Our diocese

4 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

catholicnewsherald.com | August 5, 2022

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com In Brief

Help choose our patron saint

CHARLOTTE — When the Diocese of Charlotte was founded in 1972, Bishop Michael Begley entrusted the diocese to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Subsequent bishops also embraced Mary as the diocese’s patroness, though none ever officially confirmed this with the Holy See. Now, on the occasion of the diocese’s 50th anniversary, Bishop Peter Jugis wants the Church to formally decree a patron saint for the diocese – and he is asking for input from the faithful. Take the survey online at www. surveymonkey.com/r/CLTPatron. The deadline to participate is Monday, Aug. 15.

Married couples: Check out this mountain retreat opportunity

MAGGIE VALLEY — Married couples across the Diocese of Charlotte are invited to “come away” this fall to Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center, nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains, for a special weekend retreat and opportunity for spiritual renewal.

The Sept. 9-11 retreat, entitled “That Two Become One Flesh,” will be led by Derrick and Khira Rotty. Married for 16 years and blessed with five children at home, the Rottys have mentored engaged coupled and developed marriage formation and enrichment events. Derrick Rotty has a master’s degree from The Augustinian Institute and has served in parishes for nearly two decades. Khira Rotty is a longtime theology teacher and campus minister who is currently pursuing certification from the Theology of the Body Institute.

In the Gospels, Jesus invites His disciples to “come away to a quiet place” to be refreshed and renewed. When was the last time as a husband and wife have you done this for each other? If couples are to live out the primary mission of a husband and wife (which is to bring each other to heaven), what are the tools and spiritual gifts you are offering to each other as a couple to attain and fulfill this mission?

During this retreat, couples will have the opportunity to deepen their faith and enrich their relationship through educational talks, prayer, worship and fellowship with others.

For details, call 1-828-926-3833 or go online to www.catholicretreat.org.

— Deacon William Shaw

Jefferson Knights win awards

JEFFERSON — District Deputy Michael Furst recently presented Knights of Columbus Council 16839 with the following awards: 2021 Operation L.A.M.B. Award of Excellence for reaching 102% of the 2021 Goal, Membership Award 125%-149% of Quota, and Recognition Award for Charity Council - Division 1. — Patrick Hession, correspondent St. Vincent de Paul in Charlotte is among the Catholic parishes across western North Carolina educating parishioners and encouraging them to get involved with pro-life work, especially the “Walking With Moms in Need” program. This “Love Them Both” banner, designed by the Diocese of Charlotte Office of Family Life, was recently displayed along Park Road in front of the church, and educational materials were

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DIANE HOEFLING made available for parishioners to distribute and use. Diane Hoefling, who serves on the parish’s Respect Life committee, said the campaign is meant to inspire Catholics to “be prayerfully and politically active in assuring North Carolina protects its most vulnerable citizens, innocent human life in the womb,” and to “provide help and encouragement to mothers in a crisis pregnancy.”

Pro-life work in diocese intensifies after Supreme Court ruling

KIMBERLY BENDER AND SUEANN HOWELL CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CHARLOTTE — In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, efforts are ramping up across the Diocese of Charlotte to increase support for pregnant women and to advocate for new laws that will protect life in North Carolina.

More than 30,000 lives were lost to abortion in North Carolina in 2020, according to state health figures – over a third of them in the Charlotte region. And with abortion remaining a legal option, the state is already becoming a destination for women from surrounding states seeking to terminate the life of their unborn child.

“The Diocese of Charlotte is profoundly thankful for the Supreme Court ruling… but even with this step forward, our work to protect the dignity of all human life continues,” Bishop Peter Jugis said in a letter to the diocese’s 92 parishes in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling. “To that end, we must redouble our efforts to assist women in choosing life for their unborn children.”

The diocese’s pro-life ministries and Office of Family Life are seeing increasing interest from people and organizations who want to help women choose life for their unborn child. Pregnancy resource centers, and parishbased programs such as “Walking with Moms in Need,” created by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, are

stepping up outreach and efforts to assist women and parents.

“There is great excitement about the possibilities for new pro-life legislation in North Carolina and across the country,” said Father Ascik, director of the diocesan Family Life office and pastor of St. Mary, Help of Christians Parish in Shelby. “At the same time, there is a sense that we need to stay focused and that we need to expand our efforts to ensure we are supporting pregnant women and parents.”

Debbie Capen predicts pro-life ministries will be busier than ever and worries about new opportunities for conflict in the emotional debate. She serves as executive director of Charlotte’s MiraVia, which has served more than 10,000 women and parents – providing classes, supplies and a residential program for pregnant women and new mothers.

“When I heard the news from the

Supreme Court, I immediately went before Our Lord and gave heartfelt thanks and praise – but I knew that there was no time to celebrate,” Capen said. “We have been humbled by the outpouring of support from the community.”

At Charlotte’s St. Matthew Church, one of the largest parishes in the country with some 30,000 parishioners, the Walking with Moms in Need program has been particularly busy since the ruling.

“I have been in many meetings at the parish about ways to expand our outreach to moms in need,” said Melissa Scanlon, who coordinates the parish’s

‘We must redouble our efforts to assist women in choosing life for their unborn children.’ — Bishop Peter Jugis

Highlands mission embarks on capital campaign to build church that suits present, future worship needs

HIGHLANDS — Our Lady of the Mountains Mission has launched a capital campaign – its first in more than 30 years – to build a new church that can provide more space for the active congregation’s needs.

The campaign theme – “Building a Beacon of Catholic Faith” – is rooted in the congregation’s vision statement: “To become a beacon of Catholic faith on the plateau by giving due glory to God and greater love to our neighbors.”

Founded in 1875, Highlands is a popular summer resort destination that sits atop a plateau in the western North Carolina mountains at an elevation of 4,118 feet. Our Lady of the Mountains Mission, established in the 1930s, is located on one of Highlands’ main thoroughfares.

The present church, built in the 1950s and expanded in the late 1980s, presents challenges to the growing congregation of 275 families, said Father Jason Barone, pastor, and Greg Thompson, campaign co-chairman.

“The OLM family is a vibrant combination of full-time residents and seasonal families who are with us about half of the year,” Father Barone said. “God has blessed OLM with wonderfully generous people, a beautiful setting, and love for God and one another that is a joy to witness. They deserve a worship space that optimizes all that those blessings provide.”

The campaign aims to fund construction of a 9,000-square-foot church that can accommodate up to 300 people. The new building would include several amenities the current church lacks, including a choir loft and dedicated spaces for a confessional, baptismal font and sacristies. In addition, the new church would have a narthex where parishioners could gather for fellowship before and after Mass – space the present church does not have.

The new church would be constructed on OLM’s 2.5-acre site, adjacent to the existing church. Based on preliminary discussions, it is possible the current facility could be used for Mass while the new church is being built.

The campaign seeks to raise at least $7.5 million, the minimum amount deemed necessary in today’s construction economy. Campaign leaders acknowledge that the cost could be higher as plans for the new church are finalized. “Ultimately, the generosity of our OLM family will determine what we are able to build,” Father Barone said.

The goal is to build “a new church that would reflect God’s glory and the spiritual commitment of our community,” Thompson said.

Initial architectural plans for a Baroque-style church have been drawn up by Washington, D.C.-based McCrery Architects.

“Baroque-style churches are growing in popularity due to their traditional appeal and historical significance,” Father Barone said. “We believe that everyone who worships with us will experience a deeper reverence for the Mass and the sacraments in the church we hope to build. And the OLM family will develop a deeper sense of shared faith and fellowship as we work together to achieve this goal.”

Father Barone, Thompson, Campaign Co-chair David Goodrow and a team of parishioners have been hard at work for several months to prepare for the campaign’s launch.

“We have done our due diligence in exploring the parish’s readiness to embark on such a campaign,” Goodrow said. “A consultant was enlisted to help determine the level of parishioners’ interest through personal interviews, an online survey, and a parish-wide focus group. Father Barone also spoke from the pulpit at several Masses about the idea of building a new church.

“What we learned from the feasibility study and informal feedback was that the members of Our Lady of the Mountains not only have the interest in trying to build a new church, but they also have the financial capacity to make this dream a reality. We feel confident the OLM family is supportive and the time is right to pursue this campaign.”

Goodrow also noted that the mission has no existing debt, owns its 2.5-acre property in downtown Highlands, and has seen growth in its offertory collections, even during the pandemic.

Father Barone and Thompson said they are grateful for the assistance and advice provided by Bishop Peter Jugis and staff of the Diocese of Charlotte, including Jim Kelley, development director.

“It is transformational when a community builds a new church, particularly when the last church was built almost 70 years ago,” Kelley said. “OLM’s capital campaign is very effectively led by Father Barone, David, Greg and the rest of the committee. The diocese is fully supportive of their efforts and is working with them side by side.”

Father Barone and campaign leaders said they are optimistic that parishioners will be inspired to invest in a beautiful new church where they and future generations of Catholics in Highlands can worship.

“We are asking our fellow parishioners to prayerfully consider how they will support this effort,” Father Barone said. “Throughout the campaign our motto will be: ‘Holy Spirit, what do You want to do through me in ‘Building a Beacon of Catholic Faith on the plateau?’” — Catholic News Herald

Divine Child Jesus reminds us to have child-like faith in God

HUNTERSVILLE — Catholics who have a devotion to the Divine Child Jesus (Divino Niño Jesús in Spanish) gathered for a special bilingual Mass offered July 20 by Father Aaron Huber at St. Mark Church. The Divino Niño Jesús devotion, popular especially in Colombia, is traced to a mystical vision a Salesian priest, Father Giovanni Rizzo, had in 1914 while he and other Salesians were building a church in a poor area of Bogota. In his vision, Father Rizzo saw the child Jesus standing and holding out his arms, saying, “Take me with you, I want to accompany you.” The Divine Child Jesus devotion became popularized in the United States by Mother Angelica, foundress of EWTN and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Ala. During his homily, Father Huber explained the significance of the Divine Child Jesus to us today: “Our Lord says in Scripture that unless you become like a child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Why? Think about that. If you’re an adult, you’re thinking ‘OK, I spent most of my life learning how to not be a child anymore.’ I would argue that the reason why He said that is because children are simple. Their lives are not complicated. And most importantly, they have an undivided heart. They love entirely or they don’t love at all. The Divine Child Jesus loved entirely with an infant’s heart. It was the same heart that would eventually be pierced open so that we can see the life of grace pouring out into the sacraments of the Church. Brothers and sisters, it’s not complicated. Don’t try to divide your heart, because a divided heart doesn’t really know how to love. Let’s learn how to love from the Divine Child, and He will show us everything we need to know.”

Deacons to affirm ordination promises during special Mass Aug. 13

CHARLOTTE — Deacons from across western North Carolina will affirm their love of the Lord and their commitment to the Church during a special Mass next Saturday.

The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis at St. Patrick Cathedral starting at 10 a.m. Aug. 13.

Everyone is welcome to attend the annual celebration, when deacons will gather in Charlotte with the bishop to renew their ordination promises. Deacons’ wives also affirm their support of their husband’s ministry.

There are currently 133 deacons serving the Diocese of Charlotte. They 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 wedding ceremonies and distribute Holy Communion to the sick and homebound.

They also work in vital ministries within the local Church, such as prison ministry, faith formation and ministry to children and college students, instruction for aspiring Catholics in the RCIA program, and more.

Deacons are ordained through the sacrament of holy orders, just like bishops and priests. The word “deacon” comes from the Greek “diakonos,” meaning “servant.” Holy orders configures the deacon to Christ, who made Himself the “deacon,” or servant, of all.

Deacons are called to identify the diverse needs within their parish and local community and find ways to meet them. They are usually married, most have children, and they work in professions outside the Church or are retired. — Catholic News Herald

Holy Infant Church celebrates 60th anniversary

REIDSVILLE — Parishioners of Holy Infant Church gathered June 26 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the dedication of their church. The anniversary Mass, held outdoors to accommodate the large crowd, was followed by a cookout on the parish grounds. The diocesan pilgrim statue of Mary, Mother of God was also present for the parish’s historic celebration. “It was a great parish-building event,” said Father Frank Seabo, pastor. Holy Infant Church (pictured below) was dedicated on June 26, 1962, by Raleigh Bishop Vincent Waters. It is probably the most unusual looking church in the diocese. Its architect was Richard Burke Schnedl of Reidsville, a North Carolina native who was in the first graduating class at N.C. State University’s School (now College) of Design. Schnedl was a devotee of Frank Lloyd Wright, and his design for the church featured bold white stucco walls accented by piercing angular windows and high skylights, an outwardangled front door and a curved roof line. Inside, the white walls and geometric accents highlight the crucifix mounted behind the altar.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

More online

At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read more about the history of Holy Infant Church in Reidsville, its unique church architecture, and its growth over the years in Reidsville

Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation

This is a full-time position responsible for developing and implementing programs for the faith formation of parish youth and adults. Major responsibilities include: Coordinating the K-12 Sunday school program and youth events (summer Bible school and other events for families and youth). Developing/implementing an evangelization program for inactive parishioners. Coordinating adult faith formation sessions: Bible studies, book studies, discussion groups. Developing ways to use parish communications to educate parishioners. Coordinating parish retreats and missions. Coordinating the RCIA program. • Must be a practicing Roman Catholic living a life in conformity with the teachings of the Church. • 2-5 years of experience in pastoral ministry. • Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, preferably with a concentration in Theology.

Please send resume with a cover letter to Msgr. Brovey: rector@charlestoncathedral.com

SEMINARIAN SPOTLIGHT: Maximilian “Max” Frei

From: Braeunlingen, Germany

Status: Starts Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Cincinnati, in August 2022

Summer assignment: St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Favorite verse or teaching: “I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” (Wisdom, Chapter 7)

Favorite saint: “Mary is definitely No. 1. Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Sorrows – those are my favorites.”

Interests (outside of faith): Reading, weightlifting, tennis, chess

CHARLOTTE — At 25, Max Frei had money, a Mercedes, girlfriends and a highrise apartment.

After graduating from the University of South Florida in 2017, he excelled in sales and was on path to financial wealth – until one day in 2019 when he felt the Lord calling him.

“Leave everything behind and follow me,” Max heard the Lord say that day in his 21st-floor apartment in Orlando, Fla., where he was working a two-year stint for a solar power company in preparation for joining his family’s business, an international coatings and paint company based in Germany.

“Suddenly the Holy Spirit filled me,” Max describes. “I was so filled with love, it was like nothing I had ever experienced. By hearing His voice deep inside my soul, everything just seemed lighter and brighter. I didn’t want to live my old life anymore – all I wanted was to be connected with our Lord.”

He stayed on the corporate ladder another year, joining the family business and traveling the world, all the while wrestling with the feeling that he was supposed to be on a different path.

Three years later, Max has completed the Diocese of Charlotte’s program at St. Joseph College Seminary. This fall, he will enter Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati – one of 50 seminarians in formation to serve as priests of the diocese.

CNH: You describe experiencing an abrupt calling. Do you think the seeds were planted as a child?

Frei: I had multiple encounters with our Lord as a kid, but the big one in Orlando I remember most vividly. I was born and raised in the Black Forest region of Germany, the oldest of three boys. We were Catholic and we went to church every Sunday, but I never wanted to be an altar server or anything – which reminds me, God tells the funniest jokes: Look what I’m doing now, altar serving!

CNH: How’d you get into the fast life?

Frei: It started as a teen. I just wanted to fit in. Nobody else I knew went to church, so I didn’t want to stand out. After high school, I wanted to go to the U.S. I had dual citizenship because my mom was an American, so I went to visit a cousin in Florida, and I was mesmerized by the palm trees and good weather. I got into USF at Tampa and I partied a lot and began living a non-religious college life.

When I got out into the business world, it was all about how much money you could make. I believed if you worked hard enough, you would achieve success – which I did. Later, I came to understand that whatever status you might achieve, there’s no reward if that status is away from God. satisfied, or why I was here on this earth. The grace of our Lord triggered these sincere questions, and through His infinite love and mercy gave me this experience. I was not working that day, and I was home alone in my apartment when the Holy Spirit filled me. It was something totally outside of myself, and it went on for a while. I was in a back-and-forth conversation, having a dialogue with God.

“Leave everything behind and follow me,” He said.

“What about a family,” I asked. “I want to get married. What about the business and all I have achieved?”

No matter what I asked, I just had this overwhelming urge to detach myself from the worldly life – and go back to church and follow the Lord. And I remember to this day His promise: “No matter what you decide, Max, I will still love you.”

CNH: How did your family react when you told them you wanted to become a priest?

Frei: My mom was very happy but my dad found it hard to understand. Once he saw I was serious, he came to accept this.

CNH: How did you end up in Charlotte, at St. Joseph College Seminary?

Frei: My mother moved to Fort Mill, S.C., to take care of her parents, so I moved in with her to figure out my next steps. I reached out to several seminary programs but I was most impressed with St. Joseph because they were very organized, responsive, and it was easy to get key people on the phone. I spoke to Father Barone and Father Gober. At first, the seminary was skeptical about my application because I was not from this diocese and they really didn’t know me. But I was able to get references from people they knew, so they let me in – and St. Joseph was the greatest gift I could ever imagine. It really helped me figure things out, deepen my faith, and commit my life to the Lord.

CNH: What advice do you have for young people who might be discerning a call to religious life?

Frei: Always seek God in prayer and ask Him with all sincerity and love what He wants you to do. No riches in this world will make you as happy as the love of God.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul?” (Mk 8:36)

CNH: What sort of ministry do you hope to practice?

Frei: I want to do whatever the Lord wants me to do, but I am drawn to helping souls. In my calling, I have recognized how precious a soul is. It has such a beauty and it comes directly from God. I would like to make sure people understand how much He loves them and how much He deserves to be honored and loved and followed by us. I would like to help souls get to heaven. — Liz Chandler

Your DSA contributions at work This fall, the Diocese of Charlotte expects to have a record number of 50 men enrolled in various stages of study and formation for the priesthood.

Max Frei just graduated from St. Joseph College Seminary and will be entering major seminary this fall. He and other 2022 graduates are featured in a series of video interviews on St. Joseph College Seminary’s YouTube channel.

PHOTO BY JAMES SARKIS

Don’t wait on the mail.

Get the Catholic News Herald delivered to your email inbox! You’ll be able to read your newspaper earlier, and you’ll help save some trees. It’s totally free, too – so why wait? Contact us at catholicnews@charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3333 to sign up today!

Fund gives nearly $99,000 in tuition aid to students at 9 schools

CHARLOTTE — Students in nine Catholic schools across the diocese will receive a total of $98,826 in financial aid from the C. Philip Johnston-Aline W. Kaneer Scholarship Fund, paying all their tuition for the 2022-’23 academic year.

The fund was created by Johnston with $4 million from his estate at his death in 2017.

Johnston was born in Charlotte but lived all over the country before retiring in the Southeast. He attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., and earned a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1958. He worked in the entertainment industry, but when acting work became scarce, he took a “temporary job” working for Conrad Hilton in a new credit card venture called Carte Blanche. He rose to success in the emerging industry and, after reaching the position of senior vice president at a large regional bank in St. Louis, he left to lead a nonprofit organization specializing in consumer credit counseling.

Students from all 20 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte are eligible for scholarship awards from the fund.

The Johnston Scholarship follows students throughout their time in schools in the Charlotte diocese.

The schools that students will attend this year are: Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville; Charlotte Catholic High School; Christ the King High School in Huntersville; Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point; Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro; Our Lady of Mercy and St. Leo schools in WinstonSalem; Sacred Heart School in Salisbury; and St. Michael School in Gastonia.

The scholarship awarded to each student ranges from $1,800 to $15,000 depending on the tuition cost and need. Each student can continue receiving assistance through the scholarship fund every year for the length of their academic career as long as they remain eligible.

“I first met with Mr. Johnston back in 1989. He made his decision to put this (scholarship) gift in his estate back then,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “He never wavered from that commitment, even though he moved away from the diocese in his later years.”

Kelley noted, “More and more people across the diocese like Philip Johnston are recognizing a range of needs in the Church here in western North Carolina – including our Catholic schools, parishes, seminarian education, Catholic Charities and St. Joseph College Seminary – and remembering these ministries in their wills and estates.”

Since 1986, diocesan entities including parishes, schools and ministries have received 37 gifts of $1 million or more from individuals like Johnston. They typically help fund capital projects and endowments.

— Catholic News Herald

Learn more

Interested in establishing an endowment to benefit the Church in western North Carolina? Set up an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a gift of real estate or life insurance, cash or securities sufficient to set up an endowment, or a life income arrangement such as a trust or annuity. For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or email gmrhodes@rcdoc.org.

Sisters of Mercy Foundation announces $1M in grants

BELMONT — Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation has announced grant awards totaling $1,183,875 to 26 nonprofit organizations. Of the 26 grants, five are in the area of education, totaling $190,000; seven support health care, for a total of $335,000; and 14 are for social services, totaling $658,875.

The organizations received grants for services in the following 13 counties: Allegheny, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Graham, Henderson, Jackson, Mecklenburg, Transylvania, Union and Watauga in North Carolina, and York in South Carolina.

The following organizations received awards:

EDUCATION n Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County Inc. of Brevard was awarded $25,000 to provide operating support – specifically, program specialist salaries.

n Freedom School Partners of Charlotte was awarded $50,000 for operating support for key personnel and program needs, particularly the salary and benefits of the senior program director.

n S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy in Charlotte was awarded $25,000 for salaries of staff and teachers.

n United Way of Asheville & Buncombe County Inc. was awarded $55,000 to support its Community Schools Initiative – specifically, a portion of the salaries for community school coordinators.

n Western Youth Network Inc. in Boone was awarded $35,000 to support its WYN Mentoring Program.

HEALTH CARE n ABCCM Doctors Medical Clinic Inc. of Asheville was awarded $50,000 to provide salary support for medical providers.

n Camino Community Development Corp. of Charlotte was awarded $50,000 for salary and benefits of a bilingual therapist.

n Care Ring of Charlotte was awarded $60,000 in salary support for staff in Care Ring’s Low Cost Clinic.

n Helping Hands Clinic Inc. of Lenoir was awarded $40,000 to provide operating support – specifically, medical provider staffing costs.

n Hunger and Health Coalition Inc. in Boone was awarded $40,000 to support its free pharmacy program – specifically, the salaries of pharmacy staff and medication purchases.

n Palmetto Community Health Care in Rock Hill, S.C., was awarded $45,000 for the salary and benefits of a nurse practitioner.

n York County First Steps in Rock Hill was awarded $50,000 for the salary, benefits and operating expenses of a nurse home visitor. SOCIAL SERVICES

n Center For Community Transitions in Charlotte was awarded $55,000 for the salary and benefits of a job developer.

n Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy in Charlotte was awarded $65,000 to provide operating support.

n Council for Children’s Rights in Charlotte was awarded $60,000 for the salaries of mental health attorneys and a social worker.

n Five Point Center in Robbinsville was awarded $15,875 to support the part-time salary of a program coordinator position.

n Hope Haven Inc. of Charlotte received $48,000 for the salary and benefits of its Children’s Program coordinator.

n Keystone Substance Abuse Services in Rock Hill received $35,000 for the salary of a peer support specialist.

n Mental Health America of Central Carolinas Inc. in Charlotte was awarded $25,000 in salary and benefits for one FTE Family Partner.

n Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville was awarded $75,000 to provide operating support.

n Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte Inc. was awarded $35,000 for the salaries of construction staff.

n Roof Above in Charlotte was awarded $65,000 to provide operating support for Housing Navigation.

n Safelight in Hendersonville received $25,000 to support the purchase of audio/visual recording equipment for two play therapy rooms in its Counseling Center.

n Turning Point Inc. of Monroe was awarded $50,000 for the salaries of a case manager and a bilingual counselor, as well as telephone costs.

n Union County Community Shelter in Monroe was awarded $45,000 for the salary of a case manager.

n WestBridge Vocational Inc. in Sylva was awarded $60,000 to contribute salary support for a new job skills trainer position.

Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation awards grants on behalf of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Mercy’s ministries are inspired by the legacy and commitment of its founder, Catherine McAuley, to serve those who are poor, sick and uneducated.

Since 1996, the foundation has awarded 2,196 grants totaling more than $98 million to organizations assisting unserved or underserved populations in the areas of education, healthcare and social services. — Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation

“Get your ducks in a row!”

St. Matthew’s Parishioner

Estate Planning | Probate

WAITING COULD DEVASTATE YOUR FAMILY