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The Mass of Holy Thursday

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Spirit and truth
By Father Aaron Williams
Our study of the liturgies of Holy Week picks up in this edition with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday night. For the sake of these columns, I will save discussion of the Chrism Mass for a later issue since this Mass is historically new and deserves a fuller treatment. In older times, the ‘Chrism Mass’ was simply the Mass of Holy Thursday celebrated in the Cathedral church.
From an aesthetic and ceremonial perspective, the Holy Thursday Mass is the simplest of the Triduum lituriges. In many ways it resembles a ‘normal’ Mass, which seems fitting on the night which honors the institution of the Mass itself. From the beginning of the Mass, the overarching theme of the Triduum is put forward. The entrance antiphon begins, “Let us glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This same text is used as the entrance antiphon only on one other occasion in the year: Sept. 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
We tend to try to place ‘themes’ upon the Triduum liturgies, but the Church desires us understand these rites as a continual zooming in on the one Paschal Mystery. Holy Thursday should be understood as a Mass of the Passion, and retain the same somber tone that we would approach Good Friday. It is for this reason that the rubrics of the Holy Thursday Mass tell us that following the chanting of the Gloria, no instruments or bells are used until the Gloria at the Easter Vigil. The remainder of the Mass is sung a cappella. All through Lent, the church gradually strips away the ceremonial surroundings of the liturgy, and this comes to a climax on Holy Thursday night.
The Gospel read, both in the modern from and in the traditional Missal, does not actually tell the story of the institution of the Eucharist. Rather, the Gospel of the foot washing from St. John is used. This is to underscore the theme of the Passion in the Holy Thursday Mass. The reading of the foot washing on Holy Thursday isn’t a disconnected moment from the Triduum. Those who return for Good Friday will find that the Passion reading at that service will pick up where the previous night finished — again to underscore the one continual mystery celebrated through the Triduum.
In the Holy Week rites before 1955, there was no foot washing rite at this point. The Mandatum, as it is known, formerly was a rite reserved for Cathedrals and Monasteries when new members would be added to the clergy or monastic community. The head of the community would wash the new member’s feet while the community chanted, “Mandatum novum do vobis … I give you a new commandment, love one another as I have loved you.”

Father Aaron Williams

Pope Pius XII gave permission for this rite to be celebrated after the Holy Thursday Mass. In the later reform of Holy Week in 1955, the Mandatum is inserted into the Missal as an optional rite after the gospel — which made this rite unique considering there is very little that is optional in the traditional liturgical books. The modern liturgical books maintains the Mandatum as an optional rite, but moves its location to after the homily, rather than after the gospel. The traditional chant is still provided as an optional text to be chanted during the rite.
When this rite is celebrated, it must be the priest to perform the washing (and multiple priests should not be used). The priest takes the place of Christ, strips off his chasuble, and puts on a linen apron (or an amici tied about his waist). He should go one-by-one to each person and wash and dry at least their right foot. Remember that the theme of the entire Triduum is the Passion, so the emphasis here is that the priest, representing Christ, is also representing how Christ’s sacrifice was made not simply for all of us, but for each of us personally, which is why only the priest must celebrate this rite. Christ personally offers himself up for each of us in his Passion.
The Mass continues from this point as normal. The First Eucharistic Prayer (the Roman Canon) must be used in this Mass, and it takes a special form where, prior to the institution narrative, reference is made to the fact that the Eucharist was instituted on Holy Thursday night.
Following communion, a ciborium (not a monstrance) remains on the altar. After the post-communion prayer, all kneel and the priest incenses the ciborium. Putting on a humeral veil, the priest carries the ciborium veiled around the church in a solemn procession with incense and lamps. It is appropriate that some members of the faithful follow this procession as at least a representation of the parish. The procession leads to a special altar which is richly decorated and prepared as the place of reservation for the next two nights.
This altar is traditionally called the ‘Sepulchre’ or tomb. Some modern theologians compare this altar to the Garden of Gethsemane, but traditionally it is understood as a representation of the tomb of Christ, since the Holy Thursday Mass is a celebration of the Passion and not simply of Holy Thursday night. In medieval rites, this altar had a significant role in the Easter liturgy, which we will visit at another time.
After the procession, the ciborium is placed inside the temporary tabernacle and the door is shut. Candles are left burning and adoration (without a monstrance) is kept solemnly until midnight. After that point, adoration may continue more simply, but the altar is to be left decorated through the Triduum — which is why it is best this altar be in another place than the church itself.

(Father Aaron Williams is the administrator at St. Joseph Parish in Greenville)

Pandemic spirituality and the grocery store “clicklist”

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Kneading Faith
By Fran Lavelle
You can ask anyone who knows me, I love to cook. I love making wholesome and healthy meals and I absolutely love having people over for dinner. I love every minute of meal planning, shopping, meal prep, table setting, wine chilling, dessert making, and I love most the gathering of friends and family around my big country table. The pandemic has authoritatively terminated dinner parties and holiday gatherings since mid-March and will likely continue to scrub such activities for some time into the future. Not only have our gatherings been deferred but the glorious trip to Mother Kroger has been completely and utterly transformed.
Prior to the pandemic I never and I mean never thought I would utilize the “clicklist” shopping option at my local Kroger. Since the pandemic I use this option almost weekly and order my Mom’s groceries the same way. So, you are asking yourself, what do dinner parties and grocery shopping have to do with spirituality?
Here is the thing, as a society we have grown so accustom to having what we want, when we want. For most of us, we are a might bit demanding and our expectations for variety and quality are high. In a world of excess, it is easy to grow accustom to having what we want regardless of the season. But our present reality has made a mockery of our need for instant gratification and the best of the best. We have lost control of the things we have taken for granted like fully stocked shelves at the grocery store. The reality of having someone else shop for you means that you no longer control which bunch of bananas ends up in your cart. And we all know where we stand on the banana matrix of ripeness. If you are like me, slightly speckled bananas are considered over-ripe. If substitutions are made, you are not the one making that decision. On more than one occasion, I have found myself singing the Rolling Stones, “You can’t always get what you want” whilst unloading my “clicklist” groceries.
Therein lies the deeper lesson of this pandemic. This is a season of life marked by the destructive nature of an uncontrollable virus, but also marked by the opportunity to let go of our sense of control and seek God’s will. Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 reminds us, “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.” This ebb and flow of life’s events recognizes a proper time for everything under the sun.
What has this time of pandemic been for you? In March, I thought we would shelter in place for a few weeks, beat down this beast called coronavirus and be back in business by mid-April. I saw an opportunity for a hard reset that would take us out of the unhealthy and all-consuming busyness of our lives. Five months into this gig and the unhealthy busyness is creeping back in. I do not want to backslide. So, I am making an effort to reprioritize how I give myself to God, my family and my work.
We will look back on this time in the years to come and think about the many ways our lives have been forever changed by the pandemic. Some of them are as small as giving up control of what tomatoes end up in our shopping cart. Some of them will be seismic shifts in how we live. Sorting out what gifts we take with us from this pandemic and what we leave behind might be difficult. Just like the parable of the wheat and the weeds we may need to wait until harvest time to separate what is life giving from the things that just are not that important anymore. For now, I am leaning in. I know there are important lessons to be learned in all of this. The pandemic and the Kroger “clicklist” continue to remind me that I will not always get what I want, what I get may be less than what I expect, and there is a season for everything.

(Fran Lavelle is the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Jackson)

Knights of Columbus called to redouble efforts to fight racism, violence

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By Catholic News Service
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CNS) – Every day Knights of Columbus live out the principles of charity, unity and fraternity, and through this daily witness in society, they must redouble their efforts to combat racism, violence and hatred, the top Knight told his confreres.
“Living these principles,” Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said, “is the highest expression of patriotism today.”
He made the comments in an address the evening of Aug. 4 during the fraternal organization’s 138th annual convention, held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many of our fellow citizens are still treated differently because of the color of their skin,” said Anderson. “Whenever and wherever this happens, it is wrong. And it must be righted.”
Anderson recommitted the Knights to its programs in support of Native Americans and to foster an “honest recounting of their history.” He lamented the recent desecration of churches and statues of saints, especially St. Junipero Serra, whom he called a “heroic and saintly missionary.”
“Where others seek to divide,” said Anderson, “let us promote unity. And where racism festers, let us build fraternity.”
“Living in fraternity is what we do every day,” said Anderson. “It is this commitment to fraternity that gives us the strength to do the great works of charity that our times demand.”
The convention, which had as its theme “Knights of Fraternity,” officially opened with an evening Mass Aug. 4 celebrated by Hartford Archbishop Leonard. P. Blair at historic St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, where Father Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus and where his remains are interred.

Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus, is seen Aug. 6, 2019, at the 137th annual Knights convention in Minneapolis. On Aug. 4, 2020, during the Knight’s 138th annual convention in New Haven, Conn., Anderson asked members to redouble efforts to fight racism, violence and hatred through their principles of charity and unity. (CNS photo/Tamino Petelinsek, courtesy Knights of Columbus)

The archbishop had news of his own to share: Father McGivney’s beatification will take place at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford Oct. 31.
The Knights expect COVID-19 restrictions to be in place on the date of the beatification, and are making preparations to broadcast the Mass to a worldwide audience so the public is able to join the celebration.
Ahead of the Mass at St. Mary’s Church, Anderson announced the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven will be transformed into the Blessed Michael J. McGivney Pilgrimage Center.
On May 27, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis, who met with the board of directors of the Knights of Columbus in February, had signed the decree recognizing a miracle through the intercession of Father McGivney, clearing the way for his beatification.
Once he is beatified, he will be called “Blessed.” In general, confirmation of a second miracle occurring through the intercession of the sainthood candidate is needed for canonization.
In his address, Anderson credited Father McGivney, as a “spiritual genius” for bringing men together as brothers who care for others through lives of charity.
Anderson suggested that Father McGivney’s beatification is timely since he understood well the pain of prejudice and discrimination as religious bigotry in the 19th-century targeted Catholics. However, the priest and his contemporaries identified a uniquely American way forward.
“They saw in the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment a path offered to them that could be found in no other country,” said Anderson. He cited a similar insight expressed by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who placed hope in the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence because they constitute a “promissory note to … every American.”
Anderson also used his addressed to deliver the Knights’ annual report, which shows that Knights donated more than $187 million and volunteered more than 77 million hours of service valued at more than $2 billion.
The organization responded to the pandemic with the Knights’ locally driven “Leave No Neighbor Behind” program to help neighbors most vulnerable to the illness, as well as blood drives and support for food banks in the U.S and Canada. Other initiatives included million-dollar lines of credit to dioceses in financial trouble and financial aid to the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu hospital for children in Rome.
Those programs are being carried out in tandem with the Knights’ ongoing activities for the disabled via Special Olympics and programs to help the needy, including Coats for Kids and disaster relief.
Despite the economic downturn due to the virus, Anderson reported insurance sales of $8.4 billion over the past 12 months with agents adopting a virtual business model since the start of the pandemic. With nearly $27 billion in assets under management, he said, the Knights of Columbus is meeting both its financial obligations, and its charitable goals.
In April, the Knights of Columbus was one of six companies to receive the highest ranking in a Standard & Poor’s review of North American life insurance companies. The rankings released April 6 give the Knights an AA+ and in the categories of “outlook,” “business risk profile” and “financial risk profile,” the Knights are considered, respectively “stable,” “very strong” and excellent.
Others insurance companies among the six are Guardian Life Insurance Group and New York Life Insurance Group.
Anderson had a final word about Father McGivney’s beatification and how it is both a cause for joy and a call to higher standards of charity, unity and fraternity.
“We step forward together,” he said, “as Knights of Columbus – ‘Knights of Fraternity’ – to continue our great work.”

Father Bill Henry retires after 36 years

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By Mary Margaret Edney

JACKSON – While working as a district sales manager for Nissan Motor Corporation, Father Bill Henry lived a successful, comfortable life. But after one particularly powerful weekend prayer retreat, he knew he was being called to move in a different direction. He answered that call, and today, Father Henry is celebrating his retirement after 36 years of service in the priesthood.

Father Bill Henry retired in June 2020. He served the Diocese of Jackson for 36 years at the following parishes: St. Joseph Greenville, St. Therese Jackson, St. Alphonsus McComb, St. Teresa of Avila Chatawa and at St. Joseph High School.

“The Lord just started speaking to me,” Father Henry said of that crucial weekend back in his early adult life. “It wouldn’t quit, like a toothache. I finally said, ‘if this is what You want me to do, I’ll do it.’”

So, Henry set a personal goal for himself — if he was going to quit the car business, he wanted to quit on top. And that’s what he did.
“It was the weirdest thing I’d ever seen in my life,” Father Henry recalled. “On my final day with Nissan, I had 18 dealers in Louisiana, and they broke every sales record. It was just awesome; it was my sendoff. I left there, all I owned was a new car and what was in it, but I felt like a millionaire. I’ll never be able to put my finger on that feeling of freedom and richness, and when I walked in that door of the seminary, there was no doubt that was where I was meant to be.”

Born in Orlando, Florida, Father Henry was raised in Washington state and spent much of his early adult life on the West Coast before moving to Jackson to work for Nissan. He attended Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, and when he finished there, he made his way back to Mississippi.

After being at St. Therese Church, St. Joseph’s High School and the vocations office, all in Jackson, Father Henry became a part-time administrator at St. Anne’s in Carthage before his first pastorship at St. Alphonsus in McComb. He spent 11 years in McComb before going back to St. Therese in Jackson, and finally, his last assignment of eight years at St. Joseph in Greenville.

“A highlight for me was just the ministry as a whole,” Father Henry said of his years as a full-time priest. “It’s been a very interesting journey for me, but it has always been great to see people growing in their faith. That’s what I really enjoy.”

And just as Father Henry kept himself busy as a priest, he plans to stay active in retirement with spiritual direction workshops and events. He has been very involved with the Marian Servants of Divine Providence, a group that serves through retreats and other ministries.

“Sometimes we get stuck spiritually, and we don’t move on. We work on the roadblocks and show people how our woundedness, sin and other things keep us from moving on and growing spiritually,” Father Henry said of a workshop scheduled for late September in Greenwood.

But it won’t be all work all the time — Father Henry is looking forward to a little downtime, as well.

“I also plan to do a little fishing and bike riding as part of my everyday exercise,” he said. “I have a lot of good friends in the area, so retirement is a very enriching experience for me right now.”

Springfield Dominican Sisters confirm corporate stance on migration

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By Sister Beth Murphy, OP
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Dominican Sisters of Springfield gathered in general assembly Aug. 6-7, 2020, and affirmed a statement in support of migrants that “heralds justice and non-violence” and that “speaks the urgent need for social equality and economic parity, for compassion and for reconciliation” of the world’s peoples on the move.
The full text of the corporate stance reads:
We, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill., express solidarity with those individuals and families who find it necessary to leave their homes or homeland in order to secure their safety and future. We commit to welcome, support, and protect all migrants: immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons. We commit to assist in their integration. We advocate for policies that protect their human rights, including family unity.
In her presentation of the statement to the sisters gathered at Sacred Heart Convent and around the Western Hemisphere via teleconference technology, Sister Sharon Zayac answered a rhetorical question about why more words were necessary on this topic. “In a world inundated with words that deny others their rights to life, liberty, and the means to provide for the needs and the future of their families, we need more words,” she said. “We need alternate words, words that herald justice and non-violence, that speak the urgent need for social equality and economic parity, for compassion and for reconciliation.”

(Left) Dominican Sisters of Springfield have been migrant advocates since their founders arrived in Jacksonville, Ill., on Aug. 19, 1873. Pictured: Springfield Dominican Sisters rally in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) legislation in 2017. Left to right are Sister Judith Hilbing, Veronica Espina (a Dominican associate), Sisters Elyse Marie Ramirez, Ann Clennon and Marcelline Koch. (Photo courtesy of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield)

The process of affirming this new corporate stance, the twelfth since 1994, began earlier this year with a period of communal study by the sisters on issues facing migrants in the U.S. and around the globe.
“When our founding sisters arrived in Jacksonville in 1873, they came to teach the children of the Irish immigrants whose fathers made a living doing back-breaking labor on the railroad,” said Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, the congregation’s prioress general. “Many of our own sisters were also immigrants. This statement affirms our commitment to continued concern for, ministry to, and advocacy on behalf of immigrants so deeply rooted in our own story.”
The sisters work to fulfill Pope Francis’ goal of making the Catholic church a welcoming place for migrants. In a video statement from the pope viewed before their vote on this corporate stance, the sisters heard Pope Francis say “Unfortunately, in many cases people are forced to move by conflict, natural disasters, persecution, climate change, violence, extreme poverty, and inhuman living conditions. Our shared response can be expressed by four action verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote, and to integrate.”
The Springfield Dominican Sisters now work to welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants in a multitude of ways. They serve migrants at the Dominican Literacy Centers in Aurora and Melrose Park, Ill. and at Bethany House, a Chicago shelter facility for women and children seeking asylum or awaiting adjudication of their human trafficking cases.
Sisters engaged in parish ministry often serve migrants in those parishes, and migrants attend the congregation’s three sponsored high schools. Migrants are served by Springfield Dominican Sisters at counseling centers in Illinois and are among those cared for in health care facilities where our sisters work.
In many instances, Springfield Dominican Sisters volunteer time in service of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and can often be found advocating for more just immigration policies in the seats of government. In Springfield, many sisters are engaged with the work of the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network (SIAN), an all-volunteer non-profit that provides service and advocacy for immigrants in central Illinois.
To learn more about how you can join the Dominican Sisters’ work in support of migrants contact Sister Marcelline Koch at 217-787-0481.

Catholic Extension receives 47 nominations for annual Lumen Christi Award

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By Catholic News Service
CHICAGO (CNS) – Each year Catholic Extension, based in Chicago, asks the faith communities in U.S. mission dioceses to nominate individuals or groups for the organization’s annual Lumen Christi Award, and for the 2020-2021 award, it has received 47 nominees.
Latin for the “Light of Christ,” the Lumen Christi Award is the highest honor bestowed on a missionary working in the United States. It honors an individual or group working in one of America’s mission dioceses “who demonstrates how the power of faith can transform lives and communities.”
These 47 nominees for the 43rd annual Lumen Christi Award “are hidden heroes in our midst who are serving their communities selflessly to bring life and hope to the forgotten corners of our country,” Catholic Extension said in a July 27 news release announcing the nominees.
“These Catholic leaders have stepped up to the difficult task of helping their already marginalized communities battle the physical, mental and financial impacts of the pandemic,” Catholic Extension said.

The Lumen Christi Award is seen in this undated photo. On July 27, 2020, Catholic Extension announced the list of 47 nominees for its upcoming 2020-2021 annual Lumen Christi Award. (CNS photo/Rich Kalonick, Catholic Extension)

“This diverse group of pastors, sisters, brothers, lay leaders, deacons, and community groups show the enormous breadth of the Catholic Church across the country,” it added. A full list of the nominees, their profiles and why they were nominated can be found online at https://bit.ly/3gZ2yuv.
The group includes a priest who is working for migrant rights on the U.S.-Mexico border; a religious sister from Puerto Rico serving her community on the road to recovery from natural disasters; and an ecumenical community group selflessly supporting immigrant families affected by raids in Mississippi carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
“During these trying times of COVID-19, this year’s nominees have proven to truly be heroes working selflessly in our midst,” said Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension. “These faith leaders have remained committed to their community and their mission, no matter the circumstances.”
Each Lumen Christi Award nominee receives $1,000 in support of his or her ministry, and the award recipient is given a $50,000 grant with the honoree and nominating diocese each receiving $25,000 for their own community and ministry.
The 2019-2020 winner was Mack McCarter, who founded Community Renewal International in 1994 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He had one goal in mind: to rebuild his home town of Shreveport by uniting individuals, churches, businesses and civic groups and to resurrect the foundation of relationships in neighborhoods.
Catholic Extension has been supporting the work and ministries of the nation’s mission dioceses since its founding in 1905. It raises funds to help build faith communities and churches in these dioceses, which are rural, cover a large geographic area, and have limited personnel and pastoral resources.

Mississippi high school baseball coaching legend D.M. Howie dies at 90

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By Rashad Milligan The Clarion-Ledger
JACKSON – David “D.M.” Howie dedicated his life to baseball.
“He lived baseball. He didn’t have any hobbies really,” said his son, Chris. “He didn’t fish, he didn’t golf. He liked to work on the field. He loved baseball practices. A lot of coaches didn’t like that, but he loved it because then he could teach.”

File photo of Coach D.M. Howie. (Photo courtesy of St. Joseph High School)

Howie died on Monday, July 20. He was 90 years old.
Howie began coaching high school baseball in 1967 at St. Joseph. At St. Joseph, he built his first baseball field, the Bobby Jacquith Field. The venue, constructed by the help of parents and Howie’s friends, was one of the first fields in the Jackson-area to have lights.
In 1982, he became the first baseball coach in Northwest Rankin’s history. At Northwest Rankin, he also built the program’s first baseball field – the original Wesley Scarborough Field.
Howie also coached at Madison Ridgeland, before it consolidated into Madison Central, Tougaloo and had a second stint at St. Joseph. The current field at St. Joseph, is named in his honor. He had a career record of 495-231.
He was the first coach in the Mississippi High School All-Star Baseball Game in 1975. The all-star exhibition is now named after him. In 2011, the Mississippi Association of Coaches inducted Howie into its Coaches Hall of Fame.
“He was a well-respected baseball coach,” Johnny Mims, MAC executive director, said. “He was just a great person, and a big baseball fan. He loved baseball, that was his life.”
In retirement, he volunteered his services being an assistant coach and umpire. In 2016, Howie released his autobiography Rock & Fire: The Autobiography of the Coach Who Made a Difference in Mississippi High School Baseball.
“It was a life well lived,” Chris Howie said. “He was 90 years old. He worked two-thirds of those years. He took it seriously.”
No funeral service is planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Editor’s note: This article was originally published on July 22, 2020 in The Clarion-Ledger and is reprinted with permission.)

Long-time organist at St. Elizabeth Clarksdale passes at age 95

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CLARKSDALE – Evelyn Campassi Demilio was born with music in her soul in Clarksdale on Feb. 16, 1925. At Clarksdale High School she enjoyed playing the piano for assemblies and school events and went on to attend St. Mary of the Woods College in Indiana and studied music, piano and the organ.
Demilio played the organ at St. Elizabeth Clarksdale for over 50 years (beginning in 1946) and taught piano lessons at St. Elizabeth School for over 25 years. She also assisted in teaching the children’s choir for many years. Additionally, she played for numerous weddings and always referred to the organ as “The King of Church Music.” The Moller organ keyboard danced when she played; you knew when Evelyn was upstairs.

In her own words: My guiding principle. By Evelyn Demilio
My first priority has been to make our services liturgically correct – trying at the same time to make it a beautiful experience for all who “participate.” Next, I always kept abreast of the times in what the leaders in Catholic liturgy were doing. I never visited a church without researching a new response, acclamation – or any new, good material I heard. I always used the best of the new. It was fun to do and it keeps our congregation engaged. I wanted to elevate the taste of our community in what was the best in music. I always felt that our St. Elizabeth community could be the best – anywhere, anytime.
Of course, there have been new trends and new directions (some good, some bad) and that will always be; but, in the big picture our old, traditional Catholic music will still survive and flourish because it continues to be the best and most beautiful in praising our Lord, Jesus Christ. In retrospect after 50 plus years as organist at St. Elizabeth Clarksdale, I believe the liturgy and our congregation are best served by our traditional Catholic music and song. Without this, we lose our history and identity as “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.”
Just listen to the organ and sing the music … beautiful!

She enjoyed her volunteer work at the Clarksdale Care Station and only stopping because her age dictated that she could do no more. The Mag-Pie Gift and Art Shop was a favorite workplace where she assisted brides-to-be with china and table setting selections. Frequently re-decorating the window displays was something she always anticipated.
In her 85th year, she persisted with the landscape at St. Elizabeth Church and School to get the live oak trees and crepe myrtles properly trimmed. It is still done today for all to enjoy.
At 90, driving around Clarksdale “running errands” in her Volkswagen Yellow Beetle was a thrill. She would exclaim how many people wanted to buy her “Yellow Bug,” but she always replied: “I don’t think I want to sell,” often resulting in a playful exchange.
In May 2017 at 92 years of age, Demilio agreed, with hesitation, to move into Flowers Manor for her well-being and then to the adjoining Fiser-Spradling Green House. She appreciated all the wonderful help and assistance she got from the staff of caregivers.
In October 2019 at 94 years old, Demilio moved to the Clarksdale Nursing Center for the nursing care she now needed. Alice Mayo still visited with faith and Communion and Father Raju Macherla, too.
Demilio was a happy person with a smile and she remained that way to the end.
She passed at age 95 on Aug. 2, 2020, and was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Demilio, her two brothers Louis and Willie Campassi. Demilio leaves behind six nieces and three nephews, and her son, Ronnie Demilio of New Orleans.

In memorium: Bessie Wilburn

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JACKSON – Bessie Wilburn was a native of Greenwood, Mississippi, graduating from Broad Street High School. She began coming to the St. Francis Center, meeting members of the Pax Christi Franciscans and the Franciscan Friars. She came to know and respect the work done by this Catholic community under the direction of Father Nathaniel Machesky, OFM and Kate Jordan.
She attended Xavier University in New Orleans, transferred to and graduated from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa. She obtained her master’s degree from Delta State College in Cleveland. While a member of the Delta State concert choir, she traveled to England where the choir performed numerous concerts.
In 1957, inspired by the Pax Christi Franciscan community, Wilburn began her process of formation as a member of this group of dedicated women, known in Canon Law as a Pious Union. People who belong to such groups commit themselves to following Christ in a radical way, by living a life of poverty, chastity and obedience. In 1960, Bessie made her first profession as a member of the Pax Christi Franciscans making her a consecrated member of this group.
She spent her years at St. Francis Center serving the people in that area. For many years, she taught at St. Francis school, also teaching music and directing musical plays for the entire school.
Wilburn was the director of St. Francis Center for many years. Her favorite task at the center was offering parties and programs for the senior citizens of Greenwood.
She was a true Franciscan, loving and caring for many stray animals who found their way to her.
Wilburn left this earth and joined the choir of angels on Aug. 4, 2020.
A private Mass was celebrated on Saturday, Aug. 8 at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Greenwood.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Pax Christi Franciscans, 2108 Alta Woods Blvd., Jackson, MS 39204.

Catholic prayer, meditation app Hallow sees huge increase in popularity

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By Ian Alvano
WASHINGTON (CNS) – When the developers of the Catholic meditation app Hallow launched it in 2018, they hoped to attract young Catholics, but what is now the country’s No. 1 Catholic app has a bigger reach than that.
“It started as this focus on young adults but actually we’ve seen a lot more. … Parents and retired folks get really excited about it and start using it,” said Hallow’s CEO and co-founder, Alex Jones.
Hallow – https://hallow.com – has seen a dramatic increase in popularity and getting more and more users each day.

This is a rendering of the Catholic prayer and meditation Hallow App, which has experienced a dramatic increase in popularity. (CNS graphic/courtesy Hallow)

The No. 1 rating is based on “Apple’s algorithm, which they don’t disclose,” Jones told Catholic News Service in a July 21 interview. “It’s based on how many people have reviewed it in the last few weeks, how many people are downloading it, how many have viewed. We started off on the bottom of the list, went to No. 3, then jumped to No. 1 about six months ago.”
Hallow is based out of Chicago even though the company started off in California’s Silicon Valley. Creation of the app is integrated with Jones’ own faith journey. His family raised him as a Catholic, but he strayed from the faith in high school and college. He went to the University of Notre Dame but he was going through a “relatively dark time in life,” he told Catholic News Service.
After he graduated from college, he wanted to figure out what he believed in. One thing that had always fascinated him was meditation. He noticed that whenever he meditated, his mind would be pulled to something spiritual.
He said he’d ask priests, nuns and others in religious life if there was a specific connection between meditation and faith. They told him that indeed there was a connection: It was called prayer.
When he was growing up, Jones said, he only thought of prayer as a way to ask for certain things or that it was just basic memorization of words. He only felt that he was talking to himself and going through the motions.
A priest friend encouraged him to listen more during prayer, Jones said, and he began to study the Catholic faith more and he tried “lectio divina,” a meditative reflection on the Scriptures.
Jones said this process actually led him to tears and eventually brought him back to his faith.
“It was a beautiful combination of this deep sense of peace and love, deeper than any other secular mediation or mindfulness meditation. It was this deep sense of peace combined with this real purpose that calms our head space,” he said.
Jones recalled meditating on the Lord’s Prayer and the word that stuck out to him was “hallow” from the beginning of the prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” He knew what hallow meant, to make holy or sacred, but he didn’t know how it pertained to his life. He pondered if he should be helping others grow in holiness.
That’s how the Hallow app came to be.
“If Headspace and Calm can be successful helping people learn secular meditation and (be) done through an app’” he thought, “why can’t the same thing be done and be done better through teaching Catholic contemplative prayer?”
Headspace is an app that teaches you how to meditate; Calm is a leading app for meditation and sleep.
“It’s very important to us that everything on the app is 100% authentically Catholic and in line with church teachings,” Jones told CNS about Hallow.
He said the app’s developers have worked with priests, bishops and theologians to ensure they are conveying Catholic teachings correctly. He added that Hallow is a resource to people of all backgrounds, especially people who have fallen away from the faith. Its primary audience is Catholic, but users of the app include Protestants, Jews and even atheists.
It also is hard to ignore the impact of COVID-19 on Hallow’s popularity. According to Jones, there was a large increase in usage and downloads when Easter came around since everyone was advised to stay at home.
While the pandemic has been terrible and brought so much sadness to people’s lives, with loved ones and friends dying from COVID-19, Jones said, it provides us with an opportunity to work on our spiritual lives from home. The app has a “Family” feature that allows users to connect with family and friends and share prayers, reflections and prayer intentions with them even while being physically separated.
It also has a feature called the “Daily Minute Prayer Challenge.” Users are encouraged to build a habit of prayer by spending at least one minute in guided prayer with Hallow each day.
“The hardest part about praying is just doing it. It’s easy in the seasons of Lent and Advent when it’s top of mind, but over the summer when you’ve got a lot of other things going on,” Jones said, “it’s easy to fall off that. We do a bunch of things. You can set goals on the app. You can add members of your family and friends to the app to hold yourself accountable. You can set daily reminders.”
Hallow, which has over 5,000 five-star reviews, tries to be “an app that helps you disconnect from apps and technology,” according to Jones, which he admitted sounds like a contradiction.
But he explained that while other religious apps have users glued to their screen to read the Bible, Hallow allows its users to press “play,” close their eyes and listen to audio of a prayer.

Hallow App co-founders Alex Jones, Alessandro DiSanto and Erich Kerekes pose together for this undated photo. Hallow — a Catholic prayer and meditation app — has experienced a dramatic increase in popularity. (CNS photo/courtesy Hallow)