April 8, 2011 by Catholic News Herald

April 8, 2011

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Fight secularism with the Gospel Because materialism, secularism and individualism are “rapidly enveloping our society and culture,” Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl urges Catholics to actively participate in the Church’s new evangelization efforts “to proclaim the Gospel anew.”

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In search of healing Order of Malta prepares for annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, 10-11 Calendar 4 Diocese 3-8

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Our faith

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Pope St. Martin I Feast day: Wednesday, April 13

Pope Benedict XVI

Rediscover St. Thérèse’s autobiography

ope Benedict XVI called St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s autobiography, “The Story of a Soul,” a wonderful authentic “treasure” and invited everyone to read it. The 19th-century Carmelite saint’s teaching of “the ‘little way” of holiness has been so influential in our time,” he said April 6 at his weekly general audience. His catechesis was a continuation of a series of talks dedicated to the “doctors of the church,” men and women who made important contributions to Catholic theological understanding. St. Thérèse, who was born in 1873 in France, died at the age of 24 of hemoptysis, or bleeding of the lungs. Her spirituality “centered on the contemplation of God’s love revealed in the mysteries of the Incarnation and redemption,” the pope said. The saint “sought to be little in all things and to seek the salvation of the world.” Her autobiography was published a year after her death and was enormously successful in many parts of the world, he said. “I would like to invite all of you to rediscover this great little treasure, this glowing commentary on the Gospel fully lived,” the pope said. The book is “a wonderful story of love, told with such authenticity, simplicity and freshness that the reader will be nothing but captivated,” he said. “Thérèse shows all of us that Christian life is fully living the grace of baptism,” by fully giving oneself over to God and by living like Christ. The pope said “her example and prayers help us to follow ‘the little way of trust and love’ in spiritual childhood, abandoning ourselves completely to the love of God and the good of souls.” A childlike faith in God entails giving oneself fully to Him and putting one’s life completely in His hands, the pope said. Such faith is “inseparable from true love,” which is a total giving of self, he said. The faithful need to tell God every day that “we want to live out our love for Him and others.”

A saintly life

Pope St. Martin I died a martyr for defending the faith against the influences of imperial power and a popular heresy of the time. He was born in the Italian town of Todi and served as nuncio to Pope Theodore I in Constantinople. He was named successor to Theodore on July 5, 649 – without getting prior approval from the Roman emperor Constans II. This independent act so enraged the emperor that he refused to acknowledge Martin as the legitimate pope. The emperor was further angered when Martin convened a synod at Lateran to combat the Eastern heresy of Monothelitism, which held that Jesus did not have a human will, only a divine will. Constans did not support Monothelitism per se, but he ordered that no one could discuss Jesus’ will at all. The Lateran council affirmed that Jesus had two natures and two wills, human and divine. The council of 105 bishops also condemned the emperor’s command to avoid discussion on the topic. In the summer of 653, Constans ordered Martin to be kidnapped, arrested and brought to trial in Constantinople. The emperor’s guards boldly entered the Lateran, arresting the bedridden Martin and tossing him on a ship for the three-month voyage to trial in Constantinople. When he arrived in Constantinople, Martin was sickly – racked with dysentery and disabled by gout. He was thrown into solitary confinement in a freezing and filthy cell. On Dec. 19, 653, Martin was brought to trial on trumped-up charges of treason and sacrilege. The pope, near death and realizing his position futile, only laughed at the ridiculous accusations and begged the

emperor to excuse the fumbling witnesses before they added perjury to false witness. Constans pronounced a predetermined verdict of guilty on the pontiff and sentenced him to public flogging and execution. After the sentence was read, Martin was taken to a terrace of the palace near the imperial stables where crowds had gathered. The puppet judge who had presided at the tribunal mocked Martin, saying, “You see how God delivered you into our hands. You were against the emperor, and thus has God abandoned you.” Then the soldiers slashed his clothing and took away his shoes. He was delivered to the prefect of the city with the order of execution. The judge tried to incite the populace to anathematize Martin, but the mob remained silently gazing at the ground. After a while, the crowd dispersed. The soldiers stripped the pope of his shredded clothes and dressed him in a grotesque tunic, open on both sides, to humiliate him. They put an iron ring around his neck, with a rope attached to it, and dragged him back to prison. In the freezing cold, Martin trembled and awaited death. It was only by the dying Patriarch Paul’s intercession that Martin’s sentence of public execution was commuted to banishment. He was exiled to Crimea, where he died Sept. 16, 655, suffering from cold and starvation. Today Martin is venerated as a saint by both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Faith fact What is a nuncio? A permanent representative of the pope, with the status of an ambassador. A nuncio is the political representative of the Vatican state to a foreign country. He is also vested with authority from the pope to represent the Holy See before the bishop’s conference in the country of assignment. The principal duty of the nuncio is safeguarding the interests of the Holy See. The office is limited to the assigned country (his nunciature), and the nuncio must live in the country where he is posted. Like an ambassador’s pos,t the office is permanent, requiring the appointment of a successor when an incumbent is recalled. The nuncio to the United States is Archbishop Pietro Sambi. He resides in Washington, D.C. — Source: Catholic Encyclopedia

— Sources: “The Popes: A Papal History,” by J.V. Bartlett, and catholicnewsagency.com

Your daily Scripture readings SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 10 - APRIL 16

Sunday, Ezekiel 37:12-14, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45; Monday (St. Stanislaus), Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62, John 8:1-11; Tuesday, Numbers 21:4-9, John 8:21-30; Wednesday (St. Martin I), Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95, Daniel 3:52-56, John 8:31-42; Thursday, Genesis 17:3-9, John 8:5159; Friday, Jeremiah 20:10-13, John 10:31-42; Saturday, Ezekiel 37:21-28, Jeremiah 31:10-13, John 11:45-56

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 17 - APRIL 23

Sunday (Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion), Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 26:14-27:66; Monday, Isaiah 42:1-7, John 12:1-11; Tuesday, Isaiah 49:1-6, John 13:21-33, 36-38; Wednesday, Isaiah 50:4-9, Matthew 26:14-25; Thursday (Holy Thursday), Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-15; Friday (Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion), Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9, John 18:1-19:42; Saturday (Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil), Exodus 14:15-15:1, Exodus 15:1-6, 1718, Romans 6:3-11, Matthew 28:1-10

Our parishes

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

In Brief

Jesuits celebrate 25th anniversary St. Ignatius of Loyola statue unveiled

Knights go on retreat KING — The Knights of Columbus Bishop Greco Council 9499 of Clemmons held its eighth annual Men’s Lenten Retreat at Camp Hanes recently. Chris Parker coordinated the retreat, which was led by diaconate candidates Bill Sears and John Harrison. Besides discussions, prayer and reflection, the retreat included Mass at Good Shepherd Church in King. Said Harrison, “This retreat should be one of Knights of Columbus Council 9499’s main focuses to develop spiritual life, constantly form ourselves in the faith, and become better Catholics. Yes, we can go out and serve the Church, the community – but we also need to take the time to take care of ourselves.” — Shawn Lane

Jesuit Father Pat Earl, pastor of St. Peter Church in Charlotte, unveils a statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. Sculptor Shelley Kolman Smith of Poetry, Texas, took more than three months to finish the work. The sculpture’s face was lifted from the death mask of the saint, a customary practice in the 1500s. St. Ignatius, a former soldier, is depicted tilting to one side because his knee was hit by a cannon ball before his conversion. He is holding his book “The Spiritual Exercises,” a set of meditations and prayers that has converted people worldwide since it was published in the mid-1500s. Jesuits say “The Spiritual Exercises” has converted as many people as there are words in the book.

Photo provided by Dr. Cris Villapando

Youths walk with Jesus HICKORY — About 75 members of The Edge, the youth group at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory, recently gathered for a spiritual lesson and outdoor Stations of the Cross at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, which has an outdoor chapel, walking path and 10-foot wooden cross. The youth group walked silently along the path to the wooden cross, praying and reading Gospel passages as they stopped at 14 stations they had set up. The spiritual lesson was organized by youth minister Linda Hirsch and volunteer Fran Hufurth. — Barbara Speers

Photo provided by Dr. Cris Villapando

Jesuits celebrate Alumni Day The Jesuits of St. Peter Church in Charlotte, under the leadership of Jesuit Father Pat Earl, organized a Jesuit Alumni Day Celebration March 19 at Biss Hall. The Alumni Day was part of the year-long Jesuit Silver Jubilee to mark 25 years of Jesuit ministry in the See city of the diocese. More than 110 alumni and guests who graduated from at least 24 different Jesuit colleges and universities attended. Assisting Father Earl in organizing Alumni Day were many parishioners, notably Linda Sanchez, Rachel Johnson, Ray Natale and Julie Pomeroy. Pictured above are Filipino Jesuit alumni standing under the pennants of several Jesuit universities, including Ateneo de Manila University: (from left) Mickey and Marcelo Bueno, Dr. Cris Villapando, Longie Escobal, Melay and Edwin Castro, and Jamie and Rica Cruz.

catholic news heraldI

Bishops issue alert to protect the unborn David Hains DIOCESAN Director of Communication

North Carolina’s two bishops have issued an alert over a bill under consideration in the state legislature. The Unborn Victims of Violence Act/Ethen’s Law seeks to make harming a fetus at any stage of life in the womb a serious crime. The bill would allow a person charged with murder, manslaughter or assault against a pregnant woman to be charged with a second count against the woman’s fetus. Current North Carolina law does not qualify the death of a fetus or unborn child as a result of a violent crime as a separate crime or homicide. The alert was issued by Catholic Voice North Carolina, the non-partisan public policy voice of Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte and Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Raleigh. It was sent to more than 3,000 registered participants of CatholicVoiceNC.org. Ethen’s Law pays tribute to a pregnant North Carolina woman who was stabbed to death in 2007. Her murder resulted in the death of her unborn son. Similar laws to protect the unborn exist in 35 states and were enacted into federal law in 2004. While protecting some unborn children, it does not protect all. The bishops’ e-mail states, “The bill is not perfect. Because abortion is currently legal, the bill does not protect unborn fetuses who lose their lives in the heinous procedure of abortion. However, the bill is an important step in recognizing that the most vulnerable among us, the unborn innocents, can be protected under the law in North Carolina.” The alert asks that e-mails be written to state senators urging passage of the bill. The bill has already been approved by the North Carolina house. Take Action: Read the bishops’ alert and write to your state senator at CatholicVoiceNC.org.

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 OUR PARISHES

Diocesan calendar CHARLOTTE

Bishop Peter J. Jugis Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events over the next week: April 10 – 9 a.m. Mass for Boy Scout Camporee Belk Scout Camp, Mint Hill April 11 – 10 a.m. Mass for Missionaries of the Poor Monroe

HUNTERSVILLE

ST. peter CHURCH, 507 s. tryon st.

st. GABRIEL church, 3016 Providence Road — “The Way of the Cross: In the Beginning was the Word,” presented by the Immaculate Heart Central Mystery Players from Watertown, N.Y. 8 p.m. April 17.

— Lenten Retreat Closing Session, Biss Hall, 8:30 a.m. April 16. Contact parish office at 704-332-2901. ST. THOMAS aquinas CHURCH, 1400 suther road — “I Thirst- The Crucifixion Story,” musical portrayal of our Lord’s Passion performed by musician and songwriter Tatiana Cameron, 7 p.m. April 13. Childcare will be available in the nursery. Visit idobelieve.com.

st. john neumann church, 8451 idlewild road — Live Way of the Cross (outdoors, weather permitting), 7 p.m. April 22. Contact parish office at 704-536-6520. — “The Seven Last Words of Christ,” 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays throughout Lent

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH, 6828 old reid road — The Called and Gifted Workshop: Discover God’s Call for Your Life, 7-9 p.m. May 13 and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. May 14. Bring your own lunch. Registration required to Andrea Vallandingham at andrea-vall@carolina.rr.com or Pat Rosa at pafrosa@bellsouth.net.

— Stations of the Cross, 7 p.m. (Spanish) Thursdays throughout Lent and 7 p.m. (English) Fridays throughout Lent ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 Ballantyne Commons pkwy.

— The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Meeting, 7 p.m. third Wednesday of each month. They welcome Irish-Catholic women who are interested in sharing their Catholic faith, Christian charity and the traditions of the Irish people. Contact Mary Herbert at mherbert@ carolina.rr.com or 704-231-9546.

— Back to Basics Catholicism 101: The Mass, NLC Room 203, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. April 13 — Mass in Polish, 3 p.m. April 17. Reconciliation available at 2 p.m. Contact Elizabeth Spytkowski at 704-948-1678.

— “The Way of the Cross: In the Beginning was the Word,” presented by the Immaculate Heart Central Mystery Players from Watertown, N.Y. 8 p.m. April 16.

MURPHY ST. WILLIAM CHurch, 765 ANDREWS ROAD — Ecumenical Lenten Worship Service, noon-12:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Soup and sandwiches will be served following the service.

SYLVA ST. MARY, MOTHER OF GOD church, 22 BARTLETT ST. — Bereavement Support Group, 6:30-8 p.m. Mondays through April 18. Contact Colleen Hayes at chayes06@gmail.com or 828-586-0217.

WINSTON-SALEM st. benedict the MOOR CHURCH, 1625 E. 12th St. — “I Am Somebody,” Franciscan Center, retreat for youth ages 12-18 years, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 9

ST. pATRICK CATHEDRAL, 1621 DILWORTH ROAD E. — Solemn Vespers and Reflections on the Seven Sorrows of Mary: “The Crucifixion,” with a reflection by Father Roger Arnsparger 6 p.m. April 10 and “The Taking Down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross and His Burial,” with a reflection by Father Christopher Roux 6 p.m. April 17.

st. mark church, 14740 STUMPTOWN ROAD

GREENSBORO our lady of grace CHURCH, 2205 w. market st. — “Straight Talk ...For Men,” Our Lady’s Cottage, 6:30-8 p.m. April 18 and May 16. Contact John Endredy at jendredy@ gmail.com or 336-202-9635.

— “Refilling the Cup of Life,” Franciscan Center, 9 a.m.2 p.m. April 16

This week’s spotlight: Lenten Reconciliation Services GOOD SHEPHERD MISSION, 105 GOOD SHEPHERD DRIVE, KING, 7 p.m. April 13 our lady of the assumption church, 4207 SHAMROCK DRIVE, CHARLOTTE, 6-7 p.m. April 9 (Spanish) and 3:30-5 p.m. April 16 (English)

ST. DOROTHY CHURCH, 148 ST. DOROTHY’S LANE, LINCOLNTON, throughout Lent- 5-5:45 p.m. Wednesdays, 6-6:45 p.m. Thursdays, 4-4:45 p.m. Saturdays and 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sundays

st. mary, mother of god church, SYLVA, following 9 a.m. Mass Fridays ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH, 2715 HORSE PEN CREEK ROAD, GREENSBORO, Wednesdays throughout Lent 5:30 p.m.

ST. EUGENE CHURCH, 72 CULVERN ST., ASHEVILLE, 7 p.m. April 14 ST. PETER CHURCH, 507 S. TRYON ST., CHARLOTTE, 7 p.m. April 14

Our lady of consolation church, 2301 STATESVILLE AVE., CHARLOTTE, 7 p.m. April 18

ST. GABRIEL CHURCH, 3016 PROVIDENCE ROAD, CHARLOTTE, 7 p.m. April 12

our lady of grace church, 2205 W. MARKET ST., GREENSBORO, 7 p.m. April 11

ST. JOHN NEUMANn CHURCH, 8451 IDLEWILD ROAD, CHARLOTTE, 7 p.m. April 14

OUR LADY OF MERCY CHURCH, 1730 LINK ROAD, WINSTON-SALEM, 7 p.m. April 15

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, 316 MAIN ST., BRYSON CITY, noon April 16

ST. PIUS THE TENTH CHURCH, 2210 N. ELM ST., GREENSBORO, 4-5 p.m. or 6-6:30 p.m. April 8, 11 and 15 ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH, 1400 SUTHER ROAD, CHARLOTTE, 7 p.m. April 11

ST. LAWRENCE BASILICA, 97 HAYWOOD ST., ASHEVILLE, 7 p.m. April 13 ST. BARNABAS CHURCH, 109 CRESCENT HILL DR., ARDEN, 7 p.m. April 11 st. benedict the MOOR CHURCH, 1625 E 12TH ST., WINSTON-SALEM, 6:30 p.m. April 11

April 1, 2011 Volume 20 • Number 19

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

ST. MARGARET OF SCOTLAND CHURCH, 37 MURPHY DRIVE, MAGGIE VALLEY, 7 p.m. April 14

Note: This is only a partial list – for additional information, contact your parish’s office.

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Denise Onativia 704-370-3333, catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

The Catholic News Herald is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 35 times a year.

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April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

OUR PARISHESI

PROFILE OF LIFE During 40 Days for Life, the Catholic News Herald is featuring people across our diocese involved in the pro-life movement who serve as examples for what we can all do to help protect the rights of the unborn.

‘Align your portfolio with your values’ Christopher Lux Intern

CHARLOTTE — Jason Beckert is a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Charlotte and, as he puts it, “your average pro-lifer.” He is a husband, father of five, school board representative for Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools, and a long-time employee of a large financial services company. Within his busy schedule, he manages to give high priority to the pro-life movement. If he is, in fact, an “average pro-lifer,” then things are looking pretty good for the pro-life cause. While working with the Charlotte Right to Life, Beckert co-founded a pro-life educational scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student who has been exceptionally active in the service of the prolife cause. The Hero for Life Award, named by co-founder Jon Capen, is now sponsored by Room At The Inn, Charlotte. Beckert says that the award seeks to “lift up and honor young pro-lifers.” The $2,000 educational grant is intended to “encourage them to continue their good efforts,” he says. “We

hope that these young people, wherever they land, will do pro-life work.” Beckert recognizes that “pro-life beliefs are not always the consensus in high school.” So, he hopes that the award will “recognize and support the pro-life efforts of this generation.” Beckert is also a participant of the 40 Days for Life each year. While he is only one of many who stand in constant vigil outside places where “life is being destroyed,” he knows that his presence makes a significant difference. He says that “by simply going to an abortion clinic and praying, you can be a physical witness. Just by being out there you are promoting the truth.” He also participates in the Charlotte March for Life each January, but he sympathizes with the many Christians who do not attend: “It’s difficult to break out of the fear of publicly showing your stance on abortion.” He knows it is hard to stand in public and pray for an end to abortion, but he assures that “the rosaries prayed in front of abortion clinics are very powerful – do it once and you won’t regret it!”

And he suggests that everyone attend the Charlotte March for Life and the March for Life in Washington, D.C., at least once because “it is reaffirming to see that so many people are passionate about the issue.” As an employee of a large financial services company, Beckert is able to see another way for people to make a considerable difference: “Align your investment choices with your faith values.” Those who are pro-life now can choose not to invest in companies that perform, promote or support abortions. He points out that if every pro-life person’s investment portfolio were aligned with their values, funding for “the biggest crime of our time could be hindered.” Beckert also reminds people that it is important to “let politicians know that life is being destroyed and not to be afraid to promote the truth.” We must always be good citizens and “pray fervently for our country because abortion is the proverbial ‘plank’ in our country’s eye,” he says. “Until we have the grace and light to remove the sin of abortion from our land, we will lack the

Photo provided by Jason Beckert

Jason Beckert stands with his wife Molly and five children (from left): David, John, Andrew, Sarah and Christopher. moral clarity to successfully remove the numerous ‘specks’ which plague justice and peace within our country.”

A PLACE FOR LIFE

Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center celebrates Walk for Life Georgianna Penn Correspondent

Annette Tenny | Catholic News Herald

Holy Cross volunteers ‘sentenced for life’ Parishioners of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville are passionate about raising money for Room At The Inn of the Carolinas – so much so that a few of them were willing to get “arrested” during the second-annual fundraiser called “Sentenced for Life” recently put on by the Knights of Columbus Council 8509. Even Father Paul Dechant’s Labradore Retriever, Shadow, spent time in the “slammer,” where he and other volunteers raised “bail money” that went to Room At The Inn. The fundraiser culminated with a pancake supper hosted by the Knights and Holy Cross Columbiettes. Room At The Inn of the Carolinas provides maternity home care, counseling, college assistance and other services for single pregnant women in North and South Carolina. Room At The Inn of the Triad is an affiliate organization and has a maternity home in Greensboro. To learn more or make a donation, go online to roominn.org or contact Melanie Feeney-Lewis at 336-996-5109. Pictured above are: parish ministry coordinator Feeney-Lewis (top left) behind bars with fellow volunteers Tony Belline (bottom left), Matthew Curran (top right) and Jacob Thomas (bottom right).

GREENSBORO — The Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center is a life-affirming pregnancy care center that has been sharing hope and saving lives for more than 27 years. The center will celebrate its annual Walk for Life and open house Saturday, April 16. Women who visit the center are embraced with a spirit of hope, love and compassion. They are generally referred to the center by friends or someone they know. The center does not refer out for abortion. It offers free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, free parenting classes, Bible studies, healthy relationship classes, post-abortion healing, and adoption referral services. While the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center strives to present the option of a life choice to expectant mothers, it also provides other services that influence a culture of life. A significant one is the post-abortion healing ministry, Sea of Hope. Sea of Hope is a step of courage for women, whether they have experienced one or many abortions. When one woman heals from the wounds of abortion, many lives are saved. “Reaching a post abortive woman reaches future generations after her,” notes Executive

Director Lyn Thrasher. “It seems that generations are being raised to believe that abortion is a healthy choice, so when one woman heals, she becomes a wounded warrior who then influences a culture of life for future generations.” “To reach these women, we are reaching out to churches. Statistics show that one out of every four women attending church has experienced an abortion. So it is imperative that we speak only words of healing and forgiveness in our churches,” Thrasher said. The Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center is a Christian organization with support from more than 80 Greensboro area churches. It accepts donations of gently used or new baby clothes, maternity clothes and supplies, baby bottles and gift items as incentives for clients attending their Relationship Reality program. Representatives of the center speak at local colleges through its student organization, Make Up Your Own Mind, that also has an abstinence education program called Great to Wait, designed for middle school and high school age groups. This year’s Walk for Life and open house will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Staff members will be available to answer questions about how individuals and churches can get involved. For details or to sign up, go to firstgiving.com/ gpcc or call 336-274-4901.

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 OUR PARISHES

Sisters of Mercy Foundation announces $1.6M in grants to 44 organizations BELMONT — The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation recently announced grant awards totaling $1,630,066 to 44 non-profit organizations including the following located in western North Carolina. The foundation is part of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas South Central Community, providing support for its charitable, religious and educational mission. The South Central Community, with administrative offices located in Belmont, has more than 700 sisters serving in 18 states, Guam and Jamaica. Grants included: — Advocates for Healthy Citizens, Gastonia, links uninsured residents with a medical home to encourage the proper use of health care services. It will receive $44,000 for the purchase of medications as well as salary and benefits support for the Medication Assistance Program Coordinator. — AIDS Leadership Foothills Area Alliance, Hickory, will receive $30,000 for salary support for a medical case manager. The organization educates the community on prevention and other issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. — American Red Cross, Charlotte, provides disaster relief and helps prepare for and respond to emergencies. It was awarded $40,000 to provide support for vehicle maintenance, fuel and communication costs related to the transportation program. — Burke Council on Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency, Morganton, works with the health care community to offer prevention/education, treatment and recovery support services. It will receive $49,787 to provide support for a licensed addictions counselor for the Comprehensive Adult Clinical Services program. — Burke United Christian Ministries, Morganton, provides emergency assistance to people who need temporary help with food, clothing, shelter, fuel, power, medicine and other necessities. The $15,000 grant will help provide crisis assistance to families in need. — Central Avenue Bilingual Preschool, Charlotte, was awarded $35,000 in operating support contributing to teacher salaries. The organization prepares Spanish-speaking preschool children for successful entry and performance in the public school system. — Charlotte Emergency Housing, Charlotte, provides shelter, child care and transitional services to prepare families to move into stable, independent housing. The $55,000 grant will contribute to salary support for the social work and house management staff. — Charlotte Speech and Hearing, Charlotte, helps individuals communicate effectively by providing

services for the prevention, early identification, diagnosis and treatment of speech, language and hearing problems. It will receive $40,000 for salary support for a speech language pathologist for the Language and Literacy Program. — Children’s Advocacy Center of Catawba County, Conover, provides a safe, child-friendly site for the interview and medical examination of child victims of abuse and a place where victims and their non-offending family members can receive intervention services in a centralized and expedient manner. It will receive $25,000 to help provide the salary of a victim advocate. — Classroom Central, Charlotte, equips students to effectively learn through the collection and distribution of free school supplies. Their $25,000 grant will contribute to the purchase of school supplies. — Community Care Center for Forsyth County, Winston-Salem, provides access to health care services for medically uninsured and underserved individuals and families. It was awarded $40,000 for the purchase of medications for low-income, uninsured patients. — Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Asheville, assists senior adults and their caregivers with programs, services and opportunities that promote and enhance the quality of life. The award of $46,750 will help provide the salary of a part-time Medicare/outreach specialist and a volunteer coordinator. — Crisis Assistance Ministry, Charlotte, provides assistance and advocacy for people in financial crisis. Their $80,000 grant will provide support for emergency financial assistance. — Family Violence Coalition of Yancey County, Burnsville, provides assistance to victims of physical and emotional abuse and offers education and training regarding the incidence of family violence, ways to avoid it and methods of seeking help. The grant of $10,000 will provide operating support for the emergency shelter. — Florence Crittenton Services, Charlotte, provides shelter, comprehensive health, educational and social services for single, pregnant young women and their families. It was awarded $50,000 for salary support of the direct care providers in the Residential Maternity program. — Friendship Trays, Charlotte, provides home delivery of hot meals on a daily basis to those who are unable to safely or adequately prepare for themselves. It will receive $35,000 to assist with food purchase and general operating expenses of the kitchen. — Gaston Family Health Services, Gastonia, provides primary medical and dental care to the underserved. The grant of $38,930 will be used toward the

purchase of equipment for its Eye Center. — Guilford County Coalition on Infant Mortality, Greensboro, will receive $34,000 for salary support of the Adopt-A-Mom Program case manager and interpreter. The coalition works to eliminate infant death and disability through community education and involvement. — The Healing Place, Hendersonville, assists victims of sexual assault and child abuse and strives to increase prevention through community education. It will receive $35,000 for general operating support. — HealthReach Community Clinic, Mooresville, provides health care to low-income, uninsured individuals and families. The award of $44,138 will be used for salary support of the part-time pharmacist and the medical services coordinator. — Helping Hands Clinic of Caldwell County, Lenoir, provides quality medical care and prescription medications to low-income, uninsured residents of Caldwell County. It will receive $50,000 to provide operating support to expand the clinic’s hours. — Helpmate Inc., Asheville, works with the community to eliminate abuse and, in collaboration with community providers, strengthens the support base available to victims and their children. Helpmate will receive $40,000 to provide operating support for its Crisis Stabilization Unit. — International House of Metrolina, Charlotte, provides a variety of programs and services to help meet the needs of the international community and increase intercultural understanding. The award of $25,000 will provide salary support for the Ginter Immigration Law Clinic. — Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, provides a four-year college education to prepare students to demonstrate competence in their chosen fields and to appreciate the importance of community service. It will receive a two-year grant of $50,000 to provide general operating support for the Foster Care Initiative, which provides supportive services to youth who are in the process of aging out of foster care and are potential college students and to students who have previously aged out of foster care and are currently attending JCSU. — The Learning Collaborative, Charlotte, provides high-quality preschool education to prepare atrisk children for success in school and to prepare parents to become active participants in school and stronger first teachers to their children. The $32,000 grant will provide support for the Family School Readiness program. — Mountain Area Child and Family Center, Asheville, provides quality early care and learning for children. The grant award of $50,000 will provide support for the Mothers On the Move program.

— Mountain Housing Opportunities, Asheville, provides affordable housing for low-income individuals by improving and developing homes, neighborhoods and communities. It will receive $50,000 to purchase materials and professional contractor services for the Emergency Home Repair program. — Our Voice, Asheville, provides support and advocacy for victims of sexual violence and promotes awareness and prevention through community education. It was awarded $35,000 to assist with salary support for the crisis response/volunteer coordinator and licensed professional counselor positions. — Reach Out and Read, Columbia, S.C., promotes literacy by providing developmentally appropriate books to children at pediatric checkups. It will receive $25,000 to provide support for the expansion of the Reach Out and Read Program to western North Carolina, specifically the purchase of books and a portion of the program director’s salary. — Rutherford Housing Partnership, Rutherfordton, improves housing conditions and helps eliminate substandard housing by making necessary repairs to the homes of elderly, disabled or low-income individuals. It was awarded $10,000 to purchase materials and professional services for urgent home repairs. — The Salvation Army of Greensboro, will receive $45,000 for salary support of case management staff and crisis assistance funds. The Salvation Army assists people in preventing homelessness and offering opportunities toward self-sufficiency. — Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest, Winston-Salem, collects and distributes salvageable food and non-food products to area agencies and religious organizations which serve and feed the needy. The grant for $30,000 will provide operating support, specifically for transportation expenses. — Shelter Health Services, Charlotte, provides a variety of health care services including screenings, assessments, treatment and education to the homeless. It will receive $110,000 over two years to provide general operating support for salary assistance and expenses. — Stanly Community Christian Ministry, Albemarle, provides assistance to people in crisis situations. The $20,000 grant award will purchase materials for the renovation of the soup kitchen, Community Table II. — Western Carolinians for Criminal Justice, Asheville, encourages alternatives to incarceration, educates the community with respect to criminal justice issues, makes improvements in the criminal justice system, and operates a rehabilitative program for women offenders. The grant award of $50,000 will help provide salaries and benefits for case managers in the Women At Risk program.

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

OUR PARISHESI

Reflection held for St. Leo’ s lay ministers

In Brief Living ‘Way of the Cross’ planned at St. John Neumann CHARLOTTE — St. John Neumann Church will present a living “Way of the Cross” at 7 p.m. on Good Friday, April 22. Reflecting the universal nature of the salvation promised by Our Lord to those who embrace His Cross, the devotion will be in multiple languages and involve participation from the parish’s many cultural groups. All are encouraged and welcome to participate, including those of any denomination or faith tradition. For details, call the parish office at 704-536-6520. — Al Tinson

‘Way of the Cross’ drama set HUNTERSVILLE — At 8 p.m. Saturday, April 16, the Immaculate Heart Central Mystery Players from Watertown, N.Y., will lead parishioners of St. Mark Church in Huntersville on the Way of the Cross with the words from St. John’s Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word.” Under the direction of Terry Burgess, the group will also be at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 17, and at Holy Trinity Middle School at 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 18. — Deanna Hagan

Your old furniture could help a new family CHARLOTTE — The Refugee Resettlement Office of Catholic Social Services is in critical need of couches, loveseats, chairs, tables, dining tables, and lamps to furnish apartments for arriving refugees. The economic downturn has hurt its usual rate of donations, and the office would appreciate any assistance. Call Mary Jane Bruton at 704-370-3283 and leave a message listing the items to donate, your complete address and telephone number, or e-mail the same information to maryjane.bruton@ gmail.com. Pickup is available for large items. We welcome your parish’s news. E-mail items to Editor Patricia Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@ charlottediocese.org.

Mollie Gordon Correspondent

WINSTON-SALEM — The role of lay ministers in parish life continues to increase as the needs of a parish increases. They serve the Body of Christ as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, lectors and cantors, faith formation teachers, outreach coordinators, nursery volunteers, choir members, and much more. But who ministers to them? On March 26, the liturgical committee of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem hosted a morning of reflection for its lay ministers. Given by Mercy Sister Larretta Rivera-Williams, the workshop included lectures and discussions about current issues facing the faithful today: How can we as lay ministers better integrate Biblical teaching into our lives as well as our ministries? How do we balance the pursuit of wisdom with the things that distract us? How can we maintain a vibrant parish community when so many are turning to their televisions and the Internet for spiritual connection? Using her sense of humor and diverse background, Sister Larretta provided insight and guidance to these questions. Her interaction with the group provided the attendees with food for thought and topics for discussion. But the morning event did more than enrich the ministers personally. It also brought people together in a new way. “Events like this provide an opportunity for people who wouldn’t otherwise meet each other to connect and form new friendships,” said St. Leo’s pastor, Father Brian Cook. “We offered this

Mollie Gordon | Catholic News Herald

Mercy Sister Larretta Rivera-Williams leads a morning of reflection for St. Leo the Great Church’s lay ministers March 26 in Winston-Salem. last year, and we are blessed that Sister Larretta was able to again provide a reflection for our ministers.” Sister Larretta serves as the community outreach coordinator at St. Benedict the Moor Church in Winston-Salem. Prior to this position, she was resident of pastoral care as well as an associate chaplain at Wake Forest University. Sister Larretta uses her creativity in her spiritual direction through playwriting, abstract visual art and by leading workshops and retreats. She can be reached at St. Benedict the Moor Church at 336-7259200.

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 OUR PARISHES

Parishes in action: prayer, praise and almsgiving

Photo provided by Bert and Lith Golamco

Learning about Life in the Spirit JOHN BUNYEA | Catholic News Herald

Children show that they care Pre-schoolers at the Holy Cross Child Development Center in Kernersville participated in a cereal drive recently. The Wee Care program is organized through Crisis Control Ministry. The children collected boxes of cereal for the less fortunate in the Kernersville area. Photographed in front of the statue, “Let the Little Children come unto Me” at Holy Cross Church, are (from left) Clair Davis, Erick Hartmann, McKinzie Stewart, Andrew Hubany, Sophia Dolish, Ryan Kees, Josie Schreiber, Tyler Griggs and Taylor Griggs.

On retreat “You Never Let Go” was the theme of a recent retreat for students and teachers from the St. John Neumann Faith Formation Middle School program in Charlotte. Seventy-five students and catechists attended the first annual Camp Thunderbird middle school retreat. The youths were able to experience Christ through praise and worship, engaging talks, small group discussions and the sacraments of reconciliation and Holy Communion.

Photo provided by Meredith Magyar

A Life in the Spirit seminar was held March 26-27 at the Holy Family Church in Clemmons, sponsored by BLD Charlotte Prayer Community. The weekend seminar was led by Monsignor Paul Schetelick, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Bayonne, N.J. BLD stands for “Bukas Loob Sa Diyos,” meaning “Open to the Spirit of God.” It is a Catholic charismatic prayer community that conducts Life in the Spirit retreats, seminars and encounter programs (such as Marriage Encounter, Family Encounter, Youth Encounter, etc.). The mother community is BLD Newark. The Life in the Spirit Seminar is an introduction to life in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is an instrument for “renewed evangelization,” helping participants to have a deeper commitment to the Lord and to have a fuller experience of the work of the Spirit in their lives. It deepens one’s personal relationship with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, who is the Giver of Life. For more about BLD, go online to bldnewark.net.

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

Father Matthew Buettner

Revised English translation uses more elegant sacred language Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles about the Mass, excerpted from “Understanding the Mystery of the Mass – Revisited.” This series will delve into each part of the Mass, explaining its purpose, context and Biblical origin. It will also review the changes to the English translation that will go into use Nov. 27.

or years, professors of theology and liturgy, as well as clergy and laity alike, have anticipated not only more precise translations of the Mass texts from the Latin to the English, but also more sublime language to communicate the faith. Thankfully, the time for more relevant, more faithful, more Scripturally accurate translations has arrived. The advent of new English translations more than 40 years after the close of the Second Vatican Council begs the following questions: Is this just more change? What do we hope to gain with new translations? Why are we going back again? To be sure, most Catholics don’t enjoy change. The Catholic faith typically resists change, by virtue of its faithful and consistent adherence to Sacred Tradition and custom. Most of us have suffered through a generation of novelty, experimentation and changing liturgical fashions. It is no surprise, then, that not a few faithful Catholics may be troubled by the news of changing translations and concerned that perhaps more novelty is on the horizon. In fact, not a single word of the Mass has changed; rather, a gap that once separated the Latin from the English is now being bridged. Upon further inspection, although there is no official change lurking behind the new English translations, nonetheless there is something new and indeed welcome for the English-speaking world. For the first time in the English language, the Church will be praying the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with a specialized sacral vocabulary – a set of words and phrases that not only communicate

the sacred realities more accurately and vividly, but also retain a sense of formality and distinction in the English language. This has never occurred in the English-speaking world of the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the faithful may be familiar with the beautiful authentic translations contained in the hand-missal that guided them through the Latin Mass (now called the Extraordinary Form), but these were not prayed aloud in English. Some may argue, “I don’t pray this way. I don’t use this sort of formal vocabulary in my private prayers. Why should the Mass use such language?” For the simple reason that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not personal, private prayer, but rather, the public discourse of the Church, the Bride of Christ, with Christ, her divine Bridegroom. Finally, in answer to the question of “Why are we going back again?” I would argue that we are not, in fact, regressing. As mentioned above, the Catholic Church has never publicly prayed the Holy Mass in English with such elegant, sacred language. Considering that these translations of the Mass texts are actually new to the English-speaking world, we may actually conclude that rather than regressing, we are actually progressing. It is hoped, then, that this new sacred vocabulary will assist us in our public prayer to articulate the mysteries of the Mass more faithfully, inspire our personal prayer more devoutly and encourage greater appreciation for the gift of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Father Matthew Buettner is pastor of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton. Copies of “Understanding the Mystery of the Mass – Revisited” are available for purchase online at tedeumfoundation.org, with proceeds going toward the purchase of land for a future seminary in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Missal training held Father Brandon Jones, administrator of St. Joseph Church in Asheboro, recently conducted a day-long workshop about the revisions to the English translation of the Roman Missal at the Catholic Conference Center near Hickory. More than 170 people including faith formation Leaders, youth ministers, campus ministers, Catholic school personnel, deacons and priests representing more than 74 parishes, schools and campuses attended the workshop. Father Jones is host of “Missal Moments,” the series of short videos about the changes to the English translation of the Missal. The videos can be seen on the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube page. Photo provided by Dr. Cris Villapando

catholic news heraldI

Updated book, study guide on the Mass shed light on revised translation SueAnn Howell Staff writer

LINCOLNTON — Father Matthew Buettner, pastor of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton, originally released his book “Understanding the Mystery of the Mass” in 2005. The book is a compilation of a series of articles originally published in the Catholic News Herald which explains the meaning of each part of the Mass in succession. With the announcement of the revised translation of the Mass, Father Buettner went back through each section of the book, adding additional resources and explanations, enriching the original text and including the revised translation. The result is a new book entitled “Understanding the Mystery of the Mass – Revisited.” “Once I heard we were going to have a new translation, I went back to the drawing board,” Father Buettner said. “I looked at the revised translations and just started over again. The main benefit of the book is that it will introduce Catholics to the revised translation in slow motion, in depth.” In order to delve more deeply into the beauty and meaning of the Mass, Father Buettner took the opportunity to do more research, adding more explanations and more footnotes. “It’s not just a study of the revision; it’s a study of the Mass. It’s a broader scope,” he added. The revised book has the imprimatur from Bishop Peter J. Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte. Father Buettner has also completed a study guide for Catholic Scripture Study International to accompany the new book. All proceeds from the both the book and the study guide will go to the Te Deum Foundation, a non-profit Catholic organization working to help provide for the needs of seminarians. Catholic Scripture Study International will specifically donate the proceeds from the study guide to pay for the purchase of land on which to build a future seminary in the Diocese of Charlotte. To order copies of the new book, go to tedeumfoundation.org. The study guide will be available at the end of April and can be ordered at cssprogram.net.

iiiApril 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

FROM TH

In search of heal Order of Malta prepares for annual pilgrimage to Lourdes April 27-May 4

SUEANN HOWELL STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTE — Ever since 1858 when a peasant girl named Bernadette followed the Virgin Mary’s directive to dig in the dirt in a grotto revealing a miraculous spring, people have flocked to the water in Lourdes, France. For more than two decades now, Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta of the American Association from the Diocese of Charlotte have taken the sick across the ocean to bathe in the frigid water known for its healing powers. This year Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B., abbot of Belmont Abbey and conventual chaplain ad honorem of the Order of Malta, along with 18 Knights, Dames and volunteers with the Order of For more Malta from around the about the diocese, will make the Order of pilgrimage to Lourdes Malta and to April 27-May 4. They see videos of will join more than 150 the annual other Americans from pilgrimage to the Order of Malta on Lourdes, go to the chartered flight to maltausa.org France. The annual pilgrimage usually draws more than 800 Order of Malta members from around the world. These Knights and Dames make the pilgrimage year after year to assist people who are sick and in search of healing. The “Malades,” as they are known, usually are chosen by the Order based on their need, and the Order often pays for their travel expenses. During the trip, Knights and Dames join with other Order members from throughout the world in living the 900-year-old mission of the Order: “Obsequim pauperum” (“Service to the sick and the poor”) and “Tuitio fidei” (“Defense of the faith”). The Knights, Dames and volunteers work hard caring for the sick during the trip, yet they speak of how much they receive in return and the life-changing experience it is for them. “I’m a convert to the faith,” says Dame Kathy Tronco. “So I really didn’t know about St. Bernadette. I was reluctant to go just because I didn’t know what to expect. But Joe (my husband) really wanted me to go. So finally when I retired from teaching,

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I said ‘OK, I’ll go.’ After the first day I said, ‘This is all right.’ The second day I said, ‘This is really good.’ By the end of the week I said, ‘I can’t wait to come back!’” Tronco sings in the International Choir in Lourdes besides her work with the Malades. This year will be the seventh pilgrimage for her and her husband, Knight Joe Tronco. They work in teams providing care for the Malades during this week-long pilgrimage. It is very physical work, requiring hours of standing and pushing carts in which the sick and infirm are carried to the grotto. Dame Mary Ann Grace has accompanied the Malades to Lourdes seven times. Her husband, Chuck Grace, who is now deceased, helped bring the Order of Malta to this diocese. He, along with Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin and Knight Harry Grim and his wife, Dame Gail Grim, started the Charlotte-area order more than 25 years ago. Grace will not be able to make the pilgrimage this year due to some health issues of her own, but she speaks fondly of her experiences in Lourdes. “I was born and raised a Catholic so I have heard about this all my life,” she says. “I get goosebumps every time I think about it. Like the Holy Land, you feel that it is sacred ground. It is easier to pray there. You cannot believe the crowds. The procession is 25,000 people every night for months on end – people holding candles, singing hymns. Everything that you have ever seen about it is real.” She shares that what has made a lasting impression on her was to see the determination and spiritual transformation of the sick people. “They need to be there. They just blossom,” she says. Dr. Christine Cox, who suffers from an autoimmune disease, made the pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Order of Malta as a Malade in 2008. She had fractured her hip and was temporarily confined to a wheelchair. “It was a wonderful trip,” Cox recalls. “The Order of Malta takes great care of the Malades. They were very devoted to making sure we had a good experience there. They started early in the morning and stayed with us until late in the evening.” Cox shares that the pilgrimage to Lourdes was a spiritual and religious experience like none other. “The candlelight procession, the bath and also the Stations of the Cross were very moving experiences for me,” she adds. “I feel like the prayer and peace that I experienced there has helped me feel more at peace.”

Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin of the Diocese of Charlotte blesses Mercy Sister Pauline Mary Clifford (now deceased) in Lourdes in 2009. Bishop Curlin made the annual pilgrimage with

members of the Order of considerations will be un

HE COVER

ling

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnewsiii

Knights, Dames, Malades and caregivers participate in the candlelight procession at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Photos provided by Joe Tronco

CNS | Nancy Wiechec

Pilgrims visit the grotto at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France in this 2008 file photo.

Cure of TV repairman is recognized as 68th miracle at Lourdes

Members of the Order of Malta American Federation medical team pose at the shrine in 2009.

Blessings given from Lourdes

Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin blesses a Holy Angels resident in Belmont with water from the Marian shrine of Lourdes on April 2. Standing behind him is Regina Moody, CEO of Holy Angels. The Charlotte chapter of the Knights of Malta attended a day’s worth of activities in Belmont last Saturday, beginning with a campus-wide blessing of the Holy Angels residents, and ending with a vigil Mass at Belmont Abbey College. Photo provided by Joe Tronco

f Malta American Association for more than 25 years but due to health nable to attend this year.

Morgan Castillo | Catholic News Herald

ANGERS, France — The cure of a French TV repairman who completed the Way of St. James, a 1,000-mile pilgrimage through France and Spain to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela, after his paralyzed leg was inexplicably healed has become the 68th miracle to be officially recognized by the Church at Lourdes. “After profound expert examinations, the International Medical Committee of Lourdes has concluded this was a remarkable occurrence, an unexplained cure according to the current state of science,” said Bishop Emmanuel Delmas of Angers. “This cure can be considered a personal gift from God for this man, an instance of grace and a sign from Christ the Savior.” Serge Francois, now 65 and retired, had been twice operated on unsuccessfully for a herniated disk when he traveled to Lourdes on a diocesan pilgrimage April 12, 2002. Francois said the “unbearable flashing pain” in his left leg was replaced after a few minutes of prayer by an “intense sensation of good will and warmth,” which continued until the paralyzed limb completely recovered. The repairman reported the incident a year later to the Lourdes medical bureau, and it was judged “remarkable” by the 20-member International Medical Committee Dec. 1, 2008. Lourdes, close to the Pyrenees in southern France, attracts about 6 million visitors annually and has been a place of pilgrimage since 1858, when St. Bernadette Soubirous experienced the first of 18 visions of the Virgin Mary while gathering firewood in February 1858. To be declared miraculous, cures must be “found complete and lasting,” involving a “serious illness which is incurable,” and must involve a sudden “indisputable change from a precise medical diagnosis of a known illness to a situation of restored health.” — Catholic News Service

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Our schools

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

catholic news heraldI

MACS forms evangelization committee to improve Catholic spiritual life in schools Christopher Lux Intern

CHARLOTTE — Spread the word! The Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools board has formed an “evangelization committee.” Father Roger K. Arnsparger, vicar of education for the Diocese of Charlotte, said the committee has been formed “to assist in the continual mission of the schools for the development of the spiritual life of our students, parents and teachers.” The schools currently have a strong Catholic identity and are effective in carrying out the mission of MACS, school leaders say. However, Linda Cherry, diocesan superintendent of schools, added, “As in all things, there is room to grow and be even better.” The evangelization committee will look at ways for each school to better live up to the diocesan Catholic schools’ mission: “To proclaim the Good News of the Gospel and to develop each student spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially to live and serve in a changing society.” Jason Beckert, a parishioner of St. Ann Church in Charlotte, heads the committee. He volunteered for the position because he “wanted to do something to help the students increase their chances to know Christ.” Beckert said he feels that “schools are a key to evangelization in society, and a great thing to invest in.” Initially the committee will look closely at how the schools’ mission is being put into action. Focus groups made up of parents

and teachers will be conducted at every school to share ideas. Committee members also hope to visit other Catholic schools outside the diocese to observe how they are strengthening their Catholic identity, Beckert said. The process will be guided by Archbishop J. Michael Miller’s “The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools,” Beckert and Father Arnsparger said. Particularly, the committee will be focusing on the five marks that are laid out in the work. The “marks” are used to identify a school as Catholic: a Catholic school should be inspired by a supernatural vision, founded on Christian anthropology, animated by communion and community, imbued with a Catholic worldview throughout its curriculum, and sustained by Gospel witness. Right now the committee is evaluating how schools are currently enacting the MACS mission, so that later they can make recommendations to the diocesan school board. It will take some time to start making improvements, Beckert says, but “some of the things we will be able to do right away.” An example of that, he said, is encouraging more prayer in the schools. It is essential to “pray for open hearts and open minds because only by the grace of God can this be successful.” The evangelization committee has also recently sent out a survey to all parents of MACS students. This survey will give parents the opportunity to describe their experiences from other Catholic schools and share their ideas for improvement.

photo provided by Karen L. Hornfeck

Pure Fashion On March 27, 46 girls participated in the second annual Pure Fashion Show at Four Seasons Mall in Greensboro. Fashion show participants were a part of “Pure Fashion,” an eight-month series of workshops that encourages girls to become confident and compentent leaders who live out the virtues of modesty and purity in their schools and communities. The show was sponsored by Dillards, with the help of Myline’s Dresses. Pictured above are models Katharine Hornfeck, Kate Revels and Kate Murray, who are seventh-graders at Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro.

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

photo provided by Janis Boone

St. Mark students raise money in diabetes walk Students at St. Mark School in Huntersville participated in the eighth annual School Walk for Diabetes March 25, raising approximately $35,000 to date for the American Diabetes Association in what is the school’s largest service project of the year. The school has a proud tradition of fund-raising for the ADA. Last year, students raised $38,914 – making the school the top fundraiser in the nation. On behalf of the ADA, WCNC TV’s Larry Sprinkle recently presented St. Mark School with two awards for its outstanding contribution last year. Pictured above: Besides other activities, students raised money through “Penny Wars,” in which classes competed to collect the most pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.

Mix

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April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

In theaters

On TV

‘Hop’ Spring is on its way, but the Easter Bunny’s “hare” apparently (voice of Russell Brand) has gone AWOL in director Tim Hill’s comedy of errors which, though it seamlessly blends live action and computer animation, is somewhat less than appropriate for its target audience. The story teaches lessons about family and the importance of reconciliation, but not about the real meaning of Easter itself. The script’s vaguely coarse humor is more for adults than children. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents), MPAA: PG n Friday, April 8, 10 p.m. and Saturday, April 9, 2 p.m. (EWTN) “Iraq’s Christian Refugees.” This documentary takes you inside the lives of Christian refugees in Syria and Jordan and features interviews with major Catholic leaders, including Msgr. Luis Sako, Archbishop of Kirkuk, and Msgr. Antoine Audo, Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo.

‘Soul Surfer’ Director Sean McNamara’s fact-based drama recounts the story of Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb), a devoutly Christian 13-yearold competitive surfer in Hawaii whose life is changed forever by a shark attack that claims her arm. With the support of her parents (Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid), her brothers, and her church, Bethany accepts her fate and is determined to surf again, whatever the odds. CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents), MPAA: PG

‘Jane Eyre’ The orphan Jane (Mia Wasikowska) survives a childhood of abuse and religious fundamentalism to become governess at Thornfield Hall, home of the enigmatic Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender). Jane focuses on her work while trying to understand the eccentricities of her spiritually tormented employer. Adult themes, intense scenes of nonsexual child abuse. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13

‘Source Code’ As part of a cutting-edge antiterrorism operation, a heroic Afghan War veteran (Jake Gyllenhaal) is enabled to inhabit the body of a stranger during the last minutes of the other man’s life. Recurring action violence, brief gory medical images, crude language. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13

‘Insidious’ This mash-up of a horror homage has a young boy (Ty Simpkins) trapped in a hellish netherword, with his feckless father and a medium out to rescue him. Fleeting crude language and intense, but nonviolent, scenes involving children. CNS: A-III (adults), MPAA: PG-13

Catholic Trailers blog lets you in on the action Local video director shares his faith, insights SueAnn Howell Staff writer

CHARLOTTE — You wouldn’t think that a young Catholic man studying for a bachelor’s degree in business administration online through St. Joseph’s College in Standish, Maine, while holding down a job as video director for St. Benedict Press/TAN Books would have enough time for anything else. But Zac Brakefield is passionate about his faith and films, so he has made time for his blog, Catholic Trailers, which features his videos and movie reviews of Catholic films. “I started Catholic Trailers to share my videos, post and discuss other great videos and film clips, and also examine how movies and videos are made,” says Brakefield. He recently launched a countdown

of the Vatican’s “Top 45 Greatest Films” on his blog. Every few days he posts one of the classic films from the Vatican’s list and talks about its content and videography. Brakefield gives a short synopsis of the film with links to reviews and ratings. He provides additional information, video clips, trailers and also original video commentary and content so that readers can get a better sense of each film before viewing it. “Catholic Trailers provides a place where people can discuss these great films and share their thoughts and any other resources they may have found on the web,” Brakefield adds. The most recent video he produced features images from the Catholic News Herald coverage of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Charlotte. The video introduces the Poor Clares, explains the importance and beauty of their vocation, shares their plans for a new St. Joseph Monastery and explains how people can help the nuns build their new home. The video can be viewed at youtube.com/user/ StBenedictPressTAN. To view Brakefield’s Catholic Trailers blog and movie reviews, go to catholictrailers.com.

n Saturday, April 9, 8 p.m. (episode 1), Wednesday, April 13, 1 p.m. (episode 2), Saturday April 16, 8 p.m. (episode 2) (EWTN) “St. Giuseppe Moscati.” The story of St. Giuseppe Moscati, and the plight and struggles of the poor and homeless of Naples in the early 20th Century during a time of great inequality and poverty. n Monday, April 11, 6:30-7 p.m. (EWTN) “A Link in the Chain.” This short film from the Christophers stars Jimmy Cagney as a retiring college professor reflecting on whether he’s made a difference in his students’ lives. n Wednesday, April 13, 6:30-7 p.m. (EWTN) “Notre-Dame-du-Cap Shrine.” Program highlighting the history of “The Cap,” as the Shrine of Notre-Dame-du-Cap, a pilgrimage site located in Trois Rivieres, Quebec, is affectionately called by many Canadians.

Our nation

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

In Brief Thousands rally at Ga. Capitol to protest immigration bills

High court rejects challenge to Ariz. tuition tax credit

ATLANTA — Catholics, including laity and clergy, were among 6,000 people who surrounded the state Capitol to oppose legislation targeting illegal immigrants in Georgia. The proposals would broaden local police powers and require businesses to use an online verification system when hiring. Critics say the proposals would weaken the state’s economy and lead to racial profiling.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court April 4 tossed out a challenge to Arizona’s tuition tax credit program – which directs money to scholarships for students at mostly Catholic nonpublic schools – saying that because no direct state expenditures are involved, taxpayers have no legal basis for suing. The 5-4 ruling written by Justice Anthony Kennedy held that because the arrangement is for taxpayers to receive tax credits for their donations to tuition scholarship organizations, no actual state spending is involved and that therefore taxpayers in general lack jurisdiction for challenging the program.

Bill to legalize civil unions fails DENVER — State legislators defeated a bill that would have created civil unions in Colorado, following eight hours of emotional debate in a hearing March 31. At a prayer rally before the hearing, Denver Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley told a crowd of more than 100 opponents of the bill that it was “just a clever way to create a springboard to impose same-sex marriage on Colorado. It will weaken marriage as an institution, which is already suffering in society.”

New law mandates ultrasounds PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed into law legislation that will require abortion providers to allow women the opportunity for an ultrasound exam at least one hour prior to obtaining an abortion. “This bill sends a message that Arizonans continue to care deeply about protecting life and protecting families,” Brewer said April 2, signing the bill that had been passed by the state legislature March 30. It also prohibits the practice of “telemedicine” for chemical abortions, whereby a physician consults via video conference with a woman seeking a drug to induce an abortion and gives her a prescription without ever seeing her in person.

Marquette extends benefits to same-sex partners MILWAUKEE — Marquette University will extend health benefits to same-sex domestic partners starting next year. The extension is contingent upon domestic partners registering their status with Milwaukee County clerk’s office. The county started registering same-sex couples as domestic partners last year, according to university spokeswoman Kate Venne, who said there are 13 other Jesuit colleges and universities offering health benefits to same-sex partners.

2 more Philly priests suspended PHILADELPHIA — As a lay teacher, three priests and a former priest of the Philadelphia Archdiocese were arraigned last week on charges of sexually abusing or failing to protect children, Cardinal Justin Rigali placed two more priests on administrative leave pending further investigations. The two retired priests join 24 other priests already suspended by the cardinal. — Catholic News Service

New evangelization needed to fight secularism, cardinal tells Knights Richard Szczepanowski Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Because materialism, secularism and individualism are “rapidly enveloping our society and culture,” Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl urged Catholics to actively participate in the Church’s new evangelization efforts “to proclaim the Gospel anew.” “This is a time when voices need to be heard that says there is an anchor, there is a basis, a moral foundation to the choices we make,” Cardinal Wuerl said in an address at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The “subtle influences” of materialism, secularism and individualism, he added, “need to be cleared away before we can plant the seeds” of faith. Cardinal Wuerl spoke on “Why the New Evangelization Now?” to the D.C. Council of the Knights of Columbus. The March 28 address was attended by nearly 200 Knights along with university students and staff. Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Wuerl said the new evangelization is “an effort to re-propose the Gospel – what we do and how we express our faith” – to those who already know the faith but for whom it holds no interest. Last June, the pope announced that he was establishing a pontifical council to promote “a renewed evangelization” to people “living through a progressive secularization of society and a kind of eclipse of the sense of God.” Two months later, Cardinal Wuerl took up Pope Benedict’s call and issued a pastoral letter, “Disciples of the Lord: Sharing the Vision,” in which he outlined his vision for a new evangelization. In that pastoral letter, the cardinal urged the faithful to “invite others to hear once again, maybe all over again for the first time, the exciting invitation of Jesus – ‘Come, follow me.’” In his address to the Knights of Columbus, Cardinal Wuerl said “the new evangelization is not a program, and I have to say this over and over again. It is a mode of thinking, seeing and experiencing.” He called it “a lens through which we see the opportunities to proclaim the Gospel anew. Don’t think of it as some task – it is a recognition that the Holy Spirit is actively working in the Church.” He said the religious values espoused by the Church can address “the challenges of today.” The cardinal said recent attempts in the state of Maryland to legalize same-sex

marriage “seek to redefine, to change the basic meaning of marriage – we live in a society where a 51-percent majority can determine reality.” The Maryland House of Delegates earlier this month failed to reach a vote on a bill that would have permitted same-sex couples in the state to marry. Lawmakers sent it back to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively defeating the measure during this legislative year. In related news, the Colorado state legislature also defeated a bill March 31 that would have created civil unions in that state. Cardinal Wuerl said that while same-sex couples and other unions can be called “domestic partnerships” or any other such label, “some words’ meanings, like ‘marriage,’ simply cannot be changed by a vote of the majority. You can’t change reality just by changing names and words.” He also said the Church’s Wuerl new evangelization efforts can refute “the arrogant claims of secularists.” “We are interrelated and we have obligations to one another,” Cardinal Wuerl said. “This is what the Church is talking about. This is what the pope is talking about.” He said the Sermon on the Mount “offers a vision of life that truly inspires us.” “Here (in the Sermon on the Mount presented in Matthew’s Gospel), we are challenged to envision a world where not only the hungry are fed, the thirsty are given drink, the stranger is welcomed and the naked are clothed, but also most amazingly sins are forgiven and eternal life is pledged,” Cardinal Wuerl said. He said the new evangelization is different than evangelization that “brings the word of God to those who do not yet know anything about Jesus Christ.” The new evangelization, he said, “is bringing the Word back to those who have moved away from the Church, those who have been baptized, but not sufficiently evangelized.” He said that to be successful in their new evangelization efforts, Catholics must “know the faith well enough and be comfortable to share it. We have to know who Christ is.” The “starting point” of this new evangelization, Cardinal Wuerl said, “is recognizing that God still speaks to His people, that God speaks to us today.”

Our world

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

In Brief Apostleship of the Sea aiding Japanese fishermen VATICAN CITY — The Apostleship of the Sea, the Church’s official society for the pastoral care of seafarers, is answering the pope’s call to bring help to the Japanese people affected by recent natural disasters and to remain united in prayer. Seafarers are one of the groups hit hardest by the tsunami and earthquake, Soon-Ho Kim, director of the Apostleship of the Sea in Japan, said. Kim reported that more than 20,000 boats have been destroyed and 260 ports damaged in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunamis that followed. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Goro Matsuura of Osaka said the AOS and the Japanese bishops are focusing their efforts on fishermen and other people who do not qualify for government aid.

Vatican’s new financial oversight norms go into effect VATICAN CITY — New measures to guarantee financial transparency in the Vatican went into effect April 1 and reflect the latest European Union regulations. At the end of 2010, Pope Benedict XVI established the Financial Information Authority, an independent agency to oversee monetary and commercial activities of all Vatican-related institutions, including the Vatican bank.

Pope appeals for end to violence in Ivory Coast VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI launched an urgent appeal for an end to violence in Ivory Coast and called for constructive talks to end the crisis. He also announced he was sending an envoy to the region to encourage reconciliation in talks scheduled for this week. Some 1 million people have fled the violence and at least 460 people have been killed since December, according to the United Nations. The crisis began when incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo refused to leave office after Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner of elections Nov. 28.

Pakistani bishops urge Catholics to live with hope, courage ROME — Preparing for Easter means making a commitment to living with hope and courage, the bishops of Pakistan told Catholics in the country where anti-Christian violence has been rising. Easter calls Christians to “come out of darkness, despair, fear and hopelessness,” the bishops said, telling the faithful to “listen attentively to the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ who says: Take courage.... Don’t be afraid.” Their April 3 letter discussed the anxiety created by the murders of Shahbaz Bhatti, the Catholic minister for minority affairs, March 2 and of two other Christians March 21. Several Christian church buildings have been attacked by Muslim extremists claiming to act in retaliation for the burning of a Quran in the U.S. — Catholic News Service

French nun cured of Parkinson’s to speak at JPII prayer vigil Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — The French nun whose healing was accepted as the miracle needed for Pope John Paul II’s beatification will share her story with pilgrims at a prayer vigil in Rome the night before the beatification Mass. Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the papal vicar for Rome, said the vigil April 30 would include “the precious testimony” of Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the former papal spokesman; Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, who was the pope’s personal secretary for almost 40 years; and Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre, the member of the Little Sisters of the Catholic Motherhood, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and believes she was cured in 2005 through the intercession of Pope John Paul. Cardinal Vallini, other officials from the Rome diocese and Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, held a news conference April 5 to discuss the details of Pope John Paul’s beatification May 1 and other events surrounding the ceremony. After the prayer vigil at Rome’s Circus Maximus, eight churches located between the vigil site and the Vatican will remain open all night for pilgrims to pray, the cardinal said. The cardinal also announced that prayers for the Mass and the office of readings for Pope John Paul’s feast day should be approved before the beatification, although he said people will have to wait until the beatification Mass to find out which date will be Pope John

CNS | Paul Haring

An image of Pope John Paul II is seen in the crowd as Pope Benedict XVI leads the Angelus prayer from the window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 3. The pope told pilgrims he had remembered Pope John Paul II in his prayers April 2, the sixth anniversary of his death. Paul’s feast day each year. The Vatican, he said, will be “very flexible” in granting permission to use the Blessed John Paul Mass texts around the world. Generally, when someone is beatified, only Catholics in his or her diocese or religious order can celebrate publicly the blessed’s feast day Mass. With canonization, the person -– recognized as a saint – can be venerated throughout the Church. Cardinal Vallini said that the Vatican recognizes that Pope John Paul is a “universal figure” and, therefore, public Masses are likely to be approved for more dioceses than just Rome and Krakow, where he served as archbishop.

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Pope: Don’t abandon God because of ‘attacks of evil’ VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has urged young people not to abandon their faith in God because of the “attacks of evil” within the Church. “Carry intact the fire of your love in this Church every time that men have obscured her face,” he said in a foreword to a new catechism edited specifically for young people. The new “Youth Catechism,” also called “YouCat,” will be included in each pilgrim backpack for World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid. The pope said he wanted to supplement the Catechism of the Catholic Church by translating it “into the language of young people and make its words penetrate their world.” In the foreword, the pope urged everyone to study the catechism “with passion and perseverance” either alone, in study groups or in exchanges with others online. Today’s Christians really need to understand their faith more than ever before in order to resist modern day challenges and temptations, he said. “You have need of divine help if you do not want your faith to dry up as a dewdrop in the sun, if you do not want to succumb to the temptations of consumerism, if you do not want your love to be drowned in pornography, if you do not want to betray the weak and the victims of abuse and violence,” he wrote. — Catholic News Service

ViewPoints

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

By the numbers

GROWING HISPANIC POPULATION Mother Dolores Marie

Spiritual warfare: The arsenal Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a five-part series about spiritual warfare and our call to holiness.

ho could imagine that the divinely instituted Church, a beacon of hope and peace to the world, would harbor within its spiritual walls a vast and well-stocked arsenal? Not only do we possess an arsenal, but it has been stocked and replenished throughout the centuries. In this special realm, arms and munitions are built, stored and kept ready for use at a moment’s notice. This armory is the Church’s store-room of sacramentals, where every weapon we need to deepen our devotion can be found. As our interior life grows, we don layers of protection that create a shield around us so that there is a greater barrier between us and the enemy of our souls. Most of us are well aware of the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. If we live a somewhat recollected life, we can usually manage to identify the enemy approaching on the horizon. However, we may be less aware of the struggles that emerge from within and we may be unsure of how to deal with them. If we recall the lament of St. Paul when he cried out: “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate,” we realize that choosing the good is not always an easy route to take. There is a battle in our will that can be won only by forming a habit of true virtue. Since this is accomplished only by means of engaging in conflict, we need reinforcements nearby. There are many options to choose from in our stockpile, but for now, let us give our attention to a few select WARFARE, SEE page 20

The hispanic populaTion in the U.S. is growing, with most Hispanics living in states in the Southwest. by state

41% or more 31-40% 21-30% 11-20% 10% or less

38% 46%

overall

38%

2000 35.3 million (13%) 2010 50.5 million (16%)

AlAskA

CNS | Emily Thompson

Panelists: Welcome immigrants or lose them to other faiths, secularism WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the bulk of U.S. population growth coming among Hispanics, the Catholic Church must get out ahead in welcoming Latino newcomers or they will become involved in other institutions and activities instead, cautioned panelists at a recent conference on immigration and the Church. Some types of welcoming might include offering Mass in Spanish, creating an environment around parish property where immigrants without family will feel at home hanging around with friends there, or being able to rally support at Catholic universities for the DREAM Act, said Father Virgilio Elizondo, professor of pastoral and Hispanic theology at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies. “Immigrants bring with them a profound faith that God is with them,” he said at a daylong conference on the pastoral, policy and social implications of immigrants in the Catholic Church. “Yet many are not made welcome in our churches.” Father Elizondo was among panelists at the March 21 event

co-sponsored by the Catholic University of America and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Just a few days later, the Census Bureau released data from the 2010 census showing that one in six Americans is Hispanic, their largest percentage of the population to date, up by 43 percent in a decade. And Latinos are a young demographic, making up 23 percent of the under-17 population, compared to 16 percent of the total U.S. population, according to the census. It showed that though most Latinos still live in just nine states as they have for generations – Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York and Texas – the Hispanic population more than doubled in nine others, primarily in the Southeast. Those include North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Maryland and South Dakota.

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Items submitted to the Catholic News Herald become the property of the newspaper and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives. Mail: Letters to the Editor Catholic News Herald 1123 S. Church St. Charlotte, N.C. 28203 E-mail: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

April 8, 2011 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews

The Poor Clares

Deacon James H. Toner

Let us find true Lenten gifts t. John of the Cross eloquently wrote in his Spiritual Canticle: “Anyone truly in love will let all other things go in order to come closer to the loved one ... with no desire to gain anything for herself ... The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward, but seeks only to lose with the will all things and self for God; and this loss the lover judges to be a gain.” Making our Lenten journey, we have entered into a season of intense prayer, disciplined penance and merciful almsgiving. The Church presents these three specific practices as effective instruments for our purification and ultimately to lead us to union with God in the Divine Romance. It is vitally important that we understand the purpose of Lent to receive the full effects of these practices. The resolutions and commitments we make are means to a greater end. I am not going to give up sweets or television or coffee (or whatever else it might be) just for the sake of going without them and creating a void. The whole purpose behind this selfsacrifice and surrender is to fill the new space in my heart with something else. In our case as Catholic Christians, we are seeking to fill that void with Someone else: Christ. In the book of Hosea, God spoke, “I will allure her, and bring her into the desert, and speak tenderly to her.” (Hosea 2:14). Lent is the time to enter a spiritual desert and allow God to write His love story on our souls. Once I heard a priest tell of a little girl who owned a cheap pearl bracelet from the dime store. She had purchased it with her own money and cherished it with all her heart. She wore it throughout the day and even at night. One evening the little girl’s father came to read their regular bedtime story and kiss his daughter good night. This time, though, he surprised her with a question. “Sweetheart, will you give me your pearl bracelet?” The child did not take him seriously and laughed. “Daddy, of course, not! You wouldn’t really ask for that! You know how much it means to me.” “OK. Daddy loves you. Good night.” The next evening after the story, the father again challenged his daughter. “Will you give

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me your pearl bracelet?” The little girl started to show distress. “Daddy, please, no ... but you can have my pony, or my new doll – the one that really drinks from a bottle.” The father smiled kindly, “That’s OK, darling. Daddy loves you.” A few nights passed, and neither father nor daughter mentioned the pearl bracelet. After about a week, though, the father walked into his daughter’s room one evening and was surprised at what he saw. “Honey, what’s the matter?” The spectacle before him wounded his heart. There was his daughter sitting on her bed with her head bowed, a big tear cascading down her cheek. She looked up, bravely trying to smile as she extended her little clasped hand toward him. “Daddy, here you go. You may have this. I love you.” With tears blurring his own vision, the father dimly recognized the cheap pearl bracelet. Slowly he took the cherished item and slipped it in his pocket. He left the room silently, and returned a few minutes later with a burgundy, velvet case. Handing it to his little girl, he explained, “I couldn’t give this to you until you gave up your fake pearls, but I desired to wait until you were ready. Always remember, I love you.” The little girl opened the box and was stunned to find a string of genuine pearls. Sometimes we cling so fiercely to what we hold dear to our hearts. We beg God not to take this person or that particular thing away from us. It is difficult for us to let go of certain habits or ideas. However, we need to trust that if we relinquish these things for love of God, He can give us what He ardently desires to give us: Himself, the Pearl of Great Price. Therefore, as we pray, let us find God in the desert, apart from our daily distractions. As we experience hunger through fasting, let us devoutly receive Jesus, the Bread of Life in Holy Communion. As we give alms, let us find Christ in our needy neighbors. Then let us fall in love with God, Who first fell in love with us.

‘Let us fall in love with God, Who first fell in love with us.’

Sister Mary Raphael of the Divine Physician is professed with the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte. This is part of a monthly commentary by the Poor Clares to focus on topics of faith and to address questions about religious life. Learn more about the community and subscribe to their newsletter by going online to stjosephmonastery.com.

A catechetical look at the chain of faith

magine a chain of faith, the links of which wholly connect us to eternity in what we think and say and do every day. Imagine a chain, the links of which inextricably connect us to the wisdom and power of God (1 Cor. 1:24). Imagine a chain, the links of which indestructibly connect us to the faith which comes to us from the Apostles. There is such a chain. The word “religion” comes from a Latin word that means “respect for the sacred” and “to bind” or to “place an obligation upon.” The chain is unbreakable, if we choose it to be. If we wish to deny or to destroy any of the links, though, we have that ability. Keep in mind that God does not prevent us from sinning, from preferring our ways to His, from disregarding His holy will. We have the license at any time to wander off the everlasting way (Ps. 139:24), and God will not force us back to His path. Paradoxically, then, the chain of faith is as strong as a lion and as weak as a kitten. Each “link” has been, and will be, denied (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 2089), but for Catholics the links tell the story of salvation. They give us the “good news” of the holy Gospel. They teach us the beauty and truth of what we read in the catechism: “Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith” (CCC 166). Here, then, is the “chain” with a few references to the catechism: First: God is (36), and He created us in love (293). Second: Going back to Adam and Eve, we humans have sinned (418). Third: Christ atones for our sins (422). Fourth: We are never alone, for we have the Church – the “family of God” (759) and the Communion of Saints (962). Fifth: The Church guards and guides us, It has the authority of sacred tradition and preaching (78), sacred text and the Bible (80-82), and sacred teaching and the magisterium (86). Sixth: As disciples, we accept and obey that authority as the truth of Christ (890, 1269). Seventh: We examine and measure our thoughts, words and deeds by that

truth (1783). Eighth: The sad reality, however, is that we continually fall short and sin (405-407). Ninth: Still, Our Lord lovingly provides. From Him we have three gifts (1436): prayer (2560), “the raising of one’s mind and heart to God” (2559); confession (1456) and penance (1431); and the Holy Eucharist (1339) and the other sacraments, which are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us by the work of the Holy Spirit (1131, 774). Tenth: Responding to grace, we convert every day (1435) – knowing, loving and serving God, which is real happiness (1721). This catechetical chain helps us to know the faith well so that, as the first pope told us in a letter he wrote to us, we can explain it with gentleness and respect when questioned or challenged (1 Peter 3:15-16). More recently, Blessed Pope John XXIII put the matter even more bluntly: “All the evils which poison men and nations and trouble so many hearts have a single cause and a single source: ignorance of the truth – and at times even more than ignorance, a contempt for truth and a reckless rejection of it. Thus arise all manner of errors, which enter the recesses of men’s hearts and the bloodstream of human society as would a plague. These errors turn everything upside down: they menace individuals and society itself” (“To the Chair of Peter,” 6). Happy and blessed are those who keep His commandments (Ps. 119:35) and follow His ways with the joy of conviction (Acts 4:20, 1 Cor. 9:16). We say, though, “This is hard. I can’t do it.” By ourselves, we can’t. But we don’t have to! In his novel “Diary of a Country Priest,” author Georges Bernanos tells of a dying priest whose last exclamation should sustain us all: “Grace is everywhere!” Amen! Deacon James H. Toner serves at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro. Before retiring and moving to North Carolina to be near his grandchildren, he taught apologetics, bioethics and moral theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Conn.

charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | April 8, 2011 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

WARFARE: FROM PAGE 18

items recommended by the saints. St. Teresa of Avila was a firm believer in the efficacy of holy water. She was given extraordinary gifts of prayer, and the devil was not too pleased. However, her devout use of holy water never failed to send the enemy on retreat. When we use holy water, we are invoking God’s blessing upon ourselves and our homes, and it is a most effective means of help in time of danger or temptation. With his militant spirituality, St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, OFM, founded the Militia Immaculata to spread the consecration to Our Lady. He recognized how close we can come to Jesus if we belong totally to His Mother. He dubbed the miraculous medal “the silver bullet”: inflicting damage

to Satan upon impact. This was a man who had a tender love for the Immaculata, but no illusions about the strenuous effort it takes to fight evil. He knew that through love and devotion to his heavenly Mother, ground could be gained for the heavenly Kingdom and nations could be conquered, one soul at a time. Through the tradition of the Carmelite Order, we have been given the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which carries with it a powerful promise: “Those who die wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.” In wearing the brown scapular, we are entrusting ourselves to our heavenly Mother and placing ourselves under the mantle of her protection. It is like a holy flak-jacket, deflecting the enemy fire of evil influences around us. When we wear the scapular, we promise to live our lives in conformity with the teachings of the Church and we seek Mary’s help to be faithful to that desire. Among the most dependable weapons for hand-to-hand

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combat is the holy rosary. This chain of power binds us closely to the Mother of God as we stay by her side pondering the life of her Son. As we meditate on the mysteries of the rosary, we gain a clearer vantage point. We begin to see the contrast between the life we are living and the life we should be living, and Mary helps us to close that gap by transforming us into the likeness of her Son. If the saints found in these ways of devotion the path to heaven, we would do well to follow. They have fought the battles that still lie ahead of us, they have mapped out the safest routes, and with their assistance, we hope to reach our heavenly destination safely. Mother Dolores Marie leads the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte. Subscribe to their newsletter and learn more about the Poor Clares online at stjosephmonastery.com. In the final installment next week: “Our Secret Weapon.”