God, source of all freedom, this day is bright with the memory of those that declared that life and liberty are your gift to every human being. (Read more)
As restrictions continue to be lifted, many Catholics are wondering where we go from here. Word on Fire is now offering a follow-up eBook, Catholicism after Coronavirus: A Post-COVID Guide for Catholics and Parishes, which is intended to help answer that question. Featuring a foreword by Dr. Bullivant, this new collection brings together authors from across the Catholic world, offering what the Church so desperately needs to hear right now: bold, courageous, and realistic yet hope-filled insights and ideas from a diverse range of voices among the people of God—laity, clergy, and religious alike. It offers practical advice from those on the frontlines of the Church’s response to the pandemic, with meditations on bereavement, spiritual formation, evangelization, pedagogy and pastoral care, presbyteral ministry, the centrality of the parish, the works of mercy, creative means of pastoral accompaniment, authentic community, and intellectual formation.
HUNTINGTON, Ind. (CNS) — In the months leading up to the U.S. bishops’ spring general assembly held June 16-18, headlines in both secular and Catholic media focused primarily on one issue: the potential of a document on eucharistic consistency and what that would mean in the political sphere. Since the bishops’ vote to move forward with drafting the statement, media attention has become even more acute — and confusing. (Read more)
During the June 5th, 2021 workshop at St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School, Deacon Bill Vrazel from Holy Family Parish in Pass Christian, spoke to several Pastors, Deacons, RCIA Directors & lay ministers about “what worked & didn’t work” in regards to their parish RCIA. We've broken the video up into six parts.
While mothers and fathers both must contribute to the upbringing of their children, each parent offers something different that the other cannot. So what can fathers specifically do in order to sanctify their families? The main thing they can do is practice their faith in front of their kids. As one priest I know puts it, we can no longer be “secret agent Catholics”, especially in front of our kids. We need to be bold in practicing our faith, especially if we profess that we love our kids so much. Let’s take a look at seven reasons why fathers absolutely should practice their faith in front of their children.
During the June 5th, 2021 workshop at St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School, Bishop Louis Kihneman spoke to several Pastors, Deacons, RCIA Directors & lay ministers about the recent release of the Pastoral Guide for Evangelization & its importance to the RCIA Program. All parishes were invited to attend with their RCIA teams. Click this new article for an excerpt from the day.
"I've been incorporating Visio Divina with the students more since our last morning [staff] training, and they really enjoy it. What was neat yesterday was that since we talked about icons and the Iconoclast Movement in Ecumenism this chapter, I did Visio Divina with them with an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I was amazed at the little things they picked up on or that stood out to them and the meaning they derived from it. This is definitely a visual generation! It also gave us a good chance to discuss how the Western church and the Eastern church view religious art. I've never used an icon before for Visio Divina but I think I will intentionally pick more images to pray with that relate directly to the culture or time that we are studying, rather than just picking one that goes with the Gospel for the day." - Audrey Mayer - Teacher at Our Lady Academy
Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus. "I look at him and he looks at me": this is what a certain peasant of Ars in the time of his holy curé used to say while praying before the tabernacle. This focus on Jesus is a renunciation of self. His gaze purifies our heart; the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines the eyes of our heart and teaches us to see everything in the light of his truth and his compassion for all men. Contemplation also turns its gaze on the mysteries of the life of Christ. Thus it learns the "interior knowledge of our Lord," the more to love him and follow him. - CCC 2715
"Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him."(CCC 2708)
Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf of all men, especially sinners. He is "able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." The Holy Spirit "himself intercedes for us . . . and intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." - CCC 2634
Open to all Lay Ecclesial Ministers, Pastoral Ministers, Pastoral Associates, DRE/CREs, youth ministers, RCIA Directors, Campus Ministers and all Lay Ministry Leaders
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We learned a lot about ourselves throughout COVID-19. As individuals, we had to rethink how we did just about everything in our day-to-day lives. Some would say we used to zoom back and forth from place to place before we were forced to actually do nothing but Zoom from place to place. As a Church, we had to examine many things, including how we could improve communication between the Church and parishioners. The Diocese of Biloxi is improving operations and communication thanks to a new partnership with Gabriel Software.
Jennifer Williams began her work in the Diocese of Biloxi on a part-time basis while working on a Bachelor of Science in Social Ministry. Shortly after graduation, she began working full time at the Catholic Charities of South Mississippi (CCSM), and due in part to the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina on the diocese, she was thrust into a leadership role.
Wake Up! from Catholic Community Radio interviewed Bishop Kihneman today. We encourage you to listen in and hear the bishop's heart about our diocese, COVID-19, his crest and on the document Missio Nostra! Bishop's Interview starts at the minute mark 15:57 on May 20, 2021.
Considering our current circumstances and Centers for Disease Control guidance, it now seems reasonable to withdraw the remaining dispensation from the obligation to personally participate in the celebration of Mass. Effective on the Vigil of Pentecost, May 22, 2021, the obligation to assist at Holy Mass resumes as it was prior to the pandemic.
by Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III - Bishop of Biloxi
Jesús estableció la Iglesia Católica para evangelizar, y nos encarga hacer discípulos de todas las naciones, bautizarlos, enseñandoles todo lo que nos manda y confiar en que Él está siempre con nosotros. Vivir esta Gran Comisión de Jesús es tanto personal como comunitario. Cada uno de nosotros está llamado personalmente no solo a dar testimonio de nuestra fe, sino también a acompañar a otros en la fe. Cada una de nuestras parroquias, familias, escuelas y ministerios tienen la misma misión, y ésta debe fomentarse cada vez que la comunidad se reúne.
by Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III - Bishop of Biloxi
Jesus established the Catholic Church to evangelize, and he commissions us to make disciples of all nations, to baptize them, to teach all he commands us, and to trust that he is with us always. Living out this Great Commission of Jesus is both personal and communal. Each of us is called personally not only to witness to our faith but also to accompany others in faith. Each of our parishes, families, schools, and ministries have the same mission, and it should be fostered each time the community comes together.
