May 26, 1995

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News & Herald Volume 4 Number 37 • May

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

26, 1995

Three Deacons To Be Ordained Diocesan Priests By

JOANN KEANE

application,

Associate Editor

study at Sacred Heart School of Theol-

CHARLOTTE — On June 3, three deacons

— recent seminary graduates

enter St. Gabriel

Church in Charlotte.

Following the ceremony, Mass and conferral of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, Fathers James Collins, Eric Houseknecht orand Mark Lawlor will emerge dained priests for the Diocese of Char-

lotte.

Their ordination adds valuable membership to the fraternity of diocesan priests.

About 70 diocesan priests serve com-

ogy

in Hales Corner, Wis. Rev. Mr. Houseknecht heard his calling to ministry, and planned to become a Methodist minister. When his sister married a Catholic, he found himself introduced to her new Church s teachings. The indoctrination would change Rev. Mr. Houseknecht' s life, and he converted to Catholicism in 1973. With his 1975 degree in pipe organ performance from the University of Arizona, Rev. Mr. Houseknecht became music '

the 89 parishes and missions that

director for Catholic and Lutheran par-

prise the 46-county diocese. Yet, 15

ishes. In the mid-80s,

priests will reach retirement

age within

the next three years. Attrition alone begs

answer

for an

to the call of priestly

vocation. While the diocese

is

blessed

and hopes to add with 20 seminarians an urgent about seven more next fall

he found his way to North Carolina, and became music director of Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro. Though he made his first application to the priesthood in 1 98 1 it would be nine years before a complete discern,

ment led him to pursue

the Diocese of Charlotte, and subsequent

transform into prayers of thanksgiving

ana.

studies at St.

moment with the three deacons he will ordain (l-r) Rev. Misters James Collins, Eric

June 3. They are Houseknecht and Mark Lawlor.

Photo by

JOANN KEANE

Pope's Trip Shows Church Has Long way To Go In East Europe SKOCZOW, Poland (CNS) — Pope John Paul U cut into a swatch of Eastern Europe and found that the Church has a long way to go before Christian values become imbedded in society.

as a youth, priest, bishop

The

trip

touch with societies

About 1 0 years ago, Rev. Mr. Lawlor

On that first Saturday in June, Rev. Mr. Collins will realize a childhood dream. Rev. Mr. Housekhecht sees the

as an engineer was

fruition of his conversion to Catholi-

knew something was

going through the motions in his career, he joined a local parish, and grappled for three years with his calling to serve. A five-night parish mission opened his eyes to the reality of his true calling. In 1989, he quit his job, sold his home and entered

length from his desire to become a priest. With cerebral palsy, a speech impediment and moderate hearing loss, Rev. Mr. Collins would not allow his own afflictions to stand in the way of becom-

the

ized

two new

saints

region, canon-

and watched Czech

youngsters whiz paper airplanes around

him at a pantomime performance. The pope, who turned 75 two days before the

trip,

abandoned

his cane at

several events, but he still limped, walked

slowly and occasionally needed help on steps.

The trip was a return to a part of southern Poland that the pope knew well

Summer Schedule With

this issue

of The Catholic

News & Herald, we begin our regular summer schedule of bi-weekly publication. Please

keep

this

schedule in

mind when submitting material

for

publication.

During the summer, there will be issues June 9 and 23, July 7 and 21 and

Aug. 4, 18 and 25 at which time weekly publication will resume.

Our fifth year of publication will begin with the issue of Sept.

finding fulfillment in studies at St.

Meinrad.

ing a priest. For years, he applied for

Rev. Misters Collins, Houseknecht,

and Lawlor

acceptance as a seminarian; only to face repeated rejection. Yet, Rev. Mr. Collins

will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, June 3, at 10:30

remained undaunted as he continued his

a.m. Bishop Curlin has issued an open

Twenty years of heart-led persis-

invitation to Catholics in the diocese

Bishop John

this

come

or difficult to

Czech President Vaclav Havel, greeting the pope May 20. Enthusiasm "has given way to more sober thinking about everyday

life with everyday cares," said Havel, referring to the pope' s 1 990 visit, when the air was still fresh with the peaceful victory. "Before, we struggled with something outside us. Now, we have to turn to our hearts if we want to live up to the values that we put on our banners several years ago," he said. Havel, a nonpracticing Catholic, asked the Church's support in a "spiriits

tual rebirth," noting that

it is

the largest

Czech church. Church figures show that about 40 percent of the population professes Catholicism while about 20 percent attends Mass regularly. The pope also got a progress report from Cardinal Miloslav Vlk of Prague. "The priests are few and often old and sick," said Cardinal Vlk. "Communism isolated us in ourselves" and now "we want to open ourselves to the world and society." See Trip, Page 2

F.

when former Donoghue accepted his

the faithful to witness

blessed event.

Alumnus Chosen As President Of Belmont Abbey College BELMONT

Dr. Robert A. Preston, 63, an educator with 35 years of experience in higher education, has been elected president of Belmont Abbey College by its board of trustees. Currently the senior vice president and provost of Illinois

Benedictine College, Lisle,

111.,

Preston becomes Belmont Abbey' s 1 3th president. He will assume office Aug. 1 A 1 953 graduate of Belmont Abbey, Preston is the first lay alumnus in the history of the college to hold the position

been selected," said Robert M. Gallagher, chairman of the board of trustees. "He s the right man at the right time and place. His sense of history, his Catholic and Benedictine intellectual tradition and his love of Belmont Abbey make him the right choice."

See Abbey, Page 2

New Assignments

of president. "Preston's experience, familiarity

with Belmont Abbey and tremendous love and respect for the institution make

him an ideal selection," said Benedictine Abbot Oscar Burnett, chancellor and

CEO of the college. "We are delighted and honored he will share his considerable expertise with his alma mater." "I

1.

Glemnary Home Missionaries noviA year later, he withdrew from the Glemnarys and applied to the diocese,

tiate.

rule five years ago.

achieve," said

missing. While

Rev. Mr. Lawlor will complete another step along the lifelong journey of fulfillment in faith. Over the years, Rev. Mr. Collins saw his dreams dashed dozens of times, as insurmountable odds kept him an arms

and encourages

"In the realm of mentality, changes

steadily in

his career, the "laissez faire" Catholic

tence paid off in 1989,

native Poland May 20-22. He announced

same

in search of a

And

masking his intuitive

Though he progressed

call.

new identity after the end of communist

are rather slow to

visit to the

still

in Indi-

realized the smokescreeen of his success

quest.

The pope's 64th trip outside of Italy took him to the Czech Republic and his a 1997

and cardinal.

quickly put the pope in

Meinrad Seminary

times over.

cism.

Bishop William G. Curlin shares a

his vocation for

need is for more. Next week, prayers for vocations as the people of the diocese rejoice three

to the priesthood

and sent Rev. Mr. Collins to

am

elated that Dr. Preston has

Bishop William G. Curlin has announced several new assignments for diocesan priests, including the first assignments for the priests, to be ordained June 3. The list of priests and their new assignments and a related story are on

Page

2.


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May 26, 1995 by Catholic News Herald - Issuu