APRIL 11, 2025
mississippicatholic.com
The life of Sister Thea Bowman celebrated in Canton BY MADELYN JOHNSON
JACKSON – On March 29, Holy Child Jesus Catholic Church celebrated the life of Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA. Born on Dec. 29, 1937, Sister Thea converted to Catholicism at the age of nine and attended Holy Child Jesus School in Canton. A passionate educator and lover of music, she dedicated her life to teaching and advocating for faith and justice. After a courageous battle with breast cancer, she passed away on March 30, 1990, at the age of 52. Each year, Holy Child Jesus Catholic Church commemorates her life around the anniversary of her passing. Holy Child Jesus was Sister Thea’s home parish, and the celebration drew many of her former students, colleagues, and friends. Participating choirs included Holy Child Jesus, Sacred Heart Canton and Camden combined choirs, Christ the King choir, and the Rembert Washington Memorial Chorale of Canton, led by Pastor John Woodard Jr. Soloists Frazier Riddell and Elaine Gager also performed. Artwork by Father Guy Wilson, ST, was sold to support Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School in Jackson, including special ornaments featuring Sister Thea’s likeness. The spirit of Sister Thea resonated throughout the event, especially through
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CANTON – Parishioners and guests are filled with song at the annual Sister Thea Bowman celebration at Holy Child Jeus parish on Saturday, March 29. (Photo by Madelyn Johnson)
Pope approves next phase of synod, setting path to 2028 assembly BY JUSTIN MCLELLAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis has approved the next phase of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, launching a three-year implementation process that will culminate in an ecclesial assembly at the Vatican in October 2028. In a letter published March 15, Cardinal Mario Grech, secre-
tary-general of the synod, announced that the synod’s new phase will focus on applying its conclusions at all levels of the church, with dioceses, bishops’ conferences and religious communities working to integrate synodality into daily church life before the meeting at the Vatican in 2028. “For now, therefore, a new synod will not be convened; instead, the focus will be on consolidating the path taken so far,” he wrote in the letter addressed to all bishops, eparchs and the presidents of national and regional bishops’ conferences. Cardinal Grech told bishops that Pope Francis approved the three-year plan March 11 at Rome’s Ge-
melli hospital where he has been being treated since Feb. 14. The final document of the synod on synodality, approved by Pope Francis in October 2024, emphasized synodality as essential to the church’s mission and called for greater lay participation, mandatory pastoral councils and continued study on women in ministry and seminary formation. Over the next three years, dioceses, bishops’ conferences and religious communities will work to integrate synodal principles into church life with the guidance of a Vatican-issued document scheduled to
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From the Archives 14 Sister Thea Bowman Jubilee of Hope Tour set for fall
Youth 18 DCYC and youth photos from around the diocese