June 25, 2010 by Catholic News Herald

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

YEAR FOR PRIESTS ENDS Pope: ‘The priest is a gift from the heart of Christ’ PAGES 14-17

Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI

www.charlottediocese.org

june 25, 2010

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Diocese home to the only one of its kind in America

St. Matthew family seeks strength in God following son’s death

SueAnn Howell Staff Writer

See BASILICA, page 12

FOR MORE The history of the Basilica of St. Lawrence and a virtual tour of its interior can be found online at www. saintlawrencebasilica.org. — see page 2

no. 30

Finding gratitude in grief

Basilica earns national designation

ASHEVILLE — Nestled in the mountains of North Carolina sits one of American architectural history’s greatest treasures: the Basilica of St. Lawrence. Designed by Rafael Guastavino Sr., a renowned architect from Spain who came to Asheville to work on the Biltmore House in the late 1890s, the basilica has been on the Register of Historic Places since 1976. The newest honor bestowed upon the Basilica of St. Lawrence is that of “national significance.” Few buildings in the U.S. are given this designation. To qualify for this distinction,

vOLUME 19

Kathy Schmugge Special to The Catholic News & Herald

photo provided by Kelly

Buckley

Kelly Buckley is pictured during happier days with her sons Stephen and Brendan. After Stephen drowned nearly a year ago, the Buckley family has grown closer after praying to God to help them through their grief.

CHARLOTTE ― Life changed for Kelly Buckley on July 4, 2009, with a phone call from Sgt. Reggie Barker with the N.C. Fish and Wildlife Division for Jordan Lake. Her 23-year-old son Stephen, who had gone to the lake with some friends, was missing. Kelly sprang into action, driving through the night to get to the lake, and to her child. See BOOK, page 12

Diocesan food pantries feel the heat of summer Catholic Social Services offices see rise in demand Patricia Guilfoyle Editor CHARLOTTE ― The start of summer means more hungry families for diocesan food pantries to feed, and pantry organizers need your help.

Catholic Social Services offices across the diocese are beginning to see more demand for food assistance now that children in need are not getting free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches at school. Government food assistance for families doesn’t cover many basic necessities, either, so families turn to food pantries like the ones Catholic Social Services operate in Asheville, Charlotte and Winston-Salem to fill the gap.

AROUND THE DIOCESE Jesuit priest reflects on 100 years of Catholic Charities during talk in Charlotte PAGE 5

Supplies at these CSS food pantries are critically low right now. Staple items such as pasta and sauce, rice, canned fruit and meats, baby food and formula, diapers, paper towels and toilet paper are always in demand. Breakfast foods – hot or cold cereals, cereal bars, etc. – and lunch items – macaroni and cheese, crackers, canned pasta, See FOOD, page 11

PERSPECTIVES

CULTURE WATCH Early evidence of devotion to apostles found in Rome’s catacombs PAGE 13

Rico De Silva: ‘My father and St. Joseph are my heroes’ PAGE 18

June 25, 2010

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

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

FROM THE VATICAN

CNS photo by Paul Haring

Pope Benedict XVI ordained 14 priests for the Diocese of Rome in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican June 20. Being ordained a priest requires “the courage to say ‘yes’ to the will of another,” knowing that God and the Church will not erase his individuality, but will help him become all he can be, the pope said. He preached that a priest who seeks status rather than the will of God will be a slave to himself and to public opinion, and will never discover how God wants to use his talents for the good of the Church and the world. If status is what a priest is looking for, he said, “he will have to flatter; he will have to say things just to please people” and follow fads, “depriving himself of a life-giving relationship with the truth.”

Pope gives archbishops pallium, symbol of being a shepherd

VATICAN CITY (CNS) ― Pope Benedict XVI’s last big Mass before a summer’s rest revolves around a symbol of how his ministry as shepherd is shared with archbishops scattered across the globe. The pallium – a round woolen band with two black-tipped strips – is worn around the shoulders over liturgical vestments to evoke the image of the Good Shepherd carrying a sheep back to the fold. Pope Benedict wears one and, each June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, he places a pallium around the shoulders of prelates who in the past year have been named to head archdioceses. The liturgical vestment, made from the wool of lambs blessed by the pope each year on the feast of St. Agnes, is a strictly pastoral symbol for those with a flock. Archbishops who serve as secretaries of Vatican congregations or as Vatican ambassadors around the globe do not receive one. The office in charge of organizing

papal liturgies said June 17 that at least 35 archbishops would receive a pallium in 2010.

Pope: Sunday Mass is essential to Catholic life and community charity

ROME (CNS) ― Participation at Sunday Mass and reception of the Eucharist are central to the life of Catholics because they are a clear expression of belief in the sacrifice of Christ, they create community and motivate charity, Pope Benedict XVI said June 15 in an address to the Rome diocesan pastoral conference. “In our day, people don’t love the word ‘sacrifice,’ which seems to belong to another age and another way of understanding life. However, when it is properly understood, it remains fundamental because it reveals how much God, in Christ, loves us,” the pope said. The three-day conference focused on finding ways to help Catholics understand the importance of the Sunday Eucharist and the essential role of charity in Catholic life for the parishes in Rome.

june 25, 2010 Volume 19 • Number 30 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

Bishops also pray for affected by oil spill U.S. bishops urge relief all WASHINGTON., D.C (CNS) ― aid for oil spill victims The U.S. bishops publicly expressed THE GULF OIL SPILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA) ― In response to the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has ravaged wildlife and decimated seafaring jobs for many, the U.S. bishops have started diocesan-wide network relief efforts and encouraged Catholics to respond. Bishop J. Kevin Boland of Savannah, Ga., bishop promoter of the Apostleship of the Sea – which provides spiritual assistance for seafarers – urged Catholics to participate in relief efforts. The Apostleship of the Sea recommends Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese and New Orleans as a starting place to help. “It is God’s creation,” Bishop Boland said of the environment. “We must do all that we can, both as individuals and as a Church and as a community to restore to its proper dimensions and its proper beauty what God has given to us.” For details, go to www.ccano.org.

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

their “heartfelt prayers and pastoral solidarity with all those affected by the oil that continues to leak into the Gulf of Mexico. We pray first and foremost for those who died in the initial explosion and for the grieving members of their families,” they said in a statement during their spring retreat last week in St. Petersburg, Fla. Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte was among those at the gathering. “We express our prayerful support as well for the families and individuals whose lives and livelihoods have been so negatively impacted by the oil that daily contaminates water, beaches and God’s creation in the Gulf Coast area,” the bishops said in the June 18 statement. “We offer our prayers for our government leaders and for the industry leaders and experts who are working to cap the leak and repair this damage,” they said.

— Tony Melendez and the ‘Toe Jam Concert,’ 2 p.m. July 11 in Spanish. For more information, contact Carol at 704-536-6520. ST. PATRICK CATHEDRAL, 1621 Dilworth Road East

BELMONT

— Mass for Military, 3 p.m. July 18, Bishop Peter Jugis will celebrate a Mass for U.S. military personnel. Rosary will be recited at 2:30 p.m. Military personnel are invited to attend in uniform.

QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES CHURCH, 503 North Main St.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CHURCH, 1400 Suther Road

— Bereavement Support Group, Education Building room F, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. July 14 and every two weeks thereafter. For more information, contact the church office at 704825-9600.

— Parish Picnic, 4 to 7 p.m. July 11. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and a side dish to share.

CHARLOTTE ST. ANN CHURCH, 3635 Park Road — The Gospel According to John, 9:30 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday. To register or get more information, contact Victoria Borin at vborin@ carolina.rr.com or 704-364-6764. — Genesis: “In the beginning…” 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday. To register or get more information, contact Mary Paul Forsyth at mpforsyth@earthlink.net or 704-236-4018. ST. JOHN NEUMANN CHURCH, 8451 Idlewild Road — Tony Melendez and the ‘Toe Jam Concert,’ 7 p.m. July 10 in English. For more information, contact Carol at 704-536-6520.

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. 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 through Aug. 4 (except July 21). Register by email to jreagan@carolina.rr.com. — The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Meeting, 7 p.m. third Wednesday of each month. They welcome practicing Catholic women who are Irish by birth or descent, the wife of a member of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, or the mother of a Junior member. For details, contact Susan Blanchfield at 704-825-8313 or sblanchfield1@carolina.rr.com.

GASTONIA ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL CHURCH, 708 St. Michael’s Lane — Eucharistic Adoration, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 2

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 25, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 3

Bishops of Atlanta Province welcomed in Charlotte

photos by Patricia Guilfoyle

GREENSBORO

HUNTERSVILLE

ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road

ST. MARK CHURCH, 14740 Stumptown Road

— Men’s Early Morning Bible Study Group, Parish Library, 6:30 a.m. every Tuesday. For details, contact gmagrinat@pol.net or jmalmsie@aol.com.

HAYESVILLE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHURCH, U.S. Hwy. 64 West — Lunch and Learn: “Is it time for a new reformation?” noon June 26. Sign-up sheets in the Commons.

HENDERSONVILLE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH, 208 Seventh Ave. West — St. Francis of the Hills Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order Meeting, 1 to 3:30 p.m. June 27. For details, call Randy Hair at 828-6986466 or Tim Gibson at 828-606-1728.

HICKORY ST. ALOYSIUS CHURCH, 921 Second St., N.E. — Charismatic Mass, Sebastian Chapel, 7 p.m. July 1. Call Joan Moran at 828-994-0880. — Natural Family Planning Class, Parlor, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 10, RSVP required to Batrice Adcock at cssnfp@charlottediocese.org or 704370-3230.

Episcopal

calendar

June 25 – 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Francis of Assisi Church, Lenoir June 27 – 12 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Michael the Archangel Church, Gastonia

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

KERNERSVILLE HOLY CROSS CHURCH, 616 South Cherry St. — Senior Coffee House, Salesian Hall, 10 a.m. every first and third Monday of the month.

WINSTON-SALEM

Above, Bishop Jugis and Archbishop Gregory exchange the sign of peace during Mass.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis welcomed the bishops from the Province of Atlanta to Charlotte June 21-23 for their annual meeting. During the visit, Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory celebrated Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral June 22. Concelebrating at Mass were (pictured from left) Atlanta Auxiliary Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama, Charlotte Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin, Charleston (S.C.) Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone (behind Archbishop Gregory), Raleigh Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Savannah (Ga.) Bishop J. Kevin Boland, Bishop Jugis and Archbishop Emeritus John F. Donoghue of Atlanta. Serving at Mass were Deacon Carlos Medina and Deacon Joshua Voitus, assisted by seminarians David McCanless, Noah Carter and Paul Buchanan. During his homily, Archbishop Gregory spoke of the examples of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, a lawyer and a bishop who gave their lives because of the integrity of their love for God and His Church, and who share the feast day of June 22. “The Lord calls His children to serve Him,” he said, urging the congregation similarly to hold dear the integrity of their faith and their love for Jesus Christ.

HOLY FAMILY CHURCH, 4820 Kinnamon Road — English/Spanish Conversation Groups, 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays in Room 1 and 6 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays in Room 7 — English as a Second Language Classes, Family Center, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Classes are available to adult non-English speakers. For more information, contact the Hispanic Ministry at 336-778-0600, ext. 254. Is your parish or school hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org or fax to 704-370-3382.

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

July 10 – 11 a.m. 100th Anniversary Mass St. James the Greater Church, Hamlet

U.S. NEWS IN BRIEF

Priest: Time to move on after health care legislation dispute DENVER (CNS) ― Differences within the Catholic community during the health reform debate were not about the objectives to be accomplished but about the “degree of assurance” provided by the bill on those objectives, Father J. Bryan Hehir told the annual convention of the Catholic Health Association June 13. “It is time to face the future, not replay the past continually,” said Father Hehir, secretary for health and social services for the Archdiocese of Boston, said during CHA’s convention in Denver. Father Hehir, who also serves as a professor in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is former president and chief executive of Catholic Charities USA, said the debate was complicated by “a disturbing characteristic of the American political process – polarization that is both intellectual and political.”

Religious groups unite for immigration reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) ― Immigration reform is “about the only public policy issue upon which there is great unanimity across the Christian spectrum,” said the Rev. Rich Nathan of the Vineyard Church of Columbus, Ohio, in a forum of conservative evangelical leaders working for comprehensive reform June 9. “Abortion divides us, gay rights divide us, war and peace divides us – comprehensive immigration reform unites us,” he said. Johnny Young, executive director of Migration and Refugee Services for the USCCB, said the USCCB is pleased to see a “convergence of views, and that we can work together in pressuring our legislators to move on this much-needed change in legislation.” Across the faith spectrum, prayer, education and advocacy are being taken up for the cause of immigration reform, spurred by Arizona’s passage in April of a law making it a crime to be in the state without immigration documents.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

June 25, 2010

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Bringing peace, hope to mourners

photo provided by James Andrew

Dunn

Father John T. Putnam, diocesan judicial vicar and pastor of Sacred Heart Church, pictured in the center, was among more than 100 priests honored during the Te Deum Foundation’s celebration of the Year For Priests. Priests from around the diocese gathered at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury June 11 to mark the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the conclusion of the Year For Priests.

Te Deum Foundation marks end of Year For Priests James Andrew Dunn Special to The Catholic News & Herald SALISBURY ― Friday, June 11, was a day of two-fold joy at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. First, the Feast of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was celebrated for the first time in the parish’s new church, dedicated to Our Lord’s most Sacred Heart. And second, the Mass was offered for bishops and priests, honored through the Te Deum Foundation’s Year For Priests program. One year ago, Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year For Priests beginning with the Solemnity on June 19, and the Te Deum Foundation immediately responded to the pope’s call with a program to coincide with the celebration. It was a natural response for the benevolent organization that provides for the material and spiritual needs of those men in formation for the priesthood. “Not only is this year dedicated to praying for our priests, it is also a time to thank them for their ‘yes’ to Our Lord and their service to His bride, the Church,” said Wilhelmina Silva Mobley, president of the Te Deum Foundation. The foundation introduced the Year For Priests Program with a painting of St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney, patron saint of priests. The painting by Louis Guidetti, an American artist in Winston-Salem, was used as cover art on appreciation cards sent to more than 130 bishops and priests throughout the U.S. on behalf of those who are grateful for their service. The card honored and thanked the recipient by name and promised that he would be remembered at the June 11 Mass. Donations received through the campaign will aid the Te Deum Foundation in its mission to assist seminarians – the next generation of priests. Father John T. Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church and diocesan

judicial vicar, served as the principal celebrant. Co-celebrants were Father Conrad Kimbrough, Father Richard DeClue Jr., Father Timothy Reid, Father Benjamin Roberts, Father David Miller, Father Andrew Draper, Father Kurt Fohn and Father Julio Dominguez. Deacons Jim Mazur and Josh Voitus assisted along with seminarians Noah Carter and David McCanless, and servers of Sacred Heart Church. More than 200 parishioners from throughout the Diocese of Charlotte attended the special Mass, along with women religious from the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, and the Sisters of Mercy. Music was provided by the Schola Cantorum of St. Ann Church in Charlotte. Father Robert Ferguson, FSSP, was organist. In his homily following the parable of the shepherd and his lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7), Father DeClue spoke of how the entire existence of the priesthood is because of God’s love for His sheep. DeClue spoke of a time when he was considering his vocation, before he entered the seminary. Driving one day on a busy highway and seeing untold numbers of strangers passing by, he said: “In a moment of grace, my heart was filled with love for them and I wanted them to know the love of Jesus Christ. As in the parable of the lost sheep, the priest must reach out to those who are far from Christ and not abandon them.” Speaking to the world of today, DeClue said, “We must proclaim the Truth in love. An injured sheep is going to be afraid and so we must approach it tenderly. The call to holiness must be one of love.” Following the Mass, a reception was held in Brincefield Hall where those in attendance had the opportunity to speak with priests, sisters and seminarians about their vocations.

photos provided by Louise Thoreson

Redemptorist Father Joseph Dionne, pastor of St. James the Greater Church in Concord, recently dedicated and blessed two new statues at the church cemetery on Gold Hill Road, then celebrated a memorial Mass May 31 for all the parishioners interred there. The parish community hopes the statues, representing the Pieta and the Resurrected Christ, bring peace and hope to all those mourning the loss of loved ones buried at this location. The parish plans to make this Memorial Day Mass an annual event to honor the deceased. The project was made possible by Dennis Durand and cemetery ministry volunteers Nick Parette, Andy Chopko, Paul Jordan, James Lentz, B.J. McCormick, Art Bunting, Joe Chirco, Andy Ferraro, Peter Franzese, Peter Kelnhofer and Dick Bensler.

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8440 Rea Rd., Charlotte NC 28277

(Across from St. Matthew)

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June 25, 2010

around the diocese

Jesuit priest reflects on 100 years of Catholic Charities

DIOCESAN NEWS IN BRIEF

Faith formation catechists mark milestone

Joseph T. Purello Special to The Catholic News & Herald CHARLOTTE ― Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski of Fordham University in New York City offered “Reflections on Charity, Justice and Mercy in Celebration of 100 Years of Catholic Charities USA” at the Diocesan Pastoral Center June 2. Parishioners from 11 parishes attended the event. Basing his presentation on Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclicals “Deus Caritas Est” (God is Love) and “Spe Salvi” (In Hope We are Saved), Father Koterski explored the place of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in the life of the Church, the summons to work for a just ordering of society based on reason and natural law, and the call to bear witness to our trust and hope in Jesus Christ. It is from this trust and hope, Father Koterski stated, that “our hearts can be stretched and enlarged” to love our neighbor and work for justice, even when our efforts seem futile or are challenged by secular forces. The two-part presentation concluded with the celebration of Mass in the Pastoral Center Chapel, a proper end to this day of reflection – for it is in the Eucharist that “love of God and love of neighbor are now truly united; God incarnate draws us all to Himself” (Deus Caritas Est, no. 14). This is the sixth year that Father Koterski, a professor of philosophy, has visited the Diocese of Charlotte to participate in educational events hosted by Catholic Social Services. The event was sponsored by the Respect Life Program of the CSS Family

The Catholic News & Herald 5

JEFFERSON ― Six catechists recently achieved certification in the first phase of the faith formation process under the direction and encouragement of Father Joseph Dinh, pastor of St. Francis Church in Jefferson and St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta. Patrick Hession, Celia Cabrera, Juana Barcenas, Felix Ortero, Chuck Spanbaner and Kathy Liszka have completed the six basic courses: The Catechist’s Call, Skills and Theory, Scripture, Morality, the Creed and the Sacraments. ― Submitted by Cris Villapando

photo provided by Joseph

T. Purello

Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski of Fordham University in New York City offered “Reflections on Charity, Justice and Mercy in Celebration of 100 Years of Catholic Charities USA” at the Diocesan Pastoral Center June 2. Life Office and the CSS Office of Justice and Peace to mark the 100th year of Catholic Charities USA, of which Catholic Social Services is a member agency. In the opening remarks to this presentation, Gerry Carter, associate director of Catholic Social Services, thanked Father Koterski for this opportunity to reflect on foundational concepts of the Church’s charitable ministries and for his assistance in helping Catholic Social Services mark CCUSA’s centennial year. Joseph T. Purello is director for the Office of Justice and Peace, a diocesan ministry of Catholic Social Services.

St. Matthew members say 10,000 rosaries BALLANTYNE ― During the month of May, St. Matthew Church parishioners participated in a special Rosaries for Life campaign. The goal was to recite 10,000 rosaries for the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death. Parishioners diligently kept track of their recited rosaries and reported their numbers via special rosary slips or via e-mail. The goal of 10,000 rosaries was successfully met, with parishioners exceeding that goal with a grand final count of 10, 311 rosaries. The event was coordinated by the Respect Life Ministry of St. Matthew. ― Submitted by Pat Rodite

Castrilli honored

KERNERSVILLE ― The Knights

of Columbus Council 8509 of Holy Cross Church honored Michael Castrilli June 5 with the $500 Staddon/Cain Scholarship Award, given annually to a student pursuing a Catholic education. Castrilli was also awarded $500 from the council’s Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP, as it is known). Michael Staddon and his wife Candy Cain Staddon presented the award on behalf of the two families that created the scholarship 22 years ago and continue to fund it by forgoing gift exchanges at Christmas. ― Submitted by Fred Hogan

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 be 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 members, preferably in uniform, please mail a color or black/white photocopy of them with their names 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. We welcome your parish’s news. E-mail items to Editor Patricia Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org.

Local fundraisers support Catholic Social Services

information provided by Ann Kilkelly, photos by

CHARLOTTE — Corrie and Rich DeVita hosted 90 guests at their home May 13 to renew friendships and to support programs of Catholic Social Services. Above, Corrie and Rich DeVita (left and right) chat with good friends Dr. Elizabeth Dean and Dr. Robert Iwaoka. Contributions from the evening will be used to support CSS services in the Charlotte area, including the food pantry, counseling, pregnancy support, burial assistance, refugee assistance, and others. Charlotte CSS offices are located in the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center, 1123 South Church St., 704-370-3262.

Marcos Aspiazu and Pattie Murray

GREENSBORO — Carolynn Rice and Susan Melvin (from the left) hosted a Martha & Mary’s Table luncheon May 19 at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro. With them are Ann Kilkelly, CSS diocesan director of development, and Diane Bullard, diocesan regional office director for CSS in the Triad. In the spirit of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42), 41 local women gathered for prayer and took action on behalf of CSS as contributors and volunteers. CSS provides counseling and other services to people in the Greensboro area. The office is located at 2201 W. Market St., on the property of Our Lady of Grace parish, 336-274-5577. Both fundraisers were inaugural events and will be held again next year.

6 The Catholic News & Herald

AROUND THE DIOCESE

First Communion

Receiving First Communion

photo by Vicki

June 25, 2010

Dorsey

Members of the Hispanic First Communion class of St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva received their First Holy Communion May 29 during Mass celebrated by Father Shawn Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal. Pictured are (from left) Aron Martin Guadarrama Ornelas, Daniela Perez Salinas, Gerrardo Rodrigues Perez and Stacy Gonzales Jimenez. The Knights of Columbus Honor Guard of the Great Smoky Mountain Assembly 3001 assisted in the celebration. Pictured with Father Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal are (from left) James Alexander; Dan Lange,

photo provided by Jo

MacWilliam

Thirty-four young people celebrated First Communion at St. Joan of Arc Church in Chandler May 30. Father Frank Seabo, pastor, celebrated the Mass. The parish family prays that their love of God leads them to be disciples of Christ.

commander; Jerry Ketchmark, faithful navigator; and Donal Pierce.

Confirmation at St. William

photo courtesy of

Michelle Calascione

Four young people were confirmed June 12 at St. William Church in Murphy. From left are Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey; confirmands Thea Belle Butler, Tyler Strickland, Tiara Toro and Randi Whidden; and Father George M. Kloster, pastor of St. William.

Congratulations, Father Hugo

photo provided by Tony

Maturo

Parishioners and members of the Knights of Columbus Council 8684 of St. Mary Church in Greensboro congratulate Vincentian Father Hugo Medellin after he celebrated his first Mass as a priest there on June 6. After being ordained in Philadelphia June 5, Father Hugo chose to celebrate his first Mass at St. Mary because he had spent the two previous summers at St. Mary and his family lives nearby. The parish rented a coach bus for his family and parishioners to attend his ordination in Philadelphia. He is a member of the Congregation of the Mission, a community of Catholic priests and brothers founded by St. Vincent de Paul in 1625 for the evangelization of the poor and the formation of the clergy. Vincentian priests and brothers total more than 4,000 worldwide and serve in 86 countries.

June 25, 2010

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Having fun and raising money

photo provided by Ellen

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Thank you for your service

N. Tommasi

The St. Elizabeth Anne Seton Guild of Holy Family Church in Clemmons recently held a “calendar party” that raised $2,260, including the donation above, for the Crisis Control ministry of WinstonSalem. The party featured 12 tables, each decorated for a month or holiday chosen by that table’s hostess. Guests enjoyed a dinner catered by parishioner Lucy Rossi and guild members, as well as a talk about laughter by guest speaker Bob Plemmons. Pictured above are Caroline Gentleman, Carol Nowak, Patty Gloekler, Lisa Nowak, Joy Dilembo, Ellen Tommasi, Priscilla McKay and Judy Meyer.

photo provided by

Mary A. Morales

St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte recognized four altar servers, who graduated this year, for their dedicated service over the past nine years. Certificates of recognition were awarded by Father Stan Kobel, parochial vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas, during the 11:30 a.m. Mass June 20. Pictured are seniors Evan Kent, Matthew Morales and Marty Jacobs, along with Deacon Brian McNulty. (Not pictured is Gregory Sorg.)

St. Francis of Assisi launches continuing ed program

photo provided by Claudia Graham

St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir celebrated Pentecost with the introduction of a ministry for continuing education from the non-profit Lighthouse Catholic Media. Father Julio Dominguez, pastor, had been listening to Lighthouse CDs for several months and wanted to share the program with his parishioners to help them continue to learn, grow and share their faith. A new kiosk at the church now features CDs from a catalog of more than 1,000 titles, in English and Spanish, on topics ranging from the sacraments to personal growth.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

June 25, 2010

IN OUR SCHOOLS

CCHS rugby team ranks fourth in U.S.

Our Lady of Grace students honor Mary

photo provided by Elizabeth Funck

Charlotte Catholic High School’s varsity rugby team finished fourth in the nation recently in the National High School Rugby tournament in Sandy, Utah. The team was eligible to compete at the national level after winning the N.C. state high school championship and then winning the South U.S. regional in Greenville, S.C., in April. In Greenville, CCHS beat teams representing Florida, South Carolina and Georgia to take the Southern U.S. title. All four of the nation’s top teams were Catholic high schools: No.1, Xavier High School

photo provided by Gary Gelo

Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade students at Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro gathered for a special prayer service to honor Mary in the month of May.

(New York); No. 2, Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.); No. 3, Jesuit High School (Carmichael, Calif.), and No. 4, Charlotte Catholic High School. Head coach is Brendan Keane.

Off to see butterflies

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photo provided by Gary Gelo

The pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes at Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro recently discussed caterpillars and their metamorphosis into

High Point Monroe Murphy Hamlet Reidsville

Albemarle Boone Brevard Greensboro Hickory

Salisbury Sparta Sylva Waynesville Winston-Salem

butterflies and moths. They capped off their lesson with a trip to All-a-Flutter Butterfly Farm in High Point May 25. Pictured above are students Layce Carswell and Owen Aufrance. While at the butterfly farm, the children were able to catch butterflies on sugar water pads, and some children inadvertently caught butterflies on their hair, backs, shoulders and knees!

7+(

For more information, contact: Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle

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plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org 704-370-3334

June 25, 2010

IN OUR SCHOOLS

OLM School goes Hollywood!

BMHS grads celebrate

photo by

The Catholic News & Herald 9

Mary B. Worthington

Graduates of Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville attended a baccalaureate Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point May 27. Bishop Peter J. Jugis celebrated the Mass, and during his homily he told the 136 graduates to “make practicing your faith part of your plans” for the future. “Take Christ as an ever present friend and companion as you move forward. Keep Him with you,” Bishop Jugis said. He also urged the graduates to follow the Lord’s call, especially if that be to the priesthood

Eighth-grade students at Our Lady of Mercy School in WinstonSalem celebrated their graduation June 4 with a “Night in Hollywood” theme, complete with red carpet presentations of the honorees. Seen peeking out from behind the red carpet drapes is the school’s principal, Sister Geri Rogers, who along with faculty members donned black T-shirts fashioned after those worn by Planet Hollywood staff. Large letters on the shirts read “SECURITY” — surrounded by angel wings. photo provided by

Margaret Dickson

Coaster mania at St. Ann School

or religious life. “Your happiness and success lies in your constant conversation with the Lord, listening to and following His plans.... You can count on your bishop to be praying for you,” he said. Class valedictorian was Mark Sowinski and salutatorian was Elizabeth Davis.

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photo provided by Lisa

B. Horton

St. Ann School fourth-graders joined students from other public and private schools in the Coaster Mania Contest at Carowinds May 21. In the contest, students are challenged to build a themed roller coaster and then judges whose areas of expertise are in engineering, electronics and operations evaluate and question the students’ work. St. Ann School in Charlotte brought home the Overall Winner award for the second year in a row.

Principals galore at St. Michael School St. Michael School first-graders Christopher O’Daly and Zachary Dubisky and second-grader Alex Abernathy were the three top winners to be “Principal of the Day” at the school’s recent fun fair and silent auction. Each had his own day to help Principal Joseph Puceta with his duties. They helped start the day with announcements, visited classrooms, handed out awards, served ice cream at lunch, helped with the carpool line and checked out the school grounds. Sitting at the desk (from left) are Zachary Dubisky, Alex Abernathy and Puceta. photo provided by Pat Burr

10 The Catholic News & Herald

A Rosary with lunch

June 25, 2010

IN OUR SCHOOLS SCHOOL NEWS IN BRIEF

St. Michael School recognizes graduates GASTONIA ― Three students were honored with notable awards during eighth-grade graduation at St. Michael School June 6: n Brooke Maddie and Michael Purello received the Pastor’s Award for achieving the highest academic averages among the graduating class. n Brooke Maddie also received

the Father Gregory Eichenlaub, O.S.B., Award for best exemplifying the traits of scholarship, leadership and compassion in the graduating class. n Alex Bidoglio received the Mother Margaret Mary, RSM, Award for best demonstrating an eagerness to set goals and to work diligently. ― Submitted by Pat Burr

Live Your Faith photo provided by Kelly Poehailos

During the month of May, Bishop McGuinness High School students celebrated Mary’s month by saying the holy rosary every Thursday. Everyone was invited during lunch to pray in front of a statue of Mary in the courtyard. It was well attended by faculty and students, and was a beautiful tribute to our Mother.

LAST CHANCE – Final deadline July 6! SPECTACULAR - UNSPOILED – HISTORICAL

CROATIA

with a visit to Medjugorje

October 18-28, 2010

Be affirmed in your present ministry. Upgrade your certification as a catechist and religion teacher. Fulfill the prerequisite for the Permanent Diaconate.

Grow in your faith. The Diocesan Office of Lay Ministry offers a two-year program designed to help you understand more fully your baptismal call to minister to your family, to others in the Church, and to those in your daily life. Sites include Arden, Bryson City, Charlotte, Greensboro and Lenoir.

We are currently accepting applications for the 2010-2012 program. Classes will be held in Arden, Charlotte and Greensboro Bring family and friends to join with the Diocese of Charlotte as we experience Croatia – lying just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy! We’ll see breathtaking natural beauty, significant places of European history and 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites! Plus, a visit to Medjugorje -- making this trip a definite favorite for all!

Highlights of these 11 days include: • Zagreb, the capital city with rich cultural and governmental history, and Roman settlements from the 1st century • beautiful, old-world Bled, Slovenia – a “pletna boat” will glide us across glacial Lake Bled with the majestic, snow-tipped Julian Alps as the backdrop

For more information call

Frank Villaronga, 704-370-3274 or E-mail favillaronga@charlottediocese.org

THE ORATORY 434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 2973-1586

(803) 327-2097

rockhilloratory.com

• a tour of the world-famous Lipizzaner horse farm where we’ll witness an actual training session of these magnificent Slovenian treasures! • charming seaside Opatija, nestled in beautiful woods with elegant villas and a seaside promenade to bring the Adriatic right up to your feet! • the spectacular, breathtaking phenomenon of Plitvice Lakes national park – 16 terraced lakes connected by magnificent waterfalls and free-flowing cascades. A lake cruise reveals the underwater life thriving in this natural wonderland! • the ancient seaside city of Split (once the most important Mediterranean port in then-Yugoslavia) where we’ll explore the Old City, the markets, Diocletian’s Roman Palace and much more of its charm and fascinating history

Summer Bible Institute Sunday, July 18 – Friday, July 23

• Medjugorje, the small village where we’ll have personal time for prayer, reflection and Mass at beautiful St. James Church

Mary Ann Getty – New Testament presenter Alice Cook – Old Testament presenter

• exciting Dubrovnik offers us its fascinating Old City, world-famous Franciscan Monastery, exceptional architecture, seaside promenade and more!

Old Testament topic: Old Testament Prophets.

• unforgettable home visit and culinary feast with a Croatian countryside family sharing their culture and customs to enrich our total experience!

Presentations will be Sunday night from 7-9 pm and Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:45 – 9:30 pm.

Unparalleled beauty, fascinating history and more await you on this trip! Check out these highlights on the Internet and you’ll see why Croatia is becoming a must-see destination, still unspoiled by “too many tourists.” Price per person (double occupancy) is only $3,379 and includes: roundtrip airfare from Charlotte; all hotels and transfers; most meals; fulltime professional Tour Manager; local guides. Not included are cancellation waiver/insurance ($200 per person) and air taxes/surcharges ($150).

For a brochure or questions, call Cindi Feerick at the diocese

New Testament topic: Parables of the Kingdom Presentations will be Monday through Friday mornings from 8:45 – 11:45 am. For further information, write to: Summer Bible Institute at The Oratory: Center for Spirituality.

June 25, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 11

From the cover

SEND US YOUR NEWS

We welcome your school’s1 news. PdmVstAng_5_10.pdf 4/30/10

1:37 PM

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

Food pantries in demand

Now serving Charlotte and Greensboro C

CMY

704-549-4010 336-665-5345

FOOD, from page 1

powdered drink mixes, etc. – would also be greatly appreciated. Foods and snacks that you’d serve your kids for breakfast or lunch, pantry organizers say, are among the items that disappear from the shelves the fastest at this time of year. Pantry organizers also suggest donations be items that are simple enough for kids to fix themselves with little preparation, since many are home alone each day. Jeannie Beall, social work supervisor with CSS in Charlotte, reports that the food pantries also need personal care items, such as toothpaste and deodorant, and household detergents, including

“The beauty of the garden. ..draws me every day.” ~ Joan Showfety, Pennybyrn resident since 2008. ~

photo by SueAnn

Howell

A volunteer helps sort nonperishable food items at the Pastoral Center food pantry in Charlotte. Supplies are critically low due to increased demand and immediate help is needed to replenish supplies. laundry soap, since government “food stamps” do not cover all of these items. n In Asheville, drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays to 50 Orange St. Mondays and Tuesdays are best, since the pantry serves clients on Wednesdays. n In Charlotte, drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays downtown at the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center, 1123 S. Church St. n In Winston-Salem, drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays to 627 W. Second St. Mondays and Tuesdays are best, because the pantry serves clients on Thursdays. In addition, Asheville and WinstonSalem have refrigerated storage and can accept perishable food items, including lunch meat and milk. Both pantries also welcome donations of extra produce from people’s home gardens. Staff writer SueAnn Howell contributed to this story.

Gardens were a real source of inspiration for Pennybyrn resident Joan Showfety’s late husband William. And it’s still true for Joan, especially now that her husband’s benches reside at Pennybyrn retirement community. “Here, I find solace and peace. And that same contentment is what I find at Pennybyrn.” For Joan, the retreat-like setting is perfect for moments of reflection. “Pennybyrn offers many ways to stay strong and get inspired.” You too can find contentment. Call (336) 821-4050 or toll-free (866) 627-9343.

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12 The Catholic News & Herald

Parishioner pens book about grief BOOK, from page 1

When Kelly first arrived early the next morning, no one knew for sure what had become of her oldest son. But after resuming the search later that morning, the diving team found Stephen and the reality hit hard. Standing at the shoreline, Kelly was in the most difficult crisis any parent could ever face: the death of a child. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unexpected death could have shattered her ability to love, but that day Kelly chose a different path â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of gratitude, one of incredible faith. The loss of a loved one was not unknown to her. The day she had welcomed her newborn son Stephen was also the same day she said goodbye to his twin brother, Matthew, who died at birth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Past losses gave me a perspective that I needed and it helped me make the decision to not become angry and bitter,â&#x20AC;? Kelly says. She speaks of that day on the shoreline with such precision, as one who recalls a major crossroads in life.

FOR MORE Kelly Buckleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gratitude in Grief: Finding Daily Joy and a Life of Purpose Following the Death of my Sonâ&#x20AC;? is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and her Web site, www.gratitudeingrief.com.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I initially negotiated with God. Once I realized that would not work, I asked God to help me and take care of my broken heart. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what else to do. I have always thought I was a strong and resilient person â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but at that moment, I had no answers, no strength, and no power. So I simply surrendered.â&#x20AC;? Her prayer was that she would not become a bitter person and that she could keep a sense of joy for life, even after losing her son. She remembered saying to God, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;OK, God. I have no answers. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking to you,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? and sensing in a real way that God was there leading her â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with Stephen close by. Instinctively Kelly turned to her parish, St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, for support. She says she will never forget how her parish embraced her family and journeyed with them through this past year. She could have felt isolated in her grief, but the support from others has comforted them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She tried to find good in every day because she felt closer to Stephen when she was positive,â&#x20AC;? says Rita Brennan, the bereavement coordinator at St. Matthew, adding that she felt the Lord truly showed Kelly the way to deal with the pain. Kelly mentioned how she felt as though she was being urged to write down her daily reflections, later published in her first book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gratitude in Grief: Finding Daily Joy and a Life of Purpose Following the Death of My Son.â&#x20AC;? Because Kelly is a private person, Brennan says she marvels at how she was able to share this incredibly personal experience in a book and reach out to others on her blog (found at www. gratitudeingrief.blogspot.com).

June 25, 2010

FROM THE COVER Father Patrick Cahill, assigned to St. Matthew Church during the time, recalls, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kelly and her family really pulled together despite the fact that their hearts were broken from such a terrible tragedy. As her parish priest, I admired how she decided to make God part of the solution rather than the cause of the problem.â&#x20AC;? Finding gratitude in grief might seem impossible, but Kelly is living it each day with Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace. She speaks of the gifts she received through the daily challenges. She is thankful that she is more compassionate and that her faith has shifted into something deeper and more authentic. What she was taught as a child about faith has deepened into a much more personal relationship with God. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I no longer hold onto the baggage of life, pains of the past or fears of the future. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death has taught me how to live today to the fullest, to be present in each moment and celebrate it as the gift it is. I understand what is really important and it is and always will be about the love,â&#x20AC;? Kelly says, quickly giving credit to God and to Stephen, who seems to be guiding her every step of the way. That love is evident in the role her family plays in her daily gratitude. Family has always been important in her life, and she is thankful for her wonderful and supportive husband Brady and her younger son Brendan, who have been close companions on the journey. The lessons they all have learned through Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death have brought them closer together. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I am courageous. When this situation came, I said that I chose happiness because I could not imagine choosing anything else. Choosing anything else would not honor Stephen in the way he deserves. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve approached each day, minute by minute, saying that I am going to look for the good. Initially, it was simply a means of survival. But I now understand that it is the secret to a happy life. Look for it,â&#x20AC;? she said. She also emphasizes that finding gratitude doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lessen the heartbreak of losing someone. Instead, she believes, her perspective has changed the level of suffering she has experienced. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gratitude canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take the pain of loss away. But it has allowed me to manage the suffering of grief. It has allowed me to continue to see that the world is full of goodness, even in loss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At each fork in the road of life, you are presented with a choice. You can approach your life with fear or you can look at the situation as God sees it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with love. I choose love, and each time I do, I feel Stephen smiling.â&#x20AC;?

Basilica earns national protection BASILICA, from page 1

proof that the basilica was entirely designed, constructed and supervised by Guastavino was compiled by the parish and approved by the U.S. government. Guastavino is known for his revival of an ancient tile and mortar building style that had been used in Spain for centuries. Layers of thin tile embedded in layers of mortar are used to create curved horizontal surfaces. Vaults and domes, as well as floors, roofs, ceilings and stairs, are all formed using this technique. Some of Guastavinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prominent work can be seen in St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basilica in Rome and Our Lady of the Forsaken Church in Valencia, Italy, where he was born. The dome of St. Lawrence Basilica was modeled after the dome at Our Lady of the Forsaken Church. Guastavino passed away in 1908, and his crypt is located in the basilica. One year after his death, Abbot Bishop Leo Haid dedicated the new church in Asheville, and in 1920 Cardinal James Gibbons consecrated it as St. Lawrence Church. More than 50 years later, Pope John Paul II designated the church as a minor basilica in 1993. John Toms, a parishioner of the basilica who maintains the parish archives, helped with obtaining the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;national significanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

photo by George Cobb

The Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville, already on the Register of Historic Places, has recently been designated a site of â&#x20AC;&#x153;national significance.â&#x20AC;? designation. In association with the N.C. Department of Archives and History, Toms provided the additional documentation needed and sent it to the National Register office in Washington, D.C., a branch of the National Park Service. The government agreed to the designation in May. â&#x20AC;&#x153;St. Lawrence Basilica is really a remarkable building,â&#x20AC;? Toms said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With this designation, the basilica can now qualify for a Save Americas Treasures Grant from the federal government.â&#x20AC;? The preservation group at the basilica estimates it would cost approximately $5 million to make restorations to the 100-year-old basilica that are badly needed. The group is hoping to raise public and private money for the project in the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our next step will be to pursue National Historic Landmark status,â&#x20AC;? Toms said.

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The Catholic News & Herald 13

June 25, 2010

Culture Watch

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

Early evidence of devotion to apostles found in catacombs Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service ROME (CNS) ― In the basement of an Italian insurance company’s modern office building, Vatican archaeologists – armed with lasers – discovered important historical evidence about the development of Christian devotion to the apostles. At Rome’s Catacombs of St. Thecla, in the burial chamber of a Roman noblewoman, they have discovered what they said are the oldest existing paintings of Sts. Peter, Paul, Andrew and John. Technicians working for the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology discovered the painting of St. Paul in June 2009 just as the Year of St. Paul was ending. Barbara Mazzei, who was in charge of the restoration work, said June 22 that she and her team members knew there were more images under the crust of calcium carbonate, but excitement over the discovery of St. Paul in the year dedicated to him led them to announce the discovery even before the rest of the work was completed. Presenting the complete restoration of the burial chamber to reporters a year later, Monsignor Giovanni Carru said the catacombs “are an eloquent witness of Christianity in its origins.” Into the fourth century, Christians in Italy tried to bury their dead near the tomb of a martyr. The walls of the tombs of the

wealthy were decorated with Christian symbols, biblical scenes and references to the martyr. At the Catacombs of St. Thecla, the noblewoman’s burial chamber – now referred to as the Cubicle of the Apostles – dates from late in the fourth century. The arch over the vestibule features a fresco of a group of figures the Vatican experts described as “The College of the Apostles.” The ceiling of the burial chamber itself features the most typical icon found in the catacombs – Christ the Good Shepherd – but the four corners of the ceiling are decorated with medallions featuring the four apostles, said Mazzei. Fabrizio Bisconti, the commission’s archaeological superintendent, said in the decorations of the catacombs one can see “the genesis, the seeds of Christian iconography,” with designs from the very simple fish as a symbol of Christ to the resurrection image of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. The discovery of so much attention to the apostles in the Catacombs of St. Thecla documents the fact that widespread devotion to the apostles began earlier than what most Church historians believed, he said. “This is the time when the veneration of the apostles was just being born and developed,” he said, and the art in the catacombs no longer presented just the martyrs or biblical scenes. The burial chamber also features

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER CHARLOTTE Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School in Charlotte is now accepting applications for a Special Education Teacher. Position: Special Education Teacher in the Learning/Language Stimulation Program. Position to begin: August 2010 Terms: 2010-2011 School Year Salary: Diocesan scale based on experience and qualifications Qualifications: Master's Degree in Special Education/Learning Disabilities. Eligible for NC Certification. Experience teaching Special Needs Students. Good communication skills. Good technology skills. Must be able to differentiate instruction for 6-8th graders in a full-day program. Practicing Catholic. Application: Applications can be found at CharlotteDiocese.org under Schools. Application and Resume sent to: Holy Trinity LLSP Program, C/O Kevin Parks, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School, 3100 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209. 704-527-7822. kparks@htcms.net Additional Information: Position to remain open until filled.

CNS photo by Nicola Forenza, Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology

The burial chamber of a Roman noblewoman, left, is seen in this lighted view of the Catacombs of St. Thecla in Rome June 22. Fourth-century paintings of Sts. Peter, Paul, Andrew and John on the ceiling of the woman’s burial chamber are believed to be the oldest in existence.

Detail of St. Peter

Detail of St. Paul

frescoes of Daniel in the lion’s den, the Three Wise Men bringing gifts to Jesus, Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, and a very large wall painting of the noblewoman herself – jeweled, veiled and with “an important hairstyle,” a symbol of status in ancient Rome, he said. Mazzei said when restorers first went into the burial chamber in 2008, all the walls were white – completely covered under the crust of calcium carbonate that ranged from a millimeter thick to 4-5 centimeters deep. The Vatican, however, had watercolors and diary descriptions from the 1800s testifying that there were paintings on the walls. In the past, she said, restorers would use tiny scalpels and brushes to

Detail of St. Andrew

Detail of St. John

remove the white crust, but some of the paint always came away with it. Restorers were left trying to find the right balance between removing enough to see a faint image of a catacomb fresco and destroying it. Then along came the laser, Mazzei said. The restoration project was just as painstaking as the scalpel-and-brush method because it involved firing the laser pinpoint by pinpoint across the surface of the cubicle, “but the result is totally different,” Mazzei said. Bisconti said the Vatican has no plans to open the Catacombs of St. Thecla to the public, although the pontifical commission occasionally gives permission for groups to visit, as long as they are willing to pay a licensed guide and escort.

“SING LIKE A CATHOLIC”

GREGORIAN CHANT WORKSHOP Open to everyone – no experience required!

August 6-7

Ending with a Missa Cantata Saturday, 6:30 pm Instructors: Jeffrey Tucker & Arlene Oost-Zinner Cost: $99.00 (waived for seminarians and clergy) Registration and information: www.stanncharlotte.org

St. Ann Catholic Church, 3635 Park Road, Charlotte

704-523-4641

14 The Catholic News & Herald

June 25, 2010

in the news

40 years in the priesthood

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! The following diocesan priests are marking anniversaries of their ordination to the priesthood in 2010: 10 years Father David Brzoska Father Joseph L. Dinh Father Christopher M. Gober Father Matthew Kauth Father Jaehee Lee Father Shawn M. O’Neal Father Luis S. Osorio Father Frank J. Seabo 15 years Father James M. Collins Father Eric L. Houseknecht Father Mark S. Lawlor

CNS photo by Paul Haring

photo by

Heather Bellemore

Monsignor Richard Bellow, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, receives a portrait painted by parishioner Mary Crow (right) at a celebration honoring his 40th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. Monsignor Bellow was ordained a priest in 1970 at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Albany, N.Y., by Bishop Joseph Broderick (“of happy memory,” said Msgr. Bellow). He has served 23 years in the Diocese of Charlotte, serving first as pastor of St. John Neumann Church in

20 years Father John A. Allen

Charlotte in 1987, then as pastor of St. Gabriel Church

25 years Father Brian J. Cook

at St. Mark Church.

30 years Father John M. Pagel

in Charlotte before moving to his current responsibilities

Father Shawn marks 10th anniversary

35 years Father Richard N. Hanson Father Lawrence W. Heiney Father Joseph V. Mulligan Father Francis J. O’Rourke

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives for a prayer vigil with some 10,000 priests as part of the closing of the Year For Priests in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 10.

Pope answers questions on prayer, celibacy, vocations VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) ― Priests from around the world gathered at a prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square June 10, where Pope Benedict XVI responded to their questions. The pope spoke on the importance of prayer and the Eucharist in the life of priests and defended the role of celibacy. He also emphasized the importance of each priest having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ before he can fulfill his calling, as well as the importance of prayer, which the pope called the “profession of the priest.” Encouraging priests to take the time they need to nourish their souls through prayer, the pope added, “The Lord will help us make the right decisions if we are prayerfully attuned to him.” Priests and the Eucharist The Pontiff pointed to Mother Teresa as an example of “a love that abandons itself” to reach out to the forsaken. He recalled how she would always place a tabernacle at the center of each new community. Priests must live out the Eucharist, said the Holy Father, reminding those present that “the Eucharist is not a closure to the rest of the world,” but is open to the world’s needs.

40 years Rev. Monsignor Richard M. Bellow, VF 45 years Father Francis M. Cintula (ret.) 55 years Father Thomas Clements (ret.) Rev. Monsignor Joseph S. Showfety (ret.) Father James K. Solari (ret.)

photo provided by Kathy Posey

Parishioners at St. Joseph Church in Bryson City and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Cherokee honored Father Shawn O’Neal, pastor, on his 10th anniversary of priesthood with a potluck luncheon June 13 after Mass. Father Shawn’s parents also attended the Mass and the celebration, and his mother presented him with a handmade quilt featuring the different places where he has studied or ministered since being ordained a priest in 2000. Parishioners also spoke about how much they appreciated him and his ministry.

Priests in the Modern World The Pope encouraged theologians to “be brave” in the midst of a world that excludes the Gospel. Drawing on a distinction made by St. Bonaventure, he warned against a “theology of arrogance” that makes God a mere object rather than a subject speaking to us. Instead, the Pope said, priests must engage in a “theology stimulated by love” that seeks to dialogue with Love and come to a better knowledge of the Beloved. Priestly Celibacy One question directed to the

pope was about “the true meaning and depth of ecclesiastical celibacy.” He explained that the foundation of the priesthood is the Eucharist, and priestly celibacy must be understood in light of this unity with Christ. “We are going forth towards the life of Resurrection,” he said, a life in which “we will be beyond marriage.” Therefore, “Celibacy is simply an anticipation, a foretaste, made possible by the grace of the Lord, that pulls us towards the risen world and helps us transcend ourselves.” In a world where people think only about the present and not about eternal life, priestly celibacy is a living reminder of that reality to the world, he said. Priestly celibacy isn’t simply “not getting married,” he added. While the avoidance of marriage is based on a selfish rejection of commitment, celibacy means “saying that final yes.” “It is an act of trust, an act of fidelity.” In this way, “celibacy confirms the yes of marriage.” The world does not understand this, he said, because in a world where there is no room for God, “celibacy is a scandal.” The Pope encouraged priests to let “the scandal of our faith” shine forth in their lives. Encouraging Priestly Vocations The pope also warned against the temptation to transform the priestly vocation into a mere job to attract larger numbers to the priesthood. He recalled the Scripture story of how King Saul had been awaiting the necessary sacrifice before a battle, but when Samuel did not arrive, Saul tried to perform the sacrifice. Saul was not a priest, so he had taken on a role not rightfully his. In the same way, the pope said, a vocation comes from God, not from our own doing. “We must avoid taking things into our own hands,” he said. Rather, we should “pray insistently for vocations” and wait with trust for the Lord to answer our prayers.

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Year For Priests concludes

Pope Benedict XVI: ‘The priest is a gift from the heart of Christ, a gift for the Church and for the world’ VATICAN CITY (CNA/ EWTN News) ― Thousands of pilgrims and faithful gathered June 13 in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Angelus with Pope Benedict XVI. Before the prayer, the pope said the fruits of the recently ended Year For Priests could never be measured, but are already visible and will continue to be ever more so. “The priest is a gift from the heart of Christ, a gift for the Church and for the world. From the heart of the Son of God, overflowing with love, all the goods of the Church spring forth,” he proclaimed. “One of those goods is the vocations of those men who, conquered by the Lord Jesus, leave everything behind to dedicate themselves completely to the Christian community, following the example of the Good Shepherd.” The pope described the priest as having been formed by “the same charity of Christ, that love which compelled Him to give His life for His friends and to forgive His enemies.” “Therefore,” he continued, “priests are the primary builders of the civilization of love.” He exhorted priests to always seek the intercession of St. John Marie

Vianney, whose prayer, the “Act of Love,” was prayed frequently during the Year For Priests, and “continues to fuel our dialogue with God.” The pope also spoke about the close of the Year For Priests, which culminated with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He emphasized “the unforgettable days in the presence of more than 15,000 priests from around the world.” The feast of the Sacred Heart is traditionally a “day of priestly holiness,” but this time it was especially so, he said. He concluded his comments by noting that, in contemplating history, “one observes so many pages of authentic social and spiritual renewal which have been written by the decisive contribution of Catholic priests.” These were inspired “only by their passion for the Gospel and for mankind, for his true civil and religious freedom.” “So many initiatives that promote the entire human being have begun with the intuition of a priestly heart,” he said. At the closing Mass of the Year For Priests on Thursday, the pope reviewed the purpose of the year, saying he wanted the Church to appreciate and reflect on the priesthood, which shows the “audacity

of God who entrusts Himself to human beings.” Because the Church focused on the good of the priesthood, the devil reacted by inspiring the timing of the recent revelations of clerical sex abuse within the Church, he said. “It was to be expected that this new radiance of the priesthood would not be pleasing to the ‘enemy,’” he said. “He would have rather preferred to see it disappear, so that God would ultimately be driven out of the world.” “And so it happened that, in this very year of joy for the sacrament of the priesthood, the sins of priests came to light – particularly the abuse of the little ones, in which the priesthood, whose task is to manifest God’s concern for our good, turns into its very opposite.” During his homily the pope noted how the Year For Priests was celebrated to ensure “a renewed

appreciation of the grandeur and beauty of the priestly ministry.” “The priest is not a mere office holder,” he said. “Rather, he does something which no human being can do of his own power: in Christ’s name he speaks the words which absolve us of our sins and in this way he changes, starting with God, our entire life.” “Over the offerings of bread and wine, he speaks Christ’s words of thanksgiving ... which open the world to God and unite it to Him. The priesthood, then, is not simply ‘office’ but Sacrament.” The fact that God confers Holy Orders on men demonstrates His “audacity” in entrusting Himself to human beings,” the pope observed. Moreover, “this audacity of God is the true grandeur concealed in the word ‘priesthood’. ...This is what we wanted to reflect upon and appreciate anew over the course of the past year.”

Speaking on the desire for increased vocations, the pope said we “wanted to reawaken our joy at how close God is to us ... we also wanted to demonstrate once again to young people that this vocation, this fellowship of service for God and with God, does exist.” Reflecting on clerical sex abuse scandals, the pope said we “too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again; and that, in admitting men to priestly ministry and in their formation, we will do everything we can to weigh the authenticity of their vocation and make every effort to accompany priests along their journey ... .” “Had the Year For Priests been a glorification of our individual human performance, it would have been ruined by these events,” he added. “But for us what happened was precisely the opposite: we grew in gratitude for God’s gift, a gift concealed in ‘earthen vessels’ which ever anew, even amid human weakness, makes His love concretely present in this world.” “So let us look upon all that happened as a summons to purification, as a task which we bring to the future and which makes us acknowledge and love all the more the great gift we have received from God. In this way, His gift becomes a commitment to respond to God’s courage and humility by our own courage and our own humility,” he urged.

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Pope: ‘Every Christian and every priest should To conclude the Year For Priests, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square on June 11, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The full text of the Holy Father’s homily: Dear Brothers in the Priestly Ministry, Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Year For Priests which we have celebrated on the 150th anniversary of the death of the holy Curè of Ars, the model of priestly ministry in our world, is now coming to an end. We have let the Curé of Ars guide us to a renewed appreciation of the grandeur and beauty of the priestly ministry. The priest is not a mere office holder, like those which every society needs in order to carry out certain functions. Instead, he does something which no human being can do of his own power: in Christ’s name he speaks the words which absolve us of our sins and in this way he changes, starting with God, our entire life. Over the offerings of bread and wine he speaks Christ’s words of thanksgiving, which are words of transubstantiation – words which make Christ Himself present, the Risen One, His Body and Blood – words which thus transform the elements of the world, which open the world to God and unite it to Him. The priesthood, then, is not simply “office” but sacrament: God makes use of us poor men in order to be, through us, present to all men and women, and to act on their behalf. This audacity of God who entrusts Himself to human beings – who, conscious of our weaknesses, nonetheless considers men capable of acting and being present in His stead – this audacity of God is the true grandeur concealed in the word “priesthood.” That God thinks that we are capable of this; that in this way He calls men to His service and thus from

within binds Himself to them: this is what we wanted to reflect upon and appreciate anew over the course of the past year. We wanted to reawaken our joy at how close God is to us, and our gratitude for the fact that He entrusts Himself to our infirmities; that He guides and sustains us daily. In this way we also wanted to demonstrate once again to young people that this vocation, this fellowship of service for God and with God, does exist – and that God is indeed waiting for us to say “yes.” Together with the whole Church we wanted to make clear once again that we have to ask God for this vocation. We have to beg for workers for God’s harvest, and this petition to God is, at the same time, His own way of knocking on the hearts of young people who consider themselves able to do what God considers them able to do. It was to be expected that this new radiance of the priesthood would not be pleasing to the “enemy”; He would have rather preferred to see it disappear, so that God would ultimately be driven out of the world. And so it happened that, in this very year of joy for the sacrament of the priesthood, the sins of priests came to light – particularly the abuse of the little ones, in which the priesthood, whose task is to manifest God’s concern for our good, turns into its very opposite. We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again; and that, in admitting men to priestly ministry and in their formation, we will do everything we can to weigh the authenticity of their vocation and make every effort to accompany priests along their journey, so that the Lord will protect them and watch over them in troubled situations and amid life’s dangers. Had the Year For Priests been a glorification of our individual human performance, it would have been ruined by these events. But for us what happened was precisely the opposite: we grew in gratitude for God’s gift, a gift concealed in “earthen vessels” which ever anew, even amid human weakness, makes His love concretely present in this world. So let us look upon all that happened as a summons to purification, as a task which we bring to the future and which makes us acknowledge and love all the more the great gift we have received from God. In this way, His gift becomes a commitment to respond to God’s courage and humility by our own courage and our own humility. The Word of God, which we have sung in the Entrance Antiphon of today’s liturgy, can speak to us, at this hour, of what it means

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become a wellspring which gives life to others’ to become and to be a priest: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). We are celebrating the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in the liturgy we peer, as it were, into the heart of Jesus opened in death by the spear of the Roman soldier. Jesus’ heart was indeed opened for us and before us – and thus God’s own heart was opened. The liturgy interprets for us the language of Jesus’ heart, which tells us above all that God is the shepherd of mankind, and so it reveals to us Jesus’ priesthood, which is rooted deep within His heart; so too it shows us the perennial foundation and the effective criterion of all priestly ministry, which must always be anchored in the heart of Jesus and lived out from that starting point. Today I would like to meditate especially on those texts with which the Church in prayer responds to the word of God presented in the readings. In those chants, word (Wort) and response (Antwort) interpenetrate. On the one hand, the chants are themselves drawn from the Word of God, yet on the other, they are already our human response to that Word, a response in which the Word itself is communicated and enters into our lives. The most important of those texts in today’s liturgy is Psalm 23(22) – “The Lord is my shepherd” – in which Israel at prayer received God’s selfrevelation as shepherd, and made this the guide of its own life. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”: this first verse expresses joy and gratitude for the fact that God is present to and concerned for humanity. The reading from the Book of Ezechiel begins with the same theme: “I myself will look after and tend my sheep” (Ez 34:11). God personally looks after me, after us, after all mankind. I am not abandoned, adrift in the universe and in a society which leaves me ever more lost and bewildered. God looks after me. He is not a distant God, for whom my life is worthless. The world’s religions, as far as we can see, have always known that in the end there is only one God. But this God was distant. Evidently He had abandoned the world to other powers and forces, to other divinities. It was with these that one had to deal. The one God was good, yet aloof. He was not dangerous, nor was He very helpful. Consequently one didn’t need to worry about Him. He did not lord it over us. Oddly, this kind of thinking re-emerged during the Enlightenment. There was still a recognition that the world presupposes a Creator. Yet this

God, after making the world, had evidently withdrawn from it. The world itself had a certain set of laws by which it ran, and God did not, could not, intervene in them. God was only a remote cause. Many perhaps did not even want God to look after them. They did not want God to get in the way. But wherever God’s loving concern is perceived as getting in the way, human beings go awry. It is fine and consoling to know that there is someone who loves me and looks after me. But it is far more important that there is a God who knows me, loves me and is concerned about me. “I know my own and my own know me” (Jn 10:14), the Church says before the Gospel with the Lord’s words. God knows me, He is concerned about me. This thought should make us truly joyful. Let us allow it to penetrate the depths of our being. Then let us also realize what it means: God wants us, as priests, in one tiny moment of history, to share His concern about people. As priests, we want to be persons who share His concern for men and women, who take care of them and provide them with a concrete experience of God’s concern. Whatever the field of activity entrusted to him, the priest, with the Lord, ought to be able to say: “I know my sheep and mine know me.” “To know,” in the idiom of sacred Scripture, never refers to merely exterior knowledge, like the knowledge of someone’s telephone number. “Knowing” means being inwardly close to another person. It means loving him or her. We should strive to “know” men and women as God does and for God’s sake; we should strive to walk with them along the path of friendship with God. Let us return to our Psalm. There we read: “He leads me in right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me” (23[22]:3ff.). The shepherd points out the right path to those entrusted to Him. He goes before them and leads them. Let us put it differently: the Lord shows us the right way to be human. He teaches us the art of being a person. What must I do in order not to fall, not to squander my life in meaninglessness? This is precisely the question which every man and woman must ask and one which remains valid at every moment of one’s life. How much darkness surrounds this question in our own day! We are constantly reminded of the words of Jesus, who felt compassion for

the crowds because they were like a flock without a shepherd. Lord, have mercy on us too! Show us the way! From the Gospel we know this much: He is Himself the way. Living with Christ, following Him – this means finding the right way, so that our lives can be meaningful and so that one day we might say: “Yes, it was good to have lived.” The people of Israel continue to be grateful to God because in the Commandments He pointed out the way of life. The great Psalm 119(118) is a unique expression of joy for this fact: we are not fumbling in the dark. God has shown us the way and how to walk aright. The message of the Commandments was synthesized in the life of Jesus and became a living model. Thus we understand

In this way we also wanted to demonstrate once again to young people that this vocation, this fellowship of service for God and with God, does exist – and that God is indeed waiting for us to say “yes.” that these rules from God are not chains, but the way which He is pointing out to us. We can be glad for them and rejoice that in Christ they stand before us as a lived reality. He Himself has made us glad. By walking with Christ, we experience the joy of Revelation, and as priests we need to communicate to others our own joy at the fact that we have been shown the right way. Then there is the phrase about the “darkest valley” through which the Lord leads us. Our paths as individuals will one day lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, where no one can accompany us. Yet He will be there. Christ Himself descended into the dark night of death. Even there He will not abandon us. Even there He will lead us. “If I sink to the nether world, you are present there,” says Psalm 139(138). Truly you are there, even in the throes of death, and hence our Responsorial Psalm can say: even there, in the darkest valley, I fear no evil. When speaking of the darkest valley, we can also think of the dark valleys of temptation, discouragement and trial through which everyone has to pass. Even in these dark valleys of life, He is there. Lord, in the darkness of temptation, at the hour of dusk when all light seems

to have died away, show me that You are there. Help us priests, so that we can remain beside the persons entrusted to us in these dark nights. So that we can show them Your own light. “Your rod and your staff – they comfort me”: the shepherd needs the rod as protection against savage beasts ready to pounce on the flock; against robbers looking for prey. Along with the rod there is the staff which gives support and helps to make difficult crossings. Both of these are likewise part of the Church’s ministry, of the priest’s ministry. The Church too must use the shepherd’s rod, the rod with which she protects the faith against those who falsify it, against currents which lead the flock astray. The use of the rod can actually be a service of love. Today we can see that it has nothing to do with love when conduct unworthy of the priestly life is tolerated. Nor does it have to do with love if heresy is allowed to spread and the faith twisted and chipped away, as if it were something that we ourselves had invented. As if it were no longer God’s gift, the precious pearl which we cannot let be taken from us. Even so, the rod must always become once again the shepherd’s staff – a staff which helps men and women to tread difficult paths and to follow the Lord. At the end of the Psalm we read of the table which is set, the oil which anoints the head, the cup which overflows, and dwelling in the house of the Lord. In the Psalm this is an expression first and foremost of the prospect of the festal joy of being in God’s presence in the temple, of being His guest, whom He Himself serves, of dwelling with Him. For us, who pray this Psalm with Christ and His Body which is the Church, this prospect of hope takes on even greater breadth and depth. We see in these words a kind of prophetic foreshadowing of the mystery of the Eucharist, in which God Himself makes us His guests and offers Himself to us as food – as that bread and fine wine which alone can definitively sate man’s hunger and thirst. How can we not rejoice that one day we will be guests at the very table of God and live in His dwelling place? How can we not rejoice at the fact that He has commanded us: “Do this in memory of me”? How can we not rejoice that He has enabled us to set God’s table for men and women, to give them His Body and His Blood, to offer them the precious gift of His very presence? Truly we can pray

together, with all our heart, the words of the Psalm: “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps 23[22]:6). Finally, let us take a brief look at the two communion antiphons which the Church offers us in her liturgy today. First there are the words with which St. John concludes the account of Jesus’ crucifixion: “One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out” (Jn 19:34). The heart of Jesus is pierced by the spear. Once opened, it becomes a fountain: the water and the blood which stream forth recall the two fundamental sacraments by which the Church lives: baptism and the Eucharist. From the Lord’s pierced side, from His open heart, there springs the living fountain which continues to well up over the centuries and which makes the Church. The open heart is the source of a new stream of life; here John was certainly also thinking of the prophecy of Ezechiel, who saw flowing forth from the new temple a torrent bestowing fruitfulness and life (Ez 47): Jesus Himself is the new temple, and His open heart is the source of a stream of new life which is communicated to us in baptism and the Eucharist. The liturgy of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus also permits another phrase, similar to this, to be used as the communion antiphon. It is taken from the Gospel of John: Whoever is thirsty, let him come to me. And let the one who believes in me drink. As the Scripture has said: “Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (cf. Jn 7:37ff.). In faith we drink, so to speak, of the living water of God’s Word. In this way the believer himself becomes a wellspring which gives living water to the parched earth of history. We see this in the saints. We see this in Mary, that great woman of faith and love who has become in every generation a wellspring of faith, love and life. Every Christian and every priest should become, starting from Christ, a wellspring which gives life to others. We ought to be offering life-giving water to a parched and thirsty world. Lord, we thank You because for our sake You opened Your heart; because in Your death and in Your resurrection You became the source of life. Give us life, make us live from You as our source, and grant that we too may be sources, wellsprings capable of bestowing the water of life in our time. We thank You for the grace of the priestly ministry. Lord bless us, and bless all those who in our time are thirsty and continue to seek. Amen.

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Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

God can be understood through faith and reason VAT I C A N C I T Y ( C N S ) ― Christians can come to an understanding of God and His plan through reason that is enlightened by faith, Pope Benedict XVI said as he explained the works of St. Thomas Aquinas. At the weekly general audience June 23 at the Paul VI audience hall, the pope said the 13th-century saint and doctor of the church showed in his writings how the intellect and faith come together to bring Christians closer to the mystery of God. The pope, continuing his weekly lessons on the teachings of theologians from the Middle Ages, praised St. Thomas’ monumental unfinished work, the “Summa Theologica.” He said that in it St. Thomas posed questions that are relevant today. Through methods of inquiry inspired by ancient Greek philosophers, the pope said, he was able to “arrive at precise and lucid conclusions about the truth of faith that are accessible to all of us.” Pope Benedict said St. Thomas taught that man’s free will and thought must be “illuminated by prayer, enlightened from above.” He said that, according to St. Thomas, moral nature lies in the “free will of man to perform acts of good, integrating reason, will and passion,” but to which must be added “the grace of God through the virtue and gifts of the Holy Spirit.” In writing about the apostles, the pope said, St. Thomas said that man cannot live and learn without the experience of others. The saint taught that wise, noble and rich people listened to the apostles even though they were poor and simple because their words had been inspired by Jesus Christ. St. Thomas taught that “the soul unites with God and becomes a sprout of eternal life,” the pope said. He said St. Thomas placed great importance on the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.

The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI

Following is the text of the pope’s remarks in English: Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our catechesis on the Christian culture of the Middle Ages, we turn once more to the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas. The “Summa Theologica,” his masterpiece, reflects Thomas’ serene confidence in the harmony of faith and reason, and in the ability of reason, enlightened by faith, to come to an understanding of God and His saving plan. The Summa treats of the Triune God in Himself, in His work of creation, and in the Person of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son, whose humanity is the means by which we return to the Father. Thomas illustrates the working of divine grace, which perfects our natural gifts and enables us, through the practice of the virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to attain the eternal happiness for which we were created. His description of Christ’s saving work stresses the importance of the seven sacraments, and especially the Eucharist. These great theological truths are also reflected in Thomas’ preaching which in a clear and simple way presents the mysteries of the faith, the content of Christian prayer, and the demands of a moral life shaped by the natural law and the Gospel’s new commandment of love. With the Angelic Doctor, let us pray for the grace to love the Lord with all our heart, and to love our neighbor, “in God and for God.”

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 27 – JULY 3

Sunday, 1 Kings 19:16, 19-21, Galatians 5:1, 13-18, Luke 9:51-62; Monday (St. Irenaeus), Amos 2:6-10, 13-16, Matthew 8:18-22; Tuesday (Sts. Peter and Paul), Acts 12:1-11, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, Matthew 16:13-19; Wednesday, Amos 5:14-15, 21-24, Matthew 8:28-34; Thursday (Bl. Junipero Serra), Amos 7:10-17, Matthew 9:1-8; Friday, Amos 8:4-6, 9-12, Matthew 9:9-13; Saturday (St. Thomas, Apostle), Ephesians 2:19-22, John 20:24-29

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 4 – JULY 10

Sunday, Isaiah 66:10-14, Galatians 6:14-18, Luke 10:1-12, 17-20; Monday (St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria), Hosea 2:16-18, 21-22, Matthew 9:18-26; Tuesday (St. Maria Goretti), Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13, Matthew 9:32-38; Wednesday, Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12, Matthew 10:1-7; Thursday, Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9, Matthew 10:7-15; Friday (St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions), Hosea 14:2-10, Matthew 10:16-23, Saturday, Isaiah 6:1-8, Matthew 10:24-33

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 11 – JULY 17

Sunday, Deuteronomy 30:10-14, Colossians 1:15-20, Luke 10:25-37; Monday, Isaiah 1:10-17, Matthew 10:34-11:1; Tuesday (St. Henry), Isaiah 7:1-9, Matthew 11:20-24; Wednesday (Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha), Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16, Matthew 11:25-27; Thursday (St. Bonaventure), Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19, Matthew 11:28-30; Friday (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel), Isaiah38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8, Isaiah 38:10-12, 16, Matthew 12:1-8; Saturday, Micah 2:1-5, Matthew 12:14-21

A priest saved my life before I was ever born The day began as very ordinary, but it would end in a way that could never be forgotten: I remember coming home, late as usual from my friend’s house, hungry and ready for dinner. As I ran into the kitchen, banging the door behind me, I found my mother dying before my eyes. The white-lace handkerchief she held to her mouth was quickly turning red. In her other hand she clutched a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux. Little did I know, at the time, that her lungs were giving out. Like St. Therese, she was suffering from tuberculosis. As she managed to catch her breath, she asked me to pray for her. It was the most terrifying moment of my entire nine years of life. I begged over and over, “Please, dear Jesus, don’t let Mother die!” My father quickly came home from work, and the doctor and the priest were immediately called. When the priest arrived at our door, his presence was like no other. Close to his heart he carried the Blessed Sacrament in a little gold case, which we had learned at St. Francis Xavier School was called a pyx. An altar boy preceded him, ringing the golden bells. As we knelt down, the young priest walked towards my mother’s room. Suddenly I sensed, even though I was only nine, that there was something very special about this priest. He was very young and had a spiritual quality about him that seemed to completely connect with the Person of Christ: the One he was bringing to my dying mother. Soon after the priest, the doctor and the ambulance left, my older sister Nancy, who had reached the advanced age of 12, took matters into her own hands and outlined a plan of action. From now on, she said, she and I would get up and walk to the 6:30 Mass each morning at St. Francis Xavier Church in the East Bronx. Not only was Mass on our agenda, but Nancy also came up with difficult things for us to offer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. She called these mortifications. “Whoa,” I thought, “this is beginning to sound really hard!” But Nancy was thinking this should cover all our bases, and “persuade” Our Lord to spare our mother’s life. Her logic seemed very much on target. My mother did recover, but she spent three long years in a tuberculosis hospital until a cure for the dreaded disease was finally found. While Mother was in the hospital, Nancy took good care of our dad and me. As the years passed, Nancy and I grew up, married happily and raised our children. Then one day my mother was again near death, but now not from tuberculosis, but from complications after a broken hip. She told me of a life-changing incident that had occurred many years before. It seems, that after Nancy was born, like so many others, my mother fell into the contraceptive mentality.

Guest Column Lois H. Coyne Guest Columnist

Then one evening, in her parish, she attended a “mission,” as they were called then. These were actually miniretreats, held each night for about five evenings in a row. On this particular night, an older visiting priest spoke of marriage and children, and he stressed the joy that trusting Our Lord would bring into everyone’s life. He said this trust would help prevent our hearts from becoming hardened by fear. While listening to his words, my mother was “converted” in that moment of grace. After that evening, artificial contraception was no longer a part of her life. She implied that if it hadn’t been for that priest’s talk that night, I might never have been born. Not long after my mother had described this incident to me, it was clear to us all that she had only a few short days left to live. This time, however, Our Lord had a special treat for my mother and me. This time when she received the anointing of the sick, the priest was again young, newly ordained and close to Our Lord. But this time, the priest who helped my mother into God’s presence was my own son Greg, her much-loved grandchild. Who would have ever imagined such happiness could combine with the sorrow of losing this good and faithful woman? Greg was very moved to know that Our Lord had chosen him to administer the last sacraments to his own grandmother as she passed into eternal life. Since then, he continues to remember her soul in the celebration of Mass each day. Over the years since my mother’s death, I remember to pray for all priests, but especially for the one who, by telling the truth during that parish mission so long ago, in a real sense, saved my life. Little did he know the effect his words would have on the lives of so many. My husband, Don, and I have been blessed with 11 children, all of whom practice their Catholic faith. We remember to thank Our Lord for holy priests and dedicated lay people who continue to speak the truth, thereby granting true joy and freedom to all men and women of good will. Lois H. Coyne and her husband Don are members of St. Bernadette parish in Silver Spring, Md. She is the mother of 11 children and 31 grandchildren.

June 25, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 19

My father and St. Joseph are my heroes because of how they loved their families Every kid needs a hero growing up. When I was a child my hero was my dad, and when I became a man St. Joseph – the New Testament fosterfather par excellence – became my role model. When I was growing up, my friends worshipped sports stars and superheroes. But for me, Pete Rose and Superman couldn’t touch my father. My dad was not a religious man and did not practice the faith until the very end of his life. He was, however, a true family man. He had to be in order to raise nine children together with my mom. My father had a superhuman presence and seemed larger than life. It wasn’t so much what he did; it was who he was: He was my dad. What I remember the most about my dad was the quality time I spent with him. He took the time to show me how to throw a curve ball. He took the time to show me how to shine my shoes and wash a car. And he also took the time to take walks with me on the beach, while he made up stories about being a World War II veteran. When I remember my dad, who is now deceased, I also think of my other hero, St. Joseph. As the foster-father of the Child Jesus, St. Joseph was undoubtedly truly committed to his Holy Family, much as my dad was. Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., once quipped about

St. Joseph: “Next time you think you’re perfect, try having coffee at the kitchen table with the Immaculate Conception and the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.” St. Joseph was a man of action and few words. Actually, there is not a single word of his recorded in the Gospel. But his consent to the angel not to divorce Mary because the child was of the Holy Spirit, and later his obedience to flee to Egypt overnight soon after Jesus’ birth, were pivotal decisions. As a father myself, every time I complain to God for not having enough means to support my family, I have only to reflect on the fact that St. Joseph supported his family on a carpenter’s income, and early on, he did it in a foreign country. It wasn’t until my daughter Brianna was born that I understood what Jesus meant when He said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 18:3). I recall a moment when Brianna was about 2 years old, when as I was taking her out of her car seat, she whispered sleepily, “Daddy, please don’t drop me.” My immediate response was, “Sweetheart, Daddy would never drop you.” Right then, God Our Father revealed to me that He would never drop us – but we hit the ground, usually rear-end first, when

View from the Back Pew Rico De Silva Columnist

we choose to let go of Him. St. Joseph’s role as Jesus’ fosterfather is often overlooked. What an incredible mission for such an ordinary man to raise God’s only Son. God wanted His Son to enjoy the same adulation children have shown their fathers since the dawn of creation because our earthly fathers are supposed to reflect the “awesomeness” of Our Father. I dare say that St. Joseph was Jesus’ hero as He was growing up. This Father’s Day, my prayer for all fathers is that just as St. Joseph was to Jesus, my father was to me, and your father is or was to you, we become our children’s heroes. I believe that is God’s will for us fathers, and the true meaning behind Father’s Day. St. Joseph, Foster-Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us. Rico de Silva is a member of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte.

Honor your loved ones with memorial gifts Spring is a time our thoughts turn to cherished loved ones. Mothers Day, Memorial Day, graduations and Fathers Day lead us to reflect on the impact those who are dearest to us have had on our lives and our communities. Many people search for an appropriate way to remember loved ones through a memorial gift in their honor. You may not be aware of the many opportunities for memorial giving that the Church offers. For example, a family can combine resources to establish an endowment in the diocesan foundation to honor their parents. Income provided through this endowment fund can be for the benefit of a special parish ministry, Catholic school tuition assistance, or other Catholic entity or program that has been important to them. Some families choose to make memorial gifts directly to a parish. Others may choose to make a gift to their favorite Catholic School, or to Catholic Social Services to support its outreach programs. Gifts made in honor of loved ones are most often made in the form of a check. This is a convenient method for the giver, provides a tax deduction within allowable limits for those

who itemize their deductions, and can readily be put to good use by the Church. But cash is only one of many funding sources for memorial gifts. Assets such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds that have increased in value can also be used to make gifts in honor of others. In addition, by using appreciated assets to create a memorial or honor gift, you can receive extra tax savings. When you fund a memorial gift with an appreciated stock you have owned for more than one year, you can deduct the entire market value from your taxable income. Plus, you avoid any capital gains tax on the stock because you donated it for charitable use. These additional tax savings are why many people prefer to make memorial gifts using assets other than cash. Another means of creating a memorial is to do so through a gift that is completed through a bequest in your will. This can also be combined with a gift to establish an endowment during your lifetime. The endowment could be named for your loved one, and then added to through your bequest gift. From having a Mass said in your loved one’s honor, to establishing a

Legacy Notes Judy Smith Diocese of Charlotte

permanent endowment through the foundation, there are several ways to honor someone dear to you. If you are searching for a way to create a lasting memorial to a loved one in your life, or if you are looking for a meaningful gift for a graduation, or any special day – consider a gift that will tangibly benefit the entire Catholic community. Perhaps the right gift is an honor or memorial gift directed to your parish, Catholic school, Catholic agency, the diocese or the foundation. Judy Smith is Director of Planned Giving for the Diocese of Charlotte. For more information about planned giving, contact her at 704-370-3320 or jmsmith@charlottediocese.org.

Letters to the Editor 11th commandment: Don’t break God’s heart Dear Editor, The current economic depression is the result of our own misdeeds. Some of us are guiltier, most innocent – though all of us will pay the ransom demanded to right our economy. That ransom will be paid more by the innocent than the guilty. The damage done from the economic crisis is more of a sin against our fellow man. It has crushed hopes, dreams and lives. It has caused great stress on individuals and society. We caused the collapse, we will suffer through it and we will fix it. The damage done from that pipeline leak in the Gulf of Mexico is more of a sin against God. If there were an 11th Commandment, it would surely be “Don’t break God‘s heart.” Broken-hearted He must be, as this oil leak is indiscriminately killing all His creatures of the sea. Today there is a hole in God’s heart as big as the leak in the Gulf, and we put both of them there. I pray that God will be forgiving. James Brigham High Point, N.C.

Parents should guide children, not society Dear Editor, Children in our society today need so much. That much must come from their parents, not the computer, cell phone or the streets. As a divorcee, I raised two positivethinking daughters. It was hard, but I stayed on them all the time. I worked second shift at the time, and I visited the school unannounced before going to work. I prayed every day for guidance and help, yet prayer seems to be forgotten in society today. I served in the U.S. Army from 1978 to 1998. The Army taught me a great deal, but my parents were my motivation for life. Parents should guide their children for a better life. God will help. Remember, whatever you put in life is what you will get out of it. Lucy M. Hammond Matthews, N.C.

Write a Letter to the Editor The Catholic News & Herald welcomes letters from readers. We ask that letters be originals of 250 words or fewer, pertain to recent content or Catholic issues, and be in good taste. E-mail letters to: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

June 25, 2010

The Catholic News & Herald 20

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