Oct. 25, 2019

October 25, 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

Kindly lights in a gloomy world INSIDE

2018-’19 Diocese of Charlotte Annual Report Diocese passes independent review of child protection procedures 3

Ohio-based Glenmary missioners release list of credibly accused clergy

St. John Henry Newman canonized 20 Newman’s legacy lives on in Campus Ministry 6-7

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Calendar............................. 4 Contact us.......................... 4 Español............................ 11-13 Our Faith............................. 2 Our Parishes................. 3-10 Schools......................... 14-15 Scripture readings............ 2 TV & Movies.................. 16-17 U.S. news...................... 18-19 Viewpoints.................. 22-23 World news.................. 20-21

St. Michael School celebrates renovation with ribbon-cutting 14

Halloween, ¿una fiesta para celebrar?

12-13

Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

St. John of Capistrano Feast day: Oct. 23

Pope Francis

Church faces conflicts with help of Holy Spirit

T

he Church resolves conflicts and discerns God’s will by patiently listening, discussing and deciding under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis said. “It is the Spirit, in fact, who helps overcome narrow-mindedness and tensions, and works within hearts” to build unity “in the truth and the good,” he said Oct. 23 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

The pope continued his series of talks on the Acts of the Apostles, but with the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon entering its final week, he also used the day’s reflection to touch on the meaning of “synodality” in the Church.

The pope’s catechesis looked at how the apostles dealt with a serious disagreement over whether pagans had to adhere strictly to Mosaic law as part of their salvation – specifically, did they have to be circumcised first and then baptized? Members of the early Christian community had opposing views on what was necessary for salvation, so Sts. Paul and Barnabas consulted with the apostles and the elders of Jerusalem in what is now considered the first council in the history of the Church, he said.

The Council of Jerusalem faced “a very delicate theological, spiritual and disciplinary question, that is, the relationship between faith in Christ and the observance of Mosaic law,” the pope said. At the council, “a common path” emerged from the discussions and that decision was ratified, he said. “The assembly of Jerusalem sheds an important light for us on ways to face disagreements and to seek the ‘truth in love.’”

“It reminds us that the ecclesial method for resolving conflicts is based on dialogue made up of attentive and patient listening and with discernment carried out with the light of the Spirit.”

The council’s conclusion also “helps us understand synodality” because it begins with the apostles saying, “The Holy Spirit and we think that ...”

The need to resolve such conflicts resulted from the fact that the apostles brought the Word of God to new places, he said. In fact, the Acts of the Apostles demonstrates a Church that is always going out into the world, spreading the Word of God. “The Church is not a fortress, but a tent capable of expanding and offering access to everyone,” he said. “The Church is ‘going out’ or it is not Church, either it is walking, always widening its room so that all may enter or else it is not Church.”

Today’s churches, in fact, must have their doors always open “because this is the symbol of what a church is – always open” so that anytime someone feels moved by the Holy Spirit and seeks God out, “they do not find the coldness of a closed door.”

On Oct. 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the life of St. John of Capistrano, a Franciscan priest whose life included a political career, extensive missionary journeys, efforts to reunite separated Eastern Christians with Rome and a historically important turn at military leadership.

Invoked as a patron of military chaplains, St. John of Capistrano was praised

by St. John Paul II in a 2002 general audience for his “glorious evangelical witness,” as a priest who “gave himself with great generosity for the salvation of souls.”

Born in Italy during 1385, John lost his father – a French or possibly German knight who had settled in Capistrano – at a young age.

John’s mother took care to have him educated, and after learning Latin he went to study both civil law and Church law in Perugia. An This 19th century painting of the “Battle of Nándorfehérvár,” or the “Battle of Belgrade,” depicts St. John of Capistrano in the outstanding student, he soon middle of the battle, holding the cross in his hand. The siege and battle of Belgrade, Hungary, occurred from July 4 to 22, 1456, became a prominent public pitting the Western forces under the command of John Hunyadi against Moslem attackers led by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed figure and was appointed II. The sultan invaded Hungary in response to the fall of Constantinople in 1453, with his first target being the border fortress governor of the city at age of Belgrade on the Danube River. Hunyadi’s forces, with help from St. John of Capistrano, successfully fended off the Ottoman 26. invasion with this victory, halting the Muslim advance toward Catholic Europe for the next 70 years.

John showed high standards of integrity in his civic career, and in 1416 he labored to end a war that had erupted where he opposed the Hussites’ error regarding the nature and between Perugia and the prominent House of Malatesta. But administration of the Eucharist. After Constantinople fell to when the nobles had John imprisoned, he began to question his Turkish invaders in 1453, Pope Nicholas V sent John on a mission life’s direction. Encountering St. Francis of Assisi in a dream, to rally other European leaders in defense of their lands. he resolved to embrace poverty, chastity and obedience with the Nicholas’ successor Pope Callixtus III was even more eager to Franciscans. see the Christian world defend itself against the invading forces.

Abandoning his possessions and social status, John joined When the Sultan Mehmet II sought to extend his territorial gains the religious order in October 1416. He found a mentor in St. into Serbia and Hungary, John joined the celebrated general Bernardine of Siena, known for his bold preaching and his Janos Hunyadi in his defense of Belgrade. The priest personally method of prayer focused on the invocation of the name of Jesus. led a section of the army in its historic victory on Aug. 6, 1456.

Taking after his teacher in these respects, John began preaching Neither John nor the general, however, would survive long past as a deacon in 1420 and was ordained a priest in 1425. the battle.

John successfully defended his mentor from a charge of heresy Weakened by the campaign against the Turks, Hunyadi made against his way of devotion, though he found less success became sick and died soon after the victory at Belgrade. John in his efforts to resolve internal controversy among the followers survived to preach Janos Hunyadi’s funeral sermon, but his own of St. Francis. A succession of popes entrusted important matters extraordinary life came to an end on Oct. 23, 1456, after a painful to John, including the effort to reunite Eastern and Western illness. He was buried in the nearby town of Ilok, Croatia.

Christendom at the Ecumenical Council of Florence.

St. John of Capistrano was canonized in 1724. Known as the Drawing immense crowds in his missionary travels throughout “soldier saint,” he is the patron of military chaplains and jurists.

Italy, John also found success as a preacher in Central Europe, — Catholic News Agency

Daily Scripture readings OCT. 27-NOV. 2

Sunday: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14; Monday (Sts. Simon and Jude): Ephesians 2:19-22, Luke 6:12-16; Tuesday: Romans 8:18-25, Luke 13:18-21; Wednesday: Romans 8:26-30, Luke 13:22-30; Thursday: Romans 8:31-39, Luke 13:31-35; Friday (All Saints): Revelation 7:24, 9-14, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12; Saturday (The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, All Souls Day): Wisdom 3:1-9, Romans 5:5-11, John 6:37-40.

NOV. 3-9

Sunday: Wisdom 11:22-12:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2, Luke 19:1-10; Monday (St. Charles Borromeo): Romans 11:29-36, Luke 14:12-14; Tuesday: Romans 12:5-16, Luke 14:15-24; Wednesday: Romans 13:8-10, Luke 14:25-33; Thursday: Romans 14:7-12, Luke 15:1-10; Friday: Romans 15:14-21, Luke 16:1-8; Saturday (The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica): Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12, 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17, John 2:13-22

NOV. 10-16

Sunday: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14, 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5, Luke 20:27-38; Monday (St. Martin of Tours): Wisdom 1:1-7, Luke 17:1-6; Tuesday (St. Josaphat): Wisdom 2:23-3:9, Luke 17:7-10; Wednesday (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini): Wisdom 6:1-11, Luke 17:11-19,; Thursday: Wisdom 7:22-8:1, Luke 17:20-25; Friday (St. Albert the Great): Wisdom 13:1-9, Luke 17:26-37; Saturday (St. Margaret of Scotland; St. Gertrude): Wisdom 18:14-16, 19:6-9, Luke 18:1-8

Our parishes

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Room at the Inn pays tribute to ‘a mother’s heart’ GEORGIANNA PENN CORRESPONDENT

GREENSBORO — More than 750 friends, supporters and clergy attended Room at the Inn of the Triad’s 20th annual fundraising banquet Oct. 17, where close to $160,000 was raised for the maternity home and its programs that aid women in need.

Room at the Inn of the Triad houses homeless, single, pregnant women while providing programs that help them and their children strive towards a life of hope and independence. A member agency of Catholic Charities USA, Room at the Inn is one of eight licensed maternity homes in North Carolina and the only one that allows clients to bring older children to live at the home also.

Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church, opened the program in prayer, reflecting on this year’s theme, “A Mother’s Heart.”

“You are always first in a mother’s heart, you’re always a gift in a mother’s heart… You’re always safe in a mother’s heart, you’re always welcome in a mother’s heart, you’re always liked, you’re always little and you’re always at home in a mother’s heart,” Monsignor Marcaccio said.

Marianne Donadio, Room at the Inn’s vice president of development, expressed gratitude for the support mothers receive during a time when they have very little.

“The father of the child is not supporting her, their friends and family are either unwilling or unable to support them,” Donadio explained. “So most women in that situation would find it quite easy to feel they were unable to choose life for their baby, which is a heartbreaking situation to be in.”

“We come to try to prevent that mother’s heart from

being broken and to take action and actually do something concrete to help her,” she said.

By providing food, shelter, transportation and material needs, life-skills classes and one-on-one parenting classes, college programs and the thriving Pratt Proverbs 31 spiritual formation program, Room at the Inn provides a pathway to hope and healthy living for new moms and their children.

“Sometimes just knowing someone cares about you is enough to make you believe in yourself and to accomplish the things that you need to do,” Donadio said. “That really is the most important thing we offer our mothers at Room at the Inn.” The event’s keynote speaker, Pam Tebow, shared her “God story” about her son, professional athlete and pro-life advocate Tim Tebow. Struggling with a life-threatening, high-risk pregnancy while living in the Philippines as a missionary and being advised to have an abortion, “we knew we needed to trust the Lord,” Tebow said.

Through prayer and God’s grace, the Tebows were able to fly to Manila later in her pregnancy where they found an American-trained doctor who was able to safely deliver their son – saving the lives of both mother and son. Her doctor said he’d never witnessed such a miracle: “Mr. Tebow, I’ve delivered 25,000 babies and I’ve never seen a miracle like this one… it’s the biggest miracle I’ve ever been a part of, just a little piece of the placenta was intact the whole time. I can’t explain it, God must have been involved,” he said.

“And God was involved,” Pam Tebow emphasized.

“You know, that the closer we get to our Master, the more we love people like He loves people,” she said. “That’s what Room at the Inn is all about. It’s about the unconditional love of God welcoming those precious women who are in a crisis into a loving home environment. They are welcomed with

Ohio-based Glenmary missioners release list of credibly accused clergy PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

CHARLOTTE — On Oct. 11, the Ohio-based Glenmary Home Missioners released a list of clergy who were credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult. The list includes five men – three priests and two religious brothers – who formerly served in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Brother Al Behm, Father Adelbert (Del) Holmes, Father Anthony Jablonowski, Father Ed Smith and Brother Gino Vertassich were assigned to the Charlotte diocese by the Glenmary Home Missioners during various points in the 1960s to 1980s.

Three of the men are deceased, one left the Glenmary society in 1993, and one was laicized in 2006.

In an Oct. 12 statement in response to the release of the Glenmary list, the Diocese of Charlotte said it is looking into the service of the five clergy and is continuing to gather information.

“We are grateful the Glenmary religious order has released the findings of their historical review, as it is important to notify all communities in which these clergy have served,” the statement said.

The Glenmary list totals 11 men (seven priests and four brothers) and “is the result of a year-long forensic review commissioned

by Glenmary to promote transparency and help bring about healing for victims,” Glenmary Home Missioners said in a statement accompanying the release of the list.

“Glenmary has become painfully aware that in the past we have failed to protect minors and vulnerable adults. In addition, we have

realized how often our response to victims has been inadequate. We deeply regret these failures,” said a separate statement from Father Dan Dorsey, president of the Glenmary Home Missioners. “It is our hope that publishing these names will be a step in the healing process for the victims.”

The Glenmary Home Missioners was founded in 1939 by Father William Howard Bishop, a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, to serve what he termed “No Priest Land, USA.” At that time, he noted that more than one-third of the counties of the United States, mostly in Appalachia and the South, had no resident priest.

No Glenmary priests currently serve in the Charlotte diocese, but decades ago there were Glenmary missioners serving in some of the diocese’s smallest and most remote parishes, particularly in the far western part of the state.

The Charlotte diocese adopted zero tolerance and comprehensive procedures for responding to allegations of sexual abuse of minors in 2002, when the U.S. bishops adopted the landmark “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” – which spells out protocols for reporting abuse allegations to civil authorities and puts in place prevention and accountability measures.

The Glenmary Home Missioners urges anyone with information about abuse concerning Glenmarians to contact the appropriate authorities as well as Father Dorsey at 513-881-7402.

Details about the Charlotte diocese’s Safe Environment policies and how to report an allegation of abuse are online at www. charlottediocese.org/human-resources/safeenvironment.

open arms into a safe place where they can be loved, valued and nurtured. And they can keep their babies,” she said.

St. Pius X and St. Leo the Great parishes were major sponsors for the event, plus 34 other sponsors and 77 guest-filled tables. First-time sponsors from the Diocese of Raleigh included Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Rocky Mount and Holy Infant Parish in Durham. Other first-time sponsors were St. Aloysius Parish in Hickory and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Charlotte.

Annie Ferguson, marketing specialist for Room at the Inn, was proud to celebrate several mother-son pairs from the Bishop McGuinness High School football team.

Barbara Markun and her son hosted the table.

“We were very happy with the turnout at our banquet this year. A variety of pro-life groups attended as well as knights and dames of the Order of Malta, the Knights of Columbus, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. We were also pleased to see young people getting involved,” Ferguson said. “The youth group from Holy Cross in Kernersville served as hosts, and three varsity football players from Bishop McGuinness High School attended with their moms. It was a fitting parallel to our speaker Pam Tebow and her son Tim.” The Order of Malta gave a $25,000 donation to Room at the Inn, which expressed gratitude for the order’s generosity and solidarity in protecting the most vulnerable.

The Marlene Dubois Faithful Servant Award was presented to Francis and Patty Disney. The Jim and Elizabeth Hedgecock Service Award was given to Dr. Christine Gugliano of High Point University’s Non-Profit Management program, and Donna Dyer received the Father Conrad Lewis Kimbrough Pro-Life Award for her service and defense of “His little ones.”

Diocese passes independent review of child protection procedures CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte has passed an independent review of its compliance to nationally prescribed child protection procedures for the 17th straight year.

The yearly assessment in August

by Stonebridge Business Partners of Rochester, N.Y., monitors U.S. dioceses’ compliance with the U.S. bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” which addresses the Church’s commitment to respond effectively, appropriately and compassionately to cases of abuse of minors by clergy or other Church personnel.

“In the 17 years since the Charter was issued, no other organization has accomplished what the Catholic Church has toward the goal of eliminating child sexual abuse,” diocesan leaders note in the Diocese of Charlotte Annual Report, which is included in this week’s edition of the Catholic News Herald.

The external review checks compliance with reporting requirements of the Charter, including the diocese’s efforts to ensure the protection of children through criminal background checks and educational awareness programs on recognizing and preventing abuse.

The diocese has passed independent audits of its child protection procedures every year since independent auditing began in 2003.

In the fiscal year that ran from

July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, the diocese conducted 4,973 background checks, which are required on an ongoing basis for all diocesan clergy, employees and volunteers. Since 2002, more than 66,000 background checks have been conducted.

Since 2002, more than 53,000 adults have received training in the abuse prevention awareness program entitled “Protecting God’s Children” – 4,010 people in the past fiscal year alone.

“Protecting God’s Children” helps adults learn to recognize the warning signs of abuse and the many ways that sexual abuse harms victims, families, parishes and communities.

It teaches them appropriate ways to respond to suspicious behaviors and how they can help prevent abuse.

“These steps make the diocese’s position clear: it is critical that adults take responsibility for their actions and promise to do whatever is necessary to keep children safe,” the diocesan annual report states.

Father Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, also notes, “The Diocese of Charlotte has zero tolerance for child sexual abuse, and we are committed to transparency and accountability in our handling of this crime.”

These various programs and measures represent a significant financial commitment on the part of the diocese, with approximately $1.45 million invested since 2003.

— Catholic News Herald

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: NOV. 2 – 9 A.M. Mass for Diocesan Catechetical Conference Benton Convention Center, WinstonSalem NOV. 3 – 2:30 P.M. Mass in Honor of Wedding Anniversary Couples St. John Neumann Church, Charlotte

NOV. 5 – 11 A.M. Presbyteral Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

NOV. 8 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte

NOV. 6 – 10 A.M. Deacon Annual Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

NOV. 10-15 USCCB Meeting, Baltimore

NOV. 19 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Charlotte NOV. 21 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Charlotte

Diocesan calendar of events October 25, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

Volume 29 • NUMBER 2

MOVIE ‘UNPLANNED’: 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern St., Asheville. Learn the powerful story of Abby Johnson’s conversion from Planned Parenthood clinic director to passionate prolife advocate. Anyone under 17 years of age requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. For details, contact Debbie Wadhams at respectlife.steugene@gmail. com.

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

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

STAFF EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org ONLINE REPORTER: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORTER: Cesar Hurtado, 704-370-3375, rchurtado@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org

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

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

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

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

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

PERPETUAL HOPE GOSPEL CHOIR PRESENTS ‘SOUND OF VICTORY’: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, Our Lady of Consolation Church, 2301 Statesville Ave., Charlotte

ESPAÑOL PROGRAMA EDUCATIVO, ‘PREVENCIÓN DE ESTAFAS Y FRAUDES’: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Jueves, 7 de noviembre, St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern St., Asheville. Descubra las razones por las cuales usted puede ser víctima de fraudes y estafas, los tipos de estafas que más comúnmente apuntan a las personas mayores, consejos para evitar ser estafado, qué hacer si ha sido víctima de una estafa. Presentado por A. Mercedes RestuchaKlem, Abogada de Políticas y Difusión, Departamento de Justicia de Carolina del Norte, Sección Protección Ciudadana. Inscríbase respondiendo a Sandra Breakfield, Directora del Programa Elder Ministry, al 704-370-3220 o por email a sabreakfield@ charlottediocese.org, o Paola Quiterio Candelaria al 336-727-0705.

VIÑEDO DE RAQUEL: ¿Es usted o un ser querido que busca la curación de los efectos de un aborto anterior?

Los retiros de fin de semana son ofrecidos por Caridades Católicas para hombres y mujeres en todas las regiones de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Para obtener información sobre los próximos retiros, incluidos retiros en las diócesis vecinas, comuníquese con Karina Hernández: 336-267-1937 o karinahernandez@live.com.

VIGILIA DE ADORACIÓN: 6 p.m. los jueves, en la Catedral San Patricio, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Nos reunimos para una Vigilia de Adoración por la Paz y la Justicia en Nicaragua, que en estos últimos meses están pasando por momentos turbulentos y ataques físicos contra la Iglesia Católica, sus templos, y sus Obispos.

Todos son bienvenidos a unirse a la Adoración, rezar el Santo Rosario, la hora santa de reparación, y terminando con la oración de exorcismo de San Miguel Arcángel.

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS ALAN AMES INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY: 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 5, St. Therese Church, 217 Brawley School Road Mooresville; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road Huntersville; 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 7, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Parkway Charlotte. Each evening will begin with Mass followed by a talk by Alan Ames and a healing service. For more information, go to www.alanames.org.

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

The Divine Mercy Holy Hours are celebrated year-round

(except for Lent) and consist of Eucharistic Adoration, readings from the diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the sung chaplet of Divine Mercy and benediction. For details, call Paul Deer at 704-577-3496.

as well as Catholic teachings on end-of-life issues. Q&A available after presentation. For details and registration, contact Judy Smith at jmsmith@charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3320.

24-HOUR ADORATION: First Friday of every month at Good Shepherd Mission, 105 Good Shepherd Dr., King. For details, call the parish office at 336-983-2680.

DAY OF REFLECTION ‘THE BEATITUDES AND LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE’: 10:30 a.m.-2:20 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, St. William Church, 765 Andrews Road, Murphy.

Gather with other seniors from around the diocese to deepen and share one’s faith. Presented by Sr. Mary Hugh Mauldin, RSM, MA. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided by the parish. For details and registration, contact Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or email sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org.

ST. THOMAS MORE RED MASS: 12:10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, St. Peter Church, 507 S. Tryon St., Charlotte. Abbot Placid Solari, OSB, will be the main celebrant. For details, contact the parish office at 704-332-2901.

PRO-LIFE ROSARY: 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, 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. For details, email Jim Hoyng at Ajhoyng@hotmail. com or Paul Klosterman at Pauljklosterman@aol.com.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING ‘Protecting God’s Children’ workshops are intended to educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. For details, contact your parish office. To register and confirm workshop times, go to www.virtus. org. Upcoming workshops are: ASHEVILLE: 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern Street BELMONT: 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St. CHARLOTTE: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.

GREENSBORO: 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS LIVING HEALTHY WITH CHRONIC PAIN: 9:30-11 a.m., 6-week sessions on Fridays, Oct. 11-Nov. 22, St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte. Are you aged 18 or older with an ongoing health condition? This workshop will help you take back control of your pain and your life. For details and registration, contact Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or email sabreakfield@ charlottediocese.org.

MATTER OF BALANCE: 10 a.m.-noon, 8-week sessions on Thursdays, Oct. 3-Nov. 21, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. 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. For details and registration, call Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220.

FREE ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR: 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte. Learn about wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate, bequests, and other planned gifts

9TH BISHOP BEGLEY CONFERENCE ON APPALACHIA, ‘WORKING FOR SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN FAR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’: 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Macon County Robert C. Carpenter Community Facilities Building, 1288 Georgia Road, Franklin. The conference will focus on affordable housing in the far western counties of North Carolina. For details and registration, visit www.ccdoc.org/education or email your questions to cdocsca@charlottediocese.org.

EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATION ‘FRAUD & SCAMS PREVENTION’: 9-10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, St. Eugene Church, 72 Culvern St., Asheville. Presented by A. Mercedes Restucha-Klem, Outreach and Policy Counsel for the N.C. Department of Justice–Public Protection Section. Sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. To register, contact Sandra Breakfield at sabreakfield@ charlottediocese.org, or Sylvia Sekle, Direct Assistance Coordinator, at 704-370-3295 or smsekle@charlottediocese.org by Monday, Oct. 14.

‘EVOLUTION & THE CULTURE OF DEATH- UNMASKING THE ROOTS OF TODAY’S ABORTION MOVEMENT’: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in the Kerin Family Center, St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville. Event is open to ages 12 and up. Guest speakers Hugh Owen and Pamela Acker with the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation. For details and to RSVP, contact Mike FitzGerald at respect. life@stmarknc.org.

SUPPORT GROUPS RACHEL’S VINEYARD: Are you or a loved one seeking healing from the effects of a past abortion? Rachel’s Vineyard weekend retreats are offered by Catholic Charities for men and women in the western, central and eastern regions of the Diocese of Charlotte. For details about upcoming retreats, contact Jackie Childers at 980-241-0251 or Jackie.childers1@gmail.com, or Jessica Grabowski at 910-585-2460 or jrgrabowski@ charlottediocese.org.

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

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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Knights battle new Planned Parenthood with ultrasound machine donations LISA GERACI CORRESPONDENT

PHOTO PROVIDED

Dr. Matt Harrison was among those who gave presentations at the Diocese of Charlotte Respect Life Conference Oct. 5.

Respect Life conference held in Charlotte JESSICA GRABOWSKI SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CHARLOTTE — The annual Respect Life Conference sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Respect Life Program was held at St. Vincent de Paul Church Oct. 5, drawing 60 people from across the diocese and beyond and included participants from more than 20 parishes across the diocese.

The day began with Mass offered by St. Vincent de Paul’s parochial vicar, Father Cory Catron, who recently obtained a degree in bioethics. The conference included educational sessions on a variety of life issues with a scientific theme that ran throughout the day focusing on life from its very beginning stages to the end of life. Topics included: new genetic technologies, end-of-life ethics, care of infants with life-limiting prenatal diagnoses, abortion pill reversal, and a report on research on drug-induced pregnancy termination.

The keynote presenter at the conference was Paul Scherz, Ph.D., professor of moral theology and bioethics at The Catholic University of America, whose keynote presentation focused on the rise and

possible ramifications of new genetic technologies. Scherz’s presentation discussed the new medical and genetic technologies that can provide both promise and moral dangers. He also provided an overview of the Church’s principles on upholding dignity of the human person with new biomedical technologies by identifying the life-affirming and lifeopposing practices and techniques.

The day ended with an in-depth look into the research findings of the physical, behavioral and emotional effects chemical abortions can cause in laboratory rats, presented by Dr. Samuel Sammut and his research assistant, Christina Camilleri of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

In addition to educational presentations there were resources on hand from local pro-life organizations.

The next Diocesan Respect Life Conference will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville. Look for additional details to come.

JESSICA GRABOWSKI is the Respect Life program director for the Diocese of Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE — After reading the article “Planned Parenthood will Soon be Doing Abortions” in a May edition of the Catholic News Herald, members of the Knights of Columbus from St. Luke and St. John Neumann parishes sprang into action.

Bob Hayes, St. Luke Parish’s Respect Life coordinator as well as a member of the Knights Council 12832, recalled, “When we heard about the new clinic, we knew we just had to do something. A new Planned Parenthood? It was a surprise to us and this whole community. Ever since, the pro-life community has been doing things like praying outside the building.”

Last summer Planned Parenthood South Atlantic moved its Charlotte Health Center to a larger facility at 700 South Torrence St., located in the historically black Cherry neighborhood of Charlotte. It is the fourth abortion facility in Charlotte, where more abortions are performed than in any other city in North Carolina.

The St. Luke Knights collaborated with St. John Neumann Parish’s Knights of Columbus Council 7343 to combat the new Planned Parenthood by purchasing a new 4-D colored ultrasound machine for the Women’s Clinic of Charlotte mobile van, which parks outside local abortion facilities, offering free ultrasounds to abortion-minded mothers.

Their $38,000 machine was matched by another donor, so two new ultrasound machines are being put to use to benefit the Women’s Clinic of Charlotte.

The Women’s Clinic of Charlotte, formerly known as the Pregnancy Resource Center, is part of the Human Coalition’s network of more than 45 pro-life pregnancy centers in the U.S. that provide medical services specifically tailored to abortion-minded women.

Jim Strauss, former St. Luke Grand Knight, noted, “The Knights of Columbus and Respect Life have a long history. The Knights put in the 1,000th ultrasound machine across the county last year. In 2018, that resulted in saving 155,000 lives. Each machine saves 10-12 babies a month. When the Planned Parenthood news came, David

Debrosse from St. John Neumann Parish knew their council could raise the funds but did not know how to get the KofC Ultrasound Initiative process started. Fortunately, St. Luke’s council had already started the process and had raised half the funds. Together with the St. John Neumann council, we split the cost necessary to comply with the Ultrasound Initiative. Gary Grossman, the new Grand Knight, was able to get the votes necessary to complete St. Luke’s portion of the initiative.”

Erin Forsythe, director of strategic partnerships for the Women’s Clinic of Charlotte, located a few blocks away from the new Planned Parenthood facility, said, “This couldn’t have come at a better time. The new ultrasound machine will be placed in our mobile unit. It will be replacing one of our older units and will give mothers a better picture of their child with better technology, as it’s a 3D4D machine. We are so very excited.”

Human Coalition Director Lauren Enriquez explained the significance of this $74,000 endeavor by sharing a recent story of a local Charlottean who was actively seeking an abortion.

“She was struggling financially and working to regain custody of her three little girls,” Enriquez said. “She received a free ultrasound, which revealed her baby was 7 weeks along. Seeing the child’s tiny body on the screen, she admitted she never imagined she would be faced with such a difficult decision.

She felt totally hopeless. The clinic staff assured her that this baby was a blessing, not a hindrance. As she began thinking of this baby as a sibling to her girls, she chose life and continued her pregnancy.

Her new baby girl is due soon.”

Grossman agreed that ultrasounds change people’s minds.

“What we are trying to do with this ultrasound machine is to give mothers another option – a way to see the live child they are potentially going to lose.

It is not to browbeat them. The only way people can be pro-choice is by simply not believing that the baby is alive. This ultrasound machine shows a real live body. This is our way of getting across to the moms. The statistical proof is that when three out of four mothers see the ultrasound, they choose life. It is as simple as that.”

End-of-life program held CHARLOTTE — The Order of Malta Charlotte Region hosted an end-of-life workshop Oct. 13 at St. Matthew Church. The free event featured guest speakers Father Jeffrey Kirby, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Lancaster, S.C.; Kathy Schmugge, Family Life Director for the Diocese of Charleston, S.C.; and Michael Acquilano, an attorney who serves as director of the S.C. Catholic Conference for the Diocese of Charleston. Attendees explored real-life scenarios and discussed Church teaching on end-of-life care and the legal and moral considerations faithful Catholics need to know.

They also received books and other information about end-of-life topics, including Father Kirby’s new book “We are the Lord’s – A guide to difficult end-of-life decisions,” the ”I am the Resurrection and the Life” booklet from the Diocese of Syracuse, a booklet on end-of-life issues from the Defense of the Faith Committee of the Federal Association of the Order of Malta, and sample printouts of the National Catholic Bioethics Center Advance Directive Form and Healthcare Proxy form as well as other resources. A question-andanswer session followed before Father Pat Hoare, pastor of St. Matthew Church, closed the workshop with a brief summary and closing prayer.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JACKIE GALLAGHER

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 OUR PARISHES

The legacy of St. John Henry Newman lives on...

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ANN KILKELLY

(Above) Before Mass at High Point University’s Catholic Campus Ministry chapel, students display an image of St. John Henry Newman on their cell phones. Newman was canonized Oct. 13. (Below) Students from University of North Carolina-Charlotte experience the Church family at this year’s Eucharistic Congress. North Carolina A&T State University and Bennett College students celebrate the recent opening of Thea House, a place for Catholic college students to grow, study together and share their faith.

T

he legacy of St. John Henry Newman lives on through Catholic Campus Ministry here in the Diocese of Charlotte.

In Catholic Campus Ministry, students find a community of college-age Catholics who encourage, support and challenge each other to grow deeper in their Catholic faith and in their academic knowledge of what the Catholic Church teaches and why.

St. John Newman was dedicated to both religious and secular studies at the university. An intellectual himself, he was a professor at Oxford and an Anglican priest. His search for truth eventually led him to the Catholic Church, where he was ordained a priest and later made a cardinal.

To St. John Newman, a university’s purpose was to educate the whole person. A student should learn about matters beyond their area of study. He was convinced that the study of theology, along with the study of secular topics, was central to students’ total formation.

Two years before his death, Catholic students at Oxford named their student association the “Oxford University Newman Society” in honor of Cardinal Newman. They incorporated principles from his great work, “The Idea of a University,” into their programming. The society hosted weekly lectures from theologians, legal scholars, politicians, artists and others from various professional backgrounds.

St. John Newman’s work in higher education spread

beyond Britain. In 1893, Catholic students at the University of Pennsylvania formed a student organization called the “Newman Club,” which started a trend. Catholic students, with support from priests at parishes near university campuses, formed similar Newman clubs at public and private non-Catholic colleges across the country. These Newman clubs were the forerunner to what we know today as Catholic Campus Ministry.

In 1985 the U.S. bishops declared St. John Newman the patron of Catholic Campus Ministry in a pastoral letter entitled “Empowered by the Spirit.” The pastoral letter reflects his influence even today, particularly in the sections called the “Aspects of Campus Ministry,” which spell out the bishops’ programmatic mandate for Catholic Campus Ministry in a diocese.

As the whole Church celebrates one of its newest saints, St. John Henry Newman, Catholic Campus Ministry continues his legacy to help students integrate secular learning with the study of faith and Catholic theology.

According to St. John Newman, this is the sign of a well-educated person. Please pray for Catholic Campus Ministry, here in the Diocese of Charlotte, and across the world.

St. John Henry Newman, pray for us!

— Darien Clark, Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Campus Ministry

Support the work of Catholic Campus Ministry At www.catholiconcampus.com: Learn more about the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Campus Ministry program, and how you can support its work

More inside SEE PAGE 20: Read more about the Oct. 13 canonization of St. John Henry Newman and four other saints

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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(Top, from left) Davidson College students make time for food, fun and friendship.

UNC-Asheville and Mars Hill students make time for prayer.

(Left) Western Carolina University students enjoy hiking in the nearby mountains.

(Above) UNC-Greensboro students serve in the community during Campus Ministry’s “Give Your Heart Away” service weekend.

(Below) St. John Henry Newman is an inspiration to students.

(Bottom, from left) Appalachian State University students meet for dinner each week, where they have fellowship and small group sharing.

Father Marcel Amadi, campus minister, baptizes a student who encountered the Catholic faith through Campus Ministry at Wake Forest University.

High Point University students and their families attend Mass.

Students at Wingate University gather for networking and fellowship.

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 OUR PARISHES

American Heritage Girls offers faith-based scouting ministry in diocese SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAMES SARKIS

Invested into Equestrian Order CHARLOTTE — Father Christopher Roux, rector of St. Patrick Cathedral, was welcomed Oct. 13 into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem during a Mass offered by Bishop Peter Jugis at St. Patrick Cathedral.

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, an ancient Catholic order for men and women, was started by the pope during the Crusades when the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was under attack. Today, they still defend the Catholic identity of the Holy Land through their financial contributions.

There are more than 30,000 members of the order in 40 nations worldwide. Members are required to travel regularly on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, providing aid to Christians living in the Latin Patriarchate, which consists of about 60 parishes, around 40 schools and more than 150,000 faithful, in Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Cyprus. The global amount of aid annually sent to the Holy Land is more than $10 million. Knights and ladies wear capes featuring a thick red “Jerusalem cross” that has four miniature crosses in each corner of the main cross. Each of the five crosses represents the five wounds of Christ. Learn more about their work at www.holysepulchre.net.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEPHEN B. DEY OF CHARLOTTE IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

Thanking Catholic Heritage Society members CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis celebrated Mass and hosted a luncheon for members of the Catholic Heritage Society Oct. 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral. The Catholic Heritage Society is comprised of people who make planned gifts that benefit the diocese or any of its parishes, schools, ministries, agencies or have established an endowment in the foundation. This annual event is the diocese’s way of honoring the generosity of Catholic friends who are providing for the future of the Church in western North Carolina. The Catholic Heritage Society is comprised of more than 1,100 people in the diocese, some of whom are leaving gifts to the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation in their wills. Since 1994, the foundation has distributed more than $10 million to more than 100 recipient parishes, schools and ministries.

CHARLOTTE — Parents and parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte are giving girls aged 5 to 18 the opportunity to grow in their love of God, family, community and country through American Heritage Girl scout troops which offer faith-based programs.

American Heritage Girls, a Christ-centered leadership and character development ministry with more than 50,000 members, is offered in churches in all 50 states and internationally in 14 countries.

The family-friendly, multi-level structure (5 levels) means that girls aged 5 to 18 meet together as a single troop at the same time.

During troop meetings, girls and leaders break into units so that programming is tailored to the different age groups and abilities. This structure allows for natural mentorship for younger girls and leadership opportunities for older girls.

St. John Neumann Parish in Charlotte sponsors American Heritage Girls Troop NC 0146, consisting of five units which are organized by grade level.

Troop coordinator Katie Moore has three daughters who participate in American Heritage Girls. She has a troop board of five adults and four additional parents who volunteer their time to make it a great experience for the girls.

“While we do have a lot of fun, our time together is primarily spent growing in character and learning about God’s love for us,” Moore says. “The goal of growing a generation of women who put God first in their lives is constantly before us.”

“I love being able to pour into these young ladies, and support their parents in teaching God’s ways instead of the world’s ways,” she adds.

Moore believes that while every parent has the responsibility of choosing what is best for their family, “I choose AHG because faith and character is at the heart of everything we do.”

Lisa Beekwilder has been a part of the American Heritage Girls troop at the parish for the past five years, and she has two daughters in the troop.

“AHG is a wonderful faith-based program that integrates the Catholic values we seek to teach in the formation of our girls,”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KATIE MOORE

American Heritage Girls Troop 0146 from St. John Neumann Church at the 2018 Hemby Bridge Christmas Parade.

Beekwilder says. “The AHG creed has 10 components to help form girls of integrity.

As Catholic moms of girls know, it is very difficult to be raising girls of integrity and faith in this current culture.”

Girls are constantly being bombarded with images of what the world thinks they should look like or act like, she continued.

“AHG is like a breeze of fresh air! The girls can be themselves, strengthen their personal character, form lasting faith-based friendships and serve in the community.”

She also enjoys seeing the girls laughing away and having a great time together.

“I love that there are older teenage girls working with the little ones. It’s adorable!”

“The AHG program is very organized and goal-oriented, so on the leadership side of things it’s easy to follow,” she notes. “I love that there is a wide spectrum of events.

One weekend we can be hiking and the next weekend standing on the sidewalk holding pro-life signs with our parish community.”

What do Beekwilder’s daughters say about American Heritage Girls?

Emma, 10, says, “I love AHG because of the group togetherness. I also love the fun things we do.”

Lucy, 8, says, “I love AHG because of the love and kindness we share together. I think AHG is a wonderful group.”

For more information At www.americanheritagegirls.org: Find out more about American Heritage Girls or inquire about starting a troop at your parish

Parish’s community garden flourishes MOCKSVILLE — Grow where you are planted.

That’s a lesson in faith, and in actuality for a group of volunteers working on a community garden at St. Francis of Assisi Church.

The St. Francis Faith and Fellowship Garden began in 2014 as wood boxes build by parishioners and Boy Scouts.

The seven wooden boxes make up an “Outreach Cross.”

Additional boxes are rented by parishioners to grow food for their families and to donate.

The garden is prospering thanks to fundraisers, private donations, two grants from the Diocese of Charlotte, a Knights of Columbus grant and many volunteer hours.

The St. Francis Faith and Fellowship Garden was started with a simple purpose: to bring people together, using available resources to grow food naturally for their families and neighbors in need.

By doing so, the hope of those tending the garden is to promote fellowship and good stewardship while benefiting parishioners as well as those in the surrounding communities.

The community garden’s outreach produce is donated to parish outreach beneficiaries as well as to The Storehouse for Jesus located in Mocksville.

From the beginning, the volunteers’ goal has been to

increase the “outreach” donations. In 2015, the garden donated 212 pounds of produce. By 2017, donations totaled 409 pounds. And last year, the garden produced 615 pounds.

The garden has expanded and upgraded to raised-bed

vinyl boxes. Not only are the boxes aesthetically pleasing and maintenance free, the height aids in weed control and makes gardening much more pleasant for the gardeners.

The 2019 growing season has been exceptionally good, with nearly 1,000 pounds of food donated as of September.

The weather cooperated, and the garden’s improvements have helped increase production. These improvements include adding 12 new vinyl boxes, mulch around the boxes, a new rear gate for access and new varieties of plants were planted to expand the growing season from March to December.

Produce grown this year included broccoli, beans, beets, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, peppers, potatoes (including sweet), rutabaga, squash (zucchini and yellow), spinach and turnips.

The community garden also has a butterfly garden, and three mason bee boxes, located within the garden, to assist with pollination.

The St. Francis Faith and Fellowship Garden is fulfilling its purpose thanks to the hard work, commitment and generosity of so many people, as well as the quality products and beautiful space provided for gardening.

— Article submitted by David Taylor

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Chaplain appointments announced CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announces the following clergy appointments, effective Oct. 15: n Father Joseph Matlak, pastor of St. Basil the Great Eastern Catholic Parish in Charlotte, has been appointed as chaplain of Charlotte Catholic High School and continues his assignment as chaplain of Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte. n Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, has been appointed as chaplain of Christ the King High School in Huntersville.

Diaconate appointments announced CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announces the following appointments to the Permanent Diaconate Ministry, effective Sept. 1: n Deacon Ed Konarski succeeds Deacon Scott Gilfillan as director of formation. Deacon Konarski has served as assistant director since 2012. n Deacon Bill Schreiber will assume the duties of assistant director of formation. For the past three years, Deacon Schreiber has served as Hickory Regional Coordinator. n Deacon David Rutter Faunce has been appointed to the role of Hickory Regional Coordinator.

Diocese wins international planned giving award CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte was recognized at the 2019 International Catholic Stewardship Conference in Chicago for Total Planned Giving Effort. Each year ICSC recognizes dioceses and archdioceses that best promote the theology of stewardship and best practices of Catholic philanthropy throughout the year. More than 130 dioceses and archdioceses from around the world offered submissions for various awards in 2019.

Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development, and Gina Rhodes, diocesan director of planned giving, were present to accept the award on behalf of the diocese at the conference in early October.

Diocese to offer free estate planning seminar Oct. 28 CHARLOTTE — Do you have a valid will and do you know if it needs to be updated? Are you interested in learning more about how to coordinate estate planning with your overall financial plan, while providing security for your family and loved ones?

Get information about these topics and

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PATRICIA DMUCHOWSKI

Columbiettes mark silver anniversary KERNERSVILLE — The Holy Cross Columbiettes Auxiliary 8509 of Kernersville celebrated their 25th anniversary Oct. 13 with Mass celebrated by Father Noah Carter followed by a memorial service for all the deceased Columbiettes. A candle was lit by the Auxiliary President Diane Frankenfield and Sentinel Rosemary Vasko, as a bell was rung for each lady by Financial Secretary Sandra Kempka and Committee Head Verna Kellum. To finish up the special day, the ladies attended a brunch at a local restaurant. Charter Members were presented with a certificate, congratulatory speeches were given by Ginny Grant, N.C. State President, Megan Hauser, the 1st NC State President, and Maggie Herbstritt, Western Chapter President.

The Holy Cross Worthy Grand Knight, Ed Christian, Worthy Deputy Grand Knight, Dave Kempka, and Columbiette liaison, Dennis Muelker, were also in attendance and performed the opening blessing, the presentation of roses to the charter members and a closing blessing, In addition, the Knights presented a check to the auxiliary to donate to their favorite charity. more at a free seminar Monday, Oct. 28, at the Catholic Diocese Pastoral Center, 1123 South Church St. in Charlotte, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Attendees at this free seminar will learn about wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate, bequests, and other planned gifts as well as

Catholic teaching on end-of-life issues.

If you are preparing or updating your will, if you want to designate guardians for your minor children, if you have recently moved here from IN BRIEF, SEE PAGE 10

The St. Mark Respect Life Ministry, the Carolina Pro-Life Action Network (C-PLAN) and the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation present:

UNMASKING THE ROOTS OF TODAY’S ABORTION MOVEMENT. 2-DAY SEMINAR

NOVEMBER 15&16 

Did humans evolve from apes?



How did (and does) evolution influence Planned Parenthood and other advocates of birth control, eugenics, sterilization and abortion?

Got stock?

Unlock your potential to make a difference.

Giving appreciated stock to your parish, Catholic school, agency, the diocese or the Foundation creates a gift that will benefit your desired beneficiary and provide you tax benefits.

For more information, go to www.charlottediocese.givingplan.net or call Gina Rhodes at 704/370-3364.

Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte



What is the link between the culture of death and evolution?



What is the traditional doctrine of creation and how can it help win back fallen away Catholics – especially the youth?



To learn more visit: www.prolifecharlotte.org/kolbe

ST. MARK CATHOLIC CHURCH In the Kerin Family Center 14740 Stumptown Rd, Huntersville, NC

Friday, November 15 6 pm Mass, St. Mark School Chapel* Seminar 7-9pm *The Chapel is located in the school next to the Family Center.

Saturday, November 16 9am Mass, Church Seminar 10-4pm Different talks each day.

No cost but free will offering will be taken: Event includes Friday snacks/refreshments and Saturday pizza lunch. RSVP appreciated but not required.

To RSVP or learn more contact Mike FitzGerald at respect.life@stmarknc.org.

The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation is a Catholic apostolate founded in 2000 to educate the public, particularly within the Catholic Church, in the truth of creation as revealed in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition and as confirmed by the findings of modern science. Its work has been endorsed by noted faithful Catholics including Bishop Athanasius Schneider and exorcist/ theologian Fr. Chad Ripperger.

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 OUR PARISHES

IN BRIEF FROM PAGE 9

another state, and if you are interested in learning more about the probate process and estate planning in general, you will want to attend.

Attorney Christian Cherry with Crisp, Cherry, McCraw in Charlotte will present legal information. Cherry is an estate planning attorney with a concentration including wills, estates, trusts and probate. His presentation will include an open question-and-answer period. Information on planned giving, bequests and Catholic teaching on end-of-life issues will also be provided by the planned giving office.

Parking is free and light refreshments will be served. Contact Judy Smith at jmsmith@charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3320 to register and reserve your free take-home materials.

Alan Ames coming to Charlotte area Alan Ames International Ministry will offer three healing services at Charlotte area parishes Nov. 5-7: 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 5, St. Therese Church, 217 Brawley School Road, Mooresville; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville; and 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte.

Each evening will begin with Mass, followed by a talk by Alan Ames and a healing service.

For details, go to www.alanames.org.

Conference on Appalachia to focus on affordable housing FRANKLIN — The ninth Bishop Begley Conference on Appalachia will be held Saturday, Nov. 2. Themed “Working for Safe and Affordable Housing in Far Western North Carolina,” the conference will focus on affordable housing in the far western counties of North Carolina – its causes and its effects on vulnerable populations, and efforts being made to address this concern. Come to learn, celebrate and pray.

Go to www.ccdoc.org/education for event information and registration details. Questions? E-mail ccdocsca@ charlottediocese.org.

Igbo Mass set for November GREENSBORO — The next Igbo-language Mass in the Diocese of Charlotte will be offered starting at noon Sunday, Nov. 24, at St. Mary’s Church, located at 812 Duke St. Igbo is the native language of many Nigerian Catholics. For details, call 336-707-3625.

Prayer shawl ministry marks 10 years SAPPHIRE — St. Jude Mission recently celebrated 10 years of its Prayer Blanket Ministry. Over the past decade, more than 800 blankets have been made and distributed all over the country and beyond. The mission of this ministry is: To minister to those who are suffering by bringing them comfort and peace through the gift of a Prayer Blanket – a symbol of Faith, Hope and Love through parishioners’ commitment to prayer. The dedicated members of this ministry meet twice a month during the summer and once a month during the winter. Each blanket has more than 200 knots lovingly tied for those for whom the members of the ministry pray. There is no charge for the blankets and they are available to anyone who is aware of someone in need of love, support and prayers.

Pictured is the mission’s administrator, Father Jason Barone, blessing the blankets. After Mass there was a celebratory brunch for parishioners to share in the special occasion.

— Rena Ezzell

Fatima procession held in Tryon TRYON — St. John the Baptist Church held the last Fatima Procession of the season on the picnic grounds, at Harmon Field, on Oct. 13 after the 12:30 p.m. Mass. The candlelight procession honoring Our Lady of Fatima in prayer and song began May 13 and was held every 13th of the month on the church grounds.

Father Jason Christian, pastor, began the service by narrating the story of the “Miracle of the Sun,” which occurred on Oct. 13, 1978, in Fátima, Portugal. He emphasized in particular the fact that the crowd attending the event, after having been soaked by

the rain, reported that their clothes suddenly became completely dry.

Since it had been raining all morning that day in Tryon, the reminder of that miracle renewed hope in the attendees that the rain would subside and the procession could occur. After everyone had recited the rosary in English, Spanish and Latin, the rain ceased and the procession began.

— Giuliana Polinari Riley, correspondent

Life in the Spirit Seminar held WINSTON-SALEM — A Life in the Spirit Seminar was held Sept.

21-22 at Our Lady of Mercy School sponsored by BLD Charlotte, a Catholic Charismatic Prayer Community with Father Eric de la Pena as retreat master.

— Bert and Lith Golamco

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October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

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Antorcha Guadalupana visitará parroquias de la diócesis Padre Fidel Melo

Justicia social

Y

a desde los tiempos del pueblo de Dios en Egipto aparece la justicia social como un tema que claramente es abordado por Dios Padre en favor de su pueblo.

El libro del Éxodo narra, como evento central en sus escritos, los actos de opresión, esclavitud y genocidio que el pueblo de Dios encontró en su estancia en Egipto. Y como Dios, con mano poderosa por medio de Moisés, los liberó y condujo por el Mar Rojo y el Monte Sinaí, donde estableció con ellos una alianza por medio de los Diez Mandamientos.

Desde ese momento podemos ver que Dios no es indiferente ante la opresión del que está en desventaja y sufre injusticia.

Dios libera a su pueblo de la opresión que sufre a manos de otra nación, pero da una fuerte advertencia para que este mismo pueblo no cometa injusticias similares con otros pueblos y entre ellos mismos.

“Y al extranjero no engañarás ni angustiarás, porque extranjeros fuistes en la tierra de Egipto” (Ex 23,11).

“A ninguna viuda ni huérfano afligirás, que si tú llegas a afligirle y él a mí clamare, ciertamente oiré su clamor y mi furor encenderé” (Ex 23, 22-14).

Así, podemos descubrir que, desde bien pronto en las Sagradas Escrituras, Dios mismo aparece actuando con poder contra la injusticia social.

También podemos ver que en la historia del pueblo de Israel, entre ellos mismos hubo opresión y corrupción en detrimento de los menos afortunados.

Me refiero a los tiempos del profeta Amós, quién fue llamado por Dios para reprochar a su pueblo las injusticias y corrupción contra el necesitado. Esto hace de Amós el profeta “campeón de la lucha contra la injusticia social” en el Antiguo Testamento.

“Escuchen esto los que buscan al pobre para arruinarlo... los que disminuyen las medidas y aumentan los precios, alteran las balanzas, los que obligan a los pobres a venderse; por un par de sandalias los compran…. el Señor, gloria de Israel, lo ha jurado: no olvidará jamás ninguna de estas acciones” (Amós 8, 4-7).

El Nuevo Testamento es también muy claro en cuanto a este tema y definirá la benignidad de una persona como: el que es justo y temeroso de Dios y no abandona a sus hermanos en necesidad.

Nuestro Señor Jesucristo lo muestra en el evangelio de Lucas, en la historia del rico y el pobre Lázaro, donde queda claro que la indiferencia ante el dolor y necesidad de otros tiene consecuencias graves.

Es importante entender que tener bienes materiales no está mal. Lo malo es, cuando teniendo la oportunidad de hacer el bien, se decide ser indiferente al dolor y la necesidad de los demás. También es malo cuando por ambición desmedida se toma ventaja del necesitado para acumular riquezas en una relación laboral injusta.

Mirando épocas más recientes, con la era industrial aparece marcadamente la relación capital y trabajo, empleador y trabajador, provocando nuevos retos en la relación obrero patronal.

Por ello, el Papa León XIII publica la encíclica Rerum Novarum abordando el tema de los derechos y responsabilidades de empleador y obrero, buscando MELO, PASA A LA PÁGINA 19

CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE ­— La Antorcha Guadalupana, portadora de un mensaje de dignidad por un pueblo dividido por la frontera, cruzará la línea divisoria entre Las Carolinas el sábado 9 de noviembre, procedente de Greenville, Carolina del Sur, para ser recibida en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, al oeste de Charlotte.

Leandro Bernabé, representante en el estado de Carolina del Norte para la asociación Tepeyac, entidad organizadora de la carrera, dijo que la recepción que prepara la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe “será excepcional, como no se ha visto nunca”.

“La Antorcha Guadalupana, las dos imágenes que la acompañan, la de San Juan Diego y ‘La Lupita”, junto a los corredores serán recibidos en un centro comercial ubicado en las cercanías de la iglesia, desde donde, en procesión, se trasladará hasta la Iglesia, donde se le dará la recepción que se merece”, indicó.

A su llegada al templo, el Padre Leo Tiburcio recibirá la Antorcha con la que se encenderá el Cirio Pascual. Le seguirá un programa de danzas y el acompañamiento musical de mariachis, para luego celebrarse la Santa Misa a las seis de la tarde.

La Antorcha Guadalupana, una carrera de postas que se lleva a cabo anualmente, partió el 1 de septiembre de la Basílica Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en la Ciudad de México, cruzó la frontera el 21 de octubre, por el puente entre Nuevo Laredo y Laredo, Texas.

Durante 3 meses y 12 días, cerca de ocho mil corredores harán llegar la antorcha, que no se apagará todo ese tiempo, a Nueva York el 12 de diciembre, fecha de las apariciones de la ‘Morenita del Tepeyac’ En la obra ‘Guadalupe en Nueva York: la devoción y la

lucha por los derechos de ciudadanía entre los inmigrantes mexicanos’, publicada por la Universidad de Nueva York, la autora, Alyshia Gálvez, explica que llevar una antorcha “era una práctica precolombina para llevar mensajes” y fue después de la conquista “que la práctica se asoció específicamente con la devoción guadalupana”.

“Se dice que cuando Juan Diego apareció ante el obispo para entregar la solicitud de la Virgen de Guadalupe de un santuario en la colina en Tepeyac y derramó rosas a sus pies, los corredores de la antorcha transmitieron la noticia de la aparición milagrosa en todo el país”, subrayó.

En su trayecto por el territorio de la Diócesis de Charlotte, la Antorcha se detendrá en Concord, Mooresville, Newton, Mocksville, Greensboro, High Point, Thomasville. El viernes 6 de noviembre partirá para Inmaculada Concepción en Durham.

Según informó Bernabé, las Inscripciones de corredores se realizan en las parroquias Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe y St. James the Greater en Concord.

El registro tiene un valor de 40 dólares, entregándose a cada corredor una sudadera de la Asociación Tepeyac. “La donación sirve para solventar los gastos de la carrera”, precisó el organizador.

“Tenemos retos enormes para las situaciones que se ven en nuestras familias inmigrantes. Esta luz que nos trae “La Virgen morena” nos llena de esperanza para obtener un lugar en este país”, sentenció Bernabé.

Para informes e inscripciones contacte a Raúl Macías, Concord, 704-837-9685, y Leandro Bernabé, Charlotte, 704965-1290.

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHEspañol: Vea fotografías de las ediciones pasadas de la llegada de la Antorcha Guadalupana

Lecturas Diarias OCT. 27-NOV. 2

Domingo: Sirácides 35:12-14, 16-18, 2 Timoteo 4:6-8, 16-18, Lucas 18:9-14; Lunes (Santos Simón y Judas): Efesios 2:19-22, Lucas 6:12-16; Martes: Romanos 8:18-25, Lucas 13:18-21; Miércoles: Romanos 8:26-30, Lucas 13:22-30; Jueves: Romanos 8:31-39, Lucas 13:31-35; Viernes (Todos los Santos): Apocalipsis 7:2-4, 9-14, 1 Juan 3:1-3, Mateo 5:1-12; Sábado (Todos los fieles difuntos): Sabiduría 3:1-9, Romanos 5:5-11, Juan 6:37-40.

NOV. 3-9

Domingo: Sabiduría 11:22-12:2, 2 Tesalonicenses 1:11-2:2, Lucas 19:1-10; Lunes (San Carlos Borromeo): Romanos 11:29-36, Lucas 14:1214; Martes: Romanos 12:5-16, Lucas 14:15-24; Miércoles: Romanos 13:8-10, Lucas 14:2533; Jueves: Romanos 14:7-12, Lucas 15:1-10; Viernes: Romanos 15:14-21, Lucas 16:1-8; Sábado (Consagración de la Basílica de San Letrán): Ezequiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12, 1 Corintias 3:9-11, 16-17, Juan 2:13-22

NOV. 10-16

FOTO POR MARIELLA BUSCAGLIA

Crece devoción al Señor de los Milagros CHARLOTTE — Vistiendo sus hábitos con el tradicional color morado y desafiando a la tormenta que abatió la zona, fieles devotos de las hermandades del Señor de los Milagros de la Ciudad Reina participaron en la primera procesión de la sagrada imagen del Cristo Moreno el pasado domingo 13 de octubre en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. El domingo 27, demostrando su profunda devoción, realizarán un segundo recorrido procesional en la Iglesia San Gabriel a las 6:30 de la tarde. Una Misa solemne se celebrará en la Iglesia San Marcos el lunes 28 a las 7 p.m.

Domingo: 2 Macabeos 7:1-2, 9-14, 2 Tesalonicenses 2:16-3:5, Lucas 20:27-38; Lunes (San Martín de Tours): Sabiduría 1:1-7, Lucas 17:1-6; Martes (San Josafat): Sabiduría 2:23-3:9, Lucas 17:7-10; Miércoles (San Francisco Xavier): Sabiduría 6:1-11, Lucas 17:11-19; Jueves: Sabiduría 7:22-8:1, Lucas 17:20-25; Viernes (San Alberto El Grande): Sabiduría 13:1-9, Lucas 17:26-37; Sábado (Sta Margarita de Escocia; Sta Gertrudis): Sabiduría 18:14-16, 19:6-9, Lucas 18:1-8

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iiiOctober 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM TH

Halloween, ¿una fiesta para celebrar?

PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ ESPECIAL PARA EL CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Por estos días se despierta cada una gran conmoción entre los católicos con la pregunta que si se puede celebrar Halloween o no.

Quiero aclarar que no es mi punto determinar si debemos o no celebrarlo, pues cada uno de nosotros debemos de sacar nuestras propias conclusiones y celebrar aquello que como cristianos estamos supuestos a celebrar.

Nosotros, los católicos, celebramos la víspera de Todos los Santos que ya están triunfantes en el cielo y, como tal, recordamos sus vidas y su poderosa intercesión por nosotros. La Iglesia ha señalado esta especial ocasión como Solemnidad para darle la importancia que tiene y hacernos recordar que los mejores amigos de Dios piden por nosotros.

Si somos conscientes de lo que pasa, vamos a ver que el mundo siempre va a presentar algo diferente y superficial a los cristianos para distraer nuestra atención y quitarnos lo sagrado. Y así, tenemos que en Navidad se evita hablar del Niño Dios y se enfatiza a Papa Noel; en la Semana Santa se quita la Pasión y Muerte de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo y se promueven las vacaciones; en la Pascua se quita la Resurrección y se ponen huevos escondidos. De este modo, no es raro que en el día de Todos los Santos, precisamente en la víspera, se destruya la idea de ser santos, como Nuestro Padre celestial es Santo, por la ridícula fiesta de Halloween.

El punto está en conocer qué es lo que se

celebra en Halloween. Sabemos que, aunque algunas personas de buena voluntad han querido cristianizar la fiesta, en realidad lo que se está celebrando es el nacimiento del demonio. Y también sabemos que en esa noche son consagradas muchas almas a él y que se hacen profanaciones aberrantes de la Eucaristía durante las misas negras que se celebran.

Los cristianos en modo alguno debemos de participar directa o indirectamente en estas celebraciones, pues eso ayuda a que la fiesta se haga más popular y el demonio gane terreno.

Nosotros debemos de celebrar a los Santos.

Las parroquias deben de despertar y hacer posible celebraciones hermosas de la Misa y también fiestas en las que los niños se vistan de santos y, de alguna manera, se les de a conocer sus vidas con breves relatos.

Sé que la reacción de muchos será afirmar que se trata de “una fiesta inocente... y con que lo hagas con buena intención”, a lo que yo te respondo: si hay una procesión de personas que están a favor del aborto y van a pedir al presidente que se legalice el aborto y tú te unes a esa procesión, aunque tengas la mejor intención ya te haces parte de esa procesión y haces ver que hay muchas personas que creen en eso.

Así que toma conciencia y piensa lo que celebras y a quién celebras.

Que nosotros los cristianos celebremos el día de los Santos que desde el cielo nos acompañan y piden por nosotros.

PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ es coordinador del ministerio hispano de la vicaría de Smoky Mountain.

Celebrando el Día de los Muertos pedimos por ellos, por nuestos muertos, para que si están en el purgatori Como indica el Padre Domínguez, en algunas imágenes de los santos éstos generalmente se representan co y tendrían su juicio.

Foto cortesía Pexels

Los fiele

PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ ESPECIAL PARA EL CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Por allí surgió la preocupación de que si la tradición mexicana de levantar un altar e Día de los Fieles Difuntos es algo pagano e incluso anticristiano y demoníaco.

Ante la importante pregunta, esta es la respuesta que puedo darles.

Los misioneros franciscanos introdujeron en México esta costumbre para enseñar a indígenas el rezar por las almas del purgatorio, al igual como les ilustraron a través de piñatas que debían de romper cualquier relación con el enemigo.

En los altares de muerto siempre se pone un Crucifijo en la parte de arriba, recordan que a través de sus méritos nos vino la salvación. También se ponen desde la parte de arriba hacia abajo, formando un triángulo, imágenes de santos, significando que ya fueron redimidos y que nos esperan en el cielo.

En el medio, debajo de Cristo y entre las imágenes de los santos, se colocan las fotografías de nuestros difuntos, de quienes en realidad no sabemos si están en el cielo todavía se encuentran en el purgatorio.

La tradición incluye colocar en el altar imágenes de calaveras, y esto es lo que a algu les resulta sospechoso. Pero, en realidad, no tiene en modo alguno ninguna relación co lo oculto o la famosa ‘santa muerte’.

La verdad es que estamos celebrando el Día de los Muertos y pedimos por ellos, por nuestros muertos, para que si están en el purgatorio salgan de allí.

Si nosotros observamos bien, en algunas imágenes de los santos éstos generalmente se representan con una calavera en la mano o cercana a ellos. Eso les ayudaba a pensar contínuamente que tarde que temprano morirían y tendrían su juicio.

De la misma manera, nosotros no celebramos en sí la entidad de la muerte, sino a

HE COVER

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

En el altar de muerto debemos de evitar poner recordatorios de vicios que nuestros difuntos tenían (tequila, cigarrillos, drogas). Mucho menos si esto los llevó a una enfermedad. Sería como acusarlos más que ayudarlos.

Ocho símbolos que no deben faltar en un altar de muertos Tener 3 niveles

io, gracias a nuestras oraciones, puedan salir de allí. on una calavera en la mano o cercana a ellos. Eso les ayudaba a pensar contínuamente que tarde que temprano morirían

es Difuntos

el

los e las

ndo

o

unos on

r

nuestros fieles difuntos y pedimos por ellos con la Santa Misa en la Iglesia y con el Rosario u otras oraciones de difuntos en nuestras casas.

Qué bueno y saludable sería que todos los cristianos del mundo pudiéramos prepararnos y recibir la comunión en este día por las almas del purgatorio. Sería el mejor regalo que podríamos darle a estas almas esperanzadas en llegar a la presencia plena de Dios.

Muchas familias tienen la costumbre de ir al cementerio en este día, arreglar las tumbas y poner flores. Nada de esto es algo negativo o malo, por el contrario se lleva a cabo el propósito de los misioneros franciscanos de que en este día recordemos a las almas del purgatorio.

Algunas cosas que debemos de evitar, y que a veces se pone mucho énfasis en ellas, es el poner sobre el altar recordatorios de vicios que nuestros difuntos tenían (tequila, cigarrillos, drogas y otras cosas). Eso no es cristiano y mucho menos si esto llevó a una enfermedad a nuestro difunto. Sería como acusarlos más que ayudarlos.

Quiero recordar que el punto principal de esta práctica es pedir por nuestros difuntos en el purgatorio y lo que menos me gustaría es ver desaparecer esta maravillosa tradición, pues por siglos ha llevado a la gran nación mexicana a pedir por sus difuntos.

Sé que un sacerdote muy famoso de otra nación criticó esta devoción que tenemos los católicos mexicanos pero, al ser de otra nación, no entendió el profundo contexto cultural y espiritual de esta tradición. Y por eso muchos se han confundido.

Que las almas de los fieles difuntos por la misericordia de Dios descansen en Paz. Así sea.

PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ es coordinador del ministerio hispano de la vicaría de Smoky Mountain.

Los tres niveles en el altar de muertos guardan relación con los “niveles” de la Iglesia: la Iglesia militante, quienes vivimos en la tierra; la Iglesia purgante, las almas de los fallecidos que se encuentran en el purgatorio para prepararse para la visión beatífica de Dios; y la Iglesia triunfante, que se encuentra en el Cielo.

Un arco Sirve de alegoría a la puerta de entrada al Cielo.

La Cruz y una imagen de la Virgen La Cruz nos recuerda la muerte de Cristo, que entregó su vida por nuestros pecados, pero que con su resurrección triunfó sobre la muerte y nos abrió las puertas del Cielo. La imagen de la Virgen María nos recuerda que es nuestra madre e intercesora.

Agua bendita Nos recuerda el agua bendita usada en nuestro bautismo, que nos convierte en hijos de Dios, miembros de Cristo y somos incorporados a la Iglesia.

Fotografías de nuestros seres queridos Nos ayuda a recordarlos y a tenerlos presentes en nuestras oraciones.

“Aunque algunas personas de buena voluntad han querido cristianizar la fiesta, en realidad lo que se celebra es el nacimiento del demonio”, afirma el Padre Domínguez.

Foto cortesía Pexels

Veladoras Se coloca una por cada ser querido fallecido, y simbolizan la luz de Cristo, así como la fe y la esperanza.

Comida En el altar de muertos se suele poner como recuerdo de nuestros seres queridos fallecidos sus platos de comida predilectos.

Flores de cempasúchil Representa la luz del sol y es parte de las tradiciones precolombinas mexicanas, que creían que guiaba a los muertos hacia el altar. Habitualmente se colocan formando una cruz.

— Condensado de Aciprensa

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Our schools 14

catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

St. Michael School celebrates renovation with ribbon-cutting PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

GASTONIA — St. Michael School, a beloved fixture in Gastonia for more than 70 years, has a fresh and exciting new look thanks to an extensive $1.6 million renovation.

Students, faculty and school leaders celebrated the successful completion of the project with a ribbon-cutting and special tour Oct. 17.

The celebration marked “a new beginning” for the school, noted Father Lucas Rossi, pastor of St. Michael Parish, who recalled the school’s modest beginnings in 1942 with 22 students taught by the Sisters of Mercy in a house on the corner of Jackson and York streets. Established in 1942, St. Michael School has been at its current location since 1952.

“We’re being entrusted once again with the great mission of bringing souls to Christ. This is the sole purpose of the beautifully renovated St. Michael Catholic School,” Father Rossi said. “It is both a center of learning and a family for God’s children.”

For Principal Sheila Levesque, the celebration was a moment for the entire school community to celebrate, especially the students.

“This summer has been busy, with a sense of excitement in the air. Staff have been working hard on resources and preparing the spaces for our students, giving them an over-the-top opportunity in instruction, design, collaboration, innovations and handson, global thinking opportunities,” Levesque said.

The renovation project was funded through a combination of a $990,000 gift, a $500,000 grant from the Diocese of Charlotte’s historic “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” capital campaign, and another $110,000 raised through school fundraisers.

The $990,000 gift comes from Shea Homes, a new home construction company in the Charlotte area. John Shea, a parishioner of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, said his family “believes in the education and values taught by the dedicated teachers at Catholic schools.”

The project featured renovation of the existing library to create a dynamic and state-of-the-art STEM Lab and Maker Space; renovation of the existing science lab to expand capabilities for hands-on learning and experimentation; and renovation of the current technology infrastructure.

The connected labs for STEM and science instruction offer students the opportunity to “think it” and “do it,” with 3D printers, Cricuts, patterns, robots, circuits and more.

“For the last several years we’ve noticed in our students a real interest in science, technology, engineering and math,” Levesque said. “We’ve seen students and teachers work hard to tap into STEM resources and as a result we’ve seen success in local competitions, including placing first overall and first and second in the Gaston County STEM and engineering fairs. The excitement and success in STEM made it clear to us that we

needed to develop a space to really give students the tools and space to excel in STEM pursuits.”

“We feel like we have that opportunity now with a brand new environment for learning and experimenting and a new teacher dedicated to developing the skill set of all of our students beginning at an early age,” she said.

The school’s new look starts at the front door, with a newly-configured entrance that provides a welcoming but secure access point for visitors.

Security features include LobbyGuard, a visitor management system that enhances school safety.

Upgrades continue into each classroom, with SmartTVs and highspeed wireless internet connectivity to aid teachers and students in learning.

A new green screen connected with SmartTV “will allow our students leadership opportunities to be on live TV for afternoon prayers and announcements,” Levesque added.

The renovation project also includes a new special education classroom; restoration of the elementary school restrooms; new roof; and new rooftop HVAC equipment.

New furniture, fresh paint, flooring and lighting fixtures completed the makeover.

Vincent Ciccarelli of Insight Architects, PC, in Charlotte and Tim Laframboise of Southside Constructors in Charlotte were the lead architect and general contractor, respectively. Both were present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and enjoyed touring the space with students and teachers.

Emmett Sapp, of the diocesan properties office, expressed gratitude to Ciccarelli and Laframboise for their hard work.

“We came to this project knowing that it was going to be a major challenge to completely renovate this school in a couple of months,” Sapp said. “We really appreciate the work that they did to get us to where we are today. It’s just been exciting to watch the transformation of this school.”

“I believe in our school, in our students and parents, our faculty and our community. St. Michael Catholic School is here to serve, to educate and to foster love. We are here to educate the whole child and we welcome you to visit, tour, register and prepare for an amazing experience,” Levesque said.

St. Michael School is a pre-K through 8th grade school that strives to educate the whole child: spiritually, emotionally, socially, intellectually, artistically and physically. The school is fully accredited through AdvancED and welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds. This year’s enrollment totals approximately 135 students.

For details or to schedule a personal tour, call the school at 704-865-4382 or go online to www.stmichaelcs.com.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See video highlights from St. Michael School’s ribbon-cutting ceremony

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

(Above) Father Lucas Rossi, pastor of St. Michael Church in Gastonia, and Sheila Levesque, principal of St. Michael School, cut the ribbon during the official ceremony Oct. 17 commemorating the extensive renovations at the school which took place over the summer months. (Below, clockwise): Staff, students and parents pray the rosary prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony; St. Michael School students fold their hands in prayer during the rosary; St. Michael School students enjoy story time in one of the newly renovated spaces in the school.

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief CCHS National Merit semifinalists CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School announces that seniors Jamison Cox, Alexander Denton, Christopher Hoefling, John Meehan and Sophia Roper have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.

Nearly 1.6 million high school juniors from more than 22,000 high schools nationwide entered the 2020 competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in the fall of 2018. Approximately 16,000 students have qualified as semifinalists, representing less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors.

From this group of outstanding students, approximately 8,000 finalists will be named, and more than half of all finalists will receive either a Merit Scholarship or a Special Scholarship from a corporate sponsor. The

15

winners will be announced between April and July. They will join more than 300,000 other distinguished students who have earned the National Merit Scholar title.

The National Merit Scholarship program was founded in 1955 to distinguish and honor academically talented American high school students and to encourage them to develop their talents and skills to the fullest. The competition is very rigorous, and scholarship winners are chosen based on their skills, abilities, extracurricular accomplishments and potential for future success.

— Carolyn Tillman

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER

Be a superhero to others, CTKS students told Helping out KERNERSVILLE — The Bishop McGuinness High School Cross Country team members volunteered recently at Habitat for Humanity Forsyth County. Students prepared the dinner and cleaned and later dined with the volunteers, who were students from Villanova University.

— Kimberly Knox

HUNTERSVILLE — Father Leo Patalinghug stopped by Christ the King High School Oct. 21 to talk to students while he is in town for a three-day parish mission at St. Mark Church. While at the school he gave an energetic and entertaining talk to reach the teens on their level. Using the theme of superheroes, Father Patalinghug asked the kids how they can act as superheroes for others. “God is the author of our life,” he said. “A lot of people think God is not necessary, but God has a plan for you. Eventually, however, you are going to question the Author. Until you get to a higher vantage point where you can see perspective, you can’t see what a superhero does. The process of being saved doesn’t always feel good. From now until you get to heaven, you are not saved yet.” Father Patalinghug is the founder of Plating Grace Ministry. He has a cooking show on EWTN and uses food to bring people together. For details about his ministry, go to www.fatherleofeeds. com.

Join us for a silent auction and dinner to benefit anti-human trafficking efforts both locally and abroad.

Ticket information can be found at www.ursusinstitute.net under "events".

Email tammy@ursusinstitute.net with any questions.

Mix 16

catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

In theaters

‘In 50 years I won’t be here but the stained glass will’

New book on St. Francis of Assisi Parish’s windows preserves history, tells story SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ This routine follow-up to the 2014 live action reworking of the classic fairy tale, and 1959 animated Disney feature, “Sleeping Beauty” reverses the antitraditional thrust of its predecessor by having its young heroine, the once-cursed Queen Aurora (Elle Fanning), accept the proposal of her longtime suitor, Prince Philip (Harris Dickinson). But the course of true love fails, predictably, to run smooth since both the morally complex title character (Angelina Jolie), whom Aurora regards as her fairy godmother, and the groom-to-be’s thoroughly nasty mom (Michelle Pfeiffer) object to the match. Though free of any genuinely objectionable material, his film is too frightening for little ones. Much stylized but sometimes harsh combat violence.

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

‘The Addams Family’ Those endearing ghouls created by Charles Addams in his 1930s cartoons for The New Yorker magazine inspire yet another big-screen adaptation. Gomez (voice of Oscar Isaac) and his wife Morticia (voice of Charlize Theron), face parenting issues with both their children, daughter Wednesday and son Pugsley. Pugsley struggles to pass a complex sword ritual required of every Addams male when he reaches a certain age, while Wednesday ventures into the outside, technicolor world with a new friend, whose mother harbors wicked intentions toward the clan.

Despite some impressive animation and a worthy, if predictable, lesson in diversity and the need to respect others, the film is bland, dreary and unfunny. Attempts at dark humor involving deadly weapons precludes endorsement for the youngest viewers. Macabre and suggestive jokes, non-perilous action sequences.

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

Other movies: n ‘Jexi’: CNS: O (morally offensive); MPAA: R n ‘Gemini Man’: CNS: L (limited adult audience); MPAA: PG-13

the windows was important to her. “I think the stained glass windows in our church create a sacred and holy atmosphere. Our goal in writing this book was to leave a written account to help inspire and educate future generations about these magnificent pieces of art.”

Bob Gallagher, retired CEO of Good Will Publishers in Gastonia, helped sponsor the publishing project.

“I wanted to be involved in this project because St. Francis of Assisi Parish holds a special place for my family due to my dear mother’s deeprun roots in Ashe County,” Gallagher said. “My wife Jackie and I now reside part-time in these

JEFFERSON — Stained glass windows grace the most majestic basilicas and cathedrals, as well as the humblest of chapels around the globe. They have the ability of transporting one’s mind to another place and time with just a glance in their direction.

The 34 stained glass windows at St. Francis of Assisi Church take parishioners and those who gaze upon them through key moments in the Bible, as well as recall the life of their patron saint who founded the Order of the Friars Minor (Franciscans) in the 12th century.

The story the windows tell has now been preserved in a book which details each depiction in each window in the church and bell tower.

Father James Stuhrenberg, pastor, and a select committee determined which Biblical scenes would be depicted on the church’s new stained glass windows.

There are seven Old Testament windows, 18 New Testament windows, and nine other windows including scenes depicting angels and the Gifts of the Holy PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICK LABONTE Spirit and the seven St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson has produced a book featuring descriptions on all 34 of their virtues, as well as newly installed stained glass windows at the parish. a window depicting St. Michael the Archangel, Our Lady of Guadalupe and scenes beautiful mountains. We are fortunate to have from the life of St. Francis of Assisi. found a spiritual home in St. Francis Parish.”

Father Stuhrenberg and the committee worked Gallagher says that as a building, St. Francis with Statesville Stained Glass Inc. and artist Les Church is most inspiring “because it’s a church Wicker over five years to create the windows. that looks like a Catholic church. The beautiful “In 50 years I won’t be here but the stained glass windows remind us of the great events in will,” joked Father Stuhrenberg. “I have always Salvation History and lead our hearts and minds loved stained glass. It helps the church look holy to the central point: the tabernacle – where Jesus and helps children have something to look at. It Himself is honored and adored.” also has another purpose: to teach.”

“And the very same Mass that is offered daily “The windows are such a huge part of our in the great cathedrals throughout the world is church, both the story of the window and the also offered in this beautiful little church in the wonderful colors,” said committee member Rick mountains of North Carolina,” he noted.

Labonte. “There are things in the windows that I The 34 stained glass windows were funded was not aware of until they were pointed out… I felt by more than $178,000 in donations from strongly that documentation was needed so parish parishioners. members would be able to read the stories behind the windows and why the scenes were chosen.”

Vickie Herman assisted her pastor by serving on Interested in seeing the windows? St. Francis of Assisi the committee and assisting him with writing and Church is located at 167 St. Francis Place in Jefferson. editing the commentary for the book.

The parish plans to print more books and offer a version “Father James put a lot of thought and planning in Spanish in the future. Questions? Contact the parish into each stained glass window (that was created). at 336-246-9151.

It was fascinating to me to hear him talk about how he directed the artist to put certain things a certain way in the windows,” Herman said.

Documenting the selection and description of

Come and see

On TV n Friday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saint Paul of the Cross.” An original docudrama on the life, ministry and writings of Saint Paul of the Cross, founder of the Passionists. n Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Karol: A Man Who Became Pope.” Follow young Karol’s life journey as he transitions from a worker, poet, and teacher to his true calling, the priesthood of Christ. Part 2. n Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “St. Francis: Mirror of Christ.” Father Apostoli looks at how Saint Francis unintentionally formed a new order, and examines what encouraged people to follow him. n Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Letters of Saint Therese.” Father Jacques Daley, OSB, continues his study of the letters of Saint Therese, with a look at how Saint Therese proposes littleness as a pathway to God. n Thursday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saint Clare of Assisi.” Bob and Penny Lord discuss the life of Saint Clare of Assisi, including how she began the Poor Clares religious order with the help of Saint Francis. n Friday, Nov. 1, 9:15 a.m.

(EWTN) “November Song.”

After witnessing an old woman pray by a gravestone, a young girl is challenged of her careless ignorance of faith, life and death. n Friday, Nov. 1, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “The Story of Saint Brigid of Ireland.” A documentary on one of the pillars of Irish Christianity, Saint Brigid of Kildare: a religious foundress and tireless champion for the poor and Ireland’s people. n Saturday, Nov. 2, 9:30 a.m. (EWTN) “Purgatory: The Forgotten Church.” Renowned scholars, historians, and church leaders thoroughly address common questions about Purgatory and life after death, in this groundbreaking documentary from the awardwinning producer of “Ocean of Mercy.” n Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Saint Martin de Porres.” This EWTN original movie present the life and mystical revelations of Saint Martin de Porres, the great 17th Century model of Christian love of neighbor. n Monday, Nov. 4, 1:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Unplanned: The 40 Days for Life Story.”

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

New film on St. Faustina to show one night only Oct. 28 MARK PATTISON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new film on the life of St. Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun whose visions of Jesus led to the Divine Mercy devotion, will have a one-night-only showing Oct. 28 on more than 700 screens across the United States, including three locations in North Carolina.

The 90-minute movie, “Love and Mercy: Faustina,” will also have some features about St. Faustina surrounding it, according to Marian Father Chris Alar, who is seen onscreen during the film.

Shot in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, “Love and Mercy: Faustina” was filmed twice, with the actors speaking in English or Polish, said Father Alar. “That makes it fairly unique,” he added.

The movie was directed by Michal Kondrat, who may be familiar to some Catholics as the director of “Two Crowns,” a 2017 film biography of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest who died in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Father Alar said Kondrat had read the diaries of St. Faustina and was interested in developing a film based on the life of another Polish saint.

The filmmaker approached the Marians of the Immaculate Conception – Poland’s first native-founded religious order for men back in 1670 -- which as a congregation has a special devotion to St. Faustina. It was a member of this order who weaved his way through Nazi- and Sovietoccupied Eastern Europe to journey to the United States and spread the word of the nun, for whom he had been her spiritual director.

After some initial storyboards, the Marians brought out a documentary on St. Faustina the congregation had produced in the 1980s, “Divine Mercy: No Escape,” to flesh out added details, Father Alar said.

He added news of the Divine Mercy devotion – which is simply “love in action” – is “great and powerful and incredibly necessary,” because St. Faustina was told

by Jesus the message for the end times: “’If you don’t pass through the doors of My mercy, you must pass through the doors of justice.’ Very few people are aware of it.

Even Catholics.”

Father Alar called the Divine Mercy devotion “technically, the fastest grassroots movement in the history of the Church, and its growth has been phenomenal.

“Compared to other movements in the Church, like the Sacred Heart, it’s incredible what has been done in such a short period of time,” he noted.

“That being said, it still is not known by many people, because many people are not practicing their faith. If they were practicing their faith, they’d hear about it in church.”

Father Alar wanted to caution potential viewers about one theme the runs through part of “Love and Mercy: Faustina” they may find problematic: the suicide of the painter who, at St. Faustina’s direction, painted the image of Jesus with red and

white rays emanating from His heart to represent the blood and water that flowed from His side after being pierced in His side during His crucifixion.

The painter, Eugene Kazimierowski, was indeed a Mason, as the film noted, “but he converted” before being called upon to paint the Divine Mercy image, Father Alar said. It is also true that he painted himself as Judas, but “not because he was siding with Judas and wanting to betray Christ, but because he was a sinner and wanted to repent of his sins.”

As for the suicide, “what isn’t said in the

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movie, not out of despair or lack of trust in God’s mercy (did he kill himself). The Nazis were coming, and he was for sure in an area that the Nazis were occupying and he would have been taken prisoner,” Father Alar said. “And he had information about different things that the Nazis knew he knew. He knew for sure he would have been taken, detained and tortured. It’s never a good decision to take your life, but one that he did fully and freely of his own free will.”

Get your tickets “Love and Mercy: Faustina” will be shown starting at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, at the following locations around the Diocese of Charlotte: n ASHEVILLE: The Carolina Asheville, 1640 Hendersonville Road, and Regal Biltmore Grande Stadium 15, 292 Thetford St. n CHARLOTTE: Regal Stonecrest at Piper Glen 22, 7824 Rea Road n CONCORD: AMC Concord Mills 24, 8421 Concord Mills Blvd. n GREENSBORO: The Grand 12 - Four Seasons Station, 2700 Vanstory, Regal Greensboro Grande Stadium 16, 3205 Northline Ave., and Brassfield Cinema 10, 2101 New Garden Road n SALISBURY: Tinseltown Salisbury, 305 Faith Road n WINSTON-SALEM: The Grand 18 WinstonSalem IMAX, 5601 University Pkwy.

Go to www.fathomevents.com/events/ faustina-love-and-mercy to confirm show locations and buy tickets, including group packages (minimum of 25 tickets)

17

Your Life’s Journey… how will you be remembered?

Establish a legacy that responds to the many gifts God has given you.

Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte

For more information on how to leave a legacy for your parish, please contact Gina Rhodes, Director of Planned Giving at 704/370-3364 or gmrhodes@charlottediocese.org.

Our nation 18

catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Pew: Number of ‘nones’ now tops Catholics MARK PATTISON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

CNS | ST. AUGUSTINE CATHOLIC

Our Lady of La Leche becomes U.S. shrine ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The historic chapel of the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche is seen at Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Fla., with the statue of the nursing and watchful mother of Jesus. Bishop Felipe J. Estevez made a surprise announcement Oct. 11 that the shrine has been elevated to a national shrine by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. For many years, the shrine at Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine has been a renowned landmark for pilgrims who visit from all over the world. It is America’s oldest Marian shrine.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — “Nones,” those who profess no religious affiliation, are now the largest subgroup in American society, their numbers having grown in the past decade while the percentage of Catholics in the United States slipped over the past 10 years.

In a Pew Research Center “religious landscape” report issued Oct. 17, nones have jumped from 17 percent of the adult population in 2009 to 26 percent in 2019. Catholics, meanwhile, have slipped from 23 percent in 2009 to 20 percent today.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church can no longer claim a majority of the nation’s Hispanic population. The figure dropped from 57 percent in 2009 to 47 percent in 2019, although the latter number still represents a plurality. The percentage of Hispanics who say they are unaffiliated climbed from 15 percent in 2009 to 23 percent in 2019, and those who say they are Protestant went up 1 percentage point from 23 percent to 24 percent.

Amid a number of setbacks for religionists outlined in the study, it did say 62 percent of those who

profess Christianity say they attend services at the same rate they did in 2009 – at least twice a month. Overall, 65 percent of respondents described themselves as Christians.

However, the study’s numbers also suggest that the overall number of Christians has dropped in the United States over the past decade, from 178 million in 2009 to about 167 million today, while the number of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated grew by close to 30 million.

Pew said that in the General Social Survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago – originally the National Opinion Research Center – the percentage of Catholics in the U.S. population peaked at 27 percent in the early 1970s, the early 1980s and the late 2000s, but slipped to 25 percent in the early 2010s and 23 percent in the late 2010s. Protestants peaked at 64 percent in the late 1970s, but has either slipped or held steady every survey since to the current 48 percent in the late 2010s.

The overall “Protestant” designation that accounted for 51 percent of the population a decade ago has sunk to 43 percent now; while the number of U.S. Protestants overall outpaces that of Catholics, there is no one Protestant

denomination with more adherents than Catholicism.

Even within none-dom, there are different strains.

The most significant rise was among those who espoused “nothing in particular” when it came to religious belief, up from 12 percent in 2009 to 17 percent in 2019, a jump of five percentage points. The number of self-described atheists doubled from 10 years ago, from 2 percent to 4 percent. Self-described agnostics moved up from 3 percent in 2009 to 5 percent today.

Gregory A. Smith, associate director of research for Pew, said the results were distilled from 88 “political” polls conducted by phone over the past decade, with 168,000 Americans over the age of 18 reached. The margin of error for any given year of the past decade, he said, was 0.7 to 1 percentage points.

Each of those polls asked this question: “What is your present religion, if any? Are you Protestant, Roman Catholic, Mormon, Orthodox such as Greek or Russian Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, agnostic, something else, or nothing in particular?”

Read the full report online at https://pewrsr.ch/2MmKOwq.

St. Pius X Catholic Church 2210 North Elm Street Greensboro, NC 27408

Tuesday, November 12, 2019 Topic: “God in My Life – My Life in God”

Presented By: Sr. Mary Hugh Mauldin, RSM, MA Check-In & Light Refreshments: Welcome & Announcements: Program: Lunch: Program: Wrap-Up: Closing Prayer Service:

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

10:30 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.

10:40 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.

2:10 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

2:20 p.m.

Cost: $12 per person includes morning refreshment & lunch Checks: Payable to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Deadline for Registration: Monday, November 4th To Register: Contact Sandra Breakfield, Program Director Elder Ministry, at 704-370-3220 or email sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org or mail your name, address and registration fee to: Catholic Charities Attn: Sandra Breakfield 1123 South Church Street Charlotte, NC 28203

ccdoc.org

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

19

MELO VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 11

In Brief Bankruptcy judge OKs settlement between Duluth diocese, survivors ST. PAUL, Minn. — A bankruptcy judge approved a $39.2 million settlement Oct. 21 between the Diocese of Duluth and victims/survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Announced at a news conference in Duluth, the decision gives final approval to a joint agreement reached earlier this year and ends a nearly four-year bankruptcy process for the diocese. It settles all claims against the diocese and 30 of its parishes. “Our first thoughts today are with the innocent people who suffered abuse,” said Duluth Bishop Paul D. Sirba, who has led the diocese since his episcopal ordination in 2009. “While no financial settlement can make up for the harm that was done to them, it can be a form of accountability for the ways the Church failed them, and a sign of our solidarity with them and our deep sorrow for what they have suffered,” he said in a statement.The diocese, all of its more than 70 parishes and several Catholic entities in the region will contribute about $10 million, with the rest of the settlement coming from insurance. Another part of the settlement, approved by Judge Robert Kressel of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District Court of Minnesota, includes the release of documents in historic cases of clergy abuse. The first lawsuits against the diocese were filed after the state of Minnesota in 2013 passed the Child Victims Act, which for three years lifted the statute of limitations for civil cases on accusations of sexual abuse.

— Catholic News Service

equilibrio en esta relación y previniendo contra la injusticia entre el que posee el capital y el que ofrece la fuerza laboral.

El tema es de mucha actualidad y, como buenos cristianos, debemos establecer una sociedad en donde la economía esté al servicio del ser humano y no el ser humano esclavizado a la economía.

En un mundo tan materializado como el nuestro, las personas tienden a esclavizarse a uno o dos trabajos, de tal manera que pierden la maravillosa oportunidad de la vida familiar y, algo muy importante hoy día, se deja en un último plano la relación con Dios.

Y sin Dios, este mundo y esta vida pierden sentido, se pierde la calidad humana y la caridad cristiana.

El místico español San Juan de la Cruz solía decir que “en la tarde de nuestras vidas seremos juzgados en el amor”.

Que Dios nos conceda siempre mirar más allá de nuestras propias necesidades y no esperar a que sólo los que tienen mucho hagan obras buenas.

Al fin y al cabo “da el que tiene buena voluntad no el que le sobra riqueza” (frase que escuché a una señora latina que conozco desde mis primeros viajes a Carolina del Norte). Y esto también es justicia social.

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catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CNS | JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES CNS | PAUL HARING

Pope Francis celebrates the canonization Mass for five new saints in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 13, 2019.

A banner of Blessed John Henry Newman hangs on the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 10, 2019. He is among five people to be canonized

by Pope Francis Oct. 13.

Kindly lights in a gloomy world: Pope declares five new saints CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — Saints are people who recognized their need for God’s help, who took risks to discover God’s will and to help others and who nurtured a habit of thanksgiving, Pope Francis said.

“The culmination of the journey of faith is to live a life of continual thanksgiving. Let us ask ourselves: Do we, as people of faith, live each day as a burden, or as an act of praise?” the pope said in his homily Oct. 13 after formally declaring five new saints for the Catholic Church.

Those canonized at the Mass were: St. John Henry Newman, the British theologian, poet and cardinal who died in 1890; Brazilian St. Maria Rita Lopes Pontes, popularly known as Sister Dulce, who died in 1992; Indian St. Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan, founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family, who died in 1926; St. Marguerite Bays, a Swiss laywoman and mystic, who died in 1879; and St. Josephine Vannini, the Italian co-founder of the Daughters of St. Camillus, who died in 1911.

“Three of them were religious women,” the pope noted in his homily. “They show us that the consecrated life is a journey of love at the existential peripheries of the world.”

“St. Marguerite Bays, on the other hand, was a seamstress; she speaks to us of the power of simple prayer, enduring patience and silent self-giving,” he said.

Rather than describing St. Newman, Pope Francis quoted from him to illustrate the meaning of “the holiness of daily life”: “The Christian has a deep, silent, hidden peace, which the world sees not .... The Christian is cheerful, easy, kind, gentle, courteous, candid, unassuming; has no pretense ... with so little that is unusual or striking in his bearing that he may easily be taken at first sight for an ordinary man.”

And, referencing St. Newman’s famous hymn, “Lead, Kindly Light,” the pope prayed that all Christians would be “’kindly lights’ amid the encircling gloom.”

Tens of thousands of people filled a sunny St. Peter’s Square for the canonization ceremony and Mass. Among

them were Britain’s Prince Charles, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Martins Mourao, a member of Switzerland’s federal council and the deputy foreign minister of India.

Melissa Villalobos from Chicago also was there with her husband and children, and they brought up the offertory gifts at the Mass. Villalobos’ healing, which saved her life and the life of her unborn child, was accepted as the miracle needed for St. Newman’s canonization.

Hours before the Mass began, Holy Family Sisters Manjula and Aruna stood just outside the security checkpoint, handing out Indian flags, rosaries and prayer cards, caps and scarves with the image of their order’s founder, St. Thresia.

The new saint’s focus, and that of her order today, is assisting families, said Sister Manjula, whose ministry is “counseling and visiting houses and helping solve problems. We help all families – non-Christian, nonCatholic, anyone.”

Gregory K. Hillis, a professor of theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky., was representing his university at the Mass, but his presence was very personal, too.

“Newman is important to me theologically and for my spirituality,” he said. “And I like his conversion story” of how, as an Anglican priest, he became a Catholic at the age of 44. “I became a Catholic 13 years ago, and Newman was an important guide. He converted, but maintained his friendships, his respect and love for the tradition that he left.”

“I’m an ecumenical convert as well,” Hillis said. “I’m tired of converts who hate the tradition they left.”

An official delegation of Anglican bishops and priests also attended the Mass, and Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, recorded a message for the occasion.

“His legacy is far broader than one church or two churches,” the archbishop said. “It is a global legacy, a legacy of hope and truth, of the search for God, of

devotion to being part of the People of God.” St. Newman’s role in founding the Oxford Movement in the Church of England, a push to rediscover the early Christian writers and to recover the Catholic roots of Anglicanism, “had a fundamental, lasting, beneficial and important influence on Anglicanism,” Archbishop Welby said.

As is his custom at Mass, including at canonizations, Pope Francis used his homily to reflect on the day’s Scripture readings and only made passing reference to the people being declared saints.

The day’s short Gospel reading from Luke recounted the story of 10 lepers who, seeing Jesus approach, cry out to Him for healing. He tells them to go show themselves to the priests and, as they go, they are healed. But only one returns to thank Jesus.

“Like those lepers,” Pope Francis said, “we, too, need healing, each one of us. We need to be healed of our lack of confidence in ourselves, in life, in the future; we need to be healed of our fears and the vices that enslave us, of our introversion, our addictions and our attachment to games, money, television, mobile phones, to what other people think.”

The story also illustrates how, “on the journey of life, purification takes place along the way, a way that is often uphill since it leads to the heights,” he said. “Faith calls for a journey, a ‘going out’ from ourselves, and it can work wonders if we abandon our comforting certainties, if we leave our safe harbors and our cozy nests.”

And, finally, he said, the story teaches that returning to Jesus with a heart full of gratitude is the culmination of the journey of faith.

“To give thanks is not a question of good manners or etiquette; it is a question of faith,” the pope said. “To say ‘Thank you, Lord’ when we wake up, throughout the day and before going to bed, that is the best way to keep our hearts young.

“This also holds true for families, and between spouses,” he added. “Remember to say thank you. Those words are the simplest and most effective of all.”

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief ‘We are all responsible’: Bishop urges changes to protect Amazon VATICAN CITY — Solutions to environmental problems discussed at the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon must involve not just Amazonian nations, but countries in Europe and North America, bishops said. “This is a special synod, but it has universal consequences,” Bishop Karel Choennie of Paramaribo, Suriname, told reporters Oct. 22. Many of the environmental issues that synod participants have raised – including destruction of forests, pollution of rivers, rapacious mining and especially climate change – are also common to other tropical regions of the world. Those problems have roots in North America and Europe, although they often are exacerbated by policy loopholes and lack of enforcement in Amazonian countries, synod participants have said. In their fourminute presentations during the first two weeks of the synod, participants described how mines, dams and other enterprises owned, built or operated by companies in industrialized countries displace local communities, affecting the environment and disrupting people’s lives.

Mexican bishops call for peace, conversion amid violence MEXICO CITY — The Mexican bishops’ conference called for calm and reflection after well-armed members of a drug cartel descended on the city of Culiacan and forced Mexican

security forces to release the son of convicted cartel kingpin Joaquin Guzman Loera, known as “El Chapo.” In an Oct. 18 statement, a day after the violence in Culiacan, capital of Sinaloa state, the bishops “offered prayers” and “expressed solidarity” with the victims and their families.

“We exhort those who provoke violence, death and suffering to rethink (their actions,) repent and convert,” the bishops said. The statement continued, “We urge the authorities to make an extra effort to reduce the staggering levels of violence that a large part of our population suffers through the length of the country.”

Violence erupted in Culiacan Oct. 17 after Mexican security forces detained Ovidio Guzman Lopez.

Pope: Mission is to make disciples for Christ, not for self VATICAN CITY — Every Christian is called to be a missionary, sharing the good news of salvation in Christ and making disciples for Him, not for oneself or one’s clique of like-minded believers, Pope Francis said. “What instructions does the Lord give us for going forth to others?

Only one, and it’s very simple: Make disciples.

But, be careful: His disciples, not our own,” the pope said Oct. 20 as he celebrated World Mission Sunday. Before reciting the Angelus prayer after Mass, Pope Francis recalled the 100th anniversary of Pope Benedict XV’s apostolic letter on mission, “Maximum Illud.”

The letter, Pope Francis said, was motivated by his predecessor’s conviction of “the need to evangelically relaunch the Church’s mission in the world so that it would be purified of any colonial incrustation and freed from the influences of the expansionist policies of European nations.” Today, he said, the letter calls Catholics “to overcome the temptation of every self-referential closure and every form of pastoral pessimism in order to open us to the joyful newness of the Gospel.”

Pope criticizes cruelty of world marked by hunger, obesity, waste VATICAN CITY — Resolving the global crises of world hunger and malnutrition demands a shift away from a distorted approach to food and toward healthier lifestyles and just economic practices, Pope Francis said. “We are, in fact, witnessing how food is ceasing to be a means of subsistence and turning into an avenue of personal destruction,” he said in his message to Qu Dongyu, director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, to mark World Food Day Oct. 16. World Food Day marks the date the FAO was founded in 1945 to address the causes of world hunger. Pope Francis said he hoped the world day theme of 2019 – “Our actions are our future: Healthy diets for a #ZeroHunger World” – will be a reminder of how many people

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continue to eat in an unhealthy way. “It is a cruel, unjust and paradoxical reality that, today, there is food for everyone, and yet not everyone has access to it, and that in some areas of the world food is wasted, discarded and consumed in excess, or destined for other purposes than nutrition,” he said. “To escape from this spiral, we need to promote ‘economic institutions and social initiatives which can give the poor regular access to basic resources,’” he said, citing his encyclical, “Laudato Si’.”

— Catholic News Service

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (Never known to fail) O Most Beautiful Flower of Mt. Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity (make request).

There are none that can withstand your power. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times).

Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3 times).

3 Our Father, 3 Hail Mary, 3 Glory Be Say this prayer for 3 consecutive days.

You must publish it, and it will be granted to you.

Thank you, J.P.

The Moral Basis for a Free Economy A Talk by Rev. Robert A. Sirico Is a capitalistic economy moral? Is the American culture rooted in realities of eternal significance? To build an authentically free and virtuous society is complicated and difficult.

Learn about the case for a free economy with the president of the Acton Institute, Rev. Robert A. Sirico.

Tuesday, November 12th at 8 p.m.

Mary Help of Christians Basilica

Cuthbert Allen Lecture Series

ViewPoints 22

catholicnewsherald.com | October 25, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Kathryn Evans

Kelly Henson

Miracles and Our Lady of Altötting

L

ast year, I was blessed to go on a pilgrimage that took me to Munich and the Bavarian forests. We also visited sites in Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, but it was in Bavaria that I felt a sense of coming home; my great-greatgrandparents met on the ship coming over to America from different parts of Bavaria, both of them striking out on their own with hopes of miracles and the promises of the New World. Walking the streets of Munich, I was aware that my great-greatgrandmother had most likely walked those very same streets at one time or another, perhaps visited and attended Mass at those very same churches. It’s a strange emotion to have such a feeling of familiarity in a place that you have never been before.

However, it was in the small town of Altötting in the midst of that country, quiet and fog-shrouded on the day of our visit, where I felt the strong power of God’s grace touch my heart and affect me so strongly that I was moved to tears. The shrine there has been a place of pilgrimage for the past 500 years, ever since a drowned boy was brought back to life when his mother placed him in front of an image of Our Lady. However, I had not heard of the shrine before seeing it on the itinerary for our trip, I did not go with any particular prayer or need of my own, and I was not expecting more than from any of the other sites we would be visiting while abroad.

Yet I felt God’s grace as an overwhelming presence, and it was perhaps all the sweeter for being unexpected.

The town of Altötting dates as far back as the 8th century, and was the capital of Bavaria for a time. The original church and monastery were founded by the grandson of King Charlemagne. Even before the Christians came, the site was considered to be a spiritual place by the Celts, and that sacredness is still felt strongly when you visit there.

The shrine itself is known as the Chapel of Grace, and stands in a large square in the center of town. Wrapping around the small building of the main chapel there is a broad covered walkway, and on every inch of the walls and ceiling are images that pilgrims have sent back in thanksgiving after having their prayers and petitions answered. Miraculous healings, babies conceived, peace granted in difficult times. Old crutches, prosthetic limbs, and countless rosaries can also be found there as physical testimonies to God’s mercy working in the world.

Before leaving for the pilgrimage, I had collected a great many written prayers to take with me from members of my parish and other friends and family, and it was into the cracks and crevices of the walls outside the chapel that I placed these slips of paper, entrusting them to Our Lady.

Nearly a year later, I know of at least a few of those prayers that have been answered.

The concept of miracles is perhaps not

something that our modern minds hold on to readily. Even though we might pray for the miraculous, we may still try to rationalize or explain away why those requests may or may not happen. To see such willful rationalizing, one has only to look up statements by those who try to explain away the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima as a mass hallucination or the ill effect of staring directly at the sun for too long. But whether miracles can be explained “scientifically” is often beside the point, for God is the one who made nature in the first place and is certainly capable of working within it. Love can also be explained, to a certain degree, by science as merely the release of hormones in the body, but that doesn’t change the lifealtering effect of that feeling. It’s the grace that imbues such events and feelings that give them their power.

As part of our trip, we visited magnificent palaces, grand cities such as Vienna and Budapest, glorious churches that practically dripped gold in the Baroque style, yet none of these grand sites affected my fellow pilgrims and me as much as that small chapel in the heart of Bavaria.

When we celebrated the sacred liturgy inside of the chapel, where there was barely room to accommodate our group of 17, unexplainable tears flowed from me all during the readings and homily.

As I received the Body of Our Lord in the Eucharist, I have rarely been so aware of His Presence, of the gift that He gives us over and over, unworthy as we are. I don’t believe that any psychologist could satisfactorily explain why my emotions were so overwhelmed in that place, because it wasn’t my emotions or thoughts that overwhelmed me – it was the feeling of God’s grace, present in this world. His Presence and that grace is an everyday miracle that we take for granted far too often.

For me, the most powerful emotions are those that I can’t explain; it’s an indication that they came from outside myself. Just as I felt a sense of homecoming as I walked the streets of Munich or looked out on the Bavarian woods, when I first discovered my faith and came to the Catholic Church there was a sense of familiarity and “rightness” that I couldn’t explain.

It wasn’t something that I was actively seeking out; it was God calling me home.

In the words of G.K. Chesterton, “The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.”

May our faith and lives always contain the mysterious and unexplainable, as well as those moments of grace that remind us of what is truly valuable.

KATHRYN EVANS is an author living on the outskirts of Charlotte, where she keeps chickens, experiments with cooking, and reads too many books. Find her work at www.evanswriting.com, including her book, “An Adult-ish Toolkit: 30 Things I Have Learned in 30 Years.”

One minivan-full of blessings

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aiting is hard. Waiting for pain that you know is coming is the sweat of the Agony of the Garden. Waiting for a joy that you hope for is the extended, held breath of Holy Saturday. Right now, I’m waiting for a new baby to arrive, and each day past my due date is an exercise in patience, hope, trust and acceptance.

A dear friend called me the other day and in a message of encouragement rattled off several blessings that she anticipates this new life will bring to our family. It was exactly what I needed to hear. Even as I very much anticipate a new profile and personality fully revealing himself to our family, I needed to pray in thanksgiving to prepare for the spiritual changes that take place with a new baby. St. John Paul II recognized that stress and a cultural worry about the toll of infancy can sometimes “eclipse” the “value of life,” even though that life also is inseparable from a “sacred and inviolable value.” So, while I am not a theologian, I am a mother of four souls on earth, one in heaven and one overly comfortable infant in utero, and I have learned a few things over the years.

First of all, every child adds a layer of love to our family. Love is neither quantifiable nor a limited resource. I have discovered that even when I feel that my own time to invest in a child is limited, their siblings will often fill that gap in ways I couldn’t have anticipated.

My youngest girl brings out a certain playfulness in her big brother that her sisters do not. Her birth prompted a new maternal instinct in one older sister and a greater maturity and helpfulness in another. Each member of our family adds to the colorful interactions of love that fill our daily moments.

Secondly, the utter dependency of a newborn (and sometimes the continual dependency of children who are differently abled) calls each family member out of complacency and into the dynamic realm of self-gift. We hear over and over that our world needs more kindness, more understanding and more generosity.

How better to learn these virtues of total selflessness that root out pride and teach the joy of service than within the safety of the family? In fact, in Matt 18:1-3, Christ says that we will best understand how to please Him by looking toward the purity of these children we serve.

The family is a garden where we have the privilege not only to prepare the soil of our children’s hearts but also to plant those seeds of virtue and watch them flourish and bear fruit. In many forms of ministry, we can only participate in one part of that process with those we serve. Parents and children are encouraged to greater work in the larger vineyard of the world when we see the long-term results of investment in the humble tasks of daily family life.

A baby also calls us – especially parents – into silence and prayer. We cannot

respond well to unspoken needs, bond with a new person and contemplate a child with the gaze of love when we are distracted and noisy. Particularly in the nighttime vigils we keep with a young infant, we have a unique opportunity for prayer and companionship with Our Lord. This entrance into silence and disruption of our natural rhythms challenges our attachments to comfort and rest. But many of the saints say that prayer in the silence of the night carries great efficacy because of the combination of prayer with bodily mortification.

Finally, this participation in God’s creative act, as we welcome new life, teaches us both something of our worth and of our dependency on God. Every child is a mystery, and the reality that God chooses broken and frail human beings to entrust with these precious ones is even more astonishing. I have days when I hardly feel that I am capable of caring well for a child’s bodily well-being, never mind his eternal soul. This is the other half of that gift of self-knowledge that God grants parents. He gives us a responsibility that often feels beyond our abilities because He loves us and knows there is no greater impetus for change and growth in holiness than love. But, He also gives us supernatural grace to assist us in that task.

God alone can supply for our omissions and imperfections in a child’s development and memories. Honestly, I find it somewhat comforting to know that many great saints had imperfect or deeply flawed parents. St. Augustine’s mother became a saint but had to be redirected from several minor heresies she had been taught. Blessed Margaret of Castello’s parents abandoned her, a blind girl, in an unfamiliar city. And St. Catherine was misunderstood by her parents and had 24 siblings, many of whom died at a young age. God can do much with our “loaves and fishes” that we offer Him as we do our best to raise these beautiful young souls to love Him. If you know a mother who is welcoming a new child – her first or her 10th – please remind her during this Respect Life Month of the many blessings that come with a child. Every news article and blog wants to warn her of the medical, physical, emotional, ecological and economical risk that her sweet baby imposes on her life and on society as a whole. When we welcome a child into our lives, we welcome Christ Himself (Mk 9:37). There is no social statistic that can encompass that sort of blessing.

KELLY HENSON is a Catholic writer and speaker who explores the art of integrating faith into daily life. She and her family 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.

October 25, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Bishop Robert Barron

John Henry Newman in full I

write these words in the Rome airport, on my way to England, where I will deliver a paper on St. John Henry Newman and evangelization. I’m still basking in the glow of the splendid Mass of canonization, presided over

by Pope Francis and attended by tens of thousands of bishops, priests, and faithful from all over the world.

Hanging from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica during the liturgy was a marvelous tapestry featuring a portrait of Newman, and I found myself gazing at it frequently as the Mass progressed. I couldn’t help but wonder what Newman himself would have thought if someone had told him when he arrived in Rome in 1846 to commence studies for the Catholic priesthood that one day in the distant future his Mass of canonization would be celebrated at St. Peter’s. He would have been, I’m quite sure, utterly flummoxed.

Newly converted to the faith, seen by many of his former co-religionists as a traitor, distinctly uneasy in the Catholic intellectual environment, the Newman of 1846 felt more than a little at sea. When he paid a courtesy visit on Pope Pius IX, Newman bent down to kiss the pope’s foot, which was the custom of the time, and in the process managed to bang his forehead against the papal knee. This, he said later, rather summed up his relationship with Pius IX, and it also serves as a fitting symbol of his initial awkwardness and feeling of discomfort in the Catholic world.

Things didn’t get particularly better when Newman returned to England. Anglicans, who made up the overwhelming majority of the population, were still, of course, suspicious of him, and Catholics were not quite ready to accept him fully. Upon becoming rector of the newly established Catholic University of Dublin, Newman composed the magnificent lectures later gathered as his book “The Idea of a University,” but he was also met with considerable opposition from the bishops of Ireland, who wondered why they should entrust their students to a former Protestant minister. Upon becoming in 1858 the editor of the Rambler, a left-leaning Catholic journal, Newman published an article under the title “On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine.” It was met with a firestorm of criticism from conservative Catholics convinced that he was democratizing the articulation of the formal teachings of the faith. And those same critics were hardly mollified when they studied Newman’s “Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine,” which struck them as relativizing dogma, or his later “Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent,” which clearly departed from the standard scholastic manner of approaching theological questions.

Now, one of the great ironies of Newman’s life is that the criticism

he received from many Catholics as a “liberal” was rivaled by an equally severe criticism he had received in the first half of his career from his fellow Anglicans as an arch-“conservative.” When he was a very young man, still a student at Oxford, he joined the ranks of those calling for a more Catholicizing reading of Anglicanism, an interpretation more in line with the Fathers of the Church than with the Protestant reformers. In his thirties, he became a leader of the socalled Oxford Movement, which sought a deep transformation of Anglicanism, stressing the doctrinal and sacramental elements of the religion. In 1841 Newman published the (in)famous “Tract #90,” an essay laying out the case that one could interpret the 39 Articles of Anglicanism – the cornerstone of the English religious and cultural establishment – in a Catholic manner. The reaction to this was so severe that Newman found himself vilified in every corner of the society, condemned from pulpits, criticized in drawing rooms, excoriated in pubs and train cars. In the eyes of his fellow Anglicans, he was a dangerous conservative. And their worst suspicions were confirmed when he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1845.

To be sure, this buffeting from both sides made almost the whole of Newman’s life difficult, and it is not hard to see why he saw much of his career as a Sisyphean exercise in futility. But it was precisely this both/and quality that made Newman so attractive to many of the theologians who paved the way for the Second Vatican Council: Balthasar, Ratzinger, Bouyer, de Lubac, Danielou, to name just a few. They appreciated the great Englishman’s obvious devotion to the great Catholic tradition, and they also savored his sense of that tradition as a living organism and not a dead letter.

Pope John XXIII was entirely in the spirit of Newman when he spoke of the Church not as a museum but as a flourishing garden of life.

The battle over Newman continues to this day. Both liberals and conservatives within the Catholic Church eagerly claim him, and both sides can do so legitimately. I am convinced that it is most helpful to read him in the both/and manner of his preconciliar disciples, to see all sides of him and not to lock him into ideological categories. Best of all, we should read him on his own terms, assess his arguments objectively, take him in full. If we do that, we shall see why he was such an important inspiration to the Second Vatican Council, and why the Church has seen fit to declare him a saint and one day, I hope, a Doctor of the Church.

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON is an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

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