Aug. 15, 2025

August 15, 2025

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Getting ready INSIDE: New programs, projects and upgrades as Catholic schools welcome back students ¿Qué es el Dogma de la Asunción?

12 How one Catholic school sparked a folk festival 6

Seminarian’s summer assignment teaches true nature of healing 8

Mary’s Assumption 3

At a glance 2

catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CATHOLIC ALL WEEK

August 15, 2025 VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 22

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

704-370-3333 PUBLISHER The Most Reverend Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte

Timely tips for blending faith & life

D

id you know there is a second Lent? Similar to the Lenten season that leads up to Easter, St. Michael’s Lent is a time of fasting, penance and prayer. St. Michael’s Lent begins on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Aug. 15 and continues for 40 days (excluding Sundays) until Michaelmas, or the feast of Holy Archangels (St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael) on Sept. 29. While this season is not part of the Church’s official liturgical calendar, it has been kept by saints and the faithful for centuries and has lately seen a resurgence.

INDEX Contact us.........................................2 Español.............................................11-12 Our Diocese................................. 4-10 Our Faith............................................3 Scripture..................................... 3, 12 U.S. news.....................................14-15 Viewpoints..................................18-19 World news................................. 16-17

STAFF EDITOR: Trish Stukbauer 704-370-3392, tmstukbauer@rcdoc.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@rcdoc.org MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER: David Puckett 704-808-4521, dwpuckett@rcdoc.org EDITORIAL TEAM: Kimberly Bender 704-370-3394, kdbender@rcdoc.org Lisa Geraci 704-370-3294, lmgeraci@rcdoc.org Troy C. Hull 704-370-3288, tchull@rcdoc.org Christina Lee Knauss 704-370-0783, clknauss@rcdoc.org Brian Segovia 704-370-3235, bmsegovia@rcdoc.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Amelia Kudela 704-370-3333, catholicnews@rcdoc.org COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Liz Chandler 704-370-3336, lchandler@rcdoc.org ASSISTANT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@rcdoc.org THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year.

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1 WHO IS ST. MICHAEL?

St. Michael the Archangel has been depicted as chief among the angels dating back to ancient Jewish texts. In our Catholic tradition, he is depicted as the leader of God’s armies during spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness. He is also portrayed as the guardian of the Church and God’s people. St. Michael is traditionally thought to be the angel of death who fights for and accompanies souls as they leave this world, and the one who weighs souls during the Last Judgment.

2 BEGINNINGS OF THE DEVOTION

The tradition of St. Michael’s Lent traces its roots to St. Francis of Assisi, who had a great devotion to St. Michael and is said to have started the practice in 1224. He and several of his brothers were fasting and praying in honor of the saint before Michaelmas. It was during this time that St. Francis received the stigmata on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Sept. 14.

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

3 HOW TO KEEP THIS LENT

How do you participate in St. Michael’s Lent?

Suggestions include daily recitation of prayers such as the St. Michael’s Prayer, the Litany of St. Michael or others focused on him. (We’ve gathered some online.)

Give up or add something in an act of penance, such as fasting or adding an extra Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration. Practice works of charity, and attend Mass and confession regularly.

— Catholic News Herald, Wikipedia, Catholic.org and Hallow

A bronze-and-gold statue of St. Michael the Archangel, patron saint of Kyiv, rises above the Lach Gates in Independence Square as a symbol of protection for Ukraine’s capital.

Diocesan calendar of events PRAYER SERVICES MASS WITH ANOINTING OF THE SICK: 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, St. Luke Church, 9800 Fairview Road, Mint Hill. Anointing of the sick is available for those who need healing from physical or mental illness, or for someone who will be undergoing surgery. Sponsored by the parish’s HOPE Committee. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-545-1224.

25TH AND 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS: 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Celebrated by Bishop Michael Martin will celebrate the diocese’s annual Mass for couples commemorating their 25th or 50th wedding anniversaries. Reception to follow.

Register at www.charlottediocese.org/form-wedding-anniversary-mass.

EVENTS

Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., will participate in the following events over the coming weeks:

ANNUAL MARY DAYS MASSES: Eight days of Masses celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary from the Solemnity of the Assumption on Friday, Aug. 15, through the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Friday, Aug. 22, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. 7 p.m. nightly in the church.

AUG. 20 – 6 P.M. AUG. 27 – 6:30 P.M. Confirmation Millions of Monicas Event St. John the Baptist Church, Tryon St. Paul the Apostle Church, Greensboro

ST. PEREGRINE HEALING PRAYER SERVICE: 7 p.m. every fourth Thursday of the month, St. Matthew Church chapel, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Includes a blessing with the relic of St. Peregrine. For details, go to www.stmatthewcatholic.org/st-peregrine.

AUG. 24 – 11 A.M. Pastor Installation St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

AUG. 31 – 11 A.M. Pastor Installation St. John the Baptist Church, Tryon

Our faith

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Mary’s Assumption The feast dates back to early Church times

Pope Leo XIV

Hope is knowing God is always ready to forgive

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od never gives up on anyone, even when the person betrays God’s love, Pope Leo XIV said.

Christian hope flows from “knowing that even if we fail, God will never fail us.

Even if we betray Him, He never stops loving us,” the pope said Aug. 13 at his weekly general audience.

Arriving in the Vatican audience hall, Pope Leo welcomed visitors in English, Spanish and Italian and explained that the audience would be held in two parts – in the hall and in St. Peter’s Basilica – so people would not be forced to stay outside under the very hot sun.

Pope Leo was scheduled to leave the Vatican after the two-part audience to return to the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo where he had spent part of July.

The Vatican press office said he would remain there until Aug. 19.

Greeting English speakers in the basilica, the pope wished them “safe travels” and prayed that God’s grace would “accompany you and fulfill in your hearts that desire that we all share to live an authentic conversion, to walk united in the church, to renew our faith and to be authentic witnesses of Jesus Christ and his Gospel throughout the world.”

In his main audience talk in the hall, Pope Leo continued his series about Jesus’ final days, looking specifically at Jesus’ revelation during the Last Supper that one of the disciples would betray Him. Jesus does not make the statement to condemn or embarrass Judas in front of the others, the pope said, but does so “to show how love, when it is true, cannot do without the truth.”

In the Gospel, each of the disciples responds, “Surely it is not I?” The question, the pope said, “is perhaps among the sincerest that we can ask ourselves. It is not the question of the innocent, but of the disciple who discovers himself to be fragile. It is not the cry of the guilty, but the whisper of him who, while wanting to love, is aware of being able to do harm. It is in this awareness that the journey of salvation begins.”

To be saved, he said, a person must recognize that he or she is in need of salvation.

But, at the same time, a disciple of Christ also should feel “beloved despite everything” and know that “evil is real but that it does not have the last word.”

“If we recognize our limit, if we let ourselves be touched by the pain of Christ” at being betrayed, “then we can finally be born again,” Pope Leo told the crowd. “Faith does not spare us from the possibility of sin, but it always offers us a way out of it: that of mercy.”

FATHER RICHARD GRIBBLE OSV News

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Emperor Marcian (450-457), ordered the construction of a church in a suburb of Constantinople, to which she wanted to bring the earthly remains of Mary. In speaking with Bishop Juvenal of Jerusalem during the Council of Chalcedon (451), the empress was informed that the Virgin’s body was not in Jerusalem.

She had been buried in the Garden of Gethsemane in the presence of the apostles, except Thomas. But three days later, when the apostles came to venerate her body, they found the tomb empty. It was concluded that Jesus had taken His mother to heaven. These apocryphal accounts, although they contain no historical foundation, nevertheless serve an important function in demonstrating what the people believed.

he feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15), possibly the oldest celebration of the Virgin Mary, is rooted in the tradition of Christian practice, supported by magisterial teaching and defined as one of BEGINNINGS IN THE EAST four Marian dogmas.

As with many Church feasts, the As ancient as this belief is, 2025 marks liturgical celebration of the Assumption only the 75th anniversary of the Assumption began its evolution in the East. That led to being declared a Catholic dogma. the introduction of the feast at Rome in the Scripture makes no direct reference to mid-seventh century. the bodily ascension of Mary to heaven, Pope Sergius I (r. 687-701), a Syrian who but several passages speak of the great was instrumental in introducing many dignity of her life, lending support to the Eastern customs to the Roman Church, idea that Jesus would have continued made the celebration a principal feast. to reveal His glory by removing the During the medieval period, recognized corruption of the grave and extending the scholars and leading church officials privilege of the Assumption to His mother. continued to promote the celebration of the In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Song of Assumption. St. Thomas Aquinas referenced Songs contains passages that some scholars Psalm 131:8 (132:8 in modern translations), today say are prophetical references to “Arise, Lord, come to your resting place, you Mary. We read, “Arise, my friend, my and your mighty ark,” in promoting belief in beautiful one, and come!” (2:10). Also, the assumption of Mary, the true ark of God. “Daughters see her and call her happy, St. Anthony of Padua stated in a 13thqueens and concubines, and they praise century sermon, “The Lord arose when he her” (6:9). The New Testament also provides ascended to the right hand of the Father. The evidence supportive of Mary’s special OSV NEWS PHOTO | CROSIERS Ark which he has sanctified arose when the privilege. Gabriel’s greeting, “Hail, favored The Assumption of Mary into heaven is depicted in the Virgin Mother was assumed to the Heavenly one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are center section of a rose window at Sts. Peter and Paul bridal chamber.” Albert the Great, mentor you among women” (Lk 1:28,42), and the Cathedral in Providence, Rhode Island. to Aquinas, wrote: “It is plain that the Most description in Revelation 12:1 of “a woman Blessed Mother of God has been assumed in clothed with the sun,” are illustrative. body and soul beyond the choirs of Angels.

The silence of history and Scripture concerning the death of And this in every way we believe to be true.”

Mary, coupled with the definition at the Council of Ephesus (431) The feast of the Assumption was a major feast of the 1570 of Mary as the “Theotokos” (Mother of God), probably were the Sacramentary published by Pope Pius V during the Countercatalysts behind the rise of a wealth of literature on the subject.

Reformation. Thus the Church, in eliminating abuse and defending Catholic teaching, reaffirmed its belief in this feast.

AN EMPTY TOMB The final page to the evolution of the Assumption, however, The idea of “the sleep of Mary” is more formally known as “the was written on Nov. 1, 1950, when Pope Pius XII, in the apostolic Dormition of Mary.” (Dormition comes from the Latin “dormire,” constitution “Munificentissimus Deus,” stated, “We pronounce, meaning “to sleep.”) The title can be misleading because it seems declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that to focus more on the death and burial of Mary. However, the the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having belief surrounding the dormition is intrinsically linked with the completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and assumption of our Blessed Mother, body and soul, into heaven. soul into heavenly glory.”

The chief authority for information on Mary’s death comes from St. John Damascene (who died around 750), who used the FATHER RICHARD GRIBBLE is a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. He holds a unknown scholar Euthymius for his data. Pulcheria, the wife of doctorate from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Daily Scripture readings AUG. 17-23

Sunday: Jer 38:4-6, 8-10, 40:2, 3, 4, 18, Heb 12:1-4, Lk 12:49-53 Monday: Judg 2:11-19, 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44, Mt 19:16-22 Tuesday: Judg 6:11-24a, 85:9, 11-12, 13-14, Mt 19:23-30 Wednesday (Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church): Judg 9:615, 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Mt 20:1-16 Thursday (Memorial of St. Pius X, Pope): Judg 11:29-39a, 40:5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10, Mt 22:1-14 Friday (Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Ru 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22, 146:5-6ab, 6c-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10, Mt 22:34-40 Saturday: Ru 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17, 128:1b-2, 3, 4, 5, Mt 23:1-12

AUG. 24-30

Sunday: Isaiah 66:18-21, Ps 117:1, 2, Heb 12:5-7, 11-13, Lk 13:22-30 Monday: 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10, Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b, Mt 23:13-22 Tuesday: 1 Thes 2:1-8, Ps 139:1-3, 4-6, Mt 23:23-26 Wednesday (Memorial of St. Monica): 1 Thes 2:9-13, Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab, Mt 23:27-32 Thursday (Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church): 1 Thes 3:7-13, Ps 90:3-5a, 12-13, 14 and 17, Mt 24:4251 Friday (Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist): 1 Thes 4:1-8, Ps 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12, Mk 6:17-29 Saturday: 1 Thes 4:9-11, Ps 98:1, 7-8, 9, Mt 25:14-30

AUG. 31-SEPT. 6

Sunday: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29, Ps 68:45, 6-7, 10-11, Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a, Lk 14:1, 7-14 Monday: 1 Thes 4:13-18, Ps 96:1 and 3, 4-5, 11-12, 13, Lk 4:16-30 Tuesday: 1 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11, Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14, Lk 4:31-37 Wednesday (Memorial of St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church): Col 1:1-8, Ps 52:10, 11, Lk 4:38-44 Thursday: Col 1:9-14, Ps 98:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6, Lk 5:1-11 Friday: Col 1:15-20, Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5, Lk 5:33-39 Saturday: Col 1:21-23, Ps 54:3-4, 6 and 8, Lk 6:1-5

Our diocese 4

catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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In Brief Go behind the scenes: Volunteer at the 2025 Eucharistic Congress Calling all friendly faces to volunteer with the 2025 Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress, set for Sept. 5-6 at the Charlotte Convention Center. A variety of volunteer roles are available – including greeters, ushers, procession assistants, information booth attendants and book sales support. Sign up for a 1.5- to 3-hour shift based on your interests and availability, with shifts starting 6 p.m. Friday and continuing through Saturday’s closing Mass.

All volunteers receive free parking, and ushers and youth track volunteers also receive a free T-shirt. Learn more and sign up at www.goeucharist.com/get-involved.

Christ the King captures Wells Fargo Cup Championship HUNTERSVILLE — Christ the King High School was named the 2024–2025 Wells Fargo Cup Champion for the 1A classification, which is the highest honor for overall athletic excellence in North Carolina.

Since 1979, the State Cup has been awarded to the schools with the best overall interscholastic sports programs in each classification. Points are awarded for all sanctioned sports based on how the team places in State Cup competition, N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs and championships, and then tallied to determine the winner.

The honor was a first for CTK. “This achievement reflects the hard work, discipline and spirit of student-athletes, coaches and families across all varsity sports,” the school posted. “It’s a testament to a program that doesn’t just build teams — it builds character, leadership and a lasting legacy.”

Knights of Columbus give to diocesan prison ministry CHARLOTTE — The N.C. Knights of Columbus recently donated $2,334 to the Diocese of Charlotte in support of its prison ministry.

The funds were collected during the Convention Mass at the 105th Annual N.C. Knights of Columbus State Convention May 17 in Raleigh and presented to Bishop Michael Martin July 17.

The funds will support the diocese’s ongoing efforts to provide spiritual care, sacraments and pastoral care to those who are incarcerated.

“We are honored to support the diocese’s mission to bring hope and healing to those behind bars,” said State Deputy Sergio Miranda.

“In doing so, we not only serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, but also live out the Gospel call to see the face of Christ in every person – especially the forgotten and the marginalized.”

Marriage retreat scheduled for October in Charlotte area CHARLOTTE — Retrouvaille Marriage Help will offer a weekend program Oct. 3-5 in the Charlotte area. The program offers hope and healing for those in a struggling marriage. For details, visit www.HelpOurMarriage.com.

— Catholic News Herald and provided

TRAVIS BURTON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Seven men have begun studies at St. Joseph College Seminary this fall as they discern a vocation to the priesthood for the Diocese of Charlotte. In the front row, from left, are: Kyle Felder, John Yellico, Milo Bannasch, Patrick Byrnes, William Adderley, Liam Scott and David Billings. In the back row, from left, are: Father Joseph Yellico, Father Matthew Kauth, Bishop Michael Martin, Father Brian Becker and Father John Eckert.

Mass celebrates opening of seminary year Seven men begin seminary journey with bishop’s challenge to trust God and ‘hold back nothing’ PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE plguilfoyle@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Even when we feel unprepared, God gives us everything we need – and He expects us to use those gifts to build up His Kingdom.

That was Bishop Michael Martin’s message Aug. 10 to a standing-room-only congregation at St. Patrick Cathedral and – in particular – to seven young men who have joined the Diocese of Charlotte’s seminary program.

William Adderley (St. Ann, Charlotte), Milo Bannasch (St. Margaret Mary, Swannanoa), David Billings and Liam Scott (St. John the Baptist, Tryon), Patrick Byrnes (St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte), Kyle Felder (St. Paul the Apostle, Greensboro), and John Yellico (St. Mark, Huntersville) are entering St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly to consider a priestly vocation while earning degrees at nearby Belmont Abbey College. They bring the total number of seminarians in the diocese’s program to 45, with 23 attending St. Joseph College Seminary.

The men gathered with their families and friends at the cathedral for Mass to celebrate the opening of the seminary year.

The annual Mass – held for the first time at St. Patrick Cathedral – brought together the new class, returning seminarians and priest faculty for prayer before classes begin later this month.

Concelebrants included new vocations director Father John Eckert, vocations promoter Father Brian Becker, seminary rector Father Matthew Kauth and new cathedral rector Father Peter Ascik. Newly ordained Father Joseph Yellico, himself a graduate of St. Joseph College Seminary and brother of one of the new seminarians, also took part.

In his homily, Bishop Martin encouraged the incoming seminarians to trust God’s provision.

“God gives us all that we need,” he said, even if we feel unprepared to be His disciples.

Don’t be afraid or discouraged, he said. God gives us His limitless love and the gift of faith “to open ourselves to the holiness of God’s grace,” he said.

Bishop Martin also reflected on Jesus’ words in the day’s Gospel reading (Luke 12:32-48) that challenge us to put those gifts to work in building the Kingdom of God. “Those to whom much has been given, much is expected,” he said. “Look in the mirror and see how much you have been gifted, how much you have been graced, and then recognize much is being expected of you.”

He addressed the men again, “My brothers, you think you’re gifted enough for what you’re about to undertake?

Big question – you’re going to have years to reflect upon it.

But begin with the premise that God has graced you with all that you need to say yes to His call. Does that mean you will be ordained in however many years? Maybe it will, maybe it won’t, but start with the premise that if God has called you to this, He will grace you in every way that you need. Never, ever doubt that.”

God calls us all to put to work the gifts that He has given us, Bishop Martin emphasized.

“Let’s all of us continue to examine where God has graced us, where God has given us tremendous gifts and is now calling forth and saying, ‘You know, much is expected of you.’ Let’s not imagine that that’s just for somebody else. It’s for us,” he said.

Realize that God is “a God of plenty,” not “a God of scarcity who doles out grace in measured quantities. No, we believe in a God who gushes love,” he said.

“Second,” he urged the congregation, “have a spirit of gratitude” for what God gives us.

“And lastly,” he said, “be ready. Be ready to take those gifts and to do something with them that builds the Kingdom of God – not just here in church, not just when we’re studying the faith, but in every aspect of the human experience.”

“While these young men are called to a specific dynamic,” he said, “the rest of you are called to bring those gifts to every square inch of this planet.

“Hold back nothing – nothing! Much has been given to you, much is expected. We all feel ill-prepared, it’s OK.”

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Local Catholic entrepreneurs unite through SENT to bring God into businesses LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — To celebrate the launch of its Charlotte chapter, Catholic networking group SENT Ventures invited entrepreneurs to St. Matthew Church July 29 for a morning Mass followed by a panel discussion.

SENT Ventures is a non-profit social group that fuels Catholic entrepreneurs spiritually and professionally.

“If you are wanting to build a business while becoming a saint, this is where you come to do that,” said Jimmy Coleman, new Charlotte chapter president.

During the Mass for the feast day of saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, Bishop Michael Martin reminded the faithful to blend their entrepreneurial spirit with the examples of the siblings.

“Let us today find some way, find some way to not be timid. To take the joy of the Gospel that we celebrate here today, to take the grace of the Word of God, the grace of the Eucharist, the grace of being the body of Christ and let’s get out there, and get busy, get busy about building the kingdom every single place we go,” Bishop Martin encouraged the group of about 150 entrepreneurs.

“Think about Martha, Mary and Lazarus. They didn’t do it alone, they did it together,” he said, “What a great image for us. Don’t try and go it alone. Find other people in your life. Find people that share your faith. How do you do that? By sharing your faith.”

After Mass, the panel shared their thoughts on the theme, “Putting Christ

Bishop Michael Martin partners with SENT Ventures for a special Mass and reception for local Catholic business owners. (Far left) Bishop Martin, one of the panelists, offers suggestions on how to incorporate faith in the workplace.

PHOTOS BY TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

at the Center of Your Work.” Dr. Stephen Blaha, a pro-life OBGYN; Zuhair Madanat, owner of Auto Glass Experts; and Bishop Martin responded to questions like “How do you keep Catholicism at the center of your business model?” and “What are the first steps of showing your faith at work?”

Coleman, founder and CEO of marketing firm LeadBaller and investment firm Arimathea, emceed the event.

Coleman credits SENT Ventures with his spiritual growth. Over the past four years, Coleman found his way back to the Catholic faith and was able to incorporate Catholic ideals into his business thanks to guidance from SENT’s network of supportive Catholic business owners, just like him.

SENT Ventures Charlotte is starting with a handful of members including James Hetzel, CEO of the Catholic Company, and

Celebrate the Feast of St. Monica with Millions of Monicas LISA GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

GREENSBORO — Has someone you love abandoned the Catholic faith?

Don’t lose hope. Mark your calendar for a powerful Mass of faithful persistence with Bishop Michael Martin. The Mass will be offered at 6:30 p.m. on the Feast of St. Monica, Aug. 27, at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro.

“My hope for this Mass is that Bishop Martin will provide additional hope and encouragement to persist in prayer like St. Monica for our loved ones who have left the faith,” said Amy Voss, St. Paul the Apostle parishioner and one of the founders of the first Millions of Monicas chapter in the diocese.

Millions of Monicas is a national organization of mothers who come together in local chapters to pray for their children and relatives who have fallen away from the Catholic faith.

Millions of Monicas women meet each week for an hour. They are aunts, mothers, grandmothers, friends and even spouses. They don’t share circumstances, details or even last names, just prayers, love and support. Yet, they all have something they wish they didn’t have in common: a loved one who abandoned the faith.

The name of the group comes from St. Monica, who fervently prayed and fasted for more than 17 years for the conversion of her son – now known as St. Augustine of Hippo – husband and mother-in-law. Her story exemplifies the power of prayer and patience. Like the saint, Millions of Monicas continue to spiritually battle for loved ones while providing healing to the women who are awaiting their return.

A local chapter of the national ministry started in 2023 with around 50 members at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greensboro, and it since has spread to Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro, Sacred Heart in Salisbury, St. Mark in Huntersville, Holy Family in Clemmons and St. Mary in Greensboro.

Come start a journey of healing, surrender and prayer, while patiently keeping the light on in wait for your loved one to return.

More online At www.millionsofmonicas.com and www.catholicnewsherald.com: Get more information about Millions of Monicas and find a local chapter.

Timothy Flanagan Jr., president of The Pelora Group, but Coleman hopes it will grow to at least 30.

“You have people on all the spectrums, like the start-ups and then the accomplished CEOs, and we are bringing all that together,” said Coleman.

He envisions this chapter will build relationships among entrepreneurs, fostering spiritual community for leaders who can sometimes feel isolated.

“Incorporating my Catholic faith into my day-to-day life workspace, I didn’t really know what that looked like,” said Coleman.

“SENT Ventures was extremely helpful by having people around me that could give me examples and talk through things.

It made me more sure-footed in my daily work, sharing my faith with clients, with employees, and truly making it a Catholicowned business.”

As Madanat, who went to seminary before becoming an entrepreneur, explained, “We want to live out our faith.”

Dr. Blaha is able to take his beliefs with him to the office each day, and not just through the Epiphany chalk marking the top of the doors and the crucifix on the wall.

“There is a way to practice and to take care of patients that is fully in alignment with what the Catholic Church teaches,” he said. “There is an incredible opportunity to evangelize and emphasize your Catholic faith. A big part of it is the way you treat the people you work with, and hopefully the way we are behaving reflects our love and joy for Christ.”

More online At www.sentventures.com: Find resources and local connections

Follow the friars as they meet people on the streets The Catholic News Herald spent a day following recently arrived Franciscan friars as they brought their new ministry to the streets, in partnership with the Diocese of Charlotte. We were there as Fathers Casey Cole, Tito Serrano and Jason Damon met people where they were – on the light rail, on the streets, in parks and in coffee shops. The ministry called SEARCH – Seek, Encounter, Accompany, Renew, Convert and Heal – aims to reach young adults, spiritual seekers and those disconnected from the Church through authentic presence, conversation and compassion.

The friars’ day was filled with extraordinary and ordinary moments from encounters with strangers to checking their phones.

Watch them on video here and find a moment to connect when you’re out and about.

Meet the friars in this video highlight On the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel: See the friars in action on the streets of Charlotte and hear about their hopes for this new ministry.

WILL CRETER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Take a Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation this fall Making a pilgrimage to a holy place is an ancient practice that endures today.

During this pivotal year, marking both the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures and the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’, the Laudato Si Movement – North America invites Catholics to join in a Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation to rediscover the beauty of God’s creation through prayer, reflection and action.

Pilgrimages can be a short walk through a garden or parish grounds while saying the rosary or other prayers. A pilgrimage could also be a longer trek through a wooded area, to a place of natural beauty or ecological significance, a farm or a place of ecological destruction. The mission of this type of pilgrimage is to restore our relationship with God, with each other, and with the Earth and to cultivate a renewed commitment to caring for creation. The only requirement is that part of the walk be outdoors and the pilgrimage song or prayer (available via the website below) is used.

Dan Misleh, founder and executive director of the non-profit environmental association Catholic Climate Covenant, said, “This year, as Catholics, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on our role in creation care. Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation are about healing – healing our connection to the Earth, to one another and to God. It’s about acknowledging our disconnection and choosing to take tangible steps toward reconciliation.

This is not just a journey of the body, it’s a pilgrimage of the soul.”

Pilgrimages can be organized by parishes, youth groups, ministries or other organizations. They will take place across the United States during the Season of Creation (Sept. 1 – Oct. 4), but they can be held at other times of the year.

For information about joining a pilgrimage in the Charlotte area, email Lynn Dransoff: dranfan@gmail.com or Marise Robinson: marise.robertson@ gmail.com. For assistance in planning and developing a pilgrimage, contact Dr. Catherine Wright, Ph.D: catwright1972@gmail.com. For additional information, visit www. catholicpilgrimsofhope.org or contact Sister Rose Marie Tresp, rtresp@ sistersofmercy.org.

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TRADITION OF SONG, TRADITION OF FAITH

How one Catholic school sparked a folk festival CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CANDLER — A man from Ohio found his way back to the Catholic faith through music that spoke to his soul during a trip to the Kingfisher Folk Fest in the North Carolina mountains.

Now in its second year, the Kingfisher Folk Fest strives to harmonize Catholic and mountain culture through inspirational music while raising funds and awareness for Canongate High School in Arden, an independent Catholic high school affiliated with the Diocese of Charlotte.

The man’s decision to come back to the Church after years away came after he traveled hundreds of miles to give his family a fun vacation and see a performance by Chicago-based Kingfisher headliner Joe Pug, a recent convert to the faith.

Primary event organizer Andrew Tolkmith, a Canongate alumnus who lives in Hendersonville, learned of the festival’s profound impact in an email he received from the man three days later.

“That man had a bit of a conversion experience through the festival because he said he saw Catholicism through a new light and reignited his faith,” Tolkmith said. “This was always part of what the festival was designed to be, evangelical at heart. This was the impact we wanted it to have.”

This year’s Aug. 2 event featured six performers who offered diverse musical experiences for about 200 attendees who braved intermittent fog and rain: Childcraft Annual from Beaufort, S.C.; Memphisbased poet, singer and musician Christian Lingner; Irish-born singer-songwriter Dylan Walshe, now a resident of Black Mountain; Memphis singer-songwriter Kelly Hunt; and Pug, a critically acclaimed folk singer who has appeared at prestigious festivals such as Bonnaroo and the Newport Folk Festival.

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

On-and-off showers failed to dampen the enthusiasm of about 200 attendees at the second annual Kingfisher Folk Fest. They gathered under a tent at The Oaks at Daniel Ridge in Candler to enjoy a line-up of musicians including Cyr and the Cosmonauts.

CONNECTING CULTURES

Kingfisher emerged from a desire to raise awareness about Canongate while highlighting the connection between Catholic and traditional mountain cultures, Tolkmith said.

“This was a unique idea of a Catholic school doing a folk festival,” he said. “At Kingfisher, there are two main aspects – the folk and the music. Folk obviously means people, and the main goals we have tried to celebrate and cultivate at the festival are our understanding of what it means to be a human being, a Catholic creature of God and the art that we make.”

Appalachian folk music – characterized by its lilting, haunting ballads and storysongs, with the sounds of mandolin, fiddle, banjo and guitar – is not traditionally associated with Catholicism, but it’s part of the heart of the mountain region that cradles Canongate and has been an aspect of the students’ experience since the school was founded in 2013.

The Celtic roots of the music are something many Catholics can identify with, even if the music is not traditionally heard in Catholic liturgy.

From its beginnings, Canongate has worked to engage its students not only with faith and the classics, but with their regional culture. Tolkmith described this movingly in a passage from an article he wrote for Dappled Things, an online Catholic arts journal. He wrote how one faculty member taught students

(From left) Recently ordained Father Nicholas Kramer of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte talks with attendees about Catholic topics. Irish-born singer songwriter Dylan Walshe, who now resides in Black Mountain, performs.

traditional Scottish and Irish ballads such as “Wild Mountain Thyme” that would echo down the hallways between classes.

Music became such an integral part of the school that faculty and students recorded an album in 2019.

The idea for a folk festival to promote the school and engage the larger community came after a survey of Canongate alumni revealed that time spent sharing music was among their most treasured memories.

Tolkmith was part of the original festival planning committee and remains one of the primary organizers.

SHARING STORIES

Canongate’s focus on the classics led to the name of the festival, which comes from the poem “As Kingfishers Catch Fire” by 19th-century British poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. The work glorifies the presence of Christ in nature and is learned and loved

by Canongate students.

This year’s event was designed to capture

multiple facets of Catholic and mountain culture and featured Catholic arts-andcrafts vendors from the Carolinas and Georgia. There was also an Appalachian storyteller, Elena Diana Miller from Fletcher, who spun traditional tales from the mountains.

“Catholicism at its heart is all about telling the greatest story of all – storytelling is part of what it means to be Catholic, so there was a clear complementarity to include folk stories,” Tolkmith said.

The goal going forward is for Kingfisher to continue to grow and evolve, weaving together the traditions of faith and the mountains, Tolkmith said.

“There is a massive complementarity between folk music and Catholicism specifically because of this idea of tradition, handing down what was given to you before and engaging it in your own time, while preserving the same essence from generation to generation.”

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

SUPPORTING THE RIGHT TO LIFE Teens gather for pro-life leadership camp

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Showering moms with love Lots of volunteers, young and old, gather to assemble 235 baby bags for Birthright of Charlotte’s Community Baby Shower. The bags will be given to local moms and moms-to-be during the crisis pregnancy support center’s free event on Aug. 17.

CHARLOTTE — Two dozen high school students from the Diocese of Charlotte came together Aug. 7 and 8 at St. Patrick Cathedral for Camp Joshua, a youth leadership program hosted by North Carolina Right to Life.

Participants attended six sessions of prolife apologetics training designed to equip them with the skills to engage in respectful, persuasive conversations about abortion.

Students heard speakers including Hank Chardos of Birthright of Charlotte; Debbie Capen of MiraVia; Dr. Matthew Harrison; Jon Paul, founder of Sheepdog; Charlotte Swannek, a student pro-life leader from the Diocese of Raleigh, and Dr. Bill Pincus, president of North Carolina Right to Life.

A candlelight vigil provided a moving moment of reflection as students honored the memory of the 66 million unborn children lost to abortion in the United States since 1973. Each participant was challenged to “be a light in the darkness” by living out their pro-life convictions with courage and compassion.

On Friday morning, many students – joined by their parents – participated in a prayer vigil outside Charlotte Planned Parenthood alongside Father Peter Ascik, pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral.

RACHEL BURGESS

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Seminarian’s summer assignment teaches true nature of healing LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Seminarian James Tweed’s summer assignment was serving as an interfaith chaplain at Atrium Health’s Trauma Center at Carolinas Medical Center. As the region’s only Level I trauma center, it is equipped to respond to the most severe cases of traumatic injuries 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He recently took the time to speak with the Catholic News Herald about his experience: CNH: What did you think when you received your summer assignment?

Tweed: When I first learned I’d be spending the summer doing Clinical Pastoral Education, I was both intrigued and a bit skeptical … I studied science in undergrad, and it felt natural and rewarding to be among nurses, doctors and a multidisciplinary care team.

CNH: Do you have any prior experience in the medical field?

Tweed: I majored in molecular biology and biotechnology in college, worked in a microbiology lab for a semester, and then at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. Before seminary, I also served as a hospital chaplain for a year in Cincinnati.

CNH: Can you describe a day in detail at your assignment?

Tweed: After a two-week orientation and intensive education phase, my typical day was spent serving the 11th floor, Trauma, at the hospital.

Our team started with a morning huddle to coordinate care, and from there, I prioritized my day based on new consults, follow-ups and insights from nurses about who might benefit from spiritual or emotional support. Every visit was unique. I would introduce myself, ask how they were doing, and try to simply be present, offering space for the patient to open up if they felt ready. Some shared profound grief or fear, others longed for prayer or quiet companionship. I tried to walk into each room not with a plan, but with a heart open to them. Sometimes that meant five minutes of presence. Sometimes it meant an hour or more of sharing silence, tears or prayer. After difficult visits, I often stepped away to walk and pray, just to breathe and let God recenter me.

CNH: What did you learn?

Tweed: I learned to lead with my heart. I’ve spent much of my life forming my intellect through theology, philosophy and science, but this summer invited me to be more human. I realized that the most powerful form of care isn’t always in what we say or do, but in how we are with someone. To stand with a patient in their suffering required vulnerability. I had to let myself feel with them, deeply and honestly, without judgment or solutions. It is in that shared space, that mutual holding, where healing begins.

I learned to listen without trying to fix, to follow instead of lead, to love without needing control. I also became more aware of my own inner landscape, my strengths, my blind spots, and my emotional triggers and how all of that impacts how I show up for others. I grew in emotional presence, cultural sensitivity and spiritual availability. Above all, I learned what it means to be a safe person for someone in crisis.

CNH: What did you enjoy about the assignment?

Tweed: I loved the learning environment. It felt like a safe and sacred space, fertile soil, where we were invited to grow through real experience, honest feedback and deep reflection. I was seen, heard, challenged and supported. I also loved being in the hospital, standing with people on some of their hardest days and offering a presence that was gentle, nonjudgmental and rooted in love.

CNH: How do you feel closer to God after serving at a hospital?

Tweed: While Christ is uniquely and substantially present in

WILL CRETER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Seminarian James Tweed spent the summer as an interfaith chaplain for Atrium Health in Charlotte, building friendships with staff and patients while spiritually leading people who are undergoing treatment in the trauma center. He also learned lessons that will serve him well in his future ministry as a priest. (Left) After difficult visits, Tweed often stepped away to walk and pray in the chapel, to breathe and let God refocus him.

the Holy Eucharist, He is also truly present in the suffering, the tears and the silent prayers of those I encountered. My time in the hospital as a multifaith chaplain helped to center me in a way that I could come into contact with the mystery personhood and God’s presence in that mystery. Whether someone was baptized or not, I learned to listen with the kind of reverence I would have in a chapel, because I was often standing before a heart that was vulnerable, searching and open to grace. It was not the same presence as in the Eucharist, but it was still a place where God was moving, still a place where I could meet Him. That awareness deepened my love for the Eucharist, not lessened it, and helped me recognize how Christ reaches out to people in different ways.

In a word, the hospital became a kind of sanctuary for me.

CNH: How did patients respond to your care?

Tweed: They received me with appreciation and trust, often opening up in ways that showed they felt safe, heard and supported. I think a big part of that was learning to bring my whole self to each visit – compassion, attentiveness, humility and strength. But I was also shaped by the tools and formation given to me by the education team: how to listen actively, how to be present without needing to control, how to honor each person’s

story without inserting myself into it. That combination, natural empathy and trained awareness, allowed me to form genuine and meaningful connections.

CNH: Why is it important for seminarians and priests to serve in hospitals?

Tweed: Because human suffering is not abstract. It is real, gritty and sacred. Serving in a hospital teaches you how to be truly human with others, and if we believe Christ is fully human and fully divine, then that humanity matters in our priesthood.

Ministry in hospitals helps us grow in emotional awareness, in sensitivity to cultural and spiritual complexity and in the ability to meet people where they are. It teaches us to find God in places beyond the sanctuary, without ever losing our love for the altar.

It forms priests who are approachable, relatable and above all, present, like Christ.

CNH: Anything else you’d like to add?

Tweed: It takes courage to feel, to stay open, to not retreat into intellectual answers or safe routines. But if we want to serve like Christ, we have to learn to love like Him, and love always flows from the heart. That is what this summer taught me.

FAITH

FAMILY

FRATERNITY

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August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Chaplain Balkey starts his first Naval assignment JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Father Darren Balkey, who served as parochial vicar at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte, finished his U.S. Navy chaplain training course in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 30 and is off to his first “billet,” or assignment, at the third-largest Navy installment in the country in Jacksonville, Florida.

Chaplain Balkey is the second priest ordained for the Diocese of Charlotte who also serves as a chaplain for the U.S. Navy. Chaplain Balkey served in the diocese for three years before receiving his assignment through the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. As a shepherd to a new flock of impressionable young troops, he asks for prayers from parishioners across the diocese as he embarks on his next mission for God and country.

“I am excited to share that I have been assigned to the base chapel at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.,” Chaplain Balkey wrote to his former parishioners.

“I completed seven weeks of chaplain training aboard Naval Station Newport and just learned of my assignment on the (Feast of the) Transfiguration, Aug. 6. It has been a joy to serve you in the parish, and I ask for your continued prayers as I begin my ministry to our military families.”

Now a lieutenant, Chaplain Balkey is excited to serve at Naval Station Mayport.

“It has a harbor deep enough to dock any nuclear supercarrier in the U.S. fleet.

The runway at adjacent Naval Air Station Jacksonville is 9,003 feet long, enough to land any airframe ever in service with the

Let’s keep talking.

Please pray for the following priests who died during the month of August:

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NAVAL CHAPLAINCY SCHOOL

Chaplain Darren Balkey is ready to report for duty at his new assignment in Jacksonville, Florida. He is the second priest in the Diocese of Charlotte to serve as a chaplain for the U.S. Navy.

U.S. military,” he said.

He said he is also pleased to be just an hour north of the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in St. Augustine, Fla.,

the site where the first Mass was said in what would eventually become the United States.

— Catholic News Herald

Rev. Henry J. Becker – 1992 Rev. William M. Evans – 2012 Rev. Frank R. Gardner – 1991 Rev. Nicholas F. Gibilisco, OSB – 1994 Rev. Martin W. Hayes, OSB – 1992 Rev. Msgr. Felix R. Kelaher – 1998 Rev. Richard T. McCue – 2013 Rev. John F. Parsons – 1993 Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus www.kofcnc.org

AUGUST IS MAKE-A-WILL MONTH CREATE OR UPDATE YOUR WILL.

PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONES AND VALUES.

Turn your unused car, truck, boat, RV, or motorcycle into a force for good. Donate it to Catholic Charities and help fund programs for those in need.

And receive a tax benefit!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

on how to leave your legacy, please contact Gina Rhodes, Director of Planned Giving at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.org.

All vehicle makes and models are accepted.

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Divine Redeemer pilgrims visit historic Belmont basilica

Support a mission that inspires!

Bilingual Communications Assistant Join a mission-driven team that’s shaping how the Diocese of Charlotte connects, informs and inspires – in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions.

For the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, Divine Redeemer Parish in Boonville organized a pilgrimage to the historic Mary, Help of Christians Basilica at Belmont Abbey Aug. 2. About 200 parishioners took part in this spiritual journey guided by their pastor, Father Jean Pierre Swamunu Lloposo.

Sergio López, Hispanic Ministry coordinator for the WinstonSalem Vicariate, said that for many participants, it was their first experience of this kind.

We’re seeking a bilingual Communications Assistant to provide essential editorial and administrative support for the award-winning Catholic News Herald and diocesan channels and produce content highlighting our parishes, schools and ministries. You’ll also assist with media outreach and help build relationships and audiences. Candidates should have at least 2 years’ experience as an editorial or office administrative assistant (or similar), an associate’s degree or higher, and fluency in written and spoken Spanish and English.

If you’re detail-oriented, organized and ready to use your skills to advance a mission of communication and evangelization, we’d like to hear from you!

Go on your own pilgrimage

Learn more and apply:

At www.charlottediocese.org: Learn more about the Jubilee Year of Hope and the three jubilee pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Charlotte that you can visit

CatholicNewsHerald.com/jobs

PHOTO PROVIDED

Room At The Inn Cordially Invites You to Join Us for Dinner and hear their life-changing stories of how the love and mercy of Jesus has changed their lives.

Embracing Life’s Challenges Thursday, October 2, 2025

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Benton Convention Center, Winston-Salem, NC

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Doors open 5:30 PM

Room At The Inn, Inc. is a unique, comprehensive program helping homeless, single, pregnant women (with or without previous children) from all 100 counties of NC, not only during their pregnancies but also after the birth of their babies. By providing shelter, food, clothing, case management, day care, transportation, job training, life skills and parenting education in a structured environment, we help these families have new lives of healthy, hope-filled self sufficiency.

Banquet Speaker Luke Kuechly

Luke spent all eight years of his career with the Carolina Panthers.

He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a five-time first-team All-Pro. He had immediate success during his 2012 rookie season. In that debut campaign, he led the NFL in tackles and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the year.

Licensed by NCDHHS and accredited by the Council on Accreditation, Room At The Inn is a prolife ministry of the Catholic church and is listed in the Official Catholic Directory (P.J. Kenedy & Sons).

Annual Benefit Banquet

To register: Please visit www.RoomInn.org OR use the QR Code For more information, please contact Tammy Singleton at 336-391-6299 / TSingleton@roominn.org or Katie Schneider at KSchneider@RoomInn.org

Reservations are free, but required. A donation will be requested.

Where Hope is Born!

A S P EC I A L E D I T I O N O F T H E C AT H O L I C N E W S H E R A L D

GETTING READY: NEW PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS 2

SUMMER SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS 3

ADMISSIONS, TUITION AND OTHER INFO 6-8

August 15, 2025

PRINCIPALS AND OTHER LEADERSHIP CHANGES 4-5

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 BACK TO SCHOOL 2025

PHOTOS BY TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Teachers move into Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte Aug. 12 to prepare for the opening of the school year on Aug. 20. This academic year, more than 8,300 students will return to Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte, with most of the 20 schools in the diocese at or near capacity following years of steady growth.

Getting ready: Catholic schools debut new projects and programs as students return CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Catholic school students across the Diocese of Charlotte will return to new digs and new educational opportunities next week, as schools launch a variety of new learning pathways and wrap up more than $8.4 million in summer construction and widespread refresh work.

More than 8,300 students are set to return to schools from Asheville to Charlotte to Greensboro beginning the week of Aug. 18, with most of the diocese’s 20 schools at or near capacity following years of steady growth.

St. Ann, a Charlotte elementary school, will debut a $5.1 million transformation of its campus. Less than a mile away, Holy Trinity Middle School invested more than $3.4 million in the first phase of two-year renovation, as the school also introduces educational changes. (Read more on Page 3.)

“It’s a great time to be a part of our diocese,” said Greg Monroe, superintendent of schools. “Our enrollment has increased by about 20 percent over the past five years, and we’re one of the fastest growing Catholic school systems in the country. That’s a testament to the vibrancy of our system.

Parents are trusting their kids are going to get a fantastic academic education, and one that also helps form them into good people.”

Despite capacity challenges, schools are still fielding calls and giving tours to interested

families, Monroe said. His office is evaluating the possible addition of a new school in the Charlotte-Union County corridor.

Through the summer, schools in Western North Carolina continued restoration work after Tropical Storm Helene.

Asheville Catholic School replaced its gym roof, and Bishop McGuinness High School in Greensboro invested more than $500,000 in a new athletic track. Our Lady of the Assumption in Charlotte launched construction of a Marian grotto. And Charlotte Catholic High School spent more than $1.5 million on a variety of improvements, from renovating its weight room, to repaving a parking lot, to replacing windows and painting its chapel.

“There’s really a sense of joy as our schools and our students continue to thrive,” Monroe said. “Our kids deserve the very best learning environments responsive to their needs, and we recognize that beautiful spaces and updated facilities are part of that.”

Expansion is also ongoing academically, with several schools offering new programs to respond to students’ needs and interests.

Faculty at Holy Trinity are engaged in ongoing professional development as the school prepares to switch to a hybrid educational model that blends single-sex and co-ed classes in 2026-27.

“We’re working on developing teaching and academics across the board – initiatives PROGRAMS, SEE PAGE 11

Teachers begin to reset their classrooms at St. Ann School in Charlotte Aug. 12. Over the summer, the school went through a massive renovation to its circa-1955 building that included everything from new paint and cabinets to a new HVAC system as well as exit and fire safety enhancements. The $5.1 million renovation was just one of the summer construction projects that will make classrooms better, brighter and more appealing for returning students and staff.

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2025I

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TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte has undertaken a multiyear, $9 million investment plan that will include campus-wide building improvements and additional teachers and staff as the school transitions to an academy model with a blended learning approach.

Holy Trinity completes first phase of improvements TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

(Above) Workers across the Diocese of Charlotte were busy over the summer getting schools, including Holy Trinity Middle School, ready for students and teachers. (Below) Bishop McGuinness High School is breaking ground and making way for their first renovation since moving to their new location in 2001.

The track is being resurfaced, and the ground will be graded to make room for six new tennis courts.

Construction projects expand capacity and enhance learning CHARLOTTE — Several schools across the Diocese of Charlotte completed summer renovations, while additional capital projects are planned and underway.

With more than $37 million slated for school improvements over the next several years, two schools completed major summer projects – totaling $8.4 million – as students prepare to return to school.

“We’re coming right down to the wire but things are looking great,” said Kevin Parks, president of Holy Trinity Middle School, wrapping up the $3.4 million first phase of a two-year renovation that will cost more than $9 million. “I can’t wait to see what the kids think about all

we’ve done in a short period. Nice spaces help build a sense of pride and enhance the learning environment.”

(See story at right.)

ST. ANN SCHOOL

Students returning to St. Ann School in Charlotte will walk into a completely transformed learning space.

The school underwent a $5.1 million renovation that included improvements to the library and playgrounds, a new HVAC system, and new cabinets, flooring, lighting, acoustic ceiling tiles, tutoring classrooms and more.

Fresh paint brightened up classrooms, and measures to

prevent water intrusion were taken.

Security cameras, exit and fire safety enhancements are also complete.

“The school was built in 1955 and hadn’t received any major updates since then – except for central air,” said Principal Celene Little.

“They literally gutted the entire school – took up all the floors, took down all the whiteboards, the ceilings, the cabinets, the bathrooms.

Everything is new – the furniture, the desks, library shelving, the doors.

The whole school has really been transformed,” she said.

Choate Construction of Charlotte handled the construction, and project manager John DellaMea had a special connection to the project. He and 18 members of his family attended St. Ann as children.

Work began the last day of school in late May, and teachers began moving furniture back into their classrooms on Aug. 11, with help from parent volunteers.

The project was made possible by a $3.5 million grant from Shea Homes, part of the Shea Family of Companies, one of the country’s most significant supporters of Catholic education, which has ties in Charlotte.

Principal Little said $600,000 came from the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system, while $700,000 was raised by the school and $300,000 by the parish.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 29.

CONSTRUCTION, SEE PAGE 11

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte is in the midst of extensive ongoing improvements to the school that began in late spring and will continue next summer as the school transitions to a blended learning approach and a new leadership model.

A multi-year, $9 million investment plan includes campus-wide building improvements, additional teachers and staff, and a learning model using both single-sex and co-ed classes for a more tailored educational experience.

School leaders are working with students, parents and teachers to refresh its look-and-feel while honoring its traditions. When complete, the school will open in Fall 2026 with a new name: Holy Trinity Catholic Academy.

As part of its new chapter, the school has moved to a president-principal administration with former Principal Kevin Parks assuming the role of president. Incoming Principal Robert “Bobby” Conrad is an alum of Holy Trinity’s first graduating class in 1996. (Read more on Page 4.)

“After years of serving at Charlotte Catholic, Mr. Conrad returns to his roots at Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School to help lead us into the next chapter of our school’s legacy,” Parks said.

The first phase of construction, which began in May, is a $3.4 million renovation of the administration building, which was originally built in the mid-1950s, Parks said.

“That building holds our office and the majority of our science labs,” he said. “We’ve added offices, done a complete renovation of all the classrooms and hallways, and added a classroom for theology.”

The science labs were refreshed with new flooring, cabinets, furniture and equipment.

When fully implemented, Holy Trinity’s blended learning approach will offer single-sex classes in core subjects such as English and math, while a variety of electives as well as extracurricular activities and events will remain co-ed beginning in 2026-27. The curriculum will be the same for girls and boys but will be customized to better accommodate different learning styles and developmental needs.

In preparation for the changes, faculty are participating in ongoing professional development, focusing both on nuances of single-sex education and overall development as teachers, Parks said.

Conrad and several faculty members attended a program this summer in Chicago focused on enhanced lesson planning and teaching techniques.

“Good teaching is just good teaching,” Parks said, “and that’s what we’re working on from a professional development standpoint.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 BACK TO SCHOOL 2025

Leadership changes announced at schools and diocesan schools office CHARLOTTE — Catholic school communities in Charlotte and High Point are welcoming new principals this fall, while the Catholic Schools Office announced several leadership changes. One recent hire and two internal candidates have been chosen to lead Our Lady of the Assumption in and Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School in Charlotte and Immaculate Heart of Mary in High Point.

ELIZABETH JENKINS

Elizabeth Jenkins has been named the new principal at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte. (Read more on page 5.) She previously served as assistant principal at St. Gabriel School and brings extensive experience in general and special education, literacy facilitation and student leadership.

Jenkins earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and a master’s degree in special education from universities in Miami and a master’s degree in educational leadership Jenkins from Winthrop University.

Jenkins was born and raised in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents, and her passion for education and service began at just 16 years old, when she started working after school at a daycare center.

“She deeply values our faith-based educational mission and is excited to embrace and lead the diverse community at OLA,” noted Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of Catholic schools.

“The diversity within this community is something I deeply value, and I eagerly look forward to engaging with and building positive relationships with all of the students, teachers, staff and parents,” Jenkins said. “This is such a blessing.”

WENDY WOOD

Wendy Wood is joining the diocese as the new principal at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point. Wood previously worked in the Diocese of Raleigh, where she served as assistant principal at St. Thomas More School in Chapel Hill. She brings over 20 years of experience, specializing in instructional strategies and adaptive curriculum, and is a licensed school administrator. She has a Master of Education from Marymount University Wood and a Bachelor of Science in child development/ adaptive curriculum from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

“She impressed our search committee with her energy, enthusiasm, educational background, experience working in a Catholic school environment, and her engaging and joyful personality. She presents as a person who values both the academic and religious leadership roles of a Catholic school principal,” said Father Patrick O’Connor, IHM’s pastor.

“I am delighted to expand my Catholic school leadership skills within the Diocese of Charlotte, especially the very welcoming parish/school community of Immaculate

OUR LADY OF GRACE CATHOLIC SCHOOL | GREENSBORO, NC

Open Enrollment Academic Excellence

Heart of Mary in High Point,” Wood said.

ROBERT CONRAD

Robert Conrad is returning to his alma mater as principal of Holy Trinity Middle School as the school transitions to Holy Trinity Catholic Academy in the 2026-27 school year. The change comes after Kevin Parks assumed the role of president.

Conrad was a member of Holy Trinity’s first graduating class in 1996.

He earned a degree in secondary education from Clemson University, a master’s in religion and Conrad religious education from Fordham University, and a graduate certificate in Catholic school leadership from Creighton University.

Among other roles, he served as a theology teacher, dean of students and then assistant principal at Charlotte Catholic High School.

“I am confident that Mr. Conrad will bring his deep faith, extensive experience, and unwavering commitment to Catholic education to our school community,” Parks said.

KEVIN O’HERRON

Kevin O’Herron will become the assistant superintendent of Catholic schools, effective Jan. 1, 2026. O’Herron has spent more than 30 years in Catholic education, including 26 years at St. Matthew School, with 22 years as principal.

O’Herron holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. John Fisher College

in Rochester, New York, and a Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

“His deep love for teachers and students has always been evident, and that same care will now bless our entire diocesan school community,” Monroe said. “Mr. O’Herron brings not only wisdom but a steady, mission-driven heart. His presence in the Catholic Schools Office will significantly strengthen our ability to serve school leaders, families and parishes across the diocese.”

Reflecting on his new O’Herron role, O’Herron said, “My career in Catholic education is one of the greatest gifts God has given me. I look forward to drawing on the many lessons I’ve learned as both a teacher and principal to help our schools grow even stronger – continuing to nurture in our students a meaningful and loving relationship with Jesus Christ.”

O’Herron’s January start will allow for a smooth transition for the new principal at St. Matthew School.

DAWN O’CONNOR AND EMMA ROCHE

Dawn O’Connor, who has been serving as director of school operations, is returning to her former role as administrative assistant at St. Patrick’s School. Emma Roche will be stepping into many of the responsibilities previously managed by O’Connor.

— Catholic News Herald and Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools Office

­

Faith-Based Tradition

201 South Chapman St Greensboro, NC 336.275.1522

OLGsch.org

LEARN MORE

­ ­ ­

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2025I

5

Principal learns that God never says never LISA GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

WINSTON-SALEM — Principal Callie Moore knew she had big shoes to fill when she stepped into Sister Geri Rogers’ position at Our Lady of Mercy last fall, but she had no idea how nicely those shoes would fit or how comfortable they would become.

“Any time a new principal comes in after a principal that has been at the school for a long time like Sister Geri, it could be a challenge,”said Assistant Superintendent of Schools Michael Miller. “Callie did a great job of getting to know her staff and the school community, and building relationships.”

Sister Geri from the Order of St. Joseph ran Our Lady of Mercy school for 20 years after teaching there for 20.

Upon her retirement, the technologysavvy, organized, quiet yet lively, slightly introverted, creative problemsolver from St. Leo the Great, Assistant Principal Moore, quickly became a top contender for the position.

“Everybody told me since my secondyear teaching that I should go ahead and become a principal, and I told them they were crazy,” Moore said.

“I like to come up with solutions, love being in crisis mode and solving problems to make things better, and at the same time, I was comfortable in my little bubble,” she said.

When Moore got the offer, she was initially reluctant. She said she would never be a principal, just as she said she would never be an assistant principal or a middle school teacher. She also said she would never get a dog – but now has two.

“Friends and family started laughing and asking me how many signs from God I needed to accept the job,” said Moore. “I started praying the one-day Flying Novena and felt so strongly it was God’s will that I stopped right in mid-prayer and accepted.”

Now, she laughs whenever she says the word “never,” because God always seems to lead her everywhere she never expected to go.

Students, parents and staff embraced Moore, instantly connecting with her Southern culture and Catholic values.

She’s lived in the Triad her entire life and was raised in a pew at Our Lady of the Highways parish in Thomasville, where she still attends with her parents. Her mother is also an educator.

“I always played teacher with my siblings when I was young; I even made them sign contracts for their behavior,” laughed Moore. “I went to public school growing up and I was one of a very few Catholics. I always wanted to go to private school. That was my dream, and I would beg my mom all the time.”

Her first year went by quickly, but she also feels as if she has been laughing beside Father Cory Catron, creating

master schedules and conducting staff meetings, forever.

“I want to make sure that we stay true to who Mercy was and everything that it is, but also help move into the future,” Moore said.

“I describe it as a hidden gem that is not always shown or seen; it hides in the background. I guess it is like me in a way,” she said.

Her goal this year is to keep supporting and inspiring her staff and continue the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph by holding onto traditions while starting some fun new endeavors Father Catron and she devised in their “downtime.”

“This year we are trying to incorporate all the different Mary titles into our curriculum because our school is very diverse, like the Blessed Mother. Plus, we are hoping each classroom will adopt a saint,” Moore said.

Her advice to new principals is simple: “Take one day at a time, ask questions, reach out for support, trust God’s plan and enjoy the journey.”

As her neatly labeled file folders start expanding in width, so does her confidence. There is no denying it; she was meant for this, and God proved it to her.

“I am very sure that this is the best place for me and where I need to be to help everybody I want to help,” she said.

ANTHONY STINEDURF | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Principal Callie Moore is gearing up for another successful year at Our Lady of Mercy School. Last year she memorized every student’s name the first 10 days of school by studying past yearbooks.

New principal brings multicultural experience to Our Lady of the Assumption BRIAN SEGOVIA bmsegovia@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — “The best of both worlds” is the expression Elizabeth Jenkins, the incoming principal of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School, uses to describe her Cuban-American upbringing. Born in Miami to Cuban parents, Jenkins grew up speaking both English and Spanish in her multicultural home.

“We grew up with some American customs, but many Cuban customs,” Jenkins said. “It’s something I consider important in my upbringing.”

From a young age, Jenkins knew her calling was to teach. At 16, she began working at a daycare after school, an experience that ignited her passion for education.

Her commitment led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and later a master’s degree in special education. She started her career by teaching kindergarten through fifth-grade students and teaching special education for students in grades K–8.

In 2007, she moved to Charlotte and joined Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), dedicating 14 years to the academic development of her students.

In 2021, she took on the role of assistant principal at St. Gabriel Catholic School, an experience that prepared her for her next professional step: on July 1, she became principal at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School.

“I believe God put me here for a reason.

I’m going to focus on today, on this school year, and on getting to know the children

BRIAN SEGOVIA | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

“I believe God put me here for a reason,” says Elizabeth Jenkins, incoming principal of Our Lady of the Assumption School. Born in Miami to Cuban parents, Jenkins grew up speaking both English and Spanish in her multicultural home and now leads a diverse and growing school. and families,” Jenkins commented.

The school is undergoing significant

changes due to its growing diversity and increase in enrollment. While last year it

had 213 students, that number has risen to 244. Dr. Greg Monroe, the diocese’s superintendent of schools, noted that the institution has experienced a transformation in recent years.

“Our region is growing,” Monroe explains. “As people move here, they look for vibrant and dynamic schools, and we’re proud to say that Our Lady of the Assumption is one of those top-tier institutions.”

Jenkins said her experience teaching in multilingual instruction schools, such as Collinswood Language Academy in CMS, helped her understand the importance of respecting global cultures and customs.

It is the recognition of students with diverse backgrounds that, for her, will be key in this new chapter for the school.

“I noticed the importance of children being able to speak two languages and recognizing their own culture,” Jenkins said.

“In a school where many students speak different languages at home, the fact that she speaks more than one is undoubtedly a great added value,” Monroe said.

Jenkins says her knowledge of Spanish has opened doors with families. She has seen several Hispanic parents visibly relax when they find out she speaks their language. With that cultural closeness, Jenkins starts the new school year ready to lead with faith and commitment.

“The happiness they show on their faces is something fundamental to me,” Jenkins said. “I truly believe that when a family feels that cultural connection, the experience of the children and parents becomes much more meaningful.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 BACK TO SCHOOL 2025

Our Catholic Schools Diocese of Charlotte Schools encompass 20 schools in different formats: Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS), parish-based schools, a diocesan-based high school, and an affiliate.

GREENSBORO WINSTON-SALEM KERNERSVILLE

HIGH POINT SALISBURY

GASTONIA ASHEVILLE

CHARLOTTE

ARDEN

HENDERSONVILLE

How do I apply?

Navigating the application process for the diocese’s parish-based schools and for the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system (MACS) is a straightforward online process.

The admissions process begins in November and continues as space is available. All schools work on a rolling admissions basis until all spots are filled. All students entering pre-kindergarten must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 31. All kindergarten students must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31.

Details for MACS – including required documents and placement testing information – can be found online at www.discovermacs.org/admissions/ apply-now. Details for each parish-based school can be found on their respective website.

Questions? Please call the individual school or the MACS Office any time in the application process at 704-370-3273.

Step 1:

Take a Tour

Diocesan high school

Parish-based schools

Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville serves the Triad area.

This includes 9 schools serving kindergarten through eighth grade and, in some instances, preschool. While each school is part of the diocese’s Catholic Schools system, they are directly administered by a corresponding parish. For admissions info, contact the specific school.

Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, Kernersville, NC 27284 336-564-1010 www.bmhs.us Grades: 9-12

Affiliate school Canongate Catholic High School 109 Crescent Hill Road, Arden, NC 28704 828-712-8924 www.canongatecatholic.org Grades: 9-12

Asheville Catholic School 12 Culvern St., Asheville, NC 28804 828-252-7896 www.ashevillecatholic.org Grades: PK-8 Immaculata Catholic School 711 N. Buncombe St., Hendersonville, NC 28791 828-693-3277 www.immac.org Grades: PK (ages 3-4), K-8 Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School 4145 Johnson St., High Point, NC 27265 336-887-2613 www.ihm-school.com Grades: PK-8 Our Lady of Grace Catholic School 201 South Chapman St., Greensboro, NC 27403 336-275-1522 www.olgsch.org Grades: PK3-8 Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 336-722-7204 www.ourladyofmercyschool.org Grades: PK-8

Sacred Heart Catholic School 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury, NC 28147 704-633-2841 www.salisburycatholicschool.org Grades: JK-8 St. Leo Catholic School 333 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27104 336-748-8252 www.stleocatholic.com Grades: PK-8

St. Pius X Catholic School 2200 North Elm St., Greensboro, NC 27408 336-273-9865 www.spxschool.com Grades: PK-8

St. Ann Catholic School 600 Hillside Ave., Charlotte, NC 28209 704-525-4938 www.stanncatholic.org Grades: PK, TK and K-5

St. Matthew Catholic School 11525 Elm Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277 704-544-2070 www.stmattwildcats.com Kevin O’Herron, principal Grades: TK-5

St. Gabriel Catholic School 3028 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211 704-366-2409 www.stgabrielcatholicschool.org Grades: K-5

St. Patrick Catholic School 1125 Buchanan St., Charlotte, NC 28203 704-333-3174 www.saintpatrickschool.org Grades: PK-5

Step 3:

Pay Application Fee

Step 4:

A centralized, regional system of schools in the Charlotte area that includes 9 schools (2 high schools, a middle school, 4 elementary schools, some with PK and TK, and 2 K-8 schools): St. Mark Catholic School 14750 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 704-766-­5000 www.stmarkcatholicschool.net Grades: K-8

Complete Application Form

St. Michael Catholic School 704 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia, NC 28052 704-865-4382 www.stmcsg.org Grades: PK-8

Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School 4225 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215 704-531-0067 www.olacatholic.org Grades: PK-8

Step 2:

Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School 3100 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209 704-527-7822 www.htcms.org Grades: 6-8 Christ the King Catholic High School 2011 Crusader Way, Huntersville, NC 28078 704-799-4400 www.ctkchs.org Grades: 9-12 Charlotte Catholic High School 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226 704-543-1127 www.charlottecatholic.org Grades: 9-12

Complete Checklist Items

• Though not a required step, it is recommended to take a tour before officially applying to a school.

• An in-person tour is a great way to ask specific questions about the curriculum, what is offered, and what the facilities feature for your child.

• An easy-to-use online system for applying enables you to start at either a specific school’s website or at DiscoverMACS.org.

• Just click the green menu bar item labeled “Apply” at the top of the page.

• Applicants are encouraged to call anytime throughout the application process with questions.

• Pay by mail, credit card or electronic check.

• The application fee is non-refundable.

• Along with the application, applicants must submit a birth certificate and proof of a physical exam and immunization records.

• Additionally, families who wish to qualify for a participating Catholic tuition discount must submit a completed parish participation voucher.

• Some schools may ask for the student’s most recent grades and standardized test scores.

• MACS middle schools and high schools require principal and teacher recommendations and transcripts.

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2025I

What is the cost of a Catholic education?

CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL CHRIST THE KING HIGH SCHOOL HOLY TRINITY MIDDLE SCHOOL OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL ST. ANN SCHOOL ST. GABRIEL SCHOOL ST. MARK SCHOOL ST. MATTHEW SCHOOL ST. PATRICK SCHOOL

TUITION FOR MECKLENBURG AREA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS GRADES

PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS

NON-PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS/COMMUNITY

Pre-Kindergarten TK, K and Grades 1-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12

$5,509 / $8,610 $9,042 $10,145 $14,353

$5,900 / $9,222 $14,561 $15,705 $20,563

NOTE: Tuition rates for Options programs vary. Excludes 6th/7th Grade Activity Fee, 8th Grade Graduation Fee, 12th Grade Graduation Fee, and a MACS annual capital fee of $1,437 per family. A multiple-child tuition discount is available for participating Catholic families: 10% for the second child, 25% for the third child, 50% for the fourth child and free for the fifth child and beyond. Go to www.discovermacs.org/admissions/tuitionandaffordability for details.

TUITION FOR PARISH-BASED CATHOLIC SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS

NON-PARTICIPATING CATHOLICS/COMMUNITY

$12,477 $12,596 $7,500 $7,250 $7,869 $8,200 $7,746 $8,224 $8,750 $7,965 $8,616

$14,277 $17,170 $7,500 $9,500 $11,131 $10,700 $12,205 $8,750 $13,320 $9,965 $12,420

ASHEVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL BISHOP MCGUINNESS HIGH SCHOOL CANONGATE HIGH SCHOOL IMMACULATA SCHOOL IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY SCHOOL OUR LADY OF GRACE SCHOOL OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL SACRED HEART SCHOOL ST. LEO SCHOOL ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL ST. PIUS X SCHOOL

SPECIAL PROGRAMS Tuition rates for the Quest and Pace programs (OLG) and the St. Gabriel program vary. Excludes application, registration and other fees. A multiple-child discount is available. Visit each school’s website for details.

What about miscellaneous costs?

LUNCH PROGRAMS

The national average cost of uniforms at Catholic schools in the United States is $260.

Each school provides specific information about their uniforms on their websites. Most options can be purchased through Lands’ End, but some may provide used-uniform sales or swaps throughout the school year.

Additionally, check your local consignment shop for discounted uniform items such as pants and skirts.

Fees vary by school and by order.

Information is provided on the school’s website and at each school office.

MACS offers bus and shuttle transportation with routes in Charlotte, Huntersville and Mooresville. Details are on the MACS website under Admissions --> Transportation. Note: Some bus routes are already full, so contact MACS Transportation at 704-370-3263 to be placed on a waitlist.

Transportation fees for parish-based schools range from $95 to $165 per month, but check with your specific school to confirm. Some schools do not provide a transportation system, but may provide parents with a carpool list.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS Most parish-based schools provide after school services ranging from $180 to $290 a month with other daily price options. Check with your specific school for details.

MACS TRANSPORTATION FEES REGISTRATION FEE

ONE-WAY RIDER

TWO-WAY RIDER

$75

$ 1,383

$2,044

MACS AFTER SCHOOL FEES REGISTRATION FEE

FULL-TIME

PART-TIME

One child:

$290/month

$35 daily

$220/month

$25 daily

$60

Each additional child:

Financial aid makes Catholic education more accessible Diocesan financial aid Most families who attend Catholic schools receive some form of financial aid through tuition discounts or assistance.

All of the diocese’s schools offer some sort of tuition discount or subsidy for registered participating Catholic families, up to 30 percent in some cases.

Generally speaking, tuition amounts range from approximately $8,000 to $14,000 for registered Catholics, with non-participating Catholics and non-Catholics paying higher amounts. Multiple child discounts are also available.

Needs-based tuition assistance is also available to qualified families – making Catholic education more affordable than ever for more families.

The application period is January through March 31 for the upcoming school year.

A family does not have to be registered as a participating Catholic to receive aid. Aid is need-based and can only assist with the cost of tuition. As soon the application process is complete, families are eligible to receive an award.

For details about the MACS tuition assistance program, call 704-370-3273 or go online to www.discovermacs.org/ admissions/tuitionandaffordability. This website has detailed information about how financial assistance works, how to apply, and answers to frequently asked questions.

The diocese’s nine parish-based schools and Bishop McGuinness High School offer similar need-based tuition assistance to qualified students. Details can be found on each school’s website.

All MACS financial aid requests are processed through a third-party processor, Clarity. Most diocesan parish-based schools provide financial aid through the FACTS processor as well. Receiving financial aid requires an ample amount of documentation, which is verified through the FACTS school’s preferred platform.

Families are required to apply every year if they wish to continue receiving financial aid. However, applying for financial aid does not guarantee a family will receive aid.

State financial aid

UNIFORMS

TRANSPORTATION

7

Other financial aid options include the North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship Program, Disabilities Grant Program, and Education Savings Accounts and the Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Scholarship. These cover tuition and required fees at a participating non-public school. In addition the Disabilities Grant and Education Saving Account Education Student Accounts (ESA+) Scholarship can cover certain other expenses related to educating a child with a disability.

OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The Opportunity Scholarship Program expands school choice in North Carolina for eligible students in kindergarten through 12 grade. All NC K-12 students are eligible regardless of income or prior public school enrollment. This program provides funding of up to $7,000 per year for eligible children who choose to attend a participating non-public school.

EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT An Education Savings Account expands school choice for eligible students with disabilities in kindergarten through 12th grade. An Education Savings Account is for students attending a registered non-public school and can be applied to tuition and required fees and certain other expenses related to educating a child with a disability. Additionally, it allows parents quarterly access to funds on a debit card.

This program currently provides funding of up to $9,000 per year for eligible children who choose to attend a participating non-public school. Each program has specific additional requirements for eligibility.

EDUCATION STUDENT ACCOUNTS (ESA+) SCHOLARSHIP The ESA+ scholarship is for students with disabilities who require special education services. The base level of funding is a $9,000 annual award; students with certain designated disabilities may be eligible to receive a $17,000 annual award.

Funds can be used for K-12 school tuition as well as certain allowable expenses such as speech therapy, tutoring, and educational technology.

For details about any of these aid programs, go to the N.C. State Education website at www.k12.ncseaa.edu.

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 BACK TO SCHOOL 2025

Educating all of God’s children: Special learning options

he Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools are dedicated to providing a robust Catholic education for all students, including those with special needs. Parents can find programs that offer both academic and spiritual education from the early years through high school.

“Our goal is to provide students with special needs a well-rounded Catholic education that truly prepares them for life,” said Assistant Superintendent Allana-Rae Ramkissoon.

“We want parents to know that whatever dream they hold for their child – whether it’s continuing on to college or stepping confidently into the world of work – we have programs designed to help them reach that goal. Just as importantly, we strive to ensure these students feel fully included in the life of the school. Building meaningful social connections with their general education peers is a vital part of their growth, and it reflects the heart of our mission to see every child recognized, valued and supported.”

Modified Academic Program (MAP) For students in grades 2-5 with special learning needs who need a hybrid educational approach that delivers both instruction in a self-contained classroom and general education classes. Instruction in core subjects is adapted to each student’s ability level.

“Our Modified Academic Program is a community that is built on connection, care, and commitment. As teachers, we love to partner with families and celebrate each student’s individual growth throughout their time at St. Ann School.”

www.stanncatholic.org/academics/special-learning

Lisa Banks, MAP teacher St. Ann School, Charlotte

St. Ann and Our Lady of the Assumption schools, Charlotte

www.olacatholic.org/academics/special-learning

Providing Academically Appropriate Catholic Education (PACE) Our Lady of the Assumption School, Charlotte; Our Lady of Grace School, Greensboro For elementary and middle school students with learning disabilities. At Our Lady of the Assumption, in grades 2-5, PACE primarily uses a self-contained setting, with daily classes alongside general education peers. In grades 6-8, the goal is to remediate reading/writing weaknesses, so students may eventually be included in a general education classroom with learning support. In Greensboro, the program is for PK-8 students who require a small classroom setting and specialized instruction in academics and social skills. www.olacatholic.org/speciallearning

www.olacatholic.org/academics/special-learning

Matthew Morgan Program St. Patrick School, Charlotte For K-5 students with Down syndrome. Students receive a quality, faith-based education in a classroom setting where each of them can progress toward their own individual potential. Basic academic and life skills are taught. Elementary students in the MACS system who complete the program may continue their education through the Options path at Holy Trinity Middle School or Charlotte Catholic High School. www.saintpatrickschool.org/specialprograms

QUEST Our Lady of Grace School, Greensboro For PK-8th grade students with high-functioning autism. QUEST offers structured, individualized instruction in social skills, academics and language. It is designed for students who benefit from inclusion opportunities with their peers – both in the classroom and during social activities.

“I want each student to feel loved and respected, and to know that they matter. Every child has unique strengths and it is absolutely OK for those strengths to look different from others’.

Elizabeth Jenkins, principal Our Lady of the Assumption School, Charlotte

“There is a joy you see in parents when they watch their students in this program … the students are able to both be educated at their appropriate levels and also to be included in all school activities.”

Nicholas Calametti, principal St. Patrick School, Charlotte

“We share God’s unconditional love with each child, equipping them with faith and virtue to follow His will for their life.”

Catherine Rusch, principal Our Lady of Grace School, Greensboro

www.olgsch.org/learn-at-olg/quest-program.cfm

Options Holy Trinity Middle and Charlotte Catholic High schools, Charlotte At Holy Trinity, the program caters to students who need an individualized, modified curriculum and combines instruction in both inclusive and a self-contained setting. It is designed to continue with Options at Charlotte Catholic. There, the program works to give students a full high school experience while also preparing them for life beyond high school. Options also offers a “certificate path” that enables participants to explore offerings on college campuses that accommodate special needs students. www.htcms.org/academics/options-program

www.charlottecatholic.org/departments/options-program

St. Gabriel Program Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School The St. Gabriel Program offers students with intellectual disabilities and/or high-functioning autism structured, individualized instruction in the areas of social/life skills development, academic course work, and math and/or language acquisition. St. Gabriel is an educational program for students whose learning needs require a smaller classroom setting, specialized instructional strategies, and, at times, a separate curriculum. The goal of the program is to develop the whole child to become successful in all kinds of environments. www.SIDEBbmhs.us/academics/st-gabrielprogram.cfm

“The inclusion program has helped her academically and to develop social and people skills which will be critically important as she moves into a job life after school.”

Stephen Dey on daughter Avery’s experience, Options program at Charlotte Catholic High School

“All the pieces have finally fallen into place for us this year to get this all moving. We hired a really amazing lead teacher to help us get the program off the ground.”

Claire Willis, principal Bishop McGuinness High School, Kernersville

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2025I

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Endowment funds make Catholic education more accessible CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Foundation manages 98 endowments with a total market value of almost $20 million that generate income to directly aid the diocese’s schools and their students: n Ad Meliora Endowment Fund: Financial support for facility improvements and beautification initiatives at Christ the King Catholic High School. n American Schlafhorst Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Charlotte Catholic High School. n Archibong Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School students who are African American, Indigenous or students of color. n Asheville Catholic School Endowment Fund: Financial support to retain quality teachers, offer scholarship assistance, provide continuing education for teachers and enhance the school’s curriculum. n Joseph and Margaret Baldi Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for children of parishioners at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church to attend St. Leo Catholic School in Winston-Salem. n Heidi Hogan Bell Memorial Endowment Fund: Provides for the general needs of Charlotte Catholic High School. n Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Endowment Fund: Financial support for the education of students at this school in Kernersville. n Joan W. Books Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for children of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church to attend Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Don and Mary Gay Brady Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Greensboro. n Elizabeth Allen Brown Endowment Fund: For the general needs of Catholic elementary and secondary schools and Catholic campus ministries in the Asheville area. n Father Pat Cahill and Michael Miller Endowment Fund for Academic Support: Academic support at Asheville Catholic School. n Molly Cassidy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to parishioners of St. Pius X Catholic Church to attend St. Pius X Catholic School, both in Greensboro. n Catholic Education Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students attending Catholic elementary schools in the diocese. n Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association Board Discretionary Endowment Fund: For the general needs of Charlotte Catholic High School at the board’s discretion. n Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduating seniors to attend a college of their choice. n Charlotte Catholic High School Endowment Fund: Benefits Charlotte Catholic High School. n Sister M. Joanice Cohen & Sister M. Elizabeth Fowkes, IHM Endowment Fund: Financial support to promote long-term recruitment, training and development of teachers at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Cornelius Alexander Davis, II Tuition Assistance Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Leo the Great Catholic School in Winston-Salem. n Digger Dawson Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church attending Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Derhofer Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n Deussen Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for Catholic high school education in the greater Charlotte area. n Stephen and Jessica Dey Options Endowment Fund: Benefits the “Options” programs at the diocese’s schools.

Endowments aid students, schools Almost $5.9 million has been distributed from 98 endowments managed by the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation that directly benefited students and schools. n Diocesan Educational Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students within the diocese attending a Catholic elementary or high school. n Faucette Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for the educational ministry of the diocese’s schools. n FFHL Tuition Assistance Endowment Fund: Established through Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love Diocesan Campaign, this fund provides tuition assistance for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte. n Gayden and Janell Gauthier Family Endowment Fund: Technology and infrastructure updates and tuition assistance for students of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church to attend Immaculata Catholic School, both in Hendersonville. n Mary Gay and Don Brady Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for faculty members’ children in the Piedmont-Triad area Catholic schools to attend Bishop McGuiness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n O’Brien and William Edward Gibbs Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School. n Gismondi Family Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for children of St. Mark Catholic Church parishioners to attend Christ the King Catholic High School in Huntersville. n Bobbie Grant Memorial Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students attending Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n Megan Healy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at St. Patrick Catholic School in Charlotte. n Edith and George Hilbert Endowment Fund: Financial support for the education of students at Asheville Catholic School. n Holy Family Catholic Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Catholic school tuition assistance (K-12) for members of Holy Family Catholic Church in Clemmons. n Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School Endowment Fund: Supports the general needs of Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School. n Immaculata Catholic School Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at this school in Hendersonville. n Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at this school in High Point. n Roger Kavanagh Tuition Assistance Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X Catholic School in Greensboro. n Knights of Columbus #11911 of St. Eugene for Asheville Catholic School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of this school. n Leeolou Family Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools families. n LeFeber Endowment: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n LoBianco Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Therese Catholic Church in Mooresville and St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville to attend Christ the King Catholic High School. n Alexander and Brenda Lyerly Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for children with financial need to attend Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte. n Lorraine J. Malphurs Endowment Fund: Student testing fees at St. Pius X Catholic

School in Greensboro. n Manley Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students of families at St. Eugene Catholic Church to attend Asheville Catholic School. n Catherine McAuley Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships to Catholic students attending Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools. n Bryant McDermott Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to students of Charlotte Catholic High School and Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte. n Francis J. McGrail Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to students of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School in High Point. n Lee McGuiness Endowment Fund: Benefits the Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association. n Sandy McMonagle Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in Winston-Salem. n Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) Education Endowment Fund: Assistance to the nine MACS schools in the Charlotte area. n Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) Special Needs Endowment Fund: For Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools’ students with special needs. n Katelyn Mitchell Student Athlete Scholarship Endowment Fund: For the benefit of a studentathlete in sixth, seventh or eighth grade at St. Pius X Catholic School in Greensboro. n Eleanor C. Murphy Educational Trust Scholarship Endowment Fund: Provides scholarships for students from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Salisbury. n Monsignor Lawrence C. Newman Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in WinstonSalem. n Victor M. Nussbaum Jr. Educational Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X Catholic School in Greensboro. n Chris and Margaret Onulak Endowment Fund: General needs of Asheville Catholic School. n Our Lady of Grace School Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Greensboro. n Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School Fund: General needs of this school in Charlotte. n Poutre’ Family Endowment Fund: General needs of Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Quinn Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n George L. Repass Memorial Tuition Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n Clark G. Ross Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for Catholic high school students from Catholic parishes in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Cabarrus and Rowan counties. n Clark G. Ross St. Therese Catholic Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Assistance for college age parishioners at St. Therese Catholic Church in Mooresville. n Sacred Heart School Catholic Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Salisbury. n Sheridan-Mangan Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School. n Monsignor Joseph S. Showfety Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students of this school in Kernersville. n Sister Geri Rogers Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School in Winston-Salem. n Sisters of Mercy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Michael Catholic School in Gastonia. n Sisters of St. Joseph Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for Bishop McGuinness High School students. n Victoria Sleeman Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students of Immaculate

Conception Catholic Church to attend Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Frank Spinks Endowment Fund: Professional development activities for the staff at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Mary Spinks Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to minority students at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Michelle Stanley Scholarship Endowment Fund: General needs at St. Mark Catholic School in Huntersville. n St. Ann Catholic School Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Charlotte. n St. Gabriel School Catholic Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Charlotte. n St. Joseph Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School. n St. Lawrence Council (#1695) Student Scholarship Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for the educational needs of council members’ and deceased members’ children. n St. Leo Catholic School Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for St. Leo Catholic School students. n St. Mark Catholic School Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Huntersville. n St. Mary’s Catholic Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition aid for the children of parishioners from St. Mary’s Catholic Church who attend Our Lady of Grace Catholic School or St. Pius X Catholic School, both in Greensboro, or Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n St. Matthew School Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Charlotte. n St. Michael School Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Gastonia. n St. Patrick Catholic School Endowment Fund: General needs of this school in Charlotte. n St. Pius X School Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at this school in Greensboro. n Michael Sullivan Endowment Fund: For general fine arts department needs at Charlotte Catholic High School or non-profit support compatible with known interest of Michael Sullivan. n Theresa Lasecki Talbert Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n Remo and Carolyn Termini Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students attending Asheville Catholic School. n John Michael Thompson Endowment Fund: General needs of Sacred Heart Catholic School in Salisbury. n F. Joseph Treacy Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students in all nine MACS schools. n Villalon Family Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n Sabrina Watt Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students attending Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools. n Florence B. Werden Memorial Endowment Fund: General needs of Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville. n Kurtis D. Williams Flight Scholarship Endowment Fund: Flight-related assistance for aviation students at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville. n Sister Paulette Williams Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduating seniors from Charlotte Catholic High School to attend a college of their choice. n Mary Jane Winfrey Endowment Fund: General needs of Asheville Catholic School. n Woelfel Family Endowment Fund: Students’ educational purposes at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Greensboro. n Wos-Dejoy Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X Catholic School in Greensboro. n Sister Emma Yondura Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Leo Catholic School in Winston-Salem.

catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 BACK TO SCHOOL 2025

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1725 NC 66 South, Kernersville, NC 27284 /336-564-1010 / www.bmhs.us

FFHL funds provide $188K in tuition assistance at 5 schools CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte’s “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign is funding $188,894 in tuition assistance this fall that will help students at five diocesan schools receive a Catholic education.

The 2013 FFHL campaign funded capital projects, endowments and other needs across the growing diocese. Included in the $65 million campaign was a tuition assistance endowment available to the diocese’s 20 schools.

This year’s funds are going to five diocesan schools that applied for the 2025-’26 school year: Asheville Catholic School, $62,000; Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, $63,000; Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro, $15,500; Sacred Heart School in Salisbury, $34,500; and St. Michael School in Gastonia, $13,894.

The funds are expected to help participating Catholic families who have the greatest financial need.

The FFHL Tuition Assistance Endowment, with a market value of over $4.6 million, is administered by a committee consisting of the diocese’s schools superintendent, chief financial officer and members of the diocesan school board. Available income from the endowment is distributed to qualifying diocesan schools that apply each year for student financial aid.

An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is never touched, but the income from which can be used according to the wishes of the donor organization or person. Endowments provide a way to generate income and help sustain the long-term strength and viability of the recipient parish, school or ministry.

To date, a total of $1,179,324 in distributions from the FFHL Tuition Assistance Endowment has been awarded to the diocese’s schools.

“The FFHL campaign continues to have a significant and meaningful impact in our diocese,” added Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “The over $1 million in tuition assistance that has been distributed to date helps students receive an education that will literally change their lives.”

To qualify for the funding, the school must receive local parish support of at least $500 per participating Catholic student and must have awarded all of its tuition assistance funds it already has for that school year. Schools that do not receive $500 per student in parish support may be considered if there are extenuating financial circumstances that preclude this level of support.

Qualifying schools may request funds from the endowment for participating Catholic students with a financial need.

The FFHL Tuition Assistance Endowment is one of seven endowments funded through the FFHL campaign.

— Catholic News Herald

Founded in 1959, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School is proud to be the largest non-public high school in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad. Located just minutes from Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point, our 42-acre campus offers a safe, nurturing environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and spiritually. Through exceptional academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, and a deep commitment to spiritual growth grounded in the Gospel, we provide an outstanding high school experience.

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Visit our website at www.bmhs.us to schedule a private tour or to register for a Villain Walk, and immerse yourself in the Bishop experience. All faiths welcome.

For additional information contact the Admissions Office: 336-564-1011/ psmendoza@bmhs.us.

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2025I

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FROM PAGE 3

FROM PAGE 2

CHRIST THE KING HIGH SCHOOL

Christ the King High School in Huntersville is preparing to break ground this fall on a 17,000-squarefoot, $12 million expansion.

President Dr. Carl Semmler said school officials were going through the last round of permitting in early August and expect work to begin by early October. The work is expected to last 12 to 18 months, with a goal of opening the new wing by fall 2026.

The expansion will include two new classrooms and a workspace for industrial design, an expanded weight training area, and a new chorus and band studio. A new entrance for the gym is being built, along with a north lobby area that will house concession stands, ticket booths and a “Crusaders Spirit Store.”

The expansion is expected to increase capacity to 600 students.

More improvements are in the future for the school, Semmler said.

Christ the King is also wrapping up a capital campaign for outdoor athletic facility improvements.

BISHOP MCGUINNESS HIGH SCHOOL

Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville broke ground on a new athletic center July 31.

The first phase includes the addition of six lighted and fenced tennis courts. The Villain Athletic

Center will also include restrooms and sidewalks.

A practice field was completed, and the track is being resurfaced and primed for paint to start off the new season.

“The new tennis courts and outdoor facilities are more than just bricks and asphalt, they are an investment in our students, and they are a reflection of our inspiring growth,” said President Dr. Jared Rashford at the groundbreaking.

Rashford said the new space will be a place where young people can grow in body, mind and spirit.

Alumni, families and supporters raised more than $500,000 over the past three years through the Spirit of Victory campaign. The $2.9 million project is the first major capital enhancement project for the school since it moved to its current location almost 25 years ago.

“This is an incredible day for Bishop Tennis,” said Tennis Coach Larry Ingram. “It has been a long process, but a great goal.”

The tennis facility means the team can practice at home.

“Hopefully, with six courts, we can keep more people and grow the program,” said Ingram. “Now, for a home match, we are going to be home – that is huge – not at a park but home.”

— Christina Lee Knauss and Lisa M. Geraci

we believe will take us to the next level,” said Kevin Parks, school president.

Monroe said Catholic schools want to provide diverse academic pathways for students such as the new St. Augustine Scholars program at Charlotte Catholic High School, which has enrolled 15 freshmen in its inaugural class this year. The Catholic liberal arts program is a four-year honors track that will take students through coursework exploring philosophy, logic, Latin and primary classical texts.

Kallah Oakes was thrilled to find the Scholars program for her son.

“My eldest son is a rare kid – he taught himself to read in preschool and was enjoying Tolkien by the third grade,” Oakes said. “When he saw the reading list for the St. Augustine program, he lit up. The idea of finding other people his age who have a similar curiosity and passion is so exciting for him. This program is a huge gift!”

Charlotte Catholic’s Head of School Kurt Telford said his school remains focused on its core mission of educating students both academically and spiritually – preparing them for the some of the country’s best colleges and to serve as disciples of Christ.

Mary Catherine Surface, mother of four, has a son entering his junior year at Charlotte Catholic.

“My husband and I were recently reflecting on my son’s academic, spiritual and personal growth over the past two years there, which has really been quite remarkable,” Surface said. “We’re convinced that the caring teachers and staff greatly contributed to his progress. They have really taken the best interest of their students to heart.”

Christ the King Catholic High School in Huntersville offers academic pathways that provide a deep dive into biomedical and

engineering fields, readying students for possible future careers. The pathways follow a curriculum known as “Project Lead the Way,” and plans are to add an additional pathway focused on business and entrepreneurship.

“It’s almost like having a specific major within your high school,” said Dr. Carl Semmler, the school’s president. “It’s a way for students to prepare for their future.”

‘Our kids deserve the very best learning environments responsive to their needs, and we recognize that beautiful spaces and updated facilities are part of that.’

Dr. Greg Monroe

Superintendent of Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools Diocesan schools also offer a wide range of programs for students with special learning needs. (Read more on Page 8.)

New this fall at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville is the “St. Gabriel Program.”

It offers students with intellectual disabilities structured, individualized instruction in social/ life skills development, academic course work, and math and language acquisition. St. Gabriel is a solution for students who need smaller classrooms, specialized instructional, and sometimes, a separate curriculum.

“We’re so excited to launch this program this year,” said Bishop McGuinness principal Claire Willis. “This has been in the making for a long time, as we have recognized the need from families who wanted to have this available for their children.”

Enroll your student today!

Join the vibrant community at Asheville Catholic School and discover our enriching programs.

Email Director of Advancement Mary Beale at marybeale@ashevillecatholic.org

ASHEVILLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

EST. 1956

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12 CULVERN ST. ASHEVILLE, NC 28804

(828) 252-7896

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 BACK TO SCHOOL 2025

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Directora hispana llega a escuela en rápido crecimiento BRIAN SEGOVIA bmsegovia@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — “Lo mejor de ambos mundos” es la expresión que utiliza Elizabeth Jenkins, la nueva directora de la Escuela Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, para describir su crianza cubano-estadounidense. Nacida en Miami de padres cubanos, Jenkins creció hablando inglés y español, y recuerda una experiencia multicultural desde muy temprana edad.

“Crecimos con algunas costumbres americanas, pero muchas costumbres cubanas”, indicó Jenkins. “Es algo que considero importante en mi formación.”

Desde joven, esta educadora hispana supo que su vocación era servir y enseñar. A los 16 años comenzó a trabajar en una guardería después de clases, una experiencia que marcó el inicio de su pasión por la educación.

Su compromiso la llevó a obtener una licenciatura en Educación Primaria y, más tarde, una maestría en Educación Especial, formación que le permitió iniciar su carrera docente impartiendo clases desde kindergarten hasta quinto grado, así como también de educación especial en los niveles K–8.

En 2007 se mudó a Charlotte, donde se integró al sistema escolar público de CharlotteMecklenburg (CMS), dedicando 14 años al desarrollo académico de sus estudiantes. En 2021 asumió el cargo de subdirectora en la Escuela Católica San Gabriel, experiencia que la preparó para su siguiente paso profesional: el 1ro. de julio de este año asumió la dirección de la Escuela Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.

“Creo que Dios me puso aquí por una razón.

Me voy a concentrar en lo de hoy, en este curso escolar y en conocer a los niños y a las familias”, comentó Jenkins.

La escuela está atravesando cambios significativos debido a su creciente diversidad estudiantil y al notable aumento en la matrícula.

Mientras el año pasado contaba con 213 alumnos, para el ciclo escolar 2025–2026 esa cifra se ha elevado a 244. El superintendente del sistema escolar católico de la Diócesis de Charlotte, Greg Monroe, ha señalado que la institución ha experimentado una transformación en los últimos años a causa del crecimiento demográfico de la región.

“Nuestra región está creciendo,” explica Monroe.

“A medida que la gente se traslada aquí, busca escuelas vibrantes y dinámicas, y nos enorgullece

decir que Nuestra Señora de la Asunción es una de esas instituciones de primer nivel.”

Jenkins menciona que su experiencia enseñando en escuelas con instrucción multilingüe, como Collinswood Language Academy en CMS, le ayudó a entender la importancia de respetar las culturas y costumbres globales. Y es precisamente el reconocimiento de estudiantes con orígenes diversos lo que, para ella, será primordial en esta

BRIAN SEGOVIA | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Elizabeth Jenkins, próxima directora de la Escuela Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, aporta su experiencia en el aula además de haber ejercido como facilitadora financiera, decana de estudiantes y, más recientemente, como subdirectora en la Escuela Católica San Gabriel en Charlotte. nueva etapa para la escuela.

“Yo noté la importancia de que los niños puedan hablar dos idiomas, y de reconocer su propia cultura,” dijo Jenkins.

“En una escuela donde muchos estudiantes hablan distintos idiomas en casa, el hecho de que ella hable más de uno es, sin duda, un gran valor añadido,” señaló Greg Monroe.

Jenkins también destaca cómo su conocimiento del español ha abierto puertas con las familias.

Comenta que varios padres hispanos que han acudido a la escuela se sienten visiblemente aliviados cuando descubren que ella habla su idioma.

Con esa cercanía cultural, Jenkins inicia el nuevo año escolar lista para guiar con fe y compromiso.

“La felicidad que muestran en sus caras es algo que para mí es fundamental,” dijo Jenkins. “Yo de verdad pienso que cuando una familia siente esa conexión cultural, la experiencia de los niños y de los padres se vuelve mucho más significativa.”

FOTOS PROPORCIONADAS

200 peregrinos visitan la Abadía de Belmont El 2 de agosto, la parroquia Divino Redentor en Boonville organizó una peregrinación a la basílica de Santa Maria en la abadía de Belmont.

Alrededor de 200 feligreses participaron en esta travesía espiritual, guiados por su párroco, el padre Jean Pierre Swamunu Lloposo. El evento formó parte del Año Jubilar 2025, con el lema “Peregrinos de la Esperanza”, un tiempo especial de reconciliación y peregrinación. Según Sergio Eduardo Lopez, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano para la vicaría de WinstonSalem, para muchos fue su primera experiencia de este tipo.

Brian Segovia se suma al equipo de Comunicaciones

Segovia

CHARLOTTE — Brian Segovia se ha unido al equipo de Comunicaciones de la Diócesis de Charlotte como Coordinador de Medios Hispanos, con el objetivo de informar y conectar con la creciente comunidad católica hispana de la diócesis.

Segovia producirá y editará contenido en español e inglés para múltiples canales de comunicación, incluyendo las plataformas impresas y digitales del Catholic News Herald.

Él sucede a César Hurtado, quien se retiró recientemente tras desempeñarse en este cargo durante 11 años.

Segovia trabajó más recientemente como periodista multimedia en Univision 40 Carolina del Norte, donde produjo noticias televisivas para la población de habla hispana del área metropolitana de Raleigh y Durham.

Anteriormente, realizó prácticas en el Charlotte Business Journal y en Fox

Sports.

Nacido en Lexington, Segovia es hijo de inmigrantes argentinos y creció en el área de Charlotte.

Se graduó de Charlotte Christian School y obtuvo una licenciatura en Periodismo y Estudios Internacionales/Globales en la Universidad de Elon.

“A medida que nuestra comunidad católica hispana continúa creciendo en toda la diócesis, es esencial que

nuestras comunicaciones reflejen, conecten y sirvan a estas personas y familias,” dijo Liz Chandler, directora de comunicaciones diocesanas.

“La pasión de Brian por contar historias en inglés y español nos ayudará a profundizar esas conexiones y a asegurarnos de que todos se sientan informados, incluidos e inspirados en su fe.”

— Catholic News Herald

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

¿Qué es el Dogma de la Asunción?

Papa León XIV

La esperanza es saber que Dios perdona

D

ios nunca se da por vencido con nadie, incluso cuando la persona traiciona el amor de Dios, dijo el papa León XIV. La esperanza cristiana brota de “saber que, aunque fallemos, Dios nunca nos fallará. Aunque lo traicionemos, Él nunca deja de amarnos”, dijo el papa el 13 de agosto en su audiencia general semanal.

Al llegar a la sala de audiencias del Vaticano, el papa León dio la bienvenida a los visitantes en inglés, español e italiano y explicó que la audiencia se realizaría en dos partes – en la sala y en la basílica de San Pedro – para que la gente no se viera obligada a permanecer afuera bajo el fuerte calor del sol.

El papa León tenía previsto salir del Vaticano después de la audiencia en dos partes para regresar a la villa papal de Castel Gandolfo, donde había pasado parte de julio. La oficina de prensa del Vaticano informó que permanecería allí hasta el 19 de agosto.

Al saludar a los angloparlantes en la basílica, el papa les deseó “un buen viaje” y rezó para que la gracia de Dios “los acompañe y cumpla en sus corazones ese deseo que todos compartimos de vivir una conversión auténtica, de caminar unidos en la Iglesia, de renovar nuestra fe y de ser testigos auténticos de Jesucristo y de su Evangelio en todo el mundo.”

En su catequesis principal en la sala, el papa León continuó su serie sobre los últimos días de Jesús, reflexionando en particular sobre la revelación de Jesús durante la Última Cena de que uno de los discípulos lo traicionaría.

Jesús no hace esta afirmación para condenar o avergonzar a Judas delante de los demás, dijo el papa, sino “para mostrar que el amor, cuando es verdadero, no puede prescindir de la verdad.”

En el Evangelio, cada uno de los discípulos responde: “¿Acaso seré yo?”

La pregunta, dijo el papa, “es quizás de las más sinceras que podemos hacernos.

No es la pregunta del inocente, sino del discípulo que se descubre frágil. No es el grito del culpable, sino el susurro de quien, queriendo amar, es consciente de que puede hacer daño. Es en esta conciencia donde comienza el camino de la salvación.”

Para ser salvado, dijo, la persona debe reconocer que necesita ser salvada.

Pero, al mismo tiempo, un discípulo de Cristo también debe sentirse “amado a pesar de todo” y saber que “el mal es real, pero no tiene la última palabra.”

“Si reconocemos nuestro límite, si nos dejamos conmover por el dolor de Cristo” al ser traicionado, “entonces podremos finalmente renacer”, dijo el papa León a la multitud.

“La fe no nos libra de la posibilidad de pecar, pero siempre nos ofrece una salida: la de la misericordia.”

E

l dogma de la Asunción se refiere a que la Madre de Dios, luego de su vida terrena fue elevada en cuerpo y alma a la gloria celestial. La fiesta de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María, se celebra en toda la Iglesia el 15 de agosto. Esta fiesta tiene un doble objetivo: La feliz partida de María de esta vida y la asunción de su cuerpo al cielo.

A pesar de la antigüedad de esta creencia, el año 2025 marca tan solo el 75.º aniversario de la declaración de la Asunción como dogma católico.

Este Dogma fue proclamado por el Papa Pío XII, el 1º de noviembre de 1950, en la Constitución Munificentisimus Deus: “Después de elevar a Dios muchas y reiteradas preces y de invocar la luz del Espíritu de la Verdad, para gloria de Dios omnipotente, que otorgó a la Virgen María su peculiar benevolencia; para honor de su Hijo, Rey inmortal de los siglos y vencedor del pecado y de la muerte; para aumentar la gloria de la misma augusta Madre y para gozo y alegría de toda la Iglesia, con la autoridad de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, de los bienaventurados apóstoles Pedro y Pablo y con la nuestra, pronunciamos, declaramos y definimos ser dogma divinamente revelado que La Inmaculada Madre de Dios y siempre Virgen María, terminado el curso de su vida terrenal, fue asunta en cuerpo y alma a la gloria del cielo”.

Ahora bien, ¿por qué es importante que los católicos recordemos y profundicemos en el Dogma de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María al Cielo? El Nuevo Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica responde a este interrogante: “La Asunción de la Santísima Virgen constituye una participación singular en la Resurrección de su Hijo y una anticipación de la resurrección de los demás cristianos” (#966).

La importancia de la Asunción para nosotros, hombres y mujeres de comienzos del Tercer Milenio de la Era Cristiana, radica en la relación que hay entre la Resurrección de Cristo y la nuestra. La presencia de María, mujer de nuestra raza, ser humano como nosotros, quien se halla en cuerpo y alma ya glorificada en el Cielo, es eso: una anticipación de nuestra propia resurrección.

Más aún, la Asunción de María en cuerpo y alma al cielo es un Dogma de nuestra fe católica, expresamente definido por el Papa Pío XII hablando “ex-cathedra”. Y ... ¿qué es un Dogma? Puesto en los términos más sencillos, Dogma es una verdad de Fe, revelada por Dios (en la Sagrada Escritura o contenida en la Tradición), y que además es propuesta por la Iglesia como realmente revelada por Dios.

En este caso se dice que el Papa habla “ex-cathedra”, es decir, que habla y determina algo en virtud de la autoridad suprema que tiene como Vicario de Cristo y Cabeza Visible de la Iglesia, Maestro Supremo de la Fe, con intención de proponer un asunto como creencia obligatoria de los fieles Católicos.

El Nuevo Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica (#966) nos lo explica así, citando a Lumen Gentium 59, que a la vez cita la Bula de la

Proclamación del Dogma: “Finalmente, la Virgen Inmaculada, preservada libre de toda mancha de pecado original, terminado el curso de su vida en la tierra, fue llevada a la gloria del Cielo y elevada al Trono del Señor como Reina del Universo, para ser conformada más plenamente a su Hijo, Señor de los señores y vencedor del pecado y de la muerte”.

Y el Papa San Juan Pablo II, en una de sus Catequesis sobre la Asunción, explica esto mismo en los siguientes términos: “El dogma de la Asunción afirma que el cuerpo de María fue glorificado después de su muerte. En efecto, mientras para los demás hombres la resurrección de los cuerpos tendrá lugar al fin del mundo, para María la glorificación de su cuerpo se anticipó por singular privilegio” (San Juan Pablo II, 2-julio-97).

“Contemplando el misterio de la Asunción de la Virgen, es posible comprender el plan de la Providencia Divina con respecto a la humanidad: después de Cristo, Verbo encarnado, María es la primera criatura humana que realiza el ideal escatológico, anticipando la plenitud de la felicidad, prometida a los elegidos mediante la resurrección de los cuerpos” (San Juan Pablo II , Audiencia General del 9-julio-97).

Continúa el Papa: “María Santísima nos muestra el destino final de quienes `oyen la Palabra de Dios y la cumplen’ (Lc. 11, 28).

Nos estimula a elevar nuestra mirada a las alturas, donde se encuentra Cristo, sentado a la derecha del Padre, y donde está también la humilde esclava de Nazaret, ya en la gloria celestial” (San Juan Pablo II, 15-agosto-97) Los hombres y mujeres de hoy vivimos pendientes del enigma de la muerte. Aunque lo enfoquemos de diversas formas, según la cultura y las creencias que tengamos, aunque lo evadamos en nuestro pensamiento, aunque tratemos de prolongar por todos los medios a nuestro alcance nuestros días en la tierra, todos tenemos una necesidad grande de esa esperanza cierta de inmortalidad contenida en la promesa de Cristo sobre nuestra futura resurrección.

Mucho bien haría a muchos cristianos oír y leer más sobre este misterio de la Asunción de María, el cual nos atañe tan directamente. ¿Por qué se ha logrado colar la creencia en el mito pagano de la re-encarnación entre nosotros? Si pensamos bien, estas ideas extrañas a nuestra fe cristiana se han ido metiendo en la medida que hemos dejado de pensar, de predicar y de recordar los misterios, que como el de la Asunción, tienen que ver con la otra vida, con la escatología, con las realidades últimas del ser humano.

El misterio de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María al Cielo nos invita a hacer una pausa en la agitada vida que llevamos para reflexionar sobre el sentido de nuestra vida aquí en la tierra, sobre nuestro fin último: la Vida Eterna, junto con la Santísima Trinidad, la Santísima Virgen María y los Angeles y Santos del Cielo. El saber que María ya está en el Cielo gloriosa en cuerpo y alma, como se nos ha prometido a aquéllos que hagamos la Voluntad de Dios, nos renueva la esperanza en nuestra futura inmortalidad y felicidad perfecta para siempre.

— ACI Prensa

Lecturas Diarias 17–23 DE AGOSTO

Domingo: Jer 38,4-6.8-10, Sal 39,2.3.4.18, Heb 12,1-4, Lc 12,49-53 Lunes: Jue 2,11-19, Sal 105,34-35.36-37.3940.43ab y 44, Mt 19,16-22 Martes: Jue 6,11-24a, Sal 84,9.11-12.13-14, Mt 19,23-30 Miércoles (Memoria de San Bernardo, abad y doctor de la Iglesia): Jue 9,6-15, Sal 20,2-3.4-5.6-7, Mt 20,1-16 Jueves (Memoria de San Pío X, papa): Jue 11,29-39a, Sal 39,5.7-8a.8b-9.10, Mt 22,1-14 Viernes (Memoria de Santa María Reina): Rut 1,1.3-6.14b-16.22, Sal 145,5-6ab.6c-7.89a.9bc-10, Mt 22,34-40 Sábado: Rut 2,1-3.8-11, 4,13-17, Sal 127,1b2.3.4.5, Mt 23,1-12

24–30 DE AGOSTO

Domingo: Is 66,18-21, Sal 116,1.2, Heb 12,57.11-13, Lc 13,22-30 Lunes: 1 Tes 1,1-5.8b-10, Sal 149,1b-2.3-4.5-6a y 9b, Mt 23,13-22 Martes: 1 Tes 2,1-8, Sal 138,1-3.4-6, Mt 23,2326 Miércoles (Memoria de Santa Mónica): 1 Tes 2,9-13, Sal 138,7-8.9-10.11-12ab, Mt 23,27-32 Jueves (Memoria de San Agustín, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia): 1 Tes 3,7-13, Sal 89,35a.12-13.14 y 17, Mt 24,42-51 Viernes (Memoria del Martirio de San Juan Bautista): 1 Tes 4,1-8, Sal 96,1 y 2b.56.10.11-12, Mc 6,17-29 Sábado: 1 Tes 4,9-11, Sal 97,1.7-8.9, Mt 25,1430

31 DE AGOSTO-6 DE SEPTIEMBRE

Domingo: Eclo 3,17-18.20.28-29, Sal 67,45.6-7.10-11, Heb 12,18-19.22-24a, Lc 14,1.7-14 Lunes: 1 Tes 4,13-18, Sal 95,1 y 3.4-5.11-12.13, Lc 4,16-30 Martes: 1 Tes 5,1-6.9-11, Sal 26,1.4.13-14, Lc 4,31-37 Miércoles (Memoria de San Gregorio Magno, papa y doctor de la Iglesia): Col 1,1-8, Sal 51,10.11, Lc 4,38-44 Jueves: Col 1,9-14, Sal 97,2-3ab.3cd-4.5-6, Lc 5,1-11 Viernes: Col 1,15-20, Sal 99,1b-2.3.4.5, Lc 5,33-39 Sábado: Col 1,21-23, Sal 53,3-4.6 y 8, Lc 6,1-5

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

CONGRESO

EUCARÍSTICO

DE

13

CH ARLOT TE

Viernes y sábado, 5 y 6 de septiembre | Charlotte Convention Center | GRATIS

Encuentren la Esperanza Únete a miles de fieles en una experiencia espiritual inolvidable que renovará tu fe, llenará tu corazón y fortalecerá tu esperanza.

12:30–2:30 P.M. SÁBADO, 6 DE SEPTIEMBRE

Paula Umaña

P. Tito Serrano, OFM

Ven a escuchar el conmovedor testimonio de Paula Umaña, madre y extenista profesional que superó la parálisis gracias a su fe. ¡Su testimonio de vida te hará reír, llorar y creer en lo imposible!

Escucha el poderoso testimonio del padre franciscano Tito Serrano, quien comparte su camino de fe como hijo de dos culturas y su misión de evangelizar en las calles y redes sociales. ¡Una historia que inspira a seguir a Cristo sin miedo!

PROYECCIÓN DE LA PELÍCULA FUNCIONES: 3 P.M. SÁBADO

PA R T I C I PA C I Ó N D E El Proyecto Vigil con Andrea Thomas y Andrew Ferguson

Y además:

Obispo Michael Martin

• Procesión Eucarística y Adoración • Santa Misa • Confesiones • Artículos católicos únicos

Matt Maher

Chris Stefanick

P. John Riccardo ACTS XXIX

• Actividades especiales para jóvenes de secundaria y bachillerato

Our nation 14

catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Catholic MBA programs see business as force for good, blending doctrine, commerce KIMBERLEY HEATHERINGTON OSV News

It’s the most popular graduate degree in the United States: a Master of Business Administration. And there’s no shortage of institutions of higher learning at which to earn one – more than 500 American schools offer MBA studies.

But for scholars seeking an MBA rooted in Catholic ethics and social teaching, there are now more choices, as Catholic colleges both launch and expand their degree offerings.

BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE

Belmont Abbey College in Belmont has seen steady enrollment growth since it introduced its MBA program in 2023.

A reported 80% of Belmont Abbey MBA graduates secure a job within three months.

The degree – available completely online, requiring 30 hours of classes, and with tuition of $795 per credit hour – can be finished in one calendar year. Students select from multiple concentrations including traditional disciplines, such as leadership and marketing, and unique studies, such as motorsports management.

New MBA concentrations added in June include artificial intelligence, business analytics, cybersecurity, finance and health care administration.

“Our program was founded on developing moral and ethical business leaders with a focus on the Catholic intellectual tradition and Benedictine ethos,” said Brad Frazier, professor of business and director of the MBA degree. “For their first course, all MBA students begin by taking MAL 602, ‘Ethical Leadership for the Common Good.’”

Students are, Frazier explained, “immersed in ethical and moral leadership, theological study of the Rule of St. Benedict and other Catholic leadership texts, and philosophy of seeking what is good, right, and true.”

“This is,” he added, “a unique course for all MBA students that allows Belmont Abbey to provide a foundational structure for our students, who learn to embrace and

OSV NEWS | COURTESY OF BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE

Belmont Abbey College in Belmont added new MBA concentrations that include artificial intelligence, business analytics, cybersecurity, finance and health care administration. understand the need and obligation for our business leaders to act with integrity.”

The curriculum is infused with “continuous reinforcement of the need for moral and ethical leadership not only in their course of study, but in their careers,” he said.

The ultimate aim of the MBA program is both practical and transcendent.

“Belmont Abbey,” Frazier said, “seeks to develop ethical leaders and send them into the world to make a positive impact – and to be a blessing to themselves and others.”

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

The Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America in Washington will launch its Master of Business Administration program in August, with an online version starting in January 2026.

The nine-month, 36-credit-hour,

accelerated MBA program is tailored to recent college graduates with less than five years’ professional experience. It includes both an internship and study abroad “capstone” experience – the first of which is planned to take place in Rome. Tuition is $1,385 per credit hour.

“Pretty much anyone in the world can benefit from this education,” said Andrew Abela, founding dean of the Busch School of Business. “Even if they’re already employed somewhere and want to advance their careers and want to learn how to do it in a way that is consistent with being a faithful Christian.”

The Busch School of Business is one of only 6% of business schools in the world accredited by AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), the world’s top business accrediting organization.

“We have a phrase we use in the Busch School,” Abela said, “and we have used it since the beginning: that business is a force for good. As our late Holy Father said, business can be a noble profession, so long as you see in it a higher calling.

And that’s what we’re helping our students understand, is that higher calling. Which is not in opposition to profitability.”

Specializations within the new MBA include strategic management, data analytics or church administration.

Courses emphasize practical learning through case studies, collaborative projects and real-world applications.

“This is the culmination of 12 years of our work since the foundation of the Busch School in 2013,” Abela shared. “We started with an undergraduate program, and we made sure that whatever we were teaching – whether it’s finance, or marketing, or accounting, or whatever – that all of the subjects are taught from the perspective of a Christian anthropology; an understanding of who the human person is: created in God’s image, saved by Christ, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. And that changes some things more than others.”

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY

In the fall of 2022, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, unveiled enhancements to its MBA program, including courses in leadership, personal vocation, and an in-depth integration of Catholic social teaching into real-world business principles and best practices.

Thirty-six credit hours – at $600 per credit hour – are required in the online program, which can be completed in one to two years.

“There is an unprecedented level of confusion in contemporary society, and the business world is certainly not immune,” said Jeff Rankin, associate professor of business and director of Franciscan’s MBA program.

“Our enhanced MBA program equips graduates with the knowledge and skills that professional success and transformational leadership require, and does so in a moral framework that promotes their full flourishing as human beings.”

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August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Green card policy change may leave immigrants vulnerable WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reportedly closed off a pathway for citizenship for immigrants who apply for green cards through a spouse or other family members, raising the prospect of deporting them and breaking up their families.

NBC News reported that new guidance issued by the USCIS made a change to its policy manual stating that federal immigration authorities may begin removal proceedings for those seeking legal status through a spouse or other relative.

“Petitioners and alien beneficiaries should be aware that a family-based petition accords no immigration status nor does it bar removal,” the guidance said.

Dylan Corbett, executive director of the Hope Border Institute, a group that works to apply the perspective of Catholic social teaching in policy and practice to the U.S.-Mexico border region, told OSV News, “The administration continues to insist that they are simply targeting criminals in immigration enforcement operations, but that’s not what is happening.”

look at marriage.

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the national fertility rate hit a record low in 2024 – just 53.8 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. That’s a 1% drop from the previous year and part of a 22% decline since 2007. The U.S. now averages fewer than 1.6 children per woman.

Catholic writer and family policy expert Leah Libresco Sargeant said the marriage decline is a key driver. She thinks the Church should take an active role and connect young adults, going beyond singles nights and helping “shape deliberate dating with an eye to marriage.”

That sentiment was echoed by Brad Wilcox, who is a professor, a fellow at the Institute for Family Studies and director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.

The Church “should underline the ways in which Catholic teaching speaks to the challenges of our depopulating moment,” he added.

a campaign promise from President Donald Trump to require the government or insurance companies to pay for in vitro fertilization treatments, the Washington Post reported.

IVF is a form of fertility treatment opposed by the Catholic Church on the grounds that it often involves the destruction of human embryos – estimated to involve hundreds of thousands of embryos annually – among other moral and ethical concerns.

As a candidate for president in 2024, Trump pledged his administration would protect access to IVF and would have either the government or insurance companies cover the costly treatment. A 2024 Department of Health and Human Services fact sheet estimated that a single cycle of IVF costs from $15,000 to $20,000 and can exceed $30,000. In February, Trump signed an executive order that aimed “to ensure reliable access to IVF treatment,” seeking policy recommendations within 90 days, a deadline the Post noted passed in May. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to the Post that Trump “pledged to expand access to fertility treatments for Americans who are struggling to start families.”

Patrick Brown, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s Life and Family Initiative, told OSV News, “I am hopeful, cautiously optimistic, that what’s been reported is true and that they won’t impose some sort of IVF executive order that could really harm the cause of life in the U.S.”

Administration moves to exclude abortion as a veteran benefit

Catholic family experts tie marriage to falling fertility rate

Report: No apparent plans for IVF mandate despite pledge

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A sharp drop in the U.S. fertility rate has Catholic experts urging a fresh

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has no plans to implement

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration said Aug. 1 it would revoke its predecessor’s policy rule that included abortion as a covered health benefit for veterans and their dependents, and would return to a policy of fully excluding

abortion and abortion counseling. The rule, implemented by the Biden administration in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its precedent finding abortion access a constitutional right, allowed the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion-related counseling, as well as perform some abortions in certain circumstances, such as rape, incest or risk of maternal mortality.

The federal rule was issued to be in effect regardless of state law on abortion. But in a notice published in the Federal Register, the VA said it would revoke the rule and return to the previous policy in place since 1999.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, praised the decision. He said in an Aug. 2 statement, “It is only fitting that an agency established to care for those who so often put their lives on the line to defend the innocent is freed from participation in procedures that do not support innocent life.” The reversal of the Biden-era rule will undergo a public comment period that ends Sept. 3.

Knights of Columbus called to be ‘heralds of hope’ WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 143rd Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus opened Aug. 5 in Washington with a call to charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly urged the more than 2 million members worldwide to be “heralds of hope” in a world longing for meaning.

Delegates from across the U.S. and nations including Canada, Mexico, Ukraine and the Philippines gathered in person and virtually.

Pope Leo XIV addressed the gathering in a video message, tying the convention’s theme of “Heralds of Hope” to the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope.

— OSV News and Catholic News Agency

WELCOME NE W CURSILLISTAS from the Men’s 86th & Women’s 88th Cursillo Weekends

Growing in Friendship with Others • Eucharistic Congress September 5-6, 2025 Charlotte Convention Center Stop by and visit our Cursillo Info Booth •

My priestly life was greatly enriched and edified as I served in the capacity of Spiritual Advisor at both retreats. The privilege of journeying along the path of faith with Cursillistas especially during the Masses, Reconciliation, Spiritual Direction, and the talks is something I will never forget or take for granted. I was able to testify once again, the importance of giving life to the essential Christian truths in the singularity, originality, and creativity of each and every Cursillista. I am very convinced that the witnessing of every man and woman present at both retreats will go a long way to become huge blessings for the future of our particular and universal Church and invariably the society at large! It was indeed an honor for me to be invited at both retreats. DE COLORES!!!

Monthly Ultreyas

Contact your sponsor or us for dates/times •

Grand Ultreya**

Saturday, September 20 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Dan Nicholas Park in Salisbury, NC Food, fun, friendship and more* 4:00 Mass: Bishop Michael Martin, Celebrant **Email sent with details and sign-up info

Fr. Marcel Amadi is the Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Charlotte and St. Helen Mission in Gastonia.

Is Cur sillo for me?

We invite you to find answers and grow in “Friendship with Ourselves, Christ and Others” www.CharlotteCursillo.com/contact-us Men's 2026 Weekend July 23-26, 2026

15

Women’s 2026 Weekend August 6-9, 2026

Our world 16

catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Lanterns glow along the Motoyasu River facing the gutted Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 6, on the 80th anniversary of the United States dropping the atomic bomb on the city.

OSV NEWS | MIHOKO OWADA, CATHOLIC STANDARD

Bishops gather at Hiroshima, call on nations to destroy nuclear arms, commit to peace GINA CHRISTIAN OSV News

As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Catholic Church must renew its commitment to nonviolence, disarmament and lasting peace, said U.S. prelates attending commemoration events in Japan.

Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle and Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, traveled to Japan for an Aug. 5-10 “Pilgrimage of Peace.”

The delegation, which included faculty, staff and students from several U.S. Catholic universities, was welcomed and accompanied by Archbishop Peter Michiaki Nakamura of Nagasaki and Bishop Alexis Mitsuru Shirahama of Hiroshima.

In a joint statement issued Aug. 6, the bishops on the pilgrimage, along with Catholic bishops from Japan and South Korea – as well as a number of atomic bombing survivor organizations – strongly condemned “all wars and conflicts, the use and possession of nuclear weapons and the threat to use nuclear weapons.”

“We refuse to accept persistent justifications for atomic bombings as a means of ending war,” said the statement, which advocated for the ratification and expansion of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, as well as cooperation with its articles on supporting victims and environments harmed by such armaments.

The pilgrimage was the third for

Archbishop Wester, an outspoken advocate for nuclear disarmament, who in 2022 issued the pastoral letter “Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament.” The Santa Fe Archdiocese is home to both the Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, longtime critical facilities in the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

MASS PROMOTES PEACE

On Aug. 6 – the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord – Cardinal Cupich presided over a Mass for peace in Hiroshima, where on the same day in 1945 the U.S. dropped the first of its two atomic bombs on Japan, with a second targeting Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945.

The bombings – intended to force Japan’s unconditional surrender in World War II – killed an estimated 110,000 to 210,000 people. The range is attributed to both the cities’ incomplete record-keeping and the sheer scale of destruction.

Cardinal Cupich reflected in his homily that the light of Jesus Christ’s transfiguration on Mount Tabor “revealed our calling to share eternally in divine glory as sons and daughters of the Father.” But in Hiroshima, he said, “light brought unimaginable destruction, darkness and death.”

The cardinal drew a stark parallel between the science of nuclear fission and the explosive consequences of hatred.

“Physicists tell us that the blast occurs when a neutron divides the nucleus of an atom,” he said. “The same is true when we sow division, stoking impulses of anger, resentment and bigotry. These unchecked

emotions spiral out of control, creating a destructive chain reaction that blinds us to the vision God has always wanted for us.”

“The world witnessed the alarming misuse of human ingenuity that brought about inconceivable destruction,” Cardinal Cupich said. “So this morning, we are called to sustain and make our own the vision God has always had for us … by creating new paths towards a lasting peace.”

In an Aug. 6 address during an academic symposium at Elisabeth University of Music in Hiroshima, Cardinal McElroy shared his thoughts on renewing Catholic teaching on war and peace amid soaring geopolitical tensions and military spending.

“There is no more sacred place on this planet” to discuss peace than in Hiroshima, “where the fullest horrors of war McElroy have been unleashed upon humanity,” said Cardinal McElroy. He noted as well the “unsurpassed depth” of the “heroism and hope of the Hibakusha,” referring to the survivors of the atomic bombings.

BUILDING AUTHENTIC PEACE

He described the “overwhelming violence” of World War II, culminating in the atomic bombings, as an inflection point for humanity. He said it demanded the world “confront the very reality of war at its core” and the “spiritual and moral failures” underlying such carnage.

“At the very center of this profound reflection was the searing recognition that atomic weapons were not merely a new type of warfare, but a human creation that would have the capacity to end humanity itself,” he said.

St. John XXIII’s 1963 encyclical, “Pacem in Terris” “set forth a comprehensive framework for building authentic peace in the world” by articulating fundamental human rights essential to peace, said Cardinal McElroy.

Moreover, said the cardinal, Pope John “fearlessly proclaimed that the issue of nuclear weapons was at its heart a moral question, and that the world would have to forge a way toward nuclear disarmament if the future of humanity was to be assured.”

“Ever since ‘Pacem in Terris’ was written, every successive pope has pointed to the moral depravity of war,” he said.

The cardinal underscored the need for collective action to eliminate the world’s nuclear arsenals. He pointed to this year’s “alarming confrontation” between India and Pakistan, and U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities that he feared could have the unintended consequence of teaching nations that ownership of nuclear weapons is the only way to prevent a nuclear attack.

“If our gathering here today is to mean anything, it must mean that in fidelity to all those lives destroyed or savagely damaged (on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945) … we refuse to live in such a world of nuclear proliferation and risk-taking,” he said. “We will resist, we will organize, we will pray, we will not cease, until the world’s nuclear arsenals have been destroyed.”

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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In Brief Canadian bishops’ letter calls for ecological justice, debt elimination OTTAWA, Ontario — Canada’s Catholic bishops are calling for urgent debt forgiveness and environmental justice in a new pastoral letter.

Titled “Forgive Us Our Debts,” the letter urges wealthy nations in the Global North to cancel the crushing debts of low-income countries – especially during this Jubilee Year. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops linked financial injustice with environmental harm, noting the ecological burden the Global South has long carried.

The letter, written by the bishops’ Justice and Peace Commission, also critiqued exploitative lending practices and called for reform of the global financial system.

Because Canada is “greatly blessed with abundant natural resources, a stable political system, resilient infrastructure and a strong economy,” the bishops said, much is “required of us,” such as aiding nations deprived of the same advantages.

Nuns accused of trafficking and converting out on bail in India BILASPUR, India — Two Catholic nuns and an Indigenous youth accused of human trafficking and forced conversion in central India are out on bail, after a court dealing with terror cases in Bilaspur granted their release on Aug. 2.

Sisters Vandana Francis and Preeti Mary,

members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, and 21-year-old Sukhuman Mandavi were arrested July 25 at a Chhattisgarh railway station after Hindu nationalist activists from Bajrang Dal accused them of trying to convert three young women to Christianity.

Catholic leaders and rights groups call the arrests part of a rising wave of anti-Christian harassment in India, where documented incidents of persecution have surged from 127 in 2014 to over 800 in 2024.

connected to Medjugorje but not ruling on the authenticity of the alleged apparitions there or alleged messages from Mary.

Ambassadors call attention to starving hostages, civilians VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV, like Pope Francis before him, consistently has called on Hamas to release the hostages it kidnapped in Israel almost two years ago and has pleaded with Israel to allow the delivery of more humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

The urgency of listening to the papal pleas, which began after the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, became more obvious when photographs and videos of Gazans, particularly children, malnourished and on the point of

death filled the news in late July and early August. And then Hamas and a group called Islamic Jihad released separate, shocking videos of two of the hostages, showing them emaciated in captivity.

Yaron Sideman, the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, told CNS Aug. 6 that urgent international action is needed to pressure Hamas to release the hostages; he also repeated the Israeli government’s claims that reports of widespread starvation in Gaza are false.

But Issa Kassissieh, the Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See, told CNS Aug. 7, “All credible international human rights organizations, including the United Nations, agree there is a famine in Gaza.”

— OSV News and Catholic News Service

“ Is your family protected? ”

Journey together, seek real encounters, pope tells youth VATICAN CITY — A solo traveler, even using Google maps and ChatGPT, cannot safely and happily complete the journey of life or the journey of faith, Pope Leo XIV told thousands of young pilgrims meeting at the Marian shrine in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“No algorithm will ever replace a hug, a look, a real encounter – not with God, not with our friends, not with our family,” the pope wrote to people attending the international youth festival known as Mladifest Aug. 4-8.

The gathering in Medjugorje was the 36th annual youth festival and the first to be held after the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published a notification in September 2024 recognizing the spiritual value of devotions

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catholicnewsherald.com | August 15, 2025 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Jason Adkins

Bishop David M. O’Connell

New law will help families access America’s Catholic schools

L

ast month, the president signed into law the first federal school choice tax credit in our nation’s history. This new landmark legislation – led by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Tim Scott, R-S.C. – was modeled on the Educational Choice for Children Act, which aimed to expand parental choice in education to an estimated 2 million children across the country.

For years, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has endorsed this bill because it aligns with Church teaching that parents are the first and primary educators of their children and, therefore, have the right to select the best educational environment for them.

The groundbreaking new law deserves accolades for its recognition of the rights of parents, but there are significant questions about how it will be implemented at the federal and state levels. The potential success of this law depends on what happens next. Ensuring that the greatest number of children (and the neediest) can benefit from this opportunity will require vigilance and discernment during the implementation and rulemaking process.

One challenge will be ensuring that states “opt in” to the new federal opportunity so that children in each state can access scholarships. For example, my own state of New Jersey currently has no state-level private school choice program. This new federal law could, for the first time, bring new resources to the children and families who wish to attend Catholic schools in my state.

Lawmakers have the power to unlock millions of dollars in new education funding for students without adding a single dime to their budget or shifting any funding away from public education.

‘The Catholic community has a responsibility to support parental choice in education.’

BE VIGILANT ABOUT AUTONOMY

Ensuring that our religious liberty and private school autonomy are respected also remains an area where Church leaders, parents and legislators must be particularly vigilant. Church law is crystal clear that Catholic schools must be centered on the principles of Catholic doctrine. Our Catholic identity is too important to ever jeopardize.

Promoting the urgency of affirming our rights to religious freedom and autonomy is a crucial priority of the bishops’ conference during the rulemaking process.

The USCCB has made clear that the Catholic community has a responsibility to support parental choice in education. For years, state Catholic conferences and the Catholic laity have been deeply and tirelessly engaged at the state and federal level promoting laws that empower parents and strengthen communities – and I applaud these efforts. As a result of this work, more than 1.3 million children across the country are benefiting from school choice today.

As bishops, we have a particular responsibility to promote policies that support families in their choice of education. Canon law says that, as pastors of souls, bishops have a special duty to do all they can to make sure the faithful can avail themselves of a Catholic education. As a lifelong educator, I believe deeply in the value of a rich, authentic Catholic education, and as the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Catholic Education, it is my responsibility to encourage my brother bishops to promote policies that support parents in their liberty to pursue the education of their choice for their children – but particularly a Catholic education in a Catholic school.

MORE WORK LIES AHEAD

The new federal law offers the chance to unlock educational opportunities for millions of children across the country, but there is still more work to be done. Over the next several months, state Catholic conferences, parents, pastors, school leaders and all the Catholic faithful will have a special role to play to ensure that the law benefits the greatest number of children possible.

President John F. Kennedy once remarked, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” We owe it to them to provide them with the best education possible. I urge the Catholic faithful to continue to pray for parents and to support their efforts to fulfill their God-given right and obligation to direct their children’s education and for our elected leaders that they affirm the same.

BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL of Trenton, New Jersey, is the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education.

Mahmoud v. Taylor: A Supreme Court victory for parents and for freedom

I

n a momentous decision that has farreaching implications for the future of public education and religious liberty in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Mahmoud v. Taylor that parents, not the state, hold the primary right to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

Although the case centered primarily on a dispute involving a public school’s curriculum and a Muslim family’s objection to certain classroom content and their ability to opt out of that portion of the curriculum (the court ruled that they could opt out, based on the coercive pedagogical methods related to the content), its implications affect every family concerned about the moral and spiritual formation of their children – including Catholic parents.

At the heart of the ruling was a clear rejection of the notion that a child is, as one justice put it, a mere “creature of the state” to be indoctrinated at will. The court reaffirmed a fundamental truth that resonates deeply with our Catholic faith: Children are entrusted to their parents, and it is the family – not the government – that is the primary school of virtue, identity and faith.

This decision is consistent with the Church’s long-standing teaching – beautifully articulated in the Second Vatican Council’s declaration “Gravissimum Educationis” – which affirms that “since parents have given life to their children, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators.”

And as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The right and duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.”

Schools, whether public or private, serve an important role in supporting that mission, but they do not replace it. The Mahmoud decision brings this principle more fully into the legal consciousness of our nation, reminding us that state-run schools must operate in partnership with families – not in opposition to them.

SPACE FOR PLURALISM

In recent years, many Catholic parents have grown increasingly concerned about ideological content creeping into public school curricula – content that often runs counter to Church teaching on human dignity, sexuality, the family and the nature of the human person. While some families can choose Catholic education or homeschooling as an alternative, many others rely on the public school system and expect, at minimum, a baseline respect for their religious and moral convictions.

Mahmoud v. Taylor represents a significant blow against the progressive overreach that has too often characterized public education in recent years. In

reaffirming that the state has no right to impose a singular worldview upon all children, the court has created space for genuine pluralism, where families of diverse beliefs can coexist and collaborate in the public square without being coerced into ideological conformity.

This ruling should serve as both encouragement and a challenge to Catholic parents. It is a reminder that we are not powerless in the face of cultural forces. Legal precedent is now on the side of families who speak up when public education drifts into indoctrination rather than instruction.

But the decision also calls for renewed vigilance. The decision does not allow parents to shield their child completely from all sensitive topics or alternative viewpoints than their own; rather, it ensures that schools cannot impose ideological conformity around certain viewpoints.

Therefore, it will require parents to exercise their responsibilities if they wish to have their legitimate rights protected.

If you send your child to a public school, do you know what he or she is being taught? Have you spoken with teachers or administrators about your concerns? Are you involved in school board elections or curriculum reviews?

A PATH FOR DIALOGUE

Increasingly, Catholic parents must be active participants in their children’s education, advocating for transparency, balance and respect for faith and realitybased perspectives. Mahmoud offers a path forward for dialogue between parents and schools, which should be a dialogue grounded not in confrontation, but in the shared goal of forming well-rounded, morally grounded citizens.

The decision also invites Catholic school leaders to reflect on their mission. In a time when public schools often stray from the basics, our Catholic schools must continue to model an education rooted in truth, beauty and goodness – faithful to the church’s teaching and supportive of parental authority. Catholic education should never mirror the confusion of the culture; it must be a refuge of clarity and charity, forming students in both intellectual excellence and moral virtue.

As Catholics, let us give thanks for this victory. But let us also rise to the occasion it presents. The U.S. Supreme Court has drawn a line in the sand; it is now up to us to walk forward – faithfully, courageously and always in defense of the dignity of every child and the prerogatives of the family.

JASON ADKINS is host of an Our Sunday Visitor podcast, “Catholic in America,” which explores topics related to the missionary imperative of faithful citizenship in our time.

You can find “Catholic in America” on the major podcast platforms or visit www.catholicinamerica.osvpodcasts.com.

August 15, 2025 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Greg Erlandson

I

A teachable moment and moral challenge for our times

n 1965, Catholic priests and nuns joined the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, seeking voting rights for African Americans in the face of violent local hostility.

Catholics risked prison and physical harm for their actions, but it was a time of moral leadership. More than that, it was a teachable moment that impacted a generation of future Church leaders and became a catalyst for a broader awareness of Catholic social teaching.

In 2025, many believe we are facing a similar moral challenge. Immigrant

have created fear in the immigrant community,” the Detroit Catholic reported.

Perhaps most striking was Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski with members of his motorcycle posse, Knights for Christ.

The bikers prayed the rosary outside Florida’s so-called Alligator Alcatraz, where detainees are being kept under onerous conditions. The archbishop said no Catholic priest had been given access to say Mass for those Catholics inside.

(Several days later, state correctional authorities agreed to allow Mass to be celebrated at the detention site, the archdiocese announced.)

Talking about the growing effort by bishops to critique both deportation and budget decisions by the administration, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso said that “it’s a real challenge to reach even Catholics” about why they are opposed. “We as a Church unfortunately don’t have the kind of megaphone that the administration does.”

Taking public steps to address social wrongs is one way to seize the megaphone. Following two immigration raids on Church property, Bishop Alberto Rojas OSV NEWS PHOTO | ARCHBISHOP THOMAS G. WENSKI of San Bernardino, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami and Knights on Bikes pray the rosary California declared July 20 for detainees at the entrance to “Alligator Alcatraz,” an immigration that parishioners in detention facility 55 miles from Miami in the Florida Everglades. his diocese who feared deportation were dispensed from the communities and the rural and urban poor obligation of attending Sunday Mass. His are suffering from deportation raids and action attracted international news coverage. critical budget cuts. Church leaders are The continuing challenge, however, speaking out more forcefully and taking is how to educate adult Catholics public action that is attracting significant about Catholic social teaching and its media attention. applicability to the present crisis. A In Los Angeles, an epicenter of bishop’s witness in the public square is anti-immigrant actions, Archbishop a start. But the challenge Bishop Seitz Jose Gomez is not simply expressing and his peers face is not just getting the his concern for the large immigrant attention of Catholics with a headline, but communities in his archdiocese. He is explaining what the Church is saying about marshaling business leaders to create a care for the migrant and the refugee, the fund to help families that have gone into poor and the homeless. For the examples hiding to avoid seizure or who have already to resonate, for the seeds to take root, the lost a family wage-earner in immigration soil must be prepared. The Church’s great raids and are afraid even to go to the treasure, its social teaching, needs to be grocery store. proclaimed.

“This program will provide direct The bishops, our teachers, have a support to families who are suffering teachable moment right now, just as financial hardships because of the there was in 1965. What they need is current climate of uncertainty and fear,” a megaphone that reaches the pews, Archbishop Gomez said. explaining, inspiring, evangelizing. It In Detroit, Archbishop Edward J. will take not just bold public witness, but Weisenburger joined Catholic laity a focused effort by homilists, catechists and religious leaders from a variety and communications staff. Call it a Good of denominations on a procession to Samaritan Strategy, teaching us to see Detroit’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Christ in the faces of those most in need of Enforcement Field Office. our help.

The group attempted “to deliver a letter asking the agency to review immigration GREG ERLANDSON is an award-winning Catholic publisher, enforcement policies and practices that editor and journalist who is on X as @GregErlandson.

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EUCH ARISTIC

CONGRESS

Friday-Saturday, Sept. 5-6 | Charlotte Convention Center | FREE

You Belong Here Kick off your Congress experience with an evening of praise & worship.

2025 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS OPENING CONCERT – FRIDAY, SEPT. 5

Matt Maher Join us for an unforgettable night of praise and worship – culminating with Eucharistic Adoration – led by singer/songwriter Matt Maher, one of the most influential voices in Christian music today. A nine-time Grammy nominee and the songwriter behind beloved worship anthems like “Lord, I Need You” and “Your Grace Is Enough,” Maher brings to the stage both powerful music and a heart for worship.

The 2025 Eucharistic Congress opening concert is free, but seating is limited and first-come, first-served. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the concert starts at 7 p.m. Come early to secure your spot!

Screenings: 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 (English) 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 (English) 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 (Spanish)

ALSO FEATURING The Vigil Project w/ Andrea Thomas and Andrew Ferguson

• Mass • Confession

Bishop Michael Martin

Paula Umana

Chris Stefanick

Father Roberto Serrano, OFM

Fr. John Riccardo ACTS XXIX

• Youth Programs • Eucharistic Procession & Adoration • Young Adult Meet & Greet • Catholic Merchandise