Seven Sisters, Fasting Brothers seek to expand from Forest City to other parishes
FOREST CITY — What began as a nudge in 2010 to pray more frequently and intentionally for a pastor has led to an international prayer movement called the Seven Sisters Apostolate.
Immaculate Conception Church now has an active Seven Sisters group, and even a group of Fasting Brothers, to pray and fast for their pastor, Father Herbert Burke.
The Seven Sisters Apostolate began nine years ago when Janette Howe, a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn., felt called to pray for her pastor, Father Joseph Johnson.
She began to offer a Holy Hour once a week. She chose to make the chapel visit on Thursdays, the day celebrating the institution of both the Holy Eucharist and holy orders, during the Hour of Divine Mercy, 3 p.m.
In March 2011, while in prayer for Father Johnson in front of the Blessed Sacrament, she “heard” the words “Seven Sisters” in her heart. After some time, Howe sensed that the Lord wanted her to invite six others – seven in total – to offer one Holy Hour once a day for their pastor. The Holy Spirit also impressed upon Howe two specific directives regarding the intercessor’s Holy Hour: it should be only for the pastor, and it should ask for the priest’s deepening devotion to our Blessed Mother.
Howe shared these aspects of her prayer with Father Johnson, who directed her to start the Seven Sisters Apostolate with seven churches – 49 women in total.
The apostolate has now spread to more than 800 parishes, chanceries, seminaries, and hospitals around the world – with most in the United States.
In August 2018, Immaculate Conception parishioner Amanda DeLauter approached fellow parishioner Valerie Giggie about starting the apostolate there.
“We thought it was a great idea – a powerful and concrete way to fight the good fight,” Giggie recalls.
Giggie agreed to help start the group. She is now the anchoress of the Seven Sisters group at the parish, as well as coordinator of the apostolate around the Diocese of Charlotte. As anchoress, she makes the schedule, prays for the Sisters, advises the Sisters of any special intentions of the pastor, and forwards a monthly communique to the Sisters. As diocesan coordinator, she promotes the apostolate, answers questions and advises new groups.
“By Divine Providence, it was easy to start our group,” Giggie says. “I made an announcement explaining the apostolate and the commitment after all the Masses one weekend. By the end of Sunday, we had enough volunteers, including extras and substitutes, to pray for our pastor.”
The Seven Sisters commitment is for one year, from June to June, with May as a month of discernment to decide if another year of commitment is possible.
“However, a group can begin at any time of the year,” Giggie explains. “Our group began on Oct. 7, 2018, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.”
”Lay people need to know the importance of setting aside some time to pray for our priest,” says Seven Sisters group member Alma Resendiz. “With everything happening in the world, our priests need lots of prayers to keep focused, strong and keep us going. That is something I did not realize until I joined Seven Sisters.”
Men of the parish have also been inspired to join the effort. The Fasting Brothers are seven men who fast – each one day of the week every week, specifically for their pastor.
“Knowing that the other six (Sisters) will be praying for Father Burke all week just makes me so happy,” says Teri O’Reilly, who feels blessed to be a part of the apostolate. “Also, having the men do their part and fasting is such a blessing.”
“I have enjoyed the one hour of peaceful prayer for Father Burke in our beautiful chapel. Knowing that other parishes have their Seven Sisters and it has spread to all over the world is such a wonderful thing,” O’Reilly says.
Currently, there are three groups in the diocese: Immaculate Conception in Forest City, St. John the Baptist in Tryon and St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte.
“What a blessing for our diocese if this apostolate would spread to all the parishes, strengthening all of our priests!” Giggie says.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter; Valerie Giggie and SevenSistersApostolate.org contributed.
For more information
Interested in forming a Seven Sisters group at your parish? Visit www.sevensistersapostolate.org for information on history, prayers and locations of the apostolate.
Questions? Email apostolate coordinator Valerie Giggie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CHARLOTTE — People gathered to pray at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte the day after an on-campus shooting at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte killed two and wounded four people at the north Charlotte university.
“In the wake of yesterday’s shootings across the street, our hearts are broken and our security shaken,” Father Patrick Winslow, pastor, said in his homily at the 12:15 p.m. Mass May 1.
The Catholic parish of 2,300 families is across N.C. 49 from the UNCC campus and serves the university’s student population through the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Campus Ministry.
“In moments such as these, we feel helpless,” Father Winslow said. “I encourage you to cling to your faith and to one another. In faith, we know that our Blessed Lord, who was Himself unjustly slain and whose security was often threatened, is close to us and that in the end God will make right these wrongs.”
UNCC student Trystan Andrew Terrell, 22, was arrested April 30 after six people were shot on the campus and charged with two counts of murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and charges related to shooting a gun on a school campus.
Riley Howell, 21, of Waynesville, and Reed Parlier, 19, of Midland, were both killed. Rami Alramadhan, 20, of Saudi Arabia; Sean Dehart, 20, of Apex; Emily Haupt, 23, of Charlotte; and Drew Pescaro, 19, of Apex, were injured in the shooting. Three of them remained hospitalized in critical condition the day following the shooting.
"This is the saddest day in UNC-Charlotte’s history. Earlier this evening, the unthinkable happened on our campus. At approximately 5:40 p.m., an individual opened fire in a UNC-Charlotte classroom, cutting short the lives of two members of our community and seriously injuring four others," UNCC Chancellor Philip Dubois said in a statement following the shooting. "The entire UNC-Charlotte community shares the shock and grief of this senseless, devastating act. This was an attack on all of Niner Nation."
April 30 was supposed to be the students' last day of classes and the campus was on lockdown for 12 hours.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church’s pastor also addressed the shooting at a special prayer service late afternoon Wednesday.
Father Winslow recalled how after Christ's resurrection, His first words to the huddled and frightened Apostles were: "Peace be with you."
Christ's peace is abiding and everlasting, he noted, and can always be counted upon, just as the Apostles learned.
"This afternoon we too are huddled together with some fear and confusion, and like the Apostles, we listen to hear the same words spoken to us, echoing throughout history with the force of the Spirit: 'Peace be with you.'"
At this time, Father Winslow said, people are praying for peace for the souls of the two students who were killed, peace and healing for the four students who were wounded, and peace for their families and friends.
"We also pray that those in our community in the University City area and national leaders find some way to prevent these occurrences into the future," he said.
"We want to live peaceful lives."
He concluded, "In the face of such difficulties we realize quickly we have nothing to console us apart from our faith and one another. Cling to both, for the Lord God is the One who can provide us peace. And each one of us can help one another feel (peace) and find consolation in this moment."
"In the wake of yesterday’s shootings across the street, our hearts are broken and our security shaken. In moments such as these, we feel helpless. I encourage you to cling to your faith and to one another." — Father Patrick Winslow, pastor, St. Thomas Aquinas Church
Father Innocent Amasiorah, UNCC’s Campus Minister, was on campus during the afternoon but had already left for the day. He started seeing messages from the students telling him, "I'm OK." That's when he learned of the shooting and that several students involved in Campus Ministry were on lockdown inside buildings on campus. He said he offered them messages of comfort before joining some of them in the area where they were evacuated.
"This is something that people can't imagine," he said. "These tragedies unfortunately do occur around us. We can comfort one another, share in each other’s pain at this time. We are strongly united in comforting each other."
Father Innocent planned to gather with students on campus Wednesday to pray the rosary prior to the prayer service at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
"As yesterday was the last day of classes, today should be the first day of joy. Instead, it's a day of anxiety and fear," he said. He said he hopes gathering in prayer and allowing the students to share their feelings will help ease the tension and allow for healing.
“The Catholic Campus Ministry is in solidarity with UNCC community as we extend our prayers for God’s consolation to all persons affected by yesterday’s shooting tragedy," added Mary Wright, diocesan director of Campus Ministry. "In particular, our hearts and thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the entire UNCC community.
"We are grateful to the courageous first responders who sprang into action to help others, and to our members who instantly became one another’s keepers. As we all heal gradually, even as this tragedy remains in our mind for time to come, we pray that we become stronger united in love for one another and for all.”
A candlelight vigil was also held on campus Wednesday evening.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church donated more than 1,700 candles for the campus vigil, to be lighted in memory of Ellis Parlier and Riley Howell and in honor of the four other students who were wounded, Father Winslow said.
In addition, St. Gabriel Church, located at 3016 Providence Road in Charlotte, will also honor the victims during its First Friday Mass this week at 7 p.m. May 3.
— Catholic News Herald
WINSTON-SALEM — For the past three years, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has set out to help strengthen and build better lives for young adults in the Triad.
Partnering with Forsyth Technical Community College’s Mazie S. Woodruff Center, Catholic Charities offers a program to help young adults continue their education past high school – especially in situations where a student has economic challenges.
Called “Stay the Course,” this joint effort has proved valuable assistance this academic year for 30 students who came through Stay the Course with help from Catholic Charities staff.
Stay the Course was developed by researchers from the School of Economics at the University of Notre Dame, in collaboration with Catholic Charities Fort Worth, Texas. This free, confidential program provides a team of professionals who work with students to keep them on the path to graduation.
Stay the Course staff (called “navigators”) particularly focus on helping students deal with severe roadblocks in life: homelessness, loss of income, and/or family emergencies. These navigators help students get familiar with the college system, then help them manage through situations that could prompt them to drop out.
Alexis Long serves as a navigator for Stay the Course, interacting with students and helping to guide them through their unique challenges as they advance in their academic careers.
“I have over 30 people this year, which is great!” Long said. “I have seven people who will participate in Commencement in May, some are getting certificates and some are getting their actual degrees. That is very exciting.”
This year Long says she has had more younger students seeking out the Stay the Course program.
“I have worked with them individually and collectively and we have created goals about things they wanted to do throughout the semester and what they are planning to do once they graduate. We have gone on college tours, we have researched majors, talked through relationship issues and getting more involved in things on campus,” Long explained.
Long feels privileged to be a part of their journey. “I meet people where they are and get them to where they want to be.”
Lakisha Crews has been a studying at Forsyth Tech for almost three years and will receive three certificates this spring. This July she will graduate with an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She hopes to find a position in a pre-kindergarten classroom at a child care center.
“The Stay the Course program has helped me out tremendously,” Crews said. “Ms. Alexis Long has helped me stay in school because there have been times I gave up and was going to drop out and she pushed me to keep on going.”
Crews says Long helped her establish a plan for school and succeed at it.
“She has also helped me accomplish a lot of these goals throughout this semester and last semester. The Stay the Course program lets me know that I have a support system behind me.”
Crews appreciates that the program has also really done a lot for her outside of school by assisting her with food, a bus pass and supplies for her house.
She says Long “is there when I need her. When I tell her I am going through depression dealing with my mother’s health, she rushes to me to help me through it.
“This program is doing a lot for me and without this program I do not know if I would still be the woman I am today.”
Sierra Armstrong is a Stay The Course participant who will graduate May 9 from the Human Services Program at Forsyth Tech. Upon graduation she hopes to transfer to WSSU to work towards her bachelor’s degree and eventually earn a master’s degree, with the goal of working as a mental health social worker serving children and adolescents.
“Through the Stay the Course program, I have received guidance in making current and future school career decisions,” Armstrong explained. “I have been able to network with other human services professionals and other students who were able to share with me their experiences and offer up their advice.”
Through this program, Armstrong received help with identifying financial and educational resources to help her on her journey. She also received support in setting personal and educational goals and working to manage and maintain those goals.
“I believe that this wonderful program for all students and would provide students with a support system. Students can utilize this program to their benefit,” she said.
“I discovered this program through a friend of mine and eventually I brought a couple of my friends into the program.
“This program has been a big help in my life and I would love to continue with this program throughout the rest of my college career.”
Armstrong is thankful to Long for her assistance and being there every step of the way since being in the program.
“She has been so supportive. She has given me great advice and has been there to help me navigate through my personal and educational struggles.
“I’m so glad to have met her and I appreciate all the help she’s given me and everything she has done for me.
“She is the perfect example of do what you love and love what you do and she’s proven that to me since I have met her.”
Funding for the Stay the Course program is provided by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, a grant from the United Way and other fundraising efforts.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Get more information
Interested in Stay the Course? The Winston-Salem area program is open to Forsyth Technical Community College students who: live in the 27105 ZIP code, are younger than 35, are low-income (Pell eligible), are enrolled in at least one non-distance learning class, and would benefit from non-academic support to persevere in school.
All services are free and confidential. Stay the Course is a voluntary program designed to offer non-academic support students to stay in school and persevere toward earning a college degree.
Visit www.ccdoc.org and click on the Services link to learn more.
Bishop Jugis preaches at Easter Vigil: Share the light, love of Christ in this broken world
Show GalleryCHARLOTTE — “This is the night that with a pillar of fire banished the darkness of sin! This is the night that even now, throughout the world sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them to His holy ones.”
The Exsultet – the “Praeconium Paschale,” or Easter Proclamation – at the start of the Easter Vigil should inspire all Catholics to share the light and love of Christ with others, Bishop Jugis preached April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
The three-hour liturgy commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ began with the blessing of the Paschal fire and lighting of the Paschal candle at the Marian grotto outside the cathedral. Then hundreds of faithful processed behind Bishop Jugis – candles in hand – into the darkened cathedral to hear the Exsultet chanted by Deacon Brian McNulty. Slowly, the cathedral was bathed in candlelight from hundreds of candles lit from the single Paschal candle.
“I was struck by the beautiful singing by our deacon of the Exsultet,” Bishop Jugis noted in his homily, particularly the following words: “But now we know the praises of this pillar, which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light…”
The light remained undimmed despite being shared, the bishop emphasized, calling everyone’s attention to how their candles spread light throughout the cathedral after being lit from the Paschal candle, which remained undimmed.
“That is the way it is with the charity of Christ, which we receive from the heart of Christ Himself,” Bishop Jugis said, “shared through many Christian lives, undimmed, but spreading out into the world to be a leaven, lifting up the world with the love of Christ.”
In his homily, Bishop Jugis also reflected on Jesus’ gift of Himself for the salvation of the world – a message he touched upon throughout Holy Week leading up to Easter.
“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is real,” he said. “That is the miracle that we Christians celebrate on this Easter Sunday and every day of our lives.”
“Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
Catechumens approach the altar to receive the sacrament of confirmation during the Easter Vigil April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. “Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
Maggie Olsen, a sophomore at Charlotte Catholic High School, leaps through the air during the soft shoe competition. (Photos by Jeannie DeSena Photography)GREENSBORO — Thousands of Irish dancers descended on Greensboro to compete the annual World Irish Dance Championships April 14-21, including several from right here in the Diocese of Charlotte.
Sandra Connick, owner of the Connick School of Irish Dance in Charlotte, was on the committee who helped bring the world championships to North Carolina. She serves as the treasurer of the CLRG, the Irish Dancing Commission headquartered in Ireland.
“It was a lot of work but it was worth it,” Connick said. “Children in our region may never get a chance to see a world championship because it won’t come back to America for seven years. It was very exciting for those children to see it and be a part of it.”
Dozens of competitors who participated in the world championships belong to parishes around the diocese or are students in our Catholic schools who dance for one of the many Irish dance studios located in the state.
Dancers from the Connick School brought home some hardware.
“Our students are fabulous,” Connick said. “We were thrilled. We came home with six medals which was incredible for our region.”
During the week-long event, St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem sponsored a family ceili night in which dancers and families from all over the world were invited to gather and participate in traditional Irish ceili dancing.
The parish was also among several churches, Catholic schools and Ancient Order of Hibernian chapters who helped recruit volunteers to serve during the competition.
Jane Pueschel and her daughter Katherine, parishioners of St. Leo Church, volunteered all week.
“It was a wonderful experience,” Jane Pueschel said. “For Greensboro to be chosen above Birmingham, England, Anaheim, California and Orlando, Fla., as only the third North American host in 50 years was an honor. It was a fabulous opportunity to volunteer at the event and meet families from all over the world who share the same love for Irish dance.”
Katherine Pueschel competed on an 8-hand ceili team and said, “Competing at the Irish dance world championships was such an amazing experience! I was really nervous but felt proud and excited to represent the Connick School of Irish Dance.
“It was a thrilling experience to for my team to compete on the world stage against the best of the best. To do it at home in the company of my family and friends made it extra special.”
She added, “It was an honor and great experience to volunteer at this event. I met so many wonderful people throughout the week.”
Theresa Olsen was there to support her daughter Maggie, a sophomore at Charlotte Catholic High School in Charlotte.
Irish dancers aged 13-16 from the Connick School of Irish Dance compete during the Irish Dance World Championships held in Greensboro April 14-21. “Maggie has worked so hard to get to this level of dancing and I just want her to show her talent on stage,” Theresa Olsen explained. “I pray for her to not slip on stage and get injured, and for her to not let her nerves get the best of her.”
She noted that this level of competition “is so high and the dancers are all highly trained athletes at this stage. One might think of ‘Riverdance’ performers when you think of this competition, but the competitors are doing all sorts of new and innovative dance moves and tricks that require them to move quickly around the stage with other international competitors dancing at the same time vying for the judges’ attention. It really is exciting to watch!”
Maggie Olsen shared that the comraderie of these events is important to her.
“I really love attending Worlds because I’ve made friends internationally so I get to see them there,” she said.
Father Felix Nkafu of St. Leo Church celebrated two Masses for competitors and their families at the competition venue, a Palm Sunday Vigil Mass and an Easter Sunday Mass.
In his Palm Sunday Vigil Mass homily, Father Felix told those gathered for Mass, “Beginning this great event of World Irish Dancing Championships with the celebration of Holy Mass is an acknowledgment that the talents of dancing are from God, to unite His children more in the love that He created.”
“Only the love of God could bring us together to celebrate and encourage the talents God has endowed up on these dancers,” he said.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Competition results
Jane and Katherine Pueschel, parishioners of St. Leo Church in Winston-Salem, volunteered all week during the world championships where Katherina also competed.At www.clrg.ie: Check out the full list of winners from the 2019 World Irish Dance Championships in Greensboro