June 4, 2010

June 4, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 1

www.charlottediocese.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

YEAR FOR PRIESTS Special coverage inside: The Year For Priests is about to conclude PAGES 4, 5, 10

Established Jan. 12, 1972

by Pope Paul VI June 4, 2010

Bishop ordains Voitus as deacon

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

no. 28

vOLUME 19

Four to be ordained priests

SueAnn Howell Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — There was great rejoicing as Joshua Voitus became the newest transitional deacon in the Diocese of Charlotte at a diaconate ordination Mass May 29 at St. Patrick Cathedral. The ordination was the next step in his preparation to become a diocesan priest.

See DEACON, page 10

SEE MORE

More photos from Josh Voitus’ diaconate ordination are online at www.charlottediocese.org.

Two admitted to candidacy SueAnn Howell Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — Two young men have taken the next step toward the priesthood. Paul Buchanan and Noah Carter, seminarians in the Diocese of Charlotte, were formally admitted as candidates for holy orders by Bishop Peter J. Jugis June 1 at St. Patrick Cathedral.

Four men will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Peter J. Jugis on Saturday, June 5. John James Eckert, Gabriel Carvajal-Salazar, David Parker Miller and Lucas Christopher Rossi (pictured above) have prayed, studied and worked for years to reach this occasion — when each becomes an “alter christus.”

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote when

he announced the Year For Priests, “The missionary dimension of the priesthood is born from the priest’s sacramental configuration to Christ.

As a consequence it brings with it a heartfelt and total adherence to what the ecclesial tradition has identified as apostolica vivendi forma. This consists in participation in a ‘new life,’ spiritually

INSIDE

n Profiles of the four future priests and plans for their first Masses n Deacon John Eckert: Why I chose to SAY ‘YES’

speaking, in that ‘new way of life’ which the Lord Jesus inaugurated and which the Apostles made their own. Through the imposition of the Bishop’s hands and the consecratory prayer of the Church, the candidates become new men … .”

We congratulate our new priests and offer them our sincerest prayers as they begin their new lives in our diocese.

COMING NEXT WEEK

n Ordination of seminarian Josh Voitus to transitional deacon

n Coverage and photos from the ordination Mass

n Rico De Silva: ‘Pray for our new priests’

n The new priests’ parish assignments n Symbolism of the ordination Mass

See CANDIDATES, page 10

PERSPECTIVES

PRIEST PROFILE

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Deacon John Eckert: Why I chose to say ‘yes’ to priesthood

Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin

Totus Tuus summer youth camps to ‘Ignite the Fire’ at seven parishes

PAGE 15

PAGE 4

PAGE 5

June 4, 2010

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard

U.S. NEWS IN BRIEF

BP gives $1 million to archdiocese

NEW ORLEANS (CNS) ― As millions of gallons of oil from an offshore rig explosion fouled hundreds of square miles in the Gulf of Mexico and advanced toward the Louisiana coastline, New Orleans Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond thanked BP for $1 million in emergency relief funds. The grant will allow local church relief agencies to provide emergency food, financial and

THE ABUSE SCANDAL

Pope: Abuse scandal must inspire purification, justice

VATICAN CITY (CNS) ― The scandal of clerical abuse of minors must inspire bishops and priests to rediscover the need for penitence, purification, forgiveness and justice, Pope Benedict XVI told Italian bishops. The Church’s desire to engage in a new evangelization of the world “does not hide the wounds scarring the Church community, (wounds) caused by the weakness and sin of some of its members,” he said in an audience with members of the Italian bishops’ conference May 27.

While the pope did not specifically mention the crisis of sex abuse in the Church, he briefly referred to it in his 20-minute speech to the bishops, who were holding their general assembly in the Vatican synod hall May 24-28.

The pope said the Year For Priests, which closes with a Mass June 11, has served as a reminder for the need for deep spiritual renewal within the priesthood. The “humble and painful admission” of the sins of some of the Church’s members should not obscure the good and saintliness of so many others, including lay faithful and priests, he said.

Irish cardinal asks pope for help

DUBLIN (CNS) ― The head of the Irish Church has asked Pope Benedict

counseling assistance to needy fishing families.

BP, which operated the oil platform that exploded April 20 and killed 11 workers, earmarked $750,000 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans for direct assistance such as gift cards to local grocery stores, case management and counseling, and $250,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana for emergency food boxes.

XVI to appoint a bishop to assist him in dealing with the fallout of clerical sexual abuse allegations. Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland, said May 17 that he had asked the pope “for additional support for my work at (the) episcopal level.”

The 70-year-old cardinal has been under pressure since it emerged in March that he was aware of allegations of sexual abuse against Father Brendan Smyth as far back as the 1970s and did not report the matter to civil authorities.

Church officials in Ireland expect the Vatican to name a coadjutor archbishop for the Armagh Archdiocese.

Belgian bishops ask forgiveness, promise action

VATICAN CITY (CNS) ― The bishops of Belgium asked forgiveness of victims of priestly sexual abuse and promised wide-ranging steps to prevent future problems. In a May 19 pastoral letter addressed to the faithful, the bishops said one of the causes of the sexual abuse problem was the way their authority had been exercised, an issue they said requires an “examination of conscience. We ask forgiveness from all the victims of sexual abuse, both for the aggression and for the inadequate treatment of it.

We also ask forgiveness from those close to the victims and from society for all the human consequences caused by such abuse.”

The bishops issued the letter shortly after returning from Rome, where they held extensive talks with Pope Benedict XVI.

June 4, 2010 Volume 19 • Number 28 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203 E-MAIL: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org PHONE: 704-370-3333 FAX: 704-370-3382

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT: Denise Onativia 704-370-3333, catholicnews@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Cindi Feerick 704-370-3332, ckfeerick@charlottediocese.org

MAIL: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, N.C. 28237

STAFF WRITER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org

PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte

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

from the vatican

NEW WEB SITES TO CHECK OUT

n Promote Catholic social teaching on college campuses

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) ― A dozen Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have introduced www.usccb.org/campus to help college students and campus ministers promote Catholic social teaching. Under the banner “Transforming Our World: Our Catholic Faith in Action,” the site includes podcasts, videos, prayer materials, small-group resources and basic information on the social doctrine of the Church.

The site was developed in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s World Youth Day 2010 message in which he identified several challenges facing the world,

such as respect for the environment, the just division of goods, solidarity with poor countries, promotion of dignity in labor, building a culture of life and promoting peace. Visitors to the site can submit resources and features for possible inclusion for others to use.

n Learn about U.S. immigration issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services has partnered with Catholic University of America to develop an educational Web site that highlights the role the U.S. Catholic bishops and the Church in the U.S. have played on immigrationrelated issues, especially since the early

Diocesan planner

sessions. To register, contact Bill Conwell at SGIT@ bellsouth.net.

For more events taking place in the Diocese of Charlotte, visit www.charlottediocese.org/ calendarofevents-cn.

ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.

BELMONT QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES CHURCH, 503 N. Main St. — Heart to Heart with God: Six Ways to Empower Your Prayer Life, MAK Center conference room, 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays through June 13. Learn more about the Scriptures and the new and meaningful ways to strengthen your own prayer experiences. For more information, contact Dennis Teall-Fleming at 704-8259600 or teallfleming@yahoo.com.

— Young at Heart’s Covered Dish Potluck Supper, following 5 p.m. Mass June 12. Open to parishioners over 50.

— Belmont Mass Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m. June 12, an evening of gospel music CHARLOTTE OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH, 4207 Shamrock Drive — Parish Picnic, 1 to 4 p.m. June 5, bring a blanket and a side dish to share, sign up in the vestibule. For more information, contact Mary Sparger at 704-4555365.

ST. GABRIEL CHURCH, 3016 Providence Road — “Linked In- An Introduction to the Possibilities!” presented by St. Gabriel in Transition (SGIT), Ministry Center, 7 to 9 p.m. June 17. Will include “Improving your Microsoft Skills” and one-on-one coaching

The Catholic News & Herald is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte 44 times a year, weekly except Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $15 per year for parishioners of the Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all others. For all circulation inquiries and orders, contact Denise Onativia at 704-370-3333.

POSTMASTER: Periodicals class postage (USPC 007393) paid at Charlotte, N.C. Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, N.C. 28237.

NEWS: The Catholic News & Herald welcomes your news and photographs for publication in our print and online PDF

ST. LUKE CHURCH, 13700 Lawyers Road — Small Wonders... a Kid’s Concert and Sing-a-Long!

6:30 p.m. June 5

— Family Faith & Fun Night, 6 to 8:30 p.m. June 18, Mini retreat designed for families. RSVP forms available at church office and Web site. For more information, contact Diane kiradjieff at dkiradjieff@ stmatthewcatholic.org or 704-541-8362 ext. 5.

— Welcome Home for Returning Catholics, support and friendship to guide the returning individual to full communion with the Body of Christ, ministry tailored to meet individual needs and schedules. For more information, contact Deacon Jim Hamrlik at 704-5437677 ext. 1040 or jhmrlik@stmatthewcatholic.org, or Julie Jahn at 704-560-9202 or urblessed@carolina. rr.com.

ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL, 1621 Dilworth Road East — Being Catholic Reflection – “Ask a Priest,” presented

by Young Adult Ministry, Youth Room, 7 p.m. June 10.

For more information, contact Will Coffey at coffey@ vt.edu.

— Feast of Corpus Christi Vespers and Procession, 6 p.m. June 6 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH, 6828 Old Reid Road — Summer Study: “Fathers & Doctors of the Church” plus “Popes & Founders of Religious Orders,” presented

by Barbara Reagan, 10 a.m. Wednesdays June 9 through August 4 (except July 21). Register by email to jreagan@ carolina.rr.com.

GREENSBORO OUR LADY OF GRACE CHURCH, 2205 West Market St. — Parish Picnic, Bur-Mil Park Shelters 1 and 2, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 6. Bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket

editions. Please e-mail information, attaching photos in JPG format with a recommended resolution of 150 dpi or higher, to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org. Deadline is 10 days before requested publication date. We do not publish poetry, form letters or petitions. All submitted items become the property of The Catholic News & Herald and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives. For inquiries, contact Editor Patricia Guilfoyle at 704-370-3334 or plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org.

ADVERTISING: For advertising rates and information, contact Advertising Manager Cindi Feerick at 704-370-3332 or ckfeerick@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News & Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

June 4, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 3

MORE U.S. NEWS IN BRIEF

Archbishop Gomez welcomed in Los Angeles 20th century. “U.S. Catholic Bishops and Immigration” can be found at http:// libraries.cua.edu/achrcua/packets.html.

The site features access to primary documents that help to highlight U.S. bishops’ efforts. There are also educational tools for students, faculty and researchers to use, as well as diocesan and parish directors of religious education and social concerns.

n Find resources for promoting vocations

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) ― The Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington has launched a new Web site to promote vocations to the

priesthood and consecrated life.

The site, www.ForYourVocation. org, is meant to help people who are discerning possible vocations and educate Catholics about the need to encourage others to consider vocations.

The site includes discernment resources for men and women, ideas for promoting a vocation culture within the home, and a range of tools for educators, youth leaders and vocation directors, including prayers, videos, best practices, lesson plans and vocation-awareness programs. It also includes videos of priests and religious men and women talking about their vocations and testimonies from family members.

The site has links to a Facebook fan page and a YouTube vocation channel.

A Spanish-language site will be available in the fall at www.

PorTuVocacion.org.

CNS photo by Victor Aleman, Vida Nueva and potato salad, pasta salad or baked beans to serve 12.

RSVP number of people and what side item you will bring on sign-up sheets at church entrance and parish office or to Patty Disney at parishlife@olgchurch.org.

ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road — Men’s Early Morning Bible Study Group, Parish Library, 6:30 a.m. every Tuesday. For more information, contact gmagrinat@pol.net or jmalmsie@aol.com.

HIGH POINT PENNYBYRN AT MARYFIELD, 1315 Greensboro Road — The Feast of Corpus Christi, commemorating the 16th anniversary of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration at Maryfield, Maryfield Chapel, 2 p.m. June 6. Abbot Placid D. Solari, OSB, of Belmont Abbey will be the principal celebrant. Refreshments served after Mass.

HUNTERSVILLE ST. MARK CHURCH, 14740 Stumptown Road — Catholic Athletes for Christ Summer Kickoff, with special guest Vince Scheuerman from Army of Me, 6 p.m. June 6 — Catholic Athletes for Christ Summer Kickoff, with special guest former Olympic athlete Bill Thierfelder, 7 p.m. June 9 — Small Business Group Meeting, Parish Hall, 7 to 8:30 a.m. June 8, great opportunity to meet and connect with fellow parish business people. For more information, contact Matt Burkinshaw at mburkinshaw@carolina. rr.com or 704-399-8708.

— Community Senior Nutrition Program Presentations, Parish Hall, 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. June 16. RSVP by June 9 at 704-947-4885 or elderministry@bellsouth.net.

— Centering Prayer, Chapel, 8:15 a.m. and 6 p.m. every Wednesday. For more information, contact centeringprayerstmark@live.com.

— Active Older Adult Exercise, Parish Hall, 11:15 a.m.

Episcopal

calendar

KERNERSVILLE HOLY CROSS CHURCH, 616 South Cherry St. — Anointing of the Sick, 9 a.m. June 5 — Senior Coffee House, Salesian Hall, 10 a.m. every first and third Monday of the month SALISBURY SACRED HEART CHURCH, 375 Lumen Christi Lane — Mass of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 6 p.m. June 11, to commemorate the culmination of the Year for Priests. Offered for those bishops and priests honored through the Te Deum Foundation’s Year for Priests Program. For more information, call 336-765-1815 or email tedeumfoundation@gmail.com.

— Mass in Extraordinary Form, 4 p.m. June 13, Missa Cantata celebrating the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

SHELBY ST. MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 818 McGowan Road — Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Mass, 10 a.m.

June 11, followed by adoration WINSTON-SALEM ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CHURCH, 1625 East 12th St. — Parish Picnic, Tanglewood Park, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

June 19

Is your parish or school hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org or fax to 704-370-3382.

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

June 7 – 7 p.m.

Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe June 8 – 1:30 p.m.

Diocesan Building Commission Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

to 12:15 p.m. every Wednesday. This is a total body exercise class.

June 9 – 7 p.m.

Sacrament of Confirmation Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte June 11 – 7 p.m.

Sacrament of Confirmation St. Luke Church, Mint Hill

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony invites new coadjutor Archbishop Jose H. Gomez to try out the cathedra – the archbishop’s chair – at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles May 26. Archbishop Gomez, formerly head of the San Antonio archdiocese, was welcomed with a special Mass of reception.

CHA executives meet with Vatican

VATICAN CITY (CNS) ― The executive committee of the Catholic Health Association met with officials of several top Vatican agencies for talks that focused in part on the association’s support for health reform legislation that the U.S. bishops opposed.

Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity who is CHA president and chief executive, told Catholic News Service May 26 that the meetings at the Vatican were “useful and positive,” and that the group was “very cordially received and had a wonderful exchange of ideas.” She would not comment on particular issues raised in the talks.

Vatican sources also refused comment on particulars raised in the various meetings, but they said Vatican officials had clearly spelled out their views. The group met with officials of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry and the Secretariat of State, among others.

This spring, Sister Carol and the CHA expressed public support for the final version of U.S. health care reform legislation, passed by Congress in March, after Sister Carol said she was convinced it would not fund abortions. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opposed the measure, saying its provisions on abortion funding and conscience protections were morally unacceptable.

While the Vatican generally avoided public pronouncements during the U.S. health care debate, Vatican officials were known to have been perplexed at the CHA’s unwillingness to follow the bishops’ position on the issue.

Court limits juveniles’ life sentences

WASHINGTON (CNS) ― The Supreme Court expanded restrictions on sentences for crimes committed by juveniles, ruling 6-3 May 24 that they must have a possibility of being released when imprisoned for crimes other than murder.

The same day, the court agreed to take three cases that potentially hold interest for religious organizations: a challenge to an Arizona law that allows a tax credit to be used in religious schools; a death-row prisoner’s appeal to have DNA tested; and another prisoner’s challenge of policies that barred him from religious services in the prison chapel. All three cases will be heard in the term beginning in October.

The ruling in Graham v. Florida opens the possibility of release for prisoners who committed nonhomicide crimes before the age of 18 and who were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, though it does not categorically say they must ever be released.

Thirty-seven states, the District of Columbia and the federal government currently allow no-parole life imprisonment for some crimes other than homicide, though only a handful of jurisdictions actually have anyone serving such prison sentences.

In writing for the court, Justice Anthony Kennedy noted 129 people are serving life-without-parole sentences for nonhomicide crimes, 77 of them in Florida and the others scattered among just 10 states. In 2005, the court struck down the death penalty for those who committed crimes while juveniles, saying, in part, that juveniles lack the maturity and sense of responsibility to be held accountable in the same way as adults.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Year for Priests

Interviews with priests around the diocese

DIOCESAN NEWS IN BRIEF

Mass for military planned at St. Patrick Cathedral

CHARLOTTE ― Bishop Peter J. Jugis will celebrate a Mass for U.S. military personnel at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 18, at St. Patrick Cathedral. The rosary will recited preceding the Mass at 2:30 p.m. The Mass and rosary will be offered for all military personnel who have died and for those who are now serving.

All military personnel are invited and encouraged to come in uniform.

Photos of those who have died or who are now serving in the military will also be displayed in the cathedral. To include your service member, preferably in uniform, please mail a color or black/ white photocopy of them with their name and military rank on the back to Nancy Weber, Office of the Bishop, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.

Photos must be received no later than July 12.

Corpus Christi to be commemorated at Pennybyrn BISHOP EMERITUS WILLIAM G. CURLIN

BISHOP EMERITUS WILLIAM G. CURLIN

Retired Bishop, Diocese of Charlotte Place of Birth – Born in Portsmouth, Va. Date of Priestly Ordination – May 25, 1957, Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Nov. 10, 1987 – Appointed Titular Bishop of Rosemarkie and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. Dec. 20, 1988 – Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C.; appointed Regional Bishop of the counties of southern Maryland Feb. 22, 1994 – Appointed third Bishop of Charlotte by Pope John Paul II April 13, 1994 – Installed as Bishop of Charlotte at St. Gabriel Church Sept. 10, 2002 – Retired as Bishop of Charlotte

Bishop Curlin shares the following reflection: The world has changed much since I was ordained a priest 53 years ago.

World War II had ended, but grave new challenges lay ahead. Blessed Pope John XXIII called for a General Council to address these challenges.

They were exciting times.

The great renewal called for by Pope John XXIII embraced every aspect of the Church’s ministry. One significant call was for the laity to assume leadership roles of service in the life of the Church. Lay ministry was to be greatly encouraged and respected. In prior times, lay ministry had often been limited to organizations

like the Knights of Columbus and Ladies Sodality. The Council called for priests and laity to enrich the life of the Church as one family in Christ.

The Council also called for renewal in the life of the priest. The Council Fathers stressed the importance of the priest having a strong interior identity with Christ that gives grace and meaning to his ministry.

The Diocese of Charlotte will be blessed with the ordination of four new priests this weekend. I encourage them to establish a daily time for personal prayer. Seek out the guidance of an older, experienced brother priest for spiritual counsel and encouragement.

Make time daily to spend quiet time before the Eucharistic presence of Christ. These three are essential if they are to recognize Christ in their brothers and sisters.

When I was on retreat for ordination, the priest director stressed the importance of kindness in priestly ministry. He reminded us that kindness is proven by our willingness to forget self in generously serving our brothers and sisters – especially those who are ill and the poor. He told us to have a heart of compassion in judging others.

He said that God’s people would forgive a priest his human faults but never forgive unkindness.

People should pray daily for priests. Jesus said that Peter and his disciples would find a family in those they were called to serve.

Please God, may our newly ordained priests find a family who will help hold up their hands and hearts at the altar of God.

HIGH POINT ― Pennybyrn at Maryfield will celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, commemorating the 16th anniversary of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration at Maryfield, at 2 p.m.

Sunday, June 6, in the Maryfield Chapel.

June 4, 2010

Abbot Placid D. Solari, OSB, of Belmont Abbey will be the principal celebrant.

Refreshments will be served after the Mass. Maryfield Chapel is located on the campus of Pennybyrn at Maryfield, 1315 Greensboro Road, High Point.

Talk on ethical treatments for infertility planned for July 22

GREENVILLE, S.C. ― “Caring for the Infertile Couple,” a presentation on the ethical treatments available for infertile couples, will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at St. Mary Church.

Co-sponsored by the Diocese of Charleston and the Natural Family Planning Program of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese of Charlotte, the program will feature Sister Renee Mirkes, PH.D., Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity, ethicist and director of the NaProEthics Center at Pope Paul VI institute. There will also be a panel discussion with Dr. Inge Collins, an OB/ GYN; Dr. Patrick Yeung Jr., a specialist in fertility-restoring surgery for the Duke University Health System; and Father Patrick Cooper.

Lunch will be provided. RSVP by July 8 to cssnfp@charlottediocese.org or 704-370-3230.

We welcome your parish’s news.

E-mail items to Editor Patricia Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org.

June 4, 2010

around the diocese

The Catholic News & Herald 5

photos provided by Karen Rowan photo provided by

Billie Mobley

The Mims boys present the gifts to Father Rick DeClue, parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Church, during Mass May 13, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, at Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.

Mass for Our Lady of Fatima celebrated in Greensboro James Andrew Dunn Special to The Catholic News & Herald GREENSBORO ― The Te Deum Foundation, a benevolent organization providing for the spiritual and material needs of seminarians, sponsored a Mass in thanksgiving and celebration of the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima at Our Lady of Grace Church. The Mass was celebrated May 13 at the same time the Holy Father was on pilgrimage to the shrine at Fatima, Portugal.

The Very Rev. Christopher A. Roux of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte served as the homilist. Father Richard G. DeClue Jr., parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte, served as the principal celebrant.

Concelebrants were Father James A. Ebright, in residence at Sacred Heart

Church in Salisbury; Father Benjamin Roberts, parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro; and Father Conrad Kimbrough, retired.

Serving for the Mass were Noah Carter and Paul McNulty, seminarians from the Diocese of Charlotte.

In attendance were three of the Poor Clare Sisters of Perpetual Adoration who recently have relocated their monastery to the Diocese of Charlotte from Ohio.

Following the Mass, a benefit dinner for the Te Deum Foundation was held in the Our Lady of Grace School cafeteria.

During this Year For Priests, the Te Deum Foundation has honored many priests around the diocese and the U.S. through its initiatives. A Mass to conclude the Year For Priests is set for June 11 (see related story on page 10).

St. Matthew Church teens celebrated the Year For Priests at their Life Night event in Charlotte May 16.

They lit candles and prayed for each one of the diocesan priests, and they listened to four priests recount how they were called to the priesthood. Pictured above are Father Patrick Hoare of St. John Neumann Church, Father Patrick Cahill of St. Gabriel Church, Monsignor John J. McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthew Church, and Father Patrick Toole, also of St. Matthew Church.

St. Matthew teens honor priests Katie Dunne Special to The Catholic News & Herald CHARLOTTE ― Teens of St. Matthew Church celebrated the Year For Priests at their Life Night meeting May 16.

Monsignor John J. McSweeney, pastor, and Father Patrick Toole, parochial vicar, were both in attendance from St. Matthew Church, along with Father Patrick Hoare of St. John Neumann Church and Father Patrick Cahill of St. Gabriel Church.

The night was a unique opportunity for the teens to get to know the priests and show appreciation for their great work fostering teen spirituality. Each of the four priests recounted the stories of his calling to the priesthood, and the teens were impressed by how differently each priest discerned his call to ministry.

Totus Tuus summer youth camps ‘Ignite the Fire’ Seven parishes to host fun week-long programs run by volunteers SueAnn Howell Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — When you think of summer and kids, you think of sun, fun and special camps to fill the days until school begins. This summer Catholic youths from around the diocese can spend at least one week of their summer vacations participating in “Ignite the Fire” Totus Tuus summer camps.

Totus Tuus, Latin for “totally yours,” was the motto of Pope John Paul II. It was taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s work, “True Devotion to Mary” and expresses the desire to give oneself entirely to Jesus Christ through Mary. The same motto has been adopted by the seminarians and college

students who volunteer to organize these summer catechetical programs around the country.

Brian Kaup, a seminarian for the Diocese of Charlotte, is one of these volunteers helping to bring the camps to seven local parishes – an increase from last year.

“This is the first year Charlotte has its own team,” Kaup says. “Last year the program was piloted at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte and Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, and now we are going to have seven parishes.”

Totus Tuus summer camps are an energetic week-long “parish mission” for youths in the first through 12th grades. They are dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization,

catechesis, Christian witness and Eucharistic worship. The five pillars of Totus Tuus are: the Eucharist, Marian devotion, catechesis, vocational discernment and fun.

This year’s theme, “Ignite the Fire,” is taken from the Gospel of Luke 12:49 where Jesus says, “I have come to set the earth on fire and how I wish it were already blazing.”

Totus Tuus camps demonstrate that one can be a faithful Catholic and still have fun. Morning “pump up,” silly skits and songs, recess, water fights in the parishes, and all of the many Totus Tuus Olympic challenges infuse excitement into each camp experience.

Camps are being held this year at St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton, St. Bernadette Church in Linville,

The night ended with a prayer service in which the teens lit candles encircling the foot of the cross – each candle honoring a priest in the Diocese of Charlotte. The teens read out the names of all of the diocese’s priests and at the end of the evening took home the names of three priests in order to continue praying for them.

REGISTER NOW

Totus Tuus summer camps are being offered at these seven parishes. Call the parish offices to sign up: n St. Dorothy — Lincolnton June 12-18 704-735-5575 n St. Bernadette — Linville June 19-25 828-898-6900 n Sacred Heart — Salisbury June 26-July 2 704-633-0591 n St. James the Greater — Concord July 17-July 23 704-720-0600 n St. Philip the Apostle — Statesville July 24-July 30 704-872-2579 n St. Patrick Cathedral — Charlotte July 31-Aug. 6 704-334-2283 n St. Mark — Huntersville Aug. 7-Aug. 13 704-948-0231

Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, St. James Church in Concord, St. Phillip the Apostle Church in Statesville, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, and St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

6 The Catholic News & Herald

AOH makes donation for youth retreat

AROUND THE DIOCESE

June 4, 2010

N.C. Council of Churches marks 75 years

photo provided by Cris Villapando

photo provided by Joseph

Dougherty

The Asheville division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians presented a $1,200 check to St. Eugene Church’s youth director, Tracy Jedd, May 15. Above are (pictured from left) Declan Sheehy, Robert Spillane, Tracy Jedd and Brian O’Loughlin. The money was raised by the division at a St. Patrick’s Day dinner at the parish hall and will be used to help finance the St. Eugene youth group’s retreat this year. The AOH is a Catholic Irish organization that defends our Catholic faith and promotes Irish heritage and culture.

Knights cook for the common good

The North Carolina Council of Churches celebrates 75 years this year and an ecumenical celebration was held May 18 at Duke Divinity School to mark the occasion. Pictured from left are Dr. Cris V. Villapando, diocesan director for faith formation; George Reed, executive director of the N.C. Council of Churches; and Father George Kloster, pastor of St. William Church in Murphy. Father Kloster was one of the honorees, receiving the council’s Most Distinguished Service Award. Father Kloster is past president of the council and a former member of the board. Dr Cris V. Villapando served on the council’s public education committee for five years. Over the past 75 years, the council has raised awareness in the areas of social justice such as capital punishment, gender equality, waging peace, just labor practices, race relations, immigration reform, health care and ecology.

Honoring the Blessed Mother

photo provided by John Russell

The kitchen crew of St. Pius X Church’s Knights of Columbus Council 11101 in Greensboro pause March 26 during a break in the dinner rush at their popular Lenten fish fries held to benefit St. Pius X School.

Pictured above (from left) are Bill McKenna, Benny Judd, Chris Lucas, Brian Rachal and Glenn Spivey, and kneeling in front is Grand Knight Tom Heslin. The Knights enjoy cooking together and helping to financially support St. Pius X School and the parish. They have been organizing these dinners since they were chartered in 1993 and have raised thousands of dollars to support many worthwhile Church and community causes.

photo provided by Cris Villapando

A Flores de Mayo Celebration to honor the Blessed Mother was held May 22 at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. Pictured above are children in native Filipino costumes offering their dance to the Blessed Mother. The community recalled the meaning of this popular devotion, recited prayers to Mary, sang Marian songs, processed around the building at St. Matthews and enjoyed Philippine cuisine. The celebration was organized by the Filipino Rosary Group under Paul Amigo, the overall coordinator.

June 4, 2010

around the diocese

Celebrating Pentecost at Mary, Queen of the Apostles Church

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Graduating from SEPI

photo provided by

photo provided

The parish of Mary, Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont gathered for its annual Mass and picnic on the grounds of Sacred Heart-Belmont Abbey College on Pentecost Sunday, May 23. All of the Sunday Masses were consolidated into one celebration for this feast. Along with a procession of banners representing the 53 different ministries of the parish, almost 700 participants sang and prayed together in the various languages that represent the parish community.

In his homily Father Frank Cancro reminded the congregation that Pentecost is the name day of the parish since this was the day Mary and the Apostles, united in the descent of the Spirit, became “church” together.

“What happened in that room long ago,” Father Cancro said, “is repeated in this place where we gather. Then, as now, Mary is in the midst of this great work of the Spirit with us.”

To celebrate the parish name day, a statue of the Blessed Mother was crowned after the homily. The oldest member of the parish, Pauline Shipp, who is 103 years young, placed a crown of red and orange miniature roses on the statue, accompanied by the congregation singing “Hail Holy Queen.”

Special music was provided by the group “Bethany.” After Mass, a picnic lunch was served and there was an opportunity to enjoy games and rides, including a climbing wall. This annual event serves to educate the parish on its call to stewardship of time and talent and to provide an opportunity for the parish to come together for one large celebration.

Mariella Buscaglia

Students participating in the Southeast Pastoral Institute, or SEPI, graduated May 23 after two years of study. The pastoral ministry training is provided to lay Hispanic Catholics, who then promote the Hispanic Ministry for the various parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte.

First Communion for SPRED students

Honoring the Virgin of the Clouds

photo provided by

Donna F. Smith

Three members of SPRED (Special Religious Education Development program) received their First Communion May 16 at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. Pictured are Elizabeth Orellana, Emma Swift and Analise Ruscio with Monsignor Richard Bellow, pastor of St. Mark. After Mass, Monsignor Bellow called all of the SPRED families up to the altar for recognition and prayers. The Mass ended with the congregation singing “This Little Light of Mine,” a class favorite of SPRED students. More than 300 parishioners attended a reception afterwards in which each communicant enjoyed a personalized cake and cards. SPRED is for people with developmental disabilities that range from mild to severe. St. Mark offers the program to children aged 6-11 and plans to expand it to middle school students this fall.

People interested in volunteering in this life-changing ministry should contact Stephanie Conrad at smconrad@carolina.rr.com or 704-948-1306.

photo provided by

Mariella Buscaglia

St. John Neumann parish organized a celebration of the Virgin of the Clouds with a special Mass May 13. The day was organized by the Hispanic ministry, the fellowship of the Lord of Miracles and the Charlotte Ecuadorian community.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

June 4, 2010

FROM THE COVER

FATHER DAVID PARKER MILLER

FATHER GABRIEL CARVAJAL-SALAZAR

Father David Miller will celebrate his first Mass at St. Aloysius Church, 921 Second St., N.E., Hickory, on June 6 at 3 p.m. The homilist will be Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church.

Father Gabriel Carvajal-Salazar will celebrate his first Mass at Our Lady of the Americas Church, 298 Farmers Market Road, Biscoe, on June 6 at noon.

FATHER DAVID PARKER MILLER Hometown: Hickory College: Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio Seminary: St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.

Q: How/when did you realize your vocation/call to the priesthood?

A: I was 12 or 13 years old and (to make a long story short) I asked the Lord in prayer, before the Blessed Sacrament, what His will was for me, what He wanted me to do. I asked Him this because my mother told me that if I do God’s will I’ll be happy – and who doesn’t want to be happy?

At that moment the Lord let me know that I was going to be a priest.

Q: Why do you want to be a priest?

A: First and foremost because I believe it is God’s will for me and I believe that only His plan will make me truly happy in this world and in the next. Secondly, because in all of my searching and studies I have never found anything else more amazing or important to which I could give my life.

Q: What are you looking forward to doing for the Church?

A: I am looking forward to being a priest. What else is there? The

priest stands in the person of Christ, Head and Spouse of the Church.

He is a father to all the faithful. He gives them the Eucharist to nourish and strengthen them; he forgives their sins through the sacrament of reconciliation. He baptizes, confirms, marries and buries those who are placed under his care. He preaches the Word of God to them and brings them to a true knowledge of their Lord and Savior. That is what I am looking forward to doing for the Church.

Q: What advice would you give to men who may be discerning a call to the priesthood?

A: The first question they should ask is not whether they themselves want to be a priest, but whether God is calling them to the priesthood. Once they have discerned that, then they need to plead to God for the grace to accept and embrace that calling, to fall in love with it.

Q: Who has been a mentor to you or who helped you realize your call to the priesthood?

A: In those earliest years of my life I would say that Father Wilbur Thomas (one of my pastors at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory) was the biggest influence. Not for anything particular that he did or said, but just his general witness by living the life of a good priest. There have been many priests, however, who over the years have played one role or another in affecting my understanding of the priesthood.

FATHER GABRIEL CARVAJAL-SALAZAR Hometown: Tejupilco, Mexico College: Royal Pontifical University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico Seminary: Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington, N.Y.

Q: How/when did you realize your vocation/call to the priesthood?

A: My Aunt Tomasa, who is a nun and my father’s sister, invited me to attend the seminary in Veracruz, Mexico, when I was 17. For several circumstances I was not able to follow this call, and instead I became a lay missionary. When I arrived in North Carolina, I was invited by Father Mark Lawlor and Father Ricardo Sanchez to follow the call to a priestly vocation.

Q: Who has been a mentor to you or who helped you realize your call to the priesthood?

A: I have had several mentors who have inspired me. Among them are the

priests mentioned above and Father Flaviano Amatulli, a missionary priest who has traveled all around the world.

Q: Why do you want to be a priest?

A: I want to become a priest to be able to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to sanctify the faithful through the sacraments, especially with receiving the Eucharist and with reconciliation.

Q: What are you looking forward to doing for the Church?

A: I’m looking forward to helping the Church on her task to evangelize each person who has been baptized, especially those who are living away from the Catholic faith.

Q: What advice would you give to men who may be discerning a call to the priesthood?

A: The advice I would give men who may be discerning the call to the priesthood is to pray, to be able to distinguish the difference between the human and divine part of the Church, and to obtain guidance from a spiritual director.

June 4, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 9

FROM THE COVER

FATHER JOHN JAMES ECKERT Father John Eckert will celebrate his first Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte, on June 6 at 2 p.m. The homilist will be Father Roger Arnsparger, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church.

FATHER JOHN JAMES ECKERT Hometown: Grew up in Peoria, Ill.; in Charlotte since 2006 College: St. Louis University in St. Louis, Mo. Seminary: Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio

Q: How/when did you realize your vocation/call to the priesthood?

A: I have thought about becoming a priest for as long as I can remember.

Toward the end of high school, I was unsure about what I should do with my life and I decided to go to college and major in political science. College was a great experience, and as I approached the end, I knew that I needed to enter the seminary.

Q: Who has been a mentor to you or who helped you realize your call to the priesthood?

A: I have been incredibly blessed to have a wonderful family and close friends who have supported me in my discernment of the priesthood all along. In addition to my family, numerous priests have been influential in helping me realize and embrace my vocation. Also, the kind comments and supportive words of fellow parishioners have helped lead me in this direction for a long time. Basically, a vocation does not come out of nowhere, and the gentle influence of many people can help a young man or woman discover

to what God is calling him or her.

In brief, be supportive and pray for the young men and women in your parishes, that they may want to be what God wants them to be.

Q: Why do you want to be a priest?

A: I want to be a priest because I cannot imagine a better way to spend myself fully in the service of my brothers and sisters in Christ and for the greater glory of God. Q: What are you looking forward to doing for the Church?

A: I am looking forward to being in a parish full time, experiencing with people the happiest moments of their lives, like baptisms and weddings, and also being available for support in times of illness and death. We have the unique privilege as priests of bringing Christ into everyday lives, and I cannot wait to experience that privilege.

Q: What advice would you give to men who may be discerning a call to the priesthood?

A: Trust in God. Pray the prayer “Lord, help me to want to be what You want me to be,” and He will surely answer.

Also, don’t be afraid to talk to a priest or other guys who might also be discerning a call to the priesthood. You are not alone as you discern, and there are countless people out there, clergy, religious and laity, who are ready to support you along every step of the way.

FATHER LUCAS CHRISTOPHER ROSSI Father Lucas Rossi will celebrate his first Mass at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Road, Charlotte, on June 6 at 10:30 a.m. The homilist will be Father Timothy Reid, pastor of St. Ann Church.

FATHER LUCAS CHRISTOPHER ROSSI Hometown: Peoria, Ill. College: Illinois State University in Normal, Ill. Seminary: Minor Seminary: Immaculate Heart of Mary in Winona, Minn.

Major Seminary: Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio

Q: How/when did you realize your vocation/call to the priesthood?

A: I began to realize a possible call to the priesthood while attending weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the Newman Center near my college university.

Q: Who has been a mentor to you or who helped you realize your call to the priesthood?

A: A few priests in my hometown were truly instrumental, especially the chaplain at the Newman Center, Father Gary Caster.

Q: Why do you want to be a priest?

A: I wish to bring people to encounter Christ. As a priest, I will have the joyful privilege of doing so through the Holy Mass, administering the sacraments, and sharing in the lives of the faithful.

Q: What are you looking forward to doing for the Church?

A: I am looking forward to being a spiritual father for God’s people in a world that is suffering from the absence of fathers in general. I desire to bring people closer to God the Father by representing Christ and His love through the sacrament of reconciliation, especially. I also am hoping to bring the healing presence of Our Lord to those wounded by sin and division.

Q: What advice would you give to men who may be discerning a call to the priesthood?

A: PRAY. I would say going to daily Mass as often as possible and praying regularly, especially spending personal time with Our Lord in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The only way to ever hear God’s call is be still in silent prayer with Him. He will reveal Himself to you.

10 The Catholic News & Herald

June 4, 2010

FROM THE COVER

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

June 19, 2009 – June 19, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI declared a “Year for Priests” beginning and ending with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 19, and he named St. John Vianney, the Curé d’Ars, the Universal Patron of Priests on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his death.

In his announcement, the pope wrote, “It seems urgent to recover that awareness that has always been at the heart of the Church’s mission, which impels priests to be present, identifiable and recognizable both for their judgment of faith, for their personal virtues as well as for the habit, in the contexts of culture and of charity… .

photo by Suzanne Cona

Seminarian Josh Voitus was ordained a deacon May 29 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.

Voitus ordained DEACON, from page 1

“As much as I hope to be ordained to the priesthood, I cannot possibly describe the great joy and honor that it is to be able to serve as a deacon in the coming months,” said Deacon Voitus on his ordination.

Deacon Voitus grew up in Clemmons, N.C.and attended Holy Family Church with his father Edward Voitus and his late mother Joanne.

“When he was 6 months old we moved and came to Holy Family,” Mr. Voitus said. “We decided we wanted to sit up in the front at Mass, so we could always see. Before I knew it, Joshua was an altar server, then a lector, and then he wanted to go to seminary to become a priest.”

During his homily, Bishop Jugis explained the role of the deacon as participating in three special ministries: the ministry of the Word, the ministry of Charity, and the ministry of the Altar.

“You will also administer baptisms, assist at and bless marriages, bring Viaticum to the dying, conduct funeral rites, and preside over public prayers,” said Bishop Jugis as he explained a deacon’s responsibilities.

During the Mass, the candidate is presented to the bishop by the diocesan vocations director and asked a series of questions as to his desire to serve the bishop, the Church and the people of God. Then the office of the diaconate is conferred by the laying on of hands by the bishop and the invocation of the Holy Spirit to aid the deacon in his mission.

Transitional Deacons John Eckert, Gabriel Caravajal-Salazar, David Miller and Lucas Rossi – who will all be ordained to the priesthood June 5 – assisted at Mass. Priests from around the Diocese of Charlotte concelebrated.

Permanent deacons, women religious from around the diocese and laity also attended.

A beaming Bishop Jugis thanked the Voitus family for giving their son the gift of the Catholic faith and for giving him, in turn, as a gift to the Church.

Speaking to Deacon Voitus, Bishop Jugis said, “May our Lord Jesus Christ help you to remain faithful as His servant in the ministries of the Word, of Charity, and the Altar, so that on the last day when you go out to meet the Lord you will hear Him say to you: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.’”

Photo by SueAnn Howell

Bishop Peter J. Jugis (center) is pictured with newly ordained Deacon Joshua Voitus (center right) and priests and deacons from around the Diocese of Charlotte after the diaconate ordination Mass May 29 at St. Patrick Cathedral.

“As Church and as priests, we proclaim Jesus of Nazareth Lord and Christ, Crucified and Risen, Sovereign of time and of history, in the glad certainty that this truth coincides with the deepest expectations of the human heart. In the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, that is, of the fact that God became man like us, lies both the content and the method of Christian proclamation. The true dynamic centre of the mission is here: in Jesus Christ, precisely. The centrality of Christ brings with it the correct appreciation of the ministerial priesthood, without which there would be neither the Eucharist, nor even the mission nor the Church herself.”

CATCH THIS ON TV n Thursday, June 10, Noon-1:30 p.m.

EDT (EWTN) “Vigil For Priests (Live).”

Pope Benedict XVI leads the vigil for the closing of the Year For Priests live from St. Peter’s Square. This special will be rebroadcast 5:30-7 p.m. EDT.

Photo provided by H. Kennedy McGovern

Members of several Knights of Columbus councils attended the ordination Mass to support Deacon Joshua Voitus, who is a member of Bishop Greco Council 9499 at Holy Family Church in Clemmons. Pictured above with Bishop Peter J. Jugis are: knights from St. Patrick’s council and three members of the Triad Assembly 2282 in Winston-Salem, including H. Kennedy McGovern from St. Benedict the Moor Church.

Buchanan, Carter become candidates CANDIDATES, from page 1

Before the rite of candidacy a seminarian writes a letter to the bishop in his own handwriting asking to be admitted as a candidate to the priesthood.

If the bishop approves, the rite is then performed. The bishop asks the candidate questions to see if he intends to serve the Church and the people of God. The candidate then acknowledges his willingness to serve God under the care of the bishop in the diocese.

During the rite of candidacy, Bishop Jugis addressed the two candidates saying, “There are two words especially that I would like you to remember, Paul and Noah, as you embark upon your continuation of your ordination – trust and perseverance.”

The bishop then elaborated on how they should trust in the Lord as they continue to pursue their vocations.

“It is a great blessing to have reached this point in my discernment,” Buchanan said. “I am grateful to God.” “A lot of guys leave (seminary) before this step. It’s after candidacy that you enter theology. That is when you start to discern, ‘How will the Spirit work through me in ministry? How will I serve others?’” Carter said.

Both Buchanan and Carter will leave in mid-July to complete their studies in Rome at Pontifical North American College. The four- to five-year program is an Italian immersion program. They must spend the first two years there, without coming home to the U.S. Of their impending studies overseas, Carter said, “There will never be another time for me to spend so much time at the foot of St. Peter and with the saints.

There won’t be a time like it again.”

n Friday June 11, 4-6 a.m. EDT (EWTN) “Holy Mass For the Conclusion of the Year For Priests (Live).” Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass concluding the Year For Priests on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Live from St. Peter’s Square. The liturgy will be rebroadcast 6-8 p.m. EDT.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS The following priests in the Diocese of Charlotte have been profiled during the Year For Priests. Their profiles have now been collected online at www. charlottediocese.org/catholicnews: Rev. Msgr. Richard Bellow Father Michael Buttner Father James Byrne, OSFS Father Patrick Cahill Father Robert Conway Father James Duc Duong Father Tien Hung Duong Father Robert Ferris Father Kurt Fohn Father Patrick Hoare Father Matthew Kauth Rev. Msgr. Anthony Kovacic Rev. Msgr. Anthony Marcaccio Father Kieran Neilson, OSB Father John Putnam Father Benjamin Roberts Father Edward Sheridan Father Wilbur N. Thomas Father Patrick Toole

June 4, 2010

IN OUR SCHOOLS

IHM students confirmed

photo provided by Lianne Finger

Pictured are (from left) Greg Salomon, Julie Dorosiewicz, Olivia Herschel, Tanner Owen, Elizabeth Crawford and Jake Austin, students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point who received the sacrament of confirmation May 19.

OLM bake sale

photo provided by

Margaret Dickson

Second-graders at Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem organized a bake sale May 5 to raise money for hungry children. The proceeds of more than $150 were donated to www.greatamericanbakesale.org. The kids took pride not only in participating and helping hungry children but also in using their knowledge of money and counting change.

SCHOOL NEWS IN BRIEF

BHMS athletics director wins award

KERNERSVILLE — Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School’s Athletics Director, Jeff Stoller, has been named the Triad Sports Weekly Athletic Director of the Year. He was chosen for his diligence, participation and cooperation with the Triad Sports Weekly this past school year.

Stoller is a nationally certified athletics administrator who is in his eighth year as athletics director and PE/health teacher at Bishop McGuinness. During his tenure there, he has guided the athletic program to five conference Wachovia Cups and three State Wachovia Cups for Top Overall Athletic Program.

“BMCHS is proud to have Jeff so honored, and we are grateful for the athletic success we have had under his direction,” said Principal George Repass.

Stoller grew up in Plattsburgh, N.Y., where he attended Catholic High School at Mount Assumption Institute.

After high school, he went on to play baseball for the Altona Bombers of the Champlain Valley League. After finishing his baseball playing days, he became the athletics director, head varsity baseball coach, and an English teacher at Oak Ridge Military Academy in Oak Ridge, N.C. He was

The Catholic News & Herald 11

named Triad Athletic Conference Varsity Baseball Coach of the Year in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

During his tenure at Oak Ridge, he also served three years as president of the Triad Athletic Conference.

Following that, he served three years as president of the Piedmont Athletic Conference as well. He also served on the NCISAA State Baseball Seeding Committee and is currently on the Triad Basketball Officials Association Board of Directors.

Stoller is a member of the National Interscholastic Administrators Association, the National Federation of High Schools Coaches Association, the N.C. Athletic Directors Association, and the N.C. Coaches Association. He has a B.A. in English and an M.S. in secondary education from the State University of New York. He, his wife Amy and son Evan live in Greensboro.

MACS open house dates set for fall

CHARLOTTE — Open house dates for all MACS schools are as follows: n All elementary schools: 1:303:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, and 9 a.m.noon Tuesday, Oct. 19 n Charlotte Catholic High School: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24 n Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, and 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3

June 4, 2010

12 The Catholic News & Herald

Culture Watch

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

the potential to destroy humankind. The script’s presentation of religion involves an uneasy mix of pagan mythology and vague monotheism. Frequent, moderately intense violence, a number of frightening images, some sexual innuendo. The CNS classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children younger than 13.

n “Sex and the City 2” (New Line)

CNS photo by DreamWorks

Scene from the animated movie “Shrek Forever After.” The Catholic News Service classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

MOVIE REVIEWS NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are capsule reviews of movies recently reviewed by the Catholic News Service:

n “MacGruber” (Rogue)

Juvenile, tasteless action spoof in which a cocky but disastrously incompetent special agent (Will Forte) is called out of retirement by his former commander (Powers Boothe) to foil a plot by an evil arms dealer (Val Kilmer) to nuke Washington, gaining the aid of an Army lieutenant (Ryan Phillippe) and an undercover operative-turned-pop-singer (Kristen Wiig) along the way. Director and co-writer Jorma Taccone’s expansion of a recurring “Saturday Night Live” skit

is consistently vulgar and intermittently gruesome. Much gory violence, graphic premarital sexual activity, nudity, frequent sexual and scatological humor, profanity and pervasive rough and crude language. The CNS classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Romantic-comedy sequel, based on a long-running cable-TV series, recounting the further adventures of a New York-based columnist turned author (Sarah Jessica Parker), her husband (Chris Noth) and her three best friends (Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon) as they confront the challenges of married life, parenthood and career changes, pressures only temporarily relieved, for the quartet of pals, by a luxurious vacation in Abu Dhabi. Writerdirector Michael Patrick King’s morally unmoored follow-up to his 2008 feature confuses promiscuity with feminist empowerment, caricatures Muslims and showcases an extended celebration of same-sex marriage. Graphic nonmarital sexual activity with nudity, benign view of casual sex and homosexual

acts, adultery theme, constant sexual humor and references, some rough and crude language. The CNS classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

n “Shrek Forever After” (Paramount)

Heartwarming, decidedly less raucous animated riff on fairy tales brings the blockbuster franchise full circle as the titular ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) experiences a midlife crisis and is tricked by an evil wizard (voice of Walt Dohrn) into living a different version of his past, during which he must win his wife’s affections (voiced by Cameron Diaz) all over again and learn to appreciate his current good fortune. Director Mike Mitchell and colleagues downplay the previous installments’ cheeky idiom of pop-culture parody and affirm the values of love and fidelity in a manner that should gladden parents, who can err on the side of being inclusive when judging whether to bring the kids. A few mild action sequences, occasional toiletrelated humor. The CNS classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG - parental guidance suggested.

Some material may not be suitable for children.

n “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (Disney)

Plodding adaptation of the eponymous video game series pits a heroic orphan (Jake Gyllenhaal) against his adopted royal uncle (Ben Kingsley) as he helps a princess (Gemma Arterton) safeguard a time-altering dagger that has

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June 4, 2010

DVD REVIEWS Ratings given for recent DVD and Blu-ray releases John Mulderig Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) — The following are reviews of new and recent DVD and Blu-ray releases from Catholic News Service. Theatrical movies have a CNS and Motion Picture Association of America rating. These classifications refer only to the theatrical version of the films below, and do not take into account the discs’ extra content.

n “Extraordinary Measures” (2010)

Engaging medical drama, based on

actual events, about the often prickly partnership between a successful pharmaceuticals executive (Brendan Fraser) – two of whose children (Meredith Droeger and Diego Velazquez) are afflicted by the same rare and fatal disease – and the eccentric scientist (Harrison Ford) whose pioneering but underfunded research may offer the only hope of saving the kids. Director Tom Vaughan’s adaptation of Geeta Anand’s 2004 book “The Cure,” which also features Keri Russell as the businessman’s rocksolid spouse, makes no mention of the Catholic faith that helped to sustain the real-life dad but does chart his relentless, against-the-odds struggle to overcome the illness. Brief nongraphic marital lovemaking, profanity and crude terms.

The CNS classification is A-III – adults.

The MPAA rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; also

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available on Blu-ray)

n “L.A. Story” (1991)

A TV weatherman (Steve Martin) is chased by a bouncy blonde (Sarah Jessica Parker) while he, with a little help from a magical freeway sign, pursues a reserved English journalist (Victoria Tennant).

Directed by Mick Jackson from Martin’s script, the result takes a wry view of the trendy populace of Los Angeles.

Casual attitude toward premarital sex and minimal rough language. The CNS classification is A-III – adults.

The MPAA rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13 (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)

n “The Spy Next Door” (2010)

Generally good-hearted but thin martial-arts comedy in which an undercover spy (Jackie Chan) posing as a mild-mannered pen salesman is left in charge of his divorced girlfriend’s (Amber Valletta) three kids (Madeline Carroll, Will Shadley and Alina Foley), even as he works to thwart the evil schemes of a Russian criminal (Magnus Scheving) bent on cornering the international petroleum market. Director Brian Levant’s family-oriented offering – which also features country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and comedian George Lopez as Chan’s CIA colleagues – while sketchy, is mostly free of worrisome content and charts its central character’s self-sacrificing efforts to protect the youngsters and win their trust, but scenes of hand-to-hand combat makes it unsuitable for the smallest viewers and brief interludes of mildly risque humor further restrict its appropriate audience.

Considerable, though nongraphic martial arts violence, acceptability of divorce, some vaguely sexual humor, at least one crude term. The CNS classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The

MPAA rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment; also available on Blu-ray)

n “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1969)

Any movie with such a plainly mythic title can’t be all bad and this one really isn’t bad at all. Epic, stately spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone, its wispy plot concerns hired killer Henry Fonda’s pursuit of outlaw Charles Bronson and widow Claudia Cardinale’s land, but it contains a whole encyclopedia of Western cliches and stereotypes that are irresistible for Western buffs. The CNS classification is A-III – adults. The MPAA rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

(Paramount Home Entertainment)

n “Walkabout” (1971)

Australian story of a lovely teenager (Jenny Agutter) and her 6-year-old brother (Lucien John) who, stranded deep in the wilderness after their father commits suicide, are rescued by a young aborigine (David Gumpilil) who leads them to eventual safety. Nicolas Roeg does better with his stunning location photography than he does with his heavy-handed direction of a movie that practically shouts out its theme of noble savagery.

Extended nude swimming scene and a character’s suicide are questionable elements. The CNS classification is L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The MPAA rating is R – restricted. (Criterion Collection; also available on Blu-ray) John Mulderig is on the staff of CNS. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies.

June 4, 2010

14 The Catholic News & Herald

Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

New media must help people’s hearts be touched by Christ VATICAN CITY (CNS) — If Catholic communicators are to use new media effectively, they must use it in ways that touch people’s hearts and draw them to living faith communities, Pope Benedict XVI said in a long-distance greeting to people gathered for a media convention in New Orleans.

During his general audience in St. Peter’s Square June 2, the pope read his message to those attending the Catholic Media Convention June 2-4. The convention is an annual joint gathering of the Catholic Press Association and the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals.

The 2010 meeting focused on the theme “Spreading the Good News — Byte by Byte,” which “highlights the extraordinary potential of the new media to bring the message of Christ and the teaching of His Church to the attention of a wider public,” the pope said.

“If your mission is to be truly effective — if the words you proclaim are to touch hearts, engage people’s freedom and change their lives — you must draw them into an encounter with persons and communities who witness to the grace of Christ by their faith and their lives,” he said.

The pope said he hoped conference participants would come away with renewed enthusiasm for the Gospel.

Before imparting his apostolic blessing to the media professionals, the pope said that despite the many challenges facing Catholic communicators today, “never forget the promise of Christ, ‘I am with you always, to the close of the age.’”

Near the end of the audience, as the pope was greeting pilgrim groups in different languages, nine Italian military planes flew in formation over St. Peter’s Basilica and left bright red, white and green smoke in their wake.

The air force team, known as the “Frecce Tricolore” (“Tricolor Arrows”), made a special pass over the Vatican in homage to the pope, according to Vatican Radio. The pope waved and smiled as he looked overhead.

The planes were performing nearby as part of a national celebration of the holiday marking the birth of the Italian republic in 1946.

During his main audience talk, the pope focused on St. Thomas Aquinas, whose life and writings “have always been revered as an outstanding model for theologians.”

At a time when it was thought that “faith should surrender itself before reason,” St. Thomas believed there was a natural harmony between faith and reason, the pope said.

The saint “created a new synthesis” between faith and reason, which influenced cultures for centuries afterward; he taught that faith that is

The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI

opposed to rationality was not true faith, and that reason that was not compatible with faith was not real reason.

During the audience, Pope Benedict also asked for prayers for his trip to Cyprus June 4-6. He said he hoped the visit would bear much “spiritual fruit for the dear Christian communities in the Middle East.”

Following are the pope’s remarks in English: “Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our catechesis on the Christian culture of the Middle Ages, we now turn to St. Thomas Aquinas, known as the Doctor Communis, whose life and teaching have always been revered as a outstanding model for theologians.

As a young student at the University of Naples, Thomas was introduced to the recently rediscovered works of Aristotle.

Much of his scholarly life would be devoted to studying the philosopher’s authentic teaching, discerning its valid elements, and demonstrating its value for Christian thought. Thomas entered the Order of Preachers, studied under Albert the Great, and taught theology in Cologne, Paris, Rome and Naples.

Among his many commentaries and systematic works, the great Summa Theologiae reveals his critical gifts and his conviction of the natural harmony between faith and reason. Thomas also composed the liturgical texts for the new feast of Corpus Domini, whose hymns reflect his deep Eucharistic faith and theological wisdom. At the end of his life, St. Thomas stopped writing, after a mystical experience which convinced him that all he had written “was as straw,” in comparison with the infinite grandeur and beauty of God’s truth.

In coming catecheses we will explore the thought and writings of this great theologian.

“I send my greetings to those gathered during these days in Scotland for the centennial of the first Edinburgh Missionary Conference, which is now acknowledged to have given birth to the modern ecumenical movement. May we all renew our commitment to work humbly and patiently, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to live again together our common apostolic heritage.”

Support and pray for our new priests On Saturday, June 5, the Diocese of Charlotte will have four new priests, and all the angels and saints in heaven will be present at the ordination ceremony. I know for a fact because I’ve been there and experienced it.

Once a seminarian, I left to get married and start a family. I had the opportunity to attend and, at times, the privilege to serve at the altar during several ordinations. It’s truly a glorious event, and every Catholic should participate in it at least once.

My most memorable experience at an ordination took place in the summer of 1997, when I attended my first ceremony. After the bishop’s homily, the candidates are presented to the Church, usually by the diocesan vocations director, asking Holy Mother Church for the sacrament of holy orders. Then, before the imposition of hands by the bishop to call down the Holy Spirit on the ordinands, which is also the climax of the rite and the moment they become priests, the candidates prostrate themselves in front of the altar. The prostration signifies an ancient form of humble prayer before God. The cantor then sings the Litany of Supplication, better known as the Litany of the Saints, after the bishop invites the congregation to pray: My dear people, let us pray that God the all powerful Father will pour out abundantly the gifts of heaven on this, His servant, whom He has chosen for the office of priest.

At that first ordination I attended, I remember kneeling behind the last pew at a standing-room-only crowd at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. With the beautiful chant of “Holy Mary, Mother of God, St. Michael, Holy Angels of God” in the background, the response “pray for us” conveyed an entirely new meaning for me and moved me to tears of joy. The unseen reality of the Church triumphant in heaven became something palpable, and that moment was the closest I’ve ever been to a mystical experience. There was a collective sense of the sacred, and I felt the presence of all the angels and saints there with us praying for the soon-to-be priests.

A priest friend of mine told me that another benefit for the faithful to attend an ordination ceremony is to get a better

View from the Back Pew Rico De Silva Guest Columnist

understanding of the liturgy. He told me, “To understand the priesthood is to understand the Mass.” Just as during an “ordinary” Mass, an ordination Mass is filled with symbolism and every part of the ceremony points to Christ, the High Priest.

After the bishop says the prayer of ordination, the newly-ordained priest is vested by a mentor priest with the chasuble, the outer vestment priests wear while celebrating Mass.

The newly-ordained priest then kneels before the bishop again, and the bishop anoints the palms of the new priest’s hands with sacred chrism. The priest’s hands are now consecrated, or set apart, for the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice on the altar. A priest is called to be an “alter christus,” Latin for “another Christ,” and just as Jesus was the Christ, or the Anointed One of God, a priest is set apart by the Father to celebrate in the person of Christ the sacraments for the Church, especially the Eucharist.

That’s why we need priests.

As Pope Benedict’s Year For Priests comes to an end June 19, I can’t think of a better way to support our priests than to attend the upcoming ordination of our four transitional deacons: Rev. Mr. Gabriel CarvajalSalazar, Rev. Mr. John James Eckert, Rev. Mr. David Parker Miller and Rev. Mr. Lucas Christopher Rossi at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. One of the last supplications on the Litany of the Saints for the ceremony is: “Bless, sanctify, and consecrate these chosen men.”

I pray the Lord hears that prayer on their behalf during their ordination, but I also pray that we parishioners will also take the words to heart. Let’s be mindful that, God willing, one of them could someday be the priest at your parish.

Rico De Silva is a member of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 6 – JUNE 12

Sunday (The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ), Genesis 14:18-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Luke 9:11-17; Monday, 1 Kings 17:1-6, Matthew 5:1-12; Tuesday, 1 Kings 17:7-16, Matthew 5:13-16; Wednesday (St. Ephrem), 1 Kings 18:20-39, Matthew 5:17-19; Thursday, 1 Kings 18:41-46, Matthew 5:20-26; Friday (The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus), Ezekiel 34:11-16, Romans 5:5-11, Luke 15:3-7; Saturday (The Immaculate Heart of Mary) 1 Kings 19:19-21, Luke 2:41-51

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 13 – JUNE 19

Sunday, 2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13, Galatians 2:16, 19-21, Luke 7:36-8:3; Monday, 1 Kings 21:1-16, Matthew 5:38-42; Tuesday, 1 Kings 21:17-29, Matthew 5:43-48; Wednesday, 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18; Thursday, Sirach 48:1-14, Matthew 6:7-15; Friday, 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20, Matthew 6:19-23; Saturday (St. Romuald), 2 Chronicles 24:17-25, Matthew 6:24-34

June 4, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 15

Why I chose to say ‘yes’ to becoming a priest The privilege of being ordained during the Year For Priests Seven of us in my class at the Pontifical College Josephinum will be ordained this year. For our small class, timing has seemed to work out in our favor. During our first year of seminary, we were fortunate to experience together the monumental passing of our mutual role model, our Holy Father (for some of us the only one we had known), Pope John Paul II. Then we rejoiced together as we heard the words “Habemus papam,” and witnessed Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger become Pope Benedict XVI. Last year, during the Year of St. Paul, we had an opportunely-timed class on the writings of the Apostle to the Gentiles and also had the good fortune to take a class trip to Rome where we visited inspiring Pauline sites such as the magnificent Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. The most fortuitous bit of good timing for the seven of us, as well as for all men called to the Sacred Order of Presbyter this year, is to be ordained during this “Year for Priests.”

With the excitement of ordination quickly approaching and time in seminary coming to an end, it is valuable to reflect on the fundamental reasons of why I am at this point and, mainly, why I chose to say “yes” to this vocation. I am sure my brother deacons share with me the common experience of being asked several times during our years of formation, “Why do you want to be a priest?”

In some ways, it is hard to express exactly why I think this is the way of life to which God is calling me. I think this might be comparable to a question posed to a man as to why he loves his wife; although there are several wonderful things about her he can say, there is bound to be an inexpressible element that can be explained only by his saying, “I just do.” And so, as I try to construct and describe an adequate reason of why I chose to be a priest, I hope the readers of the following will excuse any inadequacies in my reasoning and know that there is a certain inexpressible dimension to the description of my vocation that I hope comes forth from between the lines.

A vocation does not come out of nowhere. I am blessed to have

been born into a loving family that appreciated its Catholic faith and let it influence every area of life. My parents set an example for my siblings and me of happily going to Mass on Sundays.

It may not sound like much, but that basic example of Mass as a joy on Sunday, rather than an unappreciated obligation, went a long way.

Throughout grade school and high school, I served Mass frequently, attended vocational-themed retreats, and visited a few seminaries to see if maybe seminary life was for me.

Although the thought of whether or not I was called to the priesthood was, at best, unclear when I eventually went off to St. Louis University to study political science and communication, the possibility of the priesthood never completely left my thoughts.

As my time in college drew to a close, the calling toward the priesthood was stronger than ever. I had dated in college, even thought at one point that I would get married, but with post-college life staring me in the face, I knew I had to give the priesthood a chance and enter seminary.

As a college senior, I wanted to devote myself to something I absolutely believed in and something that by my devotion would make the world a “better place.” Politics are important, but I knew I could not compromise any of my beliefs to “get ahead.” God bless the good men and women who can work successfully in the political sphere and hold onto their faith, but at that point in my life, and still to this day, I knew that whatever I was going to do, I had to be able to put my whole heart into it.

The Church was that pearl of great price, and at that point I was blessed to have the guidance and the encouragement to know that it was to the priesthood that I had to give my all. I had a wonderful Jesuit spiritual director in college and a wise best friend, who is now also a Jesuit, who helped me to realize that God was helping me to want to be what He wanted me to be. With their support, as well as that of my other friends and family, I began my studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, in August 2004.

In the seminary, the elements in

Guest Column Deacon John Eckert

my life that pointed toward a priestly vocation have been cultivated. Each year has presented its own new challenges, inviting me to shed old vices and develop new virtues that will, God willing, help me be a better priest. The daily seminary horarium of Liturgy of the Hours, Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — which six years ago to a guy fresh out of college was a bit of a burden — has become the very rhythm of my day and a source of peace and strength.

I have been in Catholic schools since I was 3, and the seminary classes have built upon an instilled Catholic way of viewing the world. My pastoral assignments, which have allowed me during the school year to serve the people of God around Columbus and, during the summer, in the dioceses of Charlotte and Peoria, have given me a taste of what is to come in priestly ministry. It has been in these assignments that I have truly found my place, so to speak.

In particular, this past year of service in a parish as a deacon has deepened my love of service to God and man in a parochial setting. I look forward to the day when I will be in the parish full time, participating in those blessed priestly acts of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and absolving sins in confession.

These years of formation have been some of the most difficult and most fruitful of my life. It is intimidating to think of my proximity to ordination and how much I still need to grow, but it is certainly helpful to look back to the fall of 2004 and see how far I have come.

As I look to the future of being ordained a priest, I am excited to have the privilege of serving the people of God, the privilege of being spent for their sake, the privilege of having an instant relationship of sorts with everyone I encounter as I strive to be all things to all

people — a privilege I could not be able to enjoy if I were not a priest.

At the same time, I am excited to be set apart, to be focused on the fact that I must pray, that I must stay connected to the vine because I am a mere branch.

As I have listened to priests over the years explain their greatest strengths, weaknesses, joys and failures, it seems to me that prayer is absolutely central to the life of a parish priest because separation from Christ leads to imminent danger, be it burnout from over-involvement, rust-out from inactivity, or worst of all, cynical indifference.

These reflections may be those of a starry-eyed seminarian who has not yet borne the full burden of the life of a parish priest; however, I am not naïve. My brother seminarians and I lived through the shock and the pain of 2002. We have experienced the fallen characteristics of the people who make up the Church, of whom we are a part.

I know there is a long road ahead of me after ordination. I realize full well that I am not being ordained into an “easy” life.

I know that ordination means embracing the Cross; but isn’t that the glory of it?

Yes, many elements of priestly life will be difficult. I know there will be trying moments, trying personalities and trying schedules. But even with all those struggles in mind, I consider it an incredible gift that my brother deacons and I will be ordained in this “Year for Priests,” joining all those chosen men who have gone before us in denying themselves, taking up the Cross and following our Lord to Calvary as His priests.

Why do I want to be a priest?

Because I cannot imagine a better way to spend myself fully in the service of my brothers and sisters in Christ and for the greater glory of God. I am called to the priesthood, and I look forward to a life of emptying myself, decreasing, so that He, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may increase.

Deacon John Eckert will be ordained to the priesthood June 5 by Bishop Peter J. Jugis. This column also appears in the June edition of “The Priest,” a publication of “Our Sunday Visitor.”

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June 4, 2010

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