Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • December 9, 2022 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) December 9, 2022 Volume 40, Issue 8 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— 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: 228-201-2132 FAX: 228-702-2128 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Circulation: amclendon@biloxidiocese.org Photography: 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 DEC. 23 EDITION— News copy and photos: Due DEC. 14, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due DEC. 14, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Dec. 10 Mass & Reception, Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration, Sacred Heart Parish, Pascagoula, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 11 Mass, 90th Parish Anniversary, St. Therese of Lisieux, Gulfport, 10 a.m. Dec. 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, Our Lady of Fatima, Biloxi, 6 p.m. Dec. 14-15 Bishops’ Retreat, Archdiocese of NOLA Retreat Center Dec. 16 Mass & Lunch with Religious Sisters, Pastoral Center Dec. 18 Mass, 100th Parish Anniversary, Blessed Seelos Parish, Biloxi, 8:30 a.m. Dec. 20 Finance Council Meeting 2 p.m. Dec. 23 Las Posadas, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 24 Christmas Vigil, St. Michael Parish, Biloxi, 4:00 p.m. Dec. 24 Christmas Midnight Mass, Nativity BVM Cathedral, 11:00 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of Biloxi On December 12, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, commemorating the Blessed Mother’s appearance to Juan Diego. For those not familiar with the story, here is a brief recap. A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning, December 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby barrio to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady. Juan was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the war- bling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga, to tell the bishop that he was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared. The bishop was reluctant to believe and told Juan to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan’s uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Juan to try to avoid Our Lady. Nevertheless the lady found Juan, assured him that his uncle would recov- er, and provided roses (out of season) for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or Bishop Kihneman Our Lady of Guadalupe leads us to her son Jesus Christ ready or that he had time for what she was asking of him, he stepped out in faith and did what the Lady asked of him. Even in the midst of the difficulties of life he was able to say “yes” to God through Mary’s presence in his life, and with the advent of the miracle of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint Juan Diego spent the rest of his days sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Many native people converted to Christianity/Catholicism after her appear- ance to Juan because she appeared as one of them. Word spread quickly and, where previ- ously Catholics were seen as the outsiders, these indigenous people experienced a God who cared about them and who was one of them. Just as Our Lady appeared to Saint Juan Diego, she also wants to enter into and be part of our life of faith so that we can know her son Jesus. That is why we must be pre- pared. However, like Saint Juan Diego, our first instinct may be to hide. Jesus wants to come and dwell in us; He is here for us because He loves us. When Jesus comes to dwell in our house of faith and tries to enter our hearts, if we are not prepared, we may try to hide our true selves. If we have in our hearts things that are not from God, or things that we do not want oth- ers, especially Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to see, we feel guilty and ashamed. And we may try to hide, just as Adam and Eve did from our Father in the Garden of Eden. However, we are never successful in hiding from God. Our Mother Mary always leads us to her Son. She tells us that we have to have trust in God, trust in the Son -- He is the most impor- tant person alive! The most important person throughout eternity! She invites us to offer to Our Lord Jesus Christ all our sins, problems, and struggles. She invites us to open our hearts and welcome her Son so that He can heal our wounds and lead us to salvation. Let us remember that in this image we have Our Lady of Guadalupe, she is preg- nant, likewise in this image we also have her Son present in her, which tells us that she is the mother of God. It is a moment of grace; it is a moment of God present to each of us. Our Lady of Guadalupe can be our guide to accept her Son Jesus Christ. She presents us before God as her sons and daughters so that we can in turn bear witness to the world that Jesus and Mary His mother live and dwell in our hearts. SEE BISHOP’S COLUMN, PAGE 13 tilma. On December 12, when Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac. ( Source: Franciscan Media ) Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, tells us that Jesus must be the most important person in our lives. While St. Juan Diego did not think he was