March 14, 2014

March 14, 2014

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Charlotte Catholic’s beloved football coach to retire Successful coach called ‘a man of integrity,’

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‘Be merciful, O Lord’ COVERAGE INSIDE: Faithful across the diocese mark the start of Lent

‘Faith strengthening experience’ Fourth annual Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference ‘transforms’ men,

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‘Jesus the Homeless’

Davidson sculpture is replica of one blessed by Pope Francis and placed at the Vatican, 7

Asheville Catholic reaches out to help Nigerian schools Effort is part of school’s virtue-based ‘7x7 model,’ 16

Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Faith Q&A

Pope Francis

One can’t dialogue with Satan, pope says; the Bible is the best defense

W

hen temptation comes your way, don’t try to “dialogue” or argue with the devil, Pope Francis said, but seek refuge and strength in the words of the Bible.

Addressing tens of thousands of people gathered for the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square March 9, Pope Francis spoke about the Gospel of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ temptation in the desert.

“The tempter tried to divert Jesus from the Father’s plan, which was the path of sacrifice and love, of offering Himself in expiation, and instead convince Him to take the easy way of success and power,” the pope said.

Each time the devil tempts Jesus – asking Him to transform stones into bread, throw Himself from the top of the temple and see if angels would rescue Him, or worship Satan in exchange for earthly power – Jesus responds by reciting Scripture, the pope said.

“He doesn’t dialogue with Satan like Eve” did in the Garden of Eden, the pope said. “Jesus knows well that you can’t dialogue with Satan because he is so cunning.”

“Remember this,” Pope Francis told the crowd, “at times of temptation, in our temptations: No arguments with Satan; defend yourselves with the word of God.” Pope Francis said Lent is a time for everyone to set out on the path of conversion and to prepare to renew their baptismal promises, including “renouncing Satan and all his works and his seductions – because he is a seducer – in order to walk the pathways of God.” The pope also asked those gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray for him and his collaborators in the Roman Curia during their March 9-14 Lenten retreat.

With more than 80 cardinals, archbishops and other top officials of Vatican offices, Pope Francis boarded a bus in the late afternoon to travel the 20 miles to a retreat house in Ariccia for joint reflection, prayer and silent meditation.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Violinist violence I

n her still-widely-read 1971 article, “A Defense of Abortion,” Judith Jarvis Thomson sets up a thought experiment known as “The Famous Violinist Problem” to argue that abortion ought to be morally justified when a pregnancy arises out of sexual assault: “You wake up in the morning and find yourself back to back in bed with a …famous unconscious violinist. He has been found to have a fatal kidney ailment, and the Society of Music Lovers has canvassed all the available medical records and found that you alone have the right blood type to help. They have therefore kidnapped you, and last night the violinist’s circulatory system was plugged into yours, so that your kidneys can be used to extract poisons from his blood as well as your own.... To unplug you would be to kill him. But never mind, it’s only for nine months. By then he will have recovered from his ailment, and can safely be unplugged from you.”

Most people would share the intuition that they should be able to unplug themselves from the violinist, since they didn’t consent to being hooked up in the first place. Others would suggest an analogy with becoming pregnant from rape, so the mother could “unplug” herself from the child by abortion.

At least two serious problems, however, exist with this analogy.

First, the famous violinist is not a good parallel for the child conceived by sexual assault. The violinist in Thomson’s thought experiment is basically a stranger to us. But the child conceived in rape is not, properly speaking, a stranger at all, and the analogy should probably be corrected to indicate this: “When the woman wakes up, she finds herself connected to a prodigy violinist who also happens to be her 12-year-old son.” In such a scenario, she would far more easily admit an obligation to remain attached to him, even for an extended period of time. Following a rape that results in pregnancy, a woman likewise finds herself connected to her own progeny, her own child in utero, with similar natural moral obligations to nurture and care for her own flesh and blood.

The second problem with Thomson’s analogy is that abortion is not like “unplugging” a tube connecting one person to another, and allowing the dependent individual to expire from a condition like kidney failure. Instead, abortion invokes various surgical and obstetrical procedures that directly end the life of, and even dismember, the in utero child.

Norma McCorvey, the former “Jane Roe” of the

Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, herself once worked in an abortion clinic and later described what happened there: “When a later abortion was performed, workers had to piece the baby back together, and every major part – head, torso, two legs, and two arms – had to be accounted for. One of our little jokes at the clinic was, “If you ever want to humble a doctor, hide a leg so he thinks he has to go back in.” Please understand, these were not abnormal, uncaring women working with me at the clinic. We were just involved in a bloody, dehumanizing business, all of us for our own reasons. Whether we were justifying our past advocacy (as I was), justifying a previous abortion (as many were) or whatever, we were just trying to cope – and if we couldn’t laugh at what was going on, I think our minds would have snapped.”

McCorvey’s comments remind us that abortion is essentially a violent and deadly act, not a euphemistic “unhooking” or “separating” of mother and child. Thus we might wish to modify Thomson’s analogy once again to maintain parallelism: “A woman wakes up in the morning and finds herself attached to a violinist. To free herself from any further involvement with him, she asks a doctor to come in with a knife and to dismember the renowned musician.” The absolute wrongness of such direct killing would remain beyond dispute, as would the wrongness of any direct killing actions by a raped woman directed against her unborn son because of the sins of his father.

In reflecting on the specifics of “The Famous Violinist Problem,” we begin to appreciate the importance of never subjecting an innocent third party, whether a musician or an in utero child, to direct lethal harm simply because they find themselves in a state of radical dependence upon another human being. Although we aren’t obligated to use extreme or extraordinary measures to try to save the violinist in Thomson’s thought experiment, we shouldn’t make the error of supposing that the state of pregnancy itself is somehow extraordinary or extreme, even in the tragic case of sexual assault, given that it objectively embodies the natural and familial line of duty to care for our own offspring.

What is the Holy Trinity?

St. Patrick used the analogy of a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity when converting the Celtic peoples.

Just as in a shamrock there are three leaflets but one leaf, so in the Trinity there are Three Divine Persons but one God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (253-255) states that we confess one God in three persons, the “consubstantial Trinity.”

Each of them is entirely God and equal. They are distinct from one another: “It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds.”

(Lateran Council IV, 1215). But they are also relative to one another: “In the relational names of the persons the Father is related to the Son, the Son to the Father, and the Holy Spirit to both.” (Council of Toledo XI, 675) ― AmericanCatholic.org

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the diocese of Fall River, Mass., and serves as the director of education at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

See www.ncbcenter.org.

Your daily Scripture readings MARCH 16-22

Sunday (Second Sunday of Lent): Genesis 12:1-4, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Matthew 17:1-9; Monday (St. Patrick): Daniel 9:4-10, Luke 6:36-38; Tuesday (St. Cyril of Jerusalem): Isaiah 1:10, 16-20, Matthew 23:1-12; Wednesday (St. Joseph): 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16, Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22, Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24; Thursday: Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 16:19-31; Friday: Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46; Saturday: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

MARCH 23-29

Sunday (Third Sunday of Lent): Exodus 17:3-7, Romans 5:1-2, 5-8, John 4:5-42; Monday: 2 Kings 5:1-15, Luke 4:24-30; Tuesday (The Annunciation of the Lord): Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10, Hebrews 10:4-10, Luke 1:26-38; Wednesday: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9, Matthew 5:17-19; Thursday: Jeremiah 7:23-28, Luke 11:14-23; Friday: Hosea 14:2-10, Mark 12:28-34; Saturday: Hosea 6:1-6, Luke 18:9-14.

MARCH 30-APRIL 5

Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent): 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:141; Monday: Isaiah 65:17-21, John 4:43-54; Tuesday: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12, John 5:1-16; Wednesday (St. Francis of Paola): Isaiah 49:815, John 5:17-30; Thursday: Exodus 32:7-14, John 5:31-47; Friday (St. Isidore): Wisdom 2:1, 12-22, John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30; Saturday (St. Vincent Ferrer): Jeremiah 11:18-20, John 7:4053

Our parishes

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

‘Faith strengthening experience’ Fourth annual Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference ‘transforms’ men

HUNTERSVILLE — Paul Anatrella had 10 minutes to share his pro-life testimony during the men’s conference, but that’s all the time God needed to touch the hearts of the 700 men present there that afternoon.

Paul Anatrella, a married man with children, after a prayer invoking the Holy Spirit’s assistance, turned the clock back in time. He and his wife Celi had a faith awakening, he began.

“Fresh off the heels of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in this country, our daughter Jessi was born and our son Nico was about to turn 3. At that time, we were not living our faith… So we just had Jessi, and Celi and I had already decided before we were married that we were only going to have two children.”

“We had the perfect family – one boy and one girl – and we were done having children. Celi and I talked about whether I would have a vasectomy or Celi would have her tubes tied. I said that I would have the vasectomy,” he said.

Anatrella had the vasectomy done soon after that, and he continued, “And so, that was that. We continued to live our lives with our two children and the topic of more kids didn’t come up.”

But the topic of the fruitfulness of marriage did come up after Celi and Paul Anatrella lived out a Cursillo weekend in

The Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference was filled with humor. Here are just a few of the quips from the speakers:

Dr. Allen Hunt

At the beginning of his talk, before reminding the men that as Catholics, we are people of the Eucharist

Rico De Silva | Catholic News Herald

More than 700 men attended the Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference March 1 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville, for talks, prayer, fellowship, confession, Eucharistic Adoration and Mass. confessions from what was a steady stream of men lined up to seek the sacrament of reconciliation.

During his homily, Bishop Jugis encouraged the men to follow the example of St. Joseph in living a righteous life, following EXPERIENCE, SEE page 15

St. Mark parishioner shares powerful pro-life testimony RICO DE SILVA HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORTER

They said it!

Turn to your neighbor and ask him, ‘So, who are we? I don’t know, but we’re fixin’ to remember!’

Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

HUNTERSVILLE — The fourth annual Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference, “Transformed by Christ, Men on a Mission,” had a strong impact on the 700 or so men who spent a recent Saturday focusing on their faith at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

“I think the conference as a whole was a faith strengthening experience. It did challenge me and forced me to look inward to see what sins – what attachments, vices – I may have within me that are preventing Our Lord from living through me,” said St. Thomas Aquinas parishioner Luis Vallhonrat, summing up what many of the conference participants thought that day after listening to three keynote speakers: Dr. Allen Hunt, from the Dynamic Catholic Institute, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, from the Diocese of Portland, and the Knights of Columbus’ Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

With a charismatic preaching style capable of making a Pentecostal preacher blush, Deacon Burke-Sivers got up close and personal with the assembly during his talk, “Like a Fire Burning in my Bones: Awakening the Desire for Christ in the Hearts of Men.” He challenged the men: “What is it that has you scared to take your faith to the next level?” “How important is your faith?” “What are you willing to sacrifice to become the man you know God created you to be?”

Citing the example of young King David fighting Goliath in 1 Samuel 16, he told the men to put on the armor of God to fight the devil’s temptations, just as David did. And like young David used his sling and pebbles to defeat and kill Goliath, Deacon Burke-Sivers encouraged the men to pray the rosary, calling it a powerful “spiritual weapon” against the enemy.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis was the main celebrant of a Votive Mass in honor of St. Joseph, and several priests from the diocese heard

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2006 and 2007, respectively. After Cursillo, “there was a fire burning inside of me to grow closer to the Lord and learn more about His Church. God began to open our minds and hearts to some truths about the vasectomy we chose to have. Celi learned in a Bible Study that, when we choose birth control, we are not trusting God by letting Him be in control of our lives,” Anatrella said.

As time passed the Anatrellas grew in their faith, and they took the advice of a priest friend and began praying together before the Blessed Sacrament.

“Father told us to trust our prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament. We went to the Adoration chapel here at St. Mark to pray in the presence of God to see what, if anything, He wanted us to do. Celi and I left the Adoration chapel and looked at each other – yep, we both knew. God wanted us to make things right with Him by having the vasectomy reversed.”

He had his vasectomy reversed in 2009.

Fighting back tears and finding it hard to speak, Anatrella announced to the men’s conference participants, “Four and a half months ago, on Oct. 18, 2013, Gabriela Marie Anatrella was born into this world.”

Then Celi, holding little Gabriela Marie, came out from behind the altar, surprising the audience. “God has chosen to gift us with this new life, our precious baby girl.

Wow, that really hit me hard! How great is our God!” is all Anatrella could manage to

say at that moment. And that’s all the men needed to hear as they gave the Anatrella family a warm standing ovation.

It’s good to be back in North Carolina. Whenever you say ‘fixin’ up there, they look at you like you’re from Venus or something.

Those people don’t speak English.

So I told them, ‘Y’all don’t drink Mountain Dew and don’t know who Joe Nemechek is.’

Dr. Allen Hunt

The Brevard native, commenting on his recent visit to Chicago

What is it that’s keeping you from taking your faith to the next level? Is it CNN – ‘Constant Negative News’?

Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

Some of you are looking at my rosary and saying those beads look like bullets. And they are.

These Our Father beads are made with 40 caliber and 9 mm shells pushed in together. Why? Because every time you pray the Our Father, every time you say the rosary, you bust a cap in Satan’s you-know-what.

Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

Describing his very large pocket rosary

St. Thomas Aquinas said – and you can Google it – the only part of your body that will not participate in the Resurrection is the hair.

Rico De Silva | Catholic News Herald

Paul and Celi Anatrella introduce their daughter Gabriela after giving a pro-life testimony at the men’s conference.

Dr. Allen Hunt

Hunt, who is bald, quoting St. Thomas Aquinas, who was also bald (he had a priest’s tonsure)

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 OUR PARISHES

Diocesan calendar of events BISCOE Our Lady of the Americas Church, 298 Farmers Market Road

Bishop Peter J. Jugis Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events over the coming weeks:

— Day of Reflection for seniors entitled, “Sharing the journey- Stories that inspire”: 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 26. Reflection will be presented by Father Frank O’Rourke. Light meal will be provided.

Registration is required by March 20. To register, call Trudy Hintz at 910-400-5043.

BREVARD

March 15 – 2 p.m.

Rite of Election St. Joan of Arc Church, Candler

Sacred Heart church, 150 Brian Berg Lane — Eighth Annual Christian Women’s Day of Reflection: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Speaker will be Patty Stump from the Billy Graham Training Center. She will be discussing influence and intimacy with God. To register call Debbie Felker at 828-884-5321. All attending are asked to bring a non-perishable item to donated to Christian Ministries.

March 17 – 7 p.m.

Holy Mass for Solemnity of St. Patrick St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte March 19 – 7 p.m.

Holy Mass for Solemnity of St. Joseph St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

CHARLOTTE St. Matthew church, 8015 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PKWY. — 15th Annual Women’s Day: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 22, in the New Life Center Banquet Room. Theme for the day, “The Lord has Done Marvels for Me – Be your Own Kind of Beautiful.”

This is a day for women to come together for prayer, reflection and laughter. For details, call the parish office at 704-543-7677.

March 21 - 10:30 a.m.

St. Benedict’s Day Mass Belmont Abbey Basilica, belmont March 22 - 1 p.m.

Rite of Election Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, High Point

— International Fair Trade: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., in the New Life Center Banquet Room. Hosted by Catholic Church Peace and Justice Ministry. Items from Catholic Relief Service’s Fair Trade and Project Have Hope will be available for purchase.

March 25 - 7 p.m.

Sacrament of Confirmation Holy Angels Church, Mount Airy

— Blood Drive: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, March 16, in the parish Center Family Room

CLEMMONS HOLY FAMILY CHURCH, 4820 KINNAMON ROAD — Natural Family Planning Introduction and Full Course: 1- 5 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Topics includes: Effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Offered by Catholic Charities.

RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-370-3230.

GREENSBORO ST. PIUS X Church, 2210 N. ELM ST. — Knights of Columbus Blood Drive: 2-6:30 p.m. Friday, March 21. For details, call David Ray at 336-272-4681.

— East Carolina University Chamber Singers Concert: 7 p.m. Sunday, March 23, in the church. The ECU Chamber Singers is the most selective of four University choral ensembles.

Corrections

SHELBY

The Feb. 28 story “A family’s test of faith” misspelled Robson Andrade’s name and incorrectly reported the monthly physical therapy bill for Nicholas Andrade’s care, which is more than $3,000.

The Catholic News Herald regrets the errors.

March 14, 2014 Volume 23 • Number 11

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

ST. MARY CHURCH, 818 McGowan Road — Morning Reflection: 9 a.m. Monday, March 24. Reflection will be given by Father John Eckert, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon. Refreshments and fellowship after Mass. Sponsored by the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group. For questions and registration, call Diane Pasco at 704-482-9294 or Marcia Skiba at 704-481-8818.

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org Online reporter: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org Hispanic communications reporter: Rico De Silva, 704-370-3375, rdesilva@charlottediocese.org

Lenten activities ASHEVILLE ST. EUGENE CHURCH, 72 Culvern St. — Stations of the Cross; 12:15 p.m., all Fridays during Lent

BELMONT QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES CHURCH, 503 N. Main St. — RCIA Retreat with Father Frank Cancro: 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 22

— Penitential Service: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 20

LEXINGTON oUR LADY OF THE ROSARY Church, 619 S. Main St. — Discussion and Prayer entitled, “Acts of the Apostles”: 10;30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. all Thursdays during Lent — Supper: 6 p.m., all Fridays during Lent

CANDLER ST. JOAN OF ARC Church, 768 Asbury Road — Lenten Penance Service: 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25

CHARLOTTE OUR LADY of the Assumption, 4207 Shamrock Dr. — Lenten Soup Dinners: 6 p.m.

— Stations of the Cross and Holy Communion: 7:30 p.m.

ST. John Neumann Church, 8451 Idlewild Road — Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m., all Fridays during Lent ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PKWY. — Stations of the Cross: 7:30 p.m., all Fridays during Lent ST. PETER CHURCH, 507 SOUTH TRYON ST. — Lenten Penance Service: 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25 — Online prayer experience entitled “Moved to Greater Love”: Nine-week Lenten-Easter digital experience focusing on Gratitude, Spiritual Freedom, Vision and Joy. Daily online presentations will offer questions for reflection, a reading and multimedia content. To join, visit www.stpetercatholic.org.

St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road — Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m., all Fridays during Lent

HICKORY ST. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St. — Stations of the Cross: 5:30 p.m., all Fridays during Lent — Estaciones de la Cruz: 7:30 p.m., todos los viernes durante la Cuaresma

The Catholic News Herald is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year.

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ADVERTISING: Reach 165,000 Catholics across western North Carolina! For advertising rates and information,

— Stations of the Cross: 8 p.m., all Fridays during Lent

MOCKSVILLE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI Church, 862 Yadkinville Road — Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m., all Fridays during Lent — Lenten Penance Service: 7 p.m. Monday, March 24, in English and Spanish

MOORESVILLE St. ThÉrÈse of Lisieux church, 217 Brawley School road — Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m., all Fridays during Lent — Soup Lunch: 12 p.m. all Tuesday during Lent, after Mass

MURPHY ST. WILLIAM CHURCH, 765 Andrews Road — Community Lenten Reflection: Noon- 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, by Reverend Delmer Chilton. Soup and lunch will be served afterwards.

— Stations of the Cross: After 5 p.m. Mass, all Fridays during Lent

SWANNONOA St. Margaret Mary Church, 102 Andrew Place — Vespers and Communion Service: 5:30 p.m., all Wednesdays during Lent, followed by soup and bread in the Social Hall — Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m., all Fridays during Lent — Estaciones de la Cruz: 7:30 p.m., todos los viernes durante la Cuaresma

contact Advertising Manager Kevin Eagan at 704-370-3332 or keeagan@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $15 per year for all registered parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all others.

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March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Partners in Hope dinner exceeds goal, renames award to honor Bishop Curlin The 2014 Partners in Hope Award was presented to Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin. He is pictured with Father Brian J. Cook of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem.

Also Pictured are (from left) Diane Bullard, regional director for Catholic Charities’ Triad office; Curlin; Kathyrn Premo, chairwoman of Catholic Charities Triad Regional Advisory Board; and Dr. Gerard A. Carter, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. Not pictured is Monsignor Anthony J. Marcaccio of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro.

Annette Tenny Correspondent

WINSTON-SALEM — Each year in the Diocese of Charlotte, the need for assistance with food, shelter, clothing, counseling, protection and other services increases. And each year, the people and parishes of the diocese answer that need with tremendous joy and generosity.

Showcasing that effort was the 2014 Piedmont Triad Catholic Charities Partners in Hope Dinner Feb. 27, which raised more than $200,000 from more than 650 people. This year’s Partners in Hope Award was presented to Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin.

The presentation began with a moving videotaped message of thanks from Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who worked with Bishop Curlin when they served together in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Monsignor Anthony J. Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, offered affectionate and humorous reminiscences of Bishop Curlin, who retired as bishop of Charlotte in 2002. Monsignor Marcaccio noted, with great respect and admiration, Bishop Curlin’s many years of service to the poor and marginalized in society. With obvious emotion, he also spoke of Bishop Curlin’s great “pastoral sense” with the priests who served under him.

As Bishop Curlin’s priest secretary for seven years, Monsignor Marcaccio pointed out that the bishop lived his episcopal motto “Sentire Cum Christo,” which is taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, meaning “to have in you the mind of Christ.”

“Thank you for being the best example of what a pastor should be,” Monsignor Marcaccio said. “I am a better priest because of you.”

Father Brian J. Cook, pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem and board representative for Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, gave the keynote address, commending Bishop Curlin for his pastoral leadership.

“For 50 years Bishop Curlin has been my friend,” Father Cook began, “the most important friend of my life.”

As director of the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Washington, Father Cook noted, Bishop Curlin had the unique ability to see the promise in young men who sought out the religious life while at the same time, the clarity and knowledge necessary to turn flaws into strengths.

Bishop Curlin was also thanked for the spiritual retreats he offered all over the world. Father Cook noted that it was Bishop Curlin who, along with Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, spearheaded the effort to open homes to care for people suffering from AIDS during the rise of the epidemic in the mid-1980s. Bishop Curlin also had the strength and vision, Father Cook said, to be one of the first to organize and open homeless shelters and food pantries where they were needed.

“When most of us would think about retiring,” Father Cook said, Bishop Curlin “got a call to go to Charlotte.” He became the third bishop of the Charlotte diocese without hesitation, because there was a need and he had been called.

“He is, at his very core, a parish priest with the heart of a shepherd,” said Father Cook, “a lover of the people, the Church, the poor and the vulnerable.”

Annette Tenny | Catholic News Herald

For his part Bishop Curlin spoke not about himself, but about those who have had an impact on his life in the service of the Church, especially noting his 25-year friendship with Blessed Teresa. Mother Teresa taught him many things, he said, but first and foremost was the importance of seeing people with one’s heart, not one’s eyes.

“Mother Teresa said, when you pick up a child, you are picking up that child with the hands of Jesus,” he said.

He also spoke of all the work that needs to be done and the fact that priests and religious can’t do it alone. “Get out there, get your hands dirty,” he encouraged everyone present. “It seems to me that is what should be preached today. Our job as

bishop or priest is to be there with you.”

In further tribute to Bishop Curlin, it was announced that the annual Catholic Charities award was being renamed in his honor: the Most Reverend Bishop William G. Curlin Partners in Hope Award.

As in years past, sponsors also came forward to cover the costs of the Partners in Hope dinner.

“Sponsors are secured in the months before the event so that everything is paid for the night of Partners in Hope,” said Diane Bullard, regional director for Catholic Charities’ Triad office. “We had very generous sponsors this year that allowed us to not only pay for the event, but apply the rest of the funds to our goal. The

dinner, wine, flowers and all expenses were paid before the night of the event. This year we even had a very generous sponsor, Excalibur Direct, who printed all of our programs for free.”

Catholic Charities of the Piedmont Triad also reported that last year it provided direct assistance to 199 people, distributed 115,510 pounds of food and personal items to 3,488 people, provided counseling to 1,049 people, served 15 adoptive families, aided 495 people with immigration services, supported 18 women who chose not to abort their babies, helped 68 teenaged mothers care for their babies while finishing high school, and provided ongoing support to 147 families with teens in crisis.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 OUR PARISHES

UNCC professor to speak on African AIDS issues March 30 SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

File | Catholic News Herald

‘Behold, I make all things new’

Middle and high school youth invited to Bishop’s Lenten Youth Pilgrimage April 5 BELMONT — Pope Francis, in his appearance at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro last July, encouraged Catholic youth to “Go, do not be afraid and serve.” His message was heard not only by the 3 million people gathered in Rio, but by the whole world.

In this same spirit of evangelization, Bishop Peter Jugis invites the youth of the diocese to gather and rejuvenate their faith at the annual Lenten Youth Pilgrimage at Belmont Abbey College. This year’s retreat will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

The Bishop’s Lenten Youth Pilgrimage is a precursor to the Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress, which will be held Sept. 19-20 at the Charlotte Convention Center. The theme of this year’s congress is “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5), harkening back to the inauguration of the first Eucharistic Congress in 2005.

It is the 10th year for the youth pilgrimage at Belmont Abbey College. During this day-long event, youth will enjoy live music, a vocations fair and motivational speakers, as well as Eucharistic Adoration and a Eucharistic Procession on the historic campus grounds. There will be separate program tracks for middle and high school youths, and the sacrament of confession will also be available with priests of the diocese.

The keynote address will be delivered by Father Lucas Rossi, parochial vicar of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, who has a passion for youth ministry in the spirit of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Dominican PILGRIMAGE, SEE page 15

More online At www.goeucharist.com: Get more information about the Bishop’s Lenten Youth Pilgrimage and register to attend.

Also, view a promotional video for the pilgrimage at www.youtube.com/watch?v= y3Ggf0Tj4d4&feature=youtu.be.

At www.toriharris.com: Learn more about MC Tori Harris.

Photo provided by Anne Tinsdale

Margarita Cabrera OFS and Rob Buchanan OFS, formation minister of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Secular Franciscan Fraternity, look on as Xiomara Palma, Marcelino Lopes, Eneida Ceballos, Bertha Blandon and Denise Hickey profess their commitment to live the Gospel life as Secular Franciscans.

Secular Franciscans profess during bilingual ceremony Anne Tinsdale OFS Special to the Catholic News Herald

HUNTERSVILLE — More than 100 Secular Franciscans and their families and friends were present as Monsignor Richard Bellow, spiritual assistant for the St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity Order of Franciscans Secular (OFS), officiated at the profession of five new candidates during Mass at St. Mark Church in Huntersville Feb. 22.

Making their profession of commitment to the Secular Franciscan Order were Bertha Blandon, Eneida Cedballos, Marcelino Lopes, Xiomara Palma and Denise Hickey. Formation Director Rob Buchanan gave the admonition and welcomed everyone on behalf of Monsignor Bellow, Fraternity Minister Tom O’Loughlin OFS, the St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity Council, and all the professed members of the fraternity.

This was the first bilingual profession in the region and, according to Buchanan, was the result of “tireless and selfless efforts on the part of Margarita Cabrera OFS and Martha Roman OFS, who spent countless hours and drove many miles ensuring that the candidates were properly prepared.”

Among the guests were Father James Collins, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Newton, there to support the four new Hispanic Secular Franciscans, as well as Capuchin Franciscan Brother Auria Lombardo, who, while a student at Belmont Abbey, Buchanan credited with “planting the early seed that culminated in today’s celebration.” Brother Lombardo, currently assigned to Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville, introduced several members of the next Hispanic group to be in formation from the St. Francis of the Hills OFS Fraternity.

Also present, some coming from as far as Georgia, were representatives of the Regional OFS Council including Jerry Russo, minister; Paul Sanker, vice minister; Frank Massey, Area I councilor; Christina Washington, secretary; Greg Savold, treasurer; Charles Meyer Jr., Area II councilor; Awilda Guadalupe, chair of the newly-formed Hispanic Commission; and Joanita Nellenbach, editor of the regional newsletter “Communio.”

Commenting on the new concept of bilingual fraternities, Russo said, “We really want everyone to be in fraternity together. We want to make sure the bonds of fraternity we develop in initial formation continue through ongoing formation.”

Formerly called the Third Order of St. Francis, the Order of Franciscans Secular (OFS) consists of lay men and women, married or unmarried, who are trying to follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi by living a Gospel-centered life.

FRANCISCANS, SEE page 15

CHARLOTTE — The scourge of AIDS in South Africa, and what traditional healers are doing to combat the disease, will be the topic of a public presentation by UNC-Charlotte professor, historian and author Dr. Karen Flint on Sunday, March 30, at St. Peter Church. “The HIV/AIDS challenge in the new South Africa” will start at 10:15 a.m. in Biss Hall.

Flint is an associate professor of history at UNCC and has spent more than two decades researching health, gender and technology issues in modern South Africa. Her 2008 book “Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948” was a finalist for the Melville J Herskovits Award. She has also written on topics including “The Impact of Globalization on Health, Food Security, and Biomedicine in Africa” and “Reinventing ‘Traditional’ Medicine in Post Apartheid South Africa.”

“I’m a historian and I also do work on medicine in South Africa,” Flint said. “Basically my work is in traditional healers who are on the front line of the HIV epidemic in South Africa.”

She was an anti-apartheid activist who traveled to South Africa in the mid-1990s to witness the training and education of traditional healers there.

“Some of their practices were not necessarily sanitary and they could actually harm patients because they would reuse needles and razor blades. Part of what they were going through in the mid-’90s was education on traditional practices and how to prevent the spread of AIDS and how to recognize patients who might have it.”

During her free presentation on March 30, Flint said she will explain “why the AIDS epidemic is particularly bad in South Africa, why the racially democratic government did not react in the best way to the epidemic, and then also look at the role of traditional healers.”

Flint will also discuss the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. and dispel commonly-held myths about the disease.

St. Peter Church is located at 507 S. Tryon St. in uptown Charlotte. For more information, call the church office at 704-332-2901.

This talk is part of a series of free programs being jointly presented by St. Peter Church and St. Matthew Church in Charlotte featuring UNCC professors and focusing on issues related to Africa.

The final talk in the series will be “Cell Phones, Gorillas, and the Forgotten War in Congo” by with Dr. Beth Whitaker, at 2 p.m.

April 27 at St. Matthew Church’s New Life Center.

Whitaker is an associate professor of political science at UNCC. Her research focuses on African international relations, with an emphasis on migration and security issues. Along with five colleagues, she recently received a three-year $825,000 grant from the Minerva Initiative of the U.S. Department of Defense for a research project on natural resources and conflict. As a Fulbright Scholar in Kenya in 2005-’06, she conducted research on U.S.-African relations in the context of the “war on terror.” She has done fieldwork on the politics of hosting refugees in Tanzania and anti-foreigner attitudes in Botswana, and she is working on a book about the politics of immigration in Africa. She worked previously at the Brookings Institution and the American Council on Education and has been a consultant for the U.S. Department of State, the Social Science Research Council, the United Nations Foundation and Save the Children Fund.

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com

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‘The young adults Catholics I know admire the Holy Father, but they’re not looking directly to a distant figure to inspire them to grow in faith. They want that inspiration to come from their parish, the community and especially their peers.’

— Jessica Oliveti

‘The Vine’ in Asheville aims to attract young adults to church, deepen their faith TIM REID CORRESPONDENT

Tim Reid | Catholic News Herald

David Mayeux and Jessica Oliveti are active in St. Lawrence Basilica’s ministry to young adults in their 20s and 30s. The group, called The Vine, will sponsor a Theology on Tap program March 22. The couple met each other through The Vine and plan to marry at the basilica in August.

ASHEVILLE — Jessica Oliveti, a 28-year-old “cradle Catholic,” remembers it was actually a non-Catholic minister who challenged her heart with his words: “Just going to church once a week is not enough. That’s not living your faith.”

“There are so many distractions in life. It helps to get together with others to really live out your faith,” said Oliveti, who has helped breathe new life into St. Lawrence Basilica’s young adult ministry for 20- and 30-somethings called The Vine.

During the past year, members of The Vine have gone from meeting once a month to having lunch together every Sunday, plus Monday night catechism discussions at Oliveti’s home, along with service projects and other outings.

Members of The Vine invite all young Catholic adults in the Asheville vicariate to join them for a Theology on Tap program after the 5 p.m. Mass Saturday, March 22, at Havana restaurant, just a short walk from the basilica at 1 Battle Square.

Paul Kotlowski, director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Charlotte, will discuss “Virtues: Battling the Forces of Vice.”

Theology on Tap gives people in their 20s and 30s a chance to learn more about their Catholic faith in a relaxed atmosphere, and build a sense of community among people who often have no children or other ties to parish community life.

Many young Catholics feel a degree of tension between living out the doctrines and expectations of the Church

and participating in the culture in which they live, Oliveti said. She strives to counter that tension by fostering activities for herself and others to socialize and grow their faith at the same time.

Participating in The Vine has already meant a big change for Oliveti, who moved here from Texas to pursue a master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia at Western Carolina University’s Biltmore Park campus. It was at a meeting of The Vine that she met David Mayeux, a 33-year-old librarian and committed Catholic. Both have been active in the group while their personal relationship deepened.

“We just clicked the first time we saw each other,” Oliveti said. “We are going to be married at St. Lawrence Aug. 9, with Father (Wilbur) Thomas as the celebrant.”

Mayeux leads the group’s Religious Reflection catechism discussions on Monday nights. Oliveti and other members of The Vine tackle a wide range of activities, everything from preparing food for the parish’s Soup and Substance Lenten meal to meeting at a bar to hear a member perform with her band.

One purpose of The Vine is to build a sense of community among young Catholics that helps them grow in their faith journey, Oliveti said. She observed that other denominations often are better at involving young people than Catholics, and she wants to do her part to change that.

“The little picture can be discouraging because we’re overcoming barriers in parishes without programs – or vibrant programs if they do exist – for young adults, which means that young adults have been absent, and it takes THE VINE, SEE page 15

‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ – Matthew 8:20

Replica of ‘Jesus the Homeless’ sculpture placed in Davidson SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

DAVIDSON — A replica of the “Jesus the Homeless” sculpture created by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz now rests near St. Albans Episcopal Church at 301 Caldwell Lane in Davidson. It is a copy of the sculpture blessed by Pope Francis during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square in Rome Nov. 20.

The local copy of the sculpture was purchased from the artist with funds set aside by a St. Alban’s Church member to honor a friend and fellow church member who died of cancer in 2007. Local media incorrectly reported that the replica sculpture was rejected by cathedrals in New York and Canada before coming to North Carolina.

St. Patrick Cathedral in New York is undergoing extensive renovations and cannot accept any artwork at this time, Catholic media reported.

The replica blessed by Pope Francis is going to be placed at the Vatican. The copy of the sculpture at St. Albans Episcopal Church is the first in North Carolina.

In a story published by Catholic News Service, Schmalz, a Catholic, is reported to have created the original sculpture after undergoing a religious conversion.

Schmalz realized he wanted to create art that would “contribute to the world.” Inspired by the work of great religious sculptors like Michelangelo and Bernini, he opened his own studio and began producing original art, using his faith to provide him with an “endless well” for creativity.

“I realized, if you wanted to make a great epic sculpture or painting, you needed a great epic subject matter,” Schmalz said.

Inspired by the passage from Matthew 8:20 and an encounter with a homeless person on the streets of his hometown of Toronto, Schmalz began working in 2011

on “Jesus the Homeless,” a bronze sculpture depicting a weary Jesus wrapped in a blanket, His face covered, lying huddled on a park bench. The sculpture is life-sized and can easily be mistaken for a real person lying on a real park bench, but a closer look reveals His pierced feet coming out from underneath the blanket.

Viewers who take a second look at the anonymous homeless man will realize it is unmistakably Jesus.

“I can imagine some people walking on a city street, walking by thinking it’s another homeless person, and then they’ll realize it’s actually a representation of Jesus. They will have CNS | L’Osservatore Romano that moment of reflection,” Pope Francis blesses the sculpture “Jesus the Homeless” during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at Schmalz said. the Vatican Nov. 20. The Vatican plans to install the bronze piece by Canadian Timothy Schmalz near Vatican The first of Schmalz’s Radio in memory of a homeless woman who died in the cold.

“Jesus the Homeless” sculptures was placed last Catholic News Service reported. year at Regis College, the Jesuit theology school at the St. Alban’s rector, Rev. Dr. David E. Buck, said, “It’s University of Toronto. Fans of Schmalz’s sculpture recommended it to the Vatican, and Schmalz was invited to Jesus representing the most marginalized of society.”

He believes the sculpture combines beauty, art and the general audience to present the original wooden model religion. “We’re reminded of what our ultimate calling before Pope Francis. Schmalz said the wooden model is as Christians, as people of faith, to do what we can was being housed inside one of the Vatican offices, and a individually and systematically to eliminate homelessness. bronze copy may be placed outdoors, near Vatican Radio, Part of a faith commitment is to care for the needy.” in memory of a homeless woman who died in the cold,

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 OUR PARISHES

‘Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned’ Bishop Jugis celebrates Ash Wednesday Mass to begin season of Lent CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of people crowded into St. Patrick Cathedral for Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis on Ash Wednesday evening.

In his homily, Bishop Jugis reflected on the purpose of Ash Wednesday – and the entire season of Lent – for the faithful.

The ashes, the penitential prayers, the examination of conscience – all these, he said, aim to help us to realize our sinful behavior, express sorrow for our sins, and ask God for His mercy.

“We ask for His mercy so that He will pardon our sins and give us new life in Christ,” he said.

“It’s all geared towards new life in Christ.”

Lent, therefore, should be a “deeply personal” time of prayer and reflection for each one of us, he said.

We have to acknowledge the many ways we have fallen short as Christians, and then undergo a process of conversion – metanoia – in order to welcome Jesus into our hearts at Easter.

We should all pray, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner,” Bishop Jugis encouraged.

The ashes placed on our foreheads at Ash Wednesday are simply an outward sign of our human frailty, our repentance, and our eventual earthly deaths, he said. Death is a part of the human condition, he also noted, brought about because of the original sin we inherited from the fall of Adam and Eve. At the conclusion of his homily, Bishop Jugis removed his violet zucchetto and received ashes sprinkled on the top of his head. Then he and St. Patrick Cathedral’s two deacons, Deacon Carlos Medina and Deacon Brian McNulty, distributed ashes to everyone present.

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor

Children from Sacred Heart School receive ashes during Ash Wednesday Mass celebrated by Father Jason Barone at Sacred Heart Church.

Photo provided by Robin Fisher

In what’s become a popular tradition at Sacred Heart Parish, Father Barone and Father John Putnam, pastor, serve up “Shrove Tuesday” pancakes for parishioners on March 4.

Bill Washington | Catholic News Herald

(below Far left) Parishioners at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, including Paul Liotard (in front), celebrate Mardi Gras and help with burning the old palms to use on Ash Wednesday.

John Bunyea | Catholic News Herald

(Left) Young members of St. Mary, Mother of God Church’s faith formation classes learn about the custom of burning last year’s blessed palms from Father Joshua Voitus, pastor.

Vicki Dorsey | Catholic News Herald

Blessed palms and palm crosses from last year are burned at Holy Spirit Church in Denver.

Doreen Sugierski | Catholic News Herald

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from Ash Wednesday

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com

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‘Be merciful, O Lord’: Faithful across the diocese mark the start of Lent Belmont Abbey College students, monks mark start of Lent BELMONT — Students and faculty gathered inside the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians on the campus of Belmont Abbey College on Ash Wednesday to mark the start of Lent and receive ashes on their foreheads.

For students, especially, the day was a strong nod to their commitment to their Catholic faith and an opportunity to recall, amid the flurry of papers and exams, what makes their beliefs significant to them.

Sarah Woldum, a junior majoring in English at the college, says the ritual reminds her that she belongs to God. “It is a tangible reminder of the impermanence of life. I came from dust, and to dust I shall return; it reminds me that most of the things I have in this life will change and fade away,” Woldum says, adding that the cross of ashes is both a humbling and unifying experience for her. “It can be a little awkward, running an errand after Mass on Ash

Wednesday and having someone stop you to say, ‘Excuse me, ma’am, I think you have dirt on your face.’ But I am always slightly encouraged when I’m at a gas station or in the grocery store on Ash Wednesday and I see a little girl with ashes on her head, or an elderly man, or a cashier.

The ashes serve as a physical reminder of my mortality and as a sign of my identity as a Catholic.”

Eckhart von Hochheim, a 13th-century German theologian, spoke of remaining still to “let God speak and act in thee.” Sound advice for our current century and something that Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari agrees with when taking the Lenten holiday into consideration.

There are a few things one can do, Abbot Placid says, to achieve a sense of calm and take Lent a little more seriously.

“People might wish to read over the baptismal profession

of faith, which will be renewed on Easter, and reflect on their life in the light of their fidelity to the gospel,” he says.

“In thinking of an appropriate Lenten observance, they might consider either doing something or abstaining from something – not in a general sense, but in a way which would focus on an area where they need to strengthen their will.”

As the individual who keeps the proverbial trains running on time at the monastery, Abbot Placid is certainly a man who stays active. Yet he admits that for him, the season of Lent brings about a time of reflection on the meaning and importance of Easter.

“My focus is on fidelity to Christian life. As I get older and realize how quickly time passes, I am more aware of the need to prepare for the Lord’s return.”

— Emily Williams, correspondent

(Top) Parishioners at Holy Spirit Church in Denver pray during Ash Wednesday Mass.

Doreen Sugierski | Catholic News Herald

(Left) A crown of thorns sits on display in the narthex at St. Gabriel Church March 5.

(Above) Fourth-graders at St. Gabriel School crafted a banner featuring different themes of Lent. The banner was placed in front the altar at St. Gabriel Church for Ash Wednesday services.

Photos by Rico De Silva | Catholic News Herald

Make time for prayer, penance, almsgiving this Lent, urges Concord pastor CONCORD — At an Ash Wednesday evening Mass, Redemptorist Father Joseph Dionne reminded parishioners at St. James the Greater Church to make time for prayer and penance this Lenten season.

“Every baptized person receives the call (of penance) and that will be a commitment to each other,” said Father Dionne, who was joined in the celebration with Redemptorist Father Vang Cong Tran and assisted by Deacon Martin Ricart.

In his homily, Father Dionne spoke about three important characteristics of the observance of Lent: almsgiving, prayer and fasting.

“You must do all three together,” Father Dionne told his flock. “We must do something. We cannot do nothing. None of us has that luxury.”

In another aspect of the Lenten season, Father Dionne also spoke of the importance of parishioners taking part in Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl – a great way of expressing solidarity with others and giving alms to the poor.

Before the Mass and distribution of ashes to faith formation students in the parish hall, third-grade faith formation teacher Lisa Divincenzo said the season of Lent “is about being closer to Christ and the importance of

spreading that message to our children.”

Faith formation director Armando Chavarria said the importance of Lent “is a great opportunity to remember our baptism.”

“I told our parents to talk about baptism and that Lent was a preparation for baptism,” he added.

Parishioner Daniel Peralta said he attended Ash Wednesday services as a means to get back into going to Mass on a regular basis. “(Observing) Lent is important because it allows me to give something back to my children,” said Peralta.

— David Exum, correspondent

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 OUR PARISHES

‘Be merciful, O Lord’: Faithful across the diocese mark the start of Lent

Photos by David Hains, SueAnn Howell, Tim Reid, Doreen Sugierski and Paul Viau | Catholic News Herald

(Clockwise, from top) Students at Charlotte Catholic High School receive ashes from Father Matthew Kauth, chaplain. Father Carl Del Giudice, pastor, distributes ashes at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte.

Father Larry LoMonaco, pastor, and Mary Finn distribute ashes at St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville. Bowls of ashes are prepared at Holy Spirit Church in Denver.

Father Adrian Porras, pastor, distributes ashes at St. Barnabas Church in Arden.

David Hains | Catholic News Herald

Rice Bowl Rally CHARLOTTE — The season of Lent got started with a Rice Bowl Rally at St. Gabriel School Feb. 26. The student body of the K-5 school gathered in the cafeteria to listen to Dr. Carolyn Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, the international agency that sponsors the long-running Rice Bowl collection. Woo explained to the children that for many

people in the world, a day’s worth of food consists of a slice of bread and a banana. Rice Bowl funds are split between local and international food relief efforts. Last year St. Gabriel students collected $8,000. Principal Sharon Broxterman challenged the students to elevate the collection this year to $10,000.

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 OUR PARISHES

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Hear author of ‘Dead Man Walking’ MOORESVILLE — St. Joseph Sister Helen Prejean, the author of “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States,” will speak Friday, April 4, at St. Therese Church in Mooresville, starting at 7 p.m.

She has been instrumental in sparking national dialogue on the death penalty and travels around the world Prejean giving talks about her ministry. A member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, she has been educating citizens about the death penalty and counseling individual death row prisoners since 1984. Her book was turned into the hit movie starring Susan Sarandon in 1995. Her second book, “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions,” was released in 2004.

For more information, call Carmen San Juan at 704-664-7762.

Regional, earning a sixth seed and will face the third-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs March 14 in Hickory.

Belmont Abbey (21-8) will be making its sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament, but the first since the 2001-’02 season. The Crusaders are 1-5 alltime in the tournament.

Belmont Abbey is enjoying a record-breaking year as a school record four players were named to the all-Conference Carolinas teams, as four of the five starters were selected. Junior forward McKenzie Owen was named to the first team, sophomore guard Morgan Midkiff gained a second team selection and senior guards Kelsey Long and Candace Fox were named to the third team.

Until this season the women’s basketball program never had more than three players named to the all-conference teams in the same year.

First year head coach Jason Williams was named the Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year, the first Crusaders women’s basketball coach since 1991 to earn that honor. He guided the Abbey to a 21-8 record-its first 20 win season since the 2004-05 campaign-and its highest conference finish in the same time period. The Crusaders were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll and ended the year second, just one game out of first place.

— Belmont Abbey College

Pictured, a Tradesmen member shares a hug with a House of Mercy resident during a holiday celebration in December.

House of Mercy, an AIDS ministry founded by the Sisters of Mercy in Belmont, has provided a home and specialized care for more than 300 low-income men and women since 1991.

The impact of HIV/AIDS is a growing concern in the South as high poverty levels, lack of health insurance and stigma have influenced the spread of the disease. The South experiences the most AIDS deaths and 45 percent of new AIDS diagnoses overall. The N.C. Division of Public Health estimates 36,500 North Carolinians are living with HIV or AIDS, including 7,000 who are unaware of their status. North Carolina ranked 10th among the 50 states in AIDS cases diagnosed in 2010 (most recent data for comparison).

Learn more about the House of Mercy at www.thehouseofmercy.org.

— Marjorie Storch

House of Mercy receives grant help

— Lisa Cash

Belmont Abbey earns berth to NCAA tournament BELMONT — The Belmont Abbey College women’s basketball team earned one of the five at-large berths to the NCAA Southeast

parishioner Kevin Tran recently received the 2014 St. Timothy Award from the Diocese of Charlotte Office of Youth Ministry. Tran, a senior at Independence High School, has been an altar server for many years, and currently serves both as a server and a trainer. He has taught faith formation for the past four years and currently serves as vice chairman of the parish youth council, besides being active in the high school youth group and Venture Crew.

“He is faithful to Mass, reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration, and is a wonderful example to other young people of the joy that comes from being a good Catholic,” said St. John Neumann’s pastor, Father Patrick Hoare.

Tran is pictured with Paul Kotlowski, director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Charlotte, and St. John Neumann Church’s pastor, Father Patrick Hoare.

— SueAnn Howell

Tran receives St. Timothy Award CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Church

BELMONT — House of Mercy was recently awarded grants from the Raskob Foundation and the Charles and Irene Nanney Foundation.

Scorpio (lead sponsor), Gilead Science, Rodgers Builders, The Tradesmen, Carolina Care Pharmacy and Cherry Bekaert LLP have also financially supported House of Mercy via World AIDS Day sponsorships.

Horan helps out animal shelter MOORESVILLE — Instead of presents for her 11th birthday, Shaelyn Horan of Mooresville asked for donations to benefit the Lake Norman Animal Rescue. The young parishioner of St. Therese Church said she has received much from God and her family, and she loves animals.

She herself has a Boxer, Kasey, and a black Lab, Miley. She is pictured March 3 with Brian Teter, the manager of Mooresville PetSmart, and John Green, the president of Lake Norman Animal Rescue, after she had organized the donations and brought them to the store. She is the daughter of John and JoAnn Horan, and the granddaughter of Martin and JoAnn (Precious) Yodice and Susan Horan (Gram) of Mooresville.

— JoAnn Horan We welcome your parish’s news! Please email news items and photos to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@ charlottediocese.org.

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com

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Thinking about a will?

Request a free Wills Kit from CRS. Learn what you need to know before you see an attorney.

1-800-235-2772 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Giving hope to a world of need.

John Bunyea | Catholic News Herald

Pinewood Derby Day KERNERSVILLE — Scouts Timothy Fernald and Michael Schultz practice racing their Pinewood Derby cars March 1, under the guidance of Scoutmaster Jeremy Vandiver. The Scouts are members of Holy Cross Pack 943.

For the past 18 years it has been my pleasure to help the employees of the Diocese of Charlotte plan for a secure retirement.

I would also like to be your trusted financial advisor.

Retirement planning – Life – LTC – Auto & Home Insurance

Ken Altman

Call: 704-839-3755 or email: kaltman1@metlife.com Member: National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (NAIFA) St. Mark Catholic Church – Huntersville L0213304211(exp1215) NC GLOBAL CATHOLIC TOURS OF VIRGINIA 2014 PILGRIMAGES

9 Days HolyLand. Sep 7-15, $2725.

5 nights in Jerusalem and 2 nights in Nazareth.

With Fr Joe Arledge from Woodward, OK. 11 Days Catholic Ireland Sep 8-18, $3200.

3 nights each in Dublin and Galway, 2 nights Killarney, 1 night in Limerick. .

With Fr Art Bufogle from Kingwood, WV. 13 Days Spain-Fatima. Sep 15-27, $3749.

4 nights Madrid, 1 night Burgos, 2 nights Santiago de Compostela, 3 nights Fatima, 1 night Lisbon.

With Fr Dan Pisano from Wellsburg, WV. 12 Day Pilgrimage to Italy. Sep 16-27, $3950.

3 nights Venice, 2 nights Florence, 1 night Assisi, 4 nights Rome. Visit Padua and Siena. With Fr Krempa from Winchester, VA.

In 2010, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake.

Today, the country is still reeling.

Watch the Mercy for Haiti film and help us continue to make a difference for those forgotten. Visit urgentcares.org/haiti

11Day Poland -Prague. Sep 29-Oct 9 $3280 From Dulles AP. 2 nights Warsaw, 1 night Czestrochowa, 3 nights each in Krakow & Prague.

Visit Wadowice, D.Mercy Shrine. With Fr Joe Goldsmith from Harrisonburg, VA.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 14

‘La TV es una de las puertas que utiliza el Enemigo para infiltrarse y entrar a los hogares, especialmente en los niños y adolescentes.’

Jose Pastor

E

¿Son seguros los ‘Canales de TV Infantiles’ para nuestros niños?

l mundo moderno nos trae poderosos medios de comunicación y hace la vida más placentera y globalizada. Sin embargo, esto puede ser un arma de doble filo, pues tanto lo bueno, como lo malo puede ser introducido en nuestros hogares a través de la TV, el Internet, los video-juegos, entre otros.

San Pablo en su carta a los Efesios nos dice: “Porque nuestra lucha no es contra enemigos de carne y sangre, sino contra los Principados y Potestades, contra los Soberanos de este mundo de tinieblas, contra los espíritus del mal que habitan en el espacio,” (Ef. 6:12).

En mi labor como promotor de la Alianza de la Sagrada Familia Internacional (conocida por sus siglas en ingles AHFI) en la que promovemos de casa en casa la devoción a los Dos Corazones de Jesús y de María, he podido notar que la gran mayoría de hogares católicos, están infestados de la presencia del Maligno.

Es Posible que el Diablo y sus demonios se hayan infiltrado en nuestro hogar y lo peor de todo es que ¡no lo sepamos! Dice el Señor: “Por sus frutos los reconocerán,” (Mt 7:16), y también “Una casa dividida, no puede subsistir,” (Lc 11:17). Si en nuestro hogar hay división, peleas, gritos, vicios, depresión, enfermedad y cosas similares, sería mejor que analicemos las posibles causas.

La TV es una de las puertas que utiliza el Enemigo para infiltrarse y entrar a los hogares, especialmente en los niños y adolescentes. Para comprender mejor esto, es necesario definir que son los “mensajes subliminales.”

Para ponerlo en palabras simples, son imágenes o escenas “escondidas intencionalmente” en una película o dibujos animados (cartoons), estos mensajes, son tomados por nuestra mente y luego influyen en nuestro futuro comportamiento.

Es importante recalcar que los niños tienen una percepción de las cosas diferente a las de los adultos.

Ellos descubren estos mensajes con mucha naturalidad, aunque muchas veces no los entienden pero se van quedando grabados en su subconsciente, y más adelante se verán los resultados negativos de estos.

Un buen ejemplo para explicar esto un poco mejor: Imagínese que Ud. está preparando unos pastelitos, o ‘cup-cakes,’ y en un descuido, alguien pone en la masa que Ud. está preparando unas semillas de ‘pop-corn.’

Luego sin saberlo, Ud. coloca en el horno los pastelitos, y

a los pocos minutos, empiezan a reventar las semillas del pop-corn arruinando lo que Ud. con tanto cuidado estuvo preparando.

En este caso, los pastelitos que Ud. está preparando son lo más apreciado que tiene Ud.: ¡Sus hijos! Las semillas de popcorn son los mensajes subliminales que el Enemigo pone en la mente de sus niños. Al final, uno no se explica porque, estos hijos se convierten en adictos a la pornografía, las drogas, el divorcio, la homosexualidad, etc., etc.

Yo quisiera incentivarlos a todos los lectores de esta Columna de Fuego a que hagan su propia investigación.

Sin tener que ir muy lejos, escriban en Google “mensajes subliminales Disney,” y saquen sus propias conclusiones.

Ahora, no podemos quedarnos de brazos cruzados, viendo cómo se destruye nuestra familia. Recordemos que esta batalla no es contra seres de carne y hueso, sino contra espíritus malignos, entonces debemos enfrentarlos con armas espirituales.

Nosotros promovemos a través de la Alianza de los Dos Corazones cuatro Fuentes de Gracia para que fluya en nuestro hogar la bendición abundante, y expulse a todo Espíritu Maligno que se haya alojado o quiera entrar.

Primero, Consagrar su familia al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y al Inmaculado Corazón de María. Recen el Santo Rosario todos los días, lo ideal es que lo ore toda la familia reunida si es posible.

Segundo, Confesión frecuente, debemos mantener nuestro corazón limpio y transparente a Dios, para que fluyan las Gracias del Cielo.

Tercero, recibir la Eucaristía lo más frecuente que sea posible, lo ideal es todos los días, pero por lo menos todos los Domingos.

Cuarto, hacer horas de Adoración frente al Santísimo Sacramento. Varias Iglesias tienen adoración perpetua en el área de Charlotte. Es decir, Ud. puede ir cualquier día y a cualquier hora a visitar a ¡Nuestro Señor JesucristoSacramentado en persona! Entre ellas está San Gabriel en Charlotte, y San Marcos en Huntersville.

Que Nuestro Señor Jesucristo los bendiga y les proteja, y les de la gracia de entender el misterio de esta batalla.

José A. Pastor es feligrés de la Parroquia de Santa Ana en Charlotte. Si desean más información acerca de cómo consagrar a su familia a los Corazones de Jesús y María, comuníquese con Pastor por e-mail al josantonio2@yahoo.es.

Talleres de Oración y Vida comienzan en la Diócesis de Charlotte RICO DE SILVA HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Los Talleres de Oración y Vida, un movimiento laico fundado por el difunto sacerdote Franciscano Capuchino, Ignacio Larrañaga, en 1984, ya está funcionando en la Diócesis de Charlotte.

El primer Taller de Vida y Oración empezó en la Parroquia de San Vicente de Paul en Charlotte, el 20 de Enero de este año. El Padre Mark Lawlor, Párroco de San Vicente, le abrió las puertas a la Entrenadora de los Talleres en Charlotte, Angela de Guillén, y el grupo se ha estado reuniendo todos los lunes en la noche desde esa fecha.

La acogida de los Talleres de Oración y Vida ha sido muchísimo mejor de lo que se esperaba.

“Cuando empezamos éramos 43 y ¡ahora somos 54!” Dijo Ana Lothspeich, una More online de los primeros 43 participantes que At www.tovpil.org: Para ha asistido a todos ver la página Web de los Talleres desde los Talleres de Oración su inicio. El exitoso y Vida, y obtener más inicio de los Talleres información al respecto. localmente atrajo la atención de los dos Coordinadores Nacionales del Sureste de los Estados Unidos, Liliana y Jaime Garrido. Los Garridos, que son esposo y esposa, visitaron a Charlotte recientemente, y compartieron en una entrevista el formato de los Talleres.

Después del Taller de apertura, los participantes se reúnen todos los lunes en la noche en la Iglesia de San Vicente por 15 sesiones de dos horas por 15 semanas consecutivas. “Las sesiones están unidas o concatenadas unas con otras y siguen una secuencia,” dijo Liliana Garrido.

“Lo que hace único a los Talleres es que enseña al Tallerista a orar desde los primeros pasos hasta la oración de contemplación,” dijo Liliana.

“Desde la primera sesión descubres que lo más importante es sentirse amado por Dios…No importa lo que hayas hecho, eres amado, querido por Dios,” dijo Liliana.

Los Garridos dijeron que los Talleres de Oración y Vida están ahora en la primera etapa de un proceso de expansión en la Diócesis de Charlotte. Una vez que los participantes acaben este primer Taller, las personas que hayan mostrado interés y aptitud para convertirse en Entrenadores de los Talleres serán invitados a asistir a una escuela de entrenamiento que tiene una duración de un año. “Después que acaben su entrenamiento en la Escuela, ellos entonces buscarán ofrecer los Talleres en sus parroquias,” dijo Jaime Garrido.

“Los Talleres te van llevando poquito a poco a más profundidad…También vas a encontrar lo que Dios quiere para ti personalmente. Vas a poner tu nombre en la Biblia, y Dios te mostrará lo que Él desea para ti,” dijo Liliana.

“Estos Talleres hay que vivirlos,” dijeron los Garrido.

“No se pueden explicar.”

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

FRANCISCANS: FROM PAGE 6

Profession as a secular Franciscan is a personal decision to live in the world according to the ideals of St. Francis and St. Clare, but it is more than a commitment to personal holiness. It is a public ceremony and testimony to the commitment to live the Gospel in the fraternity, the Church, the community and the world.

PILGRIMAGE: FROM PAGE 6

Sister Jane Dominic, professed with the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tenn., will also be a featured speaker.

Mistress of ceremonies will be Tori Harris, who is “among a wave of vibrant young Catholics committed to communicating the richness of the Catholic faith to a new generation of the faithful” using both new and traditional music, according to her website.

The 25-year-old’s independent EP, “Adoremus” debuted in the iTunes U.S. Top 100 Gospel chart, and her single “Face to Face” was chosen as a featured release in National Worship Leader Magazine’s SongDISCovery

Profession takes place during Mass, because this special fullness of baptismal life, which is sealed and confirmed, emphasizes more clearly the task of witnessing to Jesus.

“The Lay Franciscan is called

by God through the Holy Spirit to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the spirit of St. Francis and the heritage of the Franciscan family,” said Franciscan Friar Benet Fonck, communications coordinator for the Sacred Heart Province of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans).

disc. Harris has performed at LifeTeen camps and on Catholic college campuses across the U.S., including Belmont Abbey College, and she has also led music for bestselling author Immaculee Ilibagiza’s retreats.

Marie Miller & Co. and Adam Trufant, who is a Belmont Abbey College graduate, will also provide musical entertainment during the event.

Mass will be celebrated starting at 9:40 a.m., and Bishop Jugis will speak at the Eucharistic Adoration in the afternoon. Registration for the Lenten Youth Pilgrimage is $15 and is required. The fee includes a pizza lunch, a soft drink and a specially designed pilgrimage T-shirt if you register by Monday, March 10.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

15

EXPERIENCE:

THE VINE:

FROM PAGE 3

FROM PAGE 7

Jesus, and leading their families.

The day-long conference March 1 also featured a vocation talk

by Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, a personal testimony by St. Mark parishioner Paul Anatrella, and an afternoon period of Eucharist Adoration that included a reflection on the Eucharist by Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin.

Anderson was the concluding keynote speaker of the men’s conference. During his talk entitled “A Charity that Evangelizes,” Anderson said the future of the Catholic Church depends on the commitment of lay Catholics to the New Evangelization.

That commitment starts at home with the “domestic Church,” Anderson said, and it also needs to be lived outside the home through service to each person’s parish.

“I ask you that tomorrow after Mass, thank your pastor for saying Mass for you, and ask him, ‘Father, what is one more thing I can do to help you here in the parish?’” Anderson told the men.

Joe Warwick, a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Charlotte who has attended all four men’s conferences, said, “Loved the theme ‘Transformed by Christ, Men on a Mission.’ The conference fueled my desire to want to complete my mission of sainthood for my family and me, while on the path of sanctity and attempting to emulate St. Joseph in my life every day.”

Dan Trapini, a member of the conference organizing team, said feedback he has received since the conference has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Many men have told us this has been the best conference to date. The favorite speaker by far was Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers.

The men have been calling for us to bring him back.”

Trapini also noted, “Many men have commented on how well Dr. Allen Hunt and Deacon Harold complemented each other. Bishop Curlin always has an impact on the men, and Paul Anatrella’s witness left a big impact as well.”

He added, “Watching men kneeling silently in Adoration, watching them waiting in line to go to confession, or just hearing how they have encountered Christ that day, inspires our core team.

It’s the men that give us life and sustain the evangelistic spirit that this conference is all about.”

work to get their notice again,” she said.

“In the big picture, I think the growth of The Vine and the young adult ministries in the Asheville area and the diocese are an encouraging sign that the Gospel still speaks to us, and that there’s a place in the Church for young adults.”

These are exciting times for Catholics as Pope Francis is a charismatic figure who is having a powerful effect on the world, Oliveti said.

“But to be honest, the young adults Catholics I know – the ones in The Vine and those on what Pope Francis calls the ‘edges of the Church’ – admire the Holy Father, but they’re not looking directly to a distant figure to inspire them to grow in faith.

They want that inspiration to come from their parish, the community and especially their peers.

“They’re excited when their parish embraces them and makes them feel welcome, when there are programs like Theology on Tap aimed to them, and when there’s a community of peers with which they can share their faith, their struggles and their prayers.

I think that’s true now and will be whoever the pope may be.”

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Our schools 16

catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Photos provided by Michael Miller

Asheville Catholic School is assisting two schools in western Nigeria, thanks to a partnership organized between Principal Michael Miller and Joanne Chinkers (pictured in the middle). Gateway Christian Model School and Word of Life Academy in Jebba have received badly needed school supplies and other items thanks to recent collections taken up by the Asheville students. Also pictured, Nigerian students carry school supplies on their heads to the teacher’s house because the delivery truck couldn’t navigate the rough terrain.

Asheville Catholic reaches out to help schools in Nigeria Effort is part of school’s virtue-based ‘7x7 model’ David Exum Correspondent

ASHEVILLE — Living up to its motto “Where Faith and Knowledge Meet the World, Asheville Catholic School is partnering with two impoverished schools in Jebba, Nigeria.

The “sister school” relationship is part of what principal Michael Miller calls the school’s “7x7 model.” The term comes from Dr. Stephen Covey’s bestselling book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” and the seven virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, courage, faith, hope and charity.

Miller got the idea to help the two Nigerian schools after attending a presentation by former colleague Joanne Chinkers last year. Chinkers had just returned from the town in western Nigeria after working on relief efforts for the two schools (Gateway Christian Model School and Word of Life Academy) the previous two summers and was set to go back there in November. “(Chinkers) showed us pictures and video (and) she told us her stories of the students she worked with and the teachers who were working so hard to keep the schools operating,” Miller said. “It was touching to hear of the struggles that these students and families go through just to be able to go to school and to meet the demands of their daily lives.”

“Joanne is there to attend to the challenge of making sure that school personnel are properly trained in teaching and management techniques, as well as procuring proper supplies for the schools,” he explained. “It has been very rewarding for her, as these schools did not even have buildings when she first began working with them several years ago.”

Miller invited Chinkers to speak to his students at Asheville Catholic before she returned to Jebba.

School life for children in Nigeria isn’t easy compared to what students at Asheville Catholic are used to, Miller likes to point out to his students. For instance, Nigerian students have no buses and must walk to school, some for many miles. Many students suffer from diseases such as typhoid, malaria and tuberculosis because of the lack of clean drinking water and sanitary conditions. And many girls are not even allowed to attend school.

Students at Asheville Catholic were so inspired by her talk that they collected 350 pounds of school supplies and shipped them to the impoverished area.

“We delivered our first round of supplies to Joanne before she left in November,” Miller said. “Everything from paper and books, to pencils and markers were collected in eight large boxes and sent over to Nigeria.”

Since Chinkers arrived in Jebba Nov. 20, Miller says, he has been receiving regular correspondence from her concerning the happenings at the two schools. Chinkers has adequate Internet access and is able to keep in touch with Miller via posts on Facebook, YouTube videos and emails.

When the first shipment of supplies arrived, it was too heavy for the truck to transport to Chinkers’ house because of the rough terrain.

“By that time she had become reacquainted with old

friends and the students she had come to know and love,” Miller said. “They all showed up to help her unload the container. Some of the smallest children carried very heavy boxes on their heads up the steep hill.”

In a newsletter Chinkers wrote in January, she described the determination of one of her students, named Kemmi.

“My youngest helper was a tiny 5-year-old who made trip after trip carrying boxes half her body weight on her head,” wrote Chinkers, who has been a teacher for more than 20 years.

“What an example of selflessness and perseverance that little girl is.”

Miller also said Chinkers noticed the truck driver was excited to see the Bibles she had brought, so she offered him a copy as way of saying thanks.

“He was so grateful, as Bibles are very expensive and hard to come by but highly valued there,” Miller said.

Chinkers recently wrote to thank the Asheville Catholic students for a pencil sharpener they had sent.

“Thank you so much for all the things you collected,” she wrote. “I was so excited to see the pencil sharpener. It will be attached to the wall of Nursery Two. It scares me to see those little guys sharpening their pencils with a razor blade. This will be a most welcome addition to the room.”

Most importantly, Miller said, the involvement from his students gives them a solid example of the importance of thinking beyond the boundaries of Asheville.

“We want to communicate to our students the very real fact that the world needs them,” Miller said. “If we create a school culture that instills the principles found in Covey’s (book) and the (seven Christian virtues), then we have made great strides towards equipping our students to be successful in future stages of their lives, and being able to make a positive impact in our world.”

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Charlotte Catholic’s beloved football coach to retire David Exum Correspondent

CHARLOTTE — No matter the outcome of any game, Charlotte Catholic football coach Jim Oddo always tells his players to remember the importance of their Catholic faith.

Oddo, 78, arguably the most successful high school football coach in North Carolina, announced his retirement Feb. 25 after coaching at Charlotte Catholic for more than four decades.

“We would always adhere to the importance of having a strong Catholic faith and we built our program around it,” says Oddo, who amassed a record of 358-145-2 and won three state championships (1977, 2004 and 2005). From 2004 to 2005, Oddo’s teams went undefeated, 32-0.

“Our kids went to Mass before every game and our chaplain would always pray with us before each game,” Oddo recalls. “I always told the kids to remember you are not only representing yourselves, you’re also representing Charlotte Catholic. I always told them to play hard, play fast and play clean. We pride ourselves on being a part of this Catholic community.”

Oddo says he’ll never forget the tremendous college-like atmosphere during game day.

“It’s just been a great experience and something that I dreamed about after I got out of college (N.C. State),” says Oddo, who played linebacker and center and played on the 1957 team that won the school’s first ACC championship.

Before calling Charlotte Catholic his home for more than 40 years, Oddo’s first coaching position was at Fort Pierce High School (Fla.) from 1959 to 1962. He then moved on to East Mecklenburg High School in 1962 and didn’t leave until Charlotte Catholic’s Father Michael F. O’Keefe asked him in 1972.

“Both Fort Pierce and East Meck were great experiences,” remembers Oddo. “East Meck had great coaches and I really liked it until Father O’Keefe called me up on the phone and said, ‘Hey, you’re a good Catholic boy – you need to come to Catholic.’”

What is also rewarding to Oddo in terms of his legacy at Charlotte Catholic is the fact that so many former studentathletes return to campus to say hello. In 2013, Oddo even had a player from his coaching days at Fort Pierce come to a game at Charlotte Catholic.

“To be honest, I didn’t remember him,” says Oddo. “It meant so much to me for a former player to come back and tell me how much I meant to them. When kids come back to see you, that means a lot. That’s a big part of it, and that’s going to be something I’ll miss for sure.”

Hailing from Wilmington, Del., Oddo’s mother was a devout Catholic. When Oddo took over the football team at Charlotte Catholic in 1973, he knew his mother would be proud that her son was honoring his Catholic upbringing and getting involved in Catholic education.

“Father (Michael) O’Keefe is the real reason why I came to Charlotte Catholic,” he says. “My mom was very, very religious and I knew she would be proud if I was involved in this Catholic community.”

The morning after announcing his retirement, Oddo says several students approached him to say they couldn’t believe he was leaving.

But, he says, “I just had a gut feeling that now is the time.

When you get to be my age, you start to slow down, and I think I really have. I rely heavily on my coaches and I just don’t have full command (of the team) like I did before. I used to be able to watch a play and tell what the kids were doing wrong, and I can’t do that anymore, either.”

Before the school’s football field was built and named after

17

Others call Coach Oddo ‘a man of integrity’ David Exum Correspondent

Photo provided by Charlotte Catholic High School

Coach Jim Oddo recently announced his retirement.

the longtime coach, Oddo says, Charlotte Catholic just didn’t have the facilities to host a playoff game and would always have to play away games.

“I’m touched that this field in named after me. It’s a great tribute to have your name on the field. It means a lot, and I enjoy that.”

Oddo also says he hopes he’ll be remembered as being a fair coach.

“You like everybody, but everybody can’t play every game,” he says. “If anybody knows anything about our program, they know that I do my best to get all of my kids into the game, as soon as we can get them in there. I also want it to be known that I wasn’t a coach that liked to run up the score.”

And just because Oddo is retiring, he says, it doesn’t mean that he won’t still be interested in Charlotte Catholic football.

“I’ll still be down on the sideline and I’m still going to be critical,” he laughs. “I’ll be there and I’ll certainly enjoy it.”

CHARLOTTE — Jim Oddo has created much more than a winning football tradition at Charlotte Catholic High School.

Oddo “taught all of these teams how to be a Catholic family,” says dean of students Randy Belk. “One of the things that I heard him say more than anything else over the years was that (his players) represented something much bigger than a football team.”

Before announcing his retirement Feb. 25, Oddo spent more than 40 years as the school’s head football coach. During that time, Belk often recalls that Oddo was never interested in wins or loses, statistics or state championships.

“How we represented this school and this community was very important to him,” adds Belk. “That’s something he really pushed. He certainly had a lot of wins and a lot of other accolades that go along with being successful, but he felt it was very important that we represent the players and families that came before them.”

Athletic director Kevin Christmas says Oddo is “a man of integrity. He is a man of his faith and he just embodies all of (what) Charlotte Catholic (represents).”

Christmas added that to students of Charlotte Catholic, Oddo was “always that constant. And in this day and age, it’s hard to have a person you can count on, day in and day out. That’s what he meant to the kids.”

Principal Jerry Healy, meanwhile, doesn’t think Charlotte Catholic would be what it is today if it were not for the contributions of Coach Oddo.

Healy explains that when Oddo came to Charlotte Catholic in 1973, the school had only 238 students and many Catholic students were going to Myers Park (High School) or other schools. “(Oddo) doesn’t get the credit he truly deserves,” says Healy. “Without him, I’m not so sure the school would have grown like it has. He really developed an intense pride in the program – not only for winning, but for who we are and what we represent. I think if we did not have that success and that he did not come, I’m not so sure the school would have grown to where we are today.”

Even though Charlotte Catholic Hall of Fame member Howard “Humpy” Wheeler (Class of 1956) never played for Oddo, the popular stock car racing promoter compares Oddo to two of the greatest football coaches ever to patrol the sidelines.

“Jim Oddo is one of those coaches who will never be forgotten by the thousands who watched his team play, or the many young men who played for him including my son Trip,” says Wheeler. “To a great extent (Oddo) was a mixture of the tough (Vince) Lombardi of Green Bay and the smart Lou Holtz.”

IHM boys basketball team wins Shamrock Tournament HIGH POINT — The varsity boys basketball team of Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point won the annual Shamrock Tournament last month in Charlotte for the first time in school history. Over the three-day event, the boys won six games in their flight including the final game against Blessed Sacrament of Savannah, Ga. The Shamrock Tournament, started in 1962, brings together Catholic schools from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia for a busy weekend of basketball and cheerleading. More than 70 teams representing 35 schools participate in the event for seventhand eighth-grade boys and girls.

IHM, led by head coach Tom Terreault and assistant Brandon Narveson, started off the tournament strong on Friday night with a 48-36 win over Asheville Catholic. A friendly game against the B team of St. Peter Chanel from

Roswell, Ga., followed with a win of 46-35.

The second day of tournament play resulted in a win of 5635 against St. James of Savannah, and another win of 48-40 against the A team of St. Peter Chanel, landing the boys in the final four.

On the final day, IHM defeated conference rival Our Lady of Mercy School from Winston-Salem, with a score of 40-36, to earn a trip to the final matchup against Blessed Sacrament. An early injury to eighth-grader Erik Bauer only served to rally the boys together to top the Irish for a win of 61-46.

Eighth-grader Andrew DeSalvo earned the Joe Mosca Trophy for the tournament’s most valuable player, while he and fellow eighth-grader Alex Sargeant each accepted team MVP awards.

— Lianne Finger, correspondent

Lianne Finger | Catholic News Herald

18

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In Brief

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— Michael Miller

Seniors named National Merit Finalists CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School seniors Sumner Dudick, Meghan Flyke and Andrew Market were recently named finalists in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program.

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— Sandy Needham

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A Day with the Synoptic Gospels Thursday, April 3 or Saturday, April 5 9:30am – 4:00pm Presented by: Dr. Peter Judge, Chair of the Philosophy & Religion Department at Winthrop University

CHARLOTTE — Eleven members of the Charlotte Catholic School Debate and Speech Team were selected to compete in the two-day Tarheel Forensic League State Tournament, Feb. 28 and March 1. The tournament with more than 37 schools was held at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines.

Several awards were given to recognize the top students and teams in the state of North Carolina.

The Charlotte Catholic High School team was awarded the Randall Shaver Award of Excellence in Forensics for placing second in the state. This award is given to the top three teams with five to 1 competitors. The team was ranked eighth in the Governor’s Cup Overall Sweepstakes and sixth in the Steven Debate Sweepstakes.

The team also received several individual awards: Ian Miller, second place, Novice LincolnDouglas Debate; Angeline Morales, third place, Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Nicholas Firr, fifth place, Humorous Interpretation; Alexandria Osborne, sixth place, Dramatic Interpretation; Ryan Kennedy, ninth place, Varsity Congress and Presiding Officer; Brett Heinz, 11th place, Varsity Congress; Uwa Akhere, semi-finalist (top 18), Humorous Interpretation; and Alex Prys and Jonathan Wilson, octo-finalist (top 16), Varsity Public Forum. Senior Brett Heinz was also awarded the Jackie Foote Congressional Award.

— Mary A. Morales

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are commonly referred to as the “Synoptic Gospels” because they share much in common and yet have significant differences. This program of study will compare, contrast and examine their relationship to one another.

Wilkinson wins spelling bee GASTONIA — Eighth-grader Catherine Wilkinson recently won St. Michael School’s school-wide spelling bee. She will compete in the Gaston County Spelling Bee March 19. The runner-up was Karlie Nielson and third place was awarded to Owen Branch.

— Tammy Eason

Students learn about Underground Railroad CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew School invited author and living-history presenter Tricia Martineau Wagner (www.authortalk.org) to visit Feb. 20-21. Students in grades 2-5 learned about the workings of the Underground Railroad and the involvement of black and white individuals from the Anti-Slavery Societies.

Children reenacted how fugitive slave Lear Green escaped on a water route by hiding inside a clothes trunk on a steam ship for 18 hours and how Henry Brown had himself mailed in a box through the U.S. Postal Service for two days to achieve freedom. Shown in the pictures are students in two fifth-grade classes.

— Kevin O’Herron

Materials will be available for purchase. Prayer, noon Eucharist and lunch are included. The same program is offered both days.

Cost = $40

Holy Week at The Oratory April 13 – 20 You are invited to come for all or part of this special week as we celebrate the core of our faith. There will be time for silence, prayer and liturgies with the local community. In addition, other prayer services and programs will be offered.

Contact us for a full schedule and information about overnight reservations.

ACS team wins conference tourney ASHEVILLE — The Asheville Catholic Middle School boys basketball team is pictured following its win over VERITAS Christian Academy to clinch the Western Carolina Christian Middle School Conference Championship Feb. 18. Three team members were selected for All Conference: Charlie Schilling, Marvin Pearson, and Chris Mosher.

Pictured are (back row) Coach Andy Brown, Ben Greever, Tristan Vaughan, Charlie Schilling, Marvin Pearson, Assistant Coach Dan Brown and Chris Mosher; and (front row) James

OLM hosts Chinese students WINSTON-SALEM — Our Lady of Mercy School recently hosted four middle school students visiting the U.S. from Dongying Experimental Middle School in Shandong China.

Three of the four students were guests at the homes of their OLM student host as well. They BRIEFS, SEE page 19

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Pictured (from left) are David Barker, Greg Davidowitz, David Nielson, John O’Daly, Chuck Culbertson and Roger Shepard.

BRIEFS:

— Pat Burr

FROM PAGE 18

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PTO hosts Family Bingo Night at St. Pius X School GREENSBORO — St. Pius X School marked the end of Catholic Schools Week Jan. 31 with a PTO-sponsored Family Bingo Night. The families of St. Pius X School enjoyed a fun and exciting evening of bingo and prizes, along with a hamburger and hot dog dinner prepared by PTO volunteers. It was a great night of celebration and fellowship.

— Jean Navarro

St. Michael School receives special flag from Knights GASTONIA — St. Michael Church’s Knights of Columbus members recently presented St. Michael School with a new flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol Dec. 16 at the request of Congressman Patrick T. McHenry, a former student. The Knights presented the flag to the school during Catholic Schools Week last month. Congressman McHenry donated the flag to the Knights, who donated it to the school.

SPX students perform ‘Jungle Book, Kids’ GREENSBORO — St. Pius X School presented Disney’s “Jungle Book, Kids” to a full house Jan. 24-25. The musical featured third- through fifth-grade students. The cast performed a special complimentary daytime performance to rising kindergarten students as well. St. Pius X looks forward to its middle school performance of Broadway’s “Annie, Jr.” April 11, 12, and 13 at 7 p.m.

— Jean Navarro We welcome your school’s news! Email your news items and photos to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@ charlottediocese.org.

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Mix 20

catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

On TV n “Monday, March 17, 5 p.m. (EWTN) Saints and Heroes – Patrick, Brave Shepherd of the Emerald Isle.”

Kidnapped and enslaved by pagans as a child, St. Patrick makes a daring escape home only to return and lead his captors and the Irish people to Christianity.

In Brief

n Monday, March 17, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Lives of the Saints – Patrick of Ireland.” Special feature on St. Patrick, one of Ireland’s most famous and beloved saints. n Tuesday, March 18, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Trial at Tara.” The story of St. Patrick of Ireland on trial as he explains to the Druids the tenets of the Catholic faith.

‘Son of God’ The life of Jesus (Diogo Morgado) is recounted by the aged, exiled St. John the Evangelist (Sebastian Knapp) in this reverent but uneven screen version of the Gospel story, including portrayal of His Passion and the events leading up to it. Judas (Joe Wredden), Caiaphas the high priest (Adrian Schiller) and Pontius Pilate (Greg Hicks) are all assigned believable motives, but other aspects of this film range from moving to awkward. Catholic viewers will appreciate the unqualified acknowledgement of St. Peter as the leader of the Apostles as well as scenes highlighting Mary’s closeness to her Son. The first wide-release movie in nearly 50 years to focus on the Savior’s biography as a whole, this outgrowth of the popular History cable channel miniseries “The Bible” offers some solid catechesis and an easy, though sometimes oddly truncated, introduction to the Lord’s ministry, teaching, death and Resurrection. As such, it’s probably acceptable for older teens, despite an unflinching treatment of the Redeemer’s sufferings. Strong gory violence.

CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13

‘300: Rise of an Empire’ This 3-D war drama, both a prequel and a sequel to 2007’s “300,” is short on dialogue but long on relentless and increasingly repellent action. As ancient Persians and Greeks once again battle for supremacy of the Aegean peninsula, the film serves up a second helping of the choreographed violence and warrior beefcake that characterized its predecessor. Following their nation’s victory over the Spartans at Thermopolyae, the Persian king (Rodrigo Santoro) and his sexy naval commander (Eva Green) plan an invasion of Greece, setting their sights on Athens. The stage is set for an epic naval battle, as the Athenian fleet admiral (Sullivan Stapleton) leads a crusade for freedom and democracy over tyranny.

Tasteless carnage, needless to say, is the real name of the game, with innumerable gross-out moments. Relentless gory and sometimes gruesome fighting, a graphic non-marital sex scene and some rough language.

CNS: L (limited adult audience); MPAA: R

Additional reviews:

n ‘Mr. Peabody & Sherman’: CNS: A-I (general patronage); MPAA: PG n ‘Non-Stop’: CNS: A-I (adults); MPAA: PG-13

n Wednesday, March 19, 9:30 a.m.

(EWTN) “The Carpenter’s Shop – Devotion to St. Joseph.” Host Steve Wood welcomes Father Francis Peffley to the Carpenter Shop for an engaging look at St. Joseph as the role model of true Catholic masculinity.

Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

David Gaertner (above) recently completed a panoramic 360-degree photo shoot of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, the latest of his efforts to give back to the Church by using his photography talents to help showcase the parishes of the diocese online.

(Right) the panoramic view of St. Thomas Aquinas Church.

Redesigned Charlotte parish website aims to draw in nearby college students Kimberly Bender Online reporter

CHARLOTTE — With more than 4,000 Catholic students right around the corner from St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Father Patrick Winslow wanted to make sure his parish was the first result they’d see when the students searched for a church online.

That’s just part of the reason for a recently redesigned www.stacharlotte.com, which includes homily and parish teaching podcasts available to download or subscribe through iTunes, a 360-degree panoramic view of the

More online At www.stacharlotte.com: View St. Thomas Aquinas Parish’s website

parish, interactive Twitter feeds and text alerts directly to parishioners.

“Considering that we are a university website, SEE page 21

Look inside: Get a 360-view of the church One of the newest features on St. Thomas Aquinas Church’s website is a panoramic 360-degree view of the parish created by St. Luke parishioner and photographer David Gaertner.

Gaertner has volunteered to create these special panoramic presentations for St. Luke Parish, St. John Neumann Parish, St. Patrick Cathedral and Catherine’s House, and he wants to help other parishes do the same.

He is a portrait and wedding photographer who obtained his certification as Google photographer nearly two years ago. Google has been enhancing online maps by showing street

views of houses and businesses and panoramic 360-degree tours inside buildings.

Becoming certified involved extensive tests and training, Gaertner said. Creating the panoramic view requires precision photography using a super wide-angle fish-eye lens. Each panoramic takes 12 images – three in each direction. Then the camera is rotated 90 degrees until the whole space has been shot to create a 360-degree bubble.

After Gaertner finishes taking the photographs and stitching them together on 360, SEE page 21

n Wednesday, March 19, 1:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Apparition of St. Joseph in France, a Role Model for All Parents.”

The only known apparition site in the history of the Church where St. Joseph is said to have spoken aloud.

It is a place of particular importance for the family, especially fathers seeking divine guidance for their families. n Wednesday, March 19, 2:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Let Me Walk this Path – The Making of a Martyr Race.” Japan as seen in 1549, when St. Francis Xavier arrived to begin his work of evangelization. n Wednesday, March 18, 10 p.m.

(EWTN) “Voices in the Desert.” The history and impact of “Humanae Vitae” on Dr. Thomas Hilgers and colleagues at the Pope Paul VI Institute, who developed new morally and medically superior treatments for infertility and a range of other women’s health care issues. n Thursday, March 20, 1 p.m. (EWTN) “Vision of Freedom.” The persecuted Ukrainian Catholic Church and how appearances of Our Lady to Ukrainians encouraged the faithful there to persevere under oppression, which eventually gained them the freedom to practice their faith openly. n Saturday, March 22, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “St. Peter.” The story of the life of St. Peter, the man chosen by Jesus Christ to lead His Church as the first pope. n Thursday March 27, 10 p.m.

(EWTN) “Sudan – And You Do Not Cry With Us.” Sudan’s strained relationship between Christians and Muslims over the centuries has turned to one of outright persecution.

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

WEBSITE: FROM PAGE 20

parish, communicating in the mode of the younger generation is a critical piece in our being present, supportive and inviting to the student body,” said Father Winslow. “In addition to evangelizing the larger University City area of Charlotte, our website helps evangelize our own parishioners by providing resources that aid the life of faith – such as links, recommended reading, recommended online articles and the like. It also helps a big parish like ours feel a bit smaller.”

Since August 2012 when Father Winslow arrived as pastor, he said, he has worked alongside office manager Katie Herzing to make sure the parish employs the most efficient and current means of communication possible. A year later, www.stacharlotte.com launched a redesigned website using a template created by Our Sunday Visitor.

Using a template designed for parishes is simpler, Herzing said, and it makes a huge difference in updating the site’s homepage daily.

“One of the reasons why we did an overhaul of our site is to engage the university students right next door at UNCCharlotte,” Herzing said. “We’re trying to be the first presence for them when they search for a Catholic Church. Our goal is to be more than just a bulletin board – not to be static.”

The website sees a fair amount of traffic and Herzing says she sees more students attending Mass than before, so it may be working.

Since Father Winslow was ordained a priest in 1999, the internet has become a staple in people’s daily lives, he said.

“As a result a website is often one’s first impression of a parish. In order to make the Gospel more easily accessible, it is important to create an informative,

360: FROM PAGE 20

his computer, he uploads them to Google.

“Shortly after I started creating the 360s, I thought how cool it would be to do things for nonprofit folks,” he said. “I was sitting in Mass, and Catherine’s House was doing a fundraiser presentation. I thought how nice it would be to be able to show people what they are supporting. I put together a nice tour for them.”

After Catherine’s House, Gaertner created a panoramic view inside his parish, St. Luke in Charlotte. Since then he’s shot St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John Neumann and St. Patrick Cathedral, all in Charlotte.

Katie Herzing, office manager at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, said they were excited to have Gaertner compose a panoramic view of the parish.

“It looks cool,” Herzing said. “It took him

dynamic, up-to-date, easy-to-use and inviting website,” he said.

“In proclaiming the Gospel, the internet may be the most effective and least threatening approach, as people browse the web and stumble upon our website the way city dwellers of the past might have happened upon an open church and stopped in for a visit.”

Two particular features on the website – Father Winslow’s tweets and the homily podcasts – have garnered the most feedback, Herzing said.

Father Winslow uses Twitter to share links to articles that educate people about the Church and its teachings. His Twitter feed is integrated on the homepage, enabling parishioners to see his links whether or not they use the social medium, as well as converse directly with him.

Parishioners also enjoy being able to listen to the homilies from each of the parish’s priests, Winslow, Father Matthew Kauth and Father Christopher Riehl, besides Lenten reflections, RCIA talks and a special adult education series called “Enlightening Catholics.”

“A lot of people tell us they enjoy being able to go back, remembering things they heard in Mass but may have forgotten part of it from the pew to the car,” Herzing said.

“They all comment positively.”

One unique aspect of the website is the resources that St. Thomas Aquinas’ priests are sharing directly with parishioners.

That includes links to books the priests are reading and mobile apps they are using, Herzing said.

The church also has set up a service to text parishioners about daily activities and Mass schedules. Parishioners can sign up for text alerts on cancellations, like when liturgy times were impacted by the snow storm in February.

Most of the ideas for the website come from Father Winslow, Herzing said.

“He has grand ideas and loves technology. He has a lot of the ideas – dynamic thoughts – and I implement the ideas through the technology,” she said.

Director of Music Ministries Position St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church Greensboro, North Carolina St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church has an opening for a part-time Director of Music Ministries. Candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree in music with experience in choral directing, proficiency in organ and piano performance as well as vocal skills.

Responsibilities include overseeing all choirs and instrumentalists at St. Paul while preparing and conducting the adult choir. The director will select music for liturgies, rehearse with the cantors, provide organ/piano accompaniment for 3 weekend Masses and prepare/direct the adult choir during the week-night rehearsal. Other liturgies and services may require the presence of the director during the church year.

Please submit resume by April 1, 2014 to: Estelle Bowman, Music Coordinator ebowman@stpaulcc.org or mail to 2715 Horse Pen Creek Rd., Greensboro, NC 27410.

CCDOC.ORG

More online See 360s at www.stlukechurch.net, www.stacharlotte.com, www.4sjnc. org, stpatricks.org and www. catherineshouseinc.org.

At www.gaertnerphotography.com: Learn more about David Gaertner’s photography

about an hour, and it’s on Google Maps so people see it when they search for us.”

Gaertner said he wanted to create a panoramic for St. Thomas Aquinas because the church is so close to UNCC. “Just look around the mall with so many kids with their nose in their cell phone.

If you’re not online, you don’t exist,” Gaertner said. “This ties in very well with mobile, and will help reach out to the youth.”

— Kimberly Bender

Discover Natural Family Planning Modern Natural Family Planning (NFP) provides a practical and empowering alternative used to achieve or avoid pregnancy. It upholds the dignity of the person within the context of marriage and family and promotes openness to life by respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage.

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• Effectiveness of modern NFP methods.

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March 22 –Holy Family Catholic Church, Clemmons April 26 – St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Charlotte May 17 – St. Matthew Catholic Church, Charlotte June 7 – St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Waynesville For more information visit our website or contact Batrice Adcock, MSN at 704.370.3230 or bnadcock@charlottediocese.org.

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Our nation 22

catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief FDA weighs possibility of research into 3-parent babies WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fertilization techniques that would create babies from the DNA of three or four people to prevent transmission of inheritable genetic diseases are being questioned by ethicists and others who say the procedures fail basic ethical and moral standards. Chief among the concerns is that the techniques, which involve replacing a mother’s mitochondria with that of an egg donor, would pass on genetic alterations with unknown implications for future generations.

The techniques are controversial because they involve altering an embryo’s DNA, leading to questions about whether the government should approve the creation of, in effect, genetically modified humans. In addition, the techniques rely upon in vitro fertilization, which the Church has long opposed as immoral. In IVF, a woman’s eggs are removed, united with sperm in a laboratory, and then implanted in the womb of the mother or a surrogate.

Marriage needs to be ‘preserved,’ not ‘redefined,’ says archbishop WASHINGTON, D.C. — Marriage needs “to be preserved and strengthened, not redefined,” San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said Feb. 28 in support of the State Marriage Defense Act of 2014, introduced into the U.S. Senate by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“Every just effort to stand for the unique meaning of marriage is worthy of support,” the archbishop said in a letter to Cruz. The archbishop, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, sent a similar letter in January to U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, when he introduced a companion bill in the House Jan. 9.

Archbishop Cordileone urged the U.S. Senate to pass the measure, saying it is necessary to keep the federal government from circumventing state laws defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. “Various agencies of the executive branch – most recently the Department of Justice by order of Attorney General (Eric) Holder – have decided to use a ‘place of celebration’ rule rather than a ‘place of domicile’ rule when determining the validity of a marriage for purposes of federal rights, benefits and privileges,” he said in the letter to Cruz.

Synod reports point to poor understanding of family teachings Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A handful of U.S. bishops have released some results of public responses to a survey for the Vatican in preparation for the upcoming synod on the family.

Several U.S. bishops wrote short reports for the public giving a general sense of the responses. The material was to be submitted to the Vatican by the end of January.

Among the comments in common with many of the brief reports was that Catholics admit to a poor understanding of the Church’s teachings on the family.

Father Dennis Gill, director of the Philadelphia Archdiocese’s Office for Divine Worship and coordinator of the project, told CatholicPhilly.com, the archdiocesan news website, that the Church has its educational work cut out for it. He said the nearly 900 responses to the survey showed poor knowledge of Catholic teaching.

“One thing we did learn was that we have to be much more proactive,” he said. “We cannot just depend on Church teaching filtering through the cracks. We need to have an evangelical (aggressiveness) to putting on the table just what we believe on all these issues.”

What is needed, Father Gill said, is not simply a renewed effort to present Church teaching in the same ways.

“Somehow the Gospel has to be presented in a way that is compelling, engaging, insisting on a response,” he said.

In one of the more thorough reports, Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg, Fla., posted a detailed blog with highlights and put on his diocesan Web page an 18-page summary of the results of more than 6,800 responses from the public.

Among Bishop Lynch’s observations in his blog were that it “is impossible to share in a medium such as this is all of the ‘free-form’ comments which I would characterize as serious, lacking in polemics, sincere, and reflecting little of the polarity which exists in the Church today. I am very proud of what was said, how it was said and who said it.”

Even before the October extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family, Bishop Lynch said, “there are pastoral results from the survey which we can attend to and I hope we will.”

For instance, he said, “I have made it known that I will not tolerate any discrimination or anything which smacks of the punitive to children of same-sex couples. I think all representatives of the Church’s many ministries can be kinder, gentler, more welcoming and less judgmental of those who find our praxis and preaching on marriage and family life to be at odds with their experiences.”

Bishop Lynch said that it’s clear the Church needs to help people understand

“that divorce itself is not something which bans a person from reception of the sacraments and that annulments do not ‘illegitimize’ children born of previous marriages.” Addressing such issues can help the process of healing for many within the Church, he said.

All bishops around the world were asked to complete the 39-item questionnaire and encouraged to seek input from the people of their dioceses about the responses. In some dioceses, including the Diocese of Charlotte, that resulted in the survey itself or a reworked version of the key questions being posted online for public response.

While many dioceses in the U.S. encouraged the public to weigh in on the questionnaire, fewer have released more than limited explanations of the results.

Bishop Lynch’s posts and a similar-sized report by Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik were among the most detailed.

Some entire bishops conferences and some individual bishops, including Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis, said they would not be releasing details at the request of the Vatican.

In both the Pittsburgh and St. Petersburg dioceses, the largest number of responses came from people who are over age 50, married and who attend Mass weekly or more often.

In his introduction to the report published online and in the Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper, Bishop Zubik said the bottom line he took away from about 3,000 responses was “we must throw open the doors, windows, websites and all means of modern communication to connect with all families and truly listen to their hopes and hurts. It is important that we, with greater intensity and intentionality, support families in these challenging times. God created the family. He loves every member of every family. We must do no less as the Church.”

The Pittsburgh report observed that the Church’s teaching on the family is “known by few and therefore not put into practice by the vast majority of Catholics.”

It said some of the difficulties are cultural, for instance that children and parents are involved in separate activities that limit common experiences of prayer, meals, recreation and dialogue.

“Catholic parents and children are often isolated from one another not only in the family home but in the community as well because Catholic families do not often interact with other Catholic families,” the Pittsburgh report said.

“Catholics who live and practice the faith have become a minority in the United States even within the wider Catholic community. There is a greater need to foster family peer ministry: family-tofamily faith sharing, service activities and prayer.”

— Matthew Gambino in Philadelphia contributed to this story.

Vatican medical experts OK reported miracle attributed to archbishop Catholic News Service

PEORIA, Ill. — A seven-member team of medical experts convoked by the Vatican reported there is no natural explanation for the survival of a child delivered stillborn and whose heart did not start beating until 61 minutes after his birth.

The survival of the child, James Fulton Engstrom, now 3 years old and developing normally, was credited by his parents to a miracle attributable to the intercession of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a Peoria diocesan priest who gained fame for his 1950s television show “Life Is Worth Living” and his 16 years at the helm of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

The medical experts’ report was announced March 6 in Peoria by the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation, which is headed by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria.

“Today is a significant step in the cause for the beatification and canonization of our beloved Fulton Sheen,” Bishop Jenky said in a statement. “There are many more steps ahead and more prayers are needed.

But today is a good reason to rejoice.”

James’ mother, Bonnie Engstrom, described what happened when she addressed a 2012 gathering of the Midwest region of the Catholic Press Association in Peoria.

When Engstrom was pregnant with James, a feeling came over her that “God wants this baby to exist,” she said.

During delivery, what caused James to be stillborn was that his umbilical cord had knotted itself, cutting off his blood flow and oxygen supply. The more he progressed through the birth canal, the tighter the knot became. “He was born stillborn,” Engstrom said, remembering how “his arms flopped by his side” when she reached for him to hold him.

Others at the home birth did CPR and chest compressions for 20 minutes waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Engstrom said she had no pre-composed prayer asking for help from Archbishop Sheen. “I just kept repeating his name over and over in my head: Fulton Sheen, Fulton Sheen, Fulton Sheen,” she recounted. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

At the hospital, James was described as “PEA,” for “pulseless electrical activity.”

Medics tried two injections of epinephrine.

Neither worked. A nurse held one of James’ feet in an effort to give him some measure of comfort, and Engstrom said she remarked later, “It was so cold, it was so cold. It was like in the saying ‘cold and dead.’”

Engstrom remembered that a doctor in the emergency room said, “We’ll try for five more minutes, then call it,” meaning recording the time of death. “If he had known about the previous 40 minutes” of efforts to revive him before arriving at the hospital, she said, “he would have just called it.”

She added, “They were just about to call it when his heart started beating – 148 beats per minute, which is healthy for a newborn. And it never faltered.”

The case will next be reviewed by a board of theologians. With their approval, the case could move on to the cardinals and bishops who advise the pope on these matters. Finally, the miracle would be presented to Pope Francis, who would then officially affirm that God performed a miracle through the intercession of Archbishop Sheen.

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Concerns raised about pace of U.S. response to global religious rights WASHINGTON — The role of an ambassadorlevel position in bringing attention to abuses of religious freedom internationally is being emphasized by those who want a vacancy filled quickly or another position created to focus on specific regions – or both. Katrina Lantos Swett, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said at a Feb. 25 conference that “Washington has failed to make religious freedom a central aspect of U.S. foreign policy.” At the National Prayer Breakfast in February, President Barack Obama voiced his support for protecting religious freedom abroad, but critics point out he has yet to nominate a new ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, four months after the Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook stepped down. In the meantime, a bill on hold in the Senate would create a special envoy specifically to focus on the rights of religious minorities of the Near East and South Central Asia. The Senate’s Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2013, S.653, was reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December. But a hold placed on the bill in February by Republican Sens. Tom Coburn, of Oklahoma, and Mike Lee, of Utah, is blocking its progress to a vote by the full Senate.

Catholics, evangelicals team up in pressing for immigration reform WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a joint letter to members of Congress, Catholic bishops and evangelical leaders pleaded for “common sense fixes to our immigration policies” by passing legislation this year. In the Feb. 26 letter, 11 bishops and half a dozen evangelical leaders said that as religious leaders, “we live every day with the reality that our immigration system does not reflect our commitment to the values of human dignity, family unity and respect for the rule of law that define us as Americans.”

Among the Catholics signing the letter were Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio L. Elizondo of Seattle, chairman of the Committee on Migration of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the immediate past chairman, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez.

Christian leaders pledge action on high rate of incarceration in U.S. NEWARK, N.J. — Leaders of Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A., of which

Let’s keep talking.

the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is a member, issued a pledge to engage the American public on the issue of mass incarceration in the United States. “The Church in the United States has a moral and ethical imperative to protect human dignity and must address the problem of mass incarceration in our nation,” the coalition said in a statement issued at the end of its Feb. 4-7 meeting in Newark, during which religious leaders heard from experts in the field – including a New York Baptist minister who himself had been jailed before entering the ministry.

Archdioceses release settlement payments over clergy sex abuse claims ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two U.S. archdioceses released details on the size of settlements made with victims of clergy sexual abuse.

In the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, net claims and litigation expense, not counting legal fees, for the one-year period ending last June 30 came to $3.95 million, according to an audit report issued Feb. 13 by the archdiocese. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, in what Church officials said was the last of its pending abuse lawsuits, reached a $13 million agreement with 17 clergy sexual abuse victims in mid-February, shortly before the scheduled start of a trial over lawsuits involving alleged acts of then-Father Nicolas AguilarRivera, a visiting priest from Mexico who police believe molested more than two dozen boys in 1987.

Retired Missouri bishop dies in Ireland KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Retired Bishop Raymond J. Boland of Kansas City-St. Joseph, 82, died Feb. 27 in Cork, Ireland, in a hospice facility surrounded by his family.

Bishop Robert W. Finn, who succeeded Bishop Boland as head of the Missouri diocese in 2005, said the retired prelate had returned to Ireland from Kansas City with his brother, retired Bishop J. Kevin Boland of Savannah, Ga., Feb. 22 “to fulfill his wish to be buried in his native country.”

Chicago’s Cardinal George to undergo more chemo CHICAGO — Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George is preparing to undergo a new round of chemotherapy to address “current signs of activity of cancer cells surrounding his right kidney,” according to a March 7 announcement by the Chicago Archdiocese. Cardinal George, 77, was diagnosed with urothelial cancer in August 2012 and underwent chemotherapy at that time. The cancer, dormant for well over a year, is still confined to the area of his right kidney. He said he intends to maintain his administrative and public schedule during this current round of chemotherapy, although it may occasionally be reduced because of lowered immunity.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Papal delegate ends oversight of Legionaries Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Celebrating the closing Mass for the extraordinary general chapter of the Legionaries of Christ and ending his service as papal delegate overseeing the order, Cardinal Velasio De Paolis told the priests that the Lord had healed their order and reaffirmed His love for them.

With the adoption of a new constitution, the election of new officers and a statement of apology to the victims of the orders’ founder, the late Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, “the Legionaries have been reconciled with themselves, with their history, with the world and with the Church,” Cardinal De Paolis said Feb. 25, after nearly four years of Vatican-supervised reform.

Cardinal De Paolis was appointed to oversee the reform of the Legionaries in 2010 after the Vatican announced Father Maciel had been guilty of “seriously and objectively immoral behavior” and “real crimes,” including the sexual abuse of boys in his seminaries.

In his homily, he said, “great strides have been made in the issue regarding the founder and his personal life on the one hand, and on the other, the evaluation of the congregation that recognizes that it was founded by him.”

During the general chapter, Father Robles Gil of Mexico was chosen to be the congregation’s first elected leader.

The new constitution will now be sent to Pope Francis for approval.

The seven-week gathering of 61 Legionary priests from 11 countries also issued a letter condemning Father Maciel’s “reprehensible and objectively immoral behavior,” including “abuse of minor seminarians,” “immoral acts with adult men and women,” “arbitrary use of his authority and of material goods,” “indiscriminate consumption of addictive medicines” and plagiarism. They also expressed “deep sorrow” for their founder’s “reprehensible and objectively immoral behavior” and regret it took them so long to reach out to and apologize to his victims.

The statement also “affirms that the personal behavior of the founder cannot be seen as personal faults of the other Legionaries, as if they should be held responsible for his actions,” Cardinal De Paolis noted. “Rather, the Legion itself can be seen as a victim of the founder’s wrongful actions.”

Father Gil said neither he nor any other Legionary leader knew about Father Maciel’s crimes before 2006, when the Vatican disciplined the founder, instructing him to follow a “life reserved to prayer and penitence, renouncing all public ministry.”

Cardinal De Paolis said the 61 delegates “renewed their ‘yes’ to their Legionary vocation” and, in doing so, “they have been freed of the burden that weighed on their backs.”

CNS | Maria Grazia Picciarella, pool

Pope Francis walks in procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina to celebrate the Ash Wednesday Mass in Rome March 5.

Pope Francis begins Lenten season Lent comes ‘to reawaken us,’ pope preaches at Ash Wednesday Mass ROME — Lent is meant to wake up Christians and help them see that God can give them the strength to change their lives and their surroundings, Pope Francis said. Before receiving and distributing ashes at an evening Mass March 5, Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis gave a homily focused on a line from the prophet Joel: “Rend your hearts, not your garments.” The prophet, he said at the Mass at Rome’s Basilica of Santa Sabina, “reminds us that conversion can’t be reduced to exterior forms or vague resolutions, but involves and transforms one’s entire existence, starting with the center of the person, the conscience.”

The Mass began after a penitential procession from the nearby monastery of St. Anselm. To a chanted litany of saints, the pope walked behind Benedictines from St. Anselm, Dominicans from Santa Sabina and cardinals who work in the Vatican. The pope received ashes from Slovakian Cardinal Jozef Tomko, the cardinal-priest of Santa Sabina.

Conversion starts with recognizing that “we are creatures, that we are not God,” the pope said in his homily. Too many people today, he

said, think they have power and “play at being God the creator.”

During Lent, he said, Christians are called to use the three elements the Gospel recommends for spiritual growth: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

being ashamed of the flesh.”

The pope called on Christians to follow the example of the good Samaritan, drawing close to the beneficiaries of their charity in an act of true fraternity.

Use Lent to shed apathy On first Friday of Lent, pope to sin, poverty, indifference speaks on nature of true fasting to God, pope says VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis criticized those who practice fasting as a mere ritual, rather than as a sacrifice representative of a religion of love. The pope made his remarks March 7, the first Friday of Lent, in his homily at morning Mass in the Vatican guesthouse, where he lives. “These hypocritical people are good persons,” he said, referring to the Pharisees who criticized Jesus and His followers for not fasting as required by Jewish law. “They do all they should do. They seem good. But they are ethicists without goodness because they have lost the sense of belonging to a people.”

True fasting entails sharing goods with the needy, Pope Francis said, . “This is the charity or fasting that our Lord wants,” he said. “This is the mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ.

It means sharing our bread with the hungry, taking care of the sick, the elderly, those who can’t give us anything in return: This is not

VATICAN CITY — Lent is a time to shed lazy, un-Christian habits and snap out of one’s apathy toward people harmed by violence, poverty and not having God in their lives, Pope Francis said. Lent is time to “change course, to recover the ability to respond to the reality of evil that always challenges us,” he said during his weekly general audience March 5, Ash Wednesday. The pope’s catechesis focused on the meaning of Lent, the 40-day period of penance, prayer and conversion “in preparation for the Church’s annual celebration of the saving mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection,” he said. Lent is a time for “a turnaround,” to convert and change for the better.

“All of us need to improve,” he said, and “Lent helps us. And that way we get out of our tired routine and the lazy addiction to evil that tempts us.”

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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In Brief Pope suggests Church could tolerate some civil unions VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis suggested the Church could tolerate some types of nonmarital civil unions as a practical measure to guarantee property rights and health care. He also said the Church would not change its teaching against artificial birth control but should take care to apply it with “much mercy.”

Pope Francis’ words appeared in an interview published March 5 in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera. In the wide-ranging conversation with the paper’s editor-in-chief, Ferruccio de Bortoli, the pope defended the Church’s response to clerical sex abuse and lamented that popular mythology has turned him into a kind of papal superhero. He also addressed the role of retired Pope Benedict XVI and the Church’s relations with China.

“Matrimony is between a man and a woman,” the pope said, but moves to “regulate diverse situations of cohabitation (are) driven by the need to regulate economic aspects among persons, as for instance to assure medical care.” Asked to what extent the Church could understand this trend, he replied: “It is necessary to look at the diverse cases and evaluate them in their variety.”

Cardinal: Possible paths to Communion for divorced, remarried VATICAN CITY — The Church needs to find a way to offer healing, strength and salvation to Catholics whose marriages have failed, who are committed to making a new union work and who long to do so within the Church and with the grace of Communion, Cardinal Walter Kasper told the world’s cardinals. Jesus’ teaching on the indissolubility of sacramental marriage is clear, the retired German cardinal said, and it would harm individuals and the Church to pretend otherwise. However, “after the shipwreck of sin, the shipwrecked person should not have a second boat at his or her disposal, but rather a life raft” in the form of the sacrament of Communion, he said.

Pope Francis had asked Cardinal Kasper to introduce a Feb. 20-21 discussion by the College of Cardinals on family life. The Church needs to find a way to help divorced and remarried Catholics who long to participate fully in the life of the Church, he said. While insisting – for the good of individuals and of the Church – on the need to affirm Jesus’ teaching that sacramental marriage

is indissoluble, he allowed for the possibility that in very specific cases the Church could tolerate, though not accept, a second union.

Cardinal: Ignorance about marriage is no reason to change doctrine VATICAN CITY — Just because many Catholics do not understand the Church’s teaching about the indissolubility of marriage, that does not mean the Church can change that teaching, said Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Speaking to reporters Feb. 25 – just days after the College of Cardinals held a two-day meeting to discuss the pastoral care of families – he said Catholics’ widespread lack of understanding about Church doctrine was “lamentable.” However, just because people don’t understand Jesus’ word doesn’t mean it can or should be changed, he said. “It would be paradoxical if the Church said, ‘Since not everyone knows the truth, the truth isn’t obligatory for the future.’”

Pope urges sympathy, outreach to couples whose marriages fail VATICAN CITY — Those who recognize marriage as a sacrament, a divine blessing and a reflection of God’s love for humanity should have even greater sympathy for husbands and wives whose relationships have failed, Pope Francis said. “See how beautiful this love is, how beautiful marriage is, how beautiful the family is and how much love and closeness we must have for our brothers and sisters who have experienced the calamity of a failure in love,” the pope said Feb. 28 In the day’s Gospel reading, Mark 10:1-12, Jesus tells His disciples that “what God has joined together, no human being must separate,” and that divorcing a spouse and marrying another is committing adultery, the pope said during his homily at Mass.

His homily focused on marriage as part of God’s plan for man and woman and as a reflection of God’s faithful love. He repeated the Gospel passage, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” But, the pope said, “when this love fails – because many times it fails – we must feel the pain of the failure and accompany those who have failed in their love.

Not condemn them! Walk alongside them.”

Pope: Religious must witness to Gospel even in using money VATICAN CITY — The world doesn’t need a lesson in “theoretical poverty” from Catholic priests, brothers and nuns, but it needs a living example of how to be careful with money, live simply and share with others, Pope Francis said.

Every Christian is called to be a wise steward of resources and generous in helping others, but with their vow of poverty and their pledge to put God and their brothers and sisters first, members of religious orders must be especially attentive to what they do with money, the pope said in a message to the treasurers of religious orders. The goods of a religious order must be “administered with care and transparency,” and religious “cannot tolerate waste,” he said in the message to religious attending a symposium organized by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life March 8-9.

Religious orders “always have been a prophetic voice and a vivacious witness of the newness found in Christ and of conformity to Him who made Himself poor to enrich us with His poverty,” the pope said. “This loving poverty is solidarity, sharing and charity.” The vow of poverty must be “expressed in simplicity, in the search for justice” and in being happy with just the essentials “to guard against the material idols that obscure the authentic meaning of life.”

New Council for Economy named VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis appointed an international group of eight cardinals – including U.S. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston – and seven lay experts in the fields of business, management and finance to be the first members of the Vatican’s new Council for the Economy, set up to consider the policies and practices of the Holy See and devise appropriate policies and best practices.

The council is an independent “authority for

policy decisions and not merely an advisory organ” to the new Secretariat for the Economy, which will have authority over all economic and administrative activities within the Holy See and Vatican City State, the Vatican announcement said, and it will answer directly to the Holy Father. The pope established the council and the secretariat as part of efforts to simplify, consolidate coordinate and oversee management structures throughout the Vatican and to improve the governance, control and reporting of the financial activities of the Vatican’s different offices and bodies.

Catholic officials: Kidnapped nuns’ release answer to prayers BEIRUT —The release of at least 12 Greek Orthodox nuns who were abducted in Syria in December was an answer to prayers, said regional Catholic officials. Melkite Patriarch Gregoire III Laham said March 10 that he felt “a wave of joy” along with “thousands and thousands” of other people when he heard the nuns had been freed a day earlier. Islamist rebels claimed responsibility for the abduction of the nuns in December from Syria’s ancient town of Maaloula, where Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken.

Two Orthodox bishops and three priests, including an Armenian Catholic and Italian Jesuit, also have been abducted in Syria and remain missing.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Dan Trapini

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Conference addresses men’s unique spiritual needs, struggles

ach year we continue to be overwhelmed by the men’s continued strong support of the Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference. At the beginning of this year, we thought perhaps the guys may be starting to get tired of this conference after three years. However, when the day of the fourth annual conference arrived, 700 men descended on St. Mark Church in Huntersville, many coming from hours away. They were eager to hear the conference speakers, participate in Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis, and kneel silently before our Lord in adoration. The men left excited and exhilarated, and they told us they can’t wait to come back next year.

Those who come to the conferences for the first time are often baffled or even overwhelmed by the scene.

Many have never seen so many men running around, excited to be Catholic, singing loudly at Mass, kneeling silently in prayer. A few priests have admitted to us that they thought we might get 100-150 men at most. However, not only has the Men’s Conference continued to grow, but men in Raleigh and Columbia have also begun men’s conferences after experiencing the Charlotte conference.

Clearly the Holy Spirit is at work. The response is certainly not because of great marketing or astute event planning. Each year we limp along in our planning efforts and each year the men seem to forgive our logistical snafus. So why is there such a hunger for the men’s conference from the men of our diocese?

After four years of hearing the feedback, we start to get some clues. This year during his talk, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers told a joke that rang very true: “I need to tell you something. What I am about to tell you is very controversial, and I hope your bishop doesn’t ban me from the diocese for saying this: Men and women are different. They are different physically, spiritually and emotionally.” Deacon Burke-Sivers described how God formed Eve from Adam’s rib, which was in the middle of his body to signify the equality of men and women. God created men and women equal in dignity, but clearly different. While we all hunger for a deeper relationship with the Lord, the differences in our makeup mean we approach the Lord differently and we have different spiritual needs.

I truly believe these men’s conferences continue to be successful because they address the specific spiritual needs of men. And these spiritual needs don’t necessarily get addressed throughout the rest of the year. So, how are men different from women when it comes to their spiritual needs?

We are physical creatures. A man will describe the allure of his beautiful wife that attracted him to her and his call to the sacrament of marriage. God made men to be attracted to physical beauty as part of His divine plan. However, our attraction to physical beauty also makes us more susceptible to the sins of the flesh.

According to the book “The Call to Biblical Manhood, Man in the Mirror,” for every 10 men in church, five are struggling with pornography. Also, I have heard from so many priests that a dominant struggle for many Catholic men is masturbation. One of the speakers at the first men’s conference joked, “When is the last time you heard a good homily about masturbation?” But on a serious note, the fact remains that many men, despite having a rich Catholic life, never have their major struggles addressed.

We are blunt. We are competitive. We need to be challenged. Vince Lombardi is a beloved coach by both fans and players. He transformed the Green Bay Packers into a world championship organization. If a player missed a tackle or committed a foolish penalty, you can bet Coach Lombardi would grab his facemask and yell in his face. At the end of his diatribe would be a swat on

the butt as a sign of encouragement that the coach knew the player was capable of better. Similarly, at the men’s conference the most popular speakers are the ones who give men the same type of spiritual “smackdown.” The men crave to hear the truth given in a blunt manner; and they respond. We hear story after story of men who passively wallow in sin for years. However, when a preacher gets in a man’s face, he gets angry with himself, realizes he can do better, and takes action by going to confession and changing his life. The men often say, “No one has ever talked to me like that.” Sometimes it takes a little yelling to finally get through to us.

We need a project. We need to fix things. When my wife has a difficult day, she will sometimes want to sit and tell me about it. While she is telling me her woes and just wants me to listen, my mind is thinking about the steps she can take to fix her problem. Men are wired to do projects, fix things, and complete tasks. Some men may hear a great homily about the love of Christ, yet ask themselves, “What am I supposed to do about it?”

After the first conference, one of the speakers told the guys they had a homework assignment: “Go and write a letter to your wife and each of your children and tell them why and how much you love them.” While not every man wrote a letter, a whole lot of men did – for the first time in their lives. It was simply the act of giving the men a tangible action that helped them live up to their callings as husbands and fathers.

We need time to hang out with the guys. Go to any picnic and you will inevitably see a group of guys hanging out in the corner of the lawn laughing, swapping stories, and perhaps being a little crass. The bottom line is, men behave differently when it’s “just the guys,” and we need to relate to each other as men.

So many men come to the conference purely for the fellowship. We hear people say how they can’t believe so many Catholic men are coming together to work on their faith. Unfortunately, many faithful Catholic men feel isolated in their faith. They can get together with the guys from work or from college, but when it comes to talking about the struggles in their faith journey, they have no one who can relate to them.

These conferences are successful because men are really hungry for the Lord, and they really need to have the unique aspects of their male spirituality addressed.

As spiritual leaders of our families, you can bet that men are under constant attack from Satan. And while the men’s conferences are great, you can’t expect a lasting impact from a “Men’s Catholic-palooza” once a year. The guys need to seek out male Catholic fellowship in their local parishes. There are many groups in the diocese for men, such as Cursillo, Regnum Christi, the Knights of Columbus, and men’s parish prayer groups.

I challenge men to seek out an opportunity to grow in faith throughout the year with other men. If no opportunity exists, create one. If your Knights council does not help you grow in faith, change it. For the clergy, help the men in your parish grow in faith with other men. Men love their priests and will turn out in droves to be with them. Address the aspects of male spirituality in your parish that will strengthen men to live up to their callings as husbands, fathers and faithful Catholics leading their families and society. I thank the men, the deacons, the priests, and the bishops for their strong support of our little apostolate. As long as you keep showing up, we look forward to serving you, though imperfectly, for years to come.

Dan Trapini is one of the organizers of the annual Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference. Learn more about the Catholic Men’s Conference at www. cltcmc.org.

Msgr. Anthony Marcaccio

Charity transfigures us into saints

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uring the second Sunday of Lent we read the Gospel of the Transfiguration, a story beautifully portrayed in stained glass in our church of St. Pius X. Recently another window in our chapel underwent a “transfiguration” of sorts. The window, originally crafted in Germany in 1908, portrayed the Bishop and Martyr St. Frederick of Utrecht. It was a beautiful window but of a saint unfamiliar to our people. Through the skill of our stained glass artists, he was “transfigured” into another bishop of popular devotion whose memory we celebrate this month, St. Patrick.

The sword Frederick held (he was beheaded) was turned into Patrick’s Patriarchal Pastoral staff, the palm of martyrdom became a shamrock for the Trinity, the vestment colors now represent the green, white and orange (gold) of Ireland, and a serpent placed under his foot represents the evil being cast out of the Emerald Isle.

The transfiguration was appropriately funded

by Agnes Hughes, a parishioner of Irish heritage. She also worked tirelessly to build a bridge of understanding among Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland through a long-standing program of bringing Irish children to mix and mingle with each other and their host families to foster interfaith fellowship. With so many parishioners of Irish descent, the window is a great addition to our environment of prayer and worship as well as a tool in the formation of faith.

Few things tell the story of salvation as beautifully as the light of nature passing through the panes of colored glass.

In a similar way, the story of our salvation comes together when the supernatural light of Christ shines through the spectrum of color which is our lives, and all the pieces which are the people of God form a work of art that is our church.

The Diocesan Support Appeal chose as it theme this year, “Salt of the Earth…Light of the World.” It is your generosity that transfigures us into that image of Church.

It is your sharing in charity with our brothers and sisters throughout western North Carolina that scatters the darkness of poverty and need. It is your commitment that will complete the image of the kingdom where every piece is important to the whole and beautiful in the eyes of our Creator.

Through our worship and our service, I pray our Lenten practice and participation in the great endeavors we have embraced as a parish and a diocese will help us be more perfectly transfigured into the image of Christ.

Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio is the pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro.

March 14, 2014 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Peggy Bowes

Father Robert Barron

What is our fundamental problem?

Fasting helps us, body and soul

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watch the melted cheese slowly ooze out of the golden, toasted bread. My children wait with eager anticipation for my famous grilled cheese sandwiches. The clock reads 12:30, and today is Friday. On my periodic fast days, I make it a priority to not eat between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. in honor of the time Jesus hung on the cross. My hunger pangs focus my attention on His ultimate sacrifice for my salvation. I silently pray a decade of the rosary and offer up my temporary suffering. Turning my attention back to the stove, I realize that preparing food for my family when I cannot eat focuses my attention on the humility and service of motherhood.

As a busy mom, I often joke that my day revolves around food.

A preoccupation with food can easily take over our lives. We are inundated with advertisements for food, lists of “good” and “bad” foods, and wildly differing advice regarding the best methods to prepare it. There are even several cable channels devoted to food.

Fasting frees us from the persistent distraction of food and shifts our attention to sacrifice and self-denial. The roots of fasting can be found in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were asked to forego the fruit of a certain tree. The practice continues today during this season of Lent, which recalls the 40 days that Jesus fasted in the desert before beginning His public ministry.

Fasting is truly beneficial for both body and soul. Regular fasts can increase longevity and reduce the risk of various diseases, including heart disease. Yet penitential fasting does not focus on the self. Instead, the self-denial of fasting leads to a desire to make amends for our sinful nature. During a fast, we physically demonstrate contrition by denying ourselves the basic need for food. This practice of humility and obedience shifts our attention from ourselves to God and prompts a desire to pray. Conversely, fervent prayer gives us the strength to continue our fast. Our physical hunger should create a spiritual hunger and serve as a constant reminder to pray. Without prayer, fasting is spiritually empty and has no “soul.” Our prayers during a time of fasting are especially pleasing to God. The hunger experienced during a fast unites us with those who are truly hungry. We should give thanks to God for the blessings of the abundant food He has provided. We should also be motivated to feed the hungry by donating food or money to the poor when we fast. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the triad of true penance and should be the focus of our Lenten observance.

Catholics are encouraged to fast more frequently during Lent as well as throughout the year. This Lent, resolve to make fasting a priority. As Pope Francis said, “Fasting makes sense if it really chips away at our security and, as a consequence, benefits someone else; if it helps us cultivate the style of the good Samaritan, who bent down to his brother in need and took care of him.”

Peggy Bowes is a parishioner at Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy. She is a motivational speaker and author of “The Rosary Workout” (www.rosaryworkout.blogspot.com).

Fasting Brown Bread

3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 cups low-fat buttermilk 3 tbsp. molasses 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1/4 cup whole flax seeds 1 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, buttermilk and molasses. Add flours, baking soda and salt, mixing until just combined. Stir in flax seeds and walnuts.

Spoon batter into a 9-inch by 5-inch bread pan, coated with cooking spray. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Cut into 10 slices.

For fasting, a slice can serve as one of your smaller meals. You can also serve it with soup as a main meal on a fasting day. Makes 10 servings.

Nutritional information, per serving: Calories 370, fat 14 grams, sodium 546 milligrams, carbohydrates 55 grams, fiber 6 grams, sugars 6 grams, protein 9 grams

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he first reading for Mass on the first Sunday of Lent this year, taken from Genesis 3, deals with the creation of human beings and their subsequent fall from friendship with God. Like a baseball coach who compels even his veterans to relearn the basics of the game every spring, the Church invites us, during the spring training of Lent, to revisit the spiritual fundamentals. And they are on no clearer display than in this great archetypal story.

We hear that “The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.” The God of the Bible never despises matter, for He created it, and everything He made is good. Our bodies are indeed made from the earth, from the lowly stuff of atoms, molecules and minerals. It is of singular importance to realize that sin is not a function of matter, not the consequence of our embodied nature. God exults in our physicality, and so should we. But we are more than mere matter, for God blew into us a life akin to His own and ordered to Him: minds that seek absolute truth, and wills that desire goodness itself, and souls that will not rest until they come into the presence of the fullness of beauty.

The tragedy of the secularist ideology is that it denies this properly spiritual dimension of human existence, reducing everything in us to matter alone and construing the deepest aspirations of the heart as psychological quirks or wish-fulfilling delusions.

St. Thomas Aquinas said the human being is a sort of microcosm, for he contains within himself both the physical and the spiritual. To know and honor both dimensions of our humanity is the path of joyful integration; to overstress one or the other is, concomitantly, a principle source of mischief.

The book of Genesis tells us that God placed His human creatures in the midst of a garden and gave them free rein to eat of practically all of the trees found there. Unlike the gods of classical mythology, the God of the Bible is not in a rivalrous relationship to human beings. On the contrary, His glory is that we be fully alive, for He made us solely for the purpose of sharing His joy with us. This is why the Church Fathers consistently interpreted the trees in the Garden as evocative of philosophy, science, politics, art, stimulating conversation, friendship, sexuality – all the things that make human life rich and full. And it is furthermore why puritanical fussiness about pleasures both intellectual and sensual is simply not Biblical. The original couple was told to refrain from eating the fruit of only one tree – and thereupon hangs a rather important tale.

The tree in question is identified as the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil,” which is to say, a form of knowing that is the unique prerogative of God. Since God is Himself the unconditioned good, He alone is the criterion of what is morally right and wrong. According to the semiotics of this story, therefore, the eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree is the act of arrogating to oneself what belongs in a privileged way to God. It is to make of the human will itself the criterion of good and evil, and from this subtle move, on the Biblical reading, misery has followed as surely as night follows the day.

Notice how wickedly and cunningly the serpent tempted Eve: “God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.”

The basic sin, the original sin, is precisely this selfdeification, this apotheosizing of the will.

Lest you think all of this is just abstract theological musing, remember the 1992 Supreme Court decision

A detail depicting Adam and Eve from Genesis, in the Catacombs of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter in Rome, dated about 306-337 A.D. in the matter of Casey v. Planned Parenthood.

Writing for the majority in that case, Justice Kennedy opined that “at the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, of the mystery of human life.”

Frankly, I can’t imagine a more perfect description of what it means to grasp at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If Justice Kennedy is right, individual freedom completely trumps objective value and becomes the indisputable criterion of right and wrong. And if the book of Genesis is right, such a move is the elemental dysfunction, the primordial mistake, the original calamity.

Of course, the Supreme Court simply gave formal expression to what is generally accepted throughout much of contemporary Western culture. How many people – especially young people – today would casually hold that the determination of ethical rectitude is largely, if not exclusively, the prerogative of the individual? That’s the fruit of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Just after the fall, the first humans realized they were naked and sought to cover themselves. I would interpret this, not so much as shame, but as deep and preoccupying self-consciousness. When we acknowledge that goodness and value lie outside of ourselves, in the objective order, we look outward, forgetting the self. When we are convinced our own freedom is the source of value, we tend to turn inward, protectively and fearfully.

What is fundamentally the problem, spiritually speaking? Why, deep down, are so many of us so unhappy? There is no better guide to answering these questions than Chapter 3 of the book of Genesis.

Father Robert Barron is the founder of the global ministry Word on Fire and the rector/president of Mundelein Seminary. He is the creator of the award-winning documentary series, “Catholicism” and “Catholicism: The New Evangelization.” Learn more at www.WordonFire.org.

catholicnewsherald.com | March 14, 2014 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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