CHARLOTTE — People gathered to pray at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte the day after an on-campus shooting at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte killed two and wounded four people at the north Charlotte university.
“In the wake of yesterday’s shootings across the street, our hearts are broken and our security shaken,” Father Patrick Winslow, pastor, said in his homily at the 12:15 p.m. Mass May 1.
The Catholic parish of 2,300 families is across N.C. 49 from the UNCC campus and serves the university’s student population through the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Campus Ministry.
“In moments such as these, we feel helpless,” Father Winslow said. “I encourage you to cling to your faith and to one another. In faith, we know that our Blessed Lord, who was Himself unjustly slain and whose security was often threatened, is close to us and that in the end God will make right these wrongs.”
UNCC student Trystan Andrew Terrell, 22, was arrested April 30 after six people were shot on the campus and charged with two counts of murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and charges related to shooting a gun on a school campus.
Riley Howell, 21, of Waynesville, and Reed Parlier, 19, of Midland, were both killed. Rami Alramadhan, 20, of Saudi Arabia; Sean Dehart, 20, of Apex; Emily Haupt, 23, of Charlotte; and Drew Pescaro, 19, of Apex, were injured in the shooting. Three of them remained hospitalized in critical condition the day following the shooting.
"This is the saddest day in UNC-Charlotte’s history. Earlier this evening, the unthinkable happened on our campus. At approximately 5:40 p.m., an individual opened fire in a UNC-Charlotte classroom, cutting short the lives of two members of our community and seriously injuring four others," UNCC Chancellor Philip Dubois said in a statement following the shooting. "The entire UNC-Charlotte community shares the shock and grief of this senseless, devastating act. This was an attack on all of Niner Nation."
April 30 was supposed to be the students' last day of classes and the campus was on lockdown for 12 hours.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church’s pastor also addressed the shooting at a special prayer service late afternoon Wednesday.
Father Winslow recalled how after Christ's resurrection, His first words to the huddled and frightened Apostles were: "Peace be with you."
Christ's peace is abiding and everlasting, he noted, and can always be counted upon, just as the Apostles learned.
"This afternoon we too are huddled together with some fear and confusion, and like the Apostles, we listen to hear the same words spoken to us, echoing throughout history with the force of the Spirit: 'Peace be with you.'"
At this time, Father Winslow said, people are praying for peace for the souls of the two students who were killed, peace and healing for the four students who were wounded, and peace for their families and friends.
"We also pray that those in our community in the University City area and national leaders find some way to prevent these occurrences into the future," he said.
"We want to live peaceful lives."
He concluded, "In the face of such difficulties we realize quickly we have nothing to console us apart from our faith and one another. Cling to both, for the Lord God is the One who can provide us peace. And each one of us can help one another feel (peace) and find consolation in this moment."
"In the wake of yesterday’s shootings across the street, our hearts are broken and our security shaken. In moments such as these, we feel helpless. I encourage you to cling to your faith and to one another." — Father Patrick Winslow, pastor, St. Thomas Aquinas Church
Father Innocent Amasiorah, UNCC’s Campus Minister, was on campus during the afternoon but had already left for the day. He started seeing messages from the students telling him, "I'm OK." That's when he learned of the shooting and that several students involved in Campus Ministry were on lockdown inside buildings on campus. He said he offered them messages of comfort before joining some of them in the area where they were evacuated.
"This is something that people can't imagine," he said. "These tragedies unfortunately do occur around us. We can comfort one another, share in each other’s pain at this time. We are strongly united in comforting each other."
Father Innocent planned to gather with students on campus Wednesday to pray the rosary prior to the prayer service at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
"As yesterday was the last day of classes, today should be the first day of joy. Instead, it's a day of anxiety and fear," he said. He said he hopes gathering in prayer and allowing the students to share their feelings will help ease the tension and allow for healing.
“The Catholic Campus Ministry is in solidarity with UNCC community as we extend our prayers for God’s consolation to all persons affected by yesterday’s shooting tragedy," added Mary Wright, diocesan director of Campus Ministry. "In particular, our hearts and thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the entire UNCC community.
"We are grateful to the courageous first responders who sprang into action to help others, and to our members who instantly became one another’s keepers. As we all heal gradually, even as this tragedy remains in our mind for time to come, we pray that we become stronger united in love for one another and for all.”
A candlelight vigil was also held on campus Wednesday evening.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church donated more than 1,700 candles for the campus vigil, to be lighted in memory of Ellis Parlier and Riley Howell and in honor of the four other students who were wounded, Father Winslow said.
In addition, St. Gabriel Church, located at 3016 Providence Road in Charlotte, will also honor the victims during its First Friday Mass this week at 7 p.m. May 3.
— Catholic News Herald
Bishop Jugis preaches at Easter Vigil: Share the light, love of Christ in this broken world
Show GalleryCHARLOTTE — “This is the night that with a pillar of fire banished the darkness of sin! This is the night that even now, throughout the world sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them to His holy ones.”
The Exsultet – the “Praeconium Paschale,” or Easter Proclamation – at the start of the Easter Vigil should inspire all Catholics to share the light and love of Christ with others, Bishop Jugis preached April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
The three-hour liturgy commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ began with the blessing of the Paschal fire and lighting of the Paschal candle at the Marian grotto outside the cathedral. Then hundreds of faithful processed behind Bishop Jugis – candles in hand – into the darkened cathedral to hear the Exsultet chanted by Deacon Brian McNulty. Slowly, the cathedral was bathed in candlelight from hundreds of candles lit from the single Paschal candle.
“I was struck by the beautiful singing by our deacon of the Exsultet,” Bishop Jugis noted in his homily, particularly the following words: “But now we know the praises of this pillar, which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light…”
The light remained undimmed despite being shared, the bishop emphasized, calling everyone’s attention to how their candles spread light throughout the cathedral after being lit from the Paschal candle, which remained undimmed.
“That is the way it is with the charity of Christ, which we receive from the heart of Christ Himself,” Bishop Jugis said, “shared through many Christian lives, undimmed, but spreading out into the world to be a leaven, lifting up the world with the love of Christ.”
In his homily, Bishop Jugis also reflected on Jesus’ gift of Himself for the salvation of the world – a message he touched upon throughout Holy Week leading up to Easter.
“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is real,” he said. “That is the miracle that we Christians celebrate on this Easter Sunday and every day of our lives.”
“Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
Catechumens approach the altar to receive the sacrament of confirmation during the Easter Vigil April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. “Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor