CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announced Aug. 1 that Father Richard Benonis, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Roman Church in Maggie Valley, and Father Frank O'Rourke, pastor of St Gabriel Church in Charlotte, are to retire.
He expressed gratitude for their years of priestly ministry and asked prayers that "God continue to shower and bestow His blessings" on them, during his homily message at a Mass honoring jubiliarian priests at St. Patrick Cathedral.
Father Richard Sutter has been named pastor of St. Gabriel Church to succeed Father O'Rourke. Father Sutter has served as served as parochial administrator at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Waynesville and Immaculate Conception Mission in Canton since 2018. Read more about Father Sutter.
Father Christopher Bond, parochial vicar at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte for the past year, will succeed Father Benonis as pastor of St. Margaret Church. Read more about Father Bond.
Succeeding Father Sutter in Waynesville and Canton will be Father Paul McNulty. Currently the chaplain of Christ the King High School, Father McNulty will move Oct. 15 to become pastor at St. John the Evangelist Church and Immaculate Conception Mission when Father Sutter moves to St. Gabriel Church. Read more about Father McNulty.
Father O'Rourke was ordained nearly 44 years ago.
“I find that I am ready to transition to the next phase of my ministry,” he wrote in an email newsletter to parishioners at St. Gabriel Church. “I am grateful to Bishop Jugis who has accepted my request to retire later this year. It is a great blessing to begin and end my years of active ministry as a priest at St. Gabriel.”
Father O'Rourke Father O'Rourke was ordained by the late Bishop Michael J. Begley, the first bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, at St. Ann Church for the Feast of Christ the King Sunday, Nov.
Father Richard Benonis 23, 1975. Father O'Rourke is one of the first 10 priests ordained to serve the Charlotte diocese since it was established Jan. 12, 1972.
He has served at St. Ann, St. Patrick and St. Gabriel churches in Charlotte, St. Benedict the Moor Winston-Salem, St. John Neumann, Holy Family in Clemmons and Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro.
Father Benonis has spent more than 60-plus years of priestly ministry. A Pennsylvania native, Father Benonis grew up in a large family and was one of two brothers who were called to the priesthood.
In his early years of ministry, he served in several parishes, he worked with the Boy Scouts, and he planned medical ethics courses for Catholic nurses and students.
He then began his work with the Ecumenical Movement, which included a Philadelphia radio talk show with Protestant clergyman.
He also served as a U.S. Army chaplain for 20 years, with many of those years serving overseas – including Germany and two tours in Vietnam, holding an officer’s rank.
Returning stateside, he earned a master’s degree in counseling from Long Island University.
While he was serving in Germany, Father Benonis became an executive team priest with Worldwide Marriage Encounter for several years before retiring from the Army. He served again as the chaplain at the San Antonio, Texas, VA Hospital.
Upon retirement, he moved to Maggie Valley and has continued to serve the people of God as pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Church.
— Catholic News Herald
Read more about Father Benonis' 60-plus years of priestly ministry: https://bit.ly/2LW1jQR
Read more about Father O'Rourke's service as one of the first priests ordained for the Diocese of Charlotte: https://bit.ly/2MzL5N8