Around the diocese … and beyond








By Laura Grisham
HOLLY SPRINGS – Holy Family School recently celebrated its 75th anniversary with a three-day event filled with faith, fellowship and festivities. The school, a cornerstone of Catholic education in the region, has evolved from its beginnings as St. Mary’s School in 1948 to Cadet in 1969, and finally Holy Family in 1994.
The celebration began with a special Mass led by Bishop Joseph Kopacz. He was joined by SCJ Fathers Jack Kurps, Vien Nguyen, David Szatkowski and Guy Blair as co-celebrants. The Mass, enhanced by the angelic voices of St. Mary’s choir, set a reverent tone for the festive weekend.
Bishop Kopacz’s homily highlighted the school’s journey and the enduring contributions of its educators. “For 75 years, teachers, administrators and community leaders at Holy Family School have embodied the mind and heart of Christ, serving as beacons of hope and faith for students and families,” he said.
Drawing on the words of St. Paul, the Bishop celebrated the gifts of teaching, prophecy and service in the community of faith. He also tied the celebration to the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope, declared by Pope Francis for 2025. “Rejoice in hope, persevere in affliction, and be faithful in prayer,” he urged attendees, calling the milestone a testament to faith and resilience.
The festivities reflected the vibrancy of Holy Family’s legacy. Alumni traveled from as far as Alaska, Michigan and Illinois to reconnect and reminisce. St. Mary’s School alumni gathered to sing their school song, “The Bells of St. Mary’s,” rekindling fond memories.
Despite the dreary weather, celebration was attended by Holy Family students and parents, school alumni and people from across the Marshall County community. Throughout the weekend, participants enjoyed a mix of family-friendly activities, including performances by the students, basketball scrimmages, a bazaar, carnival games, a cake walk, grab bags, bingo and a silent auction. The celebration also featured a catered alumni dinner and dance, bringing together past and present members of the school community.
A Legacy of Service
Holy Family School’s story is one of adaptation and commitment to its mission. When it opened in 1948 as St. Mary’s School, it served 55 students across eight grades with just one teacher. The following year, enrollment grew, aided by the arrival of four School Sisters of St. Francis. By 1950, a high school was added, accommodating the rhythms of the cotton harvest by pausing classes in autumn.
In 1969, the school merged with St. Joseph School to become CADET (Christian Aided Development Through Extraordinary Training). In 1994, it adopted the name Holy Family to honor its Catholic roots and its dedication to serving children and families in Holly Springs.
Honoring Staff
Several staff members were recognized for their tenure and enduring commitment to the school, including Holy Family’s new principal, Cynthia Dixon, school secretary Cathy Walker (45 years) and teachers Artheria Relliford (35 years), Shirley Daugherty (50 years) and Srs. Julene Stromberg and Ramona Schmidknecht, OSFs, (retired).
As part of the anniversary, the Marshall County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution honoring Sister Ramona Schmidknecht, OSF, for her 56 years of service as an educator at St. Mary’s, CADET, and Holy Family School and 61 years of service to the Marshall County community.
Looking Ahead
Bishop Kopacz concluded his remarks by reflecting on the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a model for the community.
“May we strive to beat with the heart of Christ and serve with His mind,” he said, adding his hope that Holy Family’s legacy will endure for another 75 years.
With its rich history and unwavering mission, Holy Family School remains a beacon of hope, faith and service in Holly Springs and beyond.
(Laura Grisham is the PR and Communications manager for Sacred Heart Southern Missions in Walls, Mississippi.)
By Gina Christian
(OSV News) – With immigration an ongoing issue after the 2024 U.S. general election, three U.S. Catholic bishops issued a Nov. 14 statement of pastoral concern pledging support for immigrants.
“Compelled by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and recognizing the inherent dignity of each person as a child of God, we stand in firm solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters who live and labor in these United States,” wrote Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration; and Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, chairman of the board for Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc.
Known as CLINIC, the network is a Maryland-based nonprofit that provides advocacy, training and support for more than 400 Catholic and community-based immigration law providers in 49 U.S. states.
The bishops noted that “from the founding of our nation, immigrants have been essential to this society’s growth and prosperity.”
“They come to our shores as strangers, drawn by the promises this land offers, and they become Americans,” said the bishops. “They continue to provide food security, health services, and many other essential skills that support our prosperous nation.”
According to data from the Pew Research Center, immigrants currently account for 14.3% of the U.S. population – the highest level since 1910, but still less than the 14.8% marked in 1890.
Data for 2022 showed that the majority of immigrants (77%) are in the U.S. legally, with close to half (49%) being naturalized citizens, just under a quarter (24%) lawful permanent residents and 4% legal temporary residents. Slightly less than one quarter (23%) are unauthorized.
While President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, the bishops said in their statement that “our country deserves an immigration system that offers fair and generous pathways to full citizenship for immigrants living and working for many years within our borders.”
In particular, they said, “We need a system that provides permanent relief for childhood arrivals, helps families stay together, and welcomes refugees.”
With much of global migration driven by conflict and natural disaster, the bishops stressed the need to “develop an effective asylum system for those fleeing persecution.”
Under international human rights law – such as the U.N.’s 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, the latter of which the U.S. acceded to in 1968 – the fundamental principle of non-refoulement provides that refugees cannot be expelled to territories where substantial threats to life or freedom exist.
At the same time, the bishops called for “an immigration system that keeps our borders safe and secure, with enforcement policies that focus on those who present risks and dangers to society, particularly efforts to reduce gang activity, stem the flow of drugs, and end human trafficking.”
Catholic social teaching on immigration balances three interrelated principles – the right of persons to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation’s duty to regulate its borders with justice and mercy.
The bishops said the U.S. “should have an immigration system that protects vulnerable migrants and their families, many of whom have already been victimized by criminal actors.”
“Together, we must speak out on behalf of the ‘huddled masses yearning to breathe free’ and ask our government to provide fair and humane treatment for our beloved immigrant brothers and sisters,” said the bishops, quoting a line from poet Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus,” the full text of which is inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. “It is our hope, and our prayer, that all of us can work together to support a meaningful reform of our current immigration system.”
(Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @GinaJesseReina.)
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Parishes and dioceses must move quickly to give life to the consultative bodies and broad participation in mission and ministry already foreseen by church law if the Catholic Church is to have any hope of becoming a more “synodal” church, members of the Synod of Bishops said.
“Without concrete changes in the short term, the vision of a synodal church will not be credible and this will alienate those members of the People of God who have drawn strength and hope from the synodal journey,” the members said in the final document they approved Oct. 26.
Pope Francis convoked the synod in 2021 and called on parishes, dioceses and bishops’ conferences to hold listening sessions before the first synod assembly in Rome in 2023. The current assembly, including most of the same members, began with a Mass at the Vatican Oct. 2.
Members voted on each of the 155 paragraphs of the document, which made suggestions and requests to Pope Francis that included long-term projects, such as continuing discernment about the possibility of women deacons, the need to reform seminary training and the hope that more lay people would be involved in the selection of bishops.
But they also included actions that could and should be implemented immediately, including hiring more women and laymen to teach in seminaries or having bishops make pastoral councils mandatory for every parish and pastors ensuring those bodies are truly representative of the parish members and that he listens to their advice.
Synod officials said all the paragraphs were approved by the necessary two-thirds of synod members present and voting; 355 members were present and voting, so passage required 237 votes. A paragraph devoted to increasing women’s profile in the church received, by far, the most negative votes of any paragraph with 97 members voting no and 258 voting yes. The paragraph, which required 66% of the votes, passed with 72%.
“In simple and concise terms,” members said, “synodality is a path of spiritual renewal and structural reform that enables the church to be more participatory and missionary, so that it can walk with every man and woman, radiating the light of Christ.”
In a synodal church, the document said, members have different roles, but they work together for the good of all members and for the mission of the church.
Like the synthesis report from the first assembly of the synod in 2023, the final document did not use the term “LGBTQ” or even “homosexuality” and spoke only briefly about the need to reach out to people who “experience the pain of feeling excluded or judged because of their marital situation, identity or sexuality.”
The document repeatedly referred to the “equal dignity” of men and women by virtue of their baptism and insisted the Catholic Church needed to do more to recognize women’s contributions to the life and mission of the church and their potential to offer more.
“Women continue to encounter obstacles in obtaining a fuller recognition of their charisms, vocation and roles in all the various areas of the church’s life,” it said. “This is to the detriment of serving the Church’s shared mission.”
Members of the synod called for the “full implementation of all the opportunities already provided for in Canon Law with regard to the role of women,” and said, “there is no reason or impediment that should prevent women from carrying out leadership roles in the Church. What comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped.”
“Additionally, the question of women’s access to diaconal ministry remains open,” they said. “This discernment needs to continue.”
The question of women deacons was among several questions Pope Francis assigned to study groups last spring. Synod members asked the General Secretariat of the Synod “to continue to watch over the synodal quality of the working method of the study groups,” which are supposed to report to the pope in June.
The synod process, members said, was a “call to joy and renewal of the church in following the Lord, in committing to service of His mission and in searching for ways to be faithful.”
But the document repeatedly acknowledged the crime and sin of clerical sexual abuse and abuse of power, and insisted that a commitment to synodality, particularly to learning to listen and to necessary forms of transparency and accountability, were essential to preventing abuse.
Synodality, members said, “will also help to overcome clericalism, understood as use of power to one’s own advantage and the distortion of the authority of the church which is at the service of the People of God. This expresses itself above all in forms of abuse, be they sexual or economic, the abuse of conscience and of power, by ministers of the church.”
Lay men and women have many talents that can and should assist bishops and parish priests in the smooth functioning of their dioceses or parishes, synod members said. Tapping into those talents can help bishops and priests, who often feel overworked.
Where church law requires the bishops to consult their priests’ or pastoral council or pastors to consult the parish council, the document said, they “may not act as if the consultation had not taken place.”
“As in any community that lives according to justice,” it said, “the exercise of authority does not consist in an arbitrary imposition of will.”
Synod members also said listening, consulting, praying and discerning before making a decision is not the end of the process. “It must be accompanied and followed by practices of accountability and evaluation in a spirit of transparency inspired by evangelical criteria.”
Ensuring accountability and regularly evaluating all those who minister in the church’s name “is not a bureaucratic task for its own sake. It is rather a communication effort that proves to be a powerful educational tool for bringing about a change in culture,” synod members said.
One issue that prompted debate during the synod involved the authority of national bishops’ conference, particularly when it came to doctrinal matters.
The synod members, in the final document, called for a study of the theological and juridical status of bishops’ conferences and for a clear definition of “precisely the domain of the doctrinal and disciplinary competence” of the conferences.
(Editor’s note: At press time on Nov. 1, 2024, the final document of the XVI Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was only made available in the original Italian. Visit https://www.synod.va/en.html in the coming days for additional language translations.)
By Joanna Puddister King
CLEVELAND – In 1924, a tiny church building and three-room rectory were built on a lot in Cleveland near the railroad tracks. When it rained in the Delta, the tiny church was described as looking “like it is standing in the middle of a sea,” by accounts from Bishop R.O. Gerow in his diaries. Father Victor Rotondo, pastor in 1924, stated in accounts that the church had no electricity and had to use small birthday candles for light.
Today, Our Lady of Victories Church has grown immensely from its humble beginnings 100 years ago, moving to its final location on the west side of Cleveland in 1976 and with beautiful renovations that took place in 2020-2021.
Parishioners celebrated the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Victories on Sunday, Oct. 6 with a special Mass with Bishop Joseph Kopacz and Father Kent Bowlds, pastor. Families celebrating the milestone traveled from near and far to reminisce over past parish events and sharing memories of past pastors, including Msgr. Michael Flannery and Father Charles Bucciantini, both present at the celebration.
Bishop Kopacz delivered a homily at the 100th anniversary event commemorating Our Lady of Victories milestone, summing up the rich history of the parish:
“The image of the Lord embracing and blessing the child, and his words demanding conversion of mind and heart to grow in God’s image and likeness describe much of what has taken place at Our Lady of Victories for a century. To welcome, to bless, to forgive in the name of our Lord as his body is the work of the church.
“After reading the history of the parish from many perspectives from the binder that Father Kent sent to my office, possibly the first time that I have ever received such a corpus in anticipation of a milestone anniversary, I have a much deeper appreciation for the name of the parish – Our Lady of Victories. I enjoyed the narrative, page by page.
“The parish family has faithfully gathered for worship, education, fellowship and service over the past century and longer, and at key moments have rallied together to overcome setbacks, adversity and obstacles. Under the title and mantle of Our Lady of Victories, the parish remained steadfast in the face of flooding, earthquake and fire. Indeed, you have endured and have compiled numerous victories. …
“We see these realities in the lives of the faithful from the beginning of Our Lady of Victories: courage, mutual support, with hopes and dreams for the parish. This closeness and loving support for one another flow from the heart of God in Jesus Christ for as his body the church. The Lord’s absolute commitment to us, an eternal yes, inspires our commitments in marriage and family, and in the family of the church. …
“Father Rotundo who served for over 20 years was not overwhelmed, and he and the parishioners wasted no time in making the improvements through sweat labor and financial contributions. The courage to begin in that moment set the standard for many critical moments to follow over a century when the members rallied to begin again in successive generations with the second and third church structures, and the numerous accompanying facilities. …
“The Word of God today inspires us to appreciate that the courage, beauty and hope that marks Our Lady of Victories’ history in a spirit of closeness, compassion and loving support. These virtues are to be lived daily in the home, as the heart and soul of loving marriages and families. In smaller parish communities there is a closeness among the members, and when the Holy Spirit is driving the bus, families and parish communities flourish as a gift to one another. The parish community has heeded the Lord’s words to “let the children come to me” through the sacraments, baptism, reconciliation, confirmation eucharist, marriage, anointing of the sick, through catechetical formation, and through numerous parish activities. As we heard in the Gospel the Lord wants the church to be a family where God’s children, younger and older are welcomed, loved, and blessed, and set on the path to eternal life.
“We know that our generation is faced with many challenges in our call to faithfully follow the Lord. With 100 years under your belts, we pray for the courage to begin again at the beginning of this second century for the grace to remain close to the Lord, and with hope that fosters dreams and growth.
“Asking the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Victories, and all the saints let us continue to walk confidently in faith, because our Lord Jesus has given us the ultimate victory in his death and resurrection, he who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.”
(Editor’s note: An anniversary slideshow of parish memories can be found at https://www.olvcleveland.com/anniversary.)
Around the diocese
MADISON – St. Francis of Assisi Early Learning Center recently received a visit from the local Fire Department for a presentation on fire prevention. (Photo by Chelsea Scarbrough)
SOUTHAVEN – As part of a fundraising campaign Sacred Heart students could build a bear on Thursday, Sept. 19. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)
By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – The Jackson Seminarian Homegrown Harvest began with a vision of an event to celebrate future priests of the Diocese of Jackson. Now being hosted at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson, the Homegrown Harvest event has grown from its humble beginnings as an online only event in 2020, where Father Nick Adam and Bishop Joseph Kopacz talked about the call to vocations to an event that brings the community together to celebrate the Catholic faith and future priests.
The fifth annual Homegrown Harvest will kick-off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Two Mississippi Museums in downtown Jackson. The event boasts fantastic food, a silent auction, raffle and more in support of vocations in the Diocese of Jackson.
Tickets admitting two to the event cost $100 and members of the Women’s Burse Club are invited to the event as well with their membership donation.
The cost of educating seminarians is far from nominal, with the estimated expenses for tuition, room and board at the college seminary and theology levels at $40,000 per year, per student. When adding in travel, summer assignments, and additional formation programs, the total annual cost per seminarian approaches $50,000.
Currently, the diocese has six seminarians – Will Foggo of St. Paul Flowood; Grayson Foley of St. Richard Jackson; EJ Martin of St. Richard Jackson; Wilson Locke of St. Paul Vicksburg; Francisco Maldonado of Immaculate Heart of Mary Greenwood; and Joe Pearson of St. Richard Jackson.
Foggo is the “most senior” of the seminarians for the Diocese of Jackson. Father Nick says that he is scheduled to be ordained a deacon next year and ordained a priest in the spring of 2026. Attendees at Homegrown Harvest will hear from Foggo about his time in seminary and from others.
Father Nick says that the six current seminarians are “just the type of men who we need to be considering the priesthood.” With some parishes in the diocese without a full-time pastor and others with priests nearing the age of retirement, he realizes the need to grow the vocations office to reach more young men, who may need a nudge to accept the call from the Lord to consider priesthood.
“So many incredible priests have served us throughout the years, but we continue to need more men from our diocese to serve,” said Father Nick.
To assist in growing “homegrown” vocations, the newest priest of the diocese – Father Tristan Stovall – was appointed by Bishop Joseph Kopacz as assistant vocations director and the office recently announced a new partnership with Vianney Vocations through an initiative called “Vocation Pathway.”
“We are excited about this new chapter,” said Father Nick. “Please keep us in your prayers and ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers for His harvest.”
To purchase tickets or to sponsor the Homegrown Harvest in support of seminarian education, visit bit.ly/HGHarvest2024.