Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • May 26, 2023 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) May 26, 2023 Volume 40, Issue 20 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 JUNE 9 EDITION— News copy and photos: Due JUNE 1, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due JUNE 1, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule May 27 Confirmation, Holy Spirit Parish, Vancleave, 6 p.m. May 28 Adult Confirmation, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, 11 a.m. May 31 Confirmation, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Long Beach, 6 p.m. June 1 Foundation Board Meeting, 3 p.m. June 4 Mass & Dinner, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Columbia, 11 a.m. June 7 Housing Board Meeting, 3 p.m. June 10 New Wine Graduation, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, 10:30 a.m. June 11 Mass for Eucharist Revival, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, 11 a.m. Bishop Kihneman Graduates, take God’s love for you to the world BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of Biloxi Jesus said to His disciples: By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one anoth- er” (John 15:8, 12-17). Celebrating the Baccalaureate Mass for our Seniors in our Catholic schools is a blessing for me. Not long after I was ordained and installed as your bishop, I met quite a number of our 2023 Catholic high school graduates as seventh-graders, and I spoke to them about our relationship with God. This article is addressed to our Seniors, but the message is for us all. Seniors, as you complete your studies, I hope you will recall God’s commandment -- that you love one another, and that through immersion in His love, you are called to this great commandment that He has given us: “…love one another as I love you (15:12).” – and His love is a true and most powerful love. Jesus continues, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (15:13).” Jesus has laid down His life for all of us, even though we are sinners. Do you or I have the courage to lay down our lives for each other? The answer is yes. We can and we do because that is who we are as disciples of Jesus. Your parents, grandparents, guardians -- have laid down their lives for you in their efforts to make a Catholic education possible for you. It is a sign that they wanted you to be immersed in the love of God by being sur- rounded by other people of faith and have opportunities to encounter Jesus through- out the school day. To be able to attend school in an atmosphere that encourages the growth of your faith and a love of Jesus Christ is a true blessing, and I hope you will thank your parents, grandpar- ents, and guardians. You have experienced many changes and challenges in the last few years, par- ticularly through the pandemic. In a real way these challenges, these experiences, have enabled you to grow in your rela- tionship with Jesus -- in your knowledge of Him, in your love of Him, in your service to Him, and the opportunities you have been given to witness Him. Wherever you are -- college, work, home, traveling -- I challenge you to continue to grow your relationship with Jesus. We are called to be a people of prayer, to have a relationship with Jesus that is ongoing. If you must, set a daily alarm to remind you to stop and make time for your relationship with God. You can read and contemplate God’s Word, pray the Rosary, another devotion, share with God your struggles and joys, spend time in Adoration, or simply invite the Holy Spirit to fill you and speak to you. But keep the con- versation going every day! Receive the Sacraments often. Stay in community, keep good, faithful friends. If you are going to college, as soon as you arrive on campus (or before) locate and visit the Newman Center/ Focus missionaries or campus ministry/near- est Catholic Church. A few more tips for all of us: • Be of great joy -- Jesus has won the vic- tory! • Have unshakeable confidence in Jesus and dependence on the Holy Spirit. There is freedom in dependence on God! • Never be afraid of an unknown future with a known God. Courage is fear prayed. • Anxiety does not empty the future of danger; it empties the present of peace. You will find that there are many in the world who will say your faith is useless and will challenge you. But in the end, it is Jesus who has called you to life, to faith, to hope, to salvation, and it is you He has called to share His love with others. Jesus Christ is the one who released us from the captivity of sin and death; it is He who has rescued us. He asks each of us to be His witness so that oth- ers can be rescued. When we are challenged for our faith, it can be hard to love one another, but Jesus is there to love us and the Holy Spirit strength- ens us in those moments. SEE BISHOP’S MESSAGE, PAGE 10