Gulf Pine Catholic

6 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 2, 2021 THANKSGIVING NOVENA TO ST. JUDE O Holy St. Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St. Jude pray for us and all who invoke your aid. Amen. Say three Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glorias. Publication must be promised. This Novena has never been known to fail. I have had my request granted. Publication promised. LCL Thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Jude, for prayers answered. LD Thank you, St. Jude, for prayers answered for John. BAH For the good of the people of God in the Diocese of Biloxi, Bishop Louis F. Kihneman, III, has made the following appointment: Deacon Michael Saxer, has been appointed to the pastoral care of St. Ann Parish, Clermont Harbor, and St. Joseph Chapel, Pearlington, and an appointment to Parish Life Coordinator pro tem , effective April 12.. Given at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Biloxi on March 19. ? Most Reverend Louis F. Kihneman, III Bishop of Biloxi Official Appointment In late January of this year, Papal almoner Cardinal Konrad Krajewski offered a funeral Mass for Roberto Mantovani, a 64-year-old man who died of pneumonia in a homeless shelter near Rome’s Termini railway station. Years ago, an injury had ended Mantovani’s career as a professional soccer player for Hellas Verona F. C., and in recent years, he had been living on the streets near the Vat- ican, where he was befriended by numerous people who tried to help him. Some of those people held distinguished positions, such as Cardinal Krajewski, who said of Man- tovani, “He was a cheerful, sunny person, at the lunches we had he made everyone laugh.” Cardinal Krajewski concelebrated the funeral Mass with Archbishop Arthur Roche, Secretary of the Congre- gation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sac- raments, along with a dozen other priests. The Mass was attended by volunteers from the homeless shelter where Mantovani was staying, police officers from the station near where he often slept, and workers from the Commu- nity of Sant’ Egidio, who distribute food to Rome’s home- less and run the Vatican’s newest homeless shelter. Sant’ Egidio reports that since November their organi- zation has been aware of and helped to organize at least ten funerals for Rome’s homeless, but they speculate the num- ber of dead to be even higher. Citing RomaToday , Catholic News Agency states that in Rome “there are an estimated 8,000 homeless people. Many sleep in tents along the edge of Bernini’s colonnade, the semi-circular columns enclos- ing St. Peter’s Square.” The day before Mantovani’s funeral, Pope Francis mourned the death of a 46-year-old Nigerian homeless man named Edwin, who was found dead from living out- side in the cold. The Pope said, “His story was added to that of many other homeless people who recently died in Rome in the same dramatic circum- stances,” adding, “Let us think of how this man, 46 years old, felt in the cold, ignored by all, abandoned, even by us. Let us pray for him.” It is fitting for Pope Francis to challenge the world to see the hu- manity in the poorest of the poor. It is that self-critical outlook that inspires volunteers and programs within the Church to meet those on the margins of society and extend a helping hand. In Roberto Mantovani’s case, those who knew and cared for him had recently convinced him to move to the homeless shelter after numerous bouts with pneumonia, but sadly it was too late to save his life. According to Catholic News Agency , Cardinal Krajewski “chose the reading from the Gospel of Luke in which Christ recounts the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, for the funeral Mass because ‘Robert always slept in front of a closed door.’” What a beautiful gesture this choice of reading was by Cardinal Krajewski because it points to the welcome we can all hope Roberto receives in the afterlife. In life, Ro- berto was known to sleep in front of a closed door. May he stand before an open door now and may he follow Christ through that door to eternal glory. This is the trans- formation that awaits every soul that returns to God with a humble heart, to find an open door and healing for the wounds that could not heal in this world. May we all find the humility to pass through that door with the humility of a beggar, and may we prepare ourselves for that moment by answering God’s call in this life to serve those most in need. Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M., serves on The Christo- phers’Board of Directors. For a free copy of the Chris- topher News Note, GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, write: The Christophers, 5 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org . Sleeping in front of a closed door Light One Candle Fr. Dougherty St. Patrick High School, Biloxi Congratulations to both JH boys and girls soccer coaches Sam Burke and Angela McClure on being named District IV Coach of the Year. Both coaches led their respective teams to district championships. Athletic Director Trey Bailey stated, “Coach McClure and Coach Burke did a tremendous job in leading our Junior High Soccer programs this year. These awards are representative of the results of their hard work and determination. I am grateful for them and their efforts in leading our programs.”