RUTHERFORDTON — The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Peace recently moved to a seven-acre property in Rutherford County and are now parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City.
The community, Sisters Gertrude and Scholastica, welcomed a postulant, Jennifer Walker, Oct. 2. Sister Gertrude retired from her teaching position at Christ the King High School in Huntersville last June and since moving to Rutherfordton has been busy renovating their new house to become Queen of Peace Monastery.
The community hopes to start construction of a chapel extension soon and should be able to welcome overnight guests and retreatants to the property, which sits on a hill overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Since moving in, the community has been offering First Saturday Devotions attended by local parishioners as well as those from their former parish of St. Mark Church in Huntersville.
Anyone interested in visiting or joining them for prayer should call 704-827-2490.
— Giuliana Polinari Riley
CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis announces the appointments of two new vicars forane effective Nov. 13:
EckertFather John J. Eckert has been appointed vicar forane of the Salisbury Vicariate, and Father Peter J. Shaw has been appointed vicar forane of the Smoky Mountain Vicariate.
ShawSometimes called a dean, a vicar forane is a priest appointed by the bishop in order to promote a common pastoral activity in a region of the diocese and to provide spiritual and pastoral counsel to the other priests in that region, according to Church law.
The Diocese of Charlotte has 10 vicariates.