Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • March 29, 2024 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) March 29, 2024 Volume 41, Issue 16 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 forAPRIL12— News copy and photos: Due APRIL 4, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due APRIL 4, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule March 30 Easter Vigil, Nativity BVM Cathedral Parish, Biloxi, 8 p.m. April 1-5 Bishop’s Retreat, San Antonio, Texas April 7 Confirmation, Nativity BVM Cathedral Parish, Biloxi, 11 a.m., includes Blessed Seelos, Our Mother of Sorrows, St. Michael Parishes April 8-11 Priest Retreat April 12 Confirmation, Holy Family Parish, Pass Christian, 6:30 p.m. April 13 Mass with Rite of Installation of Acolyte for Diaconate Candidates, Nativity BVM Cathedral Parish, Biloxi, 4 p.m. April 14 Confirmation, St. Elizabeth Parish, Ocean Springs, 4 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; He is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you.’” (Mark 16:1-7) At the Easter Vigil, we will hear the unfolding of salvation history from the Book of Genesis (1:1-22) to the Book of Exodus (14:1-15:1) and St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans (6:3-11). This is our story; it is sal- vation history that defines us and tells us who we are. As we are baptized into Christ Jesus and enter the font of life, the baptismal font, we die to our old selves and we rise with Him out of the water, healed and cleansed of our sin. Each of us, who has been baptized with Christ, share in that gift of life and the gift of Bishop Kihneman Easter, a time to revel in Resurrection moments His love. We are a Resurrection people, redeemed by the love of Christ! It can be a challenge at times to remain in that spirit. As many of you know, shortly after I was named bishop of Biloxi at the end of 2016, I had an extended hospital stay and did not know what the Lord had in store for me. One of the lessons that came to me was that, when we are in the midst of trials and great suffering, these are Resurrection moments, encounters with our Risen Lord, and moments when we must surrender to God’s love. It can be a relationship that has become difficult, a serious illness for yourself or a loved one, problems at work, or marriage or family issues -- Whatever the trial is, it can be a Resurrection moment, a moment of meet- ing the Risen Jesus. And when we surrender and experi- ence that moment in His arms, the arms of the Savior, that is where we find Him. I just laid in His arms because I could not do anything else. Sometimes it is where we find the empty tomb; sometimes it is where the Risen Jesus finds us. These moments are often unexpected. In Mark’s Gospel, we hear that the disciples went to the tomb and it was empty. It was not what they were pre- pared for. When they entered the tomb, they were dumbfounded. Where did He go? What happened? Who stole His body? Then an angel appeared to them. If an angel appeared to us, what do you think you would do? We would probably pass out. I know that I would. Instead, they literally bent to the ground with their heads on the ground before the angels. (Lk 24:5a) The angels said, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.” (Lk 24:5b-6) That is powerful! That is God’s love unfolding for us. The crucified Jesus, risen from the dead, for every single one of us! Jesus, risen from the dead after dying on the cross for us! Jesus saying to us that God loves us so much to give us hope beyond hope, love beyond love! It is God’s gift of love to each of us. That is what belief in the Resurrection of Jesus really means for each of us. SEE BISHOP’S COLUMN, PAGE 7