Catholic Day at the Capitol 2014 focuses on criminal justice
Bishop Roger Morin speaks on the steps of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson during the 2014 Catholic Day at the Capitol, cosponsored by Catholic Charities
Jackson and Catholic Charities Biloxi. Approximately 60 people participated in the annual event. Father Fred Kammer, SJ, of Loyola University’s Social Research
Institute, spoke about how criminal justice applies to Catholic social teaching- quoting from a 2000 USCCB document advocating restorative criminal justice that
involves the victims, the offenders and their families and the community damaged by the offense. Other speakers included Deacon Allen Stevens of St. Peter Claver
Parish in New Orleans, touched on how his organization, the Micah Project, speaks to people in the community to find out their concerns and tries to find and address
the underlying issues. They have become involved in community schools, helping spur a state takeover of one school district. They are now involved in a public
awareness campaign about what he calls mass incarceration. Deacon Stevens said that New Orleans puts more people in jail than any other city,yet it is still a crime-
ridden community. His group wants lawmakers and community leaders to try other proven ways to get justice. Another speaker was Andre de Grys, defender for
all state capital punishment cases, who was on the Criminal Justice Task Force and is a member of Jackson St. Richard Parish. In addition to Bishop Morin, Bishop
Joseph Kopcacz, of Jackson and his predecessor, Bishop William Houck also participated in the event. Bishop Kopacz is pictured preaching the homily during Mass
at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle.
Photo/Maureen Smith, Mississippi Catholic
Catholic Sharing Appeal to kick off in
diocese, March 8-9
DIOCESEOFBILOXI
1790PoppsFerryRoad,Biloxi,MS39532● (228) 702-2100
Tuparticipacion en laCuotaDiocesana
ChứớngChìnhCôngGiáoKêuGọi
ƉóngGópVàChiaSẻMụcVụ
Catholic Sharing Appeal 2014
March 8 - April 13
Diocese of Biloxi
“Let us not grow tired of doing good, for
in due time we shall reap our harvest.”
BY TERRY DICKSON
DIOCESE OF BILOXI -- The 2014 Catholic Sharing Ap-
peal will begin the first weekend of Lent.
The theme of this year’s campaign -- “Let us not grow tired
of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest.” -- is
derived from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians (6:9).
“Each year through the Catholic Sharing Appeal, we are
given the opportunity to respond to St. Paul’s exhortation by
supporting the many and varied diocesan ministries that do so
much good for so many people,” said Bishop roger Morin.
“The CSA affords every Catholic family the opportunity to
help ease the burdens and suffering of our brothers and sisters
who are in need. Many good works are performed because of
your acts of charity; many lives are touched because of your
generosity to CSA.”
Deacon Roberto Jimenez, diocesan director of development
said that, since the very first CSA, which was held in 1977, the
year of the Diocese of Biloxi’s establishment, local Catholics
have consistently been generous to the annual appeal.
“The CSA is a way for the people in the pew to assist Bishop
Morin in providing support in the areas of Christian education
for our youth and seminarians, outreach to the poor and needy,
medical subsidies for retired priests, formation and education
of permanent deacons, Hispanic Ministry, deaf ministry and
communications,” said Deacon Jimenez.
“The funds raised through the CSA will be used to support
ministries and services that benefit our entire diocese. There
are many tasks which require the expertise of individuals and
organizations who have dedicated themselves to the needs of
others. Thanks to the CSA, the Diocese of Biloxi is able to pro-
vide committed experts in a variety of areas that are available
to our parish families.
See CSA 2014, page 10
Gulf Pine
Catholic
Volume 31 / Number 13
February 28, 2014
