Emma Grace Scruggs, a third grade student from Saint Alphonsus placed first in
Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences, with her project “HowGroundcovers
Impact Storm Water”. She was also awarded the DMR Excellence in Marine
Sciences Award Class 1, the only student to receive this award. The Science Fair
took place on February 25 at the Ms. Coast convention Center.
Emmalyn Romero, a sixth grader from St. Vincent de Paul School in Long
Beach won the Harrison County Spelling Bee. The bee was held in the Orange
Grove Convention Center on Tuesday, February 4. Emmalyn now has the honor
of representing Harrison County in the State Spelling Bee on March 18.
St. Alphonsus Elementary School, Ocean Springs
St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School, Long Beach
S
t
. J
oseph
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ission
From page 13
The parish house, which was named the St. Joseph
Parish Center, was blessed by Bishop Howze on Febru-
ary 25, 2001. The center provided living quarters for
Father Ken, as well as office space, CCD classrooms
and general meeting space.
Parishioners then decided that a new faith forma-
tion building was very much needed and, using Exten-
sion Society funds and money from the church building
fund, guided that dream to completion when, on January
10, 2004, Bishop Thomas J. Rodi dedicated the Leo A.
Weynberg Faith Formation and Administration Center.
All the while, plans for a new church continued to
move ahead. The parish hired Larry Albert and Associ-
ates of Hattiesburg to design the new church building
with a projected cost of $1.2 million.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck Pop-
larville and, while the Faith Formation Center and St.
Joseph Parish House, suffered virtually no damage, the
church building suffered extensive damage when the
roof separated enough to allow wind driven rain to en-
ter causing much of the ceiling to collapse into the nave,
sanctuary and choir areas.
Until the church building was repaired, Father Ken
celebrated Mass in the parking lot. As emergency sup-
plies arrived, the St. Vincent de Paul Society moved its
operations to the Faith Formation Center so members
could adequately handle the hundreds of families who
needed help.
Because of the damage from Katrina, the goal of the
Capital Campaign was increased to $2.5 million and the
decision was made to begin building the new church as
soon as possible.
However, Father Ken would be transferred to Sacred
Heart Parish in Hattiesburg before ground was broken
on the new church. Father Patrick O’Shaughnessy, who
became pastor in April 2007, convinced Bishop Rodi
and the Diocesan Building and Finance Committees
that a new church was needed and that the parish could
pay for the building and handle the increased monthly
expenses. Bishop Rodi gave permission for the project
to proceed.
On March 8, 2008 with parishioners on hand, Bish-
op Rodi signed the contract with Hanco Construction
to build new church designed by Albert and Associates.
The current church, located at 17 Bilbo Hill Dr., was
dedicated by Bishop Morin on June 5, 2009. It was the
very first church Bishop Morin dedicated as bishop of
Biloxi.
Father Truong Trinh was named administrator of
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish and St. Joseph Mis-
sion in 2009 and elevated to pastor in 2010. He served
until 2014 when Father Fintan Kilmurray was named
pastor.
Gulf Pine Catholic
•
March 28, 2014
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