Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • March 1, 2024 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) March 1, 2024 Volume 41, Issue 14 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 M c Cusker —BILLING — Aimee M c Lendon —CIRCULATION— Robin Peeler —PHOTOGRAPHY— Juliana Skelton —OFFICEHOURS— 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday —PHONE NUMBERS— Editor: 228-702-2126 Production/Advertising: 228-702-2109 Billing: 228-702-2127 Circulation: 228-702-2100 Photography: 228-201-2132 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Billing: amclendon@biloxidiocese.org Circulation: rpeeler@biloxidiocese.org Photography: jskelton@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 MARCH 15— News copy and photos: Due MARCH 7, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due MARCH 7, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule March 2 Principals & School Accompaniment Teams workshop w/Nick Jorgensen of Missio Institute , & Rick Popp of ACTSXXIX Mobilizing for Mission , 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. Joseph Parish, Gulfport March 3 Confirmation Mass & Fifth Anniversary of new church celebration, St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Pascagoula, 9 a.m. March 4- Province of Mobile Bishops’ March 5 Meeting, Archdiocese of Mobile March 6 Confirmation Mass, Sacred Heart Parish, Pascagoula, 6 p.m. March 7 Notre Dame Seminary Finance Council Meeting, 10 a.m. March 8- Youth Conference, Mississippi March 10 Coast Coliseum & Convention Center, Biloxi March 12 Confirmation Mass, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Pass Christian, 6:30 p.m. March 13 Priests’ Lenten Day of Reflection, St. Francis Xavier, Wiggins, 10 a.m. March 14 Notre Dame Seminary & St. Joseph Seminary Board Meetings, St. Joseph Seminary, St. Benedict, LA March 17 Mass, DFMC Regional Meeting, St. Michael Parish, Biloxi, 5 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi “The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ (Leviticus 13: 45) The Book of Leviticus describes how, in Old Testament times, a leper or a person who had any kind of skin disease was treated. There is much detail as to determining who was “clean” and who was “unclean”. The “unclean” were ostracized from the community and that total exclusion could be worse for the individual than the leprosy itself. The person was separated from the rest of their family and community and had to announce themselves as “unclean” to anyone who might come near. We had a small taste of what it was like in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic -- when our state, country, and most of the world went into “lock-down.” We could not even attend Mass as a community. It gave us a brief glimpse of what those who bore the sore of leprosy dealt with in their everyday Bishop Kihneman “Lord, if you will it, you can make me clean” lives. Now Hansen’s Disease, which is the disease of leprosy, if it is caught early enough, can be cured completely. However, in those days, it was a real tragedy for the person. It was the cause of tremendous grief for them and their families. In Mark’s Gospel (Mk 1:40-45) , a leper comes to Jesus. The leper was supposed to stay at a distance and ring a bell or call out to indicate that he was unclean but he had faith that Jesus could heal him. He came and he knelt down in front of Jesus and he pleaded with him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Jesus responded by doing something that was against the teachings in Leviticus. He touched the leper, which was a grave offense to Jewish tradition because He was opening Himself up to leprosy and would have been considered “unclean.” Jesus touched the leper out of great compassion. Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean” (Mark 1:41-42). This is amazing, and it poses a question for each of us: Do you believe the Lord can do that for you right now? Do you believe that the Lord can touch you and bring healing to you? I have a prayer exercise that I do on a regular basis, and I encourage you to try it. While in prayer, place your palms facing up on your lap. You can close your eyes, but you do not have to. You will ask the Lord to bring you cleansing and healing three different times. First, pray for cleansing and healing of your heart. Whatever is going on in your heart at that moment, bring it to the Lord and offer it to Him. If you have struggles within the family, bring it to Him. If you have struggles in your faith, bring it to Him. If you have struggles with your work, bring it to Him. If you have struggles in faith, in trusting God, bring it to Him. In this moment, bring it all to Him and ask, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Take a moment to let His touch enter into whatever part of your heart that needs healing, and allow the Lord to say, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Then, we pray regarding our mind and our body. Call to mind anything that you need healing for mind and body: any thoughts we have, any sinwe have fallen into, anything that has caused us to have doubts or depression or anger or frustration or lack of patience, let us say to him privately, “Lord, if you will it, you can make me clean.” Let us, in turn hear Him say to us with His healing touch, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Take a moment to let Him touch you with His healing. SEE BISHOP’S COLUMN, PAGE 9