Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 7 Shades of Ireland Departing May 16 – 28, 2027 Highlights... Dublin ● Irish Dinner & Entertainment ● Blarney Castle ● Brewery Experience ● Jaunting Car Ride ●Ring of Kerry ● Cliffs of Moher ● Sheepdog Demonstration ● Castle Stay 13 Days ● 18 Meals: 11 Breakfasts ● 7 Dinners BOOK NOW: Double $7,007; Single $8,907; Triple $6,927 Regular rates: Double $7,357; Single $9,257; Triple $7,277 * All Rates are Per Person and are subject to change Included in Price: Round Trip Air from New Orleans Intl Airport, Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges, Hotel Transfers, Guinness Storehouse; Dinner Not included in price: Cancellation Waiver and Insurance of $549 per person. For Round Trip Air from Biloxi Regional Airport, Add $150 per person to the above rates. * All Rates are Per Person and subject to change, based on air inclusive package from MSY IMPORTANT CONDITIONS: Your price is guaranteed once deposit is received and booking confirmed by Collette. Your price is not subject to increase after the deposit is received and booking confirmed, except for charges resulting from increases in governmentimposed taxes or fees. For more information contact Father Martin J. Gillespie 228-354-7900 Collette Tours 855-469-0588 And at the heart of it all is the Holy Eucharist. The hands of the priest, consecrated and anointed, are given the sacred privilege of offering the Body Bishop’s Column From page 3 and Blood of Christ to the faithful. We literally hold in our hands, the bread and wine as they are changed by the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Jesus! This is a profound and awe-inspiring gift -- one that calls for gratitude, reverence, and prayer. I ask you: pray for your priests. Pray for your deacons. Pray for your bishop. And pray for one another. Each sacrament is an encounter with Jesus Christ. In a special way, the Anointing of the Sick reveals His healing presence. Where once people feared the priest’s arrival in times of illness, today many reach out with faith, seeking the healing grace of Christ. I recall a deeply moving moment from my first parish. A beloved housekeeper, a simple and faithful woman, was near death. After I anointed her with the Oil of the Sick, she took my hand and held it tightly. I remained with her as her strength faded, and she passed from this life. To be present as a priest in that moment -- accompanying her as she went to meet the Lord -- was a profound honor. Through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we witness many forms of healing. Sometimes it is physical, mental, and/or emotional, according to God’s will. But always, the first healing is spiritual. The Lord heals and restores the soul, and we pray also for healing of mind and body. Through the sacrament of the sick, I/we have seen many miracles of healing according to God’s will as signs of the love of God, Jesus, poured forth. Our priests are God’s healers, and through our consecrated hands, Christ continues His work in the world. This is a great blessing and a sacred trust. At the Chrism Mass, our priests renew their ordination promises. It is a beautiful and special celebration. I pray for our priests every day and I love them dearly. I ask you, please, join me in praying for our priests in a special way, and pray for me as well. Each year, we celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week. Next year, it will be held on Tuesday, March 23, 2027, 10:30 a.m., at Nativity B.V.M. Cathedral. SEE BISHOP’S SPANISH COLUMN, PAGE 4
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