Brother Julian Died on June 20, 2018

Julian Louis Gibbens, 105, of Edwards, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.

Brother Julian was born May 17, 1913, in Hope Villa Sugar Cane Plantation, east of Baton Rouge, La., to William Benton Gibbens and Marie Moore Gibbens and was one of 10 children.

He served as a member of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart until 1967, teaching in many Catholic schools across America. Julian was renowned for believing in his students and pushing them hard to succeed. Throughout the years, former students traveled to visit Brother Julian and thank him for helping shape them into the men they are today. He remained a teacher until the very end, teaching his beloved grandchildren in the woods and swamps of Edwards.

Julian was an avid fisherman, master gardener, and chief storyteller. He held a deep love for his wife, Jerry Montgomery Gibbens that was evident to all who knew him.

Julian is preceded in death by his parents; his wife; eight brothers; two sisters; stepson, Lewis Montgomery; and grandson, Scott Mellon.

He is survived by his stepdaughter, Barbara Mellon; grandchildren, Allison Mellon, Lisa Maddox, Drew (Ally) Mellon, Angie (C.J.) Zadrozny, and Victor (Leigh) Montgomery; great-grandchildren include, Payton Maddox, Taylor and Whit Zadrozny, Molly, Mary Lewis, and Hattie Montgomery, and Bella, Anna Claire, Nash and Nadia Mellon.

Visitation was Saturday, June 23, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Glenwood Funeral Home in Vicksburg, with services in Glenwood Funeral Home Chapel at 11 a.m. with Father Tom Lalor officiating. Burial was in Edwards Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers were Jerry Gibbens, Mitt Gibbens, Cole Gibbens, Tom Gibbens, Victor Montgomery, Drew Mellon and C.J. Zadrozny.

Celebrating 57 Years Of Marriage Yesterday!

Saint Aloysius High School (Class of 1959) Louis "Sonny" Logue and his beautiful wife Wanda celebrating their 57th Wedding Anniversary yesterday.  Louis said it's been a blessed 57 years with 3 great children and 6 wonderful grandchildren.  Congratulations and Happy Anniversary you two!

Saint Francis Xavier Convent, ca 1868

Janie Fortenberry

Home of Sisters of Mercy, Vicksburg

The Sisters of Mercy contributed to the health, education, and spiritual well-being of the residents of Vicksburg since the arrival of six nuns in 1860.

The Cobb House (c. 1830) became their first home and a school for 70 students. During the Civil War, the Sisters closed the school to travel throughout Mississippi nursing both Union and Confederate soldiers.

After the war, the Sisters reopened the school and continued their ministry of nursing in the decades following, nursing the city's residents through several yellow fever epidemics. Their nursing contributions expanded over the years to include a nursing school and to culminate in the modern Mercy Hospital.

The Sisters continued to expand their spiritual mission by building a convent in 1868 to house their ever-growing number of nuns, a building that is one of the best examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Mississippi.

The "Sisters’ School" also continued to expand with the construction of an auditorium in 1885 and an academy building in 1937.

The Sisters of Mercy have left a lasting legacy in Vicksburg.

[As it was in September 2015]

2018 St. Aloysius/St Francis Alumni Banquet

Our 2018 St. Aloysius and St. Francis Alumni Banquet was held this past Saturday, April 28, 2018.  The social was at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:00 p.m. at Farrell Hall. 

Myrtle Loviza (Class of 1959) and husband, Bobby Alvarado.

Michael Hosemann (Class of 1958) and myself, Marian Ann Love (Class of  1959)  I was so happy to see Michael after 10 long years.  He was my very first boyfriend in high school and we have remained friends all through the years.  

(Class of 1957) Wayne McMasters with his wife, Mary Nell, Mary Pat Booth Fulton, Linda Jones Styron and her husband, Rad and Shirley Farish.  

Beautifully decorated table and delicious food.  

Program

St. Aloysius Hign School and Saint Francis Academy shields.

The Class of 2018 roll call.

Myrtle Loviza Alvarado, Billie Price Clarke and myself, Marian Ann Love.

Jeanette Jones Ring (Class of 1969) and husband, Charlie Ring (Class of 1968)

Class of 1958 classmates.

Class of 1958 with their spouses.

I took this picture Saturday night after our 2018 St. Aloysius/St. Francis Alumni Banquet of the Statue of Hebe, the Greek Goddess of Eternal Youth, holding a cup that drips water into the Bloom Fountain in the Vicksburg Memorial Rose Garden. The fountain was bequeathed in 1926 by Louis Bloom, a prominent Vicksburg businessman at a cost of $6,500 by Albert Weibian Granite Company of New Orleans. The Old Court House Museum can be seen in the distant which was a landmark during the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863. It was built in 1858.

St. Aloysius/St. Francis Alumni Banquet & 59 Years

Our St. Aloysius/St. Francis Annual Alumni Banquet will be held this coming Saturday, April 28, 2018.  Mass will be at St. Paul Catholic Church at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm Social/7:00 pm Alumni Banquet at Farrell Hall. 

I'm looking forward to seeing my classmates and it will be 59 years since we graduated in the Class of 1959.  In the last 9 years, we have lost three of our classmates at St. Francis Xavier Academy;  Katherine Meyer Turcotte, Marie Braun Yowan, and Vera Marshall Brown.  We have lost four classmates from St. Aloysius; Roy "Skeeter" Turcotte, Larry Miller, Walter Little and Phillip Doiron.  May they all Rest In Peace.  

Next year we will celebrate our 60th Class Reunion.  I hope we will have a good turnout for both. 

Here is a video to cheer us up and I know we can't boogie like this anymore but we can enjoy watching others have a good time.   



Contact Kristi Smith, Director of Development & Alumni Affairs, at (601) 630-9762 or kristi.amith@vicksburgcatholic.org  Pay dues online at www.vicksburgcatholic.org then click "Giving"

Prayers For Sister Mary Patricia Parker

Sister Mary Patricia Parker fell recently and broke her leg/hip.  Dr. Porter is her physician and she is at Heritage House Nursing Home at 3103 Wisconsin Avenue, Vicksburg, MS, for rehab for several weeks.  The break was bad and she needs a lot of nursing care.  The Sisters of Mercy want to move her to St. Louis as soon as she is able to make the trip.  Please keep her in your prayers at this time.  

We, therefore, pray that God will bless her with his loving care, renew her strength, and heal her.  Amen

Prayers For Classmate Ina Lott Whittington

Please keep our Classmate Ina Lott Whittington in your prayers tomorrow.  She will be having hip surgery at 9:00 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS by a specialist.  This will be the third attempt to fix her hip and hopefully without complications so she can walk again.  I will be keeping you posted on her progress here.  May the healing power of Christ be with you, Ina! 

4-11-2018 - Update: Ina Whittington's surgery went well but there was a lot of infection and she will need another surgery later according to her daughter, Rhonda. Please continue to keep Ina in your prayers as she recovers from this surgery. I know the family thanks you for all your prayers today.

4-12-2018 - ANOTHER Update: Ina is stable now after being put in ICU last night when her BP dropped in recovery. Hopefully, she will be moved to a regular room soon. Please keep the prayers coming!

4-12-2018 - Update (5:15pm):  Update: Ina is out of ICU and in a room now. Please keep the prayers coming while she recovers from surgery. Thank you and thank The Good Lord!

4-13-2018 - I spoke with Ina today and she told me that she had 2-1/2 pts. of blood surgery day, yesterday 2 pts. and more blood today.  She is still in pain.  Please continue prayers for our classmate, Ina.  

4-19-2018 - UPDATE: Our Classmate, Ina was transferred to Vicksburg Convalescent Home yesterday afternoon for rehab. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as she recovers. She will need another hip surgery at a later date. 

4-24-2018 - Ina will be transported tomorrow to UMMC in Jackson, MS for a follow-up with her Doctor.  Her address to send a greeting is 109 Colonial Drive, Vicksburg, MS  39180. I know it will cheer her up.  Please continue to pray for Ina that she will get a good report from her Doctor and recover so she can have one more surgery to be able to walk again.

4-30-2018 - Update:  Ina was not transported to UMMC as scheduled for a follow-up.  The intent was that the transporter was to come back and pick Ina up but the person that was taken ahead of her was put in the hospital and there was not enough time to make another trip back to Jackson.  So she has been re-scheduled this Thursday, May 3rd.  Please keep Ina in your prayers and hopefully, things will work out in her favor to see the UMMC Doctor for a follow-up this week. 

5-17-2018 - Update:  Ina had an appointment at UMMC yesterday and they did a lot of tests and changed her medication.  She goes back next week to see the surgeon and if the tests went well they may have the next surgery in two weeks but will not know until the next week's appointment.  Please continue to keep our classmate in your prayers that all the tests come back normal to get the go-ahead for surgery so she can start rehab and walk again.  

5-30-2018 - Update:  Ina's hip was not completely healed and the surgeon wants her to start rehab by putting her foot on the floor for another month.  She will go home at the end of June and will have further tests done and if all goes well he will schedule her final hip surgery in July.  Please continue your prayers. 

6-23-2018 - Update:  Ina is still in the Vicksburg Convalescent Home on Cherry Street and getting rehab for her hip/leg.  She has had a couple of infections of C-Diff during her stay and if all goes well she will go back for more tests to see the Doctor soon.  If her hip is healing well then the surgeon will schedule her final surgery hopefully, next month.  Please continue to keep the prayers coming for her recovery. 

7-09-2018 - Update:  Ina is still recovering in the Vicksburg Convalescent Home on Cherry Streat and getting rehab for her hip/leg.  The C-Diff infection has cleared up.  Thursday morning there will be a staff meeting with the family to see if she will be staying another month or go home for 60 more days with home health.  She will also be going to UMMC for tests Thursday afternoon to see if her hip is healing so the surgeon can proceed in getting her hip fixed.  She has been getting out of bed and walking with her walker a few steps so she is slowing making improvements.  Please continue the prayers coming for Ina.  Looks like it will be a long road to recovery for her. 

7-15-2018 - Update:  Ina will be spending 6 more weeks at the Vicksburg Convalescent Home for more nursing/rehab.  It was decided by Doctor/Nurses that she is not able to return home.  Her appointment was canceled last Thursday afternoon and re-scheduled for July 31st for x-rays on her hip to see if it is healing before the has one more surgery for hip replacement.  Please continue prayers for Ina as she slowly recovers.