July 11, 2008

July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 1

www.charlottediocese.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

Perspectives The blessed Eucharist; God’s reappearing symbol; benefits of parish volunteers

Established Jan. 12, 1972

by Pope Paul VI July 11, 2008

A voice to be heard

| Pages 14-15 Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

vOLUME 17

no. 33

Building a foundation of faith Sacred Heart Church celebrates 125 years

N.C. bishops launch Catholic Voice NC Web site

Construction of new church to begin soon

by DAVID HAINS communications director

by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

RALEIGH — The two bishops of North Carolina have created an organization to give the state’s Catholics a greater voice in the political process.

Bishops Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte and Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh made the announcement during a press conference in front of the State Legislative Building in Raleigh July 2.

The organization, Catholic Voice NC, consists mainly of a Web site, www.catholicvoicenc. org, that will fa c i l i t a t e contact between legislators and interested Catholics who register at the site.

“It is our belief that in a democracy, loving our neighbor

SALISBURY — It was the perfect combination of old and new — a celebration marking the historical 125th anniversary of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, followed by the groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of the new church.

On June 29, the feast of the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Bishop Peter J. Jugis, along with Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church; priests of the diocese; and parishioners celebrated the conclusion of the 125th anniversary of Sacred Heart Church with a Mass in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel of Catawba College.

Photo by Katie Moore

See WEB SITE, page 9

Bishop Peter J. Jugis blesses the foundation stone during the groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of the new Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury June 29.

SOARing spirits

All smiles for athletes and volunteers at Special Olympics camp Charlotte Catholic students serve as buddies, mentors by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

Photo by Katie Moore

A volunteer assists an athlete during a floor hockey exercise at Camp SOAR. The Special Olympics Athletic Retreat for people with disabilities took place at the Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center June 16-20.

CHARLOTTE — Camp is to summer what fireworks are to the Fourth of July. Whether they revolve around sports, scouts, arts or academics, it seems there is a camp for everyone these days.

But it hasn’t always been

that way.

Eight years ago, Bob Bowler, a retired food broker and parishioner of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, noticed that a certain population wasn’t being reached by the multitude of summer camps offered in the Charlotte area.

Bowler saw that people with disabilities were being See SOAR, page 9

See CHURCH, page 5

Roaming relics Relics of martyrs to visit churches throughout N.C. by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

CHARLOTTE — The relics of six Mexican martyrs will visit several churches in the Diocese of Charlotte as part of a 10-day pilgrimage throughout North Carolina this month.

The relics of six of the See RELICS, page 13

Faith in the family

Culture Watch

Strengthened in faith

Mission of church begins at home, says theology expert

Book on priest translator; young actress lauds Bible

Congress attendees embrace the ‘Living Bread’

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| Pages 10-11

| Page 16

July 11, 2008

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond, Va., expressed his “profound apology for the loss of the life of one of the most vulnerable among us” after employees of a Catholic Charities office in his diocese helped a refugee minor obtain an abortion last January.

“I apologize for the profound embarrassment this has caused the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, and Catholics throughout the United States,” Bishop DiLorenzo said June 30.

Calling the abortion a “monumental tragedy,” the bishop said, “I join my sadness to yours at the loss of the life of an unborn child whose teenage mother was in the foster care of Commonwealth Catholic Charities.”

Bishop DiLorenzo was notified about the abortion the day before it occurred and “was very explicit in saying, ‘I forbid this to happen,’” according to a July 1 statement by Joanne D. Nattrass, executive director of

Seafaring spirit

CNS photo courtesy of Father Oubre

Father Sinclair Oubre, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Port Arthur, Texas, and head of the Apostleship of the Sea for the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas, presides over a burial at sea in this undated photo.

Pastor, labor advocate, seafarer, biker: Texas priest does it all WASHINGTON (CNS) — Father Sinclair Oubre, like many priests, has multiple responsibilities.

They include being pastor of a parish and administrator of a mission in the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas; running the Apostleship of the Sea office for the diocese and serving on the apostleship’s national board; being Web site administrator of the Catholic Labor Network and sponsoring meetings in Washington in conjunction with the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering; and being on the board of directors of Interfaith Worker Justice.

Now, what could a man like that do that would combine all of those interests and avocations?

Would you believe working one month every year as a seafarer — using his accumulated vacation time from priestly ministry to do so?

Father Oubre, 50, first started working on boats as a seminary student during the summer to help pay for tuition. Now he does it to keep active his membership in the International Seafarers’ Union, and as a change of pace from parish life.

But on board Father Oubre isn’t totally away from the priesthood.

“I’ll have my Mass kit with me and I say Mass in my room and sometimes they (other seafarers) join me,” said Father Oubre.

Because the other seafarers on the ship know he’s a priest, they’ll come to him with their troubles, such as the difficulty they are facing in becoming a Catholic or getting married in the church — with their crew schedule, they

Bishop apologizes for ‘tragedy’ of abortion aided by Charities’ staff

don’t have shore leave to attend classes required by the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program or the marriage preparation classes they need.

“Usually I try to explain to them what they need to do,” Father Oubre said.

The priest has other interests, among them cigars, baseball and Lionel trains.

He also likes riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

At sea, Father Oubre said, his day is dictated by the hours of the watch — “12 to 4, 4 to 8, 8 to 12. You stand (for) two four-hour watches every day. You do the watches and then usually you work four hours of overtime a day. So basically you’re doing 12 hours of work a day,” he said.

Father Oubre is usually sailing on a U.S.-flagged tanker carrying refined petroleum products to Florida, Louisiana or up the East Coast. His latest seafarer stretch was in January — he sailed to relieve a crew that was assisting a tanker 20 miles off of Puerto Rico.

“I’ve been in 15-foot seas,” Father Oubre said. “We were beat up pretty bad in January. There was a cold front in January that spawned a number of destructive tornadoes.”

Father Oubre is an able-bodied seaman, known as AB. “In the old days, the ‘AB’ guys were the guys who were able to go up into the mast,” he said, which implied that one had the skill to handle heights and “a lot of other stuff.”

“I’m getting a little old to do this stuff,” he said with a laugh. He hopes to join another crew in November.

Diocesan planner For more events taking place in the Diocese of Charlotte, visit www.charlottediocese. org/calendarofevents-cn.

ALBEMARLE VICARIATE

MONROE — A holy hour is held every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 725 Deese St., until December 2008 in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Lourdes. The holy hour consists of evening prayer, recitation of the rosary and Benediction. The celebration is open to all.

For more information, contact the parish office at (704) 289-2773.

ASHEVILLE VICARIATE

HENDERSONVILLE — The St. Francis of the Hills Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order meets the fourth Sunday of each month, 1-3 p.m., at Immaculate Conception Church, 208 7th Ave. West.

Visitors and inquirers are welcome. For more information, call Joanita Nellenbach, SFO, (828) 627-9209 or jnell@dnet.net.

BOONE VICARIATE

SPRUCE PINE — A rosary of intercession for priests is recited each Friday at St. Lucien Church, 695 Summit St., before the 9 a.m. Mass. Prayers are offered for bishops, priests and deacons, and for an

Commonwealth Catholic Charities.

However, “based on erroneous and incorrect information provided to Nattrass, the bishop was told it could not be stopped,” the statement said.

News of the Jan. 18 abortion and an exchange of letters from federal and church officials in April surfaced in mid-June.

The abortion already has led to the firing of four employees of Commonwealth Catholic Charities who were involved in facilitating the abortion or helping the minor obtain a contraceptive device. An employee of the U.S. bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services responsible for supervising them also was suspended.

But the case also could involve violations of federal law, which prohibits the use of tax money to fund abortions, and Virginia law, which requires parental consent before a minor’s abortion. One of the Catholic Charities workers signed to give consent for the minor, whose parents could not be located.

increase in vocations to the priesthood. For more information, call the church office at (828) 765-2224.

CHARLOTTE VICARIATE

CHARLOTTE — “Comfort, comfort, my people” will be presented by Susan Brady at the 2008 Summer Bible Institute at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. This program will deal with the historical realities underlying Isaiah 4055 as well as its impact on every single book of the New Testament. The seminar takes place Monday-Friday, July 14-18, 9:30 a.m.12 p.m. in the New Life Center Banquet Room. This event is free and open to the public. To register, call (704) 543-7677 ext. 1020.

CHARLOTTE — The Compassionate Friends of Charlotte meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.

The organization is a support group for parents who have lost a child, regardless of cause of death or age of the child.

The group meets at 7 p.m. in room 234.

Meetings are open to the public. For more information, call Donna or Ralph Goodrich at (804) 882-4503 or send an e-mail to iluvu2lauren@earthlink.net.

CHARLOTTE — St. Basil the Great Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church will have a Ukrainian Mass in English in the chapel of Charlotte Catholic High School, 7702 Pineville-Matthews Rd., the third Saturday of each month at 5 p.m.

Confession at 4 p.m. The Mass is open to anyone who would like to attend. For more information, e-mail Father Mark Shuey at mshuey2@nc.rr.com or call (919) 779-7246.

CHARLOTTE — Pray the rosary at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 4207 Shamrock Dr., every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.,

JULy 11, 2 008 Volume 17 • Number 33

Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray STAFF WRITER: Katie Moore Graphic DESIGNER: Tim Faragher Advertising MANAGER: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Deborah Hiles 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-MAIL: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

The Catholic News & Herald, USPC 007-393, is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August for $15 per year for enrollees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all other subscribers. The Catholic News & Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason deemed appropriate. We do not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers. Second-class postage paid at Charlotte NC and other cities. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.

July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 3

FROM THE VATICAN

Pope asks Catholics to pray for WYD; Vatican regrets Church of England’s move toward women bishops Vatican announces indulgences CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI asked Catholics around the world to pray for the young people who will gather with him in Sydney, Australia, for the celebration of World Youth Day. To help encourage the prayers of all, the Vatican announced July 5 that the pope had authorized a special indulgence for anyone who, “with a contrite spirit,” raises a “prayer to God, the Holy Spirit, so that young people are drawn to charity and given the strength to proclaim the Gospel with their life,” a Vatican decree said.

Pope Benedict spoke about his July 12-21 trip to Australia at his summer villa south of Rome for the July 6 recitation of the Angelus. World Youth Day runs July 15-20 in Sydney.

Focusing on prayers for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Catholic youths around the world, the Sydney

celebration can be “a renewed Pentecost,” the pope said.

The pope asked everyone to join him in praying that the Spirit would fill the hearts of young Catholics with “interior light, love for God and their brothers and sisters, (and with) courageous initiatives” to bring Jesus to every land and every sphere of life.

The July 5 decree about indulgences connected to World Youth Day included the offer of a plenary, or full, indulgence to all the young people who will gather with the pope in Sydney.

An indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. The conditions necessary for receiving a plenary indulgence include having recently gone to confession, receiving the Eucharist and offering prayers for the intentions of the pope.

followed by Mass at 7 p.m. All are welcome to participate in this sacred tradition. For more information, call Juanita Thompson at (704) 536-0784.

information, contact Joan Moran at (828)-327-0487.

GASTONIA VICARIATE

DENVER — The Blanketeers of Holy Spirit Church hold periodic workshops to make security blankets for seriously ill and traumatized children through Project Linus, a nonprofit organization. The next workshop will be July 19, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (704) 483-6448 or go online to www.projectlinus.org.

BELMONT — A summer film festival for adults will take place at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St., on Tuesday evenings through the month of July. The July 15 showing will be “Joyeux Noel,” a dramatic portrayal of the “Christmas truce” between German and allied forces during WWI. On July 29 there will be a viewing of “Sophie Scholl,” a cinematic presentation of her leadership in The White Rose, a German nonviolent resistance to the Nazi regime during WWII. All screenings will take place 7:30-9 p.m. in the conference room. No fees or registration required. For more information, contact Dennis TeallFleming at (704) 825-9600, ext. 26 or e-mail eallfleming@yahoo.com.

GREENSBORO VICARIATE

GREENSBORO —Area Catholics meet each Saturday at 8 a.m. for prayer at the abortion clinic A Woman’s Choice, 201 Pomona Dr. A rosary and a divine mercy chaplet are prayed.

If you are interested in participating, contact Carolyn Dominick at (336) 292-3612.

HICKORY VICARIATE

HICKORY — A charismatic Mass is celebrated the first Thursday of each month in Sebastian Chapel of St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St. NE, at 7 p.m. For further

Episcopal

calendar

SALISBURY VICARIATE

SALISBURY — Elizabeth Ministry is a peer ministry comprised of Sacred Heart Church parishioners who have lost babies before or shortly after birth.

Confidential peer ministry, information and spiritual materials are offered at no cost or obligation to anyone who has experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a newborn. For details, call Renee Washington at (704) 637-0472 or Sharon Burges at (704) 633-0591.

July 27 (11 a.m.)

Mass to bless new parish activity center St. Joseph Church, Charlotte

to draft a “national code of practice,” which could include suggesting a woman bishop delegate her care for objectors to a “complementary bishop” who would be male.

The July 7 vote was seen as a clear signal that the majority of the members of the Church of England support ordaining women bishops and that the church intends to do so.

Before that vote, Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican’s chief ecumenist, had told top members of the Church of England that ordaining women bishops would mean that the goal of restoring full communion between Catholics and Anglicans “would realistically no longer exist” because it could not exist “without full communion in the episcopal office.”

He had said a further consequence of a resolution in favor of women bishops would be that the Catholic Church would inevitably continue to refuse to recognize the validity of Anglican orders.

On several occasions, Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Kasper have expressed their hopes that the Anglican Communion can remain united. But they have said unity must be based on fidelity to the Scriptures and tradition, including moral issues.

Illuminating the issues

SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE

MURPHY — Scripture study of the Gospel of John and the Johannine Letters is being offered now through the first week in August at St. William Church, 765 Andrews Rd. The classes are held on Mondays 10-11:30 a.m. and on Thursdays 6:30-8 p.m. Each session includes reflection on Scripture, commentary, daily questions and a brief synopsis. For more information, contact Michelle Calascione at (828) 837-2000.

WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE

CLEMMONS — A Charismatic Prayer Group meets Mondays at 7:15 p.m. in the eucharistic chapel of Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Rd. Join us for praise music, witness, teaching, prayers and petition. For more details, call Jim Passero at (336) 998-7503.

Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to desired publication date.

Submit in writing to kmmoore@charlottediocese.org or fax to (704) 370-3382.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:

July 12 (5:30 p.m.)

Installation of Father Christopher Roux as rector and pastor St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican has expressed its disappointment with a July 7 decision by the Church of England, the mother church of the Anglican Communion, to move ahead with plans to allow the ordination of women bishops.

“We have learned with disappointment of the news of the vote by the Church of England that opens the way to the introduction of legislation that leads to the ordination of women bishops,” said a July 8 statement from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

“Such a decision means a break from the apostolic tradition maintained by all the churches of the first millennium and is, therefore, a further obstacle for reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England,” said the statement.

The 428 bishops, clergy and laypeople who make up the General Synod of the Church of England spent more than six hours July 7 debating what, if any, kinds of accommodation would be made to allow Anglicans who object to women bishops to continue to be part of the church.

The synod voted to reject all special forms of accommodation and instead

July 29 (4 p.m.)

Mass for Couple to Couple League Conference Ridgecrest Aug. 3 (12:30 p.m.)

Scroll Mass for Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

CNS photo by Jo Yong-Hak, Reuters

Catholic nuns hold up candles during a rally to demand the full-scale renegotiation of a U.S. beef import deal and the resignation of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, in front of City Hall in Seoul, South Korea, July 5. The signs read, “Lee Myung-bak out!” South Koreans fearful of mad cow disease have participated in major protests since April against a U.S. beef import deal.

Diocesan requirements for reporting ministry-related sexual abuse of a minor 1. Any individual having actual knowledge of or reasonable cause to suspect an incident of ministry-related sexual abuse is to immediately report the incident to the Chancery.

2. The Chancery will then report the incident to the proper civil authorities. The individual reporting the incident to the Chancery will be notified of the particulars regarding the Chancery’s filing of the incident with civil authorities.

3. This reporting requirement is not intended to supersede the right of an individual to make a report to civil authority, but is to ensure proper, complete and timely reporting. Should an individual choose to make a report to civil authority, a report is still to be made to the Chancery.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

around the diocese

July 11, 2008

Grants distributed to local organizations Event celebrates anti-poverty efforts in North Carolina CANDLER — More than 70 people representing 19 organizations gathered recently to receive local check grants from the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) program.

The grants were presented during a luncheon at St. Joan of Arc Church in Candler May 22.

The event also offered an opportunity for the recipients to network with other organizations working to address poverty in western North Carolina.

The organizations represented the wide-ranging intent of CCHD funding — to support community-based solutions to poverty.

CCHD is the domestic antipoverty, social justice program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, funding community development projects around the country.

Mary Jane Bruton, diocesan CCHD director, greeted the local grantees, who traveled to the luncheon from locations across the diocese.

WANT MORE INFO? For more information about the diocesan Catholic Campaign for Human Development, contact Mary Jane Bruton at (704) 370-3234 or mjbruton@charlottediocese.org, or go online to www.cssnc.org/ cchd_crs.html.

Bruton thanked “first and foremost” the Catholics of the Diocese of Charlotte, whose generosity in the annual CCHD collection made possible the 2008 local grant monies of more than $45,000.

Ralph McCloud, CCHD national director, also spoke during the event.

He applauded the efforts of the organizations present and urged them to continue to involve the poor in developing resources to address the challenges of daily living and strategies to improve their options for the future.

Representatives of two grant recipients also took to the podium.

Deni Graves, executive director of the Hurlbert-Johnson Friendship House in Murphy, described her organization’s work to provide temporary housing and resources to homeless people to help them obtain long-term housing and employment.

Kevin Drexel, board member with the Burnsville Land Community, a nonprofit that represents residents of a manufactured housing park, thanked CCHD for its funding of this innovative rural housing program.

“This project, the first of its kind in North Carolina, addresses a need at a time when traditional affordable housing is not available to this community,” he said.

“CCHD has provided critical financial support at this early stage,” said Drexel.

Courtesy Photo

Kevin Drexel, board member with the Burnsville Land Community, receives a grant check from Mary Jane Bruton, diocesan Catholic Campaign for Human Development director, during a luncheon at St. Joan of Arc Church in Candler May 22.

Joe Keffer, member of the CCHD advisory committee, spoke to the grant recipients and others present to emphasize the effectiveness of their efforts.

“You are the people at the grassroots who know the problems associated with

poverty and you have demonstrated your ability to devise means of bringing people in your communities together creatively to achieve social justice,” he said.

“We need thousands more like you and this is what CCHD wishes to encourage,” he added.

July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 5

from the cover

Sacred Heart Church celebrates 125 years CHURCH, from page 1

Photo by Katie Moore

Bishop Peter J. Jugis (center) and Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking at the construction site of the new Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury June 29.

Also participating (from left) are Wendy Roueche-McCullough, chairman of the parish pastoral council; Mercy Sister Mary Robert Williams, parochial associate; Dominican Sister Anastasia Pagullayan, principal of Sacred Heart School; and Father Jean Pierre Swamunu Lhoposo, parochial vicar.

Later that day, in a fitting tribute to the two saints known as the founders of the Catholic Church, a commencement ceremony took place to mark the laying of a literal foundation — the one for the building of the new Sacred Heart Church and school.

“Celebrating 125 years here in Salisbury is a true milestone for our parish because it reminds us that in this world that is forever changing, the eternal truths of Christ and his church remain steadfast,” said Father Putnam.

The first Sacred Heart Church was built in 1882, long before the Diocese of Charlotte was established in 1972, and dedicated by Bishop Henry Northrup of Charleston, S.C. A few Catholic families had resided in the area since the 1830s, and it was through their efforts that the founding of the church was brought to fruition.

“We celebrate the sacrifices that were made by those first Catholics back in the 19th century,” said Father Putnam.

The legacy of those founding families has been carried on over the years and many of their ancestors are parishioners to this day.

“We celebrate all of the wonderful accomplishments and contributions that our parishioners have made both in this parish and in this community over the years,” said Father Putnam.

In 1910, Sisters of Mercy from Belmont opened a private convent and school near Sacred Heart Church. It became a parish institution in the early 1940s. Today approximately 220 students are enrolled in the kindergarten-througheighth-grade Sacred Heart School.

“It shows the great progress that has been made through the church,” said Mercy Sister Clara Virginia Kelly, who grew up attending both the parish and Sacred Heart School.

Sister Kelly is one of seven men and women from the parish to have answered the call to the priesthood or religious life.

“We have so much to be thankful for because of the people of the church,” she said.

“We’re a big family,” said Gail Mintz, lifelong parishioner and business manager at Sacred Heart School.

“I’ve received every single one of my sacraments in this church,” she said.

“It has been an extremely important part of my life.”

Fellow lifelong parishioner Michele Moore Vaeth agreed. “I have loved this little church,” she said. “It will be hard to leave this spot.”

“But with change, good things come,” she added.

The new church and school will be built on 104 acres of land.

“I think it is an absolutely wonderful opportunity for the church,” said Mintz who is looking forward to having the extra space for the students to play.

“For the school we see grass,” she said. “All we have now is concrete.”

“It’s beautiful rolling pasture land,” said Vaeth. “You feel like you are out there in God’s country because it is so peaceful and beautiful.”

The land was acquired through a trade in 2007. A cemetery to include 660 plots has already been established and was blessed by Bishop Jugis Sept. 1, 2007.

The building project is expected to be completed in 12-13 months, according to Mike Vaeth, chairman of the building committee. The project is estimated to cost $8.9 million excluding the land, which is already paid for.

“The church is overcrowded,” said Vaeth. With the new property, there will be a “lot of room for the parishioners to move around,” he added.

The new church will seat approximately 800 people — four times as many as the old church.

“The parish exists to further Jesus’ mission of salvation,” said Bishop Jugis.

“Jesus came for the salvation of all humanity. Sacred Heart Parish plays an important role in that universal mission.”

“You are meant to be a leaven for society, providing the leaven of Christ’s presence to this community,” he told parishioners.

In terms of what will be next for Sacred Heart Church, Father Putnam said, “We celebrate our hopes for a bright future dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel message and the truths of Christ and his church for many years to come.”

6 The Catholic News & Herald

around the diocese

July 11, 2008

Faith in the family

Mission of the church begins at home, says theology expert by

KATIE MOORE staff writer

CHARLOTTE — Families of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds recently gathered to affirm the idea that the foundations of faith must be built in the home.

The Re-evangelization of the Domestic Church Conference was held in the parish activity center of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte June 13-14.

“The home is a church,” said Rachida Faille, parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Church and coordinator of the event.

“That is where the church comes from.”

The conference began on Friday with an introduction by Father Mark Lawlor, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church, and included talks on topics such as “The Family Table as Shrine and Sanctuary” and “God’s Vision of the Family: The Nature of Man and Woman.”

It continued on Saturday with Mass and talks on “The Family, Part of God’s Plan of Salvation” and “Developing a Catholic Culture in the Domestic Church.”

The conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Joseph Atkinson, associate professor of Sacred Scripture at the John Paul II Institute at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a leading expert in theology of the domestic church.

A children’s mission was held simultaneously, providing catecheses for children who attended the event with their parents.

“My goal was to help the people of St. Vincent de Paul Church understand clearly what the biblical vision of marriage and family was,” said Atkinson.

“There are so many forces which today seek to distort and even destroy the family, and we need to hear God’s truth so we can be set free from all the false notions that fill our society,” he said.

A reoccurring theme throughout the conference was the idea that parents must be responsible for teaching the faith to their children.

The idea that evangelization must

“There are so many forces which today seek to distort and even destroy the family ....”

— Joseph Atkinson begin within the family is rooted in the concept of the “domestic church.”

“The domestic church is a term that refers to the baptized family,” said Atkinson. “It means that the family that is baptized into Christ shares in both the nature and the mission of the church.”

“The goal would be for families to prioritize the spiritual life with the many competing ideas in society,” said Father Lawlor.

It is the responsibility of “parents to be very deliberate,” he said. Leading, “not by force or pressure,” but by “good example and by being steadfast.”

Another goal of the conference was for families of different cultures and backgrounds to come together on a Christian level.

A unique effort was made to include Latino members of the parish through the use of a translator and special technology.

“St. Vincent’s is very heavily populated with Latinos, whose culture comes to us with a strong family community,” said Faille. “I felt that we could not let that fall to the wayside.”

“This was the first time that my slides and talks were translated,” said Atkinson. “The Latino community greatly participated in this event and was very involved.”

“Because everything was translated, they could understand, participate and contribute,” he said. “It was a model for how churches can help to include all parishioners.”

Contact Staff Writer Katie Moore by calling (704) 370-3354, or e-mail kmmoore@charlottediocese.org.

Photo by Katie Moore

Dr. Joseph Atkinson, a leading expert in the theology of the domestic church, gives a presentation during The Re-evangelization of the Domestic Church Conference at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte June 13-14. Latino participants listen through headsets as the talk is translated from English to Spanish.

July 11, 2008

youths in action

All smiles for athletes and volunteers at Camp SOAR SOAR, from page 1

turned away from regular summer camps because they required too much assistance.

He changed all that when he started Camp SOAR, a Special Olympics Athletic Retreat for people with disabilities.

Bowler has been involved with the Special Olympics in Charlotte for the past 30 years. He noticed that there were not many activities available to special athletes during the summer months.

“I kept thinking about it and praying about it,” he said.

He came up with the idea for the camp and approached the director of the Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center (JCC) about using the facility.

“I told him, ‘I don’t have any money, just a lot of dreams,’” said Bowler.

He was granted use of the facility and its staff. This year the camp was held June 16-20.

It was free and open to all special needs individuals ages 10 and up.

Overall, nearly 300 athletes participated.

The first two days of the camp were devoted to the older athletes, ages 25 and up, while the rest of the week was for the younger set. On Friday, all the athletes came out for the conclusion of the camp featuring a pizza party, dancing, entertainment and health screenings.

The goal is to provide a full summer camp experience.

The mornings are devoted to sports including bocce, tennis, soccer, basketball, floor hockey and swimming.

After lunch there is bingo, arts and crafts and bowling, the only off-campus activity. Everything else takes place on the 54-acre campus of the JCC. A unique aspect of the camp is its buddy system. Each athlete is paired with a volunteer, ensuring all athletes are provided with one-on-one attention.

This year there were more than 200 volunteers, 70 of whom are students at Charlotte Catholic High School.

“All our volunteers are very special,” said Stern. “They are the heart and soul of the camp.”

“We really feel that Charlotte Catholic

is an integral part of this thing,” said Al Tinson, media relations volunteer for Special Olympics Mecklenburg County and parishioner of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte. “We could not do this at the level that we do without these kids.”

Bowler said he’s impressed by the dedication of the student volunteers.

“I think it shows that they are really being taught the principles and values of life,” he said.

In the end, “they get more out of it than the campers,” he added.

“The first year I was a little nervous,” said Charlotte Catholic rising senior Sara Poffenbarger, a parishioner of St. Gabriel Church. “I didn’t know what to expect.”

Now in her third year as a volunteer Poffenbarger said, “I come home everyday a little bit tired, but always excited for the next day.”

Another unique aspect of Camp SOAR is how its benefits carry over into other aspects of the participants’ lives.

For the athletes, it “builds self-esteem and self-confidence,” said Bowler.

“When they come back year after year, you know it’s making an impact on their lives,” he said.

And for the volunteers, “It makes them better people,” said Bowler.

“The teenage volunteers are really special because they take the experience with them to their college years and future lives,” said Stern.

“I’ve learned to be grateful for what I have and not take the little things that I can do for granted,” said Charlotte Catholic rising senior Hannah Roy, a fifth-year volunteer and parishioner of St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

“I’ve learned that I want to work with people like the campers when I get older,” she said.

Many students agreed that the best part of the volunteering at the camp is working with the athletes.

“You can see the difference you’re making by bringing a smile to any one of the campers’ faces,” said Charlotte Catholic rising junior Brandon Shell, a parishioner of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.

Bowler agrees. “I just love to see the smiles,” he said. “It brings tears to my eyes.”

Contact Staff Writer Katie Moore by calling (704) 370-3354, or e-mail kmmoore@charlottediocese.org.

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Devout Scouts

Courtesy Photo

Father Robert Ferris, pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Hickory, is pictured with four Boy Scouts who received their Ad Altare Dei emblems during Mass Feb. 24. The Ad Altare Dei (“to the altar of God”) emblem is available to Catholic Boy Scouts; the program emphasizes study of the seven sacraments.

Pictured are (from left) Matthew Marchese of Troop 234, Jonathan Lomboy of Troop 351, Robert Liljeberg of Troop 351 and Matthew McAnulty of Troop 234.

Locks of love

Courtesy Photo

Anne Vickers, 12, and Bonnie Aberle, 11, hold the locks of their hair they are donating to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Anne, a parishioner of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton, and Bonnie, a parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Newton, are pictured in a Hickory hair salon May 13.

They read about the Locks for Love program in The Catholic News & Herald and, when one of their classmates was diagnosed with alopecia, a hair-loss condition, they decided to help.

“I sure hope people would donate hair if I had alopecia,” said Bonnie.

“I‘m happy to share this gift that God gave me.”

8 The Catholic News & Herald

FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP

The elusive Catholic voter A somewhat contradictory statistical look

by PATRICIA ZAPOR catholic news service

WASHINGTON — If you could program a computer to design a person according to the statistical portrait of U.S. Catholics depicted in the latest data from two surveys, someone like the fictional “Susan Shea” might emerge as an “average” representation of who makes up the church.

This “average” Catholic may not be affiliated with either party, but leans toward the Democrats, believes abortion should be legal in most cases and supports stricter environmental regulations.

She would prefer diplomacy over military intervention but would just as soon the United States stayed out of international problems.

Her attitudes about government and public affairs are shaped largely by her personal experience and what she learns from the news media, rather than anything she has been taught by the church.

And she pays pretty close attention to what’s going on politically, at least some of the time.

“Shea” is pretty happy with her own standard of living and very satisfied with her family life and doesn’t worry much about crime or terrorism affecting her personally.

But she’s not so pleased with the way things are going in the country. For one thing, she’s pretty dissatisfied with the way the U.S. political system works.

She thinks the government should do more to provide health care and help the needy, even if it means more national debt and bigger government.

After exit polling from the 2004 presidential election found that “moral values” stood out as the most important consideration for voters, campaign strategists have focused more than ever on how to appeal to voters of various faiths.

With another close presidential election shaping up, analysts working for both parties will no doubt be parsing any faith-based polling for clues as to how to appeal to Catholic voters.

Two sets of public opinion survey data released over a few days in June complement each other in suggesting what might define the “Catholic voter”

this election year.

Reams of information were included in data from the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released June 23. This followed the release a few days earlier of an election year forecast of who will constitute Catholic voters by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

The CARA study of 1,007 Catholic voters found 41 percent unaffiliated with either the Democratic Party or Republican Party, with 38 percent who are registered Democrats and 21 percent who are registered Republicans.

In the CARA study: — Seventy-eight percent said the U.S. should guarantee basic health care for all citizens.

— Fifty-eight percent said a woman should have the right to choose an abortion.

— Forty-one percent said they believe all human life, from conception to natural death, is sacred.

In the Pew study, the largest segment of the Catholics surveyed, 35 percent, said they are most influenced by personal experience in their thinking about government and public affairs.

The next-largest segment was 23 percent who said they’re most influenced by the news media, followed by 14 percent who cited their education. Just 9 percent said religious beliefs are their biggest influence.

When it comes to deciding questions of right and wrong, “practical experience and common sense” were cited as the strongest influence by 57 percent, followed by 22 percent who said religious teachings and beliefs are their main influences.

According to Pew’s survey of more than 35,000 people nationwide, including more than 8,000 Catholics, the following characteristics define Catholic Americans’ views on political issues. Unless otherwise noted, the figures for Catholics mirror those for the population as a whole within 5 percentage points or less.

— Thirty-six percent describe their politics as conservative, 38 percent say they’re moderates and 18 percent describe themselves as liberals.

— Sixty percent of Catholics

say stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.

— Sixty-four percent say good diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace, compared to 25 percent who said the best way to ensure peace is through military strength.

— Just over half, 55 percent, said the U.S. should concentrate on domestic problems instead of overseas concerns, compared to 36 percent who said “it’s best for the future of the country to be active in world affairs.”

— Sixty-three percent said the government should do more to help the needy and 51 percent said they prefer a bigger government with more services.

— Sixteen percent believe abortion should be legal in all cases, and another

July 11, 2008

32 percent say it should be legal in most cases. Just 18 percent said it should be illegal in all cases; 27 percent said it should be illegal in most cases.

— Seventy-seven percent said they are very satisfied with their family life; another 16 percent are “somewhat satisfied.”

— Seventy-seven percent said they are at least somewhat satisfied with their standard of living.

For the Pew data, the statistical margin of error for the sample of 8,054 Catholics has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points.

CARA’s data, with parts of it gathered over several years, has a statistical margin of error ranging between plus or minus 2.3 percentage points and plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 9

faithful citizenship

N.C. bishops launch Catholic Voice NC Web site WEB SITE, from page 1

and caring for the least among us means supporting leaders and policies that promote the common good and protect society’s most vulnerable members,” said Bishop Jugis to reporters, news cameras and crowd of approximately 50 people.

Bishop Burbidge concurred in stating, “Catholics bring a lot of experience to the political dialogue. We have worked for centuries in education, health care and social services to serve the public and to make our society better.”

The bishops invited interested Catholics to visit the Web site and to register. The site contains background information, statements from the bishops and documents from the Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on four issues on which Catholic Voice NC will initially focus — anti-abortion, stem-cell research, immigration and endof-life issues such as euthanasia.

Catholics and others who register on the Web site will receive newsletters from the two bishops regarding legislation under consideration in Raleigh.

In addition, registered participants will receive occasional e-mail alerts from the bishops asking them to contact legislators about specific legislation.

The Web site will identify the legislators involved and will supply the participants with contact information for each legislator. Participants also will have the ability to send e-mails directly to legislators.

Catholic Voice NC is working with VoterVoice, a Louisiana-based Web company that provides similar database support to statewide Catholic conferences around the country. It provides the services used to match Catholics from throughout a particular state with their respective legislators.

Bishop Jugis pledged to reporters that neither diocese nor VoterVoice will sell, loan or give any of the personal information gathered to any individual or organization.

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“... Caring for the least among us means supporting leaders and policies that promote the common good and protect society’s most vulnerable members.”

— Bishop Peter J. Jugis

Courtesy Photo

Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte, along with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh, announces the launch of Catholic Voice NC outside the State Legislative Building in Raleigh July 2.

Also at the press conference Bishop Burbidge announced Catholic Voice NC will conduct a survey of the positions held by legislative candidates and candidates for governor.

The candidates will be asked whether they support or oppose legislation across a wide range of issues, including abortion, immigration, embryonic stemcell research, same-sex marriage and the death penalty.

Survey results will be published in late September on the Web site, as well as in The Catholic News & Herald and NC Catholics, a publication of the Diocese of Raleigh.

Since the bishops’ announcement, the Catholic Voice NC Web site has been

well trafficked, registering an average of approximately 100 new participants per day.

Catholic Voice NC will seek additional participants through advertising in diocesan media and bulletin inserts.

The N.C. legislature is expected to continue its short session until late July.

Three pieces of legislation currently being watched by Catholic Voice NC are a constitutional amendment that would stipulate marriage as the union of one man and one woman only; a “Choose Life” specialty license plate, which raises funds for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers; and support for the Senate version of the School Violence Protection Act. Detailed information about each initiative can be found on the Catholic Voice NC Web site.

After the November general election, the legislature will convene anew in January 2009.

Funding for Catholic Voice NC is shared equally by the two dioceses.

David Hains is communications director for the Diocese of Charlotte.

July 11, 2008

10 The Catholic News & Herald

Culture Watch

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

Carmelites honor Father Kavanaugh for life’s work as translator

by PAT MORRISON catholic news service

TOLEDO, Ohio — Discalced Carmelite Father Kieran Kavanaugh has reached a milestone as a translator of Carmelite spiritual classics.

With this year’s publication of the second and final volume of “The Collected Letters of St. Teresa of Avila” by the Washington-based Institute of Carmelite Studies, Father Kavanaugh has now translated all of the works of the Carmelite mystics and spiritual giants St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila for the contemporary English-speaking world.

To mark the 50 years of Father Kavanaugh’s life’s work and the completion of the translation project, his Carmelite confreres at the institute contributed essays to a book honoring the priest-translator, titled “A Better Wine: Essays Celebrating Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD.” “A Better Wine” takes its title from the story in John’s Gospel of the wedding at Cana, in which, after Jesus changes water into wine, the steward announces to the wedding’s host, “You have saved the better wine until now.”

According to the book’s editor, Discalced Carmelite Father Kevin Culligan, the title is an apt one to celebrate Father Kavanaugh’s life and ministry: Eucharist — bread and wine becoming the body and blood of Christ — is transformation without parallel; the contemplative living taught by the Carmelite saints is similarly God’s great work of transformation of the human person.

Thus, the Cana image seemed doubly appropriate to celebrate “a Carmelite priest whose ministry for 50 years has been the transformation of our lives in God through love,” Father Culligan said in a phone interview.

The nine essays by Carmelite scholars range from St. Teresa’s Christology, to a psychological interpretation of a selected chapter of St. John’s “Dark Night,” and learning how to meditate.

The 353-page volume also includes

essays on the Holy Spirit, Mary, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Teresa’s humor, modern concentration camp Carmelite martyrs St. Edith Stein and Father Jacques Bunel, and the contemporary influence of the Carmelite mystical school.

The celebratory volume has been a long-awaited gift for Father Kavanaugh.

It was first planned for his 75th birthday, then for his 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood.

When “A Better Wine” came off the press last year, the timing was even more significant: The order presented the book just as Father Kavanaugh completed his translation of the last volume of St. Teresa’s letters — an accomplishment that effectively marked the close of his lifetime of translating the works of St. John and St. Teresa.

Since 1957 — almost his entire priestly ministry — the Milwaukee native has dedicated his life to translating the thousands of pages that comprise the works of the 16th-century Spanish Carmelite spiritual masters, Sts. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, from the original Spanish into standard American English.

The fresh translations — which Father Kavanaugh regularly updated with new scholarship — have helped to bring the spiritual teachings of these two famous but often previously unread Carmelite saints into the lives of modern scholars of all religious traditions. Today these affordable translations are available from the United States to the Philippines, and from Africa to Great Britain.

Father Kavanaugh is not only known for his translations, but is also an internationally recognized expert on Carmelite saints and spirituality. His 10-page bibliography lists 82 published articles, essays, reviews and translations on Carmelite themes, published in English, Spanish and Italian.

Currently, he is the Washington province’s postulator, or promoter, of causes for canonization of Discalced Carmelite friars, nuns and lay members.

WORD TO LIFE

Sunday Scripture Readings: jULY 20, 2007

July 20, Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A Readings: 1) Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 2) Romans 8:26-27 Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

God sees our hearts, knows our prayers

by JEFF HEDGLEN catholic news service

Years ago, tragedy struck a family when the son was skipping school and goofing around with some friends and an air-powered BB gun. This was a recipe for disaster. Just before the party ended, the son was shot in the head. The BB hit him in the center of his forehead and went halfway into his brain. He was rushed to the hospital.

By the time I arrived he was in surgery, and I went looking for the family. When I found them the scene was a restless concoction of fear, shock, prayer, tears, blind hope, loss, faith, despair and numbness.

The doctors finally came out and told the family that their son’s condition was not good. Even if he survived, they said, there was no guarantee that this honor student would ever walk again, much less finish high school.

But over the next several years, many hours of therapy and hard work saw this young man graduate from high school, and now he is working on his second college degree.

Long after the accident his mother recalled what she felt in that waiting room. She said she had been so numb that she couldn’t find the words to pray.

This woman who I consider to be deeply faith-filled, wanted to call out to her savior, but no words would come.

The only thing she could get her brain to say to God was the prayers of the rosary.

Her family had prayed it every time they got in the car when she was a child, and so these prayers were imbedded within her.

This is the form of prayer that St. Paul speaks of when he says: “And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.”

Through the tear-filled prayers of the rosary beads, the Spirit of God interceded for this mother in her greatest hour of need.

Just because the right words do not come does not mean the prayer is not prayed.

There is no doubt in my mind that the groanings of this mother in the waiting room, while too deep for words, made it to the heart of God. Question: What does knowing that the Spirit intercedes for our inexpressible prayers tell you about God?

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of July 13-19 Sunday (Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Isaiah 55:10-11, Romans 8:18-23, Matthew 13:1-23; Monday (BL. Kateri Tekakwitha), Isaiah 1:10-17, Matthew 10:34--11:1; Tuesday (St. Bonaventure), Isaiah 7:1-9, Matthew 11:20-24; Wednesday (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16, Matthew 11:25-27; Thursday, Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19, Matthew 11:28-30; Friday (St. Camillus de Lellis), Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8, Isaiah 38:10-12,16, Matthew 12:1-8; Saturday, Micah 2:1-5, Matthew 12:14-21.

Scripture for the week of July 20-26 Sunday (Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Wisdom 12:13, 16-19, Romans 8:26-27, Matthew 13:24-43; Monday (St. Lawrence of Brindisi), Micah 6:1-4, 6-8, Matthew 12:38-42; Tuesday (St. Mary Magdalene), Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, John 20:1-2, 11-18; Wednesday (St. Bridget of Sweden), Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10, Matthew 13:1-9; Thursday (St. Sherbel Makhluf), Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13, Matthew 13:10-17; Friday (St. James), 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Matthew 20:20-28; Saturday (Sts. Joachim and Anne), Jeremiah 7:1-11, Matthew 13:24-30.

Scripture for the week of July 27-August 2 Sunday (Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12, Romans 8:28-30, Matthew 13:44-52; Monday, Jeremiah 13:1-11, Deuteronomy 32:18-21, Matthew 13:31-35; Tuesday (St. Martha), Jeremiah 14:17-22, Luke 10:38-42; Wednesday (St. Peter Chrysologus), Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21, Matthew 13:44-46; Thursday (St. Ignatius of Loyola), Jeremiah 18:1-6, Matthew 13:47-53; Friday (St. Alphonsus Liguori), Jeremiah 26:1-9, Matthew 13:54-58; Saturday (St. Eusebius of Vercelli, St. Peter Julian Eymard), Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24, Matthew 14:1-12.

The Catholic News & Herald 11

July 11, 2008

Young actress in ‘Kit Kittredge’ says Bible is her favorite book

by MARIA WIERING catholic news service

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Brieanne Jansen is like a lot of other 11-year-old girls. She enjoys writing stories and singing, and she calls herself a “bookworm.”

This gregarious girl’s favorite read is the Bible, especially the Psalms. Now Brieanne is adding acting to her list of loves after finishing her first major motion picture, “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.”

She auditioned for the part on a whim; her only previous acting experience was in a 45-minute Christmas play at her Presbyterian church.

“I was ecstatic,” she said of hearing she got a part.

She already was a fan of the American Girl books, a series about American girls living during significant historical events.

A native of Ontario, in Canada, Brieanne moved with her family to California in 2001. Nineteen days after the move, her family was held hostage in their 600-square-foot studio apartment by a drug runner evading the police.

The total trust she placed in God during the situation’s terrible 45-minute duration deepened her faith and that of her family, she said.

“I really believe that God was there protecting us,” she said.

The movie’s titular character, Kit Kittredge, is a 10-year-old budding journalist growing up during the Great Depression. She employs her investigative skills to clear the name of a homeless friend after he’s accused of theft.

Brieanne’s character, Frances Stone, is only in about five minutes of the movie, she said.

“Frances is like me, where she can be strong, but she’s a little bit anxious some of the time,” Brieanne said.

CNS photo by Picturehouse

Madison Davenport, Abigail Breslin and Brieanne Jansen star in a scene from the movie “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.”

In the midst of Frances’ efforts to secure her younger sister’s membership in Kit’s treehouse club, the Stone family loses their Cincinnati home to foreclosure and has to eat at a soup kitchen.

Realizing that the plight of Frances’ family in 1934 mirrored those whose homes went into foreclosure in California, Brieanne began a campaign in April to raise $10,000 and 1,000 pounds of food for her local Second Harvest food bank.

She has asked fellow CanadianAmericans and actors to give to the food bank, which serves San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, ranked second and third in the nation for the highest number of foreclosed homes, she said.

Currently, Brieanne is looking for an agent who will honor her commitment only to act in movies depicting Christian values and moral character, she said.

“Kit Kittredge: An American Girl” can teach girls to work hard and keep hope, Brieanne said.

“I think girls should go to this movie because it’s a great movie. ... No matter what you’re looking at in the movie, it will teach you a lesson on something,” she said.

12 The Catholic News & Herald

Archival Anecdota For the month of July, here are some historical facts about Belmont Abbey Basilica.

Pictured is Belmont Abbey Basilica in Belmont circa 1950.

• April 21, 1876: Benedictine Father Herman Wolf arrives at the former Caldwell Farm in Gaston County with two students to establish a priory and school. The newly founded institution is a mission of St. Vincent Abbey in Pennsylvania and officially is placed under the patronage of Mary Help of Christians in 1878.

• Nov. 9, 1884: Maryhelp Priory is elevated from priory to abbey status, thereby making it independent of St. Vincent Abbey (now Archabbey) in Pennsylvania.

• July 14, 1885: Benedictine Father Leo Haid is elected first abbot of Maryhelp Abbey.

• July 1, 1888: Abbot Haid is consecrated bishop by Cardinal James Gibbons and becomes the third and final vicar apostolic of North Carolina.

• April 11, 1894: Maryhelp Church is dedicated by Cardinal Gibbons.

• June 8, 1910: Belmont Abbey is elevated to rank of Abbatia Nullius Dioecesis, the only abbey in the United States ever to hold that rank. An Abbatia Nullius is outside the jurisdiction of any diocese and therefore its abbot enjoys a dignity like a bishop and its church is elevated to the rank of cathedral.

• Jan. 1, 1977: Belmont Abbey’s Abbatia Nullius is suppressed and Maryhelp Church loses its status as a cathedral.

• July 27, 1998: Maryhelp Church, Belmont Abbey elevated to rank of basilica.

• March 22, 1999: Maryhelp Church solemnly proclaimed the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.

Interesting Facts — Father Jeremiah O’Connell, a missionary priest who was once pastor of historic St. Joseph Church in Mount Holly, bought and donated the land known as the Caldwell Farm to the Benedictine monks of St. Vincent Abbey (Pennsylvania) through thenBishop James Gibbons.

— St. Katherine Drexel donated $4,000 for the construction of the Belmont Abbey Basilica.

Mercy Sister Mary Annette McBennett: 1919-2008

Sister remembered for loyalty, devotion, ministry

Archive Photo

Significant Dates

July 11, 2008

around the diocese

Abbey Motto “In his first month at the abbey, [Abbot Leo] Haid happened upon a brother about to fell a cedar near the front entrance of the chapel.

The abbot stopped the effort with the Latin command ‘crescat,’ which means ‘let it grow.’ The ‘crescat tree,’ as it came to be known, then stood until 1960 when lightning finished what the brother had started.

“The image of the tree was impaled in 1885 on the abbot’s and the abbey’s first escutcheon, and ‘crescat’ was designated Maryhelp’s motto.”

— Benedictine Father Pascal Baumstein, “My Lord of Belmont,” p. 71 Maryhelp Church “[Father Felix] Hintemeyer told [Abbot Leo] Haid to start building the grand brick church he really wanted, knowing he could not possibly meet the expense, but having the courage to trust God to provide. …And so, at Hintemeyer’s insistence, Leo Haid embarked on the construction of a sixty thousand dollar ‘cathedral,’ the largest Roman Catholic Church in the state, with no earthly means of financing it.”

— Father Baumstein, “My Lord of Belmont,” p. 115 Description of Maryhelp Church interior after construction “The arched ceiling was painted light blue, and covered with gold fleurs-de-lis. The sanctuary … was bordered by a gilt railing of butternut” with an “Episcopal throne, 26 feet in height, approached by three oak steps. …The main altar, and this too was of gilt oak, stood 36 feet in height and included three niches with blue ceilings dotted with stars…” and “…at its highest pinnacle an arresting statue of Maryhelp in support of the Christ child. …Maryhelp was flanked by images of Saints Joachim and Anne.

Scholastica and Benedict had altars to the side.”

— Father Baumstein, “My Lord of Belmont,” pgs. 122-123

BELMONT — Mercy Sister Mary Annette McBennett died at Marian Center at Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont June 9. She was 88.

Received as a Sister of Mercy Feb. 2, 1938, Sister McBennett was in her 70th year as a Sister of Mercy.

A Mass of Christian burial was held June 12 at Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Chapel, with burial following at Belmont Abbey Cemetery.

Sister McBennett was born Sept. 10, 1919 in Fayetteville, N.C. Her secular name was Alice Annette McBennett; she took the name Sister Mary Annette upon entering the Sisters of Mercy in 1937.

Sister McBennett received a bachelor’s degree in education from the Catholic University of America in 1946 and a master’s degree in library science in 1956.

From 1940 to 1946, she ministered at schools in the Charlotte and Newton Grove areas. She was then assigned — along with Mercy Sisters Mary Louise Wiesenforth and Mary Inez Underwood, her fellow pioneer members from the Sisters of Mercy N.C. Regional Community — to Guam, charged with establishing a new foundation there.

“My ministry on Guam began immediately following World War II and it was both a delight and an eye-opener,” she said.

She returned to the United States in 1950 and, until 1956, ministered in schools in the Charlotte, Wilmington and Asheville areas.

From 1956 to 1960, Sister McBennett served as novice directress for the Regional Community. From 1960 to 1978, she taught and served as campus library director at Sacred Heart College.

She served as chairperson and secretary-treasurer for the North Carolina unit of the Catholic Library Association, and has been a member of various library scholarly associations. She held the position of parliamentarian of the Sisters Senate for the Diocese of Charlotte in 1972, and gave numerous talks around the country and wrote for several publications.

In 1978, Sister McBennett received her certificate in pastoral care from St. Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.

Mercy Sister Mary Annette McBennett In 1979, she began the Pastoral Care Department at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Asheville. In 1985, she started the same department at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte.

In 1996, she returned to Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont to institute a reading room and library for the residents. Until her death, Sister McBennett continued her pastoral care by visiting and praying with the Sisters and family members who reside in the Marian Center.

Her lively sense of humor, loyalty and devotion to her many dear friends were certainly keynotes in her community life.

She is survived by her regional community and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, Sacred Heart Convent, 100 Mercy Drive, Belmont, NC 28012-4805.

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July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 13

from the cover

Relics of martyrs to visit churches throughout N.C.

The relics of six Mexican priests who were mar tyred for the faith during the religious persecution in Mexico in the 1920s are seen on display at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, Colo., May 7, 2006. The relics will visit cities throughout the country — including four in the Diocese of Charlotte this month — in a tour promoted by the Knights of Columbus.

RELICS, from page 1

CNS photo by James Baca, Denver Catholic Register

25 Mexican martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 began a pilgrimage in Mexico City in September 2005 to mark the centennial of the Knights of Columbus in Mexico.

Since then, the relics have visited churches all over the United States.

“This pilgrimage seeks to promote knowledge of and devotion to the Knights of Columbus priest martyrs of Mexico and all those who sacrificed their lives for their faith during the Mexican persecution,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson in a 2006 interview.

“This pilgrimage seeks to promote knowledge of and devotion to the Knights of Columbus priest martyrs ....”

— Carl Anderson Each of the six whose relics were displayed — Sts. Pedro de Jesus Maldonado, Luis Batis Sainz, Jose Maria Robles Hurtado, Mateo Correa Megallanes, Miguel del la Mora de la Mora and Rodrigo Aguilar Aleman — was a priest and a member of the Knights of Columbus. All 25 were martyred during the persecution of the church in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s.

During that time thousands of missionaries were expelled from Mexico, Catholic seminaries and schools were closed, and the church was forbidden to own property. Priests and laypeople were told to denounce Jesus and their faith in public — if they refused, they faced not just punishment, but torture and even death.

The relics are scheduled to arrive in North Carolina July 11. The pilgrimage will begin in Raleigh July 12 and will include stops in both the dioceses of Raleigh and Charlotte.

The relics will arrive with a supreme escort and will be accompanied by a past state deputy of the Knights of Columbus.

Each church will host the relics for one day only.

Scheduled visits at churches in the Diocese of Charlotte include Divine Redeemer Church in Boonville July 14, St. Aloysius Church in Hickory July 15, St. Joseph Church in Kannapolis July 16 and Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe July 17.

Contributing to this article was Catholic News Service.

WANT MORE INFO? For more information on the six Mexican martyrs, visit www.kofc. org/un/eb/en/news/releases/detail/ 27808.html.

July 11, 2008

14 The Catholic News & Herald

Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

Someone else will ‘a-sweepy’

Volunteers who clean up parish are serving God, bringing heavenly order “Someone else will a-sweepy!”

That’s what our maintenance man, Thomas Paul (T.P.) usually says when he encounters a mess someone left behind.

When he says it, he is not too happy — because the “someone else” who will “a-sweepy” is usually T.P. Some people make a habit of leaving church events early, always assuming that the cleaning up will magically get done by someone else.

They are right about that, of course.

But it will fall on the same loyal and sturdy parishioners who always stay around for the cleanup.

A Dominican priest I know says it is no different in religious orders. Some people are always at the service of the community while others freeload.

“The true measure of a community man is whether or not they are around for the cleanup,” he says.

Like most Catholic parishes, we have a lot of cleaning up. We have five big buildings, acres and acres of lawn, a parking lot, cemetery and athletic fields.

Our buildings are full of kitchens and bathrooms. We have six kitchens and, at last count, 16 bathrooms of varying sizes.

We also have locker rooms, dressing rooms, sacristies and nurseries. Every room has a closet. Every building has a storage shed. Some buildings have basements. It is a law of nature that every empty space fills up with junk.

It takes a lot of community men and women to keep things in order.

Fortunately, I have a lot of helpers.

More than 250 people give at least one hour per week to our parish, much of it in cleaning, raking, pruning, weeding, cutting, polishing, washing, ironing and, of course, sweeping.

We could not function without every goodhearted volunteer.

I figure even the pastor should take a turn at the cleaning. It is good for the soul.

Every now and then I go on a cleaning binge and clean out some closet or pantry. This usually happens when I have a writing deadline.

My secretary says she knows when I have an article due because I start organizing the parish library.

Cleaning things is the time-tested cure for writer’s block. Somebody once asked Hemingway how to start writing a novel. He said, “First thing, defrost the refrigerator.”

Anyway, I think nothing is as spiritually cleansing as a good scrubbing of the kitchen floor. It is therapy.

Sometimes when you open a closet or refrigerator door, you see the need

Parish Diary FATHER PETER DALY cns columnist

for cleansing grace.

God is in order. After all, it is God who brings order out of chaos in the creation in Genesis. As Alexander Pope remarked, “Order is heaven’s first law.”

Volunteers who serve their fellow parishioners by staying around for the cleanup are serving God too. They are bringing heavenly order.

My Dominican friend also says, “Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.”

The most important thing I can do is thank people for their efforts, especially considering active volunteers don’t usually expect to be thanked, and they seldom complain.

Usually it is people who seldom go to church who complain. It is the weddings-and-funerals Catholic who is the first to complain that the toilet paper has run out in the ladies room or the kids have spilled the hand soap on the floor.

Things don’t have to be sterile, just in good order. It takes a little effort from everyone.

Next time you go to a parish event, look at the pile of trash generated. Then hang around for the cleanup and see how much work it is.

Don’t walk out thinking, “Someone else will a-sweepy!”

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The point is not the prestige pregnancy pact Attention should be focused on cause, not outcome, of story If you hear a giant clacking sound, it might be thousands of computer keyboards as would-be script writers work furiously to be the first to create a TV “Movie of the Week” based on the events in a New England fishing town.

A title could be “Prestige Pregnancy Pact.”

The background, of course, is the statistics-defying increase in pregnancies among sophomore girls at a Gloucester, Mass., high school. The 17 reported pregnancies are four times as many as had occurred at the school the previous year.

What thrust the story into international headlines was an article in Time magazine in which high school principal Joseph Sullivan said eight of the girls made a pact to become pregnant and raise their babies together.

What is interesting is how the story played out: civic face-saving, semantic arguments, high school birth control, even a little bit of anti-Catholic bigotry.

Everything was a matter for discussion and concern — except the most important thing: the cause.

No one disputes as fact that 17 girls at the high school became pregnant this year. A Time magazine reporter looking into that aberration talked with Sullivan, who said several students sought pregnancy tests several times.

When told the results, “some girls seemed more upset when they weren’t pregnant than when they were,” said Sullivan, who was prompted to talk with the 17 students.

That word — pact — did it. Rather than concern about an exponential increase in teenage pregnancies, the town politicos zeroed in on “pact”: Was there or wasn’t there one?

Dictionaries define “pact” as to agree to or to contract, to be a formal agreement such as between nations.

N e w s o rg a n i z a t i o n s f l o o d e d Gloucester with cable, broadcast trucks and satellite dishes.

The mayor convened a closed-door meeting with city, school and health leaders. Next she appeared before banks of microphones, saying there is absolutely no evidence of “any planned blood oath bond to become pregnant.”

There’s no evidence of a “pact”?

These are early teens, not United Nations delegates. These are eight girls — none older than 16 — with the planning skills of cocker spaniel puppies who no doubt did not sit at a table and execute any sort of formal agreement.

The fact is that there are 17 unwed soon-to-be mothers who may be pawns in arguments over school health policies.

The school health clinic is administered by the town hospital.

The school’s nurse practitioner, after administering 150 pregnancy tests, conferred with the pediatrician. Both

Consider This STEPHEN KENT cns columnist

advocated providing contraceptives without parental consent. The hospital director rejected this idea; the two resigned in protest.

Then there is this in an Associated Press article: “The heavily Roman Catholic town, which has a large Italian and Portuguese population, has long been supportive of teen mothers. The high school has a day care center for students and employees.”

Wink, wink, nudge in the side: “Oh those fanatically fertile Catholic types.”

Whether or not there was a pact is irrelevant. How closely this mirrors some Hollywood fiction is irrelevant.

Political arguments over the school’s health policies are irrelevant.

Parents there have a profound lack of understanding of their children.

They should look to reasons for their daughters’ low self-esteem, for creating and allowing such misunderstanding of parenting rather than posturing in the media about the meaning of a pact.

Gloucester was the home port of the fishing boat featured in the “The Perfect Storm,” a movie about a confluence of weather factors that came together to create disaster.

The present situation is not life imitating Hollywood, which has yet to imagine such a plot.

The Gloucester situation more closely resembles “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” — or to ruin several.

July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 15

Pope says St. Paul represents sublime figure for today’s Christians

The blessed Eucharist

Jesus helps us produce rich, abundant good fruit

Many Catholics who receive holy Communion weekly do not have a clear conviction that the risen Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.

They don’t seem to connect with him on the level of true faith.

By reducing the reception of holy Communion to a pious ritual with no belief in the central meaning of this holy sacrament, they miss so much.

In one of Thomas Merton’s final letters written before his journey to the Orient, from which he never returned, he expressed his views on the Eucharist in this way: “As for the topic of the Real Presence, I am living in a hermitage where I now have the Blessed Sacrament, which is a great blessing, a very great help in prayer and meditation, in fact a quite indescribable privilege.

“The people who dilute the idea of the Real Presence, it seems to me, are the ones who have forgotten the meaning of prayer” (The Tablet of London, December 1968).

“Every commitment to holiness, every activity aimed at carrying out the church’s mission, every work of pastoral planning must draw the strength it needs from the eucharistic mystery,” wrote Pope John Paul II in “Ecclesia de Eucharistia.”

“In the Eucharist we have Jesus ... we have the gift of the Holy Spirit,

we have the love of the Father,” he wrote. “Were we to disregard the Eucharist, how could we overcome our deficiency?”

St. Paul saw the meaning of the Eucharist so clearly: “In him we live and breathe and have our being.”

This sacrament of the church confirms the immanence of God. With Christ’s presence among us, we learn that the Eucharist is infinitely more than a pious symbol; it is truly the body and blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine.

Jesus shares his very life with us in a most intimate, life-giving way.

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council back in the 1960s consisted of about 2,000 bishops from all over the world. In union with Pope Paul VI they proclaimed the Eucharist “the source and summit of the Christian life” (“Lumen Gentium”).

The section of another encyclical on the Eucharist that really appeals to me — Pope John Paul’s “Ecclesia de Eucharistia” — says: “It is also a source of joy to note that Catholic ministers, in certain particular cases, are able to administer the sacrament of the Eucharist, penance and the anointing of the sick, to Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, but who greatly desire to receive these sacraments, and freely

Spirituality for Today FATHER JOHN CATOIR cns columnist

request them, and manifest the faith, which the Catholic Church professes.”

The Eucharist is also called the “Bread of Angels;” but you don’t have to be an angel to draw strength from this heavenly food.

What you do have to be, however, is a true believer in the real presence of the risen Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.

Some reason falsely that we don’t need a personal savior or a belief system in order to be spiritually alive. To me, the idea that you can cut the branch off the vine and still hope to produce grapes makes no sense.

We Catholics are truly privileged people. Let us be on guard to profess our true faith in this precious gift. Jesus Christ comes to help us produce rich, abundant good fruit.

Oh, that rainbow!

We encircled Dad’s coffin, each leaving a flower. Suddenly, the sun burst through the clouds, revealing the most extraordinary rainbow any of us had ever seen! We believed it meant Dad was with us.

About 10 years ago Claire Twitchell, a reader of my columns, sent me a story that emphasized again for me that there may be more to rainbows than a weather phenomenon. She wrote that her family had been given a “gift” after her granddaughter Rebecca was killed in a car crash.

Claire related that Rebecca’s mom, Terece, had always called her daughter her “rainbow girl.” She even had a big picture of a rainbow Rebecca had drawn stuck to the refrigerator door with a rainbow magnet.

Terece asked her daughter’s spirit to help her get through this ordeal by sending her a sign — a rainbow — to let her know she was all right.

Well, not only did the family get a rainbow the next day, it was the most magnificent rainbow they had ever seen — a great big band of colors that came down out of the clouds. Every color was represented, vivid and bright, intensifying as the family watched, Claire said.

Rainbows have a sacred origin,

POPE BENEDICT XVI Editor’s note: The pope is on his summer break. This is from last week’s audience.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — To learn about Christ and how to live the right way, today’s Christians should look to St. Paul, Pope Benedict XVI said at his last weekly general audience before his summer break.

St. Paul the Apostle represents a “sublime and almost inimitable figure” who serves as an example because of his “total dedication to the Lord and his church, as well as his great openness to humanity and its cultures,” the pope said July 2.

In his first audience after the June 28 opening of the Pauline year, the pope said the catechesis would be the first of a series dedicated to learning more about this “stimulating figure.”

The jubilee year will run until June 29, 2009, in commemoration of the 2,000th anniversary of the apostle’s birth.

The weekly general audiences are scheduled to resume Aug. 13.

Here is the Vatican text of the pope’s remarks in English.

Symbol of God’s covenant often appears when most needed Anyone aware of the honors given to Tim Russert, the longtime moderator of “Meet the Press,” after his untimely death on June 20 had to be impressed with how he was repeatedly characterized: “He was a faithful, devout Catholic.”

Similar accolades were heard subsequently at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington: Tim Russert had remained ever devoted to his Catholic faith, his Jesuit training, and his family and friends.

This good man left us with a clear reminder of what a joy and a privilege it was for him to be a Catholic.

Then there was one last gift witnessed by family and friends leaving Russert’s memorial. There in the sky was a huge, beautiful rainbow arching over the buildings.

From the comments it was evident that some saw this as some kind of heavenly sign about Russert’s new homeland!

Oh, that rainbow! Seeing it on the TV screen immediately took me back to the day my seven brothers and sisters and I drove through torrential rain to the cemetery after the burial Mass for our father. We were very grateful when the rain suddenly stopped when we got to the site.

The Pope Speaks

The Bottom Line ANTOINETTE BOSCO cns columnist

going all the way back to the Book of Genesis, which tells how God told Noah that the rainbow would be the sign of the covenant established between himself and “every living thing found on earth”: “I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant” (9:13-15).

Poet James Weldon Johnson penned a picture of this promise: “And God smiled again, “And the rainbow appeared, “And curled itself around his shoulder.”

It’s not hard for me to believe that curled within God’s arms — and the rainbow — are his good people who have traveled to him before us.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Last Sunday, the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul, marked the beginning of a year dedicated to the figure and teaching of the Apostle Paul.

Today’s audience begins a new series of catecheses aimed at understanding more deeply the thought of St. Paul and its continuing relevance.

Paul, as we know, was a Jew, and consequently a member of a distinct cultural minority in the Roman Empire.

At the same time, he spoke Greek, the language of the wider Hellenistic culture, and was a Roman citizen.

Paul’s proclamation of the Risen Christ, while grounded in Judaism, was marked by a universalist vision and it was facilitated by his familiarity with three cultures. He was thus able to draw from the spiritual richness of contemporary philosophy, and Stoicism in particular, in his preaching of the Gospel.

The crisis of traditional GrecoRoman religion in Paul’s time had also fostered a greater concern for a personal experience of God. As we see from his sermon before the Areopagus in Athens (cf. Acts 17:22ff.), Paul was able to appeal to these currents of thought in his presentation of the Good News.

Against this broad cultural background, Paul developed his teaching, which we will explore in the catecheses of this Pauline Year.

July 11, 2008

The Catholic News & Herald 16

in the news

Strengthened in faith Eucharistic Congress attendees embrace the ‘Living Bread’

by ANDREW NELSON catholic news service

CNS photo by Michael Alexander, Georgia Bulletin

Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin of Charlotte shares some personal stories of his working relationship and friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta during the 13th annual eucharistic congress of the Atlanta Archdiocese, held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, Ga., in late June.

The Diocese of Charlotte

invites you, your family and friends to escape winter and join with Fr. Mo West to

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Carlos Garcia believes that “everyone who comes with an open heart” to the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s annual eucharistic congress “leaves differently.”

“It’s better than going to any sports arena. You feel the love and the presence of the Lord,” said Garcia, a computer administrator at Christ the King Cathedral in Atlanta, Ga. The archdiocese’s 13th annual congress drew 20,000 to 30,000 Catholics to the cavernous Georgia International Convention Center in College Park June 20-21.

The convention center mirrored the diversity of the 750,000 people who pray regularly in the 100 churches and missions in the 69-county archdiocese.

The center’s hallways were jammed with people speaking English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese and other languages.

All had come to hear speakers and join in worship services.

The congress theme was “I Am the Living Bread.” And Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory reminded people in his morning homily June 21 that bread is a food staple across the world.

“This common substance that exists in many and varied forms throughout the human community was chosen to serve as a symbol of God’s bounty and his compassion for his people,” he said.

The congress agenda included a healing Mass June 20 and adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament June 21. Workshop sessions were organized into several tracks.

Speakers included Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin of Charlotte, N.C., who shared personal stories of his working relationship and friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Also speaking was Helen Alvare, an associate professor of family law at George Mason University in Virginia.

She said two of the “essential sacraments” of the church are the Eucharist and marriage. And the relationship between the two is tied together with self-sacrifice, mutual giving and faithfulness, she said.

“These are not theoretical

sacraments; these are not theories about how to live life or how to encounter God,” she said.

Alvare, a former pro-life spokeswoman for the U.S. bishops, said marriage and family life are key issues the culture and the church are facing.

On the debate surrounding samesex marriage, Alvare said the Catholic Church approaches the question from an understanding of marriage, not the morality of homosexuality.

She said many of the court decisions on same-sex marriage wrongly state that marriage has no relationship to human nature, human bodies or the bearing of children, she said.

Speaker Father Ricardo Bailey, the chaplain at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, Ga., said the Eucharist “changes us, it empowers us, but most of all, it causes us to go out and transform the world.”

“That’s why in essence we are here, to celebrate who we are, whose we are, and what it is God calls us to become,” the priest said.

About 500 volunteers worked during the two days of the congress. Organizers needed 10,000 hosts to distribute for Communion.

They needed 128 collection baskets, 250 banner stands, 12 wax candles for the altar, and a case of water bottles for purifying the chalices after Mass, among many other things.

Msgr. Joe Corbett, a vicar general for the archdiocese and a key congress organizer, said his favorite part of the event is seeing the tremendous crowds show up year after year.

“The verse from Romans (that says) ‘So we, though many, are one body in Christ’ kept singing in my ears on Friday evening and all day Saturday, as I met parishioners and clergy from some of the many parishes and school communities I visit as vicar general,” he said. “It was a beautiful thing.”

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS The Diocese of Charlotte’s fourth annual Eucharistic Congress will take place at the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 3-4. For more information, visit www.goeucharist.com.