Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • August 30, 2024 3 Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) August 30, 2024 Volume 41, Issue 27 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 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 Photography: 228-201-2132 —EMAIL— News: tdickson@biloxidiocese.org Production / Advertising: smccusker@biloxidiocese.org Billing: smccusker@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 SEPT. 13— News copy and photos: Due SEPT. 3, 4 p.m. Advertising: Completed Ad and/or copy due SEPT. 3, 10 a.m. Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Sept. 1 Confirmation & Homecoming, St. Peter Parish, Bassfield, 10 a.m. Sept. 4 Housing Board, Pastoral Center, Biloxi, 3 p.m. Sept. 7 Mass & Lumen Christi Awards, Nativity BVM Cathedral, Biloxi, 4 p.m. Sept. 8 Blue Mass, Nativity BVM Cathedral, Biloxi, 11 a.m. Sept. 11 Mass & School Visit, Sacred Heart Elementary and Parish, Hattiesburg, 8:30 a.m. Sept. 12 Presbyteral Council, Pastoral Center, Biloxi, 10:30 a.m. Sept. 13 Mass & School Visit, SVdP School, Holy Family Parish, Pass Christian, 8:30 a.m. Sept. 14 Mass for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (EOHS), 5:30 p.m. Sept. 15 Anniversary Mass, Nativity BVM Cathedral, Biloxi, 2 p.m. BY BISHOP LOUIS F. KIHNEMAN III Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi The Sunday Gospels for the past few weeks have been from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, called the Bread of Life Discourse . I encour- age you to re-read this powerful chap- ter, spend some time with it in prayer, and come back to it often. The Gospel of St. John is wonderful in how it takes us to the early church, with Jesus say- ing, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (John 6:51). Jesus gives Himself to us in a real and personal way. Jesus says to every single one of us, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger, whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). I recently attended the National Eucharistic Congress, where 60,000 Catholics from all over the country gath- ered to celebrate Jesus as the bread of life, the true presence. Prior to the Eucharistic Congress, the Juan Diego Eucharistic Pilgrims traveled from Brownsville, Texas, to Indianapolis for the NEC. During the pilgrimage, they carried Jesus in the Eucharist on Highway 90 from Our Lady of the Gulf in Bay St. Louis to Nativity Cathedral, stopping at Holy Family Parish, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, and St. James Parish. Bishop Kihneman Jesus offers us relief from our hunger, thirst through the Eucharist As they went by in procession, many were impacted by the reality that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. One of them is a young man who was addicted to drugs. He is Catholic, but had stopped attending Mass. He was wandering near the Eucharistic procession, and felt something happen -- he realized something was miss- ing in his life. He realized that what he was filling his life with at that time was not what he was truly hungering for, and he was not who he was called to be. Following his encounter with Jesus in the Eucharistic procession, he eventually made the deci- sion to come to our Mercy Cross Center, a day shelter for the homeless. He came there, drawn because of that hunger he had. He came for a couple of weeks, interacting with the staff. Then he disappeared for 12 days. The MCC staff members were con- cerned, they did not know what had happened to him or where he went. He came back with a big smile on his face, saying “I’m clean.” He told the staff that he is committed to having his hun- ger filled by the bread of life, by Jesus himself. He is cooperating with the staff to help him find work and a more stable living situation. He is one of 42 people we have been able to get off the street in the last two months, but more importantly, we have provided an opportunity for an encounter with our Lord Jesus. Who we are is deeply impacted by the fact that Jesus has given His life for each of us, and He offers His life, His very body and blood, to us in the Eucharist! Our encounter with Jesus reveals who we are in the light of His love for us. When we are rooted in the truth of His love, we are able to become who He calls us to be. Jesus shares with us the bread of life. Whoever comes to Him shall never hun- ger. What are the hungers that hit us? We have many addictions -- too many to count. Take the time to pray and reflect on what addiction you fight daily so you can recog- nize it. The Lord wants to fill that hunger in our lives, to feed us, love us, and give us heaven. SEE BISHOP KIHNEMAN, PAGE 6