January
20, 2023 Volume 32 • NUMBER
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ON THIS DATE: A CATHOLIC FUN FACT
Bishop John Carroll founded Georgetown University, the first Catholic college in the United States, on Jan. 23, 1789, in Washington, D.C. Learn more about this fascinating part of the nation’s Catholic history at www.georgetown.edu/who-we-are/ourhistory.
GRASP THE THEOLOGY OF POPE BENEDICT XVI
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A FAMOUS SAINT AND DEVOTEE OF MARY
1 2 3 4 5
KEEP THE FLAME OF FAITH ALIVE
ANOINTING OF THE SICK : 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill. Includes a special Mass for those who wish to receive the sacrament of anointing of the sick. Anointing is typically presented to those who need healing from physical or mental illness, or someone who will be undergoing surgery. Refreshments will be served after Mass. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-545-1224.
HELPERS OF GOD’S PRECIOUS INFANTS: 8 a.m. Mass followed by 9 a.m. Procession for Life and prayer, St Patrick Cathedral Life Center, 1621 Dilworth Road E. Saturday, Feb. 11, We will then process by car to the abortion facility, continuing our Rosary on the way. Leading us in
the procession will be Father Ernest Nebangongnjoh. For details, visit www. charlottehelpers.com.
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:
GREENSBORO: 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, and 9 a.m. Feb. 18, St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road
STATESVILLE : 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, St. Philip the Apostle Church, 525
Candles are blessed on this day, and some parishes hold Mass and a candlelit procession, including Holy Cross in Kernersville at 7 p.m., and St. Francis of Assisi in Mocksville at 7 p.m. (bilingual). For celebrations near you, check with your parish. For more about this feast, visit www. catholicnewsherald.com/faith
Camden Dr. (Esta sesión se llevará a cabo en español)
‘THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAVED MY MARRIAGE’: 8:30 a.m. Mass and 10 a.m conference Saturday, Feb. 4, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte, with Dr. David Anders, a popular Catholic speaker, writer and host of the EWTN program “Called to Communion.” Open to high school and college students, and adults.
FEB. 4 – 11 A.M.
Mass for World Day of Consecrated Life
St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte FEB. 19 – 10 A.M.
New Church Dedication Mass & Blessing
Nothing is known about St. Sebastian’s youth other than that he may have come from southern France and he was educated in Milan. He joined the Roman Army in 283 A.D., ostensibly to be of service to other Christians who were being persecuted by the Romans. St. Sebastian distinguished himself, and for his excellent service, he was promoted to serve in the Praetorian Guard to protect Emperor Diocletian.
While serving as a Praetorian Guard, Marcus and Marcellian, twin brothers, were imprisoned for refusing to make public sacrifices to the Roman gods. The brothers were deacons of the Christian Church. During their imprisonment, their parents visited them to implore them to renounce Christianity. However, St. Sebastian convinced both parents to convert to Christianity. St. Sebastian also converted several other prominent individuals, including the local prefect.
This led to his discovery, and he was reported as a Christian to Emperor Diocletian in 286. The emperor, who was already infamous for ordering the deaths of hundreds of Christians, scolded Sebastian and ordered him to be killed by having him tied to a stake on a training field and used as target practice.
Archers riddled his body with arrows, and his body was described as “full of arrows as an urchin.” Believed to be dead, the archers left his body for retrieval and burial. He was recovered by Irene of Rome, whose Christian husband was a servant to
JAN. 22-28 Sunday: Isaiah 8:23-9:3, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17, Matthew 4:12-23; Monday (Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children): Hebrews 9:15, 24-28, Mark 3:2230, James 3:13-18, John 14:23-29; Tuesday (St. Francis de Sales): Hebrews 10:1-10, Mark 3:31-35; Wednesday (The Conversion of Paul): Acts 22:3-16, Mark 16:15-18; Thursday (Sts. Timothy and Titus): 2 Timothy 1:1-8, Mark 4:21-25; Friday (St. Angela Merici): Hebrews 10:32-39, Mark 4:26-34; Saturday (St. Thomas Aquinas): Hebrews 11:1-2, Luke 1:69-75, Mark 4:35-41
Diocletian and also later martyred. Irene discovered that Sebastian was still living, so she hid him and nursed him back to health.
Once he was well, Sebastian went in search of Diocletian to surprise him. He managed to catch Diocletian by a stairwell and proceeded to criticize him loudly and publicly for his persecution of the Christians. Surprised that
Sebastian was still alive, Diocletian was taken aback, but immediately recovered his composure. This time, he would not permit Sebastian to escape with his life. He ordered his former guard to be beaten to death with clubs, then thrown into the sewers.
Sebastian’s body was recovered by a Christian woman named Lucina, and she secretly buried him in the catacombs beneath Rome.
Nearly 80 years after his death, around 367 A.D., his remains were moved to a basilica in Rome, built by Pope Damasus I. His body, or at least some relics from his body, were reportedly removed and shared with a community of monks in France. His cranium was sent to a German monastery, where it was placed in a special silver case in 934. The relic remains in its case today in a special reliquary in Ebersberg.
St. Sebastian was commonly invoked as a protector against the plague. According to historical records, he defended Rome against the plague in 680. His association with the plague could be because he survived being shot full of arrows and in pagan belief, pestilence was delivered by arrows shot by the gods above. Even Christian Romans would appreciate this symbolism. That symbolism is even captured in artwork as late as the Renaissance, where artists painted plague victims with black arrows in their body.
St. Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes and those who desire a saintly death. His feast day is Jan. 20. — www.catholic.org
Christians must develop a pastoral heart to care for those who have not heard the Gospel or who have left the fold, Pope Francis said.
“By being with Jesus, we discover that His pastoral heart always beats for the person who is confused, lost, far away,” the pope said at his weekly general audience Jan. 18. “Jesus never said, ‘Let them sort themselves out,’ He went out to find them.”
Pope Francis encouraged Christians to model themselves on Jesus, the Good Shepherd, longing for those who have left the Church just as a shepherd longs for lost sheep, rather than treating them as “adversaries or enemies.”
“When we meet them at school, work or on the streets of our city, why don’t we think instead that we have a beautiful opportunity to witness to them the joy of a Father who loves them and has never forgotten them?” the pope asked.
Being a shepherd is not merely a job, but a “true and proper way of life: 24 hours a day,” he said.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, “does not just do something for us, but He gives His life for us.”
The pope encouraged the pilgrims and visitors gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall to reflect on how God seeks out those who distance themselves from Him, saying that many Christians may have followed Jesus for a long time but “have never wondered if we share His feelings, if we suffer and we take risks.”
“The Lord suffers when we distance ourselves from His heart,” he said, “but in response to this suffering He does not withdraw; rather, He risks. He leaves the 99 sheep who are safe and ventures out for the lost one.”
“Do we feel similar emotions?” the pope asked.
JAN. 29-FEB. 4 Sunday: Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 5:1-12a; Monday: Hebrews 11:32-40, Mark 5:1-20; Tuesday (St. John Bosco): Hebrews 12:1-4, Mark 5:21-43; Wednesday: Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15, Mark 6:1-6; Thursday (The Presentation of the Lord): Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40; Friday (St. Blaise, St. Ansgar): Hebrews 13:1-8, Mark 6:14-29; Saturday: Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21, Mark 6:30-34
FEB. 5-11 Sunday: Isaiah 58:7-10, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Matthew 5:13-26; Monday (St. Paul Miki and Companions): Genesis 1:1-19, Mark 6:53-56; Tuesday: Genesis 1:20-2:4a, Mark 7:1-13; Wednesday (St. Jerome Emiliani, St. Josephine Bakhita): Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-17, Mark 7:14-23; Thursday: Genesis 2:18-25, Mark 7:24-30; Friday (St. Scholastica): Genesis 3:1-8, Mark 7:31-37; Saturday (Our Lady of Lourdes): Genesis 3:9-24, Mark 8:1-10
Without a love that suffers and takes risks for others, Pope Francis said, “we risk being pastors only for ourselves.”
At the end of his catechesis, the pope greeted a group of pilgrims from Congo, where he will travel Jan. 31, and he asked for prayers for the country.
He also remembered Father Isaac Achi, who was killed Jan. 15 when bandits set fire to his parish rectory in Minna, Nigeria. (Editor’s note: More coverage of this is on page 28.)
“So many Christians continue to be the target of violence, let us remember them in our prayers,” the pope said.
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CHARLOTTE — St. Ann Parish and the Charlotte Latin Mass Community mourned the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with a High Requiem Latin Mass Jan. 4. Mass was offered by Father Matthew Buettner, spiritual director of St. Joseph College Seminary.
The Charlotte parish was among many churches across the Diocese of Charlotte that offered prayers and memorial Masses for the deceased former pope following his death Dec. 31, 2022.
— Mike FitzGeraldThe upcoming 2022 Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl Program begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22. Parishes and schools that participated in last year’s CRS Rice Bowl will receive the same number of materials again for this year’s CRS Rice Bowl with no need to place an order. Parishes and schools that wish to participate for the first time, or participating parishes and schools that need additional materials or wish to confirm upcoming shipments, can call 1-800-222-0025, or go to www.crsricebowl.org to order. Materials ordered by Jan. 31 should arrive at parishes and schools in time for distribution prior to the start of CRS Rice Bowl.
Applications for Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s 2023 Local CCHD grants are now available. With financial support from 25 percent of the funds raised in the November Catholic Campaign for Human Development Collection, Catholic Charities annually offers these local grants of up to $5,000 to fund nonprofit projects in the diocese that are fighting poverty at the grassroots level. Funded grant projects must target the root causes of poverty and related social concerns. All grant applicants and projects are reviewed for their conformity to Catholic social doctrine and require a local parish endorsement. Grant guidelines and applications are available to download at www.ccdoc.org/cchdcrs. The deadline for sending in completed 2023 Local CCHD Grant Applications, via email, is Friday, March 3.
— Joseph PurelloCHARLOTTE — A discussion on women’s healthcare and the Dobbs v. Jackson decision will be held 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at St. Ann Parish’s Allen Center. Local physicians will discuss caring for mother and child during pregnancy and beyond, including how they address challenges to the mother’s health during pregnancy. The free event is presented by the Diocese of Charlotte Family Life Office and Catholic Health Professionals of Charlotte. Registration is required. Contact familylife@ rcdoc.org.
— Spencer K.M. BrownCHARLOTTE — A Requiem Mass, or Mass for the Dead, was offered Jan. 5 for the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI by Bishop Peter Jugis in Charlotte.
The Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral’s temporary chapel drew about 60 people. It was one of many memorial Masses offered at churches around the Diocese of Charlotte on the same day that the former pope’s funeral and burial were held in Rome.
In his homily, Bishop Jugis recalled the late former pope as a courageous and faithful disciple of Jesus and an example for others to follow.
The bishop praised Pope Benedict’s scholarship and many writings – not just his pivotal work on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and papal encyclicals such as his 2005 “Deus Caritas Est” (“God is Love”) – but also his three-part series “Jesus of Nazareth,” published by Doubleday in 2007.
The three books recount the life of Jesus in a easy-to-read style designed for believers and non-believers alike: “The Infancy Narratives,” “From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration,” and “Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection.”
Throughout his ministry, and especially in his writings, Pope Benedict sought to help people find a deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus, Bishop Jugis noted.
“Just as the apostles proclaimed Christ and His Gospel, so also the successors of the apostles are called to proclaim Christ and invite people to meet Jesus their savior and to enter into a personal relationship with Him,” Bishop Jugis said.
“This is exactly what Pope Benedict does in his book ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ He presents the Person of Jesus to us as Jesus is really presented in the Gospels – not according to someone’s opinion that we find in many modern-day writers, or according to some predetermined agenda, but as Jesus is presented to us by the Gospels.”
Bishop Jugis highlighted a quote from the introduction of the late pope’s encyclical “Deus Caritas Est”: “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
“He got to the heart of Christianity there,” the bishop said. “It is knowing and following Jesus, after all, that makes us Christians.”
Yet the late pope also realized that the message of Jesus is meant for all people to hear, the bishop continued. “Jesus is the answer to the world’s search for meaning and search for God. Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life.”
The late pope knew that the increasingly secularized culture of the modern world needs to find its way back to God, Bishop Jugis said.
“All you have to do is look at the evening news to see how humanity, in many ways, is losing its bearings because God is absent from humanity’s horizon,” he said.
“We thank Almighty God for the courageous way that Pope Benedict XVI also fought for the faith and strengthened the Church in the faith, as Jesus commanded the first shepherd (St. Peter),” he said.
He “had the heart of a good shepherd and the apostolic zeal to make the Person and message of Jesus Christ shine brightly into the world, to invite the world to know Jesus. And he had the apostolic zeal to make the Person and message of Jesus Christ shine brightly in the hearts of those who already believe in Jesus, by inviting us to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus.
“Let us learn from this saintly shepherd of the Church and his life of dedication to Christ,” he said, by taking his example to heart.
Let us “work on our own personal relationship with Jesus, so that we can better proclaim Christ and His Kingdom to others by the witness of our lives.”
SALISBURY — The dynamic parish of Sacred Heart in Salisbury recently added a key element to its repertoire – a Rodgers Infinity Series 367 digital organ.
Installed in November, in time for Christ the King Sunday, the new organ had its dedication concert Jan. 8. Father John Eckert, pastor, presided over the dedication rite.
“It’s all for the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls,” Father Eckert said in comments prior to the event.
“Something like this is going to have such a big impact on so many liturgies in our parish, obviously with the Mass but then also when we have special things like when we pray vespers together – that’s always lovely – or when we have the sung Divine Mercy Chaplet. It’s going to play a key role for a very long time – hopefully 100 years.”
The program also featured internationally renowned organ and trumpet duo Deux Voix – Stephen Distad and Justin Langham. A reception that included parishioners, donors, clergy and music directors from around the Charlotte diocese followed.
“I couldn’t be happier. I really couldn’t,” said Flora Lester, the director of sacred music and organist at the parish.
Lester’s joy was long awaited. In one sense, the arrival of the organ has been in the making for 10 years. In another, it’s been more than 140.
In 2013, after Lester took the music director role at the parish, it became a goal to purchase a pipe organ. Sacred Heart Church, originally dedicated in 1882, had never had a real pipe organ, and they wanted to take advantage of Lester’s talents and expertise. She holds a master’s degree in organ performance from Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. In May 2013, the parish purchased a 1921 pipe organ for a song.
“It was less than $15,000,” Lester said – pennies compared to the typical sevenfigure price tag on new pipe organs.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last as long as hoped. In recent years, the organ began having dead notes and other problems. Lester informed Father Eckert that the organ was on its last leg on Nov. 1, 2021.
Although she is a self-described preservationist, repairing the organ didn’t make financial sense.
“We are thankful for little blessings, and the pipe organ served us for a period of time,” Lester said. “Father John supported the need to have something worthy that would bring glory to God and support our liturgy. So, what does that sound like? What does it look like when you’re crunching the numbers?”
Because true pipe organs are enormous financial investments – ranging from $775,000 to millions of dollars – Father Eckert, Lester and the finance committee began to re-envision whether a pipe organ was best for the parish. They began to consider digital options, with the assistance of organ sales rep Al Murrell, vice president of R.A. Daffer Church Organs Inc.
“I’m a purist. I have played pipe organs
for 46 years, and I never thought in my almost 63 years of living that I would ever, ever consider going with anything but a true authentic pipe organ,” Lester said.
Yet, she has been pleasantly surprised with how everything came to fruition and with the digital organ itself.
“It’s been a very good process and a healthy, positive journey. It’s been that way because I’ve been blessed to work with a good team of people,” she said.
Lester also noted her gratitude for the generous donors at the parish who were instrumental in making the $185,000 digital organ possible.
Donors J.R. and Virginia Roach have been parishioners of Sacred Heart since 2007. J.R. serves on the finance committee, has a musical background and, together with his wife, has a deep appreciation for Lester’s extraordinary musical talent. He noted her beautiful voice and keen ability to play a complicated instrument while singing.
“There were maybe 10 or 12 of us who paid for the organ outright,” he said. “Flora went to college to study the organ, and this has been her vocation in life. We considered a piano, but we really didn’t want to take a step backward. The new one
sounds terrific. Between the organ and Flora singing, it gives you goosebumps.”
Lester is also excited about the ingenuity and sound of the Infinity 367 organ that now graces the church’s loft. Because of its rich sounds and myriad capabilities, the church finally has an organ worthy of its purpose and the space, even if it comes sans pipes.
“We really wanted to go with something new. In the organ world, there is a pipe organ and then there is the digital organ that, depending upon the type, can mimic the true sound of a pipe organ,” she said.
The Infinity 367 has three manuals, meaning three keyboards, and a plethora of stops.
“It has a varied tonal palette to create all sorts of colors,” Lester said. “It’s like having a wonderful, little mini orchestra at your fingertips.”
Amplifying this symphony of “colors,” is the resplendent interior of Sacred Heart Church.
“The room is something that brings any instrument to life,” Lester said. “We’re so blessed to have a beautiful liturgical space at Sacred Heart.”
As visually stunning as the church is, it’s the parishioners who are at the heart of Lester’s music ministry. She looks forward to the educational opportunities the organ affords for those in the school and parish.
“I’m one of the music teachers at the parish school, and I’ve talked with our wonderful principal, Erin Brinkley, about having some field trips for the students to bring them over to the church,” she said.
Lester said her goal is to create educational opportunities to inspire young people who may desire a vocation in sacred music because of the great need for these roles, citing many such conversations she had with Tom Savoy, the late music director of St. Joseph College Seminary, whom she worked with as a board member of the Carolina Catholic Chorale.
“One of the things I’ve been mindful of is preparing for the persons who follow me. I want people to come in and hear beautiful music,” she said. “There are so many wonderful things going on at Sacred Heart. It’s all about serving our Lord and those in need and being the faithful disciples that we’re called to be through our music and our actions.”
At www.catholicnewsherald.com : Watch highlights from the dedication concert for Sacred Heart Church’s Rodgers Infinity Series 367 organ
CHARLOTTE — The granddaughter of Dorothy Day – famed Catholic activist, journalist and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement – will be the featured speaker at the 23rd annual Kennedy Lecture on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Kate Hennessy will present this year’s lecture via Zoom from West Cork, Ireland, where she lives and works as a writer and artist. The youngest grandchild of Dorothy Day, Hennessy is the author of “Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty” (Scribner, 2017).
“An Intimate Portrait of Dorothy Day” will be webcast live from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
To sign up for the free Zoom presentation, go to www.stpeterscatholic. org/parish-events.
Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a prominent reformer and social organizer who was one of the founders of the Catholic Worker Movement committed to working for justice, eradicating poverty and helping the needy. Now named a Servant of God, Day is on the path to sainthood.
“She lived a vision of Christ that both challenged and embraced Church doctrine with an unpretentious Christian faith,” describes Kennedy Lecture event organizers.
The Kennedy Lecture is an annual event funded through Thomas and Richard Kennedy in memory of their parents, Keith and Joan Kennedy. Begun in 2000, the Kennedy Lecture series takes a deeper look at Catholic teachings and aims to stimulate thinking by engaging prominent people in the field of religion and ethics.
Past lecturers include Jesuit Father Tom Gaunt, executive director of the Center
for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) (2022); Joan Rosenhauer, executive director of Jesuit Refugee Service/USA View (2021); Bishop George V. Murry, S.J. (2018); Jesuit Father Greg Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries (2017); English writer and poet Edwina Gateley (2015); Margaret O’Brien Steinfels, founding co-director of the Fordham Center on Religion and Culture (2010); Edward Kessler, founder of The Woolf Institute (2009); M. Shawn Copeland, Black Catholic theologian (2007); and Jesuit Father Thomas J. Reese, author and journalist (2006).
WEST BRANDYWINE, Pa. — Father Andrew J. Latsko, 89, of Honey Brook, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, at Hickory House Nursing Home. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 6, 2023, at St. Peter Church in West Brandywine Township, Pa. Interment was at Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Pa.
Born in Beaverdale, Pa., he was the son of the late John and Margaret D. Voytko Latsko. When he was 5, Andrew and his parents moved to Conemaugh, Pa., where he attended Catholic school. He mainly spoke Slovak, having spent much time with his grandparents. After he finished the fourth grade, he moved with them to Eddystone, Pa., where he was enrolled at St. Michael’s School. While there, he and his mother attended Mass every morning at 6 a.m., and he served as an altar boy. In sixth grade, he attended St. Rose of Lima Parish. He received the sacrament of confirmation in seventh grade at St. James Parish in Chester, Pa., and continued worshiping there until he was in the ninth grade.
While living in Chester he worked at the “Eddy” movie house, where he developed a love for movies. During his years at St. James High School for Boys, he participated in school theater productions. He was cast as the lead role during his junior and senior years, including “Music Man.” He would walk to high school, saving his money to buy candy, ice cream and cigarettes.
After graduating from high school, he worked at Westinghouse Corp. in Chester until that facility closed and he was transferred to Charlotte, N.C. During three decades of employment with Westinghouse, he advanced through the ranks from production clerk to photographer, production coordinator and computer coordinator. In 1986, he retired from Westinghouse and remained in Charlotte.
He then met the late Jesuit Father Gene McCreesh, who inspired him to consider the priesthood. His Catholic faith had always remained important to him – from the days when he was an altar server for daily Mass to when he was a young adult attending Charismatic Prayer Meetings, held at Our Lady of Peace Church in Milmont Park, Pa., from 1975 to 1984.
He applied with the Diocese of Charlotte and was accepted, and he entered Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Wisconsin. He was ordained on May 30, 1992, in Charlotte, N.C. He served for more than 20 years, first as an associate pastor at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte and then pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa. In 2003, he retired from the Charlotte diocese and returned to Pennsylvania, where he served as pastor from 2008 until 2019.
In his spare time, he enjoyed bowling and photography.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Father Latsko’s name to: St. Margaret Mary Church, 102 Andrew Pl., Swannanoa, N.C. 28778-2506, or to St. Peter Church, 2835 Manor Road, West Brandywine, Pa. 19320.
James J. Terry Funeral Home Inc. was in charge of the arrangements.
— Catholic News Herald
ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@charlottediocese.org
FRANKLIN — A taste of the Eternal City – and eternity itself –can be found in sacred art light shows created by Dawn and Dale McGiboney, owners of Highland Mediaworks.
Their first project was in Charlotte for the Diocese of Charlotte’s Year of St. Joseph in 2020. Images of the earthly father of Jesus as depicted in sacred art were projected in a spectacular, larger-thanlife light show on the Diocesan Pastoral Center for a week in early January – just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The show sparked wonder, awe and curiosity about Catholicism from passersby.
“Many people will never make it to Vatican City, and so for Charlotte to see what Catholics have been doing for 2,000 years in the midst of hardship and to respond so well, it was miraculous in my opinion,” said Dawn McGiboney. “The neighbors of the Pastoral Center would walk by with their dogs, and we’d come and talk about Catholicism. I just felt that it was a ministry at that point. People would walk down every night and say, ‘I love this. Thank you.’”
Highland Mediaworks added three Catholic churches to its portfolio in 2022. Converts to the Catholic faith from the Baptist Church, the McGiboneys produced light shows for St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, St. Mark Church in Huntersville and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin, their home parish. They have a host of secular clients as well, including those in the furniture, hotel, golf and entertainment industries. Every project is different, they said, and brings new challenges. Yet, it’s a labor of love.
“We’re always looking to do something different because that’s the nature of business,” McGiboney said. “You always want to continue to grow and do cutting-edge stuff, so we started with projection, and it was very hard.”
The McGiboneys began with an indoor installation for The Bascom: A Center for Visual Arts in Highlands and then experimented with different media, including cars, planes and even wedding cakes. Almost any target will work, McGiboney said, even a waterfall. They worked for four months to get permission from the U.S. Forest Service to project onto Dry Falls in Highlands, where visitors can view the falls and walk behind them.
“It’s the most beautiful, most perfect water there,” McGiboney said. “We took our projectors down there and used generators for electricity.”
Soon the couple met Monsignor Patrick Winslow, the newly appointed vicar general of the diocese, and his interest led to their start in sacred art.
“We really want it to be intentional. We would like for people to enjoy it, but also for there be a healing element,” McGiboney said. “Jesus is light, so you can see it was an attractive thing for us as Christians.”
First came the Pastoral Center project in 2020.
“We met Father John Putnam, the pastor of St. Mark Church, when we were at the Pastoral Center for the light show, and he said, ‘Holy images are miraculous, but when they’re that big they’re even more miraculous.’ As converts we were intrigued with this whole new way of looking at Christianity. All the answers that Catholicism contains were missing (to us) as Protestants. When we heard that kind of response, it was really a powerful time for us.”
In 2022, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte hired Highland Mediaworks to project images of its stained-glass windows onto the exterior of the cathedral from March 14 to 19, in conjunction with its patronal feast day. The windows needed repairs, and the light show not only highlighted the need to raise funds but also served as a method of outreach.
“It was truly exceptional to have the community members feel like they’re inside the church when they were outside. It really drew them in. I stood there and handed out brochures the church had given me describing the windows, but I also invited them to come to church,” McGiboney said.
The project at St. Mark Church in Huntersville was different in that it was for an annual parish festival held in September. “The challenge was to find the balance between sacred time and then the fun stuff with the media,” McGiboney explained. “We projected images of the stained-glass inside onto the bell tower.”
In October, the McGiboneys projected images of their parish patron onto St. Francis of Assisi Church in Franklin to help raise money for the local food pantry.
“It was just such a powerful thing for our congregation to see the way he (St. Francis) looked and to put him on our building. All the different parishioners loved it. It felt like he was right there with us, encouraging us to be the best we could be as parishioners,” McGiboney said. “The silent auction that evening raised more money than I expected.”
The McGiboneys have found that the projected shows shed a light on the Church in a way that resonates.
“They really show what Catholics have done very, very well, which is take care of the history of Jesus Christ and all the artists who put these masterpieces together,” McGiboney said. “All of that can be attributed to the Catholic Church. When we first started working in sacred art, it was a great moment for us. We felt on top of the world.”
At Highland Mediaworks’ YouTube channel : Watch a video showcasing each of their projects in the Diocese of Charlotte
GASTONIA — During the weekend of the feast of the Epiphany, St. Michael Church in Gastonia celebrated by blessing a newly received statue of Our Lady of Fatima and a new monstrance. The statue of Our Lady of Fatima was presented to the parish and blessed at the Saturday morning Mass during the parish’s First Saturday Devotion to our Blessed Mother – which includes Mass, the rosary, a 15-minute meditation on the mysteries, and confession, all in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The statue of Our Lady of Fatima was painted by Portuguese artist Boaventura Pereira de Matos, an apprentice of Jose Ferreira Thedim, creator of the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima that is venerated at the Shrine of Fatima. The Our Lady of Fatima statue was a generous gift to St. Michael Church by the parish chapter of the Legion of Mary.
Also on Epiphany Sunday, Father Lucas Rossi, pastor, blessed a new monstrance that was a gift from an anonymous donor. The monstrance, crafted in Mexico, is as beautiful as it is imposing – standing 49 inches tall and requiring a 7-inch host. Father Rossi said the impressive size of this new monstrance will enhance the experience of worshipers, especially young people,
during Eucharistic Adoration. After Holy Communion, Father Rossi led the congregation in a brief period of Adoration using the new monstrance.
Afterward, he said, “It providentially arrived here at St. Michael at a time when the U.S. bishops begin a three-year Eucharistic Revival. I am hopeful that this new monstrance will draw many hearts to begin – or return to – this wonderful devotion. Each one of us is made for Adoration: to be face to face with our Eucharistic Lord in loving trust.”
These two sacred objects come on the heels of the parish receiving a unique ambry containing a first-class relic of St. Bernadette Soubirous.
On Oct. 11, St. Michael Church blessed the ambry and installed it in the sanctuary of the church near the altar and tabernacle. It contains the relic, a picture of St. Bernadette and holy oils.
Mary first appeared to the 14-year-old Bernadette on Feb. 11, 1858, at the grotto of Massabielle near Lourdes, France. Mary appeared to her a total of 18 times. During an apparition on Feb. 25, Our
Whether in opera, cantatas or oratorios, it is rare that a libretto – a text of a large vocal composition – is penned by a venerated saint in the English language. However, this is the case for British composer Edward Elgar’s “The Dream of Gerontius,” set to St. John Henry Newman’s poem of the same name.
“The Dream of Gerontius” came to my mind quite accidentally recently after I heard the news of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and I thought it would be worth sharing with readers of the Catholic News Herald. Listening to this work in its entirety was comforting as I prayed and thought about the late former pope. Elgar’s music and St. John Henry Newman’s words can provide hope and solace as we continue to mourn for the late former pope.
Elgar (1857-1934) was raised a Catholic. His mother converted to Catholicism five years before his birth at St. George’s Catholic Church in Worcester, where his father served as organist.
“The Dream of Gerontius” premiered in 1900 at the Birmingham Festival. Its numerous references to Catholic doctrine and emphasis on purgatory, was not wellreceived initially in Protestant England. The fact that the choirmaster had died days before the premiere and had to be replaced quickly also contributed to its poor reception. Regardless, it stands today as one of Elgar’s finest works.
The libretto is condensed from Newman’s original poem and is separated into two parts. Part I features the elderly
man Gerontius (solo tenor) nearing death surrounded by a priest (bass solo) and companions (presented as choral sections). The text flows seamlessly between English, Latin, and even Greek for a brief Kyrie. While there are momentary sections of terror and fear, the overall mood is one of calmness, and the final words sung by Gerontius before his death are pleas to Jesus, Mary, and eventually St. Joseph, patron saint of the dying.
In Part II, the recently departed soul is accompanied by his guardian angel (solo mezzo soprano) journeying to the throne of God. In “The Judgment Now is Near,” the angel introduces the Angel of the Agony (solo bass), the angel who comforted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. According to the libretto, it is he that “best can plead with Him for all tormented souls, the dying, and the dead.” The movement ends with the Angel of Agony’s petition to Christ to spare the souls He loves so much. The composition ends with Gerontius’s guardian angel delivering his soul to purgatory, and singing that prayers and Masses said for him will be of great assistance. The souls in purgatory and an angelic choir accompany her as she bids farewell to Gerontius temporarily, for eventually, he will be in heaven.
At www.catholicnewsherald.com :
Listen to the final movement of “The Dream of Gerontius,” which includes English lyrics penned by St. John Henry Newman
Lady instructed St. Bernadette to “drink the water from the spring, to wash in it, and to eat the herb that grew there.” The next day the muddy waters were clear and fresh water flowed. Since that time, 70 medical cures attributed to these spring waters have been documented by the Lourdes Medical Bureau. On March 25, during her 16th apparition, Our Lady identified herself to St. Bernadette as the Immaculate Conception.
The first-class relic (meaning it is direct remains from St. Bernadette’s body) came into the Gastonia parish’s possession shortly after the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes last year. The reliquary and custom-made ambry were ordered shortly thereafter.
Father Rossi said the ambry with the relic of St. Bernadette is “the perfect place to store the holy oils – especially the oil used for anointing the sick –and will provide a wonderful place for parishioners to pray to St. Bernadette for healing. I will also be able to offer a special blessing for the sick with her relic.”
— Deacon Bill MeltonCHARLOTTE — As he celebrated the close of the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary Jan. 12, Bishop Peter Jugis announced the new patroness for the diocese –Mary, Mother of God – and he encouraged people to carry the spirit of the anniversary into the future by the faithful witness of their lives.
The diocese’s golden anniversary year, themed “Faith More Precious Than Gold,” included a diocese-wide Marian statue pilgrimage that traversed the Diocese of Charlotte, hundreds of “50 Acts of Charity” initiatives by parishes and schools, family-friendly events and historical documentaries of the Church in the Diocese of Charlotte.
During the closing Mass of the anniversary year, Bishop Jugis reflected on the impacts the anniversary celebrations have had on the people of the diocese.
“It’s been a Year of Faith, celebrating the gift of our Catholic faith, which is more precious than gold,” he said during his homily in the chapel inside the Family Life Center adjacent to St. Patrick Cathedral, which is temporarily closed for renovations.
“It’s also been a Year of Thanksgiving to God for blessing the amazing growth of the diocese through the years,” Bishop Jugis added.
This past year has also been a Year of Mission, to bring
the Light of Christ to others in our society, he continued, noting that it has also been a Year of Prayer and Devotion to the Spiritual Life, to deepen our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
“Another theme of this year is the 50 Acts of Charity, through our practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. It has been a joy to read all year long about all the Acts of Charity that have been undertaken by our parishes, our missions, our schools and diocesan institutions,” Bishop Jugis said, smiling.
“So, in this Mass we are grateful, but as we look forward, let us continue this spirit that we celebrated this past year and carry it with us in the future,” he said. And citing a Scripture passage from Hebrews 12:1-2, he encouraged the
faithful, saying, “Let us persevere running the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.”
At the end of Mass, the bishop’s announcement that Mary, Mother of God had been formally approved by the Vatican was met with joy from the congregation.
The formal process to name a patron began with a diocese-wide survey conducted over a six-week period last summer and publicized through social media, parish bulletins, the Catholic News Herald and at the Eucharistic Congress. Responses were received from more than 1,400 parishioners at 81 parishes and missions.
“Every parish, mission and school has made its own unique contribution to the history of Catholicism in North Carolina. Every parish, mission, and school has its own unique story to tell. Let us commit ourselves to proclaiming the Kingdom of Christ by the witness of our lives,” Bishop Jugis said.
At www.faithmorepreciousthangold.com : Read more about the Diocese of Charlotte’s history, check out a series on Marian art, learn more about Marian prayers and devotions
At www.catholicnewsherald.com/news/golden-anniversary : Check out more coverage of how parishes and the people of the Diocese of Charlotte commemorated the 50th anniversary
‘Let us commit ourselves to proclaiming the Kingdom of Christ by the witness of our lives.’
Bishop Peter Jugis(Above) Bishop Peter Jugis marked the end of the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary year Jan. 12 with Mass in the temporary chapel inside St. Patrick Cathedral’s Family Life Center. (Right) After the Mass, the bishop reviewed special photobooks created by the diocese’s Catholic schools that showcased their various “Acts of Charity.” Each school made a “Golden Pledge” to conduct at least 50 acts of corporal or spiritual mercy throughout the 50th anniversary year. Pictured with him is Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of Catholic schools.
The special statue of Mary, Mother of God visited St. John Lee Korean Church in Charlotte, where she was welcomed by parishioners wearing “Hanbok” (traditional Korean garb). A video of her reception at the parish is on YouTube at www. youtu.be/bu2H1OUqSA.
The pilgrim statue visited all of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools during the 50th anniversary year.
(Left) The statue visited Charlotte Catholic High School March 17-18, 2022. Students attended Mass in the high school chapel, then took part in an outdoor procession and all-school assembly.
(Below left) The statue was processed through the halls of St. Patrick School in Charlotte last March by Father Christopher Roux, pastor.
(Below) One of the first stops of the year-long pilgrimage was to Holy Trinity Middle School, and to nearby St. Ann Parish and School, in Charlotte, during Catholic Schools Week 2022.
The pilgrim statue visited St. Mark Church in Huntersville, where she was present during Nocturnal Adoration at the parish’s Women of Joy Retreat (right), and Our Lady of Mercy Church in Winston-Salem (middle).
(Above and left) Hundreds of Catholic families from across the Diocese of Charlotte joined Bishop Peter Jugis and priests, seminarians and women religious for Catholic Night at the Charlotte Knights Sept. 9, 2022. The evening started with a special first pitch thrown out by Sister Lucia Palma of the Daughters of the Virgin Mother of Gastonia. The Knights lost to the Nashville Sounds 9-1, but everyone still enjoyed the fireworks display after the game.
On the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel : Watch highlights from Catholic Night at the Charlotte Knights baseball game, Family Fun Day and Concert at the Whitewater Center, and more
On
(Left)
As part of the diocese’s “50 Acts of Charity” initiative, more than two dozen parishes, schools and ministries conducted successful diaper drives to benefit Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, local diaper banks, community non-profits and crisis pregnancy centers in the Diocese of Charlotte.
At www.faithmorepreciousthangold.com : Read more wonderful stories of parishes, schools and ministries helping our fellow neighbors in need as part of the diocese’s “50 Acts of Charity” initiative
From donating school supplies and teaching ESL classes to donating blood and chopping wood, Sylva-area Catholics gave their all to neighbors in need. St. Mary, Mother of God parishioners and Knights of Columbus members held blood drives for the American Red Cross, fed the hungry, collected school supplies for children at area schools, raised money for a pregnancy care center, created cards for senior citizens, provided English as a Second Language (ESL) and computer-skills classes, and beautified the parish’s Marian grotto. Even the youngest students in the parish’s faith formation program got involved, decorating Thanksgiving cards for residents at Skyland Rehabilitation Facility in Sylva. Students in the Catholic Campus Ministry program at nearby Western Carolina University in Cullowhee chopped wood for people in need, with residents able to come and take as much chopped wood as needed to get through the winter.
More than 100 volunteers from the Diocese of Charlotte turned out in August to repaint a transitional housing complex for men in treatment provided by Roof Above, Charlotte’s homeless services agency. On two days last August, staff members from every department at the Diocesan Pastoral Center pick up brushes and rollers to repaint 85 bedrooms at Centre Terrace Apartments on Central Avenue. The apartments, owned by Roof Above, house men who are working to improve their lives. Check out a video highlight of the “Painting with Love” charity project at www.catholicnewsherald.com.
Like all of the diocese’s schools, students and staff at Christ the King High School took part in multiple “50 Acts of Charity” during the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary. From community service projects to prayer initiatives, the schools took to heart the anniversary theme emphasizing that our faith is a prized gift meant to be shared with others. The Huntersville high school community collected donations for the diocese’s seminarians, organized a “3v3” basketball tournament for charity and a kickball tournament to benefit youth sports leagues, and oversaw projects such as an Eagle Scout project that added Stations of the Cross to the hiking trail on campus, among many other corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
Members young and old at St. Paul the Apostle Parish took on several efforts to participate in the diocese’s “50 Acts of Charity” initiative. On Super Bowl Sunday, St. Paul’s teens held their annual “Souper Bowl” collection, baking and decorating over 800 cookies to raise money for their sister parish, Niño Jesus’ soup kitchens, in Manta, Ecuador. They netted $3,800 for Niño Jesus – the largest amount ever collected. The money funded 250 meals distributed to the parishioners of Niño Jesus and also helped provide water purification, refrigeration and minor repairs. Parishioners also collected over 800 food items, puzzle books, toilet paper, socks, gloves and toiletries – as well as beautiful hats and scarves handcrafted by the parish’s Yarn Ladies Ministry – to make 278 gift bags filled with necessities plus handmade extras to neighbors in the local Meals on Wheels program. The Greensboro parish’s homeschool group also got in on the fun by packing all the gift bags, and the members of the local Knights of Columbus council loaded up their cars and delivered the gift bags to the Meals on Wheels program.
Members of St. Pius X Parish collected an extraordinary 50,000 pounds of food for Greensboro Urban Ministry, as part of the Diocese of Charlotte’s “50 Acts of Charity” initiative. “Some were skeptical we could reach such a large goal,” said Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor. “To put it in perspective, it is equal to 25 tons or the equivalent of the weight of five pickup trucks. Not food filling their beds, but the weight of the trucks themselves. And we exceeded that amount.”
Parishioners collected the 25 tons of food – canned goods, non-perishable items, beans, rice and more – over the course of 10 months. Donations went to Greensboro Urban Ministry, which operates a food pantry for local families in need four days a week. “It was truly a community effort – from our seniors to our school community, from our Cub Scouts to our Knights of Columbus,” Monsignor Marcaccio said. “It was edifying watching our parishioners as they entered the church, carrying their contributions to this effort. They were providing ‘bread’ for the community as they were coming to Mass and preparing to receive Jesus, the Bread of Life.”
Students at Sacred Heart School in Salisbury took on several acts of charity as part of the “50 Acts of Charity” campaign all year long, starting with raising $583 for the American Heart Association’s Kid Heart Challenge 2022. Prekindergarten through eighthgrade students then joined together to collect hygiene items for people experiencing homelessness. Each grade was assigned a different hygiene item: toothbrushes, shaving cream, washcloths, etc. Their total was: 252 toothbrushes. 75 tubes of toothpaste, 98 bars of soap, 44 cans of shaving cream. 388 washcloths, 23 bottles of shampoo, 114 disposable razors and 24 bottles of lotion. Then the students made bags and assembled “hygiene kits” to distribute to people in need at the local homeless shelter run by Rowan Helping Ministries.
St. Matthew School partnered with Servants with a Heart, a Charlotte-based non-profit that organizes meal-packing events to feed the hungry. Staff and students came together to pack 52,000 meals for people facing hunger in Haiti. In addition, members of St. Matthew Parish came together over the summer to raise money and pack meals for the annual Monsignor McSweeney World Hunger Drive. People rallied around the cause and raised $370,000 for neighbors in need – money that was distributed to local food banks, as well as enough funds to buy food and other essentials that filled seven large shipping containers sent to the Missionaries of the Poor in Haiti and Jamaica. Monetary donations also went to a youth hostel in Satna, India, where St. Matthew’s parochial vicar Father Binoy Davis is from. Other financial contributions went to a charity in Venezuela and to the “Hands for Haiti” effort that benefits a school the parish sponsors. St. Matthew Parish families also collected non-perishable food donations to make 130 large Thanksgiving baskets that were delivered to Catholic Charities’ Charlotte office to distribute to clients for the holiday. They also created 200 additional Thanksgiving baskets filled with holiday meal favorites and letters of well wishes for people served by the parish’s Mel’s Diner ministry, the Missionaries of the Poor in Monroe, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish’s food pantry in Charlotte, and a local charity called Heart of Monroe.
Members of St. Luke Parish in Mint Hill, including those in Thomasboro Outreach, the Family Life Committee and the Welcome Committee, lent a hand to their adopted school, Thomasboro Academy. One hundred percent of Thomasboro Academy’s student population lives below the poverty level, and for the past 20 years, St. Luke parishioners have collected school supplies to help these students. Also heading into the school year, the parish’s High School Youth Ministry, T4C (Teens for Christ), created 100 full-size and 43 mini “Blessing Bags” for those experiencing homelessness. The bags were filled with donations by parishioners, teens and T4C volunteers and supplied each recipient with hygiene basics, food, water, and a caring note.
Last fall, members of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish answered Father Benjamin Roberts’ call to help local teachers financially burdened with having to buy extra supplies for their classrooms because of a lack of funding at their schools. Thanks to the Monroe parishioners’ efforts, at least 12 elementary, middle and high school teachers received items to organize and prepare their classrooms and essential school supplies for students, including paper, pencils, erasers, notebooks, and even tissue paper needed throughout the school year.
Some 70 members of St. Peter Parish and the larger community came together Aug. 27, 2022, to put themselves in the shoes of people who have been incarcerated. They participated in “30 Days Out: The Re-entry Simulation,” a program sponsored by Re-entry Partners of Mecklenburg County that replicates the struggles faced by more than 20,000 people returning home from prison in North Carolina each year. Participants left with resources to learn more and take action in helping those returning to society.
In Huntersville, St. Mark’s Rosary Garden and outdoor Stations of the Cross received a thorough spring cleaning, thanks to local Cub Scout Pack 97. These hardworking third-graders and their parents cleaned up and beautified the garden by removing debris, relaying brickwork around the Jesus centerpiece statue, putting down new mulch and planting daffodils.
Students at Asheville Catholic School teamed up last winter to create cozy fleece blankets for neighbors in their community without permanent shelter. Over the course of a school day, classes rotated through the gymnasium in one-hour shifts to make 60 blankets, each 5 feet long by 6 feet wide, for delivery to Homeward Bound, a community partner that serves people experiencing homelessness.
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Over the course of 10 months, members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry Team at Immaculate Conception Parish in Forest City made and delivered 50 prayer shawls (shawls, lapghans, afghans and lap robes) to members of the parish community who are homebound, bereaved or in adult care facilities, hospitals or hospice care. Recipients also included residents at a local pregnancy resource center. In addition, the team also provided shawls to caregivers as a way to show support for all their hard work. As they worked, the team prayed for each recipient, remembering all those in the parish who were sick or lonely, or just needed a pick-me-up.
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TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
SUEANN HOWELL AND ANNIE FERGUSON Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — More than 300 people prayed, sang and marched through uptown Charlotte March 13, advocating for the sanctity of human life and encouraging everyone to support women in choosing life for their unborn children.
This year’s annual March for Life Charlotte hailed the recent overturning of Supreme Court decisions that had legalized abortion nationally.
The march and a special Mass for the Unborn, offered earlier Friday at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, are a time of prayer and advocacy to call attention to the more than 64 million lives lost to abortion – and the need to change people’s hearts.
“Abortion will only be abolished when it is abolished in each heart, regardless of a current law,” said Andrea Hines, a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Charlotte. “Prayers, fasting and loving witness have resulted in conversions of heart to have respect for life, one heart at a time.”
Tina Witt, who leads the nonprofit group that organizes the march, said despite the recent Supreme Court ruling, “there is still more to be done. I wish we could march every single day. I would be out here every day, because once is never enough. We’re out here today, with the grace of God, and we have to show up for duty.”
The day began with a blessing from Bishop Peter Jugis outside the Diocese of Charlotte’s Pastoral Center, then marchers made their way north on Tryon Street to Independence Square, where they gathered to listen to speakers and pray. Students from Charlotte Catholic High School and Holy Trinity Middle School carried banners
encouraging people to “Love Them Both,” referring to mother and child.
“It is always a joy to gather as Catholics to defend life,” he said. “There is high energy, high motivation, and lots of grace. As we try to be good witnesses and stewards of God’s gift of life, it is of the utmost importance that we are
He noted that to be pro-life isn’t simply attending a march once a year or just saying “no” to abortion.
“Just like our lives aren’t simply running from sin, but running toward goodness, we must live our lives for life. We cannot say we are lovers of humanity without loving people,” Father Huber explained. “In the same way, being pro-life means serving all the living, and providing them, and those to-be, with an opportunity to live in the freedom of Jesus Christ.”
reminded of that for which we are fighting.”
“I feel it’s important to be here today to witness and stand-up for life,” said Luciano Salas, a 10th-grade student clad in his red Charlotte Catholic High School hoodie. “It’s important to stand up for all the unborn and for the mothers.”
Father Peter Ascik, director of the diocese’s Office of Family Life, also focused on the need to increase support for pregnant women.
“The work of the pro-life movement continues – work that involves standing up for both the mother and the child,” Father Ascik said. “So, we’re here today, as in years past, to witness to the dignity of human life, and also to witness to our society, to profess, that we can do better and care for both mother and child.”
At the square, Father Aaron Huber, parochial vicar of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, rallied the crowd with words of encouragement.
Other speakers included Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood clinic director who became a pro-life activist and the subject of the movie “Unplanned.”
As she took the stage, she welcomed a handful of hecklers who turned out to protest the march.
“I started out just like them,” Johnson said. “I used to be a clinic escort. And now I’m standing here today. I’ve helped over 640 abortion workers leave their clinics. God does amazing things!”
Johnson then drew applause when she introduced a “quitter” – a Charlotte woman who left the abortion industry.
“Today you get to see the fruits of your labor,” Johnson told the crowd, introducing Alicia Davis, a former nurse at a South Charlotte abortion clinic. Dozens of people in attendance had prayed for years that the clinic where she worked would close. It finally did last year.
Davis spoke about things she saw while working at the clinic and how her hesitation to be involved grew. Many of the women who came into the clinic were looking for guidance, Davis said. She would respond: “It’s totally up to you and God, because God has the final say.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time in the 50 years since Roe v. Wade passed the Supreme Court, thousands of pro-life advocates from North Carolina and across the country are expected to travel to Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 20, for the national March for Life to witness to the sanctity of life – this time to mark the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision in America.
The theme for the 2023 March for Life is “Next steps: marching into a post-Roe America.”
The late pro-life advocate Nellie Gray and other organizers began the annual march in 1974, to mark the Jan. 22, 1973, landmark Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal in the United States. Roe v. Wade was overturned with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case last June.
The national march is now considered the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world and has given rise to state marches across the country. Parishes from around the diocese are sending busloads of parishioners to participate in various March for Life events Jan. 19-21.
Prior to the March for Life, Raleigh Bishop Luis R. Zarama will offer the annual Mass for Life for North Carolina pilgrims to the march, starting at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Monsignor Patrick J. Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, will serve as homilist. Priests from both the Charlotte and Raleigh dioceses will concelebrate.
A rally will be held at noon on the National Mall, then at 1 p.m. participants will march in a new route up to and around the U.S. Capitol to pray.
The national March for Life will be live-streamed on Jan. 20 at www.marchforlife.com, on the March for Life Facebook page and
Women and children in crisis across the Diocese of Charlotte are increasingly turning to local Catholic organizations for food assistance, emergency shelter, financial support and help through unplanned pregnancies.
Parishes across the diocese offer widespread support through a variety of programs, including Walking With Moms in Need, which provides support for pregnant women and new mothers. And parishioners are stepping up as volunteers and donors to support well-established organizations making an impact on women’s lives.
Here’s a look at three nonprofit outreach programs within in the diocese – Catherine’s House, MiraVia and Room At The Inn – serving increasing numbers of women and families.
Catherine’s House, nestled on the Sisters of Mercy’s Sacred Heart campus, meets a critical need for women and children experiencing homelessness by providing safe transitional housing and services that help build self-sufficiency.
Named after the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, Catherine’s House opened in 1992 and has provided shelter for more than 2,500 women over the past 31 years. Dedicated staff and volunteers work in partnership with each resident to identify long-term housing solutions while teaching skills such as budgeting, time management and conflict resolution.
During their stay, each woman participates in an individualized four- to six-month program that includes case management, individual and group counseling, and a focus on emotional wellness.
“Many of the women and children that Catherine’s House serves lack a stable and positive support system to help guide them during their transition,” said Kathy Gauger, president and CEO. “The staff of Catherine’s House embody the core tenant of the Sisters of Mercy – the charism of Mercy, defined as the compassionate treatment of those in distress. The mercy bestowed upon residents is what fuels long-term change.”
In 2022, Catherine’s House assisted 54 women and 36 children, free of charge. It serves women and children from a multi-county area in North and South Carolina, with the majority of residents from Mecklenburg and Gaston counties. And their work is growing.
“We provided 23 percent more nights of care to women and children compared to the same time last year and have served 21 people more individuals. The need will likely continue to grow due to the increase in cost of living,” Gauger said. “While Catherine’s House meets the basic needs of our residents, our greatest impact is empowering women to become self-sufficient so that upon completing the program, the cycle of homelessness ends.”
Since 1994, MiraVia has offered a safe haven and source of hope for more than 11,300 pregnant women and their children. It offers a unique combination of pregnancy resources to women in an outreach program in Charlotte and in a residential program for college moms on the campus of Belmont Abbey College.
Last September, MiraVia’s Outreach Center moved to a new, 3,700-square-foot location on Tyvola Road, allowing for much-needed extra space to store donations, conduct classes and accommodate a free boutique for pregnant women and new moms. The move couldn’t come at a better time.
MiraVia hosts up to 80 women a week at the outreach center, and it was running out of room in its old facility on Weona Avenue.
“Our Outreach Center has become busier and busier, so this was the perfect year for us to expand and to find a new facility,” said Debbie Capen, executive director. “We are thrilled to have relocated to a new location that is still very accessible to our clients.”
Capen said the space is more professional and better reflects the dignity of MiraVia’s clients. In addition, it
material goods, life-skills classes, job training, case management, transportation, child care, the chance to earn a college degree, and someone with a loving heart to listen to the struggles and dreams of the women they serve.
“Graduates of the maternity home program go on to live lives of hope-filled independence by obtaining jobs and their own housing with the support of caring staff members who stay in touch through the After Care program for years after the babies are born,” said Marianne Donadio, vice president and chief development officer.
The mothers may also choose to stay and earn a degree while living at the Amy Elizabeth Disney House next door or at the Backyard Ministry House in Kernersville. These houses are also used to provide emergency shelter when the maternity home is full.
The need for these services has always been in demand and shows no signs of waning.
“Even though North Carolina’s laws on abortion haven’t changed at this point, as a pro-life agency, we have been continuously striving to increase the support we offer to pregnant and parenting women in need, ever since we first opened,” said Albert Hodges, president of Room At The Inn.
Additions include the St. Joseph Housing program that launched in 2022 and the future Clifford Hall, a permanent ministry center to be built in Kernersville that will greatly increase the types and capacity of the agency’s services.
is well organized for the programs they offer women, including life-skills classes and support groups. The new classroom setting is bigger, offering technology resources for meetings.
“The flow in our new space is better, as clients go from the classroom to the boutique to pick out clothing for themselves, their children and the necessities they need such as diapers, wipes, car seats and cribs,” Capen explained.
“Our hope is that we would like to increase our reach by 25 percent this year and work towards doubling it,” she added. “We’ve adjusted and streamlined the outreach program so that the new facility makes it conducive to the program and what we do.”
Feedback from women who have transitioned from the old location to the new Outreach Center is positive. Many have noted that it makes them feel special coming to such a nice facility for support.
“That is priceless to me: that they don’t feel marginalized,” Capen said. “It’s so beautiful to see moms and donors coming in and out, interacting and enjoying each other’s company.”
In a large, stately Greensboro home, Room At The Inn offers shelter and comprehensive services to homeless, single pregnant women from across North Carolina.
Since opening its doors more than two decades ago, the agency has helped hundreds of pregnant women with nowhere else to turn by providing a home, resources,
St. Joseph’s Housing program provides homeless clients with assistance in obtaining stable or permanent housing. Clients may be Room At The Inn’s maternity home graduates or may be referred to the program by other homeless service providers in the Triad. Assistance consists of case management, help with reducing barriers to obtaining or keeping housing, transportation, deposits for rent and utilities, and rent, all based on individual needs.
“Clifford Hall, our latest endeavor, will allow us to greatly expand what we currently do and offer a comprehensive array of essential services for single mothers,” Hodges said. “Our staff, architects and consultants are hard at work planning and getting the ball rolling on this life-changing project.”
When finished, Clifford Hall will house a thrift store, job-training programs, a child care facility, St. Joseph’s Housing offices, room for education and training programs and a large conference room with meeting areas where small fundraising events can also be held.
“We plan to add a second phase later on, which will include a small chapel and some housing for full-time volunteers,” Hodges said. “We are excited to see this longterm vision coming to fruition as we continue making the love of Jesus real to these single mothers and children.”
Find out how you can donate or volunteer with these local organizations at www.catherineshouseinc.org, www.miravia.org and www.roominn.org
CHARLOTTE — Considering a Catholic education for your child? With enrollment booming, now is the time to enroll for the 2023-’24 academic year at any of the Diocese of Charlotte’s 20 schools.
The deadline to apply for prekindergarten through kindergarten for Charlotte-area schools is Wednesday, Feb. 1. The deadline to apply for grades 1-12 is Wednesday, March 1. Deadlines for other schools are also approaching soon.
Applications are accepted on a rolling, space-available basis – with priority given to siblings of current and former students, children of alumni and employees, and registered parishioners. Some classes fill up quickly, so parents are encouraged to register early and get on a waiting list if their preferred school’s classes are full.
Tuition for registered Catholic families ranges from less than $5,000 to about $13,000 per year, depending on the school and grade level.
Tuition discounts are provided for multiple children enrollment, and every school offers need-based financial aid for qualifying families. All of the diocese’s schools also participate in the N.C. Opportunity Scholarship and the N.C. Disability Scholarship programs.
As more families are discovering the value and benefit of a Catholic education, enrollment at every school is on the rise, the diocese’s Catholic Schools Office reports. Enrollment this school year stands at 7,968 students – up more than 15 percent from three years ago. Inquiries have been steady and open houses have been well attended, the office said.
Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of Catholic schools, said schools have been expanding classes to accommodate the enrollment growth, and school leaders continue to evaluate further expansion plans. St. Pius X School in Greensboro has added sections in its middle school. The diocese’s three high schools – Bishop McGuinness in Kernersville, Charlotte Catholic High School and Christ the King in Huntersville – have added sections and faculty. Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point added an additional section in upper elementary, and St. Gabriel School in Charlotte built an additional kindergarten classroom.
In addition, select schools in Charlotte and Greensboro offer special learning programs to better meet the needs of diverse learners. In many instances, parents can provide their special needs child with a Catholic education from prekindergarten through high school.
All of the diocese’s Catholic schools are accredited through Cognia, the largest accreditation system for primary and
STUDENTS SYSTEMWIDE
secondary schools in the U.S. and 90 other countries.
The nine Catholic schools in the Charlotte area are grouped together as the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system: St. Ann (PK, TK-5), St. Gabriel (K-5), St. Matthew (TK-5), St. Patrick (K-5), Our Lady of the Assumption (PK-8), St. Mark (K-8), Holy Trinity Middle (6-8), and Charlotte Catholic and Christ the King high schools (9-12).
Visit each school’s website or contact the school directly to schedule a visit:
n St. Ann School: 600 Hillside Ave., Charlotte; 704-525-4938; www.stanncatholic. org
n St. Gabriel School: 3028 Providence Road, Charlotte; 704-366-2409; www. stgabrielcatholicschool.org
n St. Matthew School: 11525 Elm Lane, Charlotte; 704-544-2070; www. stmattwildcats.com
n St. Patrick School: 1125 Buchanan St., Charlotte; 704-333-3174; www. saintpatrickschool.org
n Our Lady of the Assumption School: 4225 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte; 704-531-0067; www.olacatholic.org
n St. Mark School: 14750 Stumptown Road, Huntersville; 704-766-5000; stmarkcatholicschool.net
n Holy Trinity Middle School: 3100 Park Road, Charlotte; 704-527-7822; www.htcms.org
n Charlotte Catholic High School: 7702
Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte; 704543-1127; www.charlottecatholic.org
n Christ the King High School: 2011 Crusader Way, Huntersville; 704-799-4400; www.ctkchs.org
For more information, including MACS application forms and financial aid opportunities, go online to www. discovermacs.org.
Prospective families may also contact MACS Admissions Director Sissie Kilby at slkilby@rcdoc.org or 704-370-3273.
MACS tuition rates for the 2023-’24 year for participating Catholic families are: $4,839 for half-day pre-kindergarten or $7,564 for full-day pre-kindergarten; $7,915 for elementary school (transitional kindergarten through fifth grade); $8,882 for middle school, and $12,651 for high school. There are additional graduation, technology and activity fees.
Outside Charlotte, the diocese has nine parish-based elementary and middle schools and one diocesan high school. Each has its own admissions process, tuition rates and financial aid programs. Visit each school’s website or contact the school directly for registration information or to arrange a visit:
n Asheville Catholic School: PK-8th grade; 12 Culvern St., Asheville; 828-2527896; www.ashevillecatholic.org
n Bishop McGuinness High School: 9-12th grade; 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South,
Kernersville; 336-564-1010; www.bmhs.us
n Immaculata School: PK-8th grade; 711 Buncombe St., Hendersonville; 828-693–3277; www.immac.org
n Immaculate Heart of Mary School: PK-8th grade; 4145 Johnson St., High Point; 336-887-2613; www.ihm-school.com
n Our Lady of Grace School: PK-8th grade; 201 South Chapman St., Greensboro; 336-275-1522; www.olgsch.org
n Our Lady of Mercy School: PK-8th grade; 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem; 336722-7204; www.ourladyofmercyschool.org
n Sacred Heart School: PK-8th grade; 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury; 704-6332841; www.salisburycatholicschool.org
n St. Leo School: PK-8th grade; 333 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem; 336-7488252; www.stleocatholic.com
n St. Michael School: PK-8th grade; 704 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia; 704-865-4382; www.stmichaelcs.com
n St. Pius X School: K-8th grade; 2200 North Elm St., Greensboro; 336-273-9865; www.spxschool.com
The newest member of the diocesan schools system is Canongate Catholic High School, an independent school in the Asheville area that features a classical curriculum. Learn more about them online at www.canongatecatholic.org.
MACS offers special needs programs at various locations, including: PACE (Providing an Appropriate Academic Catholic Education), MAP (Modified Academic Program), MMP (Matthew Morgan Program), and the Options Program, which creates an elementary through 12th-grade path for students in the MAP and Matthew Morgan programs to continue to flourish in school and beyond.
The program, based at Charlotte Catholic High School, is specifically designed to bring these two programs together, creating a “certificate” path enabling students to explore options on college/ university campuses after high school.
To learn more about these special programs and tuition rates, go to www. discovermacs.org/speciallearning.
Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro also offers PACE as well as Quest, the school’s autism-inclusion program.
— SueAnn Howell and Spencer K.M. Brown
At www.charlottediocese.org/schools-office : Learn more about the Diocese of Charlotte’s 20 Catholic schools, their mission and their leadership
CHARLOTTE — Catholic Schools Week will be held Jan. 29-Feb. 4, featuring the national theme “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.”
Now in its 49th year, the event is organized by the National Catholic Education Association to provide the opportunity to showcase all our Catholic schools have to offer, as well as build community and encourage charitable outreach.
As part of the week’s celebrations, a
recorded video message from Bishop Peter Jugis will be shared with the schools to watch with the students on Monday, Jan. 30. Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendent of Catholic schools, and the Catholic Schools Office team have requested that the diocese’s 20 schools join in praying the joyful mysteries of the rosary at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30, to launch this year’s Catholic Schools Week.
The week’s festivities in the diocese and across the country include community
service projects, open houses and other spiritbuilding activities for students, families and parishioners – reinforcing the positive impact Catholic school students have in their local community.
Look for coverage of activities at the Charlotte diocese’s schools online and in the Feb. 3 edition of the Catholic News Herald.
— Annie Ferguson
CHARLOTTE — Earlier this school year, Principal Kevin Parks of Holy Trinity Middle School noticed many students sporting what he dubbed “pandemic hair” at school.
Parks had told the school community he was going back to pre-pandemic dress code norms for the 2022-’23 academic year.
“After two years, it’s time,” he said.
To reinforce these measures, many students received letters from Parks describing what would be required to adhere to the school’s requirements.
“I was not very popular,” Parks admitted. “Students adopted the expression, ‘I’ve been dress-coded.’ Honestly, I thought it was funny.”
Keeping his good humor, Parks said he was sincerely touched in the late fall when a group of boys decided they would get “buzz cuts.”
“The word on the street was the boys were ‘going to show Mr. Parks.’ I, however, was not certain how they were ‘going to show Mr. Parks,’” he said.
In reaction to this emerging trend, Parks ordered beanie caps with “HT Buzz Cut Club Member, Est. 2022” for any student who got a “buzz cut.” He was happy to have to reorder the special hats to meet the influx of “buzz cuts.” He has given out more than 60 hats to date –with more available.
One day, a member of the Student Council asked Parks if he would ever get a “buzz cut.” He answered, “I will if the school can raise $10,000 for MiraVia.”
One of Parks’ favorite charities, MiraVia is a pro-life organization that supports pregnant and parenting women in need and their children. He didn’t think much of his comment
at the time.
“However, the Student Council started ‘buzzing,’ so to speak,” Parks said. “The following day, Student Council representatives asked if I was serious about my comment. As much as I didn’t want to get a ‘buzz cut,’ I knew I’d have to stand by my word.”
Parks gave the school 48 hours to raise the money, ending at midnight on Friday, Jan. 13. Perhaps hoping for a closer shave money wise, Parks said late Thursday morning the school had already raised more than $7,000. Well before the stroke of midnight Jan. 13, they had exceeded the goal, with the final total of $15,500.
After accompanying his Pro-life Club students at the Charlotte March for Life on Jan. 13, Parks went directly to his barber to get the cut.
“My barber thought it was funny because for a few months she had many of our students coming to get buzz cuts to receive a hat from the school,” Parks said. “She was very touched by the bet, donations and MiraVia’s work, and refused to charge me for the haircut.”
Now with considerably less hair, Parks reflected on the experience of making this fun and charitable bet.
“I have always thought the pro-life work for mothers and babies that MiraVia does is exceptional,” he said. “They offer real-time help to real mothers and babies in need. The entire organization represents the best pro-life example that I know.”
He added, “After two years of ‘pandemic hair,’ it was time to move toward normalcy. From the students’ standpoint, many stepped up to meet the school’s set standards. This is why I purchased the special winter hats when students started getting buzz cuts earlier in the year. I couldn’t be prouder of our students every day.”
El año 2022 ha sido especialmente duro para la profesión periodística en México. Emmanuel Colombié, director de Reporteros Sin Fronteras para Latinoamérica dijo que la lista de periodistas asesinados, 17 en 2022, es “espeluznante”, y denunció que el gobierno federal y los gobiernos locales no se hacen cargo del problema, “ni toman decisiones valientes”.
ARTICLE 19, una organización independiente que defiende los derechos de libertad de expresión y acceso a la información de todas las personas, ha documentado desde el año 2000, 157 asesinatos de periodistas en México, en posible relación con su labor.
La violencia, la intolerancia contra quienes piensan distinto a otros que ejercen el poder, denuncian el crimen organizado, la corrupción o el narcotráfico, por citar solo algunas actividades al margen de la ley, es el pan de cada día en los noticieros de América del Sur, Centroamérica, el Caribe y México.
Pero la intolerancia no es ajena a los llamados países del primer mundo. El 6 de enero de 2021, después de las elecciones presidenciales en Estados Unidos, en un hecho sin precedentes en la historia norteamericana, seguidores del expresidente Donald Trump asaltaron el Congreso mientras el poder legislativo realizaba un conteo de votos de los colegios electorales y certificaba la victoria del hoy presidente Joe Biden.
La intolerancia está presente en los cinco continentes y en toda actividad humana. Parece ser algo innato en el animal más inteligente del planeta. Cabe preguntarnos entonces, ¿en verdad el género humano representa la mayor inteligencia del planeta Tierra?
Se expresa contra manifestaciones culturales, políticas, raciales, religiosas, de orientación sexual, llegando en algunos casos a generar violencia contra quienes salen fuera de nuestra concepción de “normalidad”.
En el caso de los periodistas, la agresión culmina con el asesinato, con la muerte. En otros, en segregación, intransigencia, falta de empatía, violencia sicológica, expresiones y discursos de odio, discriminación, xenofobia y “etiquetado” de quienes consideramos “seres inferiores” a nosotros.
El Papa Francisco, quien contínuamente nos hace un llamado al compromiso en defensa de la dignidad humana, dijo en diciembre de 2018 que, “en nuestras sociedades contemporáneas existen numerosas contradicciones que nos llevan a preguntarnos si la igual dignidad de todos los seres humanos, proclamada solemnemente hace 70 años, es realmente reconocida, respetada, protegida y promovida en todas las circunstancias”.
Antes, en septiembre del mismo año, con ocasión de la Conferencia Mundial de Xenofobia, Racismo y Nacionalismo Populista realizada en el Vaticano, el Papa subrayó que “en Cristo, la tolerancia se transforma en amor fraternal, ternura y solidaridad operativa. “Ser cristiano”, añadió, “es un llamado a ir a contracorriente, a reconocer, acoger y servir a Cristo mismo descartado en los hermanos”.
Con la sabiduría que lo caracteriza, el Santo Padre fue más allá y en un encuentro de diálogo interreligioso realizado en la Sala Clementina en noviembre de 2019, sentenció que “no hay alternativa: o construimos el futuro juntos o no habrá futuro”.
Así de claro habla el Papa Francisco. “El que tenga oídos para oír, que oiga” (Mateo 13:9).
CÉSAR HURTADO es gerente de medios hispanos de la Diócesis de Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE — Más de 300 personas oraron, cantaron y marcharon por las calles del centro de Charlotte el viernes 13 de enero, abogando por la santidad de la vida y alentando el apoyo a las mujeres en la elección por la vida de los hijos que llevan en sus vientres.
La Marcha por la Vida anual de este año en Charlotte elogió la reciente revocación de las decisiones de la Corte Suprema que habían legalizado el aborto a nivel nacional.
La marcha y una Misa especial por los no nacidos, ofrecida el viernes en la Iglesia San Vicente de Paúl en Charlotte, fueron un momento de oración y defensa para llamar la atención sobre los más de 64 millones de vidas perdidas por el aborto, y la necesidad de cambiar los corazones de las personas.
“El aborto solo será abolido cuando sea abolido en cada corazón, independientemente de una ley actual”, dijo Andrea Hines, feligresa de la Iglesia Santa Ana en Charlotte. “Las oraciones, el ayuno y el testimonio amoroso han generado conversiones de corazón para tener respeto por la vida”.
Tina Witt, quien lidera el grupo sin fines de lucro que organiza la marcha, dijo que, a pesar del reciente fallo de la Corte Suprema, “todavía hay más por hacer. Desearía que pudiéramos marchar todos los días. Estaría aquí todos los días, porque una vez no es suficiente. Estamos aquí hoy, con la gracia de Dios, y tenemos que decir presente a esta tarea”.
El día comenzó con una bendición del Obispo Peter Jugis fuera del Centro Pastoral de la Diócesis de
CHARLOTTE — Por tercer año consecutivo, la Iglesia Vietnamita San José en Charlotte, no celebrará su tradicional Festival Tet, en prevención del contagio de la nueva variante de COVID que ha registrado recientemente un nuevo pico de casos en el condado Mecklenburg.
Así lo dio a conocer el Padre Tri Truong, párroco de la mencionada iglesia ubicada en el suroeste de la ciudad reina, quien explicó que el festival Tet celebra la llegada del Año Nuevo Lunar en el calendario vietnamita, que este año cae precisamente el domingo 22 de enero.
Al año 2023, según el calendario lunar chino, le corresponde al año del conejo. En el calendario vietnamita es reemplazado por el gato, un animal al que se le atribuye la cualidad de listo, talentoso, ambicioso y exitoso.
La parroquia ha organizado la celebración del Año Nuevo en sus tres Misas dominicales regulares: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m. y 12:30 p.m.
La iglesia es tradicionalmente decorada para la ocasión. Al finalizar la liturgia, se reparte a todos los fieles asistentes un
sobre de buena suerte color rojo que contiene una cita bíblica y un billete de un dólar. Esta costumbre es una muestra de aprecio y deseo de que un nuevo año lleno de salud, prosperidad, felicidad y éxito bendiga el hogar de quien lo recibe. El Padre Truong anunció que este año, en festejo especial, se celebrará una Misa de vigilia el sábado 21 a las 11 de la noche. “Al terminar la Misa, tendremos una cuenta regresiva para anunciar la llegada del Año Nuevo y luego nuestro grupo juvenil Hidden Dragon Lion Dance ejecutará la danza del león.
Para quienes no puedan llegar a la Misa especial y celebración, las actividades serán transmitidas “en vivo” por el canal YouTube de la parroquia: www.youtube.com/ user/GiaoXuThanhGiuse4929
Además, para quienes deseen degustar de la comida vietnamita, el domingo 22, desde las 8:30 de la mañana hasta el mediodía, se ofrecerá a la venta los tradicionales y deliciosos platillos de esa fantástica culinaria.
La Iglesia Católica Vietnamita San José se encuentra ubicada en 4929 Sandy Porter Road en Charlotte.
“Todos son bienvenidos”, dijo el Padre Truong.
CHARLOTTE — ¿Está considerando una educación católica para su hijo? Con las inscripciones en su punto mas alto, ahora es el momento de inscribirse para el año académico 2023-’24 en cualquiera de las 20 escuelas de la Diócesis de Charlotte.
El plazo para aplicar a pre-kinder hasta kinder (jardín) de las escuelas del área de Charlotte es el miércoles 1 de febrero. La fecha límite para solicitar los grados 1-12 es el miércoles 1 de marzo. Las fechas límite para otras escuelas también se acercan pronto.
Las solicitudes se aceptan de forma continua, con espacio disponible, con prioridad para los hermanos de los estudiantes actuales y anteriores, los hijos de exalumnos y empleados, y los feligreses registrados. Algunas clases se llenan rápidamente, por lo que se anima a los padres a registrarse temprano y entrar en una lista de espera si las clases de su escuela preferida están llenas.
La matrícula para las familias católicas registradas varía de menos de $5,000 a aproximadamente $ 13,000 por año, dependiendo de la escuela y el nivel de grado.
Se proporcionan descuentos en la matrícula por inscripción de varios niños, y cada escuela ofrece ayuda financiera basada en la necesidad para las familias que califican. Todas las escuelas de la diócesis también participan en los
programas N.C. Opportunity Scholarship y N.C. Disability Scholarship.
A medida que más familias descubren el valor y el beneficio de una educación católica, la inscripción en todas las escuelas está en aumento, informa la Oficina de Escuelas Católicas de la diócesis.
La matrícula este año escolar es de 7,968 estudiantes, más del 15 por ciento que hace tres años. Las consultas han sido constantes y las orientaciones han sido bien atendidas, dijo la oficina.
El Dr. Greg Monroe, superintendente de escuelas católicas, dijo que las escuelas han estado expandiendo las clases para acomodar el crecimiento de las matrículas, y los líderes escolares continúan evaluando planes de expansión adicionales.
La escuela St. Pius X en Greensboro ha agregado secciones en su escuela intermedia. Las tres escuelas secundarias de la diócesis, Bishop McGuinness en Kernersville, Charlotte Catholic High School y Christ the King en Huntersville, han agregado secciones y profesores. La Escuela Inmaculado Corazón de María en High Point agregó una sección adicional en la primaria, y la Escuela St. Gabriel en Charlotte construyó un aula adicional de jardín de infantes.
Además, escuelas selectas en Charlotte y Greensboro ofrecen programas de aprendizaje especiales para satisfacer mejor las necesidades de los diversos
estudiantes. En muchos casos, los padres pueden proporcionar a sus hijos con necesidades especiales una educación católica desde pre-kinder hasta la escuela secundaria.
Todas las escuelas católicas de la diócesis están acreditadas a través de Cognia, el sistema de acreditación más grande para escuelas primarias y secundarias en los Estados Unidos y otros 90 países.
Las nueve escuelas en MACS son: Escuela Santa Ana (PK, TK-5), Escuela San Gabriel (K-5), Escuela San Mateo (TK-5), Escuela San Patricio (K-5), Escuela Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (PK-8), Escuela San Marcos (K-8), Escuela Media Holy Trinity (6-8), Escuela Secundaria Charlotte Catholic y Escuela Secundaria Christ the King.
n Escuela Santa Ana: 600 Hillside Ave., Charlotte; 704-525-4938; www.stanncatholic. org
n Escuela San Gabriel: 3028 Providence Road, Charlotte; 704-366-2409; www. stgabrielcatholicschool.org
n Escuela San Mateo: 11525 Elm Lane, Charlotte; 704-544-2070; www. stmattwildcats.com
n Escuela San Patricio: 1125 Buchanan St., Charlotte; 704-333-3174; www. saintpatrickschool.org
n Escuela Nuestra Señora de la Asunción: 4225 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte; 704-531-0067; www.olacatholic.org
n Escuela San Marcos: 14750 Stumptown Road, Huntersville; 704-766-5000; stmarkcatholicschool.net
n Escuela Media Holy Trinity: 3100 Park Road, Charlotte; 704-527-7822; www.htcms. org
n Escuela Secundaria Charlotte Catholic: 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte; 704-543-1127; www.charlottecatholic.org
n Escuela Secundaria Christ the King: 2011 Crusader Way, Huntersville; 704-7994400; www.ctkchs.org
Visite el sitio web de cada escuela o contáctelos directamente para programar una visita.
Para mayor información, incluyendo formas de registro MACS y oportunidades de asistencia financiera, visite www. discovermacs.org.
Las posibles familias también pueden comunicarse con la directora de admisiones de MACS, Sissie Kilby, en slkilby@rcdoc.org o 704-370-3273.
Las tasas de matrícula de MACS para el año 2023-24 para las familias católicas participantes son: $4,839 por medio día de pre-kindergarten o $7,564 por el día completo de pre-kindergarten; $7,915 por escuela elemental (kindergarten transicional a quinto grado); $8,882 por escuela media, y $12,651 por escuela secundaria. (La matrícula para los miembros de la comunidad o católicos no participantes es más alta.)
Las gastos adicionales de graduación, tecnología y actividades no están incluidas en estos costos.
Se proporcionan descuentos de matrícula a los feligreses católicos participantes y en la inscripción de varios niños. Esta es una política para todas las escuelas de la diócesis.
Existe asistencia financiera para las familias que califiquen según sus necesidades. Esta es una política para todas las escuelas de la diócesis.
Todas las escuelas diocesanas participan en los Programas de Becas de Oportunidad de Carolina del Norte y de Becas por Discapacidad de Carolina del Norte.
MACS también ofrece programas de necesidades especiales en varias locaciones, incluyendo: PACE (Proveyendo Educación Católica Académica Apropiada), MAP (Programa Académico Modificado), MMP (Programa Matthew Morgan) and el programa Opciones, que crea un camino desde la primaria hasta el grado 12 para que los estudiantes en los programas MAP y Matthew Morgan continúen prosperando en nuestras escuelas católicas y más allá. Proporciona un plan de estudios desarrollado específicamente para unir estos dos programas y crea un camino de “certificado” que permitirá a estos estudiantes explorar opciones en campus universitarios más allá de la escuela secundaria. Este programa se ofrece en Charlotte Catholic High School.
Cada uno de estos programas ofrece una experiencia educativa específica para estudiantes con necesidades especiales.
Para conocer más sobre estos programas especiales y tasas de matrícula, visite www. discovermacs.org/speciallearning.
La escuela Nuestra Señora de Gracia School en Greensboro también ofrece los programas de necesidades especiales PACE y QUEST.
Fuera del área de Charlotte, hay nueve escuelas parroquiales elementales/media y una escuela secundaria diocesana, cada una de ellas con su propio proceso de admisión, costos de matrícula y programas de ayuda financiera:
n Escuela Católica Asheville: PK-8; 12 Culvern St., Asheville; 828-252-7896; www. ashevillecatholic.org
n Escuela Secundaria Bishop McGuinness: Grados 9-12; 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, Kernersville; 336-564-1010; www. bmhs.us
n Escuela Inmaculada: PK-8; 711 Buncombe St., Hendersonville; 828-693–3277; www.immac.org
n Inmaculado Corazón de María: PK-8; 4145 Johnson St., High Point; 336-887-2613; www.ihm-school.com
n Escuela Nuestra Señora de Gracia: PK-8; 201 South Chapman St., Greensboro; 336-275-1522; www.olgsch.org
n Escuela Nuestra Señora de la Merced: PK-8; 1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem; 336722-7204; www.ourladyofmercyschool.org
n Escuela Sagrado Corazón: PK-8; 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury; 704-6332841; www.salisburycatholicschool.org
n Escuela San Leo: PK-8; 333 Springdale Ave., Winston-Salem; 336-748-8252; www. stleocatholic.com
n Escuela San Miguel: PK-8; 704 St. Michael’s Lane, Gastonia; 704-865-4382; www.stmichaelcs.com
n Escuela San Pío X: K-8; 2200 North Elm St., Greensboro; 336-273-9865; www. spxschool.com
Visite el sitio web de cada escuela o contáctelos directamente para obtener información de matrícula o programar una visita.
— SueAnn Howell y Spencer K.M. Brown
En www.charlottediocese.org/schools-office : Conozca más acerca de las 19 escuelas católicas de la Diócesis de Charlotte, su misión y sus líderes
‘La Conversión de San Pablo”, óleo en canvas de Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (Sevilla, 1617-1682), realizado aproximadamente entre 1675 y 1682.
FOTO CORTESÍA MUSEO DEL PRADO, MADRID, ESPAÑA
Cada 25 de enero, la Iglesia Católica celebra el milagro de la conversión de San Pablo, apóstol del Señor, a quien también llamamos “apóstol de los gentiles” o “apóstol de las naciones”, ya que ejerció un papel decisivo en la conformación de la Iglesia de Jesucristo, al lado de San Pedro.
Saulo, el futuro San Pablo, nació en Tarso de Cilicia, hacia el año 8 de la Era Cristiana. Perteneció a una familia judía y, como tal, estaba sólidamente formado en la Ley judaica.
Pronto pasó Saulo a Jerusalén, a completar su educación rabínica, y su maestro fue el más autorizado rabino de entonces, Gamaliel el Viejo. Su gran talento le afianzó rápidamente en los principios de la Ley antigua, que cita constantemente de memoria y con gran exactitud.
Su carácter impetuoso le lanza a un fanatismo exagerado, en legítima defensa de la Ley y tradiciones ancestrales. Su celo e impetuosidad le llevaron a unirse a los perseguidores de la fe cristiana, convencido de que defendía la causa de Dios.
Por aquel tiempo se había ya constituido en Damasco un
ENERO 22-28
Domingo: Isaías 8:23b-9:3, 1 Corintios 1:10-13, 17, Mateo 4:12-23; Lunes (Día de oración por la protección legal de la criatura en el vientre materno): Hebreos 9:15, 24-28, Marcos 3:22-30; Martes (Memoria de San Francisco de Sales, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia): Hebreos 10:1-10, Marcos 3:31-35; Miércoles (Fiesta de la Conversión de San Pablo): Hechos 22:3-16, Marcos 16:15-18; Jueves (Memoria de Santos Timoteo y Tito, obispos): 2 Timoteo 1:1-8, Marcos 4:2125; Viernes: Hebreos 10:32-39, Marcos 4:2634; Sábado (Memoria de Santo Tomas de Aquino, presbítero y doctor de la Iglesia): Hebreos 11:1-2, 8-19, Marcos 4:35-41
grupo importante de la nueva comunidad cristiana, del que pronto tuvo noticia Pablo, que contaba por entonces unos veintiséis años de edad. Con su afán de exterminio pidió al príncipe de los sacerdotes unas cartas de presentación para Damasco, a fin de apresar a los adeptos de la nueva fe.
Obtenidas las cartas, Pablo y sus compañeros se acercaban a Damasco, cuando de pronto una luz del cielo les envolvió en su resplandor. Pablo vio entonces a Jesús. A su vista cayó en tierra y oyó una voz que le decía: “Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?”.
Atemorizado y sin reconocerlo, Pablo preguntó: “¿Quién eres Tú, Señor?”.
“Yo soy Jesús, a quien tú persigues”, le respondió el Señor, quien le ordenó entrar en la ciudad, donde se le diría lo que debía hacer.
Pablo estaba ciego. En la ciudad permaneció tres días atacado por la ceguera y sin comer ni beber nada.
Recobrada milagrosamente la vista, se retiró a Arabia, donde permaneció entregado a la oración y en trato íntimo con el Señor. Regresó luego a la ciudad, entrando de lleno en su función de apóstol y en su gran labor evangelizadora.
Desde entonces empezó a predicar, directamente y sin rodeos, la doctrina de Jesús, y a proclamar que Jesucristo es el verdadero Dios y el Mesías prometido, lo que le valió persecuciones y dificultades, viajando sin descanso de una parte a otra del mundo romano, sembrando por doquier la fecunda semilla de la fe en Cristo Jesús.
Gracias al título de ciudadano romano, cuyos privilegios hizo valer, se libró de ser azotado; luego, después de dos años de estar preso en Cesarea, logró terminar su encarcelamiento apelando al César.
A fines del año 66, se le encerró en una prisión terrible, con absoluta inactividad e incomunicación. Supo, no obstante, doblegarse a la voluntad del Señor, que le tenía destinado, como a Pedro, el Príncipe de los Apóstoles, a una muerte próxima.
Según la tradición más admitida, los dos fueron inmolados el mismo día, en el año 67; Pedro, crucificado cabeza abajo en la colina del Vaticano; Pablo, decapitado en la Vía Ostiense.
— Condensado de ACI Prensa
ENERO 29-FEBRERO 4
Domingo: Sofonías 2:3, 3:12-13, 1 Corintios 1:26-31, Mateo 5:1-12a; Lunes: Hebreos 11:3240, Marcos 5:1-20; Martes (San Juan Bosco): Hebreos 12:1-4, Marcos 5:21-43; Miércoles: Hebreos 12:4-7, 11-15, Marcos 6:1-6; Jueves (Fiesta de la Presentación del Señor): Malaquías 3:1-4, Hebreos 2:14-18, Lucas 2:2240; Viernes (Santos Óscar y Blas): Hebreos 13:1-8, Marcos 6:14-29; Sábado: Hebreos 13:1517, 20-21, Marcos 6:30-34
FEBRERO 5-11
Domingo: Isaías 58:7-10, 1 Corintios 2:1-5, Mateo 5:13-16; Lunes (Memoria de San Pablo Miki y compañeros, mártires): Génesis 1:1-19, Marcos 6:53-56; Martes: Génesis 1:20-2:4, Marcos 7:1-13; Miércoles (San Jerónimo Emiliano y Santa Bakhita): Génesis 2:4-9, 15-17, Marcos 7:14-23; Jueves: Génesis 2:18-25, Marcos 7:2430; Viernes (Memoria de Santa Escolástica): Génesis 3:1-8, Marcos 7:31-37; Sábado (Nuestra Señora de Lourdes): Génesis 3:9-24, Marcos 8:1-10
SAN FRANCISCO — This year for the first time the Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco takes place “in a country where the so-called right to kill an unborn child is no longer the law of the land,” Eva Muntean, co-chair of the walk, said.
Muntean and other pro-life leaders stress in the wake of Dobbs that the work of changing hearts and minds about abortion, providing women with alternatives to abortion and cultivating a culture of life continues.
“We must and will continue to work, to pray, to provide alternatives, like supporting pro-life medical centers, and above all be a beacon of hope to women from coast to coast,” said Muntean.
She and co-chair Dolores Meehan said the Walk for Life West Coast, planned for Jan. 21, is as important as ever.
Contingents from the dioceses of Stockton, Santa Rosa and Sacramento will be among those joining participants from the San Francisco archdiocese.
In San Francisco, a 9:30 a.m. Mass of the Memorial of St. Agnes precedes an hourlong rally in San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza, followed by a walk through the city streets. It features a newly composed choral setting of the Mass, commissioned by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, to be sung in English, Spanish and Latin.
Farther south in California, the “OneLife LA” event remains just as vital too. It takes place the same day and will bring thousands of people together in Los Angeles, said Michael Donaldson, senior director of the Los Angeles archdiocese’s Office of Justice and Peace, which is the
event’s chief organizer. The events in both cities always take place on the Saturday closest to the Jan. 22 anniversary of the 1973’s Roe decision.
Participants in “OneLife LA” walk through downtown Los Angeles to a park featuring speakers, live music, food trucks and booths offering “works of mercy,” such as assistance and information on supporting immigrants and refugees, sheltering the homeless and ministering to families of the incarcerated.
The event concludes with the Requiem Mass for the Unborn at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels celebrated by Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez. First held in 2015, “OneLife LA” is not just a one-day event but is “meant to be a movement” to honor the beauty of every life and human dignity throughout the year, Donaldson said. In partnership with several organizations, the archdiocese promotes advocacy across the “full spectrum” of life issues, from conception to natural death and including immigration, homelessness, trafficking, the disabled, and the needs of fostered and adopted children.
But the abortion “battle,” Donaldson said, remains clear.
The passage of Proposition 1 in November has thrown the issue into high relief in California. Voters approved the ballot initiative that explicitly adds rights to abortion and contraception to the state constitution.
Even before the 2022 elections, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared California to be an abortion “sanctuary state.” He signed a number of laws that among other things increase the number of people who can perform abortions and help lower traveling costs for women from abortion-restrictive states who want to get an abortion there.
While some states have chosen “to value
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and protect innocent human life,” Muntean said, “others, like our state of California, have doubled down on the massacre of the innocents.”
News reports said voters “overwhelmingly” voted for Proposition 1, but it was the lowest overall voter turnout since 2014, according to the California secretary of state. Out of California’s 22 million registered voters, just 11 million voted.
But amid such voter apathy, Donaldson sees an opportunity for the Catholic Church and the pro-life movement in general “to recharge, inspire, instill hope and just enliven people’s drive to stand up for life and honor life in all stages.”
Donaldson sees this as an opportunity for the Church to evangelize, “to be more intentional in our efforts as we inform parishioners, engage with them more, provide more opportunity for dialogue” and do “more
family catechesis, walking with our parents more, and with different generations.”
San Francisco’s Archbishop Cordileone said, “We need to help people envision a world without abortion, where every baby is welcomed.”
Some people say such a world will never be, so why keep trying, he remarked, “but we want people to envision a world without war, and that may seem impossible but people still are working for that.”
Despite the fact abortion is enshrined in the state constitution, pro-life advocates are not discouraged, the archbishop added.
“Are we hopeful? We fought Roe for 49 years, and, lo and behold, it did not reach 50,” Muntean said. “We started the Walk for Life in San Francisco, the most anti-life city in the country in the face of media and governmental opposition. We thrive on hope; as Christians we live in hope.”
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BALTIMORE — As the nation commemorated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on Jan. 16, both personal conversion and action are needed to build what the slain civil rights leader called “the beloved community,” said Catholic clergy and lay leaders. King’s ability “to move from altar to street” was rooted in an authentic relationship with Christ, said Father Stephen Thorne, a consultant and special projects coordinator for the National Black Catholic Congress. Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, encouraged Catholics to embrace “personal conversion” to take down unjust structures in society, “Remembering Dr. King was guided first by his faith.” The Knights of Peter Claver, a family-based, historically Black Catholic fraternal order, also released a statement that blended calls to prayer with “projects and programs aimed at unjust systems – not just the criminal justice system, but any societal system where inequities and injustices exist.”
began Jan. 9. The case marks the first federal death penalty case heard under President Joe Biden, who pledged as a presidential candidate to end the practice at the federal level. Saipov, who allegedly carried out the deadliest terror attack in New York since Sept. 11, 2001, faces charges eligible for the death penalty. His lawyers requested in 2022 that Biden’s Justice Department withdraw a Trump administration directive to seek the death penalty in the case. However, Attorney General Merrick Garland denied the request, prompting the administration’s first federal death penalty trial despite the campaign pledge made by Biden, who is the nation’s second baptized Catholic president.
BISMARCK, N.D. — A former FOCUS missionary and adult faith formation director for the Diocese of Bismarck, N.D., Servant of God Michelle Duppong died of cancer Christmas Day 2015 at age 31. Those who knew her emphasize her
unwavering joy, down-to-earth personality and a “thirst for souls” that motivated her desire to share Jesus with others. Duppong’s mother, Mary Ann, said prayer requests have increased since All Saints Day Nov. 1, when Bishop David D. Kagan of Bismarck officially opened her daughter’s cause for canonization.
NEW YORK — The terrorism trial of Sayfullo Saipov, who is accused of fatally striking eight people with a truck in New York City in 2017,
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just six months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that abortion is not a constitutional right, America’s pro-life advocates and health care providers are preparing for another consequential shift following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s finalization of a rule change that significantly expands availability of the abortion pill mifepristone. While a prescription is still necessary, patients will be able to acquire Mifeprex – and its approved generic – at retail pharmacies. Both Walgreens and CVS said they plan to offer mifepristone in states where it is legal. The FDA’s rule changes are challenging pro-life advocates to rethink effective, lifesaving strategies – from creating pro-life health clinics to digital ads. Molly Sheahan, associate director of Life & Family Advocacy at the California Catholic Conference, noted that with abortion pills and the internet, “The frontier on the issue of abortion isn’t necessarily the abortion clinic –it’s the mobile phone.”
Shannen Dee Williams
Saturday, February 11, 2023 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
For most people, Whoopi Goldberg’s performance as Sister Mary Clarence in Sister Act is the dominant interpretation of an African American nun and the desegregation of white Catholic sisterhood in the United States. In this talk Dr. Williams will explore the story of America’s real sister act: the story of how generations of Black women and girls called to the sacred vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience fought against racism, sexism, and exclusion to become and minister as consecrated women of God in the Roman Catholic Church. In so doing, she will turn attention to women’s religious life as an important battleground in the long African American struggle for freedom, justice, and human dignity.
Dr. Shannen Dee Williams is Associate Professor of History at the University of Dayton. She is the author of Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Struggle (2022)
This program will be available in person and on-line.
When registering, please indicate the chosen option.
Registration for America’s Real Sister Act may be made in one of the following ways:
Through the Oratory website: www.rockhilloratory.org Go to Center for Spirituality / Events OR
By email to oratorycenter@gmail.com with America’s Real Sister Act in the subject line.
This program is cosponsored by St. Mary Parish in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Like MLK, Catholics are called by Christ to move ‘from altar to street’
Biden administration permits death penalty trial despite campaign pledge
For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com
BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN, Jordan — The officially recognized site of Jesus’ baptism drew thousands of Catholics and others nationwide to the east bank of the Jordan River Jan. 13 for a special Mass as COVID-19 restrictions dropped. Families, youth, dignitaries, nuns and priests joined the pilgrims’ throng gathered first at the lush, reed-filled banks of the river as bagpipe music welcomed the faithful. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, emphasized in his homily the importance of Bethany Beyond the Jordan, recorded in the New Testament as not only the place of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist, but also for the act that heralded the start of Jesus’ public ministry. “It comes two months after Jordan’s official announcement to develop lands adjacent to the site” to accommodate pilgrims for longer stays in the area, Father Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan told OSV News. Funds are needed for this project and for the completion of the church. More than 25 years ago, excavations began on the east bank of the Jordan River and uncovered the baptism site. Now Jordan wants the site to be more accessible and capable of hosting more tourists.
KHARKIV, Ukraine — While war in Ukraine continues with no end in sight, one group in particular is contributing to a more peaceful world amid the turmoil of Russian invasion –the Catholic religious sisters of Ukraine. From feeding and sheltering displaced refugees, to evacuating orphanages and providing spiritual and psychological support, to hiding the artistic treasures of their monasteries, these women religious are mirroring what many congregations did during World War II in neighboring Poland. The rule they operate under? “It’s our vocation.” The elderly people who are their charges remember the Second World War – and the current conflict is yet another trauma for them. The sisters also take care of the widows and children left behind by fallen soldiers. They work in silence, without publicity. They are not heroes, they say. Rather, what they do is an expression of their love for God and neighbor, and, in this way, they fulfill their vocation.
KRAKOW, Poland — Catholic aid organizations are warning that increasing attacks by Russian missiles are preventing supply access to Ukraine, after 44 civilians, including four children, were killed when a Russian missile struck an apartment block in Dnipro Jan. 13, and a Catholic volunteer lost a leg delivering food in the embattled Bakhmut in the Donbas region a week earlier. “Our 200 Ukrainian order members have disbursed humanitarian relief throughout this war across the country, right up to the front
march during a protest by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Catholic and Protestant churches, against escalating violence in Kinshasa Dec. 4, 2022. Deadly violence hit Christians in Africa Jan. 15, with a Catholic priest in northern Nigeria burned to death and as many as 17 Christians killed in a blast in eastern DRC.
NAIROBI, Kenya — Deadly violence hit Christians in Africa Jan. 15, with a Catholic priest in northern Nigeria burned to death and as many as 17 Christians killed in a blast in eastern Congo.
In Nigeria, Father Isaac Achi was burned to death at his residence in Paikoro, a local government area of Niger state. The armed men had set his house ablaze after a failed break-in at 3 a.m. Another priest who was at the house, identified only as Father Collins, was shot and injured as he tried to escape.
An Indigenous priest from the area ordained in 1995, Father Achi recently was the priest in charge of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in the Diocese of Minna, Nigeria.
Government and Church officials in the state have condemned the killing of the priest. The Christian Association of Nigeria called for speedy investigations and arrest of the killers.
“Enough of the attacks and wanton killings of innocent Nigerian citizens,” said Archbishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the association in Minna in a media statement. He prayed for the repose of Father Achi’s soul and all others killed in the violence.
The association said the attackers had arrived in the area in the early Sunday hours and shots were heard sporadically, before turning on the priest’s house.
The motive for the latest attack was not immediately clear, however. In the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria, armed men – commonly referred to as “bandits” in the country – have
targeted priests and pastors in the recent past, but as the West African country prepares to vote Feb. 25, kidnappings for ransom are on the rise, according to reports.
It was not the first attack against Father Achi, who in 2011 survived an attack by Boko Haram, the north Nigerian militant group, during a Christmas church service. The attack left 44 parishioners dead. He also had been shot while blessing a child and had survived an abduction by militants.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the death toll from a Jan. 15 church attack is an estimated 17 people, according to figures provided by DRC’s government spokesman, with some sources however saying 10 people were killed and 39 others were injured. People were killed in a bomb explosion during a service in a Pentecostal church in the eastern town of Kasindi, near the DRC border with Uganda.
They had been gathered in the church for baptism.
“Several among us died on the spot, others had their feet cut in two,” Esdras Kambale Mupanya, the 42-year-old deacon at the evangelical church in Kasindi, told the AFP news agency. “God saved me, and I came out in good health with my choir members. Today was not the day I should die.”
The army has linked the attack to the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic extremist group originally from Uganda, operating in central Africa. In 2019, the militant group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, also known as Daesh.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi condemned the attack saying he was saddened by the “heinous crime.”
line,” said Krzysztof Sietczynski, spokesman for the Knights of Columbus in Poland. “Although we’ll continue sending aid, Moscow’s missile campaign is obviously impeding our work, and we can’t reach areas controlled and occupied by the Russian army.”
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis praised the late Australian Cardinal George Pell as a faithful servant of God and of the Catholic Church, who steadfastly followed the Lord even “in the hour of trial” when he was jailed for sexual abuse before his conviction was overturned by Australia’s highest court. Cardinal Pell died in Rome Jan. 10 at the age of 81 after suffering a heart attack following hip replacement surgery.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the cardinal’s funeral Jan. 14 in St. Peter’s Basilica with Pope Francis presiding over the final commendation and farewell at the end of the Mass.
Pope Francis said in a December interview, “He is a great man, and we owe him so much.” The pope made the same points in a telegram addressed Jan. 11 to Cardinal Re. Offering his condolences also to Cardinal Pell’s brother and family members, Pope Francis said the Australian prelate would be remembered for “his consistent and committed witness, his dedication to the Gospel and the Church, and particularly his diligent cooperation with the Holy See in its recent economic reform, for which he laid the foundations with determination and wisdom.”
He prayed that the cardinal, “who without wavering followed his Lord with perseverance even in the hour of trial,” would be “received into the joy of heaven and receive the reward of eternal peace.”
VATICAN CITY — The call to faith in Jesus always is a call to service and mission, Pope Francis told seminarians, priests and staff of the Pontifical North American College. “Whenever Jesus calls men and women, he always does so in order to send them out, in particular to the vulnerable and those on the margins of society, whom we are not only called to serve but from whom we can also learn much,” the pope said Jan. 14. The college, a seminary in Rome sponsored by the bishops of the United States, has 116 students from 55 dioceses.
Monsignor Thomas W. Powers, rector of the college, told Pope Francis: “The generous young men you see in front of you want to be like Jesus, the Good Shepherd. They know the Lord will use their eyes to seek out the suffering; their mouths to preach His Word, console the afflicted and make Him present in the Eucharist; their hands to give strength to the sick and the dying and to heal those oppressed by sin; and their feet to go to the peripheries to lead the lost sheep home.”
Pope Francis noted that the students’ years in Rome coincide with “the synodal journey that the whole Church is presently undertaking, a journey that involves listening – to the Holy Spirit and to one another – in order to discern how to help God’s holy people live His gift of communion and become missionary disciples.” The same “challenge and task” is entrusted to those preparing for ordination, he said.
“People need us to listen to their questions, anxieties and dreams so that we can better
lead them to the Lord, who rekindles hope and renews the life of all.”
ROME — The United States’ chief advocate for religious freedom expressed his “disappointment” in the Vatican over its provisional agreement with China on the appointment of bishops in the country. Nury A. Turkel, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, met with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican foreign minister, at the Vatican Jan 12. Speaking afterward to journalists at a meeting hosted by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, Turkel said the 45-minute meeting, lengthy by Vatican standards, focused primarily on religious persecution in China.
The Vatican and China signed an agreement in 2018 that recognized the pope as the leader of the Catholic Church and set out a process for cooperation between the Chinese government and the Vatican for the appointment of bishops. Its terms have never been made public, and in October 2022 it was renewed for a third twoyear term.
Turkel said that China “has been using the agreement to justify its crackdown on
Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang, who has been detained by Chinese authorities since May 2021 for refusing to join the governmentrecognized church.
VATICAN CITY — Health care is not a luxury, it is a right that belongs to everyone, Pope Francis told health care workers.
“A world that rejects the sick, that does not assist those who cannot afford care, is a cynical world with no future. Let us always remember this: health care is not a luxury, it is for everyone,” the pope said Jan. 16 during a meeting with members of an Italian federation of professional associations of technicians and specialists working in the fields of radiology, rehabilitation and preventative medicine. He expressed his deep gratitude for their work, especially during the pandemic.
“Without your commitment and effort many people who were ill would not have been looked after,” he said. “Your sense of duty inspired by the power of love enabled you to serve others, even putting your own health at risk.”
In a world marked by a throwaway culture, the health professionals promote a culture of care, embodied in the good Samaritan, who does not look the other way, but approaches and helps a person in need with compassion, the pope said.
“I’m a recovering Catholic,” our contractor announces jauntily, apropos of what I can’t remember. I think we were trying to decide on flooring for the front deck.
It’s a phrase with which we’ve become familiar, so common that this guy we know only because he’s overseeing some basic repairs to our old house can throw it out casually.
Another common phrase in today’s parlance: “I was raised Catholic.” I can’t count the number of interviews with famous people in which I’ve read that statement. Often, it’s said with fondness. The people being interviewed are ascribing their beliefs in social justice, charity and right order to the years they spent at Mass or in a Catholic school classroom or gathered around the table for grace.
But let’s be clear, their comment implies, “I took the good part and left.” In many circles, to declare one is still a “practicing” Catholic is to admit to being old-fashioned, to still believing in Santa Claus, especially if Santa has been credibly accused of abuse. They’ve left that behind with the avocado appliances and shag carpeting of their childhood.
For those of us who still place our faith in this community of saints and sinners, it can feel lonely. Many people around me are not going to church at all, and some of the stalwart Catholics I knew from my youthful days as a Jesuit Volunteer and young wife and mother are dropping out or experimenting with other Christian denominations.
I have a young friend who threw up his hands at the Church because he saw our leadership failing to embrace Catholic social teaching. The abuse cover-up was the last straw.
“But what about the sacraments?” I asked. “Don’t you miss the Eucharist?”
His answer was vague. Those other things were very important to him. OK, those things are important to me, too.
But don’t you miss the Eucharist? Don’t you want to be part of the change, part of the synodal process?
At a book sale, I found a used copy of Father Henri Nouwen’s book, “Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith.” This Dutch priest and theologian, who died in 1996, was a prolific writer. The book was published in 1997, before the abuse scandal hit the news.
Nevertheless, in his entry for Oct. 20, he writes, “Over the centuries the Church has done enough to make any critical person want to leave it.”
He recounts “violent crusades, pogroms, power struggles, oppression, excommunications, executions, manipulation of people and ideas, and constantly recurring divisions.”
Whew. And he hasn’t even touched on more recent headlines. But then he asks if we can believe “that this is the same Church that carries in its center the Word of God and the sacraments of God’s healing love?”
He speaks of the human brokenness of the Church, which presents the broken body of Christ to the world. Human promises are broken; God’s promise “stands unshaken.”
I love the Church because I love the communion of saints. I love the sacramentals, the sacraments, the mystics and monasteries, the heroes from Teresa of Avila to Thea Bowman, from Ignatius of Loyola to Dorothy Day, from Francis of Assisi to Edith Stein. Would this cloud of witnesses want me to leave?
I wish that young man would stay. We need him. We need him involved in the conversation. We need him prodding his pastor and his bishop. We need him finding the promise among the brokenness of an imperfect Church. We need the community of each other.
Peter’s plaintive words in John 6:68 echo. “Lord, to whom would we go?”
Who doesn’t complain about one thing or another, probably on a weekly basis? The people of the Old and New Testaments were no exceptions. Even the apostles voiced complaints from time to time. Often they didn’t understand Jesus’s teachings, and they didn’t realize their own worth. The Israelites wandering in the desert raised a continuous litany of complaints: “We are thirsty! We are hungry! We want to go back to Egypt! Who put you in charge?”
When we complain, we cover up the glory of God. Psalm 42 says that when we complain we are hindering the work of the Holy Spirit and the cultivation of the virtues. After all, complaint is the direct opposite of the virtue of gratitude, being thankful for what we do have that has been bestowed upon us by God’s grace each day.
Those of us in the work environment know that nothing can tear us down more than complaints. This also holds true for complaints within our own homes. If we look at what we can replace our complaints with, namely gratitude, we can turn the complaint around very quickly. Gratitude for our job, for the lessons we learn from our co-workers and the people we serve. Gratitude for our families, our children, our parents, our homes.
Instead of fighting against the Holy Spirit, we should look to the Spirit for encouragement. What if we asked the Holy Spirit to encourage us, to lighten the complaint, to replace our grievance with joy and peace? Perhaps that joy and peace can come from Christ Himself.
Remember Psalm 23. As God’s people, our cup already overflows, having received so much grace in Christ Jesus. Maybe we need time to walk through the green pastures with Christ, to talk with Him beside the still waters. In this time of quiet conversation, could we flush out the source of our complaint?
The Israelites in the desert were hungry. They no longer wanted to bother with the manna that they had to collect each day for survival. Our complaint may also be based on our earthly wants. In the case of the Israelites, it was the desire to eat “meat” (Num 11:1-9). Yet, the manna, unbeknownst to them, was the true bread that would sustain them in faith. Wanting earthly things cost the Israelites their promise and ultimately cut them off from God. What He offered was not enough for them.
Maybe our complaint is a signal that we are hungry, too. If we are being true to ourselves, we most likely hunger and thirst for something this world cannot give. Only Christ can give us what we seek.
But doesn’t Jesus offer His holy bread, His holy body to us every day to feed us at Mass? Did He not send the Holy Spirit to be with us, in us? What could be more? Is Christ not enough? Miraculously, the sin that is at the root of our complaint, can, through Christ, become
a means to our healing. Think about the serpents that were set upon the Israelites in the desert when they were complaining of lack of food. After Moses’ intercession and the people’s quick repentance, God told Moses to create a bronze serpent to set up as a sign so that those bitten would be healed. “The sign of that which caused death, ironically became a source of healing” (Great Adventure Bible, page 177).
Likewise, the cross – a symbol of evil, pain and death – becomes an instrument of salvation and a sign of God’s love.
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). He gave His only Son on the cross to save us, to feed us, to heal us. What a zealous joy should fill our hearts and put our thoughts not on earthly complaints, but on the joys of heaven, filled as it should be with unending gratitude.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul explains that Israel’s grumbling in the desert is written down for us as instruction to overcoming whatever may tempt us to complain. “Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction. … No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:11-13).
Paul goes on to explain in Galatians that “desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.” Within the works of the flesh are jealousy, anger, selfishness, envy and dissension. But we must put on the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:17-25).
When complaints arise, look to the cross. Make a list of gratitudes to outweigh the complaint and ask the Holy Spirit to give you peace and healing. Christ may be using the complaint to teach or guide us, to shape us in some way. Let go and hold out your hand to Christ. Pretend you are walking beside the still waters with Him and give love back to the complaint.
What if we tried this tactic from Numbers 21? Write down our complaint when it presents itself and then stretch out our hands and pray over it in the name of Jesus. Ask for understanding, a relinquishment from the devil’s desolation in your heart, and faith to know God’s will. This small step of prayer will help you overcome and persevere.
“Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond” (Col 3:12-14).
APRIL PARKER is a teacher and member of St. Pius X Parish in Greensboro.
‘Many people around me are not going to church at all, and some of the stalwart Catholics I knew from my youthful days ... are dropping out...’April Parker Effie Caldarola
Iam looking forward to making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land at the end of this month. This seemed an opportune occasion to upgrade my luggage, so I did what one does when making a major purchase in the 21st century. I spent hours online researching options, comparing prices and reading reviews. Eventually I made a decision I felt good about, completed my purchase and sat back to await the delivery of papa’s brand new bags.
Anyone with a social media account can predict what happened next. My newsfeed was soon saturated with advertisements for the world’s best carry-on bags and revolutionary new packing systems. Slick looking brands I had never heard of were laid out before my gaze. Superlatives were tossed around. Everything was the best, the most and the greatest. Who knew luggage could be this good? I could transform my whole travel experience. And if I act now, I can have all this at unprecedented discount prices. For a limited time only, of course. While just moments ago I was perfectly happy with my new luggage purchase, now doubt began to creep in. Did I really make the best decision? Would I have been happier with something different? What if something better is out there and I miss out?
The discontentment I now felt with my luggage purchase was entirely fabricated. There was nothing wrong with my new luggage. The reasons I chose it were still valid. But my perception was being manipulated by the targeted advertising. The truly troubling thing is that I was perfectly aware of what was going on, yet it still worked on a subconscious level. My discontent was real, even if unwarranted.
I write this not to complain about targeted ads, but to illustrate the broader point that temptation is often preceded by discontent. Before the serpent in the garden tempted Adam and Eve, he first sowed discontent into their hearts by asking, “Did God really say you shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden?” (Gen 3:1). Our first parents were in Paradise! But all the serpent had to do was show them how good the forbidden fruit looked, and suddenly all the other fruit in the world didn’t seem as appealing. We can therefore help ward off temptation by fostering an attitude of contentment in the various circumstances of our life.
This goes well beyond material possessions. Our consumerist society trains us to believe that a good life comes from owning the latest and greatest toys. But what happens when you bring this attitude into your marriage, or your faith life? If your spouse isn’t making you happy, leave and put yourself back “on the market” to find someone else. If you don’t like the new pastor, you can always go “church shopping” to find a parish more suited to your taste. Note the consumerist terms we use to describe these phenomena. This is not to say that there may not be legitimate problems with your marriage or
your parish that need addressing, but it’s important to ask whether the discontent you feel is based on reality or a lie. This is easy to do when it comes to buying new luggage. A suitcase with a broken handle needs to be replaced. It’s more difficult when it comes to human relationships, for the simple reason that no one is perfect. If you’re inclined to blame the problems in your marriage on your spouse’s flaws, you are sure to find them. The same holds true for your job, your parish, or any situation involving other fallen human beings. There will always be something that the world, the flesh or the devil (the three traditional sources of temptation) can use to sow discontent and tempt us to overlook or discount the real blessings God has so graciously poured into our lives. When we find ourselves feeling discontent, I recommend three simple steps.
First, take an honest look at your situation, both positive and negative, without judgment. Since it’s impossible to see all aspects of a situation from the inside, speaking with an unbiased third party can help with this. When you do so, try to avoid complaining about others, and be open to looking honestly at your own role in the relationship.
Second, thank God for the blessings you have. Scripture instructs us to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:18). Developing a habit of thanksgiving helps us avoid the trap of only focusing on the negative.
Third, recognize that because all these things come from God, they are meant for your good, even in their imperfections. God would not permit hardship in our lives if there were not some good to be gained from it. God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28).
If you find the reasons for your discontent are warranted, take the situation to prayer and ask what God would have you do about it, in charity. Even then it is possible to find contentment in the midst of hardship, knowing that you are doing God’s will.
Christ tells us plainly that the peace he offers is not the peace offered by the world (Jn 14:27). If we expect to be fully satisfied by the things of this world, we are guaranteed disappointment. The Catechism teaches that true happiness is not found in any created thing, but in God alone (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1723). The key to being content with the imperfections of this world is to recognize that this world was never meant to satisfy our deepest longings, which means they must be fulfilled by something beyond this world. St. Paul boasted that he found the secret to being content in all circumstances: that secret was Christ, who strengthens him in all things (Ph 4:12-13).
DEACON MATTHEW NEWSOME is the Catholic campus minister at Western Carolina University and the regional faith formation coordinator for the Smoky Mountain Vicariate.
From online story: “Nothing can diminish the value of any human being, pope
Through press time on Jan. 18, 15,354 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 22,386 pages this month. The top five headlines so far this month have been:
n Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passes away, aged 95 625 n March for Life: ‘God does amazing things’ 612 n Salisbury parish pulls out all the stops for Jan. 8 dedication of new digital organ .............. 577 n Bishop Jugis closes out 50th anniversary year, announces patroness 389 n St. Pius X Parish community donates 50,000 pounds of food to local food pantry............282
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‘God knows us one by one, with our name and our face, which is unique.’
says”
Charlotte. Luego los manifestantes se dirigieron hacia el norte por la calle Tryon hasta Independence Square, donde se reunieron para orar y escuchar a los oradores. Estudiantes de Charlotte Catholic High School y Holy Trinity Middle School llevaban pancartas alentando a las personas a “Amarlos a ambos”, refiriéndose a la madre y al niño.
“Siento que es importante estar aquí hoy para presenciar y defender la vida”, dijo Luciano Salas, un estudiante de décimo grado vestido con una sudadera roja de Charlotte Catholic High School. “Es importante defender a todos los no nacidos y a las madres”.
El Padre Peter Ascik, director de la Oficina de Vida Familiar de la diócesis, también se enfocó en la necesidad de aumentar el apoyo a las mujeres embarazadas.
“El trabajo del movimiento provida continúa, un trabajo que implica defender a la madre y al niño”, dijo el Padre Ascik. “Entonces, estamos aquí hoy, como en años anteriores, para dar testimonio de la dignidad de la vida humana, y también para dar testimonio a nuestra sociedad, para profesar que podemos hacerlo mejor y cuidar tanto a la madre como al niño”.
En la plaza, el Padre Aaron Huber, vicario parroquial de la Iglesia San Marcos en Huntersville, se dirigió a la multitud con palabras de aliento.
Señaló que ser provida no es simplemente asistir a una marcha una vez al año o simplemente decir “no” al aborto.
“Al igual que nuestras vidas no están simplemente huyendo del pecado, sino corriendo hacia la bondad, debemos vivir nuestras vidas por la vida. No podemos decir que somos amantes de la humanidad sin amar a la gente”, explicó el Padre Huber. “De la misma manera, ser provida significa servir a todos los vivos, y a los que están en camino, y proporcionarles la oportunidad de vivir en la libertad de Jesucristo”.
También tomó la palabra Abby Johnson, ex directora clínica de Planned Parenthood que se convirtió en activista provida y fue tema de la película, “Unplanned”.
Cuando subió al escenario, dio la bienvenida a un puñado de personas que acudieron a protestar contra la marcha.
“Comencé igual que ellos”, dijo Johnson. “Solía ser una acompañante clínica. Y ahora estoy aquí hoy. He ayudado a más de 640 trabajadoras del aborto a dejar sus clínicas. ¡Dios hace cosas asombrosas!”
Johnson luego recibió aplausos cuando presentó a una “renunciante”, una mujer de Charlotte que abandonó la industria del aborto.
“Hoy puedes ver los frutos de tu trabajo”, dijo Johnson a la multitud, presentando a Alicia Davis, una ex
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Por primera vez en 50 años, se espera que miles de defensores provida de Carolina del Norte y todo el país viajen el viernes 20 de enero a Washington, D.C. para participar en la Marcha Nacional por la Vida, dando testimonio de la santidad de la vida, en esta ocasión vez resaltando la anulación de la decisión del caso Roe vs. Wade en Estados Unidos. El tema de la Marcha por la Vida 2021 es “Próximos pasos: marchando por una América post-Roe.”
La fallecida defensora provida, Nellie Gray, y otros organizadores comenzaron la marcha anual en 1974, para conmemorar la histórica decisión de la Corte Suprema del 22 de enero de 1973 que legalizó el aborto en los Estados Unidos.
Roe vs Wade fue anulado con el caso Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization en junio pasado.
La marcha nacional es considerada la mayor manifestación anual de derechos humanos en el mundo y ha dado lugar a marchas estatales en todo el país. Varias parroquias de la diócesis están enviando autobuses con feligreses para participar en varios eventos de la Marcha por la Vida del 19 al 21 de enero. Previo a la Marcha por la Vida, el Obispo de Raleigh, Luis R. Zarama, ofrecerá la Misa anual por la Vida para los peregrinos de Carolina del Norte, a partir de las 11:30 a.m. del viernes 20 de enero en la Basílica del Santuario Nacional de la Inmaculada Concepción.
El padre Aaron Huber, vicario parroquial de St. Mark en Huntersville, y el obispo Peter Jugis (derecha) oraron con los manifestantes el 13 de enero antes de la procesión desde el Centro Pastoral hacia el centro de la Marcha por la Vida de Charlotte.
enfermera de una clínica de abortos al sur de Charlotte. Decenas de personas presentes habían orado durante años para que la clínica donde trabajaba cerrara. Finalmente ocurrió el año pasado.
Davis habló sobre las cosas que vio mientras trabajaba en la clínica y cómo crecieron sus dudas de involucrarse. Muchas de las mujeres que ingresaron a la clínica buscaban orientación, dijo Davis, quien respondía: “Depende totalmente de ti y de Dios porque Dios tiene la última palabra”.
Monseñor Patrick J. Winslow, vicario general y canciller de la Diócesis de Charlotte, será el homilista. Concelebrarán sacerdotes de las diócesis de Charlotte y Raleigh.
Se llevará a cabo un mitin al mediodía en el National Mall. Luego, a la 1 p.m. los participantes marcharán en una nueva ruta hasta y alrededor del Capitolio de los Estados Unidos para orar.
El 20 de enero, la Marcha nacional por la Vida se transmitirá en vivo en el portal www.marchforlife.com, en la página de Facebook March for Life y su canal de YouTube.
— SueAnn Howell