April 5, 2024

As diocese continues to grow, more than 1,000 people join the Church at Easter Más de 1.000 personas se unen a la Iglesia en la Pascua de Resurrección

At a glance

APRIL 5, 2024 Volume

704-370-3333

PUBLISHER

The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Bishop of Charlotte

EDITOR: Spencer K. M. Brown 704-808-4528, skmbrown@rcdoc.org

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan

704-370-3332, keeagan@rcdoc.org

HISPANIC MEDIA MANAGER: César Hurtado

704-370-3375, rchurtado@rcdoc.org

MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER: David Puckett

704-808-4521, dwpuckett@rcdoc.org

EDITORIAL TEAM: Kimberly Bender

704-370-3394, kdbender@rcdoc.org

Annie Ferguson

704-370-3404, arferguson@rcdoc.org

Troy C. Hull

704-370-3288, tchull@rcdoc.org

Christina Lee Knauss

704-370-0783, clknauss@rcdoc.org

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson

704-370-3333, catholicnews@rcdoc.org

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Liz Chandler

704-370-3336, lchandler@rcdoc.org

ASSISTANT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@rcdoc.org

CATHOLIC ALL WEEK

Timely tips for blending faith & life

Behold,

I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). The Resurrection of Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, ushers in a beautiful time of year. The reality of new life bursting forth can be seen right before our eyes and sensed within our hearts as the Easter season continues. Celebrate this season of growth and renewal by cultivating a garden in your yard and in your newly clean soul with these ideas for Divine Mercy Sunday and the month dedicated to Our Lady.

For the ultimate fresh start, take advantage of Divine Mercy Sunday, a day of incredible graces offered by Our Lord to St. Faustina Kowalska. For an easy and delectable way to celebrate Jesus’ unending mercy with your family, make www.CatholicIcing.com. You can use variations, such as blue and red berries, to represent the rays that extend from the heart of Jesus in the Divine Mercy image. Keeping the day’s celebrations simple helps you focus on having received complete forgiveness of sin, which Jesus promises us on the feast of His mercy when you receive the Eucharist worthily on this day. For more information about how to receive these graces,

GROW YOUR FAITH WITH A MARY GARDEN

Now is an excellent time to start or spruce up your Mary garden before May, the month dedicated to Our Lady. It can be as simple or elaborate as you like – just be sure to include an image or statue of Mary. From “Our Lady’s Slippers” (columbine flowers said to have sprung forth from Mary’s feet on her way to visit Elizabeth) to “Assumption Lilies” (hostas), a wide variety of blooms were given Marian names during medieval times, making it easy to create a garden fit for a queen while expressing your own personal devotion to Our Lady. Ideas abound online from Pinterest to the University of Dayton’s website. Check out your options and take advantage of those April showers.

MEDITATE WITH THE ‘LITURGY OF THE FLOWERS’

Have you ever seen a Ladder to Heaven? You may have without realizing it. That’s the name of the bloom dedicated to the Feast of the Ascension and otherwise known as a gladiolus. Liturgical feasts and each mystery of the rosary have flowers associated with them. Even if you aren’t able to start a Mary garden this year, you can appreciate these Marian blooms through art. Tend the garden of your soul with the Marian botanical art at www.RoseHarrington.com, a shop and blog operated by Katrina Rose Harrington, who researches historical flower theology and Mary gardens.

— Annie Ferguson

Diocesan calendar of events

ESPAÑOL

VIÑEDO DE RAQUEL : ¿Es usted o un ser querido que busca la curación de los efectos de un aborto anterior? Los retiros de fin de semana son ofrecidos por Caridades Católicas para hombres y mujeres en todas las regiones de la Diócesis de Charlotte. Para obtener información, comuníquese con Karina Hernández: 336-2671937 o karinahernandez@live.com.

PRAYER SERVICES

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY 3 p.m. April 7, St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Join St. Matthew Parish for their annual special prayer service in celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. This is a free event and open to all. The prayer service

will include the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, veneration of the image of the Divine Mercy, and blessing with a first-class relic of St. Faustina. It will be followed by complimentary light refreshments in the Banquet Room.

SUPPORT GROUPS

RACHEL RETREAT ‘HEALING AFTER ABORTION’ April 12-14 in the Asheville area. Are you or a loved one seeking healing from the effects of a past abortion? Find healing and support in a confidential, non-judgmental environment at a Rachel Retreat weekend. These retreats are offered by the Diocese of Charlotte’s Family Life Office for men and women, in English and Spanish. For details, contact Jessica Grabowski at jrgrabowski@rcdoc.org or 704-370-3229.

The next edition of the Catholic News Herald will be mailed on Friday, April 26, when we resume our bi-weekly print edition schedule following this special Easter edition. Stay up with the latest news from around the Diocese of Charlotte and the Church worldwide online 24/7 at www.catholicnewsherald.com. Thank you for reading the Catholic News Herald, and we hope you have a blessed Easter season!

— Spencer K.M. Brown, editor

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

APRIL 18 – 10 A.M.

Pastoral Planning Meeting with St. Lucien and St. Bernadette Parishes Pastoral Center, Charlotte

APRIL 19 – 10 A.M.

Diocesan Finance Council Meeting

Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Our faith

Divine Mercy Sunday: A reminder of God’s infinite grace

Following Easter Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, which has become one of the most treasured feasts during the Easter season. This year it is celebrated on April 7. Mankind’s need for the message of Divine Mercy took on dire urgency in the 20th century, when civilization began to experience an “eclipse of the sense of God” and started to lose a shared understanding of the sanctity and inherent dignity of human life. In the 1930s, Jesus chose a humble Polish nun, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, to receive private revelations concerning Divine Mercy that were recorded in her diary. St. John Paul II, who popularized devotion to the Divine Mercy, explained in 2005: “This was precisely the time when those ideologies of evil, Nazism and communism, were taking shape. Sister Faustina became the herald of the one message capable of off-setting the evil of those ideologies, that fact that God is mercy – the truth of the merciful Christ. And for this reason, when I was called to the See of Peter, I felt impelled to pass on those experiences of a fellow Pole that deserve a place in the treasury of the universal Church.”

In 2000 for his second encyclical as pope, “Rich in Mercy,” St. John Paul II offered an extended meditation on the mystery of God’s mercy, which he calls “the greatest of the attributes and perfections of God.” He returned to this theme of God’s infinite mercy and grace often throughout his 27year pontificate.

On May 5, 2000, five days after the canonization of St. Faustina, the Vatican decreed that the Second Sunday of Easter would henceforth be known as Divine Mercy Sunday.

The devotion to Divine Mercy Sunday grew rapidly after its designation by the pope and is now widely celebrated by Catholics. The Divine Mercy image is often carried in processions on Divine Mercy Sunday, then placed in a location in the church so that it can be venerated by those who attend the Mass.

John Paul II, who died in 2005 on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, was himself beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1, 2011, by his successor Pope Benedict XVI, then canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2014, by Pope Francis.

— USCCB

Daily Scripture readings

APRIL 7-13

Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter): Acts 4:32-35, 1 Jn 5:1-6, Jn 20:19-31; Monday (Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord): Is 7:10-14; 8:10, Heb 10:4-10, Lk 1:26-38; Tuesday: Acts 4:32-37, Jn 3:7b15; Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26, Jn 3:16-21; Thursday: Acts 5:27-33, Jn 3:31-36; Friday: Acts 5:34-42, Jn 6:1-15; Saturday: Acts 6:1-7, Jn 6:16-21

How to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was given to St. Faustina with this promise: “Encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given you” (Diary, 1541). “Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. … Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy” (Diary, 687). The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed using a rosary.

STEP 1

Begin with the Sign of the Cross, then say one Our Father, one Hail Mary and the Apostles Creed.

An optional opening prayer is:

“You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.”

Then repeat three times:

STEP 3

On each of the 10 Hail Mary beads, say the following:

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for all five decades.

STEP 4

“O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!”

STEP 2

Then on the beads where with the rosary you would pray an Our Father, say the following:

“Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

APRIL 14-20

Sunday (Third Sunday of Easter): Acts 3:13-15, 17-19, 1 Jn 2:1-5a, Lk 24:35-48; Monday: Acts 6:8-15, Jn 6:22-29; Tuesday: Acts 7:51 – 8:1a; Wednesday: Acts 8:1b-8, Jn 6:35-40; Thursday: Acts 8:26-40, Jn 6:44-51; Friday: Acts 9:1-20, Jn 6:52-59; Saturday: Acts 9:31-42,

Conclude by saying the following three times:

“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

An optional closing prayer is:

“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.”

War is ‘folly,’ pope says as he leads prayers for Ukraine, Gaza

Pope Francis held up a well-thumbed, camouflage-covered pocket edition of the New Testament and Psalms and a small fabric pouch containing a rosary.

He told people at his general audience April 3 that the Bible and rosary had belonged to 23-year-old Oleksandr, a Ukrainian soldier killed at Avdiivka. “He had his life ahead of him.”

“Oleksandr read the New Testament and the Psalms and had underlined this from Psalm 129 (130): ‘Out of the depths I call to you, Lord; Lord, hear my cry,’” the pope said.

Pope Francis asked the thousands of visitors and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square to observe a moment of silent prayer for “this young man and many others like him killed in this folly that is war. War always destroys. Let’s think about them and pray.”

The pope also spoke of his “profound sorrow” at the news that seven members of the humanitarian group World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli strikes on their vehicles in Gaza April 2 “while they were working to distribute food aid.”

World Central Kitchen said the seven killed included an Australian, a Pole, three British men working security, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada and a Palestinian.

“Despite coordinating movements with the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces), the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route,” the organization said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised an investigation, describing the killings as a “tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people.”

Pope Francis, speaking at the end of his general audience, said, “Once again I renew my firm call for an immediate cease-fire” in Gaza.

“I renew my appeal that access to humanitarian aid be allowed to reach the exhausted and suffering civil population,” he said, “and that the hostages immediately be released” by Hamas, which kidnapped them from Israel in October.

“Any irresponsible attempts to widen the conflict in the region must be avoided,” the pope said, and efforts must be made to end the fighting as soon as possible.

“Let us pray and work without tiring so that the weapons may be silenced, and peace may reign again,” he said.

Our diocese

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

Groundbreaking on seminary’s new chapel planned for May 1

CHARLOTTE — St. Joseph College Seminary is set to break ground for its new chapel on Wednesday, May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Through gracious donations, the seminary raised the $22 million needed for the project in 2023.

Bishop Peter Jugis will join Father Matthew Kauth, rector, and diocese seminarians for the groundbreaking ceremony. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the groundbreaking at 6:30 p.m. While all are invited to attend the celebration, an RSVP is required. If you would like to attend or want more information, please contact Fredrik Akerblom at fakerblom@stjcs. org.

— Catholic News Herald

Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage set for April 13

CHARLOTTE — The Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage, held each spring on the campus of Belmont Abbey College, is set for Saturday April 13.

The day-long event is designed to provide young people of the Diocese of Charlotte with a day of reflection, prayer, formation, vocation awareness and fellowship. It is a component of the annual Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress.

The day runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and youth enjoy live music, a vocations fair and motivational speakers, as well as Eucharistic Adoration and a Eucharistic Procession on the historic Belmont Abbey College campus. There are separate program tracks for middle and high school students, and the sacrament of confession is also available.

Registration is open. If you have any questions, please call 704-370-3244 or visit www.goeucharist.com/bishops-youthpilgrimage-2024.

— Catholic News Herald Catholic Charities to host annual Vineyard of Hope fundraiser

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte will hold its annual Vineyard of Hope fundraiser this year at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Carmel Country Club in Charlotte. This year’s fundraiser will include distinguished guest speaker Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA and the acclaimed author of “Imagining Abundance: Fundraising, Philanthropy, and a Spiritual Call to Service.” Robinson will speak about her decades of

Growing diocese to build new cathedral as ‘mother church’

LIZ CHANDLER

lchandler@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — After 50 years of building up its parishes, schools and ministries, the Diocese of Charlotte is preparing to lay the final cornerstone of its foundation: a new cathedral.

Bishop Peter Jugis recently accepted the recommendation of a task force of Church and lay leaders to build a new cathedral to replace St. Patrick Cathedral, which was built as a parish church in 1939 and is no longer large enough to serve the growing diocese’s needs.

Still in its earliest planning stages, cathedral construction would not begin until 2030, though fundraising is expected to follow in the next few years. The cost and location have not yet been determined but a new site is necessary, the task force said. The cathedral should go on a “noble and attractive” site in Charlotte, the largest city and the “seat” of the diocese, which serves 46 counties in the western half of North Carolina.

“This is a defining moment for the Diocese of Charlotte,” said Bishop Peter Jugis, who recently celebrated his 20th anniversary as the diocese’s fourth bishop. “Since the diocese was established 52 years ago, we have invested significant resources in our 92 parishes and missions, 20 schools and more than 50 ministries. Now it’s time to provide a mother church where people from across our diocese can gather to worship Our Lord and celebrate our most important milestones.”

A new cathedral in Charlotte would follow a trend for the growing Catholic Church in the South.

Among 193 Catholic cathedrals across the U.S., 15 have been built or expanded within the past 40 years – including six in the South to serve growing Catholic populations of Hispanic families and people moving in from the Northeast and Midwest. Costs for cathedral construction have ranged widely from $31 million in Knoxville in 2018, to $190 million in Los Angeles in 2002.

“Most great cities have remarkable Catholic cathedrals, and Charlotte ought to be among them,” said Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, who served on the task force. “A cathedral is holy ground, built to endure the ages,” he said. “It serves as a singular nexus of communion: for the faithful with God, for the local Church with the universal Church, and for the local Church with its bishop, priests, deacons, consecrated religious, parishioners and community.”

NEW CATHEDRAL FOR A GROWING DIOCESE

The 19-member task force was appointed more than a year ago to advise Bishop Jugis on whether the diocese needs a new cathedral and, if so, the timing of construction, location considerations and general specifications. Members included diocesan administrative, property and finance leaders, clergy, real estate advisors and lay leaders.

The task force unanimously concluded a new cathedral is needed due to the growth of the diocese and the inadequacy of St. Patrick Cathedral, and recommended that “all necessary preliminary work be done to allow construction to begin in 2030.”

Located in Charlotte’s historic Dilworth neighborhood, St. Patrick Cathedral is among the smallest in the U.S. with

seating for 350 people, not much bigger than the cathedral in Juneau, Alaska.

St. Patrick wasn’t built as a cathedral – it was a parish church quickly elevated to serve as a cathedral when the diocese was established in 1972, and the Catholic population numbered about 30,000. The 85-year-old building recently underwent roof, drainage and other renovations to repair water damage to its aging ceiling and walls. Access and parking are also a challenge for the landlocked site.

St. Patrick has long been unable to accommodate the diocese’s most significant liturgical celebrations including the installation of three of the diocese’s bishops, and the ordinations of priests and deacons – liturgies that draw

Winslow Bishop Jugis

FILE | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Built in 1939, St. Patrick Cathedral is among the smallest cathedrals in the U.S. and can no longer accommodate significant liturgical celebrations of the growing diocese.

CHARLOTTE — Bishop Michael Bibi, head of the Diocese of Buea, Cameroon, recently visited Charlotte for several days to renew his diocese’s longstanding partnership with the Diocese of Charlotte and visit his nine priests who serve here.

As part of his visit, Bishop Bibi offered Masses at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte on March 17. Crowds of people from Cameroon and other African countries attended the Masses and welcomed Bishop Bibi.

Bishop Bibi also met with Bishop Peter Jugis March 15 to renew the two diocese’s partnership agreement and discuss future opportunities for collaboration to promote the work of the Church.

Bishop Jugis welcomed Bishop Bibi and expressed his gratitude for the longstanding relationship they share and appreciation for the work of priests from the Buea diocese who serve at several parishes and in Campus Ministry here.

In turn, Bishop Bibi thanked Bishop Jugis for his support and invited him to his diocese’s 75th anniversary celebrations in 2025.

Bishop Bibi has led the Buea diocese since 2019, first as apostolic administrator and then as bishop. Located in West Africa, the nation of Cameroon has an estimated 10 million Catholics – about 40% of the total population. The Buea diocese was established on April 18, 1950 – two decades earlier than the Charlotte diocese.

— Catholic News Herald

Charlotte diocese renews partnership with Buea Diocese in Cameroon

N.C. entrepreneur, education leader receives 2024 Benedict Leadership Award

SPENCER K.M. BROWN skmbrown@rcdoc.org

BELMONT — Robert Luddy, a North Carolina native, entrepreneur and education advocate, has been honored by the Benedict Leadership Institute at Belmont Abbey College.

The Benedict Leadership Award highlights the achievements of individuals whose lives reflect the heroic leadership of St. Benedict.

“The fusion of leadership and faith is the heartbeat of the Benedict Leadership Award,” said Connor Gallagher, executive director of the Benedict Leadership Institute and publisher of TAN Books, during an awards banquet March 14. “This annual award is a pulsing reminder that amidst the darkness lies the seeds of renewal. Great leaders, such as Robert Luddy, do not shy away from the shadows. Instead, they discern within them the silhouettes of opportunities, they see gleaming vistas far beyond the horizon.”

Throughout decades of professional work and civic service, Luddy has maintained a single-minded focus on goal setting, constant improvement and ongoing innovation, award presenters noted. His business acumen led him to buy a small sheet metal shop in 1980 that he

eventually developed into CaptiveAire Systems – now a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems in North America.

Luddy then put his business skills to

work building up educational options for families in North Carolina.

In 1998, he established Franklin Academy, a Wake Forest-area public school that is now one of the largest charter

schools in the state. In 2001 he founded St. Thomas More Academy, a classical college preparatory middle and high school in Raleigh. In 2007 Thales Academy was created as a network of private schools offering high-quality preK-12 education at an affordable tuition.

The network of Luddy Schools is growing, with more than 8,000 students enrolled and nearly 600 faculty and staff employed throughout North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

In 2022 the network expanded to include Thales College, a classical college in Wake Forest, N.C. that offers an affordable and accelerated undergraduate degree program.

Besides his business and educational success, Luddy has received numerous awards including the 2006 Benemerenti Medal from Pope Benedict XVI for exemplary service to the Church and community.

Belmont Abbey College founded the Benedict Leadership Institute in 2016 to develop Catholic leaders and inspire them to transform society in light of their faith. Luddy is the seventh recipient of the Benedict Leadership Award and was recognized in part for his advocacy of education.

“In Mr. Luddy’s endeavors, we witness his vision, his faith-filled leadership, and his virtue, a testament that aligns with the criteria for the Benedict Leadership Award,” Gallagher said.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROLANDO RIVAS

Robert Luddy (third from left) accepted the 2024 Benedict Leadership Award from board members on March 14. He is the seventh recipient of the award, which highlights the achievements of people whose lives reflect the heroic leadership of St. Benedict.

Luddy

CHRISTINA L. KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

Holy Sepulchre members encourage faithful to help fellow Christians in the Holy Land

CHARLOTTE — As the Easter season draws near in the war-torn region of the Holy Land, Charlotte-area members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem are encouraging the faithful to pray for and help support Christians living in the Middle East.

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre was founded nearly 1,000 years ago by the pope during the Crusades when Jerusalem was under attack. Today, about 30,000 of the order’s men and women worldwide support the Holy Land’s Christian community through charitable work, raising more than $10 million annually for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and other Catholic organizations. Rick Taylor, leader of the order’s Charlotte chapter, said support is especially needed because the population of

Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land is dwindling. Recent statistics indicate they are now only 2% of the population. Taylor and the approximately 45 other Charlottearea members have watched the recent war in the region with increasing fear and sadness.

“I would tell Catholics that if you truly believe the Holy Land is where Christ walked, you need to do what you can to help these Christians and to help the Franciscans keep the holy sites available to people,” Taylor said. “I hate to think of what would happen if Christianity left the Holy Land completely. We need to do everything we possibly can as Catholics to make sure the resources are there to support it.”

One of the most direct ways to help is by giving to the annual Pontifical Good Friday Collection, taken up at Good Friday services across the country or through their website. The funds collected to go support the Order’s mission of aiding

schools, hospitals, and social and medical services in the region.

War erupted in late 2023 after Hamas forces attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has since resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians and caused widespread disruption in the entire area. Because it is almost impossible to get direct aid into the Gaza Strip, the order’s charitable resources are focused on supporting Christians and other residents in the West Bank, which includes Bethlehem and other important holy sites that have been maintained by Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land for more than 800 years.

In a recent interview with Religion News Service, Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the order’s Grand Master, said its members “are tasked with promoting justice and love through their work.”

He said about 10% of the money the order collects go to cover administrative costs, while around 90% “if not more” goes directly to the Latin Patriarchate.

“We are not architects of peace in the Holy Land, we are small workers, we stay in our place, and we try to do well what we can, or no one will,” he said. Valencia Camp has been in the order for donating to Catholic organizations working

beginning of our faith,” Camp said. “That is why it is so important that Christians continue to thrive there, and that the holy places remain safe and are preserved. That is our home.” FILE

“The Holy Land matters so much because

Rev. Joseph C. Ayathupadam – 2023

Rev. James P. Cahil – 2023

Rev. Francis M. Cintula – 2014

Rev. Msgr. Charles Gable – 1977

Rev. Richard P. Hokanson – 2013

Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Kerin – 2014

Rev. Joseph J. Lash – 1999

Rev. Samuel Orlando – 2003

Rev. Msgr. William N. Pharr – 2008

expertise to illuminate the impact of faith as a guiding influence in shaping transformation philanthropy.

This year’s fundraiser goal will go toward Catholic Charities’ mission to strengthen families, build communities, and reduce poverty in western North Carolina. Two annual awards will be given: the Fruit of the Vine Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award. The event begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a brief program and fellowship until 8:30 p.m.

Registration is free but required. At the event you will be invited to make a gift to help our neighbors in need. Go online to www.ccdoc. org/voh to get more information and register to attend this year’s event.

— Catholic News Herald

Former CTK coach charged with sexual battery of a minor in Ohio

HUNTERSVILLE — School officials alerted parents and students March 26 that a man who coached girls basketball last season at Christ the King High School had been arrested following child sexual abuse allegations in Ohio.

Jason Paul Dawson, 35, was arrested March 25 and charged with two felony counts of sexual battery involving a minor and one felony count of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, according to Franklin County, Ohio, Municipal Court records.

The allegations stem from his time working as a teacher and girls basketball coach at Worthington Christian School in Columbus, Ohio, a job he left in April 2022.

Dawson passed a background check in June 2023 and worked as a temporary contract coach at Christ the King until the season ended March 1, 2024. He also conducted a two-week basketball clinic at St. Mark School in Summer 2023, so parents there were also informed. Leaders at both schools said they are unaware of any issues that occurred during Dawson’s time working with them. Full story on catholicnewsherald.com.

— Catholic News Herald

St. Gabriel parish to host Spring Senior Luncheon

CHARLOTTE — The Senior Ministry at St. Gabriel parish will host their Spring luncheon from Noon – 1:30 p.m. April 15 in their Ministry Center.

In addition to gathering for monthly events, the parish’s seniors share their gifts and time in many ways – serving at Mass, sharing faith as catechists, participating in Scripture studies, worshiping as scheduled adorers at Eucharistic Adoration, supporting other seniors in need, and so much more.

All seniors who wish to join in faith and fellowship at the Spring luncheon are asked to RSVP by April 8 by calling the parish office at 704-364-5431, ext. 276 or visit www.stgabrielchurch.org/seniors for more information. St. Gabriel Church is located at 3016 Providence Rd., Charlotte, 28211.

— Catholic News Herald

CATHEDRAL

thousands of worshipers and have had to be diverted to other churches. St. Patrick is also too small to host all the clergy and laypeople who want to attend the annual Chrism Mass, when all the priests of the diocese gather with the bishop to renew their promises and bless the sacred oils used in parishes throughout the year.

“Everybody loves St. Patrick and it will continue to serve us well as a parish church,” Monsignor Winslow said, “but it no longer works as a cathedral for a diocese with more than half a million Catholics living and worshiping here.”

Cathedrals built recently in the United States generally seat between 1,000 and 3,000 people. The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville, Tennessee, built in 2018, seats 1,358 people. The Diocese of Raleigh’s Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, built in 2017, seats 2,000 people.

MOTHER CHURCH FOR THE FAITHFUL

A cathedral serves as the mother church of a diocese, where the faithful can worship with their bishop, and is regarded with great reverence as the center for liturgical life. It is the bishop’s ceremonial seat of authority and the physical location of his “cathedra,” which means “seat” in Latin, from which he presides.

It is typically at the cathedral that a diocesan bishop officiates at the more significant liturgical days, consecrates the sacred chrism (oil), and ordains deacons and priests.

“In the majesty of its building,” Monsignor Winslow said, “a cathedral is a symbol of the spiritual temple built by the people and resplendent with the glory of divine grace.”

For these reasons, a new cathedral should be located in a vibrant area, the diocesan task force advised, to serve as a visible sign of the Catholic presence in the community. It must be easily accessible by private vehicles and public transportation so that everyone has the opportunity to visit.

Diocesan leaders are now focused on identifying a site, architect, scope, and preliminary construction estimates to create a more detailed plan.

Several locations within the City of Charlotte are being considered, including repurposing the current Diocesan Pastoral Center location on South Church Street near uptown, diocesan leaders said.

It’s too early to determine fundraising plans, but finance and development officials say the diocese could consider selling land and other assets, leveraging investments, and seeking donations in a capital campaign.

Diocesan leaders hope to select a site by summer. They also recently invited a few select architects to study the history of the Church in western North Carolina, as well as its presence today, and submit proposals to design the new cathedral, also by summer.

Architects should consider, for example, the diocese’s immigrant roots, initially from Europe and more recently from Latin America. They must also understand the foundational work by the Benedictines and the Sisters of Mercy to establish the Church, who were instrumental in starting parishes, schools and hospitals across the state.

Next steps are to build out a timeline and financing plans for a complex and extensive project that will take shape over the next six years.

Monsignor Winslow acknowledges the timeline is long – because this project is meant to be one for the generations, the final pillar of a foundation the diocese began building over 50 years ago.

The Church has attended to the needs of the faithful in North Carolina since long before the diocese was established, he said, when the state was considered “mission” territory and priests on horseback offered Mass in people’s homes. Since the diocese was formed in 1972, its four bishops have prioritized “the many and various needs of the faithful,” from its cities and towns to its rural communities, fostering the physical and spiritual growth of the diocese.

“Our bishops, clergy and diocesan leadership have focused on building up the People of God and providing a spiritual home that has become one of vitality and strength,” Monsignor Winslow said. “It is now the responsibility of this generation to finish the work that began 50 years ago and lay the final cornerstone – with the construction of a cathedral that celebrates and serves the dynamic community of faithful we have become.”

Charlotte-area Catholics gather to witness for life

CHARLOTTE — Approximately 30 people from several parishes across Charlotte attended the closing prayer vigil for the 40 Days for Life spring campaign in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Charlotte on March 24.

The event featured several prayers and litanies for the end of abortion, as well as testimony from Andrea Hines, a member of St. Ann Parish, along with Silent No More, a pro-life apostolate of women who speak out in regret of their abortion.

Several clergy were also present to lead some of the prayers, including Father Peter Ascik, director of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Office of Family Life and pastor of St. Mary Help of Christians Parish in Shelby; Father Darren Balkey, parochial vicar of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte; and transitional Deacon Elliot Suttle, who was home from seminary in Ohio during Holy Week.

The 40 Days for Life nationwide spring campaign began Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, and was an opportunity for pro-life supporters to pray and fast for an end to abortion, especially in front of their local abortion facilities.

— Mike FitzGerald, correspondent

Located in Charlotte’s historic Dilworth neighborhood, St. Patrick Cathedral was originally a parish church, but was elevated to serve as a cathedral when the diocese was established in 1972.

Estate gift jumpstarts capital improvements for historic African-American church

COURTNEY MCLAUGHLIN Special Correspondent

WINSTON-SALEM — The generous spirit of the late Irma Gadson continues to fill her beloved St. Benedict the Moor Church in Winston-Salem. One of four historically African-American churches in the Diocese of Charlotte, St. Benedict the Moor is benefiting from a $64,000 estate gift she left upon her death a year ago.

Constructed in 1940, the church and its school once served Black Catholics in the segregated South. Today St. Benedict the Moor is home to nearly 400 parishioners, many of whom are Hispanic, said Father Melchesideck Yumo, pastor. Gadson’s gift is being divided in half to help her parish both now and into the future: $32,000 is going into a new endowment to help fund the parish’s long-term needs, and the remaining $32,000 will go toward renovation projects and general needs of the 84-year-old church.

Father Yumo says a top priority will be repairing the roof of the old school building, which is now used by faith formation classes and other ministries of the parish.

“We need a lot of money to renovate, and what she gave is going to help us a lot,” he said.

Gadson, who died in March 2023 at the

age of 99, was born in Winston-Salem and raised Baptist. She converted to Catholicism in her early 20s after being visited by a Catholic priest when she was hospitalized with tuberculosis.

“Irma was a woman who believed in the love of God for everyone and practiced Christian sisterly love daily as God commanded,” said Gloria Wilson, a long-

time St. Benedict the Moor parishioner and friend of Gadson. Gadson and Wilson lived two houses down from each other in Winston-Salem, and Gadson mentored her when she joined St. Benedict the Moor.

“I miss Irma’s kindness and compassion and love for all of God’s children in her parish and community, especially the

downtrodden and oppressed,” Wilson said.

Gadson played piano and organ for Masses at the church for more than 40 years and was an active member of the parish’s St. Monica’s Guild.

Upon graduating from Winston-Salem Teachers College, she taught for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System and eventually became its assistant superintendent of schools. She retired in 1981 after serving nearly 35 years in public education.

The endowment that is being established will be managed through the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation and will be named in Gadson’s honor.

“It is such a blessing to see a longterm parishioner remember her parish in her estate plan,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “What a wonderful legacy to her beloved church and her Catholic faith.”

Leave a lasting legacy

Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish, Catholic school, Catholic Charities or St. Joseph College Seminary? 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. For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-3703364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.org.

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Irma Gadson’s generous endowment will go toward helping her beloved St. Benedict the Moor parish with costs of renovations to the 84-year-old church.

Gadson

Parishes join to launch local Fraternus chapter for men and boys

HICKORY — St. Aloysius Parish in Hickory and St. Dorothy Parish in Lincolnton took a significant step toward nurturing virtue and brotherhood within their communities with the inauguration of a Fraternus chapter for both parish communities. The inaugural 46 members gathered to celebrate the new endeavor, aimed at fostering character development in Catholic men and boys. Fraternus, a nationwide organization rooted in Catholic principles, focuses on cultivating virtue and authentic masculinity through mentorship and fraternal bonds. The establishment of a local chapter underscores the commitment of St. Aloysius and St. Dorothy parishes to instill values of faith, integrity and service among its male members. During the ceremony, Father David Miller, St. Dorothy’s pastor, emphasized the role Fraternus can play in guiding men and boys on their journey toward holiness. “Today, we embark on a sacred mission to grow in virtue and brotherhood,” Father Miller said. “Fraternus offers us a path to deepen our faith and become true disciples of Christ.” St. Aloysius Parish hosts the weekly Fraternus gatherings on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. All Catholic men and boys in the sixth grade and older from surrounding parishes are invited to attend. Meetings include a group meal, competitive activities, prayer, reflection, and small group discussions centered on Catholic teachings and virtues.

— Catholic News Herald

Holy Family parishioner honored with St. Teresa of Calcutta Award

CLEMMONS — Long-time Holy Family parishioner Dick Foley has been awarded the second annual St. Teresa of Calcutta Award in recognition of his charitable work, dedication to meeting the needs of the parish and its members, his faith, and his heart of a servant. The award is named in honor of the charitable service of St. Teresa and awarded to those parishioners who give of their time and energy with selfless dedication.

Foley, along with his wife Mary Ellen and their family, joined Holy Family Parish in 1992 and have continuously served the needs of the community. For many years he has served Holy Family and St. Leo parishes as a Tribunal Advocate, assisting people with applications for marriage annulments. He meets two or three times per week with parishioners leading them through the process that requires attention to detail, a strong faith, and much patience.

In his earlier years, Foley was a leader of Holy Family’s Charismatic Prayer Group. Five years ago, he initiated the Flame of Love Cenacle program in which parishioners meet to pray for people in the parish and in the world. With his persistence and faith, the group has continued to grow and now has 45 members who meet each Monday night.

An attendee of daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and First Saturday morning Mass, Foley is also a lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

— Catholic News Herald

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Our schools

Holy Trinity announces $4M investment plan School to add single-sex classes, more teachers and staff, campus improvements

CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD STAFF

CHARLOTTE — Holy Trinity Middle School has announced a three-year, $4 million investment plan that will include campus-wide building improvements, additional teachers and staff, and a new learning model that blends single-sex and co-ed classes for a more tailored educational experience.

In a March 15 letter to parents, Catholic Schools Superintendent Greg Monroe and Principal Kevin Parks said the plan will “build on our shared success and reimagine how we prepare students to face today’s challenges –with character, confidence and Catholic values.”

The changes are being phased in starting this fall, with the goal of opening in Fall 2026 with a new name – Holy Trinity Catholic Academy – “to better reflect the specialized education we provide,” the letter said.

Holy Trinity is one of the largest schools in the diocesan system of 20 schools, with approximately 1,000 students.

Parents have mostly applauded the changes, said Parks, who also is working with parents to answer questions and listen to concerns.

Parents are telling Parks they like the addition of single-sex classes, he said, and are thrilled with plans to add teachers and improve the campus, as Holy Trinity’s five buildings date from the mid-1950s to the mid1990s.

“I am counting on our parents and students to help us shape a new era of education at Holy Trinity,” Parks said. “As stakeholders, their guidance and feedback will be the backbone of everything we do.”

BLENDED LEARNING

Holy Trinity will offer single-sex classes in core subjects such as English and math, while a variety of electives as well as extracurricular activities and events will remain co-ed. The curriculum will be the same for girls and boys, but will be customized to better accommodate different learning styles and developmental needs.

Two single-sex classes will be added this fall, with possibly another class in Fall 2025, as school leaders phase in and evaluate the changes. But much of campus life throughout the day will remain co-ed –before and after school, during class changes, and in clubs, activities and many elective classes.

On its communications webpage detailing the investment plan, school leaders explained “Holy Trinity has a long tradition of success, with a faith community of students who perform well above the national average. Yet many parents are looking to us to help prepare their children to navigate a world increasingly driven by social media pressures and a contentious culture.”

School leaders researched blended learning for more than a year, working with experts and visiting all-girls and allboys schools in Massachusetts and South Carolina.

“Our new learning approach really will offer the best of both worlds by blending the advantages of single-sex and co-ed

PHOTO PROVIDED

In addition to a three-year investment plan to make campus-wide improvements, Holy Trinity Middle School officials have announced a new learning model that blends singlesex and co-ed classes for a more tailored educational experience for students. The changes are being phased in starting this fall, with the goal of opening in Fall 2026.

classes,” Parks said. “There will be plenty of opportunities for boys and girls to work and learn together, as well as for them to express themselves in single-sex classes without embarrassment or distraction. This model will also expand leadership opportunities for both boys and girls.”

Single-sex schools have a long tradition in the Church, especially in the Northeast, but are less common in the South. Over the decades in western North Carolina, girlsonly and boys-only Catholic schools have operated in Asheville, Belmont, Charlotte, Hickory and Winston-Salem, among other places.

‘I am counting on our parents and students to help us shape a new era of education at Holy Trinity.’

Kevin Parks Principal

Tara Bork has two daughters at Holy Trinity and is excited about the changes, especially for girls.

“I think this is another pathway to make these children the best versions of themselves – happy, well adjusted, challenging themselves, confident as they can be, ready to walk into high school,” said Bork.

She credits her experience at an all-girls high school for helping her become more assertive and successful: “It gave me an

opportunity to be more true to myself. We were able to discuss things without having to worry about boys’ reactions. When you don’t have all the emotional distractions and can be in a safe environment, you can learn in the way that’s best for you.”

The two other Catholic schools in the Charlotte area that offer grades 6 through 8 – St. Mark and Our Lady of the Assumption – will continue to be co-ed for families who prefer that option.

MORE TEACHERS, STAFF AND TRAINING

Reflecting its new learning model, Holy Trinity will operate as a Boys Division and a Girls Division under one roof, with new positions being added to lead each. The school will also add up to six teachers, as well as a dean of curriculum and instruction.

Three teachers will be added this fall, with more hired over the next two years.

The additional teachers will instruct the religion classes, freeing up other teachers to focus on their subject area of expertise, school leaders said.

That will help reduce some class sizes and group students in classes with others of similar abilities, Parks said.

In addition, the school’s leadership will shift to a “president-principal” model, similar to the diocese’s three high schools.

Parks will be promoted to president, focusing on strategic planning and community relations, while a new principal will oversee the school’s day-to-day operations.

To achieve the more tailored instructional approach, Holy Trinity is adding professional development – from workshops led by national experts to group studies to individual coaching and classroom observations – to help equip teachers with the latest research and strategic teaching methods.

CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

Parents will begin seeing some of the changes as soon as this spring, when renovations to Holy Trinity’s campus on Park Road will get under way.

Facility improvements will include:

n Reconfiguring entrance, administrative offices and front lobby

n Refreshing science labs with new flooring, cabinetry, furniture and equipment

n Expanding teacher office space and conference areas

n Renovating Begley Library to create additional learning spaces and repair stairways

n Installing new flooring, windows and doors in the administration building

n Installing new lighting in buildings across campus

n Improving common areas and outdoor learning spaces

n Renovating bathrooms in Begley and administration buildings

n Replacing HVAC in the Gym and Mercy building

n Expanding fencing and adding a gated campus entrance and exits to improve security and traffic flow

Most of the work will take place over the next three summers and is scheduled for completion by Fall 2026. School leaders are currently reviewing and finalizing plans with architects and selecting contractors.

School leaders said Holy Trinity’s tuition will not increase as a result of these changes.

Learn more

At www.charlottediocese.org/schools/ holy-trinity-resources : Learn more about the changes coming to Holy Trinity

Parks

Palm Sunday ushers in Holy Week celebrations

SPENCER K.M. BROWN skmbrown@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — A week of liturgies commemorating Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection began March 24 with Palm Sunday.

Outside St. Patrick Cathedral, parishioners enjoyed golden sunshine and spring breezes as they gathered at the Marian Grotto for the traditional Palm Sunday Gospel proclamation and procession that recalls Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem only days before His crucifixion.

Father Christopher Roux, rector of the cathedral, urged the people gathered not just to relive the historical event, but to act in their own lives.

“As Our Lord entered Jerusalem, the people, in honor of the Messiah, laid their cloaks and palm branches on the ground as a symbol of the One who is coming in,” Father Roux said. “Today we carry branches, but let us, instead of leaving those branches at the feet of Our Lord, let us leave our hearts and our lives at His feet – thanking Him for that which He has done for us, and offering our lives in service of Him in this world, to bring Him into every corner that we enter into.”

Waving bright green palm fronds and singing joyfully, the congregation then processed into the cathedral as the Mass continued.

“Forty days we’ve waited to shout ‘Hosanna in the highest,’” said Marie Davis, who traveled from Greensboro with her husband to attend Palm Sunday Mass at the cathedral. “With this beautiful day comes the reality that we are in need of a savior, not just a king. That we are sinners and His passion and death open the doors to heaven for us.”

For his homily on the day’s Gospel from Mark, Father Roux reflected on the different types of onlookers present at Jesus’ crucifixion.

“I had heard once that there were three types of people beneath the cross of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” he said. “The first type were those who were sympathetic. The second were those who were empathetic. The sympathetic and empathetic are those types who see something happening and feel sorrow, or see it and actually suffer with the one who is suffering. But then there’s the third type, the one who is antipathetic. The ones who hate…those who hated Christ, who hated suffering, who hated everything He stood for.” He noted the words in the Gospel passage, when the crowd

Catholics called to conversion of heart as Lent ends and Easter nears

– which once had welcomed and cheered Jesus as He entered the holy city – now jeered and shouted, “Crucify Him!”

“You and I would say we would never be among those individuals, and yet how do we live our lives? Do we live our lives trying to root out sin, the sin that causes Christ to go to the cross in the first place?” he asked the congregation. “Or does Palm Sunday just give us (a palm) to tie into knots, and Holy Week

means we can go to the beach or golfing?”

The 40 days of Lent offered people the opportunity to purify their hearts, minds and souls and to prepare for the celebration of Our Lord’s resurrection, and Father Roux called parishioners to rise to the occasion.

“This, the holiest of all weeks, let us not be antipathetic to what Christ goes through for us. Let us not even be sympathetic and only sorry that He did,” he said.

“Let us be empathetic and put our hearts right there on the cross with Him and promise Him that our hearts will change. That we will seek holiness of life, so that His death may not be in vain for us. That one day, being holy, we may be with Him in heaven.”

More online

At www.catholicnewsherald. com : See more photos of Holy Week celebrations across the diocese.

PHOTOS BY TROY HULL, CÉSAR HURTADO AND PROVIDED

As the 40 days of Lent drew to a close, faithful across the Diocese of Charlotte celebrated the arrival of Our Lord in Jerusalem with praise and thanksgiving as Palm Sunday kicked off Holy Week liturgies.

‘The

Spirit of the Lord is upon the whole Church’

Bishop Jugis calls priests, faithful to grow closer to Eucharist at annual Chrism Mass

CHRISTINA L. KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Over 100 priests from across the Diocese of Charlotte gathered at the annual Chrism Mass March 26 at St. Patrick Cathedral to renew the promises of their ministry before Bishop Peter Jugis. During the Mass, holy oils were also blessed to be used in the sacraments that nourish the lives of the faithful across western North Carolina.

Bishop Jugis celebrated the Mass and consecrated the holy chrism, a mixture of olive oil and balsam that also lends its name to the liturgy held annually during Holy Week. The holy oils blessed during the Mass are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, ordination of priests and the consecration of churches and altars.

The Mass started with a dramatic and moving procession of priests who filled the pews on one side of the cathedral, while a diverse crowd of people from schoolchildren to senior citizens filled the other side, many of whom held up phones and cameras to record the ceremony.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon the whole Church and it is also upon us priests, as stewards of the mysteries of God, for the special work conferred upon us of the sanctification of God’s people,” Bishop Jugis said in his homily. “It is most appropriate that the renewal of our priestly promises take place during the celebration of Mass, since, as priests, the Eucharist is our life.”

Bishop Jugis said the story of St. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, one of the patrons of the National Eucharistic Revival, is an important example of the need for priests to build up their parishioners’ relationship with Jesus because without it, the Church will not survive. The saint is known as the “bishop of the abandoned tabernacle” because as a priest, he was assigned to a parish where few people attended. When he arrived, he found a mostly abandoned church with burned and torn altar cloths and a tabernacle covered in dust and cobwebs.

“The Blessed Sacrament was there, Jesus was there, but no one else was because the people had not encountered Jesus as a living person in the tabernacle and as a living person in Holy Communion,” Bishop Jugis said. “St. Manuel set about teaching the people that Jesus is not a static presence but a living personal presence in the

Eucharist…May we share with our people the love we have found for the Lord and inspire our people likewise to come to that personal relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist.”

After renewing their promises, the priests stood with right hands extended during the blessing of the sacred chrism, joining Bishop Jugis in the prayer of consecration.

“One of the things I love about the Chrism Mass is that it unites the diocese,” said Father Aaron Huber, chaplain of Christ the King High School in Huntersville. “You get to see Bishop Jugis being the spiritual father of the diocese and equipping the priests for their ministry. For the priests, it’s rejuvenating to renew our priestly promises and to be gathered together.”

During the Mass, Bishop Jugis honored those priests celebrating milestone anniversaries of their ordinations.

Following the Mass, deacons and seminarians worked in a downstairs room of the cathedral’s Family Life Center, pouring the consecrated oils into bottles for each priest to take back to his parish.

“To me, the Chrism Mass is a great sign of our universal Church and the brotherhood of priests assisting the bishop,” said Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Greensboro. “It’s a great sign of our unity in the Body of Christ, a Holy Week liturgy of unity. The oils blessed here make us one because they are dispersed throughout the diocese.”

PHOTOS BY TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD At the annual Chrism Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral, priests from across the diocese joined Bishop Peter Jugis on March 26 to renew their priestly promises and consecrate the holy oils which will be used in churches throughout the year.

Holy Thursday

Mass of the Lord’s Supper: An outpouring of Christ’s love

SPENCER K.M. BROWN & CÉSAR HURTADO Catholic News Herald

CHARLOTTE — On Holy Thursday, Bishop Peter Jugis celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Patrick Cathedral, calling on the faithful to draw ever closer to Jesus in the Eucharist.

The March 28 liturgy marked the start of the Triduum – the three holy days preceding the Resurrection of the Lord at Easter.

“All through Lent, the Lord has been calling us to turn away from sin, and repent of our sins,” Bishop Jugis said in his homily to the large crowd gathered in the cathedral. “In the coming days, we celebrate all He has done for us, to save us from our sins.”

A highlight of the Mass came as Bishop Jugis removed the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle and processed out of the sanctuary along with the faithful to the altar of repose, in memory of when Jesus was arrested and taken from His disciples following the Last Supper.

Bishop Jugis noted that 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. The day also marks the institution of the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the Mass we still celebrate in His memory. Jesus’ actions on Holy Thursday and leading up to His crucifixion on Good Friday illustrate the deep love Our Lord has for all people. His willingness to offer up His life is an expression of His great love and unending mercy.

Bishop Jugis urged people to continue their work to deepen their faith: “How do we continue to grow after the work of Lent? How can we grow closer to Our Lord? Jesus gives us Himself in the Eucharist so that we continue to grow and deepen in our friendship with Him.”

From Greensboro to Asheville and beyond, churches across the diocese celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Adding to their processions and liturgies, some priests also washed the feet of parishioners in honor and memory of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, encouraging them to follow His example of love and humility.

A crowd filled Our Lady of Mercy Church in Winston-Salem for the celebration of the Holy Thursday liturgy. On an altar without linens or sacred images and with the tabernacle empty, Father David McCanless, pastor, celebrated a bilingual Mass, accompanied by Father Miguel Sanchez, parochial vicar, and Deacon Serge Bernatchez serving

at the altar.

In his homily, Father McCanless noted Peter’s refusal to let Jesus wash his feet. He said some might see Peter as confused here, “but he’s not.”

“Peter understands perfectly well what Jesus is doing. But Peter doesn’t want a Messiah who washes feet instead of winning honor in battle,” Father McCanless said. “This was not his idea of the Messiah. He wanted Him with power and glory.”

Father McCanless noted that many times we, like Peter, want a very different Messiah, according to our expectations, our needs.

“Tonight, the lesson that Peter learns, and so do we as disciples, is that we are to follow God in His path of service, full of faith.”

Then, in a humble and moving gesture, Father McCanless and Father Sanchez washed the feet of 12 parishioners in front of the altar.

Another striking moment of

the Holy Thursday Mass comes when altars are stripped bare, candles and lights extinguished, and the Blessed Sacrament is transferred to a temporary altar of repose until Easter.

At St. Patrick Cathedral, parishioners walked in silence, a bereft and mournful air hanging above them, as they followed the bishop carrying the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose in the chapel of the Family Life Center. Visitors then spent

time with the Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, calling to mind the Agony in the Garden. The moment demonstrates the Church’s sense of bereavement during Christ’s Passion and burial.

Across the diocese, faithful also spent time in Eucharistic Adoration, recalling Jesus’ words to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Could you not keep watch with Me for one hour?”

PHOTOS PROVIDED AND BY TROY HULL AND CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD (Above) Clergy and parishioners keep vigil with Our Lord at the altar of repose in the parish hall of St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (Below left) Bishop Peter Jugis carries Our Lord in the Eucharist to the altar of repose at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. (Below right) Father Miguel Sanchez, parochial vicar, washes the feet of parishioners at Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem on Holy Thursday.

Solemn Good Friday liturgies honor Jesus’ passion and death

SPENCER K.M. BROWN

CHARLOTTE — Catholics

across the Diocese of Charlotte gathered in churches on Good Friday to commemorate Our Lord’s passion and death. Parishioners took part in confessions, Stations of the Cross, and Good Friday liturgies that included veneration of the cross and Passion plays.

During the March 29 liturgy – held at 3 p.m., the hour that tradition holds Jesus Christ died on the cross –many churches were filled to capacity as faithful joined to recall the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son for the salvation of souls. The liturgy included the reading of the Passion narrative from the Gospel of John, taking those gathered on the tortuous journey Christ suffered from the Garden of Gethsemane through His crucifixion on Golgotha.

Lines of people took turns venerating the cross by bowing, genuflecting or kissing the feet of Jesus on the cross.

Good Friday is a day of fasting and prayer, and marks the second day of the Sacred Triduum. No Masses are said, and tabernacles remain empty – until the Easter Vigil Mass and the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord. A large crowd filled the old chapel of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont for a moving experience of the Living Stations of the Cross. The young adults led everyone through the readings and prayers for the service. After each reading, they re-enacted each station.

In Asheboro, a crowds gathered to see the stunning performance of the Passion of the Christ performed by parishioners of St. Joseph Church.

skmbrown@rcdoc.org

PHOTOS BY CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Parishioners of St. Joseph Church in Asheboro put on a remarkable performance of the Passion of the Christ on Good Friday for hundreds of people who gathered for the event.

PHOTOS BY CÉSAR HURTADO, AMY BURGER, AND ANINA PUCCIO Across the diocese, faithful took part in solemn Good Friday liturgies including Stations of the Cross, Passion plays, and veneration of the cross. Above, parishioners genuflect before the crucifix on Good Friday at St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

Easter 2024

‘Restless hearts’ find peace

As diocese continues to grow, more than 1,000 people join the Church at Easter

CHARLOTTE — As the Church ushers in the Easter season, the Diocese of Charlotte is welcoming one of the largest-ever groups of newcomers into the faith – with 1,104 people joining through sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and first Holy Communion at many of its 92 parishes and missions.

As St. Augustine saw it: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

Indeed, the Church’s promise to those with “restless hearts” who joined during Saturday’s Easter Vigil Masses – and those who will enter the Church during the Easter season that ends on Pentecost – is the promise of new life in communion with Jesus, whose resurrection offers the faithful healing and salvation.

“It’s inspiring to see the continued growth of our diocese, as more people turn to the Church in their search for God and

High School, joined the Church on Saturday evening, during one of the year’s most important celebrations, the Easter Vigil Mass.

As a child, he attended Mass only occasionally but had always been interested in God. When he got his driver’s license, he began attending St. Mark Church with his girlfriend’s family, deepening his interest in the faith. Last year, he decided to sign up for classes.

“What Catholics believe about love and forgiveness is so important – how we are supposed to love everyone and learn how to forgive others,” says Sulek, 17. “You don’t have to forget that someone has wronged you, but by forgiving them you don’t have to hold onto that negativity. That’s a very important part of the faith that a lot of people overlook.”

JOINING THE CHURCH

In Greensboro, St. Pius X Parish

welcomes 46 new Catholics this Easter –adults, teens and children – including 20 who were to be baptized at the Easter Vigil.

“We have many very interesting folks this year,” says Lindsay Sartorio, the parish’s pastoral associate for formation and evangelization, “including a gentleman that was in the seminary for another Christian faith and a woman from Lithuania who is just brilliant and knows perhaps more than our whole (faith formation) team.”

That woman is Elina Margeviciute, a former atheist who moved to Greensboro from Los Angeles in 2023. Baptized in the Catholic Church in Lithuania out of cultural tradition, she has spent most of her years living a secular life, believing there was nothing “supernatural.” Her interest in faith started a year ago when she noticed how much she admired Christians, so she began to study.

“I was open to Protestantism and Catholicism, but I felt drawn by the message I heard at St. Pius…,” she said. “At that first Mass, I also heard the hymn, ‘They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love,’ and that sank a hook in me.”

take their place in the communion of the Church,” says Monsignor Patrick Winslow, the diocese’s vicar general and chancellor. “We have more Latino families and people from all over the country moving in, and this diocese is rising to the occasion to help people find a warm and spiritual home.”

The number of people joining the Church this year is up nearly 30% compared to the average over the past three years – making it one of the largest classes of newcomers in the diocese’s history.

From a former atheist to a former Protestant seminarian, these new Catholics offer a glimpse inside their search for meaning and their joy in finding Jesus.

Mason Sulek, a junior at Lake Norman

In contrast, Ben Garrison, also joining St. Pius X, was very much a believer before finding the Catholic faith. He spent time in seminary for the Wesleyan Church and pursued graduate studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School. His Christian history class, taught by a Catholic, revealed the truth he was seeking.

“As I learned more about Christian history and worship and different liturgical traditions,” he said, “I was always drawn to a more structured practice. The idea of the pope and the papacy and that line of Peter from the time of Christ was the main factor in my decision to become Catholic.”

In Asheville, Monsignor Roger Arnsparger celebrated an Easter Vigil

Mass on Saturday with a nearly full St. Lawrence Basilica and the induction of five newcomers. He poured water from a scallop shell over the head of Myles Rice at a baptismal font adorned with flowers. “I grew up around Christian churches but I never got baptized,” Rice said, “so

being baptized in the Catholic Church definitely feels right.”

Montreat College student Luke Spencer also joined the Church at the basilica: “I really enjoyed learning about and fully understanding the traditional part of the Catholic Church. Getting to learn these traditions that Father (Arnsparger) could help trace back to Jesus Himself was truly fascinating.”

‘STEP BY STEP’

In Salisbury, high school junior Caleb Fortune joined Sacred Heart Parish after growing up Methodist. He began researching the Catholic faith at the age of 10 and became serious about converting in 2022, finding particular affinity for St. Thomas Aquinas, his confirmation saint.

ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@rcdoc.org

PHOTO BY TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

As faithful entered dim churches at the start of the Easter Vigil Mass, they shared the light of the Paschal Flame as the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord filled hearts across the diocese. (Right bottom) At St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, Monsignor Roger Arnsparger pours water from a scallop shell over the head of Myles Rice during his baptism.

“I’m trying to take it step by step,” says Fortune, whose parents are both supportive and now interested in the faith. “Everything that I’ve read so far I’ve agreed with, and it’s really helped me spiritually trying to understand the essence of God and the faith.”

Also at Sacred Heart, Kyle Ferguson, 23, says his interest in the faith led both him his sister to join the Church at Saturday’s Vigil Mass.

“After three or four months of just learning more about the faith, theology and Church history, the Catholic faith seemed more right,” says Ferguson, who had previously attended Baptist services. “So I went to Sacred Heart and I was just blown away by the Mass.”

“It was also exciting,” he says, “because I had this whole new world that no one ever told me about, and it was really cool. The teachings on the Eucharist are one of the biggest things that led me to the Catholic faith. It is ultimately Christ who loves us even to the very end, and always leads us to Him and His Church.”

In the mountain town of Jefferson, Aaron

Johnson is joining St. Francis of Assisi Church, which he says will enable him to share the faith more directly with his is wife and their two children.

A patent illustrator, Johnson grew up in the Protestant tradition but was still searching spiritually. He got a taste of the Catholic faith with his wife while they were living in her native Brazil.

“The Catholic Church offered a better worship experience, a more powerful way of approaching God,” he says.

His interest grew when the couple moved to North Carolina and attended Mass at Raleigh’s cathedral. He began studying the faith recently when they moved to Jefferson.

“I’m really looking forward to seriously starting this new relationship with God, and taking part in the Eucharist,” Johnson says. “I’ve been sitting there at Mass for so long watching everybody be able to receive Him, and now I’ll be able to take part in the sacrament. I’ve learned a lot through my studies, but I’m also excited because I know there is still so much to learn.”

In Monroe, Our Lady of Lourdes

welcomed 27 newcomers into the Church on Saturday, its largest group since Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor, arrived 12 years ago at the parish of 1,800 families.

“It’s the work of the Holy Spirit,” Father Roberts says. “We didn’t really advertise our classes much this year. I think our growth really reflects the growth across the diocese. It’s wonderful to help them find a place of welcome and love.”

Roberts noted that while most of the newcomers are Hispanic, almost all chose to study the faith in the parish’s English classes – reflecting the continued maturing of the community in Union County, with second- and third-generation Latinos finding a home at Our Lady of Lourdes.

BECOMING CATHOLIC

Deacon Michael Zboyovski is overjoyed to see so many joining the faith this Easter. Keeping an open heart and mind, he says, allows for the profound movement of the Holy Spirit. He has served for decades in – and now chairs – the diocese’s faith formation program called the Order of Christian

Initiation of Adults or “OCIA” (formerly known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or “RCIA”). The program is available at every parish, run by dedicated servants who teach classes in the faith over several months in preparation for entering the Church at Easter.

“The presence of Christ is made manifest as pastors, deacons, catechists, sponsors, laity and faith formation leaders coalesce to bring a warm, welcoming face and loving presence of Christ to all our inquirers,” he says. “Each year I am astounded by the dedication of all our OCIA ministry teams throughout the diocese.”

Mason Sulek, the Huntersville high schooler, found joy in his formation classes and looks forward to growing in his faith.

“The best part of this whole process has been the support of my family and friends and other people at the parish,” Sulek says. “I’ve enjoyed the learning process so much I’m almost sad to see it end, but I also know that when I walk out of the Easter Vigil Mass, I’m going to honestly feel like a new person.”

— Christina L. Knauss and Troy Hull

contributed.

PHOTOS BY TROY HULL, AMY BURGER, CÉSAR HURTADO, MARYANN LUEDTKE AND PROVIDED Over 1,000 people were welcomed into the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Charlotte this Easter. Father John Putnam (left) baptizes new parishioners at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. (Above) Faithful held the Paschal Flame as they entered the darkened church at the beginning of the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Pius X. (Below) Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, makes the Sign of the Cross on Elina Margeviciute’s forehead during her confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass.

Domingo de Ramos

‘No queremos ser solo cristianos de Viernes Santo’

Con procesión y palmas iniciaron la Semana Santa

CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

HAMLET — Cerca de 400 fieles llegados de la ciudad y sus alrededores se congregaron en los exteriores de la Iglesia San Santiago para participar en comunidad del inicio de la Semana Mayor.

Con palmas en sus manos, grandes y chicos, mujeres y hombres, escucharon el Evangelio de Marcos que narra la entrada del Señor a Jerusalén pronunciado por el Reverendo Padre Fidel Melo, párroco, quien bendijo las palmas y a los asistentes.

Luego, entonando cánticos acompañaron en procesión al celebrante hasta el estacionamiento de la iglesia, donde se había levantado un altar temporal.

Ya en el lugar, tras iniciarse la celebración, se leyó la Pasión de Nuestro Señor, en voz de varios servidores y el Padre Melo. En su homilía, el oficiante recordó que en esta semana celebraremos, “el misterio más grande y profundo que es que Dios nos ame como nos ama”. “En ese sacrificio de amor”, dijo, “acompañaremos a Cristo en su pasión, crucifixión, dolor, momentos de ignominia, de aflicción y muerte”.

Pero, subrayó, “no queremos ser solo cristianos de Viernes Santo, sino también del Domingo de Resurrección”, porque estamos invitados a comunicar el amor de Dios a las personas.

Respecto al amor de Dios, dijo que es incondicional y sin juzgamientos. “Al igual que Jesús, ¿amamos a las personas o las juzgamos? ¿Las tratamos con la letra de la Ley o con el espíritu de amor de Cristo?, preguntó.

Finalmente, pidió que nuestra reacción sea seguirlo en su camino de mostrar el amor por el prójimo.

“Que esta Semana Santa sea la ocasión perfecta de unirnos al amor del Señor”, anotó.

Al término de la Misa, el Padre Melo agradeció la colaboración de la comunidad en la realización

del festejo, especialmente del grupo juvenil que se encargó de la confección de las palmas. Para la Sra. Luz María Carrillo, quien acudió en compañía de su

esposo Alfonso, el Domingo de Ramos representa muchísimo. “Es un domingo muy especial en el que asistimos a la iglesia a acompañar a nuestro Señor en su

ingreso triunfal y el sufrimiento que le espera”. Católica, nacida en el Estado de México, México, dijo haber recibido la tradición en el hogar, “gracias a mis

TROY HULL Y CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

A medida que los 40 días de Cuaresma llegaban a su fin, los fieles de toda la Diócesis de Charlotte dieron la bienvenida a la venida de Nuestro Señor con alabanza y acción de gracias cuando el Domingo de Ramos comenzó la Semana Santa.

padres que me iniciaron en mi hermosa fe católica”. Su esposo Alfonso dijo estar contento de estar presente en la Misa de Ramos compartiendo con los compañeros y haciendo comunidad.

René Velasco acudió con su pareja, Leidy Sánchez, y su niño de solo cuatro meses de edad. Para la Sra. Sánchez, quien anteriormente era adventista, este era su primer Domingo de Ramos. El Sr. Velasco dijo que no podían faltar al inicio de la Semana Santa, “donde gracias al sacrificio de Jesucristo nos liberamos del pecado”.

SEMANA SANTA 2024

Misa Crismal

SEMANA SANTA 2024

El Espíritu del Señor está sobre toda la Iglesia’

En Misa Crismal anual, Obispo Jugis llama a sacerdotes y fieles a acercarse a la Eucaristía

CHRISTINA L. KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE — Más de cien sacerdotes de toda la Diócesis de Charlotte se reunieron en la Misa Crismal anual el martes por la mañana en la Catedral San Patricio para renovar las promesas de su ministerio ante el Obispo Peter Jugis. Durante la Misa, también se bendijeron los santos óleos para ser utilizados en los sacramentos que nutren la vida de los fieles en el oeste de Carolina del Norte.

necesidad de que los sacerdotes construyan la relación de sus feligreses con Jesús, porque sin ella, la Iglesia no sobrevivirá. El santo es conocido como el “obispo del tabernáculo abandonado” porque como sacerdote fue asignado a una parroquia a la que asistía poca gente. Cuando llegó, encontró una iglesia casi abandonada con manteles de altar quemados y rasgados y un tabernáculo cubierto de polvo y telarañas.

Sacerdotes de toda la diócesis se unieron al Obispo Peter Jugis en la Misa Crismal anual en la Catedral San Patricio el 26 de abril, para renovar sus promesas sacerdotales y consagrar los santos óleos que se utilizarán en las iglesias durante todo el año.

Monseñor Jugis celebró la Misa y consagró el Santo Crisma, una mezcla de aceite de oliva y bálsamo que también da nombre a la liturgia que se celebra anualmente durante la Semana Santa. Los santos óleos bendecidos durante la Misa se utilizan en los sacramentos del bautismo, confirmación, unción de los enfermos, ordenación sacerdotal y la consagración de iglesias y altares.

La Misa comenzó con una conmovedora procesión de sacerdotes que llenaron los bancos de un lado de la catedral, mientras que una multitud diversa de personas, desde niños en edad escolar hasta personas mayores, llenaron el otro sector, muchos de los cuales sostuvieron teléfonos y cámaras para grabar la ceremonia.

“El Espíritu del Señor está sobre toda la Iglesia y también está sobre nosotros los sacerdotes, como administradores de los misterios de Dios, por la obra especial que se nos ha conferido de la santificación del pueblo de Dios”, dijo el Obispo Jugis en su homilía. “Es muy apropiado que la renovación de nuestras promesas sacerdotales tenga lugar durante la celebración de la Misa, ya que, como sacerdotes, la Eucaristía es nuestra vida”. El Obispo Jugis dijo que la historia de San Manuel González García, uno de los patronos del Avivamiento Eucarístico Nacional, es un ejemplo importante de la

“El Santísimo Sacramento estaba allí, Jesús estaba allí, pero no había nadie más porque la gente no había encontrado a Jesús como una persona viva en el tabernáculo y como una persona viva en la Sagrada Comunión”, dijo el Obispo Jugis. “San Manuel se dedicó a enseñar a la gente que Jesús no es una presencia estática, sino una presencia personal viva en la Eucaristía”. “Que podamos compartir con nuestro pueblo el amor que hemos encontrado por el Señor e inspirar a nuestro pueblo a llegar a esa relación personal con Jesús en la Eucaristía”, añadió.

Después de renovar sus promesas, los sacerdotes se pusieron de pie con las manos derechas extendidas durante la bendición del sagrado crisma, uniéndose al Obispo Jugis en la oración de consagración.

“Una de las cosas que me encanta de la Misa Crismal es que une a la diócesis”, dijo el Padre Aaron Huber, capellán de la Escuela Secundaria Cristo Rey en Huntersville. “Se puede ver al Obispo Jugis siendo el padre espiritual de la diócesis y equipando a los sacerdotes para su ministerio. Para los sacerdotes, es rejuvenecedor renovar nuestras promesas sacerdotales y estar reunidos”.

Durante la misa, el obispo Jugis honró a los sacerdotes que celebraban aniversarios importantes de sus ordenaciones.

Al concluir, diáconos y seminaristas se congregaron en una sala de la planta baja del centro parroquial, vertiendo los aceites consagrados en botellas para que cada sacerdote las llevara a su parroquia.

“Para mí, la Misa Crismal es un gran signo de nuestra Iglesia universal y de la hermandad de sacerdotes que asisten al obispo”, dijo Monseñor Anthony Marcaccio, párroco de la Iglesia San Pío X en Greensboro. “Es un gran signo de nuestra unidad en el cuerpo de Cristo, una liturgia de unidad de Semana Santa. Los óleos bendecidos aquí nos hacen uno porque están diseminados por toda la diócesis”.

TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Jueves Santo

SEMANA SANTA 2024

Jueves Santo: Una efusión del amor de Cristo

SPENCER K.M. BROWN & CÉSAR HURTADO Catholic News Herald

CHARLOTTE — El Jueves Santo, el Obispo Peter Jugis celebró la Misa de la Cena del Señor en la Catedral San Patricio, llamando a los fieles a acercarse cada vez más a Jesús en la Eucaristía.

La liturgia del 28 de marzo marcó el inicio del Triduo Pascual, los tres días santos que preceden a la Resurrección del Señor en la Pascua.

“A lo largo de la Cuaresma, el Señor nos ha estado llamando a alejarnos del pecado y arrepentirnos de nuestros pecados”, dijo el Obispo Jugis en su homilía. “En los próximos días, celebraremos todo lo que Él ha hecho por nosotros, para salvarnos de nuestros pecados”. Un punto culminante se produjo cuando el obispo retiró el Santísimo Sacramento del tabernáculo y salió del santuario junto con los fieles hacia el altar de reposo, recordando el momento cuando Jesús fue arrestado y separado de sus discípulos después de la Última Cena.

El Obispo Jugis señaló que la Misa de la Cena del Señor conmemora la celebración de la cena de Pascua de Jesús con Sus discípulos, Su lavado de pies, Su agonía en oración en el Huerto de Getsemaní, y Su traición y arresto.

El día también marca la institución de la Eucaristía, el sacerdocio y la Misa que todavía celebramos en Su memoria.

Las acciones de Jesús el Jueves Santo y antes de Su crucifixión el Viernes Santo, ilustran el profundo amor que Nuestro Señor tiene por todas las personas. Su disposición a ofrecer su vida es una expresión de Su gran amor y misericordia infinita.

El Obispo Jugis instó a las personas a continuar el trabajo de profundizar su fe: “¿Cómo seguimos creciendo después de Cuaresma? ¿Cómo podemos acercarnos más a Nuestro Señor? Jesús se nos da en la Eucaristía para que sigamos creciendo y profundizando en nuestra amistad con Él”.

FOTOS POR TROY HULL, CÉSAR HURTADO, ANINA PUCCIO Y AMY BURGER

El clero y los fieles mantienen vigilia con Nuestro Señor en el altar de reposo en el salón parroquial de la Iglesia de San Marcos en Huntersville. El obispo Peter Jugis lleva a Nuestro Señor en la Eucaristía al altar de reposo en la Catedral de San Patricio en Charlotte. Una joven ora durante la Misa de la Cena del Señor en la Catedral de San Patricio. El padre Miguel Sánchez, vicario parroquial, lava los pies de los feligreses en Our Lady of Mercy en Winston-Salem el Jueves Santo.

Desde Greensboro hasta Asheville y más allá, las iglesias de toda la diócesis celebraron la Misa de la Cena del Señor. Además de sus procesiones y liturgias, algunos sacerdotes también lavaron los pies de los feligreses en honor y memoria de Jesús lavando los pies de sus discípulos, animándolos a seguir su ejemplo de amor y humildad. Otro momento llamativo de la Misa del Jueves Santo se produjo cuando los altares se desnudaron, las velas y las luces se apagaron, y el Santísimo Sacramento fue trasladado a un altar temporal de reposo hasta la Pascua.

En la Catedral San Patricio, los feligreses caminaron en silencio, con tristeza, siguiendo al obispo que llevaba el Santísimo Sacramento hasta el altar de reposo en la capilla del

Centro de Vida Familiar. Luego, los visitantes pasaron tiempo con el Señor en el Santísimo Sacramento, recordando la Agonía en el Huerto. El momento demuestra el duelo de la Iglesia durante la Pasión y el

entierro de Cristo.

En toda la diócesis, los fieles también estuvieron presentes en la Adoración Eucarística, recordando las palabras de Jesús a sus discípulos en el huerto de Getsemaní: “¿No pueden velar

conmigo durante una hora?”

El Viernes Santo no se celebra Misa. Las iglesias, en cambio, ofrecen momentos en los que los fieles pueden participar en el Vía Crucis, la Adoración y la Veneración de la Cruz.

Viernes Santo

‘Lo hacemos en agradecimiento al Señor’ Conmovedora representación del Vía Crucis en Asheboro

CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org

ASHEBORO — No eran las diez de la mañana del Viernes Santo, y ya una línea interminable de autos con familias completas esperaba para ingresar al terreno de la parroquia San José, a la espera de lograr una buena ubicación desde donde seguir la emocionante representación del Vía Crucis en vivo, que no se realizaba desde 2020, cuando fue suspendida por la pandemia de COVID-19.

Apenas pasadas las 11 de la mañana inició la Pasión de Cristo. Antes, el párroco de San José, Reverendo Padre Phillip Kollithanath, tomó la palabra para bendecir a todos los presentes y agradecer a la comunidad su generosa participación en el proyecto. Más de un centenar de artistas, todos utilizando traje de época y maquillados, partieron desde el punto más lejano de un circuito de tierra de aproximadamente ¾ de milla de longitud.

Tres soldados romanos a caballo abrieron paso a los fariseos y el pueblo enfurecido que llevaba a Jesús a presentarse ante las autoridades. Así, fue presentado ante Herodes y Pilatos, azotado y luego, después de un largo recorrido, crucificado. Hombres, mujeres y niños se conmovieron con la representación. Con rostros

serios y lágrimas en los ojos clamaban a los soldados que cese el castigo para el Salvador. Otros, ante la crucifixión de Cristo, llevaron sus manos al rostro para no ver la escena.

María Guadalupe Xinaxtle Romero, productora general de la representación, dijo que fueron

En toda la diócesis, los fieles participaron en las solemnes liturgias del Viernes Santo, incluido el Vía

Crucis y la veneración de la cruz. Monseñor Patrick Winslow se inclina ante el crucifijo el Viernes Santo en la iglesia San Marcos en Huntersville.

más de 120 personas en escena y muchos más los que trabajaron en el montaje de los decorados, vestuario, maquillaje, sonido y asistencia.

“Volvemos después de cuatro años. La pandemia detuvo todo y el año pasado llovió fuertísimo, tanto que tuvimos que cancelar

la obra”, explicó la productora. “Al principio me sentí un poco sola, pero luego me di cuenta de que siempre he estado acompañada. Hemos tenido la valiosa ayuda de todo un equipo de colaboradores de primera, que se han esforzado muchísimo. Víctor es el director artístico, José Luis López se encarga de los escenarios, Adán Ocampo es el jefe de los soldados, Alma Enciso tiene en sus manos el vestuario y José Mazariego es el responsable del sonido”. Todo el esfuerzo, dijo la productora representando el sentir del equipo y artistas, es en agradecimiento al Señor.

En su caso particular, explicó que tuvo una vida muy difícil. “Hoy tengo dos hijos maravillosos, un marido espectacular. No tengo otra manera de agradecer a Dios”.

SEMANA SANTA 2024

FOTOS POR CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Los miembros de la Iglesia San José en Asheboro realizaron una impresionante representación de la Pasión de Cristo el Viernes Santo para cientos de personas que se reunieron para el evento.

FOTOS POR CÉSAR HURTADO Y AMY BURGER

Semana Santa 2024

LA RESURRECCIÓN DE NUESTRO SEÑOR

‘Corazones inquietos’ encuentran la paz

A medida que la diócesis continúa creciendo, más de 1.000 personas se unen a la Iglesia en la Pascua de Resurrección

CHARLOTTE — Mientras que la Iglesia marca el comienzo de la temporada de Pascua, la Diócesis de Charlotte está dando la bienvenida a uno de los grupos más grandes de recién llegados a la fe, con 1,104 personas que se unen a través de los sacramentos del bautismo, confirmación y Primera Comunión en muchas de sus 92 parroquias y misiones.

Como lo vio San Agustín: “Nuestros corazones están inquietos hasta que descansan en Ti”.

Ciertamente, la promesa de la Iglesia a los que tienen ‘corazones inquietos’ que se unieron durante las Misas de la Vigilia

Pascual del sábado, y a quienes entrarán a través de Pentecostés, es la promesa de una nueva vida en comunión con Jesús, cuya resurrección ofrece a los fieles la curación y la salvación.

“Es inspirador ver el crecimiento continuo de nuestra diócesis, y que más personas se vuelven a la Iglesia en su búsqueda de Dios, tomando su lugar en la comunión de la Iglesia”, dijo Monseñor Patrick Winslow, vicario general y canciller de la diócesis. “Tenemos más familias latinas y personas de todo el país que se están mudando, y esta diócesis está a la altura de las circunstancias para ayudar a las personas a encontrar un hogar cálido y espiritual”.

El número de personas que se unen a la Iglesia este año ha aumentado casi un 30% en comparación con el promedio de los últimos tres años, lo que la convierte en una de las promociones más grandes de recién llegados en la historia de nuestra diócesis.

Desde un ex ateo hasta un ex seminarista protestante, estos nuevos católicos ofrecen una mirada al interior de su búsqueda de significado y su alegría por encontrar a Jesús.

Mason Sulek, estudiante de tercer año de la Escuela Secundaria Lake Norman, se unió a la Iglesia el sábado, durante una de las celebraciones más importantes del año, la Misa de la Vigilia Pascual.

De niño, asistía a Misa solo de vez en cuando, pero siempre había estado interesado en Dios. Cuando obtuvo su licencia de conducir, comenzó a asistir a la Iglesia San Marcos con la familia de su novia, profundizando su interés en la fe. El año pasado, decidió anotarse en clases.

“Lo que los católicos creen sobre el amor y el perdón es muy importante, ¿cómo se supone que debemos amar a todos y aprender a perdonar a los demás?”, dijo Sulek, de 17 años. “No tienes que olvidar que alguien te ha hecho daño, pero al perdonarlo no tienes que aferrarte a esa negatividad. Esa es una parte muy importante de la fe que mucha gente pasa por alto”.

UNIRSE A LA IGLESIA

En Greensboro, la parroquia San Pío

X dio la bienvenida a 46 nuevos católicos esta Pascua, adultos, adolescentes y niños, incluidos 20 que iban a ser bautizados el sábado.

“Tenemos amigos muy interesantes este año”, dijo Lindsay Sartorio, asociada pastoral de la parroquia para la formación y la evangelización, “incluido un caballero que estuvo en el seminario para otra fe cristiana y una mujer de Lituania que es simplemente brillante y sabe quizás más que todo nuestro equipo (de formación en la fe)”.

Esa mujer es Elina Margeviciute, una ex atea que se mudó a Greensboro desde Los Ángeles en 2023. Bautizada en la Iglesia Católica de Lituania por tradición cultural, ha pasado la mayor parte de sus años viviendo una vida secular, creyendo que no había nada “sobrenatural”. Su interés por la fe comenzó hace un año cuando se dio cuenta de lo mucho que admiraba a los cristianos,

por lo que comenzó a estudiar.

“Estaba abierta al protestantismo y al catolicismo, pero me sentí atraída por el mensaje que escuché en San Pío...”, dijo. “En esa primera Misa, también escuché el himno, ‘Sabrán que somos cristianos por nuestro amor’, y eso me enganchó”.

En contraste, Ben Garrison, que también se unió a San Pío X, era creyente antes de encontrar la fe católica. Pasó un tiempo en el seminario de la Iglesia Wesleyana y realizó estudios de posgrado en la Escuela de Divinidad de Vanderbilt. La clase de historia cristiana, impartida por un católico, le reveló la verdad que estaba buscando.

“Mientras que aprendía más sobre la historia y el culto cristianos y las diferentes tradiciones litúrgicas”, dijo, “me sentí atraído por una práctica más estructurada. La idea del Papa, el papado y esa línea de Pedro desde la época de Cristo fue el factor principal en mi

FOTOS POR TROY HULL, AMY BURGER, Y CÉSAR HURTADO

Cuando los fieles entraron a las iglesias a oscuras al comienzo de la Misa de Vigilia Pascual, compartieron la luz de la Llama Pascual mientras la celebración de la Resurrección de Nuestro Señor llenaba los corazones de toda la diócesis. Abajo, en la Basílica San Lorenzo en Asheville, Monseñor Roger Arnsparger vierte agua con una concha marina sobre la cabeza de Myles Rice durante su bautismo.

decisión de convertirme al catolicismo”. En Asheville, Monseñor Roger Arnsparger celebró una Misa de Vigilia Pascual el sábado con una Basílica de San Lorenzo casi llena y la inducción de cinco recién llegados. Vertió agua con una concha marina sobre la cabeza de Myles Rice en una pila bautismal adornada con flores.

“Crecí rodeado de iglesias cristianas, pero nunca me bauticé”, dijo Rice, “así que ser bautizado en la Iglesia Católica definitivamente se siente bien”.

Luke Spencer, estudiante de Montreat College, también se unió a la Iglesia en la basílica: “Realmente disfruté aprendiendo y entendiendo completamente la parte tradicional de la Iglesia Católica. Aprender estas tradiciones que el Padre (Arnsparger) podía ayudar a rastrear hasta el mismo Jesús fue realmente fascinante”.

ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@rcdoc.org

Semana Santa 2024

LA RESURRECCIÓN DE NUESTRO SEÑOR

Más de 1.000 personas fueron bienvenidas en la Iglesia Católica esta Pascua. Arriba, el Padre Richard Sutter bautiza a catecúmenos en la iglesia San Gabriel en Charlotte.

CORAZONES

VIENE DE LA PÁGINA 22

‘PASO A PASO’

En Salisbury, el estudiante de tercer año de secundaria Caleb Fortune se unió a la Parroquia Sagrado Corazón después de crecer como metodista. Comenzó a investigar la fe católica a la edad de 10 años y se tomó en serio la conversión en 2022, encontrando una afinidad particular con Santo Tomás de Aquino, su santo de confirmación.

“Estoy tratando de ir paso a paso”, dijo Fortune, cuyos padres lo apoyan y ahora están interesados en la fe. “Estoy de acuerdo con todo lo que he leído hasta ahora, y realmente me ha ayudado espiritualmente a tratar de entender la esencia de Dios y la fe”.

También en el Sagrado Corazón, Kyle Ferguson, de 23 años, dijo que su interés en la fe lo llevó tanto a él como a su hermana a unirse a la iglesia en la Misa de Vigilia del sábado.

“Después de tres o cuatro meses de aprender más sobre la fe, la teología y la historia de la Iglesia, la fe católica parecía la más correcta”, dijo Ferguson, quien anteriormente había asistido a los servicios bautistas. “Así que fui a Sagrado Corazón y me quedé impresionado por la Misa”.

“También fue emocionante”, dijo, “porque tenía un mundo completamente nuevo del que nadie me había hablado, y fue realmente genial. Las enseñanzas sobre la Eucaristía son una de las cosas más importantes que me llevaron a la fe católica. En última instancia, es Cristo quien nos ama hasta el final, y siempre nos conduce a Él y a su Iglesia”.

En la ciudad montañosa de Jefferson, Aaron Johnson se está uniendo a la Iglesia San Francisco de Asís, lo que dice que le permitirá compartir la fe más directamente con su esposa y sus dos hijos.

Ilustrador de patentes, Johnson creció en la tradición protestante, pero todavía estaba buscando espiritualmente. Probó la fe católica con su esposa mientras vivían en su Brasil natal.

“La Iglesia Católica ofrecía una mejor

experiencia de adoración, una forma más poderosa de acercarse a Dios”, dijo. Su interés creció cuando la pareja se mudó a Carolina del Norte y asistió a Misa en la Catedral de Raleigh. Comenzó a estudiar la fe recientemente cuando se mudaron a Jefferson.

“Tengo muchas ganas de comenzar seriamente esta nueva relación con Dios y participar en la Eucaristía”, dijo Johnson. “He estado sentado allí en la Misa durante tanto tiempo viendo a todos poder recibirla, y ahora podré participar en el sacramento. He aprendido mucho a través de mis estudios, pero también estoy emocionado porque sé que todavía hay mucho que aprender”.

En Monroe, Nuestra Señora de Lourdes recibió el sábado a 27 recién llegados a la Iglesia, el grupo más grande desde que el Padre Benjamín Roberts, párroco, llegó hace 12 años a la parroquia de 1.800 familias. “Es obra del Espíritu Santo”, dijo el Padre Roberts. “Realmente no anunciamos mucho nuestras clases este año. Creo que nuestro crecimiento realmente refleja el crecimiento

en toda la diócesis. Es maravilloso ayudarlos a encontrar un lugar de acogida y amor”.

El Padre Roberts señaló que, aunque la mayoría de los recién llegados son hispanos, casi todos eligieron estudiar la fe en las clases de inglés de la parroquia, lo que refleja la continua maduración de la comunidad en el Condado Union, con latinos de segunda y tercera generación que encuentran un hogar en Nuestra Señora de Lourdes.

CONVERTIRSE AL CATOLICISMO

El Diácono Michael Zboyovski está muy contento de ver a tantas personas que se unen a la fe en esta Pascua. Mantener el corazón y la mente abiertos, dijo, permite el movimiento profundo del Espíritu Santo. Ha servido durante décadas, y ahora dirige, en el programa de formación en la fe de la diócesis llamado Orden de Iniciación Cristiana de Adultos, OCIA, por sus siglas en inglés, (anteriormente conocido como Rito de Iniciación Cristiana de Adultos o “RICA”). El programa está disponible en todas las parroquias, dirigido por siervos dedicados

que imparten clases de fe durante varios meses en preparación para ingresar a la Iglesia en Pascua.

“La presencia de Cristo se manifiesta cuando párrocos, diáconos, catequistas, padrinos, laicos y líderes de formación en la fe se unen para llevar un rostro cálido y acogedor y una presencia amorosa de Cristo a todos nuestros indagadores”, dijo. “Cada año me sorprende más la dedicación de todos nuestros equipos ministeriales de OCIA en toda la diócesis”.

Mason Sulek, el estudiante de secundaria de Huntersville, encontró alegría en sus clases de formación y espera crecer en su fe. “La mejor parte de todo este proceso ha sido el apoyo de mi familia, amigos y otras personas de la parroquia”, dijo Sulek. “He disfrutado tanto el proceso de aprendizaje que casi me entristece verlo terminar, pero también sé que cuando salga de la Misa de la Vigilia Pascual, honestamente me sentiré como una persona nueva”.

— Christina L. Knauss y Troy Hull contribuyeron a este despacho.

FOTOS POR TROY HULL, AMY BURGER, CÉSAR HURTADO Y PROPORCIONADAS

Diácono Scott Gilfillan

El mejor pegamento para una vida rota

Compré una cruz cuando visité México hace algunos años. Todavía la tengo colgada frente a mi escritorio. Es un hermoso crucifijo de color marfil y marrón con rasgos realistas de Jesús. Después de regresar a casa, desempaqué mi maleta y la cruz estaba rota, justo alrededor de la espinilla.

Ver la cruz rota me rompió el corazón. Sosteniendo esas dos piezas en mis manos, me arrepentí de cómo la empaqué. Luego, otros arrepentimientos de mi vida salieron a la superficie. Fue uno de esos momentos de recogimiento que abrieron las puertas de la emoción. Pensé en todas las piezas de mi vida rotas por mi negligencia y descuido, especialmente las relaciones con amigos, compañeros de trabajo y familiares. Tener esas dos piezas en mis manos era como sostener las piezas de muchas relaciones rotas.

Mi esposa vio mis lágrimas y la cruz rota, y dijo: “No te preocupes. La podemos pegar”. Es algo que ha hecho mucho. Colecciona conejos, la mayoría de ellos de cerámica. Si un conejito de cerámica cae, es casi seguro que sus orejas se rompan. En una casa con tres niños y dos gatos, los conejos tienen muchas grietas en la línea del cabello donde las orejas se unen con la cabeza, y tal vez un poco de exceso de pegamento detrás de las orejas. No son perfectos, pero siguen siendo parte de la colección. Reparar las relaciones rotas es parecido. No siempre es perfecto. Por lo general, queda una grieta, las piezas de la relación anterior no siempre se alinean perfectamente y, a veces, hay una gota de pegamento escondida detrás de las orejas. Pero, al igual que un hueso roto, el lugar de la fractura es más fuerte. Con la gracia de Dios, una relación unida es más profunda y duradera que antes, aunque tal vez un poco dispareja. Jesús en la cruz es el pegamento. Una de las antífonas penitenciales habla de esto: “Señor Jesús, has venido a reconciliarnos los unos con los otros y con el Padre. Señor, ten piedad”. No es de extrañar que un crucifijo roto me llevara a recordar las relaciones rotas en mi vida.

Al considerar las fracturas y grietas en mi vida que podrían necesitar algo de reconciliación, la palabra molesta a mi cónyuge, el abandono de un amigo necesitado, la frustración dirigida a mis compañeros de trabajo, la imagen de una cruz rota me ayuda. Puedo imaginarme sosteniendo las dos piezas y orando al Señor para que me muestre cómo unirlas de nuevo.

¿Qué relación se ha roto en tu vida que Jesús puede ayudar a volver a unir?

EL DIÁCONO SCOTT GILFILLAN es director del Centro Católico de Conferencias en Hickory.

Diócesis en crecimiento construirá una nueva catedral como ‘iglesia madre’

LIZ CHANDLER lchandler@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE – Después de 50 años de construir sus parroquias, escuelas y ministerios, la Diócesis de Charlotte se está preparando para colocar la última piedra angular de sus cimientos: una nueva catedral.

El Obispo Peter Jugis aceptó recientemente la recomendación de un grupo de trabajo de líderes eclesiásticos y laicos para construir una nueva catedral que reemplace a la Catedral San Patricio, que fue construida como iglesia parroquial en 1939 y ya no es lo suficientemente grande como para atender las crecientes necesidades de la diócesis.

Todavía en sus primeras etapas de planeamiento, el proyecto de la catedral no se pondría en marcha hasta 2030, aunque se espera que la recaudación de fondos se inicie en los próximos años. El costo y la ubicación aún no se han determinado, pero es necesario un nuevo emplazamiento, dijo el grupo de trabajo. La catedral debería estar en un lugar “noble y atractivo” en Charlotte, la ciudad más grande y “sede” de la diócesis, que sirve a 46 condados de la mitad occidental de Carolina del Norte.

ARCHIVO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Construida en 1939, la Catedral San Patricio se encuentra entre las catedrales más pequeñas de EE. UU. y ya no puede albergar celebraciones litúrgicas importantes de la creciente diócesis.

“Este es un momento decisivo para la Diócesis de Charlotte”, dijo el Obispo Peter Jugis, quien recientemente celebró su vigésimo aniversario como el cuarto obispo de la diócesis. “Desde que se estableció la diócesis hace 52 años, hemos invertido recursos significativos en nuestras 92 parroquias y misiones, 20 escuelas y más de 50 ministerios. Ahora es el momento de proporcionar una iglesia madre donde las personas de toda nuestra diócesis puedan congregarse para adorar a Nuestro Señor y celebrar nuestros logros más importantes”.

Una nueva catedral en Charlotte seguiría la tendencia de la creciente Iglesia Católica en el Sur.

Entre las 193 catedrales católicas en todo Estados Unidos, 15 se han construido o

Lecturas diarias

ABRIL 7-13

Domingo (Pascua de la Divina Misericordia): Hechos 4:32-35, 1 Juan 5:1-6, Juan 20:1931; Lunes (Solemnidad de la Anunciación del Señor): Ismael 7:10-14, Hebreos 10:4-10, Lucas 1:26-38; Martes: Hechos 4:32-37, Juan 3:7-15; Miércoles: Hechos 5:17-26, Juan 3:1621; Jueves (Memoria de San Estanislao, obispo y mártir): Hechos 5:27-33, Juan 3:31-36; Viernes: Hechos 5:34-42, Juan 6:1-15; Sábado: Hechos 6:1-7, Juan 6:16-21

ampliado en los últimos 40 años, incluidas seis en el sur para servir a las crecientes poblaciones católicas de familias hispanas y de personas que se mudan desde el noreste y el medio oeste. Los costos de construcción han oscilado entre $ 31 millones en Knoxville en 2018 y $ 190 millones en Los Ángeles en 2002.

“La mayoría de las grandes ciudades tienen catedrales católicas notables, y Charlotte debería estar entre ellas”, dijo Monseñor Patrick Winslow, vicario general y canciller de la diócesis, quien sirve en el grupo de trabajo.

“Una catedral es tierra sagrada, construida para perdurar a través de los siglos. Sirve como un nexo singular de comunión: para los fieles con Dios, para

ABRIL 14-20

Domingo: Hechos 3:13-15, 17-19, 1 Juan 2:15a, Lucas 24:35-48; Lunes: Hechos 6:8-15, Juan 6:22-29; Martes: Hechos 7:51-8:1, Juan 6:30-35; Miércoles: Hechos 8:1-8, Juan 6:35-40; Jueves: Hechos 8:26-40, Juan 6:44-51; Viernes: Hechos 9:1-20, Juan 6:5259; Sábado: Hechos 9:31-42, Juan 6:60-69

la Iglesia local con la Iglesia universal, y para la Iglesia local con su obispo, sacerdotes, diáconos, religiosos consagrados, feligreses y comunidad”.

UNA NUEVA CATEDRAL PARA UNA DIÓCESIS EN CRECIMIENTO

El grupo de trabajo de 19 miembros fue nombrado hace más de un año para asesorar al Obispo Jugis sobre si la diócesis necesita de una nueva catedral y, de ser así, el tiempo apropiado de construcción, consideraciones de ubicación y especificaciones generales. Entre los miembros se encuentran administradores diocesanos, líderes de propiedades y finanzas, clérigos, asesores inmobiliarios y líderes laicos. El grupo de trabajo unánimemente determinó que se necesita una nueva catedral debido al crecimiento de la diócesis y las limitaciones de la Catedral San Patricio, y recomendó que “se realice todo el trabajo preliminar necesario para permitir que la construcción comience en 2030”.

Ubicada en el histórico barrio Dilworth en Charlotte, la Catedral San Patricio es una de las más pequeñas de Estados Unidos, con capacidad para 350 personas, no mucho más grande que la catedral de Juneau, Alaska.

San Patricio no fue construida como catedral, era una iglesia parroquial que se elevó rápidamente para servir como catedral cuando se estableció la diócesis en 1972, y la población católica era de unos 30.000 habitantes. El edificio de 85 años de antigüedad se sometió recientemente a renovaciones en el techo, el drenaje y otras para reparar los daños causados por filtraciones de agua en su viejo techo y paredes. El acceso y el estacionamiento también son un desafío.

Por mucho tiempo, San Patricio no ha podido acomodar las celebraciones litúrgicas más significativas de la diócesis, incluida

CATEDRAL, PASA A LA PÁGINA 27

ABRIL 21-27

Domingo: Hechos 4:8-12, 1 Juan 3:1-2, Juan 10:11-18; Lunes: Hechos 11:1-18, Juan 10:1-10; Martes (Memoria de San Jorge mártir y San Adalberto, obispo y mártir): Hechos 11:19-26, Juan 10:22-30; Miércoles (Memoria de San Fidel de Sigmaringen): Hechos 12:2413:5, Juan 12:44-50; Jueves (Fiesta de San Marcos, evangelista): 1 Pedro 5:5-14, Marcos 16:15-20; Viernes: Hechos 13:26-33, Juan 14:16; Sábado: Hechos 13:44-52, Juan 14:7-14

El ‘Sí’ de María

Este 8 de abril, la Iglesia celebra la Solemnidad de la Anunciación del Señor. Es decir, se recuerda de manera solemne que, un día como hoy, la historia de la humanidad cambió de curso radicalmente. Dios Todopoderoso invitaba a una humilde jóven de Nazaret, la Virgen María, a cooperar en su plan de salvación: Ella será la madre de su Hijo unigénito, el Señor Jesús. Tradicionalmente, la fiesta se celebra el 25 de marzo, nueve meses antes de la navidad, pero este año, el 25 de marzo está ubicado en Semana Santa.

A la propuesta divina, la “Llena de Gracia” responde con un valiente y generoso “¡Sí!”. Y desde ese preciso momento las puertas del cielo empiezan a abrirse nuevamente y la amistad entre Dios y el hombre, quebrada antaño por el pecado, quedará restablecida.

Por ese ‘sí’, la Virgen quedará encinta por obra del Espíritu Santo, y será elevada a la condición de Madre de Dios. Llevará a Jesús en el vientre: será primero abrigo y protección, y después la encargada de educar a Aquel que es salud del género humano.

“El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti, y la fuerza del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra; por eso el Santo que va a nacer se llamará Hijo de Dios. Ahí tienes a tu pariente Isabel, que, a pesar de su vejez, ha concebido un hijo, y ya está de seis meses la que llamaban estéril, porque para Dios nada hay imposible’. María contestó: ‘Aquí está la esclava del Señor; hágase en mí según tu palabra’. Y la dejó el ángel” (Lc 1,35- 38). No hubo imposición, hubo libertad. María pudo haber rechazado al ángel, aunque la salvación del mundo se pusiera en riesgo. Sin embargo, la “Bendita entre las mujeres” aceptó con amor y generosidad.

No en vano, Dios esperaba y confiaba en María. “Hágase en mí según tu palabra”, contesta Ella; y así se produce el más grande de todos los milagros: la Encarnación de la segunda Persona de la Santísima Trinidad. Este hecho histórico constituye la auténtica irrupción del Amor infinito en la historia de la humanidad, cuyo significado y repercusiones serán siempre incalculables.

En el pasaje bíblico correspondiente a la narración del encuentro de la Virgen con el ángel, es claro también que el camino que se le mostraba a la Madre de Dios no iba a ser fácil. En ese momento, María estaba comprometida con José y ya había un “plan trazado” para ella y su futuro esposo. No

La Anunciación del Señor

resulta difícil pensar, en consecuencia, que ese plan tendría que ser dejado de lado y que muchas dificultades e incertidumbres habrían de aparecer.

Muy pronto, José, sorprendido por lo que María le contaba, decidió repudiarla

estuviera bajo el cuidado paternal de un santo varón. José, por esta razón, recibiría el privilegio incomparable de ser el padre de Jesús en la tierra y de formar con María un hogar santo, lleno del amor divino: la Sagrada Familia de Nazaret.

‘La Anunciación’, óleo sobre lienzo de Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (Sevilla, España, 1617-1682), probablemente realizado a mediados del siglo XVII. El Arcángel Gabriel arrodillado anuncia a María que concebirá a Jesús. En su mano izquierda porta azucenas que significan la pureza, y con la derecha señala al Espíritu Santo. La Virgen, con las manos al pecho, simboliza la aceptación.

IMAGEN CORTESÍA DEL MUSEO DEL PRADO

LA ANUNCIACIÓN Y LA CULTURA DE LA VIDA

María tuvo en su vientre a Jesús. Fueron nueve meses de espera albergando a la fuente de la vida dentro de sí. Nueve meses en los que cada instante era una confirmación de que la naturaleza humana posee una grandeza y dignidad incalculables.

Abrazando lo que somos, Dios quiso vivir cada etapa de nuestra vida terrena, desde la concepción hasta la muerte. No se encarnó a los tres meses de gestación, ni a los seis, ni nada por el estilo, como podría inferirse de esas discusiones contemporáneas sobre cuándo empieza la vida humana y cuándo un ser humano es “realmente” un ser humano. Dios nos alecciona claramente: se es persona desde la concepción.

Y es que la Encarnación se produjo en el instante mismo en el que María concibió del Espíritu Santo: he aquí la razón más elevada por la que la Iglesia defiende a cada ser humano desde el primer instante de su existencia. Por la misma razón, en la fecha, la Iglesia celebra también “El día del niño por nacer”.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

"So, sisters and brothers, by the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, let us make this dream a reality through concrete actions to combat trafficking. Let us pray fervently and work proactively for this cause, the defense of human dignity, whether by prayer and action as individuals and families, or as parish and religious communities, as ecclesial associations and movements, and also in the various spheres of social and political life."

- Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 10th World Day of Prayer and Awareness Raising against Human Trafficking (February 8, 2024).

la instalación de tres de los obispos de la diócesis y las ordenaciones de sacerdotes y diáconos, liturgias que atraen a miles de fieles y han tenido que ser derivadas a otras iglesias. La iglesia también es demasiado pequeña para albergar a todos los clérigos y laicos que desean asistir a la Misa Crismal anual, cuando todos los sacerdotes de la diócesis se reúnen con el obispo para renovar sus promesas y bendecir los óleos sagrados utilizados en las parroquias durante todo el año.

“Todo el mundo ama San Patricio y continuará sirviéndonos bien como iglesia parroquial”, dijo Monseñor Winslow, “pero ya no funciona como catedral para una diócesis con más de medio millón de católicos”.

Las catedrales construidas recientemente en los Estados Unidos generalmente tienen capacidad para entre 1,000 y 3,000 personas. La Catedral del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús en Knoxville, Tennessee, construida en 2018, tiene capacidad para 1.358 personas. La Catedral del Santo Nombre de Jesús de la Diócesis de Raleigh, construida en 2017, tiene capacidad para 2,000 personas.

IGLESIA MADRE PARA LOS FIELES

Una catedral sirve como la iglesia madre de

una diócesis, donde los fieles pueden adorar a Dios con su obispo, y es considerada con gran reverencia como el centro de la vida litúrgica. Es la sede ceremonial de autoridad del obispo y la ubicación física de su “cátedra”, que significa “asiento” en latín, desde la cual preside.

Por lo general, es en la catedral donde un obispo diocesano oficia en los días litúrgicos más significativos, consagra el sagrado crisma (óleo) y ordena diáconos y sacerdotes. “En la majestuosidad de su construcción”, dijo Monseñor Winslow, “una catedral es un símbolo del templo espiritual construido por el pueblo y resplandeciente con la gloria de la gracia divina”.

Por estas razones, una nueva catedral debe ubicarse en un área vibrante, aconsejó el grupo de trabajo diocesano, para que sirva como un signo visible de la presencia católica en la comunidad. Debe ser de fácil acceso en vehículos privados y transporte público para que todos tengan la oportunidad de visitarla. Los líderes diocesanos ahora se enfocan en identificar un lugar, arquitecto, alcance y estimaciones preliminares de construcción para crear un plan más detallado.

Se están considerando varias ubicaciones dentro de la ciudad de Charlotte, incluyendo la reutilización de la ubicación actual del Centro Pastoral Diocesano en South Church Street, cerca del Uptown de la ciudad, dijeron los líderes diocesanos.

Es demasiado pronto para determinar los planes de recaudación de fondos, pero los funcionarios de finanzas y desarrollo dicen

million members of the largest, lay Catholic order in the world by signing up online today at: www.kofc.org/joinus

que la diócesis podría considerar la venta de terrenos y otros activos, la búsqueda de inversiones y donaciones en una campaña de capital.

Los líderes diocesanos esperan determinar un lugar durante este verano. Recientemente invitaron a algunos arquitectos selectos a estudiar la historia de la Iglesia en el oeste de Carolina del Norte, así como su presencia en la actualidad, y presentar propuestas de diseño para una nueva catedral, lo que también se espera para este verano.

Los arquitectos deberían considerar, por ejemplo, las raíces immigrantes de la diócesis, inicialmente provenientes de Europa y más recientemente de América Latina. También deberían entender el trabajo fundacional de los Benedictinos y de las Hermanas de la Misericordia para establecer la Iglesia, quienes jugaron un papel decisivo en la creación de parroquias, escuelas y hospitales en todo el estado.

El próximo paso es elaborar un cronograma y planes de financiamiento para un proyecto complejo y extenso que tomará forma durante los siguientes seis años.

Monseñor Winslow reconoce que el cronograma es largo, porque este

proyecto está destinado a ser uno para las generaciones, el pilar final de una base que la diócesis comenzó a construir hace más de 50 años.

La Iglesia ha atendido las necesidades de los fieles en Carolina del Norte desde mucho antes de que se estableciera la diócesis, dijo, cuando el estado era considerado territorio de “misión” y los sacerdotes montados a caballo ofrecían Misa en las casas de las personas. Desde que se formó la diócesis en 1972, sus cuatro obispos han dado prioridad a “las muchas y variadas necesidades de los fieles”, desde sus ciudades, pueblos y comunidades rurales, fomentando el crecimiento físico y espiritual de la diócesis.

“Nuestros obispos, clérigos y líderes diocesanos se han enfocado en edificar al Pueblo de Dios y proporcionar un hogar espiritual que se ha convertido en uno de vitalidad y fortaleza”, dijo Monseñor Winslow. “Ahora es responsabilidad de esta generación terminar el trabajo que comenzó hace 50 años y poner la última piedra angular, con la construcción de una catedral que celebre y sirva a la comunidad dinámica de fieles en la que nos hemos convertido”.

Explore your vocation at this discernment camp and retreat for young men ages 15-19

Our world

On Easter, pope asks Christ to ‘roll away’ the stones of war worldwide

JUSTIN MCLELLAN Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Just as Jesus removed the stone that sealed His tomb on the morning of the Resurrection, on Easter, Christ alone “has the power to roll away the stones that block the path to life” and which trap humanity in war and injustice, Pope Francis said.

Through His resurrection, Jesus opens “those doors that continually we shut with the wars spreading throughout the world,” he said after celebrating Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square March 31. “Only the risen Christ, by granting us the forgiveness of our sins, opens the way for a renewed world.”

Seated on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope asked the risen Christ to bring peace in Israel, Palestine and Ukraine and a host of other conflict-ridden regions in the world.

“In calling for respect for the principles of international law, I express my hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine,” he said. “All for the sake of all!”

Pope Francis then appealed to the international community to ensure access of humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for the “prompt release” of hostages taken during Hamas’ attack on Israel Oct. 7 as well as “an immediate cease-fire in the strip.”

“War is always an absurdity, war is always a defeat,” he said, asking that the

“strengthening winds of war” do not reach Europe and the Mediterranean. “Let us not yield to the logic of weapons and rearming. Peace is never made with arms, but with outstretched hands and open hearts.”

Easter Mass in the flower-laden square began with the singing of the “alleluia” as part of the rite of “Resurrexit” in which an icon of Jesus is presented to the pope to recall St. Peter’s witness to Christ’s resurrection. He spent considerable time among the faithful, smiling and waving to the throngs of visitors in St. Peter’s Square.

The Vatican said some 30,000 people attended the pope’s morning Mass and, by noon, there were approximately 60,000 people inside and around St. Peter’s Square for his Easter message and blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world).

The pope read the entirety of his Easter message and prayed for peace in conflict hotspots around the world, including Syria, Lebanon, Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan, Mozambique and Congo.

“May the risen Christ open a path of hope to all those who in other parts of the world

are suffering from violence, conflict, food insecurity and the effects of climate change. May He grant consolation to the victims of terrorism in all its forms,” he prayed, asking visitors to “pray for all those who have lost their lives and implore the repentance and conversion of the perpetrators of those crimes.”

On Easter, which Pope Francis said celebrates the life given to humanity through the resurrection of God’s Son, he lamented “how much the precious gift of life is despised” today.

“How many children cannot even be born?” he asked. “How many die of hunger and are deprived of essential care or are victims of abuse and violence?”

“On the day when Christ has set us free from the slavery of death, I appeal to all who have political responsibilities to spare no efforts in combatting the scourge of human trafficking, by working tirelessly to dismantle the networks of exploitation and to bring freedom to those who are their victims,” he said.

“May Christ guide all persons of goodwill to unite themselves in solidarity, in order to address together the many challenges which loom over the poorest families in their search for a better life and happiness,” he said, praying that the light of the Resurrection “illumine our minds and convert our hearts, and make us aware of the value of every human life, which must be welcomed, protected and loved.”

CNS PHOTO | VATICAN MEDIA Pope Francis greets the crowd after delivering his Easter message and blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 31, 2024.

ViewPoints

Deacon Scott Gilfillan

Feel like a ‘throwaway’? Consider the peach tree

On the edge of my property a lone peach tree grows between the woods and the gravel drive. Years ago, someone probably finished eating a peach and carelessly tossed the pit out of their car window. With the dense undergrowth, the pit overcame insurmountable odds to sprout into a sapling and grow into a small tree.

The tree now provides some spectacular blooms in the early spring. In mid-summer I’ll even see a couple of peaches. It’s a minor miracle. Out of something unwanted and cast aside, beauty and fruitfulness arise.

In my darker moods, there are times when I feel like that discarded pit. My value to others and to society seems to be a thing of the past. The fruit, the peach, has been consumed, with nothing left but an unwanted pit. I’m buried in the weeds, unseen and unnoticed.

Fortunately, the mood soon passes. I recognize the lies and turn my mind to who I am in the eyes of God. Remembering the peach tree helps dispel the deception. I tell myself, “If God can do this to a discarded pit, just think what he can do with me!”

SOW SEEDS OF GOODNESS

Pope Francis frequently uses the phrase “throwaway culture.” Unlike “cancel culture,” which is all about trumping up reasons to be offended, his “throwaway culture” refers to the real throwaways in the world. These include the very old, the very young, the immigrant, the prisoner, the refugee – anyone the forces of society have marginalized or diminished. In the pope’s latest encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” his section on throwaways describes a grim reality.

But he gratefully finishes the encyclical with a section entitled “Hope.” Echoing the lesson from the peach pit, he says, “It is truly noble to place our hope in the hidden power of the seeds of goodness we sow, and thus to initiate processes whose fruits will be reaped by others” (196).

HOPE FOR THE THROWAWAYS

Sowing seeds of goodness is another way to counter the “throwaway culture.” Sowing seeds of goodness is a sure remedy for the times I feel like one of the “throwaways.”

Whether you’re feeling like one of those “throwaways” or worried about the “throwaways” around the world, have hope. Cast out your seeds – not throwaway pits but “seeds of goodness” – and let God do the rest.

And remember: If God can do something so miraculous to a discarded peach pit, just think what God can do with you!

DEACON SCOTT D. GILFILLAN is director of the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory.

Bishop Robert Barron

Society’s highest values came from Christianity

Tom Holland’s magnificent book “Dominion” develops in detail what amounts to a very simple proposition – namely, that Christianity is responsible for many of the central values we take for granted and assume to be universal. In point of fact, he says, our insistence on the dignity of the individual, fundamental human rights, the principle of equality and, perhaps above all, that the poor, the marginalized and the victimized ought to be specially cherished, flows from basic Christian convictions. What prompted Holland to investigate this claim initially was his extensive work in the history of ancient Rome. The longer and more deeply he looked at Roman society, the stranger it seemed, the less like our own time. And the more he studied the great heroes of Rome, the more alien and morally problematic they appeared.

To give just one example among many, he urges us to consider perhaps the most impressive of ancient Roman personalities: Julius Caesar. Eager to enhance his political reputation, Caesar embarked on a military campaign in Gaul (present-day France). His

‘Christians must raise their voices in protest against the culture of death.’

remarkable success in subduing this land and making it a Roman province covered him in glory and became the subject of his book “The Gallic Wars,” which is read to this day. But what is rarely remarked upon is the staggering fact that in the course of this conquest, Caesar killed, by conservative estimate, one million people and enslaved another million or so.

Caesar had a boatload of enemies in Rome who suspected him of lusting after kingly power. But what Holland finds fascinating is that none of his opponents were scandalized by his murderous rampage through Gaul. In fact, all of Rome praised him for it. So the question arises: Why would we today consider someone who killed and enslaved on such a massive scale a scoundrel while even the best and brightest in ancient Roman society considered Caesar a hero? The answer, in a word, is Christianity.

CHRISTIAN VALUES INFLUENCED ROME

What the early Christians brought to Roman culture was belief in the one God who made every human being in His image and likeness and who thereby endowed them with rights, freedom and dignity. Moreover, the Christians taught, the Creator God became human and went willingly to the very limits of suffering and degradation, in St. Paul’s words, “accepting even death, death on a cross.” They proclaimed a savior who was a victim of Roman

tyranny and whom God raised from the dead. And by this proclamation, they brought all the tyrannized, all the victimized, all the weak and forgotten from the margins to the center.

These beliefs were, of course, initially regarded as absurd, and the early Christians were brutally persecuted for them. But over time, and through the witness and practice of courageous people, these beliefs soaked into the fabric of Western society. So deeply did they penetrate our consciousness that we came, as Holland has argued, to take them for granted and to mistake them for general humanistic values.

Now, why is all this important to us today? We live in a time when the Christian faith is rather regularly denigrated by those in the upper echelons of elite society, in the universities, and in the media. Moreover, armies of people, especially the young, are disaffiliating from the churches and ceasing to engage in religious ritual and practice. Harmless enough, you might think, or even to the advantage of a society reaching maturity through secularization? Think again. As Christian faith and practice evanesce, the values that Christianity has inculcated in our culture evanesce as well. Cut flowers may bloom for a time once they’ve been ripped from the soil and placed in water, but they will fade soon enough. We delude ourselves if we think that the values instilled in us by Christianity will long survive the demise of Christianity itself.

IT’S TIME TO SHOUT OUR CONVICTIONS

Signs of the emergence of a neo-paganism abound. In many states in our country, as well as in Canada and many European countries, a regime of euthanasia holds sway. When elderly or sick people become inconvenient, they can be eliminated. And, of course, in most countries in the West, when a child in the womb is judged to be a problem, he or she can be aborted. In my home state of Minnesota, a proposal was made to enshrine this “right” to the murder of the unborn in the constitution. How like this is to the ancient Roman practice of exposing unwanted newborns to the elements and the animals. And how fascinating, in light of Holland’s analysis, that the early Christians got the attention of Roman culture precisely by their willingness to rescue and take in these abandoned babies.

So, what is the needful thing? Christians must raise their voices in protest against the culture of death. And they must do so by claiming and publicly proclaiming the values that come from their faith. For too long, believers have been cowed into silence by the insinuation that religion is a “private” matter. Nonsense. Christian values have informed our society from the beginning and have provided the coherent moral framework that most of us still take for granted.

Now is not the time for quietude. It is time for us to shout our convictions from the rooftops.

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota.

“The Pink Peach Tree,” Vincent van Gogh, 1888. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

The Resurrection is the reason

Nearly 40 years ago, on a Tuesday, my sister Erin ran into the house with the excitement and enthusiasm that only a 7-year-old girl with a story to tell could muster.

Immediately, she began to tell my mother about the wonderful adventure that she and her older brother had been having outside. Now she described in great detail the clouds and the birds and the sunshine and the neighbors who walked by all as we were engaged in the challenging project of getting a kite to fly on a Tuesday afternoon. With vivid imagery, she explained to my mother each of the several attempts that we made to get the kite to fly. There was the time when the kite flew in the air for a few seconds and lost its place in the sky and fell

‘Through the Resurrection we are offered life with God.’

to the ground. There was the time when the kite crashed immediately. But then, the kite flew, and there was the overwhelming emotion and excitement as she and her older brother had gotten a kite to fly on a Tuesday afternoon. But then, then she cast her eyes down because the kite flew into a tree.

And so she described the tree and the branches and the leaves and the various attempts to free the kite from the tree until finally, her older brother climbed the tree. And then, she described the instructions that she, being a good little sister, gave to her older brother on how he could free the kite from the tree on this particular Tuesday afternoon. And then, after all of that, somewhat exhausted from more than ten minutes of recounting this exciting story, my little sister exclaimed to my mother, “And Ben’s still stuck in the tree!” Only at that moment, did the reason for telling the story become perfectly clear.

Only at that moment, with this final piece of revelation, did the story that my little sister told to my mother require a response.

The Lord has risen and He has appeared to Simon. The Lord is risen and He will meet you in Galilee. The Lord is risen and we recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. Only with this final piece of information does the reason for the telling of the story become perfectly clear. Only with this final piece of revelation does the story that the apostles and the evangelists and the holy women told require a response.

The Lord is risen and He has appeared to Simon. The Lord is risen and He will meet you in Galilee. The Lord is risen and we recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.

To announce the Resurrection is the reason that the story was told at all. The Resurrection is the reason that we heard about the Angel Gabriel being sent from God to the Virgin at Nazareth. The Resurrection is the reason that we heard about no room and the inn and shepherds and magi. The Resurrection is the reason that we heard about the Sermon on the Mount, the five loaves and the two fish, and the Last Supper in the Upper Room.

The Resurrection is the reason for telling the story at all.

But even more than that, even more than that, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reason that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The Resurrection is the reason for creation because through the Resurrection we are offered life with God. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Father who has loved us from all eternity shares the love of eternity with us. It’s the reason for telling the story.

And now, the Lord invites us to His table where eternal love descends upon our altar. And here we join with the angels and the saints, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, and cry out in response: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Amen.

FATHER BENJAMIN ROBERTS is the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe.

We need Divine Mercy for a world at war

As the Catholic News Herald cover wars in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere, mankind continues to seek peace without success. Perhaps we need to return to the message of Divine Mercy.

Our Lord’s message of Divine Mercy, as recorded in St. Faustina’s diary, is simple: “Tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy.”

Jesus asked that the feast of Divine Mercy be preceded by a novena to the

Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday. He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all – the lukewarm and indifferent.

“On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy...On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls...Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.”

JON GAUTHIER is a member of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte and author of “Embracing Goodness: How Life Works.”

‘Jesus broke through the darkness of the tomb and lives forever. His presence can fill anything with light.’

Pope Francis

From online story: “Pope prays people will experience, share Easter joy”

The Catholic News Herald reached the Facebook and Instagram feeds of more than 285,000 people in English and Spanish last month. The most talked about post?

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Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, baptizes a young man at the Easter Vigil Mass. The parish welcomed 27 newcomers into the Church this Easter, its largest group since Father Roberts arrived 12 years ago. Below is Father Roberts’ Easter homily.