Ministries & Offices
The Diocese of Jackson’s staff is coordinated through the departments of Administration and Finance, Catholic Charities, Ecclesiastical Affairs, Evangelization, Formational Ministries, and Stewardship and Development. Each department consists of offices essential to the mission of the church. Our offices assist parishes, schools and individuals in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to all those whom they encounter. Below is a list of our offices and a brief description along with a link to those offices with web pages.
Administration and Finance
The Department of Administration and Finance is staffed by eight employees. The Department provides services to other diocesan departments, to parishes and to Catholic Schools. The areas of responsibility include: Finance and Accounting, Consolidated Deposit and Loan Program, Property Records and Property Management, Consolidated Property Insurance Program, Legal and Taxes, Lay Personnel, Diocesan Employees’ Health Protection Plan, Lay Employees’ Retirement, Inter-Parochial and Parochial Schools, Mississippi Missions, Parish Collections for Special Appeals, Catholic Housing Projects, Diocesan Building Committee, and other miscellaneous administrative and financial matters.
Director - Aad de Lange
Administrative Assistant - Rosemary Grantham, 601-969-2135
Parish Accounting - Donna King,601-960-8456
Accounts Payable/Receivable - Annette Stevenson, 601-960-8461
Diocesan Health Insurance and Retirement - Phyllis Mokry, 601-960-8462, Fax - 601-960-8464
Phone 601-969-1880
Fax 601-960-8455
Click here for forms, Employee Benefits, Parish and Schools Retirement
Archives
The Diocesan Archives maintains historical and sacramental records for the Diocese of Jackson. Because of their very nature the archives are open only to qualified researchers approved by the diocesan archivist and the bishop.
Sacramental Records:
If you are seeking a baptismal certificate for yourself, please contact the parish in which you were baptized as they will have quick access to this. If you are unsure then call the diocesan archives (601.969.1880) to assist you in determining the church in which you were baptized.
Genealogy:
The diocese does not provide genealogical research in the archives. Those tracing a family history will be referred to an independent researcher who is approved by the archivist and bishop. A small fee is charged.
Contact
Mary Woodward, Director of Archives
601.969.1880
archives@jacksondiocese.org
A/V Center
The Diocesan A/V Catalogue is housed in the Department of Formational Ministries. Materials are available for checkout by contacting the department at 601.969.1880.
Black Catholic Ministry
The Office of Black Catholic Ministry is under the direction of Will Jemison. The office works will all parishes and missions to evangelize in the African American community through formation and lay leadership training.
Contact: Will Jemison - 601-949-6935
Campus Ministry
Diocesan Campus Ministry is under the direction of Fran Lavelle of Starkville St. Joseph Parish. The office networks with other Catholic campus ministers and pastors throughout the diocese to develop effective formation and evangelization efforts among our young adults in college. An annual Catholic College Student retreat is organized by the office normally in February.
Catholic Charities
The mission of Catholic Charities, Inc. is to be a visible sign of Christ’s love and concern for all people. We are called to minister compassionately to all, whether Catholic or not. In fact, over 65% of the people we serve are of other faiths. Our focus is to provide quality direct services, education, and advocacy. Services are offered regardless of faith, race, gender, or age. Catholic Charities, Inc. is funded by federal, state, and local agencies, together with donations from the Catholic Diocese of Jackson’s Annual Service Appeal, individual donations, and private foundations. With offices in Jackson, Natchez, Canton and Vardaman and outreach workers throughout the Jackson Diocese, we are able to serve many Mississippians. As all of us work together, we provide help and create hope…for all God’s children.
Catholic Foundation
The Catholic Foundation is an independent non-profit charitable organization that operates exclusively for the benefit of the Diocese of Jackson. Our mission is to increase Catholic philanthropy by providing our donors a means to make a legacy gift to benefit the works of the church. The Catholic Foundation specializes in trusts, annuities and other planned giving opportunities.
Catholic Service Appeal
The Catholic Service Appeal is the annual giving campaign of the Diocese of Jackson. The appeal supports Seminarian Education, Evangelization and Faith Formation, Catholic Charities, Retired Priest and Clergy Assistance, Campus Ministry and Mission Parishes and Schools.
Chancellor/Vicar General
The office of Chancellor maintains the official ecclesial documents and historical records of the diocese. The Vicar General serves as assistant to the bishop of the diocese. He serves as personnel director for priests, religious and permanent deacons. The office provides assistance to parish pastoral councils and coordinates diocesan planning. The office also supervises the response component of the Protection of Children program of the diocese.
Communications Office
The Communications office coordinates the church’s internet, radio and TV presence in the diocese. The office uses various media outlets throughout the year to promote good Christian messages to the broader community. The director also works with local media on Catholic issues in the news through statements and on camera.
Contact:
Ms. Mary Woodward -(601) 960-8475
chancery@jacksondiocese.org
Cursillo Movement
In the Cursillo Movement, we approach evangelization as a very natural act of being Christ-like within each of our daily activities. We realize that while most people would like to live their lives in a Christ-like manner, the pressures of the world often make this difficult. The Cursillo Movement provides a method and a technique to provide each of us with the tools, the mentality, the strength, and the support to make this natural type of evangelization possible.
The Cursillo method endeavors to restore the beauty of the first Christian communities which prompted pagans to say with admiration: “See how they love one another!”
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2013 Cursillo Weekends: TBA
Click here for Documents and Resources.
Click here for Cursillo Ultreyas.
Evangelization
Evangelization is the essential mission of the church. There are three levels to evangelization that can be summarized as: “KNOW your Faith, SHARE your Faith, LIVE your Faith”. The Evangelization Office assists parishes in outreach to Catholics who no longer actively participate in their faith and to those who are searching for a faith community.
Contact:
Ms. Mary Woodward -(601) 960-8475
chancery@jacksondiocese.org
Mrs. Sue Anne Booth, Secretary - (601) 960-8474
Faith Formation
Hispanic Ministries
The Office of Hispanic Ministry accompanies, supports and acts as a resource to the Hispanic Community and to those who minister to them; as well as, being a bridge to the non-immigrant community in order to build a community and a society that reflects the values and the face of Christ in Mississippi.
Calendario de Cuaresma (2013)
Office of Hispanic Ministry, in conjunction with SEPI (Southeast Pastoral Institute) will be offering a program of 10 courses over the next year and a half in order to respond to the formational and leadership needs of the Hispanic community.
School of Ministries / Escuelas de Ministerios, Nivel I - Jackson (2013-2014) Schedule and registration.
School of Ministries / Escuelas de Ministerios, Nivel II - Jackson (2013-2014) Schedule and information. (Spanish and English)
School of Ministries / Escuela de Ministerios - North (Tupelo) Information (February 2012-October 2013 Classes) (English) (Spanish) (Aplicacion y Compromiso)
Marriage Enrichment
The Office of Family Ministry branch of Catholic Charities works with parishes to provide a variety of services that support and minister to families, whether these families are traditional, single parent, blended, or extended. Many of these programs are focused on supporting couples. One of the things we have learned over the past years is that demands on today’s families can be overwhelming and that as a church we need to be more creative and flexible in providing workshops and programs. The Programs offered are:
- In Redeeming State - Addresses blended family issues of stepfamily structure and step parenting.
- REFOCCUS - A marriage enrichment program helping couples reflect on how their marriage has grown and changed, celebrating their strengths and seeking healing in their struggles.
- Parenting Classes - Programs geared toward parenting infants and toddlers, dealing with school age children, or efforts focused on adolescents.
- Marriage and Family Counseling - Provides therapy to individuals, couples, and families including play therapy for younger children. These services are based on a sliding scale.
- Natural Family Planning - Contact: Mrs. Jennifer Eidt at (601) 326-3713.
Marriage Preparation
The Diocese of Jackson’s Marriage Preparation guidelines are aimed at assisting engaged couples to fully understand the Church’s beautiful vision of marriage and to equip them with the information and tools necessary to deal with the day to day joys and struggles of married life. Each couple should begin their marriage preparation process by contacting their local parish at least four months in advance, discerning which parish based or diocesan based marriage preparation program (links below) you will attend and discussing further requirements with your local parish. The following links are provided to assist you in the wonderful experience of engagement.
- Diocese of Jackson Marriage Preparation Policy (English and Spanish)
- Diocesan Marriage Preparation Programs
- Engaged Encounter - Weekend offering couples the time and opportunity to question, examine and deepen their relationship with each other and with God. 2012-13 Schedule
- When Families Marry - Engaged couples gather on Fri.-Sat. in order to discuss important aspects of their lives and plan for a lifetime of marriage together.
- In a Redeeming State - Blended family engaged couples gather on Fri.-Sat. in order to address blended family issues of stepfamily structure and step parenting.
- Natural Family Planning - Contact: Mrs. Jennifer Eidt at (601) 326-3713.
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s website on Marriage Preparation
Mississippi Catholic
Mississippi Catholic began its 50th year of serving Catholics in the Diocese of Jackson on Dec. 5, 2003. The occasion of our 50th anniversary offered a golden opportunity to share not only the religious and historical riches of the past 50 years of our church community, but also challenges.
The anniversary gave us an opportunity to begin or continue our work on the challenges of peace. Over the years, the name has changed — from The Mississippi Register to Mississippi Today to Mississippi Catholic — and the coverage area has changed too — from the whole state served by the Diocese of Natchez, then the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson, to the Diocese of Jackson and the Diocese of Biloxi, and now just to the Diocese of Jackson. Browse our list of topics.
Pro-Life Office
Catholic Charities coordinates the Office of ProLife ministries. Below are some of their materials. Contact Benjamin Russell for more information 601.355.8634.
Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person---among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (Catechism of the Catholic Church,2270).
We have a few resources to help you find out more
- CCIPro-LifeBrochure
- CCIAdoption & MaternityProgram
- MSAbortionStatistics(2007)
- MSChooseLife
- USCCBPro-LifeActivities
- 2009-2010 Respect Life Program
Protection of Children
The purpose of the Office of Child Protection is to respond to the zero tolerance policy on abusers in keeping with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People passed by the Bishops in Dallas in June, 2002. The Office of Child Protection focuses on the prevention component: criminal background screenings, education of employees/significant volunteers, students and parents, and record-keeping.
Vickie Carollo
Safe Environment Coordinator
601/960-8471
Schools
Office of Catholic Schools
P.O. Box 2248
Jackson, MS 39225
Phone 601-969-2742 Fax 601-960-8469
Email: education.office@jacksondiocese.org
Click here for the Office of Catholic Schools
Click here for a List of Schools and Early Childhood Centers
Stewardship and Development
The Stewardship and Development Offices serves as a resource for planning and implementing Parish Stewardship Appeal. The Office also administers the annual Catholic Service Appeal.
Tribunal
The Mission of this Tribunal, under the guidance of our Bishop, is to reflect and experience Christ in the ministry of justice through the compassionate and equitable application of church law and to protect the rights and dignity of each person without discrimination and to provide an opportunity for healing.
The Jackson tribunal conducts ecclesiastical trials involving Catholics or those persons in relationship to Catholics. An ecclesiastical trial is similar to its civil counterpart in that it is conducted in order to discover the truth, but it is dissimilar in that the dramatics of some civil trials are not present. There are three possible objects of any Church trial, all with an ultimately pastoral purpose: to prosecute or to vindicate the rights of physical or juridic persons; to declare juridic facts; to impose or declare the penalty for offenses against Church law.
Most often, a person (Petitioner) asks the tribunal to make a declaration concerning the juridic fact of a marriage, that is, the Petitioner wants the tribunal to answer the questions: “Did the binding quality of marriage occur when I exchanged marital vows with my former spouse?” Or, to put it another way, “Was my marriage valid or invalid?” This question is asked by the previously married Petitioner who wants to know whether he or she is now free to enter a future valid marriage in the Catholic Church. If the tribunal, following a complete investigation of the facts, finds that a previous marriage was invalid, a Decree of Nullity is issued (termed in common speech an “annulment”).
To begin a process of investigation you must first contact a Catholic Priest where you are attending church or a Catholic Priest in your area. They will be able to direct you in how to proceed.
For further questions, you can contact the Director of the Tribunal:
Very Reverend Jeffrey Waldrep, STL, JCL
P.O. Box 2248
Jackson, MS 39225
(o) 601-949-6939
(f) 601-960-8450
(e)jeffrey.waldrep@jacksondiocese.org
Vocations
The very beginning and ultimate end of any vocation is what our loving Father has done for us. Life itself is a gift--infinitely multiplied by the abundant life made possible by our Baptism into the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, leading us to eternal life in the Kingdom of God. To seek one's vocation in life is simply to ask, "What can I give in return for so great a gift?"
Worship & Liturgy
The Office of Worship & Liturgy (OWL) coordinates diocesan liturgical events and Episcopal liturgies. OWL is available to assist parishes in planning liturgical ceremonies in the local parish. We are always willing to answer or try to answer questions surrounding Catholic worship for our diocesan faithful.
Youth Ministry
The Office of Catholic Youth Ministry wishes to minister to, with, by and for young people and guide them to an intimate and dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. Our youth have been given a mission that includes full involvement in the life, mission and work of the Catholic Church, especially at the parish level.
Believing that the most effective ministry to youth occurs at the parish level, we assist parishes and the adults called to lead our youth by offering programs, events and outreach to build and maintain a strong youth presence.
The model of youth ministry called for by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Renewing the Vision, A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry”, provides the basic structure for youth programs.