2020: Responding in faith to a challenging year

This past year has certainly been anything but ordinary – in almost every part of our lives.

And nearly every aspect of the work of the Church – everything from the celebration of the sacraments, to outreach to the sick and the poor, to pastoral outreach and care – was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, thanks to the many blessings from God and reliance on each other, the people of the Diocese of Charlotte have responded to the challenges posed by the pandemic with charity, hope and faith in God’s providence – striving for holiness as missionary disciples of Christ.

The inspiring efforts documented in each edition of the Catholic News Herald throughout 2020 are many. The diocesan offices and most of the 92 parishes and missions across western North Carolina transitioned to working remotely with minimal interruption in services. People turned to livestreamed Masses, online giving, Zoom calls and email prayer chains to support their parish and one other. And all of the diocese’s 19 schools successfully shifted to remote learning in March – then, through careful planning and collaboration with families and public health officials, returned to in-person instruction in the fall.

When the pandemic forced churches to cancel most public Masses and parish activities in March, then carefully reopen with safety measures in place, clergy and parish staffs adapted with creativity and inspiration – finding new ways to connect in the digital sphere. Masses streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. Email newsletters instead of paper bulletins. Phone calls and porch visits. Drive-through Eucharistic Adoration, rosaries and outdoor confessions. Whatever it took to help keep people connected to their faith and to their parish family.

Temporarily waiving the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, Bishop Peter Jugis entreated the faithful to rely on the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide them through the difficult times. “Be holy,” he reminded people in numerous homilies, entreating everyone to exercise the fruits of the Holy Spirit: among them charity, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, faithfulness and peace.

As the pandemic ravaged families and local economies, the Church in western North Carolina also redoubled its efforts to provide charitable outreach.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte quickly adapted to respond to increased requests for food, clothing, financial help and burial assistance. Food pantries in Asheville, Charlotte and Winston-Salem shifted to curbside food distribution when pandemic restrictions prevented people from coming inside to receive emergency food assistance. Catholic Charities’ burial assistance program provided more than a hundred dignified burials for the especially destitute, including four children.

When the pandemic shut down most in-person services, Catholic Charities also successfully converted its counseling program to a telehealth service to serve hundreds of people remotely through what has been an anxiety-filled time for so many.

Catholic Charities also provided emergency rent and utility assistance to families economically affected by the pandemic, to help them avoid utility shut-offs or eviction. This was made possible thanks to financial support from the people of the diocese as well as two grants totaling $115,000 from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg COVID-19 Response Fund.

Across the diocese, parish food pantries also continued their vital work to meet the needs of the underserved in their communities. Besides providing food and emergency aid, parishes also partnered with local health care providers to host free COVID-19 testing.
Hispanic Ministry, as well as Campus Ministry, RCIA, Youth Ministry, Lay Ministry and other programs across the diocese also shifted to virtual services and video conferencing after the pandemic prevented in-person meetings and classes.

The 2020 Eucharistic Congress was necessarily re-imagined in response to the pandemic. The 16th annual Congress, originally scheduled for Sept. 12-13, 2020, shifted from what would have been a large celebration in uptown Charlotte to parish- and home-based family celebrations. Parishes developed their own worship and educational programs for youth and adults alike, including Eucharistic Adoration and Mass. Bishop Jugis offered a special Mass streamed live from St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, and the Catholic News Herald provided supplemental educational materials for families to deepen their devotion to the Eucharist.

Not even a pandemic could stop the work of the Church in fostering vocations as well, and so on July 24, 2020, Bishop Jugis conferred the sacrament of holy orders on Jacob Mlakar and Jonathan Torres, welcoming them as the diocese’s newest priests. The next month, on Aug. 15, 2020, he instituted as acolytes 12 men in formation for the permanent diaconate. And on Sept. 15, 2020, he formally opened and blessed the new permanent home for St. Joseph College Seminary. The diocese’s growing vocations program now supports 41 men in various stages of formation for the priesthood.
The pandemic also did not stop the Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corp. from continuing its ministry to build affordable housing for vulnerable seniors, adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and other vulnerable/underserved populations. Guardian Angel Villa, a three-story, 81-unit community in Charlotte for seniors – the diocese’s largest project to date – opened in December.

As a new year dawns, we pray that God will continue to guide us every step of the way and that we are able to rise to the challenges we face – striving together in faith and holiness, serving as examples of His love and mercy to others.

— Catholic News Herald

Building for growth

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, 2020 saw several building and special projects take shape across the Diocese of Charlotte:

JUNE: St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro completed a renovation that included a new altar and ambo, pews, carpeting and lighting.
SEPTEMBER: The permanent home for St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly was formally opened and blessed by Bishop Peter Jugis. The $20 million project includes 30,000 square feet of living-and-learning space, and serves as home to young men exploring a vocation to the Catholic priesthood while also pursuing undergraduate degrees at nearby Belmont Abbey College.
Also in September, the Sisters of the Poor Servants of the Mother of God broke ground on a state-of-the-art Lillian Congdon Transitional Rehab Center at Pennybyrn. Pennybyrn is a continuing care retirement community located in High Point operated by the sisters since 1947.
OCTOBER: Immaculata School in Hendersonville officially celebrated the completion of a major renovation effort. The $900,000 remodeling project included a new security vestibule and visitor check-in system, upgrades to the school’s technology infrastructure, the addition of an intercom system, classroom renovations, and lighting Improvements throughout. Restrooms were remodeled, and a prominent canopy was added to the length of the front entrance and sidewalk.
DECEMBER: Guardian Angel Villa, the Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corp.’s largest-ever affordable housing project, was blessed by Bishop Jugis. Residents began moving into the 81-unit, $14 million project before Christmas.
Also in December, significant renovations were completed on St. Barnabas Church in Arden and on the Curlin Center at Holy Family Parish in Clemmons. In Arden, the renovation included new pews, flooring, finishes and an expansion of the sanctuary. Additional meeting rooms, offices, storage, and a new chapel was part of the Curlin Center’s renovation effort.

Other projects under way

Ground was broken in December on a $21 million, 47,700-square-foot Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Fine Arts Center that will be built on the campus of Charlotte Catholic High School. The project is expected to be completed before the start of the 2022-’23 school year.
n Christ the King High School’s capital campaign for a new Athletic & Activity Complex reached important fundraising milestones. Construction is expected to begin next summer.
Asheville Catholic School is building a 12,000-square-foot addition. The $3.9 million project includes six new classrooms, dedicated art room, new restrooms, storage, meeting rooms, custodial facilities and a common area.
St. Luke Church is building a pavilion, athletic fields and rectory on approximately 30 acres along Fairview Road in Mint Hill. The projects totaling $2.173 million comprise the first phase of a major expansion plan for the growing parish community.

Leadership changes

In February, Father Julio Dominguez was appointed by Bishop Jugis to be the new Vicar for Hispanic Ministry, succeeding Father Fidel Melo.
Growth in the work of the Education Vicariate prompted Bishop Jugis to add a second vicar for education. Father Timothy Reid was appointed Vicar for Education: For Catholic Schools. Father Roger Arnsparger, the current education vicar, became Vicar for Education: For Catechetical Formation.
On June 1, the Catholic Schools Office also welcomed a new superintendent, Dr. Gregory Monroe.

In memoriam

Deacon Charles Lee “Chuck” Brantley Sr., who served at St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville, died Feb. 27, 2020. He was 89.

Deacon Patrick Joseph Devine III, who served as a chaplain at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, died Dec. 10, 2020. He was 73.

Deacon Gordon Lawrence Forester, who served at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greensboro, died Aug. 1, 2020. He was 97 and the oldest deacon serving in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Dominican Sister Florence Gavin, who guided people in their spiritual lives at St. Jude Parish in Sapphire Valley and Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Highlands from 1990 to 1991, died Dec. 8, 2020. She was 91.
Sister of Mercy Mary Julia Godwin, who served as a Sister of Mercy for 72 years and taught in Asheville, Gastonia, Charlotte and Salisbury, died Dec. 10, 2020. She was 92.

Glenmary Father Roland Raymond Hautz, who served at St. William Church in Murphy, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson and St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta, died March 14, 2020. He was 92.

Deacon James “Jim” Ray Johnson, who formerly served at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Morganton, died March 10, 2020.

Deacon Joseph H. Mack, who served at St. John Neumann Parish in Charlotte, died March 22, 2020, aged 95.

Sister Regis McNulty, who served at Charlotte Catholic High School (1972-’73) and was principal at St. Joan of Arc School in Asheville (1973-’74). died Dec. 4, 2020. She was 92.

Father Gabriel Joseph Meehan, who served at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville, St. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine, Holy Infant Church in Reidsville, Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Albemarle, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir and Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City, died Sept. 6, 2020. He was 89.

Deacon Thomas P. O’Connell, who served at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem, died Jan. 4, 2020. He was 84.

Sister Mary Alma Pangelinan, who was a Sister of Mercy for 71 years, died May 24, 2020, at the age of 89.

Benedictine Father Arthur J. Pendleton, a monk and priest of Belmont Abbey, died Feb. 21, 2020, He was 90.

Deacon Michael LeVon Stout, who served at St. Barnabas Church in Arden, died Feb. 4, 2020, He was 75.

Deacon John Otto Zimmerle, who served at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Mocksville from June 2001 to his retirement in October 2014, died Nov. 27, 2020. He was 80.