Gulf Pine Catholic • January 16, 2026 17 Congratulations to senior Tate Murphy on officially signing with Pearl River Community College to continue his baseball career! As a junior, Tate hit .357 with a .634 slugging percentage, belted six home runs, and drove in 289 RBIs, all while anchoring a strong defense at shortstop. We’re incredibly proud of everything Tate has accomplished and can’t wait to see him excel at the next level! Photo L-R: Mary Murphy, Tate Murphy, Ben Murphy Tate Murphy signs with Pearl River Community College Our Lady of Fatima Faith Formation (CCD) grades one-five and Children’s Church students shared their “My Christmas Wish For My Family Is” on cards displayed in the church vestibule. This picture was taken in one of Fatima school’s classrooms. A special Christmas wish for families On Sunday, Dec. 14, the students of Our Lady of Fatima Faith Formation (CCD) grades one-five and Children’s Church went Christmas caroling for the residents of Brookdale Senior Living Center in Biloxi. The students also gave out handmade Christmas cards to the residents. A wonderful time was had by the residents and students. Our Lady of Fatima Faith Formation (CCD) and Children’s Church students host Christmas event St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church held their annual parish social Dec. 7 after Mass. The Ladies Auxiliary members prepared turkeys and members of the church brought sides and desserts to complete the potluck meal. Deacon Eric Denmark led the blessing and parishioners enjoyed the food and fellowship. St. Joseph the Worker, Moss Point, holds annual parish social St. John the Evangelist Parish celebrates Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with prayer, music, and procession GULFPORT -- More than 250 parishioners gathered in the early morning hours of Dec. 12 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Gulfport to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a feast day of profound significance throughout the Western Hemisphere and the universal Church. The celebration began at 3 a.m. as Father Mike Somers and Father Martin Herrera, joined by Deacon Magana, welcomed parishioners and visitors for traditional mañanitas -- songs of praise and thanksgiving -- accompanied by mariachi music. The serenade honored the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, commemorating her apparition more than five hundred years ago to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill outside present-day Mexico City. Those early morning hymns recalled the historic encounter of 1531 when the Virgin Mary appeared to the humble indigenous convert Juan Diego. Her appearance and message of maternal love and hope led to the conversion of millions of indigenous peoples to Christianity and played a pivotal role in the evangelization of the Americas. Holy Mass was celebrated at 4:30 a.m. with Father Somers presiding. In his homily, he extolled the many miracles attributed to devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe over the centuries, emphasizing that these signs ultimately point believers to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ. Several members of the parish shared personal testimonies, offering witness to graces and miracles they have experienced through their faith in Christ and through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A highlight of the celebration was the presence of an image of the tilma of St. Juan Diego, which bears the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The original tilma, made of coarse cactus fiber and displayed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, has long fascinated scientists and theologians alike. Despite being expected to deteriorate within a few decades, the tilma has remained intact for nearly five centuries without preservation treatments. Studies have shown that the image contains no visible brushstrokes and the pigments do not correspond to known natural or synthetic paints of the 16th century. Additionally, ophthalmologists have noted what appear to be microscopic reflections of figures in the Virgin’s eyes, consistent with the laws of optics -- a phenomenon unexplained by current scientific understanding. The morning concluded with a four-block procession through the neighborhood surrounding the parish as participants reverently carried the replica of the tilma while praying and singing hymns. The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe remains one of the most cherished celebrations at St. John the Evangelist Parish, uniting generations and cultures in prayer, devotion, and joyful proclamation of the Gospel. On this most cherished feast day, we can boast that we are all guadalupanas! Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!
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