Aug. 19, 2022

SERVING CHRIST AND CONNECTING CATHOLICS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA August 19, 2022 catholicnewsherald.com charlottediocese.org FUNDED BY PARISHIONERSTHEOF THE DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE THANK YOU! In the Spirit of Truth First ofinandeducationCatholicreflectssuperintendentschoolson50yearstheDioceseCharlotte 22-23 Get set Knightsat‘CatholicforNight’theCharlotte 23 ‘A signtremendousofhope’ Record number of seminarians enrolled this fall 5 Número récord de seminaristas ingresan este otoño 26 Spotlight: Back to School 2022 Enrollment grows as families find value, Long-awaitededucationquality $21 million MACS Fine Arts Center opens ‘Diocesan12-13 familyreunion’ returns Congreso Eucarístico reunió a la familia diocesana 6-11

ANOINTING OF THE SICK : 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill. Sponsored by the HOPE Committee. Anointing is typically presented to those who need healing from physical, mental illness, or someone who will be undergoing surgery. Refreshments will be served after Mass. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-545-1224.

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EDITORIAL TEAM: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org

SUPPORT GROUPS RACHEL’S VINEYARD : Are you or a loved one seeking healing from the effects of a past abortion? Rachel’s Vineyard weekend retreats are offered by Catholic Charities for men and women in the diocese. For details, contact Jessica Grabowski at 910-585-2460 or jrgrabowski@rcdoc.org, or Lorena Haynes at 828-585-0483. RETREATS A MARRIED COUPLES RETREAT ‘THAT TWO BECOME ONE FLESH’: Friday-Saturday, Sept. 9-11, Living Waters Retreat Center, 103 Living Waters Lane, Maggie Valley. Did you ever wonder about the meaning of the spirituality of matrimony? Come journey within your beautiful grace-filled lives as married couples in Prayer and Spiritual Exercises that deepen and enrich your married life. For details, go to www. catholicretreat.org or call 828-926-3933.

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org

SUPPORT MILITARY CHAPLAINS AUG. 27-28 Every three years parishes across the diocese hold a second collection to fund the Archdiocese of Military Services’ co-sponsored Seminarian Program, which identifies vocations in the military and educates men for the priesthood and subsequent military chaplaincy. Newly ordained Father Darren Balkey of St. Leo Parish in Winston-Salem will serve as a Navy chaplain after three years ministering in western North Carolina. Learn more about what chaplains do: www.milarch.org

BE POLISH FOR A DAY Attend a Polish Mass featuring a Polish choir, venerate the relics of Polish saints and enjoy a reception afterwards featuring Polish favorites and more on Sunday, Aug. 28, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. Mass starts at 2 p.m., followed by veneration and reception. More details are online at www.stacharlotte.com SueAnn Howell 1 2 3 4 5

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Diocesan calendar of events PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS

PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte STAFF

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CLEMMONS: Noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Road HUNTERSVILLE: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, St. Mark Church, 14740 Stumptown Road, in Room 200 at the Parish Center

Upcoming events for Bishop Peter J. Jugis: AUG. 22 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. John the Evangelist Church, Waynesville AUG. 24 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Benedict the Moor Church, Winston-Salem AUG. 26 – 6 P.M. Sacrament of Confirmation Good Shepherd Mission, King AUG. 29-31 Convocation of Priests Statesville August 19, 2022 31 • NUMBER 23 1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. catholicnews@charlottediocese.org28203-4003

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org

POLISH LANGUAGE MASS AND VENERATION OF RELICS : 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Polish priest Father Matt Nycz will be celebrant and Deacon James Witulski will assist. The Mass, offered in Polish with the homily given in both English and Polish, will be in honor of Our Lady of Czestochowa, St. John Paul II, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska and Blessed Father Michael Sopocko. A Polish choir will provide liturgical music. This Mass will fulfill your Sunday obligation. Confessions in English and Polish will be available at 1 p.m. After Mass, venerate first-class relics of St. John Paul II, St. Faustina and Blessed Sopocko. A reception will follow the Mass. Donations of appetizers, finger food or dessert would be greatly appreciated and can be dropped off before the Mass at Aquinas Hall.

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

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ARE BACK Catholic high school football teams across the diocese kick off their seasons Friday, Aug. 19. Football schedules are posted on each school’s website: Bishop McGuinness High School, www.bmhs.us; Charlotte Catholic High School, www.charlottecatholic.org; and Christ the King High School, www.ctkchs.org. Go teams! REGISTER NOW FOR FALL FAITH FORMATION It’s time for fall faith formation classes for youth and adults. Sign-ups are now open, so check your local parish website or bulletin for details. Find the closest parish near you at www.charlottediocese. org/parishes

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ST. PEREGRINE HEALING PRAYER SERVICE : 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. St. Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer and grave diseases. The service is offered for all those suffering with cancer or other diseases. For details, call the church office at 704-543-7677.

PROTECTING CHILDREN : Protecting God’s Children (Protegiendo a los Niños de Dios) workshops educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse. For details, contact your parish office. To register for online training, go to www.virtus.org. Upcoming workshops:

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.

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Those suffering from cancer and other diseases are encouraged to attend a St. Peregrine Healing Prayer Service at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. in Charlotte. St. Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer and grave diseases. For details, call the parish office at 704-543-7677.

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 20222 At a glance

The elderly can save humanity, unite generations Pope Francis dedicated his general audience talk to the urgent need for young and old to come together so older people can share their faith and wisdom about the world. “Let’s think about dialogue, about the alliance between old and young,” he said, as well as make sure this bond is not broken. “May the elderly have the joy of speaking, of expressing themselves with young people and may young people seek out the elderly to receive the wisdom of life from them.”

AUG. 28-SEPT. 3 Sunday: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29, Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a, Luke 14:1, 7-14; Monday (The Passion of St. John the Baptist): 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Mark 6:17-29; Tuesday: 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16, Luke 4:3137; Wednesday: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Luke 4:38-44; Thursday: 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, Luke 5:1-11; Friday: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Luke 5:33-39; Saturday (St. Gregory the Great): 1 Corinthians 4:6b-15, Luke 6:1-5

Daily Scripture readings

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD I 3

Pope Francis Queenship of Mary

On Aug. 22, we celebrate the feast of the Queenship of Mary. In this feast, particularly cherished by the popes of modern times, we celebrate Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. In his papal encyclical “Ad Coeli Reginam,” Pope Pius XII proposed the traditional doctrine on the Queenship of Mary and established this feast for the universal Church. Pope Pius IX said of Mary’s queenship: “Turning her maternal heart toward us and dealing with the affair of our salvation, she is concerned with the whole human race. Constituted by the Lord Queen of heaven and earth, and exalted above all choirs of angels and the ranks of saints in heaven, standing at the right hand of Her only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, she petitions most powerfully with Her maternal prayers, and she obtains what she seeks.” And Pope Pius XII added the following: “We commend that on the festival there be renewed the consecration of the human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Upon this there is founded a great hope that there will rejoice in the triumph of religion and in Christian peace... “Therefore, let all approach with greater confidence now than before, to the throne of mercy and grace of our Queen and Mother to beg help in difficultly, light in darkness and solace in trouble and sorrow... “Whoever, therefore, honors the lady ruler of the Angels and of men – and let no one think themselves exempt from the payment of that tribute of a grateful and loving soul – let them call upon her as most truly Queen and as the Queen who brings the blessings of peace, that she may show us all, after this exile, Jesus, who will be our enduring peace and joy.”

The vocation for every older man and woman, the pope said, is to bear witness to the faith and to the wisdom acquired over the years. “The witness of the elderly is credible to children. Young people and adults are not capable of bearing witness in such an authentic, tender, poignant way, as elderly people can,” the pope said. He said it is also very compelling when the elderly bless life as it comes their way and show no resentment or bitterness as time marches on and death nears.“The witness of the elderly unites the generations of life, the same with the dimensions of time: past, present and future, for they are not only the memory, they are the present as well as the promise,” the pope said. “It is painful and harmful to see that the ages of life are conceived of as separate worlds, in competition among themselves, each one seeking to live at the expense of the other,” he said. An alliance between the elderly and young people “will save the human family,” he said. “There is a future where children, where young people speak with the elderly. If this dialogue does not take place between the elderly and the young, the future cannot be clearlyHumanity,seen.”even with all its progress, still seems “to be an adolescent born yesterday,” which needs “to retrieve the grace of an old age that holds firmly to the horizon of our destination.”

Our faith

AUG. 21-27 Sunday: Isaiah 66:18-21, Hebrews 12:57, 11-13, Luke 13:22-30; Monday (The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary): 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12, Matthew 23:13-22; Tuesday (St. Rose of Lima): 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-17, Matthew 23:23-26; Wednesday (St. Bartholomew): Revelation 21:9b-14, John 1:45-51; Thursday (St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz): 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Matthew 24:42-51; Friday: 1 Corinthians 1:1725, Matthew 25:1-13; Saturday (St. Monica): 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 25:14-30

SEPT. 4-10 Sunday: Wisdom 9:13-18b, Philemon 9-10, 12-17, Luke 14:25-33; Monday: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, Luke 6:6-11; Tuesday: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Luke 6:12-19; Wednesday: 1 Corinthians 7:25-31, Luke 6:20-26; Thursday (The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Micah 5:1-4a, Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23; Friday (St. Peter Claver): 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27, Luke 6:39-42; Saturday: 1 Corinthians 10:1422, Luke 6:43-49

— Catholic News Agency “Coronation of the Virgin” by Diego Velázquez (1635-1636) on display at the Prado Museum in Madrid

The pope continued his series of talks on old age and reflected on how reaching a ripe old age is a reassurance of eternal life in heaven. In fact, “the image of a God, who is watching over everything with snowwhite hair, is not a silly symbol, it is a biblical image, it is a noble image, even a tender image,” the pope said. To depict God the Father as venerable in age and authority “expresses God’s transcendence, his eternity and his constant care for this world and its history,” the pope’s talk said.

NEWS HERALD

Kucia named to Papal Foundation

Dozens of deacons gathered for the annual diocesan Mass for the Affirmation of Ordination of Promises by inPatrickAug.BishopcelebratedDeaconsbyPeterJugis13atSt.CathedralCharlotte. HOWELL | CATHOLIC

Deacon Lon Phillips and his wife Jan relocated to Charlotte from Florida three years ago to be near family. They serve in ministry at St. Matthew Church. A deacon for 14 years, Deacon Phillips said the couple were concerned about the size of the Charlotte parish – one of the largest in the U.S. with more than 10,000 registered families. “I was intimidated by St. Matthew’s size at first, but once I got my head squared away, I said, ‘It doesn’t matter whether there are five people in the pew or 1,500, I am on the altar doing what I have been asked to do,’” Deacon Phillips said. “I’ve been more involved now,” Jan Phillips noted. “I serve in the food pantry, am a St. Matthew School volunteer and serve as a greeter at church. It’s a wonderful place.”

n Art and Laraine Bennett: “The Temperament God Gave You,” on Saturday, Sept. 24, after the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the church. Q&A to follow. Art Bennett is a licensed marriage and family therapist and former head of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Arlington, Va. This talk is based on some of the popular books that the Bennetts have co-writtten dealing with the four temperaments, marriage and family. — Tim Flynn

— The Papal Foundation Educational talks, events planned at Charlotte parish

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 20224 Our diocese In Brief For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

The DiaconatePermanentProgram is funded by the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. For more information or to donate, go online to charlottediocese.org/dsawww.

Kucia and Rangel have extensive experience serving the Church, with the proven ability to cultivate strong relationships and raise funds to support the poor in dioceses throughout the U.S. Kucia comes to the foundation with more than 20 years of experience serving the Church, leading major gift initiatives in the Archdioceses of Milwaukee, Chicago and Indianapolis. She has raised more than $175 million for Catholic education, served more than 1,500 Catholic organizations, and led high-performing teams that raised more than $700 million for the Church. She is a founding member and president of the Charlotte Chapter of Legatus and serves on the board of St. Joseph College Seminary. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston College and has studied at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. “I look forward to bringing my expertise in nonprofit strategy and philanthropic business development to The Papal Foundation, supporting the needs of families, widows, orphans and children in developing nations around the world,” Kucia said. For more information, visit www.thepapalfoundation.org.

Your DSA contributions at work

CHARLOTTE — In a special Mass with many of their wives in attendance, deacons from across the Diocese of Charlotte renewed their ordination promises during a Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis Aug. 13 at St. Patrick Cathedral.Duringhis homily, Bishop Jugis reminded the deacons they had come to renew their promises “to continue to remain firm and steadfast in Christ.” He emphasized that one of the promises they would renew is to serve in their ministry with humility and charity. “Parishioners expect to find the image of Christ in you – Christ, who is the model of humility and charity,” Bishop Jugis said. He noted that Christ, in Matthew’s Gospel 20:2028, said: “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.’’

CHARLOTTE — St. Thomas Aquinas Parish will have four events in September, and all are welcome to attend: n Elisa Torres-Neff: “The Catholic Church and the Crisis of Meaning,” 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, in Aquinas Hall. Torres-Neff is a visiting instructor for the Honors College at Belmont Abbey College, where she aims to cultivate the moral, spiritual and intellectual virtue of young people. In this public lecture, she will explore how the Church provides compelling answers to the fundamental questions about life and a viable solution to modernity’s crisis of “meaning.” n St. Thomas Aquinas University-Area Farmer’s Market: In the courtyard of the church from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. n Shane Page: ”Crossing the Tiber,” at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, in Aquinas Hall. Page, a Gastonia native and former Methodist pastor who now serves as evangelization director at St. Michael Parish, will talk about his conversion journey and coming home to the Catholic Church.

‘Remain firm and steadfast in Christ’

Deacons renew ordination promises at annual Mass

SUEANN

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Sharon Kucia of Charlotte has been named one of two vice presidents of steward development for The Papal Foundation, which supports the pope’s priorities to serve the poor in developing nations around the world. The foundation has provided more than $200 million in grants since its founding inKucia1988.will serve the Midwestern region of the United States. The second vice president, Ian Rangel of California, will serve the Western region. In their roles, they will work with Foundation Trustees, current donors, and staff to invite Catholic philanthropists across the country to become Stewards of St. Peter, a select group committed to supporting projects and initiatives prioritized by the Holy Father around the world, including the building of churches, schools and hospitals, as well as comforting those experiencing issues such as hunger, abuse, hopelessness and trafficking. “Our Board of Trustees is committed to increasing the foundation’s service to the Church by growing its community of Stewards of Saint Peter and its charity to the poor,” said David Savage, executive director of the foundation. “The addition of Sharon and Ian to the foundation’s team is an important step in our plan to expand the foundation’s impact around the world.”

SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

Deacon Andy Cilone of Immaculate Conception Parish in Forest City was one of the first men to be ordained for the permanent diaconate for the diocese in 1983. Now 84, he and his wife JoAnn are still actively serving the Church 39 years later. “It’s been a great blessing. I can’t think of my life any other way,” Deacon Cilone said. “It’s a beautiful call and I thank God for the call.” Of his wife’s commitment he said, “I couldn’t do it without her. She has been my support.” Deacon Quang Nguyen of St. Joseph Church in Charlotte, ordained in 2018, is the first Vietnamese deacon ordained for the Charlotte diocese.“I’vemoved from being a ‘baby’ deacon to ‘crawling’ deacon,” Deacon Nguyen joked. “After four years, the journey has changed. I have realized the humbler we are, the better the service we are able to do. We wonder just how far we can go to meet what God wants us to do. In the meantime, we just do it.”

Deacon John Kopfle of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte serves as the director of the permanent diaconate program. “It’s a blessing to see all the good things that deacons do around the diocese. And all that the men and their wives sacrifice for this.”

“There have been challenges, of course, with COVID-19, but things are opening up and we’re able to serve in our ministries again,” Deacon KopfleThereadded.arecurrently 140 deacons serving the Diocese of Charlotte. Eighteen men have been invited to begin the two-year aspirancy program for the permanent diaconate this fall, which is followed by three years of formation and ordination. Did you know? Permanent deacons are involved in a wide range of ministries but usually are assigned to a parish where they proclaim the Gospel and assist the priest at Mass, oversee or support parish ministries and charitable activities, administer baptisms, officiate at weddings and distribute Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. They also work in vital ministries including the airport chaplaincy program, prison ministry, faith formation and ministry to children and college students, as well as provide instruction for aspiring Catholics in the RCIA program and more. For more information, see www.charlottediocese. org/permanent-diaconate.

The diocesan Mass for the Affirmation of Ordination of Promises by Deacons is held annually around the Aug. 10 feast of St. Lawrence, a deacon martyred during a persecution of Christians in the year 258. Dozens of the deacons’ wives also attended the Mass and reaffirmed their commitment to serve alongside their husbands to build up the localBishopChurch.Jugis reminded the deacons of their obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and “to be in contact with the Lord daily in your prayers” to stay close to Christ and serve His people faithfully in their ministry.

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Eustace Mita, president of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, added, “We welcome Sharon and Ian to The Papal Foundation. Their breadth of experience and philanthropic expertise, coupled with a genuine love of the faith and authentic leadership qualities, will help drive our mission to serve the most vulnerable in developing nations.”

PHOTOS PROVIDED

— Mary Caroline O’Brien

Most of the volunteers, including Charlotte Catholic seniors Lizzie McFee and Joe Hickman, were first-timers unfamiliar with Catholic Charities’ youth program up to then, but no strangers to summer fun. McFee reflected, “Tires, cones, ropes and eggs. That’s all these children needed to have the time of theirForlives.”Hickman, the field days represented so much more than just a couple of days of laughs. “I enjoyed getting to know the campers because I know they have encountered multiple struggles in their daily lives. I wanted to create a special place for them to express themselves, to be a kid,” he said. Charlotte Catholic’s connection to the youth program was reinvigorated during the 2021-’22 school year through the Cougar Caritas Club, a studentdriven service group grounded in the school’s mission to inspire Christ-filled lives committed to the dignity of all life. Faculty advisor Jeremy Kuhn noted, “For these incredible young women and men, organizing the field days was simply a joyful channeling of God’s love through concrete action.”

Record number of seminarians enrolled this fall SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Cougar Caritas volunteers make summer fun for refugee children

CHARLOTTE — St. Joseph College Seminary welcomed its latest class of seminarians earlier this week – bringing the total enrollment in the Diocese of Charlotte’s vocations program to a record number of 49 men in various stages of formation for the priesthood. The newest men in the program were officially welcomed Aug. 7 during a Mass offered by the college seminary’s rector, Father Matthew Kauth, at St. Ann Church inMarkCharlotte.Becker, Elijah Buerkle, Jordan Haag, Matthew Hennessy, Jonathan Hernandez, Theodore Holthe and Jeremy Smith – members of the incoming “Golf class” – join 14 other men living at the college seminary in Mount Holly and taking classes at nearby Belmont Abbey College in Belmont. “I’m always rather interested to see what Our Lord ‘tees up’ on the day the new class enters the seminary,” Father Kauth said in his homily. “Every year it seems to be the case that somewhere in the Scriptures, for seven years in a row now, there’s a line in one of the readings or in the Gospel that says something about not being afraid. “The opening of the Gospel today (Luke 12:32) is actually quite simple: ‘Do not be afraid any longer.’ There He serves it up to us again on the day of the new entrance of, in this case, the ‘Golf class.’ Eight of you have stepped up and said, ‘I am going to do this.’”

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School student-athletes teamed up with Catholic Charities’ Refugee Youth Program at Veterans Memorial Park Aug. 1-2 to organize two field days for nearly 60 children from countries across the world, including Afghanistan, Congo, Burma, Syria and Eritrea. Smiles flashed as elementary and middle school-aged students and Charlotte Catholic Cougar Caritas volunteers competed in tug of war, dashed through an obstacle course, and beat their pals in a variety of events from egg carry relays to wheelbarrow races. Charlotte Catholic senior Gavin Banks commented on the lively spirit of the day, noting that he thoroughly enjoyed watching the joy in the campers’ eyes. “Their competitive drive was displayed through many field games and revealed their true best character…especially the water balloon showdown.”

‘A tremendous sign of hope’: St. Joseph College Seminary welcomes new men

Charlotte Catholic’s assistant principal, Dr. Maria Leahy, agreed, adding, “The partnership has been as beneficial to our students as those they help. We are given the opportunity to appreciate the similarities shared, as well as to celebrate talents, culture and the uniqueness of each individual we serve.”

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD I 5

The college seminarians come from five parishes from the Charlotte area as well as western North Carolina: Buerkle, Hernandez and Smith are from St. Mark Parish in Huntersville; Holthe is from St. Ann Parish in Charlotte; Haag is from St. Frances of Rome Parish in Sparta; Hennessy is from St. Gabriel Parish in Charlotte; and Becker is from St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte. Christ the King Catholic High School graduate Jonathan Hernandez, 18, says his discernment was about just choosing to take a leap of faith. “It was more like a decision (for me). I was at a crossroads. I had a feeling in my head. There was a point where I just had to decide ‘I’m gonna do it,’” he said. His parents, Wilder and Lina Hernandez, are pleased their son is acting on the promptings he has felt to explore a priestly vocation close to home at St. Joseph College Seminary. “It is a blessing because he made his decision. It’s a blessing because he can stay close. I am so happy and grateful. I can’t ask for more. I’m so proud,” Lina Hernandez said. After Mass, the new college seminarians moved in to their new rooms, attended orientation at the college seminary, and met the other 14 seminarians. Besides the 21 college seminarians in Mount Holly, the diocese has 28 men studying for the priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio – a total of 49 men who hail from 22 parishes across western North Carolina. “The fact that this continues is a beautiful sign of God’s continuing providence in the Diocese of Charlotte, in the Church and in the lives of these men,” said Father Matthew Buettner, the college seminary’s spiritual director. “It is a tremendous sign of hope. Above all, that’s what It gives all of us – hope for the future of the Church. When you meet these men, they leave you with hope.” Learn more Established in 2016, St. Joseph College Seminary is for undergraduate men discerning a possible religious vocation. Students work toward a bachelor’s degree at nearby Belmont Abbey College while experiencing a Benedictine-style communal life on their path of discernment. For more information, check out their website: www.stjcs.org

St. Joseph College Seminary welcomed seven new men during the opening Mass of the academic year Aug. 7 at St. Ann Church in Charlotte. The men will join 14 other seminarians studying at Belmont Abbey College this fall. BY JEREMY KUHN

Look back at candid photos and videos as thousands of faithful participate in the weekend event.

‘IT GIVES ME HOPE FOR HUMANITY’

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clergyBishopConventioninCongressEucharisticwasheldpersonAug.5-6attheCharlotteCenter.Morethan8,000peopleattendedtheeventwithPeterJugis,andreligioustocommemoratethediocese’s50thanniversary.

PHOTOS BY AMY BURGER, LIZ CHANDLER, SUEANN HOWELL, GIULIANA RILEY, JAMES SARKIS AND PATRICK SCHNEIDER PHOTOGRAPHY

More than 8,000 Catholics from parishes across western North Carolina gathered this month to celebrate their faith at the Diocese of Charlotte’s “family reunion,” the 18th annual Eucharistic Congress. The event, which this year commemorated the diocese’s 50th anniversary, took place Aug. 5-6 at the Charlotte Convention Center and featured educational talks and musical programs in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, along with a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration and a closing Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis. More than 100 vendors participated. A CHANCE FOR TRANSFORMATION On Saturday morning, a procession from St. Peter Church through uptown Charlotte culminated with a Holy Hour led by Bishop Jugis in the Charlotte Convention Center. The bishop noted that they were gathering on the Feast of the Transfiguration and that the day’s events offered everyone a chance to be transformed by an encounter with the Eucharistic Lord. “At the Transfiguration,” the bishop said, “St. Peter spoke to the Lord in words that are just as appropriate for us to say now in this moment of Adoration: ‘Lord, it is good that we are here.’ It is good that we are here with You in Your Presence.”

‘IT’S A JOY TO BE BACK’ This was the first in-person Eucharistic Congress since 2019. For the past two years, pandemic restrictions forced events to be held virtually and in parishes. Past attendees said they were glad to return. “It’s a joy to be back after the virtual years during COVID – to see so many faces, celebrate the Eucharist, and enjoy the speakers. I’ve

AT DIOCESEOFCHARLOTTE:YOUTUBE.COM/ Watch highlights from the Eucharistic Congress in English and Spanish including the Eucharistic Procession, Bishop Peter Jugis’ English and Spanish homilies from the Mass and Holy Hour, the entire Mass, complete talks from Vinny Flynn, Dr. Bill and Mary Thierfelder with Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B, Monsignor Patrick Winslow, and Byzantine Vespers.

After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the diocesan

FROM THE COVER catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 20226

The Lord’s Presence was a focal point of the Synod listening sessions held throughout the diocese earlier this year, Bishop Jugis recalled. “In the Synod, people said that the most significant signs of the Lord’s presence in their lives include Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the sacraments and especially the Holy Eucharist and confession and prayer. They also acknowledged that their faith is nourished by their family life, by participation in parish life, by the good example of our priests and deacons, by Scripture study, and by works of mercy and service to others.”

AT EUCHARISTICCONGRESS:FACEBOOK.COM/

“I think this Eucharistic Congress just shows you what a wonderful diocese we have in Charlotte. That’s my overall impression. The fact that we can get this many people who are this faithful into this single location for a couple of days is a visible sign of contradiction to the secular, nihilistic world,” echoed Mark Adderley, a parishioner from St. Michael Church in Gastonia.

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“It is evident that across the diocese faith is strong, and that we desire to be with the Lord and to be close to Him,” he said. “And so we are with Him now. May these moments of Adoration nourish our souls and bring us Christ’s peace.”

Those who attended the Eucharistic Congress for the first time praised the experience. “Seeing so many people from our diocese of all ages and backgrounds who are all here to follow Christ is overwhelming. It gives me hope for humanity,” said Maria Dawkins, a member of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem.

Eucharistic Congress brings diocesan family together More ATCongressEucharisticcoverageCATHOLICNEWSHERALD.COM: See hundreds of photos from the Eucharistic Congress including the Eucharistic Procession and highlights of all of the events.

Vea cientos de fotos del Congreso Eucarístico, incluyendo la Procesión Eucarística y todos los eventos sobresalientes. EN YOUTUBE.COM/DIOCESEOFCHARLOTTE: Vea videos del Congreso Eucarístico en Español e Inglés, incluyendo la Procesión Eucarística, las homilías del Obispo Peter durante la Hora Santa y la Santa Misa, la Misa completa, las disertaciones del Sr. Vinny Flynn, Dr. Bill y Mary Thierfelder con el Abad Placid Solari, O.S.B, Monseñor Patrick Winslow, Padre Julio Domínguez; las Vísperas Vespertinas, el Encuentro de Coros y el canto de los Mariachis. EN FACEBOOK.COM/EUCHARISTICCONGRESS: Vea la participación de miles de católicos en fotos y videos del evento del pasado fin de semana.

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Congreso Eucarístico reunió a la familia diocesana

Más de 8000 católicos de parroquias del oeste de Carolina del Norte se reunieron este mes para celebrar su fe en la “reunión familiar” de la Diócesis de Charlotte en el XVIII Congreso Eucarístico anual. El evento, que este año conmemoró el 50 aniversario de la diócesis y tuvo lugar el 5 y 6 de agosto en el Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte, contó con charlas educativas y programas musicales en inglés, español y vietnamita, junto con una Hora Santa de Adoración Eucarística y una Misa de clausura celebrada por el obispo Peter Jugis. Más de un centenar de vendedores y expositores participaron.

UNA OPORTUNIDAD PARA TRANSFORMACIÓN El sábado por la mañana, una procesión que partió de la Iglesia San Pedro y recorrió el Uptown de Charlotte, culminó con una Hora Santa dirigida por el Obispo Jugis en el Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte. El obispo señaló que se estaban reuniendo en la Fiesta de la Transfiguración y que los eventos del día ofrecieron a todos la oportunidad de ser transformados por un encuentro con el Señor Eucarístico.“EnlaTransfiguración”, dijo el obispo, “San Pedro le habló al Señor con palabras que son igualmente apropiadas para decirlas ahora en este momento de Adoración: ‘Señor, es bueno que estemos aquí’. Es bueno que estemos aquí contigo en Tu presencia”. La presencia del Señor fue un punto focal de las sesiones de escucha del Sínodo realizadas en toda la diócesis a principios de este año, dijo el Obispo Jugis.“En el Sínodo, la gente dijo que los signos más significativos de la presencia del Señor en sus vidas incluyen la Santa Misa, la Adoración Eucarística, los sacramentos y especialmente la Sagrada Eucaristía, la confesión y la oración. También reconocieron que su fe se nutre de la vida familiar, de la participación en la vida parroquial, del buen ejemplo de nuestros sacerdotes y diáconos, del estudio de las Escrituras, de las obras de misericordia y el servicio a los demás”. “Es evidente que en toda la diócesis la fe es fuerte, que deseamos estar con el Señor y estar cerca de Él”, dijo. “Y ahora estamos con Él. Que estos momentos de adoración nutran nuestras almas y nos traigan la paz de Cristo”. ‘ME DA ESPERANZA POR LA HUMANIDAD’ Quienes asistieron al Congreso Eucarístico por primera vez elogiaron la experiencia. “Ver a tantas personas de nuestra diócesis de todas las edades y orígenes que están aquí para seguir a Cristo es abrumador. Me da esperanza por la humanidad”, dijo Maria Dawkins, de la Iglesia San Leo el Grande en Winston-Salem. ‘ES UNA ALEGRÍA ESTAR DE REGRESO’ Este fue el primer Congreso Eucarístico presencial desde 2019. Durante los últimos dos años, las restricciones por la pandemia obligaron a realizar eventos de manera virtual y en las parroquias. Los asistentes dijeron que estaban felices de regresar. “Es una alegría estar de vuelta después de los años virtuales durante el COVID, ver tantas caras, celebrar la Eucaristía y disfrutar de los oradores. He estado asistiendo desde 2014. Mi parte favorita es la Misa de clausura. Me encanta una gran Misa celebrando la Eucaristía junto con tantas culturas, parroquias y personas, además de ver la procesión”, dijo Rosheene Adams, miembro de la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Consolación en Charlotte y directora del Ministerio de Asuntos Afroamericanos de la diócesis.Adams señaló: “Hay muchas personas que no saben que la diócesis tiene un Ministerio de Asuntos Afroamericanos que se enfoca en la educación y espiritualidad de los afroamericanos. Es una gran manera de conocer gente que de otro modo no vería y contarles sobre nuestro ministerio. Es una tarea de divulgación”. UN EJEMPLO PARA QUIENES MIRABAN La procesión tuvo un impacto no solo en los católicos sino también en quienes la presenciaron, dijeron los participantes. “El Congreso Eucarístico es una ocasión maravillosa para que los católicos de diferentes parroquias se reúnan con la Eucaristía, Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, y con el obispo, sacerdotes y religiosos. Mi parte favorita es todos en procesión, todos rezando juntos. Es un ejemplo para las personas que nos rodean y que nos observan. Todos están orando juntos por el mundo entero”, dijo la hermana Christie Kunnel de las Hermanas de la Caridad en High Point. “Estoy muy emocionada de ver a los seminaristas. No los hemos visto en dos años. Durante la procesión de la mañana, algunos corredores simplemente se detenían y se preguntaban, ‘¿Qué está pasando? ¿Por qué están cantando? ¿Qué son estos carteles? ¿Y qué llevan?’ Así que creo que realmente hacemos una demostración”, dijo Ginna Suárez, de la Iglesia Santo Tomás de Aquino en Charlotte.

FINAL DE CELEBRACIÓN El Congreso Eucarístico culminó con adoración y alegría durante la Misa de clausura ofrecida por el Obispo Jugis, quien nuevamente resaltó el tema del cambio. “El Señor Eucarístico nos cambia. La Eucaristía nos cambia”, dijo. “Hemos sido refrescados espiritualmente en este Congreso al estar con el Señor y al estar con nuestros hermanos y hermanas en la fe”. Señaló que el cambio está presente en cada Misa, no solo en el Congreso Eucarístico. “En la consagración en la Misa, toda la sustancia del pan se transforma en la sustancia del Cuerpo de Cristo Nuestro Señor, y toda la sustancia del vino se transforma en la sustancia de Su Sangre”, dijo. “Este asombroso milagro ocurre en cada Misa, porque como sabemos, Jesús, el Señor Resucitado, está vivo y continúa activo en Su Iglesia y en el mundo”. Queda en nosotros responder a ese milagro, dijo el Obispo Jurgis. “Al final de esta Misa, el Señor nos enviará una vez más como Sus discípulos misioneros. Seamos misioneros del amor Eucarístico de Cristo y de la alegría Eucarística para los demás”. — Catholic News Herald Miles de católicos provenientes de todas las parroquias y misiones del oeste de Carolina del Norte se reunieron en el Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte para adorar a Jesús Sacramentado, después de dos años de suspensión del Congreso Eucarístico anual debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. Con cánticos, orando o simplemente caminando, acompañaron al Obispo Peter Jugis en el recorrido procesional Eucarístico por las calles de la Ciudad Reina. Más del ENEucarísticoCongresoonlineCATHOLICNEWSHERALD.COM:

(Above) Women and children kneel in reverence as the Eucharistic Procession passes them on the streets of Charlotte Aug. 6. The procession culminated in a Holy Hour with a homily by Bishop Peter Jugis. (Below, from left) Dozens of deacons process before the Blessed Sacrament in the Eucharistic Procession. Thousands of people join clergy in walking behind the Blessed Sacrament, praying, singing and showing their love of the Eucharist.

(At right) Prayer and smiles were prevalent during the Eucharistic Procession as thousands of people of all ages moved through the streets of Charlotte Aug. 6. The diocese’s 50th anniversary “rally flags” could be seen everywhere at the event. Vendors provided information and Catholic goods.

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(From left, clockwise) Bishop Jugis receives the “pitching”winningGastoniaVirginDaughtersLuciaCenterCharlottebannercarryParishDivineParishioners(Fromevent.ofprayerSpirit,(Below,EucharisticFridayVespersHour.duringpowerfulPeterSacramentofAug.EucharisticclosingfamilyparishionergiftsoffertoryfromayoungandherduringtheMassattheCongress6.TheelevationtheMostBlessedbyBishopJugiswasamomenttheHolyByzantineRitewereheldoneveningattheCongress.fromleft)songandwerehallmarksthe18thannualleft)fromRedeemerinBoonvilletheirparishintotheConventionAug.6.SisterTorresoftheoftheMotherincelebratesabaseballcontest to throw out the first pitch during “Catholic Night” at the Knights Truist Field in Charlotte Friday, Sept. 9.

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FROM THE COVER catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202210

“Fueron coros de ángeles que bajaron del cielo”

Encuentro coral inspiró asistentes al EucarísticoCongreso CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@charlottediocese.org

CHARLOTTE — Por primera vez en la historia del Congreso Eucarístico se contó con la presentación de diez coros que representaron a todas las vicarías de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Los coros San Francisco de Asís de Smoky Mountain, Fe y Esperanza de Salisbury, Sagrado Corazón de Jesús de Hickory, Santa María de Greensboro, Voces de Esperanza de Gastonia, Cristo Reina de Charlotte, Santa Elizabeth de Boone, Hermanos Unidos por la Fe de Asheville, Emmanuel de Albemarle, y una selección coral de Winston-Salem, subieron al estrado levantado en la sala de conferencias en español del 18 Congreso Eucarístico de la Diócesis de Charlotte celebrado el 5 y 6 de agosto en el Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte. Los coros interpretaron temas originales creados para conmemorar el 50 aniversario de la diócesis que se celebra este año 2022. El primero en hacerlo fue el coro de Winston-Salem que interpretó el tema ‘La fe es más preciosa que el oro’, original de su director, Sergio López, quien resaltó la actividad y señaló que “en 20 años de servicio que tenemos como coro en la Iglesia, nunca habíamos tenido una experiencia así; un encuentro de coros. Ojalá se pueda repetir cada año y mantenerlo por mucho tiempo”. Le siguió el coro de Smoky Mountain, una agrupación de seis integrantes de origen mexicano que llevan juntos alrededor de tres años prestando servicios en la Iglesia San Francisco en Franklin. “Somos un coro que ama la música y le ponemos nuestro mejor esfuerzo para mejorar día a día y poder cantarle a Dios Padre con todo nuestro corazón”, dijo la maestra de ceremonias a nombre de su directora Adela Hernández. Ellos interpretaron el tema ‘Si me falta el amor y la Luegosamaritana’.letocó el turno al coro de Salisbury conformado por niños, jóvenes y adultos, en su mayor parte por familias completas, que según sus propias palabras “se han convertido entre sí una gran familia en Cristo”. Ellos presentaron el tema ‘La fe más preciosa que el oro’. Su lema, explicó René Velarde, director musical, “siempre ha sido la Fe en Dios y la Esperanza en su infinita misericordia”. Posteriormente le siguió la agrupación de Hickory, representada por el coro de la parroquia San Luis Gonzaga. Estamos aquí, dijeron a nombre de su director musical Ángel Romero, atendiendo al llamado de la Diócesis en la celebración de sus 50 años de servicio a la comunidad católica en sus diferentes expresiones y dimensiones pastorales, teniendo en cuenta la diversidad cultural, idiomas y costumbres. “Queremos ser una expresión más de diversidad y compromiso en este Congreso Eucarístico Diocesano”, anotaron. Ellos cantaron el tema ‘Se busca’. Representando a Greensboro subió al estrado el coro de la parroquia Santa María. Con dos años de trabajo musical, la agrupación “tiene un compromiso de Amor a Dios y la Comunidad para armonizar con sus cantos los Domingos del Señor y alegrar las vidas y la celebración de la Misa”, dijo Reina Ventura, directora del Coro, en texto enviado a los organizadores. La mayoría de las integrantes son madres de familia, pero dan su tiempo, talento y hasta recursos económicos como voluntarios de su comunidad. Ellas entonaron ‘En este precioso día’. Le siguió el coro de Gastonia conformado por integrantes de las parroquias Inmaculada Concepción en Forest City, Santa María en Shelby, San Miguel en

Por primera vez en la historia del Ministerio Hispano y del Congreso Eucarístico de la Diócesis de Charlotte, se realizó un encuentro en el que participaron 10 coros representando a cada una de las vicarías de la diócesis. Las agrupaciones corales fueron seleccionadas en eventos regionales y cada una de ellas debía presentar un tema original alusivo al lema del 50 aniversario, “la fe es más preciosa que el oro”. LA

The Diocese of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employe r. Gastonia y Santa Dorotea en Lincolnton. Sus representantes, Erika Alonzo, Patricia Cruz y Ricardo Butanda, en su mensaje de presentación dijeron que se sienten “instrumentos que Dios ha escogido para que con cantos y música podamos transmitir a todos el mensaje que Dios tiene para nosotros”. Gastonia también presentó un tema llamado ‘La fe es más preciosa que el oro’. Alrededor de las 2 de la tarde se presentó el coro de la parroquia San John Neumann elegido para representar a la Vicaría de Charlotte. Con 14 años de trabajo ininterrumpido bajo la dirección de Moisés Cisneros, el coro “ha sido un instrumento de evangelización para mucha gente, especialmente para tantos jóvenes en nuestra comunidad y hoy nos sentimos muy privilegiados por ser parte de este maravilloso evento”. Este coro interpretó el tema ‘Cristo Representandoamigo’.ala vicaría de Boone se presentó el coro de la Iglesia Santa Elizabeth que entonó ‘Jesús nuestro hermano’. Gracias a una gestión especial del Padre Brendan Buckler, todos sus integrantes arribaron el viernes, ensayaron y pasaron una noche de alojamiento en un hotel cercano al Centro de Convenciones. Su director, Juan Rodríguez, así como todos los integrantes, agradecieron el apoyo brindado. Luego apareció el coro de la vicaría de Asheville que contó con miembros de las parroquias Santa Juana e Inmaculada Concepción. Ellos cantaron ‘Tu pueblo te alaba’.Enla presentación del coro, sus directores Carlos Varco y Aaron Castañeda dijeron que se prepararon con “alegría y dedicación… para celebrar con nuestro obispo y todo el pueblo católico de la diócesis de Charlotte está linda ocasión. De norte a sur, de este a oeste la fe no tiene fronteras”.Cerrólaserie el Coro Emmanuel de la vicaría de Albemarle, una agrupación que confirmó su asistencia a última minuto e interpretó el tema ‘Celebramos como hermanos’.Todaslas agrupaciones fueron largamente ovacionadas. Onofrio Martínez, parroquiano de la Iglesia San José en Asheboro, dijo que en esta celebración de la Eucaristía, de Dios vivo, “hemos festejado todos juntos como Iglesia y vivido una experiencia inolvidable con los Juanitacoros”.Molina, quien llegó con una gran delegación de la parroquia Divino Redentor en Boonville, entre otras cosas para aplaudir al coro que representa la vicaría de Winston-Salem, dijo que “gracias a Nuestro Señor Jesús, quien hizo que estuviéramos aquí”, pudieron disfrutar nuevamente del Congreso Eucarístico. “Para nosotros fue muy triste no reunirnos por dos años. Hoy estoy de vuelta con toda mi familia para transmitirle a mis hijos nuestra fe y costumbres”, resaltó. Todos coincidieron que esperan que la ocasión se repita en cada uno de los Congresos Eucarísticos venideros. “Ha sido vivir una experiencia de revitalización de nuestra fe. Estoy muy emocionada. Lo que hemos escuchado fueron coros de ángeles que bajaron del cielo”, dijo Zoila Alegría, parroquiana de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Charlotte. Más online En www.facebook.com/CNHEspañol y www. youtube.com/dioceseofcharlotte : Vea videos y fotos de este encuentro coral COROS VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 10

• Highly proficient in MS Office, especially Excel and Word. Experience in working in an HRIS system

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com FROM THE COVERI 11 704.843.1446 | www.ncestateplanninginfo.com Estate Planning | Probate St. Matthew’s Parishioner WAITING COULD DEVASTATE YOUR FAMILY 6406 Carmel Road, Suite 301 | Charlotte, North Carolina 28226 “Get your ducks in a row!” Human OperationsResourcesManager The Human Resources Operations Manager will be responsible for the oversight of the operations and administrative functions of the HR department which includes but not limited to FMLA, Workers’ Compensation, background checks, HRIS and others. In addition, will provide guidance on the administration of employee benefits and retirement. May assist in developing Diocesan policy. Collaborates with other HR team members, payroll, and other departments in the diocese. ESSENTIAL DUTIES • Manages a small team that supports HR Operations for the Diocese of Charlotte • Supervises, supports, and guides team members • Manages vendor relationships that supports the HR systems • Provides leadership in coordinating the activities of the HR Department to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, policies, and regulations • Works closely with Payroll and other HR staff in developing, implementing, and evaluating ongoing HR/Payroll programs, functions, and audits • May provide oversight and guidance with benefits and retirement plans • Provides leadership and direction for ADA accommodations, FMLA leave processes and administration. QUALIFICATIONS • 7+ years of work experience in Human Resources, with strong knowledge of multiple HR disciplines

• Bachelor’s degree

• PHR/SPHR certified Interestedpreferred parties should send resume and cover letter to recruiting@rcdoc.org or mail to Director of Human Resources, Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 S. Church Street, Charlotte, NC 28203

• Deep knowledge and expertise on HR Operations, HR Administration and HR functional areas including benefits, retirement, employment law and policy

Photography teacher Vincent Pham, who graduated from Charlotte Catholic in 2016, said he’s already planning for photo exhibits: “It’s a great space for students to learn and showcase their work.”

CHARLOTTE — What began as a dream 40 years ago has become reality as the MACS Fine Arts Center opened its doors, ushering in a new era of arts education for thousands of Catholic students. With more than 100 students, teachers and donors gathered Aug. 10 to celebrate, Bishop Peter Jugis cut the ribbon, dedicated and blessed the 47,000-squarefoot building with holy water. Flanking him were Catholic Schools and other diocesan leaders, including Mercy Sister Paulette Williams, who was principal of Charlotte Catholic High School from 1980 to 2000. “I wasn’t sure which side of heaven I was going to be on for this day, but I’m still here – and we have a magnificent building to celebrate today,” said Sister Paulette, who long ago imagined a space where students could express their creativity. “When they say you can dream it and make it come true, well, sometimes it just takes 40 years to do that!”

“We dedicate this building to the education of youth, to the progress of the arts and to learning,” he said, praying that “it becomes a center where students and teachers, imbued with the words of Truth, will search for the wisdom that guides the human life and strive wholeheartedly to stand by Christ as their teacher.”

Juniors Madelyn Haines and Madison Molloy were all smiles while taking part in the dedication service. Both looked forward to benefiting from the fine arts and band rehearsal space when they and other Charlotte Catholic students began classes in the new building Aug. 17. “The art rooms we had before were so small. I’m excited!” Haines said. “I think that it’s cool that they built this whole thing to put a higher focus on the development of the arts – and it’s nice that it’s very pretty,” Molloy added. Marcus Riter, theater director, said the new space will help cultivate the love and craft of the arts. “We’ve been able to accomplish great things so far within the confines of spaces we’ve outgrown,” he said, “but this new building holds the potential for endless possibilities.”

Located on Charlotte Catholic’s campus, the free-standing MACS Fine Arts Center is open for use by K-12 students at all nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools and features a 600-seat auditorium with fully equipped stage, balcony and high-quality performance and exhibit space. The sleek, state-of-the-art facility with floor-to-ceiling windows also includes an art room, band room, choral room, ceramics studio, dance studio and digital lab. Principal Kurt Telford thanked Sister Paulette during his remarks. “We who are here at Charlotte Catholic now, we really are standing on your shoulders. We really appreciate what you have done for us.” Bishop Jugis led the prayer service to bless and dedicate new facility.

Dr. Gregory Monroe, Catholic Schools superintendent, compared the Fine Arts Center to “something you’d see on a college campus” and echoed the bishop’s sentiments. “The arts give us the ability to intentionally create, grow and share our Catholic culture,” Monroe said. “Beauty is a universal language and gateway to Truth, and in this new facility, our students will produce and perform beautiful art which will lead people closer to God who is Truth, Beauty and Goodness.”

SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

Despite construction challenges created by the pandemic, celebrants at the dedication ceremony marveled that the project finished on time. The work also included extensive renovations to several Charlotte Catholic classrooms that previously housed art education. “This campus improvement will touch every student at the school,” said Tish Macuga, one of the capital campaign general co-chairs. “This is quite a feat with all the challenges in the last two years, and I credit the construction team as well as our donors who have been so generous.” In closing remarks, Sister Paulette expressed her gratitude: “I’m grateful to all of you who made it possible. I really hope that God will continue to bless us on this journey, plus all of the young people who are going to enjoy this legacy for decades to come.”

Un sueño hecho realidad: Esperado Centro de Bellas Artes MACS de $ 21 millones abrió

CHARLOTTE — Lo que comenzó como un sueño hace 40 años se ha convertido en realidad con la apertura del Centro de Bellas Artes MACS el pasado miércoles, marcando el inicio de una nueva era de educación artística para miles de estudiantes de las Escuelas Católicas. Con más de 100 estudiantes, maestros y donantes reunidos el 10 de agosto para la celebración, el Obispo Peter Jugis cortó la cinta inaugural, consagró y bendijo el edificio de 47,000 pies cuadrados con agua bendita, flanqueado por autoridades de las escuelas católicas y otros líderes diocesanos. Entre ellos estaba la hermana de la Misericordia Paulette Williams, directora de Charlotte Catholic High School entre 1980 a 2000. “No estaba segura de qué lado del cielo iba a estar en este día, pero todavía estoy aquí, y tenemos un magnífico edificio para celebrar hoy”, dijo la hermana Paulette, quien hace mucho tiempo imaginó un espacio donde los estudiantes pudieran expresar su creatividad. “Cuando dicen que puedes soñarlo y hacerlo realidad, bueno, ¡a veces solo toma 40 años hacerlo!”, señaló. Ubicado en el campus de Charlotte Catholic, el edificio independiente del Centro de Bellas Artes MACS está abierto para su uso por los estudiantes de todos los grados de las nueve Escuelas Católicas del Área de Mecklemburg. Cuenta con un auditorio de 600 asientos con escenario totalmente equipado, con mezzanine y espacio para exhibiciones y actuaciones de alta calidad. El edificio de dos pisos con ventanas del piso al techo, también incluye una sala de arte, sala de banda, sala coral, estudio de cerámica, estudio de danza y laboratorio digital. El director de Charlotte Catholic, Kurt Telford, agradeció a la hermana Paulette durante su discurso. “Nosotros, que Catholic Schools officials, diocesan leaders, staff and students joined Bishop Peter Jugis for the blessing and dedication of the MACS Fine Arts Center Aug. 10 on the campus of Charlotte Catholic High School Charlotte.in

Dream come true: Long-awaited $21 million MACS Fine Arts Center opens SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD SPOTLIGHT: BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 MACS, PASA A LA PÁGINA 20

BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202212

CHARLOTTE — To help ensure Catholic schools remain viable and accessible for students and their families, schools across the Diocese of Charlotte are embracing creative new ways to build philanthropic support – and are already seeing results. In partnership with the diocese’s Development Office, all 20 Catholic schools will hold annual funds in the new school year and continue a variety of other efforts to build financial support. “Our Catholic schools want to keep tuition as low as possible to ensure they are accessible to all students, so they are building stronger fund-development programs and enhancing existing income streams in many different ways,” said Ben Hoke, director of development for Catholic Schools.Diocesan officials report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, families and donors embraced the call for philanthropic support – setting a record in annual giving. Fifteen Catholic schools held annual fund campaigns with a record number of 1,785 donors contributing nearly $1.2 million. It was the first such annual fund for eight of thoseOurschools.Ladyof the Assumption School in Charlotte was among the first-timers offering an annual fund and saw the highest ever level of parent participation in fundraising.InSalisbury, Sacred Heart School’s annual “1882 Fund,” named for the year the school was founded, has also hit a record of $184,000. The annual fund supports financial assistance, academic programs, technology and more. “Annual funds are used to promote Catholicity and provide financial assistance for students, professional development for teachers and staff, academic programs, beautification projects and other operational initiatives at each school,” Hoke said. When accounting for all types of funding options – annual funds, endowments, special events, and other restricted gifts – donors gave roughly $3.3 million in the most recent fiscal year – also a record in donor directed giving for Catholic schools. “This culture of philanthropy and support for our schools is based on relationships, not transactions,” Hoke said.

“These are individuals and families who are in communion with the Church, other families and, most importantly, with our students and teachers.”

Catholic Schools grow philanthropy to keep tuition down and ensure sustainability

Hoke noted that philanthropic support not only keeps Catholic schools affordable but allows them to build on the strength and variety of what they offer, from academics to extracurricular activities. Among other changes in fund development, schools have increased efforts to tell their stories and communicate with parents, alumni and communities. Christ the King High School in Huntersville launched a magazine. Sacred Heart School produced its firstever annual report to illuminate how philanthropy helps the school, and parishbased St. LeoSchool in Winston-Salem expanded its alumni relations program. Online giving tools were introduced, as were donor-relations databases that help cement relationships and support. “There are so many options for people who want to support their schools and our children – from major gifts to planned gift programs to annual funds,” said Jim Kelley, the diocese’s director of development. “All of them help build healthy, sustainable schools while at the same time changing lives of students who benefit from these gifts.” To maintain momentum, the diocese is sponsoring a philanthropic workshop Sept. 7 for principals and those who serve in admissions, enrollment, marketing, finance and fund development roles. The keynote speaker is Conventual Franciscan Father Michael Martin, who served as director of the Duke Catholic Center from 2010 to 2022. The workshop will also include remarks from Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of Catholic Schools, and sessions with local Catholic school representatives who specialize in marketing, enrollment and fund development.“Thespirit of philanthropy,” Monroe said, “is perfectly aligned with our Catholic schools’ mission, which says: ‘In communion with our families and parishes, we form students to be virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ. Rooted in Scripture, Tradition, the defined teachings of the Catholic Church, our students pursue excellence of intellect, heart, and soul with salvation as the ultimate goal.’”

Enrollment grows as families find value, quality education

and

‘Our cultureCatholicisone that families want to be part of ...’ Dr. Gregory Monroe Superintendent of Catholic Schools Catholic School Enrollment Up 15% across the Diocese of Charlotte and 15.5% in MACS since pandemic began *Projected **Includes addition of 32 students at newly affiliated Canongate Catholic High School in Asheville 6,896 4,633 4,759 5,160 5,351 7,026 7,592 7,927** STUDENTS SYSTEMWIDE MACS STUDENTS 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23* 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23* GRAPHIC | TIM FARAGHER

SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

Father Lucas Rossi, pastor of St. Michael Parish and chaplain of the school, has worked with Vollman to structure each school day to begin with time in the church, either with an all-school Mass or praying the rosary. “We are reviving a culture and families are responding,” Father Rossi said. “The school’s motto is ‘Build Strong Families.’ We want the school to be a place where families grow stronger together in their faith as well intellectually.” Patrick and Wendy Malloy have invested in Catholic education for all five of their children. Their youngest is in the eighth grade at Sacred Heart School in Salisbury. “Catholic education has been impacting our lives for 20 years now,” Wendy Malloy said. “All five of our children began their journey in kindergarten or junior kindergarten, with three of them graduating from a Catholic high school, and one recent Belmont Abbey College graduate who has gone on to teach in a Catholic high school. “The opportunities our children were given to play sports, participate in art and theater, and grow academically and spiritually has no doubt impacted their futures in a way that will continue to change the world for the better,” Malloy added. Monroe hears similar testaments from many parents: “Our Catholic culture is one that families want to be part of as the intentional formation and pursuit of excellence permeates all that we do. Catholic school parents and students share their positive experiences and successes and that, coupled with the continued growth and good news of the diocese, have allowed for our enrollment to grow.”

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2022I 13

SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

CHARLOTTE — Enrollment in Catholic schools across the Diocese of Charlotte has surged since the pandemic began in 2020, as families continue to choose the robust educational experience provided at the system’s 20 schools throughout western North Carolina.Projected enrollment systemwide for the new school year is 7,927 students – up 4.4% from last year and 15% from the 2019-’20 school year, when the pandemic began. That includes 32 students enrolled this fall at Canongate Catholic High School in Asheville, an affiliated school that joined the diocese in May. The nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) project enrollment of 5,351 students this fall, an increase of 3.7% from last year and 15.5% since the 2019-’20 school year. And many schools have waiting lists of schoolsdevelopmentvirtuein“TheyCatholicsuperintendentGregoryeducation,”ofqualitytheyschoolschoosingstudentshopefulandfamilies.“ParentsareCatholicbecauserecognizetheandvalueourCatholicsaidDr.Monroe,ofSchools.wanttoinvestthecharacter,andleadershipourinstillintheir children, in addition to the excellent academics and extracurricular opportunities.” Monroe said Catholic schools have been intentional in navigating COVID-19 by taking sensible safety precautions and continuing in-person instruction whenever possible. Families like what they experience, he said, as more than 96 percent of students who enrolled in the diocese’s Catholic schools during the pandemic have remained. “Parents are the best advocates for our schools because they share with others first-hand what their children are experiencing,” Monroe said. Terri Baich is one of those parents. Her son Andrew was worried he wouldn’t be ready for college after months of unimpressive virtual instruction at a public charter school. “He wasn’t as cheerful, not as engaged when he was learning at home,’’ Baich said. “Academically, he was doing fine, but he felt he learned better in person.” Andrew studied his options and in 2021 transferred as a junior to Christ the King High School in Huntersville. “He was drawn toward that environment. It was peaceful. People were very kind. It wasn’t the closest location for us… but he never hesitated,” Baich noted. Her son graduated in June and now attends the University of Georgia. Growth at the 11 schools outside of Mecklenburg County, most of them parish based, is projected to slightly exceed MACS’ growth rate over last year – with an enrollment increase of 5.9%. Among them, St. Michael School’s projected enrollment for the upcoming year is up a whopping 34.7% over last year, after significant curriculum changes were made. Located in Gastonia, the school has 163 students enrolled in prekindergarten through 8th grade. St. Michael incorporated a new Catholic liberal arts curriculum in a “classical” model in 2021. Students are taught how to think critically – going above the already rigorous language arts and STEM curriculum standards St. Michael has in place. In this time-tested and research-based approach, students develop not just intellectually but also spiritually, emotionally and socially as lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. “We have hand-picked a curriculum that exposes (students) to the truth, the beauty of the world and the goodness of God,” St. Michael Principal Michelle Vollman said. “We teach them critical thinking skills, how to construct an argument and how look for fallacies in the arguments of others. As a classical school, we focus on educating the whole child.”

The Western Region Office of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte anticipated a greater need to help back in May. Case Management Coordinator Lyndsey Parham and Volunteer Coordinator Hilary Kalisch connected with the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County to provide backpacks filled with school supplies for local elementary and middle school students in early August. Their plan: United Way would provide the backpacks free of charge to Catholic Charities, and Catholic Charities would distribute the backpacks free of charge to families in need.Catholic Charities volunteers Donna Bange and Susan Loveland picked up the backpacks and delivered them to Catholic Charities’ office in Asheville. Bange recalls, “Picking up 125 backpacks at the Asheville Civic Center felt like being Santa Claus.”

BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202214 20+ Affordability Enrichment Classes Homework Support Before/After School Care Summer Camps Daily Hot Lunch Now Enrolling for 2022 2023 Come Join Our Family! Over the past 3 years acceptance to competitive high school programs, including IB programs, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, Weaver Academy, and UNC School of the Arts 10:1 50 60% of 7th grade students qualify for the Duke TIP program performing in the top 5% in the nation Clubs & activities including Athletics Chess Choir Cooking Art Science based clubs and more Fieldtrips in grades PreK 8 including Historic Sites, Museums, Outdoor Education Retreats and more Special Education and Learning Support Programs for students with Autism and Learning Disabilities Teacher to Student Ratio in grades Pre K 8th 3 100% 55+ The Journey Matters! Start with a tour, stay for the experience Tours are available by appointment only To schedule a private tour call our Admissions Office at (336) 275 1522 or visit our website www olgsch org PreK - 8th Grade Special Education Programs Asheville Catholic School Welcome! Find a home with us. Questions about enrollment? Mary Beale, Director of Enrollment and mbeale@ashevillecatholic.orgDevelopment Asheville Catholic School 12 Culvern St. Asheville, NC 28804 (828)252-7896 est. 1956 11:1 Student –Teacher Ratio • Newly Remodeled Facilities • STEM program • 11 Athletic Teams and Clubs • Financial Aid Catholic Charities partners with United Way to give out school backpacks

ASHEVILLE — It is that time of year. Children are returning to school. It is a time of excitement for the students to meet their new teachers and fellow classmates, and reconnect with their school friends after the summer break. However, it can be a trying time for parents – especially about how to pay for school supplies on a tight budget. Many parents’ finances have been adversely affected by inflation, higher gas prices, and the pandemic. Parents inherently want their children to succeed, so how can they provide for their children?

The volunteers sorted and organized 75 backpacks for elementary school students and 50 backpacks for middle/high school students. Catholic Charities staff then delivered them to families and students, so that children could start school this month on an upbeat note. Lyndsey Parham explained that the 125 backpacks were spread across families who have taken part in a variety of Catholic Charities programs, including case management, counseling and refugee program participants. Jesse Boeckermann, Catholic Charities’ Western Region Office Director, said the partnership between Catholic Charities and the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County was a wonderful example of working together for the common good and supporting local youth in need, while also increasing awareness of Catholic Charities in western North Carolina. — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte

n Theresa Lasecki Talbert Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.

n F. Joseph Treacy Endowment Fund: For scholarship assistance for students in all nine MACS schools.

n Katelyn Mitchell Student Athlete Scholarship Endowment Fund: For the benefit of a studentathlete in sixth, seventh or eighth grade at St. Pius X School in Greensboro.

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Quinn Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Joan W. Books Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for children of Immaculate Conception Parish to attend Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Sisters of Mercy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Michael School in Gastonia.

n Roger Kavanagh Tuition Assistance Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro.

n Asheville Catholic School Foundation Endowment Fund: Financial support to enable the school to retain quality teachers, offer scholarship assistance, provide continuing education for teachers, and enhance the school’s curriculum.

n Chris and Margaret Onulak Endowment Fund: Provides for the general needs of Asheville Catholic School.

CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Foundation manages 91 endowments with a total market value of approximately $14.1 million that generate income to directly aid the diocese’s schools and their students: n American Schlafhorst Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Charlotte Catholic High School.

n Sacred Heart School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school. n Sheridan-Mangan Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2022I 15

$4,926,093 has been distributed from 91 endowments managed by the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation that directly benefited schools and students

n John Michael Thompson Endowment Fund: For the benefit of Sacred Heart School in Salisbury.

n Catherine McAuley Endowment Fund: Scholarships to Catholic students attending Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools.

n Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School Endowment Fund: Supports the general needs of Holy Trinity Middle School.

n Leeolou Family Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools families.

n Frank Spinks Endowment Fund: For professional development activities for the staff at Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Mary Spinks Endowment Fund: For scholarship assistance to minority students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Joseph and Margaret Baldi Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for children of St. Leo Parish families to attend St. Leo School in Winston-Salem.

n Archibong Family Endowment Fund: Provides for the general needs of Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.

n Digger Dawson Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students from Immaculate Conception Church attending Immaculata School in Hendersonville. n Derhofer Endowment Fund: For drama department productions, capital needs related to the drama department, and tuition assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness High School.

n Immaculata School Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

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n St. Joseph Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

n Triad Educational Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance to students attending a Catholic elementary or high school in the Triad area.

n Faucette Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for the educational ministry of the diocese’s schools. n ‘Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love’ campaign endowment: Tuition assistance n Gayden and Janell Gauthier Fund: Tuition scholarship assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

Endowment funds benefit our schools and make Catholic education more accessible

n Villalon Family Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for students at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.

n Woelfel Family Endowment Fund: Financial assistance at Our Lady of Grace School for student educational purposes, such as purchasing textbooks or technology needs.

St. John the Baptist Church Memorial Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to graduating high school seniors from this parish in Tryon for attendance at post-secondary schools.

n Catholic Charities Asheville Endowment Fund: Provides for the general needs of this ministry in Asheville.

n Molly Cassidy Scholarship Fund: Tuition assistance for Triad area Catholic school students.

n Manley Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students of families at St. Eugene Church to attend Catholic elementary school. n Beth Maren Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to Catholic students at UNC-Charlotte.

n St. Leo School Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for St. Leo students.

n Remo and Carolyn Termini Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students attending Asheville Catholic School.

n St. Michael School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n St. Lawrence Council (1695) Student Scholarship Endowment Fund: Financial assistance for the educational needs of council members’ and deceased members’ children.

Catholic Education Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students attending Catholic elementary schools in the diocese.

n

n George L. Repass Memorial Tuition Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students attending Bishop McGuinness High School.

n Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School Fund: For the general needs of Our Lady of the school. n Poutre Family Endowment Fund: For the general needs of Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Holy Family Catholic Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Catholic school tuition assistance (K-12) for members of Holy Family Parish.

n Sister Emma Yondura Endowment: For the benefit of St. Leo School in Winston-Salem.

n Edith and George Hilbert Endowment Fund for Asheville Catholic School: Financial support for the education of students at Asheville Catholic School.

n Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduating seniors to attend a college of their choice.

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n Sister Terry Martin Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students matriculating in higher education from Clay and Cherokee counties.

n Reverend Enrique A. Mendez, S.D.B. Endowment Fund: Provides for needy alumni from Colegio San Julian, in Guines, Province of Havana, Cuba, and/or their families or persons associated with Salesian Schools.

n Wos-Dejoy Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro.

n Megan Healy Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students at St. Patrick School in Charlotte.

n Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Education Development Council: Assistance to the nine MACS schools in the Charlotte area. n Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS) Special Needs Endowment Fund: For Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools’ students with special needs.

n Deussen Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for Catholic high school education in the greater Charlotte area. n Stephen and Jessica Dey Options Endowment Fund: Benefits the “Options” programs at the diocese’s schools.

Bishop McGuinness High School Endowment Fund: Financial support for the education of students at this school in Kernersville.

n Don and Mary Gay Brady Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro.

n Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association Board Discretionary Endowment Fund: Financial assistance, at the board’s discretion, to Charlotte Catholic High School students.

n Francis J. McGrail Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance to students of Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point. n Lee McGuiness Endowment: Benefits the Charlotte Catholic High School Alumni Association.

n Sister Paulette Williams Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduating seniors from Charlotte Catholic High School to attend a college of their choice.

n St. Mark School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school. n St. Mary Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for children of St. Mary’s parishioners attending Our Lady of Grace and St. Pius X schools in Greensboro and Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.

n Our Lady of Grace School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n St. Mary’s Church College Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for students from St. Mary’s Church in Greensboro who attend Belmont Abbey College.

n Monsignor Lawrence C. Newman Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem.

n Elizabeth Allen Brown Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School.

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n Sandy McMonagle Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem.

n St. Pius X School Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at the school.

n Yates-Murphy Educational Trust Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students of Holy Name Church in New Bedford, Mass.

n St. Matthew School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n Mary Gay and Don Brady Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance of faculty children for TRIAD schools.

Victor Nussbaum Jr. Educational Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Pius X School in Greensboro.

n Clark G. Ross Scholarship Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for Catholic high school students from parishes in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Cabarrus and Rowan counties.

n St. Gabriel School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n Charlotte Catholic High School Endowment Fund: Benefits Charlotte Catholic High School.

n Immaculate Heart of Mary School Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point.

n O’Brien and William Edwards Gibbs Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Asheville Catholic School. n Gismondi Family Endowment Fund: Scholarship assistance for children of St. Mark Church parishioners to attend Christ the King High School in Huntersville.

n Cornelius Alexander Davis Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Leo School in Winston-Salem.

n LoBianco Family Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Mooresville and St. Mark Church in Huntersville to attend Christ the King High School.

n St. Therese Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: Support for post-secondary education for the youth of the parish, who have demonstrated a commitment to service within this parish in Mooresville and/or their community.

n LeFeber Endowment: This fund provides tuition assistance to students at Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville.

n Clark G. Ross St. Therese Church Scholarship Endowment Fund: For the benefit of parishioners at St. Therese Church to provide college scholarships.

n Sisters of St. Joseph Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for Bishop McGuinness High School students. n Victoria Sleeman Endowment Fund: Scholarships for students of Immaculate Conception Church to attend Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n Michael Sullivan Endowment Fund: Scholarships for graduates of Charlotte Catholic High School. n St. Ann School Endowment Fund: For the general needs of the school.

n Bobbie Grant Memorial Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students attending Bishop McGuinness High School.

n Sabrina Watt Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students at Immaculata School in Hendersonville.

n James P. and Eunice S. Cherry Scholarship Endowment Fund: Tuition assistance for students to attend St. Michael School in Gastonia.

BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202216 The First Catholic Classical High School in the Diocese With the twin goals of forming soul and mind, Canongate seeks to educate the whole person using a college prep curriculum ordered to truth, goodness, and beauty www.canongatecatholic.org 20+ 5:1 67% Immersion Day Trips Per Year Student to Teacher Ratio Faculty with Advanced Degrees Asheville, NC CONGRATS ON CREATING AN INSPIRING SPACE THAT WILL INSPIRE CREATIVITY FOR YEARS TO COME! Immediate openings for teachers, teacher assistants, and substitute teachers at all schools. Our schools are immersive, accessible, and authentically Catholic environments where you’ll be surrounded by caring and dedicated faculty, staff, and families. Positions are available in our Catholic schools across Western North Carolina. https://charlottediocese.org/schools-office/employment-opportunities/ DI OCESE OF CHARLOT TE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IHS

INTRODUCINGCOUGARS!THENEWMACSFINEARTSCENTER

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2022I 17 IT’S A NEW YEAR DESERVING OF A NEW SPACE... Enjoy! PROUDMECKLENBURGPARTNERCONSTRUCTIONOFAREACATHOLICSCHOOLS WWW.CHOATECO.COM WELCOME BACK, CCHS

CHARLOTTE — Heading off to college means ticking off a long list of to-do items –from registering for classes to packing and buying last-minute dorm necessities. But don’t forget to add to that list: connecting with Catholic Campus Ministry! Catholic Campus Ministry is where college students will find caring people who will welcome them immediately and make them feel at home. It is the place to find friends and support, grounded in the Catholic faith, all year long. Students often comment that they feel lost when they first arrive on campus. Lisa Scarduzio, a 2022 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, has a message for new and returning students to college: “If you are looking for a place to belong, that will make you feel at home, that will love you no matter where you are on your faith journey, then Catholic Campus Ministry is the place for you.” Besides being a supportive community, Catholic Campus Ministry provides weekly meals, Bible study groups, prayer opportunities, retreats, fun events, group discussions, and unique opportunities to meet and learn from classmates and older students.Somecampuses offer weekly Masses; others arrange transportation to nearby parishes.IntheDiocese of Charlotte, campus ministers serve the campuses at UNCCharlotte (with outreach to area colleges/ universities), Davidson College, Wake Forest University, UNC-Greensboro (with outreach to Guilford College and Greensboro College), Thea House for Bennett College and N.C. A&T, High Point University, Appalachian State University (with outreach to Lenoir-Rhyne University), and Western Carolina University (with outreach to UNCAsheville and surrounding area). Look them up by going to catholiconcampus.com for universities within the diocese, or look up the name of a university beyond the diocese and add Catholic Campus Ministry. It will connect you to the group on that campus. In addition,feel free to contact Darien Clark in the diocese’s Catholic Campus Ministry office: dnclark@rcdoc.org or 704370-3212.Havea blessed year! — Ann Kilkelly Your DSA contributions at work Campus Ministry is funded by the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. For more information or to donate, go online to www.charlottediocese/dsa. Learn more At www.catholiconcampus.com Connect with Catholic Campus Ministry, find a campus minister near you, and see ways you can support their mission

College students: Campus Ministry is here for you

BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202218 MECKLENBURGCONGRATULATIONSAREACATHOLICSCHOOLSON THE COMPLETION OF THE MACS FINE ARTS CENTER. Thank You For Partnering With Us! New LocationRetailNowOpen! 602 E. Main Lincolnton,Street,NCdeaconfs.com800-222-9746 4th Grade Teacher St. Michael Catholic School — Gastonia, NC Founded in 1942, Saint Michael is a dynamic, coeducational Catholic classical school where students in grades PK-8 pursue a superior classical education empowered by strong relationshipsfaculty-studentandavibrantcommunitylife. St. Michael Catholic school is seeking a full-time 4th grade teacher, preferably someone with several years of experience and has their NC K-6th Elementary License (or a teaching license from another state). We are in our third and final year of transitioning to a Catholic Liberal Arts curriculum. It is not required that you have any experience with classical or liberal education, but must be open and willing to learn. We will provide several professional development opportunities throughout the year. Start ASAP! TO APPLY PLEASE SUBMIT RESUME AND APPLICATION TO: Michelle Vollman, Principal St. Michael Catholic School 704 St Michaels Lane Gastonia, NC mdvollman@stmichaelsgastonia.org28052 “Thank you to our wonderful families and community for your continued support! We are looking forward to a great school year.” — OLA Faculty and Staff. Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School 4225 Shamrock Drive Charlotte, NC Olacatholic.org704.531.006728215

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2022I 19 Congratulations on the new MACS Fine Arts Center. We are happy to be a part of this special project with you. corporatesecurityandfire.com 980-299-5299 PROTECTING EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS Teachers Needed St. Patrick Catholic School Full-time Second Grade Teacher Part-time Music Teacher (can be paired with St. Ann for full-time) Send employment application / resume to: Dr. Alicia Reid, Interim Principal St Patrick Catholic School 1125 Buchanan Street – Charlotte, NC 28203 ahreid@stpatrickschool.net704.333.3174 St. Ann Catholic School Part-time Music Teacher (can be paired with St. Patrick for full-time) Send employment application / resume to: Mrs. Michelle Kuhn, Principal St. Ann Catholic School 600 Hillside Ave. - Charlotte, NC 28209 kmkuhn@stannschool.net704-525-4938

BACK TO SCHOOL 2022 catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202220

Dijo“CreoHaines.que es genial que hayan construido todo esto para poner un mayor enfoque en el desarrollo de las artes, y es bueno que sea muy hermoso”, agregó Molloy. Marcus Riter, director de teatro, dijo que el nuevo espacio ayudará a cultivar el amor y trabajo por las Artes. “Hemos podido lograr grandes cosas hasta ahora dentro de los límites de los espacios que hemos superado”, dijo, “pero este nuevo edificio tiene el potencial de infinitas posibilidades”.Elprofesorde fotografía Vincent Pham, quien se graduó de Charlotte Catholic en 2016, dijo que ya está planeando exhibiciones fotográficas: “Es un gran espacio para que los estudiantes aprendan y muestren su trabajo”. A pesar de los desafíos de construcción generados por la pandemia, los celebrantes en la ceremonia de consagración se maravillaron de que el proyecto terminara a tiempo. El trabajo también incluyó extensas renovaciones en varias aulas de Charlotte Catholic que anteriormente albergaban educación artística. “Esta mejora del campus se extiende a todos los estudiantes de la escuela”, dijo Tish Macuga, una de los copresidentes generales de la campaña de recaudación. “Esta es toda una hazaña con todos los desafíos en los últimos dos años, y doy crédito al equipo de construcción, así como a nuestros donantes que han sido muy generosos”.Ensudiscurso final, la hermana Paulette expresó su gratitud: “Estoy agradecida con todos ustedes que lo hicieron posible. Realmente espero que Dios continúe bendiciéndonos en este camino, y además bendiga a todos los jóvenes que van a disfrutar de este legado en las próximas décadas”.

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL FROM SACRED HEART! W i s h i n g a l l s t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y , a n d s t a f f i n t h e D i o c e s e o f C h a r l o t t e a s u c c e s s f u l y e a r o f v i r t u e , a c a d e m i c s , a n d s e r v i c e ! r e a l l y g r e a t s i t e c o m Watch Our Video! www.salisburycatholicschool.org Scan here to see us in action! MACS VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 12 Proud suppliers of signage and branding solutions to the Diocese of Charlotte. Modulex NewestCharlotteCongratulatesCatholicOnTheirExpansion!carolinaswww.modulex.com/carolinas

hoy estamos aquí en Charlotte Catholic, realmente estamos sostenidos en sus hombros. Realmente apreciamos lo que has hecho por nosotros”. El Obispo Jugis dirigió la oración de bendición y “Consagramosconsagración.esteedificio a la educación de los jóvenes, al progreso de las artes y al aprendizaje”, dijo, orando para que “se convierta en un centro donde los estudiantes y maestros, imbuidos de las palabras de Verdad, busquen la sabiduría que guía la vida humana y se esfuercen de todo corazón por estar junto a Cristo como suElmaestro”.Superintendente de las Escuelas Católicas, Dr. Gregory Monroe, comparó el Centro de Bellas Artes con “algo que podrías ver en un campus universitario” e hizo eco del mensaje del obispo. “Las artes nos dan la capacidad de intencionalmente crear, crecer y compartir nuestra cultura católica”, dijo. “La belleza es un lenguaje universal y una puerta de entrada a la Verdad, y en esta nueva instalación, nuestros estudiantes producirán y realizarán hermosas obras que llevarán a las personas más cerca de Dios, que es la Verdad, la Belleza y la Bondad”, dijo. Las estudiantes Madelyn Haines y Madison Molloy sonreían mientras participaban de la ceremonia de consagración. Ambas esperaban beneficiarse del espacio de ensayo de Bellas Artes y banda cuando, junto a otros estudiantes de Charlotte Catholic, iniciaran sus clases en el nuevo edificio el 17 de agosto. “Las salas de arte que teníamos antes eran muy pequeñas. ¡Estoy emocionada!”

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com BACK TO SCHOOL 2022I 21

Marian Pilgrimage A specially commissioned statue of Mary, Mother of God is visiting more than 100 locations across the Diocese of Charlotte during the anniversary year. Upcoming visits include: ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH Until Sunday, Aug. 21 316 Main St., Bryson City, N.C. 28713

In the Spirit of Truth

HOLY REDEEMER CATHOLIC CHURCH AND PRINCE OF PEACE MISSION Sunday-Thursday, Aug. 21-25 214 Aquone Road, Andrews, N.C. 28901

The future of healthcare is here. Together with CaroMont Health, we’re shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

ST. EUGENE CATHOLIC CHURCH Monday-Thursday, Sept. 5-8 72 Culvern St., Asheville, N.C. 28804 For more information about these pilgrimage stops, go to the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary website, www.faithmorepreciousthangold.com

It certainly did. This year marks the 59th anniversary of Father Sheridan’s ordination to the priesthood. To prepare, he studied at St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in sacred Scripture and Church history.

SUPERINTENDENT, SEE PAGE 23 In this undated photo, Father Ed schoolinHighAshevillecelebratesSheridanMassforCatholicSchoolstudentsAsheville.Theclosedin1972.

“So, I applied and was accepted into the seminary as part of the Diocese of Raleigh,” he says.

First schools superintendent reflects on Catholic education and 50 years in the Diocese of Charlotte

ANNIE FERGUSON catholicnews@charlottediocese.org Catholic education and the priestly vocation of Father Edward Sheridan have been intertwined since the earliest days of his calling. Born in 1937, he first felt the nudge as a grade schooler at Good Shepherd School and Church in New York City. “I was a choir boy – in the parish choir. I sang so beautifully,” he says with a mirthful laugh as he reminisced about his youth. Continuing in complete earnestness, he explains, “I just had it in my mind when I was in Catholic school, and I think that the whole idea of serving people, helping people, just came to me, and that’s basically what it is, you know. It wasn’t a divine revelation per se. I just had it in mind that this would be a good thing to do for life, and it turned out that way.”

DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTEARCHIVES

ST. WILLIAM CATHOLIC CHURCH AND IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY MISSION Sunday-Thursday, Aug. 28-Sept. 1 765 Andrews Road, Murphy, N.C. 28906

“I wanted to serve the Church in a missionary area, and North Carolina was, at that time, less than 1 percent Catholic,” he says.

Thursday-Monday, Sept. 1-5 768 Asbury Road, Candler, N.C. 28715

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 25-28 299 Maple St., Franklin, N.C. 28734

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202222

On May 23, 1963, Bishop Vincent Waters ordained him a priest of the Raleigh diocese at Infant of Prague Church in Jacksonville, N.C.“Bishop Waters, at that time, moved the ordinations around,” he recalls. “Wherever there was a new church built – no matter what size it was – the ordination was celebrated at that particular church.”Hisfirst assignment was to the missionary apostolate in Newton Grove, Mt. Olive and Wallace. One year after his ordination, he

ST. JOAN OF ARC CATHOLIC CHURCH

Father Sheridan was tasked with separating the Catholic schools in western North Carolina from the Raleigh diocese in the east, working with his counterpart in Raleigh, Father Donald Staib.“Itwas good getting it started, and the people were very good as we worked with the leadership in the schools, the principals and the teachers. It was good to get it on its feet,” he says. At the time of the opening of what was then called the diocesan Department of Education, there were 18 elementary schools, one private elementary and secondary school, and two high schools. The total enrollment was 5,688 with 176 full- and parttime personnel, including 94 sisters representing six religious communities.TheDiocesan Board of Education had nine members and was established under the direction and guidance of Father Sheridan. It was founded as the primary policy-making body for religious education within the diocese and derives its authority from the bishop.Today, the diocese has 20 schools, including three high schools (in Charlotte, Huntersville and Kernersville) and an independent Catholic school in Asheville. Over the years, the Catholic schools faced headwinds –finances became more challenging, religious communities departed, enrollment ebbed and flowed. Two of the schools were forced to close while Father Sheridan was superintendent: one in Charlotte and another in Waynesville. “Those were sad times,” he says, adding that he is hopeful about the number of schools growing in the future.

“The atmosphere of Catholic schools is very important for many reasons. Our values are promulgated in so many wonderful ways. The support that we get from our teachers, curriculum and activities make a difference. It is a wonderful place to be assured a good effort is made to build a healthy and positive person in a world which has so many contrary – and sometimes negative and wrong – ways of life,” he explains. “I wish every Catholic child would be able to experience a good Catholic education.”

The 50th anniversary year will bear great spiritual fruit if we ask God for the graces we hope to receive. Please offer the 50th anniversary prayer daily for many graces to be poured on our diocese during this jubilee anniversary:HeavenlyFather, accept our humble prayer of praise and gratitude as we joyfully celebrate 50 years as the Diocese of Charlotte. Throughout our history the faithful of western North Carolina, under the watchful care of esteemed bishops and abbots, have been nurtured by Your providential hand. Confident that You invite Your children to implore Your constant blessings, we pray that You continue to pour forth Your heavenly grace upon us. With filial affection and devotion, we further ask that You look kindly upon the prayers we seek through the intercession of our venerable patroness, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, who with motherly attention tends to the needs and concerns of the Church. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

— SueAnn Howell SUPERINTENDENT, SEE PAGE 32 SUPERINTENDENT FROM PAGE 22

PARISH LIFE AND GROWTH Father Sheridan served as schools superintendent until 1976. The next year, he became pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Come out to the ballgame

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD I 23 Get started on your future in healthcare with us. Learn more - www.bac.edu/programs.

also became administrator of William Gaston High School in New Bern. Two years after his ordination, he was assigned as administrator of Bishop McGuinness High School in WinstonSalem. In another two years, he was named pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Brevard as well as parishes in Sapphire and Highlands. During this time, Father Sheridan also was the diocesan youth director. In 1972 he was serving as administrator of Asheville Catholic High School when big news came: a new diocese for North Carolina. BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP

Tom Savoy, choir master of St. Joseph College Seminary, will provide musical entertainment featuring a barbershop quartet singing everyone’s favorite baseball jingle, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

Prayer for the 50th anniversary

The 50th anniversary theme, “Faith More Precious Than Gold” (1 Peter 1:7), encourages use of the Church’s tried-and-true prayers, devotions and sacramentals, which for centuries have brought people closer to God. Let us confidently ask for the graces we hope to receive from God as we celebrate the founding of the Diocese of Charlotte. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

CHARLOTTE — Join Bishop Peter Jugis and hundreds of Catholic families from across western North Carolina for “Catholic Night” Friday, Sept. 9, at the Charlotte Knights’ Truist Field. It promises to be an unforgettable night of baseball and is the final diocese-wide social event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Charlotte. The evening will feature a special first pitch thrown out by Sister Lucia Torres of the Daughters of the Virgin Mother of Gastonia. Sister Lucia “bested” one of the diocese’s seminarians who played baseball for Belmont Abbey College in a recent pitching contest at the 18th annual Eucharistic Congress earlier this month.

‘Catholic Night’ 50th anniversary event sure to be fun for the whole family

August prayer intention

There will also be a special Diocese of Charlotte 50th anniversary video presentation.Plantostay after the Knights take on the Nashville Sounds to watch a spectacular fireworks display to end the evening. Tickets for the 7:04 p.m. game are available directly on the Charlotte Knights’ website at Mintuptown.availablepurchaseknights/tickets.www.milb.com/charlotte-Foodisavailableforintheballpark.ParkingisforafeeinparkinglotsaroundTruistFieldislocatedat324S.St.inCharlotte.

That year, the Charlotte diocese was formed with Bishop Michael J. Begley leading the way. He appointed Father Sheridan, who was set to complete his master’s in education administration in 1973, as the diocese’s first superintendent of schools. So he’d be closer to Charlotte, Bishop Begley transferred him first to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe and later to St. Ann Parish on Park Road. “It was an exciting time. It was in the midst of all of the changes in the Church, and I think that we saw Bishop Begley as our bishop to bring about further development of changes from Vatican II, and he did a great job. He increased the understanding of the lay apostolate and parish councils. It was good to be a part of that process,” Father Sheridan recalls. He continues, “We went into a period of time planning and tried to look at ourselves and see what we should do and involve the lay people in spiritual movements and other areas where they could help in many different ways.”

For the sick and suffering. May God give comfort to the afflicted and suffering souls of the diocese and to those who are needy, that they may find in the generosity of faithful souls a remedy for their ailments. Saint of the Month Sts. Louis and Zelie 28)death12FeastMartindate:July(herdateofisAug.

Prayers & Devotions

EL PADRE JULIO DOMÍNGUEZ es Vicario Episcopal del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Charlotte.

Padre Julio Domínguez

SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org CHARLOTTE — En una Misa especial con la asistencia de muchas de sus esposas, los diáconos permanentes de la Diócesis de Charlotte renovaron sus promesas de ordenación durante la Misa celebrada por el Obispo Peter Jugis el 13 de agosto en la Catedral San Patricio. Durante su homilía, el Obispo Jugis recordó a los diáconos que habían venido a renovar sus promesas “de continuar permaneciendo firmes y constantes en Cristo”. Enfatizó que una de las promesas que renovarían es servir en su ministerio con humildad y caridad. “Los feligreses esperan encontrar la imagen de Cristo en ustedes. Cristo, que es el modelo de humildad y caridad”, dijo el Obispo Jugis. Señaló que Cristo, en el Evangelio de Mateo 20:20-28, dijo: “El Hijo del Hombre no vino para ser servido, sino para servir y dar su vida como rescate por muchos’’. La Misa de Reafirmación de las Promesas de Ordenación de los Diáconos se celebra anualmente cerca de la fiesta de San Lorenzo, que se recuerda el 10 de agosto, un diácono que fue martirizado durante la persecución de los cristianos en el año 258. Varias de las esposas de los diáconos también asistieron a la Misa y reafirmaron su compromiso de servir junto con sus esposos para edificar la Iglesia local.ElObispo Jugis recordó a los diáconos su obligación de rezar la Liturgia de las Horas y “estar en contacto con el Señor diariamente en sus oraciones” para permanecer cerca de Cristo y servir fielmente a Su pueblo en su ministerio. El Diácono Andy Cilone, de la parroquia Inmaculada Concepción en Forest City, fue uno de los primeros hombres en ser ordenado para el diaconado permanente de la diócesis en 1983. Ahora, con 84 años, él y su esposa, JoAnn, siguen sirviendo activamente a la Iglesia 39 años después. “Ha sido una gran bendición. No puedo pensar en mi vida de otra manera”, dijo el Diácono Cilone. “Es un llamado hermoso y doy gracias a Dios por ello”. Sobre el compromiso de su esposa dijo: “No podría hacerlo sin ella. Ha sido mi apoyo”. El Diácono Quang Nguyen de la Iglesia Vietnamita San José en Charlotte, ordenado en 2018, es el primer diácono vietnamita ordenado para la Diócesis de Charlotte.“Hepasado de ser un diácono ‘bebé’ a un diácono que ‘gatea’”, bromeó el Diácono Nguyen. “Después de cuatro años, el camino ha cambiado. Me he dado cuenta de que cuanto más humildes somos, mejor es el servicio que podemos hacer. Nos preguntamos hasta dónde podemos llegar para encontrar lo que Dios quiere que hagamos. Mientras tanto, simplemente lo hacemos”. El Diácono Lon Phillips y su esposa, Jan, se mudaron a Charlotte desde Florida hace tres años para estar cerca de su familia. Sirven en el ministerio en la Iglesia San Mateo. Diácono durante 14 años, el Diácono Phillips dijo que la pareja estaba preocupada por el tamaño de la parroquia San Mateo, una de las más grandes de los Estados Unidos con más de 10,000 familias registradas.“Alprincipio me intimidó el tamaño de San Mateo, pero una vez que me saqué la idea de la cabeza, dije: ‘No importa si hay cinco personas en el banco o 1.500, estoy en el altar haciendo lo que me han pedido que haga’”, dijo. “Estoy teniendo más participación ahora”, señaló Jan Phillips. “Sirvo en la despensa de alimentos, soy voluntaria de la Escuela San Mateo y sirvo como ujier en la iglesia. Es un lugar maravilloso.”ElDiáconoJohn Kopfle de la Iglesia San Vicente de Paúl en Charlotte sirve como director del diaconado permanente. “Es una bendición ver todas las cosas buenas que los diáconos hacen en la diócesis. Y todo lo que los hombres y sus esposas sacrifican por esto. “ Ha habido desafíos, por supuesto, con Covid, pero las cosas se están abriendo y podemos servir en nuestros ministerios nuevamente”, agregó. Actualmente hay 140 diáconos sirviendo en la Diócesis de Charlotte. Dieciocho hombres han sido invitados a comenzar el programa de aspirantes de dos años para el diaconado permanente este otoño, que es seguido por tres años de formación y ordenación. ¿Sabías que? Los diáconos permanentes están involucrados en una amplia gama de ministerios, pero generalmente se asignan a una parroquia donde proclaman el Evangelio y ayudan al sacerdote en la Misa, supervisan o apoyan los ministerios parroquiales y las actividades caritativas, administran bautismos, ofician bodas y distribuyen la Sagrada Comunión a los enfermos y a quienes están confinados en casa.También trabajan en ministerios vitales, incluido el programa de capellanía del aeropuerto, el ministerio penitenciario, la formación en la fe y el ministerio para niños y estudiantes universitarios, así como también brindan instrucción para aspirantes a católicos en el programa RICA y más. Puede encontrar más información sobre el Programa de Diaconado Permanente online en www.charlottediocese. org/permanent-diaconate Sus contribuciones a la DSA en marcha El Programa de Diaconado Permanente es financiado por la Colecta Anual de Apoyo Diocesano. Para obtener más información o para efectuar su donativo, visite www.charlottediocese.org/dsa

SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD El Obispo Peter Jugis celebró la Misa de Renovación de Promesas de Ordenación de los Diáconos el pasado sábado 13 de agosto en la Catedral San Patricio.

catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202224 ESPAÑOLNEWSCATHOLICFACEBOOK.COM/HERALD

Al encuentro de la Eucaristía Continuamos con la cuarta parte de la reflexión del Evangelio de San Lucas 24:13-35. Después de salir al encuentro de sus discípulos, darles una explicación de todos los textos de la Escritura que se referían a Él, que lo reconozcan en la fracción del Pan, los discípulos regresan a su comunidad cristiana. Los dos discípulos recobran valor y vuelven a Jerusalén, donde continuaban activas las mismas fuerzas de muerte que habían matado a Jesús y que habían matado en ellos la esperanza. Pero ahora ha cambiado todo. Si Jesús está vivo, entonces en él y con él hay un poder más fuerte que el poder que le mató. Esta experiencia los hace resucitar. Realmente todo mudó: valor, en vez de miedo; retorno, en vez de ida; fe, en vez de falta de fe; esperanza, en vez de desesperación; conciencia crítica, en vez de fatalismo frente al poder; libertad, en vez de opresión; en una palabra: vida, en vez de muerte. En vez de la mala noticia de la muerte de Jesús, la Buena Nueva de su Resurrección. Los dos experimentarán la vida, y vida en abundancia (Jn 10,10); señal del Espíritu de Jesús actuando en ellos.Señor, el amor a tu divina presencia no puede dejar a nadie indiferente. Como los discípulos de Emaús sintieron el deseo ardiente de regresar a la comunidad y proclamar a todos que Tú estabas vivo, que Tú verdaderamente habías resucitado, así la persona que ha descubierto el gran tesoro de la Eucaristía no se queda apacible e indiferente, sino que quiere ir a proclamarlo a su familia, a sus amigos y a todo mundo que se presenta delante de ellos.Yael sentido de duda ha desaparecido, ya no van indiferentes por el mundo, ya no sienten el vacío existencial en sus vidas, pues en el fondo de su interior se presenta una verdad viva: Jesucristo verdaderamente ha resucitado. Tu presencia viva está siempre con nosotros Señor. Nos quieres acompañar en cada momento de nuestra jornada y es por lo que la búsqueda de la comunión diaria es tan importante. Y si por ventura no pudiéramos recibirte diariamente, al menos cada semana poder sentir tu divina presencia dentro de nosotros. Pero tu bien sabes que a veces, debido a nuestros trabajos y ocupaciones diarias, no podemos aproximarnos a la Eucaristía diaria y por eso nos recuerdas que te quisiste quedar prisionero por nosotros, en ese pedazo de pan, allí oculto en el Sagrario, para podernos hacer compañía. Señor, te pedimos perdón por todos aquellos que te recibimos indigna o distraídamente. Aquellos que se aproximan pero que en realidad no saben ni lo que están haciendo, o aquellos que te reciben con gran emoción pero que saliendo de tu santo templo se olvidan por completo de que los estas acompañando en su vida diaria. Qué diferente sería el mundo si cada cristiano católico se diera cuenta de la importancia de la Eucaristía en sus vidas, la acogiera con gran devoción y se diera cuenta que el Señor es quien está entrando en ellos para poder transformar sus almas y vidas.TúSeñor, eres presencia viva, que se apareció a María Magdalena en el domingo de Resurrección, a Pedro y Juan y después a todos los discípulos, Tú eres quien decidió irse cerca de los discípulos de Emaús para hacerles entender los misterios de tu Resurrección y ahora Señor eres esa presencia ardiente que sigue muy cerca de nosotros para guiarnos y ayudarnos a reconocerte en nuestra vida diaria. Que te reconozcamos Señor, para que con fuerza y valentía podamos ir al mundo y proclamar que verdaderamente tú has resucitado.

Diáconos renuevan promesas de ordenación en Misa anual

Permanezcan firmes y constantes en Cristo

CHARLOTTE — El Padre Julio Domínguez, vicario apostólico del ministerio hispano de la diócesis de Charlotte, fue el orador principal de la sala en español durante el recientemente celebrado Congreso Eucarístico. Su charla se enfocó en el proceso de revitalización de la Eucaristía que ha encomendado la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos a toda la feligresía del país. Según información citada por el portal católico Aciprensa, de acuerdo con un estudio realizado en junio de 2019 por el centro de investigación Pew Research en Estados Unidos, el 69% de católicos cree que la hostia y el vino consagrado son solo símbolos y no el Cuerpo y la Sangre del Señor. Es decir, menos de tres de cada diez católicos aceptan que es Jesús quien realmente está presente en la Eucaristía. Durante su exposición, el Padre Domínguez añadió otras cifras que demuestran el triste desconocimiento de la fe por parte de algunos católicos. Al término de la interesante exposición del pasado sábado 6, conversamos con el Padre Julio Domínguez sobre el contenido de su conferencia. CNH: ¿Por qué es tan importante el proceso de reavivamiento Eucarístico al que han llamado los obispos norteamericanos? Padre Julio: Es importante porque todos nosotros como católicos tenemos que entender que la cima y fuente de toda la vida cristiana y de todo lo que es la liturgia de la iglesia se basa precisamente en la Eucaristía. Es por ello que es importante entender eso, que estamos perdiendo ese punto de la presencia real de Cristo en la Eucaristía. Si no entendemos eso, todo lo demás viene a quedarse sin sentido. Sí no entendemos que Cristo está realmente en Eucaristía, nos preguntamos, ¿Por qué la Iglesia hace esto?¿Por qué la Iglesia hace eso? Entonces, los obispos han decidido tomar este proceso para retomar ahora sí el sentido real de la Eucaristía CNH: Si la Eucaristía es lo más importante en la vida católica, ¿en qué nos hemos distraído los católicos para olvidarnos de ella como punto central de nuestra fe? Padre Julio: Yo creo que en todos los procesos humanos, hay momentos en los cuales caemos en la rutina. Es algo que decimos, “es que todo mundo lo cree”. Pero ya cuando se va uno a los hechos, es donde uno se puede dar cuenta de que no todo mundo cree, por ejemplo, que Jesucristo está presente realmente, consustancialmente, en la Eucaristía. Uno lo toma como símbolo, otro lo toma como una costumbre, otro como un deber moral, pero no con el punto de la fe que la Iglesia busca. Desde ahí es donde viene el problema. Es decir, que la iglesia necesita retomar esos nuevos puntos para darse cuenta que tenemos que volver a concientizar.Ynoeslaprimera vez que pasa. Esto ha pasado durante muchos tiempos con diferentes reacciones. Por ejemplo, la procesión con el Santísimo Sacramento fue una reacción a algo que venía pasando. Es decir, los fieles laicos querían conocer más de Jesucristo y la Iglesia, más bien el Espíritu Santo revela a una persona que haga estas procesiones para infundir ese ánimo espiritual de seguir a Cristo Eucaristía. Entonces, no es la primera vez, pero qué bueno que los obispos de Estados Unidos lo están haciendo ahorita.

CNH: Este desconocimiento, ¿se presenta en todas las comunidades? ¿Somos los católicos hispanos más abiertos a aceptar la presencia real de Cristo en la Eucaristía? Padre Julio: Gracias a Dios, nosotros los católicos cristianos de ascendencia hispana tenemos muy muy fuerte la devoción a la Eucaristía. Yo pienso que, de parte de nosotros, y no es porque quiera echarnos flores a nosotros, en nuestra cultura viene muy arraigado el punto de la Eucaristía. A lo mejor venga un poquito de nuestra parte el punto de la ignorancia. Pero si lo manejamos y trabajamos podemos salir rápido de eso. Por eso, algunas personas que entran de otras denominaciones protestantes no tienen una teología bien fundada en lo que es la Eucaristía y pueden perderse. Aunque en el principio aceptan que Jesucristo realmente está presente en la Eucaristía, después se le vuelve como un símbolo y no presencia real. Entonces es ahí donde está el punto.

CNH: ¿Cómo podemos los padres transmitir esa fe a nuestros hijos? Padre Julio: Lo primero que diría es a través de nuestro ejemplo. Si vemos que papá y mamá van con tanta devoción, al principio no entenderemos mucho pero vamos a ver que algo hay ahí importante, que es para papá y mamá algo imprescindible.Porejemplo,que no ir a la Misa los domingos es algo fuera de texto, es decir que no va a pasar pues tenemos que ir los domingos a la Santa Misa.

CNH: Toda esta información la escuchamos en su charla, ¿va a entregar mayor información? Padre Julio: Si, hablé de la problemática que vieron los obispos a nivel nacional. Después, el proceso, de cómo lo vamos a ir haciendo. Propuse algunas medidas diocesanas, pero cada párroco decidirá las iniciativas a tomar, cómo va a seguir el proceso. Pero, al menos mi punto es que toda la diócesis sepa que está pasando esto. Vamos a dar mayor información por, si en caso que el párroco no estuviera haciendo mucho, los feligreses puedan seguir el proceso.

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD I 25

CNH: ¿Qué le aconseja a un católico que tiene dudas sobre la presencia real de Jesucristo en la Eucaristía? Padre Julio: Que vaya al Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica. Ahí está bastante bien explicado lo que es la Eucaristía. Yo siempre voy por el lado de la formación, entre más lees, entre más conoces, más te enamoras. Después viene la parte de la devoción. No solo es una fe viva, sino que también una fe vivida. Entonces, la visita al Santísimo Sacramento, la participación en la Santa Misa, hace que nuestra fe vaya creciendo más y más. Para amar algo en extremo necesitamos de la formación.

CNH: ¿Cuánto tiempo va a tomar el proceso? Padre Julio: Va desde 2022 hasta 2025, que es cuando viene el envío de todos los discípulos a evangelizar. De ahí en adelante, personalmente cada uno va a poder transmitir su propia experiencia.

CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@charlottediocese.org

CNH: Para usted esta es una cruzada especial, tiene un propósito personal, un sueño Padre Julio: Yo veía que estábamos necesitando esto. De hecho, tuve un sueño, y no es que quiera darme de visionario ni mucho menos, pero un sueño donde alguien me decía que tenía que ir donde el Papa Francisco para decirle que en cada parroquia debía existir una Capilla de Adoración al Santísimo. Siento que eso viene como parte del querer del Espíritu Santo que haya una renovación. Siento que si como diócesis trabajamos en eso, no voy a pedir que en todas las parroquias haya adoración al Santísimo. Pero me encantaría que, al menos los jueves Eucarísticos y primeros viernes, haya gente que participe por hacer un gran cambio. Aparte, siempre que hablamos de Eucaristía hablamos de sacerdocio. Están muy relacionados. Yo estoy seguro que las vocaciones brotarían increíblemente y, lógico, la bendición de las familias que van a visitar al Santísimo Sacramento.Quieropedir a todas las personas de la diócesis que traten de hacer algo en sus vidas, en sus parroquias, en su movimientos apostólicos, para que el proceso se lleve a cabo, que realmente lo tomemos con seriedad, que no lo dejemos pasar. Este es un proceso en el cual podemos hacer la diferencia, sobre todo como hispanos que podemos hacer una diferencia en la Eucaristía. Todos tenemos que participar. Todos tenemos que hacer algo. Más online En el canal de YouTube de la diócesis : Se ha publicado el video de la conferencia ofrecida por el Padre Julio Domínguez En www.es.eucharisticrevival.org : Vea mayor información sobre el proceso de revitalización Eucarístico CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (Arriba) El Padre Julio Domínguez, quien expuso el plan de reavivamiento Eucarístico que promueve la Conferencia de Obispos de Estados Unidos, dijo que el 69% de católicos cree que la hostia y el vino consagrado son solo símbolos y no el Cuerpo y la Sangre del Señor. “A eso se le agregan los que no conocen su fe”, añadió. (Izquierda) Al final de su charla presentó a varios seminaristas como ejemplo de la influencia de la familia en la decisión que tomaron de seguir la vocación sacerdotal. “Se nos filtró uno que ya es diácono”, dijo riendo el seminarista José Palma, refiriéndose al recientemente ordenado Diácono Peter Rusciolelli.

Reviviendo el Espíritu de la Eucaristía

CNH: Esta revitalización de la Eucaristía ayudaría a que muchos católicos no se alejen de la Iglesia o busquen otras denominaciones cristianas? Padre Julio: Cuando un buen católico cree claramente y perfectamente, entiende el misterio de la Eucaristía o se aproxima bastante al misterio de la Eucaristía, es difícil que se vaya otra denominación porque no va a encontrar eso. Aparte, ya cuando uno sabe la teología de lo qué hay debajo, todo lo que explica el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica acerca de la Eucaristía, uno se da cuenta que no lo va encontrar en ninguna parte. En otras partes se representa como un símbolo, pero en cambio en la Iglesia Católica, se reafirma a través de la fe que Cristo está presente en la Eucaristía y que uno está recibiendo al mismo Cristo, a la persona de Cristo.

Lecturas Diarias

Seminario Universitario San José dio la bienvenida a nuevos jóvenes

AGOSTO 28-3 SEPTIEMBRE Domingo: Eclesiástico 3:17-18, 20, 28-29, Hebreos 12:18-19, 22-24a, Lucas 14:1, 7-14; Lunes (Martirio de San Juan Bautista): 1 Corintios 2:1-5, Marcos 6:17-29; Martes: 1 Corintios 2:10-16, Lucas 4:31-37; Miércoles: 1 Corintios 3:1-9, Lucas 4:38-44; Jueves: 1 Corintios 3:1823, Lucas 5:1-11; Viernes: 1 Corintios 4:1-5, Lucas 5:33-39; Sábado (San Gregorio Magno): 1 Corintios 4:6-15, Lucas 6:1-5 SEPTIEMBRE 4-10 Domingo: Sabiduría 9:13-19, Filemón 9:10, 12-17, Lucas 14:25-33; Lunes: 1 Corintios 5:1-8, Lucas 6:6-11; Martes: 1 Corintios 6:1-11, Lucas 6:12-19; Miércoles: 1 Corintios 7:25-31, Lucas 6:20-26; Jueves (Fiesta de Natividad de la Santísima Virgen María): Miqueas 5, 1-48, Mateo 1:1-16, 18-23; Viernes (San Pedro Claver): 1 Corintios 9:16-19, 22-27, Lucas 6:3942; Sábado: 1 Corintios 10:14-22, Lucas 6:43-49 SUEANN HOWELL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CHARLOTTE — El Seminario Universitario San José dio la bienvenida a su última promoción de seminaristas a inicio de este mes, elevando la inscripción total en el programa de vocaciones de la Diócesis de Charlotte a un número récord de 49 hombres en diversas etapas de formación para el sacerdocio. Los nuevos hombres en el programa fueron recibidos oficialmente el 7 de agosto durante una Misa ofrecida por el rector del seminario universitario, Padre Matthew Kauth, en la Iglesia Santa Ana en Charlotte.MarkBecker, Elijah Buerkle, Jordan Haag, Matthew Hennessy, Jonathan Hernández, Theodore Holthe y Jeremy Smith, miembros de la “Promoción Golf” entrante, se unen a otros 14 hombres que viven en el seminario universitario en Mount Holly y toman clases en Belmont Abbey College en Belmont. “Siempre estoy muy interesado en ver lo que Nuestro Señor ‘hace’ el día en que la nueva promoción ingresa al seminario”, dijo el Padre Kauth en su homilía. “Durante siete años consecutivos hay una línea en una de las lecturas o en el Evangelio que dice algo sobre no tener miedo”. “La lectura del Evangelio de hoy (Lc 12,32) es en realidad bastante simple: ‘No temáis más’. Allí nos lo vuelve a servir el día de la nueva entrada de, en este caso, la ‘ Promoción Golf’. Siete de ustedes se han acercado y han dicho: ‘Voy a hacer esto’”. Los hombres provienen de cinco parroquias: Buerkle, Hernández y Smith son de la parroquia San Marcos en Huntersville; Holthe es de Santa Ana en Charlotte; Haag es de Santa Francisca Romana en Sparta; Hennessy es de San Gabriel en Charlotte; y Becker es de San Mateo en GraduadoCharlotte.deChrist the King High School, Jonathan Hernández, de 18 años, dice que su discernimiento se trató simplemente de elegir dar un salto de fe. “Fue más como una decisión. Estaba en una encrucijada. Tenía un presentimiento en mi cabeza. Hubo un punto en el que tuve que decidir ‘lo voy a hacer’”, dijo. Sus padres, Wilder y Lina Hernández, están complacidos de que su hijo esté siguiendo los impulsos que ha sentido para explorar una vocación sacerdotal cerca de casa. “Estoy tan feliz y agradecida. No puedo pedir más. Estoy muy orgullosa”, dijo su madre. SEMINARISTAS, PASA A LA PÁGINA 32 AGOSTO 21-27 Domingo: Isaías 66:18-21, Hebreos 12:5-7, 11-13, Lucas 13:22-30; Lunes (Nuestra Señora María Reina): 2 Tesalonicenses 1:1-5, 11-12, Mateo 23:13-22; Martes: 2 Tesalonicenses 2:1-3, 14-17, Mateo 23:23-26; Miércoles (San Bartolomé Apóstol): Apocalipsis 21:9-14, Juan 1:45-51; Jueves: 1 Corintios 1:1-9, Mateo 24:4251; Viernes: 1 Corintios 1:17-25, Mateo 25:1-13; Sábado (Santa Mónica): 1 Corintios 1:26-31, Mateo 25:14-30

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Mark Becker, Elijah Buerkle, Jordan Haag, Matthew Hennessy, Jonathan Hernández, Theodore Holthe y Jeremy Smith, miembros de la “Promoción Golf” entrante fueron recibidos oficialmente el 7 de agosto durante una Misa ofrecida por el rector del seminario universitario, Padre Matthew Kauth, en la Iglesia Santa Ana en Charlotte.

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202226

Número récord de seminaristas ingresan este otoño SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

VOCACIÓN Se propuso irse de monja agustina, pero el día en que fue a arrodillarse ante la imagen de la Virgen Santísima para pedirle que le iluminara si debía irse de monja o no, sintió que no podía levantarse del suelo donde estaba arrodillada. Llamó a su hermano para que le ayudara a levantarse pero él tampoco fue capaz de moverla de allí. Entonces se dio cuenta de que la voluntad de Dios era otra y le dijo a Nuestra Señora: “Oh Madre Celestial, si Dios no quiere que yo me vaya a un convento, desisto desde ahora de esa idea”. Tan pronto pronunció estas palabras quedó totalmente sin parálisis y se pudo levantar del suelo fácilmente. De pronto empezó a llegar junto a ella cada día una mariposa de blanco y negro. Y revoloteaba junto a sus ojos. Con esto le pareció entender que debería buscar una asociación que tuviera un hábito de blanco y negro. Y descubrió que eran las terciarias dominicas, unas mujeres que se vestían con túnica blanca y manto negro y llevaban vida como de religiosas, pero vivían en sus propias casas. Pidió ser admitida y la aceptaron.Entonces vino a saber que la más famosa terciaria dominica es Santa Catalina de Siena y se propuso estudiar su vida e imitarla en todo. Y lo logró de manera admirable. Se fabricó una túnica blanca y el manto negro y el velo también negro para la cabeza, y así empezó a asistir a las reuniones religiosas del templo. La gente admirada de su comportamiento empezó a señalarla y a llamarla “la santa”. Entonces ella, que sabía que nada es tan peligroso como la vanidad y el orgullo y el deseo de aparecer, se fabricó una pequeña habitación en el solar de la casa donde vivía y allí se dedicó a practicar por largas horas del día y de la noche sus meditaciones, sus penitencias y sus muchas oraciones. Allí pasó el resto de su vida y solamente salió para ir a Misa o a socorrer a algún enfermo. ATAQUES Y SUFRIMIENTOS El demonio la atacaba de muy diversas maneras. Y las tentaciones impuras la hacían sufrir enormemente. Además le llegaban épocas de terribles sequedades espirituales en las cuales todo lo que fuera oración, meditación ó penitencias le producía horror y asco. Y fuera de eso la gente se burlaba de su comportamiento y los mismos familiares la consideraban equivocada en su modo de vivir. Alguna vez le protestó amorosamente a Jesucristo por todo esto, diciéndole: “Señor, ¿y a dónde te vas cuando me dejas sola en estas terribles tempestades?”. Y oyó que Jesús le decía: “Yo no me he ido lejos. Estaba en tu espíritu dirigiendo todo para que la barquilla de tu alma no sucumbiera en medio de la tempestad”. Lo primero que se propuso mortificar fue su orgullo, su amor propio, su deseo de aparecer y de ser admirada y conocida. Y en ella, como en todas las cenicientas del mundo se ha cumplido lo que dijo Jesús: “quien se humilla será enaltecido”. Su ayuno era casi continuo y su abstinencia de carnes perpetua. Comía lo mínimo necesario para no desfallecer de debilidad. Aún los días de mayores calores, y aunque a veces la sed la atormentaba, le bastaba mirar el crucifijo y recordar la sed de Jesús en la cruz, para tener valor y seguir aguantando su sed, por amor a Dios. Dormía sobre duras tablas, con un palo por almohada. Alguna vez que le empezaron a llegar deseos de cambiar sus tablas por un colchón y una almohada, miró al crucifijo y le pareció que Jesús le decía: “Mi cruz, era mucho más cruel que todo esto”. Distintas enfermedades la atacaron por mucho tiempo. En sus últimos meses exclamaba: “Nunca pensé que una persona tuviera que sufrir tanto, tanto como lo que yo estoy sufriendo. Pero Jesucristo me concede valor para soportarlo todo”. Su oración, sacrificios y penitencias conseguían numerosas conversiones de pecadores y aumento de fervor en muchos religiosos y sacerdotes. En la ciudad de Lima había ya una convicción general de que esta muchacha era una verdadera santa.

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD I 27

Donate Your Car Make your car go the extra mile.

Nació en Lima, Perú, en 1586. La bautizaron con el nombre de Isabel, pero luego la mamá al ver que al paso de los años su rostro se volvía sonrosado y hermoso como una rosa, empezó a llamarla con el nombre de Rosa. El Arzobispo de Lima, Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo, al darle la confirmación le puso definitivamente ese nombre, con el que es conocida mundialmente. Desde pequeñita Rosa tuvo una gran inclinación a la oración y a la meditación. Un día rezando ante una imagen de la Virgen María le pareció que el niño Jesús le decía: “Rosa conságrame a mí todo tu amor”. Y en adelante se propuso no vivir sino para amar a Jesucristo. Y al oir a su hermano decir que si muchos hombres se enamoraban perdidamente era por la atracción de una larga cabellera o de una piel muy hermosa, se cortó el cabello y se propuso llevar el rostro cubierto con un velo, para no ser motivo de tentaciones para nadie. Quería dedicarse únicamente a amar a Jesucristo. Un joven de alta clase social se enamoró de Rosa y quería casarse con ella. Sus padres estaban muy entusiasmados porque ellos eran pobres y esto daría a la joven un porvenir brillante. Pero ella, aunque hubo serios disgustos en la familia, les declaró que se había propuesto que su amor sería totalmente para Dios y que renunciaba por completo a todo matrimonio, por brillante que fuera.

ANUNCIA SU MUERTE Desde 1614, cada año, al llegar la fiesta de San Bartolomé, el 24 de agosto, mostraba su gran alegría. Explicó que “en una fiesta de San Bartolomé iré para siempre a estar cerca de mi redentor Jesucristo”. Y así sucedió. El 24 de agosto del año 1617, después de terrible y dolorosa agonía, expiró con la alegría de irse a estar para siempre junto al amadísimo Salvador. Tenía 31 años. Le hicieron un funeral poco común en la ciudad de Lima. En la primera cuadra llevaron su ataúd los monseñores de la catedral, como lo hacían cuando moría un arzobispo. La segunda los oidores, como lo hacían cuando moría un virrey. Y la tercera los religiosos de las comunidades, para demostrarle su gran veneración. El entierro hubo que dejarlo para más tarde porque inmensas multitudes querían visitar su cadáver, y filas interminables de fieles pasaban con devota veneración frente a él. Después la sepultaron en una de las paredes del templo. Los milagros empezaron a sucederse en favor de los que invocaban la intercesión de Rosa. Fue canonizada por el Papa Clemente X en 1671 y se convirtió en la primera Santa de América. — Condensado de ACIPRENSA

Santa Rosa de Lima: Patrona del Perú, América y las Filipinas

Donate your car to Catholic Charities to help fund prog rams for those in need. All vehicle makes, models and years welcome Tr uck, boat, RV and motorcycle donations accepted.

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Catholic Charities relies on your direct support to help fund its various ministries. Do you have a car sitting in a driveway catching leaves? Maybe it will not star t or needs a major re pair from the donation of your vehicle Call 1-855-930-GIVE today! “Santa Rosa de Lima,” óleo sobre lienzo de Claudio Coello. Madrid, España (1642-1693). Imagen cortesía del Museo del Prado, Madrid.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Dr. Kassi Marshall, a physician, mother and member of the First Church of God in Chavies, Kentucky, is on a mission to bring safe drinking water to Perry County, where parts of the water infrastructure were destroyed in flooding that began July 26 in eastern Kentucky. “People need water,” she said. “We grow accustomed to the things we like — niceties and not necessities. But life is not sustainable without water. It’s impossible to be healthy when you’re relying on a contaminated water source.” In “Perry County alone, the infrastructure has been destroyed and it may be months before many areas have water restored,” she said. “I’m really concerned.”

Catholic agencies say act addresses long-standing goals on climate, drug costs, etc.

Bishop urges Senate, House to pass Afghan Adjustment Act

Through a series of events that she finds providential, both she and her pastor, Brother Brian Bridges, were connected recently to the Louisville-based Water With Blessings run by Sister Larraine Lauter, an Ursuline Sister of Mount St. Joseph. The organization distributes water filters — and trains people to use them for a lifetime — around the globe where communities lack access to safe drinking water. Sister Lauter said she is ready to “go big” in Perry County, which is in the neighboring Diocese of Lexington, where several counties were ravaged by the floods. “They have water that is bio-contaminated,” said Sister Lauter. “That can take them down health-wise.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Landmark legislation to address climate change, reduce prescription drug costs and establish a minimum tax on large corporations once thought dead but was suddenly passed is being hailed by Catholic advocates. “It’s a minor miracle that it got passed,” Dan Misleh, founder of the Catholic Climate Covenant, said of the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law Aug. 16. Misleh and his organization have long advocated for passage of the climaterelated components of the renamed bill, a pared down version of the original $2-trillion Build Back Better plan. The legislation includes $369 billion in funding for investments in clean energy, domestic manufacturing of batteries and solar panels, electric vehicle tax breaks and greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Environmental advocates said such provisions will bring the U.S. closer to meetings its pledges to reduce carbon emissions under the Paris climate agreement. The legislative package’s components are projected by 2030 to reduce the country’s carbon emissions by 40% from 2005 levels. The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives approved the bill by a 220 to 207 vote Aug. 12. No Republicans voted for the measure. The Senate approved it 51-50 Aug. 7. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the deciding vote. In an Aug. 9 statement, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, praised the legislation for tackling environmental concerns and lowering drug prices.

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202228

Catholic agencies see fewer donations of school supplies

Volunteers help bring safe drinking water to Kentucky

WASHINGTON, D.C. — If passed, the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act introduced in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives would provide newly arrived Afghans with an opportunity to become lawful permanent residents in the United States, said the head of the U.S. bishops’ migration committee. The bill “would lift the cloud of legal uncertainty currently faced by tens of thousands of Afghans relocated to the United States in recent months and promote their full integration within American communities,” Auxiliary Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville of Washington said. The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration urged members of the Senate and House to pass the legislation “without delay.” The companion bills, S. 4787 and H.R. 8685, also would require the president to establish an Interagency Task Force on Afghan Ally Strategy and increase support for those who assisted the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. “Many of those who would benefit from this legislation served alongside U.S. servicemembers in Afghanistan or are the family members of those individuals,” Bishop Dorsonville said. “This service comes at a great personal sacrifice, as they now face the threat of persecution and even death if returned to their native Afghanistan. Unfortunately,” he continued, “their ability to remain in the United States permanently is severely limited under current law, even after an unprecedented effort to secure their relocation.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Each year at back-toschool-time, many parents are in sticker shock about school-supply costs. This year, with inflation, is no exception as parents pay more for everything from notebooks to backpacks and calculators. Never mind shoes and clothes, and for some, laptops. The National Retail Federation reported in June that school-supply prices were expected to increase by 40% and one loan company said 37% of parents with school-age children said they are unable to afford back-to-school shopping. Last year, many families had help through the government’s monthly payments with its child tax credit. This year, not only are families feeling the pinch, but service agencies are seeing a decrease in donations. Catholic Charities agencies around the country are helping with annual schoolsupply drives to get backpacks and notebooks in the hands of as many students as possible. “Unfortunately, the decrease in donations makes it harder to serve those that are in need the most,” said Amy Lambert, of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Joliet, Ill. — Catholic News

Service Our nation Please pray for the following deacons who died during the month of August: Frederick Dobens 8/24/2000 Joseph Smith 8/28/2012 Charles Dietsch 8/31/2017 Experiencing difficulties in your marriage? experience combined with a series of 6 post-weekend marriage in order again. The main emphasis of the program is on communication in marriage between husband and wife. It will give you the opportunity to rediscover each other and examine your lives together in a new and positive way. A Lifeline for Marriage SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2022 in Raleigh Registration Deadline is September 1 www.helpourmarriage.org In Brief For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ pope says VATICAN CITY — The passing of time in one’s life is meant to be lived as a God-given grace and not a meaningless pursuit to preserve one’s youthfulness, Pope Francis said. Men and women are “apprentices of life” who amid trials and tribulations “learn to appreciate God’s gift, honoring the responsibility of sharing it and making it bear fruit for everyone,” the pope said. “The conceit of stopping time – of wanting eternal youth, unlimited well-being, absolute power – is not only impossible, it is delusional,” he said.

VATICAN CITY — Mary’s humble life and example are a testament to the triumph of service and love over power and success, Pope Francis said. The pope said that the song of praise uttered by Mary while visiting her cousin Elizabeth “announces a radical change, an overturning of values.” Mary “prophesies that it will not be power, success and money that will prevail, but service, humility and love. Looking at her, in glory, we understand that the true power is service, and that to reign means to love. And that this is the road to heaven,” he said. Religious orders call for intervention in Haiti PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Religious orders working in Haiti have called on the international community to directly intervene to address the reign of terror of armed gangs they described as “diabolical, frightening and unacceptable.”

Mary teaches primacy of humility over power, success

Developing/implementing an evangelization program inactive parishioners.

school program and youth events (summer

— Catholic News Service Our world DISCOVER THE CATHOLIC DIFFERENCE LIFE IN SU RA N CE • DISA BILITY IN COM E IN SU RA N CE LON G TERM CA RE IN SU RA N CE • RETIREM EN T A N N U ITIE S Bob Gordon F ield Agent 5 1 6 -5 5 1 -7 8 3 8 ro bert. go rdo n@ko fc. o rg Rel y on the Knights of Columbus to protect your famil y ’ s future. Knights of Columbus One Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510 For more information on how to leave a legacy gift to your parish, Catholic school, Catholic agency, the Diocese of Charlotte or the diocese foundation, please contact Gina Rhodes, Director of Planned Giving at 704-370-3364 / gmrhodes@rcdoc.org or Heidi Kelley, Planned Giving Officer at 704-370-3348 / hmkelley@rcdoc.org. Establish a legacy that responds to the many gifts God has given behowJourney…Youryou.Life’swillyouremembered? Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation This is

In a document of testimonies published by the coalition, Passionist Father Rick Frechette, a doctor in Port-au-Prince, said “99% of people on the street want a foreign military force to save them.” He described the situation on the streets of Port-au-Prince as “Somaliatype battles.” The coalition letter noted that the “Haitian state has failed in its sovereign obligation to protect the population.” The bishops’ message stopped short of calling for action from the international community. a full-time parish Coordinating the K-12 Sunday Bible school

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The same gangs are responsible for nearly four kidnappings a day in 2022 and violence that killed more than 200 and forced 3,000 to flee their homes during July alone. In an Aug. 4 open letter to Najat Maalla M’jid, U.N. special rapporteur on violence against children, the Justice Coalition of Religious – made up of 20 religious orders – urged the international community “to respond swiftly and effectively to the atrocities occurring in Haiti.”

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Coordinating adult faith formation Bible parishioners.

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‘Priests give our lives to God, and to offer His mercy through the sacrament of confession is an honor, never a burden, no matter the time or place.’

Father Rob JohnsonBrian Pusateri

CNS | VATICAN MEDIA Pope Francis goes to confession during a Lenten penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 25.

Go to confession –no matter where or when While I was in seminary, one of the things our rector, Bishop Robert Barron, instilled in us with absolute clarity was this: After you are ordained a Catholic priest, when someone asks you for confession, the answer is yes. Period. I consider it to be a foundational rule in my life as a priest, and as it turns out, it has proven practical. A few years ago, I was starting mile five of a half marathon – just at the point where my legs and lungs were starting to feel a bit tired – when I heard, “Hey, Father, are you able to hear my confession?” I was wearing a shirt from the Newman Community of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, where I am chaplain and my bib said “Fr. Rob,” so I was pretty visible. I was still so surprised that it took me a minute toButrespond.asthe bishop taught, when someone asks you to go to confession, the answer is “yes,” so I said, “Sure, absolutely” to the runner. Then, while keeping our pace, the two of us moved away from other runners, so as not to be overheard. After listening to a heartfelt and thorough confession, I gave the runner a penance and offered the prayer of absolution, which took a bit longer than normal, because … well, we were still running a half marathon! The person said, “Thanks, Father,” and we parted ways. I still smile when I think about it, and laugh at how hard it was to pray the prayer of absolution on short breath. While I have never heard of another priest hearing a confession while panting through a half marathon, my brother priests have shared dozens of unique and amazing stories of unusual confessional circumstances (with no details about the person or what was said in the confession, of course), so my story is just one of many. Priests have heard confessions in prisons and schools, on battlefields, in college dorms and in living rooms. A good buddy of mine was once asked to hear someone’s confession while he was eating a Big Mac at anMyairport!point is this: Go to confession. When urge and opportunity come together, even if the circumstances seem less than perfect, even if you feel like you’re missing the booth and the screen, follow where your soul is being led and go to confession. Be blunt and totally honest – I promise, you won’t say anything the priest hasn’t heard before. And because confession is always under what is called “the seal,” the priest would rather go to prison or even give his own life than reveal anything that you say, no matter the setting. Nothing but mercy awaits you there. Of course, it’s great if you can catch confession at the scheduled times at your parish or if your parish has a Lenten or Advent Penance Service, but never believe that asking to go to confession is a burden for a priest; it is our privilege. You are not alone in the fight for holiness; your priests are running this race with you, mile by mile, road by road. We gave our lives to God, and to offer His mercy through the sacrament of confession is an honor, never a burden, no matter the time or place.

FATHER ROB JOHNSON is a priest of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill. He serves as pastor of Mother of Perpetual Help parish in Maryville, Ill., chaplain of the Newman Community at Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville, associate director of the Office for Vocations and is a host of the podcast “Three Dogs North.”

Do you keep your car cleaner than your soul?

The Catholic Church believes that confession is an essential part of our faith. The Church provides an instrument for God’s mercy with the sacrament of reconciliation, through which we confess our sins to a priest who acts in the person of Jesus Christ.Iamsure we can agree it is difficult, embarrassing and sometimes painful to confess our faults and shortcomings to another person. What matters is this: When we confess to someone – be that person a priest, a minister, a psychologist or just another Christian – doing so helps our soul feel fresh, clean, forgiven and restored. The ability to confess our flaws and brokenness to another human being requires an honest humility. It is never easy, but it is extremely beneficial. I am a big believer in the healing effects of confession. As a Catholic, I try to receive the sacrament of reconciliation on a regular basis, usually monthly. I truly feel reunited with Christ, and I really feel the weight of my sins lifted off my shoulders. For me, confession is the spiritual version of a car wash. But, as with our cars, as soon as our soul is clean, we often manage to get it dirty again. Many people have shared with me that they experience an extra grace immediately after confessing their sins, a grace that helps them to keep their soul clean. They have a renewed conviction to avoid sin. They tell me that if it has been a while since they confessed their sins, they find it is easier to just keep sinning. Have you found this to be true in your life? No matter who we confess to, it is Jesus who forgives our sins. Even knowing this, we still struggle to fully accept His forgiveness and we often struggle to forgive ourselves. I believe this is why the Bible encourages us to confess our sins to someone else. Mustering the courage to admit our faults to someone else helps us to experience the love and mercy of Jesus Christ in a more fulfilling way. This helps us to be kinder toward ourselves as well. If it has been longer than a few months since you have confessed your sins, I strongly encourage you to prayerfully consider doing so. Jesus loves a contrite heart. He will welcome you back and shower you with His grace. If you are a Catholic, seek out the sacrament of reconciliation. If you are a non-Catholic Christian, go to your minister or seek out another Christian, or if the nature of your brokenness requires professional counseling, seek out a Christian psychologist. It would be a shame if we had to admit we spend more time washing our car than cleaning our soul. Act today – schedule time on your calendar for a soul wash. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, please give me the courage to confess my sins on a regular basis. Help me to keep my soul clean. Keep me close to your Son’s mercy. Amen!

We have all spent time washing and waxing our car only to have it rain later that same day. No sooner do we get it clean and shiny, when inevitably we hit a big puddle in the road. A clean car doesn’t stay clean long. The same can be true with our soul. When was the last time you went to a soul wash? How do we clean our soul? We do so by confessing our sins. The Bible is clear on the importance of confessing sin. We confess for two reasons. We confess to be forgiven and we confess to receive the grace to avoid future sins. James 5:16 states: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” In Proverbs 28:13 it is written, “Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and forsake them obtain mercy.”

BRIAN PUSATERI is the founder of Broken Door Ministries (www.brokendoorministries. com) and a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville.

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Pope Francis From online story: “Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ pope says” Through press time on Aug. 17, 13,885

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

We Baby Boomers tend to think about death a whole lot more than we did a few years ago. I am reminded of that in some recent communication with one of my older brothers to whom I am very close and who is in his final days. For a little background: I left home at 16 in not-so-great a manner. I happened to leave from Myrtle Beach, S.C., with no money or any idea where I was going or what I was going to do. I had “borrowed” my cousin’s car (I have since been forgiven) but ditched it outside of Wilmington, in fear of being found.After a few hours of hitchhiking, I somehow wound up in Raleigh. I thought my dad might have the cops looking for me, so I figured it was time to call my brother who is 11 years older than I am. He was always there, always one to calm me down, help me see the light and try to keep me on the straight and narrow (although that didn’t work so well!). I told him what had happened, where I was, approximately where I had ditched the car, and made him promise not to tell anybody my location but to let my folks know I was OK. By day’s end, my brother had transformed my shabbily impulsive flight from one of sheer lunacy to something else entirely. He was then teaching political science at the University of Miami. He actually prepaid for me to get on a plane and come to where he and his family lived in Miami. The rest is history. I finished high school down there and lived with my brother and his family for extended periods a couple of different times. Needless to say, he remains one of my personal heroes. And now, a little more than 50 years later, he resides in Jensen Beach, Fla. A cancer is metastasizing, and he is preparing himself for the end. After responding to a text from me with the complimentary comeback: “It’s ‘your’ words, my dearest brother, that are so inspirational to me. I take them to heart, and they help lead me in this last journey,” he texted a couple of paragraphs to my other brothers and me. He called it “the easy way home.” I presume that most people who are blessed to have Christ as the integral part of their dying process would agree with me that we are taking the easy way home. All I have to do is glance at my crucifix to remember this. He actually went through pain that I’ll never have to experience, and He went through it twice. Just imagine His agony when the Father showed Him in the garden what He was to endure. What a teaching moment for us! Christ’s human nature pleaded to have this unbelievable pain removed. His love for me, however, by accepting this long and agonizing death, makes it easier for me to accept my “blessed discomforts” to show my love for Him.

Faith leads to the easy way home

I’ll never turn down prayers, and God knows I need them. Just imagine, brother, if I were facing this without my faith, without hope and without Christ’s love for me and mine for Him. So, when you pray for me, please add a prayer for those who do not know Him or even care to know Him. Pray that they will somehow learn to take “the easy way home.”Ihave since visited and been by my brother’s bedside. I still can’t imagine him not being on the planet. I hope the notion of the Communion of Saints becomes even more real for me when he goes. I wrote a poem once that pictured the Communion of Saints not so much as a thick red theatre curtain separating all of us in the seats from those on stage, but rather a thin veil, perhaps of Irish lace, so that the closer I get, I can almost feel a loved one’s breath upon my face. Engaging the Communion of Saints can make the way home easier for all of us. But I still can’t fathom consciousness in the afterlife. I just don’t know what it looks like, what it feels like, because I am so very tied to this earthly flesh. But as the end nears, I think my brother is beginning to witness bits of a different scene; he’s beginning to feel the warm waves of paradise. When we were alone together, I asked him if he was afraid, and without missing a beat, he said, “No, brother, I’m not.” And I believe him … and that may have been one of the most important statements anyone has ever made to me. The great Victorian writer George MacDonald said, “Beauty and sadness always go together.” Although I do understand that many people at death’s door do not have the physical capacity to engage a choice, my brother is fortunate enough to be able to choose to embrace the beauty, to surrender to God’s will in a way that surpasses my feeble attempts. I constantly choose the hard way, the way of reason. The Irish poet W.B. Yeats said, “By reason we die hourly, by imagination we live.” It seems that if my brother’s imagination can take him to the garden of Gethsemane to hover over the suffering Christ, it can take him to a thousand other meaningful and helpful places. Perhaps these sojourns of the heart and soul are the rewards of a life of faith, experienced even in the last moments.Mybrother is beginning to understand things that might be revealed only on a deathbed. He is feeling something that those of us going about our daily routines in the workaday world do not feel. He is at peace. My hero approaches the end of his life by accepting and welcoming the strong but graceful arms of his God reaching down to carry him off. And as of right now, he actually finds it easy … the easy way home.

August 19, 2022 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD I 31

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visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 22,782 pages. The top 10 headlines in August so far have been: n ‘Man of the Shroud’ exhibit coming Aug. 14-21 632 n Eucharistic Congress of the Diocese of Charlotte 560 n ‘Lord, it is good that we are here’ ....................................................................................................... 550 n View the current print edition of the Catholic News Herald 465 n “Vamos a apoyar a nuestro obispo” 456 n Seminarian Spotlight: Maximilian “Max” Frei ..................................................................................423 n Record number of seminarians enrolled this fall 400 n Eucharistic Congress kicks off .............................................................................................................. 391 n Eucharistic Congress ends with Mass offered by Bishop Jugis 331 n Sights of the Eucharistic Congress: Eucharistic Procession 323 Join the conversation online @CatholicNewsCLT charlottecnhPinterest.com/ Catholicnewscltnewsheraldcatholicfacebook.com/ Diocese Charlotteof Fred Gallagher

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Registration for Called to be Midwives may be made in one of the following ways: Through the Oratory website: www.rockhilloratory.org Go to Center for Spirituality / Events -ORBy email to oratorycenter@gmail.com with Women’s Retreat in the subject line. If you have any questions, please contact the Center at the above email address.

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Después de la Misa, los nuevos seminaristas universitarios se mudaron a sus nuevas habitaciones, asistieron a la orientación en el seminario universitario y conocieron a los otros 14 seminaristas. Además de los seminaristas universitarios en Mount Holly, la diócesis tiene 28 hombres que estudian para el sacerdocio en el Seminario Mount St. Mary en Cincinnati, Ohio, haciendo un total de 49 que provienen de 22 parroquias del oeste de Carolina del Norte. “El hecho de que esto continúe es una hermosa señal de la providencia continua de Dios en la Diócesis de Charlotte, en la Iglesia y en la vida de estos hombres”, dijo el padre Matthew Buettner, director espiritual del seminario universitario. Conoce más Fundado en 2016, el Seminario Universitario San José es para hombres que disciernen una posible vocación religiosa, antes de dar el paso de inscribirse en un seminario mayor para la formación específica del sacerdocio para la Diócesis de Charlotte. Los estudiantes buscan obtener una licenciatura en Belmont Abbey College, mientras experimentan una vida comunitaria de estilo benedictino en su camino de discernimiento. Visite el website del seminario universitario www.stjcs.org

Suggested Donation: $50 (lunch included)

Saturday, September 10, 2022 9:00 am-3:00 pm Come away, bring a friend and spend a quiet day reflecting on how we are called today to be midwives, God-bearers, disciples, bringing to birth a new or renewed sense of God’s presence in our world. Our world, our earth is crying aloud for peace and justice. How might we respond as women of faith? Let us come together to explore the sacred spaces in our own lives to find the life- giving strengths, powers and possibilities within us as individuals, as friends, and as community. This retreat program is being facilitated by Sr. Susan Schorsten, HM and Sr. Gay Rowzie, HM. Both have served in various offices in their congregation as well as ministries in the Diocese of Charleston.

oratorycenter@gmail.comrockhilloratory.org ORATORY Center for Spirituality 434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 29731-1586 (803) 327-2097

David “WorkingREALTORFuller/BrokerForYou is What I Do”

SEMINARISTAS

VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 26 Winston-Salem, where he remained until being transferred to St. Aloysius in Hickory in 1984. Two years later, he became the first director of the Catholic Conference Center, which was built under his direction. Then, in 1989, he became the pastor of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte. In 1998 he returned to St. Aloysius for six years and then returned to St. Gabriel in 2004. He retired in 2007. “I would go back to any parish that I’ve had an opportunity to be part of,” he says. “I miss them all.” In what he calls his “new era,” he remains active serving the lay faithful, offering “Mass in the Grass” at his home for the past two years to help serve those who wish to continue to attend Mass outside due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, he had been on staff at Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory for five years and helped nearby parishes by offering Mass as needed on the weekends. This summer, he is taking a group of 40 on pilgrimage to Northern Ireland, one of 15 he’s led. In a spirit of continual improvement, Father Sheridan shares his hopes for the future of the diocese, including a revitalization of lay ministry and a continued emphasis on youth programs –something he deems vitally important. “We should be concerned about the Church’s benefit to the people rather than vice versa. I would like to see our parishes, priests and staff be more oriented to helping people to bring about an increase in our relationship with the good Lord,” he says. “I feel hopeful, and I look forward to the remaining years of my life to help in any way I can.”

SUPERINTENDENT

Patrick Valentine, a member of the Knights of Columbus and parishioner from St. Michael Church in Gastonia, said, “I’ve been to the Eucharistic Congress about seven times. I’m loving every minute of it. It’s so great to see so many Catholics together in unity of heart and mind in the faith. The 50th anniversary is very important. To go from a small number of Catholics to the number that we have now is incredible and a testament to the vibrancy of the Church here in western NorthMarianneCarolina.”Donadio of St. Leo Church said she’s attended 12 Eucharistic Congresses, and she finds each one spiritually uplifting: “What I love about it is seeing all these different people from all over the state – from all over the world, really, with so many different cultures, whether it’s the Hispanics or the Vietnamese or the Koreans, or the Africans or the English speakers, all coming together to adore the Eucharist. It makes me so happy.”

AN EXAMPLE TO THOSE WATCHING

A CELEBRATORY CONCLUSION

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD catholicnewsherald.com | August 19, 202232

Called to be Midwives, God-bearers, Disciples TODAY

FROM PAGE 23 been attending since 2014. My favorite part is the closing Mass. I love a large Mass celebrating the Eucharist together with so many cultures, parishes and people, as well as seeing the procession,” said Rosheene Adams, a member of member of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte and director of the diocese’s African American AffairsAdamsMinistry.noted,“There’s still a lot of people who don’t know the diocese has an African American Affairs Ministry that focuses on African American education, agriculture and spirituality. It’s a great way to meet people I would not otherwise get to see and tell them about the ministry. It is outreach.”

The procession had an impact not only on Catholics but on those who witnessed it, participants said. “The Eucharistic Congress is a wonderful occasion for Catholics to come together from different parishes with the Eucharist, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the bishop, priests and religious. My favorite part is everybody in procession, everybody praying together. It’s an example to the people around who are watching us. Everybody is praying for the whole world together,” said Sister Christie Kunnel of the Sisters of Charity in High Point.

The 7th Annual Women’s Retreat

The Eucharistic Congress culminated with worship, pageantry and joy during a closing Mass offered by Bishop Jugis, who again emphasized the theme of change. “The Eucharistic Lord changes us. The Eucharist changes us,” he said. “We have been refreshed spiritually at this Congress by being with the Lord, and by being with our brothers and sisters in the faith.” He noted that change is present at every Mass – not just at the Eucharistic Congress. “At the consecration at Mass, the whole substance of the bread is changed into the substance of the Body of Christ our Lord, and the whole substance of the wine is changed into the substance of His Blood,” he said. “This amazing miracle happens at every Mass, for as we know, Jesus the Risen Lord is alive, and He continues to be active in His Church and in the world.” It is our part to respond to that miracle, Bishop Jugis urged. “At the end of this Mass, the Lord will once again send us forth as His missionary disciples. Let us be missionaries of Christ’s Eucharistic love and Eucharistic joy to others.”

— Catholic News Herald TOGETHER FROM PAGE 6