ARDEN — Welcoming. Like a family. Home.
Those were some of the words parishioners including Klaus and Jean Jockwig, Frank and Madonna Moyer, Barbara Indelicato and Jack Le Beau used to describe St. Barnabas Parish in Arden. They were among hundreds who celebrated the parish's 50th anniversary Jan. 17 with a special Mass that featured several former pastors and other clergy, some of the founding families of the parish, and a special papal blessing from Pope Francis for the occasion.
The bilingual Mass was celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis and concelebrated by Father Adrian Porras, pastor; Father Wilbur Thomas, rector and pastor of St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville; and Father Dean Cesa, former pastor. Father Roger Arnsparger, former pastor, and Father Noah Carter, a former member of the parish, were also present for the celebration. Surviving family members of the parish's original 35 families were recognized, and fourth-degree Knights of Columbus of St. Barnabas Council served as honor guard.
"The celebration of the 50th anniversary is the perfect opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the parish, both on a personal basis and on a parish family basis," Bishop Jugis noted in his homily.
A parish exists for three reasons, he explained. "First of all, and most importantly, for the praise and glory of Almighty God. He, of course, is the reason that we are here. We owe Him everything – our gratitude, our praise, our worship."
Second, he continued, the parish's mission is to help each member grow in holiness. And third, he said, a parish "is to be a center for evangelization."
A parish's mission, he said, is "to be concerned not only for our own salvation, but to be concerned for the salvation of everyone else – to make sure that everyone else has the chance to know and love Jesus as we do, and to bring them into His presence, by sharing our love of Christ, our love of the Lord."
Bishop Peter Jugis presents a papal blessing from Pope Francis to St. Barnabas Parish Jan. 17 on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Also pictured are Father Adrian Porras, pastor, and fourth-degree Knights from the St. Barnabas council.
Bishop Jugis recalled the words of St. John Paul II in his 2001 apostolic letter "Novo Millennio Ineunte" ("At the Beginning of the New Millennium"): "Brothers and sisters, don't settle for a life of mediocrity. Don't settle for a shallow practice of the Catholic faith."
"Your love of Christ must be present in everything that you do," Bishop Jugis emphasized. "The relationship between husband and wife must reflect the love of Christ. The relationship of parents and children must reflect the love of Christ. The relationship with people outside the family home, the poor, to all who are neighbor – even those who don't like you – must reflect the love of Christ."
We must make personal holiness our priority, just as St. John Paul II preached, and the parish gives us the opportunity and the strength to do that, Bishop Jugis said. He added, we cannot be evangelizers if our faith is not strongly rooted in the love of Christ.
"If we have a shallow, weak or mediocre practice of our faith, and a lukewarm love for Jesus," he said, our sanctification and the evangelization of our culture will not be possible.
"On the 50th anniversary of this parish and as a plan for moving forward, make holiness your goal. Upon it is built everything else – both for yourself personally and for the parish family," he said.
St. Barnabas began in 1964 as a mission parish of St. Lawrence Church (now Basilica) in Asheville with 35 founding families. It was chartered as a parish on Dec. 20, 1965. By 1984, the congregation had grown to more than 300 families who worked with the Diocese of Charlotte to buy land for a church to be built at its present location on Crescent Hill Road. The parish has continued to buy adjacent land, now totaling approximately 12 acres, for future growth.
During the past 50 years, eight pastors have led the parish: Father Joseph Maule (deceased), Father Joseph Cutter (deceased), Father Frank Bourbon (deceased), Father Joe Newell (deceased), Father John Schneider, Father Roger Arnsparger, Father Dean Cesa and Father Adrian Porras.
Today St. Barnabas Church has grown to well over 1,000 families including a large Hispanic family membership, and the parish has become a vital part of the south Buncombe County community, providing financial and spiritual support to numerous Catholic as well as community organizations.
After the celebration, Father Porras noted, "It was very special for me to be pastor of a parish celebrating its 50th anniversary. St. Barnabas has been a blessing to many people's lives. Hopefully, for the next 50 years it will continue to be a place where people come to fulfill the two greatest commandments: to love God and to love neighbor."
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Editor. Photos by Paul Wojcik (Paul Vincent Photography) and Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald