Gulf Pine Catholic • June 19, 2026 7 228-539-9800 www.RiemannFamily.com Gulfport Pass Christian West Jackson County Biloxi Long Beach Hancock County Schools and colleges just sent a new generation of graduates into a waiting world where they could gift it with their knowledge, wisdom, eagerness, and, most of all, example. Yet, sadly, once the diplomas are in hand and they close the books on their school days; they suffer from amnesia in not only recalling and appreciating the impact such teachers had on them; but, also, the desire to thank and appreciate them. Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that success means, “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!” Father Michael Tracey is retired and lives in Ireland. He can be contacted by email at mtracey1@bellsouth.net. His website is www.michaeltracey.net ACROSS THE POND From page 6 VOLUNTEERS Looking for Volunteers: Notre Dame Hospice is looking for volunteers. Volunteers can provide caregiver relief, companionship for patients, run errands, play music, prepare a meal and 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 info, please contact: Janine Bonner, Volunteer Coordinator at (504) 418-1049 or email jbonner@notredamehospice.com. Our Mississippi office is in Diamondhead. We need volunteers in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Diamondhead, Gulfport, Long Beach-Pass Christian, Ocean Springs, and Picayune. Catholic view on destination weddings As young, engaged couples make the decision about the marriage location, destination weddings are the biggest fad. Today, destination weddings make up 17 to 25% of all weddings. Roughly, one in five couples choose to marry away from home. And that number is growing. There is not a separate category for “first time” destination weddings, however, one third of these involve at least one second marriage. There is no official registry that tracks the exact number of Catholic destination weddings, however, planning a Catholic destination wedding REQUIRES adherence to specific canon law requirements. Rules for a Catholic Destination Wedding 1. Venue restrictions -- Canonical weddings CANNOT be held on a beach or outdoors. They must take place inside a consecrated Catholic Church or a Church -recognized chapel. 2. Priest availability -- You must have a Catholic priest preside over your ceremony. Many popular wedding resorts in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii have onsite and affiliated Chapels. 3. Paperwork and Pre-Cana -- You MUST complete your pre-Cana marriage Marriage & Family Life Mitchell Catholic view on destination weddings preparation through your home parish. You will also need paperwork like Baptism and Confirmation certificates and a letter of Freedom, which usually takes 3 to 12 months to process and transfer. 4. Legality -- to ensure your marriage is legally recognized in a foreign country, couples typically must check with the civil registration locally before or after their sacred ceremony. How to obtain blessings from the Church after a civil ceremony Convalidation is the process by which the Catholic Church validates a civil marriage that was not originally recognized under Church law. It is not a mere “Blessing.” Instead, the couple exchanges a new free act of consent before a priest or deacon and two witnesses to form a valid sacramental marriage. Now, to make that work, by Church law, baptized Catholics must be married in the presence of a Catholic bishop, priest, or deacon (unless they receive a specific dispensation). Marrying civilly in another faith without this permission makes the marriage invalid in the eyes of the Church. And one of the impediments is if a previous marriage existed and no annulment was obtained, or if one of the spouses was not free to marry at the time. Convalidation brings couples back into full communion with the Church, allowing them to participate fully in the sacraments, including receiving Holy Communion. It provides peace of mind and brings the grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony into their relationship. The beauty of Catholic marriages is that it must involve three components, the husband, the wife, and the Lord. That’s what makes the Sacrament so beautiful, and all married couples should seek full participation in the Sacraments. God bless you and your Marriages! Deacon Justin Mitchell Director of Marriage and Family Life Catholic Diocese of Biloxi Deacon Justin Mitchell is the Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Biloxi. Bishop Kihneman’s homilies are available in video and audio form on the Diocese of Biloxi’s website. To access these homilies, visit www.biloxidiocese.org.
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