Bishop Jugis preaches unity, forgiveness at Chrism Mass as priests renew promises
CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis took special care during this Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Church to emphasize unity during his homily at the annual Chrism Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral. More than 90 priests from around the Diocese of Charlotte attended the Mass on a fine spring day, renewing their priestly promises to Holy Mother Church and their bishop.
Bishop Jugis addressed his brother priests during his remarks, reminding them that there is unity in Christ.
“This coming together as brother priests at the Chrism Mass especially demonstrates in a very visible way the unity of the priesthood in Christ. No matter where we serve in the diocese, wherever we exercise our priestly ministry in many different locations, when we come to this Chrism Mass, we see again what we knew all along – even though we may be separated geographically by the distance of miles – we see once again made manifest that we are all brothers in one priesthood and are united as one,” he reminded them.
Bishop Jugis stressed to them, as Jesus did to His disciples that, “‘You are all brothers!’ How true this is of the priesthood…What is it that unites us as brothers? The grace of the sacrament of holy orders. There are nearly 100 men here today who go by the same name, 'alter Christus.' We all have the same name. How’s that for unity?
“Our love for Jesus Christ unites us as brothers, our love for the priesthood unites us as brothers. Our love for the Church unites us as brothers. Our love for the work of salvation unites us as brothers. Our love for each other – our love for each other – unites us as brothers. ‘You are all brothers,' Jesus tells us.”
Bishop Jugis addressed how "our old enemy" original sin has left divisive tendencies in the human heart, a tendency to separate from one another.
“The remedy we know for all of those tendencies that original sin has left behind in us, the remedy is love. There can be no true unity without unconditional mutual love, and the readiness to serve each other generously and an ability to forgive up to seventy times seven.”
He explained that priests are all brothers in the priesthood because they are all brothers of Christ first and foremost.
“What a great name for a religious order. Brothers of Christ. And in fact it is the name of a religious order. It is a description of the order of the priesthood.”
Bishop Jugis emphasized that every day priests pray to remain deeply united to Jesus when they celebrate Mass, and especially before they receive Holy Communion, praying to be always faithful to the commandments and to never be separated from Christ.
“He is the source of our unity, our brother Christ. It is a very special relationship we have with the Lord to not only call Him Master and Teacher, Savior, Redeemer, but our brother in the priesthood.”
Before renewing their priestly promises, Bishop Jugis recalled that he and the priests gathered exercise their ministry in a divided, quarrelsome American society, but the Chrism Mass manifests what is always present among them – that although the society is quarrelsome and divided, he and his brother priests see unity in Christ the High Priest as His brother priests.
Concelebrating the Chrism Mass were Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey; Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese; Father John Putnam, judicial vicar of the diocese; and 97 more diocesan and religious order priests who gathered around the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
All the priests also stood during the blessing of the sacred chrism with hands outstretched, joining with Bishop Jugis in prayer as he performed the blessing rite.
The oils blessed during the chrism Mass are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, as well as for ordination of priests and the consecration of churches.
Bishop Jugis stirred balsam into the chrism to give it a sweet perfume and breathed the "breath of the Holy Spirit" over the chrism.
In his final remarks before the conclusion of the Chrism Mass, Bishop Jugis shared that there is an increased interest among young people in the diocese for the priesthood and religious life, and he encouraged the priests and all gathered to promote vocations.
“The college seminary is our response to increased interest in that age group. I ask you to please continue to talk about the priesthood and the consecrated life to the young people in your faith formation classes and in your youth ministry programs, because that personal contact makes all the difference when a young person is considering special service to the Church,” he concluded.
After Mass, deacons divided the blessed oils into smaller oil stocks that will be distributed to all 92 parishes and missions across the diocese for use in sacramental celebrations throughout the upcoming year.
-- SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Father Jim Shea talks about Katie Ledecky's faith
CHARLOTTE — Katie Ledecky has become a household name for Americans watching the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The champion swimmer from the Washington, D.C., area racked up four gold medals and a silver medal at the Rio games, besides two new world records.
For Father Jim Shea, pastor of St. Peter Church in Charlotte, Ledecky's success in the pool comes as no surprise. Ledecky is his goddaughter, and he's seen her grow up to become a balanced, sweet 19-year-old who doesn't shy away from the pressure of success or in witnessing to her Catholic faith.
"I'm very proud of Katie," Father Shea said Aug. 8, after Ledecky won her first gold medal in Rio. "She's very centered. She's unflappable. She doesn't get all upset."
Pictured: Katie Ledecky competes in the 400-meter freestyle final Aug. 7 during the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. (CNS photo/David Gray, Reuters)
And part of the reason for that is her faith, he said, formed within a close-knit Catholic family and a Catholic education from pre-kindergarten through high school.
"Her faith is important to her, and it sustains her. It grounds her, and it centers her."
That comes as "a great joy" to the Jesuit priest, who baptized her, gave her first Holy Communion, and served as her confirmation sponsor.
He's known the Ledecky family since he was a priest in the D.C. area more than 20 years ago, where he worked with Ledecky's mom at Georgetown Hospital. He officiated at the Ledeckys' wedding, and has remained very close to the family ever since.
"It's a family tradition that I would have Thanksgiving dinner with them," he said, and he's done that nearly every year.
For the years that he has known the Ledecky family, though, Father Shea got an up-close look at Ledecky's record-shattering performance in the pool only recently: at the Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., in late June.
"It was the first time I ever saw her swim in a meet," he recalled. He sat with the Ledecky family and was able to meet with Katie briefly. "I was able to give her a blessing."
Ledecky talks often about her Catholic upbringing, and how that grounds her through all of the attention and accolades she is receiving as a world-class athlete.
Before every race she offers a prayer, she recently told the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington.
Jesuit Father Jim Shea poses with his goddaughter, Katie Ledecky, during the Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., in late June. (Photo provided by Father Jim Shea)"I do say a prayer – or two – before any race. The Hail Mary is a beautiful prayer and I find that it calms me," she told the Catholic Standard in an email interview.
In the interview, Ledecky discussed how her faith is a source of strength and how the communities at home have supported her along the road to her second Olympics. She attended Little Flower School through eighth grade and Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Md., for high school.
"I received an excellent, faith-filled education at both schools. Having the opportunity to attend academically rigorous schools has facilitated my interest in the world and in serving others and has enriched my life so that it is not solely focused on my swimming and athletics," Ledecky said in the email. "Nevertheless, going to these schools was important to my swimming – my Catholic schools challenged me, they broadened my perspective and they allowed me to use my mind in ways that take me beyond just thinking about swim practices, swim meets and sports."
"The importance of balance in one's life is a lesson I have learned, and one that I hope will help me in college and beyond," said Ledecky, who will attend Stanford University this fall.
Father Shea said he is confident that Ledecky's success in the pool is going to continue. She already holds world records in the 400-, 800- and 1500-meter freestyles, and the American record holder in the 500-, 1000- and 1650-yard freestyles, and on Aug. 7 she broke her own world record in the 400-meter freestyle.
Besides the gold medal she earned early on in Rio in the 400-meter freestyle, Ledecky has claimed the gold in the 200-meter freestyle and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. She also earned a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.
"It's just the beginning," Father Shea said Aug. 7, as he rattles off the times of each scheduled meet with excitement. "I've got it all in my calendar," he said with a laugh.
"Unless she breaks her leg, she's going to have an historic Olympics."
He added that Ledecky understands the importance of her role in the spotlight, particularly on the world stage in Rio.
"She's very conscious. She's seen herself how important it is to have role models as a swimmer and as a person."
Father Shea said he feels gratified that he has played "a little role" in ministering to the family over the years, administering the sacraments to Katie as well as to her older brother Michael.
"It is always a great joy to a priest when there's a family (for whom) you are really their priest in a special way."
"I just feel very grateful to have such a lovely person in my life," he said. "I would do anything for that kid."
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor. Kelly Seegers, staff writer for the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington, contributed through Catholic News Service.