JACKSON – Children at St. Therese Parish were the stars of the program, singing in English and Spanish, at the beginning of Christmas Mass. The children are singing Las Posadas, a reenactment of Joseph and Mary looking for shelter. (Photos by Elsa Baughman)
Excitement is growing for Abbey Youth Fest 2018 which will be held Saturday, March 17, at St. Joseph Abbey, Covington, La. Youth in grades eight-12 can attend. There is a $40 registration fee plus the cost of meals. Abbey Youth Fest was established in 2001 as an apostolic outreach of the Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College.
It is designed to provide young people with an opportunity to experience a day of prayer and faith formation with an exposure to the Benedictine tradition. Are your youth registered?
Contact Abbey Schuhmann at abbey.schuhmann@jacksondiocese.org for more information. The Diocese of Jackson will sponsor bus transportation.
The Diocese of Jackson is hosting its fourth annual high school Confirmation retreat on March 3-4. It will be held at Camp Garaywa in Clinton. The retreat, “Called to Serve,” is open to 10th-12th grade high school students who are preparing for the sacrament. In addition to great talks, group activities, Mass with Bishop Joseph Kopacz and opportunities to meet awesome Catholic youth, John Finch will perform live in a concert Saturday evening. The deadline for registration is Tuesday, February 16. The cost is $50 per person which includes meals, housing and a t-shirt. If you have any questions or need registration materials, please contact Fran Lavelle by email at fran.lavelle@jacksondiocese.org.
CORINTH – On Christmas Eve, families of St. James Parish celebrate the final Posada of 2017 with food, music and festivities. (Photo by Luis Rosales)
PEARL – On Thursday, December 18, the Catholic youth from Meridian St. Joseph and St. Patrick parishes kicked off their holiday break with a day trip to Pearl where they enjoyed the movie “The Star,” shared lunch and went ice skating at the Christmas Wonderland. Natalie Pierce, left, Maggie Manning and Taylor Nguyen support one another on the ice. In the background, l-r, are Hannah Dover and Serena Harwell Sanders. (Photo by John Harwell)
MADISON – More than 400 teachers, administrators and staff from all the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Jackson gathered at Madison St. Joseph Catholic School on Friday, Jan. 5, for a development day. They got to hear John Findlater, a veteran of Catholic Schools, speak about the rewards of a Catholic education for both the givers and the receivers. Findlater gained teaching and administrative experience in the Archdiocese of Detroit, serving a spectrum of students across socio-economic, cultural and academic groups. Participants heard his thoughts on the importance of knowing the history of each school and how schools mirror society in every way. He said educators and schools must be adaptive to change while still holding true to Catholic identity. He delivered his important message with humor, song and even dance. The day closed with Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Kopacz. (Photos by Maureen Smith)
COLUMBUS – Annunciation School Kindergartender Trey Johnikin had a blast playing in the snow on Friday, Dec. 8. (Photo by Katie Fenstermacher)
HOUSTON – Children from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish danced in the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration. (Photo by Lorenzo Aju)
MERIDIAN – St. Patrick School student Lily Zettler explains her Science Fair project to judges Shawn Stewart and Jackie Stephens on Monday, Dec. 11. (Photo by Helen Reynolds)
GREENVILLE – Students at St. Joseph School presented a Christmas play-called ”The Loaned Manger” on Thursday, December 14. “The Loaned Manger” is a fun and high-spirited, but ultimately meaningful look at Christmas through the eyes of the Wild Wild West of the late 1800’s. (Photo by Nikki Thompson)
CLARKSDALE – St. Elizabeth students presented “The Grumps of Ring-a-Ting Town” as their school Christmas program. (Photo by Dawn Spinks)
MADISON – During the intermission of the St. Joseph School holiday program “Gifts of the Season,” a drum line and part of the brass section have fun in the lobby of the Fine Arts building by playing on stools and other non-traditional instruments. Band members also participated in an ugly sweater contest at the end of the show. The first show of this concert was canceled because of snow on Friday, Dec. 8, but a Sunday matinee packed the house. (Photo courtesy of Terry Cassarino)
NATCHEZ – Cathedral Kindergartners Alex Rojo, Thomas Adams, Addie House and Tyler Boyette sing “I’m the happiest Christmas Tree” at the elementary school’s Christmas program. (Photo by Cara Moody Serio)
JACKSON – All students at Sister Thea Bowman School participate in the Christmas program through song, dance and acting. (Photo by Melissa Smalley)
