Oct. 9, 2015

October 9, 2015

catholicnewsherald.com charlottediocese.org S E RV I N G C H R I ST A N D C O N N EC T I N G C AT H O L I C S I N W E ST E R N N O R T H C A R O L I N A

FAMILY, FAITH & MISSION

Two parishes to host relics of St. Maria Goretti Relics coming to Greensboro, Charlotte Oct. 23-25,

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People across the diocese experience seeing, hearing, meeting Pope Francis,

INDEX

Contact us.......................... 4 Español............................ 10-11 Events calendar................. 4 Our Faith............................. 2 Our Parishes.................. 3-9 Schools......................... 14-15 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.......................16 U.S. news...................... 18-19 Viewpoints.................. 22-23 World news.................. 20-21

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Gastonia, Huntersville churches make improvements to highlight Christ’s Eucharistic Presence,

LAUDATO SI’ Global, local impacts of climate change highlighted in series of talks across diocese,

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Our faith

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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Pope Francis

Family the answer to world’s brokenness, blandness

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he family is the answer to the two extremes facing the world – fragmentation and “homogenization,” in which everything is forced to be the same, Pope Francis said. The family based on marriage between a man and a woman is the answer because “it is the cell of a society that balances the personal and communal,” he said at his general audience Sept. 30 in St. Peter’s Square.

The family also can be “the model of a sustainable management of goods and the resources of creation” against today’s culture of consumerism, he added.

The pope dedicated his audience talk to reviewing his Sept. 19-27 trip to Cuba and the United States, where he visited Washington, New York, the United Nations and Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.

He thanked Cuban President Raul Castro, U.S. President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for their warm welcomes and extended his thanks to all the bishops and everyone who worked to make the trip possible.

The pope made special mention of Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia “for his commitment, piety, enthusiasm and his great love for the family,” which were seen in his work organizing the main focus of the pope’s trip – the World Meeting of Families.

“When you think about it, it was not by chance, but was providential that the message, rather, the witness of the World Meeting of Families took place at this time in the United States of America, that is, the nation which achieved the highest economic and technological development in the last century without renouncing its religious roots.”

“Now these same roots are asking that we begin again from the family in order to rethink and change the model of development for the good of the whole human family,” he said.

The pope said the family, which is “the fruitful covenant between a man and a woman,” is the answer to the great challenges of our world.

The challenges, he said, are “fragmentation and homogenization, two extremes that coexist and build on each other, and together support the consumerist economic model.”

The family can play a major role in a sustainable, “integral ecology,” he said.

The human couple, “united and fertile, placed by God in the world’s garden in order to cultivate it and safeguard it,” displays the two fundamental principles human civilization is based upon – communion and fruitfulness, he said.

St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted being devoured by lions in the circus in Rome.

Around his shoulders is an omophorion, a wool cloth symbolizing that he is a shepherd to his flock.

St. Ignatius of Antioch Apostolic Father who coined the term ‘Catholic Church’ Feast day: Oct. 17 Born around the year 50 in Syria, Ignatius was an Apostolic Father of the Church, a disciple, with St. Polycarp, of St. John the Evangelist, and the third bishop of Antioch, the former See of Peter before he went to Rome.

In 117 he was sentenced to death by the Emperor Trajan and arrested in Antioch.

He was brought, on a slow journey that lasted months, to the circus in Rome to be devoured by lions. The Roman emperor hoped to make an example of Ignatius and discourage the spread of Christianity.

During his months of captivity he wrote seven letters to Christian congregations in the Mediterranean, who he referred to generally as the “Catholic” (universal) Church – thus coining the term for the first time. His letters included ones to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Philadelphians, Smyrneans and Romans, as well as a letter to Polycarp, who was bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of St. John the Evangelist.

These letters proved to be influential in the development of Christian theology,

since there are few extant writings from this period of Church history. They bear signs of being written in great haste and without a proper plan, such as run-on sentences and an unsystematic succession of thought. Ignatius is the first known Christian writer to put great stress on loyalty to a single bishop in each city, who is assisted by both presbyters (priests) and deacons. Earlier writings only mention either bishops or presbyters, and give the impression that there was usually more than one bishop per congregation. Ignatius also stresses the value of the Eucharist, calling it “a medicine to immortality.”

His letters show him to have been a zealous bishop, with a fierce love for his flock and the universal Church, and he had no fear of martyrdom; rather, he welcomed it. His letter to the Romans is a jewel of Christian literature: “I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness.

Let me be food for the wild beasts, for

they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God. “The prince of this world is determined to lay hold of me and to undermine my will which is intent on God. Let none of you here help him; instead show yourselves on my side, which is also God’s side.

“Believe instead what I am now writing to you. For though I am alive as I write to you, still my real desire is to die. My love of this life has been crucified, and there is no yearning in me for any earthly thing.

“Rather within me is the living water which says deep inside me: ‘Come to the Father.’ I no longer take pleasure in perishable food or in the delights of this world. I want only God’s bread, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, formed from the seed of David, and for drink I crave His blood, which is love that cannot perish.

“Pray for me that I may obtain my desire. I have not written to you as a mere man would, but as one who knows the mind of God.” — Catholic News Agency

Your daily Scripture readings OCT. 11-17

Sunday: Wisdom 7:7-11, Hebrews 4:12-13, Mark 10:17-30; Monday: Romans 1:1-7, Luke 11:29-32; Tuesday: Romans 1:16-25, Luke 11:37-41; Wednesday (St. Callistus I): Romans 2:1-11, Luke 11:42-46; Thursday (St. Teresa of Jesus): Romans 3:21-30, Luke 11:47-54; Friday (St. Hedwig, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque): Romans 4:1-8, Luke 12:1-7; Saturday (St. Ignatius of Antioch): Romans 4:13, 16-18, Luke 12:8-12

OCT. 18-24

Sunday: Isaiah 53:10-11, Hebrews 4:14-16, Mark 10:35-45; Monday (Sts. John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues and Companions): Romans 4:20-25, Luke 1:69-75, Luke 12:13-21; Tuesday (St. Paul of the Cross): Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21, Luke 12:35-38; Wednesday: Romans 6:12-18, Luke 12:39-48; Thursday (St. John Paul II): Romans 6:19-23, Luke 12:49-53; Friday (St. John of Capistrano): Romans 7:18-25, Luke 12:54-59; Saturday (St. Anthony Mary Claret): Romans 8:1-11, Luke 13:1-9

OCT. 25-31

Sunday: Jeremiah 31:7-9, Hebrews 5:1-6, Mark 10:46-52; Monday: Romans 8:12-17, Luke 13:1017; Tuesday: Romans 8:18-25, Luke 13:18-21; Wednesday (Sts. Simon and Jude): Ephesians 2:19-22, Luke 6:12-16; Thursday: Romans 8:3139, Luke 13:31-35; Friday: Romans 9:1-5, Luke 14:1-16; Saturday: Romans 11:1-2, 11-12, 25-29, Luke 14:1, 7-11

Our parishes

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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St. Mark Adoration Chapel redesigned ‘for glory and honor of God’ SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

HUNTERSVILLE — When the St. Mark Church community was formed in 1997, parishioners first met in a nearby bowling alley, just down the street from the current location on Stumptown Road. Eventually the Monsignor Joseph Kerin Family Center was built, followed by the school and then the 1,400-seat church complete with a bell tower, piazza and fountain.

During the parish’s early years, a daily Mass chapel was created out of the old library space in the Monsignor Kerin Family Center where parishioners would go to pray throughout the day. Eventually weekly Eucharistic Adoration was introduced and then in 2011, Perpetual Adoration was offered in the former daily Mass chapel which was no longer needed after the new church was built in 2009.

Over the course of time, parishioners saw the need for improving the Perpetual Adoration Chapel which had been renamed for retired pastor Monsignor Richard Bellow who introduced the practice of perpetual adoration to the congregation at St. Mark.

Over the course of the summer, the parish has witnessed the transformation of the Adoration chapel by local artist Jacob Wolfe.

Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church, shares how the renovations unfolded.

“Prior to my arrival, a number of parishioners had expressed to Father Arnsparger (the former pastor) a desire to beautify the chapel,” he explains. “When I arrived, I spoke with the folks that were interested and asked Jacob to offer some ideas. He put together the plans and we moved forward.”

We live in a world that often puts function first, Father Putnam said. “We decorate area shopping malls and our houses and often treat our places of worship as nothing more than warehouses.

To some degree, art for the sake of art and beauty has been lost.

“Creating something beautiful simply

because it is for the glory and honor of God and our edification is at the heart of the matter. We wanted to do something that expresses our love for the Blessed Sacrament and helps those who come to adore meditate upon Him and the glory of heaven.”

Wolfe, the Catholic artist and designer who grew up in Tryon, began to explore his love for art during his college years at Appalachian State University in Boone. He developed his skills under the guidance of Father Patrick Winslow, then pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon.

Wolfe also studied furniture design and has since studied under a master sculptor and a master carver. He says Michelangelo’s phrase “sempre imparo,” meaning “to learn more,” has become the motto for each project he undertakes.

“As far as inspiration is concerned, the chapel itself was designed in a Romanesque style with hints of baroque,” Wolfe explains. “Most of my motivation for this design was found in the beautiful layers of ‘Cathedra Petri’ at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome designed by Bernini in 1666.

“Bernini was known for many things, but I am most amazed by the way Bernini was able to unite art, sculpture and architecture into one true work of art. This idea of these two parts working as one is something I always strive for with my work.”

Wolfe notes that, although there were budget restrictions as in any project, “we were able to pull together a design that works for the small space and unites both an architectural façade with sculptural elements.

“The Holy Spirit relief along with the other sculptural elements are all designed to surround the monstrance containing Our Lord with beauty. Also, these elements give those praying a sense of meditation and reflection on the glory of the Holy Eucharist.”

Longtime parishioners Gini and Allen Bond, who helped start Perpetual Adoration at St. Mark Church, are thankful for the redesigned chapel.

“My husband Allen and I are so very grateful to Father Putnam and the parish donors that made this beautiful renovation

Adorers pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the newly renovated Adoration Chapel at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

Mike FitzGerald | Catholic News Herald

Artist Jacob Wolfe uses a stencil to paint gold stars on the ceiling of the redesigned chapel.

Wolfe did touch-up work like this late at night to minimize disruption for the adorers.

David Hains | Catholic News Herald

of our Adoration Chapel a reality,” Gini Bond says. “Our Eucharistic Lord now has a throne that gives Him great honor.

“The golden rays of the Holy Spirit which are now the image behind the monstrance remind me of the stained glass window depicting the Holy Spirit in St. Peter’s in Rome. These images help to lift my spirit

heavenward during my time of Adoration.”

That is exactly what Wolfe hoped for with his design.

“From the lion medallion in the flooring to the crowns in the stencil work, the chapel was redesigned to help keep one’s focus on Jesus while having a beautiful sacred space to do so.”

McCanless ordained to transitional diaconate ROME — Diocese of Charlotte seminarian David R. McCanless was among 39 men from the Pontifical North American College ordained transitional deacons Oct. 1 during Mass celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica.

His ordination is one more step along his journey of formation to the priesthood.

Deacon McCanless is a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury.

Cardinal Dolan, a native of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, an alumnus of the North American College and past rector, has been the archbishop of New York since 2010, and was created a cardinal in 2012.

In his homily, Cardinal Dolan spoke to those about to be ordained about the paradoxes of the Christian faith, which are manifested in the ordination rite itself.

“You were called forth and were said to be found worthy, and yet we began our prayer with an acknowledgment to God of our sinfulness. You come here freely and yet will make a promise of obedience to your ordinary. You are raised up to serve at the altar, yet in a moment you will lie down prostrate in a

symbol of submission to the supplication to the saints on your behalf.”

Cardinal Dolan continued that this is all perfectly fitting in the basilica dedicated to the Apostle Peter, whose own martyrdom, on a cross upside down, allowed him more clearly to see right side up the Jesus whose love he had come to imitate.

During the ordination, the new deacons promised to live a life of prayer, celibacy and obedience to their diocesan bishop. The new deacons will have an additional year of theological studies and spiritual formation before being ordained to the priesthood in their home dioceses.

As part of the ordination rite, the cardinal placed the Book of the Gospels in the hands of each candidate being ordained and said, “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become.

Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”

The day following his ordination, Deacon McCanless preached his first homily at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.

— Pontifical North American College

Photo provided by the Pontifical North American College

David McCanless was among 39 men from the Pontifical North American College ordained transitional deacons Oct. 1 at St. Peter’s Basilica.

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: Oct. 11 – 2:30 P.M. Mass for Catholic Heritage Society St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Oct. 17 – 7 A.M. Mass for Missionaries of Charity Missionaries of Charity Convent, Charlotte

Oct. 21 – 7 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Barnabas Church, Arden

Oct. 14 – 7 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville

Oct. 18 – 2 P.M. Mass for Wedding Anniversaries St. John Neumann Church, Charlotte

Oct. 22 – 6:30 P.M. MiraVia Annual Banquet Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte

Oct. 16 – 10 A.M. Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Oct. 20 – 10 A.M. Annual Deacon Coordinators Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Oct. 23 – 5 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mocksville

of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-3703230.

For details, contact your parish office. To register and confirm workshop times, go to www.virtus.org.

Diocesan calendar of events October 9, 2015

Entertainment

Volume 24 • Number 1

Catholic School Family Fun Day, Homecoming: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 708 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia. For details, call the school office at 704-865-4382.

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

STAFF 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

Community ‘Spooky’ breakfast: 8-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St., Belmont. Everyone welcome to attend this annual “get-dressed-for-breakfast” costume contest, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Adult Education Fall Film Festival, “Moving Movies”: 7 p.m. Fridays, Oct. 23-Nov. 6 at St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill. Films will center on social justice and tolerance. All adolescents and adults are welcome. For details, call Dave Galusha at 704-256-9294.

Jason Moon Concert, “PTSD SHOW”: 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7, at St. John Neumann Church, 8451 Idlewild Road, Charlotte. Support and healing for veterans, families and communities suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. For details, visit www. jasonmoon.org.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org

LECTURES & REFLECTIONS

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org

Discussion groups on ‘Laudato Si’ (‘care for Our common home’): 10:30 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, Oct. 13, 20, 27, and Nov. 3; 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 14, 21, 28 and Nov. 4, at St. Pius X School, 2200 N. Elm St., Greensboro. For details, contact Derek Rotty, faith formation director, at 336-272-4681 or drotty@stpiusxnc. com.

Hispanic communications reporter: Rico De Silva, 704-370-3375, rdesilva@charlottediocese.org

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

NEWS: The Catholic News Herald welcomes your news and photos. Please e-mail information, attaching photos in JPG format with a recommended resolution of 150 dpi or higher, to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org. All submitted items become the property of the Catholic News Herald and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives.

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

POSTMASTER: Periodicals class postage (USPC 007-393) paid at Charlotte, N.C. Send address corrections to the Catholic News Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.

‘Laudato Si’ and Catholic teaching on the environment: 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, Curtin Hall, on the Sisters of Mercy campus in Belmont, presentations by Father Frank Cancro, pastor of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont and Mercy Sister Rose Marie Tresp, director of justice for the Sisters of Mercy South Central Community. Continental breakfast and lunch provided. Registration required by Wednesday, Oct. 21. For details and registration, call 704-370-3225 or email jtpurello@charlottediocese.org.

Alzheimer’s awareness: 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Parish Hall at St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville. Topics will include: Alzheimer’s what it is, what it is not; 10 warning signs; communication tips; caregiver strategies; and Q&A session. Huntersville CARE’s members will provide the resources and education needed to help those affected by Alzheimer’s.

For details, call Janet Urban at 704-948-3558.

Day OF Reflection on ‘Laudato Si’ (‘CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME’): 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Road, Winston-Salem.

OTHER Miravia Annual fundraiser: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Charlotte Convention Center. MiraVia provides material and emotional assistance to pregnant mothers and children in need. Guest speaker will be Austin Ruse, president of C-Fam (Center for Family and Human Rights). To reserve your seat, contact banquet reservations at 704-525-4673, ext. 10.

Pilgrimage of Mercy, “The tour of the major relics of st. maria goretti”: The major relics of St. Maria Goretti will make a pilgrimage to the U.S. in preparation for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy that begins Dec. 8. St. Maria Goretti is the patroness of purity, chastity and rape victims. The major relics will visit: Friday, Oct. 23, at Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro; Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte. Details at www.

MariaGoretti.com.

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS Living Rosary to Stop Abortion: 10:15 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, in the cloister area of St. Pius X Church, 2210 N. Elm St., Greensboro. We are asking all would-be mothers, especially if you’re having doubts, to come and let us pray with you.

Ministry of MOthers sharing: 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St., Belmont. This gathering is for moms with children of all ages. It will be a time for fellowship and study for spiritual growth. For details, email Debbie at qoaformation@aol.com.

Pro-Life Rosary: 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, 901 North Main St. and Sunset Drive, High Point. Outdoors, rain or shine. Parking available nearby. Come to pray for the end of abortion. For details, call Jim Hoyng at 336-882-9593 or Paul Klosterman at 336-848-6835.

RETREATS Women’s Autumn Evening retreat: 4-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 in the MAK Family Life Center at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St., Belmont. Retreat will encourage individuals to deepen their relationship with God and another. Bring a salad topping to share. For details, call Cam Tracy at 704-853-0654.

CANDLER: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, St. Joan of Arc Church, 768 Asbury Road CHARLOTTE: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.

HICKORY: 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St. N.E. KERNERSVILLE: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, Holy Cross Church, 616 South Cherry St. Lexington: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 619 South Main St. MAGGIE VALLEY: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr. MINT HILL: 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road SUPPORT GROUPS Season of Hope: 2-4 p.m. Sept. 20-Oct. 25 at St. Pius X Church, 2210 North Elm St., Greensboro. All parishioners mourning the loss of a loved one are encouraged to attend. To register, call the parish office at 336-272-4681.

RETROUVAILLE: Retrouvaille is a program for married couples who are struggling with problems in their marriage. For confidential information, call 1-800-4702230 or 1-434-793-0242, or email retrouvaillenc@msn. com. Learn more at www.retrouvaille.org.

YOUNG ADULTS AQUINAS’ FINEST: A social group for Charlotte-area Catholics in their 20s and 30s, under the patronage of the Angelic Doctor. Go to www.stacharlotte.com/finest for details about upcoming events.

Asheville Theology on Tap: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Asheville area. For details, check them out on Facebook, Twitter or MeetUp. Charlotte Area Young adults: Groups for Catholics in their 20s and 30s, single or married, are active in Charlotte at: St. Gabriel Church (on Facebook at “St. Gabriel Young Adult Ministry”), St. John Neumann Church (Meg VanGoethem, 815-545-2587), St. Mark Church (look them up on MeetUp), St. Matthew Church (on Facebook at “Young Adult Life: A St. Matthew Ministry”), St. Patrick Cathedral (on Facebook at “St. Patrick Cathedral Frassati Fellowship-Young Adult Ministry”), St. Peter Church (look them up on MeetUp) and Our Lady of Consolation Church (Denise Duliepre, 917-575-0871); and Holy Spirit Church in Denver (Nicole Lehman, 704-607-5207).

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING NFP Introduction and Full Course: 1-5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 17, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Topics include: effectiveness

“Protecting God’s Children” workshops are intended to educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. Upcoming workshops are listed below.

Is your PARISH OR SCHOOL hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org.

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Two parishes to host relics of St. Maria Goretti Relics coming to Greensboro, Charlotte Oct. 23-25 SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — Faithful in the Diocese of Charlotte will be able to venerate the remains of St. Maria Goretti, at 11 the youngest canonized saint in the Catholic Church, during the national “Pilgrimage of Mercy: the Tour of the Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti” coming here Oct. 23-25.

Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro will receive the relics on Friday, Oct. 23, and will provide veneration for one day. Then after transporting the relics to Charlotte, St. Thomas Aquinas Church will host the relics on Saturday, Oct. 24, until the early morning hours of Oct. 25.

The national tour, which began in September and takes place through Nov. 12, comes just weeks before the Church begins an Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy on Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The visit is an effort on the part of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, her Pontifical Basilica and the Treasures of the Church, to prepare and catechize the U.S. for the great celebration of the Year of Mercy.

St. Maria Goretti, who died on July 6, 1902, was fatally stabbed 14 times after an attempted rape. Her last words on

her deathbed were of mercy towards her 20-year-old attacker: “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli… and I want him with me in heaven forever.” Serenelli reported that St. Maria appeared to him in his prison cell six years after he was incarcerated on a 30year sentence for her death. That occasion began his dramatic transformation from a violent and ruthless man to that of a renewed soul intent on spreading devotion to God and his saintly victim.

Father Carlos Martins, CC, an ecclesiastically-appointed curate of relics and director of Treasures of the Church, is leading the tour of St. Maria’s relics in the U.S. This is first time her body travels to the U.S. and only the second time the relics have traveled outside Italy.

Father Martins, who has been ministering with relics for almost 20 years, remarks that “God never disappoints,” but always “shows up” at an exposition.

“There are healings at each one,” he said.

“Hundreds, perhaps even thousands, have been reported to me. Spectacular ones.

Attendees have reported cancer, heart disease, tumors, osteoporosis, physical deformities, etc., disappear immediately and completely.”

Though a great number of miracles have been physical, he admits that the most spectacular is the healing of faith – when a new and deeper relationship with God and His saints are formed in those who visit the relics.

“It is a most wonderful thing to see a parish, school or prison renewed after an exposition. That is the basis for this ministry’s existence and I cannot wait to see where St. Maria will take it,” he added.

St. Maria’s remains are inside a glass-

sided casket. Inside the casket is a wax statue which conceals her skeletal remains.

The skeleton is complete, save for small amounts of bone that have been placed in reliquaries, and her right arm which was donated by her mother to the Church of St. Nicholas in her birthplace of Corinaldo.

The tour includes stops at 25 Catholic dioceses spanning 16 states, including the archdioceses of New York, Boston, Newark, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Oklahoma City. Hosts of the body will include parishes, schools and prisons. Each exposition will include presentations on the life and virtues of St. Maria Goretti. These will provide the catechetical and spiritual basis for the veneration of her remains which follows.

The North Carolina leg of the tour is sponsored in part by Saint Benedict Press.

At Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro, veneration will begin at 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 23, as the relics are received at the church. Mass will be held at 7 p.m. and veneration will continue after Mass until midnight. Parking is not available at the church but parking and shuttle service will be available at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex at 1921 W. Gate City Blvd.

St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte will host the relics on Saturday, Oct. 24, until after the 7:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Oct. 25. Veneration will begin Oct. 24 with a 10 a.m. Mass offered in the Extraordinary Form. A Mass in English will also be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. in honor of St. Maria Goretti. Father Martins will serve as homilist.

Standing-room-only crowds are expected at each location.

Parish and school bus groups must

Laudato Si’: Global, local impacts of climate change highlighted SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — There is one thing for certain, Pope Francis’ latest encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home” is causing a lot of discussion and awareness of how every person can affect the environment.

In the third of five presentations hosted

by Catholic Charities’ Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy, presenters Matthew Burkhart and Sam Perkins spoke Oct. 5 about the pope’s encyclical and what actions people can take to make a difference on a global and local level.

Their presentation at St. Peter Church was entitled “From Stewardship of Our Local Catawba River to a Justice Vision of Global Fresh Water Usage.”

Matthew Burkhart, advocacy relationship manager for the southeast regional office of Catholic Relief Services, spoke first about Laudato Si’ and climate change and its effects on the poorest countries, as well as how CRS works to find solutions for vulnerable populations.

He shared the “Top Ten Takeaways from Laudato Si’” compiled by Jesuit Father James Martin and published in America Magazine last June.

Burkhart reviewed the impacts of environmental degradation: rising temperatures, increasing storms, destruction of homes, severe drought, poor crops and withered growth. He also touched on how we need to adapt to climate change and work to prevent its causes when possible.

He gave examples of how devastating

storms and water crises in places like the Philippines and Bangladesh have changed how CRS works with local communities, so that in times of disaster and drought the people in need may still have access to clean drinking water or plant crops and sustain their food supplies.

Sam Perkins of the Catawba River Keeper Foundation gave a presentation on how climate change, precipitation, runoff and energy consumption impacts people in western North Carolina. He shared historical information about the Catawba River Basin and how land use and explosive growth in the region have impacted the water supply over the past century.

The Catawba River Keeper Foundation oversees 5,000 square miles of the Catawba River Basin. There are about 2 million people in this densely-populated area, and that means high demand for water and a lot of waste.

“We (the Catawba River Basin) have been set up to be the most endangered river in America,” he explains, based on how the river has been used and misused in recent years.

Our local water resources must be better protected, he said, so that communities can continue to grow and develop sustainably.

Burkhart hopes that those in attendance take away a few things from the presentation.

“As Catholics, we are all called to care for creation,” he said. He also hopes people remember that the U.S. Catholic Church through CRS is responding to the needs of the poor and the vulnerable around the world who are affected by climate change.

“Catholics and others of goodwill are invited to participate in that work

through prayer, learning and action.

There are many ways parishes, schools and ministries can respond to the pope’s call in Laudato Si’ to care for creation and care for the poor and vulnerable,” he said, noting that there are many resources available through CRS, Catholic Charities and others. “All are called to participate – not just a select few – and through that participation our faith is strengthened, the sacraments take on a deeper meaning and we walk closer with Jesus.”

Joe Purello, director of Catholic Charities’ Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy, organized the presentation.

“Pope Francis and before him, Pope Benedict, have emphasized access to safe, drinkable water as a basic human right,” Purello said. “This right is given emphasis in Laudato Si’. So I must ask myself, ‘how am I helping to ensure that this human right is promoted and protected?’”

Purello noted that this presentation gave attendees, blessed to live in areas with good access to water resources, a look at life in areas without such access.

“Matt’s images of places around the world where people go through great effort to capture every drop of rain were very eye-opening. Then we heard Sam share just how fragile is our access to clean water here in the Carolinas,” he noted.

“Our local water resources, while plentiful in comparison to many other places, are under great strain from overusage and contamination. We have an obligation to protect this resource, not only for our health and well-being, but also for the generations to come.”

More online At www.mariagoretti.com: Get more information about the national “Pilgrimage of Mercy: The Tour of the Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti” At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Learn what to do in venerating a relic schedule their arrival time to attend. In Greensboro, contact Father Noah Carter, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Grace Church, at frncarter@olgchurch.org or 336-274-6520, ext. 318. In Charlotte, bus groups must reserve a time online at www. signupgenius.co/go/20f0445a8ad2aa3f85busgroups. Questions about Charlotte schedules can be directed to Jackie Gallagher at jackie@saintbenedictpress.com.

— Treasures of the Church contributed to this article.

Resources available on Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ Laudato Si’ is the appeal from Pope Francis addressed to “every person living on this planet” for an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. These upcoming events offer opportunities to learn more about this encyclical and Church teaching on the environment: n 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, Curtin Hall, on the Sisters of Mercy campus, 101 Mercy Dr., Belmont: “Implementing Pope Francis’s Call to Care for Creation in Laudato Si’ – Theological, Spiritual, and Practical Insights” presentations by Father Frank Cancro, pastor of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont, and Mercy Sister Rose Marie Tresp, director of justice for the Sisters of Mercy South Central Community. This presentation and workshop will prepare attendees to be “faithful engagers” in homes, parishes and communities to share the message of Laudato Si’. Lunch provided. The event, cosponsored by Catholic Charities and the Sisters of Mercy, is free but you must register by Wednesday, Oct. 21, to attend. Call 704-370-3225 or email jtpurello@charlottediocese.org. n 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, Good Shepherd Mission in King: “Being Good Stewards of God’s Creation – Pope Francis’ Call to Global Solidarity.” The program will follow the 6 p.m.

Mass. It is free, but RSVPs are requested to 704370-3225 or jtpurello@charlottediocese.org.

More online At www.ccdoc.org: Find resources and a link to the full text of Laudato Si’, and more details about the events listed above At www.catholicclimatecovenant.org: Learn more about Catholic teaching on the environment

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 OUR PARISHES

‘Mission is a passion for Jesus and at the same time a passion for His people’

Pope Francis’ message recalled for upcoming World Mission Sunday CHARLOTTE — Earlier this year, before his visit to the U.S., Pope Francis spoke of the essential need for missionary outreach for the Church and people of faith: “Mission is a passion for Jesus and at the same time a passion for His people,” in his message for World Mission Sunday.

The two concerns always go hand in hand, he said, because just as a Christian knows others need to hear the Gospel, he or she knows Jesus calls all His disciples to share His love.

This year, World Mission Sunday will be celebrated the weekend of Oct. 17-18, with a special second collection taken up in all parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte to help fund missionary outreach worldwide. This day is organized by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church’s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice.

Every year the needs of the Catholic Church in the Missions grow – as new dioceses are formed, as new seminaries are opened because of the growing number of young men hearing Christ’s call to follow Him as priests, as areas devastated by war or natural disaster are rebuilt, and as other areas, long suppressed, are opening up to hear the message of Christ and His Church.

That is why the involvement and commitment of Catholics from around the world is so urgently needed. Offerings from Catholics in the United States, on World Mission Sunday and throughout the year, are combined with offerings to the Propagation of the Faith worldwide.

Mission dioceses – about 1,150 at this time – receive regular annual assistance from the funds collected. In addition, these mission dioceses submit requests to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples for assistance, among other needs, for catechetical programs, seminaries, the work of religious communities, for communication and transportation needs, and for the building of chapels, churches, orphanages and schools. These needs are matched with the funds collected each year.

The world’s national directors of the Propagation of the Faith vote on these requests, matching the funds available with the greatest needs. These funds are then distributed, in their entirety, to mission dioceses throughout the world.

Last year, the Diocese of Charlotte collected $196,040 for world missions.

Father J. Patrick Cahill, pastor of St. Eugene Church in Asheville, is the director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith for the diocese.

“This second collection is ultimately distributed to the neediest missions in the Church,” Father Cahill explains. “World Mission Sunday is a great display of the universal Church. It also highlights the important call we have to support one another. Like the Holy Land 2,000 years ago, great hope pours from this unique location to the ends of the earth.

Please consider a donation of any kind to this collection.”

Learn more about the World Missions online at www.onefamilyinmission.org.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter; Catholic News Service contributed to this article.

sueann howell | catholic news herald

Children enrolled in Catholic Charities’ Refugee Youth Program take a look at their new bus, which now can take them from their homes to the Catholic Charities afterschool facility. The bus was made possible by a donation from the Maureen Reinehr Gigler Endowment Fund.

Donation to Refugee Youth Program funds new minibus SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

Did you know?

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Since its inception in 2006, the Refugee Youth Refugee Youth Program provides a fun Program provides has provided educational, cultural, and safe afterschool environment for recreational and social support to refugee youth (Krefugee children in Charlotte. Now they 12) in the Charlotte area. Afterschool programming have a reliable way to transport those covers homework assistance, enrichment and children back and forth each day, thanks individualized support. Additionally, social and to a donation from the Maureen Reinehr extracurricular enrichment activities are provided Gigler Endowment Fund. for all refugee children enrolled in the program.

The endowment, which provides Catholic Charities staff, volunteers and supporters for diocesan multicultural needs, was work together to help refugee children thrive and established by Joe and Carol Gigler, achieve their full potential. For more information or parishioners at St. Matthew Church in to donate to the Refugee Youth Program, go to www.

Charlotte. It was set up in honor of Joe’s ccdoc.org or call Cira Ponce at 704-370-3277. mother, Maureen Reinehr Gigler. grateful to Mrs. Reinehr Gigler and her Last year Catholic Charities’ Refugee family!”

Youth Program served more than Ponce points out that more than half 150 children in elementary, middle of the world’s refugees are children. She and high school. Until recently, staff and her staff at Catholic Charities feel had to find creative ways to get the privileged to serve the refugee children children to their afterschool program and their families who have resettled in and activities, as they had no easy Charlotte. way of transporting larger numbers “At the (afterschool) program, of children from their homes to the we assist children with homework, afterschool program. encourage new English language The Maureen Reinehr Gigler learners to read in English, and play Endowment Fund contributed $22,000 to games,” said Susan Jassan, program Catholic Charities specifically to meet director. this need.

“We do more than provide academic “We just thought it was perfect,” help, though. We also offer a safe, fun Gigler said about the timing of the space where they can retreat after need and the availability of the funds school, and we provide mentors and role from the endowment. “We set up the models in the form of staff, AmeriCorps endowment years ago to honor my members and volunteers.” mother, and it is wonderful that she gets For the 2015-’16 academic year, 27 to see it doing good things for others elementary and middle school students now.” are enrolled in the afterschool program “The Gigler family has been steadfast and Catholic Charities expects that supporters of the refugees resettled number to grow. They also expect 12

by Catholic Charities for many years,” high school students to attend their said Cira Ponce, director of Catholic drop-in tutoring program at Garinger Charities’ Refugee Resettlement Office.

High School.

“This transportation allows the refugee “Throughout the school year, children to receive vital services. we receive requests from refugee Our staff and clients are jubilant and

parents to enroll their children in the afterschool program, and do our best to accommodate the needs of refugee families in Charlotte through one or more services,” Jassan said.

“In addition to our afterschool services, we also offer a Newcomers ESL class in the summer, weekly fellowship activities for high school girls and boys, a summer camp, and numerous field trips throughout the year.”

So the 14-passenger white minibus will really come in handy, she said.

Patrick Costanzo, assistant facilitator for the program and afterschool bus driver, said the bus expands Catholic Charities’ ability to serve students that the agency otherwise might not reach.

“The bus will hopefully ease logistical issues related to staffing program events and providing transportation, and maximize the number of refugee youth who can participate in our numerous enrichment opportunities,” Costanzo said.

What do the children and parents think about the new bus?

On a recent afternoon they all had a chance to hop inside and check it out.

They walked up and down the aisles with smiles and giggles and sat in the seats.

Dina Phuyel, whose daughter is a firstgrader in the afterschool program, is pleased with the new bus.

“It looks new, this is why I like the bus. My daughter likes it more than her school bus because it is more comfortable,” Phuyel said.

He believes the new bus will really help her.

“Within school, she learns. When she goes to (the) afterschool program, she will participate in extracurricular activities, she will meet new people, gain new experiences. She also learns how to cooperate with friends.”

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

Bi – lingual Parish Secretary

Part-time (3 days per week) Christ the King Catholic Church, High Point, NC

In Brief

Apply by phone: 336-883-0244 or email: christthekinghp@gmail.com

Youth, young adults invited to World Youth Day CHARLOTTE — Youth from the Diocese of Charlotte are invited to take part in a diocesan pilgrimage to World Youth Day with Pope Francis in Krakow, Poland, July 25-Aug. 1, 2016.

All youth and young adults aged 16-35 are invited. The pilgrimage will include tours of Krakow and Prague, the convent of St. Faustina, the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Auschwitz and the site of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s martyrdom, the birthplace of St. Pope John Paul II, the Shrine of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the Shrine of St. Stanislaus, and more.

More information about registration and travel arrangements is online at www.education. charlottediocese.org/youth-ministry or www. catholicnewsherald.com.

CRS Rice Bowl Mini-Grant applications now available CHARLOTTE — Does your parish help run a food pantry, operate a thrift store, or sponsor an emergency services program? If so, consider applying for a CRS Rice Bowl Mini-Grant for up to $1,000 in grant funds. Grants will be accepted through the postmark deadline of Oct. 15. Information about this upcoming round of grants (including application, guidelines and eligibility) is available at www.ccdoc.org/cchdcrs.

Only one grant can be submitted per Catholic entity and grant applications must be reviewed and signed by the pastor of the parish, principal of the school, or director of the diocesan office applying for the grant. Questions? Please contact jtpurello@charlottediocese.org.

Crowds gather for Our Lady of the Highways Day THOMASVILLE — It was standing room only as parishioners filled the church to celebrate Our Lady of the Highways Day Sept. 27 with a bilingual Mass celebrated by Father Jim Turner, pastor.

Our Lady of the Highways Day started in 1989 at the suggestion of Sister Lucy Hennessy from Maryfield, who at the time came to the church each week and taught fourth-grade catechism classes. The celebration is held each year on the last Sunday in September to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, patron of Our Lady of the Highways Church, and to provide a multicultural celebration for all parishioners. Typically the Mass and parish celebration are held outdoors, but rain this year forced everyone inside the church and parish hall to enjoy the fellowship.

— Joe Thornton, correspondent

Homecoming planned at St. Helen SPENCER MOUNTAIN — All are welcome to a Homecoming celebration at St. Helen Mission on Sunday, Oct. 11. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., and a covered dish meal will follow.

Parishioners should bring a covered dish, and call Musetta Glenn at 704-830-6053 for more information.

King mission welcomes new catechists KING — Good Shepherd Mission in King blessed and welcomed a new group of faith formation and sacramental preparation teachers on Catechetical Sunday, Sept. 20.

Pictured with Father Basile Sede and Deacon David Boisey are Sharon Stoehr, Ricardo Hidalgo, Rick Stoehr, Leslie Brown, Carl Brown, Bernie Mathon, Yvonne Lambert, Audelia Solorzano, Dora Marion, Carmen Hidalgo, Juan Landaverde, Hortensia Landaverde, Hannah Gerstemeier, Fabiola Panutti, Vinnie Panutti, Jeannie Gerstemeier and Andy Gerstemeier.

Not pictured is Jose Rodriguez, baptism preparation catechist for Spanish speakers.

— Annette Tenny, correspondent

Statesville parish celebrates families STATESVILLE — St. Philip the Apostle Parish celebrated Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to the U.S. and the World Meeting of Families with a Family Life Celebration Sept. 26-27. The two-day event included Masses in English and Spanish, a special blessing for all families, a barbecue and picnic provided by the local Knights of Columbus, along with games, inflatables and a dunk tank, music and traditional dancing, Because poverty is one of the challenges to a happy and stable family, the Statesville parish also donated $7,500 to three local Christian charities in September – Fifth Street Shelter Ministries, Iredell Christian Ministries and Yokefellow Ministry of Greater Statesville – in addition to assistance to the parish food closet which assists up to 200 families a month.

Representatives from each group are pictured above with Father Thomas Kessler, pastor, and parish famil representatives Mr. and Mrs. Mike Freese and Mr. and Mrs. Juan Carlos Medina.

“As baptized Christians, we truly are all adopted children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ – a family of faith. There is great cause for rejoicing here. By God’s grace, may family life be the nucleus of our society and may the peace of Christ reign in the hearts of our families,” Father Kessler noted.

— Connie Ries We welcome your parish’s news! Please email news items to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org.

Depression/Anxiety Acid reflux High Cholesterol Menopause Post-abortion Healing

“Time for God” - a retreat with Father Jacques Philippe With over one million copies sold in 24 languages, Father Jacques Philippe’s writings on themes such as prayer, interior freedom, and peace of heart have become classics of modern Catholic spirituality.

St. John Neumann Catholic Church - Charlotte , NC Saturday, November 14 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM To register, please call 704-536-6520 or visit www.4sjnc.org The cost of the retreat is $15 (includes lunch) Registration deadline is November 8, 2015

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 OUR PARISHES

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Do you have a car sitting in a driveway catching leaves? Maybe it will not start or needs a major repair. Catholic Charities beneďŹ ts from the donation of your vehicle. Donate your vehicle and receive a tax beneďŹ t!

Call 1-855-930-GIVE today!

CCDOC.ORG

Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

Francesca Sperrazzo prays during a rosary rally outside Planned Parenthood’s Charlotte Health Center Aug. 14.

The prayer rally was the first event coordinated by the new Catholic Pro-Life Action Network, which hopes to increase awareness and participation from Catholics in the Charlotte region on pro-life issues.

New group in diocese unites pro-life activists SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — Catholic pro-life advocates and ministry leaders in the greater Charlotte area have recently joined forces to more closely coordinate efforts on promoting the pro-life message.

The new group, Catholic Pro-Life Action Network (or C-PLAN for short), hopes to increase awareness and participation from Catholics in the region on pro-life issues.

The lay leadership effort takes a step beyond parish-focused pro-life ministry work – linking up these groups and other related ministries in coordination with the Diocese of Charlotte’s Respect Life Office.

Parishes represented in the network so far include: St. Patrick Cathedral, St. Matthew, St. Gabriel, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ann and St. John Neumann churches in Charlotte; St. Mark

Church in Huntersville; St. Luke Church in Mint Hill; St. James the Greater Church in Concord; St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia; Our Lady of the Americas Church in Biscoe; Holy Spirit Church in Denver; as well as Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury and St. Barnabas Church in Arden.

Mike Fitzgerald, head of the Respect Life effort at St. Mark Church in Huntersville, is one of the founders of C-PLAN. He, Gretchen Filz of St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Mary Richardson of St. Ann Church in Charlotte all collaborated to create C-PLAN. They observed that there are many Catholic pro-life efforts under way in the Charlotte area, but the disparate groups have lacked coordination and shared communication on what is a shared mission.

ACTIVISTS, SEE page 17

‘Witness for Life’ at MiraVia’s banquet Oct. 22

Donate Your Car Make your car go the extra mile.

Donate your car to Catholic Charities to help fund programs for those in need. All vehicle makes, models and years welcome.

Truck, boat, RV and motorcycle donations accepted.

855.930.GIVE (4483) www.ccdoc.org/CARS Catholic Charities relies on your direct support to help fund its various ministries.

CHARLOTTE — Pope Francis, in his historic trip to the U.S. last month, encouraged Americans to take care of the “least of these� in our society and help protect those who are most vulnerable. For more than two decades MiraVia, formerly known as Room at the Inn in Charlotte, has been doing just that by supporting pregnant mothers and their children.

On Thursday, Oct. 22, MiraVia will celebrate its 21st anniversary at the “Witness for Life� fundraising banquet, an evening designed to celebrate all of the good work that MiraVia does in the Charlotte region.

This year’s keynote speaker will be Austin Ruse, president of C-Fam, the Center for Family and Human Rights. Ruse is also a well-known speaker and contributor to publications such as Crisis Magazine, Legatus Magazine, the Washington Times and National Review online.

An ardent defender of life, Ruse says, “The abortion culture tells young women

they are free to make their own choice and what they find is they are almost totally alone. The institutions that used to protect them in their time of need – family, church, school, friends – are often those that have deserted them. “Up steps MiraVia, dedicated to serving these young women in their hour of greatest need. It is heroic work that receives little attention but deserves great adulation and our full support.�

The evening begins with check-in at 5:30 p.m. at the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center. Reservations are free but required and must be made

by Saturday, Oct. 10. Attendees will have an opportunity to make a donation to the ministry at the end of the evening.

To make a reservation, go to www. miraviabanquet21.eventbrite.com or call 704-525-4673, ext. 10. Email Mary Paul Forsyth at marypaulforsyth@mira-via.org for details. — SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

Witnessing for life

OUR PARISHESI

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Faithful form prayer chains for Respect Life Sunday

SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald

CHARLOTTE — Parishioners of St. Ann Church formed a prayer chain to line busy Park Road in Charlotte Oct. 4 for Respect Life Sunday.

Bill Washington | Catholic News Herald

ABOVE: SALISBURY — Members of Sacred Heart Church, led

by Father John Eckert, pastor, prayed the rosary with in downtown Salisbury for Respect Life Sunday.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from Respect Life Sunday vigils across the Diocese of Charlotte

GREENSBORO — Members of St. Paul the Apostle Church, including the Wilde family pictured above, and St. Pius X parishioners gathered for a peaceful vigil in Greensboro Oct. 4 for Respect Life Sunday.

Craig Allen | Catholic News Herald

MURPHY — Parishioners from St. William Church in Murphy gathered in front of the Cherokee County Court House Oct. 4.

Georgianna Penn | Catholic News Herald

Joe Thornton Photography | Catholic News Herald

THOMASVILLE — Members of Our Lady of the Highways Parish showed their appreciation of life in a prayer chain last weekend at Southgate Shopping Center on Randolph Street in Thomasville.

Mike FitzGerald | Catholic News Herald

HUNTERSVILLE — More than 100 parishioners braved the stormy weather to attend St. Mark Church’s annual Life Chain along Stumptown Road in Huntersville. For the second year, the Respect Life ministry awarded a donation to the ministry which brought out the most members. The Women of Joy again brought out the most members, followed by the Homeschool ministry and the Knights of Columbus.

WINSTON-SALEM — Hundreds of people also braved the weather and stood in silent prayer along Hanes Mall Boulevard for the lives of the unborn and to end abortion.

Hernan Mena Arana | Catholic News Herald

facebook.com/ catholic news HERALD ESPAÑOL

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 10

Eduardo Bernal

El Amor es Nuestra Misión, la familia plenamente viva

E

ste fue el tema del VIII Encuentro Mundial de la Familia en Filadelfia 2015 este pasado mes de Septiembre. Nos reunimos alrededor de 20,000 peregrinos, en su gran mayoría familias para celebrar, compartir, fortalecer y dar testimonio con nuestra presencia de que la familia sigue siendo la prioridad en nuestras vidas, nuestro camino de salvación y la fuente de la cual brota el amor de Dios al mundo.

El llegar a Filadelfia, Pennsylvania, fue la culminación de 10 meses de preparación, con temas que se desarrollaron uno por mes con un material catequético preparatorio camino hacia Filadelfia 2015. En varias parroquias de la diócesis, familias se reunieron para compartir y reflexionar sobre el papel de la familia y su misión en el mundo de hoy.

Este fue un proceso que exigió planeación, preparación, y familias que invitaran a otras familias de la comunidad para hacer el tiempo de compartir y redescubrir juntas lo hermoso que es la vocación que eligieron y lo que esto significa para ellos, para la Iglesia y para la sociedad en la que vivimos y somos parte en cada una de nuestras comunidades de fe y en donde vivimos.

Que descubrimos en este proceso: Que la Iglesia necesita de la participación plena de todos y cada uno de los miembros de la familia; no solo de los padres, sino de todos, desde el más joven hasta el más adulto, participando como familia y todos dando testimonio y creciendo en santidad.

Y esto fue lo que vi en Filadelfia, familias completas haciendo el sacrificio de como familia ir a este encuentro. Tuvimos la bendición de tres familias de la Vicaria de Smoky Mountain de poder participar la semana completa en las conferencias y el fin de semana en las actividades junto con el Papa Francisco.

Tuve la bendición de poder asistir al encuentro como parte de una delegación del Instituto Pastoral del Sureste (SEPI) -- por sus siglas en ingles. Una delegación de 20 personas representando a la región del sureste de los Estados Unidos.

La semana de conferencias comenzó el Martes 22 de Septiembre, con la ceremonia de apertura donde nos reunimos alrededor de 20,000 personas con grandes delegaciones de México, Nigeria, Filipinas, y otras más en donde se sentía la alegría y la fraternidad. No solo por la alegría de esto grupos de poder haber viajado juntos, sino porque sabíamos todos que somos familia y que estábamos allí reunidos, convocados por una misma Iglesia, por un mismo amor, por un mismo Dios.

Después del Martes, desde el Miércoles hasta el Viernes, cada día comenzó con la celebración de la Santa Misa, celebrada por uno de los Obispos presentes.

Luego la conferencia general para todos los asistentes dada por uno de los muchos cardenales que asistieron al encuentro, y luego salíamos a los diferentes salones donde ya se daban conferencias con temas específicos de los cuales uno tenía que elegir el de interés.

Pude estar en varios de estos, uno de ellos fue Misión, SEE page 11

Familia Hispana asiste al Encuentro Mundial de la Familia en Filadelfia Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

SYLVA — Para la familia de Eduardo y María Marquina el haber asistido al Encuentro Mundial de la Familia 2015 con el Papa Francisco la semana del 21 de Septiembre fue “algo inolvidable.”

La pareja mexicana, y miembros de la Parroquia de St. Mary en Sylva, fue una de las dos familias que tuvo la oportunidad de viajar a Filadelfia con el coordinador del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Smoky Mountain, Eduardo Bernal. “Fue una aventura tremenda,” dijo Marquina. Los peregrinos viajaron en automóvil desde Sylva, que esta localizada en las montañas de Asheville, y partieron el Sabado y llegaron a Filadelfia el Domingo en la noche.

Los Marquina estuvieron en el Encuentro toda la semana. “El Lunes 21, fue la inscripción todo el dia y la inaguracion fue el Martes, 22. Habian cerca de 10,000 personas en el centro de convenciones en donde se celebró,” dijo Marquina.

“Era un mundo de gente, y habían mas de 100 paises representados. El evento estuvo muy bien organizado y nos dieron un muy buen trato a todas las familias presentes,” destaco el padre de familia.

Los adultos tenían la opción de asistir a dos conferencias en la mañana y dos en la tarde, al mismo tiempo los niños también asistieron al “Young Congress,” o congreso de jóvenes. El papá, Eduardo, es originario de Queretaro, Mexico, y la mamá María, es de Puebla, Mexico. La pareja tiene cuatro hijos: Monserrat Foto proporcionada por Eduardo Marquina de 14 años, Edward de 10, (Arriba) La familia Marquina en Filadelfia durante la Jornada Mundial de la Familia 2015, (de izquierda a Frankie de 7 y Jacob el menor derecha) Edward de 10 años, Monserrat de 14 años, mamá Maria, papá Eduardo, Frankie de 7 años y Jacob el de 3 años. Marquina dijo que hijo menor de 3 años. el evento también contó con servicios de guardería para los Marquina describe la experiencia durante la Misa con niños pequenos como Jacob.

La familia Marquina disfrutó del Festival de las Familias, el Santo Padre, “El Papa Francisco es un Papa de carne y hueso… Durante la Misa, mi esposa María no paraba de el Sabado, 26 de Septiembre, dia antes de la Misa de llorar,” recordó él. clausura con el Papa Francisco. “Entre los artistas latinos, El padre de familia dijo que el Papa Francisco dio dos canto Juanes y también el italiano, Andrea Bocelli.” Al dia encargos a las familias presentes durante la Misa, “Primero, siguiente, el cierre con broche de oro, la Misa con el Papa.

Los peregrinos hispanos tenían un pase especial durante la preocuparse de los niños porque ellos son la fuerza y el futuro de la familia. Y preocuparnos de los abuelos. El Papa dijo que Misa con el Papa Francisco. ‘nuestros abuelos son la memoria de la familia.’”

“Dicen que había un millón y medio de personas dentro “El Papa también dijo que ‘una familia sin memoria no del estadio donde se celebró la Misa, y había otro medio tiene rumbo.’” millón afuera en las calles,” dijo Marquina.

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Seminaristas hispanos viajan a Washington durante la visita del Papa Francisco Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

CHARLOTTE — Los seminaristas hispanos de la Diócesis de Charlotte, Juan Miguel Sánchez y Alfonso GámezAlanís, que estudian en el seminario Pontifico Josephinum en Columbus, Ohio, viajaron a Washington, D.C., el pasado 22 de Septiembre durante la primera fase de la visita del Papa Francisco a los Estados Unidos el mes pasado.

“Nosotros empezamos nuestra peregrinación a la visita del Santo Padre el 22 de septiembre. El seminario hizo planes para ir a D.C. contratando dos autobuses. Nuestros hermanos de Charlotte, Jake Mlaker, Brian Becker y Camilo Salas-Bowen acompañaron a los otros seminaristas en los autobuses que el seminario contrató. Miguel y yo viajamos separados gracias a la invitación generosa de un Padre de la Diócesis de Arlington,” dijo Gámez-Alanís.

A pesar de que la visita de Sanchez y Gamez fue muy breve, los dos estuvieron de acuerdo que fue una experiencia que dará mucho fruto en sus vocaciones sacerdotales.

“El único día que estuvimos completo fue el 23 de septiembre el cual fue el día de la canonización. Me pareció un evento maravilloso, creo que la visita del papa vino a reanimar y a revivir la fe de muchos católicos en E.U. El simple hecho de saber que el papa estaba pisando las mismas tierras que yo me daba mucha alegría. Yo jamás había estado en una visita papal, así que para mí, aunque no lo vi de cerca, fue

muy emotivo,” dijo Sanchez.

“Ver el Vicario de Cristo por primera vez en mi vida fue un experiencia inolvidable.

Durante la Misa de Canonización, los seminaristas y los religiosos y religiosas en formación estuvimos adentro de la Basílica mientras que la Misa se celebró afuera en el jardín. El Santo Padre, antes de vestirse y salir para celebrar la misa, paso por adentro de la Basílica. Al ver al futuro de la iglesia, ósea, todos los seminaristas y hermanas religiosas con el santo padre, me sentí realmente parte de algo más grande de mi persona. Todos nosotros presentes sentimos el llamado a seguir a nuestro Señor, a entregar nuestras vidas y dejar nuestros planes para algo más grande. Al ver como el Espíritu Santo está actuando en nuestra Iglesia, en nuestro mundo me doy cuenta que vale la pena entregar todo por nuestro Señor Jesucristo y por proclamar el mensaje del Evangelio,” confesó Gamez-Alanís.

Por último, Sanchez concluye, “Creo que una de las cosas que más me impactó fue el ver cuanta conmoción había por las calles y cuanta gente se emocionaban y gritaban tan solo por ver al Papa pasar. También me gustó mucho el ver como el Papa siempre pone mucha atención hacia los más vulnerables de la comunidad. Creo que a pesar de no haber sido una experiencia tan personal con el Papa, esta visita me hizo ver la gran necesidad que tiene la gente de Dios, y reflexionar como dice las Escrituras que ‘la mies es mucha y son pocos los obreros,’ necesitamos trabajar y orar más fervientemente por las vocaciones y por todos los líderes de nuestra Iglesia.”

11

‘Hermanos y hermanas, la misión comienza, la palabra se nos ha dado, la invitación ha sido echa y ahora a nosotros no queda el mandato de llevar el mensaje a cada uno de los rincones de este mundo.’

MISIÓN FROM PAGE 10

“La familia Hispana en el Contexto de una sociedad multicultural.” El tema fue desarrollado por un panel de presentadores de la región del Sureste, por dos parejas, una de Colombia, una de Puerto Rico y por el director del SEPI. Ellos nos compartieron de los retos que es para la familia el vivir y sacar adelante a todos los miembros de la familia en una sociedad donde el idioma, costumbres, y comida no son los del grupo dominante.

También, ellos hablaron de como nuestra fe, nuestra vida en comunidad, nuestros valores, nuestra cultura, y hasta nuestra manera de celebrar nuestra comunión con Dios pueden ser retados. Además, de cómo la familia nos da identidad, seguridad, es fuente para preservar y

fortalecer lo que somos y a lo que hemos sido llamados; de cómo la Iglesia y la vida comunitaria nos ayudan a mantener lo que Dios y nuestra cultura nos han dado.

Como conclusión, de todo este proceso de más o menos un año de preparación y su culminación en Filadelfia, y con la visita del Santo Padre, termina el tiempo de preparación y reflexión ahora comienza el tiempo de poner en acción todo lo reflexionado y aprendido.

Hermanos y hermanas, la misión comienza, la palabra se nos ha dado, la invitación ha sido echa y ahora a nosotros no queda el mandato de llevar el mensaje a cada uno de los rincones de este mundo. En lo personal, tengo que comenzar con cada uno de los rincones de la Diócesis de Charlotte.

Animo, y recordemos que “El Amor es Nuestra Misión.”

Eduardo Bernal es el coordinador del Ministerio Hispano de la Vicaria de Smoky Mountain.

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The app is free to download and available for all mobile devices, iPhone and iPad.

12

iiiOctober 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM TH

People from the Diocese of Charlotte who saw, heard or met Pope Francis said:

‘There’s a personal dynamism ‘Just seeing Pope Francis there with Pope Francis and a made me look at life a little wonderful humility. He really is a differently.’ humble servant of the Lord and Patricia Selzer Christ the King High School alumna, after attending Mass of the Church.’ with Pope Francis at the Basilica of the National Shrine Bishop Peter Jugis

Following Mass with Pope Francis at St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

‘I feel that I am a stronger Christian by being there and hearing his word.’

‘The crowds that turned out were amazing in their size and Iles good will. I hope it gets people Jack Charlotte Catholic High School freshman who Mass with the pope at the Cathedral Basilica to think about what is truly good attended of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia and valuable and important to life and that his comments to ‘You could feel his love and work for the common good will compassion for everyone.’ be heard.’

Father Patrick Cahill Abbot Placid Solari

After hearing Pope Francis’ addresses at the White House and the U.S. Congress

‘It was wonderful being there ... concelebrating and distributing the Eucharist. It was obvious people were there literally from all over the world receiving the Eucharist. It was very touching, very moving.’

Father Frank O’Rourke

Pastor of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte and Philadelphia native who concelebrated Mass with the pope in Philadelphia to end the World Meeting of Families

‘I felt encouraged as a pastor.

I’m excited to go back and continue to live out my call as a pastor.’

Father John Eckert

Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, after seeing Pope Francis outside the White House

Pastor of St. Eugene Church in Asheville who attended Vespers with the pope at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City

‘To see his joy, it rubs off on you.’

Jacob Mlakar

FA FA MI

Seminarian who attended Mass with the pope in Washington, D.C. at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

‘Welcoming Pope Francis to the “land of the free” and experiencing His Holiness in person will forever be etched on my heart.’

Georgianna Penn

Greensboro parishioner who saw the pope during his arrival at the White House and his address to Congress

‘I often found myself walking miles at a time and standing for long periods of time. But It was worth it because I was blessed by the pope, and that blessing will last a lifetime.’

Simon Tesfa

14-year-old member of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte who saw the pope in Philadelphia

Lots more online At www.phillyandfrancis.tumblr.com: Lots more photos, video and audio clips from the World Meeting of Families pilgrimage, including photos from each of the shrines they visited, Father Kottar’s complete homilies, along with lots of smiles and joyful moments from the pilgrims themselves At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Video and full coverage from Catholic News Service of the apostolic visit to the U.S. and Cuba, as well as full reminiscences by people from the Diocese of Charlotte who traveled to D.C., New York and Philadelphia to see Pope Francis

T

Stephen and Patricia Guilfoy Catholic News Herald

wo buses from the Diocese of Char Charlotte and Greensboro in the ea hours of Sept. 23, filled with pilgrim see Pope Francis and to attend Mas that following Sunday in Philadelp Of those 65 pilgrims, only one family a accompanying them made it through the of more than a million, slipping in to Pop last Mass of his U.S. apostolic visit and r Communion. The rest of the diocesan pil had come together through their shared experience in Philadelphia at the World M Families, cheered that family’s success a Joseph Rybak, his wife Diane and four children had hopes of somehow meeting

HE COVER

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

(Above and left) Erma Griffin of St. Mary Church in Greensboro pauses at the tomb of St. Katherine Drexel, one of the first American-born saints. Lisa Hobbs and her daughter Arial of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte pray during Mass at a local church celebrated just after the pilgrims arrived in Philadelphia Sept. 23.

(Far left) Joe Rybak and his son Nathan receive a blessing from a priest before Mass at the tomb of St. John Neumann. Father Michael Kottar, pastor of St. Mary Help of Christians Church in Shelby, celebrated Mass for the pilgrims throughout the fiveday trip.

Photos by Patricia Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

AMILY, AITH & ISSION:

yle

rlotte left arly morning ms hoping to ss with him phia. and two people e crowds pe Francis’ receiving lgrims, who pilgrimage Meeting of afterward. r of their six g Pope Francis.

13

Pilgrims go to Philly, but only a few see Pope Francis

The family attributes their fortune in getting through to three “angels” they met along the way on the final day of the pilgrimage, as well as to prayers and support of their fellow pilgrims.

They also got through because of the reaction the pilgrims had, and those “angels” had, to their 16-yearold son Nathan.

Nathan is wheelchair bound, suffering from a rare global developmental disability.

On Sunday, Sept. 27, as the pilgrims moved along 21st Street toward Benjamin Franklin Parkway where more than a million people were gathering for the papal Mass, “a woman came from behind us and asked, ‘Is this your son?’” said Joe Rybak.

The woman then disappeared into the crowd, reappearing a short time later with a National Guardsman who asked how many people were in the family. They answered six, then eight, because

they were traveling with fellow parishioners Claire Feldmeth and her grandson Logan. The Guardsman departed, then a third volunteer with a “very kind face” approached them, Rybak said. The woman assured the family she would get them through, and she led them to the front of the line.

Nathan ended up being the last disabled person allowed in to the Mass.

As the Rybaks moved ahead of the crowd, the others became bottle-necked along with tens of thousands of others trying to get into the Mass.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the street crammed between concrete and metal barricades, the pilgrims inched along, covering only four blocks in the five hours leading up to the Mass because of the enormous crowd and security delays.

A resident took pity on the crowd stranded outside her front door, bringing her TV set out onto the front steps, so some could watch the Mass. Others in the crowd pulled up the Mass on their cell phones. When it came time for the Our Father, everyone joined in singing along. At the sign of peace, people turned to the others standing next to them – at that point resigned to the fact they weren’t going to see the pope – shook hands and smiled.

By the time the last of the crowds cleared security, the Mass had ended, the pope had departed, and the exhausted pilgrims had no choice but to turn around and head back to their buses.

As the pilgrims began the 10-hour overnight journey home to North Carolina after the papal Mass, Joe Rybak expressed his family’s gratitude to their fellow pilgrims, and the significance of Nathan getting into the Mass became clear.

“You did us a great service and a great gift,” he told the pilgrims. “On our way, because the crowds were so big, people came and gathered Nathan and our family up and we were able to get into Mass. Like the paralyzed man, who couldn’t get in because of the crowds, was dropped through the roof – you have helped accompany us and get Nathan dropped in by Jesus there and receive the Eucharist in the most beautiful Mass I’ve ever been to … I just want to say thank you, thank you.”

For some pilgrims, at that moment the journey

changed from being about a trip to see the pope to a true pilgrimage undertaken as a diocesan family. They might have come from Asheville, Charlotte, Franklin, Salisbury, Hendersonville, Linville, Sparta and elsewhere, but over the course of the five-day trip they came together on a shared mission of faith.

They responded to the Rybak family’s witness – and especially to Nathan. Even though the boy did not say a word, he sparked compassion and cheerfulness from those who encountered him.

Some pilgrims offered to push Nathan’s wheelchair, others said silent prayers as the group returned to the bus each day, watching with respect as a smiling Joe Rybak gently lifted Nathan out of the wheelchair and onto his back to board the bus.

Every time Nathan and Joe had to head off to find an elevator or handicapped ramp, the pilgrims would stop and wait, cheering each time the two rejoined the group. A hint of a smile would cross Nathan’s face each time when the pilgrims erupted into applause at their arrival.

The pilgrims prayed along as the Rybak children led the group in the rosary each morning on the bus ride into Philadelphia. Others, even strangers they encountered at the World Meeting of Families, asked if they could pray for Nathan or with the family.

For the Rybaks, it shows what they have come to believe firmly.

“Nathan is a blessing,” Diane Rybak said. “Nathan is a blessing to us and he’s a blessing to everyone. I’m not saying that when he was born that we looked at it like that. It’s growing for us.”

Nathan has taught them “to recognize the simplicity of life and what is really important,” she said.

And, even more, raising Nathan has given the family a special calling.

Families are given children to raise, Diane said, but in their case, “we were given Nathan to raise other people outside my family – to bring other people to Christ.”

The Rybaks have gone on their own pilgrimages before, including to Lourdes and Medjugorje, but this is the first time they joined other families for such a trip.

Journeying with others of the same faith “was FAITH, SEE page 24

Our schools

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

14

Ritter receives AdvancED education award

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Charlotte Catholic student earns Hispanic honor CHARLOTTE — Andrea Garmilla, a senior at Charlotte Catholic High School, has been honored as a 2015-’16 National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar. Garmilla is one of more than 5,000 academically outstanding students honored by the NHRP this year. Garmilla was selected from the more than 250,000 Hispanic/ Latino juniors who took the PSAT/NMSQT, an exam administered by the Garmilla College Board. To be eligible, students must be at least one quarter Hispanic or Latino (based on the program’s definition) and score a minimum PSAT/NMSQT score for their region. Students with a cumulative junior year grade-point average of 3.5 or higher are designated as Scholars.

Garmilla is co-captain of the high school’s dance team and teaches dance at the Harris YMCA School of Dance. She is secretary of the National Honors Society, member of the Hispanic Honors Society, member of the retreat team, and is a nominee for the John Montgomery Belk Scholarship at Davidson College. She has also contributed to the Charlotte community by serving in the Harris YMCA Leaders’ Club, an organization requiring 100-plus hours of community service per year.

Garmilla plans to study either biomedical or chemical engineering in college.

— Nanine Hartzenbusch Fox

Charlotte Catholic students host blood drive CHARLOTTE — More than 100 students volunteered to donate blood at an American Red Cross blood drive hosted by the school’s Latin Club Sept. 29.

— Suzanne Cona

BMHS student named artist of the month

Lassiter

KERNERSVILLE — Bishop McGuinness High School senior Sarah Lassiter has been named a Student Artist of the Month by the Arts Council of WinstonSalem and Forsyth County.

In Brief, SEE page 15

Photo provided by Charles Fraune

Altar servers carry the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus following an all-school Mass at Christ the King High School Aug. 19, in which the image was enthroned at the school.

Christ the King School enthrones Sacred Heart Charles Fraune Special to the Catholic News Herald

HUNTERSVILLE — As Christ the King High School began its fifth year, the faculty and students recommitted ourselves to Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King, in a solemn enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

During the all-school Mass on Aug. 19, with a large image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus present, Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, preached on the overwhelming love which pours forth from Our Lord’s Heart, which is the principal message behind this sacred devotion of the Church. Following the Mass, Father Putnam and the altar servers processed with the image to the main area of the school, where the Sacred Heart was enthroned above the entrance to the hallway leading to the classrooms.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a devotion to the love of God, symbolized in this great Image of Our Lord’s Sacred Heart. The specific devotion truly began in Sacred Scripture, and was encouraged by numerous saints throughout the Church’s history. The popular image and message we have today have come to us through the private revelations to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century. The details of the image reveal His pierced Heart, on fire with divine love, crowned with thorns, with the Cross above, the means by which He revealed that He has given all He has in order to save us. As Pope Pius XII stated, these revelations were the means for Our Lord, “in a quite extraordinary way to invite the minds of men to a contemplation of, and a devotion to, the mystery of God’s

merciful love for the human race.”

The “Enthronement of the Sacred Heart” is a devotional practice of the Church which originated in the early 20th century. It was in response to the requests and promises of Our Lord to St. Margaret Mary that a holy priest began this practice, which then received the full support and encouragement of numerous popes over the past century.

The enthronement is a solemn act where a family or school recognizes Jesus Christ as King, of the family, of the school, and of the whole world, and asks Our Lord for His blessing and protection.

In addition to the large image prominently placed in the center of the school, each classroom was also adorned with a smaller image of the Sacred Heart.

Starting in September, the school community is continually renewing devotion to the Sacred Heart by honoring His request to attend Mass on the First Friday of each month. He promised to St. Margaret Mary that He would bless, with the grace of final penitence, all those who would attend Mass, in honor of His Sacred Heart, on nine consecutive First Fridays. The dates of our all-school Masses, with the exception of times where school is not in session, will all fall on First Fridays, to aid the students and faculty in fulfilling this request from Our Lord.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart expresses the same love and honor for our Lord’s Kingship which is expressed in the Eucharistic Congress which the Diocese of Charlotte hosts each year. We pray that Our Lord will richly bless our diocese as we place our hope in Him. Charles Fraune teaches theology at Christ the King High School.

Dr. Janice T. Ritter, superintendent of the Diocese of Charlotte Schools, has been awarded the AdvancED Excellence in Education Award for 2015-’16, the AdvancED North Carolina State Office recently announced.

The Excellence in Education Award recognizes one person in each of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) states for his or her achievements Ritter in education.

Nominees were judged on their contributions of generating a common vision and mission for higher expectations among students, faculty and the education community; demonstrating a record of significant and distinguished contribution to the education profession; providing a lasting positive impact on student learning; serving as a role model and mentor for students and/or future generations of educators; and demonstrating significant professional contribution to NCA CASI, NWAC or SACS CASI. Ritter began her professional career as an art teacher. She is a graduate of the College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, N.Y., where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art with a focus on art education, and a M.S. in Education with a focus on early childhood education. She also earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Her professional experiences as a classroom teacher, assistant principal and principal in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Area Schools from 1988 to 1997 prepared her to assume the position of assistant superintendent of the Diocese of Charlotte Schools in 1999 and current position of superintendent. In addition, Ritter serves as an adjunct instructor at Belmont Abbey College, Strayer University, CPCC-Levin Campus, and Pfeiffer University. She works with students in adult degree and Masters of Education programs and teaches courses in a variety of areas including curriculum and instruction, theories of learning, contemporary issues in education, and classroom management. Under her leadership, the diocesan schools system of 19 schools was successfully re-accredited during the 2014-’15 academic year.

She has been a staunch advocate for the benefits of the accreditation process and recognizes its significance in providing a framework for continuous improvement for schools and systems. This commitment is reflected in her ongoing contributions to the work of AdvancED in North Carolina and across the AdvancED network. She has served as a member of the AdvancED North Carolina State Council for six years and is in her fourth year of service as an AdvancED field consultant.

— Donna James, AdvancED North Carolina state director

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Photos provided by Nanine Hartzenbusch Fox

Keffer Stadium rededicated CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School held a re-dedication ceremony of Keffer Stadium before its Sept. 11 football win over Rocky River High School. The stadium was named in honor of Dick Keffer, who was present for its re-dedication just two weeks before his death. The Catholic philanthropist and longtime supporter of Charlotte Catholic High School suddenly passed away Sept. 25 at the age of 82. (Far right) At the re-dedication ceremony Father Matthew Kauth, chaplain of the high school, gives the blessing as David Krone, president of the Charlotte Catholic High School Athletic Association, looks on. (Above) Keffer waves from the press box as the high school community gives him a standing ovation.

IN BRIEF

SPX PTO raises funds

FROM PAGE 14

Lassiter, who was nominated as a musician by music instructor Dr. Alan Hirsh, was selected based on both academic rigor and artistic merit.

She currently holds a 4.29 grade-point average.

Lassiter told the arts council that she loves the way music is expressed through the voice, both singularly and in groups. She said her proudest artistic accomplishment was singing “Panis Angelicus” for the Bishop McGuinness Baccalaureate Mass. Her goal is to major in voice at college.

GREENSBORO — The St. Pius X School community held its inaugural “Catch A Comet” Fun Run Sept. 25. Despite the rain the students, faculty and parents had a fabulous and fun day.

Students collected donations, and more than $48,000 was raised to support the many programs funded by the St, Pius X PTO.

— Jeff Stoller

— Jean Navarro

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

On TV

In theaters

‘The Martian’ Compelling sci-fi epic in which the crew of a NASA mission to Mars is forced to evacuate the planet due to the arrival of a windstorm that threatens to destroy their rocket. As they scramble to depart, their botanist (Matt Damon) is struck by debris and swept away in the tempest, leaving his colleagues with no time to mount a rescue attempt. Though officially declared dead by the agency’s chief, the astronaut is in fact still alive. Yet, with limited supplies of food and water and no means of communicating with Earth, his chances for long-term survival are bleak. Though script touches on religion only in passing, its references to faith are all the more eloquent for being apparently casual and all the more pointed because of a science-celebrating context in which such affirmations might mistakenly be thought to be out of place. Some medical gore, scatological and other mature references, occasional crude and crass language.

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

Other movies ‘Everest’: CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents); MPAA: PG-13

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Igor Babailov presents his latest masterpiece, a portrait of Pope Francis, to the pontiff at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., Sept. 24 during the pope’s apostolic visit to the U.S. Babailov has also painted portraits of St. John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Pictured (from left) are Pope Francis, Monsignor Mark Miles, papal nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano and Babailov.

Master artist captures essence of popes, princes, politicians Presents portrait to Pope Francis in D.C. SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Master painter and portraitist Igor Babailov’s life is like one of his fine paintings: an ordinary life made extraordinary through the beauty of art.

Born into an artistically and academically gifted family in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, he grew up a Russian Orthodox in Moscow before the fall of Communism.

“The Church when we were kids was looked at like a museum,” Babailov recalls. “The Church was abused by the Soviet regime and they were very particular about making sure you did not carry things (like religious books) in your pockets.”

Babailov’s mother, a teacher for 57 years, could not attend church because she risked being fired from her job, he remembers. “Now the Russian people and my mom can go to church. She was baptized in 1997, right before all the big changes happened. I think God was always with us (during that time) in our hearts. Once people had the freedom, they went to church.”

Babailov, now 49, is an honorary academician of the Russian Academy of the Arts. He created his first portrait at the age of 4 and started his formal arts education at 9. When he was 13, he was selected to attend the prestigious Moscow Secondary School of Fine Arts.

After completing his higher education at the V.

Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute, where great masters like Whistler honed their skills, Babailov spent time in Canada and in New York City before moving to his adopted home of Nashville.

Over the past 45 years, Babailov has painted more than 2,000 portraits and other works.

The list of honors, awards and accolades are impressive for this Russian artist who is best known for his portraits “drawn from life” and his large murals of famous and not-so-famous people. Among his works are portraits of St. John Paul II, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and most recently, Pope Francis.

Babailov has traveled the world to meet with the subjects of his portraits. From princes to politicians to business executives, he enjoys the variety of people who look to him for a lasting memory, regardless of their social status.

“I always get some time with the subject to get a feel for the person,” he says. “But the sketch is not enough.” He relies on inspiration and on his formal training to do the rest.

When asked if he ever thought growing up as an artist that he would be commissioned to paint portraits of the popes, Babailov says with a hearty laugh, “Not in my wildest dreams!”

Thinking back to when St. John Paul II sat for a sketch for him before he created the official portrait for the Vatican, Babailov tries to put into words what it was like to spend time with the future saint.

“It’s something hard to describe. I remember John Paul II’s eyes. They were so blue – the bluest eyes I have ever seen in my life. They were like the beautiful sky, the beautiful ocean. They were looking not at me, but looking through me.”

After presenting the portrait to the pope at a ARTIST, SEE page 17

n Saturday, Oct. 10, 11 p.m.

(EWTN) “Our Lady of the Rosary at Pompeii.” A look at the founding of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary at Pompeii, Italy, by Blessed Bartolo Longo, along with the history of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, in which victory over the invaders was won by the faithful praying the rosary. n Monday, Oct. 12, 1:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “The Philosopher’s Bench: Lewis, Tolkien and Fantasy.” Similar to how ancient civilizations often used myths to explain the world, Dr. Kreeft and Dr. Howard examine how the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien can help us obtain a better understanding of God and the world He created. n Tuesday, Oct. 13, 5 p.m.

(EWTN) “Fatima: An Experience of Faith.” Revisit the town of Fatima, and the houses of the three young visionaries following the incredible events that occurred in 1917. n Wednesday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m. (EWTN) “Christopher Columbus: Faithful Christ Bearer.” Special feature on the life of Italian-born explorer Christopher Columbus, whose first name meant “Christbearer” and how he believed he was not only destined for expeditions but to spread the Gospel in far-off lands. n Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Lives of the Saints: St. Teresa of Avila.”

An illuminating docudrama examining the life of the 16thcentury saint and mystic Teresa of Avila. n Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 p.m.

(EWTN) “Fatima and the Popes.” A historical look behind the connection between the apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Fatima and the popes, beginning with Pope Benedict XV through Benedict XVI. n Monday, Oct. 19, 1:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “The Crusades: Journey’s Faith.” A look at the history and reasons for the Crusades, which originally was called an “armed pilgrimage,” aiding safety for pilgrims visiting the Holy Land against Muslim conquerors. n Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Armenia: A Corner in Heaven.” Sister Arousiag Sajonian, director of the Our Lady of Armenia Center, brings faith, hope and practical solutions to Catholics living in a depressed region, particularly for the children of Armenia. n Friday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Ukraine: Forgotten Generation.” After a long history of persecution, Ukraine declared its independence in 1991 but the country continues to experience difficulty coping with education and child care conditions.

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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ARTIST FROM PAGE 16

private audience, both Babailov and his wife recall experiencing a strong interior feeling in their hearts that later brought them to tears.

“My wife and I couldn’t stop crying – not immediately, but it was something so powerful and so touching. I can’t describe what it was, but we were literally in the presence of a saint. We didn’t know it yet, but that’s what it was.”

Babailov also created a portrait of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI for the Vatican. A sculpture of Jesus Christ from the Louvre in Paris, which Babailov calls “Vita,” is featured in the portrait alongside the pope.

“In the tradition of the Renaissance, the most common art form seemed to be sculptures, so it’s a treatment which shows a painter’s skill by painting an image in two colors – a monochromatic image which requires a different treatment of tonal values.”

In other words, he says, painting

ACTIVISTS FROM PAGE 8

“Having lived previously in the Diocese of Dallas, which has one of the most robust Respect Life programs in the country, I noticed Charlotte had a gap between the deep faith among Catholics and the amount of coordinated pro-life action,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s just the nature of pro-life work. It’s volunteer, and there are limited people and time.

“To help unify these efforts, we formed C-PLAN to help coordinate Catholic pro-life activities to be more effective at protecting the unborn and sharing God’s plan with expectant mothers contemplating abortion.”

One of the group’s first initiatives was an anti-abortion prayer rally outside Planned Parenthood’s Charlotte Health Center Aug. 14, spreading the word via social media, church bulletins and email.

The rally attracted an estimated 400 people, including Catholic clergy, pro-life leaders, college students and families. Participants said it was the largest pro-life event they had witnessed in years.

C-PLAN sets as its roadmap the U.S. bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Prolife Activities, which covers education, ministry, public policy and prayer on all life issues from conception to natural death. This pastoral plan calls upon all the resources of the Church – its people, services and institutions – to pursue this effort with renewed energy and commitment in four major areas: public information and education, pastoral care for women, public policy efforts, and prayer and worship.

Jennifer Ganser, Respect Life program

sculptures is more of a challenge for an artist. “In black and white, you can see immediately when there is something off.

Painting a sculpture is something every artist should be able to do.”

Babailov painted the statue of Jesus first, then thought it would add a nice balance to the composition of Pope Benedict XVI’s portrait.

His latest painting is of Pope Francis.

The portrait includes a depiction of the Holy Family, and it took him more than a year to complete.

On Sept. 24, Babailov had the privilege of presenting it to the pope in Washington, D.C., during Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to the United States. He personally greeted the pope during the presentation at the Franciscan Monastery, near the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, on The Catholic University of America campus.

“I love to paint people,” Babailov admits.

“To me they are all God’s children. It’s personal. The focus of my portrait work is to capture the individuality of the person.

It makes it all beautiful.

“I just love people. I am just fortunate I get to meet popes and celebrities.”

director for the Diocese of Charlotte, is excited for this collaborative effort.

“This is a wonderful, faithful, dedicated group of Catholic Respect Life advocates and leaders, and I am so impressed and thankful for all they are doing,” Ganser said. “It is amazing what can happen when a few people, who share a common vision, get together and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them.”

“Rather than the various parish Respect Life committees working individually, this allows them to work together in their ministry projects, events, outreach and other activities,” she said. “Through this group, these Respect Life coordinators and leaders can also find and share ideas, support, strength and prayer with one another.”

C-PLAN had already gotten under way when Ganser was hired as the diocese’s Respect Life director earlier this year, but its design is one she said she has envisioned for Respect life coordinators across western North Carolina. Similar local pro-life networks in other areas of the diocese, she said, is something she is advocating.

Noted FitzGerald, “Our rosary rally at Planned Parenthood in August showed what we can accomplish when we Catholic Respect Life groups work together. We’re still a growing, young group, but in the long term we would like to have stronger Catholic participation at the abortion mills, develop a solid online presence and work with Jennifer Ganser on organizing a Culture of Life conference to help evangelize the Gospel of Life.”

C-PLAN meets monthly on the last Tuesday of each month at St. Ann Church on Park Road. For details about C-PLAN, go to at www.prolifecharlotte.org or email info@prolifecharotte.org.

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Our nation 18

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

People come first, human life is sacred, pope insists at U.N.

Pope to Congress: Stop bickering, world needs your help Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The past, the promise and the potential of the United States must not be smothered by bickering and even hatred at a time when the U.S. people and indeed the world need a helping hand, Pope Francis told the U.S. Congress.

Making history by being the first pope ever to address a joint meeting of Congress, Pope Francis was introduced to the legislators by the House sergeant at arms Sept. 24 as: “Mr. Speaker, the pope of the Holy See.” The pope introduced himself, though, as a son of the American continent, who had been blessed by the “new world” and felt a responsibility toward it.

In a long speech, he gave the sense that he sees the United States as a country divided, one so focused on calling each other names that it risks losing sight of how impressive it can be when its people come together for the common good. That is when it is a beacon of hope for the world, he said.

Pope Francis condemned legalized abortion, the death penalty and unscrupulous weapons sales. He called on Congress to “seize the moment” by moving forward with normalizing relations with Cuba. And, again referring to himself as a “son of immigrants” – and pointing out that many of the legislators are, too – he pleaded for greater openness to accepting immigrants.

A reporter had asked the pope in July about why he spoke so much about the poor and about the rich, but rarely about the lives and struggles of the hard-working, tax-paying middle class. The result of a papal promise to correct that was the speech to Congress and through Congress to the American people.

“I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest day’s work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and – one step at a time – to build a better life for their families,” the pope said.

“These are men and women who are not concerned simply with paying their taxes, but in their own quiet way sustain the life of society,” he said. “They generate solidarity by their actions, and they create organizations which offer a helping hand to those most in need.”

Showing he had studied the United States before the visit – something he said he would do during the Rome August break – he used four iconic U.S. citizens as relevant models of virtue for Americans today: Abraham Lincoln, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.

“A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did; when it fosters a culture which enables people to ‘dream’ of full rights for all their brothers and sisters as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work; the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton,” the pope said.

Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

CNS | Lisa Johnston, St. Louis Review

Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives to celebrate the final Mass for the World Meeting of Families along Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia Sept. 27.

Pope urges U.S. Catholics to keep enthusiasm, welcome newcomers David Agren Catholic News Service

PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis ended his trip to the United States with a call for Catholics to keep the enthusiasm of the visit, while continuing to welcome newcomers and care for creation.

“Do not let your enthusiasm for Jesus, His Church, our families, and the broader family of society run dry,” he said at Philadelphia International Airport, prior to flying back to Rome. “I pray that our days of prayer and reflection on the importance of the family for a healthy society will inspire families to continue to strive for holiness and to see the church as their constant companion, whatever the challenges they may face.”

In just over five full days in the U.S., Pope Francis reaffirmed the importance of church and family life, pleaded for inclusive attitudes toward immigrants, reiterated the right of religious freedom and called for action on climate change and care for creation.

The trip reaffirmed the pope’s enormous popularity with Catholics and non-Catholics alike as large crowds convened – even with tight security.

Pope Francis acknowledged the warmth of the welcome in his final remarks.

“Your care for me and your generous welcome are a sign of your love for Jesus and your faithfulness to Him. So, too, is your care for the poor, the sick, the homeless and the immigrant, your defense of life at every stage, and your concern for family life,” Pope Francis said.

“In all of this, you recognize that Jesus is in your midst and that your care for one another is care for Jesus Himself.”

The pope visited Philadelphia as part of the World Meeting of Families. He delighted droves of well-wishers with an off-the-cuff speech on family life. At Independence Hall, he spoke in Spanish on respect for religious freedom and urged immigrant communities – and all Americans – to remember their roots and embrace diversity. “You should never be ashamed of your traditions,” he said.

He also stopped in New York, where he visited a Catholic school in Harlem, addressed the U.N. General Assembly and led a multireligious gathering at Ground Zero. “We know with certainty that evil never has the last word,” he said. “In God’s merciful plan, love and peace triumph over all.”

In Washington, the pope addressed a joint meeting of Congress, visited later with the homeless and canonized St. Junipero Serra, “who reminds us all of our call to be missionary disciples.”

His visit involved political and pastoral aspects. Pope Francis arrived first in Cuba, having helped the decades-long estrangement between the communist country and the U.S. In the U.S., his speech to Congress was widely watched and touched on topics such protecting life in all its stages, religious liberty and acting against climate change. He touched on his environmental encyclical, “Laudato Si’” again in his parting remarks.

“This land has been blessed with tremendous gifts and opportunities,” he said. “I pray that you may all be good and generous stewards of the human and material resources entrusted to you.”

In his final speech, he ended with the words, “God Bless America.”

UNITED NATIONS — Dealing with war, development, the economy or environmental concerns, bureaucrats and diplomats always must remember that the lives of real children, women and men are at stake, Pope Francis told the United Nations.

Helping to celebrate the organization’s 70th anniversary, Pope Francis visited its headquarters Sept. 25 and pleaded with government leaders and U.N. officials to keep the dignity and sacredness of every human life and the value of all creatures at the center of their concern.

“Above and beyond our plans and programs,” he told the U.N. General Assembly, “we are dealing with real men and women who live, struggle and suffer and are often forced to live in great poverty, deprived of all rights.”

More than 190 heads of state were attending the General Assembly, and many of them made a point of being in the U.N.’s historic hall for the pope’s speech.

He called for real, concrete action to stem climate change; respect for every human life and for “the natural difference between man and woman”; economic decisions that place the needs of people before profits; and greater controls on weapons sales and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Pope to bishops: Be shepherds concerned only for God and others Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acknowledging the real challenges and burdens the U.S. bishops face in their ministry, Pope Francis shared with them his own experience as a pastor and urged them to keep their eyes focused on Jesus and their hearts open to others, during midday prayer Sept. 23 at St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral. Most of the country’s 400-plus bishops, including Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis, were present.

“Woe to us,” he said, “if we make of the cross a banner of worldly struggles and fail to realize that the price of lasting victory is allowing ourselves to be wounded and consumed.”

In his speech, the pope focused on the basic qualities needed in a shepherd, a pastor called to share the good news of Jesus Christ and God’s mercy. The Catholic Church in the U.S. already excels at that mission in so many ways, he told them.

He praised the bishops’ defense of the unborn and the U.S. Catholic community’s history of welcoming migrants. He also acknowledged the “courage” and the “mortification and great sacrifice” made by the bishops as they came to grips with the clerical sexual abuse crisis and its impact on survivors.

At the same time, he insisted that no matter the challenge, the misunderstanding and even hostility the bishops face, they cannot stop “to lick one’s wounds, to think back on bygone times and to devise harsh responses to fierce opposition.”

The ministry with which they have been entrusted is God’s, not theirs, he said.

Compassion, joy, inclusivity, simplicity, dialogue, self-giving, mercy and humility must mark a bishops’ ministry, he told them.

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In Brief

Lombardi said Grassi, “who had already met other times in the past with the pope, asked to present his mother and several friends to the pope during the pope’s stay in Washington.

As noted in the past, the pope, as pastor, has maintained many personal relationships with people in a spirit of kindness, welcome and dialogue.”

Serra canonization should ‘Unite suffering’ with those grieving, archbishop tells Oregon awaken mission spirit, says Extension head Catholics PORTLAND, Ore. — St. Joseph Parish in Roseburg hosted an emotional Mass the evening of Oct. 1 for 10 people who died in a shooting that morning at Umpqua Community College. Auxiliary Bishop Peter Smith traveled from Portland for the liturgy. Authorities in Roseburg identified the shooter Oct. 2 as 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer, who died after killing nine students and wounding nine others.

A witness reports the gunman asked students what their religions were before he began shooting. One student at the college and the sister of a second student both told news organizations that Mercer 26, told people in classrooms to stand up and declare whether they were Christian. If they responded yes, they were shot in the head. If they answered no or gave some other answer, they were shot elsewhere. The attack ended when police shot the gunman on campus.

House passes measure to allow states to defund Planned Parenthood WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Sept. 29 passed the Women’s Health and Public Safety Act to give states the authority to defund Planned Parenthood. Speaking from the House floor in support of the measure, which was sponsored by Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., cited the pope’s Sept. 24 address to a joint meeting of Congress. “Pope Francis admonished a joint session of Congress to follow the Golden Rule – to ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ – and said that the Golden Rule compels us to ‘protect and defend human life at every stage of development,’” Smith said.

State and federal funding of Planned Parenthood has come under scrutiny after a series of undercover videos were released by the Center for Medical Progress. The videos show physicians and others associated with Planned Parenthood describing the harvesting of fetal tissue and body parts during abortions at their clinics. Also discussed are what researchers are charged for the tissue and parts.

Vatican says pope’s meeting with Ky. clerk is not endorsement VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ meeting with Kim Davis, the county clerk from Kentucky who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses, does not equate support for her “position,” the Vatican spokesman said after discussing the issue personally with the pope. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, issued a statement Oct. 2 saying the pope had met with “several dozen persons who had been invited by the nunciature to greet him” in Washington and that “such brief greetings occur on all papal visits and are due to the pope’s characteristic kindness and availability.”

Father Lombardi made a distinction between the brief greetings and more official meetings by saying, “The only real audience granted by the pope at the nunciature was with one of his former students and his family.” Late Oct. 2, Father Lombardi said in a statement that the former student was Yayo Grassi of Argentina.

Grassi, an openly gay man, was accompanied by his partner, his mother and several friends in the meeting at the nunciature Sept. 23. Father

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — For Catholic Extension, the canonization of St. Junipero Serra Sept.

23 marked a renewal of the 110-year-old organization’s help to the marginalized. “We have to awaken our mission spirit in the United States,” said Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension. “You can’t do that just by being in the sanctuary. The good news is meant to be shared joyously. And it’s meant to be in the poorest places in the United States.”

This is especially true in California, where St. Junipero, a Spanish-born Franciscan friar, carried out his mission work in the 18th century.

Six of the state’s 12 dioceses are still considered mission dioceses. They’re part of the 94 out of 196 Catholic dioceses nationwide classified as mission dioceses. Since its founding in 1905, Chicago-based Catholic Extension has been supporting the work and ministries of these dioceses, “where the faith is thriving but the resources are scarce.”

Appeals court differs with others, finds for colleges over mandate ST. LOUIS — The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Sept. 17 became the first such court to rule in favor of nonprofit religious organizations that have sued to avoid having to participate in the federal government requirement to provide coverage for contraceptives in employee health insurance. The three-judge panel said in a brief ruling that two Christian schools, Dordt College in Iowa and Cornerstone University in Michigan, should not be required to even follow the process set out by the federal government to avoid having to participate in the insurance requirement.

Seven other appeals courts have ruled the opposite, finding that faith-based colleges, hospitals and charities are not substantially burdened by the process established for avoiding the contraceptive requirement.

Let’s keep talking.

— Catholic News Service

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Our world 20

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Fidelity, truth, love must guide Church outreach to families, pope says Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

CNS | Paul Haring

Pope Francis and members of the Synod of Bishops on the family concelebrate the opening Mass of the synod in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 4.

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Star-Spangled Saints Friday, November 6, 2015 from 7:00-9:00pm Saturday, November 7, 2015 from 9:00-4:00pm Alice Camille, Paul Boudreau & Tom Hann This two day program will provide an opportunity for considering what holy living means in “the American experiment,” as witnessed through the rich tradition of our American saints.

The program will be presented in two independent but complimentary units. Content will be developed but not repeated across the two days.

Friday Evening: American and Catholic: What has it meant and what does it mean to hold these two ideas together? Imaging and Imagining the Saints: how holy faces are made.

VATICAN CITY — In a world filled with challenges to marriage and family life, the Catholic Church is called “to carry out her mission in fidelity, truth and love,” Pope Francis said at the Mass opening the world Synod of Bishops on the family.

Formally opening the synod Oct. 4 with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope said the Church must encourage families and defend faithful love, the sacredness of every human life and “the unity and indissolubility” of marriage.

At the same time, he said, the Church must carry out its mission with charity, not only “not pointing a finger in judgment of others,” but also seeking out all who are lonely and in pain, caring for “hurting couples with the balm of acceptance and mercy.”

The synod was scheduled to last until Oct. 25, discussing ways to strengthen the Church’s support of families and its outreach to those struggling to live fully the Catholic ideals of marriage and family life. Marriage preparation, sexuality, procreation, communication, support for couples at risk of separation, accompaniment of divorced Catholics and possible ways to bring back the divorced and civilly remarried were all expected to be on the synod’s agenda.

The readings for the Mass were the same as those used in Catholic parishes around the world for Oct. 4, the 27th Sunday in ordinary time. But, the pope said, they seemed tailor-made for opening an assembly dedicated to the family. The first reading was the Genesis account of God seeing Adam alone and creating a helpmate for him; the Gospel included Jesus’ teaching that “what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

The Genesis story, the pope said in his homily, makes clear that the “drama of solitude” experienced by too many people – the elderly, the abandoned, widows and widowers, migrants, the persecuted – is not part of God’s plan.

The modern world, he said, seems to offer “many pleasures, but few loves; many liberties, but little freedom” and “the number of people who feel lonely keeps

Saturday: Fearless: stories of the American Saints. We will look at the lives of Mothers Seton, Guerin, Duchesne, Cope, Cabrini and Drexel; Kateri Takakwitha and Bishop Neumann, and Fathers Jogues, Serra, Seelos and Damien de Veuster.

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growing.”

Yet the experience of Adam, and of human beings down through history, shows that “nothing makes man’s heart as happy as another heart like his own, a heart which loves him,” the pope said. God made man and woman “to complement” each other, “to love and to be loved, and to see their love bear fruit in children.”

Many people today doubt whether a lifelong marriage is possible or even desirable, thinking that it limits individual freedom and potential, the pope said. But at the same time, people “chase after fleeting loves while dreaming of true love; they chase after carnal pleasures but desire total self-giving.”

Reciting the Angelus prayer after Mass, Pope Francis said the 270 synod members would keep their “gaze fixed on Jesus to identify – on the basis of His teaching of truth and mercy – the best paths” for helping families “so that the Creator’s original plan for man and woman can be realized and can function in all its beauty and strength in the world.”

Pope Francis, synod members and tens of thousands of people had gathered in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 3 for a nighttime prayer vigil for the synod. Before the pope spoke, Italian families and an engaged couple shared their stories of finding love, overcoming obstacles and experiencing reconciliation and healing.

The formal prayer began with an invocation of the Holy Spirit on the pope and synod members.

In his homily, Pope Francis asked people to pray that the synod would show the world “how the experience of marriage and family is rich and humanly fulfilling.”

The pope prayed that the synod would “acknowledge, esteem and proclaim all that is beautiful, good and holy” about family life.

But he also prayed that synod members would “embrace situations of vulnerability and hardship,” not forgetting those suffering because of “war, illness, grief, wounded relationships and brokenness.”

Pope Francis prayed that the synod would find a way to remind broken families “and every family, that the Gospel is always ‘good news,’ which enables us to start over.”

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October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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In Brief Pope asks youth to perform works of mercy in run-up to WYD VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis asked the world’s young Catholics to perform spiritual and corporal works of mercy every month in the run-up to World Youth Day next July. He asked that they not be afraid to experience God’s “boundless mercy, so that in turn you may become apostles of mercy by your actions, words and prayers in our world, wounded by selfishness, hatred and so much despair.”

The pope’s request was part of his message for World Youth Day 2016 – an international gathering that will be celebrated in Krakow, Poland, July 26-31. The celebration’s theme, from the Gospel of St. Matthew, is “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”

Jesus and His Beatitudes show how it is better to give than to receive and how “we will be truly blessed and happy only when we enter into the divine ‘logic’ of gift and gracious love,” he said in the message. When people discover that “God has loved us infinitely in order to make us capable of loving like Him, without measure,” then they themselves can become instruments of God’s mercy, bringing hope and healing to those in need.

Everyone has a guardian angel to protect, guide in life, pope says

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individual on earth, Pope Francis said at morning Mass. Whenever people hear a little voice in their head, “’Well, do this. That would be better. You mustn’t do this ...’ Listen! Don’t turn against him” because it is the guardian angel’s voice, he said Oct. 2 during the Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Marking the day’s memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, the pope’s homily focused on these angels, saying they were “like an ambassador of God.” Even when God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, God didn’t abandon them and tell them, “Make do as best you can,” the pope said. God gave everyone a guardian angel to accompany and protect people on their journey in life and prepare the way toward heaven, he said. One’s guardian angel “is always with us. And this is a fact,” he said.

Church in Congo criticizes West for failing to stop abuse of resources OXFORD, England — Congo’s Catholic bishops criticized the failure of Western governments to stop the abuse of the continent’s natural resources and urged church groups to follow the pope’s call to mobilize. “It is our profound conviction that exploiting these resources can contribute to improving our population’s conditions of life,” the bishops’ commission for natural resources said in a statement in September. The commission said “awareness by the major polluting countries comes nowhere near to any concrete commitment, or to the efforts required in countries whose forests provide the lungs for conserving the world’s bio-diversity.”

The statement, issued Sept. 25 in Kinshasa, said experts on mining, hydrocarbons, forestry and environmental protection had all stressed an urgent need to combat the “illegal, clandestine, irrational and irresponsible exploitation” of Congo region’s resources.

VATICAN CITY — Everyone has a guardian angel who is advising and protecting each

— Catholic News Service

Invites You

21st Annual Fundraising Banquet

“Witness for Life”

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Featured Speaker ~ Austin Ruse

Since 1997, Austin Ruse has taken the defense of life and family into the international arena through his work as president of C-Fam, Center for Family & Human Rights.

Dedicated to reestablishing a proper understanding of international law, protecting national sovereignty, and the dignity of the human person, Mr. Ruse and his staff regularly meet with diplomats, policymakers, academics, activists, and office holders from around the world and have participated in every major UN social policy debate since the organization’s founding.

In addition to his work with C-Fam, Mr. Ruse is a well-known speaker, and contributor to publications such as Crisis Magazine, Legatus Magazine, the Washington Times, and National Review Online. As an ardent defender of life, Mr. Ruse stated, “the abortion culture tells young women they are free to make their own choice and what they find is they are almost totally alone. The institutions that used to protect them in their time of need — family, church, school, friends — are often those that have deserted them. Up steps MiraVia, dedicated to serving these young women in their hour of greatest need. It is heroic work that receives little attention but deserves great adulation and our full support”.

Charlotte Convention Center  Crown Ballroom Thursday, October 22, 2015 Registration/Reception, 5:30 pm – Seating for Dinner, 6:15 pm

Reservations are free but REQUIRED To make a reservation or to host a table of (8-10) go to http://miraviabanquet21.eventbrite.com OR contact Banquet Reservations at (704) 525-4673, ext. 10

by October 10, 2015 MiraVia, Inc. is a Catholic non-profit maternity and after-care program serving women and their children in the Charlotte, N.C. region. All material support and services are offered free of charge to clients. Please visit our website, www.mira-via.org, for more information.

Love Everlasting

Your daughter’s wedding. Your niece’s First Communion. The passing of a loved one.

Your first grandchild. Your parish has been there to celebrate your joys and comfort you in times of sorrow. By establishing an endowment to benefit your parish, the same love and care will be provided for many future generations.

To receive the free brochure, “A Simple Guide to Gift Planning” contact Judy Smith, Director of Planned Giving at 704-370-3320 or jmsmith@ charlottediocese.org

ViewPoints

catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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Letters to the editor

Show you care for creation with smart purchasing choices W.S. Melton Jr.

Listen carefully to the pope

W

ell, the pope came to America recently to lay a few words on us. And that’s a pretty big deal for people, especially a rightwing, evangelical, snake-handling Roman Catholic like me.

After seeing a whole lot of things in the media and an awful lot more stuff on social media, it seems a lot of folks don’t understand the Catholic Church, the papacy or this particular pope, especially about a lot of the things he had to tell us. So I figure I had better spend some time on these subjects at hand.

First of all, let’s talk about the Roman Catholic Church. It may be hard to believe, but the Roman Catholic Church is the only church that was physically and personally founded by Jesus Christ while He was still on earth.

When the Church was created, Rome ruled the world. She saw Rome fall. She survived the Middle Ages. She saw the birth and death of Muhammad. She saw all the great empires and dynasties of Europe rise and fall. She watched as the sun rose so high over the British Empire that it never set on it. And She was there when that sun finally did set. She saw the rise and fall of Napoleon. She saw this continent discovered by Europeans. And She watched as this great nation was settled, won its independence and became the greatest nation on earth. She’s survived persecution, the Dark Ages, the Crusades, the Plague, wars, rumors of wars, and internal corruption and scandal.

She alone has stood the test of time, and after 2,000-plus years finds Herself today as the oldest Christian institution on the face of God’s earth.

During Her existence, She’s been led by a pope. Christ Himself appointed St. Peter as the first pope. St. Peter and his fellow disciples were commissioned by Christ to spread the Gospel, making them the first leaders or bishops of the Church. The pope is Christ’s vicar on earth and the head of the Church. All told, there have been 266 popes in an unbroken line of succession. That’s quite a record.

Now comes Pope Francis, the first pope from this side of the world.

To understand Pope Francis, one needs to first know that he’s a member of a religious order known as the Society of Jesus, commonly called the Jesuits. They were founded by a former military man and are organized accordingly. Throughout their history they have been so tenacious and absolutely fearless when it comes to spreading the Gospel that they have often been called “God’s Marines.”

They are also extremely intellectual, which can sometimes make it hard for the rest of us to get their drift when they’re drifting, which means they can be misunderstood – especially when so many are clamoring to hear him say what they want to hear.

So when Pope Francis told us early in his pontificate in various ways how we should show people the love of Christ first, some took this to mean the door was now open for issues such as same-sex marriage and allowing divorced Catholics who have remarried outside the Church to be able to receive Communion.

But a pope doesn’t have the authority to change something Christ specifically taught. So if you get your Bibles out (mine is the New American Standard Version) and turn to the 19th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, you will find Christ’s thought’s on these subjects. Marriage is between a man and a woman, and whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.

These are hard words for our society, but they are Christ’s words. Not mine.

And then there was Pope Francis’ speech to Congress. Some have taken exception with some of the things he had to say: protecting the environment, caring for immigrants and refugees, and caring for the poor. He spoke about traditional marriage, the Golden Rule, and about protecting human life on many levels.

What else would the vicar of Christ talk about when addressing the leaders of the greatest nation on earth? Everything he said can be traced to Biblical teachings and the words of Christ, whether we happen to like them or not.

I think perhaps we should all listen to the pope’s speeches again in light of Proverbs 4:1, “Hear, O children, a father’s instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding!”

W.S. “Bill” Melton Jr. is a member of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia.

He can be reached at wsmelton@wsmelton.com.

Lennie Cox

Consecration to Jesus through Mary What is it and why should I consider it?

O

n Oct. 7 the Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of the Holy Rosary, which for many centuries had been known as “Our Lady of Victory.” It was established to honor Mary for her role in the 16th Century naval victory which secured Europe against Turkish invasion. In anticipation of this battle, Pope Pius V had asked all of Christendom to pray the rosary, and he credited Europe’s victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Matthew Church chose this particular feast day this year to provide people with a formal ceremony to make or renew their consecration to Jesus through Mary.

I was so excited to be able to renew my consecration on this special occasion with others who spent the prior 33 days preparing to make theirs. Interestingly, I hadn’t even heard about the consecration to Jesus through Mary until about four years ago and, frankly, after learning more about it I still had difficulty understanding it.

St. Louis de Montfort has described the consecration to Jesus through Mary as “the shortest, easiest, most secure and perfect way to become a saint.” If this sounds a little out of reach, listen to what Pope Francis told youth in 2013: “We need saints without cassocks, without veils – we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes. We need saints for the 21st Century. We need saints to live in the world, to sanctify the world and to not be afraid of living in the world by their presence in it. We need saints who love God in the first place and need saints who love the Eucharist. We need saints.”

In its simplest form, the consecration is about us asking Mary to bring us closer to her Son Jesus. In turn, we give Mary permission to work within us and through us by offering her all that we have and all that we are.

However, this begs the question, “Why do we give Mary everything if the goal is to get closer to Jesus? Can’t we just go directly to Him?” Yes, we can, but it has helped me to understand that Mary is like a sherpa who guides a climber up Mount Everest. The climber can go out on his or her own, but will probably have an easier trip accompanied by someone who lives in the area and has successfully climbed the mountain before and knows the best way.

Asking for Mary’s intercession is an acknowledgement of our need for assistance and is not an implication that Jesus is inaccessible or needs help drawing us to Him. We do recognize, however, that God has involved Mary from the very beginning in bringing Jesus to humanity at the Nativity and humanity to Christ at the Miracle at Cana. It was God who entrusted His beloved Son to Mary to teach Him and care for Him. He also gave Jesus to Mary to prepare her for the fullness of her role as our spiritual mother, which was given to her at the foot of the cross

by Jesus Himself.

Through my consecration, I have truly begun to experience this beautiful gift of Mary bringing me closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I encourage you to learn more about the consecration to Jesus through Mary. Two books to consider are “33 Days to Morning Glory” by Father Michael Gaitley and “Total Consecration to Jesus Christ through Mary” by Montfort Publications.

As Mary promised us at Fatima, “To all those who embrace my Immaculate Heart, I promise salvation and their souls will be loved by God as flowers placed by Me before His throne.”

Lennie Cox is a member of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, where she serves as volunteer coordinator.

In his recent encyclical “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis has called on Catholics to care for God’s creation. We care, or do not care, for creation in the decisions we make every day.

For example, when we buy eggs at the grocery store, do we buy eggs produced by caged chickens at factory farms?

If so, we are not caring for creation.

Instead, we are supporting factory farms systems which employ the worst forms of animal cruelty. This same concept also applies to the purchase of veal and pork.

In factory farming operations, calves raised for veal are confined to small enclosures in which they are not able to turn around, much less walk or run.

Pigs are raised on concrete in gestation crates, where they also are unable to turn around. These animals never have access to sunshine or green grass.

Chickens in battery cage operations are treated worst of all. Four or five hens are crammed into a small cage not much larger than a piece of notepaper, where they have no rooms to stretch their wings or walk. Cages filled with hens are stacked, row upon row, with no access to sunshine, fresh air or grass.

The hens live this way for about two years, at which time they are deemed “spent” and then sent to slaughter.

If we are serious about caring for creation, we will not just care about the humane treatment of dogs and cats. We must care about all God’s creatures.

Because money seems to speak, our purchases hold great power. We can choose to purchase meat, dairy and eggs from animals which are humanely raised. Better yet, we can forgo the consumption of these products or at least reduce the amount we consume.

These choices will better conserve the resources of this planet as a whole, since a large amount of land and water is used to raise grains for farm animal feed.

April J. Boyle lives in Asheville.

Good homilies are not hard to find I winced when I read in George Brunner’s Sept. 11 letter to the editor, “Good homilies should inspire us to act”: “Most preachers, even if they preach a joke or preach the hard stuff, miss the most important piece – the piece that gives the people in the pews something to do, something that actually pertains to their lives right then and there.”

I cannot comment on “most preachers,” but I do know my pastor’s homilies inspire me to strive for Gospel values in daily life. I am grateful for our pastor’s weekly gift of time and effort.

Mr. Brunner quoted Pope Francis from “Evangelii Gaudium”: “The homily can actually be an intense and happy experience of the Spirit, a consoling encounter of God’s word, a constant LETTERS, SEE page 24

October 9, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Parish spotlight

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St. Michael’s baldachin highlights Christ’s Eucharistic Presence GASTONIA — A wood and stone baldachin now graces the sanctuary of St. Michael Church, thanks to donations from parishioners and the work of a local carpenter.

A baldachin (also known in Italian as a baldacchino) is a four-pillared canopy that covers the altar or tabernacle. Plans for St. Michael Church included a baldachin when the church was built over a decade ago, said Father Matthew Buettner, pastor. The 15-and-ahalf-foot baldachin constructed of man-made stone and painted wood completes that original design plan, he said, and makes the tabernacle much more visible within the large sanctuary.

“I spend a lot of time praying in the church, and I noticed that the tabernacle was rather lost in a vast sanctuary,” Father Buettner said.

“As I was spending holy hour after holy hour, I felt the tabernacle needed to be made more visible. It’s a beautiful tabernacle.”

The parish’s finance and pastoral councils both approved the project, and Father Buettner enlisted the help of Gene Courtemanche, who did all the woodwork in St. Michael Church when it was first built. Courtemanche also helped redesign the interior of St. Dorothy Church when Father Buettner was pastor there.

Design and construction took more than a year.

All of the money spent for the $36,000 project came from private donations, Father Buettner said. Seventy families from the parish pitched in to raise the funds.

“Some donations were $10 or $20,” he noted. “A woman cashed in her change she had collected. And a family contributed, with each child giving something; the teen gave $20 and the 4-year-old gave $3. That was a neat thing – every child in that family gave something toward the project.

“They saw it as an opportunity to give money toward a project that would honor Our Lord. I was very grateful to see that.”

Courtemanche said he is pleased with the outcome of the project.

“It’s beautiful. It really is. When you walk in and see the baldacchino … it’s filled that space.

To me it brought the whole sanctuary together.

You know it’s Catholic when you walk in there.”

“I am grateful to be able to do God’s work in this way,” he said. “For someone to see the beauty of it, and it brings them closer to God, then I’ve done my job. That’s how I view the work that I do. I can’t draw. I can’t paint a picture. I may as well do woodwork. That’s what I do.”

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

Most-read stories on the web

‘Stubbornness challenges the mission, challenges mercy.’

Pope Francis

From online story: Experience and rejoice in God’s mercy, pope says at Mass Through press time on Oct. 7, 2,066 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 3,810 pages. The top 10 headlines in October so far are: n Photo Gallery: Faithful form prayer chains for Respect Life Sunday.......................................... 137 n McCanless ordained to transitional diaconate...................................................................................119 n FAITH, FAMILY & MISSION Pilgrimage to Philadelphia blog.........................................................107 n CCHS announces five National Merit Scholarship semifinalists....................................................74 n Christ the King High School alum shares experience at papal Mass........................................... 65 n Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration announce merger of two communities............................ 62 n Everyone has a guardian angel to protect, guide in life, pope says.............................................. 55 n Devil tricks, seduces with promises of wealth, power, pope says..................................................67 n Master artist Babailov presents painting to Pope Francis in D.C.................................................. 62 n St. Bruno, Carthusian order’s founder, feast day: Oct. 6................................................................. 57

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 9, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

FAITH FROM PAGE 13

beautiful,” Diane Rybak said. “The support of the everyone else in the group – (that) carried us.”

“I don’t think things would have turned out the same way if we hadn’t gone in the group,” she said.

When they finally got home from the pilgrimage, Nathan got hooked back up to a device that helps him communicate and basically told the family he was frustrated. And he wasn’t the only one.

“My children cried the next day,” Diane Rybak said.

Emily, 12 – “almost 13” she insists – was folding some laundry when she started crying.

“We were like, ‘Why are you sad?’” recounted Grace, 14. “I don’t know,” Emily replied.

They all agreed that they wish the pilgrimage hadn’t ended so quickly.

Charles, 12, said he wishes they could go again, tomorrow.

Seeing – or, in the case of most of the pilgrims, not seeing – Pope Francis marked the end of what was a busy diocesan pilgrimage. They attended some of the World Meeting of Families and visited the Philadelphia-area shrines of St. John Neumann, St. Katherine Drexel and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

Each stop provided a moment of prayer, a shared feeling of awe at the beauty and history of the Church in America, and most of all, a renewed appreciation for family.

The photos, videos and souvenirs are one thing, said Father Michael Kottar, who organized the pilgrimage. He told the

‘This pilgrimage bears fruit if your love for Christ in the Eucharist will increase and (it) bears fruit in your families.’

Father Michael Kottar pilgrims during their final Mass together at the Shrine of St. Katherine Drexel, one of the first American-born saints, that what is really important is how the pilgrimage influences their lives, he said.

“This pilgrimage bears fruit if your love for Christ in the Eucharist will increase and (it) bears fruit in your families. Then this pilgrimage will have been well worth it.”

“Our purpose in this life is to give glory to God,” Father Kottar emphasized.

We don’t have to be impossibly perfect, he said, but we should strive to reach out to the weak, the vulnerable and the poor – starting with the members of our own families.

“We don’t have to go to Africa, we don’t have to go to Central America – we start with our own families,” he said. “There’s your weak, your poor, your opportunities to be saints.”

LETTERS FROM PAGE 22

source of renewal and growth.” He closed his letter by asking, “When is the last time you thought that about a homily you heard?”

My answer, thoughtfully and gratefully, is “last Sunday and many before.”

Pat Henderson is a member of Holy Cross Parish in Kernersville.

Good homilies should resonate I enjoyed reading George Brunner’s response to Deacon James Toner’s recent commentary “Happy Homilies” in the Sept.

11 issue of the Catholic News Herald.

I believe motivational and inspirational speakers such as Joel Osteen and Dr. Charles Stanley are popular because their messages are relevant and relatable. When I hear their messages, most of the time I come away with food for thought and a better spiritual understanding of the Word

relating to my life.

I have been Catholic all my life and have no desire to follow these other preachers, as the Word and the Eucharist are both components of our faith. But while I believe the teaching of the “hard stuff” is important, when I leave Sunday Mass I want the homily to resonate with me. I can recollect two homilies that did just that. One homily was by a deacon from my parish in New York who has since passed away. His homily was about the tragic bombing of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. The other homily was by a monsignor from the same church, about letting go of our loved ones when God has called them home. When my dad fell gravely ill, it was one of the worst times in my life. I did not want to let him go and could not see my life without him in it.

I remembered the monsignor’s homily, particularly the part in which he said it was selfish to want to hold on to our loved ones when they are ready for eternal life with the Father. Although I heard these homilies many years ago, both still resonate with me to this day.

Hazel C. Stewart, a Mercy Associate, lives in Charlotte.

Letters policy The Catholic News Herald welcomes letters from readers. We ask that letters be originals of 250 words or fewer, pertain to recent newspaper content or Catholic issues, and be written from a perspective of Christian charity.

To be considered for publication, each letter must include the name, address and daytime phone number of the writer for purpose of verification. Letters may be condensed due to space limitations and edited for clarity, style and factual accuracy.

The Catholic News Herald does not publish poetry, form letters or petitions. Items submitted to The Catholic News Herald become the property of the newspaper and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives.

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