Category Archives: Featured

Youth

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Reading Across America and Around Diocese

FLOWOOD – Pre-K 4 students at St. Paul in Flowood have carpet time to learn about the Cat in the Hat. (Photo by Susan Irby)
SOUTHAVEN – Sacred Heart School student Sophia reading a Dr. Seuss book to Pre-K 3 students Brooklyn and Anna as part of Read Across America. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)
MADISON – ST. Francis of Assis Attorney General Lynn Fitch reading to the Pre-K 2s and Pre-K-4s for Read Across America.
MADISON – ST. Francis of Assisi Ryleigh Isacc and Father Albeen – Ash Wednesday. (Photos by Latoya Kelly and Chiquita Brown
PEARL – St. Jude Youth group enjoying Bingo night on March 5, Mr. Jose Varela and Father Cesar Sanchez checking the rules of the game. (Photo by Lauren Robers)

VICKSBURG – (left) 1st and 2nd graders performed their music program, Sing a Song of Folklore. (Photo by Hannah Hinson.
(above) Our 100+ member cast performed 6 sold-out showings of Disney’s The Little Mermaid as our spring musical. (Photo by Anna Griffing)

JACKSON – St. Richard Early Learning Center students pose for a photo. (Photo by Monjenae Jackson)

Youth

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Mardi Gras and more

CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth students show Mardi Gras spirit during their annual parade. (Photo by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet)
FLOWOOD – The PreK-4 and 5 classes are masked for Mardi Gras at St. Paul Early Learning Center. Pictured: MaryAtly Smith, Jonathan Speights, Nora Wallace, Barrett Stomps and Emery White. (Photo by Susan Irby)
JACKSON – St. Richard students enjoy some fun during their annual Mardi Gras parade. (Photo by Rita Melson)
COLUMBUS – Annunciation Megan McCoy and her son Mason dance during the annual Annunciation School Mardi Gras parade put on by the Kindergarten class. (Photo by Jacque Hince)
HOLLY SPRINGS – Seventh and eighth grade students from Holy Family School took a field trip to Ole Miss to study nanobiotechnology. They enjoyed a lecture, toured research laboratories and completed their own experiments. (Photo by Cynthia Dixon)
SOUTHAVEN – Sacred Heart Kindergarten student, Saint puts the finishing touches on his Ash Wednesday portrait. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)
MADISON – Sydney Beard lights the altar candle for Father Albeen Vatti’s 25th anniversary Mass on March 3 at St. Francis of Assisi parish. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
PEARL – St. Jude parishioners and the parish youth group celebrated the Jubilee Year of Hope with an illuminated rosary in Mary garden on Feb. 26. (Photo by Lauren Roberts)
NATCHEZ – Pictured is Hollis Hughes of Cathedral School after the PreK class presented firefighters with a banner of appreciation. Students were mesmerized by all of the gadgets of the firetruck. (Photo by Brandi Boles)
MERIDIAN – Fourth grade student, Anna Harper portrays Sister Thea Bowman as her classmates listen during St. Patrick School’s Black History Month Program on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Photo by Helen Reynolds)
SOUTHAVEN – The Cat in the Hat visited the Pre-K and Kindergarten classes at Sacred Heart School as part of Read Across America activities. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)

Bishop Kopacz to lead fall 2025 Jubilee pilgrimage

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By Mary Woodward
JACKSON – Bishop Joseph Kopacz will be leading a Jubilee of Hope pilgrimage to Rome and environs from Oct. 25 through Nov. 3. The pilgrimage will visit the holy sites of Rome then venture off to the Abbey at Montecasino, down to Padre Pio’s home, then up to Assisi. See the ad with QR code to find more information on the trip. It will be an amazing time.

The year 2025 was proclaimed the Jubilee of Hope by Pope Francis maintaining the tradition of having a Jubilee Year in the church every 25 years. Pilgrims can travel to Rome and visit the Holy Doors of the four major basilicas of our church – St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Peter.
Pilgrimages have been going on for millennia. They are designed to allow the traveler a chance to deepen her/his faith by walking in the footsteps of the Lord and his apostles. A jubilee is based on Leviticus 25 when a sabbatical year for farming was taken every seven years to let the soil regenerate then after the seventh sabbatical (50 years) a jubilee of forgiving all debts, freeing all captives and proclaiming sight to the blind would occur. The church eventually proclaimed jubilee years every 25 years so that more pilgrims could go on spiritual journeys.

Msgr. Paul McInerny, retired Canon of St. Mary Major, points out the details on the Holy Door at St. Mary Major during a pilgrimage led by Bishop Joseph Latino in 2006. (Photo courtesy of Mary Woodward)

Back in 2000, the last Jubilee year which crossed from one millennium to the next, Bishop William Houck led a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. In between jubilees various holy years have been held such as the 500th anniversary of the Vatican Museum in 2006 and the Year of Mercy in 2016. Bishop Joseph Latino led a pilgrimage for the 2006 holy year.

Since not everyone is able to make a pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee, Bishop Kopacz has designated several Jubilee Churches in our diocese that were recommended to him by the deaneries. Those churches are the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson, the Basilica of St. Mary in Natchez, St. Patrick in Meridian, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Greenwood, St. Joseph in Greenville, St. Elizabeth in Clarksdale, St. Joseph in Holly Springs, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Houston, St. Francis of Assisi in New Albany, and St. Mary in Iuka.

Visiting Rome or one of these churches offers the opportunity to gain a jubilee plenary indulgence. To obtain the indulgence one must visit one of the churches and participate in Mass or adoration while there, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, and go to confession within eight days of the visit.

Throughout this year look for moments to be a beacon of hope for others. Hope is the theme for the year and our world needs us as Christians to reflect and embody a spirit of hope to counter all the anxiety and fear all around us. It is my hope that you will have a blessed jubilee filled with faith, hope, and love, and that you will journey deeper into the heart of God – source of all hope.

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

Youth

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Annunciation School happenings

COLUMBUS – Annunciation seventh grader Celine Vu assists PreK student Sydney Graham to create a Mardi Gras mask for our the school’s “A Night of Bids and Beads” fundraiser.
Nolan Langston experiments with static energy. (Photos by Jacque Hince)
Jack Everett Milstead pretends to be a postman delivering valentines to friends on Feb. 14.
Avynn Clapper observes a live frog in STREAM class.

SOUTHAVEN

SOUTHAVEN – Each year during Catholic Schools Week, Sacred Heart School students raise money for a special need in the community. The funds raised this year will go to the Dehon Village Summer Camp. Each link in the chain pictured represents 25 cents. The students raised over $900 which is close to 4,000 links total. On Feb. 5, the “Hope Chain” was taken from the walls of each classroom and brought to Mass, as a symbol of the students care for those in need. (Photo by Sister Margaret Sue Broker)

MACON

MACON – Youth engaged in various activities to strengthen their faith throughout the Confirmation Retreat weekend Jan. 25-26 at Lake Forest Ranch. Pictured are youth from St. James Tupelo, among others fully engaged in their faith. (Photo by Michelle Harkins)

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Around the diocese

MERIDIAN – St. Patrick kindergarten students have been learning about the sacrament of baptism. Pictured: Father Augustine Palimattam, center, explains baptism to St. Patrick School kindergarten students on Tuesday, Jan. 14. (Photo by Helen Reynolds)
CLARKSDALE – (Right) Bishop Kopacz asked each deanery to designate at least one church to serve as a dedicated pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Year of Hope. On his word, deanery four selected St. Elizabeth Church and St. Joseph in Holly Springs. On Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, the parishioners of St. Elizabeth braved the cold weather for a beautiful liturgy outside the church doors, dedicating St. Elizabeth for this purpose. Pilgrims will be eligible to receive a holy year plenary indulgence by visiting, participating in Mass or adoration, praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation within eight days of visiting the pilgrimage site church. St. Elizabeth is honored and blessed to serve in this way and welcomes all pilgrims to visit and participate in Mass and/or adoration. Weekend Mass times are Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Daily Mass is offered Tuesday-Friday and adoration on Wednesdays. Please visit stelizabethclarksdale.org for details and times. (Photo by Catelin Britt)
HOLLY SPRINGS – Holy Family Students listened intently as Sacred Heart Southern Missions’ Food Coordinator Ralph Howard and Director of Administration Carla Crockett answered questions about their work in the community. (Photo by Laura Grisham)
SOUTHAVEN – During Sacred Heart School’s grandparents program, first grader Riley Burks gets a hug from her grandmother after lighting a candle together as a reminder of the light that our grandparents bring to our lives. (Photo by Laura Grisham)
JACKSON – St. Richard School sixth graders – Holt Wright, Anthony Ramsey, Eli Williams and Judah Hill – visited the St. Richard ELC for story time during Catholic Schools Week. This was in celebration and thanks to our Community. St. Richard School values every piece of our “community.” The toddlers at the ELC and St. Richard students were able to really interact with one another and had a wonderful time together. (Photo by Celeste Saucier)
MACON – Youth from around the diocese gathered at Lake Forest Ranch in Macon on Jan. 25-26 for the annual High School Confirmation Retreat coordinated by the Department of Faith Formation. Pictured are youth from Crystal Springs roasting s’mores over a bonfire. (Photo by Yvette Howard)
STARKVILLE – College students from across the diocese gathered for a day of fellowship, prayer and more at the “Embracing Joy” winter retreat held at St. Joseph Church in Starkville on Saturday, Feb. 1. (Photo by Amelia Rizor)
MACON – Youth engaged in various activities to strengthen their faith throughout the Confirmation Retreat weekend Jan. 25-26 at Lake Forest Ranch. Pictured are youth from St. James Tupelo, among others fully engaged in their faith. (Photo by Michelle Harkins)

Youth

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GREENVILLE – Van Hunt, Henry Wong, Evie Dick and Sebastian Varela along with the entire Our Lady of Lourdes/St. Joseph elementary school created pinwheels for peace. This is a moment for students to reflect on what it means to live in peace, to promote kindness and to spread love wherever they go. Each pinwheel is a symbol of hope for a more peaceful world. (Photo by Nikki Thompson)
JACKSON – St. Richard Kindergarteners walked the halls to celebrate the 100th day of school dressed like they were 100 years old. Pictured (l-r): Olivia Mokry and Eliza Weisenberger. (Photo by Celeste Saucier)
COLUMBUS – Annunciation third grader, Levi Struber plants a pinwheel during the school’s “Pinwheels for Peace” ceremony. (Photo by Jacque Hince)
MADISON – Msgr. Michael Flannery lifts his hands in prayer during weekly Mass at St. Joseph School in Madison. Riley Ward, left, an eighth-grader assists as an altar server. St. Joe students attend a school-wide Mass every Thursday morning. (Photo by Terry R. Cassreino)
YAZOO CITY – Kiley Dew reads at the St. Mary Youth Mass on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (Photo by Babs McMaster)

Youth

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Youth Photos from Around the Diocese

JACKSON – St. Richard students, Thomas Ueltschey and Andrew Compretta, enjoyed popsicles and an outdoor bubble party that they earned for reaching their fundraising goal during #iGiveCatholic. (Photo by Caitlin Burkes)
PEARL – St. Jude parish celebrated Las Posadas on Dec. 18, 2024. Posada is the Spanish word for lodging, it is religious celebration in Latin America that commemorates Joseph and Mary’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. (Photo by Jessica Sullivan)

TUPELO – Elementary faith formation students at St. James parish dressed up as the Three Kings who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. Pictured above are Patton Weatherford in red, Christian Orostico in purple and Thomas Weatherford in blue, with Father Octavio Escobar on Jan. 4. Pictured below are Jones Bridges, Peter Morton and Reagan Burnley on Jan. 5. (Photo by Rhonda R. Swita)

JACKSON – Sixth graders at St. Richard School offer several gift options to the residents at the Manhattan Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for Christmas. All items are donated, and the residents “pay” with pretend money. The Manhattan Mall is one of the biggest service projects that the St. Richard sixth grade class participates in throughout the year. Everything is decorated, set up and organized by the students. Pictured is Michael Turner assisting a resident shop for Christmas gifts, as Nicholas Morisani looks on. (Photo by Celeste Saucier)
TUPELO – St. James parish held a Christmas VBS program on Dec. 15, 2024, in conjunction with their monthly family faith formation program. It was the first time all parents attended a VBS event! The theme for the program was: “The Wonder and Awe of Our Lord.” Parents worked together coming up with “I Wonder” statements, and created a family heart to place in their home manager scene, or a star to place on their Christmas tree. For games, families played a “memory” card game matching up the mysteries of the rosary. It was a special time for family and faith interaction. The Bible adventure also included three students dancing to the song “Mary Did You Know.” Pictured are Carolyn Gan Lim (in back), Emma Thompson (in front) and Elizabeth Sheffield (on right with doll). (Photo by Rhonda R. Swita)
MAGEE – Children at St. James parish enjoyed a visit from Santa. (Photo by Kirby J. Rivere)