BELMONT — The Diocese of Charlotte's first vocations retreat for young women, Duc In Altum, concluded July 1 with the celebration of Mass at Belmont Abbey.
More than 50 teenagers attended the week-long retreat, which included prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, daily Mass, confessions, as well as vocation discernment talks by women religious, priests and laity. Throughout the retreat, they were encouraged to cultivate silence in their prayer life as well as in their daily life, so as to be able to listen to God's voice above all others.
Bishop Peter Jugis was the main celebrant for the closing Mass, offered on the first feast of St. Junipero Serra, and he drew from the newly canonized saint's words as inspiration for his homily. Bishop Jugis encouraged them, like the Franciscan missionary traversing the American West, to "keep moving forward" with the Lord.
"He is canonized as a saint because he was known for his personal holiness and his spirit of self-denial, sacrifice and his absolute trust in God and all his work for the Lord," Bishop Jugis said, noting the many missions the saint had founded in the western United States.
"Everything he did, probably daily, he repeated that saying to himself as he said his daily prayers: 'Keep moving forward.' It's a message from the saint that you can take to heart as you move forward from this Duc In Altum. Keep moving forward. Keep making progress. Never turn back, and never remain stationary or stagnant," Bishop Jugis said.
He then drew a connection between St. Junipero Serra's words and the words of the Gospel of the day from Matthew 9:9-13, in which Jesus tells St. Matthew, "Follow Me."
"Those words, 'Follow Me,' we can understand in two ways," Bishop Jugis explained. "In the first way, St. Matthew physically follows Jesus – literally walking behind Jesus, following in His footsteps. It reminds us that Jesus always walks before us, as the Good Shepherd walked before His flock, and we follow Him. He walks before each one of you and says, 'Follow Me.' He is leading you in your walk with Him."
The second way, Bishop Jugis continued, is in how to follow Jesus in our hearts: "Heeding His voice, which you have been doing this week. Listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Responding with a 'yes' to the movements of His grace in your life, wherever the Lord happens to be moving you. Being directed by His Holy Spirit."
Jesus Himself was always moving forward, Bishop Jugis also noted. "The Gospel tells us that He set His sights specifically on Jerusalem and He never stopped pursuing His goal, which was our salvation, there in Jerusalem. He never stopped following that course.
"So as you leave this Duc In Altum, inspired by today's Scripture readings and the feast of our wonderful saint who labored on our own continent, our own soil for Christ, dedicate yourself again to pursuing your walk with the Lord. In your personal life, continue to move forward with Him, with God as your goal, and with God with you on your journey, always growing in holiness."
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Photos by Megan Whiteside and SueAnn Howell.
CHARLOTTE — For the first time in its 44-year history, the Diocese of Charlotte has 24 men in formation in three seminaries. A contributing factor to the record number of seminarians this year has been the establishment of a minor seminary in Charlotte, St. Joseph’s College Seminary.
The new college seminary is for undergraduate men discerning a vocation to the priesthood, one step before enrolling in a major seminary for more specific priestly formation. Enrolled in the diocese’s seminarian program, the men will work toward a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Belmont Abbey College. There are eight men currently enrolled in the college seminary, living in a refurbished building on the campus of St. Ann Church in Charlotte.
The diocese also has 13 men currently studying at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. They are in the advanced stages of priestly formation, ranging from pre-theology to major theology.
Four of the men are ordained transitional deacons and are scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood in late June 2017. They include: Deacon Matthew Bean, Deacon Brian Becker, Deacon Christopher Bond and Deacon Christian Cook.
The Pontifical North American College in Rome is home to three of the diocese’s seminarians who are engaged in major theology studies. One of them, Peter Ascik, is scheduled to be ordained to the transitional diaconate in late September in Rome. He is expected to be ordained to the priesthood at St. Mark Church in Huntersville in late June along with the four others now at the Josephinum.
“It’s a remarkable blessing to see so many young men respond to our Lord’s invitation to discern the priesthood,” said Father Christopher Gober, diocesan vocations director. “The prayers and sacrifices of the people in the Diocese of Charlotte are bearing fruit before our eyes.”
A new poster and prayer cards featuring the diocese’s seminarians will be distributed to all parishes in the near future.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Pictured: One of the diocese’s newest seminarians is Edgar Moises Noveron Palacios, a parishioner at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Noveron and Rosa Maria Palacios. He began his seminary formation at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 21. Before he left, church members and pastor Father Thomas Kessler threw him a “farewell social,” organized by the parish’s Family Life Committee and the Spanish community. (Photo provided by Connie Ries)