Bishop celebrates Mass at VCS

Published 11:18 am Friday, August 29, 2014

Bishop Joseph Kopacz celebrates Mass in the St. Aloysius High School gym.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz celebrates Mass in the St. Aloysius High School gym.

The head of the Catholic Diocese of Jackson met with St. Aloysius students and teachers Thursday for a Mass that was held to celebrate the beginning of the new school year.

“We have been doing a beginning of school year Mass since the school was founded,” said the Rev. P.J. Curley, of St. Michael Catholic Church, in Vicksburg.

This year, the school’s celebrant for the Mass was Bishop Joseph Kopacz, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson.

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Kopacz said he visits all of the schools included in his diocese, which he said takes him about two months.

“It is very important to get around to all the schools,” Kopacz said.

“Catholic education is a special part of the ministry of the church and diocese,” he said. “It helps teach and make disciples of students.”

During the homily, Kopacz said he had chosen as his theme this year “the message of light,” focusing on the importance of Christ — or “the Light of the World.”

Kopacz, a native of Dunmore, Pa., was ordained a priest for the diocese of Scranton in 1977.

He previously was the Vicar General and Vicar for Clergy from Feb. 2005 to Aug. 2009.

He was appointed as the new Bishop of Jackson by Pope Francis in December.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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