March 27, 2015

March 27, 2015

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New Sparta cemetery receives blessing, 5

St. Eugene Church eyes installing solar panels, 5 INDEX

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A journey of faith

Three stories of conversion, 8-9

INSIDE Scouts celebrate faith, achievements at Camporee, 10

A special pull-out guide on retirement

Reveling in St. Patrick’s Day, 14-15

Our faith 2

catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

The Crucifixion by Michelangelo, a drawing in black chalk: Michelangelo made this devotional image for his friend Vittoria Colonna. An aristocratic poet and religious reformer, she became his confidante in the mid-1530s. Unusually, Michelangelo shows the Crucified Christ alive and suffering, at once human and divine. This imagery, as well as Michelangelo’s late additions of the lamenting angels and a skull, may reflect Colonna’s input into the design. Michelangelo was a devout Catholic and during the last three decades of his life, his faith deepened. This was partly inspired by Colonna as well as a growing sense of his own mortality. The Crucifixion was a subject which he returned to right at the end of his life in a series of three drawings.

The potency of this earlier image inspired a number of painted and engraved versions.

Pope Francis

Prayers, not ‘gossip,’ needed for successful synod on family No matter how weary, wounded or sinful a family has become, the church will always do everything to try to help family members heal, convert and reconcile with the Lord, Pope Francis said.

The pope called on everyone to pray each day for the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the family and for the Church so that it could be even more “dedicated and united in the witness of the truth of God’s love and mercy for the families of the world, (with) no one excluded either inside or outside the flock.”

Prayers, “not gossip,” are needed for the synod, and “I invite even those who feel distanced or those who aren’t used to it to pray,” he said at his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square March 25.

The pope dedicated his catechesis to the day’s feast of the Annunciation of the Lord and the 20th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s landmark encyclical on the value and inviolability of human life, “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”). The day also marked the Day for Life in some countries.

Today was “a little special” in the pope’s series of general audience talks on the family as it represented “a break for prayer,” he said.

He said the Hail Mary touches upon “the beauty of this bond” between God and the family – the beauty of God wanting to be born a child into a real human family.

Pope St. John Paul’s encyclical explained the importance of the family as “the womb of human life” and as an institution blessed by God to be a community of love and life, entrusted with “the mission of procreation.”

In fact, Pope Francis said, “the bond between the Church and family is sacred and inviolable” as the Church “is solemnly committed to taking care of the family,” which is a gift of God, in good times and bad.

“The Church, as mother, never abandons the family even when it is disheartened, wounded and demeaned in so many ways,” he said, “not even when (the family) stumbles in sin or distances itself from the Church.”

The Church, he said, “will do everything to try to take care of it and heal it, invite it to conversion and reconcile it with the Lord.”

Given that commitment, the pope said, the Church needs prayers that are “full of love for the family and for life” and a community of people who know “how to rejoice with those who rejoice and suffer with those who suffer.”

HOLY WEEK, SEE page 11

MARRIAGE, SEE page 11

March 29-April 4, 2015

At www.catholicnewsagency. com/resources/holy-week: Learn more about Holy Week observances, historical traditions, and prayers for each day of Holy Week

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The sixth and last Sunday of Lent and beginning of Holy Week commemorates

Holy Week At www.facebook.com/ catholicnewsherald: Share your photos and comments about Holy Week and Easter

‘Redefining’ marriage? n the current debate over gay “marriage,” people sometimes ask: Who should define marriage? Democrats or Republicans in Congress? The Supreme Court? Should it be put to a referendum, allowing the majority to choose a definition?

We can identify two kinds of “definitions” when it comes to marriage. The first touches on the essence, the objective reality, or the truth about marriage. The second involves a legal or political position, advanced through the media, judicial decisions, or other legislative means. While these secondary definitions of marriage can be of interest, their true level of importance is properly gauged only in reference to the first and objective definition.

Notable errors are sometimes made in these secondary definitions of marriage. In the mid-1960s, to consider but one example, prohibitions existed in more than a dozen states which outlawed persons of different races from marrying one another. A white man and a black woman could fall in love in those states, but could not legally tie the knot. The Supreme Court overturned those restrictions in 1967, recognizing that the ability to enter into marriage doesn’t depend on the skin color of the man and woman getting married.

Gay “marriage” advocates today sometimes attempt to draw a parallel between such mixed-race marriage laws and state laws that would prevent two men (or two women) from getting married to each other. They suggest that legally forbidding two men from getting married stigmatizes those men in much the same way that preventing a black man from marrying a white woman stigmatized both of them. Yet there is really no parallel at all between the two cases.

While marriage as an objective reality is certainly color-blind to the racial configuration of the spouses, it can never be “genital-blind,” because male-female sexual complementarity stands squarely at the heart and center of marriage itself.

Image provided by the British Museum

More online

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Holy Week is the week which precedes the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. From the Church’s earliest times, the week has been filled with commemorations of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, His Passion, death and Resurrection.

Palm Sunday

Your daily Scripture readings MARCH 29-APRIL 4

Sunday (Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion): Mark 11:1-10, Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11 Mark 14:1-15:47; Monday: Isaiah 42:17, John 12:1-11; Tuesday: Isaiah 49:1-6, John 13:21-33, 36-38; Wednesday: Isaiah 50:4-9, Matthew 26:14-25; Thursday: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-15; Friday (Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion): Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9, John 18:119:42; Saturday (Easter Vigil): Genesis 1:1-2:2, Exodus 14:15-15:1, Isaiah 54:5-14, Romans 6:3-11, Mark 16:1-7.

APRIL 5-11

Sunday (The Resurrection of the Lord): Acts 10:34, 37-43, Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-9; Monday: Acts 2:14, 22-23, Matthew 28:8-15; Tuesday: Acts 2:36-41, John 20:1118; Wednesday: Acts 3:1-10, Luke 24:13-35; Thursday: Acts 3:11-26, Luke 24:35-48; Friday: Acts 4:1-12, John 21:1-4; Saturday: Acts 4:13-21, Mark 16:9-15

APRIL 12-18

Sunday (Divine Mercy Sunday): Acts 4:3235, 1 John 5:1-6, John 20:19-31; Monday (St. Martin I): Acts 4:23-31, John 3:1-8; Tuesday: Acts 4:32-37, John 3:7-15; Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26, John 3:16-21; Thursday: Acts 5:27-33, John 3:31-36; Friday: Acts 5:34-42, John 6:115; Saturday: Acts 6:1-7, John 6:16-21.

Our parishes

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Honoring the cathedral and its patron saint

(Above) Father Christopher Roux, rector and pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral, poses with young parishioner Greyson Martin at the St. Patrick’s Day reception after the Mass. (Below) Dancers from the Rince Na h’Eireann Irish Dance School in Charlotte also performed at the celebration after Mass. Three of the school’s dancers – Hannah Bradey, William DeSena and Ciaren Traynor – will compete in this year’s World Championships in Montreal, Canada March 29-April 5.

sueann howell | catholic news herald

(Above) Bishop Peter J. Jugis receives the offertory gifts from the Martin family at Mass on the feast of St. Patrick March 17.

75th anniversary year ends at St. Patrick Cathedral Patron saint’s love of God, endurance praised at Mass SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — St. Patrick Cathedral’s year-long celebration of its 75th anniversary came to an end Tuesday on St. Patrick’s Day. On the cathedral’s patronal feast day, Bishop Peter Jugis celebrated the closing Mass of a special year of pilgrimage to mark the parish’s milestone anniversary.

The special year of pilgrimage had been in honor of the cathedral’s 75th anniversary of dedication. Dedicated in 1939, St. Patrick Church was transformed into a cathedral in 1972 when the Diocese of Charlotte was established. Since then, the “mother church of the diocese” has played a special role in the life of the diocese, especially as the sacred place where the annual Chrism Mass is celebrated, in which all the priests of the diocese come to renew their promises and the bishop consecrates the holy oils used in the sacraments throughout the year.

Hundreds of faithful gathered for the special Mass on March 17, some donning green in

honor of the cathedral’s patron saint. Bishop Jugis addressed them, speaking fondly of St. Patrick and his ability to overcome adversity and trials to win the hearts of the pagan Irish people.

“St. Patrick teaches us that the love of God conquers all adversity and all trials,” he said.

“It’s so powerful, of course – the grace of God, the love of God – that nothing can withstand its Presence.

“And we know from the life of St. Patrick, when he was kidnapped as a teenager from his home in Britain and then taken from Britain to Ireland as a slave, it was the love of God which allowed him to endure those six years of slavery, of isolation and loneliness as a field hand out on the hills of Ireland herding animals. He discovered there the love of God, in a very special way – a very private and personal way – and God was his constant companion through all the adversity and through all of those trials.”

Bishop Jugis noted that adversity and trials seemed to have a way of purifying St. Patrick, and it is the same for us today.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos and video highlights from the 75th anniversary Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral

“When adversity and trials do befall us, (they) purify us and have a way of stripping away all that is not essential, so that we learn to depend solely upon God for our support.”

He pointed out that throughout his difficulties, St. Patrick discovered that God was always there as his Savior. “So it is for us, no matter what difficulties we may have to suffer.

If we turn to God we discover He is always there and has never abandoned us, but is always staying there by our side as our Savior.”

Later, when St. Patrick returned to Ireland as Anniversary, SEE page 25

‘More than 75 years ago, God began this good work which we call St. Patrick’s Cathedral. And now we come to the end of our special year of celebration honoring those 75 years, and we pray that God, who has begun the good work here – the work of salvation of souls – may continue that work and bring it to fulfillment in the years, the decades and the centuries to come.’

Bishop Peter J. Jugis

UPcoming events 4

catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events: March 28 – 11 a.m.

Mass for Dedication of St. Therese Church Mooresville

April 3 – 3 p.m.

Good Friday Veneration of the Cross St. Patrick Cathedral

April 9 – 6 p.m.

Friends to Seminarians Dinner Winston-Salem

March 31 – 10 a.m.

Chrism Mass St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

April 4 – 8 p.m.

Easter Vigil Mass St. Patrick Cathedral

April 10 – 10 a.m.

Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

April 2 – 7 p.m.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper St. Patrick Cathedral

April 7 – 7 p.m.

Sacrament of Confirmation Queen of the Apostles Church, Belmont

April 11 Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage Belmont ABbey

Blood Drive: 8 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4145 Johnson St., High Point. To schedule an appointment, call Lisa at 336306-0606.

Easter Egg Hunt & celebrations: 10 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St.; 10 a.m. Sunday, April 5, at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Children aged 2-7 are welcome to attend. Please bring Easter basket to collect eggs. Coffee and donuts available for parents.

Diocesan calendar of events March 27, 2015 Volume 23 • Number 13

1123 S. Church St. Charlotte, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

704-370-3333 PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte

STAFF

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Irish movie Night “darby o’Gill and the little people”: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at St. Mark Church’s Kerin Center, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville. Popcorn and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Hosted by St. Brendan division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Everyone welcome. For details, call Joe Dougherty at 704-942-6345. community Open House and Reception: 1-4 p.m.

Saturday, April 11, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church, 217 Brawley School Road, Mooresville. Great opportunity to take a tour of the new church and check out all the beautiful statues, the handmade altar and to view the entire church campus. All community members are welcome to attend. For details, call the parish office at 704-664-3992.

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org Online reporter: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org Hispanic communications reporter: Rico De Silva, 704-370-3375, rdesilva@charlottediocese.org

The Catholic News Herald is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 26 times a year.

NEWS: The Catholic News Herald welcomes your news and photos. Please e-mail information, attaching photos in JPG format with a recommended resolution of 150 dpi or higher, to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org. All submitted items become the property of the Catholic News Herald and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives.

ADVERTISING: Reach 165,000 Catholics across western North Carolina! For advertising rates and information, contact Advertising Manager Kevin Eagan at 704-370-3332 or keeagan@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $15 per year for all registered parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all others.

POSTMASTER: Periodicals class postage (USPC 007-393) paid at Charlotte, N.C. Send address corrections to the Catholic News Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.

Fund raisers WALK FOR AIDS: Saturday, April 18, in Belmont. Walk for Aids will help to raise AIDS awareness and funds to benefit House of Mercy. Everyone invited to join this pleasant three-mile walk through historic downtown Belmont and a picnic reception afterwards at House of Mercy. Free Walk T-shirts to participants raising $50 or more. For details, visit www.thehouseofmercy. org/2015WalkforAIDS.asp or call Marjorie at 704-825-4711, ext. 3.

LECTURES Divine mercy weekend, “Saying yes to Jesus and Mary”: Saturday and Sunday, April 11-12, at St. Mark Church’s Kerin Center, 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville. Highlights include veneration of the United Nations International Pilgrim Statue of the World Apostolate of Fatima and first-class relic of Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto with guest speaker and Fatima Statue custodian Judith Studer. Also includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, sung Reflection on Divine Mercy, Benediction, and blessing of your Divine Mercy images. For details, call the parish office at 704-948-0231.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING NFP Introduction and Full Course: 1-5 p.m.

Saturday, April 18, at St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St., Hickory. Topics include: effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored

by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-370-3230.

LAY ORGANIZATIONS Ministry of mothers sharing (M.o.m.s.): Meets each Wednesday until April 1 at St. Pius X Church, 2210 N. Elm St., Greensboro. A peer-led ministry designed to enhance the Christian perspective on stress, spirituality, goal-setting, friendship and discernment of gifts. For details, call Lisa Michaels at 336-254-9689.

St. Matthew Area Catholic Singles (SMACS) annual Potluck Dinner: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29, in the Parish Center Family Room, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. All single Catholic adults in the south Charlotte area aged 35 or older (single, widowed or divorced) are welcome. Bring an appetizer, meat dish or dessert. RSVP by Saturday, March 28, and let us know what you will be bringing. For details, call Gene Fitzpatrick at 704-953-5955.

Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group Reflection, “Writing the Gospels in Our lives.” : 9 a.m.

Mass with reflection at 10:15 a.m. Monday, April 13, at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte. Reflection speaker will be Abbot Placid Solari, chancellor of Belmont Abbey College. All women are welcome to attend. For details, go to www. charlottecatholicwomensgroup.org.

Called to be a mom: 10 a.m.-noon, Thursday, April 16, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Supports the vocation of motherhood by strengthening faith through Scripture readings. For details, call Mary Ellen Wolfe at 704-999-7452.

PRAYER SERVICES & GROUPS Penance Service: 7 p.m. Monday, March 30, Immaculate Conception Church, 208 7th Ave. West, Hendersonville.

Palm Sunday polish mass: 3 p.m. Sunday, March 29, in the chapel at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte. Led by Father Andrzej Jaczewski from the Diocese of Siedlce, Poland.

Sacrament of confession will be offered beforehand, starting at 2 p.m. For details, call Elizabeth Spytkowski at 704-948-1678.

Chrism Mass: 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte.

Blessing of Easter Food Baskets, “Swieconka”: Noon Saturday, April 4, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Bring your Easter food baskets for a special Easter blessing in English and Polish

by Deacon James Witulski. The traditional foods, such as sausage, eggs, bread and butter in the shape of a lamb are brought to the church, neatly arranged in a basket.

However, every person of every nationality is invited to use their imagination and include their own national foods. Children can even bring their own baskets with their own treats, including chocolate and Easter candy.

Contact Deacon James Witulski with any questions at 704-960-3704.

Easter Sunday Mass: Queen of the Apostles Church will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass this year at South Point High School, Belmont. Mass times: 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. There will not be an 8 a.m. Sunday Mass.

Pro-life rosary: 9 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at North Main Street and Sunset Drive, to pray for the end of abortion. Outdoors rain or shine. Parking available nearby. For details, call Jim Hoyng at 336-882-9593.

Divine Mercy Holy Hour: 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, April 12, at Holy Family Church, 4820 Kinnamon Road, WinstonSalem. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be sung at 3 p.m. with Benediction to follow. For details, call Ceil Gentile at 336-766-7832.

Healing mass and anointing of the sick: 2 p.m. every third Sunday of the month at St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 37 Murphy Dr., Maggie Valley. Individual prayers over people after Mass by Charismatic Prayer Group. For details, call Don or Janet Zander at 828-4009291.

RETREATS & Missions Rachel’s vineyard retreat: March 27-29 in Asheville.

Rachel’s Vineyard is a weekend retreat for post-abortive women and men to begin their healing journey. For details, call Shelley at 828-230-4940 or go to www. rachelsvineyard.org.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING “Protecting God’s Children” workshops are intended to educate parish volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. Upcoming workshops are listed below. or details, contact your parish office. To register and confirm workshop times, go to www.virtus.org.

Belmont: 9 a.m. Saturday, March 28, at Queen of the Apostles Church, 503 North Main St. (MAK Family Life Center conference room) CHARLOTTE: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte.

Is your PARISH OR SCHOOL hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org.

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

New Sparta cemetery receives blessing Patricia L. Guilfoyle Editor

SPARTA — Members of St. Frances of Rome Mission gathered March 11 to celebrate as Bishop Peter Jugis blessed their new cemetery.

The quarter-acre cemetery, located adjacent to the church on a hill that looks out over the beautiful mountains of Alleghany County, contains 40 plots. (“With room to expand!” says St. Frances’ administrative assistant Chris Gailey.)

The cemetery is the result of “many years of hard work,” noted Father James Stuhrenberg, pastor. “It was something that was really desired.”

The $5,000 project was led by cemetery committee chairman Jeff Flattery and Father Stuhrenberg. Committee members had to decide how to arrange the plots, whether to allow for upright headstones or flat grave markers, and coordinate with city planning and zoning officials to rezone the land and meet all appropriate regulations.

Boy Scout Vincent Benish, helped by the other Scouts in the congregation, installed the split-rail fence around the cemetery’s perimeter for his Eagle Scout project. The Scouts also built a stone pedestal for the white crucifix placed in the center of the cemetery.

Gray clouds and occasional raindrops could not dampen the spirits of cemetery committee members and about a dozen parishioners March 11, as they processed with Bishop Jugis and Father Stuhrenberg from the church entrance to the cemetery for the blessing service.

The Solemn Rite of Blessing included a reading from 2 Maccabees, recitation of the familiar Psalm 23, and a reading from the Gospel of John (11:17-27) recounting Jesus’ raising up of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die,” Jesus said.

In his homily, Bishop Jugis explained that Jesus’ words are “telling us this is what’s coming as a promise for all of us.” And Jesus repeated this message most emphatically with His own “definitive resurrection,” he added.

Cemeteries, therefore, are places of hope, Bishop Jugis said – hope in the resurrection of the dead, hope of attaining heaven.

Likewise, he said, cemeteries are sacred grounds.

Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

Bishop Peter J. Jugis sprinkles holy water on the new cemetery at St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta March 11. With him are Father James Stuhrenberg, pastor, and altar server Anthony San German.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See more photos from St. Frances of Rome Mission’s cemetery blessing

CEMETERY, SEE page 25

St. Eugene Church to install 146 solar panels Parish taking Pope Francis’ directive to take care of creation to heart

Photo provided by Bill Maloney

(From left) Father Patrick Cahill applauds the efforts of Bruce Cahoon and Joyce Draper (members of the St. Eugene Church Care of Creation Committee), and Bill Maloney (project facilitator), as they show off one of the 146 solar panels the committee hopes to have installed through donations from St. Eugene parishioners and surrounding community members. The energy-saving project is a joint effort between St. Eugene Church and the Diocese of Charlotte in response to Pope Francis’ call to help protect creation.

ASHEVILLE — Parishioners at St. Eugene Church have a bright idea to help the parish save money and help protect the environment at the same time: solar power.

The parish is planning to install 146 solar panels on the roof of the church this summer, funded by donations from church members and non-members alike. It is believed to be the first project of its kind in the Diocese of Charlotte.

The $148,600 project has been a year-long cooperative effort by the parish’s Care of Creation committee, the pastoral council, diocesan officials, and pastor Father Pat Cahill.

The plan is to install 146 solar panels on the church roof’s south and west sides. The system will generate 45.99 kilowatts of power, about 22 percent of the church’s electricity needs. The system will be “net metered,” which means that when the system produces more electricity than the church uses, the meter runs backwards. The excess electricity flows back out to the electric grid and Duke Energy provides a credit in the same amount as it would charge.

Each panel costs approximately $1,000 installed and comes with a 25-year warranty. MB Haynes Energy Solutions of Asheville will install the system, which will be owned by the parish and insured by Catholic Mutual of Omaha at no additional cost.

The church’s electric bill runs approximately $1,797 per month, or about $21,564 per year. Project organizers know the solar panels will cut these costs, but besides saving money, they see this renewable energy solution as helping to reduce the church’s carbon footprint. And protecting God’s creation is an important part of the Christian mission, they say.

Pope Francis has also brought environmental protection to the forefront, with his recent remarks: “A Christian who does not protect creation, who does not let it grow, is a Christian who does not care about the work of God; that work that was born from the love of God for us. And this is the first response to the first creation: protect creation, make it grow.”

Noted Father Cahill, “The Church’s teaching on social justice asks us to get involved in issues that affect us all. Parishioners are looking for ways to do this. Our project lets us show stewardship and responsibility for our SOLAR PANELS, SEE page 25

OUR PARISHESI

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Annual collection to fund seminary and priests’ continuing education to be taken up Easter weekend, April 4-5 CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte will take up the annual Seminary and Priests’ Continuing Education Collection on Easter weekend, April 4-5.

In his 2015 letter to the faithful of the diocese, Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, explained, “This collection will help meet the needs of our Seminary and Priests’ Continuing Education programs. We currently have 18 young men studying for the priesthood at the Pontifical College Josephinum Seminary in Ohio and at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

“We look forward to the time when they will be able to begin their service as priests in the Diocese of Charlotte.”

The Seminarian Education Program is primarily funded through the DSA, the Friend to Seminarians Program, and this second collection held on Easter Sunday.

The diocese also uses the funds collected over Easter weekend to sponsor workshops and programs to help keep priests informed of developments in theology and pastoral practices, thereby enabling them to better serve the faithful.

“It is through your generosity that we are able to meet the escalating cost of education today,” Monsignor West said.

“Please be assured of our gratitude for your generous response to the Seminary and Priests’ Continuing Education Collection to be taken Easter weekend.”

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 OUR PARISHES

Catholic Charities’ Partners in Hope dinner emphasizes building community Annette K. Tenny Correspondent

WINSTON-SALEM — The 12th annual Partners in Hope Dinner last week raised more than $200,000 for Catholic Charities’ work in the Triad.

“We are so excited and so thankful,” said Diane Bullard, Catholic Charities’ director for the Triad region. “Many generous sponsors came forward this year, including several who wished to remain anonymous and all of the expenses for the dinner were covered by mid-February.”

The March 19 event began with a welcome and blessing by Monsignor Mauricio W. West, vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte.

The Mission and Services presentation followed, a moving video highlighting the many services offered and the diverse clientele served by Catholic Charities of the Triad. The video featured several of the agency’s clients telling their stories: an elderly couple who now have a real home, a teen mom who was able to earn her high school diploma and is now eyeing college, a veteran and single mother with a seriously ill child. All have found the love and community they needed to thrive, thanks to Catholic Charities.

The Bishop William G. Curlin Partners in Hope Award was presented to James and Deanne Lentz, parishioners of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem and longtime supporters of Catholic Charities.

In her introductory remarks, presenter Kathryn Premo, chair of the Piedmont Triad Regional Advisory Board, spoke of the couple’s great humility in doing God’s

work and marveled at their exemplification of the maxim, “No one can do everything but everyone can do something.” The Lentzes, she said, have taken that idea to heart and live it out for Catholic Charities over and over again.

It was the Lentzes, she said, who after hearing of the need for fresh produce for Catholic Charities’ food pantry, worked tirelessly and without fanfare with people they knew and now the food pantry receives fresh produce for clients each and every week. The warm and sustained applause for the Lentzes as they accepted the award made it clear they have inspired many.

Deanne Lentz spoke of the couple’s great surprise and honor they felt upon hearing they had been chosen for the award – especially, she said, as it has been named for Bishop Curlin who “we admire so very much.”

James Lentz thanked the clergy, religious and volunteers at Catholic Charities and everyone in attendance for their deep commitment to building up the community of God. The Lentzes spoke not of themselves, but of all who inspired them. They were humbled, they said, and deeply honored to be a small part of the all the good and faithful work of Catholic Charities.

Journalist, author and St. Pius X parishioner Stephen Martin gave the keynote address at the event.

Martin, with humorous, personal stories and accounts from his recent book, “The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation,” invited attendees to “take on challenges”

Annette Tenny | Catholic News Herald

James and Deanne Lentz offered words of thanks after being presented this year’s Bishop William G. Curlin Partners in Hope Award. Standing behind them are Kathryn Premo, chair of Catholic Charities Triad Regional Advisory Board, and Bill Lawler, master of ceremonies. and ask themselves “what’s one thing I can do today to help my community?”

Father Brian Cook, pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, also similarly encouraged everyone present to help build up the whole community of God, in whatever way they feel called.

Father Cook likened humanity to a “beautiful mosaic, knitted by God of all colors and income, backgrounds and opportunities.”

The cornerstone of that community is

God, he explained, and the homeless, the poor, the suffering veteran and the single mom are all parts of that cornerstone. It can make us uncomfortable at times to step out of our comfort zones to build up that community, he said, but that can be a good thing. It opens our eyes and our hearts, he said.

“Tonight,” he said, “we are here to affirm our commitment to live out the Gospel – to put our faith into action, in love and service of our community.”

5th Annual Charlotte Catholic Men’s Conference Saturday, April 25 from 8 am – 3:30pm Saint Matthew Catholic Church 8015 Ballantyne Commons Parkway Charlotte, NC 28277

Guest Speakers

Michael Manhardt one Strong F.A.M.I.l.y Founder

Darrel Miller Former MlB Player

Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis Adoration with Bishop Emeritus William Curlin

Tom Peterson Catholics Come Home Founder Bishop Peter Jugis

Bishop Emeritus William Curlin

For complete registration details please visit: www.catholicmenofthecarolinas.org

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

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Photo provided by Jennifer Noto

SJN Lenten mission focuses on applying Christianity to real life Mike FitzGerald | Catholic News Herald

More than 1,000 people attend St. Mark Lenten mission HUNTERSVILLE — St. Mark Church in Huntersville hosted its annual parish mission March 9-11 with talks given by Dominicans Father Benedict Croell (right) and Father James Brent (left) from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. The Dominicans preached on living in the presence of God, and the final night featured a Eucharistic Healing Encounter with each family receiving a blessing with the exposed Blessed Sacrament, and an anointing with sacred oil of St. Joseph. The blessings had a specific focus on strengthening marriages and families of the parish, as well as healing wounds inside the family. The sacrament of penance was also emphasized during the mission, as the parish has been encouraging people to focus more on mercy and reconciliation during this Lenten season. More than 1,000 people attended the final night of the mission.

HAVE YOU SHARED YOUR GIFT WITH THE DSA YET?

CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Church celebrated its annual parish mission Feb. 22-25. Led by Dominican Father Hugh Burns, the theme of this year’s mission, “Get Real: Religion With Two Feet on the Ground,” focused on the intersection of Christianity with reality. Ordained in 1982, Father Burns has preached in English and Spanish throughout the United States, Canada, Latin American and the Caribbean for more than 25 years. Pope Francis was a frequent subject of his talks. “The time is ripe for the New Evangelization to bring people back to the Church, especially those who have felt excluded,” Father Burns said.

Judy Erb organized the parish mission and felt it was well attended. “I was glad to have the opportunity to attend all the morning and evening sessions, as it would have been difficult to pick and choose one session over the other,” she said. “All of the topics presented by Father Hugh were personally relevant to me, and the many positive comments I received from others assured me I was not alone in feeling this way. His down-to-earth preaching style, often interjected with humor, put everyone at ease and allowed his message of faith, hope and love within the universal Church to shine through for all those in attendance.”

“We were blessed to have Father Burns with us for our parish mission,” said Father Patrick Hoare, pastor. “He had a unique way of applying Christian principles to many of the situations we face today.”

“All good giving, and every perfect gift is from above…”

(James 1:17)

All we have, all we are, all we do is a gift from God. The Diocesan Support Appeal gives us the opportunity to “Pay it Forward With Hope, and Give Back With Gratitude.” When we share God’s gifts of treasure to make our annual contribution to the DSA, we join with all our sisters and brothers in Christ throughout the diocese to do the Lord’s work – works that no one individual or parish can do alone.

Three Easy Ways to “Share God’s Gifts” of Treasure through the Diocesan Support Appeal: • Use the pledge card you received in the mail • Fill out the DSA envelope available in your parish office • Donate online at www.charlottediocese.org/DSA

Pay It Forward With Hope, Give Back With Gratitude

2015 Diocesan Support Appeal

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 OUR PARISHES

RCIA: A journey of faith Candidates and catechumens participate in the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at St. Matthew Church Feb. 28, celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis. Similar celebrations were held at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro and Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville for all those coming into the Church this Easter.

Men, women and children were joined with their sponsors and parish team members to be presented to the bishop. Those who will be baptized at Easter signed their names into the Book of the Elect at a celebration in their individual parishes.

These Books of the Elect were then presented, along with those to be baptized, to the bishop during the Rite.

Doreen Sugierski | Catholic News Herald

‘Looking back, I see God wanted me in the Catholic Church. He prepared me.’

From Episcopal minister to Catholic convert SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — Jane Brock spent most of her life as an Episcopalian. She even attended seminary and was an ordained minister, eventually being assigned to St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Weddington. And that fateful assignment is where her journey home to the Catholic Church began in earnest.

Brock, a fourth-generation Episcopalian, grew up in a small town outside of Nashville, Tenn. Her parents were charter members of the little Episcopal Church of St. Matthew in McMinnville. She remembers her mother teaching Sunday school and serving on the altar guild for the church. Brock even recalls the first item she ever ironed – it was a purificator, and she was 5.

She loved her Episcopal faith and at the age of 16 had what she says was a vision of Jesus telling her that she would serve Him someday. At that time, women were not eligible for ordination, but when she turned 18 the rules were changed and women were allowed to be ordained ministers in the Episcopal Church.

“I fought the call to ordination for 25 years,” Brock said. “I went to college and got a degree in biology. I was very young.”

She took a job in social work for the State of Tennessee, which she kept for 22 years.

During that time she made “a bargain with God,” telling Him if she were accepted to graduate school for social work studies, then she would know that social work and not ordained ministry was the career path He wanted for her. It took her four years of night classes to obtain her master’s degree.

When she was 39, she had an Episcopal pastor ask her, “So when are you going to get off the fence?” She was surprised that he could sense the call to ministry which lay within her. “He asked me to explore the call to ordination.”

Brock admits she was not overly happy with her career working in child protective services, and she was also conflicted about her faith. She even left the Episcopal Church to attend a Baptist church for a while.

But the image of Jesus and His message to her about serving Him kept resonating in her soul.

“I was in spiritual direction for a year or so, and I went on a trip to Europe. I was in bed in Vienna one night and I was questioning how I could do this (serve God in ministry). I heard a voice say, ‘All you have I have given you.’ And I said, “I do trust you, Lord.’”

Shortly after that, Brock contacted her spiritual director and a mentor and researched Episcopal seminaries, selecting Trinity Seminary in Pittsburgh for her studies.

“I loved every minute of it!” Brock recalled. She stayed an extra year in Pittsburgh after her ordination before moving to Raleigh to serve a congregation in the Episcopal diocese there.

Brock admits, though, that even in seminary she was questioning some of the beliefs of the Episcopal Church.

“Looking back, I see God wanted me in the Catholic Church. He prepared me,” she said.

She was especially concerned by what she described as the Episcopal Church “tumbling into relativism.”

Brock accepted a ministerial position at St. Margaret’s Church in Weddington, just south of Charlotte. It also happened to be used by St. Matthew Church, which used the church as an overflow location to offer Mass for parishioners who lived nearby.

While she was serving at St. Margaret’s, the Episcopal Church worldwide began to split over its teachings on gay “marriage” and other issues.

“I saw clearly things weren’t going well.

I realized that Protestantism has not borne fruit that will last.”

As her dissatisfaction grew, Brock said, the Catholic Church was “not anywhere on the list” of faiths she was exploring. “I had a lot of misinformation on the Catholic Church. I explored other Protestant faiths.”

She was actually upset because

the spiritual director who had been an Episcopal priest had converted to Catholicism, as had her other mentor – which turned out to be the clincher for her.

After she corresponded with him trying to convert him back to the Episcopal Church, he challenged her instead: “Go buy a Catechism. Don’t go by what I say,” he told her.

Brock bought the Catechism of the Catholic Church, reading different sections at a time and admittedly struggling over the doctrine of Transubstantiation. Once she came to understand Jesus’ words that bread and wine at Mass truly become His Body and Blood, she thought, “If I was wrong about Transubstantiation, what else was I wrong about?”

Brock questioned everything she thought she knew – wrestling with purgatory, papal authority and the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

She also started attending Mass in disguise. She didn’t want her church members to see “Mother Jane” at a Catholic Mass and learning more about the Church. She would put on a pair of sunglasses and slip into a back pew just after the priest had processed in.

“I was stealth, checking it all out,” Brock admits. “One Easter I got there late and it CONVERT, SEE page 9

March 27, 2015 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

OUR PARISHES I

9

Ailing young adult finds truth Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

ASHEVILLE — Although he’s only 19, Maudeb Maybin is no stranger to the trials and tribulations that often accompany a follower of Christ.

Maybin was born with cerebral palsy, then diagnosed with asthma and scoliosis when he was a child. When he was 11, Maybin had orthopedic surgery to enable him to walk on his own, but the surgery did not go well and he spent the next five years trying to walk.

But the worst, and the best, had yet to come.

Growing up in Asheville, Maybin attended the nondenominational Church of Christ. There he was taught that “Catholics worship Mary and things like that.”

But the 17-year-old “wanted to see for myself what Catholics believed in. I’ve never took what anyone said at face value. I always look at it for myself.”

He embarked on a personal search to learn more about Mary, spending months to learn as much as he could.

“My goal was to use only Catholic resources because I knew that the Protestant resources I was used to were going to have some sort of bias against it (Marian theology). I wanted to get as much Catholic information as I could and compare it to what I already knew, and then come up with my own conclusion,” he explains.

In the middle of his research, he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), a degenerative and incurable disease that impairs his limited mobility even further.

He remembers, “I was at a kind of a low point in my life. Things kind of looked bleak. And I felt separated from God at the time. Something in my spirit told me, ‘Hey, why don’t you look into (Catholicism) a little bit more?’

“And I did. And I found this is the truth.”

One particular day stands out in his memory: “I

felt lonely and alone and it was like Mary took me in her arms and told me, ‘Everything is going to be OK.’ And she pointed to Jesus and said, ‘My Son is here with you.’”

That experience – Mary pointing Maybin towards her Son – impelled him towards RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) at St. Eugene Church in Asheville last year.

Because he is almost totally homebound, Maybin received instruction in the faith from Deacon Michael Zboyovski, who serves at St. Eugene Church in Asheville. Deacon Zboyovski visited with him each week to prepare him for his entrance in the Church.

“Maudeb exhibits an extraordinary emotional and spiritual maturity far beyond his years,” Deacon Zboyovski says. “Even though Maudeb was only able to attend the first parish RCIA session, our entire group was truly inspired by his presence and demeanor. In his absence, I continue to share Maudeb’s story with our weekly RCIA group. They all have a very strong interpersonal connection with one another even though they are physically separated. It is in the sharing of each other’s journey that the RCIA process comes alive.”

Maybin was welcomed into the Church on Dec. 8 – the feast of the Immaculate Conception, earlier than the traditional Easter vigil Mass because of his debilitating condition. Father Patrick Cahill, St. Eugene’s pastor, received permission to celebrate a special Mass at Maybin’s grandmother’s house. There he was confirmed and received his first Holy Communion.

Maybin says he thinks Mary helped lead him to the Church, and now he feels at home amid the truths of the faith and the beauty of the Church’s traditions – a long journey away from his nondenominational Protestant roots.

“Becoming a Catholic is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m so happy that I did it. It was so worth the struggle to get where I am now.”

‘Becoming a Catholic is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m so happy that I did it.

It was so worth the struggle to get where I am now.’

CONVERT: FROM PAGE 8

was packed. An usher put me in the third row.”

She was mortified. A woman whose husband was Catholic and who was herself an Episcopal parishioner at St. Margaret’s was sitting behind her and asked, “Mother Jane, what are you doing?”

Brock made up an excuse about needing to speak to Monsignor John McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthew Church, whom she hoped would be celebrating Mass that evening. Then she went home and “had a talk with Jesus.”

“I finally decided I would see Monsignor (McSweeney). I called his office in mid-May (2008), not thinking I would get an appointment right away but his secretary, when hearing my reasons to meet with him, got me in to see him four days later.”

“Monsignor was very gracious,” she recalled.

She remembers him encouraging her to take her time exploring the Catholic faith, and not rush into resigning to her bishop. He gave her reading materials and instructed her in the faith during her

time of discernment.

Brock received confirmation of her decision to convert while spending time in Eucharistic Adoration at St. Matthew’s chapel.

“Every time I look at Jesus (in the Blessed Sacrament) I see a beating heart,” she said. “I knew that’s where I needed to be. I had to walk away from everything.”

On Aug. 1, 2008, she was confirmed. It was a First Friday, a day dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori. She gave up her livelihood as an Episcopal minister, taking a leap of faith that Jesus would provide – and within two weeks she got a job as a hospice chaplain.

Seven years later, she says, “It’s been an awesome journey. I am blissful in the Catholic Church.”

She loves the diversity of the Church, and she especially has become devoted to the Blessed Mother. She also realizes the tug on her heart from Jesus wasn’t to become a minister – she now sees women’s ordination as “a false goal” – but instead He was calling her home to His Church.

Her advice to people of other faiths who may be considering converting to Catholicism? “‘Don’t be afraid,’ as it says in Scripture. Come with your questions. Explore. Come home!”

Photo provided by Elizabeth Searles

Mike Ayres is pictured with his RCIA sponsor, Dominick Minotti. Minotti says it may seem an unlikely pairing: the young unchurched Ayres with himself, an 81-year-old cradle Catholic. But the journey of faith is best undertaken together, he says.

From agnostic to Catholic: A process of ‘metanoia’ Elizabeth Searles CORRESPONDENT

ASHEVILLE — A reawakened memory of attending Mass a long time ago attracted a 27-year-old agnostic towards the Church.

Mike Ayres grew up in a non-religious family that moved around a lot. He ended up going down a dark path of drug use and related bad influences, and some tough years of upheaval followed. During that time a friend invited him to Mass with his family, and that brief experience came back to him about a year ago as he began questioning his direction in life. Rather than a singular moment of conversion, Ayres says, his journey to God has been a process of “metanoia” – a change of mind and heart.

“There was no one moment of conversion,” he explains, “but I knew I wanted to die to my old life.”

He sought out the nearby Catholic church where he lives and works in Asheville, St. Lawrence Basilica.

“I wanted to learn more about the Bible, and I knew I needed a support group,” he explains. He joined a Bible study class with parish faith formation leader Elizabeth Girton, and his journey evolved into entering the parish’s RCIA program.

Ayres was confirmed in his search after experiencing spiritual feelings of complete love and the irresistible promise of a new life.

“It’s hard to describe the visions. They were visions of the eternal, is the best way I can say it – the light within the eternal, the spiritual eye, in a sense,” he says.

He says he is excited to be joining the Church at Easter. “It feels like I am coming into a family, and I love St. Lawrence.”

He also credits his RCIA sponsor Dominick Minotti for encouraging him to persevere through the exploration of the faith.

Minotti realizes it may seem an unlikely pairing: the young unchurched Ayres with himself, an 81-year-old cradle Catholic. But the journey of faith is best undertaken together, Minotti says: “I wanted to share my own faith journey, and the aches and pains along the way.” It is a marathon, not a sprint, he says.

Throughout the RCIA process, Minotti has been impressed with Ayres’ devotion and intelligence.

“He has absorbed all of this without any religious background, and he’s had a complete 180-degree turnaround in his life. He is a young man who has been washed over by the Holy Spirit,” Minotti says. “If I could have chosen someone to sponsor, it would have been Mike.”

Ayres now sees new possibilities for himself and believes God will continue to change him. Employed with a local manufacturer, Ayres is interested in audio engineering and hopes to someday get more involved in electronic music manufacturing, similar to that of the renowned Moog Music company. A musician himself, Ayres writes spiritual music and enjoys journaling.

He is moving eagerly toward the Easter celebration of the Resurrection. He knows he will be able to partake in the Eucharist and Christ’s Presence as someone abundantly aware of what it means.

“I can imagine it,” he says. “It’s going to be awesome.” Looking forward, he adds, “I want to be more involved in the Church. I want to become more selfless.”

Ayres’ newly-minted faith is already influencing others, including a co-worker who was an atheist and has undergone a change of heart as he has watched Ayres’ conversion. “He now sees me as a brother in Christ,” Ayres says simply. “It pleases me to think I might inspire others.”

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charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | March 27, 2015 OUR PARISHES

Scouts celebrate faith, achievements at annual Camporee Patricia L. Guilfoyle Editor

NEBO — Catholic and Scouting values were celebrated at the Diocese of Charlotte’s 39th annual Catholic Camporee held March 20-22.

More than 400 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing Crew members and their families from across the diocese gathered for Mass March 22 with Bishop Peter J. Jugis, capping off the weekend of activities, events and fellowship designed to give youths in pack dens, troop patrols, and venture crews a chance to explore a range of skills and experience some outdoor fun.

This year’s Camporee, organized by the Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Committee on Scouting, celebrated the Year of Consecrated Life and St. John Bosco. It was held at Camp Grimes, near Marion.

Activities on March 21 ranged from archery and crafts for Cub Scouts, to a hatchet throw and obstacle course for Boy Scouts, to the inaugural “Great Race”themed program for Venture Crews. And of course, a campfire with skits closed the day.

More than 40 Scouts who earned their Catholic religious emblems this year – the Light of Christ and Parvuli Dei for Cub Scouts, the Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII for Boy Scouts and Venturers – were presented with their awards and congratulated by Bishop Jugis after Mass.

Six adult leaders were also recognized with the Bronze Pelican and St. George Award for service to Scouting.

One Boy Scout was also awarded the rare Pillars of Faith award in recognition of having earned all four Catholic religious emblems: Thomas Miller of Arden. He is only the second Scout in the diocese to have achieved this feat.

Miller, the son of Michael and Kathy Miller, attends St. Barnabas Church in Arden and is a member of Troop 61. He expressed appreciation for his pastor, Father Adrian Porras, and Troop 61 leaders Andy Romagnuolo and Joshua Gates for mentoring him in the faith.

In his homily, Bishop Jugis focused on

the Sunday Gospel from John (12:20-33), in which a group of pagan Greeks asked the Apostle Philip, “We would like to see Jesus.”

This sentiment “should always be animating every one of us as Christians,” Bishop Jugis said.

Jesus should be the center of our attention, he emphasized to the Scouts, noting the “beautiful parallels” between the Boy Scout oath and law and what all of us as Christians are called to do.

The Boy Scout oath (“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.”) reminds us to be faithful in one’s religious duties.

The Scout Law (“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.”) indicates that reverence toward God is a virtue we must cultivate.

“For us as Catholic Christians,” he said, “doing our duty to God involves being faithful to Jesus – putting Jesus (at the) front and center of our lives.”

“That’s why it’s so inspiring to me to see how faithful you are to your religious duty, even on the Camporee,” he noted, by always including Mass as the culmination of the weekend’s activities.

It is at Mass, he said, “that desire of our heart to see Jesus and be with Him, spending time with Him, is in fact fulfilled, because He comes to us in Holy Communion.

“We see Jesus at every Mass. By our faith, we know that He is present. Even though He hides Himself behind the appearance of bread and wine, He says, ‘This is My Body, this is My Blood.’”

Bishop Jugis also drew connections between the day’s Responsorial Psalm, “Create a clean heart in me, O God,” and the values of Scouting. Thinking and doing what is right – part of the Scout Law to keep oneself clean and morally straight – involves paying “attention to what’s going on inside here,” he said, pointing to his heart. Just as

Photos by Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

(Above) Bishop Peter J. Jugis and Deacon Martin Ricart III, of St. James the Greater Parish in Concord, distribute Holy Communion at Mass during the 2015 Catholic Camporee for Scouts.

(Left) Thomas Miller of Troop 61 in Arden receives the Pillars of Faith award for achieving all four Catholic religious emblems.

Scouts work to keep the environment clean, they also strive to keep their bodies, minds and hearts clean, he said.

“This really should be the prayer of every one of us during the season of Lent,” he said.

“In fact, it should be the prayer of every one of us at all times: that the Lord always be cleansing our hearts, purifying ourselves, so that we can in fact see Jesus, and recognize Him and desire to be with Him.” The activities on Saturday before Mass carried a distinct Catholic component.

Scouting teaches an environmental cleanliness standard called “Leave No Trace.” But in a Cub Scout session, it was illustrated by the story of the life of St. Francis of Assisi. And during a crafts

program, the Scouts listened to stories about St. Joseph.

The life of St. John Bosco, the patron saint of youth and a friend to boys everywhere, was also featured, and the boys picked up on it. At the campfire for the whole Camporee, for example, Pack 8 from St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte performed a skit in which boys heard that characters like Darth Vader and the Terminator were coming for them, and they ran away in fear. But then, their skit continued, St. John Bosco came to their rescue, and they flocked to him.

For more information about Scouting in the diocese, go to www.cdccos.info or e-mail cdcatholicscouting@gmail.com.

Former Planned Parenthood worker tells of her pro-life conversion Catherine Adair, a former Planned Parenthood employee, spoke about her own abortion and her conversion from abortion “rights” supporter to pro-life Catholic during an event at St. James the Greater Church in Concord Jan. 19. Pictured with Adair are (from left) Charles Anzalone of the Knights of Columbus Council 7450, John Green of the Parish Life Commission, Armando Chavarria of the Education Commission, and Redemptorist Father Joseph Dionne, pastor of St. James Church.

Mike FitzGerald Correspondent

CONCORD — Catherine Adair, a former employee of Planned Parenthood, talked about her journey back to the Catholic faith and her pro-life conversion during a visit to St. James the Greater Church in Concord Jan. 19. Adair’s talk was sponsored by the Knight of Columbus Council 7450 and the Parish Life and Education commissions to mark the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Adair talked about having an abortion when she was 19, describing her support for abortion “rights” as a way to justify what she had done and to mask her grief.

But after she went to work as a counselor at a Planned Parenthood location, she glimpsed the remains of a late-term baby who had been aborted. Seeing the baby’s remains forced her to confront the fact that abortion is the killing of a human life.

Haunted by what she saw, she said, she left Planned Parenthood. However, her faith conversion wasn’t complete until years later, when her husband suggested that she and their family start going to Mass again.

The first time she went back to church, she recounted, Adair immediately felt at peace.

“I sat down, and I thought, ‘I’m home.’ I felt like so much worry was gone – just from that one visit,” she said.

The next step in her conversion occurred, she said, when she sought the sacrament of confession and found mercy.

She was finally able to receive the Eucharist again after so

Photo provided by Jim Breslin

many years of being away from the Church, she said.

Adair and her husband now have five children, including a child whom they adopted after the birth mother reversed her decision to have an abortion and chose life.

Her talk highlighted the mercy and love she received both from Christ and the Church upon returning to the faith and asking for forgiveness.

OUR PARISHES I

March 27, 2015 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

HOLY WEEK: FROM PAGE 2

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The main ceremonies are the benediction of the palms, the procession, the Mass and the singing of the Passion.

The blessing of palms and the Palm Sunday procession date back to the earliest Church in Jerusalem. Palm branches have always been symbols of joy and victory, and in Christianity, as a sign of victory over the flesh and the world according to Psalm 91:13, “Justus ut palma florebit.”

The blessed palms are taken home by the faithful and used as a sacramental. Blessed palms are also burned to make ashes for the next year’s Ash Wednesday.

Every great feast was in some way a remembrance of the resurrection of Christ and was called “Pascha.” “Pascha” really comes from a Hebrew word meaning “passage” (of the destroying angel at Passover), but the Greeks took it to be identical with “paschein” (“to suffer”).

From the custom of also blessing flowers and entwining them among the palms arose the term “Dominica Florida,” or “Flower Sunday.” One notable bit of trivia: Related terms are “Pascha floridum,” or “Pascua florida” in Spanish – and it was from this Spanish term for Palm Sunday that Florida received its name on that day in 1512.

The Gospel of the Passion is also read during the Palm Sunday Mass. As on Good Friday, and on the Tuesday and the Wednesday of Holy Week, the Passion is sung by three deacons who impersonate

MARRIAGE: FROM PAGE 2

To see this fundamental point about marriage, however, we have to step beyond the cultural clichés that suggest that marriage is merely an outgrowth of emotional and erotic companionship.

The institution of marriage does not arise merely out of loving sentiment. It is born, rather, from the depths of the commitment assumed by a man and a woman as they enter into the total communion of life implied in the procreation and education of children flowing from their union.

To put it another way, marriage arises organically and spontaneously from the radical complementarity of a man and a woman.

Sexual intimacy between men and women involves the possibility of children. No other form of sexual or erotic interaction encompasses this basic, organic and complementary possibility. Without parsing words, Professor Jacques LeClercq put it this way more than 50 years ago: “The human race is divided into two sexes whose reason for existence is physical union with a view to continuing the species.” More recently, Professor Robert P. George similarly described marriage as “a union that takes its distinctive character from being founded, unlike other friendships, on bodily unity of the kind that sometimes generates new life.” There are many kinds of love, ranging from maternal love to brotherly love to love of friends to love of neighbor to romantic love, but only one that is proper and integral to marriage – namely, spousal love with its inscribed complementarity and potential for human fruitfulness.

respectively the Evangelist (“Chronista”), Jesus, and the other speakers (“Synagoga”). This division of the Passion among three characters is very ancient, and it is even indicated by rubrical notes in early manuscripts of the Gospel.

Holy (Maundy) Thursday

The oldest of the Holy Week observances, this day commemorates the institution of the Eucharist. Holy Thursday consists of a succession of joyful ceremonies: reconciliation of penitents, consecration of the holy oils (the “Missa chrismalis,” or “Chrism Mass”), washing of the feet (“pedilavium”), and commemoration of the Eucharist.

“Maundy” derives from “Mandatum” (the first word of the Office of the Washing of the Feet). This marks the central rite of the day.

On that day Mass and Communion typically followed the evening meal. In the early Church in Rome, everything was carried on in daylight, whereas in Africa on Holy Thursday the Eucharist was celebrated after the evening meal, in view of more exact conformity with the circumstances of the Last Supper. This early tradition survives to the present time in that the clergy do not offer Mass privately but are directed to Communicate together at the public Mass, like guests at one table.

Also on Holy Thursday the ringing of bells ceases until the Easter Vigil, the altar is stripped, and candles remain unlit – outwardly demonstrating the sense of the Church’s bereavement during the time of Christ’s Passion and burial. The observance of silence during these three days dates at least from the eighth century.

Marriage teaches us that men need women and women need men and that children need both mothers and fathers. In this sense, marriage and the family represent foundational realities, not constructs that can be invented, defined, legislated or determined by popular vote or culture. Marriage, in fact, is the “primordial first institution,” flowing out of the intimate and creative union of male and female. It precedes other societal institutions and conventions, and is essentially ordered towards creating and caring for the future in the form of the next generation. Marriage is a given reality that we come to discover

‘The institution of marriage does not arise merely out of loving sentiment.’ in its authentic design, not a concept for us to“define” according to our own agenda or desires.

Gay “marriage” proponents deny these foundational truths about marriage. Through vigorous legislative efforts, they are striving to impose a profoundly false redesign for marriage upon society so that, in the words of Professor George, marriage becomes “an emotional union for the sake of adult satisfaction that is served by mutually agreeable sexual play,” thereby undermining its intrinsic connection to complementary bodily union between men and women. This forced reconfiguration of marriage is no more defensible than the efforts of those who socially or legislatively attempted to impose a notion of “racial purity” upon marriage or society in former times.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., and serves as the director of education at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.

Good Friday

This is the day of Christ’s Passion, death and burial, now primarily celebrated by a service combining a number of features.

First are the reading of three sets of lessons followed by “bidding prayers.”

Secondly, there is the Adoration of the Cross.

The dramatic unveiling and adoration of the Cross, introduced into the Latin Liturgy in the seventh or eighth century, originated in the Church in Jerusalem, where a relic of the True Cross was venerated.

In the “Peregrinatio Sylviæ,” (written from 378 to 394), that early ceremony is described: “Then a chair is placed for the Bishop in Golgotha behind the Cross ... a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him; the Deacons stand around the table, and a silver-gilt casket is brought in which is the wood of the holy Cross. The casket is opened and (the wood) is taken out, and both the wood of the Cross and the Title are placed upon the table. Now, when it has been put upon the table, the Bishop, as he sits, holds the extremities of the sacred wood firmly in his hands, while the Deacons who stand around guard it. It is guarded thus because the custom is that the people, both faithful and catechumens, come one by one and, bowing down at the table, kiss the sacred wood and pass on.”

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is also known as Great (or Grand) Saturday, the Angelic Night, and the Easter Vigil. It is not like Maundy Thursday, a day of joy, but one of joy and

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sadness intermingled; it is the close of the penitential season of Lent, and the beginning of paschal time, which is one of rejoicing. Its essential feature is the baptism of the catechumens, who have been preparing during Lent to enter the Church.

The Easter Vigil opens with the blessing of the paschal fire and the lighting of lamps and the paschal candle. St. Cyril of Jerusalem said this night was as bright as day, and Emperor Constantine in Rome added unprecedented splendor with a profusion of lamps and enormous torches, so that not only churches, but houses, streets and squares were ablaze with light symbolic of the Risen Christ.

The Holy Saturday ceremony has lost much of the significance it enjoyed in the early Christian centuries, owing to the irresistible tendency to celebrate it earlier in the evening. Originally it was held only in the late hours of Saturday and barely ending before midnight. To this day, however, the brevity of the Easter Mass preserves a memorial of the fatigue of that “watch-night” that ended the austerities of Lent.

Finally, the Vigil Mass, with its joyous “Gloria,” at which the bells are again rung, the uncovering of the veiled statues and pictures, and the triumphant “Alleluias,” which mark nearly every step of the liturgy, proclaim the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

— Source: Catholic Encyclopedia, online at www.newadvent.org

4:46 PM

Divine Mercy Conference at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Greenville, SC

Saturday, April 11, 2015 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, April 12, 2015 | 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

SPEAKERS:

Johnnette S. Benkovic

• Founder and President of Living His Life Abundantly • Executive Producer of “Women of Grace” TV show on EWTN

Steve Wood

• Founder of The Family Life Center • Host of “Faith and Family Radio”

program

Fr. Dwight Longenecker • • • •

Parish Priest Blogger Radio Host Author

Conference Fee: includes Saturday lunch

$25/person • $40/couple • $30/person after 3/31/15

For more information and to register:

OLR Church: 864-422-1648 OLRChurch@Charter.net • www.OLRGreenville.net

12

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | March 27, 2015 OUR PARISHES

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Parochial vicar assigned CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter J. Jugis announces the appointment of Father Basile Noujio Sede as parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Charlotte effective March 5. Father Sede comes from Cameroon.

Sede

— Catholic News Herald

of theology. His home parish is St. Barnabas Church in Arden.

Acolytes are entrusted with the duties of attending to the altar, assisting the deacon and priest at Mass, and distributing Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister.

Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Arlington, Va., was the main celebrant. In the Rite, each man knelt before the bishop and received a paten from him, symbolic of the new role the acolyte fulfills at Mass, caring for the Eucharist and the Eucharistic vessels. As the bishop presented the paten to the new acolyte, he said, “Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of His Church.”

In his homily, Bishop Loverde focused on the call to be transformed in mind, heart and will by the faithful reception of God in His Word and in the Holy Eucharist.

Ascik and the 53 other new acolytes will begin serving Mass each day at the College and will perform a variety of other functions related to their new ministry, especially when they return to their homes this summer.

— Pontifical North American College

Weddings, anniversaries celebrated in Hendersonville HENDERSONVILLE — Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville rejoiced last month as 45 couples celebrated their wedding anniversaries by renewing their vows before Capuchin Franciscan Father Martin Schratz, pastor, and the parish community, and eight couples (right) were joined in the sacrament of marriage at a special wedding Mass celebrated by Capuchin Franciscan Father Robert Williams, parochial vicar. The celebrations were held on Valentine’s Day weekend.

Of the 45 couples celebrating their anniversaries, two couples (left) were blessed to celebrate their 65th anniversaries, and other couples ranged from 60 years together to 25 years together.

The total years married of all the couples was 2,055 years.

— Lois Kaupa

in a basket. However, every person of every nationality is invited to use their imagination and include their own national foods. Children can even bring their own baskets with their own treats, including chocolate and Easter candy.

Contact Deacon James Witulski with any questions at 704-960-3704.

Arden seminarian installed as acolyte in Rome CHARLOTTE — Peter Ascik (center), a seminarian for the Diocese of Charlotte, was recently installed as an acolyte during Mass March 1 in Rome.

Ascik is at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he is in his second year

Youth ministry enacts Living Stations of the Cross MOORESVILLE — Members of the youth ministry group at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Mooresville performed the Living Stations of the Cross March 15 for parishioners.

— Lisa Cash and Chris Scuron

Easter basket blessing planned at STA CHARLOTTE — At noon on Holy Saturday, April 4, everyone is invited to bring their Easter food baskets for a special Easter blessing at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, located at 1400 Suther Road in Charlotte. This Eastern and Central European tradition is also called “The Blessing of the Easter Baskets” (or “Swieconka” in the Polish language) and is becoming increasingly popular among all Catholics. Led

by Deacon James Witulski, the blessing will last about 30 minutes, and the prayers will be said in both English and Polish.

The traditional foods, such as sausage, eggs, bread, and butter in the shape of a lamb are brought to the church, neatly arranged

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Cycling4LIFE will go from Beech to Beach for KAMPN fundraiser April 4-16 DEEP GAP — Organizers of the Cycling4Life fundraiser for KAMPN have announced a 500mile benefit bike ride from Beech Mountain to Hatteras Beach on the coast of North Carolina April 4-16. Proceeds from the ride will be the first major fundraiser for the LIFE Village, a new initiative from the organizers of KAMPN, Kids with Autism Making Progress in Nature, which is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) entity.

LIFE (Live Innovations For Exceptional) Village is a village being developed to provide housing for adults with autism and other related disorders. LIFE will be a sustainable village where people from the surrounding community, nearby colleges and universities will be able to volunteer and help with giving exceptional persons life with a purpose.

April is National Autism Awareness Month, which is perfect timing for this inaugural fundraiser.

Dr. Jim Taylor, KAMPN president, and Brad Hardee, a retired pilot, are two of the people who are organizing the ride. Taylor ascribes the idea for the LIFE Village to Candace Lang, whose daughter Erin has autism and attended KAMPN’s Camp Cogger at St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church in Boone last summer.

“She came to visit us at the camp to discuss her dream of developing a village,” Taylor recalls. “The seed was germinated and our vision for LIFE Village began. She is kind of like ‘the wind beneath my sails,’ as it goes. She and her family will be moving over to the Boone area to team up with me to see this come to fruition.”

The goal for the Cycling4LIFE fundraiser is $10,000. All donations are tax deductible. To donate or get more information, go to www.

KAMPN4autism.appstate.edu.

— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter

CRS representative visits diocese CHARLOTTE — Thomas Awiapo, Catholic Relief Services’ senior program officer for Ghana, recently spoke at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro and at Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte.

In Greensboro, Awiapo’s presentation before more than 200 people was part of a Hunger Awareness Meal sponsored by the parish’s faith formation program coordinator Jeannine Martin with help from Catholic Charities.

At Holy Trinity Middle, he spoke to an allschool assembly of more than 900 students and faculty to launch their CRS Lenten Rice Bowl campaign. The program was arranged

by Diane Buckley, Holy Trinity’s director of sacramental programs, in partnership with Catholic Charities and CRS. The CRS Rice Bowl program connects prayer, fasting, almsgiving and education during Lent about global poverty and hunger.

Orphaned before he was 10, Awiapo was left on his own to struggle for survival in Ghana. He was the second of four brothers, two of whom died of malnutrition. He began going to a CRSsupported school in his village which offered lunch and snacks – “I hated school at first,” Awiapo said, “but I loved the food!” Thanks to both the education and nutritional support CRS offered, he rose out of dire poverty, eventually attending the University of Ghana and graduate school in California.

Without the help from CRS provided through Rice Bowl, Awiapo said, he would have died. “For me,” he said, “CRS Rice Bowl means life.” He now runs programs in Ghana just like the one he credits for saving his life.

— Joseph Purello

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

Hearts on Fire conference held in Charlotte CHARLOTTE — Father Robert J. Hater, author of more than 25 books and 50 articles on catechesis and evangelization, conducted workshops during the Hearts on Fire Conference held March 14 at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte.

Father Hater, priest of the Diocese of Cincinnati, has studied, researched and lectured on Catholic evangelization for four decades, and he particularly emphasizes that the new evangelization needs to be a pervasive attitude rather than a new program.

He is a professor emeritus at the University of Dayton and a professor of pastoral and systematic theology at the Athenaeum of Ohio in Cincinnati.

Father Fidel Melo, diocesan vicar of Hispanic Ministry, and Father Jose Juya also presented sessions in Spanish.

Approximately 100 participants came from at least a dozen Charlotte-area parishes.

— Dr. Cris Villapando

Adult faith formation lecture draws 40 educators HICKORY — Dr. Marylin Kravataz-Toolan, executive director of the Online Graduate Program in Religious Education at Felician College in Lodi, N.J., conducted an Education Vicariate In-Service session March 12 at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory. She lectured on the subject “Best Practices in Adult Faith Formation.” About 40 education leaders, including two priests, attended the day-long training, which is part of a series of workshops organized each year by the Education Vicariate for diocesan and parish educators and ministry leaders.

— Dr. Cris Villapando

Emergency responders honored by Knights GREENSBORO — Piedmont Council 939 of the Knights of Columbus presented the 2014 Emergency Responders Awards at a dinner held at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Feb. 28. These awards are given to a deserving officer selected by the Greensboro Police Department, Greensboro Fire Department, Guilford County Emergency Medical Services, and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department. Award winners (pictured with their presenters) are: n Greensboro Police Department: Officer I.D. Anderson n Greensboro Fire Department: Senior

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Firefighter Patrick R. Spain n Guilford County Sheriff’s Department: DSO Officer Christopher Pearman n Guilford County Emergency Medical Services: Field Training Officer Dusty Darnell The Knights are proud to have been sponsoring this event since 1973.

SPX Knights’ LAMB drive supports ‘Horsepower’ GREENSBORO — Thanks to the support of St. Pius X parishioners and the Greensboro community to LAMB (Least Among My Brethren) fund raising, a check for $1025 was presented to “Horsepower,” whose mission is to enhance the condition of people with disabilities by empowering them through therapy, education and recreation. The gift will sponsor four disabled persons for six weeks of therapy. Pictured are Jan Clifford, executive director of Horsepower, with Knight Pat Grogan (left) and (right) Dan Allen, director of LAMB for St. Pius X Knights Council 11101, and his daughter Emma.

— John Russell

Photo provided by John Kenny

M.O.P. brother takes final vows MONROE — Brother Peter Muli made his perpetual (final) profession of vows with the Missionaries of the Poor on March 14 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe, during Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter J. Jugis. Brother Peter is pictured professing his final vows before Brother Augusto Silot, superior general of the order. Pictured kneeling behind them is Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, which is located near the Missionaries of the Poor’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery. The Missionaries of the Poor are known as a community of men – religious brothers and priests – who live in community, share all things in common, follow a common spirituality and charism with a ministry of service to the least in society. They are known for serving the poorest of the poor, especially the destitute homeless, around the world. The community of more than 550 men religious in 13 countries is based in Kingston, Jamaica, and the Monroe monastery is its only location in the U.S.

Knights purchase coats for needy Charlotte-area children CHARLOTTE — Four Knights of Columbus councils recently teamed up to provide 168 coats to worthy children. Through the Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids program, Councils 12654 of St. Mark Parish, 10505 of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 11102 of Our Lady of Assumption Parish, and 770 serving St. Patrick, St. Ann, St. Peter, St. Gabriel and Our Lady of Consolation parishes, purchased the new coats directly from the manufacturer at a fraction of the retail cost.

Ninety-six coats were distributed to Shamrock Elementary School in December.

Financial Secretary Bill Sparger said, “To be able to put the principles of the Knights of Columbus into action with Coats for Kids is very humbling and spiritually uplifting. It makes me realize that there are many of us who have very little and that we as Knights are called to minister to those in need in many different forms. Coats for Kids is one way in which we as Knights can minister to the needy.”

In January, 72 coats were distributed to Tuckaseegee Elementary School. Grand Knight Tim Tucker noted, “Those kids weren’t very talkative, but those smiles told the story.”

Lisa Carter, the school coordinator for Shamrock Elementary, extended her appreciation for sponsoring the students. She said their faces were priceless as they walked into school the next day.

— Jason Murphy

Rico De Silva | Catholic News Herald

College students help build Habitat House in Huntersville HUNTERSVILLE — Fifteen students from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., helped out at the Our Towns Habitat for Humanity construction site in Huntersville during their school’s Spring Break, the week of March 9-13. The students drove down to Statesville, where they stayed with host families and commuted to the site early in the morning to begin work at 8:30 a.m. “What brings us out here is a strong desire to serve. All of us have a strong commitment to social justice and being able to help those that really need it,” Catholic University student Bobby Sylvester said. Students from Charlotte Catholic High School also participated in the building project over the following week.

At www.youtube.com/DioceseOfCharlotte: Check out a video interview with the Catholic University students at the Habitat construction site

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 OUR PARISHES

Reveling in St. Patrick’s Day St. Patrick’s Day parade a hit despite rain Photos by Mike FitzGerald, Catholic News Herald CHARLOTTE — Hundreds braved the rain and chilly weather to attend the annual Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day Parade in uptown Charlotte March 14.

Members of the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Assembly continued its tradition of leading the parade and were joined by the Ancient Order of Hibernians and several area Catholic schools to

honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Prior to the parade, Jesuit Father Patrick Earl, pastor of St. Peter Church, offered Mass for the Hibernians.

See more photos online at www.catholicnewsherald.com.

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

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Mike FitzGerald | Catholic News Herald

Hibernians gather at Old St. Joseph’s Church for Mass March 17 Mike FitzGerald | Catholic News Herald

St. Patrick’s Day dinner benefits Catholic education HUNTERSVILLE — The St. Brendan Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians hosted its annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner March 7 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. More than 150 people attended the traditional Irish dinner featuring corned beef, cabbage and boiled potatoes. The attendees were entertained by Irish dancers and local performer Brian Tiernan, who performed many Irish and contemporary songs. The audience was also treated to a surprise performance from their own priests, Father John Putnam, pastor, and Father Paul McNulty, parochial vicar, who performed several Irish songs including “Our Lady of Knock.” The Hibernians are an Irish Catholic fraternal order, and proceeds from the dinner went to support local Catholic education.

MOUNT HOLLY — Local members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians held their annual St. Patrick’s Day Mass at Old St. Joseph’s Church near Mount Holly March 17. More than 50 people attended Mass in this historic church built by Irish immigrants in 1843. Father Paul McNulty, parochial vicar at St. Mark Church in Huntersville and chaplain to the St. Brendan Division of Hibernians at the parish, offered Mass to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland on his feast day. Prior to the Mass, Father McNulty and Deacon Robert Murphy of St. Mark Church were joined with Father John Hoover of New Creation Monastery in Mount Holly in blessing the grave of Father T.J. Cronin, the first pastor to the Irish community here and founding priest of the parish which was constructed shortly after his death. St. Joseph Church is the oldest standing Catholic church in North Carolina.

CCDOC.ORG

CCDOC.ORG

Licensed Professional Counselor Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is seeking a part-time Licensed Professional Counselor to provide outpatient professional services to adults, couples and adolescents in the Charlotte Regional Office.

Interested applicants must possess a Masters Degree in Behavioral Science with licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor or Masters Degree in Social Work with licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of North Carolina. A strong clinical skill, the ability to work independently and manage a diverse case load is a must. Position requires fluency in spoken and written English, strong writing skills and intermediate computer and technology skills. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. The position requires 20 hours per week including evening hours.

Cover letter and resume must be submitted electronically

Refugee Employment Each year nearly 400 new refugees are resettled in the Charlotte area.

A dedicated team of professionals at Catholic Charities works closely with these refugees to prepare them for the local workforce. If you are a small business owner or hiring manager we would like to invite you to learn about potential employment opportunities. With a strong work ethic and determination to succeed, refugees can help your business grow.

Serve your community by hiring reliable and hardworking refugees. Visit ccdoc.org for more information about refugee employment or call 704.370.3283.

to: sbluc@charlottediocese.org by April 30, 2015.

No telephone calls, please.

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facebook.com/ catholic news HERALD ESPAÑOL

catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 16

Cesar Hurtado

Enamorado del amor

P

ara quienes ya superamos la base cuatro, es decir estamos o hemos pasado los cuarenta años, recordar los tiempos pasados resulta –en la mayoría de los casos- muy grato.

Especialmente la etapa del enamoramiento. Del primer amor, los besos a escondidas, la sensación especial de mariposas en el estómago y las ganas de nunca despedirse de la persona amada.

Imagino que estas reminiscencias deben ser muy especiales para quienes se casaron con su primer amor.

Los más jóvenes probablemente no podrán entender que en aquellas épocas no había teléfono celular, ni ipads, ipods o tabletas.

Cuando tu chica te decía que te llamaría el viernes a las 7 de la noche, esperabas al lado de la mesita del teléfono, sentado a veces por horas, cuidando que nadie usara el aparato y ocupara la línea.

Normalmente era el sábado el día en que ibas a su casa a visitarla. Te peinabas bien, ponías perfume o loción, tu mejor traje, los zapatos bien lustrados y salías de casa con toda la anticipación del mundo. Nada ni nadie te podía detener en tu objetivo de llegar a su casa a tiempo porque estabas ansioso y deseabas ver a tu amada lo antes posible.

Cuatro calles antes de llegar a su casa comenzaban las palpitaciones, el sudor en las manos, y se te dibujaba una sonrisa de oreja a oreja. Ya estabas cerca, pronto verías al amor de tu vida. ¿Te acuerdas cuando abría la puerta y te invitaba a pasar? Veían televisión, jugaban algo, conversaban mucho, cuando nadie veía se daban un besito furtivo y, después de unas horas, llegaba el tiempo de la despedida. La salida de la casa podía ser breve pero, ¿cuánto tiempo te quedabas en su puerta tratando de estirar el último instante hasta lo imposible?

Un tiempo después, que podían ser días, meses o años, el interés bajaba. Ya, si tenías que hacer algo no esperabas la llamada. “Que deje el mensaje”, te decías a ti mismo. Y si había un partido de fútbol, había que verlo con los amigos. “Ella tiene que entender que hay un tiempo para cada cosa”, explicabas. Finalmente, cuando llegabas de visita, no veías la hora de despedirte para terminar con ese trámite. Y ni siquiera esperabas la merienda que te preparaba, sino que mirando tu reloj y diciendo “tengo que hacer’, te escapabas sin siquiera agradecer el cariño de aquella muchacha que no sabía que había hecho para perder tu amor de esa manera.

Lo mismo, exactamente lo mismo, querido hermano, sucede cuando vas a la Misa solo por cumplir.

Llegas tarde y molesto porque justo ese domingo jugaban las Panteras y querías ver el partido. Cuando el padre extiende un poco la homilía ves cada minuto tu reloj y reniegas contra ‘este cura parlanchín’.

No comulgas ni permites que tu familia lo haga, o si lo haces no pones atención a lo maravilloso del sacramento que recibes, escapándote del templo sin recibir la bendición final. ¿Qué pasó con tu amor, con tus promesas, con tus ruegos y plegarias que fueron atendidas? ¿Te olvidaste de tu Dios? ¿Ya no es más necesario en tu vida?

Piénsalo hermano, tal vez necesitas enamorarte nuevamente de El Amor. De ese Amor inmenso y maravilloso que todo perdona, que todo entrega, que nunca se aparta de tu lado, que solo espera que vuelvas la mirada, lo reconozcas y lo abraces.

Ese Amor abrió sus brazos en la Cruz esperando que llegues a Él, perdonándote sin que lo pidieras. El único problemita es que en esta relación de dos falta una persona: Tú.

Ahora, que se acerca la fecha en que recordamos el sacrificio de Dios hecho hombre, aprovecha la oportunidad de acercarte a Jesús.

No temas, no te va castigar ni regañar.

Ese día habrá una fiesta en el Cielo, pues uno de sus hijos, el que se había marchado, ha regresado a casa.

Cesar Hurtado, productor audiovisual graduado en la Universidad de Lima, es miembro de la Iglesia San Gabriel en Charlotte y periodista para HOLA Noticias en Charlotte.

Parroquia de Nuestra Sra. de Guadalupe se prepara para la Semana Santa y Domingo de Pascua Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

CHARLOTTE — La parroquia hispana más grande de la Ciudad de Charlotte y sus alrededores, la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, está lista para las celebraciones del Domingo de Ramos, Semana Santa y Domingo de Pascua. A continuación el horario de Misas y eventos: DOMINGO DE RAMOS: horarios regulares de Misa.

8 a.m., 10 a.m., mediodía, 2 p.m., 5 p.m.

JUEVES SANTO: Misas 5 p.m. 7 p.m.

Foto proporcionada por Carlos Cruz Adoración Eucarística: 8 Miembros de diferentes parroquias en la Diócesis de Charlotte hicieron dramáticos Via Crucis en p.m. Hasta la media noche vivo durante el Viernes Santo del año pasado. En la foto de arriba, un Vía Crucis en vivo en las VIERNES SANTO: calles de Monroe, alrededor de la Iglesia de Nuestra Sra. de Lourdes, el Viernes Santo pasado.

Vía Crucis en vivo: mediodía, 3 p.m. a.m.-7 p.m.

Adoración de la Cruz: 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

Por favor chequeen la página web del Catholic SÁBADO SANTO: News Herald en español para mayor información de Vigilia Pascual: 8 p.m. eventos litúrgicos en otras partes de la Diócesis de DOMINGO DE PASCUA: horarios regulares de Charlotte.

Misa, 8 a.m., 10 a.m., mediodía, 2 p.m., 5 p.m.

Festival de Pascua todo el día (Kermés) desde 9

Juez en Texas bloquea proceso de ayuda migratoria DACA y DAPA indefinidamente Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

CHARLOTTE — El 16 de Febrero del 2015, el Juez Andrew Hanen del estado de Texas, declaró una orden judicial en contra del mandato ejecutivo migratorio que el Presidente Barack Obama implementó en Noviembre del 2014. El Presidente Obama expandió la ayuda humanitaria llamada DACA, (que ayuda a los niños menores de edad no nacidos aquí en los Estados Unidos a permanecer en estatus legal temporario), y también creó un programa llamado DAPA, que es una ayuda temporal para los padres de niños nacidos en los Estados Unidos. Debido a la decisión del juez tejano, el departamento de Inmigración de los Estados Unidos, (ICIS), ha declarado un alto indefinido a los dos programas mencionados, y no están aceptando ningún tipo de peticiones de esas dos categorías.

“Es importante aclarar que las personas que necesitan renovar su programa DACA este año si lo pueden hacer. La decisión del juez solo afecta al nuevo programa expandido de DACA, que iba a ser implementado el 18 de Febrero pasado, y a el programa DAPA para los padres y madres que iba a ser implementado en Mayo de este año,” dijo

Marina Gundorin, Coordinadora del Programa de Inmigración de Catholic Charities en la Diócesis de Charlotte.

Aunque la demora de implementación es indefinida, al presente, la abogada de inmigración de la ciudad de Charlotte, Tanya Powers, recomienda a todas las personas que tienen la posibilidad de calificar para el nuevo DACA que ha sido expandido o el DAPA empiecen a prepararse para aplicar, “Deben empezar a recopilar todos los documentos necesarios y buscar el consejo de un buen abogado para tener así un mejor chance de conseguir la ayuda, y evitar posibles problemas con su aplicación,” dijo Powers.

“Muy importante que las personas también tengan cuidado con los llamados ‘notarios’, los quienes ofrecen consejería legal sin tener una licencia, algo que es no es ético y fraudulento,” agrego la abogada Powers.

Gundorin también agregó que las personas interesadas deben mantenerse informadas y al tanto cuando se llegue a una decisión al respecto.

“Los abogados de inmigración estamos confiados de que el gobierno federal al final prevalecerá y el programa DAPA y el DACA expandido serán implementados completamente,” concluyó Powers.

Retirement

March 27, 2015

catholicnewsherald.com charlottediocese.org

S U P P L E M E N T to T H E C A T H O L I C N E W S H E R A L D

Taking the next step INSIDE: Aging prompts need to exercise mind, body and spirit,

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Getting ready for retirement takes financial, spiritual preparation,

2 Seniors find community life has perks and blessings, 6 Opportunities for giving in the Diocese of Charlotte,

Traveling to other countries gives retirees new perspective, Scam alert: Don’t let this happen to you,

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 RETIREMENT GUIDE

Diocesan foundation celebrates 20 years Assets now total more than $31M SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — Generosity is a trademark of the people of the Diocese of Charlotte and can be seen tangibly in the way the Foundation for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte has grown over the past 20 years.

The foundation was established to provide a way for people and organizations to fund various endowments, providing long-term financial stability for the diocese and its parishes, schools, ministries and agencies. Through these endowments, which now number 224 and total $31 million, the foundation provides a means to generate income to help sustain the long-term strength and viability of Catholic institutions in western North Carolina.

Endowments are permanent funds, the principal of which is never touched, but For more information the income from which can be used in about establishing an accordance with the wishes of the donor endowment to benefit the organization or individual. The assets Church in western North of the foundation grow through sound Carolina, contact Judy investment policies and from additional Smith, diocesan director gifts. of planned giving, at Immaculate Conception Church in 704-370-3320 or jmsmith@ Forest City is the beneficiary of one such charlottediocese.org. endowment. It was set up by Crosswell and Ethel Regan, who converted to Catholicism in their mid-60s and became active in the parish. They passed away within months of each other in 1997. After their deaths, they willed all their possessions to the Church. In all, they left $400,000, which was put into an endowment for the parish.

Since that time, the parish has received more than $522,000 in income from the endowment, while the principal in the endowment itself has grown to more than $589,000. The endowment will continue to provide income every quarter in perpetuity.

Over the past 20 years, more than $6.1 million has been distributed by the foundation from the endowments it administers.

“When the foundation was established 20 years ago, the goal was to provide endowments to help ensure the long-term future of the parishes, schools, agencies and organizations in the diocese,” said Judy Smith, diocesan director of gift planning. “It is very gratifying now to have 224 endowment funds in the foundation – thanks to the generosity of these many forward-focused donors.”

Those who make a planned gift to the diocese or any of its parishes, schools, ministries or agencies become members of the Catholic Heritage Society.

The Catholic Heritage Society was established in 1994 to recognize all those who have indicated their intention to include gifts through their wills and estate plans to a parish, Catholic school, the Diocese of Charlotte, the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation, or other Catholic organization in the diocese.

There are currently more than 900 members of the Catholic Heritage Society in the diocese, many of whom are leaving gifts to the foundation in their wills.

Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development, said he is grateful for the generosity of the people of the diocese over the past 20 years.

“More and more people in the diocese are setting up endowments in their estate plans to leave a legacy to what is important to them during their lifetimes – their Catholic faith. Many of those people are setting up named endowments to remember special loved ones,” Kelley said.

“What a wonderful way to make an impact on the future of our diocese and its parishes, schools, agencies and ministries. The good they do will go on in perpetuity. For that, we are grateful.”

“Bequest gifts have also played a large part in the foundation’s growth,” Smith added.

“We know that legacy gifts come in many forms and amounts. Most of them are from donors who have ordinary means and resources.

However, they provide very substantial, even essential, support and help ensure the future of our Catholic faith,” she said.

Learn more

DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE

Opportunities for giving Everything we have, everything we are, and everything we will become is a gift from Almighty God. As stewards of those gifts, we are called to return a portion of our time, talent and treasure in gratitude for God’s great bounty. The Diocese of Charlotte – with its parishes, offices, agencies, schools and outreach ministries – has many ways for you to give back in gratitude for what God has blessed you with:

Donate online Secure donations can be made online via credit card or direct debit at www.charlottediocese.org/donations for: Campus Ministry Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA) Eucharistic Congress Forward in Faith, Hope & Love (FFHL) MACS Education Foundation Seminarian Education Triad Area Catholic Schools Education Foundation

Donate by mail Donations in any amount may be made via mail directly to the Diocese of Charlotte, or to any of the ministries mentioned above. Checks should be made payable to the particular program (as mentioned above), except for Campus Ministry and Seminarian Education, both of which should be made payable to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Please designate in the memo section of your check where your gift should be directed. Please send donations to: Diocese of Charlotte Attn: Finance Office 1123 South Church St. Charlotte, NC 28203-4003

Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds) Gifts of stock may be made via electronic transfer or by physical certificate. The Diocese of Charlotte maintains a brokerage account with Wells Fargo Advisors for the

purpose of processing electronic transfers to the Diocese for the benefit of the diocese or any of its parishes, schools or agencies. Refer to the Stock Donations section at www.charlottediocese.org/donations for detail guidance on initiating a transfer of stock.

Planned giving and endowments Many people choose to contribute to the future of the Church in western North Carolina through planned gifts, including real estate, retirement account plans, life insurance policies, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and gifts made through a will or living trust.

The Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte provides a way for people and organizations to provide longterm financial stability for the diocese and its parishes, schools, ministries and agencies. Through these endowments, the foundation provides a means to generate income to help sustain the long-term strength and viability of Catholic institutions in western North Carolina. (See related story at left.)

Making a gift in your will To leave a bequest to the Church in your will, use the following language: n For a parish, Catholic school or Catholic agency, the listing should be: “Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, or his Successors in Office for the (name and city of parish, school or agency).” n For the diocese, the listing should be: “Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, or his Successors in Office.” n For the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation, the listing should be: “Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte to be (added to or establish the (name) endowment fund.”

For details about any of these opportunities, contact Judy Smith, diocesan director of planned giving, at 704370-3320 or jmsmith@charlottediocese.org.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Donate online

Food donations

To donate to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, go online to www.ccdoc.org/donate.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s food pantries in Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Asheville rely heavily on donated food and non-food items for weekly distribution to clients. Items regularly requested by clients are: canned fruit, juice, tea and coffee, rice, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, and tuna. Non-food items, such as toiletries, diapers, laundry detergent and paper products are also needed. For food pantry locations and drop-off times, go online to www.ccdoc.org/donate/donategrocery-items.

Donate by mail Donations in any amount may be made via mail directly to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. Checks should be made payable to Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte.

Please include your address, daytime telephone number, and parish, as well as the name of your employer if it matches gifts. Please send donations to: Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte Attn: Administration 1123 South Church St. Charlotte, NC 28203-4003

Vehicle donations Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte also has opportunities for you to donate your car, truck, RV, boat, motorcycle, or other vehicle. For details, go online to www.ccdoc.org/donate/donate-cars-vehicles, or call (tollfree) 855-930-GIVE or 855-930-4483 to speak with Catholic Charities’ partner, Charitable Auto Resources.

Furniture and household item donations (Charlotte area only) Refugees often arrive in this country with few material possessions. Their initial needs are many. Catholic Charities depends on donations of gently used furniture and household items to prepare a comfortable, welcoming home for newly arriving refugee families in the Charlotte area. Donated items must be clean and in good repair.

Call 704-370-3283 or email skbuck@charlottediocese.org with any questions or to arrange a pick-up.

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com RETIREMENT

GUIDEI

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Getting ready for retirement takes financial, spiritual preparation Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The seemingly carefree days of retirement with no set schedules, commutes or bosses do not just magically arrive at one’s doorstep upon reaching a certain age.

The new routine with its perks – no demands, no early risings – and downfalls – no paychecks and built-in social networks – requires a fair amount of advance preparation to determine one’s financial needs and roughly plan how one will use all the newfound extra time.

It also takes some thought about how one will prepare mentally and spiritually for this transition.

Fortunately there is no shortage of advice out there for anyone planning to retire – whether it be decades from now or is even right around the corner. Books, online sites and even phone apps offer tips on how to get ready for, and embrace, this new stage of life.

Most retirement advice starts with the jumping-off point of how to financially prepare for life after work without receiving one’s usual paycheck. There are a range of tools and calculators available to determine monthly and yearly costs of retirement and how to best prepare for this.

The U.S. Department of Labor offers multiple resources about best ways to save and plan for the future. Its website – www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/savingsfitness.html – gives advice for those newly saving, longtime savers, women and the self-employed or those contributing to an employer-based retirement plan.

Above all, this site stresses, and repeats, that people have to save for their retirement and if they haven’t done so already they should start immediately.

The online material from the Labor Department points out that average Americans spend 20 years in retirement and yet “fewer than half of Americans have calculated how much they need to save for retirement” and in 2012, 30 percent of private industry workers with access to a defined contribution plan did not participate in it.

It adds that experts estimate that people need at least 70 percent of their pre-retirement income and lower earners need 90 percent or more to maintain a similar standard of living when they retire.

The site advises people to contribute to employers’ retirement saving plans, find about pension plans, do some basic investing and never touch retirement savings. It also urges people to put money into an individual retirement account and to look into Social Security benefits.

Catholic Financial Life, an organization based in Milwaukee, which provides life insurance, annuities and financial advice, through its local chapters across the country, similarly advises retirement planners not to delay saving for retirement either through an employee-based program or an individual tax-deferred savings account.

But just having funds for retirement is not the only consideration. Those in the know say it’s also important to mentally prepare for life without a preset daily routine.

Above all, retirees should be careful not to fall into the trap of watching too much television, warns Bob Lowry, who retired in 2001 from radio work and writes about retired life in his blog “Satisfying Retirement.” Lowry gives advice on simplifying life, places to go, things to do and how to keep up with mortgage payments.

Richard Johnson, a Catholic psychological clinician and counselor who has been writing and teaching about retirement for more than 30 years, also stressed the importance of limiting TV use to fill time.

He said research shows that retirees spend twice as much time watching television as do working people – about four hours a day.

Part of this stems from a lack of preparation for this life transition, he said, noting that Catholic parishes in particular should be helping older members adjust to life after work in the same way they focus on youths and young families.

He noted that about 4,000 Catholics retire every day in the United States and that the group is in desperate need of adult faith formation since for so many years they have

identified themselves with their working roles and often find it hard to describe, or even figure out, their new roles.

“We in the church need to see retirement, and aging in general, not as a joke,” he told Catholic News Service, noting that when people joke about something it usually means they are afraid of it.

Johnson, who has devoted much of his life to helping people adjust to retirement said this state of life is a “phenomenal opportunity” for the church to address which could have ripple effects.

For example, given the right tools and perspective, he said retired Catholics could be having different conversations with their adult children and grandchildren about the faith instead of just bemoaning that younger family members no longer go to church.

As he sees it, retirees have a unique opportunity to “let go and surrender,” which is a very spiritual process.

Scam alert: Don’t let this happen to you Winston Pierre Catholic News Service

Learn more and get help At www.consumeraffairs.com/resources: Find out more about national scams, product recalls, class-action lawsuits, identity theft and much more At www.ncdoj.gov: Learn about the latest scams, safety alerts, consumer tips, and how to get help if you’re a victim in North Carolina

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Scams targeting the elderly are not only prevalent but they often go unreported.

These scams are devastating to the victims and can often leave them more vulnerable and with little time to recoup their losses.

In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission estimated that some 25.6 million adults were victims of financial scams and some have been victims more than once. Nearly 50 percent of those who said they had been scammed were older than 50 and reported $1.6 billion in losses, with a median payment of $400 per complaint.

And the number of those scammed is likely higher since many victims do not report it or talk about it for fear of being ridiculed, or being judged as not being smart.

“The scammers target everybody, but they’re more likely to get older people to respond because they answer the phone and they are not used to being tricked,” said Abigail Kuzma, director of consumer protection for the Indiana Attorney General’s office.

Ken Stewart, a trained volunteer, who does community outreach in Chicago on how to avoid being scammed, said there are three key ways to escape this crime.

“Protect. Detect. Report,” Stewart stressed in an interview with the Catholic News Service. “Never give your personal information, Medicare and Medicaid numbers to people you do not know.”

He also stressed that law enforcement officials say they will never call people to make such kind of requests.

He also advises people not to carry their wallets or identification cards such as Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid unless they are going to the hospital, pointing out that once someone’s wallet is stolen their “information is compromised.”

Stewart, who volunteers with the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Senior Services, said scammers most often use the telephone to get in touch with consumers, accounting for 40 percent

of all contacts, and email is used next, at 33 percent, according to a 2013 study.

“Older people are targeted for a variety of scams because it’s a low-risk crime that is often not reported,” said Don Blandin, chief executive of the Investor Protection Trust, an investor education organization based in Washington. “It’s a great embarrassment, especially when people feel some cognitive loss and they don’t want to be seen as vulnerable.”

Scammers tend to appeal to elders’ sense of civic duties or to appeal to their emotions to trick them.

In some cases, the scammers offer elder financial or medical advantage; sometimes they threaten them with fines or bad news regarding their loves one.

Another fraud – where people pose as law enforcement, government employees or relatives – also has been escalating and ranks as the fourth most common fraud across the country.

“Detect is the second important word that we talk about in our outreach,” said Stewart. “We encourage everyone to always read their Medicare and Medicaid summary notice, which people receive every three months.” “It is a way to be aware of everything,” he added. “If there is a service you do not remember receiving, call your healthcare provider immediately.”

He said this habit will save people from fraudulent charges, which could prevent someone from receiving health care services when they need it.

For example, Stewart said an equipment company charged Medicare for a wheelchair on behalf of someone in Illinois who never received such equipment.

Later, when the person was really in need of a wheelchair, Medicare refused to pay for it because they said that they already paid for one.

Stewart said that problem was solved, but it took some time to get to the bottom of it.

“You do not want to be in a situation like this,” he concluded.

“Reporting is very important” said Stewart,” This is the third component in our outreach. “We encourage consumers to do so,” he said.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 RETIREMENT GUIDE

Senior mentors share knowledge, faith and build friendships Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As a whole, older Americans have the time to volunteer and want to do it, particularly if it involves sharing their wisdom by mentoring.

What holds them back, according to an AARP study, is that they are often not asked to help.

According to the organization’s 2008 study on giving, most Americans aged 4479 reported doing some type of volunteer work in the previous year and 41 percent, representing 45 million people, said they were likely to increase the time they spent volunteering during the next five years.

They said they tend to get involved out of a desire to help people in need. Their service is primarily through faith-based or religious groups and most often involves mentoring or tutoring young people or helping the elderly live independently.

Of this same group, 68 percent of nonvolunteers said they had not been asked to help which supports previous research showing that when people are asked to help more than eight in 10 Americans will do so.

Sister Sharon Stecker, a School Sister of Notre Dame, who directs a tutoring program in Milwaukee called Rising Stars, said half of the group’s volunteers are retirees who hear about the program through church bulletin announcements, posts at local senior centers and word of mouth.

“I find they really enjoy doing it and feel they are doing something to help,” she told Catholic News Service. “It’s a special outlet for them and often they say they get as much or more out of it as the children do.”

The program’s volunteers, who range in age from 18-80, help students who are falling behind in school.

Sister Stecker, a former teacher in Catholic schools and religious and adult education programs, not only coordinates Rising Stars but also tutors some of the middle school students through it. At 67, she also falls into the retiree age group, but since she devotes 25-30 hours a week to the program, she is hardly retired. She also is hardly near retirement age in this business, since the program’s former director retired last year at age 80.

The sister views the tutoring program

CCDOC.ORG

Celebrate Spring

Join us for the 29th Annual Spring Fling Catholic Charities invites senior adults from across the diocese to join us for fun and fellowship at the 29th Annual Spring Fling days in Charlotte. Come reconnect with friends, while meeting new ones, in a daylong experience where you can learn about health information that could transform your life. Build upon your faith, while enjoying exciting activities and performances, creating wonderful memories and friendships.

Thursday, April 30 - St. Matthew Catholic Church 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28277 Tuesday, May 19 - St. Matthew Catholic Church 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28277 Visit ccdoc.org for a complete schedule of events and registration forms.

For more information contact Sandra Breakfield at: 704.370.3220 or email sabreakfield@charlottediocese.org.

as a ministry that continues the education mission of her order and is pleased that the volunteers can have “a nice rapport with the children,” especially those who might not have a good self-image.

“When a 5- or 6-year-old says, ‘I’m dumb,’ it can be hard for them to move on. We help them feel good about themselves,” she added.

Senior mentors are not always called on to teach basic school subjects; they also might be called on to teach about church tradition and beliefs.

At Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Michigan, for example, Darlene and Ed Rinke, a retired couple, said it was only natural for them to want to help others entering the church.

In 2014, the couple helped instruct more than 50 people in the parish’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program.

Ed Rinke said their group involves both catechumens – who are not baptized – as well as candidates and Catholic candidates, who are baptized but may not have been raised in the Church or received first Eucharist or confirmation.

From guiding the RCIA participants in learning about the seven sacraments, to understanding who Jesus is, to helping them develop a relationship with Jesus, the Rinkes say they have grown to appreciate Catholicism more.

“Just hearing everyone’s stories,” said Darlene Rinke. “When you see how they’re struggling and desiring this, and when you see them meet Jesus, it makes your faith grow stronger.”

Her husband agreed: “Their stories of how they came into wanting to know more about the Catholic faith has always been a pleasant surprise.”

He also said it piques the couple’s

interest in the Catholic faith “because sometimes there are questions posed to us that we may not have the answers to.”

“It really is a faith-stimulating activity,” he added.

Patti and Phil Michaelson, also senior parishioners helping in the parish RCIA program, said they were approached in 2013 about volunteering.

Patti Michaelson said helping with the course was a significant time commitment, but worth it.

She and her husband both felt their service spurred on their own faith.

“You can’t talk to other people about your faith if you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Phil Michaelson said.

And they both said they have been inspired by Pope Francis.

“This is just the beginning of an incredible walk with our Lord,” said Patti Michaelson.

— Contributing to this report was Elizabeth Wong Barnstead in Detroit

Want to get involved?

There are many ways to donate your time and talent to Catholic Charities across the Diocese of Charlotte, in either its Asheville, Charlotte, Murphy or Winston-Salem office. Each Catholic Charities location has unique needs and opportunities for those interested in volunteering. Learn more about each online at www.ccdoc.org/volunteer.

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15720 John J. Delaney Drive - Suite 300 - Charlotte, North Carolina 28277 (704) 843-1446 swinters@sabrinawinterslaw.com www.ncestateplanninginfo.com

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com RETIREMENT

GUIDEI

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Aging prompts need to exercise mind, body and spirit Sarah Hinds Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As people age they should not only make efforts to be physically and mentally sharp but should consider ways to take stock of their spiritual health.

There has been plenty written about the need to keep the brain and body active and these theories are continually backed up by new studies.

For example, a study published in 2013 and conducted by the Center for Vital Longevity at the University of Texas at Dallas examined the memory and mental capacity of 200 older adults over a period of time. The study showed their mental abilities improved the most when they were assigned a variety of activities or asked to learn a new skill. Those who simply spent time conversing with friends or playing simple board games did not show significant improvement.

So, despite age, one’s mind can stay young and sharp with efforts to keep it active and challenged. A new hobby or skill – like photography, quilting or learning a new card game – is a great way to keep the mind up to speed as time progresses.

Regular exercise also can keep the brain running smoothly with age.

A study conducted in 2011 at the University of Illinois determined that 45 minutes of exercise at least three days a week can actually “increase the volume of the brain” and helped people perform skills better such as planning, scheduling, multitasking and memory.

But Christians know that mental and physical abilities are not the only things that matter.

For many people, spirituality is key to a vital old age. In fact, aging is often referred to as a spiritual journey. A study by the National Council on Aging in 2000 found that 67 percent of seniors felt that having a rich spiritual life contributed meaning to life. The majority of baby boomers in the study also said that, when “thinking about their later years,” having a rich spiritual life will be very important.

Because older adults have more time on their hands to reflect on life’s meaning and

also to focus on the end of life, spirituality is often a natural focus.

But that doesn’t mean it is always given close attention.

Richard Johnson, a Catholic psychological clinician and counselor who has been writing and teaching about retirement for more than 30 years, firmly believes that the second half of life is “about spiritual development.”

He described it as a time when people become more introspective. Catholics, in particular, he said, should be asking: “How is Christ operating in my life right now?

How does my daily routine reflect that?”

Johnson, who lives in St. Louis, told

Catholic News Service that those who fail to take care of their spiritual health experience “lifelessness, mental confusion and irritability.”

He also said parishes need to do a lot more to address the spiritual needs of their seniors in the same way that they reach out to parish youths and ethnic groups.

“Buses, Bingo and brownies do not pass” as ministries for retirees, he said, referring to many of the programs currently in place in parishes, which he added would not appeal to today’s baby boomers.

The late Sister Angelita Fenker, a member of the Sisters for Christian Community who wrote several books on

aging before her death in 2013, emphasized that in today’s culture, “where youth is worshipped and getting older is considered a disease,” Catholics should see that aging serves a “distinct purpose” in a life of faith.

Sister Fenker noted that spiritual health is just as crucial as physical and mental health and suggested that Catholics view aging as a gift to be cherished rather than an inevitable burden.

“As long as we choose to love -- God, self, others, and creation,” Sister Fenker wrote, “we’ll never grow stale and stagnant.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 RETIREMENT GUIDE

Seniors find community life has perks and blessings Julia Willis Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After a person retires, the support and encouragement of family and friends become a crucial part of day-to-day living.

As professional relationships fade and office happenings lose their importance, seniors begin to rely on a network of their closest loved ones to add meaning and joy to their lives. Listening to grandchildren’s accomplishments and laughing with old friends, seniors feel that they still have a purpose after they stop earning a paycheck.

Although interaction with others can help seniors remain engaged and excited about life, studies show that aging baby boomers will have fewer friends and family to take care of them as they move into their 80s. According to a 2013 AARP study, the ratio of potential caregivers to members of this new group of seniors is projected to decline from more than 7-to-1 in 2010 to less than 3-to-1 by 2050.

With fewer caregivers to turn to, many seniors are postponing retirement.

Richard Leider, a vocational psychiatrist and life coach in Minneapolis, explained that many seniors are choosing to work well past their 65th birthday to maintain social connectivity.

“A lot of it has to do with social connection,” he said, noting that seniors don’t want to be “disconnected to the world and work is one of the best places to overcome feelings of isolation.”

“A job gives a person a reason to get up in the morning.

It connects them with other people, provides them with a schedule to follow and allows them to feel like they’re making a difference in the world in some way,” he added.

But working long past retirement age isn’t an option for everyone. Those who don’t have family members to care for them are finding that living in retirement communities not only gives them a sense of security but fills a social void by providing an immediate circle of friends and activities.

Lucille Kristanic, who has lived in one of the assisted living facilities of Cardinal Ritter’s Senior Services in St. Louis for almost two years, said she was initially” so nervous about moving in.”

“I thought it would be terrible being away from my home,” she told Catholic News Service, but after two days, she said she “couldn’t even remember” why she was afraid.

Kristanic, who had been cared for by her

granddaughters after her husband and son died, is grateful for the specialized care and support she now receives.

“Everyone is so good to me here. I love the staff and residents. We all take care of each other and I would not leave here for anything,” she said.

A Catholic Charities federated agency, Cardinal Ritter Senior Services has served the aging population of St. Louis since 1960 and offers personalized care for seniors at all stages in life.

Carmella Swann and her husband moved into Our Lady of Life Apartments, a Cardinal Ritter independent living residence, because they felt they were getting too old to handle all of the responsibilities associated with owning a home.

“Houses require a lot of personal attention that seniors may or may not be able to keep up,” Swann said. “Two weeks before moving here, our kitchen sink developed a leak and it was very difficult for me to get a plumber

to come to the house to tend to it. Living here one year later, I had a problem with one of the bathrooms and the maintenance men came immediately and handled the situation very efficiently.”

She also said the living situation keeps her and her husband independent without the responsibility of a home. “Instead of having to cook large meals and clean up, I can enjoy dinner and conversation in the dining room every night,” she added.

Swann, who loves going to daily Mass and enjoys being an integral part of the Cardinal Ritter community, described herself and the other residents of Our Lady of Life as “blessed.”

“This sense of community definitely contributes purpose and meaning to our lives,” Swann said.

“There is nothing sadder than being alone. I have received as much love and kindness here as I have from lifelong friends. We are one big family.”

2015 Fatima Pilgrimage Fatima, Portugal & Avila, Spain

A Life Celebrated Forever

By naming our parish in our will, we celebrate and recognize how important this place has been to our family. And, as new members of the Catholic Heritage

Society, we invite you to join us with a simple bequest in your will to benefit your parish, school or other Catholic agency.

To receive the free brochure, “A Simple Guide to Gift Planning” contact Judy Smith, Director of Planned Giving at 704-370-3320 or jmsmith@ charlottediocese.org

July 15-28, 2015

Join Fr. John Putnam and Fr. Christopher Roux for a special year of celebrations. The 98th Anniversary of Our Lady’s Appearance at Fatima & The 500th Anniversary of Saint Teresa of Avila an Apostle of Our Lady.

Total cost from Newark - $2,900.00 (Price includes air-fare, meals, accommodations and side trips. Additional taxes may apply)

DEADLINE IS APRIL 16, 2015 For More information, contact:

The Te Deum Foundation, Inc. 336-765-1815 or Carol Stefanec (evenings) 804-346-3049

Our pilgrimages support seminarians and foster vocations.

For more information, visit www.tedeumfoundation.org

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com RETIREMENT

GUIDE I

Seniors plug into new forms of technology Julia Willis Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Although stereotypically labeled as late subscribers to new forms of technology, many older adults have become interested in adapting to an increasingly digital world.

According to a 2014 Pew Research Center report, six in 10 seniors now go online and 47 percent say that they have a high-speed broadband connection at home. In addition, 77 percent of older adults currently have a cellphone.

While many seniors are making technological strides, the study also demonstrates that Internet and cell phone use greatly depend on a person’s current financial status, educational attainment and age.

Some 68 percent of Americans in their early 70s go online regularly, but Internet use falls to 47 percent among 75-79 year olds.

In addition, affluent and well-educated seniors are more likely to use technological tools. Ninety percent of seniors with an annual household income of $75,000 or more go online regularly and 87 percent of seniors with a college degree enjoy surfing the Web. In contrast, only 39 percent of seniors earning less than $30,000 annually go online and 40 percent of seniors who have not attended college use the Internet.

Although older adults face a number of hurdles as they try to adapt to new technologies, Catholic seniors seem particularly interested in keeping up with the tweets of Pope Francis and maintaining contact with distant relatives through texting.

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona maintains independent living senior housing sites that have become home to a very tech-savvy group of older adults. According to site staff, most seniors are now using cellphones and an estimated 40 percent of residents currently use email, Internet and texting.

While some seniors allow technical tools to become an integral part of their daily lives, many choose to avoid the Internet and cellphones because they are fearful they will

not be able to use them on their own. These types of fears fueled Catholic Charities of Hawaii to develop a beginner’s iPad class to help seniors learn how to use the product.

Dianne Lim, program coordinator at Catholic Charities’ Lanakila Senior Center in Honolulu, said the class came about because “some of the more ‘tech savvy’ seniors at the senior center expressed an interest in learning more about what an iPad has to offer and a couple had received one as a gift from their children but did not know how to operate it.”

She said she asked the seniors who already owned an iPad what they were using it for and found out they were mostly using it for games. “I wanted to show them just how powerful a tool they had at their fingertips,” she told Catholic News Service.

Although the class is mainly focused on the iPad, Lim explained that the instructor accepts questions about all forms of technology during monthly meetings and has also helped seniors learn more about smartphones and computers.

“It’s fun to watch their eyes light up when they learn something cool and new they didn’t know they could do before on their devices,” Lim said. “The class truly promotes the dignity of our seniors by expanding the range of what they can do with the technology that is in front of them. The seniors like the fact that they receive easy, stepby-step lessons and leave the class feeling like they have learned a lot.”

One participant in the class told Lim that she is grateful for the instruction she has received throughout this program.

In an email she said: “Technology allows individuals to stay connected. It enhances verbal and written communication without the added costs of postage and long distance toll call charges.”

“Seniors have difficultly transitioning from what they have learned to the skills necessary to navigate through a fast-changing technological world. Our granddaughters use texting as a means of communicating with us and the information I have received throughout this class has broadened my knowledge of technology as a whole.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 RETIREMENT GUIDE

8

Traveling to other countries gives retirees new perspective Elizabeth Wong Barnstead Catholic News Service

DETROIT — People who are looking to gain a new perspective on the world should consider traveling and not keep putting it off.

That’s the advice of John Findlater, a former Catholic school teacher in the Archdiocese of Detroit who now does educational consulting and has arranged more than 50 trips and pilgrimages abroad.

For years, the Detroit native said he “went almost nowhere,” save trips in state or to Florida to visit family.

But, after teaching adult education for many years at St. Timothy Parish in Trenton, some class participants asked about going to places steeped in Church history.

“I had taken lots of schoolchildren on field trips, but I had never gone overseas,” said Findlater, who ended up gathering 43 people and two priest friends for what became “a great time” in Italy.

“It was sort of like opening up Pandora’s box,” he said. “I thought I’d only do one trip, but when we got back, people said, ‘Well, John, where are we going next?’”

Leading groups with fellow travel guide and photographer Patrick Wagner, Findlater has visited places he never dreamed he would see. Their future schedule can be found on the website http://jptravels.net.

In trips to Russia, Israel, Rome and England, Findlater found the majority of his travel companions were 55 and older.

A member of this age group himself, he believes the over-55 set is traveling more because they didn’t have the chance to do this before.

And the travels provide “all sorts of historic energy,” he said, especially when visiting places of historical significance for their own lives, such as World War II sites.

“On all of my trips to France, I make sure we stop in Normandy at Omaha Beach.

It’s at once historic and beautiful, but also religious,” Findlater said. “I’ve actually had people come on my trip who were there on D-Day’s invasion. An older man didn’t even tell us he had been there until we were at the cemetery. Then we were all in tears.”

Likewise, Fritzi Bohlmann, who has traveled abroad “about 15 times,” within the last 20 years, said that on a trip to Poland she felt that Auschwitz was a holy site.

Although she also visited famous holy places such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Jasna Gora, and Krakow, the hometown of St. John Paul II, she was most affected spiritually by the site of the concentration camp.

“Auschwitz was extremely holy; everybody walked around, but they were quiet and reflective,” said Bohlmann, pastoral associate at St. John Vianney Parish, Shelby Township. “There wasn’t a soul that walked away from visiting that who didn’t feel a sense of God’s presence.

What got people through that was their faith.”

Celeste Whitney, a resident of Ferndale, who has traveled abroad throughout her life, said she feels a great deal of spiritual growth when traveling to historic places.

“You see things that were so important to people for many years,” she said, adding that it “reminds you not to put emphasis on the wrong things.”

Whitney said she’s also begun to

recognize the importance of small things.

For example, on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee “there was a group singing beautiful hymns as we were there. It was really an emotional experience,” and one of her favorite experiences abroad.

“Many people say they’re happy where they’re at,” she said, “but to see how others live and think brings things to a different perspective.”

Franciscan Father Alex Kratz, a

pilgrimage and spiritual director based in Detroit, said he frequently leads retirees on trips to the Holy Land. He said visiting these sites connects Catholic travelers with their Christian brothers and sisters in this region.

He said the pilgrimages impact him each time.

“You’re walking in the footsteps of Jesus,” he said “and that never gets old.”

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Our schools

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For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

IHM students lead Living Stations of the Cross HIGH POINT — The eighth-grade class of Immaculate Heart of Mary School presented a daytime and evening performance of the Living Stations of the Cross Feb. 27 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point. The powerful portrayal of the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life was open to the public.

It offered a renewed focus on Jesus and His love for humanity, while meditating on the Passion and Death of our Lord.

— Carrie Vest

Photos provided by Sally McArdle

Beta Club members win competitions GASTONIA — St. Michael School had a record-breaking year at the Beta Club Convention Feb. 9-10 in Greensboro.

Approximately 3,000 private and public middle school students from across the state attended. Eighth-grader Teresa Purello won first place in the essay competition, repeating her win from last year. Jack Bragg, seventh grade; Jerry Ryan Gardner, eighth grade; Luke Shuler, eighth grade; and Jacob Younan, eighth grade, won first place in the Quiz Bowl. Each of these students received a plaque.

St. Michael’s 18 Beta Club members were supervised by Carol Hubbard, seventh-grade teacher, and Greg Davidowitz, eighth-grade teacher, along with parents.

Pictured are some of the seventh- and eighth-graders with Hubbard and Davidowitz.

— Pat Burr

Charlotte Catholic’s marching band wins top award DUBLIN, Ireland — The Charlotte Catholic High School Marching Band took first place among International Bands in the 45th International Marching Band Championship in Limerick, Ireland, March 15. Twenty-four marching bands featuring 1,110 musicians from across the world competed. The Marching Band also performed in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, and was declared the Overall Best Band. Seventy-nine students and their chaperones traveled to Ireland March 11 for the seven-day trip. Highlights of the trip

to the Emerald Isle included not only the world renowned 1.75-mile parade on the feast of St. Patrick, but the opportunity to perform a concert in St. Patrick Cathedral during the St. Patrick’s Festival. During the two-hour parade, the Charlotte Catholic Band performed a traditional American march by John Philip Sousa, “The Thunderer March” and “Sweet Caroline,” which is their unofficial song. For the concert at St. Patrick Cathedral, the band performed a selected repertoire representing the major regions of the United States.

18

catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Informals – 4Bar folding

A special visit on St. Patrick’s Day CHARLOTTE — For St. Patrick’s Day Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin visited first- and fourth- graders at St. Gabriel School in Charlotte. Both classes had written letters to Bishop Curlin during Catholic Schools Week, and he came to the school to thank them in person. He also shared a bit of his family history, being that it was St. Patrick’s Day and his family hails from Ireland.

Photos provided by Michele Snoke

THE ORATORY 434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 29731-1586

(803) 327-2097

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Spiritual Companioning Workshop Saturday, April 18, 2015 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Presented by: Linda Flynn Director of the Charlotte Spirituality Center This day of training is designed for those who are interested in or already serve in the ministry of spiritual companionship. The program includes learning and sharpening skills such as “holy listening” and discernment techniques which are important tools for clergy and lay ministers alike.

COST: $45 (lunch and materials included)

Teilhard de Chardin: His Message for the 21st Century Saturday, April 25, 2015 Presented by: Sister Donna Lareau, OLM Charleston, SC area Faith Formation Minister Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French Jesuit, philosopher and paleontologist. A controversial figure in his lifetime, his writings are now gaining favor and recognition. This day will explore his life and spiritual writings. The day will include prayer, noon Eucharist and lunch.

COST: $40 (lunch included)

Catholic Charities extends our deepest gratitude to the sponsors who generously supported the in the Piedmont Triad Region.

A special thank you to our Charity and Faith level sponsors.

Anonymous St. Leo the Great Catholic Church St. Pius the Tenth Catholic Church Hanesbrands, Inc. Blanco Tackabery Attorneys Mike and Shannon Chang Don and Bonnie Frail Holy Family Catholic Church KPMG LLP Jeanne and Tim McCulloch Bill and Kim Means Dan and Bonnie Murphy David and Kathy Murray Jack and Chris Ritchie Jose Ramon and Silvia Rodriguez Tom and Kathy Rucker Janet and Michael Tierney Vienna Village Assisted Living

Thank You

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Photos provided by Diane Buckley

Holy Trinity Middle School students stand in line at a “nutrition center” during a recent retreat in which they simulated being refugees. (Below) A student navigates crossing a border illegally.

Holy Trinity students re-enact refugee challenges Diane Buckley Special to the Catholic News Herald

CHARLOTTE — During their annual retreat Feb. 25-27 at Camp Thunderbird, Holy Trinity Middle School eighth-graders participated in a refugee camp simulation to better understand the plight of families and individuals forced to flee their homes due to religious and political persecution, war, terrorism, oppressive governments and other threats. The program was organized with help from Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities in Charlotte and Louisville, Ky. Students were placed in family groups

illustrative of the diversity of situations that occur for refugees throughout the world. The refugee camp simulation involved several stages, beginning with a scenario where a village was attacked by bombers, separating family members and forcing them to search for one another in dense smoke, which was represented by having the students search for their family on a field wearing blindfolds.

Students had to navigate a border crossing, registration to enter their country of refuge in an unfamiliar language, delays in progress at the

medical screening points, inequitable food distribution at the designated nutrition centers, and the challenge of learning new words in Nepali at the camp school.

Other hurdles along the way included illnesses and injuries to family members, the confiscation of personal articles the families managed to take with them, and corrupt officials.

The final stage of the process, an interview at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, involved choosing a family member to convincingly state the family’s case for asylum to U.N. officials. Of the one million applications for asylum each year, only 10 percent are granted permanent refuge in a new country.

Students explained how they felt crossing the simulated border: “I felt vulnerable and in the open.

I had a feeling of uncertainty about what was happening,” said Jack Mullin. “When crossing the border, you felt like you could not fail your family,” added Carrigan Hogg.

Other students said they felt the experience helped them understand better the dangers and risks that refugees face.

“I didn’t know that refugees had to go through so much just to get to safety,” said Kayci Baisley.

“I learned that being a refugee is serious and they suffer many things,” said Noah McLeod.

“I thought about what my life is like versus what a refugee’s life is like. I have a home, food, and I feel completely safe in my community. Refugees have none of these things; most of the time they barely have any food,” said Katie Saunders.

RICO DE SILVA | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

St. Matthew students re-enact Ellis Island experience CHARLOTTE — Third-grade students at St. Matthew School in Charlotte celebrated their annual “Immigration Day” March 17, the feast of St. Patrick, patron of Ireland. Close to 100 students had the opportunity to re-enact “Ellis Island,” which was the main port of entry to the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The students went through mock stations set up to simulate what immigrants had to go through when they arrived at Ellis Island.

Prior to the event, “Students did some research on their family history to figure out what country of origin their families came from, and they used that to base their costume and choose the items they were going to bring to the simulation,” third-grade teacher Leslie Burg said. After the experience students, parents and teachers enjoyed an international potluck spread at the parish center.

At www.catholicnewsherald.com: See video highlights from the special program at St. Matthew School

The Cathedral of Saint Patrick

WELCOMES EASTER SEASON You to celebrate the joy of the

CHRISM MASS - MARCH 31 No Daily Mass/Confessions

10:00 am – Blessing of the Holy Oils Celebrant: Bishop Peter Jugis

HOLY THURSDAY - APRIL 2 No Daily Mass/Confessions

7 pm - Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8 pm - Midnight: Adoration

GOOD FRIDAY - APRIL 3 No Daily Mass/Confessions

Noon: Stations of the Cross 3 pm - Veneration of the Cross Celebrant: Bishop Peter Jugis

EASTER VIGIL - APRIL 4 No Daily or Vigil Mass/Confessions

8:00 pm - Easter Vigil Celebrant: Bishop Peter Jugis

EASTER SUNDAY - APRIL 5 7:30 am; 9:00 am; 11:00 am & 12:30 pm

The Cathedral of Saint Patrick 1621 Dilworth Road East Charlotte, NC 28203 www.stpatricks.org

20

catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief

OLM students inspired to donate funds for clean water in Sudan

St. Ann students take part in ‘Read Across America’

High Cholesterol

CHARLOTTE — In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday March 2, students at St. Ann School in Charlotte were surprised with a day of fun and unexpected visitors like The Cat in the Hat, Junie B. Jones, Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web, and even diocesan schools superintendent Dr. Janice Ritter. Faculty and students were invited to dress up as their favorite book character.

Teachers, families and students kicked off the celebration with reading time and participated in a parade around the school to see all of their favorite characters. The day of fun ended with a special showing of Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hears a Who.” Everyone enjoyed a day of being surrounded by the books and characters they love.

— Kathy McKinney

WINSTON-SALEM — Fourth-grade students at Our Lady of Mercy School recently read “A Long Walk to Water,” based on the true story of a man named Salva Dut, who had to leave his war-torn village in Sudan in search of his family and safety. His struggle showed him the horrors of war and the daily struggle just to find clean water. He began an organization called Water for Sudan, which has drilled more than 200 wells in southern Sudan.

The students were so touched by this story that they wanted to do something to help. They organized a quarter drive at school and did chores at home to earn money to donate. With the generous match donation from a parent, they were able to raise $500 – half the cost of drilling one well. Students also wrote personal letters to Dut and they continue to talk about and pray for him regularly.

— Lara Davenport We welcome your school’s news! Please email news and photos to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@ charlottediocese.org.

Holy Week Schedule of Masses and Activities

Social Media, SEO Specialist/Online Reporter St. Mark Catholic Church 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 704/948-0231 www.stmarknc.org Palm Sunday

5:00 pm Saturday Vigil; Sunday: 7:30am, 9am, 11am, 1pm (Spanish) 5pm (High School Ministry)

Holy Thursday 7:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday

3:00pm Liturgy of the Passion of our Lord/Veneration of the Cross & Holy Communion 7:00pm Spanish Stations of the Cross, Procession to the Family Center 7:30pm Tenebrae Service

Holy Saturday 3:00pm Blessing of the Easter Food (Church) 8:00pm Easter Vigil Easter Sunday 7:00am, 9:00am (Church), 9:00am (Family Center) 11:00am (Church), 11:00am (Family Center), 1:00pm (Spanish)

The Catholic News Herald, a 58,000-circulation newspaper serving the Diocese of Charlotte, N.C., is seeking an experienced, innovative social media specialist and online reporter.

This position is responsible for reporting on Diocese of Charlotte news and events for www.CatholicNewsHerald.com, its YouTube channel and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr). This person will also work to increase the online visibility and accessibility of the website using search engine optimization and social media marketing techniques to further our two-fold mission of communication and evangelization Candidates must have at least 1-3 years of experience in developing online content and/or SEO work, plus a bachelor’s degree in journalism, marketing or related field. Candidates should be familiar with the Catholic faith; have some knowledge of HTML and CSS; and experience using web-based content management systems (specific knowledge of Joomla is helpful, but not required). Other key qualifications include enthusiasm, interest in creating new digital initiatives, strong organizational and communication skills, and attention to accuracy. Experience with Excel and Word is helpful.

We offer a competitive benefits package that includes salary commensurate with experience, health and dental insurance, 403(b) and paid holidays. EOE

Please submit resumé to: Patricia Guilfoyle, Editor, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org. No phone calls, please.

March 27, 2015 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

catholic news heraldI

21

7 National Merit Finalists named from Charlotte Catholic CHARLOTTE — Seven Charlotte Catholic High School seniors have been selected finalists in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Competition based on last year’s PSAT scores. The students are Tyler Caponigro, son of Kris and Rick Caponigro; Elliot Chambers, son of Beatrice and Michael Chambers; Polly Jasper, daughter of Patricia and Kenneth Jasper; Faith Kressner, daughter of Kina and Gerard Kressner; Ian Miller, son of Kelly and Dr. Michael Miller; Haley Schilly, daughter of Angela and Thomas Schilly; and Martha Wood, daughter of Ellen and Robert Wood.

The students are among about 15,000 of this year’s National Merit Scholarship finalists nationwide.

This marks the 60th year of the prestigious National Merit program, which honors academically talented high school seniors. They are among about 16,000 semifinalists who have advanced to the finals, and about half of those will be named National Merit Scholars eligible for scholarship awards later this spring.

Nearly 1.5 million high school juniors from more than 22,000 high schools nationwide entered this year’s contest by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The pool of semifinalists comprises less than 1 percent of all U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. Scholarship winners will be announced between April and July 2015. They will join more than 308,000 other distinguished students who have earned the National Merit Scholar title. — Sally McArdle

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charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD LEFT SIDE PAGE PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Catholic doctor brings healing, hope to the poor with help from Cross Catholic Outreach “People grow by giving. Everybody has something to give, whether it’s their time, their knowledge, or their resources,” says Dr. Maria Teresa Losada Monsalve, a woman whose life revolves around giving.

In her case, she’s giving medical care to the poor.

Maria Teresa recently provided care for Jerry, an 18-year-old street dweller and drug addict, at a clinic in downtown Cochabamba.

Operated through a Franciscan ministry called the San Lucas Foundation, the clinic provides medical care for poor street dwellers, most often in desperate need of immediate care.

Jerry was brutally beaten in the streets and no hospital would treat his life-threatening head injuries. After easing Jerry’s pain the best she could, and with his very life in the balance, Maria Teresa took him from hospital to hospital throughout the city until one yielded to her pleas and provided Jerry with the critical surgery he needed.

Even though the San Lucas Foundation paid for the care, Maria Teresa said the problem is that sometimes people like Jerry aren’t valued by society.

“Jerry is a drug addict and has serious health problems. When he broke his head and was limping, a lot of people said, ‘Why bother? Why help him? Why not just let him die?’ They see some people as disposable — they don’t see their value to society. I think there’s a divine presence in every human being and those who believe have the duty to care for a person like Jerry, just like they have the duty to care for their own children,” Maria Teresa said.

A devout Catholic and the long-time director of a network of clinics operated by the San Lucas Foundation, Maria Teresa says she sees her work as “a way to practice our Catholic beliefs and knowledge.”

“The presence of crucified Jesus didn’t stay behind 2,000 years ago,” she said.

“Christ lives today in those who give and

Dr. Maria Teresa Losada Monsalve is a Catholic woman impacting health in Bolivia. those who receive.”

Jim Cavnar, president of a Catholic humanitarian aid organization called Cross Catholic Outreach that supports San Lucas Foundation, says Catholic lay missionaries like Maria Teresa are bringing physical and spiritual healing to the poor.

“The book of Matthew says, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ As Catholics, we know it’s not enough to provide care for the body only — we have

to care for the soul as well, and that’s what our partner Maria Teresa and the San Lucas Foundation is doing,” he said.

According to Cavnar, it’s the kind of Christ-inspired aid American Catholics are eager to support.

“Our generous Catholic benefactors who help us support Maria Teresa understand that she’s responding the way Christ himself would want us to respond — with love, compassion, and the Gospel.

American Catholics find heavenly value

in that, and I know they’ll continue supporting Cross Catholic as we lift up these brave missionaries of Christ like Maria Teresa,” Cavnar said.

To support the worldwide outreaches of Cross Catholic Outreach, look for the ministry brochure enclosed in this issue of the paper or mail your donation to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC01129, PO Box 9558, Wilton, NH 03086-9558. All contributions to the ministry are tax deductible.

Cross Catholic Now Endorsed by More Than 90 Bishops, Archbishops As Cross Catholic Outreach (CCO) continues its range of relief work to help the poor overseas, its efforts are being recognized by a growing number of Catholic leaders in the U.S. and abroad.

“We’ve received an impressive number of endorsements from Bishops and Archbishops — more than 90 at last count,” explained Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach. “They’re impressed by the fact that we’ve done outreaches in almost 40 countries and that we undertake a variety of projects; everything from feeding the hungry and housing the homeless to supplying

safe water and supporting educational opportunities for the poorest of the poor.”

Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis sent one of the more recent letters of encouragement, writing: “It is my hope that this ministry will continue to flourish and reach as many people as possible. I will inform the priests of the Archdiocese of St. Louis of the important work that Cross Catholic Outreach does and elicit their prayerful and financial support for the service you provide to the less fortunate around the world.”

In addition to praising the work CCO accomplishes, many of the Bishops and

Archbishops are also impressed by the unique collaborative relationship Cross Catholic has with the Pontifical Council Cor Unum in Rome. This allows the charity to participate in the mercy ministries of the Holy Father himself. In his praise of CCO, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati underscored this unique connection.

“Cross Catholic Outreach’s close collaboration with the Pontifical Council Cor Unum is a source of encouragement,” the Archbishop said.

“The Holy See has unique knowledge of local situations throughout the

world through its papal representatives in nearly two hundred countries and through its communications with Bishops and others who care for the poor and needy in every corner of the world.”

CCO president Jim Cavnar explained the significance of this connection.

“Our collaboration with Cor Unum allows us to fund outreaches in virtually any area of the world, and we have used that method in special cases — to help the victims of natural disasters, for example,” he said. “It only represents a small part of our overall ministry, but it can be a very important benefit in those situations.”

March 27, 2015 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

catholic news heraldI 23

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Cross Catholic Outreach helps bring medical care to the rural, urban poor Donata Juarez’s youngest son, Jose Angel, 3, has the ruddy cheeks and dark eyes of a child raised high in Bolivia’s arid mountains. He’s a healthy, vibrant boy who smiles easily but becomes solemn and serious when approached by strangers.

“My children give me strength. They keep me going and help me keep working,” said Donata, a widow now raising two children alone. She works long hours as a mountain farm laborer to support her family, and her face and hands bear the lines of years of exposure to sun, wind and soil.

Things like electricity and running water are public services that have not yet made their way into most homes in Sapanani Alto.

In this village where Donata and her sons live, most homes, like Donata’s, are made of clay bricks; others have crumbling earthen walls with dirt oors. Families survive through subsistence farming on land most acknowledge is no longer very fruitful.

Most families here live day-by-day,

impact on the health of the poor, especially children like Jose Angel,” said Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach. The San Lucas Foundation relies heavily on Cross Catholic to nancially support its clinics.

Cross Catholic Outreach has even helped the network of clinics expand into previously unreached areas. The ministry has also helped a sister clinic increase its services in downtown Cochabamba, where homeless street dwellers can receive quality medical care.

According to Cavnar, Catholic medical ministries like the San Lucas Foundation are worthy of support because they vastly improve the lives of impoverished families around the world.

“In developing countries, children are dying because they aren’t receiving immunizations or basic care. Adults are succumbing to preventable diseases or dying from minor injuries because they are left untreated. Poor mothers run a tremendous

John was suffering in the streets until the San Lucas Foundation stepped in to help. hand to mouth. They worry if there will be enough money for food, clothing or adequate shelter. Despite having to live this dirt-poor existence, mothers like Donata now have an extremely important resource available to them thanks to the help of American Catholics. For some, it is the rst time they have access to adequate medical care.

Prenatal care and medically-supervised childbirth. Basic immunizations against childhood diseases. Regular check-ups from caring doctors. These are just a few of the services families in Sapanani Alto and other rural Bolivian communities enjoy now through a network of Catholic clinics operated by the San Lucas Foundation.

“These clinics are having a tremendous

risk of infection or death because they’re forced to give birth at home. Our goal is to keep these preventable tragedies from happening, and we believe the most effective way to do that is to support Catholic medical ministries already in place, working hard on behalf of the poor,” Cavnar said.

Cross Catholic Outreach also ships desperately-needed supplies, such as medicines and hospital equipment, to Catholic medical ministries overseas.

From providing orthopedic surgeries in the Dominican Republic to supporting a far-ung clinic in rural Ethiopia, Cavnar says Cross Catholic’s support for medical projects is not only far-reaching, but also in line with Catholic teachings.

“Christ’s life serves as a prime example of how we should treat the poor,” Cavnar said. “He healed them, he restored them and he uplifted them. We aspire to the same approach in our work. We want to serve the poor in a way that preserves their dignity.”

As an example, Cavnar told the story of John, a partially paralyzed street dweller who lived a life of misery on the streets of Cochabamba. The San Lucas Foundation regularly sends its volunteers to search for street dwellers needing medical care. When the ministry discovered John, who is unable to walk and was supporting himself only through begging, they immediately brought him to their downtown clinic where they treated his wounds, bathed him and admitted him into their physical therapy facility.

All the while, Cavnar says, the doctors and staff of the San Lucas Foundation treated John as they would have treated Christ: with respect, dignity and love.

“John was literally lying in the streets — he can’t stand or walk on his own — and people were passing him by as if he wasn’t there. He was hungry, sick and in great need of Christ. There was no one to help him, but these compassionate Catholics stepped in as Christ would have,” Cavnar said. “That’s the type of medical ministry God is calling all of us to support.”

Based on the response Cross Catholic has gotten to medical appeals, American Catholics seem to agree.

“I thank God every day for the ‘army’ of American Catholics who give generously to our medical projects. Because of them, we’ve been able to help our ministry partners save thousands of lives all over the world.

That’s a feat only Christ and his faith-lled followers could accomplish,” Cavnar said.

Cavnar says he’s condent American Catholics will continue to stand for what is right.

“In 1 John 3:18 it says, ‘Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.’ Being a Catholic myself, I know American Catholics understand what this means when it comes to helping their poor brothers and sisters in Christ. I know they will continue to bring life-saving care to the poor — it’s what they do,” Cavnar said.

Poor Bolivian families in rural mountain areas lack access to health facilities.

It is what they did for Donata and her sons. The rural clinic in Sapanani Alto has helped Donata in many ways: staff there provided prenatal care, they delivered both of her children, they monitored the children’s health, they immunized them, and they provided psychological counseling when her husband passed away.

“It has helped my children be healthy — and helped me be healthy too. That means more than I can say,” Donata said.

Living in deep poverty, Donata Juarez and her son, Jose Angel, are at constant risk of disease.

How to Help: Your help is needed for Cross Catholic Outreach to bring Christ’s mercy to the poorest of the poor.

To make a donation, use the enclosed postage-paid brochure or mail a gift to: Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC01129, PO Box 9558, Wilton, NH 03086-9558.

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charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

On TV n Saturday, March 28, 8 p.m.

(EWTN) “Night of the Prophet.”

Through the eyes of a Roman journalist, a dramatization of Padre Pio, who is unveiled as a man of purity and Christian charity.

In Brief

n Sunday, March 29, 6:30 a.m.

(EWTN) “Reason for our Hope: The Humble Advent of the Triumphant King.” Catholic Apologist Rosalind Moss, now Mother Miriam, continues her study of the Gospel of Luke with a look at how Christ came as a humble, suffering servant to redeem the world. n Sunday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.

(EWTN) “Sixth Week of Lent: How Jesus Faced His Passion.” Father Patrick Sheehan closes the Lenten Season by contemplating on the ways Christ endured His Passion both willingly and with love.

‘Cinderella’ Director Kenneth Branagh’s exuberant live-action retelling of this oft-filmed fable injects vibrant new life into a venerable fairy tale. He sticks to the basic story and its iconic characters: sunny Cinderella (Lily James), her beloved but soon-deceased parents (Hayley Atwell and Ben Chaplin), her wicked stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and ghastly stepsisters (Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger) as well as the charming prince (Richard Madden) and kindly fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter) who eventually rescue the put-upon orphan from her misery. A delightful fantasy for the entire family, Branagh’s affectionate take, at once familiar and fresh, nicely brings to the forefront dual lessons about compassion and forgiveness.

CNS: A-I (general patronage); MPAA: PG

‘The Divergent Series: Insurgent’ Teenagers are still on the run, when they’re not too busy killing one other in this follow-up to the 2014 kick-off of the futuristic franchise. Based on the second book of the trilogy by Veronica Roth. Thriller is set, like its predecessor, in a postapocalyptic version of Chicago where you find the two renegades (Shailene Woodley and Theo James) at the center of the previous go-round once again battling the leader (Kate Winslet) of a corrupt government that divides the population under its control into personality-based factions, and hunts down those not so easily categorized.

A considerable increase in violence and moral ambiguity places this sequel squarely outside the proper reach of younger adolescents. Intense violence, including scenes of torture and some crude language.

CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13

‘Run All Night’ Acrid crime drama in which the estranged, law-abiding son (Joel Kinnaman) of a burnedout hit man (Liam Neeson) is targeted for death by his father’s underworld patron (Ed Harris) after accidentally witnessing a multiple murder carried out by the kingpin’s heir (Boyd Holbrook). With both crooked cops under the boss’ control and the honest chief of homicide (Vincent D’Onofrio) on his trail, the young family man has no choice but to go on the run and entrust himself to his dad’s protection. Much harsh and sometimes bloody violence, drug use, a few vulgar sexual references, profanity and rough language.

CNS: L (limited adult audience); MPAA: R

Additional reviews: n ‘Chappie’: CNS: L (limited adult audience); MPAA: R n ‘Unfinished Business’: CNS: O (morally offensive); MPAA: R

n Sunday, March 29, 6 p.m.

(EWTN) “The Passion According to St. Luke.” Leonardo Defillippis’ dramatic performance of the Death and Resurrection of Christ draws the audience into a deeper understanding of the immensity of God’s love for all His children.

Photos provided by Amber Mellon

Patrick Campbell holds one of the St. Benedict crucifixes he handcrafts for families. Below is pictured a detail from one of his crucifixes, showing the St. Benedict Medal that is placed at the center of each cross he makes.

Woodworker uses gifts to make crosses, encourage families Amber Mellon Correspondent

LINCOLNTON — A member of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton has turned to using his woodworking gifts to make wooden crucifixes and encourage other families to strengthen their relationship with God, after he and his own family went through a crisis several years ago.

Patrick Campbell was once a successful woodworker and self-described workaholic, keeping late hours on the job while his wife Joy homeschooled their nine children. Then Campbell lost his job, and the family sank into financial trouble. Their financial woes were compounded by chronic sicknesses, both physical and psychological, and by what the family described as “family wounds and heart brokenness.”

On his wife’s birthday, the desperate Campbell took his children into the garage of their Clover, S.C., home and they all worked together to carve a simple wooden cross for her. When they presented the cross to Joy Campbell, he recalls, he felt at peace – knowing that God was with him and his family even through their difficulties.

He kept on making crosses. In fact, he made 60 more crosses and crucifixes, each one different from another, feeling in his heart that they were somehow meant for other families in similar straits as his own.

That fall, in November 2013, Campbell decided to use the rest of the family’s savings to go with his wife to a Catholic Charismatic

n Sunday, March 29, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Solemn Mass of Palm Sunday from Rome with Pope Francis.”

Pope Francis celebrates the Solemn Mass of Palm Sunday, and leads the congregation in praying the Angelus.

Live from Vatican City. n Tuesday, March 31, 10 a.m. (EWTN) “That I May See.” The Sermon on the Mount and the miracles of Jesus featuring Ruth Hussey and Raymond Burr. n Tuesday, March 31, 6:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “The Last Supper.” Follow the Gospel narrative of the Last Supper celebrated by Our Lord with Fr. Andrew Apostoli. Understand the nature of Christ’s discipleship, His Eucharistic presence and the promise of sending His Spirit. n Wednesday, April 1, 9 a.m. (EWTN) “The Passion Narrative.” The story of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, as called from the four Gospels and performed by Theater of the Word actor Kevin O’Brien.

renewal conference hosted by Damian Stayne, founder of a small Catholic lay community called Cor et Lumen Christi.

At one point during the conference’s Saturday night healing service, Campbell recalled, he could feel God’s presence. He started praying to God to help him with his financial problems, crying out in his heart, “I am ready!” Then Stayne spoke up, asking for the person who was associated with “Batman and George” to stand up.

Campbell realized that Stayne was talking about him: his favorite character as a kid was Batman and he grew up drawing a character named George. He stood up and, with much hesitation, went up to Stayne. “Why would God care about a man without a job?” he WOODWORKER, SEE page 25

n Friday, April 3, 11 a.m. (EWTN) “Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.”

Pope Francis presides over the Solemn celebration of the Lord’s Passion, live from Vatican City. n Saturday, April 4, 8 a.m. (EWTN) “This Side of Eden.” A poetic, compelling and richly intimate portrait of the Benedictine Monks at Westminster Abbey in Mission, British Columbia during Holy Week and the Easter Triduum. n Saturday, April 4, 2:30 p.m.

(EWTN) “Easter Vigil Mass From Rome.” Pope Francis celebrates the Easter Vigil Mass, live from Rome.

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

WOODWORKER:

ANNIVERSARY:

FROM PAGE 24

FROM PAGE 3

thought.

Stayne prayed over him, telling Campbell that he would not have to worry any longer.

The next day, Stayne introduced Campbell and his wife and invited them to talk to the conference participants about their family and their crosses. Campbell told everyone that he liked Batman because he was the only superhero who had no superpowers – he just had a special tool belt. Likewise, the cross is a powerful weapon in our spiritual tool belts as Catholic, he said, holding up one of his wooden crosses. Stayne grabbed the cross and said everyone there needed to buy one.

Campbell sold all 60 of his crosses that day, and he and his wife received invitations to attend other events.

From that day, he decided to devote his life to making crosses. He feels like his family’s mission is to bring hope of healing to other families, he said, through the unique crosses he carves and his family helps to design.

His wooden crosses and crucifixes each feature a St. Benedict Medal – one of the oldest Catholic medals, and with its message “Vade retro satana” (“Step back, Satan”) it is a popular sacramental used to ward off spiritual and physical dangers, especially those related to evil, temptation and poison.

Campbell explains that each cross is made from solid wood. He uses two types of wood fashioned together to represent a man and a woman united in marriage, or three types of wood to symbolize the Trinity. He crafts a number of designs based on feedback from his wife and children and others: some featuring a corpus, some in the shape of a Celtic cross, some with blessed salt inserted in them. But they all feature a St. Benedict Medal at their center.

Campbell and his wife are now Oblates of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Peace, a “private association of the faithful” in Davidson, and their family has a great devotion to St. Benedict.

Their “Cross of St. Benedict” family ministry aims to promote devotion to the St. Benedict Medal and to the Rule of St. Benedict as a guide for family life, to promote daily prayer as the work of God (“Opus Dei”) to heal broken and dispirited families, and to encourage Catholic families to display sacred art in their homes.

“Having a visible sign of this cross in our homes not only protects us from evil, it is also a reminder of our salvation and an invitation to take up our daily crosses and follow the Lord,” the Campbells write on their website.

Proceeds from sales of their artwork benefit the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Peace, and their parish.

The family has also shared their testimony of healing through talks and prayer – emphasizing every family’s need to grow spiritually together as well as individually, to fend off divisiveness and promote unity, and above all, to encourage every family to pray and seek the sacraments.

They write on their website, “Our testimony is about the healing of our family from what seemed like an impossible task of healing ‘family wounds and heart brokenness’ and chronic physical and psychological disorders.”

Through their experiences of the mercy and love of Jesus, they write, “We have peace in our family life. And, we have begun to share to other families how to attain this peace too.”

a bishop, the love of God again enabled him to conquer the hearts of the Irish people, Bishop Jugis continued. Coming as a missionary into an area that did not yet know Christ, St. Patrick certainly must have cared for the people he served, spending time with them and getting to know them, he said, and everything he did was based on his sincere love for them.

“And so effective was he, of course, in bringing the love of God to them through the Catholic faith that he saw family life flourish and married life flourish – a good model for us this year as we are preparing for the Synod on the Family in October,” Bishop Jugis added.

“His Confessions say that he was amazed at the effect God’s grace

Learn more See more photos of Patrick Campbell’s wooden crosses online at www.crossofstbenedict.com or call them for more information at 1-888-510-4492.

CEMETERY: FROM PAGE 5

A Christian’s body is “a sacred dwelling place,” he said. “At baptism, God comes to dwell within us – in fact, He sanctifies our entire being. We are made holy.”

He continued, “We treat the body with great respect and great reverence even after death, because during life the Christian was a temple of the Holy Spirit. They are holy remains, whether they are cremated or whether the whole body is buried.”

After the short prayer service, Bishop Jugis sprinkled holy water throughout the cemetery and on the crucifix placed in the middle of the grounds.

“Why do we put a cross in the center

SOLAR PANELS: FROM PAGE 5

environment, along with other churches and synagogues who have already installed solar panels.”

Pete McHugh, a former St. Eugene Church pastoral council member, said when the project was pitched a year ago, “I was intrigued by this idea as I thought it was a great step for our parish to pursue.

We have been challenged by Pope Francis to be environmentally aware. With carbon emissions and coal ash disposal being serious environmental problems, this idea looked to me like a great fit.”

Deke Arndt is a parishioner who also happens to be a climatologist. “What makes me really proud is that (the project) will help reduce greenhouse emissions; our carbon footprint,” Arndt explained. “This puts a dent in a global problem that affects the vulnerable around the world. From a climate perspective, it’s important that the more institutions that can take steps to do that – slow down the rate of climate change – it helps give the world’s vulnerable a lot better chance and more time.

“It also empowers the parish locally, they save money on the electric bill and they can do more things that are closer to the local mission as well,” Arndt added.

Amy Ende, a member of St. Eugene’s Care of Creation committee and also of the Creation Care Alliance in Asheville,

25

was having upon the people he was evangelizing, with whom he was sharing the love of God. Some even wanted to give their whole lives to God, who had been introduced to them through the ministry of St. Patrick – the God of love whom Jesus has revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

The love of God in the heart and in the life of St. Patrick is what sustained him personally and propelled his life as a missionary, Bishop Jugis said, and it changed Ireland forever.

“It left such a mark on the countryside of Ireland that the love of God endured long after his passing, long after the Lord had called him to eternal life. In fact, it’s enduring even until the present day as we continue to sing his praises.

“It wasn’t (St. Patrick), it was his allowing the love of God and the grace of God to work through him. Therefore his name endures, all glory and honor to God. So St. Patrick does teach us by his life and what he was able to accomplish

for the Lord that the love of God is a powerful force for good. It is a saving grace of Almighty God.” He concluded, “More than 75 years ago, God began this good work which we call St. Patrick’s Cathedral. And now we come to the end of our special year of celebration honoring those 75 years, and we pray that God, who has begun the good work here – the work of salvation of souls – may continue that work and bring it to fulfillment in the years, the decades and the centuries to come.”

Before the end of the special Mass, Bishop Jugis also blessed new wooden kneelers, also called prie dieus, that have been placed at the bottom of the steps of the cathedral’s sanctuary.

The celebration continued after Mass in the Family Life Center with an Irishthemed reception complete with corned beef, traditional music and Irish dancers from the Rince Na h’Eireann dance school.

of a cemetery?” he said. “Because the crucifix, for us, is a sign of hope. For the ancient Romans, of course, the cross was an instrument of torture and death, a sign of disgrace. But the Christians took that object of disgrace, object of ridicule and scorn, and changed it into a symbol of joy – because on the cross Jesus destroyed our death, destroyed the reign of sin within us, and won forgiveness of our sins with the shedding of His blood.”

“Our hope is the cross of Christ,” he said. “We live in hope of the resurrection. Our loved ones lie buried in death, but living in hope of the resurrection which Jesus reveals in Himself by rising from the dead.”

Bishop Jugis congratulated those who attended the blessing service, noting the significance of the new cemetery for the Catholic mission of about 130 families.

“I’m happy to see such a great representation of the parish. It’s just wonderful!” he said, then joked to Father Stuhrenberg, “This might be half your congregation here today.”

Local funeral home director Donnie Brim, dressed in his customary black suit and black hat, looked on during the service, pleased to see the cemetery finally finished. Although he’s not Catholic, Brim interacts a lot with the small Catholic community, he said, and until now he’s had to bury them in other cemeteries.

Brim also likes the new cemetery for another reason, he said, pointing up the hill just beyond the cemetery. He lives next door to St. Frances of Rome – and its new cemetery makes a perfect backyard view for a funeral director.

Want to donate a solar panel?

Parishioners and non-parishioners can fund the solar panel project at St. Eugene Church. Mail your donation to St. Eugene Catholic Church, 72 Culvern St., Asheville, NC 28804. Be sure to write “Solar Panels” on your check so that the parish can send you a receipt for pursuing a possible North Carolina tax credit and/or a federal charitable tax deduction.

For more information, email Bill Maloney at maloneyw@bellsouth.net or call 828-230-0103.

said, “We at St. Eugene’s believe that caring for God’s wonderful creation is very important, especially for people of faith. The installation of solar panels at the church will be a visible reminder of our responsibility and a significant investment in renewable, clean energy.

We have had a very positive response from the parish and can’t wait to see the project come to fruition.”

Another positive aspect of the project is that a state tax credit of 35 percent and a federal charitable tax deduction are available for people who donate to a non-profit for renewable energy property that is in service before Jan. 1, 2016. (If you are interested in donating a panel to the project, consult with your tax advisor

as to if and how these tax credits apply to your individual situation.)

Parishioner Bill Maloney, who has helped to lead the solar panel project, puts it this way: “It’s a win-win situation.

Everyone benefits. We take care of our earth – and donors receive a tax break.

We are putting our words into action and investing for the long-term. Every sunny day while we are at work or play our panels will be there quietly doing their job turning sunshine into energy.”

Parishioner Jo Steininger added, “I’m very happy to endorse what our parish of St. Eugene is doing. As a child, I had to practice frugality and that attitude has never left me. I am always looking for ways to economize – in my home, in my job and in my church.

“Unfortunately I can’t install solar panels in my residence since I live in a condo, but I do the next best thing – cooperate with Duke Power in saving electricity in whatever way I can. We have a rather large gathering space in our church and the lighting is always a challenge. We’ve also installed more lights outside of the church for safety’s sake. Installing solar panels is good for the environment and will save us money as well.”

St. Eugene Church has already collected more than $16,364 toward a parishioner’s family matching gift of $25,000 since the project kicked off three weeks ago.

Project organizers said they hope to reach their fundraising goal soon so that the solar panels can be installed early this summer.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

S.C. considers pain-capable abortion bill to protect unborn Nate Madden Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Addressing a state legislative hearing, a Spartanburg, S.C., mother told lawmakers, “Against our doctor’s advice and with much fear we opted not to abort.”

The Senate Committee on Medical Affairs March 18 heard testimony surrounding the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The measure -- which passed the South Carolina House with a vote of 80-27 and has exceptions to protect the life and health of the mother -- would require that any physician in the state to determine the gestational age of the unborn child post-conception and prohibit any abortion if the determined age was older than 19 weeks. The current ban on abortion in South Carolina is 24 weeks after conception, unless the mother’s life is in danger.

Wendy Duke’s testimony at the hearing dealt with her family’s decision not to abort their daughter and their perspective and experiences as a result.

Doctors told Duke when she was 20-weeks pregnant that her unborn daughter Savannah’s right leg was badly deformed. They also said she had a brain abnormality. Duke recounted her and her daughter’s experiences after choosing life to the senators on the panel.

“She battled cancer for the first 16 months of her life, got her first walker at 2 and crutches at 3. ... She swam her first swim meet at 6 years old. She ran a half mile in the county fun run in the fifth grade. She climbed the 219 steps to the top of the St. Augustine lighthouse at 12 years old, refusing to let her daddy carry her so she could rightfully earn the T-shirt.”

After her mother spoke, Savannah gave her prepared statement, ending it with: “I’m glad my parents chose to save my life.”

In her closing remarks, Duke said of her daughter, “I cannot imagine this world without her, and I cannot fathom that a law, a doctor or the presence of a disability denies her the right to live in it.”

Duke has written “Grace in the Middle,” which “follows the author and her family through their newborn daughter’s battle with cancer and physical disabilities,” and Savannah, 14, is also on the varsity swim team at a local high school.

The bill has found support among such organizations as South Carolina Citizens for Life, the Catholic Diocese of Charleston, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the Palmetto Family Council and the North Greenville Christian World View Center.

A comparable bill passed the South Carolina House last year but died in the Senate when the legislative session ended in June. “It was like getting up to the one-yard line and losing,” Holly Gatling, executive director of South Carolina Citizens for Life, said. Despite the difficulties posed in last year’s attempt at passage, Gatling was optimistic about this legislative session.

“We do expect that it will pass the Senate this year,” said Gatling, though she expects a “much tougher fight” than in the House. When asked whether Republican Gov. Nikki Haley would sign it, she replied that Haley “has signed two big pieces of pro-life legislation since being in office; she is pro-life and she will sign this bill.”

The committee was expected to vote on the bill, but decided to stay the vote until later, in order to hear more testimony, according to Oran P. Smith, president of the Palmetto Family Council. A committee level vote is expected in the upcoming weeks.

Eleven other states have laws in place banning abortions after 20 weeks, which science says is when fetuses can feel pain.

Celebrate Holy Week with

St. John Neumann Catholic Church 8451 Idlewild Road – Charlotte, NC 28227 704-536-6520 www.4sjnc.org Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday, March 28 3:30 to 4:45 PM Wednesday, April 1 5:30 to 6:45 PM

Living Stations of the Cross 7:00 p.m.

Celebration of the Passion and Veneration of the Cross (Español) 8:00 p.m.

Holy Thursday Morning Prayer - 9:00 AM Mass of the Lord’s Supper - 7:00 p.m. (incense will be used) Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight

Holy Saturday Morning Prayer - 9:00 AM Blessing of Easter Food - 12:00 Noon Easter Vigil - 8:00 PM (incense will be used)

Good Friday Morning Prayer - 9:00 AM

Easter Sunday 6:30 AM Sunrise Mass (outdoors, weather permitting), 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:00 PM (Español) (incense will be used at the 6:30, 11:15 & 1:00 Masses)

No Confessions on Holy Saturday

Celebration of the Passion and Veneration of the Cross (English) 3:00 p.m.

Catholic advocates push Congress for a budget that protects poor people Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Catholic advocates are pressing Congress to make the needs of poor and vulnerable people a priority as legislators hammer out a federal spending plan for 2016.

The advocates said they want to prevent trillions of dollars in social services spending from disappearing over the next decade as Congress seeks to balance the federal budget and reduce the nation’s growing debt.

Their actions unfolded in recent weeks as they learned of Republican plans to remake the way social services such as Medicaid and food stamps are funded.

In meetings with individual members of Congress, they have stressed that the needs of hungry, homeless and unemployed people must be the country’s highest priority.

“There are millions of people at stake in these decisions,” said Brian Corbin, senior vice president for social policy at Catholic Charities USA, which has joined with Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in meetings on Capitol Hill. “They all have a name and a face and based on our principle of human dignity, that name and that face and that family, those really are important to making issues of poverty real.”

Those meetings are in addition to the lobbying efforts of Network, the Catholic social justice lobby; the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; and the Coalition on Human Needs.

In a letter to each member of Congress Feb. 27, the chairmen of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and Committee on International Justice and Peace, reiterated that a budget is a moral document and that the needs of poor people are utmost despite the economic pressures posed by “future unsustainable deficits.”

The federal budget “cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor persons,” wrote Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami and Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, N.M. “It requires shared sacrifice by all, including raising adequate revenues, eliminating unnecessary military and other spending, and addressing the long-term costs of health insurance and

retirement programs fairly.”

As the bishops’ letter was circulating, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., chairmen of Congress’ respective budget committees, were crafting spending plans that called for balancing the federal budget within a decade with the goal of tackling the country’s $18 trillion debt.

The House budget, called “A Balanced Budget for a Stronger America,” cuts nearly $5.5 trillion in spending from current projections over the next decade.

Specific spending reductions include Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program ($913 billion); Medicare ($148 billion); food stamps ($140 billion); housing, nutrition, job training, elderly services and other discretionary programs ($759 billion); and the repeal of the Affordable Care Act ($2.1 trillion).

In addition, both budgets call for increases in military spending over the decade while immediately adding tens of billions of dollars to Overseas Contingency Operations for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Senate plan was less specific, but identified only nonmilitary programs for reductions.

In a video posted on YouTube, Price explained that his plan would lead to gradually smaller deficits and is designed to let state legislators determine social services spending levels.

Former House budget committee chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, used similar language in calling for block grants for states to fund Medicaid and food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Using block grants to fund social services concerns the advocates.

As the appropriations process advances this summer, Corbin at Catholic Charities USA said the agency would continue to urge Congress to examine social service programs that lift people out of poverty.

“The thing we really are concerned about is that there is a need for us to have a conversation in this country about what works and what doesn’t work and not just stop short and hurt people along the way,” he said.

The two chambers were expected to settle on a final budget bill by April 15. After that, specific funding amounts will be debated in the respective appropriations committee.

` Honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila with a Marian pilgrimage to Portugal and Spain led by Fr. Timothy Reid, October 20-30, 2015. Tour highlights include Fatima, Avila, Madrid, Zaragoza, Montserrat, and Barcelona. Departures from Charlotte: $3699/person. For more information call George’s International Tours: (800) 566-7499, or visit the St. Ann’s website: www.StAnnCharlotte.org.

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Catholics urged to make needs of poor a priority, help reduce poverty INDIANAPOLIS — The five Catholic bishops of Indiana have issued a pastoral letter on poverty that invites and challenges people in the state to make the needs of the poor a priority and to take action to reduce the effects of poverty.

Titled “Poverty at the Crossroads: The Church’s Response to Poverty in Indiana,” the letter is signed by Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin of Indianapolis and Bishops Timothy L. Doherty of Lafayette, Donald J. Hying of Gary, Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend and Charles C. Thompson of Evansville. The bishops noted in the introduction to the pastoral letter that they are called to carry on Christ’s work in service to all people, but that they have a particular obligation to care for the most vulnerable members of God’s family, especially the poor.

Low marriage numbers reported WASHINGTON, D.C. — The number of Catholic marriages in the U.S. is at its lowest point since 1965. Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate keeps records of Catholic Church statistics going back to 1965, tracking such things as the total number of priests, the Catholic population of the United States, and the number of baptisms and marriages per year. The statistics show that while there were over 420,000 Catholic marriages in 1970, that number has dwindled to just over 154,000 for the year 2014. “There’s no definitive answer” for this trend, according to Mark Gray, a senior research associate and poll director at the center. “We’re seeing an increase in cohabitation,” he said, which can “create a hurdle to receiving the sacrament of marriage, depending on the parish or diocese’s policies,” Gray said. “There’s also the notion of a destination wedding trumping the traditional notion of getting married within the Church.” He added, “Some things have changed culturally. ... The Church just isn’t seen as important” to many young Catholics.

USCCB president: ‘Witness of marriage’ can inspire a troubled world WASHINGTON, D.C. — The family is an instrument of evangelization and it can influence others more than people realize, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said at The Catholic University of America. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., said families deserve to be held up and supported in their daily lives and that last fall’s extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family in Rome was designed to ensure that families remain an integral part of Church life. “Families have a powerful impact even on people who don’t belong to their family. I think the family is being called to be an instrument of the evangelization to participate in that work,” he said March 16.

Utah lawmakers pass anti-discrimination bill SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s 2015 legislative session ended March 13 with passage of a landmark bill to remove barriers to meeting basic employment and housing needs of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community while protecting religious liberty. The measure, signed into law

by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert March 12 in

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the Capitol rotunda, adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes against whom landlords and employers may not discriminate. Jean Hill, government liaison for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, said the bill “represents many hours of work (among) leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and LGBT advocacy groups to create a state law that strikes a fair and just balance between providing for these basic needs and protecting the rights of people of faith to exercise their beliefs.” The bill exempts faith-based organizations such as schools, hospitals and organizations and also protects an individual’s right to express his or her beliefs in the workplace as long as that individual is not harassing others. Mormon leaders said the church still opposes same-sex “marriage,” but in a recent interview with Fox 13, Elder D. Todd Christofferson said the anti-discrimination measure was an opportunity to “balance competing interests and rights respectfully and find a solution.”

Senators filibuster trafficking measure over abortion issue WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ten Senate Democrats voted March 17 to filibuster the Justice for Victims of Sex Trafficking Act over inclusion of Hyde Amendment provisions, which forbids federal funding for most abortions or abortionrelated care. “I know there are some Democrats who care deeply about the victims of human trafficking. Unfortunately, not everybody does, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this obstruction,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the bill’s author. “I hope they will examine their conscience.” The long-standing Hyde Amendment has exceptions for abortions in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered. The language in the trafficking measure, known as S. 178, accounts for the fact because the federal grants it creates would be funded by fees rather than taxes. Hyde has routinely been applied to annual appropriations bill since 1976. Because the anti-trafficking bill would set up these grant programs for trafficking victims over the course of five years, Hyde would apply for a much longer period of time than usual. “The amendment was not on the last Congress’ version of the bill, but a lot of the co-sponsors just assumed it was the same language without reading it,” explained a legislative aide of one of the bill’s Republican co-sponsors, “so it was voted unanimously out of committee.”

Bishop: State cannot justify death penalty SALT LAKE CITY — Debate over the death penalty and a proposal to reinstate a firing squad in Utah “seems to suggest growing recognition among legislators of the precarious place any state occupies when it tries to take on a role best left to God,” said Bishop John C. Wester. “At its core, the death penalty is repugnant to us because of our firmly held belief that only God can give life and, consequently, only God can rightly take it away,” the Salt Lake City bishop wrote in his diocesan newspaper Feb. 27. Utah recently reinstated execution by firing squad for those convicted of capital crimes, as an alternative method of capital punishment if the drugs used in lethal injection are not available. There is a shortage of lethal drugs for executions and their use in carrying out the death penalty has become more controversial.

Wash Away Your Sins 2nd Sunday of Easter

Divine Mercy Sunday April 12, 2015

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Bishops appointed WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pope Francis has named Auxiliary Bishop Thomas A. Daly of San Jose, Calif., to head the Diocese of Spokane, Wash., and Conventual Franciscan Father John Stowe to be bishop of Lexington, Ky. — Catholic News Service

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Attend Mass Venerate the Divine Mercy Image Receive The Eucharist Go to Reconciliation (within 20 days before or after) Gain Remission of Sin & Punishment All are welcome to 3 pm Hour of Great Mercy at St. Matthew Catholic Church Prayers, Homily, Exposition, Singing of Chaplet & Benediction Complimentary Divine Mercy Hospitality follows in Banquet Room, Free Materials, Light Refreshments Saint Matthew Catholic Church 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy Charlotte NC 28277 (704)543-7677

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Pope recognizes miracle needed to declare French couple saints Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has approved a miracle so that, for the first time, a married couple can be canonized together.

The canonization ceremony for Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, is likely to take place during the world Synod of Bishops on the family in October.

Pope Francis signed the decree March 18, the Vatican said, although it provided no details about the miraculous cure said to have taken place through the couple’s intercession.

However, the promoters of the sainthood cause said the miracle being studied involves a little girl in the Archdiocese of Valencia, Spain. Born prematurely and with multiple lifethreatening complications, Carmen suffered a major brain hemorrhage, which could have caused irreversible damage. Her parents prayed for the Martins’ intercession. The little girl survived and is healthy.

Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes had said in late February that “thanks be to God, in October two spouses, parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, will be canonized.”

Blessed Louis and Marie Zelie Guerin Martin were married in 1858. The couple had nine children, but four of them died in infancy. The five who survived – including St. Thérèse – all entered religious life. Zelie Martin died of cancer in 1877, at the age of 45; her husband died when he was 70 in 1894.

The couple was beatified in 2008.

They are believed to be the first parents of a saint to be beatified, highlighting the important role parents play in their children’s human and spiritual upbringing.

Fresh, local flower crowns for her First Holy Communion

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At Lenten penance service, pope announces Holy Year of Mercy Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, to highlight the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.”

“No one can be excluded from God’s mercy,” the pope said March 13, marking the second anniversary of his pontificate by leading a Lenten penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica.

“I frequently have thought about how the Church can make more evident its mission to be a witness of mercy,” he said during his homily; that is why he decided to call a special Holy Year, which will be celebrated from Dec. 8, 2015, until Nov. 20, 2016.

The biblical theme of the year, he said, will be “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful,” an admonition that applies “especially to confessors,” the pope said with a smile.

Traditionally, every 25 years the popes proclaim a holy year, which features special celebrations and pilgrimages, strong calls for conversion and repentance, and the offer of special opportunities to experience God’s grace through the sacraments, especially confession.

Extraordinary holy years, like the Holy Year of Mercy, are less frequent, but offer the same opportunities for spiritual growth.

The doors of the Church “are wide open so that all those who are touched by grace can find the certainty of forgiveness,” Pope Francis said at the penance service, which featured individual confessions. It was part of a worldwide celebration of “24 Hours for the Lord,” in which Catholic churches were staying open for prayer, Eucharistic Adoration and confession.

At each of the dozens of confessionals in St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as in simple chairs scattered along the walls, priests welcomed people to the sacrament. The pope removed his liturgical vestments and went to confession before putting on a purple stole and hearing the confessions of others.

“God never ceases to demonstrate the richness of His mercy over the course of centuries,” the pope said in his homily. God touches people’s hearts with His grace, filling them with repentance and a desire to “experience His love.”

“Being touched by the tenderness of His hand,” people should not be afraid to approach a priest and confess their sins, he said. In the confessional, one has “the certainty of being welcomed in the name of God and understood, despite our misery.”

“The greater the sin, the greater the love, which the Church must express toward those who convert,” Pope Francis said.

The Gospel reading at the penance service was the story of the sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. Every time one goes to confession, the pope said, “we feel the same compassionate gaze of Jesus” that she did.

Jesus’ love, he said, allowed her to draw near, to demonstrate her repentance and to show her love for Him. “Every gesture of

CNS | Stefano Spaziani, pool

Pope Francis goes to confession during a Lenten penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 13.

During the service the pope announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, to be celebrated from Dec. 8, 2015, until Nov. 20, 2016. this woman speaks of love and expresses her desire to have an unshakable certainty in her life, that of having been forgiven.”

“Love and forgiveness are simultaneous” in the story of each person, just as in the story of the sinful woman, he said. “God forgave her for much – for everything – because He loved her much.”

Through Jesus, the pope said, God took the woman’s sins and “threw them over His shoulder, He no longer remembers them.”

Jesus’ encounter with the woman took place in the home of a Pharisee named Simon. Unlike the woman, the pope said, Simon “isn’t able to find the path of love.

He remains stopped at the threshold of formality. He is not able to take the next

step to encounter Jesus, who brings salvation.”

The Pharisee is concerned only with following God’s law, with justice, which is a mistake, the pope said. “His judgment of the woman distances him from the truth and prevents him from understanding who his guest is.”

Jesus scolds Simon, pointing out how the “sinful woman” has shown nothing but love and repentance, the pope said. “Jesus’ rebuke pushes each of us to never stop at the surface of things, especially when dealing with a person. We are called to look deeper, to focus on the heart in order to see how much generosity the person is capable of.”

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Pope: Church ‘is the house of Jesus,’ must always be open VATICAN CITY — The Church “is the house of Jesus,” and Christians must welcome everyone, even bringing those who are unable to make their way on their own, said Pope Francis during his morning Mass March 17. People who are sad or “sick in their soul” or who have “made many mistakes in their lives” may, at a certain point, feel the Holy Spirit inspire them to go to church, the pope said. But, after mustering up the courage to go, they will often find unwelcoming and judgmental Christian communities with their “doors closed” to them. Mimicking unwelcoming parishioners, Pope Francis said they tell people, “You made a mistake here and you cannot (enter). If you would like to come, come to Sunday Mass, but stay there, don’t do more.” In this way, “that which the Holy Spirit does in people’s hearts, Christians – with a psychology of doctors of the law – then destroy,” he said. “Who are you to close the door of your heart to a man, to a woman who has the will to improve, to re-enter the people of God because the Holy Spirit stirred their heart?”

Pope Francis will visit U.N. UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the announcement that Pope Francis would visit the United Nations Sept. 25 to address the U.N. General Assembly.

The United Nations also said the pope would

meet separately with the secretary-general and with the president of the General Assembly and would participate in a town hall gathering with U.N. staff. Ban noted that the pope’s visit will be during the United Nations’ 70th anniversary, in which its members would make decisions about sustainable development, climate change and peace. He said he was confident the pope’s visit would inspire the international community to redouble its efforts for social justice, tolerance and understanding. The visit is part of a larger papal visit to Washington, New York and Philadelphia. In February, it was announced that Pope Francis will be the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress Sept. 24.

Pope Francis: Death penalty ‘unacceptable’ VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis came out squarely against the death penalty once again, calling it “unacceptable” regardless of the seriousness of the crime of the condemned.

Pope Francis met with a three-person delegation of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty March 20, issuing a letter urging worldwide abolition. He called capital punishment “cruel, inhumane and degrading” and said it “does not bring justice to the victims, but only foments revenge.”

Furthermore, in a modern “state of law, the death penalty represents a failure” because it obliges the state to kill in the name of justice, the pope said. Rather, it is a method frequently used by “totalitarian regimes and fanatical groups” to do away with “political dissidents, minorities” and any other person deemed a threat to their power and to their goals. “Human justice is imperfect,” he said, and the death penalty loses all legitimacy within penal systems where judicial error is possible.

— Catholic News Service

Catholic Charities Director of Development The Diocesan Office of Development has an opening for a full-time Catholic Charities Director of Development. The candidate must have an undergraduate degree and a minimum of 5 years experience in fundraising; extensive fundraising experience may be substituted for a completed undergraduate degree. A knowledge of Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge or other fundraising database software is preferred.

Responsibilities include: creating and executing the annual development plan for Catholic Charities; supporting fundraising solicitation events coordinated by the regional office directors; engaging, retaining, nurturing and recognizing current donors; identifying and cultivating new donors.

Please submit cover letter and resume by April 10, 2015 to Jim Kelley, Office of Development, jkkelley@charlottediocese.org

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Parish & Church Secretaries and Administrative Professionals Church secretaries serve one of the most important ministries in the church. They are the voice and face people encounter when they call or come to the church office. Treat yourself to a special day away with pampering, prayer, sharing, quiet time and lunch at the beautiful Catholic Conference Center in Hickory. The facilitator for the program will be Teresa Belthrop Hairston, a gifted and motivating speaker. Take some time to care for yourself so you can care for others.

Date: Friday, April 24, 2015 Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Cost: $40.00 (includes lunch) To register, call Cathy Webb at 828-327-7441

by Monday, April 20th

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Donate Your Car Make your car go the extra mile.

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catholicnewsherald.com | March 27, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Robert D. Potter Jr.

What’s wrong with homosexual ‘marriage’?

T

he U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider whether a state is required to recognize homosexual “marriage” under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. In the flood of secular media messages and accounts, many Catholics may be confused and even deceived about the moral and legal issues at stake. Why can’t two persons of the same sex “marry”? Can’t two men or two women or several men and women love each other?

One must first ask: What does “marriage” mean? The Catholic understanding of marriage is rooted in the words of Jesus Christ.

Christ explained: “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one. So they are no longer two but one” (Mark 10:6-8). Christ was referring to the second chapter of Genesis: “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Gen 2:24).

As Pope St. John Paul II explained in his Theology of the Body: “The unity about which Genesis 2:24 speaks (‘and the two will become one flesh’) is without doubt the unity that is expressed and realized in the conjugal act.”

“Marriage” as understood by the Catholic Church is more than an association or legal status between people who love each other.

Marriage requires sexual complementarity and openness to procreation.

Marriage, however, is not simply an instrument for procreation, because even if it is not possible for a couple to have children, the conjugal marital union of a man and woman has intrinsic value. Only a man and woman can form the “one-flesh” union that both unites the couple and preserves humanity. Therefore, two men or two women are simply physically incapable of marriage.

Then what is the “marriage” that the popular culture seeks to compel society to recognize? In “Culture of Vice,” Robert R. Reilly quotes Jeffrey Levi, former executive director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: “We (homosexuals) ... are no longer seeking just a right to privacy and a right to protection from wrong. We have a right – as heterosexuals have already – to see government and society affirm our lives.” Levi is not referring to two men or women in a platonic relationship, for society does not give any special status to heterosexual individuals in such relationships. What Levi and others seek is not tolerance, but for the government and society to approve and give special legal status to those who commit to a relationship founded in sodomy or something other than the conjugal union of one man and one woman.

The Church can never condone such a relationship because all sexual relationships outside marriage are harmful to the wellbeing of the human person.

Scripture is clear that sexual relations outside marriage are morally wrong. St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews explains: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous. ” (Heb 13:4). And in his letter to the Romans, St. Paul explains: “(M)en commit(ed) shameless acts with men and receiv(ed) in their own persons the due penalty for their error” (Rom 1:27). St. Paul was simply repeating the warning given in the Old Testament book of Leviticus: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination” (Lev 20:13).

Because of the clear words of Scripture and the traditions of the past two millennia, the Church can never condone homosexual “marriage.”

To those claiming a right to redefine marriage, the relationship between two persons of the same sex is not and cannot – by linguistic or legal artifice – be transformed into “marriage” as that term has been understood throughout history. Such a relationship, by its very nature, is not directed toward the same ends as marriage.

Robert D. Potter Jr. is one of the attorneys representing the N.C. Legislature in connection with defending the North Carolina constitutional amendment protecting marriage. This is the first of three commentaries on the issue of attempts to redefine marriage. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments next month on a series of related cases from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Anne Tinsdale

“

Offer it up”: the great mantra of our beloved Catholic school nuns! What did they know that we can learn about sacrifice and suffering? On a purely human level the value and necessity of sacrifice and suffering is difficult to imagine, but the willingness to suffer for Christ’s sake makes all the difference.

All the saints suffered, even the Mother of God. St. Thérèse, St. Francis, St. Teresa of Avila, Padre Pio, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pope St. John Paul II – all of them suffered greatly for the love of God. Suffering is all about love. It is all about giving.

It is all about the beauty of love and the beauty of giving.

There are different kinds of suffering: physical, emotional, spiritual, mental suffering. One of the most difficult to endure is spiritual suffering, for it is very difficult to pray when God seems nowhere to be found. But God is always there, always loving us, even when it seems He is most remote. That is when He asks the most of us, when He is giving the most of Himself, when He is giving us the grace to love Him in spite of ourselves, the grace to say, “Yes, Lord, I believe you are there, that you love me.” Many of the greatest saints experienced this type of suffering, for according to Padre Pio, “Jesus gives the biggest share of His Cross to His closest friends.”

According to Pope St. John Paul II, “Difficulties and sorrows, if accepted out of love, are transferred into a privileged way of holiness.” St. Ignatius says, “If God allows you to suffer much, it is because he has great designs for you and He certainly intends for you to become a saint.”

I try to say this prayer of St. Francis of Assisi each day, although I’m frequently distracted by the temptation to be careful what I ask for: “O Lord

Offer it up Jesus Christ, I entreat you to give me two graces before I die: first, that in my life time I may feel in body and soul as far as possible the pain you endured, dear Lord, in the hour of your most bitter suffering; and second, that I may feel in my heart as far as possible that excess of love by which you, O Son of God, were inflamed to undertake so cruel a suffering for us sinners.”

St. Francis’ perfect joy is enabled by perfect humility, the perfect submission to God’s Will.

Perfect joy is a peaceful knowing that one has done the utmost to please God. When united with Christ’s suffering, our suffering enables us to truly put our faith to the test, truly trust in His mercy, and truly respond to love with love.

In addition to perfect humility and perfect obedience, we must also have perfect trust that God will never give us more than we can bear, and that He always gives us the grace we need to bear it.

Our gifts of suffering and sacrifice, however, must always be freely given. These gifts help detach ourselves from the things of earth and help us long for heaven. They can give us a greater compassion for others. They can purify us. They can strengthen our souls and help us develop everyday habits of “white martyrdom,” not only saving our own souls but those of others.

Living an easy, comfortable life is not what makes us holy. If we are to call ourselves followers of Christ, we must be willing to step out of our comfort zones, take the risk and “offer it up.”

Anne Tinsdale is a member of Our Lady of Grace Praesidium of the Legion of Mary at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia, and a Secular Franciscan with the St. Maximillian Kolbe OFS Fraternity, Charlotte. Adapted from a presentation of the Patricians, a Legion of Mary discussion group for adult Catholics.

March 27, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Parish spotlight

Cross of ashes in Boone BOONE — The ashes of Lent have more than one meaning at St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church in Boone. The holy season starts on Ash Wednesday as usual with a reminder for the people of the parish to “turn away from sin.” But Lent is also when a substitute crucifix is brought into the main church. The figure on the cross, the corpus, is of a burned Christ – a remnant of the church from when it was destroyed by fire in 1984. The cause of the blaze was never officially determined, but it has been speculated that a homeless person started a small fire in the sacristy to keep warm on a cold winter night.

To look at the blackened cross is to wonder how it survived the fire and the ensuing 31 years.

Tom Rokoske, a retired astronomy professor from nearby Appalachian State University and a member of St. Elizabeth’s for 51 years, says the corpus is referred to as “our black Jesus.” He said, “It is thrilling that this is now available for people to see. Many visitors ask questions about it.”

The destroyed church was replaced in 1988 with a new building about a mile from Appalachian State University. The corpus was restored in 2001 by local artist Mary Rose Carroll, who used a gel-like substance to strengthen and preserve it. It is mounted on a fireproof aluminum stand, the base of which is in the shape of the Star of David.

Rokoske’s wife Tish noted that parishioners took care of the corpus during the 17 years after the fire and supported its restoration because it came from a crucifix imported from Mt. Oberammergau in Germany, site of the well-known Passion play.

Father David Brzoska, pastor, said the special crucifix is brought into the main church just before Ash Wednesday and is removed before the Easter Vigil Mass. “The startling image brings to light the uncomfortableness of the crucifixion. It puts more focus onto the image of Christ,” he said.

— David Hains, director of communication

Deacon James H. Toner

What we know that ain’t so:

“What you think is the right road may lead to death” (Prv 14:12)

Gud Edjakashun What we think is the right road

A

bout five years ago, Mark Bauerlein challenged readers by contending that we must learn not to trust anyone under the age of 30. What he called “the dumbest generation” has achieved “viewer literacy,” Bauerlein maintained, but not “verbal literacy.” Extensive and serious reading done seriously; the cultivated ability to reason well; competence in authentic conversation; clear and cogent writing; even the ability to spell right – these skills are frequently scorned today, he says. But that’s wrong, we think; that’s not even important in the modern age. After all, education is about mastering technical subjects, and a good school is defined by its technological superiority.

Education is about enhancing Proverbs 4:13 GNB one’s earning potential, developing “skill sets” and having fun.

‘Your education is your life; guard it well.’

Suggested reading “Learning as I Go,” by Jeff Minick of Asheville (2013), available at www. jeffminick.com.

(ISBN: 9781491298107)

But it’s the wrong road

President James Garfield once defined an ideal college as “Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and a student on the other.”

Mark Hopkins (1802-1887) was a renowned teacher-scholar, and President Garfield thought that genuine education consisted in listening to and learning from Hopkins and others of his erudition. At its best, a college is a congregation of scholars around whom students gather to study serious subjects. When that definition is altered in practice, a college loses its purpose and even the idea of education itself becomes warped.

Reading, ’riting, and ’rithmetic were fundamental in Hopkins’s time, but so was the conviction that education also meant becoming a lady or gentleman, the development of character and the cultivation of good citizenship.

“Rare today is the person who is taught virtue in any systematic way,” writes North Carolina teacher Jeff Minick. When the principles of Christian wisdom have been disregarded, wrote Pope Leo XIII in “Sapientia Christianae” (“On Christians As Citizens”), “evils so vast have been accrued that no right-minded man can face the

trials of the time without grave anxiety or consider the future without alarm.”

Do we understand, though, what Pope Leo meant by principles of Christian wisdom?

If wisdom means the ability to perceive what is timeless in time and what is changeless amid change, we begin to understand that education, at its core, is about the ability to separate good from evil, right from wrong, virtue from vice. And we know that there are teachers who can and will help us in that discernment: Aeschylus and Sophocles, Cicero and Virgil, Augustine and Dante, Shakespeare and Newman, Chesterton and Pope St. John Paul II come to mind, among many others. Teach these “classics” – and encourage conversation and writing about them after guided reading – and you will sacrifice some time otherwise spent on computer-type skills.

Some years ago, Dominican Father Bede Jarrett said, “It is generally obvious that we cannot hope to retain our faith unless we habitually practice spiritual reading.”

“Spiritual reading” can mean the Bible, of course, but it also means that kind of reading and reflection which inquire into the great questions, such as: Where have we come from? Where are we going? What are the hallmarks of great art and music?

What truly matters in life? What can we identify as Good? Why should we be people of virtue and of kindness?

The Book of Wisdom tells us we can see many things around us and still fail to discern the living God (13:1). An “education” which produces graduates who are technically competent but spiritually untutored is counterfeit. We emphasize making a living, but we fail to teach how to make a life worth living. We think of education – and sometimes even the Mass itself – as being about us when, in fact, they are about God. When we have not learned about God, we cannot know Him and love Him and serve Him, and then we pursue false idols.

Think of genuine education as moral inoculation, for education – the ability to separate moral wheat from chaff – is tutored practice in learning to refuse to think and do those things which destroy the soul. Good education vaccinates us against ethical disease, and it leads us into the purpose of our being, which is to grow in holiness.

But the idea that the chief purpose of education is to help us grow in holiness strikes many people today as absurd.

“Go and say to this people: You will listen and listen, but not understand; you will look and look, but not see, because this people’s minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them” (Acts 28:26 GNB).

Good education heals because it is the medicine of the soul. Do you think there is time in the curriculum for that?

Deacon James H. Toner serves at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.

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DIOCESE OF CHARLOTTE

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