Feb. 16, 2024

February 16, 2024

catholicnewsherald.com charlottediocese.org S E RV I N G C H R I ST A N D C O N N EC T I N G C AT H O L I C S I N W E ST E R N N O R T H C A R O L I N A

Belmont Abbey College reaches historic $100M campaign goal, sets new target 5

Safe Environment program updated across diocese

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Programa de Ambiente Seguro se actualiza en toda la diócesis

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Don’t just survive thrive!

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CUARESMA: No solo sobrevivas, ¡crece!

Vietnamese Catholics welcome Têt with faith, fireworks and fun

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Católicos vietnamitas dan la bienvenida a Têt con fe, fuegos artificiales y diversión

Father Paul Gary celebrates 40 years of priesthood

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At a glance 2

catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CATHOLIC ALL WEEK

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Timely tips for blending faith & life

Volume 33 • NUMBER 10

1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

704-370-3333 PUBLISHER

D

uring Lent, there’s a certain clearing of the decks as we give up attachments and create space for higher goods such as prayer and service. During this time of increased contemplation, you may begin to see the bigger picture, enabling you to develop your “Catholic worldview” – a way of looking at the natural and supernatural through the lens of the faith. Many colleges and universities offer a chance to do this in Catholic studies programs consisting of theology, philosophy, literature, arts and culture courses. However, there are many ways outside academia to hone your Catholic vision. Here are a few to get you started.

The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Bishop of Charlotte

FIND THE FAITH IN OUR CULTURE You may pray in the morning and at night, but do you stay connected with God and the faith throughout the day? Learn how to find the faith in regular life by perusing “Catholicism Everywhere: From Hail Mary Passes to Cappuccinos – How the Catholic Faith Is Infused in Culture,” a new release from Sophia Institute Press by Helen Hoffner. You’ll learn more about the saint whose research led to the discovery of insulin, the priest who posited the Big Bang theory, and the saint who used beer to help save lives.

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INDEX Contact us.....................................2 Español.......................................16-19 Our Diocese............................. 4-10 Our Faith........................................3 Our Schools..................................11 Scripture................................. 3, 17 U.S. news.....................................20 Viewpoints.............................22-23 World news................................. 21

EXAMINE CLASSIC LITERATURE WITH CATHOLIC EYES Get to know the men and women behind history’s greatest works of literature in “The Authority with Joseph Pearce.” Weekly podcast and video episodes explore the times and genres in which authors such as Charles Dickens, J.R.R. Tolkien, the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde wrote. Pearce also explores why scholars praise their writing, and how Catholics should read and understand their works.

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STAFF EDITOR: Spencer K. M. Brown 704-808-4528, skmbrown@rcdoc.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@rcdoc.org HISPANIC MEDIA MANAGER: César Hurtado 704-370-3375, rchurtado@rcdoc.org MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER: David Puckett 704-808-4521, dwpuckett@rcdoc.org EDITORIAL TEAM: Kimberly Bender 704-370-3394, kdbender@rcdoc.org Annie Ferguson 704-370-3404, arferguson@rcdoc.org Troy C. Hull 704-370-3288, tchull@rcdoc.org Christina Lee Knauss 704-370-0783, clknauss@rcdoc.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson 704-370-3333, catholicnews@rcdoc.org

Scan the QR code for this week’s recommended activities and resources:

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ENHANCE YOUR CATHOLIC WORLDVIEW THROUGH FOOD Enrich mealtimes by getting to know professional chef Father Leo Patalinghug, who seeks to build stronger families and a deeper understanding of Jesus as Food for our mind, body and soul at PlatingGrace.com and through books such as “Grace Before Meals,” “Saving the Family” and “Spicing up Married Life.” Discover the transformative power of sharing meals with the ones you love through these resources as you learn more about one another and develop conversational skills and family bonds. You can also add a little flair to your Lenten meals by ordering a variety of Plating Grace & Grub sauces.

— Annie Ferguson

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Diocesan calendar of events ESPAÑOL VIÑEDO DE RAQUEL: ¿Es usted o un ser querido que busca la curación de los efectos de un aborto anterior? Los retiros de fin de semana son ofrecidos por Caridades Católicas para hombres y mujeres en todas las regiones de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Para obtener información, comuníquese con Karina Hernández: 336267-1937 o karinahernandez@live.com.

PRAYER SERVICES ANOINTING OF THE SICK MASS: 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, St. Luke Church, 9800 Fairview Road, Mint Hill. Sponsored by the parish's HOPE Committee. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-545-1224.

SUPPORT GROUPS RACHEL RETREAT ‘HEALING AFTER ABORTION’: April 12-14 in the Asheville area. Are you or a loved one seeking healing from the effects of a past abortion? Find healing and support in a confidential, non-judgmental environment at a Rachel Retreat

weekend. These retreats are offered by the Diocese of Charlotte’s Family Life Office for men and women, in English and Spanish. For details, contact Jessica Grabowski at jrgrabowski@rcdoc.org or 704-370-3229.TALKS

LENTEN EVENTS LENTEN REFLECTION & MISSION: St. Thomas Aquinas Church is hosting a Lenten reflection with the Sisters of Life at 7 p.m. Feb. 16.

On Feb. 26-28, the parish will also host a Lenten Mission with guest speaker Father Matthew Kauth. Confession each night beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by mission preaching at 6:30 p.m. All events will take place at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events: FEB. 22 – 10 A.M. College of Consultors Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte FEB. 23 – 10 A.M. Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Our faith

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Jesus Christ our Lord L

ast month we began our 12-part exploration of the Apostles’ Creed by examining the first article: “I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” This month we take a look at the second article of the Creed, expressing our faith in “Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.”

Different aspects of Christ’s life and ministry are treated in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh articles, but this month our particular focus will be on the Person of Jesus. The second article of the Creed is short, but relates three important facts: Jesus is the Christ, He is God’s Son, and He is Lord.

Belief in God is foundational to our faith. To be any kind of person of faith is to acknowledge that there is a God, and we’re not Him. What makes Christians unique is our faith in Christ. The most fundamental doctrines that all Christians must acknowledge to be worthy of the name are the doctrines of the Incarnation and the Holy Trinity: that is, that the one God exists as three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that God the Son took on human nature and became man. Both of these essential doctrines are revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

Credo A 12-part series on the creed

by Deacon Matthew Newsome EDITOR’S NOTE This article is Part 2 in a series exploring the Creed. Look for articles each month in the Catholic News Herald and online at www.catholicnewsherald.com.

THE WORD MADE FLESH

When the Second Person became incarnate (which we will discuss more next month), the name given to Him by the angel was “Jesus” (Lk 1:31). In and of itself, this may not appear significant. “Jesus” was among the most common Jewish male names at the time.

We might have thought Gabriel would have instructed Mary to name her son “Emmanuel” after the prophecy in Isaiah (Is 7:14, cf. Mt 1:23), which means “Godwith-us.” As the Word made flesh, Jesus is indeed God-with-us, but His proper name is “Yeshua.”

This Hebrew name means “God saves” (CCC 430) and to the people of Israel it served as a reminder of the fact that they should look to no one but God for their salvation. Only God is their stronghold and their savior (Ps 62:6).

The same name can be rendered in English as “Joshua.” It is the name borne by the successor of Moses who led Israel into the Promised Land. By bearing the same name, the Word incarnate is telling us that He is the ultimate successor of Moses. He is the prophet Moses foretold God would raise up to guide His people

(Deut 18:15). He is the answer to the petition, the expectation and the hope of every Jewish parent who named their son “Yeshua.” He is God’s salvation come into the world.

PRIEST, PROPHET AND KING

If the name “Jesus” was given by the angel Gabriel, where does the name “Christ” come from?

The Greek “Christos” is a translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” meaning “anointed one.” To be anointed was a sign not only of God’s favor, but of a special mission. Saul and David were anointed as kings of Israel. Aaron was anointed as a priest. Elijah received an anointing as God’s prophet. All of these figures are messiahs, or anointed ones. But from ancient times Israel had an expectation of a final and definitive Messiah who would be their liberator. Some looked for multiple Messianic figures to fulfill the various roles of priest, prophet and king. Jesus fulfills all three (CCC 436).

When Jesus was anointed by the Holy

Spirit at His baptism, the Father’s voice was heard proclaiming, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). Sons share the same nature as their fathers. Human parents beget human children, not dogs or chickens. Mother cats give birth to kittens, not chipmunks. While all human beings can claim to be God’s children in a metaphorical sense, because we have God as our maker, Christians have the grace of being God’s adopted children as members of the Body of Christ. But Christ alone can claim to be the Son of God by nature. Thus we profess in the Nicene Creed that He is “begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.”

CHRIST IS LORD

God’s nature is expressed in the name He revealed to Moses, YHWH (Ex 3:14), “I AM.” God’s nature is existence itself – that means to share in God’s nature is to share His being. Thus, as God’s Son, Jesus can truly say, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30) and “Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9).

This makes Jesus more than any human priest, prophet or king. He is not merely one favored by God. He is God incarnate, and so is rightly called Lord or “Kyrios” in Greek. The Catechism teaches, “By attributing to Jesus the divine title ‘Lord,’ the first confessions of the Church’s faith affirm from the beginning that the power, honor, and glory due to God the Father are due also to Jesus” (CCC 449). His divinity is demonstrated in a most profound way by the Resurrection, after which the Apostle Thomas acclaims Jesus as “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28).

The union of human and divine nature in the Person of Jesus Christ has implications we will continue to unpack over the course of the coming months.

Affirming our faith in Jesus as Lord and God is something we can and should do every day, as expressed most beautifully in the traditional prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

This simple prayer, modeled after the publican’s prayer in Luke 18:13, expresses perfectly three essential truths: who we are (sinners), who Jesus is (God), and what we need from Him (mercy).

DEACON MATTHEW NEWSOME is the Catholic campus minister at Western Carolina University. He is the author of “The Devout Life: A Modern Guide to Practical Holiness with St. Francis de Sales,” available now from Sophia Institute Press.

Daily Scripture readings FEB. 18-24

Sunday (First Sunday of Lent): Genesis 9:8-15, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:12-15; Monday: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Matthew 25:31-46; Tuesday: Isaiah 55:10-11, Matthew 6:7-15; Wednesday (St. Peter Damian): Jonah 3:1-10, Luke 11:29-32; Thursday (The Chair of St. Peter): 1 Peter 5:1-4, Matthew 16:1319; Friday (St. Polycarp): Ezekiel 18:21-28, Matthew 5:20-26; Saturday: Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Matthew 5:43-48

FEB. 25-MARCH 2

Sunday (Second Sunday of Lent): Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18, Romans 8:31b-34, Mark 9:2-10; Monday: Daniel 9:4b-10, Luke 6:36-38; Tuesday (St. Gregory of Narek): Isaiah 1:10, 16-20, Matthew 23:1-12; Wednesday: Jeremiah 18:18-20, Matthew 20:17-28; Thursday: Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 16:19-31; Friday: Genesis 37:3-4, 1213a, 17b-28a, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46; Saturday: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

MARCH 3-9

Sunday (Third Sunday of Lent): Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, John 2:13-25; Monday (St. Casimir): 2 Kings 5:1-15ab, 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 (Sts. Perpetua and Felicity): Jeremiah 7:23-28, Luke 11:14-23; Friday (St. John of God): Hosea 14:2-10, Mark 12:28-34; Saturday (St. Frances of Rome): Hosea 6:1-6, Luke 18:9-14

Pope Francis

Laziness is a symptom of ‘acedia,’ a dangerous vice

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he vice of “acedia,” often translated as “sloth,” can cause laziness, but it is much more than that; it is a lack of caring for anything and being bored with everything, even one’s relationship with God, Pope Francis said.

“The demon of acedia wants precisely to destroy the simple joy of the here and now, the grateful wonder of reality; it wants to make you believe that it is all in vain, that nothing has meaning, that it is not worth taking care of anything or anyone,” the pope said at his weekly general audience Feb. 14.

Holding his audience on Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis prayed that God would accompany and bless people through their Lenten journey, but his main talk was a continuation of his series on vices and virtues.

People spend too little time talking about “the capital sin” of acedia, he said, and even when they do, they refer to it as sloth or laziness.

But “in reality, laziness is an effect more than a cause,” the pope said. “When a person is idle, indolent, apathetic, we say he is lazy. But as the wisdom of the ancient desert fathers teaches us, often the root is acedia, which from its Greek origin literally means a ‘lack of care.’”

Pope Francis described acedia as “a very dangerous temptation that one should not mess around with,” because it makes a person “feel disgust at everything; their relationship with God becomes boring to them; and even the holiest acts, those that in the past warmed their hearts, now appear entirely useless to them.”

Acedia can sometimes feel like depression, but it is a vice that tempts people to let go of caring for themselves and for others, he said. “For those caught up in acedia, life loses meaning, praying is boring (and) every battle seems meaningless.”

“It is a bit like dying in advance and it’s awful,” the pope said. When a person feels acedia creeping in, he said, they need to try to cultivate “the patience of faith” with a few small steps.

“In the clutches of acedia, one’s desire is to be elsewhere, to escape from reality,” the pope said, so to fight it “one must instead have the courage to remain and to welcome God’s presence in the ‘here and now,’ in the situation as it is.”

Take a breath, he said, set smaller goals and “persevere by leaning on Jesus, who never abandons us in temptation.”

The pope ended the audience encouraging Catholics to live Lent “as an opportunity for conversion and inner renewal in listening to the Word of God and in caring for our brothers and sisters most in need.”

Our diocese 4

catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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Bearing fruit for Christ’s Kingdom

In Brief

Bishop Jugis honors consecrated men and women at annual Mass

New campus minister hired

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

WINSTON-SALEM — Jennifer Barlow has been hired to serve as full-time campus minister at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, effective Feb. 1, the Diocese of Charlotte Campus Ministry Office has announced. A native of Winston-Salem, Barlow graduated from Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville and Appalachian State University in Boone. She comes to the diocese’s Campus Ministry program with more than a decade of experience in youth ministry at multiple parishes in the Triad, including St. Leo the Great in Winston-Salem, St. Paul the Apostle in Greensboro and, most Barlow recently, Holy Family in Clemmons. Her husband Brad is a professor at High Point University. They have two daughters and are members of St. Leo Parish. Barlow will work closely with Father Marcel Amadi, who is continuing his role as the Catholic chaplain to Wake Forest University in addition to his ministry at N.C. A&T State University and Bennett College (Thea House).

— Catholic News Herald

Vigil of the Two Hearts celebrated at cathedral CHARLOTTE — Father Brian Becker, vocations promoter for the Diocese of Charlotte and faculty member of St. Joseph College Seminary, blessed candles during the beginning of the Vigil of the Two Hearts Mass Feb. 2 at St. Patrick Cathedral. The blessing was part of the rite for the Feast of the Presentation, also called Candlemas, which celebrates Christ, the Light of the World, being brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. Father Becker, who was assisted by Deacon Peter Tonon of St. Ann Parish, offered the Vigil of the Two Hearts Mass as part of the monthly pro-life devotion. The event is organized the first Friday and first Saturday of each month and offered in reparation for the sins of abortion, to strengthen families, and to pray for our country’s conversion back to God. The event is organized by the Carolina Pro-Life Action Network. For more information, visit www.prolifecharlotte.org/two-hearts.

— Mike FitzGerald, correspondent BRIEFS, SEE PAGE 8

CHARLOTTE — Men and women religious wearing the distinctive habits of religious orders filled pews at St. Patrick Cathedral on Feb. 3 for the annual World Day for Consecrated Life Mass, celebrated

by Bishop Peter Jugis.

Celebrated by the Church around the world each February, the annual celebration was started in 1997 by Pope John Paul II as a way to show gratitude for the work of consecrated men and women and to highlight their ministries. Parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte set aside the weekend of Feb. 3-4 for the celebration.

About 40 men and women religious representing a dozen religious orders attended.

Bishop Jugis’ homily reflected on the gospel reading for the Mass, John 15:1-8, in which Jesus refers to Himself as the “true vine” and says that His followers will “bear much fruit.”

A key to the reading, Bishop Jugis noted, is the phrase “Remain in me, as I remain in you” (John 15:4).

Bishop Jugis explained how the reading reflected the devotion of the consecrated religious and the nature of the work they do strengthening the communion of the Church with the community.

“Jesus used this beautiful image to describe our union with Him, and how we receive life-giving love from Him which we then share in our ministries,” he said.

“You as consecrated religious are involved in many ministries which enrich the life of the local church here in the Diocese of Charlotte, and we are truly thankful for the love you give and grateful for your work. … We are here to celebrate the bonds among all consecrated religious and your bishop as we take part in the greater mission to bring Christ to the world.

Through your many ministries of love and mercy, you are united in Him and you are bearing fruit for His kingdom.”

The Mass also honored five consecrated religious in the diocese celebrating milestone anniversaries – also known as “jubilees.”

Mercy Sister Jeanne-Margaret McNally celebrated 75 years of religious life, looking back on years of work in the fields of nursing, psychology and canon law. She smiled as she noted that she studied canon law at The Catholic University of America alongside Bishop Jugis. As a canon lawyer, she served as a tribunal judge in the Charlotte diocese and the Archdiocese of Miami, wrote extensively, and lectured on the subject.

“I’m kind of surprised that all those years went by so fast,” Sister Jeanne said.

“I did a lot of different things over the years, many wonderful ministries, but my favorite was my years working in canon law. As for today, it’s just wonderful to be here and to see everybody again.”

As he celebrated 50 years of religious life, Benedictine Brother Paul Shanley had his camera in hand to document the day’s events – not surprising thing as he currently serves as a photographer and archivist for Belmont Abbey College’s athletics department. It’s just one of many roles he has served in his 30 years at the

During his homily, Bishop Peter Jugis explained how the day’s readings reflected the devotion of consecrated men and women and the nature of the work they do. “Through your many ministries of love and mercy, you are united in Him and you are bearing fruit for His kingdom,” he said.

TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

college. Brother Shanley also teaches popular film criticism and freshman English classes. He was also the crosscountry coach for 23 years until he retired from coaching in 2009.

“The time since I joined the order has flown by for me, and it’s amazing to me when I think of all that has gone on in my life as a brother,” he said.

Mercy Sisters Carmelita Hagan and Lillian Jordan both are celebrating 60 years since professing their vows.

Sister Carmelita has been a teacher, worked in pastoral administration, and served in ministry to homeless women and children.

“God gifted me when He called me to be a Sister of Mercy,” she said.

Sister Lillian taught in Catholic schools around the diocese, specializing in middle school math and science.

“What I loved best was the opportunity to work with the young people and open their minds to the wonders of God’s creation in the world,” she said.

Sister Praveena Madukkamkal of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul is

celebrating her 25th jubilee. She professed vows on April 28, 1999, in India and came to the Charlotte diocese in 2011, where she is now a preschool teacher.

“I’m so grateful for my ministry and thankful for this day,” she said. “I especially love teaching because we can learn a lot from children, and through teaching them we can build up the future of the community and of society.”

A luncheon after the Mass gave attendees a chance to reunite with old friends, make some new ones and learn about how other consecrated men and women are working for Christ in the diocese.

Brother Raphael Kanguti of the Missionaries of the Poor came to North Carolina from Kenya in 2015 and now serves in Monroe.

“This is a wonderful day and an excellent chance to get to know each other and learn more about our experiences and ministries,” he said.

Sister Jane Russell, a School Sister of St. Francis for 61 years, smiled as she called the day “an international gathering of God’s people.”

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Safe Environment program updated across diocese CHARLOTTE — Starting this month, the Diocese of Charlotte is launching a new training program for clergy, employees and volunteers to enhance efforts to protect children and young people in all of its churches, schools and ministries.

The new program, called CMG Connect, replaces the VIRTUS Online training program, which the diocese has used to provide mandatory Safe Environment training since 2002.

CMG Connect streamlines the diocese’s extensive Safe Environment program – combining background screening, onboarding Vasquez and training processes on one platform for all priests, deacons, consecrated religious, seminarians, lay employees and adult volunteers who serve at the diocese’s 92 parishes, 20 schools and 50-plus agencies and ministries.

“CMG Connect’s user-friendly, online program better equips us for today’s issues and needs, with an updated

curriculum, the latest technology, and robust background screening protocols,” said David Vasquez, the diocese’s Safe Environment coordinator.

The diocese’s Safe Environment Office oversees compliance with the U.S. bishops’ 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” which established nationally prescribed child protection procedures to address the Church’s commitment to respond effectively, appropriately and compassionately to cases of abuse of minors by clergy or other Church personnel.

More than 63,000 people have been trained since the diocese’s Safe Environment program began in 2002.

“For over 20 years, the Charlotte diocese has been a leader in abuse prevention, protection and accountability,” Vasquez said. “CMG Connect is the latest investment in our ongoing commitment to providing a safe environment for everyone.”

PROGRAM FEATURES

CMG Connect is a service of Catholic Mutual Group, the leading provider of insurance to more than 125 (arch)dioceses in North America, including the Charlotte diocese. Since its launch in 2016, CMG Connect has trained and certified 1 million people.

CMG Connect’s web-based curriculum, called “Safe Haven,” teaches best practices for recognizing and preventing child abuse in any context. With content in English and Spanish, it also features training on protecting vulnerable adults, as well as internet, workplace and school safety.

CMG Connect’s training modules require an individual to demonstrate understanding through testing, Vasquez said, and everyone must be recertified annually, with video training and acknowledgement of the diocese’s Safe Environment policies.

A new, comprehensive training library on current topics such as human

trafficking, cyberbullying and tech training for parents is also available to everyone.

The program also enhances background screening: After an initial screening for new personnel and volunteers, background checks will be conducted quarterly.

— Catholic News Herald

I’m a volunteer at my parish or with the diocese. What do I need to do?

The diocese is now in the process of moving 18,208 active user records of VIRTUS users to CMG Connect. In the coming weeks, VIRTUS users who provided their email address will receive instructions on how to access their new CMG Connect account. Users will need to log in, confirm their information, and complete any training sections that might be needed.

If you do not receive this email by March 1, 2024, please contact your local Safe Environment coordinator or contact David Vasquez at 704-370-3222 or safeenvironment@ rcdoc.org.

Campaign digs deeper Belmont Abbey College reaches historic $100M goal, sets new target ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@rcdoc.org

BELMONT — Belmont Abbey College announced Feb. 13 it has reached its $100 million “Made True” capital campaign goal – two years ahead of schedule – and set a new target of raising a total of $150 million by the college’s 150th anniversary in 2026.

“There are just so many good things happening here,” Belmont Abbey College President Bill Thierfelder told a crowd of students, faculty, monks and community members gathered Tuesday to celebrate the milestone amid balloons and renderings of the college’s plans.

“This providentially coincides with the 150th anniversary of Belmont Abbey College, founded in 1876,” he said, “and there is still so much more to accomplish!”

More than 14,000 donors have contributed to the campaign during its silent and public phases – including 5,613 gifts that have rolled in since the college publicly announced its campaign a year ago.

Last February, the college unveiled a three-pronged campaign to further “secure, strengthen and free” Belmont Abbey College to live out Church teaching and make Catholic higher education more accessible. As the only Catholic institution of higher learning between Northern Virginia and Florida, the historic campus is conveniently located just 10 miles west of Charlotte and is home to 1,500 students.

The most ambitious campaign in the college’s history, plans include construct of a new performing arts center, a new abbey, renovation of the original abbey, academic enhancements, growth of the college’s endowment to reduce its reliance on federal aid, and innovative stewardship programs to help students graduate debt-free.

Citing the “ever-growing need to support our students, faculty and staff,” Thierfelder said: “We have raised the campaign goal to $150 million to provide additional student scholarships, endowed faculty chairs, and a

PHOTO PROVIDED

Belmont Abbey College President Bill Thierfelder announces a new goal of $150 million for the college’s “Made True” capital campaign, which will improve facilities and academic offerings on campus. Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, chancellor of Belmont Abbey College, and Vice President Phil Brach also delivered remarks at the festive gathering of students, faculty, monks and community members. new home for our monastic community.”

Belmont Abbey is now in the top 1.5% of peer institutions that have fulfilled campaigns of $100 million dollars or more, college officials said.

The college reports that funds raised through the Made True capital campaign have already made a substantial impact on the college. Campaign gifts have paid for a revitalized dining hall and new state-of-theart science labs, and increased the college’s endowment fund fivefold, to $50 million, further solidifying the college’s mission in perpetuity.

Campaign gifts include $9 million from the North Carolina General Assembly to help pay for construction of the new performing arts center to be built on campus, for use by the college as well as community groups.

Belmont Abbey has also established a permanent Belmont House in Washington, D.C., thanks to a $ 1.7 million gift from alumnus Dr. Maximo Alvarez. The purpose

of the house is to amplify Christian voices in the public square, promote JudeoChristian values, and prepare young professionals to engage with the culture and politics in fruitful and ethical ways in the nation’s capital.

Of the 5,613 gifts made over the last year during the public phase of the Made True campaign, 57% came from first-time donors.

“We have achieved so much in less than a year, and there is still more the Abbey can accomplish with such generous benefactors,” said Phil Brach, Vice President of College Relations at Belmont Abbey College. “With the continued support of our donors and the dedication of our community, we are confident that we can achieve this historic new goal.”

The $50 million extension of the Made True campaign includes $15 million to establish 10 endowed chairs to help attract and retain high-quality faculty dedicated to the college’s mission. Ranked No. 1 in 2023 by the U.S. News & World Report for

undergraduate teaching, the college will use some of these funds to support faculty salaries.

Another $15 million in funding would provide 150 scholarships for the Honors College, which helps shape creative ethical and critical thinkers. This initiative would enable students to attend and graduate from Belmont Abbey College debt-free.

The remaining $20 million is earmarked for the construction of a new monastery for the monks of Belmont Abbey. The existing historic monastery, constructed with bricks handmade by the monks, will be carefully refurbished and put to a new use by the college. Like the college, the current monastery will soon be 150 years old and the cost to operate such an old building is considerable.

Brach noted that noise from Interstate 85 disrupts the silence the monks depend on for prayer and that the new building will be more insulated from the noise.

The monastery also will offer increased accessibility and space for the kitchen and infirmary for the men who, taking a vow of stability, devote their lives to the college.

“On a more spiritual level, a new monastery sends a message to the community that the core of this college is the monks – that’s what we are built on,” Brach said. “And the Benedictine charism is here to stay.”

Abbot Placid Solari, Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College, recently reflected on the school’s remarkable journey.

“Today, we celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of Belmont Abbey College, and we recognize the immense potential that lies ahead,” he said in the college’s written announcement. “With this new phase of the campaign, we are poised to ensure this college and our mission continue for another 150 years.”

For more information about the Made True campaign and to learn about other ways to support Belmont Abbey College, visit www.bac.edu/madetrue.

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catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Vietnamese Catholics welcome Têt with faith, fireworks and fun CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — It was past 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, and the parking lot of St. Joseph Vietnamese Church was packed with cars. Hundreds of parishioners had come to ring in Têt, the Asian Lunar New Year.

Festivities began at 11 p.m. with the celebration of a Vigil Mass offered by Father Tri Truong, pastor, assisted by Deacon Quang Nguyen.

“Tonight, when we find ourselves between the current year (Year of the Rabbit) and the new year (Year of the Dragon), for the Vietnamese in particular it is a sacred time, very spiritual,” Father Truong said. “We are grateful for what we have experienced during the past year and the blessings that the new year will bring us: prosperity, good health, good fortune.”

“Therefore, tonight, Holy Mass has two purposes: to give thanks and to offer the new year to God,” he said.

For Catholics, celebrating Têt as a Church community is very important, he noted.

“Here we unite, we connect. (And) more than that, we are in communion.

The Church is part of Catholic life. Any important event is celebrated in the Church, because all the good that comes to us comes from God Himself.”

He stressed that Lunar New Year celebrations are not pagan traditions, but simply reflect the fact that Asian countries measured years by cycles of the moon in ancient times.

“In the Asian tradition they used the lunar calendar until the western calendar was brought to Asia,” he said. “In Vietnamese culture, we still look at the lunar year as the time to celebrate the new year.”

In Vietnamese tradition, 2024 is known as the Year of the Dragon, signifying talent, strength, nobility, luck and success.

Mass ended a few minutes before midnight, leaving just enough time for parishioners to do a brief countdown before fireworks erupted to announce the start of the new year.

Due to the late hour, the fireworks

Hundreds of parishioners filled St. Joseph Church on Feb. 2 to ring in Têt, the Asian Lunar New Year. Father Tri Truong, pastor, celebrated a special vigil Mass, which was followed by fireworks, music and a stunning performance by the parish’s renowned Hidden Dragon Lion Dance team, comprised of youth from the parish.

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

display was kept brief out of respect for nearby neighbors, Father Truong added, “but we have kept all the elements with which we normally celebrate the new year in Vietnam.”

The night’s celebration was highlighted by a performance by the parish’s renowned Hidden Dragon Lion Dance team, comprised of youth from the parish, whose colorful and acrobatic presentation imitated the movements of four lions.

The lions danced and swayed to the beat of drums, stretching open their oversized mouths as people young and old laughed with delight and handed over little red envelopes that symbolized luck and good fortune.

Father Truong and Deacon Nguyen had handed out the red envelopes, brought in for the occasion from Vietnam.

Tucked inside each one was a dollar bill and an inspirational Bible quote for the year ahead.

At the end of the celebration, a young parishioner on behalf of the entire community presented Father Truong with a bouquet of flowers as gratitude for his pastoral leadership over the past year.

Jenny Nguyen was among the hundreds on hand for the festivities at St. Joseph. She had driven in from Savannah, Georgia, to attend the Mass and celebrate Têt with her parents.

“It’s a special time to come back and celebrate with family and all the friends from the parish I grew up in,” Nguyen said.

“For me, it is very important to be in an atmosphere of hope for what the new year will bring us.”

More online At www.catholicnewsherald,com: See more photos from St. Joseph’s Têt celebrations.

‘No one can replace you in the world or in God’s heart’ Sisters of Life to visit North Carolina for Lenten talks Feb. 15-18 ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — North Carolina faithful are invited to participate in a Lent mission led by three Sisters of Life from across the country: Sister Catherine Joy Marie from Denver, Sister Monica Faustina from Washington, D.C., and Sister Joseph Mary Nazareth from New York City.

The first three days of their visit will be at locations within the Diocese of Charlotte – Belmont Abbey College Marie Feb. 15 for students, faculty, staff and their families, and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Charlotte Feb. 16-17, open to all adults – before they travel to Greenville Feb. 18.

“We will be speaking about the dignity and goodness of every human person, in

different ways depending on the audience,” said Sister Catherine Joy Marie, who serves at the Sisters of Life evangelization center in Denver.

She noted that it can be difficult to remember this truth when people are bombarded with so many negative messages today.

“We want people to remember that every human person is good, valuable and irreplaceable and that God has good plans for our lives,” she said.

“Often people think we must earn or prove our worth, but that’s not true.

Faustina No one can replace you in the world or in God’s heart.”

Sister Joseph Mary Nazareth is part of the formation team at the Sisters of Life postulate house in the Bronx. She will talk with catechists, parents and other adults

about how to help children and young people enter fully into the vocation they have been called to by God. Sister Monica Faustina is from North Carolina and attended University of North Carolina-Greensboro. She is currently living at St. Clare convent, the Sisters of Life location in Washington, D.C.,that is a place of prayer and study.

“It’s beautiful for us to be together,” said Sister Catherine Joy Marie about the Lenten mission with Sisters Monica Faustina and Joseph Mary Nazareth.

“We’re like a family who doesn’t always get to see each other. We look forward to sharing the good news of life and love in North Carolina.”

Founded by Cardinal John O’Connor in 1991, the Sisters of Life have convents across the United States and in Toronto.

They offer prayer, retreats, crisis pregnancy help, hope and healing after abortion, college student outreach and end-of-life ministry. Learn more at www. sistersoflife.org.

The Sisters of Life Lent Mission n Belmont Abbey College mission: 7-9 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 15, at Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road, Belmont. The Belmont Abbey College community is invited to join the Sisters of Life for a social and talk in the LaPointe Room, The Student Commons (HUB) second floor, followed by prayer and music in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel. n Parish Lenten Mission: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Join the Sisters of Life for a Lenten dinner and reflection. n Parish Catechist Retreat: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Join the Sisters of Life for Mass, followed by refreshments in Aquinas Hall and a conference on “Sharing the Gift of Vocation” from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. n Parish Lenten Mission: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18, at St. Peter Church, 2700 E 4th St., Greenville. Join the Sisters of Life for talks and music.

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Building up the Kingdom of God Father Paul Gary celebrates 40 years of priesthood EDITOR’S NOTE: This profile is the first of a series featuring priests and consecrated religious who are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. Look for more interviews and stories in coming editions of the Catholic News Herald.

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

MINT HILL — As he celebrates the 40th anniversary of his ordination, Father Paul Gary can’t remember a time in his life when he didn’t dream of the priesthood.

“I always wanted to be a priest – the dream goes back as far as I can remember,” he said. “I could not imagine doing anything else with my life. I remember telling my mom as she sat by her dressing table, and she was not surprised.”

Father Gary has spent the past 16 years as pastor of St. Luke Parish in Mint Hill, where he marked his anniversary on Feb. 11 by celebrating the 9 and 11 a.m.

Masses, speaking about his priesthood in his homily and then gathering with parishioners for refreshments.

Father Gary grew up on Long Island in the town of Manhasset, N.Y. A cradle Catholic, he attended Catholic schools and remembers

the guidance of the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters in elementary school and Marist brothers in high school. He has four brothers, including his identical twin, Peter Gary, who is also a parishioner at St. Luke.

His family eventually moved to Charlotte, and the young Gary found a supportive and welcoming environment that nurtured his vocation. Bishop Michael J. Begley had attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and decided to send Gary there for his formation. He entered the seminary in August 1980, completed his formation, and was ordained by Bishop Begley at St. Patrick Cathedral on Feb. 11, 1984.

Forty years later, Father Gary’s happiness at a life of serving God fills his voice when he talks about the landmark anniversary.

“It’s a milestone for sure – 40 seems like a big number,” Father Gary Gary said. “Overall it feels great because I think everything about the priesthood is wonderful.”

His ministry has taken him all across the diocese – serving as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville and St. John Neumann Parish in Charlotte, and then as pastor at St. Leo the Great Parish in WinstonSalem and St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville. He was rector at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte from 1996 until July 2008, when he was assigned to become St. Luke’s pastor.

TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Father Paul Gary is celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination this year. In his four decades of ministry, one of his favorite moments was building and dedication of a new church for St. Luke Parish. Pictured above is Bishop Peter Jugis handing the keys of the new church to Father Gary at the dedication in 2023.

He says it’s hard to single out one accomplishment in a life he loves so much but describes the building and dedication of a new church for the Mint Hill parish as his biggest success. Plans for the new church were just starting to get under way when he arrived there in 2008.

“It took all of my years here to do it – from finding and buying the land, to planning the church design and running the capital campaigns,” Father Gary said.

“Building a church takes a lot of work, a FATHER GARY, SEE PAGE 10

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catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

BRIEFS FROM PAGE 4

Howell named MiraVia communications director CHARLOTTE — MiraVia, a safe haven and a source of hope for pregnant women, has hired SueAnn Howell as its communications director. Howell, a former Catholic News Herald reporter and award-winning communications professional, is a longtime supporter of MiraVia’s mission to provide material support and education for women.

“I’m blessed with the opportunity to combine my passion for empowering women with my love of communications in this new role at MiraVia,” Howell said. “I have seen over the years how MiraVia positively impacts families, putting Howell women on a path of opportunity and giving them confidence to support themselves and their children.”

Founded in 1994, MiraVia has served 12,400 women over the past 30 years. Learn more about their mission at www.miravia.org.

Priest assignment announced CHARLOTTE — Father Victor U. Ameh, a priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria, has been assigned as parochial administrator at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Charlotte, the Bishop’s Office has announced.

Father Ameh was ordained in 2019 in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria, by Cardinal John

Onaiyekan, the archbishop of Abuja.

The words of St. Paul, “we are ambassadors for Christ,” (2 Cor 5:20), are the motto and charism of the Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria. Its members – which total about 300 – take on missionary activities to all nations, as Christ commanded.

Like St. Paul, members are driven by the love of Christ to “be all things to all people” (1 Cor 9:22). Though primary evangelization is its central mission, the society is also committed to New Evangelization Ameh and the apostolate of the printed word.

St. Mark parishioners prepare for Lent with the saints HUNTERSVILLE — Alongside relics of St. Veronica, the True Cross, St. Helen, St. John the Apostle, and St. Mary Magdalene, faithful joined in prayer for a special Mass on the feast of the Holy Face of Jesus, Feb. 13 at St. Mark Church.

Beside the relics stood a striking image of Our Lord, as Father Michael Carlson led a Holy Hour, followed by Mass the night before Lent.

“This evening as we prepare to begin this 40 days of Lent, consider the power of contemplating and meditating on that face of Christ,” Father Carlson said. “Maybe with the assistance of a holy image, especially if you’re trying to turn away from vice and sin to a life of godliness and virtue, contemplate that merciful gaze of Christ, that visible face of the invisible God.” — Amy Burger

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COURTNEY MCLAUGHLIN Correspondent

GREENSBORO — As part of her legacy, the late Thelma Simpson Hatchett, a Greensboro native and social justice activist, left an estate gift of over $47,000 to her beloved parish, St. Mary – creating the Thelma Hatchett Endowment Fund to support its Black Catholic Ministry and address the general needs of the congregation.

Hatchett, who passed away Dec. 1, 2021, at Hatchett the age of 87, dedicated her life to serving the Greensboro parish community. St. Mary was established in 1928 to serve Black Catholics in the segregated southeastern area of Greensboro. St. Mary’s has been led by Vincentian priests since 1939, and today it is one of the most ethnically diverse parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Vincentian Father John Timlin, pastor, said the generous gift will help members of St. Mary and the community learn more about the Black Catholic experience.

“Thelma loved St. Mary,” he said. “She had a strong passion for racial justice, and she was unafraid to speak her mind.”

Born to a devout Catholic family, Hatchett attended St. Mary Catholic School and Dudley High School, and she received her bachelor’s degree from Bennett College in Greensboro. She participated in the desegregation of movie theaters in downtown Greensboro and took an active role with sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement before moving to New York in

1961. There she was a teacher with New York City schools, a lecturer and reading coordinator at Hunter College, and later an adjunct lecturer at Bronx Community College.

Upon returning home in 1976, Hatchett worked for Guilford County Schools and immersed herself in St. Mary’s parish life. She was a member and chairperson of the Parish Council, and she assisted with fundraising and the parish’s 75th anniversary celebration. Hatchett also served on the Bereavement Committee and the National Black Catholic Congress in Buffalo, New York, and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Her dedication to civil rights was a theme throughout her life, said Carolyn Smith, Hatchett’s aunt and a fellow parishioner.

“She was a strong young adult. She was an educator and dedicated to educational excellence.”

“We are grateful for Thelma’s commitment to St. Mary and Black Catholic Ministry,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director. “We encourage others to follow her example by leaving a legacy to the Church in their estate plans, whether that gift be to St. Mary or any of our parishes, schools, agencies or diocesan ministries.”

Fund an endowment You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.org.

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February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Catholic doctor opens new women’s health clinic for natural family planning in Charlotte area CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Dr. Stephen Blaha had been practicing medicine in the Charlotte area for several years when he realized that part of his work – prescribing contraception – conflicted with his Catholic faith.

After a long period of discernment and prayer, he decided he wanted to start a practice that followed natural law and God’s plan, he said. After two years of planning, the result is Atrium Health Women’s Care Natural Family Planning OB/ Blaha GYN clinic, located in Indian Trail in Union County, east of Charlotte.

The clinic opened on Dec. 4 after a blessing and dedication from Father Peter Ascik, director of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Office of Family Life.

“I realized I wasn’t holding to all the tenets of the faith when I was providing contraception, and finally I had a moment where I had to ask myself: What do I believe?” Blaha said. “I buckled down into prayer, praying the rosary every day and asking the Blessed Mother for guidance in what I should be doing.

Finally, I resolved through prayer, and

I think the intercession of the Blessed Mother, that I needed to change the way I practiced. I wanted to have a whole practice where we are just following the understanding of natural life.”

He had been practicing with Atrium Health, so he pitched the idea of a women’s health clinic centered around natural family planning to them, and the health care company was very supportive of the idea, Blaha said. The search for a location started and he eventually found the site in Indian Trail.

Blaha, who is originally from California, was first exposed to health care centered around Church teaching while he and his wife were living in Escondido. He was deciding whether or not to go to medical school and was invited to spend time shadowing Dr. George Delgado at Culture of Life Family Services in San Diego.

Eventually he moved to North Carolina to study medicine at Wake Forest University, and then started practice as an OB/GYN in the Charlotte area through Atrium.

A clinic like this has an automatic appeal to women who are practicing Catholics, but Blaha said the natural approach to family planning attracts women from diverse backgrounds.

“The idea of following natural law appeals to a lot of women who like the idea of understanding and working with their bodies, rather than artificially

altering the way their bodies work,” Blaha said. “This approach to family planning appeals to women who want to be in their natural state as much as possible.”

ABOUT DR. BLAHA’S PRACTICE

The practice offers a complete range of obstetric and gynecologic services, as well as tests and ultrasounds. They are also able to offer women advice about three methods of natural family planning: Creighton and Billings, Marquette, and Symptothermal. One of his goals is to eventually work with NFP instructors to offer lessons about the different methods through the practice.

Also, a midwife will join the staff in May.

More online Visit www.atriumhealth.org/providerprofile/stephen-blaha-1306012679: The practice is currently accepting new patients.

It is located at 6030 West Hwy. 74, Suite B, in Indian Trail. For more information, call 980-993-2030.

At www.charlottediocese.org: Blaha’s new practice joins several others in the Diocese of Charlotte that offer women’s health care that is also supportive of NFP and Catholic teaching. Go to the “Faith Life” section of the diocese’s website and click on “Natural Family Planning” to learn more.

FATHER GARY FROM PAGE 7

lot of prayer and a lot of time, and when the project is completed it’s like a dream come true.”

St. Luke’s new 21,000-square-foot church building was dedicated by Bishop Peter Jugis on Feb. 19, 2023.

It wasn’t the first time Father Gary helped guide a parish through a building campaign.

He was pastor at St. Philip the Apostle in Statesville when a new church was built there and dedicated in 1995, and he helped oversee the construction of a new family life center at St. Patrick Cathedral, completed in 2008.

Father Gary marvels at the growth of the Catholic population in western North Carolina since his ordination four decades ago, and he’s especially happy to see the strength and growth of the Catholic school system in the diocese.

Through his decades of service to Our Lord, it is his devotion to many saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary that has guided him throughout his priesthood, he said.

“I pray the rosary every day because it brings me closer to God,” he said. “It is special to set aside part of my day for the rosary. It gives me confidence knowing God will bless me throughout the day.”

Knowing since childhood that God was calling him to priesthood has helped Father Gary rely on God’s guidance in everything he does.

“It’s not so much about my abilities but about what God allows me to do and helps me to do,” he said. “I would say that trusting God has helped me to accomplish what I’ve accomplished. If you allow Him to work through you, you can accomplish great things.”

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Our schools

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Bishop McGuinness names new principal

Holy Trinity Middle School chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima of Fatima, referring, of course, to the apparitions of Our Lady to the three shepherd children, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, in CHARLOTTE — Father Joseph Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.”

Matlak discovered something Father Matlak said he was surprising last summer: The slightly biased by this, being half chapel at Holy Trinity Middle Portuguese and coming from School, where he serves as a family that has experienced chaplain, had never been officially miracles through devotion to named a permanent chapel.

Our Lady of Fatima. However, He made this discovery with the the appropriateness of the title help of the Diocese of Charlotte and connection with the school archives department, and then runs much deeper, he added. requested to have the 27-year-old “My first year as chaplain chapel formally dedicated. coincided with the 100th The efforts culminated in a anniversary of the apparitions in Jan. 31 Mass and chapel blessing, Fatima,” he said. “On May 13, 2017, aptly timed for Catholic Schools I consecrated the school to her Week. Twenty-five students in the TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Immaculate Heart with a prayer school’s Little Flower, Knights of Father Joseph Matlak celebrated a special Mass on Jan. 31, blessing and dedicating that ended with these words: May Saint Joseph and Pro-Life clubs the chapel at Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte. Twenty-five students in the the reign of the Sacred Heart of gathered with officials from the school’s Little Flower, Knights of St. Joseph and Pro-Life clubs gathered to mark the Jesus, together with your reign, diocesan schools office and Holy occasion with officials from the diocesan schools office and school administrators. enter this school so that we may Trinity administrators to mark one day deserve eternal happiness the occasion. in the presence of the Holy Trinity.”

Father Matlak and Holy Trinity theology Father Matlak celebrated the Mass and Those words resonated with teacher Shane Sayre composed a special blessed the chapel with Father Timothy Reid, Superintendent Dr. Greg Monroe, who was prayer for the occasion that ends with an the diocese’s Vicar of Education for Catholic present for the Mass and blessing. invocation to Our Lady of Fatima.

Schools, and Father Christopher Roux, “We’re trying to get closer to God in In his homily, Father Matlak shared the rector of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, everything we do in the schools,” he said. “This significance of the concluding line of the concelebrating. Also assisting was Deacon chapel dedication provides a focal point and prayer and the connections between Our Peter Tonon of St. Ann Church in Charlotte. a continuing orientation toward those things Lady and the Holy Trinity.

“By the bishop’s decree, Holy Trinity’s which are most important: our faith and coming “Ending a prayer with an invocation of chapel has been dedicated to Our Lady of together as a Catholic community to support the Mother of God is not simply a flowery Fatima, and Bishop Jugis has delegated me to each other and push each other to excel.” decoration. God decided to become incarnate, bless the chapel,” Father Matlak said. to come into the world, through Mary, which Principal Kevin Parks said no funds were means that every way to return to Him must required to complete the blessing and official More online also somehow go through her,” he said. dedication to Our Lady of Fatima, adding that At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more “Our chapel is being dedicated to the there are plans to use school funds to replace photos from the blessing of Holy Trinity’s chapel.

Blessed Virgin under the title of Our Lady the flooring and paint the chapel in the spring.

ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@rcdoc.org

KERNERSVILLE — After several months’ search, Bishop McGuinness High School has named Claire Willis as its new principal beginning June 2024.

Willis brings a wealth of experience and a passion for Catholic education, having served as an educator and administrator for nearly two decades. She currently serves as the assistant superintendent for Catholic schools for the Diocese of Baton Rouge and has previously served as a high school principal, elementary assistant principal, and middle and high school English teacher in various Willis Catholic schools.

“The warm welcome of the school community, the tradition of excellence, and the evident culture of faith and family convinced me that I had found my new home,” Willis said.

Head of School Dr. Jared M. Rashford shared his confidence in Willis.

“Mrs. Willis’s passion for education and her proven track record make her the ideal leader for our school. I am confident that her vision and commitment will further enhance the Bishop McGuinness experience for our students,” Rashford said.

Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Charlotte, also noted his excitement in Willis’s selection.

“Mrs. Willis’s appointment as principal is a key step forward for Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School,” Monroe said. “Her leadership and commitment to Catholic education are ideal for enhancing our school’s legacy and continuing to build a strong Catholic culture that is focused on excellence. Working with our great faculty, we are excited to see the academic, extracurricular, and Catholic environment she will foster.”

Willis and her husband Chandler have five children.

Their oldest will attend Louisiana State University in the fall, and the younger children are excited to explore their new home and become part of the community, she said.

— Catholic News Herald

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FROM TH

iiiFebruary 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com

Lent: Don’t just surviv

C

atholics ushered in Lent this week with Ash Wednesday, the start of a 40-day journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The season of Lent time Jesus spent in the desert, where He prayed and fasted for 40 days before His death. It is a penitential time to grow closer to Jesus and p celebrate His resurrection at Easter, the most wonderful day of the year for Christians. This year, make the most of your journey by finding cre meaningful – ways to pray, fast and be charitable. By Easter, you’ll feel rejuvenated in mind, body and spirit – ready to greet the Risen Lord.

Prayer

Fasting

Almsgiving

When we pray, we lift our hearts and minds to God – to praise and thank Him, ask for mercy and forgiveness, and seek His guidance and blessing.

We can strengthen our prayer life by remembering why we pray: to remain close to God, and deepen our relationship with Him.

Fasting is an ancient practice, during which we limit how much food we eat to grow closer to Our Lord through our sacrifice. Although modest snacks are OK, fasting generally means eating only one full meal in a day. We fast and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and we abstain from meat every Friday during Lent.

Charity is a call for all Christians and a theme of the Gospels. During Lent, we focus more intently on “almsgiving” – an active form of charity – by donating money, goods, time or talents to help lift up our brothers and sisters in need.

Let St. Teresa of Avila’s words inspire you: “Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.”

■ Give thanks. A simple prayer of “thank you” when you go to sleep or wake up keeps you connected to our Creator and all the graces He bestows every day.

Appreciate those blessings, reveling in God’s boundless love and mercy. Not sure where to start? Websites such as Hallow.com or PrayMoreNovenas.com offer inspiring options.

■ Walk with Jesus. The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion commemorating the final moments before Jesus’s death on the cross. Most Catholic churches display the stations where you can pray and follow Jesus’ journey, or you can find dramatic versions online. As you move from station to station while reciting the prayers, imagine yourself at the scene with Jesus. Contemplate Jesus’ immeasurable love and sacrifice as you feel your heart swell.

■ Be still. Life is busy, noisy and chaotic. Make time this Lent to find God in the silence. Spend quiet moments in the presence of Jesus at church, during Eucharistic Adoration or after Mass. Meditate on a Scripture verse or a piece of sacred art. Go for a walk or a hike, silently praying the Rosary or repeating the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

■ Why no meat? We refrain from eating meat on Lenten Fridays to honor Our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross, in which He gave up His life – His own flesh and blood – for our salvation. Beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are off the menu, but fish and dairy are fine. Use common sense, though – if you’re ill, pregnant, or elderly, fasting is optional. And remember, the sacrifice of fasting and abstinence is pointless if you splurge on bluefin tuna at a fancy restaurant.

■ Give up some-

thing you “can’t live without.”

Addicted to coffee, mindless scrolling on your phone, or shopping on Amazon?

Put aside the habit for the 40 days of Lent and use that extra time and willpower to do something good or healthy: go for a walk, call a friend, read a book. You’ll feel better, knowing even a small sacrifice, done with love, brings you closer to God. St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Little Way” can guide you: “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

■ Confess. As the Scottish proverb goes: Confession is good for the soul. We’re all sinners in need of mercy, so ■ Embrace the hunger. Giving up something for join the line at the confessional. Acknowledge what is Lent should cause us to hunger – whether it’s for food, burdening your conscience, and get advice from the comfort or convenience. Hunger pangs remind us that priest on how to do better. Hear those healing words of only God can truly satisfy us. “I am the bread of life; absolution: “God the Father of mercies, through the whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35). world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I ■ Adults (ages 18 to 59) are to abstain from ■ Additionally, Catholics (14 and older) absolve you from your sins eating meat and only consume one full meal on are to abstain from eating meat on in the name of the Father, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Two smaller Fridays during Lent. Meats include beef, and of the Son and of the meals are permitted but combined should not pork, chicken, and any other “flesh” meat.

Holy Spirit. Amen.” equal a single normal meal.

Fish and dairy are fine.

■ Lend a hand. Your parish or community center offers lots of ways to get involved. Your parish bulletin or website is a good place to start. Also check out the “Faith Life” section of the diocese’s website www.charlottediocese.org, to conne with volunteer ministries that interest you. When you step up, you experience the joy in giving of yourself to others.

■ Give it away. Do you really need all that stuff ? Clean out your closets and drawers, and give away gently used items to help people “Spring cleaning” is good for your home and your soul, plus you can someone’s life easier or more comfortable.

■ Donate. Giving money is a practical w help your parish or a charity you like.

Charities rely on the kindness and generosity of donors to do their work – and your financial gift just may be the act of mercy they need right now. Don’t know how much to give? One tip: Give enough to feel a little thrill after signing the check or clicking the “donate” button.

Fasting and abstinence during Lent

■ Children, adults with physical and mental illness, pregnant and nursing women are exempt from fasting.

■ The U.S. Bishops stress that “common sense should prevail” and that no one should jeopardize their health to fast.

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February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

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Lenten Wisdom Priests from around the Diocese of Charlotte offer guidance on growing your spiritual life this Lent:

On Prayer “Our hearts need a strong connection with God. Lent is our chance to “re-sync” and make ourselves present to Him. We look inside to see how to rekindle that internal dialogue. This Lent, focus on some small prayer that you can do every day. Or pick out a psalm or verse from the Gospels and memorize it, helping you to keep it in mind throughout the season.”

Balkey

— Father Darren Balkey, parochial vicar of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte.

On Fasting “Fasting is divesting ourselves of something that we possess or avoiding something that we want (such as food, habits or something you’re attached to). Fasting allows us to live more simply through trusting more in God’s divine help and providence rather than our own strength and efforts.”

— Father Noah Carter, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Kernersville.

Carter “Fasting is a proper way to practice self-control ... It provides us with the opportunity to detach from things that pull us away from God, so as to reorder our attachment to Him, and helps us overcome vices.”

— Father Chinonso Nnebe-Agumadu, parochial vicar of St. Mark Parish in Huntersville.

Nnebe-Agumadu

way to

On Almsgiving “Helping our neighbor during Lent is not just offering money or food to the poor. By giving from what we have received from God’s bounty, we humble ourselves and show God’s love and charity to Sanchez others. Don’t just give food or money – give yourself with unwavering attention to others. Put down your phone and engage others in a personal and attentive way.”

— Father Miguel Sanchez, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Winston-Salem.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAVID PUCKETT | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Cuaresma: No solo sobrevivas, ¡crece!

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os católicos iniciamos la Cuaresma esta semana con el Miércoles de Ceniza, el inicio de un viaje de 40 días de oración, ayuno y caridad. El tiempo de Cuaresma recuerda la temporada que Jesús pasó en el desierto, donde oró y ayunó durante 40 días antes de su muerte. Es un tiempo penitencial para acercarte a Jesús y prepararte para celebrar Su resurrección en la Pascua, el día más maravilloso del año para los cristianos.

Este año, aprovecha al máximo tu camino encontrando formas creativas y significativas de orar, ayunar y ser caritativo. Para la Pascua, te sentirás rejuvenecido en mente, cuerpo y espíritu, listo para saludar al Señor Resucitado. Aquí te ofrecemos algunas ideas:

Oración

Ayuno

Caridad

Cuando oramos, elevamos nuestros corazones y mentes a Dios, para alabarlo y agradecerle, pedirle misericordia y perdón, y buscar Su guía y bendición. Podemos fortalecer nuestra vida de oración recordando por qué oramos: para permanecer cerca de Dios y profundizar nuestra relación con Él.

El ayuno es una práctica antigua, durante la cual limitamos la cantidad de alimentos que comemos para acercarnos más a Nuestro Señor a través de nuestro sacrificio. Aunque los bocadillos ligeros están bien, el ayuno generalmente significa comer solo una comida completa en un día. Ayunamos y nos abstenemos de comer carne el Miércoles de Ceniza y el Viernes Santo, y nos abstenemos de comer carne todos los viernes durante la Cuaresma.

La caridad es un llamado para todos los cristianos y un tema de los Evangelios.

Durante la Cuaresma, nos enfocamos más intensamente en el dar, una forma activa de caridad, donando dinero, bienes, tiempo o talentos para ayudar a levantar a nuestros hermanos y hermanas en necesidad. Que te inspiren las palabras de Santa Teresa de Ávila: “Tuyos son los ojos a través de los cuales la compasión de Cristo por el mundo debe mirar; tuyos son los pies con los que Él ha de andar haciendo el bien; y tuyas son las manos con las que Él nos bendecirá” .

■ Da gracias. Una simple oración de “gracias” cuando vas a dormir o despiertas te mantiene conectado con nuestro Creador y con todas las gracias que Él otorga diariamente.

Aprecia esas bendiciones, deléitate en el amor y misericordia ilimitada de Dios. ¿No sabes por dónde empezar? Sitios web como Pray.com, Hallow.com o PrayMoreNovenas.com ofrecen opciones inspiradoras.

■ Camina con Jesús. El Vía Crucis es una devoción católica de 14 pasos que conmemora los últimos momentos antes de la muerte de Jesús. La mayoría de las iglesias católicas tienen las estaciones donde puedes orar y seguir el camino de Jesús, o puedes encontrar versiones online. Escoge una y mientras te mueves de estación en estación mientras oras, imagínate a ti mismo en la escena con Jesús.

■ Tranquilízate. La vida es ajetreada, ruidosa y caótica. Tómate un tiempo en esta Cuaresma para encontrar a Dios en el silencio. Pasa momentos tranquilos en presencia de Jesús en la iglesia, durante la Adoración Eucarística o después de la Misa. Medita en un versículo de las Escrituras o en una obra de arte sagrado. Camina rezando en silencio el rosario o repitiendo la oración de Jesús: “Señor Jesucristo, Hijo de Dios, ten piedad de mí, pecador.”

■ Confiésate. La confesión es buena para el alma. Todos somos pecadores necesitados de misericordia, así que únete a la fila en el confesionario. Sé sincero contigo mismo, reconoce lo que está agobiando tu conciencia y pide consejo al sacerdote sobre cómo hacerlo mejor. Escucha las palabras sanadoras de absolución: “Dios Padre de misericordias, que por la muerte y resurrección de su Hijo, ha reconciliado consigo al mundo y ha enviado el Espíritu Santo entre nosotros para el perdón de los pecados; por el ministerio de la Iglesia, que Dios te conceda el perdón y la paz, y te absuelva de tus pecados en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo. Amén”.

■ ¿Por qué no comer carne? Nos abstenemos de comer carne los viernes de Cuaresma para honrar el sacrificio de Nuestro Señor en la cruz, en el que Él dio Su vida, Su propia carne y sangre, por nuestra salvación. La carne de res, cerdo, pollo y pavo están fuera del menú, pero el pescado y los lácteos están bien. Sin embargo, usa el sentido común: si estás enfermo, embarazada o eres adulto mayor, el ayuno es opcional.

■ Renuncia a algo sin lo

que “no puedas vivir”.

¿Adicto al café, a tu teléfono celular o a las compras en Amazon? Deja a un lado el hábito por los 40 días de Cuaresma y usa ese tiempo extra y fuerza de voluntad para hacer algo bueno o saludable: salir a caminar, llamar a un amigo, leer un libro. Te sentirás mejor sabiendo que incluso un pequeño sacrificio, hecho con amor, te acerca más a Dios.

■ Abraza el hambre. Renunciar a algo durante la Cuaresma debería causarnos hambre, ya sea por comida, consuelo o conveniencia. Las punzadas de hambre nos recuerdan que solo Dios puede satisfacernos verdaderamente. “Yo soy el pan de vida; el que viene a mí no tendrá hambre jamás, y el que cree en mí no tendrá sed jamás” (Juan 6:35).

Ayuno y abstinencia durante la Cuaresma ■ Los adultos (de 18 a 59 años) deben abstenerse de comer carne y consumir solo una comida completa el Miércoles de Ceniza y el Viernes Santo. Se permiten dos comidas más pequeñas, pero combinadas no deben equivaler a una sola comida normal.

■ Además, los católicos (mayores de 14 años) deben abstenerse de comer carne los viernes durante la Cuaresma. Las carnes incluyen carne de res, cerdo, pollo y cualquier otra carne. El pescado y los lácteos están bien.

■ Están exentos del ayuno los niños, los adultos con enfermedades físicas y mentales, las mujeres embarazadas y lactantes.

■ Los obispos estadounidenses subrayan que “debe prevalecer el sentido común” y que nadie debe poner en peligro su salud para ayunar.

■ Extiende tu mano. Tu parroquia o centro comunitario ofrece muchas maneras de participar. El boletín o sitio web de su parroquia es un buen lugar para comenzar. También visita la sección “Vida de Fe” del sitio web de la diócesis www.charlottediocese.org, para conectarte con ministerios voluntarios que te interesen. Cuando te ofreces como voluntario, experimentas la alegría de dar de ti mismo a los demás.

■ Regala. ¿Realmente necesitas todas las cosas que tienes? Limpia tus gabinetes, armarios y cajones, y regala artículos usados en buen estado para ayudar a las personas necesitadas. La “limpieza de primavera” es buena para tu hogar y tu alma, además de que puedes ayudar a que la vida de alguien sea más fácil o cómoda.

■ Dona. Dar dinero es una forma práctica de ayudar a tu parroquia o una organización benéfica que te guste.

Las organizaciones benéficas dependen de la bondad y generosidad de los donantes para hacer su trabajo, y tu donación financiera puede ser el acto de misericordia que necesitan en este momento. ¿No sabes cuánto dar? Un consejo: Da lo suficiente para sentir un poco de emoción después de firmar el cheque o hacer clic en el botón “donar”.

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Sabiduría cuaresmal Los padres de toda la Diócesis de Charlotte ofrecen orientación para hacer crecer su vida espiritual en esta Cuaresma.

Sobre la oración

Sobre el ayuno

Sobre la limosna

“Nuestros corazones necesitan una fuerte conexión con Dios. La Cuaresma es nuestra oportunidad de “re-sincronizarnos” y hacernos presentes ante Él.

Miramos hacia adentro para ver cómo reavivar Balkey ese diálogo interno. Esta Cuaresma, concéntrate en alguna pequeña oración que puedas hacer todos los días. O elige un salmo o versículo de los Evangelios y memorízalo, lo que te ayudará a tenerlo presente durante toda la temporada”.

“Ayunar es despojarnos de algo que poseemos o evitar algo que deseamos. El ayuno nos permite vivir de manera más simple al confiar más en la ayuda y la providencia divinas de Dios que en nuestras propias fuerzas y esfuerzos”.

“Helping our neighbor during Lent is not just offering money or food to the poor. By giving from what we have received from God’s bounty, we humble ourselves and show God’s love and charity Sanchez to others. Don’t just give food or money – give yourself with unwavering attention to others. Put down your phone and engage others in a personal and attentive way.”

— Padre Darren Balkey, vicario parroquial de la parroquia San Matthew en Charlotte.

— Padre Noah Carter, párroco de la parroquia Holy Cross en Kernersville.

Carter “El ayuno es una forma adecuada de practicar el autocontrol y la mortificación. Nos brinda la oportunidad de desapegarnos de las cosas que nos alejan de Dios, para reordenar nuestro apego a Él, y nos ayuda a superar los vicios”.

— Padre Chinonso Nnebe-Agumadu, vicario parroquial de la parroquia San Mark en Huntersville.

— Padre Miguel Sánchez, vicario parroquial de la parroquia Our Lady of Mercy en Winston-Salem.

Nnebe-Agumadu

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catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 16

Promueven veneración a Virgen de Schoenstatt Esperan se extienda en la región

Padre Julio Domínguez

Prácticas de Cuaresma

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a Cuaresma es un momento de reflexión que llama a convertirnos y volver a Dios; es un tiempo apropiado para purificarnos de las faltas; es un tiempo para creer, es decir, para recibir a Dios en nuestra vida y permitirle “poner su morada” en nosotros (Juan 14,23), y esta conversión se logra mediante una buena confesión de los pecados.

El ayuno, la oración y la limosna, tal como los presenta Jesús en su predicación (Mateo 6, 1-18), son las condiciones y la expresión de nuestra conversión.

Para llegar preparados y limpios interiormente a la Semana Santa, te proponemos las siguientes prácticas: n Ayuno: No solo de comida y bebida, sino también de nuestro egoísmo, vanidad, orgullo, odio, pereza, murmuraciones, malos deseos, venganza, impureza, ira, envidia, rencor, injusticia, insensibilidad ante las miserias y necesidades del prójimo. n Limosna: No solo material, sino prestar ayuda a quien la necesita, enseñar al que no sabe, dar un buen consejo a quien lo pide, compartir alegrías, repartir sonrisa, ofrecer nuestro perdón a quien nos ha ofendido. n Oración: Sin oración, tanto el ayuno como la limosna no se sostendrían; caerían por su propio peso. En la oración, Dios va cambiando nuestro corazón, lo hace más limpio, más comprensivo, más generoso.

La práctica Cuaresmal inicia el Miércoles de Ceniza y termina el Jueves Santo con el inicio del Triduo Pascual (Viernes Santo, Sábado Santo y Domingo de Resurrección).

Aunque no son 40 días exactos, en la biblia el número cuatro simboliza el universo material.

Seguido de ceros significa el tiempo de la vida de la tierra, con sus pruebas y dificultades. Por ejemplo: 40 días de diluvio, 40 días de Jesús en el desierto, 40 años de la marcha del pueblo judío por el desierto, 40 años de Moisés y Elías en la montaña y 400 años que duró el pueblo judío en Egipto.

El color litúrgico en este tiempo es morado, color que significa penitencia.

La oración, indispensable para nuestro encuentro con Dios; la penitencia, que se realiza cotidianamente y sin necesidad de grandes sacrificios; la caridad; el ayuno, en que se ingiere una sola comida fuerte en el día, y la abstinencia, que consiste en no comer carne que es necesaria para llegar a la Pascua santificados, son las prácticas que debemos practicar durante la Cuaresma Si tenemos la gracia de seguir felices en la casa paterna como hijos y amigos de Dios, la Cuaresma será entonces un tiempo apropiado para purificarnos de nuestras faltas y pecados pasados. Te invitamos a hacer conciencia en la sociedad, acompañado de un propósito para responder a estas necesidades a través de obras de misericordia y oraciones.

Que nuestro inicio de Cuaresma no solo sea un darnos cuenta de que comenzamos un nuevo tiempo litúrgico, sino que con perseverancia y mucho amor caminemos aferrados de la mano del Salvador y nos preparemos para celebrar la gran Pascua del Señor.

EL PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ es vicario episcopal del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte.

El Padre Tagle asegura que el movimiento cree en el hombre nuevo, la mujer nueva, la nueva comunidad; pues no nos santificamos solos, nos santificamos dentro de una comunidad. “Queremos ser un taller de santidad a través de la capacitación en la fe de los miembros”, dijo.

CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

WADESBORO — Después de vivir en New York y Dallas, Jenny Castillo, de raíces dominicanas, está completamente entregada a promover la creación de un grupo, una familia, en Wadesboro, lugar donde hoy reside por más de tres meses, que desarrolle el movimiento eclesial LA VIRGEN PEREGRINA que venera a la Virgen “Madre Padre Tagle se encuentra y Reina Victoriosa Tres Veces a cargo de la campaña de Admirable de Schoenstatt”. la Virgen Peregrina, una Escuchar del Padre Fidel pequeña imagen de la Melo, párroco de la Iglesia Virgen, “que circula por CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD San Santiago en Hamlet y la las casas de las familias El Padre Hugo Tagle, de la comunidad de los Padre de Schoenstatt en Dallas, Misión Sagrado Corazón en de prácticamente todos Texas, visitó la Misión Sagrado Corazón en Wadesboro para hacer una Wadesboro, sobre el movimiento los estados de la Unión schoenstattiano, motivó a Castillo invitación a la congregación a que participe del movimiento eclesial de la Americana”.

Virgen de Schoenstatt. a recordar su acercamiento al El contacto con Dios no movimiento mariano y tomar solo se da en la Iglesia, la determinación de hacer algo para dijo, pues gracias a la Virgen, se da en bajo la obra del P. José Kentenich en promoverlo en su comunidad. nuestras casas también; y las personas el Seminario Menor de los Padres Así, invitó al Padre Hugo Tagle, de la que la llevan, comparten un momento Pallotinos, en la ciudad de Schoenstatt, comunidad de los Padres de Schoenstatt con otro y rezan juntas. que significa “lugar hermoso”, en en Dallas, Texas, quien fue recibido en Explicó que la veneración mariana Alemania. Inició su labor de enseñanza Charlotte y trasladado a Wadesboro, está muy extendida en la Iglesia y es con los jóvenes con un espíritu donde ofreció una charla sobre el carisma marcadamente mariano. parte de nuestro ser católico. “A través del movimiento mariano y la obra del de ella tenemos un canal más directo Durante el régimen nazi en Alemania Padre José Kentenich, su fundador. al corazón de Dios. La Virgen fue la fue perseguido y encarcelado en un En su exposición, el Padre Tagle primera misionera, la primera apóstol, campo de concentración. Al terminar explicó que el movimiento se ha la que convocó el Cenáculo. No es la guerra, la Iglesia lo separó del extendido, desde Alemania donde fue simplemente una devoción. Hacemos de movimiento y fue enviado a Estados creado, a numerosos países del mundo, Unidos. Posteriormente, el Papa Paulo VI ella un camino, un instrumento que nos en especial en Latinoamérica. En Estados lo reinvindicó en 1965. Falleció en 1968. lleva a Dios”, puntualizó.

Unidos, dijo, hay varios santuarios en El Padre Tagle definió Schoenstatt Texas, como en Lamar, San Antonio, como un movimiento laico de renovación INVITACIÓN Dallas, Austin; además de tener presencia mariana que quiere crear un laico Jenny Castillo aseguró que la Virgen en estados como Minnesota, Nebraska, comprometido que santifique la vida de Schoenstatt, “la ayudó con sus heridas Florida y New York. diaria en comunidad. interiores”. “En “Dallas, Texas, hice La feliz coincidencia de que el Padre “No es ninguna aparición”, aclaró mi alianza de amor y me entregué en Melo conoce el movimiento en Querétaro el Padre Tagle, “es sencillamente la corazón a la Virgen. Ahora estoy aquí y su feligresa Castillo en Manhattan, convicción de que la Virgen María actúa para llevarles a la Madre a sus casas. Este hizo posible su presencia en Carolina del en cada uno de nosotros, pues tenemos camino es bello, es algo que realmente no Norte. la certeza de que quien tiene un contacto esperaba que sucediera en mi vida”. con la Virgen experimenta un cambio en Castillo invitó a las personas que su vida. La Virgen abre nuestro corazón deseen participar a contactarse por texto ¿QUÉ ES SCHOENSTATT? al teléfono (347) 780-2394.

El movimiento nació en el siglo pasado, para decirle ‘Si’ a la voluntad de Dios”.

Programa de Ambiente Seguro se actualiza en toda la diócesis CHARLOTTE — A partir de este mes, la Diócesis de Charlotte está lanzando un nuevo programa de capacitación dirigido a clérigos, empleados y voluntarios para mejorar los esfuerzos de protección a los niños y jóvenes en todas sus iglesias, escuelas y ministerios.

El nuevo programa, llamado CMG Connect, reemplaza al programa de capacitación VIRTUS Online, que la diócesis ha venido utilizando para proporcionar capacitación obligatoria sobre Ambiente Seguro desde 2002.

CMG Connect agiliza el extenso programa de Ambiente Seguro de la

diócesis, que combina la investigación de antecedentes, la incorporación y procesos de capacitación en una sola plataforma para todos los sacerdotes, diáconos, religiosos consagrados, seminaristas, empleados laicos y voluntarios adultos que sirven en las 92 parroquias, 20 escuelas y más de 50 agencias y ministerios de la diócesis.

“El programa CMG Connect es amigable, nos prepara mejor en los problemas y necesidades de hoy, con un plan de estudios actualizado, la última tecnología y sólidos protocolos de investigación de antecedentes”, dijo David Vásquez, coordinador de

Ambiente Seguro de la diócesis.

La Oficina de Ambiente Seguro de la diócesis supervisa el cumplimiento de la “Carta para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes” de los obispos de EE. UU. de 2002, que estableció procedimientos de protección infantil a nivel nacional para abordar el compromiso de la Iglesia de responder de manera efectiva, apropiada y compasiva a los casos de abuso de menores por parte del clero u otro personal de la Iglesia.

Más de 63,000 personas han sido capacitadas desde que comenzó el PROGRAMA, SEE PAGE 18

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Atención médica al alcance de todos Parroquia Guadalupe y Atrium Health unen esfuerzos CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Para ofrecer servicios médicos a problemas de salud a corto plazo, como la gripe y faringitis estreptocócica; tratamiento de enfermedades a largo plazo, como diabetes, hipertensión, enfermedades cardíacas y artritis; y también cuidado de lesiones menores, como torceduras y cortadas, Atrium Health y la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe han acordado en establecer un centro de atención móvil en los terrenos de la iglesia ubicada al suroeste de Charlotte.

Lupita Nava, coordinadora de servicio social y de las promotoras de salud en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, dijo que se trabajó muy intensamente para lograr que la unidad móvil estableciera un horario de atención regular y permanente por un año.

“Ya iniciamos el 5 de febrero, y cada primer y tercer lunes de mes, las personas de bajos recursos tendrán acceso a un servicio médico de calidad que podrán pagar de acuerdo a sus posibilidades”, dijo Nava.

De otro lado, Maribel García, conexión latina entre Atrium y las comunidades de fe en la Coalición Latina Fe y Salud, dijo que previamente realizaron una exitosa feria de salud en la misma parroquia, en coordinación con el equipo de promotoras

de salud.

“Al llevarla a cabo y evaluar los resultados, pudimos ver la necesidad ante el aumento muy grande de los migrantes que no tienen un acceso seguro a los servicios de salud. Vimos la asistencia de la gente y de inmediato trazamos una estrategia, la mejor manera de llegar a la comunidad es a través de sus comunidades de fe”, dijo.

Los servicios que ofrecerá la unidad móvil serán los básicos y más requeridos por la población. “Si tienes dolor de estómago, gripe, o enfermedades crónicas, cortaduras, golpes y demás, acá tendrás un lugar donde atenderte. Además, si necesitas de un especialista, habrá servicio de referidos a otros médicos o a centros de Atrium Health en el área para ciertos exámenes y procedimientos recomendados”.

La unidad médica móvil Care Everywhere de Atrium Health, explicó García, funciona exactamente como cualquier otra clínica médica de ese proveedor de servicios médicos. Habrá cargo y facturación por los servicios”.

“Esta es una gran oportunidad de acercarse, de finalmente contar con servicios de salud de calidad. Si tienes seguro está bien. Si no lo tienes, no te sientas intimidado. Igualmente te van a atender con planes de pago a escala.

Nuestro equipo trabajará contigo para

El diácono Eduardo Bernal bendijo la unidad móvil de atención médica que cada primer y tercer lunes de mes atenderá en la Casa Marillac de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

La parroquia se encuentra ubicada en 6212 Tuckaseegee Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28214, en el suroeste de Charlotte.

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

que califiques para un seguro adecuado o para el programa de asistencia financiera de Atrium. Cada caso es evaluado según sus propias condiciones. Nosotros creemos que muchas personas de nuestra comunidad pueden calificar para ser parte del programa de asistencia financiera de Atrium”, añadió.

La unidad médica móvil se ubica en la Casa Marillac, una organización de beneficencia de la parroquia ubicada en el ingreso a la iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, 6212 Tuckaseegee Rd.,

Charlotte, NC 28214, todos los primer y tercer lunes de cada mes, de 10 de la mañana hasta las 4:30 de la tarde. No se requiere cita previa y se da la bienvenida a los pacientes de 2 años de edad y mayores.

“Mi corazón está feliz. Saber que un miembro de la comunidad, no solo de la parroquia, puede cuidar de su salud, o la de sus hijos y familiares, sin tener necesariamente seguro, sin tener la pena de no saber si podrá o no pagar por su consulta médica, me da muchísima alegría”, subrayó Nava.

“La Confesión”, nueva serie de videos del Padre Julio CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Iniciando el martes 20 de febrero, el Padre Julio Domínguez, vicario episcopal del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte, ofrecerá una serie de videos instructivos sobre el sacramento de la confesión dentro de su conocida y esperada zaga de producciones audiovisuales ‘Cápsulas de Fe’.

Según informó el Padre Domínguez, los programas se emitirán dos veces por semana, martes y jueves, a las siete de la tarde por la página de Facebook de Catholic News Herald en Español, en simultáneo con el canal de YouTube de la Diócesis de Charlotte.

SERIE DE CUARESMA

“Esta es una serie de videos que hemos preparado para Cuaresma”, dijo el Padre Domínguez, “porque, en conversaciones con muchos sacerdotes de nuestra diócesis, nos hemos dado cuenta que a veces la gente nos ve y quiere confesarse, pero no

saben qué decir en la confesión. No es que lo hagan con mala intención, sino que no entienden el sentido sacramental de la confesión”.

Siendo actualmente tiempo de Cuaresma, es importante desarrollar el tema, señaló, puesto que es propicio reflexionar, prepararse para participar de la estación y, después de una buena confesión, llegar listos para vivir todas las actividades de la Semana Santa y el Domingo de Resurrección.

La serie de videos de Cuaresma sobre el sacramento de la confesión se graba en los estudios del Catholic News Herald, localizados en el Centro Pastoral Diocesano. En la imagen, el Padre Julio Domínguez aparece en uno de los sets de grabación.

VIDEOS PRÁCTICOS

La serie de videos, explicó, desarrollará únicamente la temática de la confesión.

“Veremos el examen de conciencia, la contrición de los pecados, la confesión en sí misma, el sentir dolor por los pecados, el cumplir la penitencia, el propósito de enmienda. Voy a tomar lo que dice la doctrina de la Iglesia, pero lo voy a hacer de una manera muy coloquial, muy sencilla, para que la gente me pueda entender. Así podremos recordarlo y saber qué es lo que tenemos que hacer para lograr una buena

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

confesión”, dijo.

Resaltó que los videos no serán una conversación profunda desde el punto de vista teológico, sino algo más práctico que le sirva a las personas a lograr una buena preparación.

Explicó que de niños, antes de hacer la primera comunión, recibimos la explicación de cómo hacer una confesión.

Sin embargo, aclaró que esa preparación SERIE, PASA A LA PÁGINA 18

Lecturas diarias FEBRERO 18-24 Domingo (Primer domingo de Cuaresma): Génesis 9:8-15, 1 Pedro 3:18-22, Marcos 1:12-15; Lunes: Levítico 19:1-2, 11-18, Mateo 25:31-46; Martes: Isaías 55:10-11, Mateo 6:7-15; Miércoles (Memoria de San Pedro Damián, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia): Juan 3:1-10, Lucas 11:29-32; Jueves (Fiesta de la Cátedra de San Pedro, Apóstol): 1 Pedro 5:1-4, Mateo 16:13-19; Viernes (Memoria de San Policarpo, obispo y mártir): Ezequiel 18:21-28, Mateo 5:20-26; Sábado: Deuteronomio 26:16-19, Mateo 5:43-48

FEBRERO 25-MARZO 2 Domingo (Segundo domingo de Cuaresma): Génesis 22:12, 9-13, 15-18, 1 Romanos 8:31b-34, Marcos 9:2-10; Lunes: Deuteronomio 9:4-10, Lucas 6:36-38; Martes: Isaías 1:10, 1620, Mateo 23:1-12; Miércoles: Jeremías 18:18-20, Mateo 20:1728; Jueves: Jeremías 17:5-10, Lucas 16:19-31; Viernes: Génesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28, Mateo 21:33-43, 45-46; Sábado: Miqueas 7:14-15, 18-20, Lucas 15:1-3, 11-32

MARZO 3-9 Domingo (Tercer domingo de Cuaresma): Éxodo 17:3-7, Romanos 5:1-2, 5-8, Juan 4:5-42; Lunes: 2 Reyes 5:1-15, Lucas 4:24-30; Martes: Deuteronomio 3:25, 34-43, Mateo 18:21-35; Miércoles: Deuteronomio 4:1, 5-9, Mateo 5:17-19; Jueves (Santas Perpetua y Felícitas, mártires): Jeremías 7:23-28, Lucas 11:1423; Viernes: Oseas 14:2-10, Marcos 12:28-34; Sábado (Memoria de Santa Francesca Romana, religiosa): Oseas 6:1-6, Lucas 18:9-14

18

catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

SERIE VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 17

es para niños, y se desarrolla con la sencillez de palabras para niños. Así, “cuando los niños van a confesarse solo dicen dos o tres pecaditos y nada más. Pero, para muchos adultos, ya no funciona esa forma”.

Los adultos, dijo, “venimos ante el trono de la misericordia del Señor, pero tenemos la responsabilidad de preparanos mucho mejor para dar una buena y correcta confesión”.

EUCARISTÍA

Siguiendo los videos, señaló, los adultos y niños podrán realizar una correcta confesión y participar plenamente en la Eucaristía.

“Mucha gente, muchos católicos, van a la Santa Misa y no comulgan.

Yo pregunto, si vas a una fiesta y te ponen un ‘banquetazo’, y tu dices, ‘yo no voy a comer nada de eso’, los que te invitan se van a preguntar ¿pero, por qué?, ¡si justo yo te invité!. Lo mismo, el Señor nos invita a la mesa donde Él mismo se va a dar como cordero inmaculado, ¿y nosotros le decimos no solo porque no nos hemos confesado?”, se preguntó.

Estos videos, nos ayudarán, dijo, “a ponernos el vestido de fiesta, que es el vestido de gracia, para entrar al banquete del Señor”.

Finalmente, el Padre Domínguez anunció que trabaja en un próximo proyecto de videos que se ocupará sobre formas y figuras de la Eucaristía. “Ya lo anunciaremos pronto”, finalizó.

Más online En www.Facebook.com/ CNHEspañol y www.youtube.com/ DioceseofCharlotte: Encontrá los videos publicados tras cada una de las fechas de emisión.

PROGRAMA FROM PAGE 16

programa Ambiente Seguro de la diócesis en 2002.

“Durante más de 20 años, la Diócesis de Charlotte ha sido líder en la prevención, protección y rendición de cuentas del abuso”, dijo Vásquez. “CMG Connect es la última inversión en nuestro compromiso continuo de proporcionar un entorno seguro para todos”.

CARACTERÍSTICAS DEL PROGRAMA

CMG Connect es un servicio de Catholic Mutual Group, el proveedor líder de seguros para más de 125 diócesis y arquidiócesis en América del Norte, incluida la Diócesis de Charlotte. Desde su lanzamiento en 2016, CMG Connect ha capacitado y certificado a proximadamente a un millón de personas.

El plan de estudios basado en la web de CMG Connect, llamado “Safe Haven”, enseña las mejores prácticas para reconocer y prevenir el abuso infantil en cualquier contexto. Con contenido en inglés y español, también cuenta con capacitación sobre la protección de adultos vulnerables, así como sobre la seguridad en Internet, en el lugar de trabajo y en las escuelas.

Los módulos de capacitación de CMG Connect requieren que una persona demuestre comprensión a través de pruebas, dijo Vásquez, y todos deben ser

Católicos vietnamitas dan la bienvenida a Têt con fe, fuegos artificiales y diversión CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Eran más de las 10 de la noche del viernes 9 de febrero y el estacionamiento de la iglesia vietnamita Stan José estaba repleto de autos. Cientos de feligreses habían acudido a celebrar el Têt, el Año Nuevo Lunar asiático.

Las festividades comenzaron a las 11 p.m. con la celebración de una Misa de Vigilia ofrecida por el Padre Tri Truong, párroco, asistido por el Diácono Quang Nguyen.

“Esta noche, cuando nos encontramos entre el año actual (Año del Conejo) y el año nuevo (Año del Dragón), para los vietnamitas en particular es un momento sagrado, muy espiritual”, dijo el Padre Truong. “Estamos agradecidos por lo que hemos experimentado durante el año pasado y las bendiciones que nos traerá el nuevo año: prosperidad, buena salud, buena fortuna”.

“Por lo tanto, esta noche, la Santa Misa tiene dos propósitos: dar gracias y ofrecer el año nuevo a Dios”, dijo.

Para los católicos, celebrar Têt como comunidad eclesial es muy importante, señaló.

“Aquí nos unimos, nos conectamos.

Y más que eso, estamos en comunión.

La Iglesia es parte de la vida católica.

Cualquier acontecimiento importante se celebra en la Iglesia, porque todo el bien que nos llega viene de Dios mismo”.

Destacó que las celebraciones del Año Nuevo Lunar no son tradiciones paganas, sino que simplemente reflejan el hecho de que los países asiáticos medían los años por ciclos de la luna en la antigüedad.

“En la tradición asiática usaban el calendario lunar hasta que el calendario occidental fue traído a Asia”, dijo. “En la cultura vietnamita, todavía vemos el año lunar como el momento para celebrar el

recertificados anualmente, con capacitación en video y reconocimiento de las políticas de Ambiente Seguro de la diócesis.

También pone a disposición una nueva y completa biblioteca de capacitación sobre temas actuales, como la trata de personas, el acoso cibernético y la capacitación tecnológica para padres.

Adicionalmente, el programa mejora la investigación de antecedentes, ya que después de una evaluación inicial para el nuevo personal y los voluntarios, las verificaciones de antecedentes se llevarán a cabo trimestralmente.

— Catholic News Herald

Soy voluntario en mi parroquia o en la diócesis. ¿Qué tengo que hacer?

La diócesis está ahora en el proceso de trasladar 18.208 registros de usuarios activos de usuarios de VIRTUS a CMG Connect. En las próximas semanas, los usuarios de VIRTUS que proporcionaron su dirección de correo electrónico recibirán instrucciones sobre cómo acceder a su nueva cuenta de CMG Connect.

Los usuarios deberán iniciar sesión, confirmar su información y completar las secciones de capacitación que puedan ser necesarias.

Si no recibe este correo electrónico antes del 1 de marzo de 2024, comuníquese con su coordinador parroquial de Ambiente Seguro o comuníquese con David Vásquez al 704-3703222 o safeenvironment@rcdoc.org.

año nuevo”.

En la tradición vietnamita, 2024 se conoce como el Año del Dragón, que significa talento, fuerza, nobleza, suerte y éxito.

La Misa terminó unos minutos antes de la medianoche, dejando el tiempo suficiente para que los feligreses hicieran una breve cuenta regresiva antes de que estallaran los fuegos artificiales para anunciar el comienzo del nuevo año.

Debido a lo avanzado de la hora, el sonido de las bombardas se mantuvo breve por respeto a los vecinos cercanos, agregó el Padre Truong, “pero hemos mantenido todos los elementos con los que normalmente celebramos el año nuevo en Vietnam”.

La celebración de la noche se destacó por la actuación del reconocido equipo de Danza del León del Dragón Escondido de la parroquia, compuesto por miembros del grupo juvenil, cuya presentación colorida y acrobática imitó los movimientos de varios leones.

Los leones bailaban y se balanceaban al ritmo de los tambores, abriendo sus enormes bocas mientras jóvenes y mayores reían con deleite y entregaban pequeños sobres rojos que simbolizaban la suerte y la buena fortuna.

El Padre Truong y el Diácono Nguyen repartieron los sobres rojos de la fortuna, traídos para la ocasión desde Vietnam.

Dentro de cada uno había un billete de un dólar y una cita bíblica inspiradora para el año siguiente.

Al final de la celebración, una joven feligresa, en nombre de toda la comunidad, entregó al Padre Truong un ramo de flores como agradecimiento por su liderazgo pastoral durante el año pasado.

Jenny Nguyen estuvo entre los cientos

FE

FOTOS POR CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

(Arriba) El Padre Tri Truong mira con atención la danza del león que presentó el grupo de baile Hidden Dragon Lion Dance integrada por jóvenes de la parroquia.

(Abajo) Feligreses de la Iglesia Vietnamita San José en Charlotte muestras sus sobres de la fortuna. de personas presentes en las festividades en St. Joseph. Había conducido desde Savannah, Georgia, para asistir a Misa y celebrar el Têt con sus padres y familiares.

“Es un momento especial para regresar y celebrar con la familia y todos los amigos de la parroquia en la que crecí”, dijo Nguyen. “Para mí, es muy importante estar en un ambiente de esperanza por lo que nos deparará el nuevo año”.

FAMILIA

FRATERNIDAD

Caballeros de Colón

Considere unirse a los más de 2 millones de miembros de la organización fraternal católica más grande del mundo y registrándose en línea hoy en: www.kofc.org/joinus/es

Por tiempo limitado - Membresía en línea GRATIS Use el código de promoción (BLESSEDMCGIVNEY)

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

19

San Pedro, apóstol de Jesús F

ue San Pedro un pobre pescador de Galilea, residente en Cafarnaúm. Era un hombre sencillo, con poca instrucción, y vivía de su modesto oficio.

Su hermano, Andrés, también pescador, fue quien lo presentó al divino Maestro. Cuando estuvo delante del Salvador, éste le dijo: “Simón, hijo de Jonás, de ahora en adelante te llamarás Pedro”. Pedro quiere decir piedra.

Y, en efecto, Jesús le distinguió ya enseguida como Piedra fundamental de su Iglesia y cabeza del Colegio Apostólico. Por voluntad de Jesús, la figura de Pedro se va destacando cada día más entre los Apóstoles. Él es quien recibe de Jesucristo más demostraciones de familiaridad y confianza.

Un día, Jesús subió a la barca de Pedro y le mandó que echase las redes para la pesca.

Pedro le hizo notar que él y sus compañeros lo habían hecho inútilmente toda la noche; pero añadió: “Ya que Tú me lo dices, echaré las redes”. Fue tanta la pesca, que las redes se rompían. Pedro se arrojó a los pies de Jesús, diciendo: “Apártate de mí, Señor, que yo soy un pobre pescador”. Jesús le dijo: “No temas, serán hombres lo que tú pescarás de ahora en adelante”.

En otra ocasión, se desencadenó una tempestad que ponía en peligro la embarcación donde se hallaban los apóstoles.

Cuando estaban más espantados, Jesús se les apareció sobre el mar, caminando hacia ellos. Pedro le dijo: “Si eres Tú, manda que yo vaya hasta Ti sobre las olas”. Jesús lo ordenó, y Pedro se lanzó al mar caminando sobre las aguas. Sopló una ráfaga de viento, las olas se encresparon, y Pedro parecía que se ahogaba. “Señor, sálvame”, gritó aterrorizado.

Jesucristo se le acercó, le extendió la mano y le riñó dulcemente: “Hombre de poca fe, ¿por qué has dudado?”, y en un instante se calmó la tormenta.

Cuando Jesús prometió el alimento eucarístico de su Cuerpo y de su Sangre, casi todos los oyentes se extrañaron y se marcharon sin querer oírle más. Jesús le preguntó a los apóstoles si se querían ir y Pedro, a nombre de todos, le dijo: “¡Señor! ¿A dónde iremos? Tú dices palabras de vida eterna, y nosotros hemos creído y conocido que eres el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios”.

En otra ocasión Jesús preguntó: “¿Qué dice de Mí la gente? ¿quien dicen que soy?”.

Pedro respondió “Tú eres el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios vivo”, Complacido Jesús le dijo: “Bienaventurado tú, Simón, hijo de Jonás, porque no te ha revelado esto la carne o la sangre, sino el Padre celestial. Yo te digo, que tú eres piedra, y sobre ella edificaré mi Iglesia, y las puertas del infierno jamás prevalecerán contra ella. Y te daré las llaves del reino de los Cielos: todo lo que ates en la tierra, será atado en el Cielo y todo lo que desates en la tierra, en el Cielo será desatado”.

no lo conocía. Además, quiso meterse en casa de Caifás y calentarse al fuego en medio de los enemigos de Jesús, creyendo que no sería conocido.

Jesús le había predicho que antes de que el gallo cantase dos veces, él le había de negar tres. Y cuando San Pedro oyó cantar al gallo, se acordó de la profecía de Jesús y salió fuera, llorando amargamente. El Salvador quiso consolarlo, apareciéndosele después de su Resurrección y diciéndole que le perdonaba.

Poco antes de la Ascensión, preguntó Jesucristo tres veces seguidas a Pedro: “Simón, hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas más que los otros?”. Ante las respuestas afirmativas del apóstol, Jesús le encomendó a su Iglesia.

La mañana siguiente de la Ascensión de Jesucristo, comenzó Pedro a ejercer la dignidad y el oficio de primer Papa. En el Cenáculo presidió a los discípulos durante aquellos días en espera del Espíritu Santo.

Asimismo, dirigió la elección de San Matías,

que había de ocupar el lugar de Judas en el Colegio Apostólico. El día de Pentecostés inauguró la predicación del Evangelio, convirtiendo en la misma Jerusalén a tres mil personas.

Al cabo de poco tiempo hizo el primer milagro, y en vista del prodigio se convirtieron cinco mil personas más y pidieron el Bautismo.

San Pedro murió mártir en Roma, de donde fue el primer obispo durante veinticinco años. Antes de establecerse en esa ciudad, había regido la iglesia de Antioquía y viajado visitando las diócesis que se iban fundando.

Era el año 67 cuando fueron presos San Pedro y San Pablo, por orden del emperador Nerón.

Ambos fueron conducidos al suplicio el 29 de junio. San Pablo fue decapitado, mientras que el primer Papa murió crucificado, cabeza abajo, en el mismo lugar en que hoy se venera su se eleva la magnífica Basílica vaticana.

— ACI Prensa

IMAGEN CORTESÍA MUSEO DEL PRADO

‘Las lágrimas del Sas Pedro’, óleo sobre canva de Giordano Luca (Nápoles 1634-1705). La obra, pintada probablemente en 1700, muestra a San Pedro arrepentido, derramando lágrimas, después de negar a Cristo. Abajo, sobre una piedra, se ven las marcas de sus lágrimas y la llave que lo identifica como fundador de la Iglesia.

Cuando en el huerto de Getsemaní se acercaron los soldados para prender a Jesús, Pedro, cogiendo una espada, cortó una oreja a Malco, criado del sumo sacerdote.

Jesús le mandó que dejase la espada, y curó milagrosamente la oreja de Malco.

Pero, a pesar de este entusiasmo, esa misma noche negó tres veces a Jesús, perjurando que

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In Brief Want to attend the National Eucharistic Congress?

Financial aid now available INDIANAPOLIS — Organizers of the National Eucharistic Congress are making it easier for cash-strapped Catholic families to attend the July 17-21 gathering in Indianapolis. Aid for the congress – which will cap the three-year long National Eucharistic Revival initiative – is now available through a new “Solidarity Fund.” Applicants who can demonstrate need, especially those from underrepresented areas and groups, will be awarded assistance to cover the cost of passes to the congress. Applicants must be prepared to secure their own lodging for the congress.

“Led by our bishops, we have raised nearly one million dollars to give away so people from all over the country can join us in Indianapolis and return home filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to bring renewal to their families, churches, and communities,” said Kris Frank, vice president of growth and marketing for the National Eucharistic Congress.

The online application for the Solidary Fund can be found at eucharisticcongress.org/ solidarity-fund.

end of February.

Challenge details can be found at: https:// whocanhebe.com/The_Challenge_2024.html.

The National Eucharistic Congress – to which young adult pilgrims will travel on foot along four cross-country routes – is expected to draw some 80,000 participants.

in which CRS serves while the remaining 25% funded hunger relief programs in the U.S through local dioceses.

BALTIMORE — An annual Lenten collection taken up by Catholics across the U.S. provides “life-changing hope,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia, chair of the board of Catholic Relief Services.

The CRS Rice Bowl initiative, which combines prayer, fasting and almsgiving to help those in need both in the U.S. and abroad, is “a deeply meaningful opportunity for all of us to become the hands of Christ by helping those who face the global scourge of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity,” the archbishop said in a statement. The iconic cardboard collection box has been a Lenten mainstay on dinner tables and in classrooms for almost 40 years, with donations totaling more than $330 million to date. Archbishop Pérez added that Rice Bowl has also taken on a deeper meaning during the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year effort by the nation’s bishops to enkindle devotion to the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. “CRS Rice Bowl also provides us with a way to draw ever closer to Jesus by sharing His pure love with those who cannot help themselves,” he said. According to CRS, last year, the Rice Bowl campaign realized just over $10 million, 75% of which was directed to programs in one of the more than 120 countries

an easy $1 million?

All you have to do is recreate a photographic negative image of an apparently crucified man on a 14-foot-by-3-foot piece of linen. It has to have holographic features, so that when it is rendered as a three-dimensional profile based on the intensity of the shading, it should produce an accurately contoured 3-D image of a human form. And – other than the linen, which will be provided – it all has to be done using only materials and methods that would have been available in medieval times, specifically between A.D. 1260 and 1390.

David Rolfe, a British documentary film producer and researcher on the Shroud of Turin, first announced the challenge to the British Museum in his 2022 documentary, “Who Can He Be?” After almost two years of no response from the British Museum, the challenge is being extended to the United States by the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, a group hoping to create a permanent museum space “in a city of museums” for a shroud replica and education, according to Myra Adams, executive director.

The group currently has a mini-exhibit featuring an actual-size photographic replica of the shroud on display at the Catholic Information Center in Washington through the

$1 million challenge to New study finds common Rice Bowl provides ‘life-changing replicate Shroud of Turin features in families where hope’ and a ‘way to draw closer is expanded to U.S. kids grew into Catholic adults to Jesus,’ says archbishop WASHINGTON, D.C. — Are you looking to make WASHINGTON, D.C. — About 15% of U.S.

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adults who were raised Catholic said they had remained practicing Catholics attending weekly Mass into adulthood. Researchers at Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life conducted the “Future Faithful Families Project” study to examine commonalities in families with children who remained Catholic as adults.

The interviews for the study were conducted with 28 people from June 2021 to February 2023 and included qualifying participants from past CARA surveys.

The study found participants from these families who remained Catholic generally described their households as “warmer and more affectionate” than other families interviewed, with “very good communication,” listening to questions and concerns, rituals of meals eaten together and faith-filled family routines.

Participants emphasized the importance of weekly Mass attendance and nearly all participants reported doing service work and giving to charity, with many doing so through their parish or a Church organization.

— OSV News

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Our world

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In Brief

Argentina’s first female saint canonized during special Mass VATICAN CITY — St. María Antonia de Paz Figueroa, known as Mama Antula, devoted herself completely to helping others experience God’s closeness and compassion, Pope Francis said after he declared the 18th-century consecrated laywoman a saint. By letting her heart and life be “touched” and “healed” by Christ, he said, “she proclaimed Him tirelessly her whole life long, for she was convinced, as she loved to repeat: ‘Patience is good, but perseverance is better.’”

“May her example and her intercession help us to grow according to the heart of God, in charity,” the pope said in his homily after proclaiming her a saint during a Mass Feb. 11 in St. Peter’s Basilica.

St. María Antonia de Paz Figueroa is Argentina’s first female saint. She was closely tied to the Jesuits and continued to lead Ignatian spiritual exercises in Argentina after the expulsion of the order. Argentine President Javier Miliei was present at the Mass and was to have a private meeting with the pope Feb. 12.

Claudio Perusini, whose unexplained recovery from a severe stroke became the second miracle attributed to the new saint, also was present. He has known the pope since he was 17 and he, his wife and two adult children brought the offertory gifts to the pope during the Mass.

increased capabilities of science and technology can lead human beings to see themselves as engaged in a creative act akin to that of God, producing an image and likeness of human life, including the capacity for language with which ‘talking machines’ appear to be endowed,” he said. The temptation to “infuse” some kind of spirit into inanimate matter “is insidious,” he said. “What is being asked of us is to discern how the creativity entrusted to human beings can be exercised responsibly.”

It is not a question of being “for” or “against” tools and technologies, he said.

“We are challenged to develop a culture that, by integrating the resources of science and technology, is capable of acknowledging and promoting the human being in his or her irreducible specificity,” the pope said.

Creative power must be used responsibly, pope tells academy

Paris Archdiocese reveals grand plans for Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening

VATICAN CITY — Scientific and technological abilities, which are the product of human creativity, are accelerating at such a rapid pace that people must decide how to use their creativity responsibly, Pope Francis said.

“In other words, how can we invest the talents we have received while preventing the disfigurement of what is human and the cancellation of the constitutive differences that give order to the cosmos,” he told members of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The pope met with the members at the Vatican Feb. 12 as they were celebrating the academy’s 30th anniversary. They were holding their general assembly in Rome Feb. 12-13, focused on the meaning of being human. “The

PARIS — The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, scheduled for Dec. 8, will be “six months of celebration and praise,” the archbishop of Paris said in a pastoral letter.

The iconic cathedral will reopen five years and 10 months after the devastating fire in 2019.

Archbishop Laurent Ulrich gave some details in his Feb. 2 letter on the reopening plans, emphasizing it will not be a one-day celebration, but several months of joy. The archbishop announced the reopening celebration “deserves an octave: from Dec. 8 to 15, every day, we will have a solemn celebration with a particular theme.”

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But the festive “reopening” time will last until June 8, when Pentecost falls in 2025. That way, the archbishop said, “Many will be able to say: ‘I was at the reopening!’” At the end of November 2024, a large popular procession will take place in the streets of Paris, to return the statue of the Virgin Mary to the cathedral currently housed in the church of St. Germain l’Auxerrois, directly across from the Louvre Palace. The celebration of the reopening will start Dec. 7, with representatives of the French state, which owns the cathedral, officially handing Notre Dame over to the Archbishop of Paris – “the assignee which is the Catholic Church,” the letter said. The first Mass will be celebrated in Notre Dame Dec. 8, when the new altar will be consecrated, highlighting the celebratory week.

— OSV News

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catholicnewsherald.com | February 16, 2024 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Deacon James H. Toner

Rita Buettner

True leadership requires character, competence

Nighttime conversations with children and God

T

he story of God calling out to Samuel when he’s sleeping always makes me think of parenting a young child in the middle of the night.

Samuel keeps getting out of bed to come to Eli, who’s fast asleep, to ask why he’s calling for him. Again and again, Eli tells him he’s not calling him and to go back to bed.

It reminds me of one of my favorite children’s books, “Bedtime for Frances,” where Frances keeps coming to her parents’ room with concerns and requests when she is supposed to be asleep. Every parent has been Frances’ father, trying to be patient through the exhaustion, wondering whether the child will ever stop asking for a drink or another kiss and actually rest.

The wonder of the Bible reading might be that – even though he’s tired and half-asleep – Eli realizes that God is calling Samuel and tells him how to respond the next time he hears the voice. Eli tells Samuel to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Finally, Samuel goes back to bed, and the next time he is awakened, he follows Eli’s instructions and speaks with God directly.

Eli probably doesn’t get enough credit for being able to think straight and with the clarity of faith in the middle of the night. Parents know how hard it is to think clearly at that hour.

I remember when our children reached a certain age, it felt like an incredible gift to get into bed knowing you probably would get to sleep until the morning.

LOOK FOR THE ‘HAPPY SIGN’

When I was growing up as one of six children, we didn’t go to our parents’ room unless something was wrong.

If we woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, we were supposed to look at the “happy sign” on the wall next to our bed.

We all had happy signs – posters we had made for ourselves at our mother’s direction. They were covered with pictures that were supposed to bring us comfort. I don’t remember mine well, but I imagine it had kitten and puppy stickers, probably a unicorn and a rainbow, and maybe other pictures I had clipped out of magazines and catalogs.

The truth is that when I woke up in the middle of the night, I could barely see my happy sign in the darkness.

But I knew it was there. It is only years later that I realize that the happy sign might have been less about making me happy and more of a gentle reminder that I should only wake up my parents in a real emergency. Eventually I would fall back to sleep. I always did.

PRAYERS IN THE STILLNESS

These days when I wake up during the night, it’s not usually because someone else woke me. And when I wake up, I try to remember that maybe someone needs my prayers. I think about the intentions I’m carrying for others – those who are sick or sad or troubled or dying – and hand them over to God. There is always someone who needs prayer, and intentions come easily to mind in the stillness of the house.

Perhaps that is why God comes to Samuel then – and why God invites us to meet Him there, too, when sleep is elusive in the darkness and quiet of night. You can almost hear Him say, “Speak, your Father is listening.”

RITA BUETTNER is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review’s Open Window blog.

D

efective or dangerous – that is, inauthentic – leadership, at any level, concerning any plan or project, always departs from God’s providence, which we know from scripture, tradition and the settled magisterium. We are all in different circumstances, but we are all called to learn by the Light and to lead to the Light. That is genuine leadership, whether papal, political or plebeian. Its absence is chaos, corruption and crime.

There are two overarching principles and two necessary practices at the heart of genuine leadership.

First, conscience: It is always and everywhere a mark of the unethical person to be incompetent at his or her job.

It is, symmetrically, always and everywhere a mark of the incompetent person to be unethical at his or her job.

Character and competence are inseparable and symbiotic.

To be truly good at one’s job means being truly good at one’s life, which in turn means listening to God. Good

‘An ingredient of integrity and competence is compassion, which means appropriate concern about one’s subordinates.’ character, or true integrity, is right conscience in action.

No good character equals no genuine leadership.

From ancient times to the present, the hallmark of leadership is ready capability in the service of right conscience. As management consultant and educator Peter Drucker put it: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

If a leader does not know what the right thing to do is, it hardly matters that he does not know how to do it.

But if a leader knows what to do, he fails unless or until he knows how to do it. Inept leaders, as Isaiah tells us in scripture, “err in vision, (and) they stumble in giving judgment” (Is 28:7).

Second, competence: The leader of an organization – whether it be commercial, educational, military or religious – is, either directly or indirectly, responsible for all that the enterprise does or fails to do. “The buck,” as President Harry Truman said, “stops here.”

In the face of disasters of any kind, a leader cannot escape the burden of liability by the cowardly artifice of claiming “I didn’t know” or “a junior official made the call.” These feeble travesties amount to self-indictments of the senior supervisor. Leaders must be sufficiently informed and responsible to be able to supervise personnel and to conduct programs. No mature sense of responsibility equals no genuine leadership.

DOES THE LEADER CARE?

An ingredient of integrity and competence is compassion, which means appropriate concern about one’s subordinates (which we know as charity, a theological virtue). Subordinates won’t care how much the leader knows unless they know how much the leader cares. This does not, however, mean tolerating evil or

incompetence, for having a good heart does not rule out having a strong backbone. Knowing when to fire a subordinate is a key part of a leader’s job.

A leader may secure a position for which he is unprepared, but by study, experience and good advice, he can develop in his art or science, leading to competence.

If competence cannot be achieved within a certain period of time – a short “job honeymoon” – then the new leader must step down voluntarily or be removed.

Devotion to growing in wisdom and virtue, complemented by diligent self-improvement, prove critical to authentic leadership.

These two principles of leadership – conscience and competence – play out in the arena of the daily leadership and management practices of employing and deploying subordinates. To employ means to recruit, hire, organize, educate, train and equip subordinates. To deploy means to assign subordinates to positions consistent with their character and competence and then to support and supervise them. Such supervision includes, as appropriate, commendation, promotion, censure or dismissal. Leaders who cannot effectively and virtuously employ and deploy others are failed administrators (Ez 34).

One cannot administer wisely or well – that is, lead – if one is seized by ignorance, meaning lack of vision (Prv 29:18); by confusion (Acts 19:32); or by sheer malevolence (John 3:19, 12:43).

To administer well, one must communicate responsibly. Banal, blustering or bumbling speech – including barbaric or coarse expression (Eph 4:29-31, 5:4; Col 3:8-9) – is a fair measure of (the lack of) intellect and temperament. (This an argument on behalf of traditional liberal arts education, which must not be subverted by excessive academic emphasis on “business management.”)

IS THE LEADER DOING RIGHT?

The Swedish statesman Axel Oxenstierna (1583-1684) observed, “Quantula sapientia regitur mundus” – “With how little wisdom is the world governed.” That is selfevidently true, yet it is all the more reason that we must judge others and ourselves against the twin standards of competence and conscience.

Is the leader of the organization administering his duties with effectiveness and energy? Is that leader behaving, personally and professionally (both publicly and privately), in a manner consonant with what we know is morally exemplary conduct and speech? Is that leader trying to do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way, at the right time?

Be careful of extravagant enthusiasm for any causes or designs which depart sharply or suddenly from the tried and traditional. St. Pius X admonished us to be wary of anyone “under the sway of a blind and unchecked passion for novelty, thinking not at all of finding some solid foundation of truth” (“Pascendi Domenici Gregis,” 13).

The Old Testament prophet Nehemiah, himself a stellar example of principled and practical leadership, inspires us: “You ought to have reverence for God and do what’s right” (Neh 5:9). Amen!

DEACON JAMES H. TONER is professor emeritus of leadership and ethics at the U.S. Air War College, a former U.S. Army officer, and author of books, reviews, columns and essays. He serves at Our Lady of Grace Parish in Greensboro.

February 16, 2024 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Effie Caldarola

‘The poor you have always with you,’ but are you with them?

I

t was a crisp morning a few years back, and the streets were largely empty. I was early for a meeting downtown and I planned to pick up a coffee on my way.

I had forgotten to bring cash. And then I noticed a man on the corner. Did he have a sign? Or perhaps it was his clothing and demeanor that suggested he wasn’t heading to a meeting but instead was probably unhoused, facing another day on the streets.

I hurried by. But my softly nagging conscience suggested I could ask him if he’d like some coffee. I could pay for it with the same credit card I would use for mine. But instead, I walked on and put him out of my mind. But I didn’t really put him out of my mind, did I? Because all these years later I still wish I had paused and done that simple deed.

Here’s another. My daughter and I were once visiting a university she hoped to attend. We went out one evening to a pizza place someone had recommended, and later, making our way down the few short blocks to our hotel with a pizza box, we saw an old man sitting against a building, surrounded by his possessions. “Let’s give him our leftover pizza,” we said. He accepted, and we headed home.

What bothered me later was that we simply handed him the pizza and walked on.

Could we have spared a few moments to talk to him as one person to another? We had time, we were not in a dangerous place, and he, an old man sitting on the street with a pizza box, was hardly a threat.

If you live or work in a big city, you’re probably overwhelmed by need at every turn. People become invisible, part of an unhoused “problem” or part of an immigration “crisis,” not individual human beings with unique life stories.

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John, Jesus utters the words “the poor you have always with you.”

Some people interpret this to mean, “Yeah, there will always be poor people around.” But others see Jesus’ emphasis differently. Jesus tells his disciples they must always be with the poor, one with them. That’s where a disciple belongs.

We can’t all go to our Southern border and help the Catholic agencies assisting immigrants. It would be unrealistic to hand money to every person on the street. We individually cannot solve the housing crisis.

But somewhere in your community, there is a chance to be present to those who struggle.

Sometimes I wonder what kept me from buying that man a coffee and a croissant.

What did I fear? How much would his humanity and my own humanity have benefited from that gesture? He forgot about my passing by immediately, but I remain with the knowledge that it wasn’t an opportunity he had missed, but an opportunity I had missed.

EFFIE CALDAROLA is a wife, mom and grandmother who received her master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Seattle University.

Protecting God’s Children We proclaim Christ to the world around us by our efforts to provide a safe environment for all people, especially the young and the vulnerable.

The Catholic Church is absolutely committed to the safety of children. Together we can make a Promise to Protect and a Pledge to Heal.

Suspect sexual abuse or misconduct?

If you have information about possible sexual abuse or misconduct by any clergy, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Charlotte, report concerns safely, securely and anonymously 24/7 over the phone using the diocese’s new hotline, 1-888-630-5929, or online: www.RedFlagReporting.com/RCDOC Please note: If you suspect a child is in danger, please contact 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency.

Safe Environment training Every Church worker must go through abuse prevention and education training. Find more information about the Diocese of Charlotte’s Safe Environment program, sign up for training and more: Go to www.charlottediocese.org and click on “Safe Environment” For more information or questions, please contact the diocese’s Safe Environment Office: safeenvironment@rcdoc.org or 704-370-3222

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