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Holy Child Jesus parish celebrates Sister Thea Bowman

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By Joanna Puddister King
CANTON – Faithful from around the diocese gathered to celebrate Sister Thea Bowman at her home parish of Holy Child Jesus in Canton on Sunday, March 26. Sister Thea died on March 30, 1990 in her family home in Canton from breast cancer. Parishes throughout the country celebrated Sister Thea leading up to the 33rd anniversary of her death.

“We made sure to perform some of Sister Thea’s favorites,” said Myrtle Otto of the musical selections for the event.

Myrtle Otto performs “Oh, It’s Jesus” at the Sister Thea Bowman celebration at Holy Child Jesus on Sunday, March 26. (Photos by Joanna King)

Otto, a student of Sister Thea’s who performed on the Holy Child Singers album “The Voice of Negro America” in 1967, said that some of the songs included in the celebration were “It’s Me, It’s Me, O Lord” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.” Otto was featured during the celebration singing “Oh, it is Jesus,” backed up by the combined choirs of Holy Child Jesus and Sacred Heart Camden.

During Mass, Bishop Kopacz often closed his eyes to fully experience the unity of the body of Christ through song. “It was obvious that even without the music, the choir was singing fully and unsparingly, in perfect harmony. The music gave the celebration even more life,” said Bishop Kopacz, referencing the piano player being tied up at another celebration early in the Mass.

Instead of wearing his traditional vestments, Bishop Kopacz opted for a piece of history in the diocesan archives to honor Sister Thea – a vestment from Mound Bayou, one of the first African-American incorporated towns in the United States.

A lifelong friend of Sister Thea, Mamie Chinn present for the event summed up the day perfectly.
“It’s always a good day to celebrate Thea.”

CANTON – Bishop Kopacz wore a piece of diocesan history of the celebration of Sister Thea Bowman at Holy Child Jesus parish on Sunday, March 26.
The vestment hails from the heart of the Delta – Mound Bayou, one of the oldest African-American communities in the United States, founded in 1887.
Father Guy Wilson and Mamie Chinn share a laugh after Mass. Families from as far as Greenwood came to celebrate Sister Thea.

Youth

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School is ‘nifty’

JACKSON – St. Richard fifth graders perform their “Fifty Nifty” program on the 50 states for students and parents on Friday, March 23. (Photo by Joanna Pudister King)
(Left) St. Richard Kindergarten teacher, Kate Morris leads her class by the Stations of the Cross on their way back to class. (Photo by Tammy Conrad)
CLARKSDALE – Father Raju and parishioners at St. Elizabeth enjoy a special St. Patrick’s Day Lenten luncheon on Friday, March 17. (Photo by Catelin Britt)

Grandparents day at Annunciation school

COLUMBUS – The McConnell/Thomas family join hands for The Lord’s Prayer during the grandparents day Mass at Annunciation School. (Right) Annunciation students demonstrate their robotics projects to their grandparents. (Photos by Logan Waggoner)

‘Pray for God’s hand’ over Mississippi: destructive tornado kills, injures dozens

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By Maria-Pia Negro Chin, Gina Christian

(OSV News) – Powerful tornadoes tore through rural Mississippi the night of Friday, March 24, killing or injuring dozens and causing widespread destruction.

By Saturday night, an update from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reported the death toll had risen to 25 and dozens of others were injured; four persons reported missing are accounted for. Multiple state agencies and partners have been working together to help in response and recovery efforts. News reports said that search and recovery crews continue to dig through destroyed homes and buildings on Sunday. Updated reports have the death toll from the storms as 21.

“The loss will be felt in these towns forever,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a Twitter post on Saturday. “Please pray for God’s hand to be over all who lost family and friends.”

An aerial view of the aftermath of a tornado, in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, U.S. March 25, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a video. Dozens are dead or injured after a least one powerful tornado tore through rural Mississippi March 24. (OSV News photo/SevereStudios.com, Jordan Hall via Reuters)

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, extended his prayers and encouraged Catholics to support all communities affected by this tragic event. “We join in prayer for all those affected by the storms that crossed our state,” he said in a statement posted on the diocesan website March 25.
During his Angelus, Pope Francis also prayed for the victims of the deadly weather and the people recovering from the loss of life and devastating destruction, according to Vatican News.

“We pray also for the victims of the terrible tornado that struck Mississippi in the United States,” the pope said at the end of his Angelus prayer on March 26.

Early Sunday morning, President Joe Biden ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected, due to the major disaster in Mississippi.

According to the White House disaster declaration, funding would be available to aid people in the counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey, and it can include grants for temporary houses and home repairs, as well as loans to cover uninsured property losses.

The National Weather Service confirmed tornado damage about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of Jackson, Mississippi, with a lot of the destruction reported in Silver City and Rolling Fork, a rural town of more than 1,800 people.

Processing information from damage surveys could take days to complete, but the National Weather Service noted the Rolling Fork/Silver City tornado has a preliminary EF-4 rating, which estimates wind speeds to have been 166-200 mph. Preliminary statistics from the National Weather Service said that tornado traveled approximately 59 miles over the course of an hour and 10 minutes. The Blackhawk/Winona tornado now has a preliminary EF-3 rating, with severe wind speeds in the 136-165 mph range.

“My city is gone. But we are resilient,” Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker said on CNN. Video and photos of the area showed houses reduced to rubble. On Twitter, Governor Reeves shared photos of relief efforts underway in Rolling Fork, Silver City, Amory and Winona, noting perseverance, unity and even prayer behind the response of responders and volunteers.

In an interview with OSV News, Marvin Edwards, a lay ecclesial minister of Sacred Heart Parish in Winona, shared what it was like to be in the tornado’s path. He said that he and his wife – who live 20 miles away from the parish – were in bed for the night when the tornado struck.

“This is the first time a tornado hit us directly. My emergency tornado watch went off on my cell phone. That’s not unusual, so I didn’t pay a lot of attention. All of a sudden, I heard this loud noise as my wife and I were laying in bed. We jumped up and the roof went away. We didn’t have time (to shelter); all of a sudden it (the tornado) was there,” he told OSV News.

Saying it all happened quickly, Edwards said they were not injured and only saw the damage once it was morning. “The tornado had a mile-wide path, and it picked up (strength) as it moved across the lake,” he said. “It took the roof off my house. I’ve got two cars with a big tree sitting across them; both of them are smashed.”

“As far as I know, all of our parishioners (at Sacred Heart) are OK. We don’t have a lot of parishioners; we’re a small mission church,” he said. “My immediate thought was, ‘I got angels protecting me evidently.’ I just thanked him (God). Something was protecting me.”

A local TV station reported a crisis shelter opened in Rolling Forks to provide a medical station, as well as cots, toiletries, and water. The state’s emergency management agency said shelters have also been opened in Belzoni and Amory to provide shelter to those affected, which includes hundreds of people who lost their homes.

On March 25, Gov. Reeves issued a State of Emergency in all counties affected by the tornado and severe storms that occurred across Mississippi. He called on agencies to set forth the emergency responsibilities delineated in Mississippi’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

“We give thanks and pray for first responders, who are working tirelessly in affected communities trying to reach those missing, restore power and assist those surviving,” Bishop Kopacz said in a statement on the Diocese of Jackson website.

A man stands amid the debris of a destroyed home in Rolling Fork, Miss., March 26, 2023, after a tornado swept through the town. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late March 24. (OSV News photo/Cheney Orr, Reuters)

“I encourage all to continue to pray and find ways to support all affected communities,” he added. “We will be reaching out through our Catholic Charities Disaster Response team to assist in recovery efforts.”

The National Weather Service of Huntsville, Alabama, also confirmed four tornadoes touched down in their state overnight March 24-25, all of which were EF-1 or EF-2 strength. The New York Times reported Saturday morning that at least one person died in Alabama as a result of the severe storm system.

In a Saturday afternoon email, Donald Carson, the Diocese of Birmingham’s communications director, noted Alabama did not experience similar levels of lives lost or destruction as the neighboring state.
“We will pray for all whose lives were lost in Mississippi and those who love them and all affected by the storms,” he said.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency’s Twitter and Facebook page, @MSEMA, also warned Mississippians that a large portion of the state has the potential for more severe storms Sunday evening and “tornadoes cannot be ruled out.”

(Maria-Pia Chin is Spanish editor for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @MariaPiaChin. Gina Christian is a national reporter for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @GinaJesseReina. Megan Marley is digital editor for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @mnmarley.)

For information on how to support the Diocese of Jackson Catholic Charities’ relief efforts, visit https://jacksondiocese.org/storm-donations

A family recovers belongings from their destroyed home in Rolling Fork, Miss., March 26, 2023, after a tornado swept through the town. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late March 24. (OSV News photo/Barbara Gauntt/USA Today Network via Reuters)
Jeremiah Stapleton, 18, climbs into the window of his grandfather’s destroyed home in Rolling Fork, Miss., March 26, 2023, after a tornado swept through the town. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late March 24. (OSV News photo/Cheney Orr, Reuters)
A woman looks through the debris of her destroyed home in Rolling Fork, Miss., March 26, 2023, after a tornado swept through the town. At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late March 24. (OSV News photo/Cheney Orr, Reuters)

Annual Bishop’s Ball celebrates Catholic Charites 60th anniversary

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By Joe Lee
MADISON – Let this sink in: the majority of those served by Catholic Charities are not Catholic.
If that comes as a surprise, consider the organization’s mission, which is to be a visible sign of Christ’s love by helping those who are unable to help themselves; the poor and vulnerable, especially children, women and families.

As final preparations are being made for the annual Bishop’s Ball – which will celebrate Catholic Charities’ 60th anniversary – executive director Wanda Thomas and her team are hard at work assisting the many victims of the March 24 tornado, an EF-4 that was on the ground nearly an hour and took the lives of 21 people in Rolling Fork and Silver City. There’s also significant damage in Amory.

“We are responsible for responding to any individuals in need within the 65 counties covered by the Diocese of Jackson,” Thomas said. “We have outlying offices and programs within the metro Jackson area as well as Raymond, Natchez and Vardaman. We are in the process of starting a new program in Greenwood.”

Those services include adoption and therapeutic foster care, domestic violence emergency shelters, the Born Free/New Beginnings residential substance abuse treatment for mothers, unaccompanied refugee minor group homes, and community-oriented, home-based services for youth at risk of needing psychiatric residential treatment.

There’s also Healing Hearts outpatient mental health clinic, disaster services, support services for veterans and families, kinship navigation services to prevent youth from needing foster care placement, rape crisis and sexual assault, emergency assistance, afterschool tutoring and a summer camp program.

“A lot of the work is behind the scenes, done discreetly and confidentially, but with great devotion,” said Bishop Joseph Kopacz. “This ministry is a vital part of the work and the mission of the Diocese of Jackson. It really goes to the margins, to the most vulnerable in our communities. It’s what the Gospel is all about, and what Pope Francis speaks about. We reach out to people who will never know us, and never be able to repay us.”

If you’re new to the area and haven’t attended the Bishop’s Ball before, it’s a wonderful opportunity to hear more about an organization that could definitely use your assistance right now. The annual event is also great fun, based on a track record of many generous donors returning again and again.

“When I entered the building (for the first time), I began working on the Bishop’s Ball,” said Marsha Burton, senior engagement and major gifts officer with Catholic Charities and a new addition to the team. “The live music this year will be a jazz band to set the mood of quaint and classy. We hired a decorator who will decorate around a diamond theme; the 60th anniversary is a diamond celebration.

“The teamwork from within the agency here is outstanding. This year’s Bishop’s Ball Samaritan Award is being presented to St. Dominic Comprehensive Cancer Center for the compassionate patient care they provided throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To my knowledge, this is the first healthcare team to receive the award.”

Johnny Maloney and his wife, Sharon, have chaired the Bishop’s Ball in the past, and the Cowboy Maloney family have been honored with the event’s Samaritan Award.

“Besides the great food and fellowship, the Bishop’s Ball has a silent auction and a live auction,” Maloney said. “In the past, the last live auction item has been a dinner with the Bishop at his home for eight people. Attendees get groups together and bid as a party of eight, and that makes the auction fun.”

“I see Catholic Charities as an extension of our parishes,” said Rusty Haydel, who estimates that he and his wife, Yvonne, have attended fifteen Bishop’s Balls over the years. “They’re doing the work that Jesus would want us to do.”

“All the Bishops hold a special place in our heart,” said Mike Crandall, “but we must say that Bishop Kopacz, through his leadership and involvement with Catholic Charities, has become our favorite. He stepped into the ministry at a crucial time, and the organization has thrived through his leadership and encouragement.

“Catholic Charites has allowed Susan and I to have an avenue to give back to society, a mission that we are passionate about. Our goal is that when our time comes and we are called home, we will leave our community in a better place. We work with a lot of nonprofits, but Catholic Charities is our favorite because it serves so many people.”

For more information on the Bishop’s Ball or to sponsor or purchase tickets, visit: https://event.gives/bb2023

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
FLOWOOD St. Paul, Men’s Retreat sponsored by the Knights of Columbus on May 20. For all men of St. Paul parish age 18 and up. Details: church office (601) 992-9547.

GREENWOOD Locus Benedictus, A Prophetic Call to Thrive: Preparing for the National Black Catholic Congress and a Day of Reflection with the Diocesan Office of Intercultural Ministry, Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All are welcome. Check in at 9:30 a.m. Details: Register by April 21 by calling Sister Amelia Breton at (601) 949-6935.

METAIRIE, La. Five-day Silent Directed Retreat, June 26 – July 2 at the Archdiocese of New Orleans Retreat Center (5500 Saint Mary Street, Metairie). Cost $500, includes room and board. Meet daily with a spiritual director, pray with scripture and spend the rest of the day in silence, prayer and rest. Register at franu.edu/retreat. Details: tyler.trahan@franu.edu or call (225) 526-1694.

PARISH, FAMILY & SCHOOL EVENTS
COLUMBUS Annunciation School, Draw Down and Art Auction, Friday, April 14 at the Trotter Convention Center from 6:30-11 p.m. Adults only (21 and up). Event includes dinner and open bar. Details: email psa.acseagles@gmail.com.

GREENVILLE St. Joseph School, Muffuletta Sale, Pick up on April 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets available at school or church office. Details: church office (662) 335-5251.

St. Joseph School, Open House, Wednesday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come grow with us! Details: school office (662) 378-9711.

Paul and Wadel Abide Memorial Golf Classic, Friday, May 12 at the Greenville Golf and Country Club. Cost: 4-person scramble $150 per golfer, includes cart fee, drink tickets and entry to social. Non-golfers cost is $60 and includes two drink tickets and entry to social. Enjoy food, drinks, door prizes and awards after golfing. Proceeds benefit St. Joseph School Scholarship Fund. Details: school office (662) 378-9711.

GREENWOOD Locus Benedictus, Mississippi Rural Legal Services will discuss end of life documents and other important issues on April 27 at 10 a.m. Anyone 60 or older will receive free legal advice and assistance in completing necessary documents. Public invited to attend. Details: Magdalene at Locus Benedictus (662) 299-1232.

HERNANDO Cocktails and Catholicism, Second Friday of each month from 7-8:30 p.m., for adults only. Doors open at 6 p.m. Meeting space at Holy Spirit Church (545 E. Commerce Street) in the Family Life Center. On April 14, Sister Mary Lawrence Wright, OP will present: “The Resurrection: Fulfillment of God’s Promises.” Details: RSVP to Deacon Ted at Christ the King at (662) 342-1073.

Holy Spirit, Yard Sale, Friday, May 19-20. Start saving item donations now. Donations accepted beginning May 8. Details: church office (662) 429-7851.

HOLLY SPRINGS CSI – Catholic Service Initiative presented by Northwest Parishes of Mississippi Youth Ministry, Sunday, June 4 through Friday, June 9 at Gregory House. For students completing grades 9-12 in May. Deadline for sign-up is April 30. Cost is $50, with scholarships available upon request. Details: For more information contact Vickie at (662) 895-5007.

JACKSON St. Richard, Bereavement Support Group, Thursday, April 13 at 6 p.m. in the Chichester Room. Featured speaker: Julie Levanway – Hear how Godwinks helped Julie thorugh the pain. All are welcome. Details: Nancy at (601) 942-2078 or ncmcghee@bellsouth.net.

St. Richard School, Flight to the Finish on April 22nd benefiting the Cardinal Men’s Club projects and St. Richard’s students in need of financial aid. Details: To register, go to https://raceroster.com/events/2023/73814/flight-to-the-finish. For more information or to sponsor the event, contact Patrick at patrickmcrews@gmail.com.

JACKSON 17th Annual Sister Thea Bowman School Draw Down, Saturday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the school multi-purpose building. $5,000 Grand prize. Cost $100, second chance insurance extra $20 per ticket. Details: (601) 351-5197 or stbdrawdown@gmail.com.

JACKSON Cathedral of St. Peter, Holy Hour for Healing and Mercy, Sunday, April 16 at 5 p.m. All are invited to attend and pray for healing for victims of abuse by church personnel.

MADISON St. Catherine’s Village, Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group, meets fourth Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Campbell Cove building. Lunch provided. All are welcome. Details: call to RSVP (601) 856-0123 or email cynthia.armstrong@fmolhs.org.

MADISON Luella and Floyd Q. Doolittle Golf Tournament, Saturday, April 15 at Whisper Lake Country Club. For information or to register, visit https://bit.ly/DoolittleGolf2023. Details: email somerville3817@gmail.com.

MERIDIAN Knights of Columbus State Convention, April 28-30 at the Threefoot Hotel. For more information visit: kofc-ms.org/convention/2023

NATCHEZ Cathedral School, 39th annual Crawfish Countdown, Friday, May 5. Join us for a fun night of crawfish, ice-cold beverages, chance to win $5,000 and more.

St. Mary Basilica, Blood Drive, Tuesday, April 18 from 1-6 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.

OLIVE BRANCH Queen of Peace, Divine Mercy Holy Hour, Sunday, April 16 at 2:30 p.m. All are welcome.

SOUTHAVEN Christ the King, Resurrection Party, Sunday, April 16 at 3 p.m. Details: church office (662) 342-1073.

SAVE THE DATE
HERNANDO Holy Spirit, Vacation Bible School, June 5-8 from 6-8 p.m.

MADISON St. Francis, Rocky Railway VBS express, June 19-22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. All pre-K4 through fourth graders are invited. Details: mc.george@stfrancismadison.org.

REMINDERS/NOTICES
ENGAGED ENCOUNTER WEEKENDS April 28-30 at Lake Tiak O’Khata in Lousiville; July 14-16 and Oct. 27-29 at Camp Garaywa in Clinton. Please register at www.jacksondiocese.org/family-ministry.

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.

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.

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.

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/.

Love does such crazy things …

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Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Alleluia, Christ is risen! Palm Sunday’s Passion Narrative by St. Matthew was the bridge that led the church this year through suffering and death into the light of Christ’s resurrection. This can bring us abundant peace and comfort, yet we do not shed the chains of suffering as if the resurrection covers it over with a blanket of devotion.

The great mystery of our faith is uniquely contained in the Lord’s final words before dying on the Cross in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels. “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Is this a cry of despair from the Lord, or an act of profound trust and love arising from the throes of suffering? In the face of unspeakable suffering that engulfs our world the Christian is impelled to walk the narrow road, and wrestle with the mysteries of suffering and evil in the light of the resurrection.

Chiara Lubich offers her deepest desire as a disciple of the Lord. “I wish to bear witness before the world that Jesus forsaken has filled every void, illuminated every darkness, accompanied every solitude, annulled every suffering, cancelled every sin.”

Mark, along with St. Matthew leave the world hanging with the Lord’s final words of abandonment that are actually the opening lines of Psalm 21. In the first half of the psalm, we discover that the jaws of suffering can inflict unrelenting agony. But the believer is directed to persevere and to know that God is love and does not abandon his creation.

This is evident in the closing verses from which the following is taken. “For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the tormented, but has heard when they cried out … From you comes my praise in the great congregation. Those who seek God shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! Our posterity shall serve God; the faithful shall tell of the Lord to the coming generations and proclaim God’s deliverance to a people yet unborn.” Although suffering is ever at hand, in the power of the resurrection abandonment is not the last word. Rather, it is the love of God that is as strong as death because Christ is risen!

Pope Francis, for the 400th anniversary of the death of Francis de Sales quoted from the great saint’s masterpiece, A Treatise on the Love of God in his pastoral letter, Totum amoris est (All is Love).
“In Holy Church, everything pertains to love, lives in love, is done for love and comes from love. The source of this love that attracts the heart is the life of Jesus Christ. ‘Nothing sways the human heart as much as love, and this is most evident in the fact that’ Jesus Christ died for us; he gave us life through his death. We live only because he died, and died for us, and in us.”

For this reason, St. Francis de Sales could eloquently describe Calvary as “the mountain of love.” For there and there alone, do we come to realize that “it is not possible to have life without love, or love without the death of the Redeemer. Except there, everything is either eternal death or eternal love, and the whole of Christian wisdom consists in knowing how to choose well between them.”

Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement that is anchored in the love of Jesus crucified and risen, writes gracefully on the passion of Jesus as the fountain of love. Just like Jesus, who through his suffering gave humanity joy here in earth and lasting joy in the next life, we too can acquire joy by accepting the various kinds of anguish we experience for ourselves and for others.

“Love impelled him to the Cross, considered foolishness by many, but this foolishness has saved humanity and has formed the saints. Suffering teaches what you cannot learn by any other means. It teaches with the greatest authority. It is the teacher of wisdom. Therefore, let’s not be afraid if we learn that suffering awaits us.”

The Father, Jesus, Mary, us. The Father permitted that Jesus feel forsaken by him, for us. Jesus accepted being forsaken by the Father, and deprived himself of his mother, for us. Mary shared the forsakenness of Jesus and accepted being deprived of her Son, for us. We, therefore, have been put in first place. It is love that does such crazy things…

Alleluia, Christ is risen! Happy Easter!

Called by Name

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Every Palm Sunday weekend, St. Joseph Seminary College hosts a “Come and See” experience for young men. This has been a very important retreat for many of our current and former seminarians because it gives them an up-close look at what seminary life is really like. One of the biggest challenges in vocation promotion is trying to overcome perceptions that we have about seminary formation. I know that before I actually went and saw the seminary, I thought it was much more like a monastery. I expected to see people quietly praying and being very serious all the time. Of course, we all hope that there is lots of prayer in seminary life, and there is, but there is also vibrant community life. This is what is highlighted most clearly at the St. Ben’s Come and See (as I’ve said before, St. Joseph is colloquially known as St. Ben’s since it is a Benedictine monastery!)

Father Nick Adam

The men arrive on Friday night and have a big crawfish boil which some local Knights of Columbus Council put on. The weekend is filled with talks about seminary life, and there are lots of opportunities to play sports throughout the days on campus. The weekend is rounded off with “Emaus walks,” where current seminarians pair off with Come and See participants to give them a listening ear to process what they have seen and heard over the weekend. After this, every goes to Palm Sunday Mass at the Abbey Church on campus. This is the highlight of the weekend as huge palms are waved throughout the sanctuary and the nave of the Church. The monks of St. Joseph Abbey take great care in their Holy Week liturgies, and it is inspiring to the visitors.

            I ask you to regularly pray for men discerning the priesthood. There are many obstacles that are placed in front of young men even as they make the first steps in a healthy discernment. Distractions can seem much more distracting, fears can become much more pronounced and sometimes the Lord’s voice can get drowned out by the many voices in the culture which do not prioritize the Lord. We have several young men actively discerning whether the seminary would be right for them right now, please keep them in prayer, and simply pray that God’s will be done! Satan does not want good and holy priests, and he wants to shut off the possibility of priesthood at the earliest moments, so pray a St. Michael prayer and ask the Archangel to intercede as these men consider their call and fight against distractions in their discernment.

Pope Francis calls for ‘ethical and responsible’
AI development

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By Justin McLellan
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis asked tech leaders to measure the value of their innovations not in processing power or profit potential, but in their capacity to promote human dignity.

In a meeting at the Vatican March 27 with scientists, engineers, businesspeople and lawyers working across the tech industry, the pope reflected on the social and cultural impact of artificial intelligence.  
The benefits of artificial intelligence and automated learning for humanity will be realized only if developers act in an “ethical and responsible way” that respects the intrinsic dignity of each person, the pope said.

But he expressed concern that such respect is missing when, for instance, artificially intelligent software is used in producing legal sentences by analyzing an individual’s criminal record and generalized data.

“An individual’s past behavior should not be used to deny him or her the opportunity to change, grow and contribute to society,” he said. “We cannot allow algorithms to limit or condition respect for human dignity, nor can we allow them to exclude compassion, mercy, forgiveness and, above all, an openness to hope for personal change.”

Technology experts fear that the data used to build algorithms in artificially intelligent legal software may amplify pre-existing biases in justice systems, further oppressing already marginalized groups.
“That data can be contaminated by prejudices and social preconceptions,” said the pope. “The fundamental value of a person cannot be measured by a set of data.”

He noted how digital technologies have increased global inequality both economically and in terms of political and social influence. Such inequality, he said, is rooted in a “false sense of meritocracy.”

“There is a risk of conceiving the economic advantage of a few as earned or merited, while the poverty of many is seen, in a certain way, as their fault,” he said.

Pope Francis invited the industry leaders to consider how their innovations may create a more equal and inclusive society.

“Are our national and international institutions able to hold technology companies accountable for the social and cultural impact of their products? Is there are a risk that increased inequality can compromise our sense of human and social solidarity?” he asked.

The pope recalled the ethical principles in AI development agreed to by religious, government and tech industry leaders at the Vatican: transparency, inclusion, responsibility, impartiality, reliability, security and privacy.

Pope Francis meets leaders from the tech industry at the Vatican March 27, 2023. The pope called for an “ethical and responsible” development of artificial intelligence. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

In January, executives from Microsoft and IBM as well as representatives from the Muslim and Jewish communities met at the Vatican to sign a document calling for a human-centered approach to AI development in which the principles were agreed upon.

The document advocated for establishing “an outlook in which AI is developed with a focus not on technology, but rather for the good of humanity and of the environment.”

At the March meeting, the pope thanked the tech leaders for engaging in discussions on responsible technology use that are “open to religious values,” and said that dialogue between religious believers and non-believers on science and ethics “is a path to peacebuilding and integral human development.”

Choosing our own storm

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IN EXILE
By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI

“We only live, only suspire, consumed by either fire or fire.”

T.S. Eliot wrote those words and, with them, suggests that our choice in this life is not between calm and storm, but between two kinds of storms.

He is right, of course, but sometimes it is good to vary the metaphor: We live in this world caught between two great gods, very different from each other: chaos and order.

Chaos is the god of fire, of fertility, of risk, of creativity, of novelty, of letting go. Chaos is the god of wildness, the god who brings disorder and mess. Most artists worship at his shrine. He is also the god of sleeplessness, of restlessness, and disintegration. In fact, chaos works precisely by disintegration of what is stable. Chaos is the god more worshipped by those of a liberal temperament.

Order is the god of water, of prudence, of chastity, of common sense, of stability, of hanging on. He is the god of pragma. He likes systems, clarity and a roof that doesn’t leak. He is more worshipped by those of a conservative temperament. Few artists pay him homage, but the corporate and ecclesiastical worlds more than compensate for this. By and large, he is their God. He can also be the god of boredom, timidity and rigidity. With him, you will never disintegrate, but you might suffocate. However, while he does not generate a lot of excitement, this god keeps a lot of people sane and alive.

Chaos and order, fire and water, don’t much like each other. However, both demand the respect accorded a deity. Unfortunately, like all one-sided deities, each wants all of us, but to give that submission is dangerous.

Allegiance to either, to the exclusion of the other, not infrequently leads to a self-destruction. When chaos reigns unchecked by order, moral and emotional disintegration soon enough unleash a darkness from which there is often no recovery. That’s what it means to fall apart, to become unglued. Conversely, when order totally dispels chaos, a certain self-annihilating virtue, posturing as God, begins to drain life of delight and possibility.

It is dangerous to worship at only the shrine. Both gods are needed. The soul, the church, practical life, the structures of society and love itself need the tempering that comes from both fire and water, order and chaos. Too much fire and things just burn up, disintegrate. Too much water and nothing ever changes, petrification sets in. Too much letting go and the sublimity of love lies prostituted; too much timidity and love shrivels up like a dried prune. No, both gods are needed – in practical life, in romantic life, in ecclesiology, in morality, in business and in government. Risk and prudence, rock music and Gregorian chant, both contain some whisperings of God. It is not by blind chance that we are caught between the two.

This should not be surprising because God, the God of Jesus Christ, is the God of both – fire and water, chaos, and order, liberal and conservative, chastity and prodigal love. God is the great stillpoint and God is also the principle of novelty, freshness, and resurrection.

Thomas Aquinas once defined the human soul as made up of two principles, the principle of energy and the principle of integration. One principle keeps us alive and the other keeps us glued together. These two principles, while in tension with each other, desperately need each other. A healthy soul keeps us energized, eager for life, but a healthy soul also keeps us solidly glued together, knowing who we are when we look at ourselves in a mirror. Our souls need to provide us with both energy and integrity, fire and glue.

God is love, and love wants and needs both order and chaos. Love wants always to build a home, to settle down, to create a calm, stable and chaste place. Something inside us wants the calm of paradise and thus love is about order. It wants to avoid emotional and moral disintegration. But love is also about chaos. There is something in love that wants to let go, that wants to be taken, that wants to surrender its boundaries, that wants the new, the foreign, and that wants to let go of its old self. That’s a fertile principle within love that has kept the human race going!

Our God hallows both of these gods, chaos and order, and that is why it is healthy that both be kept in a healthy tension. To be healthy, we need to bring them together within ourselves and we need to bring them together not as we would bring two parties to meet at a negotiating table, but as a high and a low-pressure system meet to produce a storm. After a storm, the weather is clear.

In the tempest there is life and there is God. In it we are initiated, initiated through immersion into the intense fires of desire and the ecstatic waters of surrender.

(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser is a theologian, teacher and award-winning author. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.com.)