Gulf Pine Catholic

Volume 41, Issue 24 www.gulfpinecatholic.com July 19, 2024 G ulf P ine C atholic Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Biloxi Father George Kitchin, who served South Mississippi for more than five decades, dies at 81 BY TERRY DICKSON GULFPORT -- Father George Kitchin was a charismatic priest, a brilliant homilist and teacher, an avid supporter of Catholic education and deeply committed to the religious formation of young peo- ple. Born in Durham, NC, and raised in Greenwood, MS, Father Kitchin spent 54 years ministering to the people of South Mississippi before his death on July 5. He was 81. Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial for Father Kitchin July 15 at St. James Catholic Church in Gulfport; he is interred at St. James Cemetery. Upon hearing of Father Kitchin’s death, Bishop Kihneman, who was on retreat, said, “Father Kitchin was a true servant priest of Christ who served the Body of Christ with love and devotion for 54 years. His willingness to give of himself and to share the love of Jesus Christ will be something I will remember always. “If you wanted to discuss our history, all you had to do was ask Father George and off you went. His kind and loving spirit will be missed, but I trust that now he shares in the heavenly Eucharist in Christ’s presence as he celebrated Mass so many times with us.” Father Kitchin was ordained to the priesthood June 13, 1970, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Greenwood by Bishop Joseph Brunini. After his ordination, he was assigned to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and remained in the Diocese of Biloxi until his passing. He served as associate pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Parish, Bay St. Louis;Sacred Heart Parish in Pascagoula; and Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Biloxi. In 1982, he was appointed as the founding pastor of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in White Cypress. Other assignments included: 1988 to 2002, pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Ocean Springs; 2002- 2014, pastor of St. James Parish in Gulfport; and 2014 until his retirement, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Parish in Gautier. He was also the longtime director of the Diocese of Biloxi Charismatic Renewal Movement. It was through the Charismatic Renewal Movement that Father Kitchin met Father Sam Jacobs, who was also born in Greenwood, but grew up in Lake Charles, LA. The two became fast friends and remained so, even after Father Jacobs became bishop of Alexandria, LA, and later bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, LA. “Father Kitchin had the gift of healing, he had the gift of pastoring, and he had a prophetic gift as well. Those are three areas that he will strongly be remem- bered for,” said Bishop Jacobs, who is 86 and retired from active ministry. “He was a good pastor. He had a real heart for the people and he recognized that there were times that maybe it would be better for somebody else to come in and minister to the people. He didn’t have a sense that ‘I’m the only one who can do it.’ His sense was, ‘I want the best for my people. If Father so and so can come in and give a parish mission, I want him to come in and give a mission. If Father so and so can come in and do a healing service, I want him to do a healing service.’ He had a heart for the people and he want- ed the best for his people.” Others recounted how Father Kitchin’s desire to give his best for his parishioners was reflected through his thought-provoking homilies. “I remember getting excited hearing his homi- lies. My mom and I would nudge each other as he would share some part of our faith,” said Karly Mansfield Richardson, a parishioner of St. Mary Parish in Gautier. “His homilies helped connect all the dots. You got the Gospel and the readings, but you learned part of the history, the traditions, so that you truly understood the message. “He would also bring up possibly forgotten devotions. He was like a storyteller that could weave the past to the current in such a way that you felt you were there. I always learned something. Not only did his homilies help explain the faith but also strengthened my patriotism. You knew he was proud of being an American and that love came out in his homilies as well. His knowledge and wisdom will be missed.” Father Kitchin discussed his style of preaching in a 1995 interview with the Gulf Pine Catholic . “I enjoy preaching and teaching. It’s basically what ordination is about. A homily is built out of the Scriptures today, and is supposed to lead to a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist.” Father Kitchin said he drew inspiration for his homilies from the Benedictine monks who were his seminary professors. “The homily tradition in the Eastern Church is much broader because the liturgy is longer and more elaborate,” said Father Kitchin. “I know teachers and people who speak in public who wonder how in the world you can really say anything in 10 minutes. I tell them the homily is one part of a far larger event, the liturgy. That’s what makes it effective.” Patricia Houghton also attends St. Mary Parish and has fond memories of Father Kitchin’s time as her pastor, but she and her husband, the late Deacon Patrick Houghton, first met him shortly after moving from Philadelphia, PA, to Gautier in 1979. SEE FATHER GEORGE KITCHIN, PAGE 15 Father George Kitchin Photo/Terry Dickson