October 23, 2009
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Diocesan Annual Report featured in next week’s issue
Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI OCTOBER 23, 2009
Parish wins international award
SERVING CATHOLICS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE
by
KatIE MOOrE
Special to The Catholic News & Herald
of festivities that culminated with a Mass on Saturday, Oct. 17. Flanked by the Knights of Columbus, a procession consisting of members of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of
CHARLOTTE — As a long-time chaplain for an ancient order dedicated to serving the poor and the sick, Bishop William G. Curlin has led by example. Bishop Curlin, Bishop Emeritus of Charlotte, will be presented with the Cross Pro Piis Meritis, an award given to clergy who have performed outstanding service on behalf of the Order of Malta, in Washington, D.C. Oct. 24. Bishop Curlin was recommended for the award by the Federal association in Washington, D.C., one of three associations of the Order in the United States, and was approved and awarded the recognition by the Sovereign Council of the Order headquartered in Rome. Officially known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, the Order of Malta was established to care for pilgrims during the Crusades. Today it is an active lay Catholic religious order and a worldwide humanitarian network. The members, called knights and dames, commit to live as defenders of the Catholic faith and to perform works of mercy. There are about 13,000 members worldwide, with 3,000 in the United States — divided into the American, Western and Federal associations. Bishop Curlin has been a chaplain for the order for the past 21 years and established a chapter of the Order of Malta in the Diocese of Charlotte in 1995.
See BASILICA, page 9
See MALTA, page 5
by DavID haINs DIrECtOr OF COMMuNICatION
See St. PIUS, page 7
No. 44
Bishop Curlin honored by Order of Malta
St. Pius X recognized for stewardship
GREENSBORO – For encouraging and fostering the gifts of stewardship over decades, St. Pius X Church received the Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy Award from the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC) on Oct. 14. The annual award recognizes one parish in the world for its effective long-term stewardship effort. The award was presented at the annual ICSC conference in Dallas, Texas. St. Pius X is the eleventh parish to win the award. The 10 other award winners come from American cities as diverse as Youngstown, Ohio and Houston, Texas. Tracy Welliver, pastoral
VOLUME 18
courtesy photo
the most reverend william G. curlin, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of charlotte, blesses a young boy during a pilgrimage to lourdes, France. members of the Order of malta take groups of sick and disabled people on annual pilgrimages to lourdes. bishop curlin, who serves as chaplain for the order, has led the pilgrimage for the past 17 years.
Basilica of St. Lawrence celebrates jubilee Over one hundred years of faith in Asheville by CarOlE MCGrOtty Special to The Catholic News & Herald photo by tim reid
clergy, parishioners and visitors fill the basilica of St. lawrence in Asheville for the centennial jubilee mass Oct. 17. bishop Peter J. Jugis celebrated the mass. the church was designed by renowned architect rafael Guastavino who came to the mountains of North carolina to construct the biltmore House.
ASHEVILLE — Rooted in the past but always moving toward the future, Asheville’s Basilica of St. Lawrence celebrated its centennial jubilee of church dedication in a week
Culture Watch
Around the Diocese
In our Schools
Ecumenical quality control; Sell the Vatican?
RCIA achievement award; Smoky Mountain Strike
Honest Abe visits; Socking it to cancer; Fire truck fun
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