The people in the picture from left to right are: Guy Heying – State Warden, Mike Kassouf – State Treasurer, Jim McCraw Immediate Past State Deputy, Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III Bishop of Biloxi, Philip Jabour – State Secretary and Raul “Roy” Gamez – State Advocate
By Mary Alford
GREENVILLE – It’s no secret Greenville is full of rich history.
But, what folks might not know about is a bell dating back to 1854 that can be found in the steeple at St. Joseph Catholic Church — an item even some of the parishioners had long forgotten existed.
GREENVILLE – Seminarian Mark Shoffner demonstrates the bell in the St. Joseph bell tower. Parishioners had largely forgotten it was there until this summer. The parish hopes to raise enough money to restore the whole church and ring the bell once again. (Photo courtesy Delta Democrat Times)
Members of the church discovered the 550-pound bell in the midst of their recent renovation campaign for the church, which was built in 1908 and was the third church of the Catholic community in Greenville.
“It’s been a good church but now the roof has gotten to the point that now the copper nails that they used to tack the slate on they started to erode away and we get a little bit of leakage on the side anyway,” Greenville native and seminarian Mark Shoffner said.
The bell, Shoffner said, was cast by Henry Hoover in Boston, Massachusetts. Hoover happened to be an apprentice to Paul Revere.
“He learned how to make bells from Paul Revere and later bought Paul Revere’s Foundry. So that bell was cast in Paul Revere’s Foundry and under his name. He is one of the most prominent bronze casters in American History,” Shoffner said.
Unfortunately, the bell hasn’t been in service for a number of years — maybe even since the 1940s.
But, Shoffner has set a goal to get the bell set up and ready to ring throughout downtown.
Shoffner said it will ultimately cost around $8,500 to get the bell ringing again, and he’s determined to accomplish this in his lifetime.
“It’s not just for us; it’s for the whole city to have those historic bells ringing and to have such a nationally historical bell in Greenville. We don’t know how it got here, but it’s here and we’re gonna run with it,” Shoffner said, noting this type of bell doesn’t typically exist outside of the northeast.
Bells are an important part of the Christian faith, Shoffner said, especially in the Catholic church. However, he said a bell can’t just be put up in a church.
“Bells have voices and they sing. … because the church looks so highly upon bells and they play such an important role in worship, they have to be consecrated by the bishop; it’s like a baptism. Bells and people are baptized and it’s only in the Catholic tradition that bells are baptized,” Shoffner said.
“In an old historic town, when you hear those bells chiming, it doesn’t only remind you of history but it makes you stop and that is the point of them.”
The parish has set up an account on the website Go Fund Me to restore the entire structure of St. Joseph, including the bell tower. Donors can also send checks for the restoration directly to the church, St. Joseph Church, P O Box 1220, Greenville MS 38702.
(Story reprinted with kind permission from the Delta Democrat Times. Mary Alford can be reached at makford@ddtonline.com)
By Danna Johnson
VARDAMAN – Summer 2017 had a different flavor for about 35 children from Vardaman. This was possible thanks to the partnership between Vardaman Victory Project Enterpreneurial Learning Center (ELC), part of the University of Mississippi’s MacLean Institute, and Catholic Charities’ Vardaman office. The mission of this program was to provide a fun, educational experience for students to keep them engaged during the summer.
Karson Nelson, Seth Dickinson, and Jessica Clarke were the enthusiastic students from Ole Miss who brought to town this wonderful learning experience. The camp offered speakers, sports and games, engaging activities and enrichment opportunities. Local authorities and parents supported the effort as did businesses such as Sweet Potato Sweets, and Mi Valles Restaurant.
As part of the citizenship and civic enrichment, children had the opportunity to hear from Kenney Scott, Vardaman’s chief of police, about the importance of “making good choices in life, because every choice has a consequence.” He also spoke about falling prey to bad influences, drugs and delinquencies.
Janet Swindle, Director of the Vardaman Public Library, offered a marvelous class about gardening. Each child received a gardening container and planted seeds at the beginning of the summer program. Every week as they were watering and caring their plants, Swindle graciously cultivated the habit of reading in children’s minds and hearts. Each child also received a library card and were able to take home their favorite books and movies. At the end of this program children toured the Ole Miss campus, and closed with a symbolic evening ceremony where each child received a certificate of participation. Organizers wanted the participants to keep learning in the summer, develop healthy habits, and participate in experiences that built self-esteem.
The staff and board members of the Catholic Charities Northeast office are delighted with the outcome and offer thanks to all the supporters of our programs. It is our hope to continue to carry out the mission and vision of the Diocese of Jackson in everything we do: to serve, to embrace, and to inspire.
(Danna Johnson is the director of the Catholic Charities office in Vardaman.)
By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – A McComb couple took the trip of a lifetime in February to meet a child they have supported for 14 years, but never met. Andy and Gail Spinnato spent 10 days in Nairobi, Kenya, on a tour with the Christian group, Unbound. They took with them 250 rosaries donated by the Knights of Columbus to distribute to the people they met.
Unbound was founded by four Catholic siblings and a friend as an effort to reach out to the marginalized people of the world. The organization sets up sponsorships for children and supports communities all around the world. The Spinnatos first heard about it from a visiting priest who preached at their parish more than a dozen years ago. “I picked a boy from Kenya. I was a teacher and my students were primarily African-American, so I wanted a child I could tell them stories about,” said Gail.
The Spinnatos sent money monthly and wrote letters to Peter for many years and they received letters and photos in return. This year, Unbound offered them a chance to go to Africa to see the results of all those years of work. “It was absolutely awesome,” said Gail of the meeting.
Peter is now 22 and wants to get a certification in plumbing so he can find work. “It’s interesting that he wants to do that since they have no running water in their home,” she added. When they met Peter and his mother, they did an art project together using hand prints. Gail went with Peter’s mother to the restroom to wash off the paint and realized she did not know how to operate the soap dispenser or automatic faucet because the African woman has never had running water in her home. One of the community projects Unbound is taking on in Peter’s village is a cistern to collect rainwater. Currently, everyone has to walk to a river a mile away to collect all the water they use. Projects like that one fall outside the monthly sponsorships, so the Spinnatos have been collecting for it since they returned.
Before the trip, the Spinnatos spent some time reflecting on their time as sponsors. “I went back through all the letters he has written. I made copies of some of them so he (Peter) could see the progress he made,” Gail explained. “He was very shy when it came to talking. Like many young people from foreign countries, he was hesitant to speak to a native speaker – still you could feel the connection through the love of Christ because he knows that love is how we are connected,” said Gail.
Fourteen other Unbound sponsors came on the trip, so the Spinnatos got to meet those families as well. As they traveled, they distributed rosaries made by fellow St. Alphonsus parishioner, Charles Schovel, who makes rosaries as a hobby. He recently donated more than 250 rosaries to the Knights of Columbus council there. Andy Spinnato is the Grand Knight of the council. When the knights heard about the Spinnatos trip, they decided that was the perfect place to distribute the rosaries.
“We take so much for granted. So to actually visit in homes and see people in such need, but to also see how they have so much dignity and pride and to see what they have been able to accomplish for themselves, it was amazing,” Gail said.
The Spinnatos left Africa with another connection. They were about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They had asked the priest celebrating Mass for a blessing, but he had another idea. “He called us up and we had to pull our wedding rings off our arthritic fingers and we renewed our vows,” she said.
Back in the states, the couple is currently making presentations at clubs or gatherings to invite others to become sponsors or donate to community development projects. They plan to return next February to travel into the country and see where Peter and his family live. The Spinnatos have decided to sponsor his younger sister, so the cycle of education and empowerment can continue.
Two scholarships are available to college students in the Diocese of Jackson. The Bishop Brunini Memorial Scholarship was established to be used specifically for tuition assistance for undergraduate or advanced studies at any accredited Catholic college or university. There are no specific restrictions for the field of study.
The Stella Schmidt Memorial Scholarship was established to be used specifically for tuition assistance for advanced studies in theology or religious education at Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala.
Full and part-time graduate students are eligible to apply for the scholarship. If the recipient is currently enrolled in the Department of Faith Formation’s Pastoral Ministries Program and receives tuition assistance from the diocese and their school or parish, scholarship money can be used to offset the amount of tuition paid out-of-pocket by the individual.
The specific annual amount of the scholarships will be determined by the interest shown. Applications are due to the Department of Faith Formation by October 15. For more information, please contact Fran Lavelle, director of the department of Faith Formation at (601) 969-1880 or by email at fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.
JACKSON – Christ the King Parish member Parris Watts has again represented Mississippi as a regional winner in the Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Essay Competition, sponsored by the National Bar Association and Met Life. She had to write an essay and present an oral argument supporting it.
The topic this year was about a student protest staged after President Donald Trump was elected. Students walked out of their classes to “to express their dissatisfaction with the election results and in condemnation of Trump’s politically charged comments about women, minorities and immigrants”. The Bar Association asked contestants if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have supported the protest. Watts earned the same honor last year with an essay about the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I was selected as the first place regional winner representing Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. I received a scholarship for winning first place at the regional level and a monetary reward for being a finalist at the National Competition,” wrote Watts in an email to Mississippi Catholic. On August 3, Watts competed against all the other regional winners at the Bar Association convention in Toronto, Canada.
According to the association’s website, this competition is “designed to motivate high school students to excel in education. The competition encourages students to express their views on a preselected topic and focuses on the ability of the students to communicate orally and in writing.”
“I entered the competition again because I knew that this would be great experience and another great opportunity to meet lawyers and get a better insight to the career that I would like to pursue. I plan to become a civil rights attorney,” explained Watts. “I approached the essay by reviewing the question and forming an answer of my own. I also researched information about how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have approached this situation,” she added.
Watts, a 2017 graduate of Richland High School, serves as the Vice Grand Lady for the Junior Daughters of the Knights of Peter Claver court 199.
By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson is sending ten sons to college this year. Some of them are pursuing an undergraduate degree while others seek advanced studies in theology, philosophy, liturgy and ministry. All of them intend to spend their lives in service to the church, in fact, most of them spent the summer serving at parishes across the state.
As the seminarians report back to Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, St. Joseph Seminary college in Benedict, La., and Sacred Heart Seminary in Wisconsin, the costs begin to add up. Of course, the return on the investment is out of this world, but, the bills are pretty steep in the meantime. The diocese will pay $325,000 this year on seminary education.
The diocese featured snippets from the seminarians’ summer assignments on the facebook page for the last couple weeks. Among the more far-flung adventures were Tristan Stovall’s nine-day wilderness hike with COR International, Andrew Nguyen’s participation in the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University and Aaron Williams’ continuing studies at the Liturgical Institute. Closer to home, Cesar Sanchez and Adolfo Suarez learned about pastoral ministry in a hospital setting at St. Dominic’s Hospital. Andrew Bowden and Marc Shoffner served in parishes.
While regular college students might take summers off or work at home, these men continued their formation in one way or another.
Catholic Extension has offered a $25,000 match if the diocese can raise $100,000 in new donations for seminary education this year. To help people better understand how anyone can support this effort, the Office of Vocations and Stewardship and Development are sponsoring a series of brunches in three locations.
Flowood St. Paul Parish will host the first brunch on Saturday, Sept. 9. The second is at Natchez St. Mary Basilica’s Family Life Center on Saturday, Sept. 23. The final brunch is set for Saturday, Nov. 4 at Oxford St. John Parish. At the brunches, donors will meet the seminarians and have the opportunity to support this fund.
A group of people can pool their money, but each new gift must equal at least $1,000. Those who cannot attend the brunches are welcome to send donations separately. To learn more about the Seminarian Endowment, to RSVP to a brunch or to donate, contact Pam McFarland at 601-960-8479 or by email pam.mcfarland@jacksondiocese.org.
Donations can be mailed to Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Seminarian Education Challenge, PO Box 2248, Jackson, MS 39225.
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
BROOKSVILLE Dwelling Place Retreat Center, “Knowing Myself in Christ”, October 8-10, begins with 6:30 p.m. dinner on Sunday and goes through Tuesday. Using the backdrop of the story of the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus at the well, the retreat will explore the thirst of all of us “to be known without feeling judged.” Presenter: Father Henry Shelton, pastor of St. Francis Church, Brookhaven. Donation: $200. Details: (662) 738-5348 or dwellpl@gmail.com.
CLARKSDALE St. Elizabeth will host a regional “Faith in Action” workshop on Saturday, September 23, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. in McKenna Hall. Organized by the Office of Social Justice of Catholic Charities. Details: church office (662) 624-4301.
GREENVILLE St. Joseph, repeat series on “Discovering Christ,” Saturday, September 26, 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall for seven sessions. Gather to share dinner, listen to dynamic teaching and explore answers to some of the most important question worth asking about God and finding ultimate purpose in life. Details:church office (662) 335-5251.
GREENWOOD Locus Benedictus Spirituality Center will begin another “Grace for the Journey” support group: Renewal for Caregivers. This is a Scripture-based program for those serving as caregivers, as well as those who have been caregivers in the past. The meetings will be held each Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Center beginning Thursday, September 14. There is no cost. Details: Magdalene Abraham, (662) 299-1232.
PARISH, SCHOOL AND FAMILY EVENTS
FLOWOOD The next offering of Discovering Christ begins September 12 at St. Paul Parish. This year, the program is open to anyone who wants to attend, not just parish members. The sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings beginning September 12th with the first two weeks being a chance to tour the church and meet the team. Then, the next seven Tuesdays will be dedicated to the Discovering Christ Series which includes a meal, prayer and song, a video teaching, and small group discussion. One of the highlights is a Retreat Day on Saturday, October 28th. Details: www.saintpaulcatholicchurch.com or call the church office 601-992-9547.
GLUCKSTADT St. Joseph, Save-The-Date: The 31th annual St. Joseph Catholic Church GermanFest, Sunday, September 24, 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Advance meal tickets are $6 and are available from parishioners. Meals the day of the festival will be $7. Admission and parking are free. Details: Pam Minninger, 601-856-2054 or www.stjosephgluckstadt.com.
JACKSON Christ the King, Senior Swingers are planning a bus tour on October 10-11. Will include many important civil rights points of interest. Details: Sarah Griffin, (601) 613-8017 or Genevieve Feyen, (601) 373-4463.
– Memorial Service for unborn victims of abortion, Saturday, September 9 at 12:30 p.m. on the corner of Mississippi Street and North President Street. The main speaker is Pastor Ryan Sullivan of Grace Community Church. It is part of the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children and the public is invited. Details: Laura Duran, 601-956-8636, plm@prolifemississippi.org.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Annual Parish Celebration, Saturday, September 16, “Our Parish at Prayer: Living the Paschal Mystery” presented by Msgr. Liam Bergin, parish family cookout at the O’Connor Family Life Center following the 5 p.m. Mass. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
YAZOO CITY St. Mary, Annual Crafts, Flea Market, garage sale, in the gym, Saturday, October 7, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. A small donation is encouraged to reserve your space for that day. Profit from your items is yours to keep. This is a fundraiser for the Religious Education Program. Details: call Diane Melton (662) 746-1680 if you have items you wish to donate.
YOUTH EVENTS
GREENVILLE St. Joseph School, 103rd Annual Parish Fair, Tuesday, September 12, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. food, fun, fellowship! Drive through 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.; Take out 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.; Dine in 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. Homemade spaghetti, meatballs, burgers, homemade candy and pastries, booths and silent auction in the gym. Details: Details: Missy Blackstock, (662) 378-9711.
GRENADA St. Peter, Save The Dates, October 21-22, Middle school (7th-8th grades) Diocesan Fall Retreat at Lake Forest Ranch, Macon, led by NET ministries. Details: Annette Tipton (662) 226-2490.
MADISON St. Joseph School, annual Open House, Sunday, November 5, a student-inspired, performance-filled showcase with incredible art, academics, theater, music and athletics. Details: (601) 898-4800.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Multi-Parish Youth Celebration, Sunday, September 17, led by three dynamic members of the Dumb Ox Ministries Team, Concerts for Hope, an afternoon of music and witness with award-winning musician and composer Eric Genius. Details: Details: (601) 445-5616.
VICKSBURG St. Aloysius alumni football “Legends of the Fall” banquet, Saturday, Sept. 23, 5:00 -8:30 p.m. in Farrell Hall. Keynote speaker Andy Bourgeois, St. Al’s Head Coach, ’61-64, also feature speakers Eddie Ray ’65, Delvan Irwin ’85, author of St. Aloysius HS Football History, 1928 – 1986; Michael Fields, St. Al’s Head Coach 2017. All proceeds benefit the St. Al Football Program. Details: Kevin Mahoney at (601) 529-7244. Go to www.flasheslegends.eventbrite.com to register. There is limited space.
By Elsa Baughman
JACKSON – As parishes come to the end of their five listening sessions of the V Encuentro, the Office of Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Jackson is asking parishes to save the date for the two diocesan-wide Encuentros.
The word Encuentro loosely translates as ‘encounter’ and is meant to describe the start of a new relationship and exchange of ideas, a strengthening of faith. These diocesan gatherings are the next step in a national process. In Tupelo, the Encuentro is scheduled for Saturday, October 7, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at St. James Parish. The Jackson-area Encuentro will be held on Saturday, October 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Madison St. Francis Parish.
The registration fee for youth and adults is $25, which includes lunch and a t-shirt. The cost for children ages six to 12 is $5, but does not include a T-shirt. There will be activities planned for these children in keeping with the theme of the V Encuentro. There will be no childcare for children younger than the age of six.
These gatherings are part of a process which will take several years to complete. First, dioceses across the country have assembled Encuentro teams to lead group discussions. Then, those teams host listening sessions at individual parishes to discuss specific issues facing the Hispanic Catholic community in America. These parish groups lead to a parish Encuentro to invite the whole community to participate.
Parishes will bring the results of their discussions to the diocsean Encuentro meetings. Finally, the dioceses will present their thoughts and themes at a national Ecuentro set for 2018 in Texas. National organizers hope to get an accurate picture of the Hispanic Catholic Church in America and to use that information to evangelize and strengthen the church overall.
Two parish meetings have been held so far, one in Hazlehurst on Sunday, July 16, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church and the other was held Saturday, August 19, at Carthage St. Ann Parish. Other communities in the diocese will continue to hold these Encuentros until all have participated.
In her presentation at the parish Encuentro in Hazlehurst, Patricia Lopez told the participants she understands that they may have felt a little unprepared to be a part of the Encuentro process. “But we must remember that when God chooses us to do something for Him, he does not leave us alone, since God does not call those who are prepared, but prepares each one who is called,” she explained. “When Jesus chose his apostles, these were people who had no preparation, they only knew how to fish. Jesus only had to ask them if they wanted to be fishers of men, and they followed him.”
Miguel Cruz, vice president of the Jackson-area Christian Family Movement, said he was very motivated because the attendees of the sessions have learned how to be leaders. One of the parts of the training he valued the most was learning how to meet their brothers and sisters who have moved away from the church.
“They have motivated us to not sit idly by, to get out there and to meet the needy in our communities. I am happy to be living this process which is the experience of new evangelization that Pope Francis has entrusted to us,” he said.
The themes covered in the sessions will help Brenda Valdez of Madison St. Francis Parish in Madison, be a missionary of Christ. She is pleased to have the opportunity to live this encounter. “I’m learning a lot of new things, especially the problems that some of the Hispanics are going through in the state and the needs that exist in different communities,” she said.
According to the national organizers of this process, more than 5,000 parishes, 175 dioceses and more than one million people are participating in the country. Millions of committed leaders have participated in its implementation.
To register or find more information, visit the Hispanic Ministry page on the Diocese of Jackson website, https://jacksondiocese.org/about/offices/hispanic-ministry or call 601-949-6931.
The small chapel in the Carmelite Monastery on Terry Road was overflowing with friends and supporters of the Carmelite nuns and Carmelite Seculars during Mass at 6:30p.m. on Sunday evening, July 16, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This, too, was the final day of the Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel which began on Sat., July 8, and continued with daily Masses and Novena Prayers to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The Celebrants and choirs were from different parishes in the Jackson area each day of the Novena. On the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Richard Choir graced the chapel with beautiful harmony. Father Jeremy Tobin, OPraem, and Father Kevin Slattery concelebrated the Mass. The homilist was Deacon Denzil Lobo.
Deacon Lobo reminded the congregation that when Mary stood under the cross with John, the beloved disciple, she then understood Simeon’s prophecy, “Your heart will be pierced by a sword.” Looking down and seeing his mother with his beloved disciple, Jesus passed the responsibility of taking care of his mother to him. John then took her into his heart and his home. Just like John accepted Mary into His home, Jesus invites us to accept Mary into our hearts and homes. Mary is now our mother and prays for us, her children, and we, in turn invoke her protection and intercession. After the Mass, all were invited to a reception on the lawn of the Monastery catered by the Catholic Filipino Community and Carmelite Seculars. (Those who may be interested in learning more about the Carmelite Secular lay vocation may contact Dorothy Ashley, 601-259-0885 or carmelite57@yahoo.com.)
