JACKSON – The Holy Family Parish Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) has reorganized after a few years of dormancy. One of their first projects was to plan, prepare and serve a meal at Stewpot on Sunday, Sept. 6.
Three members of the group are preparing for confirmation. “This is a very humbling place. It reminds us of how fortunate we are and all God has blessed us with because there are some people who don’t have all we have,” said group member Rodney Self.
The teens planned the menu and prepared all of the food except the main dish. They recruited adult volunteers to make the spaghetti with meat sauce. The group plans another visit to Stewpot, a fall festival for neighborhood children and a project with the Gleaners in the coming months.
Holy Family pastor Father Xavier Amirtham, OPraem, who pitched in to help with the Stewpot project, said he is pleased to see the students step up to do service projects. He said projects like this expose them to the real needs of communities close to home. “So they can understand the needs and the struggles of the people in this area. They better understand their responsibility to social justice and we see their need to do works of charity and I think they learn something,” said Father Amirtham.

GLUCKSTADT St. Joseph Parish, youth Bible study, “Altaration,” Wednesdays from 5 – 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Center.

CLEVELAND – Delta State University Catholic Student Association meets at Java City at Union. Ladies meet with Natalie Hardesty, 228-861-7253, and guys meet with Benjamin Pickard, 228-861-0729.NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, kids (Pk-3 – second graders), fun in the youth wing in Family Life Center, Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m.
– KCYO (3rd – 5th graders) meet to paint pottery for Empty Bowls in the Family Life Center, Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. The finished bowls will be sold during the fund-raiser in February 2016.

GRENADA St. Peter Parish LifeNight youth group are meeting on Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. to examine spiritual warfare.
– The first youth Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct 3, at 6 p.m.

SEARCH FOR CHRISTIAN MATURITY
¡SEARCH! Search for Christian Maturity Retreat, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 20-22, at Camp Wesley Pines, Gallman. All high school juniors and seniors are invited. Cost is $120. Deadline to register is Oct. 4. (Space is limited) For information and to register visit www.jacksonsearch.com. Details: Jeff & Ann Cook, 601-853-2409, search@jacksonsearch.com

GLUCKSTADT St. Joseph Parish, youth Bible study, “Alteration,” Wednesdays from 5 – 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Center.

COLUMBUS Annunciation Parish, CYO back-to-school “Splash Bash” Sunday, Sept. 13, from 5 – 7 p.m. at Lucy Phillips’s home, 181 Philwood Dr. RSVP to Molly Stafford, 662-328-2927, mostafford@cableone.net.

JACKSON St. Therese Parish, confimation class open for youth in 10th-12th grades. Register by contacting the parish office, 601-372-4481, stheresecc@yahoo.com, JThisaw@gmail.com.

MADISON St. Francis of Assisi Parish, “Altaration,” a new series about the Mass designed for teens, (seventh-12th graders) Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8 p.m. in the Family Life Center.
– St. Joseph School’s annual 5th & 6th Grade Deck Party will be on Friday, September 11 at 6:00 p.m. All 5th & 6th graders are invited and will receive a ticket to the St. Joseph vs. St. Andrews football game. Details: Kristi Garrard at 601-898-4812.

MERIDIAN St. Patrick Parish, CYM meeting, Sunday, Sept. 13, at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center. Details: Father José de Jesús Sánchez, 601-693-1321.
– Youth Mass, Saturday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. followed by food and fellowship.

SEARCH FOR CHRISTIAN MATURITY
¡SEARCH! Search for Christian Maturity Retreat, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 20-22, at Camp Wesley Pines, Gallman. All high school juniors and seniors are invited. Cost is $120. Deadline to register is Oct. 4. (Space is limited) For information and to register visit www.jacksonsearch.com. Details: Jeff & Ann Cook, 601-853-2409, search@jacksonsearch.com

GLUCKSTADT – St. Joseph Parish youth Mass, Sunday, Aug. 2, at 5 p.m. Volunteers needed for all ministries.
– Kick off party Sunday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. food, fun and fellowship.

GREENVILLE St. Joseph Parish, Theology of the Body for Teens retreat, Friday-Sunday, Aug. 7-9, at Locus Benedictus Retreat Center. This program will give teens the answers and the tools they need to successfully and safely navigate through life. Details: Tara Trost,  662-515-9126.

HERNANDO – Backpack blessing during the Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8-9, Masses at Holy Spirit Parish, Olive Branch Queen of Peace, Robinsonville Good Shepherd, Southaven Christ the King, Senatobia St. Gregory, and Holly Springs St. Joseph.

MADISON St. Anthony School football practice for third through sixth graders will begin in August. A physical is required for all participants. Details: Frank and Paige Harrison, 601-291-4846, Paigeharrison5@hotmail.com.

PEARL St. Jude Parish, Young Apostles (rising seventh-12th graders) annual kayak and canoe trip down the Okatoma River, Sunday, Aug. 9. The cost to rent a canoe is $30 (canoe fits 2 people)YA and for a kayak is $30 (fits one person. Participants will attend the 8:30 a.m. Mass then depart for Seminary. Bring extra clothes, shoes, lunch and additional money ($5-10) for dinner/snack. Details: text or call Mrs. Mara, 601-421-3849, or Mrs. Betsy, 601-214-7378.

BROOKHAVEN St. Francis of Assisi Parish, LifeTeen youth Mass, Sunday, July 19 at 9:30 a.m. and Saturday, July 25 at 6 p.m.
– Canoeing on the Okatoma River, Sunday, July 26. Meet at the church at 7:30 a.m. Details: Ange’le Bartholomew, 601-757-3084.

CLEVELAND Our Lady of Victories Parish, trip to Geyser Falls water park in Choctaw, Sunday, July 19, for youth in seventh-12th grades. Cost is $10. Mass will be celebrated during trip. Details: Jenifer,  662-402-7050.

JACKSON St. Richard Parish, “Scripture by the Slice,” a summer discipleship group for seventh-ninth graders, Tuesdays, July 14, 21 and 28, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in the youth center. Bring $2 for pizza and drink. All youth who will be in grades eighth-10th are welcome.
– The Breakfast Club,” will meet on July 17, 24 and 31, beginning with Mass at 8 a.m. and then head to a local restaurant for breakfast. All  youth who will be in eighth-10th grades in the fall are welcome.

MERIDIAN St. Patrick Parish, annual kayak and canoe trip down the Okatoma River, Saturday, Aug. 8. The rental cost for a canoe is $30 (fits 2 people) and for a kayak is $30 (fits one person unless you get a double kayak).

PEARL St. Jude Parish, registration for parish school of religion, Saturdays and Sundays, Aug. 1-2 and 8-9.
– Blessing of backpacks and pancake breakfast, Sunday, Aug. 2.

JACKSON – Members of St. Richard Parish Alive youth group (eighth-10th graders) are invited to “The Breakfast Club” on Fridays, June 19, July 3, 17, 24 and 31. Participants will attend the 8 a.m. Mass and then head to a local restaurant for breakfast. Bring money for food.
MADISON – Micah Pellerin of the Cleveland Browns will host a summer football camp at St. Joseph School. Dates are: June 22-24 for students on second through eight grades and June 25-26 for ninth through 12th graders. Details: Joe Marquez, 601-383-2545.
Summer camps:
– Volleyball camp, June 29-July 1, from 9 a.m.- noon for students entering third-fifth grades. Cost is $80.
– Cheer camp, July 20-24 from 9 a.m. – noon for students entering first-sixth grades. Cost is $100.
– Basketball camp, July 27-29 form 8 a.m. – noon for students entering fourth – ninth grades. Cost is $125.

McCOMB – St. Alphonsus Parish will continue offering “Teen Prayer” during the summer on Wednesday nights for incoming ninth graders through graduated seniors. Participants will learn about teenage saints from around the world and will also enjoy foods common to the areas that the saints are from. Anyone that would like to assist in food prep should be at the Youth House at 5 pm.
– Monday morning Mass at 7:30 a.m. followed by breakfast at the Youth House for Edge and Lifeteen. Details: Cathy McMillan, 601-431-1061.

By Lisa Zepponi
GREENVILLE – The newest addition to the St. Joseph Catholic High School chapel, an antique Italian statue of St. Joseph, was placed in its new home of honor. The St. Joseph statue was blessed during a special Mass by Father Bill Henry, where the late Boyd McGaugh and his wife Sandra McGaugh were recognized for their support of St. Joseph Catholic Schools.

Sandra McGaugh

Father Bill Henry blesses the antique statue of St. Joseph in the school chapel with help from

The school had been searching for the perfect statue of its namesake. The McGaugh family has actively been part of the St. Joseph School system for many years. Sandra McGaugh is the daughter of a St. Joseph graduate, the late Fletcher Low, who graduated in 1917, along with his four siblings. After Sandra and her sisters, Kay Low Gable (1959), Judy Low Cannon, her husband James (1959) and Penny Low Crowson (1961) graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School, Sandra returned to teach.
Sandra has taught at St. Joseph for 52 of her 54 years in education. She has been the former English Chair, cheerleading sponsor, National Honor Society Sponsor and senior class sponsor. She is the current yearbook sponsor, senior religion teacher and journalism teacher at St. Joseph High School. The Delta Democrat Times honored her as Best Teacher of the Year in 2013.
Sandra has a total dedication to and love for her school; she is thankful for the ability God has given her to help mold many generations of SJHS students who have crossed her path.  McGaugh feels blessed to have taught so many students who have become successful in life.
“I believe that being educated in a Catholic School is the best gift a parent can give a child in preparing the child for life as a prosperous Christian man or woman, she said. “Jesus is the center of the highest academic endeavors, and because of his teachings, children learn the values necessary for life and beyond.”
Sandra’s late husband, Boyd, supported her wish to educate their children in a Catholic school. Their children, Lea (1985), Jim (1986) and Brian (1995), a current teacher at SJHS and his wife Marcie (1994), all graduated from St. Joseph.
The McGaugh grandchildren Matthew (2009) and Hunter (2013), sons of Jim, graduated from SJHS; Gracie, Madeline and Fletcher McGaugh, children of Brian, all attend Our Lady of Lourdes. Their grandchildren, Will and Luke, Lea’s sons attend St. Clare Catholic School in Belleville, Ill.
Sandra said, “Boyd had a quick wit; he loved people, and he loved St. Joe.  He allowed me to do my work, and encouraged me to enter into the many activities that I have sponsored throughout the years.  He loved having the students working on school floats at our house, and he readily worked hard to assure that our three children would attend St Joe.
“He often chaperoned student trips and took charge of several fish fries to benefit the school.  He would love the idea of a statue being dedicated in our honor. He converted to Catholicism in 2011, but called himself a ‘Catholic in spirit’ long before then.”
SJHS Principal Paul Artman said, “Both Mr. and Mrs. McGaugh, as well as other generations of this family, have been vested in St. Joseph Catholic School. The McGaughs continue to honor our school; consequently, our dedication of this blessed statue is so fitting!”
The new Italian statue of St. Joseph is now at home, where it will be viewed with loving memory of Boyd McGaugh and in honor of an extremely dedicated family and its matriarch, Sandra Low McGaugh.

Green Wave pitcher, Gabe Smith, winds up to deliver a pitch in Cathedral’s 4-2 victory of Smithville for the State 1A championship May 22. (Photo courtesy The Natchez Democrat)

Cathedral Green Wave players hoist the Golden Glove trophy after capturing the State 1A baseball title with a two game sweep over the Smithville Seminoles. (Photo courtesy The Natchez Democrat)

Catholic schools excelled this spring in several sports including tennis, golf, softball and baseball. In the last issue we featured several championship winners. This week we offer final results in track, tennis and baseball.

Track
Vicksburg S. Aloysius senior, Maggie Waites, propelled herself to the state 1A pole vault title. Waites reached the height of 11 feet in nailing down first.

Tennis
After capturing the State 1A title, Greenville St. Joseph sent players to three individual finals matches.  With the exception of boys’ singles, all title matches involved Catholic schools.  In girls’ singles, Virginia Virden defeated Natchez Cathedral’s Grace White 6-1, 6-2.  In girls’ doubles The Irish’s Katherine Anne Terracina and Sarah Hayek lost to Hattiesburg Sacred Heart’s Anna Katherine Andy and Anna Bryce Taylor.
In mixed doubles action, St. Aloysius brother and sister duo, Luke Eckstein and Adrianne Eckstein, took the title by defeating Greenville’s Craig Gardiner and Olivia DeAngelo.
The boys’ doubles match saw John Preston Andy and Carter Andrews of Sacred Heart slip past Pascagoula Resurrection’s Patrick Roth and Wesley Williams.
St. Aloysius’ Aaron Mathis faced Tupelo Christian’s Hank Leathers with Leathers taking the title.
In Division 2A, Madison St. Joseph’s Steadman Strickland brought home his third straight title.  In girls’ doubles, the Bruins’ Genin Starkeu and Eliza Strickland reached the final match before losing to West Lincoln’s sister team of Kay and Kara Clark.

Baseball
PEARL – Trustmark Park, home of the Mississippi Braves, hosted the state high school baseball championships again this year. Under Coach Craig Beesley, the Natchez Cathedral Green Wave captured its first baseball title in 11 years to match its state football title last fall.
The Green Wave took the field May 20 against Smithville to begin a best of three series for the 1A title.  In game one Cathedral outscored Smithville 13-1. Andrew Beesley scored three runs as he went 4 for 5 with two RBIs.  Quinton Logan allowed only three hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Green Wave. Sam Parker came on in relief and shutout the Seminoles.
Game two, played May 22, was a much closer contest. Green Wave pitcher Gabe Smith allowed only five hits and two runs in five innings to notch the win as Cathedral topped the ‘Noles 4-2.  Sam Parker came in to pitch the last two innings and was given the save as he held Smithville hitless.
Over the two games Green Wave bats amassed 24 hits in 61 at bats for a combined batting average of .393.  Andrew Beesley led the way with 5 hits in 7 official at bats for a .714 average.