December 2, 2011
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WHEN OTHERS LEAVE... Catholic Social Services steps in, responding in the wake of a deadly Davidson tornado, 3 FUNDED by the parishioners of the diocese of charlotte THANK YOU!
Mount Airy surgeon practices charity on a global scale, 8 Calendar 4 Diocese 3-13
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CCWG members discover beauty on Catholic art tour, 12-13
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Primer Congreso CarismĂĄtico 1200 personas se reĂşnen en el Cabarrus Arena, 11 Viewpoints 22-23
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
A saintly life
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope praises efforts to ban death penalty VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI gave a special greeting of encouragement to delegations meeting in Rome – including a group from Illinois – to promote the abolition of the death penalty. During his weekly audience Nov. 30 at the Vatican, Pope Benedict said he hoped the work of the delegations would “encourage political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a number of countries to eliminate the death penalty” and promote progress in penal law that speaks equally to “the human dignity of prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order.” The 12-person Illinois group, members of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, was led by state Rep. Karen Yarbrough. Under Gov. Pat Quinn, Illinois became the 16th state to abolish the death penalty in March. Following the audience, Yarbrough said the papal audience represented a capstone to an intense year of efforts that paid off with legislation banning capital punishment in Illinois. The Nov. 29-30 Rome meeting encouraged people in cities around the world to join a public demonstration of opposition to the death penalty. The main part of the pope’s audience talk dealt with the significance of prayer in the life of Jesus Christ and in His relationship with God, a continuation of his series of reflections on prayer. The pope said that Jesus, by His own example, “most fully reveals the mystery of Christian prayer.” He said this was particularly evident with the prayer Jesus said after His baptism in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist. The pope said this prayer “reflects His complete, filial obedience to the Father’s will, an obedience which would lead Him to death on the cross for the redemption of our sins.” Jesus learned to pray from His very devout mother and the Jewish tradition, but the real source of His prayer was His “eternal communion with the Father.” Pope Benedict said Jesus teaches today’s Christians that prayer must be constant, profound and characterized by “self-surrender and complete openness to God.” — Catholic News Service
St. Francis Xavier remembered for his missionary zeal Feast day: Dec. 3 Benjamin Mann Catholic News Agency
On Dec. 3 the Church honors St. Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits who went on to evangelize vast portions of Asia. Francis Xavier was born during 1506 in the Kingdom of Navarre, a region now divided between Spain and France. His mother was an esteemed heiress, and his father an adviser to King John III. While his brothers entered the military, Francis followed an intellectual path to a college in Paris. There he studied philosophy, and later he taught it after earning his masters degree. In Paris, the young man would discover his destiny with the help of his long-time friend Peter Faber, and an older student named Ignatius Loyola – who came to Paris in 1528 to finish a degree and brought together a group of men looking to glorify God with their lives. At first, personal ambition kept Xavier from heeding God’s call. Ignatius’ humble and austere lifestyle did not appeal to him. But the older student, who had undergone a dramatic conversion, often posed Christ’s question to Xavier: “What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Gradually, Ignatius convinced the young man to give up his own plans and open his mind to God’s will. In 1534, Francis Xavier, Peter Faber and four other men joined Ignatius in making a vow of poverty, chastity and dedication to the spread of the Gospel through personal obedience to the pope. Xavier became a priest in 1537. Three years later, Pope Paul III confirmed Ignatius and his companions as a religious order, the Jesuits. During that year, the king of Portugal asked the pope to send missionaries to his newly-acquired territories in India. Together with another Jesuit, Simon Rodriguez, Xavier first spent time in Portugal caring for the sick and giving instruction in the faith. On his 35th
birthday, he set sail for Goa on India’s west coast. There, however, he found the Portuguese colonists causing disgrace to the Church through their bad behavior. This situation spurred the Jesuit to action. He spent his days visiting prisoners and the sick, gathering groups of children together to teach them about God, and preaching to both Portuguese and Indians. Adopting the lifestyle of the common people, he lived on rice and Image courtesy of www. water in a hut with a xaviermissionaries.org dirt floor. Xavier’s missionary efforts among them often succeeded, though he had more difficulty converting the upper classes, and he encountered opposition from both Hindus and Muslims. In 1545 he extended his efforts to Malaysia before moving on to Japan in 1549. Becoming fluent in Japanese, Xavier instructed the first generation of Japanese Catholic converts. Many said that they were willing to suffer martyrdom rather than renounce the faith brought by the far-flung Jesuit. He became ill and died on Dec. 3, 1552, while seeking a way to enter the closely-guarded kingdom of China. In 1622, both he and St. Ignatius Loyola were canonized on the same day. With St. Thérèse of Lisieux, he was named Patron of all Missions by Pope Pius X in 1904.
Faith facts The works of mercy According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the works of mercy are “charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.” (CCC 2447) Moreover, those who practice such acts of virtue out of concern for others are recalling Christ’s teaching of the Beatitudes in the Gospel. These eight comforting promises further illustrate how important it is to help and express compassion for each other. The works of mercy are divided into two specific categories: spiritual and corporal. The spiritual works, which address the soul’s need for salvation and virtue, are: instructing, advising, consoling, comforting, bearing the wrongs of, and forgiving others. While these are certainly good and necessary, St. James explains in his letter, “Without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?” (James 2:16) Therefore, the corporal works of mercy, which complement the spiritual, involve feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and burying the dead. By employing both groups of works, we are truly caring for our neighbor in both body and soul. The spiritual and corporal works of mercy are sure guides on the path of love and self-giving. Even if we apply them in small or simple ways, we are still doing a great service toward others and even to Christ Himself: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40) — Joseph Bruck
Your daily Scripture readings SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 4 - DEC. 10
Sunday, Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11, 2 Peter 3:8-14, Mark 1:1-8; Monday, Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 5:17-26; Tuesday (St. Nicholas), Isaiah 40:1-11, Matthew 18:12-14; Wednesday (St. Ambrose), Isaiah 40:2531, Matthew 11:28-30; Thursday (The Immaculate Conception), Genesis 3:9-15, 20, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12, Luke 1:26-38; Friday (St. Juan Diego), Isaiah 48:17-19, Matthew 11:16-19; Saturday, Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11, Matthew 17:9-13
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 11 - DEC. 17
Sunday, Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11, Luke 1:46-50, 5354, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28; Monday (Our Lady of Guadalupe), Zechariah 2:14-17, Judith 13:18-19, Luke 1:26-38; Tuesday (St. Lucy), Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13, Matthew 21:28-32; Wednesday (St. John of the Cross), Isaiah 45:68, 18, 21-25, Luke 7:18-23; Thursday, Isaiah 54:1-10, Luke 7:24-30; Friday, Isaiah 56:1-3, 6-8, John 5:33-36; Saturday, Genesis 49:2, 8-10, Matthew 1:1-17
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 18 - DEC. 24
Sunday, 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38; Monday, Judges 13:2-7, 24-25, Luke 1:5-25; Tuesday, Isaiah 7:10-14, Luke 1:26-38; Wednesday (St. Peter Canisius), Song of Songs 2:8-14, Luke 1:39-45; Thursday, 1 Samuel 1:24-28, 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8, Luke 1:46-56; Friday (St. John of Kanty), Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24, Luke 1:57-66; Saturday, 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16, Luke 1:67-79
Our parishes
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
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In Brief Parochial administrator named for Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville HENDERSONVILLE — Capuchin Franciscan Father John Salvas has been appointed parochial administrator of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville. Father Salvas, who has been serving the parish as parochial vicar, is succeeding Capuchin Franciscan Father Nick Mormando, who has been reassigned by their order, the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of the Stigmata of St. Francis, to become Provincial Minister at the provincial house in New Jersey. — Kathleen Schmeider
Polish Mass to be offered Dec. 18 at St. Matthew Church CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church in Charlotte will offer a Polish Mass at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18. The sacrament of reconciliation will be available beforehand starting at 2 p.m. For more information, call Elizabeth Spytkowski at 704-9481678.
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CSS responds in wake of Davidson tornado DAVIDSON COUNTY — Catholic Social Services workers from the Winston-Salem office are working with emergency personnel and state and federal officials to help those hurt by a recent tornado that struck Davidson and Randolph counties on Nov. 16. The estimated EF2 tornado, with wind speeds ranging from 111 to 135 mph, left a trail of destruction about 12 miles long, killing two people and injuring others. More than photo by H. Scott Hoffmann, Greensboro News & Record 50 families and nine businesses were impacted, according Daniel Byerly discovered his car buried under rubble outside a game room building that was to Catholic Social Services. The deadly storm front also leveled during a tornado in the Silver Valley community of east-central Davidson County Nov. 17. spawned tornadoes across the Southeast, and four other people were killed in South Carolina and Georgia. tarp after a tree fell through the roof. Not only do they need help with “Catholic Social Services is responding to this tragedy by offering repairs, they need counseling. services to people who are coping with this devastation,” said Diane “The kids are afraid to leave her side,” Bullard said, after they Bullard, director for the local CSS office in Winston-Salem. experienced the fierce tornado. “They’re afraid that it’ll happen Catholic Social Services said this week that it is anticipating a again.” $10,000 grant from Catholic Charities USA to help fund this response CSS representatives are staffing the county’s Disaster Response effort. Catholic Social Services is the local arm of Catholic Charities Center, based at the Silver Valley Fire Department in Davidson USA, the 100-year-old national office for Catholic Charities agencies County, where they are collaborating with the U.S. Small Business and affiliates. Administration, the N.C. Office of Emergency Management and the Some people lost their jobs following the destruction of their Davidson/Randolph County Offices of Emergency Management. The businesses, while others lack homeowners or renters insurance to Silver Valley community was among the hardest hit by the tornado. help them recover from the loss of their homes, the agency noted. CSS is also recruiting a handful of volunteers from the nearby The agency is coordinating cases, helping people find their parishes of Our Lady of the Highways in Thomasville and Our Lady of way through the recovery process, as well as offering emergency the Rosary in Lexington. assistance, baby clothing, diapers, food and material items, gift cards, “Now that first-responder agencies have done their part, Catholic school supplies, even mental health counseling. The tornado victims are traumatized, Bullard noted. In one case, a woman and her four children are living in a mobile home covered by a DAVIDSON, SEE page 13
National Night of Prayer for Life set for Dec. 8-9 Food drive help to benefit MOP MINT HILL — Seven-year-old Joseph Swain, along with his dad Al Swain, and other volunteers collected 283 bags of food at St. Luke Church in Mint Hill recently. The donations were given to the Missionaries of the Poor, located in Monroe. — Colleen Fitzgerald
CHARLOTTE — This year marks the 22nd annual Night of Prayer for Life, linking the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8 with the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego on Dec. 9, 1531. The National Night of Prayer for Life bridges these two feasts to pray for the sanctity of life. During the Hour of Unity, from midnight to 1 a.m., the faithful are asked to unite in prayer with churches across the country to end abortion and in reparation for sins against the Gospel of Life. The National Night of Prayer for Life is a pro-life prayer service consisting of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the rosary, silent prayers and hymns.
Parishes are asked to sign up by contacting Maggi Nadol, diocesan Respect Life program director, at mnadol@charlottediocese.org. Parishes already signed up to participate include: Holy Cross, Kernersville, 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Holy Family, Clemmons, Adoration 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Holy Spirit, Denver, Wednesday, Dec. 7 Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro Our Lady of Guadalupe, Charlotte, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Our Lady of the Highways, Thomasville Our Lady of the Rosary, Lexington, from 8 p.m. 1 a.m. (following 7 p.m. Mass) Sacred Heart, Salisbury, 8-10 p.m. St. Ann, Charlotte, 8 p.m.-midnight St. Gabriel, Charlotte, perpetual Adoration St. Lawrence Basilica, Asheville
St. Leo the Great, Winston-Salem, 8-11 p.m. St. Mark, Huntersville, Adoration Chapel St. Mary, Greensboro, 5-6 p.m. St. Matthew, Charlotte, 8:30 p.m.-11 p.m. St. Michael, Gastonia, 8-9 p.m. St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte, 8 p.m.-1 a.m. St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte (This list is as of press time Nov. 29. Please check with your local parish to confirm times.) Go to www.nationalnightofprayerforlife.org for more information about the event and to download prayers written in both English and Spanish. — Maggi Nadol
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 OUR PARISHES
Diocesan calendar of events ASHEVILLE st. lawrence basilica, 97 Haywood St. — National Night of Prayer for Life, 9 p.m. Dec. 8-1 a.m. Dec. 9
Bishop Peter J. Jugis Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events over the next two weeks: Dec. 2 – 6:30 p.m. Vineyard of Hope Ballantyne Hotel, Charlotte
BELMONT belmont abbey college, 100 belmont-mt. holly road — Arts at the Abbey: Holiday Concert with the Abbey Chorus, 8 p.m. Dec. 2 — “First Fridays at the Abbey,” 5 p.m. First Fridays (Sept.May), followed by dinner. Information and RSVP at alumni.belmontabbeycollege.edu/firstfriday.
Dec. 3 – 2 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Mark Church, Huntersville
BOONE st. elizabeth of the hill country, 259 Pilgrims Way — “The 3 1/2 Stories of Christmas,” performed by Frank Runyeon, 7 p.m. Dec. 6
Dec. 13 – 1 p.m. Advent Gathering for Priests Bishop’s Residence
CHARLOTTE
Dec. 15 – 10 a.m. Advent Reception for Religious Sisters Bishop’s Residence
— Solemn High Mass, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17
Dec. 16 – 10:30 a.m. Catholic Voice NC Meeting Pastoral Center
— Polish Mass, 3 p.m. Dec. 18. Reconciliation at 2 p.m. Contact Elizabeth Spytkowski at 704-948-1678. — Lectio Divina, 10-11 a.m. first and third Thursdays. Contact Pat Donlevy at 704-541-8960. ST. patrick cathedral, 1621 dilworth road east — Advent Vespers, 6 p.m. Advent Sundays — Christmas Dinner for the Homeless, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 25. Volunteers needed! Contact christmasdinner@ stpatricks.org. — “Lessons and Carols” to commemorate the Feast of the Epiphany, 4 p.m. Jan. 8. Bring a dessert to share. Visit www.stpatricks.org. ST. thomas aquinas church, 1400 Suther Road — “Circle of Friends” Grief Support Group, office conference room, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Contact Robyn Magyar at 704-707-5070. ST. vincent de paul church, 6828 old reid road
ST. ann church, 3635 park road — Missa Cantata, 7 p.m. Dec. 7
Dec. 15 – 6 p.m. Advent Reception for Deacons and Wives Bishop’s Residence
— St. Peregrine Healing Prayer Service, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15
ST. JOHN NEUMAnN CHURCH, 8451 IDLEWILD ROAD — Natural Family Planning Class, Room 8, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 4. Contact Meredith Magyar at 704-535-4197. — “The Three Conversations that Changed the World,” Parish Hall,” 7:30-8:45 p.m. Dec. 7 and Dec. 14. Registration requested to 704-535-4197. ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PKWY.
— Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group (CCWG) Christmas Coffee and Reflection, led by Father Timothy Reid. 9 a.m. Dec. 5. Contact Mary Catherine Surface at mcsurface@gmail.com or 704-651-5860.
GREENSBORO our lady of grace CHURCH, 2205 w. market st. — “Christmas on Campus,” 6-8 p.m. Dec. 14. Contact Darlene Silknitter at dsilknitter@triad.rr.com or 336855-5342. st. pius x CHURCH, 2210 n. elm st. — Advent Hymn and Christmas Carol Sing, 7 p.m. Dec. 9
— Santa’s Craft Shop, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 3 — Opus Dei Recollection for Men, 7-9 p.m. Dec. 9. Reconciliation at 6:30 p.m. Contact Joe Ignacio at joremy.ignacio@gmail.com or 704-752.7155. — Opus Dei Recollection for Women, 10 a.m.-noon Dec. 10. Reconciliation at 9:30 a.m. Contact Remy Ignacio at remy_ignacio@hotmail.com or 704-752-7155. — “Building Our Catholic Identity,” presented by author and nationally-known speaker Joe Paprocki, 9:30 a.m.-noon Dec. 10. Register at registration@ stmatthewcatholic.org. Contact Michael Burck at 704541-8362, ext. 4.
December 2, 2011 Volume 21 • Number 3
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
EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Denise Onativia 704-370-3333, catholicnews@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org STAFF WRITER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS: Carlos Castañeda 704-370-3375, cmcastaneda@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org Online reporter: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org
— “Learn to Pray the Liturgy of the Hours,” Kloster Center, 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Contact Elliott Suttle at spiusx. lothclass@gmail.com.
HENDERSONVILLE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH, 208 Seventh Avenue West — St. Francis of the Hills Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan order invites you to a “Come and See.” They meet 1-3:30 p.m. fourth Sundays. Contact Randy Hair, S.F.O., at 828698-6466 or Tim Gibson, S.F.O., at 828-606-1728.
The Catholic News Herald is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 28 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,
Christmas Mass schedules holy family church, 4820 Kinnamon Road, Clemmons DEC. 24: 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., midnight Mass DEC. 25: 11 a.m. OUR LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS MISSION, 315 N. 5th St., Highlands DEC. 25: 11 a.m. sacred heart church, 375 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury DEC. 24: 5 p.m. (Children’s Mass), 7 p.m., 9 p.m., 11:15 p.m. (Caroling), midnight Mass DEC. 25: 10:30 a.m. st. francis of assisi church, 862 Yadkinville Road, Mocksville DEC. 24: 5 p.m. (Children’s Liturgy), 8 p.m. (Spanish), midnight Mass DEC. 25: 10:30 a.m. St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Road, Charlotte DEC. 24: 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m. (Parish Center Cafeteria), 7 p.m. Resounding Joy Handbell and Youth Choir, 9 p.m. New Spirit Contemporary Ensemble, midnight Mass DEC. 25: 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m. (Español) st. jude mission, 3011 U.S. Hwy. 64 East, Sapphire DEC. 24: 5 p.m., 8 p.m. (Spanish) DEC. 25: 9 a.m. st. matthew church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte DEC. 24: 4 p.m. (Church and Gym), 4:30 p.m. (Charlotte Catholic High School), 6 p.m. (Church and Gym), 8 p.m., midnight Mass DEC. 25: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m. (Church and Gym), 12:30 p.m. Note: This is a limited list. Check with your local parish for more information.
MOCKSVILLE st. francis of assisi church, 862 Yadkinville Road — Las Posadas, Fellowship Hall, 6-8 p.m. Dec. 16-23
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.
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December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
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In Brief Father John Putnam
Some observations from the USCCB’s annual meeting
When I was asked by Bishop Peter Jugis to serve as the priest-observer for Region XIV at the USCCB’s annual meeting in Baltimore last month, I had no idea what to expect. The observer position rotates among the dioceses of each region (Region XIV includes the Provinces of Atlanta and Miami). In addition to priestobservers, observers also attend from various ecclesial groups, such as the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, the National Federation of Priests’ Councils, the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, and the National Service Committee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, among others. Observers are invited to attend all of the general sessions of the bishops’ assembly. We were free to interact with the bishops during break time and take our lunch with them as well. Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the USCCB president, made it a point to welcome the observers and thank us for being present. In preparation for the meeting, we each received a packet of material that the bishops were planning to discuss and vote on during the general sessions. Items of consideration included the approval of a permanent sub-committee on health care issues with the Committee on Doctrine, the approval of adding the optional memorial of Blessed John Paul II to the U.S. liturgical calendar, and the approval of guidelines for administering national collections. Some of the most interesting aspects of the meeting included the introduction and address of the newly-appointed nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò; the presidential address by Archbishop Dolan, who was voted in as president at last year’s assembly; an address by His Beatitude Major-Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukrainian Catholic Church; an oral report and discussion about religious liberty by Bishop William Lori, who recently testified before Congress on the issue; and a presentation and discussion by Cardinal Donald Wuerl of “Anglicanorum Coetibus,” the process in which Anglicans are being welcomed into the Catholic Church. It was apparent during the meeting that the bishops as a body are seriously concerned about the erosion of religious liberty in the United States. Recent actions by the government to deny the application of a conscience clause for religious institutions to opt out of providing contraception and sterilization coverage in their insurance plans, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ recent decision declining to renew a grant to the USCCB to aid victims of human trafficking were just two examples offered. To fight this trend, the bishops have established a committee under Bishop Lori’s leadership to deal solely with issues concerning religious liberty. There appears to be an organized attempt to silence people of faith in the public arena, and this is an obvious concern to all people of faith in the United States. Although listening to the reports and discussions that took place during the meeting was of interest, simply being able to observe the organization of the bishops’ conference and the interaction of the bishops among themselves was the best part of the meeting. The conference is composed of men of different backgrounds, interests and talents, yet the conference’s organization allows a great deal to be accomplished and each bishop to be involved to the degree that he wishes. At the same time, while there is certainly a great deal of work that gets accomplished during these meetings, it was edifying to see the amount of time devoted to corporate prayer by the body and the devotion of individual bishops who spent time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in the midst of the meeting’s business. In the end, attending the meeting as an observer helped me recognize the important work of the U.S. bishops’ conference in service to the Church in this country and to develop a better understanding of how our bishops strive to work together to further the Gospel message in the national arena. Father John Putnam is the judicial vicar for the Diocese of Charlotte and the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. To learn more about the U.S. bishops’ annual meeting, go online to www.usccb.org/ about/leadership/usccb-general-assembly/index.cfm.
Kevin Eagan | Catholic News Herald
Preparing for the revised Missal BELMONT — Like all parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte, choir members at Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont practiced for the launch of the revised English Missal on Sunday, Nov. 27. Above, the youth choir and music director Chrissy Glisson go through the new musical settings during choir practice on Nov. 16. Bishop Peter Jugis thanked and congratulated the congregation on their efforts to embrace the revised translation and their enthusiastic responses after he celebrated Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral Nov. 29. For news about the launch from around the U.S., see page 18.
120-plus faithful attend ‘Consoling Heart of Jesus’ CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte welcomed more than 120 people Nov. 4-6 to “Consoling the Heart of Jesus,” a retreat inspired by the spiritualities of St. Faustina, St. Ignatius, St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Louis de Montfort, featuring retreat leader Father Michael Gaitley (pictured above with a retreat participant). Father Gaitley is director of the Association of Marian Helpers and a member of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. In his ministry, he draws extensively from the Ignatian tradition of spiritual direction and spirituality of Divine Mercy. — Meredith Magyar and Al Tinson
Sunday buffet helps reduce parish debt
Photo provided by Mike Balbirnie
Three invested in Equestrian Order WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three people from the Diocese of Charlotte were recently invested in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Father Christopher M. Gober, pastor of St. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine; and Gwenneth C. Ho Hobson and Julian S. Carrington Hobson, members of St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, were honored with the Ecclesiastical Knighthood of the Equestrian Order during an investiture ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C. Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, the newly named Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, officiated. Bishop Peter Jugis (pictured above with the three new members, and with Father Roger Arnsparger, pastor of St. Michael Church in Gastonia) was in attendance along with approximately 300 faithful, including other knights and ladies of the order. Founded during the Crusades to protect the sacred places of Jerusalem, the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre fraternal order has about 18,000 men and women members worldwide and is under papal protection. Its modern mission is to sustain the religious and humanitarian efforts of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land; and to propagate the faith in the Holy Land and the rights of the Catholic Church there.
MONROE — Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners in Monroe recently joined together again to help in reducing the parish’s building debt, by hosting a buffet meal featuring Hispanic food, drinks and desserts each week after Sunday morning Mass. Both Englishspeaking and Spanish-speaking members of the parish have enjoyed the fellowship together, and proceeds from one of the most recent buffet meals reduced the debt by almost $1,000. — Vonn Ivy Stone
Author Joe Paprocki coming to Charlotte CHARLOTTE — Joe Paprocki, the best-selling author of “Practice Makes Catholic,” will present “15 Ways to Make Your Class More Catholic” for catechists from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. He will also present a talk on “Building Our Catholic Identity” for the public from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 10. To register, email registration@ stmatthewcatholic.org. For details, contact Michael Burck, parish adult faith enrichment coordinator, at 704541-8362, ext. 4. — Jenny Cox
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 OUR PARISHES
Leaders gather in Charlotte for first Be Not Afraid national conference Michelle Buckman and Kathy Schmugge Special to the Catholic News Herald
Photo provided by Tracy Winsor
Kathy Schmugge, director of the Family Life Office in the Diocese of Charleston, holds baby Pearce Harp, whose family was assisted through the Be Not Afraid Ministry in the Diocese of Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE — The first Be Not Afraid (BNA) national conference was held at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte Oct. 20-21. Sponsored by the Respect Life Office of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese of Charlotte and the Family Life Office of the Diocese of Charleston, the conference’s opening prayer was led by Bishop Peter Jugis. Bishop Jugis was joined by clergy, hospital personnel, lay ministers and other diocesan staff from around the country who came to learn how to develop a comprehensive local service for parents experiencing poor prenatal diagnoses and carrying their babies to term using a peer ministry model of care developed by BNA. Be Not Afraid is a network of concerned parents and professionals who have experienced or worked closely with issues surrounding poor prenatal diagnoses. Tracy Winsor, BNA’s co-founder and outreach coordinator, was a presenter along with a host of other speakers from the medical field, clergy and lay ministry leaders: Jan Benton, executive director of the National Catholic Partnership on
Disability; Amy S. Daniels, director of the Office of Formation and Discipleship for the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Father Kevin Peek of the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Dr. John T. Bruchalski of the Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Dr. Marcella Colbert, MB, director of Respect Life for the Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston; Faith Massey, area coordinator of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep; Monica Rafie, founder and director of www.benotafraid. net; and several BNA peer ministers. During the conference Colbert and others explained that today’s society mistakenly treats children in the womb as what they are instead of who they are. Abortion is then presented as the “best” option when a mother-to-be hears of her child’s poor or unknown medical prognosis from her obstetrician. Getting information to mothers about other options for compassionate care, as well as Church teaching on life, is what BNA and Respect Life ministries aim to do. Amy Daniels reinforced this concept by reminding attendees that “every soul has a role to play in salvation,” a truth witnessed by Bruchalski in a story he shared about a former abortionist who stepped in to deliver a child with a lethal, disfiguring prenatal
For more information Be Not Afraid is a network of concerned parents and professionals who have experienced or worked closely with issues surrounding poor prenatal diagnoses. For more information or to make a referral, contact Sandy Buck at 704-9484587 or benotafraidnc@live.com.
diagnosis only to find himself changed by the love he observed between mother and child in their brief time together. Father Peek reminded the group that these parents are not choosing life or death, but personhood: “What is discovered between these children and parents is a totally pure love because it’s not based on what the child can do for the parents, but what the parents cannot do for their child.” Father Peek is the uncle of a baby for whose family BNA provided support following the prenatal diagnosis of heart and brain defects. Pictures of his precious nephew were shared during his presentation.
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
‘Walking with Purpose’ this Advent: Preparing for Christmas Georgianna Penn Correspondent
GREENSBORO — St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro hosted an “Advent by Candlelight” event Nov. 19, sponsored by the Walking with Purpose Bible Study group, to help parishioners prepare their hearts and homes for Christmas. The event began in the church with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a brief reflection on Luke 10:38-42, given by Deacon Larry Lisk. It continued in the parish Life Center for brunch and sharing. Walking with Purpose is a national Catholic-based Bible study. The Greensboro chapter, registered as the Our Lady of Grace/St. Paul the Apostle Chapter, began over three years ago. Patty Disney, the group’s coordinator, shared she “had been looking for something Catholic that would reach a woman’s heart.” A friend from Charlotte inspired Disney to inquire about the program. Disney attended a training session in Annapolis, Md., three years ago and began with a small group of seven or eight women. Today the group encompasses more than 50 women from across the Triad who meet weekly. “Father John Allen has graciously allowed expansion of the daytime group,” Disney shared. “We now offer childcare and a virtuebased pre-K program during the Bible study time to allow young moms to participate.” Besides meeting weekly, Walking with Purpose gathers four Saturdays a year for reflection and sharing. In January, “God’s Plan for Catholic Renewal” is the topic and in March, a Lenten reflection, “Women at
Georgianna Penn | Catholic News Herald
Above are Sue Perez, facilitator; Mary Wells, hospitality; Patty Disney, coordinator; and Francesca Nixon, Meg Foppe and Kelly Kovacs, facilitators. the Cross.” The group kicks off each year in September. And November is always a time to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Patty Disney shared tips with the group on how to lower holiday anxiety from the Catholic website Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction. “Buy fewer gifts, gifts with more meaning,” she advised. “Commit to less holiday parties – be selective.” She emphasized, “If giving 20 minutes to God interrupts your schedule, then your schedule is dysfunctional.” Disney said she felt the morning was a “beautiful way to begin to prepare our hearts and homes for Christmas as we draw close this liturgical year with Christ our King and move into Advent.” For more information about Walking with Purpose, contact Disney at 336-382-2558 and visit www.walkingwithpurpose.com.
OUR PARISHESI
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 OUR PARISHES
Photos provided by Dr. Robyn Hakanson
Dr. Robyn Hakanson, a parishioner at Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy (standing in the front on the left), pauses while holding a surgical instrument as she and her team perform a knee replacement surgery. Hakanson is part of a group of women orthopedic surgeons who went on a mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala, in September. Next September, they are headed to Peru.
Mount Airy surgeon practices charity on a global scale Peggy Bowes Correspondent
The whole family: (clockwise, from top left) Erik Moledor, Payton Moledor, Dr. Robyn Hakanson, Caroline Moledor and James Moledor.
MOUNT AIRY — Dr. Robyn Hakanson, a renowned orthopedic surgeon and Holy Angels parishioner, learned at an early age the importance of giving back to the community. Every Christmas Eve, her father and other men in their parish searched the streets, bars and nursing homes for anyone who would be alone that night and brought them all to a big Christmas dinner. Hakanson and her family always participated in the event, but she didn’t realize the significance of that simple but meaningful act of charity until she was an adult. Hakanson jokes that in medicine, everyone says, “I gave at the office.” She adds thoughtfully, “[My family] is so unbelievably blessed. We make an effort to do what we can for people, whether it’s financial sacrifices or giving our time, support or knowledge.” She frequently volunteers at a local free clinic but says she felt compelled to do more. She found her opportunity through networking with other women orthopedic
surgeons, who comprise a mere 4 percent of that field. Even fewer specialize in joint replacement surgery. Hakanson and four other women joint specialists formed a group called Women Orthopedist Global Outreach, or WOGO, to volunteer their unique services in under-served global communities, with an emphasis on helping women. They raise money to provide free surgery but also work to empower, educate and engage women in developing countries. In September, the surgeons and their team traveled to Antigua, Guatemala, for their second mission trip. Hakanson says, “We see the good that we do and realize what a small, small sacrifice it is for us and what a huge difference it makes in the lives of the people we touch. “I learned how good multiplies.” On that trip to Guatemala, WOGO worked with other charities and obtained computers, athletic equipment and new shoes for students at a girls’ school. None of this would be possible without the support of a loving and unique family. Hakanson’s husband, Erik Moledor, left a high-powered career to homeschool their
three children. A Catholic convert, he is active at Holy Angels Church as a lector and RCIA instructor. A last-minute cancellation allowed him the fortunate opportunity to join Hakanson on the mission to Guatemala. In addition to supervising, organizing and delivering millions of dollars’ worth of equipment, he was able to see his wife operate for the first time. “It was ‘Take Your Husband to Work Day!’” Hakanson laughs. The couple’s children also contributed to the mission. Oldest daughter Payton, 12, inventoried boxes of supplies, stuffed envelopes and donated some of her eBay profits. Caroline, 6, and James, 5, sold lemonade and cookies. Like their mother, they are blessed to grow up with an example of true charity: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.” (Matt 25:21) Hakanson and WOGO are planning a third mission trip to Peru in September 2012. To learn more about the organization or to make a donation, visit www.wogo.org.
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
Perpetual Hope Gospel Choir celebrates anniversary CHARLOTTE – The award-winning Perpetual Hope Gospel Choir at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte celebrated its 31st anniversary Nov. 20 with a special concert directed by Erick Massey. The choir opened its performance with an amazing “Soul Train”-styled entrance. Right away, everyone was up and dancing to music performed by the Our Lady of Consolation Band. Otelia Young then read a short prayer and Scripture verse and gave a short history of the choir, which was begun in 1980 by then pastor Father Wilbur Thomas. The choir performed “When the Battle is Over,” led by Credell Coleman and Morris Whitaker, and then sang “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel” a cappella. The entire congregation joined in section by section – tenor, then soprano, then bass. The concert included a song named “Changed” sung by Toni Tupponce with a trio comprised of Clara Patterson, Cirsten Nimmons and Sophie Carr. Massey then sang “Balm in Gilead.” Two hours later, no one wanted the concert to end. Capuchin Franciscan Father Martin Schratz, pastor, said a closing prayer, and the congregation then sang the Our Father. For its closing number, the choir sang “Running for My Life” by Penny Wallace. There was an incredible presence in the church that celebrated years of praise, with more years to come. — James Johnson IV
OUR PARISHESI
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Scholarship honors former band director CHARLOTTE — A $25,000 scholarship at Clarion University in Pennsylvania has been established in honor of Dr. Stanley F. Michalski Jr. of Charlotte, distinguished emeritus professor of music and conductor of bands at the university from 1961 to 1992. The Dr. Stanley F. Michalski Scholarship for Marching Band recognizes Michalski’s dedication to and development of the Golden Eagle marching and symphonic bands at Clarion University. Awards will begin in the 2013-2014 academic year. A celebration to mark the honor was held recently during the university’s homecoming, where Michalski also served as guest conductor of the Jazz Band Concert and Reunion, performed by band alumni, for the occasion. After retiring from Clarion University, Michalski moved to Charlotte, but he came out of retirement when he learned there was no band program in the local Catholic schools, according to an announcement from the university about the scholarship. Michalski now serves as coordinator of instrumental music. He also serves as adjunct professor of music at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., where he is also associate conductor of the Carolina Wind Orchestra. He attends St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte. The first band Michalski directed at
Clarion had 17 members. By 1991, he had increased it to 120. “Anyone who takes a job like this has a goal of what kind of music they want to play and how far you want to take the group,” Michalski said in the university’s announcement. “It wasn’t just me – you need instruments, you need support. There’s a certain instrumentation you want to achieve, and we were fortunate enough to achieve that.” He added that he was honored to have the Clarion scholarship named for him. “It was one of the greatest jobs anyone could ever have,” he said. Michalski attended Penn State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education in 1956, master’s degree in education in 1958, and doctorate in education in 1966. In 1973 he was elected into the American Bandmasters Association, considered by composers and conductors worldwide to be the highest honor achievable. He has served as tuba soloist, clinicianadjudicator and guest conductor for AllState-Honor Band festivals in 45 states. He was conductor for the International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna, Austria, for six years. He is currently adjudicator for the St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Limerick and Dublin, Ireland, and was recently named artistic director of the Lord Mayor’s New Year’s Day Parade in Dublin.
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Holocaust survivor: ‘I cannot allow the world to forget’ Suzanne Konopka Correspondent
Suzanne Konopka | Catholic News Herald
Father Adrian Porras, pastor of St. Barnabas Church in Arden, and Charlene Schiff, a Polish Holocaust survivor, stand near a composite photo of her parents and older sister. “To emerge from one of the darkest times in human history with a message of hope for humanity, illustrates that God is always with us, as He was with Charlene,” Father Porras noted.
ARDEN — “This is what I do – bear witness.” So began a profoundly inspiring talk with Polish Holocaust survivor Charlene Schiff, at St. Barnabas Church in Arden on Nov. 9. As a founder of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Alexandria, Va., resident has traveled since 1985, telling her story. Schiff was sponsored by St. Barnabas and Christ School, but also spoke earlier in the week at Beth ha Tephila, Christ School and Asheville Catholic School. Schiff was born Dec. 16, 1929, in Horochow, Poland. Her father was a philosophy professor and both of her parents were civic leaders. When World War II erupted, she was only 9. By the summer of 1941, Horochow was overrun by Germans, who quickly rounded up 300 Jewish leaders. “Sadly,” recalled Schiff, “ the list was supplied by neighbors and friends.” Her father was among those 300, and she never saw him again. The Germans took everyone’s possessions, burned synagogues and prayer books, and herded the Jews into a ghetto. Schiff, her
mother and her older sister were assigned to a house with 100 other people. “Slowly and systematically, we were completely stripped of all human dignity,” related Schiff. As conditions deteriorated, people died from starvation, disease, the cold, beatings and outright murder, and sheer hopelessness. Her mother and sister were forced into labor and received small food rations in return. Schiff and other children dug a tunnel and snuck out to find food. Once, she was caught with two eggs, but “the guard was kind-hearted,” she said, “he only smashed the eggs and ground my face into them. He did not kill me.” The Jews were moved to a smaller ghetto, which had a river – but no fence – on one side of it. When they began hearing rumors about “liquidation” of the Jews, Schiff’s mother secretly arranged their escape. Her sister escaped but was soon killed. She and her mother hid for several days in the river itself, as machine guns were fired over their heads. When Schiff awoke from dozing one day, her mother was gone. For the next two years and three bitter winters, she roamed the forests, searching for her mother. She had many close calls with death. Once, she and six others hid in a haystack after being seen by village children. Adults returned, joking and singing while they stabbed at the haystacks with pitchforks. Hours after the screaming stopped, an injured Schiff emerged to find six naked bodies. She learned to avoid people and dogs, start fires without matches, eat insects and worms, cover her tracks in the snow, and hide in trees or shallow holes covered with brush. After two years of suffering, she was very near death. As she lay helplessly in a hole (her self-professed “grave”), she was found
by Russian soldiers and taken to a hospital with the note, “this is a child of the forest – be very kind to her.” Eventually, she spent three years in displaced persons camps before her extended family could bring her to the U.S. Of the 5,000 Jews who lived in Horochow before the Holocaust, only Schiff and one other person survived. She never found a trace of her mother. When asked how she was able to forgive the perpetrators of the Holocaust and the sufferings she and her family endured, Schiff said she felt very bitter and hateful at first – even towards God. But her beloved late husband, Colonel Ed Schiff, explained that her obligation was to bear witness, especially to young people. “We must fight the ‘Four Evil I’s’: indifference, intolerance, injustice, and ignorance,” Schiff said. After hearing Schiff’s story, St. Barnabas parishioner Maureen Kennedy commented, “I have visited Auschwitz, but this gave voice to the voiceless victims – it is a call to protect all human life.” Her 12-year-old son Patrick added, “I was impressed by her message about indifference. When I hear about wars in other countries, I don’t think about it much because it doesn’t affect me. But now I’ll have a different outlook.” Daniel Beale, a seventh-grader at Asheville Catholic School, summed it up, “Her story was heart-breaking. She was even younger than I am today. I can’t imagine losing my entire family, friends and belongings. She is the bravest person I know, and I will never forget her.” Indeed, as Charlene Schiff concluded her talk, “I cannot allow the world to forget.” For stories from other Holocaust survivors, go to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum web site at www.ushmm.org.
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
11 1,200 personas asistieron al primer Congreso Carismático Católico Diocesano, en el Cabarrus Arena, el pasado 26 de noviembre.
carlos castañeda | Catholic News Herald
Congreso Carismático carlos castañeda Catholic news herald-español
carlos castañeda | Catholic News Herald
La Antorcha Guadalupana en Charlotte Diácono Luis Flores, de la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción en Charlotte, junto al cuadro de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe que viaja junto con los corredores de la Antorcha Guadalupana.
Aqui
estamos!
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe El domingo 11 de diciembre, en el Coliseo Bojangles,’ se llevará a cabo un homenaje a la Virgen de Guadalupe, a partir de las 8 p.m. El dia lunes 12, en la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Charlotte, el horario de celebraciones es como sigue: 5 a.m. empieza el
dia con Las Mañanitas, luego habrá misas a las 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 5 p.m. y 7 p.m. Mayores informes con Haydeé García, al 704-391-3732.
Misa en St. Thomas Aquinas La parroquia St. Thomas Aquinas en Charlotte consagrará a nuevos miembros de los Consagrados a María, el dia jueves 8 de diciembre, a las 7 p.m. Asimismo, el dia lunes 12 de diciembre, a las 7 p.m. celebrará una Misa solemne en honor a la Virgen de Guadalupe. Luego de la Misa habrá una recepción. Estamos todos invitados!
CHARLOTTE — Cerca de 1200 personas se dieron cita el pasado sábado 26 en el Cabarrus Arena, en Concord, para celebrar el primer Congreso Carismático Católico Diocesano. Cientos de familias pertenecientes a los grupos de oración de diferentes parroquias de la diócesis sintieron el poder del Espíritu Santo y el amor de un Cristo vivo. Blanca Palacios formó parte del comité organizador del evento: “Llevamos años trabajando a nivel parroquial, a través de grupos de oración. Nunca habíamos podido reunir a los miembros de estos grupos de oración en un evento que pudiera exteriorizar la voz de la Renovación. Hoy, este primer Congreso Carismático Católico Diocesano ha podido reunir 1200 personas, para alabar y adorar a Dios. Una verdadera bendición,” opinó Palacios. El Cabarrus Arena fue el local que además albergó a 300 niños, hijos o parientes de los 1200 adultos participantes. Uno de los conferencistas invitados fue el Padre Francisco Menjívar, quien vino desde Guatemala, especialmente para este evento. El Congreso contó además con una Hora Santa y Adoración Eucarística, además de la Misa de Clausura celebrada por el director
carlos castañeda | Catholic News Herald
(izquierda a derecha) Diácono Enedino Aquino, maestro de ceremonias del Congreso; Blanca Palacios, Coordinadora de la Renovación Carismática; Padre Alvaro Riquelme, director de la Renovación Carismática. de la Renovación Carismática de la diócesis, Padre Alvaro Riquelme. “Esta ha sido una bendición no sólo para la Renovación Carismática de la diócesis, sino además para toda la comunidad Hispana de la diócesis. Este evento demuestra que nuestras familias siguen creciendo en organización, en estructura y como una fuerza que se congrega por el poder del Espíritu de Dios,” finalizó el Padre Riquelme.
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iiiDecember 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
CATHOLIC N
“It was like a little taste of heaven today.” – Mary Catherine Surface
president of the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group
PHOTOS BY sueann howell | catholic news herald
Father Jay Scott Neumann (center), pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Greenville, S.C., celebrates Mass on Nov. 9. Members of the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group visited the historic church and attended Mass as part of a Catholic art and architecture tour led by Father Roger Arnsparger, vicar of education for the Diocese of Charlotte. St. Mary’s, also known as Our Lady of the Most Sacred Heart, was built in 1872 and recently went through a $2 million renovation. A slideshow of the art tour can be viewed at the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel.
CCWG members discover beauty on Catholic art tour SueAnn Howell Staff writer
GREENVILLE, S.C. — You know you’re on sacred ground when the moment you step into a building your soul feels at peace and you are at a loss for words. That was the reaction of the more than 40 members of the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group as they stepped into both St. Mary’s Church in Greenville and the Museum & Gallery at Bob Jones University on Nov. 9. The group boarded a charter bus that morning in Charlotte for a Catholic art and architecture tour with Father Roger Arnsparger, diocesan vicar of education and pastor of St. Michael Church in Gastonia. At their first stop, St. Mary’s, built in 1872 and moved to its present location in 1885, CCWG members experienced the beauty of its historic stained-glass windows, sparkling marble floors in the sanctuary and breathtaking Gothic-style architecture. Father Jay Scott Neumann, pastor, shared the history of the parish and his efforts to restore and beautify the church over the past nine years. He also celebrated Mass, facing the main altar and the tabernacle – something many participants had never seen before. After Mass the group enjoyed lunch in historic downtown Greenville before heading to Bob Jones
University to view icons, Fabergé treasures and priceless works of art. A hidden gem, the Museum & Gallery on the private university’s campus has been open to the public since 1951 and houses one of the nation’s most extensive collections of European religious art. The collection – spanning the 14th through 19th centuries by artists such as Rubens, Tintoretto, Veronese, Cranach, Gerard David, Murillo, Ribera, van Dyck, Honthorst and Doré – traces the religious, artistic and cultural history of Western Europe. “I feel like I’ve walked into a church,” said Gini Bond, a parishioner at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. “The building outside looks very institutional, there’s no art or anything. But you walk in here and it looks like a church.” Thirty separate galleries are filled art and antiquities. Besides the Old World paintings, the museum also has nearly 200 pieces of Gothic to 19th century furniture, nearly 100 sculptures, some 60 textiles, and more than 1,000 ancient artifacts. It also features a collection of icons, dated from the 14th through the 20th centuries. Of special note are five icons once belonging to members of the Romanov family, the last tsars of Russia. “I’m convinced that pilgrimages like this and connecting to some of the great cultural gifts that we have assists us in our spiritual development and connect us to those people who have considered, prayed over, meditated and entered into the mysteries of our salvation,” said Father Arnsparger on the bus ride back to Charlotte.
Members of the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group, Father Arnsparger, Deacon Art Kingsley and his wife Rosemary gather on the campus of Bob Jones University in Greenville following a tour of the Museum & Gallery. The museum is open to the public and houses hundreds of religious paintings, artifacts and antiquities.
NEWS HERALD
“I feel like I’ve walked into a church. The building outside looks very institutional, there’s no art or anything. But you walk in here and it looks like a church.” – Gini Bond “It’s such an amazing display. I had no idea that it existed.”
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.comiii
DAVIDSON: FROM PAGE 3
Social Services is firm in its commitment to stand alongside these survivor families as they navigate the road to rebuild their lives,” Bullard said. “People who are coping with the immediate loss of everything they own, as well as the trauma associated with the frightening tornado itself, find themselves having to negotiate a complicated road of paperwork, questions and decisions that will impact the rest of their lives.” Bullard said this is what Catholic Charities agencies across the country do – they move in to help when other agencies such as the Red Cross move out to respond to the next natural disaster. “We’re the next line of response,” she said. “Somebody’s got to stand with these people. It takes people a while to rebuild their lives. You don’t just pick up the pieces in two weeks.”
– Pat Thierfelder
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle
Want to help?
“As it spoke the truth to people who could not read and write back then, we pray for those who see it now to see and learn the truth…we pray for people to see the beauty and truth for what it is.” – Michelle Rahilly
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Financial contributions to Catholic Social Services as it reaches out to assist those in need are welcome. Checks should be payable to Catholic Social Services, and mailed to CSS PTO, PO Box 20185, WinstonSalem, NC 27120. Please put “client assistance” in the memo section.
Bishops issue letter to governor
image courtesy of bob jones university
“The Flight into Egypt” by Domenico Fiasella, called Il Sarzana, is from the Bob Jones University Collection. For more information about gallery hours and admission prices, go to bjumg.org.
CCWG members listened to a talk on icons given by former CCWG president Linda Granzow during the bus ride to Greenville. Granzow brought several icons on the trip to show to the group during her lecture.
“This is a part of our task of the new evangelization to build a culture of life and of holiness, to respond to the individual call to holiness.” – Father Arnsparger
Both of North Carolina’s bishops, Bishop Peter Jugis and Bishop Michael Burbidge, issued a letter Nov. 30 to Gov. Bev Perdue asking her to uphold the Racial Justice Act, which she signed in 2009, and has been lately challenged in the General Assembly. The state Senate earlier this week voted to repeal the act, which aims to reject the influence of race discrimination in the administration of the death penalty, through Senate Bill 9, called the “No Discriminatory Purpose in the Death Penalty.” “We urge you to continue to keep North Carolina on the path to justice for all of its citizens that is guaranteed by the Racial Justice Act,” the bishops wrote in their letter, asking her to veto the Senate’s new bill. Others voicing their support for the 2009 Racial Justice Act this week included the N.C. NAACP and People of Faith Against the Death Penalty. For updates on this and other efforts by the N.C. bishops through their non-partisan advocacy website, Catholic Voice North Carolina, go to www.catholicvoicenc.org. — Patricia L. Guilfoyle
‘Choose Life’ plates delayed A federal court has temporarily stopped the distribution of the “Choose Life” license plates. The license plates, approved by the General Assembly in June, were scheduled to be distributed by the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles to drivers willing to pay a $25 premium. U.S. District Court Judge James Foxx of the state’s Eastern District issued a temporary restraining order Nov. 28 pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The Choose Life plates were approved by the legislature after a seven-year effort on the part of supporters. Both Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis and Raleigh Bishop Michael Burbidge supported the plates. The state already issues specialty license plates for everything from the Blue Ridge Parkway to NASCAR. Pending the outcome of the trial, funds raised from the plates’ sales will be distributed through the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship in support of education for women considering an abortion. — David Hains
Our schools
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Committee forms to name new superintendent
In Brief
Position projected to be filled by July 2012
SueAnn Howell Staff writer
CHARLOTTE — A search committee has begun meeting to help recruit and screen candidates for superintendent of the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools, and diocesan officials expect to fill the position by the start of next school year. In a Nov. 15 announcement, Father Roger Arnsparger, diocesan vicar of education, said, “The members are representative of the different areas, schools, school personnel and formats of governance in the diocese.” Members of the committee include: David Longo, former Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools board member, who will serve as committee chair; Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College; Dennis Gibson, diocesan school board member; Kevin Parks, principal of Holy Trinity Middle School; Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury; Brooke Keane, teacher at Charlotte Catholic High School; Tony O’ Meara, teacher at Bishop McGuinness High School; Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro; Carol Breerwood, principal of Immaculata School; and Molly Beckert, a parent with children in Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools. The new committee chairman, David
Longo, said the group will be looking for candidates who can continue the school system’s “proven track record of success” in Catholic education, both in spiritual development and in academics. The group met for the first time Nov. 21. “We believe the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools are well positioned to leverage past success to leap to an even greater level next year, and realize that we have the opportunity to recruit a superintendent who can inspire and lead our schools to the forefront of educational excellence as formed by teachings of the Roman Catholic Church,” Longo said. “God has blessed us with an immensely talented committee,” he said. “This group represents a great cross-section of individuals who are committed to Catholic education.” Committee member Molly Beckert echoed the significance of the group’s task ahead. “As a mother of five children, three of whom are already in MACS, I have a sincere interest in the selection of our next superintendent. I wholeheartedly believe in Catholic education and would love to see a superintendent who is an inspired leader and who is committed to both excellence in education and to the truths of our Catholic faith, while recognizing that those two aspects are not mutually exclusive.”
Celebrating the start of Advent GASTONIA — Eighth-grader Patrick Rosemond is shown lighting the candles at St. Michael School in Gastonia following an Advent service as staff and fellow students watch. The Advent wreaths were blessed by the school’s pastor, Father Roger Arnsparger, after Mass. The school’s service included Bible readings, prayers and song. Advent is the season that opens the liturgical year. Advent begins with the liturgical observance on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve when the liturgical observance of Christmas begins. The Advent wreath, one of the main symbols of the season, is a circle of evergreens with four candles – three purple and one rose – which represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent until the birth of Christ. Each Sunday a new candle is lit and prayers are said. Photo provided by Pat Burr
Beckert added, “Our children need to be prepared to face the challenges of this world, both academically and spiritually, and I pray that the new superintendent will continue the work of creating an intentionally Catholic culture in our schools.” The superintendent of Catholic schools is responsible for leading the diocese’s 19 schools, which includes the regionalized Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools with its nine schools and separate school board; parish-based schools in Asheville, Gastonia, Greensboro, Hendersonville, High Point, Salisbury and Winston-Salem; and the diocesan high school, Bishop McGuinness in Kernersville. Longo said the search will be national in scope, utilizing trade publications, Catholic job web sites and newspapers, as well as networking with Catholic universities and organizations such as the N.C. Educational Association. Applications will be accepted until the end of February. The committee will interview three to five finalist candidates, then recommend the top two to Father Arnsparger. He will select the finalist candidate for approval by Bishop Peter Jugis and Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese. The aim is to have the new superintendent on the job by July 1.
OLM ‘Penny War’ benefits literacy campaign (W/PIC) WINSTON-SALEM — Middle school students at Our Lady of Mercy School were able to donate 57 books to the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Literacy campaign from the funds raised during a recent “Penny War” that brought in more than $500 in four days. Pictured above with some of the OLM students, Sgt. Shaun Magallanes, from the local Marine Corps Recruiting Center, visited the school Nov. 29 to accept the donation. — Lara Davenport
Knights of Columbus essay winners announced (W/PIC) HENDERSONVILLE — The Knights of Columbus Council 7184 in Hendersonville recently announced the winners of its ninth annual essay contest conducted at Immaculata School. The contest, which has been cosponsored with Blue Ridge Assembly 2130 since 2002, challenges the students in grades 6 to 8 to write essays on a patriotic theme chosen jointly by the Knights and school staff. This year the students were asked to write about a freedom fighter, past or present. Winners from each grade were: sixth grade: Connor Leidner, first, Joe Maddock, second, and Sarah Hargrove, third; seventh grade: Quinn Kelsch, first, Ethan Byrd, second, and Richard Hernasy, third; eighth grade: William Avery, first, A.J. O’Leary, second, and Brooke Cleary, third. They each received a commemorative medal and a cash award. — John and Barbara Remensnyder
St. Michael students celebrate St. Nicholas Day (W/PIC) GASTONIA — Second-graders at St. Michael School in Gastonia enjoyed celebrating the Feast Day of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6. Students placed their shoes in the hallway and good ol’ St. Nick left goodies in each child’s shoe. — Pat Burr
OLM hosts first golf marathon (W/ PIC) WINSTON-SALEM — Triad area golfers had the opportunity recently to showcase their skill and endurance and raise money for Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem, with the school’s first golf marathon Oct. 5 at Bermuda Run West. Play lasted from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and each golfer’s
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
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IHM students share Thanksgiving feast to remember HIGH POINT — Kindergartners from Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point joined the pre-kindergarten for a delicious Thanksgiving feast Nov. 22. These “kinder-partners” met at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in costume to break bread, sing and watch a video. Then the kindergarten class (including Ryan Cecilio, pictured at left) entered the luncheon wearing pilgrim hats, while the pre-kindergarten wore Native American headdresses. Students sang a melody of songs, including “If You’re Thankful and You Know it.” Parents, grandparents, teachers and staff were among the 150 people present to enjoy the meal. Just like the original Thanksgiving, the meal was provided by the community, with each parent contributing food.
Photos provided by Lara Davenport
Mercy students share their blessings this Thanksgiving WINSTON-SALEM — Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings, and students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem also wanted to share those blessings. Each grade collected a basket of ingredients to make a Thanksgiving dinner for a family in need. Each student also donated $1 so they could include a $20 grocery gift card to go along with each basket for the family to buy perishables for the meal. A total of 11 baskets were filled, then blessed by Friar Bill Robinson, pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish. The baskets were distributed to the families on Nov. 21. Many of the classes then celebrated with their own Thanksgiving feasts at school (pictured above). Kindergarten classes were finishing a unit on Native Americans and after taking a field trip to the Wake Forest Museum of Anthropology the previous week, they decorated vests, masks and headdresses. They wore these for their Thanksgiving feast of turkey, corn, sunflower seeds, squash and other foods the Native Americans and pilgrims shared at the first Thanksgiving.
Photo provided by Mendy Yarborough
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Mercy students spread Christmas cheer WINSTON-SALEM — As the holiday season gets under way at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem, the Helping Hands of Mercy (HHM) group coordinated several holiday outreach projects for students. This schoolwide service organization, led by middle school students, plans and organizes outreach efforts to help others, especially other children. Among other projects, OLM fourth- through eighthgraders helped assemble luminary kits for the Ronald McDonald House in Winston-Salem Nov. 17. Shown are sixth-graders assembling the luminaries with sand, paper bags and candles. In just two hours, OLM students assembled several hundred kits. The Ronald McDonald House sells the luminaries through its Light A Luminary Project, asking people who purchase the kits to light them on Christmas Eve in honor of the families who stay at the home. OLM students help with this project every year. The HHM group also coordinated a collection of photo provided by Lara Davenport Christmas gifts for Exchange/Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN). This organization offers both prevention programs for those at risk and treatment programs for those dealing with child abuse. Each year, Exchange/SCAN of Forsyth County puts on a Christmas party for the families they serve at SciWorks. In total, OLM collected 145 gifts for children from birth to 14. Another project was a “Penny War.” During the school’s Scholastic book fair, the middle school students completed to see which class could raise the most money in coins. The seventh grade won with a total of $296.23, and in total, $500 was raised in four days. With a matching contribution from Scholastic, 57 books were donated the Marine Corp Toys for Tots Literacy Campaign. In addition, both the HHM and Our Lady of Mercy Parish confirmation students worked together to collect coats along with clothing and blankets for Project Hope, a project run by Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools that helps students and their families who are homeless.
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Photo provided by Pat Burr
Learning about fire prevention GASTONIA — Firefighters from Station 5 in Gastonia recently visited fourth-grade students in Amy Schatz’s class at St. Michael School. As part of October’s “Fire Prevention Month,” students took part in a classroom lesson about fire safety presented by Jim Landis, fire safety educator for the Gastonia Fire Department. They toured a fire truck and learned about firefighting equipment.
Photo provided by Pat Burr
Prayer partners GASTONIA — The first- and fourth-grade students at St. Michael School in Gastonia have become “Prayer Partners” this year. They are pictured getting ready to enter St. Michael Church together recently to pray the rosary.
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
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In Theaters
Holy Angels’ Gilreath answers the artist’s call Peggy Bowes Correspondent
‘Happy Feet Two’ Penguins are once again tap dancing at the bottom of the world in director and co-writer George Miller’s mostly family-friendly, 3-D animated sequel to his 2006 original. A few intense action scenes, some mild innuendo and minimal potty humor. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents), MPAA: PG
‘Arthur Christmas’ This mostly delightful 3-D animated comedy equips Santa Claus with a stealth ship, GPS navigation and battalions of ninja-like elves to fulfill the mission of delivering 2 billion gifts each Christmas Eve. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents), MPAA: PG
‘Hugo’ This family-oriented 3-D fable, set in 1930s Paris, follows the adventures of a 12-year-old orphan who lives in one of the capital’s great train stations. Fleeting passages of dialogue touching on adult matters and some mild misbehavior hinder recommendation for all. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents), MPAA: PG
‘The Muppets’ Jim Henson’s singing, dancing, wisecracking puppets return to the big screen in an old-fashioned and genuinely funny film, which will appeal to nostalgic baby boomers even as it introduces a new generation to the decidedly low-tech felt figures for whom charm is a strong suit. CNS: A-I (general patronage), MPAA: PG
‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1’ This fourth addition to the blockbuster franchise opens with the wedding of the central pair. It chronicles their problematic honeymoon and follows her unexpected pregnancy. Includes a sexual interlude that makes it unsuitable for youngsters, though mature viewers will recognize a strongly pro-life message being conveyed via the heroine’s unusual plight. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13
MOUNT AIRY — In a letter to artists in 1999, Pope John Paul II stressed the importance of their creative work. “In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art. Art must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God.” Exemplifying that spirit is a beautiful painting of the Holy Family that hangs on the rear wall of the Monsignor Duncan Center at Holy Angels in Mount Airy. The artist is Anthony Danna, who completed the work at age 81. He is the uncle of parishioner Betty Gilreath, whose youngest daughter Ashley is following in the footsteps of her creative ancestor. Gilreath Ashley Gilreath is a resident artist and instructor at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago and is making quite an impression in the art community. One of her pieces, an intricate portrait necklace, titled “I Am Who They Were,” is featured in the October/November issue of American Craft Magazine. Her work is unique and captivating, combining her passion for metalworking with an avid interest in exploring her family’s history. Betty Gilreath fondly describes her daughter as an “old soul” who inherited her grandfather’s skill in working with metal as a jeweler and watch repairman. Gilreath expressed her love for her grandfather and honored his trade by crafting a piece that resembles an old-fashioned pocket watch. It won “Best in Show” at her alma mater, East Carolina University, where she graduated magna cum laude. Her breathtakingly diverse portfolio includes a collection of reliquaries. “Historically, reliquaries are containers used to preserve the remains of an individual, and often are illustrative in nature,” she explains. “With my work I attempt to honor the history of my family. Having thoroughly researched my family’s past, I investigated the lost biographies of those who had died long ago. The everyday experiences they shared interested me the most, and how they interacted with the people whose lives intersected their own. My pieces open and close, representing the dynamics of human relationships we experience in life. The found materials I incorporate in each work also play an important role in narrating the stories of the individual.” One of the women immortalized in a reliquary titled “Cloistered” is Gilreath’s
great-aunt, Sister Maria, a Poor Clare nun who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Gilreath muses, “She forgot many things, but her faith in God never diminished. As a cloistered nun, she was both literally and figuratively separated from her former life, until the very end.” Gilreath’s skill and artistry has preserved her great-aunt’s memory, most appropriate during this 800th anniversary of the Poor Clares order. The piece won an honorable mention and is on display at the Knoxville Museum of Art in Tennessee as part of the International Juried Enamelist exhibition. To see more from Gilreath’s portfolio, go to www.AshleyGilreath.com.
Mix
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On TV n Friday, Dec. 2, 10 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m. (EWTN) “God Touches A Life.” Catherine Laboure, a French nun, received a series of Marian apparitions. n Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “The Way to Life.” A look into the mysterious way in which God calls men to follow Him. n Saturday, Dec. 3, 9 p.m. (EWTN) “Alter Christus.” A look into the important aspects of the priesthood. n Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 a.m., Friday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m., and Saturday, Dec. 10, 1 p.m. (EWTN) “Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of Hope.” An assessment of contemporary times. n Monday, Dec. 12, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Papal Mass for the People of Latin America.” Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass for the people of Latin America in observance of the bicentenary of their independence. n Friday, Dec. 16, 1-2 p.m. (EWTN) “Our Lady of Guadalupe and Miraculous Mexico.” This special recounts how Mary appeared to a poor farmer who became St. Juan Diego.
Our nation 18
charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Despite ‘rough spots,’ Catholics adapt to revised English translation Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Years of planning went into it, followed by catechesis over the past several months via workshops, classroom and video presentations, diocesan communiques, bishops’ pastoral letters, parish bulletin inserts, and countless stories and special sections in Catholic newspapers. All of it was done to prepare everyone, from clergy to the people in the pews, for the first use of the revised English translation of the Roman Missal as Advent began with Masses Nov. 27. By all accounts, despite “a few rough spots here and there, and occasional ‘and also with your spirit’ and other hybrid responses ... it looks like we made it!” said Father Richard Hilgartner, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Divine Worship. “We are now praying with the Roman Missal,” the priest said in a Nov. 28 email to employees at the USCCB office in Washington. He told The Catholic Review, newspaper of the Baltimore Archdiocese, his home archdiocese, that it will take time for people to grow accustomed to the new language, which is more literally translated from the Latin than the earlier translation. While there may be a short-term sense of entering uncharted waters, he said, in the long term the revised translation may provide opportunities to enrich prayer life. “We’ll have new words and new images in our prayer, so I hope that ultimately people will hear things that speak to their hearts.” At St. Michael-Resurrection Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Father Roger Keeler offered the blessing, “The Lord be with you” during the Nov. 26 Mass. Having used the same response for 40 years, many parishioners replied, “And also with you.” Others replied for the first time
CNS | Nancy Phelan Wiechec
An altar server holds a copy of the revised English translation of the Roman Missal during Mass at St. Joseph Church in Alexandria, Va., Nov. 27. The new missal was used for the first time in churches across the nation on the first Sunday of Advent. Churchgoers at St. Joseph’s took the changes in stride and with good humor as they stammered through the new wording. using the new response, “And with your spirit.” “I think the new translation is very much like the old one, from way back when I was first at church, pre-Vatican II, except it’s not in Latin,” said Mary Griffith, a St. MichaelResurrection parishioner. The biggest difficulties will be unlearning familiar liturgical language, getting accustomed to the revised language of the revised Missal and remembering when to kneel, she told the Western Catholic Reporter, newspaper of the Edmonton
Archdiocese. For most Catholics in the Diocese of Green Bay, Wis., reciting unfamiliar words in familiar prayers at Mass turned out to be little or no challenge. Preparation for the new word changes helped make the transition smoother, said many Catholics interviewed after weekend Masses. At St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Bishop David L. Ricken celebrated the 9 a.m. Mass. In his homily, he asked parishioners to turn and wish each other a happy Advent by shaking with their left hands.
“That is the way the liturgy is going to feel for a while,” he said. “Like we are doing something we are not used to. We have to retrain ourselves to be comfortable with it. So eventually it becomes rote.” Another fellow parishioner, Dan Ritter, said he was not overwhelmed by the changes. “I’m kind of underwhelmed,” he said. “I don’t see that big of a difference. I learned an entirely different Nicene Creed 70 or 75 years ago so I’ve always been kind of stumbling around, ever since I was a kid because the new one I never did get it. Now it’s back again to being different again.” In the Archdiocese of Detroit, John Fleming, 90, a member of St. Aloysius Church in downtown Detroit said: “I got out all my old missals from when Latin was on one side and English on the other and it seems more like what I used to say a long time ago. It is awkward for me now to change back, but I don’t think it’s a great obstacle. “I’ve lived through much bigger changes when the Mass was no longer in Latin and when the priest turned to face us. ... Like everything else, you get accustomed to it,” he said. Father David Allen, pastor of Holy Family Church in Port Allen, La., summed up reactions of most at his church like this: “First, it was a beautiful Mass. Second, we made it through, we did fine and we will get used to it.” The USCCB’s Secretariat of Divine Worship provided guidance for disposing of the old Sacramentary once the new Roman Missal was implemented. Dioceses must handle disposal “with respect” by burying it in “an appropriate location on church grounds, or perhaps in a parish cemetery if there is one.” — Contributing were Chris Miller in Edmonton, Marylynn G. Hewitt in Detroit, Barbara Chenevert in Baton Rouge, and staff members of The Compass in Green Bay, The Catholic Review in Baltimore.
December 2, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews
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In Brief Pro-life New Jersey nurses sue hospital over abortion policy WASHINGTON, D.C. — Confronted with what one called “a choice between our faith and our jobs,” 12 nurses are suing University Hospital in Newark, N.J., over a new policy requiring them to care for patients before and after abortions, even if they have religious or moral objections to abortion. The hospital, part of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, said because “no nurse is compelled to have direct involvement in, and/or attendance in the room at the time of,” an abortion, its policy does not violate conscience protection laws. A U.S. District Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Nov. 3 directing the hospital not to compel adherence to the policy until after the case can be heard Dec. 5.
Death penalty foes praise Ore. governor for moratorium PORTLAND, Ore. — Catholic and other opponents of the death penalty praised Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber for placing a moratorium on the death penalty for the rest of his term. “Those of us who respect the dignity of human life from conception to natural death applaud this decision,” said Portland Archbishop John G. Vlazny. Kitzhaber announced his decision Nov. 22, saying he regretted allowing two men to be executed during his first time in office in the 1990s. He said he is morally opposed to the practice and supports life without parole as the most serious criminal sanction. Oregon joins 16 other states and the District of Columbia that do not have the death penalty.
Catholic leaders decry executions in Idaho, Florida BOISE, Idaho — After a last-minute delay, Paul E. Rhoades was executed by Idaho Nov. 18. Bishop Michael P. Driscoll of Boise said it was “with sadness and disappointment” that he learned the state carried out the death penalty for Rhoades. Three days earlier, Florida executed 65-yearold Oba Chandler by lethal injection. The Florida Catholic bishops had issued a plea to Gov. Rick Scott to “stop the cycle of violence that is fueled by the desire for vengeance.”
Diocese of Orange buys Crystal Cathedral for $57.5M ORANGE, Calif. — A bankruptcy court has ordered the sale of the Crystal Cathedral and its nearly 31-acre campus to the Diocese of Orange for $57.5 million. The Crystal Cathedral, founded by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, was the site of his national “Hour of Power” TV show. It will eventually become the cathedral for the Diocese of Orange, the nation’s 10th most populous diocese. — Catholic News Service
CNS | Bob Roller
Seminarians pray during morning Mass at Theological College in Washington, D.C., Nov. 29.
Catholic seminary enrollment up, but numbers seen as only part of story Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his first months as rector of Theological College in Washington, D.C., Father Phillip J. Brown has been confronting a problem that the national diocesan seminary for the U.S. Catholic Church “has not had for a long time” – it is bursting at the seams. Enrollment is maxed out for the 2011-’12 academic year at 90 seminarians. Five of those seminarians are back in their dioceses this year gaining pastoral experience, but a Sulpician seminarian and five priests from other countries also live there, bringing the total number of residents to 91 plus faculty members. “If I had to start with a problem, that’s the problem I’d like to have,” Father Brown said. “It’s a very healthy sign, a positive sign for Theological College and for the U.S. priesthood.” The trend of rising seminary enrollment is being duplicated around the country: n At the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, 40 new seminarians arrived this year, bringing total enrollment to 186, the highest level since the 1970s. n St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., welcomed 30 new graduatelevel seminarians, making its class of 100 seminarians the largest since 1980. The influx forced 24 seminarians and two priests off campus into leased space at a former convent. n In the Diocese of Scranton, Pa., where the St. Pius X diocesan seminary closed in 2004 because of declining enrollment, the number of seminarians has more than doubled from eight to 17 in the past two
years. Most of the Scranton seminarians are studying at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa., where communications specialist Dan Skalski said enrollment has remained steady over the past five years, or at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where a class of 76 “new men” brought enrollment this fall to a full house of 250 seminarians. In an April report, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University said enrollment was up for those studying for the priesthood, diaconate and lay ecclesial ministry during the 2010’11 academic year – the latest for which statistics were available. In all, there were 3,608 post-baccalaureate U.S. seminarians last year, a net increase of 125 seminarians, or 4 percent, over the previous year and the highest number since the early 1990s. More than three-quarters of them were studying for the diocesan priesthood, while 24 percent intend to be ordained for religious orders. The trend goes beyond Catholic schools to all seminaries, according to figures from the Association of Theological Schools in the U.S. and Canada from 2010-’11. The organization that accredits theological schools said 75,431 people were studying for the ministry at 261 institutions during the last academic year, an increase of 0.6 percent from the year before. But Theological College’s Father Brown said a rise in enrollment is only part of the story. “It’s not just the numbers but the quality and spirit of the men who are coming,” he said. “I’m tremendously impressed with the quality of the candidates, their zeal. We’re seeing a real renewal of the priesthood.” — Contributing was Julie Asher.
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Our world
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Pope urges agreement on climate change John Thavis Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI urged international leaders to reach a credible agreement on climate change, keeping in mind the needs of the poor and of future generations. The pope made the remarks at his noon blessing at the Vatican Nov. 27, the day before officials from 194 countries were to begin meeting in Durban, South Africa, to discuss the next steps in reducing greenhouse gases and stopping global temperatures from rising. “I hope that all members of the international community can agree on a responsible, credible and supportive response to this worrisome and complex phenomenon, keeping in mind the needs of the poorest populations and of future generations,” he said. The meeting, which runs until Dec. 9, is the latest in a series to consider follow-up action to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which obligated industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, president of Caritas Internationalis, was leading a 20-person Caritas delegation to the Durban talks to press for an agreement on behalf of poor countries impacted by climate change. Before leaving, he took several thousand young Italian members of a Franciscan environmental group to meet the pope. The pope told them that the Church’s teaching on the environment follows from the principle that men and women are collaborators with God and His creation.
Addressing U.S. bishops, pope defends Church efforts on sex abuse John Thavis Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — In a speech to U.S. bishops, Pope Benedict XVI defended the Church’s “honest efforts” to confront the priestly sex abuse scandal with transparency, and said its actions could help the rest of society respond to the problem. While the Church is rightly held to high standards, all other institutions should be held to the same standards as they address the causes, extent and consequences of sexual abuse, which has become a “scourge” at every level of society, the pope said Nov. 26. On wider issues, including the institution of marriage, the pope encouraged the bishops to speak out “humbly yet insistently in defense of moral truth.” Responding to the challenges of a secularized culture will first require the “re-evangelization” of the Church’s own members, he said. The pope made the remarks in a speech to bishops from New York, in Rome for their “ad limina” visits. The group was led by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York, who as president of the U.S. bishops’ conference has spoken of the need to restore the Church’s credibility and its evangelizing capacity. The pope began his talk by recalling his 2008 U.S. visit, which he said was aimed at encouraging Catholics in the wake of the sex abuse crisis. He said he wanted to acknowledge the suffering inflicted on victims as well as the Church’s efforts to ensure children’s safety and deal “appropriately and transparently with allegations” of abuse. “It is my hope that the Church’s
Pope Benedict XVI meets Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York during a Nov. 26 meeting with U.S. bishops from the state of New York on their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican.
CNS | L’Osservatore Romano
conscientious efforts to confront this reality will help the broader community to recognize the causes, true extent and devastating consequences of sexual abuse, and to respond effectively to this scourge which affects every level of society,” he said. Pope Benedict’s speech was the first in a series of five talks he is expected to deliver in coming months, as 15 groups of U.S. bishops make their consultative visits to Rome. He said he planned to focus primarily on the urgent task of “new evangelization.” The pope said many of the U.S. bishops had shared with him their concern about the “grave challenges” presented by an increasingly secularized society in the U.S. He said it was also interesting to note a widespread worry about the future of democratic society in general, by
people who see “a troubling breakdown in the intellectual, cultural and moral foundations of social life” and growing insecurity about the future. He suggested that the Church could and should have a key role in responding to these deep changes in society. “Despite attempts to still the Church’s voice in the public square, many people of good will continue to look to her for wisdom, insight and sound guidance in meeting this far-reaching crisis,” he said. In that sense, he said, the present moment is “a summons to exercise the prophetic dimension of your episcopal ministry by speaking out, humbly yet insistently, in defense of moral truth, and offering a word of hope, capable of opening hearts and minds to the truth that sets us free.”
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
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In Brief
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migration, the divide between the North and South and the injury to human dignity suffered by many people, he said.
U.S. priest is new Ireland nuncio
KINSHASA, Congo — Catholic officials called for calm after a tense day of polling in which violent incidents claimed the lives of nearly a dozen people during Congo’s presidential and legislative elections. “The electoral campaign that took place in a tense atmosphere has ended with a funereal note,” the Congolese bishops’ conference said in a Nov. 29 statement that deplored deaths in a polling station in the southeastern city of Lubumbashi.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has named U.S. Monsignor Charles J. Brown, 52, an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and priest from the Archdiocese of New York, as the new apostolic nuncio to Ireland. The appointment comes at a delicate moment in Vatican-Irish relations. In July, the Vatican recalled its previous nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, after the Irish government sharply criticized the Vatican’s handling of clerical abuse. Vatican officials said it was unusual to appoint a non-diplomat. Some observers pointed to the fact that the doctrinal congregation has overall responsibility over cases of clerical sex abuse of minors, and said the Vatican appears to expect the nuncio to play a key role in the crisis.
Pope says economic crisis demands courage, reflection
In Mexico, pope to address problem of violence
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI said the global economic crisis demands the “courage of brotherhood” between the world’s rich and poor, and calls on the Church to look at the causes of poverty. The pope, addressing officials of Caritas Italy Nov. 24 at the Vatican, said true charity requires not only concrete gestures but also announcing hope and asking questions. “Responding to the needy means not only giving bread to the hungry person, but also reflecting on the causes that led to his hunger, with the gaze of Jesus who knew how to see the deep reality of the people who came close to Him,” he said. The Church needs to look closely at the current economic crisis and consequent flows of human
VATICAN CITY — Mexico’s high level of violence is of deep concern and will be addressed by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit next year, a Vatican official said. The papal trip to Mexico and Cuba for early 2012 is in the advanced planning stages. The Vatican missionary news agency Fides reported that Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to Mexico, said the pope’s visit will bring a message of “peace and encouragement” to people suffering from violence. Mexico has experienced a dramatic increase in violence in recent years. From 2007 to 2010, 34,550 killings were linked to organized crime.
Catholic officials call for calm after Congo’s election violence
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
22
Letters to editor
By the numbers
U.S. ABORTIONS Ryan Murray
Growing a good garden and a good life
W
hen I was younger, my mother used to sing me a song by David Mallet called “The Garden Song.” It’s one of those songs that no matter when or where I hear it, the chorus invokes memories of my childhood: Inch by inch, row by row, Gonna make this garden grow, All it takes is a rake and hoe, And a piece of fertile ground. I caught myself humming the tune recently while I was in my own garden pulling weeds as my two young boys were playing outside. This is the second year that I have had a garden of my own and, to be honest, this column does not have enough room for me to discuss my garden at length. Let’s just say that if there is ever a time where you would like to talk about gardens, feel free to give me a call. However, be sure that you don’t have anything else pertinent to do for the next hour. After I was done pulling weeds and talking to my plants (I mean, um, talking to my children), I began to think how the characteristics of a good garden are very similar to the characteristics of trying to live a good life, especially as a Catholic. For example, a good garden needs good, fertile soil from which to grow. A solid foundation, if you will. Similarly, a solid foundation of values and morals is necessary for a good life, and every day we have the chance to hear about those values and morals through His Word. A strong garden needs sunlight to grow, just as a good life needs a guiding light to grow. As Catholics, we have the wonderful opportunity to be with our guiding light: Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist every week. If you are growing a garden and are not careful, weeds can overtake the plants, stunting growth and quite possibly suffocating the garden. Can’t the same often be said about our lives? Furthermore, isn’t the goal of a garden to produce good fruits and vegetables for others? And similarly, isn’t the goal of leading good lives as Catholics to be stewards of our time, talent and treasure so we may give back to others? If you’re thinking of growing a garden, think of that song. Maybe it will help draw some comparisons for you in your life and maybe it will help that garden grow. And talking to your plants – well, that doesn’t hurt, either. Ryan Murray is a member of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. Have an idea or comment? E-mail him at murrayrj18@hotmail.com.
Parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte are gearing up for the National Night of Prayer for Life the night of Dec. 8. (See related story on page 3.) It is estimated that there have been more that 50 million babies aborted since abortion was legalized in 1973. In a recent report, of the 1.1 million women in the U.S. who obtained an abortion in 2008, 42 percent had incomes below the federal poverty level.
OF THE 1.1 MILLION WOMEN in the U.S. who obtained an abortion in 2008: WHITE 36%
BLACK 30% HISPANIC 25%
WERE TEENS
42% had incomes
below poverty level
89%
were in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
CRHP is also active at St. James Church in Concord I was quite dismayed when I read the Nov. 18 article about St. Matthew Church in Charlotte having the distinction of holding the first Christ Renews His Parish retreat in Charlotte. St. James the Greater in Concord has been holding these retreats since the fall of 2009. In fact, this past fall we held our first CRHP retreats in Spanish for our Hispanic community. I would hope that the Catholic News Herald would verify its facts. It was quite disappointing to open the paper and see this article, especially considering I was part of the first group of women to attend the retreat at St. James. Our facilitators came from Virginia for two consecutive weekends, one women’s group and one men’s group, to kick off CRHP in our parish, and it has been a glowing testimonial from all who have attended. I wish St. Matthew Church nothing but success in its CRHP program, and I hope that it creates the community and connectedness to one another in the parish as ours has done. Bonnie White lives in Concord.
WERE IN THEIR 20s
Source: Guttmacher Institute ©2011 CNS
CNS | Emily Thompson
Abortion rate rises among low-income women WASHINGTON, D.C. — Statistics released by the Guttmacher Institute this summer found that there was an increase in the number of abortions in the U.S. by low-income women, despite an overall decrease from 2000 to 2008. The results of the study, “Changes in Abortion Rates Between 2000 and 2008 and Lifetime Incidence of Abortion,” were published in the June issue of the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Guttmacher, which has been tracking abortion since 1974, found that the abortion rate for low-income women increased 18 percent during the same period that the national rate dropped 8 percent. Low-income women – those earning $17,170 or less in a three-person household – accounted for 514,040 abortions, or 42 percent of all abortions, in 2008. The abortion rate for the poor rose from 44.4 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 in 2000 to 52.2 in 2008. — Carol Zimmermann, Catholic News Service
Reader poll The revised English Missal launched with the first Sunday of Advent, Nov. 27, and after many months of preparation and discussion we’re finally saying the new responses and prayers. This month, we’re asking readers:
Total Consecration is to Jesus, through Mary I enjoyed the Nov. 18 article about St. Patrick Cathedral parishioners preparing to make a “Total Consecration” and pray that more parishes follow suit in this wonderful spirituality. My concern is that the title and the article gave the impression that the Total Consecration is to Mary when, in fact, St. Louis de Montfort specifically calls this the “Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary.” This spirituality was never meant to be a Total Consecration to Mary. Our faith is first and foremost Christcentered. As Catholics, we meditate on Mary only in the light of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “What the Catholic Faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ.” (CCC 487) I would recommend that this be clarified for readers as soon as possible, ideally in the next issue of the Catholic News Herald. Thank you for all you do to keep the diocese well-informed and inspired. Claudia Geraghty Graham lives in Black Mountain.
Have the changes in the prayers and responses been easy to follow for you? n Yes
n No
Go online to www.catholicnewsherald.com to respond.
Editor’s note: We are grateful to both readers for their letters. Rather than running a brief clarifying note this week, we thought publishing their additional comments here would be helpful to share with other readers.
December 2, 2011 | catholicnewsherald.com
catholic news heraldI 23
Annual collection supports 34,000 retired sisters, brothers, priests in religious orders Peggy Bowes
I
Seek inspiration from the first Advent
t is only the first week of Advent, and my stress level is already through the roof. We are building a new house and doing a lot of the work ourselves. The house was supposed to be finished before Thanksgiving, and it is now a mere possibility that we will be moved in by Christmas, just in time to welcome nine houseguests (all of whom are looking forward to my cooking…). All I want to do is run away, but there is only one place I will run: to the Blessed Sacrament. I love to sit in the dark, cool chapel our parish uses for daily Mass. Surrounded by stained glass, statues and the lingering scent of incense, I kneel before the tabernacle and lay my burdens at the feet of my Lord and Savior. I pray the rosary, begging for the strength to make it through the next few weeks with humility and a cheerful attitude. As my fingers move through the beads, I think of Mary. She was only about 15 during that first Advent more than 2,000 years ago. Perhaps she was concerned that she might not finish sewing Jesus’ swaddling clothes in time. Maybe she worried about the long trip to Bethlehem and whether she had prepared enough food for the journey. No doubt she felt more than a little stress at the prospect of caring for God’s own Son. Yet Mary likely just did what she had to do each day, humbly trusting in God’s providence. This is a good lesson for us during the stressful weeks leading up to Christmas. We only have so many hours in a day and so many tasks we can complete. By following Mary’s example, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to thy word,” we turn our focus to God and His will rather than our own needs. Her example shows us how to adopt the handmaid’s attitude of service and humility. The Gospels tell us that Mary frequently pondered, or meditated (Luke 1:29, 2:19, 51). She certainly made time each day to read Scripture and reflect on the Word of God. In fact, this was probably her primary preparation for the birth of her Divine Son. Perhaps she often read from Isaiah the same words we will hear in the Advent readings. By reading the Bible or meditating on the mysteries of the rosary, we can better prepare for the joyous season of Christmas. During these next three weeks, ask Mary to show you how she prepared to welcome the Messiah. Pray for her guidance and think of her example when you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Pope Benedict XVI offers this prayer: “May Mary, who gave her virginal womb to the Word of God, who contemplated the child between her arms, and who offers Him to everyone as the Redeemer of the world, help us make Christmas a moment of growth in the knowledge and love of Christ.”
Peggy Bowes is a member of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy and author of “The Rosary Workout” (www.rosaryworkout.com).
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 24th annual collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be taken up Dec. 10-11, 2011, in the Diocese of Charlotte. Sponsored by the National Religious Retirement Office in Washington, D.C., the appeal asks Catholics to “Share in the Care” of more than 34,000 women and men religious over age 70. Last year, the Diocese of Charlotte contributed $241,936.11 to this collection. Women and men religious who serve or have served in the diocese but whose communities are based elsewhere may benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious. “We are continually humbled by the generosity shown in this appeal,” said NRRO’s executive director, Sister Janice Bader, a member of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O’Fallon, Mo. “Since the fund was launched in 1988, Catholics have donated $643 million to assist religious communities in caring for their elder members.” As a result of the 2010 collection, which garnered $26.7 million, the NRRO was able to distribute $23 million to religious communities to help support the day-to-day care of senior members. An additional $2.7 million was allocated toward initiatives targeted for religious communities with the greatest needs. Ninety-three cents of every dollar aids elderly religious. While the response to the collection is unprecedented, so is the need. In 2010 alone, the total cost of care for women and men religious past age 70 exceeded $1 billion. Nearly 5,000 religious required skilled care. At the same time, however, religious
communities strive to minimize costs. In fact, the NRRO reports that the average cost of care for religious past age 70 dropped slightly this year. “The real challenge for many religious communities is a lack of retirement savings,” Sister Bader said. For more “Most senior religious worked for information years for small stipends. There were about the no retirement plans.” Retirement Fund As religious continue to age, for Religious, fewer members are able to serve in visit www. compensated ministry, leading to a retiredreligious.org. sharp drop in income. By 2019, National Religious Retirement Office data projects that retired religious will outnumber wage-earning religious by nearly four to one. For this reason, the NRRO implemented a comprehensive initiative to provide education, consultation and financial assistance to communities that are 50 percent or more underfunded for retirement. Since this program began in 2009, 55 communities, representing some 7,000 women and men religious, have initiated targeted strategies to address their funding shortfalls. “We’re working to ensure religious communities can care for their elder members today and tomorrow,” Sister Bader said.
Learn more
Rev. Monsignor Mauricio W. West
Help ‘share in the care’ of our retired religious D
ear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In 2010, while visiting a senior-care facility, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI noted, “Indeed, the provision of care for the elderly should be considered not so much an act of generosity as the repayment of a debt of gratitude.” Soon our parishes will be taking up the annual collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious, an opportunity to honor and thank thousands of senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests for faithful service. Last year the Diocese of Charlotte contributed nearly $242,000 to this collection conducted by the National Religious Retirement Office of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. That 2010 national appeal enabled the Religious Retirement Office to distribute more than $23 million to religious communities to help support the day-to-day care of elder religious. Funds from the collection help ensure quality of life and adequate health care for thousands of women and men religious formerly at risk. Today there are more than 34,000 religious past age 70 living in the United States. In 2010 the average cost of their care was more than $35,000 per person. One out of every five religious institutes has less than 20 percent of the amount needed to care
for elderly members. Almost without exception, our elderly and infirm religious offer moving examples of aging with grace, dignity and faith. Most elderly religious even continue to volunteer in ministry long after they retire from stipended ministry. Whether or not we realize it, we are all beneficiaries of the tremendous contributions these women and men have made to the Church in the United States. Through hard work, prayer and sacrifice, they built Catholic schools and hospitals, initiated programs to promote social justice, and ministered to the neediest among us. On the weekend of Dec. 10-11, Catholics throughout the Diocese of Charlotte will have an opportunity to “Share in the Care” of our retired religious. The Collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be taken at all of the Masses on that second weekend in December. I encourage everyone to acknowledge the treasure that our elderly religious women and men represent and respond generously to their retirement needs. Monsignor Mauricio W. West is the vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte.
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catholicnewsherald.com | December 2, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
Faith
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