Another “homegrown” seminarian will enter the ranks for the Diocese of Jackson this fall. William Foggo of Brandon was officially accepted as a diocesan seminarian on May 28 by Bishop Kopacz. Foggo is an alumnus of St. Richard Elementary School in Jackson and St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison. He spent the last three years at Mississippi State University where he was heavily involved in the Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM). This past school year he was the service chairman for CCM, and he has been closely involved in the diocesan SEARCH retreats for the past several years. He is also an Eagle Scout.
With Foggo’s admission, the diocese currently has seven seminarians. He will enroll at St. Joseph Seminary College in the fall to begin his philosophy studies. Will studied engineering while at MSU. He joins fellow St. Joe alumnus Grayson Foley at St. Joseph Seminary, which is a Benedictine Abbey located near Covington, Louisiana, while five seminarians continue to study at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. Will grew up attending St. Paul Flowood, and was very involved at St. Joseph Starkville while in school.
Father Nick Adam
Candidates for the seminary go through a thorough application process, all designed to help a young man discern whether he is being called to formally discern priesthood. The first step anyone who is feeling called can take is to contact me in the Office of Vocations. It is a great joy to walk with someone who is open to the will of the Lord in their lives, and anyone can be assured that their interest will not result in pressure to “be a priest.”
Saturday, June 27, 2020 – Priestly Ordination of Deacon Andrew Nguyen and Deacon Cesar Sanchez, Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle Jackson, 9:30 a.m.
Friday, October 9, 2020 – Homegrown Harvest Gala, Cathead Distillery Downtown Jackson
If you are interested in visiting a seminary or house of religious formation, contact: vocations@jacksondiocese.org
IN EXILE By Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI I grew up in a close family and one of hardest things I ever did was to leave home and family at the age of seventeen to enter the novitiate of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. That novitiate year wasn’t easy. I missed my family intensely and stayed in touch with them insofar as the rules and communication of the day allowed. I wrote a letter home every week and my mother wrote back to me faithfully each week. I still have and cherish those letters. I had left home but stayed in touch, a faithful family member.
But my life became a lot more complex and socially demanding after that. I moved to a seminary and began to live in a community with sixty others, with people entering and leaving constantly throughout my seven years there so that by the time I’d finished my seminary training I had lived in close community with over one hundred different men. That brought its own challenges. People you’d grown close to would leave the community to be replaced by others so that each year there was a new community and new friendships.
Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI
In the years following seminary, that pattern began to grow exponentially. Graduate studies took me to other countries and brought a whole series of new persons into my life, many of whom became close friends. In more than forty years of teaching I have met with several thousand students and made many friends among them. Writing and public lectures have brought thousands of people into my life. Though most of them passed through my life without meaningful connection, some became lifelong friends.
I share this not because I think it’s unique, but rather because it’s typical. Today that’s really everyone’s story. More and more friends pass through our lives so that at a point the question necessarily arises: how does one remain faithful to one’s family, to old friends, former neighbors, former classmates, former students, former colleagues, and to old acquaintances? What does fidelity to them ask for? Occasional visits? Occasional emails, texts, calls? Remembering birthdays and anniversaries? Class reunions? Attending weddings and funerals?
Obviously doing these would be good, though that would also constitute a full-time occupation. Something else must be being asked of us here, namely, a fidelity that’s not contingent on emails, texts, calls, and occasional visits. But what can lie deeper than tangible human contact? What can be more real than that? The answer is fidelity, fidelity as the gift of a shared moral soul, fidelity as the gift of trust, and fidelity as remaining true to who you were when you were in tangible human community and contact with those people who are no longer part of your daily life. That’s what it means to be faithful.
It is interesting how the Christian scriptures define community and fidelity. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that before Pentecost those in the first Christian community were all “huddled in one room.” And here, though physically together, they were not in real community with each other, not really a family and not really faithful to each other. Then after receiving the Holy Spirit, they literally break out of that one room and scatter all over the earth so that many of them never see each other again. Now, geographically distant from each other, ironically they become real family, become a genuine community and live in fidelity to each other.
At the end of the day, fidelity is not about now often you physically connect with someone but about living within a shared spirit. Betrayal is not a question of separation by distance, of forgetting an anniversary or a birthday, or of not being able to stay in touch with someone you cherish. Betrayal is moving away from the truth and virtue you once shared with that person you cherish. Betrayal is a change of soul. We are unfaithful to family and friends when we become a different person morally so as to no longer share a common spirit with them.
You can be living in the same house with someone, share daily bread and conversation with him or her, and not be a faithful family member or friend; just as you can be a faithful friend or family member and not see that friend or family member for forty years. Being faithful in remembering birthdays is wonderful, but fidelity is more about remembering who you were when that birth was so special to you. Fidelity is about maintaining moral affinity.
To the best of my abilities, I try to stay in contact with the family, old friends, former neighbors, former classmates, former students, former colleagues, and old acquaintances. Mostly it’s a bit beyond me. So I put my trust in moral fidelity. I try as best I can to commit myself to keeping the same soul I had when I left home as a young boy and which characterized and defined me when I met all those wonderful people along the way.
(Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher and award-winning author, is President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.com.)
Part of the Solution By Reba J. McMellon, M.S.,LPC This is the time of year that many graduations take place. So, what does it mean to graduate?
Reba J. McMellon, M.S.,LPC
Graduation is a time of moving forward while looking back and being proud of your accomplishments. While graduation ceremonies will look different this year, the infamous year of 2020, it’s important to remember most milestones in life don’t involve a ceremony or cap and gown. Most graduations involve little pomp and circumstance. You’ll likely always have someone cheering you on, but the crowds get smaller as you get older. The good news is – that doesn’t make them any less important. Psychological research has shown that the milestones in life that bring the most internal motivations are the strongest. If a person is accomplishing things for external praise, the motivation is a shallow one. Internal rewards are the strongest. Graduation is defined by moving from one stage of experience and proficiency to the next. Graduation is not an end; it’s a new beginning. Academic is one type of graduation. As people move through life, there will be many important milestones. Graduating into adulthood, parenthood, and empty nests are a few examples. Wouldn’t it be nice if a marching band and a cheering crowd showed up in your front yard for those events? Spiritual graduations that go beyond baptism and confirmation are important as well. Those, like high school graduations, are only the start. Spiritual growth is imperative but involve little outward fanfare. If you have a graduate at your house, it’s a type of graduation for you too. Parents are ushering their graduates into young adulthood. They’ve made it to a new stage, and you have too. It is a time to step back and encourage your graduate to explore vocations, be prayerful and fly away from the nest. They can’t fly further than your love can reach. I promise. If you are a graduate in 2020, lift your arms high in the air and give yourself a high five. You’ve achieved an important milestone, now go make your next mark while you high step it into your future.
(Reba McMellon, M.S. is a licensed professional counselor with 35 years of experience. She worked in the field of child sexual abuse and adult survivors of sexual abuse for more than 25 years. She moved back to Mississippi in 2001 and works part-time as a mental health consultant and freelance writer.)
MAKING A DIFFERENCE By Tony Magliano “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” With these beautiful words from Scripture (1 John 3:1), the U.S. Catholic bishops introduce us to their recent pastoral letter against racism titled, “Open wide our hearts: the enduring call to love.” Just think about it. The almighty God is not a distant slave master, but a close loving father who calls us his children. That is a truly awesome thought! “Yet so we are.” Thus, no matter what religion we claim or don’t claim, no matter what our nationality is, no matter what our ethnic heritage might be, and no matter what color we are or race we belong to, we all equally share one loving father. And that unmistakably means that all of us are brothers and sisters! Imagine how wonderful the world would be if only we would truly take this sacred teaching to heart, and with every thought, word and deed put it into practice.
Tony Magliano
But sadly, this is often not the case. Instead, over and over again many people negatively judge countless other people according to their skin color and/or what nation they or their ancestors are originally from. This is racism. And racism is always ugly and immoral. The bishops write, “Racism comes in many forms. It can be seen in deliberate, sinful acts. In recent times, we have seen bold expressions of racism by groups as well as individuals. The re-appearance of symbols of hatred, such as nooses and swastikas in public places, is a tragic indicator of rising racial and ethnic animus” (see: https://nyti.ms/2UYzB7k). Drawing forth specific examples of racism, the bishops highlight the fact that often Hispanics and African Americans “face discrimination in hiring, housing, educational opportunities, and incarceration. Racial profiling frequently targets Hispanics for selective immigration enforcement practices, and African Americans, for suspected criminal activity.” The bishops critically say, “Extreme nationalist ideologies are feeding the American public discourse with xenophobic rhetoric that instigates fear against foreigners, immigrants and refugees. Finally, too often racism comes in the form of the sin of omission, when individuals, communities, and even churches remain silent and fail to act against racial injustice when it is encountered.” Why do so many white people of faith remain largely silent about racism? I don’t think it’s because most white believers are prejudiced against African-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, Muslims or any other minority. Rather, as with other social justice and peace issues, it’s a matter of “out of sight, out of mind.” So as a corrective to this serious inattentiveness, let’s pray, educate ourselves on racism, talk with people in minority groups about their experiences, befriend persons of different races and ethnic backgrounds, lobby to increase refugee admissions, and vote for politicians who are committed to pursuing policies of racial/ethnic equality and comprehensive and just immigration reform legislation. A thoughtful reading of “Open wide our hearts: the enduring call to love” would be time well spent (see: https://bit.ly/2AadwJo ). And let us commit ourselves to praying and working for a society and world where as Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr said, “People will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” and where all persons recognize each other as brothers and sisters who are all equally loved by the same divine Father. (Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at tmag6@comcast.net.)
Editors note: This column is a reflection on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops pastoral letter against racism – Open Wide our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love.
By Julie Asher WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. Catholic bishops said May 29 they “are broken-hearted, sickened and outraged to watch another video of an African American man being killed before our very eyes.” “What’s more astounding is that this is happening within mere weeks of several other such occurrences. This is the latest wake-up call that needs to be answered by each of us in a spirit of determined conversion,” they said in a statement about the May 25 death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. In recent weeks, Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old African American man in Georgia, was fatally shot ,and three white men were arrested and are facing murder charges in his death. In March, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African American woman, died at the hands of white police officers when they entered her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky. “Racism is not a thing of the past or simply a throwaway political issue to be bandied about when convenient,” the bishops said. “It is a real and present danger that must be met head on.” “As members of the church, we must stand for the more difficult right and just actions instead of the easy wrongs of indifference,” they said. “We cannot turn a blind eye to these atrocities and yet still try to profess to respect every human life. We serve a God of love, mercy and justice.” “Indifference is not an option,” they emphasized and stated “unequivocally” that “racism is a life issue.” The statement was issued by the chairmen of seven committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; Archbishop Nelson J. Perez of Philadelphia, Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell of Los Angeles, Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development; and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry of Chicago, Subcommittee on African American Affairs. Floyd, 46, was arrested by police on suspicion of forgery. Once he was handcuffed, a white officer pinned him down on the street, putting his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes. A now widely circulated video shows Floyd repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe.” He appears to lose consciousness or die and was later declared dead at the hospital. The next day, hundreds of people protested at the intersection where police officers subdued Floyd, demanding justice for him and the arrest of the four officers involved. The officers were fired May 26 and as of midday May 29, local prosecutors filed criminal charges against at least one of the now former officers: The one seen putting his knee on Floyd’s neck, identified as Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The federal Justice Department promised a “robust” investigation into the circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death. Protests in Minneapolis have turned to violent demonstrations and lasted several days, prompting Gov. Tim Walz to bring in the National Guard May 29. The protests sparked similar rioting in at least a dozen U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, New York, Louisville, and Columbus, Ohio. The bishops in their statement pointed to their “Open Wide Our Hearts” pastoral against racism approved by the body of bishops in 2018. In it, they said: “For people of color some interactions with police can be fraught with fear and even danger. People of good conscience must never turn a blind eye when citizens are being deprived of their human dignity and even their lives.” In their May 29 statement, the committee chairmen called for an end to the violence taking place in the wake of the tragedy in Minneapolis but also said they “stand in passionate support of communities that are understandably outraged.” They joined with Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis in praying for the repose of the soul of Floyd “and all others who have lost their lives in a similar manner.” In anticipation of the feast of Pentecost, May 31, they called on all Catholics “to pray and work toward a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit” and pray to “to rid ourselves of the harm that bias and prejudice cause.” “We call upon Catholics to pray to the Holy Spirit for the spirit of truth to touch the hearts of all in the United States and to come down upon our criminal justice and law enforcement systems,” the bishops said urged every Catholic, regardless of ethnicity, to “beg God to heal our deeply broken view of each other, as well as our deeply broken society.” Here is the full text of their statement: We are broken-hearted, sickened and outraged to watch another video of an African American man being killed before our very eyes. What’s more astounding is that this is happening within mere weeks of several other such occurrences. This is the latest wake-up call that needs to be answered by each of us in a spirit of determined conversion. Racism is not a thing of the past or simply a throwaway political issue to be bandied about when convenient. It is a real and present danger that must be met head on. As members of the Church, we must stand for the more difficult right and just actions instead of the easy wrongs of indifference. We cannot turn a blind eye to these atrocities and yet still try to profess to respect every human life. We serve a God of love, mercy, and justice. While it is expected that we will plead for peaceful nonviolent protests, and we certainly do, we also stand in passionate support of communities that are understandably outraged. Too many communities around this country feel their voices are not being heard, their complaints about racist treatment are unheeded, and we are not doing enough to point out that this deadly treatment is antithetical to the Gospel of Life. As we said eighteen months ago in our most recent pastoral letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts,” for people of color some interactions with police can be fraught with fear and even danger. People of good conscience must never turn a blind eye when citizens are being deprived of their human dignity and even their lives. Indifference is not an option. As bishops, we unequivocally state that racism is a life issue.”
Protesters in Minneapolis gather at the scene May 27, 2020, where George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was pinned down by a police officer kneeling on his neck before later dying in hospital May 25. (CNS photo/Eric Miller, Reuters)
We join Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis in praying for the repose of the soul of Mr. George Floyd and all others who have lost their lives in a similar manner. We plead for an end to the violence in the wake of this tragedy and for the victims of the rioting. We pray for comfort for grieving families and friends. We pray for peace across the United States, particularly in Minnesota, while the legal process moves forward. We also anticipate a full investigation that results in rightful accountability and actual justice. We join our brother bishops to challenge everyone to come together, particularly with those who are from different cultural backgrounds. In this encounter, let us all seek greater understanding amongst God’s people. So many people who historically have been disenfranchised continue to experience sadness and pain, yet they endeavor to persevere and remain people of great faith. We encourage our pastors to encounter and more authentically accompany them, listen to their stories, and learn from them, finding substantive ways to enact systemic change. Such encounters will start to bring about the needed transformation of our understanding of true life, charity, and justice in the United States. Hopefully, then there will be many voices speaking out and seeking healing against the evil of racism in our land. As we anticipate the Solemnity of Pentecost this weekend, we call upon all Catholics to pray and work toward a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for a supernatural desire to rid ourselves of the harm that bias and prejudice cause. We call upon Catholics to pray to the Holy Spirit for the spirit of truth to touch the hearts of all in the United States and to come down upon our criminal justice and law enforcement systems. Finally, let each and every Catholic, regardless of their ethnicity, beg God to heal our deeply broken view of each other, as well as our deeply broken society.
Editor’s Note: The full text of the bishops’ 2108 pastoral against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts,” can be found online athttps://bit.ly/2XLbpYv.
By Joanna Puddister King FLOWOOD – Famed newspaper cartoonist and editor Marshall Ramsey has a saying that suits us in Mississippi. “When things get bad, we get good.” That saying is no exception for many of our parishes around the diocese, who have been helping others in need during the COVID-19 crisis.
St. Paul Flowood began humbly serving about 50 families at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis and now serve upwards of 90 families per week. The program is called “Feed the Hungry” and it grew out of the Backback ministry the parish was operating for Pisgah and Oakdale schools that served disadvantaged children, identified by conselors, on the weekend with snacks.
Cecilia Carlton of St. Paul Flowood says the church “is truly serving the needs of families affected by circumstances for which they had no possibility of preparing.”
“COVID-19 has given our parish family the ability to become ‘missional’ in our intent to serve our brothers and sisters far beyond the walls of St. Paul.”
The parish began their “Feed the Hungry” program with referrals from principals, teachers and counselors at Pisgah, Oakdale, McLaurin and Pelahatchie schools. Carlton also says that a few have come from Northwest Rankin. Once massive layoffs caused unemployment rates to rise, the parish began getting calls from individuals for food assistance as well.
St. Paul parishioners have been very generous, says Carlton. Father Gerry Hurley and Carlton have even taken to calling their makeshift pantry the ‘Table of Plenty.’ Carton says of Father Hurley, “It does his heart good to see cars all through the day bringing in food.”
The Knights of Columbus Council 10216 have also been a huge help to the project, teaming up with those in the parish operating the Backpack Ministry for Pisgah and Oakdale schools. The Knights and chapter president, Jose Lopez have also been filling orders and helping off of the ‘Table of Plenty’ as they hear about needs in the community.
Each year, the Knights smoke boston butts for the fourth of July weekend and sell to raise money for different causes. This year, the smoked butt sale will be on June 28 and funds raised will go to subsidizing the “Feed the Hungry” project. The butts are $40 each and can be purchase through the St. Paul Flowood’s website.
On May 30, Michelle Harris, parishioner of St. Paul, who runs Rosie’s Garden stopped by with fresh produce for St. Paul’s “Feed the Hungry” program. Rosie’s Garden is a non-profit located in Rankin county that grows fresh produce and distributes to non-profits helping with food. The organization regularly delivers to Catholic Charities, The Mustard Seed and Stewpot among others. Now, they are proud to begin helping St. Paul’s efforts to feed the hungry.
“It may have taken us a while to get there, but there are so many people working right now to feed people who need it,” says Carlton.
Additionally, St. Paul Flowood also has a “Feed the Flock” program that is feeding individuals at high-risk for contracting COVID-19. The parish has been delivering meals on Wednesday’s to 24 individuals. The programs are not just for parishioners, said Carlton. “It is for anyone in need who is at high-risk.”
Carlton says that the program will continue until people get back on their feet, no matter how long that may be.
For those that want to help, Carlton encourages everyone to look at their home parishes and see how you can help your community.
Some of the most needed items for the ‘Table of Plenty’ are peanut butter, cereal or breakfast bars, pasta, rice, spaghetti sauce, mac and cheese, canned tuna, chicken, or salmon, canned vegetables, canned fruit, boxed crackers & cookies, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bars of soap, shampoo/conditioner, toilet paper and bleach. Donations and can be dropped off before 6pm under the pavilion behind the right side of the church or monetary donations can be made online.
FLOWOOD – Michelle Harris and Cecilia Carlton sort through fresh produce from Rosie’s Garden for St. Paul Flowood’s “Feed the Hungry” program. (Photo by Joanna Puddister King)
By Most Reverend Louis F. Kihneman and Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D. JACKSON – We, the undersigned, Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Jackson, and Most Reverend Louis F. Kihneman III, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, are writing on behalf of the Catholic Church throughout Mississippi with regard to HB 1295, The Life Equality Act. This bill seeks to protect unborn lives from discrimination in the womb on the basis of race, sex, and disability. We believe in the legal protection of these classes as they are equal in the eyes of our Creator. We seek to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ by caring for the most vulnerable among us.
Our Catholic Charities are very active in supporting pregnancy resource centers, adoption, racial reconciliation, disability rights, and family assistance needs in Mississippi. We will continue to serve those in need while advocating for the preservation of life at all stages. It would be detrimental to our Church’s mission, as well as to the common good of our State, to be silent on matters of human life and discrimination.
The Church’s steadfast stance on the protection of preborn human lives has biblical support, e.g., the words of Psalm 139, declaring that each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, knit in our mothers’ wombs. But even if one does not acknowledge the Bible, the truth that the womb of a pregnant woman contains a unique human life cannot be denied. This truth ought to be reflected by our Mississippi legal system without prejudice.
We thank you for your attention to this critical bill that is before you. As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae, Gospel of Life, The Church reflects deeply on our duty to protect the “least of these” in our society. May the Holy Spirit enlighten your deliberations and decisions to choose wisely on behalf of all people of Mississippi.
Current Liturgical Directives and allowances AS OF MAY 18 • The faithful are dispensed from the Sunday Obligation until further notice. • Livestreamed Masses may ONLY be celebrated with no congregation present • No public distribution of Holy Communion – such as drive-thru distribution in the parking lot. • Sacraments and Rites that are allowed: • Reconciliation – masks and social distancing of six feet required • Baptism – must be Outside of Mass with 10 or less people present • Matrimony – must be Outside of Mass with 10 or less people present • Funerals – Graveside only with 10 or less peo- ple present • RCIA Elect and Candidates may be received into the church in gatherings of 10 or less. • Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament may occur in the church with 10 or less present at one time. Masks and social distancing are required. Adora- tion may also be held in the parking lot if people remain in their cars and can maintain proper so- cial distancing.
General Directives BEGINNING MAY 30, 2020 • Bishop Kopacz will continue to dispense all the faithful from the Sunday Obligation to participate in Mass until further notice. • The public celebration of Mass will begin on the Solemnity of the Feast of Pentecost at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. • Home Masses: At this time, Masses may not be celebrated in private homes or properties of parishioners. This places everyone at risk. • The sacraments and rites currently in place are continued with proper social distancing. (See above) • First Holy Communion and Confirmation celebrations may begin August 1, 2020. • Bishop Kopacz has delegated individual pastors to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation for the remainder of 2020. • If a candidate will be moving away prior to August 1, pastors may confer the sacrament individually for this family in the church. • Social distancing will be kept in accord with the state and local health recommendations and local ordinances. • Each parish and mission should have a plan in place by May 25, for re-opening that includes seating map, training of ushers and hospitality ministers in the plan, a method for parishioners to sign up for Mass, and a communique sent to parishioners explaining the plan. • Parish Mass schedules may be expanded to accommodate the faithful but taking great care not to spiritually bankrupt clergy with too many celebrations – a maximum of two vigils on Saturday evening and four masses on Sunday. • Choir and Ensemble singing and practices are suspended until further notice. • Livestreaming of Mass may continue. Additionally, livestreaming to overflow crowds in parish centers or gyms on parish campuses though not ideal for participation will be allowed during this time. • These directives may not encompass every minute detail. The overriding maxim is: use common sense. According to health officials, this virus will linger in our communities for longer than we can project. Stay safe and be vigilant!
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST & COMMUNION RITE • The gifts of bread and wine should be brought to the altar from the credence table in the sanctuary. There is no offertory procession involving congregation members. • For the offertory, baskets will not be passed in the pews. An offertory station can be used, run by the ushers. Baskets should be sanitized before and after Mass. • Exchanging the sign of peace should not involve physical contact. • Distribution of the Precious Blood continues to be suspended. • Distribution of Holy Communion will be in the hand. Distribution on the tongue is suspended. Medical personnel have emphasized that saliva is one of the worst fluids for transmission. • Preferably, younger priests and/or younger Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in good health should distribute communion. • The use of gloves to distribute Holy Communion is no more effective than distributing with the bare hand. Indeed, gloves would have to be changed for each communicant. Use of tongs or other instruments would, likewise, come into contact with each communicant’s hands. • The Communion Rite is an essential and unmovable element of the Order of Mass. It is not to be celebrated after Mass. • Masses may not be celebrated in private homes or properties of parishioners.
Safety and Hygiene: The Duty of Every Individual • Those who are sick or symptomatic should stay home! This includes clergy! • Vulnerable individuals, those 65 and older or with underlying health conditions, should continue to shelter in place. Families with vulnerable individuals are encouraged to continue to take special precautions. • We would like for parents to consider the vulnerability of infants, toddlers and small children during this time, considering not bringing them to Mass or to perhaps bring them to a Mass during the week that is less attended rather than one of the busier weekend Masses. • Wash hands at home and use hand sanitizer upon entering the church. • Face masks are mandated for all assembly members over the age of two. • Pastors must use face masks in proximity to parishioners, especially during the distribution of communion. • Pastors and LEMs should make every effort to clearly communicate good hygienic practices and liturgical alterations to their parishioners prior to May 30, in light of continuing public health concerns.
JACKSON – A Saint Andrew’s Episcopal School student with a perfect 36 composite score on the American College Test (ACT), combine scores of 144 and average of 99.50 has been named Mississippi’s Top ALL-STAR Scholar for 2020. John C. Kees is the son of Lara and Chris Kees, parishioners of Cathedral of St. Peter Jackson. John will receive a $24,000 scholarship provided by the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation, Inc. Kees plans to attend college and study Biology. Kees designated Thomas B. Riesenberger of Jackson as his STAR Teacher. Riesenberger has been teaching for nine years and this is his first time to be named STAR Teacher. (Photo courtesy of Lara Kees)
Parishioners show appreciation for Father Rusty
VICKSBURG – St. Paul Vicksburg held a parade past the church on Tuesday, May 5 to show appreciation for all that Father Rusty has done for the parish virtually in the past several weeks. Organized by Allyson Johnston, the parade was a way for church members to show their appreciation for all the work he has put in to keep them virtually connected during a time of social distancing. (Photo by Mary Margaret Edney)
Students love teachers
MADISON – Third grader, Caroline McCoy ‘chalked’ her driveway to show her love for St. Anthony school teachers. (Photo courtesy of Kati Loyacono)
Teacher appreciation week
FLOWOOD – St. Richard third grader, Elizabeth Jennings cheers for her teacher Shea Luckett during the school’s teacher appreciation week parade. (Photo by Tereza Ma)
By Dorothy Balser Corinne Anderson speaks about how Holy Family parish in Jackson lives out the calling of their faith on behalf of the “least of these.” (Matthew 25)
What does it mean to you personally to put your Faith into Action? I always try to give back to others. My grandmother often quoted the Bible to me when she was helping others. I can hear her saying over and over “to whom much is given, much is expected.” So, I kind of got that from her. It’s important that I try to give back. When Father Xavier came to Holy Family in 2014, he introduced us to the Norbertine principles. The one I latched onto is something called “self-emptying service,” which is a willingness to cede one’s personal advantage for the good of the community – particularly as expressed in the generosity and discipline required to participate in the structures that support community life. Well there it was – the personal good of the community, the generosity, the structure that supports community life – that’s what Catholicism is all about.
In general, how does Holy Family parish show faith in action? Since I came to the parish in 1979, there has been a core group of parishioners trying to do outreach. We began by ministering to people within the parish, making sure we touched base with people we didn’t see often. Then sometime early on, we realized we could not continue just ministering to ourselves. We needed to reach out to the community around the church, which is predominantly African American. Many of the apartment complexes around the church were opportunities for us to reach out with Bible school and summer sessions we had for youth.
Describe one or two of the ministries at Holy Family parish where faith in action is seen. Many people in our parish are involved in faith in action ministries. Besides myself, people that have consistently helped the ministries grow are Joyce Adams, Ann Pullum and Gladys Russell. One of the ways we have reached out is through the faith formation and liturgy committees joining together to adopt the local Green Elementary School. We started taking little packets of school supplies to the school and began inviting students to our Black History Month program at church. We had a youth choir and a boy’s dance group and their parents also came to participate, most of whom are not Catholic. The other ministry is our food pantry. The diocese sent out a call for proposals to do various faith-building activities in the community. I called the project “going beyond boundaries: witnessing and focusing on life and dignity of the human person” and it was accepted by the pastoral council. So, it has become our theme to go outside the boundaries of the church. A number of the people we talked with across the street at the senior citizen’s complex became our first group to work with. As we started talking with them, we found out they have many food needs because their money runs out about a week before their check comes each month. So, we had the idea to see if we could get a little help to establish a food pantry and at least work with them. Funds from the diocesan mission grant provided part of the start-up money for that program. We then reached out to the apartments next door that have people with low-income, and the ministry continued to grow. There are now three apartment complexes within a mile of the church where we serve people from the food pantry. We reported to the parish what we were doing and soon started what we call a “20-20 club.” We found that we could work with the Mississippi Food Network to get most of the USDA food for free, but other necessities that are not on the USDA list, like jiffy, beans, etc. are supported by the 20-20 club, which is 20 people paying $20 per month to help pay for the $450 in extra food supplies. We started small with one of the closets in the parish hall and Cowboy Maloney gave us a good deal on some freezers. Now we serve about 40 to 50 families each month. We are still operating during the pandemic using a drive-through method and last month we served 111 families, which was a total of 159 individuals.
What impact has this faith in action ministry had on the people served and on those involved in the ministry? People at the senior citizen’s home across the street see us as part of their family. They used to call us “that Catholic church across the street.” Now I hear them talking about “Holy Family” and referring to people by name. In terms of the community, we start in the morning with a prayer that we make sure we treat every person as if he or she is a special member of the family. We have conversations in our committee meetings about how we want to make sure each of us is letting them know we are here to help, and we want to be part of their extended family. There are parishioners and also non-Catholics that have joined us through an “each-one-bring-one” invitation, many who come religiously because they see we are doing good things here and they want to help. There is a lot to do and they are a tremendous help with picking up and unloading food from the food network, packing frozen or dry food items, delivering food and keeping a count for the reporting. We adopted the Norbertine self-emptying principle as one of our marching mantras. So, the community social outreach piece and witnessing through evangelization became part of our “reaching beyond boundaries.” We started with a core group of senior citizens in the parish that decided they could do this ministry as their self-emptying service. Now younger members of the parish are involved as well as members of the youth group that come periodically and earn community service points for school. The ladies guild is also involved by donating about 100 gift bags a year as a way of letting people know about Holy Family without pushing church on them. Some of the people we serve have asked us “what time are your services?” and so we’ve made a few new friends at Holy Family.
What suggestions do you have for people that are not sure how to put their faith in action? I would suggest for people that want to do something to first ask, “How can we evangelize? How can we witness?” My grandmother always talked about reaching out to the community and to meet and get focused in one direction. If you don’t have a particular goal or direction, then you can talk a thing to death. I would also say go to the pastoral council meetings, which should be open to everyone, even if you are not a member of the council. See what leadership is talking about for the direction of the parish. Then talk with the people that might have the inclination to serve on a broader scale and will roll up their sleeves to get busy and let the community know we are truly a universal church. A suggestion for us as a church is that in order to get people in the parish involved, we have to do a better job of communication. We have to find ways to make sure people know what social outreach projects we have and to continue putting it out there on a regular basis – tell people what you’re doing, what your goals are and how we must reach out to the broader community. We can no longer just go to Mass and go home.
JACKSON – On distribution day in April, the food pantry coordinating team at Holy Family Jackson gathers to review drive-through distribution assignments prior to the arrival of clients. (Photo by Veronica Russell)
(Witnesses of Faith in Action ministries in the diocese of Jackson are featured each month. If you’d like to see your parish, school or group featured, contact the Parish Social Ministry office at psm@ccjackson.org.)
