Happy Easter everyone! Today, «is the day when the Lord has acted». Jesus, the crucified one, has now been raised from the dead. He is risen.

On November 30, 1986, Pope St. John Paul II said: We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song!” We are not looking for a shallow joy but rather a joy that comes from faith, that grows through unselfish love, that respects the “fundamental duty of love of neighbor, without which it would be unbecoming to speak of Joy.”

May this great event of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, transforms your hearts, and your families, and brings hope into your lives. Let us imitate the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary and proclaim with her: “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” Amen
 

Dear Sacred Heart Family: 

Thank you so much for your generosity. I really don't deserve all this. From the moment I arrived at Sacred Heart Parish (almost six years ago) you welcomed me, made me feel loved and made me a part of your 
family.

Thank you for the Christmas and New Year cards, your words of encouragement, your love and your support.



Finally, thank you for all the goodies, the Tequila and Taco Money. May God bless you all, always.

Dear Sacred Heart Family, Merry Christmas and Happy New Vear. It fills me with great joy to be able to celebrate Christmas in the company of all of you for the fifth time as your pastor. Thank you for sharing your family and your home with me, and thank you for your expressions of affection and love for me and my family. 

The God of Israel who promised the savior and the redeemer of the world shows us his immense love by sending his only begotten 
son. The great Solemnity of Christmas reminds us that God is faithful and the he keeps all his promises. 

May the joy and happiness of this solemnity fill your hearts and may we experience the great love of God in a new way; May he help us to await the second coming of His Son with Joy, Hope, Love and Peace. 

May God continue pouring our blessings on each of you during the New year, and may we feel the protective presence of God, the Father in all our plans and projects. That each of our works, actions and words help in the construction of the Kingdom of God. 

"Let us ask the Lord that we may become vigilant for his presence, that we may hear how softly yet insistently he knocks at the door of our being and willing. Let us ask that we may make room for him within ourselves, that we may recognize him also in those through whom he speaks to us: children, the suffering, the abandoned, those who are excluded and the por of this world" (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily during the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, 2012) 

Querida Familia del Sagrado Corazón, Feliz Navidad y próspero año Nuevo. Me llena de una gran alegría el poder celebrar la Navidad en companfa de todos ustedes por quinta vez como su párroco.
Gracias por compartir su familia y sus hogares conmingo, gracias por sus muestras de afecto y de cariño para conmigo y con mi familia. 

El Dios de Israel que prometió al salvador y al redentor del mundo nos muestra su inmenso amor al enviar a su Hijo Unigénito. La gran Solemnidad de la Navidad nos recuerda que Dios es fiel y que cumple todos sus promesas. 

Que el gozo y la alegria de esta solemnidad Llene sus corazones y que podamos experimenter de una manera nueva el gran amor de Dios; que nos ayude a aguardar la segunda venida de su Hijo con Gozo, Esperanza, Amor y Paz.
 
Dios siga derramando bendiciones sobre coda uno de ustedes durante este Año Nuevo, y que en todos nuestros planes y proyectos sintamos la presencia protectora de Dios Padre. Que cada una de nuestras obras, acciones y palabras sirvan para la construcción del Reino de Dios. 

"Roguemos al Señor para que estemos vigilantes ante su presencia, para que oigamos como él llama, de manera callada pero 
insistente, a la puerta de nuestro ser y de nuestro querer. Oremos para que se cree en nuestro interior un espacio para él. Y para que, de este modo, podamos reconocerlo también en aquellos a través de los cuales se dirige a nosotros: en los nit'ios, en los que sufren, en los abandonados, los marginados y los pobres de este mundo." 
(Papa Benedicto XVI, Homilía durante la Solemnidad de la Natividad del Señor, 2012) 

Shepherd Letter
Parish Directory 2022

The beginnings of the Holy Catholic Church remind me of the beginnings of Sacred Heart Parish, in the sense that both have a very humble origin.
For example, the Holy Catholic Church has its beginnings with twelve simple Apostles, who in human eyes have nothing special or anything that would make them better or superior to others. For many centuries it is still questioned why Jesus chose these twelve and did not choose someone better prepared, someone better than them, someone with a better social status, a better family, with better preparation. In the end Christ chose those whom He wanted, since He saw what was in the heart of each one of them.

Sacred Heart Parish also began in a very humble way, since it dates back to 1940, where they say that the community gathered to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist in a Delmas family home. A priest from Our Lady of Victories came to celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday. Later a small Church was built and  some people called it the Hunt, others the Church in the Corner. It was located on the corner of Martin Street and Ingalls Avenue. Later the construction of the Parish began where it is currently located on Quinn Street.

According to the parishioners, the wood of that small Church was donated for the construction of another Church, the Diocese of Biloxi.

Later on, with much effort, the first building of what would be Sacred HeartParish was built and later would become Sacred Heart School, now RCS (Elementary Campus).

Many people have photos and beautiful memories of when the first sacraments were celebrated in that building. Who would have thought that years later all this could be built in this parish. We currently have a beautiful campus, which we must take care of and preserve.

A few days ago, a parishioner brought a Drone, which he flew over all the buildings that make up Sacred Heart Parish. Later when I saw the video I was surprised, moved and my heart was glad. We are part of a beautiful story that has not yet has finished, that continues to be built, and that it continues to flourish and be counted.

How beautiful it is to see that after sixty years the community is still standing. After many economic vicissitudes and after recovering from Hurricane Katrina, Sacred Heart Parish continues to bear fruit and continues to spread the Good News. We continue with the beautiful dream of the first parishioners to see a united community, a community who wants to continue advancing, who wants to continue growing and who will continue to grow.

It is a true honor and a great blessing for me to be part of this beautiful history and community. Being part of the great family of Sacred Heart, I never imagined that upon being appointed as the Seventh Pastor of this community I would have the blessing of being part of the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of this Parish.

Every time I look at the photos of all the great priests, the previous pastors, who have been a fundamental part of the growth of this parish, I have no choice but to say a prayer for them, for those who rest in the hope of the Resurrection, for those who continue serving the Lord with their ministries and continue to bear witness in their old age, and thank them for all their effort, their great love for the community, their great love for the Church and their great love for Our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Parish Directory wants to show all these families that have joined in being part of this story, these families that have said "Yes" to the Lord. It is beautiful to see that our community is made up of wonderful families, families who, day by day, continue to support their parish, and who want to grow and advance as Intentional Disciples of Christ and to be part of the great Mission of the Church, of the great mission entrusted to them by Christ.

I want to think that their great-grandparents, grandparents, their parents and all those people who have been part of this community since its inception, recognizing that everything they have done through these sixty years may be surprised, and obviously they will say that much remains to be done, and to move forward.

Some priests who have been part of this community over the years, every time they see me, they urge me and invite me to continue working day by day because according to them and to those who lived in this Parish, Sacred Heart was the Parish to which all of Pascagoula wanted to belong. Much remains to be done, but with the support of all of you, with your commitment as Baptized and your love for Christ, we will continue to advance day by day, despite having a Pastor with Broken English.

Thank you for continuing to build this dream, thank you for continuing to spread the Good News and thank you for being part of this great Family of Sacred Heart which after sixty years continues to be an instrument of evangelization for the Community of Pascagoula.
Let us continue serving the Lord, building and growing for many more years. Thank you, brothers and sisters of Sacred Heart Parish.
With sincere love in Christ, your humble servant Father Everardo “ Lalo” Mora-Torres, “ The Big Chihuahua”.
 

Dear Sacred Heart Parishioners, it is a privilege and honor to serve all of you. I give thanks to our Heavenly Father for this new ministry that He has entrusted to me.

I am very happy to be here with you, serving the people of God, and ministering with the formal Pastor Fr. Mike Kelleher.

We are on the same journey, and we have received the same call from our Lord Jesus Christ to become a holy community, a Church where everybody is welcome, a Church where we live as true brothers and sisters. Part of my mission is to help all of you to continue your journey in the right path, doing God’s Will, loving your neighbor and growing in your Faith, Hope and Love.

I feel very happy because I believe that I am doing the Will of God.  I entrust myself to your prayers and be assured of my prayers for you all, always.
 
May God bless you!

Queridos feligreses de la Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón, es un verdadero privilegio y un honor servirles. Le doy gracias a nuestro Padre Celestial por este nuevo ministerio que se me ha encomendado.

Me siento muy feliz de estar con todos ustedes, sirviendo al pueblo de Dios, al lado de nuestro párroco retirado el Padre Mike Kelleher.

Nos encontramos en el mismo peregrinar, y hemos recibido el mismo llamado a convertirnos en una comunidad santa, en una Iglesia donde todos son bienvenidos, en una Iglesia donde vivimos como verdaderos hermanos y hermanas. Parte de mi misión es ayudarles a que ustedes continúen por el camino recto, haciendo la voluntad de Dios, amando a nuestro prójimo y creciendo más en la Fe, Esperanza y el Amor. 

Me siento muy feliz porque yo creo y sé que estoy haciendo la voluntad de Dios. Me encomiendo a sus oraciones y estén seguros de mis oraciones para todos ustedes.

¡Dios los bendiga!