CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte welcomed back Archbishop Valerian Okeke of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria, on a pastoral visit this week.
While in Charlotte, the archbishop met with Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., and with a priest from his archdiocese who is serving in Charlotte: Father Innocent Amasiorah. Father Amasiorah has been serving as campus minister at UNC-Charlotte and in July will move to serve as parochial administrator of Our Lady of the Angels Misson in Marion.
Archbishop Okeke last visited the Charlotte diocese in 2024. Leader of the Onitsha archdiocese since 2003, he shepherds approximately 2 million Catholics in Anambra State, Nigeria. The archdiocese encompasses more than 500 priests and 600 religious, 136 parishes, five hospitals, seminaries, a microfinance bank, and 123 schools renowned as among the best in the country.
— Liz Chandler | Catholic News Herald
After packing literally hundreds of thousands of meals and other supplies during their annual Monsignor McSweeney World Hunger Drive each summer, St. Matthew parishioners box up everything, pray over their work, then load up multiple shipping containers that are sent abroad to help people in need. (File photo provided by St. Matthew Parish)
CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Parish’s 23rd annual Monsignor McSweeney World Hunger Drive is in full swing and everyone is invited to participate.
Over the past 22 years, parishioners have provided more than 4.5 million pounds of food and medical supplies, almost 4 million packaged meals, and hundreds of thousands of dollars for education and sustainability projects to create a bridge of hope between Charlotte and the impoverished countries of India, Cuba, Venezuela, Jamaica and Haiti. Locally, the campaign is addressing increased food insecurity by supporting food banks and providing financial support to western North Carolina.
Former pastor Monsignor John McSweeney’s passion to help was what launched the drive more than two decades ago.
“When we saw a meal pack being done at a Protestant church over 20 years ago, we went back and told Monsignor how it would be cool for us to do our own. We thought out of the gate we could manage 20,000 meals,” said Steven Favory, parishioner and executive director of the nonprofit Hands for Haiti. “But Monsignor said, ‘Nope, we are doing a full container or nothing at all.’ And we have been in love with it ever since.”
This year’s event, which seeks to raise $400,000, kicked off July 12 with multiple ways to volunteer and contribute. There’s even a 3 v. 3 Hoops for Hunger basketball tournament fundraiser on Aug. 2. On August 16, thousands of volunteers and Bishop Michael Martin will roll up their sleeves, gathering scoops of rice, dried veggies, vitamins and beans, creating enough meal-packs to fill eight 45,000-pound shipping containers which will then be dispersed worldwide.
This year, St. Matthew’s will support Haiti by wiring money to contacts to buy food locally since looting and political instability are hindering shipments. A shipping container that cost around $4,000 to ship last year now has a price-gouged tag of $54,000, making direct monetary support a better option.
“This annual event is an opportunity for us to put the Gospel into action for those on the margins,” said Father Pat Cahill, newly appointed pastor of St. Matthew. “Whatever you can do to support the Monsignor McSweeney World Hunger Drive will be blessed and multiplied by our God of abundance.”
To sign-up or donate visit https://stmatthewcatholic.org/worldhungerdrive
— Lisa M. Geraci