HICKORY — The Diocese of Charlotte has hired a new director for the Catholic Conference Center.
Deacon Scott Gilfillan succeeds Paul Cronin, who recently retired after overseeing a major renovation of the conference center.
Deacon Gilfillan most recently served as a general manager of a local steel company. He also serves as the diocese’s director of formation for the permanent diaconate.
Deacon Gilfillan and his wife Kimberly are members of St. Joseph Church in Newton.
For the past couple of years, Deacon Gilfillan said, he knew it was time for him to leave his former job and venture into something new that would use all of his gifts – both as a deacon in the Church and as a businessman.
“For most of this time, I prayed fervently for God to reveal to me what that ‘something new’ was, but God was mostly silent,” Deacon Gilfillan said. “Looking back, I see reasons for the silence – God was preparing me for the perfect assignment. Though the conference center was never on my list of ‘what’s next,’ I see now how neatly the position at the conference center beautifully combines both my passions and expertise.”
Deacon Gilfillan acknowledged the great job that Cronin did in updating and rebranding the conference center. “Paul Cronin, the previous director, has done an excellent job guiding the center through the renovations that came from the ‘Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love’ campaign,” he said.
“He upgraded the facilities so they are fresh and welcoming. The dividends of this investment are beginning to pay off. Revenues for the last three months have been the best three months in the history of the center. Paul also set up a great cadre of vendors, and has left me with a stellar staff keenly focused on the satisfaction and well-being of guests. He has started the work of developing a new generation of conference center guests.”
Deacon Gilfillan said his goal is to build upon the foundation set by Cronin and continue to improve the conference center’s operations, particularly with expanding the number and diversity of the guests who frequent the center for retreats, meetings and conferences.
“We’ve got a wonderful place for rest and renewal for a wide variety of diverse groups,” he noted. “The people who visit have a great experience and come back again and again. I realized this when I reviewed the list of past customers. I was amazed at how many groups return. I thought I would see a lot of folks that had come once and had not returned. I actually found very few.
“What I found, instead, is a vast majority of groups that have visited over the last few years have returned. They value the unique features of the conference center, have a great experience at the center, and want to come again.”
Deacon Gilfillan is himself one of those former guests. Ordained to the permanent diaconate in 2001 by the late Bishop William G. Curlin, he spent time at the conference center throughout his formation experience.
“I received great enjoyment meeting and interacting with the other groups that were also using the facilities at the same time I was attending classes. I am thrilled that now I get to meet new people each day,” he said.
Through a variety of marketing tools, including improving the center’s online presence, Deacon Gilfillan said he hopes to greatly expand this pool of frequent, repeat visitors.
“The greatest appeal for me in this position as the new director is the contact and impact it has with the people who visit. By offering a beautiful setting with sacred spaces, almost everyone leaves physically refreshed and spiritually renewed,” he said.
“In essence, the Catholic Conference Center is a unique means through which our diocese can evangelize the hundreds of people who visit each year. Jesus told His disciples, ‘Come with me to a secluded place and rest awhile.’ (Mk 6:31) I think the conference center is that place.”
For more information about the Catholic Conference Center or to schedule a retreat, contact Deacon Scott Gilfil-lan at 828-327-7441 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
CHARLOTTE — For four decades, the members of the Rosary Society at Our Lady of Consolation Church have been welcoming guests with smiles and delicious food at their annual chicken dinner – all part of an effort to beautify the historic parish and give glory to God.
A crowd of more than 300 filled the parish hall again April 29 for the Rosary Society’s 40th annual dinner, a now legendary event in the community. Local residents, Johnson C. Smith University students living near the church, and parishioners arrived with an appetite – some for the very first time, some the 40th. Rosary Society members warmly greeted their guests with smiles as they collected the $10-a-plate tickets. The aroma of tenderly spiced chicken and scratch-made, secret-recipe delicacies wafted out the double doors as parishioners came in after the 11 a.m. Mass.
Shirley Fowler, chairperson of the Rosary Society, cheerfully directed her team in the kitchen, making sure each piece of chicken, whether it be baked or fried, dark meat or white, was perfectly placed next to a generous portion of potato salad and a thick slice of cornbread.
Fowler said preparations for the annual fundraising dinner are detailed and extensive – deftly handled by the experienced members of the Rosary Society. They start promoting the annual event in the parish and at nearby parishes well in advance, and they post flyers around the community, she said – encouraging as many people to attend as possible.
“We start buying for the dinner the prior Monday,” she explained. “We get our orders in, and we start preparing the meal on Thursday. Thursday to Friday, up until Saturday night, we are preparing because everything is cooked from scratch – from the cornbread to the potato salad – and, of course, seasoning the chicken, making sure it is right.”
Parishioners contribute desserts to round out the feast, she noted.
These annual chicken dinners, and the Rosary Society itself, have deep ties to the parish. Rosary Society members don matching blue aprons for the event, but more than that and cooking unifies them. Passion for the Blessed Virgin Mary, historical ties to Our Lady of Consolation Parish, a Catholic faith that spans generations, and a heart for giving have kept this group strongly connected.
“My granddaughter, who is now 21, joined when she was 12. She used to be sitting up in the meeting with me. My son was unable to be here today, but he has come every year just to cook,” Fowler said.
Harry Scott lost his mother back in December. On this 40th annual dinner, he wore her Rosary Society blue apron, standing in for his mother. Scott reminisced, “My mom was a part of the Rosary Society for years and years and years before she passed. I just inherited the apron from her, but the work she did and the willingness to give up her time kind of leaned on me. She is looking down on me right now and she is proud of me.”
“I’ve been at this church for, like, 44 to 46 years, but you know, I am only 30,” joked parishioner Willie Thompson, chicken dinner plate in hand. “But I always support the Rosary Society and everything they ask me to do. They have very good food – home cooked, everything from scratch. It is a great way to raise funds for the church. I am always going to support Her as long as I am standing.”
The Rosary Society is truly foundational at Our Lady of Consolation Parish. Since the parish was founded in the 1940s, the Rosary Society has helped to raise funds for the beautification of the church.
The group was initially known as the Altar and Rosary Society, because back then sacramental wine and flowers were luxuries that could not easily be afforded at a small parish.
“The Altar and Rosary Society – the older ladies who are now gone, most of them – would supply the wine and flowers,” Fowler explained. “Then when the church got on its feet, they took the word ‘altar’ from the name, leaving Rosary Society.”
She continued, “There were small things that the church needed, so we would look around and say: ‘Hmm, if we could take on this project that would be less for the church to spend.’ For example, we needed new doors. So, we put those doors up on the church. We put cushions on the pews, carpet on the floor, new kneelers, new furniture on the altar. We did little things like that to prepare for those to come, to receive the Word of God here.”
This year’s annual dinner raised enough for the Rosary Society to donate funds to cover a brick sign for the front of the church. Fowler and other group members presented their gift at the 11 a.m. Mass May 6. The group, clothed all in white and blue in honor of Mary, gathered for a reception immediately after the Mass to celebrate 40 years of chicken dinners, their close-knit relationships and their love for God and their parish.
Fowler happily told fellow members, “You look at the solid oak doors, chicken. The baby grand piano, chicken. The kneelers, chicken. Now, this new sign, chicken. Chicken, chicken, chicken!”
All the hard work, all the chicken, all the donations – it is all to honor Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother, she continued.
“The Blessed Mother, think of who she is! She gave birth to who? Jesus. That’s a special lady,” she said. “She is our Mother, because Jesus is our Brother, and God is our Father.”
Now that the 40th annual dinner is past them, Rosary Society members do not plan to slow down. On the contrary, they meet every first Sunday of the month to pray the rosary and pray for fellow parishioners in need. They also pray the rosary with people who request a home visit, Fowler noted.
— Lisa Geraci, correspondent
Bishop Peter Jugis and Bishop Rafael Zarama, the new Bishop of Raleigh, are issuing a joint letter on immigration to the Catholics of North Carolina.
Their letter restates positions on immigration that have long been supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, but it comes at a time when federal courts are reviewing issues regarding the Dreamers, immigrants who were brought to this country as children; the federal ban on immigration from several majority-Muslim countries; and a steep decline in the number of immigrants being admitted to the United States.
Quoting Pope Francis, the letter emphasizes that fixing America’s dysfunctional immigration system is a moral imperative as well as a political policy issue.
This is the first joint letter by Bishops Jugis and Zarama. Bishop Jugis and Bishop Michael Burbidge, the former Bishop of Raleigh, had a long history of collaboration on public policy issues before Bishop Burbidge was transferred to the Diocese of Arlington, Va.
— David Hains, Diocese of Charlotte communication director
The full text of the bishops’ joint message is as follows:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
While it is clear that the immigration process is in dire need of reform, the issue of immigration policy and enforcement is both complicated and emotional. While we agree that there is room for disagreement and discussion with respect to immigration policy, we wish to remind our more than 1 million Catholic faithful in North Carolina of the stated positions of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) formed by Catholic social teaching and encourage personal reflection and formation on these issues.
The issue of immigration is not merely about policy, it is a moral concern impacting the human dignity and human rights of every person. While we must certainly respect our borders and our laws, we are particularly supportive of immigration policy reforms. Every day we see firsthand the consequences of a system that creates fear and anxiety amongst individuals who have become a vital part of our parishes and make substantial contributions to the economic and social fabric of our communities.
As Catholics, we advocate for the recognition that immigrants, as members of God’s human family, are deserving of and must be granted the appropriate dignity as our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Jesus himself was a refugee and taught us to welcome the stranger and to realize that in welcoming the stranger, we are welcoming Christ Himself.
Our Catholic Charities offices stand ready to help with food and other household necessities for all families that find themselves in distress at this time. Through those offices we will continue to provide Legal Immigration Services via staff who have been accredited to complete legal documentation by the Board of Immigration Appeals in the Department of Justice. These DOJ Accredited Representatives assist families and individuals in achieving an immigration status that enables them to work, reunite with family members, or take steps toward becoming citizens who could contribute to the well-being of their family and society. We will not counsel anyone to thwart or resist proper law enforcement but will continue to provide education about individuals’ legal rights.
On a broader level, we, the Bishops of North Carolina, and the Bishops of the United States will continue working to:
• Find a Bipartisan Solution to Protect Dreamers. The approximately 1.8 million Dreamers living in our country were brought to the United States as young people. They worship with us in our churches and synagogues, serve in our military, contribute to our economy, and add their many talents to American society.
• Provide a Path to Citizenship. Dreamers know America as their only home and should not be denied the opportunity to obtain U.S. citizenship and participate fully in civic life.
• Recognize the Sanctity of Families. Family immigration is the foundation of our country and of our Church. Pope Francis states, “The family is the foundation of co-existence and a remedy against social fragmentation.” We steadfastly know that families are what hold America together. We ask you to reject legislation that threatens family-based immigration.
• Recognize the Right of Nations to Control Their Borders. While Catholic social teaching on migration recognizes and respects the sovereignty of each nation to regulate its borders, this right must be balanced with the right of vulnerable migrants, such as asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking, to access protection. Border security should be proportional and justly implemented.
• Maintain Protections for Unaccompanied Children. A solution for Dreamers cannot be at the expense of other immigrant children. Such a tradeoff would be heartless and untenable. We ask that you maintain existing protections for unaccompanied children that help prevent trafficking and abuse and ensure their access to adequate care.
As members of the human family, each individual deserves and must be granted, the dignity that not only supports and fosters the common good of our society but also reflects the reality that we are all fundamentally brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States of America, watch over and pray for us now and always.
Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte
Most Reverend Luis Rafael Zarama, Bishop of Raleigh
CHARLOTTE — The Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry held the 41st Annual Diocesan Youth Conference “Imago Dei” (“The Image of God”) April 27-29 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain.More than 350 high school students attended.
The annual Diocesan Youth Conference, offered in collaboration with the Eparchy of St. Josaphat, was a weekend-long event for high school youth from across the Diocese of Charlotte.
It featured keynote speakers, entertainment, Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and the opportunity for the sacrament of confession – all designed to enable participants to grow in their Catholic faith. Workshops addressed a variety of issues: moral decision-making, Theology of the Body, virtues education, prayer, maintaining one’s faith in college – and other pertinent topics for today’s young people.
During the conference, awards were also given to youth for their exemplary leadership.
The Bishop Michael J. Begley Award was given to Grace Rybak of Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City. The award recognizes, from the diocesan level, outstanding teens who exemplify Christian service, Catholic leadership and good moral standards.
In recognition of their outstanding youth discipleship, St. Timothy Award recipients were: Michael Lugo of Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City, Lisa Scarduzio of Sacred Heart Church in Brevard, Matilda Silvestri of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte, Jackson Schuler of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, and Anna Human of Holy Family Church in Clemmons.
Father Joseph Matlak, pastor of St. Basil the Great Eastern Catholic Parish in Charlotte, joined the young people for a youth conference. Along with the theme, “Imago Dei” (Image of God), a major component of the event was the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine rite.
Most of the youth had never experienced Byzantine liturgy before, but they nevertheless quickly learned to sing the responses, especially the Paschal Troparion “Christ is Risen,” according to a Facebook post from St. Basil Parish.
Father Joseph also led a break-out session entitled “West Meets East,” which introduced participants of the conference to the Eastern Catholic Churches.
— Catholic News Herald. Photos via Facebook
CHARLOTTE — The largest Catholic church in the United States is set to unveil a new pastoral plan to its 36,250-plus registered parishioners.
Established in 1986 with 600 parishioners, the parish is now spread across two locations, one in southeast Charlotte and one further south in Waxhaw. Its four priests offer 27 Masses every week: 23 Masses between the 1,400-seat main church and daily chapel, one Sunday Mass in the adjacent gymnasium, and three Masses at St. Matthew South in Waxhaw. Its faith formation program has an enrollment of 3,200 students, and the number of parish programs, ministries and small groups now exceeds 100.
As the parish’s current pastoral plan is expiring, the parish council has developed a new pastoral plan to lead the parish through 2021.
The 2019-’21 St. Matthew Pastoral Plan is set to take effect in eight months. Details will be shared with parishioners in the coming weeks.
In preparation for the new pastoral plan, the parish council reviewed the findings of the most recent Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and Gallup parishioner surveys.
“The planning process has been very thorough,” said Bob Bowles, parish council chairperson. “We directly solicited feedback from our parishioners and members of our parish council, and conducted interviews with our parish staff members and our ministry members as well.”
Father Pat Hoare, who came to St. Matthew Church as pastor last summer, has played an active role in shaping the new pastoral plan. His experience as a longtime parishioner and former youth minister at the parish gives him special insight into the needs of his faith community.
“The process of preparing a pastoral plan has been an invaluable way for me to really get to know St. Matthew as I begin my service here,” Father Hoare said. “Understanding both the parish’s gifts and challenges helps me as pastor to focus on the critical items for our ongoing mission to evangelize and to make disciples.”
“Based on our findings, when we went through the information, our pastoral plan goals became very clear,” Bowles said. “We are going to focus on the spiritual growth of our parishioners as our first goal. The second goal is to work to increase the engagement of our youth, young adults and young families.”
In order to accomplish these two goals, Bowles said, the pastoral plan will include two pillars: facilities and communications. The objectives and action plans of these two pillars will support these two goals, he said.
“We have many objectives set to feed our parishioners spiritually. The staff will be enacting our plan. They have been actively involved. It has been a very collaborative process,” he noted.
He explained that outside the walls, within the parish’s geographic boundaries in southeast Charlotte, they plan “to feed the multitudes and reach out to our parishioners in other ways as well.”
Increasing youth and young adult engagement is something the pastoral council and staff are excited about, Bowles also noted.
“One of our strategies will be to provide events and activities that mentor, teach and develop our youth, young adults and young families. Another strategy is to help them live a life of grace that overflows into the lives of others, through witnessing of service,” he said. “We are going to encounter them through providing social and fellowship opportunities, to provide a welcoming environment to create a real sense of inclusion.”
“It is a very engaged parish,” Bowles said. “There are over 100 ministries. People are involved in the faith. In-creasing the faith and engagement of youth and young adults is one of Father Pat’s priorities. We need to continu-ally feed (our parishioners) as Jesus did when He walked the earth. We can always do better.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter