May 23, 2025

At a glance

MAY 23, 2025

VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 16 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

Arts & Entertainment 12

Contact us 2

Español 14-15

Our Diocese 4-10

Our Faith 3

Scripture 3, 15

U.S. news 24-25

Viewpoints 30-31

World news 26-29

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CATHOLIC ALL WEEK

Timely tips for blending faith & life

What’s

in a name? When it comes to the name a new pope selects, it can mean quite a lot. Church historians say Pope Leo XIV’s choice of a name was a powerful statement that conveys both a sense of tradition and an openness to the realities of the modern world. (Read one opinion on page 31.) Here are a few intriguing facts about some of the 13 men who have taken the name Leo before our new pope, and what his choice of name might say about his pontificate.

PEACEMAKER AND SOCIAL PIONEER

Our new pope’s first words to the faithful were: “May peace be with you all.” His namesake, Pope Leo XIII (1873-1903), was a peacemaker who reconciled the Church with France, Russia, Germany and Great Britain. He also published the encyclical “Rerum Novarum” on workers’ rights. This foundational document for Church social teaching emphasized the dignity of workers and condemned the dangers of unchecked capitalism and socialism. Pope Leo XIII also opened the Vatican secret archives to scholars, founded the Vatican observatory to demonstrate the Church’s openness to science and was the first pope to be filmed on a motion picture camera.

HISTORIC MOMENTS

The first pope who took the name Leo became pope in 440. Known as “Leo the Great,” the Roman aristocrat was a peacemaker who is most well-known for meeting Attila the Hun in 452 and successfully managing to dissuade him from invading Italy. He was also a doctor of the Church, promoted the doctrine of papal primacy (the authority of the pope over other bishops), and wrote 96 sermons that have been passed on to us today. A historic last (at least for now) was Pope Leo X (1513-1521). He was the last pope not to have been a priest at the time of his election to the papacy.

DEVOTION TO MARY

Pope Leo’s name also has a Marian significance. Pope Leo XIII wrote 11 encyclicals on the rosary and was also the first pope to embrace the concept of Mary as mediatrix, which holds that Mary helps distribute Christ’s grace through her intercession. One of the new pope’s first visits was to the Mother of Good Counsel in Italy, and when he was bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, he offered a prayer of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary before the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fátima, which he requested be brought to Chiclayo from the Fátima shrine in Portugal.

— Catholic News Herald, Catholic News Service, Wikipedia

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

Pope Leo XIII (1873-1903) Diocesan calendar of events

PRAYER SERVICES

MEMORIAL DAY MASS : 11 a.m. Monday, May 26, St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Preceded by rosary at 10:30 a.m. Offered for all military personnel who have died and those who are now serving. All military personnel are invited and encouraged to come in uniform.

CATHOLIC GRANDPARENTS GROUP : The next meeting of this prayer and support group for all Catholic grandparents in the Diocese of Charlotte is 1011:30 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 N. Main St., Belmont. Preregister by Thursday, June 12, to cgakac24@gmail.com.

VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS : St. Patrick Cathedral hosts a vigil to honor the Hearts of Jesus and Mary each first Friday through first Saturday. Mass will be at 8 p.m. Friday, June 6, followed by an overnight Adoration that ends with a Mass at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 8. Sign up at www.prolifecharlotte.org/two-hearts.

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.

MAY 24 – NOON

Confirmation Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Charlotte

MAY 25 – 5 P.M.

Confirmation St. John Neumann Church, Charlotte

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

MAY 27 – 5 P.M. Rite of Admission to Candidacy Mass

St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

MAY 28 – 6 P.M. Confirmation

Confirmation

St. Francis of Assisi Church, Franklin MAY 29 – 6 P.M.

St. Charles Borromeo Church, Morganton

MAY 31 – 11 A.M.

Confirmation

St. Matthew Church, Charlotte

MAY 31 – 5 P.M.

Confirmation

Immaculate Conception Church, Forest City

Our faith

Pope’s first audience: God’s love is generous

The Gospel parable of the “wasteful sower” who casts seeds on fertile soil as well as on a rocky path “is an image of the way God loves us,” Pope Leo XIV told visitors and pilgrims at his first weekly general audience.

The parable can strike people as odd because “we are used to calculating things – and at times it is necessary – but this does not apply in love,” the pope told an estimated 40,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square May 21.

Pope Leo read his full prepared text in Italian and also read the summaries of the talk in English and in Spanish.

The pope also told the crowd that he could not conclude the gathering without remembering “our beloved Pope Francis, who exactly one month ago returned to the house of our Father.”

The pope began his audience explaining he would continue the series of talks his predecessor had begun on the Jubileerelated theme “Jesus Christ Our Hope.”

Focusing on the parable of the sower from the Gospel of Matthew 13:1-17, Pope Leo said Jesus’ parables were stories “taken from everyday life” but meant to lead listeners “to a deeper meaning.”

The parable of the sower, he said, is about “the dynamic of the word of God and the effects it produces. Indeed, every word of the Gospel is like a seed that is thrown on the ground of our life.”

The soil where the seed in the parable lands “is our heart, but it is also the world, the community, the Church,” he said. “The word of God, in fact, makes fruitful and provokes every reality.”

What happens to the seed depends on the quality of the earth it lands on, he said.

“But first and foremost, in this parable Jesus tells us that God throws the seed of His word on all kinds of soil, that is, in any situation of ours,” the pope said. “At times we are more superficial and distracted; at times we let ourselves get carried away by enthusiasm; sometimes we are burdened by life’s worries, but there are also times when we are willing and welcoming.”

“God is confident and hopes that sooner or later the seed will blossom,” Pope Leo said. “This is how He loves us: He does not wait for us to become the best soil, but He always generously gives us His word.”

When people see how God loves and trusts them, the pope said, it should encourage them to be “better soil.”

Pope Leo urged people to ask God for the grace to welcome His word in their lives, “and if we realize we are not a fruitful soil, let us not be discouraged, but let us ask Him to work on us more to make us become a better terrain.”

Who are the Augustinians?

A

look at Pope Leo XIV’s religious order

JONAH MCKEOWN Catholic News Agency

Pope Leo XIV is the first pope from the Order of St. Augustine, also known as the Augustinians, an ancient religious order with thousands of members worldwide.

The Order of St. Augustine came together nearly 800 years ago, first composed of a union of many religious communities that were using the Rule of St. Augustine, a document written in the fourth century that continues to be highly influential among Catholic orders today.

ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (354–430)

St. Augustine was an early Catholic bishop, theologian and doctor of the Church whose ideas and writings shaped Catholic doctrine for over a millennium.

As documented in his autobiographical work, “Confessions,” Augustine was brought up Christian but later abandoned the faith for a life of worldly pleasure and revelry, while at the same time becoming a philosopher and rhetorician.

After years following the Manichaean heresy (which believes the world is in a struggle between dark and light), Augustine met St. Ambrose, a bishop and fellow doctor of the Church, who inspired Augustine to seek the truth in the Christian faith he had rejected. Augustine returned to his Catholic faith, fulfilling many years of fervent prayer by his mother, St. Monica. After returning to Africa, Augustine was proclaimed priest and then bishop against his will. He accepted it as the will of God and spent the rest of his life as pastor of the North African town.

THE ORDER FORMS

As bishop, Augustine led a monastic community life with his clergy. Vows were not obligatory, but the possession of private property was prohibited, the Catholic Encyclopedia reports.

Many sought to copy his way of life, and Augustine wrote instructions during his lifetime to guide monastic communities.

The Lateran Synod in 1059 approved Augustine’s rule, which emphasizes love for God and neighbor, stresses the

Daily Scripture readings

MAY 25-31

Sunday: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29, Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8, Rev 21:10-14, 22-23, Jn 14:23-29; Monday (St. Philip Neri, Priest): Acts 16:11-15, Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b, Jn 15:26-16:4a; Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34, Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde3, 7c-8, Jn 16:5-11; Wednesday: Acts 17:15, 22-18:1, Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14, Jn 16:12-15; Thursday: Acts 18:1-8, Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, Jn 16:16-20; Friday: Acts 18:9-18, Ps 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Jn 16:20-23; Saturday (Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Zeph 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16, Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6, Luke 1:39-56

GERARD SEGHERS, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

St. Augustine is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians and a number of cities and dioceses.

importance of communal living and prioritizes humility. Pope Innocent IV in 1244 united all the communities in Italy using the rule, thus forming the Hermits of St. Augustine, a mendicant order (meaning they take a vow of poverty and rely on the support of the faithful).

The Order of St. Augustine today includes 2,800 Augustinians in 47 countries throughout the world.

AN AUGUSTINIAN POPE

The future Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, attended an Augustinian seminary high school near Holland, Michigan. He later earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Villanova University, which is sponsored by the Augustinians and located in Pennsylvania.

He made his solemn vows as an Augustinian in 1981 and was ordained to

JUNE 1-7

Sunday (Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord): Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9, Eph 1:17-23 or Heb 9:24-28, 10:19-23, Lk 24:46-53; Monday: Acts 19:1-8, Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab, Jn 16:29-33; Tuesday (St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs): Acts 20:17-27, Ps 68:10-11, 20-21, Jn 17:1-11a; Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38, Ps 68:29-30, 3335a, 35bc-36ab, Jn 17:11b-19; Thursday (St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr): Acts 22:30, 23:6-11, Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11, Jn 17:2026; Friday: Acts 25:13b-21, Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab, Jn 21:15-19; Saturday: Acts 28:1620, 30-31, Ps 11:4, 5 and 7, Jn 21:20-25

the priesthood in June 1982 after studying theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. After being ordained, he earned a doctorate in canon law from Rome’s Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1987.

Prevost returned to Chicago for a short time in 1987, serving as pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Midwest Augustinians. He was then sent to Peru, where he served the Augustinians in various capacities including as a regional ecclesiastical judge and teacher of canon law in the diocesan seminary for Trujillo, Peru, for 10 years.

After being elected the head of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, Prevost returned to the U.S. in 1999. He was elected prior general of the Augustinians in 2001 and then re-elected in 2007, serving as head of the order until 2013.

JUNE 8-14

Sunday (Pentecost Sunday): Acts 2:1-11, Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34, 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Romans 8:8-17, Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 14:15-16, 23b-26; Monday (Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church): Gen 3:9-15, 20 or Acts 1:12-14, Ps 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7, Jn 19:2534; Tuesday: 2 Cor 1:18-22, Ps 119:129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, Mt 5:13-16; Wednesday (St. Barnabas, Apostle): Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3, Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6, Mt 5:17-19; Thursday: 2 Cor 3:15-4:1, 3-6, Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14, Mt 5:20-26; Friday (St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church): 2 Cor 4:7-15, Ps 116:10-11, 15-16, 17-18, Mt 5:2732; Saturday: 2 Cor 5:14-21, Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12, Mt 5:33-37

Pope Leo XIV

Our diocese

Seven men to be ordained deacons June 7

KIMBERLY D. BENDER kdbender@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — This June, seven men will be ordained deacons, continuing a trend of near-record numbers of seminarians to take this step toward the priesthood together for the Diocese of Charlotte.

These men will be ordained to holy orders June 7 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville, putting them one step closer to becoming priests next year.

This diverse class brings men from all over the state, from Winston-Salem to Forest City and two from the same Charlotte parish.

All seven attend Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology in Cincinnati, Ohio.

They are: Robert Warren Bauman and Peter James Townsend, both from St. Ann Parish in Charlotte; Michael Patrick Camilleri, from St. Elizabeth Parish in Boone; John Warren Cuppett, from St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem; Maximilian Karl Frei, from St. Dorothy Parish in Lincolnton; Bryan Ilagor, from Our Lady of the Americas Parish in Biscoe; and Michael James Lugo, from Immaculate

Conception Parish in Forest City.

Besides attending the same seminary, most of the men share similar passions for music, sports, reading and a love of the Catholic faith.

The group of seven to be ordained deacons – and expected to be ordained priests a year from now – equals the largest group to be ordained together in recent years.

Six of them were among the first classes at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly for undergraduates discerning a possible priestly vocation before taking the step of enrolling in a major seminary for more formal formation. Established in 2016, the college seminary is fostering growth of vocations in the diocese. Students work toward a bachelor’s degree at Belmont

Catholic Charities spring events raise $648,000 to support neighbors in need

CHARLOTTE —Catholic Charities

Diocese of Charlotte’s three spring fundraising events welcomed more than 1,100 guests and raised over $648,000 to support vulnerable children, families and seniors across the diocese.

The Partners in Hope event in WinstonSalem drew 638 guests and raised nearly $288,000, while Charlotte’s Vineyard of Hope welcomed 250 guests and raised more than $250,000. Asheville’s Spirit of Hope event hosted 225 guests and raised $110,000.

All funds raised at each event remain in the local community, directly benefiting Catholic Charities’ regional programs and services.

“We are deeply grateful for the generosity and spirit of everyone who joined us,” said Executive Director Dr. Gerry Carter. “These funds will directly impact lives by helping us deliver food, counseling, housing support and more to those who need it most.”

This year’s Partners in Hope honored the late Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio with the 2025 Bishop William G. Curlin Award, recognizing his lifelong service to the poor and vulnerable.

At Vineyard of Hope, keynote speaker Bishop Michael Martin emphasized Catholic Charities’ mission of honoring the dignity of every person.

The Fruit of the Vine Award was presented to Beds for Kids for their work transforming empty apartments into homes for families rebuilding after hardship.

At Spirit of Hope, Catholic Charities recognized three “Helene heroes” whose

CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE

Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio was honored posthumously with the 2025 Bishop William G. Curlin Award, recognizing his lifelong service to the poor and vulnerable, at this year’s Partners in Hope gala.

compassion and commitment helped bring relief and restoration to families in crisis after Tropical Storm Helene: Margaret Beale, principal of Immaculata Catholic School; Kelly Hansen, parish assistant at St. Andrew the Apostle and Sacred Heart; and Claudia Graham, office manager at St. Margaret Mary. Each event served as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when a community comes together in faith and compassion to serve others.

— David Long, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte

Abbey College while experiencing a Benedictine-style communal life on their path of discernment.

Catholic summer camps – such as Quo Vadis Days, an annual vocation discernment camp for young men to ponder “Where are you going?” – are where many of these men first identified or cemented a potential calling to the priesthood.

“There was always an opportunity for seminarians and priests to answer questions,” Ilagor said. “This allowed me to solidify my vocation.”

Having St. Joseph College Seminary down the road from Belmont Abbey College helped John Cuppett, who attended the Catholic college on a baseball scholarship, clarify his path to the priesthood.

“I became acquainted with some of the seminarians while in college, and this had a huge impact on my discernment. Watching them gave me courage to follow Our Lord as well,”Cuppett said.

“The community at St. Joseph College Seminary formed the perfect ‘seedbed,’ complete with all the elements to make my relationship with Jesus grow and flourish.”

All are welcome to attend the 10 a.m. Mass on Saturday, June 7, at St. Mark Church, located at 14740 Stumptown Road in Huntersville.

More online

At www.catholicnewsherald.com : Get to know the seven seminarians being ordained deacons

Witnessing for life in Raleigh

RALEIGH — Pilgrims from the Diocese of Charlotte traveled to Raleigh May 17 for the North Carolina March for Life. They began the day with Mass at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, then attended a rally where Father Peter Ascik, director of the diocese’s Family Life Office, was interviewed by Divine Mercy Radio (at left). The day culminated with the group witnessing for life in the streets of Raleigh (above).

Bauman Townsend Camilleri

Cuppett Frei Ilagor Lugo

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BRENDAN DUDLEY

Bringing Jesus to the streets

Three Franciscans launch unique outreach with Charlotte diocese

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD STAFF

catholicnews@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Three Franciscan friars, including a well-known YouTuber, will join the Diocese of Charlotte this summer in a new ministry to reach young adults and so-called “nones,” people who profess no religious affiliation.

Father Casey Cole, Father Roberto “Tito” Serrano and Father Jason Damon are members of the Order of Friars Minor, founded by St. Francis of Assisi. Their new ministry seeks to follow in the radical footsteps of their founder: meeting people where they are, sharing the Gospel and inspiring them to explore the Catholic faith.

The friars came up with the concept as part of their order’s time-honored efforts to evangelize in fresh and engaging ways, on the streets and in today’s digital world. Bishop Michael Martin – himself a Franciscan, although with a separate branch, the Conventual Franciscans – loved the idea.

Bishop Martin sees it as a bold response to Charlotte’s rapid growth, especially aimed at young people. With the city’s population nearing 1 million and projected to grow by 50% by 2050, the bishop says the Church must act with creativity and courage.

“We are starting something new here,” he says. “There is a vibrancy in this region because it’s an appealing place to live and work. There are endless opportunities for this ministry to advance our mission of sharing the Good News, particularly with people who might otherwise not hear the promise of Jesus.”

THEIR MISSION IN CHARLOTTE

Learn more and lend your support

n At charlottediocese.org/franciscan-friars-donation/ : Learn more and donate to the friars’ new ministry

n At www.friars.us : Learn more about the Franciscans

n At www.youtu.be/JHtHXBbegAc : Father Casey Cole talks about the friars’ new mission in Charlotte

at concerts, breweries, sporting events and more – offering a visible and approachable Catholic presence, sharing God’s Word as they walk the streets and ride the light rail.

They’ll make themselves known on college campuses, gyms, in Southend and in rapidly growing Uptown Charlotte, home to about 20,000 mostly young, single and mobile residents, with a median age of 29. Their goal: engage people where they live, work and gather – outside traditional church settings.

“We want to be with young adults – early Gen Z to Millennials – who don’t have any concept of church,” said Father Casey, whose social media presence draws thousands of followers.

Casey and his brothers recently joined Father Tim Stephens, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Uptown Charlotte, for a walking tour – their brown habits attracting curious glances from onlookers as the they posed for photos with the Firebird, strolled Latta Arcade and made their way to The Square.

“Our habits are a conversation starter,” he said, “we’re a curiosity. People may not speak to us the first time they see us, but they might stop us on the second or third time and ask who we are and what we’re doing. That is an opportunity.”

up

A man on a bike stopped to chat with Father

Jason, one-on-one, at Romare Bearden Park. A late-lunch crowd took photos as the trio passed through. These chance encounters often give way to deeper conversations with people, who want to ask questions, seek guidance or just share what’s on their heart, the friars said.

The friars belong to the Atlanta-based Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, which encompasses approximately 700 members throughout the U.S. Friars live in community, serving God through outreach to the poor and marginalized, evangelization to young people, and teaching and operating schools and universities.

They will live near the UNC-Charlotte campus in the former rectory of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. While they will be available to help with Masses, they won’t be involved in full-time parish or campus ministry. Their focus will be public evangelization.

An important aspect of their work, Father Casey noted, is fraternity. Living together in community is part of the Franciscan way of life, and the friars hope their example – their lives, not just their words – will inspire people to grow closer to God.

The Diocese of Charlotte will employ the friars and provide housing in their first year, with a long-term goal of facilitating a selfsustaining ministry.

Meet the friars

Beginning in July, keep your eye out for these three men in brown robes and sandals who are partnering with the Diocese of Charlotte in a special ministry to reach young adults:

Father Casey Cole is an author and digital evangelist behind the popular YouTube channel “Breaking in the Habit.” Originally from Pennsylvania, he moved to Cary as a teen and graduated from Furman University with a degree in religious studies and a minor in poverty studies. He entered the Franciscan order in 2011, professed solemn vows in 2017, and was ordained in 2019. He also serves as a chaplain to two schools and Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and has published three books.

Father Tito Serrano, who most recently served as an associate campus minister at Siena College in New York, grew up in a U.S. Air Force family. The son of Puerto Rican parents, he felt drawn to the Franciscans early in life but worked in the private sector before entering the Franciscan order in 2011. He professed solemn vows in 2019 and was ordained in 2020. Father Casey and Father Tito have already collaborated on several unique evangelizing efforts, including the podcasts “Everyday Liminality” and “Minor Characters,” and in 2022, a crosscountry pilgrimage to all 30 Major League Baseball parks that they dubbed the “Bleacher Brothers Tour.”

Father Jason Damon, a native of Buffalo, New York, first encountered the Franciscans as a student at St. Bonaventure University. He entered the order in 2016, professed solemn vows in 2023, and was ordained in 2024. He has served parishes in Raleigh; Buffalo, New York; Gary, Indiana; and most recently, Joliet, Illinois. He also worked with a Franciscan ministry for the homeless in Philadelphia and campus ministry programs at Siena College and at Villa Maria College in New York.

The friars will traverse the city, showing

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Franciscan Fathers Casey Cole, Tito Serrano and Jason Damon take a walking tour through Uptown Charlotte with Father Tim Stephens, pastor of St. Peter Parish. They are moving to the city to start an outreach ministry that will evangelize young adults outside traditional Church settings, in a collaboration with the Diocese of Charlotte.

Cole Serrano Damon

Marking history in Hickory

HICKORY — The North Carolina Knights of Columbus held its 105th State Convention May 16-18 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Bishop Michael Martin was principal celebrant of the convention Mass and spoke at the banquet.

The weekend was filled with fraternity, food, fundraisers and family fun, with events for spouses and children.

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s fraternal organization founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, is known for its charitable work and support of the Catholic Church.

Learn more at its website, www.kofcnc.org

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Retired St. Mark deacon passes away

HUNTERSVILLE — Deacon Robert T. Murphy, 84, of Huntersville went to be with the Lord on Friday, May 16, 2025, surrounded by his family.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at James Funeral Home, located at 10520 Arahova Dr. in Huntersville. A prayer service will be held at 5 p.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at St. Mark Catholic Church, located at 14470 Stumptown Road in Huntersville, with burial to follow at Charlotte Memorial Gardens. There will be a reception in the Parish Hall at 2:30

p.m., after the burial.

Robert Murphy was born on March 12, 1941, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late James Murphy and Eva Klein. A Vietnam War veteran, he served in the U.S. Air Force.

He was ordained as a deacon for the Diocese of Charlotte on June 10, 2006, and assigned after ordination to St. Mark Church, where he was active in Hispanic Ministry as well as general parish and outreach ministries.

Belmont Abbey nursing students volunteer at Birthright

BELMONT — Belmont Abbey College nursing students recently volunteered at Birthright of Charlotte in conjunction with their Community Health Class. The students were involved in all aspects the work, including shadowing office volunteers when individuals came in for help. “What Birthright does for pregnant women in need is truly inspiring,” said student Grace Ridge. “I went into Birthright just hoping to complete my service learning hours for school, but I left with a fire in my heart to continue to serve this community.”

— Catholic New Herald

Stay connected in college

A new link is making it easier for high school seniors to stay connected to their Catholic faith in college. The Office of Campus Ministry has created a short Google Form (https://bit. ly/4k3Q7OE) to connect them with Catholic Campus Ministry. The information you provide will be sent to the campus minister for the college or university indicated on the form. The campus minister will then invite the student to become a part of the Catholic community on campus in the fall.

— Office of Campus Ministry

Catholic Charities USA donates to local Helene relief

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte recently received an additional $350,000 in disaster recovery support from Catholic Charities USA, bolstering ongoing efforts to help communities recover from Tropical Storm Helene.

He retired in 2016 after 10 years of ministry.

Deacon Murphy is survived by the love of his life, Angeles I. Murphy, whom he met in Madrid more than 60 years ago. Together they have four children: Robert Murphy, Richard Murphy (and wife Kate), Charles Murphy (and wife Kim) and Rose Mary Murphy. He is also survived by sister Kathleen, as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.

James Funeral Home of Huntersville is in charge of the arrangements.

Catholic News Herald

The devastation caused by the storm prompted Catholic Charities USA to launch a comprehensive relief effort that has included financial support, emergency and essential supplies, volunteer coordination, and guidance. Catholic Charities USA’s initial donation of $2.7 million empowered the first six months of recovery, allowing Catholic Charities to focus on rebuilding and supporting affected families and businesses. With the additional funds, Executive Director Gerry Carter has encouraged his team to think creatively, supporting restoration in Asheville’s River Arts District, building a playground at a mobile home park, and helping youth sports. This funding is enabling Catholic Charities to address people’s long-term needs.

— Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte

Murphy

GRADUATION 2025

Belmont Abbey College celebrates largest graduating class in school history

Bishop Martin tells 2025 grads: ‘Our world needs your greater works’

SARAH BOLTON Belmont Abbey College

BELMONT — The largest class in the 149-year history of Belmont Abbey College – a total of 360 people – received degrees during commencement ceremonies on Saturday.

Belmont Abbey College’s 147th annual commencement ceremonies began with a baccalaureate Mass offered by Bishop Michael Martin at historic Mary Help of Christians Basilica.

Bishop Martin was one of four people awarded honorary degrees by Belmont Abbey College in recognition of his ministry to the Church and alignment with the college’s commitment to excellence and virtue. Founded in 1876 by Benedictine monks, the private Catholic college’s mission is “to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences so that in all things God may be glorified.”

Also honored for his commitment to Catholic education was Belmont Abbey College’s president, Dr. Bill Thierfelder, who is retiring after 21 years. Under Thierfelder’s leadership, the college has experienced unprecedented growth and success in academics, athletics and campus development.

Thierfelder and Belmont Abbey’s chancellor, Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, presided at the graduation ceremony after Mass.

“Each of our graduates is the answer to Abbot Leo Haid’s hope and prayer that they would quite literally be God’s blessing over this beautiful country in the years to come,” said Thierfelder, about Belmont Abbey’s founder. “I am forever grateful for the wonderful example of our graduates, faculty, coaches, staff and monastic community who are committed to living lives of excellence and virtue in all that they do.”

In his homily for the baccalaureate Mass, which served as the commencement address, Bishop Martin urged graduates to “cherish” what they’ve learned in college and put it to use in building up God’s Kingdom wherever they go in life.

A college education has lifelong value, he said.

“How many years are you going to get out of this college education? My hope would be that … – much like the seal that you will see on your very diploma – that you will come to appreciate that whether you recognize it or not, whether you can articulate it or not, and whether you like it or not, you have been sealed. And that seal will stay with you

In his homily for the baccalaureate Mass, which served as the commencement address for Belmont Abbey College’s graduating class, Bishop Michael Martin urged graduates to cherish what they’ve learned in college and put it to use in building up God’s Kingdom wherever they go in life.

forever, and forever is a mighty long time.

“Will you continue to take care of that seal? Will you continue to cherish that seal? Or will you hang it on the wall and move on, almost discarding it like something that served you for a time and now you have to move on – to what? Bigger and better things? Is that what we’re here to celebrate? I hope not.”

Education is about more than getting a diploma or an award, Bishop Martin said, and education at a Catholic college like Belmont Abbey means even more.

“Our world needs your greater works,” he told the graduates. “The greater works that will take the seal of the Holy Spirit that has been given to you and that you will make manifest – not just in beautiful basilicas, not just in quiet moments of prayer and reflection on God’s sacred Word, not just ‘when two or three are gathered in My name,’ but in whatever professional life you’re going

Six deacons graduate from major seminary

CINCINNATI — Six deacons set to be ordained to the priesthood next month received their Master of Divinity May 3 from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology: Deacon Christopher William Angermeyer of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Charlotte; Deacon Anthony del Cid Lucero of St. Joseph Parish in Newton; Deacon Nicholas James Kramer of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa; Deacon Kolbe Raymond Murrey of St. John the Baptist Parish in Tryon; Deacon Andrew Jeffery Templeton of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Gastonia; and Deacon Joseph Gerard Yellico of St. Mark Parish Huntersville. Deacon Kolbe Murrey also received a Master of Arts in Theology.

to pursue, and whatever family life you’re going to pursue, and wherever you find yourself, in whatever field of competition and whatever supermarket or wherever you find yourself.

“There is no space on this earth, there is no space in this universe that the Father doesn’t want to be made manifest through His Son. And He sends His Spirit upon you, so that you will make that manifest everywhere, everywhere.”

A highlight of the graduation ceremony was the presentation of the 2025 Student of the Year award to Germaine Hanley, who was honored for exemplifying the college’s ideals: academic excellence, steady leadership, meaningful involvement and the daily pursuit of virtue, both inside and outside the classroom.

Hanley was featured as the primary speaker at the graduation ceremony, a tradition at Belmont Abbey College meant to place the focus on student success and voices.

This year’s class included 24 nursing graduates – the second cohort to complete Belmont Abbey’s growing nursing program. The ceremony also recognized a notable number of student-athletes, underscoring the college’s commitment to its mission of “sport and virtue,” which fosters both academic excellence and athletic achievement. The class also included 24 graduates from the Honors College Scholarship program and 21 scholars from the Hintemeyer Catholic Leadership Scholarship program, exemplifying a continued dedication to leadership, service and intellectual growth.

The college also awarded honorary degrees to Chris Peek and Major Gen. (Dr.) Josef F. Schmid III.

Peek is president and CEO of CaroMont Health, a regional healthcare system based in Gastonia that last January opened a state-of-the-art hospital and medical campus adjacent to Belmont Abbey College.

Schmid, a 1988 graduate of Belmont Abbey College, serves in the U.S. Air Force and is a NASA flight surgeon at Johnson Space Center in Texas. He has served as a crew surgeon for shuttle missions and long-duration missions to the International Space Station, as well as becoming an aquanaut during a 12-day mission to NOAA’s undersea Aquarius habitat in 2007.

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!

Graduates of the Class of 2025 at all four Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Charlotte are attending baccalaureate Masses to give thanks to God before their graduation ceremonies this month.

More online

Go online to www. catholicnewsherald. com for coverage of the diocese’s 2025 baccalaureate Masses.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MIKE GIBSON

Steered by God and ordered by the military, Charlotte priest prepares for launch as Navy chaplain

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Father Darren Balkey, parochial vicar at St. Matthew Parish, soon will add a camouflage Navy uniform with a cross insignia pinned to the collar to his collection of vestments. He will gain an additional title, too: Lieutenant Balkey, Chaplain Corps, U.S. Navy. Instead of his parishioners calling him Father Balkey, his unit will refer to him as Chaplain Balkey.

St. Matthew parishioners will honor him at a farewell reception on Sunday, June 1, after he presides over his final children’s Mass, marking the end of his three-year assignment with the Diocese of Charlotte. His parish family, who appreciate his dedication, will miss him greatly.

Diane Kiradjieff, director of religious education, says, “We are all sad he is leaving, but look what he is going to do. You can’t be bitter about that. He is serving his country, he is still serving us, and he is serving God.”

On June 8, Father Balkey will join the ranks of only 50 active-duty Catholic U.S. Navy chaplains nationwide. Ordained in June 2022, Father Balkey “wet his feet” just enough to embark on his first assignment. Three years as a priest is the minimum required by Military Services Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio to receive official orders.

Father Balkey will be traveling light, considering he has no idea where his assignment will take him.

“I could go to the Navy, the Coast Guard, the Marines – wherever there’s a ship,” he says. “I can be going to anything that floats and any base inside or outside the United States.”

His first destination will be the Naval Chaplaincy School in Rhode Island for two months of training. Upon completion, he will serve the military for a minimum of five years.

Father Balkey isn’t nervous about his new mission. Being a priest helped him realize he is not steering the ship – God is. “It’s something I don’t stress about, because what am I going to do?” he muses. “It’s like I am laying on that floor again (at ordination) saying, ‘Here I am, send me’.”

Even though chaplains are non-combative, he is geared up with his weapon of choice: prayer.

“I offered two Masses for my first commanding officer and three Masses for my first command,” he says. “I want to be able to look them in the eye and say, ‘Sir or Ma’am, I’ve been praying for you. Here is the day I did that, and I am a Catholic priest. I am going to serve on your team. Let me know where I can do the most good.’”

He explains, “I am sending missiles over the horizon, already shooting spiritual ammunition in the right direction for the people that I work for and the people that I work to serve. I don’t know who my commander will be. God knows, and that’s awesome, but all I can do is be obedient.”

At the age of 33, Father Balkey foresees being the old guy on the ship.

“The majority of our military are people that are from 18 to 25 years old. They are away from home for the very first time. They’re in a highstress environment. They’re starting to ask the big questions,” he says. “At that moment, people can have a very profound encounter with God.

“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, you’re such a young priest,’ but I’m pretty old for a sailor,” he says.

This doesn’t bother him. One of the main reasons he became a priest after graduating from Belmont Abbey College with a degree in criminal justice was to be a father figure to the community.

“I was looking for something with further reach. You can’t arrest your way out of a problem. You can’t fix a broken home with a search warrant. I thought the thing that was missing here was a true father,” Father Balkey says. “I began to have a spiritual desire to father these people spiritually, to be there for people, like a shepherd.”

That mentality was felt at St. Matthew Parish.

“He very much is a shepherd for all of the staff as well as the faithful,” Kiradjieff says.

Father Balkey hopes to shepherd his new flock in the military, which he felt called to even as he was preparing for seminary.

“I felt called to give my life for the sake of the Church, and the natural corollary to that was serving my country as well,” he says.

Balkey has had a busy three years, being assigned to one of the largest parishes in the country. With approximately 11,000 parish families, nine Sunday Masses, nine nearby hospitals, 700 St. Matthew School students, thousands of faith formation students, a lot of marriages and funerals, Father Balkey’s “training wheels” fell off a while ago.

“He is always available and truly wants to know you,” Kiradjieff says. “He challenges us all to grow in our roles. He was able to touch on each ministry and get to know as many parishioners as possible.”

“We are going to miss him tremendously. He has been a bright presence here, and he very much cares about making sure he left this place better than when he arrived,” she says.

Father Darren Balkey blesses Ensign Veronica Hine on Aug. 15, 2022, at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. Hine, a Catholic and 2021 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, was serving aboard Coast Guard Cutter Sycamore, a seagoing buoy tender homeported at Naval Station Newport. While Father Balkey was preparing for seminary, “Anchors Aweigh,” the song he played during high school football games, became a continuous soundtrack in his head. He took that as a sign the Navy was also calling, and he answered.

Father Balkey has had a busy three years assigned to St. Matthew in Charlotte, one of the largest parishes in the country, where he joyfully embraced every aspect of the priesthood, such as baptisms.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERIN DONLON

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PHILLIP BUDIDHARMA

Balkey

Faith in bloom May crownings honor Blessed Mother

CHARLOTTE — Across the Diocese of Charlotte, parishes and schools honor Our Blessed Mother in a special way with “May Crownings.”

This tradition of the Church dates back to the 16th century and continues to be a joyful celebration during the month of May.

A hallmark of Catholicism is love for Jesus’ mother, Mary. Catholics love her, honor her and venerate her image in thanksgiving for her “yes” to God, for her role as the Theotokos (“God-bearer”) and as a powerful intercessor for all of God’s children. When Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God, He stressed the importance of humility, and Mary is our example.

Mary is also our mother, given to us by Jesus as He was dying upon the cross:

“When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple there whom He loved, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (Jn 19:26, 27). This tender scene speaks to us of the depth of the love that inspires, informs and transforms all human love – the Love Incarnate who gives us His Mother. Mary’s obedience and unwavering faith in God also exemplify the perfect Christian disciple. For if we remain close to Our Blessed Mother, she will keep us close to her Son. — Catholic News Herald

PHOTOS BY TROY C. HULL, AMY BURGER, JAY SILTZER AND PROVIDED (Top) Students gather outside Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Charlotte May 1. (Center) St. Mark preschoolers Grace Ayers and Tommy Kashner crown Our Lady in the Mary Garden while other students leave flowers. (Left) Students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville stop to smell the flowers during their May crowning. (Above) Parishioners of St. Michael in Gastonia process during their May crowning.

From cradle to golden years, Catholic Charities supports families at every stage

CHARLOTTE — From a newborn’s first bottle to a senior’s Spring Fling line dance, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte walks alongside individuals and families through every season of life, offering compassionate care, practical support and community connection from birth through elderhood.

Across the Diocese, Catholic Charities provides essential services tailored to the needs of both the youngest and oldest among us. In Lenoir, North Wilkesboro and Winston-Salem, Wee Care Shoppes are a lifeline for young families. Offering free clothing in sizes up to 2T, along with diapers, baby wipes, bottles and blankets, these storefront ministries meet parents in moments of great need and new beginnings.

The process starts with a phone call to one of the regional offices to schedule an appointment. Staff and volunteers then help families choose from a selection of infant and toddler items.

Sierra, a single mom, came to Catholic Charities in Winston-Salem seeking baby supplies but found so much more. With immediate help from the food pantry and long-term support from case managers, she’s building a brighter future for her family and pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher.

“Catholic Charities feels like a family member to help you navigate through difficult times in life,” she said.

The Wee Care ministry depends on the generosity of local communities. Parishes and schools are encouraged to host diaper drives, for which Catholic Charities provides ready-made flyers and coordinates pick-up of bulk donations. Baby clothing donations, new or gently used and clean, are always welcome. Items like furniture and car seats are not accepted for safety reasons.

More online

Through Wee Care Shoppes, Catholic Charities helps young families in need. At the other end of the age spectrum, its Elder Ministry enriches seniors’ lives with a range of programs.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY

At the other end of the age spectrum, Catholic Charities’ Elder Ministry enriches the lives of older adults with programs that nurture body, mind and spirit. Guided by the belief that seniors have much to give and deserve ministries tailored to their needs, the diocese offers a variety of services and opportunities for engagement.

“Every stage of life is a cherished gift,” says program director Sandra Breakfield, “and our seniors are thriving and contributing wisdom and grace to our community.”

Elder Ministry organizes educational and social programs for seniors in various locations around the diocese – as well as online – to nurture talents, increase knowledge and improve well-being. It also partners with parishes and vicariates to develop programs “to, for, by and with” older adults. Topics run the gamut: fraud prevention awareness, navigating Social Security and Medicare, senior living options and aging “in place,” home safety and fall prevention, health and wellness fairs, and more.

Each spring, the joy of this ministry is on full display during “Spring Fling” – a day of fun, fellowship, food, crafts, dancing and worship. Seniors from across the diocese gather to celebrate community, enjoy health and wellness activities and end the day with Mass.

Whether it’s a mother receiving her first baby blanket or a senior dancing in celebration, Catholic Charities inspires people at every stage of life to do more. Sierra, for example, wants to pay back the help she has received. “Moving forward, I want to always be able to extend a hand to someone who is in need or more in need than myself.”

At www.ccdoc.org Get more information about Wee Care or Elder Ministry and how to give or get involved in the work of Catholic Charities across western North Carolina

Through ministries like Wee Care and Elder Ministry, the Church puts its love into action, affirming the dignity of each person from birth to the golden years.

— David Long, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte

Now Hiring: Central Region Director

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is seeking a dynamic and mission-driven Central Region Director to lead and grow our programs and outreach in the greater Salisbury area. This new leadership role offers a meaningful opportunity to serve our neighbors in need, foster community partnerships, and strengthen the Church’s social mission across the region.

Location: Salisbury, NC

Apply Today

Visit www.ccdoc.org/careers for a full job description and application details. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Be part of a team that puts faith into action and brings hope to neighbors in need.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE

Arts & entertainment

‘Our Lady of Marshall’ brings unconventional signs of hope after Helene

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

MARSHALL — Looking down the mountainside from the cottage of St. Andrew the Apostle parishioner Beth Cefula, the town of Marshall looks similar to “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The mid-century brick buildings, the church steeples, the red caboose, the courthouse and the bank have all the makings of a quaint Southern mountain town.

Once on level ground halfway over the bridge that crosses the French Broad River, the illusion shatters. The concrete dam is cracked, the churches are boarded up, almost every building has broken windows, and the caboose is turned sideways.

Red spray paint is streaked on most doors, indicating a date and a count.

The date, Sept. 27, 2024, forever stained Marshall’s streets – Tropical Storm Helene. An outsider looking in knows something happened here, something bad and hard. It’s evident in the buildings with their missing storefronts and closed signs.

Yet there is a striking sign of hope amid the ruins in this town known for its artists. A 10-foot statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary fashioned from storm debris mysteriously appeared. The statue has been dubbed “Our Lady of Marshall,” “Mary of the Storm” and “Blessed Mother of Debris.” With a veil made of a bent gutter and a bicycle tire for a halo, she holds the infant who wears a Ford center cap as a crown and grips His mother’s gown, made from a thick red trash bag. It stands watch over a town that has seen too much destruction.

“It was tragic,” Cefula recalled. “An artist, a weaver who just moved in, lost all her looms; the building was completely washed away. Lois Simbach, another popular artist, her building was also completely lost. Some people are getting a lot of help and support, but there are still people in other buildings where nothing is being done.”

SIGNS OF HOPE

But the people of Marshall are too creative, too involved and too in love with their small community to sit idle. The buzz and hum of bulldozers and power tools fill the half-mile stretch where people are busy landscaping, cleaning, painting and rebuilding.

There are signs of hope. Marshall’s Mad Co. Brew House reopened. Zuma Coffee is still serving a fresh brew. But for other businesses, six months just haven’t been

St. Andrew parishioner, said. “They are saying it is beautiful and wonderful. And everyone is like, who made it?”

THE INSPIRATION

A small group knows the origin story of the Mysterious Mary. The three walk the streets on Friday afternoons with beads in their hands and chant something familiar that most everybody has heard but lost roots in this town way before the flood: the Hail Mary.

After walking to the edge of town on the last sorrowful mystery, she and her friends stopped, looked at the rocky cliff and nodded.

“It was a really cold Friday and there were all these icicles, and when we were done with the sorrowful mysteries of Mary, we ended up there. We thought this is a grotto for Mary,” said Cefula. “I told Irma we should have a statue there; we should have Mary. I had an idea and, of course, the artist in me went with it.”

TREASURES IN THE RIVER

Cefula found treasures in and around the river to bring her masterpiece to life.

long enough.

The town is known for its art, and hope shines through the mural of the mountains, the painted guitar butterfly, the multicolored hummingbird perched in the parking lot. Just outside of town – where the Blue Ridge Mountains and the raging current of the French Broad are separated by a concrete road – is where Our Lady of Marshall appeared.

The townspeople have been uplifted by its presence. The Marshall Arts Council is now sponsoring a contest for the best piece of art made from Helene debris.

“Beth thought they would take it down. Instead, people in town are passing by it and oohing and aahing,” Irma Fiordalisi,

Cradle Catholic and artist Cefula, with her St. Andrew parishioner friends Fiordalisi and Stephen Simpson, want to see God brought back into the boarded up churches and would love a Catholic presence in the small community. Cefula is trying to buy one of the damaged buildings to create a small chapel. She wants somewhere close to pray, somewhere to gather, somewhere in Marshall for Catholics to have fellowship.

“I like history, I like taking old buildings and bringing them back to life, and now, we have a lot of them here,” Cefula said.

Cefula owns 10 acres up the mountain, filled with her own sacred art – stainedglass windows, paintings of the saints, wooden etchings, Coke cans cut into angel formations. Her hand-drawn Stations of the Cross are laminated and going up around her ridge line – so, of course, she was behind Our Lady of Marshall.

“I took what I could. Jesus is actually made from a fire extinguisher. It is all put together with trash I found from Helene,” said Cefula. “It just seemed natural and right.”

She spent an hour, here and there, in between feeding her sheep and baking sourdough bread. She started with the legs of Jesus and Mary’s face, which she cut out of tin roofing. After a few weeks, the Blessed Lady was fully assembled.

“Everyone is in a rush to clean up, but let’s not erase it. This is also something we should remember,” Cefula said.

It took about 10 minutes for her and Simpson to install Our Lady, all the while in fear someone would stop them, but people didn’t notice or care, and perhaps they appreciated it.

“I just tied it to two trees and left it there. It looks great,” said Cefula. “No one has really said anything to me because it was kind of done in secret. It’s kind of like it just appeared. No one needs to know I did it.”

Now, Our Lady of Marshall remains on the edge of town in darkness and in light, praying for the town to heal, rebuild and remember God.

FE FAMILIA FRATERNIDAD

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 Caballeros de Colón

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

LISA M. GERACI | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

A 10-foot statue of the Virgin Mary fashioned from some of the 10 million cubic yards of Helene debris has given Marshall residents hope. It was created by Catholic artist Beth Cefula, shown in her studio (top right).

Talitha Koum

El Papa: El amor de Dios es generoso

La parábola evangélica del “sembrador ‘derrochador’” que echa las semillas tanto en tierra fértil como en un camino pedregoso “es una imagen de la forma en que Dios nos ama”, dijo el Papa León XIV a los visitantes y peregrinos en su primera audiencia general semanal.

La parábola puede resultar extraña porque “estamos acostumbrados a calcular las cosas – y a veces es necesario – , ¡pero esto no vale en el amor!”, dijo el Papa a unas 40.000 personas reunidas en la Plaza de San Pedro el 21 de mayo. El Papa leyó el texto íntegro en italiano y los resúmenes en inglés y español. El Papa comenzó su audiencia explicando que continuaría la serie de discursos que su predecesor había iniciado sobre el tema del Jubileo, “Jesucristo, nuestra esperanza”. Centrándose específicamente en la parábola del sembrador del Evangelio de Mateo 13,1-17, el Papa León dijo que las parábolas de Jesús eran historias “tomadas de la vida cotidiana” pero destinadas a conducir a los oyentes “a un significado más profundo”.

La parábola del sembrador, dijo, trata de “la dinámica de la palabra de Dios y de los efectos que produce. De hecho, cada palabra del Evangelio es como una semilla que se arroja al terreno de nuestra vida”. El terreno donde cae la semilla de la parábola “es nuestro corazón, pero también es el mundo, la comunidad, la Iglesia”, dijo. “La palabra de Dios, de hecho, fecunda y provoca toda realidad”. Lo que ocurra con la semilla depende de la calidad de la tierra en la que caiga, dijo. “Pero ante todo, con esta parábola, Jesús nos dice que Dios arroja la semilla de su palabra sobre todo tipo de terreno, es decir, en cualquier situación en la que nos encontremos”, dijo el Papa. Dios “confía y espera que tarde o temprano la semilla florezca”, dijo el Papa León. “Él nos ama así: no espera a que seamos el mejor terreno, siempre nos da generosamente su palabra”.

Cuando la gente ve cómo Dios les ama y confía en ellos, dijo el Papa, debería animarnos a ser “un terreno mejor”. El Papa León instó a la gente a pedir a Dios la gracia de acoger su palabra en sus vidas, “y si nos damos cuenta de que no somos terreno fértil, no nos desanimemos, sino pidámosle que siga trabajando en nosotros para convertirnos en terreno mejor”.

Siete hombres serán ordenados diáconos en junio

KIMBERLY D. BENDER kdbender@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Este junio, siete hombres serán ordenados diáconos, continuando una tendencia de cifras casi récord de seminaristas que dan este paso hacia el sacerdocio juntos para la Diócesis de Charlotte.

Estos hombres recibirán las órdenes sagradas el 7 de junio en la Iglesia St. Mark en Huntersville, lo que los acercará un paso más a convertirse en sacerdotes el próximo año.

Esta clase diversa reúne a hombres de todo el estado, desde Winston-Salem hasta Forest City, incluyendo a dos de la misma parroquia en Charlotte.

Los siete asisten al Seminario y Escuela de Teología Mount St. Mary’s en Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ellos son:

Robert Warren Bauman y Peter James Townsend, ambos de la parroquia St. Ann en Charlotte; Michael Patrick Camilleri, de la parroquia St. Elizabeth en Boone; John Warren Cuppett, de la parroquia St. Leo the Great en Winston-Salem; Maximilian Karl Frei, de la parroquia St. Dorothy en Lincolnton; Bryan Ilagor, de la parroquia Our Lady of the Americas en Biscoe; y Michael James Lugo, de la

En www.catholicnewsherald.com : Conozca más sobre los siete seminaristas que serán ordenados diáconos

parroquia Immaculate Conception en Forest City.

Además de asistir al mismo seminario, la mayoría de estos hombres comparten pasiones similares por la música, los deportes, la lectura y un amor profundo por la fe católica.

El grupo de siete que será ordenado diácono – y que se espera sea ordenado sacerdote dentro de un año – iguala al grupo más grande ordenado conjuntamente en los últimos años.

Seis de ellos formaron parte de las primeras clases del Seminario Universitario St. Joseph en Mount Holly, donde cursaron estudios universitarios mientras discernían una posible vocación religiosa, antes de ingresar a un seminario mayor para una formación sacerdotal más formal. Fundado en 2016, el seminario universitario está fomentando el crecimiento de vocaciones en la diócesis. Los estudiantes trabajan para obtener una licenciatura en el Belmont Abbey College mientras viven una vida comunitaria de estilo benedictino en su camino de

discernimiento.

Campamentos católicos de verano – como los “Quo Vadis Days”, un campamento anual de discernimiento vocacional para jóvenes donde se reflexiona “¿A dónde vas?”– fueron donde muchos de estos hombres identificaron o confirmaron por primera vez un posible llamado al sacerdocio.

“Siempre había una oportunidad para que los seminaristas y sacerdotes respondieran preguntas”, dijo Ilagor. “Eso me permitió solidificar mi vocación”.

Tener el Seminario Universitario St. Joseph cerca del Belmont Abbey College ayudó a John Cuppett, quien asistía al colegio católico con una beca de béisbol, a aclarar su camino hacia el sacerdocio.

“Me familiaricé con algunos de los seminaristas mientras estaba en la universidad y eso tuvo un gran impacto en mi discernimiento. Verlos me dio valor para seguir también a nuestro Señor”, dijo Cuppett. “La comunidad del Seminario Universitario St. Joseph formó el ‘semillero’ perfecto, con todos los elementos necesarios para que mi relación con Jesús creciera y floreciera.”

Todos están invitados a asistir a la Misa de ordenación a las 10 a.m. del sábado 7 de junio en la Iglesia St. Mark, ubicada en 14740 Stumptown Road en Huntersville.

Las visitas pastorales atraen a multitudes

Del Vicario del Ministerio Hispano el Reverendo Julio César Domínguez continuó esta serie de Visitas Pastorales la semana pasada, haciendo paradas en la parroquia de Santa Juana de Arco en Candler y en la iglesia de Santa María Madre de Dios en Sylva para Vicarioa de Smoky Mountains. El padre Julio visitara a las nueve Vicarias de la Diócesis de Charlotte.

Papa León XIV

Bauman Townsend Camilleri Cuppett Frei Ilagor Lugo

Más online

FOTOS PROPORCIONADAS Tiempo de celebración

STATESVILLE — En la Iglesia de San Felipe Apóstol, 61 jóvenes fueron confirmados el 7 de mayo por delegación del párroco, Padre Bernard Oleru, M.S.P. El 3 de mayo, 45 niños recibieron su primera comunión.

En www.facebook.com/CNHespañol : Más fotos de estos sacramentos en otras parroquias de nuestra diócesis

Lecturas Diarias

25-31 DE MAYO

Domingo: Hch 15,1-2.22-29, Sal 66,2-3.5.6.8, Ap 21,10-14.22-23, Jn 14,23-29; Lunes (San Felipe Neri): Hch 16,11-15, Sal 149,1b-2.3-4.5-6a y 9b, Jn 15,26–16,4a; Martes: Hch 16,22-34, Sal 137,1-2ab.2cde3.7c-8, Jn 16,5-11; Miércoles: Hch 17,15.22–18,1, Sal 148,1-2.11-12.13.14, Jn 16,12-15; Jueves: Hch 18,1-8, Sal 97,1.2-3ab.3cd-4, Jn 16,16-20; Viernes: Hch 18,9-18, Sal 46,2-3.4-5.6-7, Jn 16,20-23; Sábado (Fiesta de la Visitación de la Santísima Virgen María): Sof 3,14-18a o Rom 12,9-16, Is 12,2-3.4bcd.5-6, Lc 1,39-56

1-7 DE JUNIO

Domingo (Solemnidad de la Ascensión del Señor): Hch 1,1-11, Sal 46,2-3.6-7.8-9, Ef 1,17-23 o Heb 9,2428; 10,19-23, Lc 24,46-53; Lunes: Hch 19,1-8, Sal 67,2-3ab.4-5acd.6-7ab, Jn 16,29-33; Martes (San Carlos Lwanga y compañeros, mártires): Hch 20,17-27, Sal 67,10-11.20-21, Jn 17,1-11a; Miércoles: Hch 20,28-38, Sal 67,29-30.33-35a.35bc-36ab, Jn 17,11b-19; Jueves (San Bonifacio, obispo y mártir): Hch 22,30; 23,6-11, Sal 15,1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11, Jn 17,20-26; Viernes: Hch 25,13b-21, Sal 102,1-2.11-12.19-20ab, Jn 21,15-19; Sábado: Hch 28,16-20.30-31, Sal 10,4.5 y 7, Jn 21,20-25

8-14 DE JUNIO

Domingo (Solemnidad de Pentecostés): Hch 2,1-11, Sal 103,1.24.29-30.31.34, 1 Cor 12,3b-7.12-13 o Rom 8,8-17, Jn 20,19-23 o Jn 14,15-16.23b-26; Lunes (Santa María Virgen, Madre de la Iglesia): Gn 3,9-15.20 o Hch 1,12-14, Sal 86,1-2.3 y 5.6-7, Jn 19,25-34; Martes: 2 Cor 1,18-22, Sal 118,129.130.131.132.133.135, Mt 5,13-16; Miércoles (San Bernabé, apóstol): Hch 11,21b-26; 13,13, Sal 97,1.2-3ab.3cd-4.5-6, Mt 5,17-19; Jueves: 2 Cor 3,15–4,1.3-6, Sal 84,9ab.10.11-12.13-14, Mt 5,20-26; Viernes (San Antonio de Padua, presbítero y doctor de la Iglesia): 2 Cor 4,7-15, Sal 115,10-11.15-16.17-18, Mt 5,27-32; Sábado: 2 Cor 5,14-21, Sal 102,1-2.3-4.9-10.11-12, Mt 5,33-37

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Michael Martin was on the job just four months when Tropical Storm Helene swept through North Carolina – killing 107 people, wiping out homes and jobs, and leaving more than half of the new bishop’s diocese declared a “disaster.”

Within hours, the diocese launched the largest humanitarian effort in its 52-year history. Within a week, the bishop was on the ground in some of the hardest hit areas, unloading supply trucks, praying with people, and looking for ways the Church could help.

At ground zero, in Swannanoa, he met with more than 100 parishioners on the front lawn of St. Margaret Mary Church – still without power and water – moving purposefully from family to family through the crowd as people wept, told their stories, and asked for his blessing.

“Bishop Martin touched our hearts,” says Claudia Graham, the parish’s business manager.

“He was joining us in our sorrow and in our hope... He was genuinely concerned and he wanted us to know that we weren’t forgotten.”

The bishop’s rapid, inperson response illuminates a defining characteristic of his ministry – reaching people where they are and offering a public, heartfelt witness to faith.

as bishop here without thinking about the hurricane, and wanting those who are still in various stages of rebuilding their lives to know that someone still cares about them, someone still loves them and someone is still working behind the scenes, along with a host of other people, to help them to get back some sense of normalcy in their lives.”

Margaret Beale, principal of Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville, will never forget Bishop Martin’s visit to the school a week after the storm, and the help he offered to people.

“Bishop Martin’s support as we recovered from the storm was felt by everyone,”

“Helene was obviously a major moment in the life of our community, and I was moved by it, saddened by it and absolutely inspired by it,” Bishop Martin told the Catholic News Herald, reflecting on the outpouring of compassion after Helene, as the first anniversary of his episcopacy approaches on May 29.

“It’s really hard to think of my first year

Beale says. “Not only was he present, but he helped in any way he could…He was willing to do anything that was needed to help. It is apparent that Bishop Martin wants to be with the people, to minister to them and shepherd them.”

A MINISTRY OF PRESENCE

The bishop’s desire to “be with” the people is a constant refrain, evident from his first visit to the diocese on April 9, 2024.

That’s when the Vatican announced “Father Mike,” a Conventual Franciscan from Baltimore and Atlanta, would become the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte. After Mass and a press conference with the retiring Bishop Peter Jugis, he prayed that day with people at a Catholic Charities food pantry, toured Charlotte Catholic High School, visited residents of Holy Angels in Belmont – then joined his brother priests for a special welcome dinner.

“Bishop Martin brings with him many gifts and a heart for the Gospel,” says

GO DEEP!

Bishop Martin reflects on his

Monsignor Patrick Winslow, who has helped him navigate his transition to the diocese. “I have been struck by his commitment, stamina and willingness to face challenges in service to the Church. Publicly and privately, it is evident that he is driven to help all people draw closer to Our Lord.”

A whirlwind of energy, Bishop Martin in his first year has visited 58 of 74 parishes across the diocese and 18 of the 20 Catholic schools, some more than once. He has performed more than 1,300

confirmations in 30 different parishes, and he’s participated in multiple events at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory and Belmont Abbey College.

“We are blessed to have Bishop Michael, as I like to call him, leading the diocese,” says Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, who leads Belmont Abbey and serves as chancellor of Belmont Abbey College. “It truly is a sacrifice for him to step away from his religious community, his brothers, to take on this role. I am grateful for the support he has given to us at the college.”

‘You don’t need to be in the big city in order for God to move mountains in your life.’ — Bishop Michael Martin

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS

PATRICK SCHNEIDER PHOTOGRAPHY AND TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (Top left) During his episcopal ordination rite, Bishop Martin is anointed with oil by Atlanta Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, a Conventual Franciscan and a close friend. (Center) He was ordained at St. Mark in Huntersville in front of a crowd of 1,700.

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Bishop Martin shares a moment with his mother, Bev Martin, on the day of his episcopal ordination.

LIZ CHANDLER AND TROY C.

(From left) In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, Bishop Martin comforts storm survivors outside St. Margaret Mary Church greets people in cars lined up for emergency food and supplies outside Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

first year leading the diocese DEEP!

Bishop Martin has cultivated a close connection with the Catholic college, leading retreats and just this month receiving an honorary degree and celebrating its 2025 Baccalaureate Mass.

“I am impressed by his willingness to listen,” Abbot Placid said. “He’ll tell you what he thinks, but he also invites people offer their disagreement and counsel.”

The bishop’s first year also took him well beyond the diocese, from national meetings of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore and Kentucky, to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, to a pilgrimage in Mexico and two trips to Rome – one to attend “New Bishop School” and meet Pope Francis, and one to discuss business matters with Cardinal Robert

On the road with Bishop Martin

his is not what I wanted!

TIt has been a year since I received a call from Bishop Michael Martin asking me to serve as his priest secretary, and in one sentence I can say that I am happy where I am because this is where God wants me to be.

Before I was asked to serve in this position, I would have never thought of myself as a secretary for a bishop. This is not what I wanted. Yet this is what God wanted for me, and for that I am forever grateful. I am convinced that God’s ways and guidance in my life are much better than anything I would have chosen. God knows what is best for me and my salvation, whereas I tend to judge by my own poor experience and my personal desires. I have been blessed to see how excited people get when Bishop Martin comes to their parish. The reactions vary. Our Hispanic parishioners tend to be more expressive, and most want to take a picture with the bishop. Our Vietnamese congregations love giving him flowers and food. The Anglo community is a bit more formal and takes the opportunity to present letters or personal gifts.

He

the inaugural priests vs. seminarians game. On his first day in the diocese, he stopped at Holy Angels and made friends with its youngest resident, a 14-month-old girl.

Francis Prevost, who recently became pope. In a signature moment last September, Bishop Martin engaged with more than 10,000 people of the diocese during the 2024 Eucharistic Congress. He walked in one of the nation’s largest Eucharistic processions, celebrated Mass and urged people to greater discipleship – a defining message of his ministry. The event bore hallmarks of his determination to attract more participants, from a shift in seating to revved up night-before programming aimed especially at young people. More enhancements suggested by the bishop are expected at this year’s Congress, Sept. 5-6.

“It’s been fantastic to see our shepherd

MARTIN, SEE PAGE 18

I have seen people cry when they hear Bishop Martin’s message of hope and witness the care he demonstrates. I saw that most prominently when we were traveling to areas impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. He jumped in to help deliver supplies and listen to and comfort those who had just lost everything. I also believe that the presence of the bishop inspires and challenges many to follow Christ in a more personal way. In my journey with our bishop, one of the mostasked questions I get is: What is it like to work with him every day? It is certainly not my average day at a parish, school or campus ministry. Some days are long and tiring, others are much more relaxed, but there are never two days that are the same.

There is a certain trust that we both have to have in each other. In the beginning I was nervous and was trying to figure things out for each new activity that we attended. I believe that over time we have learned how to better communicate with each other and what the needs of each situation will be. Learning to read his gestures, facial expressions and body language makes me feel, at times, like a secret agent.

One of the best parts of my ministry has been getting to know my brother priests in a more personal way. The other is getting to know the diocese and its communities on a whole new level and from a deeper perspective – learning about the geography, the needs of parishioners, the complexity of communication and even the complaints. But the best of all is receiving the love and support of all people of good faith throughout our diocese.

I can’t help but feel like Barnabas or Silas must have felt accompanying St. Paul on his journeys to visit the early Christian communities. They were not the protagonist, but simply a spiritual, emotional and personal support to their beloved companion. I also like to think that, like St. Paul, I am learning to be content with all situations in life (Philippians 4:11-13).

There is still so much more to learn, but I feel confident that God will give me what it takes to continue my ministry in the best way possible.

FATHER JUAN MIGUEL SÁNCHEZ is priest secretary to Bishop Michael Martin.

Father Juan Miguel Sanchez

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (From top) Bishop Martin brings a vibrant love for the people of his diverse diocese.

refereed

GABRIEL SWINNEY AND TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (From top) Bishop Martin unloads supplies at Immaculata School in Hendersonville and joins students on a roller coaster at Carowinds.

HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Church in Swannanoa and

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

During the 70th anniversary celebration for Our Lady of the Highways Church in Thomasville, Bishop Martin received a cowboy hat that he immediately donned.

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AWARDS RECEPTION SPONSOR:

MARTIN

making the rounds and connecting with his flock,” says Mary Catherine Surface, who co-chairs the Eucharistic Congress planning committee. “This bishop is really everywhere, and it’s inspiring to see the excitement of the people when he’s present.”

As a parent of four children in Catholic schools, she also appreciates the bishop’s willingness to speak out on behalf of Catholic education. And as a parishioner at St. Matthew, she vividly recalls his first major homily in the diocese, delivered to 4,000 people at an outdoor amphitheater just four days after he was installed as bishop, a special event organized by St. Matthew for the Feast of Corpus Christi.

“There were people I hadn’t seen in 15 years at that Mass, and I remember how many people fell to their knees as the Blessed Sacrament passed,” Surface recalls. “I feel that Bishop Martin really kind of began his ministry in the diocese at that Mass. He seems to have such an evangelical heart.”

AMONG THE PEOPLE

Bishop Martin relishes the moments he spends with regular people, he says. Parishioners say they’re charmed by his homilies laced with humor and depth, even though he consistently leaves them feeling challenged and unsettled as he calls them to deepen their faith – and always to serve as disciples spreading the Good News.

His approach stands out for Father Pat Cahill, pastor of St. Eugene Parish in Asheville, where Bishop Martin celebrated confirmation just three weeks after Helene.

“The day he arrived we got our power and running water back, and I remember he suggested in a very pastoral way that it happened just in time for his first visit to our parish,” Father Cahill says. “It was a very welcome and lighthearted moment and something we really appreciated among all the difficulty and devastation that was going on.”

Bishop Martin’s willingness to address the needs of the diocese and bring a Gospel perspective to current issues has also been important, says Mercy Sister Rose Marie Tresp. In February, the bishop spoke at a conference held on the Sisters of Mercy campus in Belmont, and she recalls the care he took in answering questions from

attendees.

Addressing the needs of the poor and marginalized has been a regular theme in his homilies, she says. She saved an Oct. 18 commentary he wrote in the Catholic News Herald titled, “Are we ready to walk with those in need?”

“This article, which I still have, is emblematic of the impact that the bishop has made in this diocese,” she says. “Bishop Martin sees individuals both in person and in his heart.”

Father Julio Dominguez, vicar for the diocese Hispanic Ministry Office, appreciates Bishop Martin’s advocacy for immigrants and for the poor. Earlier this year, he sent a message of hope to immigrants: “Regardless of status, Catholics stand with you,” and then joined Raleigh Bishop Luis Zarama in a joint statement emphasizing the need to protect immigrants’ human right while respecting laws and borders.

“I am grateful to our bishop for his openness to immigrants,” he says. “I have seen his great concern that immigrants have representation and attention in the diocesan offices. He has asked to see how we can encourage more young Latinos to enter the seminary, as well as how to encourage parents to consider Catholic education for their children. I think this shows a great pastoral interest in them.”

GRACE IS NOT LIMITED

For Bishop Martin, it has been a year of discovery, from the busy streets of Charlotte to the cities and towns of the Triad region and communities large and small in the mountains – all places he says he’s found faith in abundance.

“God’s grace is never limited,” Bishop Martin says. “You don’t need to be in the big city in order for God to move mountains in your life.”

He has worked hard to support diocesan priests and nurture the future of the priesthood in western North Carolina, continuing the work of his four predecessors. He ordained seven new diocesan priests in his first year. He’s built relationships with seminarians studying at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati and at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, a role he finds moving.

“It’s the first time in my ministerial life where there are young men who look to

MiraVia

PATRICK SCHNEIDER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Martin greets parishioners during the 2024 Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte, which drew a record crowd of more than 10,000.

me for spiritual fatherhood.” he says. And then there was the priestly basketball showdown, where the bishop served as referee, zebra stripes and all.

Notes Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Monroe and chairman of the diocese’s Presbyteral Council, which represents priests: “I’ve been amazed at his consultation with other priests and at his patience and willingness to hear all points of view. He’s also a great preacher. He certainly has his own style and it’s effective. He leaves you feeling challenged. And it takes a lot of time and energy to sustain that.”

With more than 30 years’ experience in Catholic education, Bishop Martin has especially found joy in his visits to the diocese’s Catholic schools, where he’s playful and inspiring as he interacts with students in classrooms, cafeterias and gyms. He happily recalls precious moments shared with students playing pickleball, joining in art projects and trying out a flight simulator. He even led a game of “Parting the Red Sea” in the bleachers at a Charlotte Catholic basketball game, a video of which was a hit on social media.

School visits have brought a special collection of student art projects and crafts gifted to him, which he keeps in a room at his Charlotte home, with a few displayed on the fridge. Just a page from a coloring book, he says, “you know, God speaks through that.”

CALLING FOR UNITY

The year has not been without challenges, from maintaining a packed daily schedule to replying to everyone who reaches out to him. Perhaps most difficult, he says, has been learning to live alone after spending his entire adult life living in community with other Franciscan friars.

“That has been a hard challenge, especially praying by myself when I’ve spent more than 40 years praying every day with other friars,” he says. “My circumstances are new and so I’ve had to learn to adapt to that.”

That sacrifice pains Abbot Placid, who lives in community with his fellow Benedictine monks and can only imagine the feelings of loss such a move would bring. He’s noticed that Bishop Martin is working hard to foster community among priests of the diocese, consistently calling for unity.

As the diocese’s ecumenical officer, Father Roberts – a Lutheran convert to Catholicism – appreciates the bishop’s penchant for embracing all people. “We should all be one body in Christ,” he says. “Unity is near and dear to the bishop’s heart.”

The bishop also seeks out opportunities to offer Mass at parishes to get closer to the

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people and priests of the diocese, and he makes regular trips to Baltimore to see his mother, Beverly.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Moving into his second year, Bishop Martin wants to motivate the more than 530,000 Catholics in the diocese to embrace his motto “Duc in Altum,” Latin for “Put Out Into the Deep.”

“One of the great challenges is helping people to realize that faith not shared is faith that’s dead,” he says.

One way he is doing so is by working on a vision for the diocese that he will present later this fall. Already among his priorities:

n Strengthen Catholic families (“Without strong Catholic families, we’re nowhere,” he says).

n Build up the diocese’s Hispanic Ministry amid a rapidly growing Hispanic population, which now accounts for more than half of the diocese.

n Increase outreach to young people and those who are disengaged from the faith

n Motivate Catholics of all ages both to share their faith with others and to reach out to people who are marginalized and in need.

He’ll also seek to carefully listen to the Holy Spirit, he says, and use the influence of his position for good: “I take joy in knowing that if I stay connected with the Lord and with the Church as a whole, I can use the position I’ve been given to really make a difference.”

— Liz Chandler contributed.

His Excellency

Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv. Bishop of Charlotte

requests the honor of your presence at the

Liturgy of Ordination

to

the Diaconate

Mr. Robert Warren Bauman II

Mr. Michael Patrick Camilleri

John Doyle 5/16/1992

Josef Vandermeer 5/19/2000

Robert T. Murphy 5/16/2025

Please pray for the following deacons who died during the month of May: Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus www.kofcnc.org

Mr. John Warren Cuppett

Mr. Maximilian Karl Frei

Mr. Bryan Gabriel Ilagor

Mr. Michael James Lugo

Saturday, the 7th day of June Two thousand twenty-five at nine o’clock in the morning

Mr. Peter James Townsend of Light reception immediately following Monsignor Joseph A. Kerin Family Center

Saint Mark Catholic Church 14740 Stumptown Road Huntersville, North Carolina

Hour

PATRICK SCHNEIDER AND KIMBERLY BENDER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (From left) Bishop Martin blesses the crowd outside at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte during his first Mass there after he was ordained bishop. He helped pack meals for the poor while he was attending the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.

¡Entrena el alma!

El obispo Martin reflexiona sobre su primer año al frente de la diócesis

LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

Elobispo Michael Martin llevaba apenas cuatro meses en el cargo cuando la tormenta tropical Helene azotó Carolina del Norte, causando la muerte de 107 personas, destruyendo hogares y empleos, y dejando más de la mitad de la diócesis del nuevo obispo declarada como “zona de desastre”.

En cuestión de horas, la diócesis lanzó el esfuerzo humanitario más grande en sus 52 años de historia. En una semana, el obispo estaba en las zonas más afectadas, descargando camiones con suministros, orando con la gente y buscando formas en que la Iglesia pudiera ayudar.

En el epicentro, en Swannanoa, se reunió con más de 100 feligreses en el jardín de la iglesia Santa Margarita María – aún sin electricidad ni agua – moviéndose con propósito de familia en familia mientras las personas lloraban, compartían sus historias y pedían su bendición.

“El obispo Martin tocó nuestros corazones,” dice Claudia Graham, administradora parroquial. “Estaba con

nosotros en nuestro dolor y en nuestra esperanza… De verdad estaba preocupado y quería que supiéramos que no estábamos olvidados.”

La respuesta rápida y personal del obispo refleja una característica distintiva de su ministerio: llegar a las personas donde están y ofrecer un testimonio público y sincero de fe.

“Helene fue claramente un momento decisivo para nuestra comunidad, y me conmovió, me entristeció e, increíblemente, me inspiró,” dijo el obispo Martin al Catholic News Herald, al reflexionar sobre la compasión desbordante que siguió a Helene, a medida que se acerca el primer aniversario de su episcopado el 29 de mayo.

“Es difícil pensar en mi primer año como obispo sin pensar en el huracán, y sin desear que quienes aún están reconstruyendo sus vidas sepan que alguien todavía se preocupa por ellos, alguien los ama y alguien sigue trabajando tras bambalinas, junto con muchas otras personas, para ayudarlos a recuperar un sentido de normalidad en sus vidas.”

Margaret Beale, directora de la Escuela Católica Inmaculada en Hendersonville, nunca olvidará la visita del obispo Martin a la escuela una semana después de la tormenta, ni la ayuda que ofreció a las personas.

CHRISTINA

PATRICK SCHNEIDER, KIMBERLY BENDER, TRISH STUKBAUER AND TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

(Arriba ) El obispo Michael Martin fue ordenado en St. Mark en Huntersville frente a una multitud de 1,700 personas. (Abajo) El obispo Martin conversa con niños de escuela, empaca comidas en el Congreso Eucarístico Nacional, celebra el 70.º aniversario de Nuestra Señora de los Caminos en Thomasville y dedica instalaciones en San Felipe Apóstol en Statesville.

MARTIN

“El apoyo del obispo Martin mientras nos recuperábamos de la tormenta fue sentido por todos,” dice Beale. “No solo estuvo presente, sino que ayudó de todas las maneras posibles… Estaba dispuesto a hacer todo lo que se necesitara. Se nota que el obispo Martin quiere estar con la gente, ministrarles y guiarlos como pastor.”

UN MINISTERIO DE PRESENCIA

El deseo del obispo de “estar con” la gente ha sido constante desde su primera visita a la diócesis el 9 de abril de 2024. Ese día el Vaticano anunció que el “Padre Mike”, un franciscano conventual de Baltimore y Atlanta, sería el quinto obispo de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Tras la Misa y una rueda de prensa con el obispo saliente Peter Jugis, oró con personas en un banco de alimentos de Caridades Católicas, recorrió la Escuela Secundaria Católica de Charlotte, visitó a los residentes de Holy Angels en Belmont, y luego compartió una cena de bienvenida con sus hermanos sacerdotes.

“El obispo Martin trae muchos dones y un corazón para el Evangelio,” dice el monseñor Patrick Winslow, quien lo ha ayudado en su transición a la diócesis. “Me ha impresionado su compromiso, resistencia y disposición para enfrentar desafíos al servicio de la Iglesia. Pública y privadamente, es evidente que está impulsado por un deseo de acercar a todos al Señor.”

Con una energía incansable, en su primer año el obispo Martin ha visitado 58 de las 74 parroquias de la diócesis y 18 de las 20 escuelas católicas, algunas más de una vez. Ha realizado más de 1,300 confirmaciones en 30 parroquias diferentes y ha participado en múltiples eventos en el Centro de Conferencias Católico en Hickory y en Belmont Abbey College.

“Estamos bendecidos de tener al obispo Michael, como me gusta llamarlo, liderando la diócesis,” dice el abad benedictino Placid Solari, quien dirige Belmont Abbey y es canciller del Belmont Abbey College. “Es realmente un sacrificio que haya dejado su comunidad religiosa, sus hermanos, para asumir este rol. Estoy agradecido por el apoyo que nos ha dado en la universidad.”

El obispo Martin ha cultivado una relación cercana con la universidad católica, liderando retiros y, este mes, recibiendo un doctorado honorario y celebrando la Misa de Baccalaureate 2025.

“Me impresiona su disposición a escuchar,” comentó el abad Placid. “Te dice lo que piensa, pero también invita a otros a expresar desacuerdos y ofrecer consejo.”

UN AÑO QUE TRASCIENDE FRONTERAS

El primer año del obispo también lo ha llevado más allá de la diócesis: reuniones nacionales de los obispos en Baltimore y Kentucky, el Congreso Eucarístico Nacional en Indianápolis, una peregrinación en México y dos viajes a Roma – uno para asistir a la “Escuela para Nuevos Obispos” y conocer al Papa Francisco, y otro para asuntos con el Cardenal Robert Francis Prevost, recientemente elegido Papa. En septiembre pasado, el obispo Martin interactuó con más de 10,000 personas de la diócesis durante el

Congreso Eucarístico 2024. Caminó en una de las procesiones eucarísticas más grandes del país, celebró la Misa e instó a una mayor discipulación, mensaje clave de su ministerio. El evento mostró su determinación por aumentar la participación, con cambios en la organización y una programación atractiva para jóvenes. Se esperan más mejoras para el Congreso de este año, del 5 al 6 de septiembre.

“Ha sido fantástico ver a nuestro pastor acercarse a su rebaño,” dice Mary Catherine Surface, copresidenta del comité del Congreso. “Este obispo está en todas partes, y es inspirador ver la emoción de la gente cuando está presente.”

Como madre de cuatro hijos en escuelas católicas, también valora su defensa de la educación católica. Y como feligresa de St. Matthew, recuerda vívidamente su primera gran homilía ante 4,000 personas en un anfiteatro al aire libre, apenas dos días después de su instalación, organizada por la parroquia para la fiesta del Corpus Christi.

evangélica. En febrero habló en una conferencia en el campus de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en Belmont, respondiendo con cuidado a las preguntas de los asistentes.

Ayudar a los pobres y marginados es un tema recurrente en sus homilías. Conserva una columna del 18 de octubre que escribió en el Catholic News Herald titulada: “¿Estamos listos para caminar con los necesitados?”

“Este artículo, que aún conservo, es emblemático del impacto del obispo en esta diócesis,” dice. “El obispo Martin ve a las personas, tanto en persona como en su corazón.”

El padre Julio Domínguez, vicario de la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano, agradece su defensa de los inmigrantes y los pobres. A principios de este año, envió un mensaje de esperanza a los inmigrantes: “Independientemente de su estatus, los católicos están con ustedes”, y luego se unió al obispo Luis Zarama de Raleigh en una declaración conjunta enfatizando la necesidad de proteger los derechos humanos de los inmigrantes mientras se respetan las

El

“Había personas que no veía hace 15 años en esa Misa, y recuerdo cuántos se arrodillaron al pasar el Santísimo Sacramento,” recuerda. “Siento que el obispo Martin realmente comenzó su ministerio en la diócesis en esa Misa. Tiene un corazón muy evangelizador.”

ENTRE EL PUEBLO

Al obispo Martin le encantan los momentos con la gente. Los feligreses aprecian sus homilías llenas de humor y profundidad, aunque suelen dejarlos desafiados e inquietos, llamándolos a una fe más profunda y a ser discípulos activos.

El padre Pat Cahill, párroco de St. Eugene en Asheville, recuerda que celebró confirmaciones allí solo tres semanas después de Helene. “El día que llegó recuperamos la electricidad y el agua, y recuerdo que comentó con tono pastoral que sucedió justo a tiempo para su visita. Fue un momento muy bienvenido y reconfortante en medio de tanta devastación.”

La hermana de la Misericordia, Rose Marie Tresp, destaca la disposición del obispo para abordar las necesidades de la diócesis desde una perspectiva

leyes y las fronteras.

“Estoy agradecido con nuestro obispo por su apertura a los inmigrantes,” dice. “Se ha preocupado porque tengan representación en las oficinas diocesanas, y ha preguntado cómo animar a más jóvenes latinos a entrar al seminario y a los padres a considerar la educación católica para sus hijos. Eso demuestra su gran interés pastoral.”

LA GRACIA NO TIENE LÍMITES

Para el obispo Martin, ha sido un año de descubrimiento, desde las calles de Charlotte hasta las montañas, donde dice haber encontrado abundancia de fe.

“La gracia de Dios no tiene límites,” dice. “No necesitas estar en una gran ciudad para que Dios haga maravillas en tu vida.”

Ha trabajado arduamente para apoyar a los sacerdotes diocesanos y fomentar el futuro del sacerdocio en el oeste de Carolina del Norte. Ordenó a siete nuevos sacerdotes en su primer año. También ha estrechado lazos

En el camino con el Obispo Martin

Esto no era lo que yo quería! Ha pasado un año desde que recibí una llamada del Obispo Michael Martin pidiéndome que sirviera como su secretario sacerdotal, y en una sola frase puedo decir que soy feliz donde estoy porque es aquí donde Dios quiere que esté. Antes de que me pidieran asumir este cargo, jamás me habría imaginado como secretario de un obispo. Esto no era lo que yo quería. Sin embargo, esto es lo que Dios quería para mí, y por eso estaré eternamente agradecido.

Estoy convencido de que los caminos y la guía de Dios en mi vida son mucho mejores que cualquier cosa que yo hubiera elegido. Dios sabe lo que es mejor para mí y para mi salvación, mientras que yo tiendo a juzgar según mi pobre experiencia y mis deseos personales. He tenido la bendición de ver cuán emocionada se pone la gente cuando el Obispo Martin llega a sus parroquias. Las reacciones varían. Nuestros feligreses hispanos tienden a ser más expresivos, y la mayoría quiere tomarse una foto con el obispo. Nuestras comunidades vietnamitas disfrutan darle flores y comida. La comunidad anglosajona es un poco más formal y aprovecha la ocasión para presentar cartas o regalos personales. He visto a personas llorar al escuchar el mensaje de esperanza del Obispo Martin y al presenciar el cuidado que demuestra. Vi esto de forma muy clara cuando viajamos a las zonas afectadas por la tormenta tropical Helena, y él se involucró ayudando a entregar suministros, escuchar y consolar a quienes acababan de perderlo todo. También creo que la presencia del obispo inspira y desafía a muchos a seguir a Cristo de una manera más personal.

En mi camino con nuestro obispo, una de las preguntas que más me hacen es: ¿Cómo es trabajar con él todos los días? Definitivamente no es un día común en una parroquia, escuela o ministerio universitario. Algunos días son largos y agotadores, otros son mucho más tranquilos, pero nunca hay dos días iguales.

Hay una cierta confianza que ambos debemos tener el uno en el otro. Al principio estaba nervioso y trataba de entender cada nueva actividad a la que asistíamos. Creo que con el tiempo hemos aprendido a comunicarnos mejor y a anticipar las necesidades de cada situación. Aprender a leer sus gestos, expresiones faciales y lenguaje corporal a veces me hace sentir como un agente secreto.

Una de las mejores partes de mi ministerio ha sido conocer a mis hermanos sacerdotes de una manera más personal. Otra ha sido conocer la diócesis y sus comunidades a un nivel completamente nuevo y desde una perspectiva más profunda: aprender sobre la geografía, las necesidades de los feligreses, la complejidad de la comunicación e incluso las quejas. Pero lo mejor de todo es recibir el amor y el apoyo de todas las personas de buena fe en nuestra diócesis. No puedo evitar sentirme como Bernabé o Silas cuando acompañaban a San Pablo en sus viajes para visitar a las comunidades. No eran los protagonistas, sino simplemente un apoyo espiritual, emocional y personal para su querido compañero. También me gusta pensar que, como San Pablo, estoy aprendiendo a estar contento en todas las situaciones de la vida (Filipenses 4:11-13).

Aún queda mucho por aprender, pero me siento confiado en que Dios me dará lo necesario para continuar mi ministerio de la mejor manera posible. EL PADRE JUAN MIGUEL SÁNCHEZ

Padre Juan Miguel Sanchez

es Secretario Sacerdotal del Obispo Michael Martin.

PATRICK SCHNEIDER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

obispo Martin saluda a los feligreses durante el Congreso Eucarístico de 2024 en Charlotte, que reunió a una multitud récord de más de 10,000 personas.

MARTIN, PASA A LA PÁGINA 22

VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 20

Your parish, Catholic school, Catholic ministry, the Diocese of Charlotte, or the diocesan foundation are qualified charities eligible to receive grants from Donor Advised Funds. Your DAF grant can be restricted for offertory, campaigns, programs, or the DSA.

For more information contact: Gina Rhodes, gmrhodes@rcdoc.org or (704) 370-3364.

con seminaristas de los seminarios de St. Joseph en Mount Holly, Mount St. Mary’s en Cincinnati, y el Colegio Norteamericano en Roma.

“Es la primera vez en mi vida ministerial que hay jóvenes que me miran como padre espiritual,” dice. Incluso participó como árbitro —uniforme incluido – en un partido de baloncesto entre sacerdotes.

El padre Benjamin Roberts, pastor de Our Lady of Lourdes en Monroe y presidente del Consejo Presbiteral, destaca su apertura al diálogo y su estilo de predicación: “Siempre te deja con un reto. Y eso requiere mucha energía y tiempo para sostenerlo.”

Con más de 30 años de experiencia en educación católica, el obispo Martin disfruta especialmente sus visitas a las escuelas católicas. Juega con los estudiantes, se une a proyectos de arte, y recuerda con cariño un juego de “Abrir el Mar Rojo” en un partido de baloncesto, cuyo video se hizo viral. Guarda en su casa de Charlotte obras de arte y manualidades que los estudiantes le han regalado.

“Una simple hoja de un libro para colorear… Dios habla a través de eso,” comenta.

UN LLAMADO A LA UNIDAD

El año no ha estado exento de desafíos, como mantener una agenda llena o responder a todos los que se le acercan. Pero lo más difícil, dice, ha sido aprender a vivir solo, tras una vida adulta entera en comunidad franciscana.

“Ha sido un gran reto, especialmente orar solo, después de 40 años orando en

comunidad,” afirma.

Ese sacrificio lo conmueve al abad Placid, quien también vive en comunidad con sus monjes. Ha notado que el obispo trabaja arduamente por fomentar unidad entre los sacerdotes de la diócesis.

El padre Roberts, converso del luteranismo al catolicismo, valora el enfoque inclusivo del obispo: “Debemos ser un solo cuerpo en Cristo. La unidad es algo muy querido para el corazón del obispo.”

El obispo también busca celebrar Misa en diversas parroquias para acercarse a la gente y hace visitas frecuentes a Baltimore para ver a su madre, Beverly.

Una visión para el futuro

De cara a su segundo año, el obispo

Martin quiere motivar a los más de 530.000 católicos de la diócesis a abrazar su lema: Duc in Altum, que en latín significa “Rema mar adentro”.

“Uno de los grandes desafíos es ayudar a las personas a darse cuenta de que, si no se comparte, la fe está muerta,” dice.

Una de sus prioridades es presentar una visión para la diócesis este otoño. Entre sus metas:

n Fortalecer las familias católicas (“Sin familias católicas fuertes, no llegamos a ningún lado”).

n Fortalecer el Ministerio Hispano, en medio de un rápido crecimiento demográfico.

n Aumentar el alcance a los jóvenes y a quienes se han alejado de la fe.

n Motivar a católicos de todas las edades a compartir su fe y atender a los necesitados.

También buscará escuchar al Espíritu Santo y usar su influencia para el bien, dice: “Me alegra saber que, si me mantengo conectado con el Señor y con la Iglesia, puedo usar esta posición para hacer una verdadera diferencia.”

— Liz Chandler contribuyó.

Abundant amenities and a unique way of life

e Pennybyrn lifestyle is packed with amenities. Living here, you’ll swim laps in a stunning, indoor heated saltwater pool, stay t in a well-equipped facility and power walk, bike or stroll along scenic walking trails. Even membership at Jamestown Park Golf Course is included!

ere’s also the Pennybyrn di erence… and this is what truly sets us apart. You’ll nd a lovely Peace Chapel, a not-for-pro t mission to serve all faiths,

a smaller population for personalized service and inclusiveness that means your voice will always be heard.

A thoughtfully designed home

Your private residence at Pennybyrn—chosen from among a variety of oor plans and prices— will feature a bright, open design with plenty of natural light, a well equipped, modern kitchen, washer and dryer, high ceilings and a private porch, balcony or patio.

Most cottages include an attached garage or carport, and many o er a cozy replace.

Inspiring lifestyle choices

In a friendly neighborhood, and among sociable friends, you’ll explore a wealth of programs that are planned and shaped by fellow residents. Quiet times will nd you gathering in beautiful outdoor areas and inviting indoor spaces— including world-class dining choices and a true Irish Pub.

A secure future

Our purpose at Pennybyrn is to make sure that your vibrant lifestyle is enjoyed with the lifelong support, assurance and bene ts of a Life Plan Community.

VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 21

Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte

Our nation

Young pilgrims prepare to share love of Christ in the Eucharist during 3,300-mile trek

JONAH MCKEOWN Catholic News Agency

INDIANAPOLIS — Eight young men and women preparing to take part in the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage spoke about their preparation and excitement for the 3,300-mile pilgrimage, set to kick off May 18 in Indianapolis.

The 36-day pilgrimage, which will likely attract thousands of participants to walk with and adore Christ in the Eucharist, is a response to the cultural and spiritual needs of today, said Leslie Reyes-Hernandez, a pilgrim and a high school algebra teacher from Phoenix.

“If anything, I think this [pilgrimage] is an invitation for something that the world is hungry for, and the Eucharist is our anchor, and the pilgrimage is a public expression of hope,” she said.

Reyes-Hernandez is one of eight young pilgrims who will witness to the truth that Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament by accompanying the Eucharist the entire route from Indianapolis to Los Angeles, crossing through 10 states and taking part in numerous special events.

The pilgrims will be accompanied by a rotating group of priest chaplains, and any

person wishing to join for portions of the route will be able to sign up to do so for free.

PREPARING TO WALK

Preparation for the once-in-a-lifetime walking pilgrimage has involved both spiritual and practical aspects, and the pilgrims said they hope the experience will have a lasting impact on their lives and enable them to continue sharing their faith with others. The team convenes for weekly formation meetings to prepare spiritually and build team cohesion.

Rachel Levy, who works for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis serving Catholic young adults, described preparing “spiritually, just trying to keep a consistent prayer life,” attending daily Mass and spending time in adoration. Practically, she’s been “trying to get out and walk a little bit more than normal,” getting prepped for the upcoming extended periods of time outside and getting some “good walking shoes.”

Asked what the Eucharist has done for her in her life, Levy recounted a moment in adoration in front of the tabernacle where, feeling “unworthy” and “unequipped” for ministry, she experienced a profound sense that the Lord “loved me just as much in

the worst of the worst of my sin as He did in that moment that I was sitting in front of the tabernacle, and that He loves us each, each moment of every day the same no matter what we’re doing. His love is constant.”

TRUSTING GOD

Johnathan “Johnny” Silvino HernandezJose, who resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and helps run his family’s construction company, said he anticipates challenges: “walking every day, talking every day, lack of sleep.” He described a previous walking pilgrimage experience at World Youth Day 2023 in Portugal that touched him deeply.

“Emotionally, maybe we’ll get a little drained,” he noted, anticipating the intensity of interaction during the pilgrimage and the need to manage social energy. Ultimately, he said, he sees the pilgrimage as a “walk with Christ, the trust that we put with Him and the love that we have for Him.”

“The root of this is spiritual,” Hernandez-Jose continued. “I think when anything comes our way, these challenges, I think all we could do is really trust God and just pray with each other. And honestly, for me, what I like to do is just offer it up, you know?”

Stephen Fuhrmann, a prospective Texas A&M University graduate, said he is excited to start the pilgrimage and, with his fellow pilgrims, “just be thrown into a van and just have to live life together with Jesus, and what a beautiful thing that will be.”

Fuhrmann said he was inspired by the witness of 2024 pilgrim Charlie McCullough, who is returning as team leader for 2025. He looks forward to getting to know “each other’s stories and each

other’s lives and how each of us have encountered Jesus in a very special way.”

“Then, also, to take that to the people we encounter and the people who we want to show who Jesus Christ is in the Eucharist, it’s just extremely exciting,” Fuhrmann said.

BRINGING LIGHT INTO DARKNESS

Arthur “Ace” Acuña, who works in campus ministry at Princeton University, was drawn to the pilgrimage by the pivotal role the Eucharist played in his own reversion to the faith and his desire to “see Jesus do what He does best, which is draw all things to Himself.”

He said he looks forward to “seeing people fall in love with Him ... fall in love with the Eucharist and the love that He’s offering them, because He’s passing by. And just like in the Gospels, He encountered so many people.”

Acuña also emphasized the importance, especially during the Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope, of carrying Jesus into prisons and other places that experience suffering or isolation, seeing it as a “testament to the fact that Jesus wants to encounter everyone” and bringing healing and “light into the dark places.”

Frances Webber is a senior in college studying theology and business. She said she hopes to reach those questioning their faith and remind them that “Jesus doesn’t want to disappoint you; He’s not going to disappoint you.”

Add your prayers

At www.bit.ly/44GQz0q : Share your prayer intentions for the pilgrims to carry on their journey

KATE QUIÑONES | CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage passes southwest of Omaha, Nebraska, on June 21, 2024.

New Mexico diocese uses classic cars to drive vocations

GALLUP, New Mexico — In 2015, Father Matthew Keller, a priest in the Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico, restored a 1972 Chevelle SS and raffled it off with all proceeds going to the education of the diocese’s seminarians. The American-made muscle car brought in over $120,000, and with that the V8’s for Vocations annual car raffle was set in motion.

This year’s 10-year anniversary of the raffle takes place on June 21. To mark the milestone, two cars will be raffled off — a 1967 Chevy Camaro SS and a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS, both in a special Bumblebee Transformers edition. Keller said he has always been a “car guy.” While in high school, he attended a vocational school where he learned how to do body work on cars. “I was always an enthusiast,” he told CNA in an interview. “Later on I thought, ‘Well, I

for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are facing opposition from Catholic organizations.

For Medicaid, the proposal would add work requirements for able-bodied adults under age 65 if they do not have young children as dependents. It would also shift some Medicaid costs to states if they offer benefits to immigrants who are in the country illegally.

The proposed SNAP reforms would shift some costs to states and raise the work requirement age from 54 to 64. It would implement stricter verifications to ensure money is not given to immigrants who are in the country illegally.

These initiatives could potentially save the federal government more than $100 billion annually but could also cause millions of people to lose SNAP and Medicaid benefits.

Opposition to the plans has come from two major Catholic groups: Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and the Catholic Health Association. CCUSA has urged Americans to reach out to members of Congress to oppose reforms that could reduce Medicaid coverage.

USCIRF praises Pope Leo for supporting religious freedom

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom, an

world

HABEMUS PAPAM

Pope Leo begins papacy calling for ‘united Church’ in a wounded world

JUSTIN MCLELLAN Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Launching his papacy with a call for reconciliation and communion, Pope Leo XIV formally began his ministry as the successor of St. Peter by calling for “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.”

“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” the new pope said in his homily during his inauguration Mass May 18.

“For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world,” he told the estimated 150,000 people gathered in and around St. Peter’s Square. “We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to Him! Welcome His word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to His offer of love and become His one family: ‘In the one Christ, we are one.’”

THE WORLD WATCHED

Ecumenical and interreligious guests and more than 100 government delegations joined the new pope for Mass in St. Peter’s

Square. The United States was represented by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by their spouses and senior White House aides.

Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople attended, along with delegations from the Orthodox churches, the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Methodist Council, the World Communion of Reformed Churches and various evangelical and Pentecostal communities. Representatives of the Jewish community as well as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian and Jain

Pope

A LOVE THAT SERVES

Reflecting on the Gospel reading from St. John – in which Jesus asks St. Peter three times to tend to his sheep – Pope Leo said in his homily that the ministry of Peter is rooted in love that serves and unites.

“Peter is thus entrusted with the task of ‘loving more’ and giving his life for the flock,” he said. “The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this selfsacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity, and its true authority is the charity of Christ.”

The successor of St. Peter, he said, “must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat.”

traditions also were there.

Before the Mass began, Pope Leo rode through the square in the popemobile for the first time since his election May 8, greeting the faithful to cheers of “Viva il papa!” (“Long live the pope!’).

Three cardinals took part in the inauguration: Italian Cardinal Mario Zenari placed the woolen pallium on the pope’s shoulders, symbolizing his role as shepherd of the Church; Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presented him with the fisherman’s ring, evoking St. Peter’s mission to draw people into Christ’s net; and Congolese

“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united,” he said.

“With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world,” he said, calling for a Church that “proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.”

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo offered a prayer invoking the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Leo XIV enters St. Peter’s Square on the popemobile before his installation Mass May 18.

HABEMUS PAPAM

Bishop Martin urges Catholics to seize the moment offered by new pope

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — A new pope – and an American one at that – is a historic moment for Catholics, but if that’s all we think about, we’ve missed the point, Bishop Michael Martin preached during a special Mass May 9 honoring Pope Leo XIV.

Bishop Martin urged a crowd of 700 gathered at St. Matthew Church, the largest parish in the Diocese of Charlotte, plus another 200 tuning in online, not to let this moment pass but to keep up the excitement of the Gospel message highlighted by the new pope.

“We relegate what has just happened over these last few weeks to a sideshow. Something cool and took our minds off of this or that. It was fun to watch and white smoke and Swiss Guards and, you know, seagulls,” he said. “If that’s all it is, I don’t want any part of it, and I hope you won’t, either, but that is what it gets relegated to when we don’t stand with our Holy Father.”

In his first message to the world after being elected May 8, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Catholics to build bridges, foster dialogue and evangelize.

Bishop Martin echoed the pope’s call for unity during the bilingual Mass, asking Catholics to pray for the Holy Father and take his words to heart.

That we have to make a constant choice, an intentional moment throughout the day – over and over again – to fix our eyes on Him, to know who is our true North, to know who is the way, the truth and the life, to know who is the only one whose Spirit unites us in one body. We have to commit to that over and over and over again. And the more that we do, the more unified we become.”

Bishop Martin closed his homily repeating the words Pope Leo XIV first said as he stood on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Do not be afraid.”

The bishop added, “We are meant for this moment. Do you appreciate that?”

The Mass drew people from all over Charlotte, and Bishop Martin’s message resonated with many.

“It’s not for a man from Chicago,” he said, “but rather for something deeper that all of us yearn for, for something greater that all of us are meant for, for something deeper that all of us have been created for, and that is life with Christ.”

The bishop reflected on the Gospel reading chosen for the special Mass for Pope Leo XIV and the Universal Church from John 17:11b, 17-23, in which Jesus prays for unity: “… that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

Bishop Martin said, “Jesus’ prayer gives us this deep, deep desire for communion, a deep, deep desire for unity, which is so much more poignant in our world that finds itself so individualized that it cannot find its way to the other.

“Are we seizing this moment? As people who have come to believe that Jesus is ‘the way, the truth and the life’?” he asked.

“We have got to find unity first and foremost in Christ Jesus. That we have to constantly look to our Savior.

St. Gabriel parishioner John Gage Hutchens was struck by the bishop’s comment about the new pope: “Notice while I carry the shepherd’s crook, the Holy Father carries the cross, and every morning he carries it with him on our behalf. Will you carry it with him?”

Said Hutchens, “I came because I wanted to do something for the new pope. He is going to have to do a lot for us, so I figured I would come and stay for the Mass and offer some prayers and ask God to look out for him.”

St. Matthew parishioner Beth Taflinger said she came to the Mass because she loves seeing Bishop Martin and she is excited about the new pope. “He has real charisma. I love the fact that he was overwhelmed, holding back tears in recognition of his new responsibility,” she said. “He is such a holy man, it is incredible what he did in Peru. He is one of us too, though. He is from the U.S. He is just like a normal guy in one respect, and so holy, but very relatable.”

Antoinette Usher, chief operating officer of St. Matthew Parish, said they were beyond excited that Bishop Martin chose to celebrate the special Mass for the pope there.

Besides draping yards of yellow and white bunting over the church entrance, the Charlotte parish found other ways to add special touches for the occasion.

Chosen to bring up the gifts were two students from St. Matthew School – both named Leo, one in fifth grade, the other a kindergartner, Usher noted. And members of the parish children’s choir chose the song “My Lighthouse” for the recessional hymn, a favorite of the parish with lyrics that echoed the bishop’s message.

“With the new pope bestowing that honor on us, to host a Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV, we were ecstatic,” Usher said. “I hope all who came got a flavor of who we are.”

POPE LEO XIV: His motto, coat of arms pay homage to St. Augustine

Pope Leo XIV’s devotion to St. Augustine, his life and ministry as a member of the Augustinian order, and his focus on the unity of the Church are reflected in his episcopal motto and coat of arms.

His episcopal motto is “In Illo uno unum,” or literally “In the One, we are one.”

Vatican News said the phrase is taken from St. Augustine’s “Exposition on Psalm 127,” where he explains that “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”

As a cardinal, he told Vatican News in 2023, “As can be seen from my episcopal motto, unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of St.

POPE LEO XIV: 7 things to know

MARIA WIERING

OSV News

As the Catholic Church welcomes its first American pope, here are seven things to know about Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert F. Prevost.

1. CHICAGOAN

Pope Leo was born Sept. 14, 1955, and grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was an educator, and his mother, Mildred Martínez, was a librarian. He has two older brothers, was active in his childhood parish and his brother John says he is a White Sox fan. His family is reportedly of French, Italian and Spanish origin, with Creole heritage on his mother’s side. He loves tennis and plays regularly.

2. COSMOPOLITAN

While American, Pope Leo has a global perspective, having lived most of his adult life in Peru and Rome. Based on his assignments, it appears that he has spent less than five years combined living in the United States since his 1982 ordination to the priesthood.

3. AUGUSTINIAN

He is a member of the Order of St. Augustine, a religious order that dates to 1244 and was founded to live the spirituality of early Christians. Before ordination, Pope Leo attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Holland, Michigan, and Villanova University near Philadelphia, both Augustinian institutions. Pope Leo is the first Augustinian to assume the chair of Peter, and the second member of a religious order to do so in nearly two centuries – the first being the first Jesuit pope, Pope Francis.

4. CANONIST

Pope Leo is a canon lawyer, having received his licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. For nearly a decade he served the Archdiocese of Trujillo, Peru, as its judicial vicar. During that time he was also a professor of canon law in the San Carlos y San Marcelo Major Seminary.

5. BABY BOOMER

Augustine, and also of my way of acting and thinking.”

His shield is divided diagonally into two. The upper half features a blue background with a white lily or fleur-de-lis, symbolizing the Virgin Mary and his French heritage. The lower half has a light background and displays an image common to Augustinian religious orders: a closed book with a heart pierced by an arrow.

Vatican News said, “This is a direct reference to the conversion experience of St. Augustine himself, who described his personal encounter with God’s word using the phrase ‘Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo’ – ‘You have pierced my heart with your Word.’”

— Catholic News Service

At age 69, Pope Leo is seven years younger than Pope Francis was when he was elected in 2013, and nine years younger than Pope Benedict XVI when he was elected in 2005. He is 11 years older than St. John Paul II, who was 58 at his 1978 election.

6. SOCIALLY MINDED

His name is an apparent nod to Pope Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 until 1903 and is especially known for his 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum,” or “On the Condition of the Working Classes.” That document responded to the state of the industrial society at the end of the 19th century and cemented Pope Leo XIII’s position as the modern father of Catholic social doctrine.

7. MULTILINGUAL

Pope Leo speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, and he reads Latin and German. He gave his first greeting May 8 in Italian but switched to Spanish to greet the faithful of his former Diocese of Chiclayo before giving the “urbi et orbi” blessing in Latin. On May 9, he began his first public homily with English but preached most of it in Italian.

OSV NEWS | CARLOS OSORIO, REUTERS

A tribute to Pope Leo XIV, formally Cardinal Robert Prevost, is displayed inside the Rate Field baseball stadium in Chicago May 9 before a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Miami Marlins.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Students at St. Mark Catholic School in Huntersville react to the news of Pope Leo XIV’s election as the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church.

HABEMUS PAPAM

El Papa León comienza su pontificado pidiendo una ‘Iglesia unida’ en un mundo herido

JUSTIN MCLELLAN Catholic News Service

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO — Iniciando su pontificado con un llamado a la reconciliación y a la comunión, el Papa León XIV inauguró formalmente su ministerio como sucesor de San Pedro pidiendo “una Iglesia unida, signo de unidad y comunión, que se convierta en fermento para un mundo reconciliado”.

“En nuestro tiempo, vemos aún demasiada discordia, demasiadas heridas causadas por el odio, la violencia, los prejuicios, el miedo a lo diferente, por un paradigma económico que explota los recursos de la tierra y margina a los más pobres”, dijo el nuevo Papa en la homilía de su Misa de inauguración, el 18 de mayo. “Y nosotros queremos ser, dentro de esta masa, una pequeña levadura de unidad, de comunión y de fraternidad”, continuó el Santo Padre dirigiéndose a las 150.000 personas congregadas para la Misa inaugural en la Plaza de San Pedro y sus alrededores. “Nosotros queremos decirle al mundo, con humildad y alegría: ¡miren a Cristo! ¡Acérquense a Él! ¡Acojan su Palabra que ilumina y consuela! Escuchen su propuesta de amor para formar su única

familia: ‘en el único Cristo somos uno’”. Una versión de esta cita de San Agustín es el lema episcopal del Papa y figura en su escudo de armas.

Invitados ecuménicos e interreligiosos y más de 100 delegaciones gubernamentales se unieron al nuevo Papa en la Misa celebrada en la Plaza de San Pedro.

Estados Unidos estuvo representado por el Vicepresidente JD Vance y el Secretario de Estado Marco Rubio, acompañados por sus cónyuges y altos funcionarios de la Casa Blanca.

Entre los líderes cristianos presentes se encontraba el Patriarca Ecuménico Ortodoxo Bartolomé de Constantinopla, junto con otras delegaciones de las iglesias ortodoxas, la Comunión Anglicana, la Federación Luterana Mundial, el Consejo Metodista Mundial, la Comunión Mundial de Iglesias Reformadas y varias comunidades evangélicas y pentecostales. También asistieron representantes de la comunidad judía y de las tradiciones musulmana, hindú, budista, sij, zoroástrica y jainista.

Antes de comenzar la Misa inaugural, el Papa León recorrió la plaza en papamóvil por primera vez desde su elección el 8 de mayo, saludando a los fieles mientras

la multitud gritaba “¡Viva el Papa!” A continuación, entró en la basílica para rezar ante la tumba de San Pedro, acompañado por los patriarcas de las Iglesias Católicas Orientales. Tras la lectura del Evangelio, tres cardenales de las distintas órdenes del Colegio Cardenalicio participaron en el inicio formal del ministerio Petrino: El cardenal italiano Mario Zenari colocó el palio de lana sobre los hombros del Papa, simbolizando su papel de pastor de la Iglesia universal; el cardenal filipino Luis Antonio Tagle le entregó el anillo del pescador, evocando la misión de San Pedro de atraer a la gente a la red de Cristo; y el cardenal congoleño Fridolin Ambongo ofreció una oración invocando la fuerza del Espíritu Santo para el nuevo pontificado.

En representación de la Iglesia universal, 12 personas - clérigos, religiosos y laicos de todo el mundo - se acercaron a ofrecer su fidelidad y obediencia al nuevo Papa.

Reflexionando sobre la lectura del Evangelio de San Juan, en la que Jesús pide tres veces a San Pedro que cuide de sus ovejas, el Papa León dijo en su homilía que el ministerio de Pedro no se basa en la autoridad en sí misma, sino en el amor que sirve y une.

“A Pedro, pues, se le confía la tarea de ‘amar aún más’ y de dar su vida por el

rebaño”, dijo. “El ministerio de Pedro está marcado precisamente por este amor oblativo, porque la Iglesia de Roma preside en la caridad y su verdadera autoridad es la caridad de Cristo”.

El sucesor de San Pedro, dijo, “debe apacentar el rebaño sin ceder nunca a la tentación de ser un líder solitario o un jefe que está por encima de los demás, haciéndose dueño de las personas que le han sido confiadas”. En cambio, “a él se le pide servir a la fe de sus hermanos, caminando junto con ellos”.

El Papa León también recordó el período de luto tras la muerte del Papa Francisco, y dijo que el cónclave que siguió a la muerte del difunto Papa fue un momento de gracia. “Fui elegido sin tener ningún mérito y, con temor y trepidación, vengo a ustedes como un hermano que quiere hacerse siervo de su fe y de su alegría, caminando con ustedes por el camino del amor de Dios, que nos quiere a todos unidos en una única familia”, dijo.

“Con la luz y la fuerza del Espíritu Santo, construyamos una Iglesia fundada en el amor de Dios y signo de unidad, una Iglesia misionera, que abre los brazos al mundo”, dijo, pidiendo que seamos una Iglesia que “anuncia la Palabra, que se deja cuestionar por la historia, y que se convierte en fermento de concordia para la humanidad”.

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El Papa León XIV recibe el anillo del pescador, que simboliza su papel como sucesor de San Pedro, de manos del cardenal filipino Luis Antonio Tagle durante la Misa inaugural del Papa en la Plaza de San Pedro el 18 de mayo.

LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

El Obispo Martin pide unidad en la Misa para celebrar al nuevo Papa

CHARLOTTE — Un nuevo papa – y además estadounidense – es un momento histórico para los católicos, pero si eso es todo en lo que pensamos, nos estamos perdiendo el verdadero significado , predicó el obispo Michael Martin durante una Misa especial el 9 de mayo en honor al Papa León XIV.

El obispo Martin exhortó a una multitud de 700 personas reunidas en la parroquia St. Matthew, la más grande de la Diócesis de Charlotte, además de otras 200 que seguían la transmisión en línea, a no dejar pasar este momento, sino a mantener viva la emoción del mensaje del Evangelio resaltado por el nuevo papa.

En su primer mensaje al mundo tras ser elegido el 8 de mayo, el Papa León XIV animó a los católicos a tender puentes, fomentar el diálogo y evangelizar.

El obispo Martin hizo eco del llamado del papa a la unidad durante la Misa bilingüe, pidiendo a los católicos que oren por el Santo Padre y tomen en serio sus palabras.

“Es una gran bendición ver al Espíritu Santo obrar en este proceso reuniendo a representantes de la Iglesia Universal

para escucharse mutuamente y llegar a un consenso sobre uno de los temas más importantes de nuestro tiempo: el liderazgo”, dijo.

“El Papa León asume este mandato no por voluntad propia, sino por la voluntad de Dios Padre.”

“Nosotros también estamos llamados a ser uno”, dijo. “Debemos comprometernos con una unidad que no se aferre a nuestras formas de pensar y actuar, sino que sea más receptiva a cómo Dios nos llama a todos a vivir juntos como un solo cuerpo.”

“Necesitamos al Papa León y el Papa León nos necesita”, afirmó. “Nosotros también estamos llamados a poner nuestros dones únicos al servicio de la Iglesia.”

“Que podamos continuar abriendo nuestros corazones y mentes a la misión del discipulado en Cristo, que es el camino, la verdad y la vida, que es buena noticia para el mundo entero y que necesita hacerse creíble en la vida de cada uno de nosotros.”

La Misa atrajo a personas de toda Charlotte, y el mensaje del obispo Martin resonó con muchos.

Omar Luna, de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Charlotte, ha estado siguiendo al obispo durante los

Miles de fieles en Chiclayo celebran la elección de su obispo como Papa

DAVID AGREN OSV News

CHICLAYO, Perú — Miles de católicos abarrotaron la plaza frente a la Catedral de Santa María de Chiclayo en esta ciudad del norte de Perú para celebrar una Misa de acción de gracias por un hijo adoptivo: El Papa León XIV.

El nuevo Papa, que como obispo Robert Francis Prevost lideró la Iglesia en Chiclayo entre 2015 y 2023, fue recordado con cariño por los asistentes por priorizar a los pobres, acercar la Iglesia a la gente y abrazar a su país de adopción.

“Queremos agradecer al Señor resucitado por habernos regalado este jueves 8 de mayo un nuevo sucesor de Pedro, de Cristo, el Papa León XIV, nuestro querido obispo”, dijo el actual obispo de Chiclayo, monseñor Edinson Farfán Córdova, quien fue el sucesor de monseñor Prevost cuando éste fue nombrado prefecto del Dicasterio para los Obispos en enero de 2023 y elevado a cardenal en septiembre del mismo año. “Él estuvo entre nosotros, vivió aquí, aprendió aquí. Se dejó evangelizar por el pueblo sencillo y fiel de nuestra tierra”, continuó Mons. Farfán Córdova en su homilía.

Los peruanos han acogido la elección del Papa León con júbilo, orgullo e incluso incredulidad por el hecho de que un prelado “adoptivo” (de EE.UU. que ejerció su ministerio en Perú), cuya formación pastoral se produjo como misionero agustino en zonas pobres y

últimos meses, tratando de asistir a sus Misas siempre que puede.

“Fui a St. Mark para la Misa del Papa Francisco y ahora estoy aquí por el nuevo

papa. Me cuesta expresar mi felicidad porque esto me encanta, es increíble”, dijo. “Creo que (el Papa León) continuará la línea del Papa Francisco.”

El obispo Michael Martin le dijo a una multitud de 700 personas reunidas en la Iglesia de San Mateo para celebrar la elección del Papa Leao XIV que no dejen pasar este momento y que mantengan el entusiasmo por el mensaje del Evangelio.

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Cecilia Cicone

Forcing clergy to break the seal of confession harms victims

The seal of the confessional is one of the first things Catholic children learn as they are preparing for their first confession. At first, it comes as a shock to many children, prompting questions to test the limits of total confidentiality: What if I said I killed someone? Father won’t even tell my parents?

The answer to all of these questions is firm: “No, under no circumstances will a priest repeat anything you say in confession.” This is because when someone confesses a sin, they are not really confessing it to their priest but to God Himself; the priest does not forgive their sins, God does. To maintain the integrity of the sacrament, absolute confidence is required.

This fundamental principle is being called into question. Most recently, the governor of Washington signed a bill into law making clergy mandated reporters of child abuse without an exemption for learning of abuse within the sacrament.

I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse who advocates for greater accountability and transparency in the Church around the issue of abuse. I am also a staunch defender of the seal of confession even in cases of abuse.

For those unfamiliar with confession, it can seem like an easy way out, giving sinners the opportunity to be forgiven without having to confront the pain they have caused others. Penitents say their sins to a priest and, no matter what the sins were, they are forgiven and can go on living their lives as if it never happened. But for Catholics who participate in the sacrament regularly, this is far from their experience in practice.

IT’S MORE THAN FORGIVENESS

The theology of the sacrament of confession acknowledges that sin causes a rupture in our relationship with God, but it also causes a rupture in our relationship with others. While confession can heal our relationship with God, healing the effects of our sins requires work that takes place outside of confession. This is the purpose of penance – although God has completely forgiven our sin, we must take action to amend our lives and seek justice for our wrongs. The sacrament of confession would be an intermediary to confronting the full reality of his or her abuse. This full reality would include taking responsibility for their actions outside of confession as well, likely at the encouragement of the priest who heard their confession.

If an abuser knew that a priest would immediately report his or her crimes as required by law, it is logical that they would not confess the abuse they perpetrated. They would simply not go

to confession at all, or omit the crime in their confession. Their victims and society would be no closer to justice or healing.

Although there are obviously no statistics, the situation of abusers confessing their crimes in confession is unlikely to happen often, despite being the primary focus around laws mandating priests to reveal what they hear during the sacrament. What is much more likely is that a child or someone who has been or is being abused will enter the confessional burdened by their abuser’s crimes.

VICTIMS NEED A SAFE, SACRED SPACE

A child who is experiencing abuse or an adult who has experienced abuse is likely to be overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and shame. The weight of this shame – of feeling that the abuse makes someone “bad,” or fear of violence or repercussions – is often what keeps victims from speaking about what is happening or has happened to them.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of confession by giving the apostles the power to “bind and loose sins,” holding these little ones in His heart. The very heart of Jesus wants to console abuse victims, and they deserve a place where they can be assured of their worth and God’s love for them without being overwhelmed by fear of their abusers. Without this sacred space, many would –and many do – have nowhere to turn. When I first went to a doctor’s office to seek help with the effects of my abuse, I sat in a waiting room that was covered in signs informing me that anything I disclosed relating to abuse, even in the past, would be reported as required by law. I was deathly afraid of my abusers, and the mere idea of a report and investigation was enough for me to refuse to be honest with my doctor about what had happened. It delayed my healing, and my abusers were no closer to being brought to justice.

Being unable to be honest with a doctor is one thing. Creating a situation in which victim-survivors may feel unsafe being honest with God is a violation of religious freedom and causes direct harm. Children and all vulnerable populations deserve laws that truly protect them, and society needs laws that prevent harm and bring about justice when those laws are violated. Mandating priests to break the sacramental seal of the confessional does not advance these aims. Instead, it creates a barrier between individuals and God, who is both just and merciful.

CECILIA CICONE is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and an advocate for Catholics experiencing mental illness. Contact her at ceciliacicone.com or on X or Instagram @cecsquared. A resident of northwest Indiana, she wrote this essay for OSV News.

Brian Pusateri

Tripping over the final hurdle

In your mind, try to picture a participant in a track meet running the high hurdles. He is winning as he approaches the final hurdle. Suddenly there’s a painful fall. He trips on the last hurdle and falls flat on his face just before the finish line. The pain and embarrassment of his fall are oddly familiar to how we as Christians feel when we trip and fall.

Despite all of our Lenten sacrifices and the spiritual high of Easter, we are still inclined to stumble.

I was that athlete above that fell. In what seems like a previous life, way back in high school, I was a pretty decent track and field athlete – if I may say so myself. One event that I really enjoyed, and did quite well in, was the 120-yard high hurdles. There was something exhilarating about sprinting at full speed toward a waist-high obstacle and leaping over it with nothing but timing, strength and just a little fear.

One particular race is forever etched in my memory – not because I won, but because I didn’t.

I was in the lead, and things were going

’God doesn’t ask us to be flawless hurdlers. He asks us to finish the race.’

great. My steps were clean, my form was sharp and I had just one more hurdle to go before the finish line. I saw the ribbon in sight and thought, “I’ve got this.” But just as I lifted my leg over the final hurdle, the toe of my shoe clipped the top bar. It didn’t take much. Just a tap. But it was enough to send me crashing face-first onto the track. I didn’t just trip – I wiped out. It was the kind of fall that leaves you with embedded gravel, bruised pride, and a reminder that you should always finish the race before you start celebrating.

STARTING OUT STRONG

As I reflect back on those day, I realize how much our Christian journey mirrors that race. We start out strong. We set goals. We make plans to leave sin behind. Maybe we vow to give up an old habit, forgive someone who hurt us, or finally build that prayer life we keep saying we want. Like the start of a race, there’s adrenaline and excitement. We jump over the early hurdles: resisting temptation, setting new boundaries, avoiding old haunts. We get into a rhythm. We start to think, “Maybe we’re actually getting this discipleship thing down!”

And then – WHAM. We fall flat on our face in a cloud of dust and shame. This feels especially real in the season we’ve just come through. We journeyed through Lent, fasted, prayed, and gave

alms. Lent was like our preseason training. We practiced hard and planned to give ourselves completely to the Lord.

Easter Sunday was like the starter’s gun going off. The firing of the starter’s gun sent us forward with fresh resolve and renewed passion. We likely came out of the starting block strengthened by the resurrection, and yet, some of us have already fallen. After just a few hurdles some of us have already caught our toe on temptation. Maybe we stumbled in a moment of anger, lust, pride or selfishness. Perhaps we fell as soon as Holy Week was over. The high of Easter was still real – but the pain of falling so soon still stings. Still others may not have even made it all of the way through Lent without a fall.

ITS ABOUT PERSEVERANCE

Whether our falls occurred during Lent or after Easter, we must all take heart. The Christian life is never about perfection. It’s about perseverance.

The Book of Proverbs says, “The just man falls seven times and rises again” (Proverbs 24:16). Notice it doesn’t say the wicked fall seven times. It says the just man – the one who is trying, the one who is striving after God, the one who wants to live right – he’s the one who falls. The difference is, he gets back up.

God doesn’t ask us to be flawless hurdlers. He asks us to finish the race. Saint Paul put it this way: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Not “I never stumbled” or “I won every heat.” Just: I finished. Our falls do not disqualify us from grace. Our falls may be the very thing that softens our pride, humbles our spirit and draws us closer to the Savior who lifts us from the dust. Jesus knows what it’s like to fall. On the road to Calvary, under the weight of the Cross, He stumbled more than once. But He got back up for you and for me. And because He rose again, we can rise, too. So, if we’ve fallen over a hurdle, we can’t stay down. We must get up, catch our breath, and get back in the race. The finish line is still there. The crowd of witnesses is still cheering. And the Lord is still running beside us.

We may have tripped over one of life’s hurdles, but we are not disqualified. We are still in the running. And grace, not perfection, is what wins this race.

Heavenly Father, when I trip and stumble over the hurdles of life, and when sin causes me to land flat on my face, please pick me up, clean me off, repair my wounds, and forgive my sins. Help me to get back in the race. Help me to always keep my eyes on the prize of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen!

BRIAN PUSATERI, a Christian author and speaker, founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. This is condensed from an essay published at www. brokendoorministries.com.

Pope’s choice of name puts new focus on challenges posed by AI

In his homily to the College of Cardinals May 10, Pope Leo XIV said he had chosen his name partly because, just as Pope Leo XIII addressed “the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution,” today “the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”

Joe Vukov, an associate professor of philosophy at Loyola University Chicago and the author of “Staying Human in an Era of Artificial Intelligence,” spoke with OSV News’ Charlie Camosy about the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, or AI.

’The Catholic view of human nature is magnitudes richer than the one on offer in Silicon Valley.’

Joe Vukov Associate professor of philosophy at

Loyola University Chicago

Camosy: When I learned that our new Holy Father had taken the name Leo XIV, I immediately wondered if he saw himself as helping lead a response to massive cultural changes wrought by a technological revolution, just as Leo XIII was. What do you make of this?

Vukov: As you say, Leo XIII was pope during a moment of great social and cultural change, much like today. Rather than an industrial revolution, however, we face a revolution brought on by distinctively 21stcentury technologies – artificial intelligence, robotics, social media and the like. The new Holy Father, in his first address to the College of Cardinals, has confirmed that this indeed inspired his choice of name.

One thing I love about Catholic social teaching is the balance it gives between abstract theological reflection and concrete advice. That’s what we need today. Pope Leo XIII provided that kind of guidance, and I’m hopeful that Pope Leo XIV will do so as well.

Camosy: What are some ways in which Catholic ideas and practices can help address the technological concerns with which the Holy Father is concerned?

Vukov: There are at least three: First, in this moment of social and technological change, it can be easy to lose sight of what makes us human. During Leo XIII’s papacy, humans were being reduced to “cogs in a machine,” and documents like “Rerum Novarum” resisted that view.

Today, we are facing a different kind of reductive view of our humanity – we are being presented with a vision according to which human intelligence can be artificially simulated, human achievement

can be measured in terms of efficiency and productivity, and human relationships can be swapped out for digital ones. Compare that with the Catholic view of human nature, according to which our intelligence is embodied and oriented to the truth, human dignity is not a matter of what we accomplish but rather grounded in our status as bearers of the image of God, and our lives are essentially relational.

The Catholic view of human nature is magnitudes richer than the one on offer in Silicon Valley. The world is hungry for such a view, and it is the job of Catholics to proclaim it boldly.

Second, the Church’s social and cultural teachings can help us address the great crisis of dehumanization we are facing. This crisis is similar in some ways to the crisis we were facing during Leo XIII’s papacy. During both periods, cultural forces were challenging the dignity of workers, the value of work itself and our understanding of what it means to flourish as a human being.

I’m worried about large-scale dehumanization brought on by new technology, yes, but also dehumanization on a more personal level. I’m worried about a future in which, on a very personal level, we never ask a friend for a book recommendation because we rely entirely on the algorithms of online retailers; I’m worried about a future in which we are so reliant on our Fitbits and Google Maps that we lose touch with our own bodies and environments; I’m worried about a future in which we can no longer write an essay (or even a thank-you note) because we have become so reliant on large-language models like ChatGPT. That’s a dehumanized existence.

Catholics will need to address this challenge of dehumanization in new ways.

A third way that Catholic ideas and practices can address current cultural and technological challenges is our fundamentally spiritual view of the world. The challenges posed by new technologies are not merely cultural and economic. They are also profoundly spiritual.

Leo XIII knew that in a moment of great social and cultural change, it isn’t enough for the Church to defend herself and her teachings on the social and cultural level. She must also defend herself on a spiritual level, calling to her assistance all the forces at her disposal – most crucially, Our Lady, Terror of Demons, together with the angelic forces, led by St. Michael – to “be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.”

Our current moment is a moment of great cultural and technological challenges, yes, but also a moment of great spiritual challenges, one in which the devil’s snares are pervasive and dangerous.

I hope that our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, brings not only the vision of cultural clarity of Pope Leo XIII, but also the sense of spiritual urgency.

CHARLIE CAMOSY is professor of medical humanities at the Creighton School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, and moral theology fellow at St. Joseph Seminary in New York.

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Charlie Camosy

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