July 8, 2005
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Year of the Eucharist
Understanding the Mystery of the Mass, Part 20
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Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI July 8, 2005
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Restoring our roots
Local women discuss, heal from adverse pregnancies
KEVIN E. MURRAY editor
Elizabeth Ministry helps grieving mothers
MOUNT HOLLY — With precision and care, a group of Irish-Americans straightened and balanced gravestones in the cemetery of the small, white clapboard church. The scene may have resembled the work of 19thcentury Irish Catholics, who helped build the church and buried many of their dead outside its walls. Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Sons of Erin Division in Mecklenburg County spent a full day June 25 refurbishing St. Joseph Church in Mount Holly, one of the oldest standing Catholic churches in North Carolina.
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Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Diocese of Rome opens canonization process for Pope by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service
ROME — The process to beatify and canonize Pope John Paul II opened June 28 with an evening prayer service attended by cardinals, bishops, lay people and representatives of the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, papal vicar of Rome, presided over the ceremonial opening of the Rome Diocese’s invesSee SAINT, page 6
MADELINE PECORA NUGENT
special to the catholic news & herald
See HISTORY, page 5
Toward sainthood
no. 36
Abortion alternative
Hibernians refurbish historic Catholic church by
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Carl Heil (second from right), volunteer caretaker/historian at St. Joseph Church in Mount Holly, supervises the straightening of gravestones by members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Sons of Erin Division of Mecklenburg County, June 25. The Hibernians helped with various repair work to the church built by Irish immigrants in the 1800s.
CHARLOTTE — Both Sandy Buck and Renee Pierson expected their prenatal ultrasounds to be happy events at which the health of their babies would be confirmed. They never imagined the distressing diagnoses they would receive. Casey, Sandy’s unborn son, was diagnosed with the fatal condition Trisomy 18. The prognosis was terrible as most Trisomy 18 babies die before or shortly after birth. “My doctor told me that if Casey survived the pregnancy and the birth, we would have a See ABORTION, page 13
Vietnamese celebrates Year of the Eucharist with Mass, initiations story and photo
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KAREN A. EVANS staff writer
CHARLOTTE — St. Joseph Vietnamese Church celebrated the Year of the Eucharist with a special Mass June 26. Father Le Van Tan, pastor, carried the Eucharist, encased in a gold monstrance, during a eucharistic procession preceding the Mass. A few hundred parishioners, including members of several parish groups, walked in the procession, many of the elder parishioners wearing native Vietnamese dress. During the procession a recitation of the Rosary, prayers of the Eucharist, prayers of Jesus’ Sacred Heart, songs about the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart were played over loudspeakers. During the Mass, nine teenagers and adults were initiated into the Catholic Church and an infant was baptized. Also, new members of the Sacred Heart of Jesus men’s group were initiated. For more photos, see page 7.
Assisting refugees
Catechesis directory
Perspectives
Grant for ELS classes; Volunteer coordinator retires
New book will assist Catholic educators
Shrimp and evangelization; Praying as a parish goal?
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