CHARLOTTE — Police are investigating the reported robbery of more than $10,000 from St. Ann Church’s weekly bank deposit.
According to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police report, an unarmed man robbed a parish employee Aug. 28 when she attempted to deposit the parish’s weekly offertory in the night deposit box at the Wells Fargo branch used by the parish. The total taken amounted to $10,654.
According to the report, the suspect accosted the employee outside the bank Monday a little after 11 a.m., and “strong arm robbed her,” then “fled the scene on foot.” The employee was not injured, and she immediately alerted police.
The stolen cash, totaling $1,816, will be covered by insurance and will not affect parish finances. Another $8,838 in checks were also in the bag. The parish will be contacting parishioners whose checks were among those stolen. Additionally, a claim will be filed with the Diocese of Charlotte's insurance carrier for stolen funds that are not ultimately recovered, diocesan officials said.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
CHARLOTTE — Artwork painted by fourth- and fifth-grade students at St. Gabriel School was recently put on display at the Charlotte office of Catholic
Charities Diocese of Charlotte. The students, members of the Charlotte school’s Junior Disciples Club, created the works of art during their spring semester.
The Junior Disciples Club is a group of philanthropic students from St. Gabriel School whose purpose is “Children Helping Children.” From this mission statement, club members take part in a variety of activities to aid children locally, nationally and internationally. Activities range from fundraising and participating in Charlotte’s CROP Walk to donation drives for Samaritan’s Feet’s efforts to support Syrian refugees.
The artwork serves to inspire everyone who works at Catholic Charities’ Charlotte office, one of five locations for the diocesan agency that has been serving people in need across western North Carolina since 1949. Learn more about Catholic Charities and how you can help at www.ccdoc.org.
— Photos provided by Tammy S. Greyshock and Gina Bonfiglio
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Foundation recently surpassed the milestone of 250 endowments, representing a total of more than $45 million in assets.
The foundation, established in 1994, provides a means for people and organizations to provide long-term financial stability for the diocese and its more than 181 churches, schools, agencies and organizations.
An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is never touched, but the income from which can be used in accordance with the wishes of the donor organization or individual. Endowments provide a way to generate income and help sustain the long-term strength and viability of the diocese and its parishes, schools, agencies and ministries.
One such endowment is the Asheville Catholic School Endowment Fund, established in 1997, with cumulative contributions totaling $560,000. Since that time, the school has received distributions of $561,000 while the principal amount in the endowment itself has grown to $600,000. The endowment will continue to provide distributions every quarter, depending on how financial markets grow or decline.
“The good news is that the endowment principal will continue to grow over the long haul and at the same time it will generate a continuing rise in income (for the school),” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director.
“The endowment has already provided income equal to the amount of the initial contributions. Not only has the school recouped the initial investment, but it will also continue to receive income that, over time, will grow into the millions of dollars to benefit Asheville Catholic School,” Kelley said.
The foundation sends reports to all endowment holders every quarter stating where their endowment stands and how much is available to distribute.
As a rule, the foundation makes available annually 5 percent of a rolling 12-quarter average value of the endowments’ total assets, which is a common practice.
Since 1994, the foundation has distributed more than $7 million to the diocese and its parishes, schools and ministries.
“Those funds have helped change the lives of thousands of people throughout the diocese,” Kelley said.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Learn more
Individuals can establish an endowment in the diocesan foundation by leaving a bequest in their will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a gift of real estate, a gift of life insurance, cash or securities sufficient to set up an endowment, or a life income arrangement such as a trust or annuity.
For information about setting up an endowment to benefit the Church in western North Carolina, contact Ray-Eric Correia, diocesan director of planned giving, at 704-370-3364 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CHARLOTTE — Parishioners across the Diocese of Charlotte have the chance to help victims of the recent Hurricane Harvey disaster on the weekends of Sept. 2-3 and Sept. 9-10 through a special collection taken up at Masses at participating parishes.
The special collection will fund both short-term emergency aid as well as long-term disaster recovery efforts.
Donations should be made payable to one’s local parish, noted for “Disaster Relief.” Donations will be forwarded by parishes to the diocesan finance office, which will then distribute the funds to Church partners offering disaster relief and recovery to affected communities.
In a Aug. 29 memo to pastors about this collection, Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, wrote, “As you are no doubt aware, communities in southeast Texas and the surrounding region have been struck by devastating flooding and high winds caused by Hurricane Harvey.
This disaster has created a situation beyond which the local communities and agencies cannot handle without outside assistance.” Monsignor West also encouraged prayers at this time: “Let us pray for all those impacted by disasters such as this recent tragedy and for a generous response to those in need.”
— Catholic News Herald
USCCB leader invites bishops to take up collection for storm recovery
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked bishops across the country to consider a special collection to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey along the Gulf Coast.
He suggested in an Aug. 28 letter to bishops that the collection be taken during Masses the weekend of Sept. 2-3 or Sept. 9-10.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families that have lost loved ones and to all who have lost homes and businesses along with their sense of normalcy. We also stand with our brother bishops in the region who have the difficult task of providing pastoral care in these most trying times while managing their own losses. Our prayerful and financial support is urgently needed," he wrote.
Funds collected will support emergency aid and recovery efforts under Catholic Charities USA and pastoral and rebuilding support to the affected dioceses through the bishops' conference.
The storm has dumped as much as four feet of rain on some areas of Texas and Louisiana, weather observers have reported. Thousands of people have evacuated flooded homes and communities and remained in emergency shelters across the region.
Among the most affected areas are the Diocese of Victoria and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, USCCB president, oversees. Numerous parishes and schools have been flooded while others have offered facilities as shelter. Parishes have also helped distribute food and emergency supplies to storm victims.
"Together with Cardinal DiNardo and the bishops throughout the affected region, I express deep gratitude to the first responders and countless volunteers who are assisting the Gulf Coast region in countless ways," Archbishop Gomez wrote.
— Catholic News Service
Where to give to assist with Hurricane Harvey recovery
Several organizations have established emergency relief operations for the thousands of people affected by Hurricane Harvey and the floods in Texas and Louisiana.
Contributions can be made to:
-- Catholic Charities USA: online at https://catholiccharitiesusa.org; telephone at 800-919-9338; mail to P.O. Box 17066, Baltimore, Maryland, 21297-1066 and write "Hurricane Harvey" in the memo line of the check.
-- Texas Catholics Conference is coordinating emergency services. A listing by diocese of where to give has been posted online at https://txcatholic.org/harvey/.
-- Local dioceses are expected to initiate special collections during weekend Masses Sept. 2-3 or Sept. 9-10. Funds will benefit Catholic Charities USA's disaster relief efforts as well as pastoral and rebuilding support through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
CHARLOTTE — More than 50 people from multiple parishes in the Charlotte area attended the inaugural Vigil of the Two Hearts devotion at St. Patrick Cathedral Sept. 1.
The vigil, organized by the Catholic Pro-life Action Network of Charlotte (C-PLAN), honors the hearts of Jesus and Mary by offering First Friday and First Saturday Masses united by nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration.
The vigil invites Catholic families to come together in prayer each month for the strengthening of their families, offering penance for their sins, and praying for the country’s conversion. The event seeks to honor the Sacred Heart devotion and Our Lady of Fatima’s request for prayer and penance for conversion of sinners and peace in the world.
The evening began with Mass, offered by Father Peter Ascik of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, who preached about the need to accept Christ’s healing love first before healing the wounds of families and the nation.
After Mass, Father Ascik offered prayers to spiritually fortify families while Deacon Carlos Medina of St. Patrick Cathedral led a Holy Hour of Reparation before midnight.
Throughout the night, individuals and families came to the cathedral for nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration.
The event concluded with morning First Saturday Mass Sept. 2.
The Vigil of the Two Hearts will be held again at the cathedral Oct. 6-7, and may be held monthly if participation remains consistent.
For more information or to sign up for a Holy Hour during the period of nocturnal Adoration, go online to www.prolifecharlotte.org/two-hearts
— Mike FitzGerald, correspondent