July 31, 2015

July 31, 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

Eucharistic Congress coming Sept. 11-12 Cardinal Timothy Dolan among featured speakers at 11th annual event, 3

Taking a hike with God, 10-11

INDEX

Contact us.......................... 4 Español............................12-13 Events calendar................. 4 Our Faith............................. 2 Our Parishes................. 3-11 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.......................14 U.S. news...........................16 Viewpoints................... 18-19 World news....................... 17

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Father Codd installed as pastor in Boone, 3

St. Mark parishioners lend ‘Helping Hands’ to stop hunger, 6

Llenando los corazones de Cristo, 13

Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Catholic Q&A Q: Do Catholics believe in the Rapture?

A: The word “Rapture” is connected to the Latin word “rapiemur,” which appears in St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians in the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible. It means to be raised up or caught up: “The dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thess 4:16–17) Therefore, Catholics believe that those Christians who are still living at the Second Coming of Christ will be gathered together with those who have died in Christ to be forever with the Lord. Catholics do not generally use the term “The Rapture,” nor do they believe in a “rapture” that will take place some time before the Second Coming, as do many Evangelicals.

— Jim Blackburn, www.catholicanswers.com “Christ in the House of Martha and Mary,” by Jan Vermeer, 1655, housed in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. It is the largest painting by Vermeer and one of the very few with an overt religious motive.

St. Martha Feast day: July 29 “Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus” (John 11:5).

St. Martha is mentioned in three Gospel passages: Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-53, and John 12:1-9, and the type of friendship between her and her siblings, Mary and Lazarus, with the Lord Jesus is evident in these passages.

In the gospel of Luke, Martha receives Jesus into her home and worries herself with serving Him, a worry that her sister Mary, who sat beside the Lord’s feet “listening to Him speak,” doesn’t share. Her complaint that her sister is not helping her serve draws a reply from the Lord, who says to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

The overanxiousness she displays in serving is put into the right context by Jesus, who emphasizes the importance of contemplating Him before all things.

Yet she is seen next in John, outside the tomb of her brother Lazarus who had died four days earlier, as the one who receives the Revelation from the Lord that “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who

lives and believes in me will never die.”

When asked by the Lord if she believed this, she said to Him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world,” displaying her great faith which is confirmed by Jesus’ subsequent raising of her brother Lazarus from the grave.

In the third and last instance, we see Martha, again in John, at a house in Bethany where Jesus was reclining at table with her brother Lazarus after He had raised him from the dead. During dinner, John’s Gospel tells us, “Martha served.” She is revealed here performing the same task as when we first saw her, but now her service is infused with her faith, and the brevity of the description suggests the silence and peace in which she serves as opposed to the nervous anxiety she displayed earlier. Martha, whom we have seen serving, in Luke, and then believing, earlier in John, is now seen expressing her belief in the action of serving the Lord. “Martha served,” and in doing so teaches us the way of Christian life.

St. Martha is the patron of housewives, servants, waiters and cooks.

— Catholic News Agency

Q: What will our resurrected bodies be like?

A: The Church teaches that at the resurrection the bodies of the just will be re-modeled and transfigured to the pattern of the risen Christ. Like His Body, our resurrected bodies will be those of a person in his prime. They will be incapable of suffering. They will have a spiritual nature – not that they will be pure spirit, but they will be like that of Jesus, who could penetrate closed doors after He had risen. They will have a new agility in that they will be able to obey the soul with great ease and speed – so that when the spirit is willing, the flesh will no longer be weak! Our bodies will be free from all deformity and will reflect God’s beauty to the degree that our souls do.

— Dominican Father Vincent Serpa, www.catholicanswers.com Q: How should a Catholic reply to the question, “Have you been saved?”

A: As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom 8:24, Eph 2:5-8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor 1:8, 2 Cor 2:15, Phil 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom 5:9-10, 1 Cor 3:12-15). Like the Apostle Paul, I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom 5:2, 2 Tim 2:11-13).

— Jim Blackburn, www.catholicanswers.com

Your daily Scripture readings AUG. 2-8

Sunday: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15, Ephesians 4:17, 20-24, John 6:24-35; Monday: Numbers 11:4-15, Matthew 14:13-21; Tuesday (St. John Vianney): Numbers 12:1-13, Matthew 14:22-36; Wednesday (Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major): Numbers 13:1-2, 25, 14:1, 26-29, 34-35, Matthew 15:21-28; Thursday (The Transfiguration of the Lord): Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Peter 1:16-19, Mark 9:2-10; Friday (St. Sixtus II and Companions, St. Cajetan): Deuteronomy 4:32-40, Matthew 16:24-28; Saturday (St. Dominic): Deuteronomy 6:4-13, Matthew 17:14-20.

AUG. 9-15

Sunday: 1 Kings 19:4-8, Ephesians 4:30, 5:2, John 6:41-51; Monday (St. Lawrence): 2 Corinthians 9:6-10, John 12:24-26; Tuesday (St. Clare): Deuteronomy 31:1-8, Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 7-9, 12, Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14; Wednesday (St. Jane Frances de Chantal): Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 18:15-20; Thursday (Sts. Pontian and Hippolytus): Joshua 3:7-11, 13-17, Matthew 18:21, 19:1; Friday (St. Maximilian Kolbe): Joshua 24:1-13, Matthew 19:3-12; Saturday (The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Revelation 11:19, 12:1-6, 10, 1 Corinthians 15:20-27, Luke 1:39-56

AUG. 16-22

Sunday: Proverbs 9:1-6, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58; Monday: Judges 2:11-19, Matthew 19:16-22; Tuesday: Judges 6:1124, Matthew 19:23-30; Wednesday (St. John Eudes): Judges 9:6-15, Matthew 20:1-16; Thursday (St. Bernard): Judges 11:2939, Matthew 22:1-14; Friday (St. Pius X): Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22, Matthew 22:34-40; Saturday (The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11, 4:13-17, Matthew 23:1-12.

Our parishes

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Eucharistic Congress coming Sept. 11-12 Cardinal Timothy Dolan among featured speakers at 11th annual event Bishop Peter Jugis installed Father Matthew Codd as pastor of St. Eilizabeth of the Hill Country Church in Boone and Epiphany Mission in Blowing Rock during a July 24 Mass in Boone.

Photos by Kaci Campbell-Nidiffer | Catholic News Herald

Father Codd installed as pastor in Boone Amber Mellon Correspondent

BOONE — Parishioners of St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church in Boone and Epiphany Mission in Blowing Rock gathered July 24 to celebrate the installation of their new pastor, Father Matthew Codd,

by Bishop Peter Jugis.

This is the first assignment as pastor for Father Codd, who was ordained in 2012 and previously served as parochial vicar at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory and St. Mark Church in Huntersville. For the installation Mass, he chose the votive Mass of the Holy Spirit to seek the help of the Holy Spirit for his new ministry and for the parish as a whole.

As is customary, the installation Mass began with the reading of Father Codd’s appointment as pastor to the parish. In the letter, which was read by Trent Codd, Father Codd’s father, the duties of pastor were described, which are the teaching, sanctifying and governing of the faithful. Then in front of the congregation Father Codd made and signed a profession of faith and an oath of fidelity to the Church.

During his homily, Bishop Jugis reflected on the three duties of the pastor. In teaching, Bishop Jugis noted that by Father Codd’s profession of faith, what he teaches will not be his opinion, but the faith of the Church. By sanctifying the faithful, Bishop Jugis noted that Father Codd’s main mission in his role as pastor is to prepare the faithful for eternal life; that is, his job is the salvation of the parishioners at the Boone parish and Blowing Rock mission churches. He sanctifies the faithful through the sacraments, and all of the ministries of the parish that flow from the sacraments.

When governing the people of the parish and mission, Father Codd’s role model is the Good Shepherd whose job is to know and love his sheep.

All of these responsibilities are too much for one person to accomplish alone, Bishop Jugis noted, so Father Codd will depend on the faithful to lend their hands to the work of the Church through the parish’s various ministries and commissions.

“St. Elizabeth is known as an active, involved parish,” he said, “and you are expected to continue to

do that to help your pastor.”

After the homily, Bishop Jugis took Father Codd on a brief tour of the church to point out the places where the new pastor will exercise his pastoral ministry: the front door – providing generous access to the faithful; the baptismal font and the confessional – administering the sacraments, enabling the faithful to receive new life in Christ and to unburden their sins; the tabernacle and the altar – celebrating the Mass to nourish the faithful with the Body and Blood of Christ; the presider’s chair – leading parishioners in prayer and gathering all the intentions of the people to offer them up to God; and the altar, where Father Codd will exercise his most important ministry, offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

St. Elizabeth parishioner Maria Lichtmann said she found this part of the installation Mass very interesting.

“I thought it (the Mass) was both reverent and natural – having the bishop introduce Father Matthew to various places in the church where he will welcome and minister to the people. I liked the inclusiveness the bishop showed to the faith community, with emphasis on the pastoral duties of the priest,” Lichtmann said.

Father Codd said he is excited about his role of pastor.

“I love Christ and want to be an instrument of God in the best way possible,” he said, adding that he has been gratified by the friendly and personable welcome he has received from parishioners.

CHARLOTTE — The free, two-day event of praise and worship known as the Eucharistic Congress is set for FridaySaturday, Sept. 11-12, at the Charlotte Convention Center.

The Diocese of Charlotte’s annual Eucharistic Congress attracted more than 13,000 people last year, and organizers say this year’s event is expected to draw even more people in part because it features a keynote address from New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and occurs just days before Pope Francis’ visit to the United States.

The theme for the 11th annual congress comes from the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life,” and that theme will be part of Cardinal Dolan’s Holy Hour homily on Saturday, entitled “The Holy Eucharist: The Way and The Truth and The Life of the Intentional Catholic.”

The congress will also include Mass; a Eucharistic procession through uptown Charlotte; the sacrament of confession; speakers and programs geared especially for adults, children and college students; vendors offering Catholic merchandise and information; and lots of music.

“For each one of us, Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life,” said Bishop Peter Jugis, who selected the theme of the congress.

“During this year we are celebrating the Year Dolan of Consecrated Life, and at the same time we are preparing for the Synod on the Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the World.

“Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life for the consecrated life, for marriage, for the family and for all vocations in the Church. He nourishes all of us in our call to holiness by feeding us on His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist.”

The congress will begin 6:30 p.m. Friday with a praise and worship concert followed by Ukrainian Catholic rite vespers and overnight Eucharistic Adoration at St. Peter Church.

Saturday’s events will kick off with a Eucharistic procession from St. Peter Church to the Charlotte Convention Center.

Bishop Jugis will celebrate Mass at the conclusion of the congress on Saturday afternoon.

Other speakers include: Father Patrick Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, who will speak on the Gospel of John; U.S. Navy chaplain Father Daniel Mode, who will speak about Father Vincent Capodanno, “The Grunt Padre”; Teresa Tomeo, author and Catholic talk radio host, who will speak on “Fortifying Faith, Family and Culture”; Father Tad Pacholczyk of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, who will speak on “Bioethics: A Moral Compass for the Family”; and Sean Forrest, a Catholic musician, speaker and youth ministry leader.

Saturday’s Spanish program will feature: Dr. Hosffmann Ospino, assistant professor of Hispanic ministry and religious education at Boston College and lead author of the “National Study of Catholic Parishes with His-panic Ministry”; Dr. Timothy Matovina, theology professor and executive director of the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame; Dr. Dora Tobar, director of the Diocese of Lafayette, Ind.’s Pastoral Office for Family Life and Hispanic Ministry; Father Julio Dominguez, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir; and Colombian-born Catholic musician Hector Tobo.

The congress is free and open to the public, but reservations are required for the children’s programs (K-8) and early registration for these students is strongly recommended. High school students can register in advance or on the day of the event.

For details and a full schedule of events, go to www. goeucharist.com.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: July 31 – 7 p.m.

Holy Mass for Admission to Candidacy for Permanent Deacon Candidates and Annual Deacon Recommitment St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte Aug. 4 – 4 p.m.

Jubilee Mass of Priesthood Anniversaries St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Aug. 10-12 Convocation of Priests, Asheville Aug. 15 – Noon Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the 60th anniversary of St. Ann Parish St. Ann Church, Charlotte

Diocesan calendar of events July 31, 2015 Volume 23 • Number 22

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 GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org Hispanic communications reporter: Rico De Silva, 704-370-3375, rdesilva@charlottediocese.org

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

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LECTURES & REFLECTIONS Catholic charities morning of reflection, ‘The Examen prayer’: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, at St. Leo the Great Church, 335 Springdale Ave., WinstonSalem. Presented by Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski.

Lunch and program are free, but registration is required

by Friday, July 31. Call Mary Beth Young at 336-724-0561.

A Lecture on the poetry of St. Gregory naziansus, ‘The poet as Catechist’: 1-2 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8, at St. Mary Mother of God Church, 22 Bartlett St., Sylva. Presented by Fr. Deacon Kevin Bezner.

St. Gregory Naziansus, also called St. Gregory the Theologian, was a fourth-century contemplative monk and poet. For details, call Matthew Newsome at 828-293-9374.

‘End of Life Issues from Medical and Ethical Perspectives’: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, in the Ministry Center at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Road. Program will be presented by Dr. Wes Ely, an internationally-known pulmonary/critical care physician from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a leader in the Catholic Medical Association. His presentation will cover end-of-life care in the real world clinical setting, incorporating secular and faith-based concerns, modern controversies related to physicianassisted suicide and euthanasia and the means of prioritizing human dignity and self-worth through the dying process. Admission is free but RSVPs are requested to cesposito@stgabrielchurch.org.

‘The Parable of the Lady in Blue’: Hear local Catholic author Brian Kennelly discuss his allegorical novella “The Parable of the Lady in Blue: A Tale of Marian Apology,” 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at St. Patrick Cathedral’s Family Life Center meeting room, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Audio drama, Q&A and refreshments following lecture. Open to adults, young adults and college/high school students. Free, but RSVP to Margaret Gustafson at jmgusto@bellsouth.net.

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

Saturday, Aug. 8, at Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Road, Clemmons. Topics include: effectiveness 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 704-370-3230.

OTHER Eucharistic Congress: Friday-Saturday, Sept. 11-12, at the Charlotte Convention Center, 501 South College St., Charlotte.

Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ and Catholic teaching on the environment: 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., presentation by Dan Misleh, director of Catholic Climate Covenant, Washington, D.C.; 7-9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, St. Peter Church, 507 South Tryon St., presentations by Michael Burkhart of Catholic Relief

Services and Sam Perkins of the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation; 10 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.

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS Polish mass in honor of our lady of czestochowa and st. john Paul ii: 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Polish priest Father Matt Nycz of Buffalo, N.Y., will celebrate and Deacon James Witulski will assist. A first-class relic of St. John Paul II will be brought to Mass for veneration and the Polish Choir will sing traditional Marian hymns. Confessions in Polish and English will be heard at 1 p.m. Dessert reception following Mass. For details, call Mary Witulski at 704-290-6012. Everyone welcome.

Healing mass and anointing of the sick: 2 p.m. every third Sunday of the month at St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr., Maggie Valley. Individual prayers over people after Mass by Charismatic Prayer Group. For details, call Don or Janet Zander at 828-400-9291.

Pro-Life Rosary: 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 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.

Rosary for the unborn: 7 p.m. every Monday at St. Thérèse Church, 217 Brawley School Road, Mooresville Divine Mercy Cenacle: 10 a.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month and 7 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Charlotte. For details, call Donna Fodale at 704-237-4820.

St. Joseph intercessory prayer group: 7:30 p.m. every Monday, Choir Room at St. Pius X Church, 2210 N. Elm St., Greensboro. For details, call the parish office at 336-272-4681.

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

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

BELMONT: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, Belmont Abbey College (Grace Auditorium in St. Leo Hall) Charlotte: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, St. John Neumann Church’s parish hall, 8451 Idlewild Road; 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 4207 Shamrock Dr.; 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, St. Matthew Church’s NLC Banquet Room, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.; 8-11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road; and (Spanish) 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday,

Aug. 5, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 4207 Shamrock Dr. GREENSBORO: 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, St. Paul the Apostle Church’s library, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road HUNTERSVILLE: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, St. Mark Church’s Room 200/201, 14740 Stumptown Road SALISBURY: 6-8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, Sacred Heart Church, 375 Lumen Christi Lane SUPPORT GROUPS Marriage encounter weekend: July 31-Aug. 2. For details and registration, visit www.ncmarriagediscovery. org or call 704-315-2144.

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.

Asheville Theology on Tap: Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Asheville area are invited to the following upcoming talks: “Window to Heaven: Praying with Ikons” with Father Joshua Voitus of Sylva, on Tuesday, Aug. 18; and “Unlocking the Mystery of Faith, One Hail Mary at a Time” with Father John Eckert of Salisbury on Tuesday, Sept. 15. All programs begin at 6:30 p.m. at MoJo Kitchen, 55 College St. in downtown Asheville. 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 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).

Correction In the July 3 article “‘Homeless’: WinstonSalem teen stars in film, hopes to raise awareness,” the name of the real homeless teenager on which the film is based, Josh, was misspelled. His name was changed to Gosh only in the movie depiction. We regret the error.

— Catholic News Herald

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Find comfort, faith in God’s presence, bishop preaches Patricia L. Guilfoyle Editor

CHARLOTTE — God is always present to comfort and sustain those serving in the military, as well as their families, Bishop Jugis noted during the Diocese of Charlotte’s annual Mass for the Military.

More than 100 people gathered July 19 at St. Patrick Cathedral for the ninth annual Mass offered for all those serving in the military, for veterans and for those who died serving their country.

During the Mass, the bishop praised the frequent prayers for military personnel and their families that he reads in parish bulletins. These prayers, as well as the annual diocesan Mass, give people the chance to pray for God’s protecting presence to be with all those who serve in the armed forces, and their families and friends.

“The good Lord gives many graces in answer to all of these prayers and all of these Masses that are being offered throughout the diocese for our dear brothers and sisters in military service,” Bishop Jugis noted.

In his homily, Bishop Jugis focused on Jesus’ promise to His disciples that He would always be with them and with His Church. These parting words from Jesus before He ascended into heaven can be a comfort to anyone who is serving the country in dangerous places or enduring difficulties, he said.

“What is it that sustains these men and women when they are on duty in these dangerous places? Not only that, what is it that also sustains their families during their separation?” For many, he continued, “it’s the Lord Himself – His promise that we hear in the Gospels: ‘I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’”

Jesus vows to His disciples and to each of us, “Behold, I will be with you always. I will never leave you. I will never abandon you. I am with you all days, even to the end of the world,” Bishop Jugis said.

“And as He leaves them, the Gospel writer tells us, He has His hands raised up in blessing over the Church. Jesus wants us to remember that He is with us always,

and that His hands are always raised in blessing over us – a blessing of divine protection.”

In faith, therefore, we can turn confidently to the Lord in prayer because we know He is always there, Bishop Jugis said. “He hears us, He blesses us.”

The day’s readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Jer 23:1-6, Eph 2:13-18 and Mark 6:30-34) also convey comforting messages to those serving in the military, he noted.

In the readings, the people of God are likened to a scattered flock of sheep, but Jesus comes to serve as the Good Shepherd.

“He is the Good Shepherd who always stays close to His sheep. Wherever the sheep of His flock are, in whatever age of history and whatever place, dangerous or safe, the Good Shepherd is with His sheep and never abandons His flock, but (is) always there close by to guide and direct and protect,” the bishop explained.

“Where would we be without Jesus our Good Shepherd? In all of our trials and difficulties, without Jesus we would be lost, we would be overwhelmed by those trials and difficulties. We would be feeling abandoned, we would be frightened and have no courage at all.

“But the Lord’s presence changes that and gives us strength of heart, gives us courage in those times of difficulty, trial and danger.”

The day’s responsorial psalm, the well-known Psalm 23, is also appropriate message for those serving in the military, he continued.

“To someone who is in battle or a war zone or otherwise in danger, the faith that can say to the Lord, ‘Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil, for You are at my side’ – that’s a strong faith. That’s what sustains us, and all of our brothers and sisters – the Lord’s presence,” he said.

“That is also why the work of Catholic military chaplains is so vital to our men and women in these dangerous places, to bring the sacraments to them, the Lord’s presence to them,” he added. “Tremendous comfort and strength the Catholic priest brings into those tense and anxious situations. We should be praying for the Lord to inspire more young men to follow that call to that very special apostolate as a military chaplain.”

“Let us ask Jesus the Good Shepherd to bless all those in military service and stay close to them, as the Good Shepherd, to protect them and give them the strength as they carry out their duties,” he prayed.

Photos by Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Smith, his wife Mary and daughter Kira, 8, bring up the offertory gifts to Bishop Peter Jugis at the military Mass July 19 at St. Patrick Cathedral. Smith will leave for training in August with the National Guard and then await deployment. Behind them is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

CCDOC.ORG

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Posters featuring photos and biographies of military personnel from across the diocese were displayed in the narthex of the cathedral for the annual military Mass.

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 OUR PARISHES

Nearly 700 volunteers at St. Mark Church in Huntersville packed more than 50,000 meals for the poor in Burkina Faso, through a Catholic Relief Services Helping Hands-Stop Hunger Now meal packing event July 18 at the parish.

The meals were individually sealed and packaged together in cartons, then loaded onto a truck at the end of the day.

Photos by Mike FitzGerald and Joseph Purello | Catholic News Herald

St. Mark parishioners lend ‘Helping Hands’ to stop hunger Joseph Purello and Mike FitzGerald Catholic News Herald

HUNTERSVILLE — St. Mark Church in Huntersville recently organized one of its largest events ever to help combat hunger and poverty.

Led by its faith formation ministry, the parish organized a meal packaging event in coordination with Catholic Relief Services to help prepare more than 50,000 meals and raise more than $25,000 to aid the poor in the West African nation of Burkina Faso.

The Helping Hands meal packaging event – developed by CRS in partnership with Raleigh-based Stop Hunger Now – drew nearly 700 parishioners who donned hairnets and plastic gloves early one Saturday morning to help prepare measure and package meals to send to Burkina Faso.

“Our goal was to package 50,000 meals and raise a little over $25,000, which was quite a challenge,” said Donna Smith, the parish’s faith formation director.

“However, thanks to the generosity of so many people we were able to meet our goals and package a little over 50,000 meals on Saturday, July 18, with two shifts of about 350 people per shift – for a total of 700

folks.”

The event began early Saturday morning with a crew of about 25 volunteers unloading a supply truck and setting up tables inside the Monsignor Joseph Kerin Family Center, followed by celebration of Mass at 8 a.m. by Monsignor Richard Bellow, pastor emeritus.

In his morning homily, Monsignor Bellow said, “Today’s families with their packages of food and necessities sent to poorest of God’s poor – we are heeding the Gospel.”

Later in his homily, referencing the charitable work of St. Camillus de Lilles (whose feast day was celebrated on July 18), Monsignor Bellow urged those at Mass preparing for the morning’s activities to follow the saint’s example in striving to follow Jesus, “so that we when we get up each day what drives us is the love of God, what drives us in spite of our weakness, in spite of our fears, in spite of our anxiety, what drives us is the love of our God. May our love (of God) drive us this morning today as we work for those who we do not know, God’s poor.”

Each of the two morning shifts also began with prayer offered by Deacon Louis Pais, followed by a guest talk by CRS

Southeast Diocesan Relations Manager Matthew Burkhart. Burkhart provided an overview of Burkina Faso and a summary of how the packaged meals and donated funds support CRS programs that help fight hunger over the short and long term.

About $15,000 of what the parish raised purchased the food and packing supplies, as well as covered the various logistical costs involved with assembling and shipping 50,000 meals.

Added to 1.5 liters of boiling water, each packaged meal (which has a shelf life of two years) feeds six people and includes rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a flavoring mix of 23 essential vitamins and minerals.

The remaining $10,000 raised will be used by CRS to support income generation projects and job training for the people receiving the food. Additionally, the funds provided to CRS Helping Hands-Stop Hunger Now not only provide food to the impoverished areas like Burkina Faso, but also provides education to help the people grow their own food as a means to end hunger.

The talk on Saturday included some voicing hope for another Helping Hands event next year. Smith said she hopes to

Learn more

Want to know more about CRS meal packaging opportunities for your parish?

Contact Joseph Purello at 704-370-3225 or jtpurello@charlottediocese.org, or visit helpinghands.crs.org.

organize another event next summer in conjunction with the parish’s summer Vacation Bible School.

“This day of service, learning and charity was a tremendous success,” Burkhart said after the event, adding, “what an incredible first Helping Hands event for a parish. Kudos to Donna and her team of planners, and the entire parish community of St. Mark!”

Last November, St. Eugene Church in Asheville sponsored a CRS Helping HandsStop Hunger Now event. Other Diocese of Charlotte parishes that have sponsored similar meal packaging events include St. Matthew Church in Charlotte and St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville.

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

New diocesan shield featured in stained glass window CHARLOTTE — A stained glass depiction of the Diocese of Charlotte’s new shield was installed July 24 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Charlotte. The artwork was crafted by Salem Stained Glass Inc. of East Bend, N.C. The two half-circle panels weigh a total of more than 100 pounds, and feature cut glass as well as stained glass elements. It took four artists working for several weeks to complete, and about four hours for workers to install.

The project cost less than $5,500, said diocesan officials.

The new window is part of the diocese’s rollout of the new shield, which began last fall.

At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from the installation and learn more about the historic symbolism of the new diocesan shield.

Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

Indian bishop makes mission appeal on behalf of new diocese CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Abir Antonysamy, the Bishop of Sultanpet, South India, visited Charlotte in mid-July to make a mission appeal on behalf of his young diocese.

Carved out of two larger existing dioceses in December 2013, the Diocese of Sultanpet is among the newest in the Church. Bishop Abir was ordained and installed two months after the diocese was formed – a remarkably similar story to that of the formation of the Diocese of Charlotte and the ordination of its first bishop. (The Charlotte diocese was established and Bishop Michael Begley was ordained and installed in January 1972, after less than two months of preparation.)

Located in the southwestern state of Kerala, the Sultanpet diocese has about 31,500 Latin rite Catholics in its 21 parishes, and there are another 50,000 SyroMalabar rite Catholics as well. The people there are among the poorest in India and illiteracy, joblessness and alcoholism run rampant, Bishop Abir noted during his homily at Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church.

The diocese and its 45 priests, plus religious men and women, have shouldered the responsibility of caring for the most vulnerable people – particularly orphans and the elderly who have been abandoned – as well as providing education for children and job training for women. It operates 21 schools and 12 hospitals and clinics, concentrating on faith formation, education, skills training and social development.

The goal, Bishop Abir said, is to help people develop spiritually, socially and economically, so they might escape their “pitiable condition.”

In his mission appeal, he asked St. Vincent de Paul parishioners firstly to pray for the new diocese, and also to provide whatever financial assistance they could to help fund the diocese’s schools, as well as provide care to its 250 orphans and support for its 35 seminarians currently in formation.

A Biblical scholar (Bishop Abir obtained a licentiate in sacred scriptures from the Biblicum in Rome and doctorate in sacred scriptures from the Gregorian

Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

Bishop Peter Abir Antonysamy of the Diocese of Sultanpet, South India, accepts the offertory gifts during Mass July 19 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte.

Pontifical University in Rome), Bishop Abir noted in his homily that we must all be broken if we are to be used

by God to build up the Church. Just as parents make sacrifices for their children and citizens make sacrifices for their country, we as Christians must do all that we can to witness to the Gospel.

Bishop Abir was the third prelate to visit the Diocese in Charlotte in as many weeks. Bishop Immanuel Bushu of the Diocese of Buea, Cameroon, visited St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte last week, and Bishop Jaime Rodríguez-Salazar of the Diocese of Huánuco, Peru, visited St. Vincent de Paul Church for the second time earlier this month.

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor.

Some information courtesy of ucanews.com.

C. Gallagher

S. Gallagher

OUR PARISHESI

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Schiffiano

Three execs named to Good Will Publishers board of directors CHARLOTTE — The board of directors for Charlottebased Good Will Publishers Inc. has added three positions to its executive staff, the privately-owned company announced in a statement July 20. The promotions continue Good Will Publishers’ effort to put in place its fourth generation of family leadership.

Originally founded as a Bible distribution company by E.F. Gallagher and his son in 1938, Good Will Publishers has grown to consist of a group of related companies that publish and distribute faith-oriented and religious books that are Judeo-Christian or are otherwise inspirational or beneficial in nature.

Conor Gallagher has been named executive vice president for strategic planning for Good Will Publishers and publisher of its Saint Benedict Press division. William Schiffiano has been named executive vice president for sponsorship sales, and Sean Gallagher has been named executive vice president for corporate and organizational sales.

Conor Gallagher had been vice president of Saint Benedict Press. Founded in 2006, it has become a major publisher of Catholic titles, and publishes under several imprints including TAN Books (acquired in 2008), Neumann Press and Catholic Courses.

“As a result of Conor’s vision and leadership Saint Benedict Press is today one of the leading Catholic publishers in the country, publishing and distributing books, ebooks, videos and other products in all 50 states and many foreign countries,” said Robert Gallagher, chairman and CEO of Good Will Publishers. “In his new roles Conor will have primary responsibility for all daily operations of Saint Benedict Press and will also work with Good Will Publishers’ other executives in developing and implementing the strategic objectives for the consolidated companies.”

Schiffiano had been vice president of marketing for Good Will Publishers. In his new role, he will be responsible for sponsorship sales, the focal point of Good Will’s public relations programs for more than 40 years with programs in 43 states.

In the company’s statement, Good Will’s president and chief operating officer Jay Briody said, “This promotion is a result of 19 years of dedication to Good Will Publishers.

Billy Schiffiano has become very knowledgeable in the sales, financial, administrative and fulfillment aspects of our business. I appreciate what he has done for the people of Good Will, and I look forward to the future with him in this role as executive vice president.”

Sean Gallagher assumes management responsibilities after having helped design sales programs and having opened a number of markets that now make up the core of the company’s corporate and organizational sales divisions.

Richard Hoefling, vice chairman of the board of directors, said, “Sean’s talents and ongoing enthusiasm in the growing of non-conventional markets for Good Will Publishers has enabled corporate and organizational sales to become a profitable addition to the Good Will group of companies. We are certain his executive leadership will continue to make of these companies the vital entities they have become in the last decade.”

In the statement announcing these promotions, Robert Gallagher added, “For this organization to see a fourth generation of family leadership with the talent and ability to succeed, willing to step forward and continue our 77-year corporate legacy of publishing and distributing products expressive of Catholic teaching and Judeo-Christian principles, is certainly a blessing we intend to honor and cultivate and one that bodes very well for the future of our organization.”

— Catholic News Herald

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 OUR PARISHES

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Celebrating summer at Vacation Bible School FRANKLIN — Children at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin recently wrapped up a fun-filled week of Vacation Bible School, which had the theme “Beach Trek.�

Among the activities, the children planted flowers and decorated flower pots.

The multicultural program ended with a beach-themed party, complete with a special cake and colorful beach balls.

Photos by Vicki Provost | Catholic News Herald

His Excellency The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Bishop of Charlotte invites all the faithful of the diocese to the Holy Mass honoring Priest Jubilarians on the occasion of their anniversaries of Priesthood Ordination Priest Jubilarians Reverend Monsignor Joseph S. Showfety – 60 years Reverend Thomas P. Clements – 60 years Reverend James K. Solari – 60 years Reverend Kieran A. Neilson, O.S.B. – 55 years Reverend Francis X. Reese, S.J. – 55 years Reverend Joseph G. Angelini, O.F.M. Conv. – 50 years Reverend Joseph C. Zuschmidt, O.S.F.S. – 50 years Reverend Paul G. Dechant, O.S.F.S. – 25 years

August 4, 2015 4:00 p.m.

Cathedral of Saint Patrick Charlotte, North Carolina

Mike FitzGerald and Gretchen Filz | Catholic News Herald

Pro-life group prays at Mass, outside Charlotte abortion mill CHARLOTTE — Charlotte area members of Helpers of God’s Precious Infants hosted its quarterly Respect Life Mass and Rosary Procession at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte July 19.

Newly ordained Father Casey Coleman, parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Church, and Bishop Peter Abir Antonysamy, the Bishop of Sultanpet, South India, celebrated the Mass. The Mass was offered for the intercession of “Mary, Temple of the Lord,� Father Coleman said, “so that all may realize the womb is holy.�

After Mass, Father Mark Lawlor, pastor, exposed the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel for a Respect Life Holy Hour, while Father Coleman and seminarian Peter Ascik led more than four dozen faithful to the Family Reproductive Health abortion mill on East Hebron Street to recite the rosary and pray for an end to abortion.

The Helpers of God’s Precious Infants was originally begun by veteran pro-life hero Monsignor Philip Reilly in New York to pray, witness and counsel for the unborn, that God will spare their lives from abortion. The Charlotte chapter is a group of committed Catholic pro-lifers living in and around the Charlotte area. Their next prayer vigil will be held in October. For details, visit www.charlottehelpers.com.

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

in ministry at St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church in Boone and Church of the Epiphany Mission in Blowing Rock.

— Catholic News Herald

In Brief Colombian priest to serve in Hispanic ministry in Boone area CHARLOTTE — Father José Camilo Cardenas Bonilla has been named coordinator of Hispanic ministry for the Boone vicariate effective July 7, Bishop Peter J. Jugis announced.

A priest of the Diocese of Providence, R.I., the Colombian native had been serving in Hispanic ministry and prison ministry in Providence since 2012.

The Boone vicariate Cardenas encompasses St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church in Boone and its mission, Church of the Epiphany in Blowing Rock; St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson and its mission, St. Frances of Rome in Sparta; St. John Baptist de la Salle Church in North Wilkesboro and its mission, St. Stephen in Elkin; and St. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine, and its mission, St. Bernadette in Linville.

Parochial vicar named for Hendersonville parish CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announces the July 21 appointment of Capuchin Franciscan Father Robert Pérez as parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.

Leahy

Ricart

Santen

Voegele

OLG to offer PACE program GREENSBORO — Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro will hold a parent interest meeting for the new PACE program at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 4, in the media center. PACE is the first Catholic school program in the Triad which offers specialized reading and writing instruction for children who learn differently.

Jennifer Ganser, trained in Orton Gillingham methodology, will lead the program for students in grades 1-6. Enrollment is near capacity. Go to www.olgsch.org for details.

— Lori Eanes

OUR PARISHESI

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Catholic young adults invited to ballgame CHARLOTTE — Attention all Catholic young adults in their 20s and 30s. Interested in connecting with other Catholics in the Charlotte area? Join us for a multi-parish event at BB&T baseball field to cheer on the Charlotte Knights at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4. Buy your tickets in advance or at the box office and look for signs in the lawn section. For more information, contact Heather Moeller at heatherlmoeller@ gmail.com.

Do you long for more of Jesus' power and presence in your life?

COME JOIN US FOR A POWERFUL WEEKEND of prayer, praise, and teaching

Parking lot work done at Sacred Heart School

Speakers:

SALISBURY — Work is under way to finish the parking lot at Sacred Heart School, after the school community raised more than $69,000 to finish the project through its “Fund A Need – Pave the Parking Lot” campaign. Credited for their support were Carolina Curbing, Johnny Brincefield and the local Knights of Columbus council.

End-of-life ethics topic of upcoming talk in Charlotte

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS......(Esther 4:14) Because there IS more!

When:

Where:

Sr. Gail Lambert M.B.S.T.

Dr. Paul Thigpen Anne Trufant

www.Annetrufant.com/retreats www.2FunCamps.com/Retreats.html 828-884-6834

CHARLOTTE — In today’s world, facing the end of life for oneself or for loved ones involves medical, legal and moral issues that can be confusing, threatening, frightening and often overwhelming for everyone involved. Discussions about end-of-life matters can be difficult and uncomfortable, but they are essential.

To encourage awareness and discussion on this topic, St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte will host a presentation on “End of Life Issues from Medical and Ethical Perspectives” by Dr. Wes Ely, an internationally known pulmonary-critical care physician from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a leader in the Catholic Medical Association. The talk will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 18, in the parish Ministry Center.

The talk is free, but reservations are requested to cesposito@stgabrielchurch.org.

Friday, Aug. 14 – Sunday, Aug. 16, ending after lunch (Arrival time 4-5 p.m. Friday)

Camp Kahdalea, 2500 Morgan Mill Road, Brevard, NC 28712 Cost: $150 Includes: Dinner Friday, all meals Saturday, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday.

Hurry! Space is limited.

Rustic cabin accommodations available at no extra cost!

High Cholesterol

Deacon appointments announced CHARLOTTE — Effective July 17, Deacon Joseph R. Santen has been appointed as a permanent deacon for St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville, Bishop Peter Jugis announced.

He was ordained on June 2, 2000, for the Diocese of San Diego in California. He and his wife Beverly “Lee” live in Mooresville.

Also, effective July 21, Deacon Martin Ricart was appointed spiritual advisor to the Diocese of Charlotte Scouting Program while continuing to serve as a permanent deacon at St. James the Greater Church in Concord.

Effective July 2, Deacon Richard Voegele was granted retirement from active ministry at his request. He will continue serving as needed at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.

Effective July 15, Deacon Michael Leahy was granted retirement from active ministry upon reaching the canonical age limit. He continues

CTK student to run in Jr. Olympics HUNTERSVILLE — Connor White, a rising sophomore at Christ the King High School in Huntersville and a member of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, will participate in the AAU Junior Olympics in Norfolk, Va., in August.

White, a member of the high school’s cross country team, has been running with a local track club in Cornelius (Champions Track Club) this spring and summer. He qualified in the 15- to 16-year-old male 3000-meter race at the Regional Qualifier on July 4. He will join six other North Carolina runners for this particular event in the national race in Virginia Aug. 8.

— Debi White

Wills and Trusts Probate PLANNING TODAY FOR YOUR FAMILY’S TOMORROW St. Matthew’s Parishioner

704.843.1446 | www.ncestateplanninginfo.com

15720 Brixham Hill Ave, Suite 300

|

Charlotte/Ballantyne

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Taking a hike with God

Local Scouts make once-in-a-lifetime St. George Trek SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

‘It is important to get away from all the noise of life to be able to better understand what God is calling us to do.’

Christopher Silvestri

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — When a teenage boy tells you this is the 27th day in a row he’s had to get up by 6:30 a.m. this summer, you know he’s made a strong commitment to something larger than himself. For Matty Gates, this commitment was preparing for and participating in the St. George Trek hosted by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting.

The St. George Trek is a challenging 12-day backpacking trip and vocation retreat at Philmont Scout Ranch, located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the American Southwest. Every two years the trek is held for interested Scouts from around the country to grow in their Catholic faith and help discern their life’s vocation. Among youths from 28 states and 48 dioceses/archdioceses represented in the 2015 St. George Trek July 8-23 were Gates, Hamilton Dulin and Christopher Silvestri.

The Scouts backpacked in 10-person groups called crews, each of which included a priest and a seminarian or deacon. They hiked different routes through Philmont’s 137,500 acres, stopping each night at either a staffed camp with activities, or at a primitive camp where they cooked their own meals and hoisted their food in bear bags up in the trees. Most St. George Trek routes cover 50-70 miles over the 12day experience, in a program designed to encourage the integration of morality, values, spirituality, faith, Scripture and vocation in their lives.

Mass was celebrated each day for the crew, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament also takes place out on the trail.

Johan Rief, chairman of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Committee on Scouting, explains that hundreds of Scouts from 350 dioceses in North America apply, but only 80 Scouts were selected this year. Most dioceses are allowed to send two Scouts per trek, but this year the Diocese of Charlotte had the opportunity to send three. The diocesan Committee on Scouting paid each of the Scouts’ $750 fee for the trek.

“The underlying idea is that when they come back from the trek with the priests and seminarians, they will promote the Catholic faith among their peers and maybe answer a call to the priesthood,” Rief explains.

Gates, Dulin and Silvestri all attest that they greatly benefited by the experience hiking in the backcountry of New Mexico with the priests, seminarians, nuns and Venturers who accompanied them.

Gates, 14, a rising homeschooled freshman, is a parishioner at St. Barnabas Church in Arden. He joined the Cub Scouts in first grade and is now a Life Scout in Troop 61.

He says he went on the St. George Trek to “strengthen my relationship with God and also to find out more about what my vocation is.”

Dulin, 16, a rising junior at Charlotte Catholic High School, is a parishioner at St. Luke Church in Mint Hill. He is also a Life Scout in Troop 198 at his parish.

“I desired to be a part of the St. George Trek because it brought me to the Philmont Scout Ranch to help me discern what my vocation in life may be,” Dulin says.

Silvestri, 17, a rising senior at Levine Middle College High School in Charlotte, is also a parishioner at St. John Neumann Church and a Life Scout in Troop 12.

“I first heard about the trek at a Catholic Jamboree for Scouts in 2010,” Silvestri recalls. “I had visited Philmont once before and had since been interested in going back on a trek. I thought it was pretty cool that the National Catholic Committee on Scouting hosted a trek just for Catholic Scouts.”

The boys all enjoyed different aspects of the St. George Trek.

“What I enjoyed most was the whole association with my crew and how we got along so well and how we shared what it means to be a Scout and to be a Catholic Scout,” says Gates. “And sharing that experience with other fellow Catholic Scouts…the conversations with my crew were the most enjoyable thing about the experience.”

For Dulin, “Having Adoration (of the Blessed Sacrament) and celebrating Mass on a rock was what I enjoyed the most – really awesome.”

“I enjoyed being able to be back at Philmont,” Silvestri says. “It was great to finally go on a trek into the backcountry. I enjoyed meeting young Catholic men from around the country who are as passionate TREK, SEE page 11

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

TREK: FROM PAGE 11

about their faith and Scouting as I am.”

So what did these Scouts learn during their time out in the New Mexico backcountry?

“I learned how to enjoy God’s beauty in the backcountry and see what He created in seven days, and finding out what my vocation is, and what other Scouts are going through,” Gates explains. “I learned that fellow Scouts are going through the same process…we talked about that in our crew.”

“During the trek I learned about vocations through talks and presentations,” Dulin adds. “I also learned about my own vocation through Adoration and being in the quietness of God’s country.”

Silvestri had a revelation, saying, “One of the lessons I learned from hiking with a priest and a seminarian is that those who have taken religious vows are no different than you and I. They live normal lives outside of being priests or seminarians.

They have family and friends. They struggle with the same things that we do. It doesn’t take some super holy person to be a priest or sister.”

There were some challenges of hiking through the backcountry, though, as the boys attest.

“The most challenging thing for me was that

the food was minimal because it weighed down the backpacks,” Gates says. Hikers carried freeze-dried, dehydrated food that could be mixed with water and also lightweight items such as granola bars and packaged cheese and crackers.

Dulin admits that “hiking the summit of Baldy Mountain was the most challenging part of the trek for me. With a 45-degree grade, it was quite difficult.”

“One of the more challenging parts of the trek is the fact that usually a crew would have been meeting for month, maybe even a couple of years, to prepare and bond as a team,” Silvestri explains. “What is unique about this trek is that we only meet two days before we set out into the backcountry together. It presents some challenges, but my group had little to no problems.”

He recalls how one of the most memorable parts of the trek was the time where they had to stay on “lightning position” for 45 minutes.

“Lightning position is where you keep your feet together, squat, cover your ears and close your eyes to lessen the chance of being struck or lessen the damage from (a lightning) strike.

“While we stayed in this position, one of our advisers, Father William Dotson, told us stories from his time in the seminary to keep us all calm while a storm was happening right over our heads.”

How has this experience impacted their faith?

TREK, SEE page 15

Learn more For more information about the St. George Trek, contact Johan Rief at jrief@windstream.net or go to www.nccs-bsa.org.

Information about Scouting in the Diocese of Charlotte is online at sites.google.com/site/cdcatholicscouting, on Twitter at “CDCCOS4Scouts” and on Facebook at “Charlotte Diocese Catholic Committee on Scouting.”

How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogue, especially within the context of the family…

This relationship and this dialogue between generations is a treasure to be preserved and strengthened! - Pope Francis, 2013

11

(Far left) Diocese of Charlotte Boy Scouts Hamilton Dulin, Matty Gates and Christopher Silvestri are pictured with Father Gerard Gentleman and Father Michael Santangelo during the St. George Trek 2015. (Left) Mass was celebrated each day for the Scouts, and they also participated in Eucharistic Adoration during the 12-day hike through the Philmont Scout Ranch, located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico. The St. George Trek, a combination backpacking trip and vocation retreat, is hosted every two years by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting.

Photos provided by Christopher Silvestri, Hamilton Dulin and the St. George Trek’s Facebook page

Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia

Connecting Elders to Resources in Western North Carolina Saturday, September 19 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM (doors open at 9 AM) Sacred Heart Catholic Church 150 Brian Berg Lane, Brevard The Seventh Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia will explore issues of concern facing our elder brothers and sisters in Christ and provide informational resources – resources that can make a real difference for individuals, families, and communities.

Please come to learn, celebrate, and pray, as Catholic Charities and Sacred Heart Catholic Church highlight the treasure of elders in society and offer helpful workshops on a variety of topics, including elder health care choices, safety tips and risk prevention, avoiding scams and fraud, and community resources.

Go to ccdoc.org/fwnc for event schedule and registration/payment procedures (lunch is provided) Register by August 15 and pay a reduced fee of $12.

After August 15, the registration fee is $15.

ccdoc.org

facebook.com/ catholic news HERALD ESPAÑOL

catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 12

Padre Joshua Voitus

San Juan Bautista Maria Vianney, Cura de Ars

N

o importa de dónde sean, o que edad tengan, o que tan rica o pobre sea su parroquia, los sacerdotes por todo el mundo ven la vida de San Juan Vianney, el “Cura de Ars,” como el perfecto ejemplo de lo que significa el ser un buen y fiel sacerdote párroco. La Iglesia celebra la fiesta de San Juan Bautista Maria Vianney el 4 de Agosto.

Ciertamente, hay muchísimas cosas que este santo hizo durante su periodo como párroco de su parroquia en Ars, Francia, que sería muy sabio de emular por todos los párrocos.

San Juan Vianney es conocido por pasar durante su vida largas horas en el confesionario perdonando los pecados de las personas. También es famoso por su fidelidad a las enseñanzas de la Iglesia durante su predicación, y por la gran devoción con la que celebraba la Santa Misa. Además, en su vida personal fue conocido por su gran santidad. Este santo muy seguido pasaba largas horas en vela durante la noche, y la mayor parte del día ayunaba por su propio beneficio espiritual y por el bien de sus feligreses.

Obviamente, como ya mencioné, sería muy bueno para todos los sacerdotes a cargo de una parroquia el imitar y emular estas cualidades del Cura de Ars de la mejor manera posible. Sin embargo, en el fondo de todas cualidades de San Juan Vianney existe algo digno de imitar, no solo por los sacerdotes, sino también los obispos, diáconos, monjes, monjas y laicos también.

En el fondo de todas las oraciones, ayunos, la prédica y la dedicación a la vocación del Cura de Ars existió la realidad de que en todo lo que este sacerdote hizo, él mantuvo su mente y su corazón principalmente en las cosas de Dios sobre todas las cosas, y no en las cosas terrenales. San Juan Vianney pudo lograr eso porque él amó a Dios sobre todas las cosas, y por esa razón, él estuvo dispuesto a sacrificar los placeres de este mundo, y soportar todo problema terrenal a cambio de la recompensa mayor de llegar al Cielo y morar con Dios por toda la eternidad. Además, su amor por Dios fue la llama que encendió su amor por el prójimo. Por esa razón, San Juan estuvo dispuesto a sacrificarse inmensamente para ayudar a los fieles de su parroquia, no solo para ser felices en este mundo, sino para guiarlos al Cielo también.

Esta es la manera principal en la que todos debemos imitar al Cura de Ars. Todos debemos poner el amor y el servicio a Dios sobre todas las cosas. Si hacemos esto, seremos capaces con la gracia de Dios, como este gran santo, de enfrentar cualquier clase de crisis en este mundo y estar lleno de la alegría divina en la tierra. Ciertamente, si amamos a Dios sobre todas las cosas, entonces nuestro amor por el prójimo se fortalecerá y así podremos tratar a las demás personas con amor y caridad cristiana siempre. Incluso, hasta el punto de que estaremos dispuestos de sacrificarnos a nosotros mismos por su felicidad en esta vida, y también guiarlos a la Vida Eterna con Dios.

Oremos entonces, queridos hermanos y hermanas, por nuestros sacerdotes, para que ellos imiten a este gran párroco en su servicio a los fieles de su parroquia y para que ellos también estén dispuestos a sacrificarse diariamente por el bienestar del rebaño que les ha sido asignado por Dios. Sin embargo, no nos olvidemos de orar por nosotros mismos, para que podamos imitar también a San Juan Vianney en su amor por Dios y por el prójimo, y para que podamos mantener nuestra mirada fija en el Cielo y en la alegría y el amor eterno de Dios.

Que Dios los bendiga.

El Padre Joshua Voitus es el Párroco de la Iglesia Saint Mary, Mother of God, en Sylva. El Padre Voitus celebra Misa de Vigilia Dominical en español todos los sábados a las 8 p.m.

Fotos por Romy Machicao | Catholic News Herald

(Arriba) Cinco familias colombianas iniciaron la devoción al Divino Niño Jesús en Charlotte.

(Extrema Izquierda) El Padre Nohé Torres celebró la Misa en honor al Divino Niño Jesús el Lunes, 20 de Julio en la Iglesia de San Marcos en Huntersville.

(Izquierda) Wilden Sánchez muestra la devoción al Divino Niño Jesús a su hija Aris de cinco años.

Celebran en Saint Mark a Divino Niño Jesús Romy Machicao Corresponsal

HUNTERSVILLE — Desde hace nueve días, cinco familias colombianas de la parroquia Saint Mark se reúnen para continuar con una de las devociones religiosas más queridas de Bogotá, la novena al Divino Niño Jesús. El pasado Lunes, 20 de julio, más de 150 personas acompañaron a estas familias en la Iglesia Saint Mark para finalizar la novena y celebrar la Eucaristía en honor al niño nacido en Belén.

La devoción fue instaurada después de la llegada del sacerdote Salesiano Juan Rizzo al “Barrio 20 de julio” en la capital colombiana en 1935, quien recordando la promesa hecha por Nuestro Señor a Santa Margarita María de Alacoque “todo lo que quieres pedir debes hacerlo por los méritos de mi infancia y nada te será negado si te conviene conseguirlo”, quiso seguir con la devoción.

El Divino Niño Jesús está vestido de color rosa, parado sobre una nube y tiene los brazos extendidos.

El Padre Rizzo en sus memorias relata que ésa es la imagen que lo cautivó cuando lo vio junto a su madre la Virgen María Auxiliadora y al que quiso rendir homenaje y difundir la devoción entre sus feligreses.

Lina María Hernández, una de las personas que inició esta novena en Charlotte dijo que la devoción resurgió después de un encuentro espiritual en Noviembre del 2014 cuando 24 personas fueron a visitar el Santuario Monasterio ubicado en la ciudad de Hanceville en Alabama. Este templo fue construido después que la Madre Angélica, fundadora del canal catolico EWTN viajara a Colombia y fuera testigo de la aparición del Divino Niño, quien le dijo que construyera un templo y El ayudaría a los que la ayuden.

“La devoción en Colombia se realiza los primeros nueve domingos y se celebra la fiesta el 5 de septiembre. En Charlotte decidimos hacerlo 9 días llevando la imagen de casa en casa y la culminamos el 20 de julio. Es una devoción muy bonita y queremos que nuestros hijos la continúen”, comenta la madre de tres hijos de 19, 11 y 7 años.

Para obtener los favores del Divino Niño Jesús, los devotos deben: ofrecer una Misa durante 9 Domingos, confesarse y comulgar, dar limosna a los pobres y propagar la devoción narrando los milagros con los que fueron favorecidos.

“Es una alegría poder realizar esta novena en Charlotte”, dijo María Bernardo. “Yo he sido favorecida por el niñito cuando me curó de una dolencia en la espalda. Desde entonces no dejo de rezarle y compartir con las personas que conozco, su devoción”.

Wilden Sánchez llevo a su hija Aris de cinco años a esta celebración porque recuerda que en su natal República Dominicana toda su familia adora al Niño Jesús quien puede estar vestido de diferente manera y ser llamado con diferentes denominaciones pero sigue siendo el pequeño Hijo de Dios.

El Padre Nohé Torres, sacerdote que celebró la misa dijo que espera que los corazones de las personas se muevan para poder escuchar las bondades del Señor y que no sólo se sigan estas novenas una vez al año, sino que la oración a Dios y la Virgen sean constantes con el rezo del rosario y la asistencia a la Misa.

Las familias organizadoras de esta devoción hacen un llamado a las personas interesadas en ir al Santuario del Santísimo Sacramento en Alabama el fin de semana del 5 de septiembre que visiten www. olamshrine.com o llamen al 205-795-5717.

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

13

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Fotos por Joe Thornton Photography | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

(Arriba) El Padre Pedro Núñez durante una de sus charlas en una repleta Iglesia de Nuestra Sra. de los Caminos en Thomasville. (Derecha) Participantes orando durante el retiro y servicio de sanación. (Abajo) Fieles rezando el Rosario al comienzo del retiro en la mañana.

C: 704-530-2632

O: 704-489-1183

F: 704-625-1250

Llenando los corazones de Cristo Rétiro de Sanación en Thomasville aumenta y renueva la espirutalidad de los hispanos Hernan Mena Arana Corresponsal

THOMASVILLE — Cientos de feligreses hispanos, se dieron cita en la Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Caminos en Thomasville, el pasado 25 de Julio, para llenar sus corazones de Cristo. El retiro fue guiado por el sacerdote, y personalidad de la cadena católica de televisión EWTN, el Padre Pedro Nuñez.

El jubiloso evento inició en la mañana con un Rosario, cantos de avivamiento y alabanzas al Espíritu Santo y a la Virgen María, y termino en la tarde con una Hora Santa y Misa.

El Padre Nuñez dio testimonio de cómo es necesario renovar nuestra espiritualidad, comenzando con “tener sed de Dios, una necesidad de Dios, pues existe un vacio en nuestro corazón que podemos llenar con las cosas de este mundo, lo que nos lleva a la perdición, o con Jesucristo para tomar el camino a la salvación y la victoria. El primer paso para la sanación es querer a Cristo en nuestro corazón y reconocer que nuestra vida sin El no tiene sentido. Para el Cristiano con Fé la vida tiene sentido porque sabemos que todos los embates y las tormentas de la vida sirven para reconocer lo mucho que necesitamos a Dios, y una vez que lo ponemos como el centro de nuestra vida es cuando esta adquiere sentido y podemos dar lo que tenemos a otros, que al fin y al cabo es lo que el Señor nos ha mandado a hacer, evangelizar al mundo”.

Las reflexiones del Padre Pedro avivaron el corazón de los presentes y generaron una necesaria renovación de la fé ya que, como comentó Delfina Paniagua, “La comunidad está muy seca espiritualmente y estos retiros y la labor del grupo carismatíco ayuda a crecer no sólo a nuestra parroquia sino también a las de alrededor”.

Por su parte, Jovel Montoya, coordinador del grupo carismático que organizó el evento, añadió que “La comunidad necesita mucho de este tipo de eventos porque aqui carecemos de sacerdotes hispanos y gracias a los predicadores que vienen aquí a compartir con nosotros todo lo que Dios les ha dado y eso ayuda a llenar ese vacio. Estamos muy contentos y vamos a

seguir organizando este tipo de eventos porque gracias a ellos el Espiritu Santo va fluyendo entre los asistentes y eso nos llena de alegría”.

La Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Caminos se encuentra ubicada en el 943 Ball Park Road en Thomasville y es administrada por los Oblatos de San Francisco de Sales (Orden Salesiana) mediante la labor del Parroco James M. Turner, quien dice estar agradecido del

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The Catholic Conference Center in Hickory presents

An Introduction to Centering Prayer

Contemplative Prayer is considered to be the pure gift from God. It is the opening of mind and heart - our whole being to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond thoughts, words and emotions. Centering Prayer is a method designed to facilitate the development of Contemplative Prayer by preparing our faculties to receive this gift.

We are pleased to present this program for those wishing to enhance their prayer life and draw closer to God. The day will include four sessions with time for prayer & reflection. crecimiento de la comunidad de grupos hispanos, e invita a todos los interesados del área a participar en la celebración de la Misa todos los Domingos al mediodía (12 p.m.) ó a las 2 de la tarde y conocer las otras actividades que se realizan en ella.

La comunidad hispana de la parroquia esta formada por aproximadamente 700 familias Hispanas que colaboran con todos los otros grupos y actividades de la misma y son responsables de la catequesis de más de 300 niños.

La cantidad de personas que asisten a la iglesia, ha crecido con el paso del tiempo y en este momento están planeando maneras de obtener fondos para poder ampliar las instalaciones de la misma.

Si desea aprender más sobre la fé catolica y escuchar como el Padre Nuñez responde preguntas e inquietudes de gente como usted al respecto puede sintonizar los Miercoles a las 8 p.m. (Hora del Este) por EWTN el programa “Conozca Primero su Fé Católica”.

We are offering a special overnight rate if you wish to arrive the night before the program.

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2015 Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Cost: $40.00 (includes lunch) Overnight: Single - $58.00 / Double - $81.00 (includes overnight accommodations & breakfast on Saturday) To register, call Cathy Webb at 828-327-7441

by Monday, August 17th or via email info@catholicconference.org

Mix 14

catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

Catholic convert pens ‘Manual for Spiritual Warfare’ SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

‘Ant-Man’ The diminutive superhero of the Marvel Comics universe is an ex-con (Paul Rudd) who shrinks to bug size by means of a special suit, acquires super-human strength, and possesses a nifty ability to control his fellow ants. The suit’s inventor (Michael Douglas) and his scientist daughter (Evangeline Lilly) enlist Ant-Man’s help to stop the technology from falling into the wrong hands of a megalomaniac, code name Yellow-jacket, bent on world domination. Director Peyton Reed keeps tongue firmly in cheek as he downsizes the usual over-the-top violence of a Marvel film in favor of a clever heist picture, seasoned with plenty of humor and nice messages about honor and redemption. Cartoonish but bloodless violence, brief innuendo and a few mild oaths.

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

‘Southpaw’ Visceral boxing drama about a champion (Jake Gyllenhaal) with a masochistic yet effective fighting style who is humbled by personal tragedy and then tries to redeem his life and career with the help of a no-nonsense trainer (Forest Whitaker). During the first third of the movie, director Antoine Fuqua does a masterful job of making the brutal allure of boxing as palpable as the bond between the pugilist and his devoted wife (Rachel McAdams).

Grittily realistic camerawork and tremendous acting by Gyllenhaal and McAdams contribute to an atmosphere that’s simultaneously lurid and heartfelt, before the story takes an implausibly rapid turn into melodrama. As in most boxing films, boxing is both the problem and the solution, but because it is an inherently violent sport, the story is inescapably, though not completely, problematic on a moral level. Pervasive rough, crude and crass language, much bloody boxing violence, brief foreplay prior to a married couple’s off-screen lovemaking, a character on the verge of suicide, a scene of gun violence, an instance of partial male nudity, some drinking.

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

‘Pixels’ Aliens attack Earth using monster representation of classic video game characters in this manic 3-D comedy, directed by Chris Columbus. The president of the United States (Kevin James) summons his boyhood nerdy pals (Adam Sandler, Josh Gad and Peter Dinklage) to come up with a plan to repulse the space invaders, with the assistance of a comely weapons specialist. Regrettably, the film is short on fun and long on tasteless humor, making what should be a wholesome kids’ movie questionable for even mature teens.

Bawdy humor, some sexual innuendo, a few mild oaths. CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13

Other movies: n ‘Paper Towns’: CNS: A-III(adults); MPAA: PG-13 n ‘Trainwreck’: CNS: 0 (morally offensive); MPAA: R

CHARLOTTE — He is an internationally known speaker, author and journalist who now serves as the editor of Charlotte-based TAN Books, but Dr. Paul Thigpen was not always Catholic, or even a practicing Christian.

In his teenage years, Thigpen rejected his Christian beliefs and dabbled in the occult. He turned back to God in 1972 when he was 18, first becoming an evangelical Protestant and eventually a pastor before converting to Catholicism in 1993.

What he came to understand from that experience of turning away from God and towards the devil, and then back to God, has prompted Thigpen to write a “Manual for Spiritual Warfare” which he hopes will make people more cognizant of the spiritual battle being waged for each of their souls.

“Through these activities (in my teen years as an atheist) I began to encounter powerful, malicious non-human intelligences that didn’t fit into my world view, but reminded me of certain Gospel accounts I had learned about as a child. So I went back to the Scripture in a desperate attempt to understand better what I was experiencing. That was one of the realizations that eventually led me back to faith in God in 1972.

“In a sense, you could say that I came to believe in the devil before I came to believe in God. And if there was a devil but there was no God, then I knew I was in big trouble.

Encountering him sent me running back into the arms of Our Lord.

“In the years both before and after I entered the Catholic Church in 1993, I have Dr. Paul Thigpen continued to find clear evidence (unsought) Author of “Manual for Spiritual that demonic powers are real and active in Warfare” our world. But I also find that most people, including Catholics, either don’t believe in the devil at all or are unaware that his demonic allies are at work in their lives to lead them away from God, most often through temptation.”

He believes we are in a critical spiritual battle for our souls, whose outcome will determine our eternal destiny – and it is part of Satan’s stealth strategy to remain unrecognized through it all.

“So, with the encouragement of my colleagues at TAN Books, I decided to write a book that would alert people to the war raging all around them and within them. Drawing from sacred Scripture, sacred tradition and the lives of the saints, I wanted to help readers identify their spiritual enemy and his strategies, then tell them about the spiritual comrades, weapons and armor that God has given us to be victorious in this battle.”

The 341-page manual contains practical advice, prayers and Church resources that readers will find useful. It has been granted an imprimatur

by Bishop Peter Jugis and a “nihil obstat” from Father Matthew Kauth, who is currently in residence at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte and serves as the chaplain at Charlotte Catholic High School.

An imprimatur is official permission from the local bishop to publish a book about the faith or Catholic moral teaching, and a “nihil obstat” is a judgment by an official of the Church that the book does not contain doctrinal or moral errors.

“St. Paul urges us to ‘fight the good fight of the faith,’” Thigpen says, referring to 1 Tim 6:12. “Take this ‘Manual for Spiritual Warfare’ with you into battle.”

‘Encountering (the devil) sent me running back into the arms of Our Lord.’

More info online At www.tanbooks.com and www.paulthigpen.com: Order the “Manual for Spiritual Warfare” and find other resources from Dr. Paul Thigpen.

On TV n Saturday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Brother Joseph and the Grotto.”

A German Benedictine monk’s masterpiece of a miniature city built in the Alabama woods of St. Bernard Abbey. n Saturday, Aug. 1, 11 p.m. (EWTN) “Zdenka” The faith and heroic life of Blessed Zdenka Cecília Schelingová, a Solavk nun who was falsely convicted, imprisoned and tortured for over two years. n Sunday, Aug. 2, 5:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Don’t Cry for me Sudan.”

The story of the late Father John Lee Tae-seok, a Korean Salesian priest who served the people of southern Sudan as a doctor, teacher, conductor and architect. n Monday, Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Saint John Vianney: Heart of the Priesthood.” A reflection on St. John Vianney as a model for the priesthood of today, how his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament was at the core of his vocation, and the incredible renewal of his parish in the town of Ars, France. n Tuesday, Aug. 4, 10:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “My Brother’s Keeper.”

Trace the extraordinary growth of Father Michael McGivney’s vision for a Catholic organization that would bond men to Christ and transform families and communities through a spirit of charity. n Wednesday, Aug. 5, 9:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “For Greater Glory: The True Story of the Cristeros.” An inside look at the history of the Cristero War with interviews from Jean Meyer, director Dean Wright, producer Pablo Barroso, Cardinal Juan Sandoval, Archbishop José Gomez and Knights of Columbus’ Carl Anderson. n Thursday, Aug. 6, 1:30 p.m. (EWTN) “The Site of the Transfiguration of Jesus: Mount Tabor.” Standing over the Jezreel Valley in the Lower Galilee region of Israel is Mount Tabor, a Christian site that pilgrims from all over the world visit because it is the place of the Transfiguration of Jesus mentioned in Mark 9:2-4. n Saturday, Aug. 8, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Dominic: Light of the Church.” A dramatic portrayal of St. Dominic, a renowned preacher who was a tireless defender of the faith and famous for his profound learning, heroic sanctity and apostolic zeal. n Tuesday, Aug. 11, 6 a.m. (EWTN) “Saint Francis and Saint Clare.”

The life and spirituality of St. Clare of Assisi, foundress of the Order of St. Clare, better known as the “Poor Clares.” Witness how the preaching of St. Francis of Assisi set this noblewoman’s heart on fire to imitate Francis and live for Jesus. n Tuesday, Aug. 11, 11 p.m. (EWTN) “Heart Speaks to Heart from Heaven: The Newman Miracle Story.” The life and miraculous intercession of Blessed John Henry Newman, and the Newman conference, where Deacon Jack Sullivan gave his testimony of healing through Newman’s intercession.

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Young adults invited to Facebook-only Ignatian retreat be posted in the Facebook group to the week’s “adventure.”

After reading and reflecting, participants will be invited to comment about the days or weeks by posting to the Facebook group’s page, Skinner said.

The Young Adult Life group normally draws about 40-50 people to its in-person events, Skinner said, but she hopes this allows for more participation because it’s not at a certain time or place; it’s on-demand.

“The age group we serve is very busy with school, work and family,” she said. “This is another way to make the larger community a bit smaller, and it brings it to them.”

This will be the first time St. Matthew’s Young Adult Life group has tried an online retreat, she said, “so we’re starting semisimple: Just weekly posting and having them come back later in the week and post their thoughts about the resources.”

If this is successful, Skinner said, she’d like to expand to include some live interactive features, maybe a Google Hangout, videos or live chats. Depending on the interest, she said, the online retreats could become something the group does regularly.

Kimberly Bender Online reporter

CHARLOTTE — Facebook is connecting young adults at St. Matthew Church in a new way that fits their schedule and lifestyle.

St. Matthew is the largest parish in the Diocese of Charlotte with more than 9,000 registered families, so it strives to build smaller faith groups to connect with each other and grow in their personal relationship with Jesus. The parish’s Young Adult Life group is taking that mission forward in orchestrating what may be the diocese’s first social media retreat experience.

Starting Aug. 3, the closed Facebook group featuring more than 240 members will begin “An Ignatian Prayer Adventure,” said Erin Skinner, a parishioner at St. Matthew who helps moderate the group. While the group’s Facebook page is not public, any young adult can request to join the group.

The concept for an online retreat grew in response to the demanding lifestyles and schedules of young adults in the community, Skinner said. This allows everyone to participate at their own pace.

“It started as an idea I had to give people another avenue to reach out to each other,” she said. “A way to grow in our faith together.”

The eight-week online retreat will offer a flexible, self-paced and personal outlet for strengthening one’s faith. At the beginning of each week, a link will

Join in the retreat If you’d like to take part in this onlineonly retreat, request to join the Young Adult Life group at St. Matthew Church on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/ smyalcharlotte.

TREK:

ladies. There is an all-female crew (of Venturers) who hike with religious sisters.

It is a great way to grow in your faith and to grow closer to God. I would suggest this trek to any Catholic Scout.”

FROM PAGE 11

Gates says, “It’s helped me grow more in a sense of where I am in the world and what God has planned for me. It impacted my faith a lot because I have a further understanding of what God created, more than anything else.”

Dulin shares that “the St. George Trek impacted my faith by teaching me about myself, my possible vocation, and was a great help in calming worldly worries.”

And Silvestri believes “this trek has shown me how to live my faith out from day to day. It helped show that it is important to get away from all the noise of life to be able to better understand what God is calling us to do.”

All three encourage other Scouts to apply for a future St. George Trek.

“I would highly recommend it,” Gates says. “If a Scout is looking to strengthen their faith and find out what their vocation is in life, I would recommend it. I have already contacted five of the guys in my troop…It’s really changed my life and I want to pass it along to others.”

Dulin echoes that sentiment. “For any Scouts who may be thinking of going I would say, ‘Go for it, there is nothing to lose!’ No matter how you may dislike hiking or talking about religion, you will enjoy it and get a lot out of the program.

“The two days in Cito for meditation and the conversion and discernment talk were really great and helpful. It was a ton of fun to backpack for two weeks and celebrate Mass and Eucharistic Adoration on the trail.”

Silvestri reminds Scouts that “the trek is not only for young men but also young

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from the 2015 St. George Trek

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Catholic officials, others react to Boy Scouts’ decision to allow openly gay leaders WASHINGTON, D.C. — Top leaders of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting have made an uneasy peace with the Boy Scouts of America’s decision July 27 to allow openly

gay troop leaders and employees to serve in their ranks at the national level. The Boy Scouts’ decision does not affect decisions about leaders made by local troops and councils and also permits religiously chartered Scout troops to choose leaders whose values are consistent with those of the sponsoring faith.

“It is not entirely clear how these rights will be squared with previous policy changes the Boy Scouts have made ... but it appears that the resolution respects the needs of Catholicchartered organizations in the right to choose leaders whose character and conduct are consistent with those of Catholic teaching,” said a July 27 statement from Edward Martin, national chairman, and Father Michael Hanifin, national chaplain, for the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. “At the same time, we express strong concern about the practical

3 New Job Openings at St Peter’s Catholic Church Saint Peter Catholic Church, a dynamic and growing 1,700+ household parish is the oldest Catholic parish in Charlotte and has been served by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) since 1986. We are located in the heart of beautiful uptown Charlotte. Our growth has enabled us to expand our staff. We currently have 3 new job openings:

Database & Compliance Coordinator

We are currently seeking an experienced full time, hourly Database Coordinator to manage parish data and compliance. The responsibilities include organizing and maintaining parish data to ensure efficient and accurate data storage and reporting. Maintain accurate volunteer compliance requirements.

General Responsibilities: • Accountable for the accuracy and integrity of all parishioner data files. Assist with posting financial contributions • Maintain accurate volunteer compliance records • Assist with parishioner registrations, parish events and Faith Formation program registrations • Work with Finance Office, Communication Department, Parish Manager and Council Chairs to create reports for parish use

Facilities Coordinator

Currently, we are seeking an experienced full time, hourly Facilities Coordinator. The position would be responsible for event set up and breakdown for parish activities. Campus maintenance and audio visual setup experience is a must.

General Responsibilities: • Stay abreast of parish event calendar; set up and breakdown parish events, communicate with event contact to ensure the facility set up as requested • Ensure the campus is clean and tidy throughout • Operate and provide instructions for all A/V equipment • Ensure equipment throughout the campus is in working order Must be able to work effectively and compassionately with all personality types; convey a positive and upbeat attitude. Demonstrate a calming influence during stressful situations, must be engaging and patient. Must be flexible; some weeks will require working four weekdays and Saturday or Sunday. Overtime (including weekends, holidays and evenings) may be required.

Faith Formation Coordinator

We are currently seeking a part-time, hourly Faith Formation Coordinator. The Faith Formation Coordinator is responsible for assisting the Faith Formation Director in coordinating and implementing all Faith Formation programs in our parish including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Whole Family Catechesis, Sacramental Preparation, Home Study, Youth Ministry, and Adult Education.

General Responsibilities: • Recruit, train, supervise and support volunteer catechists to implement Faith Formation, with the assistance of the Faith Formation Director • Collaborate with parents of children in parish Faith Formation Program to elicit their understanding, commitment, participation and support • Flexibility to work weekends • Perform a wide range of administrative and office support activities for Faith Formation to facilitate the efficient operation of our programs Forward a cover letter and resume to job@stpeterscatholic.org.

In the subject line state the position you are applying for. No phone calls, please.

implications of this resolution, especially for our young people in Scouting, and whether the term ‘sexual orientation’ will be correctly understood and applied only in reference to sexual inclination and not to sexual conduct or behavior,” they said.

Advocates applaud court orders to release detained families WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge ruled July 24 that the government’s immigrant family detention system violates a settlement agreement dating to 1997 over how juveniles in the custody of the immigration agency are treated. Advocates for the thousands of families being held in compounds run by for-profit prison companies hailed the ruling and said it should mean the end of the policy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to lock up families while they pursue asylum and other types of protection from deportation. Judge Dolly Gee of the Central California District Court found ICE violated a court settlement reached in 1997 with a strategy enacted last summer of detaining women and their children as a deterrent to others who might try to cross the U.S. border at Mexico. The Obama administration was given until Aug. 3 to officially respond to the ruling. The detention centers have been harshly criticized by attorneys, members of Congress and advocates such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Prayers, sympathy shared after Tennessee shootings CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — An outpouring of sympathy and prayer was expressed for the victims of the July 16 shootings that left four Marines and the shooter dead and two others wounded. Three others were injured, and one of them, a sailor, died early July 18. Bishop Richard F. Stika of Knoxville, whose diocese includes Chattanooga, encouraged all Catholics and people of faith to participate in a community prayer service at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga held the afternoon of the shootings at a military recruiting center and a Navy-Marine training center a few miles away.

Nuns ask court for protection from HHS mandate, fines DENVER — In a July 23 filing with the U.S. Supreme Court, the Little Sisters of the Poor have asked the court for relief from being forced to comply with the federal contraceptive mandate or face heavy fines. The sisters are being asked to choose between adhering to their Catholic faith – which prohibits them from providing contraceptives – and continuing to pursue their religious mission of serving the elderly poor, according to Sister Loraine Marie Maguire, mother provincial of the order.

The latest action by the Denver-based Little Sisters follows a July 14 ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the religious order and other religious entities are not substantially burdened by procedures set out by the federal government by which they can avoid the requirement to provide contraceptive coverage in employee health insurance.

New Wis. law outlaws most abortions after 20 weeks OSHKOSH, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker July 20 signed a bill into law that would prohibit all Wisconsin abortions at or beyond the 20-week gestation mark, making an exception only for medical emergencies. Supporters of the law cited medical evidence that shows an unborn child’s pain receptors are present no later than

16 weeks after fertilization, with nerves that link the receptors to the brain no later than 20-weeks gestation. It also requires the pregnant woman be informed, orally and in writing, of the unborn child’s gestational age and numerical odds of survival, as well as “written materials on the availability of perinatal hospice.”

New videos released with PP official discussing abortion WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amid an outcry from members of the GOP demanding answers to questions raised by a video of a Planned Parenthood physician talking about preserving fetal organs and tissue for researchers for a fee, two more videos have emerged of different physicians from the organization talking about the same topic. Lawmakers and pro-life leaders said the videos document the organization’s illicit activities in selling organs and tissue procured in abortions.

The videos were filmed undercover and produced by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Medical Progress. Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, released an official video response saying that “allegations that Planned Parenthood profits in any way from tissue donation is not true.” The three videos released, however, show Planned Parenthood officials discussing how to change the abortion method to provide intact fetal remains and even haggling over prices for an “intact specimen.”

USCCB chairmen: ‘We must recommit ourselves to end’ death penalty WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic faith tradition “offers a unique perspective on crime and punishment, one grounded in mercy and healing, not punishment for its own sake,” two bishops said in a statement renewing the U.S. Church’s push to end the death penalty. “No matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself without ending a human life, it should do so. Today, we have this capability,” wrote Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston and Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami.

The two prelates are the chairmen, respectively, of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. Their July 16 message commemorated the 10th anniversary of the bishops’ Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty.

3 auxiliary bishops named for L.A.; one resignation accepted WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pope Francis has named three auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson, 75. The changes were announced July 21 in Washington

by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the U.S. The pope appointed two priests from Los Angeles and one from Chicago to be auxiliary bishops: Father Robert Barron, 55, has served as rector of Mundelein Seminary and president of the University of St. Mary of the Lake, also in Mundelein, Ill., since 2012, and is founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Monsignor Joseph V. Brennan, 61, vicar general and moderator of the curia in Los Angeles since 2013, is a native of Van Nuys, Calif. Monsignor David G. O’Connell, 61, is a native of County Cork, Ireland, who was ordained a priest of the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 1979.

— Catholic News Service

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July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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In Brief WYD registration begins; pope first person to sign up VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis was the first pilgrim to sign up for World Youth Day to be held in Krakow, Poland, launching the opening of registration. Accompanied by two Polish teenagers who wore World Youth Day 2016 T-shirts, the pope had to make a couple of attempts pressing the screen of a tablet before his online registration went through. “There.

With this electronic device I have signed up for the day as a pilgrim,” he told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square July 26 for his Angelus address. The pope said, “I wanted to be the one to open registration” in front of everyone gathered for the Angelus and in the company of two teens on the day sign-ups began July 26. The celebrations July 26-31, 2016, will come during the Holy Year of Mercy, which Pope Francis proclaimed to invite people to follow the merciful example of God, the Father. World Youth Day “will be, in a certain sense, a jubilee of youth” during the holy year, as its theme is also about being merciful toward others, the pope said.

Patriarch calls lives of Middle East Christians ‘bad’ and ‘less bad’ JERUSALEM — Christians in the Middle East are facing difficulties ranging from “bad” to “less bad,” said Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem. While describing the condition of the Palestinians in the West Bank as “bad,” he said their situation is better than the challenges faced by Christians in Syria and Iraq, especially those who have been forced to flee homes in the fact of Islamic State militants. Patriarch Twal pushed again for an end to hostilities throughout the Holy Land and the Middle East.

“We condemn those who sell (military) arms to help (maintain the war) in Syria,” he said. “It is a pity. We have never reached this level of violence. We preach, we hope, we weep. In all of the Middle East it is not a normal life.” Although the patriarch normally calls the Catholic Church in the Holy Land the “church of Calvary,” he said he sees the entire Middle East in a similar term because of the massive displacement of Christians from traditional homelands across war-torn countries.

Pope: Mining industry needs radical change to protect people, nature VATICAN CITY — The mining industry, especially in the world’s poorest countries, must make a “radical change” to respect the rights of local communities and protect the environment, Pope Francis said. The companies, the governments that are supposed to regulate them, investors and consumers who use the myriad products relying on mined material “are called to adopt behavior inspired by the fact that we are all part of one human family,” the pope said. The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which had sponsored a reflection day in 2013 for two dozen mining company executives and was preparing another session with them in September, was holding a meeting July 17-19 with small organizations working at the grass roots to oppose mining operations in their

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countries. Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the council, said his office could not ignore what Pope Francis, in his encyclical on the environment, called “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” Italian Comboni Father Dario Bossi, a missionary in northern Brazil and part of an ecumenical coalition representing the rights of communities impacted by mining, told reporters July 17, “Communities in different parts of the world face situations of violence and intimidation, illegality and corruption, pollution and violations of human rights because of activities tied to mining.”

Under new system, Vatican budgets show previously unreported assets VATICAN CITY — Under new reporting procedures that are more in line with international accounting standards, the Holy See reported $1 billion in net assets that had never been reported before and in a consolidated form. The Vatican’s final figures for 2014 also showed a continued budget deficit on the part of the Roman Curia and nearly double the profits brought in by entities falling under the separate Vatican City State budget.

In fact, the profits coming from the Vatican Museums, “cultural activities” and investments offset the deficit in the consolidated budgets of the Roman Curia and Vatican communications outlets to help the Vatican end the year 37.9 million euros ($41.3 million) in the black. The Council for the Economy presented the financial statements July 14, and they were published July 16. The statements were prepared by the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, the Vatican’s budget management office.

The statements were “reviewed and verified” by the Secretariat for the Economy, headed by Australian Cardinal George Pell, as well as by a brand new auditing committee of lay experts and an external auditor. The 2014 budget reports were the first financial statements to follow sweeping new procedures begun under new rules that went into effect March 1, governing the guidance, oversight and control of Vatican financial and administrative activities, and codifying the mission of the council and secretariat for the economy.

Jordan bank of river where Jesus baptized named UNESCO site JERUSALEM — UNESCO declared Bethany Beyond the Jordan, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, as a World Heritage site and the location of Jesus’ baptism. “The decision is logical. The Eastern side is where all the Byzantine antiquities and churches are located,” said Franciscan Father Eugenio Alliata, professor of Christian archaeology at Jerusalem’s Studium Biblicum Franciscanum.

He said pilgrimages to the Western side began only about 600 years ago. “But for us it is the Jordan River, the middle, which is the most holy place.” For years, Israel and Jordan have been at odds as to which side of the Jordan River is the actual site of Jesus’ baptism, as both sides vie for the title to increase tourism.

Israel upgraded its shoreline with changing rooms and a wooden deck access to the murky waters. But three popes have visited Jordan’s eastern shore as a sign of the Catholic Church’s official recognition of the site known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan. The Gospel of John (1:28 and 10:40) records this place as where John the Baptist carried out his baptisms, including that of Jesus. Pope John Paul II made the first visit to the site on his millennial pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000, followed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 and Pope Francis last year.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Matthew Newsome

Sr. Constance Carolyn Veit

Praying with both lungs T

he sight of people carrying tasselled prayer ropes may be common in Eastern monasteries, but it is decidedly less so in the southern Appalachian mountains. So when my pastor and I were comparing our chotkis after Mass one recent Sunday, it’s no surprise that we garnered a lot of questions from curious parishioners.

A chotki (also sometimes called a komboskini) is a traditional Eastern Christian prayer rope, generally made from wool and tied with a special knot. Unlike the rosary, with its set structure of five decades, chotkis can be found in various shapes and sizes.

Common lengths are 33 knots (one for every year of Jesus’ life), 50 knots, 100, 150, or even 300 knots.

On each knot is said the Jesus Prayer. Various forms of this prayer exist, but the most common is, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This prayer is taken from the publican’s prayer in Luke 18:13, though its devotional use is attributed to St. Simeon the New Theologian.

I first learned of this devotion from a professor at the university where I serve as campus minister.

He is a Catholic of the Ruthenian rite and can often be seen walking around campus with his prayer rope in hand.

In giving a talk to our campus ministry group one evening, he explained that the chotki is an aid in following St. Paul’s command to pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17). As he went about his day, he would continuously pray the Jesus prayer, pausing at each spacer bead placed every 25 knots to pray the Trisagion or “Thrice Holy” prayer: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.”

Although chotkis can be made in different colors and materials, the most common are of black wool. Black is the color of mourning and reminds us of our mortality. Wool reminds us that we are the rational sheep of Jesus’ flock, and also that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Each knot is composed of seven crosses, to remind us of our Lord’s sacrifice on Calvary.

There is an interesting legend about this knot. A monk (sometimes said to be St. Anthony) is tying knots in his prayer rope. As he ties each knot, the devil comes behind him and unties it, despising the prayerful purpose the knot would have. An angel (sometimes Our Lady) appears to the monk and shows him how to make a knot from seven crosses, which the devil cannot not untie. For this reason, the knot is

‘The more one grows in prayer, the more one is filled with the desire to pray.’

called the “Angelic knot.”

Most prayer ropes are made by nuns in Orthodox or Eastern Catholic monasteries, although you can find Youtube videos showing how to tie the Angelic knot yourself. My wife and I keep a small flock of sheep and she spins beautiful yarn from their fleece.

I thought I’d learn to make my own chotki using our homespun wool, but after a few weeks of getting my fingers tied and tangled, I decided that it would be unjust to deprive a good sister of her livelihood.

I sent the yarn instead to Mother Anna of the Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery in New York for her skilled hands to accomplish what mine could not.

The chotki is sometimes erroneously called the “eastern rosary,” and I have even heard it suggested that western Christians should leave it alone and foster devotion to the rosary instead. This thinking is in error. The chotki and the rosary bear a physical resemblance, but their use is quite different.

The rosary is primarily a prayer rather than an object. As a prayer, the rosary has a definite structure with a beginning and an end. While other prayers can be said on the rosary beads, such as the Divine Mercy chaplet, these also have certain defined structures.

When one prays the rosary, the expectation is that one starts at the beginning and prays through until the end. Although one may sometimes speak of praying “one decade of the rosary,” technically one has prayed 10 Hail Marys, not the rosary.

The chotki, by contrast, is not a prayer but an object meant to aid in prayer. The Jesus Prayer is the most commonly used, but there is no reason why a chotki cannot be used to pray other prayers. I once had a beautiful prayer experience repeating Job 1:21 on my chotki. The idea is to pray without ceasing, and the prayer rope helps us maintain focus during prayer.

One can pray with a chotki for five minutes, an hour, or throughout the day, pausing as needed.

I often use my prayer rope to remain focused during Mass. I joke with my pastor that I use it to stay awake during his homilies, but the truth is that it helps me to remain in a state of prayer which is the “active participation” in the liturgy called for by the Second Vatican Council (“Sacrosanctum Concilium,” 14).

The Jesus Prayer is simple enough that I can pray it silently while my attention remains on the liturgy.

Its repetition fades gently into the background of my mind, replacing the “to do” list and scattered thoughts that otherwise dwell there and serve as distractions from prayer.

The chotki and the rosary are complementary, not competitive. In fact, as I have begun to regularly make use of the chotki and the Jesus Prayer, my devotion to the rosary has increased. I can only offer the suggestion that to increase in one form of prayer is to increase in prayer generally. The more one grows in prayer, the more one is filled with the desire to pray.

St. John Paul II exhorted the Church to “breathe with her two lungs” (“Ut Unum Sint,” 54), by which he meant the Western and Eastern halves of the Church.

Breathing with both lungs – and praying with both lungs – means being open to learning from the prayer traditions of our brothers and sisters in faith, and adopting them for our spiritual good.

Matthew Newsome serves as the campus minister for Western Carolina University. Learn more about the Campus Ministry program at more than 20 colleges and universities across the Diocese of Charlotte at www.catholiconcampus.com.

Is God dreaming about your life?

U

sing the passage from the Prophet Isaiah where the Lord promises a new heaven and a new earth, Pope Francis recently said that God dreams about us. “God thinks of each of us and loves each of us. He ‘dreams’ about us … about how He will rejoice with us,” the pope said. “The Lord dreams of me! He thinks of me! I am in the Lord’s mind and in His heart” – each of us can say this! And according to Isaiah, he concluded, God has many plans for us, “plans typical of one in love.”

Yes, my dear young readers; God has dreams and plans for you! Each of you is on the Lord’s mind and in His heart. And His plans are always plans of love, plans for your happiness. Our foundress, St. Jeanne Jugan, grew up in a poor family during a difficult period of history. She didn’t have much, but she knew that she was uniquely loved by God. When a young man proposed to her, she turned him down, saying, “God wants me for Himself.” She knew that God had a definite plan for her.

I pray that God will give each of you the grace to say with conviction, “God wants me for Himself.” Maybe that won’t mean belonging exclusively to Him in the consecrated life, as in the case of St. Jeanne Jugan; nevertheless, He wants you for a lifeproject that you and He will accomplish together – for a work that He cannot complete without you.

Perhaps God is calling you to give yourself to a spouse with whom you will give birth to new children of God. Perhaps God’s plan is for you to use your gifts and talents professionally for the building of the culture of life in a society that, while rich, is so spiritually poor. It has been said that millennials are the most pro-life generation. I witness this every year when I attend the Vigil and March for Life in Washington, D.C. I also witness youthful generosity in the many students who volunteer in our homes, bringing joy to the elderly.

For many years, our pro-life efforts have been focused on the unborn, and this is definitely a noble and necessary cause. But, a new frontier has opened in the battle for life, a new struggle that needs attention, courage and zeal. In the wake of the highlypublicized suicide of a terminally ill young woman – someone of the younger generation – the floodgates of death have been released in the form of widespread efforts to legalize physicianassisted suicide in our country. As you discern God’s plan for your life, I beg you to consider whether that plan might be taking you to this new battleground for life.

Whenever I meet medical and nursing students, I ask what area of practice most interests them. It is rare that anyone responds geriatrics or palliative medicine. Without diminishing the importance of any other specialty, I always beg them to consider the care of the elderly and terminally ill.

The population of our country is aging rapidly and there is a frightening shortage of geriatric-trained healthcare professionals. The same could be said of palliative care. Many who are already engaged in the battle against assisted suicide and euthanasia believe that the most convincing argument against the taking of one’s own life – or the life of another – in response to suffering is to assure that effective palliative care and human and spiritual accompaniment are available to all.

The lives of the most frail and vulnerable really are in our hands.

Pope Francis has spoken repeatedly about “cultural euthanasia” – our society’s tendency to abandon those who seem unproductive or burdensome, especially the very young, the disabled and the very old. God’s plan for many will include married, family and/or professional life. But I believe that He is calling others to give themselves totally to Him, just as He called St. Jeanne Jugan, by devoting a life of service to the elderly and dying, whose lives are increasingly at risk in a society that no longer recognizes their inviolable dignity. What could be more counter-cultural?

Sister Constance Veit is communications director for the Little Sisters of the Poor.

July 31, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Parish spotlight Ave Maria Ministries aids needy in Avery, MItchell counties

Deacon James H. Toner

What we know that ain’t so:

“What you think is the right road may lead to death” (Prv 14:12)

Leadership What we think is the right road

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good leader knows what he or she is about; a good leader organizes, trains, motivates, supervises and ensures success. A good leader does all these things – while pointing to the latest management guidebook – effectively. A good leader writes vision statements, talks the newest “quality management” lingo, always conforms to “best practices,” and gets results.

But it’s the wrong road Many hundreds of books purport to explain how to lead and manage. There are great leadership lessons to be learned, we hear, from the world of business, the military, even sports. These lessons normally consist of listings of “principles” and “traits” or the recitation of stories. There are certain adages or apothegms we are supposed to learn and there are personal characteristics that we should try to master. Although there is mild merit in these things, the fact is that much of what passes for instruction in leadership is little more than a parade of clichés, which, under scrutiny, may prove to be more deranged than directive.

That is because proper leadership is not about good results; it is about results for good.

“Do anything it takes to win!”

“No pain, no gain!” “Better sweat now than blood later!” Here Blessed Teresa of is the problem Calcutta with leadership by slogan: When we try to reduce the chemistry of leadership to a single element, we misrepresent the moral, political “The Virtues We and human Need Again,” by complexity of Mitchell Kalpakgian. New what it means “to York: Crossroad, 2012. show the way to others.” These six words are the essence of what leadership means, minus one critically important adjective.

For example: Catholics must never do anything it takes to win, on a baseball diamond, on a battlefield, in a courtroom, or on the campaign trail. If, at any time in their education, Catholic students are told that winning is all that matters, their moral vision is jeopardized and may become

‘I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.’

Suggested reading

warped. The missing adjective is right.

Our task is to show the right way to others.

That is what good leadership means.

It was Warren Bennis, the organizational consultant, who said, “Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing.” But how do leaders discover the “right thing”?

To know and to do what is right requires an education in what is good and in what virtue means. If we are “technically and tactically proficient,” but use our talents in the service of what is wrong, then we betray our common humanity. An “education” not grounded in the loam of commitment to moral worthiness is counterfeit. Among the great teachings of the history of salvation is the repeated lesson that faithfulness to God brings success, while disobedience brings personal, even national, disaster.

The “good counselor” Professor Germain Grisez talks about enduring “Modes of Responsibility” which can serve as preliminary guidance. I take great liberty here in dramatically condensing them, but here are some of the key elements of Christian leadership: 1. Develop our talents and employ them with gratitude, devotion and unswerving loyalty to the One who bestowed our talents originally (see Luke 12:48).

2. Build community (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 2045).

3. Act reasonably, never merely to satisfy appetites and urges.

4. Do what we ought to do, even when the task is disagreeable.

5. Never discriminate unreasonably. Also: Be justly merciful and mercifully just.

6. Act in the light of moral truth, not just to keep up appearances. Prefer the light, even the glare, of what is true to the emotional shade of what is comfortable.

7. Be patient and long-suffering whenever possible.

8. Do what is fruitful, but do not try to get the best results at any price. Also: Know the value of things, not only their cost.

So that’s it: leadership in eight “easy” maxims!

But it ain’t so. Those maxims are useful, and so is the key ingredient of the natural law: Do good and avoid evil (1 Thes 5:2122). Similarly, St. Paul’s declaration that “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” is also important and comforting. But these are not self-explanatory adages. They require interpretation; they require grace.

We must always pray for the grace to know what is the right and good and true course to pursue; to realize that having the strength to do all things comes from Him, for Him; and that “the Law of God entrusted to the Church is taught to the faithful as the way of truth and life” (CCC 2037).

The essence of good leadership, then, lies always in our being faithful followers. The first, best and inviolable “maxim of leadership” is Our Lord’s command: “Follow me” (Mt 16:24).

Deacon James H. Toner serves at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.

SPRUCE PINE — July 3 marked the two-year anniversary of Ave Maria Ministries Works of Mercy Inc., a cooperative effort of parishioners from St. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine and St. Bernadette Mission in Linville.

Even though the economy is on the mend for most of the country, rural mountain counties like Avery and Mitchell are still recovering from the recession. Because many local industries have closed or moved overseas, there is still an extremely high unemployment rate in this area. Many families continue struggling to make ends meet and feed their families.

Ave Maria Ministries aims to meet this need. Located in the old rectory at St. Lucien on Summit Avenue, the food pantry makes a hospitable, home-like atmosphere where clients may sit down, have a cup of coffee or a snack, make a friend and have great fellowship, as well as receive food and clothing assistance.

Open on Wednesday afternoons, Ave Maria Ministries distributes food and clothing to an average of 75-100 families each month. It is funded through bake sales, rummage sales and the generosity of St. Lucien and St. Bernadette parishioners, and it is supported by the pastor Father Christopher Gober, the Diocese of Charlotte, Manna Food Bank-Asheville, and many other local charities.

For information about Ave Maria Ministries, contact avamaria12.8@gmail.com or 828-766-2766.

— Kevin Braswell, correspondent

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‘Jesus tells us that true greatness can only be achieved by humbly and generously serving one another.’

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 31, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

“I Am The Way and The Truth and The Life” (John 14:6)

11th Eucharistic Congress

September 11 – 12, 2015, Charlotte Convention Center Singing and Praying Hymns of Praise in Honor of the Holy Eucharist, Byzantine-Rite Vespers Bible Study of the Gospel of St. John with Fr. Patrick Winslow Procession of the Eucharist to St. Peter’s Church and Nocturnal Adoration, College Night Vendors of Sacred Art Vocation and Catholic Education information Holy Mass

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For more information please visit: GoEucharist.com

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Teresa Tomeo “Fortifying Faith, Family and Culture”

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk “Bioethics: A Moral Compass for the Family” Concert of Sacred Music Choir Members from Parishes of the Diocese

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Father Daniel L. Mode “Father Vincent Capodanno, The Grunt Padre”

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Holy Hour Homilist: His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan “The Holy Eucharist: The Way and The Truth and The Life of the Intentional Catholic”

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PRESENTATIONS

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English and Spanish Tracks for Adults K-12 Education Tracks for Students Sean Forrest, Adam Truffant and Katie Dunn Religious displays

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Eucharistic Procession - Uptown Charlotte Holy Hour Confession

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2015 Eucharistic Congress Diocese Of Charlotte

September 11 & 12