Religious group takes next step in Church recognition

SUEANN HOWELL sahowell@charlottediocese.org

CHARLOTTE — The Daughters of the Virgin Mother, a Gastonia-based group of religious sisters committed to supporting the priesthood and vocations in the Diocese of Charlotte, is one step closer to formal recognition as a religious community of the Catholic Church.

On Jan. 12, the anniversary of the founding of the diocese, Bishop Peter Jugis presented a decree declaring the group a “Private Association of the Christian Faithful,” moving the Daughters along in the Church’s process of becoming a fully recognized religious community.

Bishop Jugis presented the decree to the group’s founder, Sister Mary Raphael of the Divine Physician, at the closing Mass of the diocese’s 50th anniversary year in Charlotte.

Formed in 2015, the Daughters of the Virgin Mother tend to practical and spiritual needs of men preparing for the priesthood, as well as those already ordained. They serve in local parishes, assist pastors, prepare meals, and maintain the household for 21 seminarians and their formation leaders at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly.

The group also helps the diocese’s Vocations Office in organizing the “Duc In Altum” summer vocation discernment camp for young women at Belmont Abbey College. They encourage, advocate and pray for religious vocations throughout the diocese, and they teach and share the faith with young women each month at Belmont Abbey College and St. Ann Parish in Charlotte.

In presenting the decree, Bishop Jugis noted, “After some discernment that it might possibly be the work of the Holy Spirit, we have granted her (Sister Mary Raphael’s) request that they be elevated to the next level, a Private Association of the Faithful, that grants special recognition in canon law.”

Bishop Jugis commended Sister Mary Raphael for discerning the will of the Holy Spirit in everything related to the group’s work, and he noted that other women have been attracted to that same mission.

“It’s been an experiment – you feel that. We knew we were in the experimental