CATHOLIC ALL WEEK

Timely tips for blending faith & life

When it comes to American saints, women achieved many of the firsts – the first Native American saint, the first American-born saint, and the first U.S. citizen to become a saint. Kateri Tekakwitha, Elizabeth Ann Seton and Frances Xavier Cabrini also have important July events associated with their sainthood. Honor the legacy of these incredible women by celebrating with friends and family:

CELEBRATE THE ‘LILY OF THE MOHAWKS’

The daughter of a Mohawk chief and a Christian Algonquin woman, St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656.

In life she faced many trials. Smallpox claimed the lives of her parents. Tekakwitha survived, but the disease damaged her eyesight and scarred her face. Later, she converted to Catholicism and took the name Kateri, or Catherine. She died in 1680 and was canonized in 2012, becoming the first Native American saint. She is known for her purity, which earned her the name “Lily of the Mohawks,” and her example led to the conversion of many. Her feast day is July 14. Honor St. Kateri by putting on a play about her life, eating foods like cornbread that were enjoyed by the Mohawk people, or by making crosses from sticks as Kateri was known to do.

PIROUETTE IN HONOR OF ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON

STAFF

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Canonized in 1975, Elizabeth Ann Seton is the first American-born saint. Born into a wealthy family in 1774, she was exposed to many of the social graces of her time. She founded the first Catholic girls’ school and later the first sisterhood in the United States on July 31, 1809. She took vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and service to the poor on July 19, 1813. Throughout her life, she loved to dance and kept the silk ballet slippers of her youth, now on display at her shrine in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Dance and support Catholic education in her honor.

MAKE MOTHER CABRINI’S ‘MIRACULOUS’ POUND CAKE

An Italian immigrant known for her indefatigable charity, strength and resourcefulness, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini was canonized on July 7, 1946, becoming the first American saint. She opened orphanages, hospitals and schools on three continents and became a U.S. citizen in 1909. Celebrate her holiness and true American spirit by making Mother Cabrini’s Pound Cake (pictured right) from newclassicrecipe.com

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Diocesan calendar of events

ESPAÑOL

VIÑEDO DE RAQUEL: ¿Es usted o un ser querido que busca la curación de los efectos de un aborto anterior? Los retiros de fin de semana son ofrecidos por Caridades Católicas para hombres y mujeres en todas las regiones de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Para obtener información sobre los próximos retiros, comuníquese con Karina Hernández: 336-267-1937 o karinahernandez@live.com.

VIGILIA DE ADORACIÓN: 6 p.m. los jueves, en la Catedral San Patricio, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Nos reunimos para una Vigilia de Adoración por la Paz y la Justiciaen Nicaragua, que en estos últimos meses están pasando por momentos turbulentos y ataques físicos contra la Iglesia Católica, sus templos, y sus Obispos. Todos son bienvenidos a unirse a la Adoración, rezar el Santo Rosario, la hora santa de reparación, y terminando con la oración de exorcismo de San Miguel Arcángel.

PRAYER SERVICES

IGBO MASS : 11:30 a.m. Sunday, July 23, St. Mary’s Church, 812 Duke St. Park at Windsor Center. For details, call 336-707-3625.

ST. PEREGRINE HEALING PRAYER : 6-7 p.m. second Thursday of each month in the New Life Center Building adjacent to St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. St. Peregrine healing prayer service includes a blessing with a relic of St. Peregrine. St. Peregrine has been called the wonder worker for his intercession on behalf of those living with serious illness. He is the patron saint of all who are afflicted by cancer, leg ailments or any life-threatening disease. He is also the patron saint of at-risk youth. All are welcome.

PRO-LIFE ROSARY After the 9 a.m. Mass every third Sunday at Mother Teresa Pro-Life Memorial, St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte

HOLY APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST LUKE MISSION (UKRAINIAN

CATHOLIC CHURCH) Divine Liturgy (Mass) at 3 p.m. Sundays at St. Barnabas Church, 109 Crescent Hill Road, Arden. For details, email ucmcanton@gmail.com.

His Excellency, Bishop Peter J. Jugis, will participate in the following upcoming event:

JULY 18 – 4:30 P.M.

Catholic Charities Board of Directors

Mass and Meeting

Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Stages of sainthood

STEP 1: Die – Unfortunately, the first step to becoming a canonized saint of the Church is to die, yet you do have the benefit of being in heaven with Our Lord. Generally, a person must have been dead for five years before they can be considered for official canonization.

STEP 2: Servant of God – There are three things to look at if a person is to be considered for sainthood. The person must be thought of as having “heroic virtue,” they must be thought of as being in heaven, and they must be recognized by the Church for the sake of the faithful still here on Earth. This begins when people petition the bishop of the diocese where the person lived to begin an investigation into their life. If the final report of the person is favorable, they gain the status of “Servant of God.”

STEP 3: Venerable – The findings of the local bishop are sent to Rome to the Dicastery of the Causes of Saints. The investigation into the life of the person continues, with a positive outcome being the person is deemed a person of “heroic virtue.” As part of this process a person called a “devil’s advocate” raises questions and objections to the candidate’s sainthood to make sure all aspects of the person’s life are critically examined (that’s where the term originated). The congregation will also investigate the circumstances of the person’s death if they were killed – determining if the person was killed for his or her faith. The person is known as “Venerable” if they pass this stage. People may seek their intercession in prayer at this time, an important point in the process. To become canonized, miracles are required, and the miracles come from a petitioner praying to the person for help. Miracles must be documented and investigated.

STEP 4: Blessed – If a person claims a miracle happened due to intercession by the person in heaven – and it is investigated, confirmed and approved by the pope – then the would-be saint’s status is moved to “Blessed.” This process is called beatification, and a special ceremony is held.

STEP 5: Saint – The final step is a second miracle. Once that happens, the person may be named a saint and assigned a feast day on which they will be celebrated. A Mass at the Vatican usually follows that.

Note: The sitting pope has the option to shorten any part of this process –including waiving the requirement for one or both miracles. This occurs most often in the case of martyrs who died for their faith.

Daily Scripture readings

JULY 9-15