Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • April 14, 2023 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) April 14, 2023 Volume 40, Issue 17 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 APRIL28 EDITION— News copy and photos: Due APRIL 20, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due APRIL 20, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule April 15 Confirmation, St. Ann Mission, Hurley, 6 p.m. April 16 Confirmation, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Picayune, 5 p.m. April 18 Confirmation, Our Lady of the Gulf Parish, Bay St. Louis, 6 p.m. April 19 Principal and Pastor Meeting, 11 a.m. April 20 Presbyteral Council Meeting, Pastoral Center, 10:30 a.m. April 20 Confirmation, Holy Family Parish, Pass Christian, 6 p.m. April 22 Vocation Workshop for Parish Leadership, St. Joseph Parish, Gulfport, 9 a.m. April 22 Holy Infant of Good Health Feast Day Procession and Mass, St. Ann Parish, Clermont Harbor, 3:45 p.m. April 23 Confirmation, St. Fabian Parish, Hattiesburg, 10 a.m. April 25 Confirmation, Our Mother of Mercy Parish, Pass Christian, 6 p.m. April 27 Confirmation, Sacred Heart Parish, Hattiesburg, 6 p.m. April 28-30 Equestrian Order of Holy Sepulchre Southeastern Lieutenancy Conference, Atlanta, GA April 29 Knights of Columbus Convention, Chaplains’ Meeting, 9:30-11:30 a.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of Biloxi Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20:19-23). Divine Mercy Sunday points us to the merciful love of God that lies behind the whole Paschal Mystery -- the whole mystery of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus made present for us in the Eucharist. On Divine Mercy Sunday, we recall special moments when Jesus shared His Divine Mercy after He rose from the dead. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and pronounced her name, it was a Divine Mercy moment. (Matthew 28:1-10) When He appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, it was a Divine Mercy Moment. (Luke 24:13-35) When He appeared to the disciples in the upper room and said “Peace be with you,” it was a Divine Mercy moment. When He returned and told Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand Bishop Kihneman Divine Mercy Moments communities, in our work, in our studies, and particularly when we partake of His Sacraments. When Jesus says, “Peace be with you” to the disciples, He offers the peace of heaven, the peace of God’s hope, and the peace of God’s love. Jesus offers His peace and mercy to us amidst all of life’s difficulties, whether it be illness, depression, marital problems, addiction or loss of a job. The list is endless. Whatever it is, Jesus is there for us. We only need to surrender ourselves to Him. After Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” He breathes the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and shares His Divine Mercy with them and enables them to share His Divine Mercy in many ways, but particularly through the forgiveness of sins. It is by the forgiveness of our sins that God offers us His salvation. That is the spirit of Divine Mercy. The disciples were locked in the upper room. They were literally sheltering in place out of fear for their lives, yet Jesus appeared to them through locked doors. He comes to each of us, too, out of His great love, as the Crucified and Risen Lord Jesus. No matter what is going on in our lives, no matter what we suffer, He is there for us and He understands our pain. He shares with each of us now -- if we are open and allow His spirit of Divine Mercy to touch us as He did the disciples. When Jesus first appeared to the disciples in the upper room, St. Thomas was not present. The disciples were insistent with Thomas. They said, “We have seen the Lord.” They did not mince words. SEE BISHOP’S MESSAGE, PAGE 14 and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” It was a Divine Mercy moment. And, when he says to Thomas, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” It is a Divine Mercy moment for each of us! (John 20:19-31) We share in these moments of Jesus’ Divine Mercy. If we are open to His Divine Mercy in our lives, it is available to us in so many ways. His mercy is present to us when we pray, it is present to us in the Word of God, it is present to us in the Eucharist, and it is present to us in our family, in our faith