8 Gulf Pine Catholic • January 30, 2026 You Are Invited To Join Fr. Godfrey Andoh on a 12-day Marian Shrines Pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain & France. Sanctuary of Lourdes Including: Lisbon, Fatima, Porto, Santiago de Compostela, Avila, Madrid, Zaragoza, Lourdes, Montserrat & Barcelona! June 1 - 12, 2026 $5,995 All-inclusive from New Orleans, LA DAILY MASS AT THE HOLY SITES Contact Deacon Norm Cantrelle 228-563-4127 ncantrelle@gmail.com Bishop’s Column From page 3 Bringing his homily to a close, Cardinal Parolin asked for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, “Our Lady of Arabia, Patroness of the entire Peninsula that bears her name.” May she “guide us always to her Son,” the cardinal prayed. “To her I entrust the protection of the State of Kuwait, its citizens, and all Christians.” During the Jan 14-16 visit of the Vatican’s secretary of state, an official round of talks were held with Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, prime minister of Kuwait. Joseph Tulloch is a writer for Vatican News, where the story was originally published. OSV News contributed to this report. KuWait Cardinal Parolin From page 6 At the heart of Mercy Cross Center is case management. Housing is not the end of the journey; it is the beginning of stability, healing, and hope. Case managers assist with budgeting, banking, employment, and applications for Social Security, SNAP, insurance, and housing programs. When needed, they connect guests to medical care, mental health services, and addiction treatment. They walk alongside people not just to obtain housing, but to sustain it. Daily onsite services include laundry, showers, safe napping areas, computers, mail services, clothing, and essential supplies. Weekly partnerships bring psychiatric care, job skills classes, peer support, medical services, counseling, haircuts, and -- beginning in 2026 -- expanded healthcare access through Coastal Family Health. Since opening in May 2024, Mercy Cross Center has registered more than 700 new guests, provided nearly 4,000 case management services, served over 15,000 meals, and helped 208 individuals move off the streets of Biloxi. Only six have returned to homelessness locally -- a testament to proactive, relational care. Yet numbers alone do not tell the story. The true measure of Mercy Cross Center is found in lives restored and hope renewed. Not every journey leads to permanent housing, and not every step forward is linear. The human condition is complex, shaped by trauma, illness, addiction, and loss. What remains constant is our commitment. Mercy Cross Center -- and all of Catholic Charities of South Mississippi -- will continue to walk alongside those we serve with compassion, patience, and faith, meeting them where they are and honoring their dignity every step of the way. I am deeply grateful to our guests who trust us, our staff and partners who serve faithfully, and the donors and supporters who make this work possible. Thank you for being part of this journey. The annual Bishop’s Gala is a major fundraiser for the Mercy Cross Day Center for the homeless. The next Bishop’s Gala is scheduled for Oct. 17, 2026. Thank you to everyone who helps make the Center such a blessing for all. As Scripture reminds us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). SEE BISHOP’S SPANISH COLUMN, PAGE 4 To advertise in the Gulf Pine Catholic, call 228-702-2109 for more information. Pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood, to the diaconate, and to the religious life, especially in the Diocese of Biloxi.
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