April 26, 2019

April 26, 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

Father Winslow named new vicar general/ chancellor 3

‘A PROFOUND EXPERIENCE’ At U.S.-Mexican border, Sisters of Mercy delegation sees immigration issue up close

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INDEX

Contact us.....................................4 Español.......................................10-13 Events calendar............................4 Our Faith........................................2 Our Parishes.................. 3-5, 14-19 Schools........................................20 Scripture readings.......................2 TV & Movies................................. 21 U.S. news................................22-23 Viewpoints.............................26-27 World news............................ 24-25

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‘A fire never dimmed by the sharing of its light’ Share the light, love of Christ in this broken world

Holiness will restore the Church, Bishop Jugis preaches at Chrism Mass 15 Obispo Jugis pidió santidad en Misa Crismal 10

Celebrating Catholic Charities Week May 5-11 6-8

14-15 Con kermés celebraron fiesta de Resurrección 11

Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Divine Mercy Sunday Pope Francis

Jesus replaced law of revenge with law of love

T

he scales of justice cannot solve everything, especially when it comes to stopping a cycle of evil vengeance, Pope Francis said.

“Evil knows revenge and if it is not halted, it risks spreading, suffocating the whole world,” he said April 24 during his weekly general audience.

Christians must forgive and love others even beyond what is due to stop the cycle of evil and to start things anew, he told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis continued his audience talks about the Lord’s Prayer by looking at how people ask God to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

The use of the word “trespasses” in the original Greek of the Gospel means “being in debt,” so this part of the prayer recognizes how much people are in debt to God, especially for the gift of life and His infinite love and mercy, he said.

The so-called “’self-made man’ doesn’t exist in the Church,” he said, because Christians recognize the divine gifts and graces bestowed on them and the “beneficial conditions in life” they received from others.

“Those who pray, learn to say, ‘Thank you.’ Many times, we forget to say, ‘Thank you.’ We are selfish.”

Those who seek to live a Christian life also realize “there always will be something” for which they will need to ask God’s forgiveness, for example, for being too lazy or letting rancor take over one’s heart, he said.

It would have been wonderful, the pope said, if the prayer only asked God to forgive one’s debts to Him; however, God asks for more.

“God’s grace, so abundant, is always challenging” because God asks people to do to others what He has done for them.

“God, who is good, invites all of us to be good,” the pope added.

“Whoever has received a lot must learn to give a lot and not keep it all for oneself,” Pope Francis said. God always offers His infinite love, mercy and forgiveness “vertically,” from heaven to earth, and He expects it to be redistributed and given anew, “horizontally,” among His children.

People are called to reflect that divine love and forgiveness onto others, he said, and create “a new relationship with our brothers and sisters.”

Jesus shows the power of forgiveness, he said. “Not everything in life is resolved with justice. No. Especially where a counterweight to evil must be placed, someone must love beyond what is due, to rebegin a story of grace.”

Jesus replaces the law of revenge with the law of love: “What God has done for me, I return to you,” he said.

Mankind’s need for the message of Divine Mercy took on dire urgency in the 20th century, when civilization began to experience an “eclipse of the sense of God” and, therefore to lose the understanding of the sanctity and inherent dignity of human life. In the 1930s, Jesus chose a humble Polish nun, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, to receive private revelations concerning Divine Mercy that were recorded in her Diary. St. John Paul II explains: “This was precisely the time when those ideologies of evil, nazism and communism, were taking shape. Sister Faustina became the herald of the one message capable of off-setting the evil of those ideologies, that fact that God is mercy – the truth of the merciful Christ. And for this reason, when I was called to the See of Peter, I felt impelled to pass on those experiences of a fellow Pole that deserve a place in the treasury of the universal Church” St. John Paul II, “Memory and Identity” (2005).

In his second encyclical, “Rich in Mercy,” St. John Paul II offered an extended meditation on the mystery of God’s mercy, which he calls “the greatest of the attributes and perfections of God.” He returned to this theme throughout his pontificate.

On May 5, 2000, five days after the canonization of St. Faustina, the Vatican decreed that the Second Sunday of Easter would henceforth be known as Divine Mercy Sunday.

The devotion to Divine Mercy Sunday grew rapidly after its designation by the pope and is now widely celebrated by Catholics. The Divine Mercy image is often carried in processions on Divine Mercy Sunday, and is placed in a location in the church so that it can be venerated by those who attend the Mass John Paul II, who died in April 2005 on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, was himself beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1, 2011, by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, and was canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2014, by Pope Francis.

— USCCB

How to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Image of the first Divine Mercy painting, created in 1934 based on the request of St. Faustina Kowalska and her confessor Father Michael Sopocko by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski. In St. Faustina’s revelations, Jesus asked her to paint the vision of His Merciful Divinity being poured from His Sacred Heart and specifically asked for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established on the first Sunday after Easter so mankind would take refuge in Him.

‘Who can say that he is free from sin and does not need God’s mercy? As people of this restless time of ours, wavering between the emptiness of self-exaltation and the humiliation of despair, we have a greater need than ever for a regenerating experience of mercy.’

St. John Paul II

“Regina Coeli” message, April 10, 1994

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was given to St. Faustina with this promise: “Encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given you” (Diary, 1541). “Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. … Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy” (Diary, 687). The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed using a rosary: Step 1: Begin with the Sign of the Cross, then say one Our Father, one Hail Mary and the Apostles Creed. An optional opening prayer is: “You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.” Then repeat three times: “O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!” Step 2: Then on the beads where with the rosary you would pray an Our Father, say the following: “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

Step 3: On each of the 10 Hail Mary beads, say the following: “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for all five decades.

Step 4: Conclude by saying the following three times: “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” An optional closing prayer is: “Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.”

Daily Scripture readings APRIL 28-MAY 4

Sunday (Divine Mercy Sunday): Acts 5:12-16, Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19, John 20:1931; Monday (St. Catherine of Siena): Acts 4:23-31, John 3:1-8; Tuesday (St. Pius V): Acts 4:32-37, John 3:7-15; Wednesday (St. Joseph the Worker): Acts 5:17-26, John 3:16-21; Thursday (St. Athanasius): Acts 5:27-33, John 3:31-36; Friday (Sts. Phillip and James): 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, John 14:614; Saturday: Acts 6:1-7, John 6:16-21

MAY 5-11

Sunday: Acts 5:27-32, 40-41, Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19; Monday: Acts 6:8-15, John 6:22-29; Tuesday: Acts 7:51-8:1, John 6:30-35; Wednesday: Acts 8:1-8, John 6:35-40; Thursday: Acts 8:26-40, John 6:44-51; Friday (St. Damien de Veuster): Acts 9:1-20, John 6:52-59; Saturday: Acts 9:3142, John 6:60-69

MAY 12-18

“Childhood of Christ”

by Gerard van Honthorst (c. 1620)

Sunday: Acts 13:14, 43-52, Revelation 7:9, 14-17, John 10:27-30; Monday (Our Lady of Fatima): Acts 11:1-18, John 10:1-10; Tuesday (St. Matthias): Acts 1:15-17, 20-26, John 15:9-17; Wednesday (St. Isidore): Acts 12:24-13:5, John 12:44-50; Thursday: Acts 13:13-25, John 13:1620; Friday: Acts 13:26-33, John 14:1-6; Saturday (St. John I): Acts 13:44-52, John 14:7-14

Our parishes

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Bishop Jugis names new vicar general/ chancellor

Border Witness delegates from the Sisters of MercySouth Central Community at the border wall in Hidalgo, Texas: (from left) Buff Easterly, who teaches theology at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock, Ark.; Ty Barnes, director of association for the community; Beth Thompson, writer/editor in the community’s Communications Department; Jack Bartley, COO/CFO for the community; Sister Phuong Dong, who ministers at Holy Angels in Belmont; and Tanya Pitts, a pre-associate and staff member in archives and association.

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BETH THOMPSON

‘A PROFOUND EXPERIENCE’

At U.S.-Mexican border, Sisters of Mercy delegation sees immigration issue up close KIMBERLY BENDER ONLINE REPORTER

BELMONT — Local Sisters of Mercy leaders witnessed first-hand what those crossing the border from Mexico to the United States experience during a “Border Immersion” program in McAllen, Texas, earlier this month.

The goal of these intensive trips is to create “Border Witnesses” who can share first-hand knowledge on the plight of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexican border and expand on the immigration headlines, which don’t always tell the whole story, said Beth Thompson, writer/editor for the Sisters of Mercy’s communications department, who attended the March 31-April 1 trip.

“Our goal is to change the narrative from blaming the victim to addressing root causes of migration,” Thompson said.

Sister Phuong Dong, who ministers at Holy Angels in Belmont, said she was hesitant to travel to the border after hearing stories about criminals and criminal activity that occurs there.

“That’s a fear a lot of people have,” Sister Phuong said.

“I felt the need to see it for myself. It was an emotional experience to be with the people and to see and hear what they have to go through. My heart’s been touched.”

Sister Phuong said Border Witnessing took her out of her comfort zone, but she felt safe among the people seeking a better life and she appreciated hearing their stories.

The delegation included five Charlotte-area residents: Sister Phuong, Thompson, Ty Barnes, director of association for the community; Jack Bartley, COO/CFO for the community; and Tanya Pitts, a pre-associate and staff member in archives and association.

They spent time at ARISE, a comprehensive ministry serving women and their families in four immigrant communities “colonias” in South Texas. ARISE is a ministry co-sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

The delegation also met with border patrol agents and an attorney about civil rights, learned about a housing project with “sweat equity,” toured a facility for teens who have

crossed the border without an adult guardian, visited the Respite Center, and crossed the border themselves.

That’s the part of the trip that made the biggest impact on Barnes, she said: visiting these “colonias” and hearing the stories of those hoping to receive asylum in the U.S. “We heard about an 80-year-old man who has a work visa.

He gets paid $3 per 100 bunches to pick cilantro,” Barnes said. “That was so shocking to me to learn we are still paying people so little money in this country for such labor-intensive work. He would work sun-up to sun-down and sometimes only make $40 that day.

“Coming home and seeing cilantro in the grocery store – it’s had an impact to understand what it took for that cilantro to make it our grocery store shelf.”

Barnes said she went on the trip in hopes of being a voice in sharing an authentic narrative about the migrants crossing into the United States.

“I think the media has done a good job of portraying people who are crossing the border as criminals,” Barnes said.

“Most are just seeking a better way of life, and it is their legal right to do so. There are a lot of misconceptions about those seeking asylum in our country. As Americans, I think we need to honor what we agreed to instead of criminalizing what we agreed to.”

As a Christian, Barnes said she believes we have to see the human dignity in people first. “We have to be more understanding of the realities on the border. We have to be the voice for people who don’t have one.”

The group from Charlotte was one of two delegations from the Sisters of Mercy to take part in the border experience this month.

The Sisters of Mercy have sponsored a series of visits to the U.S.Mexico border over the past several years to bring attention to the root causes driving migration from Central America, and the difficult conditions endured by migrants inside the U.S.

Want to get involved?

At www.sistersofmercy.org: Contact the Sisters of Mercy to discover what the current needs are at the U.S.-Mexican border and how you can get involved

CHARLOTTE — Father Patrick J. Winslow, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, has been appointed vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, Bishop Peter J. Jugis announced April 12.

Father Winslow’s appointment is effective Monday, April 29.

As vicar general, Father Winslow will report directly to the bishop on matters related to clergy and vocations as well as acting in place of the bishop in his absence. As chancellor, he will oversee the diocese’s day-today administrative and business Winslow operations.

“I am honored and at the same time humbled to have the bishop’s confidence,” Father Winslow said. “While I’m sure the learning curve is steep, our bishop has over 15 years’ experience and as I understand it, my task is simply to help him fulfill his office.”

Since coming to the Charlotte diocese in 2002 from the Diocese of Albany, New York, Father Winslow has served with distinction in several important diocesan roles, including his role as ex-officio member of the Lay Review Board, which investigates allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse by clergy and other church personnel and advises the bishop on how to respond to allegations once found to be credible.

In his announcement, Bishop Jugis noted that Father Winslow was “highly recommended” to him.

Father Winslow is a member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, two groups of priests who serve as advisers to the bishop, and also serves as formation advisor to St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte.

“As we move forward, I shall be further discerning the office of chancellor,” Bishop Jugis also said in the statement about Father Winslow’s appointment.

In some dioceses, the roles of vicar general and chancellor are separated, with a senior priest serving as vicar general and a layperson with a business or financial background serving as chancellor. Since the Charlotte diocese was established in 1972, both roles have been combined.

Father Winslow will be the Charlotte diocese’s fifth chancellor.

Father Winslow will continue to serve as pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Church for the time being.

A New York native, Father Winslow studied chemistry in college before discerning a call to the priesthood in 1993. He was ordained a priest in 1999 and served in parishes and as a prison chaplain in the Albany diocese before moving south and becoming incardinated into the Charlotte diocese.

He served at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson and St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta, and St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon before becoming pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in 2012.

He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and since 2013 he has served extensively on the diocesan Tribunal as Defender of the Bond and as Promoter of Justice.

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: APRIL 27 – 11 A.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Ann Church, Charlotte

MAY 1 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro

MAY 6 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Holy Spirit Church, Denver

MAY 10 – 10 A.M. Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

APRIL 29 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Paul the Apostle Church, Greensboro

MAY 4 – 11 A.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Immaculate Conception Church, Forest City

MAY 8 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of the Angels Mission, Marion

MAY 11 – 11 A.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville

Diocesan calendar of events April 26, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

Volume 28 • NUMBER 15

ARTS AT THE ABBEY PRESENTS, ‘THE ANNUAL SPRING CONCERT’: 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, Abbey Basilica, 100 Belmont Mt. Holly Road, Belmont. The concert features the college’s chorus, members of the faculty plus voice, piano and organ students. Music will include works from the early Baroque period to the 20th century. The program is directed by Abbey organist Karen Hite Jacob.

The concert is free. Donations will be gladly accepted.

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.

CLMC’S 1ST ANNUAL SCOTTISH CEILIDH (TRADITIONAL DANCE): 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11 in the Allen Center, at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, Charlotte. To honor the Feast of the Translation of Saint Andrew the Apostle (his relics to Scotland), the Charlotte Latin Mass Community will be hosting a traditional Scottish Ceilidh dance/social.

Please come dressed in traditional Scottish attire for the event: for gentlemen, this includes a collared shirt and slacks (or kilt) and comfortable shoes; for ladies, this includes a modest blouse with sleeves, a skirt to mid-calf, and comfortable shoes. Also consider bringing a snack (nut-free) to share. A table will be set up in the cafeteria for snacks. Drinks will be provided. For details, visit www.charlottelatinmass.org.

ESPAÑOL TALLER DE CIUDADANÍA GRATIS Y ASISTENCIA DE EXENCIÓN DE COSTOS: 10:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m. Sabado, Abril 27, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte. Hágase ciudadano American.

Para ser ciudadano usted debe; Tener 18 años de edad, residente legal permanente por 5 años o 3 años si está casado(a) con un Ciudadano Americano, hablar, leer y escribir inglés básico. Para registro y selección de elegibilidad requerida llamar 704-370-3252. Para más detalles, comunícate con Ilsis Rojas a imrojasvivas@ charlottediocese.org.

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

Saturday, May 4, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Topics include: effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-3703230.

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS FEAST OF THE DIVINE MERCY CELEBRATION: 3:15-4:30 p.m. April 28, Our Lady of Mercy Church, 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem. For details, call the parish office at 336722-7001.

LATIN MASS: 6 p.m. Tuesdays, starting April 30, St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, 259 Pilgrims Way, Boone.

Father Matthew Codd will begin offering a Traditional Latin Mass (Low Mass) every Tuesday. Please offer prayers for Father Matthew Codd as he begins offering this Mass. For details, visit www.stehc.org.

PRO-LIFE ROSARY: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 4, 901 North Main St. & Sunset Dr., High Point. Please come and

help us pray for the end of abortion, and feel free to invite anyone who would be morally supportive of this very important cause. For details, contact Jim Hoyng at Ajhoyng@hotmail.com or Paul Klosterman at Pauljklosterman@aol.com.

HEALING MISSION: Saturday, June 1- Wednesday, June 5, St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr., Maggie Valley. Father Albert MacPherson, of the Augustinian Healing Ministry, will be leading the parish mission. Everyone can be anointed and prayed over both evenings. Bring the whole family as everyone is welcome to attend. For details, contact the parish office at 828926-0106.

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 (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. Is Divine Mercy needed today? St. John Paul II had this to say: “There is nothing more man needs than Divine Mercy – that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights, to the holiness of God.” The Lord told St. Faustina: “I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.” For details, call Paul Deer at 704-577-3496.

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

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING

This event is intended for: those already on Medicare, those turning 65 and new to the program, those leaving employer insurance for Medicare, and for those who help Medicare beneficiaries with their insurance. For details and registration, contact Sandra Breakfield at 704-3220 or sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org.

1ST FAMILY ENCOUNTER: Friday-Saturday, June 21-22, in Winston-Salem. Mission to offer the family a chance to rekindle and affirm each family member’s love and relationship with one another. Spiritual Director, Monsignor Paul Schetelick, will host the encounter. For details and registration, call Aimee Pena at 908-510-0053 or Lith Golamco at 732-453-4279.

‘I FIRMLY RESOLVE’ SERIES OF TALKS BY FATHER MATTHEW KAUTH: Seven day online devotional series designed to help you get your life on the right spiritual track. Free viewing at www.catholiccompany.com/goodcatholic/about-family-resolve.tr.

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.

YOUNG ADULTS

‘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 THEOLOGY ON TAP: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Asheville region. For details, check them out on Facebook, Twitter or MeetUp

BELMONT: 9 a.m. Saturday, April 27, Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St. CHARLOTTE: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.

ST. MICHAEL CHURCH IN GASTONIA: For Catholics in their 20s and 30s in the Gastonia area. Meets once a month. Online at www.stmichaelsgastonia.org/youngadult

GREENSBORO: 9 a.m. Saturday, May 18, St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road

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

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS INTERNATIONAL, PRO-LIFE CHASTITY SPEAKER, PATRICIA SANDOVAL: Noon- 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, St. Barnabas Church, 109 Crescent Hill Road, Arden.

Come hear the powerful story of her escape from drugs, homelessness and the back door of Planned Parenthood.

Adults and high school age teenagers (with guardian) are welcome to attend. Sponsored by St. Lawrence Basilica & St. Barnabas Respect Life.

FREE MEDICARE CHOICES MADE EASY CLASS: 2–4 p.m.

Tuesday, April 30, Immaculate Conception Church, 208 Seventh Ave. West, Hendersonville. This presentation will cover how the program works, what they need to do to enroll, what options are available, ways they can save money and answer questions they may have.

ST. LAWRENCE BASILICA: www.saintlawrencebasilica. org/young-adult-ministry

DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE YOUNG ADULTS COOKOUT: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 27, after Mass, St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville. Diocesan-wide family event for 21-39-year-olds, Catholics and their friends and families. Come and enjoy music, games, food and some local brews. For details, call the parish office at 704-948-0231.

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.

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

‘Stay the Course’ program assists college students in the Triad SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

WINSTON-SALEM — For the past three years, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has set out to help strengthen and build better lives for young adults in the Triad.

Partnering with Forsyth Technical Community College’s Mazie S. Woodruff Center, Catholic Charities offers a program to help young adults continue their education past high school – especially in situations where a student has economic challenges.

Called “Stay the Course,” this joint effort has proved valuable assistance this academic year for 30 students who came through Stay the Course with help from Catholic Charities staff.

Stay the Course was developed by researchers from the School of Economics at the University of Notre Dame, in collaboration with Catholic Charities Fort Worth, Texas. This free, confidential program provides a team of professionals who work with students to keep them on the path to graduation.

Stay the Course staff (called “navigators”) particularly focus on helping students deal with severe roadblocks in life: homelessness, loss of income, and/ or family emergencies. These navigators help students get familiar with the college system, then help them manage through situations that could prompt them to drop out.

Alexis Long serves as a navigator for Stay the Course, interacting with students and helping to guide them through their unique challenges as they advance in their academic careers.

“I have over 30 people this year, which is great!” Long said. “I have seven people who will participate in Commencement in May, some are getting certificates and some are getting their actual degrees. That is very exciting.”

This year Long says she has had more younger students seeking out the Stay the Course program.

“I have worked with them individually and collectively and we have created goals about things they wanted to do throughout the semester and what they are planning to do once they graduate. We have gone on college tours, we have researched majors, talked through relationship issues and getting more involved in things on campus,” Long explained.

Long feels privileged to be a part of their journey. “I meet people where they are and get them to where they want to be.”

Lakisha Crews has been a studying at Forsyth Tech for almost three years and will receive three certificates this spring. This July she will graduate with an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She hopes to find a position in a pre-kindergarten classroom at a child care center.

“The Stay the Course program has helped me out tremendously,” Crews said. “Ms. Alexis Long has helped me stay in school because there have been times I gave up and was going to drop out and she pushed me to keep on going.”

Crews says Long helped her establish a plan for school and succeed at it.

“She has also helped me accomplish a lot of these goals throughout this semester and last semester. The Stay the Course program lets me know that I have a support system behind me.”

Get more information Interested in Stay the Course? The WinstonSalem area program is open to Forsyth Technical Community College students who: live in the 27105 ZIP code, are younger than 35, are low-income (Pell eligible), are enrolled in at least one non-distance learning class, and would benefit from non-academic support to persevere in school.

All services are free and confidential. Stay the Course is a voluntary program designed to offer non-academic support students to stay in school and persevere toward earning a college degree.

Visit www.ccdoc.org and click on the Services link to learn more.

Crews appreciates that the program has also really done a lot for her outside of school by assisting her with food, a bus pass and supplies for her house.

She says Long “is there when I need her. When I tell her I am going through depression dealing with my mother’s health, she rushes to me to help me through it.

“This program is doing a lot for me and without this program I do not know if I would still be the woman I am today.”

Sierra Armstrong is a Stay The Course participant who will graduate May 9 from the Human Services Program at Forsyth Tech. Upon graduation she hopes to transfer to WSSU to work towards her bachelor’s degree and eventually earn a master’s degree, with the goal of working as a mental health social worker serving children and adolescents.

“Through the Stay the Course program, I have received guidance in making current and future school career decisions,” Armstrong explained. “I have been able to network with other human services professionals and other students who were able to share with me their experiences and offer up their advice.”

Through this program, Armstrong received help with identifying financial and educational resources to help her on her journey. She also received support in setting personal and educational goals and working to manage and maintain those goals.

“I believe that this wonderful program for all students and would provide students with a support system. Students can utilize this program to their benefit,” she said.

“I discovered this program through a friend of mine and eventually I brought a couple of my friends into the program.

“This program has been a big help in my life and I would love to continue with this program throughout the rest of my college career.”

Armstrong is thankful to Long for her assistance and being there every step of the way since being in the program.

“She has been so supportive. She has given me great advice and has been there to help me navigate through my personal and educational struggles.

“I’m so glad to have met her and I appreciate all the help she’s given me and everything she has done for me.

“She is the perfect example of do what you love and love what you do and she’s proven that to me since I have met her.”

Funding for the Stay the Course program is provided by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, a grant from the United Way and other fundraising efforts.

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New apostolates established to pray and fast for priests Seven Sisters, Fasting Brothers seek to expand from Forest City to other parishes SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

FOREST CITY — What began as a nudge in 2010 to pray more frequently and intentionally for a pastor has led to an international prayer movement called the Seven Sisters Apostolate.

Immaculate Conception Church now has an active Seven Sisters group, and even a group of Fasting Brothers, to pray and fast for their pastor, Father Herbert Burke.

The Seven Sisters Apostolate began nine years ago when Janette Howe, a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn., felt called to pray for her pastor, Father Joseph Johnson.

She began to offer a Holy Hour once a week. She chose to make the chapel visit on Thursdays, the day celebrating the institution of both the Holy Eucharist and holy orders, during the Hour of Divine Mercy, 3 p.m.

In March 2011, while in prayer for Father Johnson in front of the Blessed Sacrament, she “heard” the words “Seven Sisters” in her heart. After some time, Howe sensed that the Lord wanted her to invite six others – seven in total – to offer one Holy Hour once a day for their pastor. The Holy Spirit also impressed upon Howe two specific directives regarding the intercessor’s Holy Hour: it should be only for the pastor, and it should ask for the priest’s deepening devotion to our Blessed Mother.

Howe shared these aspects of her prayer with Father Johnson, who directed her to start the Seven Sisters Apostolate with seven churches – 49 women in total.

The apostolate has now spread to more than 800 parishes, chanceries, seminaries, and hospitals around the world – with most in the United States.

In August 2018, Immaculate Conception parishioner Amanda DeLauter approached fellow parishioner Valerie Giggie about starting the apostolate there.

“We thought it was a great idea – a powerful and concrete way to fight the good fight,” Giggie recalls.

Giggie agreed to help start the group.

She is now the anchoress of the Seven Sisters group at the parish, as well as coordinator of the apostolate around the Diocese of Charlotte. As anchoress, she makes the schedule, prays for the Sisters, advises the Sisters of any special intentions of the pastor, and forwards a monthly communique to the Sisters. As diocesan coordinator, she promotes the apostolate, answers questions and advises new groups.

“By Divine Providence, it was easy to start our group,” Giggie says. “I made an announcement explaining the apostolate and the commitment after all the Masses one weekend. By the end of Sunday, we had enough volunteers, including extras and substitutes, to pray for our pastor.”

The Seven Sisters commitment is for one year, from June to June, with May as a month of discernment to decide if

another year of commitment is possible.

“However, a group can begin at any time of the year,” Giggie explains. “Our group began on Oct. 7, 2018, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.” ”Lay people need to know the importance of setting aside some time to pray for our priest,” says Seven Sisters group member Alma Resendiz. “With everything happening in the world, our priests need lots of prayers to keep focused, strong and keep us going. That is something I did not realize until I joined Seven Sisters.”

Men of the parish have also been inspired to join the effort. The Fasting Brothers are seven men who fast – each one day of the week every week, specifically for their pastor.

“Knowing that the other six (Sisters) will be praying for Father Burke all week just makes me so happy,” says Teri O’Reilly, who feels blessed to be a part of the apostolate. “Also, having the men do their part and fasting is such a blessing.”

“I have enjoyed the one hour of peaceful prayer for Father Burke in our beautiful chapel. Knowing that other parishes have their Seven Sisters and it has spread to all over the world is such a wonderful thing,” O’Reilly says.

Currently, there are three groups in the diocese: Immaculate Conception in Forest City, St. John the Baptist in Tryon and St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte.

“What a blessing for our diocese if this apostolate would spread to all the parishes, strengthening all of our priests!” Giggie says.

— Valerie Giggie and SevenSistersApostolate.org contributed.

For more information Interested in forming a Seven Sisters group at your parish? Visit www. sevensistersapostolate.org for information on history, prayers and locations of the apostolate.

Questions? Email apostolate coordinator Valerie Giggie at sevensisterscharlotte@gmail. com.

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catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 OUR PARISHES

Celebrating Catholic Charities Week May 5-11 New ‘wrap-around’ program focuses on helping to lift people out of poverty SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte will celebrate Catholic Charities Week May 5-11. This is the 70th anniversary of Catholic Charities’ service to the people of western North Carolina.

For seven decades now, the mission of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has been to strengthen families, build communities and reduce poverty.

TRANSITION OUT OF POVERTY Starting in May, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte will offer the Transition Out of Poverty program through their three offices: Asheville, Charlotte and WinstonSalem. This new initiative is in response to families’ repeated need for assistance in hopes of getting to the root cause and helping them to become self-sufficient.

“In the last year, more than 3,600 households visited our food pantries multiple times,” says Sandy Buck, Charlotte regional director. “Many of the individuals we serve live from one financial emergency to the next and lack the means to take care of daily and household living expenses. They have to make use of ‘give and go’ community services without the benefit of addressing the roots of their situations.”

This new initiative will enhance the food pantry services with “wrap-around” case management, Buck says.

“Case management is a systematic approach to service provision that involves planning, securing, coordinating, monitoring and advocating for unified goals and services with organizations and personnel on behalf of individuals

and families,” she explains.

Catholic Charities believes that this service model seeks to better meet the needs of their clients through individualization of services.

“We will provide our program participants with longer-term strategies and solutions towards sustainable outcomes,” Buck adds.

TOP families will be able to receive as much food as they need for the month, and they will be accompanied on their journey out of poverty by a well-trained volunteer case coordinator – someone who will be there to offer support, guidance and education. Both the family and the volunteer will have the guidance of Catholic Charities’ professional staff.

“The Catholic Charities TOP program is unique as no other local agency provides free case management to connect participants to local resources for education, employment, affordable housing, and health and wellness, and directly provides as much food as a participant

desires,” she noted.

Catholic Charities’ case management services and food availability are offered by appointment, so participants do not have to wait in long lines and can be arranged at times convenient to them so they do not need to miss work.

“We work with other local service providers to ensure various participant needs are met and have compiled a comprehensive list of local resources for our case coordinators to use in providing appropriate referrals based on participants’ individual needs,” Buck explains.

She says the goal of case management services provided in all of Catholic Charities’ programs is “to help our participants attain self-sufficiency. And participants in all our programs can receive food if needed. That is the benefit of ‘wrap-around services.’ We are looking at the whole person and working with them to help them achieve their goals,” she says.

Want to help?

Catholic Charities needs many volunteers to run the Transition Out of Poverty program and donations to meet the increased need for food. Volunteer roles are volunteer case coordinators (intensive training provided), receptionists, intake and assessment volunteers, food packers and shoppers. Interested individuals can contact the volunteer coordinators in each office for more information.

Go online to www.ccdoc.org for details.

Learn more online On Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel: Watch a video featuring the new Transition Out of Poverty program

70 years of strengthening families, building communities and reducing poverty

Maggi Nadol, former director of the CSS Respect Life Office of the Diocese of Charlotte, is pictured at the Washington, D.C., March for Life in 1993.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE ARCHIVES

Sister Mary Barnard and Sister Mary Frechette, MSBT, are pictured outside the Asheville office of what was then called Catholic Social Services.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read more about the history of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Charlotte

A refugee family enjoys Thanksgiving dinner at the St. Pius X Church rectory in 1986.

Men and women march for voting rights in this Office of Justice and Peace photo from the early 1980s.

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 OUR PARISHES

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

“I am not afraid; I was born to do this”

DUC IN ALTUM June 24 - 28, 2019 * Belmont Abbey College

Retreat open to young women 15 thru 19 years old Register by June 18, 2019 www.charlottevocations.org

— St. Joan of Arc

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catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 10

‘Un fuego nunca atenuado por compartir su luz’ PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITORA

CHARLOTTE ­— “¡Esta es la noche en la que una columna de fuego desterró la oscuridad del pecado! Esta es la noche que, incluso ahora, en todo el mundo, separa a los creyentes cristianos de los vicios mundanos y de la penumbra del pecado, llevándolos a la gracia y uniéndolos a sus santos”.

El Exsultet, el ‘Praeconium paschale’, o Proclamación de la Pascua -al comienzo de la Vigilia Pascual- debe inspirar a todos los católicos a compartir la luz y el amor de Cristo con otros, dijo en su prédica el Obispo Jugis, el pasado 20 de abril en la Catedral San Patricio.

La liturgia de tres horas, que conmemora la resurrección de Jesucristo, comenzó con la bendición del fuego pascual y encendido del Cirio Pascual en la gruta mariana fuera de la catedral. Luego, cientos de fieles siguieron en procesión al Obispo Jugis, y con velas en mano ingresaron a la oscura catedral para escuchar el Exsultet cantado por el diácono Brian McNulty. Lentamente, la catedral se inundó con la luz de cientos de velas encendidas con el fuego proveniente del Cirio Pascual.

“Me impresionó el hermoso canto del Exsultet por nuestro diácono”, señaló el obispo Jugis en su homilía, “ahora conocemos las alabanzas de este pilar, que atiza el fuego encendido en honor a Dios, un fuego que se dividió en muchas llamas, pero que nunca se atenuó al compartir su luz...”

La luz no cambió a pesar de ser compartida, enfatizó el obispo, llamando la atención a todos sobre cómo sus velas se propagaban a través de la catedral, después de ser encendidas con el Cirio Pascual, que permaneció brillante.

“Así es, con la caridad de Cristo, que recibimos (la luz) del corazón de Cristo mismo”, dijo el Obispo Jugis, “compartida a través de muchas vidas cristianas, sin perder su brillo, extendiéndose por el mundo para ser levadura, alzando al mundo con el amor de Cristo”.

En su homilía, el Obispo Jugis también reflexionó sobre el regalo de Jesús de sí mismo para la salvación del mundo, un mensaje que tocó durante la Semana Santa hasta la Pascua.

“La resurrección de Jesús de entre los muertos es real”, dijo. “Ese es el milagro que los cristianos celebramos en este domingo de Pascua y cada día de nuestras vidas”.

“La muerte, la tumba no puede retenerlo. Él conquistó la muerte, es victorioso sobre la muerte”, continuó el obispo.

“También es victorioso sobre lo que causa la muerte: el

El Obispo Peter Jugis enciende el Cirio Pascual durante el inicio de la Vigilia del Domingo de Resurrección, el 20 de abril en la Catedral San Patricio en Charlotte.

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

pecado”.

“Jesús nos lleva de nuevo a la comunión con Dios”, dijo, “de vuelta a la relación con el Dios Todopoderoso” al redimirnos del pecado.

El Obispo Jugis también dio la bienvenida a siete nuevos católicos en la Vigilia Pascual, dándoles los sacramentos de iniciación: Bautismo, Confirmación y Primera Comunión.

Los sacramentos son la forma en que Jesús proporciona a su pueblo “avenidas de gracia”, los medios de santificación y participación en la vida divina de Dios, señaló.

“Es porque Jesús quiere hacernos santos, Jesús quiere que experimentemos esa comunión con Dios, que Él ganó a costa de su propia vida, que nos da los sacramentos”.

A través de los sacramentos de iniciación y particularmente del Bautismo, la puesta en marcha de una “nueva vida en Cristo”, se recuerda a todos los católicos “el gran don que se nos ha dado, el de vivir en comunión con Dios”, dijo.

Gracias al Bautismo “somos hijos de Dios”. “Hemos renacido en la familia de Dios”, como tales, estamos llamados a la santidad, anotó. “¿Cómo va a ser eso evidente en el mundo? No es solo

para nosotros, pero si estamos viviendo vidas santas, viviendo esas vidas llenas de gracia, viviendo en amistad con Dios, entonces estamos viviendo el gran mandamiento que Jesús nos dio a nosotros, sus hijos: Ámense unos a otros como yo los he amado”.

“Qué tremenda levadura de caridad es para la comunidad cristiana católica que vive en medio de este mundo, un mundo que está roto por el odio, por la mentira, por la violencia, por las guerras, por la oscuridad a nuestro alrededor”. “¿Dónde estaría el mundo sin el amor cristiano? La caridad de los cristianos es una levadura en medio de ese mundo”.

“Con la alegría de la Pascua”, concluyó, “celebremos la resurrección de Jesús, el vencedor de la muerte y lo que causa la muerte, el pecado”.

Más online En el canal de YouTube de la Diócesis de Charlotte: Vea los videos de la homilía del Obispo Jugis y la Misa Crismal celebrada en la Catedral San Patricio

Obispo Jugis pidió santidad en Misa Crismal CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — Con un mensaje en el que citó al Papa Francisco, el Obispo Peter Jugis pidió trabajar en el llamado a la santidad a los sacerdotes, diáconos, ordenadas y fieles que asistieron a la Misa Crismal realizada el pasado martes por la mañana en la Catedral San Patricio de la Ciudad Reina.

La celebración dio inicio con una procesión en la que participaron la mayoría de sacerdotes y diáconos de la diócesis, seminaristas y servidores del altar.

El cortejo partió desde la Gruta Mariana y bordeando los jardines de la Catedral subió las escaleras e ingresó al templo.

La liturgia anual, tradicional en Semana Santa, reunió a más de cien sacerdotes, miembros de órdenes religiosas y cientos de laicos que fueron testigos de

la bendición de los aceites que se usarán en la celebración de sacramentos en cada parroquia de la diócesis de Charlotte.

Durante la homilía, el Obispo Jugis señaló que “todos debemos salir de nuestra mediocridad espiritual y apartarnos de cualquier compromiso con el pecado, en la búsqueda de una Santidad mayor con Jesús en nuestras vidas personales y en la vida de la iglesia en este día”.

Refiriéndose al mensaje del Papa Francisco a los Obispos de Estados Unidos, con respecto al problema del abuso sexual por parte de sacerdotes católicos, dijo que una pieza esencial de nuestra respuesta a este escándalo es el llamado a la santidad.

“Son necesarios nuevos protocolos y procedimientos, sí, pero no son suficientes en sí mismos porque el escándalo es más que un problema de gestión, es más que un problema organizativo. (El Santo Padre) Dijo que debe haber un compromiso con la

santidad, por lo que todos debemos decidir estar más unidos con el Señor Jesús, más estrechamente ligados a Él”.

El Reverendo Carlos Medina, diácono de la Catedral San Patricio, explicó que la Misa Crismal tiene varios propósitos.

“En esta Misa Crismal se reúnen todos los sacerdotes con su obispo para reiterar sus promesas de ordenación de servicio y obediencia al obispo”, aunque, añadió, “lo principal es la bendición y posterior reparto del aceite crismal, de unción de los enfermos y del catecumenado” que se utilizará a lo largo de este año. “Cada bendición tiene una oración muy preciosa y, al final, el obispo soplará tres veces sobre cada uno de los frascos que contienen el aceite”.

Los aceites consagrados por el obispo serán utilizados en los sacramentos de bautismo, confirmación y unción de los enfermos, así como en la ordenación de

sacerdotes y la consagración de iglesias.

Al término de la Misa, los diáconos se acercaron a la Sacristía de la Catedral a donde trasladaron los óleos benditos y procedieron a su reparto.

El Diácono Medina explicó que, por tradición, son los diáconos quienes tienen a su cargo esta tarea y “nadie, ningún laico, solo los diáconos, pueden tocar y distribuir los sagrados aceites. En esa habitación se encontraban los frascos de cada una de las iglesias de la diócesis, dentro de pequeñas cajas adecuadas para su transporte.

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHespañol: Vea un video sobre la Misa Crismal celebrada por el Obispo Jugis y la explicación de su significado por el Diácono Medina

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Con kermés celebraron fiesta de Resurrección CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — Con una impresionante kermés realizada en los terrenos de su iglesia, los fieles de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe celebraron el pasado 21 de abril la fiesta del Domingo de Resurrección.

Desde tempranas horas de la mañana comenzó el trabajo de instalación de puestos de comida, espacios de información, juegos para niños y un estrado musical en una zona cubierta con toldos para brindar protección contra el posible mal tiempo.

Al concluir la Misa de las 8 de la mañana todo estaba listo y comenzó la oferta de deliciosos tamales y bebidas calientes para los “madrugadores”.

Más tarde, al promediar la media mañana y hasta pasado el mediodía, la demanda se inclinó por los tacos de asada, al pastor, baleadas hondureñas y pupusas salvadoreñas.

Un gran grupo de servidores del movimiento Emaús colaboraba en la preparación y venta en el área de tacos, mientras miembros del grupo juvenil se afanaban en la asistencia de la ubicación de puestos, venta de dulces y golosinas para los niños, así como dirigiendo el tránsito vehicular desde la entrada al templo hasta los espacios de estacionamiento habilitados.

En una zona cercana al escenario musical se ubicaron mesas de información sobre los servicios migratorios que ofrece Caridades Católicas, las Escuelas Católicas de la Diócesis de Charlotte, los Caballeros de Colón y el periódico Catholic News Herald. Decenas de asistentes se mostraron interesados en obtener los servicios de los expositores católicos.

El Padre Gregorio Gay, vicario parroquial, señaló que la fiesta obedece a compartir ese don de “la vida en abundancia que Jesucristo nos regala después de su propia pasión, muerte y resurrección. Y una manera de celebrarlo es en familia, pero nosotros consideramos que, como toda comunidad cristiana, estamos llamados a ser familia, hermanos, hermanas, uno con el otro”.

Luego añadió que su pedido especial de oración en esta fecha es por la juventud y todas aquellas personas que en este momento tienen dudas sobre su fe. “Porque tenemos la oportunidad de entrar en el sepulcro vacío donde estaba Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, como se ha dicho en el Evangelio de hoy, y nosotros tenemos la opción de simplemente ver una tumba vacía, un sepulcro vacío, o la opción de creer, como San Juan creía, que Jesús había resucitado y está entre nosotros”.

A este respecto, invitó a los papás y mamás a tomar un rol más activo en la formación de sus hijos inculcándoles el amor por su Iglesia, además de ser un modelo de vida para sus hijos. “Los hijos no solo obedecen, ellos emiten su opinión y lo hacen de acuerdo a lo que sus padres van enseñándoles. Si lo hacen desde temprano, el niño va aprendiendo y no perdiendo esa tradición. Y cuando vienen las influencias de la juventud, la adolescencia, sus amigos, los medios de comunicación social -que en un sentido hacen más daño que bien lastimosamente- yo creo que los papás deben tener más control sobre las situaciones de sus hijos. Mientras que viven en sus casas, los papás tienen que poner las reglas”.

Finalmente, en relación a las opciones que ofrecen otras iglesias a los jóvenes con gran atractivo musical y efectos de luces tipo concierto, señaló que, en estos casos, lo que se lleva es un mensaje de entretenimiento sin mucha profundidad. “Es como la semilla que está sembrada entre las piedras, que brota rápido con esta ‘alegría’ pero, como no tiene raíces, pronto va a secar”.

La parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe celebró la Pascua de Resurrección con una kermés. El Padre Gregorio Gay, vicario parroquial, señaló que la fiesta celebra “la vida en abundancia que Jesucristo nos regala después de su propia pasión, muerte y resurrección.”

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

“Esto es lo que he dicho a diferentes personas durante esta semana en eventos, celebraciones que hemos tenido, aunque son obras teatrales, no son para entretenernos sino para ayudarnos a profundizar nuestra fe en este don que Dios nos ha dado de tener la oportunidad de conocer a Jesús resucitado”.

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHEspañol: Vea un video con imágenes de la celebración del Domingo de Resurrección en ‘La Lupita’

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Un gran grupo de servidores del movimiento Emaús colaboró en la preparación y venta de tacos y otros potajes, mientras que miembros del grupo juvenil se afanaban en la venta de dulces y dirigiendo el tránsito hasta los espacios de estacionamiento habilitados.

Lecturas Diarias ABRIL 28-MAYO 4

Domingo (Domingo de la Divina Misericordia): Hechos 5:12-16, Apocalipsis 1:9-13, 17-19, Juan 20:19-31; Lunes (Sta. Catalina de Siena): Hechos 4:23-31, Juan 3:18; Martes (San Pío V): Hechos 4:32-37, Juan 3:7-15; Miércoles (San José Obrero): Hechos 5:17-26, Juan 3:16-21; Jueves (San Atanasio): Hechos 5:27-33, Juan 3:31-36; Viernes (Santos Felipe y Santiago): 1 Corintios 15:1-8, Juan 14:6-14; Sábado: Hechos 6:1-7, Juan 6:16-21

MAYO 5-11

Domingo: Hechos 5:27-32, 40-41, Apocalipsis 5:11-14, Juan 21:1-19; Lunes: Hechos 6:8-15, Juan 6:22-29; Martes: Hechos 7:51-8:1, Juan 6:30-35; Miércoles: Hechos 8:1-8, Juan 6:35-40; Jueves: Hechos 8:2640, Juan 6:44-51; Viernes (San Damián de Veuster): Hechos 9:1-20, Juan 6:52-59; Sábado: Hechos 9:31-42, Juan 6:60-69 “La infancia de Cristo” de Gerard Van Honthorst (c. 1620), en exhibición en el Museo Hermitage, San Petersburg, Rusia

MAYO 12-18

Domingo: Hechos 13:14, 43-52, Apocalipsis 7:9, 14-17, Juan 10:27-30; Lunes (Nuestra Señora de Fátima): Hechos 11:1-18, Juan 10:1-10; Martes (San Matías): Hechos 1:15-17, 20-26, Juan 15:9-17; Miércoles (San Isidoro): Hechos 12:24-13:5, Juan 12:44-50; Jueves: Hechos 13:13-25, Juan 13:16-20; Viernes: Hechos 13:26-33, Juan 14:1-6; Sábado (San Juan I): Hechos 13:44-52, Juan 14:7-14

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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Padre Fidel Melo

Las palmas son un signo para nosotros

L

a Cuaresma es un tiempo especialísimo para preparar nuestro corazón, nuestra mente, nuestra alma para celebrar el misterio Pascual.

La Semana Santa recoge todavía una mayor intensidad y por eso, en la tradición latina, en nuestra nuestras naciones de latinoamérica en especial, no sólo le llamamos Semana Santa, sino decimos ésta es la Semana Mayor, porque en esta semana, Semana Santa, es que recordamos los misterios que dan sentido a todo lo que es nuestra fe, a nuestro diario actuar.

No tendría sentido la Navidad, no tendría sentido ninguna otra festividad cristiana, sin este misterio que nos adentramos a celebrar ya con esta celebración del día de hoy, que es el misterio de la Pasión, que es la crucifixión, muerte y resurrección de Jesucristo Nuestro Señor. Estos tres elementos de la pasión, su crucifixión, su muerte y su resurrección dan un sentido total a nuestra vida de fe.

San Pablo dice, “si Cristo no hubiera resucitado vana sería nuestra fe”, y por eso cada año lo celebramos con especial reverencia, con especial devoción, con especial silencio y apertura en el espíritu, el alma y el corazón. Por eso cada año, recordamos este acontecimiento y lo celebramos en familia, en comunidad y como individuos. Y esta semana se nos invita a hacerlo. Si bien en nuestros países de origen es más fácil, quizá porque todo mundo está en sintonía, es la Cuaresma, es la Semana Santa, aquí nos toca veces trabajar el Viernes Santo; sin embargo estamos llamados a que, aún así, no dejemos pasar desapercibido este tiempo Santo, esta Semana Santa en nuestras vidas y dejemos que Cristo venga como rey a nuestro corazón y no seamos cristianos solamente de Viernes Santo.

El Viernes Santo recordaremos como Él entregó su vida por nosotros, pero el domingo que viene esto estará lleno de flores, lleno de luz, lleno del resplandor de la resurrección y queremos entonces vivir este tiempo como un retiro especial, interior, quizá menos uso del teléfono, de los mensajes, del internet, la computadora, nuestras tabletas, la televisión y hacer más espacio y silencio para Dios con devoción.

Es un tiempo en el que muchachos, muchachas, teenagers, pueden hacer ese tiempo especial para papá, para mamá, para nuestros maestros, para nuestros compañeros, y tratarnos mejor. Esposa, esposo, vecino, vecina, es un tiempo especial.

Que Dios nos conceda hermanos y hermanas que esta Semana Santa sea de gracia, en la que recibimos a Cristo como rey en el corazón y que caminemos con Él, en su pasión, su crucifixión, su muerte, pero también su resurrección.

Que Él esté en nuestra alegría, en nuestra esperanza y en nuestra fe, en cómo vivimos cada día nuestra vida. Que manifestemos al Cristo resucitado.

Nos llevaremos hoy esa palma como señal de que iniciamos con Él esta Semana Santa y que nos levantaremos con Él en la esperanza de la resurrección, Amén.

EL PADRE FIDEL MELO es el Vicario del Ministerio Hispano para la Diócesis de Charlotte.

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

El Padre Juya, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Gastonia, subrayó la importancia del inicio de la Semana Mayor con el Domingo de Ramos.

Sobre esta celebración dijo que es “el comienzo de cómo nosotros renovamos nuestra vida y nuestra fe en Jesucristo que dio la vida por cada uno de nosotros”.

Gastonia aclamó al Señor el Domingo de Ramos CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

GASTONIA — Con cánticos, alabanzas y vivas a Cristo Rey, la comunidad de la parroquia San Miguel en Gastonia revivió la llegada de Jesucristo a Jerusalén realizando una procesión previa a la celebración de Domingo de Ramos.

El numeroso grupo de fieles, encabezado por el Padre José Antonio Juya, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Gastonia y sacerdote de esa parroquia, caminó desde las instalaciones del Gimnasio de la Escuela San Miguel hasta ingresar al templo, para celebrar la habitual Misa en español del mediodía.

Una escolta, compuesta por miembros de los Caballeros de Colón, abrió paso a los feligreses que batían sus palmas al paso del sacerdote acompañado por acólitos que portaban una cruz y un incensario que despedía la especial fragancia.

No faltó un pequeño burrito y un pony que hicieron recordar el ingreso del Señor montado en el lomo de un burro.

Instantes antes del inicio del recorrido procesional, el Padre Juya resaltó la importancia de la conmemoración del Domingo de Ramos y señaló que esta fiesta “para nosotros representa cómo Jesús se hace presente en su pueblo, y más en nuestra vida personal también, que es el reto de todo cristiano, el llegar al Domingo de Ramos preparándonos para dar el paso al Viernes Santo y también dar el paso de la conversión en la Noche de Resurrección”.

Luego añadió que este “es el comienzo de cómo nosotros renovamos nuestra vida y nuestra fe en Jesucristo que dio la vida por cada uno de nosotros. Y a la vez también es la presencia activa de la Iglesia en el mundo que camina hacia la tierra prometida”.

Finalmente, subrayó que, al igual que ese pueblo que aclamaba al Señor, “hoy nosotros en este 2019 vamos cantando y alabando al Señor, pidiéndole que siempre seamos fieles en el caminar para ir hasta el cielo, siendo todos un solo corazón, una sola alma”.

Terminada la procesión, se dió inicio a la Santa Misa, en la que se recordó la Pasión del Señor, que corresponde al Ciclo C del Evangelio de San Lucas. Una lectura que el Padre Juya calificó de “maravillosa”.

María Elena Santín, catequista en San Miguel, dijo sentir mucha fuerza y fortaleza al venir al inicio de la Semana Santa “porque siento que de esa forma Jesucristo nos santifica día a día”.

Por su parte Mario Rivera, feligrés, señaló que el inicio de la Semana Santa, “que para nosotros es la Semana Mayor”, hay que comenzarla en gracia. “Yo aprendí la tradición en mi casa, de mis padres. En México, cada Domingo de Ramos íbamos con las palmas a hacer la procesión para el Santísimo en su

CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Más de un centenar de fieles acompañaron la procesión que inició en las inmediaciones del gimnasio de la escuela San Miguel. Un grupo de Caballeros de Colón sirvió de escolta, mientras que la feligresía levantaba sus palmas y alababa a Dios con cánticos. entrada triunfante a Jerusalén montado en un burrito. Eso representa para mi mucha humildad y amor a Dios”.

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHespañol: Vea un video sobre la procesión del Domingo de Ramos celebrada en Gastonia

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Juan Raúl Duarte, quien representó a Jesucristo, acompañado de un grupo de niños vestidos de angelitos, representando el cuidado de Dios durante el episodio en que Jesús ora en el huerto de los olivos antes de ser arrestado por soldados romanos.

Vivieron Jueves Santo con La Última Cena CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CONCORD — Cientos se dieron cita el Jueves Santo por la tarde para seguir las incidencias de la representación de la Última Cena que llevó a cabo un grupo de parroquianos de la iglesia Saint James the Greater en Concord.

Apenas pasadas las seis de la tarde dio inicio la obra de evangelización en la que participaron decenas de actores aficionados dirigidos por Juan Raúl Duarte, que representó a Jesús.

Duarte, quien tiene la experiencia de haber trabajado en puestas en escena en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, relató que, debido a numerosos eventos programados este año, el tiempo de ensayo fue muy limitado.

Sin embargo, pese al nerviosismo habitual, los actores se desempeñaron con gran naturalidad y conocimiento de sus parlamentos.

Duarte señaló que la obra es una adaptación que relata una narración de la visión que el apóstol Juan pudiera haber tenido de los hechos. Con base en los relatos de los Evangelios, recrea en ficción diálogos y situaciones particulares que pudieran haber sucedido durante la Última Cena y momentos posteriores, en los que Jesucristo es capturado por soldados romanos.

La obra inicia con instantes previos a la Última Cena, cuando Jesús lava los pies de sus discípulos. Tras la cena, partida de Judas y huída hacia el bosque, la obra concluye con entrega de Jesucristo por Judas.

Tomás Martínez, parroquiano de St. James, dijo que la tarea de representar al ‘traidor’ fue muy difícil, “pero le doy gracias al Padre por permitirme estar aquí y servirle a Él”.

Al término de la obra, cuando actores y ayudantes guardaban sus equipos y se cambiaban de trajes, Duarte dijo que “la mayor recompensa” por su participación y esfuerzo de producción no son los aplausos ni el reconocimiento del público, “si usted ve a su alrededor, son ellos, los hermanos, los amigos, el hacer nuevos amigos” que lo van a acompañar en momentos buenos y malos de la vida.

MISA Y LAVATORIO

Concluida la representación se dió paso a la celebración de la Santa Misa por parte de los sacerdotes Jerome Chavarria, pastor; Charlie Donovan, vicario parroquial y Fabio de Jesús

Marín, director del Ministerio Hispano.

En su homilía, el Padre Chavarria, después de agradecer el esfuerzo del grupo actoral, señaló que, al igual que en la Última Cena, el lugar más importante del hogar es la mesa, donde se conversa, comparte y celebra en familia “para estar juntos” y “compartir historias de la vida, lo que es importante, lo que es bueno, los desafíos, el dolor, lo que nos trae paz”. Como en aquella oportunidad, dijo, refiriéndose a la Última Cena, “hoy los cristianos, como hermanos, se reúnen alrededor de esta mesa”, en alusión a la mesa del altar.

“Nos reunimos hoy para recordar lo que el Señor ha hecho y sigue haciendo por nosotros”, resaltó. En relación con el hecho del lavado de pies, el Padre Chavarria anotó que el mensaje del Señor es claro, pues ha llamado al clero, a los servidores del pueblo de Dios, “a lavar pies”.

“Si yo lo he hecho, lo debes hacer tú. En otras palabras, no tengas temor de ser un servidor”, dijo.

Al tomar la palabra, el Padre Fabio Marín subrayó el hecho que Jesús, “siendo un hombre poderoso”, hizo lo que hacía un esclavo de la Palestina de aquella época, “lavar los pies de sus amos”, que llegaban de transitar por calles polvorientas. “Jesús lo que estaba haciendo era una tarea de esclavo”, dándonos una enseñanza fundamental: “que tenemos que servir”.

“El servicio es una obligación de todo cristiano. Todos nosotros estamos llamados a servir”... “Y nos llenamos la boca diciendo que somos servidores. Si, es cierto, pero pensemos a quien servimos. Servimos a la familia, a los amigos, a las personas que queremos pero, ¿serviremos a los que no amamos? Ahí está la gran interrogante”, puntualizó.

Poniendo de ejemplo a Jesús, dijo que sirvió a todos sus discípulos, incluyendo a quien lo iba a negar y a quien lo iba a traicionar.

Dirigiéndose a los fieles cuestionó, “¿acaso Jesús llegó a ellos y dijo, ¡ah no!, a tí no te sirvo porque eres mi enemigo?”. “Para Él todos eran sus hermanos”.

Durante la Misa se realizó el lavado de pies a doce feligreses de la parroquia. El lavado estuvo a cargo de los sacerdotes Chavarria y Marín.

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHespañol: Vea un video con el informe de esta celebración en Concord

Más de cien artistas en escena dieron vida a la vida, pasión, muerte y resurrección de Jesucristo que escenificó la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Luces, efectos especiales, vestuario, sonido y decorado, aunados al profesionalismo mostrado por los artistas aficionados, dio realismo a la obra.

Grupo teatral escenificó la vida de Cristo CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — Una obra completa, con catorce escenas que representaron la vida, pasión, muerte y resurrección de Jesucristo, se llevó a cabo los días martes 16 y miércoles 17 de abril en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, al suroeste de Charlotte.

Más de cien artistas en escena dieron realismo y provocaron sentidas emociones en los fieles que repletaron el salón multiusos que sirve de templo a esa iglesia.

Meses de ensayos mostraron sus frutos. Esteban Chávez Moreno, originario de San Luis, México, y coordinador del grupo teatral de esa parroquia, dijo estar satisfecho con la obra. “Estoy súper contento, emocionado al ver a todos los actores, sus padres, los niños. Creo que las palabras salen sobrando. Lo hemos vivido esta noche”.

Subiendo al escenario, el Padre Gregorio Gay, vicario parroquial, agradeció a todas las personas fuera y dentro del escenario “que han trabajado por meses para realizar esta obra para ustedes”. Luego llamó a Chávez, a quien abrazó y dio las gracias por encabezar la tarea.

El esfuerzo técnico fue impresionante. Luces, efectos especiales, vestuario, sonido y decorado se trabajaron con particular atención. Todo ello, aunado al gran profesionalismo mostrado por los artistas aficionados, dio veracidad al montaje.

La obra ya se había realizado anteriormente en 2001. Posteriormente se redujo a sólo los momentos de la Pasión, pero este año se repuso reeditando el éxito pasado con un solo propósito: “evangelizar a través de esta importante herramienta que es el teatro”, dijo Chávez.

Andrés Alireg, quien encarnó el papel de Cristo, dijo que esta experiencia única es difícil de expresar y no se sentía capaz ni a la altura “de representar a alguien tan grande”.

Por su parte Giovanna Morales, quien representó el papel de la Virgen María, señaló que en el caso de esta actuación es “algo especial, no sólo con Jesús, el que está (representando) ahí, sino con Jesús, el interno, el que está dentro de nosotros”.

Morales, actriz y cantante aficionada, se ha presentado en las representaciones de las apariciones marianas realizadas durante los homenajes a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en sus fiestas decembrinas. La joven interpretó un canto al pie de la cruz que conmovió hasta las lágrimas al auditorio.

Jacinto Mendoza, quien interpretó al soldado romano que le clava la lanza a Cristo en la cruz, relató que “al clavarle esa lanza en el costado a Jesús me sentía mal de hacerlo. Haz de cuenta que yo se lo estaba clavando a Él, lo estaba hiriendo a Él”.

La señora Andrea Morera, quien asistió acompañada de familiares, dijo que “como audiencia, una aprecia todo el esfuerzo y dedicación de los actores”; mientras que Antonio Andrade, padre de la niña que representó el papel de Salomé, señaló que la obra “es una bendición” y se “emociona uno cuando ve a estas personas haciendo esta bonita representación”.

Chávez dijo que están dispuestos a volver a representar la obra el próximo año. “La oportunidad es para todos y cada uno de nosotros. Para que tengamos la ocasión de vivir lo que es esta representación. Es una obra de amor, más que nada porque Jesús allí, en ese momento, nos dejó la Eucaristía”.

Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHespañol: Vea un informe en video sobre la representación de la vida, pasión, muerte y resurrección de Cristo realizada en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

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iiiApril 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM TH

‘A fire never dimmed by the sharing of its light’ Bishop Jugis preaches at Easter: Share the light, love of Christ in this broken world PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

CHARLOTTE — “This is the night that with a pillar of fire banished the darkness of sin! This is the night that even now, throughout the world sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them to His holy ones.”

The Exsultet – the “Praeconium Paschale,” or Easter Proclamation – at the start of the Easter Vigil should inspire all Catholics to share the light and love of Christ with others, Bishop Jugis preached April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral.

The three-hour liturgy commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ began with the blessing of the Paschal fire and lighting of the Paschal candle at the Marian grotto outside the cathedral. Then hundreds of faithful processed behind Bishop Jugis – candles in hand – into the darkened cathedral to hear the Exsultet chanted by Deacon Brian McNulty. Slowly, the cathedral was bathed in candlelight from hundreds of candles lit from the single Paschal candle.

“I was struck by the beautiful singing by our deacon of the Exsultet,” Bishop Jugis noted in his homily, particularly the following words: “But now we know the praises of this pillar, which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light…”

The light remained undimmed despite being shared, the bishop emphasized, calling everyone’s attention to how their candles spread light throughout the cathedral after being lit from the Paschal candle, which remained undimmed.

“That is the way it is with the charity of Christ, which we receive from the heart of Christ Himself,” Bishop Jugis said, “shared through many Christian lives, undimmed, but spreading out into the world to be a leaven, lifting up the world with the love of Christ.”

In his homily, Bishop Jugis also reflected on Jesus’ gift of Himself for the salvation of the world – a message he touched upon throughout Holy Week leading up to Easter.

“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is real,” he said. “That is the miracle that we Christians celebrate on this Easter Sunday and every day of our lives.”

“Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”

“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.

Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.

The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.

“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”

Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.

Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.” As such, we are called to holiness, he said.

“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’

“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.

“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”

“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”

More online On the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel: Watch video highlights and Bishop Jugis’ full homily from the Easter Vigil Mass

Bishop Peter Jugis lights the Paschal candle at the Marian grotto outside St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte April 20, at the start of the Eas

Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio baptizes a catechumen during the Easter Vigil at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro April 20.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARY ANN LUEDTKE

Parishioners gathered at the Easter Vigil at Our Lady of the Highways Church in Thomasville April 20, when they welcomed four new members into the parish community.

JOE THORNTON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

HE COVER

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

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Bishop Peter Jugis (center) celebrates the annual Chrism Mass April 16 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. During the Mass, he blessed the holy oils which are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and anointing of the sick, as well as for ordination of priests and consecration of churches.

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Holiness will restore the Church, Bishop Jugis preaches at Chrism Mass SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

ster Vigil.

Father David Miller, pastor, elevates the Host during Easter Mass April 21 at St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton.

DOREEN SUGIERSKI | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Children at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte enjoyed an Easter egg hunt after Mass April 21.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAMES SARKIS

CHARLOTTE — “The call to holiness” – conforming ourselves more closely to Jesus Christ – is what will restore the Church in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis, Bishop Peter Jugis told his fellow priests during the Chrism Mass April 16.

The annual liturgy, a tradition of Holy Week, drew more than 100 priests of the Diocese of Charlotte, members of several religious orders, and several hundred laypeople to St. Patrick Cathedral, where the bishop celebrated Mass and blessed the oils that will be used for the sacraments in every parish over the coming year.

“This day each year the Chrism Mass is about the renewal of our commitment to holiness, as we renew the promises of our priesthood ordination and bless the oils and consecrate the sacred chrism to be used in the sanctification, the holiness of the whole people of God,” Bishop Jugis said.

Priests certainly are called to be holy, the bishop noted in his homily, but Christ calls all people to holiness.

Referring to a message Pope Francis gave the American bishops during their retreat last January, Bishop Jugis noted that the pope emphasized that an absolutely essential piece of our response to the clergy sex abuse scandal is holiness, the call to holiness.

“New protocols and procedures are necessary, yes, but they are not enough in themselves because the scandal is more than a management problem, it’s more than an organizational problem,” the bishop said of the pope’s message.

“There must be a commitment to holiness.”

Pope Francis, the bishop said, made “the point by using themes like ‘metanoia’; like acknowledging our need for constant conversion; like letting grace work more effectively within us; like being open to the efficacy and transformative power of God’s Kingdom; and, yes, the very words ‘the call to holiness.’”

“These words the Holy Father addressed to the bishops, but they should also be heeded by everyone – clergy and laity. Everyone in the whole Church, throughout the Church, must respond to the call to holiness because holiness is what restores the beauty of the Church,” Bishop Jugis said.

“So,” he continued, “we all must be resolved to be more united to the Lord Jesus and be more closely conformed to Him. We must all allow ourselves to be called out of spiritual mediocrity and to turn away from any compromise with sin, to greater holiness with Jesus – both in our personal lives and in the life of the Church.”

The priests of the diocese listened intently as the bishop directed his homily to them prior to the renewal of their priestly vows.

“What a wonderful and blessed day this is each year when we come together for the renewal of the promises of our priestly ordination,” Bishop Jugis told them.

The Chrism Mass is “a very powerful witness to the unity of the ordained priesthood,” when priests of various backgrounds and countries of origin come together at the cathedral, united as priests for the Charlotte diocese “and yet all of us, however, sharing in the one priesthood of the High Priest, Christ,” he said. “We are His brothers and all of us are sharing that common brotherhood, a sacred brotherhood in the Lord.”

“It is a beautiful witness, therefore, to the unity across the miles of our common priesthood.”

The Chrism Mass is also a celebration that people anticipate with joy, he said, because it is when the oils used to sanctify people in the sacraments are blessed, “for anointings of various kinds, which comes from the Anointed One Himself, Jesus Christ.”

The oils that the bishop blesses at the Chrism Mass – the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens and the sacred chrism – are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and anointing of the sick, as well as for ordination of priests and consecration of churches.

“The sanctification of the faithful – that is our duty as priests,” Bishop Jugis emphasized. “Our duty is to sanctify the people of God and to help them to grow in holiness.”

That duty is undertaken, he continued, “through the teaching of the faith, through the proclamation and preaching of the Gospel and the Word of God, through the celebration of the sacraments, through shepherding the faithful in love.”

“That is what we commit ourselves to do in the renewal of our priestly promises,” he told the priests.

Above all, he said, they must take to heart their response to the question which focuses on the holiness of the priest: “Are you resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus, and more closely conformed to Him?” “And a second question, serving the holiness of the people of God: ‘Are you resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the Holy Eucharist and the other liturgical rites and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching, serving the holiness of the people of God?’” It’s “so beautiful the way those two elements come together in very brief questions that are asked of us in a few moments; to pay attention to the holiness of the priest and to pay attention to the holiness of the people of God,” Bishop Jugis said. “That’s our mission, that’s our duty as priests: holiness for everyone, for ourselves included.”

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos and video highlights from the Chrism Mass

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catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 FROM THE COVER

GOOD FRIDAY: At the Cross

PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAMES SARKIS

Bishop Peter Jugis leads the veneration of the cross at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte April 19.

Good Friday storms fitting backdrop for cross venerations CHARLOTTE — Parishioners around the Diocese of Charlotte navigated through severe weather on Good Friday to attend solemn services at local churches.

Bishop Peter Jugis led the Good Friday Cross veneration at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte April 19, noting the similarity in the harsh weather conditions that day with the first Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified.

“This stormy weather today on this Friday of our Paschal Triduum reminds us of the day that Jesus suffered and died on the cross because on that day also there were extraordinary signs going on ... on the earth and in the heavens,” he said.

Those extraordinary signs were documented by the Gospel writers in events such as an earthquake and an eclipse of the sun, he noted. “The Gospel writers tell us there was darkness over the whole land from about noon until three in the afternoon.”

He also pointed out that the Gospel writers, when sharing the events of that great and terrible day when Jesus was crucified, that the veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom.

“So all of this (was) signifying the end of an old era – old heavens, old earth, old sacrifices – and the beginning of a new era of the new covenant, when Jesus was making everything new,” he explained.

During the liturgy held at 3 p.m., the hour Jesus Christ died on the cross, all those gathered recalled the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son for the salvation of souls. It included the reading of the Passion, thus taking the faithful on the tortuous journey Christ suffered from the Garden of Gethsemane through His crucifixion on Golgotha.

During the veneration of the cross at the cathedral, the faithful silently approached the wooden cross containing a relic of the True Cross, showing reverence to the instrument that won them their salvation.

“We show our respect and our honor and our veneration to the cross, which of course has redeemed us,” Bishop Jugis said.

He explained in ancient times that the cross was a sign of displeasure and rejection – a shameful instrument of execution.

“And yet we glory in the cross, venerate the cross and honor the cross because by the cross we have been saved,” he said.

— SueAnn Howell and James Sarkis

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from Good Friday devotions across the Diocese of Charlotte

PHOTOS BY GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

The Spanish community of Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City performed a live reenactment of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday. The Via Crucis was to take place outdoors but, due to inclement weather, a modified performance was given inside the church. Stations of the Cross and a cross veneration service also took place at the church, led by Father Herbert Burke, pastor, and Deacon Andy Cilone.

MARKUS KUNCORO AND MIKE FITZGERALD | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Nearly 130 attendees joined St. Ann Church and the Charlotte Latin Mass Community in marking the second day of the Latin Easter Triduum, with the ancient Good Friday Mass of the Presanctified offered at Charlotte Catholic High School chapel.

Parishioners at St. Joseph Vietnamese Church in Charlotte braved the stormy weather on Good Friday afternoon to pray the Stations of the Cross outdoors. The outdoor Stations, handcrafted in Vietnam, are larger-thanlife representations of the Via Crucis. Afterwards, people went inside the church for the reading of the Passion, cross veneration and Communion.

DOREEN SUGIERSKI | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

A cross veneration service also took place at Divine Redeemer Church in Boonville.

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM THE COVERI

17

PHOTO PROVIDED BY OUR LADY OF LOURDES PARISH

Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners performed a Via Crucis on the church grounds in Monroe April 19. Pictured, Jesus is taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea.

Youth at St. Mary Mother of God Church in Sylva performed a Living Stations of the Cross for Holy Week.

DELLA SUE BRYSON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER

Parishioners at St. Mark Church took part in several Good Friday services, including a cross veneration, living presentation of the Stations of the Cross by students of St. Mark School, a Spanish Passion service, and a Tenebrae service.

PHIL ROCHE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD BILL WASHINGTON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury held a Passion service and bilingual Via Crucis on Good Friday.

Members of Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission in Hayesville took part in a cross veneration service.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY FATHER MARK LAWLOR

Veneration of the Cross was also held on Good Friday at St. Therese Church in Mooresville.

18

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 FROM THE COVER

HOLY THURSDAY Last Supper is ‘expression of God’s love’ SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Father Patrick Hoare, pastor, and parochial vicars Father Binoy Davis and Father Peter Ascik pray before the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday evening at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte.

Father Alex Ayala, pastor, washes the feet of parishioners during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper April 18 at St. William Church in Murphy.

CHARLOTTE — The Last Supper is an expression of God’s love, Bishop Peter Jugis preached on Holy Thursday at St. Patrick Cathedral.

Addressing a cathedral full of worshipers on the first day of the Triduum April 18, Bishop Jugis explained the significance of the Holy Thursday liturgy.

“We are commemorating today the institution of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,” he said. “The Mass of the Lord’s Supper every year is the anniversary or the celebration of the birthday of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It’s also the celebration of the anniversary of the institution of the sacred priesthood.”

Bishop Jugis noted that the sacred Triduum “all began with the Last Supper which Jesus

celebrated the night before He died. So also, the night before the celebration of the Lord’s Passion and His crucifixion and death, we gather to honor the institution of these two great sacraments of the Church.”

During this time of the Easter Triduum, Bishop Jugis reminded the faithful that the Church is commemorating the Lord’s offering of Himself for the salvation of the world.

“He is the sinless, spotless Lamb of God who is sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins,” Bishop Jugis said.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read more from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Patrick Cathedral, as well as see more photos and video highlights from Holy Thursday liturgies across the Diocese of Charlotte

PHIL ROCHE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

PHOTO PROVIDED BY FATHER RICHARD SUTTER PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

The ritual of washing of the feet was also done during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte April 18.

A parishioner at St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville prays before the Blessed Sacrament, on an Altar of Repose, on Holy Thursday evening.

GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated on Holy Thursday at Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City. Afterwards, the Blessed Sacrament was carried in procession to the Altar of Repose in the chapel for adoration.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CAPUCHIN FRANCISCAN FATHER MARTIN SCHRATZ AMBER MELLON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD BILL WASHINGTON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Father John Eckert, pastor, washes the feet of a parishioner during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper April 18 at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury.

Father Matthew Codd, pastor, elevates the Host during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper April 18 at St. Elizabeth Church in Boone.

During Holy Thursday’s Mass at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville, Deacon Mark Nash carries in procession one of three containers of sacred chrism, which had been blessed during the Chrism Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral earlier in the week.

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM THE COVERI

19

PALM SUNDAY PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

(Above) Father Gabriel Carvajal-Salazar, parochial vicar, blesses palms during Mass on Palm Sunday at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte.

BILL WASHINGTON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Father John Eckert, pastor, prays at the start of the Palm Sunday Mass April 14 at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury.

MIKE FITZGERALD AND MARKUS KUNCORO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Ancient Palm Sunday Latin Mass offered CHARLOTTE — St. Ann Parish and the Charlotte Latin Mass Community celebrated Palm Sunday April 14 with a special Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form that drew a record crowd of nearly 400 people.

The Mass was a more ancient expression of the traditional Palm Sunday Latin Mass, which according to organizers, had never been offered by either the Charlotte parish or the diocese since their founding. The Latin Mass featured an entirely separate liturgy for the blessing of palms and an outdoor procession.

The blessing and Mass were both offered by St. Ann’s pastor Father Timothy Reid, with Father Jason Barone, chaplain at Charlotte Catholic High School, serving as deacon and St. Ann Deacon Peter Tonon serving as subdeacon. St. Joseph College seminarian Harry Ohlhaut served as master of ceremonies and was assisted by fellow college seminarian Matthew Dimock.

The blessing of palms in this ancient rite is sometimes referred to as a “dry Mass” as it contains its own set of antiphons, Epistle, Gospel, a sort of “canon,”

the chanting of the “Sanctus” and after the sprinkling and incense of the palms, their distribution to the faithful. Similar to the reception of Holy Communion, the faithful then approach the altar rail, kneel and receive palms from the priest while kissing both the palm and the priest’s hand. After the distribution of palms, Father Reid then led the faithful in an outdoor procession around the church grounds while the schola and choir chanted six antiphons commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Prior to the priest and faithful reentering the church, the doors were purposely closed and the subdeacon (Deacon Peter Tonon) knocked on the doors to request entry – symbolizing both Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and prefiguring His eternal entry into heaven with the elect after His ascension.

For more information about the Latin Mass, contact Chris Lauer at info@ charlottelatinmass.org or visit www.charlottelatinmass.org.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER

Father Noah Carter, parochial vicar, imparts a blessing after receiving the offertory gifts during Palm Sunday Mass at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

PHIL ROCHE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Father Alex Ayala, pastor, blesses parishioners at St. William Church in Murphy with holy water during Palm Sunday Mass.

More online GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter Jugis blesses palms at the start of Palm Sunday Mass April 14 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.

Blessed Palms are blessed by Father Jason Christian, pastor, and distributed at the entrance of St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon April 13 prior to the Palm Sunday Vigil Mass.

At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from Palm Sunday liturgies, as well as video highlights from St. Patrick Cathedral’s Palm Sunday Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis and the ancient Palm Sunday Latin Mass at St. Ann Church

Our schools 20

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief SPX students celebrate N.C. GREENSBORO — St. Pius X fourth-graders love learning about North Carolina and they take their passion to new heights each year.

Every spring, fourth-grade social studies teacher Anne Ruddy assigns her students a North Carolina project. Students must research and create a 3-D model of a business, landmark or product from the state.

This year students worked for months on their projects and brought in scaled models of landmarks at universities such as UNC-Chapel Hill, tourist attractions such as the Elizabethan Gardens, and major businesses like Krispy Kreme, just to name a few. Students presented their projects with pride, reflecting on how each one has an impact on North Carolina’s economy and citizenship. Their presentations were followed by a N.C. Fest at the school, where local business showcased their unique products and gave students a hands-on experience about being entrepreneurs in North Carolina. Students learned how to plant mushrooms, upcycle crates into landscaping mulch, cook culinary creations, apply first aid, do basketball drills, play lacrosse, dance, create art and create microchips. The day was rounded out with lunch from Chick-Fil-A and a visit from Bishop McGuinness High School juniors and seniors who spent time with the

Famous North Carolinians WINSTON-SALEM — Our Lady of Mercy School’s fourthgrade class put on its annual N.C. Living Wax Museum presentation open to the community April 16. Each student selected a famous North Carolinian to become. The project began with research, included a research paper, and culminated with a living wax museum presentation as the famous character.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KATRINA CAPISTRANO

students playing cornhole and discussing life in high school.

Project event April 23-24, hosted by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest N.C.

— April Parker

— Melissa Kinsley

Students craft ceramic bowls for anti-hunger event WINSTON-SALEM — St. Leo School’s National Junior Art Honor Society has been working hard to complete glazing of their hand-crafted ceramic bowls made at the NJAHS-hosted Empty Bowls Workshop. More than 30 bowls were donated to this year’s Empty Bowls

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Mix

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

‘Penguins’

In theaters ‘Breakthrough’ Faith-affirming drama, based on real events, in which a strong-willed mother (Chrissy Metz) refuses to accept that her adoptive son (Marcel Ruiz) is doomed to die after falling through the ice on a frozen lake and her desperate prayers have a startling impact on his seemingly hopeless prognosis. As she keeps vigil at the boy’s bedside, she gradually reconciles with the pastor (Topher Grace) of her church with whom she had been feuding while her husband (Josh Lucas) struggles to share her unshakeable belief in a positive outcome. Director Roxann Dawson’s adaptation of Joyce Smith’s 2017 memoir “The Impossible” (written with Ginger Kolbaba) benefits from Metz’s driven performance and will have sympathetic viewers cheering her character on all the way. Tense but gratifying entertainment for all but the youngest moviegoers. A perilous situation, mature themes.

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

At once the profile of a plucky 5-year-old Adelie penguin the filmmakers dub “Steve” and an introduction to his species as a whole, this winning documentary tracks him as he finds a mate and starts a family in the challenging surroundings of Antarctica. From building a nest of rocks in which his duo of offspring can be protected until they hatch to preparing them to live on their own when the time comes, he meets every challenge of fatherhood with aplomb -- or at least with determined perseverance. The spectacle of his adventures among hundreds of thousands of others of his kind, skillfully directed by Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson and often humorously narrated by actor Ed Helms, will prove a delight for viewers of every generation.

CNS: A-I (general patronage); MPAA: G

‘Little’ A successful but outrageously rude businesswoman (Regina Hall) learns to be more considerate after a little girl (Marley Taylor) casts a spell that turns her back into a 13-year-old middle schooler (Marsai Martin) and the only person she can share her secret with is her much-put-upon personal assistant (Issa Rae). Wholly unconnected to anything in the real world, director and co-writer Tina Gordon’s comic fantasy does initially produce some laughs as Hall’s rampaging character rips all around her to shreds. But much of the later humor is vulgar, a low ebb being reached in a sequence about the schoolgirl’s very age-inappropriate effort to flirt with her handsome teacher (Justin Hartley). As for the older version of the protagonist, she has a sleep-in boyfriend (Luke James) with whom she won’t even cohabit for fear of commitment. Uneven mix of effective and distasteful gags. A premarital relationship, much sexual humor, drug use, a couple of mild oaths, occasional crude and crass language.

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

Other movies: n ‘Missing Link’: CNS: A-I (general patronage); MPAA: PG n ‘After’: CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13 n ‘Hellboy’: CNS: L (limited adult audience); MPAA: R

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On TV n Saturday, April 27, 7:45 p.m. (EWTN) “Heaven on Earth.” A documentary about the Carmelite Sisters of Port Tobacco, Md., the first Carmelite community in the United States. n Saturday, April 27, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Pope John Paul I: The Smile of God.” Pope John Paul I’s peasant origins and his years as a student and parish priest are some of highlights of this film.

He succeeded Paul VI in 1978, serving as pope for only 33 days before his death. n Sunday, April 28, 5 p.m. (EWTN) “Welfare of Charity.” Father Joseph speaks with members of Kkottongnae, a South Korean group who bring love to the poor and abandoned, teaching them how to love others and to love God. n Friday, May 3, 2 p.m. (EWTN) “The Face of Mercy.” A documentary on the origins of the Divine Mercy devotion and the personal impact it has had on the lives of several Catholics. n Saturday, May 4, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Great Britain in Focus.” Brenden Thompson, coordinator of Catholic Voices, speaks with James McCullough about Blessed John Henry Newman’s progress towards canonization. Episode 1. n Saturday, May 4, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Fatima.”

This film recounts the events of Fatima through the eyes of a Catholic peasant singer whose boyfriend converts from atheism by the supernatural grace of the apparitions. n Monday, May 6, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN) “The Story of Father John Sullivan.” Leaving behind his life as an Irish Protestant aristocrat, Father John Sullivan gave himself entirely to God.

Our nation 22

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Catholic students’ Way of Cross turns heads on secular university campus KIRSTEN BUBLITZ CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Northern Arizona University students walking to class turned their heads the afternoon of April 19 to see a gathering of nearly 100 Catholic students and community members singing solemnly, with two students carrying a large wooden cross.

Stations of the Cross is an annual event sponsored by Holy Trinity Newman Center on Good Friday. The stations take on a nontraditional form with students and community members walking around the central part of the university, led by Newman Center director Father Matt Lowry, stopping at various locations around the campus for each station.

The takeaway for many students was walking and suffering with Jesus in His pain during the Passion.

Senior John Bassler said he has

been entering into Jesus’ suffering since January when he made a 90-day commitment titled “Exodus 90” with 20 other men from the Newman Center. They entered into Jesus’ suffering by fasting from the pleasures of the world such as Netflix, desserts, hot showers and secular music. Bassler found that he was entering into Jesus’ suffering even more during the stations than he realized was possible.

“The Stations allowed me to be a witness to Jesus’ sacrifice and to be present in His suffering. It strengthened me in my faith,” Bassler told The Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Phoenix Diocese. “The stations aren’t a requirement; nobody is forced to be here. To see people commit to over an hour of walking and kneeling and praying shows how faith can involve a community.”

Gabby Avila, a junior at Northern Arizona University, helped lead participants in song with her guitar as they walked the road with Jesus. As she used

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Students at Northern Arizona University and members of Holy Trinity Newman Center in Flagstaff, Ariz., reenact the Stations of the Cross April 19.

CNS | KIRSTEN BUBLITZ, CATHOLIC SUN

her talent to bring others close to the Lord, she reflected on Jesus’ walk to Calvary and allowed herself to walk that journey with Him. “What stuck out to me during the Stations was all the suffering that Jesus endured for us. He knew exactly how the situation would end, and yet, He still continued,” said Avila. “I was thinking of how hard it sometimes feels to follow Christ. Going against the flow and the desires of the world today is extremely hard. During the Stations, I was reminded that Jesus has called me to go against the flow so that I can fully experience His goodness made in His sacrifice.”

Like Bassler and Avila, Thomas Holland shared that he also had the opportunity to enter into Jesus’ suffering. A non-Catholic, Holland has been attending the Newman Center to see what the Catholic faith is all about. He attended the Stations and carried

the cross with another student for a stretch of time.

“I felt a tiny bit of pain while carrying the cross and pondered on some small level of the pain that Jesus was actually feeling,” said Holland.

The Stations weren’t only powerful for the participants; they were a powerful sight for onlookers. Witnessing nearly 100 people kneeling before the cross and processing through campus isn’t ordinary.

Aaron Marquez, a 2017 Northern Arizona University graduate who now teaches at San Francisco de Asis Catholic School, explained that witnessing the Stations had the power to change people’s hearts.

“The unity of us together on campus and the reactions of everyone around sparks curiosity in a lot of people,” Marquez said.

“It might be that little spark that can start something like a forest fire.”

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Truck, boat, RV and motorcycle donations accepted.

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

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Man faces charges after walking into cathedral with flammables NEW YORK — A man arrested by New York police after he tried to walk through St. Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan with flammables late April 17 has been charged with attempted arson, reckless endangerment and trespassing. Marc Lamparello, 37, of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., was carrying gas cans, lighter fluid and igniters when he was stopped by security staff at the cathedral. He said he was just cutting through to get to Madison Avenue where he had left his car, which he said had run out of gas. Lamparello’s actions took place just two days after the horrific fire that devastated Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. News reports said before his arrest in New York, he was arrested April 15 for reportedly refusing to leave the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, N.J. There he was charged with trespassing, obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest. He was due in court in that state May 1. Lamparello is currently a student at City University of New York working on a doctorate in philosophy. In the spring of 2018, he joined the faculty at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, but a spokeswoman told reporters he is no longer on the faculty. Lamparello was an adjunct professor and part-time professor at Lehman College, which is part of City University.

N.D. governor signs bill banning ‘dismemberment abortions’ BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota Catholic Conference praised Republican Gov. Doug Burgum for signing a bill into law April 10 to “prohibit the practice of dismemberment abortions. While every abortion should be considered unacceptable, the people of North Dakota have wisely seen that this particularly gruesome procedure should never occur,” said the conference, which is the public policy arm of the state’s Catholic bishops. It outlaws an abortion procedure known as “dilation and evacuation,” which is reportedly the most commonly used procedure in second-trimester abortions. The director of North Dakota’s only abortion clinic said she has not decided yet on a legal challenge to the new law, because she said her clinic’s lawyers are waiting for a court decision on an effort to block a similar law in Arkansas. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals,

which includes North Dakota, heard oral arguments in December on the challenge to the law in Arkansas. North Dakota’s law makes it a crime for a doctor who is performing a secondtrimester abortion to use instruments such as clamps, scissors and forceps to remove the unborn child from the womb. Doctors would be charged with a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Assisted suicide now law in N.J.; cardinal calls it ‘morally unacceptable’ NEWARK, N.J. — Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark called New Jersey’s new law allowing assisted suicide regrettable, saying “whatever its motives and means,” it is “morally unacceptable. Every gift of human life is sacred, from conception to natural death, and the life and dignity of every person must be respected and protected at every stage and in every condition,” the cardinal said in a statement April 12, the day Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act, effective Aug. 1. “Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect.

Sick or disabled persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible,” Cardinal Tobin said. Under the new law, which goes against the Church’s fundamental teaching on the sanctity of all human life, adults who receive a terminal diagnosis would be allowed to obtain self-administered medication to end their lives.

Murphy is Catholic. As the measure awaited Murphy’s signature, pro-life groups and other opponents urged state residents to contact the governor and ask him not to sign the bill.

FINANCE DIRECTOR Saint Mark Catholic Church – Huntersville, NC

The Finance Director is responsible for maintaining parish accounting, financial reporting and providing supervision and guidance to Finance Assistants and Volunteers. Reports to the director of operations.

MAJOR POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND REGULAR ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: Managing and supervising preparation of accounting, payroll and donation services to the Parish Accounts Payable Bank deposits Payroll input, report processing, vacation/sick accrual processing, maintaining payroll records, payroll journal entries Maintain general ledger Prepare month end and year-end journal entries Sales tax payments and Tax refund processing Research/analyze vendor bill discrepancies Manage Online giving parishioners’ donations and deposits Create procedures for processing and handling all donations following best practices and Diocesan policies.

Maintain Liability accounts and payments (Diocesan collections) Complete miscellaneous tasks and projects as needed Prepare/report Budget information monthly/semiannually/annually

N.H. death penalty repeal bid called ‘enormous victory for life’

Work with Dir. Of Operations and Finance Council to prepare annual Parish budget

CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Senate’s vote to repeal the death penalty is “an enormous victory for life,” according to the executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network. The New Hampshire Senate voted 17-6 April 11 to repeal the state’s death penalty law. This follows a 279-88 vote for repeal by the state House in March. “The overwhelming margins by which the repeal bill passed through the Legislature sends a strong message about the state’s priority to put an end to the death penalty,” said an April 12 statement by Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy. “It speaks to a long-term decline in support for capital punishment found not only in New Hampshire, but across the United States as a whole.” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has threatened to veto the bill, but the original vote in each chamber passed by margins wide enough to override a veto. A twothirds vote is required to override.

Prepare monthly budget reports for Staff and Ministries

— Catholic News Service

Prepare semiannual Diocese Financial Reports Prepare monthly and semiannual Financial Reporting to the Parish Explain monthly budget variances Participation requirements Attend monthly Finance Council meetings Prepare/distribute various financial reports for/to Finance Council Provide procedures and guidance to Offertory Ministry (ushers & counters) as needed Supervises activities performed by Finance Assistants Accounts payable, check processing review Credit card reconciliation Data entry Donor batch review, year-end Contribution Letters POSITION SPECIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS Skills, Knowledge and/or Abilities Knowledge of nonprofit GAAP Ability to use various computer software programs, Microsoft Office products, ability to learn/use ACST church donor software, ability to learn ParishSoft (accounting) and IOI (payroll) internet based systems Ability to use various office machines (copiers, postage machine, phones, etc.)

CCDOC.ORG

Ability to meet deadlines Ability to maintain confidentiality Regardless of membership in the Catholic Church, must be consistent at all times, in example and expression, with the tenets and morals of the Catholic faith.

Part-time Case Management Coordinator Lenoir (Caldwell County)

Catholic Charities seeks a part-time (20hr/wk) Case Management Coordinator to provide services based in Lenoir (Caldwell County).

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Position requires regular interactions with regional Catholic parishes and community agencies and recruitment/coordination of volunteers.

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Application deadline is Friday, May 24.

Applicants should email their resume to Scott Bruno: scott.bruno@stmarknc.org

Go to www.ccdoc.org/jobs for details.

23

Our world 24

catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Sri Lanka Easter bombings traced to little-known group MICHAEL SAINSBURY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

BANGKOK — The Sri Lankan government blamed little-known Islamic group National Thowheeth Jama’ath for the Easter suicide bombings that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels across the country.

Authorities named the group April 22 and said 24 people had been arrested in connection with eight bombings that left more than 350 people dead and over 500 injured. Two Catholic churches – St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo and St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo – as well as an evangelical church in Batticaloa and three hotels in Colombo were targeted.

“We do not believe these attacks were carried out by a group of people who were confined to this country,” Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. “There was an international network, without which these attacks could not have succeeded.”

Most of those killed and injured were believed to be Sri Lankan nationals. The government said those killed included at least 39 foreign nationals from the United States, United Kingdom, India, China, Japan, Australia, Turkey, Australia and other European countries.

Christians make up about 6 percent, or about 1.5 million, of Sri Lanka’s population of 22 million. About 85 percent of Christians are Catholic.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis used his Easter Mass to express his “loving closeness to the Christian community, targeted while they were gathered in prayer, and all the victims of such cruel violence.”

Cardinal Malcom Ranjith of Colombo visited St. Sebastian’s Church to witness the recovery efforts of security forces, the BBC reported. He condemned the violence “that has caused so much death and suffering to the people.”

“It’s a very, very sad day for all of us,” he said. He also called on the government to investigate the bombings thoroughly and punish the perpetrators “mercilessly.”

Damien Kingsbury, professor of international politics and a Sri Lankan expert at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, said there has been no history of Islamic terrorism in Sri Lanka. National Thowheeth Jama’ath surfaced on only on a few occasions in recent years in relation to hate speech and property-related attacks on Buddhist temples, he said.

“It’s likely that recent return of Islamic State fighters to Sri Lanka had strengthened their resolve,” Kingsbury said. Earlier in April, the Sri Lankan government had identified a number of Sri Lankans who had returned to the country following the collapse of the so-called IS caliphate in Syria.

Experts noted that the precise coordination – six explosions went off within 20 minutes of each other – and the number of sites chosen for attack echoed the 2008 Mumbai assault on major hotels by an Islamic State-linked terrorist group.

The bombings have ended a decade of relative calm in Sri Lanka, a country with a long history of battling terrorism during civil war between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Smoke rises around the altar inside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as a fire continues to smolder early April 16.

Officials said the cause was not clear, but that the fire could be linked to renovation work.

CNS | PHILIPPE WOJAZER, REUTERS

HOPE FROM THE ASHES

French leaders pledge Notre Dame Cathedral again will grace Paris skyline CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

PARIS — Church leaders joined government officials in saying they expect that Notre Dame Cathedral’s grandeur will be restored as firefighters extinguished the last flames of a fastmoving blaze that seriously damaged much of the iconic structure.

“We are living through an extreme moment. This is Holy Week and it isn’t an accident,” Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit said outside of the 850-year-old historic structure late April 15 as firefighters continued to attack the flames. “Having marked the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are now experiencing our own passion, but we know that after it will come the resurrection. We believe in this and we will proclaim it by rebuilding this cathedral.”

The archbishop also appealed for church bells throughout Paris to be rung in a sign of prayer and solidarity.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised the “extreme courage and great professionalism” of first responders who helped save the Gothic landmark from total destruction. He announced that a national reconstruction fund would be established.

Speaking in front of the charred cathedral late April 15, Macron said he understood the feelings of French Catholics in face of the disaster and pledged the whole population would “stand with them” in restoring it.

“Notre Dame de Paris is our history, our literature, our imagination, the place where we have experienced our great moments, the epicenter of our life,” said Macron, who was accompanied by the archbishop, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

“We built this cathedral over centuries, raising it up and improving it, and I now state solemnly that we will, all of us together, reconstruct it,” Macron said.

Up to 500 firefighters battled for 15 hours to save the cathedral after flames erupted in the structure’s attic about 6:30 p.m. local time. The blaze quickly consumed two-thirds of the 13th-century oak roof and brought down the cathedral’s 300foot spire. Authorities said much of the cathedral’s wooden interior was destroyed and its masonry was seriously scorched.

Much of the building continued to smolder a day later, as thousands of onlookers continued to pray and sing hymns in nearby streets. Rescue teams formed a human chain to remove many of the cathedral’s priceless artworks and sacred objects, including the crown of thorns relic from Jesus’ crucifixion and a gold tunic of St. Louis.

Paris prosecutors have opened investigations into the cause of massive fire and were questioning workers carrying out an eight-year restoration project, launched in January.

Offers of support in rebuilding the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, have come from church leaders and governments around the world, including Donald Tusk, European Council president, who said April 16 that he hoped the European Union’s 28 member-states would all help share the costs.

French newspapers said the Pinault family, whose consortium owns the Gucci and Saint-Laurent fashion brands, had pledged 100 million euros (US$113 million) overnight, while the LVMH group, which includes Moet Hennessy-Louis Vitton, had promised 200 million euros (US$226 million).

Archbishop Aupetit said the cathedral symbolized “the soul and history of France,” as “a site traversing the centuries which was always a place of faith.”

“Why was this beauty built? What jewel was this case meant to contain? Not the crown of thorns (a relic saved from the fire), but a piece of bread that we believe is the Body of Christ,” he said.

Pope Francis, in a message April 16 to Archbishop Aupetit, expressed his solidarity with the sadness of Parisians, calling Notre Dame “an architectural jewel of a collective memory, the gathering place for many major events, the witness of the faith and prayer of Catholics in the city.”

The pope also expressed his confidence that the cathedral would be rebuilt and continue its vocation as “a sign of the faith of those who built it, the mother church of your diocese, (and) the architectural and spiritual heritage of Paris, France and humanity.”

How you can help A fund to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral has been set up by the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. All proceeds will be used solely for the assistance of Notre Dame Cathedral and those affected by this tragedy.

Contribute securely online: www. supportnotredame.org Contribute by mail: Make the check payable to “Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception” and indicate “Cathedral of Notre Dame Fund” on the memo line. Mail to: Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Attn: Monsignor Walter Rossi, 400 Michigan Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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In Brief Continuing Easter celebrations, pope again prays for Sri Lanka VATICAN CITY — On Easter Monday, Pope Francis led thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square in praying for the hundreds of people who died or were injured in bomb blasts the previous day in Sri Lanka. Pope Francis had already condemned the bombings and offered prayers April 21 after celebrating Easter morning Mass. By April 23, Sri Lankan officials reported more than 350 people killed from the eight blasts at churches and hotels in three cities. Pope Francis told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the “Regina Coeli” prayer April 22, “I want to again express my spiritual and paternal closeness to the people of Sri Lanka. I pray for the numerous victims and injured,” he said, “and I ask everyone not to hesitate to offer this dear nation all the necessary help. I also hope that everyone will condemn these terrorist acts, inhuman acts,

that are never justifiable.” In his main talk, the pope said that, like the women who first told the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead, all Christians are called to encounter the risen Lord and share the good news of His resurrection.

Pope at Easter: Only risen Christ can bring peace to world at war VATICAN CITY — As the machine of warfare continues to churn out more dangerous weaponry, only the power and joy of Christ’s resurrection can fill hearts with comfort and peace, Pope Francis said before giving his Easter blessing. “May the One who gives us His peace end the roar of arms – both in areas of conflict and in our cities – and inspire the leaders of nations to work for an end to the arms race and the troubling spread of weaponry, especially in the economically more advanced countries,” the pope said as he prepared April 21 to give his Easter blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world).

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is not only the start of a true renewal that “begins from the heart, from the conscience” but also the beginning of a new world “free from the slavery of sin and death” and now open to God’s kingdom of “love, peace and fraternity,” he said. The pope’s prayer for peace came a few hours after news broke of multiple bombs

that exploded in several churches and hotels in Colombo and two other cities in Sri Lanka.

Mideast patriarchs urge hope of Resurrection in Easter messages BEIRUT — Catholic patriarchs from the Middle East invoked hope in their Easter messages to people suffering from terrorism, wars, displacement and economic hardship.

From Baghdad, Cardinal Louis Sako, patriarch of Chaldean Catholics, emphasized “that our world, which is striving to manufacture all forms of weapons, including weapons of mass destruction, is making wars and thus creating death and destruction.” Yet, Cardinal Sako said, “Christ rose from the dead – Alleluia! – and Iraq must rise from its crises. What we have lived through, and the blood of martyrs, all these lean years, will inevitably find a harmonious way of living together in peace.” The Christian population in Iraq, numbering about 1.5 million before 2003, has dwindled to about 200,000.

Cardinal Sako emphasized that the Church is “one family embracing all people” and welcoming them as brothers and sisters without regard to their religious and ethnic affiliations.

He urged the faithful to pray for peace, stability and harmony in Iraq and the region, and to pray for the new government’s efforts “to bear fruit for the future of Iraqis.”

Priest says outsiders caused riots that led to death in Northern Ireland LONDONDERRY, Northern Ireland — A priest who ministered to an independent journalist killed by paramilitaries described the killers as “anti-Christ.” Lyra McKee was shot April 18, Holy Thursday evening, while she covered a riot Londonderry, just on the border with the Irish Republic. McKee, 29, was killed by a gunman who was shooting at police. Her death came as the region was getting ready to mark the 21st anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that brought an end to 30 years of sectarian conflict.

Police suspect McKee was killed by so-called dissident republicans opposed to the deal.

Father Joe Gormley, the local parish priest, told BBC Radio Foyle April 19 that after McKee had been taken to hospital, “I went and anointed her. ... her family and her partner have great dignity.

“Many of her friends were there last night, and they were all shocked as well. They have great dignity, but they are feeling the loss this morning. The shock, for them, is awful.” He said his whole parish was stunned by the killing and accused those outside the area of being behind the attack.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Fred Gallagher

And so we rise…

W

e’ve witnessed the stripping of the altars on Holy Thursday and felt the emptiness of the sanctuaries as the Blessed Sacrament was removed from tabernacles in perhaps the starkest moment of our liturgies. It was, as it always is, a lonesome night. And then our spirits walked the Via Dolorosa in the stations on Good Friday.

We watched the sad eyes of the Man of Sorrows meet His devastated mother, tears streaming from her face. We saw Him fall, utterly exhausted, three times and in agony from wounds already inflicted. He finally assumed His place upon the cross to conquer death and let loose our sins. And, in an oddly beautiful irony, we call it Good Friday. We go to our churches and line up to kiss His feet and adore Him. And that night the hours of our adoration are quiet and solemn as we address the gaping holes in our hearts.

The next day we wait with each Mary; we wait with His disciples; we wait with the world. And our waiting anticipates the joy of candidates and catechumens being received in a vigil, darkness consumed by light: a baptism, a first Communion, a confirmation…the warmth of Easter before the dawn even breaks forth.

And then comes the morn, the most brilliant day in the history of humankind. Our fast is over. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Our Savior has left His tomb behind. Many of us are much like Thomas – so Jesus invites us to His wounds and that invitation becomes the story of our lives, the personal invitation to commune with the risen Lord, to touch Him, to feel in some mysterious part of ourselves, where the nail went and where the lance landed.

That becomes the question of the season, doesn’t it? What do we do now? Do we not try our best to imitate Christ?

If so, let us rise, then. Let us rise from our deadly transgressions. Let us rise from our anger and our self-centeredness and our pettiness.

Let us rise up from the quicksand of our pride, the right-handed pride that says I’m better than you and the left-handed pride that says I’m no good. If Jesus really did rise, then He continues among us and He is with us now, with me as I write of Him, and with you right now, in your thoughts, as you are reading this.

Easter Sunday is from here on out. Our earthly lives and immortality touch. The physical and the metaphysical mingle, just like they do each and every time we receive Christ in the Eucharist and each and every time we see Christ in another, especially in someone who is suffering.

And so we rise up from envy and estrangement and despair. Our humbled bones come to know the joy and gladness predicted by the psalmist. We rise by bringing the miracle of the Resurrection into our daily lives. We rise by emulating Christ’s love for those around us, for our loved ones, family, friends and strangers, especially those who’ve lost their way or who suffer the indignities of a harsh world. We love the best we know how with all the strength we can muster.

We carry Easter with us, out from the shadows of pain and doubt and into the light of hope.

We carry this Easter with us as we come to understand that every single thing we think and say and do has the potential to lift us up, to lift someone else up, to give some seemingly small daily glory to the One who left the stone of His tomb behind. To enter the world of a child, celebrating his or her spirit in our loving attention; to hold the hand of one grieving, present with them in a heart of sorrow; to keep from losing faith in a world where any kind of purity of intention seems anachronistic; to hold fast to the actual Presence of Jesus living through us every second of every day... these are the actions of Easter.

This is how we rise up.

It doesn’t matter where we’ve been or for how long; He invites us back to Himself. Because in our hearts we love Him, we want to be present for those who hurt and seek His comfort. Because we have a need to connect with others, young and old, believers or not, happy or not, we rise up and go to it. And so each morning we take Easter with us out the door. And so each night we thank our Savior for this life – struggles and all – with the confidence that with His rising hope will remain with us. And so in the deepest parts of ourselves, we reach out to Him, to His mother, to the saints, to the sick and the poor, to those who need us and to those we need. We find love there, so we find Jesus there. And so we rise.

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

Father Steve Grunow

Easter: The significance of Sunday morning

S

he hears, upon that water without a sound, a voice that cries, ‘The tomb in Palestine is not the porch of spirits lingering. It is the grave of Jesus where He lay…’”

Somber words. One should say, inappropriate words for Easter Sunday.

They come from the American poet Wallace Stevens, and they are an excerpt from his poem “Sunday Morning.” The poem is about a loss and lack of faith in the meaning of not only Easter but every Sunday since then, for Sunday is enshrined with significance – not because it is a casual day of leisure but because it is the day when Christ rose from the dead.

In Wallace Stevens’ poem, faith in what the event of Christ’s resurrection accomplished in history has been lost. The modern mind is content with the distractions of the news of the day, willing to accept that the frame of reference for life’s meaning is limited to the cycles of nature, and is consoled by the promises of middle-class prosperity. Sunday is a day to sleep in or, if rising early, to quietly sip one’s coffee and enjoy a pastry or two.

One can expect nothing more. Blessed are those, at least in the context of Stevens’ poem, who do not see – or even do see – and do not believe.

It is hard to get a sense of what Wallace Stevens is really up to in his poem. Is his purpose advocacy or critique? It does seem to me that the poem is the diagnosis of a peculiar modern malady.

This malady is the bracketing or refusal to acknowledge a supernatural reality. Experience is limited by a narrow sense of what is possible.

Nature or the material is all that there is and all that really matters. That which defies the limits of a natural or material explanation is dismissed as inconceivable or untrue.

Thus, Sunday is emptied of its supernatural significance. We cannot, the modern mind believes, gather each Sunday to worship a God who has acted in the world, a God who has acted to raise Christ from the dead – for who really believes that such a God is possible?

The “god” that is preferred by many is not an actor in human history. He absented Himself from that task when He set in motion time and space and has been silent and indifferent ever since.

This is what the elites of the modern world would have us believe. An act of faith in faithlessness is what is demanded from the denizens of a polite and sophisticated society. Therefore, the practices of a traditional Sunday, which has worship of a God who acts in human affairs and places Christ’s resurrection at the center of history, is recognized only as a quaint archaism. For the modern, not even God is credited as caring about such things as worship. And Jesus? It is reasoned that He came to abolish such reverence by driving a wedge between Himself and religion.

This is the faith of the Church’s cultured despisers.

Such faith is also the subject of Stevens’ poem. It is a faith that constricts what is possible, and therefore, when it hears the news of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, it cannot believe. It meets the proclamation of Easter with doubt – doubt that becomes skepticism, that becomes a scoff, and that rests finally in indifference, then permitting itself an exemption from Sunday as a practice of faith in a God who cares and who matters.

In terms of Stevens’ poem, it is in the narrowing

of this modern soul’s sense of what is possible, so that what remains of Jesus Christ is nothing more than a tomb rather than His resurrection.

The deconstruction of Christian faith continues to be one of the premier cultural products of our time. Here is the thing about such criticism: none of it is really new. The Christian is not in new, uncharted territory. We have been here before.

Faith in the resurrection of Christ has now, at this precise cultural moment, become what it was at the beginning of its proclamation on that first day of Easter. That Jesus Christ rose from the dead is not something that everyone just assumes to be true. Instead, such faith is a radical witness of otherness from society’s norms. It is a way of being and thinking that is unpopular and countercultural. We are walking the same ground that the Apostles trod centuries before.

The Christian insists that not only does God act in the world, but He acted in a distinct person, in a particular way and at a specific point in time.

God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and, in doing so, expanded forever our possibilities beyond the natural and the material – beyond what we thought was possible for God or for ourselves.

Authentic faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead resists making it a symbol or a metaphor.

The pagans and Jews of the first century A.D. would have been as comfortable with the Resurrection as a symbol and metaphor as modern culture would be. But the apostles insisted that it was not a symbol or a metaphor and that what they saw on that Sunday after Christ’s crucifixion was Him – and that they saw Him not only alive but transformed. Christ came to them in the flesh – in a flesh that had been changed, elevated, transformed. As a result of seeing Him in the flesh, they, too, were changed forever.

How could this be?

The only explanation was the one that was closest to their experience – that despite their earlier doubts, the Lord Jesus was actually who He claimed to be. It was all true and really happened.

He is the Christ. And if that identity is the source of the truth of Christ’s resurrection from dead, the limitations that constrain us to think that this world is all that there is are expanded into possibilities that do not permit us to rest in what is merely material.

If Christ is risen from the dead, we do not, when all is said and done, merely come to the grief of a grave, but are given something greater than what our narrow minds conceive to be possible. Death is not the end. We might think that it is, but God thinks otherwise, and God does more than just think otherwise. God shows us in Christ that death is not what we think it to be.

If Christ is raised, our faith is not in vain and this world is directed by a meaning and purpose that exceeds the power of death. Not only does Sunday morning have meaning, but every day has meaning – and every day has a purpose, too! This purpose is greater than what has come to be called natural, and it is all part of a design grander than anything of our own making.

Christ is risen. Indeed He is truly risen. Amen.

Alleluia!

FATHER STEVE GRUNOW is the CEO of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Read more online at www.wordonfire.org.

April 26, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Kelly Henson

Sacramental momentum: What comes after the certificate?

L

ast year when my son received the sacrament of confession for the first time, my husband and I heard other parents talking about their plans to “make it special” with a dinner out, dessert or a gift. My first thought was, “Of course!

We want this day to make a really big impression! I should be doing more to make it stand out.” And I do think we ended up celebrating with dessert and a small, handmade gift. But what surprised me was the follow-up my son requested to his big day. As we walked out of the church, he said, “So, when are we going to confession again? Next week?”

As parents, we put so much effort into checking off the boxes necessary for our children to receive the sacraments that it’s easy to lose sight of what’s really happening. The sacraments are not a rite of passage, cultural ritual or graduation.

They are the way God has arranged to infuse His very Life into ours. The sacraments give us the graces necessary to live the Christian life with greater courage, peace and union with the will of God. They open heaven for us. Isn’t that everything we want for our children?

For those sacraments truly to take hold in our children’s lives, parents have a unique ability and responsibility to cultivate the sacramental life of their children. Infinite graces are available with each sacrament, but we only receive those graces if we are open to them. As a former youth minister and a mother in our vibrant parish community, I have witnessed that the long-term effects of religious preparation for the sacraments pales in comparison to the effects of parental encouragement after the sacraments have been received, especially for reconciliation, first Holy Eucharist and confirmation.

Before my son’s first reconciliation, to be honest, my family went to confession when it was convenient – which is a gentle way of saying not frequently enough at all. Nap times, sports and activities and the general exhaustion of parenting four active children made every evening and weekend a challenge. But seeing the grace of confession anew through my son’s eyes helped recall us to our duty. We began going quarterly and then planning a monthly time to go in sync with the First Saturdays devotion. The spiritual fruits manifest in our family have only increased.

The sacrifices to make confession a priority are worth it (even when the devil tries to thwart our plans). Not only do we have the strength needed to return to the family determined and fortified to avoid our habitual faults, but we also know that the other members of our family are similarly disposed. It’s easier to forgive someone’s impatience when you know they are working on it. Some other ways to follow up on the sacrament of reconciliation are to take time for an examination of conscience

and Act of Contrition with your child each night before bed. While not equal to the sacrament of confession, this practice prepares our hearts for the sacrament and aids spiritual growth. My son and I also have sat down in prayer before God after a disagreement to apologize for our tempers and to ask God to help us find a solution.

Humility doesn’t undermine parental authority; a constant desire to improve reinforces what good leadership looks like.

Similarly, after my son’s first Holy Communion, his enthusiasm propelled us into new habits of love towards our Eucharistic Lord. He wants to sit further up front in Mass, so he can understand.

Now he’s learning to serve on the altar.

We try to make more frequent visits to the church for a quick prayer or to an Adoration chapel in our town. We’ve begun to talk about ways we can add more daily Masses into our schedule this summer.

My younger daughter has watched all this eagerly knowing her first Holy Communion is right around the corner. I taught her how to make a spiritual Communion, in the meantime, to prepare her heart for Christ.

Confirmation may seem like a “one and done” sacrament, but the more a teen is encouraged to lay claim to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the more he will learn to embrace the faith as his own. As a high school teacher and youth minister, I saw ambivalent teens transformed when they were called to witness to their faith. Perhaps, it was a family trip to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Maybe their family invited a neighbor to church one Sunday, or a classmate posed questions about the faith. When the parents were open to these opportunities to witness and supported their teen through any awkwardness or even persecution that resulted from them, the teens more readily accepted their role as soldiers of God and as ministers of truth and kindness to a broken world.

Magazines splatter promises across their covers for 10 steps to mindfulness, self-realization, meditation, relationship success or parenting prowess. But apart from God our Creator, these searches become narcissistic. Powered by our limited strength, we fall short of any photo-edited or Instagram-curated ideal.

However, the promises of God’s grace offered through the sacraments can transform our homes and families into loving communities where we live, work, pray, succeed, fail and try again – all fueled by the supernatural help of God. He desires to live among us, if we will only invite Him. KELLY HENSON is a Catholic writer and speaker who explores the art of integrating faith into daily life. She, her husband and their four children are parishioners of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Greensboro, and she has worked for more than 15 years with teens, children and families as a missionary, youth minister and teacher. She blogs at www.kellyjhenson.com.

Letter to the editor

Fresh thinking is needed In the April 12 edition of the Catholic News Herald, Rick Menze, chairman of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Review Board, states in his opinion “there is a lack of hierarchical discipline which must be corrected and institutional arrogance which must be eradicated throughout the Church before healing can truly occur.”

Perhaps two quotes will point us in the right direction in this regard: First, “People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Mt 9:16-17). And second, from Albert Einstein: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

BARBARA WITHEM lives in Lenoir.

Most-read stories on the web Through press time on April 25, 15,701 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 28,765 pages. The top 10 headlines in April so far have been: n Bishop Jugis names new vicar general/chancellor for Charlotte diocese............................ 1,962 n Take a ‘Seven Churches’ pilgrimage in Charlotte............................................................................624 n Bishop Jugis responds to statements from abuse survivors’ group.........................................537 n Bishop, Belmont Abbey apologize to victim as chancellor steps down....................................522 n A survivor speaks out and takes action: Rick Lober’s story.........................................................416 n View the current print edition of the Catholic News Herald........................................................ 386 n College seminarians visit Our Lady of Consolation Parish............................................................361 n After a career spent searching for facts and knowledge, it’s time for a new goal................ 298 n Record number of youth attend Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage April 6...........................................291 n Abuse prevention and response from the Church..........................................................................239

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catholicnewsherald.com | April 26, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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