Category Archives: Diocesan News

Q&A: Father Aaron Williams

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Top left, Father Aaron Williams waits to be called by name at his ordination Mass. At right, Father Williams with his neices, Hadley and Eva Williams. At bottom left, Father Williams celebrates his first Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. (Photos by Maureen Smith and Tereza Ma)

Background:
Father Aaron Williams is a Jackson native who knew from his earliest memories that he wanted to be a priest. Chancellor Mary Woodward, who watched Father Williams grow up, allowed him to serve at a very young age. His family jokes that this was a way to make him sit still during Mass. He has one older brother, Matthew, and sister-in-law Marie, who have two girls, Ava and Hadley.
In addition to loving the liturgy, Father Williams is a life-long learner. “I attended St. Therese Catholic School for a few years and finished at St. Richard Catholic School. I did middle and high school at St. Joseph in Madison. After graduating from high school, I entered St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana, where I earned a B.A. in Philosophy. From there I entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, where I earned an Masters in Divinity. I will complete the course requirements this summer to also earn a M.A. in Liturgical Studies from the Liturgical Institute in Mundelein, Illinois,” he said.
Father Williams will share his love of learning with the students at Greenville St. Joseph School, where he will teach fifth and sixth grade this fall as well as serving as parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish.
Father Williams’ mother, Julia is a long-time employee of the diocese, having worked at Madison St. Joseph School, the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and now as the Human Resources coordinator for the Diocese of Jackson.

Home parish: The Cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle
 
Favorite Saints and why?
Saint Philip Neri. He is a model of priestly zeal and joy. He was known both for his deep devotion to the Lord, but also the levity by which he handled himself. He was fiercely devoted to his friends, and sought to grow in love with the Lord by forming communities of other devoted persons around him who could work together in fraternity to spread the gospel message and offer fitting worship to God.
 
Do you have a favorite devotion, religious image or prayer and why?
I have a great love for the Divine Office. There are certain texts which pop up each year that I look forward to hearing again and again. My favorite prayer is the Suscipe of Saint Ignatius of Loyola — it entrusts the whole will to the Lord, confident that He will take care of us, and requests His grace as our only benefit. 

Who vested you at ordination and why?
Father Jeffrey Waldrep. He was my pastor when I entered seminary and provided me great help and encouragement in making that step.

Do you have any hobbies?
I am an organist and composer. I also enjoy reading theology and research, though I occasionally read or listen to a fictional book. Apart from that, I am a cyclist when time permits it and enjoy going out to see new movies.
 
In what parishes have you served?
St. Francis in Brookhaven, St. Mary’s in Yazoo and All Saints in Belzoni, St. Jude in Pearl, and St. Patrick and St. Joseph in Meridian.
 
Can you tell me a little about your vocation story ?
I’ve always wanted to be a priest. I began serving at the Cathedral when I was very young and began to love the Mass. This love was encouraged by my parents, pastors, members of the Cathedral, and my school teachers. Eventually I applied to the seminary in my senior year of high school.
 
Can you share something about yourself people may not know?
My first year at Notre Dame Seminary I published a volume containing English adaptations of the Gregorian Chants used for Vespers (Evening Prayer) on Sundays and Feasts during the academic year. It is the only book of it’s kind currently in existence. I have received multiple requests from religious communities and houses to finish the text to include the full liturgical year, but I have been unable to make time to respond to these requests.
 
What advice do you have for those discerning a vocation?
My generation has a tendency to see discernment (or all life decisions) as a sort of all-or-nothing consideration—one choice necessitates the closing of all other pathways. But, a true discernment is not a negative choice. We choose a certain path out of love for that life, and ultimately out of love for the Lord. Certainly there will be difficulties along the way, but love is powerful enough to drive us on despite the apparent sacrifices which will need to be made. But, we need not immediately consider all those sacrifices—they will come in time. Discernment in the present moment means to follow the movements of the heart, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He will guide us into all truth, and we have no need to fear following Him wherever He leads.

Is there one part of priesthood in particular you are looking forward to?
I am looking forward to celebrating the Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and hearing confessions.
 
What are you looking forward to about your first parish assignment?
I have a great love of teaching and sharing the faith. My assignment in Greenville will have me directly teaching in the elementary school and continually present in the high school.

Q&A: Father Nick Adam

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Far Left, Father Nick Adam thanks those who attended his first Mass at Jackson St. Richard. Center, Father Adam with nine of his 12 neices and nephews after Mass. At right, Father Adam blesses Cy Steven, who was an altar server for the first Mass. (Photos by Maureen Smith and Julie Bordes)

Background:
“I am the youngest of eight children, so certainly attending lots of weddings and welcoming many in-laws has been a staple of the Adam family. So has welcoming a lot of nieces and nephews. I am so lucky to have 12 happy nieces and nephews running around,” he said.
His family moved to Elberta, Ala., along the Gulf Coast, when he was 10.
“I was a student at St. Benedict School (4th-8th grade). My mother was my principal during this time. Since we lived so close to the state line the closest Catholic high school was in Pensacola, Florida, so I attended Pensacola Catholic High School. After high school I was sure I wanted to be a sports broadcaster, so I enrolled at the University of Alabama and studied broadcast journalism. I graduated in 2008 and moved to Meridian to work at WTOK – TV.”
While he was in Meridian he began to discern a call to the priesthood. He got support while he discerned from then pastor Father Frank Cosgrove.
Nick’s siblings filled several pews at both his ordination and first Mass, a Mass he celebrated for his mother. “My mother, Claudia, died in 2014 after a long bout with cancer. I remain filled with gratitude for the support that was given to my family by the Church of Jackson during that time. Especially significant was when St. Patrick and St. Joseph in Meridian sent a bus down to Alabama full of parishioners to pray for my mother at the funeral. I learned a ton from my mother, and I believe that this is the culmination of a really awesome plan that God had for me that my mom helped me to see.”

Home parish:
St. Patrick/St. Joseph (Meridian) 

Favorite Saints and why?
St. Peter is always a go-to because of his courageous imperfection. He is so willing to put himself out there, and yet we also have so many examples of his own mistakes. I also love St. Paul for his untiring boldness. He gets knocked down again and again and again and just goes back to preach the truth no matter the cost. 

Do you have a favorite devotion, religious image or prayer and why?
Having been formed at a seminary called Notre Dame, it is hard to go with any devotion other than one to Our Lady. For the last four years we have ended community prayer with the Marian hymn tota pulchra es (you are all beautiful, Mary). This has become a source of great love and devotion for me.

Who vested you at ordination and why?
Father Frank Cosgrove will vest me at my ordination. He is not only the first person to talk to me about priesthood, but he has also become a very trusted friend and reliable support for me during my discernment and will continue to be a great friend and support as I enter priestly life.

Do you have any hobbies?
I love to play basketball, I am trying to love to golf. I love to talk about sports, to listen to people talk about sports, and to watch sports and then talk about them. I also love any movie that is clever, and can entertain you and make you think about something deeper without resorting to cheap effects or immoral shock value. I love a good book, though it takes me a while to get rolling on them! 

In what parishes have you served?
I have served at St. Jude (Pearl), St. Alphonsus (McComb), St. Dominic Hospital (Jackson), and St. Richard (Jackson).
 
Can you tell me a little about your vocation story?
So yes, about the call and all that! Ok so I had stopped going to Mass while I was in college, and didn’t go to Mass for a while after moving to Mississippi. In 2009 I finally darkened the doorstep of St. Patrick in Meridian. At that Mass I felt an unmistakeable call to something greater, or perhaps more accurately, deeper. I “felt” God calling me, but I didn’t know what he was calling me to. Father Frank Cosgrove helped me immensely during this time to discern the desire that I was experiencing. Eventually it became clear that I needed to check out the seminary, but this took a while to figure out since I had never heard of a seminary before!
My time in seminary has been a gift. I began my formation at St. Joseph Seminary College near Covington, Louisiana where I was educated by the Benedictine monks in philosophy and much much more. Then I moved to Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans for four years of theological studies. The best thing about the seminary is the fraternity. I was able to learn and live with men who loved God and who wanted to live a life of virtue. Some of those men left formation before being ordained, many are being ordained this summer along with men, and all of us have been made better by the experience.
Along with Father Frank, I am grateful to all the priests who serve on the faculties of both seminaries, as well as the lay professors. I learned so much about living a life of holiness just by witnessing their example. I am especially grateful to Father Jim Wehner, Rector of Notre Dame, whose tireless leadership and spiritual fatherhood was an incredible source of life to me during my time in New Orleans.
 
Can you share something about yourself people may not know?
I was behind the camera of a viral video that gets shared on YouTube every football season. I interviewed a student at the University of Alabama for a story I was working on about the rivalry between Alabama and Tennessee. This guy really didn’t like Tennessee, like, really. He goes on for about two minutes about all the things that are wrong with the UT football team, and all the Alabama fans love to watch it every year. AL.com actually tracked us both down a year ago to do a “where are they now,” and it was funny because I was in my collar! Ha!
 
What advice do you have for those discerning a vocation?
Spend time in prayer, and spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and when the Lord is really working on you, speak to someone you trust about the way God is working in your life.

Is there one part of priesthood in particular you are looking forward to?
Hearing confessions intimidates me, humbles me, but is also something that I looking forward to. The Sacrament of Penance has been such a source of life to me that I am excited about celebrating that sacrament for others.
 
What are you looking forward to about your first parish assignment?
The first full day. Yes, I am looking forward to my ordination, my first Mass, etc., but I really am excited about the first full day in the office, starting with celebrating Mass, then responding to whatever is happening on that day. I have realized that life is not about one moment, but it is about constantly coming closer to the Lord through each and every choice you make each and every day, and so I am looking forward to the first full day in the office, the first full day of living as a priest in the parish.

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IN MEMORIAM

Sister Mary O’Donnell, OP, died on June 6. Her religious name was Sister Mary Colum. Sister Mary was born Nov. 13, 1929, in Attleboro, Massachusetts. She taught math and physics for 56 years, serving in a high school and colleges. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Mary served as a graduate assistant at University of Mississippi, Jackson, from 1980-1984.
The funeral Mass was held at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa on June 12, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI, 53824-9701 or online at www.sinsinawa.org/donate.
Sister Madalyn Hogan, BVM (Renata), a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, died May 13 in Dubuque, Iowa. She was 98. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Madalyn was a reading teacher at Clarksdale Immaculate Conception, where she also ministered to the sick and elderly. She worked in the business office of Tutwiler Clinic. Interment was at Mount Carmel cemetery, Dubuque. Memorials may be given to Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003 or at www.bvmsisters.org.
Sister Maria Ann Raef (Mary Esther), a School Sister of St. Francis, died on May 23 at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was 88. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Maria taught at Sacred Heart School, Walls (1959-1965). A wake and funeral liturgy were held on May 30, at St. Joseph Convent Chapel, Milwaukee. Interment was at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

CHATAWA St. Mary of the Pines Retreat Center, Icon workshop/retreat for students who are beginners in iconography, August 20-27. They will be led by Father Igumen Mefodii from the Prosopon School of Iconography. Suggested donation: $1,145. Details: Sister Sue Von Bank (601) 783-0801 retreatcenter@ssndcp.org.
FORT SMITH, Ark, St. Scholastica Monastery, July 19 – 22, Standing in the Presence: the Benedictine way for everyone. Presenter: Sister Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB. The focus will be Benedictine spirituality as a pathway for spiritual growth. Cost: $300. Lodging and meals are included. Deadline for registration is July 5. Details: retreats@stscho.org or www.stscho.org/retreats or (479) 783-1135.
GREENWOOD Locus Benedictus Spirituality Center, The Redemptorist priests of Greenwood are now available at the retreat center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 p.m. for spiritual direction, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and prayer. Details: (662) 451-7980.
HOLLY SPRINGS, “Hands-ON + Hearts-IN” provides week-long discernment experiences for women who are considering life as a Catholic Sister on the following dates: August 22-25 and September 10-14. The only cost to attend is the travel to and from the workshop and travel assistance can be provided. Jointly hosted by the Sisters of the Living Word, the Chicago Archdiocesan Vocation Association and Sacred Heart Southern Missions. Applicants must register one full month prior to the start of a specific program. Details: Sister Sharon Glumb, SLW, (847)-577-5972 ext. 233 (office), (601) 291-6738 (cell) or sglumb@slw.org.

PARISH, SCHOOL AND FAMILY EVENTS

AMORY St. Helen, Book Discussion on To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, Monday, July 9, at noon in the parish hall. Details: (662) 256-8392.
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth, college/young adult Bible study meets Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and will be discussing popular questions about Catholicism. Details: Sarah Cauthen at the church office (662) 624-4301 or (662) 645-6260
GLUCKSTADT St. Joseph, “Extending Our Reverence” – Christian Yoga Workshop, begins Tuesday, July 10 at 6 p.m. in the parish hall. It is a four-week workshop and will focus on breathing, movement, body alignment and meditation with Lectio Divina. The workshop is limited to 10 spaces and is being taught by Teresa Speer. Cost: $20 donation. Sign-up sheets are on the table in the church foyer. Details: (601) 856-2054.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Parish Blood Drive in the O’Connor Family Life Center, Tuesday, July 31, 12:30 – 6 p.m. Details: (601) 445-5616.
Choral Concert, Wednesday, July 18 at 7 p.m. Free admission and open to the public. Guest Conductor: Dr. Rollo Dilworth. Details: (601) 445-5616.
YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Parish Potluck Lunch, Sunday, July 15 after 10:30 a.m. Mass in the Parish Hall cafeteria. The church will provide the meat, bread and drinks. Parishioners’ last names A-D, please bring a salad, E-H, please bring a meat or vegetable casserole, I-Q, please bring a vegetable, R-Z, please bring a dessert. Details: (662) 746-1680.

YOUTH BRIEFS

AMORY St. Helen, Vacation Bible School, July 22-24, 5-8 p.m., with a closing cookout at 6 on Wednesday, July 25. This year VBS for St. Helen and First Presbyterian children will be held at First Presbyterian Church. Details: (662) 256-8392.
MADISON St. Joseph School Gym, Bruin Cheer Camp, July 16-20, 9 a.m. – noon for rising K-6th graders. Cost: $150. Details: Coach Racheal Cole at rbcole1225@gmail.com.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Summer Choir Camp, July 16-20, 9-11:30 a.m. Let your child learn the joy of song in the context of children’s choir. Students also will complete a visual arts project and serve as music ministers for the 5 p.m. Vigil Mass on Saturday, July 21. Details: Register online at www.stmarybasilica.org or email Musicdirector@cableone.net.

Pastoral Assignments

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Father Peter Phong Nguyen, SVD

Upon the recommendation of Father Paul Kahan, SVD, provincal for the Society of the Divine Word, Father Peter Phong Nguyen, SVD, is assigned as pastor to Indianola Immaculate Conception and St. Benedict the Moor Parishes.
Father Cocou Cyriaque Sounou, SVD, is assigned as associate pastor of Greenville Sacred Heart Parish.

Bishop Kopaz, Diocese of Jackson

Rodney Sanders sentenced, forgiven for killing Mississippi Sisters

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By Maureen Smith
LEXINGTON – Rodney Earl Sanders pleaded guilty June 21 to murdering two religious sisters in their Mississippi home in 2016.
What he got in return was mercy, forgiveness and a call to redemption.
Holmes County Circuit Judge Jannie Lewis sentenced Sanders to two life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders, 25 years for the burglary of their home and another five for stealing their car.
Prosecutors could have taken the case to trial and asked for the death penalty, but those who knew the victims spoke against the death penalty from the very start of the case.
Friends, family members and those touched by the lives of Sister Paula Merrill, a member of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, and Sister Margaret Held, a member of the School Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee, each addressed Sanders directly in the courtroom, forgiving him and inviting him to seek forgiveness and redemption.
“God still has plans for you. You are loved by God,” said Rosemarie Merrill, Sister Paula’s sister. She told Sanders she prays for him, she has forgiven him and hopes he will change his life. “I hate what you did. I do not hate you,” said Merrill.
Sister Susan Gatz, president of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, spoke of how their community came to a place of forgiveness in the days after the murders.
“It was hard to believe at the time, and still is, that these two women, (religious) sisters and best friends, who spent decades helping the needy in one of the poorest counties in Mississippi, experienced such violence and suffering,” Sister Gatz said.
“To this day we continue to ask ourselves about Paula and Margaret’s last hours and minutes. How and especially why? Were they afraid? Did they defend or comfort one another? Did they beg for mercy?” she asked Sanders.
She also spoke of her hopes for Sanders. He even turned to look at her when she called him by name.
“We have longed for justice with regard to our two beloved sisters. And so, we support this plea agreement for life in prison without parole. It is justice that recognizes all life is valuable,” Sister Gatz continued.
“It is justice that holds out hope, always, that love can break through the hardest barriers. Mr. Sanders, we will never forget what you did to them and the suffering that has caused so many,” she said. “But because we believe in Christ and his Gospel, we forgive you.”
Two representatives from the School Sisters of St. Francis, reiterated the call to “value and respect life even as we seek justice and truth.” Sister Deborah Fumagalli, a member of the sisters’ provincial leadership team, said: “We are grateful your own life will not be subject to the same violence.”
She closed by telling Sanders that she is confident Sister Paula and Sister Margaret are praying for him.

Rodney Earl Sanders, right, walks past Sister Susan Gatz, left, and Sister Sangeeta Ayithamattam, both of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, after pleading guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of two Roman Catholic nuns, Sisters Margaret Held of the School Sisters of St. Francis, and Paula Merrill, of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, in 2016, in a Holmes County Circuit Courtroom, in Lexington, Miss., Thursday, June 21, 2018. Gatz read a personal message to Sanders. A plea agreement averted the possibility of the death penalty, which was opposed by the women's families and their religious orders. Sanders, 48, was given two life without parole sentences, plus 30 more years for burglary and car theft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The family of Sister Margaret Held, one of two Roman Catholic nuns that were murdered by Rodney Earl Sanders, in 2016, hold a picture of their sister, as a relative reads a family statement to Sanders, in a Holmes County Circuit Courtroom, in Lexington, Miss., Thursday, June 21, 2018. Sanders, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of the two religious women. A plea agreement averted the possibility of the death penalty, which was opposed by the women's families and their religious orders. Sanders, 48, was given two life without parole sentences, plus 30 more years for burglary and car theft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Marie Sanders, the wife of Rodney Earl Sanders, right, cries as she hugs various religious women, after her husband pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in a Holmes County Circuit Courtroom, in Lexington, Miss., Thursday, June 21, 2018, in the deaths of two Roman Catholic nuns, Sisters Margaret Held and Paula Merrill, in 2016. A plea agreement averted the possibility of the death penalty, which was opposed by the women's families and their religious orders. Sanders, 48, was given two life without parole sentences, plus 30 more years for burglary and car theft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The family of Sister Margaret Held, one of two Roman Catholic nuns that were murdered by Rodney Earl Sanders, in 2016, hold a picture of their sister, as a relative reads a family statement to Sanders, in a Holmes County Circuit Courtroom, in Lexington, Miss., Thursday, June 21, 2018. Sanders, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of the two religious women. A plea agreement averted the possibility of the death penalty, which was opposed by the women's families and their religious orders. Sanders, 48, was given two life without parole sentences, plus 30 more years for burglary and car theft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The two women religious were nurse practitioners at the Lexington Medical Clinic, about 10 miles from the house they shared in the Durant, Mississippi. They were found dead Aug. 25, 2016, in their home.
Police officers discovered the women’s bodies after co-workers called asking to check on them after they failed to report for work at the clinic. Their car was missing but found later parked on a street about a mile away.
Police apprehended Sanders some days later. He was charged with two counts of capital murder, larceny and burglary in connection with the incident.
A resident of Kosciusko, Mississippi, he had been temporarily living in a shed across the street from the sisters’ house. He told police he went through the back door of the sisters’ home, uninvited, and stabbed them both to death.
Two years later, three women religious live in that house, serving in different ministries but carrying on the late sisters’ legacy.
One of those, Sister Mary Walz, a Daughter of Charity, works as a social worker at the clinic. She spoke at the hearing about how the patients still miss the two slain sisters.
Sister Margaret’s sister Sue Zuern was the last to speak. Her brother Jim Held cradled a photo of Sister Margaret, pointing it at Sanders as his sister spoke.
“They had so much more love to give,” said Zuern through tears. “You gave them a death sentence.”
Zuern said she was grateful Sanders pleaded guilty so the families would be spared testimony in the case.
“I have prayed to Paula and Margaret and asked them what they want me to say to you. They want you to find God,” she said. She later added, “Sister Margaret and Sister Paula have forgiven you.”
Bishop Joseph Kopacz issued a statement late in the day saying, in part, ” I would like to applaud the investigators, prosecutors and the judge who helped bring this tragic case to a just conclusion, taking into account the wishes of the families and, indeed, the victims themselves, who would have opposed the death penalty. While we continue to mourn the loss of Sister Paula Merrill and Sister Margaret Held, we must also uphold the dignity of all people, including their murderer. We honor the memory of these two amazing women by continuing to call for a restorative justice without violence or revenge.”
After the hearing, Sister Margaret’s sister Annette Held spoke to the media. She said the day could be considered a kind of second birthday for Sanders.
“I feel like he might be thinking that this is sort of the end of his life, and I feel like this is a second – it’s kind of like a birthday for him if he wants it to be,” she said. “Because it’s not over for him.”
“Even in an awful place like a prison, he could choose to make something good out of that. I think particularly for his step-children,” said Held, adding that she hopes something good will come of the tragedy.
“I think redemption – you heard all those people saying ‘we forgive, we hope for you’ – in some ways I feel like that hearing was a blessed event that is giving this man a new opportunity if he chooses to take it,” she added.

Crossing over thresholds: Jonestown center welcomes new leadership

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JONESTOWN – A gospel choir sang, prayers were shared and friendships were reaffirmed in a ceremony on May 24 to transfer the sponsorship of the Jonestown Family Center (JFC) from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary to But God Ministries (BGM).

JONESTOWN – The Jonestown Family Center, pictured in Dec. 2016, is now under the care of But God Ministries. The Holy Name Sisters returned this summer to bless the new arrangement. (Mississippi Catholic file photo)

Holy Names Sisters Mary Ellen Holohan, Kathleen Hilton, Peggy Kennedy, Cathy Leamy, Kay Burton, Teresa Shields, and Maureen Delaney traveled to Jonestown and presented a framed blessing to BGM. About 80 people from the town gathered on the lawn in front of the center for the ceremony of transition. Sister Maureen gave the blessing while the other Sisters joined in prayers to support continued ministries to the people of Jonestown.
Sister Teresa related the history of the JFC, Sister Peggy thanked the JFC Board – which she has chaired for the past 10 years – and the board members all received gift cups made by Sister Kathryn Knoll with their names and the JFC logo on them.
Stan Buckley, the founder and executive director of BGM, said he believes God led him to Jonestown and Sister Teresa. He and his organization feel honored to carry on the ministry that ties in so well with the goals and values of BGM.
BGM has already constructed a new building in Jonestown called the Hope Center, which will house volunteer mission teams as well as providing office and meeting space. BGM volunteer crews have undertaken other projects in Jonestown including painting a local restaurant, establishing a dental office and building houses using the Habitat for Humanity model. Information about BGN can be found at www.butgodministries.com
Jonestown Durocher Service Development, founded by Sister Kay Burton, will continue to operate, and Sister Kay welcomes the presence of BGM.
After 30 years of ministry in Mississippi, the Holy Names Sisters will remain connected to the people of Jonestown and will support them through their prayers, as well as their presence whenever possible.
The text of the blessing from the Sisters reads:
A Blessing from the Sisters of the Holy Names For All The Days to Come
God surprises us with new life and abundance. May the days to come never cease to surprise you.
We trust the loving grace that frees the oppressed and restores justice. May the days to come amaze you with the wondrous changes that God’s love makes possible.
The faith that empowered and sustained the Sisters of the Holy Names in this place is your inheritance in the days to come.
In the holy names of Jesus and Mary, we bless all who minister among the people of Jonestown, Mississippi for all the days to come.

(Submitted by Jennifer Brandlon, director of communications and administrative services for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.)

Catholic Charities of Jackson wants to build attorney network

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – While the Diocese of Jackson is not currently fostering any children separated from their parents at the border, Catholic Charities’ Migrant Support Center is anticipating an uptick in asylum claims.
Program Director of the Catholic Charities Migrant Support Center, Amelia McGowan, visited Central American asylum seekers – primarily women and children – at the U.S./Mexico border in Nogales, Mexico, and heard their harrowing accounts of fleeing abuse and gang violence in their home countries to seek safety and refuge in the United States. In Mississippi, an increase in immigration raids – including arrests of individuals without criminal records – have torn apart Mississippi families, parishes, and communities.
In Mississippi, the Catholic Charities Migrant Support Center defends immigrant communities by providing representation for Mississippi’s most vulnerable immigrants, including asylum seekers and unaccompanied children, and conducting community engagement to spread awareness and support for immigrants within the state.
Mississippi asylum seekers – especially unaccompanied children – are in a particularly vulnerable position, as they must face a complex and daunting legal process, often without legal assistance. As Cardinal Daniel DiNardo wrote, “asylum is an instrument to preserve the right to life,” and the Migrant Support Center has answered this call, prevailing in more than 25 asylum cases for clients from eight countries.
With only two attorneys, however, the Migrant Support Center does not have the capacity to assist all in Mississippi who need asylum representation. The agency has set up a fundraiser online with hopes of training and mentoring a network of pro-bono attorneys throughout the state to defend Mississippi families and children fleeing persecution in their home countries, and increasing outreach and education to immigrant communities throughout the state. Donations can be made online through the Catholic Charities of Jackson Facebook page or by calling the agency at 601-355-8634.
McGowan also recommended the following agencies who are providing direct assistance to families at the border:
– Kino Border Initiative (a Jesuit organization providing supplies and support on both sides of the border): https://www.kinoborderinitiative.org/
– Tucson Samaritans (collaborate closely with Kino): https://www.tucsonsamaritans.org/
– CARA Pro Bono Family Detention Project (a consortium of legal service providers that include the Catholic Legal Immigration Network that provides legal services to detained families): https://caraprobono.org/
– Kids in Need of Defense (represent kids in removal proceedings): https://supportkind.org/

Graduating students

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MERIDIAN –The Catholic ommunities of St. Patrick and St. Joseph honored 14 graduates at the annual Baccalaureate Mass on Sunday, May 6. Each graduate received a Catholic Bible, a personal note and they along with their families were treated to lunch afterwards in the St. Patrick Family Life Center. (Photo by John Harwell)

COLUMBUS - Annunication staff join the rest of the student body to wave good-bye to the eighth graders as they leave campus on the last day of school, Thursday, May 24th. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)

JACKSON – At left, Deacon Nick Adam shakes Gracie Hamilton’s hand at the St. Richard sixth grade recognition Mass on Friday, May 25. Teacher Sarah Sistrunk looks on. (Photo by Dave Vowell)

NATCHEZ – Holy Family Kindergarten graduate Robert Terrell leading the graduates in the pledge of Allegiance before their ceremony. (Photo by Valencia Hall)

MADISON – Graduating St. Anthony sixth-grader JJ Tice receives congratulations from principal James Bell at the St. Anthony Mass to honor outgoing students held at St. Francis of Assisi Church. (Photo by Dave Vowell)

NATCHEZ – Cathedral Principal Norm Yvon sings to seniors before they walk the halls in their caps and gowns. During this tradition, students from pre-k through high school line the halls to cheer for the graduating students. (Photo by Cara Serio)

Snapshot reveals character of Class of 2018

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson’s Catholic High Schools awarded 169 diplomas during the week of May 21-26. These communities of faith, knowledge and service demonstrate their mission in each of their graduating classes.
The Catholic schools class of 2018 will claim $6,371,932 in scholarship money at colleges and universities across the nation including the Citadel, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Rice University in Texas, Rhodes, Spring Hill College and, of course, all three Mississippi universities.
Catholic schools earned state championship wins in football, tennis, swimming, cheer and baseball this year. The senior class logged a combined 11,320 hours of service participating in unique projects.
When students and administrators at Cathedral heard that the shelves were bare at Stewpot in Natchez, they got creative with the “Hem in the Headmaster Food Drive.”
“They were in major need of large canned goods. Cathedral Headmaster Norman Yvon encouraged students PreK 3 – 12th grade to bring canned goods and challenged them to “hem” in his office with as many canned goods as possible – and they did,” wrote counselor Jana Slay in an email to Mississippi Catholic. Cathedral students delivered three truckloads of canned goods to the Stewpot which overflowed the shelves.
Madison St. Joseph Students took a stand for children in need of medical care with their BruinThon, a fundraiser for Batson Children’s Hospital. “We stand for eight hours at the event in order to ‘stand for those who can’t,’ reminding ourselves of the blessing of our quality of life and reminding the children of the hospital that they are not forgotten,” said organizer Kathryn Sckiets. The effort raised more than $12,000 in one night.
The entire graduating class from Vicksburg Catholic’s St. Aloysius School volunteered together at the Good Shepherd Center.
Greenville St. Joseph students helped one of their own throughout the year. Aries Cotton, a St. Joseph eighth-grader and brother of senior Reggie Cotton, was diagnosed with Leukemia in October 2017. His classmates have supported his family throughout his diagnosis and treatment with different events, culminating with the “Color me Cured” 5-K color run. Seniors, Carsen Mansour Olivia DeAngelo, Sarah Hayek, Brice Johnson, Sarah Tonos, Erica Keller, Rebecca Jones and JoQuez Sanders came together to help plan the event, held May 31. All proceeds went to the Cotton family.
This edition is dedicated to the top students from the class of 2018, including students from all Catholic schools and one Catholic student from Indianola Academy.

For Valedictorian and Salutatorian profile click here: GRAD PAPER 2018