CHARLOTTE — The confirmation class at St. Peter Church recently spent a “Social Justice Day” at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse organized and led by catechist and parishioner Spencer Merriweather who is an assistant district attorney assigned to the district attorney’s Homicide Team.
During the annual “Social Justice Day at the Court,” confirmation students also met and learned from Walter Dennis, a jail chaplain with Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office; Heather Taraska, a prosecutor, assistant district attorney, supervisor of the district attorney’s Juvenile Team and St. Peter parishioner; Missy Owen, a criminal defense attorney and St. Peter parishioner; District Court Judge Donnie Hoover; and Pamela Escobar, the community outreach administrator for the court system.
Each of these court professionals discussed their unique perspectives on how they practice their Catholic faith within the criminal justice system. The youth also participated in exercises using the Scriptures to facilitate discussions about what Jesus teaches about justice and mercy.
To watch the court in action, the confirmation candidates even sat in on a few trials.
— Photo provided by Cathy Chiappetta and Joan Guthrie