CHARLOTTE — A chance meeting at the Eucharistic Congress several years ago prompted two women to start an organized prayer effort for priests.
Called “Mary’s Sons,” the prayer apostolate is the inspiration of Jackie Gallagher and Robyn Magyar. During a conversation at Gallagher’s vendor booth at the Congress, they discovered that they both shared a love of supporting priests through prayer using a booklet entitled “Praying for our Priests.” Magyar was using it with a prayer group at her parish, St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte.
Together, they hoped “Mary’s Sons” could help spread this prayer effort even further across the diocese. Their effort is still growing, and a unique outgrowth has been what they call the “Seminarian Kneeler Prayer Pilgrimage.”
In this project, custom-made wooden kneelers have been bought thanks to local donations and given to the diocese’s new priests at their ordinations since 2014. Before ordination, the kneelers are put on display at parishes so that the faithful can offer prayers for the ordinands as well as future vocations.
“The vision was for the kneelers to travel to ‘host’ parishes throughout the diocese to give the parishioners an opportunity to kneel and pray for the soon-to-be ordained men,” Gallagher says.
“The pastors graciously opened their doors to Mary’s Sons and allowed the kneelers to be placed in a beautiful setting, such as before the Blessed Sacrament or a statue of Our Lady.”
This year, five kneelers – for Father Peter Ascik, Father Matthew Bean, Father Brian Becker, Father Christopher Bond and Father Christian Cook – traveled to parishes in early 2017 before being blessed by Bishop Peter Jugis June 15 and presented to the five new priests at a reception after their ordination.
“Each kneeler is a gift to the new priest and has a personalized plaque that reads ‘With our prayers for a joyful priesthood,’ the new priest’s name and date of his ordination,” Gallagher says.
In addition, each newly-ordained priest receives a traveling stole handmade by a local parishioner, as well as journals filled with well wishes written by those who have prayed on the kneelers at each church along the way.
“Our goal is to foster vocations but also, and especially, to pray for those priests out in the trenches doing God’s work daily. We must shower them with prayer to protect them against the evils out there trying to devour them.”
To learn more about Mary’s Sons, go to www.maryssons.com or call 704-707-5070.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
TRYON — A Kentucky native and Catholic convert, Father Roger Arnsparger is celebrating four decades of priestly ministry this year. He is the pastor of St. John the Baptist Church and serves as the vicar of education for the Diocese of Charlotte.
Father Arnsparger grew up in what he calls a “Catholic neighborhood” and had Catholic friends.
“My older brother converted after returning from his service in the Army. I began asking him and friends about the history and teachings of the Church. Then I began attending Mass and studying the Mass and Church teachings. It was a great time,” he recalls.
Father Arnsparger says he first realized he had a call to serve the Church as an adult.
“I had a desire to be a minister in my Church. After converting I saw the joy and work of the priests in my town and felt drawn to that,” he says.
While in seminary, Father Arnsparger took his philosophy courses at St. Pius X College Seminary in the Diocese of Covington, Ky. His theological studies were at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
He was ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 1977, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Ky., by Bishop Richard H. Ackerman.
Father Arnsparger has served in many parishes during his 40 years of ministry, as well as at high schools where he taught religion classes.
“I have been blessed to serve as parochial vicar in three parishes while teaching high school religion part time,” he notes. “I then taught religion for five years full time. In 1986 I was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Corbin, Ky., where I had served as a transitional deacon. I continued to teach high school religion for several years while pastor there.
“In all, I taught high school religion for 14 years. I was at Sacred Heart Parish for 13 years,” he says.
After he moved to the Diocese of Charlotte, Father Arnsparger has served as pastor of St. Barnabas Church in Arden, St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia and St. Mark Church in Huntersville before he was assigned to the Tryon parish.
“I have always taught RCIA classes, CCD classes and adult education classes, meeting great people and enjoying the communal aspect of studying the faith together,” he says.
What he enjoys most about his priestly ministry is “the daily Mass, the sacraments and the interaction with the parishioners in their spiritual growth, attention to their families, their love of the Church and their love for their families.”
What is one thing he has learned about being a priest over the past 40 years? “To listen attentively and be available,” he replies.
In his spare time, Father Arnsparger loves to study history, architecture and art. “And I love to travel,” he adds.
He advises men discerning a vocation to the priesthood to “take time to be involved in parish life, find a priest spiritual director and listen attentively to your folks and fellow parishioners. Enjoy the time of your discernment. Make good memories.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter