14th Eucharistic Congress draws thousands to Charlotte Convention Center
CHARLOTTE — The 14th Eucharistic Congress was the Diocese of Charlotte’s “beautiful Catholic answer” to the tumult in the Church in recent weeks.
Thousands of Catholics from across western North Carolina flooded into the Charlotte Convention Center Sept. 7-8 for the annual gathering which celebrates our faith in the Eucharist as the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
Unlike previous years, this congress was one of reparation and prayer for healing, Bishop Peter Jugis emphasized, in response to recent revelations of child sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and abuse of power by some Church leaders.
In what was an unprecedented move at the congress, the bishop led the thousands of faithful in a Holy Hour of Reparation, praying the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary while kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, praying for “God to have mercy on His holy Church.”
REPARATION
Three times during the Eucharistic Congress Bishop Jugis addressed the abuse crisis that has provoked an outcry among Catholics in the U.S. since allegations arose of sexual misconduct by Church leaders, including a retired archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing decades of child sexual abuse by hundreds of priests.
“Throughout the congress,” the bishop said in opening remarks Friday night, “we want to offer prayers of reparation, because as we all know from the horrible revelations from last month, that the horrible sins of abuse and misconduct and the sins of abuse of power and position have reared their ugly heads in the Church, and for this we are saddened and outraged.”
He expanded on that message in his homily at the closing Mass of the congress Sept. 8. The congress, he said, was a time for the people of the diocese to come together “with one united voice” to pray for healing in the Church, even as Catholics have reacted with “shame, anger, disappointment, disgust and feelings of betrayal” to the allegations of abuse and cover-up.
“I share your sorrow and I am truly sorry for these crimes that have been perpetrated against the innocent,” he said.
“We come with the intention of offering prayers of reparation for the horrible sins of abuse and misconduct and the sins of the abuse of power and authority that have been committed within our beloved Church,” he said.
“This abuse imprints lifelong scars on its victims,” he said. “In addition, the entire Church has been very seriously wounded.”
“We need to pray for healing in the Church,” he said – for abuse victims, for the perpetrators and for the entire Church.
Bishop Jugis also reiterated his support for calls by the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, for an investigation into the allegations against retired Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, “an opening of new and confidential channels for reporting complaints against bishops,” and “better procedures” to resolve complaints made against bishops.
“To begin to repair and restore trust,” Bishop Jugis said, “I agree completely with the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that there must be a Vatican visitation and investigation, and the appointment of an independent, national, lay commission with the authority to follow all leads wherever the truth may lead.”
The U.S. bishops are expected to take up the cardinal’s proposals during their next meeting in November.
Meanwhile, Catholics must work to pursue “radical holiness in our own lives,” Bishop Jugis said.
“In this Eucharistic Congress, the whole family of the Diocese of Charlotte – clergy, consecrated religious and lay faithful... – have come together, and with one united voice beseech the Most Holy Trinity to have mercy on the Church and grant the grace of cleansing and purification and renewal,” he said.
REVERENCE
The most dramatic moment of the congress came Saturday morning, when the bishop concluded a Holy Hour of Reparation by leading the faithful in praying the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary.
Thousands of people knelt on the concrete floor of the convention center and joined him in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
The rosary of reparation was “offered for sins against purity,” he explained. “We offer the holy rosary of reparation for sins committed against chastity. We offer the holy rosary of reparation for sins committed against chaste Christian living. We offer the holy rosary of reparation for sins of abuse of power and authority in the Church. We beg God to have mercy on His holy Church.”
“Let us ask Him to cleanse and purify the Church from this open wound,” he continued, “and to bring healing to victims, and ask Him to help us all to dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of holiness.”
Before each decade, the bishop voiced meditations he had written for the occasion, excerpted here:
The First Sorrowful Mystery, The Agony in the Garden: “After the Passover supper with His Apostles, Jesus went out to Gethsemane and He became very sad and sorrowful. He said to Peter and James and John, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Wait here and watch with Me.’ In that moment, the sins of the whole world from all time pressed upon Him, including sins that would be committed by the members of His Church.
The Second Sorrowful Mystery, The Scourging at the Pillar: “He was stripped of His garments, tied to a pillar, and His flesh lacerated from head to foot with cruel scourges until His body could bear no more. The Body of Jesus, the Church, has again been scourged by the sins of some of its members.”
The Third Sorrowful Mystery, The Crowning with Thorns: “The soldiers fashioned a crown of thorns and fastened it on His head, driving the thorns deeply into His head. They mocked His kingship, kneeling before Him crying, “Hail, King of the Jews.” Jesus, our true King, does not reign through violence, but through a love which suffers for us and with us. Jesus, You are now suffering with us, Your Body the Church, because of the sins of abuse, misconduct and abuse of power and position.”
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery, Jesus Carries the Cross: “The weight of all of our sins presses upon Him. Jesus, Your Body the Church experiences the sufferings, the insults, the indignities of the way of the cross. Only Your grace and power can lift us up when we have fallen – once, twice, three times and many times. O suffering Savior, by Your passion cleanse and purify Your Church.”
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, The Crucifixion of Our Lord: “Through Your passion, crucifixion, death and resurrection, Jesus, You have brought us the gift of forgiveness of sins. Cleanse and purify the Church You love of the sins of abuse and misconduct which have seriously wounded the Church. Bring healing and love to victims. Help us all to rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of true holiness.”
REACTION
Responses were enthusiastic – not just from people attending the congress but from Catholics around the world who tuned in to the live broadcast of the Eucharistic Procession Saturday morning on Facebook.
The mile-long Eucharistic Procession through the streets of Charlotte “was our beautiful Catholic answer to the evil Judases in the church!” wrote Stacy Peterson.
The English live broadcast was played more than 20,000 times, and the Spanish live broadcast was played more than 7,500 times. People from as far away as Peru, the Philippines, India, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria watched.
“Beautiful amen x from Ireland,” wrote Charlotte Mary Prenter.
“I pray for more of this,” wrote Julia Spagnuolo from Ontario, Canada.
“We need more of this,” agreed Patty Harrington from Binghamton, N.Y.
“This is so good,” said Passy Agenonga from Kampala, Uganda.
Those who took part in the rosary of reparation on Saturday after the procession expressed similar feelings.
“As one of those thousands, it was beautiful and moving. I’m grateful to have participated,” MaryPaul Forsyth said.
“It was a beautiful heartbreaking moment – I am so glad it was a part of the Congress this year!” said Andrea Baum Walsh.
“So very grateful to our Bishop for addressing the situation with love and compassion,” said Debbie Shaw Flick.
The entire congress offered a moment of renewal in the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, people also said.
Newly ordained Deacon Steffen Fohn of Holy Family Church in Clemmons said he found the congress enriching.
“It’s beautiful just to spend a day with fellow Catholics and focus on a day centered on the Eucharist – the source and summit of our faith,” Deacon Fohn said.
Jeannie Wray, a member of St. Anne Church in Rock Hill, S.C., said she enjoyed seeing “people who have joy in the Lord, people who celebrate our faith, people who believe that the Church is a wonderful thing. It gives me the gift of renewal.”
“Seeing people coming to adore our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and also the love for the Church, even with all the problems going on, we can see that people love the Church,” said Father Ambrose Akinwande, a Missionaries of St. Paul priest who serves at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Lexington. “What brings us together is the Eucharist. Each one of us – we are connected powerfully to the Eucharist.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
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Closing Mass
90 years of worshipping God, serving others
GREENSBORO — The rainbow. In the Old Testament, it is the symbol of God’s covenant with His people. St. Mary’s Church in Greensboro has adopted the same symbol to represent the diverse beauty of many races and colors – one holy, Catholic people – united in worshipping and serving God.
That diversity was on display Sept. 23, when several hundred parishioners gathered to celebrate St. Mary’s 90th anniversary.
Pictured: St. Mary’s parishioners come from nearly every continent on Earth.
DIVERSITY AT ITS ROOTS
St. Mary’s was established in 1928 to serve black residents in the segregated southeastern area of the city.
Pioneering missionary Josephite Father Charles Hannigan and three Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul built and staffed a church and a school for 100 students, and the first Mass was offered on Sept. 16, 1928.
In 1936 the present church building was dedicated, and in 1939 the Vincentian order began staffing the parish.
Desegregation and dwindling enrollment prompted the school to close in 1972, and in 1973 the parish was integrated and assumed into the newly-established Diocese of Charlotte.
The parish’s longest-serving member, 83-year-old Virginia Smith, has witnessed St. Mary’s grow and change over the years.
Smith was baptized at the church in 1937 and graduated from the parish school. The retired educator served in nearly every position possible at the parish – from the parish council to the choir – and is the only parishioner alive who has attended the parish’s 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary celebrations.
St. Mary’s has been staffed by Vincentian priests since 1939. At the end of Mass Sept. 23 outgoing pastor, Father Charles Strollo, was wished well on his next ministry by incoming pastor Father Bill Allegretto and parochial vicar Father Joseph Nguyen. “Everybody calls me Sister,” she says, proud of her family’s Catholic faith.
Two of her aunts became Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore, the only women religious vocations to come out of the parish so far. Her three children also grew up in the parish and attended the parish school.
Smith noted that St. Mary’s diversity is not a recent phenomenon. Decades before immigrants from Mexico and Central and South America moved to the Greensboro area, the parish experienced influxes of immigrants from Nigeria and other African countries, as well as Vietnamese, Montagnard and Hmong newcomers. But the first wave of change came with integration.
“Back in the day, it was not a multicultural church. It was our colored mission,” Smith recalled. Then “a whole slew of white people came,” transferring from New York with Western Electric after World War II and integrating after new parish boundaries were set in the 1970s. “The Galushes, the Henriaks, the Wilcoxes, I remember them all.”
As the parish became more diverse, Smith noted, “a lot of people left.”
But not her. “I’ve got no problem with multiculturalism. We are all one. God made us all. That’s just the way I feel.”
“It’s all I ever know,” she added, then laughed. “I’m Catholic born, I’m Catholic bred, and when I die I’ll be Catholic dead.”
The growth and the mixing of long-time black parishioners and immigrant newcomers – many of whom struggle with learning English and navigating American culture – has not always been easy, parishioners acknowledged.
The Vincentian priests have encouraged the various ethnic and racial groups to mingle, get to know one another, and serve God and one another together – even as the church has added Masses in other languages.
Growth has continued unabated at St. Mary’s. A large parish hall was built on the site of the old school in 2003 to accommodate the increasing number of worshippers and ministries.
Outreach remains integral to the parish’s identity. “We are dedicated to serving the poor, the forgotten and the unloved…,” the parish’s mission statement declares.
Most recently, in April and May, the parish partnered with Catholic Charities staff and volunteers to offer help to victims of a tornado that devastated part of Greensboro and killed one person.
Today St. Mary’s boasts more than 2,000 members from nearly every continent on Earth, and the anniversary celebration Sept. 23 reflected that diversity, with the Mass being offered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. The Vincentian priests took turns delivering the homily in all three languages as well.
The celebration after Mass featured Mexican Norteño music and Tejano folk dancing, a traditional Vietnamese hat dance, an Igbo dance group performing the traditional “Nkwa Umuagbogho” (“Dance of the Maiden”), and the parish’s League of Lions Vietnamese lion dance team. The Knights of Columbus cooked up 300 pounds of pulled pork and more than 500 pounds of roast chicken.
LEGACY OF SOLIDARITY
In his homily Vincentian Father Bill Allegretto, pastor, reminded the congregation of the parish’s segregated history, when black Catholics in Greensboro “built a refuge – not a fort, but a refuge – a safe harbor, a dwelling place where God’s love can be found again and again and again.”
“They did it in the face of oppression. They did it in the face of resistance. They did this in the face of violence,” Father Allegretto said.
“They wanted to give back to the Lord for all that He did, and they did it with grateful hearts,” he said. “They did it with hearts of how to love in the face of destruction, and dismissal, and diminishment.”
St. Mary’s longest-serving parishioner Virginia Smith looks through historical documents of the parish that she has collected over the years, from parish directories and photos to the pro-grams for the 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary celebrations. He continued, “We are here because of those efforts, because what they did was to create a legacy for all of us to sit here together. How many churches can sit here together with so many different faces of our God’s reflection? Even though we communicate differently, even though we speak from a different culture, from a different pathway, we come because we believe that we have one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.”
“We know who we are, we know where we have come from, and we know where we’re going, don’t we? We know we are God’s people, and we’re going to continue to be God’s people because of what happened 90 years ago and what has been built every generation since then,” he said. “Our ancestors – and I will say, our ancestors – gave us a legacy, gave us the hope to gather as a Catholic people from many cultures, many traditions.”
That unity in diversity – symbolized by the parish’s rainbow – is something St. Mary’s members take great comfort in, several people said.
Parishioners proudly sang the gospel hymn “We Shall Overcome,” a key anthem of the civil rights movement, at the recessional before congregating in the narthex and outdoors on the lawn to socialize, give thanks and celebrate their unique yet shared heritage.
“100 percent blessed,” was what Mio Nahria said of St. Mary’s, where she has been a member since 1998. “It’s a great community, great people.”
Theo Kougbany, who moved to Greensboro from Togo 15 years ago, said he loves his parish. “This is my church. It’s good. I love everything!”
GIVING THANKS
The spirit of gratitude extended to the parish’s Vincentian priests, whose bond with parishioners is strong.
At the end of Mass, parishioners David Cao, Bruit K’Bruit, Joseph Kakhu and Sister Delores Espitia – representing the various cultures of the parish – wished outgoing pastor, Vincentian Father Charles Strollo, well on his future ministry with the Vincentian order and welcomed Father Allegretto as incoming pastor.
“Thank you, Father, for your service, your love, your care,” said Cao. “Father Charlie, we cannot tell you how wonderful you are, but you are amazing.”
“You are a great leader and a dedicated pastor, always showing your love for all parish members, guiding St. Mary’s rainbow of cultures into one loving community,” said K’Bruit, representing the Montagnard community.
Parish council president Michael Diamond and Virginia Smith presented gifts to Father Strollo, who is moving to Philadelphia. To Father Allegretto, they gave a framed portrait of himself to hang on the wall – the latest in a long line of pastor portraits displayed there that reflect the parish’s 90-year legacy in Greensboro.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor. Photos by Patricia Guilfoyle
Wording For St. Mary’s Plaque
St. Mary’s Parish is steeped in cultural history. It was Father Charles Hannigan’s vision and mission to convert Blacks to Catholicism during an era when segregation of the races was law in the Southern United States. Father Hannigan also wanted these Catholics to have a place to worship. Property for a parish was purchased from the Benbow Estates in southeast Greensboro; an area of the city where Blacks citizens resided. A combination church and school and a house was constructed on the property. The house was intended for the Sisters of Charity who would educate Black students at the school. Once the buildings were blessed; on September 16, 1928 Father Hannigan of the Society of St. Joseph formally opened the new parish. The following day The Sisters of Charity had twelve students in the new school. School enrollment numbers grew rapidly in the months and years that followed. Father Hannigan continued to baptize and bring Black converts into the parish until his departure on August 12, 1930. Before leaving he named the new parish St Mary’s.
It was under the leadership of the second pastor Father Patrick Darrah, C.P. that the congregation out grew the original facility and the need for a stand-alone church building was realized. The present church building was erected and dedicated on November 1, 1936. In 1939 Father Gerard A. Murphy, C.M. became the first Vincentian priest to pastor St. Mary’s parish. A name change for the parish came in 1949 when a later pastor Father Edward Sellman, C.M. made a request to His Excellency Bishop Waters of the Diocese of Raleigh that the parish be dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. The request was granted and the name officially changed to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish in January of 1949.
The Supreme Court Decision of 1954 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 officially abolished public segregation in all of the United States. The process of integration created changes and new opportunities for the parish including the parish name reverting back to St. Mary’s. Integration dramatically affected parish school enrollment to the point that the school closed in June 1972. Additional changes that year included the organization of St. Mary’s first Parish Council and the emergence of a new Diocese in Charlotte. In 1973 the Diocese of Charlotte developed new parish boundaries for the city of Greensboro. These boundaries transformed St. Mary’s from its identity as a Black parish into a new territorial parish. It paved the way for a new chapter of growth at St. Mary’s; as it expanded and grew into a diverse, multicultural congregation. With new parish boundaries in place; white Catholics who had been members of parishes across town came to St. Mary’s. For the first time in its history white and Black Catholic families worshiped and received the sacraments together at St. Mary’s Church as members of a united parish.
The next cultural blending for St. Mary’s parish occurred in the early 1980’s as hundreds of African families came to Greensboro seeking educational, employment and other opportunities. They represented many African cultures and traditions. Their homelands included Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. As they settled in Greensboro, many attended and later became members of St. Mary’s because of its congenial and family like atmosphere. As members they immediately involved themselves in all aspects of parish committees and commissions. Their traditions have enriched St. Mary’s multicultural heritage.
On June 19, 1988 Deacon Vincent Shaw became St. Mary’s first Permanent Deacon. In addition a new social ministry evolved in the late 1980’s contributing even more diversity to St. Mary’s ever growing parish population. In cooperation with Lutheran Social Services; the parish began to sponsor Montagard refugee families from Vietnam. The first five families arrived in November 1986. As the sponsorship continued; Pierre K’ Briuh assisted St, Mary’s social ministry with acculturation and as a translator. He was ordained as St. Mary’s second Deacon in June 2001. Additional Vietnamese immigrants also found their way to the United States after the end of the Vietnam War. Most Vietnamese Catholics that settled in Greensboro came to worship at St. Mary’s not only because felt welcomed. They also preferred its small, closed atmosphere. Masses in Vietnamese were celebrated at St. Mary’s by visiting priests, until Father Michael Nguyen, a Vietnamese native, a Vietnamese priest and future pastor of St. Mary’s came in 1995. Weekly Masses in Vietnamese have been celebrated at St. Mary’s since that time. St. Mary’s Vietnamese parishioners have integrated many of their traditions and cultural activities into parish celebrations.
Another diversity leap for St. Mary’s multicultural population also began in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s as thousands of Hispanics individuals and families migrated to North Carolina from other areas of the United States as well as from Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries. The influx of Hispanic Catholics into North Carolina parishes addressed a new need for North Carolina dioceses.
Many new residents were non English speaking. Some were not U.S. citizens. In 1995 Father Vincent Finnerty, CM was appointed Directory of the Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Charlotte. For a time he resided at St. Mary’s parish. His arrival at St. Mary’s marked the beginning of celebrating Spanish Masses in the parish for the hundreds of new Hispanics members. A special ministry was also established in Greensboro to offer activities and retreats for the large Hispanics population in Greensboro’s Catholic parishes. The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe became an important celebration at St. Mary’s for her Mexican parishioners.
Over a half century of ethnic, diverse, population growth propelled St.Mary’s into an era of consolidation, unification and strengthening spiritual bonds within the parish. With the need for additional masses, activities, services and space; in 2003 a new Parish Center was constructed where the school once stood. Descendants of the original parishioners are still vibrant members of St. Mary’s ethnic melting pot. This melting pot of membership is unique, varied, strong and dedicated to a mission of service to others and love for one another.