July 20, 2012
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Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission to expand Hayesville community acquires new building,
7 INDEX Contact us.......................... 4 Events calendar................. 4 Our Parishes................. 3-13 Our Faith............................. 2 Schools..............................14 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.......................16 U.S. news...........................18 Viewpoints.................. 22-23 World news.................. 20-21
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Welcoming moms
Nation’s first college-based maternity center opens in Belmont, 3
Vowing to serve the Lord Two take final vows as Benedictine monks,
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Jason Christian takes next step toward priesthood,
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Celebrating a ‘love affair’ with the Haitian poor St. Matthew Parish’s annual food drive targets 1 million pounds for 10th anniversary, 9
Our faith 2
catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
St. Lawrence of Brindisi: Diplomat, missionary, preacher
Catholic Q&A Is the ‘gesture of reverence’ optional?
Feast day: July 21 A saintly life
St. Lawrence of Brindisi, whose feast we celebrate on July 21, is a Doctor of the Church who was a gifted preacher, evangelizer and diplomat during a turbulent period in European history, when the continent was divided into feuding city-states and under attack from a Moslem invasion from the east. He was born Giulio Cesare Russo on July 22, 1559, in Naples. Of a precocious piety, Lawrence gave early evidence of a religious vocation. He studied with the Conventual Franciscans of Brindisi, where he rapidly progressed in his studies. When he was barely 6, he already showed the great gift of oratory, which he would later use as a persuasive preacher and ambassador. When he was 12, his father died. He moved to Venice, under the supervision of his uncle, to continue his studies with the clerics of St. Mark Basilica. In 1575 he was received into the order of Capuchin Franciscans under the name of Brother Lawrence. Owing to his wonderful memory, he mastered not only the principal European languages, but also most of the Semitic tongues. It was said he knew the entire original text of the Bible. Such a knowledge, in the eyes of many, could be accounted for only by supernatural assistance, and, during the process of beatification, the examiners of the saint’s writings rendered the following judgment: “Vere inter sanctos Ecclesiae doctores adnumerari potest.” (“Certainly, he can be counted among the Doctors of the Church.”) Such unusual talents, added to a rare virtue, fitted Lawrence for diverse missions. When he was still a deacon, he preached the Lenten sermons in Venice, and his success was so great that he was called successively to all the principal cities of the peninsula. Subsequently, thanks to his numerous journeys, he was enabled to evangelize at different periods most of the countries of Europe. The sermons he left fill no less than eight folio volumes. He held all the offices of his order and established new communities in several major cities, even as he preached all over Italy and the rest of Europe. In particular he served as a missionary to the Jews, where his expert knowledge of the Scriptures in Hebrew and his powerful oratory persuaded many to become Christians. Everywhere he went his reputation as a holy man preceded him, and people flocked to hear him preach and to receive his blessing. In 1601 he was named chaplain of the Christian imperial army, then about to march against the Moslem Turks. The victory of Lepanto in 1571 had only temporarily checked the Moslem invasion, and several battles were still necessary to secure the final triumph of the Christian armies. By 1595 Mohammed III had conquered a large part of Hungary. Determined to prevent a further advance, the emperor dispatched Lawrence to the nearby German princes to obtain their cooperation, and they responded to his appeal. The Christian armies of Europe, under the leadership of the German princes, then planned an attack on Albe-Royal (now
Stulweissenburg) – a battle that would pit their 18,000 men against 80,000 Turks. The German generals hesitated and appealed to Lawrence for advice. Holding himself responsible for victory, he communicated to the entire army in a glowing speech the ardor and confidence that he himself felt. He was too feeble to march, so he rode on horseback and, crucifix in hand, took the lead of the army, which followed irresistibly after him. Although he was the most exposed to danger, Lawrence was not wounded – universally regarded as due to a miraculous protection. The city was finally taken, and the Turks lost 30,000 men. But they still had more remaining soldiers than the Christian army, so they formed their lines anew, and a few days later another battle was fought. It was always the chaplain who was at the head of the army. “Forward!” he cried, showing them the crucifix, “Victory is ours.” The Turks were again defeated, and the honor of this double victory was attributed by the entire army to Lawrence. Lawrence resigned from leadership of his order in 1605, and then the pope sent him to evangelize in Germany. He also served as an ambassador for the pope among the various princes of city-states that now comprise Germany, Spain and Italy. He settled disputes among them, and he encouraged them to support the Church and protect the Catholic faith from various heresies. This skilled politician also had an intense inner life as a priest. He cultivated a life of prayer and contemplation, and he loved the Mass above all else. He was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he often prayed the rosary and the Office of the Blessed Virgin. As in the case of St. Francis of Assisi, there was something poetical about his piety, which often burst forth into canticles to the Blessed Virgin. It was in Mary’s name that he worked his miracles, and his favorite blessing was “Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria.” (Mary, with your loving Son, bless us each and everyone.) In 1618, the 59-year-old Lawrence withdrew to a monastery for a few days of peace and quiet, but he did not get it. The leaders of Naples asked for his help in a serious political dispute involving the French, Italians and Spanish, who were quarreling over territorial boundaries and treaties. An alleged plot to capture and burn down Venice had been discovered, and the Venetians subsequently executed several French men and charged that the Spanish were secretly in charge of the conspiracy. Lawrence was asked to travel to Spain and apprise the Spanish king, Philip III, of the mess. He went, but the long journey exhausted his feeble strength. He was unable to return home, and after a few days of great suffering he died in Lisbon on July 22, 1619 – just as he had predicted when he set out on the journey. St. Lawrence was beatified in 1783 by Pope Pius VI, canonized in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII, and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. — Catholic News Agency, Catholic Encyclopedia
Q: My pastor said the “gesture of reverence” made by the faithful (e.g., bowing) when receiving Holy Communion is optional. Is this correct? A: The rubrics specified in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) specifically instruct the communicant to bow his or her head before the Blessed Sacrament as a gesture of reverence, so it is required for those physically able to comply. “When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his head before the sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the precious blood.” (GIRM 160) — Peggy Frye for Catholic Answers, online at www.catholic.com
What are the rules for dipping the consecrated Host? Q: I have heard that the Holy See does not allow us to dip the host into a chalice to receive the Eucharist in both forms. But when I watched part of World Youth Day, I saw many clergy, including bishops and cardinals, doing this. What are the rules of the Church on this practice? A: The dipping of the consecrated Host into the consecrated Precious Blood is called “intinction.” The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states: “The blood of the Lord may be received either by drinking from the chalice directly or by intinction” (245), so the practice is permitted. What is not permitted is for the lay faithful to self-communicate by dipping the Host that they will consume into the Precious Blood. This can be done only by a minister of the Eucharist. — Dominican Father Vincent Serpa for Catholic Answers, online at www.catholic.com
Your daily Scripture readings SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 22 - JULY 28
Sunday, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Ephesians 2:13-18, Mark 6:30-34; Monday (St. Bridget), Micah 6:1-4, 6-8, Matthew 12:38-42; Tuesday (St. Sharbel Makhluf), Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Matthew 12:46-50; Wednesday (St. James), 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Matthew 20:20-28; Thursday (Sts. Joachim and Anne), Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13, Matthew 13:10-17; Friday, Jeremiah 3:14-17, Jeremiah 31:10-13, Matthew 13:18-23; Saturday, Jeremiah 7:1-11, Matthew 13:24-30
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 29 - AUG. 4
Sunday, 2 Kings 4:42-44, Ephesians 4:1-6, John 6:1-15; Monday (St. Peter Chrysologus), Jeremiah 13:1-11, Deuteronomy 32:18-21, Matthew 13:31-35; Tuesday (St. Ignatius of Loyola), Jeremiah 14:17-22, Matthew 13:36-43; Wednesday (St. Alphonsus Liguori), Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21, Matthew 13:44-46; Thursday (St. Eusebius of Vercelli, St. Peter Julian Eymard), Jeremiah 18:1-6, Matthew 13:47-53; Friday, Jeremiah 26:1-9, Matthew 13:54058; Saturday (St. John Vianney), Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24, Matthew 14:1-12
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF AUG. 5 - AUG. 11
Sunday, Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15, Ephesians 4:17, 20-24, John 6:24-35; Monday (The Transfiguration of the Lord), Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Peter 1:16-19, Mark 9:2-10; Tuesday (St. Sixtus II and Companions, St. Cajetan), Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22, Matthew 14:22-36; Wednesday (St. Dominic), Jeremiah 31:1-7, Jeremiah 31:10-13, Matthew 15:21-28; Thursday (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), Jeremiah 31:31-34, Matthew 16:13-23; Friday (St. Lawrence), 2 Corinithians 9:6-10, John 12:24-26; Saturday (St. Clare), Habakkuk 1:12-2:4, Matthew 17:14-20
Our parishes
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In Brief Deacon to serve Mooresville parish MOORESVILLE — Deacon Robert Kratchman has been granted faculties by Bishop Peter J. Jugis to function in the Diocese of Charlotte. He recently celebrated his 20th anniversary of ordination for the Archdiocese of Newark. He and his wife Joan have relocated to Mooresville from the Diocese of Trenton, N.J., via the dioceses of Venice and Naples, Fla. Kratchman He is formally retired from active assigned ministry but will help in his new parish of St. Thérèse as needed. He has a background in law enforcement. — Deacon Ron Steinkamp Christopher Lux | Catholic News Herald
McAnulty wins contest HICKORY — Barbara McAnulty, a parishioner at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory, recently participated in the American Legion Oratorical Contest. McAnulty, a rising sophomore at Hickory High School, won the Post competition and represented Post 48 at the district competition, where she placed second. The American Legion Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution among high school students. Since 1938, the program has presented participants with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s laws, the ability to think and speak clearly, and an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship. McAnulty is pictured with Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright — Jean McAnulty
Break-in reported at HTMS A homeless Charlotte man has been charged with several counts following a breakin at Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte on June 11. An employee discovered 52-yearold Rodney Allen Jones in the school’s gymnasium early in the morning. Police were called and Jones was charged with a number of felonies including breaking and entering and indecent exposure. Prior to his being in the gym, Jones apparently broke into the concession stand on the school’s football field where a soft drink machine was damaged. Jones has no apparent connection to the school. He is being held at Mecklenburg County Jail-Central. The school year was over when the incident occurred and there were no students or faculty on the campus. — David Hains
Cutting the ribbon to Room At The Inn’s new maternity center in Belmont July 16 are (from left) Tom Mathis, RATI’s board president; Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey; Cindy Brown, vice chair of Feminists for Life of America; Jeannie Wray, RATI’s executive director; and Bishop Peter Jugis.
Nation’s first college-based maternity center opens in Belmont Renowned pro-life leaders attend ceremony Christopher Lux Correspondent
BELMONT — “Congratulations, this day has arrived,” Father Frank Pavone, president of Priests for Life, told those gathered to celebrate the realization of Room At The Inn’s dream: the unveiling of the first college-based maternity center in the country, located on the grounds of Belmont Abbey College. Well over a hundred people attended the ribbon-cutting celebration, held on the morning of the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16. Room At The Inn has been assisting women of all ages in the Charlotte area facing unexpected pregnancies for 18 years. The new 10,000-square-foot facility sits on four acres donated
by the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey and will house up to 15 mothers at a time, providing emotional support and practical assistance to unmarried college women facing unexpected pregnancies. Residents will be able to have their babies and continue their education at nearby colleges. The building took just over a year to complete – “only one year and 26 days ago,” said Jeannie Wray, executive director of Room At The Inn. “But who’s counting?” Room At The Inn has received a steady stream of inquiries from pregnant students from as far away as the Midwest interested in joining the program, Wray noted in her remarks during the opening celebration. CENTER, SEE page 13
Mother: Room At The Inn ‘helped me get my priorities in order’ Morgan Castillo Correspondent
CHARLOTTE — It’s been almost seven years since Karen (last name withheld for privacy) turned to Room At The Inn for help. She was 19, pregnant, alone and scared. Room At The Inn in Charlotte gave Karen a helping hand, providing support and encouragement for her and her baby daughter. Karen speaks frankly when she talks about her experience with Room At The Inn (or “RATI”), revealing that she “had to grow up fast” as a young, single mother.
“Room At The Inn helped me get my priorities in order ... be a good role model for my child at such a young age,” she says. Karen found out she was pregnant in April 2005, when she was just 19 and living with the father of her child in Rock Hill, S.C. A Catholic, she knew from the start that “abortion was never an option,” recalling attending pro-life marches in Columbia, S.C., with her mother as a child, noting that “experiences like that stick with you.” Karen knew she wanted to keep and raise her baby herself. She moved back home with her parents and away from
a dysfunctional relationship with her boyfriend, but she “struggled with how I was going to raise a child alone. I did not want my parents raising another child. They had already raised six of their own.” In January 2006, Karen moved into the Charlotte-based Room At The Inn for expecting and new mothers in need. It was thanks to her family that Karen ended up at there, encouraged by her older sister and mother. She recalls that she “was not thrilled with the idea at first; I really did think it sounded too good to be true.” RATI , SEE page 13
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 OUR PARISHES
Diocesan calendar of events CHARLOTTE college CAMPUS MINISTRY, 9408 SANDBURG AVE. — Summer schedule has begun! Contact ccmuncc@ gmail.com for summer event announcements.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis
eucharistic congress, charlotte convention center
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events over the next two weeks:
— “Behold the Lamb of God,” Sept. 21 and Sept. 22. Visit www.goeucharist.com. pastoral center, 1123 s. church st.
July 20 – 7 p.m. Pastor Installation of Father Carl Del Giudice Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte
— Entrenamiento de Catequista en español, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 28 de julio y 25 de agosto — Catechist training in Spanish, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 28 and Aug. 25
July 22 – 11:00 a.m. Pastor Installation of Father John J. Eckert St. John the Baptist Church, Tryon
ST. ANN CHURCH, 3635 park road
July 23 – 6:00 p.m. Pastor Installation of Father Patrick D. Toole Sacred Heart Church, Brevard
ST. gabriel CHURCH, 3016 providence road — Respect Life Rosary, at the Blessed Virgin Grotto, following 10:45 a.m. Mass first Sundays — Young Widowed Group, Ministry Center, 7-9 p.m. first Tuesdays. Contact Sister Eileen McLoughlin, MSBT, at 704-543-7677, ext. 1043.
July 26 -7:00 p.m. SOLEMN Mass in the Extraordinary Form (missa solemnis) St. Ann Church, Charlotte July 27 – 7:00 p.m. Pastor Installation of Father Eric L. Kowalski Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro
ST. JOHN NEUMANN CHURCH, 8451 IDLEWILD ROAD — Family Movie Night on the Pavilion, 6-9 p.m. July 22. Concessions available. — Catholic Family Feud Night, Parish Hall, 6-8 p.m. July 28. Concessions available. — “Legion of Mary” group invites you to join them, Council Room, noon Mondays. Contact Janice Kemble at janicekemble@aol.com or 704-301-7331.
July 29 – 12:00 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Michael Church, Gastonia
ST. LUKE CHURCH, 13700 lawyers road
July 30 – Aug. 1 Convocation of Priests Asheville
ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PKWY.
— Anointing of the Sick Mass, 10 a.m. Aug. 18. Refreshments available following Mass. Contact Mary Adams at 704-545-1224.
— Natural Family Planning Introduction and Full Course, 1-5 p.m. Aug. 11. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at cssnfp@charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3230.
Aug. 3 – 11:00 a.m. Pastor Installation of Father Lawrence Heiney Holy Angels Church, Mt. Airy Aug. 5 – 11:30 a.m. Mass for 50th Anniversary of DEDICATION OF CHURCH Sacred Heart Church, Burnsville Aug. 6 – 11:30 a.m. Diocesan Feasibility Committee Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte
Volume 21 • Number 19
1123 S. Church St. Charlotte, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org
704-370-3333 PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte
Eucharistic adoration, to focus on petitions for our country, our leaders and ourselves in atonement for our sins and for the future of our nation. Among these petitions are the right to live, unthreatened by government mandate, from natural conception to natural death, and for the freedom of conscience and the unhindered worship of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Adoration will be Sept. 3-6 at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Adoration will conclude with Holy Hour (tentatively scheduled for 8-9 p.m.). Volunteers may register at www.signupgenius.com/ go/20F0C44AFAD2CA20-vigil.
— Solemn High Mass in Extraordinary Form, according to the 1962 Missale Romanum, for the feast day of Sts. Joachim and Anne, 7 p.m. July 26
July 25 – 7:00 p.m. Pastor Installation of Father Benjamin A. Roberts Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe
July 20, 2012
Vigil for Liberty
— “Handing on the Faith in the 21st Century,” lecture with Marylin Kravatz-Toolan, Ph.D., NLC Banquet Room, 7-8:30 p.m. Aug. 23 — Centering Prayer Group, NLC Room 206, 7-8:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays. Contact Bruce Hassett at 704-641-9041 or Janie Normile at 803-396-8016. — St. Peregrine Healing Prayer Service, 7:30 p.m. July 26
EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Denise Onativia 704-370-3333, catholicnews@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org STAFF WRITER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org Online reporter: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org
— “Catholicism 101” Inquiry Session, 7 p.m. Aug. 7. Contact Tracy Earl Welliver at 336-272-4681. No registration required.
HENDERSONVILLE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Church, 208 SEVENTH AVE. WEST — “An Evening with Dan Schutte,” a concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of the parish, 7 p.m. Aug. 10
HIGH POINT IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY Church, 4145 Johnson ST. — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), weekly meetings begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 21. Contact Father Joe Zuschmidt at jzuschmidt@ihmchurch.org or 336-8697739.
HUNTERSVILLE ST. patrick cathedral, 1621 dilworth road east — Catholic Scripture Studies, 1-2:30 p.m. starting in the fall. Child care available. Contact Margaret Gustafson at jmgusto@bellsouth.net. ST. PETER CHURCH, 507 s. tryon st. — Mass of Fellowship and Diversity, 7 p.m. July 25. Reception in Biss Hall to follow. Parking is free in The Green parking garage. Visit www.stpeterscatholic. org/gay_lesbian_ministry. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH, 1400 SUTHER ROAD — Our Lady of Czestochowa feast day Mass and celebration, 11 a.m. Aug. 25. Reception to follow in Aquinas Hall, hosted by the Polish community. — New chapter starting: Men of Veritas, following 9 a.m. Mass second and fourth Saturdays. Contact Charlie at menofveritas@stacharlotte.com.
CLEMMONS HOLY FAMILY CHURCH, 4820 Kinnamon Road — Natural Family Planning Introduction and Full Course, 1-5 p.m. Sept. 8. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at cssnfp@charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3230.
St. mark Church, 14740 stumptown road — Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novenas, following 6:30 p.m. Mass Wednesdays — Hora Santa en español, 7:30-8:30 p.m. primeros viernes
KERNERSVILLE bishop mcguinness high school, 1725 N.c. Hwy. 66 — Summer Stage Camp: “Seussical Jr.,” noon and 7 p.m. July 27. Contact 336-564-1252. Free will offering. HOLY CROSS CHURCH, 616 S. Cherry ST. — Charismatic Prayer Group, 8 p.m. first and second Fridays. Contact Gary and Richelle Stacy at 828-8987295 or 336-792-2932.
WINSTON-SALEM HOLY FAMILY CHURCH, 4820 Kinnamon Road — Charismatic Prayer Group, 7:15 p.m. Mondays Our Lady of Mercy CHURCH, 1730 Link Road — Charismatic Prayer Group, 8 p.m. third and fourth Fridays (and fifth, if any). Contact Bert and Lith Golamco at 336-201-2774.
GREENSBORO st. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH, 2715 HORSE PEN CREEK ROAD — The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians welcomes all women who are practicing Roman Catholics, and who are Irish by birth descent, who are the wife of a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, or the mother of a junior member. Meetings are first Thursdays. Contact marylisk@aol.com.
Is your parish or school hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Calendar is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org.
st. PIUS X CHURCH, 2210 N. ELM ST. — Movie: “Soul Surfer,” Cloister, 9 p.m. July 20, bring a lawn chair or blanket
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facebook.com/ catholic news HERALD Diocese of Charlotte
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com
Photo provided by Dr. Cris Villapando
Capuchin Franciscan Father Remo DiSalvatore is pictured being given a farewell serenade of thanks by the Filipino community of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, where he has served as pastor for the past six years. More than 30 Filipino leaders gathered for a banquet feast at the Ray-Myrna DelaCruz residence to thank Father DiSalvatore for his pastoral leadership. Shown with him are the Filipino Dominican nuns led by Sister Gloria Camitan playing the guitar. Father DiSalvatore is being reassigned by his order, which is reorganizing and moving out of two out of three parishes in the diocese.
Priest assignments, new pastor installation dates announced CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte announces that the following clergy have been reassigned effective July 10 (unless otherwise indicated), and dates for pastors to be installed have also been scheduled as noted below:
Newly Ordained
Father Jason K. Barone: Newly ordained, to parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Church, Salisbury Father Matthew P. Codd: Newly ordained, to parochial vicar at St. Mark Church, Huntersville Father Peter J. Shaw: Newly ordained, to parochial vicar at St. Leo the Great Church, Winston-Salem
First-time Pastors
Father Patrick D. Toole: from parochial vicar of St. Matthew Church, Charlotte, to pastor at Sacred Heart Church, Brevard. He will be installed at 6 p.m. July 23. Father Benjamin A. Roberts: from parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Church, Salisbury, to pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe. He will be installed at 7 p.m. July 25. Father Lucas C. Rossi: from parochial vicar at St. Leo the Great Church, WinstonSalem, to pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Church, Winston-Salem, and Good Shepherd Mission, King. He was installed July 18. Father John J. Eckert: from parochial vicar of Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro, to pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, Tryon. He will be installed at 11 a.m. July 22.
Diocesan Clergy Assignments
Father Richard. G. DeClue: from parochial vicar at St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte, to pursue graduate studies in sacred theology at The Catholic University of America
Father Carl T. DelGiudice: from pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Brevard, to pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte, and St. Helen Mission, Spencer Mountain. He will be installed at 7 p.m. July 20. Father Lawrence W. Heiney: from pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Church, WinstonSalem, and Good Shepherd Mission, King, to pastor of Holy Angels Church, Mt. Airy. He will be installed at 11 a.m. Aug. 3. Father Matthew K. Kauth: from graduate studies in Rome to chaplain of Charlotte Catholic High School and serving in residence at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte Father Thomas J. Kessler: from pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe, to parochial vicar of St. Matthew Church, Charlotte Father Eric L. Kowalski: from pastor of Holy Angels Church, Mt. Airy, to pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro. He will be installed at 7 p.m. July 27. Father Fidel C. Melo: from pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro, to full-time Vicar for Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Charlotte Father David P. Miller: from parochial vicar of St. Mark Church, Huntersville, to parochial vicar at St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte Father Patrick J. Winslow: from pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, Tryon, to pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte (effective Aug. 1)
Religious order Assignments
Father Martin A. Schratz, OFM Cap: from pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte, and St. Helen Mission, Spencer Mountain, to pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville. He will be installed at 5 p.m. Aug. 25. Father Robert Williams, OFM Cap: from ministry outside of the diocese to parochial assignments, SEE page 12
OUR PARISHESI
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SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald
Seminarian Jason Christian was ordained to the transitional diaconate, one of the final steps on his path to the priesthood, during Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral July 7.
Jason Christian takes next step toward priesthood SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Within the cool confines of St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte seminarian Jason Christian took the next step on his journey to the holy priesthood July 7, as he was ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Peter J. Jugis. Priests, deacons and laity escaped the blazing summer heat during the one-and-a-half hour Mass to witness Deacon Christian’s transformation from seminarian to an ordained minister of the Church. Bishop Jugis was the main celebrant for the Mass. Concelebrants included Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey; Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte; Father John Putnam, judicial vicar; Father Roger Arnsparger, vicar of education; Monsignor John McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthew Church; and Father Christopher Gober, director of vocations. A special guest, Monsignor Gian Carlo of the Diocese of Brescia, Italy, was also in attendance. Deacon Christian met him one day while he was at Mass and learning Italian while studying at the North American College in Rome. Monsignor Gian Carlo has been a huge help to all of the seminarians studying in Rome, providing them outings, meals and fraternity. “Today our brother Jason is set apart from other men for the exclusive service of God,” said Bishop Jugis as the beginning of his homily. “He is to be imprinted with a special character through the sacrament of holy orders which configures him to Christ. ... Christ,
More online See more photos from the Mass at www.catholicnewsherald.com.
who made Himself the deacon or servant of all...” “You, my brother, will show your love for God who bestows this gift on you by faithfully fulfilling this ordained ministry. By proclaiming the Gospel, preparing the sacrifice and distributing Our Lord’s Body and Blood to the faithful, you will be serving Jesus as you build up His Church and make a return of love for the love He has shown you.” Deacon Christian’s family – his mother and father, Dee and Joe Christian; his brother Jeremy and his sister Ana – presented the gifts to Bishop Jugis during the Mass. “God in His love has chosen Jason for this special office of the Church to configure him to Jesus, His only Son, His beloved Son ... who came not to be served but to serve, to give His life for the ransom of many,” Bishop Jugis added. Deacon Christian is serving this summer at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury until Sept. 3. Following his ordination, Deacon Christian noted, “These recent years leading up to ordination, of study, prayer and fraternity, have been a great blessing for me. I am sure the ones that lie ahead will likewise be the same. I am very grateful to Bishop Jugis and to my family, and to the countless people who have supported me at each step of the way with their constant and generous prayers.”
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 OUR PARISHES
Priests’ convocation to focus on improving preaching skills Patricia L. Guilfoyle Editor
ASHEVILLE — Priests from across the Diocese of Charlotte will gather in Asheville later this month to learn how to sharpen their preaching skills, in a training program led by two distinguished priests who recognize the importance of the homily in making the Word of God come alive for people in the pews. The Convocation of Priests, set for July 30-Aug. 1, is an annual gathering in which the clergy receive continuing education on various topics. Last year’s gathering focused on preparing couples for the sacrament of marriage. “Renewing Sunday Preaching” is this year’s topic, presented by Father Deiters James Deiters of the Diocese of Belleville, Ill., and Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Father Donald Heet. They are among the faculty of the National Organization for Continuing Education of Heets Roman Catholic Clergy (NOCERCC), which promotes ongoing formation for priests and assists and encourages faithful, healthy, holy and effective ministry in the Church. Father Patrick Hoare, pastor of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte and organizer of the convocation program, said this topic is a crucial one for both priests and lay people: “In the first major document of Vatican II, ‘Sacrosanctum Concilium,’ paragraph 52, the Council fathers reminded us that ‘by means of the homily the mysteries of the faith and the guiding principles of Christian life are expounded from the sacred text’ so that the homily is ‘to be highly esteemed as part of the liturgy itself.’ We as priests are always conscious that the homily in the Sunday liturgy is perhaps the most powerful opportunity we have to touch the people we are called to serve. It is a great challenge to bring the Word of God to life and to offer practical ways of growing in Christian virtue. The convocation will allow all of us a chance to develop our preaching skills and to share with one another practical suggestions on how to improve this important area of our ministry,” Father Hoare said. This particular convocation program by NOCERCC stems from a 1981 report by the U.S. bishops, “Fulfilled in Your Hearing: The Homily in the Sunday Assembly,” which addresses the importance of preaching, the need for preachers to prepare carefully, and the goal of improving the quality of homilies. The report noted, “The community that gathers Sunday after Sunday comes together to offer God praise
and thanksgiving, or at least to await a word that will give a meaning to their lives and enable them to celebrate Eucharist. What the preacher can do best of all at this time and in this place is to enable this community to celebrate by offering them a word in which they can recognize their own concerns and God’s concern for them.” In the convocation program, priests will learn how to construct an effective homily by focusing on a particular point taken from the day’s Scripture readings. But don’t priests and deacons already know how to craft a good Sunday homily? Not necessarily, say the program’s presenters. “We have received extremely positive feedback from previous participants. Some of the older priests tell us they never even had ‘homiletics’ courses in the seminary. Most find it very affirming of their role as preachers,” said Father James Deiters, adding, “Many priests appreciate being reminded of their primary role of preaching and the amount of time it takes to prepare a good homily. It is an honor and challenge to be a preacher of God’s Word.” Father Deiters is director of priestly formation for the Diocese of Belleville and pastor of St. Clare Church in O’Fallon, Ill. Currently vice president of NOCERCC, he has done study and work in the areas of facilitation and strategic planning for parish staffs and diocesan groups, and he has recently been a presenter of “The Prayer Life of a Preacher” at the National Catholic Coalition on Preaching Convention. Prayer is the foundation of good preaching, and a good homily, prayerfully developed, helps plant God’s Word in people’s hearts, he noted. That is what people are seeking as they settle into the pews to listen to the homily at Mass. “People truly hunger for good preaching,” he said. Joining Father Deiters at the Asheville convocation will be Father Donald Heets, who serves as vocations director for the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales’ WilmingtonPhiladelphia Province and who has taught preaching and pastoral theology at the Catholic University of America. It will be a homecoming of sorts – his parents lived for a time in Asheville when he was in high school and later in seminary, and he visited them during breaks from his studies. Father Heets said the best homilies are well prepared, have a clear focus and aim for a particular effect. “The worst preaching I have heard has been when a) there was minimal or no preparation, b) the preacher did not sound as if he cared or believed in what he was saying, or c) the homily was unrelated to the liturgy being celebrated,” he pointed out. The goal of this convocation program is to help the priest or deacon make the most of each homily, he said, so that the people hearing his words may be drawn closer to Christ.
Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald
Bishop Peter J. Jugis blesses the Rusciolelli family, headed by Marine Col. William J. Rusciolelli, as they bring up the gifts during the annual Mass July 15 honoring the men and women in the Diocese of Charlotte who have served in the U.S. military. Rusciolelli served in Iraq from 2007 to 2008.
Live the values of the Kingdom of God: peace and justice, Bishop Jugis preaches Annual Mass offered for military personnel Patricia L. Guilfoyle Editor
CHARLOTTE — Service men and women from all military branches, their families and friends came together July 15 for a special Mass in their honor, celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. The annual military Mass, held each July, is offered for all men and women in the military, those serving now as well as those who previously served or who have died in the line of duty. People like Marine Sgt. John Adam Sisti, who served four tours in Afghanistan. Marine Capt. Owen Boyce, who served in Fallujah, Iraq. Marine Cpl. Matt Garst, currently deployed to Afghanistan and who recently survived an IED blast. Retired Marine Cpl. Chris Cona, who served in Beirut, Lebanon. 2nd Lt. Aldo Allegretti, 22, killed on Omaha Beach during the D-Day assault in World War II. Air Force Maj. Brian Burke and his wife, Maj. Elizabeth Burke. Capt. Peter DeMoss of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, who deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, and 2nd Lt. Andrew DeMoss, who will be deploying this November. Navy Lt. William Blanton, pilot on the USS George Washington. Pfc. Robert Hoover, killed at the age of 18 after landing at Anzio Beach in 1944. And Maj. Ryan S. David, Maj. Joseph M. McCormick, Senior Master Sgt. Robert S. Cannon and Lt. Col. Paul K. Mikeal – the four North Carolina Air National Guardsmen killed July 1 when their C-130 tanker crashed while battling a wildfire in South Dakota. “We ask the Lord God to watch over them,” Bishop Jugis said during his homily, which centered on the theme of the Kingdom of God as described in the day’s Scripture readings. The Gospel reading from Mark 6:7-13 tells how Jesus sent out the Apostles “two by two” to preach the Gospel, cure the sick and drive out demons. “The Apostles were in the service of the great King, Jesus Christ,” Bishop Jugis noted. He continued, “One time a group of Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘Where is the Kingdom of God?’ And Jesus responded, ‘The Kingdom of God is among you.’ In effect, He was saying to them
that He is the Kingdom of God.” “The values of the Kingdom of God are the only path to peace and justice in the world,” he noted. In our hearts, we all desire the Kingdom of God, for we all want peace and justice, he said. We even pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come,” as we look forward to the fullness of God’s peace and justice when Jesus comes again. But, he added, “We have no illusions. We know that we cannot create the Kingdom of God because the kingdom is God’s. It is His to bring in its fullness with the second coming of Christ. Still, God’s grace inspires us to live now the values of the Kingdom of God. “To live the values of the Kingdom of God, and to put all of our energies into action to serve those values of justice and peace, is what we are all called to do – and in a particular way, it is what our brothers and sisters in uniform do in service to our country.” Bishop Jugis concluded, “In this Mass we pray for our family members and friends who are in uniform, that the Lord will protect them. And we ask the Lord to sustain their families while they are away in service, with His tender mercy, care and compassion.” And we pray for those preparing for military service, for veterans, for those killed in the line of duty, and for military chaplains, he said. “Let us live the values of the Kingdom of God” by following Jesus, he said. Knights of Columbus and members of the Marine Corps League of Charlotte also attended the Mass. Following the Mass, Marine Corps League member Paul Juneau gave a presentation about his service in the Korean War, describing in vivid detail the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. In this decisive battle in the winter of 1950, 30,000 U.N. troops including U.S. Marines and Army infantrymen advancing into North Korea were surrounded by about 67,000 elite Chinese troops. They withstood a brutal attack and inflicted heavy losses on the Chinese before withdrawing to South Korea, where the 38th parallel was later established as the dividing line for the two Koreas.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com
OUR PARISHESI
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This sketch shows the possible result of renovations that will be made to a building in Hayesville that Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission recently purchased and plans to move into.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission to expand Hayesville community acquires new building SueAnn Howell Staff writer
HAYESVILLE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A Catholic community that sprouted up in Lance Cove more than 57 years ago will now get a new home, as Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission has just completed the purchase of a building on Highway 64 West in Hayesville that it plans to renovate. There have been a couple of steps along the journey for the Immaculate Heart of Mary community, going from Lance Cove, to St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chapel in Hayesville, to its current building. The community, a mission of St. William Church in nearby Murphy, has outgrown its current church on Highway 64 West. The mission now has about 240 registered families, up from 137 families in 2000. The 8-acre site and building they have purchased, which formerly housed Smith Power Sports (SPS), will provide them with greater visibility and more space, particularly to accommodate special celebrations. The road to this point has not been a straight or easy path, however. But that hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deterred the faithful from their goal of improving their worship facilities and offering more programs to the wider community, which is located southeast of Murphy in the mountains of western North Carolina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The process actually began in 2005 when we made the determination that additional space was needed for the ministry of our parish,â&#x20AC;? said Father George Kloster, pastor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started the process with the Diocese of Charlotte planning office and a building committee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2007 we were sued by neighbors who claimed that we could not put a parking lot on property that the parish owned behind the church. The Superior Court in Clay County ruled against us in 2008, but the N.C. Court of Appeals in 2010 reversed that judgment, allowing us to proceed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the meantime two events happened:
we found that the infrastructure costs at the present church would be very high; the Smith Power Sports building became available. After a thorough evaluation of the SPS building, we decided in consultation with our contractor and liturgical architect that this building could be adapted as a ministry center with enough space to serve the IHM community for decades to come.â&#x20AC;? The 38,000-square-foot building will initially include a church that can seat up to 400 people, a commons area with seating for more than 350 people, offices and meeting rooms downstairs, and seven classrooms upstairs and another meeting room upstairs. There will also be a chapel that can seat 50. The missionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memorial garden will be moved to the new location, with hopes for a columbarium in the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This new facility will provide twice as much usable space,â&#x20AC;? said Maureen Ripper, communications chairperson for the building committee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There will be 11,000 square feet for future expansion. â&#x20AC;ŚIt will be a beautiful Catholic center.â&#x20AC;? Ripper noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There has been a great need for kitchen renovations to accommodate parish dinners and funeral meals. In the past, there has had to be a limit put on the amount of people who could sign up for social functions.â&#x20AC;? She added that the new property will also have â&#x20AC;&#x153;sorely neededâ&#x20AC;? space for classes and meetings, and it offers improved parking. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is not where we expected to be when we started in 2005, but we believe that the Holy Spirit has been present and at work for us,â&#x20AC;? Father Kloster said. A capital campaign to raise needed funds for the project will kick off on Saturday, July 21, with Mass in the new building located at 1433 Hwy. 64. An open house and parish dinner will follow the 4 p.m. Mass. A capital campaign committee is being formed. A date has not been set for the renovations to begin.
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 OUR PARISHES
Young men encouraged to attend Vocation Awareness Day Aug. 8 CHARLOTTE — Each summer, young men from the Diocese of Charlotte are invited to the annual Vocation Awareness Day. This year’s interactive program will be offered on Aug. 8 at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. “Vocation Awareness Day is intended to assist young men in exploring and discovering God’s will in their lives,” said Father Christopher Gober, diocesan director of vocations. “For some, God may be calling them to a priestly vocation. To that end, we want to do everything to encourage, support and foster future vocations.” High school and collegeaged men who may be hearing the call to the priesthood are invited to learn more during Vocation Awareness Day, to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at St. Ann Church at 3635 Park Road in Charlotte. Bishop Peter J. Jugis will celebrate Mass at 10:30 a.m., and priests and seminarians from around the diocese will be on hand for this day of fellowship, recreation and reflection. For more information, contact Father Gober at 704-370-3327 or vocationsmail@ charlottediocese. — SueAnn Howell, staff writer
Photos by Christopher Lux | Catholic News Herald
Benedictine Brother Tobiah Abbott (left) and Brother Elias Correa-Torres kneel during their solemn profession of vows, in which they commit themselves to monastic life at Belmont Abbey, during Mass July 11 at Mary Help of Christians Basilica.
Two take final vows as Benedictine monks Edward Jones Special to the Catholic News Herald
BELMONT — Brother Tobiah Abbott and Brother Elias Correa-Torres took their solemn vows as Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey on July 11, the feast of St. Benedict, during Mass at Mary Help of Christians Basilica. By taking solemn vows of stability, commitment to a monastic manner of life and obedience, the two men have committed to live the rest of their lives More online in the Benedictine community at View more Belmont Abbey. The photos from the monastic community, Mass at www. in its turn, promises catholicnewsherald.com. to support them in this lifelong commitment. “The monks of Belmont Abbey are blessed to have these men become a permanent part of our community,” said Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari. Brother Elias, whose given name was Ricardo José Correa-Torres, was born in Oklahoma. However, Brother Elias says, he feels that he’s really “from all over,” since his father was in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in many different cities during Brother Elias’ childhood. Before coming to Belmont Abbey, Brother Elias studied meteorology at Florida State University and earned his doctorate in that field. Upon completion of his studies, he accepted an opportunity to be one of the four co-founders of a new weather forecast service, Weather Predict, which originated in Florida and then relocated to Raleigh. After working with Weather Predict for eight years, Brother Elias decided to enter the monastery at Belmont Abbey. In the summer of 2009, he made his first profession of vows. Since becoming a monk, Brother Elias has taught courses in meteorology and in mathematics at Belmont Abbey College. He has also begun studies for ordination to the priesthood and has completed two years of study at St. John’s
School of Theology in Minnesota. Brother Tobiah Abbott, whose given name is Derrick Lamar Abbott, was born and raised in Greenville, S.C. Before coming to Belmont Abbey, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed in such diverse places as New York, Alaska, Japan and Hawaii. Brother Tobiah was raised in the Baptist faith and came into the Catholic Church and to his monastic calling later in life. He made his first profession of vows in 2005. His current duties as a monk include serving as the assistant to the novice master in the monastery’s formation program, overseeing and assigning the daily manual labor assignments of the monks in the formation program; and tending to the monastery’s small fleet of cars, as well as the abbey cemetery. One of Brother Tobiah’s avocations is brewing homemade beer. Making solemn vows is the final step in what is typically a formation period of four to five years. To become a fully-professed Benedictine monk, a man must first enter the order as a postulant. After several months, he may then request initiation into the novitiate. During the novitiate, which lasts one year, the monk takes classes on subjects such as monastic practices, Church teachings, the Rule of St. Benedict (which has guided the Order for 1,500 years), Benedictine history, Scripture and more. During this year, he works closely with the novice master, who is the mentor for the novice monk in the monastic way of life. The novice moves to the next period of formation when he takes his triennial, or “simple,” vows. During the next three years he moves more fully into the life and work of the monastic community. “During that period, we are trying to discern if the monastic life is really for us,” Brother Elias noted. “And of course, the community is trying to decide if we’re for them. We are also asking ourselves, ‘Do we want to spend the rest of our lives in this community?’ For Brother Tobiah and me, the answer is clearly a resounding yes.” Edward Jones is the marketing director at Belmont Abbey College.
Brother Tobiah pledges the oath of obedience before Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari.
Brother Elias exchanges the sign of peace with Abbot Placid following his solemn profession of vows.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com
OUR PARISHESI
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Another beneficiary of the parish food drive is the Missionaries of the Poor orphanage in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, with whom the parish has a close relationship.
Photos provided by Jenny Cox | Catholic News Herald
St. Matthew parishioners packaged more than 285,000 meals to feed the hungry at the Charlotte parish’s Stop Hunger Now event July 14. The meals will be sent to the Salesians of Don Bosco in Zambia, Africa, to feed children whose parents have died from HIV/AIDS. The event was part of St. Matthew’s 10th Annual World Food Drive.
The parish is well on its way to meeting its collection goal with oversized bags of rice, giant jars of peanut butter and various other bulk food items quickly filling space in the Parish Center gymnasium. Soon, it will all be loaded into three 40-foot containers like this one.
St. Matthew’s food drive targets 1 million pounds for 10th anniversary Charlotte parish celebrates ‘love affair’ with Haitian people Jenny Cox Correspondent
CHARLOTTE — There may be some challenges that come with being one of the largest Catholic churches in the country, but what happens when St. Matthew Church unites its parishioners to tackle a problem like world hunger is nothing short of amazing. This month, St. Matthew kicked off its 10th Annual World Food Drive with a goal to collect 160,000 pounds of food to reach a total of 1 million pounds donated over the life of the program. It’s also aiming for 3,000 volunteer hours that would bring the 10-year total to 10,000. “It is truly amazing what we can do as a people of faith when we come together for a common purpose,” said pastor Monsignor John McSweeney. “It’s both a responsibility and a privilege to help our brothers and sisters here at home, our special friends in Haiti and others around the world.” The parish is well on its way to meeting its collection goal with oversized bags of rice, giant jars of peanut butter and various other bulk food items quickly filling space in the Parish Center gymnasium. Soon, it will all be loaded into three 40-foot containers bound for the Missionaries of the Poor in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, where familiar friends will be waiting. “This is more than a project, it’s a relationship; one of love between the people of two cultures,” said Joe George, a founding member of St. Matthew Church who started the food drive in 2002 after a mission trip to Haiti. “I wanted to
create a love affair between the people of St. Matthew and the people of Haiti, so that enough love and energy would sustain the program for years to come.” And that’s just what’s happened. In addition to sending food each year, children of the parish have written letters to children of the Missionaries of the Poor’s orphanage. St. Matthew families have made placemats decorated with photos and notes for families in Haiti. Groups of parishioners have visited Haiti over the years, and a true friendship has developed. Mark Creasser participated in the food drive and then took a leadership role with it in 2004. He remembers first traveling to Haiti to deliver food to the brothers. “Haiti was measuring food by the days … and many times two weeks at a time,” he said. “Being able to give people three meals a day was amazing – just incredible to see the difference it made for the children and the elderly.” Creasser’s work with the food drive inspired him to join fellow parishioner Steve Favory and others to create Hands for Haiti (www.handsforhaiti.com), a nonprofit organization that funds The Solidarity School in Tremesse Village, which has educated and fed more than 200 children. Hands for Haiti works together with the people of Tremesse to break the cycle of poverty through education, said Creasser, who currently serves as the organization’s board president. A highlight of the parish food drive again this year was the Stop Hunger Now meal-packaging event on July 14. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the parish gymnasium came alive with music and activity as more than 1,500 volunteers,
aged 5 to 85, gathered to assemble more More online than 285,000 meals to Learn more about the feed the poor. This is St. Matthew food drive the second year the and see photos of the parish has partnered Stop Hunger Now event: www. with Stop Hunger stmatthewfooddrive.com. Now, a Raleigh-based hunger organization Details about the that coordinates missionary orders helped distribution of food and by the food drive: www. other lifesaving aid to missionariesofthepoor.org and children and families www.salesianmissions.org. in countries around the world. David and Julia Turner and their son Devyn participated as a family in the event again this year. “It was so cool to see everyone working together and to know what a difference we can make for people in need,” said Devyn, 11, a rising fifth-grader at St. Matthew School. Meals from the Stop Hunger Now event will feed children in Zambia, Africa, where the Salesians of Don Bosco care for children who have lost their parents to AIDS/HIV. The Salesians are the second largest order in the Church, comprised of priests, brothers and sisters meeting the needs of orphans and vulnerable children around the world. Food from the St. Matthew Church drive will also be donated to local hunger organizations in Charlotte and surrounding areas.
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 OUR PARISHES
St. Ann to commemorate parish feast day with Solemn High Mass SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — In what is becoming an annual tradition, St. Ann Church will celebrate a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form (“Missa Solemnis”) on the feast of Sts. Joachim and Ann on July 26, starting at 7 p.m. Father Timothy Reid, pastor, will serve as the main celebrant. Bishop Peter Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte will attend the Mass, which is being offered in honor of the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Recently ordained Deacon Jason Christian will serve as deacon and seminarian Noah Carter will serve as subdeacon for the Solemn High Mass. The St. Ann Schola Choir will provide the music. St. Ann has been offering the Latin Mass for the past four years on Wednesday evenings and also on the first Saturday evening of the month. “We offered our first Latin Mass on May 31, 2008 – the Feast of the Visitation,” said Father Reid. “May 31 was also the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary that year. I wanted to offer our first Mass in honor of Our Lady out of my own love for her and to pray for her intercession over our parish, and so that day seemed perfect!” Father Reid encourages all who can attend to come to the Mass on the Feast of St. Ann. “I invite all who have never witnessed the Latin Mass to come to this event, for a Solemn High Mass is extraordinarily beautiful. I know a lot of people feel too intimidated to come because the Mass is in Latin, and they worry they won’t be able to understand. For this reason, we have worship aids that have both the Latin and English translations to make it easy to follow along. But I would also note that the Mass speaks to our entire person. Even if our brains do not understand every word being said at the Mass, our souls do! Moreover, to have our bishop present for the Mass adds a level of solemnity to the event and is a grace for all of us. I am very grateful to Bishop Jugis for his support of the Latin Mass in our diocese.”
Boone couple represents diocese in Milan Christopher Lux Correspondent
BOONE —José Cuauhtémoc “Temoc” González, the coordinator of Hispanic Ministries for the Boone vicariate, recently traveled to Milan, Italy, with his wife Aleksandra. They attended the World Meeting of Families “not only to represent our diocese,” Temoc says, “but all the families with whom we work.” As the parents of three children, the couple had a personal interest in the May 30-June 3 world meeting, which gathers every three years to celebrate and help families live out their Christian values. In fact, Temoc says, “We received an invitation to be part of the International Congress for the Families that was held in Mexico (in 2004). Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to be part of it. A year later, we visited the secretary of families in the Vatican and received once again an invitation to be part of the 2012 International Congress…so we went.” About 1 million people attended this year’s meeting. Temoc and Aleksandra particularly took interest in the array of nationalities they encountered: attendees came from 153 countries. “The best part of this trip,” Temoc says, “was to share different experiences with families.” The meeting in Milan is intended to boost support for families. Temoc sums up the message of Pope Benedict XVI: “Today’s families all over the world have different problems because for the past 20 years the extreme individualism dominated … Now this model is not good. We need to build new relationships where we can exchange gifts. A family should be the place where we feel safe, and where we can learn to live together and plan the future with our children for the good of society.” Pope Benedict XVI noted in his remarks at the meeting that Sunday must be a day of rest for everyone, so people can be free to be with their families and with God. Temoc reiterates, “It is very important to have a balance between work, family and celebration.” Having attended the meeting, Temoc has been “a witness and a part of a great event which the Catholic Church has organized.” He is now ready to take what he has experienced to the people of his vicariate, to “bring the message to our respective churches, families in our diocese.” “Thanks to the help from the priests of the Vicariate of Boone, and some from Winston-Salem,” their trip to Milan was made possible.
Photo provided by Christopher Lux | Catholic News Herald
Temoc González (pictured) and his wife Aleksandra represented the Diocese of Charlotte at the World Meeting of Families in Milan last month. The pope thanked everyone who made the “unforgettable and wonderful event” possible and praised the willingness he witnessed of people striving to live a “Gospel of the family.” As he closed the World Meeting of Families, the pope opened the possibility of his heading to the U.S. when he named the Archdiocese of Philadelphia the next venue of the world gathering. “God willing,” he said, he would attend in 2015. — Catholic News Service contributed.
Photos by sueann howell | catholic news herald
Check out the Latin Mass at other times Charlotte: St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, offers a Latin Mass each Wednesday at 6 p.m. (preceded by a Holy Hour at 5 p.m.) and every first Saturday at 6:30 p.m. For information and tips for first-time Latin Mass-goers, go to www. stanncharlotte.org. Lincolnton: St. Dorothy Church, 148 Saint Dorothy’s Lane, offers a Latin Mass at noon each Thursday. For information, go to www.stdorothys.org.
Knights of St. John gather in Charlotte for conference Bishop Peter J. Jugis celebrated the closing Mass of the Knights of St. John International’s bi-annual conference at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte July 14. More than 1,500 attendees from around the world attended the international fraternal organization’s conference in Charlotte. Our Lady of Consolation Parish Choir from Charlotte provided the music for the closing Mass. The Knights of St. John were formed in 1879 by recent European immigrants in New York, inspired by the medieval knightly orders of the Church and recalling the many benevolent societies in the parish churches of their homelands. The order cares for the spiritual, social and physical needs of members and neighbors around the world. (Left) Bishop Jugis distributes Communion during Mass. (Above) Our Lady of Consolation Choir sings during Mass.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com
‘Man of simple faith’ leaves generous endowment for seminarian education SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Dick Kelly, a parishioner at St. Patrick Cathedral who passed away in 2011, did in death what he had done in life – gave back to the Church a gift from the heart. This gift, totaling more than $337,500, has been used to create the Dick Kelly Endowment Fund for the education of future priests of the Diocese of Charlotte. Kelly Kelly had been a parishioner at St. Patrick for more than 16 years, befriending Father Frank O’Rourke, who was the pastor there in 1995 when Kelly joined the parish after his retirement. “He was a very simple man, who in retirement dedicated himself to serving the Church,” said Father O’Rourke. “Dick was a daily communicant who had a deep love and respect for the Eucharist. This devotion was deepened by bringing the Eucharist to Catholic patients at Carolinas Medical Center. He was a man of simple faith who was well versed in the Scriptures.” “Kelly also spearheaded the Christmas dinners at the cathedral, bringing together his compassion for the poor and his accounting skills ... He was proud to be a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus and was very active in their many efforts
to be of service to the Church and the broader community.” Judy Smith, director of planned giving for the diocese, recalls that Kelly had been a member of the Catholic Heritage Society for many years, meaning that he had included the Church in his will and notified the diocese that he had done so. “He attended the special Mass and dinner for Catholic Heritage Society members every year and enjoyed the special fellowship,” Smith recalled. “His will included a bequest gift to establish the Dick Kelly Endowment Fund for the education of future priests.” Now that this fund has been established, anyone who wishes to can contribute to this fund with a gift of any size at any time. “We are most grateful for Mr. Kelly’s generosity and stewardship. His new endowment fund will provide income for the education of our seminarians for many, many generations,” Smith said. With his generous gift to the Church, Kelly leaves a legacy in perpetuity of what he valued in life – his Catholic faith. “More and more people across the diocese are doing what Mr. Kelly did, taking another step in stewardship by leaving a gift to the Church in their estate plans,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. For more information about endowments or to contribute to the Dick Kelly Endowment Fund, contact Judy Smith at jmsmith@charlottediocese.org or call 704-370-3320.
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Priests, seminarians head to Fatima for pilgrimage SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — Each summer the Te Deum Foundation, a local non-profit organization that helps provide for the needs of seminarians of the Diocese of Charlotte, makes a pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. The Peace Pilgrimage is specifically a time set aside for priests, seminarians and laity to travel to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima to pray for the salvation of souls, peace in the world and to do penance for those who may not even realize they are in sin. Father Christopher Roux, pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte and a trustee of the Te Deum Foundation, will lead the pilgrimage along with Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury and vice president of the board of directors for the foundation. The two have been leading pilgrimages there for years. “As priests, we are called to save souls and do penance for those who are in sin,” Father Roux said. “This pilgrimage provides opportunity for that. …It can also confirm or strengthen a seminarian’s call to the priesthood. I know many men who have had that experience on pilgrimage to Fatima.” Father Putnam said, “Returning to Fatima for me is like going home. Because of the significance the place has to my own vocation, leading the pilgrimage is always an opportunity for me to renew my commitment to the Lord, Our Lady and priestly ministry.” Seminarian Brian Becker, who is studying at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio, will also accompany the group. “Though I grew up Catholic, my
relationship with Mary has not been a big part of my faith,” Becker said. “This has been something that I have been working on a great deal during my first year in seminary, and I’m excited for the possibility to deepen this relationship with Our Lady of Fatima through this pilgrimage. I’m grateful to all those who have made this trip possible for us seminarians.” Another seminarian making the trip is Peter Ascik, who is a member of the Legion of Mary and is also studying at the Josephinum. “My first intention for the pilgrimage is to give honor and thanks to Our Lady,” Ascik said. “The apparitions at Fatima show Mary’s love and concern for us. She cared deeply enough about the world to come personally to the three children at Fatima and through them to teach us how to better follow her Son. “I will spend time on the pilgrimage thinking and praying about Our Lady’s request that we offer prayer and penance for our sins and for those of other people. I will ask Our Lady’s intercession for the needs of my family and friends and for the Church, especially the Diocese of Charlotte. I also intend to ask for Our Lady’s protection and guidance for my formation for the priesthood.” The pilgrims will meet up with seminarian Chris Bond, who just completed the 500mile “Camino de Santiago” (“Way of St. James”) from France to Spain. His parents, Allen and Gini Bond of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, will be among the pilgrims to greet him in Fatima. For more information about the Te Deum Foundation, go to www.tedeumfoundation. org.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012 ∙ 10 AM – 5 PM Saint Ann Catholic Church, Charlotte, NC
All high school and college age men of the Diocese are cordially invited to join Bishop Peter Jugis and his priests and seminarians for a day of recreation and meditation focused on the vocation to the priesthood.
RESERVE YOUR PLACE BY CALLING (704) 370-3327
Tilt’n B Farm 12
catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 OUR PARISHES
Sister McCloat passes away Asheville, North Carolina
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Sister Mary Joseph McCloat, a Little Sister of the Assumption who served the poor for more than 70 years and lived in Charlotte for many years, passed away on June 15, 2012, in Andrus on Hudson in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., a long-term care community that had been her home since 2008. She was surrounded by her fellow sisters. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Gardiner, N.Y., on June 19, 2012. Margaret Mary McCloat was born on Feb. 6, 1917, in Skreen, County Sligo, Ireland, the eldest of 15 children. She entered the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Assumption on March 7, 1935, in Woodlands, England, and she made her final profession of vows on Jan. 29, 1944. She came to the United States in 1938. A registered nurse, she assisted families in need while residing at a convent in Charlotte, as well as in New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. “Sister Joseph” touched many hearts in her 77 years of religious life. Her passion for those suffering poverty was expressed through her simplicity of
Vocation Awareness Day set for Aug. 8
Natural Family Planning… A practical and empowering alternative.
CHARLOTTE — Young men of the Diocese of Charlotte are invited to a day of exploration of the priesthood, during the annual Vocation Awareness Day. Vocation Awareness Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. All high school and college-aged men of the diocese are cordially invited to join Bishop Peter Jugis and his priests and seminarians for a day of recreation and meditation focused on the vocation to the priesthood. For details, contact the diocesan Office of Vocations at 704-370-3327.
Vigil for liberty planned at St. Patrick Cathedral CHARLOTTE — St. Patrick Cathedral invites all
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• 99.6 % effectiveness of modern • Church teaching on NFP methods responsible parenting • Health risks of contraceptives • And…how to use Natural Family Planning • Health, relationship and spiritual benefits of NFP Upcoming Classes: Charlotte: Aug.11, Sept. 29, Oct. 20 Clemmons: Sept. 8 Asheville: Nov. 10 Also Available: NFP Apps, Virtual Classes, Home Study Course, Traditional In-Person Series, Bi-lingual Instructor Training For more information, contact: Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN Natural Family Planning Program Director Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Charlotte, NC. Inc.
(704)-370-3230
cssnfp@charlottediocese.org www.cssnc.org/nfp Your Local Catholic Charities Agency
vicar of Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville (effective July 1) Father Fabio De Jesus Marin Morales, CSSR: from ministry outside of the diocese to parochial vicar of St. James the Greater Church, Concord (effective June 1) Father John P. Timlin, CM: from parochial vicar of St. Mary Church, Greensboro, to pastor (effective Sept. 1) Father Robert J. Stone, CM: from ministry outside of the diocese to temporary faculties at St. Mary Church, Greensboro (effective July 1-Aug. 31) Father Charles P. Strollo, CM: from ministry outside of the diocese to parochial vicar of St. Mary Church, Greensboro (effective July 1) Father Thomas P. Norris, OSFS: from ministry outside of the diocese to parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, High Point (effective July 1) Also, the following religious order clergy have moved out of the diocese after being reassigned by their orders:
presence and unassuming love. She had a capacity to develop deep and long-standing relationships with families, benefactors and friends, all those with whom she met on her life’s journey. Children had a special place in her heart. Phone calls, notes on special occasions, a warm welcome with an offer of a cup of tea and perhaps a piece of chocolate were so much a part of her life. She was always open to what was asked of her and gave to the fullest of her capacity. In particular, the mission in North Carolina was close to her heart. “She was dear to our hearts and will be deeply missed. Please join with us in celebrating the gift of her life. We now have a special advocate in heaven!” wrote Sister Joan McCormack of the Little Sisters of the Assumption in a recent letter to Sister McCloat’s friends. Sister McCloat is survived by her sisters Carmel Carthy and Bernadette Dowling, and her brother Brendan McCloat, all from Skreen; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. Millspaugh Funeral Directors of Walden, N.Y., was in charge of the arrangements. — Catholic News Herald
the faithful to a period of continuous Eucharistic Adoration from Monday, Sept. 3, to Thursday, Sept. 6, coinciding with the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. This time of Adoration and prayer will focus on petitions for our country, our leaders and ourselves in atonement for our sins and for the future of our nation. Among these petitions are the right to live, unthreatened by government mandate, from natural conception to natural death, and for the freedom of conscience and the unhindered worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Volunteers may sign up for as many hours as they like during the four-day vigil (Note: Children younger than 18 are not permitted in the church without a chaperoning adult between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.) Sign up online at www.signupgenius.com/ go/20F0C44AFAD2CA20-vigil. We welcome your parish’s news! Please email news items and photos to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@ charlottediocese.org.
Father James P. Byrne, OSFS: formerly parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, High Point, reassigned by his order to outside of the diocese (effective July 18) Father Remo DiSalvatore, OFM Cap: formerly pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte, reassigned by his order to outside of the diocese (effective Aug. 1) Father John Salvas, OFM Cap: formerly administrator at Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville, reassigned by his order to outside of the diocese (effective July 1) Brother Michael Molloy, OFM Cap: formerly in residence at Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville, reassigned by his order to outside of the diocese (effective July 1) Brother Douglas Soik, OFM Cap: formerly pastoral associate of Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte, reassigned by his order to outside of the diocese (effective July 1) Father Michael M. Nguyen, CM: formerly pastor of St. Mary Church, Greensboro, reassigned by his order to outside of the diocese (effective Sept. 1) — Catholic News Herald
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com
CENTER: FROM PAGE 3
Further evidence of the need for these services has been the number of requests from around the world for Room At The Inn to build similar facilities in other locations. “Over the past four months,” Wray said, “I have been contacted by people in three foreign countries – Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Argentina – who want us to come there to build a facility like this there. This is in addition to the requests from seven other states.” Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life of America, was among the speakers at the opening celebration. Foster recalled having spoken at many of the nation’s colleges and universities, and, she said, “I had never seen a visibly pregnant college student, or, for that matter, a professor. And that’s when we started asking, ‘Where have all the pregnant women gone?’ Gone to abortion clinics, almost every one. Half of the abortions were performed on college-aged women.” Why are college-aged women choosing abortion? Because of a lack of resources and support for them if they choose life, she said. “Women deserve better than abortion,” she proclaimed. “Today we are here to right a terrible wrong.” “Many young women in college facing unexpected pregnancies believe they have to give up everything to keep their babies – but they don’t,” Wray said. “Room At The Inn can give these young women the opportunity to continue their educations, have their babies, make a positive impact on society and fulfill their hopes and dreams.” Room At The Inn will offer its services for free to the residents, who can stay at the maternity center for up to two years. Young women do not have to be Catholic or attend Belmont Abbey College to participate. “We don’t serve them because they are Catholic, we serve them because we are Catholic,” said Father Pavone. It was a happy return for the nationally-known priest, who has often visited the Diocese of Charlotte to encourage its pro-life efforts and who attended the ground-breaking for the maternity center in 2011. Expectant mothers interested in Room At The Inn must complete an interview and application process before being accepted into the free program, which Wray describes as “fairly stringent” and filled
RATI: FROM PAGE 3
She went for a visit and talked with the counselors, who gave her a tour and described what the living situation would be like. In the end, Karen decided to seek Room At The Inn’s help because “it was a place that I knew my daughter and I would be safe, and it would give me time to get on my feet without relying on my parents too much. “The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the right choice for me.” Room At The Inn, with its opportunities to learn new skills, weekly counseling and spiritual guidance, opens many doors for young, single mothers. Most importantly, as Karen points out, it “gives you a chance to create a positive, strong future for your child.” This, of
with classes and counseling to prepare young mothers with the skills they need to be successful in life. “Many of the young women we see are frightened and they feel hopeless and abandoned and have no earthly idea what they are going to do next - they’re just looking for the light,” Wray said. “Room At The Inn can offer them help, hope and possibilities so by the time they leave, they are more prepared, more mature and ready to take that next big step. They may even come to our outreach program for continued assistance.” The new facility has two residential wings that will be home to 15 mothers, 15 infants and four toddlers. Each mother has a private bedroom and bathroom and shares the dining room and laundry room with other residents. The residents will be provided with food from a menu set by a nutritionist and prepared by staff. Administrative and counseling offices and C quarters for residential managers are also on site. M While the facility is now open, it may not accept residents yet. Room At The Inn is Y still in the process of obtaining licensure CM with the state of North Carolina and will admit residents as soon as that process isMY completed, officials said. CY Though this facility is the first like it in the nation, David Bereit, national director CMY of 40 Days for Life, hopes to see it as a trend-setter. At the grand opening, he toldK the crowd, “You truly are lighting a fire of inspiration.” Bereit, along with Foster and other pro-life campaigners, were among those also returning to the opening celebration after helping to break ground on it in 2011. Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, abbot of Belmont Abbey monastery, spoke on behalf of his fellow monks of Belmont Abbey and the Belmont Abbey College community. He expressed hope that “this facility will be a witness to our own students.” Besides use of land for the facility, the monks of Belmont Abbey made one more gift to the organization for its opening: a statue of a young Blessed Virgin Mary standing with her mother, St. Anne.
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JOE DODGE - ATTORNEY
(704) 737-8215 St. Matthew Parishioner
PdmVstAng_5_10.pdf
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Now serving Charlotte and Greensboro
704-549-4010 336-665-5345
More online Learn more about Room At the Inn and how you can support its pro-life work: www.rati.org. See more photos from the opening celebration: www.catholicnewsherald.com.
course, is the essential motive of the nonprofit organization: to protect and guide young mothers so that they can nurture their children, providing them with stability so that they can begin a brighter, more secure future. With the opening of its new maternity facility at Belmont Abbey College this week, Room At The Inn will be able to help many more young women like Karen, giving them opportunities to flourish in their vocations as new mothers. Karen says she is excited about the new Belmont facility and the options that it will give other young mothers like her. “I hope the mothers staying there are able to get as much out of the program as I did. RATI offers so much, I hope the mothers can really see that and use the assistance to help them provide for their children and be stronger women and parents.” She also encourages women in need to “listen to your instincts and know that whatever happens, God does have a solution.”
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Our schools 14
catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Construction on new high school anticipated for fall SueAnn Howell Staff writer
KANNAPOLIS — Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools hopes to begin construction on a permanent home for Christ the King High School early this fall, according to principal Dr. Dan Dolan. The new Catholic high school, which opened in a temporary location in Mooresville last year, will offer a freshman and sophomore class this fall and then expand to accommodate a junior class in the fall of 2013 when the new building is expected to open. “Our current facility will more than adequately meet our needs for this year,” Dolan said of the building at 753 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy. in Mooresville. He added,
“We are all very excited about the new facility. The renderings I have seen show a beautiful building with lots of natural light. We expect it will serve us well as we continue to grow for years to come.” When classes start on Aug. 22, there will be an anticipated 70 freshmen and sophomores, along with 12 faculty, Dolan said. Dolan said he anticipates an enrollment of 130 students when the permanent location opens in the fall of 2013. That will include an estimated 60 freshmen, 42 sophomores and 28 juniors. Site work is already under way at the 100acre permanent campus, located at 16800 Davidson Hwy. in Kannapolis. The initial concept was to build an “academic village” of buildings, but
following discussions by a building committee comprised of parents and diocesan officials, a construction plan was developed for a 22,000-square-foot, energyefficient building that could be expanded to accommodate future growth. The school will include 12 classrooms configured in clusters (with four to be finished at a later date), physics and chemistry labs, art classroom with a kiln, cafeteria space with a patio, a chapel and two conference rooms. The Boudreaux Group of Columbia, S.C., is the architect for the $4 million building, which is expected to take nine months to construct. “The Boudreaux Group has been very attentive to our timeline and sensitive to our budget concerns,” Dolan said. A gymnasium is also being built during
the first construction phase. Dolan noted, “The construction of the gymnasium is being made possible by a $1,000,000 donation from an anonymous donor.” Later construction phases would expand the school to suit the needs of the growing community north of Charlotte, according to the master plan developed by the architect, providing for additional classroom space and further amenities. The school will start out with a capacity for 220 students, and once completed it will be able to house up to 320 students. Christ the King is the diocese’s third high school and the second in the MACS system. For more information about Christ the King High School, go to www. christthekinghs.com or call Dr. Dan Dolan at 704-799-4400.
St. Matthew Summer Forum
Adult Religious Education Courses All Are Welcome!
August Courses
Gettin’ the Word on the Word (made Flesh, that is …) with Fr. Frank Cancro Tuesdays, August 7, 14, 21 / 7-9p.m. Registration Fee $20 – New Life Center Banquet Room Please bring a Bible!
Handing on the Faith in the 21st century with Marylin Kravatz-Toolan, Ph.D. Thursday, August 23 / 7-8:30p.m. New Life Center Banquet Room Free lecture – all are welcome!
To view the full Summer Forum brochure with all eight course titles & descriptions and registration form go to:
www.stmatthewcatholic.org
St. Matthew Catholic Church 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte, NC 28277 For more information call 704-541-8362 x 4 or email: mburck@stmatthewcatholic.org
Photo provided by Mendy Yarborough
Construction on the new Parish Life and Eucation Center at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and School in High Point is under way this summer.
IHM’s new parish center, school begins to take shape Building to be one of the first ‘LEED For Schools’ in N.C. Mendy Yarborough Special to the Catholic News Herald
HIGH POINT — Each day this summer, members of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and School community watch as a long-awaited dream turns to reality. The new Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Life and Education Center is well underway. IHM is building the new 73,000-squarefoot facility to expand to a two-track school (two grades per class) that will better meet the growing needs of the church and school. The new facility will include a spacious fellowship hall and cafeteria, as well as a gymnasium that will be
used jointly by the parish and the school community. IHM is one of the first “LEED for Schools” in North Carolina. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools is being pursued by the school to be truly sustainable, providing a building that will perform better and more efficiently – ensuring that the health of students and teachers is protected and enabling the project to be financially profitable and economically viable. Mendy Yarborough is the public information officer for Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
Win a $50 iTunes gift card Help us reach 1,000 Facebook fans in July, and you could be rewarded with a $50 iTunes gift card. “Like” the Catholic News Herald’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/catholicnewsherald. A winner will be randomly selected from all of our Facebook fans at noon on Tuesday, July 31. We will notify the winner through Facebook, and post the winning name on our Facebook page by 5 p.m. July 31.
www.catholicnewsherald.com
704-370-3333
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Mix 16
catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
On TV
For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com
n Friday, July 20, 10 p.m. and Saturday, July 21, 2 p.m. (EWTN) “Sacred, Beautiful, And Universal: Colloquium XIX.” Highlights from the CMAA’s 2009 Colloquium, covering value of sacred music within the Church. Presents positive approach to liturgy while improving quality of sacred music within parishes.
In theaters
n Saturday, July 21, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Into Great Silence.” Step into the riveting silence of Philip Groning’s stunning documentary on the spirituality of Carthusian monks. Filmed without narration and very little dialogue at the Monastery of the Grand Chartreuse in France, Mr. Groning captures the brimming vitality of monastic life and the overpowering sound of God. n Sunday, July 22, 2 a.m., Friday, July 27, 10 p.m., and Saturday, July 28, 2 p.m. (EWTN) “Felix Varela.” Documentary on the life of the Servant of God and Cuban priest Félix Varela, considered a Cuban thinker, inspiration to José Marti. He was born in Havana in 1787 and died in the United States when he was 66 years old. In 1985 the Holy See authorized to open the process of his canonization. (English subtitles)
‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ Modestly entertaining 3-D animated sequel in which the sudden sundering of the once-united continents separates the goodhearted father of a family of mammoths from his levelheaded wife and headstrong teenage daughter. Dad’s determined efforts to reunite his clan are aided by his two closest friends, a sloth and a tiger. Though other comic elements are beginning to feel worn, lessons in loyal friendship and family solidarity are more durable. Mild menace, a bit of scatological humor. CNS: A-I (general patronage), MPAA: PG
‘Katy Perry: Part of Me’ The mildly entertaining but overlong proceedings, helmed by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, moreover, are characterized by an ambiguous outlook on the pop diva’s Pentecostal Christian upbringing and a message promoting individualism without limit that at least implies acceptance of a gay lifestyle. Some suggestive outfits and dancing, mature references, including to homosexual behavior, childish scatological humor, at least one mild oath and a censored crude term. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ Pretentious, deadpan whimsicality overwhelms a core story about adults trying to do the best for two troubled pre-teens. Director Wes Anderson, who co-wrote with Roman Coppola, portrays the grownups, along with a troop of young scouts, as caring and sensitive, if occasionally clueless. An instance of underage sensuality, a reference to an extramarital affair, fleeting crass language. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13
‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ The legendary web-swinger is back, battling teen angst by day and catching crooks at night in this 3-D reboot of the classic Marvel comic book character, directed by Marc Webb. The style and vision of Webb’s version are darker than those of director Sam Raimi’s trilogy. Intense action violence, including gunplay, some rough language. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13
Additional movies: ‘Savages’
n CNS: O (morally offensive), MPAA: R
Photos provided by Peter Strafaci
Peter Strafaci, a parishioner at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, is an accomplished potter and mosaic artist. Above is some of his recent work.
Sharing his faith with his hands Gifted Kernersville potter, artist reflects on how merging of ‘time and talent’ changed his life SueAnn Howell Staff writer
OAK RIDGE — Peter Strafaci is blessed with many God-given talents. He doesn’t hide them under a bushel basket, but rather, he joyfully shares his numerous artistic gifts with the local community, putting them to good use. Strafaci, a parishioner at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, is an accomplished potter with a studio at his home in Oak Ridge. He most recently brought his love for pottery into the realm of mosaics to create some faith-based
works of art. He also leads retreats using his potter’s point of view to illustrate the theme of his presentations. “My Catholic faith brought me to the realization that I was gifted ... that my Lord gave me those gifts ... particularly the gift of my hands,” Strafaci says. “I would often hear at Mass the expression ‘time, talent and treasure’ and always attributed it only to donations. “It was the ‘time and talent’ that struck a note in me. It was at this crossroad that I began to be open to doing talks and retreats, with the incorporation of my pottery. Sharing my faith, my artistry and my hands with both Catholics and non-Catholics has evolved and continues to evolve.” His first introduction to mosaics and pottery was when he was an undergraduate and graduate student at the State University at New Paltz in New York as an art major. He now teaches classes for the Art Alliance of Greensboro, showing others how to express themselves through art. “As an instructor, I try to spend as much time with beginners ... giving them all POTTER, SEE page 17
n Sunday, July 22, 5 a.m. (EWTN) “Exile Of Mary Magdeline.” Examine how history gives a reasonable account of Mary Magdelene’s exile in France, including a look at what is generally accepted as her hermit cave in the cliff of St. Baume and how it reveals the spirituality of a woman who truly loved Christ. n Sunday, July 22, 1:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Nanes Holocause Symphony No. 3.” Internationally recognized pianist and composer Richard Nanes displays his distinctive musical personality in this powerful meditation on the Holocaust. This beautiful symphony was one of the highlights of the Kiev International Music Festival. Martin Bookspan offers a commentary on this moving performance. n Sunday, July 22, 10-11 p.m. (EWTN) “Franciscan University: Science and Faith Conference.” This episode of the series “EWTN on Location” presents talks from the 2012 Science and Faith Conference at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, which examines the question, “Can Science Inform Our Understanding of God?” n Thursday, July 26, 1:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Feasts and Seasons - Summertime.” Author and journalist, Joanna Bogle invites you into the festive warmth of her kitchen as she explores the traditional meals and customs of the Catholic feast days of July. n Thursday, July 26, 6:30-7 p.m. (EWTN) “I Believe: The Heart of the Catholic Church.” First episode of a four-part series exploring the essentials of the faith. In this episode, host Marcellino D’Ambrosio discusses the nature of belief as distinct from, and related to, faith.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
POTTER: FROM PAGE 16
the knowledge and encouragement they need to do well,” he says. “I try to stress that even in their perceived failed attempt, there are endless possibilities for the piece to keep going forward to its completion. It really goes back to the notion of ‘talent’ ... each of us are gifted in some way or another, we just have to recognize it and act on it and for someone to acknowledge it. “I believe God is like that with us ... patiently waiting for us to hear that inner voice that says, ‘You are My beloved.’ I have seen students who came into my class stone cold, knowing nothing about clay, and who are now producing works worthy of praise.” Strafaci and his wife Carolyn are also deeply committed to a hands-on approach to serving others in the community. Each week they make a two-hour round-trip drive to cook and serve meals for people seeking a respite from daily life at the Well of Mercy retreat center, which is run by the Sisters of Mercy.
“Carolyn and I have been cooking at the Well of Mercy in Hamptonville for the past 12 and a half years. We cook on Thursday. We leave Oak Ridge in the morning, cook and serve lunch, as well as dinner for the guests, then return on Thursday night.” Strafaci also shares his “talents” by leading retreats, incorporating his pottery into the theme of his presentations. Over the years he has led retreats at his home parish of Holy Cross, as well as for Bible study groups, the Sisters of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God who serve at Pennybyrn at Maryfield in High Point, and in the past five years has facilitated three of the annual retreats at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center in Stoneville. Titles of his most recent talks include “The Hands of the Potter” and an Advent day entitled “Let It Be Done Unto Me! Mary’s FIAT and What Her YES Means For Us and Our Lives.” “In my retreats where I incorporate my pottery, I stress the importance of connecting with the Heart of Jesus,” he says. “I often will use the symbolic key as a gift, made in clay, as representing the key to unlock the door to one’s own heart to allow Jesus to come in.”
Check out Peter Strafaci’s work Peter Strafaci’s work is exhibited and sold in Greensboro at Natural Alternatives, Sacred Garden Bookstore at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, as well as at the Well of Mercy. His commissioned pottery can also be seen at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center and the Wait Chapel at Wake Forest University. For more information about Strafaci and his pottery, go online to his blog at peterstrafaci. blogspot.com.
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CAMPUS MINISTER UNC-GREENSBORO, GUILDFORD AND GREENSBORO COLLEGE The Diocese of Charlotte seeks a full-time Campus Minister in Greensboro for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Guilford College and Greensboro College (Greensboro Area Campus Minister). The Campus Minister works collaboratively with the Diocesan Director of Campus Ministry and Campus Ministers throughout the Diocese. Greensboro Area Campus Minister has a strong relationship with the ecumenical Campus Ministry team, faculty, staff and students. The primary responsibility of the Campus Minister is to implement the Bishop’s Pastoral “Empowered by the Spirit”. Other responsibilities include but are not limited to maintaining the finances and fundraising for Campus Ministry. As a member of the Diocesan Campus Ministry team the Campus Minister is expected to participate in diocesan Campus Ministry meetings and promote Campus Ministry events. Requirements: Practicing Catholic in good standing with the church. Bachelor’s degree required BA or MA in Theology, Pastoral Ministry or Religious Studies preferred. The ability to be a daily ministry of presence to the college students with an open ear and heart as they journey through their Catholic faith. Flexible schedule includes nights and weekend responsibilities. Please email cover letter, resume and references to the Assistant to Director for Campus Ministry, Kay Jordan wkjordan@charlottediocese.org. Resumes will be accepted until July 27, 2012. For more information or questions contact Kay at (704) 370-3243.
Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Charlotte Executive Director: Gerard A. Carter, Ph.D. (704) 370-3250 Refugee Office: Cira Ponce (704) 370-3262 Family Life: Gerard Carter (704) 370-3228 Justice and Peace: Joseph Purello (704) 370-3225 OEO/CSS Murphy Satellite Office (828) 835-3535 Charlotte Region: 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Area Director: Sharon Davis (704) 370-3218
Invest in your success! Advertise in the Catholic News Herald Kevin Eagan, Advertising Manager 704-370-3332 keeagan@charlottediocese.org
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Western Region: 50 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801 Area Director: Michele Sheppard (828) 255-0146 Piedmont-Triad: 627 W. Second St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Area Director: Diane Bullard (336) 727-0705 Greensboro Satellite Office (336) 274-5577
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Strengthening Families. Building Communities. Reducing Poverty.
Our nation 18
catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
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In Brief House panel’s food aid cuts in farm bill called ‘unjustified and wrong’ WASHINGTON, D.C. — A proposed $16 billion cut in the nation’s Supplemental Nutritional and Assistance Program is “unjustified and wrong,” said a joint letter from the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ domestic and international justice committees, leaders of Catholic Relief Services and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. The cuts in SNAP, once known as food stamps, “will hurt hungry children, poor families, vulnerable seniors and struggling workers,” said the July 10 letter, addressed to Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., the committee’s ranking Democrat.
4 of 6 suspended Phila. priests cleared to work PHILADELPHIA — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced the fate of six priests placed on administrative leave after the February 2011 Philadelphia grand jury report. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput decided on the cases after “a rigorous investigative process involving over 20 experts in child abuse,” a statement from the archdiocese said July 6. Of the six priests, four were determined to have unsubstantiated allegations against them, and they have been deemed suitable for ministry. They include Fathers Paul Castellani, 53; Steven Harris, 57; and Leonard Peterson, 70. Their cases involved alleged violations of the Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries, the archdiocesan behavioral guidelines for priests, deacons and all Church workers and volunteers formulated in May 2003. Msgr. John A. Close, 68, also was deemed suitable for ministry after an allegation against him of sexual abuse of a minor was found to be unsubstantiated. It was unclear at this time whether they would return to their previous clerical assignments or in what ministries they might serve. Two other priests, Fathers John Bowe, 64, and David Givey, 68, were found to have substantiated allegations of violations of the standards, and are unsuitable to return to ministry. They will have no public ministry in the archdiocese.
Steubenville bishop named VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Jeffrey M. Monforton, rector-president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit for the past six years, as bishop of Steubenville, Ohio. Bishop-designate Monforton, 49, succeeds Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, 63, who was named in May 2011 as bishop of Joliet, Ill. — Catholic News Service
Religious liberty is ‘a foundational right,’ says Archbishop Chaput A man prays amid the overflow crowd during Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., July 4, the final day of the bishops’ “Fortnight for Freedom” campaign. The observance, which began with a June 21 Mass in Baltimore, was a two-week period of prayer, education and action on preserving religious freedom in the U.S.
Daniel Linskey Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Defending religious liberty is part of the bigger struggle to “convert our own hearts” and “live for God completely,” Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said July 4 in Washington, D.C., at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. He delivered the homily at the Mass that brought the U.S. bishops’ “Fortnight for Freedom” to a close. “The political and legal effort to defend religious liberty – as vital as it is – belongs to a much greater struggle to master and convert our own hearts, and to live for God completely, without alibis or self-delusion,” the archbishop said. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called for the campaign in March, outlining several instances of “religious liberty under attack,” including the federal contraceptive mandate. They asked dioceses to plan Masses, prayer services, educational events and other activities from June 21 to July 4. Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington was the main celebrant of the Mass. Concelebrants included Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. Outside the national shrine before Mass, the crowd joined in the singing of patriotic hymns. Once inside, the pews of the 3,500-capacity of the shrine’s upper church quickly filled; other congregants stood, filling the side chapels dotting the church. The crowd, estimated at 5,000, included Knights of Columbus honor guard with their feathered chapeaus to brothers in humble brown robes with dirt-stained sandals. Rounded out with brass and a full organ, a choir welcomed the procession of bishops, priests and deacons down the aisle to the altar. Archbishop Chaput began his homily with a quote from Paul Claudel, a French poet and diplomat, who once described the Christian as “a man who knows what he is doing and where he is going in a world (that) no longer (knows) the difference between good and evil, yes and no. He is like a god standing out in a crowd of invalids. ... He alone has liberty in a world of slaves.” The archbishop talked about the idea of freedom of conscience, of knowing right and wrong, equating it with the greater idea of liberty. Archbishop Chaput said Claudel “spoke from a lifetime that witnessed two world
CNS | Bob Roller
wars and the rise of atheist ideologies that murdered tens of millions of innocent people using the vocabulary of science. He knew exactly where forgetting God can lead.” The modern indifference to morality and the growing sense of moral relativism Blessed John Paul II warned of in the 1993 encyclical “Veritatis Splendor” (“The Splendor of Truth”) can be countered with the values both Americans and all Christians hold. Drawing on the day’s Gospel, Archbishop Chaput pointed to Jesus’ words: “’Render unto Caesar those things that bear Caesar’s image, but more importantly, render unto God that which bears God’s image’ – in other words, you and me. All of us.” “The purpose of religious liberty is to create the context for true freedom,” he said. “Religious liberty is a foundational right. It’s necessary for a good society. But it can never be sufficient for human happiness. It’s not an end in itself.” He continued, “In the end, we defend religious liberty in order to live the deeper freedom that is discipleship in Jesus Christ. What good is religious freedom, consecrated in the law, if we don’t then use that freedom to seek God with our whole mind and soul and strength?” Archbishop Chaput closed his homily by urging listeners to “fulfill our duty as citizens of the United States, but much more importantly, as disciples of Jesus Christ.” He received a standing ovation from the congregation, with some in the crowd waving American flags. At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Wuerl addressed the congregation, tasking his
listeners with carrying forth the message of the “Fortnight for Freedom.” In organizing the campaign, foremost among the U.S. bishops’ concerns is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate that employers, including most religious ones, provide insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, which are “morally objectionable.” Other concerns include court rulings and policy decisions that have forced Catholic institutions out of adoption, foster care and refugee services. Threats abroad include attacks on churches in Iraq, Nigeria and Kenya. Cardinal Wuerl echoed Pope Benedict’s warning of “radical secularism” that threatens to divorce Christians from their freedom of conscience. “The Holy Father’s answer to this radical secularism is, as he explained, ‘an engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity,’” the cardinal said. Before releasing everyone to enjoy the rest their Independence Day celebrations, Cardinal Wuerl concluded: “This call to action should not end with the ‘fortnight,’ however, and as heralds of the new evangelization, each of us is called to deepen our own appreciation of our faith, renew our confidence in its truth and be prepared to share it with others.” Ongoing events include a text campaign. Participants can text the word “Freedom” – or Libertad” in Spanish – to 377377 and receive regular updates on the bishops’ efforts to promote and protect religious freedom.
New proposal would remove mandate’s penalties for religious employers WASHINGTON, D.C. — Saying that the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 28 decision on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act “leaves intact a grave assault to religious freedoms,” Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., announced July 10 that he would introduce the Religious Freedom Tax Repeal Act. The bill, which has 57 co-sponsors, would allow employers who have religious or moral objections to covering certain preventive services mandated by the health reform law to decline to provide them through their health insurance plans without facing taxes, penalties or enforcement actions for their noncompliance. The Supreme Court ruled June 28 that it was constitutional for Congress to require individuals to purchase health insurance under its authority to tax.
Sensenbrenner said the health reform law “gives the federal government the tools to tax religiously affiliated schools, hospitals, universities and soup kitchens right out of existence” by imposing penalties of up to $100 per employee per day on employers who fail to provide services mandated by the Department of Health and Human Services, which include sterilizations and contraceptives, including some abortion-causing drugs. A religious institution with 50 employees, for example, could face penalties of up to $36,500 per employee per year, or more than $1.8 million per year, he said. “Obviously, if these taxes are levied and they are enforced, there will be no religious-affiliated institutions left in this country,” said Sensenbrenner, former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
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July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
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In Brief Holy See budget shows major loss VATICAN CITY — The Holy See sustained its largest budget deficit of the past decade in 2011 as a result of global financial trends, the Vatican said July 5. But Vatican City State, which includes the income-generating Vatican Museums and Vatican post office, ended 2011 with a surplus of 21.8 million euros ($27 million). The budget of the Holy See, which includes the offices of the Roman Curia and its communications outlets such as Vatican Radio, recorded a deficit of 14.9 million euros ($18.4 million) at the end of 2011. It was the largest budget deficit recorded in the past decade and reversed the 2010 surplus of 9.8 million euros ($12 million). Total expenditures for the Holy See in 2011 were 263.7 million euros ($326.4 million) with 248.8 million euros ($308 million) in revenues.
Pope to visit Lebanon in September VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI will present a papal document addressing the Church’s concerns in the Middle East, meet with representatives of local Christian and Muslim communities, and address political and cultural leaders on a three-day visit to Lebanon Sept. 14-16. Pope Benedict’s primary task on the trip will be to present a document, called an apostolic exhortation, based on the deliberations of a special synod of bishops held at the Vatican in 2009. — Catholic News Service
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Pope Benedict XVI attends a celebration for his 85th birthday in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican April 16, 2012.
As pope’s vacation begins, taking stock of his work year Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — Every year about this time, American legal journalists review the recently ended Supreme Court term, trying to identify trends and themes that cut across the court’s most important rulings. As it happens, the court’s Octoberthrough-June term coincides almost exactly with what we might call the papal year, which starts when the pope returns to the Vatican each fall and ends when he leaves for the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo (where he relocated this year July 3). Almost all of the Vatican’s important business gets done in this span, making it the most relevant unit of time to use when analyzing the papacy’s activity and its implications for the church as a whole. So what can the 2011-12 papal “term” tell us about where Pope Benedict XVI is leading the Church? If there was one message that the Vatican’s agenda and statements this year seemed designed to convey, it was that the world needs the Catholic Church’s help to solve its most urgent social and economic problems. In five speeches over the course of six months to U.S. bishops on their “ad limina” visits to Rome, Pope Benedict said that
the health and prosperity of American society as a whole require the engagement of its Catholic citizens, in fidelity to the Church’s teaching on contentious matters, including marriage, abortion, euthanasia, immigration and education. On a November visit to the West African country of Benin, the pope said that a “Church reconciled within itself can become a prophetic sign of reconciliation in society,” on a continent divided by often violent ethnic and religious conflicts. Conceding no realm of human activity as beyond the Church’s scope, the Vatican delved into the highly technical field of international finance with a controversial October document blaming the world’s economic crisis on a “liberalism that spurns rules and controls” and proposing global regulation of the financial industry and international money supply. Pope Benedict made it clear that the Church’s appeals to secular society should be made not in terms of faith but in terms of the “natural moral law” accessible to all through the use of reason. He notably included prominent agnostic “seekers of the truth” alongside religious leaders at an October meeting to promote peace and justice in Assisi, Italy. Yet the pope also insisted that the Church’s commitment to social justice must never be separated from a faith that transcends this world. During a trip to
Mexico and Cuba in March, the pope said the “Church is not a political power, it is not a party,” and told a crowd of more than 600,000 at an outdoor Mass that “human strategies will not suffice to save us” from war and injustice. The following month, the Vatican published a “doctrinal assessment” of the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious. The document, which had been expressly approved by Pope Benedict, recognized the LCWR’s adherence to Catholic teaching in its promotion of social justice, but concluded that the group’s neglect of the Church’s doctrine on a number of important moral issues, including abortion and euthanasia, reflected a crisis “characterized by a diminution of the fundamental Christological center and focus of religious consecration.” Pope Benedict also emphasized a link between the Church’s contributions to society and its right to freedom of religion, which he championed against varying degrees of restriction in communist Cuba, Mexico with its legacy of anticlericalism, and the U.S., where the Obama administration seeks to make private Catholic institutions provide insurance covering sterilizations and contraception, in violation of the Church’s moral teaching.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
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Pope Benedict XVI views a display during his visit to the new headquarters of the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, in this 2009 file photo. Standing at right is Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, Vatican astronomer.
New particle may unlock new discoveries, says Vatican astronomer Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The discovery of a new sub-atomic particle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the so-called Higgs boson â&#x20AC;&#x201C; may help scientists discover how the hidden structure of all matter in the universe works, a Vatican astronomer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It indicates that reality is deeper and more rich and strange than our everyday life,â&#x20AC;? U.S. Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno said. When people go about their everyday business working or relaxing, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think about the tiniest building blocks of physical matter, but â&#x20AC;&#x153;without these underlying little things, we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be here,â&#x20AC;? he said. Physicists working with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research laboratory in Geneva, announced earlier this month that they were 99.999 percent certain they found evidence of a new particle that might be key to the structure of the universe and to understanding nature. British physicist Peter Higgs first hypothesized the existence of the particle in the 1960s as the final missing element in a framework called the Standard Model, which explains how sub-atomic particles and forces interact. Over the decades, with the help of increasingly powerful and sophisticated high-energy particle accelerators, scientists have been searching for what atoms are made up of, what the smaller components of atoms are made up of, what the nature of those smaller components is, and so on, Brother Consolmagno said. But it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clear why some materials, such as protons and electrons, have mass and therefore are attracted to each other
by gravity, while other materials, such as photons, have no mass, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Higgs, 50 years ago, worked out a model called the Standard Model, that would provide reasons for attraction and why there is mass,â&#x20AC;? the Jesuit said. Higgs predicted that if a particle that produced the effect of mass existed, it should be â&#x20AC;&#x153;visibleâ&#x20AC;? after two atoms were smashed together at high enough speeds. Experiments at CERN have revealed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;there is something that looks something like the Higgs-boson,â&#x20AC;? Brother Consolmagno said. The new data â&#x20AC;&#x153;will be used to test the Standard Model and how sub-atomic particles work,â&#x20AC;? he said. The Higgs-boson had been nicknamed â&#x20AC;&#x153;the God particleâ&#x20AC;? as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a jokeâ&#x20AC;? in an attempt to depict the particle as â&#x20AC;&#x153;almost like a gift from God to help explain how reality works in the sub-atomic world,â&#x20AC;? he said. Because the particle is believed to be what gives mass to matter, it was assigned the godlike status of being able to create something out of nothing. But such â&#x20AC;&#x153;God of the gapsâ&#x20AC;? conjectures are not only bad reasons to believe in God, they are also bad science, Brother Consolmagno said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll look foolish, in say 2050, when they discover the real reasonâ&#x20AC;? for a phenomenon that was explained away earlier by the hand of God, he said. However, another kind of faith and hope do exist in the scientific community, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No one would have built this enormous experiment,â&#x20AC;? tapping the time and talents of thousands of scientists around the world, â&#x20AC;&#x153;without faith they would find something,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My belief in God gives me the courage to look at the physical universe and to expect to find order and beauty,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my faith that inspires me to do science.â&#x20AC;?
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Letters to the editor
Health care should be available to everyone, no questions asked
Cheese sandwiches and Father Martin Schratz
Regarding the July 6 article “U.S. Bishops urge fixes to Affordable Care Act,” the bishops like to remind us that for many years they have been strong advocates for health care for all people. So what results do they have to show for their efforts? The bishops opposed the passage of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) because it didn’t match their concept of a perfect theology. Apparently, they think that letting many people go without health care is the “lesser of the evils” included in the ACA. But what they see as evil is not shared by the majority of people who support the ACA. One view of theology will never prevail in a pluralistic democracy, and continuing to insist on it will not benefit those in need of health care. It might be good for the bishops to re-read Luke’s account of the Good Samaritan, which gives us Jesus’ view on how health care should work. The priest didn’t help the victim, nor did the Levite, apparently for cultural and religious reasons. But the Samaritan did help the victim with no questions asked, even though there were theological differences between Samaritans and Jews. “Go and do likewise,” Jesus says. Furthermore, the controversy over freedom of conscience is yet another stumbling block to providing adequate preventative services. If we really believe in freedom of conscience, then let’s trust committed Catholics to choose to follow the teachings of the Church. It is somewhat of an insult to be told that we can’t be trusted to not use artificial birth control even though it is offered for everyone. Urging fine tuning of the ACA is reasonable advocacy on the part of the bishops; continuing to oppose landmark health care reform will only result in more victims left by the roadside.
How do I say goodbye to the priest who has touched my soul? While every priest I have encountered on my journey has taught me something about my faith, two priests in particular have left an indelible mark on my spirit. Capuchin Franciscan Father Martin Schratz is one of those priests. Let me share how Father Martin has touched my life by recounting a homily, not too long ago, that Father Martin gave at Our Lady of Consolation Church. I call it “Cheese Sandwiches.” A family in Europe could not find work. The parents decided to come to the U.S., for they had heard there were many jobs available here. Though the decision was difficult, they sold everything and purchased the tickets for the entire family to come to America. The mother packed the few clothes they owned, then made cheese sandwiches to carry them through their journey across the ocean. Cheese and bread were the only thing they could afford, and she wanted to make sure her family would not go hungry. Day in and day out, the family sat down in their cabin to thank God for their voyage to American and for their cheese sandwiches. After a while, the youngest son, 6 or 7 years old, became tired of eating cheese sandwiches. He asked his father to give him 10 cents to buy an ice cream cone. The son had seen other children eating ice cream on deck and he wanted some, too. The father had a limited amount of money to spare, but he gave his son 10 cents to buy the ice cream cone. A few minutes later, the son came running, out of breath, shouting to his parents. When he had calmed down and was able to breathe, he explained that the ice cream cone was free and there was a huge banquet table on the ship filled with everything imaginable to eat. The best part was, it was free – all free! The food was included in the price of their voyage to the U.S. In his homily, Father Martin explained this is how some of us live our Catholic faith – eating cheese sandwiches, not realizing that Jesus paid the price of the voyage and all the “food” we want is free. This homily touched me. Jesus paid a very hefty price for every morsel of food on the Banquet table. And because I love Him, I want it all: Baptism, reconciliation, penance, first Communion, confirmation, prayers, anointing of the sick, daily Mass, daily Communion, Eucharistic Adoration, stewardship, talents, tithing, time, Cursillo, charismatic prayer groups, Bible study, RCIA, renewal, Franciscan, Jesuit and Marianist spirituality ... I could go on and on and on. I, for one, will never be able to eat another cheese sandwich again, not when I have the Banquet, the Ceremonial Meal paid and waiting for me each and every day in my Catholic faith. Thanks to Father Martin, I have not been able to look at a cheese sandwich the same way ever again! I love you, Father Martin. May Our Blessed Lord Jesus keep you safe and fill you with many blessings. Thank you for all you have shared and taught me. I pray I have been a good student, and may I pay it forward by being Jesus to all who I encounter on this voyage, until we meet again.
Kenneth Schammel lives in Cornelius.
Mandated health insurance does not mean good health care The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ unwavering support for the Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as “Obamacare”) with a few “corrections” leaves many in the pews perplexed. Why in the world would the USCCB fight for more government control over the lives of American citizens? Don’t they realize that, historically speaking, expanded government leads to tyranny and views the Church as a foe, not a friend? The mandated contraceptive coverage under Obamacare represents the harbinger of things to come. What about the school-based birth control clinics Obamacare creates or the “death panels” it implements, which will only lead to rationing of health care for our most vulnerable citizens? The issue in a few years may not simply be whether Church-affiliated institutions will be forced to give out birth control and morningafter pills, but whether we or our loved ones will be deemed “worthy” of living. Health care is a basic necessity. Health insurance is not. In the early days of this country, religious institutions built hospitals founded on the belief in the inherent dignity of the human person and they provided health care to all. The USCCB’s time would be better spent focusing on ways to rebuild Catholic hospitals rather than ways to expand government and steer our citizens to the government trough. Mary Potter Summa lives in Charlotte.
Carmen Pantoja-Perez is a member of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte.
Deacon James H. Toner
A list of recommended books
W
ith summer upon us, we may, if we’re fortunate, have some increased leisure time, and some of that might well be invested in good Catholic reading. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “the education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences” – and that is all of us, almost every day – “and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings” (CCC 1783). Good spiritual reading is essential to faith formation – and to faith preservation. All readers have their favorite books, and these are among the ones I frequently recommend because they are entirely orthodox (faithful to Catholic teaching), readable and reasonably brief. (I’ll admit, though, that the Bibles I’ve suggested can’t be read in one or two sittings!) These books are about the holy Mass, about bioethics, about defending the Church, about the media, and about other current and critical issues. You may find these books at your public library, or the library can get them for you through inter-library loan; or you may order them at a bookstore, or purchase them online. The ISBN (international standard book number) is provided for each entry. “The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament.” ISBN 9781586172503. This is simply the best one-volume Catholic Bible available for studying the New Testament. Excellent study notes. “The Holy Bible.” ISBN 9781935302292. Printed by Saint Benedict Press of Charlotte, this complete Bible (Old and New Testaments) is excellent for reading and Bible study. Excellent “Faith Fact” notes throughout. Blessed John Paul II, “The Gospel of Life.” ISBN 081983078X. The famous encyclical letter defending life. A beautiful guide to an essential Catholic teaching. Dave Armstrong, “The One-Minute Apologist.” ISBN 9781933184234. Sixty Catholic replies to common Protestant objections to the Catholic faith. Father Robert Barron, “Catholicism.” ISBN 9780307720511. A well-written and beautifully illustrated overview of the faith by the newly-appointed rector of Mundelein Seminary and host of the awardwinning “Catholicism” series (which is also available online: Amazon Standard Identification Number BOO5J6U77Q). Father Matthew Buettner, “Understanding the Mystery of the Mass.” Amazon Standard Identification Number 1579182976. An excellent study of the holy Mass in about 100 pages one of our local priests. To increase understanding of the Extraordinary
Form of the Mass, I suggest Thomas E. Woods Jr., “Sacred Then and Sacred Now.” ISBN 9780979354021. Michael Coren, “Why Catholics are Right.” ISBN 9780771023217. A look at major contemporary issues through the eyes of a Canadian commentator and faithful Catholic. Bill Donohue, “Secular Sabotage.” ISBN 9780446547215. Commentary and viewpoint by the feisty head of the Catholic League about the current assault on Christianity. Father Benedict Groeschel, “After This Life.” ISBN 9781592764426. About life after life. Scott Hahn, “Lord, Have Mercy.” ISBN 0385501706. Superb study of “the healing power of confession.” Abby Johnson, “Unplanned.” ISBN 9781414339399. The horror of the real Planned Parenthood by someone who used to work for it. Peter Kreeft, “Jesus-Shock.” ISBN 139781587313943. Short (160 pages) but brilliant study of Christ the King. After you read it, you’ll be urging your family and friends to read it, too. Patrick Madrid and Kenneth Hensley, “The Godless Delusion.” ISBN 9781592767878. Pulls the rug out from under modern atheism. Father Richard John Neuhaus, “Catholic Matters.” ISBN 9780465049356. The late Father Neuhaus, master of the English language, examines recent events in the Church and offers an incisive analysis. Janet Smith and Christopher Kaczor, “Life Issues, Medical Choices.” ISBN 9780867168082. Concise and understandable presentation about critical bioethical issues: abortion, artificial insemination, cloning, endof-life issues and more. Teresa Tomeo, “Noise.” ISBN 9781932927948. A faithful Catholic analyzes what the media are doing and why we should be concerned. Amy Welborn, “Prove It! Church.” ISBN 0879739819. Written for teens but good for all! Finally, I want to suggest two novels, one very short, and one much longer. Myles Connolly’s novel “Mr. Blue” (0829421319) is a superb study of how one man takes Christianity seriously. Read it with a few friends and discuss it. It also contains one of the most powerful and beautiful descriptions of the (Extraordinary Form) Mass I have ever read. The second is Edwin O’Connor, “The Edge of Sadness” (0829421238). O’Connor is known for his great novel “The Last Hurrah” (the movie is good, too), but “The Edge of Sadness” has an unforgettable portrait of priests. Deacon James H. Toner serves at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
July 20, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
The Poor Clares
Batrice Adcock
NFP empowers and liberates The soul of woman “ S Jesus, I trust in you” – this is the phrase associated with the increasingly popular devotion to the Divine Mercy. Jesus promises to give us grace for help in daily life in accordance with our degree of trust. How much do we trust when looking to Jesus in prayer to help us make a generous, yet responsible decision about family planning? Do we take time to inform our consciences on related Church teaching? It is so easy for many to trust our culture instead, with its
overwhelming pressure to contracept. Natural family planning (NFP) is an umbrella term for many methods of family planning which are morally acceptable. Couples are trained to track the menstrual cycle and identify the fertile time, which is about a week. The facts surrounding NFP versus artificial contraceptive use make a compelling argument in favor of trusting Church teaching. Effectiveness must first be considered. Modern methods of NFP are up to 99.6 percent effective. This is not the old “rhythm method”! NFP methods can also help couples achieve pregnancy. For couples struggling with infertility, Naprotechnology-based treatments, which are associated with NFP and aim at identifying and correcting underlying health problems, are between about 38 and 81 percent effective, depending on the cause of infertility. The effectiveness of in-vitro fertilization, which is riddled with ethical problems, significant cost and health risk, is only between 21 and 27 percent effective. Another important consideration is health risk associated with hormonal contraceptive use. Side effects range from nausea, headaches and decreased sexual interest to high blood pressure, depression and stroke. The World Heath Organization has classified oral contraceptives as Group 1 carcinogens based on strong evidence that they may cause cancer. This is reinforced by several recent studies pointing to the increased risk of premenopausal breast cancer in women who have taken oral contraceptives. The most serious risk is not for the woman, but for babies she may conceive, as all forms of hormonal contraception and the IUD have the potential of causing early abortions. By contrast, using NFP gives women valuable health information. The American Academy
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of Pediatrics and College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have called the menstrual cycle another vital sign. Health problems can be detected in NFP charts early in their progression, offering the possibility for more effective treatment. A related point is that there are alternatives to the birth control pill for treating common women’s health problems such as irregular cycles and heavy bleeding. The pill does not treat the underlying problem, and significant health risks are added. Other benefits of using NFP include better communication and a lower divorce rate between spouses who are faced monthly with the task of evaluating whether it is a good time for potential conception. Issues in the family – financial, health or otherwise – remain on the table and are more quickly resolved. The Church encourages couples to discern prayerfully and practically, considering their responsibilities. The divorce rate of less than 3 percent among NFP couples is due not only to this healthy communication, but to the respect spouses show each other in cooperating with the woman’s physiology. Rather than risking the woman’s health for temporary pleasure from contracepted sex, the man is willing to love her unconditionally and exercise self-control. Feminists can jump on a new band-wagon here! The list of NFP benefits goes on, including environmental respect, shared responsibility for family planning between spouses, the ability to be used in special circumstances, such as after coming off hormonal birth control or having a baby, but perhaps the greatest is that just implied: Spouses learn the self-giving and sacrificial love of Jesus! Married couples vow to love that is free, total, faithful and fruitful. Isn’t a contracepting couple that feels the need to use pornography or some other perverse behavior to increase sexual interest enslaved to sexual desire? Or, isn’t a couple using a barrier, physical or chemical, or through sterilization, in effect neutering themselves? Are they making a complete gift of themselves in one flesh, imaging God, as male and female, as Scripture teaches? Do they not in effect mock the love that Jesus showed us on the Cross and asked us to imitate? The Church is not waging a war on women, but is standing up in defense of women, offering an option that is empowering, improves marriages and deepens faith. Women are being liberated, and families are being renewed. In light of the facts, we are encouraged to trust the Church!
Batrice Adcock is the director of the diocesan Natural Family Planning Program for Catholic Social Services. National NFP Awareness Week 2012, “Faithfully Yours,” will be celebrated July 22-28. This annual education campaign by the U.S. bishops coincides with the anniversary of the papal encyclical “Humanae Vitae” (July 25) which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. The dates also mark the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.
omething sadly lost in our world today is an understanding and appreciation of the beauty of true womanhood. Women have been encouraged by our culture to set aside the special gifts connected to their femininity and embrace an asexual self-assertiveness that focuses on equality and an over-emphasized personal autonomy. What’s lost in all this is the acknowledgment of the qualities inherently planted in the feminine nature which are irreplaceably valuable. In his classic novel “Les Miserables,” Victor Hugo outlines the attractive elements of the feminine spirit that almost defies definition: “Woman feels and speaks with the tender instinct of the heart, that infallibility. Nobody knows like a woman how to say things that are both sweet and profound. Sweetness and depth, this is all of woman; this is all of Heaven.” Women in our world today have come to be ashamed of the “sweetness” and “tenderness” that Hugo referred to. Too often, these feminine gifts are considered to betray weakness. Far from proclaiming women’s rights, our culture has bought into the lie that womanhood is submissive and somehow second-rate. Instead of being proud of womanhood and its equal dignity alongside that of man, that cultural norm unwittingly reiterates that male characteristics are the only ones truly deserving of respect. What our world needs now more than ever is women who are not afraid to be women. But before we can get to that point, it is necessary to first reeducate ourselves on what authentic femininity is. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, or Edith Stein as she is better known, understood quite deeply what it meant to be created by God as a woman, and what He intended to entrust and manifest through the gift of femininity. Through her studies and prayer, she began to grasp that something very precious had been lost in her own time, one that saw the birth of what was widely billed as women’s emancipation. Stein was no ultra-conservative traditionalist. She was on the front lines herself – pursuing a career in the field of phenomenology, which was at the time almost exclusively dominated by men. She was an independent, single and highly successful professor until entering a Carmelite convent in her 40s. It should follow, then, that her writings on womanhood would contain a balance not often seen, and sorely needed, nearly a century later. In a lecture with the unfortunately dry title “Fundamental Principles of Women’s Education,” Stein paints
a captivating portrait of what she defines as the essential marks of a woman’s soul. She states that a woman’s soul is made to be expansive, quiet, warm, clear, self-contained, empty of itself, and mistress of itself. Each item in this list of gifts is rich in meaning and depth. Some may seem at first glance to be contradictory. How can one be self-contained and empty of oneself ? The reality, however, is that each builds upon the others in developing the characteristics that are so familiarly feminine. A woman’s soul is naturally compassionate and receptive to others. When we think of womanhood, we think of a gentle embracing of others, a deep spiritual quality that seems so closely tied to the ethereal, the eternal. There is an intrinsic openness and acceptance of the beauty of every creature and child of God, even if present only in potential. There is present a quiet and warm tenderness which sees the burdens carried by each soul, and nurtures the emotional life of each which is so often dangerously fragile. Woman is fashioned, in Stein’s words, “to be a shelter in which other souls may unfold” and be nourished and cherished with authentic love. She looks at these qualities as pointing to the two basic vocations of woman: to the role of companion and support to man, and to motherhood. Though these gifts may indeed be instinctual to some degree in women, they must be formed, guided and developed. Without the proper discipline and curbing of extremes, they can lead to pitfalls. A woman may become too possessive of those she loves, or she may play on the power of others’ emotions to control or get her own way. She may use the ability to perceive the needs and feelings of others more as a tool to satisfy curiosity or to distract herself from what is most important. It is here that women must pause and reflect once more on the ideals of woman’s soul. She may gaze upon these lived out and personified by the most perfect of women, Our Blessed Lady. In the coming weeks, we will reflect more in depth on each of these qualities and gifts, and see how they may be lived out in the daily lives of women and brought to perfection through lives of grace. It is time to rediscover and relearn the truly feminine, and for us to be proud of the incredible beauty of womanhood which God created. Sister Marie Thérèse of the Divine Child Jesus is professed with the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte. Learn more about the Poor Clares at www.stjosephmonastery.com. This is the first in a five-part series exploring Edith Stein’s views on womanhood. In the next edition: “Shelter of souls.”
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catholicnewsherald.com | July 20, 2012 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
8th ANNUAL
EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS September 21 & 22 Charlotte Convention Center
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