CHARLOTTE — Two months after Tropical Storm Helene slammed through the state, parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte are banding together through a new “Sister Parish Program” to help bring material and spiritual recovery.
In October, Bishop Michael Martin called on parishes spared by the storm to partner with parishes and missions that need long-term support. While the program continues to evolve as needs change, so far 35 “sister” parishes in the diocese and beyond are raising money and providing other support to 20 parishes whose communities were hit hardest.
“Anytime there is some kind of major event like this, our instinct is to want to help,” said Father Benjamin Roberts, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe, which is partnering with
Sacred Heart Parish in Brevard. “This gives us a systematic way to respond.”
Most parishes in need of help are paired with at least two sister parishes who will pray, provide supplies and volunteers as needed, and raise money through special collections each month to help impacted parishes recoup lost offertory funds. The bishop also suggests sister parishes offer monthly Holy Hours and check-ins to assess any staffing help needed.
The partnerships offer sister parishes in the eastern half of the diocese a tangible way to help fellow churches in the western half, whose parishioners have lost homes, jobs and loved ones – and are turning to their faith for comfort but are unable to support their churches as they normally do.
More than half of the diocese’s 93 parishes are involved in the Sister Parish Program as contributors or recipients. Others are also stepping in to offer support, including St. Basil the Great Eastern Catholic Parish in Charlotte, Jesus the Divine Word Parish in Maryland, and Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh.
The Sister Parish Program also offers a chance for parishes and clergy to deepen their relationships with one another and stretch beyond their own communities.
“Our parish jumped into action the day the storm hit and got invested in helping the communities out west both survive and thrive,” said Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Parish in Huntersville.
His parishioners were among the first to send in supplies after the storm, establishing a pipeline to some of the worst hit areas. St. Mark is paired with St. John the Evangelist in Waynesville and St. Bernadette in Linville. It plans a Holy Hour on Dec. 18 to pray for all of those affected and hopes its financial contributions will go far.
“Just as Jesus fed the multitudes with just five loaves and two fishes,” Father Putnam said, “we pray that our contributions will multiply in their impact to help those in need.”
Declining offertories
The needs in the west are daunting.
Mountain churches are providing more material and spiritual support than ever, yet are faced with declining offertories. Some people have no way to get to Mass, and those who do attend are struggling to rebuild their lives and homes.
Gregory Stewart, a St. Bernadette parishioner, is gutting and rebuilding his home in Linville after five feet of water from the Linville River rushed into the dwelling. He lost all his furniture but still has his construction job, and said he is thankful to have survived. “We made it out alive so that’s what is important – you can rebuild a structure,” he said.
The Sister Parish Program aims to collect enough money from contributing parishes to “make the impacted parishes whole,” said Matt Ferrante, the diocese’s chief financial officer.
His office will help affected parishes determine how much they need by comparing their current offertory with their average collections before the storm. Some parishes may need more than their sister parishes are able to raise, while others may need less – so contributions will be pooled to aid as many affected parishes as possible.
Rebuilding lives
Keeping offertories steady will help affected parishes provide sacraments and services as normal, but many are also going further.
At St. Lucien Parish in Spruce Pine, one of the hardest hit areas, Father Christopher Bond has parishioners who need money for basic supplies, rebuilding efforts and to pay bills.
“We’ve helped many people so far but there are going to be those who come with needs later on, there are others who have needs but have been too proud to ask,” Father Bond said. “It’s important to get money into people’s hands, not only so they can buy the things they need, but also to stimulate the economy in this region.”
One of St. Lucien’s partner parishes is St. Ann in Charlotte, led by Father Timothy Reid. Through the partnership, Father Bond connected with a St. Ann parishioner who has experience working with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Catholic organization that provides basic services, and is helping set up a case management system to address long-term needs.
At St. Elizabeth in Boone, Father Brendan Buckler is looking to the future.
“We have moved out of the phase of short-term needs like food and water and are looking to more long-term assistance – helping people rebuild their lives, buying things like building materials and heaters,” said Father Buckler, who also pastors the Church of the Epiphany in Blowing Rock.
In Canton, one of the diocese’s western most churches, Immaculate Conception Mission has gained a sister through Christ the King – a fellow mission in Kings Mountain.
“A mission church may not have all the resources and development that a parish does, but it is a real community rooted in a particular place,” said Father Peter Ascik, pastor. “I think that mission church communities are well equipped to understand and support one another. Both our parish and mission communities were involved in a supply drive that we delivered to people in need soon after the storm, and there is enthusiasm for continuing to lend a hand.”
Father Ascik also pastors St. Mary Help of Christians Parish in Shelby, which is partnered with St. Lucien and devoted 50% of the proceeds from its fall fundraising festival to the Sister Parish Program.
At Sacred Heart in Brevard, one of the biggest challenges is helping those whose homes were destroyed or damaged, said Father Shawn O’Neal, pastor. “The biggest need people really have is housing. Many people want to stay in the area and it’s a challenge to find somewhere to live.”
Spiritual support
For Father Christian Cook, the Sister Parish Program has special meaning.
He left Swannanoa three weeks before Helene – reassigned as a pastor in Greensboro after over a year at St. Margaret Mary. “My heart aches for my former parishioners,” Father Cook said.
“Their new pastor hadn’t arrived yet when the storm came through, so they were facing unimaginable hardships and were without a priestly presence.”
Father Cook felt fear after the storm when he couldn’t reach his father in Asheville for two days. Between Masses that weekend, he kept calling, trying to reach his dad, Bill Cook Sr., 85, a parishioner of St. Eugene, who was trapped inside his home by fallen trees, without power and water. Finally, his sister managed to reach their father and take him to safety in her home. But many of Father Cook’s former parishioners weren’t as fortunate.
With cell service down, he jumped in remotely to help parish secretary Claudia Graham keep St. Margaret Mary’s social media accounts updated as a hub of information. The diocese sent truckloads of water, food and other goods.
“The church became a central location for people in need of supplies and basic necessities,” Father Cook said, “but it also became a place where hope could be found.”
As pastor now at St. Pius X in Greensboro, Father Cook said he looks forward to forging a deep relationship between his friends in the mountains and his new parishioners.
Besides taking up a monthly second collection for St. Margaret Mary, he’s planning opportunities for prayer at St. Pius X “to show our solidarity and support,” he said. Some of his Greensboro parishioners are planning to visit St. Margaret Mary. Students at St. Pius X School are going to send letters and cards.
Priests across the diocese are also planning to travel to offer Masses at the impacted parishes.
Brevard’s Father O’Neal has scheduled pastor exchanges with both of his sister churches, Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Peter. While Sacred Heart’s offertory remains robust, he sees the Sister
Parish Program as a way to link Catholics together in a diocese that spans 20,700 square miles.
“This helps us make connections between parishes who might not otherwise get to know each other,” he said. “It helps us build and strengthen the bonds of the Church.”
— Christina Lee Knauss
Sister Parishes
1. Church of the Epiphany, Blowing Rock
Sister parishes: Our Lady of the Annunciation (Albemarle), St. Joseph (Newton)
2. Immaculate Conception, Hendersonville
Sister parishes: St. James the Greater (Concord), Christ the King (High Point)
3. Immaculate Conception, Canton
Sister parish: Christ the King (Kings Mountain)
4. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cherokee
Sister parish: Immaculate Heart of Mary (Hayesville)
5. Sacred Heart, Brevard
Sister parishes: Our Lady of Lourdes (Monroe), St. Peter (Charlotte)
6. Sacred Heart, Burnsville
Sister parishes: Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (Raleigh), Holy Family (Clemmons)
7. St. Andrew the Apostle, Mars Hill
Sister parishes: Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (Raleigh), St. Mary’s (Greensboro)
8. St. Barnabas, Arden
Sister parish: St. Paul the Apostle (Greensboro)
9. St. Bernadette, Linville
Sister parishes: St. Mark (Charlotte), St. Philip
the Apostle (Statesville)
10. St. Elizabeth, Boone
Sister parishes: St. Gabriel (Charlotte),
Sacred Heart (Salisbury)
11. St. Eugene, Asheville
Sister parishes: St. Matthew (Charlotte), St. Leo the Great (Winston-Salem)
12. St. Frances of Rome, Sparta
Sister parishes: St. Joseph (Asheboro),
Holy Infant (Reidsville)
13. St. Francis of Assisi, Jefferson
Sister parishes: Our Lady of Mercy (Winston-Salem), Our Lady of Fatima (Winston-Salem)
14. St. Joan of Arc, Candler
Sister parishes: St. John Baptist de La Salle (North Wilkesboro), Queen of the Apostles (Belmont), St. Aloysius (Hickory)
15. St. John the Evangelist, Waynesville
Sister parishes: St. Mark (Huntersville), St. Joseph (Kannapolis)
16. St. Joseph, Bryson City
Sister parishes: St. John Neumann (Charlotte),
St. William (Murphy)
17. St. Lucien, Spruce Pine
Sister parishes: St. Ann (Charlotte), St. Mary Help of Christians (Shelby)
18. St. Margaret Mary, Swannanoa
Sister parishes: St. Gabriel (Charlotte), St. Pius X (Greensboro)
19. St. Margaret of Scotland, Maggie Valley
Sister parishes: Holy Cross (Kernersville), St. Dorothy (Lincolnton)
20. St. Mary, Mother of God, Sylva
Sister parishes: St. Patrick Cathedral (Charlotte), St. Thomas Aquinas/St. Basil (Charlotte)
21. Immaculate Conception, Forest City
Sister parish: St. Michael (Gastonia)