3 April 2020 - Friday of the 5th week of Lent- St Richard of Chichester

     When I was ordained as a priest, my first assignment was the parish of St Richard of Chichester in Jackson.  At the time, I really did not know a lot about St Richard.  He is not a very well known saint and there are not a lot of churches named after him in the United States.  However, when St Richard parish was established in Jackson, Richard Gerow was the Bishop of the Diocese, so the parish was named after the Bishop’s patron saint.  St Richard, born in the late 12th century in the Midlands in England, he was orphaned at a young age.  After studying in continental Europe, he served as Chancellor of Oxford and studied in the Cistercian abbey in Pontigny, France.  He was ordained Bishop of Chichester in England in 1245.  Richard was known for the strict discipline he demanded of his priests, the help he gave to the poor, and his denouncement of corruption and vices of the Church and the royal government.  Dying in 1254, he was canonized soon after in 1265.  His tomb in Chichester became a popular place of pilgrimage until it was destroyed during the reign of Henry VIII when the Church of England was established.  

      St Richard faced a lot of rejection in his life.  King Henry III of England wanted someone else as bishop, so there was a lot of struggle and turmoil before Richard was finally approved as bishop and was able to take his post. We hear of rejection in our first reading, as Jeremiah talks about how the people rejected his prophetic voice as he called them back to God.   In John’s Gospel, the people pick up stones, intent on stoning Jesus for what they consider blasphemy, rejecting Jesus and his message. 

     Our psalm today proclaims: “In my distress, I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.”  Our only hope can be found in the Lord when all else seems dismal.  Sometimes we just don't understand the circumstances we are in, which is probably how we feel at this moment in the national crisis we are in, when our reality is confusing us and frustrating us.        Sometimes it is difficult to have hope, to truly believe that things will get better, but God calls us to believe in him in all the circumstances of our lives. God calls out to us no matter where we are. 

        As we continue our journey during Lent, may we not be afraid to struggle with those things that bother us.  May we continue to ask questions & search for answers. May we continue to unite our sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus when we are hurting or frustrated or confused.  May we continue to have hope and faith in the God of life –the faith to believe.  

Prayers of the Faithful -- Lenten daily mass - 31 March 2020

Lord Jesus - you are our hope in the midst of our struggles - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you are our strength when reality seems bleak - Christ have mercy. 

Lord Jesus - you are our truth in the midst of our questions - Lord have mercy. 

We now bring our prayers to our merciful God: 

1. For the Church during this season of Lent - may she lead us in renewing our hearts and in reconciling broken relationships. 
2. For our Church Leaders - that they may help unite our communities in the midst of our struggles and isolation. 
3. For our children, youth, and families - may these stay healthy and safe, may they learn in their home studies, and may they grow together in their faith. 
4. For those whose health has been affected by the Coronavirus, for the sick and shut-in, for those in the hospital and nursing home, for healing and wholeness for all. 
5. For open hearts, that we may continue to live out our faith to its fullest even in the midst of this new reality. 
6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and for those prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Heavenly Father, as we ask for strength and courage, we put ourselves in your loving embrace.  We present these prayers to you through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  Amen. 

Masses - Facebook Live - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - 30 March - 5 April 2020

31 March 2020 – Tuesday of the 5th week of Lent – Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 102

     From the book of Numbers, we hear about the Israelites in the midst of their journey in the desert.  They are tired, hungry, and thirsty. They gave up hope and gave up patience in the middle of a desert journey that seemed to never end.  They were frustrated with their situation, so they turned against Moses and against God from having brought them to this hot, desolate, barren place in the middle of the desert. Their life of bondage in Egypt seemed good in comparison to what they were enduring on the Exodus.  What they did not understand was that God was in their midst.                       
       It’s often easy for us to slip into hopelessness and despair in the midst of a crisis or a difficult situation.  It is often easy for us to blame someone else for our misery and agony. When a loved one is sick or dies, when we are unemployed, when we fail at something we put our heart into: where do we find hope when our lives seem so dark and hopeless? 
I remember when I lived up in Canada, when it would be 20 degrees below zero for months on end, when it was dark when you went into work and dark when you left work, it felt like the dark cold winter would never end. However, when spring and summer finally came to Canada, it was so full of joy and hope. The Canadians planted beautiful gardens, they spent time outside hiking or swimming or bike riding. They enjoyed every moment of beautiful weather they could get, knowing that another winter would be just around the corner.  The Canadians found God’s presence in the beauty of nature and in the grandeur of his creation.  
We are going through a difficult time now, we are having to make a lot of sacrifices, but unlike the Israelites, we know that this experience will not go on for years and years.  We know that there is a lot of uncertainty in our lives right now, but we know that there will be an end.  Our world will be changed, but this crisis will pass.  
         How do we open ourselves to God’s presence in our lives? We hear in today’s psalm: “O God, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you.”   Just as Moses and Jesus were able to bring God’s presence to the people in those difficult moments in their lives, we are also called to bring God’s presence to others in the midst of their reality, to bring God’s presence as we encounter him in the here and now.  As we continue our journey in these final days of Lent, may we continuously turn to God as we find him in the reality of our lives, opening ourselves and others to the love and the life that are present to us. Let us find hope in the Lord in our harsh reality.

Prayers of the faithful - Fifth Sunday of Lent - Cycle A - 29 March 2020

Penitential Rite:

Lord Jesus - you free us from the things that constrain us - Lord have mercy. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to renewal and conversion - Christ have mercy.  

Lord Jesus - you give us hope - Lord have mercy. 

Prayers of the faithful: 

Priest: As the time of Christ’s suffering and death draws nearer, let us ask the Father to lead us through the dark moments of the Passover of his Son to the glory of his Resurrection.

1. For the holy Church of God, that she may be defended from the snares of her enemies through the Holy, may she proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to all. 

2. For all the peoples of this world, that they may be gathered into the Father’s kingdom through the prayers and sacrifices of Christians in every nation.  For the grace for all of us to get through the challenges and difficulties of our new reality.  

3. For the sick and shut-in, for healing and the help that they need, and for the dying, that they may pass peacefully and confidently through the gates of death to meet him who is the resurrection. 

4. For those who mourn, that the Christ who wept for Lazarus his friend may console them in their grief. 

5. For those who have been laid off or who have lost their job, for encouragement and hope.  

6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today.  

Priest: Father, hear the prayers of your Church. Bring forth to resurrection the people who trust in your promises. We ask this, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

What books are you reading lately to grow in your faith?

Have you read a good book lately?  One of the new year’s resolutions I made in January was to read more books this year.  I am thankful that I had a mother and teachers that always encouraged me to read.  As an adult, we have so much pulling at our time that if we do not intentionally make time to read, it can easily not be a priority in our lives.  I know that I really have to set time aside to read, or it is something that I can just ignore.  

Maybe this crisis the world is going through right now can be a wakeup call for us.  Maybe we need to spend more time reading: reading Sacred Scripture, reading good spiritual books and good novels.  Our Formed website has some very good books that can help us achieve this goal in reading good books.  If you are not subscribed to our Formed website, go to our St Jude parish website to found out how.  If you are having problems call Stacy or Rhonda or Kelly at the parish office and they will gladly help you get set up with Formed.  

Deacon John and I are going to make some videos in the next week about spiritual books that have impacted our lives.  I always love hearing about the good books other people are reading.  And may we be inspired in this time of crisis to read more Scripture and to learn more about our faith.  

Message sent out to parishioners of St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - 28 March 2020

When I was a missionary back in the 1990, which seems so long ago, I remember that many times, we would have to be very creative.  We would have to turn to methods that we never used before or we would have to bring old methods to a new life.  When I was in Ecuador for three years, the people in the villages we served did not have mail service, they did not have telephones or computers or televisions, many did not even have electricity or running water, and there were not even roads that led to many of the villages.  Many of the over one hundred villages that we served out of our mission site did not have mass even once a year.  We had to rely on the catechists of the village to keep the faith going. To get to them, I had to the villages, I had to travel by canoe or hike through the jungle, clearing brush with a machete.  We missionaries did the best we could with what we had, but as I mentioned, we had to be creative.  

Before we streamed the mass on Facebook Live a couple of weekends ago in the main church, I had never done that before in my almost 12 years as a priest.  We learned that with the echo in the church, using the chapel would be a much better option.  So with an iphone and with a microphone we purchased on Amazon, we have been streaming mass and other devotions daily to you.  We are now going to be sending you Flocknote emails daily, with messages, notes of encouragement, or faith reflections.  We are going to try to reach out to you in many different ways.  If you have a suggestion to how we as a parish can better reach out to you, please let us know.  

I also want to mention that our office hours are not going to be as regular now at the parish.  I am still going to be working downtown at the chancery office most days of the week with my duties as Vicar General, but the parish office staff here at St Jude is going to be doing a lot from home.  However, we are still going to be able to answer the office phone and we are still going to be able to retrieve messages from the office phone on a timely basis.  A lot of us are going to have to adapt to this new reality, trying to isolate ourselves more at home and keep ourselves safe.  I understand the risks we all take.  Some of us are more vulnerable than other due to our age or our health situation.  We are St Jude are doing our best to protect ourselves and the community.  

I want to thank all of you as well who are continuing to make sure we get your contributions each well.  We parishes still have our expenses to pay, so getting your contributions is still very important to us.  I as your pastor am so thankful for the faithfulness of this parish.  I am so glad I am pastor here - the is no other parish I would rather be.  We have the on-line giving option for you to give you contribution.  You can do that thorough our website.  Just go to the menu at the top of our website, hit “about”, and then hit “on-line giving.” If you are having trouble setting up your on-line contribution, just call Kelly McGregor at the office, and she will be glad to help you.  You can give by a bank draft or by sending your contribution through regular mail.  You can also drop off your contribution to parish through a new drop box we have at the entrance to our parish office.  

We will continue to have Masses daily on Facebook Live and then they will later be posted to our Youtube page.  We are going to have Adoration at 1:00 pm this Sunday, March 29 and on Palm Sunday, April 3, both streaming on Facebook Live and on campus through a “drive in” Adoration.  We will be streaming all of our Easter and Holy Week liturgies as well.  

My love, prayers, and encouragement go out to all of you.  

Blessings,

Father Lincoln 

30 March 2020 - Remembering Sister Thea Bowman

Today, we commemorate the anniversary of the death of Sister Thea Bowman.  She is someone from right here in our Diocese of Jackson who could one day be named a Saint by the Church.  In fact, her cause for canonization has already started by our Diocese.  In many ways, Sister Thea is already recognized as a Saint and as a great example of faith by many believers throughout the world.  Thea Bowman was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi and grew up in Canton.   Her mom sent her to Catholic schools, knowing that this was the best education her daughter could receive.  Thea became Catholic when she was 9 years old.  She became the first African American woman to join the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Wisconsin.   Thea helped the Church celebrate the voice of African American Catholics, the contributions and spirituality that they brought to the faith.  Her joyful spirit, her love of music and literature, inspired countless students and those who heard her presentations.  Sister Thea Bowman died on March 30, 1990 at the age of 53. Though many believe that one day she will be canonized as a saint in our Church, whether she is officially canonized or not, one thing is for sure, is that she heard God’s voice, and that she tried to bring that voice in her own way to the world. 

30 March 2020 – Monday of 5th week in Lent – Daniel 13:41c-62

        Sometimes things are not what they seem.  Two elders appear as witnesses against a young woman – it seems to be an open and shut case.  However, with his cunning and intelligence, a young man named Daniel finds out the truth of the matter and helps prove the innocence of this young woman. 
         I have always like the “Anyways Prayer” written by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I quoted part of this prayer a couple of weeks ago in one of the daily masses.  I would to read the entire prayer today.  The message of this prayer is similar to the message of Daniel – sometimes the ways of the world seem easy to figure out, sometimes we think we know the justice of the world, but, in the end, the values of the Kingdom of God will prevail. 

The Anyways Prayer of Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

28 March 2020 - Saturday of the 4th week in Lent - John 7:40-53

       Who is Jesus?  The people discuss this in the world today, just as they discussed it in Jesus’ day. Is he a prophet?  Is the the Messiah?  Is he a great teacher? Or is he a fraud?  To the Pharisees, the crowds who believe in him are those who do not know the law, the guards who believe in him are deceived and confused. The Pharisees have this very precise image of God.  Jesus does not fit their expectations, so they don’t believe his words. 

       I think of how when I was ordained a deacon, when I ordained a priest, and when I was appointed as Vicar General of the Diocese by Bishop Kopacz, I professed the creed of our faith, professing, “I believe in one God, the Father mighty, maker of heaven and earth…. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.” I think of how it was not only important for me to profess my personal faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as an individual, but it was important for me to profess it as a part of the Church, as a part of a community of faith. I think of how I my personal faith evolved in the community, as I grew as a disciple of Christ in different ways.  As I think of the different communities I served as a missionary and a priest, I see how my faith in Jesus has grown and developed.  It was important for me to believe in Christ in my heart, to truly take personal responsibility for that faith, but it was also important for me to be open to the faith of the community, to allow the community to influence my belief and my faith.  I think the sin of the Pharisees was that their vision of God was not open to Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom. God calls out to us in so many different ways in our lives. If we are not willing to grow in our faith and be open to surprises, then are we really open to God and his will for us? Even in this scary new world we live in today, in this harsh reality we are facing and we did not expect, God is speaking out to us in different ways.  

H.  May we see the face of God in our reality. 

Letter to the Parishioners of St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl, Mississippi

March 26, 2020 

Dear Parishioners of St Jude: 

      I am writing this letter to inform you about a decision that was made by the Bishop, in consultation with his priest council. In the Diocese of Jackson, we are extending the ban of public gatherings in our parishes and throughout the Diocese through the end of April.  With the surge of COVID-19 cases in our state, the priests council and the Bishop decided this was the proper decision to make.  Knowing that this covers the period of Holy Week and Easter, this decision was made with heavy hearts.  However, our safety, our health, and the good of all are of prime importance during this crisis.  

     We as the pastor and staff of St Jude are here with all of you during this time.  We are going to devise a plan this week to continue to reach out to all of you the best we can during this time.  Already, as you know, we have been posting live masses and devotions every day since public masses were suspended last Tuesday.  We will send you out a Flocknote email to let you know of the schedule during the week.   These videos will be on both our parish Facebook Page and our Youtube Page.  The Facebook videos will be live, but you can watch them at any time.  We will continue to have Masses, Adoration, and other devotions.  At the end of this letter, I am posting the times of the devotions and liturgies through this Sunday.  We will notify you what our plans are for Holy Week, but know that we plan liturgies for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday that will be streamed on the internet.  

      This Sunday, March 29, we will have Mass on FaceBook Live at 10:00 am in English and 11:00 am in Spanish.  In addition, on Sunday at 1:00 pm we will have “drive-in” adoration in front of the rectory, at which time you may come in front of the rectory in your cars and participate in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which Deacon John McGregor will be leading.  At that same time, Father Lincoln will have the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the rosary garden, practicing the social distancing protocol. 

     Know that as your pastor, my love and prayers go out to you at this time.  Know that we are still together as a faith community, even though we are not having public liturgies in person.  It is important for us to be united in prayer and hope at this time.  We are having to find creative ways to practice our faith together during this crisis, but know that we will do so. 

       Our prayers go out to everyone who has been affected in any way by the COVID-19 virus.  Our prayers also go out to those who are most vulnerable and at risk.  

If you have any questions or concerns, you can still contact me or the parish staff.  My email is lincoln.dall@jacksondiocese.org. You can reach the office staff by leaving a message on their voicemail by calling 601-939-3181. It will be forwarded to their email.

Also, know that we will be communicating regularly through Flocknote emails, our Facebook Page, and the St Jude website.  These will be the primary ways through which we will communicate.  

During Lent we are journeying with Jesus in his forty days in the desert in his passion on the way to the cross.  This year, Lent certainly has a very profound significance for us this year.  At Easter time, the disciples and followers of Jesus had to make sense of the new reality of the resurrection.  It is going to take time for us to make sense of this new reality, too.  Even with all that we are going through, the hope of the resurrection is with us.  We have hope that the Lord is with us every step of the way.  We have hope as we continue to journey as a parish community, as disciples of Christ, walking by faith every step of the way.  

Blessings to all of you,  

Father Lincoln Dall 

Bishop Joseph Kopacz - Diocese of Jackson - STATEMENT ANNOUNCING SUSPENSION OF MASS AND PARISH MINISTRIES THROUGH APRIL 30 IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

March 24, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ,

The current and anticipated surge of diagnosed COVID-19 infections in Mississippi and throughout the nation compels us to extend the ban on all public gatherings in our churches in the Diocese of Jackson through April 30, 2020. This is a critical time in our fight to flatten the curve of infections and this weighty decision gives witness to our commitment to the common good of our families, communities, state and nation.
It is disappointing to accept the reality that we will not be filling our churches throughout Holy Week, Easter, and early on during the Easter season. Yet, there are many positive signs that our mission to “proclaim Jesus the Savior by living the Gospel, so that all may experience the crucified and risen Lord,” is alive and well even in the throes of the current austerity.

Our leadership throughout the diocese, ordained and lay, are embracing the multiple platforms available to us to proclaim the Gospel and transmit the precious jewels of our Catholic faith into the lives and homes of the faithful. The Mass is available throughout the day, Lenten devotions

abound around the diocese, and the Liturgy of the Hours, the rosary, adoration, etc. are feeding the flock daily.

As Holy Week approaches, we expect to see a surge with such offerings as many parishes, schools and ministries increasingly become more savvy with the digital landscape. The extended time of closure impacts us in the following ways.

• Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday will be live streamed from the Cathedral and in many churches throughout the diocese. The Vatican has released a valid abbreviated rite in the absence of a congregation. (Details will be sent from the Chancellor’s office shortly.)

• The Chrism Mass will be postponed.


• Palms will be blessed in our parishes, but we are not encouraging their distribution until a later date when the risk of transmitting the COVID-19 is greatly reduced or eliminated.


• Penance Services can be live-streamed, and all can ask and receive God’s mercy from our hearths and
homes, the domestic church. Parishes can continue to arrange for opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but the logistics of social distancing must be safeguarded, and all lockdown decrees must not be violated.


• The R.C.I.A. process with the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil will be postponed in all our Churches. These sacraments will be celebrated with the reopening of our churches.


• Confirmations will not be celebrated while our churches are closed. One option currently being explored is for me as Bishop to delegate to all pastors the right to confirm their Candidates in the parish church at a designated time. Pentecost would be a fitting feast.

I thank you for your attention to these important matters. In all corners of the diocese our Catholic faithful are being proactive, and we will continue to nurture and to live our faith as the Lord’s disciples during these lean times. May our prayer for one another be faithful and heartfelt.

Yours in the crucified and risen Lord, 
+Joseph R. Kopacz

Bishop of Jackson

Bulletin Reflection - the Fifth Sunday of Lent - St Jude Catholic Church - Pearl Mississippi - 29 March 2020

    This weekend, we commemorate the 5th Sunday of Lent.  We are getting closer to the end of our Lenten journey.  In just a week, we will hear the Passion of our Lord on Palm Sunday as we enter into Holy Week. Today, our Lenten journey takes us face to face with Lazarus, a beloved friend of Jesus.  Lazarus has been sealed away in the tomb for 4 days when Jesus arrives in Bethany.  At Jesus’ command, “Come out, Lazarus!”, Lazarus comes out of the tomb,  with his hands and feet all tied up with strips of material, with a cloth covering his face.  “Unbind him, let him go free!”  Jesus commands.

       Most of us probably feel bound and tied up in the circumstances of our lives right now, in this pandemic of the Coronavirus that is spreading across the world.  First, it was something that was associated with a particular province of China.  Now we in the United States and communities all over the world are trying to confront this new reality.  The countries of Spain, France, and Italy are currently being hit harder than we are.  This past week, a friend of mine in Tupelo was out of electricity at her house for a day.  She said she felt guilty bemoaning what she was going through compared to others who were sick and battling this illness, compared to the sacrifices the medical professionals were facing right now.  We are asked to confine ourselves and to avoid putting ourselves and others at risk.  We may feel bound by the sacrifices we make, but at different times in our life, we are called to make different kinds of sacrifices, aren’t we? 

      Yes, we are bound up in a lot of different ways in this new reality. Sometimes we can physically break through those boundaries. A lot of us would like to break through the physical boundaries that are isolating us.  A lot of us would like to break through this physical isolation we are experiencing. May the story of Lazarus inspire us today.  Yes, we will one day break free from what is keeping us bound up right now.  But during this time, we still have work to do.  We are called to reach out to others, to provide encouragement and inspiration.  We are called to minister to each other, to be beacons of hope.  We are called to continue to do the work to which we are called in the secular world.  We here at our parish and our Diocese will be continuing to be there for all of you and for the community of the faithful in the midst of our surreal new reality  Even though we are not able to physically have mass together, we will us to us our technology to reach out in the devotions and liturgies of our faith.  We are still a community journeying in faith together in the midst of this new reality.  We will have faith and hope together until this passes.