Volume 43, Issue 15 www.gulfpinecatholic.com April 24, 2026 Gulf Pine Catholic Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Biloxi ʻChildren need you, they need your presence,՚ Sister of Life tells educators at convention BY JOSH MCGOVERN The Catholic Spirit, OSV News MINNEAPOLIS (OSV News) -- One teacher standing in the front of a classroom with the knowledge of Christ can bring more “hope and joy into this world than the most dynamic and savvy influencers,” Sister Mary Grace told educators April 9. The Sister of Life made the comments in her keynote at the National Catholic Educational Association’s annual convention in Minneapolis. “The children need you; they need your presence,” Sister Mary Grace told the 3,800 educators on the final day of the April 7-9 convention. “They need your attentiveness, your goodness, your faith.” Sister Mary Grace recalled a teacher she knew who got down on one knee each day and attentively listened to a young student named Zoey talk about a slug she saw every day before class. “For months, Zoey only had a slug story to tell,” Sister Mary Grace said. The teacher bent down each time and listened to Zoey. “It wasn’t until about a year (later) that Zoey came in and said something totally different, and it wasn’t about the slug,” Sister Mary Grace said. “(Zoey) was now ready to trust her teacher with big news. Zoey was being abused, and she was trying to find a person in her life that she could trust. … After the family home, the classroom is the most formative influence in our lives by far.” Sister Mary Grace said people are hardwired to find meaning in every moment because “deep down, we know that we matter.” Meaning cannot be manufactured, Sister Mary Grace said, and “God provides even before we can perceive our needs.” “I think that the issue of our times isn’t so much about doing less or more in our workplaces, but that we’ve attempted to live a subtle agreement to the lie that we’re worthless, that we don’t really matter, that there isn’t really more, that this is as good as it gets. … The opposite of hope isn’t despair; it’s cynicism. … The dark chapter does not have the right to conclude our stories.” Catholic educators, she said, can offer children a safe place and an encounter with divine love first received in the educators’ hearts, “giving (the children) the love that they would otherwise be deprived (of).” “I don’t think there’s ever been more of a need for real teachers, teachers (who) believe, teachers (who) … not only teach but testify to the life of Jesus Christ and the real difference he makes,” Sister Mary Grace said. “Far greater than the efforts of the finest human progress, incomparable to the proclaimed fleets of (artificial intelligence) that are helping us, every single child, every single human heart, needs another person. “They need a real person of the world, just like you, in their real world, in their normal life, showing up day after day, who refuse to give up on the goodness in them.” Mary Carlson, a middle school science teacher at St. Joseph in West St. Paul, said the threeday conference helped her realize that being a teacher is a calling more than a career, one that “restores and gives life.” “God wants to love the world,” Carlson told The Catholic Spirit, the news outlet of theArchdiocese of St. Paul andMinneapolis. “Not only was it super inspiring that we’re teaching heart-to-heart (relationships) but then (also) increasing our skills. At the end of the day, what it is, is an encounter (with Christ).” Carlson said she felt energized about Catholic education, not just for today or tomorrow, but “as it goes on for weeks, years, just that we have been given this great gift of being able to educate in the whole truth of the whole child.” Her experience at the convention was a “beautiful and authentic witness of life with Christ” as a Catholic school teacher. “It’s a unique path, and God blesses it abundantly,” she said. “What does it look like to live more vitally? Like at St. Joe’s, we have so much joy. And what I feel at this conference is an invitation to live more deeply.” Brian Shriver, a teacher at St. Ambrose in Woodbury, said the conference was a perfect blend of education and the Catholic faith. Particularly, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston in his keynote address April 7 and Sister Mary Grace provided useful tips and guidelines that Shriver hopes to use in his classroom. “You may not see the impact of your work … but God sees it, and he sees every act of love,” Sister Mary Grace said. “Nothing is unseen and nothing is unemptied. What do our schools need now? We need teachers like you, teachers (who) are willing to take days (at the conference) to be formed.” Josh McGovern is a reporter at The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This story was originally published by The Catholic Spirit and is distributed through a partnership with OSV News. Sister Mary Grace of the Sisters of Life in New York gives a keynote address April 9 on the final day of the National Education Association Convention at the Minneapolis Convention Center. OSV News photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit
2 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 Diocese of Biloxi Bulletin Board VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Notre Dame Hospice: Notre Dame Hospice is looking for volunteers. Volunteers can provide caregiver relief, companionship for patients, run errands, play music, prepare a meal & offer whatever talents our volunteers would like to share. Hospice volunteers do not need any medical experience as they do not handle patients. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact: Janine Bonner, Volunteer Coordinator (504) 4181049 or email jbonner@notredamehospice.com. Our Mississippi office is in Diamondhead. We need volunteers in the Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Diamondhead, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Ocean Springs, & Picayune. The amount of time you wish to volunteer is up to you. Thank you. DIOCESAN EVENTS Is God calling you to more?: If you feel a nudge to grow deeper in your faith or lead more intentionally, the New Wine Program may be for you. This renewed diocesan formation experience invites both new participants & past graduates to be equipped as missionary disciples who walk with others toward Christ. The next cohort begins August 2026; applications are open through May 31. Learn more and apply at: www.biloxidiocese.org/newwine. Foster Parent Support Group: Catholic Charities of South Misssissippi is holding a Foster Parent Support Group series Mon., April 13-May 4, 6 p.m., located at 1450 North St., Gulfport. This series entitled Stronger Together is a four-part series covering understanding trauma and attachment, supporting challenging behaviors, preventing burnout and building a support system, and a Self Care Social. Babysitting is available. Registration is required by April 6 or go to www.gulfpinecatholic-org Calendar and using the QR code. PARISH EVENTS Catholic in Recovery growing at Most Holy Trinity: Catholic in Recovery is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to serving those suffering from addictions & unhealthy attachments, including alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography addiction, sex & relationship addiction, compulsive overeating & food addictions, gambling addiction, codependency & its impact on family life, as well as struggles with fear, control, & anxiety. Catholic in Recovery has been meeting every Tues. evening at Most Holy Trinity in Pass Christian since July 2025. These confidential gatherings offer a safe, supportive environment for individuals seeking freedom & lasting healing through mutual care, prayer, & the Sacraments in a twelvestep format. Catholic in Recovery leaves no doubt concerning our Higher Power, Jesus Christ, in an unabashedly Catholic program. We incorporate the Mass readings, the Saints, Mary, & liturgical Calendar into the meetings. Anyone in need of healing & support is invited to attend. Through God’s grace, participants at Most Holy Trinity have begun achieving longterm sobriety discovering renewed faith, restored relationships, & a new path forward. Please contact Ryan Done at (901) 515-7650 or ryan. done@mhtcatholic.org for more info. First Saturday Devotion: All are invited to join us for our First Saturday Devotion at St. Mary Church in Woolmarket on Sat., May 2. We will begin the Devotion with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:30 a.m., followed by the praying of the Rosary at 9 a.m.. During this time, Confession will be available. Together we will reflect on one or more mysteries of the rosary, as requested by Our Lady of Fatima, and spend time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament before having Benediction. At 10 a.m., Father Gillespie will celebrate Holy Mass, after which we will honor Our Blessed Mother with a Marian Procession, carrying her statue and banner from the church to Murray Hall. Our morning will conclude with a potluck lunch, desserts, refreshments, and fellowship -- a wonderful opportunity to come together as a family of faith. Please come and help us honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary in prayer, procession, & community. For more info, contact Sharon Poulette at (443) 699-8281 or email aloha7290@gmail. com. SCHOOL EVENTS New applications & re-enrollment open: St. Patrick Catholic High School is now accepting new student applications & re-enrollment for current families! Apply now to secure your spot for the upcoming school year at St. Patrick before space fills up! Visit stpatrickhighschool.net/apply to apply today. Summer Camps: Register today for St. Patrick Catholic High School’s Summer Camps. Led, organized, & delivered by their award-winning faculty, coaches, & staff, the summer camps continue their mission even outside of the traditional academic year. For more info, go to secure.qgiv. com/ for / spsummercamps / event / spsummercamps2026/. Las Misas Celebradas en Español / Masses Celebrated in Spanish Sábado/Saturday Laurel: Immaculate Conception Parish, 8 p.m. Pascagoula: Sacred Heart Parish, 6 p.m. Domingo/Sunday Bay St. Louis: St. Rose de Lima Parish, 12 noon Biloxi: Blessed Seelos Parish, 11 a.m. Gulfport: St. John the Evangelist Parish, 2 p.m. Hattiesburg: Sacred Heart Parish, 1:30 p.m. Laurel: Immaculate Conception Parish, 4 p.m Ocean Springs: St. Alphonsus Parish, 2 p.m. Picayune: St. Charles Borromeo Parish, 12:30 p.m. Lunes/Monday Biloxi: Our Lady of Fatima Parish, 6 p.m. Jueves/Thursday Laurel: Immaculate Conception Parish, 7 p.m.
Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) April 24, 2026 Volume 43, Issue 15 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 McCusker —BILLING — Shirley McCusker —CIRCULATION— Robin Peeler —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 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Billing: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Circulation: rpeeler@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 MAY 8— News copy and photos: Due APRIL 28, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due APRIL 28, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule April 24- Knights of Columbus 26 Convention, Natchez, MS April 26 Mass, Holy Infant of Good Health, St. Ann Parish, Clermont Harbor, 2 p.m. April 28 Confirmation, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Pass Christian, 6:30 p.m. April 29 Catholic Charities Meeting, Pastoral Center, 3 p.m. April 29 Confirmation, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Long Beach, 6 p.m. April 30 Foundation Meeting, Pastoral Center, 2 p.m. April 30 Confirmation, St. Alphonsus Parish, Ocean Springs, 6 p.m. May 1 Mass, Blessing of Columbaria, Sacred Heart Parish, D’Iberville, 8:30 a.m. May 2 Confirmation, Immaculate Conception Parish, Laurel, 1 p.m. May 3 Confirmation, St. Bernadette Parish, Waynesboro, 11:15 a.m. May 5 Confirmation, Our Lady of the Gulf Parish, Bay St. Louis, 6 p.m. May 6 Confirmation, Our Lady of Victories Parish, Pascagoula, 8:45 a.m. May 8 Confirmation, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Biloxi, 6 p.m. May 9 Confirmation, Blessing of New Parish Hall, Vietnamese Martyrs Parish, Biloxi, 5 p.m. May 10 Confirmation, Sacred Heart Parish, D’Iberville, 5 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” Isaiah tells us, “because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn.” The prophet, Isaiah, is speaking about our Savior, Jesus, very directly: this is the Christ, Jesus, who brings anointing, healing, and the personal love of God into our lives. For those of us in Holy Orders, this passage is deeply personal. In ordination to the Holy Orders, Christ becomes the center of our lives. His love draws us to the priesthood and calls us to be healers -- serving all we encounter with compassion and care. This call is both an invitation and a responsibility. In a particular way, we see this lived out in the Church’s use of the holy oils. Blessed at the Chrism Mass each year Chrism Mass 2026 Anointed to Heal: The Sacred Gift of Christ in the Life of the Church during Holy Week: the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick, and the consecration of the Oil of Sacred Chrism. These oils become powerful signs of Christ’s love and healing at work among His people. At the Easter Vigil, throughout our diocese, men and women and children enter the Church through the waters of baptism. As they enter the Easter water and it is poured over them, they become sons and daughters of God, baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In that moment, all sins are forgiven. It is a powerful and transformative grace. They are then anointed -- marked with sacred Oil of Catechumens as a sign of healing and new life in Christ. They are also anointed with Holy Chrism as a sign that they are now priests, prophets, kings and queens, heirs of heaven as sons and daughters of God! Through these sacramental actions, the healing of Jesus becomes present through the hands of the priest (deacons may also baptize). It is both humbling and extraordinary. Those same hands, anointed at ordination, are entrusted with the care of souls. They absolve sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation -- one of the most humbling and beautiful moments in the life of a priest. To speak the words of absolution is to witness the mercy of God poured out in a deeply personal way over the penitent. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the faithful are sealed with the Holy Spirit and strengthened to live as mature disciples. Through the anointing with the Oil of Holy Chrism, they receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of faith, hope, and love. They are sent forth to live their Catholic faith boldly and to witness to the love of Jesus, our Savior, in and through their lives. SEE BISHOP’S COLUMN, PAGE 7
4 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 POR EL OBISPO LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Obispo de Biloxi “El Espíritu del Señor está sobre mí,” nos dice Isaías, “porque el Señor me ha ungido. Me ha enviado a llevar la buena nueva a los humildes, a sanar a los de corazón quebrantado, a proclamar la libertad a los cautivos y la liberación a los prisioneros, a anunciar un año de gracia del Señor y un día de vindicación de nuestro Dios, a consolar a todos los que lloran.” El profeta Isaías está hablando muy directamente de nuestro Salvador, Jesús: este es el Cristo, Jesús, quien trae la unción, la sanación y el amor personal de Dios a nuestras vidas. Para aquellos de nosotros en las Órdenes Sagradas, este pasaje es profundamente personal. En la ordenación a las Órdenes Sagradas, Cristo se convierte en el centro de nuestras vidas. Su amor nos atrae al sacerdocio y nos llama a ser sanadores, sirviendo a todos los que encontramos con compasión y cuidado. Este llamado es a la vez una invitación y una responsabilidad. De manera particular, vemos esto vivido en el uso de los santos óleos en la Iglesia. Bendecidos en la Misa Crismal cada año durante la Semana Santa: el Óleo de los Catecúmenos y el Óleo de los Enfermos, y la consagración del Santo Crisma. Estos óleos se convierten en signos poderosos del amor y la sanación de Cristo actuando entre su pueblo. En la Vigilia Pascual, en toda nuestra diócesis, hombres, mujeres y niños entran en la Iglesia a través de las aguas del bautismo. Al entrar en el agua pascual y ser derramada sobre ellos, se convierten en hijos e hijas de Dios, bautizados en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo. En ese momento, todos los pecados son perdonados. Es una gracia poderosa y transformadora. Luego son ungidos -- marcados con el sagrado Óleo de los Catecúmenos como signo de sanación y nueva vida en Cristo. También son ungidos con el Santo Crisma como señal de que ahora son sacerdotes, profetas, reyes y reinas, herederos del cielo Chrism Mass 2026 como hijos e hijas de Dios. A través de estas acciones sacramentales, la sanación de Jesús se hace presente por medio de las manos del sacerdote (los diáconos también pueden bautizar). Es algo tanto humilde como extraordinario. Esas mismas manos, ungidas en la ordenación, reciben la responsabilidad del cuidado de las almas. Absuelven los pecados en el Sacramento de la Reconciliación -- uno de los momentos más humildes y hermosos en la vida de un sacerdote. Pronunciar las palabras de la absolución es ser testigo de la misericordia de Dios derramada de manera profundamente personal sobre el penitente. En el Sacramento de la Confirmación, los fieles son sellados con el Espíritu Santo y fortalecidos para vivir como discípulos maduros. Mediante la unción con el Santo Crisma, reciben los dones del Espíritu Santo y de la fe, la esperanza y el amor. Son enviados a vivir su fe católica con valentía y a dar testimonio del amor de Jesús, nuestro Salvador, en y a través de sus vidas. Yen el corazón de todo está la Sagrada Eucaristía. Las manos del sacerdote, consagradas y ungidas, reciben el privilegio sagrado de ofrecer el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo a los fieles. ¡Literalmente sostenemos en nuestras manos el pan y el vino mientras son transformados por el Espíritu Santo en el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Jesús! Este es un don profundo y sobrecogedor -- uno que llama a la gratitud, la reverencia y la oración. Les pido: oren por sus sacerdotes. Oren por sus diáconos. Oren por su obispo. Y oren unos por otros. Cada sacramento es un encuentro con Jesucristo. De manera especial, la Unción de los Enfermos revela su presencia sanadora. Donde antes las personas temían la llegada del sacerdote en tiempos de enfermedad, hoy muchos lo buscan con fe, deseando la gracia sanadora de Cristo. Recuerdo un momento profundamente conmovedor de mi primera parroquia. Una querida ama de llaves, una mujer sencilla y fiel, estaba cerca de la muerte. Después de ungirla con el Óleo de los Enfermos, tomó mi mano y la sostuvo con fuerza. Permanecí con ella mientras sus fuerzas se desvanecían y pasó de esta vida. Estar presente como sacerdote en ese momento -- acompañándola en su encuentro con el Señor -- fue un honor profundo. A través del sacramento de la Unción de los Enfermos, somos testigos de muchas formas de sanación. A veces es física, mental y/o emocional, según la voluntad de Dios. Pero siempre, la primera sanación es espiritual. El Señor sana y restaura el alma, y también oramos por la sanación de la mente y el cuerpo. A través del sacramento de los enfermos, he/hemos visto muchos milagros de sanación según la voluntad de Dios como signos del amor de Dios, de Jesús, derramado. Nuestros sacerdotes son los sanadores de Dios, y a través de nuestras manos consagradas, Cristo continúa su obra en el mundo. Esto es una gran bendición y una sagrada responsabilidad. En la Misa Crismal, nuestros sacerdotes renuevan sus promesas de ordenación. Es una celebración hermosa y especial. Yo oro por nuestros sacerdotes todos los días y los quiero profundamente. Les pido, por favor, que se unan a mí en orar de manera especial por nuestros sacerdotes, y que oren también por mí. Cada año celebramos la Misa Crismal el martes de la Semana Santa. El próximo año se celebrará el martes 23 de marzo de 2027, a las 10:30 a. m., en la Catedral Nativity B.V.M. Ungido para sanar: El don sagrado de Cristo en la vida de la Iglesia Pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood, to the diaconate, and to the religious life, especially in the Diocese of Biloxi
Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 5 MORE THAN FUNERAL DIRECTORS We are Professional Remembrance Planners Explore the many unique ways to honor and celebrate lives. Call or visit Bradford O’Keefe today. BRADFORD-O’KEEFE FUNERAL HOMES Professional. Compassionate. Dignified. 228-374-5650 • Bradfordokeefe.com Opening Reflection -- Story: Cardinal Emeritus Timothy Dolan said he was at a restaurant when a waiter told him, “I have often thought about becoming a priest.” The Cardinal replied, “So what is stopping you from becoming a priest?” The man answered, “I’m an atheist!” The Cardinal said, “We are in the business of conversion. Come and see me, and we will work on it.” The Church in every age continues to follow its first-century model of Christian initiation in response to Jesus’ command, “Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Summary of Readings: In today’s first reading, Peter urges his audience to repent of their rejection of Jesus and be baptized. Today’s psalmist admits to living in a dark valley (sin) and prays for the Lord’s healing and guidance (Psalm 23). In our second reading, Peter reminds them that they had gone astray like sheep, but commends them for repenting and returning to Jesus, “as the shepherd and guardian of their soul.” (1 Peter 2:25). Are you sure it’s Easter? Does it seem strange that today’s Easter readings mention darkness and sin and call us to repentance? Didn’t we have enough of that during the five weeks of Lent? Do I still have to acknowledge my occasional walk on the dark side (sin) and admit that in certain areas of my life, I have drifted away from the Lord? These questions highlight two important truths about the Christian life. First, that conversion is a lifelong journey, a continuous turning away from impulses that lead to sin. Second, Easter gives purpose to repentance. If our goal is to be more Christlike, then an examination of conscience will guide us from tomb-like behavior to resurrection victory. In the spiritual economy, repentance and conversion are always essential, no matter the season. Each of us can now take Jesus’ command to His disciples as a personal invitation and Spiritanointed challenge by following Peter’s example of continuous conversion. We can repent of our sins, believe in Jesus as Lord and redeemer, joyfully accept His forgiveness, and tell everyone that new life is a visit to God’s throne of grace through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Why Repent? In today’s second reading, Peter offers a gift of Easter grace by acknowledging that Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection give purpose to our repentance. Repentance would be meaningless without the higher goal of making us more obedient to God’s will. Because Jesus lives, we seek that forgiveness which frees us to live in right relationship with the Lord and with one another. When we have heard the Shepherd’s voice and are no longer chasing after the things of the flesh, we can take our place in the sheepfold and rely on the guardian of our souls. Lasting purpose and fulfillment come when Jesus is at the center of our lives and is our primary model for living. Only He can provide peace and happiness that no person or circumstance can take away. “I came that they (everyone) might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). Resist an inward focus and attach yourself to the true shepherd. Why would you want to settle for less? Closing Comments and Questions: So, what is your understanding of the abundant life that Jesus spoke about in today’s gospel? Is it excellent physical health? Is it enough money to do anything you want to do? Is it complete harmony with no hassles in your relationships? Is it the ideal job with the perfect boss and unlimited growth potential? Do you think that the firstcentury disciples of Jesus were concerned about any of those things? In their pursuit of following Christ, Jesus’ disciples never asked if what they were doing was safe, politically correct, risk-free, or would make them popular with most people -- no, their primary concern was, “What would God have me do in this particular situation?” The invitation to conversion invites us to see life through God’s perspective, not our own. Sheep Follow: After describing His future Church as a flock of sheep, Jesus calls Himself the “door of the sheep.” St. Augustine preached, “Christ enters not into our houses but into our hearts.” Eternal life is reserved for those who follow Jesus and conform themselves to His will. In Matthew 25:31-46, sheep follow, and goats butt. Read it and see where you fit in. Goat’s butt. “But, Lord, you don’t really expect me to be holy as you are holy?” (1 Peter 1:15-16). But, Lord, am I really obliged to attend Mass every Sunday, if possible? But, Lord…Add your own. Deacon Ralph Torrelli is retired and lives in Tennessee. Visit his website: www.homilypearls. com. 1st Reading: Acts of the Apostles 2:14a, 36-41 Responsorial Psalm: 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 2nd Reading: 1 Peter 2:20b-25 Gospel: John 10:1-10 Fourth Sunday of Easter Conversion Deacon Torrelli Sunday Scripture Commentaries A Prayer of Renewal Lord Jesus, give us the humility wherever pride reigns, pardon wherever offense abides, grace wherever sin abounds; we pray to You; Jesus Christ, risen Lord, have mercy on us!
6 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 As we evaluate the condition of the Sacrament of Matrimony, we get a variety of iterations based on cultural norms, individual perspectives, perceived civil rights and a host of issues which redefine the institution. But we must be clear. The context of matrimony must be taken considering what it represents. “In the beginning”, God made them man and woman. There is no discussion, that is biblically a statement of fact. In Genesis 22:17-18, it states, “I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore. This is done as a byproduct of man and woman, not a whim, but the projection of life which we have carried thus far by the beauty and protection of the Sacrament of Matrimony. Think about it! If I were to destroy mankind, the institution that best represents the perpetuation of the Covenant of God to Abraham is Matrimony! That is why Satan has put such an assault on it. But fear not! We have a mighty God who has given direction as to how we must be as warriors in this conflict. Marriage is the Blessed Weapon used to build a loving and strong society. And scripture gives us the rationale as to how it is done: Matthew 19:4-6: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Genesis 2:24: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” Ephesians 5:25-32: “Hus-bands are urged to love their wives a Christ loved the Church, describing marriage as a ‘great mystery.’” 1 Corinthians 13:4-13: “Love is patient, love is kind…” the classic description of love’s endurance. Mark 10:6-9: Reaffirms the one flesh union and the sanctity of the marital bond. Tobit 8: 4b-8: A beautiful prayer for a shared life, asking to grow old together, often read at Catholic weddings. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “Two are better than one…a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Song of Solomon 8:6-7: “Set me as a seal upon your heart…for love is strong as death.” Always remember this, Scripture is where we look for the real answers that gives us the courage to stay strong in our marriages. God is good…all the time! Brothers and sisters, marriage is God’s plan; “The mutual love of spouses becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man.” (CCC 1604). May God continue to Bless you and your Marriages. Deacon Justin Deacon Justin Mitchell is the Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Biloxi. Marriage & Family Life Mitchell Scripture and Marriage “Mary is the safest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect way of approaching Jesus,” said St. Louis de Montfort, whose feast day is April 28, which is the same day he passed away 310 years ago in 1716 at the age of 43. It’s a good time of year to remember St. Louis de Montfort because his feast day falls just a few days before the start of May, the month of Mary, and he was so instrumental in elevating devotion to our Blessed Mother. Louis de Montfort grew up in a large farming family in France’s northwestern region of Brittany. When he was twelve years old, he began attending the Jesuit College of St. Thomas Beckett in the nearby City of Rennes. There, he discovered the work of a local priest preaching missions promoting consecration and entrustment to Mary. Louis began to dream of following in that priest’s footsteps to spread Marian devotion. Arriving in Paris to study theology at the Sorbonne, Louis found that he lacked adequate funds for lodging, so he lived among the city’s poor while going to school. Louis already had a profound love for the poor and desired to preach missions to them. His first-hand experience living among them led him to fulfill that calling, and also to grow in compassion for others. Shortly before entering seminary, Louis became very ill and had a harrowing experience before finally recovering and entering the Little Saint-Sulpice seminary, run by the Society of the Priests of St. Sulpice. Working as seminary librarian, Louis immersed himself in books about devotion to our Blessed Mother, which prepared him for the work he would do as a priest promoting what he called “total consecration to Jesus through Mary.” Louis went on to preach missions throughout northwestern France and became known as “the good Father from Montfort.” He was also a prolific writer, composing poetry for translation into religious songs, and he wrote books, including “True Devotion to Mary,” which remained unpublished and unknown until being discovered more than a century after his death. When it was finally published in 1842, “True Devotion to Mary” was celebrated for the spiritual fruits it bore in people’s lives. This led to a wider appreciation for Louis’ other writings, such as his books “Secret of the Rosary” and “Secret of Mary.” Together, these three Marian classics explore Louis’ profound insights about how devotion to our Blessed Mother can draw us closer to Christ. In “True Devotion to Mary,” Louis writes, “God the Father made an assemblage of all the waters, and He named it the sea. He has made an assemblage of all His graces, and He has called it Mary.” Total consecration to Jesus through Mary entails detailed steps that can be found in “True Devotion to Mary.” Those steps are also enumerated in many other books and places online. They are essentially aimed at a personal act that can be done on one’s own, with a small group in a private setting, or on retreat. Put simply, that act entails turning to Mary with total love and trust that she will lead us to Her Son. “Totus Tuus,” meaning “totally yours,” was the phrase Pope St. John Paul II took from St. Louis de Montfort to capture this devotion. It’s a simple phrase we can say daily, making our own personal act of consecration to Jesus through Mary, turning to our Blessed Mother with total trust and asking her to lead us to Christ. Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M., serves on The Christophers’ Board of Directors. For a free copy of the Christopher News Note, GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, write: The Christophers, 5 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org. St. Louis’ devotion to Mary Light One Candle Fr. Dougherty THE CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY The Corporal Works of Mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise. They “are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs” (USCCA). they respond to the basic needs of humanity as we journey together through this life. The seven corporal works of mercy are feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead, and give alms to the poor.
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
8 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 Holy Week Services at Nativity BVM Cathedral Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III presided over a busy slate of Holy Week services at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral in Biloxi. Top left: On Palm Sunday, Bishop Kihneman blessed palms. Pictured l-r, are Deacon Keith Gibson, Bishop Kihneman and Deacon Johnny Williams. Photo/Kelly Brody Top right: On Tuesday of Holy Week, Bishop Kihneman and the priests of the Diocese of Biloxi gather for the annual Chrism Mass, at which the priests renewed their priestly promises and the bishop blessed holy oils. Photo/Juliana Skelton Middle left: On Holy Thursday, the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood were celebrated. As a sign of priestly service, the bishop washes the feet of a parishioner. Photo/Juliana Skelton Middle right: On Good Friday, the day of Jesus’s death, the bishop venerates the cross. Photo/Brooke Holley Bottom right: At the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil, the bishop baptizes a new Catholic. Photo/Brooke Holley
Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 9 Confirmation 2026 St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Moss Point, and St. Ann Mission, Hurley Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III confirmed the following parishioners from St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Moss Point, and St. Ann Mission, Hurley, on Saturday, April 11. Confirmandi from St. Ann Mission: Addison Bosarge, Lauren Bosarge, Aiden Chavez, Maria Fuentes, Adelia Goff, Mallie Goff, Jenna Harris, Gabriella Williams, and Jack Williams; from St. Joseph the Worker Parish: Khloe Byrd, Camille Cuevas, Sam Felts, James Massey, Carter Taylor, and Lauren Taylor. Photo/Terry Dickson Holy Family Parish, Pass Christian Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III confirmed the following parishioners from Holy Family Parish on Sunday, April 12. Pictured are: top row (l-r) George Keller, Ayden Dartez, Shad Sayah, Jackson Baggett, Alden Loesch, Alexandra Weatherly, Ava Ray, and Gage Garriga; bottom row (l-r) Deacon Bill Vrazel, Asa Jones, Sofia Chacon, Eli Meyers, Bishop Louis Kihneman, Garrett Robin, Ava Bunch, Madelene Vo, Collin Gonzales, and Father Mike Austin. Photo/Brooke Holley Arthur Herbert, Council #7910 of St. Joseph’s Parish presents a $200 check to Amelia Radix for winning the Council’s “Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest”. St. Joseph Parish, Gulfport, KC Council #7910 presents check for essay contest winner Sir Peter Grundy receives his Fourth Degree Certificate and Service Baldric from Faithful Navigator Jerry Schmuck, Assembly #2347, St. Joseph. St. Joseph Parish, Gulfport, KC Council #2347 awards Fourth Degree certificate
10 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026
Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 11 Educators must help heal the human heart, especially in youth, bishop says in NCEA keynote BY JOSH MCGOVERN The Catholic Spirit, OSV News MINNEAPOLIS (OSV News) -- Too many people have wounded hearts, and it is the job of Catholic educators to help heal them, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston said April 7 in a keynote opening the National Catholic Educational Association convention. NCEA 2026 marked the first time in 17 years the conference was held in Minneapolis. Catholic and religious educators from around the country gathered at the Minneapolis Convention Center to exchange ideas and research related to education. Steven Cheeseman, president and CEO of the NCEA, helped welcome about 3,800 educators to the April 7-9 conference. He said what people learn at the 2026 conference is not meant to remain in a notebook, but is meant “to be lived, meant to be implemented. It’s meant to be shared.” Bishop Cozzens stressed that like a spiritual director or pastor, a Catholic educator’s vocation is rooted in helping heal the heart. He shared a video recording of the singer Gracie Abrams during one of her concerts, singing her introspective song “Camden.” The video, Bishop Cozzens pointed out, showed a young woman who is talented, beautiful, successful and “seems to have everything going for her,” he said. But the lyrics Abrams sings speak to someone who is experiencing sorrow. “The poetry that she sings about expresses the depth of pain that she carries in her heart, and what’s even more clear is that it resonates with tens of thousands of people in the stadium all her same age,” Bishop Cozzens said. “Many people in the stadium also feel like singing … . Brother(s), sisters, this is the height of popular culture. This is what our young people are singing about, the gaping wounds in their hearts.” A great evil that comes from social media, Bishop Cozzens said, is that a person’s value comes from their social media likes, and their identity is tied to how they are seen. At the center of his life, Bishop Cozzens said, are three words: relationship, identity and mission. The order is important, he said. “The most fundamental thing in any person’s life is their relationship, and my identity comes from my relationship,” Bishop Cozzens said. “I’m meant to know who I am, and I’m meant to experience my goodness, because I know I am loved by God. And then my mission comes from my identity. The problem is we get the order all messed up. We learn to take our identity from what we do, not from who we are. We start to take our value from our success and what other people think of us.” Artificial intelligence can’t help heal the human heart, Bishop Cozzens said. Neither can technology, popular culture or politics. “In fact, it seems to be making it worse,” he said. Bishop Cozzens asked, “How can we speak to that wound in their hearts?” “Brothers and sisters, this is why Jesus came,” Bishop Cozzens said. “He cares about those tens of thousands of people in that stadium. He wants to speak to the wound in their hearts. He understands that wound because he created the human heart, and he knows why it’s wounded. He has an answer for it. In fact, brothers and sisters, this is why he opened his own heart.” It is the job of Catholic educators to invite people to let their hearts be healed by an encounter with the heart of Christ, the one who reveals what it means to be human, the “God who became human to heal our humanity,” Bishop Cozzens said. Bishop Cozzens said his talk was inspired by a quote from Pope Leo XIV when he spoke to Catholic educators in October 2025 during the Jubilee of the World of Education. Bishop Cozzens said Catholic educators need to know the truth of their own hearts in encounters with the Lord to be able to invite other people to encounter Christ. “This first must begin with you,” Bishop Cozzens told the crowd. “(The heart) is the place where our deepest longings live, our deepest hopes live, and also our deepest fears. It’s the place where we are meant to know ourselves. “It can be the place where we love ourselves or the place where we experience shame or even embarrassment. … It can be the place of truth, where we see our dignity, who God created us to be, but it can also be the place where lies live about myself, half-truths, and based on how my heart is, what I believe about myself.” Bishop Cozzens said there are three practical steps to teach young people that might lead to the healing of their hearts. The first is to understand that hearts are broken. The second is to open young people to the truth that love can heal their hearts. The third is to teach that “when their hearts are healed, they’ll find joy in making a gift of themselves,” Bishop Cozzens said. Our hearts, Bishop Cozzens explained, are broken because they are affected by sin. “Healing of the human heart has to happen by experience and it happens primarily through the experience of being loved,” Bishop Cozzens said. “We call it mercy: unearned love. It restores. It regenerates. It reveals the truth about ourselves. This is the love that our young people are longing for, that you and I are longing for, and that God is longing to give.” To be redeemed is to discover “that I am loved, to discover my own value, because God found me valuable, and thinks I’m valuable, valuable enough to die for,” Bishop Cozzens said. “You have the opportunity to teach your young people the value of their hearts,” Bishop Cozzens said. Josh McGovern is a reporter at The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This story was originally published by The Catholic Spirit and is distributed through a partnership with OSV News. Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., delivers a keynote talk April 7 to open the National Catholic Educational Association convention at the Minneapolis Convention Center, taking place April 7-9. Bishop Cozzens told the educators that too many people have wounded hearts and their job is to help heal them. OSV News photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit
12 Gulf Pine Catholic • April 24, 2026 ‘Miracle Doctor’ of Lourdes retires after 17 years, insisting miracles aren’t his job BY CAROLINE DE SURY OSV News (OSV News) -- Alessandro de Franciscis is anything but an ordinary doctor. For the past 17 years, the 70-year-old Italian American physician has headed the Office of Medical Observations at the Lourdes Sanctuary in France. As he retired on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on Feb. 11, the entire congregation -- including bishops -- burst into applause at Mass for the feast day. He will be succeeded in April by Italian surgeon Giada Monami, who currently practices in Venice. De Franciscis studied medicine and pediatrics in Italian Naples, before continuing his education in the United States at the Harvard School of Public Health, where he earned a master’s of science in epidemiology in 1985. In 2009, he became the first non-French permanent physician at the Lourdes Sanctuary and president of the Lourdes Medical Bureau, which investigates cases of reported cures among pilgrims. “The medical and scientific verification of cures has been fundamental in Lourdes since the Virgin’s apparitions to Bernadette,” de Franciscis told OSV News. “As early as 1858, there were reports of supposed miracles. The first cures were recognized as miracles in 1862 by the bishop of Tarbes” -- Lourdes was under his jurisdiction -- “on the very day he officially recognized the apparitions.” In 1883, Dr. Dunot de Saint Maclou of Normandy settled in Lourdes at the bishop’s request to serve as its permanent physician. “He was the one who founded the Lourdes Medical Bureau,” de Franciscis said. “Lourdes attracted a great many people, and people should not be allowed to claim they had been ‘miraculously cured’ without a rigorous medical verification.” Since then, a succession of physicians has served in the role. De Franciscis was the 15th. He often emphasizes that “miracles do not exist in medicine.” “Our role as doctors is solely to determine whether a person has been cured, and whether that cure is unexplained given the current state of scientific knowledge,” he explained. “We do not deal with miracles. That is not our field.” According to de Franciscis, tens of thousands of people have reported being healed since 1883, including nearly 1,500 since his arrival in 2009. “Very few have been followed by a full investigation,” he said. “Most of them had undergone medical treatment, about a third of them for cancer, which could explain their recovery. We conduct in-depth investigations into about 30 of the 100 cases we receive on average each year.” In such cases, the process is lengthy and collaborative. “The criteria are very strict,” de Franciscis explained. “They were established by Cardinal (Lorenzo) Lambertini, future Pope (Benedict XIV), in 1734, with a view to recognizing miracles in Rome for beatifications or canonizations. They have been updated since then but remain relevant.” Lourdes’ outgoing chief doctor explained to OSV News that “the illness must have been the subject of a precise and clear diagnosis, and it must have a severe prognosis. The return to health must be sudden, instantaneous, complete and lasting over time. It cannot be a temporary remission.” “The cured patient must also agree to undergo a whole series of examinations, the results of which we analyze scrupulously,” de Franciscis said. “Then, if the cure appears to be genuinely unexplained, I convene a meeting of the members of the bureau, with the person presumed to be healed, and the bureau issues an initial ‘certificate of cure.’” “After that,” he added, “I present the cases of healing to the International Medical Committee of Lourdes at its annual meeting.” Established in 1947, this committee is composed of some 30 researchers from medical universities around the world, including several Americans. “Its members must vote by a two-thirds majority for a cure to be recognized as ‘unexplained given the current state of medical scientific knowledge,’” de Franciscis clarified. Then, it is up to the Church to judge whether a miracle has occurred or not. “The bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes may forward the case file to the bishop of the diocese where the cured person resides, who will in turn conduct an investigation to decide whether a miracle has occurred or not,” de Franciscis explained. “Lourdes is full of stories of healing,” David Torchala, director of communications at the sanctuary, told OSV News. “But there are cases of cures that are recognized as medically unexplained, which the bishops do not declare to be miracles. In addition to the findings of medical research, they take into account the personal testimony of the person involved, who will then be sent out on a mission to share their story. This will change their life.” “Out of the approximately 8,000 cases of healing recorded since 1858, only 72 cases have been recognized as miraculous by the Church,” de Franciscis pointed out. “There have been five since I started serving here in Lourdes.” The last miracles recognized by the Church involved a French nun, Sister Bernadette Moriau, who was cured in 2008 -- the miracle was recognized in 2018. In 2024, the cure of the British soldier John Traynor was recognized. Seriously wounded during World War I, he was cured in Lourdes in 1923. His cure had been officially recognized by the Medical Bureau in 1926, but the news was not conveyed to the bishop of his diocese until nearly a century later. Finally, in April 2025, the cure of an Italian woman, Antonia Raco, was announced. She suffered from primary lateral sclerosis and found herself suddenly cured in 2009 after a pilgrimage to Lourdes. According to Torchala, “Doctor de Franciscis often joked that he was the most useless physician in the world, because people would come knocking on his door to tell him, ‘Doctor, I am cured.’” “But he did a tremendous job,” he said. “He brought together an entire international medical community around Lourdes through the International Medical Association of Our Lady of Lourdes, which he chaired. It now has nearly 8,000 members worldwide. The fact that he was both American and Italian was a great help in this regard.” In April, Dr. Monami will take over from de Franciscis. She will be the first woman to hold this position. Her medical career includes extensive research experience that led her to work at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia from 2003 to 2007. A Catholic, Monami “has had a special connection with Lourdes since childhood, particularly through her father’s involvement as a doctor accompanying pilgrimages,” the sanctuary’s website said. SEE LOURDES MIRACLE DOCTOR RETIRES, PAGE 14 Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, outgoing director of the Office of Medical Observations at the Lourdes Sanctuary in France, addresses the congregation at Mass at the sanctuary Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. After 17 years as director of the medical office, the Italian American physician, 70, retired from his position on the feast day OSV News photo/courtesy Lourdes Sanctuary
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzEwNTM=