West Point closes Year of Mercy with homecoming celebration

Father Sam Messina, former pastor, and Father Channappareddy Basani, present pastor, concelebrated. (Photo courtesy of Lynn Kyle)

Father Sam Messina, former pastor, Father Jeffrey Waldrep, native son, and Father Channappareddy Basani, present pastor, concelebrated. (Photo courtesy of Lynn Kyle)

By Lynn Kyle
WEST POINT – Immaculate Conception Parish celebrated a homecoming Mass and brunch Sunday, Oct. 16, as the last of many events centered around the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Father Channappareddy Basani, pastor, and the liturgy committee, offered a variety of activities such as including the Year of Mercy Prayer following Communion, works of charity for those in need, a pilgrimage to Hanceville, Ala., providing copies of biblical materials on the Year of Mercy, special reconciliation services and the Homecoming Mass.
The homecoming was set in order to renew the faith of the community, welcome former parishioners to celebrate the history and growth of the parish and to invite people become more involved in their faith.
Former parishioners were welcomed to the Mass, celebrated by Father Jeffrey Waldrep. Former pastor, Father Sam Messina, and current pastor, Father Basani, both concelebrated. The crowd of 160 included visitors from Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.

Father Jeffrey Waldrep, former pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, speaks about his childhood in the community at the homecoming Mass celebrated to close the Year of Mercy. Father Sam Messina, former pastor, and Father Channappareddy Basani, present pastor, concelebrated. (Photo courtesy of Lynn Kyle)

Father Jeffrey Waldrep, former pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, speaks about his childhood in the community at the homecoming Mass celebrated to close the Year of Mercy. Father Sam Messina, former pastor, and Father Channappareddy Basani, present pastor, concelebrated. (Photo courtesy of Lynn Kyle)

Father Waldrep, who was born and raised in West Point, shared memories of his childhood in the parish. He reflected on those who had inspired him and who had taught him the importance of prayer. He also shared the importance of lifting each other up in prayer. He reminded the congregation the Holy Year of Mercy, set forth by Pope Francis, encourages us all to seek God’s love and mercy.
Father Messina spoke about his time as pastor when the current renovations to the main church were completed. He also shared fond memories of the many families he got to know and friends he made while here. He encouraged members to continue to work hard to follow the word of the Lord and to dedicate time to his service.
Father Basani thanked all those who traveled long distances and expressed his appreciation for their sense of belonging to the parish. He encouraged everyone present to remain steadfast in sharing their time and talents with others and active participants in this faith community.

AlliMichel Foster decides what to eat at the luncheon.

AlliMichel Foster decides what to eat at the luncheon.

Members of the Gonzalez, Ricon and Garcia families at the luncheon

Members of the Gonzalez, Ricon and Garcia families at the luncheon

Following the Mass, the guests and congregation were invited to a brunch prepared by the ladies of the parish. The parish hall was decorated with a fall theme. Attendees were asked to place an autumn leaf on the Parish Family Tree as they entered the hall.
As a memento of the event, each family was given a booklet about the history of the Catholic Church of West Point, a Year of Mercy prayer card and writing pen as a gift from the parish.
(Editor’s note: more photos are available online at www.mississippicatholic.com)

Becky Mitchener, Stan "Tinker" Lauter, Father Jeffrey Waldrep, Danny Waldrep and Matthew Garcia chat at the reception.

Becky Mitchener, Stan “Tinker” Lauter, Father Jeffrey Waldrep, Danny Waldrep and Matthew Garcia chat at the reception.

Shelter, counseling available from Safe Place program

By Elsa Baughman
(Editor’s note: As part of observing Child Abuse Prevention Month, Mississippi Catholic will feature efforts to combat child abuse throughout the month of April.)
In the 2014-2015 year, 26 runaway homeless youth from eight counties in Mississippi stayed at Sally Kate Winters shelter in West Point for a total of 258 nights.041516safe-place
Sally Kate Winters Family Services has 36 Safe Place locations in six counties. All fire stations in Columbus, Starkville and West Point participate in the Safe Place program. In Mississippi there are 103 Safe Place locations, each displaying the yellow and black Safe Place sign, the symbol of help and safety for youth between 12 and 17 years old.
Safe Places are youth-friendly businesses, schools, fire stations, libraries, fast food restaurants, convenience stores, YMCAs and other appropriate buildings which connect youth in crisis with the local licensed Safe Place agency.

Jacklyn Weir, a resource coordinator at West Point Sally Kate Winters Family Services, believes that the Safe Place Program is successful because of the commitment that the community has for the safety of the youth. “It takes all of us to make sure that youth are safe,” she said, adding that the first 72 hours are critical. “If we can get them to safety, then that will be one less statistic.”
Weir noted that youth run away for many reasons.  “One thing that I would stress as a professional as well as a parent is to listen attentively to what our youth are saying to us,” she said.
She pointed out that most young people hear about Safe Place during school presentations and information booths where they receive an information card that has the local Safe Place phone number and explains that the help is free and confidential. Teens also hear about the program through word of mouth, social media and public service announcements on radio or TV.
Safe Places works as follows:
A young person who enters a Safe Place location and asks for help is offered a comfortable place to wait while the employee calls the local Safe Place licensed agency. Within 30 minutes, a Safe Place representative will arrive to talk with the youth and, if necessary, provide transportation to the shelter for counseling, support, a place to stay or other resources.
Once at the Safe Place agency, counselors meet with the youth to determine the best way to work through the problem. The counselor will contact the youth’s family to confirm the youth’s safety. Family agency staff makes sure the youth and their families receive the help and professional services they need.
The agency also runs TXT 4 HELP, a 24-hour, text-for-support service which provides access immediate help and safety for teens. Youth can text the word “SAFE” and their current location (address/city/state) to 69866 and receive a message with the name and address of the closest Safe Place location, as well as the number for the local youth shelter agency.
Users also have the option to text interactively with a mental health professional. The service is free, but regular text messaging rates will apply to the user’s phone bill.
The following agencies are licensed to operate the Safe Place program in Mississippi:
• Sally Kate Winters Family Services in West Point,  (serves Caledonia, Columbus, Macon, New Hope, Starkville, West Point), www.sallykatewinters.org
• South Mississippi Children’s Center in Hattiesburg,   (serves Collins, Ellisville, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Petal, Purvis, Wiggins), www.mchscares.org
• Warren County Children’s Shelter in Vicksburg (serves  Port Gibson, Vicksburg, Yazoo City), www.mchscares.org.
There are some cities and regions without Safe Places. If a teen uses the TXT 4 HELP service and there is not a close Safe Place, they’ll be referred to the closest youth shelter. If there is not a shelter in the city, they will be referred to the National Runaway Safeline.
For more information contact the National Safe Place, 888-290-7233, (during business hours) or email info@nationalsafeplace.org.