Jan. 4, 2019

January 4, 2019

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

Enrollment opens for Catholic schools in 2019-’20

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Belmont Abbey College’s accreditation affirmed

Praying for tenderness, brotherhood, peace Pope: Jesus, the Prince of Peace, ‘is the source of grace, mercy and peace’

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INDEX

Contact us.....................................4 Español.......................................10-13 Events calendar............................4 Our Faith........................................2 Our Parishes............................ 3-9 Scripture readings.......................2 TV & Movies................................. 16 U.S. news................................22-23 Viewpoints.............................26-27 World news............................ 24-25

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MARCHING FOR LIFE Pray for an end to abortion: Join the Jan. 11 March for Life Charlotte

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Jaime y Luis Moreno: Son las voces de Las Panteras en español 12

Our faith

catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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Pope Francis

Prayer involves recognizing self as God’s beloved child

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hristians are not better than other people, but they do know that God is their Father and they are called “to reflect a ray of His goodness in this world thirsting for goodness, waiting for good news,” Pope Francis said.

Leading his first general audience of 2019, the pope continued a series of talks he has been giving on the Lord’s Prayer.

Pope Francis explained how the Gospel of Matthew presents the Lord’s Prayer as part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which also includes the Eight Beatitudes.

Proclaiming the beatitudes, he said, Jesus affirms the blessedness and happiness of “a series of categories of people, who – in His time, but also in ours – are not particularly esteemed. Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, the humble of heart. This is the revolution of the Gospel! Where the Gospel is, there is revolution because the Gospel does not leave things as they were.”

With the beatitudes, he said, Jesus is telling people that those “who carry in their hearts the mystery of a God who revealed His omnipotence in love and pardon” are those who come closest to understanding Him. The core of the Sermon on the Mount, he said, is: “You are sons and daughters of your Father who is in heaven,” which is why Jesus then teaches the crowd to pray the Our Father. “God does not want to be appeased with long streams of adulation, as the pagans did to win the benevolence of the deity; it is enough to talk to Him like a father who knows what we need before we even tell Him. “The Christian is not someone who tries to be better than others, but one who knows he or she is a sinner,” he said. A Christian knows how to stand before God with awe, to call upon Him as Father and try to reflect His goodness in the world.

Jesus urges His followers not to be like the hypocrites who pray just to be seen, the pope said. “How often have we seen the scandal of those people who go to church, spend the whole day there or go every day and then they live hating others or speaking badly of others – this is a scandal.

It would be better not to go to church.”

In teaching the Our Father, Jesus was helping His followers learn the essence of prayer and the importance of not thinking that using more words makes for a better prayer, he said.

Praying isn’t like being “a parrot,” who repeats an endless stream of words, the pope said. “No, praying comes from the heart, from inside.”

“It even could be a silent prayer.

Basically, it is enough to put yourself under God’s gaze, recognize His fatherly love – and that’s enough to be heard.”

St. Anthony of Egypt remembered for his radical monastic legacy Feast day: Jan. 17 On his Jan. 17 feast day, both Eastern and Western Catholics will celebrate the life and legacy of St. Anthony of Egypt, the founder of Christian monasticism whose radical approach to discipleship permanently impacted the Church.

In Egypt’s Coptic Catholic and Orthodox Churches, which have a special devotion to the native saint, his feast day is celebrated on Jan. 30.

Anthony was born around 251 to wealthy parents who owned land in the presentday Faiyum region near Cairo. During this time, the Catholic Church was rapidly spreading its influence throughout the vast expanses of the Roman empire, while the empire remained officially pagan and did not legally recognize the new religion.

In the course of his remarkable and extraordinarily long life, Anthony would live to see the Emperor Constantine’s establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire.

Anthony himself, however, would establish something more lasting – by becoming the spiritual father of the monastic communities that have existed throughout the subsequent history of the Church.

Around the year 270, two great burdens came upon Anthony simultaneously: the deaths of both his parents, and his inheritance of their possessions and property. These simultaneous occurrences prompted Anthony to reevaluate his entire life in light of the principles of the Gospel – which proposed both the redemptive possibilities of his personal loss, and the spiritual danger of his financial gains.

Attending church one day, he heard – as if for the first time – Jesus’ exhortation to another rich young man in the Biblical narrative: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow Me.” Anthony told his disciples in later years that it was as though Christ had spoken those words directly to him. He sold everything he owned and donated the proceeds, setting aside a portion to provide for his sister. Although organized monasticism did not yet exist, it was not unknown for Christians to abstain from marriage, divest themselves of possessions to some extent, and focus their lives on prayer and fasting.

Anthony’s sister would eventually join a group of consecrated virgins.

Anthony himself, however, sought a

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.GARDENVISIT.COM

This Coptic Christian monastery, founded by disciples of St. Anthony, is located near the mountain cave where the saint retreated from the world to pray and on the site where he is said to have been buried. Monks and pilgrims still make the journey to his cave every day to pray – 2,000 feet up the mountain, connected to the monastery by a steep, mile-long staircase. more comprehensive vision of Christian asceticism. He found it among the hermits of the Egyptian desert, individuals who chose to withdraw physically and culturally from the surrounding society to devote themselves more fully to God. But these individuals’ radical way of life had not yet become an organized movement.

After studying with one of these hermits, Anthony made his own sustained attempt to live alone in a secluded desert location, depending on the charity of a few patrons who provided him with enough food to survive. This first period as a hermit lasted between 13 and 15 years.

Like many saints both before and after him, Anthony became engaged in a type of spiritual combat against unseen forces seeking to remove him from the way of perfection he had chosen. These conflicts took their toll on Anthony. When he was around 33 years old, a group of his patrons found him seriously ill and took him back to a local church to recover.

This setback did not dissuade Anthony from his goal of seeking God intensely, and he soon redoubled his efforts by moving to a mountain on the east bank of the Nile River. There he lived in an abandoned fort, once again subsisting on the charity of those who implored his prayers on their behalf. He attracted not only these benefactors, but a group of inquirers seeking to follow his example.

In the first years of the fourth century,

when he was about 54, Anthony emerged from his solitude to provide guidance to the growing community of hermits that had become established in his vicinity.

Although Anthony had not sought to form such a community, his decision to become its spiritual father – or “abbot” – marked the beginning of monasticism as it is known today.

Anthony himself would live out this monastic calling for another four decades, providing spiritual and practical advice to disciples who would ensure the movement’s continued existence.

According to Anthony’s biographer, St. Athanasius, the Emperor Constantine himself eventually wrote to the abbot, seeking advice on the administration of an empire that was now officially Christian.

“Do not be astonished if an emperor writes to us, for he is a man,” Anthony told the other monks. “But rather: wonder that God wrote the Law for men, and has spoken to us through His own Son.” Anthony wrote back to Constantine, advising him “not to think much of the present, but rather to remember the judgment that is coming, and to know that Christ alone is the true and Eternal King.”

St. Anthony may have been up to 105 years old when he died, sometime between 350 and 356. Following his instructions, two of his disciples buried his body secretly in an unmarked grave.

— Catholic News Agency

Your daily Scripture readings JAN. 6-12

Sunday (The Epiphany of the Lord): Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6, Matthew 2:1-12; Monday (St. Raymond of Peñafort): 1 John 3:22-4:6, Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25; Tuesday: 1 John 4:7-10, Mark 6:34-44; Wednesday: 1 John 4:11-18, Mark 6:45-52; Thursday: 1 John 4:195:4, Luke 4:14-22; Friday: 1 John 5:5-13, Luke 5:12-16; Saturday: 1 John 5:14-21, John 3:22-30

JAN. 13-19

Sunday (The Baptism of the Lord): Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7, Acts 10:34-38, Luke 3:15-16, 21-22; Monday: Hebrews 1:1-6, Mark 1:14-20; Tuesday: Hebrews 2:5-12, Mark 1:21-28; Wednesday: Hebrews 2:14-18, Mark 1:29-39; Thursday (St. Anthony): Hebrews 3:7-14, Mark 1:40-45; Friday: Hebrews 4:1-5, 11, Mark 2:1-12; Saturday: Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 2:13-17

JAN. 20-26

Sunday: Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, John 2:1-11; Monday (St. Agnes): Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 2:18-22; Tuesday (Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children): Hebrews 6:1020, Mark 2:23-28; Wednesday (St. Vincent, St. Marianne Cope): Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17, Mark 3:1-6; Thursday (St. Francis de Sales): Hebrews 7:258:6, Mark 3:7-12; Friday (The Conversion of St. Paul): Acts 22:3-16, Mark 16:15-18; Saturday (Sts. Timothy and Titus): 2 Timothy 1:1-8, Mark 3:20-21

Our parishes

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Bishop Peter Jugis

Make the risen Lord the center of your family in 2019

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ow good God is to give each of us the gift of a family! God mediates His love to us, and provides us with His special care and protection, through our family. It is one of the important ways that we come to understand that God is Love, through the love of our parents.

Faith in God begins in the family.

There are so many good gifts we receive through our family: faith, love, care, protection. We should always be grateful to God for our family. And we should pray for our family: prayers of gratitude to God, prayers of intercession for each member of the family, and prayers asking God’s continued abundant blessings. We should never take such a good gift for granted.

During the Octave of Christmas, we always honor the Holy Family of Nazareth: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We ask their blessing upon our families as we seek to serve God. St. Luke tells us that each year the Holy Family went up together to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. That reminds us of the vocation of the family: to serve God and to serve each other. We can imagine how wonderfully that vocation of loving service must have been carried out in the day-to-day life of the Holy Family: serving God in heaven above; and serving each other with care and devotion, willing to sacrifice for the other.

During the Christmas season we sing: “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.”

You also should sing a song of gratitude to God from your heart: “Joy to the world, the Lord has come to our family; the Lord has come to our home. Let earth receive her King, and let every heart prepare Him room.”

Thinking ahead to our Eucharistic Congress next September, we have chosen the theme: “Stay with us, Lord.”

These are the words the two disciples spoke to Jesus on the road to Emmaus.

There are many ways the risen Lord does remain with us – most especially in the Holy Eucharist, His Real Presence – but the risen Lord also remains with us in our families, especially as we enthrone Him at the center of our families and honor Him. As you participate in Holy Mass and offer Jesus’ sacrifice, the gift of His life to the Father for our salvation, ask the Lord to bless your family with His presence, His love and His peace throughout 2019.

BISHOP PETER JUGIS delivered this homily on Dec. 30, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.

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Catholic Charities seeks to break cycle of poverty with comprehensive programs January marks Poverty Awareness Month KIMBERLY BENDER ONLINE REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Breaking the cycle of poverty requires more than just solving one “crisis.” It takes addressing the whole person.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Transitions Out of Poverty program does just that.

Since its creation in 2016, the comprehensive anti-poverty program has helped 135 households in Charlotte and Asheville connect with resources they need to break out of the cyclical nature of poverty, said Sharon Davis, program assurance director for Catholic Charities.

TOP looks at addressing the family’s needs in five areas: access to food, access to affordable health care, safe and affordable housing, opportunities for adult education, and employment. “Those are the five challenges,” said Davis, who started the program in the diocese. “If we remove the challenges in those areas, we can help them be successful.”

Through the intensive program, a social worker works with the person or family to connect them to the resources they need to achieve self-sufficiency. They remain in frequent contact to ensure progress,

said Branden Lewis, Catholic Charities’ assistant regional director who supervises the program in Charlotte.

“It’s a work in progress,” Davis notes.

“Families and individuals enter the program at varying stages of poverty.

We attack the area presenting the most challenge. The cycle is inter-related, however. We can address one area, and then there’s a crisis in another. We work to address barriers to all five areas of need to be able to reach a point of thriving.”

There’s no time limit for people to remain in the program, because each family situation is unique.

“We are partnering with them as they are on this journey,” Davis said. “A family in crisis will need to meet more frequently.”

Participating families and individuals are referred to the program from parishes, local shelters, community partner agencies and even some area participants in Catholic Charities’ food pantry.

“We have strong collaborating partners in the community,” Davis said. “This is work we can’t do by ourselves. This is a community effort.”

During Poverty Awareness Month in January, the faithful are challenged by Pope Francis to live in solidarity with the poor. The U.S. Conference of Catholic

Bishops seeks to raise awareness about poverty across our nation.

“It’s a partnership within the community to help these people get to the finish line – to get them to where they can be whoever or whatever God has called them to be,” Davis said.

In 2018, Catholic Charities started using a program that addresses the five areas of needs and charts their progress, Lewis noted. “It’s helpful for those involved to look back where they’ve started and see how they’re progressing through the program towards self-sufficiency.”

As with all of Catholic Charities’ work, what’s always important is to respect the dignity of every person they serve.

“That’s where our work begins and ends: that we see in each person the image and likeness of God. At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important to us: respect the life of the person and their right to live a happy life,” said Davis.

“Case management services through this program offer the best opportunity for their lives to be transformed.”

More online At www.povertyusa.org: Learn more about Poverty Awareness Month

Backpack ministries among local anti-poverty efforts JOSEPH PURELLO SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

January is Poverty Awareness Month, a time set aside by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to highlight the problem of poverty and efforts to combat it.

Among those efforts are Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Local Catholic Campaign for Human Development Grant Program, the Catholic Relief Services MiniGrant Program, and the Far West Growing Opportunities Grant Program.

These grant programs fund projects across the diocese addressing poverty. Grants have funded projects addressing a wide range of social concerns, such as food insecurity, affordable housing, employment training gaps, illiteracy and homelessness. All grant applicants and projects are reviewed for their conformity to Catholic teaching.

People who struggle with poverty often struggle with food insecurity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated 12.3 percent of U.S. households – 15.6 million families – were food insecure in 2016. North Carolina is the eighth most food insecure state in the nation, with 15.9 percent of households, according to the USDA’s 2015 Report on Food Insecurity.

With funds from the Catholic Charities’

grant programs, non-profits (including diocesan parishes) in the Charlotte diocese have addressed food insecurity at the grassroots level by promoting community gardening, stocking and expanding food pantries, offering meals to the homeless, supporting mobile food pantries and funding “backpack ministries.”

In 2018, Catholic Charities grant funded projects addressing food insecurity have included the Clay County Food Pantry (supported by Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission in Hayesville), providing shopping carts for Manna FoodBank’s “Mobile Market Project” in Graham County, and funding community backpack ministries supported by parishes in Ashe County (through St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson), Cherokee County (through St. William Church in Murphy), and Gaston County (through Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont).

Addressing the effects of food insecurity among low-income children is the target of “backpack” ministries. Children suffer from food insecurity at higher rates than the general population, with many children living in households where meals are skipped to make ends meet. These ministries provide nutritious food to school-aged children on weekends during the school year, and some

programs operate in the summer.

A parish’s assistance with backpack ministries is illustrated by Queen of the Apostles’ BackPack Weekend Food Program, which partners with two schools in Gaston County. Forty-five students receive weekend meals, packed by parish volunteers, during the school year. This number is multiplied greatly as other churches in Gaston County join in this ecumenical partnership addressing food insecurity.

Julie Russo, who coordinates the parish ministry, sees the benefits firsthand.

“The BackPack Weekend Program means so much to the children. We have had children ask for more food because they are so hungry,” Russo said.

Backpack ministries have been shown to improve concentration and academic performance levels in schools, promote growth and oral health, and diminish sleepiness in daytime hours.

Russo noted, “When a child eats over the weekend, they are able to sleep better and are prepared for school on Monday. The teachers comment how much this program really helps these children and they notice it in the students’ grades.”

JOSEPH PURELLO directs the Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte.

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: JAN. 2-8 Bishops’ Spiritual Retreat Mundelein Seminary, Ill.

JAN. 17-19 March for Life Washington, D.C.

JAN. 15 Presbyteral Council Meeting Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center

JAN. 18 - 11:30 A.M. North Carolina Mass for Life Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Washington, D.C.

Diocesan calendar of events January 4, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

Volume 28 • NUMBER 7

ART EXHIBIT, ‘MOST HIGHLY FAVORED, THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN MARY’: Nov. 8-Jan. 31, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 14542 Choate Circle, Charlotte.

This exhibition has been curated to help the viewer learn and explore more about this Most Highly Favored Lady and the rightful place she played in the life of Jesus and the life of the Church. If you are interested in learning more about the exhibit, including visiting hours, special events or to set up a personal tour, contact Michelle Littlejohn at 704-940-5814 or dlittlejohn@gordonconwell. edu.

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

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

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

NFP INTRODUCTION AND FULL COURSE: 1:30-5 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 9, St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road. 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.

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.

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS PRO-LIFE ROSARY: 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, 901 North Main St. and Sunset Drive, High Point. Come and help pray for the end of abortion, and feel free to invite anyone who would be morally supportive of this very important cause. The Pro-Life Rosary is held on the First Saturday morning of each month. For details, contact Jim Hoyng at AJHoyng@hotmail.com or Paul Klosterman at PaulJKlosterman@aol.com.

VIGIL OF EPIPHANY MASS: 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at Charlotte Catholic High School chapel, 7702 PinevilleMatthews Road, Charlotte. Father Jason Barone will offer a special Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin Mass) for the Vigil of Epiphany. Blessing of Epiphany holy water, chalk and salt (bring any water, chalk and salt to the chapel no later than 4:45 p.m.). The Solemn High Mass will start at 5:30 p.m. For details, visit www.charlottelatinmass.org.

HELPERS OF GOD’S PRECIOUS INFANTS: 8 a.m. Mass followed by 9 a.m. Procession for Life, Saturday, Jan. 12, at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. After Mass Father Christopher Bond will lead one decade of the rosary, then process by car to A Preferred Women’s Health abortion facility, 3220 Latrobe Dr., Charlotte. For details, visit www.charlottehelpers. com.

CCWG MORNING REFLECTION: 9 a.m. Mass, Monday, Jan. 14, St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte. Coffee and a reflection at 10:30 a.m. in the Assembly Room behind the chapel. To RSVP, visit www. charlottecatholicwomensgroup.org.

CCWG EVENING REFLECTION: 6:30 p.m. rosary, Tuesday, Jan. 29, Holy Trinity Middle School Chapel, 3100 Park Road, Charlotte. Reflection by Father Joseph Matlak at 7 p.m. To RSVP, visit www.charlottecatholicwomensgroup. org.

CHARLOTTE AIRPORT SUNDAY MASS: The Airport Chaplaincy at Charlotte Douglas International Airport offers Mass at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. each Sunday in the airport chapel. All travelers and visitors are welcome.

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, Jan. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 2, St. Lawrence Basilica, 97 Haywood St. CHARLOTTE: 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.; 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road

YOUNG ADULTS ASHEVILLE THEOLOGY ON TAP: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Asheville region. For details, check them out on Facebook, Twitter or MeetUp ST. LAWRENCE BASILICA: www.saintlawrencebasilica. org/young-adult-ministry CHARLOTTE AREA: Groups for Catholics in their 20s and 30s, single or married, are active on MeetUp at www. meetup.com/charlottecatholicyoungadultministry OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION CHURCH: on Facebook at “Our Lady of Consolation Young Adult Ministry” ST. GABRIEL CHURCH: https://stgabrielchurch. org/191

GREENSBORO: 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, and 9 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 16, St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road

ST. JOHN NEUMANN CHURCH: call Meg VanGoethem, 815-545-2587 or visit www.4sjnc.org/faith-formation/ adult-ministry/young-adult-ministry

MOORESVILLE: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, St. Therese Church, 217 Brawley School Road

ST. LUKE CHURCH: www.stlukechurch.net/youngadult-ministry

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS ‘MATTER OF BALANCE’ CLASS: 10 a.m.- noon, Friday, Jan. 11-March 8, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. Do you have concerns about falling?

Are you interested in improving your flexibility, balance and strength? A Matter of Balance can help reduce the fear of falling and increase the activity levels of older adults who have concerns about falling. Participants will learn to: View falls and fear of falling as controllable, set realistic goals for increasing activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, promote exercise to increase strength and balance. The class will be held once a week for eight weeks. Register by Monday, Jan. 7, by contacting Sandra Breakfield, Program Director of Elder Ministry, at 704-370-3220 or sabreakfield@ charlottediocese.org. Class is limited to the first 14 registrants. Hosted by Catholic Charities Elder Ministry and St. Matthew Church.

END OF LIFE ISSUES AND CATHOLIC MORAL TEACHING: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the Simmons Center at St. Pius the X Church, 2208 North Elm St., Greensboro.

Presented by Father Charles Vavonese, from the Diocese of Syracuse, NY. Father Vavonese is a well sought after speaker on Catholic moral teaching and end of life issues. He will discuss topics such as; What ordinary means should be used to preserve life? What are the ethical and religious directives regarding assisted nutrition and hydration? Palliative care for the terminally ill, the belief of the Catholic Church on Physician Assisted Suicide, Do Not Resuscitate Orders, Living Wills, Health Care Power of Attorney and Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment. For details, email debritzel@gmail. com or call 336-337-5915.

ST. MARK CHURCH: on Facebook at “The Young Adult Ministry of St. Mark” ST. MATTHEW CHURCH: on Facebook at “Young Adult Life: A St. Matthew Ministry” or visit www. stmatthewcatholic.org/youngadultministries ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL: on Facebook at “The Cathedral of St. Patrick - Young Adult Ministry” ST. PETER CHURCH: Look them up on Facebook: “St Peter 20s and 30s Ministry” ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH: online at “Aquinas’ Finest,” www.stacharlotte.com/finest HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH IN DENVER: call Nicole Lehman, 704-607-5207 ST. MICHAEL CHURCH IN GASTONIA: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Gastonia area. Meets once a month. Online at www.stmichaelsgastonia.org/youngadult GREENSBORO WAY OF CHRIST: The young adult ministry at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro: at www.stpiusxnc. com/woc, on Facebook at “wayofchrist” and Twitter @wocgreensboro or email Dan McCool at wocgreensboro@gmail.com.

ST. LEO THE GREAT CHURCH IN WINSTON-SALEM: online at “Winston Salem Frassati,” www.wsfrassati.com.

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.

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

Enrollment opens for Catholic schools in 2019-’20 CHARLOTTE — Enrollment for the 2019-’20 academic year is open for all 19 Diocese of Charlotte schools: nine schools in the greater Charlotte area and 10 parish-based schools around the diocese.

Several schools also offer special learning programs to better meet the needs of diverse learners. In many instances, a parent can provide their child with a Catholic education from pre-kindergarten through high school.

All of the diocese’s Catholic schools are accredited through AdvancEDSAC-CASI (Southern Association of Schools-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement).

MECKLENBURG AREA CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

The nine schools in MACS are: St. Ann School (PK, TK-5), St. Gabriel School (K-5), St. Matthew School (TK-5), St. Patrick School (K-5), Our Lady of the Assumption School (PK-8), St. Mark School (K-8), Holy Trinity Middle School (6-8), Charlotte Catholic High School and Christ the King High School: n St. Ann School: 600 Hillside Ave.; Charlotte; 704-525-4938; www. stanncatholic.org n St. Gabriel School: 3028 Providence Road; Charlotte; 704-366-2409; www. stgabrielcatholicschool.org n St. Matthew School: 11525 Elm Lane; Charlotte; 704-544-2070; www. stmattwildcats.com n St. Patrick School: 1125 Buchanan St.; Charlotte; 704-333-3174; www. saintpatrickschool.org n Our Lady of the Assumption School: 4225 Shamrock Dr.; Charlotte; 704-531-0067; www.olacatholic.org n St. Mark School: 14750 Stumptown Road; Huntersville; 704-766-5000; stmarkcatholicschool.net n Holy Trinity Middle School: 3100 Park Road; Charlotte; 704-527-7822; www.htcms.org n Charlotte Catholic High School: 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte; 704-543-1127; www. charlottecatholic.org

n Christ the King High School: 2011 Crusader Way; Huntersville; 704-1994400; www.ctkchs.org Visit each school’s website or contact the school directly to schedule a visit.

For more information, including MACS application forms and financial aid opportunities, go online to www. discovermacs.org.

Prospective families may also contact MACS Admissions Director Heather Schoonover at hlschoonover@ charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3273.

MACS tuition rates for the 2019-’20 year are expected to be announced in February.

Last year’s tuition costs for participating Catholic families were: $4,026 for half-day pre-kindergarten or $6,255 for full-day pre-kindergarten; $6,825 for elementary school (transitional kindergarten through fifth grade); $7,563 for middle school, and $11,038 for high school. (Tuition for nonCatholic or non-participating Catholics is higher.)

Additional graduation, technology and activity fees are not included in these costs.

Tuition discounts are provided to participating Catholic parishioners and for multiple children enrollment.

Financial assistance is also available to qualifying families based on need.

All of the diocesan schools participate in the N.C. Opportunity Scholarship and the N.C. Disability Scholarship Programs.

MACS SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAMS

MACS also offers special needs programs at various locations including: PACE (Providing an Appropriate Academic Catholic Education), MAP (Modified Academic Program) and MMP (Matthew Morgan Program). Each offers a specific educational experience for students with special needs.

To learn more about these special programs and tuition rates, go to www. discovermacs.org/speciallearning.

DIOCESAN SCHOOLS

Outside the Charlotte area, there ENROLLMENT, SEE PAGE 28

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Combined Mission Collection to be taken up at Masses Jan. 19-20 CHARLOTTE — Catholics in the Diocese of Charlotte will join in the worldwide effort to support missions in the United States and abroad in the Combined Mission Collection that will be taken up at Masses in all parishes the weekend of Jan. 19.

This annual collection funds five separate initiatives: the Collection for the Church in Latin America; the Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe; the Catholic Home Missions Appeal; the United States Mission Appeal (Black and Indian Missions); and the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa.

Here is how donations to the Combined Mission Collection make a difference: n The Collection for the Church in Latin America funds formation programs for priests, religious, lay leaders, missionaries and pastoral workers, and supports the Church’s work with the poor in the poorest areas of Latin America. n The Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe helps to rebuild the Church in those countries where communism once prohibited public acts of religion. n The Catholic Home Missions Appeal provides funding for evangelization efforts in remote parishes throughout rural America.

n The United States Mission Appeal supports evangelization programs among African Americans and Native Americans in almost every diocese in our country. n The Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa supports the pastoral works of the Church through grants for projects like pastoral care for the sick, evangelization, youth ministry, religious education, and peace-building workshops.

In his letter to parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte, Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, shares words from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah: “I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

He says that these words “continue to speak to us in our day. We are all called to bring the Good News of salvation to the ends of the earth.

“The 2019 Combined Mission Collection, which will be taken at all Masses on the weekend of Jan. 19-20, gives each of us an opportunity to reach out and be light to the nations,” he adds.

Last year, parishioners in the diocese contributed $273,524 to the Combined Missions Collection.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

Special collection dates for 2019 n Jan. 19-20: Combined Mission Collection. This annual collection funds five separate initiatives: the Collection for the Church in Latin America, the Collection to Aid the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, the United States Mission Appeal (Black and Indian Missions), and the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa. (See above for details about this special collection.) n April 20-April 21 (Easter Sunday): Seminarian Education Collection. The Seminarian Education Program, in which

36 men are currently enrolled, is primarily funded through the annual Diocesan Support Appeal, the Friend to Seminarians Program, and this second collection. n May 18-19: International/ National Combined Collection.

Donations received from this collection benefit five organizations: Catholic Relief Services, Collection for the Holy Land, Collection for the Works of the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence), The Catholic University of America, and the Catholic Communications Campaign.

n Sept. 14-15: Priests’ Retirement and Benefits. This collection taken up the weekend after the Eucharistic Congress goes to support the Diocese of Charlotte’s 87 diocesan priests actively serving the faithful of western North Carolina, and 44 religious order priests from nine religious orders for whom retirement contributions will be made. n Oct. 19-20: World Mission Sunday (Propagation of the Faith). This collection supports the work of the Church in its COLLECTION, SEE PAGE 28

Belmont Abbey College’s accreditation affirmed BELMONT — A one-year probation has been lifted from Belmont Abbey College by its accrediting agency.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges removed the Catholic liberal arts college from probation in a vote taken at a Dec. 9, 2018, Board of Trustees meeting in New Orleans, La. The college had been placed on probation in December 2017 because it fell short on a compliance standard regarding financial stability. The probation was not related to any core requirement regarding financial stability, but rather a subset related to a pattern in the college’s finances, Rolando Rivas, communications director for the college, explained at the time.

The problem for the school arose out of its program to educate adult students (aged 23 and older). According to a December 2017 letter from Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, revenue from adult students at the Loughridge Center for Continuing and Professional Studies declined at a slightly faster rate than the revenue gains from the traditional program.

Probation is the most serious public sanction imposed by SACSCOC short of loss of accreditation.

“SACSCOC has found the college in full compliance with its accrediting standards and ended the one-year probation that began this time last year,” Thierfelder announced in a letter to the college community Dec. 11, 2018. “As you know, in a time of challenges for small colleges everywhere, the probation raised a concern regarding our financial stability. After several meetings directly with SACS committees, including an on-site visit in which the committee found that Belmont Abbey College ‘was taking the appropriate steps to act in a financially responsible manner,’ SACS has decided to remove the college from probation.”

“This action is the culmination of a very positive year for Belmont Abbey College,” Thierfelder continued.

Belmont Abbey College has experienced record enrollment of traditional students and corresponding revenue increases, improved retention and graduation rates, and reduced operating costs over the past several years.

“We welcomed our largest incoming traditional student class, saw the largest year ever for fundraising, received recognition from U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and The Newman Guide, and welcomed several key new staff and faculty, including Interim Provost, Dr. Linda Delene,” he wrote. “The college has also added five new majors and four new minors for the new academic year.”

“To our internal team, I am grateful to all of you for your hard work this past year as we were met with more meetings, more discussion, more analysis and more presentations to address SACS’ needs. We pulled together with stronger confidence in our mission sure that God had the wind at our backs. It’s due to your commitment that SACS has removed us from probation.”

“Belmont Abbey College now will begin the scheduled process for reaffirmation of its accreditation which is due in 2020,” he said, as part of SACSCOC’s regular 10-year review process.

— Catholic News Herald

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 OUR PARISHES

Scenes of Christmas spirit

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter Jugis celebrated Mass at midnight Dec. 25 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. Concelebrants included Father Christopher Roux, rector; Father Christopher Bond, parochial vicar; and Father Paul McNulty, chaplain at Christ the King High School in Huntersville.

‘Jesus is the Prince of Peace,’ Bishop Jugis preaches at Christmas PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

CHARLOTTE — Peace is the gift that Jesus brings each one of us, if we repent of our sins and approach Him with humble hearts.

That was the message from Bishop Peter Jugis as hundreds of people welcomed the birth of Christ during midnight Mass Dec. 25 at St. Patrick Cathedral.

“This little infant, this little child in a manger,” the bishop said, looking over to the Nativity scene near the altar, “this is why He’s here – to bring us His peace through the forgiveness of our sins.”

The name Jesus itself means “God saves,” he continued. “That is very significant, of course, because that is His mission and because salvation is something all of us need.

All of us have sinned.”

God loves us so much that He sent us His only Son to personally save us, he said.

“Jesus, the savior, is born for you.”

Referring to the first reading from Isaiah (Is 9:1-6), Bishop Jugis reflected on one of the titles the Old Testament prophet used to describe the Messiah: “Prince of Peace.”

“Jesus is the Prince of Peace,” he said.

Jesus brings peace to people of goodwill, just as the angels heralded at His birth in Bethlehem.

“Jesus wants to purify your soul, so that you can live in peace – that you can live in peace with yourself, that you can live in peace with God, and you can live in peace with others,” Bishop Jugis said.

“The greatest obstacle to peace in the world is sin, pure and simple,” he continued. “The reason He has come is to engage Himself in the monumental battle to conquer and destroy sin in us and heal us. It’s not just a battle, it’s all-out war that Jesus has come to wage against sin, to conquer it and destroy it in every one of us.”

Sin is the root of all human problems, he continued.

“Just think of the sheer magnitude of the problem. Only God could fix all of this. God had to come because the problem was so immense.”

“Sin divides us from one another, sin makes us jealous of one another, sin makes us suspicious of one another, sin makes us desire to dominate or control or manipulate or abuse others.”

We find sinfulness all around us, he said, especially over the past few months in which the clergy sexual abuse crisis has shaken the Church.

Sin “makes us treat others with contempt,” he said. “It makes us treat others with disrespect, use others and abuse others.”

“We must come to Jesus and repent of our sins,” he said.

“Repentance is the path to peace,” he emphasized. “To do honor to the Prince of Peace, we come to Him with humble, contrite and loving hearts, and say to Him, ‘Jesus, give me peace. Jesus, be my savior.’”

“It’s really not hard to love Jesus, but it does require humility and an honest assessment” of our hearts, Bishop Jugis said.

“At Christmas God gives the gift of Himself to you. Just think of that! This Christmas give the gift of yourself to Him and to everyone you meet in loving service and generosity. It’s the least we can do, considering what God Himself has given to us.”

He prayed, “May God bless you and all of your families this Christmas, and may He keep you always in His peace.”

GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

FOREST CITY — Eighty children from the Hispanic community of Immaculate Conception Church participated in a performance of the traditional Mexican play “La Pastorela” Dec. 20.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Watch Bishop Jugis’ full homily from the Mass at Christmas

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER

HUNTERSVILLE — Preschoolers at St. Mark Preschool put on their annual Christmas pageant in December, performing for residents of Ranson Ridge Assisted Living and Nursing Home.

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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Scenes of Christmas spirit

PHOTOS BY GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

TRYON — On Christmas Eve, St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon offered three Masses, including the one pictured with Father Jason Christian. The sacred music was comprised of voice with string and woodwind instruments. At the 6:30 p.m. Mass, music was provided by Diane Nelson, Lily Nelson and Cailin Bennett (vocalists pictured) with Susan Hartley on recorder.

CHARLOTTE — Volunteers from Acosta Sales and Marketing and St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte brought Christmas cheer to children at the IvoryBaker Center in Charlotte Dec. 8 with their 28th Operation Santa’s Helpers program. More than 70 employees from Acosta presented gifts to nearly 100 children, and the parishioners and friends of St. John Neumann Church donated 48 bikes and 10 scooters.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AL TINSON

CHARLOTTE — The annual Operation Bikes, sponsored by the parishioners and friends of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte, had its most successful Christmas season as volunteers delivered 121 bikes and scooters to a lot of excited children. On the Saturday before Christmas, among the recipients were students from Piney Grove and Lebanon Road elementary schools as well as children of a refugee family.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AL TINSON

AMBER MELLON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

BOONE — The choir of St. Elizabeth Church hosted an Advent Lessons and Carols Dec. 2. As part of the evening program, children in the parish’s faith formation program presented their yearly Nativity drama.

CHARLOTTE — St. Ann Parish celebrated midnight Christmas Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) with pastor Father Timothy Reid early Tuesday morning Dec. 25. More than 250 faithful attended the High (sung) Mass which featured Gregorian chant by the St. Ann schola, Cantate Domino Latin Choir, as well as the newly formed St. Ann Latin Boys Choir. Other parishes offering Latin Masses on Christmas Day included St. John the Baptist in Tryon and Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro. For more information about the Latin Mass, contact Chris Lauer at info@charlottelatinmass. org or visit the Charlotte Latin Mass Community at www. charlottelatinmass.org.

MIKE FITZGERALD AND MARKUS KUNCORO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

FOREST CITY — On Christmas Eve, Immaculate Conception Church held its annual Christmas concert prior to Mass. The Adult Choir and a newly-formed Youth Choir performed under the direction of Diane McEnnerney. Deacon Andy Cilone and daughter Roseanne Staab sang two duets.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CONNIE RIES

STATESVILLE — Children from St. Philip the Apostle Church performed the story of the Nativity in their annual Christmas pageant Dec. 16.

GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 OUR PARISHES

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ANN GRAVES

Igbo Catholics celebrate heritage with Mass GREENSBORO — A Mass in the Igbo language was celebrated Nov. 18, 2018, at St. Mary Church, one of the Diocese of Charlotte’s most ethnically diverse parishes. The parish includes many members from the African continent, including Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria. The Igbo Mass, offered every three months at the parish, enables these Catholics to hear Mass in their native language and honor their cultural identity. The Mass was celebrated by Father Marcel Amadi, who serves as the campus minister for Bennett College, North Carolina A&T, Salem College and Wake Forest University, and it was concelebrated

by St. Mary’s new pastor Vincentian Father William Allegretto.

Parish burns mortgage MOORESVILLE — St. Therese parishioners gathered Dec. 14 following the annual Advent Lessons and Carols to celebrate their mortgage burning. The church, which was dedicated

by Bishop Peter Jugis in April 2015, began its initial planning in 2009. The repayment of the mortgage loan was accomplished four years ahead of schedule. Father Mark Lawlor, pastor, accompanied by Rick Fabrize, parish finance council chairman, did the honors at the “mortgage burning ceremony.”

— Kelli Olszewski and Amanda Rivers-Lucy

years he has emceed the Grazie Mille Gala.

He will long be remembered for enthusiastically sharing his time, talents and compassionate heart not only for Holy Angels (for more than 40 years) but for many other organizations throughout the Charlotte region.

In addition, Dr. Ellis Fisher was given the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award, the most prestigious award conferred by the governor of North Carolina. It is awarded for exemplary service to the state and one’s community.

Pictured, Moody presents Fisher with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award.

Throughout his 45 plus years of practicing medicine, Fisher has exemplified the love he shares with his patients and their families – wherever they may be: his patients at Gastonia Children’s Clinic, Holy Angels or in Haiti or Guatemala. He has inspired others and helped educate his patients and their families to live a life of preventative health care, and make healthy choices.

According to N.C. Sen. Kathy Harrington, “Dr. Fisher was the first physician in Gaston County to be certified as a child medical examiner. I met him when I served as a victim’s advocate at the Children’s Advocacy Center. Dr. Fischer performed the certified medical exams for the children that came through the center. This was always difficult for the parents to undergo but the gentleness and kindness shown by Dr. Fisher was both inspiring to watch and healing to those who needed healing the most.”

He knew how important it was to care for and love deeply the most vulnerable members in the community – the children.

Holy Angels was founded in 1955 by the Sisters of Mercy. The private, nonprofit corporation provides residential services and innovative programs for children and adults with intellectual developmental disabilities with delicate medical conditions.

— Sister Nancy Nance

Greensboro women meet GREENSBORO — The Greensboro Council of Catholic Women recently gathered for its first meeting of the year at the Greensboro Country Club with guest speaker Lucy Wellmaker, author of Inspired by the WOW Moments of Life and active member of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro.

School Principal Openings The Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Office of Catholic Schools, is seeking highly qualified and dynamic candidates for the position of principal beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.

— Lucy Wellmaker

The successful candidates: • will be committed to fostering and maintaining a Catholic environment that is an authentic expression of Catholic faith, with the goal of producing faithful graduates where everything done in and through the school expresses love for and obedience to Jesus Christ and His Body, the Church; • will have a working knowledge of the Church’s teachings regarding Catholic identity and the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools; and, • will possess a demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, with an emphasis on innovative learning skills, teaching methods, and curricula.

Interested candidates are directed to the diocesan/human resources website https://richmonddiocese.org Specific information is available for the following school locations: All Saints Regional Catholic School (PreK-8) send completed package to: allsaints.search@richmonddiocese.org Saint Edward-Epiphany Regional Catholic School (PreK-8) send completed package to: SEES.search@richmonddiocese.org Saint Mary’s Catholic School (PreK-8) send completed package to: st.mary.search@richmonddiocese.org Candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume, and a completed diocesan application (obtainable from the diocesan website) to the email address(es) listed above.

Candidates may apply for any or all locations.

Holy Cross Parish, Columbiettes give to local causes, help children Holy Angels presents awards BELMONT — Holy Angels recently presented the Legacy of Love Award – established in 2016 to honor those individuals who have made a lasting impact on Holy Angels and the residents they serve – leaving a legacy to be long remembered.

The Legacy of Love award was presented Nov. 17 to Larry Sprinkle, Holy Angels’ favorite weather anchor on WCNC-NBC Charlotte, during the Grazie Mille Gala. It was his longtime friendship with Holy Angels’ first resident, Maria, that brought him to Holy Angels. He is pictured with Regina Moody, Holy Angels’ president/CEO. For more than 25 years, Sprinkle has served as one of our Angel Bowl emcees and for nine

KERNERSVILLE — Columbiettes Auxiliary 8509 of Holy Cross Parish turned their hard work into donations to several worthy causes in their area.

Representatives of four local agencies were invited to a Dec. 17 holiday celebration and received a check for $500. Recipients included Samaritan Missions, Crisis Control, Room at the Inn and Shepherd’s Center, and checks were presented by the Board of Officers of Columbiettes Auxiliary 8509.

Holy Cross Parish also worked together with the Salvation Army to collect and distribute toys and gifts to 150 children local children for the Christmas holiday.

— Marianne Griffin

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICHARD LIPPENHOLZ

Priest invested in Order of the Holy Sepulchre

K OF C HOLY SPIRIT COUNCIL # 10389

BALTIMORE — Father Christopher Roux, rector of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, was recently invested in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, during a Mass of Investiture celebrated by Archbishop William Lori, grand prior of the order’s Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy, in Baltimore. He is pictured with Archbishop Lori, Bishop Peter Jugis and Valencia Yvonne Camp, head of the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy. “It was a great honor to be nominated by Bishop Jugis and I pray that I will live up to his confidence,� Father Roux shared. The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem was started by the pope during the Crusades when the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was under attack. Today, the order’s 30,000 members still defend the Catholic identity of the Holy Land through their financial contributions. Members of the order wear a red “Jerusalem cross� that has four miniature crosses, one in each corner of the main cross. The five crosses represent the wounds of Christ on the cross. Learn more about their work at www. holysepulchre.net.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL Christ the King Catholic School , a K-8 Parish school located in Atlanta (Buckhead), Georgia, seeks a dynamic, experienced and visionary principal for the 2019-2020 school year; the position is available July 1, 2019. With a long-standing history of providing quality Catholic education in the Atlanta community, Christ the King School is a three-time recognized U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. In addition, the parish and school recently completed a $30 million capital campaign which will add a new gymnasium and state-of-the art classrooms to house grades 6-8 for the upcoming school year. 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 Office of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

The successful candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church; applicants should be experienced Catholic elementary school instructional leaders who possess superior communication and collaboration skills.

New Life Center Banquet Room

$15 Includes Drinks & Apps*

Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience; a moving allowance is also available. The Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Atlanta have been certified as Drug-Free Work Places.

To pay online go to: www. stmatthewcathol ic. orgl mariemi Iler Marie Miller is a singer/songwriter living in Nashville, TN. Her song "You're Not Alone" was played nationwide on pop radio, and her song "6'2" was featured on A BC's Dancing with the Stars. I n Septemb er 20-1 5 - ďż˝ she performed for Pope Francis and 750,000 attendees in Philadelphia, PA. The performance was aired live on CNN and Fox News. Miller has opened for The Backstreet Boys, Five For Fighting, Kris Allen, and Carbon Leaf. Her music was featured in Billboard Magazine, NPR, and the Huffington Post.

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Additional requirements include: hold a minimum of a Master’s degree (doctorate preferred) in Educational Leadership; possess a minimum of five years of Catholic school chief administrator experience; skilled in leading and managing a large campus facility; lead with a collaborative leadership style to engage others in the mission of Catholic education; demonstrate knowledge in current areas of pedagogy and professional development; and, exhibit excellent instructional leadership.

Send resume, letter of interest and three professional references by January 15, 2019, 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.

FACEBOOK.COM/ CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD ESPAÑOL

catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 10

‘Jesús es el príncipe de la paz’, afirmó el Obispo Jugis en la Misa de Navidad Padre José Antonio Juya

Gratitud y esperanza

Q

ue bonito poder expresar la gratitud al Niño Dios en este tiempo en Navidad que nos une, que nos llena de su amor, de su ternura y nos hace una invitación al acercamiento del uno con el otro en un mundo tan sugestionado, de tanto materialismo, de tanta tragedia y a veces de desamor.

Pero la cercanía de Jesús nos crea otro ambiente tan lindo como es reencontrarnos con nosotros mismos, con Dios, con nuestros hermanos, con la familia, para decirnos que Dios nos ama, que Dios nos quiere.

De ahí se despierta ese interés tan grande de la tranquilidad, de la alegría, del entusiasmo y de la paz. Sobre todo, nos da mucha serenidad para pensar con la mente y el corazón lo que Dios nos da todos los días.

Al término de este año 2018 e inicios de 2019, tenemos la especial oportunidad de pedirle al Señor que nos permita mirar hacia el futuro con ojos soñadores pero no superficiales, sino con los pies puestos sobre la Tierra, para crecer en las tres virtudes teologales que son la fe, la esperanza y el amor, precisamente expresiones lindas de la Navidad.

Que bonito sería que en este año nosotros, en nuestro ministerio, en nuestra misión, pudiéramos descubrir el amor de Dios en el otro y decir: “Él es mi hermano”, porque Dios está ahí, está conmigo, está en ese caminar, en esa espera y soñando siempre a ser mejores.

Por eso las palabras del Evangelio de San Lucas, cuando habla de la familia de Nazareth, me impresionan mucho cuando en esa familia humilde de San José, María Santísima y el niño Dios, dice San Lucas que “Jesús crecía en edad, sabiduría y gracia delante de Dios y de los hombres” (Lucas 2:42). ¡Qué bonito mensaje!, que cada uno de nosotros, nuestras familias, también papá, mamá y los hijos miren a sus vecinos y les digan: “mi misión es hacer también que crezcamos en edad, sabiduría y gracia delante de Dios y de los hombres”. ¿Cuál sabiduría?, pues la del Espíritu Santo, la gracia que vamos recibiendo, la que vamos alimentando todos los días con la práctica de los sacramentos, con la vivencia de los 10 mandamientos, con esa integración del uno con el otro, porque una de las cosas más lindas es el acompañamiento.

Que esta felicidad de la Navidad sea el nacimiento en nuestro corazón para ponerlo en camino de 2019, que María Santísima, Nuestra Madre, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, nos acompañe en ese caminar, hoy y mañana, con la ayuda del Espíritu Santo y la colaboración de todos los más cercanos que estamos enamorados de Jesús y de nuestra misión.

EL PADRE JOSÉ ANTONIO JUYA es coordinador del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Gastonia.

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITORA

CHARLOTTE — La paz es el regalo que Jesús nos trae a cada uno de nosotros, si nos arrepentimos de nuestros pecados y nos acercamos a Él con corazones humildes. Ese fue el mensaje del Obispo Peter Jugis ante cientos de personas que recibieron el nacimiento de Jesucristo en la Misa de Gallo del 25 de diciembre en la catedral San Patricio.

“Este pequeño infante, este pequeño niño en un pesebre”, dijo el Obispo mirando la escena de la Natividad cercana al altar, “es por eso que está aquí: para traernos su paz a través del perdón de nuestros pecados”.

El nombre de Jesús significa “Dios salva”, continuó. “Eso es muy significativo, por supuesto, porque esa es su misión y porque la salvación es algo que todos necesitamos. Todos hemos pecado”.

Dios nos ama tanto que nos envió a su único Hijo para salvarnos personalmente, dijo. “Jesús, el salvador, nace para ti”.

Refiriéndose a la primera lectura de Isaías (Is 9: 1-6), el Obispo Jugis reflexionó sobre uno de los títulos que el profeta del Antiguo Testamento utilizó para describir al Mesías: “Príncipe de la paz”.

“Jesús es el príncipe de la paz”, dijo.

Jesús trae paz a las personas de buena voluntad, tal como lo anunciaron los ángeles en su nacimiento en Belén.

“Jesús quiere purificar tu alma para que puedas vivir en paz, para que puedas vivir en paz contigo mismo, para que puedas vivir en paz con Dios y con los demás”, dijo el Obispo Jugis.

“El mayor obstáculo para la paz en el mundo es el pecado, pura y simplemente”, continuó. “La razón por la que Él ha venido es para comprometerse en la batalla monumental para conquistar y destruir el pecado en nosotros y sanarnos. No es solo una batalla, es una guerra total la que Jesús ha venido a librar contra el pecado, a conquistarlo y destruirlo en cada uno de nosotros”.

El pecado es la raíz de todos los problemas del hombre, continuó. “Solo piensen en la magnitud del problema.

Solo Dios puede arreglar todo esto. Dios tuvo que venir porque el problema era muy grande”.

“El pecado nos divide al uno del otro, el pecado nos pone celosos al uno del otro, el pecado nos hace sospechar unos de los otros, el pecado nos hace desear dominar, controlar, manipular o abusar de otros”.

Nos encontramos con la pecaminosidad a nuestro alrededor, dijo, especialmente

en los últimos meses en que la crisis de abuso sexual del clero ha sacudido a la Iglesia.

El pecado “nos hace tratar a los demás con desprecio”, anotó. “Nos hace tratar a los demás sin respeto, usar y abusar de los demás”. “Debemos venir a Jesús y arrepentirnos de nuestros pecados”, señaló. “El arrepentimiento es el camino a la paz”, enfatizó. “Para honrar al Príncipe de la Paz, acudimos a Él con un corazón humilde, contrito y amoroso y le decimos: ‘Jesús, dame la paz. Jesús, sé mi salvador”.

“Realmente no es difícil amar a Jesús, pero requiere humildad y una evaluación honesta” de nuestros corazones, dijo el Obispo Jugis. “En Navidad, Dios te da el regalo de Sí mismo. ¡Solo piensa en eso!

Esta Navidad dale el regalo de tí mismo a Él y a todos los que conoces con tu servicio amoroso y generosidad. Es lo menos que podemos hacer, considerando lo que Dios mismo nos ha dado”.

Luego oró, “Que Dios te bendiga a ti y a toda tu familia en esta Navidad, y que te tenga siempre en su paz”.

Más online En www.catholicnewsherald.com: Vea la homilía del Obispo Jugis

Navidades por el Mundo en Gastonia GASTONIA — La comunidad católica de la parroquia San Miguel en Gastonia se congregó para celebrar la Novena de Aguinaldos en el gimnasio de su escuela.

El miércoles 19 de diciembre, bajo la organización del Ministerio para niños, se ofreció la Novena del día con representaciones y bailables a la que llamaron ‘Navidades por el Mundo’.

Y es que en verdad se trató de un viaje imaginario en el que se recorrieron varias latitudes del planeta a través de cantos y bailes que sorprendieron a los presentes. Por supuesto, no se dejaron de lado las oraciones y los gozos.

Al final, todos disfrutaron en familia, como comunidad y, mientras los pequeños jugaban, los mayores compartían recuerdos de las tradiciones navideñas en sus países de origen.

— César Hurtado, reportero hispano

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHespanol: Hemos publicado un video sobre el evento

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Siete cosas que tal vez no conoces de la Epifanía CONDENSADO DE ACIPRENSA

La fiesta de la Epifanía tiene su origen en la Iglesia de Oriente. A diferencia de Europa, el 6 de enero -tanto en Egipto como en Arabia- se celebraba el solsticio, festejando al Sol victorioso con evocaciones muy antiguas. Hasta el siglo IV la Iglesia comenzó a celebrar en este día la Epifanía del Señor. “Al entrar en la casa, encontraron al niño con María, su madre, y postrándose, le rindieron homenaje. Luego, abriendo sus cofres, le ofrecieron dones, oro, incienso y mirra”, dice San Mateo (2,1-18) en el pasaje que se refiere a los tres magos.

Aquí 7 cosas que tal vez no sabías de los sabios de oriente y la Epifanía.

LA IGLESIA CELEBRA TRES EPIFANÍAS

La fiesta de los reyes magos o “bajada de reyes” es comúnmente llamada Epifanía, palabra que en griego significa manifestación, en el sentido de que Dios se revela y se da a conocer.

No obstante, la Iglesia celebra como Epifanías tres manifestaciones de la vida de Jesús: la Epifanía ante los magos de oriente (manifestación a los paganos), Epifanía del Bautismo del Señor (manifestación a los judíos) y la Epifanía de las bodas de Caná (manifestación a sus discípulos).

ES LA SEGUNDA FIESTA MÁS ANTIGUA

Se dice que en un principio los cristianos conmemoraban las tres epifanías en una misma fecha. En algunas iglesias orientales incluso le dieron a esta fiesta un carácter celebrativo del nacimiento de Cristo, pero este sentido se fue aminorando cuando se insertó la festividad romana de la Navidad por el siglo cuarto.

En la Edad Media la Epifanía poco a poco pasó a conocerse más como la fiesta de los Reyes Magos.

Actualmente la Iglesia Católica celebra las tres epifanías en diferentes tiempos del calendario litúrgico.

UN SANTO DEFINIÓ LA FECHA

San Eusebio de Cesarea y San Jerónimo en el siglo cuarto, al igual que San Epifanio en el siglo sexto dicen que los reyes arribaron a ver al Niño antes que Jesús cumpliese los dos años.

Sin embargo, San Agustín (siglos cuarto y quinto) en sus sermones de la Epifanía afirmó que llegaron el día 13 después del nacimiento del Señor. Es decir, el 6 de enero del calendario actual.

REYES POR TRADICIÓN

San Mateo, el único que habla de los magos en la Biblia, explica que fueron de “oriente”, una zona que para los judíos eran los territorios de Arabia, Persia o Caldea. Por otro lado,

los orientales llamaban “magos” a los doctores.

“Mago” en lengua persa significaba “sacerdote” y justamente los magos eran una casta de sacerdotes persas o babilonios. Ellos no conocían la revelación divina como los judíos, pero estudiaban las estrellas en su deseo de buscar a Dios.

La tradición les llamó “reyes” a los magos en referencia al Salmo 72 (10 -11) que dice: “Los reyes de occidente y de las islas le pagarán tributo. Los reyes de Arabia y de Etiopía le ofrecerán regalos. Ante él se postrarán todos los reyes y le servirán todas las naciones”.

PUDIERON SER MÁS DE TRES

San León Magno y San Máximo de Turín, siglos cuarto y quinto respectivamente, hablan de tres magos probablemente no por basarse en alguna tradición, sino tal vez por los tres regalos que describe el evangelista.

En los primeros siglos hay representaciones en los que aparecen dos, cuatro, seis y hasta ocho magos.

No obstante, en el fresco más antiguo que data del siglo segundo aparecen tres.

EL ORIGEN DE SUS NOMBRES, FISONOMÍAS Y REGALOS Los nombres de los magos no aparecen en las Sagradas Escrituras, pero la tradición les ha dado ciertos nombres. En el siglo nueve se empezó a propagar que eran Gaspar, Melchor y Baltazar.

Melchor es graficado generalmente como un anciano blanco con barba en representación de la zona Europea y ofrece al Niño el oro por la realeza de Cristo. Gaspar representa a la zona asiática y porta el incienso por la divinidad de Jesús. Mientras que Baltazar es negro por los provenientes de África y regala al Salvador la mirra, sustancia que se utilizaba para embalsamar cadáveres y símbolo de la humanidad del Señor.

LA ESTRELLA HABRÍA SIDO UNA CONJUNCIÓN DE PLANETAS Estudios astronómicos indican que al parecer se debió a la conjunción de los planetas Saturno y Júpiter en la constelación de Piscis.

En este sentido, los Reyes Magos posiblemente deciden viajar en busca del Mesías porque, en la antigua astrología, Júpiter era considerado como la estrella del Príncipe del mundo; la constelación de Piscis, como el signo del final de los tiempos; y el planeta Saturno en Oriente, como la estrella de Palestina.

11

Abren proceso de inscripciones 2019-’20 para escuelas católicas CHARLOTTE — El periodo de inscripciones para el año académico 2019-’20 está abierto para las 19 escuelas católicas de la Diócesis de Charlotte schools: nueve escuelas en el área del gran Charlotte y 19 escuelas parroquiales en el territorio de la diócesis.

Varias escuelas también ofrecen programas especiales de aprendizaje para alcanzar de mejor manera las necesidades de diversos alumnos. En muchos casos, los padres pueden proveer a sus hijos con una educación católica desde pre-kínder hasta la escuela secundaria.

Todas las escuelas católicas diocesanas están acreditadas a través de AdvancEDSAC-CASI (Asociación Sureña de Consejo de Escuelas en Acreditación y Mejora Escolar).

ESCUELAS CATÓLICAS DEL ÁREA DE MECKLENBURG

Las nueve escuelas católicas en MACS son: Escuela Santa Ana (PK, TK-5), Escuela San Gabriel (K-5), Escuela San Mateo (TK-5), Escuela San Patricio (K-5), Escuela Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (PK-8), Escuela San Marcos (K-8), Escuela Media Santísima Trinidad (6-8), Escuela Secundaria Católica Charlotte y Escuela Secundaria Cristo Rey.

NECESIDADES ESPECIALES MACS

MACS también ofrece programas para necesidades especiales en varias locaciones que incluyen: PACE (Proveyendo una Educación Académica Católica Apropiada), MAP (Programa Académico Modificado) y MMP (Programa Matthew Morgan). Cada uno ofrece una experiencia educativa específica para estudiantes con necesidades especiales.

Para conocer más sobre estos programas especiales y costos de matrícula, visite www. discovermacs.org/speciallearning.

ESCUELAS MACS

Las escuelas MACS están localizadas en el área metropolitana de Charlotte: n Escuela Santa Ana: 600 Hillside Ave.; Charlotte; 704-525-4938; www.stanncatholic.org n Escuela San Gabriel: 3028 Providence Road; Charlotte; 704-366-2409; www. stgabrielcatholicschool.org n Escuela San Mateo: 11525 Elm Lane; Charlotte; 704-544-2070; www.stmattwildcats. com n Escuela San Patricio: 1125 Buchanan St.; Charlotte; 704-333-3174; www. saintpatrickschool.org n Escuela Nuestra Señora de la Asunción: 4225 Shamrock Dr.; Charlotte; 704-531-0067; www.olacatholic.org n Escuela San Marcos: 14750 Stumptown Road; Huntersville; 704-766-5000; stmarkcatholicschool.net n Escuela Media Santísima Trinidad: 3100 Park Road; Charlotte; 704-527-7822; www. htcms.org n Escuela Secundaria Católica Charlotte: 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte; 704543-1127; www.charlottecatholic.org n Escuela Secundaria Cristo Rey: 2011 Crusader Way; Huntersville; 704-199-4400; www.ctkchs.org

Visite cada una de las páginas web de las escuelas o contacte con ellas directamente para programar una visita.

Para más información, incluyendo las formas de registro MACS y oportunidades de ayuda financiera, visite www.discovermacs.org.

Las familias interesadas pueden contactar a la Directora de Admisiones de MACS, Heather Schoonover a hlschoonover@charlottediocese. org o 704-370-3273.

Los costos de matrícula para el año escolar 2019-’20 se espera sean anunciados en febrero.

Durante el año pasado, los costos de matrícula para las familias católicas participantes fueron: $4,026 por medio día pre-kindergarten o $6,255 por día completo de pre-kindergarten; $6,825 por escuela elemental (kindergarten de transición hasta quinto grado); $7,563 por escuela media, y $11,038 por escuela secundaria. (La matrícula para no católicos o católicos no participantes es más alta).

Los costos adicionales de graduación, tecnología y derechos de actividades no están incluídos en estos costos.

Se proveen descuentos en matrícula a parroquianos católicos participantes y por la inscripción de varios niños.

Está también disponible asistencia financiera para las familias que califiquen en mérito a sus necesidades.

ESCUELAS DIOCESANAS

Fuera del área de Charlotte existen nueve escuelas parroquiales de grados elementales y medios, y una escuela secundaria diocesana, cada una de ellas con procesos de admisión independientes, programas de ayuda financiera y costos de matrícula variables.

Estas escuelas son: n Escuela Católica Asheville: PK-8th grade; 12 Culvern St., Asheville; 828-252-7896; www. ashevillecatholic.org n Escuela Secundaria Obispo McGuinness: 9-12th grade; 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, Kernersville; 336-564-1010; www.bmhs.us n Escuela Inmaculada: PK-8th grade; 711 Buncombe St., Hendersonville; 939-693-3277; www.immac.org n Escuela Inmaculado Corazón de María: PK-8th grade; 4145 Johnson St., High Point; 336-8887-2613; www.ihm-school.com n Escuela Nuestra Señora de Gracia: PK-8th grade; 201 South Chapman St., Greensboro; 336-275-1522; www.olgsch.org n Escuela Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia: PK-8th grade; 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem; 336-722-7204; www. ourladyofmercyschool.org n Escuela Sagrado Corazón: PK-8th grade; 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury; 704-6332841; www.salisburycatholicschool.org n Escuela San Leo: PK-8th grade; 333 Springdale Avenue; Winston-Salem; 336-7488252; www.stleocatholic.com n Escuela San Miguel: PK-8th grade; 704 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia; 704-544-2070; www. stmichaelcs.com n Escuela San Pío X: K-8th grade; 2200 North ESCUELAS, PASA A LA PÁGINA 28

Lecturas Diarias ENE. 6-12

Domingo (La Epifanía del Señor): Isaías 60:1-6, Efesios 3:2-3, 5-6, Mateo 2:1-12; Lunes (San Raimundo de Penyafort): 1 Juan 3:22-4:6, Mateo 4:12-17, 23-25; Martes: 1 Juan 4:7-10, Marcos 6:34-44; Miércoles: 1 Juan 4:11-18, Marcos 6:45-52; Jueves: 1 Juan 4:19-5:4, Lucas 4:14-22; Viernes: 1 Juan 5:5-13, Lucas 5:1216; Sábado: 1 Juan 5:14-21, Juan 3:22-30

ENE. 13-19

Domingo (El Bautismo del Señor): Isaías 42:1-4, 6-7, Hechos 10:34-38, Lucas 3:15-16, 21-22; Lunes: Hebreos 1:1-6, Marcos 1:1420; Martes: Hebreos 2:5-12, Marcos 1:21-28; Miércoles: Hebreos 2:14-18, Marcos 1:29-39; Jueves (San Antonio): Hebreos 3:7-14, Marcos 1:40-45; Viernes Hebreos 4:1-5, 11, Marcos 2:1-12; Sábado: Hebreos 4:12-16, Marcos 2:13-17

ENE. 20-26

Domingo: Isaías 62:1-5, 1 Corintios 12:4-11, Juan 2:1-11; Lunes (Santa Inés): Hebreos 5:1-10, Marcos 2:18-22; Martes (Día de Oración por la Protección Legal de los Niños no Nacidos): Hebreos 6:10-20, Marcos 2:23-28; Miércoles (San Vicente, Sta. Mariana Cope): Hebreos 7:1-3, 15-17, Marcos 3:1-6; Jueves (San Francisco de Sales): Hebreos 7:25-8:6, Marcos 3:7-12; Viernes (La Conversión de San Pablo): Hechos 22:3-16, Marcos 16:15-18; Sábado (Santos Timoteo y Tito): 2 Timoteo 1:1-8, Marcos 3:20-21

12

catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Luis Moreno hijo y Jaime Moreno, atentos a las jugadas y listos para cuando las Panteras vayan al ataque anunciar su clásico ‘Lilín lilín, lalán lalán, las Panteras pisan ya tierra de peligro”.

Mientras Luis se ha especializado en el análisis de las jugadas, Jaime le pone el chile a la transmisión. “Es un medio por el que unimos a la familia a través del sano entretenimiento del deporte”, dice Jaime, quien agradece la sintonía de padres, abuelos y nietos “que se sientan a ver el juego por la televisión pero escuchan la narración por la radio”.

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Jaime y Luis Moreno: Son las voces de Las Panteras en español CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — Pocos minutos antes que comience “la previa” de la transmisión de uno de los partidos de Las Panteras de las Carolinas en el Estadio Bank of América de Charlotte, Jaime y Luis Moreno, narradores deportivos en español de la Furia Felina, inclinan sus rostros y se encomiendan a Dios para que sea Él quien se ponga al mando de la importante tarea.

“Agradecemos primeramente la oportunidad de estar ahí, de estar vivos, y le pedimos que siga llevando este proyecto hasta donde Él lo quiera llevar”, afirma Jaime, considerándose un instrumento de diversión y unión de la familia, “porque se unen los abuelitos, los papas y los nietos a ver la televisión pero escuchando la transmisión en español. Y eso no tiene palabras, eso es un regalo de Dios”, subraya.

Ahora sí, todo está listo para escuchar el grito que ya se ha hecho famoso: “¡Tilín lilín, lalán lalán, las Panteras van pisando tierra de peligro!”

Jaime y Luis, tío y sobrino respectivamente, le han puesto el gusto latino a las transmisiones de los encuentros de los Carolina Panthers en el deporte que los apasiona: el fútbol americano.

MADE IN MÉXICO

Nacido en México, Jaime creció viendo a los equipos de la NFL en su país natal. Desde los nueve años practicó el deporte hasta que al terminar la universidad, sin ligas profesionales en aquella época, dejó el fútbol. Refiere que uno de sus tíos le recordó que cuando tenía nueve años le comentó que le gustaría ser narrador de ese deporte. “Hay que tener cuidado con lo que uno pide porque las cosas se pueden hacer realidad”, nos dice sonriendo.

Entrenador de fútbol soccer, narrador deportivo, alterna su amor por el deporte con una brillante carrera de negocios en el sector de servicios para restaurantes.

Por su parte Luis, también mexicano, inició su carrera en el deporte a los diez años, cuando se probó en el club Destroyers de la Ciudad de México. En 1992 llega a Charlotte y al año siguiente, al ingresar a la Escuela Católica Secundaria, es seleccionado para jugar por el equipo Varsity, lo que hizo hasta terminar sus estudios.

Después de jugar por una universidad sufrió una lesión y retornó a Charlotte. Sin beca estudiantil tuvo que

dedicarse a trabajar, se descuidó físicamente y subió de peso. “Poco a poco empecé a madurar, a recapacitar, y me di cuenta que ya era muy tarde para continuar mi carrera como futbolista”, refiere.

UN PROYECTO LOS REÚNE

Para Jaime el sueño de convertirse en la voz de las Panteras comenzó en 1991, cuando llegó a Charlotte proveniente de Atlanta, Georgia. Las Carolinas crecían y mostraban atracción para la comunidad Latina, por lo que empezó a prepararse y a tocar puertas. “Tenía que estar listo”, asegura, pues “como siempre digo, cuando te dan la oportunidad, nunca tienes una segunda oportunidad de dar una primera impresión”.

En 2004 Luis recibió la invitación de Jaime para participar en programas de radio en español. En 2008 la fortuna tocó la puerta y, aunque el proyecto de ser las voces oficiales en español de Las Panteras fue aceptado, la primera transmisión se concretó dos años después.

“Ya son diez años como las voces oficiales de Las Carolinas”, recuerda Jaime, en los que han tenido la oportunidad de estar en el Super Tazón número 50 y ser reconocidos a nivel nacional como una de las mejores narraciones en español de la NFL. Según afirma Jaime, no planearon el estilo sino que lo fueron construyendo a través de los años. “Sí teníamos claro que no podíamos hacer una narración de tipo técnico, una manera fría y calculadora lo que estaba sucediendo en el terreno de juego. Teníamos que divertirnos y reflejar esa diversión en la gente que nos estaba escuchando para que se conecte con el equipo. Ahora yo les digo que no es una transmisión, es un show de Las Panteras de las Carolinas, de la radio en español”.

POR AMOR

El trabajo de Jaime y Luis en Las Panteras no solo es una labor de entretenimiento sino también de proyección a la comunidad. Desde 2012 llevan jugadores retirados a participar en clínicas de fútbol americano para niños de bajos recursos en México y han visitado, entre otras ciudades, Querétaro, Puebla, Jalapa y Ciudad de México.

En 2013 visitaron un orfanato en Querétaro donde pudieron mostrar a los visitantes norteamericanos la diferencia entre ser pobre en Estados Unidos y México.

“Es algo que no lo vamos a olvidar. Lo hacemos por amor, porque cambia vidas en México y como responsabilidad

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Luis Moreno hijo, Luis Moreno padre y Jaime Moreno comparten una pasión: el fútbol americano. Luis Moreno hijo y Jaime Moreno son las voces oficiales de Las Panteras de las Carolinas en español y han impuesto un estilo único, con color y sabor propio, en las transmisiones de los juegos de la Furia Felina, siendo reconocidos como uno de los mejores relatos y narraciones de la NFL en español. como voces oficiales de las Panteras”, afirma Luis.

Jaime además es entrenador de fútbol soccer a nivel universitario y escolar y, como asegura, “trato de desarrollar a estos jóvenes que quieren ser exitosos en la vida a través de la disciplina del deporte”. En otro proyecto, trabaja con jóvenes para que tengan la oportunidad de ser vistos por seleccionadores nacionales.

Con o sin Playoffs, Jaime siempre está listo para cantar: “Conozco un Pantera que los afloja. ¿Y cómo los afloja? Los afloja tacleando, los afloja bloqueando, los afloja anotando. ¡Pero mira cómo juega cómo juega mi Pantera! ¡Como juega, como juega mi Pantera! ¡Me dan ganas, me dan ganas de jugar!”.

Más online En facebook.com/CNHespanol: Vea más imágenes y un video de cómo se grita un Touchdown de Las Panteras en española

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

13

El Papa Francisco saluda a una mujer ciega de 99 años de edad durante una parada de 1su ruta en Trujillo, Perú, el 20 de enero de 2018.

CNS | PAUL HARING

Una mirada al año que se va PAPA FRANCISCO VISITÓ CHILE Y PERÚ

A mediados de enero, el Papa Francisco realizó una visita de siete días y seis ciudades a Perú y Chile, a donde llevó un mensaje de esperanza a las personas al margen de la sociedad.

En el primer encuentro oficial de su visita a Chile, el Papa expresó vergüenza y dolor por la crisis de abuso sexual infantil que ocurrió a manos del clero de la Iglesia Católica. “Me siento obligado a expresar mi dolor y vergüenza por el daño irreparable causado a los niños por algunos ministros de la Iglesia”, dijo Francisco.

En Perú visitó Puerto Maldonado, ciudad de la Amazonía, donde se encontró con jóvenes e indígenas de la región. A los jóvenes les pidió que “no renuncien al legado de sus abuelos, no renuncien a su vida ni a sus sueños” y busquen sus raíces abriendo los ojos a lo novedoso. Posteriormente, se encontró con autoridades de gobierno y ofició una multitudinaria Misa en una base militar de Lima, capital de Perú.

FLORECEN LAS VOCACIONES

Quince diáconos permanentes fueron ordenados en abril durante una Misa especial celebrada por el Obispo Peter Jugis en la parroquia San Marcos en Huntersville.

A principios de junio, dos seminaristas, Alfonso Gámez and Britt Taylor, se convirtieron en diáconos transicionales tras ser ordenados también por el Obispo Jugis.

A finales del mismo mes, 80 personas se graduaron del programa de formación del Ministerio Laico después de dos años de preparación humanística, espiritual, intelectual y pastoral. Monseñor Mauricio West, vicario general diocesano y canciller, fue el celebrante de la Misa de graduación.

El 15 de septiembre se dio inicio a las obras de construcción del Seminario San José en Belmont. Se espera que las obras concluyan a finales de 2019.

RESPUESTA A LOS ALEGATOS DE ABUSO

El 17 de agosto, el Obispo Peter Jugis

emitió una declaración en respuesta a las acusaciones de mala conducta sexual contra líderes de la Iglesia. “He escuchado decir a muchas personas que se sienten traicionadas y se preguntan qué va a pasar con nuestra querida Iglesia”, dijo.

En el documento, el Obispo Jugis aseguró que apoyaba “íntegramente” la declaración del Cardenal DiNardo de Galveston-Houston, presidente de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos, quien pidió “la apertura de canales nuevos y confidenciales para informar quejas contra obispos” y “mejores procedimientos” para resolver las quejas formuladas contra los obispos.

Nos enfrentamos a una crisis espiritual que requiere “de cambios prácticos para evitar repetir los pecados y fracasos del pasado”, escribió el cardenal.

Para enfrentar el problema, el Papa Francisco ha convocado a los presidentes de todas las conferencias episcopales del mundo el próximo 21 de febrero en El Vaticano.

CONGRESO EUCARÍSTICO SE VIVIÓ COMO IGLESIA Miles de hispanos participaron con fe y alegría en el 14 Congreso Eucarístico celebrado el 7 y 8 de septiembre.

Convocados bajo el lema ‘Yo soy el Pan Vivo Bajado del Cielo’, nuestros hermanos rezaron, cantaron, desfilaron, asistieron a las conferencias de los oradores invitados y participaron en La Hora Santa y la Liturgia del cierre de actividades.

En comunión con el Obispo Jugis, sacerdotes, religiosos, laicos consagrados y seminaristas, la feligresía demostró su entusiasmo, muy en especial durante la Procesión Eucarística que recorrió las calles del centro de Charlotte. El Santísimo Sacramento fue portado por el Obispo Jugis y dos diáconos transicionales, entre ellos el Diácono Alfonso Gámez, de orígen mexicano.

Durante la homilía de la Misa de cierre, el Obispo Jugis volvió a referirse a las revelaciones sobre el abuso sexual, mala

conducta y abuso de poder por parte de los líderes de la Iglesia. “Comparto vuestro dolor y realmente lo siento por estos crímenes que se han perpetrado contra inocentes”, remarcó.

V ENCUENTRO CON FRUTOS

Una importante delegación de la Diócesis de Charlotte participó en el V Encuentro Nacional del Ministerio Hispano que tuvo lugar del 20 al 23 de septiembre en Grapevine, Texas.

El Encuentro, titulado ‘Discípulos Misioneros: Testigos del amor de Dios’, fue el resultado de un proceso de cuatro años, en el que se recogió la opinión y capacitó a miles de católicos hispanos del país a través de consultas y talleres pastorales parroquiales, diocesanos y regionales.

Los cinco objetivos principales de la reunión: encontrar las necesidades y aspiraciones de los católicos de origen hispano, promover oportunidades de liderazgo para ellos, desarrollar nuevas formas de formarlos y alentarlos en sus vocaciones, invitar a todos los católicos a acompañar a los fieles de origen hispano y desarrollar una Iglesia “de salida” se vieron cumplidos y “ya comenzaron a dar frutos”, destacó el Rev. Arturo Cepeda, Obispo auxiliar de Detroit.

MONSEÑOR ROMERO FUE CANONIZADO

El domingo 14 de octubre San Óscar Romero, mártir de los pobres, fue canonizado junto con otros siete santos por el Papa Francisco. En su homilía, el Santo Padre dijo que Romero “dejó la seguridad

del mundo, incluso su propia incolumidad, para entregar su vida según el Evangelio, cercano a los pobres y a su gente, con el corazón magnetizado por Jesús y sus hermanos”.

Mientras, en Charlotte, miembros de la comunidad salvadoreña, líderes de organizaciones comunitarias y eclesiales se reunieron el mismo día en la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe para reconocer la vida y sacrificio de Monseñor Romero, así como para agradecer su elevación a los altares.

El 24 de marzo de 1980 Romero fue asesinado por un francotirador frente al altar de la capilla del Hospital de la Divina Providencia cuando celebraba Misa.

ANTORCHA GUADALUPANA TRAJO MENSAJE DE UNIDAD El mensaje de unidad familiar que nos envía ‘Mamá María’, fue entregado un año más por la ‘Antorcha Guadalupana’, “gracias al fervor grande de cientos de corredores que con sacrificio acortaron las distancias” entre padres e hijos que viven en México y los Estados Unidos y, separados por una frontera, no pueden visitarse como desearían, dijo el Diácono Enedino Aquino, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Greensboro.

‘La Antorcha’ fue recibida el sábado 10 de noviembre en la línea fronteriza entre Carolina del Sur y Carolina del Norte por una delegación de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, primera estación del recorrido en nuestro estado. Luego visitó Newton, Mocksville, Greensboro, High Point y Thomasville.

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iiiJanuary 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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Join the Jan. 11 March for Life Charlotte CHARLOTTE — Parishioners of all ages in the Diocese of Charlotte are encouraged to attend the 13th annual March for Life Charlotte events that will be held Friday, Jan. 11, to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion. The events are meant to be a time of prayer to call attention to the more than 60 million lives lost to abortion since 1973, and the need to end the tragedy of abortion.

The day’s events will begin with a 9 a.m. Mass for the Unborn offered at St. Vincent de Paul Church, located at 6828 Old Reid Road in Charlotte.

The 13th annual March for Life Charlotte will begin soon after the conclusion of Mass. Marchers will gather starting at 11 a.m. outside the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center, located at 1123 S. Church St. At noon the march will kick off from the Pastoral Center towards Independence Square at the corner of Trade and Tryon streets.

Father Peter Ascik, parochial vicar of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, will then give the keynote address.

After the address and testimonies by local representatives from the national Silent No More Campaign, the march will proceed to the Charles R. Jonas Federal Building and Courthouse on West Trade Street, where a rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed.

March for Life Charlotte billboards will again be placed around the Charlotte area to create awareness about the 13th annual March for Life.

See the full schedule and other details at www. marchforlifecharlotte.org. For inquiries, contact Tina Witt with March for Life Charlotte at marchforlifecharlotte@windstream.net or at 704-3012531.

Follow the march online On Facebook and Twitter: View live coverage from the March for Life Charlotte on the Catholic News Herald’s Facebook page and Twitter (@CatholicnewsCLT) starting at noon Friday, Jan. 11.

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January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

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‘Unique From Day One’ March for Life in D.C.

END HERE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The March for Life Education and Defense Fund has announced the details for the 2019 March for Life to be held on Friday, Jan. 18. “Unique From Day One” will be the theme of the annual march, which seeks to draw attention to the value of every life and the power of every American’s voice in speaking out for the unborn.

A Mass for pro-life advocates from North Carolina will be celebrated at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on the campus of The Catholic University of America at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 18.

Charlotte Bishop Peter J. Jugis will serve as the principal celebrant and Raleigh Bishop Luis R. Zarama will serve as homilist.

The “Unique From Day One” March for Life events will begin with a rally at noon on the National Mall, which will be followed at 1 p.m. by a march to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear testimony from women who regret their abortion.

Marchers will then proceed down West Trade Street toward the federal courthouse. After the recitation of the rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the march will conclude.

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At the corners of Trade and Tryon streets, presentations and testimonies will be given, including preaching by Father Peter Ascik, parochial vicar of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. A time of quiet prayer will conclude the presentations. March organizers caution everyone to be mindful of the busy uptown traffic and obey all laws for pedestrians.

TRY ON

Marchers will proceed up South Church Street, turning right onto West Carson Boulevard.

LYNX STATION CARSON BLVD.

Marchers will then turn left at the intersection of South Tryon Street and West Carson Boulevard, towards uptown Charlotte, and will continue past St. Peter Church to the corner of Trade and Tryon streets.

Diocese of Raleigh events The Diocese of Raleigh will host N.C. March for Life events on Saturday, Jan. 12, at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh. Events begin with a diocesan Mass for Life celebrated at the cathedral at 11 a.m.

The N.C. Rally for Life will begin at 1 p.m. at the Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh, followed by the N.C. March for Life at 2 p.m.

For details, go to www. dioceseofraleigh.org.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

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n A Youth Rally and Mass for Life hosted by the Archdiocese of Washington will take place on Jan. 18. The ticketed event will be held at the Verizon Center and the D.C. Armory, both in Washington, D.C. Doors open at 6:15 a.m. For more information about the event, visit youthrallyandmassforlife.org. n The Paulus Institute for the Propagation of Sacred Liturgy, Washington, D.C., will hold the Seventh Annual Nellie Gray Mass Jan. 18, immediately after the March for Life, at 4 p.m. The Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form (traditional Latin Mass) will be offered at St. Mary Mother of God Church at 5th and H Sts. N.W. in downtown Washington, D.C.

Carson Boulevard is also one block away.

Restrooms are available on the first floor of the Pastoral Center.

The crucifix will lead the march with participating priests and deacons, followed by the Divine Mercy image carried by the Missionaries of the Poor, the Blessed Mother statue carried with the Knights of Columbus, followed by all other religious and lay people.

PHOTOS BY SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD GRAPHIC BY TIM P. FARAGHER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

In theaters

where the realm’s vizier and a spunky princess are trying to stop its current sovereign (Patrick Wilson), the protagonist’s half-brother, from launching a war against the entire human race. While director James Wan’s film showcases long-term marital fidelity and elevates mercy over vengeance while also deploring the ravages of marine pollution, the dialogue in David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall’s screenplay is sometimes so obvious viewers can finish characters’ sentences for them. Though some unnamed set of gods are fleetingly mentioned, it’s the occasional salty talk that may give the parents of teens pause. Possibly acceptable for older adolescents. Constant harsh but mostly bloodless violence.

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

‘Bumblebee’

‘Aquaman’ A sprawling, lush spectacle, this DC Comics adaptation also is overlong, overcomplicated and, at times, just plain dumb. After washing up on shore wounded, the queen of Atlantis (Nicole Kidman) is nursed back to health by a lighthouse keeper (Temuera Morrison) whom she weds and with whom she has a son before being forced to return underwater to the arranged marriage she was trying to flee in the first place. Once grown (Jason Momoa), the couple’s superhero offspring reluctantly gets mixed up in the politics of his mother’s kingdom

Above-average installment in the sci-fi action “Transformers” franchise, set in 1987, charts the friendship between the shape-shifting alien robot-auto of the title, a yellow Volkswagen Beetle when in car form, and a vulnerable but plucky teen (Hailee Steinfeld). Still mourning her deceased father, whose mechanical skills she inherited, she finds solace in her bond with her newfound amigo whom she protects from hostile humans (John Cena as a secret government agent), though she can’t shield him from the threat posed by visitors from outer space. Gadgetry and the brawling of outsized extraterrestrials continue to be the hallmarks of the series, despite an overlay of Eighties nostalgia and soft sentiments. Possibly acceptable for older teens.

Much stylized violence with slight gore, a couple of crude and a few crass terms.

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

On TV n Friday, Jan. 4, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Saint John Neumann.” An EWTN original docudrama focusing on the life and ministry of St. John Neumann: A bishop, a zealous missionary and the founder of the United States’ Catholic educational system. n Friday, Jan. 4, 2 p.m. (EWTN) “Jordan’s Christians People of the Holy Land.” Elisabetta Valgiusti traverses the history of the Catholic Church in Jordan while visiting where Jesus was baptized and other holy sites in the area. n Saturday, Jan. 5, 10 a.m. (EWTN) “Feasts with the Friars: Epiphany Special.” Friar John retells the story of the Magis’ quest for the newborn King, and how their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were symbolic of Christ’s humanity, divinity and kingship. n Saturday, Jan. 5, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Mary of Nazareth.” Film presentation on the Virgin Mary from her childhood through the resurrection of Jesus, capturing the essence of her profound faith and trust in God. Part 2. n Sunday, Jan. 6, 12 p.m. (EWTN) “Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.”

Mass of the Epiphany with Pope Francis, from St. Peter’s Basilica. n Sunday, Jan. 6, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.” A look back on the life, ideals and works of 1960s community activist Saul Alinsky through the lens of a Catholic perspective. n Monday, Jan. 7, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN)

“A History of Heresies.” Beginning with Lucifer’s rebellion against God, Church historians explore the history of heresies and its dangers, while noting how the Medieval Inquisition saved lives. n Wednesday, Jan. 9, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN) “The Roman Inquisition.” While focusing on the Roman Inquisition, Church historians contrast the Waldensian heresy with St. Francis and St. Dominic’s service to the Church, and reveal the real reasoning behind Galileo’s interrogation. n Friday, Jan. 11, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Voices in the Desert.” The history and impact of “Humanae Vitae” on Dr. Thomas Hilgers and colleagues at the Pope Paul VI Institute, who developed new morally and medically superior treatments for infertility and a range of other women’s healthcare issues. n Friday, Jan. 11, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Reflections of Glory: The Origin of Icons.” Catholic viewers are given an inspiring look at the history, development and meaning of iconography. n Saturday, Jan. 12, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Don Bosco.” Flavio Insinna gives an award-winning performance as Father John Bosco, the great priest and educator whose unconditional love and glowing witness of Christ changed lives of countless impoverished children. Part 1 of a two-part series.

You are Cordially Invited to the 16th Annual

VINEYARD OF HOPE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 Crowne Plaza Charlotte 5700 West Park Drive, Charlotte, NC, 28217 Join us for Cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and blessing of the meal at 6:45 p.m.

2019 Fruit of the Vine Award Recipient Father Francis J. O’Rourke At this complimentary event, you will be invited to make a generous gift to help raise our goal of $200k to Strengthen Families, Build Communities, and Reduce Poverty in the Charlotte area.

RSVP at vineyardofhope2019@charlottediocese.org or online at ccdoc.org/vineyardofhope

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

2018 RENEWAL

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FILE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter Jugis led thousands of people in praying the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary during the Diocese of Charlotte’s Eucharistic Congress Sept. 8, 2018. The unprecedented move was prompted in response to the turmoil that shook the Church in 2018, as revelations of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and abuse of power by some Church leaders were in the news. “We are saddened, outraged and disgusted by these sins,” Bishop Jugis said.

A YEAR OF

TAKE A LOOK BACK: MORE PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND STORIES ONLINE

At www. catholicnewsherald. com: Review the year’s big local, international and national news, read a past print edition you may have missed, and check out some of our favorite videos from 2018 At www.facebook.com/ catholicnewsherald: Tell us: What was your favorite story of 2018?

At www.pinterest.com/ charlottecnh: Read all these stories and see more photos and videos, all in one place, on our Year in Review board

The abuse crisis and the Charlotte diocese’s response

Prayer and calls for renewal. That was the response by many in the Diocese of Charlotte to fresh headlines in 2018 about child sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and abuse of power by some Church leaders.

People and priests in the diocese reacted with shock, anger and disgust to allegations of sexual misconduct by a retired archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing child sexual abuse by hundreds of priests in six dioceses of that state. The headlines stirred people in the Charlotte diocese to react with anger and calls for prayer.

“Enough is enough … RCC clergy has proved over and over again that they are not even remotely capable of policing themselves. They say it can’t happen here … but it has happened everywhere. Stand up for your faith, it’s time for the adults to be in charge,” wrote Pat Jackson on the Catholic News Herald’s Facebook page.

“Prayers for priests,” wrote Helen Losse.

“There are more good, holy priests than priests who have sinned horrifically. Pray that this exposure (that is right and necessary for healing) will not prevent people from coming to Jesus in the Catholic Church.”

Concerned about a crisis of faith among their parishioners, pastors addressed the news head on.

Jesuit Father James Shea, pastor of St. Peter Church in Charlotte, said, “We had hoped that after the 2002 abuse scandals and procedures of the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Children, over 15 years ago, that we would not have to walk this dark journey again, but we do.

First, we must acknowledge the pain and grief.

We know the grief we feel is only a shadow of the pain borne by survivors of abuse by priests.

As a priest, I need to say to you that I am sorry for this terrible betrayal of trust. I am sorry for those scarred by abuse. I am sorry that you, the People of God, have to bear the shame for the crimes and sins of their leaders. I am sorry that your faith may be shaken. Even if your Church leaders have failed you, Jesus never will.”

Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, preached, “Knowledge and admission of sin and a desire to reform are the first steps on the path to holiness … and holiness is our only option. There is no path forward that does not involve a deeper commitment and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Holiness is the only credible witness that can testify before the victims of abuse and the world. We have no choice. We must seek to be holy.”

The 14th annual Eucharistic Congress demonstrated that even though the Church has

been wounded, Catholics in the Charlotte diocese continued to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus.

Unlike previous years, the 2018 congress Sept.

7-8 was one of reparation and prayer for healing, Bishop Peter Jugis emphasized. The congress, the bishop said, was a time for the people of the diocese to come together “with one united voice” to pray for healing in the Church.

In what was an unprecedented move at the congress, the bishop led the thousands of faithful in a Holy Hour of Reparation, praying the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary while kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, praying for “God to have mercy on His holy Church.”

During a historic visit to Estonia in late September, Pope Francis also called for conversion of hearts.

“We know that where Jesus is, there is always renewal,” the pope said. “There are always new opportunities for conversion and for leaving behind everything that separates us from Him and our brothers and sisters.”

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary and reflections that Bishop Jugis compiled and prayed at the Eucharistic Congress

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

2018: A YEAR OF RENEWAL Bishop Emeritus William Curlin passes away Joy. Generosity of spirit. Attention to those in need. Friendship. Laughter. A pastor’s heart. Selfless love.

These were the gifts Bishop Emeritus William Curlin shared with everyone he encountered during 60 years of priestly ministry, from his first assignment as the pastor of a poor parish in Washington, D.C., to his eight years as the third bishop of Charlotte, and throughout his lifelong ministry to the sick and the poor before his death Dec. 23, 2017, at the age of 90.

On Jan. 2, 2018, hundreds of friends, family and fellow priests filled St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte to honor his memory and commend his soul to the Lord.

Funeral liturgies were led by Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, a longtime friend, and by Bishop Peter Jugis.

Bishop Curlin’s peaceful death just before Christmas was providential, many said, because he loved Christmas so much.

“In his heart, Christmas wasn’t a day.

Christmas was a way of life,” noted Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, formerly the bishop’s secretary and now pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, in the homily for the funeral Mass.

“He saw good in things, good in people,

PHOTOS BY SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

(Above) Bishop Emeritus William Curlin was remembered Jan. 1, 2018, at a prayer vigil at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, where he was installed as the third bishop of Charlotte in 1994.

(Right) Joining Baltimore Archbishop William Lori in offering the funeral Mass Jan. 2 were Bishop Peter Jugis, Auxiliary Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger III from Atlanta, Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, and dozens of priests from the Diocese of Charlotte and several religious orders. Burial followed in the cemetery at Belmont Abbey, where the first bishop of Charlotte, Bishop Michael Begley, is also interred.

“The Diocese of Charlotte is growing, and Church eagerly awaits your service to the People of God.” That was the message from Bishop Peter Jugis as he ordained 15 men as permanent deacons during a two-hour Mass April 14, 2018, at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. With this ordination class, the diocese now has 135 permanent deacons – the most in its history – serving throughout western North Carolina, where the Catholic population numbers more than 450,000. The newly ordained deacons will assist at the altar during Mass, proclaim the Gospel at Mass, give homilies, administer the sacrament of baptism and officiate at weddings.

Permanent deacons serve in parishes as well as in specialized pastoral areas such as Hispanic Ministry, RCIA, the airport chaplaincy and prison ministry.

always looking for Christ in each other, always looking for the hand of God in events and the splendor of creation,” he said. “For him, Christ wasn’t just born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, but here and now in the stable of our hearts.”

A special tribute to the late Bishop Curlin was published in the Catholic News Herald’s Jan. 5, 2018, edition. Read it online at www.catholicnewsherald. com/archives.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See video highlights from Bishop Curlin’s funeral Mass, as well as archival video from his installation as the third bishop of Charlotte and the historic visit of his friend, St. Teresa of Calcutta, to Charlotte

JOHN COSMAS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Deacon Quang Nguyen of St. Joseph Church in Charlotte was the first Vietnamese deacon ordained for the Charlotte diocese.

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Ordinations: Fruit of increased interest in vocations Called. Chosen. Loved by God. These were the words Bishop Peter Jugis used to describe the two men – Alfonso Gamez and Britt Taylor – who came before him to be ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 2, 2018, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. Ordination as a transitional deacon marks one of the last steps on their journey to the priesthood.

In a separate liturgy at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome in September, Michael Carlson was also ordained a transitional deacon.

The three are expected to be ordained to the priesthood in June.

From 1980, when the Charlotte diocese established a Permanent Diaconate ministry, to today, the permanent diaconate has also flourished just as the diocese has grown.

The past two ordinations, in 2014 and 2018, saw a total of 31 men ordained permanent deacons for the diocese.

Across western North Carolina, there are now 135 permanent deacons serving in the diocese – the most in

its history.

“The Diocese of Charlotte is growing, and Church eagerly awaits your service to the People of God.” That was the message from Bishop Jugis as he ordained 15 men as permanent deacons during a two-hour Mass April 14, 2018, at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

And the steady stream of men interested in the permanent diaconate continues, with 15 men admitted last August as candidates for the diaconate.

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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2018: A YEAR OF RENEWAL

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

A record number of 77 young men aged 15-19 attended this year’s Quo Vadis Days retreat held June 11-15, 2018, at Belmont Abbey College. The five-day vocations discernment camp for young men included talks by local priests, seminarians and others on the vocations to the priesthood, marriage and fatherhood. A similar retreat for young women, Duc In Altum, is similarly growing in popularity.

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter Jugis, clergy, monks from nearby Belmont Abbey and about 50 additional supporters broke ground Sept. 15, 2018, for St. Joseph College Seminary – a signature part of the Charlotte diocese’s emphasis on promoting religious vocations to serve the growing Catholic population in western North Carolina.

St. Joseph College Seminary breaks ground as number of vocations rises “We pray that God will continue to shower down His blessings upon this effort of ours,” Bishop Peter Jugis said with a grin before breaking ground for the permanent site of St. Joseph College Seminary on Sept. 15, 2018 – in spite of the wind and rain caused by Tropical Storm Florence.

Bishop Jugis, clergy, monks from nearby Belmont Abbey and about 50 additional supporters broke ground for the $20 million college seminary at the entrance to the 86-acre site located at 1212 Perfection Ave. Hurricane Florence pounded the North Carolina coast in the days leading up to the groundbreaking, making landfall Friday morning with 100-mph winds. But the wind and the rain were slow to reach the Charlotte region, giving organizers just the window of opportunity they needed to go ahead with the groundbreaking.

The historic step couldn’t come too soon for the diocese, which is experiencing a vocations boom as more people

discern the priesthood, permanent diaconate and religious life.

As the Catholic population living in western North Carolina has swelled from an estimated 35,000 when the diocese was established in 1972 to today’s estimated 450,000, the number of people serving the local Church has also increased. In the diocese’s 92 parishes and missions, 81 diocesan priests and 135 deacons are at work serving the people of God in western North Carolina, up from 72 priests and 96 deacons just a decade ago. Nearly two dozen religious orders of men and women also serve in the diocese.

The diocese has 36 men studying for the priesthood, including 16 seminarians at three major seminaries in the U.S. and Rome and 20 students at St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte.

Opened in 2016, St. Joseph College Seminary has been a magnet for vocations as young men have responded to the opportunity to study and discern a religious vocation close to their homes and parishes.

Intensified interest in the college seminary prompted the diocese to expand housing for them near the St. Ann Church

campus on Park Road, with the young men now spread out temporarily across three houses adjacent to the church.

Plans for the college seminary to be built slowly in phases were accelerated, from an initial capacity of 20 men doubled to 40 men to accommodate the rapid pace of enrollment.

The college seminary is giving young men an idea of what formation for the priesthood looks like, noted the diocese’s vocations promoter, Father Jason Barone. “They can visualize what a seminary looks like. They can see themselves perhaps joining the seminary,” he said.

Another reason for the greater interest in religious vocations is the diocese’s annual retreats for young men and women, Quo Vadis Days and Duc in Altum. The weeklong summer retreats at Belmont Abbey College drew hundreds of young people to learn about vocations and how to discern God’s will in their lives.

The college seminary and the retreats, along with the prayers of the faithful and the support of Bishop Jugis, Father Barone said, “have resulted in an explosion of vocations, something we can be proud of and thank God for.”

Building for growth 2018 saw several building and special projects across the Diocese of Charlotte: n MARCH: St. Francis of Assisi Church, Jefferson: A new cemetery on church property was built and dedicated. It is the only Catholic cemetery in Ashe County. n JULY: St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte: Over a three-month period, the church’s sanctuary was renovated to include an antique baldachin over the altar. n AUGUST: Old St. Joseph Church, Mount Holly: The 175-year-old church received critical repairs to restore the historic wooden structure. Built in 1843 for and by Irish immigrants, who had come to mine for gold along the Catawba River, St. Joseph Church is the oldest Catholic church still standing in the state and is an official state and U.S. historical site. n SEPTEMBER: Our Lady of the Assumption School, Charlotte: An updated STEM lab, library, gymnasium and a 2,400-square-foot cafetorium project was built thanks to funding by an anonymous donor.

Sacred Heart School, Salisbury: “MakerSpace” classroom named “The Cranium Cove” was completed to give students hands-on learning experiences.

Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville: The parish purchased a 9,500-square-foot building next to the church and converted it into a parish center to accommodate the parish’s growing number of ministries.

St. Joseph College Seminary, Belmont: Groundbreaking for the college seminary was held Sept. 15. n OCTOBER: St. Lawrence Basilica, Asheville: The parish conducted a structural survey to assess the building’s weaknesses and create a renovation plan for the 109-year-old historic church.

Holding an oversized pair of ceremonial scissors, Bishop Peter Jugis snipped a bright red ribbon to mark the opening of Christ the King High School’s 27,000-squarefoot expansion Dec. 6, 2018. The bishop was flanked by Dr. Janice Ritter, superintendent of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools, and Dr. Carl Semmler, principal of Christ the King High School.

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

n DECEMBER: Christ the King High School, Huntersville: A 27,000-square-foot expansion was dedicated by Bishop Peter Jugis. The two-story building more than doubles the high school’s total square footage – making much-needed room for its growing enrollment of 300-plus students.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe: The parish unveiled new biblically-inspired murals created by local artist Lisa Autry and installed in the church.

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

2018: A YEAR OF RENEWAL Jubilarians 60 YEARS: Father Richard McCue, Father Richard Benonis, Father David Kessinger, OSB 55 YEARS: Father James Hawker, Father Edward Sheridan 50 YEARS: Father George Kloster, Sister Brigid McCarthy, RSM, Sister Paulette Williams, RSM 45 YEARS: Father Peter Tan Van Le, Father Thomas Norris, OSFS, Father Wilbur Thomas, Father Charles Strollo, CM 40 YEARS: Father Michael Buttner, Father Michael Klepacki, Father Morris Boyd, Deacon Myles Decker, Deacon Louis Pais 35 YEARS: Bishop Peter Jugis, Father John Schneider, Father John Hanic, Father Martin Schratz, OFM Cap, Father Vang Cong Tran, CSsR, Deacon Andrew Cilone, Deacon Charles Desautels, Deacon Joseph Mack, Deacon Harold Markle, Deacon Joseph Schumacher, Deacon Rudolph Triana, Deacon Gerald Potkay Sr., Deacon James Hamrlik 30 YEARS: Father Kenneth Whittington, Deacon Carl Hubbell, Deacon Peter Duca, Deacon Guy Piché, Deacon Timothy Rohan, Deacon Vincent Shaw Jr., Deacon Curtiss Todd, Deacon Bernard Wenning Jr., Deacon Charles Brantley, Deacon Ronald Caplette, Deacon Bruce Haslett, Deacon Arthur Kingsley 25 YEARS: Father Eric Kowalski, Father Carmen Malacari, Father Youngcheol Kim, Father Jaehyun Pak 20 YEARS: Father Basile Sede, Father Dean Cesa, Father Christopher Davis, Father Matthew Leonard, Father Peter Pham 15 YEARS: Father Matthew Buettner, Father Julio Dominguez, Father Enrique Gonzalez-Gaytan, Father Marcel Amadi, Deacon Luis Flores 10 YEARS: Father Brandon Jones, Father Tri Truong 5 YEARS: Father Jason Christian, Deacon John Panzica

Parishioners across the Diocese of Charlotte celebrated and gave thanks when the late Archbishop Oscar Romero was canonized by Pope Francis Oct. 14, 2018.

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

In Memoriam DEACON PAUL (PE) LEE died Oct. 17, 2018, aged 54. A native of Laos who fled after his home was destroyed in the Vietnam War and became a refugee in Thailand during his childhood, he received faith formation from a lay catechist who inspired him to follow God – first as a catechist in the refugee camp and later as a permanent deacon in the United States. He served the Hmong community at several parishes throughout the Charlotte diocese.

MERCY SISTER ELLEN MCSORLEY died May 21, 2018, aged 88. A Sister of Mercy for 70 years, she worked as a teacher and later as a chaplain concentrating on pastoral care of persons who were HIV-positive.

SISTER JANE MEEHAN of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died Feb. 4, 2018, aged 87. She formerly served as a teacher at Our Lady of Grace Elementary School in Greensboro.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CATHY CHIAPPETTA PHOTO PROVIDED BY CONNIE RIES

St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville was among many parishes that hosted Vacation Bible School or Totus Tuus programs over the summer. Their theme was the “Parables of Jesus,” featuring the Mustard Seed, the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and the Sower. Besides each day’s lesson, there were crafts, music, snacks and a daily meal which included some international dishes. On the last day the children had great fun with a double water slide, water balloons and baby pools for the littlest ones.

JESUIT FATHER FRANCIS X. REESE died Nov. 20, 2018, aged 91. Formerly in residence at St. Therese Church in Mooresville, Father Reese served the Church for more than 60 years.

GLENMARY FATHER FRANCIS JOSEPH SCHENK, a Glenmary Home Missioner for 66 years and one of the oldest and longest serving Glenmarians, died April 1, 2018, aged 102. He served in Sylva, Spruce Pine and North Wilkesboro, among other locations in the rural South as well as in South America. In his service, he wrote a weekly newspaper column, hosted a radio show, preached in a tent and helped build a North Carolina church by hand. One of the first Glenmarians to study Spanish, Father Frank started a Spanish Mass in all of his missions and provided outreach to migrant workers.

DEACON RONALD STEINKAMP, former director of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Permanent Diaconate program and an advocate for the Diocese of Charlotte Tribunal in addition to his ministry at St. Pius X Parish in Greensboro, died June 10, 2018, aged 74.

Immaculate Conception Church and the Knights of Columbus of Forest City held their sixth annual Cross-A-Thon and Eucharistic Procession Aug. 11, 2018. Some participants shouldered life-sized crosses, while others carried smaller crosses in the Eucharistic Procession as the group walked one mile from the church down Main Street in Forest City to the Grace of God Rescue Mission.

GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Fifty teenagers took part July 16-20, 2018, in St. Peter Church’s “Teen Serve Week,” an annual initiative for young people in the parish to give back to their community and learn more about Catholic social teaching. The fifth annual “Teen Serve Week” focused on helping the teens understand more about a faith that does justice.

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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2018: A YEAR OF RENEWAL

Special anniversaries in 2018

Sacraments As of Dec. 31, 2018, in the diocese, there were:

‘Humanae Vitae’ 50 years later

5,601 Baptisms

CHARLOTTE — “We celebrate ‘Humanae Vitae’ because it is a great document giving insight and depth to human sexuality and to human nature itself,” Father Joshua Voitus said in the opening words of his homily at a July 25, 2018, Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte honoring the 50th anniversary of the encyclical’s release.

Blessed Paul VI issued “Humanae Vitae” on July 25, 1968, as use of artificial contraception, particularly the birth control pill, was growing more common. Human love is meant to be about the love between a man and a woman, he wrote, reflecting the self-giving love between God and His Church – but the encyclical was largely jeered.

The Church’s teaching should have filled the whole world with light, joy and happiness, Father Voitus said. Instead, the encyclical became a source of conflict, tension, bitterness and fighting over the past five decades.

“The fact that the document became a source of fighting and conflict – a source of great bitterness throughout the world – it prevented it from being seen for what it truly was,” a beautiful document that teaches people about the beauty and depth of human nature and the beauty and depth of human love, Father Voitus said.

But, 50 years later, interest in Church teaching and in its advocacy of natural family planning methods and research are on the rise.

5,402 First Holy Communions 4,538 Confirmations 914 Marriages 722 people received into the Church

A Crowning of Mary was held at St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon May 6, 2018, led by Father Roger K. Arnsparger, pastor, with first communicants Ellanor Biance, Filiberto SanchezGuttierrez and Kate Smith.

St. Mary’s Church in Greensboro celebrates 90 years of diversity GREENSBORO — The rainbow. In the Old Testament, it is the symbol of God’s covenant with His people.

St. Mary’s Church in Greensboro has adopted the same symbol to represent the diverse beauty of many races and colors – one holy, Catholic people – united in worshipping and serving God. That diversity was on display Sept. 23, 2018, when several hundred parishioners gathered to celebrate St. Mary’s 90th anniversary.

St. Mary’s was established in 1928 to serve black residents in the segregated southeastern area of the PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD city.

Today the parish boasts more than 2,000 members from nearly every continent on Earth, and the anniversary celebration reflected that diversity, with the Mass being offered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Our Lady of Lourdes Church marks 75th anniversary MONROE — Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners had even more reason to celebrate their patronal feast day in 2018, as the parish commemorated its 75th anniversary with Mass offered by Bishop Peter Jugis. He was pastor of the parish in 2003 when he received the call from Rome to become the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte.

Concelebrating the Mass were one of the parish’s longtime former pastors, Spiritan Father Ed Vilkauskas, now retired, and current pastor Father Benjamin Roberts.

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD “The 75th anniversary is a very important milestone in the history of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish,” Bishop Jugis said in his homily. “The first sentiment that must come to our hearts is that of gratitude to Almighty God for giving (Raleigh) Bishop Eugene McGuinness in the early 1940s the wisdom and the foresight to establish this parish here in Monroe, Union County.”

Bishop Jugis looked out over the church, filled to capacity, and said, “Look how the Lord has made us grow! We are still growing in Christ with each passing year. Our numbers are increasing – a sign of God’s blessing.”

St. Joseph Vietnamese Church reaches a milestone CHARLOTTE — “On Tuesday, May 1, of this past week, the Church around the world celebrated the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, which gives us the opportunity to come together to celebrate our patron saint. But did you realize that this past week there was another date which is significant for St. Joseph Parish? This past Wednesday, May 2, was the 14th anniversary of the dedication of this parish church.”

Bishop Peter Jugis thus began his homily during a special Mass May 6, 2018, at St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte, commemorating the church’s dedication in 2004 – one of the first he presided over after being installed as the Bishop of Charlotte.

Addressing more than a thousand faithful who filled the pews and overflowed into the narthex, Bishop Jugis said he remembered very well that important date, “a beautiful day,” when the church was solemnly dedicated to God under the patronage of St. Joseph.

Our Lady of Consolation’s Rosary Society celebrates 40 years CHARLOTTE — For four decades, the members of the Rosary Society at Our Lady of Consolation Church have welcomed guests with smiles and delicious food at their annual chicken dinner – all part of an effort to beautify the historic parish and give glory to God. A crowd of more than 300 filled the parish hall again April 29, 2018, for the Rosary Society’s 40th annual dinner, a now legendary event in the community.

The Rosary Society is foundational at Our Lady of Consolation Parish. Since the parish was founded in the 1940s, the Rosary Society has helped to raise funds for the beautification of the church.

DELLA SUE BRYSON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Father Casey Coleman baptized two adults during the Easter Vigil at St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva.

“If we live in Jesus and the risen Savior lives in us, we conquer sin and death.” This was the message proclaimed by Bishop Peter Jugis as he celebrated the Easter vigil Mass March 31, 2018, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. Bishop Jugis welcomed three catechumens at the vigil Mass, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion. In his homily, he explained the connection between baptism and Easter: Baptism at Eastertime is a special time “to begin a new life in the risen Christ,” he said, because it “lets us see … the full meaning of Jesus’ resurrection.

Baptism joins us to the risen Christ. We begin to experience His own resurrected life within us as the risen Christ lives within us.”

JOHN COSMAS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Top stories online In 2018, 156,459 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com viewed a total of 337,207 pages. The 10 most popular stories last year were: n Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin passes away..............................................................................................5,767 n Charlotte bishop issues statement on allegations of sexual misconduct against leaders............... 4,004 n Deacon Paul Pe Lee passes away in Morganton.............................................................................................1,869 n Bishop Jugis ordains five men to the priesthood...........................................................................................1,853 n Allegations of sexual misconduct by priests, cover-up by Church leaders have people talking.......1,676 n Former Charlotte priest named in letter alleging cover-up of abuse by Archbishop McCarrick......1,602 n Parishioners restore Greensboro’s oldest Catholic church to its original splendor.............................1,446 n Accrediting agency puts Belmont Abbey College on probation over financial stability.....................1,424 n ‘You are servants of the Risen Lord’..................................................................................................................1,288 n ‘Phishing’ scam targets Charlotte-area pastors, parishioners.................................................................... 1,017

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Vatican begins investigation of Archbishop McCarrick CAROL ZIMMERMANN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — James Grein, a Virginia man who said Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, sexually abused him for years beginning when he was 11, gave his testimony about what occurred Dec. 27 before a judicial vicar for the New York Archdiocese.

His testimony was requested by the Vatican.

“He wants his church back. He felt that in order to accomplish that end, he had to go in and testify here and tell them what happened and give the Church itself the chance to do the right thing,” Patrick Noaker, Grein’s attorney, told The Associated Press.

In a New York Times report in July McCarrick about Grein’s allegations against Archbishop McCarrick he only allowed his first name to be used, but he has since been more public and spoke during a protest that took place during the U.S. bishops’ fall meeting in Baltimore.

According to reports about Grein’s testimony, he spoke of repeated incidents of the archbishop groping him during confession.

Archbishop McCarrick, who has denied allegations against him, now lives in a Capuchin Franciscan friary in Victoria, Kan. The Archdiocese of Washington in a statement this summer said it had conducted an investigation and found no allegations of misconduct involving Archbishop McCarrick during the time he served as archbishop of Washington between 2000 and 2006. He earlier served as a priest and then auxiliary bishop in New York, and as bishop of Metuchen, N.J., and archbishop of Newark, N.J. In July, Pope Francis accepted Archbishop McCarrick’s resignation from College of Cardinals and suspended him from public ministry, ordering him to a “life of prayer and penance” until the accusations against him, also about misconduct with seminarians, were examined in a canonical trial.

Since allegations against him have come to light, Catholic laity and Church leaders, including bishops, have been asking who knew about the archbishop’s alleged misconduct and how was it possible for him to move up the ranks in Church leadership.

Details published on Vatican delaying USCCB vote on abuse provisions CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — The surprising news in November that the Vatican had asked U.S. bishops not to vote on several proposals for responding to the sexual abuse crisis was motivated by a lack of time given the Vatican to study the proposals and potential conflicts with Church law, according to a letter obtained by the Associated Press.

AP reported Jan. 1 it had obtained the letter written Nov. 11 by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, to Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asking that the votes be delayed.

Cardinal DiNardo informed the bishops of the Vatican’s request Nov. 12, at the start of their fall meeting, the agenda of which was primarily focused on the sexual abuse crisis and the accountability of bishops.

“Considering the nature and scope of the documents being proposed by the (conference), I believe it would have been beneficial to have allowed for more time to consult with this and other congregations with competence over the ministry and discipline of bishops,” Cardinal Ouellet wrote, according to the AP, which also reported that a draft of the U.S. proposals arrived at the Vatican only Nov. 8.

In response to questions from AP, Cardinal DiNardo said, “It is now clear there were different expectations on the bishops’ conference’s part and Rome’s part that may have affected the understanding of these proposals.”

The proposals included standards of episcopal conduct and the formation of a special commission for reviewing complaints against bishops for violations of the standards.

“From our perspective,” Cardinal DiNardo told AP, the U.S. bishops’ proposals “were designed to stop short of where the authority of the Holy See began.”

The USCCB president said his surprise at the requested delay was genuine, because “in early October, we shared the content and direction of the proposals with multiple dicasteries of the Holy See. Finding no objection, we moved forward on the final drafts.”

“We had not planned, nor had the Holy See made a request, to share the texts prior to the body of bishops having had an opportunity to amend them,” he told AP in a message also made available to Catholic News Service.

The Vatican press office did not immediately respond to a

request for comment.

The November meeting, Cardinal DiNardo said, was designed to put the proposals “into final form, after which it would have been possible for the Holy See to have an opportunity to review and offer adjustments.”

“There were additional discussions on or around November 6 with Cardinal Ouellet as to the proposals,” he said. “At that point, I thought it best to share the texts with him. I advised Cardinal Ouellet that any delay in finalizing these texts in November would prove a great disappointment to the faithful who were expecting their bishops to take just action.”

“Though there were canonical precisions mentioned” as necessary by the Vatican, Cardinal DiNardo said, “the emphasis seemed to be on delaying votes and not wanting to get ahead of the February meeting of episcopal conference presidents.”

Cardinal Ouellet’s letter, according to AP, acknowledged that bishops’ conferences have certain powers, but insisted “the conference’s work must always be integrated within the hierarchical structure and universal law of the Church.”

At the time of the November bishops’ meeting, both the Vatican and Cardinal DiNardo had declined to make a copy of Cardinal Ouellet’s letter public.

In a report Nov. 13 on the delay, CNS had reported that an official of the Congregation for Bishops, responding on behalf of Cardinal Ouellet, said his office was “working to ensure the best evaluation and accompaniment of the questions raised by the American episcopacy.”

At the same time, CNS reported that Andrea Tornielli, a Vatican reporter later named by Pope Francis to be editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, had written on the Vatican Insider website that “a Vatican source involved in the matter” told him: “It is wrong to think the Holy See does not share the objective of the U.S. bishops to have effective instruments for combating the phenomenon of the abuse of minors and to establish firm points regarding the responsibility of bishops themselves.”

“The motive for asking for a postponement (of the vote),” the source had said, “should not be considered putting on the brakes, but an invitation to better evaluate the proposed texts, including in view of the meeting in February of all the presidents of the bishops’ conferences of the world with the pope dedicated to the struggle against abuse.”

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January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Ohio legislature looks ahead after one vote short on abortion bill COLUMBUS, Ohio — By one vote, the Ohio Senate failed to overturn the governor’s veto of a restrictive abortion bill. The legislation, called the “heartbeat bill,” would have prohibited abortions at the first detectable heartbeat, or as early as six weeks of pregnancy. On Dec. 27, the state senators voted 19-13 to override the governor’s veto, but it needed 20 votes to pass.

Republican Senate President Larry Obhof said the legislation would come up again and with a better chance of passing, in the next session.

“We will have a supermajority that is pro-life in both chambers in the next General Assembly.

We’re getting sworn in in less than two weeks, and we have a governor coming in who has said he would sign that bill,” he said.

The legislation previously passed the Ohio House and Senate and was sent to Republican Gov. John Kasich, who vetoed the bill Dec. 21.

Vietnamese parishioners don’t let attack deter Christmas PORTLAND, Ore. — Members of Our Lady of Lavang Parish in Portland did not let an attack stall their Christmas observances. Volunteers at the Vietnamese Catholic community gathered Christmas Eve, tools in hand, to repair their church, which had been seriously damaged when a man intentionally drove his SUV into the worship space and repeatedly crashed through the pews. In addition to the pews, walls and doors were heavily damaged. By late afternoon,

neat walls of plywood covered most of the damage and replaced one set of doors, folding chairs had replaced the pews, and children and teens were rehearsing for their parts in the Christmas Eve Masses. About 100 parishioners responded to the call for help of Father Ansgar Pham, pastor.

Parishioners young and old expressed surprise at what happened but held no ill will toward the person responsible.

According to police reports, Hieu John Phung, 35, rented an Acura SUV then drove it through a locked gate and into the church after midnight early Dec. 24. Phung then phoned 911 to admit to the deed. Police charged Phung with criminal mischief, hit-and-run driving that resulted in property damage and criminal trespass. He was released and ordered to attend a court hearing Dec. 26, but did not appear because he had been picked up in Astoria, Ore., and was hospitalized, apparently for mental health reasons, authorities said. His next court appearance is set for Jan. 9.

Pa. priest sent to prison after guilty plea in abuse case WASHINGTON, D.C. — A priest who once served in the Diocese of Greensburg, Pa., was sentenced to prison for sexually molesting a boy in the 1990s. Father John T. Sweeney, 76, received a sentence of 11 months to five years in state prison and must register as a sex offender for 10 years, a judge in Westmoreland County, Pa., said Dec. 21. The priest pleaded guilty in July to misdemeanor indecent assault on a minor after he was accused of abusing a 10-year-old boy while counseling him about misbehaving on a school bus.

Father Sweeney, who retired in 2016, is the first priest convicted of charges stemming from a Pennsylvania grand jury investigation that focused on allegations of abuse. He was arrested in July 2017 for the incident that occurred during the 1991-’92 school year at St. Margaret Mary School in Lower Burrell, about 25 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

High court turns down Trump administration request on asylum rules WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote Dec. 21 rejected the Trump administration’s request that the court let it implement a rule that those who enter the United States without documents will not be eligible for asylum. A presidential order signed Nov. 9 by President Donald Trump said those seeking asylum in the U.S. would have to present themselves formally at official ports of entry to be considered eligible for asylum. On Nov. 19, U.S. District Court Judge Jon Tigar put a temporary injunction on the rule, so the U.S. Department of Justice went immediately to the high court seeking to get the asylum restrictions reinstated. Voting to allow the asylum rule to be revived were Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the four remaining justices in voting to keep the hold in place as the issue makes its way through the lower courts. Some days after Trump signed the order in November, several Catholic leaders said his action was directly contradicting existing U.S. law on the matter.

Post Dec. 20. “We don’t see lawyers, doctors schools publishing lists” of allegations not found to be “reasonably” credible, he told the daily newspaper. “It’s not fair to put out a list of people accused, any more than it is would be fair to put out a list of accused reporters.”

The evening before, Madigan had issued her 10-page report, which does not break down the information by diocese. There are six Latinrite Catholic dioceses in Illinois: the Chicago Archdiocese and the Belleville, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield dioceses. Madigan’s report is on her office’s investigation into how the six dioceses have handled abuse allegations.

A Dec. 19 statement from the Chicago Archdiocese said the archdiocese had reviewed the preliminary report but said the “nature of the report makes it difficult to discern which generalized findings apply to the Archdiocese of Chicago.”

— Catholic News Service

Illinois AG releases report on clergy sex abuse CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s report claiming that the clergy sexual abuse of minors in the state is “significantly more extensive” than what the state’s dioceses had previously reported is unfair and “just false,” according to the top lawyer for the Archdiocese of Chicago. William R. Kunkel, general counsel of the archdiocese, made the comments in an interview with The Washington

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Our world 24

catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CNS | PAUL HARING

Pope Francis visits the “Sand Nativity” in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Dec. 31. At www.catholicnewsherald.com, see a video of how the sand sculpture was made.

World Day of Peace message from Pope Francis Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Peace on Jan. 1 is titled “Good politics is at the service of peace.”

Pope Francis begins his message with the instructions of Jesus to His disciples who have been sent on mission to share the Good News to all: “In sending His disciples forth on mission, Jesus told them: ‘Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace be to this house!”

And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you’ (Lk 10:5-6). Bringing peace is central to the mission of Christ’s disciples.

That peace is offered to all those men and women who long for peace amid the tragedies and violence that mark human history. The ‘house’ of which Jesus speaks is every family, community, country and continent, in all their diversity and history. It is first and foremost each individual person, without distinction or discrimination. But it is also our ‘common home’: the world in which God has placed us and which we are called to care for and cultivate. So let this be my greeting at the beginning of the New Year: ‘Peace be to this house!’”

This is the 52nd annual message for the World Day of Peace. St. Pope Paul VI established the World Day of Peace in 1967, to be celebrated on the start of the new year on the day when the Church also celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God. The World Day of Peace was first observed on Jan. 1, 1968.

— Joseph Purello At www.usccb.org: To help share this World Day of Peace message, and to work for peace in the new year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has prepared a two-page handout (available in English and Spanish) about the pope’s message as well as prayers for peace

CNS | PAUL HARING

Pope Francis kisses a figurine of the baby Jesus as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Mary, Holy Mother of God, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Jan. 1.

Pope prays for new year marked by tenderness, brotherhood, peace CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — A new year is a chance for a new start, a time to remember that all people are brothers and sisters and a time to nurture amazement that God became human to save all people, Pope Francis said.

The Jan. 1 feast of Mary, Holy Mother of God, also is a time to remember how strong maternal love and care are, and how they are the secret to making life more livable, the pope said during his homily at a feast day Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Catholic Church also marks Jan. 1 as the World Day of Peace, an observance the pope spoke about when, after Mass, he recited the Angelus with tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square. So many people were in the sunny square that Pope Francis remarked, “It seems like a canonization,” which usually is when the square is full.

Mary shows to the world her Son, the Prince of Peace, he said. “He is the blessing for every person and the whole human family. He is the source of grace, mercy and peace.”

Pope Francis chose as the theme for this year’s World Peace Day: “Good politics is at the service of peace.”

“We must not think politics is reserved to those who govern,” he said. “We are all responsible for the life of the community, of the common good, and politics is good to the degree that everyone does his or her part in the service of peace.”

After greeting hundreds of people who participated in a march for peace, carrying signs with the names of countries suffering because of violence, Pope Francis prayed: “Through the intercession of the Virgin

Mary, may the Lord grant us to be artisans of peace – and this begins at home, in the family – every day of the new year.”

Earlier, in his homily at the Mass, he paid homage not only to Mary, but also to all mothers and all those who show tender care for others, including in political and economic life.

“A world that looks to the future without a mother’s gaze is shortsighted,” he said. “It may well increase its profits, but it will no longer see others as children. It will make money, but not for everyone. We will all dwell in the same house, but not as brothers and sisters.”

Pope Francis prayed that Mary would help all people learn to look at the world and each other as she does, providing for people’s needs, loving them and leading them to Jesus.

“In today’s fragmented world, where we risk losing our bearings, a mother’s embrace is essential,” he said. “How much dispersion and solitude there is all around us! The world is completely connected, yet seems increasingly disjointed. We need to entrust ourselves to our Mother.”

Too many people, he said, forget they are beloved children and instead “live in anger and indifference to everything! How many, sad to say, react to everything and everyone with bitterness and malice!”

In fact, he said, “showing oneself to be ‘malicious’ even seems at times to be a sign of strength. Yet it is nothing more than weakness. We need to learn from mothers that heroism is shown in self-giving, strength in compassion, wisdom in meekness.”

For Catholics, he said, Mary “is not an optional accessory: she has to be welcomed into our life” because Jesus entrusted her to His disciples and His disciples to her as their mother.

“She is the queen of peace, who triumphs over evil and leads us along paths of goodness, who restores unity to her children, who teaches us compassion,” he said.

He urged people to begin the new year holding on to the “amazement” they should have experienced at Christmas, amazement that God was born a baby, “held in the arms of a woman who feeds her Creator.”

“God has become one with humanity forever. God and man, always together, that is the good news of this new year,” he said.

“God is no distant lord, dwelling in splendid isolation above the heavens, but love incarnate, born like us of a mother, in order to become a brother to each of us.”

Jesus Himself “pours out upon humanity a new tenderness,” the pope said, which helps people “understand more fully God’s love, which is both paternal and maternal, like that of a mother who never stops believing in her children and never abandons them.”

“God-with-us, Emmanuel, loves us despite our mistakes, our sins and the way we treat our world,” he said. “God believes in mankind, because its first and preeminent member is His own mother.”

The Church, which is called to be a mother, the pope said, also must be renewed and filled with amazement at the fact that it is “the dwelling place of the living God” and “a mother who gives birth to her children.”

Without that awareness, the Church risks turning into “a beautiful museum of the past,” he said.

He ended his New Year’s homily praying that Mary would “take us by the hand.

Clinging to you, we will pass safely through the straits of history.”

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Time passes, but God’s love endures, pope says as 2018 ends CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — The end of one year and beginning of the next naturally leads people to think about the passing of time and about love, which gives time – and everything else – real meaning, Pope Francis said.

To mark the end of 2018, Pope Francis led an evening prayer service Dec. 31 in St. Peter’s Basilica. The service included the singing of the “Te Deum” (“We praise you, O God”) in thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year, as well as Eucharistic Adoration and benediction.

In his brief homily during the service, the pope focused on two lines from Galatians 4: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.”

The lines, he said, are a “synthesis of the New Testament” and give “meaning to a critical moment like the passing of a year.”

The time when one year ends and a new one begins makes many people “feel the need for something that fills the passing of time with meaning. Something, or better, someone,” he said.

For Christians, that someone is Christ, the chosen one sent by God, God’s only Son, he said.

Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus unleashed “an unheard-of power that still lasts and will last through all of history,” the pope said. “This power is called love. It is love that gives fullness to everything, including time. And Jesus is all of God’s love concentrated in a human being.”

The reading from Galatians, he said, also speaks of Jesus’ mission, which is to “ransom” people, free them from “a condition of slavery and restore to them liberty, dignity and the freedom proper to sons and daughters” of God. “God the Father sent His only begotten Son into the world to uproot from human hearts the ancient slavery of sin and, by doing so, restore their dignity,” he said. “In fact, as Jesus teaches in the Gospel, from the human heart come all evil intentions, the inequity that corrupts life and relationships.”

With that realization, he said, Christians should stop and reflect “with pain and repentance,” acknowledging how even in 2018, “many men and women lived or are living in slave conditions unworthy of the human person.”

With Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi seated in the front row, Pope Francis noted how even in Rome there are people living in horrible conditions.

“I am thinking in particular of the homeless – more than 10,000 of them,” the pope said. “They are all sons and daughters of God, but various forms of slavery, often very complex, have brought them to a life on the edges of human dignity.”

While Jesus, too, was born in a place not fit for human habitation, he said, the choice of a manger in Bethlehem was not an accident.

“He wanted to be born that way to manifest God’s love for the little ones and the poor.”

Jesus’ humble birth “sowed in the world the seeds of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of justice, love and peace where no one is a slave, but all are brothers and sisters, children of the one Father.”

With Dec. 31 being the vigil of the feast of Mary, Holy Mother of God, Pope Francis noted how the Church continues her maternal concern and care through the work of many institutions and volunteers who assist the homeless and people subjected to a variety of forms of slavery.

Contemplating “the divine maternity of the Virgin Mary,” he said, Christians recognize that “God was born of a woman so that we could receive the fullness of our humanity, adoption as children.

By His abasement, we were raised up. From His smallness came our greatness. From His fragility, our strength. From Him making Himself a slave came our liberation.”

“What would you call all of this if not love?” Pope Francis asked, adding that it is for that love that the Church raises a hymn of thanks to God at the end of the year.

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In Christmas message, pope prays for peace, brotherhood CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — Delivering his formal Christmas message and blessing, Pope Francis prayed for a world where all people would recognize that they are brothers and sisters and would work for justice and for peace.

The birth of Jesus proclaims that “God is a good father and we are all brothers and sisters. This truth is the basis of the Christian vision of humanity,” the pope said Dec. 25 before giving his blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) and appealing for peace in Syria, Ukraine, the Holy Land, Yemen, Venezuela, Nicaragua and throughout Africa.

Tens of thousands of people CNS | PAUL HARING gathered in St. Peter’s Square under Pope Francis delivers his Christmas blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) clear blue skies for the blessing and from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 25. millions more watched on television or on computers, tablets and find that again after more than seven years of war. phones; the pope’s blessing went to all of them.

Speaking less than a week after U.S. President “May the little Child whom we contemplate today in the manger, in the cold of the night, watch over all Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country, Pope Francis urged the the children of the world, and every frail, vulnerable international community to “work decisively for and discarded person,” Pope Francis said. a political solution that can put aside divisions “May all of us receive peace and consolation from and partisan interests, so that the Syrian people, the birth of the Savior and, in the knowledge that we especially all those who were forced to leave their are loved by the one heavenly Father, realize anew own lands and seek refuge elsewhere, can return to that we are brothers and sisters and come to live as live in peace in their own country.” such!” he prayed.

In Ukraine, where a Russia-supported war has In his message, Pope Francis said that believing in been raging in the eastern regions since 2014, the Jesus means believing that all people are brothers pope prayed that Jesus would “bring relief,” adding and sisters. Without that recognition, he said, “our that “only with a peace respectful of the rights efforts for a more just world fall short, and even of every nation can the country recover from the our best plans and projects risk being soulless and sufferings it has endured and restore dignified living empty.” conditions for its citizens.”

The pope said his “wish for fraternity,” included And as tensions continue over the status of “fraternity among individuals of every nation and the Orthodox communities in Ukraine, with culture,” among “people with different ideas, yet Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of capable of respecting and listening to one another,” Constantinople set to recognize the country’s new and among people of different religions. independent Orthodox church over the objections of “By His Incarnation, the Son of God tells us that the Russian Orthodox Church, Pope Francis said, “I salvation comes through love, acceptance, respect am close to the Christian communities of the region, for this poor humanity of ours, which we all share and I pray that they may develop relationships of in a great variety of races, languages, and cultures,” fraternity and friendship.” the pope said.

For Africa he prayed that “the Holy Child, the Since all people are created by God, human King of Peace,” would “silence the clash of arms and differences shouldn’t be a threat, but a blessing, allow a new dawn of fraternity to rise over the entire he said. After all, “when an artist is about to make continent, blessing the efforts of all those who work a mosaic, it is better to have tiles of many colors to promote paths of reconciliation in political and available, rather than just a few!” social life.”

Being brothers and sisters does not mean Pope Francis prayed for the continued humanity will not experience differences and rapprochement between North and South Korea, even tensions, he said, but there should be “an for a recovery of “social harmony” in Venezuela unbreakable bond uniting us.” and for an overcoming of “divisions and discord” in The pope prayed that a rediscovery of fraternity Nicaragua. would “enable Israelis and Palestinians to resume He also prayed for every Christian who celebrates dialogue and undertake a journey of peace that can Christmas “in difficult, if not hostile situations,” put an end to a conflict that for over 70 years has adding a prayerful hope “May the Lord grant that rent the land chosen by the Lord to show His face of they, and all minorities, may live in peace and love.” see their rights recognized, especially the right to He prayed that the people of Syria, where religious freedom.”

Christians and Muslims once lived in peace, would

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

April Parker

Kelly Henson

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2019 is the year to buy candles and eat cake

hy is it that we tend to make New Year’s Resolutions that make us crabby? You don’t like treadmills – do that! You don’t like salad – eat lots more of that! After all, as Catholics, the whole year is not meant to be a season of penance (though I’m not one to knock healthy habits). Perhaps we could resolve to add more of something to our lives that we enjoy and ought to do more.

My kids like fire. Actually, to be honest, everyone in my family likes fire.

When it snows and the kids have exhausted themselves trying to build snowmen in the front yard, my husband eventually takes them to the back part of our property and builds a cheerful fire. With hands wrapped around steaming cups of hot chocolate, this little fire suddenly becomes the center of a small celebration of winter, family and the joy of outdoor exertion.

But I have realized that we don’t need to gather kindling every time we want to celebrate.

This fall, I discovered a pair of polished brass candlesticks at an antique store.

They reminded me of church candles and glowing dinners on BBC period dramas, so of course the candlesticks went home with me. Now, every time we have a little family celebration, we light candles at the table.

Suddenly, we find that we have so much to celebrate: the sacraments, the feast days of our patron saints, holy days of obligation, “firsts,” Sundays, and large gatherings of friends and family.

We belong to a Church that anticipates the eternal joys of heaven through her celebration of those mysteries here on earth. Holy days are “mandatory” festivals to commemorate moments in the life of Christ and Mary and to rejoice with the communion of saints in heaven. When we go to Mass, especially on holy days and Sundays (each of which is like a miniEaster), we are reminded that Eucharist

‘Joy is worth the little efforts to recognize that, in the eyes of God, today is extraordinary, not ordinary after all.’

is derived from the Greek word for “thanksgiving” and grants us a foretaste of the breathtakingly beautiful liturgy of heaven. In our family, reminders on my phone mark the days of my kids’ baptisms and the feast days of saints connected to our family. Our children don’t mind that the list of our favorite saints seems to keep growing! The Church values this spirit of celebration so much that she will even break from a Lenten fast to acknowledge the solemnities of St. Joseph and the Annunciation.

Some days, celebration is hard. In fact, celebration always requires something to be sacrificed in order to set aside the chosen day or hour for gratitude. This week, my heart is heavy with prayer burdens for dear friends. We received a medical bill that was three times bigger than expected. A toddler used defrosting blueberries to re-create a Jackson Pollock painting on a beige-cloth couch, and she painted herself with my nicest lipstick.

Mac and cheese splattered the wall today, and a rock from a speeding truck nicked my van window. And yet it’s a feast day, a good day.

The liturgical year tugs at my soul to put tiredness and resentment at the feet of Christ and to pull out the fancy plates and re-present leftovers as a nice meal.

The memory of a beloved saint who was known for his forgiveness helps me adjust my own perspective as I light the candles for our meal. My children’s eyes sparkle when they see that mom has moved beyond the accidents of the day to receive them with a smile. Joy is worth the little efforts to recognize that, in the eyes of God, today is extraordinary, not ordinary after all.

When we speak of evangelizing others for Christ, our hardest and most meaningful work begins in the evangelization of our own families. Celebration is the cultural expression of that task to share the Good News of our faith. Story, song, communal meals, prayer – these are the simple ways through which we lay claim our shared story in Christ and pass on that narrative and the hope of eternal life with God to our children. Celebration is also difficult to resist as an evangelical tool. The most cynical teen won’t complain too much about his favorite dessert being served on the anniversary of his baptismal day.

Young children jump onto the couch to read a saint story with a parent. And a box of store-bought cookies or some candles at the table may be all we need to lift us out of the material realm and connect us to the heavenly one – at least for a few, needed moments.

HENSON, SEE PAGE 28

Good King Wenceslas: King or servant?

P

ublished in 1853 by the Rev. J.M. Neale, the carol “Good King Wenceslas” tells of a cold, snowy night on which Wenceslas, the Duke of Bohemia, notices a man foraging in the woods near his home.

Wenceslas calls to his page to ask who the man is and where he is from.

The page, or servant, quickly informs the monarch that the man lives about a league away, at the foot of a mountain, right beside St. Agnes’ fountain.

Whether St. Agnes, who was known for her compassion to the poor, touches Wenceslas’ heart or whether sympathy overwhelms his soul, the duke pities this poor creature scurrying around, bent on raw survival in the midst of life’s stormy perils. Wenceslas immediately orders flesh, or meat, and wine, as well as pine logs to be brought to him. The duke’s most fervent desire is to see the man dine in comfort that very night. With riches and comforts at his own disposal, Wenceslas’ happiness is not to be found in merry-making within his own walls, but in bringing joy to someone else.

The servant follows his master’s instructions promptly and the two head off in the snow, trodding to the poor man’s house. Trouble is, the inclement conditions are not just a mere deterrent, but a critical threat to their safety. Yet that is where the miracle is born.

As they begin their short journey, the servant, wanting to serve but feeling anxious, tells his master he cannot go on. He is limited in strength – his heart in particular, he says, cannot take the cold any longer. Wenceslas does not flinch. He encourages his companion to step where he steps, for in his footsteps the servant will find repose and comfort.

Therefore, still duty-bound, the servant begins to walk behind the master, stepping in the very indentations his master’s large strides have left in the deep snow, very much like a child toddling along behind his strapping father. Miraculously, the servant does find solace because, to his surprise, the footsteps of the master are warm. The cold no longer hinders him.

In the end, they reach their final destination and fulfill their intended purpose. Yet I dare say two men are saved on this night by Wenceslas’ mission of mercy.

Some may say that Neale portrays Wenceslas as a figure of Jesus. In this respect it is easy to compare the fifth stanza of the carol to the poem “Footprints in the Sand” by Mary Stevenson, where only one footprint is found in the sand because Jesus is, in fact, carrying his faithful servant during the difficulties of life. Similarly, we can find many parallels between Wenceslas and Jesus, healing and protecting with God as his shield through extraordinary obstacles. But for a moment let’s look at

the carol from a different angle.

Let’s view Wenceslas as a mortal man but also as a leader, which is true to history because being of high rank we are told through both the title and the narrative that he represents a monarch.

Wenceslas initiates a desire to help someone in need, sets a mission or goal, and takes steps to make it happen. He develops a plan and delegates duties, simultaneously taking the first step himself to lead the way to the desired end.

The servant, on the other hand, represents the other side of the spectrum, although by no means unwilling. The servant accomplishes what his master asks of him, stays the course and makes the mission a success just by the physical weight of his presence. Yet the servant seems to have more limitations: health, strength and leadership ability.

Could it be that the two opposing figures immortalized in this traditional Christmas hymn could both represent each of us individually as Christian stewards today?

The Church is a body of people filled with many talents, abilities, resources and backgrounds. How we each step up to the challenge of serving our own parishes and our communities are vastly different – as it should be.

Some of us are born leaders. Whether it be our “type A” personality, our ability to plan, organize, initiate or fund certain projects, we step up often to serve and lead in church functions.

Others of us may feel more reluctant.

We may be limited in time, resources, health or leadership abilities. Yet we still want to help; we feel our conscious pulling us to try to do something. And to that there is good news!

The point of stewardship is not always to step in to big roles that might overwhelm us, but just to “step in.” If all we can do is simply chip in, that is service made perfect, for God uses even the smallest and the least to make the biggest impact.

In God’s kingdom, the richest noble can serve alongside the lowliest servant in equal joy and peace. On that cold night so long ago, Wenceslas depended on the servant just as the servant depended on Wenceslas. All hands, large and the small, are called upon to build God’s kingdom – from the tiniest nail and brush stroke in the framework, to the heavy cornerstones, oak doors and stained glass windows. It takes a diverse group of people of courage and willingness to bring God’s kingdom to fulfillment here on Earth.

APRIL PARKER is a parishioner and teacher at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, as well as a published author of historical fiction and educational resources.

January 4, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Jared Zimmerer

The future of the Church?

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hen we look into the future of a fallen situation – as many in the Catholic Church are doing today – we tend to find ourselves faced with two options. The first option is to conserve what has worked in the past with a disregard for the reality of the present. The second is to progress beyond the present with a disregard for what really has worked in the past. There really isn’t much difference between the two.

Both see instances in time through the tunnel vision of a man looking for a way to fit a square peg into a round hole. To conserve the societal dream of a few times in history when things seemed right in the world is to forget that the very dream you are hoping for was only a reality for a limited number of people.

To progress forward without a single glance to the past is to be the captain of a ship without a rudder, which will end with the sweet sound of the sirens waiting on the rocks. It seems to me that the best way forward is the kind of progressive conservation of being a parent.

Most people in the world can point to someone in their family tree whose name causes a little bit of a wrench in the stomach. This father or grandfather abandoned his family; this sister or brother got caught up in the world of crime; this great-great-great-grandfather was a horse thief and left the world screaming profanities at his hangmen. Rather than pride, there is a sort of shame in a part of your heritage. (Of course, in case we forget, the person burning the family tree might just be the man in the mirror.) However, as we move forward with the lineage and grow new branches of the tree, each child brought into the world offers that great oak the opportunity for a new family pride.

There is a voice from the past speaking to the new generation that always states, “Do better than I did.” The grand mediator between the great-great-greats and the new soul are the parents.

I believe it is incredibly important to know your family history: bruises, scrapes, burns and all. I’ve met several people who don’t really care about where or who they came from. I’ve met others that only speak about the shining lights on the family tree and neglect the broken branches.

The problem with either neglecting or downright negating any part of what has given you life is that you can’t learn

‘The Church is a family.

We have our history of criminals and heroes, good and evil, devils and saints.’

from either the mistakes or the victories.

Without knowing the horse thief, you can’t really praise the doctor. Without knowing the potential abyss, you can’t really understand why raising the bar even matters.

And this is why parents ought to be speaking with their children about their ancestors and where they came from.

This is also why a good parent recognizes the mistakes and victories of their own parents and grandparents. They move forward, making the changes necessary to be better than the generations before them. They conserve the virtues of the past and progress away from its vices. Children need to hear about the grandpa who saved a woman and child in a crisis pregnancy to admire the heroism within their blood.

They also need to hear about the horse thief to be reminded of the potential for sin in those same veins. Ignoring the problem does not make it go away; it might actually be the reason it is repeated.

The Church is a family. We have our history of criminals and heroes, good and evil, devils and saints. Right along with the dastardly Borgias, we have St. Clare of Assisi. While Aaron is collecting gold to worship false gods, Moses is in conversation with the one true God. Our family is mystical in that it is united, as a Body, to Christ the Head. It is also mystical in that it has survived. Our family tree has bloomed and grown for centuries.

Today, we still have those who wish to have either a stubborn conservation (ignoring the ugliness of the Borgias) or a foolish progression (ignoring the beauty of St. Clare).

What we need now – and what the future of the Church will depend on – is the parenting style of progressive conservation. We cannot ignore what many criminals have done to many of the most innocent of our family. However, we mustn’t forget about the heroes within our blood as well. We must progress forward as we accept our present reality. We must also conserve all of the greatest moments and virtues of the past.

Good parents are those with vision. They see who they want their children to become – not just in the worldly sense (which is temporal) but in the substantial sense of eternity. Their vision is not limited to the generations before them; however, they are not foolish enough to ignore what they did right. Good parents are also those who realize when they make a mistake, and are more than willing to beg for the forgiveness of their children and make amends by changing their ways. Much like the good thief on the side of Christ, a good parent does not negate a mistake, but desires to move forward; and the one virtue that is required is humility.

The future of the Church are the children. And what we need now – both in the domestic and mystical Church – are parents who can safeguard their family’s history without dooming them to repeat it.

JARED ZIMMERER is a Catholic author, speaker, blogger, husband and father of six and the director of the Word on Fire Institute, online at www.wordonfire.org.

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From online story: “Being holy is what brings joy, pope tells Vatican employees” Through press time on Jan. 2 17,657 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 28,567 pages. The top 10 headlines in December were: n 10 facts about Advent............................................................................................................................ 6,611 n Pray the Holy Infant of Prague nine-day novena, Dec. 16-24......................................................884 n 5 Jesuits who served in Diocese of Charlotte on list of clergy accused of sexual abuse ....716 n A Church Transfigured: Preaching in the language of beauty.....................................................394 n View the current print edition of the Catholic News Herald.........................................................393 n The ‘12 Days of Christmas’: An ‘underground’ catechism for persecuted Catholics.............335 n Bishop Jugis blesses new addition to Christ the King High School............................................291 n Advent reflections to prepare you for the coming of Christ........................................................248 n Belmont Abbey College’s accreditation affirmed.............................................................................193 n Father Malacari celebrates 25 years of priestly ministry..............................................................134

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 4, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

COLLECTION

ENROLLMENT

FROM PAGE 5

FROM PAGE 5

missions around the world. n Nov. 9-10: Collection for the Archdiocese of Military Services. Currently, 285 Catholic military chaplains provide pastoral care to more than 1.5 million Catholics on ships, in combat, on bases and in 153 Veterans Affairs hospitals. The Collection for the Archdiocese of Military Services, taken up every three years, will fund its co-sponsored Seminarian Program, which identifies vocations within the military and is now educating 30 men for the priesthood and subsequent military chaplaincy. n Nov. 23-24: Catholic Campaign for Human Development. This collection funds the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, established by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to help break the cycle of poverty by funding organizations that help people help themselves. With its mission of improving education, housing situations and local economic development, the CCHD continues to make a positive impact in communities nationwide. Twenty-five percent of the funds from this collection are put to use in the Charlotte diocese. n Dec. 7-8: Religious Retirement. This appeal, coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, offers support for senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose communities lack sufficient retirement funding. Nationally, some 33,000 women and men religious past the age of 70 benefit.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

More online At www.charlottediocese.org/development: Learn more about these special collections as well as other ways to financially support the various ministries of the Church in western North Carolina, including the Diocesan Support Appeal and the Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte

are nine parish-based elementary/middle schools and one diocesan high school, each with independent admissions processes and varying tuition rates and financial aid programs. These schools are: n Asheville Catholic School: PK-8th grade; 12 Culvern St., Asheville; 828-252-7896; www.ashevillecatholic.org n Bishop McGuinness High School: 9-12th grade; 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, Kernersville; 336-564-1010; www.bmhs.us n Immaculata School: PK-8th grade; 711 Buncombe St., Hendersonville; 939-693-3277; www.immac.org n Immaculate Heart of Mary School: PK-8th grade; 4145 Johnson St., High Point; 336-8887-2613; www.ihm-school.com n Our Lady of Grace School: PK-8th grade; 201 South Chapman St., Greensboro; 336-275-1522; www.olgsch.org

HENSON FROM PAGE 26

Resolve to make 2019 the Year of Celebration for your family.

I can’t guarantee that a spirit of celebration will bring you the trim figure and increased energy that the gym and kale salad resolutions may promise.

However, as Catholics, we celebrate to remember, honor and love. Our spiritual festivals are a path to find hope, transcend our daily frustrations and recall that they have meaning in a larger

n Our Lady of Mercy School: PK-8th grade; 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem; 336-722-7204; www. ourladyofmercyschool.org n Sacred Heart School: PK-8th grade; 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury; 704-633-2841; www.salisburycatholicschool. org n St. Leo School: PK-8th grade; 333 Springdale Avenue; Winston-Salem; 336-748-8252; www.stleocatholic.com n St. Michael School: PK-8th grade; 704 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia; 704-544-2070; www.stmichaelcs.com n St. Pius X School: K-8th grade; 2200 North Elm St., Greensboro; 336-273-9865; www.spxschool.com Visit each school’s website or contact the school directly for registration information or to schedule a visit.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

More online

At www.charlottediocese.org/schools-office: Learn more about the Diocese of Charlotte’s 19 Catholic schools, their mission and their leadership

journey, connect with each other, and reflect the perpetual worship of perfect joy in heaven. Light a candle, tell a story and embark on an odyssey of celebration in 2019 that will enliven your home with habits of gratitude for years to come.

KELLY HENSON is a Catholic writer and speaker who explores the art of integrating faith into daily life. She, her husband and their four children are parishioners of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Greensboro, and she has worked for more than 15 years with teens, children and families as a missionary, youth minister and teacher. She blogs at www. kellyjhenson.com.

ESCUELAS VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 11

Elm St., Greensboro; 336-273-9865; www. spxschool.com Visite la página web de cada escuela o contacte directamente a la escuela por información de admisión o para programar una visita.

Todas las escuelas diocesanas participan en el programa estatal de oportunidades de becas y los programas de becas de Carolina del Norte para personas con discapacidades.

— SueAnn Howell, reportera senior

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