Gulf Pine Catholic

Volume 35 No. 15 www.biloxidiocese.org March 23, 2018 Catholic Bishop Kihneman establishes Office of Evangelization; appoints Deacon Richard Smith as director DIOCESE OF BILOXI -- Bishop Louis F. Kihneman has established the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Biloxi and appointed Deacon Richard Smith Director of Evangelization. Deacon Smith, 48, is married to Elizabeth. The couple has two children and two grandchildren. He is a parishioner of Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Biloxi, where he is active in RCIA and the CCD program. He is retired from the United States Navy. Deacon Smith’s office will be located in the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 1790 Popps Ferry Rd. Bishop Kihneman said he is grateful to Deacon Smith for taking on this most important role and added that the office’s mission will be guided by the documents, “Disciples Called to Witness” and “Go Make Disciples,” which were both conceived by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis. Goals of more depth and detail will be established and will tie into and work with the ongo- ing planning of vision, mission, core values and strategic planning for the Diocese of Biloxi. Ultimately, Bishop Kihneman said, a “Plan for Evangelization” will be developed for both Diocesan and Parish Ministries, using other evangelization programs as possible models to fol- low. A committee will be formed consisting of the following members: • Five at-large members • Two priests • Two Deacons • Two School Representatives, and • A Religious The committee will also have representatives from the Black, Hispanic and Asian Catholic Communities. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach Deacon Richard Smith, left, is pictured with Bishop Louis F. Kihneman during the 2017 Installation of Father Joseph Benjamin, SSJ, as pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Pascagoula. Bishop Kihneman has established the Office of Evangelization for the Diocese of Biloxi and appointed Deacon Smith Director of Evangelization. Photo/Terry Dickson St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Moss Point honors patron saint with St. Joseph Altar Bishop Louis F. Kihneman was principal celebrant and homilist for the March 18 Sunday Mass at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Moss Point. Following Mass, the bishop blessed the parish’s St. Joseph Altar (top). Middle, the bishop posed for a photograph with children of the parish who made a special presentation. Pictured, front, l-r, are baby Simon Arbogast, Anna Claire Loris, Anne Maree Fagan, Jacob Fagan, and Avery Arbogast. Back: Deacon Frank Martin, Bishop Kihneman, Jill Sullivan, Jack Duncan, and Father St. Joseph the Worker Pastor Father Peter Varghese, C.M.I. Photos/ Juliana Skelton