April 11, 2025

At a glance

APRIL 11, 2025

VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 13 1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@rcdoc.org

704-370-3333

PUBLISHER

The Most Reverend Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte

INDEX

Contact us 2

Español 11-13

Our Diocese 4-7, 14-20, 23

Our Faith 3

Our Schools 8-10

Scripture 3, 13

U.S. news 24

Viewpoints 26-27

World news 25

STAFF

EDITOR: Trish Stukbauer 704-370-3392, tmstukbauer@rcdoc.org

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CATHOLIC

ALL WEEK

Timely tips for blending faith & life

Theliturgies for Holy Week are filled with beautiful Catholic traditions that reach back thousands of years. Good Friday is the only day of the year when the Church does not celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Instead, the Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion liturgy consists of hearing the proclamation of the Passion from the Gospel of John, solemn intercessions, adoration of the cross and Holy Communion from hosts consecrated on Holy Thursday. Here is more about the tradition of adoration – or veneration – of the holy cross.

Where did it start?

We have St. Helena, the mother of Roman emperor Constantine the Great, to indirectly thank for this tradition. She journeyed to Jerusalem in the fourth century to find the sites associated with Christ’s passion, with the primary goal of finding the true cross. What made this task more challenging was that over the centuries, the Romans had built over the places where Jesus was tried, sentenced and crucified. Helena excavated many sites before finding three crosses. According to legend, she touched a woman who was near death with parts of each of the crosses, and one – the true cross – healed her completely. Helena split that cross, leaving part in Jerusalem and taking part to Constantinople. Later, she took several pieces to Rome, where they were enshrined in the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem.

How do you adore the cross?

During the service, the priest unveils the cross which was previously shrouded. Alternately, a priest or a deacon can receive the unveiled cross and carry it in procession into the sanctuary. From there, worshipers are encouraged to come up individually, genuflect and kiss the cross as they recall Christ’s passion and sacrifice.

Can you adore the cross at home?

While it can’t replace the communal experience of seeing the faithful approach and adore the cross, during COVID-19 many Catholic entities created ways for the faithful to adore the cross at home. If you can’t get to church on Good Friday (which is not a holy day of obligation), you can still follow a practice such as this from the Diocese of Corpus Christi that was adapted from The Catholic Company to give people a part of the experience at home: Begin by placing your most beautiful crucifix in a place of honor and light some candles by it. Kneel before the crucifix and spend time in prayer by thanking Jesus for His sacrifice, making an act of contrition, and saying the Prayer Before the Crucifix. Finally, kiss the crucifix.

— Catholic News Herald, OSV News, Diocese of Corpus Christi, Diocese of Erie

Scan the QR code for this week’s recommended prayers and activities

Diocesan calendar

of events

EVENTS

EASTER FOOD BASKETS BLESSING : 1 p.m. Holy Saturday, April 19, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Deacon James Witulski will bless Easter food baskets, in both English and Polish. All are welcome. PRAYER SERVICES

HOUR OF GREAT MERCY 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. The hour on April 27 includes veneration of the Divine Mercy image, praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and a blessing with a first-class relic of St. Faustina. Reception following in the New Life Center Banquet Room. Go to www.stmatthewcatholic.org/mercysunday for details, including how to receive the graces of Divine Mercy Sunday. SUPPORT GROUPS

CATHOLIC GRANDPARENTS GROUP : A prayer and support group for Catholic grandparents has launched in the Charlotte area. Learn more at www.catholicgrandparentsassociation.org.

APRIL 12 – 10 A.M.

Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage

Belmont Abbey College, Belmont

APRIL 13 – 11 A.M.

Palm Sunday Mass

St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

APRIL 15 – 10 A.M.

Chrism Mass

St. Mark Church, Huntersville

Michael Martin,

will participate in the following events over the coming weeks:

APRIL 17 – 7 P.M.

Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper

St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

APRIL 18 – 3 P.M.

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

APRIL 19 – 8:30 P.M.

Easter Vigil Mass

St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

APRIL 20 – 9 A.M.

Easter Sunday Mass

St. Mark Church, Huntersville

APRIL 20 – 2 P.M.

Easter Sunday Mass

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Charlotte

Bishop

OFM Conv.,

Our faith

Pope Francis

Jesus loves us for who we are, not our merits

Cursillo: An invitation to live intentionally

FATHER JOHN PUTNAM Special to the Catholic News Herald

My first encounter with the Cursillo movement occurred when I was newly ordained. I had been assigned as parochial vicar at Holy Family parish in Clemmons, and the Cursillo community was quite active there. I had never really heard of Cursillo, and from my interactions with the parish community, I thought “these are nice folks, but they are kind of out there!”

What is Cursillo?

The Cursillo Movement is a lay movement within the Catholic Church that explores the fundamentals of what being a Christian means as an individual and in community. Cursillo helps participants acquire the knowledge and conviction to live their faith more deeply and actively in their daily lives.

community context. I can certainly attest to this in the lives of many people I have encountered through Cursillo over the years.

BUILDING COMMUNITY – AND LEADERS

Jesus loves people as they are, not based on their merit or righteousness, said the text for Pope Francis’ weekly general audience.

“Precisely because Jesus looks within each one of us, He loves us as we truly are,” said the text.

“What does Jesus see when He looks within every one of us and loves us, despite our distractions and our sins? He sees our fragility, but also our desire to be loved as we are,” he wrote.

While Pope Francis is recovering, the Vatican has been publishing his general audience texts. During the Holy Year 2025, the pope’s audiences have focused on “Jesus Christ our hope.” Continuing a series examining how meeting Jesus changed lives, the April 9 text focused on Jesus’ encounter with “the rich man.”

The Gospel account (Mk 10:17-31) tells the story of a man who asks Jesus what he must do to “inherit eternal life” after insisting he has observed all the commandments.

Pope Francis asked people to notice that the man uses the verb “inherit,” indicating that “eternal life is for him an inheritance, something that is obtained by right, through meticulous observance of commitments.”

The man is searching for the meaning of his life, the text said. “Indeed, beyond the things we do, our sacrifices and successes, what truly counts in order to be happy is what we carry in our heart.”

Jesus looks at the man and loves him, the pope wrote. “He loves him just as he is. Jesus’ love is gratuitous: exactly the opposite of the logic of merit that has beset this person.”

“We are truly happy when we realize we are loved in this way, freely, by grace,” he wrote. “And this also applies to the relationships between us: as long as we try to buy love or beg for affection, those relationships will never make us feel happy.”

Jesus then invites him to sell everything he has, give to the poor and “change his way of living and relating with God,” he wrote. “Jesus recognizes that inside him, as in all of us,” the thing that is lacking is “the desire we carry in our heart to be loved.”

To fill this void, “we do not need to ‘buy’ recognition, affection, consideration: instead, we need to ‘sell off’ everything that weighs us down, to make our hearts freer.”

“Perhaps today, precisely because we live in a culture of self-sufficiency and individualism, we find ourselves more unhappy because we no longer hear our name spoken by someone who loves us freely,” he wrote.

One of the first things I was asked to do as a new priest was to “make” a Cursillo weekend; to participate in the three-day retreat. I was a bit hesitant, but my pastor encouraged me, and so I agreed.

It was a phenomenal weekend, and in retrospect, it very much helped me become the priest I am today. I went on to serve as the diocesan spiritual advisor and served as the spiritual advisor for many weekends over the years.

BORN

IN REVOLUTION

The movement began in Spain during a very difficult time in that country. Spain was recovering from its revolution, which was very anti-Catholic. The faith was in shambles there in many respects. Yet, as has always been the case when the Church undergoes persecution, the Lord leaves a remnant. That was certainly the case in Spain. A group of committed Catholics got together and realized that they needed to do something to revitalize the faith.

The word “cursillo” is a Spanish word that means “short course.” At its foundation, the Cursillo weekend is a short course in the Christian life. Those three days introduce individuals to a deeper understanding of their faith, the Church, and their role as active members of a Christian community. Through this movement, individuals are invited to undergo a spiritual renewal that extends far beyond the retreat itself, influencing the way they live their daily lives.

FOSTERING

RELATIONSHIPS

The importance of the Cursillo Movement can be understood in various dimensions, particularly in its role in personal transformation, faith formation and

APRIL 13-19

Sunday (Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion): Lk 19:28-40 (at the palm procession), Is 50:4-7, Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24, Phil 2:6-11, Lk 22:14-23:56; Monday: Is 42:1-7, Ps 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14, Jn 12:1-11; Tuesday: Is 49:1-6, Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17, Jn 13:21-33, 36-38; Wednesday: Is 50:4-9a, Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34, Mt 26:1425; Thursday (Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper): Ex 12:1-8, 11-14, Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18, 1 Cor 11:23-26, Jn 13:1-15; Friday (Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion): Is 52:13-53:12, Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25, Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9, Jn 18:1-19:42; Saturday (Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter): Gen 1:12:2 or Gen 1:1, 26-31a, Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35 or Ps 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 and

Through a three-day Cursillo weekend, participants take the time to have an encounter with themselves, with God and with others. Talks on various topics given by priests, deacons and laypersons deal with life, the Catholic faith and methods of bringing Christ into the modern world. After the weekend, Ultreyas, or small group reunions, provide an ongoing spiritual community of support.

community building. First and foremost, Cursillo is designed to foster a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The retreat is a time of intense reflection, prayer and spiritual guidance, during which participants are invited to reconsider their lives, priorities and faith journey. Through meditations, talks and group discussions, individuals are encouraged to encounter Christ in a personal and intimate way. This experience often leads to a profound spiritual awakening, inspiring participants to live more intentionally as Christians.

Another crucial aspect of the Cursillo Movement is its focus on faith formation and education. The retreat provides a solid foundation in the teachings of the Catholic Church, helping individuals understand key aspects of their faith, such as the sacraments, Scripture and Catholic doctrine. However, the movement goes beyond merely transmitting knowledge; it encourages participants to live out these teachings. This emphasis on not just knowing but actively practicing one’s faith sets Cursillo apart from many other spiritual experiences.

The movement’s motto, “Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ,” captures its ethos of fostering relationships that can support and nurture one’s faith in a

The Cursillo Movement also plays a pivotal role in community building. One of the most distinctive features of Cursillo is the creation of small, faith-sharing groups that continue to meet long after the retreat. These groups, called group reunions and Ultreya meetings, provide ongoing support and accountability, creating a network of Christians who encourage and challenge one another in their spiritual lives. This sense of belonging to a supportive Christian community is essential for maintaining and growing in faith. It counteracts the isolation that many people experience in their personal spiritual journeys by offering a space where individuals can freely share their struggles, successes and prayers.

Furthermore, the Cursillo Movement encourages laypeople to take an active role in evangelizing and renewing their communities, emphasizing that the responsibility of spreading the Gospel does not lie solely with clergy and religious. This has resulted in a more vibrant lay community in many parishes and dioceses. Cursillo encourages participants to be leaders in their homes, workplaces and social circles, bringing the light of Christ into all areas of life.

Finally, the global nature of the Cursillo Movement highlights its importance in fostering a sense of universal Catholic solidarity. It transcends national and cultural boundaries, with Cursillo movements present in over 80 countries around the world. This international

CURSILLO, SEE PAGE 23

More online

At www.charlottecursillo.com Learn more about the Cursillo Movement in our diocese Más online

22, Gen 22:1-18 or Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18, Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11, Ex 14:15-15:1, Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18, Is 54:5-14, Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13, Is 55:1-11, Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6, Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4, Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11, Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28, Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 or Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6, Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19, Rom 6:3-11, Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 2223, Lk 24:1-12

APRIL 20-26

En www.charlottediocese.org/espanol/ grupos-apostolicos : Obtenga más información sobre el movimiento Cursillo en nuestra diócesis

Sunday (The Resurrection of the Lord): Acts 10:34a, 37-43, Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23, Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8, Jn 20:1-9; Monday: Acts 2:14, 22-33, Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11, Ps 118:24, Mt 28:8-15; Tuesday: Acts 2:3641, Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22, Jn 20:11-18; Wednesday: Acts 3:1-10, Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9, Lk 24:13-35; Thursday: Acts 3:11-26, Ps 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9, Lk 24:35-48; Friday: Acts 4:1-12, Ps 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a, Jn 21:1-14; Saturday: Acts 4:13-21, Ps 118:1 and 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21, Mk 16:9-15

APRIL 27-MAY 3

Sunday (Sunday of Divine Mercy): Acts 5:12-16, Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24, Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19, Jn 20:19-31; Monday: Acts 4:2331, Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9, Jn 3:1-8; Tuesday (St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church): Acts 4:32-37, Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5, Jn 3:7b-15; Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26, Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, Jn 3:16-21; Thursday: Acts 5:27-33, Ps 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20, Jn 3:31-36; Friday (St. Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church): Acts 5:34-42, Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14, Jn 6:1-15; Saturday (Sts. Philip and James, Apostles): 1 Cor 15:1-8, Ps 19:2-3, 4-5, Jn 14:6-14

Our diocese Spend Holy Week with Bishop Martin

Holy Week – the week leading up to Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday – is filled with some of the most beautiful and powerful services in the liturgical year. Plan to attend these services that Bishop Michael Martin will be celebrating during his first Holy Week in our diocese, or mark the celebrations at your own parish:

PALM SUNDAY MASS CHRISM MASS

April 13 – 11 a.m. April 15

HOLY THURSDAY

GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION

EASTER VIGIL MASS

St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte St. Mark Church, Huntersville St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The blessing of the palms and an entry procession precede Mass, which includes the Passion gospel, which is read by multiple people.

This a special liturgy in which the oils used for sacraments throughout the year are blessed and hundreds of priests from 93 parishes across the diocese renew their promises to the Church and the bishop.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper commemorates Jesus’ celebration of the Passover meal with His disciples, His washing of their feet, His agony in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His betrayal and arrest.

Across the diocese, parishes commemorate the day Jesus died with by offering confession, Stations of the Cross, and Good Friday liturgies that include veneration of the cross and Passion plays.

The Easter Vigil opens with the blessing of the Paschal fire and the lighting of the Paschal candle, from which individual candles are lit. This powerful reminder that Jesus is the light in the darkness precedes the Mass, during which people coming into the Church receive the sacraments of initiation, and the congregation renews baptismal vows.

EASTER SUNDAY MASS

April 20 – 9 a.m. St. Mark Church, Huntersville April 20 – 2 p.m.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Charlotte Easter Sunday Masses are celebrations of the risen Lord during which the congregation renews their baptismal vows and joyfully sings the Gloria and alleluias that were omitted during Lent.

Chrism Mass moved to St. Mark; all invited to April 15 liturgy

CHARLOTTE — Bishop Michael Martin invites everyone to attend the Diocese of Charlotte Chrism Mass on Tuesday, April 15 – a special liturgy in which the oils used for sacraments are blessed and the priests of the diocese renew their promises.

This year the annual Mass will be offered at St. Mark Church instead of St. Patrick Cathedral to enable more people to attend – especially students, families and people preparing to enter the Church at Easter.

The holy oils blessed during the Chrism Mass are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick and ordination of priests, as well as the consecration of churches and altars. The Mass also brings together hundreds of priests from 93 parishes across western North Carolina to renew their priestly promises to the Church and the bishop in the days leading up to Easter.

The Mass will start at 10 a.m. at St. Mark Church, located at 14740 Stumptown Road in Huntersville.

Monsignor

GREENSBORO — The life and legacy of the late Monsignor Joseph Showfety were celebrated during a Mass of Christian Burial April 2 at his home parish of St. Benedict Church in Greensboro. The church was overflowing with family, friends, former parishioners and more than 30 clergy. Bishop Michael Martin presided at the funeral Mass, and retired Father Ed Sheridan gave the homily.

Father Sheridan, a close friend of Monsignor Showfety’s who served alongside him for decades during the early years of the diocese, recounted his decades of service to the local Church and described how much he loved the priesthood and supported his fellow priests.

Father Sheridan quoted 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, where the Apostle Paul compares the Christian life to a race – one that, with focus and dedication, leads to the “imperishable” crown of eternal life.

“Joe, may you look good with the crown that God gives you, good and faithful servant – always remembered by us,” he said.

Bishop Martin gave thanks for Monsignor Showfety’s late parents Edna and Abdou Showfety, who supported their son’s priestly vocation and nurtured a strong and faith-filled family. He also acknowledged Monsignor Showfety’s 90-year-old brother Bob Showfety and,

Showfety laid to rest in Greensboro

watching the funeral Mass via livestream, his 102-yearold sister Evelyn Showfety Johns.

When a priest dies, Bishop Martin said, the Church asks the question: “Who will take his place?”

“The Lord hasn’t stopped calling,” he said, inviting other families to follow the Showfetys’ example of “fostering a family that listens to the Lord.”

Nephew Rob Showfety gave a eulogy at the end of the Mass, warmly remembering how “Uncle Joe” loved sports, giving big hugs to his 16 nieces and nephews, and spending time with his large family.

“Growing up with a priest in the family was normal for us. And on some Sundays, we didn’t go to church, church came to us!” he smiled, recalling how Monsignor Showfety regularly offered Mass in the living room of his mother’s house on Chestnut Street, a delicious Lebanese meal waiting nearby for the large Sunday dinners the entire family loved.

He recalled many cherished memories over the years. “Most of all, we remember Uncle Joe as a loving, generous and kind man,” he said.

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Bishop Michael Martin prays during the April 2 funeral Mass for Monsignor Joseph Showfety, the diocese’s first chancellor and a priest who served for nearly 50 years.

Journey through the Stations of the Cross

EveryFriday during Lent, Catholics gather at their parishes to meditate on Jesus’ sacrifice as they pray the Stations of the Cross. Every church has a unique set – some are made of wood, some plaster, some fabric, some large, some small, some old, some new. Here is a closer look at the 14 stations as depicted in 14 different churches around our diocese:

STATION I:

Jesus is condemned to death

St. Matthew, Charlotte

These fabric stations from Canada were hand-painted for St. Matthew Church’s opening in 1996. The edges are sewn, creating a threedimensional appearance. They also act as a sound buffer in the hard-surfaced church. In a recent reworking of lighting, each station can be lit individually.

STATION II:

Jesus takes up His cross

Immaculate Conception, Forest City

Father Gabriel Meehan purchased these plaster scenes and wooden framed 2-foot-by-3-foot stations from King Richard’s Liturgical Design & Consulting out of Georgia, which obtained them from a church that closed. They were originally designed in Chicago by Daprato Statuary Co.

STATION III:

Jesus falls the first time

St. Pius X, Greensboro

These wood-carved stations were crafted in 1905 for a church in New Bedford, Mass., and purchased for St. Pius X Church’s dedication in 2010. They were blackened from age when purchased and were restored to their original beauty by Phil Barker Furniture Refinishing of Greensboro.

STATION IV:

Jesus meets His mother

Sacred Heart, Salisbury

When the set was originally purchased, the name of each station was written in Polish and set against a cloudy blue background with no additional color. In 2018, Mrs. Hudson-Tolles, an art teacher at Sacred Heart School, added color to the grapes, vines, Mary, Jesus, and the cross to give the stations more depth, and she repainted the backgrounds.

Simon

STATION V:

of Cyrene

helps Jesus carry the cross

Holy Spirit, Denver

The stations were purchased from Henninger’s Religious Goods in Ohio, from a closed Slovak church. The 60-year-old stations are fabricated of wood and plaster of paris. They are about 32 inches in height, and weigh about 70 pounds each. The stations presently need repair, with figures that need to be recast and sculptured. The one pictured above was refinished by local artist Lisa Autry. After repairs, sanding and finish coats are applied, each of the stations will be professionally repainted with dark, rich colors and finished with an antiquing stain to give them an aged look.

STATION VI:

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

St. Charles Borromeo, Morganton

STATION IX:

Jesus falls the third time

St. Benedict the Moor, Winston-Salem

These stations were recently purchased by Father Melchesideck Yumo after a benefactor donated money when seeing the condition of the old stations, which were essentially framed posters faded by sunlight and age. The new stations were made in Italy and are 1.5 feet by 2 feet. The illustration is a print inside a wooden frame with walnut accents.

STATION X:

Jesus is stripped of His garments

St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte

STATION XII:

Jesus dies on the cross

St. Joseph Vietnamese, Charlotte

Sixteen larger-than-life stations donated by an anonymous family were crafted in Saigon, Vietnam. Each station stands at least 6 feet tall, weighs more than 16 tons and took 10 months to create. Each sits on a large concrete base and is individually lit with spotlights. The eye-catching stations ring the church’s property.

STATION XIII:

Jesus is taken down from the cross

There are two sets of stations at St. Charles Borromeo Church. The first is a traditional woodcarved set that was purchased from St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte in 1996. The second set sits above the first and is made of real vines and thorn bushes. That set was made by San Diego artist Gary Kornmyer, who had moved to Tryon and was a member of St. John the Baptist Parish. Father Ken Whittington considered the stations unique and interesting, and he ended up buying them for $1.

STATION VII:

Jesus falls the second time

St. Lawrence Basilica, Asheville

These Stations of the Cross are made of horsehair plaster, and the castings have a faux finish to resemble carved marble. They were created by the Chicago studio of the Daprato Statuary Co., which was established in 1860 and is now known as Daprato Rigali Studios.

STATION VIII:

Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

Our Lady of Mercy, Winston-Salem

The architects of Our Lady of Mercy were a Polish couple who commissioned a folk artist in Poland to make their stations. The 3-foot-by-3-foot, hand-carved wooden stations are uniquely connected by a wooden crown of thorns, each featuring the North Carolina state flower, the dogwood, in a lighter wood stain.

When St. Thomas Aquinas renovated its church in 2018, the parish bought these modern, wood-carved stations full of symbolism. For instance, Station X, instead of having an image of centurions stripping Jesus of His garments and casting lots for them, features a simple set of dice – leaving it up to the audience’s interpretation. Jacob Wolfe, a sculptor well known around the diocese, took the free-standing floating stations and added a cast stone white plaster niche for each.

STATION XI:

Jesus is nailed to the cross

Our Lady of the Rosary, Lexington

The wooden stations were hand-carved from Italy and purchased in 1988 by Father Joseph Schaefer. They hung on plain white walls until the church’s 75th anniversary renovation. Father Ambrose Akinwande, with the assistance of a parishioner, the late John Bloxsom, redesigned the interior of the church. With a limited budget and the manual labor of parishioners, the church layered the walls with cultured stone, creating niches for each station.

St. Benedict, Greensboro Parishioner Bob Nutt, a commercial artist with an advertising design degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and a self-trained painter in oils and acrylics, touched up the church’s original 1899 stations during a 2017 restoration, and he also painted the church’s Pietà. Carpenter and parishioner Don Tredinnick crafted a new base for the statue.

STATION XIV:

Jesus is laid in the tomb

St. James the Greater, Concord

Stations were donated by a parishioner and were installed in 2004 by the late pastor, Father James Geiger. They were made at Demetz Art Studio in Italy. The studio was established in 1872

Explore

Stations

— Lisa M. Geraci

In Brief

Bishop Martin to keynote Catholic Charities’ fundraiser

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte invites the community to its signature fundraising event, Vineyard of Hope, on Thursday, May 1, at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte. This inspiring evening directly benefits Catholic Charities’ mission to provide hunger relief, support for veterans, housing stability, counseling and other vital services to the most vulnerable in the Charlotte area. This year’s event will feature Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., the fifth Bishop of Charlotte, as the keynote speaker. Known for his unwavering commitment to charity and service, Bishop Martin will share his vision for the future of Catholic Charities and how the organization’s work reflects Christ’s call to serve those in need. Join Catholic Charities for an unforgettable evening of faith, hope and charity. Visit www. ccdoc.org/voh to RSVP or donate.

Holy Family gives choir member St. Teresa of Calcutta Award

CLEMMONS — Holy Family Parish recently recognized parishioner Doug Abbott with its third annual St. Teresa of Calcutta Award. Recipients of the award, named after the servant for the poorest of the poor, are recognized for their love of the Church, for giving of their time and energy with selfless dedication, and for echoing Mother Teresa’s dedication to doing small things with great love. Abbott, along with his wife Camile and their family joined Holy Family in 1988. He has been a member of the church choir for more than 25 years. Week in and week out, he can be found singing in the choir and is always ready to lend his voice at a funeral or a wedding.

Excellence in Dance Education Award given at Belmont Abbey

BELMONT — Carly Thompson is the recipient of Belmont Abbey College’s inaugural Excellence in Dance Education Award, which honors an outstanding dance teacher who exemplifies excellence and makes a significant impact on students’ development.

Thompson received a $1,000 grant to support supplies and equipment for her program.

Originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Carly earned a degree in dance education with K-12 certification from Winthrop University. Since 2019, she has worked as a dance educator at Mooresville Middle School and Selma Burke Middle School in the Mooresville School District.

— Belmont Abbey College

Thousands make their voices heard in parish surveys

PATRICIA L. GUILFOYLE plguilfoyle@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Thousands of people across the Diocese of Charlotte have taken part in a special survey evaluating their faith journey and their parish’s role in facilitating their spiritual growth. Now, leaders are diving into the data to help strengthen the local Church.

The “Disciple Maker Index” invited Catholic adults across western North Carolina to share insights on beliefs, parish participation, relationships and demographics. The survey measured aspects such as Mass experience, preaching and parish life.

The response was significant: 23,365 people from 78 of the diocese’s 93 parishes/missions participated. Top participating parishes included St. Peter, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Matthew and St. Gabriel in Charlotte; St. Mark in Huntersville; Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Cherokee; and St. Joseph in Bryson City. A special outreach effort also gathered input from more than 200 Catholics who identified as inactive.

The data are now being tabulated by the Catholic Leadership Institute, which conducted the survey for free as part of a broader strategic plan for the diocese and

Bishop Michael Martin as he enters his second year.

A PARISH SNAPSHOT

The Disciple Maker Index survey used a five-point scale instead of open-ended questions to provide a standardized “snapshot” of a parish, said Tricia Cellucci, a consultant with the Catholic Leadership Institute.

This format will help the diocese and parishes contextualize results, Cellucci said. Parishes can compare results nationally, identifying strengths and opportunities for growth.

“The data are not intended to provide all the answers,” she said. “Rather, the data are intended to start conversations at a parish level as to why parishioners responded in such a way and what it means.”

Focus groups, listening sessions and ministry meetings are some ways to do that, she said.

Bishop Martin is emphasizing the importance of this dialogue and notes that

the CLI initiative builds on work done in 2022-2023 for the Synod on Synodality that Pope Francis launched for the Church worldwide.

“The Disciple Maker Index is a gift to the diocese and its parishes,” the bishop said. “Even more importantly, it engages the people of the diocese, and those who are somewhat disengaged from the faith, to help them think about their faith and tell us about their experience.”

“This process is a way of participating in synodality, for the local Church to hear about people’s experience,” he said. “It is an occasion to look at our current circumstances and discern how the Holy Spirit is calling us to walk together, listen and learn from each other as each one of us is called to be missionary disciples of Christ.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

After CLI finishes tabulating the results, it will host webinars in May and June for pastors and leaders to analyze their data and develop parish priorities. Parishes also will share their results with parishioners.

This summer, Bishop Martin will review the data alongside independent research and additional feedback CLI is gathering from priests, diocesan employees and other stakeholders.

By fall, he plans to present a strategic pastoral vision to guide the diocese’s future growth and help the people of the diocese better proclaim and live the Gospel.

Students celebrate legacy of Sister Thea Bowman

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

GREENSBORO — Catholic students from North Carolina A&T University spent a recent Saturday praying, discussing their faith and worshipping together at a Day of Reflection honoring the 35th anniversary of the death of Sister Thea Bowman, the namesake for the center of Catholic ministry on their campus – Thea House.

Sister Thea Bowman was a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration known for her work encouraging Black Catholics to be proud of their heritage and their faith. The granddaughter of enslaved people, she was a convert to the faith and the only Black member of her order. She overcame racism and left a historic legacy when she died in 1990 at the age of 52.

In 2018, her cause for canonization was launched by the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, and she was named a Servant of God, the first of four steps on the road to sainthood.

The Day of Reflection was organized by Father Marcel Amadi, who serves as campus minister at North Carolina A&T and High Point University.

“We decided to honor her life and times because not only is our campus ministry named after her, but Sister Thea Bowman can serve as such a model for Black Catholics,” Father Amadi said.

“Sister Thea experienced struggles, and I tell the students I work with here not to ever relent, to keep striving. As Catholic students at an HBCU, her work and experience can teach them a lot.”

The daylong event was held at St. Mary Church in Greensboro. Father Amadi said some parishioners from the church joined in the activities, including families, a man who brought his daughter and a 12-yearold boy who attended because he wanted to learn more about his faith.

Participants prayed together, went to confession, listened to talks, held discussions and took part in Eucharistic Adoration. The day concluded with Mass attended by more parishioners.

Fran Acosta, director of development for the diocese’s Campus Ministry

program, gave one of the talks.

“I am a Secular Franciscan and since Sister Thea Bowman was a Franciscan, it just was natural for me to participate,” Acosta said. “I called on Sister Thea to help me plant the seeds not just of Catholic faith, but bringing our cultures and our talents to our faith. It was nice to see the diversity in the audience. We had an age group from 12 years old to people in their 70s.”

Martin

CHRISTINA L. KNAUSS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

The legacy of Sister Thea Bowman, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration known for her work encouraging Black Catholics to be proud of their heritage and their faith, was honored at St. Mary Church.

Seminarians to benefit from $250K endowment created by Knights of Columbus council

CHARLOTTE — Since its founding in 1903, the Bishop Michael J. Begley Knights of Columbus Council 770 has supported the local community. The council has aided Catholic families in need, rebuilt churches, run the Tootsie Roll drive for individuals with developmental disabilities and provided disaster relief in Western North Carolina after Tropical Storm Helene. Now the oldest Knights of Columbus council in North Carolina is assisting future priests. Council 770, with members from St. Patrick, St. Gabriel, St. Ann and St. Peter parishes, recently approved the establishment of a $250,000 endowment in the Diocesan Foundation for St. Joseph College Seminary to help young men pursue their vocations despite unexpected financial challenges. Deputy Grand Knight

‘What better way than this endowment to help nourish future priests?’

Jason Burgess Deputy Grand Knight, Council

770

Jason Burgess spearheaded the initiative with Sergio Miranda, the state deputy for the North Carolina Knights of Columbus. The endowment will help cover essential expenses such as books, tutoring, uniforms and other necessities. An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested – not spent – that generates distributions to help pay for projects and programs specified by the donor. Endowments are tax deductible and help sustain the strength and viability of the diocese and its entities by paying for

Bishop Michael J. Begley Knights of Columbus Council 770 has set up an endowment to assist future priests with expenses. “Money shouldn’t stand in the way of something like this,” seminarian Micah Burgess said.

important expenditures such as capital improvements, charitable outreach, education and parish operations.

As the seminary rector’s Father Matthew Kauth noted, “This endowment makes it possible to support the various personal, medical and educational needs of our men. We may buy a pair of shoes for one seminarian or ensure that he can have dental work done. Some men struggle with dyslexia and other learning challenges, and this endowment makes it possible to attend to their needs, too.”

Burgess added, “The biggest element of being a Knight of Columbus is charity. What better way than this endowment to help nourish future priests?”

Burgess’ son Micah, also a Knight and a seminarian at St. Joseph College Seminary, helped present the idea to the council

Seminarian Education collection provides critical funding to meet growth in vocations

CHARLOTTE

— The number of men studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Charlotte has tripled in the past decade, creating a greater need for funding to support our 45 seminarians.

The Seminarian Education Collection taken up in all parishes at Easter, April 1920, is one of the primary ways people can support seminarians and foster vocations to help meet the growing need for priests to serve the growing Catholic population.

There has been remarkable growth in the diocese: a 26% increase, from 58,500 registered households in 2010 to 73,700 in 2020. Diocesan officials projected that the number of registered households will soon reach 86,800.

“For the past 27 years, the Seminarian Education Campaign has given faithful Catholics the opportunity to invest in the lives and ministry of our future priests,” said Bishop Michael Martin in his letter to the faithful.

In the past decade, 29 priests have retired. Fifteen priests are already serving beyond the retirement age of 70. In the next 10 years, another 28 priests are expected to reach retirement age.

“Your financial gift will help prepare each of our young men to serve as priests in our diocese for an average of 40 years,” Bishop Martin wrote. “By contributing to the formation of our future priests, you are helping to ensure that the sacraments,

Support seminarian education

There are several ways to make a gift to fund the education of the diocese’s seminarians through the Seminarian Education Collection:

n Use the envelope provided in your parish offertory packet

n Make a gift online at your parish’s website, if available

n Make a secure gift online at www. charlottediocese.org/donate (click on Seminarian Education)

spiritual guidance, and the light of Christ continue to reach every corner of our growing diocese.”

The Seminarian Education Program, in which 18 men are currently enrolled at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly and 24 men are either enrolled in major seminary at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary or in Rome and 3 are in a pastoral year, is primarily funded through the annual Diocesan Support Appeal, the Seminarian Education Campaign and this collection.

— Catholic News Herald

alongside his father. Micah is confident he is following his calling and wants to ensure financial issues do not prevent others from doing the same. “Money shouldn’t stand in the way of something like this,” Micah Burgess said.

The founder of the Knights of Columbus, Blessed Michael Joseph McGivney, almost had to abandon his priestly vocation after his father passed away. The Bishop of Hartford stepped in, offering financial support for McGivney to attend St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, where he completed his studies and was ordained, ultimately leading to the creation of the Knights of Columbus. “Without minor seminary, there

Fund an endowment

Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school? You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. Join over 1,700 parishioners who have informed the diocese they plan to remember the Church in their estate plans.

For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.org.

is no major seminary,” Jason Burgess said. “Without it, we have no future priests.”

As Father Kauth said, “I am so grateful that the Knights of Columbus have seen fit to offer this gift to benefit seminarians. Part of our charism as Knights is to support a strong and holy priesthood. While we have always been beneficiaries of the Knights’ generosity, this gift has an order of magnitude that will help many a man into the future.”

Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director, noted that “Several Knights of Columbus councils have established endowments in our diocesan foundation. The Knights are always thinking about others and the future of our Church. They are such a gift to our diocese. We are grateful to Council 770 for caring for our future priests.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY FREDRIK AKERBLOM

The

Our schools

Crash survivors warn Charlotte Catholic students of the dangers of reckless driving after prom

LISA GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Prom season brings to mind final alterations and hair appointments, but this year two Charlotte Catholic High School students want to make sure their peers also have safe driving habits on their minds.

Abby Lynn Robinson and Isabella Tarantelli were critically injured in a car wreck that killed two of their friends after prom last year. In advance of this year’s prom, they shared their story for the first time during a March 31 program.

They asked Sarah Smith, event organizer and director of Student Health Services, to take the stage during a presentation she had scheduled with Shelli Braedon, state program director for MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

The program was to convince students to take MADD’s “Promposal”: pledging to have a substancefree prom night, plan for a safe ride home, and never ride with an impaired driver.

Although their experience did not involve alcohol, the girls thought the program was perfectly timed to share their story with their peers.

SHARING THEIR STORIES

A hush fell over the crowd as Tarantelli and Robinson took the stage to share their story with more than 500 juniors and seniors gathered in the school’s Fine Arts Center.

“It was supposed to be a great night of my high school experience, my very first prom ever, a night of laughter and dreams,” Tarantelli began. “Instead, it became a nightmare that forever changed my life. It is a day I will never forget. A day that became a 652-hour, or a 27-day-long blur that changed the entire trajectory of my life.”

April 6, 2024, prom night at Christ School in Asheville, was full of dancing, good food, TikTok videos and laughter until the girls – Tarantelli, Robinson and her friend Sophie Gordon from Myers Park High School – and their three dates loaded into a Volvo to return to their hotel for the night. The next thing Tarantelli and Robinson remember, they woke up in a hospital room.

Police later said the car was speeding on I-40 when it ran off the road on a curved ramp and crashed into a tree. Gordon, 16, and Robert (RJ) Fox, 19, died at the scene. Tarantelli and Robinson were taken to Mission Hospital in Asheville in critical condition.

Robinson recalls waking up in the hospital confused and terrified.

“The pain in my stomach was so overwhelming, and when I looked in the mirror, I remember I couldn’t even recognize myself,” she said. “I had scars and a shaved head.”

The worst of it was that her best friend, Gordon, whom she had known since the sixth grade, was gone. Robinson reminisced through a childhood full of sleepovers, jokes and fun growing up together.

“She was more than a friend, she was family,” she said. “I want

(Above) Charlotte Catholic High School students Abby Lynn Robinson and Isabella Tarantelli were critically injured in a car wreck that killed two of their friends after prom last year. They shared their story before juniors and seniors attended this year’s prom on Saturday, April 5. “Isabella and Abby’s story was really important to hear right before prom. It is so fresh on people’s minds,” said Lucy McArdle. (Below) Aidan Brady and Addyson Campbell were crowned prom king and queen, and everyone arrived home safely with lasting high school memories. “I loved their message; there is no need to speed, and always wear your seatbelt,” said Brandon Robinson.

everybody to understand the degree of the choices we make.”

When Tarantelli woke from a coma, she couldn’t move or speak. She had 38 broken bones, including her neck, back, femur and scapula. Doctors were unsure if she would survive. Her body was so shattered, her parents could not even hold her.

“I want you to imagine: you wake up in a hospital bed, there are IVs in your arms, you are seeing a very plain room, and you don’t recognize the people around you,” she said. To emphasize her story, she showed the student audience graphic photos of herself in the hospital: tubes in her nose, folded towels holding up her head, and deep, bloody wounds on her forehead.

As her body slowly healed, Tarantelli endured five grueling months of physical therapy. The once carefree, straight-A student was gone, she said. Small victories became monumental as she relearned everything – eating, speaking, reading, thinking and walking.

“I can never forget the tears in my parents’ eyes when I took my first steps towards them, an awkward little waddle,” Tarantelli remembered. “Every step I take now is not only for myself but for RJ and Sophie, because they can’t do it for themselves. Every step I take is filled with pride, honor and strength.”

PRAYERS ANSWERED

She thanked Charlotte Catholic High School for the support she received, from the plastic jar filled with cards she kept by her bedside, to the spiritual flower her English teacher Jeremy Kuhn gave her, to the prayer services the school community held, to the hours of prayer teachers led in class.

School President Kurt Telford said, “We have two miracles – both Isabelle and Abby. Our prayers were answered. There has been a lot of praying since April 6, and we continue praying.”

Even Bishop Michael Martin, a few days after becoming bishop-elect, visited the school in the wake of the crash and prayed for the two girls’ recovery.

“Each and every one of you that has prayed for me at one time, I just want you to know that I am forever grateful,” Tarantelli said as she twirled around in a circle on stage. “I want you to look at me and know this is what you prayed for, standing in front of you and talking to you.”

Despite 16 scars on her leg and one across her forehead, permanent reminders of that night, Tarantelli sees a wonderful outcome through all the pain.

A week before the accident, she had received the sacrament of confirmation, but she did not consider herself a strong believer.

It took almost dying for her to fully accept Christ, she said.

“Now I turn to Him in all my moments. I could not have made it through any of this without the power of faith, prayer and God’s promise.”

MADD statistics

MADD’s Shelli Braedon,shared these statistics: A drunk-driving crash claimed the life of someone in the U.S. about every 39 minutes, according to 2021 data from the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration. That year in Mecklenburg County alone, there were 6,123 crashes involving teenagers, and 1,382 of those were alcohol-related, she said, citing the North Carolina 2021 Traffic Crash Facts report. She also noted that while 70% of teenagers refrain from drinking, 26% said they would get into a car with an impaired driver.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BARRY JOHNSON; LISA M. GERACI | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Charlotte Catholic High School Band wins first place in Nashville

NASHVILLE —The Charlotte Catholic High School Band competed in the WorldStrides Nashville Heritage Festival on March 15. Their performance returned

Witness Bishop Martin bless holy oils for the sacraments our priests renew their promises to the Church &

10 A.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 15

Battling for book supremacy

CHARLOTTE — (From left) Competition was fierce in the St. Jerome Battle of the Books Middle School Edition on March 27 in Charlotte. Holy Trinity Middle School and Our Lady Of Grace School went two rounds for the championship, with Holy Trinity edging out OLG for the win. Also participating were Our Lady of the Assumption, Sacred Heart and St. Mark schools. The elementary school teams competed on April 3. Of the 11 teams that participated, St. Ann captured first, St. Gabriel placed second and Sacred Heart came in third. Other teams included St. Mark, Our Lady of Grace, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Leo the Great, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Patrick, St. Matthew and Our Lady of the Assumption.

SCHOLA

ESFUEVZOS DE AYUDA PARA HELENE

Después de la tormenta, la parroquia de Swannanoa lleva esperanza

LIZ CHANDLER lchandler@rcdoc.org

SWANNANOA — Cuando llueve aquí y el viento sopla, la gente se pone un poco ansiosa.

A lo largo de la Carretera 70, los conductores aún disminuyen la velocidad para ver la destrucción que dejó la Tormenta Tropical Helene hace seis meses.

“MIRA CÓMO ESTÁS, ESTÁS CANSADO. PERO NO TE RINDES,” alienta un cartel pintado a mano, mientras la gente del oeste de Carolina del Norte continúa reconstruyendo sus hogares y sus vidas.

En la colina sobre el río Swannanoa, los feligreses de la iglesia St. Margaret Mary están adorando “con más fervor” que nunca, dice la gerente de oficina Claudia Graham, juzgando por la asistencia a las vísperas, misas y actividades de Cuaresma.

“Han sido seis meses muy intensos,” dice. “Nunca sabes qué te va a traer cada día” en esta pequeña iglesia que ha desempeñado un papel enorme en la recuperación del área – gracias a “un gran corazón” y más de $600,000 en donaciones de personas tan lejanas como Italia y Australia.

“Creo que nuestra gente superó esto porque mantuvo su fe,” dice Graham, “y quienes no tenían una vida de fe fuerte lo superaron porque acudieron a su prójimo.

Es el Espíritu Santo actuando.”

Quizás nadie está orando con más fervor ahora que la feligrés Marisol Mireles, quien sirve como ujier en la misa en español junto con su esposo Francisco.

Esta esposa y madre de tres hijos fue arrastrada por las aguas y casi se ahoga – mientras sus hijos observaban. Siguió un rescate dramático. Hoy, ella reza el rosario todos los días en señal de gratitud.

“Jesucristo está con nosotros,” dice, y luego aclara: “Jesucristo – y el pueblo de la iglesia.”

BRINDANDO ESPERANZA

La parroquia St. Margaret Mary estaba entre sacerdotes cuando Helene golpeó en septiembre pasado, así que fue la iniciativa de los líderes parroquiales –encabezados por Graham y su asistente Jennifer Puzerewski – la que transformó el edificio (con capacidad para 110 personas) en un centro de ayuda que ha atendido a miles.

A los tres días de la tormenta,

la iglesia ya había lanzado un fondo de ayuda que recolectó casi el doble de su ofrenda anual. Una semana después, aún sin electricidad ni agua, un sacerdote visitante ofreció misa al aire libre para brindar el consuelo del Santísimo Sacramento y la conexión humana a los feligreses. Llegaron suministros de toda la diócesis, convirtiendo el sótano de

St. Margaret Mary en un centro comunitario. La iglesia compró dos teléfonos celulares, líneas directas para personas necesitadas tanto en inglés como en español. Se sumaron aliados: la Diócesis de Charlotte, los Caballeros de Colón, la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl. Dos iglesias – St. Gabriel en Charlotte y St. Pius X en Greensboro – adoptaron

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (Arriba) Esfuevzos de Francisco Bonilla y Marisol Mireles son miembros dedicados de la Iglesia de Santa Margarita María y sirven como ujieres. (Izquierda) Se encuentran en el segundo piso de su casa en Swannanoa, donde las aguas llegaron tras la tormenta tropical Helene.

a St. Margaret Mary a través del “Programa de Parroquias Hermanas” de la diócesis, enviando oraciones, mano de obra y dinero para compensar las colectas perdidas.

“Nos volvimos casi un nombre familiar,” dice Graham, después de que la parroquia fue mencionada en el *Wall Street Journal* y otros medios nacionales.

Durante semanas, dice, “Hicimos el trabajo físico. Repartimos comida y agua y fuimos de los primeros en tener linternas.”

Luego, la parroquia dejó de lado los planes de expansión del edificio de 89 años para enfocarse en necesidades más complejas de los feligreses – proporcionando materiales de construcción, sistemas HVAC, muebles y electrodomésticos y, en un caso,

una camioneta de 12 pasajeros. “Pero lo emocional es igual de importante,” dice Graham. “El trauma también era algo que queríamos abordar.” Pronto, un consejero empezó a atender a los feligreses, y nació el Grupo Esperanza para los hispanohablantes, ofreciendo terapia grupal.

UNA OPORTUNIDAD

MÁS

Marisol Mireles valoró el Grupo Esperanza, donde compartió el trauma de la tormenta con otros.

Su familia quedó atrapada dentro de su casa de dos pisos mientras el río Swannanoa crecía a su alrededor – 5 pies, 8 pies, luego 10 pies.

Un vecino remó hasta su casa con un bote y una cuerda que ató entre ambas casas. Mano sobre mano, los hijos de Mireles escaparon, deslizándose por la cuerda a través de las aguas rápidas. Primero cruzaron sus dos hijos. Luego, su hija de 17 años, acompañada por su esposo Francisco. Mireles no sabe nadar. Casi de inmediato, cayó al río presa del miedo.

“Sentí el agua en mis oídos, en mis ojos y en mi boca,” recuerda, hundiéndose, “luego sentí una mano que me agarró.”

Francisco se lanzó al agua, nadando bajo ella para mantener su cabeza fuera del agua. La pareja fue arrojada contra un contenedor y se separó, pero ambos se aferraron a árboles y fueron rescatados.

“Todos estaban llorando, pero yo estaba sonriendo,” dice Mireles, recordando el momento en que salió del agua. “Recé para que Dios me diera una oportunidad más para estar con mi familia. Y mis oraciones fueron respondidas.”

Hoy, ella reza por aquellos que no sobrevivieron. Su familia reza el rosario todos los días, unidos y agradecidos.

Están agradecidos por toda la ayuda que ha brindado St. Margaret Mary – desde comida y muebles, hasta una nueva cerca para su perro Curley, materiales de construcción, cableado eléctrico, y un nuevo sistema HVAC.

Aún más, dice Mireles, están agradecidos por la oportunidad de servir al pueblo de la iglesia – como ujieres, su esposo como lector, sus hijos como monaguillos. “Le damos gracias a Dios por estar vivos,” dice, “y sabemos que ayudar a la gente y a la iglesia es ayudar a Dios.”

ESFUEVZOS DE AYUDA PARA HELENE

Parroquias hermanas ayudan a aliviar el impacto de la tormenta

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Seis meses después de haber sido lanzado por el obispo Michael Martin, el Programa de Parroquias Hermanas de la Diócesis de Charlotte ya está dando frutos.

Más de 30 parroquias “hermanas” recaudaron fondos el invierno pasado para apoyar a 20 iglesias en la mitad occidental de la diócesis que fueron las más afectadas por la tormenta tropical Helene. Estos fondos han sido fundamentales para apoyar necesidades operativas específicas de las iglesias, mientras que las donaciones al Fondo de Ayuda Helene de Caridades Católicas se están utilizando de manera más general para ayudar a individuos y comunidades afectadas.

Las segundas colectas realizadas en noviembre y diciembre recaudaron un total de $466,954 para ayudar a las parroquias afectadas a recuperar fondos del ofertorio perdidos y usarlos según sea necesario – como ayudar a feligreses necesitados, financiar ministerios o pagar cuentas. Ya se han distribuido $328,089, con otros $138,865 pendientes por distribuir.

Los pagos continuarán cada mes hasta que todos los fondos hayan sido distribuidos, dijo Matt Ferrante, director financiero de la diócesis.

Ferrante también señaló que ocho parroquias no necesitaron apoyo financiero adicional en febrero, ya que sus ofertorios semanales habían vuelto a los niveles previos a Helene.

FOTO DE ARCHIVO | CATHOLIC NEW HERALD

Feligreses de la iglesia de San Marcos en Huntersville llevan provisiones de pañales, alimentos no perecederos y agua al aeropuerto de Statesville para ser trasladados por avión y coche a Waynesville inmediatamente después del paso de Helene. Parroquias hermanas de la diócesis ayudaron a los afectados por la tormenta tropical.

“Este aumento es una señal positiva de la salud financiera y la resiliencia de esas comunidades”, dijo.

El Programa de Parroquias Hermanas ha ido más allá del apoyo económico al ofertorio, extendiéndose a parroquias afectadas en lugares como Sylva y Waynesville, con asistencia que incluye oraciones, Misas especiales, voluntarios que transportan ayuda

Cuenta las historias de nuestra fe

Coordinador de Medios Hispanos

La Diócesis de Charlotte busca un periodista apasionado e innovador para crear y seleccionar contenido bilingüe atractivo que cubra los eventos, noticias y personas de nuestra creciente comunidad católica hispana.

Contribuirás al galardonado Catholic News Herald y CNH Español en plataformas impresas, digitales y de redes sociales, además de ayudar a desarrollar nuevas. Este puesto ofrece oportunidades de crecimiento como parte de un equipo experimentado en una de las regiones de más rápido crecimiento del país.

Los candidatos deben tener al menos 3 años de experiencia, una licenciatura en periodismo o un campo relacionado con la comunicación, y dominio del español e inglés, tanto escrito como hablado. ¡Aplica hoy!

material y ofrecen mano de obra a quienes sufrieron los efectos de la tormenta. Las nuevas relaciones entre parroquias, forjadas a través del trauma, continúan mientras las parroquias se mantienen comprometidas con el apoyo espiritual y directo.

Rayanne Herrera, administradora de la oficina de la parroquia Santa María, Madre de Dios en Sylva, dijo que toda la ayuda adicional ha sido una bendición para las personas necesitadas.

“Es difícil cuando vives de cheque en cheque, y de repente tienes que hacer muchas reparaciones, justo en medio del invierno cuando el trabajo estacional ya escasea”, dijo Herrera.

Las parroquias hermanas de Sylva, la Catedral de San Patricio en Charlotte y Santa Teresa en Mooresville, han aliviado la carga: entregando canastas de alimentos

para el Día de Acción de Gracias, tarjetas de gasolina y certificados de regalo, mantas, y próximamente, canastas de alimentos para Pascua.

Sin embargo, las solicitudes de ayuda siguen llegando a la pequeña comunidad parroquial.

La despensa de alimentos de la parroquia, que ya era pequeña antes de Helene, atendió a más de 500 personas la semana posterior a la tormenta y ahora se mantiene ocupada abasteciendo a familias locales con alimentos, productos para el hogar y artículos de higiene.

“Simplemente tratamos de llenar los vacíos dentro de la comunidad”, dijo Herrera.

El padre Paul McNulty, párroco de la parroquia San Juan Evangelista en Waynesville y de la misión Inmaculada Concepción en Canton, dijo que el Programa de Parroquias Hermanas está proporcionando ayuda tanto material como espiritual para las personas a las que sirve. Waynesville fue emparejada con San Marcos en Huntersville y San José en Kannapolis. Las parroquias contribuyeron con todo, desde apoyo financiero hasta suministros que fueron enviados inmediatamente después de la tormenta. Los Caballeros de Colón de Kannapolis enviaron un cargamento de chaquetas abrigadas para familias que lo perdieron todo y necesitaban ropa de invierno.

“Esas distribuciones durante los últimos meses han sido de gran ayuda para compensar cualquier déficit en el ofertorio, y nos han permitido extender ayuda a nuestros feligreses afectados por la tormenta”, dijo.

Leer más

EN LA PÁGINA 11: Ver una lista de las iglesias que fueron beneficiarias y donantes en el programa de Hermanamiento Parroquial.

Retiro cuaresmal en la Iglesia San Luis Gonzaga en Hickory

HICKORY — La Iglesia de San Luis Gonzaga llevo a cabo su retiro de cuaresma15 de marzo. El Padre Diógenes Araúz, C.M. misionero vicentino proveniente de Panamá quien esta temporalmente en la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Charlotte fue el invitado especial para compartir los temas conjuntamente con el hermano José Rodríguez, integrante del grupo de animación “Te Alabare”, quien con su predica y alabanzas dispusieron a los feligreses a abrir su corazón para seguir viviendo este tiempo de cuaresma con mucho amor, sacrificio y perseverancia espiritual. Los feligreses Hickoritas estuvieron muy contentos con las predica impartidas por el sacerdote Diógenes Araúz y el hermano José. Después del medio día los feligrese se dispusieron a compartir los alimentos que con su gran generosidad se habían preparado para llevar a cabo ese convivio comunitario.

DIÁCONO EDUARDO BERNAL

Lecturas Diarias

ABRIL 13-19

Domingo (Domingo de Ramos de la Pasión del Señor): Lc 19:28-40 (en la procesión de ramos), Is 50:4-7, Sal 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24, Fil 2:6-11, Lc 22:14-23:56; Lunes: Is 42:1-7, Sal 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14, Jn 12:1-11; Martes: Is 49:1-6, Sal 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 y 17, Jn 13:21-33, 36-38; Miércoles: Is 50:4-9a, Sal 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 y 33-34, Mt 26:14-25; Jueves (Jueves Santo – Misa Vespertina de la Cena del Señor): Ex 12:1-8, 11-14, Sal 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18, 1 Cor 11:23-26, Jn 13:1-15; Viernes (Viernes Santo de la Pasión del Señor): Is 52:13-53:12, Sal 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25, Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9, Jn 18:1-19:42; Sábado (Sábado Santo en la Vigilia Pascual en la Noche Santa de Pascua): Gn 1:1-2:2 o Gn 1:1, 26-31a, Sal 104:12, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35 o Sal 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 y 22, Gn 22:118 o Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18, Sal 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11, Ex 14:15-15:1, Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18, Is 54:5-14, Sal 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13, Is 55:1-11, Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6, Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4, Sal 19:8, 9, 10, 11, Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28, Sal 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 o Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6, Sal 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19, Rom 6:3-11, Sal 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23, Lc 24:1-12

ABRIL 20-26

Domingo (La Resurrección del Señor): Hch 10:34a, 37-43, Sal 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23, Col 3:1-4 o 1 Cor 5:6b-8, Jn 20:1-9; Lunes: Hch 2:14, 22-33, Sal 16:1-2a y 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11, Sal 118:24, Mt 28:815; Martes: Hch 2:36-41, Sal 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 y 22, Jn 20:11-18; Miércoles: Hch 3:1-10, Sal 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9, Lc 24:13-35; Jueves: Hch 3:11-26, Sal 8:2ab y 5, 6-7, 8-9, Lc 24:35-48; Viernes: Hch 4:1-12, Sal 118:1-2 y 4, 22-24, 25-27a, Jn 21:1-14; Sábado: Hch 4:13-21, Sal 118:1 y 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21, Mc 16:9-15

ABRIL 27-MAYO 3

Domingo (Domingo de la Divina Misericordia): Hch 5:12-16, Sal 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24, Ap 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19, Jn 20:19-31; Lunes: Hch 4:23-31, Sal 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9, Jn 3:1-8; Martes (Santa Catalina de Siena, Virgen y Doctora de la Iglesia): Hch 4:32-37, Sal 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5, Jn 3:7b-15; Miércoles: Hch 5:17-26, Sal 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, Jn 3:16-21; Jueves: Hch 5:27-33, Sal 34:2 y 9, 17-18, 19-20, Jn 3:31-36; Viernes (San Atanasio, Obispo y Doctor de la Iglesia): Hch 5:34-42, Sal 27:1, 4, 13-14, Jn 6:1-15; Sábado (Santos Felipe y Santiago, Apóstoles): 1 Cor 15:1-8, Sal 19:2-3, 4-5, Jn 14:6-14

San Isidoro: ‘Regalo de la divinidad’

Isidoro significa: “Regalo de la divinidad (Isis: divinidad. Doro: regalo).

Nació en Sevilla en el año 556. Era el menor de cuatro hermanos, todos los cuales fueron santos y tres de ellos obispos. San Leandro, San Fulgencio y Santa Florentina se llamaron sus hermanos.

Su hermano mayor, San Leandro, que era obispo de Sevilla, se encargó de su educación obteniendo que Isidoro adquiriera el hábito o costumbre de dedicar mucho tiempo a estudiar y leer, lo cual le fue de gran provecho para toda la vida.

Al morir Leandro, lo reemplazó Isidoro como obispo de Sevilla, y duró 38 años ejerciendo aquel cargo, con gran brillo y notables éxitos.

Isidoro fue el obispo más sabio de su tiempo en España. Poseía la mejor biblioteca de la nación. Escribió varios libros que se hicieron famosos y fueron muy leídos por varios siglos como por ej.

Las Etimologías, que se pueden llamar el Primer Diccionario que se hizo en Europa. También escribió La Historia de los Visigodos y biografías de hombres ilustres.

San Isidoro es como un puente entre la Edad Antigua que se acababa y la Edad Media que empezaba. Su influencia fue muy grande en toda Europa y especialísimamente en España, y su ejemplo llevó a muchos a dedicar sus tiempos libres al estudio y a las buenas lecturas.

Fue la figura principal en el Concilio de Toledo (año 633) del cual salieron leyes importantísimas para toda la Iglesia de España y que contribuyeron muy fuertemente a mantener firme la religiosidad en el país.

Se preocupaba mucho porque el clero fuera muy bien instruido y para eso se esforzó porque en cada diócesis hubiera un colegio para preparar a los futuros sacerdotes, lo cual fue como una preparación a los seminarios que siglos más tarde se iban a fundar en todas partes.

Dice San Ildefonso que “la facilidad de palabra era tan admirable en San Isidoro, que las multitudes acudían de todas partes a escucharle y todos quedaban maravillados de su sabiduría y del gran bien que se obtenía al oír sus enseñanzas”.

Su amor a los pobres era inmenso, y como sus limosnas eran tan generosas, su palacio se veía continuamente visitado por gentes necesitadas que llegaban a pedir y recibir ayudas. De todas las ciencias la que más le agradaba y más recomendaba era el estudio de la Sagrada Biblia, y escribió unos comentarios acerca de cada uno de los libros de la S. Biblia. Cuando sintió que iba a morir, pidió perdón públicamente por todas las faltas de su vida pasada y suplicó al pueblo que rogara por él a Dios. A los 80 años de edad murió, el 4 de abril del año 636. La Santa Sede de Roma lo declaró “Doctor de la Iglesia”.

— ACI Prensa

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A secure future

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Retirement Living • Assisted Living Memory Care • Healthcare Households Transitional Rehab

‘Thank God for sending

Six months after Tropical Storm Helene swept through Western North Carolina, people still weep as they recall what happened Sept. 27, 2024.

They tell harrowing stories of how wind and water took the lives of 107 of their loved ones. How their homes and livelihoods were washed away by record rainfall that transformed scenic streams into raging rivers, sweeping away cars, mobile homes, whole houses and people – including Marisol Mireles, a wife and mother who lived to tell about her heroic rescue and her prayer to God. They recount how it felt being cut off – without power, water or communication – and scrambling to survive.

They will also tell you about “little angels.”

That’s what Maria Elena Figueroa Luna calls all the people who have come to help. Through donations and acts of kindness, she says, little angels arrived from everywhere. At first, they brought food and water and basic supplies, which for Maria also meant diapers for her infant son. Then they helped sort through the ruins of her family’s auto repair shop on the banks of the Swannanoa River. Out of work, Maria got a call from Catholic Charities, offering her a job helping others like herself as the community shifts from survival toward recovery.

After a disaster, experts say recovery follows a pattern: ensuring safety, assessing

STORY BY LIZ CHANDLER AND CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS

sending angels’ Gratitude

damage, restoring services, cleanup and rebuilding.

Survivors say recovery is rooted in faith – faith in God, in community, in the goodness of people.

“At times like this you see the good and the bad in people, but for everything that was negative, we’ve had twice as many blessings,” says Claudia Graham, office manager at St. Margaret Mary Church in Swannanoa, which has served as a critical relief center since the storm.

Still, says Antonio Garcia, “the need is so vast.” A Hispanic ministry coordinator for the Diocese of Charlotte, Antonio has guided Catholic Charities’ housing work in the area alongside many volunteers and groups.

and need remain great in WNC

“The people who have received assistance are doing well. They are moving back into their homes, and they are beginning to heal,” he says.

“But there are a lot of people still suffering …waiting for relief to come to them.”

Faith, he says, has helped move people to act – and to be grateful: “People say to you, ‘Thank God. Thank God for sending angels to our communities.’”

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Members of St. Margaret Mary Church in Swannanoa take a moment to celebrate their ongoing recovery outside their church that has been a source of spiritual and material help since Tropical Storm Helene.

After the storm, Swannanoa parish brings ‘esperanza’

LIZ CHANDLER lchandler@rcdoc.org

SWANNANOA — When it rains here and the wind blows, people get a little anxious.

Along Highway 70, drivers still slow to see the destruction left by Tropical Storm Helene six months ago.

“LOOK AT YOU YOU’RE TIRED. BUT YOU AIN’T GIVING UP,” a hand-painted sign encourages, as people across western North Carolina continue to rebuild their homes and lives.

Up the hill from the Swannanoa River, parishioners of St. Margaret Mary Church are worshiping “more fervently” than ever, says office manager Claudia Graham, judging by the turnout for Vespers, Masses and Lenten activities.

“It’s been a wild six months,” she says. “You never know what each day is going to bring” to the little church that has played an outsized role in the area’s recovery – thanks to “a whole lotta heart” and more than $600,000 in donations from people as far away as Italy and Australia.

“I believe our people got through this because they kept their faith,” Graham says, “and folks without a strong faith life got through it because they reached out to their fellow man.

“It is the Holy Spirit at work.”

Perhaps no one is praying more fervently now than parishioner Marisol Mireles, who serves as an usher at the Spanish Mass along with her husband Francisco.

The wife and mother of three was swept away and nearly drowned in flood waters – as her children looked on. A dramatic rescue ensued. Today, she prays the rosary every day in gratitude.

“Jesus Christ is with us,” she says, then clarifies: “Jesus Christ – and the people of the church.”

PROVIDING HOPE AND MONEY

St. Margaret Mary Parish was between priests when Helene hit last September, so it was the ingenuity of parish leaders – led by Graham and her assistant Jennifer Puzerewski – that transformed the building (capacity 110) into a relief center that has served thousands.

Within three days of the storm, the church had launched a relief fund that would collect nearly double its annual offertory.

A week later, the church still without power and water, a

visiting priest offered Mass outside to bring the comfort of the Blessed Sacrament and human connection to parishioners. Supplies from across the diocese poured in, converting St.

Margaret Mary’s basement into a community hub. The church bought two cell phones, hotlines for both English- and Spanishspeakers in need. Partners joined in: the

Emergency supplies arrived from dioceses, churches, Catholic schools, religious orders, Knights of Columbus councils, small businesses, and individuals across over two dozen states. Volunteer drivers trucked 67 deliveries of 480,000 pounds from the Diocesan Pastoral Center alone, including bottled water and nonperishable food.

Diocese of Charlotte, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society. Two churches –St. Gabriel in Charlotte and St. Pius X in Greensboro – adopted St. Margaret Mary through the diocese’s “Sister Parish Program,” sending prayers, labor and money to make up for lost offertory collections.

“We became a near-household name,” says Graham, after the parish was featured in the Wall Street Journal and other national news outlets, For weeks, she says, “We did the physical stuff. We gave out food and water and we were among the first to have flashlights.”

Parishes also received:

(From

Francisco

and Marisol

are dedicated members of St. Margaret Mary Church in Swannanoa, serving as ushers at Sunday Mass. The couple stands on the second level of their home in Swannanoa, indicating where floodwaters reached during Tropical Storm Helene. A handmade sign along U.S. 70 in Swannanoa encourages locals to keep their spirits high.

The parish then set aside plans for expansion of the 89-year-old church building to shift toward addressing more complicated needs of parishioners – providing building supplies, HVAC systems, furniture and appliances and, in one case, a 12-passenger van.

“But the emotional stuff is just as important,” Graham says. “The trauma was also something we wanted to address.”

Soon, a counselor was seeing parishioners, and Grupo Esperanza (Hope Group) was born for Spanish speakers, offering group therapy.

SWANNANOA, SEE PAGE 23

Generators Chain saws Diapers and baby supplies Tents, blankets and sleeping bags

Mobile showers and laundry units Cleaning supplies And much more

Help in the aftermath of Helene

Graham

LIZ CHANDLER, TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

top)

Bonilla

Mireles

Donors help Catholic Charities ‘rebuild lives’

LIZ CHANDLER lchandler@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE – Catholic

Charities remains on point for the Diocese of Charlotte’s Helene relief efforts in Western North Carolina – its largest-ever humanitarian effort, with boots on the ground and money flowing in to help rebuild lives.

Donors around the world have contributed more than $12.3 million to Catholic Charities’ Helene Relief Fund, with a gift of $241,000 arriving just this week.

“We were ground zero,” says Maria Elena Figueroa Luna, whose family’s seven-bay auto repair shop along the Swannanoa River was left in ruins. “We were ready for rain, but nobody expected anything like this.”

Out of work after the storm, Figueroa joined Catholic Charities’ staff – rebooting her life and working as a disaster case manager to help others who also have lost livelihoods and loved ones. She connects people to resources and builds community among survivors. Just last week, she served up more than 50 pizzas at a party sponsored by Catholic Charities during a youth baseball tournament for children impacted by the storm, held at restored fields at Black Mountain Veteran’s Park.

“It hurts my heart to see everybody in such a bad situation,” says Figueroa, a mother of three. “What has been wonderful is seeing the community united as one like a community should be.”

Catholic Charities’ work began the day the storm hit Sept. 27, 2024, when the agency partnered with the diocese’s central office and ministries to buy and deliver food, water and other supplies to its mountain churches for distribution to anyone in need. By November, the agency shifted toward also identifying needs and managing cases to help people navigate complex systems and get the resources they need.

Over the six months since the storm, the agency has served 1,162 households, not including several thousand people who arrived at drive-up sites for supplies. So far, Catholic Charities has:

n Spent $2 million on providing basics including food, shelter, rent, utilities and emergency supplies, and rehabilitating 53 homes –including 25 mobile homes in a Swannanoa neighborhood flooded in the storm. (See story page 18.)

n Committed $3.1 million for managing cases and repairing or replacing another 50 homes in Black Mountain.

n Earmarked $5 million for longer term support through mental health services, employment assistance, financial aid, and help for small businesses to reopen. This funding will help with the rehabilitation of another 150 homes, using long-term

recovery groups to find underserved areas and prioritize projects.

n Reserved $2.2 million for future needs.

“The generosity and collaboration we’ve seen is both heartwarming and astounding,” says Catholic Charities Executive Director and CEO Gerry Carter. “We are continuing to provide supplies and case management services, and are looking now for small pockets that may have received little or no relief and where we can bring the most impact.”

One family Catholic Charities is assisting is Gerardo and Jazmin Gutierrez. They escaped from rising flood waters in their home

in Swannanoa, with Gerardo Gutierrez carrying his two infant daughters to safety, then going back for his pug “Jojo,” who was swimming inside the home waiting to be rescued. Their house on old Highway 70 sustained so much damage that it was condemned and torn down. The couple now is struggling to pay rent on a temporary residence plus their mortgage on a property that now is nothing more than a mud flat. They’re having trouble getting building permits because a surprise underground water source has been found on their property.

“It’s hard. With two children, it’s double hard,” says Gutierrez,

an auto mechanic. “But my family – my wife, my children – keep me strong. There’s a reason to keep strong.”

Director Carter says Catholic Charities is also “building bridges” to increase its impact by partnering with other community organizations with a track record of getting results. The agency worked closely with CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) on the mobile home park rehabilitation, in a collaboration that is continuing.

In giving assistance, Carter says Catholic Charities prioritizes: people in dire circumstances; referrals from pastors and parishes; people not covered or insufficiently aided by FEMA and other government services; people who can’t afford to recover adequately; those with unmet needs identified across an array of referral agencies; and business replacement or startup opportunities.

In a letter to Catholic Charities’ donors, he expressed gratitude: “Thank you for standing with our neighbors and living out the gospel call to serve. Your love is rebuilding lives and restoring communities.”

— Christina Lee Knauss contributed.

more for rebuilding 150 homes & case management available to meet future needs $12.3 million $5.1 million $5 million $2.2 million ( As of April 3, 2025 ) raised What's next? From $4,942,417 Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte $2,775,000 Catholic Charities USA $1,762,585 Other arch/dioceses $998,659 Our diocese second collections $787,334 Local individuals and groups $650,000 Golden Leaf Foundation $500,000 Anonymous donor $100,000 Sisters of Mercy spent or being spent on direct assistance to 1,162 households, case management, 53 homes rebuilt and 50 more underway

TROY C. HULL, CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS AND LIZ CHANDLER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (Clockwise from left) Maria Elena Figueroa Luna and her family sit in the ruins of their business alongside the Swannanoa River. She now works for Catholic Charities, helping others impacted by Helene like those enjoying a baseball game at the restored Black Mountain Veteran’s Park. Catholic Charities and CORE workers, including Antonio Garcia (center), speak about their experiences restoring homes.

Six months after fleeing their homes, families return to Swannanoa mobile home park

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

SWANNANOA — In the early morning hours of Sept. 27, Ruben Arellano and Veronica Rios fled their home in the Alan Campos Mobile Home Park along with their two children, two cats and their dog as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Helene started to rise all around Swannanoa. They fled to higher ground at a nearby gas station and then to a friend’s house as Helene’s heavy rains pounded the area.

“We saw the water rising, and could hear the sirens and the trees creaking,” Arellano said through an interpreter. “We saw all the destruction and knew there was going to be a problem.”

That afternoon when the rains stopped, the family returned to their mobile home and found more than two feet of water inside. Furniture had floated from one end of the rooms to the other. Beds, mattresses, chairs, electronics and almost all of their possessions “except for clothes which were hanging higher up” were soaked through and ruined.

Ruben, Veronica and their children, like many other residents of the mobile home park, were forced out of their home by the flood damage. Six months later in late March, they – and others from Alan Campos – were preparing to move back home.

Their return was possible because, in October, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte stepped in and began the work of bringing Alan Campos back to life. Some of the funds the agency raised from local donors as well as folks in all 50 states went toward the $200,000 spent thus far on repairing the flooded homes, providing drywall, flooring, lumber, paint, furniture and other needs. HVAC systems were repaired, and the mobile homes were raised so they would not be vulnerable to future flooding.

Catholic Charities contracted Community Organized Relief Effort, a global crisis response organization, to do the repairs.

Antonio Garcia, a Hispanic Ministry coordinator in the Asheville Vicariate, helped coordinate the effort.

Hundreds of volunteers from the diocese and across the country came to the park. Some came as part of organized efforts, and many more arrived on their own, just looking for a way to help.

The devastation was difficult to see but Arellano, a painter by trade, found something to be thankful for.

“I told my family at least we had something to start over with – so

many others in the region lost their home completely,” he said through an interpreter.

He was at the park every day, pitching in to help with work when he could and installing the flooring himself. Seeing so many people willing to help his family and others return home kept him going.

“People would work here for

hours, for days,” he said. “We were so blessed to have all of them come here.”

Maria Ortega and Juventino Roblero, members of St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, just moved back into their completed home, which took on three feet of water and had to be completely gutted and rebuilt.

On the morning of the storm, Roblero had to walk out of the flooding park with his daughter and two grandchildren. For more than 12 hours, he couldn’t locate Ortega, who was stranded at her job at a local motel and stayed at a Good Samaritan’s house overnight before being reunited with her family.

The couple said witnessing all the help from others and their faith got them through the storm and their time away from home.

“We prayed and put ourselves in God’s hands,” Ortega said through an interpreter.

Two days after the six-month anniversary of Helene, the bulk of the work at the park was completed and more than 200 people celebrated with music, laughter, dancing and prayer. Homemade food was served under decorated tents and children played in an inflatable bounce house. People danced to party favorites like the Macarena and an African drum group from Asheville performed.

“Isn’t it wonderful to have something to celebrate?” one woman asked aloud.

Gerry Carter, executive director and CEO of Catholic Charities, reflected on the work done and the labor yet to come, saying, “We’re here for the long term.”

“In the first months after the storm we led the way with the work in this community, and now all these families and children have a safe place to live,” Carter said. “We’re going to keep at this in western North Carolina until we don’t have a dime left and as many people as possible are back in their homes.”

“We’re going to keep at this in western North Carolina until as many people as possible are back in their homes.”

Gerry Carter Executive director and CEO, Catholic Charities

CHRISTINA L. KNAUSS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Residents of Alan Campos Mobile Home Park joyfully celebrate their safe return to rebuilt homes and craft thank you notes.

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Ruben Arellano, Veronica Rios and their children were one of many families forced to leave their homes because of flood damage in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. Six months later, they were preparing to move back home thanks to work spearheaded by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte and funded by generous donors from across the diocese.

Storm stories: The region begins to recover

Hendersonville

Margaret Beale

Principal of Immaculata Catholic School

When the six-month anniversary of Helene fell on March 27, Principal Margaret Beale, students and staff at Immaculata Catholic School were dealing with another potential natural disaster: nearby wildfires that made the air so smoky students had to stay inside for recess.

“These wildfires really made it clear that we’re still healing,” Beale said. “You could tell in the way kids talked about the wildfires, their worry and concern.”

Beale was one of the people who initially contacted diocesan officials after Helene to raise awareness about the area’s dire needs, and soon supplies were flowing.

Six months on, the need for supplies has dwindled, and Beale and her staff are focusing on being aware of the needs of families who have regained at least a

Asheville

Father Pat Cahill

Pastor of St. Eugene Parish

The recent wildfires in western North Carolina reminded St. Eugene’s pastor Father Pat Cahill that life at the parish is still being transformed by Helene. The confirmation retreat had to be moved due to poor air quality.

“This is an example of how six months later, we’re still feeling directly the fallout from Helene,” he said. “Millions of trees that have been dead now for six months were fueling these fires. It can be tough to not be discouraged with so much seemingly piling up against us.”

About 70 teenagers attended the relocated retreat and “had a good experience of prayer and fun,” he said – evidence that life at the parish has largely bounced back to normal, Father Cahill said. Sacrament preparation classes are on schedule. Mass attendance is back to pre-storm numbers. Lenten observances and preparations for

Waynesville and Canton

Father Paul McNulty

Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish and Immaculate Conception Mission

Since the first days after Helene hit, helping those in need has been the continual goal at St. John the Evangelist in Waynesville and its mission, Immaculate Conception in Canton.

Father Paul McNulty, pastor, recalls the days immediately after the storm when Waynesville became a supply hub.

The church didn’t sustain any damage, but the town and surrounding communities were inundated by floodwaters.

The parish had about 20 families whose homes were severely damaged or destroyed completely, with damage hitting the little town of Clyde especially hard.

The difficulties of the past few months recede when he meets with families who are bouncing back. He has even been able to bless new homes for several people who lost theirs.

While Father McNulty is not seeing a lot of people openly dealing with trauma, he knows the struggle is there.

“I think this is something all of us who went through will carry with us for the rest of our lives,” he said.

Mars Hill and Burnsville

Kelly Hansen

Parish secretary at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and Sacred Heart Mission

In the days immediately after Helene, St. Andrew the Apostle in Mars Hill and its mission, Sacred Heart in Burnsville, quickly became major relief hubs for parishioners and residents in need of basic supplies – food, clothing, water, diapers, toiletries and more. Six months later, the supply effort at St. Andrew is still going on, evidence of the ongoing need and the hearts of the parishioners, said Kelly Hansen, parish secretary.

“We’re still seeing 25 to 30 people a day. Most are from the surrounding community because so many people here lost their jobs. There were factories in the area that shut down because of the storm.”

The supply center has been moved into the education wing to make space for Lenten activities and other parish efforts.

“We’re preparing for Palm Sunday,” Hansen said. “So it feels like the life of the parish is coming back to normal.”

Beale

Cahill

Hansen

McNulty

Sister parishes help ease storm’s impact

CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Six months after it was launched by Bishop Michael Martin, the Diocese of Charlotte’s Sister Parish Program is seeing results.

More than 30 “sister” parishes raised money last winter to provide support to 20 churches in the western half of the diocese that were hit worst by Tropical Storm Helene. These funds have been critical in supporting churches’ specific operational needs, whereas donations to Catholic Charities’ larger Helene Relief Fund are being spent more broadly to help affected individuals and communities.

Second collections conducted in November and December raised a total of $466,954 to help affected parishes recoup lost offertory funds and use as needed – such as aiding parishioners in need, funding ministries, or paying the bills. A total of $328,089 has already been distributed, with another $138,865 to go.

Payments will continue each month until all funds are dispersed, said Matt Ferrante, the diocese’s chief financial officer.

Ferrante also noted that eight parishes did not need the additional financial support in February, since their weekly offertories had rebounded to pre-Helene levels.

“This increase is a positive sign of the financial health and resilience of those communities,” he said.

The Sister Parish Program has stretched beyond offertory support to affected parishes in places like Sylva and Waynesville, with assistance including prayers and special Masses to volunteers trucking in material help and offering labor to those affected by the storm. New relationships between parishes, forged through trauma, continue as parishes remain engaged with on-the-ground and spiritual support.

Rayanne Herrera, office manager for St. Mary, Mother of God Parish in Sylva, said all the extra help has been a godsend for people in need.

“It’s difficult when you live paycheck to paycheck, and then you are hit with a lot of repairs, and you’re in the middle of winter when seasonal work is already low,” Herrera said.

Sylva’s sister parishes, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte and St. Therese in Mooresville, have eased the burden: delivering Thanksgiving food baskets, gas cards and gift certificates, blankets, and soon-to-arrive Easter food baskets.

Requests for help continue to reach the small parish community, though.

The parish’s food pantry, which was small before Helene, served over 500 people the week following the storm and now stays busy supplying local families with food, household products and hygiene needs.

they’ve helped us to be able to extend help to our parishioners who were affected by the storm,” he said.

“We just try to fill the gaps within the community,” Herrera said.

Father Paul McNulty, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Waynesville and Immaculate Conception Mission in Canton, said the Sister Parish Program is providing both material and spiritual help for the people he serves. Waynesville was paired up with St. Mark in Huntersville and St. Joseph in Kannapolis. The parishes contributed everything from financial support to supplies trucked in immediately after the storm. Knights of Columbus from Kannapolis sent over a shipment of warm jackets for families who lost everything and needed warm clothes in the winter.

“Those distributions over the last several months have been so helpful in making up for any shortfalls we had in offertory, and

$12,300,000

$5,100,000

Private

Propane

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Thursday, May 1, 2025

Carmel Country Club, Charlotte

“You too go into my vineyard” (Mt. 20:7)

May 15, 2025

by

THEA BOWMAN

She said the example of Sister Thea Bowman was powerful motivation.

“You know someone is amazing when, even after death, they still have such a presence,” Acosta said.

The Day of Reflection was one of many events that Thea House offers students at North Carolina A&T. During Lent, they have been taking part in praying the Stations of the Cross. They regularly attend Mass together and participate in Eucharistic Adoration. Students participate in Bible study and other gatherings, and along with Father Amadi offer a public witness to their devotion to the Blessed Mother by praying the rosary together at a Marian grotto in front of Thea House.

Father Amadi said between 25 and 30 students regularly take part in events

CURSILLO

dimension promotes a sense of unity, as participants are united by a shared mission and a common faith. It has become a vehicle for global evangelization, inspiring countless people to live out their faith in practical, meaningful ways. Even though I began as a doubter, I can sincerely say that the Cursillo

at Thea House. They come from around North Carolina as well as several states including Louisiana and New York, and many are international students.

Wisdom Calmday, a mechanical engineering major, said the Day of Reflection was an added bonus to the spiritual benefits he gets from regular participation in campus ministry.

“For me, Thea House has become more than just another club or association – it’s a source of motivation to keep up my faith,” Calmday said. “Whether it’s going to Mass on Sundays or heading to confession, being part of this community encourages me to stay spiritually grounded even in the midst of academic and personal challenges.”

Calmday cited a quote from Sister Thea Bowman, “God is present in everything,” and said his experience with campus ministry bears that out.

“Campus ministry is a place where I can feel that presence more profoundly during any one of our gatherings.”

on personal spiritual renewal, deepened faith, active community involvement and lay leadership. It invites individuals into a transformative relationship with Christ and equips them to live out their faith with purpose and intention. Through its enduring impact, Cursillo continues to shape the lives of countless Catholics, fostering stronger communities and a more engaged global Church. Cursillo can make a difference in your life, too.

FATHER

JOHN PUTNAM is pastor of St. Mark Parish

SWANNANOA

ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY

Marisol Mireles appreciated Grupo Esperanza, where she shared the trauma of the storm with others.

Her family had become trapped inside their two-story home as the Swannanoa River rose around it – 5 feet, 8 feet, then 10 feet.

A neighbor paddled over in a boat with a rope to tie between their two houses. Hand over hand, Mireles’ children escaped, pulling themselves along the rope through the swift floodwaters. First her two sons crossed. Then, her 17-yearold daughter, escorted along the rope by her husband Francisco.

Mireles can’t swim. Almost instantly, she fell into the river in fear.

“I felt the water in my ears and my eyes and my mouth,” she recalls, going under, “then I felt a hand grab me.”

Francisco leapt in, swimming beneath her to keep her head above water. The couple was thrown against a shipping container and separated, but both grabbed onto trees and were rescued.

“Everybody was crying, but I was smiling,” Mireles says, recalling the moment she emerged from the water. “I prayed that God would give me one more opportunity to be with my family. My prayers were answered.”

Today, she prays for those who didn’t make it. Her family prays the rosary every day, together and grateful.

They’re thankful for all the relief St. Margaret Mary has provided – from food and furniture and a new fence for

their dog Curley, to building supplies, electrical wiring, and a new HVAC system.

Even more, Mireles says, they’re grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of the church – as ushers, her husband as a lector, her sons as altar servers.

“We are thankful to God to be alive,” she says, “and we know to help people and to help the church is to help God.”

— Christina Lee Knauss contributed.

Please pray for the following priests who died during the month of April:

Rev. Joseph C. Ayathupadam

Rev. James P. Cahil

Rev. Francis M. Cintula

Rev. Msgr. Charles Gable

Rev. Richard P. Hokanson

Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Kerin

Rev. Joseph J. Lash

Rev. Samuel Orlando

Rev. Msgr. William N. Pharr

Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus www.kofcnc.org

Our nation

concerning South Carolina’s attempt to prevent Planned Parenthood from participating in its Medicaid health program, in what could determine the nation’s largest abortion provider’s ability to use public funds in states that have restricted abortion.

Court hears case over effort to bar S.C. Planned Parenthood funds

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments April 2 in a case

Caring for Charlotte Area Catholic Families in Their Hour of Need Since 1926

A key question in the case is whether Medicaid recipients have the ability to sue over bans on particular providers to remain their patients. According to its website, each of the two clinics Planned Parenthood South Atlantic operates in South Carolina offers abortion prior to the state’s six-week ban. A decision in the case is expected by the end of the court’s current term, typically in June.

USCCB ends cooperative

been brought to us by the decisions of the government.”

Despite decades of partnership with the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services, across administrations of both parties, including the first Trump administration, Granado said, “we’ve been placed in an untenable position now, and it is clear that the government has decided that it wishes to go about doing this in a different way that doesn’t include us, and so we were kind of forced into this position.”

Kansas women religious join anti-mining fight in El Salvador

ATCHISON, Kan.— Benedictine Sister Mary

Charlotte 704-334-6421

Pineville 704-544-1412

Mint Hill 704-545-4864

Derita 704-596-3291

Women and men religious, priests, along with other Catholics and non-Catholics accompanied the bishops as they dropped off the petitions. Though the Benedictines are not Salvadoran citizens, they sent their signatures to show support, Sister Mary Elizabeth said.

Blessed Carlo Acutis honored in ‘Corpus Christi’ single, video

LOS ANGELES — Blessed Carlo Acutis, the Italian teen set to be canonized April 27, has been hailed as a model for modern youth – and now, the soon-to-be saint and his devotion to the Eucharist have been honored in a song. In March, artist Le

Schweiger

Acutis

St. John Paul II tirelessly served the Church, embraced the world

VATICAN CITY — During his long and fruitful pontificate, St. John Paul II embraced the entire world, which stands yet again in need of his blessing, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on the

20th anniversary of the Polish pope’s death.

“Bless us, Holy Father John Paul II. Bless the Lord’s Church on its journey, that it may be a pilgrim of hope. Bless this lacerated and disoriented humanity, that it may find the way back to its dignity and its highest vocation, that it may know the riches of God’s mercy and love,” the cardinal said during a memorial Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 2.

Cardinal Parolin gave the homily, which recalled the legacy and spirituality of St. John Paul II, whose pontificate of more than 26 years was the third longest in history.

As pope, St. John Paul II exclaimed “with impressive force from the very first unforgettable homily at the inauguration of his pontificate, ‘Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ,’” who knows what humanity is meant to be and points the way to eternal life, the cardinal said.

Because of that conviction, the pope “could address with authority and firmness not only the Catholic faithful, but also peoples and government leaders,” he said.

Pope Francis prays people stare less at screens, connect more

VATICAN CITY — Technology should be used to improve people’s lives and to connect people

as members of one human family, Pope Francis said in a video message.

However, often “the screen makes us forget that there are real people behind it who breathe, laugh and cry,” the pope said in a video presenting his prayer intention for the month of April: “For the use of new technologies.”

“How I would like for us to look less at screens and look each other in the eyes more!” he said. “Something’s wrong if we spend more time on our cell phones than with people.”

In the message, released April 1, Pope Francis said, “It’s true, technology is the fruit of the intelligence God gave us. But we need to use it well.”

“We should use technology to unite, not to divide,” he said. “Use technology to care for our common home. To connect as brothers and sisters.”

Pope clears way for new saints, including woman from Venezuela

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has cleared the way for the canonizations of three blesseds: an Armenian Catholic archbishop martyred during the Armenian genocide, a lay catechist from Papua New Guinea killed during World War II, and a Venezuelan religious sister who dedicated her life to education and the poor.

Among other actions were the approval of a miracle attributed to Blessed Carmen Rendíles Martínez and authorization for the canonizations of Blessed Ignatius Maloyan and Blessed Peter To Rot, following a vote by cardinals and bishops.

— OSV News and Catholic News Service

ViewPoints

Scott P. Richert

All that I am desires union with I AM

The idea of union with God is, for most people, alternately attractive and terrifying.

Attractive, because no matter how far we have fallen through the sin of Adam and our own personal sins, we cannot shake the feeling that such union is what we were made for by the very God to whom we desire to be united. Terrifying, because our awareness of those sins reminds us constantly of how far we are from such union, and our attachment to the things of this world – all the good and true and beautiful things that God has created – makes us wary of the idea that we are called to move beyond it, to embrace with our whole heart and mind and soul and strength a spiritual reality that we cannot see or touch or taste or even imagine, because our imagination is bound up with the matter of our five senses. If the created world is good, why would we be called to move beyond it? How do we take the leap into what a 14thcentury English author called “the cloud of unknowing,” placing ourselves beyond the everyday material of our senses – indeed, beyond reason – in a pure relationship of “naked being” with the God who is, above all else, existence itself?

“There is no name, no experience, and no insight so akin to the everlastingness of God than what you can possess, perceive, and actually experience in the blind, loving awareness of this word, ‘is,’” writes that same author in another work, “The Book of Privy Counseling.”

The awful (that is, awe-full) mystery that God revealed to Moses from the burning bush is “I AM WHO AM.” His name makes it clear that He is Being itself, the very ground of our existence.

But if He is the ground of our existence, then that union with God that we desire already lies at the heart of who we are. Our work – everything we strive to do as Christians – is to remove all that keeps us from embracing that union fully.

“He is your being, and in Him you are what you are, not only because He is the cause and being of all that exists, but because He is your cause and the deep center of your being. Therefore … think of yourself and of him in the same way: that is, with the simple awareness that He is as He is and that you are as you are.”

Jesus said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM” (Jn 8:58), and in response, the Jews tried to stone Him, for the name that God revealed to Moses is unlike any other name. When I say your name, even if your name is the same as mine, I clearly intend to speak of you as someone other than me; but if I speak the name of God, I must say it in the first person: “I AM WHO AM.”

Thus, to the Jews, when Christ uttered the name of God, He blasphemed; but we who have accepted Christ’s self-revelation know that Christ was not appropriating to a mere man the name of God because He truly is the Son of God. And we, who through our baptism have died with Christ, are united to Christ in His resurrection and through Him to the Father.

“As all men were lost in Adam when he fell from the love which made him one with God, so all those who, by fidelity to their own path in life, manifest their desire for salvation will receive salvation through the passion of Christ alone,” the medieval author writes in “The Book of Privy Counseling.”

As Christians, we boldly speak the name of our Savior, and in doing so we both acknowledge Him as God and dare to utter the divine name, for the word Jesus means “I AM saves.” As St. Paul, on the Areopagus, testified to the Athenians, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) and the recognition that we are because He is – that I am because “I AM” – should awaken in us the desire to be united with Him beyond this passing life.

All that I am I offer you, O Lord, for You are all that I am.

SCOTT

P. RICHERT is publisher of OSV.

Brian Pusateri

It’s time for us to move

Moving is never easy. It can disrupt our routines, pull us away from friends, and fill us with uncertainty. Yet sometimes we know deep down that we’re being called to move.

In 1999, my family and I left the comfort of close friendships in Florida and stepped into the unknown of Greenville, South Carolina. We didn’t know anyone, but we believed God was leading us there to help bring Cursillo to life in the upstate. It was challenging, but we trusted His plan.

I believe God calls all of us to move – but not always in the way you might think.

In Mark 8:22-26, Jesus did something remarkable. He took a blind man by the hand and led him away from the crowd, out of the village. There, in that quiet, personal moment, He restored the man’s sight. But what happened next is just as intriguing. Instead of sending him back home to celebrate, Jesus gave him a curious command: “Do not even go into the village.” Why would Jesus say that? What deeper lesson is hidden in His words? That’s what we’re unpacking.

relationship with Him.

Moving is rarely comfortable. It requires faith. Abraham had to leave his homeland and step into the unknown when God called him (Genesis 12:1). The Israelites had to leave Egypt before they could reach the Promised Land. Even the disciples had to leave behind their nets, their jobs and their old lives to follow Jesus. And just like them, we, too, must move.

SO HOW DO WE MOVE?

Recognize where we are stuck. Ask God to reveal the areas in our life that keep us from growing spiritually. What are we holding on to that He wants us to leave behind?

Trust God’s direction. Even when we don’t know where He is leading, we need to trust that His plans for us are good. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. Take action. Faith requires movement. We cannot stay in the same place and expect change. Whether it’s breaking free from a bad habit, reconciling a broken

In biblical times, blindness wasn’t just a physical condition; it symbolized a deeper spiritual reality. And if we’re honest, sin leaves all of us a little blind. Here’s the good news: Jesus longs to heal us. However, His healing comes with a challenge. He doesn’t want us to return to the same old ways, the same environment that kept us in darkness. He calls us to move.

SEEK A SPIRITUAL SHIFT

What kind of move am I talking about? Not just a physical one, but a spiritual shift – a transformation that allows us to see through the eyes of Christ. Let me explain.

For many of us, our “village” represents our old way of thinking, bad habits, sins and past failures. It may even represent the people, places and influences that keep pulling us back into the same destructive patterns. Just as Jesus led the blind man away before healing him, sometimes God calls us to step out of our familiar surroundings so He can work in our lives.

Perhaps our village is a deep-seated resentment that we refuse to let go of. Maybe it’s a habit or addiction that keeps us spiritually blind. It could be a fear that holds us back from trusting God completely. Whatever it is, Jesus is calling us to move away from what keeps us spiritually stagnant and toward a deeper

‘Trust God’s direction. Even when we don’t know where He is leading, we need to trust that His plans for us are good.’

relationship, or stepping out in faith to serve God in a new way – we must move forward.

Surround ourselves with the right people. If our village is full of influences that pull us away from God, we must find a new community that encourages us in our faith.

Keep our eyes on Jesus. The enemy will try to lure us back to our old ways, just as the Israelites were tempted to return to Egypt. But fixing our eyes on Christ will keep us moving forward.

WHERE IS GOD CALLING US TO MOVE TODAY?

Maybe it’s time to let go of a sin that has held us captive. Maybe it’s time to forgive someone who hurt us. Maybe it’s time to step into a calling we have been resisting.

Whatever it is, we don’t want to stay where we are. Jesus healed the blind man and told him not to return to his village. Today, Jesus wants to heal us, too. He wants us to leave our “village” behind and move. Will we? The season of Lent is an ideal time to move. Let’s pack our bags and go!

BRIAN PUSATERI, a Christian author and speaker, founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. This is condensed from an essay published at www.brokendoorministries.com.

In defense of Christian missionary efforts

Of all the challenges facing Christian evangelists today, one of the most pernicious concerns yesterday. It’s the charge that Christian evangelism over the centuries has been a destructive force, aligned with European colonialism and bent on the exploitation and, ultimately, the destruction of Indigenous cultures.

There’s no point denying that there have been distorted forms of evangelization by the sword, which no one today would defend. Yet if spreading the faith itself comes to be regarded as destructive, it could create powerful new pressures against evangelization culturally and, potentially, even politically and legally.

How are Catholic evangelists to respond to the charge that historically speaking, Christian missionary efforts have been a negative experience for their target cultures?

The primary defense most believing Catholics would offer is one which no secular judge or jury would ever accept: that Baptism brings souls closer to God and puts them on the surest path toward eternal salvation. But there are at least three other arguments that can be made in defense of Christian missionary endeavors.

PRESERVING, BUILDING UP CULTURES

First, far from destroying Indigenous cultures, in many cases Christian clergy and laity have been instrumental in preserving them. For example, lay Christian missionaries often preserved local languages in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands in the 19th century by providing them with a written alphabet in order to translate the Bible.

Second, instead of oppressing and exploiting the local people they encountered, over the centuries missionaries have expended enormous amounts of time, energy and resources attempting to lift them up.

This is why the Albanian missionary nun Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa, was given a state funeral in India, with Indians of all backgrounds praising her efforts to serve the country’s poor.

This is why in Mongolia today, the Don Bosco Technical School functions as both a high school and a technical college, educating roughly 250 students every year while also hosting a center for street children and orphans, providing their food, boarding, education and daily needs, despite the fact there are fewer than 1,500 Catholics in the entire country – meaning the vast majority of students aren’t Catholic and will never become Catholic. Historically speaking, there may have been no force that has invested greater resources in the development of Indigenous cultures around the world than Christian missionary movements.

Third, while individual Christians were complicit in the most brutal and exploitative forms of colonization, the broad thrust of the faith cut in the opposite direction, resisting the legacy of colonialism and standing on the side of the Indigenous.

In 1838, for example, a party of white colonists slaughtered at least 28 unarmed

members of the Indigenous Wirrayaraay people in New South Wales, Australia. A Baptist minister named John Saunders preached a celebrated sermon condemning the slaughter, thundering that “the spot of blood is upon us, the blood of the poor and the defenseless, the blood of the men we wronged before we slew. … We are guilty here.” When seven perpetrators were tried, convicted and sentenced to death, Catholic judge John Plunkett referenced Psalm 36 in pronouncing judgment: “The crime has been witnessed in heaven and could not be concealed.”

‘While individual Christians were complicit in the most exploitative forms of colonization, the broad thrust of the faith cut in the opposite direction.’

Despite popular narratives to the contrary, the truth is that through the long and admittedly mixed history of colonization, there have always been Christians who stood up against abuse, often at least as numerous as the groups committing them.

MORAL VISION ROOTED IN SCRIPTURE

As historian Meredith Lake put it, writing about Christian resistance to oppression during the colonization of Australia, these Christians “had a moral vision rooted in an understanding of the Bible – especially in the idea of God’s concern for the poor and oppressed, and his righteous judgement against injustice. This idea is pervasive in the text of Scripture … (and) gave a biblical shape to humanitarian defenses of Indigenous people.”

In the collision between the West and the rest of the world over the last 500 years, no group has stood more consistently and courageously for the preservation, development and recognition of local cultures than Christian missionaries. Scores of those missionaries have given their lives in defense of the people they felt called to serve.

How do we defend Christian evangelism against charges of a checkered past? Make sure it’s the whole past we have in view, not just selected chapters of it. When the whole story is told, Christian missionaries will be the heroes at least as often as the villains.

JOHN ALLEN JR. is the Fellow of Communications & Media at the Word on Fire Institute and president and editor of Crux, an independent online news site specializing in coverage of the Vatican and the Church. This is condensed from an article published at www.wordonfire.org.

‘God does not leave us alone and, if we abandon ourselves to Him precisely where our strength fails, we can experience the consolation of His presence.’

Pope Francis

From online story: “Ailing pope surprises pilgrims during Jubilee of the Sick”

The Catholic News Herald reached the Facebook and Instagram feeds of more than 560,00 people in English and Spanish last month. The most talked about post? Coverage of Bishop Emeritus Jugis’ reflection on St. John Paul II. Join the conversation: www.facebook.com/CatholicNewsHerald

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Over the past 30 days, 25,000 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 45,000 pages. The top trending headlines are:

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Charlotte seminarians instituted as lectors

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John Allen Jr.

St. Pat rick Cat hedr al Please Join Us in

St. Pat rick Cat hedr al Please Join Us

Celebrating the Joy of Easter

2025 Holy Week and Octave of Easter Schedule

HOLY WEEK

HOLY WEEK 2025 Holy Week and Octave of Easter Schedule

Palm Sunday - April 13th

No Sunday Adoration or Confessions

Palm Sunday - April 13th

No Sunday Adoration or Confessions

5:30 PM (Saturday Vigil), 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM

5:30 PM (Saturday Vigil), 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM,

11:00 AM, 12:30 PM

At the 11:00 AM Mass only: Please gather by the Marian grotto f ifteen minutes prior to Mass for the procession No entry into the Cathedral until the procession enters Individuals with disabilities please meet at the rectory entrance

At the 11:00 AM Mass only: Please gather by the Marian grotto f ifteen minutes prior to Mass for the procession No entry into the Cathedral until the procession enters Individuals with disabilities please meet at the rectory entrance

Monday of Holy Week - April 14th

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions

Monday of Holy Week - April 14th

8:30 AM - Confessions

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions

8:30 AM - Confessions

9:00 AM - Mass

9:00 AM - Mass

Tuesday of Holy Week - April 15th

Tuesday of Holy Week - April 15th

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions. due to 10:00 AM Diocesan Chrism Mass at St Mark ChurchHuntersville

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions due to 10:00 AM Diocesan Chrism Mass at St Mark ChurchHuntersville

Wednesday of Holy Week - April 16th

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions

Wednesday of Holy Week - April 16th

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions

8:30 AM - Confessions 9:00 AM - Mass

8:30 AM - Confessions

9:00 AM - Mass

THE SACRED TRIDUUM

THE SACRED TRIDUUM

Holy Thursday - April 17th

Holy Thursday - April 17th

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions

No 12:10 PM Mass or 11:30 AM Confessions

7:00 PM - Mass of the Lord’s Supper

7:00 PM - Mass of the Lord’s Supper

8:00 PM to Midnight - Altar of Repose* *Great Hall in the Family Life Center

8:00 PM to Midnight - Altar of Repose*

*Great Hall in the Family Life Center

Good Friday - April 18th No Masses

Good Friday - April 18th

No Masses

8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Confessions

8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Confessions

12:00 PM - Stations of the Cross

12:00 PM - Stations of the Cross

3:00 PM - Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

3:00 PM - Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

4:00 - 7:00 PM - Veneration of the Cross

4:00 - 7:00 PM - Veneration of the Cross

4:00 PM - Divine Mercy Novena by Celtic Cross

4:00 PM - Divine Mercy Novena by Celtic Cross

Holy Saturday - April 19th

Holy Saturday - April 19th

No 8:00 AM or 5:30 PM Masses No scheduled Confessions

No 8:00 AM or 5:30 PM Masses No scheduled Confessions

3:00 PM - Divine Mercy Novena by Celtic Cross

3:00 PM - Divine Mercy Novena by Celtic Cross

See next column for Easter Vigil Mass

See next column for Easter Vigil Mass

OCTAVE OF EASTER

OCTAVE OF EASTER

Easter Vigil - Saturday, April 19 Evening th

8:30 PM - Easter Vigil

Easter Vigil - Saturday, April 19 Evening th

Initiation of Elect during the Vigil Mass

8:30 PM - Easter Vigil

Initiation of Elect during the Vigil Mass

Please gather by the Marian Grotto for the blessing of the Easter f ire and procession into the Cathedral

Easter Sunday - April 20th

Please gather by the Marian Grotto for the blessing of the Easter f ire and procession into the Cathedral

Normal Sunday Mass times. No Adoration or Confessions

Easter Sunday - April 20th

Normal Sunday Mass times No Adoration or Confessions

7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM

7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM

10:00 AM - Children’s Easter Egg Hunt 10:30 AM - Divine Mercy Novena

10:00 AM - Children’s Easter Egg Hunt

10:30 AM - Divine Mercy Novena

Easter Week - April 21st to April 25th

No 12:10 PM Masses or 11:30 AM Confessions

Easter Week - April 21st to April 25th

No Adoration on Wednesday. 8:30 AM - Confessions

No 12:10 PM Masses or 11:30 AM Confessions. No Adoration on Wednesday

8:30 AM - Confessions

9:00 AM - Mass

9:00 AM - Mass

Divine Mercy Novena following 9:00 AM Mass

Divine Mercy Novena following 9:00 AM Mass

Saturday of Easter Week - April 26th

Saturday of Easter Week - April 26th

Normal Saturday Mass times and Confessions

Normal Saturday Mass times and Confessions

Divine Mercy Novena following 8:00 AM Mass

Divine Mercy Novena following 8:00 AM Mass

Divine Mercy Sunday - April 27th

Divine Mercy Sunday - April 27th

Normal Sunday Mass times, Confessions, Adoration

Normal Sunday Mass times, Confessions, Adoration

2:00 to 3:00 PM - Holy Hour and Confessions

2:00 to 3:00 PM - Holy Hour and Confessions

3:00 PM - Divine Mercy Chaplet

3:00 PM - Divine Mercy Chaplet

The Cathedral is one of only three Jubilee pilgrimage sites in the Diocese. Strengthen your spiritual journey with a visit today!

The Cathedral is one of only three Jubilee pilgrimage sites in the Diocese. Strengthen your spiritual journey with a visit today!