March 2, 2018

March 2, 2018

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

St. Mary’s Church celebrates Black History Month 9

Healing at home Clinic at Holy Angels dedicated to the late Bishop Curlin

5 Carolina Catholic Chorale produces first album 16

INDEX

Contact us.......................... 4 Español............................12-13 Events calendar................. 4 Our Faith............................. 2 Our Parishes................. 5-11 Schools......................... 14-15 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.......................16 U.S. news...................... 18-19 Viewpoints.................. 22-23 World news.................. 20-21

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Lent 2018

Reflections to help you raise up, sacrifice and offer

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Hermosa tarea de evangelización

Sagrado Corazón de Salisbury prepara representación de Vía Crucis

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Our faith

catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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The papacy Pope Francis

At Mass, God accepts humble gifts, gives abundantly in return

G

od asks so little of people and yet, He gives so much in return, Pope Francis said.

“He asks for our goodwill in daily life, He asks us for an open heart, He asks us to be willing to be better,” the pope said at his weekly general audience at the Vatican Feb. 28.

Because of ice and unusual freezing temperatures in Rome, Pope Francis held the audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall.

In his main talk, the pope continued his series on the Mass, focusing on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which begins with the preparation of the gifts of bread and wine that are then consecrated and distributed to the faithful at Holy Communion.

During the Mass, the priest represents Christ and does what the Lord did at the Last Supper: takes up the bread and wine to give to His disciples, saying “this is My Body, this is My Blood. Do this in memory of Me,” the pope said.

It’s good, he said, that the people of God present the priest with the bread and wine for consecration because the elements represent “the spiritual offering of the Church.” At the offertory, all the faithful are invited to present their own lives as a spiritual offering together with the gifts brought to the altar, he said.

“The center of the Mass is the altar and the altar is Christ. Always look at the altar,” which also represents the cross where Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, he added.

“To the altar of Christ, we bring the little (there is with) our gifts – bread and wine – and they become the plenty – Jesus Himself, who gives Himself to us” in the Eucharist, the pope said.

“Of course, our offering isn’t much, but Christ needs this tiny amount. The Lord asks for little and He gives us so much.”

Catholics should experience the preparation of the gifts at every Mass as an invitation to offer their lives more fully to the Lord so that they would receive from Him the grace needed to grow in holiness, encounter others with love and compassion and to “build the earthly city in the light of the Gospel,” the pope said.

After a summary of the pope’s talk was read in Arabic, the pope asked everyone to pray for all the people of Syria and the Middle East – “a martyred land.”

“We have to pray for these brothers and sisters who are at war and for the persecuted Christians – they want to expel them from that land. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters,” he said.

The history of the papacy has been written in many volumes. It has been stated that no figure compares with the pope in prestige and influence. There have been 267 popes since the time of St. Peter allowing for continuous apostolic succession starting with Jesus saying, “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church…” (Matt 16:16-18).

Who is the pope? The pope is the Bishop of Rome, the head of the College of Bishops, the Vicar of Christ, and the pastor of the universal church on earth. By virtue of his office, he possesses supreme, full and immediate ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely (Canon Law 331). He is the supreme judge of the entire Catholic world either personally or through judges he may delegate. The pope can be judged by no one. He teaches infallibly when he proclaims a definitive act of faith and morals.

There is neither appeal nor recourse against a decree of the pope; however, he cannot act arbitrarily, but he can be confined with certain limits should the usefulness of the Church or the faithful require it (“Lumen Gentium,” 27). His declarations are infallible when he proposes a doctrine as an obligatory object of faith, defines the doctrine, and states his intention.

The pope governs the Church with the Roman Curia composed of a secretariat, congregations, commissions and councils. This form of government is the oldest functioning bureaucracy in the world. The pope can intervene in the affairs of a particular church or diocese in a personal or collegial manner. The authority to dispense from celibacy is reserved to the pope alone. Currently the appointment of bishops rests exclusively with the pope.

If the pope is temporarily or permanently incapacitated – such as by political obstruction, physical or mental illness – no innovations in governance may occur within the universal church.

The pope may freely submit and duly manifest his resignation.

There is no requirement that his resignation must be accepted.

Historically, popes have been very different personalities. Some were learned, some visionary, some incompetent, some wicked, some canonized, and some were martyrs. Whatever opinion one may hold regarding the teachings and position of the present or past popes, one cannot expect perfection of a pope who agrees with each of the more than 1.2 billion Catholics in the world.

Irrespective of one’s opinion, nothing takes away from the role of the pope.

A short summary of a few of the highlights of the papacy over the centuries is of interest, and assists in our understanding of when certain teachings and events evolved. Examples include the Papal Schism of 1378, during which there were three popes: one in Rome; one in Avignon, France; and one in Pisa, Italy. During this time there was an increasing study of Roman law, which led to the doctrine of corporations and its principle, “What touches all ought to be approved by all.”

In the 1400s the pope initiated the Renaissance movement in Rome. The Vatican Library was established, and famous painters, sculptors and architects were commissioned. There was a call for moral, spiritual and institutional reform, and the authority of the papacy was challenged. Martin Luther called for a debate on indulgences in 1516. The reform that arose was the Protestant Revolution. Luther was condemned when he denied papal authority, and he was excommunicated. Henry VIII denied the authority of Rome and made himself the head of the Church of England in 1534. In response the Church was revitalized through a “Counter-Reformation,” which included Pope Paul III’s calling of

the Council of Trent (1545-1563). The Council of Trent affirmed the validity of scripture and tradition; the Church’s rights to interpret the Bible, and the doctrine of transubstantiation.

The 17th and 18th centuries were difficult for the papacy. Power politics left the pope with less influence, and the Enlightenment posed fundamental intellectual challenges. The French Revolution and the Napoleonic aftermath seized the property of the Church in France and reduced it to poverty. Secularization followed, which included the suppression of religious institutes and radical reorganization of Church structures. The secular state is an enduring feature of modern times.

In 1869-1870, Pope Pius IX (the same pope who defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854) called the First Vatican Council. Its most well-known decision was its definition of papal infallibility.

In the late 19th century, the pope’s temporal authority as head of the Papal States – the Church’s territories throughout Italy from early in Church history – waned as Italy was unified.

In 1929 Italy and the Holy See signed the Lateran Treaty, establishing the sovereignty of Vatican City and placing the pope’s position on a new footing.

As the 20th century progressed, popes learned to accommodate democracy. Pope Leo XIII applied traditional Catholic social teaching to industrialization, urban poverty and the growing labor movement across the world. Modernism was also condemned. Interestingly, the greatest reformer of this age was Pope Pius X, who promoted frequent reception of Holy Communion, moved the age of first Holy Communion down to 7 years of age, restored traditional church music, and codified Canon Law. During the 1920s and 1930s, Pope Pius XI negotiated 18 concordants with states all over Europe. This was the Vatican’s way of dealing with secular states in an attempt to regulate episcopal appointments, education, marriage laws, etc. He denounced Nazism and anti-Semitism. In 1939 the next pope, Pope Pius XII, endured a difficult papacy given the rise of communism as well as Hitler and Nazi Germany’s persecution of the Jews. His allocutions and addresses fill volumes.

After Pope John XXIII was elected, he summoned the Second Vatican Council in 1962. He called for a spirit of love and consideration in dealing with separated brethren. He updated social teaching, condemned greed, and called on wealthy nations to help poor nations. He stressed the right to freely profess religious faith, welcomed worker’s rights, condemned Marxist ideology, advocated for an end to colonialism, and stated that nuclear arms were irrational. Vatican II issued 16 documents including the revision of Canon Law. It is a common belief that the Church did a poor job of post-conciliar catechesis, teaching people what had been changed, and not changed, by the Council.

Pope Paul VI brought the Second Vatican Council to its conclusion in 1965. He opened communication with the Anglicans and the Orthodox. He stressed papal authority and reined in ideas of collegiality. He stopped all discussion of priestly celibacy. He required priests and bishops to retire at age 75. He addressed the United Nations and pleaded for an end to war. In 1968 he wrote “Humanae vitae,” an encyclical on regulating human birth in response to the growing use of contraception and abortion.

In 1978 the Church was in turmoil. The Vatican Bank was a PAPACY, SEE PAGE 17

Your daily Scripture readings MARCH 4-10

Sunday: Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:2225, John 2:13-25; Monday: 2 Kings 5:1-15, Luke 4:24-30; Tuesday: Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Matthew 18:21-35; Wednesday (Sts. Perpetua and Felicity): Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9, Matthew 5:17-19; Thursday (St. John of God): Jeremiah 7:23-28, Luke 11:14-23; Friday (St. Frances of Rome): Hosea 14:2-10, Mark 12:28-34; Saturday: Hosea 6:1-6, Luke 18:9-14

MARCH 11-17

Sunday: 2 Chronicles 16:14-16, 19-23, Ephesians 2:4-10, John 3:14-21; Monday: Isaiah 65:17-21, John 4:43-54; Tuesday: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12, John 5:1-16; Wednesday: Isaiah 49:8-15, John 5:17-30; Thursday: Exodus 32:7-14, John 5:31-47; Friday: Wisdom 2:1, 12-22, John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30; Saturday (St. Patrick): Jeremiah 11:18-20, John 7:40-53

MARCH 18-24

Sunday: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 5:7-9, John 12:20-33; Monday (St. Joseph): 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16, Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22, Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24; Tuesday: Numbers 21:4-9, John 8:21-30; Wednesday: Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95, Daniel 3:52-56, John 8:31-42; Thursday: Genesis 17:3-9, John 8:51-59; Friday (St. Turibius of Mogrovejo): Jeremiah 20:10-13, John 10:31-42; Saturday: Ezekiel 37:21-28, Jeremiah 31:10-13, John 11:45-46

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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D

uring Lent, we are asked to devote ourselves to seeking the Lord in prayer and reading Scripture, to service by giving alms, and sacrificial self-control through fasting.

Throughout Lent the Catholic News Herald is publishing – in print, online and on social media – a series of daily and weekly reflections produced by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in English and Spanish, designed to help you reflect on the purposes of Lent and embrace your baptismal commitment to love and serve God.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read daily and Sunday Lenten reflections and find links to prayers, videos, lectio divina for the Sundays of Lent, and many other resources for your family’s Lenten observances On Facebook at Catholic News Herald and Catholic News Herald Español: Short daily reflections to help you pray and reflect during the Lenten season

Third Sunday of Lent READ

Read the following Scripture two or three times: Jn 2:13-25 Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves He said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” At this the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking about the temple of His body. Therefore, when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

While He was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in His name when they saw the signs He was doing. But Jesus would not trust Himself to them because He knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He Himself understood it well.

“Christ expels the money changers from the temple,”

by Cecco del Caravaggio (1610) on display in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

REFLECT

How do I balance my faith and the other activities of my daily life? Are productivity and busy-ness my highest value? What can I do to grow in understanding of the people in my life? How can I be kinder and more loving? How can I make my life a gift for others in charity?

PRAY The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

Fourth Sunday of Lent READ

Read the following Scripture two or three times: Jn 3:14-21 Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

REFLECT

What steps can I take to increase my faith in Christ and His Church? How can I strengthen my hope to live with God in heaven? When am I quick to condemn and judge?

How can I love and lift up those in need? What darkness and deceit must I purge from my life?

PRAY May the working of Your mercy, O Lord, we pray, direct our hearts aright, for without Your grace we cannot find favor in Your sight.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

— Collect, Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.

They are more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold; sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb.

— Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 “Christ talking with Nicodemus at night” (“Christus onderwijst Nicodemus”),

by Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn, a follower of Caravaggio

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: MARCH 3 – NOON Rite of Election St. Matthew Church, Charlotte

MARCH 10 – 10 A.M. Mass for 25th Anniversary of Perpetual Adoration St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte

MARCH 13 – 11 A.M. Presbyteral Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Diocesan calendar of events March 2, 2018 Volume 27 • NUMBER 11

1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

704-370-3333 PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte

STAFF EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org ONLINE REPORTER: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORTER: Cesar Hurtado, 704-370-3375, rchurtado@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.

ENTERTAINMENT THE 22ND ANNUAL CHARLOTTE ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE: Saturday, March 17, in uptown Charlotte.

Accepting applications until March 1. To register for the parade, go to www.charlottestpatsday.com and click “application.” For details, contact 803-802-1678 or dyerhart@hotmail.com.

ESPAÑOL 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 orarán 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.

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

LENTEN SERVICES PARISH MISSION ‘THE THREE GREAT LOVES’: 6:30 p.m.

March 5-7, St. John Neumann Church, 8451 Idlewild Road, Charlotte. Based on the Great Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength… You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Take some time to cultivate love in your life. Father Frank Desiderio, CSP, will use a multimedia presentation to explore how we can receive God’s love and extend that love to others, including ourselves. For details, call the parish office at 704-536-6520.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING NFP INTRODUCTION AND FULL COURSE: 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 21, St. Aloysius Church, 921 2nd St. NE, Hickory. Topics include: effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored

by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-370-3230.

LECTURES & WORKSHOPS

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS

HUMAN TRAFFICKING FORUM: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, March 11, New Life Center at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. FBI Special Agent Karen Walsh, a St. Matthew parishioner, will talk about the realities of human trafficking in Charlotte. She will share tips on how to operate safely in today’s world of social media, how to identify the signs of human trafficking, and how to obtain help if you suspect someone is being trafficked. Father Christopher Bond will speak about the message from Pope Francis and the U.S. bishops about the dangers of human trafficking and why Catholics cannot just close our eyes to this modern form of slavery. Lanie George, a survivor of human trafficking and now executive director of Redeeming Joy, a local non-profit aiding victims of human trafficking, will share her experiences. For details, email BruceMlakar@gmail.com or Karagogreen@gmail. com.

VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS: 8 p.m. Mass, Friday, March 2, at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte, followed by nocturnal Adoration and concluding at 8 a.m., with Saturday Mass. Join Catholics across Charlotte for Mass and overnight Eucharistic Adoration, 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. For details and to sign up for Adoration times, go to www.prolifecharlotte.org.

BENEFITS SCREENING AND MEDICARE ENROLLMENT: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, at St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern St., Asheville, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, March 8, at St. Margaret Mary Church, 102 Andrew Place, Swannanoa. Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte will host Benefits Screening and Enrollment through the Council on Aging of Buncombe County. Call the Council on Aging of Buncombe County at 828-277-8288 to make an appointment for a free screening and enrollment services for all Medicare beneficiaries. For details, call Catholic Charities at 704-370-3220.

‘HUMAN DIGNITY AT THE END OF LIFE’ HEALTH CARE ETHICS CONFERENCE: 8:45 a.m.-6:15 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road, Belmont. The St. John Paul II Foundation, in collaboration with the Diocese of Charlotte and Belmont Abbey College, presents the first Converging Roads health care ethics conference. The conference theme will focus on human dignity at the end of life, and continuing education credits for healthcare professionals will be offered. For details, go to www.convergingroads.com.

PRO-LIFE ROSARY: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 3, 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.

MEN’S EVENING OF REFLECTION: 6 p.m. social and 7 p.m. reflection, Saturday, March 17, in Brian Hall at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2203 West Market St., Greensboro.

Reflection on “The Role of Man in the Modern World” with guest speaker Father Daniel McCaffrey. To register, go to www.rcmenmar17@eventbrite.com or email John Endredy at jendredy@gmail.com.

ST. PEREGRINE HEALING PRAYER SERVICE: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. St. Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer and grave diseases. The healing prayer service will be offered for all those suffering with cancer or other diseases. For details, call the church office at 704-543-7677.

DIVINE MERCY HOLY HOUR: 7 p.m. every first Friday at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte.

The Holy Hour consists of readings from the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, the sung Chaplet of Divine Mercy, benediction and veneration of the Divine Mercy Image.

(Note: There will not be a Holy Hour during Lent.) For details, call Paul Deer at 704-577-3496.

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.

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.

SUPPORT GROUPS & RETREATS CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP: 1:30-2:30 p.m., first Wednesday of every month at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte, and the third Wednesday of every month at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Sponsored by Arthritis Services in conjunction with Catholic Charities Elder Ministry. For details, call Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220.

RETROUVAILLE: A program for married couples that feel bored, disillusioned, frustrated or angry in their marriage. Most don’t know how to change the situation or even talk with their spouse. This program has helped thousands of couples experiencing difficulties in their marriage. For confidential information or to apply for the next program, call 800-470-2230 or 434-793-0242, e-mail retrouvaillenc@msn.com, or go to www.retrouvaille.org.

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 at jackie.childers1@gmail.com.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING “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: ASHEVILLE: 9 a.m. Saturday, March 3, Lawrence Basilica, 97 Haywood St. CANDLER: 6 p.m. Monday, March 12, St. Joan of Arc Church, 768 Asbury Road KERNERSVILLE: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, Holy Cross Church, 616 South Cherry St.

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.

Our parishes

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

‘So that healing may be had at home’ Holy Angels clinic dedicated to the late Bishop Curlin PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

BELMONT — Friends and supporters paid tribute to the late Bishop William Curlin Feb. 20 as they gathered to dedicate the remodeled and refurbished health clinic at Holy Angels.

Bishop Curlin, who died Dec. 23, 2017, was a frequent visitor to Holy Angels, a home opened in 1955 by the Sisters of Mercy for children and adults with intellectual developmental disabilities and delicate medical conditions.

“Bishop Curlin is one of the many reasons why we are who we are today,” said Regina Moody, Holy Angels’ president and CEO, “because of his love and commitment to our mission.”

Starting not long after he became bishop in 1994, Bishop Curlin came by regularly to bless the residents and staff at Holy Angels, always bringing smiles to their faces. Until he retired as bishop in 2002, he offered Mass there every Christmas Day. “He would say, ‘This is where I’m meant to be on Christmas morning, with God’s most vulnerable children,” Moody recalled. “We were so blessed for so many years that Bishop Curlin spent Christmas morning with us here at Holy Angels. What better place to be than with the angels?”

In “this very special place,” noted the Rev. Rob Hinman, Holy Angels’ board chair, “it is fitting that we bless and dedicate it to a person who was so caring for our residents. His touch, his presence, brought the hand of God as a reality to our residents.”

The Curlin Clinic features a new dental chair and equipment, as well as a new, wider medical exam chair. New supply cabinets, a nurse’s workstation and a sink were also installed. The room was also repainted and decorated with original artwork by local artist Stephanie Neely.

A plaque and photos of Bishop Curlin occupy a prominent spot on the wall near the clinic’s entrance. The plaque reads: “Bishop Curlin generously shared his love for God’s most special children at Christmas and throughout the years – as bishop and retired bishop.

During visits to Holy Angels with the Knights of Malta, he would gently touch each resident, providing a blessing of God’s love, healing and hope. Within the walls of the Bishop Curlin Clinic, physicians and healthcare professionals will share their healing touch with the residents as they provide for their health and well-being.”

Moody described the project to renovate Holy Angels’ clinic and recounted how support for the effort came thanks to the unexpected help of several people at just the right moment, including: Mr. and Mrs. John Spencer, Tony Sandrene and Amy Spencer, Mr. and Mrs. Rafiq H. Lakhany and their family, Dr. William Donigan and friends, Kenneth Branson, and Campania Fine Moulding.

Thanks to their support, Moody said, the Curlin Clinic can better serve the residents who can’t be transported off-site to medical appointments. The clinic hosts than 1,300 exams per year, from primary care appointments to specialists’ visits, she noted.

Present for the dedication were several members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (the Knights of Malta), who were especially close to Bishop Curlin and often accompanied him on visits to Holy Angels. The order leads annual pilgrimages for the sick to the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, a place of miraculous healing, and Bishop Curlin used holy water from the shrine to bless the Holy Angels residents each year.

Dr. Bill Rice, a Knight of Malta and member of Holy Angels’ board of directors, reminisced about the late bishop’s support of the order as its chaplain.

“Everyone knows that his middle name was Compassion,” Rice said. “His entire life almost was dedicated to the poor, the marginalized and especially the sick.”

Rice recalled Bishop Curlin’s stories and spiritual advice, especially

(Above) Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, blesses the Bishop Curlin Clinic at Holy Angels Feb. 20. (Left) Inside the refurbished clinic, visitors and supporters admire the plaque and photo display honoring the late bishop of Charlotte.

PHOTOS BY PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

the saying he passed on from a dying mentor of his: “Everything that I have kept, I have lost. Everything I’ve given away, I have forever.”

“Believe me, Bishop Curlin gave it all away.”

Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro and Bishop Curlin’s personal secretary and close friend, blessed the clinic room with holy water from Lourdes.

He prayed, “Almighty God, we come before You, with hearts open to Your love, minds open to Your healing will, and open hands ready to receive and to share Your blessing for service. God of mercy, we bless You. From of old, You sent Your angels, who minister to You, as messengers of hope and mercy to Your people. We bless You for the wonderful way that this continues today in our midst. We thank You for the doctors, the specialists and health care professionals who are messengers of hope and healing in this place of mercy. Today we dedicate this clinic to the memory of Bishop William Curlin. We thank You for his example of pastoral ministry – always looking for Christ hidden in the poor, especially the sick, for those who might be suffering, and loving and nurturing life wherever it was little and most vulnerable. We thank You for the benefactors who’ve made this clinic possible, so that healing may be had at home for our residents.

We ask You, Almighty God, who by Your wondrous ministry of angels guard and govern us, to bless this facility, to bless us, to bless the Holy Angels staff, to bless the Sisters of Mercy, to bless the medical professionals who will minister here, and most importantly, to bless our residents. As we dedicate this Curlin Clinic, we ask that You would command Your angels to stand watch here, that this may forever be a place of health, happiness and peace.”

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Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage ‘I Am The Living Bread’ coming April 7 BELMONT — Youth from across the Diocese of Charlotte are invited to attend the 14th annual Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage Saturday, April 7, at Belmont Abbey College. Each year, Bishop Peter Jugis encourages middle and high school youth to join him at the abbey for a day of prayer and adoration of our Eucharistic Lord.

This annual youth event is a component of the annual Eucharistic Congress and shares the congress theme, which is based on the words of the Gospel of John 6:51: “I am the living bread.”

During the day-long event, which will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., diocesan youth will enjoy live music, a vocations fair and motivational speakers, as well as Eucharistic Adoration and a Eucharistic Procession on the historic Belmont Abbey College campus.

There will be separate program tracks for middle and high school youths, and the sacrament of confession will also be available from priests of the diocese.

Dom Quaglia Jr., a Catholic speaker and author, will serve as emcee for the event. Mathias Michael, worship leader and singer-songwriter, will provide the music for the pilgrimage.

Singer-songwriter and recording artist Dana Catherine will serve as speaker for the high school girls. Father David Miller, pastor of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton, will serve as speaker for the high school boys.

Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari will offer Mass for participants at 9:45 a.m. The Eucharistic Procession and Adoration with Bishop Jugis will begin at 1:45 p.m.

Registration for the youth pilgrimage is $15. The fee includes a pizza lunch, a soft drink and a specially-designed pilgrimage T-shirt if you register by Friday, March 9.

For details, go online to www. goeucharist.com.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

Did you know?

The Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage is significantly funded by contributions to the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. Learn more about the DSA and donate online at www. charlottediocese.org/dsa.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 OUR PARISHES

‘Justice on the Tap’ focuses on Catholics and the refugee crisis LISA GERACI CORRESPONDENT

CHARLOTTE — Nearly 100 people gathered Feb. 22 at St. Peter Church’s Biss Hall to learn more about the Catholic response to the refugee crisis that involves more than 65 million displaced people around the world.

The “Justice on Tap” event featured keynote speakers Giulia McPherson from Jesuit Refugee Service and Kailey Otten from Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Refugee Resettlement Office.

Bob McPherson, the event organizer and St. Peter parishioner, started the evening by explaining his personal connection to JRS. “I met JRS for the first time in Rwanda, in 1996. It was chaos and crisis. I don’t care what color your skin was, you were shocked, you were afraid. We were right on the border of care between the Congo and Rwanda – 800,000 people fleeing in one way or another. Could you imagine 800,000 people running with kids and all their possessions on their backs? I noticed a little group, off to the side, with a sign saying ‘JRS.’ I said to someone, ‘Who are they?’ The one thing I noticed was JRS over there, being patient with parents and children.

They were organized and had a steadiness and trustworthiness about them. I wasn’t a practicing Catholic at the time. I couldn’t tell you what a Jesuit looked like if I came across one. It wasn’t like I was enamored by all of this. The fact is, I was probably more on the secular side, but I kept watching these people and they did a magnificent job.”

Giulia McPherson, JRS advocacy coordinator, noted, “What comes in mind to me is the word ‘dignity.’ JRS is not just about programs and services. It is about treating refugees as human beings. It is about the dignity they need. Being forced to leave your home and fleeing is hard to even imagine.

“Currently, 65.6 million people have been displaced. They are not leaving their homes because they found a better job or they want to reunite with family. They are being forced to leave due to war, persecution or natural disasters. This is the highest number of global displacement we have experienced since World War II.” McPherson said, “The Jesuits are called to work on the margins, to help the most venerable. Arguably, refugees are the most vulnerable.”

“JRS has been serving refugees for the past 38 years. We are an international humanitarian organization operating in 51 different countries,” she said. “The majority of the work we do is oversees. We work with refugees and displaced peoples mostly in refugee camps.”

“Our primary focus is education. We run programs from early childhood up to adulthood,” she said, including a preschool program for refugees escaping ethnic conflict in Darfur, Sudan.

She continued, “300,000 refugees are living in a series of 12 camps in a desolate part of Chad. It is unsafe for them to return home and there is no hope of going back. We are working closely with them, sorting out ways that they can have a sustainable future. Education is one of those ways. Through programs like this preschool, we are working to educate and give them an opportunity for their future.”

McPherson used pictures, stories, and examples to present similar programs in Lebanon, Uganda and other countries in the scope of JRS. “Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than their non-refugee peers. Only 60 percent have access to primary school, and it drops dramatically when we talk about secondary education; it drops to 23 percent. Only 1 percent are able to attend college,” she said.

JRS provides educational services as well as transportation services to schools to make sure refugees’ needs met. JRS also provides vocational training and small business loans for start-ups, she said.

“Not only do we want to deliver programs that treat basic needs, we are trying to devise creative and realistic ways for refugees to fend for themselves,” she said. “They want a home, they want to build a life for themselves, they want a future for their families. They are no different than any of us.

“The challenge is that they are in this limbo. Basic human rights – like the right to attend school, the right to work – is all they want. They do not want a handout. They want to be given an opportunity to be able to do something for themselves.”

Otten explained how Catholic Charities’ Refugee Resettlement Program plays an active role with refugee assistance in the Charlotte diocese. Since October, the agency has welcomed 40 refugees, she said.

“We are in charge of the primary 90-day post-resettlement period after refugees arrive in the U.S.,” she said. “Just imagine: moving to a new country where you have no idea how to speak the language, you have no idea how the systems work.”

“We try to lay the groundwork for them,” she said. “We find apartments to live in and get fridges stocked up with culturally appropriate food. We get refugees ready for employment with our employment services. We help get kids enrolled in school, we set people up with food stamps and assistance – all the things they are going to need to help get their footing when they first arrive here.”

“It is so easy to see someone that comes to the USA and say, ‘Oh, you’ve been through something so hard.’ These are people who had lives, who were truly successful. Yes, they have gone through horrible things, but they are so capable. We are just trying to get people to see that, given the right foundation,” Otten added.

Martha Schmidt, who participates in the refugee mentoring program at St. Peter in connection with Charlotte Charities, ended the program by reminding the audience, “Most refugees just want to know someone cares, someone is welcoming them to this country, someone is glad that they are here.”

Serving as a mentor in the program has been a gift, Schmidt said.

“As part of a refugee mentoring team at St. Peter’s, I have had direct contact for the past eight months with two different refugee families, one from Iraq and one from Myanmar. We were matched through Catholic Charities. This has profoundly affected the way I look and respond to God’s people. When I have a so-called ‘bad day,’ I just think about what a bad day can really mean when you have permanently left your country and know you will never go back. You have left all that you know, all that you are comfortable with and have to start over in a strange place.

“Their courage overwhelms me.”

Learn more At www.jrsusa.org: Find out what Jesuit Refugee Services is doing in response to the refugee crisis At www.ccdoc.org: Learn how you can help refugees resettling right here in the Diocese of Charlotte

Catholic Women’s Lenten retreat focuses on discernment of charisms ANNETTE K. TENNY CORRESPONDENT

GREENSBORO — The Greensboro Area Council of Catholic Women recently held its annual Lenten Day of Reflection at St. Pius X Church. Karen Dyer, Ph.D., a parishioner of St. Paul the Apostle Church, led the retreat.

Dyer has worked in faith formation for many years, was the group director of education and the profit sector for the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro and is a member of the diocesan school board.

Dyer’s presentation, “Discerning Your Gifts or Charisms,” took each participant through a series of questions requiring the women to reflect on their life experiences until now. The questions were designed to winnow away much of the baggage that can surround a person’s perceived gifts to reveal the actual, lived gifts that each person has been given, she noted.

Once this inventory was completed, the answers were scored to reveal charisms. The women were encouraged to refer to Scripture and along with the results of the inventory, asked to reflect on what they learned to help them in identifying and using their gifts for the Church.

Shirley Kinlaw, president of the Greensboro Area Council of Catholic Women, found Dyer’s assessment method extremely valuable. “Some of mine (in terms of charisms) were administration, leadership, giving, faith and mercy,” she said.

The program gave everyone a lot to think about, Kinlaw added, and a lot of areas for reflection during the remaining days of Lent – all with the aim of better understanding how people can most effectively use the gifts God has given them.

After the event, the feedback Kinlaw and Dyer received from the council members was extremely positive. Members appreciated not just the personal insights themselves but also the future merit the member parishes will enjoy from their ability to use their gifts more effectively for the good of the Church.

The Greensboro Area Council of Catholic Women was founded in 1971 by Agnes Hughes, who is still an active member.

At a time when Catholic women often felt isolated from each other, Hughes wanted to bring Catholic women together for fellowship and find ways to serve their community. Some 40 years later, the council’s mission remains the same.

The members hold raffles and events throughout the year that enable them to

PHOTO PROVIDED

Pictured are Susan Dyer, retreat leader, and Shirley Kinlaw, president of the Greensboro Area Council of Catholic Women. donate to various organizations. The council also hosts a memorial Mass in November, a potluck lunch with a speaker, a Lenten retreat with a speaker, and other events throughout the year. Membership is open to any practicing Catholic woman, and annual dues are $15.

Their next event, a May 23 spring luncheon, will feature local Catholic author and speaker Virginia Lieto. For details, email Shirley Kinlaw at shirley.kinlaw@gmail.com.

Retreat offers a day of renewal for married couples CHARLOTTE — If you are looking for an opportunity to enrich your marriage this year, “Renew: A Couples Retreat” may be just the thing. Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is hosting a day of inspiration and reflection for married couples from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in the New Life Center Banquet Hall at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. The cost per couple is $40, which includes lunch, and free child care is available by reservation.

“The pre-Cana workshops offered by Catholic Charities have always been an important part of preparing and supporting engaged couples for marriage,” said Alecia Acquaviva, Catholic Charities’ marriage preparation coordinator.

“We feel passionate about extending that same support to couples at every stage of marriage. And we hope to offer this retreat and others like it at locations throughout the diocese in the future.”

The retreat offers a combination of practical relationship skills and spiritual guidance. Topics include “The 5 Love Languages,” “Couple Communication,” “Romance as Gift,” and “Sacramental Marriage.” Couples will have an opportunity to reflect and share privately after each presentation.

They will also have the option to attend the 9 a.m.

Mass together if they choose. Besides Acquaviva, presenters will include Jenny Cox, a licensed marriage and family therapy associate, and Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe.

Space is limited. Register online at www.ccdoc.org/ renew. Contact Acquaviva at ACAcquaviva@ charlottediocese.org for details. Child care reservations may be made by calling 704-543-7677, ext.

1003.

— Jenny Cox is a longtime member of St. Matthew Church. She has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and is a licensed therapy associate in private practice with Compassionate Life Counseling.

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Sister Eileen McLoughlin (above) entered the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Trinity in 1950, serving first at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Oklahoma and in for the past 31 years in the Diocese of Charlotte.

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD ARCHIVAL PHOTO PROVIDED BY SISTER MARIE FRECHETTE, MSBT

‘She is a missionary’ Sister Eileen McLoughlin retires after 31 years of ministry in the diocese SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — For more than 30 years Sister Eileen McLoughlin, MSBT, counseled people in need – alcoholics, addicts, people grieving the loss of a loved one, and many others desperately searching for help – sharing the healing power of hope and the message that God loves them.

On Feb. 23, friends and co-workers gathered at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, where she spent the last 11 years of her counseling ministry, to wish Sister Eileen well as she retires.

Sister Eileen began her ministry in the Diocese of Charlotte in 1987, working in the counseling department at Catholic Social Services (now Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte).

After 20 years of diocesan service, and serving three years in Philadelphia, she founded the counseling services office in 2006 at St. Matthew Church at the invitation of its former pastor, Monsignor John McSweeney.

“Sister has a great legacy in the Diocese of Charlotte as a member of the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Trinity, who were very integral in establishing what is now Catholic Charities here in the diocese,” noted Father Pat Hoare, St. Matthew’s pastor. “Counseling services, and many other services provided at Catholic Charities, Sister provided with her congregation.”

At St. Matthew Parish, Sister Eileen established 12step programs including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous as well as Alateen, Co-dependents

Anonymous and Food Addicts in Recovery. There are many support groups for grieving spouses and parents, as well as those suffering from other issues.

“Many people talk about how Sister has helped them in some way, either directly or indirectly,” Father Hoare said.

“But I think her greatest legacy is the person that we don’t know, who calls here and doesn’t even remember talking to Sister. They call in desperation or at the end of their rope, and they find the help that they need and find love here in our community.”

Sister Marie Frechette will carry on Sister Eileen’s legacy at the Charlotte parish, heading up the counseling department.

“She has been great in terms of bringing people to Al Anon, Narc Anon – everything that needs help and assistance,” Sister Marie said. “She ran the counseling office here with a light touch. You wouldn’t know she was really the coordinator, except you had to call and make an appointment.”

Sister Eileen’s motto has always been “Help is for those who want it, not those who need it,” Sister Marie noted.

“Sister Eileen has given the Church a great service and has always been vibrant, alive and welcoming. Her work here, and her work at Catholic Social Services in the past, gave her great joy,” Sister Marie said. “She is a missionary.”

Charlene Grattan, who also recently retired from St. Matthew’s counseling office, worked with Sister Eileen for the past decade.

“She has been an incredible mentor and friend,” Grattan said. “She is a woman who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.

“Her persona emits nothing but love and acceptance, tolerance, grace and compassion.”

Grattan noted that Sister Eileen has done a great deal of work with people who are in recovery – not just from alcoholism but also from drug addictions, sex addictions and addiction to pornography.

“She always did good,” Grattan said. “I will miss her dearly. She is one of a kind – they broke the mold when

they made her! It has been a joy having her in my life the last 10 years.”

After joining the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Trinity in 1950, Sister Eileen’s first mission was to St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Oklahoma, where she and 10 other sisters took care of more than 140 children.

Later Sister Eileen served in Alabama, where she opened a free seasonal daycare for migrant children after she learned of an infant’s death from heat exposure while the mother worked in the potato fields. The program, staffed by volunteers, lasted for more than 20 years.

When Sister Eileen came to the Charlotte diocese, she worked for 20 years with Jeannie Bell (now retired) at Catholic Social Services.

“We had offices right next to each other at Catholic Charities,” Bell recalled. “She is an incredible woman filled with the Spirit. She just emanates love and care to all whose lives she touches – truly from the very lowly to the very highest.”

“She will be truly missed,” Bell said.

At her retirement party after Mass Feb. 23, Sister Eileen was surrounded by coworkers, friends and people whose lives she has affected over the years. There were many hugs and well wishes given before she returns to her order’s motherhouse in Philadelphia.

Father Hoare said the parish was delighted to give Sister Eileen a celebratory send-off for all that she has meant to the diocese and the parish.

“It’s impossible to give her what she deserves,” he said.

“But the little bit we can do here is our way of showing our love. There will be many people who will come here in the years to come who will be touched by what you’ve done, Sister,” he added.

In her remarks to those gathered, Sister Eileen said, “I love what I do. I really love the spirit here at St. Matthew – the congeniality, compassion and caring and the hard work you put in, 24 hours a day sometimes.

“I have happy memories to bring with me to Philadelphia,” she said. “I promise I will be praying for you.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 OUR PARISHES

St. Joseph Vietnamese Church hosts Têt Festival CHARLOTTE — To welcome the Lunar New Year, the Têt Festival at St. Joseph Vietnamese Church Feb. 16-18 featured the presence of guest artists from the West Coast, the presentation of a spectacular lion dance by the parish’s Hidden Dragon Lion Dance team, live music, games and activities for the whole family, as well as more than 90 delicious traditional Vietnamese dishes prepared by parishioners. On the lunar zodiac calendar, 2018 is the Year of the Dog.

PHOTOS BY JOHN COSMAS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Vincentian Father Charles Strollo, pastor, and Father Josephite Father Anthony M. Bozeman, pastor of St. Raymond and St. Leo the Great Parish in New Orleans, celebrate Mass Feb. 18 at St. Mary’s Church.

Assisting at Mass is Deacon Emmanuel Ukattah.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

BY ANN GRAVES

Father Bozeman distributes Holy Communion at Mass.

Parishioners prepare a multicultural potluck supper after Mass.

Al Baxter directs St. Mary’s choir as they sing special music for the Mass.

St. Mary’s Church celebrates Black History Month ANN GRAVES SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

GREENSBORO — Parishioners of St. Mary’s Church commemorated Black History Month with a special reflection and celebration Feb. 17-18.

The celebration, organized by the parish’s Black Catholic Committee, was themed “Keeping Hope Alive.” St. Mary’s Church was founded in 1928 as a parish for black Catholics, but today the Greensboro parish includes people from a variety of economic, social and spiritual experiences, as well as diverse ethnicities.

The weekend celebration was led by Vincentian Father Charles Strollo, pastor, and guest celebrant Josephite Father Anthony M. Bozeman, pastor of St. Raymond and St. Leo the Great Parish in New Orleans.

Father Bozeman emphasized the celebration’s theme,

“Keeping Hope Alive,” throughout his talks and in a roundtable discussion that he led Feb. 17. He also delivered the homily at Mass Feb. 18, to a standing-room-only crowd of faithful.

Father Bozeman challenged St. Mary’s parishioners to turn negatives into positives as Jesus did when He turned His death on the cross into eternal salvation for all mankind.

He also challenged parishioners to remember that God did not bring people this far to let them down.

“Racism is a sin and we will always have setbacks,” he said. But we must remember that God is always in charge, he added.

Father Bozeman pointed out that black history is American history – a history that belongs to all Americans. America would not be what it is today without the toil, sacrifices and contributions of black Americans,

he said.

He challenged black parishioners to know their history and to proudly share it with other Americans. He also reminded blacks of their kinship to Africa, and that the oldest known human skeletal remains were found in Africa. He also spoke of Crispus Attucks, a black Catholic who was the first solider to die in the American Revolutionary War. “We must always know who we are and whose we are,” he said, in order to fight the negatives of racism.

His words were both reviving and inspiring, parishioners said.

After Mass families enjoyed a potluck supper featuring foods from parishioners’ multicultural traditions.

ANN GRAVES is the chairperson of the Black Catholic Committee of St. Mary’s Church in Greensboro.

St Paul’s Travels in Greece August 18 – 27, 2018

Join Fr. Mark Lawlor for a pilgrimage to Greece visiting such Biblical places as: Thessaloniki, Phillipi, Kavala, Meteora, Delphi, Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Patmos, Crete, Santorini & Istanbul ~ by land and by sea.

Please see the following website for the itinerary and cost: www.procatholictours.com/trip-store (click on Footsteps of St. Paul with Fr. Mark) Pilgrims are asked to register by April 18. You may contact Fr Mark by phone or email with any questions: 704-664-3992 or mslawlor@charlottediocese.org

Anxiety / Depression Acid Reflux / Sleep Hormones / Fatigue Cholesterol / Acne

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 OUR PARISHES

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

palliative medicine physician at St. Anthony North Health Campus in Westminster, Colo., and more. The conference will take place from 8:45 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.

For details, go to www.convergingroads.com.

Human trafficking forum scheduled for March 11

GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Pray the Stations of the Cross this Lent FOREST CITY — Parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church, led by Father Herbert Burke, pastor, and Deacon Andy Cilone, pray the Stations of the Cross on a recent Friday in Lent. The Stations of the Cross are found in Catholic churches as a series of 14 small icons or images, either inside or outside. The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day when the events of Jesus’ Passion took place. Everyone is encouraged to pray the Stations of the Cross as part of their Lenten observance: At www.charlottediocese.org: Find a parish near you, including links to their websites to view their complete schedules for Lent At www.catholic.org/prayers/station.php: Pray the Stations of the Cross online using a guided multimedia presentation featuring scenes from Jerusalem

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It’s totally free, too – so why wait?

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CHARLOTTE — A Forum on Human Trafficking will be held Sunday, March 11, starting at 2 p.m. at St. Matthew Church’s New Life Center Room 239/240/241. FBI Special Agent Karen Walsh, a St. Matthew parishioner, will talk about the realities of human trafficking in Charlotte.

She will share tips on how to operate safely in today’s world of social media, how to identify the signs of human trafficking, and how to obtain help if you suspect someone is being trafficked. Father Christopher Bond, parochial vicar, will speak about the message from Pope Francis and the U.S. bishops about the dangers of human trafficking and why faithful Catholics cannot just close our eyes to this modern form of slavery. Lanie George, a survivor of human trafficking who now serves as the executive director of Redeeming Joy, a local non-profit aiding victims of human trafficking, will share her experiences.

For details, email BruceMlakar@gmail.com or Karagogreen@gmail.com.

Columbiettes give donation CLEMMONS — The Columbiettes at Bishop Greco Auxiliary of Holy Family Church recently awarded Samaritan Ministries in Winston-Salem a donation of $5,175. Samaritan Ministries is a non-profit association offering emergency shelter and a daily soup kitchen for those in need in the community. Pictured are (from left) recent chairpersons Jeanne McGaffigan and Mary Long presenting the check to Jan Kelly, Samaritan Ministries’ development director.

Auxiliary President Jennifer Szescula (right) is also pictured.

— Maggie Herbstritt

Conference on Human Dignity at the End of Life set for April 14 BELMONT — The St. John Paul II Foundation, in collaboration with the Diocese of Charlotte and Belmont Abbey College, present the first “Converging Roads” health care ethics conference on Saturday, April 14. The conference’s theme will focus on human dignity at the end of life, and continuing education credits for healthcare professionals will be offered. Speakers include: Grattan T. Brown, S.T.D., associate professor and chair of theology at Belmont Abbey College; Michael J. Brescia, M.D., executive medical director of Calvary Hospital in Bronx, N.Y.; Natalie Rodden, M.D.,

All invited to Holy Saturday blessing of Easter food baskets CHARLOTTE — At noon on Holy Saturday, March 31, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church’s Aquinas Hall, Deacon James Witulski will bless families’ Easter food. This Eastern and Central European tradition is also called “The Blessing of the Easter Baskets” (or “Swieconka” in Polish) and will take about 30 minutes. This tradition is becoming increasingly popular among all Catholics. The blessings will be in both English and Polish.

Traditional Easter foods – such as sausage, eggs, bread, and butter in the shape of a lamb – are brought to the church, neatly arranged in a basket. However, every person of any nationality is invited to use their imagination and include their own national foods. Children can even bring their own baskets with their own treats, including chocolate and Easter candy.

St. Thomas Aquinas Church is located at 1400 Suther Road in Charlotte. Aquinas Hall is across the courtyard from the church. For inquiries, contact Deacon Witulski at 704-960-3704.

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com

Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit

OUR PARISHESI

2018 Fatima Pilgrimage Fatima, Portugal & Santiago de Comostela, Spain July 18 - July 31, 2018

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER

HUNTERSVILLE — Bishop Peter Jugis confirmed nearly 200 students at St. Mark Church during two Masses in December, including Benjamin Barnabei and his sponsor, his brother Joseph Barnabei.

PATRICK HESSION | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

JEFFERSON — Eduar Carrasco and Cindy Molina were confirmed and received their first Eucharist at a Spanish Mass in December in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They are pictured with Father James Stuhrenberg, pastor, and Father Jose Camilo Cardenas-Bonilla, priest in residence.

Join Fr. John Putman & Fr. Christopher Roux on a special pilgrimage celebrating the 101th Anniversary of the Appearance of Our Lady of Fatima and the Feast of St. James in Santiago, Spain.

For more information contact The Te Deum Foundation, Inc. 336-765-1815 or visit our web site: www.tedeumfoundation.org Reservation Deadline: April 2, 2018 Cost $2990.00 from Newark, for double occupancy, including meals,accommodations, and side trips.

Roundtrip travel between Newark and cities serviced by United available for addition charge.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROB MICHELE

KERNERSVILLE — Ryan Carter, a student at Wake Forest University, received the sacrament of confirmation recently at Holy Cross Church, during Mass celebrated by Father Marcel Amadi, the campus minister at Wake Forest University, Salem College, Bennett College and North Carolina A&T. In attendance were his parents, Kellie and Mike Carter from Currituck, as well as staff and students of Wake Forest University. Fellow student Rob Michele was his sponsor. He chose as his confirmation name St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of students.

Our pilgrimages support seminarians and foster vocations.

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Exitoso Encuentro Regional en Miami MIAMI — Del 22 al 24 de febrero se realizó el primer encuentro regional por las regiones V y XIV del Sureste de los Estados Unidos, camino de preparación hacia el V Encuentro Nacional que se celebrará del 20 al 23 de septiembre en Grapevine, Texas.

La cita, que tuvo lugar en la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Miami, Florida, recibió aproximadamente a 600 delegados de las diócesis participantes.

Una numerosa delegación de la Diócesis de Charlotte se presentó a la jornada que concluyó la tarde del sábado 24 con una Misa celebrada por el Arzobispo francés Christophe Pierre, Nuncio Apostólico de los Estados Unidos.

El Padre Rafael Capo, director del Instituto Pastoral del Sureste (SEPI), invitó durante la jornada inaugural a cada uno de los delegados a tener presente siempre el mensaje que compartió San Pablo: “Ay de mi, si no evangelizo”.

Dos de los delegados regionales por la Diócesis de Charlotte, Eduardo Bernal y el Reverendo Camilo Cárdenas presentaron una exposición sobre las experiencias exitosas, oportunidades y retos dentro de la área de “Evangelización y Misión Alcance”, así como la “Solidaridad Global”, dentro de sus comunidades, en base a la información proporcionada por las diócesis del Sureste y recolectada durante el proceso del V Encuentro.

FOTOS CORTESÍA IVONNE SEGURA

(Izquierda) Elba Alvarado, Alex Moreira, Beatriz Escobar e Ivonne Segura, parte del equipo de delegados que atendieron al Encuentro Regional. (Arriba) Delegación de la Diócesis de Charlotte en pleno, acompañados del Padre Rafael Capo, director de SEPI.

Hermosa tarea de evangelización

Sagrado Corazón de Salisbury prepara representación de Vía Crucis CESAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

SALISBURY — Desde hace más de una década, un grupo de más de 30 voluntarios hispanos de la Iglesia Sagrado Corazón de Salisbury lleva adelante la misión de representar ‘La Pasión de Cristo’ en Viernes Santo, que este año se conmemorará el 30 de marzo.

Como refiere Eloy Medrano, director de la representación, la iniciativa nació gracias al apoyo del Padre Julio Rodríguez, que por aquellos años servía como pastor en el Sagrado Corazón. “El Padre nos dejó una guía muy clara, que es la que hasta hoy en día seguimos”, explicó Medrano.

Tras un inicio muy precario, con cascos hechos de cartón y pelotas de goma, la representación ha ido creciendo en realismo gracias a la preparación de los voluntarios y también a su apoyo económico, ya que trajes, armas y gran parte de los artículos que utilizan, son comprados por los mismos actores.

Medrano recuerda con una sonrisa que las túnicas que utilizaban los apóstoles de las primeras representaciones eran “las que se utilizan en las confirmaciones”.

Ellos las pintaban y, con unos pequeños arreglos realizados por costureras voluntarias, se lograba simular las túnicas de la época.

TAREA DIFÍCIL

Ensayos regulares después de agotadoras jornadas de trabajo, disciplinado trabajo voluntario de meses, contribuciones económicas, a veces

desencuentros y discusiones internas dentro del elenco no hacen nada fácil la tarea de llevar adelante la obra.

Para Alejandro Alva, quien representa a un soldado de Poncio Pilatos, lo más dificil de representar este papel “es que le tengo que pegar a Jesús, quien yo sé viene a salvarme de mis pecados. Eso me llega mucho a mí. El papel, como digo es difícil, pero lo hago por entregarle mi servicio a Dios”, añade.

El mismo Medrano, quien también funge de soldado romano, es “uno de los soldados más malos” y, como afirma, “duele mucho hacerlo, pero hay que actuar para tratar de hacer el papel más real”.

Luis Figueroa, quien participará por tercera vez en la representación, reconoce que hace siete años, la primera vez que vió el montaje de la obra, no pudo resistir el llanto. La gente reacciona ante el castigo a Jesús y, según relata el grupo en su conjunto, han habido testimonios de personas que han intentado ingresar a defender a Jesús.

La dificultad es extrema para Ricardo Aragón, actor que representa a un soldado romano del Templo, quien aprehende a Jesús, le da una bofetada y luego lo presenta ante Pilatos. “Al hermano Rogelio, que hace el papel de Jesús, tengo tiempo de conocerlo y pues no era fácil golpearlo, hasta que él mismo me dijo que lo tenía que hacer. Y bueno, con el permiso de él, ya se me hizo más fácil, pero siempre, aunque haga uno de malo, nos gana el FOTOS CORTESÍA IGLESIA SAGRADO CORAZÓN

VIA CRUCIS, SEE PAGE 17

Con el paso de los años, la representación del Vía Crucis ha ganado en realismo y participación de la comunidad. Este año se espera la participación de voluntarios anglos.

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

13

Confían que Dios guíe a legisladores para encontrar solución migratoria permanente

Salvadoreños renuevan TPS por última vez CESAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — Después de casi 20 años de residir en los Estados Unidos, la vida de Elvis José Vásquez y su familia podría cambiar completamente en diciembre de 2019, fecha en la que los beneficiarios del Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) originarios de El Salvador, deberán abandonar el país tras la orden publicada por el gobierno del presidente Donald Trump el pasado mes de enero.

“Hay temor desde el momento en que pensamos que vamos a llegar a un país que desconocemos”, refirió Vázquez, casado y con dos hijos nacidos en los Estados Unidos. “La vida ha cambiado mucho en estos años que estamos ausentes. La violencia ha crecido. No es que uno desprecie de donde viene, pero buscamos una vida mejor para nuestros hijos”, señaló.

Católico practicante, el salvadoreño nacido en el Departamento de La Unión, que asiste con su familia cada domingo a la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, pide a Dios cada mañana que “nos guarde, que no vayamos a caer, que no nos encuentre ICE por ahí y nos lleve”.

“Yo confío”, añade, aunque “desde que entró el nuevo presidente me di cuenta que las cosas iban a cambiar. Ya lo veía venir, pues él lo dijo desde el principio. Ahora, para nosotros, la esperanza es que en estos meses pase algo”.

Vásquez sabe que algunas personas optan por otras alternativas para regularizar su estatus, como casarse con ciudadanos americanos desconociendo sus compromisos anteriores. “No podría hacerlo, ¿qué les diría a mis hijos? ¿Qué ejemplo les estaría dando? ¿Que nos separamos por lo material? Nosotros nos casamos por la Iglesia, sería como rechazar el compromiso. Si no hubiera conocido de Dios sería otra cosa, pero lo conozco y Él vive en nuestros corazones”, subrayó.

SE ACABA

El 19 de marzo es la fecha límite para que cerca de 260 mil salvadoreños renueven la protección temporal que les fue otorgada en 2001, tras el devastador sismo de 7.9 grados de magnitud que afectó el país centroamericano.

Para reinscribirse los salvadoreños tienen que llenar los formularios I-821, solicitud de estatus de protección temporal, y el I-765, Documento de Autorización de Empleo, además de enviar un money order por $495 a USCIS por el derecho de trámite. Quienes por alguna razón no cuentan con los fondos suficientes podrían solicitar la exención del pago.

Ana Miriam Carpio, directora ejecutiva de UNISAL,

FOTO CORTESÍA HOLA NEWS

(Derecha) La fecha límite señalada para renovar el TPS de los salvadoreños es el 9 de marzo.

(Izquierda) Elvis Vásquez, acompañado de su esposa y dos hijos nacidos en Estados Unidos, a quienes deberá llevar a su país en caso de no hallar solución a su estatus de protección temporal.

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

expresó en un comunicado publicado en la página oficial de la organización proinmigrante sin fines de lucro, que las condiciones a las que las personas regresarían son peores que cuando se marcharon.

“Tenemos familias con más de 17 años viviendo con este estatus de TPS. Es justo que se tenga, dentro de la negociación política que se lleva con el gobierno actual, una consideración para que se logre una residencia permanente para toda la comunidad tepesiana”, señaló Carpio.

Por su parte José Hernández Paris, director ejecutivo de La Coalición Latinoamericana de Charlotte, expresó su preocupación sobre los miles de salvadoreños, haitianos, nicaragüenses y probablemente hondureños que han perdido, o perderán, la protección temporal. “Quitarle la protección ya ofrecida a estas familias afecta gravemente a nuestra comunidad, generando un nivel más alto de inseguridad, inequidad y desigualdad, empeorando, no mejorando el “problema” migratorio en los Estados Unidos. Pensar que este país deporte a los padres de ciudadanos estadounidenses y/o separe familias es algo inconcebible. Seguiremos luchando por una reforma migratoria humana, que beneficie a nuestra importante comunidad inmigrante”, dijo a esta publicación.

AYUDA LEGAL

Caridades Católicas de la Diócesis de Charlotte ofrece

Salvadoreños en Carolina del Norte 5,900 tienen TPS 5,100 trabajadores con TPS 6,200 niños americanos tienen padres con TPS 256.8 millones se perderían del PBI estatal anualmente sin trabajadores con TPS 1,900 hogares de tepesianos tienen hipotecas — Fuente, Center for American Progress, October 2017 servicios legales de inmigración en sus oficinas de Charlotte ubicadas en 1123 S. Church St.; Winston-Salem, 1612 14th Street NE, y consultas remotas – a través de video – disponibles en su ubicación de Asheville.

Para programar una cita, los interesados deben llamar a las líneas de inmigración de Charlotte, 704-370-3219; Winston-Salem, 336-714-3212; y Asheville, 828-255-0146.

Las tarifas aplicadas son realmente nominales, de muy bajo costo, e incluyen revisión de evidencia, preparación y presentación de todos los formularios necesarios de USCIS y representación completa.

De otra parte, el Ministerio Hispano de la Iglesia Holy Cross en Kernersville, cuenta con asistencia migratoria especializada de lunes a viernes, de 5 a 9 de la noche, y los sábados de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. Holy Cross está ubicada en 616 South Cherry St., Kernersville, NC 27284, y puede llamar por información al 336-996-5109.

Coros de la Diócesis de Charlotte recibieron visita de famoso músico cubano CESAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — “Eres tú Señor, eres tú, eres tú en un trozo de pan y en un poco de vino”. ¿Quién no conoce este tema que se escucha en innumerables iglesias durante la comunión? Lo que probablemente no sepa es que la música y letra son inspiración de Tony Rubi, un músico cubano residente en Miami que se reunió, hace pocos días, con directores, músicos y cantantes de diversos coros de la Diócesis de Charlotte, en un taller que tenía por finalidad brindarles su experiencia de más de 40 años en el mundo musical litúrgico.

Rubi, quien afirma no ser buen músico ni cantar bien pero que ha “hecho música”, toca el piano, órgano y guitarra. “Yo desde los quince años estaba en el coro de la Iglesia”, recuerda, Y ya desde aquella época, en Cuba, era “un pecado ir a la Iglesia”, aunque reconoce que ese tipo de problemas, en vez de disminuir su interés lo incrementó.

INSPIRACIÓN Y TRABAJO

El músico afirma que para componer se requiere de inspiración y “mucho trabajo”. En el caso de “Eres tú”, el autor recuerda que la frase entera le llegó en una ocasión en la que regresaba de comulgar. “Luego tardé mas de dos

semanas en terminar la canción”, confesó.

Su trabajo se ha plasmado en cerca de 20 canciones, música para salmos y el breviario, a quienes llama “hijos”, algunos de los cuales “son más reconocidos que otros”, pero que, al final, le generan diferentes satisfacciones. Por ejemplo, cuenta, “salmos a los que les he puesto música que me gusta cantarlos porque siento que me hablan a mí”.

Respecto al encuentro con los miembros de los coros en Charlotte, dice que “lo único que estamos haciendo aquí es compartiendo”, pues “ellos me enseñan más a mí que yo a ellos”.

En los integrantes vio “intención y deseo”, pero reconoce que existe la necesidad de “madurez en el ministerio”, la que van a ir adquiriendo “con el tiempo”.

Jesús Sierra, asistente y miembro de un coro de la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, señaló que la reunión ha sido “impresionante”. “No canto tan bien como para que la gente me aplauda, pero el talento que tengo es del Señor y me siento en la obligación de retornarlo a la comunidad”, dijo.

Rubi se despidió de afirmando que para él “hoy es momento de dedicarse a cuidar de los nietos... y de lo que Dios diga”, pues lo bonito de esta tarea es que hay que ser receptor y esperar lo que venga”. “Algo que les digo a los que están al servicio de Dios es que el tiempo que dedican a la tarea se les devuelve en más del ciento por uno”.

CESAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

“Lo que he hecho no vale de nada, porque lo único que le da vida es la cruz de Jesucristo, que le da mérito a todo”, dijo Tony Rubi a los asistentes.

Our schools 14

catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

PHOTOS PROVIDED

(Left) Noah Oakley and pre-K4 teacher Mary-Anne Welch enjoy a little one-on-one learning time. (Below) Noah drew the Tudor Gothic splendor of Our Lady of Grace Church.

All in God’s Kingdom

Special academic programs at OLG embody the universality, love in Catholic education ANNIE FERGUSON CORRESPONDENT

GREENSBORO — The Quest and PACE programs at Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro have been a godsend, quite literally, for Triad families with children who have learning differences.

The Oakleys are one such family. Danny Oakley and Stacy Creed’s son Noah is a new pre-K student in Quest, the school’s autism inclusion program. Like the other children in the program, Noah spends most of the day with his peers in his regular education class.

“I researched every program that had anything to do with autism available in our area. We went on many school visits and interviews,” said Creed, a third-grade teacher in the Guilford County School System. “Quest was the best because it had everything we were looking for as far as mainstreaming the children, but also working with them so they get help where they need it.”

Besides serving children on the autism spectrum, OLG offers another area of differentiated learning needs with PACE (Providing an Appropriate Catholic Education). This program, led by teacher Sarah Doyle, is for students who are academically challenged and not able to complete all the coursework on grade level. Doyle works to increase the academic skills for students needing more individualized accommodations and modifications. The growing Quest program has two lead teachers, Colleen Wright and Kerry Sparks, with assistants Kathleen Horner and MacKenzie Boccardo helping in both PACE and Quest.

Noah’s parents knew the transition to a new school would need to be handled with great care – something the OLG staff was prepared to do. One major aid was enrolling Noah in the school’s summer camp, where he slowly warmed to his new environment. Soon, he began to call it “castle camp” – the budding artist is quite taken with the church’s majestic beauty.

Once school started, it became “castle class,” where he has increased his participation in the regular pre-K4 room

– something his parents can see for themselves in progress videos. “In music, he’s singing and doing the dances with the whole group,” Creed said. “He doesn’t want to go home when I pick him up every day. He’s pleased with going to school and is always enthusiastic. He loves his pre-K teachers, Mrs. Welch and Mrs. Meza.”

It is especially fulfilling for Principal Kathleen Miller to see students, parents and teachers enjoy victories like these. A veteran educator, Miller played a lead role in overseeing differentiated learning programs in Charlotte during her tenure as assistant superintendent.

With a Bachelor of Science in intellectual disabilities and a master’s degree in education focusing on learning disabilities from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., Miller was a natural fit for helping build the PACE program in Charlotte during the 2013-’14 school year.

Miller worked with a committee of administrators, teachers and parents to bring the PACE program to fruition in Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools during the 2014-’15 school year.

The MACS School Board initiated the program and diocesan leadership supported the effort. At the time, Miller’s predecessor at OLG used planning components

from Miller’s work with the committee to start Quest at OLG. To better serve the needs of OLG students, the PACE concept was modified from its mission of serving students who have a specific learning disability to serving those who learn best with a modified curriculum.

In her 39th year as an educator and soon to retire, Miller sees her work as a calling. “We’re all created in the image and likeness of God, so how can you say no to a child with a disability? We can do more programs and meet more needs,” Miller said. “As a Catholic Church, we are called to accept any child whose needs we can meet.”

Inclusivity isn’t just a buzzword at OLG – it’s woven into the school’s culture.

“The kids help one another; they are so gentle about it.

I’m seeing them at Mass helping one another. No one else necessarily notices these everyday things, but I see that it really is inclusive,” Miller said. “The Quest and PACE students are going to afterschool care, being on teams, and in clubs and the talent show. They feel safe, and it’s easier to do this in a smaller school.”

Miller notes that all the diocesan schools provide differentiated learning accommodations, but right now OLG is the only one with this type and level of program.

Catholic schools are not restricted by state and local guidelines, she explained. That’s why OLG has been able to design programs based on the needs of children and families while living out the tenets of the school’s mission “to serve and to lead with love, respect, dignity and integrity.”

“I’ve seen self-contained programs, and I have seen students who are integrated,” Miller said. “I think a lot of our success is that it’s in a Catholic school.”

Though Creed and her family aren’t Catholic, they agree.

“Noah goes to Mass every Wednesday. He appreciates it. He sees the beauty of the church, and it’s like, ‘Wow! Who is this child?’” Creed said. “I appreciate the religious aspect that the public schools can’t do. They sang ‘Away in a Manger’ in the Christmas program!”

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief CCHS announces National Merit Scholarship Finalists CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School announces that seniors Mary Cecilia Polking, Connor Blaise Ruff and Matthew Louis Weber, named National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists earlier in the school year, have all advanced in the competition and are now Finalists.

Polking has served on the Student Council, is in the National Honor Society and the CCHS Color Guard, and has competed on the track team. She has volunteered as an assistant catechist at her church, as a tutor at the Missionaries of Charity Convent, and as an assistant teacher with Vacation Bible School.

She works as a grader/assistant at Kumon of Charlotte. She won an AP Scholar award as a junior, and earned highest honors on the National Latin Examination four years in a row.

She is the daughter of Christian and Jean Marie Polking of Charlotte, and the eldest of eight children.

Ruff is the president of the CCHS Speech and Debate Team, as well as the captain of the team’s Public Form division. He has had a volunteer internship at Levine Children’s Hospital and has volunteered at the Pineville Firehouse. As a sophomore, he served as Captain of the JV Soccer team. He has played soccer at CCHS all four years, and also played club soccer during his freshman and sophomore years. He works as a soccer referee and at AutoBell as well. He is in Honors Choir and was chosen to perform with the “Singing Sergeants” of the U.S. Air Force Band. He has earned the

Bronze Award from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, and studied abroad through Oxbridge Academy. He is the son of Michael and Jenifer Ruff of Charlotte.

Weber attended the Niner Academy Leader Institute at UNC-Charlotte, a summer program focusing on leadership and community engagement. He has played alto saxophone for six years, and as a member of the CCHS Marching Band, he played in the Limerick International Band Festival and the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He was awarded first chair in the CCHS Symphonic Band. He has volunteered with Servants with a Heart, PurpleStride, and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He has run winter and spring track at CCHS, as well as cross country. He won the Cougar Award for Academic Excellence as a freshman and sophomore, and earned First Honors three years in a row. He s the son of Mark and Patti Weber of Charlotte.

“Mary, Connor and Matthew are outstanding students,” said Principal Kurt Telford. “More importantly, they are outstanding people, and we are very proud of them.”

Nearly 1.6 million high school juniors from more than 22,000 high schools nationwide entered the 2018 competition by taking the Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in the fall of 2016. Approximately 16,000 students qualified as semifinalists, representing less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors. This group includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

From this group of students, approximately 15,000 finalists have just been named, and more than half of all finalists will receive either a Merit Scholarship or a Special Scholarship from a corporate sponsor. Winners will be announced between April and July. They will join more than 300,000 other distinguished students who have earned the National Merit Scholar title.

The National Merit Scholarship program was founded in 1955 to distinguish and honor academically talented American high school

students and to encourage them to develop their talents and skills to the fullest. The competition is very rigorous, and scholarship winners are chosen based on their skills, abilities, extracurricular accomplishments and potential for future success.

— Carolyn Kramer Tillman

CCHS Theatre students shine at NCTC Festival CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School announces that its Theatre Department competed successfully at the N.C. Theatre Conference High School Play Festival. The theatre students, led by Marcus Riter, made the school and community proud with their presentations of “Curst Be He Who Moves My Bones” by Thomas Hischak, and “No Gray Area,” written by Riter. Professional actors and directors watched each show, gave thoughtful feedback to the students, and selected the award winners.

The following awards were presented to the CCHS theatre students: n “Curst Be He That Moves My Bones,” Rating: Superior, Festival Spirit Award n Barbizon Excellence in Design and

Production – Stage Management: Caroline Craig and Gabbie Overcash for “Curst Be He That Moves My Bones” and “No Gray Area” n Excellence in Acting: Katie Dozzi for “No Gray Area” n Excellence in Ensemble Acting: “Curst Be He That Moves My Bones” n Theatre Arts Award – Excellence in Design Concept: “No Gray Area” n Theatre Arts Award – Excellence in Creation of Physical Environment: “Curst Be He That Moves My Bones” For more than 30 years, the NCTC High School Play Festival has strengthened arts education in schools by bringing curriculum to life, challenging students to do their best work, and contributing to the development of future audiences for live performing arts. The program is the largest high school theatre event in the Southeast, and has been replicated in nine other states. This year, 3,000 students from 93 schools performed 126 plays at the festival.

The CCHS Fine Arts Department is a growing, vibrant group in which students have the opportunity to experiment in many different disciplines including Band, Choral Music, Dance, Photography, Visual Art and Theatre.

— Carolyn Kramer Tillman

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL Christ the King Catholic School (www.christking.org ), a K-8 Parish school located in Atlanta (Buckhead), Georgia, seeks a dynamic and visionary principal for the 2018-2019 school year; the position is available July 1, 2018. With a long standing history of providing quality Catholic education in the Atlanta community, Christ the King School is a twice-recognized U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Christ the King School enrolls 555 students with a dedicated and professional staff of 75. The school is fully accredited through AdvancED’s District-Wide Accreditation of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

The successful candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church; applicants should be an experienced Catholic elementary school instructional leader who possess superior communication and collaboration skills. Additional requirements include: hold a minimum of a Master’s degree (doctorate preferred) in Educational Leadership; a minimum of five years of Catholic school chief administrator experience; ability to lead and implement the final phases of a parish/school $30 million capital campaign; a collaborative leadership style to lead others in the mission of Catholic education; knowledgeable in current areas of pedagogy and professional development and exhibit excellent instructional leadership.

Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience. The Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Atlanta have been certified as a Drug-Free Work Place.

$5000 GRAND PRIZE

RAFFLE TICKETS $100 ONLY 300 SOLD

For more info, visit www.roominn.org or contact Marianne at 336.391.6299 or by email mdonadio@roominn.org

15

Send resume, letter of interest and three professional references by March 12, 2018, to: Diane Starkovich, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools Archdiocese of Atlanta 2401 Lake Park Drive S.E. Smyrna, Georgia 30080-8862 dstarkovich@archatl.com No phone calls, please.

Mix 16

catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

In theaters

Carolina Catholic Chorale produces first album KIMBERLY BENDER ONLINE REPORTER

‘Every Day’ Strange teen romance in which a high school student (Angourie Rice) falls for a spirit who inhabits the bodies of different people for a day at a time, originally encountering the androgynous sprite when it takes over her normally self-absorbed and inattentive boyfriend, transforming him into the kind of caring companion for which she naturally longs.

Taken together with the script’s indication that physical interaction before marriage is a given, and that Christians are devil-fearing fools, that implicit agenda item makes the film unfit for its target audience of adolescents. A denigrating portrayal of Protestant Christianity, several crude and crass terms.

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

‘Game Night’ Family values and much enjoyable humor are offset by numerous distasteful jokes and an excess of vulgar language in this comedy.

A competition-loving couple (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams) find their usually placid game night transformed when his suave brother comes to town for a visit and arranges a fake kidnapping, that the duo and their friends will have to solve with each other. As the audience realizes before the characters do, something all-too-authentically criminal soon begins to unfold amid the entertainment. Though the film’s premise rests on an unlikely coincidence, and a couple of its sight gags are quite gory, those few grown ups for whom it makes suitable fare will note the portrayal of a strong marriage and a positive view of parenthood. Profanity, pervasive rough and crude language.

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

‘Samson’ Spirited biblically based drama in which the super-strong champion (Taylor James) of the oppressed Israelites skylarks with his younger brother, romances a Philistine gal, but also tangles with the wicked prince who embodies that people’s tyrannical and exploitative rule over the occupied Promised Land. As Samson mows down his foes, with femme fatale Delilah, waiting in the wings, director Bruce Macdonald follows the formula of golden-age Hollywood adaptations of the Good Book with large-scale battles, a love angle and an effete villain.

Though some of the necessary expansion on the Old Testament account fails to convince, this is generally an enjoyable riff on the Hebrew he-man’s story. Not suitable for the youngest viewers, it can provide a fine introduction to the subject for teens. Much combat violence.

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

CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Catholic Chorale, a performing group known for singing at Latin Masses, has released its first CD: “Masses of Caldara, Mozart and more.”

Carolina Catholic Chorale was founded five years ago by Thomas Savoy, director of sacred music and liturgical events at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. There’s about 25 singers in the Chorale on the recording.

The recording features two full Masses – the “Mass in A” of Antonio Caldara and the “Piccolomini Mass” (K. 258) of W.A. Mozart – as well as three other shorter works by Mozart and Johann Michael Haydn.

“It’s a work of unsurpassed beauty,” said Savoy, who is also the artistic director of the Chorale. “This is a landmark presentation in that it includes what we believe is the world premiere recording of the ‘Mass in A’ of Antonio Caldara; a work not heard for over 250 years. The Chorale, soloists and orchestra have never sounded better.”

The CD, released last fall, is now also available to download on iTunes and stream on Spotify. It includes 15 total tracks.

“The people in the group are great singers, they’re wonderful people and they’re tremendously excited about this and its success. It’s been received very well,” Savoy said.

The CD was recorded at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.

“It’s a beautiful place, not only to look at but also to make music in. It’s really superb acoustically,” Savoy noted.

The CD is compilation of songs the Chorale would ordinarily sing in the context of traditional Latin Masses, Savoy said. The group is often asked for recordings of its music and until now had nothing to offer, Savoy said. That’s one of the reasons the Chorale wanted to record a CD. “Part of the mission of the group is to acquaint people with the tradition of their faith,” Savoy said. “It’s not just a musical performance. When you put it inside the liturgy, it’s faith and art joined together. It’s very, very powerful.

We find that our work evangelizes people. Music is sort of the ‘gateway drug’ to things that are much more profound than even the music.”

Savoy produced a CD for a similar group he had founded in New York some years ago. He took his experience there and applied it to the Charlotte group’s efforts.

“You learn a lot by doing it. A lot of the mistakes you make, you try not to make them a second time,” Savoy said. “You more or less learn how to pull resources and use time most efficiently, when to let go, and when to take a second take. It was a world of difference this time around.”

Now that the first CD is under its belt, Savoy said, the Chorale is already looking at what the next recording project could be. He said there are a lot of gems from Catholic composers that would be great to share with the world.

“We’re not necessarily a recording group,

nor do we necessarily do concerts,” Savoy said, but, he added, “I think it’s important to bring to light things people haven’t heard before.”

The Chorale welcomes interested musicians to audition. The group runs on donations, and any proceeds from the sale of the CD will benefit the Chorale.

More online At www.carolinacatholicchorale.com: Order the CD “Masses of Caldara, Mozart and more” for $15, including shipping, and learn more about the Chorale Purchase all 15 tracks on iTunes for $9.99 and stream it on Spotify.

On TV n Friday, March 2, 3:20 p.m. (EWTN) “ A Lenten Pilgrimage: St. Cecilia.” Dr. Timothy O’Donnell, president of Christendom College, examines the Lenten Stational Churches of Rome. n Saturday, March 3, 3 p.m..

(EWTN) “Marian Procession from the Holy Land.” A monthly rosary procession from the site of the Annunciation and Incarnation in Nazareth. n Saturday, March 3, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Polycarp.” When the Roman proconsul demands all citizens to worship Caesar, Polycarp and other Christians must find the courage to stand up for their faith against the growing threat of persecution.

N Sunday, March 4, 10:30 a.m.

(EWTN) “Air Theatre: The Story of Augustine Institute Radio Theatre.” A documentary on the Augustine Institute’s efforts to reclaim the arts and media for the New Evangelization. n Sunday, March 4, 5:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Lent: A Season of Grace – Persevere in Prayer.”

Father Cedric prepares Catholics for their Lenten journey to Easter with a series of meditations focused on revolutionizing how they see grace, love and redemptive suffering. n Monday, March 5, 9:30 a.m.

(EWTN) “Lent at Ephesus.”The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles in Northwest Missouri transform their priory into a modern, high-tech recording studio for three days to produce an album of sacred music for the Lenten season. n Saturday, March 10, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Ignatius of Loyola: Soldier, Sinner, Saint.” Discover how the founder of the Jesuit order and “Saint of Second Chances” went from a selfobsessed sinner to loyal soldier of Christ. n Monday, March 12, 5:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Church in Puerto Rico.” Known for his heroic virtues, Blessed Charlie Manuel Rodriguez Santiago was the first American lay person to be beatified. n Tuesday, March 13, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Tokimane.” A documentary profiling the efforts and remarkable people of the Diocese of Tshumbe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who are working to rebuild their community in the wake of a catastrophic war. n Wednesday, March 14, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Rising from the Ashes.” A documentary on infant mortality in Sierra Leone and the alliance effort of the Healey International Foundation to bring hope and healing.

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

PAPACY FROM PAGE 2

scandal. Priests and nuns left in large numbers. There were battles over the legacy of Vatican II and the rise of “liberation theology” in Latin America. Pope John Paul II was elected, the first non-Italian pope in 400 years.

He was a towering figure on the world stage, traveling more than any pope in history and issuing more than a dozen major encyclicals. He played a key role in the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe. During his 27-year pontificate he opposed socialism and communism, encouraged evangelization especially among youth, reached out to non-Christians, published a new Catechism, affirmed priestly celibacy, stated that the Church had no authority to ordain women, and personally communicated with political and religious leaders and peoples worldwide.

He is contested by some, respected by all, and loved by many.

VIA CRUCIS FROM PAGE 12

sentimiento y va uno llorando”, afirma.

Miguel Aragón, veterano integrante de la representación desde sus inicios, asegura que el crecimiento ha sido constante, y aunque “muchas veces se batalla en el trabajo y en las prácticas hay controversia, cuando llega el momento de actuar, que en realidad es una misión de evangelizar, todo se transforma”.

En contraste Mario Soto, uno de los dos nuevos integrantes del elenco, afirma nunca haber vivido un Vía Crucis, “que si he visto en México”,

When Pope Benedict XVI, a scholar, was elected in 2005, he had been serving as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. His extraordinary homily at Pope John Paul II’s funeral gave him worldwide recognition.

This was the time of the scandal of clerical sexual abuse, an issue that affected him deeply. He wrote three encyclicals addressing charity, hope and love, and his other publications were prolific. During his papacy he attempted to improve relations with Muslims, addressed the United Nations, and was the first pope to use social media (Twitter) in seven languages. The impact of his papacy is still to be evaluated. He resigned in 2013, the first to do so without outside pressure since Celestine V in 1294, and he continues to reside in the Vatican.

The election of Pope Francis, the first pope from the Americas and a Jesuit, set a new environment. He is characterized by his humility and support of the world’s poor and marginalized people. In the Church and the world, he accepts ancient challenges and presents new perspectives. He has made his goals child protection, financial transparency, the care of creation, and the reorganization and reform of the Vatican government,

pero ahora mismo “que me he estado acercando más a la Iglesia, como que siento más el llamado de servir en algo para la gloria de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo”.

MISIÓN EVANGELIZADORA

La representación se realiza en los exteriores de la iglesia, en un recorrido de alrededor de media milla, y año a año congrega más y más fieles deseosos de vivir la Pasión de Cristo.

Este año, según refiere Medrano, se integrarán entre cuatro a cinco voluntarios anglos, entre ellos uno que desea interpretar el papel de Pilatos, el gobernador de Judea nombrado por el emperador romano Tiberio.

“También esperamos al director de la

escuela (Sagrado Corazón) que va a representar a un soldado romano”.

Según el grupo, la recompensa no son las palmas ni felicitaciones al concluir la obra. “Cuando termina la representación, nos reunimos y el llanto surge espontáneamente. Nos abrazamos. Es una emocion grande porque nos vemos como hermanos y damos gracias a Dios porque sentimos que la gente que llega a vernos se lleva una enseñanza que les sirve para integrarse más a la comunidad”.

Por ello, el Viernes Santo visite la Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón en Salisbury, 375 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury, NC 28147. Llame al 704633-0591 para confirmar la hora de la representación.

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specifically the Curia. While he is involved in political diplomacy, he is a model of advocacy for all in need. He addressed the United Nations and the U.S. Congress during his 2015 visit to the United States. His impact on the history of the papacy and the Church, while in process, appears to be highly significant.

One wonders what St. Peter would think of the papacy today?

MERCY SISTER JEANNE-MARGARET MCNALLY is an authority on canon law and frequent lecturer at universities and dioceses. A graduate of The Catholic University of America with multiple degrees including a doctorate in psychology and a licentiate of canon law (JCL), she is a psychologist for the Tribunal of the Diocese of Charlotte and a judge in the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Miami.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See a list of every pope in the Church’s history with links to their biographies

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Antes de iniciar los ensayos, el elenco se toma de las manos, ora y se encomienda al Espíritu Santo.

This Lent, come join us in prayer at the

Traditional Latin Mass.

The Mass of Calvary.

The Mass of the Martyrs & the Saints.

Sundays 9:00 am Low Mass (Offered during Lent) Charlotte Catholic HS Chapel 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road Charlotte, North Carolina

The Mass of our Ancestors.

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Sundays 12:30 pm High Mass (Coffee & Donuts after Mass) St. Ann Catholic Church 3635 Park Road Charlotte, North Carolina

Latin-English & Latin-Spanish Mass booklets will be available as well as a pamphlet on the connections between the Traditional Latin Mass and the Passion of Christ. For more information, please contact the Charlotte Latin Mass Community at info@charlottelatinmass.org; or visit www.charlottelatinmass.org.

Our nation 18

catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

With growing student activism on gun violence, will lawmakers act?

DENNIS SADOWSKI CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Determination and resolve, mixed with frustration and anger, are guiding a new round of resolute activism to reshape federal gun laws.

The drive is fueled largely by high school students who survived yet another mass school shooting, this one Feb. 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Seventeen people, including 14 students, died in the assault that a former student armed with a semiautomatic rifle carried out, according to police. He was said to have shown signs of mental illness.

The incident left a country wondering how such incidents could happen again and again and again.

The number of mass shooting incidents across the country in recent years is alarming. This year 34 mass shootings, resulting in 60 deaths and 144 injuries, have been recorded by the online site Gun Violence Archive. The Feb. 14 incident was the most serious by far.

The site defines a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people were killed or injured.

The data reveals 346 mass shootings in all of 2017; 383 in 2016; 333 in 2015; and 271 in 2014.

In response to the Parkland incident, students nationwide walked out of classrooms Feb. 21 to call on lawmakers to adopt stricter gun laws, boost school security and fund what they see as a woefully inadequate mental health care system.

A walkout of sorts also was undertaken in the Archdiocese of Miami, in which Parkland is located. High school students were given the opportunity to gather on athletic fields on their campuses for 15 minutes of reflection about their response to the violence.

“We were able to have our kids participate in the spirit of it,” Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski said.

The question remains: How will elected officials respond to the student demands?

At the White House in Washington, President Donald Trump held “listening sessions” with Parkland high school students, parents and teachers, among others, in an effort to formulate a response to mass shootings. Attendees included victims of the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in a Denver suburb and the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

At least one policymaker, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., seemed willing to consider some changes in gun laws.

Facing an angry audience of students and parents during a CNN-sponsored town hall meeting in Sunrise, Fla., Feb. 21, Rubio conceded that steps could be taken to reduce gun violence. An ardent gun rights backer, Rubio, who is Catholic, said he would support raising the age at which people can buy rifles, was open to reconsidering the size of gun magazines and disagreed with Trump’s proposal to arm teachers.

He stopped short of supporting a ban on assault weapons, like the kind used in the Parkland attack, saying that such a ban existed from 1994 to 2004 and proved ineffective because gun manufacturers and owners found ways to slightly change a

CNS | JONATHAN DRAKE, REUTERS

High school students hold candles in front of the North Carolina Capitol in Raleigh Feb. 20 in memory of the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. The students were calling for safer gun laws after 17 people were killed when 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz stormed the Parkland school Feb. 14 with an AR-15 semi-automatic style weapon. weapon to make it meet the requirements of the law.

Another Republican, Sen. Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, has said in the aftermath of Parkland he was looking to reintroduce legislation that would expand background checks of gun buyers. Similar earlier efforts by Toomey, who also is Catholic, have failed under National Rifle Association resistance.

Toomey spokesman Sam Fisher told CNS in an email that the senator “is committed to improving the federal background check system, and continues to reach out to senators on both sides of the aisle to see where progress can be made on the issue.”

“He is also open to new legislation establishing stricter penalties for people who steal or illegally possess firearms, specifically those who provide false information during the background check process,” Fisher said.

The NRA has borne the students’ wrath.

Across the country young people have challenged lawmakers to choose between protecting students or standing with the NRA. The young sudden political activists have called for the defeat at the polls of any candidate who fails to act to ban assaultstyle weapons.

The students have pointed to the millions of dollars the NRA spends on political activities, including contributions to

candidates’ campaigns. Since 1998 the NRA has spent $203.2 million on political activities, according to data cited by Politifact.

Despite the pressure from the young people and family members of gun violence victims, Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, doubled down on the organization’s stance that it would not accept any limits on gun ownership.

Addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference annual meeting outside Washington Feb. 22, LaPierre decried efforts to ban guns of any sort, lashing out at what he called political elites who want to “eliminate our firearms freedoms and eradicate all the individual freedoms.”

“They hate the NRA, they hate the Second Amendment, they hate individual freedom,” he said.

That’s hardly the case in the eyes of gun control advocates, who see assault-style weapons in private hands as a threat to human life.

Archbishop Wenski welcomed the student activism.

“It’s a good harbinger for the future that our future citizens will be actively engaged in the political process,” he said.

Echoing the long-standing position of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Wenski said “reasonable” gun control was necessary to prevent firearms

from getting into the wrong hands.

“The Church has been engaged on this issue of gun control for a good amount of time,” he said. “We supported the assault weapons ban in 1994 and various statements and letters to (Capitol) Hill when various types of gun legislation were proposed. We generally came out in support of reasonable regulation of firearms.

“The Church’s position is clear on this.

Our position doesn’t win us many friends among the NRA,” the archbishop said, suggesting, “I think we will continue to be engaged on this issue.”

He also called for improved funding of mental health services, which he said had been “broken for a long time” and questioned the arming of classroom teachers.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court Feb. 20 declined to hear a constitutional challenge to a California law requiring a 10day waiting period for gun purchases. The decision, vehemently opposed by Justice Clarence Thomas in a 14-page opinion, follows a pattern of the court in recent years shying away from the national debate on gun control.

The court last considered gun cases in 2008 and 2010, when justices ruled that individuals have a right to own a gun for self-defense in their homes.

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Graham recalled for deep faith, his invitation to everyone to know Christ WASHINGTON, D.C. — The body of evangelist Billy Graham lay in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda Feb. 28-March 1 – the first private citizen to receive the honor since civil rights heroine Rosa Parks in 2005.

Born in Charlotte, Graham died at his home in Montreat at age 99.

An outpouring of statements paid tribute to the man who was easily the most famous evangelist of the 20th century.

“The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham gave us an inspiring example of a life lived in total dedication to Jesus Christ and His Gospel,” said Bishop Peter Jugis. “Through his ministry he

taught the world that Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. May the Father of mercies now receive Dr. Graham into His loving embrace.

The condolences and prayers of the Catholic Church are with the Graham family at this time.”

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of GalvestonHouston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Rev. Billy Graham was “a preacher of God’s word not only in his sermons, but also in the very life he lived.

“Today, we pray for the soul of the Rev. Billy Graham Graham to the Lord he so dearly loved and offer our condolences to his family,” the cardinal said in a statement about the Feb. 21 death of the world famous Baptist preacher. “His faith and integrity invited countless thousands around the world into a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for the ministry of Billy Graham,” Cardinal DiNardo said.

After the viewing in Washington Graham’s body returned to North Carolina for his funeral March 2 at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte.

Supreme Court blocks Trump administration’s effort to end DACA in March WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court has dealt a blow to the Trump administration’s effort to end a program in March that protects young adults brought to the U.S. without legal permission as minors. On Feb. 26, the court declined to hear and rule on whether the administration has the right to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

In September, President Donald Trump announced his administration was ending the program, giving lawmakers until March 5 to find a legislative solution to protect the young adults benefiting from DACA. Two federal judges have blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to end the program, ruling the government must continue to accept renewal applications for DACA. In turn, the administration asked the Supreme Court to hear and rule on one of those decisions, from a judge in California, in an effort to bypass the process of an appeal going through the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals based in San Francisco.

— Catholic News Service

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Our world 20

catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Pope appeals for end to inhumane fighting, evil of war in Syria CAROL GLATZ CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — Calling the war in Syria “inhumane,” Pope Francis called for an end to the fighting, immediate access to humanitarian aid for those in need and the evacuation of the injured and infirm.

“My thoughts often turn to that beloved and martyred Syria where the war has intensified, especially in eastern Ghouta,” he said Feb. 25 after praying the Angelus with people gathered in St. Peter Square.

“This month of February has been one of the most violent in seven years of conflict: hundreds, thousands of civilian victims – children, woman, the elderly. Hospitals have been hit and people can’t get anything to eat,” he said.

“All of this is inhumane,” he said.

“Evil cannot be fought with evil. And war is an evil.”

The pope then launched a “heartfelt

appeal that the violence immediately end, that access to humanitarian aid – food and medicine – be given and that the injured and ill be evacuated” from an area under rebel control.

The pope’s appeal came after intensified fighting in eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus.

Although the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Feb. 24 for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, government forces continued their weeklong offensive against the rebel-held suburb of Ghouta.

Humanitarian groups reported more than a dozen civilians were hospitalized for symptoms suspected to be associated with a chlorine gas attack.

At least 500 people had been killed in the fighting in the week before the pope spoke, and the remaining residents – 400,000 people, down from 2 million before the civil war started in 2011 – continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition.

Christian leaders reopen Church of the Holy Sepulcher JUDITH SUDILOVSKY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

JERUSALEM — Christian leaders in the Holy Land reopened the Church of the Holy Sepulcher Feb. 28 after the Israeli government set up a negotiating team to resolve a municipal dispute over property taxes.

The heads of Christian churches expressed “gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly to uphold the Christian presence in Jerusalem and to defend the Status Quo,” the 19th-century agreement governing Jerusalem’s holy places. They said they looked forward to bargaining with the government committee “to ensure that our holy city, where our Christian presence continues to face challenges, remains a place where the three monotheistic faiths may live and thrive together.”

The committee’s formation was announced Feb. 27, two days after Christian leaders closed the doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on the site where Jesus was buried.

Church leaders sent out a brief press notice acknowledging they had received a statement from the prime minister’s office concerning the crisis and said they were holding consultations.

The church remained closed for a third day as pilgrims continued to visit the square in front of the church, to pray, kneel and sing hymns.

Although the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was not being taxed, in early February the Jerusalem Municipality announced it would begin collecting $186.4 million in

property taxes from some 887 Church-owned properties that were not houses of prayer.

The Israel Hayom newspaper reported that the religious institution with the biggest tax bill was the Roman Catholic Church, owing more than $3.3 million.

Among the properties slated to be fined was the Vatican-owned Notre Dame of Jerusalem hotel, restaurant and conference center across from the Old City. The director of the complex declined to comment on the issue.

The Holy See and Israel have been in negotiations over the status of its Jerusalem holdings since 1993, when diplomatic relations were established.

The Israeli government said the team negotiating the current tax crisis would consist of representatives of the finance, foreign affairs and interior ministries as well as from the Jerusalem Municipality. According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, the Jerusalem Municipality will suspend the collection actions it has taken in recent weeks.

The Church leaders said taxing commercial properties decreases revenues for the Church’s good works and breaches “existing agreements and international obligations which guarantee the rights and the privileges of the churches, in what seems as attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem.”

The Church leaders’ closing of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher during Lent, close to Easter, the busiest time for pilgrims, drew international attention and condemnation.

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In Brief Pope says Paul VI will be declared a saint this year VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis told pastors in the Diocese of Rome that Blessed Paul VI would be canonized this year. The pope’s announcement came at the end of a questionand-answer session with the priests Feb. 15; the Vatican released the text of the exchange three days later. Archbishop Angelo De Donatis, papal vicar for Rome, had told the priests that they would be receiving a book of “meditations” about priesthood drawn from speeches from each pope, from Blessed Paul VI to Pope Francis.

That prompted Pope Francis to comment, “There are two (recent) bishops of Rome who already are saints,” Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II. “Paul VI will be a saint this year.” The sainthood cause of Pope John Paul I is open, he noted, before adding, “Benedict (XVI) and I are on the waiting list; pray for us.”

Pope renews membership of child protection commission VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has named nine new members to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, including abuse survivors or the parents of survivors, the Vatican said. However, respecting “the right of each person to disclose their experiences of abuse publicly or not to do so,” the commission said Feb. 17, “the members appointed today have chosen not do so publicly, but solely within the commission.” Pope Francis re-appointed

Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston to be president of the commission, which the pope originally established in 2014. The terms of the original members had expired in December.

The first group of members had included two survivors who were very public about their experience of abuse as children. Peter Saunders, a British survivor and advocate, was asked by the commission to take a leave of absence in 2016; Marie Collins, an Irish survivor and advocate, announced in March 2017 that she had resigned.

The new members, whose appointments were announced by the Vatican Feb. 17 include: Benyam Dawit Mezmur, an Ethiopian who was chair of the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2015-17; Indian Sister Arina Gonsalves, a certified counselor and consultant on abuse cases; Neville Owen, a judge and former chair of the Australian Catholic Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council; Sinalelea Fe’ao, chief education officer for the Diocese of Tonga and Niue; and Myriam Wijlens, a canon law professor from the Netherlands.

Vatican agency: Nearly 50,000 baptisms logged in China in 2017 VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church in China registered 48,556 baptisms in 2017, reflecting the vitality and missionary strength of the Catholic communities there, according to a report by Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The figures likely are incomplete, however, given the difficulty of procuring data from Catholic communities in the rural parts of China, the report said. But the numbers still “reflect the vitality and the missionary dynamism of a community that fully lives faith,” said the organization conducting the annual survey: the Faith Institute for Cultural Studies, a Churchrun organization based in Shijiazhuang. Fides republished the organization’s findings Feb. 15.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 2, 2018 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Robert Barron

I

Bobby Speers

The death of an evangelical titan

had the privilege of hearing the Rev. Billy Graham preach about 20 years ago in Cincinnati. At the time, Dr. Graham was around 80 years old and clearly in frail health. He came to the podium and commenced to speak, but the crowd of young people, stirred up by the Christian rock bands who had performed earlier, was restive and inattentive.

Graham paused, folded his hands and quietly said, “Let us pray.” With that, a stadium of 50,000 people fell silent. Once a spirit of reverence held sway, the preacher resumed. I remember thinking, “What an old pro!”

That old pro, arguably the greatest Christian evangelist of the past 100 years, died last week at 99, and it’s difficult to overstate his impact and importance. It is said that he directly addressed 215 million people in 185 countries in the course of his ministry. No other preacher, in the entire history of Christianity, has had such a range. At the height of his powers, he filled arenas and stadiums, for weeks at a time, in some of the most jaded, materialistic and skeptical cities in the world. And when preachers and other religious celebrities all around him were falling into scandal and corruption, Billy Graham stood tall, a man of integrity. His moral heroism was on particularly clear display in the early years of the civil rights movement. Especially in his native South, it was the unquestioned practice to seat black people in segregated sections of churches and arenas.

Though it cost him quite a few of his traditional supporters, Graham insisted that his crusades should be racially integrated. Impressed by this show of courage, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became a friend and appeared with Graham at a crusade in 1957.

What was it about his preaching that was so compelling? I suppose in his early years, he demonstrated a fair amount of “flash,” prowling the stage, waving his arms and moving dramatically from whispering to shouting. But as he matured, a fair amount of that theatricality faded away. What remained was a gentle sense of humor (usually self-deprecating), an obvious sincerity, a keen intelligence, and above all, a clarity regarding the essentials of the Gospel. Practically every Billy Graham sermon had the same basic structure: you have sought happiness in wealth, pleasure, material things, fame, etc., and you’ve never been satisfied; I want to tell you about what will make you happy. At this point, he would speak of Christ crucified and risen from the dead. Now please don’t get me wrong – and don’t write me letters! As a Catholic, I affirm that there is more to salvation than accepting Jesus Christ in faith; there is the full integration into the life of Christ that happens through the instrumentality of the Church and her sacraments. Nevertheless, Catholics and Protestants come together in asserting – as Billy Graham consistently did – that we are sinners who stand in need of Christ’s saving grace. In point of fact, a generous ecumenism was one of the marks of Billy Graham’s approach. It didn’t bother him in the least if someone whose religious journey commenced at one of his crusades continued and came to fulfillment in the Catholic Church.

Much has been made of his relationship with presidents, monarchs and prime ministers. He did indeed minister personally to 12 U.S. presidents, and the wonderful Netflix series “The Crown” shows something of the impact he had on Queen Elizabeth II. But I’ve never been particularly taken with this dimension of Graham’s life, which seemed,

Will your Lent be sacrificial or superficial?

L

to me anyway, more sizzle than steak. In fact, one of the low points of his career had to have been his meek acquiescence to Richard Nixon’s anti-Semitic musings, captured on White House tapes. To his credit, Dr. Graham repeatedly apologized for that lapse. He was far more powerful and spiritually efficacious when he prayed over the thousands of ordinary people who had responded to an altar call at the close of a crusade.

When I started my own evangelical ministry, Word on Fire, some 20 years ago, I drew some very practical inspiration from Billy Graham. In his autobiography “Just As I Am,” Graham stated that, as he was getting his ministry underway, he told his colleagues that three things tend to undermine an evangelist’s work: trouble with sex, trouble with alcohol, or trouble with money. They were all to endeavor, he said, to avoid these three traps. When I met with the Word on Fire board for the first time, I relayed this story, and I commented, “I’ll take care of the sex and the alcohol, you take care of the money!”

I love the story of Billy Graham’s first encounter with my evangelical hero, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. These two titans of preaching were on the same train from Washington to New York.

Sheen found out about Graham’s presence, and he knocked on the door of the Protestant’s berth and said, “Billy, I wonder whether we might have a chat and a prayer?” Though he was preparing for bed, Billy Graham acquiesced and the two of them spent several hours in spiritual conversation – the beginning of a friendship that endured until Sheen’s death. I’ve always taken great pleasure in that image of brotherhood across denominational lines.

I believe that anyone who reverences the Christian Gospel owes Billy Graham a debt of gratitude.

Requiescat in pace.

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He is also the host of “Catholicism,” an award-winning documentary about the Catholic faith.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Remembering the Rev. Billy Graham’s legacy, including his historic visit to Belmont Abbey College in 1967

ent is here and without giving it much thought, we’ve probably found something to “give up.” After years of Lent, this is a common attitude. But will our penance be a sweet sacrificial offering to God, or a superficial response given from our surplus and spurious half-hearted piety? What will motivate us to take a giant leap of faith?

First, we need to examine why we go through the religious motions of Lent if our hearts aren’t in it. Do you give up chocolate every year? Do you really eat chocolate every day, making it a worthwhile sacrifice? If you’re doing it because that’s what everyone else gives up, think again.

Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees in Mark 7:6-7. “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’ Jesus quoted from Isaiah 29:13. Mankind has not changed.

He also offered the following spiritual guidance in Mark 12:3840: “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” Either these words brought them to their knees in tears or their chins wagged in anger!

Jesus taught the truth, whether people wanted to hear it or not. In Matthew 23:27-28, he reproaches: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.” Hearing these rebukes, the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus.

Sometimes we don’t realize that Jesus, Our Savior, had the option and the ability to be sacrificial or superficial, knowing the outcome of His circumstances. Judas would betray Him with a kiss, handing him over to the soldiers for a few pieces of silver.

Peter, the disciple who gave him his upmost loyalty, denied Him. All the other disciples, whom He loved and patiently taught for three years, deserted Him. The people, who were waiting for the Messiah, voiced fraudulent accusations and allowed a murderer to be set free in His stead. He suffered torture and public ridicule, all while knowing that His own precious mother would experience His spiritual pain, sorrow, physical suffering, scorn and loneliness. All this to save his people from their sins! For a moment in time, Jesus would be separated from His own loving and eternal Father. This was the price He would pay if He drank the cup!

As is described in Luke 22: 40-46, Jesus had to decide: “Then going out He went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not undergo the test.’ After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, He prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from Me; still, not my will but Yours be done.’ And to strengthen Him an angel from heaven appeared to Him. He was in such agony and He prayed so fervently that His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. When He rose from prayer and returned to His disciples, He found them sleeping from grief.

He said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.’

Jesus had the choice – the free will – to take it or leave it. We have the same spiritual decision. Use this Lent as an opportunity to become closer to Our Lord and cultivate a more intimate relationship that grows with each passing day.

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

March 2, 2018 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Parish spotlight

AOH members attend Mass for deceased members Deacon Kevin Bezner

During Lent, imagine yourself crucified beside Our Lord E

very year it seems to come up. Someone asks me what I am giving up for Lent.

It is not a matter of what I am giving up, I say. It is a matter for me of whether I am willing to be crucified with Our Lord. So this year, I say, I plan to pray and fast and to do more spiritual reading, with greater reverence and attention and watchfulness, than I did the last.

Usually, I am asked this question about a week before we begin the Great Fast, a point in time when in the Byzantine churches we are in our fourth and last week of preparation for the Great Fast.

During these four weeks of preparation, we have spent time reflecting on the arrogance of the Pharisee and the humility of the publican, the repentance of the prodigal son and the compassion of the father.

During the week before the Great Fast, we enter into fasting by abstaining from meat. We also have turned our attention to Our Lord’s death by focusing on His Passion, and we have begun to make dozens of bows and prostrations during our daily prayer.

A week before Ash Wednesday in the Latin churches, on the Wednesday during our week of abstinence from meat, our morning prayer reminds us that our fasting from food is worthless if we do not spend more time fighting against our passions. We also are instructed in our prayer to imagine ourselves crucified beside Our Lord.

If you engage fully in these four pre-Lenten Sundays of the Byzantine liturgical year, you will be ready to meet the demanding expectations of the Great Fast.

The general requirement for Byzantines during the Fast is to abstain from meat, fish, dairy products, alcohol and oil during the week.

Abstaining from oil includes all foods cooked in oil. Fasting is mitigated on all Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on the Annunciation and Palm Sunday. Bishops of each of the particular Byzantine churches also offer instructions.

Not everyone can follow these strict requirements, and pregnant women, children, the elderly and the sick are not required to do so.

They are encouraged, however, to do as much as they can without causing themselves physical harm. Good advice, actually, for everyone.

When I first began fasting as a Ukrainian Catholic, I allowed myself oil for cooking and did not fast on weekends during the Great Fast.

Eventually, however, I continued to abstain from meat, fish, dairy products and alcohol on the weekends, allowing myself food cooked in oil and breaking this abstinence only if I had a good reason.

Besides fasting from food and drink, Byzantines also are expected to increase their prayer and spiritual reading during the Fast and to give alms.

If you pray the Divine Praises privately as a Byzantine during the Fast, you will spend at least six hours each day in prayer, double the amount of time you generally spend outside the Fast. Each day you will make dozens of bows and prostrations. Each week you will pray the Psalter twice. By the end of the fast you will have read and reflected on “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” by St. John Climacus in its entirety.

As with fasting, I was able to pray and read more during the Fast only after time, only after adding a bit more each year, a practice I recommend to others.

The more deeply you enter into the Byzantine liturgical year, the more prepared you will be to do more fasting, prayer and spiritual reading during the Great Fast. The more of this spiritual work you do during the Great Fast, the better prepared you will be to celebrate the joy of Pascha and to live every day of your life joyfully on a cross beside Our Lord.

FATHER DEACON KEVIN BEZNER serves at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Mission in Raleigh.

This was originally published Feb. 9 in The Christian Review, where Deacon Bezner is a contributing editor.

HUNTERSVILLE — St. Mark parishioners who attended the Saturday morning Mass Feb. 3 were greeted by a sea of green shirts in the pews, as more than 30 members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and family members attended Mass offered for the deceased members of the order. This First Saturday Mass was offered by St. Mark’s parochial vicar, Father Noah Carter, and concluded with the blessing of throats to commemorate the feast of St. Blaise. The AOH is a Catholic-Irish fraternal organization whose goals are to promote friendship, unity and Christian charity; foster and perpetuate Irish history, culture and traditions; and to protect and defend all life. To learn more, go to www.aohmeck2.org.

MIKE FITZGERALD | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Letters to the editor

Respect for life versus guns When we talk and write about respect for all life, we rarely mention the word “guns.” What do Catholics think about guns and how they fit into the conversation about respect for life? As a nation, we must really love our guns because we own 50 percent of all the guns in the world. When it comes to our military, we give our wholehearted support and taxes for buying more guns. We sacrifice many other needs – such as roads, health care, education and housing – to give priority to guns in our national budget. Our defense industry sells guns to almost any other nation that wants them: good for our economy. And in the private sector, we hold aloft our constitutional right to own guns. But let’s ask ourselves: what is the primary purpose of guns? Simply put, guns are for killing: war, murder, robbery, revenge, protection, etc. But isn’t killing contrary to respect for life? We hardly ever think or talk about the people being killed every day in war zones, many of them civilians. We tell ourselves that having guns in our homes or on our person is a good way to protect ourselves, but in truth it is rare that a good guy with a gun actually

prevents a bad guy from using his gun. Currently, with the many shootings of our children and others, how can we sit back and allow our leaders and ourselves to continue to worship our guns?

KENNETH SCHAMMEL lives in Cornelius.

Change in wording would be helpful In response to the Feb. 16 commentary “Pope’s suggested change to the Lord’s Prayer could harm the faithful,” I think a change in the wording of the Our Father in English will help, not harm the faithful. I am old enough to remember when we prayed “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” The change in the language to “Holy Spirit” led to more clarity. The mental image of God “leading us into temptation” is not helpful to Catholics and is a theologically inaccurate image of God. In Spanish, the language of the Our Father already says, “Let us not fall into temptation.”

MERCY SISTER ROSE MARIE TRESP lives in Belmont.

Most-read stories on the web Through press time on Feb. 28, 12,344 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 22,286 pages.

The top eight headlines in February were: n Eagles Super Bowl win was a dream come true for St. Matthew’s pastor.......................................................................1,037 n Rev. Graham dies; world famous evangelist was admired by most Americans................................................................ 789 n Accrediting agency puts Belmont Abbey College on probation over financial stability.................................................707 n View the current print edition of the Catholic News Herald...................................................................................................688 n Major flu outbreak prompts dioceses to implement prevention protocols........................................................................346 n Lenten Reflections..............................................................................................................................................................................290 n CCHS Debate and Speech Team earns national honors.......................................................................................................... 229 n Hundreds enjoy a ‘Night to Shine’ at St. Pius X Church............................................................................................................197

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