Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • August 20, 2021 3 Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) August 20, 2021 Volume 38, Issue 26 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— Aimee McLendon —PHOTOGRAPHY/ VIDEOGRAPHY— Juliana Skelton —OFFICEHOURS— 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday —PHONE NUMBERS— Editor: 228-702-2126 Production/Advertising: 228-702-2109 Circulation: 228-702-2127 Photography/Videography: 228-702-2172 FAX: 228-702-2128 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Circulation: amclendon@biloxidiocese.org Photography / Videography: jskelton@biloxidiocese.org —OFFICEAND MAILINGADDRESS — 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 —WEBSITE— www.biloxidiocese.org —SUBSCRIPTIONS — Subscription rate is $18 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 SEPTEMBER 3 EDITION— News copy and photos: Due AUGUST 26, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due AUGUST 26, 10 a.m. Aug 27 Sacred Heart vs St Patrick Bishop’s Bell Football game, Sacred Heart, Hattiesburg, 7 p.m. Aug. 28 Ananais workshop, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hattiesburg, 10 a.m. Aug. 29 Mass & Welcome Back, St. Ann Mission, Hurley, 8 a.m. Aug. 31 Mass, St. Mary, Woolmarket, 5 p.m. Sept. 1 Housing Board, 3 p.m. Sept. 5 Homecoming Mass, St. Peter, Bassfield, 10 a.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Matthew 9:35-38). The Gospel of Matthew 9:35-38 says to us quite profoundly that Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God, and His very presence brought about the good news of the Kingdom of God. Jesus brought healing to the people. As He touched their lives, they were changed such that even their afflictions and illnesses were healed. Jesus invites us to let him touch our lives very personally. He invites us to open our eyes to healing. He invites us to pray for laborers for the harvest. We gather to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Jesus Himself invites us to the Altar, which represents Him. Jesus is the center of who we are. He tells all his disciples to pray for laborers in the vineyard, “so ask Bishop Kihneman Laborers in the vineyard summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them author- ity over unclean spirits. So they went off and preached repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them” (Mark 6:7, 12-13). Part of what bishops and priests do every day is in the signs of the Sacraments, and part is in our prayer. When the disciples went out and laid hands on people and they witnessed the healing, and they saw the miracles happening in their lives, it changed the disciples and the people they touched. In that way, they were each able to come to know Jesus personally, becoming people who loved Him over everything else and wanted to give their lives to Him and serve Him with their whole being. They could not hold it back anymore. They had to witness to His love. They had to. That’s me and that’s you! To be a disciple and to be a witness, we have to be people of prayer, we have to be a people of the Word of God, and we have to be a people of the Eucharist. We must let Jesus enter our lives so, when others come to us and they are in seri- ous need, whether it is knowledge, counsel, or other, we can be there for them. In the end, this is what it means for us to be disciples of Jesus, to be witnesses to Him. Those of us who teach or serve others, no matter the loca- tion or the subject, we are ministering and we are calling those we teach to discipleship. As we know Jesus, as we love Jesus, as we serve Jesus, and as we witness to Jesus, we will en- able Him to be born in the hearts of all those we witness to and those we serve. And we in- vite the Spirit to descend upon us personally as we sing out, “Lord send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth!” (Psalm 104:30) SEE SPANISH TRANSLATION, PAGE 6 the master of the harvest to send out labor- ers for his harvest” (Matthew: 9:38). Guess what? That’s me, and that’s you! Jesus is in- viting you to be a laborer for Him, to be His voice, to be His hands, to be His heart given to another. God is calling us all to be His wit- ness, and those who work with young people and their families, especially teachers, have a unique role and responsibility to witness and share the good news, “And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me” (Matthew 18:5). One of the parts of the Gospel that takes my breath away -- and I think it also takes my brother priests’ breaths away -- is when Jesus gives his disciples the power to dispel demons and the power to heal people. “He Prayer for Protection against Storms and Hurricanes Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during this Hurricane season om all harm. Protect us and our homes om all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.