SOUTHAVEN – Father Thi Pham, SCJ, blesses Joe Baker’s poodle at Christ the King Parish on Wednesday, Oct 2. There were also blessings in Olive Branch and Hernando. (Photo by Donna Williams)
MADISON – Msgr. Michael Flannery, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, blesses a family pet at St. Anthony School. The church has a tradition of blessing pets on the feast of St. Francis, who loved animals. (Photo by Jennifer Kelemen)
CLARKSDALE – Sister Manette Durard (left) talks with Lucretia Jones, Immaculate Conception parishioner, during the parish’s 69th anniversary celebration Mass Sunday, Sept. 7. Afterwards, Earl Gooden gave a brief history of the parish. (Photo by Christine McDaniel)
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Today’s bishops must be as vigilant and courageous as sentinels keeping watch over the faith, and as forgiving and patient as Moses, leading a sinning people across harsh deserts to God, Pope Francis said.
Their vocation is not to be wardens of a failed estate, “but custodians of ‘evangelii gaudium’ (the joy of the Gospel); therefore, you cannot be without the only treasure we really have to give, and that the world cannot give itself: the joy of God’s love,” he told new bishops.
The pope made his comments Sept. 18 in a written address to 138 recently appointed bishops from around the world, including Bishop Jospeh Kopacz, 13 other bishops from the United States and two from Australia. The pope said he was happy finally to put a real face to their names and resumes, which he told them he was closely familiar with.
In a lengthy address, Pope Francis outlined a series of do’s and don’ts in their new role as bishops, reminding them of their true mission and urging them to return home “with a message of encouragement” even with the problems awaiting them.
Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with 138 new bishops from around the world at the Vatican Sept. 18. Bishop Kopacz attended the meeting. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)
Their approach must always be positive, he said, especially with each other. “Though jealously safeguarding the passion for truth, do not waste your energy in opposition and arguments, but in building and loving,” he said.
The bishops must strike a balance between being audacious sentinels, ready 24/7 to wake up a slumbering world, and gentle, forgiving fathers who unconditionally love the sinning people “God has given you.”
The only way to fulfill this mission, he said, is to be constantly in search of and completely bound to Christ, which takes “familiarity, dedication, perseverance and patience.”
“It’s necessary to always dwell in him and never run away from him: Dwell in his word, in his Eucharist, in the things of his father and, above all, in his cross,” he said.
Just as a flame is always kept lit in front of every tabernacle to tell the faithful that Christ is present inside, every priest, too, needs to have the light of Christ shining in his gaze so the flock can “encounter the flame of the risen one.”
That is why the church cannot have bishops who are “switched off or pessimists” or who rely only on themselves and have “surrendered to the darkness of the world or resigned to the apparent defeat of the good, screaming – at this point, in vain – that the tiny fort has been attacked,” he said.
But they do have to be like sentinels, he said, “capable of waking up your churches, getting up before dawn or in the middle of the night to bolster the faith, hope and charity, without letting yourselves be lulled to sleep or conforming to the nostalgic complaint of a golden past that’s already gone.”
“Don’t be bishops with an expiration date,” who are always on the lookout for a new assignment somewhere else, or “like a medicine that will stop being effective or like perishable food to be thrown out,” he said.
Like Moses, bishops need to be with their people no matter what, he said.
“I also beg you to not let yourselves be deceived by the temptation to change the people. Love the people that God has given you, even when they will have committed great sins.”
Like Moses, the bishop must “come up to the Lord” and advocate on his people’s behalf, praying for forgiveness and a fresh start, he said.
“I am well aware of how our times have become a desert,” he said. And that’s why the people need someone who will patiently guide them and help them mature, and who will not “fear death as exiles, but deplete your last energies, not for yourselves, but to let those you guide enter into God.”
Nothing is more important than bringing people to God, he said. The pope urged the bishops to truly be present and available for their priests.
A bishop who is “reachable” isn’t the one who has endless means of communication at his disposal. He’s the one who always has room in his heart to really welcome and listen to all of his priests and their “concrete needs, giving them the entirety and breadth of church teaching and not a list of complaints.”
“And, please, do not fall into the temptation of sacrificing your freedom by surrounding yourself with courtiers, climbers and yes-men, since the church and the world have the right to always find on the lips of the bishop the Gospel, which makes them free.
(Copyright © 2014 Catholic News Service/United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news services may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to, such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method in whole or in part, without prior written authority of Catholic News Service.)
By Kacey Matthews
Although strides are being made to educate people about dyslexia, many still misunderstand what dyslexia is. Dyslexia is defined as “a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.
Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge,” (Lyon, Shaywitz, and Shaywitz, 2003).
Kacey Matthews and a student at St. Anthony School in Madison use ‘coding,’ part of an Orton-Gillingham-based program of dyslexia therapy. Dyslexia affects 80 percent of those identified with learning disabilities, but students can still excel with the right therapy. (Photo by Jennifer Kelemen)
The good news is that with a trained therapist and the correct therapy, such as the Orton-Gillingham based dyslexia therapy, dyslexic children can succeed in school and then in whatever field they choose to pursue.
In 2012, the state of Mississippi passed a law which made kindergarten and first grade dyslexia screenings mandatory for public schools. This is where many of the schools in the Diocese of Jackson are ahead of the curve. Not only are they providing screenings, but some have Mississippi Department of Education certified dyslexia therapists on campus servicing students during school hours.
“Children with dyslexia are highly intelligent, and my son is no exception. But, the right dyslexia therapy and therapist are so important for their success. Having to do therapy after school is extremely hard for the child and the family,” said Krista Andy, a parent of a child with dyslexia. “The progress our son has made by seeing a dyslexia therapist four days a week during school is invaluable to our family. Every dyslexic child should be able to experience what St Anthony provides,” she added.
At St. Anthony School, students are seen individually or in groups three to five times a week which is recommended by the latest research. The students receive intensive intervention using an Orton-Gillingham-based program. The program is open to students from kindergarten through sixth grade, and is year-round. The students continue their therapy at the school four times a week for six weeks in the summer.
“Year-round intervention helps to limit summer regression,” said Joanna Johnson, the speech language pathologist at St. Anthony, as well as the parent of a dyslexic child enrolled in the program. “When struggling students finally experience success, the therapy becomes personally motivating, and many even decide they like to read. Consistency and frequency of the correct interventions are the keys to unlock any students’, like my child’s, full potential,” she said.
Having a full-time therapist on staff creates a cohesive learning environment allowing for transfer of skills from dyslexia therapy to the classroom. “In this way the therapist and the classroom teacher have daily opportunities for communication about the student. Younger students, especially dyslexic students, who have worked hard all day are very tired after school hours. They retain much more information when therapy is offered during (class time),” said Cathy Lutz, a first grade teacher at St. Anthony.
Jackson St. Richard and Madison St. Joseph schools also have dyslexia therapy programs. Administrators believe including them helps ensure each child finds success no matter their difference.
(Kacey Matthews is the resident dyslexia therapist at St. Anthony School. She will be presenting on K-5 Literacy Strategies for the Dyslexic Learner at the upcoming October Dyslexia Seminar at Mississippi College.)
JACKSON – The 2014 Bishop’s Cup will feature a new scoring format for golfers and a new location. The tournament, sponsored by the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Jackson, was held for the past several years at Colonial Country Club in Jackson. This past spring Colonial closed so tournament organizers looked for a new location.
The newly refurbished Lake Caroline Golf Course in Madison will be the new site and with the new location comes the new format of a “scramble” instead of individual stroke play when the tournament kicks off Thursday, Nov. 6. Previously golfers played their own ball the entire 18 holes and the four lowest scores from parish players would be tallied. The parish with the four lowest scores would win the Bishop’s Cup and take home the trophy until the next year.
Now golfers will be put in foursomes representing one parish and will scramble for the trophy. A scramble is basically playing from the best shot. All four players tee off. The team then chooses the best tee shot and then all play the next shot from that spot. This cycle occurs until the ball is putted into the hole.
The scramble format is faster than stroke play and is more relaxing to play because one depends on teammates to help get the best result.
Parishes can field more than one team. Individual golfers are welcome to play and will be placed in a foursome. That team will have to declare a parish prior to teeing off or they can just enjoy a day of golf without competing. Either way they will be raising funds for the Catholic Foundation, which supports necessary projects of diocesan parishes, missions and schools through grants.
“We are very excited about the new format and location,” said Rebecca Harris, executive director of the Catholic Foundation. “Golfers will experience a great day being on the links and raising funds to help many of our parishes and missions,” Harris added.
The day concludes with a silent auction and dinner at the Mermaid Restaurant, which is just down the road from the course.
Bishop Joseph Brunini and 23 visionary Catholic leaders from throughout the Diocese of Jackson established the Catholic Foundation in 1973. Their enthusiasm was focused on creating a way to encourage and assist the people of the diocese to provide for the future financial security of their parishes, schools, and other organizations under the auspices of the diocese.
Since then, the Foundation has grown both monetarily and in the number of endowments under its management. In 1973, the managed assets were $173,691 with four endowments, and by 1992 assets were $2,463,356 with 115 endowments.
Today, the Catholic Foundation manages 390 trust funds and insurance policies with more than $20 million in assets. Most parishes and schools in the diocese now have at least one trust to provide for future financial stability. For more information or to sign up for the tournament contact Harris at (601) 969-1880.
By Maureen Smith
October is observed in the church as Respect Life Month, a time to focus on issues of life and human dignity, including the death penalty, abortion, euthanasia and respect and care for the disabled. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has posted prayers, artwork and activities on its website to help parishes and individuals celebrate this month.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap., the chairman for the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, wrote a statement about this year’s theme, “Each of us is a masterpiece of God’s creation,” in which he explains how our everyday actions can have a profound impact on this issue.
The theme comes from Pope Francis’ 2013 Respect Life Day statement when he said, “even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”
Cardinal O’Malley writes about how Pope Francis has lived out this statement in his care for the poor, the marginalized, the elderly and those who are ill. He writes that we are all called to this kind of life. “Our mission is to show each person the love of Christ. As uniquely created individuals, we each have unique gifts which we are called to use to share Christ’s love. We are continually given opportunities to do so in our interactions with the cashier at the grocery store, our spouses, children, friends and even the people we encounter in traffic. Each of these moments is valuable beyond our realization. We may never know how much a simple gesture of compassion may affect someone’s life,” writes the cardinal.
He wrote about how people in modern society are isolated and often feel like abortion or suicide is their only choice. “The Church’s antidote to an individualism which threatens the respect for human dignity is community and solidarity,” wrote Cardinal O’Malley.
Locally, Catholics are invited to participate in “40 Days for Life,” an ecumenical program of prayer, fasting and advocacy to end abortion. The campaign kicks off with a rally outside Mississippi’s only remaining abortion clinic on State Street in Jackson on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at noon. People can then sign up for shifts to stand outside the clinic in prayer.
All participants must sign a pledge to be peaceful and to treat everyone, including clinic workers and supporters, with respect. Volunteers can sign up online at 40daysforlife.com. Search for the Mississippi event.
Teenagers can also sign up for the January March for Life in Washington. The deadline to register on www.jacksonmarchforlife.com is Oct. 17.
“Love and justice must motivate each of us to work for a transformation of our own hearts so that we can transform the world around us. This is the message of Pope Francis. May the Risen Lord put the Gospel of joy into our hearts so that we may bear witness to the greatest love story ever told,” concludes Cardinal O’Malley’s letter. The full text of the letter is available at www.usccb.org in the Respect Life section of the website.
By Maureen Smith
Schools, coaches, sports teams, pastors, it seems like almost everyone is taking part in the ‘ice bucket challenge this summer including Madison St. Joseph School principal Keith Barnes, Father Scott Thomas, pastor of Clarksdale St. Elizabeth and Immaculate Conception parishes, the campus ministry teams at both The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University, but they all did it with an eye on Catholic moral teaching. Catholic leaders are asking the faithful to think carefully before they join in the now ubiquitous campaign.
As of Aug. 26, the ALS Association (ALSA) had received $88.5 million in donations from July 29-Aug. 26. The challenge itself, choosing between being doused with ice water and donating to research for a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is not a problem. Selecting the organization receiving the donation may pose an issue.
According to the National Catholic Bioethics Center, some organizations, including the ALSA, support embryonic stem cell research. The center sent out a statement supporting the idea of raising awareness, but also urging Catholics to direct their donations to organizations that use adult stem cells or simply serve those suffering from ALS, also known as Lou Gherig’s disease.
The Catholic Church opposes any research involving the destruction of human embryos to create stem cells. Adult stem cells, so called because they are derived from living human beings, also have promising scientific value but do not require destruction of an embryo. The reprogrammed stem cells can sometimes be used to replace damaged cells.
Carrie Munk, a spokeswoman for the ALS Association, told Catholic News Service that the organization primarily funds adult stem cell research and is at the end of funding one single embryonic study, which is funded by one specific donor.
She said that if someone “is uncomfortable with any type of research we do, they can restrict their gift” stipulating that it not be used in the embryonic stem study or any stem cell research.
Father Thomas posted an article about stem cell research and a list of acceptable donation sites on Facebook along with the video of his challenge. St. Dominic Hospital sent a message out to its staff educating them about the issue and instructing them not to promote organizations using embryonic stem cell research.
The issue has caused concern in Catholic communities across the nation. Some dioceses have issued statements urging schools that participate to send donations to other research organizations, such as the John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa City, Iowa, which does not use embryonic stem cells in its research. That’s where the group in Starkville directed its donation.
An Aug. 20 statement from the Archdiocese of St. Louis points out: “There is nothing immoral about raising awareness for diseases and ethical research towards curing diseases; there is no reason Catholics can’t participate in the ice bucket challenge. The key, however, is to ensure that donations from participation are being utilized to support morally licit research.”
Similarly, New Orleans Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond told archdiocesan priests and employees in an Aug. 13 email that it’s “possible to participate in the ice bucket challenge and to do so in a way that is morally acceptable.”
“We have received questions on this project. Many people do not realize that some of the research is done with embryonic stem cells, which is against our pro-life stance,” he wrote.
He noted that many people in the New Orleans archdiocese suffer from ALS, including Jesuit Father Ray Fitzgerald, former principal of Jesuit High School New Orleans, who announced he was stepping down last year because he had been diagnosed with ALS; and Steve Gleason, a former football player with the New Orleans Saints, who was diagnosed with ALS and is an active advocate for ALS patients.
Some alternative organizations to consider:
The Cell Therapy Foundation, which specifically promotes adult stem cell research. On their website, it is possible to donate in a directed way to specific research, including ALS: https://www.celltherapyfoundation.org/Donate-Now/Funding-Specific-Research.
Compassionate Care ALS, which offers much-needed care and treatment for people living with ALS (instead of focusing on scientific research and the development of therapies): https://www.ccals.org/home.php.
The John Paul II Medical Research Institute, a secular medical research facility committed to maintaining and promoting pro-life practices: https://www.jp2mri.org/
GLUCKSTADT – GermanFest has been a tradition of St. Joseph Parish for the last 28 years. This year the festival is set for Sunday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the church grounds. As always, admission and parking are free.
The Gluckstadt community was founded in 1905 by families of German descent. Many of their descendants still live in the area and play an active role in putting on this festival.
The family-oriented event is best known for its German food and folk music provided by the bands, Die Mitternaechters and MS Schwingen.
Sizzling shish kabobs, bratwurst slathered in sauerkraut, and authentic German desserts, pies and other home-made favorites will be served. The menu also includes giant fresh oven-baked pretzels, hot dogs, and rippchenkraut (pork chops smothered in homemade sauerkraut). Dark and light beer will be on tap, along with sodas and bottled water. Again this year there will be a German wine tasting booth.
Meal tickets are $5 in advance and $6 on the day of the festival. Advance meal tickets are available from parishioners or by calling the parish office, 601-856-2054.
Kids activities include the ever-so-popular hamster pool ball, as well as the rock-wall, and an assortment of children’s games.
Commemorative German items, T-shirts, homemade breads, authentic German desserts, homemade jellies, spreads, canned goods as well as sauerkraut lovingly made by teams of parishioners will also be available for purchase.
Festival goers may wish to bring a lawn chair, but coolers, solicitors and pets are not allowed on the grounds.
For more information, call Pam Minninger, 601-856-2054, or visit www.stjosephgluckstadt.com.
BY ELSA BAUGHMAN
At a recent Sunday Mass in Crawley, England, where I was vacationing, I heard the priest say something during his homily that I have known and has affected me and many others for a long time. He said it is natural to desire to hear the word of God in our own language.
In his homily, Msgr. Tony Barry, pastor of St. Francis and St. Anthony Church (The Friary) in Crawley, said the last time he had heard the Gospel of that Sunday, the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, it was read in French while he was visiting France. “It was not the same as if I would have heard it in English,” he said to the congregation.
Msgr. Barry reflected on Pope Francis’ words on the homily in the Holy Father’s recent Apostolic Exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium.” Msgr. Barry quoted from paragraph 139: “Christian preaching thus finds in the heart of people and their culture a source of living water, which helps the preacher to know what must be said and how to say it. Just as all of us like to be spoken to in our mother tongue, so too in the faith we like to be spoken to in our “mother culture,” our native language (cf. 2 Macc 7:21, 27), and our heart is better disposed to listen. This language is a kind of music which inspires encouragement, strength and enthusiasm.”
These words made my heart burn because there was a time in my life when I went to Mass but I could understand very little of what was said. That was in 1976 when I came to the United States to attend school at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Going to Mass has always been very important to me but during that time I usually felt that something was missing because I couldn’t understand was what said during the homily and in other parts of the celebration. I continued going to church every Sunday nonetheless and as time passed I could understand better but my desire to be able to attend the liturgy in my native language has never diminish.
The Diocese of Jackson has made a great effort to serve the Spanish-speaking Catholics who have made Mississippi their home. In 1974, Msgr. Michael Flannery, present pastor of Madison St. Francis of Assisi Parish, began to celebrate Mass in Spanish in Rosedale, Cleveland, Aligator, Hill House and Shelby for the few Hispanics migrants living in the Delta.
By Christmas of 1979 a Mass in Spanish began to be celebrated in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson every Sunday. That Mass continues to be celebrated every Sunday at 2 p.m.
As the Hispanic population increased in the diocese other communities began celebrating Mass in Spanish. Presently there are 23 parishes and missions celebrating Mass in Spanish and three have bilingual services. Also, to keep the faith alive among those who can’t read English, since 1997 the diocese started publishing a four-page insert in Spanish in Mississippi Catholic which now runs once a month.
The diocesan office of Hispanic Ministry is very active and offers workshops in Liturgy, leadership and a School of Ministry. So, I can say with certainty that our diocese has been doing what Pope Frances preaches in his “Evangelii Gaudium.”
As all practicing Catholics should, finding Mass on Sunday while travelling is challenging but necessary. So, being in England and Ireland with two friends and fellow St. Therese parishioners, Teresa Preuss and Esperanza Velasquez, we starting looking for a church to attend.
Searching on her iPad, Teresa found a church very near the hotel where we were staying in Crawley, a city 28 miles south of London. The church, St. Francis and St. Anthony, was across from a restaurant where we had eaten several times but had not realized it was a Catholic church!
It is a special experience to attend Mass in a different country and it is even more special when we are invited to serve in it. Esperanza was asked to bring the gifts to the altar during the offertory at the 11:30 a.m. Mass.
The church, as in many churches in Europe, has two small chapels inside where people gather before and after Mass to pray and to light candles.
We had a peculiar experience the following Sunday while we were standing outside the Dublin, Ireland, airport looking for a shuttle bus to take us to a hotel. Suddenly, we heard bells ringing. We wondered from where the sound of the bells’ ringing was coming. We walked around the building and there it was, a Catholic church, Our Lady Queen of Heaven – outside the airport! It was just a one-minute walk from the arrivals terminal near the parking garage.
It was 11 a.m. and Mass was just starting. We walked in with suitcases in hand and sat down in the back of the church to worship our Lord, one who is very much in hand when we need comfort and when we need to fulfill our Sunday obligation.
Curious about how their bulletins might look, I found out they are just like many in our diocese, with information about parish life and events. The bulletin of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church in Dublin, “The Peoples Mass,” includes the Introduction of the Rites and the Liturgy of the World.
We also toured St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, the Anglican cathedral of the Diocese of London; and in Dublin we visited St. Patrick Cathedral, the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a church of the Anglican communion. Its present building dates back to 1220 and was originally the Catholic cathedral.
At all these places of worship I prayed for three specific matters: for peace in the world, for the well being of my family and friends and for all the people of the Diocese of Jackson. There is a saying that when one visits a church for first time prayers for three specific intentions may be offered and God might grant them. I hope God heard my prayers!
By Laura Grisham
Principals Bridget Martin of Southaven Sacred Heart and Clara Isom of Holly Springs Holy Family schools attended the third International Meeting of Dehonian Educators (IMDE) July 21-25 in Valencia, Spain, on behalf
Martin
of International Meeting of Dehonian Educators (SHSM), which supports those schools. ESIC, a multi-campus business school operated by the Spanish Province of the Sacred Heart Brothers and Fathers (SCJ), hosted the weeklong gathering.
Education is a priority of the SCJs , translated from the hopes their founder, Father Leo John Dehon, to have an impact on people and society through education.
The title given to this year’s conference was “Educare: Sint Unum.” The Latin ‘educare’ was used because of their desire to educate the whole person, and ‘sint unum’ to remind the educators that they are all a part of one project.
Isom
The IMDE’s objective is to network and collaborate: to get to know one another, to work on the formation of the Dehonian identity as it applies to the schools and to share resources. All of the educators at local, national and international levels spent the week discussing ideas on how to promote the ideas and a Dehonian curriculum to the students, parents and teachers in our schools.
“You gotta know your history,” said Isom. “Education was his (Father Dehon’s) focus. He sent out his people to teach to break the cycle of poverty.”
However, collaborating across continents is not so easy, not to mention the variety of educational institutions from pre-school, middle and high school, to technical schools, seminaries and universities. Each institution, though striving to teach the same charism (any gift that flows through God’s love to humans), has unique ways to accomplish the mission in their respective cultural and institutional setting. Coming together to share strengths and innovations creatively solves many problems. And that was the focus of the gathering—to draw from one another’s strengths and shared identity.
The master plan drawn up to achieve the conference objectives gives a communications hierarchy to educators on a provincial, regional, district and school level. Using technology and the web in particular, all will interact and be able to share in the ideas, projects and events to come. All educators and students will have access to this site.
The principals plan to incorporate more activities at the schools surrounding the Catholic Dehonian ideas and traditions. Each school hopes to effectively be drawn towards the larger common goal.
One way that the US Provincial group suggested coming together was to emphasize feast days for their respective schools — St. Martin, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Holy Family, the Sacred Heart and St. Joseph. Retreats, in-services, combined school events and a host of other things are in the planning stages.
(Reprinted with permission from “… from the Heart,” the newsletter for SHSM.)
