February 19, 2016
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Christ the King High School adds football, names coach 15
Year of Mercy coverage 2-3, 18 INDEX
Contact us.......................... 4 Español............................ 10-11 Events calendar................. 4 Our Parishes.................. 5-9 Schools......................... 14-15 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.......................16 U.S. news...................... 18-19 Viewpoints.................. 22-23 World news.................. 20-21 Year of Mercy ................. 2-3
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Making ‘Room in the Inn’ for the homeless 12-13
Consecrated life shows ‘radical witness’ in the world
Repent and atone
Bishop Jugis honors religious at Mass for World Day For Consecrated Life 6
Parishioners begin season of Lent with ashes, prayer 5
En el sur de México, el Papa advierte contra la disminuida importancia de la familia 10
Year of Mercy 2
catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Right of free speech and opinions
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Pope Francis
Giving to the poor is part of jubilee year
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jubilee year that does not open people’s wallets to share what they have with others is not a true jubilee, Pope Francis said. “This pope isn’t inventing that,” he insisted. “It’s in the Bible.” At his weekly general audience Feb. 10 in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis spoke about the description of a jubilee year in the Book of Leviticus. The religious feast also had serious social implications, he said, because it proclaimed a forgiveness of debts, the freedom of indentured servants and special generosity toward the poor and the stranger. “It was a kind of ‘general amnesty,’ which permitted everyone to return to their original situation with the cancellation of every debt, the restitution of land and the possibility of enjoying once again the freedom proper to members of the people of God,” he said. For God’s chosen people, who are called to holiness, the pope said, the jubilee prescriptions help “to combat poverty and inequality, guaranteeing a dignified life for all and a fair distribution of the land on which to live and draw sustenance.” During the Catholic Church’s jubilee year, each Christian should think about what they have, he said, and “if they have too many things,” they should “give some to someone who has nothing; 10 percent or 50 percent. The Holy Spirit will inspire you.” Pope Francis told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square that “a jubilee is for conversion so that our hearts become bigger, more generous, more (like) a child of God, with more love.” “I’ll tell you something,” he said, “if this jubilee doesn’t reach our pockets, it’s not a real jubilee. Do you understand? This is in the Bible, eh, this pope isn’t inventing that. It’s in the Bible.” “The biblical message is very clear: courageously open yourselves to sharing; this is mercy,” the pope said. “If we want mercy from God, let us begin by being merciful ourselves.” A biblical jubilee is about sharing and solidarity, Pope Francis said. “The biblical jubilee was a ‘jubilee of mercy’ because it was lived with a sincere search of the good of one’s needy brothers and sisters.” The laws governing God’s people in the Bible, he said, also had other means for encouraging people to help others experience God’s mercy. One of those things was the command to tithe a tenth of one’s earnings to the temple and to widows and orphans or to give a portion of the first fruits of one’s harvest. The Bible also had harsh words for those who charged high interest rates when loaning to the poor, he said. “Please, let us pray that in this jubilee the Lord would remove from all our hearts this desire to have more,” he said.
sueann howell | catholic news herald
A Charlotte pilgrimage for the Year of Mercy CHARLOTTE — Father Patrick Hoare, pastor of St. John Neumann Church in southeast Charlotte, leads the opening prayer for hundreds of pilgrims from his parish who traveled to the Door of Mercy at St. Patrick Cathedral Feb. 5 in a pilgrimage for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. The parish brought three busloads of pilgrims and many others drove to the cathedral to attend the event organized by their church. Haven’t made a Year of Mercy pilgrimage yet? The Diocese of Charlotte has three Doors of Mercy: St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville and St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. Visit one, or all three! At www.yearofmercy.rcdoc.org: On the Diocese of Charlotte’s Year of Mercy website, find more information about how to make a Year of Mercy pilgrimage and how to receive the plenary indulgence
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
‘Mercy Moments’ series now available online Just what does it mean to be merciful? The Diocese of Charlotte has produced a video series on the topic presented by Father Patrick Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlotte, and one of Pope Francis’ “Missionaries of Mercy.” Each of the seven videos explores the topics of mercy, justice and forgiveness within the Christian context. The series is being offered as one of the resources from the Charlotte diocese during the Catholic Church’s Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. Watch them all on the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel. For general information about the Year of Mercy, go to yearofmercy.rcdoc.org.
Also online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read more about Father Patrick Winslow and Father George Byers, the diocese’s two Missionaries of Mercy, and follow the latest news on the Year of Mercy from Charlotte to Rome
ccording to Church law (Canon 212), the Christian faithful are bound to Christian obedience to their pastors (pope, bishops, local pastors) inasmuch as they represent Christ as teachers of the faith. The faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual needs, and their desires according to their knowledge, competence and prestige. They have the right – and at times the duty – to make known to their sacred pastors their opinion on matters pertaining to the good of the Church, and to make their opinion known to the rest of the faithful. The right to express personal opinions concerning the good of the Church is more than about voicing complaints. It includes consultation. Opinions are not to be random or capricious, but acknowledged. Integrity of faith and customs is an unconditional limit of this right. A limit of this right includes matters of faith authentically taught by the Magisterium. If the activity of this right leads to an offense or breach of another right, the rights of free speech and free opinions do not exist. Examples of a structured forms of consultation include the Council of Priests (Canon 495-502), the Diocesan Pastoral Council (Canon 536), the Parish Finance Council (Canon 537), etc., and, more recently, the consultation questionnaire distributed to every diocese in advance of the 2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family. Not to be overlooked is that the attitude of pastors is not simply one of obedience, but of trust. All pastors should be willing to listen to lay people, giver brotherly consideration to their wishes, and recognize their experience and competence in different fields of human activity (Canon 592). These rights and Church laws flow from the teachings of Vatican II – in one of its principal documents, “Lumen Gentium” (“Light of the Nations”): “The laity have the right, as do all Christians, to receive in abundance from their spiritual shepherds the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the assistance of the word of God and of the sacraments. They should openly reveal to them their needs and desires with that freedom and confidence which is fitting for children of God and brothers in Christ. They are, by reason of the knowledge, competence or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, permitted and sometimes even obliged to express their opinion on those things which concern the good of the Church. When occasions arise, let this RIGHTS, SEE page 17
Your daily Scripture readings FEB. 21-27
Sunday: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17-4:1, Luke 9:28-36; Monday (The Chair of St. Peter): 1 Peter 5:1-4, Matthew 16:13-19; Tuesday (St. Polycarp): Isaiah 1:10, 16-20, Matthew 23:1-12; Wednesday: Jeremiah 18:1820, Matthew 20:17-28; Thursday: Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 16:19-31; Friday: Genesis 37:34, 12-13, 17-28, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46; Saturday: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32.
FEB. 28 - MARCH 5
Sunday: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15, 1 Corinthians 10:16, 10-12, Luke 13:1-9; Monday: 2 Kings 5:1-15, Luke 4:24-30; Tuesday: Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Matthew 18:21-35; Wednesday: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9, Matthew 5:17-19; Thursday (St. Katharine Drexel): Jeremiah 7:23-28, Luke 11:14-23; Friday (St. Casimir): Hosea 14:2-10, Mark 12:28-34; Saturday: Hosea 6:1-16, Luke 18:9-14
MARCH 6-12
Sunday: Joshua 5:9-12, 2 Corinthians 5:1721, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32; Monday (Sts. Perpetua and Felicity): Isaiah 65:17-21, John 4:43-54; Tuesday (St. John of God): Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12, John 5:1-16; Wednesday (St. Frances of Rome): Isaiah 49:8-15, John 5:17-30; Thursday: Exodus 32:7-14, John 5:31-47; Friday: Wisdom 2:1, 12-22, John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30; Saturday: Jeremiah 11:18-20, John 7:40-53
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
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Year of Mercy pilgrimages
Don’t miss this! The Diocese of Charlotte’s Year of Mercy website has lots of educational resources for families, including monthly catechesis on the virtues and corporal and spiritual works of mercy. February’s virtue is “Hope,” as modeled by St. John Vianney. The Spiritual Work of Mercy for the month is “Counsel the Doubtful” with information about St. Francis de Sales, and the Corporal Work of Mercy is “Give Drink to the Thirsty,” with information about St. Peter Claver. Learn more at www. yearofmercy.rcdoc. org/catechesis.
New app for the Year of Mercy “365 Days to Mercy,” a free app in the iTunes and Google Play stores, is designed to accompany your spiritual journey during the Jubilee Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis. Produced by Our Sunday Visitor, it includes daily reflections on mercy, Scripture reflections, Pope Francis’ tweets, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and a lot of other things you’ll find helpful. It’s not complicated or time consuming – in just a minute or two a day you can read a little about mercy.
n A Diocese of Charlotte Jubilee Year of Mercy Pilgrimage is being led by Father Michael Kottar of St. Mary, Help of Christians Church in Shelby and Father Carmen Malacari of Holy Spirit Church in Denver. Pilgrims will travel to Rome, Sienna, Assisi and Nettuno Oct. 12-21. Costs of the pilgrimage are $3,299, not including taxes and tips. For more information and to register, contact Jean Judy Judge at 704-487-7697 or email jmjuge@charlottediocese.org. Online registration can be done through www. GoCatholicTravel.com/Charlotte.
‘Face of Mercy’ series explores faith from local viewpoints SueAnn Howell Senior reporter
CHARLOTTE — The Jubilee Year of Mercy has inspired St. Matthew Church’s latest original small group sharing series, “The Face of Mercy,” which brings together Catholics during the Lent and Easter seasons to reflect and discuss topics related to the concept of mercy. This year, St. Matthew Church in south Charlotte has invited seven other parishes to join in the small group series. Five Charlotte area parishes are participating: St. Gabriel Church, St. John Neumann Church, St. Peter Church, Our Lady of Consolation Church and Holy Spirit Church in Denver. Two Virginia parishes, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Fredericksburg and St. Francis of Assisi in Triangle, are also offering the series. “The Face of Mercy” series is designed to bring friends – both old and new – together in small groups for five sessions to discuss and share the Lent (three sessions) and Easter (two sessions) experience. These small groups meet in homes, workplaces or any comfortable setting, using a simple workbook and a DVD. Five pastors provide a weekly teaching on the DVD followed by inspiring stories from parishioners who bring new insights on mercy to life. These pastors include: Monsignor John McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthew Church; Father Carl Del Guidice, pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church; Father Patrick
n The Diocese of Charlotte Youth and Young Adults Ministry is hosting a pilgrimage to Poland and the Czech Republic for World Youth Day 2016 July 24-Aug. 3, for people aged 16 to 35. The cost for the tour ranges from $4,170 for twin occupancy, $3,970 for triple occupancy, and $3,770 for quadruple occupancy, and includes round-trip airfare from Charlotte. For additional information, contact Canterbury Pilgrimages and Tours at 800-653-0017 or email Canterbury. Tours@live.com.
Hoare, pastor of St. John Neumann Church; Father Frank O’Rourke, pastor of St. Gabriel Church; and Father Carmen Malacari, pastor of Holy Spirit Church in Denver. Monsignor John McSweeney, in his welcome letter to participants, stresses how the past three popes – St. John Paul II, Benedict and Francis – have spoken passionately and prophetically about mercy. “These three popes have taken an ancient word in our Catholic faith and given it new life in our contemporary Church,” he says. “What exactly is mercy? What meaning does it have for us in our relationships with God and others? These are questions we will share in our small groups.” The five sessions address mercy in a unique way as expressed by their distinct titles: The first, “Looking at Mercy with New Eyes,” features a talk by Monsignor McSweeney and the story of a Rwandan refugee family assisted by St. John Neumann parishioners. The second, “Challenge of Mercy” features Father Del Guidice and a testimony by a couple who fosters and then adopts three children. The third, “Breathing Mercy,” led by Father Hoare, highlights women and men from St. Gabriel and St. Matthew churches who serve homeless women and their families. The fourth, “Mercy in the Family,” led by Father O’Rourke, shares the story of a couple’s struggle with alcoholism. The fifth, “A Church of Mercy,” hosted by Father Malacari, features the story of a church community that ministers to a young man who caused an accident in which three people died. “We are called to be in community, sharing our questions, thoughts and stories, and supporting one another in love, friendship and compassion,” Monsignor McSweeney explains. “And if we truly live out in our small groups all that Jesus taught us, we may come to recognize the Face of Mercy in every person gathered with us. “We also might discover in the ‘little church’ of our small groups, the kind of ‘global’ Catholic Church Jesus intends for us to be.” Sessions are set to begin in parishes Feb. 29 and will conclude the week of April 4.
More online At www.lentenfriends.org: Get more information on the fiveweek “Face of Mercy” series for your parish or your family.
n A pilgrimage is being organized to the Mass for the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Sept. 1-9 with Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe. The pilgrimage will also tour Rome, Assisi, Tuscany, Florence and Venice. The trip costs $3,900 and is all-inclusive with airfare. To register, call 855-842-8001 or 508-340-9370. Online registration can be done through www.proximotravel.com. Reference Father Roberts at registration. n St. Pius X Church in Greensboro is celebrating a Year of Divine Mercy Pilgrimage with a tour of Poland and Prague. Monsignor Marcaccio will host the Sept. 19-29 pilgrimage, which will include Warsaw, Krakow, Lagiewniki and the Infant of Prague. The trip ranges between $4,595 per person for double occupancy and $5,445 per person for single occupancy. Contact Ellen Fennie at ellenfennie@aol.com or call 336-202-4223 to register. n A Year of Mercy Pilgrimage to Poland Oct. 30-Nov. 6 will be led by Father Christopher Roux, rector and pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. Walk in the footsteps of the Saints of Mercy St. John Paul II and St. Faustina, view the miraculous image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and more. Pricing starts at $3,699 for reservations received by March 11. Call Corporate Travel at 1-800-727-1999, ext. 121 or 150, or go to www.ctscentral.net. n Our Lady of Grace School and Church will host a Pilgrimage of Mercy through Italy July 11-21. Directed by Father Noah Carter and Father Eric Kowalski, the pilgrimage will tour Venice, Florence, Assisi, Nettuno, St. Maria Goretti’s Shrine and the Vatican City. Cost for the tour is $3,599, including airfare. For details, contact Father Carter at 336-274-6520, ext. 318, or email frncarter@olgchurch.org. Is your parish or ministry hosting a pilgrimage for the Year of Mercy? Email us the information at catholicnews@charlottediocese.org. — Rachel McKimmon, intern
UPcoming events 4
catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: FEB. 19 – 10 A.M. Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte
FEB. 20 – 1 P.M. Rite of Election St. Thérèse Church, Mooresville
FEB. 27 – 11 A.M. Rite of Election St. Barnabas Church, Arden
Missal. Light refreshments served. For details, call the parish office at 704-545-1224.
p.m., in the Family Center Room 203 at St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville. Organized with the Alzheimer’s Association, the monthly meetings are for the caregivers and family members of people with Alzheimer’s. For details, email Janet Urban at jgraceart@yahoo.com.
Diocesan calendar of events February 19, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT
Volume 25 • Number 10
Lenten devotional “Adoramus te, Christe”: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at Sacred Heart Church, 375 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury. Presented by Carolina Catholic Chorale, the program features chant and polyphonic settings of the Adoramus text. Donations welcome. For details, go to www.carolinacatholicchorale.com.
1123 S. Church St. Charlotte, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org
704-370-3333 PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte
STAFF EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org
Lectures & Workshops SIXTH Annual Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference: Saturday, Feb. 27, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Speakers: Brian Pusteri of Broken Door Ministries, Joe McClane, speaker, author, evangelist; Father Chris Alar, MIC, director of the Association of Marian Helpers; Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey; and Bishop Emeritus William Curlin. For details, visit www. catholicmenofthecarolinas.org.
SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org
Lenten Services
Online reporter: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org
holy hour for vocations During lent: 6-7 p.m. Thursdays at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 708 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia. Pray Feb. 25 for married couples, March 3 for consecrated and religious, March 10 for seminarians and March 17 for priests.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org Hispanic communications reporter: Rico De Silva, 704-370-3375, rdesilva@charlottediocese.org
The Catholic News Herald is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year. NEWS: The Catholic News Herald welcomes your news and photos. Please e-mail information, attaching photos in JPG format with a recommended resolution of 150 dpi or higher, to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org. All submitted items become the property of the Catholic News Herald and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives. ADVERTISING: Reach 165,000 Catholics across western North Carolina! For advertising rates and information, contact Advertising Manager Kevin Eagan at 704-370-3332 or keeagan@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $15 per year for all registered parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all others. POSTMASTER: Periodicals class postage (USPC 007-393) paid at Charlotte, N.C. Send address corrections to the Catholic News Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.
Lenten Parish Mission “Mercy of God in our lives”: 7-8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem. Presented by Father Dennis Mason, OFM. For details, contact the parish office at 336-722-7001.
Anointing of the Sick: 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill. Anointing is presented to those who need healing from physical or mental illness or someone who will be undergoing surgery. Refreshments following Mass. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-545-1224. High Mass for the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter: 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 708 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia Blessing of Easter Food Baskets: Noon, Saturday, March 26, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Deacon James Witulski will bless Easter food, part of an Eastern and Central European tradition also called “The Blessing of the Easter Baskets,” (“Swieconka” in Polish). The blessings will be in English and Polish. Bring your Easter foods to the church in a basket: traditional foods such as sausage, eggs, bread and butter, or use your imagination and include your own cultural foods. Children can even bring their own baskets with their own treats. For details, call Deacon James Witulski at 704-960-3704. Healing Mass and Anointing of the Sick: 2 p.m. every third Sunday of the month, St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr., Maggie Valley. Individual prayers over people after Mass by Charismatic Prayer Group members. For details, call the parish office at 828-926-0106. Evening Novenas: Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Christ the King Church, 1505 East Kivett Dr., High Point. All are invited to pray the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Join them in praying for the needs of your families and for our hurting world. For details, call the parish office at 336-883-0244.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING NFP Introduction and Full Course: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Topics include: effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-370-3230. PRAYER SERVICES & Groups Pro-Life Rosary: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 5, 901 North Main St. and Sunset Drive, High Point. Outdoors, rain or shine. Parking available nearby. For details, call Jim Hoyng at 336-882-9593 or Paul Klosterman at 336-848-6835. Lenten Series ‘THROUGH LENT and EASTER SUNDAY with the Gospel of Luke’: 3-4 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 20 and 27 in the Family Life Center at St. Luke Church, 3700 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill. Three-part series will provide better understanding of the Scriptures this Lent and how to apply them in everyday life. Parishioner Dave Galusha will use a video presentation to cover essential information and lead group discussion. Bring a Bible or
SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING “Protecting God’s Children” workshops are intended to educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. Upcoming workshops are listed below. For details, contact your parish office. To register and confirm workshop times, go to www.virtus.org. Asheville: 9 a.m. Saturday, March 5, St. Lawrence Basilica, 97 Haywood St. Charlotte: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. Huntersville: 10 a.m. Saturday, March 5, St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road KERNERSVILLE: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, Holy Cross Church, 616 South Cherry St. Salisbury: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, Sacred Heart School, 385 Lumen Christi Lane SUPPORT GROUPS Alzheimer’s Caregiver and Family Support Group: Meets the first Monday of the month, 6:30-8
POST-ABORTION HEALING: Rachel’s Vineyard is a weekend retreat for women and men to begin their healing journey after abortion. For details, go to www. rachelsvineyard.org or contact Jennifer Ganser, diocesan Respect Life coordinator, at 336-209-2161 or jmganser@ charlottediocese.org. Year of mercy Year of Mercy website: Keep up to date on all Jubilee Year of Mercy events, download catechetical resources on the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, watch videos on the theme of mercy, and much more, at the Diocese of Charlotte’s Year of Mercy website: www. yearofmercy.rcdoc.org. YOUNG ADULTS ASHEVILLE THEOLOGY ON TAP: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Asheville region. For details, check them out on Facebook, Twitter or MeetUp. CHARLOTTE AREA YOUNG ADULTS: Groups for Catholics in their 20s and 30s, single or married, are active in Charlotte at: St. Gabriel Church: on Facebook at “St. Gabriel Young Adult Ministry” St. John Neumann Church: contact Meg VanGoethem, 815-545-2587 St. Mark Church in Huntersville: look them up on MeetUp St. Matthew Church: on Facebook at “Young Adult Life: A St. Matthew Ministry” St. Patrick Cathedral: on Facebook at “St. Patrick Cathedral Frassati Fellowship-Young Adult Ministry” St. Peter Church: look them up on MeetUp St. Thomas Aquinas Church: Online at “Aquinas’ Finest,” www.stacharlotte.com/finest Our Lady of Consolation Church: contact Denise Duliepre, 917-575-0871 Holy Spirit Church in Denver: contact Nicole Lehman, 704-607-5207 GREENSBORO WAY OF CHRIST: The young adult ministry at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. Go to www.stpiusxnc. com/woc, or look them up on Facebook at “wayofchrist” or Twitter @wocgreensboro. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION FRASSATI SOCIETY: For young adults aged 20-39, single or married, in the Hendersonville area. Look them up on Facebook at “ImmaculateConceptionFrassatiSociety.”
Our parishes
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
Ash Wednesday
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Think two words this Lent: ‘repent’ and ‘atone’ Bishop Jugis preaches on Ash Wednesday as Lenten season begins SueAnn Howell Senior reporter
Worshippers packed churches across the Diocese of Charlotte Feb. 10 to start the season of Lent. (At top) During Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral offered by Bishop Peter Jugis, a parishioner received ashes from Deacon Carlos Medina. (Middle) A community Lenten worship service was held on Ash Wednesday at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, led by Father Paul Dechant, OSFS. At St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, Monsignor John McSweeney also offered Mass. (Above) A deacon places ashes on the forehead of a parishioner and her child at Holy Spirit Church in Denver. Members of Our Lady of Consolation Church also received ashes during the morning Mass on Ash Wednesday. PHOTOS BY SueAnn Howell, John Bunyea, Travis Burton, Doreen Sugierski and David Hains | Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis stressed two words in his homily for Ash Wednesday: repent and atone. This Year of Mercy is the perfect time to perform works of mercy to atone for sin, he said during Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte Feb. 10 to mark the start of Lent. “Two words I would like to leave with you this afternoon as we celebrate Ash Wednesday: the first word being ‘repent,’ which is the message of Ash Wednesday,” Bishop Jugis said. “We heard in the first reading, ‘Return to the Lord your God.’ In other words, repent and do penance for your sins.” “Repentance is so important, of course, because when it happens the Lord gives us a new heart and a new spirit. That’s ultimately what He wishes of us: to be recreated constantly, daily, to receive that new heart which His grace always creates within us. “For Him to do that in us requires repentance,” he said. “We must repent.” All of the cathedral’s Ash Wednesday Masses, like many such services across the Diocese of Charlotte, were standing-room only. Clergy, including Bishop Jugis, emphasized the importance of repentance in seeking God’s mercy. Receiving ashes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday, they said, is a tangible, external sign of repentance and an interior conversion of heart that is taking place. “The Lord expects that there will be a match-up between what is demonstrated externally in the ashes, and what is taking place internally in the heart, that repentance actually is taking place,” Bishop Jugis noted. “About six weeks ago on Jan. 1 – from this very pulpit – I proposed a worthy New Year’s resolution that we all might want to follow: holiness. Certainly, repentance from our sins and asking forgiveness for our sins is an integral part of holiness,” he said. Bishop Jugis said that if we really want to be holy, as Jesus asks of us, we have to be busy and serious about that work of repenting of our sins. “Remember what Jesus said as He hung upon the cross? ‘Father, forgive them.’ Beautiful words which transcend all time and all place! He is saying in His crucifixion, His suffering, His death and His resurrection that all of that is taking place for the forgiveness of sins. And from that suffering, from that agony, He pronounces forgiveness for us. Forgiveness for the human race.” Bishop Jugis stressed that it is important during this season of Lent to keep our eyes on the crucified Lord. And remember those words that He spoke out of love for us: “Father, forgive them.” “That forgiveness is yours when you turn to Him. So let us go to confession to receive that grace of forgiveness,” he said. The second word Bishop Jugis asked the faithful to remember during Lent is “atone.” “Not only do we repent of our sins but then we must atone for our sins, the Lord asks of us. What a beautiful year we have in the Jubilee Year of Mercy, to dedicate ourselves to works of mercy which are a most beautiful way to atone for our sins!” he said. “To atone for every way we have been disobedient to God’s will. To atone for all the ways we have been selfish, self-centered in a sinful way – to perform those works of mercy – to atone.” Bishop Jugis listed works of mercy we can all engage in this Lent: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, burying the dead, counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, admonishing sinners, comforting the afflicted, forgiving offenses and bearing wrongs patiently. “All these beautiful works of mercy show how we can atone for all we have done wrong,” he said. “Let us now ask God to bless us as we begin this most important season of repentance.”
More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos of Ash Wednesday from around the Diocese of Charlotte
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catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 OUR PARISHES
St. Leo’s Deacon Dennis O’Madigan passes away
sueann howell | catholic news herald
Brothers from the Missionaries of the Poor’s St. Gabriel the Archangel Monastery in Monroe make the sign of the cross at the end of Mass for the World Day of Consecrated Life celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis Feb. 6 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
Consecrated life shows ‘radical witness’ in the world Bishop Jugis honors religious at Mass for World Day For Consecrated Life SueAnn Howell Senior reporter
CHARLOTTE — “I look forward to this day each year to honor with you the vocation to the consecrated life, and to thank the good Lord for the varied expressions of consecrated life that are present here in our Diocese of Charlotte,” said Bishop Peter Jugis during his homily at Mass for the World Day for Consecrated Life Feb. 6 at St. Patrick Cathedral. The annual Mass has become a tradition in the diocese after St. John Paul II began the observance of the World Day of Consecrated Life in 1997. The pope instituted the annual celebration, Bishop Jugis explained, “to prolong in time the good fruits that had been reaped from the Synod of Bishops on the Consecrated Life that was held in 1994.” “After that came the apostolic exhortation ‘Vita Consecrata’ in 1996. So in order to prolong the reflection each year on the value and the essential role of the consecrated life in the Church, he instituted this annual observance of the World Day of Consecrated Life.” “Now for 19 years we have been reflecting year by year and holding up and exalting the beauty of consecrated life in the Church. How essential the consecrated life is both for the Church and for the world!” he continued. The mission of consecrated religious in the Church and in the world is clear, he told members of the various religious orders serving in the diocese who were at the Mass.
“We all know the world needs Jesus. There is no doubt about it. We just read the daily papers and look at the evening news... We see it at every moment that the world needs Jesus. Because the world needs Jesus, we know the world needs your example of your radical gift of self for the love of the Lord Jesus in order to bring Him into the world. “That is what we are acknowledging when we praise and recognize the consecrated life. It is a radical gift of self – over and above, and different from, the other gifts of self which occur in other vocations in the Church. This is even more radical. And it is a witness that the world needs to see.” The world needs to know that Jesus is present among us, he told them. “You do that in a very unique way by your total
More photos online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from the Mass for the World Day for Consecrated Life
commitment – leaving everything behind and mirroring in your lives the way of life that Jesus chose for Himself: that of poverty, chastity and obedience. “Poverty for love of Christ tells the world that everything is received as a gift from God. And chastity, living the pure love of Christ – so very different and a contradiction from the way the world around us understands love. And obedience out of love for Jesus, delighting only to do the Will of God – not one’s own agenda, but following the Will of Almighty God. “This is a very unique way, and a very privileged way, that the Lord has chosen you to bring Jesus into the world. Letting the world know that Jesus is alive because there are real human beings who have dedicated themselves in this radical, consecrated WITNESS, SEE page 17
WINSTON-SALEM — Deacon Dennis Timothy O’Madigan, who served at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, passed away peacefully Jan. 31, 2016, aged 82. Loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother and friend, he touched every life he met with his warm heart, gentle spirit and his ability to tell a joke like no other. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Feb. 5, 2016, at St. Leo Church, celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis and concelebrated by priests of the Diocese of Charlotte. Deacon O’Madigan spent nine years at St. Columbian Seminary in Silver Creek, N.Y., then entered the U.S. Army Intelligence Branch at Fort Dix, N.J. After serving his country, he graduated from Boston College and the New England School of Law. He spent time at Northeast Airlines before becoming director of security for Piedmont Airlines in 1972. In 1976 he became chairman of the Air Transport Association’s Security Committee. He was the first Catholic hired into management at Piedmont Airlines coming from Boston. The job provided him great freedom for ministry and he was able to help pastors anytime day or night. ”I O’Madigan never had a pastor I didn’t like,” he recalled in a 2013 interview with Deacon Ron Steinkamp for the Catholic News Herald. “They often relied on my legal training and I helped many people with legal advice and legal representation. It was a big part of my ministry.” After 22 years of service, he retired as assistant general counsel in 1989 when Piedmont Airlines merged with U.S. Airways. In 1983, he was ordained with the first class of permanent deacons for the Diocese of Charlotte. In his interview with the Catholic News Herald, he recalled the 1983 diaconate ordination Mass: “We were humbled by the undeserved honor” of being the first deacons ordained in North Carolina, he said. “Monsignor Anthony Kovacic, our formation director, was ecstatic as a father looking upon his children. Bishop (Michael) Begley was so welcoming, so full of love and so happy about the accomplishment of bringing a class of permanent deacons to ordination. It was a gift of God.” Deacon O’Madigan was assigned to his home parish of St. Leo, where he remained throughout his diaconal ministry. With joy he recalled how right after that ordination, Monsignor Kovacic was assigned as his pastor at St. Leo Church and he was immediately engaged in preaching and in assisting in many other ways. “St. Leo was a great parish for me and we even had Father Peter Jugis, now our bishop, two times as a parochial vicar. He is a canon lawyer and I (am) an attorney, so we had a common bond in that regard,” he said. Deacon O’Madigan was particularly active in prison ministry, serving for more than 30 years in both his professional career and his diaconal ministry. In 2005, he was given a certificate of appreciation by North Carolina Gov. Michael Easley for his “dedication and devotion in providing volunteer services to North Carolina’s people.” Gregarious by nature – “I’m Irish, you know”– Deacon O’Madigan loved being with people, helping people and talking with people after Mass (“pressing the flesh, as they say”). He always found a way to reach out and help anyone who needed it, whether it was a family member, friend or total stranger. Even in retirement Deacon O’Madigan continued assisting and encouraging people, which is where he found joy as a deacon. Visiting the sick at Baptist Hospital, Cursillo ministry, Knights of Columbus, legal aid – “I loved being a deacon these years,” he said. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dennis A. and Alice O’Madigan, his loving wife Diane O’Madigan, and sister Patricia Schoen. Left to cherish his memory are his fiancée, Kathleen Simmons, sister Mary Beckman and husband David, daughter Kathleen Hensley and husband Robert Hensley, son Michael O’Madigan and wife Stephanie O’Madigan, daughter Patricia Sechrest and daughter Sharon Durham; grandchildren, Matthew Sechrest and wife Lindsay, Alix Sechrest, Megan Sechrest, Brian Hensley, Aubrey Durham and Emma Durham; great-grandson Liam Sechrest; sons-in-law Keith Durham and Richard Sechrest; and many other family members. A very special thanks to Terry Simmons, Kathleen’s daughter, for her help and care during this difficult time. Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Memorials may be made in Deacon O’Madigan’s name to St. Leo the Great Church, 335 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27104. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com. Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home of Winston-Salem was in charge of the arrangements. — Catholic News Herald
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com
All Catholic men invited to upcoming conference CHARLOTTE — The sixth Annual Catholic Men’s Conference will take place Saturday, Feb. 27, at St. Matthew Church in south Charlotte. The theme of this year’s event is “Step up, Find your Strength,” and will feature talks by Brian Pusteri of Broken Door Ministries; author Joe McClane; and Father Chris Alar, MIC, director of the Association of Marian Helpers. Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey will celebrate Mass, and Bishop Emeritus William Curlin will give a reflection during a period of Eucharistic Adoration in the afternoon. All men of the diocese are invited to attend the day-long conference, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Advance registration fee is $35, and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Discounts apply for early registration, seniors, students and Knights of Columbus. St. Matthew Church is located at 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. in Charlotte. For details and registration information, go to www.catholicmenofthecarolinas.org. — Rico De Silva, Hispanic Communications Reporter
CHARLOTTE — When Jim Kelley came on board to lead development efforts for the Diocese of Charlotte in the mid-1980s, the diocese was home to 32,000 registered households. Fast forward 30 years and the diocese now has 65,000 registered households. Kelley has helped to find financial resources to support this “tremendous growth” since Monsignor John McSweeney, then the diocese’s vicar general and chancellor, hired him as the diocese’s first development director in 1986. Kelley was charged with creating a spirit of stewardship among Kelley the people of God and encouraging them to participate in the life and future of their parish. From his first day on the job, he recalls, there was a three-fold focus on development that went beyond simply raising money. “The focus has stayed consistent from the first day. First, we wanted people to live stewardship as a way of life, to see how blessed they are – and in gratitude for those blessings to give back their time, talent and treasure. Second, we also wanted people to get closer to Jesus and get closer and engage in their parish community. And third, we wanted the focus to be on changing lives – both the donors’ lives and the recipients’ lives. We know the Holy Spirit changes lives,” he says, “but we can help set up an environment where that can more readily happen.”
Under Kelley’s tenure, the scope of work for the diocesan development office has expanded significantly. “When I started, we were only coordinating the Diocesan Support Appeal. Soon after, we were working on capital campaigns,” he recalls. “Now we have 24 different efforts in the development office including the successful ‘Forward in Faith, Hope and Love’ campaign – the largest of its kind in the history of the diocese. That campaign raised pledges of more than $67 million for parish life and ministries, clergy support, Catholic education, Catholic outreach, and pastoral and temporal needs. “Overall, we have helped raise $497 million (over the past 30 years),” he says. “That speaks to the generosity of the people.” The office also oversees the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation, which since it was established in 1994 has grown to encompass 235 endowments and more than $32 million in assets. It has also conducted 163 capital campaigns to help build churches, activity centers and schools and to help parishes pay off debt. “We’ve also had over 900 people indicate to us that they are making gifts to the Church in their estate,” Kelley adds. The diocesan development office has grown from just Kelley and his administrative assistant of almost 30 years, Carol Flynt, to an additional six professional staff and two support staff. “I have been blessed to work with very talented and hard-working people over the years. I am very proud and appreciative of all their efforts, and look forward to accomplishing more for the diocese.” Kelley, who served as president of the International Catholic
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‘I consider myself graced and blessed’
Father Byer celebrates 35 years of priestly ministry SueAnn Howell Senior reporter
TAYLORSVILLE — Thirty-five years ago on Feb. 21, 1981, Father James Byer was ordained a priest of the diocese by Bishop Michael J. Begley, the first bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. A native of Ohio, Father Byer attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmittsburg, Md., and learned of a need for priests for the mission Diocese of Charlotte through a friend. He has served at 10 parishes in the diocese, first at St. Gabriel Church as a parochial vicar and currently as administrator of Holy Trinity Mission in Taylorsville. The Catholic News Herald recently asked Father Byer to describe his journey to the priesthood and his experiences over more than three decades of serving the Church: File | Catholic News Herald
For 30 years, development director recognizes parishioners’ generosity, engagement SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
OUR PARISHESI
Stewardship Council, travels the world promoting stewardship, meeting with people to foster an understanding of what true stewardship is and how to implement it. “The Church is so dynamic here in western North Carolina. I have had the good fortune to work with more than 100 dioceses over time. There aren’t a lot of places that have the dynamic growth that is happening here. Some areas are closing churches and schools. We’ve had nothing but dealing with growth.” Kelley also stresses that he has noticed great spiritual growth in the diocese. “At the end of the day, we’re looking for spiritual change in parishes. We’ve seen a lot more things happen spiritually. There were 14,000 people at the Eucharistic Congress last year. More parishes have adult education. More parishes offer Bible studies. We are finding that people are getting more engaged – not just at Sunday Mass, but throughout the week. There is more focus on Adoration, on prayer, on confession, on daily Mass, on developing ministries that serve others. We’re seeing that spiritual connection.” These successes point back to the original focus on stewardship set out by Monsignor McSweeney 30 years ago, he notes. “I have learned so much from the three bishops and three chancellors I’ve worked with here in Charlotte. They have allowed me to share the message of stewardship throughout our diocese and dioceses across the country. There is truly nowhere else I would have wanted to spend the past 30 years than with the pastors and people of the Diocese of Charlotte.”
CNH: When did you first discern that you were called to the priesthood? Father Byer: I grew up in a Catholic parish, Sts. Peter and Paul Church of the Polish heritage in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I began serving in my home parish when I was in the sixth grade. The sister in charge of the altar boys was especially helpful and affirming in her training program. Also, my pastor was an inspiration to me, to the degree of my attributing him as the seed of my vocation to the priesthood. CNH: What are some of your favorite assignments you have had over the past 35 years? Father Byer: Two assignments stand out in my memory: First, as parochial vicar at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. At one point of my stay at St. Ann’s, I was given the additional assignment of living with (at the time) our retired Bishop Michael J. Begley, who lived very close by. I thought it a blessing to live with the bishop who ordained me and travel with him, as his master of ceremonies, as he celebrated confirmations in our diocese. Second, when I was in residence at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville. The people were wonderful to me and I became good friends with a few families of the parish. While at St. Philip’s, I considered myself graced and blessed. CNH: What do you enjoy most about your priestly ministry? Father Byer: Number one on my list is celebrating the sacraments of the Church. The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is most special to me. The sacrament of penance offers any priest the opportunity to bond with and try to heal souls who need God’s grace and forgiveness in their lives. All sacraments are wonderful opportunities for priest and parishioner alike to unite themselves closer to God and grow together as members of the family of the Church. CNH: What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past 35 years? Father Byer: I have learned the importance of the virtue of humility. Staying dependent upon the Lord as a fragile human being myself, so as to identify with the fragility of the people of God. I have also learned the need for forgiveness in my own life so that I can offer the forgiveness of God with a greater sensitivity to the people I have been called to serve. CNH: What advice would you give to a man discerning a vocation to the priesthood? Father Byer: As you grow in maturity, try to balance the idealistic aspects of your understanding of the priesthood with the realities that you face on an everyday basis. The two aspects may bring you joy or may present a challenge to you. Be faithful to and constant with your own personal prayer life. Offer your services to the people you serve with honesty, respect, forgiveness and love all throughout your priestly ministry.
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catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 OUR PARISHES
By the cross their station keeping
One of the most popular devotions people observe during the Lenten season is praying the Stations of the Cross each Friday. (Nearly every parish organizes these prayer services; check your parish’s website or bulletin for details.) At Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City, Father Herbert Burke, pastor, and Deacon Andy Cilone led parishioners in praying the Stations of the Cross Feb. 12, the first Friday of Lent. Also pictured are altar servers Emily Ryback, Charles Ryback and Gabriel Lugo.
O Holy St. Jude! Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor for all who invoke your, special patronage in time of need; to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart, and humbly beg you, to whom God has given such great power, come to my assistance. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St. Jude pray for us who invoke your aid. (Say 3 Our Fathers, 3 Hail Mary’s, 3 Glory Be) Publication must be promised.
At St. Bernadette Church in Linville, Father Christopher Gober, pastor, led the Stations of the Cross Feb. 12. Parishioners also enjoyed a Lenten meal and listened to a talk about Lent by Father Matthew Kauth, priest in residence at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. Photos by Giuliana Polinari Riley and Cindy Giarrusso | Catholic News Herald
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE ‘Donuts and Dogma’ feeds body, soul at St. Michael Church GASTONIA — “Donuts and Dogma” provides a casual setting in which parishioners at St. Michael Church in Gastonia can learn about and discuss aspects of their Catholic faith. Started by former pastor Father Roger Arnsparger, “Donuts and Dogma” is a free youth and adult faith formation class that meets on Sundays before the 10 a.m. Mass, starting at 9 a.m. Topics have ranged from discussions to better understand the Mass to end-of-life issues. This year’s theme focuses on Catholic apologetics, notes Father Matthew Buettner, pastor. “Each year, participation has grown substantially and now about 50-70 enjoy the class each week,” he said.
RICO DE SILVA | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
On the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel: Watch video highlights from recent “Donuts and Dogma” classes at St. Michael Church
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com
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“Cemetery of Innocents” has been vandalized in the 20 years the parish has been setting up the pro-life display. In 2012, two banners which carried pro-life messages were torn. Other times, crosses have been removed, and signs and banners have been slashed or stolen. Damage to the broken wooden crosses was estimated at $200, the report states. It is not known who committed the vandalism, but police are investigating. — Catholic News Herald
Catholic Writers Guild members initiate North Carolina chapter
Pro-life display at St. Vincent de Paul vandalized for fifth time CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of drivers along Park Road were reminded just how valuable life is as they zoomed past the “Cemetery of Innocents” in front of St. Vincent de Paul Church in January. Several white crosses that lined the grass near signs that read “In memory of the unborn killed by abortion” and “Take my hand, not my life,” were broken between Jan. 25 and 26, according to an incident reported to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police. “Cemetery of Innocents” is a pro-life exhibit in observance of the more than 4,000 unborn babies killed daily through abortion in the U.S. The parish’s display is set up annually to coincide with the January 1973 anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized the killing of unborn children. St. Vincent de Paul’s Respect Life Coordinator Diane Hoefling said this is the fifth time the
GREENSBORO — Local Catholic writers, artists, editors and illustrators are invited to join the new North Carolina chapter of the Catholic Writers Guild, a non-profit international literary organization faithful to the Magisterium of the Church. The Guild works to create a vibrant Catholic literary culture by offering educational programs that encourage Catholic spiritual growth, and teach Catholic writers about their craft as well as how to sell and market their work. The CWG-NC chapter, which meets periodically in the Greensboro area, supports all Catholic writers and artists whether you are just starting out or an old hand. You need not be a published writer or professional artist to join. The CWG’s annual membership fee is $40; students receive a discount. There is no additional fee for joining the local chapter. The CWG will host an online conference March 4-6 and then a live conference in Chicago in conjunction with the Catholic Marketing Network July 26-29. For details, go to www.catholicwritersguild. org or contact Laura Lowder at laura.lowder@ gmail.com. — Annette Tenny, correspondent IN BRIEF, SEE page 24
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Annual
Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference
Saturday, February 27th, 2016 Saint Matthew’s Catholic Church
Brian Pusateri Broken Door Ministries brokendoorministri es.com
Joe McClane Speaker, Author, Evangelist Catholichack.com
Fr. Chris Alar, MIC Director of the Association of Marian Helpers
EXPERIENCE THE RESURRECTION THROUGH THE EYES OF A NON-BELIEVER
Chancellor Abbot Placid Solari
Bishop William Curlin
Step Up, Find Your Strength www.catholicmenofthecarolinas.org
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catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 10
Eduardo Bernal
Nuevo coordinador hispano del Vicariato de Charlotte anuncia plan pastoral
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on la alegría del Evangelio saludo a todos mis hermanos y hermanas de la Vicaria de Charlotte y de toda la Diócesis de Charlotte. Aprovecho la oportunidad para compartir con ustedes el plan de trabajo para nuestra Vicaria para darles por lo menos unas pequeñas nociones de este. Primero quiero dar las gracias por la bienvenida que he recibido en cada una de las comunidades que he visitado hasta el momento. Todavía me falta visitar un par de comunidades más, a las que ya pronto llegare para conocer y compartir. El trabajo de un coordinador de vicariato esta moldeado por el Plan Pastoral Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte que está basado en las necesidades de la comunidad. Este plan es una actualización del Plan Nacional y consta de cuatro áreas en las que nosotros los coordinadores trabajamos. Estas son: Nueva Evangelización y Pastoral de Conjunto, N.E. y Formación, N.E. y Opción Misionera, N.E. Liturgia y Oración. Uno de mis primeros pasos como coordinador de la vicaría además de visitar cada comunidad, será que todos los líderes y servidores se familiaricen con nuestro Plan Diocesano para el Ministerio Hispano. Conocer las cuatro áreas y como ya estamos trabajando en ellas y que falta por hacer en cada una. Es muy importante como vicaria actualizar este plan nuestra realidad, en otras palabras, aterrizarlo en nuestras nueve parroquias que están atendiendo a nuestra comunidad Latina (uso la palabra Latina porque la palabra Hispano/a es una creación del censo de los Estados Unidos, pero también la uso sin problema). Planeo retomar las reuniones mensuales con el liderazgo Latino del Vicariato, que gracias a Dios son muchos y esto me hace sentir muy apoyado en esta nueva misión. Estas reuniones serán para fortalecer la Pastoral de Conjunto, pero también para planear juntos esto es extremadamente importante. Aunque en la Vicaría tenemos diferentes movimientos apostólicos, pastorales y grupos especializados, todos somos un mismo cuerpo con diferentes dones y servicios para la construcción del Reino de Dios acá, y ahora y así, respondemos a diferentes necesidades de nuestro pueblo. Todos lo hacemos con un mismo fin que es reconciliar con Nuestro Padre por medio de Cristo Jesús, y crear Iglesia-Comunión/Cuerpo de Cristo, y así llevar la buena nueva de la alegría
del Evangelio a todos los rincones de la vicaría, comenzando por nuestros propios hogares, que es la Iglesia doméstica. En la N.E. y la Opción Misionera una de las metas es utilizar los medios de comunicación que ya tenemos. Como es este mismo periódico diocesano, el Catholic News Herald en español, y Radio Tepeyac, que esta online y es un ministerio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. En la N.E. y la Formación ya estamos trabajando con la oficina de evangelización de la Diócesis para lanzar nuevamente la Escuela Diocesana de Formación Laical en español. Es un programa que ya se piloteo hace algunos años con muy buen resultado. Además, tenemos otros recursos para la formación continua de nuestro pueblo católico como son SEPI, Step que viene de la Universidad de Notre Dame y otras instituciones Católicas del País. Por último, animar a todos en nuestra vicaria y diócesis a un evento que marcara nuestras vidas y las de nuestras familias y comunidades de Fe: El V Encuentro del Ministerio Hispano de los Estados Unidos. Este encuentro tendrá lugar, tentativamente en Dallas, Texas, en el 2018. Para este evento nosotros como región y diócesis estamos comenzando a formar nuestro equipo Diocesano y de Vicarias para recibir el entrenamiento de parte de SEPI (Instituto Pastoral del Sureste) para poder llevar a cabo el proceso en cada una de nuestras parroquias, vicarias y diócesis. Este es uno de esos momentos que transforman la historia de nuestro apostolado Latino en la iglesia de esta nación, y tenemos la gracia de Dios de ser parte de este momento. Yo como coordinador de la Vicaria de Charlotte estaré compartiendo esta información con mis líderes y servidores para ver quien está interesado en participar en nuestro equipo de la vicaría. Hermanos y hermanas, estas son algunas de las acciones pastorales que puedo compartir con ustedes, y nuevamente con la alegría del Evangelio, doy gracias a Dios por cada uno de ustedes. Son una bendición y les pido humildemente me tengan en sus oraciones a mí y a mi familia. Misericordia para todos. Eduardo Bernal es el nuevo coordinador del Ministerio Hispano de la Vicaria de Charlotte. Para comunicarse con él vía email escríbale a hispmincharlotte@gmail.com.
CNS | Paul Haring
Papa Francisco llegando a una reunión con las familias en el Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna en Tuxtla Gutiérrez, México, el 15 de Febrero.
En el sur de México, el Papa advierte contra la disminuida importancia de la familia David Agren Catholic News Service
SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS, México — El papa Francisco advirtió contra las iniciativas para disminuir la importancia de la familia, salpicando su charla con anécdotas improvisadas, observaciones que mantuvieron un estadio de fútbol lleno vitoreando, riendo y aplaudiendo. Hablando bajo un sol abrasador mientras decenas eran tratadas por golpes de calor, el papa dijo que la vida de familia no siempre era fácil y a menudo era una lucha, pero abogó por la perseverancia, diciendo que la vida de familia es una de las soluciones para el aislamiento y la incertidumbre y sus consecuencias no deseadas. “Prefiero una familia herida que hace esfuerzos diarios para poner en juego el amor, a una sociedad que está enferma de aislamiento y es habitualmente temerosa de amar”, dijo el papa Francisco el 15 de febrero frente una bulliciosa audiencia de familias, que vinieron de todo el sur de México y de la cercana Guatemala para una celebración en la ciudad de Tuxtla Gutiérrez. “Prefiero una familia que hace repetidos esfuerzos para comenzar de nuevo, a una sociedad que es narcisista y obsesionada con el lujo y el confort. Yo prefiero una familia con las caras cansadas de darse generosamente, a los rostros con maquillaje que no saben nada de ternura y compasión”. El énfasis del papa sobre las familias cambió el enfoque de su visita de seis días
More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Full coverage of Pope Francis’ trip to Mexico hacia las cuestiones pastorales después de golpear duro contra asuntos tales como la corrupción, el crimen y la explotación de las empobrecidas poblaciones indígenas del país. Durante el evento, una pareja de la ciudad de Monterrey – uno de los cuales estaba divorciada – habló del estigma y la sensación de no pertenecer al no ser capaces de recibir la comunión, pero ellos encontraron un hogar en la Iglesia Católica sirviendo a los demás y organizando proyectos pastorales. “A medida que nos acercamos a nuestra iglesia, recibimos amor y compasión”, dijeron Humberto y Claudia Gómez, que están casados civilmente, pero no por la iglesia. “Es maravilloso tener un matrimonio y una familia en la que Dios está en el centro”. Otra oradora, la madre soltera Beatriz Muñoz Hernández, de 52 años, habló de una infancia marcada por “la pobreza, la violencia y el abandono” de su padre, y luego de quedar embarazada cuando era una adolescente. “He encontrado el amor de Dios a través de su iglesia y él me ha liberado, me anunció que él me quería, que él no me rechazaba y, sobre todo, que él me perdonó”, dijo Muñoz, añadiendo que su fe le ayudó a superar la tentación de ver el aborto como una solución a varios embarazos.
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
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The Catholic Conference Center in Hickory presents
A Lenten Retreat for the Year of Mercy
“To be Saints is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone.” Pope Francis
Romy Machicao | Catholic News Herald
Familias llevan a bendecir imágenes del Niño Jesús CHARLOTTE — Dice la tradición que a los cuarenta días del nacimiento de un bebé, los padres deben presentarlo en el templo, como lo hicieron en su tiempo, la Virgen María y San José, un 2 de febrero. Hoy en día esa tradición sigue viva y las familias presentan esta fecha de la Purificación de María, la imagen del niño Jesús, que atesoran por muchos años, para que el sacerdote las bendiga. Un grupo de familias latinas pertenecientes a la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Asunción en Charlotte asistieron a misa y al finalizar, presentaron sus imágenes. “Tengo este niñito desde hace 8 años, mi familia me lo regaló y desde entonces soy una fiel devota del Niño Jesús. Ese año le pedí con fervor que me diera la bendición de tener un hijo hombre y así ocurrió, ahora le pido por otras personas y nunca me defrauda, por ello cada año le rendimos homenaje y lo ubicamos en un lugar preferencial en la casa”, dijo una de las feligreses. Todas coincidieron que cada 2 de febrero le compran ropa nueva y hacen una celebración especial con comida tradicional y tamales. Las señoras dijeron que le piden por las intenciones de todas sus familias y también agradecen por todas las experiencias del año anterior. En esta misa, se celebró por anticipado a San Blás, patrono de las personas con afecciones de la garganta. El sacerdote y los diáconos bendijeron a los asistentes con dos velas unidas por un lazo rojo, símbolo del santo que se celebra cada 3 de febrero.
Principal Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Kernersville, North Carolina The Diocese of Charlotte in Western North Carolina is seeking a loyal and practicing Catholic with the necessary spiritual and intellectual formation as well as academic credentials and experience to be the Principal of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School (BMCHS) in Kernersville, NC. BMCHS has a student population of approximately 450 and a faculty of 40. The candidate must be strongly committed to and enthusiastic about Catholic Schools and their mission; a mission-driven, visionary, energetic, innovative, confident and collaborative leader who inspires cooperation and must respect, appreciate, and uphold the teachings, principles, legislation, policies and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church in both word and example. A Master’s degree in educational administration, or a Master’s degree in education with appropriate credits in administration is required. Experience as a principal at the high school level is also required. For more information and consideration, please send resume and a cover letter with salary requirements to:
Theresa Ramirez Catholic Schools Office 1123 South Church Street Charlotte, NC 28203
or
catholicschools@charlottediocese.org
Are you seeking to gain a better understanding of your role as a disciple of Christ in this world? Lent offers us a time for reflection and growth to work towards becoming a saint. Join Fr. John Eckert for a day of reflection on the universal call to holiness during this Year of Mercy. Date: Thursday, March 10, 2016 Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Mass @ 3:00 PM Cost: $25.00 (includes lunch) To register, call Cathy Webb at 828-327-7441 by Monday, March 7th or via email info@catholicconference.org
THE ORATORY
Co-Sponsored by: Center for Spirituality
Retiro Espiritual de Cuaresma Pe. Inocencio Llamas Marzo 3 a 6 de 2016 Iglesia Catolica Sta. Ana 1694 Bird St. Rock Hill, SC 29730
Jornada de Sanacion La sanacion interior sucede cuando el Señor toca y sana: los traumas, las heridas, las angustias y el desamor que tenemos en nuestro corazon. El retiro de sanacion con Padre Llamas sera de Marzo 3 a 6 de 2016, por lo que se invita a la comunidad catolica a que asista, sobre todo a las personas que requieren sanacion para los enfermos. Habra desayuno, comida y cuidado de niños con uta donacion de $15. El Padre Inocencio Llamas studio teologia en la Ponticifca Universidad Salesiana en Italia. Ha sido asesor de la Renovacion Catolica Carismatica. Actualmente es parroco de la Iglesia Santa Rosa de Lima en Lagunillas, Venezuela.
INFORMES: Elvia Trujillo 803-412-7604 Luis Lozano 803-371-7210 Applications accepted through February 29, 2016
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iiiFebruary 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com
Making ‘Room in the Inn’ for the homeless ‘Room in the Inn is my sanctuary, where I can see how blessed I have been in my life.’ Frank Czaniecki
Coordinator of St. Gabriel Church’s Room in the Inn ministry
FROM TH
HE COVER
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.comiii
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Charlotte area parishioners practice loving their neighbors
F
SueAnn Howell Senior reporter
eeding the hungry. Clothing the naked. Welcoming the stranger. Loving others as oneself. Volunteers at five Charlotte area parishes practice the corporal works of mercy in a tangible way each week over the cold winter months, through a collaborative, interfaith effort of the Urban Ministry Center called “Room in the Inn.” Room in the Inn organizes overnight shelters for homeless women, children and men from December until March. These “neighbors,” as volunteers caringly call them, are welcomed into the churches’ parish halls, where they are provided a hot supper and a bed or cot, then breakfast and a bag lunch to take with them when they leave the next morning. The winter shelter program is part of the Urban Ministry Center’s overall effort to help hundreds of people each year in Charlotte experiencing homeless and extreme poverty, providing basic services and strategies to help them get back on their feet. St. Gabriel, St. Peter, St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas churches in Charlotte, plus St. Mark Church in Huntersville, all participate in Room in the Inn, welcoming the homeless one day each week through the winter season. The parishes’ dedicated volunteers help bus the neighbors to and from the shelters, set up the tables and cots, cook and serve the meals, and stay overnight with the neighbors. They pray, they hand out clothing and toiletries, they help with laundry, and – perhaps most importantly – they lend a compassionate ear towards the homeless, who can be all too easily ignored on the streets of Charlotte. So far the parishes have provided more than 524 neighbors with overnight shelter. Matt Daniels, director of Room in the Inn, expects the parishes will provide more than 866 beds for neighbors this year. “If we add up all the church beds that have been provided so far this season (Dec. 1, 2015, through Feb. 15, 2016) it comes to 10,594 beds!” Daniels says. “This is quite a large number, but we still need more church participation to meet the overall need during the winter months, particularly Sunday, Monday and Tuesday
nights. On many of these nights, we have to turn neighbors away because the demand outpaces our supply. My goal is to be able to provide 200 beds a night from December 1 through March 31. We aren’t there but we’re working on it!” St. Gabriel Church provides an overnight shelter on Thursday evenings. Frank Czaniecki, coordinator of the parish’s Room in the Inn ministry, has volunteered for more than 13 years. “At St. Gabriel’s Room in the Inn, I gained so much satisfaction and gratitude from the homeless that I decided we could do more. I took over the ministry and wanted change for our guests, so we got beds instead of mattresses, (and now we provide) some basic clothing – socks, underwear, etc. “I have been rewarded in many ways by the friendships, appreciation and prayers that they say because of what we do. Volunteers were hard to get, but what we do has been blessed with our parish’s spiritual and physical participation.” Close to 200 people are involved in some way at St. Gabriel’s ministry – driving vans, serving food, making beds, staying overnight with the guests, doing laundry for them, and more. At least six different volunteers join him each week – God’s way of calling disciples to do His works of Mercy, Czaniecki says. “Room in the Inn is my sanctuary, where I can see how blessed I have been in my life. And I get great joy and satisfaction from
knowing I am making someone’s life better, even though it’s a day at a time. My reward has come this year, when my 17-year-old granddaughter Kaitlyn decided this is what God wanted her to do. Every week she shares her faith and love with our guests and her grandfather.” Dorothy Menze assists Czaniecki at St. Gabriel Church. “I have been involved with the Room in the Inn ministry for many years,” Menze says. “Initially I provided food for our guests. Now I am responsible for coordinating the volunteers that provide the evening meal, bag lunches and breakfast food each Thursday evening. We typically host 20 people each week during the season. There is usually a mix of women, men and some children.” All of the neighbors are welcomed with open arms, she says. “I think that it is important that we care for others in our community. Service to others was a value that I was raised with, and I have tried to teach my children this same value. This year, I bring my 4-year-old grandson to help us make the beds on some Thursdays. It is challenging to explain what we are doing and why we are doing it to someone so young and so blessed, but I feel it is important for him to begin to see the difficulties that daily life presents to so many.” Each neighbor parishioners welcome has a story and is more than willing to tell it to anyone willing to open their hearts and
listen, volunteers say. “Sadly, since the financial troubles a few years ago, their stories sounded much like our own story but for its outcome,” says Deacon Joe Diaz, who coordinates the Room in the Inn ministry for St. Thomas Aquinas Church. “It showed us that if we had made different choices or had a major medical issue, we could have been recipients rather that participants of the ministry. ‘There but for the grace of God, go I.’” St. Thomas Aquinas Church partners with Advent Lutheran, Harrisburg United Methodist and Newell Presbyterian churches in the Room in the Inn ministry, providing shelter to 14 homeless people on Monday evenings. This is the 16th year the parish has taken part in Room in the Inn. Last winter, they sheltered 274 people. “My wife Carol and I got involved with Room in the Inn about eight years ago as volunteers, providing pillow treats (goodie bags) given to each neighbor that spends the night. We did it as a way to help those less fortunate – much as you make a donation to a charity,” says Deacon Diaz. “It was not until I became involved through the diaconate formation that it became more than just a ‘donation.’ During the years of formation, my involvement grew to working each evening from set-up at 4 p.m. until the sleepover people arrived, usually by 8 p.m. This time included time eating dinner with the neighbors, which gave us time to meet them as people and not just as homeless.” Partnering with three other churches in the ministry gives Deacon Diaz, a Catholic convert, particular satisfaction, he says. Lawrence Hauser, who has coordinated the ministry at St. Mark Church since 2013, has a particular empathy towards the neighbors he welcomes to the parish’s shelter each Tuesday evening. “I have a 44-year-old son who was diagnosed with a mental disorder at the end of the first semester of his senior year of college,” Hauser explains. “My wife and I experienced him being on the streets for about 10 years. He is doing well now, but my wife and I are thankful for how many people reached out to him.” Hauser calls Room in the Inn “a personally rewarding and revealing experience” for the parish’s 100 regular volunteers. “I am sure I can speak for all volunteers: we have all been blessed by the neighbors,” he says. (Top) Deacon Louis Pais says grace before supper at the Room in the Inn at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. St. Mark Church typically hosts up to 10 members of the Mecklenburg County homeless community every Tuesday night during the winter months. (Left) Frank Czaniecki, Room in the Inn coordinator at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, welcomes the homeless guests and gives them instructions before dinner. St. Gabriel hosts 20 guests every Thursday night at the St. Gabriel School cafeteria. (Above) One of the placemats used at St. Mark’s Room in the Inn during meals. The placemats were made by secondgraders at St. Mark School. Photos by RICO DE SILVA | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Watch a video of Room in the Inn ministry volunteers in action, welcoming their homeless neighbors with a safe, warm shelter and hot meals during these winter months
Our schools 14
catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com
Hancock, who teaches science at High Point Friends School and is a former faculty member at BMHS. — Jeff Stoller
In Brief
BMHS students earn arts awards BMHS students judge science fair KERNERSVILLE — For the second consecutive year, the Bishop McGuinness High School Honors Physics students have acted as judges for the High Point Friends School’s Middle School Science Fair. The fair had 46 project entries, including team and individual projects. Student entrants ranged from fourth through eighth grade, so judges used two different scoring rubrics to assess the projects. BMHS students have used this outreach opportunity to hone their critical thinking skills related to the scientific method. This year, 51 students traveled to High Point to score projects at High Point Friends School. Many students were surprised to notice that the superior science projects used many of the same quantitative, and qualitative, elements that are required in their formal lab reports for physics. The Science Fair judging field trip is coordinated with Dr. Tom
KERNERSVILLE — Five Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School students recently earned Regional Scholastic Arts Awards, the nation’s most prestigious recognition program for artists and writers. The regional competition was hosted at Barton College, and winning students have the opportunity for their work to be exhibited in prestigious galleries. The works of 300 artists who earn Gold Medals and American Visions Medals are included in the national exhibition to be held in New York City. Winning students were: Caity Burnham, Gold Key, photography; Casey Martin, Gold Key, digital art; Rachael Ormond, Gold Key, painting; Amanda Brechko, honorable mention, photography; and Jeannie Pfeiffer, honorable mention, printmaking. — Jeff Stoller IN BRIEF, SEE page 15
Spend time with Our Lord
Photo provided by Michele Snoke
A special visitor on Groundhog Day CHARLOTTE — Simon, a two-year-old hedgehog, visited kindergarten, first-grade and third-grade students (pictured above) at St. Gabriel School on his special holiday, Groundhog Day, Feb. 2. Simon belongs to Spanish teacher Addy Jean Mullis. No word on whether Simon saw his shadow that day and predicted the weather, but the students were thrilled to see him anyway.
Seeking Principal SUMMERVILLE, SC
The Diocese of Charlotte is blessed to have Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament offered in five locations. All of the faithful, of any age, are invited to participate! Stop by anytime or sign up for a regular Holy Hour:
Summerville Catholic School, located in Summerville, SC, is a K3-8th grade parochial school within the Diocese of Charleston. We are located approximately 25 miles north/west of Charleston.
BELMONT
The principal candidate must be a practicing Catholic with a deep spiritual faith, exhibit a passion for education and compassion for students, faculty, parents, and community.
Belmont Abbey College’s St. Joseph Perpetual Adoration Chapel 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road Margaret Fox (704) 648-8947 www.belmontabbeycollege.edu/about/ community
CHARLOTTE
HIgH pOINT
Pennybyrn at Maryfield Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel 1315 Greensboro Road Edna Corrigan (336) 324-4366 www.maryfieldeucharistic.org
HUNTERSVILLE
St. Mark Church’s Monsignor Bellow St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Road Perpetual Adoration Chapel Estelle Wisneski (704) 364-9568 (located in the Monsignor Joseph A. Kerin Family Center) 14740 Stumptown Road HICkORy St. Aloysius Church’s Immaculate Heart of Mary Sink (704) 892-5107 or email eucharistic.adoration@stmarknc.org Mary Perpetual Adoration Chapel www.stmarknc.org/adoration 921 Second Street N.E. Melanie & Dave King (828) 638-0462 www.staloysiushickory.org/perpetualadoration
The SCS principal must be an experienced leader demonstrating expertise in curriculum implementation, use of technology in instruction, team building, faculty development, and effective elementary school management. Candidate should Summerville understand contemCatholic School porary marketing 226 Black Oak Blvd. development and Summerville, SC 29485 Phone: 843-873-9310 Fax: 843-873-5709
communication tools and strategies in order to facilitate advancing school enrollment as well as insuring the school’s authentic Catholic identity. Candidate must meet the following qualifications: • Practicing Catholic in full communion with the church • Masters in Education (Catholic School Leadership a plus) • Minimum of 3 years of experience as a School Administrator Position is available June 30, 2016. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and 3 professional references to Caesar Meledandri at cmeledandri@summerville catholic.org.
Application deadline is March 15, 2016.
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
Christ the King High School adds football to athletics program, names coach
IN BRIEF FROM PAGE 14
CCHS band members excel
Debate team receives honors CHARLOTTE — The Debate and Speech Team of Charlotte Catholic High School won the Third Place Team Sweepstakes Award in the 23rd Sampson Smith Robertson Invitational Feb. 6, hosted by Southside High School in Greenville, S.C. Receiving individual awards were: Uwa Akhere, first place in storytelling, second place in dramatic interpretation and third place in humorous interpretation; Darlene Singui-Tanyi, second place in program original interpretation and third place in dramatic interpretation; and Brenna McBride, fifth place in dramatic interpretation. — Mary A. Morales
Spelling bee winner GASTONIA — Eighthgrader Cecelia Tolbert was the school-wide winner of St. Michael School’s Jan. 20 spelling bee, part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee program, and will advance to the Gaston County Gazette Spelling Bee on March 10. Students in grades four through Tolbert eight participated. Other class representatives were: Phillip Tolbert, seventh grade; Nancy Rhodes, sixth grade; Ariana Tsheaie (runner-up), fifth grade; and Amy Okonkwo (third-place winner), fourth grade.
CHARLOTTE — Three Charlotte Catholic High School band members recently made the SCDBA All-District clinic and spent the weekend at Stuart Cramer High School to work with nationally renowned music educators and teachers. All three students scored high enough to qualify them to audition for the North Carolina All-State Band. Pictured from left are: Abbey Roper (flute), Matthew Sie (saxophone) and John Roselli (trombone). — Timothy W. Cook
CCHS art students win big CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School art and photography students recently represented their school well in the 2016 Annual Scholastic Art Competition. Fifteen Scholastic Art Awards were bestowed on CCHS students, including six gold, four silver and five honorable mentions. Scholastic Gold recipients will advance to national competition. Gold Mixed Media: Christianna Bambini Gold Painting: Jacqueline Garcia Gold Drawing and Illustration: Chelsea Ireland Gold Digital Art: Kaia Petras Gold Printmaking: Allyson Pace, two awards Silver Painting: Christianna Bambini Silver Photography: Jack Broadnax Silver Printmaking: Lauren Andrysick and Connor Noch Honorable Mention Sculpture: Zach Kokatnur Honorable Mention Painting: Abigail Stapleton Honorable Mention Sculpture: Mallory Gruender Honorable Mention Printmaking: Alyssa Alvarez and Bella Garner The students study under the direction of art teachers Fran Brown and Bill McKinney, and photography/digital art teacher Joann Keane. CCHS is included in the Mid-Carolina Art Region, comprised of parochial, private and public schools in Mecklenburg and 17 surrounding counties. — Joann Keane
— Pat Burr
Music Director Looking for an energetic, self-motivated team minded individual who can work well with staff members and parishioners of various ages. Experienced with Catholic liturgy preferred or a willingness to learn. Salary negotiable Please send inquires and resumes to: HS#103, P O Box 85, Denver, NC 28037
HECHT REALTY
Selling Lake Norman Since 1971 hechtrealty.com
885 N. NC 16 Business - Denver, NC 28037 David Fuller, Realtor david@hechtrealty.com C: 704-530-2632
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O: 704-489-1183
F: 704-625-1250
Logan Thayer, Jessica Pautz, Luke Modzelewski, Katherine Mastrone and Arielle Ippolito Special to the Catholic News Herald
HUNTERSVILLE — Five years after its founding, Christ the King High School is adding football this fall to its line-up of varsity and club sports. The idea for a football team was circulating even as the school was being established north of Charlotte to serve the growing number of Catholic families there. Parents and community members sought “a Friday night-type experience for the school community,” said Sean Angell, a CTK parent and president of the school’s athletic association, who played a critical role in the formation of the team. The new team will be part of the Southern Piedmont Athletic Association, the same conference the basketball team joined this year. The team will be coached by James (Jay) W. Alverson Jr., a former head coach on the high school level in the Virginia public school system. Alverson developed an interest in football from a young age, culminating in his involvement in football at the high school, college and semiprofessional levels throughout his playing years. Alverson comes to the school after retiring from 21 years of combined service as an intelligence professional in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and earned an MBA from Trident University in Cypress, Calif. Alverson played semi-professional football as a quarterback with the Lexington Timberwolves and the Savannah Panthers. Alverson said he is excited to help build and establish a new program with a new identity. The team will not have cuts; the goal is to field 25-30 players, he said. Alverson, a Knight of Columbus and convert to Catholicism, said he plans to incorporate faith into players’ athletic training, and stresses “service before self.” He said volunteering and community service projects will be expected of players. As it is Alverson’s first year coaching at a Catholic school, the faith aspect of the
Photo provided by KayLynn Ann Gardner
school community particularly intrigues him, he said. His coaching philosophy, influenced by his military service, focuses on training his team to love discipline, hard work and competition so that players will fully appreciate each other and, more importantly, the school that the team represents. Alverson said he will stress “the value that football brings to young men as they grow into adulthood.” Alverson said he plans to hold football interest meetings later in February. Conditioning workouts will start the following week. Summer workouts will begin the first Monday in June, with closed practice (no new members after this point) beginning Aug. 1. The Crusaders will play their first game Aug. 19 against Statesville Christian School. Besides football, Christ the King High School offers 13 sports including baseball, basketball, crew, cross-country, tennis and volleyball. Logan Thayer, Jessica Pautz, Luke Modzelewski, Katherine Mastrone and Arielle Ippolito are members of Christ the King High School’s journalism staff, with Lisa Daidone as adviser.
THE ORATORY 434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 29731-1586
(803) 327-2097
Center for Spirituality rockhilloratory.org
oratorycenter@gmail.com
The Servant Songs: Suffering as Redemption? Wednesday, March 16 from 7 – 9 pm or Saturday, March 19 from 9:30 – 11:30 am
Dr. Peter Judge The Servant Songs of the Book of Isaiah, set in the context of Israel’s restoration after the Babylonian Exile, were also very much in the minds of early Christians. They were used by the New Testament writers in their attempts to understand Jesus and what he meant for them. As we near Holy Week we will reflect on these passages to deepen our own spirituality. The same program is offered both days. Cost: $15
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catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com
In theaters ‘The Finest Hours’ The remarkable true story of the most daring small boat rescue mission in Coast Guard history comes to the big screen in this grand old-fashioned adventure. In February 1952, a powerful Nor’easter strikes the Massachusetts coast, pummeling shoreline towns and wreaking havoc on ships caught in its deadly path. An oil tanker, S.S. Pendleton, breaks apart in 60-foot waves and hurricane-force winds, stranding 36 sailors in the stern, bobbing like a cork in the mighty sea. By chance, a Coast Guard station locates the wreck, and the officer (Eric Bana) dispatches a captain (Chris Pine) and his crew to mount a rescue in a small wooden lifeboat. On board the wreck, the engineer (Casey Affleck) takes command of the crisis situation as the stern section slowly sinks. Extreme storm-based action and
scenes of peril, and some crude and profane language. CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13
On TV
‘The Choice’
n Saturday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Leonie.” A charming story about a mischievous young woman in late 1800s France, whose difficult nature challenges her mother and tests the patience of the superiors in the monasteries she hopes to enter.
This agreeably love story features likable characters who briefly consider the morality of at least some of their decisions. But it’s so intractably bland, as it strains not to offend, that its plot points lack all emotional tug. Adapting the 2007 novel by Catholic author Nicholas Sparks, have a veterinarian (Benjamin Walker) and a hospital internist (Teresa Palmer) falling for each other after a series of miscues, then facing a tough decision about medical care, albeit not one that poses any danger of violating Catholic norms. Several crude terms. CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13
‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ The unlikely martial arts master of the title (voice of Jack Black) whose rise to his destined status as a legendary warrior was chronicled in this animated adventure. Two predecessors face off against an evil aggressor (voice of J.K. Simmons) armed with supernatural powers. Family values get a boost when the bear reunites with his biological father, yet remains close to his adoptive dad (voice of James Hong), and the importance of teamwork is underlined by his ongoing collaboration with a band of fellow black belts. As he continues to receive spiritual guidance from his mentor. Mythological themes alien to a Christian worldview. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents); MPAA: PG
Other movies n ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’: CNS: O (morally offensive); MPAA: PG-13 n ‘Fifty Shades of Black’: CNS: O (morally offensive); MPAA: R
n Monday, Feb. 22, 3:20 p.m. (EWTN) “St. Clement.” Dr. Timothy O’Donnell visits the church of St. Clement, who was the third papal successor to St. Peter. n Wednesday, Feb. 24, 3:20 p.m. (EWTN) “A Lenten Pilgrimage: St. Cecilia.” Dr. Timothy O’Donnell visits St. Cecilia, a church dedicated to the patroness of music, virgin and martyr, which was built right over her home. n Friday, Feb. 26, 3:20 p.m. (EWTN) “A Lenten Pilgrimage: St. Vitalis.” Dr. Timothy O’Donnell explores the church of San Vitalis. San Vitalis was a father who suffered martyrdom along with his sons. n Saturday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Light of the Church.” A dramatic portrayal of Saint
Dominic, a renowned preacher who was a tireless defender of the Faith and famous for his profound learning, heroic sanctity and apostolic zeal. n Sunday, Feb. 28, 10 p.m. (EWTN) “Mary’s Dowry Presents: Kateri Tekakwitha.” A beautiful visual presentation on the faith journey of the young, Catholic Mohawk, St. Kateri Tekakwitha. n Monday, Feb. 29, 3:20 p.m. (EWTN) “A Lenten Pilgrimage: St. Mark.” Explore the church of Saint Mark with Dr. Timothy O’Donnell which according to tradition, St. Mark’s request to the early Roman Christians composed his Gospel upon St. Peter’s preaching. n Monday, Feb. 29, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Journey’s of Faith.” A look at the history and reasons for the Crusades, which originally was called an ‘armed pilgrimage’, aiding safety for pilgrims visiting the Holy Land against Muslim conquerors n Friday, March 4, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “The Blessed Charlie.” Known for his heroic virtues, learn about Blessed Charlie Manuel Rodríguez Santiago, the first American lay person to be beatified.
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
WITNESS FROM PAGE 6
way to Him. Letting the world know that Jesus is indeed alive in them and that they desire to bring this beloved Jesus into the world by reproducing in your life the way Jesus taught us...His own poverty, His own chastity, His own obedience to the Father.” The world is made up of passing things, Bishop Jugis said. Particularly the Super Bowl, he added with a smile, drawing laughter from the congregation. Consecrated religious, on the other hand, point the way to the eternal, he said. “You send the message that Jesus is still here. He was always here, even when the world might have been distracted for a little while by these passing splendors. “You help to keep the presence of Jesus alive in the world.” Especially during this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, consecrated religious bring Jesus’ mercy to those most in need of it, he said. “You represent the One who says to the world, ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart and your souls will find rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’” Consecrated religious also serve as an example to those with other vocations,
he added. Everyone is called to holiness and conversion of heart no matter what their state in life is, he said, and to help others, “The Lord always calls holy men and women throughout the history of the Church to inspire renewal in the most difficult circumstances.” “Your total consecration sends the message, ‘Yes, God is first.’ And that it is worth giving Him your all. “It’s not only a message you give to the world by the beauty of your consecrated life, but it’s a witness that builds up the Church and inspires both clergy and the lay faithful to holiness – building up the Church in mutual love.” At the Mass, religious celebrating jubilee anniversaries were recognized for their service: Mercy Sister Marianne Angert (75 years); Mercy Sister Mary Bernarda Hoff (70 years); Mercy Sister Marian Joseph Baird (60 years); Mercy Sister Margaret Mary Wharton (50 years); Missionary of Charity Sister Mary Flora (25 years); and Missionary of Charity Sister Mary Magdela (25 years). “We thank the Lord for the witness of your consecrated life and we pray for a flourishing of vocations to each of your religious families, to carry on the charism of your founders and your foundresses for the glory of Christ and the building up of the Church,” Bishop Jugis told them.
More photos online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from the Mass for the World Day for Consecrated Life
RIGHTS FROM PAGE 2
be done through the organs erected by the Church for this purpose. Let it always be done in truth, in courage and in prudence, with reverence and charity toward those who by reason of their sacred office represent the person of Christ. “The laity should, as all Christians, promptly accept in Christian obedience decisions of their spiritual shepherds, since they are representatives of Christ as well as teachers and rulers in the Church. Let them follow the example of Christ, who by His obedience even unto death, opened to all men the blessed way of the liberty of the children of God. Nor should they omit to pray for those placed over them, for they keep watch as having to render an account of their souls, so that they may do this with joy and not with grief. “Let the spiritual shepherds recognize and promote the dignity as well as the responsibility of the laity in the Church. Let them willingly employ their prudent advice. Let them confidently assign duties to them in the service of the Church, allowing them freedom and room for action. Further, let them encourage lay people so that they may undertake tasks on their own initiative. Attentively in Christ, let them consider with fatherly love the projects, suggestions and desires proposed by the laity. However, let
the shepherds respectfully acknowledge that just freedom which belongs to everyone in this earthly city “A great many wonderful things are to be hoped for from this familiar dialogue between the laity and their spiritual leaders: in the laity a strengthened sense of personal responsibility; a renewed enthusiasm; a more ready application of their talents to the projects of their spiritual leaders. The latter, on the other hand, aided by the experience of the laity, can more clearly and more incisively come to decisions regarding both spiritual and temporal matters. In this way, the whole Church, strengthened by each one of its members, may more effectively fulfill is mission for the life of the world.” (37) Editor’s note: This series about the rights and obligations of the Christian faithful, as set forth in canon (Church) law, has been written especially for the Catholic News Herald by Mercy Sister Jeanne-Margaret McNally. Sister Jeanne-Margaret is a distinguished authority on canon law, author of the reference guide “Canon Law for the Laity,” and frequent lecturer at universities and dioceses. A graduate of The Catholic University of America with multiple degrees including a doctorate in psychology and a licentiate of canon law (JCL), she is a psychologist for the Tribunal of the Diocese of Charlotte and a judge in the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Miami. COMING NEXT: Spiritual Assistance
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Our nation 18
catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Pope sends off missionaries of mercy to help open hearts to God Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis marked the beginning of the Church’s Lenten journey by sending off several hundred religious and diocesan priests on their own special path as “missionaries of mercy” in local parishes. “Look upon Your servants, Lord, that we are sending as messengers of mercy, salvation and peace. Guide their steps” and sustain them with “the power of your grace,” the pope said during a special Ash Wednesday liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica Feb. 10. “May Christ’s voice resound in their words and Christ’s heart in their gestures.” More than 700 of the 1,142 missionaries specially appointed by the pope attended the Mass – including the Diocese of Charlotte’s own Father Patrick Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, and Father George Byers, administrator of Holy Redeemer Church in Andrews. Dressed in white vestments and purple stoles, the men received the pope’s mandate to preach about God’s mercy and special authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See. Their mission was echoed in the day’s second reading from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, in which he proclaims, “We are ambassadors for
Christ” with God working and speaking through them, imploring people to “be reconciled with God.” In his homily before commissioning the priests at the end of Mass, the pope said their mandate is to be “signs and instruments of God’s pardon.” “Dear brothers, may you be able to help open the doors of people’s hearts,” he said. God knows the sins, weakness, wounds and fatigue people experience in their lives and “He knows how much we need forgiveness, He knows that we need to feel loved in order to carry out the good,” he said. People cannot keep going on their own, and that is why the apostle Paul doesn’t urge people to “do something, but to let themselves be reconciled by God, to allow Him to forgive us,” he said. In fact, the first step on the road of a Christian life is recognizing the need for divine mercy and to pass through that “open door which is Christ,” who offers everyone a new and joyful life. The problem, the pope said, is there may be many barriers that keep people from ever approaching or opening that door. People may be so hardened by sin or pride that “they bolt the lock on the soul,” justifying their errors or believing they are “no worse than others,” thereby remaining “prisoners of evil.” Another obstacle people face is being
‘May Christ’s voice resound in their words and Christ’s heart in their gestures.’ Pope Francis
In commissioning the Missionaries of Mercy for the jubilee year ashamed “to open the secret door of the heart.” While shame is a good sign since “it shows that we want to detach ourselves from evil,” it must never turn into “dread or fear.” The third danger is when people walk away from Christ, becoming distant or isolated by holing themselves up with their own suffering, wallowing endlessly in negative thoughts and sinking into the darkest recesses of the soul, he said. “Let’s listen to Jesus, who says to those who are weary and burdened, ‘Come to me,’” since “only the Lord’s grace liberates us” and offers peace and rest, the pope said. He said the Lord asks people to close the distance that has grown and “return to me with your whole heart.” The Lenten journey invites people to “be
protagonists, embracing three remedies, three medicines that heal (people) from sin” – prayer, fasting and almsgiving. “May Lent be a time of a healthy ‘pruning’ back of falsehood, worldliness, indifference; of no longer thinking that everything is fine as long as I am doing well; of understanding that what matters isn’t acceptance, seeking success or approval, but the cleansing of one’s heart and life.” The pope broke with the tradition of walking from the Benedictine monastery of St. Anselm to the Dominican-run Basilica of Santa Sabina in order to commission the missionaries of mercy from St. Peter’s Basilica. Before the main altar were the mortal remains of St. Padre Pio and St. Leopold Mandic, two Capuchins popular as miracle workers and known particularly for the long hours they would spend hearing confessions. Pope Francis had asked the Capuchins to bring the relics of the two saints to Rome for the Year of Mercy, particularly the celebration of Ash Wednesday and the commissioning of the official missionaries of mercy as an encouragement and inspiration to be generous with God’s love. The pope received ashes on the top of his head from Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s, and distributed ashes to a number of cardinals and a small group of laypeople and religious.
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In Brief Scalia dies at 79; was longest-serving justice on current Supreme Court WASHINGTON, D.C. — Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died of apparent natural causes Feb. 13 while in Texas on a hunting trip, once said in an interview that while he took his Catholic faith seriously, he never allowed it to influence his work on the high court. “I don’t think there’s any such thing as a Catholic judge,” Scalia told The Catholic Review, Baltimore’s archdiocesan newspaper, in 2010. “There are good judges and bad judges. The only article in faith that plays any part in my judging is the commandment ‘Thou Shalt Not Lie.’” Scalia said it wasn’t his job to make policy or law, but to “say only what the law provides.” On the issue of abortion, for example, he told the Review that “if I genuinely thought the Constitution guaranteed a woman’s right to abortion, I would be on the other” side, said Scalia, who long held that abortion is not guaranteed in the Constitution. “It would (have) nothing with my religion,” he said. “It has to do with my being a lawyer.” He was widely regarded as an “originalist,” who said the best method for judging cases was examining what the Founding Fathers meant when writing the Constitution. “My burden is not to show that originalism is perfect, but that it beats the other alternatives,” he said in a 2010 lecture. Nominated to the high court in June 1986 by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the Senate that September,
Scalia was the longest-serving member of the current Supreme Court. He was 79.
Remember poor with budget cuts, North Dakota bishops urge BISMARCK, N.D. — The Catholic bishops of North Dakota are urging the state’s governor and state agencies to make sure the needs of the poor are met amid the governor’s request that agencies cut their budgets by slightly more than 4 percent. “North Dakota must take its time and remember those on the peripheries when cutting the state’s budget,” said the bishops in a statement released by the North Dakota Catholic Conference in Bismarck. The bishops pleaded that the governor and state agencies resist quick, simplistic solutions such as across-theboard cuts to give priority to the “needs of those who will be most hurt by a reduction of services.” Bishops David D. Kagan of Bismarck and John T. Folda of Fargo stressed that carefully working out budgets will require serious consideration and also may mean that some agencies “will need to make greater sacrifices than others so that we can give priority to those most in need.” In response to declining state revenue, North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple ordered all state agencies to cut 4.05 percent from their current budgets, which must be submitted by Feb. 17. The Legislature and the state’s judiciary branch also will make the same cuts to their budgets.
an amendment. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who took office in December, signed it into law Feb. 2. Louisville Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz and the state’s three other Catholic bishops, along with their public policy arm, the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, were among those who welcomed the new law. It amends Kentucky’s informed consent statute, which requires women seeking an abortion to be informed of its risks at least 24 hours prior to the procedure in a private setting with a medical professional. Previously, that requirement was interpreted as allowing the information to be shared in a recorded message. The new law requires a faceto-face meeting with a health care provider. The House amendment makes it permissible to have this face-to-face meeting via real-time video conference. Jason Hall, executive director of the state Catholic conference in Frankfort, said he was pleased with the outcome, but expressed some concern about the House amendment.
New Catholic-Muslim dialogue formed; Chicago archbishop named co-chair
Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs announced Feb. 8 that it is launching a new National Catholic-Muslim Dialogue, and Chicago Archbishop Blase J. Cupich has been named its first Catholic co-chairman. “As the national conversation around Islam grows increasingly fraught, coarse and driven by fear and often willful misinformation, the Catholic Church must help to model real dialogue and goodwill,” said Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Mass., who is chairman of the committee. For over two decades, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ ecumenical and interreligious committee has co-sponsored three regional Catholic-Muslim dialogues, and Bishop Rozanski said the time is right to begin a national dialogue. “Our current dialogues have advanced the goals of greater understanding, mutual esteem and collaboration between Muslims and Catholics, and the members have established lasting ties of friendship and a deep sense of trust,” he said in a statement. He also thanked Archbishop Cupich for agreeing to represent the USCCB “in this crucial conversation.” The Chicago prelate’s tenure as dialogue co-chair will begin Jan. 1, 2017.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. bishops’
— Catholic News Service
Ky. governor signs abortion-related measure ‘years in the making’ LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Year after year, a bill related to informed consent prior to an abortion has languished in the Kentucky House. Not this year. The proposal was approved by the Senate Feb. 1 in a 33-to-5 vote after the House added
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Our world 20
catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
CNS | Paul Haring
Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow embrace after signing a joint declaration during a meeting at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana Feb. 12.
Embrace brings pope, Russian patriarch together Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
HAVANA — At long last, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow embraced, kissing each other three times. “Finally,” the pope told the patriarch Feb. 12 as they met in a lounge at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport. “We are brothers,” he told the patriarch. Amid the flashes of cameras, Patriarch Kirill was overheard telling the pope, “Things are easier now.” “It is clearer that this is God’s will,” Pope Francis told him. A flight of almost 12 hours capped months of intense negotiations and more than two decades of Vatican overtures to bring a pope and a Russian patriarch together for the first time. Cuban President Raul Castro played host to the pope and patriarch, who was on a visit to Russian Orthodox communities on the island nation. Though their differences are recognizable and real, Pope Francis and Kirill emphasized their obligation as Christians and as bishops to encourage collaboration among Christians and charity for all who suffer. Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, director of foreign relations for the Moscow Patriarchate, were present for the meeting, along with two translators. Together, they discussed concrete proposals for working together, “because unity is made by walking,” the pope said. Even if the goal of full unity is not reached in this lifetime, he said, “at least when the Lord comes, He’ll find us walking.” Pope Francis said the joint statement he and Patriarch Kirill signed “is not a political statement, it’s not a sociological statement; it is a pastoral declaration.” While the two leaders insisted on the need to stop the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa and condemned abortion and euthanasia, they used much more careful language to discuss two issues that made their meeting so surprising: the life of the Ukrainian
Catholic Church and the war in eastern Ukraine. For more than 25 years, Russian Orthodox patriarchs have refused to meet a pope because of what the Moscow Patriarchate claims is “proselytism” on the part of Ukrainian Catholics, one of the Eastern Churches in communion with Rome. In their statement, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill said all Christians – Catholic or Orthodox – are called to preach the Gospel. “This mission entails mutual respect for members of the Christian communities and excludes any form of proselytism.” They said they hoped their meeting would “contribute to reconciliation” wherever there is tension between Orthodox and Eastern-rite Catholics, who share the same spiritual and liturgical heritage. The addition of a stopover in Cuba on his way to Mexico was widely seen as a sign of the pope’s willingness to go the extra mile to reach out a hand in friendship. At the same time, observers said, it gave those Russian Orthodox opposed to ecumenism a sense that their church is special and that it bowed to no one in agreeing to the meeting. For decades, the Russian Orthodox told the Vatican that a meeting between the patriarch and pope was impossible because of the activities of Catholics in Russia and, especially, the Eastern-rite Catholics in Ukraine. The Moscow Patriarchate had said that while those problems still exist with the Catholic communities, they take a backseat to the urgency of defending together the rights and very existence of persecuted Christians in the Middle East. The harsh persecution of Christians and other minorities in Syria, Iraq and other parts of the region has been a cause Pope Francis has pleaded before world leaders and for which he has rallied the prayers of Christians across the globe. He speaks often of the “ecumenism of blood,” the fact that Christians are killed for believing in Christ with the persecutors not knowing or caring what denomination or church they belong to.
CNS | Paul Haring
Pope Francis greets a sick child during a visit to the Federico Gomez Children’s Hospital of Mexico in Mexico City Feb. 14.
In southern Mexico, pope warns against diminishing importance of family David Agren Catholic News Service
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico — Pope Francis warned against moves to diminish the importance of the family, peppering his talk with anecdotes and off-the-cuff remarks that kept a packed soccer stadium cheering, laughing and applauding. Speaking under a scorching-hot sun as dozens were treated for heat stroke, the pope said family life was not always easy and often was a struggle, but he pleaded for perseverance, saying family life was one of the solutions to increasing isolation and uncertainty and its unintended consequences. “I prefer a wounded family that makes daily efforts to put love into play to a society that is sick from isolationism and is habitually afraid of love,” Pope Francis said Feb. 15 in front of a boisterous audience of families, who came from across southern Mexican and nearby Guatemala for a celebration in the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez. “I prefer a family that makes repeated efforts to begin again to a society that is narcissistic and obsessed with luxury and comfort. I prefer a family with tired faces from generous giving to faces with makeup that know nothing of tenderness and compassion.” The pope’s focus on families turned the focus of his six-day visit toward the pastoral issues after hitting hard on matters such as corruption, crime and the country’s often impoverished and exploited indigenous populations. During the event, a couple from the city of Monterrey – one of whom was
divorced – spoke of the stigma and sense of not belonging by not being able to receive Communion, but finding a home in the Catholic Church by serving others and organizing pastoral projects. “As we came close to our church, we received love and compassion,” said Humberto and Claudia Gomez, who are married civilly, but not in the Church. “It’s marvelous to have a marriage and family in which God is at the center.” Another speaker, single mother Beatriz Munoz Hernandez, 52, spoke of a childhood marked by “poverty, violence and abandonment” by her father, then of becoming pregnant as a teenager. “I found the love of God through His Church and He rescued me, announced that He loved me, that He didn’t reject me and, above all, that He forgave me,” said Munoz, adding her faith helped in overcoming the temptation of seeing abortion as a solution to several pregnancies. Pope Francis cracked jokes throughout his speech and strayed from his prepared text. He mentioned a couple married for 50 years and asked “who was the most patient.” The answer was obvious for the pope: “Both of them.” Departing from prepared remarks, he offered advice for creating happy families and keeping the peace in times of turbulence. “Do not end the day without making peace,” Pope Francis said. “If you end the day in war, you will end up in cold war, and a cold war is very dangerous in the family, because it will undermine families from underneath.”
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
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In Brief Surge in Zika virus rekindles abortion debate in Brazil SAO PAULO — The president of the Brazilian bishops’ conference criticized a proposal by the U.N. Human Rights Commission that countries allow abortion in cases in which the mother was infected with the Zika virus. “Abortion is not the answer for the Zika virus,” Archbishop Sergio da Rocha of Brasilia told reporters during a Feb. 10 news conference to announce the bishops’ Lenten Fraternity Campaign. “We need to value life in any situation or condition.” The same day, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff met with members of the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil to seek their help in fighting the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus. Rousseff asked the religious leaders – including Catholics – to urge parishioners to look around their homes and neighborhoods for possible breeding grounds for the mosquito, which also transmits dengue and chikungunya fever. The Zika virus has been linked by the Brazilian government to the surge in microcephaly cases, although only 400 of 3,670 suspected cases of microcephaly have been proven to be linked to the virus.
Pope, meeting Iraqi leader, urges work for reconciliation VATICAN CITY — Meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Pope Francis expressed his
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hopes that Iraq and other war-torn countries would have leaders strong enough to bring once-divided peoples together. “I wish for Iraqis and for all of us – for the whole world – leaders like this,” the pope said Feb. 10. “Inshallah, inshallah,” al-Abadi replied, using the Arabic word for “God willing.” In addition to meeting Pope Francis, the prime minister held private talks with top officials of the Vatican Secretariat of State. With Islamic State militants still operating in large areas of Iraq and with the people still recovering from war, the discussions included “the life of the Church in the country” and “the situation of Christians and ethnic and religious minorities with particular reference to the importance of their presence and the need to protect their rights,” the Vatican said.
Negotiating table is only way to bring peace to Syria, pope says VATICAN CITY — A negotiated political resolution is the only answer to the crisis unfolding in Syria, Pope Francis said, urging world leaders to do everything possible to kick-start talks. Inviting people to intensify their prayers, he also asked everyone to be generous in offering the kind of help needed to guarantee the “survival and dignity” of Syrians fleeing the conflict. “With great concern I am following the tragic fate of civilians caught up in violent battles in beloved Syria and forced to abandon everything to flee the horrors of war,” he said Feb. 7. He launched an “appeal to the international community to not spare any effort in urgently bringing the parties concerned to the negotiating table. Only a political solution of the conflict will be capable of guaranteeing a future of reconciliation and peace.” He also called for greater efforts in ending human trafficking by “destroying this crime and this intolerable disgrace.” — Catholic News Service
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catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
‘American Values’ survey shows a nation less tightly knit than before Dr. Cris Villapando
Mary played leading role in the 1986 Philippine Revolution I f you look at most revolutions in the world, you’ll see a heroic figure – a man or a woman who inspired the people to rise and fight for their cause. We have George Washington in the United States, Dr. Jose Rizal in the Philippines, Emiliano Zapata in Mexico and many other heroes punctuating urban squares and national parks with their monuments and statues. Human heroes, flesh and blood incarnates. But what’s totally amazing is that in the Philippine Revolution of 1986 which toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the person the Filipino nation elevated to heroic status was not a regular person – it was the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Filipino nation could have chosen Cory Aquino, who was intensely campaigning against Marcos’ corruption on the island of Cebu; or Cardinal Jaime Sin, who risked his life using Radio Veritas (the only nongovernmental channel) to direct the mass demonstration; or General Fidel Ramos and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile Sr., who instigated military rebellion. So why did people erect a statue of the Blessed Mother as the heroine of the 1986 EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) Revolution? What was happening on the ground? What did the Blessed Mother actually do? To understand this unique national phenomenon, you must go back to the scene that unfolded from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25, 1986: an ocean of protestors occupying Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the main thoroughfare around Manila, holding signs clamoring for freedom and justice. But in this scene, the people are also holding something not found in other countries’ demonstrations: statues, images and pictures of the Blessed Mother. The soldiers who were given the command to fire on the demonstrators saw this and uttered to themselves: “Hey, those people are the children of Mama Mary. I, too, am a son of Mama Mary. Hey, those people are carrying rosaries, praying the rosaries. I, too, have a rosary in my pocket. Hey, those people are singing ‘Ave Maria.’ I’ve known that tune since I was 4 years old.” A mental conflict shook their heads. A spiritual alarm jarred their souls. It just did not make sense for the soldiers to fire at their fellow Marian brothers and sisters. Meanwhile, a secondary miracle was happening. There are at least 96 Philippine languages in the Philippines and more than 140 ethno-linguistic
groups in the south. The soldier from Pangasinan Province who spoke the Ilocano and Panggalatok languages, upon seeing the image of the Blessed Mother, exclaimed: “That’s Mama Mary, Our Lady of Manaoag.” The Tagalog soldier from Rizal Province declared: “That’s Mama Mary, Our Lady of Antipolo.” The Bicolano soldier also recognized the woman as “Ina” (mother) – the term Bicolanos use to address Our Lady of Peñafrancia. And so it went, with Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila, Our Lady of the Pillar in Zamboanga, Nuestra Virgen de Regla in Lapulapu City, Our Lady of Badoc in Ilocos, Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas, Our Lady of Piat in Cagayan Valley, Our Lady of Badoc in Ilocos, the Nuestra Señora de Guia in Ermita, etc. So when Marcos’ central command gave the order to fire on the demonstrators, according to Jesuit Father Nilo Tanalega, the artillery unit made excuses, saying: “Sorry, sir, we cannot get the machine to read the correct coordinates for the target.” And, “Sir, something is wrong with our cannon – it’s malfunctioning.” In an attempt to manipulate cultural diversity to his advantage, Marcos deviously assigned soldiers from different language groups other than Tagalog, the language of Manila. The object was to prevent ethnic bonding or social bonding by one province native with a coprovince native. But the demonstrators, recognizing this tactic, sought beautiful Ibanag women to offer sandwiches and water to Ibanag soldiers; beautiful Visayan women to bring flowers and towel wipes to Visayan soldiers, lovely Bicolana belles to offer snacks and drinks to Bicolano soldiers, etc. At the end of four unpredictably risky days, the Blessed Mother brought about the first bloodless revolution that became known in the world as “People Power” – a legacy that Filipinos bequeathed to the world. It was also the first Marian Revolution of its kind. Today, the proof of Our Lady’s intercession is depicted by a statue of her standing tall at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos. Dr. Cris V. Villapando is director of faith formation programs for the Diocese of Charlotte and active in the Filipino Catholic community in Charlotte. This month marks the 30th anniversary of the EDSA “People Power” Revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — An “American Values” survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute shows widening gaps in how America regards itself, according to the institute’s president and CEO, Robert Jones. There are “big partisan gaps, big racial and ethnic gaps” in the data, Jones said at the Brookings Institution in Washington. On one key issue, 79 percent of Republicans said terrorism was a critical issue to them compared to 53 percent of Democrats. The surveys were taken before the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris, Jones noted, so those numbers may have changed. Another top issue, education, showed an even wider chasm. “There’s a 30 percent gap on education,” Jones said, with 60 percent of Democrats calling it a critical issue, while 30 percent – half as many – of Republicans hold that belief. “You have a public school system that’s become increasingly black and brown and becoming increasingly defunded,” said MSNBC national correspondent Joy Reid, a panelist at the forum. Asked whether the country’s best days are ahead of it or behind it, 56 percent of Catholics agreed with the former, along with 57 percent of black Protestants, 58 percent of religiously unaffiliated Americans and 55 percent of members of non-Christian religions. But 60 percent of white evangelical Protestants and 55 percent of white mainline Protestants believe America’s best days are behind it. These numbers could play into the fact that white Protestants stopped being a majority of all Americans before the 20th century was over. As of 2014, Jones said, “even if you add all white Christians, we are now less than a majority of the country.” And by the 2024 presidential election year, he added, “white Christians will not even make up a majority of all voters.” Jones said, “This sense of dislocation is economic, it’s cultural and it’s religious.” Seventy percent of Americans say there is a lot of discrimination against Muslims, 68 percent say the same about gays and lesbians, 63 percent says it holds true with blacks and 56 percent with Hispanics. Asked about themselves, 51 percent of white evangelical Protestants say evangelical Christians confront a lot of discrimination today, while only 21 percent of Catholics say the same about themselves. Much of the unease reflected in the study, called “Anxiety, Nostalgia and Mistrust,” could be the result of economic concerns,
CNS | Karen Riccio
panelists suggested. Strong majorities of both Democrats and Republicans identified health care as a critical issue, (71 percent and 61 percent, respectively), and jobs and unemployment also as critical issues (66 percent vs. 59 percent). “White working-class respondents are more anxious and more depressed than any other group,” said Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. “Seventy-eight percent think we’re still in recession. They’re more likely to think America’s best days are in the past ... that U.S. culture has gotten worse since the 1950s (62 percent said so) ... that hard work does not lead to success (68 percent),” he added. “On cultural matters, they’re out of step with the average American. Sixty-six percent think illegal immigration is responsible for America’s economic decline, and that Islam is incompatible with American values.” Karlyn Bowman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, agreed. “In the early part of this century, optimism soared,” she said. But since the 2008 recession, Bowman added, “Americans aren’t confident that we’ve fixed what went wrong.” The survey was conducted with 2,695 Americans in English and Spanish in September and October both online and by phone. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. — Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service
February 19, 2016 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
‘The more secular we become – both as individuals and as a country – the less we care about the true, the right and the lasting.’ Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput
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Parish spotlight
Deacon James H. Toner
What we know that ain’t so: “What you think is the right road may lead to death” (Prv 14:12)
Are you sure? What we think is the right road The only right road is that there is no right road. The only thing we know for sure is that we don’t know anything for sure. The only constant is change. Only one of our presidents, Bill Clinton, is an alumnus of a Catholic college, and it was he who told us that the only secure foundation for democracy is a vigorous uncertainty about the truth of anything. Besides all that, Christians should be humble enough not to support any views uncompromisingly.
But it’s the wrong road It ain’t so, for there are many things we can know through right reason (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1954, 307, 1776). The very idea, though, that there can be “right reason” – that is, graced thinking consistent with the established canons of logic (CCC 1960) – is alien to many today. That we may be sure of some things and thoughts; that there is an objective moral order; that there is an unchanging and eternal reality: these concepts are anathema to those who champion the self above all or who deny any ethical standard beyond their own feelings. One New York Times columnist wrote that being sure about things “is the enemy of decency and humanity.” One hopes that he is sure about that opinion. If that writer is correct, then there is no virtue and no vice; there is no right and no wrong; there is no good and no evil, for there are only opinions about such matters. Everything is a matter of mere conjecture. Asked if he could define sin, President Barack Obama replied, “Sin is being out of alignment with my values.” That is, of course, correct – if anything can be correct today – because, according to the intellectual fads and fashions of our day, there are no standards to which we may appeal except what pleases or profits us. The standard of right or wrong, good or evil, is always and only internal. It is solely up to us to make subjective moral judgments. Of course, others have preceded us in that view: Adam and Eve, committing the original sin (see Genesis 3:5 and CCC 407). In his new book about the Traditional Latin Mass, Peter Kwasniewski uses the term “martyrial meaning” to refer to “absolute truth worth dying for, worth giving up everything for.” There is a war, he writes, “against ultimate transcendent
Suggested reading “Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis: Sacred Liturgy, the Traditional Latin Mass, and Renewal in the Church,” by Peter Kwasniewski. (Kettering, Ohio: Angelico Press, 2014)
meaningfulness.” If there is no ultimate meaning – no God, no Christ, no Church, no Truth – then the idea that sin means inconsistency with “my values” is perfectly intelligible. However, Catholics know that God exists – and that everything is, or at least ought to be, different for us because we know that and act in the light of that primordial conviction. But isn’t the chief idea of education to produce an open mind? No: there is a profound difference between an open mind and an empty head. G.K. Chesterton put it well: “Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.” By the complementary power of faith and reason, we know that there is an enduring Truth, conformity to which produces justice and peace (for example, read John 12:46 and Romans 12:2). “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth,” wrote St. John Paul II. No contemporary cynic or nihilist exceeds the sneering contempt of Pilate’s mocking question, “What is truth?” (John 18:18) asked of Him who is Truth Incarnate. Must we be relativists to support democracy, much as Bill Clinton told us? It was also John Paul II who taught that a democracy in conformity with the moral law promotes the dignity of the human person, protects human rights and serves the authentic common good. A democratic system “would be shaken in its foundations” if people doubted the existence of objective moral law which spawns and sponsors civil law. That, tragically, is precisely what has been happening in our country, where the pillar of the moral law has been disparaged, discounted and denied. And, as Psalm 11 plaintively asks, “When the TONER, SEE page 24
Amber Mellon | Catholic News Herald
Youths show they care BOONE — Youth at St. Elizabeth Church in Boone recently joined in the national “Souper Bowl of Caring.” During the weekend of Jan. 31, they raised $224 for the Hunger Coalition. Pictured representing St. Elizabeth youth are Len Sanqui, Carlos Escobar, Ryan Gosky and Ruby Escobar.
Letter to the editor
Bad choice for headline I understand the need to take a stand, but the headline of Robert Potter’s commentary in the Feb. 5 edition, “How gay marriage and bathroom bills go together,” was offensive. This is the Year of Mercy. Gay people should not be verbally abused. Jesus died for all of us.
Was it really necessary to include “gay marriage” in the title? Perhaps “Let’s flush the bathroom bill” would have been a more appropriate headline. Barbara Case Speers lives in Hickory.
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Most-read stories on the web Through press time on Feb. 17 , 10,964 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 18,400 pages. The top 10 headlines in February so far have been: n Father Joe Mulligan to minister to Panthers at the Super Bowl................................................4,209 n Carolina Panthers linebacker Kuechly talks about his Catholic faith.......................................2,289 n Charlotte bishop challenges Denver archbishop about Super Bowl 50...................................1,058 n Mercy Moments: Video reflections from Father Winslow............................................................... 684 n How to make a pilgrimage for the Year of Mercy...............................................................................336 n View the current print edition of the Catholic News Herald............................................................. 175 n Father Vollkommer, formerly of St. Michael Church and Belmont Abbey, passes away..........144 n Bishop Jugis celebrates Catholic Schools Week at St. Michael School Mass.............................210 n Pro-life display at St. Vincent de Paul vandalized for fifth time......................................................114 n ‘Doors of Mercy’ program offered throughout diocese during Year of Mercy............................103
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catholicnewsherald.com | February 19, 2016 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
TONER
IN BRIEF
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pillars are overthrown, what can the just man do?” St. Thomas Aquinas taught us that humility is not saying we know nothing and can do nothing, but instead knowing that apart from Our Lord, we can do nothing; that we worship God only and above all; and that, in concert with Him, there is nothing we cannot do (see Phil 4:13). Humility is not denying that we have talent or strength; humility is using our gifts wisely and well. Humility opposes arrogance. St. Paul, in his valedictory, adjured his hearers to be humble and bold – and admonished them about the enduring need to protect the people from “fierce wolves” (false teachers) who would sow confusion and error (Acts Chapter 20), pulling down the pillars of faith. What we have received in and from the faith which comes to us from the Apostles, let us “proclaim from the rooftops” (Mt 10:27 and Lk 12:3), for we can be certain of the foundational truth of our lives: It is the eternal Truth of the Gospel, which should always and everywhere – nothing relative about it! – be in our minds (+), on our lips (+) and in our hearts (+). Laus tibi, Christe! (“Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!”) Deacon James H. Toner serves at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
Chorale to give Lenten musical performances The Carolina Catholic Chorale will present two performances of the Lenten devotional “Adoramus te, Christe,” featuring chant and polyphonic meditations on the Stations of the Cross: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia, and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. The performances are free; donations gladly accepted to defray expenses. For details, go to www.carolinacatholicchorale.com.
awarded Holy Angels’ Dr. C. Ellis Fisher Caring Hands, Caring Heart Award. Holy Angels’ president and CEO Regina Moody recently presented Polking with the award for his efforts to improve the lives of others, his dedication to the quality of his work and his generosity. A Knight of Malta and a member of the Holy Angels Board of Directors for more than 25 years, Polking has freely shared his legal expertise with Holy Angels through his guidance and advice while serving on various committees. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he retired from Bank of America after 35 years as executive vice president and general counsel. He was given an honorary doctorate from Belmont Abbey College for his service as a member of the board of trustees and chairman of the board. He is a member of the bar of North Carolina, Iowa and the U.S. Supreme Court. “We honor Paul Polking and thank him for being a treasured member of our Holy Angels family. He truly has embraced Holy Angels mission of loving, living and learning for the differently abled,” Moody said in presenting him with the award. (Polking and Moody are pictured above with the award’s namesake, Dr. C. Ellis Fisher.) Holy Angels was founded in 1955 by the Sisters of Mercy – beginning a much needed specialized service for children from Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland and Mecklenburg counties as well as children from throughout North Carolina. The private, nonprofit corporation provides residential services and innovative programs for children and adults with intellectual developmental disabilities many with delicate medical conditions.
Holy Angels honors Polking for his service, dedication
Knights donate funds for ultrasound machine
BELMONT — Paul Polking, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, has been
GREENSBORO — St. Pius X Knights of Columbus Council 11101 recently helped to raise
money to purchase an ultrasound machine for the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center in Greensboro. What began as a council fundraiser expanded into a joint venture with other Knights councils in the region who wanted to add their manpower to the cause. Knights of Columbus from Our Lady of Grace, St. Benedict the Moor and St. Mary churches in Greensboro, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Christ the King churches in High Point, Holy Family Church in Clemmons, Holy Cross Church in Kernersville and Good Shepherd Mission in King all joined in on the project, which ultimately raised $14,000 for the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center. The ultrasound unit bought thanks to the donation will be installed in a mobile van to bring the “choice for life” to anyone who cannot come to the center. “Someone must speak up for the unborn – the Knights of Columbus will do it,” Jim Scott, the council’s Right to Life chairman, said in summing up the Knights’ combined efforts. Pictured accepting the donation from Council 11101 Grand Knight John Joyce is Judy Roderick, executive director of the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center. — John Russell
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Mercy
Mary
Weekend Retreat
Immerse yourself in Divine Mercy & Mary! April 29, 30 & May 1, 2016 YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly 84 Blue Ridge Circle Black Mountain, NC 28711
Register Now Fee: $250 per person (lodging & meals) Events.MarianMissionaries.org For more information: 413-944-8500
Fe aturing speaker Fr. Michael Gaitle y, MIC
Hosted by the Marian Missionaries of Divine Mercy