Category Archives: Diocesan News

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

NEW ORLEANS Our Lady of the Cenacle Retreat Center, Women’s Retreat, “Finding Peace in Uncertainty” on July 9-11. Know that by depending on God in trying times, you are putting your faith into action. When we get caught up in the trauma of our trials, God calls us to depend on His power to persevere. We wait in faith, prayer and grace. Presenter: Father Paul Hart, who is director of retreats at St. Joseph Abbey and director of the preaching ministry office of the Mid-America Province of the Capuchin Order. He conducts retreats, parish development programs, and religious education workshops. He also serves as chaplain at Brother Martin High School. The retreat center’s capacity is limited due to COVID-19 and they are currently accepting registration on a first come first serve basis. A non-refundable deposit is required. Details: to register, contact the retreat office at (504) 267-9604 or www.neworleansretreats.org/retreats.

PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS

GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are needed on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Please come to 711 Washington Avenue if you can help. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.
JACKSON – Catholic Charities, Bishop’s Ball, Friday, June 18, 6:30 p.m. cocktails; 7:30 p.m. dinner at the Country Club of Jackson. Live auction and live entertainment. Dress is cocktail attire. Cost: $85 per person or reserve table at $1,000 for eight people. Online auction and raffles begin on June 10 at www.bidpal.net/bb21. Details: Charities office at (601) 331-1152 or purchase tickets at www.bidpal.net/bb21.
OLIVE BRANCH Queen of Peace, Blood Drive will be Sunday, June 20 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Father John Young Center. Walk-ins are welcome. Details: church office (662) 895-5007.
JACKSON St. Richard, Fourth of July Family Picnic is back! Sunday, July 4 after 5 p.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 366-2335.

YOUTH BRIEFS

CLARKSDALE St. Catholic Community of St. Elizabeth and Immaculate Conception, Cornhole Tournament, Wednesday, June 2 at 5 p.m. in front of McKenna Hall. All youth entering 7-12 grades are welcome to attend and invite their friends. Wingstop will be served. Details: church office (662) 624-4301.
GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School, June 21-24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the parish hall. Details: Contact Mary Ann Barker (662) 335-5251 for more information or to sign up to help.
MADISON St. Joseph School, Annual Bruin Burn Color Run 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run, Saturday, July 24. All proceeds support the St. Joe Athletic Program for the benefit of all St. Joe Athletes. Details: Beth Vanderloo at (601) 906-9501 or bethbailey68@yahoo.com.
MERIDIAN Catholic Community of Meridian, Youth Gathering, Sunday, June 13 at 4 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Youth sixth grade through seniors are welcomed. Details: for more information, please contact Angela Dove at the Parish Office (601) 436-6025 or by email Angela@catholicmeridian.org.
Summer Parish Battle: How well do you know your Catholic Faith? Parish versus parish for a battle of the wits, Saturday, June 19 beginning with lunch/registration at 11 a.m. and ending with 5 p.m. Mass. All parish youth groups are invited to form teams to compete in trivia competitions and physical challenges and end the day with reconciliation, rosary and Mass. Teams can consist of youth (grades 6-12) and adults. Team with the most points at the end of the day wins trophy and bragging rights for a year! Registration is due by June 4 and there is no cost. Details: Angela Dove at angela@catholicmeridian.org or (601) 693-1321 or (601) 436-6025.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Regnum Dei – Finding God in All Things, June 14-18 (Week 1) and June 21-25 (Week 2). All parish youth groups (grades 9-12) are invited to their summer camp program. You can choose to attend one day, a few days or a whole week and join the youth for their summer service camp and lot of fun. Cost is $50 for the week or less depending on the number of days you plan to attend plus the hotel costs. There will be hotel blocks for any groups wishing to stay overnight. Registration is due by June 4. Details: Carrie Lambert at the church office (601) 445-5616 or stmaryyouth@cableone.net.
PEARL St. Jude, Join Vacation Bible School – family style (for youth in kindergarten to sixth grade), Wednesday evenings June 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Bring your picnic blankets or lawn chairs. The theme is Summer Games, centering on the life of Daniel. VBS will be celebrating a different Olympic continent (and saint from that continent) each week as students learn to train, compete and reach the goal through the story of Daniel. Registration is required. Families must register for each day and it will end 24 hours before the event. Details: Register at https://signup.com/group/444217444062 or call Stacy Wolf at 601-939-3181.
VICKSBURG (All parishes) Vacation Bible School “Camping in God’s Creation,” July 19-23 from 9-11:30 a.m. for kindergarten through sixth grades in the Vicksburg Catholic School gym and cafeteria. Details: Contact Lindsey Bradley at lindsey.bradley@vicksburgcatholic.org for more information.
Newman Connect App Please encourage your Class of 2021 grads to sign-up with the Newman Connection through the new Newman Connect App. This is completely free and it helps connect our young people to the Catholic Campus Ministry programs at the colleges and universities they plan to attend in the fall. Details: https://www.newmanministry.com for more information.

St. Dominic Behavioral Health celebrates 50 years with celebration, live art

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By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – To celebrate five decades, doctors, staff and program partners gathered to celebrate St. Dominic Behavioral Health on their campus on Friday, May 14. The present facility located on St. Dominic’s north campus was built in 2013 and currently has three patient care units with a total of 77 bed adults, senior and in-patient and outpatient programs, including outreach efforts for the community.

JACKSON – Artist, Kerry Jackson works on a piece of art in honor of St. Dominic Behavioral Health’s 50th anniversary. The piece will hang in the center’s lobby. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King)

At the event, Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth, current foundation associate executive director, shared remarks about the past, explaining that the program had its beginnings in 1971 with a psychiatric unit on the sixth floor of the main hospital on the south campus. In 1992, the psychiatric unit was moved to the north campus when St. Dominic acquired the land.
Also on hand at the event, was Dr. Kathy Crocket, executive director of Hinds Behavioral Health Services, who talked about the organizations shared history with St. Dominic Behavioral Health. Hinds Behavioral began in 1971 as the Jackson Mental Health Center and was attached to St. Dominic’s until 2004 when the name changed to Hinds Behavioral explained, Crocket. “I am proud to say that we continue to have a great partnership with St. Dominic’s Hospital,” said Crocket. “We look forward to continuing that partnership for many years to come.”
Mental health hits home for Dr. Jared Taylor, a staff psychiatrist at the center. He explained that millions of people have been helped through mental health services. “When I think about 50 years of Behavioral Health Services, I think about the millions of people who have been positively impacted by mental health. And when I say millions of people, I am not only talking about patients, but I am also talking about family members and friends.”
Taylor grew up in Jackson with a father, who suffered from schizophrenia. “Unfortunately, he did not get the help that he needed and so part of my goal as a psychiatrist is to help as many people as possible, so the same type of instance doesn’t occur again,” said Taylor.
He also talked about the increased rates of depression and anxiety that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on across the world; and that mental health is needed now more than ever.
Senior director, Bonnie Moore talked about some of the “wins” in her tenure at Behavioral Health, that included working with the FBI to help a lost and confused woman find her family. “We have a great team that is always thinking outside the box,” said Moore.
“Not everyday brings us uplifting experiences but here at St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health, everyday does offer a chance to show kindness to someone,” said Moore.
The celebration also included a commissioned live artistry by Kerry Jackson. While panelists spoke, Jackson completed a painting that will hang in the Behavioral Health lobby. Jackson travels the world communicating the Gospel using visual arts and traveled to his hometown of Jackson from Marietta, Georgia to be a part of the celebration.
Beginning with name tags with mental health disorders and symptoms, Jackson began painting various colorful shapes. It took a while, but the picture began to come together, and the crowd realized Jesus was there for comfort and support.
In his blessing for the celebration, Bishop Joseph Kopacz gave thanks to God. “Loving God, we give thanks for this joyful celebration of the 50th anniversary of the St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Center, that has been a haven of safety, healing and hope for many who have passed through these doors. We thank you for generations of dedicated staff, who have accompanied those in the need of the services of mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing.”
(St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Services strives to provide quality and compassionate treatment to individuals and their families suffering from mental illness. Their goal is to help each individual and their family achieve the best possible outcome. Assessment and referral specialists are available 24 hours/7 days a week at 1-800-632-5907.)

CDC director gives nod to indoor worship services for masked, vaccinated

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Updated COVID-19 protocols for the Diocese of Jackson

Editor’s note: The following is an abbreviated list of updated COVID-19 protocols from the diocese, as of April 30, 2021.
JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson acknowledges that the size and demographics of each parish community, as well as the size and layout of church buildings and parish facilities, will shape the way their repective priests and parish leaders decide with prudence and care the way to implement these policies and norms.
For Masses:
• Social distancing will be at 3 feet rather than 6 feet.
• Masks are still required.
• Communion will be received in the hand, not directly in the mouth.
• Hymnals and missalettes may be used in pews.
• Hand sanitizer should still be used by parishioners upon entrance to the church.
• Offertory should be collected using a basket placed in an accessible place, such as a table near the entrance to the church.
• Bulletins can be handed out to parishioners at Mass, but we also encourage our parishes to email bulletins to parishioners using Flocknote.
For meetings, gatherings, parish groups and outside groups, the local community will make the decision as to what it can accommodate in its facilities.
• Awareness of safety protocols needs to be followed when serving meals. Meals should still not be buffet style or self-serve.
• Social distancing should be observed in meetings, a minimum of 3 feet.
• The local community can decide if it is safe and prudent to allow non-parish outside groups to meet in the facilities at this time.
• The local community will decide the sanitizing and cleaning procedures needed at parish facilities.
• At these gatherings, masks should be worn as the norm but the particular situation can be evaluated.
Many parishes will be holding events for youth during the summer, including Vacation Bible School. These things should be kepts in mind:
• Outdoor activities for children and youth will minimize the risk of exposure.
• For trips, a preference should be made for local trips and trips of three hours or less, rather than long-distance trips.
• Service projects are feasible, as long as safety procedures and protocols are kept in mind.
• Meals and snacks should not be self-serve or buffet style. Individually wrapped snacks and food items minimize the safety risk.
We want to thank all of you for your efforts in keeping our parishioners safe during the pandemic. We can modify our protocols and procedures as described above to allow more flexibility, but this is not the time to let our guard down completely. We will get through the summer months with the hope that things will continue to improve. These modified procedures will allow us more flexibility. We will be constatntly monitoring the situation as reality changes.

(For a complete list of updated protocols, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/public-health-concerns/. Bishop Joseph Kopacz continues to dispense the faithful from the Sunday obligation to attend Mass. Please stay home if you are feeling unwell or do not feel safe attending Mass. At this time, many parishes are still offering live streaming services.)

By Carol Zimmermann
WASHINGTON (CNS) – When the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said April 27 that fully vaccinated people who wear masks can safely attend many indoor events such as worship services, the announcement likely did not catch many Catholics by surprise.
That’s because most Catholic parishes nationwide have been having in-person indoor Masses since last summer, although often with limited congregation sizes requiring parishioners to sign up in advance.
The setup of these Masses varies in each diocese and even at different parishes within a diocese. Some parishes are still following strict protocols; others are not requiring masks indoors, and some are offering indoor and outdoor Masses.
Parishes are also following state and county health guidelines that determine how many people may attend indoor services.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington March 18, 2021. (CNS photo/Susan Walsh, Pool via Reuters)

At the beginning of the pandemic, most bishops issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, but in recent months a growing number of bishops have lifted that dispensation. Last fall, Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, lifted the dispensation, then reinstated it two weeks later because of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the region.
Also, across the country, many parishes that quickly figured out how to livestream their Masses last spring are now continuing to provide this service, even as their congregations are starting to return.
A Catholic News Service reporter’s unofficial Twitter poll April 28 showed a mixed response about what Catholics planned to do for Sunday Mass the weekend after the green light for indoor worship was given – for those who are masked and vaccinated – by Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC director.
Most said they would attend Mass in person, and the next largest number of respondents said they had barely stopped going to Sunday Masses in person this past year.
Those who gave specific responses offered a variety of reactions, from saying their parish does a good job with safety protocols to not feeling comfortable going to Mass at their parish, since face masks are not required. One woman said her parish offers indoor, outdoor and livestream Masses and, for now, she would continue attending the outdoor services.
John Kraemer, who attends Christ the Good Shepherd Parish in Saginaw, Michigan, said that as soon as churches reopened, he was “one of the first ones in the door.”
“For someone who has a disability, it was important for me to attend no matter what. So, in that respect, other than when the parishes were closed, I never stopped going. Masked or otherwise,” he said in an email.
A Twitter response from the Hawaii Catholic Herald, archdiocesan newspaper of Honolulu, said: “We’ve been back to in-person attendance for a while now here in Hawaii. Bishop Silva actually lifted the dispensation on attending Mass as of Easter Sunday, so you have to attend unless you have just cause, like a health complication.”
Bishop Larry R. Silva wasn’t the only bishop to lift the Mass dispensation originally made at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dioceses in Texas, South Dakota and Wisconsin began telling Catholics this past fall that they were once again obligated to attend Sunday Mass unless they felt they could not attend because of health reasons or concerns.
The trend continued in February when Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron announced he was lifting the dispensation for Mass on Sundays and holy days effective March 13. He said he would grant “particular dispensations” to those in need, including those at high risk of COVID-19.
Churches in several states this past year defended their right to worship indoors or with fewer restrictions in court battles that ultimately were resolved by the Supreme Court.
Most recently, a Supreme Court decision in late February allowed indoor worship services in Santa Clara County, California. Earlier that month, the nation’s high court had given California churches the go-ahead to resume indoor worship services with a ban on singing and chanting and a limit of 25% capacity.
“Banning indoor worship and yet allowing people to gather at airports, personal services establishments and retail shopping is unconstitutional – and the Supreme Court has said so several times,” said Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, the diocese in the county where the ban had been in effect.
He said in a statement that he was grateful for the work of these churches in the county and their “efforts to uphold our right to worship” as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
“As we continue to protect the most vulnerable among us, the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is still in effect. Parishes will continue to offer outdoor and livestream Masses wherever possible for parishioners who are vulnerable to COVID-19 or hesitant about indoor worship,” he added.
He also urged the Catholic community to “move forward in hope, continuing all necessary safety precautions” and receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when they could.

(Follow Zimmermann on Twitter: @carolmaczim)

Bishop pierces ‘cloud of hate and fear’ with statement after 1963 assassination of civil rights leader, Evers

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From the Archives
By Mary Woodward
JACKSON – June 12, 1963, is a date that every Mississippian should remember for it was on this day that Medgar Evers was gunned down outside his home in Jackson upon returning home at night after meetings of the NAACP. It was just before midnight of June 11. Evers was the local Field Secretary and was a target of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Normally, Evers’ routine upon arriving at home was to walk around the front of his car and into his house, thus putting the car between himself and the darkness where someone could be hiding. That fateful night because of items in the back of the car to be unloaded he went the opposite direction and a gunman shot from the bushes and killed him.
One of the bullets went through Evers’ body through the window of the house and into the kitchen. He bled to death in his driveway in front of his wife and children. The driveway still holds the stain of his blood. Byron de la Beckwith was convicted of the crime some 30 years later. Evers is buried in Arlington National Cemetery as he was a veteran of WWII.
During this same time, the diocesan priests and Bishop Gerow were on retreat in Bay St. Louis. Word of the assassination arrived there later that morning. The following accounts are taken from the diary of Bishop Gerow. It was a very volatile time.

“While everything is going so beautifully here at the retreat, currently, it is not going so well in Jackson in reference to the race question. I got news over the radio that today Medgar Evers, who has been the Field Secretary for the NAACP, and who, according to Father Gasper, was a fine, honest and respectable gentleman, was murdered. This murderer shot him at a distance when he was going from his automobile to his home. So far, the identity of the murderer is not known. I know that this is going to cause much trouble.”
As a point of information, the Evers sent their children to Christ the King Catholic School because they felt they would be safer there.
Bishop Gerow writes on June 14, 1963: “Naturally, the city is very much upset over the assassination of Medgar Evers. Up to this time, I have refrained from making any public statements in the newspaper. However, now the time has arrived for some sort of statement, so with the help of Father Law and Bill Minor, one of our fine Catholic newspapermen in the city, we drafted a statement and sent it to the local newspapers…and gave it to the national press and radio. Then as an act of charity…we visited the wife of the murdered man.”
“The assassination of Medgar Evers is certainly a shocking and saddening occurrence in our community and is more meaningful than the death of one man. I personally extend my heartfelt sympathy to the wife and children of Mr. Evers and convey to them my blessing and assurance of my prayers.
“I am saddened when I review the events of recent days and weeks. As a loyal son of Mississippi and a man of God, I feel in conscience compelled to speak out in the face of the grave racial situation in which we now find ourselves.
“This problem is unmistakably a moral one. We need frankly to admit that the guilt for the murder of Mr. Evers and the other instances of violence in our community tragically must be shared by all of us. Responsible leadership in some instances has been singularly lacking.
“I entreat our leaders and men of good will of both races to find some common ground on which to build a civic order based on human dignity and a concept of justice under God’s law. Rights which have been given to all men by the Creator cannot be the subject of conferral or refusal by men.
“The Declaration of Independence of this great nation has given us the proper attitude in this regard, in the words, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’
“Our conscience should compel us all to acknowledge the deep moral implications of this problem, and to take some positive steps towards recognizing the legitimate grievances of the Negro population. In the name of our common faith in God the Father let us all join together in prayer that the clouds of hate and fear may be pierced by the light of justice and fraternal love.”
Bishop Gerow received hate mail and phone calls from people, including Catholics, around the state and country for his visit to Mrs. Evers and for his statement. To one of these who expressed dismay that Bishop Gerow had visited Mrs. Evers, he replied: “I did it; I wanted the world to know it, and I was proud of the fact that I had done it because the family had suffered a tremendous injustice and it was really a national disgrace.”
The words of Bishop Gerow’s statement if put in modern terms would be very fitting to today’s climate. It seems we really are still in a climate where we need the cloud of hate and fear to be pierced by the light of justice and love.
Next issue a visit to New Orleans…

(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson)

In memorium: Sister Geraldine “Geri” Hoye, OP

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SINSINAWA, Wis. – Sister Geraldine “Geri” Hoye, OP, died May 4, 2021, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wisconsin. Her religious name was Sister Mary Geraldine. The funeral Mass was held at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa, May 11, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Sister Geri made her first profession as a School Sister of Saint Francis of Christ the King (Lemont, Ill.) Aug. 16, 1957, and her perpetual profession Aug. 16, 1962. She served in education for 30 years as teacher and principal before transferring her vows to the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa in 1990. Sister Geri remained in educational administration for another three years before moving into parish ministries, including religious education, faith formation, and pastoral ministry, for the next 23 years. She opened her heart to people as she guided them in their faith life, sharing abundant joy, kindness and humor. Sister Geri served in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Mississippi and Kentucky.
In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Geraldine served as pastoral minister and director of religious education at St. James Parish, Tupelo, 1992-1999.
Sister Geri was born April 4, 1938, in Chicago, the daughter of William and Angeline (Besowshek) Hoye. Her parents and two brothers, Roger Hoye and Ronald Hoye, preceded her in death. She is survived by a nephew, nieces and her Dominican Sisters.
Memorials may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI, 53824-9701 or online at www.sinsinawa.org/donate.

School Sisters of St. Francis celebrate Jubilee

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MILWAUKEE, Wis. – More than three dozen School Sisters of St. Francis of the United States Province will celebrate milestone anniversaries of service as women religious in 2021. One sister celebrating a milestone is Sister Rose Hacker, currently serving at Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Walls.

Sister Rose Hacker was born in Pratt, Kansas. She received a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas; a master of arts degree in biology from Wichita State University in Kansas; and a master of arts in pastoral ministry from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Rose served as a researcher/teacher at the University of Mississippi in Oxford (1983-1987) and since 2017 has served as pastoral assistant at Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Walls/Olive Branch.

In the Archdiocese of Omaha, sister taught at Ryan High School in Omaha (1981-1982) and served as a researcher/teacher at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha (1987-1988).

In the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, Sister served as a pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Parish in Spencer (1990-1996) and Sacred Heart Parish in Boone (2005-2017).

In the Diocese of Dodge City, Kansas, Sister served as pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Dodge City (1996-1998).

In the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Sister served as pastoral minister at St. Gregory Parish in Maryville, Missouri (1998-2005).

Cards and donations in honor of sister’s years of service may be mailed to sister’s attention, c/o Jubilee Committee, School Sisters of St. Francis, 1545 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215.

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

DIOCESE Bishop Kopacz has given his permission to begin the application process for a new cohort of permanent deacons for the Diocese of Jackson. Applicants will only be accepted into the program if there is evidence that the community needs the service of the applicant and is willing to support the applicant through his formation period. The local pastor’s or LEM’s recommendation is also necessary because he will be working closely with the applicant before and after ordination. The applicant’s wife must also give her consent to his participation in the program and later to his ordination. Applications must be completed and submitted to the Office of the Permanent Diaconate no later than July 31, 2021. Details: Deacon John McGregor at john.mcgregor@jacksondiocese.org.
GRAND COTEAU, La. Our Lady of the Oaks, Ladies Annual Retreat, Dec. 2-5 for ladies of the Natchez area. Would you like to grow closer to God? Do you need some time away to listen to Him, to grow, to rest? Experience the natural beauty of oak trees and the beautiful setting of nature. You are invited to join us to rest in the care of the Lord in silence, solitude, deep prayer and reflection. $50 deposit due as soon as possible to hold room as they fill up quickly. Details: Please contact Kot Morris at (601) 334-8339.
MOBILE, Ala. Spring Hill College, Summer Institute of Christian Spiritualty is offering courses that are appropriate with our current world situation. Those interested do not have to be enrolled in their Theology programs to take courses either for credit, audit, or easy listening. They offer both in person and virtual courses, as well as on-campus housing. One of the courses is “Black and Catholic, Faithful and Free” on Sister Thea Bowman and M. Shawn Copeland, on June 14-17, 6:30-9:30 p.m. (also available online). Emily Reimer-Barry, Ph.D. is the guest lecturer. It will explore the Black Catholic experience in America, with the goal of recognizing the impact of bias, and fostering genuine-if-imperfect-solidarity in the ongoing struggle for racial justice. Details: Visit the online catalogue at: https://springhill.catalog.instructure.com/browse/sics.

PARISH, FAMILY AND SCHOOL EVENTS

GREENVILLE St. Joseph, Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are needed on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Please come to 711 Washington Avenue if you can help. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.
TUPELO St. James, Annual Charity Concert, under Dr. Noel Garcia’s direction, Saturday, August 14, hosted by the Knights of Columbus. This year’s proceeds will go to the Roy Jaeger Into the Breach Scholarship. More information on tickets to come. Details: church office (662) 842-4881.
YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Adult Religious Education classes will meet each Sunday at 9 a.m. in the small room at the Parish Hall. All guidelines will be followed as well as the wearing of masks. Details: church office (662) 746-1680.

YOUTH BRIEFS
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth, Vacation Bible School, “Treasured: Discovering You’re Priceless to God” June 28 – July 2 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for those entering Pre-K4 through 6th grade. All VBS t-shirt orders must be paid in advance. Details: To sign up, call the church office at (662) 624-4301 or register online.
MADISON St. Francis of Assisi, if you have a child or know a child who would like to participate in St. Francis Boy Scouts Troop 716, please contact the Scout Master David Ellis at ellisd3.de@gmail.com.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, CYO (9-12 grades) meets Wednesday, May 19 for “Be Still” from 6-7 p.m. in the youth wing of the Family Life Center. Tacos, burritos, and waters will be provided. Attending students receive service hours. Please bring your cell phone and wear face masks. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
STARKVILLE St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School, June 21-24, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Open to children ages five through fourth grade. Details: Deacon Jeff Artigues at deaconjeff@stjosephstarkville.org or (662) 323-2257.
TUPELO St. James, Vacation Bible School, June 7–11, 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Catholic Life Center. Help is needed in a variety of ways: group leaders, decorators the week before, monitors for certain activities, and extra help as needed. Teen volunteers need to fill out a registration form and adults should call Lora Beth Barrett. Healthy food snacks (individually wrapped items only). We also need donations of decorating and craft supplies (A detailed list of these items will be provided later. Bring items to the CLC kitchen or parish office. Registration and volunteer sign-up forms are available at the church office, in the CLC foyers, and online at https://www.saint-james.net. Children must be registered by May 16 in order to receive a free t-shirt. Details: Lora Beth Barrett at (662) 213-7959 or lorabethb@gmail.com.
YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Vacation Bible School tentatively scheduled for June 4-6. Details: contact Babs McMaster if you would like to help at the church office (662) 746-1680

There’s no place like Nome

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By Joe Lee
MADISON – In preparation for his retirement in June 2019, Msgr. Elvin Sunds purchased a pickup truck and a travel trailer with an eye on visiting national parks around the country. Aware of this, Bishop Joseph Kopacz alerted Sunds of ongoing pastoring opportunities in the small Alaskan town of Nome, should he want to venture that far. This year everything came together to make that road trip (actually an air trip) a reality.

“The bishop in Alaska has a real priest shortage up there, and congregations can go without Masses for long periods of time,” Sunds said. “I agreed to fill in for the pastor of St. Joseph Church in Nome for three weeks so he could visit his family in India.”

Sunds, who fills in at St. Francis of Assisi in Madison, flew out of Jackson on April 13, leaving behind muggy conditions and temperatures in the low 80s. He knew to pack a lot of clothing he would never use this time of year in Mississippi.

“Nome has a population of less than 4,000 and is a little over 100 miles below the Arctic Circle,” he said. “When I arrived, there was two feet of snow on the ground and temperatures were in the teens.
“The area is incredibly beautiful. It has mountains, valleys, tundra, coastal waters, rivers, lakes, and an abundance of wildlife. The scenery is particularly stunning in snow. It was a major site of the Alaskan gold rush of the early 1900s. Today gold mining is still the major industry.”

How utterly vast is Alaska? The annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race begins in Anchorage and finishes a jaw-dropping 1,049 miles later in Nome. To reach his destination, Sunds flew to Dallas, across the country to Seattle, then to Anchorage before a 90-minute flight (covering 540 miles) to Nome. He found the people to be friendly and warm, despite the many layers of dress.

“About half the people of Nome and St. Joseph Church are Eskimo and half are of European descent,” he said. “Life is simple, and people live simply. A lot of them are grateful for Mass being available, even once a month.”

“Houses are small and well-insulated because of the cost of heating. Winter temps often reach more than 30 below zero. Food and supplies are expensive because everything must be flown in. Fuel oil and gasoline is brought in by barge twice a year. Snowmobiles and four-wheelers outnumber cars and trucks, and all must be brought in by barge.”

The average attendance for the three weekends Sunds celebrated Mass at St. Joseph was 25, down due to COVID. Remarkably, the tiny parish serves three mission churches. The community of Teller is 71 miles from Nome by dirt road and impassable from October through May because of snow; they have Mass weekly from June to October.

Then there’s Kotzebue, 180 miles away by plane and offering Mass once a month. Finally. St. Joseph serves Diomede, an island 130 miles out on the Bering Sea and one mile from Russian territorial waters. Diomede has Mass twice a year since the island is only accessible by helicopter.

“What attracted me to the Jackson Diocese many years ago was Jackson being a mission diocese—only two percent of the population across the area was Catholic. The Diocese of Fairbanks is almost eleven times the area of the Diocese of Jackson, but most it is wilderness. It has 12,300 Catholics and only two active diocesan priests.

“There are sixteen other priests serving the diocese who are either members of a religious order or on temporary loan from other dioceses. This was a whole new experience of mission diocese.”
Sunds said his volunteer pastoring in Alaksa has given him a better understanding of the mission work of the church outside Mississippi and a deeper appreciation of the work of our own diocese. And he didn’t lose his sense of humor while pastoring in The Last Frontier.

“The only way to Nome is by plane or dogsled,” he said. “While all roads may lead to Rome, no roads lead to Nome.”

Featured photo Safe place and prayers …

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JACKSON – There was a bit of excitement outside of the Chancery building on Thursday, April 29 when a woman pulled into the lot with her car on fire. All was well after the fire department arrived and made sure the scene was safe. Prayers were said and the woman had a safe place to rest while the scene was cleared. Deacon John McGregor was first on the scene with a fire extinguisher. Pictured are passersby of the scene. (Photo by Tereza Ma)

The archives vault, a ‘national treasure’

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From the Archives
By Mary Woodward
JACKSON – This week I thought I would share some photos of the diocesan archives vault. This space was built into the ground floor of the diocesan chancery building during its construction in 1947.

Bishop R.O. Gerow moved the bishop’s office to Jackson from Natchez and brought most of the files with him. Our archives have documents dating back to the 1780s and has some books that date back farther than that.

To be honest we have one of the most complete archives of Mississippi history in the state albeit a history through the unique lens of the development of the Catholic Church in the region. The collection is a national treasure.

As a meticulous historian who knew the importance of maintaining proper records and information, Bishop Gerow, assisted by various chancellors along the way, built this comprehensive collection we have in the vault over a period of 42 years.

He kept a detailed diary as did his predecessors of the daily events in the life of the church as he lived them. His diary is several thousand pages typed up neatly and bound in volumes. His last entry details his retirement in 1966.
He also oversaw the indexing of his predecessors’ papers and correspondence along with all the official acts of the office of bishop and the diocesan church.

These photos show the enormous amount of work he did and the work that continues today. The vault is stacked to the ceiling and records since 1966 are slowly being indexed for future research. There is a great need for space and the vision is to one day have a building for the diocesan archives that can serve as a research center and small museum for educational purposes. Right now, we manage the best we can with the allotted space for our treasure. And we hope one day to be able to better share that treasure in a more appropriate environment.

Until then, I hope you will continue to appreciate the history we share in the space provided in this column.

(Mary Woodward is Chancellor and Archivist for the Diocese of Jackson.)