Updates

Diocese announces“Pastoral Reimagining” process

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By Joanna Puddister King

JACKSON – The Diocese of Jackson has a new initiative that will focus on renewing and reimagining parishes across the diocese. The one-year “Pastoral Reimagining” process, that will begin on Pentecost Sunday, will focus on parishes and missions across the diocese taking a more direct and intentional look at the reality of their communities in the spirit of the Synod of Synodality in the aftermath of the pandemic.

“We are allowing the Holy Spirit to bless and guide us in our willingness to cooperate with God’s grace in a spirit of renewal,” writes Bishop Joseph Kopacz in his column for Mississippi Catholic on the reimagining process.

The theme from the process is from Ephesians, “There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism and one God and Father of all.” (Ephesians 4:5-6)

Thinking about the Synod process undertaken in the diocese and throughout the world, Bishop Kopacz noted that the church is at a crossroads locally and globally. With that, an extensive demographic review of the diocese will be a part of the “Pastoral Reimagining” process.

“Without a doubt [it] will enrich the local conversations,” said Bishop Kopacz.

There will be four stages of the pastoral reimagining process over the course of the year, running from Pentecost this year to Pentecost 2024.

The first stage will run from Pentecost through August 2023, with each pastor or LEM establishing a pastoral reimagining committee and having the committee view four ecclesiology video sessions and answer a series of questions designed to guide conversation on who we are as a church, says Fran Lavelle, director of faith formation for the diocese and member of the core team who will be working on the pastoral reimagining process.

The four video sessions, led by Bishop Kopacz will focus on the four marks of the church: one, holy, Catholic and apostolic; and will be available for anyone to view on the diocese website, along with discussion questions.
Stage two, will include each parish undertaking a parish assessment that includes the current situation at the local parish, the growing edges, the areas that are diminishing, the opportunities for collaboration with other parishes in the area, and other local realities.

With this stage, demographic information will be prepared for each parish, including sacramental data, local economic data and more, says Lavelle.

The third stage will focus on each deanery working though challenges and reviewing the growing edges and diminishing areas of ministry within the deanery.

“The goal is to gain a realistic perspective of the health and well-being of the deanery within the setting of the individual parishes,” Lavelle says.

The final two stages will include a period of discernment on reports from the six deaneries in the diocese and a pastoral letter from Bishop Kopacz, concluding with a diocesan celebration at Pentecost 2024.

“Calling upon the Holy Spirit, we pray that each parish will be encouraged, as well as challenged to be whom God calls us to be,” says Bishop Kopacz.

Sister Sheila Griffin, OP celebrates jubilee

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SINSINAWA, Wis. – Sister Sheila Griffin, OP, will celebrate her 70th jubilee in 2023. A Mass will be held Sunday, Sept. 10, for her and 11 other Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters celebrating 70 years. Her religious name was Sister Johanna.

Sister Sheila’s home parish is St. Patrick, Shieldsville, in the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese. She is the daughter of the late Jack and Kathryn (McGuiness) Griffin and graduated from Bethlehem Academy, Faribault. Sister Sheila’s ministry has been dedicated to education and social outreach, mainly in the South.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Sheila taught at St. Giles, 1953-1960, and Sts. Faith, Hope and Charity, Winnetka, 1968-1972. She served as provincial councilor for the Southeast Province of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa while living in Chicago, 1984-1988.

In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Sheila was co-principal and taught at Nativity BVM, Menomonee, 1979-1980.

In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Sheila volunteered with the Glenmary Missions, Houston, 2006-2008.
In the Diocese of Madison, Sister Sheila helped open and taught at St. Dennis, Madison, 1960-1963, and St. Cecilia, Wisconsin Dells, 1963-1968, where she was also principal.

In the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Sister Sheila was principal and teacher at Father Benedict Justice School, Kansas City, 1980-1984.

Currently, Sister Sheila is living in community with her Dominican Sisters.

If you would like to honor Sister Sheila on her jubilee, go to the Sinsinawa Dominicans’ website at www.sinsinawa.org/jubilee.

Pope returns to Vatican, ‘is better than before,’ chief surgeon says

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By Carol Glatz

ROME (CNS) – Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican after a nine-day hospital stay and intends to go ahead with his planned trips abroad in August and September, according to his chief surgeon.

“The pope is fine. He’s better than before,” said Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the chief surgeon who operated on the pope June 7 to repair a hernia; he also operated on the pope in 2021.

“The pope has confirmed all his trips,” the doctor told reporters outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital June 16, right after the pope was released. The pope was scheduled to attend World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, Aug. 2-6, and to go to Mongolia Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

“As a matter of fact,” Alfieri said, according to Vatican News, “he will be able to embark on them better than before because now he will no longer have the discomfort of his previous ailments. He will be a stronger pope.”

When asked about the pope’s “convalescence” to fully heal from abdominal surgery, Alfieri said, “he doesn’t convalesce; he has already started working.”

“We asked him to do some convalescence (and) this time I’m sure he will listen to us a little bit more because he has important events ahead of him and he has already said personally that he will go through with all of them, including his trips,” Alfieri said.

When the pope emerged from the hospital in a wheelchair the morning of June 16, he greeted well-wishers and journalists who asked him how he was. “I’m still alive,” he said, smiling.

He also expressed his sorrow for the recent deaths of migrants who drowned crossing the Mediterranean Sea near Greece.

Pope Francis smiles as he leaves Rome’s Gemelli hospital early June 16, 2023. Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the pope’s chief surgeon, and Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti, commander of the Vatican police force, are next to the pope as he responds to questions from Spanish journalist Eva Fernández, left, and Italian journalist Vania De Luca. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

He was accompanied to an awaiting white Fiat car by his aides and Alfieri, and then, with the front passenger-side window open, waved to others lining the road as he left.

Before returning to the Vatican, he stopped to pray at the icon of Mary, “Salus Populi Romani,” in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a stop he makes before and after every trip abroad and a stop he also made in July 2021 after undergoing colon surgery at the Gemelli.

Then the pope “stopped for a brief private visit to the sisters of the Institute of the Most Holy Child Mary, gathered for their general chapter,” the Vatican press office said. The pope also greeted police outside one of the side entrances into the Vatican to “thank them for their service.”

The Vatican press office said the pope’s Angelus address and prayer with visitors in St. Peter’s Square June 18 was confirmed as well as individual audiences in the coming days.

His general audience June 21 was canceled, however, “to safeguard the Holy Father’s postoperative recovery,” it said in a communique June 16.

Pope Francis underwent a three-hour surgery to repair a hernia June 7. The procedure, under general anesthesia, was performed using a surgical mesh to strengthen the repair and prevent the recurrence of a hernia. Surgeons also removed several adhesions or bands of scar tissue that had formed after previous surgeries decades ago, Alfieri told reporters after the operation.

Alfieri had explained that the pope’s immediate recovery required avoiding undue stress or strain so as not to tear the prosthetic mesh used to reinforce the abdominal wall.

The pope had spent seven days in the hospital in July 2021 after undergoing colon surgery to treat diverticulitis, inflammation of bulges in the intestine. He was also hospitalized for three nights for a respiratory infection in late March.

Briefs

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NATION
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Prior to the first anniversary of a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its prior abortion precedent, pro-life activists lauded legislation passed in multiple states while advocating for additional support services for women and families facing unplanned pregnancies. The Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, 2022, undoing nearly a half-century of its own precedent on abortion as a constitutional right. The case involved a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks, in which the state directly challenged the high court’s previous abortion-related precedents in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Jeanne Mancini, March for Life president, told OSV News that the first post-Roe year has been “amazing in so many ways” in reducing abortion, but it also has introduced “an element of confusion.” The way forward, Mancini said, must be to “lean into this and do it with a lot of love” and also “emphasize the truth that pro-life is pro-woman, whether it’s the support of a pregnancy care center or funding support at the state level.”

GOWER, Mo. (OSV News) – Mother Abbess Cecilia Snell puts the number of pilgrims who in the past six weeks have flocked to her Benedictine abbey in rural Missouri between 10,000 and 15,000. It’s a conservative estimate, she said, of the droves of people who, at times, have waited hours in line to see the body of the community’s foundress, Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster. The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles disinterred her remains April 28, four years after her death at age 95, and discovered a surprising lack of decay, leading to claims of her incorruptibility and potential for canonization. Most visitors are locals, or from Kansas City or St. Louis. Some, however, have traveled from Washington state, Maine, California and Florida, but also from as far as Canada, Colombia and India, Mother Cecilia said. “It was her relationship with Christ on the path (to) holiness that led her to greatness before him. She sends a message of the value of vocation, of charity and forgiveness, even through racial barriers, and that holiness is possible in our day. Quite a few people have said, ‘I knew her. This makes me realize that I can be holy too!’” Mother Cecilia said.

VATICAN
ROME (CNS) – Devotion to Marian apparitions should lead people to Jesus and not to a particular individual or community, Pope Francis said. In an interview with the Italian state television network, RAI, broadcast June 4, the pope said Marian apparitions are “an instrument of Marian devotion that is not always true” and may be used to focus on or promote an individual. “There have been true apparitions of Our Lady, but always with her finger like this, to Jesus” he said pointing outward, “never has Our Lady drawn (attention) toward herself when (the apparition) is true, she has always pointed to Jesus.” Pope Francis said that a Marian devotion that becomes “too centered on itself” and lacks guiding people to Jesus “is no good, be it in the person that has the devotion or those who carry it forward.” Through an observatory body overseen by the Pontifical International Marian Academy, the Vatican tracks alleged Marian apparitions around the world and studies their authenticity. During his upcoming trip to Portugal Aug. 2-6, Pope Francis will travel to a shrine honoring the apparitions at Fátima in which Mary appeared to three Portuguese children in 1917. Public devotion to Our Lady of Fátima was approved by the local bishop in 1930 and has since been promoted by the Vatican.

WORLD
BENIN CITY, Nigeria (OSV News) – The killing of Father Charles Igechi June 7 is further evidence of Christian persecution in Nigeria, church officials in the country say. The priest was on his way to St. Michael College, Ikhueniro, where he was assigned, when unidentified gunmen swooped in and shot him in the back. Archbishop Augustine Akubeze of Benin City said in a statement that the body of the priest was found in Ikpoba Hill, not far from Benin City, the capital and largest city of Edo state in southern Nigeria. In a June 8 condolence message, the archbishop reported “with deep sadness and sorrow in our hearts” the death of one of the priests of the archdiocese, Father Charles Onomhoale Igechi, who was ordained Aug. 13, 2022, and at the time of his death was vice principal of St. Michael College in Ikhueniro, Archbishop Akubeze asked for the faithful to pray “for the happy repose of his soul.” Josef Ishu, secretary of the Nigerian bishops’ conference Laity Office, told OSV News the killing of the priest is “the latest evidence of Christian persecution” in Nigeria.

KHERSON, Ukraine (OSV News) – Delivering aid in Ukraine’s flooded Kherson area has become a life-threatening task. Aid workers of Caritas and other organizations told OSV News they cannot go on rescue boats without bulletproof vests and military helmets, as Russian troops have continued to fire on civilian victims and rescuers. In some towns that are still under Russian occupation, sources say the situation is so dire that people die on their own rooftops. On June 6, damage to the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in Kherson released some 4.3 cubic miles of water (a single cubic mile of water equals 1.1 trillion gallons) from the Kakhovka Reservoir, one of the world’s largest capacity reservoirs. Dozens of towns and villages along the Dnipro River have been flooded so far, with tens of thousands at flood risk, according to Ukrainian government officials. The Institute for the Study of War, based in Washington, has assessed that “the balance of evidence, reasoning, and rhetoric suggests that the Russians deliberately damaged the dam.” Father Piotr Rosochacki, director of Caritas-Spes Ukraine since 2015, told OSV News the flooded terrain is now being “regularly shelled” by Russian troops, lamenting the attacks as “never-ending.” He appealed to Catholics around the globe not to forget about Ukraine and not to become indifferent. “The water will go away and in a month, two, others will live their own lives and forget about the dam. But people here will remain without basics like drinking water,” he said, adding that long-term help is needed “so that those people can live again.”

Happy Ordination Anniversary

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June 1
Father Anthony Okwum, SSJ
Holy Family, Natchez & St. Anne, Fayette

June 2
Father Guy Wilson
Holy Child Jesus, Canton & Sacred Heart, Camden

June 4
Father Joe Tonos
St. Richard, Jackson
Deacon Jeff Artigues
St. Joseph, Starkville
Deacon Denzil Lobo
Christ the King, Jackson
Deacon John McGinley
St. Joseph, Starkville
Deacon John McGregor
St. Jude, Pearl
Deacon Ted Schreck
Catholic Parishes of Northwest MS

June 6
Father PJ Curley
Retired
Father Daniel Gallagher
Retired

June 7
Father Noel Prendergast
Retired
Father Kevin Slattery
St. Therese, Jackson

June 8
Father Thomas Delaney
Retired

June 9
Father Juan Chavajay
Sacred Heart, Canton

June 10
Father Robert Dore
St. Michael, Vicksburg

June 11
Msgr. Patrick Farrell
Retired
Father Thomas Lalor
Retired

June 12
Father Kent Bowlds
Our Lady of Victories, Cleveland
Father Frank Cosgrove
Retired
Father Gerry Hurley
St. Paul, Flowood

June 13
Father Mike O’Brien
Retired
Father Mario Solorzano
St. James the Less, Corinth

June 14
Msgr. Mike Flannery
Retired
Father Tom McGing
Retired
Father David O’Connor
Retired

June 15
Father David Szatkowski, SCJ
Catholic Parishes of Northwest MS

June 16
Father Jeffrey Waldrep
Annunciation, Columbus

June 18
Father Anthony Quyet
Retired

June 26
Deacon David Gruseck
Annunciation, Columbus

June 27
Father Andrew Nguyen
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Greenwood
Father Cesar Sanchez
St. James, Tupelo
Father Marco Sanchez, ST
St. Anne, Carthage & St. Therese, Kosciusko

July 16
Deacon Mark Bowden
St. Jude, Pearl
Deacon Dien Hoang
Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Jackson
Deacon Wesley Lindsay
Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Jackson
Deacon John Pham
St. Michael, Forest
Deacon David Rouch
St. Michael, Vicksburg
Deacon Tony Schmidt
St. Paul, Flowood

“Padre Pio” (Gravitas)

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By John Mulderig
NEW YORK (OSV News) – Viewers may be misled by the title of director and co-writer Abel Ferrara’s historical drama “Padre Pio” (Gravitas). The film is less a profile of the titular saint, played passionately by Shia LaBeouf, than a portrait of San Giovanni Rotondo, the Apulian town of his Capuchin monastery, in the period immediately after World War I.

Moviegoers in search of an uplifting hagiography, accordingly, should look elsewhere. All the more so since Ferrara’s script, penned with Maurizio Braucci, includes graphic material that precludes endorsement for a wide range of age groups as well as themes suitable only for the fully catechized.

As Father Pio grapples with tormenting Satanic visions, the Italian social tensions that would eventually set the scene for the rise of Fascism mount. These are personified in wealthy, corrupt local landowner Renato (Brando Pacitto) on the one side and a group of virtuous socialists, including young would-be revolutionary Luigi (Vincenzo Crea), on the other.

Shia LaBeouf stars in the new drama “Padre Pio.” The OSV News classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (OSV News photo/Gravitas Ventures)

The screenplay suggests points of coherence between Marxism and Christianity. But if that sounds like an uneasy mix, the attempted blending of the events unfolding inside the walls of the Franciscan refuge and those transpiring beyond it is equally unstable. Thus the picture manages to be at once respectful of Christian spirituality and anti-clerical.

The former stance leads to the moving scene in which Padre Pio receives the stigmata. The latter gives us the sight of the local parish priest, Don Anselmo (Piergiuseppe Francione), a dedicated ally of the oppressors, blessing their guns with holy water before a showdown with the good guys.

Such a caricature is, unfortunately, in keeping with the movie’s ham-handed approach to history and ideology. It’s a shame that LaBeouf’s all-in performance – as is well-known, his participation in this project has resulted in his conversion to Catholicism – should come wrapped in such a burdensome husk.

Somewhere inside Ferrara’s flawed political and social retrospective is an intriguing biopic struggling to get out of confinement. A narrower focus would have yielded much stronger results.

The film contains brief but intense gory violence, demonic behavior, rear nudity, references to incest, several rough terms and a couple of crass expressions. The OSV News classification is A-III – adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

(John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News. Follow him on Twitter @JohnMulderig1.)

Previously run in MS Catholic about St. Padre Pio

Calendar of Events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
CHATAWA Marian Servants, Annual “Speak Lord I’m Listening” Retreat, Friday, July 14 at 7 p.m. till Sunday, July 16 at 12 p.m. at the Our Lady of Hope Retreat Center. This retreat will give you the techniques to pray and meditate on the scriptures to deepen your relationship with the Lord. Father Bill Henry will preside. Cost: $300 (includes housing and meals); or $200 for commuters (includes meals). Register by July 7. Husbands and wives welcome. Details: contact Charlene at (601) 276-5954.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference, July 21-22 at John Carroll Catholic High School at 300 Lakeshore Parkway held by the Diocese of Birmingham. Conference theme is “Victory in Jesus” and will feature Father James Blount, with Father Eric Gami and Teresa Ragusa, a miracle COVID survivor. Father Blount is an internationally known healing ministry priest of the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity (SOLT) of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Registration $25 for individuals and $65 for family of three or more. All are welcome! Details: Sally Smith at (205) 983-4150 or mustardsally14@gmail.com. To register visit www.catholiccharismaticrenewal.org.

WASHINGTON D.C. Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, Sept. 30 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Join with Catholics from around the country to seek the intercession of Our Lady. Hear life-changing talks; celebrate Mass and pray the rosary. For more information visit rosarypilgrimage.org.

PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
BATESVILLE St. Mary, Rummage Sale, Aug. 4-5 at the parish center. You are welcome to start bringing your gently used items to the center. Details: parish office (662) 563-2273.

HERNANDO Holy Spirit, Cocktails and Catholicism, Friday, July 14. Featured speaker is Father Dennis Schenkel of the Diocese of Memphis on “Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk: Evangelizing as a Catholic.” Details: church office (662) 895-5007.

NATCHEZ St. Mary, Thursday Night at the Movies; June 29 “Father Stu,” July 13 “The Shack,” and July 27 “The Scarlet and the Black.” Suitable for adults and older teens. Soft drinks, snacks and popcorn available for small donation. No admission fee, donations to Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center accepted. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.

RIDGELAND Catholic Charities, Back to School Giveaway, Friday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free school supplies, games and food provided. Register at https://bit.ly/CCSchoolSupplyGiveaway23 Details: marsha.burton@ccjackson.org.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL & YOUTH EVENTS

BATESVILLE St. Mary, VBS, July 14-16 at the parish center. Volunteers needed. Details: Robin at (662) 934-8170.

BROOKHAVEN St. Francis, “Stellar” VBS, July 16-19 from 5:30-8 p.m. Launch kids on a cosmic quest where they’ll have a blast shining Jesus’ light to the world. Volunteers needed. Details: call Emily at (601) 757-0579.

GREENVILLE St. Joseph, VBS for grades K to fifth grades, July 16-18 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at St. Joe High School. Visit stjosephgreenville.org to register or volunteer. Details: Alyssa at (662) 820-0868.

MERIDIAN St. Patrick, Hero Hotline VBS, June 26-30 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the parish center. All children entering Kindergarten through sixth grade welcome. Registration fee $10 but no child will be turned away. Register at catholiccommunity.mycokesburyvbs.com. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.
St. Patrick, Chronicles of Narnia youth movie nights, July 5, 12 and 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the Father Vally Room. Details: church office (601) 693-1321.

NATCHEZ St. Mary, “Stellar” VBS, July 17-22, evening hours to be announced. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.

PEARL St. Jude, VBS – Family Style, June 28, July 5 and 12th from 6:30-7:30 p.m. We will have picnic supper, Bible story, crafts, inside and outside fun and games. Mass at 6 p.m. Target audience is Kindergarten through fifth grade and their families. No charge, canned good donations welcome. Details: to attend please contact Kathleen so we know how many to prepare for – (601) 939-3181.

REMINDERS/NOTICES
JOB OPENINGS Catholic schools across the diocese have a variety of positions open. Please visit https://jacksondiocese.org/employment for an opportunity near you.

INDIANAPOLIS Eucharistic Congress, July 17-21, 2024. Registration is now open. See what Our Lord has in store for this next chapter for the Catholic Church in United States. Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/3ydav9Q. Details: EucharisticCongress.org.

NASHVILLE Billings Ovulation Method Teacher Training, Oct. 19-21. Learn the science of fertility in order to monitor reproductive health and wellness. Cost: $750. Details: events.boma-usa.org.

NATIONAL BLACK CATHOLIC CONGRESS GATHERING, July 20-23 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Join with other Black Catholics and those who minister to Black Catholics for a celebration of faith and culture. Details: nbccongress.org.

WORLD YOUTH DAY: LISBON 2023 Event for young Catholics ages 16-35, though all are welcomed to attend in Lisbon, Portugal. For more information visit: https://www.lisboa2023.org/en/.

ENGAGED ENCOUNTER WEEKENDS July 14-16 and Oct. 27-29 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton. Please register at www.jacksondiocese.org/family-ministry.

INDIANAPOLIS National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), Nov. 16-18, 2023 at the Indiana Convention Center. This distinctly Catholic three-day conference will include opportunities for spiritual growth, prayer, learning and service. For more information, visit ncyc.us.

Asignaciones Pastorales

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Por la presente, anuncio, los siguientes nombramientos partir del 1 de julio de 2023:

El reverendo Carlisle Beggerly es nombrado vicario parroquial de las parroquias de St. Patrick y St. Joseph, Meridian;
El reverendo Jofin George es nombrado párroco de la Parroquia de Holy Cross, Filadelfia; y ministro sacramental de la Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón, Louisville;
El reverendo Justin Joseph es nombrado vicario parroquial de St. James Parish, Tupelo;
El reverendo Rev. César Sánchez es nombrado párroco de la Parroquia de St. Jude, Pearl.

A partir del 24 de julio de 2023, nombro:

Al reverendo Stephen Okojie, como Administrador Pro Tempore, Parroquia St. Therese, Jackson; Parroquia de San Esteban, Magee; y ministro sacramental del Monasterio Carmelita.

Padre Carlisle Beggerly, nuevo sacerdote de la Diócesis

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Por Joanna Puddister King

 JACKSON – El seminarista local, Carlisle Beggerly, fue ordenado sacerdote para la Diócesis de Jackson el 27 de mayo en la Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol en Jackson, donde familiares, amigos, sacerdotes, diáconos, compañeros seminaristas y simpatizantes de toda la diócesis estuvieron presentes en la feliz ocasión.

Al crecer en Florence, Beggerly tuvo un profundo despertar espiritual durante sus años universitarios. Influenciado por las Confesiones de San Agustín, Beggerly se embarcó en una búsqueda para encontrar la iglesia a la que pertenecía Agustín, lo que finalmente lo llevó a la fe católica. Bajo la guía del padre Bill Voller en Hattiesburg, Beggerly recibió instrucción y abrazó el catolicismo, sintiendo un llamado al sacerdocio desde el comienzo de su conversión.

Después de pasar un tiempo con una orden religiosa, Beggerly se dio cuenta de que no encajaba perfectamente y decidió seguir un camino diferente. Incluso después de completar sus estudios de derecho en el Mississippi College, el llamado a la vida sacerdotal seguía resonando en su corazón.

Después de mudarse a West Point y unirse a la parroquia Immaculate Conception, Beggerly tomó la decisión de ingresar al seminario de la Diócesis de Jackson, atraído por un profundo deseo de ministrar a las personas que influyeron y dieron forma a su vida.

Después de la Liturgia de la Palabra durante la Misa de ordenación de Beggerly, el obispo Joseph Kopacz habló de su valía y el padre Nick Adam, director de vocaciones de la diócesis, dio su testimonio.

“Contando con la ayuda del Señor Dios y de nuestro Salvador Jesucristo, elegimos a este hombre, nuestro hermano, para la Orden del sacerdocio”, dijo el obispo Kopacz entre los aplausos de los reunidos para la ocasión.

Durante el Rito de Ordenación, el obispo Kopacz ungió las palmas de Beggerly con el Santo Crisma. Posteriormente, sus manos fueron envueltas en un paño. En su primera Misa de Acción de Gracias en su parroquia natal de Immaculate Conception West Point, Beggerly explicó una tradición que acompaña al ritual.

“La tela representa simbólicamente las cuerdas que estaban atadas alrededor de nuestro Señor”, explicó Beggerly. “Y también tiene una razón práctica porque limpia los aceites de las manos”.

Beggerly continuó explicando una costumbre que algunos sacerdotes continúan hoy en día, al obsequiar a sus madres con la tela.

“Es costumbre dar este trozo de tela o maniturgium a la madre de un sacerdote como regalo, para que sea enterrada con él y lo presente a nuestro Señor y diga: ‘Te he dado a mi hijo como sacerdote’, ” dijo el padre Beggerly a los reunidos en su parroquia natal. Invitándola, su madre se adelantó para recibir el regalo, mientras los reunidos sonrieron y aplaudieron la especial tradición que presenciaron.

El padre Beggerly se describe a sí mismo como “hijo de Mississippi” y espera ministrar a las personas que lo han ayudado a formarse a lo largo de los años. Su primera asignación, a partir del 1 de julio, será con la comunidad católica de Meridian en St. Patrick y St. Joseph.

Ordination

JACKSON – Durante la Misa de Ordenación en la Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol, Carlisle Beggerly reposa en el piso durante las letanías, recibe el Santo Crisma sobre sus manos por parte del obispo Joseph Kopacz, es bendecido y bienvenido por los sacerdotes presentes, concelebra Misa con el obispo y a su salida, como nuevo sacerdote, Padre Beggerly da sus primeras bendiciones a sacerdotes, religiosas y feligreses.  (Fotos de Michael Barrett y Joanna King)

First Mass

WEST POINT – El padre Carlisle Beggerly, asistido por los seminaristas Will Foggo y Ryan Stoer en su parroquia natal de Immaculate Conception en West Point celebra su primera Misa. El padre Beggerly observa a su madre, Kay Beggerly, después de entregarle la toalla con la que envolvió sus manos después de recibir el Santo Crisma. Ella será sepultada con este paño al morir, en el día de su juicio lo presentará a nuestro Señor y dirá: ‘Te he dado a mi hijo como sacerdote’  (Fotografías de Joanna Puddister King)