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Articles by Maureen Smith
Mississippi Catholic - Serving Catholics of the Diocese of Jackson Since 1954
On Oct. 4, 2026, in Assisi, Italy, Archbishop Felice Accrocca of Assisi, holds up a relic blessing Italy as cardinals, friars, and thousands of pilgrims join in the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis. The feast of the “the Little Poor Man of Assisi” was the culminating event of a yearlong jubilee celebration, which began with the historic exposition of his relics for public veneration.
Updated International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS version 5.0): modified Delphi, evidence informed consensus process
Detailed results of voting about importance and risk of bias for essential and enhancing criteria included in supplement table 1E. Table 4 lists summary findings of changes to essential criteria. Table 4 Consensus results* about changes to IPDAS essential criteria Presenting balanced information There was consensus on the importance of one revised and one new criterion, with both added to the enhancing category Essential: No changes.
PRISMA-Children and Adolescents (PRISMA-C) 2026 extension statement and explanation: enhancing the reporting and utility of systematic reviews of interventions in paediatrics
Research Methods & Reporting BMJ 2026; 393 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2025-088561 Cite this as: BMJ 2026;393:e088561 Ami Baba, doctoral student, Mufiza Farid-Kapadia, director, Maureen Smith, patient partner, Lisa Hartling, professor, David Moher, professor, Lotty Hooft, professor, Martin Offringa, professor Author affiliations Correspondence to: M Offringa, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada...
Correction: The development and usability of ‘The Genetics Navigator’: a digital solution for adult and paediatric clinical genetics services
Correction to: European Journal of Human Genetics https://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-025-01871-4, published online 30 May 2025 In this article, the author Daena Hirjikaka’s family name was incorrectly written as Hirijkaka. The original article has been corrected. About this article Saeedi, S., Hirjikaka, D., Clausen, M. et al. Correction: The development and usability of ‘The Genetics Navigator’: a digital solution for adult and paediatric clinical genetics services. Eur J Hum Genet (2026).
SPIRIT-Children and Adolescents (SPIRIT-C) 2026 extension statement: enhancing the reporting and usefulness of paediatric randomised trial protocols
Introduction Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that are appropriately designed and well conducted provide key information and evidence needed to reduce uncertainty about interventions, and are pivotal in health-care decision making. Before the conduct of an RCT, a protocol that comprehensively describes the trial's design, planned data collection, and analysis methods, and details various ethical, safety, and efficacy considerations, should be available in the public domain.
CONSORT-Children and Adolescents (CONSORT-C) 2026 extension statement: enhancing the reporting and impact of paediatric randomised trials
Introduction Appropriately designed, well conducted, and comprehensively reported randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are important to support and communicate transparent, evidence-informed health-care decisions. RCTs contribute to a robust evidence base on the effects of interventions that is indispensable to patients, families, researchers, funders, policy makers, health-care providers, and other interest holders.
Where You See Yourself
In Claire Forrest’s debut novel, Where You See Yourself, Euphemia “Effie” Galanos is in her senior year at Mill City High School in Minneapolis. Little has changed about the high school since she started there. Effie continues to be a very good student. Her best friends are still Cam and Harper. Teachers continue to mispronounce her first name and are ever glad for her nickname. Her dark curly hair has not changed its unruly ways.
Proteomic and genetic analyses of influenza A viruses identify pan-viral host targets - Nature Communications
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Abstract Influenza A Virus (IAV) is a recurring respiratory virus with limited availability of antiviral therapies. Understanding host proteins essential for IAV infection can identify targets for alternative host-directed therapies (HDTs).
By Kelsey M. Haas, Benjamin J. Polacco, Eun-Young Kim, Tiffany Kim, Elena Moreno, Hannes Braberg, Tia A. Tummino, James E. Melnyk, Margaret Soucheray, Lars Pache, Christopher F. Basler, Kevan Shokat, Brian K. Shoichet, Megan Shaw, Sumit K. Chanda, Tonia C Carter, Leah C. Kottyan, Jennifer Pacheco, Maureen Smith, Steven J. Schrodi, Randy A Albrecht, Danielle L. Swaney, Manon Eckhardt, Kris M. White, Judd F. Hultquist, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre
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Nature
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Eucharistic Revival
Eucharistic Revival Columns Jesus Christ invites all to return to the source and summit of faith: his Real Presence in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery. In this series of reflections, columnists share how the Eucharist has transformed them.
Defining critical educational components of informed consent for genetic testing: views of US-based genetic counselors and medical geneticists - European Journal of Human Genetics
Abstract The Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) Consent and Disclosure Recommendation (CADRe) framework proposes that key components of informed consent for genetic testing can be covered with a targeted discussion for many conditions rather than a time-intensive traditional genetic counseling approach.
Revived by the repast: Open a seat at the table - Georgia Bulletin
By MAUREEN SMITH, Commentary | Published May 2, 2023 A meal with friends can be one of the best medicines your soul can ask for. Just a few weeks ago, sitting in the sun, sharing good food, laughing, remembering and appreciating the gift of decades of friendship revived my spirits better than any other thing I can imagine. There is just something about nourishing your body and your spirit together with your community that gives new life.
Priest formation process updated - Georgia Bulletin
Photo by Johnathon Kelso Atlanta By MAUREEN SMITH, Special to the Bulletin | Published November 10, 2022 ATLANTA—In July of this year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approved an update to the document that outlines how the formation of priests should happen in dioceses. The update reframes the process and adds a period of active discernment at the beginning as well as a period of synthesis at the end.
Empowerment, Innovation and Evol
Abstract From the perspective of patient partners, the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit Engaging Multi-stakeholders for Patient Oriented-research Wider Effects and Reach Awards have facilitated successful patient-partnered research projects, which, in turn, have led to an evolution in patient partnerships and engagement strategies. The 15 projects profiled in this special issue point to the beneficial impacts of patient-partnered research.
Implementation of ‘Traditionis Custodes’ outlined - Georgia Bulletin
CNS photo/Gregory A. ShemitzFather Stephen Saffron, parish administrator, elevates the Eucharist during a traditional Tridentine Mass July 18 at St. Josaphat Church in the Queens borough of New York City. The Sunday Latin Mass has a dedicated following, drawing more than 150 people from Queens and neighboring counties. Atlanta By MAUREEN SMITH, Special to the Bulletin | Published September 17, 2021 ATLANTA—In a Sept. 8 memo to his priests, Archbishop Gregory J.
A menu for the mind: Angelus reading recommendations 2021
Reading has been on the rise since the COVID-19 outbreak, with studies showing that sustained reading surged in America during the most intense periods of the lockdown. With more time on their hands, some adults dove into books they had been hoping to get to, while others revisited favorite titles. Families read aloud together, finding joy in a former pastime.
Paper chains hold this year together | Georgia Bulletin
By MAUREEN SMITH, Commentary | Published May 29, 2021 The loops take up three walls, swooping gracefully from their hooks and finally spilling onto the floor where they pool in the dust, waiting for one more hook to be added to the wall. They are colorful—mostly bright solids, some neon, others with a smiley-face pattern. You might think my child has a penchant for music festivals, but these are fever bracelets strung into a paper chain around her room.
Achieving Zero Inequity: Lessons Learned from Patient Safety
In 1999, when To Err is Human1 was released, there was a need to build momentum and accelerate progress in the area of patient safety. The number of deaths in that report (44,000 to 98,000 deaths per year) plus several high-profile deaths resulting from medical error catalyzed safety efforts.
REVIEWS: 'Dirt,' by Bill Buford, and 'The Boy in the Field,' by Margot Livesey
Dirt By Bill Buford. (Alfred A. Knopf, 432 pages, $28.95.) The chef’s hat on the cover and the subtitle reveal that the former New Yorker fiction editor’s book does not deal with grime, although there’s some of that, too.
EIU’s Newman Center: Helping students grow in faith for 80 years
CHARLESTON — In 1939, Father Thomas Connolly and Dorothee Coleman had the vision to gather 13 students in her living room to form and shape a community that has grown and changed over these past 80 years. One constant amidst all these changes: inviting students, faculty, and staff into transforming relationships with Christ and one another.
Nuestra Fe celebrates decade of broadcast | Georgia Bulletin
Photo By Michael AlexanderLooking through the glass into the studio of Nuestra Fe Catholic Broadcasting Inc., volunteer Cucho Garcia looks over at the computer monitor to see how many listeners are connected to Facebook during a noon airing of “Nuestra Fe” (“Our Faith”). The radio program, which has aired daily out of Our Lady of the Americas Mission, Lilburn, since 2014, has 26,000 Facebook followers.
Connections to Christmases past | Georgia Bulletin
Photo By Michael AlexanderThe late Deacon Wayne Smith left handmade Christmas ornaments by the plates of family, friends and relatives attending the annual Christmas dinner. For his daughter Maureen, the ornaments serve as a “connection to Christmas past and a measure of the passage of time.” By MAUREEN SMITH, Commentary | Published December 26, 2019 There is an angel, a snowman, a small present, clothespin Santas.
Scammers in emails pose as pastors, ask faithful to buy them gift cards
JACKSON, Miss. (CNS) -- Scammers have taken aim at pastors, parishes and even the bishop in the Diocese of Jackson in the past couple of months. Just after Christmas, parishioners at St. Richard Church in Jackson received a warning that someone pretending to be pastor Father John Bohn was using a fake email address to try to persuade people to buy gift cards for him.
Mississippi Bishops praise abortion ban
March 25, 2019 Download statement HERE.. Statement in Espanol HERE.. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mississippi Bishops praise Abortion Ban When the angel of the Lord declared unto Mary that she would conceive and bear a son, she did not hesitate to say ‘yes.’ What a wonderful world we would live in if every parent could feel free to echo that ‘yes’ when they learn of a new life in the womb.
An Innovative Approach to Adequate Oral Hydration in an Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry Unit
Suboptimal hydration status and dehydration are problems that often exacerbate comorbid conditions in geriatric patients. At a Veterans Administration Hospital, it was observed that suboptimal hydration status in Veterans hospitalized in the geriatric psychiatry unit was a contributing factor in the worsening of their psychiatric and medical conditions. A quality improvement project was chartered to improve hydration in this group of patients.
An Innovative Approach to Adequate Oral Hydration in an Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry Unit
Suboptimal hydration status and dehydration are problems that often exacerbate comorbid conditions in geriatric patients. At a Veterans Administration Hospital, it was observed that suboptimal hydration status in Veterans hospitalized in the geriatric psychiatry unit was a contributing factor in the worsening of their psychiatric and medical conditions. A quality improvement project was chartered to improve hydration in this group of patients.
Reading of edict at Mass opens canonization cause for Sister Thea Bowman
Mary Woodward, diocesan chancellor in Jackson, Miss., displays the edict for the canonization cause of Sister Thea Bowman Nov. 18 at Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. Jackson Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, at left, read the edict at the start of the Mass. (Maureen Smith/CNS, via Mississippi Catholic) Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman, FSPA Born: Dec.
Reading of edict at Mass opens canonization cause for Sister Thea Bowman
JACKSON, Miss. (CNS) -- Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson read the edict to open the sainthood cause for Sister Thea Bowman at Mass Nov. 18 at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in downtown Jackson. The church was packed with people who loved Sister Bowman and can't wait to see her become a saint. Days before the Mass, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops unanimously voted in support of the cause moving forward during their general assembly in Baltimore.
Reading of edict at Mass opens canonization cause for Sister Thea Bowman
Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson read the edict to open the sainthood cause for Sister Thea Bowman at Mass Nov. 18 at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in downtown Jackson. The church was packed with people who loved Sister Bowman and can't wait to see her become a saint. Days before the Mass, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops unanimously voted in support of the cause moving forward during their general assembly in Baltimore.
Nuns' killer gets life sentences for plea, forgiveness from their families
LEXINGTON, Miss. — Rodney Earl Sanders pleaded guilty June 21 to murdering two religious sisters in their Mississippi home in 2016. What he got in return was mercy, forgiveness and a call to redemption. Holmes County Circuit Judge Jannie Lewis sentenced Sanders to two life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders, 25 years for the burglary of their home and another five for stealing their car.
Mississippi governor signs bill to ban abortion after 15 weeks
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law March 19 the most restrictive state abortion bill in the nation because it bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The owner of the state's only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, filed suit immediately after Bryant signed the bill, claiming it is unconstitutional. At a morning hearing March 20, a federal judge blocked the law with a temporary restraining order, in effect for 10 days.
Mississippi governor signs 15-week abortion ban; clinic files suit
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Update: Mississippi governor signs 15-week abortion ban; judge blocks it
JACKSON, Miss. (CNS) -- Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law March 19 the most restrictive state abortion bill in the nation because it bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The owner of the state's only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, filed suit immediately after Bryant signed the bill, claiming it is unconstitutional. At a morning hearing March 20, a federal judge blocked the law with a temporary restraining order, in effect for 10 days.
Bishops release statement on abortion bills
The Catholic Bishops of Mississippi, Most Reverend Joseph R. Kopacz, Bishop of Jackson, and Most Reverend Louis F.
Bishop calls attention to need for mental health reform legislation
Unfortunately, due to the deep freeze that descended upon Mississippi we were not able to host Catholic Day at the Capital. This has been indisputable winter weather for any region of our country, although this is an experience of solidarity that we could do without. As you may know, the critical needs of the state of Mississippi’s mental health system would have been the focus of our day within the framework of Catholic Social Teaching.
Study shows Guadalupe devotion lessens health issues caused by stress
JACKSON, Miss. (CNS)—A good talk with your mother every day could improve your health. At least, that’s what’s happened for immigrants in one Mississippi community. A study out of the University of Alabama exploring the link between faith and health demonstrated that those with a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe had fewer negative health issues related to stress. “This drives home how important faith is.
Study shows Guadalupe devotion lessens health issues caused by stress
JACKSON, Miss. (CNS) — A good talk with your mother every day could improve your health. At least, that's what's happened for immigrants in one Mississippi community. A study out of the University of Alabama exploring the link between faith and health demonstrated that those with a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe had fewer negative health issues related to stress. "This drives home how important faith is.
JACKSON, Miss. — A good talk with your mother every day could improve your health. At least, that's what's happened for immigrants in one Mississippi community. A study out of the University of Alabama exploring the link between faith and health demonstrated that those with a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe had fewer negative health issues related to stress. "This drives home how important faith is.
Study shows Guadalupe devotion lessens health issues caused by stress
JACKSON, Mississippi — A good talk with your mother every day could improve your health. At least, that’s what’s happened for immigrants in one Mississippi community. A study out of the University of Alabama exploring the link between faith and health demonstrated that those with a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe had fewer negative health issues related to stress. “This drives home how important faith is.
After public procession, bishop consecrates Jackson Diocese to Mary
JACKSON, Miss. (CNS) — In a state where the Catholic population hovers at 3 percent, a Mississippi bishop in a very public way made the community aware that he was consecrating the Diocese of Jackson to Mary. Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz led a procession through the streets of downtown Jackson at the end of an afternoon Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and before the consecration. Seminarians carried a statue of Mary as part of the procession and more than 100 Catholics joined in.
Bishop to consecrate diocese to Immaculate Heart of Mary
By Maureen Smith JACKSON – In honor of the centennial of the appearance of Our Lady in Fatima, Portugal, and as a way to strengthen the Pastoral Priorities implementation, Bishop Joseph Kopacz will consecrate the Diocese of Jackson to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sunday, Oct. 8. All are invited to the Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle at 1:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct.
Carmelites Celebrate Feast Day with Jackson area parishes
The small chapel in the Carmelite Monastery on Terry Road was overflowing with friends and supporters of the Carmelite nuns and Carmelite Seculars during Mass at 6:30p.m. on Sunday evening, July 16, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This, too, was the final day of the Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel which began on Sat., July 8, and continued with daily Masses and Novena Prayers to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
CT colonography coverage boosts CRC screening rates
People are more likely to undergo colorectal cancer screening if their insurance policy covers computed tomographic colonography, according to new research. The American Cancer Society recommends CT colonography, or virtual colonoscopy, as a less invasive alternative to colonoscopy for CRC screening in individuals aged 50 years and older, but it is not widely covered.
Catholic Diocese of Jackson
We are terribly saddened to have to announce the murder of two sisters in our diocese. Police found two bodies in the home of Sister Paula Merrill, SCN, and Sister Margaret Held, OSF, in Durant, Miss. this morning. The pair had not showed up to the Lexington Medical Clinic, where they worked this morning so workers called police, who found the bodies in the house. “These sisters have spent years of dedicated service here in Mississippi.
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