then Central Catholic High School, his desire to become a priest solidified. Abbot DeWane felt he was “born to be a priest.” He was vested as a novice, professed simple vows and solemn vows on Aug. 28 in 1950, 1952 and 1955, respectively.

In 1955, he graduated from St. Norbert College in De Pere with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy while teaching at Abbot Pennings High School. On May 31, 1958, Abbot DeWane was ordained to the priesthood. After ordination, he served as a teacher, then registrar at Premontre High School in Green Bay for five years.

He attended Marquette University in Milwaukee and obtained a doctorate in education in 1964. From there, he went on to the University of Chicago for doctoral administration studies, while also being the house superior at the Holy Spirit House of Studies for six years.

Upon returning to De Pere in 1970, he was appointed Dean of Students at St. Norbert College. In 1973, Abbot DeWane returned to the high school and served as principal for nine years. During this time, he was on the St. Norbert College board of trustees, held leadership positions on several educational committees and was active in various professional organizations. In 1983, he returned to St. Norbert College to serve as the director of teacher education, a position he held for nine years.

In 1993, Abbot DeWane was appointed the director of formation for St. Norbert Abbey. In April 1994, he was elected as fifth Abbot of St. Norbert Abbey and received his abbatial blessing from Bishop Robert Banks on June 6, 1994.

After his nine-year term as abbot, he moved to the Priory of St. Moses the Black in Raymond, Mississippi and ministered in a variety of parishes and the state correctional facility. He retired to St. Norbert Abbey in 2019.

He is survived by the Norbertine community of St. Norbert Abbey; one sister, Marilyn Marsh; many nieces and nephews.

Abbot DeWane was preceded in dealth by his parents; siblings: Gordon (Elaine) DeWane, Lois (John) Cawley, Gladys Jentz; brother-in-law, Charles Marsh.

Abbot DeWane’s Mass of Christian Burial took place on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021 and he was buried in the St. Norbert Abbey Cemetery.

Sister Roselyn Snyder, OP
SINSINAWA, Wis. — Sister Roselyn Snyder, OP, died June 25, 2021, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wisconsin. Her religious name was Sister Adeltrude. The funeral Mass was held at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa, July 8, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Sister Roslyn made her first profession as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa Aug. 5, 1949, and her perpetual profession Aug. 5, 1952. She ministered in education as a teacher for 27 years, assistant principal for two years, and principal for four years. Sister Roslyn served as director of social justice ministry for three years, in parish ministry for eight years, and director of religious education for five years. She served the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa as finance officer for the Southern Province for 14 years and as support staff in the Office of Development for 15 years. Sister Roslyn believed in the dignity of every person and worked for social justice with her unwavering, calm, and caring presence. She served in Illinois, the District of Columbia, Wisconsin, Alabama and Mississippi.

In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Roslyn served the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa as finance officer for the Southern Province, 1998-2002, while living in Madison.

Sister Roslyn was born Oct. 5, 1928, in Galena, Ill., the daughter of Peter and Mathilda (Kaiser) Snyder. Her parents; four sisters, Delphine Sheehan Fischer, Alverna Segert, Mabel Bussan, and Marian Davis; and two brothers, Richard Snyder and Emmet Snyder, preceded her in death. She is survived by nieces, nephews, and her Dominican Sisters with whom she shared 71 years of religious life.

Memorials may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI, 53824-9701 or at www.sinsinawa.org/donate online.

Repeat broadcasts of the wake and funeral for Sister Roslyn are available online at www.sinsinawa.org/live. Click on the “on demand” tab.

Sister Nicholas “Nic” Catrambone, BVM
DEBUQUE, Iowa – Sister Nicholas “Nic” Catrambone, BVM, 85, died Monday, July 12, 2021, at Mount Carmel Bluffs in Dubuque, Iowa.

Private funeral services were held Tuesday, July 20, 2021 with burial in the Mount Carmel Cemetery.

She was born April 8, 1936, in Chicago to Nicholas and Theresa Catrambone. She entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary congregation on Sept. 8, 1954, from St. Callistus parish, Chicago. She professed first vows on March 19, 1957, and final vows on July 16, 1962.

In Clarksdale, Mississippi, she taught at Immaculate Conception High School from 1964 to 1978, and worked in prison ministry.

Sister Nic taught at Memphis Catholic High School from 1984 to 1992. She also served in prison ministry at the Shelby County Jail and volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen.

She also taught in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Anthony, Joseph (Thelma), Eugene, and Arthur Catrambone; and sisters Tessie (Ralph) Galluzzi and Kay (Dominic) Belmonte. She is survived by a sister, Letty Catrambone, Oak Park, Ill.; sisters-in-law Mary Catrambone, Westlake Village, Calif., and Terri Catrambone, Oak Park, Ill.; nieces, nephews, and the Sisters of Charity, BVM, with whom she shared life for 66 years.

Memorials may be given to the BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003.

Rev. Adolfo Suárez-Pasillas appointed pastor of Forest St. Michael Parish and its mission, St. Anne in Newton; Paulding St. Michael Parish; and administrator of Centro Católico in Morton, effective August 25.

Rev. Msgr. Elvin Sunds appointed administrator for Greenville St. Joseph Parish, effective July 30.

Rev. Andrew Nguyen appointed Parochial Vicar, Greenville St. Joseph Parish, effective July 30.

Rev. Aaron Williams granted a temporary leave of absence, effective July 30.