SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
DIOCESE – Fall Faith Formation Day – “Reimagining Communities of Faith,” Saturday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Francis Madison. Keynote speaker: Father Tim Donovan. All formation leaders and volunteers are invited to attend this day of formation and fellowship. Registration deadline is Aug. 9. Cost: $10 per person. Details: register at https://bit.ly/FFDay2024 or contact Fran at fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.

BILOXI – Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat, Aug. 23-25. Rachel’s Vineyard is an international retreat that provides an opportunity for women and men to find forgiveness and healing from abortion. The retreat begins on Friday evening and ends on Sunday afternoon and will be held at the William J. Kelly Retreat Center in Bay St. Louis. If you or someone you know would like to attend, please contact Deacon Johnny Williams at (228) 702-2169 or email at rachelsvineyard@biloxidiocese.org. Details: for more information visit https://biloxidiocese.org/rachel.

CHATAWA – Our Lady of Hope, Blessed Virgin Mary Day Retreat with Kitty Cleveland, Thursday, Aug. 15 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with speaker Roy Schoeman. Enjoy talks, music, Mass, prayer, lunch and more. Cost: $125. Details: (601) 202-3137 or email retreatsoloh3167@yahoo.com.

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Millions of Monicas: Praying with confidence for our children, each Tuesday, beginning in July from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers, grandmothers and step-mothers as we pray to grow in holiness and humility, and for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: church office (601) 856-2054 or email millionsofmonicas@stjosephgluckstadt.com.

HOMEWOOD, Ala. – Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference of the Diocese of Birmingham, July 26-27 at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Family Life Center (1728 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, Alabama). The conference theme is “Unity in the Body of Christ” and it will feature feature lay evangelist, Richard Lane. Cost $30 for individuals or $85 for a family of three or more. Register at www.catholiccharismaticrenewal.org. All are welcome! Details: for more information contact Sally Smith at mustardsally14@gmail.com or (205) 983-4150.

JACKSON – St. Richard, “Inspire” – a day retreat for women of all ages, Saturday, Nov. 2 from 8:30-3:30 p.m. in Foley Hall. Save the date. Details: church office (601) 366-2335.

LAS VEGAS – 23rd Annual National Conference for Single Catholics, Aug. 16-18. Details: visit https://nationalcatholicsingles.com.

PEARL – St. Jude, Life in the Spirit Seminar by the Marian Servants of Jesus, Saturday, Aug. 17, registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and event ends with 4 p.m. vigil Mass. Presented by Father Bill Henry, Dr. Frank Hench, Mary Ann Henchy, Deacon John McGregor and the Marian Servants of Jesus, the Lamb of God Community. Topic: God’s Love, Salvation, New Life, Receiving God’s Gifts and Praying for Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Lunch will be provided. No cost but $10 suggested donation to cover lunch. Registration deadline is Aug. 12. Details: email your contact info to msofjlog@gmail.com to register or for more information.

LOUISIANA – Tenth Annual Fête-Dieu du Mississippi Eucharistic Boat Procession (from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, Aug. 14-15. The solemn flotilla will embark on the Mighty Mississippi for a Blessing of the River and the Great State of Louisiana. Register for the all-night vigil and find out more information at https://www.fetedieuduteche.org.

PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
BATESVILLE – St. Mary, Rummage Sale, Aug. 2 and 3 in the parish center. Details: church office (662) 563-2273.

CAMDEN – Sacred Heart, Hip-Hop Back to School Bash, Saturday, July 27 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. For grades ninth through twelfth only. Presented by the Sacred Heart Young Adult Group. Cost: $10. Details: church office (662) 438-2354.

CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth, Annual St. Elizabeth Fair, Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 5:30-8 p.m. Enjoy the traditional spaghetti dinner at the school and enjoy prize booths and the popular frozen casserole booth. Details: church office (662) 624-4301.

CORINTH – St. James, Volleyball Tournament, Saturday, July 27 at 8 a.m. There will be food, and more for sale. Get your team together for a fun day on a sand court. Details: Register your team or get more details at (662) 415-0844.

GREENVILLE – St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School “Great Big Beautiful World,” July 28-30 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Open to all children entering Pre-K3 through fifth grade. Details: register at https://www.stjosephgreenville.org/vbs-registration or call Alyssa at (662) 820-0868.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul Early Learning Center, Annual Golf Tournament, Friday, Sept. 20 at Bay Pointe Golf Club. Registration information coming soon. Save the date!

JACKSON – Christ the King, Parish Picnic, Saturday, Sept. 21. Save the date!

SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5. Save the date!

Christ the King, Spanish as a Second Language Classes, Mondays at 6 p.m. in the education building, room number four. Join us for this free year-round class. No cost. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.

STARKVILLE – St. Joseph, Black and White Gala, Saturday, Aug. 17 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets: $50 per person or $500 per table benefitting the food pantry. Keynote speaker: Cassandra Mobley of the Mississippi Food Network. Enjoy fabulous food, beverages, music and dancing. Must be 21 to attend. Details: call (662) 323-2257 or email andy.teresa93@gmail.com.

TUPELO – St. James, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level I Formation Course, beginning Aug. 23. Long weekend format (Friday through Sunday) with dates in Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and concluding in Jan. 2025. Course cost: $500 per participant; discounts available for parishes sending more than three participants. Details: contact Karen Mayfield, karen@stjamestupelo.com for course brochure and further information.

CORRECTION
Our June 14 edition contained an error in the book review for “The Saints of St. Mary’s.” We incorrectly identified the book publisher at Dogwood Press. The correct book publisher is the Mississippi Sports Council. The Mississippi Catholic regrets the error.

By Joanna Puddister King
JACKSON – Just shy of sixty-six years a priest, Father Noel Prendergast entered eternal life on May 26, 2024.

He was born Jan. 1, 1934, the youngest of John and Mary Prendergast’s seven children. He was born at Christmastime, so that’s where Noel came from, Father Prendergast once told Mississippi Catholic.

He studied six years at St. Patrick’s College and Seminary in Carlow, Ireland; and was ordained in that city’s Catholic cathedral on June 7, 1958. It was Prendergast’s choice to spend his entire priesthood in Mississippi, giving up cold, wet winters and springs for the occasional snow and frequent hot temperatures native to the Deep South.

Father Prendergast and three other priests arrived in Mississippi in September 1958. His first assignment was to Nativity Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Biloxi as an associate pastor.

Four years later, he was moved to St. Mary’s Church in Jackson, where he served for two years as associate pastor. Father Prendergast once remarked that he “saw it more of an adventure,” since the parish also had a school.

From there, he was transferred to Mercy Hospital in Vicksburg, where he was chaplain. He left after three years for his first pastorate at Assumption Church in Natchez in 1967.

Father Prendergast became a U.S. citizen in the mid-1960s. “I figured if I was going to live here, I needed to be a citizen and take part in voting,” Prendergast recalled in 2018 for his sixtieth anniversary celebration.

Just two years after arriving in Natchez, Bishop Joseph Brunini assigned him as pastor of Gulf Coast Missions in Gulfport. He enjoyed returning to the coast, as he missed the sea, as he was only about 30 minutes from the ocean in his native Ireland.

Another two short years later, he was on his way to Annunciation parish in Columbus, where he served as pastor for 10 years. “You really got to know the people and appreciate them, and they appreciated what you did for them,” Father Prendergast once said.

His next stop was St. Michael’s Church in Vicksburg in September 1980, where he remained for 12 years. During his tenure, Father Prendergast helped oversee the construction of a new church structure, while the old church building became the parish hall.

His next assignment, in 1991, was Holy Savior in Clinton and Immaculate Conception in Raymond, where he remained 12 years.

In 2003, he found himself at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Yazoo City, where he remained until he requested retirement at age 75 in 2008.

Father Prendergast chose to come to Mississippi, and he chose to stay in Mississippi. At his 60th ordination anniversary celebration in 2018, Father Prendergast said that he came back to Clinton because he couldn’t “stand the weather over there” in Ireland and that he knew more people in Mississippi than he did in Ireland. Mississippi had become his home.

He enjoyed the life of a retiree, taking annual trips back to his homeland in Ireland to visit family; and also spending time on the golf course with his fellow priests and filling in occasionally at his home parish of Holy Savior Clinton. Father PJ Curley played golf with him nearly every Monday and Friday for 40 years, developing a deep friendship as fellow golfers and Irish priests.

“Imagine the eternal hug from God to Noel, who is in his image and in his likeness,” said Father Curley during the funeral Mass for Father Prendergast. “What a beautiful thought what a beautiful image. Going home to God.”

“Father Noel Prendergast is home, safe and sound.”

SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
PRAYER – Locus Benedictus, Would you be willing to commit to one day per week to pray the Rosary for priests and religious? Details: email your day of choice to contactlocusbenedictus@gmail.com or call (662) 299-1232.

CHATAWA – Our Lady of Hope, Blessed Virgin Mary Day Retreat with Kitty Cleveland, Thursday, Aug. 15 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with speaker Roy Schoeman. Enjoy talks, music, Mass, prayer, lunch and more. Cost: $125. Details: 601-202-3137 or email retreatsoloh3167@yahoo.com.

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Millions of Monicas: Praying with confidence for our children, each Tuesday, beginning July 2 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the church. Join with other mothers, grandmothers and step-mothers as we pray to grow in holiness and humility, and for our children’s faithful return to the church. Details: church office (601) 856-2054 or email millionsofmonicas@stjosephgluckstadt.com.

NEW ORLEANS – Directed Retreat with the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center at the Cenacle on Lake Pontchartrain, June 28-July 3. Cost $500 – includes lodging, meals and personal spiritual director. To register call (504) 861-3254. Details: for more information call Melinda at (601) 597-7178.

PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
BROOKHAVEN – St. Francis, Vacation Bible School, July 14-17 from 5:30-8 p.m. for preschool through sixth grade. Supper and light snack provided. Registration forms available in vestibule. Details: church office (601) 833-1799.

CLEVELAND – Our Lady of Victories, Vacation Bible School – Scuba: diving into friendship with God, June 23-26 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Open to all children entering Pre-K3 through fifth grade. Dinner provided. Deadline to register is June 16. Details: register at https://vbspro.events/p/f77396 or call Catherine at (662) 822-5025.

COLUMBUS – Annunciation School, Sportsmania Camp, June 10-14 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the school gym. Basketball, soccer, football and other fun activities for upcoming second through sixth grades. Cost: $135 per child. Details: register by emailing pfarrell@annunciationcatholicschool.org. $50 non-refundable deposit is due for registration.

Annunciation School, Dinosaurs to Luaus: Good Times! from June 24-28; Around the World from July 15-19. Camps from 8:30-11:30 a.m. for students entering kindergarten through sixth grade. Enjoy these hands-on camps focused on music, theatre and physical arts. Cost: $135 per child. All supplies and snacks included. Details: email Ms. Staggers at music@annunciationcatholicschool.org.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul, Bingo Night, Saturday, June 15 after 4:30 p.m. Mass. Play begins at 6 p.m. Enjoy a hotdog dinner celebrating Father’s Day. Details: church office (601) 992-9547.
St. Paul, Birthday Blast Vacation Bible School, July 15-19 from 6-8 p.m. for PreK-4 thorugh sixth grade. Details: register at https://bit.ly/3UJOtX2.

St. Paul Early Learning Center, Annual Golf Tournament, Friday, Sept. 20 at Bay Pointe Golf Club. Registration information coming soon. Save the date!

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph, Vacation Bible School – Scuba: diving into friendship with God, June 24-28 from 6-8 p.m. in the parish hall, with dinner and games beginning at 5:15 p.m. Open to all children entering Kindergarten through sixth grade. Cost $15 per child/$30 max per family. Pick up registration card by the SCUBA display in the church foyer. Details: Karen at kworrellcre@hotmail.com or (601) 672-5817.

JACKSON – Christ the King, 50th Ordination Celebration for Father Joe Dyer, Friday, Aug. 16, with Mass at 11 a.m. and reception following in the Multi-Purpose Building. Please send RSVP by July 1. Details: ctkcatholicchurch@comcast.net or call (601) 948-8867.

JACKSON – Cathedral of St. Peter, Block Party, Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy music by Patrick Harkins, dunking booth, fire truck, games and food trucks. Be sure to bring your chairs and your family for fun and fellowship. Details: church office (601) 969-3125.

JACKSON – Catholic Charities, Bishop’s Ball, Saturday, July 13 at the Old Capitol Inn. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. with auction and dinner at 7 p.m. Cost: $150. Details: tickets and more information at https://event.gives/bishopsball24.

MADISON – St. Francis, Come to the Table: Vacation Bible School, June 17-20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for all 4-year-olds through fifth graders. Register at https://bit.ly/4508VaP. Details: email mc.george@stfrancismadison.org.

St. Francis, Summer with the Saints, June through Aug. on Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. in St. Clare Hall. Bring your drink and dinner and join us for Word on Fire’s Pivotal Players series on the Saints and selections from Formed. All are welcome. Details: church office (601) 856-5556.

MERIDIAN – St. Patrick, Vacation Bible School, June 24-28 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for Kindergarten through fifth grades. Register online: vbspro.events/p/f7700f or pick up a form in the church office. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.

St. Patrick, Catholic Women’s Organization Luncheon, Sunday, June 30 at 12 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Enjoy some cheeseburger pasta salad, dessert and drinks for $10 per person. Family maximum of $40. Tickets on sale after Mass and at the door. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.

NATCHEZ – St. Mary Basilica, Vacation Bible School, July 15-19, evening hours. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.

OLIVE BRANCH – Queen of Peace, Young Adults Tailgate Party, Saturday, June 22. Event begins with Mass at 6 p.m. with dinner and activities following. If you were invovled in past youth groups or attended classes at Queen of Peace we would love to see you. Come eat, have some fun and let us know how you are doing. Open to young adults age 18-35. Details: Vickie at (662) 895-5007.

RIPLEY – St. Mathew, Yard Sale, Saturday, June 29 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details: church office (662) 993-8862.

SOUTHAVEN – Christ the King, Out of this World Vacation Bible School, June 17-21 for grades Kindergarten through fifth; June 24-28 from 6-8:30 p.m. for grades sixth through eighth. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.

STARKVILLE – St. Joseph, Black and White Gala, Saturday, Aug. 17 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets: $50 per person or $500 per table benefitting the food pantry. Keynote speaker: Cassandra Mobley of the Mississippi Food Network. Enjoy fabulous food, beverages, music and dancing. Must be 21 to attend. Details: call (662) 323-2257 or email andy.teresa93@gmail.com.

TUPELO – St. James, Featured speaker: Hosffman Ospino, Saturday, July 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Shelton Hall. Come be a part of engaging conversations to learn how we can foster more positive interchanges and relaitonships among our diverse family cultures. Details: church office (662) 842-4881.
St. James, Vacation Bible School, July 15-18 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. for ages 4-years through sixth grade. Theme: “The Chronicles of Narnia – God’s Surely Alive!” Register before June 8 for a shirt. Details: register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6WHPDQQ or for more information email rhondaswita13@gmail.com.

JOB OPENING
DIOCESE – The Diocese of Jackson has an opening for a Senior Accountant. This role will report directly to the Director of Temporal Affairs and will involve continuous collaboration with internal teams and external auditors. For a job description and link to apply through Indeed, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/employment-1.

By Staff Reports
HALES CORNERS, Wis. – Originally from Minneapolis, Rev. Thomas Lind, SCJ, died on April 11, just days before his 92nd birthday. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Community in Pinellas Park, Florida. Nearly ten years earlier he had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

Father Tom completed his seminary studies at Sacred Heart Monastery (now Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology). He professed his first vows with the Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians) in 1951 and was ordained in 1958.

His first full-time assignment was back where he started: assisting at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Ste. Marie, Ilinois, from 1960-64. From there, he went to St. Joseph’s Indian School, where he served for 17 years. He would later return to South Dakota for a short-term assignment on the Cheyenne River Reservation from 1999-2000.

For nine years (1980-89) he was pastor of St. James Church in Corinth, Mississippi. After two years at Christ the Redeemer parish in Houston, he moved to northwest Mississippi, where he assisted with pastoral ministry from 2000-2016. Since 2016, he had been a member of the SCJ retirement community in Pinellas Park.

“He was a very sweet man,” are the words that so many used to describe Father Tom upon learning of his death.

“I enjoyed his company and his homilies,” wrote another.

“He was a holy priest, a friend… and a pretty good golfer!” said another.

In his homily, Father Vien Nguyen, SCJ, provincial superior of the US Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, reflected on a phrase displayed prominently in Father Tom’s room: “Do what is right, seek what is good, walk humbly before the Lord,” from the prophet Micah.

“Doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God are not separate from each other; rather, they are interconnected,” said Father Vien.” They form the essence of God’s heart. Tom, I believe that having the words of the prophet Micah on your wall was not for decoration. Instead, they served as a reminder of what you wanted to achieve in your religious life as a Dehonian.

“May we too follow the footsteps of Father Leo John Dehon and have the courage to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. We hope that we too one day will be invited to the glorious banquet held on Mount Zion, never to be separated from God’s love, and be blessed for living the Beatitudes.”

The Mass of Christian Burial for Father Tom was held on Thursday, April 18, at Good Shepherd Chapel at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.

By David Tisdale
GREENVILLE – To help Catholics and other Christians keep prayer from becoming mere routine, Father Sebastian Myladiyil, SVD offers in his latest book in invitation to how to better understand and contemplate our devotions to the Holy Trinity through his deep examination of their genesis.

Father Sebastian recently published Why We Pray What We Pray, described as a “spiritual journey of prayer, silence and aspiration” in which he examines the prayers Christians hold dear and recite in times of worship, gratitude, contrition, and in despair. He looks closely at the historical and theological foundations and significations of The Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, The Way of the Cross, The Rosary, the Mass, Lectio Divina among others, further clarifying the concepts in which they are grounded so they become even more relatable and meaningful to us.

“The more I understand the words, actions, emotions, and feelings that are attached to a particular prayer, the better it helps me to engage in it,” Father Sebastian said of Why We Pray What We Pray. “That is why I have tried to explain prayer here by looking at its meaning, historical origins, scriptural basis, and theological significance. I hope readers find these beneficial as well and come to engage in prayer in an intentional manner. “

Why We Pray What We Pray invites readers to look at the whole of the narrative of The Word through the many prayers connecting us to it. In an excerpt from the book, referencing the Hail Mary, Father Sebastian writes:
“In our prayer, we make these beautiful words of Elizabeth our own. Today, we recognize Mary as the most blessed woman in history due to her faithful acceptance of God’s plan and her willingness to fulfill it perfectly.” The phrase emphasizes the lessons we can learn from Mary’s life and her response to God’s plan. It teaches us the value of faithful acceptance of God’s purpose, humility, and obedience. We are encouraged to recognize and celebrate the blessings in the lives of others, trust in God’s perfect timing, and utilize the power of prayer to seek spiritual support and guidance. In essence, Mary’s story inspires us to align our lives with God’s will, embrace His plan, and appreciate the blessings in our own lives and in the lives of those around us.”

In discussing the inspirations for his latest book, Father Sebastian says he values prayer and its power, and hopes what he is written also inspires more meditative and reflective moments. “It [prayer] is the force that guides and strengthens my life,” Father Sebastian explained. “It helps me to deepen my relationship with my God as I see those moments as special times between me and the One I love – God. It is also the glue that holds life together when things seem difficult and challenging.

“I truly experience the power of prayer when I intentionally engage in it and actively lead or participate in it. For the words of a prayer to become meaningful and the feelings to become real, I must immerse and involve myself totally in it – my body, soul, mind, and heart.”

Father Sebastian credits first his parents and a family atmosphere he says helped him value the importance of prayer, and later his educational formation in the seminary and daily service as a priest.
“The seminary formation and my life as a priest is centered around prayer and spirituality,” he further noted. “The celebration of the sacraments and other liturgical functions are powerful moments of prayer, and the greatest of such moments is the celebration of the Eucharist – the greatest form of prayer.

“As a priest, I am also blessed to be part of some of the most significant moments in the life of my parishioners as well as others in the community, such as through baptism, Holy Communion, matrimony, anointing of the sick, and funerals. These moments may be joyful or painful, and prayer has a way of enhancing those joyful moments or offering comfort to those experiencing pain and difficulties. In the period after Katrina, there were certainly moments of hope and love in action.”

The practice of deep contemplative, meditative, intentional prayer can, Father Sebastian believes, can utilize one’s heart and mind in ways we may not have previously considered.

“[Prayer] can help in getting in touch with one’s emotions and feelings and see them in the light of the Word of God,” Father Sebastian said. “One is able to get in touch with one’s deepest being when one is removed from the distractions of the world and is able to focus on the source of one’s existence – God.”

In a world marred by violence, war, chaos and social upheaval – events and conditions not new to humankind – prayer is our best defense against these forces, Father Sebastian contends.

“Every age has its own challenges, and when we face them for the first time, they might seem to be the greatest of all,” he said. “We are living in a digital age, and we think they pose certain challenges to faith. But I am sure our ancestors in the early industrial age or scientific age thought those [challenges facing them] to be the greatest challenges as well. I am not minimizing the challenges the modern world is presenting to our faith, but God is still in charge, and everything happens for a reason.”

With that philosophy in mind, Father Sebastian says he firmly believes in the words of the Apostle Paul when he said: ‘All things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8: 28), and, further noting, “When challenges mount, it only helps me to actively seek the source of my strength – God – and the process I use is prayer.”

Father Sebastian is currently serving as pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Greenville; St. Francis Church in Shaw; and Sacred Heart Church in Rosedale. A native of India, he is a member of the Society of the Divine Word (Latin – Societas Verbi Divini, SVD), also known as Divine Word Missionaries, and has been serving the SVD’s U.S. Southern Province since 1999.

He holds master’s degrees in moral theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, and in educational leadership and counselling from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. His other works include His Instruments; His Instruments – If God Could Use Them He Can Use Us and Blown Together – The Trials and Miracles of Katrina, along with a translation of His Instruments into Spanish, Sus Instrumentos.

(Reprinted with permission of Gulf Pine Catholic/Diocese of Biloxi)