May 8, 2020
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
Guardian Angel Villa under construction
SPECIAL COVERAGE: THE CHURCH RESPONDS TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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St. Joseph ‘was here to serve God’ Bishop Jugis celebrates feast of St. Joseph the Worker Mass
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INDEX
Contact us.....................................4 Español.......................................10-15 Online Masses...............................4 Our Faith........................................2 Our Parishes............................ 3-9 Scripture readings.......................2 TV & Books.................................. 16 U.S. news.................................18-19 Viewpoints.............................22-23 World news............................ 20-21
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Mercy in a pandemic Religious sisters live out their charism amid COVID-19 outbreak
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FUNDED BY THE PARISHIONERS OF THE DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE THANK YOU!
ALSO INSIDE: Everyday heroes at Holy Angels help residents amid pandemic 8
Casa Marillac necesita ayuda urgente 13
Jesus remains with us during this pandemic, Bishop Jugis reminds the faithful 6
Jesus permanece con nosotros durante la pandemia, recordó el Obispo Jugis a los fieles 12
Our faith 2
catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Pope Francis
Rediscover the need for prayer
(At left) Luminaries of Holy Mary members attended a conference at Belmont Abbey College in 2019. (Below) Members of the Luminaries of Holy Mary meet at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte.
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he coronavirus pandemic is a “favorable time to rediscover the need for prayer in our lives; let us open the doors of our hearts to the love of God our Father, who will listen to us,” Pope Francis said. At his weekly general audience May 6, the pope began a new series of audience talks about prayer, which is “the breath of faith, its most appropriate expression, like a cry arising from the heart.” At the end of the audience, livestreamed from the papal library in the Apostolic Palace, the pope offered a special prayer and appeal for justice for “exploited workers,” especially farmworkers. Pope Francis said that May 1, International Workers’ Day, he received many messages about problems in the world of work. “I was particularly struck by that of the farmworkers, among them many migrants, who work in the Italian countryside. Unfortunately, many are very harshly exploited.” An Italian government proposal to grant work permits to immigrant workers in the country without proper papers has shined a spotlight particularly on farmworkers and their long hours, poor pay and miserable living conditions while also highlighting their essential role in ensuring an adequate supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for the country. “It is true that the current crisis affects everyone, but people’s dignity must always be respected,” the pope said. “That is why I add my voice to the appeal of these workers and of all exploited workers. May the crisis give us the opportunity to make the dignity of the person and the dignity of work the center of our concern.” The pope’s audience began with reading the story from the Gospel of Mark about Bartimaeus, the blind man, who repeatedly cries out to Jesus for healing. The pope said that of all the Gospel characters who ask Jesus for help, he finds Bartimaeus “the most likable of all.” “At the top of his voice,” Bartimaeus cries out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And he does so over and over again, annoying the people around him, the pope noted. “Jesus speaks to him and asks him to express what he wants – this is important – and so his cry becomes a request, ‘I want to see,’” the pope said. Faith, he said, “is having two hands raised (and) a voice that cries out to implore the gift of salvation.” Humility, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, is essential for authentic prayer, the pope added, because prayer arises from knowing “our state of precariousness, our continual thirst for God.” “Faith is a cry,” he said, while “nonfaith is suffocating that cry, a kind of ‘omerta,’” he said, using the word for the mafia code of silence. “Faith is protesting against a painful situation we do not understand,” he said, while “nonfaith is limiting ourselves to enduring a situation we have become accustomed to. Faith is the hope of being saved; nonfaith is getting used to the evil that oppresses us.” Obviously, the pope said, Christians are not the only ones who pray because every man and woman has within themselves the desire for mercy and aid. “As we continue on our pilgrimage of faith, may we, like Bartimaeus, always persevere in prayer, especially in our darkest moments, and ask the Lord with confidence: ‘Jesus have mercy on me. Jesus, have mercy on us!’”
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARY SAMPLE
Luminaries of Holy Mary spread message of Fatima DINA WILSON CORRESPONDENT
CHARLOTTE — One hundred and three years after Our Lady first appeared to three shepherd children in Portugal, members of the Luminaries of Holy Mary are dedicated to learning, living and spreading the message of Fatima. Mary Sample, an envoy with the lay prayer group and a parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, said the Fatima message is especially relevant today. “Every dogma of our faith is mentioned directly or indirectly in the message of Fatima,” she said. “Also, it calls each of us to play a role in salvation history through prayers, reparation, consecration and unity.” “As Luminaries, we try to imitate Our Lady as best we can, according to our state of life, every moment of every day, according to God’s will. We know that Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart is our refuge and the way to lead us to God,” Sample said. Luminaries pray the rosary daily and meet monthly to pray, study Sacred Scripture and read and discuss books about the Fatima message. They also attend two or three spiritual days per year and honor the First Saturday Devotion, which was asked for by Our Lord and Our Lady in connection with the apparitions in Fatima. The Luminaries of Holy Mary, which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, grew out of a relationship that Sample and her brother, Frank Spicer, developed with a Portuguese religious women’s congregation, Aliança de Santa Maria (Alliance of Holy Mary), during visits and pilgrimages to Fatima. Aliança de Santa Maria is dedicated to promulgating the message of Fatima, and the Luminaries help to carry out their mission in the United States. The congregation in the United States currently has seven chapters, including Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury and St. Vincent de Paul Church. Father John Eckert, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, serves as the group’s spiritual director. Duane Krzysik, a parishioner at Sacred Heart who helps to facilitate the meetings with his wife Mary, said he has
received many graces since visiting Fatima and joining the Luminaries. “The sisters of the Alliance of Holy Mary have a joy that is contagious, and I wanted that type of joy!” he said, noting that the congregation sends the Luminaries a monthly summary and reflection on the Gospels. “All in all, my prayer life is deeper, more meditative, and I pray with confidence,” Krzysik said. “I know that Jesus, Mary and Joseph will answer my prayer for family and friends.”
For more information To learn more about joining the Luminaries of Holy Mary or starting a chapter at your parish, contact Mary Sample at mary. sample3@gmail.com. For information about Aliança de Santa Maria, visit its website aliancadesantamaria.com and select the “English” option in the top right corner of the homepage.
Daily Scripture readings MAY 10-16
Sunday: Acts 6:1-7, 1 Peter 2:4-9, John 14:1-12; Monday: Acts 14:5-18, John 14:21-26; Tuesday (Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, St. Pancras): Acts 14:19-28, John 14:27-31; Wednesday (Our Lady of Fatima): Acts 15:1-6, John 15:1-8; Thursday (St. Matthias): Acts 1:15-17, 20-26, John 15:9-17; Friday (St. Isidore): Acts 15:22-31, John 15:12-17; Saturday: Acts 16:1-10, John 15:18-21
MAY 17-23
Sunday: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Peter 3:1518, John 14:15-21; Monday (St. John I): Acts 16:11-15, John 15:25-16:4; Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34, John 16:5-11; Wednesday (St. Bernardine of Siena): Acts 17:15, 22-18:1, John 16:12-15; Thursday (The Ascension of the Lord): Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:17-23, Matthew 28:16-20; Friday (St. Rita of Cascia): Acts 18:918, John 16:20-23; Saturday: Acts 18:2328, John 16:23-28
MAY 24-30
Sunday: Acts 1:12-14, 1 Peter 4:13-16, John 17:1-11; Monday (St. Bede the Venerable, St. Gregory VII, St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi): Acts 19:1-8, John 16:29-33; Tuesday (St. Phillip Neri): Acts 20:17-27, John 17:1-11; Wednesday (St. Augustine of Canterbury): Acts 20:28-38, John 17:11-19; Thursday: Acts 22:30, 23:6-11, John 17:20-26; Friday: Acts 25:13-21, John 21:15-19; Saturday: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31, John 21:20-25
Our parishes
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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St. Joseph ‘was here to serve God’ Bishop Jugis celebrates feast of St. Joseph the Worker Mass at future college seminary SUEANN HOWELL AND KIMBERLY BENDER CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
BELMONT — Bishop Peter Jugis offered Mass May 1 on the grounds of the new St. Joseph College Seminary to commemorate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the private Mass was livestreamed for public viewing. This year has been dedicated as the Year of St. Joseph in the Diocese of Charlotte, and May also marks the expected completion date for the college seminary, located near Belmont Abbey College. “The Lord has certainly given us a beautiful afternoon to offer this Mass on St. Joseph’s day,” Bishop Jugis said during his homily. “A much larger, in-person celebration on the seminary grounds would have been nice, but we are grateful for everyone who is participating from remote locations.” Bishop Jugis remarked on the unusually quiet celebration that was organized for the feast day, especially as 2020 has been dedicated as the Year of St. Joseph. “We have to ask the question: Why, precisely on the Year of St. Joseph – this year of all years – is this celebration in honor of St. Joseph so subdued?” The May 1 Mass and a similar celebration for St. Joseph’s feast day on March 19 had to be tightly limited due to the pandemic, the bishop noted. “Why are these two liturgical celebrations so small and restricted during this year that we’ve especially set aside to honor St. Joseph? Isn’t it ironic?
“We were ready to go all out to honor St. Joseph in a big way. Could it be that St. Joseph is wanting to tell us something about himself – his humility?” the bishop pondered. “Could it be that St. Joseph is wanting to tell us, “It’s not about me. It’s about Jesus and His mother. Honor them, please.” “The humility of St. Joseph – one would have even thought that an optional memorial, as we are celebrating today, would be humble enough for St. Joseph. But no, even an optional memorial was too much. Even this celebration is more subdued, and small and restricted in attendance.” He continued, “What a humbling and grace-filled experience St. Joseph had to be head of the Holy Family. God put him in charge of His only begotten Son and the immaculately conceived Blessed Virgin who brought the Son of God into the world. St. Joseph was given authority over two individuals who were greater than he was. And they, Jesus and our Blessed Mother, honored St. Joseph, loved St. Joseph, obeyed St. Joseph and submitted to his authority. St. Joseph was humble and because he was humble, he was a good leader, Bishop Jugis said. And Jesus and the Blessed Mother followed his lead. “He loved them, guarded them, protected them and provided for them. He put them first. Such is the humility of a true leader.” The simple outdoor Mass was offered in front of the nearly completed St. Joseph College Seminary, located on 86 wooded acres near Belmont Abbey College. During the liturgy, the small group of attendees – mostly the college seminarians and their priest formators – could hear the wind blowing through the trees and birds chirping. Bishop Jugis looked around and noted, “In this beautiful pastoral setting, very conducive to prayer, study and progress in the interior life, we give thanks to Almighty God for the young men He is calling to begin their formation to the priesthood here.” The college seminary’s current enrollment is 26
young men, and growing. When it opens, the permanent seminary building will house up to 40 college seminarians. Construction work on the $20 million project is expected to be substantially completed within a few weeks. The Gothic-styled building will include a chapel, classroom, library, conference rooms, a kitchen and refectory (cafeteria), faculty offices, and a guest room. In his homily, Bishop Jugis also encouraged the people of the diocese to take part in the ongoing Year of St. Joseph and the plenary indulgence being offered for making a pilgrimage to the St. Joseph parish churches and chapels located around the diocese. And since this feast day honored St. Joseph the Worker, Bishop Jugis prayed especially for those who have worked to build the college seminary, as well as for all those whose jobs have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: “May St. Joseph, the model of workers, intercede for all workers who are unemployed, who are under-employed, who are idle during the pandemic crisis. And may he, gracious intercessor, present the needs of all workers to Almighty God, who is good and generous to all.”
More online At www.yearofstjoseph.org: Find educational resources, prayers and devotions, and “Year of St. Joseph” event details from across the diocese, as dates for special events are finalized. At www.stjosephcollegeseminary.org: Learn more about the Diocese of Charlotte’s new St. Joseph College Seminary.
Guardian Angel Villa under construction; potential residents encouraged to inquire SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corp. is building its largest-ever affordable housing project after receiving more than $11.3 million in federal tax credits and a loan from the state and the City of Charlotte. Guardian Angel Villa, a 102,000-squarefoot, 81-unit apartment building, is designed for low-income seniors aged 55 or older. It will feature 27 one-bedroom apartments and 54 two-bedroom apartments. Nine apartments will be handicapped accessible and all second- and third-floor units serviced by elevator. Guardian Angel Villa will be the fourth project for the diocese’s housing corporation, which was founded in 2001 by the late Bishop William Curlin to create, maintain and promote housing and accompanying services for seniors, the disabled and the vulnerable. The project is currently under construction in south Charlotte on a 20-acre, multi-phase property along South Tryon Street, and adjacent to another diocesan housing project, Mother Teresa Villa. It is expected to be completed this fall. The vision for the overall site is an extensive campus of affordable housing options, green space and amenities. “The campus’s unofficial name is
Guardian Angel Village, so naming this new housing unit Guardian Angel Villa seemed appropriate,” said Adriel Cardenas, director of the housing corporation. “We want the names of the facilities that we build to reflect the Catholic faith and the traditions of the Church. Our desire is to share the love of Christ and point people to Him in every way possible,” Cardenas explained. “We all feel very fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to deliver these homes and to touch peoples’ lives,” he said. “We want to deliver more than just the bricks and mortar. We want to build transformational communities.” Guardian Angel Villa “is one part of that,” he said. Guardian Angel Villa will have a chapel, as well as outdoor spaces, a front porch and a balcony where residents can relax, enjoy the gardens and socialize. It will feature benches, rocking chairs and other community gathering spaces inside and outside. Funding for the approximately $13.5 million project will largely come from a $9.3 million allocation of federal LowIncome Housing Tax Credits syndicated by RBC Community Investments and a $250,000 fully deferred, fully forgivable loan from the state. Both funding sources will be administered by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, as well as $1.75 million in proceeds
from the Charlotte Housing Trust Fund. Construction financing is by Wells Fargo, Permanent Debt by Freddie Mac and Prudential. The diocese also is helping to fund the project by providing the land at a substantially reduced amount. Three-quarters of the units will lease to residents 55 or older who earn 60 percent or below the local median income. One-quarter of the units will lease to residents 55 or older who earn 30 percent or below the local median income. Rents are projected to range from $342 to $866, depending on income, household size and unit size. Douglas Development and Schaumber Development are co-developers and coowners on the project. Architectural firm Progress Design Studio designed Guardian Angel Villa. Progress Carolina is the general contractor. Excel Property Management will manage Guardian Angel Villa. It is currently accepting information from interested applicants prior to opening the formal application process this fall. All are welcome to apply. This is the second of several phases slated for the 20-acre campus on Guardian Angel Lane. It already features Mother Teresa Villa, a housing complex for adults with developmental disabilities that opened in 2015.
Get info on Guardian Angel Villa Excel Property Management is compiling a list of interested applicants. To be added to the list and to receive updates on the application process as the project progresses, contact Excel Property Management at contact@ excelpropertymanagement.com or call 919-8780522, ext. 265. All are welcome to apply.
Your DSA contributions at work The Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corp. is funded in part by contributions from the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. Learn more about the DSA and how you can contribute at www. charlottediocese.org/development/diocesansupport-appeal.
Online Masses 4
catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
May 8, 2020 Volume 29 • NUMBER 16
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
The following parishes are providing live or recorded Masses each week. An updated schedule is online at www.catholicnewsherald.com, or contact your parish for details. ST. MARY MOTHER OF GOD CHURCH, SYLVA: Noon Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; 9 a.m. Saturday; 11:30 a.m. Sunday in English and 7 p.m. Saturday in Spanish
ST. MARK CHURCH, HUNTERSVILLE
ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 12 p.m. daily; 9 a.m. Sunday
ST. MICHAEL CHURCH, GASTONIA
BELMONT ABBEY MONASTERY: 11 a.m. daily
ST. MICHAEL CHURCH, GASTONIA: 10:30 a.m. Sunday
ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH, GREENSBORO
DIVINE REDEEMER CHURCH, BOONVILLE: 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday
ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL, CHARLOTTE: 11 a.m. Sunday
ST. STEPHEN MISSION, ELKIN
LIVESTREAMED MASSES The following parishes offer Masses live at the following times on their Facebook page or YouTube or Vimeo channel. If no time is listed here, check their parish website for more information:
GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH, KING: 11 a.m. English; 1:30 p.m. Spanish Sunday HOLY INFANT CHURCH, REIDSVILLE: 9 a.m. Sunday
ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH, GREENSBORO: 9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m. Sunday ST. STEPHEN MISSION, ELKIN: 9 a.m. Sunday ST. THERESE CHURCH, MOORESVILLE
STAFF
OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH, CHARLOTTE
EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH, MONROE: 9 a.m. daily
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 9 a.m. daily; 9:30 a.m. Sunday
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org
QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES CHURCH, BELMONT: 9:15 and 11 a.m. Sunday
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 10 a.m. daily, 10 a.m. Sunday in English and 2 p.m. Sunday in Spanish
SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org
SACRED HEART CHURCH, BREVARD: 12 p.m. daily Mass, 10 a.m. Sunday
RECORDED MASSES
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.
SACRED HEART CHURCH, SALISBURY: 9 a.m. daily (except Tuesday), Tuesday Mass, 6 p.m. ST. ALOYSIUS CHURCH, HICKORY: 9 a.m. daily; 11 a.m. Sunday English; 1 p.m. Sunday Spanish
ST. MARY MOTHER OF GOD CHURCH, SYLVA ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL, CHARLOTTE
ST. STEPHEN MARONITE CHURCH, CHARLOTTE ST. THERESE CHURCH, MOORESVILLE ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH, CHARLOTTE MISAS LOCALES EN ESPAÑOL Las siguientes parroquias ofrecen misas en vivo o grabadas cada semana. Un horario actualizado está en línea en www.catholicnewsherald.com, o comuníquese con su parroquia para más detalles: OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH, GREENSBORO
The following parishes offer Masses recorded on their website, Facebook page, YouTube or Vimeo channel. Search those platforms for the parish’s name to find the latest Mass information:
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 8 a.m. Domingo OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH, MONROE SACRED HEART CHURCH, SALISBURY: 11 a.m. Domingo ST. ALOYSIUS CHURCH, HICKORY: 1 p.m. Domingo
ST. ANN CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (Latin Mass) Sunday
GOOD SHEPHERD MISSION, KING HOLY CROSS CHURCH, KERNERSVILLE
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CHURCH, WINSTON-SALEM: 1:30 p.m. Domingo
ST. BARNABAS CHURCH, ARDEN: 10 a.m. Sunday
HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH, DENVER
ST. JAMES THE GREATER CHURCH, CONCORD
ST. BASIL THE GREAT EASTERN CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 11 a.m. Sunday
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH, FOREST CITY
ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, ASHEBORO
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHURCH, HIGH POINT OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION, CHARLOTTE
ST. LUKE CHURCH, MINT HILL: 1 p.m. Domingo
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CHURCH, WINSTON-SALEM: 9 a.m. English; 2 p.m. Spanish ST. JAMES CHURCH, CONCORD: English and Spanish
OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH, GREENSBORO
ST. JOHN NEUMANN CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 9 a.m. Sunday in English and 10 a.m. Sunday in Spanish ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, WAYNESVILLE, AND IMMACULATE CONCEPTION MISSION, CANTON ST. LUKE CHURCH, MINT HILL: 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday in English; 1 p.m. Sunday bilingual; 4:30 p.m. Sunday ST. MARK CHURCH, HUNTERSVILLE: 7 and 9 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 7 a.m. Wednesday; 9 a.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday in English, and 1 p.m. in Spanish
SUBSCRIPTIONS: $15 per year for all registered parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all others. POSTMASTER: Periodicals class postage (USPC 007-393) paid at Charlotte, N.C. Send address corrections to the Catholic News Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.
ST. MARY’S CHURCH, GREENSBORO
(ST. HELEN MISSION, SPENCER MOUNTAIN)
ST. MARK CHURCH, HUNTERSVILLE: 1 p.m. Domingo ST. MARY MOTHER OF GOD CHURCH, SYLVA: 7 p.m. Sabado
OUR LADY OF MERCY CHURCH, WINSTON-SALEM SACRED HEART CHURCH, SALISBURY ST. EUGENE CHURCH, ASHEVILLE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH, LENOIR
LOCAL MASSES IN VIETNAMESE ST. JOSEPH VIETNAMESE CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday
ST. GABRIEL CHURCH, CHARLOTTE ST. JOAN OF ARC CHURCH, CANDLER ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, ASHEBORO
LIVESTREAMED LATIN MASSES
ST. LAWRENCE BASILICA, ASHEVILLE
ST. ANN CHURCH, CHARLOTTE: 12:30 p.m. Sunday
ST. LEO THE GREAT CHURCH, WINSTON-SALEM
OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH, GREENSBORO: 1 p.m. Sunday
ST. MARGARET MARY CHURCH, SWANNANOA
Seek the intercession of St. Roch, St. Rosalie CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter J. Jugis is encouraging the people of the Diocese of Charlotte to pray for the intercession of St. Roch and St. Rosalie to end the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Most public Masses and all parish activities remain canceled across western North Carolina, and all 19 diocesan schools have now shifted to online classes only, as part of the community’s response to the public health threat. During a special videotaped Mass offered March 15, Bishop Jugis encouraged the faithful to pray to St. Roch and St. Rosalie to “deliver us from the current attack and subsequent suffering we are enduring from the coronavirus.” St. Roch, who is believed to have been born in France and lived in Italy in the 1300s, cared for the victims of the plague in Italy. He contracted the plague but survived, and
many healings were attributed to him. He is the patron saint of invalids. His feast day is Aug. 16. St. Rosalie was born in Sicily and lived during the mid-1100s. In her youth she left her home and lived in a cave, giving her life to God. She died alone in a cave near Palermo in 1166. In 1624 a plague hit Palermo and St. Rosalie appeared to a sick woman and a hunter and instructed him to the place where her body was buried. St. Rosalie told him to have her bones processed around the city three times to end the plague. The plague ceased, and her feast day is celebrated Sept. 4. The following prayer to the two saints is suggested: “Merciful Father, through the intercession of Blessed Mary, St. Roch, and St. Rosalie, deliver us from the current attack and subsequent suffering we are enduring from the coronavirus.
St. Roch
St. Rosalie
May we seek to assist those in need in body or spirit and ourselves turn away from sin and trust in You. We ask this in the name of the Divine Physician, Jesus Christ Our Lord.” — Catholic News Herald. CatholicOnline contributed.
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com
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In Brief Deacon appointed to Sylva parish SYLVA — Deacon John Szarek has been assigned as a permanent deacon to St. Mary, Mother of God Parish effective Feb. 3. Deacon Szarek and his wife Susan recently retired and moved to Franklin from the Chicago area. A Chicago native, he grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood on the city’s west side, a community of families with Polish, Lithuanian and Latino backgrounds, and attended Catholic Szarek school there. He and his wife married in 1993, and in 2006 he was ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago by Cardinal Francis George at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. Deacon Szarek served for 13 years at St. Ansgar Parish in Hanover Park, Ill., where his main areas of ministry were to the homebound and parishioners in hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. He was also the deacon representative for his deanery and served as a member of the diaconate council for the Chicago archdiocese. Deacon Szarek said he is looking forward to serving St. Mary, Mother of God Parish. He and Susan are excited about being part of their new parish family as Deacon Szarek begins a new chapter of diaconal ministry.
Hickory Conference Center hires staff, offers spiritual respite during COVID-19 crisis HICKORY — Director Deacon Scott D. Gilfillan recently announced important updates for the Catholic Conference Center, a multi-purpose facility featuring overnight accommodations and scenic grounds. First are three staffing changes. “Over the past couple of months, we’ve assembled some amazing talent to take care of our guests. Even now, during the crisis, they’re diligently working behind the scenes to create the best experience for our guests when events resume,” Deacon Gilfillan said. Kris Cordes, who spent four years as the center’s executive chef, is now the hospitality manager. In her new role, she will help plan events from conception to completion. “Kris has become known and loved by our guests,” Deacon Gilfillan said. “As executive chef, she graciously greeted each person as they entered the dining area and lovingly accommodated their culinary tastes. We look forward to Kris doing the same as she did in the dining area, now elevating the entire experience a person has when they come to the center.” Matt Baldwin, who has a culinary degree, is taking over as executive chef. “Matt has had success in opening and operating his own restaurant, he has served as the executive chef with a sailing regatta team, and has had chef and catering positions in a number of restaurants and high-end venues,” Deacon Gilfillan said. Ashley Dowdy now covers guest services and facilities. “Ashley is a dynamo of talent and perfectly suited to the varied roles she needs to fill,” he noted. “Her skillset includes web
design, HVAC repair and carpentry, to name a few. Ashley will be there to handle just about anything that might arise during an event.” Second, the Catholic Conference Center is also undergoing some updates during the COVID-19 shutdown. “In the absence of retreats and conferences, we’ve taken advantage of this time to redirect our skills from hospitality to things like painting, sheetrock and carpentry. We think you’ll appreciate our efforts next time you visit,” Deacon Gilfillan said in the center’s latest newsletter. The Catholic Conference Center is a haven for retreats, conferences, reunions and other gatherings for a variety of groups, including the Diocese of Charlotte. During the coronavirus pandemic, most of the center’s activities have been temporarily suspended. However, outdoor offerings are still permitted under the governor’s executive order as long as social distancing rules are followed. “We get very few outdoor visitors,” Deacon Gilfillan said. “That means, in near isolation, you can walk the trails, pray the rosary, meditate on the Stations of the Cross, or spend a little time before some of the statues.” A beautiful indoor Adoration chapel is available by appointment. Any visitors to the property should call 828327-7441 or e-mail info@catholicconference. org ahead of time. And for those who need someone to talk to and process these extreme circumstances, ask for Deacon Gilfillan when you call. — Catholic News Herald
— Deacon John Martino
Marion parishioners’ daughter makes profession of vows MARION — Vivian Webster, who took the name Sister Mary Gertrude and was clothed as a novice of the Benedictine community at St. Scholastica Priory in Petersham, Mass., in 2017, made her profession of simple vows on Oct. 20, 2019. She homeschooled until she attended Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, N.J. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Richard Sister Mary Stockton College and Gertrude worked several years for the Atlantic County, N.J., Library system. She is the daughter of Arthur and Evelyn Webster, parishioners at Our Lady of the Angels Church in Marion. — Art and Evelyn Webster
Columbiettes note DOT service KERNERSVILLE — Holy Cross Columbiettes 8509 recently celebrated 25 years of participation with the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program. Pictured, current committee head Jane Matuszak is presented with a certificate and a silver trash grabber by vice president Maggie Muelker. Also honored was the late Ruth Bailey, who started the committee. — Patti Dmuchowski
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOE PURELLO AND LEILA MENON
Diaper derby success in Asheville ASHEVILLE — Asheville Catholic School in early March sponsored a Diaper Derby to collect needed supplies for Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. In total, school staff organizers reported that 9,782 diapers and 18,670 baby wipe packets were collected. Pictured, the floor of Asheville Catholic School gym spells ACS with collected items after all the school classes brought their collected items to the school gym. Catholic Charities is grateful to all the students, school staff and their families who made such a generous donation of needed items possible. Would you like to help Catholic Charities collect more needed supplies of diapers and wipes? Consider having your parish and/or school group host a Diaper Derby. Catholic Charities can help provide the promotional flyers. For details, please email ccdoc@charlottediocese.org or call 1-800-227-7261.
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Father Rollie Hautz dies at 92 CINCINNATI, Ohio — Glenmary Father Roland Raymond Hautz died March 14, 2020, aged 92. A missioner for 69 years, Father “Rollie,” as he was known, spent most of his life serving as a mission pastor in North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio. A native of Milford, Ohio, near Cincinnati, he is survived by fellow missioners and friends. He began his Glenmary service as temporary assistant pastor in Statesboro, Ga., in 1953. He then served as assistant pastor in Norton, Va., before assuming his first assignment as pastor in St. Paul, Va. In North Carolina, he served at St. William Church in Murphy, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson, and St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta. He also served parishes in West Union, Ohio, Spencer W.Va., and finally Gate City, Va., before moving back to Cincinnati. Father Rollie is well known as the longestserving Glenmarian, having started with the society in 1944, just five years after its founding. He was ordained a priest in 1953, weeks before the death of Glenmary Founder Father William Howard Bishop. Upon Father Bishop’s death, he remarked that he was leaving behind “a good company of men.” “If there ever was a Glenmarian who embodied the virtue of joy, it was Father Rollie Hautz,” said Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey. “He was a missioner who sought only one thing – to bring the joy of Jesus Christ to others.” Father Rollie spent his entire career in the missions. When he took senior membership and moved back to Cincinnati in 2014 he was asked about the highlights of his priesthood. “Of course, offering Mass every day is the highlight,” he said. Because of the present restrictions on public gatherings during the coronavirus epidemic, the Glenmary community held a private funeral and Father Rollie was interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. A public memorial Mass will take place at a later date. Memorials may be made to Glenmary Home Missioners, P.O. Box 465618, Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618. — Catholic News Herald
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catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 OUR PARISHES
SPECIAL COVERAGE: THE CHURCH RESPONDS TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Jesus remains with us during this pandemic, Bishop Jugis reminds the faithful CHARLOTTE — On the Third and Fourth Sundays of Easter, Bishop Peter Jugis encouraged the faithful, reminding people that the Lord is with them during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During the April 26 Mass livestreamed from St. Patrick Cathedral, the bishop reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from Luke 24:13-35, which describes the encounter the two disciples on the road to Emmaus had with Jesus. In his bilingual homily, Bishop Jugis said Jesus wants to stay with us – all people need to do is ask Him. “Let us follow the example of those two disciples and let us ourselves also ask the Lord, ‘Stay with us.’ Especially at this time when we need Him so much,” he said. “We are experiencing a time of trial and testing and we are making many sacrifices in order to prevent the further spread of the virus. So we need the Lord to stay with us, to protect us, and to help us to be kind and considerate of others, to help us to be generous in helping others at this time.” “Yes, the Risen Lord is with us. He is not distant.
“This is the encouraging message of Easter: that our Risen Lord walks at our side on our journeys just as He did with His two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Not only that He walks at our side, but that He wants to stay with us, His people. “As we are limping along with stay-at-home orders and prohibitions on large gatherings, lean on Him on the journey. He is here, He is here to be with us.” Then again on May 3 for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also called Good Shepherd Sunday, Bishop Jugis reflected on the Gospel reading from John 10:1-10 and encouraged the faithful not to lose sight of the joy of Easter. “Jesus is risen from the dead and He is with us always,” he said. “He never abandons the sheep of His flock, but remains with His flock at all times to guide us. “This is our Easter joy: a Savior who loves us and who cares for us.” “At this time of the virus pandemic, it is good to reminded of this Easter message: that the Good Shepherd stays with us and that He is so intimately involved with His
flock. He knows each of His sheep by name, and He cares personally for each of His sheep.” “Stay close to this Good Shepherd,” he urged, especially as we are all being called to make sacrifices during the pandemic – including staying at home and avoiding physical contact, wearing face masks and following other public health precautions. “When you are asked to make these sacrifices for the good and the well-being of the larger community, turn them into opportunities to lean on the Lord more closely, instead of dwelling on how you’re being inconvenienced,” Bishop Jugis said. “Keep your spirits high by turning to the Good Shepherd in every situation.” Jesus will keep His flock “safe, secure and protected,” the bishop assured people as he prayed, “May the peace of our Risen Lord, our Good Shepherd, be with you throughout this Easter season.” — Catholic News Herald
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY GINA CABRERA
Volunteers load and unload food donations from St. Matthew Church for distribution at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church’s food pantry. Father Greg Gay, C.M., pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and Father John Allen, parochial administrator of St. Matthew Church, help unload the food donations. Catholic Charities’ Gina Cabrera carries donated boxes of cereal.
Two Charlotte parishes and Catholic Charities team up to restock food pantry CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities and two Charlottearea parishes, Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Matthew, recently joined together to get needed food supplies to Our Lady of Guadalupe’s food pantry. The parish in west Charlotte has recently seen a tremendous increase in food pantry clients as people have been furloughed or lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and food stocks were low. Meanwhile, St. Matthew Parish in south Charlotte had a large supply of donated food it wanted to distribute as soon as possible. Antoinette Usher, St. Matthew’s operations and facility director, had reached out to donate the food to Catholic Charities, which also operates a food pantry in Charlotte, but everyone quickly realized that the need was greater at Our Lady of Guadalupe’s food pantry after talking with its director Yesenia Echevarría and Eduardo Bernal, Charlotte Hispanic Ministry coordinator. For Catholic Charities’ executive director, Dr. Gerard Carter, the path was clear: “Let’s help St. Matthew get
their food to Our Lady of Guadalupe as soon as possible.” Catholic Charities’ staff Gina Cabrera and Joseph Purello helped coordinate the plans for moving the food across town. On April 24, a crew of St. Matthew faith formation volunteers drove five carloads full of nonperishable food to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Volunteers from both churches, including St. Matthew’s parochial administrator Father John Allen and Our Lady of Guadalupe’s pastor Father Gregorio Gay, C.M., stocked the OLG food pantry. Assisting the groups were seminarians Deacon Jake Mlakar and Miguel Sanchez. “This day of charitable compassion was made possible by a team of volunteers and staff drawn from two Diocese of Charlotte parishes and Catholic Charities,” Purello noted. “It truly is a wonderful witness of the Catholic community coming together to help fight hunger and get food to those in need during these difficult times.” To Catholic Charities came the message from Father Gay: “Many thanks to all who have made this possible!” He
added, “We practiced social distancing, but it was a great moment of inter-parochial sharing.” For Cabrera, who is a new employee at Catholic Charities, the effort filled her heart with thanks to God. “Catholic Charities must help those in need, not only because it is our job, but because it is our duty as Christians,” she said. “Our trust is in the one who cares for us and protects us from all evil, our great and rich God of mercy, who does not abandon us but gave His life on a cross just for love of us.” The person who got the ball rolling on this donation, St. Matthew’s Antoinette Usher, shared, “It is absolutely wonderful to see how fast this whole day happened. If this isn’t a sign of the Holy Spirit among us, I do not know what is.”
Online On St. Matthew Church’s YouTube channel: See video highlights of the churches’ joint effort with Catholic Charities
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com
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SPECIAL COVERAGE: THE CHURCH RESPONDS TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mercy in a pandemic Religious sisters live out their charism amid COVID-19 outbreak ANNIE FERGUSON CORRESPONDENT
MOCKSVILLE — Sisters of Mercy aren’t ones to shy away from an epidemic. Ever since the Civil War, members of the order have cared for North Carolinians suffering from serious widespread diseases – yellow fever in the 1860s, AIDS in the 1990s, and now COVID-19. The sisters’ ministry of caring is a marvel to many, especially their patients. And it’s been that way from the beginning. Caring for the sick has been an integral part of the order since its founding in Ireland by Catherine McAuley in 1831 and its arrival stateside in 1843. Therefore, when Mercy Sister Martha Hoyle heard that her Mocksville health clinic was likely closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the thought of leaving her patients went against every fiber of her being. “As Sisters of Mercy, we’re the first ones in. We couldn’t just drop them. That’s not right,” she says. The health clinic operates within the Storehouse for Jesus, an entirely volunteer-run resource center that also includes a pharmacy and other services. It’s designed to serve those most in need in Davie County, especially the uninsured. Sister Martha uses her nursing and advocacy skills in her ministry at the center. Mercy Sister Susie Dandison is a Spanish-English translator there and is loved by the Hispanic population as well as the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Church as a true ‘madre.’ A native of Argentina, Sister Susie began teaching Spanish to Davie County children in 1999. Two of her former pupils now help with translating at the storehouse. “We could use more!” she says as she takes stock of how much the Storehouse for Jesus does for the community. “The organization, the coordination and willingness to work is amazing. The food. The clothing. It’s an incredible place. For this little town to have that offering, it’s a credit to the community here.” They considered temporarily closing the Storehouse for Jesus because its volunteers are older and among those most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus. Many of them are seniors, including both Mercy sisters. Sister Martha jokes, “Hey, what are you talking about? Who’s old?” She had her concerns, too, but knew they had to do something. So she called the director emeritus, Dr. George Kimberly, and worked out a compromise to keep the clinic open during the pandemic. The pharmacy would remain open on Mondays and Wednesdays. Only patients who needed to see a doctor would go inside, and then they’d enter only from the side door and use as many precautions as possible, including personal protective equipment and other distancing and safety measures. “People are so grateful that we’re there. It’s some kind of connection. We’re there because we want to be there and get blessed by doing it,” Sister Martha says. “The hardest part is not being on the regular schedule. The patients don’t have somewhere to go as often as they’re used to.” She also notes that it’s difficult not being able to keep up with their patients who have been admitted to a hospital, due to restrictions on visitors. The sisters have been particularly concerned for a blind man who had been sick and has no family. They suspected he had COVID-19 and were later relieved to learn that he tested negative. “We try to keep up with them. It’s difficult not being able to be totally present to them,” Sister Martha says. The health clinic isn’t taking new patients right now, but when someone comes with a serious health issue, the doctor and Sister Martha will see them. Many of their patients have chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes that need to be monitored. “We’re a Band-Aid so they don’t have to go to the
Pictured are Mercy Sister Martha Hoyle and Mercy Sister Susie Dandison at the health clinic in Mocksville. PHOTO PROVIDED
hospital,” Sister Martha explains. The pharmacy uses a drive-up station to process prescription refills, and the storehouse’s food program uses a similar drive-through modification: one station for orders and another for pick-up. At 87, Sister Susie is one of the most vulnerable – and valuable – of the volunteers. She has been calling patients from home to let them know there is food and the pharmacy is open. She translates via phone for Spanishspeaking patients being seen at the clinic. “I’m taking as good care of myself as I can while doing as much as possible from here,” she says. Inside the Storehouse for Jesus, the doctor on duty and Sister Martha dress in full PPE. “I look like someone’s mummy,” Sister Martha jokes. “I have a mask, face shield, gloves and fluid-resistant gown.” All humor aside, the sisters know well the importance of caring for others during an epidemic.
SISTERS OF MERCY AND THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC
In the late summer of 1862, a ship from Nassau, Bahamas, docked in Wilmington, stocked with bacon and other food. Full of gratitude and eager to get the goods to their soldiers on the battlefield, the residents of the port city waived the yellow fever quarantine restrictions in place at the time. A few days later, physicians reported several cases of yellow fever. They had learned that several sailors aboard the Nassau vessel had been ill, and when the sailors came ashore to get water from local residents Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Bolles, the couple contracted the disease. Years later Mrs. Bolles wrote about the epidemic and those who risked their lives to care for the sick – including the Sisters of Mercy who were sent by Charleston Bishop Patrick Neeson Lynch at the request of Father Thomas Murphy. Led by Mother Teresa Barry, three Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy left Charleston for Wilmington: Sister Mary Augustine Dunne, Sister Mary Patrick Collins and Sister Mary Peter Sullivan. There are accounts of additional religious sisters in the area, including the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, who ministered to soldiers during the war. “The disease spread rapidly, after the first two weeks our physicians had more than they could contend with, and Charleston was quick in responding to the call for assistance, sending her physicians, and nurses, as many as were needed, a dozen or more Sisters of Mercy,” Mrs. Bolles recounted. “As I made my way over to the window one day about the middle of October to see if the weather cock across the street on the pinnacle of the Cape Fear Bank Building, indicated any change in weather, feeling so desperately hopeless, with no one near me but my husband who was too ill to realize the situation. As I looked out I saw all windows closed with no sign of life save the Little Sisters of Mercy darting across the streets – flitting from door to door, entering to administer to the sick and dying.”
DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE SISTERS
More than 1,000 people died in Wilmington’s yellow fever epidemic, which lasted from the first week of September until Nov. 6, 1862. That day, a heavy snowstorm quelled the raging outbreak, and no new cases were reported. The three Mercy sisters ministering in Wilmington returned to Charleston. Although North Carolina weather is famously unpredictable, a snowstorm on the coast in autumn must have been considered an act of God. The Sisters of Mercy have noted His hand in their ministry during this current pandemic, too. Right before the COVID-19 epidemic hit the United States, a local plant in Mocksville that had just changed its PPE supplier gave the sisters’ clinic two boxes of N95 masks, gloves and fluid-barrier gowns. “It seemed like it was way too much, and then it wasn’t,” Sister Martha says. “I’m amazed constantly at this place.” When those supplies began to run out last month, a supporter approached the sisters asked them if they needed masks at the clinic. Soon, Sister Martha was connected with Kat Manzella of Jamestown who runs Kisses4Kate, a nonprofit that helps children with cancer and their families in a variety of ways, including sewing masks and gowns for Brenner Children’s Hospital. Two days later, Manzella delivered 75 individuallypackaged masks, made using her personal funds, to Sister Martha in Mocksville. “Sister Martha was just so cute and grateful. She said she’s praying for us and that we were all miracle workers. She is actually the miracle. I can’t do what she does,” Manzella says. “It has given me great joy to have the opportunity to help Sister Martha and Sister Susie. God always watches out for His servants.” The supply quickly ran out at the clinic and on April 23, the sisters received another 100 masks made by Catholic laywomen of the Triad, including Manzella of St. Pius X, Barbara Markun of Our Lady of Grace, January Mills of St. Paul the Apostle, Karen Black of Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Shannon Flaherty of Christ the King. “Our patients can’t believe someone would do this for them. We can’t hug them now, but we’re a hugging group,” Sister Martha says. “Being able to give them a mask is almost like giving them a hug from a distance.” The sisters also note regular support and communication from the motherhouse in Belmont and help from community members as well as their local Knights of Columbus Council 12610 of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mocksville. “We struggle with getting medicines, and people are donating their stimulus checks without our asking,” Sister Martha marvels. “There’s an old hymn I’d sing when caring for AIDS patients: ‘He’s An On Time God.’ When I get in a stress, I start humming that. God’s going to come when He’s ready, and it’s always the right time.”
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catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 OUR PARISHES
SPECIAL COVERAGE: THE CHURCH RESPONDS TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
(Above) City of Belmont first responders paid tribute to the “Everyday Heroes” at Holy Angels in Belmont April 27. (At right) Health care heroes at Holy Angels were honored the week of April 27. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HOLY ANGELS
‘Faith over fear’ Everyday heroes at Holy Angels help residents amid pandemic SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
BELMONT — Protecting the most vulnerable people among us is at the core of Holy Angels’ mission. Day in, day out, the staff gives tirelessly of themselves in this long-term residential program to care for children and adults who have delicate medical conditions. Contracting COVID-19 could prove fatal for any one of Holy Angels’ residents. “So far, Holy Angels has not had any cases of COVID-19, with residents and staff,” says Regina Moody, Holy Angels’ president and CEO. “We live each day in ‘faith over fear.’ We follow the CDC guidelines as well as the North Carolina mandates. This has been difficult, especially for our families who are unable to visit,” she adds. Holy Angels’ staff have kept up residents’ daily routines and helped comfort them since the pandemic began and visitors were barred from health care facilities in North Carolina. Staff are using Facetime and other video conferencing tools to help residents communicate with their loved ones during pandemic. Charli Somers, SCR program director, says, “It is important for me to continue coming to work for our residents. They are not able to go elsewhere, so I feel it is important for us to show up for them, to ensure they aren’t feeling uneasy or scared
but instead feel nothing but love during these strange times.” Somers knows it is difficult for residents not to see their families, “and while we cannot replace their family, we sure are trying to keep them engaged and happy! It is so important that during these times we maintain the highest level of normalcy that we can, even if only between the walls of Holy Angels.” Care providers at Holy Angels, these everyday heroes, have increased the protective measures and equipment they are using to keep residents healthy while the novel coronavirus remains a health threat. Staff are using personal protective equipment while caring for residents and they are taking precautions in their off hours, staying away from their own loved ones in some instances so they don’t accidentally bring COVID-19 in to Holy Angels. Fannie Rendlemen, a clinical secretary and health care technician who has served at Holy Angels for the past 36 years, is doing her part to keep residents safe. “I have taken precautions such as wearing my mask outside Holy Angels,” she says. “I limit where I go. I haven’t seen my granddaughter in person since the Angel Bowl (March 7). I’m just trying to be very cautious. I don’t want to bring anything back to the residents.” April 27 marked 50 days since the quarantine began at Holy Angels, so to acknowledge the heroic efforts of the staff, management and local authorities honored the health care heroes. “We felt this was a time to celebrate all of our staff who work tirelessly to support our residents,” Moody says. “Our local police and fire department came and welcomed the staff early that morning and again in afternoon for the second shift. It was very nice and moving.” “We are grateful to the City of Belmont and the first responders (who came out). They are really supportive of Holy Angels
Holy Angels residents, separated from loved ones, have made special cards to mail to family during their COVID-19 quarantine. and we are grateful they came here. It was a beautiful day,” she says. During that week, Holy Angels gave their staff “Everyday Heroes” T-shirts, heroes Hershey bars and personalized face masks to say thank you. The increased need for protective measures and equipment at Holy Angels means that costs associated with residents’ care have mounted during a time when donations have dwindled and fundraising events have had to be canceled. Holy Angels has also had to temporarily close the businesses and programs that fund its mission, including The Cherub
Café, Cotton Candy Factory, Bliss Gallery, Spruced Goose Station and more. “Our loss of revenue from programs, businesses and reduction/cancellation of fundraisers has resulted in a $1.2 million shortfall,” Moody says. Moody expects increased costs for personal protective equipment and cleaning services going forward, which will add to Holy Angels’ financial needs. “We are using much more PPE than we ever have,” she explains. “That need is going to be a constant for us. Additional precautions have ramped up our cleaning costs considerably.” Holy Angels has also redeployed people in some of its businesses to environmental services to assist in critical care services for residents. “Our goal is to keep people working,” Moody says. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is extremely important to ensure we are taking all of the appropriate precautions to prevent residents from getting sick,” says Ashley Brown, special education teacher. Brown emphasizes, “Their lives depend entirely on the staff caring for them and protecting them from harm. Unlike other jobs, Holy Angels does not close down. The kids’ lives continue, so it’s not a profession that can stop during a crisis. The job still needs to be done every hour of the day.”
Help Holy Angels Holy Angels depends partly on donations to provide the highest quality care for children and adults with delicate medical conditions. The Holy Angels Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation and sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, South Central Community. To donate to Holy Angels, visit the website at www.HolyAngelsNC.org. Donations can also be mailed to: Holy Angels, P.O. Box 710, 6600 Wilkinson Blvd., Belmont, N.C. 28012. Questions? Call 704-825-4161.
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com
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SPECIAL COVERAGE: THE CHURCH RESPONDS TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Catholic publisher, Thomistic Institute offer RCIA program free online CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This is the time of year parishes have been preparing to welcome new Catholics into the church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, but the coronavirus has changed how catechumens and candidates are participating in RCIA. To prevent this pandemic from stopping these people from pursing full entrance into the Church, Charlotte-area based Catholic publisher TAN Books has released a free online version of the Credo RCIA program, which was developed in tandem with the Dominican friars at the Thomistic Institute, based at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington. Access to the YouTube videos for each lesson and PDFs of both the catechist and catechumen materials are available online through TAN Books and the Thomistic Institute websites. Visit www.tanbooks.com/credo for more information. Credo is a video program that “carefully teaches participants and catechumens the key tenets of the faith,” said a news release announcing online access. It is designed to be all-encompassing, covering all topics recommended by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. It also can be used with other RCIA
programs so leaders can easily pick up wherever their participants left off. Credo can be streamed from anywhere. In RCIA, catechumens are those have never been baptized, and they receive baptism, confirmation and first Communion at the Easter Vigil. Candidates have already been baptized in another Christian tradition, and they enter the Church through a profession of faith, being confirmed and receiving the Eucharist. The Thomistic Institute, founded 10 years ago, “seeks to promote Catholic truth in the contemporary world by strengthening the intellectual formation of Christians, especially at top tier universities,” according to a news release. The institute – thomisticinstitute.org – has over 50 student chapters, including at Harvard, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Duke University and on campuses in Dublin, London and Rome.
Also online At www.charlottediocese.org/coronavirusupdate: Looking for resources to help educate your children in the faith during these unprecedented times? The Diocesan Office for Faith Formation has compiled lots of online catechetical resources to promote at-home faith formation lessons.
PHOTOS BY PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
COVID-19 mobile testing site CHARLOTTE — Atrium Health’s COVID-19 mobile testing bus was out April 29 at Our Lady of Consolation Church, screening 170 people and testing 123 people who drove up throughout the day. Part of Atrium Health’s ongoing effort to address underserved and minority communities in Charlotte that have limited access to COVID-19 testing, healthcare professionals at the Coronavirus Testing Center conducted free screenings and immediate tests for COVID-19 as well as assess other health issues with patients, including the ability to socially isolate and quarantine, and make connections to other resources such as access to food or a pharmacy. Atrium Health officials noted that the mobile testing event at the church located off Statesville Avenue was the most successful it has had to date. Atrium Health continues to schedule mobile Coronavirus Testing Centers around the Charlotte area – for details, go to www.atriumhealth.org/about-us/coronavirus/mobile-unit.
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catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 10
EL OBISPO JUGIS CELEBRÓ MISA EN LOS TERRENOS DEL NUEVO SEMINARIO UNIVERSITARIO
Padre Julio Domínguez
Ir a Misa
M
e comentaba un amigo mío que no es muy allegado a la Iglesia, a pesar de que siempre le he insistido que vaya, que en estos días ha sentido una grave necesidad de ir a la Misa y al no poder hacerlo le entra mucho temor y dolor por las tantas veces que él sabía que tenía que ir y no lo hizo, e incluso pudo hacerlo y se negó a lo que en conciencia sabía que tenía que hacer. Este es el caso de muchas almas en este momento, las que han sido bien fieles y han entendido el gran misterio de la Eucaristía, así como las que rutinariamente iban sin entender plenamente lo que pasaba en Misa y aún más las que iban solo cuando “les nacía”. En estos días nos hemos dado cuenta muchísimos Católicos que la Eucaristía es algo esencial en nuestras vidas y que no solo es el hecho de ir por una obligación de conciencia, sino realmente un participar (tomar parte) en el Cuerpo y la Sangre del Señor. Para los que han estado alejados de la Iglesia, ven lo que está pasando y la gravedad del asunto, se encuentran ante la realidad de la incertidumbre de lo que puede pasar a ellos o a su familia y aún imperfectamente por el temor llegan a la conclusión de que necesitan a Dios en sus vidas. Los indiferentes se dan cuenta de que aún cuando iban distraídos a la Iglesia y muchas veces no sabían ni lo que estaban haciendo allí, sin embargo ahora que les piden reunirse delante de un televisor para escuchar Misa, alcanzan a redescubrir que el participar de manera presencial tiene un valor más elevado del que hasta ahora habían reflexionado. Las almas fieles y exquisitas con Dios, son las que más me preocupan, pues ellas saben lo que es realmente recibir de manera fructuosa el Sagrado Alimento de la Eucaristía. Ellas disfrutan el momento íntimo de la unión del alma con el Cuerpo de Cristo, ellas saben que las palabras de Cristo: “el que come mi Carne y bebe mi Sangre tiene vida eterna” son una realidad. Una de las realidades más hermosas que debemos entender es que la Santa Misa es el perpetuo ofrecimiento del Sacrificio del Hijo al Padre para la salvación y redención del género humano, y que en cada altar que se está ofreciendo la Santa Misa en estos días, tanto el Santo Padre, obispos y sacerdotes estamos ofreciendo esta intención para unir a todos los fieles al único Sacrificio del Hijo, y es de esta manera que todos los fieles pueden tomar parte. Animo a todas las almas a que en estos días, en que nos hace falta la Santa Comunión, podamos darle el valor que tiene y nos demos cuenta de que el recibir al Señor es una bendición que no tiene precio, y que en realidad no la merecemos, pero que en su infinito amor Dios ha querido dárnosla como don inestimable. ¡Oh Sagrado banquete en el cual se recibe a Cristo, se llena el alma de gracia y se nos da una prenda de vida eterna! EL PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ es director del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte.
“Él estaba aquí para servir a Dios”, dijo refiriéndose a San José SUEANN HOWELL Y KIMBERLY BENDER CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Todopoderoso por los jóvenes que está llamando a comenzar su formación al sacerdocio aquí”. La inscripción actual del seminario universitario es de 26 jóvenes, y sigue creciendo. Cuando abra sus puertas, el edificio del seminario permanente albergará hasta 40 seminaristas universitarios. Se espera que el trabajo de construcción del proyecto de $ 20 millones se complete sustancialmente en unas pocas semanas. El edificio de estilo gótico incluirá una capilla, aulas, biblioteca, sala de conferencias, cocina y refectorio (cafetería), oficinas de la facultad y habitaciones para invitados. El Obispo Jugis también alentó a la gente de la diócesis a participar en el Año de San José en curso, a obtener
BELMONT — El Obispo Peter Jugis ofreció Misa el 1 de mayo en los terrenos del nuevo Seminario Universitario San José, conmemorando la fiesta de San José Obrero. Debido a las restricciones por la pandemia de COVID-19, la Misa privada se transmitió ‘en vivo’ para su visualización pública. Este año ha sido dedicado como el Año de San José en la Diócesis de Charlotte, y el mes de mayo marca la fecha de finalización prevista para el Seminario Universitario San Jose, ubicado cerca de Belmont Abbey College en Belmont. “El Señor ciertamente nos ha dado una hermosa tarde para celebrar Misa en el día de San José”, dijo el Obispo Jugis durante su homilía. “Una celebración mucho más grande y en persona en los terrenos del seminario hubiera sido agradable, pero estamos agradecidos por todos los que participan desde ubicaciones remotas”. El Obispo Jugis señaló la celebración, inusualmente modesta, organizada para el día de la fiesta, especialmente porque 2020 se ha dedicado como el Año de San José. “Tenemos que preguntarnos: ¿Por qué, precisamente en el Año de San José, este año entre todos los años, la celebración en honor de San José es tan moderada?” La Misa del 1 de mayo y una celebración similar para la fiesta de San José el 19 de marzo sufrieron severas limitaciones debido a la pandemia, destacó el obispo. “¿Por qué estas dos celebraciones litúrgicas son tan pequeñas y restringidas durante este año que hemos reservado especialmente para honrar a San José? ¿No es irónico?“. “Estábamos listos para hacer todo lo SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD posible para honrar a San José a lo grande. El Obispo Peter Jugis ofreción una sencilla Misa al aire libre frente al edificio casi terminado ¿Podría ser que San José quiere decirnos del Seminario Universitario San José. Mirando a su alrededor dijo que “en este hermoso algo sobre sí mismo: su humildad? Podría entorno pastoral, muy propicio para la oración, el estudio y el progreso en la vida interior, ser que San José quiera decirnos: ‘no se damos gracias a Dios Todopoderoso por los jóvenes que está llamando a comenzar su formación trata de mí. Se trata de Jesús y su madre. al sacerdocio aquí”. Hónrenlos, por favor’”. “Es la humildad de San José. Incluso se habría pensado que una conmemoración opcional, como la la indulgencia plenaria que se ofrece por hacer una que celebramos hoy, sería lo suficientemente humilde para peregrinación a las iglesias y capillas de las diferentes San José. Pero no, era demasiado. Incluso esta celebración es parroquias San José alrededor de la diócesis, y a conocer más más moderada, de asistencia pequeña y restringida”. sobre el Año de San José y los peregrinajes. Continuó haciendo notar la “experiencia tan humilde y Y como la fiesta honró a San José Obrero, el Obispo llena de gracia” que tuvo San José para ser la cabeza de la Jugis oró especialmente por aquellos que han trabajado Sagrada Familia. “Dios lo puso a cargo de su Hijo unigénito y para construir el seminario universitario, así como por la Santísima Virgen inmaculadamente concebida que trajo al todos aquellos cuyos trabajos se han visto afectados por la Hijo de Dios al mundo. San José recibió autoridad sobre dos pandemia de COVID-19. seres que eran más grandes que él. Y ellos, Jesús y nuestra “Que San José, modelo de los trabajadores, interceda Santísima Madre, honraron a San José, amaron a San José, por todos los trabajadores que están desempleados, obedecieron a San José y se sometieron a su autoridad”. subempleados e inactivos durante la crisis pandémica. Y que San José fue humilde y, porque era humilde, fue un buen Él, gracioso intercesor, presente las necesidades de todos los líder, dijo el Obispo Jugis. Y Jesús y la Santísima Madre trabajadores al Dios Todopoderoso, que es bueno y generoso siguieron su ejemplo. con todos”. “Los amaba, los guardaba, los protegía y los mantenía. Los Siguiendo a otros obispos de Estados Unidos, mientras puso en primer lugar. Tal es la humildad de un verdadero la nación continúa luchando en medio de la pandemia de líder”. Coronavirus, al término de la Misa el Obispo Jugis consagró La sencilla Misa al aire libre se ofreció frente al edificio nuevamente la diócesis a María. casi terminado del Seminario Universitario San José, ubicado en un terreno de 86 acres cerca de Belmont Abbey Más online College. Durante la liturgia, el pequeño número de asistentes, En www.yearofstjoseph.org: Encuentre recursos educativos, en su mayoría seminaristas universitarios y sus maestros oraciones, devociones y detalles de los eventos del Año de San José en sacerdotes, podía escuchar el viento soplando entre los toda la diócesis. árboles y el canto de las aves. El Obispo Jugis miró a su alrededor y señaló que “en este En www.stjosephcollegeseminary.org: Obtenga más información hermoso entorno pastoral, muy propicio para la oración, el sobre el Seminario Universitario San José. estudio y el progreso en la vida interior, damos gracias a Dios
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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Las parroquias continúan su ministerio
FOTO CORTESÍA EDUARDO BERNAL FOTO CORTESÍA TEMOC HERREJON
Misa en español en North Wilkesboro se comparte por Facebook Live NORTH WILKESBORO — Desde que se cancelaron las Misas públicas para evitar el contagio de COVID-19, la coordinadora del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Winston Salem, Aleksandra Basanik, consiguió se realice una Misa online desde la parroquia San Juan Bautista de la Salle cada domingo a las 11:30 de la mañana. En la gráfica aparecen, de izquierda a derecha, arriba: Mayra Gómez, el R.P. José Rebaque, Aleksandra Basanik. Abajo, Víctor Ponce, Epi González y Gregorio Cántor, integrantes del equipo que genera la señal de la Misa.
FOTO CORTESÍA GRUPO MARÍA LLAMA DE AMOR
Reunirse los anima GREENSBORO — Los integrantes del grupo ‘María, llama de amor’ en Greensboro no han dejado de reunirse para orar, siempre respetando la distancia social determinada por las autoridades sanitarias y de gobierno. Ellos participan por turnos para permitir que sus numerosos miembros puedan acceder a sus citas de oración.
Labores de construcción en Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe CHARLOTTE — El Concejo 17501 de Los Caballeros de Colón, establecido en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, tuvo un fin de semana de agitada labor. Miembros de esa orden construyen una vereda que unirá la casa residencia de los sacerdotes con la Casa Marillac, ubicada en la entrada asfaltada de la parroquia. La obra, largamente anhelada, permitirá un fácil acceso de los sacerdotes a las instalaciones parroquiales, especialmente durante los días de clima lluvioso. En la foto aparecen Abel Salado, Antonio Hernández, Samuel Llanas, Pablo Morera, Óscar Alemán, Guadalupe Delgado, Alonso Rodríguez, Juan Ronquillo, Arnulfo Lovo, David Hernández y Óscar Zelaya.
FOTO CORTESÍA BASILICA SAN LORENZO
Ofrecen Misa dominical por YouTube FOTO CORTESÍA FAMILIA MERCADO
Excelente uso de las redes sociales CHARLOTTE — La red social Facebook, de gran aceptación en la comunidad hispana, sirve no solo como vehículo de socialización e información, sino también como un gran medio de evangelización. La hermana Joan Pearson, coordinadora del ministerio hispano del vicariato de Salisbury nos envía una fotografía en la que aparece la familia Mercado, feligresa de la parroquia Sagrado Corazón, reunida en su núcleo de Iglesia doméstica orando el Santo Rosario, gracias a una transmisión ‘en vivo’ generada en por ese medio social.
ASHEVILLE — Un equipo de colaboradores asiste al vicario parroquial de la Basílica San Lorenzo en Asheville, Reverendo Padre David McCanless, en la transmisión de la Misa dominical por su flamante canal de YouTube, el mismo que puede ubicar en esa plataforma bajo el nombre de Basilica St Lawrence. En la gráfica aparecen, de izquierda a derecha, Abraham Vallejos, Antonio García, Rosy Blanco, José Catellón, el Padre David McCanless, Ruth Blanco, Nataly Macías, Raquel Macías y Armando García.
FOTO CORTESÍA FAMILIA SOWELL
No dejan atrás sus tradiciones HIGH POINT — Celebrar la vida es parte de nuestra cultura hispana. Aunque no les fue posible organizar una gran fiesta, los padres de la Srta. Yelmy Sowel festejaron en su núcleo familiar los quince años de su hija. El Diácono Aquino dió la bendición a la quinceañera que reside con su familia en la ciudad de High Point.
FOTO CORTESÍA EDUARDO BERNAL
FOTO CORTESÍA EVELYN BERMÚDEZ
FOTO CORTESÍA PARROQUIA NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS CAMINOS
Rezo del Rosario no se detiene GREENSBORO — El Padre James Turner conduce el rezo del Santo Rosario, todos los domingos al mediodía, en el estacionamiento de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Caminos en Thomasville. En cumplimiento de las normas de distanciamiento social, los parroquianos oran juntos pero permanecen en el interior de sus automóviles. No se permite que ningún fiel baje del coche.
Misa online convierte hogares en “pequeños altares” GREENSBORO — En medio de la pandemia, la comunidad de Santa María en Greensboro encuentra alivio espiritual con la transmisión de la Misa dominical a través de Facebook. La celebración la ofrece el Padre Orlando Cardona, con la asistencia del Diácono Enedino Aquino. Evelyn Bermúdez, parroquiana de Santa María, dijo que gracias a esta iniciativa, “nuestros hogares se han convertido en pequeños altares donde recibimos la palabra de Dios”.
Cuarentena no desanima a futuros matrimonios CHARLOTTE — El pasado sábado 25 de abril se realizó uno de los talleres PreCana que organiza el ministerio hispano del vicariato de Charlotte. Esta vez, debido a las restricciones de reunión decretadas por las autoridades para detener el contagio del COVID-19, la asistencia no fue presencial sino virtual. A la sesión, según informó Eduardo Bernal, coordinador del vicariato de Charlotte, que se realizó de nueve de la mañana a cuatro de la tarde a través de la plataforma Zoom, atendieron 13 parejas de cinco parroquias distintas. Ciertamente las nuevas tecnologías se han puesto al servicio de la comunidad que desea permanecer en contacto con sus prácticas de fe.
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COBERTURA ESPECIAL: LA IGLESIA RESPONDE A LA PANDEMIA DEL CORONAVIRUS COVID-19
Jesus permanece con nosotros durante la pandemia, recordó el Obispo Jugis a los fieles CHARLOTTE — En el tercer y cuarto domingo de Pascua, el Obispo Peter Jugis animó a los fieles recordándole al pueblo que el Señor está con ellos durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Durante la Misa del 26 de abril, transmitida en vivo desde la Catedral San Patricio, el obispo reflexionó sobre la lectura del Evangelio del día, Lucas 24: 13-35, que describe el encuentro que dos discípulos tuvieron con Jesús en el camino a Emaús. En su homilía bilingüe, el obispo Jugis dijo que Jesús quiere quedarse con nosotros; todo lo que la gente necesita hacer es preguntarle. “Sigamos el ejemplo de esos dos discípulos y pidámosle también al Señor: ‘Quédate con nosotros’. Especialmente en este momento cuando lo necesitamos muchísimo”, dijo. “Estamos experimentando un momento de prueba y haciendo muchos sacrificios para evitar la mayor propagación del virus. Necesitamos que el Señor se quede con nosotros, nos proteja, nos ayude a ser amables y considerados con los demás, nos asista a ser generosos para asistir a otros en este momento”. “Sí, el Señor resucitado está con nosotros, no está
distante”. “Este es el mensaje de aliento de la Pascua: que nuestro Señor Resucitado camina a nuestro lado en nuestros viajes, tal como lo hizo con sus dos discípulos en el camino a Emaús. No solo es que Él camina a nuestro lado, sino que quiere quedarse con nosotros, Su pueblo”. “Mientras que ‘cojeamos’ con la orden de permanecer en casa y la prohibición de grandes reuniones, apoyémonos en Él en este camino. Él está aquí, está aquí para estar con nosotros”. Luego también el 3 de mayo, cuarto domingo de Pascua conocido como Domingo del Buen Pastor, el Obispo Jugis reflexionó sobre la lectura del Evangelio, Juan 10: 1-10, y alentó a los fieles a no perder de vista la alegría de la Pascua. “Jesús ha resucitado de entre los muertos y está con nosotros siempre”, dijo. “Él nunca abandona a las ovejas de su rebaño, sino que permanece en todo momento para guiarnos”. “Esta es nuestra alegría de la Pascua: un Salvador que nos ama y que se preocupa por nosotros”. “En este momento de la pandemia de Coronavirus,
es bueno recordar este mensaje de Pascua: que el Buen Pastor se queda con nosotros y que está íntimamente involucrado con Su rebaño. Él conoce a cada una de sus ovejas por su nombre y se preocupa personalmente por cada una de ellas”. “Manténganse cerca de este Buen Pastor”, instó, especialmente porque todos estamos llamados a hacer sacrificios durante la pandemia, lo que incluye permanecer en Casa, evitar el contacto físico, usar máscaras faciales y seguir otras precauciones de salud pública. “Cuando se le pide que haga estos sacrificios por su bien y el bienestar de la comunidad en general, conviértalos en oportunidades para apoyarse más cercanamente en el Señor, en lugar de pensar en cómo está siendo incomodado”, dijo el Obispo Jugis. “Mantenga su ánimo en alto recurriendo al Buen Pastor en cada situación”. Jesús mantendrá a su rebaño “a salvo, seguro y protegido”, aseguró el obispo. “Que la paz de nuestro Señor resucitado, nuestro Buen Pastor, esté con ustedes durante esta temporada de Pascua”, concluyó. — Catholic News Herald
FOTOS POR PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Unidad móvil de exámenes de COVID-19 CHARLOTTE — La unidad móvil para exámenes de COVID-19 de Atrium Health estuvo presente el 29 de abril en la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Consolación. Durante la jornada atendió a 170 personas y llevó a cabo 123 exámenes. La iniciativa es parte de los esfuerzos de Atrium Health para servir a las comunidades minoritarias de menores recursos que tienen acceso limitado a los exámenes de COVID-19. Los profesionales de la salud de este centro móvil no solo realizaron consultas y exámenes sino que asesoraron a los pacientes sobre el aislamiento social, cuarentena y recursos disponibles como acceso a alimentos y medicinas. Representantes de Atrium Health resaltaron que el evento en la iglesia, localizada en las inmediaciones de Statesville Avenue, fue el de mayor participación que han realizado hasta la fecha. Atrium Heath continuará con su campaña de desplazar unidades móviles de exámenes de Coronavirus alrededor del área de Charlotte. Para mayores informes visite www.atriumhealth.org/about-us/coronavirus/mobile-unit.
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May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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COBERTURA ESPECIAL: LA IGLESIA RESPONDE A LA PANDEMIA DEL CORONAVIRUS COVID-19
FOTOS GINA CABRERA | CARIDADES CATÓLICAS DE LA DIÓCESIS DE CHARLOTTE
La Casa Marillac, institución de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, viene asistiendo a un mayor número de familias en necesidad, especialmente ahora debido a la crisis económica generada por el brote de COVID-19. En las imágenes, pastores, seminaristas, personal de Caridades Católicas y voluntarios de las parroquias San Mateo y Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe hicieron posible que la Casa Marillac recibiera un importante donativo de la Iglesia San Mateo, siempre guardando la distancia social requerida por las autoridades sanitarias y de gobierno. Pese a la gran ayuda recibida, se invoca la asistencia de la comunidad para mantener la entrega de despensas.
Casa Marillac necesita ayuda urgente CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO
CHARLOTTE — La Casa Marillac, institución de la parroquia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Charlotte, requiere urgentemente de la ayuda de la comunidad para continuar brindando su servicio gratuito de despensas para las familias más necesitadas de la región metropolitana de la Ciudad Reina. Yesenia Echevarria, directora de la importante institución sin fines de lucro, dijo que la demanda se ha incrementado en un cien por ciento. “Antes entregábamos treinta despensas por semana y hoy son sesenta las familias que atendemos”, dijo. La Casa Marillac, nombrada en honor a Santa Luisa de Marillac, fundadora con San Vicente de Paúl, de la orden de Las Hijas de la Caridad, ha visto disminuída la colaboración de la feligresía debido a la ausencia de celebraciones de Misas dominicales en la Diócesis de Charlotte dispuesta por el Obispo Peter Jugis, en cumplimiento de las normas de las autoridades de gobierno y sanitarias para evitar la propagación de COVID-19. Regularmente, cada primer domingo de mes, los fieles aportaban a través del ‘domingo de la Divina Providencia’, llevando sus donaciones de alimentos y artículos de higiene personal. Desde que cesaron las Misas las entregas se detuvieron. La comunidad hispana, especialmente la que no tiene documentos de permanencia legal, se encuentra desamparada. No tienen trabajo, sus niños deben permanecer en casa, hay que alimentar a la familia y no reciben la ayuda federal que entrega el gobierno. Ante esto “¿qué pueden hacer?”, se preguntó Echevarria. La directora aseguró que se vieron obligados a cerrar sus operaciones durante Semana Santa, pero que de inmediato, al comprobar la necesidad, reabrieron el servicio con limitaciones. “Estamos dando a todos, hasta a los homeless. A todos, a americanos blancos, afroamericanos, hispanos. Y sin distincion si son católicos o no. A veces hasta el Departamento de Servicio Sociales del Condado Mecklenburg nos envía gente para que la ayudemos”, comentó la directora. Desbordados por la necesidad y falta de alimentos solicitaron la ayuda a Caridades Católicas de la Diócesis
de Charlotte y al Consejo local de los Caballeros de Colón, quienes respondieron de inmediato.
OBRA DEL ESPÍRITU SANTO
Fue entonces que un verdadero milagro ocurrió. La directora de operaciones e instalaciones de la Iglesia San Mateo, Antoinette Usher, contactó a Caridades Católicas para ver si la agencia podía usar un gran suministro de alimentos donados, casi al mismo tiempo que Catholic Charities recibió una solicitud de asistencia de ayuda de la despensa de alimentos de Casa Marillac. El Director Ejecutivo de Caridades Católicas, Dr. Gerard Carter, dijo de inmediato, “ayudemos a San Mateo a llevar su comida a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe lo antes posible”. Personal de Caridades Católicas, un equipo de voluntarios de ambas iglesias, los Padres John Allen (San Mateo), Gregorio Gay (NSG) y los seminaristas, Diácono Jake Mlakar y Miguel Sánchez, abastecieron rápidamente la despensa de Casa Marillac.
Antoinette Usher, quien puso en marcha esta donación, dijo que es “absolutamente maravilloso ver lo rápido que sucedió todo este día. Si esto no es una señal del Espíritu Santo entre nosotros, no sé qué pueda ser”. De otro lado, Pablo Morera, Gran Caballero de la Orden Caballeros de Colón con sede en la parroquia Guadalupe, dijo que la agrupación se encuentra involucrada en la recolección de fondos y víveres para solucionar la falta de alimentos y servir a la comunidad. A través de un comunicado, el Consejo 17501 de Caballeros de Colón hizo un llamado a todos los ministerios, movimientos apostólicos y pastorales, así como a las personas de buen corazón para apoyar la despensa familiar de Casa Marillac. “Estamos pasando tiempos difíciles en nuestra comunidad parroquial. La despensa de la parroquia, que provee alimentos a varias familias de nuestra comunidad que están pasando por dificultades, necesita de tu ayuda para poder continuar sirviendo cada semana”, explicaron, por lo que solicitaron la entrega de donaciones consistentes en frejoles, lentejas, arroz, aceite, maseca, azúcar, huevos, leche, jabón, pasta de dientes y más. La donación, dijo Morera, puede realizarse en efectivo en www.parroquiansguadalupe.com/ofrenda y “en la sección de comentarios indicar que su donación debe ser destinada a Casa Marillac”, añadió. Morera expresó que, con la autorización del párroco, R.P. Gregory Gay, han abierto la cuenta GoFundMe, Our Lady Of Guadalupe Church COVID-19, para recibir donaciones. Yesenia Echevarria dijo que para solicitar la entrega de despensas solo se debe llamar por teléfono a Casa Marillac, 704-503-9204, dejar un claro mensaje explicando su situación, el número de personas que viven en su domicilio y un número de teléfono al que se le devolverá la llamada. “Normalmente respondemos los mensajes los martes y jueves por la tarde, y entregamos las despensas los miércoles y viernes por la mañana”, aclaró.
Donaciones a la Casa Marillac n www.parroquiansguadalupe.com/ofrenda/ n GoFundMe, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church COVID-19 n Entrega personal en la parroquia Guadalupe n Yesenia Echevarria 704-303-0931 (L-V de 10 a.m. a 3 p.m.), Pablo Morera 980-229-2456 y Samuel Llanas 704-649-4766 (L-D de 3 a 7 p.m.)
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COBERTURA ESPECIAL: LA IGLESIA RESPONDE A LA PANDEMIA DEL CORONAVIRUS COVID-19
¿Qué está pasando en México? REV. P. HUGO MEDELLÍN VICARIO NUESTRA SEÑORA DE GUADALUPE
CIUDAD FERNÁNDEZ, México — La política y la prensa han funcionado juntas por mucho tiempo. El presidente que tenemos ahora, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, es un presidente populista, en el buen sentido de la palabra. Tiene sus defectos, como todo mundo los tenemos. A él le gusta ponerse como a predicar a la gente y eso es algo que la gente le critica mucho. En sí, cualquier cosa que haga se le va a criticar porque no es del PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) ni del PAN (Partido Acción Nacional), y estos partidos son los que más están atacándolo. Ahora, el presidente hizo varias cosas interesantes. Él no pidió un préstamo para resolver las necesidades durante la pandemia, sino que expresó su intención de cobrar los impuestos a quienes lo deben. Y eso es lo que ha incomodado muchísimo a grandes empresarios e incluso políticos No quiere pedir un préstamo, pero aún así logró un trato con China para que ese país enviara científicos e insumos para ayudar a combatir la pandemia. Respecto a la respuesta a la pandemia, el director de la Secretaría de Salud que se encontraba en funciones cuando hizo su presencia el virus, el Dr. Hugo López Gatell, es un epidemiólogo. Entonces fue una respuesta fluida, razonable, natural, a la crisis. Esa es la razón por la cual México tiene el cuarto lugar en la mejor respuesta en todo el mundo, ocupa el décimo lugar en número de infectados según cifras de la OMS (Organización Mundial de la Salud). El estado en que me encuentro es el que tiene menos infecciones a nivel nacional, donde se ha aplicado con éxito la norma de ‘distancia saludable’, que es como se llama en México a lo que en Estados Unidos se conoce como ‘distanciamiento social’. México está lidiando con esta pandemia de la mejor manera posible. Aún así, después que todo esto pase, la situación económica va a ser desastrosa, como en cualquier otro lado del mundo. El presidente ha dado una buena respuesta a la epidemia. Ha sido muy atacado por los medios de comunicación, pero los resultados hablan por sí mismos. Han querido culparlo de que los insumos no llegaban a la población. Después se comprobó que el gobierno federal había enviado la ayuda y los gobernadores estatales la habían recibido, pero aplicaron un mal manejo en la distribución. El presidente no es muy popular para la gente adinerada, pero tiene algunos aliados como Carlos Slim, un inversionista mexicano que acaba de pagar este año en impuestos cerca de diez mil millones de pesos mexicanos, algo así como 420 millones de dólares. La gente que quiere hacer las cosas como se hacían antes no lo apoya en su forma diferente de liderar la nación. Finalmente, para hacer la historia corta, me siento más seguro con Obrador que con Trump. NOTA DE REDACCIÓN: El Padre Hugo Medellín es un sacerdote de la orden Vicentina asignado como Vicario Parroquial en Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Charlotte. Cuando se encontraba disfrutando de una breve estadía vacacional en Ciudad Fernández, San Luis Potosí, recibió la llamada de su provincial que le indicó permaneciera en el lugar, por tiempo indefinido, hasta que se presentaran las garantías para su retorno seguro.
Conocer el aprendizaje remoto, tarea importante para los padres de familia CÉSAR HURTADO REPORTERO
CHARLOTTE — El pasado 24 de marzo el Gobernador de Carolina del Norte, Roy Cooper, anunció que las escuelas públicas estatales continuarán ofreciendo sus servicios educativos a través del sistema de aprendizaje remoto, descartando el reinicio de clases presenciales para todos los niveles educativos. “Los edificios escolares permanecerán cerrados para los estudiantes este año escolar, pero la escuela aún no ha terminado”, expresó el Gobernador Cooper. “La decisión de finalizar el año a través del aprendizaje remoto no fue hecha fácilmente, pero es lo correcto para proteger la salud de nuestros estudiantes, maestros y comunidades. Es un momento difícil para muchos estudiantes y padres, y estoy muy agradecido con los educadores, administradores, personal de apoyo y padres que han dado un paso extra para mantener a los niños aprendiendo”. La decisión del gobierno estatal implicó también el cierre prematuro de instituciones educativas Pre-K en la que participan niños de 3 a 5 años en programas llamados de Head o Smart Start y Bright Beginnings, las que continuarán, en la medida de sus posibilidades, a través del aprendizaje a distancia. La organización sin fines de lucro Read Charlotte, que desde 2015 promueve la lectura a nivel escolar, publicó en su website una serie de recursos de descarga gratuita para facilitar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes en casa, así como la tarea de guía y acompañamiento de los padres de familia. “Esperamos que su familia esté segura y sana durante estos tiempos inciertos. Para ayudarlo a seguir aprendiendo desde casa mientras las escuelas están cerradas, trabajamos con múltiples socios de la comunidad para desarrollar una lista de recursos complementarios de aprendizaje desde el nivel de jardín de infantes a 12° grado para las familias. Estos recursos en línea y de alta calidad se encuentran en un solo lugar: ReadCharlotte.org/KeepLearningCLT. La mayoría de estos sitios web son gratuitos y los niños pueden utilizarlos directamente desde sus casas, además de lo que sus escuelas les envían”, publicaron en su página de Facebook. Read Charlotte sugiere el uso de plataformas como Dreambox, Discovery Education, Edgenuity, Learning A to Z y Sora, a las que los estudiantes de las escuelas públicas del condado Mecklenburg pueden acceder gratuitamente con solo su número de identificación de estudiante y password. Adicionalmente, para estudiantes de otros sistemas escolares, ReadCharlotte facilita el ingreso a portales como PBS Kids, Khan Academy Kids, Home Reading Helper, Bedtime Math, Unite for Literacy, ABCya, NC Kids Digital Library, TumbleBooks, Math Learning Center, Storyline Online, Scholastic Learn At Home, Wonderopolis y muchos otros más. Los estudiantes de CMS también pueden acceder a
Los padres de familia necesitan estar comprometidos con la enseñanza remota que reciben sus hijos. Read Charlotte ofrece recursos desde un lugar centralizado, sin necesidad de efectuar búsquedas, y garantiza además que el contenido tiene calidad educativa. FOTO CORTESÍA READCHARLOTTE
estos programas sin necesidad de identificarse. La ventaja de Read Charlotte es que ofrece todos estos recursos desde un lugar centralizado, sin necesidad de efectuar búsquedas, y garantiza además que el contenido es de calidad. Solo debe visitar readcharlotte.org y hacer click en un aviso localizado en la parte superior de la página, en color naranja, que ofrece los recursos mencionados debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. En la parte derecha de la pantalla en mención hay una pequeña ventana que dice ‘Select Language’, en la que podrá seleccionar el idioma de su preferencia.
APRENDIZAJE VIRTUAL
La nueva norma de aprendizaje, que se ha originado debido a las restricciones de reunión ocasionadas por la pandemia de COVID-19, ha sorprendido a muchos padres de familia que no saben como enfrentarla y orientar a sus hijos. Al respecto, la Academia Americana de Pediatría publicó una serie de recomendaciones para que los padres apliquen en el aprendizaje de sus niños que crecen en “un mundo digital”, de manera que conceptos de uso saludable en ese panorama. La institución sugiere que los contenidos a los que se acceden deberían ‘trabajar’ con los valores familiares para mejorar la vida diaria. Cuando el acceso es inapropiado puede desplazar actividades de interacción cara a cara, de tiempo en familia, de actividades al aire libre, de ejercicio, descanso y sueño. Por ello, indican que poner límites es algo que los niños necesitan y esperan. Así como es importante para los padres conocer a los amigos de la escuela y vecindario, también debería conocerse a los amigos online, el software, aplicaciones y plataformas que los niños utilizan. El poner límites a la actividad online estimulará el juego físico y la creatividad. De otra parte, el tiempo online no debería ser un tiempo a solas. Acompañar al niño en sus juegos, jugar con él, es una buena manera de demostrarle las reglas de competitividad. No solo es bueno vigilar la actividad online del niño, al
interactuar con él podrá entender lo que está haciendo y ser parte de ello. Sea un buen modelo. Los niños son buenos imitadores, y si usted limita su uso online ellos tenderán a hacerlo también. De hecho, estará más disponible y conectado con su niño si está interactuando con él, lo abraza y juega, más que solo compartir una pantalla. El valor de la comunicación cara a cara es vital para el desarrollo del lenguaje. Promueva las conversaciones con familiares y abuelos a través de un video chat, si le es posible. Limite el uso de digital media en los niños. No permita el acceso a ella a los menores de dos años, a menos que sea una conversación en video. Con niños de 18 a 24 meses vea digital media con ellos para que aprendan viendo y conversando con usted. Limite el uso a niños de edad preescolar, entre 2 y 5 años, a solo una hora diaria con contenido de alta calidad. Cree zonas libres de tecnología en casa. Mantenga el tiempo de comida, reuniones sociales y las habitaciones de los niños sin el uso de pantallas. Apague los televisores que nadie ve y recargue las baterías de las tabletas y otros dispositivos fuera de los cuartos de los niños. Así evitará la tentación del uso nocturno. No use la tecnología como un ‘chupón’ o ‘mamilla’ emocional. Un teléfono inteligente o una tableta pueden ser efectivos para calmar a un niño, pero no debería ser la única manera que aprendan a calmarse. Investigue sobre las aplicaciones especializadas en niños. Los productos llamados ‘interactivos’ deberían requerir más actividad que solo toques de pantalla. Busque la guía de organizaciones como www. commonsensemedia.org para obtener una buena aplicación de juegos y programas para los niños.
Más online En www.readcharlotte.org y www. cmlibrary.org: Obtenga más nformación. Las Bibliotecas públicas, como la de Charlotte Mecklenburg, ofrecen recursos de ayuda al aprendizaje remoto.
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
El mensaje de la Virgen de Fátima “Rezad, rezad mucho y haced sacrificios por los pecadores” CONDENSADO DE ACIPRENSA
Cada 13 de mayo se celebra en todo el mundo la Fiesta de la Virgen de Fátima, en memoria de su primera aparición en las colinas de Cova de Iría, Portugal, en 1917. “No tengáis miedo. No os hago daño”, dijo la Virgen María el día de la primera aparición a Lucía, Jacinta y Francisco, los niños pastores que contemplaban a una señora vestida de blanco, más brillante que el sol. Después les dijo, entre otras cosas, que era del cielo y les pidió que volvieran a ese lugar seis meses seguidos el día 13 a la misma hora. En aquella ocasión, Lucía preguntó si ella y Jacinta irían al cielo. La Virgen les dijo que sí, pero cuando preguntó por Francisco, la Madre de Dios contestó: “También irá, pero tiene que rezar antes muchos Rosarios”. La Madre de Dios les preguntó: “¿Queréis ofreceros a Dios para soportar todos los sufrimientos que Él quisiera enviaros como reparación de los pecados con que Él es ofendido y de súplica por la conversión de los pecadores?” Los pequeños le respondieron que sí querían, a lo que la Virgen les advirtió que tendrían que sufrir mucho, pero que la gracia de Dios los fortalecería. La Virgen de Fátima abrió sus manos y les comunicó a los tres una luz divina muy intensa. Los niños cayeron de rodillas y alabaron a la Santísima Trinidad y al Santísimo Sacramento. Luego María señaló: “Rezad el Rosario todos los días para alcanzar la paz del mundo y el fin de la guerra”.
SIGUIENTES APARICIONES
En la segunda aparición la Virgen María se les presentó después que ellos rezaron el Santo Rosario, y en la tercera ocasión Nuestra Señora les dijo: “Cuando recéis el Rosario, decid después de cada misterio: ‘Jesús mío, perdónanos, líbranos del fuego del infierno, lleva todas las almas al cielo, especialmente las más necesitadas’”. Para la cuarta aparición, Jacinta le preguntó a la Madre de Dios lo que quería que se hiciera con el dinero que la gente dejaba en Cova de Iría. María les indicó que el dinero era para la Fiesta de Nuestra Señora del Rosario y que lo que quedaba era para una capilla que se debía construir. Más adelante, tomando un aspecto muy triste, la Virgen les manifestó: “Rezad, rezad mucho y haced sacrificios por los pecadores, porque muchas almas van al infierno por no tener quién se sacrifique y rece por ellas”. En el día de la quinta aparición, los niños llegaron a Cova de Iría con dificultad, pues muchas personas se les acercaban para pedirles que presentaran sus necesidades a Nuestra Señora. Los pastorcitos se pusieron a rezar el Rosario con la gente y la Virgen, al aparecérseles, animó nuevamente a los niños a seguir rezando esta oración para lograr el fin de la guerra. En la última aparición, antes de producirse el famoso milagro del sol, en el que el astro pareció desprenderse del firmamento y caer sobre la muchedumbre, la Madre de Dios pidió que hicieran en ese lugar una capilla en su honor y se presentó como la “Señora del Rosario”.
FOTO DE CNS| PEDRO NUNES, REUTERS
En la vista, una estatua de la Virgen María en el Santuario de Fátima. Miles de peregrinos lo visitaron el año pasado, cuando se cumplieron 102 años de la primera aparición de María a los tres pastorcitos. Posteriormente, tomando un aspecto más triste dijo: “Que no se ofenda más a Dios Nuestro Señor, que ya es muy ofendido”. Esto sucedió el 13 de octubre de 1917. Los pastorcitos tuvieron que pasar por burlas, calumnias, amenazas y la cárcel por la incomprensión de la gente. Poco después, Francisco y Jacinta fallecieron aquejados por la pandemia de la gripe española que atacó Europa en 1918. Con el tiempo la Iglesia reconoció las apariciones milagrosas y la devoción a la Virgen de Fátima se expandió por todo el mundo. San Juan Pablo II consagró Rusia al Inmaculado Corazón de María, tal como había sido el pedido de la Madre de Dios, y beatificó a los videntes Jacinto y Francisca en 2000 con la presencia de Sor Lucía, quien falleció en 2005.
Oración a la Virgen de Fátima Oh Virgen Santísima, Vos os aparecisteis repetidas veces a los niños; yo también quisiera veros, oír vuestra voz y deciros: Madre mía, llevadme al Cielo. Confiando en vuestro amor, os pido me alcancéis de vuestro Hijo Jesús una fe viva, inteligencia para conocerle y amarle, paciencia y gracia para servirle a Él a mis hermanos, y un día poder unirnos con Vos allí en el Cielo. Padre nuestro, Avemaría y Gloria. Madre mía también os pido por mis padres, para que vivan unidos en el amor; por mis hermanos, familiares y amigos, para que viviendo unidos en familia un día podamos gozar con Vos en la vida eterna. Padre nuestro, Avemaría y Gloria. Os pido de un modo especial por la conversión de los pecadores y la paz del mundo; por los niños, para que nunca les falten los auxilios divinos y lo necesario para sus cuerpos, y un día conseguir la vida eterna. Padre nuestro, Avemaría y Gloria Oh Madre mía, sé que escucharás, y me conseguirás estas y cuantas gracias te pida, pues las pido por el amor que tienes de tu Hijo Jesús. Amén. ¡Madre mía, aquí tienes a tú hijo, sé tu mi Madre! ¡Oh dulce Corazón de María, sed la salvación mía!
Domingo Savio, el niño santo CONDENSADO DE ACIPRENSA hacía en esos momentos, Domingo le El pasado 6 de mayo, la Iglesia contestó: “es que a veces me asaltan tales recordó a Domingo Savio, patrono de las distracciones que me hacen perder el hilo embarazadas, el niño que quería ser santo de mi oración, y me parece ver cosas tan y murió cuando solo tenía catorce años bellas que se me pasan las horas en un de edad. instante”. “El también patrono de los niños cantores, Santo Domingo Savio, solía MILAGRO MARIANO decir “¡quiero ser santo!”, por haber Durante el proceso de investigación cumplido en su vida una misión de la para llevar a Domingo Savio a los altares, Virgen María, mientras era guiado por su hermana Teresa narró que cierta vez San Juan Bosco. el Santo se presentó ante Don Bosco y le Domingo, pidió permiso para ir que significa a casa. Su formador ‘consagrado al le preguntó el motivo Señor’, nació en y el joven le contestó: Italia en 1842. Desde “mi madre está muy muy pequeño deseó delicada y la Virgen ser sacerdote y la quiere curar”. al conocer a Don Don Bosco le Bosco le pidió preguntó de quién ingresar al Oratorio había recibido de San Francisco de noticias y Domingo Sales en Turín. contestó que de Allí organizó la nadie, pero que él lo Compañía de María sabía. El sacerdote, Inmaculada y con que ya conocía de sus compañeros sus dones, le dio frecuentaba los dinero para el viaje. sacramentos, La mamá de rezaba el Rosario, Domingo estaba ayudaba en los embarazada, pero quehaceres y sufriendo con fuertes cuidaba a los niños dolores. Cuando difíciles. Además el muchacho llegó tenía un espíritu IMAGEN: FACEBOOK CASA SALESIANA DOMINGO SAVIO, GUAYAQUIL a verla, la abrazó muy alegre, le Domingo Savio fue declarado venerable por Pío XI fuertemente, la besó gustaba jugar y en 1933, beatificado por Pío XII el 5 de marzo de y luego obedeció a estudiar. 1950, y canonizado por el mismo pontífice el 12 su madre, quien le Poco después de junio de 1954. Sus reliquias se encuentran en había pedido que de su llegada al la Basílica de María Auxiliadora en Turín, Italia. fuera con unos Oratorio, Domingo vecinos. tuvo oportunidad Cuando llegó el de impedir que dos chicos se peleasen doctor, vio que la señora estaba repuesta a pedradas. Presentándoles su pequeño de salud y mientras los vecinos la crucifijo, les dijo: “Antes de empezar, atendían, le vieron al cuello una cinta mirad a Cristo y decid: ‘Jesucristo, que verde que estaba unida a una seda era inocente, murió perdonando a sus doblada y cosida como un escapulario. verdugos; yo soy un pecador y voy a La sorprendente visita de Domingo a su ofender a Cristo tratando de vengarme madre tuvo lugar el 12 de septiembre de deliberadamente’. Después podéis 1856, fecha del nacimiento de su hermana empezar arrojando vuestra primera Catalina. piedra contra mí”. Tiempo después, Domingo le dijo San Juan Bosco escribió una biografía a su madre que conserve y preste del joven santo y lloraba cada vez que la aquel escapulario a las mujeres que leía. En ella contaba que varias ocasiones lo necesiten. Así se hizo y muchas vio a Domingo como arrobado después afirmaban después haber obtenido de recibir la Comunión, hasta que cierto gracias de Dios con la ayuda del día Don Bosco lo encontró en el coro del escapulario de la Virgen. templo. Domingo Savio retornó al oratorio “Voy a ver” –cuenta Don Bosco– y halló salesiano, pero no por mucho tiempo. Su a Domingo “que hablaba y luego callaba, salud se resquebrajó más y a sugerencia como si diese lugar a contestación; entre de los médicos tuvo que despedirse de otras cosas entendí claramente estas Don Bosco y sus compañeros para volver palabras: ‘Sí, Dios mío, os lo he dicho y os a su casa. Antes de morir, el 9 de marzo de lo vuelvo a repetir: os amo y quiero seguir 1857, dijo: “¡Qué cosa tan hermosa veo!”. amándoos hasta la muerte. Si veis que he Domingo fue nombrado santo en 1954, de ofendemos, mandadme la muerte; sí, a casi 100 años después de su muerte. Fue antes morir que pecar’”. el más joven no mártir en ser declarado Cuando Don Bosco le preguntó qué santo en la Iglesia.
Lecturas Diarias MAYO 10-16
Domingo: Hechos 6:1-7, 1 Pedro 2:4-9, Juan 14:1-12; Lunes: Hechos 14:5-18, Juan 14:2126; Martes (Santos Nereo y Aquiles, San Pancracio): Hechos 14:19-28, Juan 14:27-31; Miércoles (Nuestra Señora de Fátima): Hechos 15:1-6, Juan 15:1-8; Jueves (San Matías): Hechos 1:15-17, 20-26, Juan 15:9-17; Viernes (San Isidoro): Hechos 15:22-31, Juan 15:12-17; Sábado: Hechos 16:1-10, Juan 15:18-21
15
MAYO 17-23
Domingo: Hechos 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Pedro 3:15-18, Juan 14:15-21; Lunes (San Juan I): Hechos 16:11-15, Juan 15:25-16:4; Martes: Hechos 16:22-34, Juan 16:5-11; Miércoles (San Bernardino de Siena): Hechos 17:15, 2218:1, Juan 16:12-15; Jueves (La Ascensión del Señor): Hechos 1:1-11, Efesios 1:17-23, Mateo 28:16-20; Viernes (Sta. Rita de Casia): Hechos 18:9-18, Juan 16:20-23; Sábado: Hechos 18:23-28, Juan 16:23-28
MAYO 24-30
Domingo: Hechos 1:12-14, 1 Pedro 4:13-16, Juan 17:1-11; Lunes (San Beda el Venerable, San Gregorio VII, Sta. María Magdalena de’ Pazzi): Hechos 19:1-8, Juan 16:29-33; Martes (San Phillip Neri): Hechos 20:1727, Juan 17:1-11; Miércoles (San Agustín de Canterbury): Hechos 20:28-38, Juan 17:11-19; Jueves: Hechos 22:30, 23:6-11, Juan 17:20-26; Viernes: Hechos 25:13-21, Juan 21:15-19; Sábado: Hechos 28:16-20, 30-31, Juan 21:20-25
Mix 16
catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
‘Pioneering Spirit’ of Catholicism in North Carolina highlighted in new book SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
GREENSBORO — Catholics in the Carolinas interested in learning about how the faith developed in the South have a new book to add to their reading list. “Pioneering Spirit: The History of St. Benedict Catholic Church from Inception to Restoration” is a labor of love and collaboration that took more than two years to compile. Author Annie Ferguson and contributor Kimberly Mara Oliver (who grew up at the parish) took painstaking care to create a thorough, engaging history of St. Benedict Church to preserve the story of the evolution of Catholicism in the Triad. “The Church has a fascinating history. As a journalist I thought it was a great story,” Ferguson said. “There is so much to it. It’s the Catholic ‘mother church of Greensboro.’ We’re talking about the first Catholics in Greensboro. That is why people should be interested. It’s a history of Catholicism in the city.” The work is a true collaboration, as Ferguson reached out to former pastors, current parishioners and parish council members who all contributed in some way to the book. “‘Pioneering Spirit’ is 161 pages and features an antique-paper look while including many photos of people and of the church’s priceless stained-glass windows,” Ferguson noted. The work also chronicles the restoration of the church completed entirely by parishioners in 2017.
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Parishioner Rachel Martin, of Roost Designs, designed the book and her son Josh assisted with the layout of the restoration section. Within the pages are recollections of Monsignor Joseph Showfety, who grew up at the parish and was educated by the Sisters of Charity at the former St. Benedict School and served as pastor from 1993 to 2002. Now retired, Monsignor Showfety was also the first chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, serving from 1972 to 1979. Ferguson said the best part about compiling the book was interviewing Monsignor Showfety. “He was born in 1927 and baptized there,” she explained. “He made the history come alive. He compiled a history of the parish when he was pastor. I loved all of his stories.” Monsignor Showfety, 93, told Ferguson that during his youth vocations to the priesthood and religious life were prevalent. He saw the Sisters of Charity’s total dedication to their PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ANNIE FERGUSON AND RACHEL MARTIN vocation in how they lived their lives and it made an impression on him. The sisters also saw in him the vocation to the priesthood. She had the opportunity to review the book with Monsignor Showfety upon its completion. “I really believed in his story and that of St. Benedict. It needed to be out there,” Ferguson said.
Get your copy “Pioneering Spirit: The History of St. Benedict Catholic Church from Inception to Restoration” is available for a $30 donation to St. Benedict Church. Contact the parish at 336-272-0303 for details.
Catholic Book Pick ‘Colors of Creation’ by Paul Thigpen, Ph.D., illustrated by John Folley The splendor of God’s world comes alive in this simple retelling of the biblical creation story for young children. As a master Artist, God paints the new canvas of earth and sky. “Colors of Creation” will help your child see the world all around in a new light – as the beautiful handiwork of a loving Creator. Each color displayed is yet another reflection of his glory and another pleasure to
enjoy. In the end, God’s masterpiece on earth is revealed in the people He creates, who can work and play, love and pray – and who come in every hue. Bestselling author Paul Thigpen tells the story in lively verse, with whimsical illustrations by artist John Folley that you little one will long remember.
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At www.tanbooks. com: Order your copy of “Colors of Creation.” Catholic News Herald readers enjoy 20 percent off their order – use the exclusive coupon code “CNH20.”
n Saturday, May 9, 6 p.m. (EWTN) “The Reformation.” Experience the defining moments in Church history where the absolute truths of our Catholic faith revolutionized daily life in the fields of food production, architecture, science and more. n Sunday, May 10, 6 a.m. (EWTN) “Regina Caeli with Pope Francis.” Pope Francis recites the glorious prayer to Our Lady Queen of Heaven: The Regina Caeli. n Tuesday, May 12, 9:30 a.m. (EWTN) “Visited by the Light.” Evidence reveals why the events at Fátima, Portugal, should be classified as a supernatural event attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary. n Tuesday, May 12, 4 p.m. (EWTN) “Saints and Heroes: Day the Sun Danced.” Find out why the Blessed Mother appeared to three peasant children in Fátima. The adventure unfolds as the police, the bishop, and the townspeople gradually come to believe the children’s remarkable story. n Tuesday, May 12, 5:30 p.m. (EWTN) “The Message of Fatima: The Angel of Peace.” Before Our Lady made her appearance in Fátima, the town was visited by a floating transparent figure in 1915 and the Angel of Peace in 1916. n Friday, May 15, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Discovering Damien: Saint of Molokai.” Father Nathan Cromly, CSJ, and several young Catholic pilgrims travel to Hawaii and learn about St. Damien’s heroic ministry to those suffering with leprosy on the island of Molokai. n Saturday, May 16, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Saint Rita.” The life of Rita of Cascia, the saint of the impossible and advocate of desperate cases, reveals the great faith of a woman who endured many hardships and difficulties on her journey to God. Part 1. n Saturday, May 16, 10 p.m. (EWTN) “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.” A look back on the life, ideals, and works of 1960s community activist Saul Alinsky through the lens of a Catholic perspective.
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704.843.1446 | www.ncestateplanninginfo.com
6406 Carmel Road, Suite 301 | Charlotte, North Carolina 28226
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE — YEAR OF SAINT JOSEPH
DUC IN ALTUM Please check www.charlottevocations.org for updates on registration and rescheduling. RETREAT FOR YOUNG WOMEN, 15 -19 YEARS OF AGE WWW.CHARLOTTEVOCATIONS.ORG
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Our nation 18
catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Bishops consecrate U.S. to Mary amid COVID-19 pandemic MARK PATTISON CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bishops throughout the United States reconsecrated the country to Mary as the nation continues to struggle in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Bishops in Canada also used May 1 to rededicate their country to the Blessed Mother. Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, led a “Renewal of the Consecration of the United States of America to the Blessed Virgin Mary” May 1. The sparse, 37-minute ceremony at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles was livestreamed on Facebook, YouTube and the websites of the Los Angeles Archdiocese and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Alternating between English and Spanish, Archbishop Gomez said: “In this difficult time we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. She intercedes with her Son for all are affected in this way by the pandemic. ... We implore her maternal care for her children.” Archbishop Gomez noted Mary’s history in the United States. “The first missionaries came to this country under the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Later, the bishops consecrated her as patroness of the United
States of America,” he said. “The Virgin Mary has accompanied this great nation since our beginnings,” he added. “Now in this difficult hour, we renew our consecration to her.” The United States has been hit harder than any other nation in deaths connected to COVID-19, with 72,334 known coronavirus fatalities as of May 6, with about 2,000 more people dying each day. Although federal and state health officials have been advocating strict measures to “flatten the curve” of infections and fatalities, none have said that deaths have yet reached their peak. Some Americans have loudly grumbled about the slow pace of “reopening” states to travel and commerce, while health officials fear a second wave of infections. “Mary was the first person to consecrate herself to Jesus, the first to offer her whole heart to do His will, to set His beautiful plan of redemption,” Archbishop Gomez said. “We ask God to give us that same faith, that same courage ... the strength to follow Jesus, to seek His holiness and His kingdom.” The ceremony featured Marian hymns including “Regina Coeli,” “Hail, Holy Queen” and a contemporary English-Latin setting of the Magnificat. It also featured the recitation of two decades of the rosary: the fifth Sorrowful Mystery, the crucifixion and death of Jesus, followed by the fifth Glorious Mystery, the coronation of Mary
CNS | TYLER ORSBURN
Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory leads a special liturgy in renewing the consecration of the U.S. to the care of our Blessed Mother at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington May 1, during the coronavirus pandemic. as Queen of Heaven. At its conclusion, Archbishop Gomez said, “Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is encouraging us to rediscover the beauty of praying the rosary at home in the month of
May. We are still in quarantine in our homes.” A similar liturgy of consecration took place at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington May 1, led by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Washington, who prayed: “In this time of pandemic, we come to you, our sign of sure hope and comfort. Today we renew the act of consecration and entrustment carried out by those who have gone before us.” In the Diocese of Charlotte, Bishop Peter Jugis also reconsecrated the diocese to Mary at the end of a private Mass livestreamed May 1 from the future St. Joseph College Seminary in Belmont. This consecration reaffirms the bishops’ previous consecrations of the United States to Mary. In 1792, the first bishop of the United States, Bishop John Carroll, consecrated the nation to Mary under the title Immaculate Conception, and in 1846, the bishops unanimously chose Mary under that title as the patroness of the nation. In 1959, Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle of Washington again consecrated the United States to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This was the year when construction of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington was completed. The national shrine was elevated to minor basilica status by St. John Paul ll Oct. 12, 1990. This was renewed by the U.S. bishops Nov. 11, 2006.
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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In Brief Bishops urge closer look at COVID deaths in black communities WASHINGTON, D.C. — A group of U.S. bishops expressed sorrow over disparities in infection and death rates among African Americans in U.S. communities. “Our hearts are wounded for the many souls mourned as African American communities across the nation are being disproportionately infected with and dying from the virus that causes COVID-19. We raise our voices to urge state and national leaders to examine the generational and systemic structural conditions that make the new coronavirus especially deadly to African American communities,” said the May 4 statement issued by Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Archbishop Nelson J. Perez of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church; and Bishop Joseph N. Perry, auxiliary bishop of Chicago, chairman of Subcommittee on African American Affairs. Though an accurate rate of infections and deaths among African Americans at the national level is not yet clear, some communities are reporting high and alarming levels among their respective populations. In St. Louis, in early April, for example, statistics showed that African Americans accounted for 64 percent of coronavirus cases even though blacks make up 45 percent of the population.
Poll shows faith is getting Americans through COVID crisis WASHINGTON, D.C. — A recent poll shows Americans are relying more on faith to help persevere through the coronavirus pandemic. The Pew Research Center, in a survey released April 30, showed that nearly one-fourth of all Americans say their faith has grown stronger during the pandemic, while only 2 percent said it had grown weaker. Catholics, according to Pew, are very much in line with the overall survey results. Among Catholic respondents, 27 percent said their faith had grown stronger with 2 percent saying it had gotten weaker. In addition, 63 percent said their faith had not changed much at all, and another 7 percent said the question was not applicable because “I am not a religious person and this hasn’t changed.”
U.S. bishops issue statement in support of migrant workers WASHINGTON, D.C. — Four U.S. Catholic bishops called on government officials to consider the plight of migrant farmworkers during the pandemic. “We would like to express our sincere gratitude and prayers for the many essential workers throughout the country, helping us receive our medicines, groceries, and other fundamental needs during this difficult time. We would like to highlight the reality of migrant farmworker communities and honor their heroic role amidst the many challenges they face during this crisis,” said the April 29 statement from Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church; Yakima Bishop Joseph J. Tyson, chairman of the Subcommittee on Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers; San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantu, PCMRT’s episcopal liaison for migrant farmworker ministry; and Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville of Washington, chairman of the Committee on Migration. — Catholic News Service
THE ORATORY
Center for Spirituality
434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 29731-1586
(803) 327-2097
rockhilloratory.net
oratorycenter@gmail.com
COVID 19: Moments and Memories Monday, June 8 – Thursday, June 11 9:00am – 11:30am
Presented by: Sr. Gay Rowzie, HM & Sr. Susan Schorsten, HM As our world is in need of healing so are we, personally and communally. Let us, during this in-between time, come together to share our stories, our fears, our uncertainties, our grief, trusting in the healing love of God as we journey into the future. Sr. Rowzie & Sr. Schorsten are Humility of Mary Sisters. Both were active in the Diocese of Charleston for many years before moving on to other ministries and now have returned to this area. This program is offered at no charge, but pre-registration is required!
Network/Systems Administrator III POSITION SUMMARY: The Network/Systems Administrator III installs, configures and maintains the network’s operating environment. Responsible for daily administration of a network and server systems. Plan and implement upgrades, patches, and installation of new applications and new hardware. Responsible for monitoring performance, troubleshooting complex issues, and deploying solutions. Responsible for data integrity and data security. Will execute the backup and restore plan in conjunction with the organization’s disaster recovery strategy. Will conduct evaluation of new technologies to optimize network and server’s efficiency and performance. Network/Systems Administrator III is a specialist on complex technical and business matters. Will perform a team lead role for the department. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: • Manage Diocese of Charlotte’s virtual server environment (VMWare and Hyper-V) • Monitor server, storage, and application health; make necessary adjustments to ensure server/networking environment is operating efficiently • Manage servers, applications, and other internal hosted systems • Microsoft Active Directory, Exchange, Skype for Business UC, SQL, DNS, DHCP, ClearPass, etc. • Install and configure new and existing hardware e.g. servers, SAN, etc. • Install and configure new and existing applications and systems OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES: • Project management; lead projects, work as part of a project team member when applicable • Segment network VLANs as required for security and performance • Assist department’s Director setting enterprise strategy based on new technology including data migration, data management, cloud migration, remote access, etc. • Coordinate with TSD team and vendors on hardware lifecycle ensuring lifecycle standards are met with appropriate budget recommendations and timelines EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED: • Possess business acumen enabling the delivery of technology in line with the organization’s goals and initiatives • CompTIA Network+ certification required • Preferred certifications include: MCSA or MCSE, VCP, ACSA or ACSP, ACCA • Preferred 4-year degree • Minimum 5 years’ related experience WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Some evening and weekend work may be required. Ability to stand and/or sit for extended periods. Ability to lift/move bulky objects weighing 50 pounds or more may be required. Must have an excellent record of accomplishment. Works as part of a team to accomplish common objectives; possess excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Candidates should be detail oriented with the ability to prioritize tasks and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. Preferred candidates will possess the ability to set as well as meet deadlines. Selected candidate must pass background check
Please send your resume to: employment@charlottediocese.org The Diocese of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
As lockdowns end, pope prays for prudence in behavior, judging others CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis began a recent morning Mass by praying that people would be prudent and obedient as governments begin lifting restrictions imposed to stop the coronavirus pandemic. And, in his homily at the Mass April 28, he prayed that people would be prudent in their judgment of others, refraining from gossip and not believing lies and “fake news” about entire categories of people. “At this time, when we are beginning to receive instructions for coming out of quarantine, we pray that the Lord would give His people – all of us – the grace of prudence and obedience to the instructions so that the pandemic does not return,” he said at the beginning of the Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
‘May the Lord help us to be just in our judgments...’ The pope’s comments came two days after the Italian bishops expressed concern that the Italian government’s plan for easing the pandemic lockdown in stages through June 1 had not made provision for the resumption of public Masses. The prime minister promised to study the issue to see if there were ways to do so safely. In his homily, Pope Francis focused on the account from the Acts of the Apostles about the martyrdom of St. Stephen. The story is “brutally” simple, the pope said. “The doctors of the law could not tolerate the clarity of his doctrine and, as soon as he proclaimed it, they went to ask
if people would say that they had heard Stephen blaspheme against God, against the law. And after that, they pounce on him and stone him. That simple.” The dynamic is not new, he said. The Old Testament recounts similar stories about attacks on Susanna and Naboth and about Haman’s persecution of the Israelites. The stories are filled with “false news, lies that fire up the people and make them demand justice. It’s a lynching, a real lynching,” the pope said. Often the lies are taken a step further, he said. In biblical times and still today, those making the false accusations and whipping up the mob then turn to a judge to get an official stamp of approval for unjust judgments, like when the chief priests went to Pilate to get him to condemn Jesus. The same thing happened to Asia Bibi in Pakistan, the pope said. She spent eight years on death row after a conviction in 2010 based on insubstantial evidence. She had been accused of blasphemy in a dispute over a cup of water with a Muslim co-worker on a farm. On a whole other level, he said, the same process of stirring up hatred and creating an “avalanche” of lies led to the Shoah, the slaughter of 6 million Jews by the Nazis during World War II. “The Shoah was a case of this kind,” he said. “An opinion against a people was created” and repeated so often that it seemed “normal.” People responded by saying, “Yes, yes, they should be killed,” he said. It is a way to “get rid” of people one doesn’t like, the pope said, but many “do not know that there is a little daily lynching that attempts to condemn people, to create a bad reputation for them, to dispose of them, to condemn them: it is the little daily lynching of gossip that creates an opinion,” a prejudice. “May the Lord help us to be just in our judgments and to not start or follow this massive condemnation that gossiping provokes,” he prayed.
Please pray for the following priests who died during the month of May: Rev. Ramon Berg - 2003 Rev. Henri Blanc – 1972 Rev. Anthony E. Cahill, OSB - 1985 Rev. Edmund Kirsch - 2001 Rev. Francis J. McCourt - 1982 Rev. William McShea - 1973 Rev. James J. Noonan - 1992 Rev. Msgr. Michael O’Keefe - 1994 Rev. Edward C. Smith - 1983 Rev. James A. Stuber - 1985
Pope composes prayers for end of pandemic to be recited after rosary CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis asked Catholics to make a special effort in May to pray the rosary, knowing that by doing so they will be united with believers around the world asking for Mary’s intercession in stopping the coronavirus pandemic. “Contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary, our mother, will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial,” the pope said in a letter addressed to all Catholics. The month of May is traditionally devoted to Mary and many Catholics already are in the habit of praying the rosary at home during the month, he noted. “The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this ‘family’ aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.” “You can decide according to your own situations” whether to pray individually or in groups, he said, noting that “it is easy also on the internet to find good models of prayers to follow.” Pope Francis wrote these two prayers to Mary that can be recited at the end of the rosary, prayers he said he would be reciting “in spiritual union with all of you”:
First Prayer to Our Lady
Second Prayer to Our Lady
O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the foot of the cross, were united with Jesus’ suffering, and persevered in your faith.
“We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God.” In the present tragic situation, when the whole world is prey to suffering and anxiety, we fly to you, Mother of God and our Mother, and seek refuge under your protection. Virgin Mary, turn your merciful eyes towards us amid this coronavirus pandemic. Comfort those who are distraught and mourn their loved ones who have died, and at times are buried in a way that grieves them deeply. Be close to those who are concerned for their loved ones who are sick and who, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, cannot be close to them. Fill with hope those who are troubled by the uncertainty of the future and the consequences for the economy and employment. Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us to God, the Father of mercies, that this great suffering may end and that hope and peace may dawn anew. Plead with your divine Son, as you did at Cana, so that the families of the sick and the victims be comforted, and their hearts be opened to confidence and trust. Protect those doctors, nurses, health workers and volunteers who are on the frontline of this emergency, and are risking their lives to save others. Support their heroic effort and grant them strength, generosity and continued health. Be close to those who assist the sick night and day, and to priests who, in their pastoral concern and fidelity to the Gospel, are trying to help and support everyone. Blessed Virgin, illumine the minds of men and women engaged in scientific research, that they may find effective solutions to overcome this virus. Support national leaders, that with wisdom, solicitude and generosity they may come to the aid of those lacking the basic necessities of life and may devise social and economic solutions inspired by farsightedness and solidarity. Mary Most Holy, stir our consciences, so that the enormous funds invested in developing and stockpiling arms will instead be spent on promoting effective research on how to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Beloved Mother, help us realize that we are all members of one great family and to recognize the bond that unites us, so that, in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity, we can help to alleviate countless situations of poverty and need. Make us strong in faith, persevering in service, constant in prayer. Mary, Consolation of the afflicted, embrace all your children in distress and pray that God will stretch out his all-powerful hand and free us from this terrible pandemic, so that life can serenely resume its normal course. To you, who shine on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope, do we entrust ourselves, O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.
“Protectress of the Roman people”, you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us. For he took upon himself our suffering, and burdened himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from every danger, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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at the age of 65, shocking the world and a Church that had just mourned the death of St. Paul VI. St. John Paul II said his predecessor’s importance was inversely proportional to his brief pontificate, and Cardinal Parolin said this pope “was and remains a point of reference within the history of the universal Church.”
In Brief
Dutch cardinal expects euthanasia to surge after ruling
Pope hopes for COVID vaccine, supports interreligious prayer VATICAN CITY — Expressing his hopes for a vaccine against the coronavirus, Pope Francis also gave his support to an interreligious day of prayer and fasting for an end to the pandemic. After reciting the “Regina Coeli” prayer May 3, Pope Francis said he supported the call of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity because “prayer is a universal value.” The day of “Prayer for Humanity,” which is set to take place May 14, will be an opportunity for all believers “to pray, fast and do works of charity,” he said. Expressing his closeness to the victims of COVID-19, as well as those entrusted with their care, the pope also encouraged cooperation between countries to “adequately and effectively” respond to the crisis.
Foundation set up to promote works of Pope John Paul I VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has approved the establishment of the John Paul I Vatican Foundation to preserve and promote the writings, thinking, example and study of “the smiling pope.” The pope also appointed as the foundation president Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, who, like Pope John Paul, is from Italy’s northern Veneto region. Born Albino Luciani in 1921, Pope John Paul I served only 33 days as pope. He died in 1978
MANCHESTER, England — A Dutch cardinal predicts the number of euthanasia cases in the Netherlands will surge after the country’s highest court gave the green light to allow the killing of dementia patients no longer able to give their consent. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands ruled April 22 that doctors could euthanize patients with severe dementia and who could no longer express their wishes if they had left an advance request in writing to say they wished to die. Cardinal Willem Eijk of Utrecht, president of the Bishops’ Conference of the Netherlands, said, however, the court’s ruling would not only make it easier for doctors to take the lives of dementia patients but would also put them under pressure to do so. Cardinal Eijk said on behalf of the bishops’ conference, “Patients and their relatives could think on the basis of the judgment ... that there is a kind of a right to euthanasia in cases of advanced dementia with suffering, deemed without prospect (of recovery) and unbearable, though the Supreme Court does not say that and the law on euthanasia does not oblige a physician to perform euthanasia,” he said in an April 24 statement. The court sought to offer clarity to potential ambiguity in the law following the prosecution of a doctor who in 2016 drugged a woman with Alzheimer’s disease after she resisted his attempts to give her a lethal injection. — Catholic News Service
Your Life’s Journey… how will you be remembered? Establish a legacy that responds to the many gifts God has given you.
Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte
For more information on how to leave a legacy for your parish, please contact Gina Rhodes, Director of Planned Giving at 704/370-3364 or gmrhodes@charlottediocese.org.
Help Desk Service Desk Manager Service Desk Manager manages and oversees all aspects the Diocese of Charlotte Technology Services “helpdesk” system. Manage the PC Support staff; manage technology functions of MACS and CCDOC Technology Coordinator positions. Communicate with customers on service case status and resolution. Service Desk Manager prepares reports for upper management regarding status of open/closed cases. Interacts with organization’s leaders. Work is collaborative in nature. Reports to Director of Technology Services. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: • Supervises PC Support staff • Manages Diocese of Charlotte technology “helpdesk”, providing support for all connected devices (Autotask) • Plan, prioritize and schedule service desk activities to ensure maximum issue resolutions in minimum time • Develop meaningful reports for improving service delivery • Manage a service/support team including diocesan, MACS, CCDOC personnel, and potentially external contractors • Develop and train service desk staff • Responsible for imaging Windows Operating System on new computers • Responsible for password management, employees moves, and disabling accounts in Active Directory • Communicate with organization stakeholders to ensure service delivery meets or exceeds expectations OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES: • Work as part of a team including as a project team member when applicable • Assist department’s Director in setting service level agreements for the variety of different service/support cases • Coordinate with asset management system on technology equipment lifecycle and ensures lifecycle standards are met with appropriate budget recommendations EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED: • Possesses business acumen to deliver on the organization’s goals and initiatives • Possesses strong knowledge of technology standards, equipment, and functionality within an organization • Possesses strong knowledge of technology service process workflow • Understand ITIL; has taken ITIL training and/or obtained ITIL certifications • Preferred 4-year degree • Minimum 2 years’ experience as a helpdesk/service desk manager
Please send your resume to: employment@charlottediocese.org The Diocese of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Kathryn Evans
Kelly Henson
Mending the broken P
arents are often menders. We mend broken toys, nearly ruined dinners, scuffed knees and stuck zippers. The more dexterous of us may mend clothing and jewelry. Meanwhile, handy or ambitious parents will tackle a broken vacuum or a clogged toilet armed with video tutorials, rudimentary tools and a strong belief in the power of thrift. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, I’m reminded of the many mothers I know with a special gift to mend broken relationships and quell sibling fights with a blend of subtlety, compassion and creativity that seems almost magical. I was never asked in marriage preparation meetings about my attitude or ability when it came to mending things. Perhaps it’s one of those skills best learned on the job. But I certainly spend a large portion of my day in fix-it mode now. As parents, we want to be able to mend things. This is the reason so many parents become rapidly disenchanted with cheap plastic toys and fragile electronics for kids. We know this isn’t a world of permanence, but we want it to be a mendable world. I think this desire goes beyond a wish to save money and conserve our planet’s resources, though those are also good things. Mending is an act of patient love, and we want to love our children. Our world desires a mending. Every political party promises that they know the path to a mended future. And even textile designs have a recent fascination with sashiko – a Japanese technique that visibly mends torn cloth so it becomes storied and stronger than before it was rent. At the same time, we know not every toy and problem is meant to be mended. Some are unnecessary for our lives and can be let go. Keeping a trained eye on our priorities helps us to know what to spend time mending and what to purge from our lives. With extra time at home, my attention is drawn to the many things that need fixing here at home. They cannot be ignored through our normal hustle of activities. The less tangible these things are (running the gamut from torn jeans to a household budget to health concerns and spiritual obstacles) the more I need God’s help to address them. God too, as our Heavenly Father, is a mender. Time and time again in the Old Testament, He renewed His covenant with the Israelite people. From the first moment that Adam and Eve fell, God promised a mending, and He fulfilled that promise in Christ. Even now, He continues to reach across the divides we create to mend souls through the sacrament of confession. This month, we have an opportunity to observe two important memorials in the Church that can lead to our mending. The first was the annual celebration of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1. St. Joseph, whom we have taken as our special patron in our diocese this year, served as a tekton.Though we often translate this as “carpenter,” a more accurate translation in
the 1st century would have been “builder.” If your roof fell in, you would call Joseph; he was a mender. Now, as a powerful advocate on our behalf in heaven, St. Joseph can help us as we seek to keep a roof over our own families and maintain peace in the home during difficult economic times. May is the month dedicated to Our Lady. To begin this celebration, our bishops united on May 1 to rededicate the United States under the protection of Mary, Mother of the Church. Over the past 2,000 years, Mary has proven time and again that her primary work is to join her Son in mending and healing our broken world. She knows how to bring peace during a time of upheaval and solace to those who are alone, afraid or overwrought. Wasn’t it Mary who was given at the cross to John as his mother, who was with the Apostles in the upper room at Pentecost, and who counseled the apostles as they began their work after the Ascension? She can accompany us in our mission and heal us in our distress. I have heard from many people that in the midst of an epidemic, it can be difficult to remember we are in the midst of celebrating Easter. It is a challenge to see a world broken by disease, political bickering and ever-fluctuating social norms and to trust in the mending God is doing at this time. We know the liturgical year proclaims that He has defeated death, and yet people still suffer and die. Gardeners revel in the life-giving pulse of warm and wet days, softening soil, and sprouts of green when others see the desolate gray of late winter. Catholics too see differently. Christians perceive hope, freedom and opportunities to love when others see only sorrow, restrictions and isolation. Julian of Norwich, an anchoress who lived in isolation near a church, received mystical visions of the suffering Christ in May of 1373. Even though England was reeling from the Black Death, social upheaval, vast economic changes and extended war abroad, her divine messages are full of hope. Christ promised His suffering people then and now: “I am able to make everything well, and I know how to make everything well, and I wish to make everything well, and I shall make everything well; and thou shalt see for thyself that all manner of things shall be well.” God is always at work mending our world, even when we struggle to see with the eyes of hope. He lives an eternal Easter, even when we feel stuck in a perpetual Holy Saturday. Mary and Joseph learned to live with the eyes of faith. They participated deeply in God’s healing work. If we ask, I believe God will help us see how He is trying to mend our church communities, our families and ourselves during this Easter season. Look for the mending you may not feel. It is Easter, and God is victorious. KELLY HENSON is a Catholic writer and speaker who explores the art of integrating faith into daily life. She and her family are parishioners of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Greensboro. She blogs at www.kellyjhenson.com.
Julian of Norwich’s revelations of divine love
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ometimes the right book finds you just when you need it the most. I had not heard of Julian of Norwich before this past year, when her book “Revelations of Divine Love” was assigned for the Well-Read Mom book club, a national community with small groups all over the country (wellreadmom.com). While I am not a mom myself, the ladies of the local group warmly welcomed me into their ranks for discussions of books, family life and our faith. In the year and a half since I joined them, I have fallen in love with several books through them that I might never have encountered or made time for otherwise. “Revelations of Divine Love” has certainly been one of the greater gifts I have received so far. This book was intentionally selected to be read during Lent, but none of us knew how unique this particular Lent would be or how much we would need the reminder of God’s divine love. In the late 14th century, Julian of Norwich was given visions of Christ’s Passion, during which God spoke to her and conveyed deep insights into His love and mercy. Julian was only 30 years old when she received these visions and spent many years mediating upon them before writing it all down. Julian was also living during a time when England and the rest of Europe was being ravaged by plague, famine and social unrest. By the mid-1300s, the Black Death was sweeping through Europe, and an estimated one-third to one-half of England’s population died. Yet it wasn’t messages of God’s anger or retribution that were given to Julian during this time. She received messages about His love, His willing sacrifice on the cross, and His ultimate triumph over evil and sin. I began reading this book in March, right as things were beginning to be shut down due to the COVID-19 virus – just as we were dispensed from attending Sunday Mass, various activities were being canceled, and the media were reporting disturbing news from pandemic hotspots such as New York City. By the time North Carolina issued its own stay-at-home order, I was about halfway through Julian’s book and her words (God’s words) had quickly become a sanctuary of comfort and reassurance in this increasingly unsettled world. The reminder of God’s boundless love and His own sacrifice and Passion gave me a much-needed perspective on the current crisis. One of the most relevant messages I found in Julian’s visions is how God always brings good out of every evil. God took the sin of Adam, “the greatest harm that was ever done,” and because of it brought about the Incarnation, the greatest sign of God’s love. Julian was told in her vision: “Since I have turned
the greatest possible harm into good, it is my will that you should know from this that I shall turn all lesser evil into good.” We are all limited to our own experiences and little glimpses of the world, so it can be difficult for us to see the good being worked during these difficult times, but in faith we must believe it is there. And perhaps the good to be found is the reawakening of our faith and realization of our dependence on God. We must always remember that our ultimate goal is the joy of heaven and unity with God, even though that means suffering here on earth. As Julian says, “for all this life of distress which we have here is only a moment, and when we are suddenly taken from suffering into bliss, then it will be nothing.” In several instances Julian writes specifically of the devil, whom she refers to as the Fiend, at work in the world as well as attacking her personally during her visions. Even as she herself experienced the devil’s oppression, her message is still one of hope and God’s triumph. In regards to the Fiend, Julian records that he is forever frustrated and blocked in his schemes, “for everything that God allows him to do turns into joy for us and into pain and shame for him; and that is because he may never do as much evil as he would wish, and God holds fast all the Devil’s power in his own hand.” The devil suffers even as God allows him to work in the world, because the devil knows that ultimately God will turn all of that work to good and for the salvation of souls. I hope all the ladies in the WellRead Mom book club found as much comfort in this book as I did, and I strongly encourage all others to check it out. Look for a good contemporary translation and be sure to get the Long Text version, which is still not particularly long. It is not a dense theological treatise, but a more conversational work, such as St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul” or the Diary of St. Faustina. Though Julian does not provide many details of her own life, there is still a very personal feel to her writing, which makes for an easier read. I will end with the Lord’s own words to Julian, which are repeated frequently in the book and now often come back to me as the whisperings of the Holy Spirit: “I will make all things well, I shall make all things well, I may make all things well and I can make all things well; and you shall see for yourself that all things shall be well.” KATHRYN EVANS is an author living on the outskirts of Charlotte, where she keeps chickens, experiments with cooking, and reads too many books. Find her work at www.evanswriting.com, including her book, “An Adultish Toolkit: 30 Things I Have Learned in 30 Years.”
May 8, 2020 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI
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Father Billy Swan
Pandemic exile: By the rivers of Babylon In 1978, the band Boney M had a hit single with the song called “The Rivers of Babylon.” The song is based on Psalm 137 in the Bible and expresses the sadness of the Jewish people who found themselves in exile away from their homeland and in Babylon in the sixth century before Christ. Exile was hard enough for them, but the real source of their distress was not being able to worship in the temple in Jerusalem. They lament: “Beside the streams of Babylon we sat and wept at the memory of Zion, leaving our harps hanging on the poplars there . . . Jerusalem if I forget you let my right hand wither! May I never speak again if I forget you! If I do not count Jerusalem the greatest of my joys.” During this modern time of restriction – when we cannot gather as a faith community to worship in our local churches – this psalm and its poignant sentiment of longing is resonant for us. I felt this same sadness acutely (and ironically) on Easter Sunday, when celebrating Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection while looking down on empty pews. On the most joyful and important day of the Church’s year, we felt the sadness of not being able to gather in our places of worship. Yes, modern technology has softened the blow by live-streaming many liturgies from our churches, but we know that it just isn’t the same. We want to be there. We want to be together. We want to be back home. What this experience of being in exile connects us with is the joy of worship and how we miss that joy by not being able to worship as a community in our local church. The joy that comes from worship and praise of God is prominent in the Scriptures, especially the Psalms. For example, in Psalm 43, the author clearly links the experience of joy with worship of God: “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I shall praise you, O God my God.” Likewise, in Psalm 84 the author exclaims: “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord God of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. ... Happy are those who live in your house, forever singing your praise.” These psalms are almost panting with excitement and anticipation about being able to go worship in the temple. Many of us, today, might consider this exhilaration to be exaggerated, for our modern experience of church worship has rarely excited us. But found in these psalms is a taste of how important it was for the Jews to worship and to do so in God’s own house. For them, it was a moment of great joy to do so and therefore an extreme sadness to be unable to gather there in prayer. Psalm 122 is one that captures how much we look forward to when we can return again to our churches for prayer and for the Mass. There the author writes: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘let us go to the house of the Lord!’” This is the joy we hope we will feel when we can assemble once more in our local churches. Again, it speaks of an inner joy and anticipation of coming back for prayer and praise. It also speaks of going together, being invited by someone else, summoned to share in something uplifting and to taste the divine. There is a sense of completeness that we are now lacking in our lonely, televised and isolated worship. Reading these psalms, the thought struck me: how wonderful it would be if everyone had at least something of that enthusiasm when
eventually we assemble again for prayer in the future! That when we can safely gather again for the Eucharist, we come to worship God in greater numbers – with renewed hearts of joyous gratitude for the freedom and possibility of being together again in God’s house! Unfortunately, before the pandemic crisis, we often slouched toward Mass with a sense of obligation, endurance or habit, with little thought as to what it meant to be free to worship and the privilege to worship in our own place. Or worse still, we didn’t gather at all. This is the stark reality for over 70 percent of baptized Catholics. Weekly worship with the faith community is not part of their lives. What that points to, based on the psalms we have looked at, is the need to rediscover the delight of worship that powerfully awakens the Spirit of God dwelling within us. The psalms convey authentic and deep gladness at coming to the house of the Lord because there we meet a God who is love, who is life, and who wishes us to experience the joy of praising Him. For when we experience the love of God and respond to it by love in return, the fruit is joy that comes from prayer. For we do not worship a god who demands our worship as a servile debt to Him. No. Our God and Father draws close to us, wants us to experience Him and know Him, and invites us to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (Ps 34:8). And when we do, then worshiping Him is not be something we have to do but something we want to do, with every fiber of our being. And when we all rediscover our lives of worship once this pandemic is over, then we will come to know what we have been missing: the bliss of encountering, as a family, the source of all love, beauty, truth and goodness who is God. In fact, this is what we pray at the Mass itself when we say: “It is our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks and praise” (Preface to Eucharistic Prayer). Giving God thanks and praise is not only a duty but our salvation, too – it saves us by drawing us deeper into a relationship with the living God. So maybe, just maybe, this crisis will be the spur for a revival of the liturgical life of the Church and our common lives of prayer. Friends, we have missed the gift of gathering for the Eucharist in our churches. We miss it terribly. Yet I believe that in God’s overall providence, He is teaching us something valuable in all this. First, that we took our religious freedom for granted before. We are now experiencing what thousands of persecuted Christians experience each week, sometimes for years after attacks on their churches and threats to their safety. Second, that we may not always have had the joy of worshiping God uppermost in our minds and hearts when gathered for prayer before this crisis. And finally, our hope and prayer is that when this long fast from public worship is over, we will gather again in our beautiful churches with greater faith than before and with even greater happiness. By the rivers of Babylon we now weep away from our temples. But the joy of worship will be ours again. Soon. FATHER BILLY SWAN is a priest of the Diocese of Ferns, Ireland, and currently based at St. Aidan’s Cathedral in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. This commentary originally appeared on the Word on Fire blog, at www.wordonfire.org.
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From online story: “Pope prays families find creative ways to keep the peace under quarantine” Through press time on May 6, 4,522 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 7,120 pages. The top 10 headlines in May so far have been: n Where to watch Mass online.................................................................................................. 507 n Bishop Jugis celebrates Mass on new college seminary grounds May 1.................. 396 n Dioceses reviewing best, safest options for return of public Masses........................ 299 n In new biography, Pope Benedict says world threatened by humanism.................. 254 n St. Joseph, patron saint of departing souls........................................................................195 n Bishop Jugis asks for intercessory prayer to end coronavirus......................................191 n Priests, parishes explore new ways to minister during Covid-19 pandemic............. 154 n Bishops of U.S., Canada will consecrate their nations to Mary May 1......................... 146 n Diocese names new superintendent of schools..................................................................99 n Polls show faith is getting Americans through the coronavirus crisis.........................95
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Protecting God’s Children We proclaim Christ to the world around us by our efforts to provide a safe environment for all people, especially the young and the vulnerable. The Catholic Church is absolutely committed to the safety of children. Together we can make a Promise to Protect and a Pledge to Heal. Suspect sexual abuse or misconduct? If you have information about possible sexual abuse or misconduct by any clergy, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Charlotte, report concerns safely, securely and anonymously 24/7 over the phone using the diocese’s new hotline, 1-888-630-5929, or online: www.RedFlagReporting.com/RCDOC Please note: If you suspect a child is in danger, please contact 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency. Safe Environment training Every Church worker must go through abuse prevention and education training. Find more information about the Diocese of Charlotte’s Safe Environment program, sign up for Protecting God’s Children training and more: Go to www.charlottediocese.org and click on “Safe Environment” For more information or questions, please contact the diocese’s Human Resources Office: www.charlottediocese.org/human-resources or 704-370-6299.
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catholicnewsherald.com | May 8, 2020 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Where are you going? QUO VADIS DAYS 2020 Please check www.charlottevocations.org for updates on registration and rescheduling. A camp for Catholic men to learn more about the priesthood, deepen their faith, and help discern God’s call in their lives.
www.charlottevocations.org