July 19, 2019

July 19, 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

Diocese of Charlotte Foundation awards $46K to mission churches 7

‘Love, Naturally!’

NFP Awareness Week to be held July 21-27

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INDEX

Contact us.....................................4 Español....................................... 14-17 Events calendar............................4 Our Faith........................................2 Our Parishes............................ 3-9 Scripture readings.......................2 TV & Movies................................. 10 U.S. news.................................18-19 Viewpoints.............................22-23 World news............................ 20-21

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704-370-3333

Work, prayer, family, faith St. Joseph’s Farm cultivates homegrown Benedictine values

12-13

FUNDED BY THE PARISHIONERS OF THE DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE THANK YOU!

New mobile ultrasound unit vandalized in Charlotte 8

Escuela de matrimonios ilumina a parejas casadas 14

Summer construction, improvement projects heat up across the diocese 3

Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

St. Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits Feast day: July 31

“St. Ignatius of Loyola” by Peter Paul Rubens (1600s)

On July 31, the Universal Church marks the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Spanish saint is known for founding the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, as well as for creating the “Spiritual Exercises” often used today for retreats and individual discernment.

St. Ignatius was born Oct. 23, 1491, into a noble family in Guipuzcoa, Spain. He served as a page in the Spanish court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

He then became a soldier in the Spanish army and wounded his leg during the siege of Pamplona in 1521.

During his recuperation, he read “Lives of the Saints.” The experience led him to undergo a profound conversion, and he dedicated himself to the Catholic faith.

After making a general confession in a monastery in Montserrat, St. Ignatius proceeded to spend almost a year in solitude. He wrote his famous “Spiritual Exercises” and then made a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land, where he worked to convert Muslims.

St. Ignatius returned to complete his studies in Spain and then France, where he received his theology degree. While many held him in contempt because of his holy lifestyle, his wisdom and virtue attracted some followers, and the Society of Jesus was born.

The Society was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and it grew rapidly. St. Ignatius remained in Rome, where he governed the Society and became friends with St. Philip Neri.

St. Ignatius died peacefully on July 31, 1556. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.

The Jesuits remain numerous today, particularly in several hundred universities and colleges worldwide, and Pope Francis himself is a Jesuit.

On April 22, 2006, Pope Benedict

XVI presided over a Eucharistic concelebration for the Society of Jesus.

He addressed the fathers and brothers of the Society present at the Vatican Basilica, calling to mind the dedication and fidelity of their founder.

“St. Ignatius of Loyola was first and foremost a man of God who in his life put God, his greatest glory and his greatest service, first,” the Pope said. “He was a profoundly prayerful man for whom the daily celebration of the Eucharist was the heart and crowning point of his day.”

“Precisely because he was a man of God, St. Ignatius was a faithful servant of the Church,” Benedict continued, recalling the saint’s “special vow of obedience to the pope, which he himself describes as ‘our first and principal foundation.’”

Highlighting the need for “an intense spiritual and cultural training,” Pope Benedict called upon the Society of Jesus to follow in the footsteps of St. Ignatius and continue his work of service to the Church and obedience to the pope, so that its members “may faithfully meet the urgent needs of the Church today.”

— Catholic News Agency

More online At www.stpeterscatholic.org: Learn more about St. Peter Church in Charlotte, staffed by the Jesuits. The parish regularly offers resources about the “Spiritual Exercises” of the Jesuits’ founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and Ignatian spirituality in general, including group and individual prayer and retreat experiences.

At www.catholicexchange.com: Read more about St. Ignatius of Loyola’s radical conversion and his intense devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in “St. Ignatius of Loyola: Madman or Militant Monk?”

Daily Scripture readings JULY 21-27

Sunday: Genesis 18:1-10, Colossians 1:24-28, Luke 10:38-42; Monday (St. Mary Magdalene): Song of Songs 3:1-4, John 20:1-2, 11-18; Tuesday (St. Bridget): Exodus 14:21-15:1, Exodus 15:8-10, 12, 17, Matthew 12:46-50; Wednesday (St. Sharbel Makhluf): Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15, Matthew 13:1-9; Thursday (St. James): 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Matthew 20:20-28; Friday (Sts. Joachim and Anne): Exodus 20:1-17, Matthew 13:18-23; Saturday: Exodus 24:3-8, Matthew 13:24-30

JULY 28-AUG. 3

Sunday: Genesis 18:20-32, Colossians 2:12-14, Luke 11:113; Monday (St. Martha): Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34, John 11:19-27; Tuesday (St. Peter Chrysologus): Exodus 33:7-11, 34:5-9, 28, Matthew 13:36-43; Wednesday (St. Ignatius of Loyola): Exodus 34:29-35, Matthew 13:44-46; Thursday (St. Alphonsus Liguori): Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38, Matthew 13:47-53; Friday (St. Eusebius of Vercelli, St. Peter Julian Eymard): Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37, Matthew 13:5458; Saturday: Leviticus 25:1, 8-17, Matthew 14:1-12

AUG. 4-10

Sunday: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23, Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11, Luke 12:13-21; Monday (The Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major): Numbers 11:4-15, Matthew 14:13-21; Tuesday (The Transfiguration of the Lord): Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Peter 1:16-19, Luke 9:28-36; Wednesday (St. Sixtus II and Companions, St. Cajetan): Numbers 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29, 34-35, Matthew 15:21-28; Thursday (St. Dominic): Numbers 20:1-13, Matthew 16:13-23; Friday (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross): Deuteronomy 4:32-40, Matthew 16:24-28; Saturday (St. Lawrence): 2 Corinthians 9:6-10, John 12:24-26

Our parishes

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE PROPERTIES OFFICE

Construction projects are under way across the Diocese of Charlotte this summer. (Far left) St. Michael School in Gastonia is undergoing a major renovation to the school’s main entrance and administrative offices. (At top) The St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly is taking shape.

(Above) St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville is building a new parish hall.

Summer construction, improvement projects heat up across the diocese SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Construction and renovation projects around the Diocese of Charlotte really heat up during the summer months as the Carolina blue skies mean the diocesan Properties Office can accomplish a great amount of work in a short period of time. This summer is no exception.

The scope of work this summer includes projects for six churches, four schools, one Catholic Campus Ministry building, and the new St. Joseph College Seminary:

CHURCHES

n Queen of the Apostles Church, Belmont: A new church building is under construction behind the current building, to accommodate the parish’s rapid growth. The 13,430-square-foot building will offer seating for 750 people – more than double the capacity of the current church.

The projected completion date on the $4.15 million project is early 2020. n St. Michael Church, Gastonia: “Raise the Roof,” a parish-wide collection to replace the church’s leaky roof and repair extensive water damage to the building, exceeded its goal by nearly 70 percent, raising over $263,000 with 96 percent of registered families contributing to the cause. Work to replace the entire 24,500-square-foot roof and make other critical repairs will get under way July 22.

Weather permitting, the project will be completed in late August or early September. n Immaculate Conception Church, Forest City: Building envelope repairs continue around the 11,120-square-foot Gothic-style stone church to repair water damage. All of the stone is being removed from the façade to replace

rotten wood sheathing behind it. The work is expected to be completed this fall. n St. John the Evangelist Church, Waynesville: Renovation of the old church building into a Family Life Center got under way this month, with the building getting powerwashed, the roof getting repaired, and a new air conditioning unit and lighting coming soon. n St. Paul the Apostle Church, Greensboro: Work was recently completed on construction of a new 2,300-squarefoot rectory on the church property. n St. Philip the Apostle Church, Statesville: Construction on a new 7,143-square-foot Social Hall is expected to be completed this fall.

SCHOOLS

n St. Michael School, Gastonia: Renovations and security improvements totaling $1.6 million are underway at the 77-year-old school. Renovations include: Redesigning the existing library to create a new state-of-the-art STEM Lab and Maker Space; renovating the existing science lab to expand capabilities for hands-on learning and experimentation; finish renovating the current technology infrastructure; build a new special education classroom to expand the learning environment for special needs students; upgrade the elementary school restrooms; replace the roof; and install new rooftop HVAC equipment.

The project is expected to be finished this fall for the start of the 2019-’20 school year. n Asheville Catholic School, Asheville: Flooring throughout the school is being replaced, with the work expected to be completed next month. n Charlotte Catholic High School, Charlotte: Security improvements are being made, specifically relocating the receptionist desk to the front entry and installing new

doors to create a security vestibule. Projected completion is this fall. n St. Ann School, Charlotte: Security improvements are being made, including relocating the administrative offices to an area that originally housed the auditorium when the school was built in the 1950s. The 3,500-squarefoot renovation will consist of offices for the principal, administrator, receptionist and nurse. It will also include a conference room and learning support center. Projected completion is this fall.

CAMPUS MINISTRY n Catholic Campus Ministry at North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro: A 2,763-square-foot newly purchased house is being upfitted for the Campus Ministry program, which had to move recently after its original building was purchased by the university as part of its planned expansion. Work on the new location involves restoring the original wood floors, making general repairs and painting. The project is expected to be finished later this month.

COLLEGE SEMINARY n St. Joseph College Seminary, Mount Holly: Construction of the 26,635-square-foot college seminary continues near Belmont Abbey College. The two-story, Gothic-styled building will include a chapel, classroom, library, conference rooms, a kitchen and refectory (cafeteria), faculty offices, and a guest room for speakers and visiting priests. It will also include 40 dorm rooms or “cells” to house the growing number of college seminary students, which is expected to total 26 this fall. The $20 million project is expected to be completed in March 2020.

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events: FRIDAY, JULY 19 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Holy Cross Church, Kernersville

THURSDAY, JULY 25 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Jude Mission, Sapphire

JULY 31-AUG. 2 Convocation of Priests Charlotte

SUNDAY, AUG. 4 – 11 A.M. Pastor Installation of Father Noah Carter Holy Cross Church, Kernersville

TUESDAY, JULY 23 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation for St. John the Evangelist and St. Margaret churches St. Margaret of Scotland Church, Maggie Valley

SATURDAY, JULY 27 – 10 A.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Mary Mother of God Church, Sylva

THURSDAY, AUG. 1 – 4:30 P.M. Mass for Jubilee Celebration of Priesthood St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

SATURDAY, AUG. 10 – 11 A.M. Deacon Rite of Lector and Affirmation of Ordination Promises to the Bishop St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Diocesan calendar of events July 19, 2019

ESPAÑOL

Volume 28 • NUMBER 21

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

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

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

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

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

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

MORNING REFLECTION, ‘TOOLS OF PRAYER’: 8:45-11 a.m. Wednesday, July 24, in the Parish Center at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 708 St. Michael Lane, Gastonia. Father Joseph Koterski, S.J. will be presenting.

Mass will be celebrated at 8:15 a.m. Registration required

by Monday, July 22. For details and registration, contact Lissette Westover at 704-867-6212 or Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220.

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

Saturday, July 20, St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, 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 704-370-3230.

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

Thursday, July 25, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. St. Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer and grave diseases. The healing prayer service is offered for all those suffering with cancer or other diseases. For details, call the church office at 704-543-7677.

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS

SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org

PRO-LIFE ROSARY: 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, 901 North Main St. and Sunset Drive, High Point. Come and help pray for the end of abortion, and feel free to invite anyone who would be morally supportive of this very important cause. For details, email Jim Hoyng at Ajhoyng@hotmail. com or Paul Klosterman at Pauljklosterman@aol.com.

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.

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To register, call Mary Beth Young at 336-724-0561, ext.

227, or Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or email sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org.

MORNING REFLECTION, ‘TOOLS OF PRAYER’: 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday, July 20, in the Parish Life Center at Our Lady of Grace Church, 2203 West Market St., Greensboro.

Presented by Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski. Mass will be celebrated at 8 a.m. Registration requested by Wednesday, July 17. To register, call the parish office at 336-274-6520, or Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or email sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org.

HELPERS OF GOD’S PRECIOUS INFANTS PROCESSION FOR LIFE: 9 a.m. Mass, Saturday, July 20, St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte. Followed by 10 a.m., Procession for Life with Father Cory Catron leading us to A Preferred Women’s Health abortion facility at 3220 Latrobe Dr., Charlotte. After parking, please line up behind the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where everyone will all process together. We will stand in front of the abortion mill and Father Cory Catron will lead us in prayers, it will last about 30-35 minutes. There will be perpetual Eucharistic Adoration happening in the chapel while we are at the abortion mill, for those who cannot join us but who wish to spiritually unite with our intentions as we stand as a public witness for the sanctity of human life.

INTRODUCTION TO LATIN MASS: Noon, Sunday, July 21 in the Parish Hall at St. John Neumann Church, 8451 Idlewild Road, Charlotte. Resident and seminarian Matthew Dimock will provide an overview of the history and ritual of the “Mass that formed the Saints.”

Refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend.

For details, email tlm4saints@gmail.com.

MORNING REFLECTION, ‘THE EXAMEN PRAYER’: 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, July 23, in the Bishop Begley Parish Center at St. Leo the Great Church, 335 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem. Presented by Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski. Registration requested by Thursday, July 18.

VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS: First Fridays and First Saturdays, St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Join us each First Friday through First Saturday of the month in an overnight vigil to honor the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, to pray for our families, to offer penance for our sins, and to pray for the conversion of our nation. Sign up for Eucharistic Adoration at www.

ProlifeCharlotte.org/two-hearts.com. Sponsored by C-PLAN of Charlotte.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING ‘Protecting God’s Children’ workshops are intended to educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. For details, contact your parish office. To register and confirm workshop times, go to www.virtus. org. Upcoming workshops are: CHARLOTTE: 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, and 9 a.m.

Sunday, July 28, St. John Neumann Church, 8451 Idlewild Road GREENSBORO: 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS EDUCATIONAL EVENT, ‘READING THE BIBLE INTELLIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY’: 1-2 p.m. Sunday, July 21, in the Parish Hall at Sacred Heart Church, 150 Brian Berg Lane, Brevard and 7-8 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall at St. Francis Assisi Church, 328 Woodsway Lane, Lenoir.

Event will be presented by Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski.

Registration requested. For details, email ccdocsca@ charlottediocese.org or visit www.ccdoc.org/education.

Sponsored by Catholic Charities.

8TH ANNUAL POLISH DIOCESAN MASS IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA, POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II, ST. MARIA FAUSTINA KOWALSKA: 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Polish priest, Father Matt Nycz, will be celebrant and Deacon James Witulski will assist.

The Mass will be in Polish with the homily given in both

English and Polish. This Mass will fulfill your Sunday obligation. Confessions in Polish and English will be heard beginning at 1 p.m. A Polish choir will provide beautiful music and songs. After the Mass, the faithful will have the opportunity to venerate the first-class relics of the three apostles of Divine Mercy: St. John Paul II, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska and Blessed Father Sopocko. Light refreshments following Mass. Everyone, from any nationality, is invited to attend this very special and popular Mass. For details, contact Mary at 704-2906012.

EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP, ‘SENIOR FRAUD & SCAMS PREVENTION’: 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Aug. 7, in the fellowship hall at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro. Presented by A. Mercedes Restucha-Klem, Outreach & Policy Counsel for the N.C. Department of Justice-Public Protection Section.

Sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte.

For details and registration, contact Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org.

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

Wednesday, Aug. 28, Sacred Heart Church, 150 Brian Berg Lane, Brevard. This workshop is designed to explain Medicare: when to sign up, how to save money, what they need to do to enroll, what options are available and answer questions they may have regarding the program.

To register, call Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or email sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org by Monday, Aug. 26.

‘LIFE IN THE SPIRIT’ SEMINAR: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, Invocation Mass and 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 21-22, Seminar Proper at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem. Retreat Master will be Father Eric dela Pena. Must be 18 years or older to attend.

Early registration is required. For application forms, contact aimeeapena@gmail.com or glen.jenng@ymail. com.

YOUNG ADULTS BOOK CLUB FOR YOUNG WOMEN ‘THE CULTURE & THE FEMALE’: 7-9 p.m. Thursdays, July 25, Aug. 22, Sept. 26 and Oct. 17 in the Upstairs Conference Room Activity Center at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, Charlotte.

The book club will read the following four selections and discuss over tea and treats: ‘The Privilege of Being a Woman by Alice von Hildebrand,’ ‘The Other Side of Beauty by Leah Darrow,’ ‘The Anti-Mary Exposed

by Carrie Gress’ and ‘Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft.’

Read the book prior to the meeting. Books may be purchased new or used from your favorite retailer. If you have trouble finding a book or you are wondering which edition to purchase, email Mary Beth Richardson Worthington at Worthingtonmarybeth@gmail.com.

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

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Sister of Providence celebrates golden jubilee LEXINGTON — Sister Katherine Francis French is celebrating 50 years as a Sister of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., this year.

A native of Trenton, N.J., she entered the congregation on Sept. 15, 1969, from St. Raphael Parish in Trenton. She professed perpetual vows on Sept. 27, 1975.

Sister Katherine Francis graduated from Immaculata College for Women in Washington, D.C., with an associate’s degree in 1968, and from Saint Mary-of-theWoods College with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1971. She also earned a master’s degree in Religious Education from St. Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University in Rome, as well as her LPN from Vinal Regional Vocational Tech in Middletown, Conn.

Sister Katherine Francis lives in French Lexington, where she has ministered since 2006. She ministered as a Geriatric LPN at Alston Brook Health Care from 2006 to 2010, as well as a pastoral associate and director of faith formation at Our Lady of the Rosary Church from 2006 to 2017, during her time in Lexington. Currently, she ministers as a freelance adult faith formation educator in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Sister Katherine Francis has also ministered in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut and Indiana.

The Sisters of Providence, a congregation of nearly 300 women religious, with more than 200 Providence Associates, collaborate with others to create a more just and hope-filled world through prayer, education, service and advocacy.

The Sisters of Providence have their motherhouse at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, located just northwest of downtown Terre Haute, Ind., which is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin founded the Sisters of Providence at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in 1840. Today, Sisters of Providence minister in 17 states, the District of Columbia and Asia, through works of love, mercy and justice.

More information about the Sisters of Providence and their ministries may be found at www. sistersofprovidence.org.

— Jason Moon, Sisters of Providence

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey welcome new monk BELMONT — The Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey welcomed their newest monk July 11, on the feast of St. Benedict. Brother Leo Young made his first profession of monastic vows before Abbot Placid Solari and the community. His pastor, Father Brian Cook of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, attended the profession, as well as several priests of the Diocese of Charlotte. Brother Leo, formerly Sean Young, is the son of Thomas and Mary Beth Young. He is a 2013 graduate of Belmont Abbey College.

BOBBY SPEERS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

MIKE FITZGERALD | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Patriotic rosary

Vigil of the Two Hearts

HICKORY — Parishioners at St. Aloysius Church held their annual Patriotic Rosary on Tuesday, June 25. Joan Moran, a parishioner of St. Aloysius, has promoted this prayerful event for years. Deacon Bill Schreiber led the opening and closing prayers. The Knights of Columbus, who attend every year, were dressed in full regalia and processed into the church with the American flag. Those in attendance prayed for the conversion of our country, the leadership of our nation, every state, and every soul in every state. James Maxson (not pictured) led the choir. This year, the Knights of Columbus donated Patriotic Rosaries made by parishioners for everyone who attended.

CHARLOTTE — More than 50 people attended the Vigil of the Two Hearts devotion at St. Patrick Cathedral July 5 to pray for the nation, families and an end to abortion. Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, offered the First Friday evening Mass and encouraged the faithful to continue offering prayer and reparation as these are the means necessary to convert the culture. Afterwards, Deacon Carlos Medina led a Holy Hour of Reparation. The Vigil is organized most First Fridays and Saturdays at St. Patrick Cathedral to offer penance for sins, pray for families and for the nation’s conversion. It begins with 8 p.m. First Friday Mass followed by Nocturnal Adoration and concluding with 8 a.m. First Saturday Mass. For more information, go online to www.prolifecharlotte.org/two-hearts.

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 OUR PARISHES

Deacon assigned to High Point HIGH POINT — Deacon John Armando Clarke has been assigned as a permanent deacon to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish effective June 24.

Deacon Clarke, his wife Dawn and their six children have moved to Archdale from Hollywood, Fla., to expand the family boat building business to the Carolinas.

Deacon Clarke was born Aug. 15, 1977, in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. As a child, his family moved to North Miami Beach, where they attended Holy Family Parish and where he graduated from Chaminade-Madonna High School. During high school and upon Clarke graduation he worked in the family boat building business. He and his wife Dawn were married on Nov. 25, 1995, at Nativity Church, her family parish in Hollywood. Early in their marriage Deacon Clarke returned to Chaminade-Madonna High School as its wresting coach and eventually left the family business to become a police officer in the SWAT and K-9 units.

In 2006 Deacon Clarke attended a retreat at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center. Soon after he became a volunteer and promoter for the retreat house. He was so involved that he became a Passionist Associate and gave retreat talks.

On Dec. 6, 2014, he was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Miami by Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski.

After ordination, Deacon John was assigned to St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., where he was involved in youth ministry and served as an advocate with the tribunal. In addition, he was assigned to the archdiocesan Respect Life Office, where he participated in the March for Life in Washington, D.C., was the main speaker for Youth Chastity Day, and counseled abortionminded fathers.

Deacon Clarke, who speaks fluent Spanish, said he looks forward to working with the pastor, deacons and parishioners at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

— Deacon John Martino

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

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

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RICHARD WHITE

Pictured are (from left) Regina White, SPRED catechist from St. Matthew Parish; Father Peter Ascik of St. Matthew Parish; and Marie-Claire Miot, a member of St. Matthew’s SPRED program.

Diocese welcomes people with special needs

PHOTO PROVIDED

Jake Nasta and Albert Smeraldo received the sacrament of confirmation May 18 at St. Matthew Church after completing faith formation instruction through the parish’s Special Religious Development Program, known as SPRED.

St. Matthew SPRED participants confirmed JAN CLEMENS SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CHARLOTTE — “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”

With these words from the rite of confirmation, Father Peter Ascik administered the sacrament of confirmation May 18 to two young men in the Special Religious Development Program, known as SPRED, at St. Matthew Church.

Jake Nasta, 15, chose St. Rocco, the patron saint for those with contagious diseases, as his patron. He shares the name with his father. Albert Smeraldo, 19, chose St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland credited with bringing Christianity to that country in the fifth century.

These young men were prepared by the SPRED Confirmation Team to receive the sacrament and to enter a stronger relationship with Christ and His Church.

They were made aware of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit which must be cultivated and which inspire us to positive action in our everyday lives. The nurturing of these gifts take place in an atmosphere of acceptance and friendship – which is the basis of the Special Religious Development Program.

A week later, on the sixth Sunday of Easter, Father Ascik noted in his homily another remarkable community called L’Arche, which was begun by Jean Vanier, an accomplished academic from a FrenchCanadian family. Father Ascik described Vanier as someone who sought something more spiritual in his life after visiting institutions in France for people with developmental disabilities and intellectual challenges. He recognized that they needed something all people need: friendship.

“The thing about friendship is that it always implies some kind of equality, some kind of mutual giving and receiving,”

Father Ascik said.

In recognizing this, Vanier established the residential L’Arche communities, where those with and without intellectual challenges live together in friendship.

As in the L’Arche Program, the basis of SPRED is friendship. SPRED catechists are recruited and develop their own spiritual community. They bring this love of God and friendship with each other into sessions with small groups of persons, aged 6 through adulthood, with developmental/intellectual challenges.

These groups grow into faith communities where sacraments are celebrated and friendships bloom.

Many of the SPRED catechists and special friends at St. Matthew Church have been part of the SPRED Program since its beginning – a testimonial to the enduring power of friendship and the movement of the Holy Spirit. The Charlotte parish has been very supportive of this program, welcoming people with developmental/ intellectual disabilities into the community to walk together on the journey to understand God’s love for us and our participation in that love.

The Special Religious Development Program, established more than 50 years ago in the Archdiocese of Chicago, has been a part of the faith formation program at St. Matthew Church for 16 years. Besides St. Matthew Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Charlotte, St. Phillip Neri Parish in Fort Mill, S.C., and St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greensboro all use the SPRED Program.

Learn more Learn more about the Special Religious Development Program (SPRED), by contacting Jan Clemens, SPRED Coordinator St. Matthew Church, at 704-246-7102.

CHARLOTTE — “There is a difference between being tolerated and being welcomed.” These are the words of a parent at St. Matthew Church whose child with intellectual challenges is a participant in the Special Religious Development Program known as SPRED. SPRED offers those with developmental disabilities and intellectual challenges the opportunity to know of God’s Love and to become part of the liturgical life of the Church.

It is based on the fact that, because of our baptism, we are all members of the Body of Christ, and as such, deserve to be full members of the liturgical life of the parish family.

Chris Beal, director of faith formation for the Diocese of Charlotte, said, “By virtue of their baptism, persons with special needs are valued members of the Body of Christ. And as such, the Church seeks to support them in their growth and holiness.”

The diocese established a diocese-wide Special Needs Resource Group, staffed by volunteer catechists from several parishes, in 2016. Its mission is to provide parents and parishes with resources to enable them to meet the catechetical needs of all God’s children.

In collaboration with the diocese, the group developed on the diocese’s website, www. charlottediocese.org, a separate section for special needs resources, including a guide for parishes in using either a specialized faith formation program or an adapted version of their regular faith formation curriculum.

Upcoming events are promoted on this webpage (www.charlottediocese.org/ev/faithformation/special-needs-resources), including: n Eucharistic Congress: The 2019 Eucharistic Congress will feature a Special Needs Track for people of all ages with developmental disabilities/intellectual challenges to participate in the event in a safe and secure environment.

The track offers activities, catechesis and a period of Eucharistic Adoration.

Registration is now open on the Eucharistic Congress’ website, www.goeucharist.com.

The diocese also needs volunteers who have completed the requirements for working with children to help with the session. Volunteers may also register online. n Catechists’ workshop: On Saturday, Aug. 17, a workshop for catechists will be held at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte. This practical workshop, entitled “Strategies for Teachers to Include and Catechize Students with Intellectual Disabilities,” will be presented by Dr. Laura Campbell, director of Catholic teacher education at Belmont Abbey College.

The day will begin with Mass at 9 a.m., refreshments, followed by the workshop in the Ministry Center from 10 a.m. to noon.

Registration and more information is online.

— Jan Clemens

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

‘Love, Naturally!’

NFP Awareness Week to be held July 21-27 CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte will join the Church in dioceses across the U.S. in commemorating Natural Family Planning Awareness Week July 21-27.

“Love, Naturally! Natural Family Planning Cooperating with God’s Design for Married Love” is the theme of this year’s campaign. It is organized each

year by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to celebrate married love and promote awareness of Natural Family Planning methods.

Growing in popularity as a healthy, safe and moral alternative to artificial contraception, Natural Family Planning methods represent a unique form of fertility education.

The Church supports NFP methods because they respect God’s design for marriage and the gift of life. In fact, NFP represents the only authentic approach to family planning available to husbands and wives because these methods can be used to both attempt or avoid pregnancy.

These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. No drugs, devices or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.

Practicing NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child.

By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife, providing them with the tools to help them live in harmony with God’s divine plan for human sexuality, marriage, conjugal love and responsible parenthood.

Batrice Adcock, MSN, serves as the diocese’s Natural Family Planning program director. She notes many advances in technology are helping women track their fertility.

“Apple recently announced that it will be adding new menstrual tracking software to the health app with the upcoming iOS 13 and Watch OS 6 update,” Adcock says. “Similar to other cycle trackers, users will be able to record periods and track symptoms, such as spotting and cramps. FitBit and Garmin watches also introduced cycle tracking features within the last year.”

The Food and Drug Administration also approved a mobile fertility app, Natural Cycles, in 2017, as a medical device to prevent pregnancy. Natural Cycles uses its own basal body thermometer and algorithm to calculate when a woman is fertile or infertile.

“The rapid advancement of ‘fem-tech’ is proof that women are beginning to take their menstrual cycles seriously,” Adcock says.

She also points out that the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage teens and women to consider their menstrual cycles as a vital sign.

Research into women’s health is drastically improving, and many women are on the pill to treat non-reproductive health problems, she adds. But, as women learn how important ovulation is for their health and that their menstrual cycles are a reflection of their health, they are increasingly seeking alternative options to treat their underlying health problems.

‘Rather than ‘treating’ symptoms, such as acne or migraines by suppressing ovulation with the pill, women are looking to restore normal hormone balance and health,” Adcock says. “Even though this approach requires more education and discipline, women are willing to protect their future fertility.”

Adcock adds that it is critical teens get educated on the importance of their cycles for their overall health.

“Ovulation impacts bone growth and brain development, the cardiovascular system, and overall well-being. The answer to menstrual problems is not suppressing ovulation with the pill and its inherent risks of decreased bone density, depression and stroke,” she says.

“A healthy teen is encouraged to track her cycles as well-she has a monthly tool for assessing the impact her lifestyle choices have on her health. She grows immensely in self-awareness-coming to understand, with time, how her hormones impact her energy, emotions and behavior,” Adcock adds.

One way the diocese is educating teens focuses on a method of Natural Family Planning called FEMM, which comes with a free app. Several instructors around the diocese, English and Spanish speaking, offer instruction in FEMM and other NFP methods.

In the Charlotte diocese, two teenFEMM retreats have been offered with success in Charlotte and Boone.

Other retreats are being organized this fall.

“Mothers and their daughters (pre-teen and teen) are learning the ins and outs of the menstrual cycle, in the context of Church teaching on feminine dignity,” Adcock explains.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. USCCB contributed.

Learn more At Catholic Charities’ website, www.ccdoc. org/nfp, get information in English and Spanish about NFP under the Services/Family Enrichment tab. Included are a schedule of free, one-day NFP courses around the diocese; video testimonies from couples, a physician and a diocesan priest about the many benefits of NFP; a list of NFP supportive physicians in North Carolina; plus detailed information about the various NFP methods and other basics.

For questions, contact Batrice Adcock, MSN, Natural Family Planning program director, at 704-370-3230 or bnadcock@ charlottediocese.org.

OUR PARISHESI

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Diocese of Charlotte Foundation awards $46K to mission churches SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

CHARLOTTE — Seven mission churches in the Diocese of Charlotte will receive grant awards from the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation in 2019. The annual awards are given out based on need and the impact the funds are expected to have on their local communities.

This year $46,575 will be awarded. The grants range from $3,165 to $5,000.

One of the award recipients is Immaculate Conception Mission in Canton.

Two programs at the mission will receive grant awards: minority teen scholarships and an evangelization initiative. Each program will receive a $5,000 award.

The money provided through the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation will enable the Canton mission to continue developing its youth ministry and outreach efforts – funding a bilingual youth evangelization director, Jessica Martin, and providing scholarships to needy students to attend pilgrimages and retreats such as Duc In Altum.

Martin, 21, has already made an impact with organizing popular youth events at the church on Wednesday nights that culminate with Eucharistic Adoration and Mass. Her personal outreach to youth in the community has already made a difference, noted Father Richard Sutter, parochial administrator.

“She is the bridge between middle school and high school, and she is the primary

leader for coordinating the college age ministry,” he said. “She’s extremely gifted and talented in her organizational skills for her age, and she’s extremely thoughtful.”

One youth group participant agreed, saying, “She does so much. She keeps us all on track.”

Other missions in the diocese receiving grant awards include: Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission in Hayesville, $5,000 for the St. Vincent de Paul Society; Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Winston-Salem, $3,410 for roof repairs and $5,000 for interior painting of the church; Our Lady of the Mountains Mission in Highlands, $5,000 for interior painting of the church; St. Bernadette Mission in Linville, $3,165 for the Ave Maria Food Pantry; St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta, $5,000 for faith formation support; and St. Jude Mission in Sapphire, $5,000 for the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center and $5,000 for the Circle of Hope Program.

Since 2001, the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation has awarded 359 grants totaling $939,560.

“Each of those grants has allowed a parish, school or agency to more effectively serve people,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “These dollars have had an impact.”

These grants are distributed from one of the foundation’s 260-plus endowments.

For more information about these grants, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@charlottediocese.org.

Confirmed in the Spirit

PHOTOS BY GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

TRYON — Eight young people received the sacrament of confirmation from Bishop Peter Jugis June 27 at St. John the Baptist Church. Pictured is Ruth Ramirez-Camacho being confirmed by the bishop as Father Jason Christian, pastor, looks on.

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 OUR PARISHES

A new Charlotte organization brings transitional homeless ‘home again’ $20,000. Coach LaMonte Odums from WBTV’s ‘Morning Break’ emceed the event. Ever since, he has become a big supporter of Home Again Foundation. The Monday following the event, MINT HILL — The affordable housing crisis Coach LaMonte spoke on his show about rages on in Charlotte as local churches host having the honor of emceeing our first bash a variety of discussions and partner with and the vision of our organization.”

Mecklenburg organizations such as Moore The donated land is cleared and ready for House, Room in the Inn, and Urban Ministries the first tiny cottage project to commence. to combat income disparities. Currently, The property will serve as the first prototype according to city reports, 34,000 families are cottage village. Donors will be welcome to priced out of affordable housing and are view the vision as well as the integrity of the forced to find sustainable shelter some way structure. The idea is that residents will have a or another, or not at all. Even though Urban place to call home with the comfort of having Ministries reports 1,476 homeless people in the security they need.

Mecklenburg County, this does not account for The group also intends to build tiny cottages those living with relatives or friends, in hotels, into a community setting when land allows. At these sites they hope to include community services that will help formerly homeless people get back on their feet, such as financial counseling and help from a case manager to guide them. Eventually, they will implement on-site training, daycare, medical assistance, a local grocery store, a community garden, and more.

The first candidate chosen is a familiar face at St. Luke. She was once a Room in the Inn guest. Now, she calls St. PHOTO PROVIDED Luke her home church Pictured from left are Rachel Cody, Rick Gilbert, Jim Strauss and Julie Gorlesky and will enter the RCIA standing on donated land. The group runs a new organization called “Home Again program this fall.

Foundation” to help local homeless and low-income populations receive affordable Gorlesky explains, housing.

“When we first met, she had been homeless for 18 months. Now, she is currently in a living or in temporary unsustainable housing. situation where 90 percent of her income goes A year ago, after 23 years of running Room towards rent. She did successfully transition in the Inn at St. Luke, Rick Gilbert decided to from being homeless to an apartment, but it is do more. not sustainable. In my opinion, the transition “For the last 15 years I wanted to do more for from being homeless to not being homeless the homeless. By more, I mean, I want to try to was even harder for her.” get the homeless into a home rather than have He continues, “One of the goals of Home them go back on the street after a night. I came Again Foundation’s model is to make up with this idea years ago, but just never did sure residents are not only physically anything with it. While discussing the idea but emotionally ready to have a home. one night at a Hornets game with Jim Strauss Transitioning into a home is difficult because (a fellow parishioner), he said to me, ‘Rick, just it takes time to remember what it’s like to be do it. I will help you.’” yourself again. Where other organizations Soon afterwards, Gilbert and Strauss stood are offering affordable housing, some don’t outside St. Luke Church with a small foam consider what is going to make the person model village of two tiny cottages, a basket for successful longevity wise. We hope the donations and hundreds of brochures with big residents who are ‘Home Again’ will change the letters reading “Home Again Foundation.” After current perception of those who are homeless, Mass, Gilbert explained his new adventure: The at the risk of becoming homeless or are low St. Luke ministry leader was creating a new organization called “Home Again Foundation” to income. We look forward to having so many great success stories that people are going to help local homeless and low-income populations look at the homeless population differently.” receive affordable housing.

According to Strauss, their strategic plans St. Luke parishioners responded generously, for this year and 2020 includes establishing and today the dream of Home Again partnerships and launching a building Foundation has turned into a reality with campaign. The cost of each cottage will board members and a fan club to match. range from $35,000 to $70,000 to complete.

Although Home Again Foundation is a Gilbert hopes to eventually have several large non-denominational effort, St. Luke members communities each housing 200 to 440 people.

Rachel Cody (Gilbert’s daughter), Julie Land donations and financial backing as well Gorlesky and Jim Strauss quickly came on board, creating by-laws, a marketing plan, and a as a slew of volunteers are a must. vision. This year, Home Again Foundation has had its first land donation and is in the process of raising enough funds to start building.

Gorlesky explains, “There was a March Support the Home Again Foundation or get 23 gala which was amazing. We titled it, more information about their efforts online at ‘Home Again’s First Annual Bash.’ It was www.homeagainclt.org or email Rick Gilbert at a celebration to get things rolling. We had rickgilbert24@aol.com. well over 100 attendees and raised over LISA GERACI CORRESPONDENT

Learn more

PHOTO PROVIDED

A new mobile ultrasound unit had just been put into service outside the future Planned Parenthood facility in Charlotte last week, when it was vandalized.

New mobile ultrasound unit vandalized in Charlotte PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE EDITOR

CHARLOTTE — A new mobile ultrasound unit was vandalized July 11 as it was parked near Planned Parenthood’s new location in Charlotte.

The mobile ultrasound unit, operated by the Human Coalition and its Women’s Clinic of Charlotte, was parked overnight outside the Women’s Clinic, just a few blocks away from Planned Parenthood’s new abortion facility in uptown Charlotte.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic is moving its Charlotte Health Center from Albemarle Road to 700 South Torrence St., located in the historically black Cherry neighborhood. The 10,626-square-foot building will double the space Planned Parenthood has for its reproductive health services and education programs.

The converted Sprinter van was specifically designed to be smaller than the standard mobile ultrasound units so that it could safely park and offer services along the narrow streets of the historic Cherry neighborhood where Planned Parenthood plans to open this month.

The mobile ultrasound unit is part of the Women’s Clinic of Charlotte’s range of free services to pregnant women in need. It is staffed with medical teams that provide free pregnancy tests and pregnancy ultrasounds.

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

Sometime throughout the night of July 11, the words “PRC lies to women” were sprayed in red on the side of the vehicle.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police were notified, but no arrests have been made as of July 14.

A representative from the Human Coalition said the damage to the van can be repaired, but they encourage people to support the prayerful presence of pro-life advocates outside the new Planned Parenthood facility.

“We extend prayer to the individual

or group that vandalized our mobile unit,” Erin Forsythe, director of strategic partnerships for the Women’s Clinic, said in a July 14 statement. “We pray for and work toward the day when women and children are no longer targeted and dehumanized by Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry in Charlotte.”

The new mobile ultrasound unit is one of many efforts by local prolife advocates to counter Planned Parenthood’s expansion in Charlotte.

Before Planned Parenthood has even opened the new location, grassroots organizations and churches have held multiple prayer vigils and rallies just outside the tall iron fence encircling the building.

Their goal: to pray for an end to Planned Parenthood and to peacefully protest the growing problem of abortion in Charlotte.

Planned Parenthood has filed an abortion clinic application with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, but the application has not yet been approved, state DHHS officials said July 10.

Planned Parenthood will be the fourth abortion facility in Charlotte, where more abortions are performed than in any other city in North Carolina.

Charlotte’s centralized location, easy access and proximity to the South Carolina border make it the busiest city in the state for abortions.

According to the latest data available from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 36 percent of the total 27,183 abortions performed in North Carolina in 2017 were done in Charlotte.

Mecklenburg County reported 9,912 abortions in 2017 – more than any other county in North Carolina.

Charlotte already has three abortion facilities: Family Reproductive Health on Hebron Street, Carolina Women’s Clinic on Wendover Road, and A Preferred Women’s Health Center on Latrobe Drive.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic has nine North Carolina locations.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic bills itself as “one of the region’s largest Planned Parenthood affiliates,” with 14 locations spanning North and South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

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Boone Knights of Columbus Council Matt Bagley recently installed 14 new officers for St. Francis of Assisi Council 16839. Assisting him were Mike Parichuk, Boone Grand Knight, and Father Camilo X. Salas-Bowen, chaplain of the St. Francis Council.

— Patrick Hession, correspondent

Americas Court Charlotte 1199 needs you! CDA is a national Catholic organization dedicated to prayer, good works and the helping of others less fortunate. Make new and dear friends and have fun while enriching your life and others.

Regular meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month. For more information, contact Jennifer Adi-Darko at jendarko.jd@gmail.com or 704-588-6702.

In Brief

OUR PARISHESI

Knights drive, raise funds STATESVILLE — St. James Council 7152 of the Knights of Columbus in Statesville recently drove patron shuttles at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the May NASCAR races. They drove 325 hours over 5 days and raised just under $3,000.

Scholarship awarded CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Parish presented the 10th annual Jordan Michael Horeth scholarship June 3 to Gray Fandel, who will be attending Appalachian State University.

Fandel was recognized for “consistently demonstrating an excitement and commitment to learning, as well as genuine care and concern for others,” and someone who “has a true heart for serving others and for attempting to lead people to Christ.” The award was presented

by Jordan’s family, Mike and Karen Horeth, Madison Gregory and Father Peter Pham. To make a donation in memory of Jordan and benefit a rising college student, call the parish office at 704-536-6520.

Charlotte area women invited to learn more about Catholic Daughters

— Tony Ferguson

— Amber Mellon, correspondent

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Daughters of the

Catholic Charities Transition Out of Poverty (TOP) program in Asheville, Charlotte, and Winston-Salem provides food assistance by appointment. Participants help choose their food items – because providing food and assistance with dignity is what we believe in.

Please donate to your local food pantry to help your neighbors in need, particularly during these summer months when children are out of school and need more food aid.

Volunteers are also needed in all three offices to assist with the TOP program.

Give online or call today to schedule a drop-off.

Asheville: 828-255-0146 - Charlotte: 704-370-3232 Winston-Salem: 336-727-0705 Visit our website for information about volunteer opportunities and sign up.

ccdoc.org

ANDREWS — Officers for Knights of Columbus Council 14087 were recently installed at Holy Redeemer Church. Father George Byers, pastor, is pictured with the new officers and their families.

— Phil Roche, correspondent

Award given to Boone Girl Scouts BOONE — Six girls associated with St. Elizabeth Parish were recently awarded the Mary, the First Disciple Award. Mary, the First Disciple is offered by the National Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls is written for young Catholics, grades 7-10, to enable them to “proclaim the greatness of the Lord.” This is accomplished by actively involving the participants in an understanding of Mary as a model of openness and spirituality for the Church. Award winners pictured are: Ann Mellon, Hannah Copenhaver, Adena Bango and Theresa Copenhaver. Not pictured are: Carly Watson and Leilani Kathe.

Andrews Knights installed

Let’s keep talking.

Knights officers installed JEFFERSON — Past Grand Knight of the

Mix 10

catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest movie reviews: catholicnewsherald.com

On TV n Friday, July 19, 5:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Coming to Christ with His Saints.” Susan Conroy concludes her mini-series by focusing on specific saints and how their examples lead to true happiness for the soul.

In theaters

n Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Charbel.” Charbel gives biography of the life of St. Sharbel Makhluf, a Maronite monk and miracle worker. It is an inspiration for all to embark on a journey of sharing, peace, humility and self-giving. n Saturday, July 27, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Ignatius of Loyola: Soldier, Sinner and Saint.”

Discover how the founder of the Jesuit order and “Saint of Second Chances” went from a self-obsessed sinner to loyal soldier of Christ. n Monday, July 29, 5:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “They Might be Saints: Bishop Frederic Baraga.” A documentary of “The Snow Shoe Priest,” his heroic mission across Michigan, and his cause for sainthood.

‘Crawl’ Gory horror flick, set in Florida, traps a semi-estranged father (Barry Pepper) and daughter (Kaya Scodelario) in a basement crawl space that’s rapidly being flooded by a hurricane and pits them against a host of man-eating alligators. Those not put off by watching the main characters be gnawed on and the extras devoured will discern the glimmers of a familysolidarity theme faintly gleaming through the murky waters of director Alexandre Aja’s deliberately claustrophobic chiller.

But the desperate proceedings will strike most as more torturous than entertaining.

Much explicit bloody violence, numerous gruesome sights, occasional rough language, some crude terms.

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

‘Stuber’ Unable to drive after outpatient eye surgery, an aggressively macho police detective (Dave Bautista) is forced to call an Uber when he suddenly gets a lead on the whereabouts of the drug dealer (Iko Uwais) he’s been obsessively pursuing ever since the pusher killed his partner.

The timid driver who responds (Kumail Nanjiani) finds himself unwillingly drawn into the chase and into some perilous crimefighting. Director Michael Dowse’s irritating odd-couple buddy movie does highlight the good influence the parttime chauffeur has on his passenger’s previously neglectful relationship with his grown daughter (Natalie Morales). But the occasional one-liners that work are far outnumbered, in Tripper Clancy’s script, by lazy, distasteful jokes. Considerable harsh violence with gore, torture, much sexual humor, including a sight gag involving a glimpse of full male nudity, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, a couple of milder oaths, pervasive rough and crude language.

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

Other movies: n ‘Annabelle Comes Home’: CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: R n ‘Midsommar’: CNS: O (morally offensive); MPAA: R

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.COTHOUGHTS.COM

Connie Evans, a lifelong educator and now parishioner of St. Therese Church in Mooresville, compiled a collection of 68 stories from her life as a teacher, wife, mother and grandmother, entitling her book “Collecting My Thoughts, A Legacy of Learning.”

Educator pens ‘Collecting my Thoughts’ to pass on values to future generations SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER

MOORESVILLE — It’s taken a decade to compile a lifetime of lessons learned, which author Connie Evans hopes will touch future generations. In her latest book, “Collecting My Thoughts, A Legacy of Learning,” Evans shares the wisdom she has gained over her 81 years.

“This collection of essays has taken 10 years to compile because they are personal, reflective and inspiring,” Evans says.

There are 68 stories in her compilation, complete with reflective questions and space for readers to write in their thoughts after pondering each section.

This wife, mother of three and grandmother of eight has devoted her life to her family, her Catholic faith, her community and to the field of education.

An English teacher originally from Minnesota, Evans has traveled to 42 countries during her lifetime and believes strongly in lifelong learning and volunteerism.

A parishioner of St. Therese Church, Evans feels it is important to pass on her stories, encourage dialogue and promote the Christian values which have shaped her life of service.

She volunteers at her parish and for the past 17 years with Habitat for Humanity. She serves at the Mooresville Soup Kitchen and has also volunteered at her grandchildren’s charter school.

“I have many stories I have been telling my children and grandchildren over the years and they kept saying I needed to write a book, that maybe some of my stories would trigger some

thoughts for other families,” Evans explains.

“That is what has happened. All the things I have been talking about in my teaching years and my volunteer years have come forward to touch other people and they can relate to what I have done,” she adds.

Evans says she is trying to “pass on our values because I am 81 and who knows how many times I can tell my stories again and again?”

She insists that the book is not about her, though, but about other families connecting with each other. She believes her book will give other families the chance to tell their stories.

Evans enjoys sharing her stories in person, speaking to a wide variety of local organizations and church groups over the years.

“With a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ theme, I present my 12 values in 30 minutes that are important to parents, teachers and business leaders,” Evans explains.

“Once you’re a teacher, you’re always a teacher. I’m not so much promoting my book, but I am promoting values. That is my attempt at the book. It’s promoting Christian values,” she says.

For more info At www.cothoughts. com: Order a copy of Connie Evan’s book, “Collecting My Thoughts, A Legacy of Learning,” or schedule Evans to speak at your church or organization.

Catholic Book Pick ‘Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul’ The Catholic Church has seen and weathered numerous crises in its two millennia, and always one or more of its priests and bishops stood up and rallied the faithful. Featuring homilies from St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Edmund Campion, St. John Paul II, and seven others, “Sermons in Times of Crisis” offers a great glimpse into how the truth of Christ has been brought to the world during turbulent times in history. With an introduction and thoughtful commentaries

by Father Paul D. Scalia, enter into the minds and thoughts of some of the bravest, most eloquent homilists the Church has produced and be inspired as you read the words of these heroic pastors.

At www.tanbooks.com: Order your copy of “Sermons in Times of Crisis.” Catholic News Herald readers enjoy 20 percent off their order – use the exclusive coupon code “CNH20.”

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM, NEW YORK

STAY WITH US, LORD

– LUKE 24:29

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U S,

LO R D –

LU 24:29

S TAY

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September 6 & 7, 2019 Charlotte Convention Center For information, to volunteer or K-12 track registration: www.goeucharist.com

I

Mark your calendar for the 15th Eucharistic Congress

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iiiJuly 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM TH

Jason Craig and his sons take a break from their work on St. Joseph’s Farm. The Craig family combines their Catholic faith and their farming under the motto “work, pray, rest,” echoing the Benedictine order’s motto “ora et labora” (“work and prayer”).

PHOTOS BY GIULIANA POLINARI RILEY

Work, prayer, family, faith St. Joseph’s Farm cultivates homegrown Benedictine values LISA GERACI CORRESPONDENT

COLUMBUS — Wide stretches of farmland and long rows of wooden fences are common in rural Polk County.

It’s easy to overlook one special farm out here, especially since there is no sign, no distinguishing landmark along the roadside.

But St. Joseph’s Farm is sacred ground to couple Jason and Katie Craig and their six children, and it is becoming a popular retreat spot for Catholic men and boys seeking to grow closer to Christ.

The Craigs work the soil of St. Joseph’s Farm in the Benedictine spirit while hosting retreats, homeschooling, praising the Lord and maintaining a Grade A micro dairy.

The 10-acre farm off Melvin Hill Road is a real working farm – vegetables, herbs, chickens, pigs and dairy cows are all cultivated here.

“And kids!” the Craigs’ daughter Margaret Mary chimes

in.

The Craig children run around the property climbing trees and playing on a swing while Jason picks string beans, describes the rotational grazing concept of the chicken coops, and shows the inner workings of the milking machine. The pigs are for the retreats, the vegetables, eggs and chickens for food, and the cows for dairy products.

Says Katie, “If you want to eat, somebody has to do the work.”

The Craigs homeschool their children and make an income through farming, retreats and writing. Jason smiles, “Yes, we are here to farm. I don’t think everybody should be farmers, but I think a lot more of us should, but not because it is a good way to make money.”

Jason and Katie were not raised Catholic, Jason explains as he hands over a baby kitten to his 3-year-old son Joseph.

“We are both converts. I was a Calvinist and my wife grew up atheist. We both became Christians in high school.

First Protestants, and then Catholics in our early 20s.

We were in RCIA and entered the Church together. We received four sacraments within two months – confession, confirmation, Holy Communion, and matrimony. It was a whirlwind of grace.”

Just as with their faith, they came to the farming life as adults.

“We did not grow up farming, “Jason says. “I do have a degree in horticulture and did work in landscape design for a while, but not farming. We’ve had farming mentors, but we had to figure out how to milk cows and kill pigs.

Neither one of us knew farming.”

They combine their faith and their farming under the motto “work, pray, rest” – echoing the Benedictine order’s motto “ora et labora” (“work and prayer”).

“We added ‘rest’ as a reminder in such a busy and hectic world that God made us to rest in Him,” Jason says.

The Craigs start each day with a prayer and a meal together, and then they milk the cows, do some schoolwork, rest, then pray and work some more.

During rest times, Margaret Mary says her favorite thing ST JOSEPH FARM, SEE PAGE 13

HE COVER

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

ST. JOSEPH FARM FROM PAGE 12

to do is to wander off into the woods. The younger boys play with the kittens.

Behind their house, Jason’s office features nine feet of neatly shelved books on Catholicism. There’s a rolling library ladder so “The Lives of the Saints” can be reached on the top shelf.

Going inside, Jason glances at the books as he explains, “The Rule of St. Benedict inspires a rhythm of work and prayer, and you can almost see them as one when cultivating the soil and cultivating the soul. St. Paul says to pray without ceasing, but we can’t just stay in the chapel all day, because we need food. That is part of being man. St. Isadore, Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Abraham, Noah were all farmers. Farming is the original vocation of all men. The Benedictines, when they say ‘work and pray,’ what they originally meant was ‘farm and pray’ because you need to eat. Culture grows from ‘the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands,’ like we hear at Mass. Even to say Mass, you need farmers. People have to grow grapes and people have to grow wheat.”

Jason, with a master’s degree from The Augustine Institute and Katie with a degree of her own, could easily go into other work and be “successful.”

But they traded the lifestyle valued by contemporary culture for a lifestyle centered around the traditional values of home.

“Farming has something to teach us within itself,” Jason says. “Part of the reason we are doing this farm is because American families are so detached from their homes. Homes are where we sleep and maybe eat but don’t serve a function in our economic life, which is what makes them truly functional.

The goal with our homestead is to functionalize the home. We made the home not only a place to be together, but to do together. The retreats and the farming, we do together. The homeschooling makes the home function as a schoolhouse. It is part of the philosophical approach of turning a house into a household. The household is a place where there is a whole bunch of things happening, including economics and education. Everyone has a moment at some point when they think, ‘I need simplicity, things have gotten loud and complicated,’ and we go back naturally to the soil from where we came from.”

Jason warns, “Farming is basic to human culture, but we are disconnecting from it and we don’t learn those needed lessons. It becomes hard even to grasp the meaning of some of the parables. What do seeds thrown on bad soil look like? Why does God have to prune us? One to two generations ago, we were all barely removed from the farm, if removed at all.

An overwhelming majority of man throughout time has had a connection with farming up until, really, us. We are kind of an experiment. What will we be like when we are not connected to farming and the earth, sealed off away from nature? There is going to be an effect when we have no understanding how these things work, because God created the natural world so as to communicate Himself to us. We are so disconnected from the land, and it is going to matter.”

The search for God through family, household and farming was initially what brought the Craigs into this Benedictine lifestyle. Jason’s concerns about masculine identity in contemporary society led him directly to agriculture.

He explains, “The primary reason I did this was because I was studying for my master’s and I was looking into what happened to families. Particularly men, why is there such a deficit of fruitful Catholic men? Part of it has to do with economics – men are not connected to the home by their work, but driven away from it.”

One of the Craigs’ missions through the farm is to raise up strong Catholic men, and not just their own boys. Through the Fraternus organization, the Craigs are able to share their apostolate with fellow Catholics. Local chapters include St. Ann in Charlotte, St. Michael in Gastonia, and St. Mark in Huntersville.

Jason describes, “As boys leave boyhood behind and become adolescents and eventually become men, they need to be instructed by men. If they don’t have a father, they need fatherly mentors. All boys need male mentors and fathers. There are so many boys without spiritually mature fathers.

A mother can give everything, but she can’t give masculinity, because she can’t give you something she doesn’t have. Fraternus exists because boys are leaving the faith, because they do not have a spiritually strong man in their life. It is getting worse and worse.”

During the weekend retreats at St. Joseph’s Farm, men and boys typically become bonded in an experience of prayer, work and brotherhood. Craig centers the retreat around harvesting a pig for food.

“It is particularly fruitful to recalibrate and gain a sense of silence, a sense of wonder, a sense of God,” he explains. “We are not sending people back to Charlotte to start a farm. But there is something that happens when you see a bullet go into a pig’s forehead. When you kill that pig, everything changes.

That adolescent wakes up and gets out of the funk he was in. Everything goes down to the nitty-gritty of life and it happens very quickly. It is shocking, but it is good to learn that life comes from death. When you hear ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,’ you are not supposed to think ‘Jesus is really cute as a little lamb,’ but about His sacrifice, about the Passion. To see an animal die to allow you to live, you don’t need to delight in it or even enjoy it, but in the end, you will gain an appreciation for it. Just like in Mass, there is a reality of sacrifice and thanksgiving in every meal.”

More online At www.stjosephsfarm.com: Learn more about retreats at St. Joseph’s Farm or Jason Craig’s book “Leaving Boyhood Behind.”

(Clockwise from top) Members of St. Mark Parish’s Fraternus group attend a retreat at St. Joseph’s Farm. Craig centers the retreats around harvesting a pig for food. Harry Craig hones his skills splitting wood. The Craig family: (from left) Harry holding Daniel, John, Katie holding Joseph, Margaret Mary, Peter, and Jason in the back. John Craig feeds the calf. Margaret Mary Craig picks tomatoes from the garden.

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 14

Ibis Centeno

San Ignacio de Loyola

S

an Ignacio es uno de esos grandes santos que no solamente intercede por nosotros y nos inspira, sino que nos da la esperanza de llegar a la santidad a la que hemos sido llamados.

Nació en 1491, uno de los 13 hijos de una familia de nobleza menor en el norte de España.

Cuando era joven, Iñigo (Ignacio) era muy vanidoso, estaba inflamado por los ideales de amor cortés y caballero del reino de España y soñaba con hacer grandes obras. Al quedar huérfano, quedó deslumbrado por las artes de las armas y llegó a ser un gran oficial del ejército, destacándose como un líder valiente. La gloria personal era su anhelo.

Pero, en 1521, Ignacio fue gravemente herido en una batalla con los franceses. Mientras se recuperaba, experimentó una conversión.

Leer la vida de Jesús y los santos le hizo feliz y despertó deseos de hacer grandes cosas. Se dio cuenta que esos sentimientos eran pistas sobre la dirección de Dios para él. Ignacio se convirtió en alguien que experimenta a Dios como comunicador. Dios habla y siempre está deseando tener una conexión constante con nosotros.

Con el paso de los años, la conversión de Iñigo creció unida al servicio y acompañamiento espiritual para los pobres. Llegó a ser experto en el arte de la dirección espiritual. Recolectó sus ideas, oraciones y sugerencias anotándolas en un libro que luego se convertiría en ‘Los Ejercicios Espirituales’, uno de los libros más influyentes sobre la vida espiritual que se haya escrito.

Se superó con educación en Latín, teología y otras materias necesarias para continuar su camino de peregrino en España y Francia. Con un pequeño grupo de amigos, Ignacio de Loyola recibió la bendición del Santo Padre y fundó la Compañía de Jesús. Ignacio concibió a los jesuitas como ‘Contemplativos en Acción’.

“Encontrar a Dios en todas las cosas”, “Hemos sido creados para alabar, hacer reverencia y servir a Dios, nuestro Señor” y “Todo por la mayor gloria de Dios (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam)” son algunos de los lemas más notables de San Ignacio.

San Ignacio pasó por muchas pruebas y dificultades, incluyendo la Inquisición española.

Fue expulsado por la orden franciscana de Tierra Santa, cuando él creía que había sido enviado por Dios.

Recordamos a San Ignacio durante su fiesta del 31 de julio. Llevó una vida común y corriente con todos los defectos humanos que podemos tener nosotros mismos pero, al dejarse llevar por el Espíritu de Dios, encontró la paz y el propósito que el Señor tenía para él, convirtiéndose en uno de los santos más conocidos y que fundó una de las órdenes religiosas más influyentes en la Iglesia Católica.

IBIS CENTENO es la coordinadora de la Pastoral Juvenil de la Diócesis de Charlotte.

Escuela de matrimonios ilumina a parejas casadas CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — A fines de julio concluirán las sesiones regulares del primer taller para parejas ‘Escuela de Matrimonios’ organizado por el Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Charlotte, una experiencia nueva en la que participan únicamente parejas casadas por la Iglesia.

“Es un taller”, afirmó Eduardo Bernal, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano que tiene a cargo la organización del evento. “No es un encuentro ni un retiro porque se les da a las parejas, al esposo y a la esposa, un libro de trabajo y ellos tienen que participar. Una parte es la que brindan los expositores y la otra es la que aportan los participantes de su propia experiencia de vida como casados”.

Las jornadas, según Bernal, “refuerzan y profundizan en lo CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD que significa el sacramento del Varias parejas de la Diócesis de Charlotte se benefician del primer taller ‘Escuela de Matrimonios’. Allí matrimonio, sus valores, lo que la comparten sus experiencias con otros matrimonios y profundizan sus conocimientos sobre el sacramento. El Iglesia dice sobre este sacramento, segundo taller se realizará en otoño. cómo fortalecer la relación de la pareja, cómo poder entregarse de una mejor manera el uno al otro, cómo crecer en virtudes, cómo otoño, pero en esta ocasión los facilitadores serán Gonzalo ser más consciente de que la pareja elegida es el camino hacia Pulgarín y Adriana Plata, un matrimonio que se congrega en Jesús y cómo, a través de nuestro caminar juntos, vamos a poder la Iglesia San Lucas, Mint Hill, y que colabora con la Pastoral llegar al reino de los cielos”. de Familia por varios años.

Respecto a la oferta del taller únicamente para parejas Pulgarín dijo estar contento de estar recibiendo la casadas, Bernal aclara que debe ser así debido a que se formación en la actual ‘Escuela de Matrimonios’ y espera “con conversa sobre la experiencia vivida, el rito, sus bases un poco de nerviosismo” extender esta función para llegar a fundamentadas en el Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento. más parejas casadas.

“También, al hablar del vínculo matrimonial, tocamos Su esposa, Adriana, asegura que el taller la ha ayudado a temas interesantes como la comunicación en la pareja, el ver ciertas áreas en las que debe mejorar para edificar bien su lenguaje del amor. La finalidad es que, al término de las matrimonio, que considera un proceso, “un trabajo de día a siete sesiones que estamos haciendo en casi dos meses, estas día”, que no está exento de problemas y preocupaciones. parejas compartan lo que han visto y experimentado con otras “Todo ser humano pasa por diferentes situaciones. El estar parejas, pero ya en sus vecindarios, en donde viven”, dijo el con Dios en nuestra vida, el que sea el centro del vínculo coordinador. matrimonial nos ayuda a superar las situaciones que se Así pues, al expandir el alcance y con ayuda de materiales presentan en la vida de pareja”, subraya. proporcionados por el Vicariato, buscan que los participantes Bernal afirmó que “el tener testimonio de parejas que sigan hablando de sus experiencias en esta vida sacramental, están todos los días tratando de vivir su santidad en una vida “de pareja, de familia y para que sean luz entre sus familiares, de oración, criando a los hijos de la mejor manera posible, amigos y otras parejas en su comunidad de fe”. dándoles valores cristianos”, fortalece y anima a otras parejas “De esta manera, estamos tratando de fortalecer la vida a seguir en el camino correcto. de la familia y resaltar lo importantísimo que es entender “Uno sabe ya que no está solo, sino que hay muchos que el sacramento del matrimonio en sí, de la pareja como también están haciendo lo suyo por tratar de ser luz dentro de verdaderamente es, como una relación entre un hombre y una sus comunidades y familias”. mujer, en un mundo como el de hoy”, añadió Bernal.

El coordinador se siente bendecido por lo que ha podido Al taller, las parejas asisten acompañadas de sus hijos, aprender en la tarea de facilitador de este taller, función que jóvenes y niños, a quienes -gracias a voluntarios- se les ofrece comparte con su esposa Brenda. paralelamente actividades propias para su edad.

“Yo soy una vocación tardía al matrimonio. Me casé a los 41.

Israel Rivas, miembro de la Pastoral Juvenil ‘Nueva Alianza’ A los 44 me convertí en papá. Para mí, escuchar testimonio de de la parroquia San John Neumann, dijo estar presente parejas que llevan 30 años de casados es como proyectarme al en apoyo del taller y tener a su cargo a los jóvenes que futuro y decir que, con la gracia de Dios, ahí estaremos en 20 acompañan a sus padres a las reuniones. años. Lo que estoy viviendo es nuevo y los participantes nos “Honestamente son pocos”, dijo, pero “siempre se están regalando muchos consejos, muy buenos, que nos van a mantienen activos pues cuando empiezan a vivir nuevas servir para enriquecer nuestras vidas”. experiencias se dan cuenta que hay una necesidad que ellos persiguen, sienten, se contagian de ella” y pueden “encontrar Más online a Jesucristo”.

En www.facebook.com/CNHEspanol: Vea un video sobre la Escuela de Matrimonios ANUNCIAN TALLER El próximo taller, anunció Bernal, se llevará a cabo en

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Ángela Sandoval, la hermana Ge’la, se ha presentado en importantes ciudades de todo el mundo. La cantante católica nacida en Michoacán, México, realizará una gira por Carolina del Norte del 25 de julio al 3 de agosto.

FOTO FACEBOOK HERMANA GELA

LA HERMANA GE’LA EN GIRA POR CAROLINA DEL NORTE

27 años cantándole al Señor CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE ­— En el marco de una gira nacional, la cantante católica Ángela Sandoval, más conocida como la hermana Ge’la, se presentará del 25 de julio al 3 de agosto en diversas parroquias de nuestro estado.

La carismática cantante se dió tiempo para conversar telefónicamente con Catholic News Herald durante una breve escala en su recorrido.

Sandoval señaló que está deseosa de arribar a Carolina del Norte para llevar su testimonio y el de otras personas que han sido impactadas por su mensaje. “Yo soy el gusanito que Dios envió para pescar a su pueblo. Es Él quien va a realizar la obra”, anotó.

CANTANDO AL SEÑOR

La hermana recuerda que ya son 27 años los que lleva cantándole a Dios. “Me inicié en un pequeño coro, en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Ontario, California”, y tras producir un cassette, cinta grabada que utilizada en aquellos años, empezó a realizar presentaciones en otras parroquias y escenarios a donde se le invitaba a mostrar su arte.

Su creciente presencia la llevó a Guatemala, donde conoció al Padre Juan Díaz Vilar, quien se convirtió en su guía espiritual cuando se encontraba “ya casi a punto de tirar la toalla”.

Es el Padre Díaz quien escuchó su situación personal y le consiguió una entrevista en una radio local. “La sintonía se desbordó, el teléfono parecía un arbolito de navidad por la cantidad de lucecitas que se encendían. Muchísimas llamadas de parejas necesitadas de consejo entraron inmediatamente y el Padre me dijo que no podía dejar mi labor, que había todavía muchísimo por hacer”, rememoró la cantante.

IMPORTANTE DISCOGRAFÍA

Su primer disco se tituló ‘Amanecer’ y en él mostró su vocación y carisma de alabanza. Después ha publicado otros dieciocho. En ‘No estoy sola’, ‘Tengo sed de ti’, ‘Toca mi alma Señor’ y ‘Margaritas amarillas’ se centró en la espiritualidad enfocada hacia la liberación y sanación interior.

Su producción ‘Margaritas amarillas’ recoge la vivencia personal de su relación con su padre, un hombre alcohólico que maltrataba a su madre, el miedo que sentía hacia él y finalmente el perdón y la sanación de su alma.

Su versatilidad en géneros musicales es impresionante. Ha publicado dos discos de música instrumental y muchos otros en los que aborda testimonios y temas referidos a la sociedad marginada y sufriente al estilo mariachi, regional mexicano y norteño.

En su disco ‘Cree y verás la Gloria de Dios’, relata el testimonio de Mateito Zabalza, un niño de solo tres años de edad y con cáncer en el cerebro. “Lo que para nosotros es imposible, para Dios no es imposible”, afirma Ge’la.

Y en lo más reciente, ‘La sangre de Cristo’, invade totalmente nuestro corazón de espiritualidad, gozo y paz.

La hermana Ge’la ha dado conciertos en Los Ángeles, San Francisco, Houston, Nueva York, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, Portland, Miami, Orlando, Búfalo, Puerto Rico e incontables ciudades en México. También ha mostrado su arte en Guatemala, Nicaragua, República Dominicana, Colombia, Perú, Israel, Italia, España, Canadá, El Salvador y Honduras.

Finalmente, tras invitarnos a escuchar su testimonio, pidió que sigamos firmes en nuestra fe. “Hermanos de Carolina del Norte, ánimo, continúen”, dijo, “la fe mueve montañas. Cree y verás la Gloria de Dios. Y no te olvides que Dios, aunque no lo veas, aunque no lo sientas por el dolor que estamos pasando, tú nunca estás solo o sola, Jesús va a tu lado”, subrayó.

Calendario de presentaciones Jueves 25 de julio, 7-9 p.m. Blessed Sacrament, 1620 Hanford Road, Graham, NC 27253 Viernes 26 de julio, 7-9 p.m. San Eugenio, 608 Lions Club Road, Wendell, NC 27591 Sábado 27 de julio, 7:30-10 p.m. St. Mary of the Angels, 3262 U.S. Hwy. 117 Byp., Mount Olive, NC 28365 Domingo 28 de julio, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Santa Elizabeth, 6199 Fayetteville Road, Raeford, NC 28376 Lunes 29 de julio, 7-9 p.m. Santa Ana, 4057 Hwy. 70 Business W., Clayton, NC 27520 Martes 30 de julio, 7:30-9:30 p.m. San Francisco de Asis, 167 St. Francis Pl., Jefferson, NC 28640 Miércoles 31 de julio, 6:30-9 p.m. Our Lady of Mercy, 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Jueves 1 de agosto, 7-9 p.m. San José, 108 Saint Joseph St., Kannapolis, NC 28083 Viernes 2 de agosto, 7-10 p.m. Ntra. Sra. de Lourdes, 725 Deese St., Monroe, NC 28112 Sábado 3 de agosto, 4:30-7 p.m. Santa María, 818 McGowan Road, Shelby, NC 28150

More online En www.bit.ly/30wW9OM: Vea un video de la cantante cristiana

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Semana de Concientización sobre Planificación Natural de la Familia del 21 al 27 de julio CHARLOTTE — “¡Ama naturalmente!, la planificación familiar natural en conjunto con el designio de Dios para el amor conyugal” es el tema central de la Semana de Concientización sobre Planificación Natural de la Familia (PNF) este año (21-27 de julio), una campaña educativa de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos para celebrar el designio de Dios para el amor conyugal, el don de la vida y crear conciencia sobre los métodos de planificación familiar natural.

Los métodos de planificación familiar natural, que crecen en popularidad como una alternativa saludable, segura y ética a la anticoncepción, representan una forma única de educación sobre la fertilidad.

La PNF representa el único enfoque auténtico de la planificación familiar disponible para esposos y esposas, ya que estos métodos pueden utilizarse para intentar o evitar el embarazo. Ellos se basan en la observación de los signos que ocurren naturalmente en las fases fértiles e infértiles del ciclo menstrual de una mujer. No se utilizan medicamentos, dispositivos o procedimientos quirúrgicos para evitar el embarazo.

La práctica de la PNF refleja la dignidad de la persona humana en el contexto del matrimonio y la vida familiar, promueve la apertura a la vida y reconoce el valor del niño.

Al respetar la naturaleza amorosa y vivificante del matrimonio, la PNF puede enriquecer el vínculo entre marido y mujer, proporcionándoles las herramientas para ayudarlos a vivir en armonía con el plan divino de Dios para la sexualidad humana, el matrimonio, el amor conyugal y la paternidad responsable. .

Batrice Adcock, directora de Planificación Familiar Natural de la diócesis, señala que muchos avances tecnológicos están ayudando a las mujeres a realizar un seguimiento de su fertilidad.

“Apple anunció recientemente que agregará un nuevo software de seguimiento menstrual a la aplicación Health con la próxima actualización de iOS 13 y Watch OS 6”. “Al igual que otros rastreadores de ciclo, las usuarias podrán registrar períodos y rastrear síntomas como sangrados y calambres. Los relojes FitBit y Garmin también introdujeron funciones de seguimiento de ciclo en el último año”.

La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA) aprobó una aplicación móvil de fertilidad, Natural Cycles, en 2017, como un dispositivo médico que previene el embarazo.

Natural Cycles utiliza su propio termómetro basal (temperatura del cuerpo después de dormir cinco horas) y algoritmos para determinar cuándo una mujer es fértil.

“El rápido avance de esta tecnología prueba que las mujeres están comenzando a tomar en serio sus ciclos menstruales”, afirma Adcock.

La salud de las mujeres está cambiando

dramáticamente y muchas mujeres toman la píldora por razones de salud, agrega. A medida que las mujeres aprenden qué tan importante es la ovulación y que sus ciclos menstruales

son un reflejo de su propia salud, están buscando alternativas para llegar a la raíz de sus problemas menstruales.

“En lugar de ‘tratar’ los síntomas como el acné o las migrañas al suprimir la ovulación con la píldora, las mujeres buscan restablecer su equilibrio hormonal y salud”, y “aunque este enfoque requiere más educación y disciplina, las mujeres están dispuestas a proteger su fertilidad futura”, afirma.

Adcock añade que es fundamental que las adolescentes reciban educación sobre la importancia de sus ciclos para su salud en general.

“La ovulación afecta el crecimiento óseo, el desarrollo cerebral, el sistema cardiovascular y el bienestar general. “La respuesta a los problemas menstruales es no suprimir la ovulación con la píldora y sus riesgos inherentes de disminución de la densidad ósea, depresión y accidente cerebrovascular”, expresó.

Una forma en que la diócesis educa a las adolescentes se centra en un método de planificación natural de la familia llamado FEMM, que viene con una aplicación gratuita. Varios instructores de la diócesis, que hablan inglés y español, ofrecen instrucción en FEMM y otros métodos de PNF. En la diócesis de Charlotte se han ofrecido dos retiros FEMM y otros se están organizando para este otoño.

— SueAnn Howell, reportera senior con el apoyo de material de USCCB.

Infórmese mejor En el website de Caridades Católicas, www.ccdoc.org/nfp, obtenga información en inglés y español sobre PNF bajo la pestaña Services/Family Enrichment. Se incluye un calendario de cursos gratuitos de un día sobre PNF; videos con testimonios de parejas, un médico y un sacerdote diocesano acerca de los muchos beneficios de la PNF; una lista de médicos que apoyan la PNF en Carolina del Norte; además de información detallada sobre los diversos métodos y conceptos básicos de PNF. Para preguntas, contacte a Batrice Adcock, directora del programa de Planificación Natural de la Familia de la Diócesis de Charlotte al 704-370-3230 o bnadcock@ charlottediocese.org.

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Celebraron a la Virgen del Rosario de Chiquinquirá CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

secar granos.

En 1586, María Ramos, una mujer del lugar, decidió reparar el viejo oratorio y el lienzo maltratado. El 26 de diciembre de 1586, una mujer indígena le mostró a María que la imagen se había restaurado con sus colores y brillos originales y los agujeros y rasguños de la tela habían desaparecido, empezando desde entonces la devoción.

San Juan XXIII, con la intención de pedir por la buena realización del Concilio Vaticano II, en 1960 ofrendó un ‘cirio de purificación’ para ser encendido frente a la imagen mariana.

CHARLOTTE — Con devoción y a templo lleno, cientos de fieles participaron en el homenaje a la Virgen de Chiquinquirá realizada el pasado domingo 14 de julio en la Iglesia San Gabriel de Charlotte.

Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá es una advocación venerada especialmente en Colombia, el Estado Zulia en Venezuela y la ciudad de Caraz en Perú.

En la celebración, efectuada durante la Misa en español, el oficiante invitado, Padre Fabio Marín, de nacionalidad colombiana y sacerdote de la parroquia Santiago el Grande en Concord, pidió que la Virgen, “como buena madre nos acompañe a caminar en presencia de nuestro Dios”.

El Padre Gabriel Carvajal, vicario parroquial de San Gabriel, concelebró el servicio eucarístico.

Durante su homilía, el P. Fabio dijo que “nuestra madre María siempre tiene algo que decirnos porque siempre está actuando a nuestro favor” y en esta fecha, a través de las lecturas, nos dice que, como ella lo hizo, es importante “escuchar y obedecer”, a la vez que “amar a Dios en la figura del prójimo”.

Refiriéndose a la parábola del buen samaritano, subrayó que nuestra madre María hace lo mismo que el samaritano: nos cuida y FOTO CORTESÍA: CARLOS ALMEIDA “da las monedas al posadero para que nosotros Un grupo de niños portó la imagen de la Virgen de Chiquinquirá. En sigamos en buen estado”, es decir, “sigue el lienzo, un rosario cuelga de las manos de María y del Niño Jesús. siempre intercediendo por nosotros”.

A la derecha está San Antonio de Padua y a la izquierda San Andrés, Por esta razón, señaló que “el verdadero apóstol, leyendo la Sagrada Escritura. devoto de la Virgen María nunca sufre necesidad” y pidió que “no nos cansemos de En 1986, San Juan Pablo II consagró Colombia amar a esta madre”, recomendando invocarla a la Virgen María, pidiendo que conceda “el don siempre, ya que ella “está para ayudarnos”. inestimable de la paz, la superación de todos los odios y rencores, la reconciliación de todos los TRADICIÓN CENTENARIA hermanos”.

A la devoción mariana se la denomina así por el municipio de Chiquinquirá, ubicado en el departamento de Boyacá, aproximadamente a FIESTA CULTURAL 70 millas al norte de Bogotá, ciudad capital de Al término de la Eucaristía, los presentes Colombia. Allí, donde tuvo lugar la primera de sus pudieron degustar algunas delicias de la culinaria manifestaciones milagrosas, se aloja el que se cree colombiana y disfrutar de bailes folklóricos del sea el lienzo original con la venerada imagen. país cafetero.

El pasado 9 de julio se celebró en todo el Pilar Castañeda, una de las organizadoras, dijo territorio colombiano la Fiesta de Nuestra Señora que cada año es muy “bonito tener con nosotros del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, proclamada Patrona a esta comunidad adorando a nuestra Virgen”. de Colombia por el Papa Pío VII, en 1829, quien Bogotana de nacimiento, lleva desde muy niña el le otorgó su propia fiesta litúrgica. Este año se cariño a la Virgen de Chiquinquirá que le inculcó cumplió el centenario de su coronación canónica su madre, una mujer muy devota de la advocación. luego que el Papa Pío X firmara el decreto.

“Recordar esas fechas me trae nostalgia pero a la En el Santuario de la Patrona de Colombia, vez alegría. Dar a conocer a la comunidad nuestra declarado Basílica en 1927 por el Papa Pío XI, se cultura y el significado de nuestra Virgen es un encuentra el lienzo con la imagen de Nuestra verdadero regalo para nosotros”.

Señora custodiado por la orden dominica.

Kenia Chong, feligresa de nacionalidad La tradición relata que hace cuatro siglos un ecuatoriana, dijo “estar feliz de poder celebrar la encomendero español solicitó al español Alonso de fiesta con nuestros hermanos colombianos”.

Narváez que pintara una imagen de la Virgen del Los organizadores agradecieron la colaboración Rosario, para colocarla en una pequeña capilla en de toda su comunidad, en especial de Manolo’s Chiquinquirá, donde permaneció hasta 1574.

Bakery, Café Ocio y el Ministerio Hispano de la Al ser abandonada la capilla, la imagen se parroquia San Miguel de Gastonia, que presentó a deterioró y fue utilizada, según se dice, hasta para su grupo de danza.

Santiago Apóstol Patrón de España y su caballería El nombre Santiago proviene de dos palabras: Sant y Iacob, porque el nombre en hebreo era Jacob.

Los españoles en sus batallas gritaban: “Sant Iacob, ayúdenos”.

Y de tanto repetir estas dos palabras, las unieron formando una sola: Santiago.

Santiago, uno de los 12 apóstoles

FOTO CORTESÍA MUSEO DEL PRADO, MADRID

El apóstol Santiago, óleo del pintor Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1655) del Señor, era hermano de San Juan Evangelista. Se le llamaba el Mayor, para distinguirlo del otro apóstol, Santiago el Menor, que era más joven que él.

Con sus padres, Zebedeo y Salomé, vivía en la ciudad de Betsaida, junto al Mar de Galilea, donde tenían una pequeña empresa de pesca. Con obreros a su servicio y una situación económica era bastante buena, podían ausentarse del trabajo por varias semanas, como lo hizo su hermano Juan cuando pasó una temporada en el Jordán escuchando a Juan el Bautista.

Santiago formó parte del grupo de los tres preferidos de Jesús, junto con su hermano Juan y con Simón Pedro. Después de presenciar la pesca milagrosa, al oír que Jesús les decía: “desde ahora serán pescadores de hombres”, dejó sus redes, su padre y empresa y se fue con Jesucristo a colaborar en su apostolado.

Presenció todos los grandes milagros de Cristo, y con Pedro

y Juan fueron los únicos que estuvieron presentes en la Transfiguración del Señor y en su Oración en el Huerto de Getsemaní. ¿Por qué lo prefería tanto Jesús? Quizás porque, como dice San Juan Crisóstomo, era el más atrevido y valiente para declararse amigo y seguidor del Redentor.

Cuenta el Evangelio que una vez, al pasar por un pueblo de Samaria, la gente no quiso proporcionarles ningún alimento y que Santiago y Juan le pidieron a Jesús que hiciera llover fuego del cielo y quemara a esos maleducados. Cristo tuvo que regañarlos por ese espíritu vengativo, y les recordó que Él no había venido a hacer daño a nadie sino a salvar al mayor número posible de personas. Santiago no era santo cuando se hizo discípulo del Señor. La santidad le iría llegando poquito a poco.

Después de la Ascensión de Jesús, Santiago el Mayor se distinguió como una de las principales figuras entre el grupo de los Apóstoles. Por eso cuando el rey Herodes Agripa se propuso acabar con los seguidores de Cristo, lo primero que hizo fue mandar cortarle la cabeza a Santiago y encarcelar a Pedro. Así el hijo de Zebedeo tuvo el honor de ser el primero de los apóstoles que derramó su sangre por proclamar a Jesús Resucitado.

Antiguas tradiciones del siglo VI aseguran que Santiago alcanzó a ir hasta España a evangelizar. Desde el siglo IX se cree que su cuerpo se encuentra en la Catedral de Compostela, santuario al que han ido miles y miles de peregrinos por siglos y siglos y han conseguido maravillosos favores del cielo.

El historiador Pérez de Urbel dice que lo que hay en Santiago de Compostela son unas reliquias, o sea restos del Apóstol, que fueron llevados allí desde Palestina.

Es patrono de España y en 1892 fue proclamado patrón del arma de caballería. Los españoles lo han invocado en momentos de grandes peligros y han sentido su poderosa protección. Ni la sustitución del caballo por el motor ha enfriado la devoción santiaguista y cada 25 de julio se sigue celebrando la fiesta del Santo y la caballería española.

— Condensado de ACIPRENSA

Lecturas Diarias JULIO 21-27

Domingo: Génesis 18:1-10, Colosenses 1:24-28, Lucas 10:3842; Lunes (Sta. María Magdalena): Cantar de los Cantares 3:1-4, Juan 20:1-2, 11-18; Martes (Sta. Brígida): Éxodo 14:2115:1, Éxodo 15:8-10, 12, 17, Mateo 12:46-50; Miércoles (San Sharbel Makhluf): Éxodo 16:1-5, 9-15, Mateo 13:1-9; Jueves (Santiago Apóstol): 2 Corintios 4:7-15, Mateo 20:20-28; Viernes (Santos Joaquín y Ana): Éxodo 20:1-17, Mateo 13:1823; Sábado: Éxodo 24:3-8, Mateo 13:24-30

JULIO 28-AGOSTO 3

Domingo: Génesis 18:20-32, Colosenses 2:12-14, Lucas 11:113; Lunes (Sta. Marta): Éxodo 32:15-24, 30-34, Juan 11:19-27; Martes (San Pedro Crisólogo): Éxodo 33:7-11, 34:5-9, 28, Mateo 13:36-43; Miércoles (San Ignacio de Loyola): Éxodo 34:29-35, Mateo 13:44-46; Jueves (San Alfonso Liguori): Éxodo 40:16-21, 34-38, Mateo 13:47-53; Viernes (San Eusebio de Vercelli, San Pedro Julián Eymard): Levítico 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37, Mateo 13:54-58; Sábado: Levítico 25:1, 8-17, Mateo 14:1-12

AGOSTO 4-10

Domingo: Eclesiastés 1:2, 2:21-23, Colosenses 3:1-5, 9-11, Lucas 12:13-21; Lunes (Dedicación de la Basílica Sta. María la Mayor): Números 11:4-15, Mateo 14:13-21; Martes (La Transfiguración del Señor): Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Pedro 1:1619, Lucas 9:28-36; Miércoles (San Sixto II y Compañeros, San Cayetano): Números 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29, 34-35, Mateo 15:21-28; Jueves (San Doménico): Números 20:113, Mateo 16:13-23; Viernes (Sat. Teresa Benedicta de la Cruz): Deuteronomio 4:32-40, Mateo 16:24-28; Sábado (San Lorenzo): 2 Corintias 9:6-10, Juan 12:24-26

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Pastoral de salud necesita voluntarios CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — La Pastoral de Salud del Vicariato de Charlotte hizo un llamado para convocar a las personas, hombres y mujeres, interesados/as en convertirse en promotores/as de salud al servicio de su comunidad.

Así lo dio a conocer Fravelin Cuesta, coordinadora de esa pastoral, en una conversación con Catholic News Herald.

Cuesta señaló que el propósito de la organización es “conectar a las personas de la comunidad, sean católicas o no, con los recursos de salud existentes” en la región, tales como clínicas comunitarias, servicios gratuitos o de bajo costo “que muchas veces son desconocidos por la población”.

Algunas personas, especialmente aquellas que no tienen estatus de permanencia legal, dijo, “creen que porque no tienen papeles no pueden recibir servicios de salud a su alcance”.

Lo cierto, aclaró, es que sí hay recursos y puertas que tocar para recibir servicios de salud de calidad.

Los interesados en convertirse en promotores de salud recibirán capacitación para realizar su tarea gracias a la asistencia de Atrium Health.

Después de recibir el taller básico y graduarse en el primer nivel, los promotores/as continúan su recibiendo entrenamiento en temas de mayor especialización Cuesta aclaró que los promotores/ as “no estamos autorizados a prestar servicios de salud de ningún tipo” puesto que no son médicos ni enfermeras, pero sí consiguen personas o instituciones que los brindan. “Nuestro trabajo es de enlace y promoción de servicios y talleres informativos que pueden ser realizados por terceros. Somos un puente, detectamos las necesidades de la comunidad y tratamos de que se suplan por parte de las personas e instituciones capacitadas y autorizadas”, subrayó.

Por ejemplo, dijo que recientemente se ofrecieron tres clases con certificación en resucitación cardiopulmonar (CPR, por sus siglas en inglés) y que a fines de julio realizarán un despistaje de prediabetes que permitirá que personas con este problema tomen conciencia de la enfermedad, se capaciten sobre este mal y conozcan cómo llevar una vida saludable pese a su condición, y hasta que puedan revertirla.

Sin embargo, Cuesta hizo notar que todo este trabajo no puede realizarse sin contar con la presencia de voluntarios, promotores y promotoras, agentes de la comunidad con vocación de servicio que puedan disponer de un tiempo importante para ofrecerlo en beneficio desinteresado a los demás.

“Se pide que la persona interesada sea parte de una comunidad de iglesia, que no tenga demasiados compromisos como servidor -puesto que las obligaciones que contrae son serias y demandantes de tiempo- cuente con más de 18 años de edad y, de preferencia, en caso de tener una pareja, que sea casado/a por la Iglesia”, anotó.

Por lo demás, no interesa el estatus legal ni el conocimiento del idioma inglés del voluntario.

Para mayores informes, comunicarse con Fravelin Cuesta a la dirección electrónica fravelincuestag@gmail.com.

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Lee y aprovecha las vacaciones Todos pueden participar del programa de verano de la Biblioteca de Charlotte Mecklenburg CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO HISPANO

CHARLOTTE — Si bien el programa de lectura de verano de la Biblioteca de Charlotte Mecklenburg dio inicio el pasado mes de junio, todavía hay tiempo para inscribirse y beneficiarse de las actividades que promueve esta institución, no solo para los niños sino también para adultos.

A través del programa de Vacaciones de Verano, la biblioteca ofrece a sus lectores ganar ‘insignias’ al participar en actividades agrupadas en las categorías: Escribe, Crea, Explora, Juega y Da. Para

cada una de las categorías, la biblioteca provee recomendaciones o el participante puede crear la suya propia.

Sin importar la que escoja, el lector debe registrar semanalmente sus actividades para ir ganando puntos, es decir insignias, por las que será recompensado. Una lista completa de las recompensas se encuentra en https://summerbreak.cmlibrary.org/ earn-badges.

Para cumplir con el programa de vacaciones de verano debe completar, al menos, 20 horas de lectura u otra actividad.

La biblioteca explica que es importante participar en el programa debido a que durante el verano, si no se continúa desarrollando la habilidad de la lectura, es posible que -especialmente los estudiantes en edad escolar- pierdan parte de las destrezas alcanzadas durante el año escolar.

También, desafiarse para alcanzar una meta, sentir la satisfacción de alcanzarla, ejercitar el cerebro diariamente para mantenerlo activo y saludable, pertenecer a una comunidad de lectores, ayudar a los menores a explorar el mundo de las letras y convertirse en un modelo de inspiración para otros son elementos motivadores para que todos, sin excepción, se unan al beneficioso programa.

Para participar es necesario crear una cuenta en la página web del programa: https://summerbreak.cmlibrary. org. Incluso, si en años anteriores ha participado, es indispensable que cree su cuenta. Luego todo lo que tiene que hacer es seguir las instrucciones.

La página está en inglés, pero en la parte superior derecha encontrará una pestaña en la que puede seleccionar el idioma de su preferencia.

MÚSICA GRATIS

De otra parte, la Biblioteca anunció que, a través del servicio Freegal Music, dispone de música gratuita para sus usuarios.

Freegal ofrece acceso a download y streaming a más de diez millones de canciones, incluyendo el catálogo de artistas legendarios de la disquera Sony Music. También están disponibles para download aproximadamente quince mil videos musicales.

La biblioteca ofrece gratuitamente a sus lectores hasta cinco downloads y tres horas de streaming semanales a través del App disponible para iOS y Android.

Más online En www.cmlibrary.org/resource/freegalmusic: Encuentre más información

Programa de Respeto a la Vida atrajo interés HUNTERSVILLE — Más de 60 personas de la comunidad hispana de la parroquia San Marcos atendieron la charla ‘Padre cristiano: creando una cultura de vida en la familia’, el pasado 30 de junio. El Padre Brian Becker, vicario parroquial, ofreció la presentación, tocando temas importantes como la santidad del matrimonio, los males de la anticoncepción y el aborto y la importancia de rezar el rosario y hacer sacrificios para terminar con el aborto. También invitó a los presentes a seguir el ejemplo de San Pedro y San Pablo que nos ayudan a vivir una vida católica. El evento atrajo a un gran número de hombres (solteros y casados) que expresaron su deseo de involucrarse en actividades pro vida. Posteriormente, se llevó a cabo una sesión de preguntas y respuestas. Varios de los asistentes preguntaron sobre cómo se puede resistir la cultura secular, especialmente entre los jóvenes. El evento fue organizado por el Ministerio Hispano y de Respeto a la Vida de San Marcos.

MIKE FITZGERALD | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Preschool Teaching Positions Available St. Vincent de Paul Preschool is seeking lead teachers for part-time positions to work with 3- and 4-year-olds, 3 or 5 days a week, beginning in August 2019. Child development coursework and/or experience preferred. Ideal hours for working around your child’s school schedule.

Interested candidates may submit a resume by July 31, 2019 to mhcushing@charlottediocese.org.

Our nation 18

catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

Religious leaders gather to pray for persecuted Christians ELIZABETH BACHMANN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

In Brief Appeals court says Title X rule can take effect while suits go on WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced July 15 it would begin implementing the Trump administration’s “Protect Life Rule” to bar Title X funds from being used for promoting or providing abortion as family planning. On July 11, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 7-4 decision said that even as court cases challenging it proceed, the rule can take effect.

The ruling of the San Francisco-based court let stand its June 20 decision lifting injunctions blocking enforcement of the rule. An emergency stay had been sought by some abortion rights advocates, including Planned Parenthood, and by 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

“We are greatly encouraged to see the 9th Circuit rule in favor of allowing President Trump’s Protect Life Rule to take effect while it continues to be litigated,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List. “A strong majority of Americans have consistently voiced their opposition to taxpayer funding of abortion – it is even unpopular among Democrats and selfdescribed pro-choice Americans,” she said July 15.

Administration to apply ‘third country’ rule for asylum-seekers WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration announced the U.S. departments of Justice and Homeland Security are adopting an interim “third country rule” requiring immigrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to first apply for refugee status in another country. News that the rule will take effect July 16 brought quick condemnation

by Catholic and other immigrant advocates, BRIEFS, SEE PAGE 19

WASHINGTON, D.C.— In the U.S. Capitol, between the House of Representatives and the Senate, members of Congress, priests, lobbyists, preachers, lay advocates and archbishops gathered together to pray July 15.

They wove together a service of psalms and prayers from the Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and the Armenian and Syriac Orthodox traditions, all centered around the shared Gospel, symbolizing both Christian unity and U.S. government support to combat Christian persecution.

On the eve of the first official day of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Ministerial on Religious Freedom, In Defense of Christians, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization advocating for Christians in the Middle East, organized this prayer service to specifically emphasize Christian persecution.

Founder and president of In Defense of Christians, Toufic Baaklini, said in an interview that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world, with 70 percent of all religious persecutions involving Christians.

“There are genocides happening all over the world, including in Nigeria. There are many genocide victims that no one hears about,” Baaklini said. “Muslim neighbors are burning homes of Christians in Egypt and you don’t hear much about that in the media either. We need to have more coverage in the media to show the cases that persecuted Christians go through.”

The focus of this event, according to Peter Burns, government relations director at In Defense of Christians, was to highlight that the ongoing battle for religious freedom in the Middle East is severe, and that some Christians even face extinction. He listed Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey as countries in which Christians face extreme violence and persecution.

This sidebar to the Ministerial on Religious Freedom drew members of Congress, representatives of a whole spread of Eastern churches as well as Protestant church leaders, and the local diaspora community from Middle Eastern churches eager to band together in global Christian support.

The service was as much to gather Christian groups together in solidarity as it was a prayer to Congress and other American leaders to recognize and respond to the suffering Christians face in the Middle East.

California Rep. Anna Eshoo, herself of Assyrian and Armenian heritage, called on the U.S. government to continue aid for Middle Eastern Christians.

“One of the great values of country is freedom of religion,” Eshoo said. “Our framers placed that in our Constitution and I believe that that does not stop at the shores of the United States of America. We need to be the ambassadors of that value around the world. The case for Christians is a case that more people need to know about and embrace.”

Director of Music St. Charles Borromeo in Morganton, NC is searching for a full time Director of Music beginning November 1, 2019. We are a medium sized parish with a culturally diverse congregation.

Qualifications include: • Bachelor’s Degree in Music or equivalent experience • Knowledge of Catholic liturgy • Competent organist • Experience as a choral director Competitive salary including benefits.

Both Baaklini and Eshoo referenced the progress the U.S. has made over the past six years, beginning with officially recognizing the Christian genocides in Iraq and Syria 2016,

PHOTOS BY CNS | SYDNEY CLARK

Choir members sing at the In Defense of Christians Ecumenical Prayer Service July 15, 2019, in Washington, D.C. The prayer service opened the second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, taking place July 16-18 and convening government officials, representatives of international organizations, faith leaders, rights advocates and members of civil society organizations from around the world to discuss challenges to religious freedom.

Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of American and Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, are seen at the In Defense of Christians Ecumenical Prayer Service July 15, in Washington.

and sending almost $300 million in aid to those countries as a response. This is only the third time that the U.S. has officially declared a persecution situation to be a genocide.

Baaklini also said that the Trump administration “is helping a lot more than in the past,” citing the president’s continued action with the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018, which provides humanitarian relief to victims of genocide perpetrated by the Islamic State.

“To be treated equally, that’s all that we are asking,” Baaklini said. “Equally.”

Director of Sacred Music Holy Cross Catholic Church in Kernersville, NC, is searching for a Director of Sacred Music. Candidates must publicly uphold and support the teachings of the Church in word and deed. The ideal candidate has a broad working knowledge of the Church’s body of musical diversity and historical development.

Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree or higher in music and at least 2 years of experience in a parish music program. Working knowledge of Spanish and ability to play organ and piano is preferable.

Those interested should send a resumé to: scbparish728@gmail.com

Send cover letter, application and a list of three references to: Rev. Noah C. Carter, S.T.L. Holy Cross Catholic Church 616 S Cherry St Kernersville, NC 27284

You may call 828-437-3108 for more information.

holycrossbernadette@outlook.com

Interview and audition will be required.

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief including the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston. He called the new rule “drastically” limiting asylum “unacceptable,” especially because it comes on the heels of “misguided and untenable” actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out deportation orders for some immigrants. “It is contrary to American and Christian values to attempt to prevent people from migrating here when they are fleeing to save their lives and to find safety for their families,” Cardinal DiNardo said in a July 16 statement. “The rule adds further barriers to asylum-seekers’ ability to access life-saving protection, shirks our moral duty, and will prevent the United States from taking its usual leading role in the international community as a provider of asylum protection,” he said, adding that an initial analysis of the new rule “raises serious questions about its legality.”

‘Dangerous’ bill on seal of confession withdrawn LOS ANGELES — In a last-minute twist, a California bill that would have required priests to break the sacramental seal of confession was shelved by its sponsor amid a remarkable grassroots campaign mounted by the state’s Catholics, members of other faith groups, and religious liberty advocates from across the country. S.B. Bill 360 was withdrawn the day before a scheduled July 9 hearing in the California Assembly Public Safety Committee, effectively removing it from any further consideration this year. “S.B. 360 was a dangerous piece of legislation,” said Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, who led the California bishops in opposing the bill. “If any legislature can force believers to reveal their innermost thoughts and feelings shared with God in confession, then truly there is no area of human life that is free or safe from government,” he added. The bill’s author, state Democratic Sen. Jerry Hill of San Mateo decided to shelve his bill after learning that it did not have enough votes to pass out of the committee.

Ky. judge declares death penalty protocol unconstitutional LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Franklin County Circuit

judge ruled July 2 that Kentucky’s death penalty regulations are unconstitutional because they fail to provide for an automatic stay of execution for intellectually disabled inmates. The Catholic Conference of Kentucky and Father Patrick Delahanty, retired chair of the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, praised the court’s decision as a step in the right direction. The state Catholic conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops, thanked the court for recognizing the injustice of executing intellectually disabled individuals but its executive director, Jason Hall, stressed that “legislators need to act soon to abolish the death penalty once and for all.” Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled on a petition brought forth by several inmates currently on death row in Kentucky. The motion alleged the “execution regulations fail to expressly prohibit the execution of an intellectually disabled person.”

Bishop Murry’s leukemia returns YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The leukemia that Bishop George V. Murry of Youngstown suffered from last year has returned. It is not as intense as last year, but it needs attention, according to an announcement from the diocese. Bishop Murry entered the Cleveland Clinic July 3 for a 28-day program of chemotherapy. “The bishop humbly asks that the people of the diocese pray for him and promises his prayers in return,” the diocesan announcement said. Those wishing to submit a message or offer up a prayer request for Bishop Murry can submit them via email to prayerrequests@youngstowndiocese.org and “the diocese will collect them all and deliver them to Bishop Murry.”

Archbishop Kurtz to begin three months of treatment for cancer LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville said he has been diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer and will undergo an extended treatment plan. Archbishop Kurtz, 72, said he had been experiencing “some health issues” in recent months and that the cancer was discovered during a series of medical tests and hospitalizations. “I have been diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma in my bladder and prostate and will take part in a treatment plan that includes immunotherapy and chemotherapy for at least 12 weeks,” his statement said.

Archbishop Kurtz said he was grateful for the work of Dr. Dan George, chief oncologist at the Duke Cancer Institute and his team in Durham, N.C. Archbishop Kurtz will remain in North Carolina throughout his treatment.

— Catholic News Service

His Excellency The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Bishop of Charlotte invites all the faithful of the diocese to the Holy Mass honoring Priest Jubilarians on the occasion of their Priesthood Ordination Anniversaries HONORING 60 Years of Priestly Ordination Reverend Gabriel J. Meehan 55 Years of Priestly Ordination

Administrative Assistant

St. Michael Catholic School - Gastonia, NC St. Michael Catholic School a co-ed, Catholic school located west of the city of Charlotte in the suburb of Gastonia, NC is seeking a full-time administrative assistant. This role involves a variety of clerical and administrative duties including maintaining records, preparing payroll and assisting teachers & staff. Qualified candidates must be a high school graduate or equivalent.

For a complete job description and application please go to: https://charlottediocese.org/schools-office/employment-opportunities/ Send completed application and resume to: Sheila Levesque – Principal St. Michael Catholic School 704 St. Michaels Lane – Gastonia, NC 28052 617-458-1308 salevesque@stmichaelsgastonia.org

Reverend Francis P. Forster, O.S.B. Reverend Arthur J. Pendleton, O.S.B. 50 Years of Priestly Ordination Reverend Louis J. Canino, OFM 25 Years of Priestly Ordination Reverend Michael T. Kottar August 1, 2019 4:30 p.m.

Cathedral of Saint Patrick Charlotte, North Carolina

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

When Islamic State came, Iraqi monks had just finished hiding manuscripts DOREEN ABI RAAD CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

BEIRUT — The first time a band of Islamic State militants “visited” the monks, they presented the monks with a kind of suggestion, in a nonthreatening manner: “Why don’t you become a Muslim?”

Already, the four monks at the ancient Syriac Catholic Mar Behnam Monastery in Khidr, Iraq, had felt they were under siege. Ten days earlier, on June 10, 2014, five carloads of militants roared through the peaceful road leading to Mar Behnam, announcing through megaphones that the Islamic State was in control. Not long before that, the Iraqi army had withdrawn from a checkpoint near the monastery, located southeast of Mosul.

“Visits” from the terrorists the next few weeks intensified: banging on the monastery doors and accusations of the monks being infidels.

“Quite frankly, we were more than frightened,” said Syriac Catholic Father Youssef Sakat, who had served as Mar Behnam’s superior.

The monks kept up with their regular daily routine of prayer and Mass in the monastery, which dates back to the fourth century. They prayed for protection through the intercession of St. Behnam, a martyr, with faith that “we were in a blessed place,” mindful that generations of Syriac Catholic Christians had also faced persecution, and still the faith had endured, Father Sakat said.

The monastery “was built by local people, stone by stone,” he said of Mar Behnam. “I’m sure they put their hearts into their work. I feel it was made with love.”

Under Father Sakat’s direction since 2012, Mar Behnam had flourished, welcoming up to 250 visitors on weekends – even from around the world – for retreats and lodging with the goal of helping people to better understand the monastic life. The monks would engage the children in lively faith-based activities.

“We wanted to show them that Mar Behnam is their home, too,” Father Sakat said.

A Muslim friend the monks trusted was keeping them abreast of the worsening situation, but even he was becoming fearful.

“I’m sorry, Father, I can’t come to the monastery anymore,” he told the priest. “Even I’m being watched. It’s becoming very dangerous. They want to kill you.”

All the while, Father Sakat was deeply concerned about how to safeguard the chalices and other sacramentals and the monastery’s extensive collection of religious manuscripts from inevitable destruction by the militants.

The 630 manuscripts, dating from the 12th to 18th

CNS | DALIA KHAMISSY

Syriac Catholic Father Youssef Sakat poses for a photo July 8 inside the chapel at the Holy Family Syriac Catholic center in Beirut. centuries, were written in a range of languages, including Syriac, Greek, French and Latin.

Twice, Father Sakat tried to leave by car, with the intention of taking manuscripts to Qaraqosh, nine miles away. Each time, the militants at the Islamic State checkpoint near Mar Behnam told the priest that he was not allowed to take anything from the monastery.

“It doesn’t belong to you,” they said. On his third attempt, he was ordered to return to the monastery: “If we see you outside, we will kill you.”

On their own, the monks could not come up with a solution, Father Sakat said.

He recalled that on July 19, late in the afternoon, “I felt in my heart: I have to hide them now.” He chose a long, narrow closet under a stairwell that was used to store cleaning supplies.

“It was the Lord who directed us,” Father Sakat said.

Beginning at 8 p.m., the monks worked together, carefully placing the sacramentals and manuscripts into nine steel barrels used for storing grain. With cinderblocks from a monastery renovation project, they built a false wall in the closet, hiding the barrels behind it. With a cement mixture, they painted all the walls to give them the same appearance. Cleaning supplies were put back in place in the closet. The monks even left the closet door ajar, so as not to rouse suspicions of any Islamist intruder.

They finished their work at 3 a.m.

At 1:30 p.m., four Islamic State militants barged through the Mar Behnam door with a sheikh. The monks were given three choices: either become Muslim, pay the jizya tax or leave.

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“We prefer to leave,” Father Sakat told the Islamists. They were allowed 15 minutes to vacate. Father Sakat was ordered to turn over all the keys to the monastery and vehicles.

Banished from his beloved monastery, as he walked out the door, “I looked back and told Mar (St.) Behnam, ‘I did what I had to do. Now I entrust them under your intercession, by the power of God. Keep them safe. They are under your protection,’” Father Sakat recounted of his plea to safeguard the sacramentals and manuscripts.

The monks were ordered into one of the militants’ vehicles. Two miles from the monastery, the militants left the monks on the road, warning: “Whoever looks back, we will shoot him.”

The monks walked several hours to Qaraqosh. Their reprieve from terrorism was not for long. Soon that city and other Christian villages in the Ninevah Plain also fell to Islamic State.

In June 2015, the Syriac Catholic patriarch called Father Sakat to Lebanon for his new mission, helping Iraqi Christian refugees who had come to Lebanon from Kurdistan, in northern Iraq. Now the priest heads the Syriac Catholic Holy Family center in an area of Beirut where many Iraqi Christians settled, with the hope of being resettled in Western countries. Initially, there were 1,200 Syriac Catholic families, totaling 6,700 people. Many are now scattered all over the world; 600 families remain in Lebanon, waiting.

In March 2015, the Islamic State blew up part of Mar Behnam, and the monastery remained under the militants’ control until the area was liberated in October 2017.

When Father Sakat visited the monastery that December, he said he was shocked at the destruction.

Graffiti covered the walls. The pillars of the altar were incinerated. One by one, all religious phrases, crosses and symbols inscribed into the monastery’s stones were drilled out and defaced, including the names of priests inscribed on tombs. Religious statues were smashed, a statue of Mary beheaded.

“It’s like they want to erase all the history of Christianity,” he said.

Father Sakat stood with anticipation as the wall concealing the manuscripts was chiseled away with a jackhammer, to reveal, intact, the nine steel barrels containing the sacramentals and manuscripts. The manuscripts were individually packed, this time into car trunks to transport them to the Queen of Peace Syriac Catholic Church in Irbil for safekeeping.

Restoration of the monastery is currently in progress, but “it needs some time,” Father Sakat said.

“I’m waiting for the Lord’s will, to go back (to Mar Behnam),” he added.

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July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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In Brief Dominicans elect 51-year-old Filipino as master general BIEN HOA, Vietnam — Members of the Dominican general chapter elected 51-yearold Father Gerard Francisco Timoner to be the master general of the worldwide religious order.

Father Timoner, a native of the Philippines, is the 88th superior of the Order of Preachers, founded by St. Dominic Guzman, and the first Asian to lead the order. Elected July 13 during the order’s general chapter in Bien Hoa, Father Timoner told his Dominican brothers that he initially did not want to accept the election, but he was encouraged by the others, who reminded him the vote was proceeded by the invocation of the Holy Spirit, according to an article on the Dominican’s chapter website. The Catholic Church today, it seems, “needs a Francis and a Dominic,” he said after the election. “There is a need for a new evangelization, and we are all called to do precisely that.” St. Dominic formed an order of preachers, he said. “It is not what we do. It is who we are. Mission is not what we do.

It is who we are. And if that is clear, everything will just follow. We are preachers even when we are not preaching. We are preachers even if in our old age, we can no longer speak. We are preachers even if we are not ordained. We are preachers even if we are sick. We are preachers even if we are doing serious research alone in our rooms. We are preachers when we are helping the less privileged. We are preachers.

That is our identity.”

Pope names women as full members of congregation VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis named six superiors of women’s religious orders, a consecrated laywoman and the superior of the De La Salle Christian Brothers to be full members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Previously, the members had all been men: cardinals, a few bishops and several priests who were superiors of large religious orders of men. The women named members by the pope were announced by the Vatican July 8: Sisters Kathleen Appler, the U.S.-born superior of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul; Yvonne Reungoat, superior of the Salesian Sisters; Francoise Massy, superior of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary; Luigia Coccia, superior of the Comboni Sisters; Simona Brambilla, superior of the Consolata Missionary Sisters; Rita Calvo Sanz, superior of the Company of Mary Our Lady; and Olga Krizova, general president of the Volunteers of Don Bosco, a group of consecrated laypeople. Brother Robert I. Schieler, the U.S.-born superior of the De La Salle Christian Brothers, also was named a full member of the congregation along with the priests who are superiors general of the Jesuits, the Discalced Carmelites, the Augustinians, the Scalabrinians, the Capuchins and the abbot president of the Subiaco Cassinese Benedictine Congregation.

Praising God for gift of creation leads to respect for it, pope says VATICAN CITY — Human beings are called to praise God for his gift of creation, not be predators out to plunder the earth and all it contains, Pope Francis said. In a message sent July 8 to participants of an Italian conference on the consequences of deforestation in the Amazon, the pope said the current situation

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in the South American rainforest “is a sad paradigm of what is happening in many parts of the planet.” It is “a blind and destructive mentality that prefers profit to justice; it highlights the predatory attitude with which men and women relate to nature,” he said.

“Please do not forget that social justice and ecology are deeply interconnected.” According to its website, the international forum sponsored by the Laudato Si’ Community, an association inspired by the pope’s encyclical on the environment, reflected on the Amazon as “the key to ‘ecological conversion’” in order to obtain a “better understanding of integral ecology and obtain the knowledge of living in harmony with creation.”

always,” Pope Francis tweeted after offering prayers for Vincent Lambert, a 42-year-old French man who died July 11, nine days after doctors stopped providing him with nutrition and hydration. “May God the Father welcome Vincent Lambert in his arms,” the pope’s tweet said. “Let us not build a civilization that discards persons whose lives we no longer consider to be worthy of living.” The Pontifical Academy for Life called the death of Lambert a “defeat for our humanity,” and Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, called Lambert a “martyr” in a tweet. Lambert, who suffered serious brain damage more than 10 years ago, died after years of court battles divided his family.

Chile removes statute of limitations on sex abuse cases

Vatican lifts immunity of papal diplomat accused of sexual assault

VATICAN CITY — As the Catholic Church in Chile continues to deal with the fallout of clerical sexual abuse and its cover-up, the Chilean government passed a law removing the statute of limitations on sex abuse crimes against children. The new law, which passed the Chilean Congress July 6, ensures that there will be no time limit in prosecuting cases “regarding the kidnapping or abduction of a minor, as well as the torture, unlawful coercion or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and all that occurs during an act of rape, carnal access to a minor, statutory rape or other sexual offenses.” The law also allows victims to take civil action against people or institutions that aided in covering up sex abuse crimes. “From now on, time will no longer be an accomplice of the abusers, nor an ally of impunity,” said Chilean President Sebastian Pinero as he signed the legislation July 11.

Pope mourns death of French patient after care withheld VATICAN CITY — “Every life is valuable,

VATICAN CITY — The Holy See has waived the diplomatic immunity of a Vatican diplomat who has been under investigation by authorities in Paris for allegedly sexually assaulting a city official. Alessandro Gisotti, interim director of the Vatican Press Office, said the move was an “extraordinary gesture” that underlined the diplomat’s desire to fully cooperate with French authorities. In January, prosecutors in Paris had launched a formal investigation into an allegation against Italian Archbishop Luigi Ventura, 74, a Vatican diplomat who has been representing the Holy See in France since 2009. Gisotti confirmed July 8 that the Holy See had waived the diplomat’s immunity in light of the criminal proceedings underway against him in France. “The Holy See waited to make this decision until the conclusion of the preliminary stage” of the investigation, which the archbishop “freely took part” in before it wrapped up in late June, Gisotti said in a written communique.

— Catholic News Service

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bobby Speers

Rachel Bulman

The civilization of love in Sts. Louis and Zelié Martin

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have been ministering to youth and young adults for more than a decade, and there seems to be overwhelming hopelessness. There are many reasons for this, but one of the most poignant comes shortly after asking them, “When is the first time you witnessed authentic love?” For many of them, it takes some time to respond to this, especially young adults.

I’ve met people in their 20s who can very much attest to only recently seeing love lived well, embodied even.

It’s one of the greatest compliments when some have said the first time they witnessed it was in my home, with my husband or with our children. It’s humiliating (in a good way) but also saddening to know that sources of authentic love – primarily “good” examples of marriage and family – are rare.

There has been such degradation of family life today that the ripples of this are felt in society’s social fabric.

Without fathers and mothers, we inevitably don’t know how to “become like little children.”

When I think of the “little soul” or childlike faith, my thoughts inevitably rest on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and quite naturally, one would wonder if her parents had anything to do with her predisposition to become the “Little Flower.” Much can be attested to the grace of God, but one can also attribute his grace and love in giving her Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin as her parents.

They were canonized on Oct. 18, 2015, as the first spouses to be canonized together. And they serve as beacons of hope to many looking for inspiration for marriage and the family.

It’s an incredible wonder to read about a man and a woman who loved one another deeply, had a beautiful thriving business together, had nine children, lost four of them to illness at young ages, aided and eventually buried their ailing parents ... and did all of these weighty things while maintaining virtue and a genuine pursuit of Christian perfection.

Here is this ordinary man, a watchmaker, who once desired to enter the monastery, leading an ordinary life in Alencon, France. Then, there’s the ordinary woman, with a lacemaking business, who once desired religious life, living in the same town. Their paths cross, and Zelié recalls that she saw Louis on the street and heard an inner voice: “This is the one I have prepared for you.”

They were married, and shortly thereafter, Louis sold his business to help with Zelié’s lacemaking business. He managed the books and sought merchants to sell the lace.

At times, as a gifted artist, he would draw the lace designs for Zelié to create.

The same patience that they used in their respective occupations poured out into their marriage. While Louis would travel for the good of the household and the business, Zelié would make the lace, care for their children, and Louis’ ailing father – all the while attending to prayer, going to daily Mass, and writing letters to one another. There are over 200 letters from Zelié and a few from Louis. A few of the letters are between them but also to their children and from Zelié to her sister.

The letters are so rich with care for the other but also care for one’s own soul, reflecting on their own prayer lives and their relationships with God. When I read their words, nearly tangible peace seems to flow from them.

And what is it that makes their lives stand apart? I think it’s the “ordinary-ness” of it. Without any particularity, they are saints that were merely husband and wife, with jobs and children, with families that needed them, with tragedy and death – and each and every time not only did Zelié and Louis rise above earthly worry, but they transcended into a peace that only makes sense with divine hope.

Home sweet home

J

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SANCTUAIRE D’ALENÇON

Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin

‘God gave me parents more suited for heaven than this earth.’

— St. Thérèse of Lisieux In a five-year span, four of their nine children died: Joseph (1), Joseph-Jean-Baptiste (1), Hélène (5) and Mélanie (2 months). Zelié’s affection never waned, and she visited their graveside frequently while clinging to her faith. She wrote: “When I closed the eyes of my dear children and prepared them for burial, I was indeed griefstricken, but, thanks to God’s grace, I have always been resigned to His will. I do not regret the pains and sacrifices I underwent for them.” She also writes that she doesn’t understand how anyone could’ve said that it would be better not having “gone through all of that,” and added, “They’re enjoying heaven now ... I have not lost them always. Life is short, and I shall find my little ones again in heaven.”

Then there’s this fatherly, almost silent and St. Josephlike presence of Louis. He was a man of devotion and a man who cared deeply for his household. Even with his travel for business and time with the family, he would intentionally find time for his Christian devotion and for other leisure, fishing, hiking and the like. You could even ascertain that his love for leisure, true leisure based in his faith, is what directed his work.

Zelié eventually passed away from breast cancer, and Louis was left with the five girls. Realizing their need for a motherly influence, he sold all that they had in Alencón and moved to Lisieux with his brother and sister-in-law.

What great sacrifice! He would even write to them saying, BULMAN, SEE PAGE 24

ust yesterday, this touching story made the news: “Vatican City, Jun 8, 2019 / 11:01 a.m. (CNA) — Pope Francis said Saturday, he wants people to recognize the Church as their home and a place where they are always welcome. ‘How I wish,’ he said June 8, that people would recognize the Church ‘for this more than mercy, for this more than humanity and tenderness, of which there is so much need!’ That ‘you would feel at home, the ‘maternal home’ where you are always welcome and where you can always come back,’ he said.”

After reading the powerful words from my spiritual father, my thoughts went directly to John 14:1-3: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.”

This same writer, John, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit, gave us a glimpse of the glory of heaven found in Revelation 21:1-7: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them (as their God). He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away.’ The one who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Then he said, ‘Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me, ‘They are accomplished. I (am) the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. The victor will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.’”

My brothers and sisters, if you have been neglectful in worshiping every Sunday, or you have left the Church, I urge you to return to your Father who gives good gifts to His children (Jas 1:17). In Ezekiel, listen to the loving words of their Father, our Father, as He pleads for them to return: “I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them.

You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ez 36:25-28) If you have strayed from your faith, or if you are struggling with your faith, it is time to make a decision.

Don’t ignore the little voice urging you to come home – it is the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart. “Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities.

A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit” (Ps 51:11-14). The prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32) returned to his Father and all heaven rejoiced. You are one step away from heaven, but the choice is yours.

BOBBY SPEERS is an author who lives in Hickory.

July 19, 2019 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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Letters to the editor

Father John Michalowski, S.J.

‘I have come to fulfill’ so that you might become ‘the salt of the earth’

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n Matthew 5:17 and 19-20, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill…Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

What law is Jesus referring to?

It is natural to think that he is referring to the Ten Commandments. But actually Jesus is saying this toward the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. He began the sermon with the Beatitudes, saying that those are blessed who are humble, merciful, peacemakers and clean of heart, those who work for justice, and those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Clearly there is more going on than keeping the “thou shall not” of the Decalogue. In fact, we are called to be “the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth.” It is a matter both of not following the false gods that are the work of human hands and becoming a leaven in our daily lives and in our world that others “may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (5:16).

Throughout the fifth chapter of Matthew, Jesus contrasts “what was said to your ancestors,” that is, what the Mosaic Law and its interpreters said, and what Jesus says to help us to understand how to fulfill God’s intent. Jesus goes beyond the literal words of the commandments to create a new way of looking. All will be reinterpreted through the Law of Love.

For example, not only should you not take the name of the name of the Lord in vain by swearing a false oath, but you should not swear an oath at all. We are called to be so honest that when we say “yes” we mean “yes” and when we say “no” we mean “no.” “Anything more is from the evil one.” (5:37). It was this integrity of one’s word that tied together the Mayo Clinic and the Sisters of St. Francis who ran the local hospital. For over 60 years there was no written agreement between the two institutions, only the word of the first Dr. Mayo and the sister superior at the time.

The commandments are good but, as Jesus knew well, they can become a stumbling block to living as God calls us to live, which is to have the heart of Jesus and be His hands, voice and feet in our world.

This is why He calls us to a righteousness that is greater than that of the Pharisees.

They were so law-abiding, so much letter of the law, that they condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. After all, one should not work on the Sabbath, and isn’t healing work? Jesus replies, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” (Mk 6:4).

Unfortunately, the Pharisees did not understand, for their hearts were hardened.

They saw themselves as the pious ones, better than others for they knew and kept to the letter of the law. They did not understand when Jesus told them that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27). “If you knew what this

meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned…” (Mt 12:7).

We need to worship God, to rest from the busyness of daily life, and spend time with our families. This is part of the Sabbath rest. But compassion calls the nurse or the emergency room doctor to be on duty even if all of the local Masses take place when they are on duty.

St. Ignatius of Loyola points out that the law may become a stumbling block when it leads to such scrupulosity that we cannot accept the forgiveness of God in the sacrament of reconciliation. Shortly after his conversion, as he was praying at Manresa and attending Mass and services at the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Monserrat, he was plagued by scrupulosity.

He regretted his earlier life as a soldier caught up in pride, gambling, drinking, sword fighting and lasciviousness. Though he had made a general confession, he kept recalling new details and went back time and time again to confession. He was so plagued by his past sins that he considered throwing himself down from a tower to commit suicide. His confessor told him not to repeat his past sins again, for God had forgiven him. He was at peace for a couple of days but then the thoughts of his past sins began to plague him again. Finally, God’s grace broke through and Ignatius realized that these thoughts came not from God but from the evil spirit. This desolation had caused him to lose hope in God and not to accept God’s loving forgiveness. Once this light shone in his mind and heart, he was never plagued by scruples again.

Each one of us is called to accept God’s love for oneself so that, confident in that love, we may have the freedom to love others as we are loved. Such love is not easy, as it challenges us to forgive and care even for our enemies. On Mt. Sinai, God told the Hebrews, “Thou shall not kill.”

Clearly, their original understanding of that commandment was that a Hebrew should not kill another Hebrew. They did not apply that commandment to the Canaanites. Over time they came to see that this applies to strangers in their midst and to others. But now, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, … and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift” (Mt 5:22-24).

I began to understand this passage in college. In my senior year, I often helped with one of the Sunday liturgies by getting fellow students to do the readings. This particular Sunday I asked one of the usual readers if he would read. He said he couldn’t. After Mass he told me that he had a fight with his roommate and wanted to be reconciled before going to Communion.

One of the advantages of having the sign of peace come after we have just prayed MICHALOWSKI, SEE PAGE 24

Gun ownership can be justified for self-defense

In the July 5 Catholic News Herald, a commentary about Catholics and guns by Deacon Clark Cochran claimed that we should neither possess nor use firearms.

As a law-abiding Catholic in a family that owns guns, I am both disappointed and frustrated that clergy are buying into the idea that guns cause violence and should be restricted in use.

I do not advocate for violence. However, there is self-defense to be considered. The main reason most law-abiding citizens own guns, besides recreational use, is to defend themselves. I don’t think many gun-owning Catholics will claim that they intend to shoot someone with their guns unless absolutely necessary to protect their life, their property, or someone else’s life or property. I firmly believe this is the only cause a devout Catholic can use to justify shooting someone, with the exception of war. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow” (2264).

Just because guns are frequently used as instruments of death doesn’t mean they cause death. Guns are simply tools, a means to an end. Hammers can kill people, but when was the last time you heard anyone advocating for “hammercontrol” laws? Skeet shooting is an official sport. Should it be renounced by Catholics because guns are involved?

Many people think guns are the prevalent cause of violent death in America, but that simply isn’t true. The prevalent cause of violent death in America is original sin, which can cause a hatefilled or drug-whacked person to go on a shooting spree. Blaming America’s violence problem on the availability of guns is essentially the same as blaming America’s obesity problem on the availability of silverware.

Deacon Cochran asserts that Catholics should not own weapons of violence. But what constitutes a weapon of violence? It is a common misconception nowadays to equate violence with guns. That is unfair and irrational. Violence takes dozens of forms, and hundreds of different objects could be called “weapons of violence.” Guns are simply the easiest, most convenient way for criminals to kill people, and thus they are the most frequent instruments used. Restricting them will do nothing, as criminals have ways of obtaining illegal guns.

Guns are a two-edged sword. Yes, they are dangerous, and yes, they are frequently used for evil, but they are also the best way for a person to, in self-defense, stop evil being perpetrated against him.

Yes, Jesus responded to violence with meekness and silence. But that was His mission. It was His Father’s will and His own. Jesus also whipped and drove the money-changers out of the temple. If a man breaks into a house with mayhem in mind and an automatic carbine in his hand, a braided whip won’t go very

far. A Catholic man or woman must defend their home, their children and themselves.

Yes, we do renounce lies of the devil such as “violence solves problems.”

But that doesn’t mean violence is never justified. The shooter is merely trying to prevent harm to himself or his property. The killing (or, hopefully, just incapacitation) of the criminal is an unwanted consequence. As the Catechism states, “The act of self-defense can have a double effect: the preservation of one’s own life, and the killing of the aggressor... the one is intended, the other is not” (2263).

Jesus never lists things we should kill for, but the Church has never said killing a man is always a sin. In my opinion, self-defense is the only thing we should be ready to kill for, and considering the dangerous world we live in, Catholics owning guns is more than justified.

SIMON OHLHAUT is a member of St. Ann Parish in Charlotte.

Solution to gun violence is spiritual renewal We were disappointed in Deacon Clark Cochran’s endorsement of gun control and disarmament of Catholic citizens as a means to ending today’s violence as it presents a misunderstanding of Christ’s teaching. Jesus did indeed permit the retaining of a weapon for defense (“Let him who has no sword sell his tunic and buy one” (Luke 22:36). This proposal however is more a distraction from the root of violence: the lack of Christ in our society.

In fact, a disarmed populace ruled by a heavily armed government of fallen men is a recipe for disaster. As Lord Acton famously observed: “power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Punishing the good by disarming them would only allow tyranny and violence against the poor to increase. The Cristeros and Vendée martyrs of Mexico and France, as well as the Spanish Reconquista, can all attest to the importance of an armed Catholic citizenry. It is not guaranteed that the freedoms and safety we Catholics enjoy today will continue forever.

Legislative fixes to a spiritual problem are ineffective in ending violence. The only solution to reducing violence is a spiritual renewal: Our Lady of Fatima encouraged the practice of the Five First Saturdays devotion along with a daily rosary for peace. As Pius XI exhorted in “Quas Primas” in 1925, the acknowledgment of Christ the King’s rule is necessary over all peoples and its government – in their hearts and laws. Only through this will peace and harmony reign.

MICHAEL FITZGERALD, CHRIS HALL and JOSEPH BRAKEFIELD are members of St. Ann Parish in Charlotte.

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catholicnewsherald.com | July 19, 2019 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

BULMAN FROM PAGE 22

“Remember that this is very hard for me.

Please do all that your aunt and uncle ask of you.” And he signed many of his letters with words like “your father who loves you.”

One of my favorite images of him comes from the writings of St. Thérèse.

All of her sisters had shown desires to enter religious communities, and she remained. When her father came home after a trip, they walked up and down their garden with her head “very close to his heart,” and he held her “like a child” though she was already 14 years old. And he received her desire for religious life and even helped her pursue it.

Isn’t that one’s desire as a parent? To allow a space for our children to always be children, a space to bring their deepest desires and be met with hope and means of purifying those desires for the highest good.

Louis eventually passed away after a long physical battle that resulted in the loss of his mind before his death. When he was lucid, he would say, “Everything for the greater glory of God,” and also, “I have never been humiliated in my life, I need to be humiliated.” And during his last visit to Carmel, he muttered these words to his daughters: “Goodbye, see

you in Heaven!”

Within the Martins’ life, we find hope not just for families but also for a certain rootedness that comes from it. Roots must be planted in that which provides means for life – not necessarily in one to the other or in geographical space, but most of all, in that which does not change: in God Himself. The rootedness of the parents first flourished, building quite profoundly their own civilization of love. It proved to be fruitful ground for the vocations of their daughters and inspiration for the entire world.

Louis and Zelié were husband and wife and father and mother. But before all things, they were children of God. This constant revitalization of their filial identities is what oriented the life of their family, and is what inspires me as I read about their lives. Before I can properly be a wife or mother, I must always be a child before God. Sts. Louis and Zelié Martin, pray for us!

May we live by your great example to love one another, to love all that God has given us, and to always return to our greatest dignity as sons and daughters of God. RACHEL BULMAN is a wife, mother of four, speaker and blogger. She enjoys seeking truth, finding beauty, rediscovering the goodness in all things; and answering the call to holiness through her life as a beloved daughter of God. This commentary originally appeared on the Word on Fire blog. Find more of her work at RachelBulman.com.

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MICHALOWSKI FROM PAGE 23

“forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” is that it gives us a chance to say “I’m sorry” to those in our family we may have been out of sorts with during the week. Once reconciled, we are then ready to receive Communion – Communion with Jesus in His Body and Blood and communion with the Body of Christ in one another.

Jesus goes on, “I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:44-45). Hatred, persecution and war will not change an enemy into a friend.

As we learned after World War II with the Marshall Plan, it was by helping to rebuild Europe and Japan after the war that Germany and Japan became our allies.

Jesus’ words about forgiveness and love are what make restorative justice healing for both those hurt by crime and those who perpetrated the hurt. Those who have watched the “Redemption Project” on cable TV have seen the truth of Jesus’ words.

Unfortunately, as St. Paul points out in Second Corinthians, a veil often lies over the hearts and minds of people – “the

god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (4:4). Our present culture and the media often blind the minds even of believers to the ministry of reconciliation that we are called to live out in our lives. Some years ago, Father John Kavanaugh, a Jesuit ethicist at St. Louis University, wrote a book entitled, “Who Count As Persons?” His contention was that too often we do not see each person as loved by God, of equal dignity, and owed the same human rights as we are. Instead, we place one group against another and place ourselves in the winner’s circle.

Thus, we put unborn babies and women in warring camps, rather than working to protect and foster the common good of all.

We put immigrants and asylum seekers against low-wage workers, rather than fixing our asylum and immigration laws and guaranteeing a living wage to all.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may lift the veil from our eyes and from the minds of our legislators, that we might count all as persons and be reconciled according to the will of Christ. Only through this conversion of heart and mind will we become salt for the earth so that the light of Christ will shine for all to see.

JESUIT FATHER JOHN W. MICHALOWSKI is parochial vicar at St. Peter Church in Charlotte. This is adapted from a series of homilies he gave about the Sermon on the Mount.

St. Mark Catholic Church

Coordinator of Hispanic Music Ministry SUMMARY Under the direct supervision of the Director of Sacred Music and in accordance with established policies and procedures and Church liturgical documents, assists in providing musical and liturgical formation for Hispanic liturgies of the parish.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Collaborate with the Director of Sacred Music in developing a plan to expand the Hispanic Music Ministry of St. Mark, and to enhance the quality of Sacred Music at Mass.

• Responsible for providing musical accompaniment at all Hispanic liturgies, rehearsals, weddings, and quinceñeras.

• Responsible for leading the choir, instrumentalists and the assembly at Hispanic liturgies.

• Must have a knowledge of Church documents regarding sacred music and the liturgy, or a willingness to learn about the Church’s teachings on these matters.

• Attend Sacred Music seminars/workshops for professional development.

• Other related duties may be assigned.

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QUALIFICATIONS Desired that the candidate have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, and be a practicing Catholic. The desired candidate must also be skilled at improvising and sight-reading music and must be proficient in piano and/or organ. Must also be functional or fluent in both English and Spanish.

OTHER SKILLS • Knowledge of Catholic music literature, ranging from Gregorian Chant to contemporary music.

• Be familiar with all parts of the Mass and have knowledge of where music is required.

• Must have a decent working knowledge of operating sound systems.

COMPENSATION • Salary for this position is $21.22/hour.

For a full description, please visit: https://www.catholicjobs.com/job/11021138155 Send applications or inquiries to: michael.garnett@stmarknc.org