Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • November 1, 2019 3 Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) November 1, 2019 Volume 37, Issue 5 The GULF PINE CATHOLIC , published every other week, is an official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi. Editorial offices are located at 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532. Periodical postage paid at Gulfport, MS. —POSTMASTER— Send address changes to: The GULF PINE CATHOLIC 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 —PUBLISHER— Most Rev. Louis F. Kihneman —EDITOR— Terry Dickson —PRODUCTION / ADVERTISING — Shirley M c Cusker —CIRCULATION— Debbie Mowrey —PHOTOGRAPHY— Juliana Skelton —OFFICEHOURS— 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday —PHONE NUMBERS— Editor: 228-702-2126 Production /Advertising: 228-702-2109 Circulation: 228-702-2127 Photography: 228-702-2144 FAX: 228-702-2128 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Circulation: dmowrey@biloxidiocese.org Photography: jskelton@biloxidiocese.org —OFFICEAND MAILINGADDRESS — 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 —WEBSITE— www.biloxidiocese.org —SUBSCRIPTIONS — Subscription rate is $18.00 per year. When changing address, renewing or inquiring about a subscription, customer should include a recent address label with old address and new address. Allow three weeks for changes of address. —DEADLINES for NOVEMBER 15 EDITION— News copy and photos: Due NOVEMBER 7, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due NOVEMBER 7, 10 a.m. Nov. 2 Mass & Dedication of Bishops’ Memorial Garden & Cemetery, 4 p.m. Nov. 3 Anniversary Mass, Nativity BVM, 2 p.m. Nov. 8 School Visit & Mass, St. Alphonsus Elementary, Ocean Springs, 8:15 a.m. Nov. 11-14 USCCB General Meeting, Baltimore Mission is to make disciples for Christ, not for one’s group, pope says BY CINDY WOODEN Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Every Chris- tian is called to be a missionary, sharing the good news of salvation in Christ and making disciples for him, not for oneself or one’s clique of like-minded believers, Pope Francis said. “What instructions does the Lord give us for going forth to others? Only one, and it’s very simple: Make disciples. But, be careful: his disciples, not our own,” the pope said Oct. 20 as he celebrated World Mission Sunday. Dozens of participants from the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon joined the pope for the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica; many indigenous wore their native headdresses, had their faces painted or dressed in tradi- tional clothes. Before reciting the Angelus prayer after Mass, Pope Francis recalled the 100th an- niversary of Pope Benedict XV’s apostolic letter on mission, “Maximum Illud.” The letter, Pope Francis said, was motivated by his predecessor’s conviction of “the need to evangelically relaunch the church’s mis- sion in the world so that it would be puri- fied of any colonial incrustation and freed from the influences of the expansionist policies of European nations.” Today, he said, the letter calls Catholics “to overcome the temptation of every self- Pope Francis accepts offertory gifts as he celebrates aMass marking World Mission Day in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 20. CNS photo/Paul Haring referential closure and every form of pastoral pessi- mism in order to open us to the joy- ful newness of the Gospel.” At a time when g l o b a l i z a t i o n seems more about “homogenization” and power strug- gles that breed conflict and “ruin the planet” rather than solidarity and respect for differ- ences, Pope Fran- cis said, Christians must be mission- ary disciples who share the Gospel with humility and respect. The pope asked Catholics to commit themselves to a new effort to proclaim “the good news that in Jesus mercy defeats sin, hope defeats fear, brotherhood defeats hos- tility.” “Christ is our peace,” the pope said, “and in him every division is overcome; in him alone there is salvation for every per- son and all people.” In his homily at the Mass, Pope Francis said Christians are called to share God’s love and mercy with all people. “All, be- cause no one is excluded from his heart, from his salvation. All, so that our heart can go beyond human boundaries and par- ticularism based on a self-centeredness that displeases God. All, because everyone is a precious treasure, and the meaning of life is found only in giving this treasure to others.” “Those who bear witness to Jesus go out to all, not just to their own acquain- tances or their little group,” he said. The call to be a missionary is a call that is included in every Christian’s baptism, the pope said, telling people at the Mass: “Jesus is also saying to you: ‘Go, don’t miss a chance to bear me witness!’ My brother, my sister, the Lord expects from you a testimony that no one can give in your place.” The first and most important way to share the Gospel with others is by living it, he said. “A credible proclamation is not made with beautiful words, but by an exemplary life: a life of service that is ca- pable of rejecting all those material things that shrink the heart and make people in- different and inward-looking; a life that renounces the useless things that entangle the heart in order to find time for God and others.” Being a missionary disciple, he said, does not mean “conquering, mandating, proselytizing,” but rather “witnessing, humbling oneself alongside other disciples and offering with love the love that we our- selves received.” “Our mission,” he said, is “to give pure and fresh air to those immersed in the pol- lution of our world; to bring to earth that peace which fills us with joy whenever we meet Jesus on the mountain in prayer; to show by our lives, and perhaps even by our words, that God loves everyone and never tires of anyone.” To submit your parish activities for Diocesan Briefs, email information to tdickson@biloxidiocese.org .