Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • December 6, 2024 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) December 6, 2024 Volume 42, Issue 7 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 —BILLING — Shirley M c Cusker —CIRCULATION— Robin Peeler —PHOTOGRAPHY— Juliana Skelton —OFFICEHOURS— 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday —PHONE NUMBERS— Editor: 228-702-2126 Production/Advertising: 228-702-2109 Billing: 228-702-2109 Circulation: 228-702-2100 Photography: 228-201-2132 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Billing: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Circulation: rpeeler@biloxidiocese.org Photography: jskelton@biloxidiocese.org —OFFICEAND MAILINGADDRESS — 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 —WEBSITE— www.gulfpinecatholic.com —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. 20— News copy and photos: Due DEC. 10, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due DEC. 20, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Dec. 7 Mass & Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration, Sacred Heart Parish, Pascagoula, 5:30 p.m. (Rosary); 6 p.m. (Mass) Dec. 8 Mass & Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration, St. Rose de Lima Parish, Bay St. Louis, 12 p.m. Dec. 10 Staff Retreat Day Dec. 11-12 ESP, New Orleans Retreat Center Dec. 12 Mass & Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration, Blessed Seelos Parish, Biloxi, 6 p.m. Dec 13 Mass & School Visit, Nativity BVM Elementary, 9 a.m. Dec. 14 Mass & Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Picayune, 10 a.m. (Procession); 11 a.m. (Mass) Dec. 15 Life Teen Mass, St. Mary Parish, Woolmarket, 4 p.m. Dec. 17 Communications Workshop, Pastoral Center, Biloxi, 2 p.m. Dec. 19 Finance Council Meeting, Pastoral Center, Biloxi, 2 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will con- ceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also con- ceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; Bishop Kihneman Like Mary, we are called to be bearers of Christ for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me accord- ing to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Lk 1:26-38) On December 9 this year, we will cele- brate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin. This means that from the very moment of her conception, she was preserved by God’s grace from the stain of original sin, a special privilege given to her in preparation for her role as the Mother of God. St. Maxmillian Kolbe wrote and preached extensively on the Immaculate Conception and notes three particular events that he refers to as a beginning of the “era of the Immaculate Conception” -- the mani- festation of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830; the doctrine of the Immaculate Concep- tion is declared a dogma of the Catholic Church by Pope Pius IX in 1854; and the apparition of Our Lady to St. Bernadette at Lourdes in 1858. When St. Bernadette asks the most blessed Mother Her name, Mary replies: I am the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate One is defined by her own words. The belief in the Immaculate Conception had been held by many Christians for centuries prior, and it emphasizes that Mary’s purity and sinless- ness were necessary for her to bear Jesus Christ. We are reminded, however, that, as a human being, she is like us, except we believe that she was conceived and born without sin. As a people of faith, we honor her as our mother. That is very special to us as a Church. SEE BISHOP’S COLUMNS, PAGE 6