Nov. 24, 2017

November 24, 2017

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

Mothering with Grace Conference refreshes and inspires 3

Interpreting success New training program for interpreters, translators builds bridges, empowers people

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INDEX

Contact us.......................... 4 Events calendar................. 4 Our Faith............................. 2 Our Parishes................. 3-11 Schools..............................12 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.......................13 U.S. news...................... 14-15 Viewpoints................... 18-19 World news.................. 16-17

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‘A very blessed Thanksgiving Day’ Annual meal at St. Thérèse Parish brings together local community

10-11 St. Peter teens ‘row into the deep’ of Capitol Hill for Ignatian teach-in 7

Civility must guide debate on social challenges, new USCCB president says 14 SILVER ANNIVERSARY Making the catechism shine in the 21st century

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Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions Feast day: Nov. 24 On June 19, 1988, St. John Paul II canonized a group of 117 martyrs who died for the Roman Catholic faith in Vietnam between 1820 and 1862.

The Vietnamese Martyrs were made up of 96 Vietnamese, 11 Spaniards and 10 French. Eight of the group were bishops, 50 were priests and 59 were lay Catholics. Some of the priests were Dominicans, while others were diocesan priests who belonged to the Foreign Mission Society of Paris. One was a mother of six, and one was a 9-year-old child. Of the 117 martyrs, 76 were beheaded, 21 were suffocated, six were burnt alive, five were mutilated and nine died in prison as a result of torture.

St. Andrew Dung-Lac, who represents this group of heroes, was a Vietnamese diocesan priest. Born Tran An Dung in Bac-Ninh, North Vietnam, about the year 1795, he came from a poor, non-Christian family. When he was 12 the family moved to Hanoi so his parents could find work.

There he met a catechist and got food and shelter from him. He also received education in the Christian faith for three years, and was baptized in Vinh-Tri. He took the name Andrew (Anrê) at his baptism.

After learning Chinese and Latin, he became a catechist, working in the missions with the priests of the Foreign Mission Society of Paris. He was chosen to study theology, and on March 15, 1823, he was ordained a priest. As parish priest in Ke-Dâm, he was tireless in his preaching. He often fasted and lived a simple and moral life, he was a good example for the people, and he baptized many people.

He was imprisoned and repeatedly tortured during the reign of Minh-Mang, emperor of Vietnam from 1820 to 1840, who was infamous for his persecutions of the Christians and often compared to Nero.

The tortures these individuals underwent are considered by the Church to be among the worst in the history of Christian martyrdom. Emperor Minh-Mang expelled all foreign missionaries and ordered Vietnamese Christians to publicly renounce their faith by trampling on a crucifix.

Christian families and entire villages suffered widespread extortion or were destroyed, and teaching Christianity was forbidden. Torturers hacked off limbs joint by joint, burned people alive in bamboo cages, tore flesh with red hot tongs, and drugged people into recanting the faith.

Christians left alive were branded on the face with the words “ta dao” (“false religion”).

To avoid capture by the emperor’s authorities, Andrew Dung changed his surname to Lac and moved to another prefecture to continue his work. But on Nov. 10, 1839, he was arrested once again, this time along with St. Peter Thi (whom he was visiting so that he might go to confession).

They were freed in exchange for bribe money, but soon were arrested again and taken to Hanoi where they were tortured.

The two priests were beheaded on Dec. 21, 1839, in Hanoi.

The 117 martyrs were beatified in four groups: the first

“Martyrs of Vietnam” by the Vatican, artwork used for the 1988 canonization ceremony of them on May 27, 1900, by Pope Leo XIII; the second (all Dominicans) on May 20, 1906, and a third on May 2, 1909, both by St. Pius X; and the last (including two Spanish bishops) on April 29, 1951, by Pope Pius XII. This feast day, and the witnesses of all the Vietnamese

martyrs (estimated by the Church to be between 130,000 and 300,000), give testament to the sufferings inflicted on the Vietnamese Church, which are among the most terrible in the long history of Christian martyrdom.

— Sources: Catholic News Agency, www.catholicculture.org

Your daily Scripture readings NOV. 26-DEC. 2

Sunday (Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe): Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17, 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28, Matthew 25:31-46; Monday: Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20, Daniel 3:52-56, Luke 21:1-4; Tuesday: Daniel 2:31-45, Daniel 3:57-61, Luke 21:5-11; Wednesday: Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28, Daniel 3:62-67, Luke 21:12-19; Thursday (St. Andrew): Romans 10:9-18, Matthew 4:18-22; Friday: Daniel 7:2-14, Daniel 3:75-81, Luke 21:29-33; Saturday: Daniel 7:15-27, Daniel 3:82-87, Luke 21:34-36

DEC. 3-9

Sunday: Isaiah 63:16-17, 19, 64:2-7, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:33-37; Monday (St. John Damascene): Isaiah 2:1-5, Matthew 8:5-11; Tuesday: Isaiah 11:1-10, Luke 10:21-24; Wednesday (St. Nicholas): Isaiah 25:6-10, Matthew 15:29-37; Thursday (St. Ambrose): Isaiah 26:1-6, Matthew 7:21, 24-27; Friday (The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Genesis 3:9-15, 20, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12, Luke 1:26-38; Saturday (St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin): Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26, Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5-8

DEC. 10-16

Sunday: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11, 2 Peter 3:8-14, Mark 1:1-8; Monday (St. Damasus I): Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 5:17-26; Tuesday (Our Lady of Guadalupe): Zechariah 2:14-17, Luke 1:26-38; Wednesday (St. Lucy): Isaiah 40:25-31, Matthew 11:28-30; Thursday (St. John of the Cross): Isaiah 41:13-20, Matthew 11:11-15; Friday: Isaiah 48:17-19, Matthew 11:16-19; Saturday: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11, Matthew 17:9-13

Our parishes

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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HELP OUR RELIGIOUS

Religious retirement collection set for Dec. 9-10 CHARLOTTE — Our retired religious men and women need our help. More than 180 men and women religious in 32 communities in western North Carolina are counting on the faithful of the Diocese of Charlotte to donate generously to the 30th annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection, being taken up in all parishes Dec. 9-10.

The appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office and offers support for senior PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CYRUS BURROUGHS WITH BLUEBIRD STUDIO

Keynote speaker Sonja Corbitt addresses attendees of the Mothering with Grace Conference held Nov. 4 at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.

Mothering with Grace Conference refreshes and inspires KELLY HENSON CORRESPONDENT

CHARLOTTE — After the hectic start-ofschool rush of early fall, 120 mothers visibly relaxed as they entered the doors for the Mothering with Grace Conference hosted at St. Ann Church Nov. 4. For the past four years, this national, small-group ministry for moms has welcomed women of all ages to North Carolina for a day of prayer, inspiration and connection.

Mothering with Grace was founded in 2008

by Jessica Ferrante and several friends as a way to help busy moms pray and study Scripture together. Two groups gather monthly in the Diocese of Charlotte, at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mark churches, and more meet around the country.

This year’s conference began with a reflection by Ann Winkle. An active member of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, Winkle also founded Mary’s WAY ministry. She spoke of the heroic example of her mom through severe illness and daily struggles.

She encouraged the women to “thank God with the same intensity that we beg Him” and to remember to “take the Blessed Mother with you” throughout their day.

Father Matthew Kauth led the women in reflections during a beautiful Holy Hour and a quiet morning Mass. He spoke about motherhood as a profound participation in the work of grace which restores brokenness in our world and becomes “a new creation.”

Father Kauth also reflected on the virtue of fortitude and explained how women need to support their children when they come face to face with crosses. Fear of suffering will not lead families to Christ, he said.

The afternoon was filled with laughter and empathetic nods as the keynote speaker, Sonja Corbitt, took the stage. A spunky Carolina native and Baptist convert, Sonja is now a popular Catholic author and radio host. Her energetic honesty about toxic relationships, difficulties in prayer, and anger management drew in her audience.

And her practical insights into Scripture

prompted moms to scribble notes in the corners of their Bible pages for further reflection.

As moms explored their generous swag bags, sipped coffee and unwrapped chocolates, mingled with fellow mothers and

Pictured are Sarah Daniels (clinical supervisor at Bluebird Studio), Maggie Malcolm (conference chair), and Madeline Burroughs (owner and director of Bluebird Studio, this year’s main conference sponsor).

shopped with Catholic vendors, they clearly felt spoiled and refreshed by their miniretreat.

Rosa Braden is a mother of three young children with another due soon. She carpooled with friends two hours from Elon to attend the Mothering with Grace Conference for the first time. She said, “The conference was a wonderful break from my busy work as a stay at home mother, spiritually, emotionally and physically!

Mothers giving and receiving ideas on practical and spiritual matters as well as simply sharing similar struggles can be very encouraging.”

For more information about the Mothering with Grace ministry or conferences, visit motheringwithgrace.org.

Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose communities lack sufficient retirement funding.

Nationally, some 33,000 women and men religious past age 70 benefit.

The U.S. bishops started this collection to address the significant lack of retirement funding among U.S. religious communities. Proceeds are distributed to eligible communities to help underwrite retirement and health care expenses. Women and men religious who serve or have served in the diocese but whose communities are based elsewhere may benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious.

Last year parishioners in the Charlotte diocese contributed $287,064.97 to the national 2016 appeal, which raised $30.7 million overall.

The NRRO distributed more than $25 million to 390 religious communities.

“Your generosity, combined with that of Catholics across the nation, enables our office to distribute critical funding to help religious communities meet the day-to-day needs of senior members,” said Sister Janice Bader, avowed with the Sisters of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, who is the executive director of the National Religious Retirement Office.

“It also enables us to provide education, resources and consultative support to help religious communities plan for long-term retirement expenses.

The good we are able to do is in direct measure to the good we have been given. For this, we offer abundant thanks. May our loving God bless you.”

The funding disbursed is known as Direct Care Assistance and represents the majority of financial support distributed by the NRRO. Religious

communities combine this assistance with their own income and savings to help meet such day-to-day expenses as prescription medications and nursing care. Additional allocations will be directed toward religious communities with the greatest needs and for ongoing education in retirement planning and eldercare delivery. Nearly 95 percent of donations aid elderly religious and their communities, while the remaining 5 percent is used for administration and promotion of the annual appeal.

While the response to the collection is unprecedented, so is the need.

The total cost of care for senior women and men religious has exceeded $1 billion for each of the past seven years. At the same time, the number of religious needing care is on the rise. In 2017, 67 percent of the religious communities providing data to the NRRO had a median age of 70 or older.

Accompanying the higher median age is a decrease in the number of religious able to serve in paid ministry, which further reduces the income available for eldercare.

Hundreds of religious communities also lack sufficient retirement savings, due in part to historically low compensation.

Religious communities are financially autonomous and thus responsible for the support and care of all members.

Annual distributions from the Retirement Fund for Religious provide supplemental assistance to help meet their day-to-day needs.

Throughout the year, additional funding is allocated for communities with the greatest needs and for retirement planning and educational resources. Ninety-five cents of every dollar directly aids elderly religious; the remainder is used for administration and promotion of the appeal.

Besides providing financial assistance, the NRRO offers education and resources that help religious communities stretch retirement dollars and plan for future needs.

Strategic partnerships with various organizations further these efforts.

The NRRO coordinates the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection and distributes the proceeds to eligible religious communities.

The organization is sponsored by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Learn more at www.retiredreligious. org.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. The National Religious Retirement Office contributed.

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: NOV. 28 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Luke Church, Mint Hill

NOV. 30 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Mark Church, Huntersville

DEC. 5 – 1 P.M. Advent Dinner for Priests Bishop’s Residence

DEC. 9 – 11 A.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. James Church, Concord

NOV. 30 – 10 A.M. Diocesan Foundation Board Meeting Catholic Conference Center, Hickory

DEC. 2 – 11 A.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Mark Church, Huntersville

DEC. 6 – 11 A.M. Diocesan RCIA Commission Meeting Diocesan Pastoral Center

DEC. 12 – 5 P.M. Advent Reception for Employees Bishop’s Residence

Diocesan calendar of events November 24, 2017

ESPAÑOL

Volume 27 • NUMBER 4

MINISTERIO DE PADRES Y MADRES ORANTES: 7 p.m. el tercer viernes de cada mes, en la Iglesia St. Thomas Aquinas, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Todos los padres de familia están invitados a tener un re-encuentro con Jesús Sacramentado, en una Hora Santa. Todos unidos oraran por los hijos del mundo entero. En este Ministerio, el Rosario es nuestra arma y la Eucaristía es nuestra savia. Para más detalles, llamar a Gloria 704-807-5237.

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

CLASES DE INGLÉS: 6-9 p.m. todos los martes y jueves en el Community Life Center, en la Iglesia de St. Mary, 205 W. Farris Ave., High Point. Para más información y para registrarse, llamar al 336-848-6970.

STAFF

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org

ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT: 6:30- 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, in the Parish Life Center at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2203 West Market St., Greensboro. Women aged 18 and older are invited for an evening to prepare our hearts for the coming of Our Lord. Two talks will be given on Advent preparation. Dessert and warm drinks will be served.

Hosted by Regnum Christi Triad Area. For details, call the parish office at 336-274-6520.

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

THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year.

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

ADVERTISING: Reach 165,000 Catholics across western North Carolina! For advertising rates and information, contact Advertising Manager Kevin Eagan at 704-370-3332 or keeagan@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

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

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

Sichko. Father Sichko is a full-time preacher, evangelist and motivational speaker based in the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. For details, call Michael Burck at 704-5437677, ext. 1020.

VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS: Join Catholics across Charlotte for Mass and overnight Eucharistic Adoration every first Friday-Saturday at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte to pray for the strengthening and healing of marriages and families, the conversion of our nation, and to offer reparation for the sins of mankind through prayer and penance. The vigil will begin with Mass at 8 p.m. each first Friday, followed by Adoration and scheduled prayer, and conclude with 8 a.m. Mass each first Saturday. For details and to sign up for Adoration times, go to www.prolifecharlotte.org.

ST. STEPHEN MARONITE CHURCH: Masses are offered every Sunday at 12:30 p.m., at St. Matthew Church’s Waxhaw location, 4116 Waxhaw-Marvin Road, Waxhaw. St. Stephen Maronite Church of Charlotte is an Eastern-rite Catholic Church in full communion with the pope.

HEALING MASS AND ANOINTING OF THE SICK: 2 p.m. every third Sunday of the month, St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr., Maggie Valley. Individual prayers over people after Mass by Charismatic Prayer Group members.

For details, call the church office at 828-926-0106.

CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC WOMEN’S GROUP ADVENT RETREAT: 10 a.m. Mass, Saturday, Dec. 2, at St. Michael Church, 708 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia. Mass will be celebrated followed by an Advent reflection, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Hour, confession and benediction. Lunch will be at 12:30 p.m., followed by the second reflection at 1:30 p.m., with the retreat ending at 2:30 p.m. Free for CCWG members, non-members are asked for donations. For details or to RSVP, visit www. charlottecatholicwomensgroup.org.

EVENING NOVENAS: Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Christ the King Church, 1505 East Kivett Dr., High Point. All are invited to pray the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Join them in praying for the needs of your families and for our hurting world. For details, call the church office at 336-883-0244.

PRO-LIFE ROSARY: 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at 901 North Main St. and Sunset Drive, High Point. Come pray for the end of abortion, and invite anyone else who would support this important cause. Anyone with difficulty standing for 15-20 minutes is welcome to bring a folding chair. Outdoors, rain or shine. For details, call Jim Hoyng at 336-882-9593 or Paul Klosterman at 336-848-6835.

RACHEL’S VINEYARD RETREATS: Rachel’s Vineyard can help men and women who have experienced abortion begin their healing journey. It creates a healing environment of prayer and forgiveness. The retreat works to reconnect people to themselves, their friends and family after having an abortion. For details, email Jackie Childers jackie.childers1@gmail.com.

CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC WOMEN’S GROUP MORNING REFLECTION: 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11, at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte. Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m., followed by the reflection at 10:30 a.m., by our guest speaker Father Christopher Roux.

HIS talk will be the Camino and his experiences with the seminarians this past summer. For details or to RSVP, visit www.charlottecatholicwomensgroup.org.

ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER AND FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP: Meets the first Monday of the month, 6:30-8 p.m., in Family Center Room 203 at St. Mark Church, Huntersville. Organized with the Alzheimer’s Association, the monthly meetings are for the caregivers and family members of people with Alzheimer’s. For details, email Janet Urban at jgraceart@yahoo.com.

ST. PEREGRINE HEALING PRAYER SERVICE: 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 21, in the main church at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. The healing prayer service is offered for all those suffering with cancer or other diseases. For details, call the church office at 704-543-7677.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING

PARISH MISSION, ‘60 MINUTES WITH JESUS’: Saturday, Jan. 30-Wednesday, Jan. 24, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. Hosted by Father James

SUPPORT GROUPS & RETREATS

“Protecting God’s Children” workshops are intended to educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. For details, contact your parish office. To register and confirm workshop times, go to www.virtus. org. Upcoming workshops are: CHARLOTTE: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.

YOUNG ADULTS ASHEVILLE THEOLOGY ON TAP: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Asheville region. For details, check them out on Facebook, Twitter or MeetUp. CHARLOTTE AREA: Groups for Catholics in their 20s and 30s, single or married, are active on MeetUp at www. meetup.com/charlottecatholicyoungadultministry, and at: OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION CHURCH: contact Denise Duliepre, 917-575-0871 ST. GABRIEL CHURCH: on Facebook at “St. Gabriel Young Adult Ministry” ST. JOHN NEUMANN CHURCH: call Meg VanGoethem, 815-545-2587.

ST. MATTHEW CHURCH: on Facebook at “Young Adult Life: A St. Matthew Ministry” ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL: on Facebook at “The Cathedral of St. Patrick - Young Adult Ministry” ST. PETER CHURCH: look them up on MeetUp at www. meetup.com/St-Peters-Catholic-Young-Adult-MinistryCharlotte-NC ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH: online at “Aquinas’ Finest,” www.stacharlotte.com/finest ST. MARK CHURCH IN HUNTERSVILLE: online at www. meetup.com/St-Mark-Catholic-Church-Youth-AdultMinistry/ HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH IN DENVER: call Nicole Lehman, 704-607-5207 ST. LEO The great church in Winston-Salem: online at “Winston Salem Frassati,” www.wsfrassati.com GREENSBORO WAY OF CHRIST: The young adult ministry at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro: at www.stpiusxnc.com/woc, on Facebook at “wayofchrist” and Twitter @wocgreensboro or email Dan McCool at wocgreensboro@gmail.com ST. MICHAEL CHURCH IN GASTONIA: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Gastonia area. Meets once a month. Online at www.stmichaelsgastonia.org/young-adult Shining Stars Adult day respite: Meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Road, Charlotte. Shining Stars is a non-profit adult day respite program for members of the community with early to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. For details, call Suzanne Bach at 704-335-0253 WORKSHOPS READY TO BECOME A U.S. CITIZEN?: Saturday, Dec. 9, at 14th St., Winston-Salem. Free naturalization workshop.

Pre-registration and eligibility screening are required.

For details, call Maritza Solano at 336-714-3212.

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

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Sister of Mercy retires from Catherine’s House after serving more than 1,200 homeless in 15 years PHOTOS BY ANNETTE K. TENNY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For TIE Director Martha Gomez, the language services offered by Catholic Charities are interconnected. They bridge the cultural gap between people, offer training and a professional career path to people who might otherwise struggle to secure an income, and provide highquality interpretation and translation across the diverse Charlotte diocese.

INTERPRETING SUCCESS

Catholic Charities’ new training program for interpreters, translators builds bridges, empowers people ANNETTE K. TENNY CORRESPONDENT

WINSTON-SALEM — The language assistance offered

by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has taken a leap forward.

After years of offering basic translation of important documents and outsourcing interpretation services, Catholic Charities has expanded its services to educate, train and empower interpreters.

The new language services program – Translation & Interpretation Enterprise, or TIE – has developed its own pool of freelance or contract interpreters and translators and it has started offering services to others. The program now produces income that allows it to be a self-sufficient entity, which can reinvest dollars back into other Catholic Charities services.

Catholic Charities now have a diverse group of clients, and the program continues to grow.

Doctor’s offices, hospitals, government agencies are just some of the many clients now served by the program.

LANGUAGE SERVICES

Martha Gomez, director of the TIE program, spent many years working in the private sector as a multi-cultural marketer. But she was thrilled when the opportunity arose to launch and direct the TIE program.

“I think since I was a little girl, I wanted to work as an interpreter or as a translator, but life took me down a different road. Now I’ve come back and I’m able to work on this, which fulfills me,” Gomez says.

A lot of time went into determining what would be the framework of the new model and where the best location in the diocese would be, she says. Catholic Charities secured a grant from the Winston-Salem Foundation to help with start-up costs. Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, Texas, a sister agency, was a helpful mentor in designing the new structure, Gomez notes. Since then, it has become a partner in rendering phone services to clients.

Launched in early 2016, the TIE program now has

Pictured with TIE Director Martha Gomez and Translation & Interpretation Coordinator Jessica Salazar are recent TIE students Angely Alvarez, Litzy Joffre, Claudia Zayas and Nathalie Smart. three staff members and a pool of approximately 50 local freelance or contract interpreters and translators. These local contractors can provide vital document translation as well as on-site consecutive interpretation and simultaneous interpretation.

Consecutive interpretation, which is what clients most often request, occurs when a client relays a small amount of information and the interpreter processes that information, then relays it to the person the client is speaking to. This is usually just a thought or two at a time, Gomez says.

Simultaneous interpretation occurs with a lag time of just a few seconds.

Telephonic interpretation allows the program to offer more than 200 languages and dialects – high demand as well as low CCDOC, SEE PAGE 20

JACKI MCCARTHY SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

BELMONT — As she retires from active ministry, Mercy Sister Carmelita Hagan leaves an enduring legacy at Catherine’s House after 15 years of dedicated service to women and children who are homeless.

Her story begins in Ireland, where she was born and raised by a “large, devoted Catholic family.” She entered religious life as a Sister of Mercy in Belmont at age 21, and taught or served as school principal in Wilmington, Asheville and Charlotte, and in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. She also served as a parish administrator and provider of pastoral care among Hagan other “callings.”

She came to Catherine’s House in 2002 at the invitation of then CEO and President Sister Bernadette McNamara. Sister Carmelita wanted to re-engage with the local community after two years of taking care of her mother in Ireland, so she accepted the position of house manager at Catherine’s House, a transitional home and program for women and children who are homeless.

“I didn’t have a clue as to what I was getting into, but the position grew into diverse roles over time,” she recalls.

Soon Sister Carmelita was hooked. “I loved knowing that I could be a part of giving the residents a second chance.”

For many, Sister Carmelita is the face of Catherine’s House serving as house manager, volunteer coordinator, and a caring mentor to more than 1,200 women and children. She is best known for empowering the residents of Catherine’s House with her merciful heart and honest, direct communication style.

Stan Patterson, who worked closely with her for seven years as president/CEO, said, “For many residents she represented a loving parent they never had or someone from the faith community who could see their value even when they could not. Her love for them was apparent.”

Residents of Catherine’s House describe Sister Carmelita as “unique, irreplaceable, and a gift in their lives.”

Sister Carmelita has big dreams for the future of Catherine’s House, “I wish we could offer even better accommodations to more people including apartments for families.”

Although retired from her daily office role at Catherine’s House, she will continue as the volunteer coordinator of the car raffle, the largest fundraiser at Catherine’s House. A young resident will draw the winning ticket of a new Honda Civic at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5. (People can still purchase tickets at catherineshouseinc.org or call 704-8259599.)

Catherine’s House is at maximum capacity (14 women and 13 children) and keeps a waiting list.

Funds raised by the car raffle will be used for the four-month program designed to empower each resident with the skills needed to gain/maintain employment, create a budget and savings account, and secure safe and affordable housing.

JACKI MCCARTHY is the development director for Catherine’s House Inc.

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catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 OUR PARISHES

Confirmation at St. Eugene Parish ASHEVILLE — Bishop Peter Jugis administered the sacrament of confirmation to youths at St. Eugene Church on Nov. 5.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TRACY JEDD

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CARRIE BURSON AND KEN SNOW

Seminarian installed as acolyte COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jonathan Torres, a seminarian of the Diocese of Charlotte, was among the 18 students of the Pontifical College Josephinum who were installed as lectors or acolytes Nov. 1, the Solemnity of All Saints. Bishop Terry LaValley of Ogdensburg, N.Y., was the principal celebrant of the Mass celebrated in St. Turibius Chapel. Seminarians installed as lectors typically are first-year theologians and are commissioned to proclaim the Word of God in the liturgical assembly and to catechize the faithful. Acolytes, traditionally second-year theologians, are entrusted with the duties of attending to the altar, assisting the deacon and priest at Mass, and distributing Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister.

Torres and Bishop LaValley are pictured with Monsignor Christopher Schreck, rector and president of the Pontifical College Josephinum.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER

St. Mark Parish celebrates rite of enrollment HUNTERSVILLE — Youths at St. Mark Parish will be confirmed in two classes during the 2017-’18 school year, as the parish realigns confirmation preparation classes to the end of the eighth-grade year rather than in the middle of the students’ ninth-grade year. The first class will be confirmed by Bishop Peter Jugis at two Masses (Nov. 30 and Dec. 2), and the second class in May 2018. Students who will receive the sacrament of confirmation this year were invited to Mass Oct. 22 for the rite of enrollment. The Mass was offered by Father Noah Carter. The rite of enrollment is recognition for the progress they have made in their spiritual formation and receive the assurance of the parish’s blessings and prayers as they begin their final preparation for the reception of the sacrament of confirmation. In return, they are asked to promise to approach their confirmation journey with an open mind and an open heart; to attend and fully participate in all confirmation sessions and activities; to be respectful of the leaders and facilitators of the prep program and show appreciation for their time and effort; to show respect to those in their class on the journey with them; attend Mass every Sunday and on all holy days of obligation; receive the sacrament of reconciliation before their confirmation day; accept more responsibility in their family, parish and community by putting their talents and gifts at the service of others; and commit to daily prayer, praying especially for growth in faith, hope and love.

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November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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St. Peter teens ‘row into the deep’ of Capitol Hill for Ignatian teach-in LISA GERACI CORRESPONDENT

CHARLOTTE — Eight teenagers from St. Peter Parish were among more than 2,000 young Catholic adults who gathered for the 20th annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. Nov. 4-6.

The teach-in – “Rowing Into the Deep: Magis Meets Justice” – examined social justice issues regarding racism and immigration “to explore a more deeply authentic, courageous, generous, and compassionate response to the changing realities of our world.”

Young parishioners Chloe Wilson, Anna Clare O’Gorman, Gabriel Schuhl, Matthew Chiappetta, Luke Hudson, Zoe Postal, Will Kernoldle and Aidan Healy went on the trip with Faith Formation Director Cathy Chiappetta, Faith Formation Assistant Lori Fenzl and confirmation coordinator Tom Orth. Adults Rick Hudson and Natasha O’Gorman also attended. It was the first time the uptown Charlotte parish had gone to the teach-in, organized by the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

“To engage their attention and additionally prepare for the event, we invited two local Dreamers to share their stories of dire need with regards to passing a humane, clean and just Dream Act,” noted Chiappetta.

“The Dreamers were just like us – he could have been just any kid we sat next to in class. There were no signs, no accent. It was amazing that the only thing separating us was a law,” said Zoe Postal. “As Catholics we are urged to create dialogue because they (Dreamers) are the silent part of society. People need to hear about them. They can’t speak out or take a risk, but we can for them. Open your heart to the people. The Dreamers are part of our family.

We have a duty to show more empathy.”

Racial injustice was a second topic of the teach-in.

St. Peter parishioners have been instrumental in encouraging dialogue and awareness about racial injustice in Charlotte, especially in the wake of the death of Our Lady of Consolation Church member Justin Carr a little over a year ago during violent protests that swirled around St. Peter’s Church.

Mecklenburg County District Attorney and St. Peter parishioner Spencer Merriweather spoke to the teens about the criminal justice system as they prepared their talking points for their meetings with U.S. senators.

“This is the most exciting gathering in the Catholic world – this world needs some excitement,” keynote speaker Jesuit Father Bryan Massingale told those gathered in Washington, D.C., for the teach-in. “Talking about racial justice is not easy. If it were easy, we would all be talking about it and be well on our way to a more just world. We are going to have an honest adult conversation about race.

It’s going to be uncomfortable.”

“The banquet hall had thousands of teens from Catholic churches, high schools and colleges. Everyone was hugging and holding hands; a little more touchy-feely than we experience at St. Peter, but I felt a sense of Catholic unity.

We listened to keynote speakers and then attended more specialized break-out sessions,” participant Chloe Wilson said.

As the young parishioners described their experiences on the Hill their excitement, pride and enthusiasm, due to this new “fire” they have been given, was evident.

“The sessions were inspirational and you could choose which ones you wanted to attend. They were not limited to DACA and mass incarceration, either. The sessions were on all different social justice issues, from feminism to the education system. We left armed with facts, figures and stories to support our talking points,” said participant Aidan Healy.

On the last morning of the three-day teach-in, the group boarded a train to Union Square and met at Columbus Circle, signs in hand and chanting, “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” and praying a prayer written by Jesuit Father John Michalowski, parochial vicar, for the occasion. Afterwards, the young advocates met with the offices of North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr to urge Congress “to enact immigration and criminal justice reform.” According to attendees, the legislative office staffs listened intently to the voices of the younger generation.

“After hearing a man in tears at the footsteps of our government building and upon hearing the great agony in the voices our lawmakers ignore, one simply must take a moment to examine our legislature interspersed with prejudice and hate. There is to be no contention that

our Catholic faith implores us to take action against so persuasive an injustice,” reflected participant Gabriel Schuhl.

“One of the priests, during his presentation, emphasized the idea that ‘we are a living bridge between God and the community as we row into the deep.’ To witness this bridge being built by the hands of our teens is remarkable,” Chiappetta said. “Our first ISN Family Teach-In exceeded our expectations in every way. St. Peter teens gained a greater understanding of the Jesuit principle of magis (from the Latin word for more, the desire to do more for Christ, more for the glory of God).

‘Our Catholic faith implores us to take action...’

Gabriel Schuhl

St. Peter Church member and participant in the 20th annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice

Local Catholic public speaker goes national LISA GERACI CORRESPONDENT

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CATHY CHIAPETTA

St. Peter parishioners Chloe Wilson, Anna Clare O’Gorman, Gabriel Schuhl, Matthew Chiappetta, Luke Hudson, Zoe Postal, Will Kernoldle and Aidan Healy attended the 20th annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. Nov. 4-6.

“By advocating for the marginalized, our young people answered the call to become big-souled people through action, reflection and acceptance of the life history of others. We are looking forward to returning next year!”

“I am proud of the young people who participated in the teach-in. They learned a good deal and grew in their faith through the experience. They came to a deeper understanding that their faith entails commitment to justice. I hope we can make the Ignatian Family Teach-In an annual tradition at St. Peter,” said Father James Shea, pastor.

“Over 45 years ago, Pope Paul VI said that if you want peace, you must work for justice. Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have all said the same thing in various ways in their talks and encyclicals. The Second Vatican Council and St. John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation “The Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People” have called on the laity to take the lead in this work. By sending our teens to the Ignatian Solidarity Network conference and to visit with our senators, we are calling a new generation to take their rightful place in this important work, that what we pray for in the Our Father might come true – ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’,” added Father Michalowski.

“When I was walking to school the next day, I remember I just couldn’t stop smiling. I was just so happy. I looked around at everyone and finally I understood how they felt, their perspective, and it made me feel closer to them.

A connection that make me feel united with love,” said Schuhl.

GASTONIA — RCIA coordinator, children’s book author, theology professor at St. Joseph’s College of Maine, communications liaison for the N.C. Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic blogger, and now, national Catholic speaker.

Virginia Lieto is spending more and more of her time evangelizing and communicating with Catholics, including a recent presentation on the theological virtues in Gastonia that is being taped for her work with a national Catholic speakers bureau.

St. Michael the Archangel Church hosted a miniretreat last month featuring a segment of Lieto’s popular full-day retreat called “Living a Virtuous Life.”

Lieto delivered a thought-provoking performance encouraging all to “love your enemies, do good to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27). She engaged the crowd in discovering the true meaning of “charitable self-giving love,” with compelling stories from her life.

However, unlike her usual presentations, Lieto was illuminated by six huge spotlights during her talk in Gastonia. Local videographer Zac Brakefield, from Maximilian Media LLC, with about five video cameras rotating around Lieto, turning the parish’s Family Life Center into Lieto’s first videotaped event.

“This is no different than giving a presentation without being filmed. My focus is on the participants, with the goal of making sure that each person leaves feeling like they learned something new,” Lieto said.

“Zac’s process of filming is very non-invasive. He is a true pro. It is very easy to work with him.”

“Ginny is going to knock their socks off,” said Brakefield, referencing Lieto’s new connection with www.cmgbooking.com, a top resource worldwide for Catholic speakers.

After a lengthy process of submitting writing samples, references and her resume, Lieto received an invitation to join an elite fleet of 300 highly recommended national Catholic motivational speakers.

Maximilian Media LLC filmed the event to give Lieto the demo tape needed for her profile page with the booking agency.

Lieto said she felt extremely fortunate to work with Brakefield, as he is known throughout the Diocese of Charlotte for providing quality videos for weddings and other events, as well as testimonials, marketing and corporate videos.

Overall, Lieto reminds people that she has a very simple philosophy: “If you want to learn how to be a good Catholic, embrace the virtues.”

With God’s help, she said she hopes to evangelize Catholics all over the world through her award-winning blog (www.virginialieto.com), children’s book and speaking engagements.

Where does she go from here? She replies, “I have no idea where the Holy Spirit is taking me. I wake up every day and see what happens. I know God will take care of everything.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 OUR PARISHES

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

Order of Malta members aid the hungry PHOTO PROVIDED BY SANDRA W. COUGHLIN

Charlotte Lay Dominicans celebrate rite of reception CHARLOTTE — During a Mass offered Sept. 30 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Mark Dorsett and Matthew Dimock of St. Ann Parish and Sylvia Haddar of St. Matthew Parish were received as candidates in the Fraternal Order of Lay Dominicans, advancing from an initial inquiry year to begin the second year of a five-year formation program. Also, Vicki Baptista and Mitzi Fields of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and Steven J.R. Richardson of St. Ann Parish advanced from candidate status by making a three-year temporary promise in the order. Also, by making a perpetual promise, Sandra Coughlin of St. Luke Parish in Mint Hill marked her completion of the five-year program and initiated her lifetime commitment as the fifth perpetual member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Lay Dominican Group. Father Matthew Kauth, spiritual advisor of the group and a member of the Dominican Priestly Fraternity, celebrated the Mass Sept. 30, the feast of St. Jerome.

Group President Tom Mathis of St. Ann Parish and Vice President Dan Lucero of St. Matthew Parish welcomed the eight advancements. The Charlotte Lay Dominican Group, founded in 2009 by Mary Snow and the late Dr. Jeanne Hicks, is affiliated with the Southern Province of St. Martin de Porres, one of four Dominican provinces in the United States. With five perpetual promised members, the group can now apply for advancement in the province to chapter status.

The Dominicans were founded in 1216 by St. Dominic Guzman. Today the Dominican family in the U.S. includes four provinces of friars, 18 monasteries of contemplative nuns, more than 30 congregations of sisters of apostolic life and approximately 6,000 Dominican laity (formerly called the Third Order).

Practicing Catholics over the age of 18 who wish to learn more about the Dominican family are welcome to attend inquiry classes, offered at 8 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, located at 1400 Suther Road in Charlotte.

WINSTON-SALEM — Knights and Dames of the Central North Carolina Order of Malta recently packed food at the Second Harvest Food Bank facility in Winston-Salem to help feed the hungry in 18 counties of western North Carolina. This food will be distributed to 400 food agencies Nov. 17. This food pack happens three times in Winston-Salem by the Central North Carolina Order of Malta for those in need and hungry.

— Jim Lentz

Lutheran-Catholic dialogue continues SALISBURY — Join Father John Eckert, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, and Pastor Rhodes Woolly from St. John’s Lutheran Church for a Lutheran-Catholic dialogue on the Reformation, focusing on the “Declaration on the Way,” a culmination of 50 years of ecumenical conversation between Lutherans and Catholics. It draws together a litany of

32 consensus statements and five general categories where Catholics and Lutherans share common ground in their beliefs. The next dialogue will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Sacred Heart Church, located at 375 Lumen Christi Lane in Salisbury.

Childcare will be available. For details, go to Sacred Heart Church’s Facebook page.

Benedictine community moves to Rutherfordton RUTHERFORDTON — The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Peace recently moved to a seven-acre property in Rutherford County and are now parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City.

The community, Sisters Gertrude and Scholastica, welcomed a postulant, Jennifer Walker, Oct. 2. Sister Gertrude retired from her teaching position at Christ the King High School in Huntersville last June and since moving to Rutherfordton has been busy renovating their new house to become Queen of Peace Monastery.

The community hopes to start construction of a chapel extension soon and should be able to welcome overnight guests and retreatants to the property, which sits on a hill overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Since moving in, the community has been offering First Saturday Devotions attended by local parishioners as well as those from their former parish of St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

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November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com

Anyone interested in visiting or joining them for prayer should call 704-827-2490.

— Giuliana Polinari Riley

St. Aloysius Church thanks its volunteers HICKORY — After Mass Nov. 3, the Stewardship Committee of St. Aloysius Church hosted a potluck dinner to honor all the volunteers who give of their time and talent working in the parish and also to those who take their time and talent into the community. The Stewardship Committee wanted to serve the volunteers who are always ready, willing and able to make St. Aloysius a vibrant and growing parish by doing the Lord’s work. Holy Family Hall was filled with festive decorations and lots of food for the 120-plus people who attended the potluck dinner. The Knights of Columbus and others helped the Stewardship Committee put together the celebration.

— Bobby Speers, correspondent

with St. Barnabas Church in Arden, presented a $500 check in conjunction with the Food For Families program to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Western Regional Office’s Food pantry Nov. 8. Accepting the donation was Director Deacon Mark Nash and Case Manager Coordinator Christy Rhodes. The donation came just in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

— Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte

spoke on God’s Love, Glen and Jenn Golamco on New Life, Al and Aimee Pena on Healing and Reconciliation, Bert and Lith Golamco on Baptism Exhortation, Gary Stacy on Growth, and Edna Day on Transformation.

The 20 graduates were Virgie Andrews, Lisa Arguello, Sally Bernard, Cheryl Igot Boyd, Margaret Cohen, Dennis Duhig, Theresa Facas, Leslee Flores, Catrina Golamco, Stephen Golamco, Aliah Jandog, John Kortheuer, Armida Ramirez, Dave Sorbito, Precilla Villarin, Spncer Villarin, Mary Wenig, Robert Whaples, Regina Whaples and Margaret Youngblood.

— Bert and Lith Golamco

Two vicars forane named Jefferson Knights earn rank JEFFERSON — Twelve members of Knights of Columbus Council 16839, affiliated with St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson, recently completed the first and second degrees of the order. Pictured from left are: (back row) Michael Spencer, Alejandro Ramirez, Mark Holt, Felipe Medrano, Victor Hernandez, Jose Barcenas, Bob Grajewski, Rosario Palacios and Jose Ramirez; and (front row) Grand Knight Bob Breton, James Bieber, Ramiro Palacios and Patrick Bieber.

CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announces the appointments of two new vicars forane effective Nov. 13: Father John J. Eckert has been appointed vicar forane of the Salisbury Vicariate, and Father Peter J. Shaw has been appointed vicar forane of the Smoky Mountain Vicariate.

Sometimes called a dean, a vicar forane is a priest appointed by the bishop in order to promote a common pastoral activity in a region of the diocese and to provide spiritual and pastoral counsel to the other priests in that region, according to Church law.

The Diocese of Charlotte has 10 vicariates.

OUR PARISHESI

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College seminarians visit Mooresville church MOORESVILLE — St. Therese Church welcomed Father Matthew Kauth, rector, and a group of seminarians from St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte to Mass Nov. 5. Some of the seminarians served at Mass in the main church, while others served at Family Mass in the St. Ignatius Day Chapel. After Mass, they joined parishioners for our monthly Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast. They are pictured above with Father Mark Lawlor, pastor.

— Lisa Cash WE WELCOME your parish’s news! Please email news items to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org.

— Patrick Hession, correspondent

Life in the Spirit Seminar held Catholic Charities receives KofC donation ARDEN — Grand Knight Zach Carter of Knights of Columbus Council 8923, affiliated

CLEMMONS — A grace-filled Life in the Spirit Seminar was conducted by BLD Charlotte, a Catholic Charismatic Covenant Community, Oct. 27-29 at Holy Family Church’s Curlin Center. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so powerful that everyone in attendance was in awe, especially the 20 candidates.

The Pastoral Team was headed by Father Eric Dela Pena, retreat master. Naida Ghera

Elementary/Middle School Principal Our Lady of Grace Catholic School Our Lady of Grace (OLG) Catholic School is located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Parish is seeking a loyal and participating Catholic for the position of School Principal beginning July 1, 2018.

Our Lady of Grace has a student population of 230 students and a faculty of 25.

OLG administers student programs for children from age 3 through 8th grade. We also serve a special community of children through differentiated learning with our PACE and Quest programs.

Academic/Professional Requirements: Master’s degree in educational administration/supervision or a Master’s degree in education with a willingness to obtain administrative certification.

Experience in a Catholic school and special education programs is preferred. The candidate must be: strongly committed to educating our children in the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church in both word and example; enthusiastic about Catholic Schools and their mission; able to work collaboratively with parish administration, faculty, staff, parents and parish organizations; and able to articulate and implement a vision for the school in areas of curriculum, outreach and technology.

Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

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THE CATHOLIC SHOPPE At Belmont Abbey College

"That in all things God be Glorified"

Prayer to St. Joseph of Cupertino For Success in Examinations O humble St. Joseph of Cupertino, singularly favored by God in overcoming the difficulties of study and the worries of examinations, implore the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind and strengthen my memory in the search of His truth and wisdom. Help me especially in the decisive moments of this examination, protecting me from that forgetfulness and disturbing anxiety which often affect me. May I succeed in offering God my finest work and may I grow in knowledge, understanding, humility and charity. May everything that I attempt to learn in life be offered in faithful service to God, from whom flows that wisdom which leads to eternal life. Amen St. Joseph of Cupertino pray for me, Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me, Holy Spirit enlighten me!

Remember, when you succeed in the exams then you should thank St. Joseph of Cupertino and help make known his powerful intercession among other students.

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iiiNovember 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com

‘So much more than just a meal’ Erin Trawinski

Volunteer since the parish’s meal outreach began Trawinski has helped cook the food, organize jobs/responsibilities in the kitchen before, during and after the meal, set-up of the serving stations and the kitchen, clean-up, and helping to keep things running smoothly in the kitchen and on the serving line.

Her husband Pete is a chef and helps organize the preparation of the food before, during and after the meal, cooks on the day of the event, helps prepare extra food to go to other organizations that would benefit from the food, and assists with ordering the food prior to the meal.

Her 8-year-old daughter Katy also spends the day with them, helping in any way that she can. “She loves being able to help on this day!”

“I feel that this is such a wonderful opportunity to give thanks for the blessings I have received, but to also help others.

As a family, it is very important for us to teach our children about giving back to the community.

By participating in this activity together, we can set a good example for our children and show them that Thanksgiving is so much more than just a meal. It’s about giving thanks, helping others, and coming together as a community.

“I hope people who volunteer and share in the Thanksgiving meal at St. Therese for Thanksgiving come to know that our parish is an important part of the community and that we want to spread the love of God through fellowship and giving. We open our doors and hearts to anyone who wants to join us on that day or any other time, regardless of their church affiliation or beliefs.

“I also want to add that there are volunteers who help each year that do not attend our church, but spend all day helping in any way that they can. They will wash dishes, sweep the floor, cut turkey - whatever needs to be done to help make the day run smoothly. I look forward to seeing those familiar faces each year and working together to make this Thanksgiving meal a success!”

Mary Lou Caplis

Third year volunteering at the Thanksgiving Day meal Caplis helps cook the turkeys Monday through Wednesday, does prep work, organizes food donations and helps set up for the meal. Her granddaughter helps serve the desserts.

“It is very satisfying to see the people come to this dinner and that they feel welcomed and loved.

Also, Rosemary and Christine are an inspiration to St. Thérèse Church and our community.

“I’ll end with a hymn we sing: ‘All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.’ God bless everyone. God bless St. Thérèse Parish and happy Thanksgiving!”

FROM TH

‘A very blessed Tha

Annual meal at St. Thérèse Parish brings together local community ROSEMARY HYMAN SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

MOORESVILLE — Our community Thanksgiving meal at St. Thérèse Church began in 2013 when we realized there was a need to work together to provide a nourishing meal and give back to the community. There were many who were lonely with no family in the area and in need of someone to share this holiday. We found that there was no organization in the area that was providing a Thanksgiving meal, so it was up to us.

We formed a committee to review our options. We talked about a sit-down meal with servers or a buffet serving line, what food to serve and how to prepare it. Christine Leal (parish office assistant) discussed it with the Mooresville Christian Mission and the Mooresville Soup Kitchen.

Parishioners Pete and Erin Trawinski agreed to run the kitchen. Pete is a professional chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Erin, a middle school social studies teacher, was a server-trainer when she was in college.

The first year we worked closely with the Christian Mission and the Soup Kitchen. They helped us with inclusive language and some organizing. With help we applied for an Iredell County Community Foundation grant. We didn’t get the grant but we learned a great deal about grant applications and timing. God graced us with a surprise gift of $2,000 from a couple who believed in our mission and wanted to be a part of this community meal.

In 2013 we had more volunteers than people to serve but again we learned much about organizing, ordering and preparing for this event. By the time planning began for year two, the Christian Mission and the Soup Kitchen had new management and were far less involved with the meal. They had given us a good foundation and we were able to pull it off. They still supply

the moral support.

By year three (2016) we felt prepared for anything Charlotte and were blessed to get it. That added ano were right there again to help us with a wonderful c hardworking volunteers who make the days of prep lighter work. Another professional chef, a family of neighbors of the church, and people from the Berea our cadre of volunteers. They make sure tables are turkeys carved, trash emptied, boxes recycled and s We start cooking turkeys on the Monday before Th p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This year we drumsticks and thighs. On Thanksgiving Day the co Restaurants in the area provide lunch for the volu week, and we have even have bagels supplied by loc Walmart supply gift cards or cakes and pies.

We also have volunteers taking food trays to the p can’t get home for the holiday, Lake Norman Region holiday and several Hospice houses in the area. We also able to help a few families who were without an and money for gas.

Over the past three years we have cooked 150 turk potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls and de Street Mission in Statesville, so nothing goes to was Christine and I have found that this is one of the m community. It is a great way to spend our Thanksgiv families volunteer at this meal, too. It is a very bless

ROSEMARY HYMAN is a longtime parishioner and liturgy coordinator

HE COVER

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

anksgiving Day’

11

Father Mark Lawlor

A Thanksgiving reflection

E

very year, our nation celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday. I can remember in grade school the time that the members of our class dressed up as pilgrims and natives as we recalled the story of the community feast in Plymouth, Mass., in the year 1621 after the pilgrim’s tough first year in North America. The traditional story includes the themes of perseverance, cooperation, thanksgiving and trust in Divine Providence.

Like many of you, I look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. Of course, the holidays have changed since both of my parents have died. My brothers and I plan to get together for the meal. I am sure that we will share some happy memories of our parents.

There are many verses in Scripture that encourage thankfulness. Included among these is the following: “To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” (Ps 116:17) Most people have probably heard that many charities receive a significant portion of their yearly budget in donations between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is, therefore, an appropriate time for us to review our level of stewardship. We should begin with the premise that ‘All is a gift.’

Thanksgiving should remind us that we have a lot to be thankful for. As we reflect on our blessings, we should continually seek ways to serve God and our brothers and sisters of this world.

The Holy Eucharist is, of course, our spiritual connection with the sacrifice of our redemption and is always a celebration of thanks and praise. We are encouraged to make use of our opportunities to serve God and others in need. Piety and Charity are fruits of the Holy Eucharist.

All are invited to the bilingual Mass on Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m., which is always a joyful Mass for me. We are one family in faith.

FATHER MARK Lawlor is the pastor of St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville.

g. We applied for a grant from the Diocese of other $2,000 to the pot. Our parish supporters contribution. We now have a group of faithful, paration and Thanksgiving Day itself much four who does the grunt work in the kitchen, avement Ministry who help every year add to set, flatware prepared, decorations arranged, so much more. hanksgiving. We cook from 8 a.m. until 6 e will roast 60 turkeys and many pounds of ooking begins at 6:30 a.m. unteers during turkey cooking early in the cal businesses. Publix, BJ’s, Lowe’s Foods and

police, firemen, Davidson College students who nal Medical Center staff working during the fed more than 1,300 people last year. We were ny means for the holiday with lodging, food

keys (about 1,200 pounds), dressing, mashed esserts. Any leftovers are taken to the 5th ste. most rewarding jobs we can do for our iving. We still spend it with family…our sed Thanksgiving Day.

r at St. Thérèse Church in Mooresville.

ARCHIVAL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. THERESE CHURCH

(Clockwise from top, this page) Two volunteers pose with Thanksgiving meals that will be delivered to the community. Professional chefs Peter Trawinski and Peter Nowack prepare for the Thanksgiving meal. Wendy Tobin and Bob Gormley have volunteered from the beginning with their two sons.

(Opposite) Jesuit Father Don Ward speaks to guests at a Thanksgiving meal held in the St. Therese Parish Center.

Our schools 12

catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

St. Leo students organize bake sale WINSTON-SALEM — The Student Council at St. Leo School recently sponsored a Pink Bake Sale that raised $500 for cancer research. The Pink Bake Sale is one of many planned events for the year focusing on the seven areas of Catholic social teaching.

— Melissa Kinsley

Charlotte Catholic High School stresses vaping ban CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School is reiterating its total ban on tobacco products in the wake of increased vaping and electronic cigarette use reported on campus.

“Nationally, vaping has become a problem in schools. CCHS is no different,” Charlotte Catholic High School’s Principal Kurt Telford wrote in a letter sent home to parents Nov. 16.

The high school’s longstanding tobacco ban states: “Students are not permitted to possess, smoke, or use any type of tobacco product or electronic cigarettes on campus or at school-sponsored events.” The ban extends to all school hours and afterschool events.

“The health and safety of our students remains of paramount importance to us,” Telford wrote, and he reminded parents, “Because of potential harm to our students, vaping is not allowed on the

campus at CCHS or at school-sponsored events.”

The high school is also stepping up the penalties for using electronic cigarettes and vaping, according to the letter.

According to the student handbook, the no-tobacco policy calls for students to receive in-school suspension for smoking or using any tobacco or electronic cigarette products, and detention or suspension for possessing them. Repeated use or possession could result in forced withdrawal or expulsion.

“At this time, vaping in class will result in immediate withdrawal from CCHS,” the Nov. 16 letter states. “The first time a student is caught vaping anywhere else on campus, the student will be suspended from CCHS and enrolled in drug testing.

“The second time a student is caught vaping in restrooms or anywhere else on campus, the student may be forced to withdraw from

Charlotte Catholic High School.”

In North Carolina, like most states, the sale of vaping products is prohibited to those under 18.

Nationally, vaping has become a problem in schools as more teenagers are using electronic cigarettes. While some claim it is harmless, studies show ear, eye and throat irritation are common among users.

While long-term effects aren’t known, the harmful chemicals are inhaled and can leave residue in the lungs. And the secondhand effects could also be harmful.

Vape pens can contain nicotine and may also be used for illegal substances.

According a recent National Youth Tobacco Survey, an estimated 16 percent of high schoolers vaped in 2015. That’s 2.39 million teens compared to the 1.37 million high school students who reported smoking cigarettes.

— Catholic News Herald

Lending a helping hand CHARLOTTE — Students at Holy Trinity Middle School delivered a busload of food to the Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s food pantry in Charlotte Nov. 17 to help local Charlotte families at Thanksgiving and throughout the year. Students at all of the Diocese of Charlotte’s schools helped support food pantries or otherwise help the needy in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.

St. Michael School hosts History Fair

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

GASTONIA — St. Michael Middle School students (including Ozi Sery, pictured) participated in a History Fair Oct. 25.

Students wrote a research paper, designed a tri-fold presentation, brought in a threedimensional image representing their topic, and dressed up like a character from their report. They presented to younger students, parents and teachers. Students spoke in first person when addressing the audience. Topics ranged from all time periods.

— Tammy Eason

IHM inducts Jr. Beta Club members HIGH POINT – Immaculate Heart of Mary School recently inducted 14 new middle school students into the National Jr. Beta Club. The Jr. Beta Club promotes academic achievement, scholarship, leadership and good citizenship.

— Carrie Vest

Mix

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

In theaters

Silver anniversary Making the catechism shine in the 21st century JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

‘The Star’ Delightful animated version of the Christmas story, told from the perspective of some of the animals present in the manger. Chief among them is a gentle donkey (voice of Steven Yeun) from Nazareth who yearns to exchange his life of drudgery working in a grain mill for the fame and prestige to be gained by joining the storied royal caravan. But his quest takes a detour after his leg, wounded in his successful escape from confinement, is tended by the Virgin Mary (voiced by Gina Rodriguez). Despite the mild disapproval of St. Joseph (voice of Zachary Levi), Mary adopts her patient as a pet and he becomes dedicated to protecting the parentsto-be, as they journey to Bethlehem, from the murderous scheming of King Herod (voiced by Christopher Plummer). Aiding him is his best friend, a lively dove (voice of Keegan-Michael Key), as well as an affectionate sheep (voice of Aidy Bryant) the duo of pals encounters along the way. Director Timothy Reckart skillfully balances religious themes such as the importance of prayer and the value of forgiveness with a more secular message about pursuing your dreams, and throws in a healthy dose of straightforward entertainment. A treat for all but the tiniest. Scenes of peril, a bit of very mild scatological humor.

CNS: A-I (general Patronage); MPAA: PG

‘Let There Be Light’ Evangelical Christian drama with a familiar plot: A wayward sinner, in this case a famous atheist author (Kevin Sorbo, who also directed), undergoes a change of heart. His conversion is sparked by a near-death experience during which he is temporarily reunited with the young son (Ethan Jones) whose untimely demise from cancer embittered him against God. An uneasy blend of sincere religious sentiment and political propaganda characterizes the proceedings once Fox News personality Sean Hannity, the film’s executive producer, appears on screen.

Even before that, several twists and turns in the dialogue, penned by Dan Gordon and Sorbo’s wife, Sam, who also plays his character’s ex, come out sounding odd. So too does the “Sopranos”-style sermonette delivered by a convict-turned-pastor (Michael Franzese) who describes in vivid terms the miraculous event that transpired after the Lord got “whacked.”

Mature themes, scenes of excessive alcohol use.

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

VATICAN CITY — As the Church marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, promoting it as a means of teaching the truth about faith remains a challenge and a priority.

Since its publication in 1992, the catechism has been translated into 50 languages, including Swahili, Japanese and Gaelic, and it is also available in Braille, video and digital editions.

Nevertheless, in today’s digital age, when people have limitless access to information with the click of a mouse or the swipe of an app, opinions and even “fake news” can either inform or misinform Catholics on the principles of the Catholic faith.

“Society is changing in a very massive way, and it’s much more difficult to reach people,” especially in the digital age, Katharina Karl, professor of pastoral theology and religious education at the PhilosophicalTheological University in Muenster, Germany, said.

This ongoing challenge was what prompted the Catholic Church a quarter of a century ago to create a go-to reference that synthesized Church teaching and serve as a guide for the faithful.

The idea of a compendium of Catholic doctrine was one of the fruits of the 1985 Synod of Bishops marking the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council.

After requests from participants for a point of reference “for the catechisms or compendiums that are prepared in various regions,” St. John Paul II accepted their proposal, “considering it as fully responding to a real need, both of the universal Church and of the particular churches.”

“The presentation of doctrine must be biblical and liturgical. It must be sound doctrine suited to the present life of Christians,” St. John Paul wrote in his Apostolic Constitution “Fidei Depositum” (“The Deposit of Faith”) Oct. 11, 1992.

Entrusting this task to 12 cardinals and bishops, the pope chose Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, to lead the commission responsible for the drafting of the catechism.

While the need for a text that clearly explained the Church’s teachings was welcomed, some criticized it for being too static or dogmatic and not in line with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.

“It was said that the catechism failed to take into account the theological developments of the last century, particularly exegetical

developments; it was not ecumenical; it was not dialogical” as it made affirmations as established beyond dispute, Cardinal Ratzinger said Oct. 9, 2002, during an address commemorating the catechism’s 10th anniversary.

The future Pope Benedict responded to those opinions by seeking to explain “what a catechism is and what is its specific literary genre,” as well as its proper purpose and doctrinal relevance.

The catechism is “a proclamation of faith,” of witness, for the teaching of the faith, he said. It presents a “given that precedes us,” but whose doctrinal formulation develops in the church, he said.

After his papal election, Pope Benedict continued to urge Catholics to use the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a handbook to rediscover the truths of faith and a deeper knowledge of church teaching.

“Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and rediscover the beauty of being Christian, of being Church, of living as part of the great ‘we’ that Jesus formed around Him to evangelize the world,” Pope Benedict said in 2012.

In his speech marking the 25th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church Oct. 11, Pope Francis said the catechism is not only an important tool for believers to understand the faith, but also provides concrete answers to new challenges.

Just as the challenges people face evolve, so does the Christian response since “the word of God cannot be preserved in mothballs as if it were an old blanket to protect against insects,” he said. In fact, “the word of God is a dynamic reality that is always living, that progresses and grows, because it is stretched toward a fulfillment that men and women cannot stop,” Pope Francis said.

Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, who served with then-Cardinal Ratzinger as co-editor of the catechism, told Vatican Radio Oct. 12 that while the development of Church teaching evolves over time, the Church and the Gospel don’t change.

“We must change. This catechism is only 25 years old. The previous one – the Council of Trent – lasted 400 years. Therefore, I hope this catechism is at the beginning of its work for the Church,” Cardinal Schonborn said.

Despite the catechism’s accessibility and continuing development, “there is still a lot to do,” Karl said.

In her Oct. 11 talk, Karl emphasized the need for Catholics to have a formed conscience – rooted in the teachings of the catechism -– that will allow for a “dialogue with God.” “The catechesis today needs to create a space for people to enter into dialogue with themselves in the first place. It’s something they need to be taught in such a way that in the end it may become a dialogue with God,” she said.

13

On TV n Friday, Nov. 24, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Angola: Get up and Go.” Bishops, missionaries and other witnesses give testimony to the persecution that Christians in Angola have endured and how the people have kept their faith in the midst of communism and war. n Saturday, Nov. 25, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Pius XII: Under the Roman Sky.” Featuring James Cromwell as the title role, a portrayal of the heroic efforts of Pope Pius XII to save the Jews of Rome from the Nazis during World War II. Part 2. n Sunday, Nov. 26, 10 p.m.

(EWTN) “The Admirers.” Young European Catholics share their testimonies of love and appreciation for St. John Paul II. n Monday, Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Nigeria’s Threatened Peace.” After Boko Haram killed 44 and injured dozens more in a Christmas bombing at St. Teresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Nigeria, tensions between the country’s Christian and Muslim communities grew. n Thursday, Nov. 30, 4:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Feasts with the Friar: Advent Special.” Father John teaches Renata, Leopold and Timothy about the Advent wreath and encourages the children to prepare their hearts during Advent to receive the Infant Jesus by making acts of love to God and to others. n Thursday, Nov. 30, 4:45 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saint Henry de Osso.”

The life of St. Henry De Osso through pictures, music and narration, encouraging your little ones to follow his example by living and loving as Jesus did. n Friday, Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saints of Europe: St. Edmund Campion.” Jesuit Father Bernard McGuckian travels through Europe to explore the lives of the most beloved saints. n Saturday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saint Barbara.” A cinematic look at St. Barbara, who became a Christian and suffered martyrdom in the early Church. n Wednesday, Dec. 6, 4:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saint and Heroes: Nicholas.” A variety of animated children’s programs that provide a valuable resource for children learning the faith. n Friday, Dec. 8, 9:30 a.m.

(EWTN) “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.” The mysteries of the rosary come to life. Produced by the famous Family Theater ministry founded by the late Father Patrick Peyton, CSC.

Our nation 14

catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Civility must guide debate on social challenges, USCCB president says DENNIS SADOWSKI CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

BALTIMORE — Acknowledging wide divisions in the country over issues such as health care, immigration reform, taxes and abortion, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called for civility More online to return to the public debate.

At www.catholicnewsherald.

Contemporary com: Read full coverage from challenges are great, but the U.S. bishops’ November that they can be addressed meeting in Baltimore without anger and with love Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of GalvestonHouston said in his first address as USCCB president during the bishops’ fall general assembly.

“We are facing a time that seems more divided than ever,” Cardinal DiNardo said. “Divisions over health care, conscience protections, immigration and refugees, abortion, physician-assisted suicide, gender ideologies, the meaning of marriage and all the other headlines continue to be hotly debated. But our role continues to be witnessing the Gospel.”

He explained that the National Catholic War Council, created by the U.S. bishops in 1917 in the response to the world refugee crisis that emerged from World War I and the forerunner to the USCCB, was formed to address great national and international needs at a time not unlike today.

He said the history of the Church in America is full of examples of the work of “holy men and women” responding to social challenges. He particularly mentioned Capuchin Franciscan Father Solanus Casey, who ministered alongside homeless and poor people in Detroit and who was beatified Nov. 18.

“The history of Christianity is also the story of reconciliation. In 2017, we mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Begun as a moment of painful division, it stands as a journey toward healing, from conflict to communion,” Cardinal DiNardo said.

He continued, “Civility begins in the womb. If we cannot come to love and protect innocent life from the moment God creates it, how can we properly care for each other as we come of age? Or when we come to old age?”

The cardinal lamented that abortion continues despite the existence of alternatives to save the life of unborn children.

Cardinal DiNardo also laid out several policy stances for the country to pursue.

He said hospitals and health care workers “deserve conscience protections so they never have to participate in the taking of a human life.”

The cardinal called for “good and affordable health care” for poor people and action to address the country’s opioid abuse epidemic.

To applause, Cardinal DiNardo urged lawmakers to enact comprehensive immigration reform and protections for the country’s 800,000 young adults who have been protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

President Donald Trump in September called for an end to the program, handing off the solution to the immigration status of young adults brought to this country illegally as children to Congress and giving the lawmakers a six-month window to act.

Acknowledging that a country has the right to defend its borders, Cardinal DiNardo reminded the country’s leaders that it should be done in a humane way.

Racism, too, has risen to become a major challenge for the country, the USCCB president said.

“In our towns and in our cities, as civility ebbs, we have seen bolder expressions of racism, with some taking pride in this grave sin. Sometimes it is shocking and violent, such as in Charlottesville (Virginia, in August). More often it is subtle and systematic. But racism always destroys lives and it has no place in the Christian heart,” he said.

Blessed Solanus Casey was beatified during a Mass Nov. 18 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Amato, head of the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes, who was joined at the altar by Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley.

JOHN COSMAS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Blessed Solanus lived out faith, hope, charity every day, says cardinal CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

DETROIT — Blessed Solanus Casey always said that “as long as there is a spark of faith,” there can be no discouragement or sorrow, said Cardinal Angelo Amato, head of the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes.

His words were accompanied by “the concrete practice of faith, hope and charity in his everyday life,” said the cardinal in his homily during the Nov. 18 beatification Mass for the beloved Capuchin Franciscan friar who was known for his cures and wise counsel.

“He came from an Irish family of profound Catholic convictions. Faith for him was a very precious inheritance for facing the difficulties of life,” Cardinal Amato said. “When the young Bernard (his given name) Casey, entered the Capuchins, he passed from one community of faith to another.”

Blessed Solanus “focused on the poor, the sick, the marginated and the hopeless,” Cardinal Amato said. “He always fasted in order to give others their lunch. For hours upon hours, he patiently received, listened and counseled the ever-growing number of people who came to him.”

The friar saw people “as human beings, images of God. He didn’t pay attention to race, color or religious creed,” the cardinal said.

A congregation of 66,000 people filled Ford Field, home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, which was transformed for the Mass. The altar, placed at midfield, was created originally for St. John Paul II’s visit to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987. To the right of the altar was a large painting of Blessed Solanus. It was unveiled after the beatification rite, which took place at the beginning of the Mass.

Dozens of bishops, priests and deacons processed into the stadium for the start of the liturgy. The music was provided by a 25-member orchestra and a choir of 300 directed by Capuchin Franciscan Father Ed Foley. The singers were members of parish choirs from across the Detroit metro area.

Cardinal Amato was the main celebrant, joined at the altar by Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron,

Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, and Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, himself a Capuchin Franciscan.

In the congregation were 240 Capuchin friars and at least 300 members of the Casey family from across America and their ancestral country of Ireland. The Casey family’s Irish roots were reflected in the Irish hymns chosen as part of the music for the liturgy.

“What a witness was our beloved Solanus,” said Father Michael Sullivan, provincial minister of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph in Detroit, as the ceremony began “He opened his heart to all people who came to him. He prayed with them, he appreciated them, and through him, God loved them powerfully again and again.”

“For decades countless faithful have awaited this moment,” said Archbishop Vigneron before asking Cardinal Amato to read the decree from Pope Francis declaring Father Solanus “Blessed.”

He is the second American-born male to be beatified, after Blessed Stanley Rother, a North American priest from Oklahoma who in 1981 was martyred while serving the people of a Guatemalan village. He was beatified Sept. 23 in Oklahoma City.

Among the hundreds, if not thousands, of healings attributed to Blessed Solanus during and after his lifetime, Pope Francis recognized the authenticity of a miracle necessary for the friar to be elevated from venerable to blessed after a review by the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes was completed earlier this year.

The miracle involved the healing – unexplained by medicine or science – of a woman with an incurable genetic skin disease, Paula Medina Zarate of Panama.

She was only recently identified publicly and she was at the Mass. As it began, she walked up to the altar with a reliquary holding a relic of Blessed Solanus.

Zarate was visiting friends in Detroit and stopped at Father Casey’s tomb to pray for others’ intentions. After SOLANUS, SEE PAGE 15

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief CLINIC ramps up training, education to better serve immigrants WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic Legal Immigration Network never really had a shortage of opportunities to train lawyers and citizens to represent and advocate for immigrants and refugees. However, given the tenor of the past year, CLINIC – which was founded by the U.S. bishops but has long been its own separate nonprofit agency – has stepped up its schedule of trainings in response. CLINIC now has more than 330 affiliates nationwide, said Jeanne Atkinson, its executive director, in a Nov. 16 telephone interview with Catholic News Service from CLINIC headquarters in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring, Md. Not all of the affiliates are Catholic in their origin or orientation, Atkinson added, but all share CLINIC’s mission.

“We’re trying to make sure when they provide legal services, they are providing high-quality legal services in a professional manner,” she said. “We have the largest network of immigration programs around the country.”

Thanks to the number of affiliates, CLINIC can spot trends. “If we hear it five times, then it’s a fluke,” she added. “If we hear if 50 times, then there’s something wrong.”

— Catholic News Service

Supreme Court to hear case on free speech and crisis pregnancy centers WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court has decided to hear a case examining freedom of speech at crisis pregnancy centers. The case, accepted Nov. 13, will consider if a California law that went into effect in 2016 violates the Constitution by requiring the state’s 200 crisis pregnancy centers to inform

their clients, in specific detail, about the availability of free or low-cost abortion and contraceptive services and provide a referral number for them. The law in question, called the Reproductive FACT Act, says centers must post such notices in areas where they will be clearly seen on paper that is “at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches and written in no less than 22-point type.” Centers also are required to disclose in their advertisements if they have medical personnel on staff. Some centers provide counseling and offer supplies of diapers, formula, clothes and baby items. Centers that fail to comply are subject to fines of $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent offenses.

Three pregnancy centers challenged the law in court saying it infringed on their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and free exercise of religion. The pregnancy center law was upheld last October by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that said the state could regulate professional speech because of its interest in safeguarding public health and to ensure that “citizens have access to and adequate information about constitutionally protected medical services like abortion.”

New museum tells the story of the Bible – chapter and verse WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hey, Smithsonian, there’s a new kid on the block: the Museum of the Bible, just a few blocks from the National Mall in Washington. With its opening to the public Nov. 18, it tells visitors how the Bible – both Old Testament and New Testament – has intersected society and at times even transformed it. The people behind the museum say that if visitors were to read the card behind every artwork, saw every video, heard every song and took part in every interactive experience – including a Broadway-style musical called “Amazing Grace” about the song’s writer, John Newton, and the biblical inspiration behind the abolitionist movement – it would take them 72 hours to do it all. But visitors can take their time, because there is no admission charge to the museum. The museum was the brainchild of Steve Green, chairman of the museum’s board of directors and president of the Hobby Lobby chain of arts and crafts stores.

“It’s exciting to share the Bible with the world,” Green said at a Nov. 15 press preview of the museum.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES at ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH The Jesuit Church in Charlotte’s Center City Accounting Clerk and Administrative Assistant - Full Time To assist the Finance and Operations Manager with dual control items, correspondence, financial data entry posting, and other items as requested.

Qualifications: Associates degree in accounting or equivalent work experience or minimum of 2 years previous related experience. Proficiency in database management and Microsoft Office Suite.

General working knowledge of church office environment.

See full job description at: www.stpeterscatholic.org Send resume, cover letter and any questions to: tmorin@stpeterscatholic.org

Database and Compliance Coordinator - Part Time Responsible for processing and maintaining all required volunteer documentation in compliance with Diocesan policies, for reviewing the database, maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the data files, and for posting updated/new entries into the parish database.

Qualifications: A minimum of high school diploma, Associates degree in administrative office technology or related area beneficial. Proficiency in database management. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. General working knowledge of church office environment See full job description at: www.stpeterscatholic.org Send resume, cover letter and any questions to: tmorin@stpeterscatholic.org

SOLANUS FROM PAGE 14

her prayers, she felt the strong urging to ask for the friar’s intercession for herself, too, and received an instant and visible healing.

The miraculous nature of her cure in 2012 was verified by doctors in her home country, in Detroit and in Rome, all of whom confirmed there was no scientific explanation. Father Casey himself died of a skin disease July 31, 1957.

Born Nov. 25, 1870, in Oak Grove, Wis., Bernard Francis Casey was the sixth of 16 children born to Irish immigrants Bernard James Casey and Ellen Elizabeth Murphy. He enrolled at St. Francis High School Seminary near Milwaukee in 1891 to study for the diocesan priesthood. But because of academic limitations, he was advised to consider joining a religious order instead.

He went to Detroit to join the Capuchin order in 1897. He was given the religious name Solanus.

He continued to struggle academically but was finally ordained in 1904 as a “simplex priest,” meaning he could celebrate Mass but could not preach doctrinal sermons or hear confessions.

He went to New York and served for two decades in friaries and churches there and was transferred back to Detroit in 1924, where he began working as the porter, or doorkeeper, of St. Bonaventure Monastery.

Father Casey co-founded the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in 1929 and today it serves the Detroit metro area by providing food, clothing and human development programs to the people of the community. In addition to preparing and serving up to 2,000 meals a day, the facility has an emergency food pantry, service center and a tutoring program for children.

He spent his life in the service of people, endearing himself to thousands who would seek his counsel. From 1946 to 1956, he was at the Capuchin novitiate of St. Felix in Huntington, Ind., then was transferred back to Detroit for what was the last year of his life.

The Holy Land 10 Days: April 16 – 25, 2018

includes Haifa • Tiberias Nazareth • Bethlehem • Jerusalem hosted by: Fr. Michael T. Kottar, Pastor of St. Mary Help of Christians Parish in Shelby, NC $3,399 from Charlotte (includes breakfast & dinner daily) Holy Mass Daily - Christian Guides Smaller Group Experience - First Class Hotels

For a detailed brochure please contact: Jean Judge, St. Mary Help of Christians Parish 818 McGowan Rd. Shelby, NC 28150

704-487-7697

15

Our world 16

catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CNS | VATICAN TELEVISION

Pope Francis addresses the people of Myanmar in advance of his Nov. 27-30 visit in this image taken from a Vatican video released Nov. 17. The pope said he wants to strengthen Myanmar’s Catholics in their faith and encourage all efforts “to build harmony and cooperation.”

‘All of us are God’s children,’ pope says in video messages to Myanmar, Bangladesh CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — By visiting Myanmar and Bangladesh next week, Pope Francis said he wants to strengthen Catholics in their commitment to faith and charity and to encourage all efforts “to build harmony and cooperation” among people of all religions.

Pope Francis is scheduled to leave Rome Nov. 26 for a visit to Myanmar Nov. 27-30 and Bangladesh Nov. 30-Dec. 2.

The pope’s video message to the people of Myanmar was posted Nov. 16 on the official Facebook page for the visit and was released by the Vatican the next day.

A similar message was relayed to the people of Bangladesh Nov. 21.

“We are living at a time when religious believers and people of goodwill everywhere sense the need to grow in mutual understanding and respect and to support each other as members of our one human family,” he said in his video message for Myanmar, “for all of us are God’s children.”

“We are living at a time when religious believers and people of goodwill everywhere are called to foster mutual understanding and respect and to support each other as members of our one human family,” he said in his video message to the people of Bangladesh.

About 90 percent of Myanmar’s 54 million people are Buddhist. Christians and Muslims each account for about 4 percent of the population and about 1 percent is Hindu.

The vast majority – some 90 percent – of Bangladesh’s people are Muslim. The largest minority group is made up of Hindus. Christians are about 1 percent of the population.

CNS | VATICAN TELEVISION

Pope Francis addresses the people of Myanmar in advance of his Nov. 27-30 visit in this image taken from a Vatican video released Nov. 17. The pope said he wants to strengthen Myanmar’s Catholics in their faith and encourage all efforts “to build harmony and cooperation.”

‘Invest in love,’ pope says on first World Day of the Poor CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — People have a basic choice in the way they live: either striving to build up treasures on earth or giving to others in order to gain heaven, Pope Francis said.

“What we invest in love remains, the rest vanishes,” the pope said in his homily Nov. 19, the first World Day of the Poor.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 poor people attended the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica as special guests, the Vatican said. While almost all of them live in Europe, they include migrants and refugees from all over the world.

Among the altar servers were young men who are either poor, migrants or homeless. The first reader at the Mass, Tony Battah, is a refugee from Syria.

Those presenting the gifts at the offertory were led by the Zambardi family from Turin, whom the Vatican described as living in a “precarious condition” and whose 1-year-old daughter has cystic fibrosis.

In addition to the bread and wine that were consecrated at the Mass, the offertory included a large basket of bread

and rolls that were blessed to be shared at the lunch the pope was offering after Mass. Some 1,500 poor people joined the pope in the Vatican’s audience hall for the meal, while the other special guests were served at the Pontifical North American College – the U.S. seminary in Rome – and other seminaries and Catholic-run soup kitchens nearby.

Preaching about the Gospel “parable of the talents” (Mt 25:14-30), Pope Francis said the servant in the story who buried his master’s money was rebuked not because he did something wrong, but because he failed to do something good with what he was given.

“All too often, we have the idea that we haven’t done anything wrong, and so we rest content, presuming that we are good and just,” the pope said. “But to do no wrong is not enough. God is not an inspector looking for unstamped tickets; He is a Father looking for children to whom He can entrust His property and His plans.”

If in the eyes of the world, the poor they have little value, he said, “they are the ones who open to us the way to heaven; they are our ‘passport to paradise.’ For us it is an evangelical duty to care for them, as our real riches, and to do so not only by

giving them bread, but also by breaking with them the bread of God’s word, which is addressed first to them.”

Where the poor are concerned, the pope said, too many people are often guilty of a sin of omission or indifference.

Thinking it is “society’s problem” to solve, looking the other way when passing a beggar or changing the channel when the news shows something disturbing are not Christian responses, he said.

“God will not ask us if we felt righteous indignation,” he said, “but whether we did some good.”

People please God in a similar way to how they please anyone they love. They learn what that person likes and gives that to him or her, the pope said.

In the Gospels, he said, Jesus says that He wants to be loved in “the least of our brethren,” including the hungry, the sick, the poor, the stranger and the prisoner.

“In the poor, Jesus knocks on the doors of our heart, thirsting for our love,” he said. True goodness and strength are shown “not in closed fists and crossed arms, but in ready hands outstretched to the poor, to the wounded flesh of the Lord.”

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Quick fixes, denial won’t stop climate change, pope says VATICAN CITY — Denial or indifference when it comes to climate change will not help further honest research or facilitate finding adequate solutions, Pope Francis told government leaders attending a meeting on implementing the Paris accord. Ratified by 170 nations, the 2016 agreement marks “a shared strategy to tackle one of the most worrying phenomena our human race is experiencing -- climate change,” the pope said in a written message. The message was read Nov. 15 to those attending the COP23 session of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, Nov. 6-17.

In the message – addressed to the president of the COP23 session, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama of Fiji – the pope said the Paris agreement is “a clear path of transition toward a model of low- or no-carbon economic development, encouraging solidarity and emphasizing the strong links that exist between fighting climate change and fighting poverty.”

Pope: Couples need help forming, following consciences VATICAN CITY — Marriage and family life are blessings for individuals and for society, but both are filled with difficult choices that Catholic couples must be helped to face prayerfully the 1light of their Frank Villaronga and HL 2018in ad.pdf 10/20/17 3:12 PM consciences, Pope Francis said. Unfortunately,

too many people today confuse a rightly formed conscience with personal preferences dominated by selfishness, the pope said in a video message to an Italian meeting on “Amoris Laetitia,” his exhortation on the family.

“The contemporary world risks confusing the primacy of conscience, which is always to be respected, with the exclusive autonomy of the individual” even when the individual’s decisions impact his or her marriage and family life, the pope said. Repeating a remark he had made to the Pontifical Academy for Life, Pope Francis said, “There are those who even speak of ‘egolatry,’ that is, the true worship of the ego on whose altar everything, including the dearest affections, are sacrificed.” Confusing conscience with selfishness “is not harmless,” the pope said. “This is a ‘pollution’ that corrodes souls and confounds minds and hearts, producing false illusions.”

British Catholic schools remove ‘mother,’ ‘father’ from admission forms MANCHESTER, England — The terms “mother” and “father” will be banned from Catholic schools’ admissions forms in England and Wales following a complaint the terms discriminated against gay and stepparents. The Office of the Schools Adjudicator, which settles disputes on behalf of the government, upheld the objection of a parent who wished to enroll a child in Holy Ghost Catholic Primary School in London. The parent had been asked to fill in a form which left spaces only for the names of “mother/guardian” and “father/guardian” and argued that the terms discriminated against “separated, step- and gay parents.” Peter Goringe, one of 12 adjudicators, said in a late October ruling that “in the absence of any clarification of the term ‘parent,’ the use of the words ‘mother’ and ‘father’ might, as the objector suggests, be taken to imply that the

Lay Ministry Study Pilgrimage to the

school is restricting its definition.” The Catholic Education Service, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has advised more than 2,200 schools to revise their policies.

Chinese officials pay poor to swap religious images for portraits of Xi HONG KONG — Officials in China’s eastern Jiangxi province have replaced religious images displayed by Christian families with portraits of the country’s leader, Xi Jinping. Ucanews.com reported that, on Nov. 12, pictures were uploaded to the popular social messaging service WeChat account of Huangjinbu town government, showing officials removing images of the cross and other religious subjects in Yugan County.

The message from officials said the Christians involved had “recognized their mistakes and decided not to entrust to Jesus but to the (Communist) Party” claiming the Christians voluntarily removed 624 religious images and posted 453 portraits of Xi. The officials also claimed they were “converting” Christians to party loyalty through poverty alleviation and other schemes to help the disadvantaged.

Nearly 10 percent of Yugan County’s largely impoverished 1 million people is Christian.

Spirit of communion needed in Church, world, pope tells priests VATICAN CITY — Sincere, harmonious unity is needed in the world and in the Church, Pope Francis told an international association for

Catholic priests. “It’s very sad when we find in a presbyterate that this unity doesn’t exist,” and, instead, gossip and backstabbing are the rule, he said. “Gossip destroys the diocese, destroys unity among priests – between themselves and with the bishop,” he said. The pope spoke during an audience Nov. 16 with participants in the international assembly of the Apostolic Union of the Clergy, a global confederation of groups promoting brotherhood and mutual support among members of the diocesan clergy whether they are bishops, priests or deacons.

Pope: Care for the dying doesn’t mean obstinately resisting death VATICAN CITY — People who are dying must be accompanied with the love of family members and the care of medical professionals, but there is no requirement that every means available must be used to prolong their lives, Pope Francis said. “Even if we know that we cannot always guarantee healing or a cure, we can and must always care for the living, without ourselves shortening their life, but also without futilely resisting their death,” the pope said in a message to the European members of the World Medical Association. “This approach is reflected in palliative care, which is proving most important in our culture, as it opposes what makes death most terrifying and unwelcome: pain and loneliness,” the pope said. The European members of the medical association were meeting at the Vatican Nov. 16-17 for a discussion with the Pontifical Academy for Life on end-of-life care.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Fred Gallagher

Falling to our knees M

ost of us at some point or another in our lives have found ourselves either literally or figuratively falling to our knees to cry out, for whatever reason, “God help me!”

It might have been a death in the family or a particularly painful crisis that brought us to that point, but there we were. And, of course, it may not have been on our knees. It may have been lying in bed, sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament or praying at Mass. It may have been on a walk in the moonlight or watching a spouse or child suffer or standing by a hospital bed or looking down upon a crib with an angel dreaming there or, God forbid, looking down upon an empty coverlet where once an angel slept or where one was to have slept.

Sometimes over the years we let loose of the memory and pack away the notion that indeed, a cry to heaven, a prayer, was answered, quickly or slowly, clearly or in some language we had to figure out; perhaps even a prayer from the depths of our soul, a prayer that may just have changed our lives, that may have allowed us to continue living.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1981 I found myself in a treatment center for alcoholism. The disease had already left quite a bit of destruction in its wake. One person had been severely injured and another had died as a result of my drinking and driving. I don’t remember either incident but I know they happened and that knowledge has never left me. I learned about shame from the inside out. In the years that followed I looked out windows praying for the courage to jump. I drank more and more to mask the pain. I often woke up not knowing where I was or what had happened over the previous 12 hours. Alcohol was my drug of choice and I abused it in a hundred varieties – from wine to vodka, from beer to bourbon. I got kicked out of nice places and not-so-nice places, partnered with good people gone astray and not-so-good people who didn’t much care. My world got smaller and smaller.

Then one morning, after yet another night of half-recollected humiliation, I called one of my brothers to ask for help and he pointed me to a family friend. As has happened so often in the life of my family, a Benedictine monk came to the rescue. He got me to the grounds of his monastery and shared his own story of past intemperance with me. With God’s help, the monk began to guide me in my recovery, which is how I got to an inpatient treatment facility.

Sometime several days after I entered that center, alone in my room, not knowing how in God’s heaven I was going to make it, I fell to my knees. And even though at that point in my life I

had no idea what I believed or in whom I believed, I broke down anyway and cried out in the lamplight, “Please, God, help me!”

But how does one know if the petition is real and from the heart? I remember a Catholic priest who used to lecture in the addiction field. His name was Father Joseph Martin and he said, “You know, when I have a toothache I pray to God to take away the pain... I do it in the car on the way to the dentist’s office!”

I asked God for help, and my heart opened to what was being said in that treatment facility. And when I was released (on Dec. 26) I immersed myself in a recovery community. For the first five years of sobriety, I met with others in recovery about five times a week.

And the Benedictine monk became one of the dearest friends I’ve ever had. He once called me a “slow motion miracle!”

I wavered some at first and drank one more time, but as of May 15, 1982, I have been without a drink of alcohol for more than 35 years.

It’s hard to say how I’ve done it. One old-timer sober for 40 some years was asked by others how he had done it and he said, with the characteristic understatement of so many in my recovery fellowship, “Well, I didn’t drink…and I didn’t die!” I know it has taken willingness on my part, but definitely not willpower. It has taken faith, but not proselytizing. Perhaps more than anything, it has taken the love of God filtered through so many others who have reached out to me over the decades, including my Benedictine friend, now of happy memory.

I have done all I know to do to make amends, some of which can only be a living amends. I am reconciled with my past, which is to say my God has graciously forgiven me as He has done over and over for my other faults over the years. But the past is still with me, perhaps so that it might help somebody else. I know something of the strength of the human spirit just as I know what destruction I am capable of in certain circumstances. It is, therefore, a little less easy to be judgmental, though I lapse regularly.

And though I have never been granted a visual memory of my worst transgressions, to remain sober and faithful to the principles of my recovery it has taken a regular return in my mind and in my heart to that crystal clear moment, mystical in retrospect, when I fell to my knees and cried out to a God I didn’t even know was there… like we all do at one time or another.

FRED GALLAGHER is an author and editor-in-chief with Gastonia-based Good Will Publishers Inc.

Bobby Speers

Finders keepers, losers weepers

I

n Luke, chapter 15, Jesus teaches three parables describing lost items. You have heard and read these parables a dozen or more times. The first earthly story with a heavenly meaning is the Parable of the Lost Sheep. The third parable is The Prodigal Son. The second parable, The Parable of the Lost Coin, is sometimes overlooked because it’s short – only three verses. Luke 15:8: “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it…”

This coin was crucial to the woman’s financial livelihood and physical wellbeing.

Without it, she would be a pauper and go hungry. Evidently, it was very dark, and she required a lamp to guide her steps and to illuminate the area where she was searching.

By using the oil lamp, the woman was depleting her supply of oil. This was a bit of a sacrifice. Oil wasn’t cheap, but she had to use her resources to find that lost coin.

Opening all the drawers and cupboards, the obvious places to find her coin turned out to be futile. Realizing her desperate circumstances, the woman’s determination and perseverance prompted her to pursue a new course of action. Why? Her life hinged

on finding that coin! Grabbing a broom, the woman got down to business – sweeping every inch of her home, probably on her hands and knees.

When something we deem to be important is missing in our lives, we will diligently seek and work until we find it. We do not let anything stop us.

Be honest with yourself: How long have you been searching for Jesus? Are you pulling out the drawers and cupboards, only enough to make it look like you’re putting effort into your spiritual life? Maybe it is time to sweep your house and really seek that lost coin.

Where can you start? Open the Bible, read a book about Catholic spirituality, talk to Jesus in prayer, go to confession, join a small faith-building group, adore the Eucharist, and go to Mass. That’s how you’ll find Jesus.

Securely holding that coin in your hand offers you the promise of eternal life. Finders keepers, losers weepers.

BOBBY SPEERS is a writer who lives in Hickory and serves as chairperson of St. Aloysius Church’s evangelization commission.

November 24, 2017 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

19

Letters to the editor

Support for the death penalty is dropping Deacon Kevin Bezner

St. John Chrysostom offers advice on combating depression

A

t the end of the year 404, in the seventh month of his exile in the mountains of Armenia, the deposed Archbishop John of Constantinople chastised his disciple Olympia because she had fallen into despondency.

In his ninth letter to Olympia, collected in “Letters to Saint Olympia” (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press), the future St. John Chrysostom (347-407) asks his disciple and the future St. Olympia (361408) whether she knows that despondency is a great evil and that she is following the devil’s will because she is so distraught and tormented by his exile.

In his 10th letter, he continues to speak of despondency to clarify for Olympia “how heavy and oppressive a burden it is.”

Despondency, he tells her, “is a continual executioner that not only tears in pieces one’s torso but also mutilates the strength of one’s soul. It is a continuous night, darkness with no light.”

Although the course his life had taken had caused Olympia and his disciples in Constantinople to become distressed and despondent, St. John was at peace. He had endured the persecution of the emperor and empress of Constantinople and the bishop of Alexandria.

Fever and other ills, barbarians and hostile clergy and monks had troubled him through seven months of exile. Yet he could write to Olympia in his ninth letter: “If you are grieving because of the aftermath of the evils I’ve experienced, know for certain that I have shaken them off completely.”

Throughout the 17 letters he writes to St. Olympia, St. John offers sound advice about how to patiently endure as a Christian despite the difficulties of one’s life. The letters are personal, spiritual direction for a faithful disciple who is suffering.

He tells her in his 10th letter that he writes “not only to banish your despondency but to fill you with great and continual gladness.” She can endure, he says, because she has been enduring since her youth. Reflecting on Scripture will help her understand how to endure.

The despondency Olympia suffers is what we call depression. Such depression, St. John recognizes, damages our relationship with God. Olympia also suffers because she is scandalized. This can be translated as a snare or a stumbling block set by others.

Public torturers have harmed her, he says, but she is more harmed by the illness caused by her despondency, “the extreme infirmity ... which is like having a public torturer continually residing in your house.”

She must drive away her despondency and stop punishing herself, he says in his 17th letter, reminding her that this is the subject of the treatise he wrote not long before this letter. The subject, he says, can be summarized as “no one can harm the one who does not injure himself.”

Olympia’s despondency is well explained by the definition of depression that

Orthodox clinical psychologist Thomas Brecht says (in Archbishop Chrysostomos, “Orthodoxy and Psychology”) affects about 80 percent of those seen in a clinical setting, what “Freud identified ... as anger turned inward.”

Olympia is angry about the treatment of St. John by his persecutors, and she is angry that those persecuting him go unpunished.

Olympia’s depression also seems to fall into one of the categories that Brecht identifies as affecting some of the remaining 20 percent of those suffering from depression: “the learned habit of looking at only the negative aspects of life or some circumstance.”

To drive away her despondency, she will need to follow St. John’s advice in his letters, and this will require her to work against her anger and to look at the positive aspects of life and circumstances.

She will need to accept what she sees as the negative circumstances of her life and trust more in God: “... let us learn from Job, who shone forth with great brilliance; and from Timothy, was so excellent and who fulfilled such a noteworthy ministry, who went with Paul across the whole world – and who, not for just two or three days, or ten or twenty or a hundred, but for many days, lived continually in sickness, with a body greatly weakened.”

Olympia was not the only member of St. John’s flock distressed by his persecution and exile, and the persecution they as followers experienced at the hands of St. John’s enemies.

St. John wrote the treatise, translated recently as “On the Providence of God” (St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood), to help them to understand the cause of their distress and to give them a means for abandoning themselves to divine providence.

In the treatise, he seeks to instruct his followers in how to identify scandal or stumbling blocks, and to become truly vigilant through reflection on Holy Scripture and the lives of Paul, Abraham, Job, David, Daniel and others, but especially Our Lord and the apostles.

He seeks to help his followers to become “persuaded that God provides for all things”; to accept that when the Church is troubled it “instructs the whole world – to be steadfast, to practice self-constraint, to endure trials, to display patient endurance, to despise the things of this world...”; and to stand firm.

“Letters to Saint Olympia” and “On the Providence of God” are masterpieces of spiritual direction. In these two works, St. John offered an individual, Olympia, and a group, his followers, a remedy for the sickness they were suffering.

His medicine of words, as he calls them, is a remedy for the ages.

FATHER DEACON KEVIN BEZNER serves at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Mission in Raleigh. This was originally published in The Christian Review, where Deacon Bezner is a contributing editor.

In his final opinion column appearing in the Nov. 10 issue of the News Herald, Deacon James Toner writes about reconsidering his longtime position against the death penalty, citing authors who have convinced him that executing a person convicted of capital crime, whether guilty or not, “...plays a vital role in upholding human dignity and promoting a culture of life.” This view, anchored in society’s traditional clamor for revenge and execution, has been argued as the only way to keep the public safe.

Thank goodness our Church is an evolving Christian community. It’s modern popes, bishops and advocates for Catholic social teaching who recognize that today’s prisons can hold convicted murderers for life.

Twelve years ago, the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh spoke forcefully against the use of the death penalty in North Carolina. Our bishops called for a two-year moratorium on executions so as to study the arbitrary and unfair nature of who gets death and who does not. The moratorium continues to this day.

In his May 3, 2005, letter to the faithful the Diocese of Charlotte, Bishop Peter Jugis wrote, “The Church’s teaching on the death penalty is based on the principle that all human life is sacred, made in the image and likeness of God. If

the innocent of society can be protected from aggressors with non-lethal means, then indeed, such means are preferable to the use of lethal force. Modern society has the resources to separate the violent offender from society and protect the innocent, a choice that also gives the violent offender the opportunity to reflect on wrongdoings and seek a path to redemption.”

Since these remarks, support for the death penalty and across the nation continues to drop. People have become educated on the uneven and costly application of the death penalty. One aspect not addressed in Deacon Toner’s commentary concerns a built-in racial bias in the state’s judicial system. Two prominent studies from Michigan State University have concluded that those who kill a white person are 2.6 times more likely to be executed than those who kill a black person.

Capital punishment is a pro-life issue.

It is a controversial one with many sides.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has established the Catholic Mobilizing Network for Catholics to learn more about the death penalty and restorative justice. Visit www.catholicsmobilizing. org or call 202-541-5290.

GEORGE BURAZER lives in Charlotte.

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From online story: “God’s kingdom is not flashy show, but grows silently within, pope says” Through press time on Nov. 21, 8,775 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 15,933 pages. The top 10 headlines in November so far have been: n Black Catholic popes, saints and leaders.........................................................................................1,474 n View the current print edition of the Catholic News Herald..........................................................341 n Two vicars forane named.........................................................................................................................312 n CCHS announces 2018 National Merit Scholarship Commended students........................... 305 n Chaplet of Adoration and Reparation.................................................................................................299 n Charlotte Catholic stresses campus-wide vaping ban...................................................................297 n CCHS announces 2018 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists..............................................262 n Boy’s healing attributed to prayers, intercessions of the saints..................................................179 n Relics available for veneration throughout November at St. Patrick Cathedral.....................167 n Bishop Jugis blesses land purchased for college seminary..........................................................152

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catholicnewsherald.com | November 24, 2017 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CCDOC FROM PAGE 5

demand languages. For example, Gomez says, TIE might receive a request from a client for an interpreter with language skills from the northern region of Vietnam.

TIE can contact one of its partner agencies and have a contract interpreter on the phone within minutes.

While the majority of requests for onsite interpreters in the Triad area are for Spanish language interpreters, Gomez says, they are starting to see an increase in requests for Arabic and Burmese language interpreters.

They are always looking for more freelancers, Gomez adds, and are beginning to develop a pool of freelancers in the Charlotte area and in the northwestern area of the state.

The business plan for TIE includes a projection to be profitable by its third year of operation, she explains, to be self-sufficient and lead to developing more such “social enterprise” programs within the diocese. So far the rapid growth and development of the TIE program, Gomez says, has been above expectations.

Translating and interpreting are two distinct categories of language services, Gomez explains, and require different skill sets.

To be accepted into TIE’s pool of contractors, applicants must go through a vetting process. Translators are required to take a language proficiency assessment and a written assessment. Interpreters are required to be bilingual or multilingual, take a language proficiency assessment and have formal training (a minimum of 40

hours) in community interpreting from an accredited institution.

If applicants do not have the minimum training required, they can attend TIE’s Introduction to Community Interpreting training course. TIE’s training is accredited for Continuing Education credit and accepted by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, which certifies interpreters in the health care setting.

The vetting process allows TIE to offer verifiable, high quality services to clients.

Much of the work contract translators do involves in-house translation for immigration services, Gomez adds, while the bulk of outside client requests is for interpretation services.

While Gomez stresses the importance of the language services program as a business, she emphasizes that it has been much more than that. Not only does the TIE program strengthen the community by bridging language barriers, it also offers a career path and income for people who are bilingual or multilingual.

“We see a lot of people who have degrees and professions from other countries, but (they) can’t practice here for any number of reasons. They have excellent language skills and we’re offering them the opportunity to use these skills to earn an income,” she says.

COMMUNITY INTERPRETATION TRAINING

Generally, there are two categories of interpretation: legal interpretation, which is state and federally regulated, and community interpretation.

Community Interpretation is an umbrella term covering law enforcement, education, medical and health services, immigration and social services.

Jessica Salazar, a Mexico native, is the

Translation & Interpretation Coordinator.

Before coming to TIE, she earned a master’s degree in Interpreting and Translation Studies from Wake Forest University and worked as a professional interpreter for more than 10 years.

“The training we offer here at Catholic Charities is not language specific, which means we train people in interpreting skills,” she explains.

She stresses to her students to stay away from the “he said, she said” format when interpreting. The goal is to relay the information between the client and provider in as conversational a manner as possible, with transparency and accuracy.

Students learn, among other things, how to structure their sessions, how to set the pace so everyone involved in the session is comfortable, and how to process the information the provider relays to the interpreter and then skillfully relay that information to the client.

They are taught how to develop tools to make interpreting sessions more effective, such as note-taking, and they gain practical experience at local health clinics. The classes also teach the students how to secure assignments, manage their workloads and other general business skills. Continuing their education is strongly encouraged.

“Interpreting is definitely a use-it-or-loseit career. If you’re not up to date on what the expectations are in the industry, you won’t get the assignments,” Salazar notes.

Community colleges and four-year universities offer a wide range of degrees and continuing education classes for Community Interpreters. Professional organizations such as Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters and the American Association of Translators and Interpreters also offer workshops and

online resources. Salazar and Gomez also take the time after training to answer any questions the TIE graduates might have.

“We are very concerned in building a relationship with our interpreters, where they feel we are backing them up as an agency even though we don’t offer them full-time employment,” Salazar says.

Graduates can work for TIE as freelancers as well as take assignments from other agencies.

When students complete their training, they receive a certificate of completion noting that they have completed the minimum 40-hour training most often required from freelance interpreters. There are currently no national, reciprocal or federal standards that are mandated for Community Interpreting. However, the industry and educational institutions are hard at work developing evidence for best practices leading toward such standards.

For its Code of Conduct for Interpreters and Translators, TIE utilizes best practices already generally accepted within the industry. Their strict vetting process and high quality training program assure clients that they will receive professional services.

Recent TIE graduate Litzy Joffre, a native of Mexico, says that before going through the training she saw interpreting mainly as a way to generate income but now also sees another aspect: “Helping people who are limited in English get the services they need, that everybody needs – that should be more recognized as a profession that’s needed.”

For information about becoming a freelance translator or interpreter, go online to www.ccdoc.org/tie or contact Program Coordinator Jessica Salazar at jsalazar@charlottediocese.org or at 336-7143208.

“ My sister was to be a nun, and I was to be a mother,” says Notre Dame Sister Mary Ann Hanson (foreground), 79, “but God had other plans.” During 61 years of religious life, she has joyfully followed those plans. Along with the senior religious shown here—and 32,000 more across the United States—Sister Mary Ann benefits from the Retirement Fund for Religious.

Your gift helps provide nursing care, medications, and other necessities. Please be generous.

Roughly 94 percent of donations aid senior religious.

Retirement Fund for Religious Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

Please give at your local parish December 9–10.

Or donate by mail: National Religious Retirement Office/CHA 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington DC 20017-1194 Make check payable to Retirement Fund for Religious.

www.retiredreligious.org Photo (from left): Sister Gloria Rodríguez, MGSpS, 80; Father Albert Bunsic, OCD, 81; Sister Alfonsina Sanchez, OCD, 96; Sister Mary Ann Hanson, SND, 79. ©2017 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Photographer: Jim Judkis.