24 minute read
Mass obligation resumes Pentecost Sunday
from May 21, 2021
Our faith Our parishes
CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Advertisement
catholicnewsherald.com | May 21, 2021 May 21, 2021 | catholicnewsherald.com
CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI 3
Perseverance is necessary for prayer
Those who overcome distractions or obstacles when praying learn the value of perseverance in times of trial, Pope Francis said.
“True progress in spiritual life does not consist in multiplying ecstasies, but in being able to persevere in difficult times,” the pope said May 19 during his weekly general audience.
“Walk, walk, walk on and if you are tired, stop a little and then start walking again; but with perseverance,” he said.
In his main audience talk, the pope reflected on the difficulties that people may face when trying to pray, including “distractions, aridity and sloth” as well as the importance of recognizing and overcoming them.
Both in prayer and in everyday life, he said, the mind often “wanders all over the place” and some find it “hard to dwell for long on a single thought.”
“Distractions are not a fault, but they must be fought,” he said. “In the heritage of our faith, there is a virtue that is often forgotten, but which is very present in the Gospel. It is called ‘vigilance.’”
Citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the pope said aridity occurs when one’s heart “is separated from God” and leaves him or her “with no taste for thoughts, memories and feelings, even spiritual ones.”
While the reasons for that sense of aridity may range from physical ailments to inner turmoil, the pope said that often, “we do not really know the reason.”
“Spiritual teachers describe the experience of faith as a continuous alternation of times of consolation and desolation; there are times when everything is easy, while others are marked by great heaviness,” he explained.
While life is often filled with “gray days,” the pope said the danger lies in “having a gray heart; when this ‘feeling down’ reaches the heart and sickens it.”
“This is terrible: one cannot pray, one cannot feel consolation with a gray heart! Or one cannot emerge from spiritual aridity with a gray heart,” he said. “The heart must be open and luminous, so that the light of the Lord can enter. And if it does not enter, wait for it, with hope. But do not close it up in grayness.”
Lastly, the pope warned that sloth is not only one of the seven deadly sins, but also “a real temptation against prayer and, more generally, against Christian life” that can “lead to the death of the soul.”
Pope Francis said that at some point in their lives, “all the saints have passed through this ‘dark valley’” and would often recount “evenings of listless prayer, lived without enthusiasm.”
Nevertheless, believers, like the biblical figure Job, “never stop praying” even when their prayers may seem like protests to God.
Mary, Mother of the Church Mass obligation resumes Pentecost Sunday, May 23
In 2018 Pope Francis added a feast day for Mary, Mother of the Church to be celebrated on the Monday following Pentecost – and the date he chose was intentional. On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the birthday of the Church, and on the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, we celebrate the fact that Mary, as the mother of Our Lord, is intrinsically linked to the Church as her mother.
In issuing his decree to add this feast day to the Church’s calendar, Pope Francis wished to promote this devotion to “encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.”
This year, the feast day is on May 24. Why do we celebrate Mary as Mother of the Church?
While the popularity of the specific expression “Mother of the Church” has grown in recent centuries, the theological roots of this title for Mary go back to the early Church.
The Fathers of the Church often spoke of Mary as the New Eve. Just as the Woman Eve was “the mother of all the living” (Gen 3:20), the Woman Mary was mother of all those living in Christ. In Revelation 12:17, St. John says that this Woman’s offspring are “those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.”
St. Augustine and St. Leo the Great also both reflected on the Virgin Mary’s importance in the mystery of Christ.
“In fact the former (St. Augustine) says that Mary is the mother of the members of Christ, because with charity she cooperated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church, while the latter (St. Leo the Great)
MARY, SEE PAGE 22
What does the Catholic Church believe about Mary?
The Catholic Church has four dogmas regarding the Blessed Virgin: n She is the Mother of God, also called “Theotokos” (Council of Ephesus, 431) n Her Perpetual Virginity, i.e. maintained throughout her life (Lateran Council, 649) n Her Immaculate Conception (Pope Pius IX, “Ineffabilis Deus,” 1854) n Her Assumption into Heaven (Pope Pius XII, “Munificentissimus Deus,” 1950) Mural from the Church of the Visitation in Ein Kerem, near Jerusalem, depicting Mary protecting Christians with her mantle. The image was inspired by the oldest known hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, the “Sub tuum praesidium,” first written down in the third century. Photo taken by Dominican Father Lawrence Lew, who has an extensive photography collection for people to enjoy on Flickr (search “Lawrence OP”).
“O God, Father of mercies, whose Only Begotten Son, as He hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, His Mother, to be our Mother also, grant, we pray, that with her loving help your Church may be more fruitful day by day and, exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.” – Collect for the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church
Did you know?
“Mater Ecclesiae” is Latin for “Mother of the Church.”
Daily Scripture readings
MAY 23-29
Sunday (Pentecost Sunday): Acts 2:1-11, Ps 104:1, 24, 29-31, 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13, John 20:19-23; Monday (The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church): Genesis 3:9-15, John 19:25-34; Tuesday (St. Bede the Venerable, St. Gregory VII, St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi): Sirach 35:1-12, Mark 10:28-31; Wednesday (St. Philip Neri): Sirach 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17, Mark 10:32-45; Thursday (St. Augustine of Canterbury): Sirach 42:15-25, Mark 10:46-52; Friday: Sirach 44:1, 9-13, Mark 11:11-26; Saturday (St. Paul VI): Sirach 51:12cd-20, Mark 11:27-33 MAY 30-JUNE 5
Sunday (The Most Holy Trinity): Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40, Romans 8:14-17, Matthew 28:16-20; Monday (The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Zephaniah 3:14-18a, Isaiah 12:2-6, Luke 1:39-56; Tuesday (St. Justin): Tobit 2:9-14, Mark 12:13-17; Wednesday (Sts. Marcellinus and Peter): Tobit 3:1-11a, 16-17a, Mark 12:1827; Thursday (St. Charles Lwanga and Companions): Tobit 6:10-11, 7:1bvde, 9-17, 8:49a, Mark 12:28-34; Friday: Tobit 11:5-17, Mark 12:35-37; Saturday (St. Boniface): Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20, Tobit 13:2, 6-8, Mark 12:38-44 JUNE 6-12
Sunday (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ): Exodus 24:3-8, Hebrews 9:11-15, Mark 14:12-16, 22-26; Monday: 2 Corinthians 1:1-7, Matthew 5:1-12; Tuesday: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, Matthew 5:13-16; Wednesday (St. Ephrem): 2 Corinthians 3:4-11, Matthew 5:17-19; Thursday: 2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1, 3-6, Matthew 5:20-26; Friday (The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus): Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9, Isaiah 12:2-6, Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19, John 19:31-37; Saturday (The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary): 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, Luke 2:41-51
Diocese: No more masks or social distancing required in most cases
CHARLOTTE — Parishes are returning to near-normal operations, following state and federal officials’ moves last week to relax COVID-19 restrictions.
In light of these developments, the Diocese of Charlotte has announced Catholics’ obligation to attend Sunday Mass is also being reinstated effective Pentecost Sunday, May 23 – although some important exceptions will remain.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control announced May 13 that people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer need to wear face coverings or follow social distancing norms under most circumstances.
North Carolina’s requirements for masks and social distancing for vaccinated individuals in most instances were similarly dropped May 14.
However, state and federal health officials urge people who are vulnerable or unvaccinated to continue wearing masks and following social distancing norms.
In response to the state and federal actions, the Diocese of Charlotte’s vicar general and chancellor, Monsignor Patrick Winslow, issued a decree May 14 announcing that mask and social distancing requirements at religious services are lifted “effective immediately.”
The instruction, emailed to pastors and posted on the diocese’s website, www. charlottediocese.org, calls churches to resume their pre-pandemic Mass and confession schedules by May 23 and states, “Religious services no longer require social distancing or face coverings.”
The general dispensation from attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation also “will be narrowed” starting May 23 to encompass only the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, it states. “Those who remain vulnerable are advised to continue wearing face coverings or attend Mass virtually.”
As a precaution against virus spread, the Sign of Peace handshake and congregants’ reception of Holy Communion from the chalice also remain omitted from the Mass until further notice.
— Catholic News Herald
At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read the directive from the Diocese of Charlotte
FAQ about returning to Mass
1. When will the obligation to attend Mass be reinstated?
The general obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation in the Diocese of Charlotte will be reinstated effective Sunday, May 23, 2021. However, some exemptions will continue (see #4 below).
2. Why is the exemption from Mass ending now?
It is important that we begin returning to Mass, when and where possible, in recognition of the essential and central nature of the Eucharist in our lives.
In the challenging year since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, we all have adapted to protect the health and well-being of everyone in our communities. Safety precautions in place at our churches, such as capacity limits and rigorous cleaning protocols, have proven effective at making in-person worship possible without undue risk of spreading the virus. And while livestreamed Masses have been a means to help us nourish our souls when we could not be physically present in church, we must remember that “virtual” worship is not the norm. God did not come to us virtually. He came to us – and continues to come to us – in the flesh.
For us Catholics, unmediated contact with the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Our Lord in offering this sacrifice to God the Father is irreplaceable and essential.
3. Does this mean everyone is now obligated to go to
Mass again?
No. We know there remains concern about the spread of infection and we must remain vigilant to limit its spread, particularly among those most vulnerable. With this in mind, there are particular exceptions (called “dispensations”) granted to people in certain circumstances – including those who are ill and those who care for anyone who is at risk of serious complications from COVID-19.
In reinstating the Sunday obligation, we must welcome back to Mass all Catholics who are now engaging in other activities that would present a similar or greater risk of exposure, such as eating out at restaurants, traveling, partaking in non-essential shopping, and widening one’s circle of contacts. Returning to Mass is an acknowledgment of our need and desire for the Eucharist to nourish and strengthen us.
4. Who is still exempted from attending Mass?
People who are ill or vulnerable to infection are still encouraged to stay at home and attend Mass virtually, on TV or online. If you live in the diocese (or are visiting within the diocese), you are not required to attend Mass on Sundays or holy days of obligation if: n You are ill or your health would be significantly compromised if you were to contract a communicable illness (i.e., you have underlying conditions or are in a high-risk category). n You exhibit flu-like symptoms. n You have good reason to think you might be asymptomatic of a contagious illness (such as being in recent contact with someone who tested positive for a contagious illness such as COVID-19 or influenza). n You care for the sick, homebound or infirm. n You are pregnant, or caring for small children. n You are 65 years of age or older (per the CDC’s recommendation of high-risk individuals). n You cannot attend Mass through no fault of your own (such as no Mass is offered, you are infirm, or you are prevented for some reason you cannot control).
If you have questions about whether these exemptions apply to you, or if you have significant anxiety about returning to Mass, please contact your pastor or your parish office.
These categories will be reviewed and revised as needed.
5. Was this decision made in consultation with healthcare experts?
Yes. We have monitored the guidelines and requirements from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, local health officials, and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. All decisions regarding our practices during the pandemic have been informed and guided by experts in the medical community.
6. Are some safety precautions still in place?
Yes. The health and safety of our communities has been and remains paramount as we continue to monitor local conditions. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services no longer recommend social distancing or face coverings for those who are fully vaccinated, anyone who is vulnerable or not vaccinated is encouraged to continue wearing a face covering and to follow social distancing norms. In addition, congregants’ reception of Holy Communion from the chalice and the Sign of Peace are to remain omitted. Each church has specific protocols adapted for its own particular circumstances, so please contact your parish office if you have questions.
7. Are there still capacity restrictions at churches in the diocese?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services no longer recommend social distancing for those who are fully vaccinated. Religious services in the diocese no longer require social distancing for people who are not vulnerable to the coronavirus. Churches may maintain a section of seating with social distancing/masking protocols depending upon pastoral needs.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis
Dear Faithful of the Diocese of Charlotte,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we prepare to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, I would like to take this opportunity to personally welcome you back to Mass and to a renewal of your spiritual life.
Our communities are beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will take time to heal from the pandemic’s toll on people’s health, welfare and economic well-being. I especially remember in my prayers the more than 7,000 people across the 46 counties of our diocese who have died from COVID-19, and the families and friends who grieve their loss.
I also give thanks for our pastors, parishes, ministry and school leaders, and all of the faithful who have adapted to protect the health and well-being of everyone in our local communities. Their creativity, patience and perseverance have helped keep our parishes and schools safe and enabled people to remain connected to their faith digitally when in-person interactions were not possible. Livestreamed Masses, online classes and messages, and video conferencing brought blessings to us all.
Yet it is in the Paschal Sacrifice that we receive the greatest blessing of all. God so deeply loves us that He gives us His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity truly present in the Eucharist. It is through our active participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that we are nourished and sanctified. Without the Mass, as we have witnessed over this past year, it has been challenging to stay focused on our spiritual lives. We know the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith, our North Star, enabling us to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus and stay on the path toward eternal life in heaven.
Thus, it is fitting we emerge from the pandemic at Pentecost, renewed and
UPcoming events4 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following upcoming events:
MAY 21 – 6 P.M.
Sacrament of Confirmation
St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte
MAY 24 – 5 P.M.
Christ the King High School
Baccalaureate Mass
St. Mark Church, Huntersville MAY 25 – 2 P.M.
Diocesan Building Commission Meeting
Pastoral Center, 2:00 p.m.
MAY 25 – 5 P.M.
Charlotte Catholic High School
Baccalaureate Mass
St. Matthew Church, Charlotte MAY 27 – 6:30 P.M.
Bishop McGuinness High School
Baccalaureate Mass
Holy Cross Church, Kernersville
MAY 29 – 10 A.M.
Mass for the Rite of Admission to
Candidacy for Holy Orders
St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte catholicnewsherald.com | May 21, 2021
JUNE 1 – 6 P.M.
Sacrament of Confirmation
St. James the Greater Church, Concord
JUNE 3 – 6 P.M.
Sacrament of Confirmation
St. Luke Church, Mint Hill
May 21, 2021
Volume 30 • NUMBER 17
1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org 704-370-3333
PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte
STAFF
EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org ONLINE REPORTER: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORTER: Cesar Hurtado, 704-370-3375, rchurtado@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org
THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year. NEWS: The Catholic News Herald welcomes your news and photos. Please e-mail information, attaching photos in JPG format with a recommended resolution of 150 dpi or higher, to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org. All submitted items become the property of the Catholic News Herald and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives.
ADVERTISING: Reach 165,000 Catholics across western North Carolina! For advertising rates and information, contact Advertising Manager Kevin Eagan at 704-370-3332 or keeagan@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: $15 per year for all registered parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all others.
POSTMASTER: Periodicals class postage (USPC 007-393) paid at Charlotte, N.C. Send address corrections to the Catholic News Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.
Diocesan calendar of events
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GLOBAL CATHOLIC CLIMATE MOVEMENT AND SISTER JULIE MARIE PETERS, SSM
Celebrate Laudato Si Week
Laudato Si’ Week is being held May 16-25 in celebration of the sixth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical written for all people on the planet: “Laudato Si’: On Care of Our Common Home.” His opening words, “Laudato Si,” which quote from St. Francis of Assisi’s beautiful canticle, remind us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. The global celebration is sponsored by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and supported by the Global Catholic Climate Movement in collaboration with about 150 Catholic organizations. To mark this year’s anniversary, the Global Catholic Climate Movement is offering a series of workshops, trainings and events that anyone can join, including a live-streamed concert and cultural festival on World Biodiversity Day, May 22. This year celebrates the progress the Church has made in its ecological conversion journey over the past six years and offers a road map for the decade ahead. This year’s commemoration will also be a time to reflect on what the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us and prepare for the future with hope.
At www.laudatosiweek.org: Learn more and get involved
ESPAÑOL
UNA VIGILIA DE ADORACIÓN POR LA PAZ Y LA JUSTICIA EN NICARAGUA: Los jueves a las 6 p.m., nos reunimos en la Catedral San Patricio para, que en estos últimos meses está pasando por momentos turbulentos y ataques físicos contra la Iglesia Católica, sus templos, y sus Obispos. Todos son bienvenidos a unirse a la Adoración, rezar el Santo Rosario y la corona de adoración y reparación, y terminando con la oración de exorcismo de San Miguel Arcángel. La vigilia de oración es en español. Vigilias de mayo: 27.
VIGILIA DE LOS DOS CORAZONES: Primer viernes y sábado del mes, en la Catedral San Patricio, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Únase cada primer viernes del mes a una vigilia nocturna para honrar los Corazones de Jesús y María, orar por nuestras familias, ofrecer penitencia por nuestros pecados y pedir por la conversión de nuestra nación. La devoción comienza el viernes 4 de Junio a las 8 p.m. con la celebración de la Santa Misa, seguido de Adoración nocturna y concluye con la Misa del sábado el 5 de Junio a las 8 a.m. Para más información o para inscribirse a una hora de Adoración, visite www. ProLifeCharlotte.org/dos-corazones. offered for all military personnel who have died or retired and for those who are now serving. An all-American hotdog lunch will be served after Mass. All military personnel are invited and encouraged to come in uniform. Photos of those who have died, who are now serving in the military and retired military personnel will be displayed at the cathedral. To include your service member, preferably in uniform, please mail a photocopy of them with their name and military rank on the back to Michelle Maher, Office of the Bishop, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, to be received no later than May 26. Please do not send original photographs as they cannot be returned. 33-DAY CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH: Just as Jesus and Mary entrusted themselves entirely to the care and protection of St. Joseph as head of the Holy Family, so too can we follow their example. Consider making a consecration to St. Joseph using “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father” by Father Donald Calloway, MIC. Starting the 33-day series of prayers on Tuesday, July 20, would conclude on Saturday, Aug. 21, the feast of Our Lady of Knock. Learn more at www.yearofstjoseph.org. VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS: First Fridays and First Saturdays, St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Next vigil will be June 4-5, with Father Melchesideck Yumo as Friday’s celebrant. Join each First Friday through First Saturday of the month in an overnight vigil to honor the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and to offer penance and pray for the conversion of our nation. To sign up for Eucharistic Adoration times, go to www.ProLifeCharlotte.org/two-hearts.
SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Nine young men graduating from St. Joseph College Seminary this month got an early start on celebrating May 9 – trading in their college “house cassocks” for new black cassocks and birettas that mark their upcoming move to major seminary. Seven of the men earned undergraduate degrees from Belmont Abbey College. All nine men will continue their studies and priestly formation for the Diocese of Charlotte at two major seminaries: Joseph Yellico, Nicholas Kramer and Kolbe Murrey will study at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Christopher Angermeyer, Anthony del Cid Lucero, Luke Martin, Noe Sifuentes, Andrew Templeton and James Tweed will study at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. This is the largest set of seminarians to graduate since the college seminary was founded in 2016.
Record number of men graduate from St. Joseph College Seminary
SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
MOUNT HOLLY — The largest class to date graduated this month from St. Joseph College Seminary.
Nine young men are moving on to major seminaries to continue their formation as future priests for the Diocese of Charlotte. Seven of the nine men received undergraduate degrees from Belmont Abbey College May 15. They join the ranks of nine other men who have graduated from the college seminary – a total of 18 men in just five years.
Joseph Yellico, Nicholas Kramer and Kolbe Murrey will study at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Christopher Angermeyer, Anthony del Cid Lucero, Luke Martin, Noe Sifuentes, Andrew Templeton and James Tweed are headed to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Established in 2016, St. Joseph College Seminary has been a magnet for young men wanting to discern the diocesan priesthood. Enrollment growth has been faster than the diocese had anticipated, from eight students in its first year to 27 this year.
The diocese fast-tracked construction on a permanent home for the college seminary in Mount Holly, after the rising number of seminarians quickly filled four houses the diocese temporarily acquired for the burgeoning program. The new building opened last September and can house up to 40 college seminarians.
The nine graduates spent only a year in the new building, but their formation over the past four years has been pivotal, they said.
“On a practical level, the establishment of St. Joseph College Seminary made going to seminary much more feasible,” noted Murrey. “Instead of traveling across country right after graduating high school, I have stayed in North Carolina and in the heart of the diocese. This has been a great blessing and given me a unified and focused first four years of seminary formation.”
In his homily for the graduates’ baccalaureate Mass, Father Matthew Kauth encouraged the nine young men to keep growing in their relationship with Christ.
“I think the greatest thing and compliment I can say to you in front of those who are here – in front of your brother seminarians and your families – is that (God) abides in you and you abide in Him, that you are a friend of God’s,” he said during the Mass, offered May 9 at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. “I don’t know of any title in the world that is more desirous to have, than to say someone is a friend of God’s.”
As its largest graduating class moves out, St. Joseph College Seminary is preparing to welcome another large incoming class next school year.
At least eight new men are expected to enroll this fall, joining 18 others who are continuing their studies.
Devotion to St. Joseph leads to gift to college seminary
SUEANN HOWELL SENIOR REPORTER
MOUNT HOLLY — St. Joseph College Seminary is the beneficiary of an unusual estate gift from someone who never visited the seminary or even set foot in the Diocese of Charlotte.
Mary Josephine “Jo” Pankowski, 94, of West Palm Beach, Fla., left the college seminary’s capital campaign $52,000 in her will when she passed away last May.
Pankowski learned of the college seminary from her niece and goddaughter, Julie Trueman. Trueman and her husband Tom are parishioners of St. Elizabeth Church in Boone. The Truemans are very active in their community and are themselves supporters of the college seminary.
Pankowski did not have any children, so she entrusted her niece with helping her manage her charitable donations in her will. She often sought Trueman’s assistance in changing and adding charities to her list of those organizations she wanted to support after her death.
She had a deep devotion to her namesake, St. Joseph, so when Trueman told her about St. Joseph College Seminary, she surprised Trueman by adding it to her list of charities that would receive a percentage of her estate in her will.
Trueman said her aunt, born in Chicago in 1926, grew up near Mundelein Seminary and it was important to their whole family. Pankowski also left an estate gift to Mundelein Seminary, which is the principal seminary for the formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
“She always told me she wanted to give 20 percent of her estate to charities in her trust,” Trueman said. “I think the name St. Joseph College Seminary really made her want to include it in her trust. She had a special devotion to St. Joseph, St. Anthony and the Blessed Mother.”
Trueman also believes that when her aunt learned about the priest shortage in parts of the growing South, she was inspired to triple her original financial gift – appreciating the college seminary’s mission to form future priests to serve the rising number of faithful in western North Carolina.
“It is wonderful to see someone from outside the diocese make an estate gift to the seminary capital campaign,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “The good work we do in this diocese in many ways is being recognized by people across the country. This is just one example of that. Even though St. Joseph College Seminary is only five years old, a donor has already established an endowment for the seminary and several people have called us to say they are remembering the seminary in their estate plans.”
The St. Joseph College Seminary capital campaign fundraising is under way, with $19 million of the $20 million raised so far. For information about the St. Joseph College Seminary capital campaign, go to www. stjosephcollegeseminary.org or contact Fredrik Akerblom, St. Joseph College Seminary development director, at 704-3026386 or fakerblom@stjcs.org.
