July 18, 2025

At a glance

JULY 18, 2025

VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 20

1123 S. CHURCH ST.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@rcdoc.org

704-370-3333

PUBLISHER

The Most Reverend

Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte

INDEX

Contact us 2

Español 12

Our Diocese 4-10

Our Faith 3

Scripture 3, 12

U.S. news 14-15

Viewpoints 18-19

World news 16-17

AfterCATHOLIC ALL WEEK

Timely tips for blending faith & life

more than a decade without its most famous vacationer, the quiet Italian town of Castel Gandolfo can once again count the pope among its summer residents. Pope Leo XIV became the 16th pope to reside in the papal summer residence when he moved there for the month of July. Before leaving Rome, the pope told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, “I hope that everyone will be able to enjoy some vacation time in order to restore both body and spirit.”

Inspired by the pope’s summer residence, here are a few ways to restore your spirit:

PLANT A GARDEN

There is something both grounding and sacred about spending time in a garden, as it can help you feel connected to nature and inspired by the beauty of God’s creation. The gardens of the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo are home to the “Borgo Laudato Si’” project, which Pope Francis set up to promote ecology education. There are online sources that offer easy tips to help you create an eco-friendly garden using native plants that minimize the need for watering.

STAFF

EDITOR: Trish Stukbauer

704-370-3392, tmstukbauer@rcdoc.org

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@rcdoc.org

MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER: David Puckett

704-808-4521, dwpuckett@rcdoc.org

EDITORIAL TEAM: Kimberly Bender 704-370-3394, kdbender@rcdoc.org Lisa Geraci 704-370-3294, lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

Troy C. Hull 704-370-3288, tchull@rcdoc.org Christina Lee Knauss 704-370-0783, clknauss@rcdoc.org

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Amelia Kudela 704-370-3333, catholicnews@rcdoc.org

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Liz Chandler 704-370-3336, lchandler@rcdoc.org

ASSISTANT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@rcdoc.org

THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year.

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ENJOY TIME ON THE WATER

Castel Gandolfo sits on the edge of a volcanic crater overlooking Lake Albano. Closer to home, you can spend time near the water at one of North Carolina’s many lakes, rivers or streams, hike in the mountains or along an urban trail, or pack a picnic lunch and head to a local park to reflect.

Diocesan calendar of events

ESPAÑOL

VIÑEDO DE RAQUEL ¿Es usted o un ser querido que busca la curación de los efectos de un aborto anterior? Los retiros de fin de semana son ofrecidos por Caridades Católicas para hombres y mujeres en todas las regiones de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Para obtener información, comuníquese con Karina Hernández: 336-267-1937 o karinahernandez@live.com. PRAYER SERVICES

IGBO MASS : 11:30 a.m. Sunday, July 20, St. Mary’s Church, 812 Duke St., Greensboro. Parking is available at the adjacent Windsor Center. For details, call Dr. Godfrey Uzochukwu, coordinator, at 336-707-3625.

VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS : St. Patrick Cathedral hosts a vigil to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary each first Friday through first Saturday. Mass will be at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, followed by an overnight Adoration that ends with a Mass at 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2.

COOK TOGETHER

Time with family in the kitchen is priceless, as it gives you opportunities to talk about your days. We have assembled some links online to lighter authentic Italian recipes that are ideal for hotter summer days.

Learn more at www.prolifecharlotte.org/two-hearts.

2MASS WITH ANOINTING OF THE SICK : 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, St. Luke Church, 9800 Fairview Road, Mint Hill. Anointing of the sick is available for those who need healing from physical or mental illness, or for someone who will be undergoing surgery. Sponsored by the parish’s HOPE Committee. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-545-1224.

5TH AND 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS : Bishop

Michael Martin will celebrate the diocese’s annual Mass for couples commemorating their 25th or 50th wedding anniversaries at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, followed by a reception. Register at www.charlottediocese.org/form-wedding-anniversary-mass.

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

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

Visit www.catholicnewsherald.com to see Bishop Michael Martin’s full schedule of events.

Our faith

‘God’s Doorkeeper’ exemplified the power of listening

CATHERINE ODELL OSV News

Though Blessed Solanus Casey died many decades ago, Detroit has never forgotten the Capuchin Franciscan priest, whose feast day is July 30. Authentic and approachable, Father Solanus (18701957) was a soft-spoken friar and son of Irish immigrants. He loved hot dogs with onions, shooting pool, family reunions and practical jokes. He was devoted to the Detroit Tigers.

Most of all, he loved God and helping others. In 1929, four days after the stock market crash, Father Solanus helped start a soup kitchen. As automobile factories closed, it was feeding between 1,500 and 3,000 people a day. Even with this great legacy, in the eyes of many it was undoubtedly his ministry of prayer and healing that made him a saint. However, it requires more than a legacy and life devoted to prayer and healing to be officially recognized by the Church as a blessed or saint. On May 4, 2017, speaking to an excited and joyous crowd at the Solanus Casey Center in St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit, Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron explained that the miracle needed for the beatification of Solanus Casey had been approved in September 2016 by the Holy See’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The miracle involved a woman with an incurable, congenital skin disease. She was visiting friends in Detroit and asked to go to the Solanus Center to pray at the tomb of Father Solanus. She wanted to pray for others who needed healing. While praying, she heard a voice within saying, “Pray for yourself.” She did, and was instantly cured.

FROM FARM TO CALLING

frontier, and every young Casey child helped to support the family.

There was a spiritual depth in Barney that stood out, even in his large, busy family. He was deeply committed to prayer. At the same time, he was witty, handsome, athletic and strong. He was a fearless catcher for family baseball games.

At 18, he fell in love with Rebecca Tobin. After he proposed marriage, Rebecca’s mother refused to give her consent and sent Rebecca away to boarding school. Shaken and sad, Barney continued working for some years as a streetcar conductor.

After years of soul-searching, he felt that God was calling him to be a priest.

GOD’S DOORKEEPER

Barney entered the seminary of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee but had to leave because of academic problems. At age 26, he tried again in Detroit, joining the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.

Since the seminary faculty spoke mostly German, Barney was at a disadvantage. His superiors were concerned with his theological knowledge and understanding. When ordination finally came in 1904, he was ordained as a simplex priest, which meant he couldn’t hear confessions or preach homilies.

What limitations these were for a 34-year-old priest who wanted to give everything to God! Though it humiliated him, Father Solanus was obedient and ready for any role. His first pastoral assignments were at Capuchin parishes in New York. Solanus was given simple jobs: acting as doorkeeper, training altar boys, serving as sacristan, moderating the Ladies Sodality.

OSV NEWS | ARCHDIOCESE OF DETROIT Blessed Solanus Casey takes a note from a woman who is visiting him at St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit in 1941. The Capuchin Franciscan friar kept dozens of notebooks filled with prayer requests and favors from the thousands who visited him each year.

York, his Capuchin superiors asked him to keep a record of prayer requests. He also took notes when a healing or an unexplainable turn of events was reported.

NOTEBOOKS OF HOPE

Eventually, Father Solanus filled seven notebooks with notes on more than 6,000 “cases.” On about 700, he later added amazing endings. Among them:

Bernard Francis Casey Jr. was born Nov. 25, 1870, in Oak Grove, Wisconsin. “Barney” was the sixth child of Ellen and Bernard Casey Sr., and, after three boys, the couple decided to give this son his father’s name. More Casey children followed, and eventually there were 16 children in the close-knit Casey clan. They farmed on the Midwestern

EDITOR’S NOTE

Following the practice of previous Holy Fathers, Pope Leo XIV is taking time off in July. His weekly general audiences – which provide the content for his column on this page – will resume on July 30. His column will return after that time.

Parishioners were soon drawn to Father Solanus – finding that the doorkeeper was compassionate, wise and patient – and sought his pastoral care. Unburdened by the usual responsibilities of a parish priest, he had time to listen. God used that. Within a year or two, the lines of visitors wanting to talk with the doorkeeper were long.

While Father Solanus was still in New

Daily Scripture readings

JULY 20-26

Sunday: Gen 18:1-10a, Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5, Col 1:24-28, Lk 10:38-42; Monday: Ex 14:5-18, Ex 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, Mt 12:38-42; Tuesday (Feast of St. Mary Magdalene): Song 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14-17, Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9, Jn 20:1-2, 11-18; Wednesday: Ex 16:1-5, 9-15, Ps 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28, Mt 13:1-9; Thursday: Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b, Dan 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56, Mt 13:10-17; Friday (Feast of St. James, Apostle): 2 Cor 4:7-15, Ps 126:1bc2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6, Mt 20:20-28; Saturday (Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Ex 24:3-8, Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15, Mt 13:24-30

n “Papa went to confession and Holy Communion for the first time in 49 years,” Solanus penned at the end of an entry about a woman asking for prayers for her father, who had left the Church.

n “Walking out of the monastery without assistance” followed his notations on a 46-year-old man who suffered a fractured skull and broken back several weeks earlier in a car accident. The man was carried in to see Father Solanus.

n “Declared entirely cured July 2 without having any operation.” Father Solanus added

JULY 27-AUG. 2

Sunday: Gen 18:20-32, Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8, Col 2:12-14, Lk 11:1-13; Monday: Ex 32:15-24, 30-34, Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23, Mt 13:31-35; Tuesday (Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus): Ex 33:7-11, 34:5b-9, 28, Ps 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42; Wednesday: Ex 34:29-35, Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9, Mt 13:44-46; Thursday (Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest): Ex 40:16-21, 34-38, Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11, Mt 13:4753; Friday (Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church): Lev 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37, Ps 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab, Mt 13:54-58; Saturday: Lev 25:1, 8-17, Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8, Mt 14:1-12

that note to data about 59-year-old Bertha Smith, who had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. She had already had four operations at Detroit’s Ford Hospital.

Capuchin authorities tried to reduce demands made on him, as he rarely got more than five hours of sleep a night. To the frustration of his superiors, Father Solanus found it hard to turn away hurting people.

A terribly painful skin disease plagued Father Solanus in his last years. In the summer of 1957 he was hospitalized. On the morning of July 31, he sat up and stretched out his arms as if on the cross. “I give my soul to Jesus Christ,” he said before falling back and taking his last breath.

In 2017, Father Casey was beatified in Detroit. He is one of the currently few nativeborn North Americans to be beatified.

Today, people come from all over the world to see his tomb and leave prayer requests. He is a model for the value of caring and continues to teach the power of listening.

AUG. 3-9

Sunday: Eccl 1:2, 2:21-23, Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17, Col 3:1-5, 9-11, Lk 12:13-21; Monday (Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest): Num 11:4b-15, Ps 81:12-13, 14-15, 16-17, Mt 14:13-21; Tuesday: Num 12:1-13, Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 6cd-7, 12-13, Mt 14:22-36; Wednesday (Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord): Dan 7:9-10, 13-14, Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9, 2 Pt 1:16-19, Lk 9:28b-36; Thursday: Num 20:1-13, Ps 95:12, 6-7, 8-9, Mt 16:13-23; Friday (Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest): Deut 4:32-40, Ps 77:1213, 14-15, 16 and 21, Mt 16:24-28; Saturday: Deut 6:4-13, Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 47 and 51, Mt 17:14-20

Our diocese

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

Go behind the scenes: Volunteer at 2025

Eucharistic Congress

Calling all friendly faces to volunteer with the 2025 Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress, set for Sept. 5-6 at the Charlotte Convention Center. A variety of volunteer roles are available – including greeters, ushers, procession assistants, information booth attendants and book sales support.

Sign up for a 1.5- to 3-hour shift based on your interests and availability, with shifts starting 6 p.m. Friday and continuing through Saturday’s closing Mass. All Volunteers receive free parking, and Ushers and Youth Track Volunteers also receive a free T-shirt. Be part of the behind-thescenes team that helps make this inspiring event possible. Learn more and sign up at www.goeucharist.com/get-involved.

— Catholic News Herald

St. Mark’s ‘Growing Home’ campaign surpasses goal

HUNTERSVILLE — St. Mark Parish recently announced that it surpassed the goal of its “Growing Home” Capital Campaign with $10.5 million in pledges and gifts against its goal of $9.7 million.

“I am continuously amazed by the giving spirit that pervades our parish,” pastor Father John Putnam wrote, noting that funds raised over the goal will help defray increasing construction costs and reduce the loan amount required to complete the overall project.

The rectory portion of the project has started and is projected to take about a year to complete. The parish hopes to break ground on the Monsignor Bellow Center and Adoration Chapel next summer or early fall.

— Catholic News Herald

Discover North Carolina’s only Catholic music festival

CANDLER — Join Catholic music lovers from across the country at the second annual Kingfisher Folk Fest in Candler on Saturday, Aug. 2.

Hosted by Canongate Catholic High School in Arden, the all-day, all-ages event will feature national and local music consisting largely of Catholic artists, some of which have been featured in outlets such as Rolling Stone and NPR. Joe Pug, a highly respected songwriter and a convert to the Church, will headline the festival. This year’s festival will double in size, with twice as many bands, more vendors, and activities such as jam sessions and called dances.

The Kingfisher Folk Fest will be held 12-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at The Oaks at Daniel Ridge, 818 Monte Vista Road in Candler. Tickets range from $45 for individuals to $120 for families and can be purchased at kingfisherfest.com.

— Catholic News Herald

Diocese weighs $150M initiative to meet parish needs as it slows project for new cathedral

LIZ CHANDLER lchandler@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte is exploring a potential philanthropic initiative of up to $150 million to address critical needs at parishes, schools and ministries across western North Carolina – and is slowing plans for a new cathedral.

Bishop Michael Martin and diocesan officials say a new “mother church” is still needed to replace St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, one of the smallest in the country and unable to host large diocesan liturgies. However, they say other pressing needs in the rapidly growing diocese – now home to approximately 560,000 Catholics –have emerged as higher priorities.

Diocesan leaders continue to study growth trends and potential sites for a future cathedral, but for now St. Patrick will remain the cathedral and St. Mark Church in Huntersville will continue being used for major diocesan liturgies, including ordinations and the Chrism Mass.

In Spring 2024, the diocese began early planning for a new cathedral based on recommendations from a task force of clergy and lay leaders. Although no site or cost had been determined, the task force advised that preparation and fundraising begin soon so construction could start by 2030.

Now, instead of launching a cathedral campaign, the diocese is considering a broader effort to invest in five key areas: parishes, Catholic schools, land acquisition for future growth, Catholic Charities and under-resourced ministries. (See box at right.)

“Our planning and research are helping us crystallize what we need to do now to meet the demands of growth and deliver on our mission of spreading the Gospel,” Bishop Martin told the Catholic News Herald.

The diocese’s Development Office is surveying more than 7,000 previous donors for feedback on the proposed investment plan.

“We want to open up the conversation to donors and other supporters to help set priorities and ensure a successful initiative,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director.

Although a target goal is not yet finalized, the philanthropic effort will likely be the largest since the diocese’s 2013 “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign, which raised $65 million for projects that have made lasting improvements.

BROADER NEEDS REVEALED

Reflecting trends across the South and West, the Catholic population in the diocese has grown more than 50% over the past decade.

Plans for a major fundraising initiative have been in discussion for several years, as parishes and ministries have identified needs across the diocese – including the possibility of a new cathedral.

But a long-range parish planning process launched in 2023 – along with the unprecedented devastation of Tropical Storm Helene last fall – have helped bring

Diocese of Charlotte’s proposed philanthropic initiative

Outreach to people in need

n Expand and endow Catholic Charities

n Provide support for under-resourced parishes and ministries for long-term growth

Strengthen our faith communities

n Fund and endow local parishes’ needs

n Expand and endow Campus Ministry

n Ensure land purchases for future places of worship

Secure our future

n Provide access to and affordability of a Catholic school education

n Deepen investment in the formation of inspired lay leaders

n Further endow seminary and deacon formation

n Renovate and endow the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory

into sharper focus widespread challenges facing the diocese’s 93 parishes, 20 schools and more than 50 ministries, diocesan officials said.

In addition, parishes lined up to submit construction plans of their own before a 2025 moratorium on parish fundraising to clear the way for parishes and the diocese to unite their philanthropic efforts toward the cathedral project.

Over the past two years, parishes, schools, and other diocesan entities

requested approval for nearly 50 major projects involving capital campaigns, ranging from new church buildings, to fellowship halls, to renovations and repairs. Those physical improvements do not include additional needs also identified by parishes and ministries, such as enhancements to evangelization and outreach efforts.

“Based on our growing Catholic population, we were well aware that many of our parishes needed to grow physically, in terms of space and facilities, as well as programmatically in pastoral outreach,” said Emmett Sapp, diocesan director of construction and real estate.

“But our new planning process and the moratorium prompted parishes to think more intentionally about planning for their future,” he said, “and that exposed significantly more improvements they need to keep up with growth.”

CATHEDRAL PLANS ADJUSTED

As the new needs emerged, Bishop Martin was appointed to succeed retiring Bishop Peter Jugis in April 2024, and immediately began evaluating the cathedral project and overall needs across the diocese.

“While every diocese needs a mother church where people can come together with their bishop in communion with Jesus,” he said last August, “I want to look at all of our needs as a faith community and allow for plenty of input from clergy and parishioners as we consider a project of such magnitude.”

Although no cost had been determined, estimates to buy land and build a

AIDAN CRETER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

The diocese is exploring a potential philanthropic initiative to address critical needs at parishes, schools and ministries across western North Carolina and is slowing plans for a cathedral. Due to its larger seating capacity than St. Patrick Cathedral, St. Mark Church in Huntersville will continue to be used for major diocesan liturgies, including the deacon and priest ordination Masses (shown above) and the Chrism Mass.

Priests move into new roles across diocese

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Summer is a time of big changes for priests and parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte. It’s the season when priests move to new assignments at parishes, schools and ministries.

This year’s parish assignments were announced in June and took effect at noon on July 8. A total of 33 priests were reassigned, took a sabbatical or retired this year.

In the weeks leading up to July 8, many attended farewell receptions and went through the emotion of celebrating their last Masses for parishioners they have come to know well over the years.

They then packed up their belongings and moved into their new offices and rectories and started the process of meeting new staff and parishioners.

It’s both a challenging and joyful time, filled with the mixed feelings of saying goodbye to old friends and familiar territory and the excitement of beginning a new phase of ministry.

That full range of emotions was evident in the experience of Father Patrick Cahill, who moved to a new assignment as pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte after 14 years as pastor at St. Eugene Parish in Asheville. It is a homecoming of sorts for him, because he served as parochial vicar at St. Matthew, one of the largest Catholic churches in the United States, in one of his first assignments after his ordination.

“This is a happy, joyful and exciting time for me, because I feel like I’m tapping into that joy I felt when I was first ordained,”

Father Cahill said. “St. Matthew has evolved and changed since I was first here, and I’m now moving to a church that is 10 times the size of the parish I was serving at St. Eugene. I look forward to the good I’m going to be able to do here.”

Father Cahill celebrated his first Mass at St. Matthew early on July 9 and was happy to see more than 100 people turn out. He also was happy to welcome his parents, who drove in from Atlanta to attend his first Sunday Mass there on July 13.

Leaving St. Eugene after 14 years was bittersweet because of the relationships he’d built and the challenges they all had weathered together, which included Tropical Storm Helene.

“I get emotional thinking about it because leaving a place means closing that chapter and season of your life, leaving a place you’ve poured heart and soul into,” Father Cahill

said. “Fourteen years there was roughly one-third of my life, and you go through a lot together when you’re at a parish that long.”

He looks with pride on several parish accomplishments: completing additions to Asheville Catholic School, welcoming a growing Hispanic community, and facing

the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and Tropical Storm Helene while emerging stronger after both.

Elsewhere around the diocese, parishes said goodbye to their priests in a variety of special ways.

Parishioners at St. Lawrence Basilica bid

farewell to Father Nohé Torres, who was leaving to become pastor at Holy Infant Parish in Reidsville, with a celebration featuring gifts and a cake. After Sunday Mass, Monsignor Roger Arnsparger, St. Lawrence’s pastor and rector, took Father Torres and staff members to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Asheville, where they reminisced about his time at the basilica. Father Elliot Suttle got a little help packing from the Knights of Columbus. Before setting out for Shelby to become pastor of St. Mary Help of Christians Parish, he ended up adding one more item to his packed belongings: a framed picture of one of the stained-glass windows in Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro from parishioner Bob Braden. “Personally, I have mixed feelings about Father Suttle leaving us. First and foremost, he will be greatly missed at Our Lady of Grace Church, and he did a wonderful job integrating himself into our church community over the past year,” said the parish’s Operations Director Charles Longino. “But I know it must be a great joy for Father Suttle to have been assigned to a parish in his hometown. This would probably be a dream come true for many priests, and I can’t think of anyone who is more deserving of this.”

As Father Chinonso Nnebe-Agumadu said while he was moving boxes into his new office at Charlotte Catholic High School to take on the chaplaincy there and assist at St. Matthew, “I’m excited to see how God works through me and works through others in my time here.”

Catholic News Herald wins 8 N.C. Press Association awards

CHARLOTTE — For the second consecutive year, the Catholic News Herald made a strong showing in the North Carolina Press Association awards, competing against some of the largest circulation print and digital outlets in the state.

The Catholic News Herald, the official news outlet of the Diocese of Charlotte, received a total of eight awards for its work published in 2024 among publications with a circulation of more than 20,000.

Awards recognized coverage of Tropical Storm Helene and the Eucharistic Congress. Issues from July 2024 garnered a third-place award for Community Coverage, a category that “recognizes reporting of news that matters locally to readers and chronicles

the essence of their community.”

The NCPA contest was judged by the Nebraska Press Association.

Awards will be officially presented Sept. 18 at the NCPA’s annual convention in Cary.

The Catholic News Herald also won:

n First place: Multimedia Project: “2025

Charlotte Eucharistic Congress: ‘Go out into the world,’” by Catholic News Herald staff

n First place: Magazine or Niche

Publication: “Diocese of Charlotte Annual Report,” by Catholic News Herald staff

n Second place: Special Section: “Celebrating Vocations: A Rising Spirit of Service,” by Catholic News Herald staff

n Second place: News Feature Writing: “St. Andrew members help Helene survivor rebuild after raft rescue,” by Lisa Geraci

n Third place: Advertising Award: “75 years of Catholic Charities: Catholic Social Teaching,” by Catholic News Herald staff

n Third place: Multimedia Project: “‘Harambee’ Mass returns to Our Lady of Consolation, connecting African roots through Catholicism,” by Lisa Geraci and Troy C. Hull

n Third place: News Enterprise Reporting: “Aftermath of Hurricane Helene: Relief and rebuilding in WNC,” by Catholic News Herald staff

“We are grateful to our parishes, schools and ministries for trusting the Catholic News Herald with the stories of the people who work tirelessly to spread the Gospel and connect Catholics across our diocese,” said Trish Stukbauer, editor.

“As Pope Leo said in his first address to Catholic media professionals in May, ‘The

way we communicate is of fundamental importance.’ We strive to live up to his charge of communicating the essence of who we are and how that reflects God’s love.”

Established in 1991 by the second Bishop of Charlotte, the Catholic News Herald’s mission is to “serve Christ and connect Catholics” by informing and inspiring audiences through print and digital coverage of the work of the Church in western North Carolina, the U.S. and the world.

Funded in part by the diocese’s 93 parishes, the print edition is mailed every two weeks to more than 62,000 registered households in the diocese, and its website and social media channels are updated daily.

— Catholic News Herald

PHOTOS PROVIDED

(From left) Father Patrick Cahill says goodbye to parishioners after 14 years serving as pastor at St. Eugene Parish in Asheville before moving to his new assignment as pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte. Father Elliott Suttle receives a picture of the stained-glass windows in Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro as a going-away present.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

(From left) Parishioners at St. Lawrence Basilica say goodbye to Father Nohé Torres, who is leaving to become pastor at Holy Infant Parish in Reidsville, with a celebration featuring gifts and a cake. Father Sabastian Umouyo, the pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Lexington, is leaving to become the new pastor of St. Eugene Parish in Asheville.

Bibles behind bars: A prisoner’s request and a surprise surplus bring scripture to local inmates

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

SALISBURY — Behind the barbed wire fence of Piedmont Correctional Institution, there is a renewed sense of hope thanks to the request of one prisoner who is focusing on his faith.

Instead of calling family or friends, he chose to call the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center with a request – Bibles to distribute to some of the 951 inmates he now shares a home with.

“He picked up the phone and spent his own dime requesting Catholic Bibles,” said David Coe, interim prison ministry director for the diocese, who had the voicemail forwarded to him.

“The message was stunning and beautiful. It’s just absolutely amazing, and that is what started the ball rolling.”

Months before, the diocese’s properties director, Dan Ward, had found boxes of unused Bibles in a storage room at the Pastoral Center. After asking around the building to no avail, he approached Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor, who advised him to reach out to other diocesan ministries.

When Coe received Ward’s call, he knew exactly who could benefit from the surplus. Ward found himself boxing up a shipment of 50 English Bibles and sending them to Michael Becker, operations manager of Sacred Heart in Salisbury – the parish that serves Piedmont Correctional – to satisfy the request.

In addition to support from local churches, Coe and his team of volunteers visit prisons and jails across the diocese, bringing rosaries and donated Bibles and holding retreats at Mountain View Correctional in Hendersonville.

‘God is rescuing people behind bars and restoring their lives.’

David Coe

Interim prison ministry director for the Diocese of Charlotte

Since none of the Bibles were Spanish, Coe called another of his reliable sources, St. Benedict Press. They readily granted the request, shipping 50 brand-new, free Catholic Spanish Bibles to Sacred Heart.

“Whenever I ask, they never refuse,” Coe said. “It takes a team to make it work.”

The prison ministry at Sacred Heart had been on somewhat of a hiatus for the past five years due to COVID-19, but it is regaining traction, thanks to a combination of eager prisoners and volunteers.

Being Catholic in prison is sometimes a challenge. Since several faith communities vie for Piedmont’s Sunday services time slots, Mass is offered only once a month.

The once-a-month Sunday Mass is presided over by Sacred Heart’s pastor Father John Eckert within

the prison chapel walls, and it has been getting more crowded, with about 25 regular attendees.

“Father Eckert has told me that there’s been a really good showing recently,” said Becker.

Prison Ministry volunteers like Eric Lawlor (brother of St. Therese’s pastor Father Mark Lawlor) come in once a week to study Scripture and pray the rosary, and Deacon James Mazur stops in to bring Holy Communion.

Within the prison walls, Lawlor has witnessed prisoners come to the Catholic faith, later getting baptized on the outside after joining OCIA.

Coe said the magnitude of conversions he sees of people in prison who want to receive God’s love is extraordinary. “God is rescuing people behind bars and restoring their lives,” he said.

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Dan Ward found new Bibles in the storage room at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. David Coe, interim prison ministry director, found the perfect home for the surplus.

Altar displays help people feel God’s presence

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

LEXINGTON — Kathryn McLendon’s team is helping parishioners feel the presence of God through artistic arrangements of flowers, draped fabric and seasonal displays that regularly deck Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Lexington.

“Everything they do is wonderful and beautiful,” says the parish’s office manager, Maria Segura. “When you walk in, you feel so relaxed and so close to God. When I take it all in, my heart drops.”

Between a liturgical calendar filled with feast days, Advent and Lent, there is always a reason to decorate, and for the design crew, sacred adornments don’t just look beautiful – they also bring people into deeper communion with God.

“When we’re in the church alone decorating, we often carry on conversations with God – asking Him if He likes the flower arrangements or does He mind if we move the crucifix to another wall. If we’re having a bad day, we ask Him to lend us a hand,” says McLendon.

This year, the Lord’s presence has meant even more to McLendon. McLendon’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, and her husband suffered from two aneurysms. Then McLendon’s doctor diagnosed her with Stage 4 breast cancer.

“Not exactly what I wanted to hear after everything else,” she says. “But through God’s grace and the prayers of more friends and relatives than I can even think of, we are all pulling through – eternally grateful for each day we have on this earth.”

“My work at the church continues through my treatments and motivates me to keep on going,” she says.

DRAWING PEOPLE CLOSER TO GOD

For Catholics, the act of sacred decorating – first displayed in frescoes painted on the walls of catacombs and meeting places of persecuted Christians in Rome in the second century – helps the faithful in prayer while creating an atmosphere that glorifies God and unifies the community.

“When we first started decorating, the parishioners were surprised at what a difference it made,” says McLendon. “They would stay after Mass and take pictures and comment on how inspired and closer to God they felt in such a beautiful and reverent environment.”

For the past five years, McLendon has led a team of eight women and their husbands in decorating the church – whether it’s Our Lady on a lighted cloud of chiffon in May or red satin with stones and baskets full of straw for Pentecost. Their work often brings

parishioners to their knees in prayer.

“The holidays are the best – watching families stand in front of some of the decorated scenes for picture-taking,” says McLendon. “I think it makes all of us feel closer to God.”

Sometimes the decorating takes hours or days. The husbands do the heavy lifting and climbing, while the women plan the design, gather supplies and arrange everything.

The plentiful flowers are typically donated by generous brides from a wedding venue in town where McLendon works part-time.

“The event flowers are just getting thrown away anyway, so it’s a good lesson that we learned that provided our church with a lot more flowers than we would ever be able to purchase on our own,” she says.

McLendon’s favorite arrangements are in the education building in May. The team adorns two rooms, one devoted to Mary and the other to Jesus, creating separate sacred spaces for prayer.

“You know when you hit the target because people come out of their prayer stations literally crying because they feel the Lord. It’s just a beautiful thing,” she says.

The team’s most recent installation was adding some flair to the overflow room,

a space frequented by more parishioners as the church continues to expand. The crew spent their morning on tall ladders draping sheer white fabric from the ceiling and assembling floral arrangements full of lightly used white roses to display on the altar and in front of a statue of the Infant of Prague.

FULFILLING HER PASSION

McLendon always loved decorating. In college she took interior design classes, and although her career as dean of students at Central Piedmont Community College didn’t lend itself to such feats, she showcased her design skills in her home

and those of her sisters.

Her work at Our Lady of the Rosary Church started when one of those sisters unexpectedly nudged her during a volunteer recruitment meeting.

“Jen knew that I would love doing it and that I’d be good at it, so I don’t blame her,” McLendon laughs. “I went there to become an usher and left as the church decorator.”

McLendon says she is thankful for the opportunity that has gratified her and her team personally and spiritually. Through it, they bond with Jesus, Mary and the saints while seeking spiritual guidance in their designs, she says. They even notice the porcelain Mary seems extra pleasant when adorned with flowers, and they feel God’s presence while they arrange tulips and lilies around the altar or place a crown of thorns around the cross.

Mary’s smile helps as McLendon continues to undergo treatment. She has finished four rounds of chemo and is getting infusions. Next, she will have another PET scan.

“I’m blessed because the first four rounds of chemo took care of the tumors in my bone and lymph nodes,” she explains. “All that remains now are two small tumors, and the doctor is hoping the infusions will address those.”

On the days she feels OK, she continues her ministry, lifting herself up and offering her gifts to Our Lady of the Rosary. On other days, when she feels too weak and somewhat defeated, she takes respite in the sacred landscapes she designed while she silently prays, listens and feels comforted by the Lord.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Kathryn McLendon (right, pictured with Melanie Suggs) and her team decorate Our Lady of the Rosary Church for every occasion, with a blend of flowers, fabric and colors that pay tribute to each celebration.

Students help others on Mission Mondays

GEORGIANNA PENN catholicnews@rcdoc.org

GREENSBORO — St. Pius

X’s Mission Mondays are a new opportunity for young Catholics to use their time and talents to serve the Lord while earning service hours with friends over summer break.

Rather than mission trips that allow only a small number of young people to participate, Kat Manzella, youth director at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, created Mission Mondays to allow more youth to meet throughout the summer.

The first session kicked off with a group of more than 25 students and their parents at Bass Chapel Cemetery in Greensboro. They were joined by members of Greenhill Conservators to clean, clear debris, scrub, polish and restore some of the headstones.

The next week, campers crafted gowns for children in Honduras who are battling cancer. Using men’s dress shirts as a base, they sewed on colorful butterflies and tiny birds to cheer the young patients.

The flexible opportunities to do good have been appreciated by parents and youth.

“I am thankful Kat reached out to my daughter, Mary,” said April Parker, director of curriculum and special projects at St. Pius X School. “Mary was not just thinking about service hours, she just enjoyed the experience. Kat involved her by putting her on the sewing machine to help make the gowns.”

Beads of Courage Inc. was Mission Monday’s third project. The national non-profit was founded in 2005 to provide inspiration and

support children with serious illnesses. Patients receive a bead for each treatment milestone. Over the course of their journey, they might receive as many 500 beads, Manzella said.

As student Aoibhin Colleran explained, “We are making the beads to give to the kids for when they are a little scared, to put on

their necklaces to give them some courage.”

When asked what her favorite part was about making the beads, which are bear-shaped and baked in a small oven to cure, Maddie McGovern, rising eighth-grader, replied, “knowing that these will be given to kids and will make them happy. Every single bead

is a step in their journey with cancer.”

Camper Emma Long explained, “it’s nice because I just feel like a part of something bigger. … Here it’s like a little craft, but it goes a long way for other people who really want to feel happy that day.”

Students write cards to go with

the beads. “You are an inspiration, you are strong, you are powerful and this bear wants to be just like you,” Emma Markun wrote.

That tangible narrative of their healing journey is powerful for the children, said Manzella, who also serves as executive director of Kisses4Kate. The local non-profit sponsors Beads of Courage at Brenner Children’s Hospital, which is where the beads crafted during Mission Monday will be donated.

Kisses4Kate was launched in 2010 to support families that need assistance with rent, mortgage or utilities through their child’s cancer journey. The organization was inspired by a promise Manzella made to her goddaughter, Kate Thornton, who lost her battle with leukemia in 2015. Manzella keeps Kate’s memory alive through the efforts of youth who are lifting the spirits of families going through what Kate’s family experienced.

“Kate’s influence runs through everything I do,” Manzella said. “Helping kids with cancer through Kisses4Kate and inspiring students to give back in this way is and has always been a huge part of my heart.” Mission Mondays is a natural extension of that, she says. “It’s doing good for others. It’s answering the call to help.”

“My favorite part of Mission Mondays is learning about the issues in the community that really need our attention and our hope and our prayers,” said student Alyssa Danial.

“It kind of brings you together because you’re getting to have joy with your friends. You’re putting joy into helping others,” Mary Parker said.

St. Vincent De Paul brothers compete in Braille Challenge

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

LOS ANGELES — St. Vincent De Paul faith formation students Luke and Jack Fechtel recently traveled to California to compete in the international Braille Challenge, and Luke captured third place.

The Braille Challenge is an academic competition developed by the non-profit Braille Institute to promote literacy for the blind and visually impaired. The finalists are the top competitors from 66 regional divisions that took place earlier in the year.

“Luke was so happy to win third place this year, and it was Jack’s first time qualifying for the National Finals. They both had an amazing time,” said their mom, Anne Fechtel.

Regionals were held throughout the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia with over 1,500 contestants. From those, 50 continued on to the finals.

After months of practice honing their braille skills, Luke, 11, and Jack, 8, placed in the Western North Carolina Regionals on Feb. 27, competing in spelling, accuracy, comprehension, speed and proofreading

The competition was tough, but with their quick fingers typing away on the braille typewriters and their heightened tactile ability to read the raised dotted texts, they both made the top 10 in their division.

The final round brought the finalists and their families to Los Angeles June 26-29 for the last leg of the competition and a whirl of pool parties, workshops and fun.

“For our family, it’s a great opportunity to be around others who ‘get it,’” said Anne Fechtel. “It’s a rare chance for the kids to compete and enjoy social time with blind kids from all over the world.”

Parents were geared up with resources to help their children flourish. They attended workshops on mental well-being and career guidance for the legally blind.

Anne Fechtel has three blind children due to Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis, a rare inherited retinal disease, and feels blessed to be chosen by God to be their mother.

“As a parent, I feel, as most parents do, that I was given a special gift when God handpicked me as the mom of my kids, but I also have gotten the unique experience of seeing people go out of their way to be kind and helpful to us when they do not need to,” she said.

While Luke was delighted with the digital braille device he won, he was equally excited to reconnect with a friend he met last year.

“He made an excellent friend, Isaiah, from Saskatchewan, Canada. They kept in touch with weekly phone calls all year and promised each other to work their hardest to get into the finals again. They both did,”

Anne Fechtel said.

Jack and Luke receive braille resources from the Xavier Society for the Blind, a 125-year-old organization that provides

audio, braille and large-print books, especially Catholic ones, free of charge.

The New York City non-profit organization, run by six employees and numerous volunteers, serves over 2,800 clients, including 20 in the Diocese of Charlotte, with more than 2,000 available publications.

The organization transcribes books into braille when the need is urgent. Their most recent request was “Hope” by Pope Francis. With one transcriber on staff and a volunteer proofreader – Sister Delores Dean, a blind nun from Virginia – a 300-page book typically takes several months to transcribe and is much thicker than the non-braille book.

“We are so blessed to be able to serve Jack and Luke with the resources they need to practice their Catholic faith,” said Aisling Redican, communication and fundraising manager for the Xavier Society for the Blind. “We are super proud of them. It’s quite amazing that they both got in and they both did so well in the finals.”

Need help?

If you or someone you know is blind or visually impaired and in need of free Catholic resources in braille or large print, contact Xavier Society for the Blind at info@ xaviersocietyfortheblind.org, 212-473-7800 or xaviersocietyfortheblind.org.

PHOTOS BY GEORGIANNA PENN AND PROVIDED (Clockwise from top) Students taking part in Mission Mondays at St. Pius X Parish are helping support pediatric cancer patients, cleaning up local cemeteries and brightening hospital gowns.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Jack and Luke Fechtel, supported by their sister Janie, competed in the Braille Challenge finals.

99-year-old St. James the Greater parishioner honored with his own street

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CONCORD — Vic St. Pierre received an unforgettable gift from fellow parishioners at St. James the Greater for his 99th birthday: his own street.

“Vic St. Pierre Place” is now a private city road on the St. James the Greater Church campus, a constant reminder of a devout man who serves both his country and his Church.

“I was flabbergasted and utterly amazed. How did they accomplish something like that?” asked St. Pierre. “To get your name on the street? You have to be somebody special for that.”

“Somebody special” is an understatement. The medals on St. Pierre’s uniform almost outweigh him. He served as a U.S. Marine during World War II, Vietnam and the Korean War, and is one of only 66,000 American World War II vets still with us. At St. James, he serves as a Eucharistic Minister and does not miss a Tuesday serving on the volunteer maintenance crew.

“Vic is a force. The guy is sharp as a tack, a walking

encyclopedia and an incredible friend,” said Mike Ford, the man who spearheaded the mission to name the street after St. Pierre.

“I thought that there has to be some way to honor this guy, and I didn’t want to do it posthumously. I thought that I wanted it to be something that everyone would see, and see for years to come.”

Ford didn’t want a temporary plaque or a day of observance. He wanted something more permanent. A legacy. A street.

Ford floated the idea a year ago, and while everyone loved the idea, the road was lined with red tape. First, they needed approval from the diocese, and then the city.

The latter took the bulk of the work, with City Council meetings, government agency verifications, code enforcement policies, lots of paperwork and yet more signatures. Ford persevered while managing to keep the surprise from St. Pierre.

The payoff was St. Pierre’s smiling face when he opened the envelope containing a picture of the sign after Sunday Mass on his birthday weekend as the entire congregation clapped.

“He said several times it was the best birthday he has ever had,” said Ford. “He really appreciated it. Imagine something named after you. I think it really touched him.”

St. Pierre claims the key to longevity is simple: stay busy, go to Mass and pray a lot. He can be found at St. James at his workbench with coffee and a donut in hand, ready to repair whatever is needed. On Sundays, he drives to Mass – sometimes three times – to distribute Holy Communion, something he has done since he became a member in 1983.

He is from a simpler time, when there were not even school buses, much less smartphones.

He remembers walking miles to Catholic school each day and to church most weekdays because he liked being there.

“I was a cradle Catholic, and I’ve been involved with my faith ever since I was a young boy. At times I’d go to church by myself,” said St. Pierre. “I sang in the choir and was a lector ever since I could remember. One day, I opened my mouth, and nothing came out. I lost my voice. I guess it was God’s way of telling me to slow down a bit.”

FE FAMILIA FRATERNIDAD

Caballeros de Colón

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

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

Yet he has not slowed down. In his free time, St. Pierre is a FourthDegree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Scottish-American Military Society, through which he dons his kilt to perform at the Highland Games.

Each Christmas, he sets up and operates a miniature village and train that wins over the hearts of children, young and old.

“Vic is not your typical 99-yearold. He is a dynamo. He’s an inspiration,” said Ford. “Some mornings I have to say, ‘Well, Vic wouldn’t sit around and do nothing,’ and that gets me going. He’s so well liked, and he is not just well liked because he’s an old man and he’s a war hero. He’s well liked because he’s Vic.”

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Vic St. Pierre was surprised after Mass at St. James the Greater Church with an envelope containing a picture of a real road sign. At first he thought the picture was his present, and was flabbergasted when he realized there was an actual sign on a street corner bearing his name.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Vic St. Pierre served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Cuban Missile Crisis. He retired after 28 years of service in the U.S. Marines.

Life in full bloom: Catholic Charities celebrates 37th annual Spring Fling

For many older adults, finding a space that fosters genuine connections and provides practical support can be rare. That is the magic of the Catholic Charities Spring Fling, an annual celebration that serves as a reminder that life is meant to be lived fully at every age.

The vibrant event, held both at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte and the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory, was made possible by Catholic Charities Elder Ministry, local parishes, the Knights of Columbus, and community and state partners. It was led by Elder Ministry Program Director Sandra Breakfield.

From the moment guests arrived at St. Matthew, live music set the tone for a joyful gathering.

Demonstrations from members of Carolina Clowns welcomed attendees as they explored a hallway filled with resource tables featuring organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Fire Department. There were prize wheels spinning, Chick-fil-A giveaways flying and chances to win cash prizes – all while participants engaged in quick, helpful chats with experts.

SAVE THE DATE: July 27 is World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which provides an opportunity to honor the wisdom and love of our elders.

The day was a blend of fun and enrichment, with sessions on everything from injury prevention and VA benefits to bingo games, gentle exercise classes and opportunities to craft. The day concluded with a Mass celebrated by retired Father Dennis Kuhn and uplifted by the voices of the Our Lady of Consolation Perpetual Hope Gospel Choir.

At the Catholic Conference Center, the theme of empowering older adults continued. Presentations covered topics including Medicare, disaster preparedness and the link between grip strength and wellness. Tables were stocked with resources on caregiving, mental and physical health and ways to maintain a vibrant quality of life. There was no shortage of games, crafts and heartfelt reunions.

The day concluded with a Mass celebrated by Father Samuel Amaro III. At its core, the Spring Fling reflects Catholic Charities Elder Ministry: a

ministry rooted in the belief that aging is a time of possibility, purpose and joy.

As Pope John Paul II wrote in his 1999 Letter to the Elderly: “Old age is a ‘favorable time’ for bringing life to its fulfillment … when everything comes together and enables us better to grasp life’s meaning and to attain ‘wisdom of heart.’’’

cathedral ranged up to $100 million, so Bishop Martin and the diocese’s Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors explored alternatives – asking the diocese’s largest parishes to consider becoming the cathedral if construction of a new one was delayed.

With capacity for 1,500 people, St. Mark Church in Huntersville was identified as a suitable option, particularly because of its longtime role hosting ordinations. But its location outside Charlotte – the diocese’s “see” city – meant Vatican approval would be required to move the cathedral seat.

After correspondence with Rome earlier this year, Bishop Martin met in April with then-Cardinal Robert Prevost

(now Pope Leo XIV), who affirmed the bishop’s approach of focusing fundraising on widespread diocesan needs while continuing to plan for a future new cathedral.

“He also indicated that our proposal to designate St. Mark’s as the cathedral would present issues since it isn’t located within the city limits of Charlotte – and would likely mean changing the name of the diocese to Charlotte-Huntersville,” Bishop Martin said. “Such a change seemed cumbersome and confusing.”

A new cathedral remains a signature project in the diocese’s ongoing strategic planning efforts. Officials are regularly analyzing population trends and possible sites where new parishes could be established to accommodate growth. One solution may be to evaluate whether such a new parish site could also serve as the home of a new cathedral.

— Grace Kunik, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE Spring Fling was held at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte and the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory. The annual celebration serves as a reminder that life is meant to be lived fully at every age and is sponsored by Catholic Charities Elder Ministry, local parishes, the Knights of Columbus, and community and state partners.

Taller para Catequistas de OCIA

MOUNT AIRY — Este taller a Santos Ángeles estuvo enfocado para los equipos de OCIA, catequistas, maestros, animadores. Se presentaron algunos recursos, mejores prácticas y orientación para organizar sus clases o el ciclo. También, se presentaron las nuevas normas del Rito de Iniciación Cristiana para Adultos; presentado por la USCCB el año pasado. Catequistas provenientes de: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, San Jhon Neuman, Inmaculado Corazón de María, Santa María, Santo Tomás de Aquino, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Divino Redentor y los anfitriones.

Seis parejas intercambian votos matrimoniales

ASHEVILLE — La oficina del ministerio hispano del Vicariato de Asheville organizó los matrimonios de seis parejas que recibieron la bendición matrimonial el sábado 12 de julio. El padre Noé Torres fue el celebrante de esta alegre celebración.

NOTA DEL EDITOR

Siguiendo la práctica de anteriores Santos Padres, el Papa León XIV se tomará un descanso durante el mes de julio. Sus audiencias generales semanales —que proporcionan el contenido para su columna en esta página— se reanudarán el 30 de julio. Su columna regresará después de esa fecha.

Lecturas Diarias

20-26 DE JULIO

Domingo: Gn 18,1-10a, Sal 15,2-3. 3-4. 5, Col 1,24-28, Lc 10,38-42; Lunes: Ex 14,5-18, Ex 15,1bc-2. 3-4. 5-6, Mt 12,38-42; Martes (Fiesta de Santa María Magdalena): Cant 3,1-4b o 2 Cor 5,14-17, Sal 62,2. 3-4. 5-6. 8-9, Jn 20,1-2. 11-18; Miércoles: Ex 16,1-5. 9-15, Sal 78,18-19. 23-24. 25-26. 27-28, Mt 13,1-9; Jueves: Ex 19,1-2. 9-11. 16-20b, Dan 3,52. 53. 54. 55. 56, Mt 13,10-17; Viernes (Fiesta de Santiago, apóstol): 2 Cor 4,7-15, Sal 125,1bc2ab. 2cd-3. 4-5. 6, Mt 20,20-28; Sábado (Memoria de San Joaquín y Santa Ana, padres de la Santísima Virgen María): Ex 24,3-8, Sal 49,1b-2. 5-6. 14-15, Mt 13,24-30

Fiesta del Divino Niño

En el barrio de Bogotá (Colombia) se encuentra un gran santuario en honor al Divino Niño Jesús, devoción que se ha expandido por muchos países del mundo. En la actualidad no existe lugar donde su imagen no esté expuesta en parroquias, capillas, iglesias o casas.

Esta advocación está unida a la labor pastoral del P. Juan del Rizzo, salesiano italiano y misionero en Colombia.

En el año 1935 llegó el Padre Salesiano Juan del Rizzo al barrio “20 de julio”, al sur de Bogotá, una región muy solitaria y abandonada en aquellos tiempos. Le habían prohibido emplear la Imagen del Niño de Praga porque una asociación muy antigua reclamaba para ella el derecho exclusivo de propagar esa imagen. El Padre del Rizzo estaba convencido de que a Dios le agrada mucho que honremos la infancia de Jesús, pues así lo ha demostrado con innumerables y numerosos milagros. ¿Si otros niños son tan inocentes y tan dignos de ser amados, cuánto más lo será el niño Jesús? Además recordaba muy bien la promesa hecha por Nuestro Señor a una santa: “ Todo lo que quieres pedir pídelo por los méritos de mi infancia y nada te será negado si te conviene conseguirlo”. Así que no desistió de propagar la devoción al Divino Niño pero dispuso adquirir una nueva imagen.

Se fue a un almacén de arte religioso llamado “Vaticano” propiedad de un artista italiano, y le encargó una imagen bien hermosa del Divino Niño. Le prestaron una imagen bellísima, el padre la llevó para sus solitarios, desérticos y abandonados campos del “20 de julio”. Ahora empezaría una nueva era de milagros en esta región.

Esta es un de las imágenes más hermosas y agradables que han hecho de nuestro Señor. Con los brazos abiertos como queriendo recibir a todos. Con una sonrisa imborrable de eterna amistad. Atrae la atención y el cariño desde la primera vez que uno le contempla. Allí a su alrededor se han obrado y se siguen obrando maravillosos favores, para quien no conozca los prodigios que obtiene la fe parecerían fábulas o cuentos inventados por la imaginación, pero que son muy ciertos para quienes recuerdan la promesa de Jesús “ Según sea tu fe así serán las cosas que te sucederán”.

El Padre Juan comenzó a narrar a las gentes los milagros que hace el Divino Niño Jesús a quienes le rezan con fe y a quienes ayudan a los pobres, y empezaron a presenciarse prodigios admirables: enfermos que obtenían la salud, gentes que conseguían buenos empleos o estudio para los niños, o casa o éxito en los negocios. Familias que recobraban la paz. Pecadores que se convertían. Y cada persona que obtenía un favor del Divino Niño Jesús se encargaba de propagar su devoción entre amigos y conocidos.

27 DE JULIO-2 DE AGOSTO

Domingo: Gn 18,20-32, Sal 137,1-2. 2-3. 6-7. 7-8, Col 2,12-14, Lc 11,1-13; Lunes: Ex 32,15-24. 30-34, Sal 106,19-20. 21-22. 23, Mt 13,31-35; Martes (Memoria de Santa Marta, María y Lázaro): Ex 33,7-11, 34,5b-9. 28, Sal 102,6-7. 8-9. 10-11. 12-13, Jn 11,19-27 o Lc 10,38-42; Miércoles: Ex 34,29-35, Sal 98,5. 6. 7. 9, Mt 13,44-46; Jueves (Memoria de San Ignacio de Loyola, presbítero): Ex 40,16-21. 34-38, Sal 83,3. 4. 5-6a y 8a. 11, Mt 13,47-53; Viernes (Memoria de San Alfonso María de Ligorio, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia): Lev 23,1. 4-11. 15-16. 27. 34b-37, Sal 80,3-4. 5-6. 10-11ab, Mt 13,54-58; Sábado: Lev 25,1. 8-17, Sal 66,2-3. 5. 7-8, Mt 14,1-12

3-9 DE AGOSTO

Domingo: Ecl 1,2, 2,21-23, Sal 89,3-4. 5-6. 12-13. 14 y 17, Col 3,1-5. 9-11, Lc 12,13-21; Lunes (Memoria de San Juan María Vianney, presbítero): Núm 11,4b-15, Sal 80,12-13. 14-15. 16-17, Mt 14,13-21; Martes: Núm 12,1-13, Sal 50,3-4. 5-6ab. 6cd-7. 12-13, Mt 14,22-36; Miércoles (Fiesta de la Transfiguración del Señor): Dan 7,9-10. 13-14, Sal 96,1-2. 5-6. 9, 2 Pe 1,16-19, Lc 9,28b-36; Jueves: Núm 20,1-13, Sal 94,1-2. 6-7. 8-9, Mt 16,13-23; Viernes (Memoria de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, presbítero): Dt 4,32-40, Sal 76,12-13. 14-15. 16 y 21, Mt 16,24-28; Sábado: Dt 6,4-13, Sal 17,2-3a. 3bc-4. 47 y 51, Mt 17,14-20

— ACI Prensa

FOTO POR MAFON1959, LICENSE CC BY-SA 4.0

FOTO PROPORCIONADA

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CONGRESO EUCARÍSTICO DE CHARLOTTE

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

Encuentren la Esperanza

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

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

P. Pedro Mancheño Muñoz

PARTICIPACIÓN DE ‘Cristo Vive y Camina con Nosotros’ ‘Peregrinos de Esperanza’

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

Déjate inspirar por el P. Pedro Mancheño, experimentado guía espiritual y conferencista católico originario de España. Con más de 20 peregrinaciones a Tierra Santa, nos recordará que ¡Cristo vive y camina con nosotros!

Y además:

• Procesión Eucarística y Adoración

• Santa Misa

• Confesiones

• Artículos católicos únicos

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

• Actividades especiales para jóvenes de secundaria y bachillerato

El Proyecto Vigilia Obispo Michael Martin

Chris Stefanick ACTS XXIX

Paula Umaña

Village of Dolton, Illinois, buys Pope Leo’s boyhood home

DOLTON, Ill. — The Village of Dolton, Illinois, has bought Pope Leo XIV’s former childhood home for $375,000. A village spokesperson confirmed the purchase closed on July 8.

“We are currently working to have the property solicited as a historical site,” Nakita Cloud told OSV News. “This can open the door for federal and state funding opportunities tied to historic preservation, tourism development and community revitalization. It also provides us the opportunity to attract philanthropic and nonprofit partnerships that support cultural and educational initiatives.”

Cloud also confirmed the house was not purchased under eminent domain and included all applicable Realtor and auction fees.

Donna Sagna Davis, a resident who had been living next door for more than eight years, welcomed the acquisition. She said the sight of people continuing to visit the pope’s boyhood home was an answer to her prayer for the neighborhood to show more reverence to God.

Court’s major decisions set stage for more on religious liberty

WASHINGTON, D.C. — When the U.S. Supreme Court begins its 2025-2026 term, it will again hear cases concerning religious liberty, including a First Amendment challenge to a Colorado law banning counseling services that practice so-called “conversion therapy” for minors struggling with issues around sexual or gender identity.

John Bursch, senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy for Alliance Defending Freedom, said the court has recently shown a trend of “vigorously protecting religious liberty,” and such cases will continue. Among the religious liberty cases heard by the court during its recent term was Mahmoud v. Taylor, which Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of Becket, said “was a historic victory reaffirming the right of parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children.”

Rienzi said the high court’s 4-4 split in St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond effectively blocked the effort to establish the nation’s first publicly funded Catholic charter school, but he expected the court would revisit the issue.

Catholic Church holds firm on not taking stand on candidates

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic Church “maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates,” said U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesperson Chieko Noguchi, following a recent court case in which a longstanding federal ban against such activity appeared to have been partly relaxed. Noguchi issued the statement July 8 after the Internal Revenue Service agreed that a house of worship addressing its congregation about electoral politics in the context of faith does not violate the Johnson Amendment. However, she said, “The IRS was addressing a specific case, and it doesn’t change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate.”

— Catholic News Agency and OSV News

Our nation Catholics mourn, offer support, as Texas flood’s catastrophic death toll rises

LAURETTA BROWN OSV News

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott declared a day of prayer throughout the state as the death toll from catastrophic flooding July 4 has risen to 132 people as of press time July 16, including 28 children in Kerr County. More than 160 people remain missing, according to reports.

A search remains underway for at least 10 girls and a camp counselor still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian, girls-only sleep-away camp in Hunt, Texas. The camp’s director, Richard “Dick” Eastland, perished while trying to save campers.

“Texans are known for their faith, strength and resilience,” said Abbott, who is Catholic. “Even as floodwaters raged, neighbors rushed in to rescue, comfort and bring hope. In times of loss, we turn to God for comfort, healing and strength.”

The state received prayers from Rome as Pope Leo XIV spoke of the horrific events at his July 6 Sunday Angelus talk.

“I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States,” he said, adding, “We pray for them.”

The Archdiocese of San Antonio asked for the intercession of St. Anthony of Padua for “our communities in need.” In a social media post, it prayed for “families who have lost loved ones, homes or livelihoods due to the recent flooding in the Hill Country, that they may find strength and healing through Christ.”

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston posted prayers in English and Spanish for those affected by the flooding, saying, “in this time of uncertainty and sorrow, we unite ourselves to the Good Shepherd and ask for His protection and comfort over the

victims, families and first responders. We entrust the souls of those who passed to the mercy of Our Heavenly Father, and we seek the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, imploring her assistance in the rescue of those still missing.”

Among the dead were two sisters from

St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Dallas, Blair and Brooke Harber, 13 and 11 years old. The girls were camping with family along the Guadalupe River. According to a GoFundMe for the family, the girls loved religion class and had their rosaries with them on the trip. The sisters’ bodies were found 15 miles away with their hands clasped together.

The girls’ parents were in a separate cabin and were able to survive the flood, but their grandfather’s body was found and their grandmother is presumed dead.

“Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief. May our faith, our love and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead,” St. Rita’s pastor, Father Joshua J. Whitfield, said. (Read more on page 15.)

Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, where Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio celebrated a Mass following the tragedy, has been a hub of material and spiritual support for the devastated community. The outpouring of support has been so great that the church has paused collection of food, water, clothes and cleaning supplies, although financial donations are still being accepted.

“We were overwhelmed by the amount of support that has poured in over the last two days,” the parish said in a July 6 Facebook post, which included pictures of dozens of cases of bottled water, paper products, shelfstable food, diapers and cleaning supplies.

The parish is praying a nightly rosary at 6:30 p.m. for flood victims, the missing, first responders and volunteers. “All are invited, parishioner or not, Catholic or not, to join us” in prayer, said the parish.

OSV NEWS

(From Top) Search teams seek flood victims in front of the main building at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas, July 7 in the aftermath of deadly flooding. An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe sits next to fallen trees near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, as the community begins to clean up.

The only answer to flood tragedy is Easter, says Texas priest at the center of the storm

GINA CHRISTIAN OSV News

Days after July 4 flash floods ravaged Texas’ Hill Country, OSV News spoke with Father Joshua Whitfield, pastoral administrator of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas.

A married former Episcopal priest and the father of five children, Father Whitfield joined the Catholic Church along with his family and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 2012, through St. John Paul II’s provision for the reception of Episcopal clergy into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Father Whitfield shared how the floods have impacted his parish, which counts several victims – including Blair Harber, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, sisters who were vacationing with their parents along the Guadalupe River, and whose bodies were found with their hands clasped.

Parents RJ and Annie Harber, who is a teacher at St. Rita Catholic School, survived.

OSV News: The Harber family’s loss has made world headlines. How are they holding up?

Father Whitfield: The Harbers are just holding each other day by day and getting through it.

The tragedy is hard to measure. It’s impossible to measure, hard to even think about comprehending, and its scale is part of what makes it so overwhelming. You’re just in a twist of emotions, from sadness to anger to cold numbness; all of it.

And when that’s your reality, you have to go back to basics and rely on the very simple, strong truths of the faith, and that’s love of God and love of neighbor.

Annie and RJ and the girls, Brooke and Blair – they’re people of real faith. Both Brooke and Blair were servers at Mass. And so their Catholic faith was just a real and ordinary and constant

That’s what we’re dealing with. We’ve got multiple families we’re having to care for, and we need to give everybody the right space and care that they need.

This is a multi-casualty event spiritually, psychologically.

OSV News: As a priest, when you’re confronted with that question of why does God allow bad things to happen, what do you say?

Father Whitfield: To be honest, for me to speak as simply as I can theologically and philosophically and biblically on the matter is this – when the question comes, and when the conversation is possible, (I say): Look, God created a beautiful universe, a beautiful world in radical freedom and contingency. And it’s also a world that is broken by sin.

So when you ask the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do you have a flood that kills over 200 people, many of them children?”– there is no answer to that question.

The only experience that awaits the person who asked that question is the experience of Job, who asked God the same question.

part of their lives. So, being hit by this tragedy, they have been forced to rely on that, and faith has been kind of like muscle memory. And we’ve talked about this – the brain goes in a thousand different directions and asks a thousand different questions as to why. But honestly, there are no answers.

There’s only Easter. And so the faith that they have in Christ’s presence, in Christ’s resurrection and in the reality of heaven is that sort of central, simple, strong truth that I was talking about. It’s in moments like this that you realize that all of that is true, and real.

OSV News: How many other

Texas

flooding

families in your parish were impacted by the flooding?

Father Whitfield: At least four or five families in our parish. We had one of our second-graders who was rescued from a tree from Camp Mystic. She was in a tree with other girls and some girls didn’t make it.

disaster:

The answer is Easter. Because the core of the Gospel is not an explanation for why things happen. The core of the Gospel is the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, suffered as one of us, died as one of us, and rose again as one of us.

This is where there is so much strength in the Catholic faith and the Church. We know how to pray for each other and care for each other.

You can still give to help our brothers and sisters in need

CHARLOTTE — It’s not too late to give to a special collection to benefit victims of the recent catastrophic flooding in Texas, which has devastated communities – killing more than 130 people, including dozens of children, and leaving 160 more missing and many others homeless.

While the collection was taken up

at Masses July 12-13, you can still donate online.

All funds raised will support those impacted, providing immediate essentials such as food, clean water, clothing and hygiene supplies, while also contributing to long-term recovery efforts as individuals and families rebuild their lives and communities.

To donate, make checks payable to your parish or give through your parish’s online giving platform. Please note “Texas Flooding” on the check memo line or online form. All donations will be sent to support the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s Catholic Charities agency.

— Catholic News Herald

OSV NEWS | SERGIO FLORES, VIA REUTERS Vehicles sit damaged after deadly flooding in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5.

Whitfield

OSV NEWS | MARCO BELLO, UMIT BEKTAS, REUTERS

(Above and left) People take part in a vigil in memory of Texas flooding victims at Travis Park in San Antonio July 7. (Right) Young women mourn as they attend a prayer service for flood victims in Kerrville, Texas, July 9. As of press time July 16, at least 132 have died and more than 160 people were still missing, according to officials.

OSV NEWS | SERGIO FLORES

Campers’ belongings lie mud-spattered after flooding at Camp Mystic near Hunt, Texas. Flash floods killed more than 130 people, including girls attending the camp.

Our world

What is Pope Leo XIV doing on his summer vacation?

GINA CHRISTIAN OSV News

ROME — Pope Leo XIV began his summer break July 6 at Castel Gandolfo, where he’ll stay through July 20. But don’t expect the Holy Father to simply relax.

According to Augustinian Father Alejandro Moral Antón, a longtime friend, Pope Leo plans to draft the framework of his first encyclical during the break – possibly touching on peace, unity or artificial intelligence.

Father Moral, prior general of the Augustinian order, shared insights with the Italian daily Il Messaggero on how Pope Leo will spend his summer break in Castel Gandolfo.

“When he informed me that he would take a break by going to Castel Gandolfo, I was personally very happy. I know he is working a lot, with astonishing rhythms. He is an indefatigable person, and I know that by nature he never backs down. But lately, I have even seen him a bit thinner,” Father Moral, a 70-year-old Spaniard, told Il Messaggero’s Vatican correspondent Franca Giansoldati.

He said that in his time as prior general in the Augustinian curia, Father Robert Francis Prevost “always operated tirelessly.”

“I remember that even when he was prior, he was the first to cross the chapel threshold, early in the morning, and at night in his room, the light stayed on until very late. I remember because we were neighbors. Now that he is pope, things have not changed much, and he has many more responsibilities.”

Father Moral told Il Messaggero that the pope stays up late replying “to many messages on WhatsApp even at 3 in the morning, evidently when he reaches the end of his day, before going to bed. It’s his nature. Reliable, consistent, prepared, never inattentive.”

While the fellow Augustinian admitted his “public commitments have been reduced to a minimum” for vacation and that “he will recite the Angelus and celebrate Sunday

Mass in nearby parishes,” he also said that at Villa Barberini, where the pope will be staying, “I know he will begin work on his first encyclical.”

Asked whether the title is known yet, the prior replied: “I don’t think so. The other day he just told me that he will use these two weeks to develop the main structure of the text. Obviously, he is already working on it, but he is forced to do it in the evening or in spare moments and would need more time, which will happen during the vacation.”

WRITING AND TENNIS

Regarding the encyclical, Father Moral said: “I can imagine it will be something related to the concepts evoked since the first hours of his election. The theme of peace,

social doctrine, unity, artificial intelligence. But these are just my deductions.”

Asked whether the pope will play tennis – the sport he enjoys most, according to reports – the Spanish Augustinian said: “To be honest, he never stopped. Even though he has only done it once in two months, a couple of weeks ago, coming right here, to the house of the Augustinians. He played with his personal secretary, Don Edgar. It was one of his rare moments of leisure. He lacks time now. In the past, we played together too. We challenged each other many times” on a court that overlooked “the general curia.”

He said the Augustinian general house in Rome is “a good place to play, and then there are tall plants around, and no one sees.”

Despite the fact that the papal stay

will take place in a villa, not in the main palace – the palace was transformed into a museum by Pope Francis – the Father Moral said that for Pope Leo, “the important thing is that he rests, because then a heavy autumn awaits him, very dense, between Jubilee (Year) commitments, appointments and travels.”

A BUSY AUTUMN AWAITS

Only after the summer break will the pope make changes to the Vatican government, the Curia, Father Moral predicted.

“This break will certainly help him weigh everything. The time available will then be used to write the encyclical.”

Asked about papal trips, Father Moral said that “this year, apart from the trip to Turkey, I don’t think there will be any other trips, considering that there is the Jubilee and many other commitments. Next year, however, I think we will see him with a suitcase in hand, something he has always done when he was prior.”

Father Moral remembered with gratitude the time when now-Pope Leo governed the Augustinian order between 2001 and 2013 in his Il Messaggero interview.

“When he left the order after being elected for two terms, he was greeted with an applause lasting over 10 minutes, a standing ovation. He governed us for a long time with righteousness, judgment, loyalty and transparency. A person of rare balance.” He said the pope, in his free time, likes to play the piano. “He studied music when he was little, (he) reads sheet music. A few days after the election, he received a famous Italian orchestra conductor, and Leo XIV played a not-easy piece by Bela Bartok on the piano.”

Asked what his relationship with the press would be, he said, “He knows well that without communication it is complicated for a complex organization to move forward. For him, communication is fundamental. When the Augustinians didn’t have a webpage, it was he who wanted it and he who created it, materially.”

Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass

JUSTIN MCLELLAN Catholic News Service

ROME — “We must pray for the conversion of many people, inside and outside of the Church, who still do not recognize the urgency of caring for our common home,” Pope Leo XIV said while celebrating a new formulary, Mass for the Care of Creation.

Far from the pounding organ of St. Peter’s Basilica or the throngs of faithful at St. Peter’s Square, the pope celebrated Mass July 9 to the accompaniment of chirping birds in the gardens of the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo, the traditional summer residence of the popes 15 miles southeast of Rome.

The Mass was attended by the staff of the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology project – a space for education and training in integral ecology hosted in the gardens – as well as Vatican officials and Holy Cross Father Daniel Groody, an expert on migration and associate provost for undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Lamenting the natural disasters around the world that “are in part caused by the excesses of human beings, with their lifestyle,” the pope urged the intimate gathering in his homily “to ask ourselves if we ourselves are living this conversion or not: How greatly it is needed!”

The formulary of the Mass “for the care of creation” was added to the Roman Missal – the liturgical book that contains the texts for celebrating Mass – by the Dicastery for Divine Worship June 8.

“In a burning world, be it because of global warming or armed conflicts,” people today find themselves filled with fear, just as the disciples were in the face of a storm that was calmed by Christ, Pope Leo said. But, he added, “there is hope! We have found it in Jesus.”

“The mission of safeguarding creation, of bringing peace and reconciliation” is “the mission which the Lord has entrusted to us,” Pope Leo said. “We listen to the cry of the earth, we listen to the cry of the poor, because this cry has reached the heart of God. Our indignation is His indignation; our work is His work.”

The Church must speak prophetically about the climate crisis “even when it requires the boldness to oppose the destructive power of the ‘princes’ of this world,” he added. “Just one contemplative gaze can change our relationship with created things and bring us out of the ecological crisis that has, as its cause, the breakdown of relationships with God, neighbor and the earth because of sin.”

OSV NEWS | ALESSIA GIULIANI, CPP

Pope Leo XIV waves after arriving in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 6, for his retreat. The pope is staying at Villa Barberini – not in the main palace, which was transformed into a museum by Pope Francis – through July 20.

CNS | CRISTIAN GENNARI, POOL

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation July 9 on the grounds of the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology center in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

Notre Dame’s famed statues return to cathedral’s rooftop

PARIS — In Paris, a major milestone in Notre Dame Cathedral’s restoration was marked with the dramatic lifting of its 19th-century spire statues back into place, part of the final phase of roof repairs before the cathedral’s towers reopen to the public on Sept. 20.

The rector of the cathedral, Father Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said visitor numbers are

“increasing day by day,” topping 33,000 daily and surpassing 5 million so far this year. By July’s end, all 16 statues – restored after being removed just days before the 2019 fire – will once again crown the spire.

Father Ribadeau Dumas said visitors often leave transformed, calling Notre Dame a place where faith and beauty meet: “Visitors are struck by the life of faith that is lived at Notre Dame. We can find God through beauty, but also through the witness of faith lived by others.”

Nearly one-third of conceptions in UK ends in abortion, stats reveal

LIVERPOOL, England — Nearly one in three pregnancies in England and Wales ends in abortion, according to new government figures. Data released July 9 show that 29.69% of conceptions in 2022 were terminated – up

sharply from 20.8% a decade ago.

Catholic leaders called the numbers a “national tragedy.” Archbishop John Sherrington urged a renewed “culture of life.” David Alton, a Catholic member of the House of Lords, condemned Parliament’s June vote to decriminalize abortion up to birth, saying it tramples the right to life.

Papal nuncio celebrates Mass at Anglican Canterbury Cathedral

CANTERBURY, England — For the first time in modern history, the apostolic nuncio to the United Kingdom has celebrated Mass in England’s most celebrated Anglican cathedral.

On Monday, July 7, which marked the feast of the Translation of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía celebrated the holy sacrifice of the Mass at Canterbury Cathedral with hundreds in attendance. The feast marks

the day in 1220 when the saint’s relics were moved from his initial burial place to a new shrine in Canterbury Cathedral – a sign of his status as a major saint and focus of pilgrimage.

During his homily, Maury Buendía said: “This Mass of pilgrimage...highlights the Christian life as a spiritual journey, moving through life’s trials and joys with hope anchored in Christ.” While it is traditional for the Catholic parish to celebrate Mass at the cathedral each July 7, this was the first time the apostolic nuncio presided. — OSV News and Catholic News Agency

ViewPoints

Modern papacy at the speed of light

One of the most historic shifts I continue to witness in my lifetime is that of the papacy and modern media.

On occasion I have found myself searching YouTube for video of popes from the past. If the internet can be trusted in this regard, a quick search suggests Pope Leo XIII (18781903) was the first to be captured on film. He was the first to experience his living visage shared around the world to be seen by those with the equipment to view it. I doubt that crossed the mind of our current Holy Father when he selected the name of Pope Leo XIV. Nonetheless, unlike the predecessor his name invokes, the current Leo will have to navigate a world that communicates almost instantaneously, nearly at the speed of light.

MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA

Prior to Pope Leo XIV’s election, I was asked in several interviews about what challenges the new pope will face. In my humble opinion, I shared that I believe Pope Leo’s biggest challenge will be that of managing the threats and opportunities of an evolving social media climate in which any utterance, any glance, any side comment can go global in an instant for interpretation by the masses – with or without context.

The 20th-century popes at first found their papacies contextualized by the printed word, then radio, television and now the internet. Popes previously could speak more freely and even make mistakes without a global audience watching every move and listening to every word – and offering their opinions in response. While Popes John XXIII and Paul VI increased their visibility through television, it was Pope John Paul II who seemed to first embrace the opportunity, one that would allow him to speak to the whole world. With the modern advantages of air travel, he not only circled the globe but spoke through cameras and microphones that amplified his message to all who cared to listen.

Perhaps in the thread of Divine Providence, a man who contemplated theater before discerning his call to the priesthood was the perfect pope to take up this emerging opportunity. In the context of carefully orchestrated liturgical events and addresses, his words were thoughtfully considered and delivered. Of course, there were also impromptu moments that offered rare, unscripted glimpses into the man who then occupied the Chair of Peter.

When something seemed impossible, it used to be said “it’s like trying to get an interview with the pope.”

So, it was rather extraordinary in the 1990s when Pope John Paul II accepted an invitation to a television interview on the occasion of his 15th papal anniversary. Having done what was proverbially impossible, Italian journalist and writer Vittorio Messori was no doubt surprised – and delighted – to learn of his once-in-a-lifetime score. In the end, the interview was cancelled due to what was described as a “scheduling conflict,” although

‘Any utterance, any glance, any side comment can go global in an instant.’

some may wonder if cautions of those surrounding the pope came into play.

Nonetheless, the Holy Father answered every question Messori had provided in preparation for the interview, and he was entrusted to assemble and publish the pope’s replies, which were published in the 1994 book “Crossing the Threshold of Hope,” a title Pope John Paul II proposed to Messori. Through it, all were privy to the pope’s personal reflections in the style of an interview, with questions coming not from within the Church but from a journalist on the outside. A seeming novelty, one could hardly realize at the time that this was a mere prelude to far more public papal engagement in the years to follow.

Pope Benedict XVI went a step further in the early 2000s. An academic, he intended to spend his retirement publishing his

theological and ecclesial reflections. But the Church had other designs for him. Drawing upon his own inspiration, he set aside his papal authority to publish a trilogy entitled “Jesus of Nazareth,” stating in the preface that the books are his thoughts as a Catholic theologian and should not be seen as an exercise of magisterial authority. Catholic academics were free to offer contrary views. In this way, something new seemed to emerge: the pope engaging in public theological discourse, not from the Chair of Peter but standing next to it. And while this wasn’t exactly posting on Facebook, Pope Benedict was inviting conversation.

INNOVATION AND CONVERSATION

His successor Pope Francis presented himself even more freely, providing impromptu interviews before press gaggles while flying around the world. This too was an innovation, a response to the shifting reality of global communications. On more than one occasion, it seemed the man who occupied the Chair of Peter, like Benedict before him, felt free to speak publicly not from the chair but alongside it, often speaking in impromptu ways.

This was refreshing for many. Pope Francis had a certain charm and was able to speak through social media to engage people who might otherwise tune out the Church. Yet this style was also confusing for some. Pope Benedict’s thoughts and reflections came with a disclaimer clearly separating magisterial authority from his words. It was not so clear with Pope Francis. One might wonder how the average listener was to know when he was speaking with papal authority and when he was simply reflecting.

The canonist and theologian understand there are specific and defined ways in which the pope teaches with magisterial authority. The sharing of personal thoughts and academic inquiry are not among them. The practical reality, however, is that the average listener might easily conflate that which is a personal thought with magisterial teaching. It’s not surprising that Vatican officials had to adjust to this new approach of conversing with the world – and occasionally issue formal distinctions and clarifications.

Looking ahead, it will be up to Pope Leo XIV to decide best practices. In his first few months, he appears to be more measured than Pope Francis, yet still strategic in sharing his message. He emphasizes the need for journalists to “disarm” communication, avoid divisive language and use their platforms to foster peace and understanding. He also stresses the importance of listening to the voices of the weak and marginalized and of using communication to build bridges rather than walls. It will be interesting to see how he models that message while the whole world watches.

MONSIGNOR PATRICK J. WINSLOW is vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte.

Monsignor Patrick Winslow

CNS | LOLA GOMEZ

Pope Leo XIV greets people who record his every move on their phones as he marks the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with a meeting in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican June 26.

CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY

Pope Francis talks to the press on board his plane as he leaves from Fiumicino’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport near Rome, headed to Baghdad, Iraq, March 5, 2021.

Pope Leo XIII was the first pope to have his image captured on film in 1896.

Pope Pius XII sits in front of a microphone, prepared to give a radio address in 1943. During World War II, the pontiff made many pleas for peace through Vatican Radio.

Jaymie Stuart Wolfe

Online scammers impersonate pope’s brothers

There have always been charlatans and pirates, but today’s swindlers are breathtakingly bold. Their “tech-spertise” has reached a level of sophistication that is matched only by their audacity.

Just a few years ago, no one would have guessed that fraudsters would be impersonating the pope’s family members. Yet, that is precisely what has occurred.

Using several fake social media accounts, con artists claiming to be Louis or John Prevost – the pope’s brothers – have been contacting people with requests for donations to a PayPal account. Other people were approached with offers to arrange private papal audiences.

Most of us know and live by the ancient proverb “caveat emptor” – let the buyer beware. But the AI revolution currently underway means that the internet isn’t just a figurative Wild West anymore; it’s downright dangerous.

The digital landscape is always evolving. But those who innovate aren’t always pursuing legitimate activities or virtuous purposes. And when things like credit card skimming and identity theft become easy, new and more complex scams have also become possible. The founder of one targeted nonprofit even received a fraudulent call featuring a deep fake, AIgenerated voice that sounded genuine.

The election of an American-born pontiff has engendered a great deal of excitement in the United States. People love Pope Leo XIV, and millions of people – even those who aren’t particularly close to the Church – want to be close to him. That desire has made good and otherwise cautious people vulnerable to scammers looking for an in. Clearly, the development of technology has once again outpaced the development of the security we need to protect us from those who would abuse it. Reporting scammers can help, but the process of shutting them down is slow. It took a number of days for Facebook to eliminate the fake accounts, and not all of

What you should know

Is the pope online?

The Vatican News site issued a warning in several languages May 21 after a 36-minute, AIgenerated fake video of Pope Leo was posted on YouTube. In addition, there are many fake social media accounts that have cropped up claiming to be that of the pope. So how do you know what’s real? There are two official papal social media accounts:

n On X and Instagram, you can follow Pope Leo: @Pontifex

n The pope has just one official charity, Peter’s Pence, that can be accessed through its website: www.obolodisanpietro. va/en.html

them have been. In the meantime, Vatican News has issued an alert about spurious Facebook profiles claiming to belong to the Holy Father, noting that Pope Leo has no official page on Facebook and that the only way to donate to Peter’s Pence online is through the charity’s official website, www.obolodisanpietro.va/en/dona.html.

But warnings like these are often a two-edged sword. Swindlers who are impersonating the pope’s brothers have actually shared the Vatican News post to gain the credibility they need to continue exploiting people.

Although reticent to do so at first, John Prevost has made an effort to speak out publicly online, according to Betty-Ann Medeiros Hickey, an employee of the Archdiocese of New Orleans who talked with him about the matter.

JAYMIE STUART WOLFE is a Catholic convert, freelance writer and editor in New Orleans.

n Online scammers often try to create a sense of urgency, a dire situation or limited opportunity to motivate you to act quickly.

n Advancements in technology make it more difficult to spot fakes with every passing year.

n In 2024, Americans lost $3 billion to online scammers.

n Impersonation scams are the most common reported fraud.

n Official Vatican websites end in .va.

What can you do?

n Refuse to engage with unsolicited messages from people you don’t know personally.

n Review and verify every sender’s identity.

n Reject any links sent to you in messages from unverified senders.

n Resist the temptation to share information you have not verified.

n Report online fraud whenever you see it.

n Remain vigilant, even when it seems that a problem has been addressed.

Most-read stories on the web

‘In the end, love prevails and proves more powerful than evil and death.’

Pope Leo XIV

From online story: “Jesus did not ignore those in need, and neither should Christians, pope says”

The Catholic News Herald reached the Facebook and Instagram feeds of more than 1,060,00 people in English and Spanish last month. The most talked about post? Coverage of the Sisters of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God leaving Pennybyrn. Join the conversation: www.facebook.com/CatholicNewsHerald.

On YouTube in July so far, videos produced by the Catholic News Herald have been viewed more than 12,000 times. The most popular video? Highlights from “Six new priests ordained for Diocese of Charlotte.”

Over the past 30 days, 27,000 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 52,000 pages. The top 10 trending headlines as of July 16 were:

n 2025 priest assignments announced

n Vicars forane appointed

n Father Gober leaves vocations program in ‘good hands’ ............................................................

n Bishop grants request to pause restrictions on Latin Mass

n Three Franciscans launch unique outreach with Charlotte diocese

n OLG celebrates Father Coleman’s decade of service

n Bishop Martin ordains six priests for Diocese of Charlotte

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