At a glance
August 23, 2024
Volume 33 • NUMBER 21 1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@rcdoc.org 704-370-3333
PUBLISHER
The Most Reverend Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte
INDEX
Contact us 2
Español 14-16
Our Diocese 4-8
Our Faith 3
Our Schools 10-11
Scripture 3, 16
U.S. news 18-19
Viewpoints 22-23
World news 20-21
STAFF
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: Amelia Kudela 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
THE CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year.
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CATHOLIC ALL WEEK
Timely tips for blending faith & life
TheCatholic Intellectual Tradition – an ongoing conversation about faith and reason illuminated by the Gospel – is as old as the Church itself. The word “intellectual” may sound lofty, yet there are many easy-to-understand ways to explore the depths of this 2,000-year conversation. In honor of the start of school and the feast day of one of the most influential Catholic thinkers, here are three accessible ways to mine the treasures of this tradition:
SPEND AUGUST WITH AUGUSTINE
We celebrate St. Augustine, one of the most important figures in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, on Aug. 28. Born in what is now Algeria in 354, St. Augustine’s teachings were the foundation of Christian doctrine for a millennium. He is one of three dozen “Doctors of the Church,” a title for saints recognized as having made a significant contribution to theology or doctrine through their research, study or writing. The story of St. Augustine’s life and his conversion is written in his autobiographical “Confessions.” It is also a compelling philosophical, poetic and literary work. Read it along with commentary from Dr. Paul Thigpen in the free TAN Direction podcast, “The Commentaries: The Confessions of St. Augustine” at www.tandirection.com/podcasts
four women Doctors of the Church available at www.tandirection.com/podcasts. At the QR code (right), find two series on the works of St. Teresa of Avila by Father Timothy Reid of the Diocese of Charlotte and another on St. Catherine of Siena by Dominican Sister Mary Madeline Todd.
3
TAKE A FREE ONLINE COURSE
Scan the QR code for this week’s recommendations: 1 2
MEET MORE DOCTORS OF THE CHURCH
Already familiar with St. Augustine? Why not branch out to other Doctors of the Church? Get an in-depth look at the most influential thinkers in the Catholic Church in TAN Books’ “The 35 Doctors of the Church” or check out podcasts on two of the
Diocesan calendar of events
EVENTS
FREE MEDICARE SEMINAR: 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27, St. Barnabas Church, 109 Crescent Hill Road in Arden. The first of three upcoming free, unbiased seminars presented by Abby Landry from the Council on Aging of Buncombe County and hosted by Catholic Charities Elder Ministry. This seminar is an invaluable resource for those new to Medicare, people turning 65, caregivers, and anyone transitioning from group health plans. Future seminars are set for Sept. 17 at St. Eugene Church in Asheville and Sept. 24 at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville. RSVP to Sandra Breakfield at 704-370-3220 or email sandrab@ccdoc.org.
PRAYER SERVICES
RED MASS : 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., will be principal celebrant. All who work in the legal profession are invited. Reception to follow with guest speaker U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad. RSVP for the reception at https://pp.events/aaKV5Ymm.
Known for opening dialogue in the public square and intellectual circles, Belmont Abbey College offers free online courses in classical and Catholic thought to all. Learn from Belmont Abbey faculty and other leading scholars in “Truth & Knowledge: An Overview of Catholic Thinkers” and “Wit, Learning, and Virtue: The Legacy of Civil Servant Thomas More.” Discover more at resources.bac.edu/ courses — Annie Ferguson
ST. PEREGRINE HEALING PRAYER SERVICE : 7 p.m. every fourth Thursday of the month, St. Matthew Church chapel, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. in Charlotte. Includes a blessing with the relic of St. Peregrine. For details, go to www. stmatthewcatholic.org/st-peregrine.
HOLY HOUR FOR NICARAGUA : All are welcome to a Holy Hour in Spanish for the Intention of Bringing Peace to Nicaragua. 7-8 p.m. every Thursday (except for the first Thursday of every month), St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte.
SUPPORT GROUPS
MARRIAGE SUPPORT: Fall Retrouvaille retreat Sept. 27-29 in the Charlotte area. For married couples struggling with challenges in their relationship, not communicating well, or considering separation or divorce. This confidential program has helped tens of thousands of couples. Call Bill and Lyn Folsom at 727-343-6701 or email 3062ac@helpourmarriage. org.
Bishop Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., will participate in the following events:
AUG. 24-25
Weekend Masses St. Pius X Church, Greensboro
AUG. 29 – 9:20 A.M.
School Mass
Charlotte Catholic High School
AUG. 30-31
Eucharistic Congress Charlotte Convention Center
SEPT. 4 – 12:10 P.M.
Mass for Homeschoolers
St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte
SEPT. 5 – 5 P.M.
Missionaries of Charity Mass for St. Teresa of Calcutta Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Charlotte
SEPT. 7 – 4:30 P.M.
Mass St. Michael Church, Gastonia
SEPT. 8 – NOON
a
Credo
A 12-part series on the Creed
by Deacon Matthew Newsome
EDITOR’S NOTE
This article is Part 8 in a series exploring the Creed. Look for articles each month in the Catholic News Herald and online at www.catholicnewsherald.com.
Daily Scripture readings
AUG. 25-31
Our faith
Pope Francis
Christians are called to
spread ‘fragrance of Christ’
Cleansed from original sin by baptism, Christians are called to spread the “good fragrance of Christ” throughout the world by their kind actions and joyful attitudes, Pope Francis said.
The Holy Spirit
In the eighth article of the Apostles’ Creed we profess our belief in the Holy Spirit. What is a spirit? A spirit is a personal, non-corporeal being. Let’s break that down. It is a being, meaning that it is something that exists – spirits are not imaginary. It is non-corporeal, meaning that it is not physical. Spirits do not have matter; they are not made up of atoms or anything else in the material world. And it is personal, meaning spirits have rational intellects and free will.
Humans have spirits and physical bodies. Angels are pure spirits. But who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God, but not in the same way souls are the spirits of human beings. Humans have spirits, but we are not spirits, just like we have bodies but we are not bodies. We are spirit/body composites. God is not a composite being. God is one. You cannot break God down into parts.
God is also a Trinity. There are three Persons in God, but not three parts. Each Person of the Trinity is fully and wholly God, and all three are spirits. The Father is spirit. The Son is spirit. (The body He assumed at the Incarnation belongs to His human nature,
Sunday (Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time): Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b, Ps 34: 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23, Eph 5:21-32, Jn 6:60-69; Monday: 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12, Ps 96: 1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5, Mt 23:13-22; Tuesday (St. Monica): 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17, Ps 96: 10, 11-12, 13, Mt 23:23-26; Wednesday (St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church): 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18, Ps 128: 1-2, 4-5, Mt 23:2732; Thursday (Passion of St. John the Baptist): 1 Cor 1:1-9, Ps 145: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Mk 6:17-29; Friday: 1 Cor 1:17-25, Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 10-11, Mt 25:1-13; Saturday: 1 Cor 1:26-31, Ps 33: 12-13, 18-19, 20-21, Mt 25:14-30
SEPT. 1-7
Sunday (Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time): Dt 4: 1-2, 6-8, Ps 15: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27, Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23; Monday: 1 Cor 2:1-5, Ps 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, Lk 4:16-30; Tuesday (St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church): 1 Cor 2:10b-16, Ps 145:8-9, 10-11, 1213ab, 13cd-14, Lk 4:31-37; Wednesday: 1 Cor 3:1-9, Ps 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21, Lk 4:38-44; Thursday: 1 Cor 3:18-23, Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6, Lk 5:1-11; Friday: 1 Cor 4:1-5, Ps 37:3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40, Lk 5:33-39; Saturday: 1 Cor 4:6b-15, Ps 145:17-18, 19-20, 21, Lk 6:1-5
not His divine nature.) And the Holy Spirit is spirit. When we confess in the Nicene Creed that “with the Father and Son He is adored and glorified” we affirm the divinity of the Holy Spirit by saying He is worthy of the same worship given to the Father and the Son. So what makes the Holy Spirit different from the Father and Son, since all three are spirits? The Catechism defines the Holy Spirit as, “the personal love of Father and Son for each other… at work with the Father and the Son from the beginning to the completion of the divine plan for our salvation.” It is relatively easy for us to imagine the Father and the Son, as these are natural images for us (we all either have, are, or know human fathers and sons). But the Spirit is described variously as a wind, a flame and a dove. This can make it seem like the Spirit is harder for us to relate to, but in truth, the Spirit is most active in the world and in the life of the Church.
The Holy Spirit is active in the work of creation itself. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was
SPIRIT, SEE PAGE 7
SEPT. 8-14
Sunday (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time): Is 35:4-7a, Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10, Jas 2:1-5, Mk 7:31-37; Monday (St. Peter Claver, Priest): 1 Cor 5:1-8, Ps 5:5-6, 7, 12, Lk 6:6-11; Tuesday: 1 Cor 6:1-11, Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b, Lk 6:12-19; Wednesday: 1 Cor 7:25-31, Ps 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17, Lk 6:2026; Thursday: 1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13, Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 23-24, Lk 6:27-38; Friday (St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church): 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27, Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12, Lk 6:39-42; Saturday (Exaltation of the Holy Cross): Nm 21:4B-9, Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38, Phil 2:6-11, Jn 3:13-17
At his weekly general audience Aug. 21, the pope said Jesus was “anointed with the Holy Spirit” when He was baptized in the River Jordan, whereas Old Testament kings, prophets and priests were anointed with perfumed oil.
Just as those leaders received the oil on their heads, “Christ is the head, our high priest, the Holy Spirit is our perfumed oil and the Church is the Body of Christ in which it spreads,” he told thousands of people who had joined him for the gathering in the Vatican audience hall.
During the Chrism Mass each year, he said, bishops bless the sacred oils used in baptisms and confirmations by praying that recipients of the oils may “be made fragrant with the innocence of a life pleasing to you.”
‘Sometimes Christians spread the bad odor of their own sin.’
He related the prayer to a passage from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: “For we are the aroma of Christ for God.”
“We know that unfortunately, sometimes Christians do not spread the fragrance of Christ, but the bad odor of their own sin,” the pope said.
“Let us never forget: Sin distances us from Jesus; it makes us bad oil,” he added. “And the devil – do not forget this – usually enters through one’s pockets. Be aware.”
Sin, however, “should not distract us from the commitment of realizing, as far as we are able and each in their own environment, this sublime vocation of being the good fragrance of Christ in the world,” Pope Francis said. Referencing St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the pope said that the “fragrance of Christ emanates from the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
“If we strive to cultivate these fruits, then, without our being aware of it, someone will notice some of the fragrance of the Spirit of Christ around us,” he said.
“Pentecost,”
fresco in the chapel of Santa Maria dell’Anima (Our Lady of the Souls) Church in Rome, by Francesco Salviati (16th century)
Our diocese
Jefferson celebrates 10th anniversary of new church
ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@rcdoc.org
JEFFERSON — Parishioners gathered Aug. 16 at the mountain parish of St. Francis of Assisi to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the dedication of their church.
Then-Bishop Peter Jugis visited exactly 10 years prior to formally dedicate the new “mountain Gothic” church in 2014 when Father James Stuhrenberg was pastor.
Father Stuhrenberg returned for the festivities and was the main celebrant for the anniversary Mass. In his homily he noted that Holy Scripture tells us God loves mountains as He chose this terrain for conversions, walks and significant covenants.
“When we were designing this church, we wanted a place in which you felt the presence of God – that lifted you up to God,” Father Stuhrenberg recalled. “Many have told me that’s exactly how they feel when they walk into the church. They feel more connected with God – in spirit and in truth.”
The popularity of the Blue Ridge Mountains as a tourism and retirement destination has spurred development in Jefferson, located near the Virginia and Tennessee state lines. The 10,000-square-foot church was built to accommodate the growth of the parish, which was established in the 1960s.
Father Cory Catron, who served as pastor until July of this year, concelebrated the Mass with Father Stuhrenberg and the parish’s current pastor, Father Jacob Mlakar.
Tours describing the magnificent stained-glass windows, a Holy Hour and Vespers preceded Mass. Afterward, Father Mlakar spoke to the congregation, offering his gratitude for the church and the return of the former pastors for the anniversary celebration.
A parish picnic followed the Holy Hour and Mass – with sporadic mountain showers subsiding for everyone to enjoy the food, fellowship and fun.
Local members attend Knights of Peter Claver national convention
CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org
CHARLOTTE — Two women from Our Lady of Consolation Parish traveled to Oklahoma City in July for a week focused on fellowship, worship and charity.
Mary Adams and Racquel Ward represented the Knights of Peter Claver Council 411 and Ladies Auxiliary at the Catholic fraternal organization’s national convention July 19-24. Adams is the organization’s area deputy for North Carolina and Ward is grand lady for the auxiliary. The council and auxiliary, established in October 2023, is the first in the Diocese of Charlotte.
“The trip was truly a lesson, blessing and reminder of sisterhood, brotherhood and charity,” Ward said. “It was dramatic to see all the different members of the order represented, especially at the opening Mass. The Mass was so spirit-filled and the reverence was amazing.”
At the convention, members elected new national leaders and focused on ways to further the organization’s charitable and spiritual initiatives.
Ward said she learned that the new council and auxiliary at Our Lady of
Consolation was part of the fraternal organization’s overall expansion effort nationwide. In 2023 six councils were established, with 305 Knights, 500 ladies, 81 junior knights and 165 junior daughters initiated.
The organization now has 13,874 members across the U.S. and has launched an effort nationwide to attract more youth and young adults to the organization, with a special focus on increasing the presence on college campuses. Currently only 3% of members are between the ages of 18 and 30, according to numbers released at the convention. Most of the organization’s members are older than 50.
“The ongoing challenge is reducing the average age of membership,” Ward said. “This pushes us to form junior councils and courts and continue to expand and establish collegiate courts and councils.”
The Knights of Peter Claver was founded in 1909 by four Josephite priests and three laymen from the Diocese of Mobile, Ala., who wanted to form a Catholic fraternal order for the African American community because the Church’s other orders at the time did not accept Black members. It expanded in 1926 to include a ladies auxiliary. Named for a 17th-century
of Raleigh.
Spanish Jesuit priest who ministered to enslaved people, the New Orleans-based order has more than 400 chapters in the U.S. and one in Colombia. One chapter is located in the Diocese
Mary Adams and Racquel Ward represented Knights of Peter Claver Council 411 and its auxiliary at the fraternal organization’s national convention in Oklahoma City in July.
PHOTO PROVIDED
(Clockwise from far left) St. Francis’ current pastor Father Jacob Mlakar is joined by previous pastors Father James Stuhrenberg and Father Cory Catron. Father Mlakar joins parishioners for games after the anniversary Mass. Father Stuhrenberg catches up with parishioners. During Holy Hour and Vespers, sunlight streamed through the church’s stunning stained-glass windows.
PHOTOS BY ANNIE FERGUSON | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Bishop Martin to offer Red Mass for all who work in the legal profession
CHARLOTTE — A special Mass for those who work in the legal field, particularly attorneys, judges and government officials, will be offered on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
The Red Mass – so named because clergy traditionally wear red vestments for the liturgy, a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit – will be celebrated by Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., at St. Patrick Cathedral.
It is an opportunity for legal professionals, regardless of their religious affiliation, to come together to pray for the
Bibles and other Catholic items. It is staffed by volunteers and overseen by parishioners Charlotte and Robby Schomberg.
Holy Spirit’s guidance in their work and reflect on the God-given responsibilities of their profession.
The centuries-old tradition celebrates the beginning of the judicial season. In the U.S., it is offered usually in conjunction with the opening of the U.S. Supreme Court session each fall.
This is the first Red Mass offered in the Diocese of Charlotte since 2019.
It is being organized by the St. Thomas More Society of Charlotte. Named for the patron saint of lawyers, the St. Thomas
More Society seeks to promote Catholic virtue in the practice of law while defending life, family and religious freedom.
“Now, more than ever, Catholic legal professionals need an opportunity to come together and pray for the courage and steadfast principles shown by St. Thomas More in the face of opposition to religious liberty and criticism of the faith,” said Austin Walsh, a Charlotte-based lawyer and member.
The Mass will start at 6 p.m. A reception will be held afterward in the cathedral’s
St. James’ Catholic bookstore:
Offering unique finds and fellowship for 25 years
CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org
CONCORD — Each week before and after Masses at St. James the Greater Parish in Concord, people looking for a new Bible, crucifix or a Catholic-themed gift can find it at the parish Catholic shop. Located in the entryway and staffed entirely by volunteers, the store recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
That milestone is a testament to the dedication of a volunteer team that runs it and keeps it stocked with all things Catholic. Beside Bibles and books, customers can find rosaries, jewelry, statues, crucifixes, funeral urns, prayer cards and other religious items. There is a selection of greeting cards and a toy bin for kids.
Parish stores like the one at St. James are often the only local resource for people who want to do hands-on shopping for religious items instead of buying online. Similarly successful shops are hosted at St. Mark Parish in Huntersville, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, and St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, among other places.
St. James’ store first opened in August 1999, originally located in the basement of the old church, recalls Charlotte Schomberg, the store’s volunteer coordinator. When a new church for St. James opened in 2004, the store reopened in the narthex.
“The store was originally started by three elderly women, all named Mary,” Schomberg said. “I started volunteering with the store when we only had three staff members, and then our pastor at the time asked if I would take it over after the last of the original founders left.”
Running the store alongside her husband Robby has been a labor of love for Schomberg these past 20 years. The Schombergs work with more than 80 vendors to source items, some from as far away as Puerto Rico.
Funds from sales go back to the parish, but Schomberg said the store is about much more than the money it raises.
“It’s really a ministry more than just a revenue source,” she
said. “We give Bibles to people who need them and we give a lot of rosaries to the hospitals. A lot of people who visit aren’t even necessarily buying anything – they’re people who just need to talk.”
The store also partnered with the parish’s Deacon Todd Labonte on a fundraiser to donate more than 200 “Behind the Badge” prayerbooks to local law enforcement officers, Schomberg said. Volunteers of all ages have run the store from the start, with 52 currently on staff. The store is open before and after all seven weekend Masses and also on holy days. Two volunteers work each shift.
The team has been so committed that they were able to keep the store running on an appointment-only basis during the pandemic. Along with parishioners, the store also attracts customers from surrounding parishes and visitors who come to the area for NASCAR races.
Helping people track down what they need or select a special gift item is gratifying for volunteer Audrey Macek, who started working there 15 years ago.
“I love working there and helping parishioners find what they need,” Macek said. “It’s very rewarding when somebody comes in looking for a specific thing, and you can help them find exactly what they’re looking for.”
Roxanne Johnston, a volunteer for 16 years, said the store has become an important social hub for the parish and the community.
“It’s become like a social group,” she said. “People stop in before and after Mass to see how your week went. It’s a meeting place for a lot of parishioners, and you also meet race fans and others who come for Mass and discover the bookstore. I’ve made a lot of good friends.”
Schomberg said she and her husband have built friendships and made countless connections with people thanks to the shop.
“Over 20 years I’ve watched kids grow up,” she said. “I taught faith formation and now people I taught when they were kids are bringing their own kids in to meet me at the bookstore.”
Family Life Center.
Guest speaker will be U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad, director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and author of “John Fisher and Thomas More: Keeping Their Souls While Losing Their Heads.”
Mass is free to attend and open to all members of the judiciary and legal profession. Guests are welcome.
RSVP for the reception at https:// pp.events/aaKV5Ymm. — Catholic News Herald
At summer conference, teens learn to advocate for life
HUNTERSVILLE — Teens from across the Diocese of Charlotte gathered for fellowship and learning at the annual Camp Joshua pro-life teen camp held July 26-27 at St. Mark Church.
The teens received helpful instruction on what the U.S. bishops have declared the preeminent moral issue of the day, ending abortion, and learned from seasoned pro-life experts on how to advocate for the dignity of human life from philosophical, medical and scientific perspectives – all to help prepare the teens to advocate and share pro-life principles.
Speakers at the event included Father Peter Ascik, director of the diocese’s Family Life Office; Dr. Matthew Harrison, a St. Mark parishioner and doctor who pioneered the abortion pill reversal method; and Dr. Bill Pincus, president of North Carolina Right to Life. Attendees also heard a presentation by Victoria Fonville, founder of Pro-Life Social, an organization for young adults to remain involved in pro-life work after college. At the start of the Saturday session, attendees watched a powerful and impactful livestream report from sidewalk counselors praying in front of an abortion facility in Greensboro.
Camp Joshua is annual event organized by North Carolina Right to Life and was co-sponsored by Carolina Pro-Life Action Network (C-PLAN) and St. Mark Parish’s Respect Life committee.
For more information about future Camp Joshua programs, visit North Carolina Right to Life at www.ncrtl.org.
— Mike FitzGerald
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. JAMES THE GREATER PARISH
The store at St. James the Greater Parish in Concord recently celebrated 25 years of selling books,
MIKE FITZGERALD | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Father Peter Ascik, director of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Family Life Office, speaks to teens at Camp Joshua.
Holy Angels ‘Volunteens’: A summer of service and compassion
SHAWN FLYNN
Special to the Catholic News Herald
BELMONT — This summer, 48 young volunteers from Mecklenburg and Gaston County participated in the Holy Angels Volunteen Program, dedicating their time to supporting residents in a myriad of ways.
These “Volunteens” played games, listened to music, participated in Camp Hope activities and created meaningful connections with the residents. Many young Catholics used their faith to support the ministry.
Holy Angels provides a home of loving, living and learning for the differently abled in Belmont. The nonprofit is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy and has been serving this population since 1955.
touching moment: “My sister Ellie and I built a 3D lighthouse puzzle for one of the residents, Megan. When we surprised her with it, I have never seen a bigger smile! She kept saying ‘Thank you’ and demanded hugs from everyone. It was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Holy Angels currently serves 81 residents from 16 months to 82 years old.
Lila McGarry, a rising sophomore from Charlotte Catholic High School, described her experience as transformative. “I had a wonderful experience volunteering at Holy Angels. I made a lot of great memories with the residents, and all of the staff were so kind and welcoming,” she said.
McGarry’s connection to Holy Angels began in 2023, sparked by her grandmother’s dedication to the mission.
“Her love for Holy Angels helped spark my love for volunteering here. My last two summers have really revealed to me how God shines through everyone in so many different ways.”
For many Volunteens, their time at Holy Angels deepened their understanding of compassion and service. Drexel High School student Lydia Ryan reflected on her experiences and shared a particularly
Catholic students who volunteered over the summer represented schools including Charlotte Catholic, Drexel, Holy Trinity Middle School and St. Michael School, as well as Catholic students who attend public school or are homeschooled.
“We love our volunteens,” said Holy Angels President and CEO Kerri Massey.
“These exceptional young supporters bring so much energy to our campus. It is incredibly special watching them become friends with our residents as they play games, participate in music therapy, and do arts and crafts with them. Our residents love the volunteens, and the volunteens love our residents.”
Looking ahead, the volunteens from Charlotte Catholic are taking their passion for service further by planning to start a Holy Angels club at school.
“I’m excited to share this experience with my peers. It will be a deeply powerful experience where we can help others and make a difference, as God has called us to do,” McGarry said.
The Volunteen Program is a way to connect younger supporters to the mission of Holy Angels and helps to teach compassion, service and belonging. While this program runs primarily during the summer, there are additional service opportunities for these teens throughout the year. For more information about Holy Angels, go to www.holyangelsnc.org.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HOLY ANGELS
Holy Angels resident Megan loves the lighthouse she built with volunteens Elliana and Lydia Ryan. (Below)
Second-year volunteen Aidan Flynn, a Charlotte Catholic High School sophomore, plays “Jeopardy” with Holy Angels resident Aiden.
formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters” (Gen 1:1-2). The Holy Spirit gives order and purpose to the world, so that when God looks upon all He has made, He finds it “very good” (Gen 1:31).
The Holy Spirit is also active in a particular way in the creation of Man. “The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being” (Gen 2:7). The word “breath” in Hebrew is “ruach” or “neshemah,” which in Latin is “spiritus.” God’s Spirit is the source of our life. Without it, we return to dust and ashes.
The Holy Spirit renews creation. “When You send forth Your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:29-30). In the same way, the Spirit renews and strengthens us. God tells us, “Take courage, for I am with you. My Spirit continues in your midst; do not fear” (Hag 1:4).
The Holy Spirit is also active in Jesus’ ministry. The Spirit overshadows Mary at the Incarnation (Lk 1:35). The Spirit anoints Jesus at His baptism (Lk 3:21) and leads Him into the desert to engage in spiritual combat with the devil (Lk 4:1-2). Jesus returns to Galilee saying, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor” (Lk 4:18).
On the day of the Resurrection, Jesus breathed on the Apostles saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:22). It is the Holy Spirit who enables the Apostles to continue the redemptive work of Christ in the world. The Holy Spirit empowers the Church for its evangelizing mission. At Pentecost, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim” (Acts 2:4).
The Holy Spirit also confirms each
Christian as a member of the Church.
“When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who … laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14, 17). The sacrament of confirmation is our anointing, our participation in Pentecost, our share in the apostolic mission to make disciples of all nations.
The Holy Spirit “comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings” (Rom 8:26). Jesus teaches that “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24). The Holy Spirit empowers our worship, “through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.” In the Mass, at the epiclesis, the priest calls down the Holy Spirit to “graciously make holy the gifts we bring to you for consecration” (Eucharistic Prayer III).
The Spirit makes us children of God. St. Paul writes that we have received “a Spirit of adoption… the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children heirs, heirs of God and coheirs with Christ” (see Rom 8:14-17).
Finally, the Holy Spirit calls us to the consummation of our union with God in heaven. St. John writes in Revelation, “I saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come’” (Rev 21:2).
In the fourth century, St. Basil the Great summarized the work of the Holy Spirit this way: “Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God ‘Father’ and to share in Christ’s grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory.” It is most fitting, therefore, for every Christian to pray, “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.”
DEACON MATTHEW NEWSOME is the Catholic campus minister at Western Carolina University and the author of “The Devout Life: A Modern Guide to Practical Holiness with St. Francis de Sales,” available from Sophia Institute Press.
During Make-a-Will Month, leave a legacy
August is Make-a-Will Month, a national initiative encouraging people to focus on something profoundly important: creating or updating their will.
A will is one of the most important legal documents you can arrange for your family. A will is not just for the wealthy or the elderly – everyone needs one. That is because wills do more than just name who gets your money and property.
With a will, you can nominate guardians for your minor children, name caretakers for your pets, leave instructions for digital assets, specify your funeral arrangements, and more.
A will can also save your loved ones the time, money and stress of lengthy, expensive probate court proceedings.
Writing or updating a will can be easy and affordable.
Guidance is available from lawyers, plus many online resources are available with free or low-cost options that can be customized for your circumstances, including FreeWill.com, Trust&Will. com, Quicken WillMaker, and LegalZoom. com. Just make sure the document you create is legally binding in your state, get it properly notarized, and give a copy to your loved ones.
Make-a-Will Month is the perfect time to create or revise your will and leave a lasting legacy to the Church in the Diocese of Charlotte. A gift to your parish, school, ministries such as Catholic Charities, the diocese, or the diocesan foundation, enables you to make a difference for generations to come.
One such example is Barbara Parker, a parishioner of St. Jude Parish in
Sapphire. Parker split her time between Sapphire and Tampa, and after her death, the Sapphire parish received a check totaling more than $130,000 as part of the settlement of her estate.
Part of the funds established the Barbara Parker Memorial Endowment Fund to provide for the parish’s future needs, while the remaining amount supports the parish’s current needs. Gifts like Parker’s show just how meaningful having a church home can be to someone, said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director.
“A number of parishioners become actively involved in parish ministry. Others, while less involved, still attend Mass regularly and provide financial support to their parish. Barbara decided to remember her church in Sapphire in her estate plans even though she spent most of her time in Tampa. She obviously had a special love for St. Jude Church.”
— Some information provided by FreeWill.
Plan ahead
Interested in making a planned gift or setting up an endowment to benefit Catholic Charities, your parish or Catholic school? You can make a gift through 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.
Join us for a day of formation and education focused on marriage, family and pro-life work. Experience dynamic, nationally known speakers and panel discussions about fostering hope and love in family life, strengthening marriages, and other life-affirming topics. Mass will be offered. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students. Lunch and refreshments included.
Sponsored by:
Reaching out to those who live on the margins
EDITOR’S NOTE
Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is highlighting the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching for its year-long 75th anniversary celebration. This week, the focus is on “Caring for the Poor and Vulnerable.” A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS clknauss@rcdoc.org
Every Tuesday and Thursday, cars line up outside the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Uptown Charlotte, driven by people in need who come to receive food from Catholic Charities. Similar scenes play out at the agency’s offices in Asheville and Winston-Salem.
By feeding people in need, agency staff members and volunteers are carrying out one of the seven principles of Catholic social teaching: helping the poorest and most vulnerable among us. The Church is called to care for those living on the margins, and all Catholics are urged to help our brothers and sisters in need.
Much of the local Church’s work to help the poor is directed through Catholic Charities, which has seven locations across western North Carolina that deliver aid and services to people in need.
Last year alone, agency staff and 200-plus volunteers distributed more than 630,000 pounds of food to 16,000 people and supported hundreds of others with clothing, infant supplies, burial assistance, housing, counseling and more.
Most people the agency serves receive direct assistance – help with paying their rent or utility bills, food aid to supplement what they receive from government assistance, and baby items such as diapers, wipes and clothing, says Catholic Charities’ executive director Gerry Carter.
Yet Catholic Charities does not just hand out food or offer one-time services, Carter adds. The agency takes a holistic approach to its aid work – focusing on lifting
people out of poverty with personalized support to remove obstacles to self-sufficiency.
Through its Transition Out of Poverty (TOP) program, Catholic Charities provides a case management mentor who accompanies people and helps them find solutions to challenges such as unemployment, housing instability, health care and education. The program also conducts workshops and special training sessions to help people succeed.
“Perhaps the greatest way in which Catholic Charities addresses poverty is by intimately sharing in the ministry of the Church to show love for our neighbors in need,” Carter says. “We work to reduce the oftentimes crushing effects of poverty through both direct assistance and case management services.”
The agency helps people “develop a custom path out of poverty by identifying and removing obstacles that prevent them from achieving their dreams,” he explains.
Quoting Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Deus Caritas Est,” Carter notes that for the Church, “charity is not a kind of welfare activity which could equally well be left to others, but is a part of her nature, an indispensable expression of her very being.”
This call, based on scripture and Catholic teaching, is also reflected in the agency’s Passion Statement: “The love of Christ impels us to serve our neighbors in need – we cannot do otherwise.”
The option for the poor is not only critical for meeting the material needs of the poor, it also has serious implications in the spiritual lives of Catholics.
“Beyond the call to assist those in need, we are taught by Jesus that our actions or inactions in responding to the plight of the poor and vulnerable has a direct impact on our eternal life,” says Joe Purello, Catholic Charities’ director of social concerns and advocacy.
How can Catholics follow the Church’s call to help the poor and vulnerable?
“The most obvious place to start is through our prayer life and participation in Eucharistic celebrations,” Carter suggests. “We all have the opportunity to offer to God both thanksgiving for our blessings and prayers for those less fortunate.”
People can help Catholic Charities, their local parish or
Get involved with Catholic Charities
Join Catholic Charities in its mission to help those in need and spread the love of Christ:
LEARN MORE: Visit ccdoc.org to discover how Catholic Charities is making a difference in the Diocese of Charlotte.
FIND HELP: If you or someone you know needs assistance, Catholic Charities is here to support you. Visit ccdoc.org/services for information.
DONATE: Consider donating to Catholic Charities at ccdoc.org/donate. Your generous contribution can change lives.
VOLUNTEER: Make a direct impact by volunteering with Catholic Charities. Learn more about volunteer opportunities at ccdoc.org/ volunteer.
community aid organizations by volunteering and making financial contributions.
“For some of us, we can participate in direct service by volunteering to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless,” Carter says. “For others, in addition to our prayers, we can share in the ministry of Catholic Charities by ensuring that necessary financial resources are available to serve the needy.”
CARING FOR THE POOR
“God’s answer to the poor is always a saving act that heals wounds of body and soul, restores justice, and helps to live life anew in dignity. God’s answer is also a summons to those who believe in him to do likewise.”
– Pope Francis
impels
(Deus Caritas Est, no. 25).
Spirit and smiles: Back-to-School moments at our Catholic schools
CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD STAFF
Wearing big smiles and backpacks and lunch bags in hand, some 8,300 Catholic students went back to school across western North Carolina this week. Most of the Diocese of Charlotte’s 20 schools opened on Wednesday, with some staggering their start times or opening days to accommodate incoming families.
The diocese expects a third consecutive year of record enrollment, with a new bishop to greet students at the start of a new academic year. Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., a former Catholic school educator, shared special “welcome back to school” video messages to students that he recorded from the driver’s seat of a school bus.
In the videos, Bishop Martin urged elementary school kids to learn more about Jesus and His friends, so they too can be a friend of Jesus. He encouraged middle schoolers to treat others as Jesus would treat them. And his advice for high school students as they look forward to a new year and life’s big changes to come: “Trust Jesus.” (And “by the way,” he said, “cut your teachers and your parents a little slack,” as “they are working hard for you.”).
Watch the videos
At www.youtube.com/@NCCatholicSchools : See Bishop Michael Martin’s advice to students as another school year begins
Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte
(Top) St. Matthew School in Charlotte (Above) Immaculata School in Hendersonville
St. Ann School in Charlotte
(Above) St. Michael School in Gastonia (Above right and right) Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte and Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro
(Above) Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville (Below) Charlotte Catholic High School
2024 Diocese of Charlotte EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS
Aug. 30-31 • Charlotte Convention Center
Stage set for 20th Eucharistic Congress
Thousands of people from across western North Carolina will gather in Charlotte Aug. 30-31 to experience powerful personal stories, prayer and worship during the 20th annual Diocese of Charlotte Eucharistic Congress.
The free event – the largest of its kind in the Southeast – has even more to offer this year including praise-and-worship concerts, unique dramas and a projection light show featuring Franciscan art in honor of the diocese’s new Bishop Michael Martin, among other features.
Organizers have packed in more programming and increased outreach – through billboards, social media and a personal invitation from Bishop Martin – to welcome more people of all ages and propel the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival.
SEE PAGES 12-13: 2024 Eucharistic Congress program highlights
This year’s theme “Remain in Me” is taken from Jesus’ words to His disciples in the Gospel of John (15:4).
In his invitation to the families of the diocese, Bishop Martin, OFM Conv., encourages people to attend to reconnect
with their faith and with each other. As the new Bishop of Charlotte, he said he is looking forward to unexpected blessings at what will be his first diocesan Congress.
“Maybe you have never considered going, or you went once years ago, or you just think this might not be your thing,” he wrote. “Might you be willing to experience it with me anew…for what I know will be an unexpected blessing?”
Bishop Martin will headline Friday night’s opening event with a keynote address to young people and a Meet & Greet reception. On Saturday morning, he will lead the people of the diocese in a dramatic Eucharistic procession through the streets of Uptown Charlotte, and renowned for his preaching, he will serve as the principal celebrant and homilist for the closing Mass Saturday afternoon.
One lucky person who participates in the diocese’s feedback survey will win a special prize: Lunch with Bishop Martin, who will celebrate his three-month anniversary as bishop of the growing diocese on Aug. 30, the opening day of the Congress.
“Please join me,” the bishop said in his invitation, “to reconnect with what truly matters: Jesus and His Church.”
20 years of the Eucharistic
Congress
5 fun facts about the Congress
When Pope John Paul II declared the “Year of the Eucharist” in 2004, Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis was inspired to launch a Eucharistic Congress here in 2005, igniting the tradition – and passion – that continues today.
The inaugural Eucharistic Congress featured keynote speaker Jim Caviezel, the actor who portrayed Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ.”
More than 3,000 people took part in the first Eucharistic Congress procession through Charlotte. That first Congress was so well attended that Bishop Jugis looked out at the crowd and asked, “So, do you want to do this next year?” Their answer: a burst of applause.
The 2010 Eucharistic Congress drew a record crowd of 11,000 – but then new records were set in 2012, 2013 and 2015. In 2017, organizers estimated the current record of nearly 20,000 people attended.
The Eucharistic procession from St. Peter Church to the Charlotte Convention Center is nearly a mile long and takes about an hour to complete. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who headlined the 2015 Congress, called it “quite a workout.”
20 years of Eucharistic processions, 1 local priest
Noah Carter was an altar server in the first Eucharistic Congress procession in 2005 (pictured above, holding the canopy pole to the left of Bishop Peter Jugis). He grew up to become a priest – and today Father Carter helps lead that procession. He has attended every Congress and now serves as an assistant master of ceremonies.
Jimmy Coleman, the athlete who ran the first Adoration Ultra in January and another Adoration Run this summer leading up to the National Eucharistic Congress, will run for the first time at the Charlotte Eucharistic Congress. And he’s inviting more people to join him in running for 1.5 to 13 miles. Learn more about how you can get involved.
When 50,000 Catholics recently gathered in Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress, one of the powerful voices leading the praise-and-worship music was Sarah Kroger, a 37-year-old Nashville-based Catholic singer-songwriter with numerous albums under her belt, her most recent released in May titled “A New Reality.” Now, Kroger is opening the Diocese of Charlotte’s 2024 Eucharistic Congress on Friday, Aug. 30.
Martin
2024 Diocese of Charlotte
EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS
Worship Entertainment
The Eucharistic Procession, in which Bishop Michael Martin carries a monstrance containing the Eucharist through Uptown Charlotte, is a highlight of the two-day Eucharistic Congress and one of the largest events of its kind in the U.S. It will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, outside St. Peter Church at 507 S. Tryon St., and end inside the Charlotte Convention Center. Line up anywhere along the purple procession route by 8:30 a.m. to join in behind your parish’s banner as it passes by.
La Procesión Eucarística, en la que el Obispo Michael Martin lleva una custodia con la Eucaristía a través del centro de Charlotte, es uno de los puntos destacados del Congreso Eucarístico de dos días y uno de los eventos más grandes de su tipo en los EE. UU. Comenzará a las 9 a.m. del sábado 31 de agosto, frente a la Iglesia de San Pedro, ubicada en 507 S. Tryon St., y terminará dentro del Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte. Colócate en cualquier punto a lo largo de la ruta de la procesión morada antes de las 8:30 a.m.
Holy Hour / Hora Santa
The Holy Hour will begin at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. Not able to take part in the outdoor Eucharistic Procession? No problem – just go directly to Hall A inside the Charlotte Convention Center. The homily on the Gospel of John (15:1-8) – “Remain in Me” – will be given by Father Juan Miguel Sanchez.
La Hora Santa se llevará a cabo a partir de las 10:15 a.m. el sábado 31 de agosto. ¿No puedes participar en la Procesión Eucarística al aire libre? No hay problema: simplemente dirígete directamente al Salón A dentro del Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte. La homilía sobre el Evangelio de Juan (15:1-8) –“Permanezcan en Mí” – será pronunciada por el Padre Juan Miguel Sánchez.
Mass / Misa
Join Bishop Michael Martin and priests of the Diocese of Charlotte for Mass at the conclusion of the 2024 Eucharistic Congress, starting at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, inside the Charlotte Convention Center. (This vigil Mass fulfills your Sunday obligation.) Bishop Martin will give the homily.
Únase al Obispo Michael Martin para la celebración de la Santa Misa al concluir el Congreso Eucarístico, a partir de las 4:15 p.m. del sábado 9 de septiembre, dentro del Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte. (Esta Misa de vigilia cumple con su obligación dominical.) El Obispo Martin dará la homilía.
4:30 p.m.
Friday: Doors open!
Food and beverages will be available for sale, including beer and wine. Vendors also open for shoppers.
Opening, Keynote Address and reception with Bishop Martin
After the 6:30 p.m. welcome from emcee Pete Burak on Friday evening, don’t miss a special appearance by “Adoration Run Club” ultramarathon runner Jimmy Coleman and fellow runners.
The Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey will then lead Evening Prayer (Vespers).
At 7:15 p.m. Friday, Bishop Michael Martin will give a Keynote Address to Young People. This is the first Charlotte Eucharistic Congress for Bishop Martin, who was ordained for the Charlotte diocese in May. After his talk, meet Bishop Martin and all the 2024 guest speakers during a special reception.
Drama, testimony and music / Drama, testimonio y música
Starting at 8:30 p.m., enjoy a Spanishlanguage program of music, drama and testimony: “A Live Presentation of the Life of Carlos Acutis” and “Concierto: Prayer and Praise Concert with Evan Lemoine.”
A partir de las 8:30 p.m., disfruta de un programa especial de música, drama y testimonio: “Obra de Teatro: La Vida de Carlos Acutis,” seguido de “Concierto con Evan Lemoine de Amar al Máximo.”
Sacred Art Light Display / Exhibición de Arte Sagrado con Luces
Throughout the two-day Congress, enjoy an immersive exhibition of illuminated sacred art featuring images of St. Francis of Assisi, produced exclusively by Highland Mediaworks as a gift to honor Bishop Martin.
Kickoff Concert with the Sarah Kroger Band
After wowing the crowds during the recent National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Sarah Kroger, a GMA Dove Award®-nominated artist and songwriter, will open the 2024 Charlotte Eucharistic Congress at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. Kroger just released her sixth album, “A New Reality.”
‘Triumph of the Heart’
Catch a new movie about St. Maximilian Kolbe on Friday at 8:30 p.m. and hear from its writer/director Anthony D’Ambrosio. Most stories of St. Kolbe end with him volunteering to enter the cell at Auschwitz on behalf of another prisoner.
But this story starts there, as he forges a rebellion of hope with nine other prisoners in the darkest place on earth.
2024 Diócesis de Charlotte
CONGRESO EUCHARÍSTICO
30 y 31 de agosto • Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte
English Track / Programa en Inglés
Saturday’s English Track promises inspiring talks with practical advice on how to make the Eucharist the center of our lives:
n 12:30 p.m. – Father Robert Spitzer, a blind Jesuit priest renowned for his work explaining the connection between science and faith, will give a talk entitled “The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.”
n 1:30 p.m. – Father Chase Hilgenbrinck, a former soccer pro who became a priest, will discuss “Living a Eucharistic Life.”
n 2:30 p.m. – Pete Burak, an advocate for evangelization and discipleship, will encourage listeners with his talk, “The Eucharist: Fuel for the Mission.”
Other Tracks / Otros Programas
En el programa en español, disfruta de programas edificantes que incluyen:
n 12:30 p.m. – Bienvenida por el P. Julio Domínguez, vicario del Ministerio Hispano para la Diócesis de Charlotte
n 12:40 p.m. – Obra de Teatro: “Eucaristía, Pan Bajado del Cielo” y Animación
n 1:15 p.m. – Evan Lemoine, quien enseña doctrina católica sobre el matrimonio y la Teología del Cuerpo, dará una charla sobre “Comunión Eucarística y la Analogía Esponsal.”
n 2:35 p.m. – Rebeca Torres, presentadora de televisión y consejera en adicciones, hablará sobre “Un Cambio en Tu Vida.”
The Family Track will feature presentations at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday by Conor Gallagher on “Well-Ordered Family: The Family Management System,” as well as a 12:30 p.m. showing of the Eucharist-themed documentary “Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity.”
On Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m., Father Tri Truong, pastor of the Diocese of Charlotte’s largest Vietnamese congregation, will give two talks on the themes of “Remain in My Love” and “Stay with Us, Lord,” and he will hear confessions in Vietnamese.
A special Saturday afternoon program just for middle and high school students (rising sixth-graders to 12th-graders) will feature guest speakers creative director Marcellino D’Ambrosio and ultramarathon runner Jimmy Coleman, who will share their stories of conversion. Teens will also enjoy trivia, music provided by Belmont Abbey College students, a talk by newly ordained Father Matthew Harrison, breakout sessions, adoration, and confessions.
In the Special Needs Track, participants will spend their time exploring what it means to remain in Jesus through movement, games, crafts and stories.
NOTE: Registration is still open for the Middle/High School Track and the Special Needs Track! Go to https://goeucharist.com/schedule for details and registration info.
Plan your visit:
Parking decks are located at The Green (adjacent to St. Peter Church) and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Surface parking lots are also available. Better yet: take the light rail line or ride share. The Charlotte Convention Center prohibits outside food from being brought in, including coolers. Concessions are available inside, and many restaurants are located nearby. Browse 80-plus commercial and informational vendors from 4:30 p.m. to closing on Friday, Aug. 30, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. Find more info and answers to common questions on the About and FAQs pages of GoEucharist.com.
Spitzer Hilgenbrinck Burak
Lemoine Torres
D’Ambrosio
D’Ambrosio
Harrison Coleman
Truong
Dominguez
Un poderoso recordatorio
“De la boca de los niños...” dice el dicho (Salmos 8:2). Podría agregar, de sus marcadores para colorear también.
Mi hija Molly y yo éramos tímidos e introvertidos cuando ella tenía cuatro años y yo cuarenta. La abrazaría fuertemente. Juntos, contemplábamos el paisaje del mundo incierto y sacábamos fuerzas el uno del otro. Luego vino la traición.
Mi hermano vino a visitarme con su familia. No lo había visto en décadas. Se quedaron en mi casa. Tenía cuatro hijos, por lo que seis nuevas incorporaciones a la casa eran demasiado para una niña tímida.
Molly trató de subirse a mi regazo cuando estaba bromeando con mi hermano. La aparté de un tirón. “Ahora no, Molly, papá está ocupado”, le dije. Ella salió de la habitación. Dejó caer un pedazo de papel en mi regazo unos quince minutos después. Las imágenes eran su forma de hablar y expresarse. Después de apenas una mirada, dije: “Muy bonito. Gracias, Molly”. Cuando empezó a alejarse, eché un vistazo más de cerca a la imagen. Era de Molly y mía. Me reconocí de inmediato. Siempre me dibujaba con un gran círculo para la cabeza y las piernas largas. Esta vez el círculo era más pequeño y las piernas más cortas. Una gran sonrisa estaba en mi rostro. Entonces miré la cara de Molly. Su gran sonrisa estaba al revés. Agregó una característica extra. Pequeños puntos azules corrían por sus mejillas, expresando su profunda tristeza.
La imagen me hizo llorar. Levanté a Molly y la puse en mi regazo. Le dije: “Molly, no hay manera de que papá pueda ser feliz si tú estás triste. Lo siento”.
He guardado el dibujo en mi diario como un poderoso recordatorio de quién no quiero ser, no solo para mi hija, sino para las personas que me rodean. Aunque parezca una distracción, necesito estar presente para los demás y ver con los ojos de mi corazón.
Cada persona que se cruza en mi camino podría ser ese niño Jesús que busca algo de mí. ¿Qué podría ser eso? La Madre Teresa plantea una respuesta:
Es siempre el mismo Cristo el que dice: Tenía hambre, no solo de comida, sino de paz que proviene de un corazón puro.
Estaba sediento, no solo de agua, sino de una paz que saciara la sed de guerra. Estaba desnudo, no solo por la ropa, sino por esa hermosa dignidad que lleva cada hombre y cada mujer.
No tenía hogar, no solo por un refugio hecho de ladrillos, sino por un corazón que me entendiera. (de su biografía, Haciendo algo hermoso para Dios) Que el Señor te muestre cómo estar presente a las personas que se cruzan en tu camino.
SCOTT GILFILLAN es diácono de la Diócesis de Charlotte.
CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD La imagen de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, llevada en procesión el pasado 15 de agosto, fue realizada en México a solicitud de un comité de feligreses. El Padre Enrique González Gaytán, párroco de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción en Charlotte, bendijo la imagen en compañía del Diácono David Reiser poco antes de iniciar la Misa de 7 p.m.
Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción festejó a su patrona
CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org
CHARLOTTE — Con una procesión y Misa, la parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción festejó a su patrona el jueves 15 de agosto, fecha en la que la Iglesia recuerda la asunción de la Virgen María en cuerpo y alma al cielo. Osmara Villalobos, feligresa con más de 20 años de servicio, dijo que esta es la primera vez que recuerda que se lleva a cabo una procesión con la imagen de la Virgen de la Asunción. Relató que fue el Padre Ramiro Tijerino, sacerdote nicaragüense asilado que se encontraba en servicio en la parroquia, quien alentó el proyecto de realizar una procesión en marzo pasado. “Nos animamos a hacerlo y, luego con el párroco, el Padre Enrique González, impulsamos la tarea”, añadió.
La hermosa imagen, elaborada a pedido en México, arribó justo a tiempo para la celebración, y un feligrés se encargó de construir el anda en que sería llevada en procesión. Villalobos precisó que la numerosa comunidad carismática de la parroquia se encargará de cubrir los costos relacionados con la imagen.
La procesión inició a las 6 de la tarde y recorrió el extenso terreno que ocupa el área de estacionamiento de la iglesia y escuela localizada en la calle Shamrock. Los más de 200 feligreses, encabezados por el Diácono David Reiser, entonaron cánticos y elevaron oraciones a María durante el recorrido.
Aproximadamente a las 6:45 de la tarde, la imagen ingresó al templo, donde fue recibida y bendecida por el Padre González para luego ser colocada en el lado derecho del altar recibiendo honores.
La Misa bilingüe inició a las 7 en punto y contó con la participación de dos coros que se alternaron en los cantos litúrgicos, uno en inglés y el otro en español. Si bien la asistencia fue mayoritariamente hispana, es importante resaltar la presencia de las comunidades anglo y vietnamita. En su homilía, el Padre González resaltó el papel de la
Virgen María en la salvación de la humanidad, además “la verdad incontrastable” de su ingreso a la eternidad en cuerpo y alma. Refiriéndose a María como “la primera cristiana y la más perfecta”, dijo que “hoy, en la fiesta de la Asunción, hablaremos de María, la mujer vestida de sol... la que llevó en su seno al Mesías...no diosa... pero la primera que experimentó la redención total. En esta fecha, la Virgen deja de ser símbolo y representa la realidad de la resurrección. Hoy renovamos la esperanza que ese privilegio de María lo compartiremos todos los cristianos”.
Más online
En YouTube de la Diócesis de Charlotte : Vea un video con imágenes de la procesión realizada en la parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
Diácono Scott Gilfillan
SERGIO LÓPEZ | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
La jornada final del Torneo Copa Católica 20 Aniversario, contó con la presencia del Padre Bernard Olleru MSP, párroco de San Felipe en Statesville y del Padre Jean Pierre Swamunu Lhoposo, párroco de Divino Redentor en Boonville. Gabriel Gómez, coordinador del evento, agradeció a Dios y al Padre Jean Pierre Swamunu Lhoposo, por la oportunidad de organizar el torneo en la parroquia Divino Redentor.
Statesville FC y Cristo Rey se
SERGIO LÓPEZ selopez@rcdoc.org
BOONVILLE — El pasado domingo 11 de agosto tuvo lugar la final del torneo de fútbol Copa Católica 20 Aniversario organizado por la parroquia Divino Redentor. Fueron dos partidos muy intensos y emocionantes: el primero, de la división Adulta con los los finalistas Mount Airy y Statesville FC. Ambos equipos disputaron un torneo de 7 jornadas con 10 equipos en total para asegurar un lugar en la finalísima.
La final dio inicio con indicaciones del coordinador del torneo, así como una oración y reflexión. El equipo de casa, Mount Airy, rompió la paridad, pero pronto el equipo visitante anotaría el empate. El partido continúo empatado y debió definirse por penales. El equipo de Statesville FC se llevó la victoria, ya que el equipo local falló en dos ocasiones la ejecución de los tiros de penal.
Para este partido se contó con la presencia del Padre Bernard Olleru MSP, párroco de San Felipe en Statesville y pastor del equipo ganador, así como también la presencia del Padre Jean Pierre Swamunu Lhoposo, párroco de Divino Redentor. El Padre Bernard Olleru MSP, dijo estar muy contento de saber que sus muchachos llegaron a la final. “Sé que estos chavos llegaron a la final porque son realmente buenos. De alguna manera no me sorprende que hayan llegado tan lejos, pero como su pastor estoy tan feliz de verlos en esta final del torneo. Estos han sido magníficos equipos. El sello de Dios ha sido maravilloso y de verdad necesitamos animar a los más jóvenes. Aún hay muchos jóvenes que desean, que están interesados en incorporarse a la Iglesia. Es nuestro deber de sacerdotes y párrocos animar a estos jóvenes a que se mantengan en la iglesia”, añadió. La premiación culminó con una felicitación del Padre Jean Pierre, invitando a los equipos a participar el año entrante. La entrega de trofeos estuvo a cargo de los dos párrocos. Después de la primera final se continuó con el segundo juego, contando con los equipos juveniles Cristo Rey, defendiendo los colores de casa, contra el
llevaron los laureles
visitante Pine Valley Juniors. En un encuentro con buenas jugadas y magníficos jugadores, el equipo de casa se impuso ante el visitante con un contundente 3-2, y así colocando por primera vez una estrella en su escudo.
Fue una final especial, ya que muchas familias llegaron a ver a sus equipos. También hubo compartimiento y hasta narrador se tuvo para esta gran final jugada en un ambiente diferente, familiar y altamente recomendado para el próximo año. Rubén Gómez, de la Legión de María, comentó que fue, “un torneo muy fructífero y amigable. La convivencia positiva y muy bonita la amistad de la parroquia que vino a participar. Esperamos la participación de la comunidad, así como la participación de otras parroquias para el próximo año”. Gabriel Gómez, coordinador del Torneo, agradeció a Dios y al Padre Jean Pierre Swamunu Lhoposo, por la oportunidad de organizar el torneo en la parroquia Divino Redentor. “Fue una experiencia diferente este año. Aunque a veces, como seres humanos, siempre hay errores en un proyecto. Pero, de esos errores uno COPA, PASA A LA PÁGINA 16
Después de esta capacitación, señaló el Diácono Eduardo Bernal, coordinador del ministerio hispano en Charlotte, los asistentes “podrán asimilar este conocimiento en sus vidas e irlo integrando de una manera planificada en sus proyectos pastorales”.
Teología del Cuerpo llenó corazones de líderes pastorales hispanos
CÉSAR HURTADO rchurtado@rcdoc.org
CHARLOTTE — Decenas de líderes de las diferentes parroquias de la Vicaría de Charlotte llegaron hasta el Centro Pastoral Diocesano para recibir, durante una semana completa, capacitación sobre Teología del Cuerpo impartida por el especialista Gustavo Mejía, profesor de esa materia en el Instituto Pastoral del Sureste (SEPI, por sus siglas en inglés), donde dirige un programa de certificación. El Diácono Eduardo Bernal, coordinador del Ministerio Hispano de la Vicaría de Charlotte y organizador del evento, dijo que la intención es “traer la buena nueva de la teología del cuerpo a la mayor cantidad de nuestros fieles posible, especialmente a aquellos que están en la pastoral catequética, pastoral de la familia, pastoral juvenil y, en general para todo el mundo”. Después de esta semana de formación intensa, señaló, “ellos podrán asimilar este conocimiento en su vida e irlo integrando de una manera planificada en sus proyectos pastorales, acompañando a los jóvenes, acompañando a las familias, acompañando a los servidores en los ministerios de sus parroquias”.
¿QUÉ ES LA TEOLOGÍA DEL CUERPO?
En entrevista con Catholic News Herald, Gustavo Mejía dijo que se trata de una catequesis sobre el amor humano, la sexualidad y la familia que nos entregó San Juan Pablo II entre los años 1979 y 1984.
“Yo siempre digo que la teología del cuerpo no es simplemente una herramienta más que nos da la Iglesia para evangelizar, sino que es la herramienta adecuada que nos está entregando el Espíritu Santo… para responder a toda la confusión ideológica que estamos viviendo hoy”.
Señaló que la teología del cuerpo responde a dos preguntas: qué significa ser humano, una pregunta de identidad y, la segunda, ¿cómo puedo vivir mi vida de tal forma que pueda ser feliz?, una pregunta de vocación. “Identidad y vocación, la teología del cuerpo es ese camino que nos recuerda lo que realmente significa ser humano y ser don para los demás”, precisó.
Respecto a que durante la capacitación se tocaron temas como ideología de género, aborto y respeto a la vida, Mejía dijo que la teoría del cuerpo, al responder las preguntas de identidad y vocación, y cómo estamos llamados a vivir la vida de la forma en la que Dios la pensó, lo hace desde el amor y la verdad hacia todos y a algunas personas que pueden estar viviendo algunos desórdenes.
Al referirse a la influencia de los mensajes dañinos de los medios de comunicación y la cultura actual, dijo que debemos enfrentar esas verdades que se nos presentan con un espíritu crítico. “Santo Tomás de Aquino decía que
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CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
COPA
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aprende. También gracias a todos los equipos que participaron en este año, a todos los que ayudaron, como los árbitros, y a quienes dan mantenimiento al campo. Gracias a todos y todas. Dios los bendiga siempre”.
El reto esta lanzado para el siguiente año, especialmente para las parroquias cercanas a Boonville. Para participar en el próximo torneo, para recibir un recordatorio para el siguiente año, envíe un correo a: ggomez12489@gmail o selopez@rcdoc.org.
CÉSAR HURTADO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Fueron aproximadamente 80 los líderes de pastoral hispana del Vicariato de Charlotte los que asistieron a la semana de capacitación en Teología del Cuerpo que dictó el especialista Gustavo Mejía, quien es instructor del Instituto Pastoral del Sureste, SEPI.
TEOLOGÍA
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los sentidos son como las ventanas a la entrada a un gran fuerte, a un castillo, y necesitamos tener un poquito más de cuidado con qué es lo que está entrando por cada uno de nuestros sentidos”, asegurando que no se trata “simplemente de espiritualizar la vida, donde solamente escucho canciones de alabanza”. Podemos, dijo, “escuchar una linda canción de amor, ver una muy buena película, y ese amor de por sí es un signo del mundo interior de Dios que es comunidad de personas y de la unión de Cristo con su iglesia”.
DIFUSIÓN PARROQUIAL
Todos los participantes recibieron material informativo, no solo de la clase
que se ofreció, sino herramientas que serán muy útiles para llevar el mensaje a su comunidad y compartir esta buena nueva del amor humano de la familia como célula de la sociedad.
El Diácono Bernal invitó a todos a crecer en su conocimiento de la fe. “No es suficiente el quedarte con un retiro de evangelización, no es suficiente ser parte de un movimiento apostólico, no es suficiente ser parte de un equipo de pastoral. Hay que seguir profundizando nuestra relación con Dios. Cristo revela el hombre al hombre, y la teología del cuerpo te ofrece los medios para tener ese encuentro con el Señor de una manera renovada. Yo creo que es extremadamente importante para poder dar mejor respuesta de nuestra fe en el hogar, en el centro de trabajo, en la escuela, en nuestros ministerios, y así acompañar de una manera más sana y saludable, más cristiana, más llena de misericordia a las personas que servimos”.
FE FAMILIA FRATERNIDAD
Caballeros de Colón
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Santa Mónica, madre de San Agustín
Cada 27 de agosto, la Iglesia celebra a Santa Mónica, patrona de las esposas, modelo de mujer y de madre.
“¡Cuántas lágrimas derramó esa santa mujer por la conversión del hijo! ¡Y cuántas mamás también hoy derraman lágrimas para que los propios hijos regresen a Cristo! ¡No pierdan la esperanza en la gracia de Dios!”, dijo el Papa Francisco durante la homilía de la misa de apertura del capítulo general de la Orden de San Agustín, el 28 de agosto de 2013. El Santo Padre aludía así a la manera particular como Santa Mónica (331387) se ganó el Cielo.
Mónica nació en Tagaste, norte de África (actual Túnez), el año 331. Siendo joven, por un arreglo que hicieron sus padres, se casó con Patricio, un hombre violento y mujeriego. Alguna vez le preguntaron por qué su marido nunca la golpeaba teniendo tan mal genio. Entonces ella respondió: “Es que, cuando mi esposo está de mal genio, yo me esfuerzo por estar de buen genio. Cuando él grita, yo me callo. Y como para pelear se necesitan dos y yo no acepto la pelea, pues.... no peleamos”.
Quizás hoy, una actitud así podría pasar por simple sumisión o pasividad, pero, por el contrario, en el caso de Mónica revela cierta astucia y prudencia. Ella sabía muy bien que la violencia no conduce sino a más violencia. Por eso, es más lógico pensar que ella escogió el mejor camino: el de la perseverancia, la caridad comprometida, la paciencia y la inteligencia.
Santa Mónica, sin lugar a dudas, jugó un rol muy activo dentro de su familia. Nunca dejó de rezar y ofrecer sacrificios por la conversión de su esposo, cosa que finalmente logró. El padre de Agustín se bautizó poco antes de morir y dejó este mundo como un cristiano.
Lamentablemente, su dolor no acabaría allí. Agustín, su hijo mayor, era un joven de actitudes egoístas e impetuosas, que llevaba una vida disoluta y no tenía ningún interés en la fe. Mónica sufría al ver a su hijo alejado de Dios, aunque guardaba la esperanza de que se convertiría como lo hizo su esposo. Ella siguió rezando y ofreciendo sacrificios espirituales por Agustín.
Es verdad que la relación con Agustín pasó por periodos difíciles en los que hubo tensiones e incomprensiones que pusieron a prueba la paciencia y la fe de Santa Mónica: más de una vez pensó que sus esfuerzos eran inútiles, especialmente cuando veía a su hijo comportarse de manera inmoral.
Se dice que Mónica se apartó de él en
Lecturas Diarias
AGOSTO 25-31
Domingo: Josué 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b, Efesios 5:21-32, Juan 6:55, 60-69; Lunes: 2 Tesalonicenses 1:1-5, 11-12 , Mateo 23:1322; Martes (Memoria de Santa Mónica): 2 Tesalonicenses 2:1-3. 14-17, Mateo 23:23-26; Miércoles (Memoria de San Agustín, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia): 2 Tesalonicenses 3:6-10, 16-18, Mateo 23:2732; Jueves (Memoria del Martirio de San Juan Bautista): 1 Corintios 1:1-9, Marcos 6:17-29; Viernes: 1 Corintios 1:17-25, Mateo 25:1-13; Sábado: 1 Corintios 1:26-31, Mateo 25:14-30
SEPTIEMBRE 1-7
Domingo: Deuteronomio 4:1-2, 6-8, Santiago 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27, Marcos 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23; Lunes: 1 Corintios 2:1-5, Lucas 4:16-30; Martes (Memoria de San Gregorio Magno, Papa y doctor de la Iglesia): 1
varias oportunidades, incluso negándole que permaneciera en su casa. Desesperada, un día llegó a pedirle al obispo de la ciudad que hable con Agustín y lo convenza. Fue entonces que recibió aquella célebre respuesta del pastor: “Esté tranquila, es imposible que se pierda el hijo de tantas lágrimas”. Dios le daba, de esa manera, el consuelo, la fuerza que le faltaba y la sabiduría necesaria para entender mejor que “nuestros tiempos” no son siempre los tiempos de Dios.
Después de muchos años de incertidumbre sobre la salvación de su hijo, finalmente sus oraciones dieron el fruto esperado. Agustín, quien después de un largo itinerario espiritual e intelectual que lo había sumido en el vacío, recibió el bautismo en la Pascua del año 387. Mónica tuvo la dicha de estar durante ese periodo a su lado, pues lo había seguido desde Tagaste hasta Milán, ciudad en la que Agustín abrazó el cristianismo. No mucho tiempo después, cuando ambos se encontraban de camino de regreso a Tagaste, Mónica cayó enferma y murió en el puerto de Ostia Antica (actual Italia). Tenía 56 años. En el Ángelus del 27 de agosto de 2006, el Papa Benedicto XVI dijo: “Santa Mónica y San Agustín nos invitan a dirigirnos con confianza a María, trono de la Sabiduría. A ella encomendamos a los padres cristianos, para que, como Mónica, acompañen con el ejemplo y la oración el camino de sus hijos”.
— ACI Prensa
Corintios 2:10-16, Lucas 4:31-37; Miércoles: 1 Corintios 3:1-9, Lucas 4:38-44; Jueves: 1 Corintios 3:18-23, Lucas 5:1-11; Viernes: 1 Corintios 4:1-5, Lucas 5:33-39; Sábado: 1 Corintios 4:6-15, Lucas 6:1-5
SEPTIEMBRE 8-14
Domingo: Isaías 35:4-7a, Santiago 2:1-5, Marcos 7:31-37; Lunes (Memoria de san Pedro Claver, presbítero): 1 Corintios 5:1-8, Lucas 6:6-11; Martes: 1 Corintios 6:1-11, Lucas 6:12-19; Miércoles: 1 Corintios 7:25-31, Lucas 6:20-26; Jueves (Memoria del Santísimo Nombre de María): 1 Corintios 8:1-13, Lucas 6:27-38; Viernes (Memoria de San Juan Crisóstomo, obispo y doctor de la Iglesia): 1 Corintios 9:16-19, 22-27, Lucas 6:39-42; Sábado (Fiesta de la Exaltación de la Santa Cruz): Números 21:4-9, Filipenses 2:6-11, Juan 3:13-17
IMAGEN CORTESÍA MUSEO DEL PRADO, MADRID. Óleo sobre lienzo de Luis Tristán (Toledo, 18501624). La obra fue pintada por el artista entre 1616 y procede del retablo de la iglesia parroquial de Yepes, Toledo. Destruída parcialmente en 1936, la obra fue restaurada en el Museo del Prado de Madrid.
VIERNES
Comenzando a las 5:30 p.m.
Bienvenida del Obispo Michael Martin. Conozca y salude al obispo
Concierto con Obra de Teatro “La Vida de Carlos Acutis”
Camina con Nuestro Señor
Congreso Eucarístico de la Diócesis de Charlotte
30-31 de agosto
Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte
Vea la programación y anótese para recibir actualizaciones por email:
SÁBADO
Comenzando a las 9 a.m.
Oradores:
• Participe en la emotiva Procesión Eucarística por las calles del centro de Charlotte
• Adoración Eucarística y Hora Santa con el P. Juan Miguel Sánchez
• Obra de Teatro “Eucaristía, pan bajado del cielo” y animación
• Conferencias
• Misa con el Obispo Michael Martin
P. Juan Miguel Sánchez
Testimonio de Evan Lemoine, “Amar al máximo”
• Compre arte, libros, regalos y otros artículos católicos únicos
Our nation
Biden passes torch to Harris on DNC’s opening night
KATE SCANLON OSV News
CHICAGO — President Joe Biden both sought to cement his own legacy and pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer during his address at the opening night of the Democratic National Convention.
Biden, 81, made the historic decision to end his 2024 election bid in July, bringing to an end several weeks of speculation about his political future in the wake of a faltering performance at a June debate with former President Donald Trump. That event focused longstanding concerns about Biden’s physical and mental stamina, causing a substantial loss of confidence among voters heading into the general election campaign.
During his Aug. 19 speech, Biden said it has been “the honor of my lifetime, to serve as your president.”
“I love the job, but I love my country more,” he said.
Biden said the nation is “facing an inflection point, one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine the fate of our nation and the world for decades to come.”
Biden, in promoting what he said were some of the top achievements of his administration, including investments in infrastructure, climate change mitigation,
and lowering prescription drug costs, sought to tie Harris to some of those efforts.
As some attendees chanted, “Thank you, Joe,” he replied, “Thank you, Kamala, too.”
Biden argued Harris would continue pending agenda items from his administration, such as additional gun violence prevention measures, including a ban on military-style semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and pistols fed by ammunition magazines of various capacities –commonly called an “assault weapons ban.” The U.S. bishops have voiced support for such regulations.
“More children in America are killed by a gunshot than any other cause in the United States, or die from a bullet than cancer, accidents or anything else in the United States of America,” Biden said. “My God.”
Biden also alluded to voters’ concern about his age that led him to end his reelection bid, making a joke about how he knows more foreign leaders than anyone else alive “because I’m so damn old.”
Biden also quipped about the bookends of his political career, saying he was “too young to be in the Senate because I wasn’t 30 yet, and too old to stay as president.”
Harris made a surprise appearance on stage earlier in the evening to thank Biden for his “lifetime of service.” At the end of Biden’s speech, both Harris and
Biden embraced each other on the main stage amid cheers from the convention attendees.
Biden, who was previously the first Catholic vice president, and later became the second Catholic president in U.S. history, has previously been at odds with the U.S. bishops over his administration’s policies on abortion and gender identity, but he has won some bishops’ praise on refugee and climate-related policies, as well as mixed responses to his policies on immigration.
The same evening Biden spoke, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago delivered the invocation for the convention.
“May our nation become more fully a builder of peace in our wounded world with the courage to imagine and pursue a loving future together. And may we
as individual Americans become more fully the instruments of God’s peace,” he said. “Guide us, Lord, in taking up our responsibility to forge this new chapter of our nation’s history. Let it be rooted in the recognition that for us, as for every generation, unity triumphing over division is what advances human dignity and liberty.”
Although leaders of the Catholic Church in the U.S. typically do not endorse candidates, they are sometimes called on to deliver prayers at political conventions. Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki led a prayer at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York gave the closing prayers at both the Democratic and Republican national conventions in 2012.
The Democratic National Convention continues in Chicago until Aug. 22.
OSV NEWS | CRAIG HUDSON, REUTERS
U.S. President Joe Biden pauses as he speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Aug. 19. Biden, the second Catholic president in U.S. history, recently bowed out of a run for a second term.
Supreme Court blocks Biden administration’s Title IX rule
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court Aug. 16 declined to allow the Biden administration to enforce portions of a new regulation expanding Title IX protections from sex discrimination to include students who identify as transgender while legal challenges to the rule proceed.
In April, the Department of Education released its finalized regulations under Title IX, the 1972 federal civil rights law requiring women and girls have equal access and treatment in education and athletics, which department spokespersons argued broaden the rules governing educational institutions that receive federal funding to ensure that no person experiences sex discrimination.
The regulation was challenged by several states, which argued that broadening the scope of the law could dilute its intended purpose of protecting women’s athletics.
In its unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court found that all of the justices agreed the disputed changes, including the central issues involving sexual orientation and gender identity, could remain blocked, although four justices would have favored allowing unchallenged portions of the rule to go into effect.
Administration officials have argued the new regulation is necessary to make sure students can access schools “that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights.” However, Jonathan Scruggs, Alliance Defending Freedom’s senior counsel and its vice president of litigation strategy and the
Center for Conscience Initiatives, welcomed the high court’s decision in a statement and said the administration was “ignoring biological reality, science, and common sense.”
New USCCB secretariat will advocate for ‘just policies’
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jill Rauh, the executive director of a newly created secretariat at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, pledged to support the work of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the USCCB’s domestic anti-poverty initiative, after some expressed concern about the future of that project following some staff layoffs.
Rauh oversees the work of the new Secretariat of Justice and Peace, announced Aug. 6. The new office will serve four bishops’ committees to advance the social mission of the Church through formation, policy analysis, advocacy and outreach. In an interview, Rauh told OSV News that the secretariat will continue
dignity and flourishing.”
Rauh was previously director of education and outreach for the Department of Justice and Peace, from 2017 to 2024. The Secretariat of Justice and Peace will serve the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, the Committee on International Justice and Peace, the Committee for Religious Liberty and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. CCHD, founded
The Abbey Experience Awaits
Rauh
Our world
Life’s ‘final exam’ will be on care for poor, Pope Francis preaches
CINDY WOODEN Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — God will not judge people by how many university degrees they earned, but by how well they cared for the poor, Pope Francis told a group of priests and religious women.
“The Lord won’t ask us, ‘What did you study?’ ‘How many degrees do you have?’ ‘How many works did you accomplish?’ No, no. The Lord will say, ‘Come with me because I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was persecuted and you protected me,’” the pope said, quoting from Matthew 25:3537.
“That is the theme of the final exam on which we will be judged,” the pope said Aug. 12 as he met members of the general chapters of the Dominican Missionary Sisters of St. Sixtus, the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary and the Vocationist Fathers.
Pope Francis joked that it was “efficient” of the Vatican to group all the general chapter members together in one audience since it is chapter “season” in Rome.
All four religious orders, he said, were founded to support and educate young people from poor families who would not otherwise receive the education they needed and the guidance necessary to discover their vocations.
The founders of the four orders “saw in them a sign from God for their mission,” the pope said. “In the same way, it will also be good for you, especially in these days of community discernment, to keep constantly before your eyes the face of the poor.”
“Jesus speaks to us in our neediest brothers and sisters,” Pope Francis said, “and in every gift given to them there is a reflection of God’s love.”
Pope: Eucharist satisfies hunger for hope, truth, salvation
CINDY WOODEN Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — When receiving the Eucharist, Catholics should respond with gratitude and awe that Jesus offers himself as nourishment and salvation, Pope Francis said.
Jesus “becomes true food and true drink,” the pope said. “Thank you, Lord Jesus! Let’s say, ‘Thank you, thank you’ with all our heart,” he told visitors and pilgrims who joined him in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 18 for the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer.
In the day’s Gospel reading from St. John, Jesus tells the crowd that He is “the living bread that came down from heaven” and that whoever eats His Flesh and drinks His Blood will have eternal life. Some were surprised by Jesus’ words, and not in a good way, the pope said. But for Catholics, “the bread from heaven is a gift that exceeds all expectations.”
‘Jesus speaks to us in our neediest brothers and sisters.’
Pope Francis
And while the art of spiritual discernment is a specialty of the Vocationist Fathers, the pope told the religious that learning to make decisions by listening to God, to others and to one’s own heart is essential for all Christians.
Discernment, he said, involves “prayer, meditation, patient waiting, and then courage and sacrifice” to put into practice
that which God, “without ever imposing His will on us, suggests to our hearts.”
Having choices is a sign of the freedom God gives to each person, the pope said.
“Our world is in such need of rediscovering the taste and beauty of making a decision, especially regarding definitive choices, which cause a decisive turning point in life, such as the vocational one,” he said. Young people need spiritual fathers and mothers to help them understand that “to be free is not to remain eternally at a crossroads, making little ‘escapes’ to the right and left, without ever really taking a road.”
“Being free means betting – betting! – on a path, with intelligence and prudence, certainly, but also with boldness and a spirit of renunciation, in order to grow and progress in the dynamic of giving and to be happy and loving according to God’s plan,” he said.
“The heavenly bread, which comes from the Father, is the Son Himself made flesh for us,” he said. More than the bread that human beings need to survive, the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist “satisfies the hunger for hope, the hunger for truth and the hunger for salvation that we all feel not in our stomachs, but in our hearts.”
“Every one of us needs the Eucharist,” Pope Francis said. “He saves us, nourishing our lives with His own, and He will do this forever. And it is thanks to Him that we can live in communion with God and with each other.”
The Eucharist, he said, is not “something magical, no. It is not something that will immediately solve all problems, but it is the very Body of Christ that gives hope to the poor and overcomes the arrogance of those who gorge themselves at their expense.”
Pope Francis asked Catholics to ponder two questions: “Do I hunger and thirst for salvation, not just for myself, but for all my brothers and sisters? When I receive the Eucharist, which is the miracle of mercy, do I stand in awe before the Body of the Lord, who died and rose again for us?”
CNS | VATICAN MEDIA
Pope Francis shares a moment with members of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary during a meeting at the Vatican Aug. 12, 2024, with members of four religious orders holding their general chapter meetings in Rome.
Nicaragua extinguishes legal status for religious orders, evangelical congregations
MANAGUA, Nicaragua — The Nicaraguan government has extinguished the legal status of more than 25 Catholic organizations, including religious orders such as the Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians, another diocesan Caritas chapter, and lay Catholic groups, as part of an attack on civil society with the closure of 1,500 nongovernmental organizations.
The closures, announced Aug. 19 by the Interior Ministry, targeted religious and civic groups ranging from Protestant churches to the Rotary club to agricultural producer associations and even the national chess federation.
A source familiar with Nicaragua described the Aug. 19 actions as “an extraordinary effort by the Nicaraguan State to crush nongovernmental organizations across Nicaraguan society.”
The attack from the increasingly totalitarian regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, further eliminated civic spaces beyond their control, while further attacking freedom of worship. The regime has closed at least 5,000 nongovernmental organizations and silenced independent media since 2018, when the protesters took to the streets to demand the president’s ouster – only to be met with violence from police and paramilitaries.
World Humanitarian Day highlights tragic record sacrifice of aid workers in war zones
As the world commemorated World Humanitarian Day 2024 on Aug. 19, the latest figures on the dire circumstances aid workers face on the frontline highlight the alarming increase in attacks against them and their work to relieve the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire. Humanitarian Outcomes, an aid research advocacy group, published its 2024 Aid Worker Security Report Aug. 15, which stated that “2023 was the deadliest year for aid workers ever recorded, with fatalities more than double the annual average.” Humanitarian Outcomes is supported by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
According to the report, which was compiled by the Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD), 595 aid workers were victims of major attacks in 2023, including 280 who were killed in 33 countries. More than half of these deaths (163) were aid workers killed in the first three months of the conflict in Gaza, mostly as a result of airstrikes, the group stated. Citing data from the Humanitarian Access SCORE Report, the UN said the number of aid workers killed in Gaza was “an unprecedented number for a single context in such a short period.”
Woman religious who was Our Lady of Akita visionary dies at 93 on feast of Assumption
AKITA, Japan — A Japanese woman religious and Marian visionary has died, some five decades after witnessing the miraculous weeping of a statue of Mary and receiving urgent messages to pray in reparation for humanity’s sins. Sister Agnes Sasagawa, a
member of the Institute of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in Akita, Japan, was reported to have passed away Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the age of 93. A convert to Catholicism from Buddhism, Sister Agnes experienced several apparently miraculous events centering on a statue of Mary from 1973 to 1981. The phenomena were witnessed by several others, including the local bishop at the time, Bishop John Shojiro Ito of Niigata, who in 1984 approved their supernatural character and encouraged the veneration of “the Holy Mother of Akita.”
While the Akita events warned of divine chastisement and division within the Church, “the message is not one of complaint but of peaceful action, and intercession and praying the rosary,” said Robert Fastiggi, a theology professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Milwaukee and Mariology expert, in a July 2023 interview with OSV News. “The warning could be given to inspire us to be more faithful.”
Death penalty fuels ‘poison’ of revenge in society, pope says
VATICAN CITY — Capital punishment promotes a deadly attitude of revenge and denies the possibility of change in the lives of incarcerated people, Pope Francis said. “The death penalty is in no way the solution to the violence that can strike innocent people,” the pope wrote in the preface to a new book on prison chaplaincy. Capital executions, “far from bringing justice, fuel a sense of revenge that becomes a dangerous poison for the body of our civil societies,” the pope wrote. And rather than
continue the cycle of violence, governments “should focus on allowing prisoners the opportunity to truly change their lives, rather than investing money and resources in their execution, as if they were human beings no longer worthy of living and to be disposed of.”
The book featuring the pope’s preface, titled “A Christian on Death Row,” shares the experiences of Dale Recinella, a lay Catholic prison chaplain and licensed attorney who, along with his wife, has accompanied people on death row and in solitary confinement in Florida prisons since 1998. The book, published by the Vatican publishing house, is set to go on sale Aug. 27.
In light of the upcoming Holy Year 2025, the pope wrote, Catholics should “collectively call for the abolition of the death penalty.”
Bishop: Sudanese humanitarian situation ‘can’t wait’
KHARTOUM, Sudan — As talks in Geneva aimed at ending the 16-month Sudanese conflict began Aug. 14, a Catholic bishop in the region stressed that addressing the humanitarian situation in the northeast African country cannot “wait for tomorrow.” Bishop Stephen Nyodho Ador Majwok of Malakal, South Sudan, a diocese bordering Sudan, spoke amid a warning that the conflict that started in April 2023 had created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and triggered famine-like conditions across the country. His diocese is shouldering the burden of new refugees and returnees forced out by the Sudanese war.
The war between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces started in the capital Khartoum on April 15, 2023. According to the International Rescue Committee, casualties are difficult to count but it estimates 15,000 and 150,000 people have been killed and more than 10 million people have been displaced.
— Catholic News Service and OSV News
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Jesus meets us at the border
He gazes from his portrait with steely determination, one eyebrow raised.
I look at the picture of my great-grandfather, an exile from the Irish famine, and I lift one eyebrow to match his. I feel close to him, even though he died decades before I was born. I grew up on the family farm that he established.
Family lore says he watched his mother starve to death. Born in 1843, he came to the U.S. as an orphan.
America is a story of exile and migration. It’s also a story of millions whose ancestors were brought here forcefully in the fetid holds of slave ships. And it’s a tale of Native Americans, nearly destroyed by later arrivals. We all have a tale of America to tell, some of it sorrowful.
In this century, we live in a world on the move. Climate change, corrupt governments, poverty, war – they make life unlivable for millions.
What is our reaction to this? Our response says much about who we are as Catholics.
THE TRUTH ABOUT IMMIGRANTS
Some spread the lie that most immigrants are criminals. Study after study refutes this, said National Public Radio, citing several studies that show less crime and lower incarceration rates among first generation U.S. immigrants than Americans in general.
When an immigrant does commit a heinous act, no one should seek to tar all immigrants because of that crime. We won’t label all 20-year-olds as assassins because one young man scaled the roof of a building and took a shot at a presidential candidate.
Another misconception is that we don’t need immigrants. In my neighborhood, the tree removal workers and the roofers speak English as a second language. The workers who were killed when the Baltimore bridge collapsed? Immigrants. Farm workers? Lots of immigrants.
We need to stand up for Catholic agencies on our border. Annunciation House in El Paso was challenged by the Texas attorney general for its work, all within legal bounds, of helping refugees. The governor of Louisiana has vetoed $1 million in funding for a Catholic Charities agency because of its work with migrants, even though the cuts will hurt impoverished residents as well.
As Americans, we have a right and a need to control our borders. For decades presidents of both parties have grappled with the issue. Few deny that our system is broken, actually making it harder on migrants. Congress has repeatedly failed to act, but members cry wolf about border policy when it suits their political purposes.
I yearn for the day when Americans of both parties civilly discuss the road ahead for immigration and leave the cheap slogans behind.
HELPING JESUS IN DISGUISE
We need to focus on the humanity of migrants. St. Teresa of Calcutta described the poor with whom she worked as “Jesus in His most distressing disguise.”
The same Jesus who meets us in Scripture and at Mass meets us at the border. If we can’t see Him in those desperate people, how do we face Him in the Eucharist?
There are things we can do. Catholic Relief Services and Jesuit Refugee Services help migrants worldwide. Nearly every Catholic Charities agency in the U.S. helps migrants and refugees in some way, and they can use volunteers. A friend’s son is volunteering at Annunciation House. A friend is teaching English to migrants in her Pennsylvania neighborhood.
My great-grandfather faced discrimination in America. But he persevered, and he helped his exiled fellow countrymen found a Catholic church, St. Patrick’s Dublin, in farm country. American history is a story of struggle. Are we on the side of Jesus in His distressing disguises? Are we doing what we can?
I cheated – but thanks to coach, I won anyway
While at Blanchet High School in Seattle, my friends and I wanted nothing more than to repeat as the undefeated state champions. Our coach, Leo Genest, “G-man,” had led his teams to the last three out of four state championships in cross country. He was ultracompetitive, and so were we.
As an incoming senior, I trained hard, running more than 500 miles that summer. My teammates and I followed, to the letter and more, what Mr. Genest had put before each of us in individualized, day by day running calendars. We’d often meet up together for a 12-mile run up the long, steep hills of Magnolia. We were on a mission.
We won our first meets, and then came the Auburn Roller Coaster relays. In this meet, the fifth runners on each team would compete against each other, then fourth, then third, then second, until the best runners of each team raced.
As I did my final preparations for my race, my friend Eric came to me in a panic, “Isn’t this your race?”
I replied, “No, it’s girls JV. My race is next.”
Then we saw boys race by us.
I was horrified. “Eric, what should I do?”
Without waiting for an answer, I ripped off my sweats, sprinted behind a tree, and waited for about five runners to pass (that’s about where I’d be, I figured). I jumped into the race.
Not surprisingly, I ran great. Not only did I miss the first part of the race, but the spike in adrenaline and my self-directed anger gave me wings. I quickly pulled into the lead and ended up crossing the finish line 20 seconds ahead of the competition.
‘WE’LL MOVE PAST THIS’
My teammates were elated.
But I quickly retreated alone to the school bus in despair and defeat. Stolen glory.
Coach Genest found me. “I’m hearing rumors that you didn’t run the whole race. Is that true?”
I nodded through tears. I braced myself for getting blasted. I had ruined our team’s perfect record. I had single-handedly snapped a year-and-a-half winning streak.
I had let my coach and the whole team down.
I alone had ruined our dreams of repeating as undefeated champions.
“Well, thank you for being honest,” Genest said in a soft, kind voice. “We’ll move past this together.” That’s it. No yelling. No lecture. No recriminations. Following Leo’s lead, the team also didn’t give me what I deserved. I felt forgiven. I was forgiven. And I was surprised.
THE COACH’S REAL MISSION
But I shouldn’t have been surprised. Leo had a more important mission than going undefeated or winning state. He saw his teaching and coaching as a way of making Christ present to us. Each morning at daily Mass, Genest rededicated himself to his goal. Each day, he prayed the words of Jesus: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Jesus forgave cheaters so Leo did, too.
Just this year, the alumni from those state championship teams gathered again at Blanchet. We swapped stories about how Genest challenged us way beyond what we thought we could do. He told us truths we didn’t want to hear. He made us a community of excellence and of lasting friendship.
As one dear friend put it, “I just cannot stop smiling over how much fun I had with all my old Blanchet cross country buddies last night! The first championship era of ’83, ’84, & ’86 was just inducted into the Hall o’ Fame – the first 3 titles that launched a run of 9 state titles in a 38-year period. In truth, from runner #1 to runner #40, it’s all about the friendships burnished through the pain of cross country running! Love all of these guys, love The G-man, our coach, and filled to the brim with gratitude for being a part of this squad and legacy.”
As seniors, we didn’t go undefeated. We didn’t win state, either. But, thanks to Leo, we all won anyway. Mission accomplished.
DR. CHRISTOPHER KACZOR is the honorary professor for the renewal of Catholic intellectual life at the Word on Fire Institute, professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, and a visiting fellow at the de Nicola Center of the University of Notre Dame. This was previously published at www.wordonfire.org.
EFFIE CALDAROLA is a wife, mom and grandmother who received her master’s degree in pastoral studies from Seattle University.
Effie Caldarola
Dr. Christopher Kaczor
Pope Francis urges us to listen to our culture by reading books
Every summer, my family would make a highly anticipated weekly trip to the local public library to check in on our progress for the summer reading program. The librarians would open a treasure box of prizes to reward us for the hours we spent reading the previous week, always leading up to end-of-summer prizes like free ice cream or tickets to the local minor league baseball team.
Initiatives to foster a love of reading in children have long been a part of the lives of Americans. Especially in our current age of shortened attention spans, the sheer discipline to be able to sit down and read a book is virtuous in itself.
In a letter released on Aug. 4, Pope Francis encourages those involved in priestly formation in a particular way, but also more widely all Christians, to read more literature and poetry and to include them in formation programs.
Pope Francis writes that, based on his own experience as a literature teacher, it is natural to think that Christians need to primarily read the classics in order to have a refined sense of what is true and beautiful. And while these are important, he says, we need not read only Homer or “Hamlet” in our Christian formation.
The Holy Father encourages us to engage
When we read, we can be a listening Church without the need to immediately respond. As we hear the cry of humanity found in literature, we can allow our hearts to be moved, just as Jesus’ heart was moved when he saw that the crowds “were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36).
We can hear the cry of the poor and those affected by the opioid crisis as in Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead,” see the effects of our own media usage by reading a child star’s memoir such as “The Woman in Me” by Britney Spears or “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy, or understand more deeply the pain and desperation of migrants fleeing violence in books like “Solito” by Javier Zamora.
SOURCES OF INSIGHT
Literature gives us the freedom to discern how we will respond, not in mere words or posts, but with the way we live our lives and how we love our brothers and sisters. In ways that might never be possible otherwise, books give us insight into complex situations and suffering, the places where God’s presence can often be seen most clearly.
Of course, we always need to be prudent with any media usage, and books are no
‘We need to be Christians who understand our brothers and sisters who may not hold the same moral values as we do, but who are Christ’s beloved just the same.’
with contemporary literature as a way of being a Church that is in dialogue with our culture. He repeats his message that we need to be Christians who understand our brothers and sisters who may not hold the same moral values as we do, but who are Christ’s beloved just the same.
THE CRY OF THE HUMAN HEART
As I read Pope Francis’ short letter, it resonated deeply with me. I have enjoyed writing reviews of secular books from a Catholic perspective, not just to provide content warnings or to glean Christian messages from new releases, but also to see where authors are vulnerable enough to reveal the cry of the human heart. Reading books by authors who hold different values or perspectives from our own is a relatively spiritually safe way of learning the workings of a secular culture. Unlike entering ª crowded night club on a Saturday night or even following people we disagree with on social media, there is no immediate need to act.
We don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing to someone or be concerned that our silence might be interpreted as assent.
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‘Every one of us needs the Eucharist. He saves us, nourishing our lives with His own, and He will do this forever. And it is thanks to Him that we can live in communion with God and with each other.’
Pope Francis
From online story: “Pope: Eucharist satisfies hunger for hope, truth, salvation”
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exception. There is no need to read books that are pornographic or may be near occasions of sin for us, a boundary that each individual needs to honestly discern for himself.
For example, I enjoy reading thrillers but personally try to stay away from books that involve supernatural elements because I’ve discerned that they disturb my inner peace. Another person may be disturbed by the violence in some of the books that I read, but which are merely elements in a story for me.
Asking the Holy Spirit to guide us is always a good idea, and choosing what media we consume is no exception.
I am grateful for the Holy Father’s recent letter encouraging us to incorporate literature into our Christian formation, which includes a reminder that books have a defined beginning and end – unlike social media, which can consume our time endlessly.
Whether it’s a hardback, ebook or audiobook, pick up a book today. You might be surprised at what you find.
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CECILIA CICONE is an author and communicator who works in diocesan ministry in Northwest Indiana.
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