CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has a new Respect Life program director. Jessica Grabowski takes over the position from outgoing director Jennifer Ganser.
“On behalf of Catholic Charities, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the pro-life ministry leadership of the outgoing Respect Life program director, Jennifer Ganser,” said Joe Purello, director of Catholic Charities’ Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy, which oversees the diocese’s Respect Life activities.
“Her frequent communications with parishes, especially parish pro-life coordinators, her work in making this past August’s Respect Life Conference a success and her assistance in providing a smooth transition to a our new Respect Life program director are all greatly appreciated.”
Grabowski, a member of St. Ann Church in Charlotte, is a graduate of the Catholic University of America, earning both a bachelor’s degree in psychology and masters degree In business analysis. She worked for many years in event planning and management in Washington, D.C., before relocating to Charlotte in 2014. She and her husband Paul have two children.
“I am extremely excited to take on my new role with Catholic Charities as the Respect Life program director,” Grabowski said. “I have always been a steadfast pro-life supporter and advocate in my professional and personal life. The importance of respecting and protecting life from conception until natural death, and the promotion and nurturing of marriage and family life, are issues I am extremely passionate about.”
Purello believes Grabowski will be an effective advocate for pro-life ministry in the diocese. “Her passion and enthusiasm for promoting a respect for all human life is very evident,” he said. “She possesses a ‘can-do’ attitude and has really hit the ground running in her new leadership position in our diocese.”
“In this role I hope to strengthen and grow all Respect Life ministries in our parishes and heighten awareness of our fight for life in families, communities and parishes across our diocese. I hope to collaborate with all of our parishes in the near future to put on more Respect Life events for their parishioners and communities.
“I am honored to join Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte in their mission, and I look forward to fulfilling my role of supporting these ministries,” Grabowski said.
For more information about the diocesan Respect Life Ministry, go to www.ccdoc.org/services/family-enrichment/respect-life. Grabowski can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
LENOIR — Father Stephen M. Hoyt was installed as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church by Bishop Peter Jugis during a bilingual Mass Oct. 30.
A Philadelphia area native, Father Hoyt was ordained to the priesthood in 1992. He has served in various ministries in New York, New Jersey and North Carolina, including parishes, hospitals, schools and retreat work, as well as mission work in Africa.
In the Diocese of Charlotte, he previously served at Holy Family Church in Clemmons and St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte. In a letter to parishioners, he wrote, “I look forward to sharing ministry with you as the Lord calls each of us.
I cannot express well enough in words how much your prayful and communal support means to me.
Truly I can promise you that you and your loved ones are in my prayers. Let us walk this journey together keeping in mind the Spirit of God that has brought us together and is in our midst; protecting us, guiding us, loving us and saving us with His Divine Mercy.”
— Jeanine Russell | Catholic News Herald
See more pictures on the parish’s Facebook page
Marriage rooted in self-sacrifice, modeling God’s love
Marriage rooted in self-sacrifice, modeling God’s loveCHARLOTTE — Married couples celebrating special anniversaries this year were the invited guests of Bishop Peter Jugis Nov. 6 at St. John Neumann Church. The annual wedding anniversary Mass honors couples who have witnessed to the sanctity of the sacrament of marriage for 25 years or more. Sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, the event includes a reception with the bishop after Mass.
“I take this opportunity on this beautiful fall day to thank you for the witness that you give to your love for each other and also your love for the Lord,” Bishop Jugis said at the start of his homily.
Drawing from the special readings selected for the anniversary Mass – Genesis chapter 2, 1 Corinthians and the Gospel of John – Bishop Jugis reminded those present that everyone is made in the image of God.
“We bear the image of Almighty God within our soul. We know from the definition that St. John gives us in the New Testament that God is love. And if we are made in the image of God, then we are made in the image of that love, who is God. It is from Him that we learn the true nature of love.”
He pointed out that contemporary society presents many different definitions, ideas and notions of what constitutes love. But the One who is love, God Himself, teaches us the true nature and meaning of love.
“Love is faithful. Love is true. Love is holy, because God is holy,” Bishop Jugis said. “God shows us that love is not self-seeking or closed and inward looking, but love always moves beyond itself into self-giving. It cannot stay locked up or closed within itself. It is always moving outward.”
He drew from the example of the Holy Trinity, pointing out that the love for the Father is always moving outward to the Son. The love of the Son is always moving outward to the Father. That love, that bond between them, is the Holy Spirit.
“God is love, and that love is what we are called to imitate and reflect here on this earth. That self-giving love is always moving out of itself to care and concern of the beloved. Love is there, as God teaches us, even if it entails suffering or sacrifice. That is the love God models and presents for us. It is the love Jesus has shown us. This is the love which makes marriage work,” he emphasized.
Deacon Bill and Lillian Griffin of St. Matthew Church in south Charlotte, who have been married 50 years, were among the couples at the Mass. They said they have come to know the true nature of love after a half-century of matrimony and raising three children, one with special needs.
“I think one of the secrets (of a successful marriage) is that God has always been part of our lives,” Deacon Griffin said. “Any time that we had a problem, it brought us closer together.”
“We’ve been like one, rather than two, people. We have become one. I think you need a sense of humor because there are a lot of ups and downs. You just have to go with the flow,” Lillian Griffin added.
Ray and Helen Maxon of St. Vincent de Paul Church, also married 50 years, said one of the secrets of a happy marriage is “don’t go to bed mad.” They advise young couples to “keep close to the Church.”
“Our faith has always been very strong,” Ray Maxon said. He and Helen traveled to other countries over the years and lived in France for four years.
“I always said we have got to get to church, no matter where we were,” Helen Maxon said. They were comforted that no matter what country they were in, there were Masses celebrated and they could understand what was going on in the Mass thanks to the Latin used in the liturgy.
Daniel and Danica Le of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury are celebrating 25 years of marriage. When asked what their secret is, they replied, “Trusting, honoring (one another) and being faithful.”
Bishop Jugis asked all of the couples present at Mass, “How is it that you are able to arrive at this milestone in your marriage?”
“Isn’t it because you have placed the Lord first in your marriage? That His grace and His love have been the foundation of your married life? Isn’t it because it is a sacrament that you are living and the sacrament entails the presence of Almighty God and His life-giving love and His life-giving grace?”
He reminded them that this sacramental grace is always available to them – not just on the day they were married, but a living sacrament that flows from the Heart of Jesus into their lives and their marriages.
“May this anniversary Mass help you to turn to God in thanksgiving for all the blessings He has bestowed upon you,” he prayed.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Seminarians of the Diocese of Charlotte were among the 26 students of the Pontifical College Josephinum installed as lectors or acolytes during a Mass on Nov. 1, the Solemnity of All Saints.
Britt Taylor and Alfonso Gamez were installed as acolytes, and Jonathan Torres was installed as lector.
They are pictured with the Josephinum's Father John Allen, vice president for advancement, and Monsignor Christopher J. Schreck, rector/president; and Bishop Frederick F. Campbell of Columbus, who was the principal celebrant of the Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus.
Seminarians installed as lectors typically are first-year theologians and are commissioned to proclaim the Word of God in the liturgical assembly and to catechize the faithful.
Acolytes, traditionally second-year theologians, are entrusted with the duties of attending to the altar, assisting the deacon and priest at Mass, and distributing Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister.
— Carolyn A. Dinovo, Director of Communications, Pontifical College Josephinum; photo by Ken Snow
HUNTERSVILLE — Nearly 60 parishioners of St. Mark Church gathered at Northlake Memorial Gardens Cemetery for an outdoor Mass for the repose of all the faithful departed.
The Mass was offered by Father Cory Catron, parochial vicar, and assisted by Deacon Louis Pais. The Mass was followed by a procession around the grounds to bless the graves.
Unlike many in society, Father Catron said in his homily, Catholics are more comfortable with death because we put our hope in a living God knowing that we too will rise again with Him.
He said that we remember all those loved ones who have gone before us here at the altar on this day, all throughout this month and every day of our lives we pray that God has mercy upon them. During the procession and blessing of the graves, the group prayed the Litany of the Saints, led by Nancy McGahey.
— Photo provided by Amy Burger
Included in the gallery:
HUNTERSVILLE — St. Mark preschoolers also dressed as their favorite saint and took part in an annual All Saints Day procession at the school.
— Photo provided by Amy Burger
WINSTON-SALEM — At an All Saints Day Fair at Our Lady of Mercy Church, students learned about and dressed up as various saints, including one student who wore the old habit of the Franciscan Sisters of Philadelphia, pictured with Sister Kathy Grniel, a member of that order.
— Photo provided by Conventual Franciscan Father Carl Zdancewicz
DENVER — Holy Spirit held an All Saints Celebration for children on October 30th. This photo features the Living Saints Museum. Saint is Elizabeth Ann Seton is portrayed by Sarah Bartro as Crystal King with children Carter and Clare learn about the saint's life. Other activities included games and crafts, a reading nook and a saints selfie station.
— Doreen Sugierski
FOREST CITY — Children at Immaculate Conception Church celebrated Halloween as All Hallows’ Day by dressing up as their favorite saint. Saints represented in the photo include St. Faustina, accompanied by Jesus, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Patrick, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Joseph, St. Francis, St. Philomena, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Michael the Archangel, and St. John Paul II.
— Giuliana Polinari Riley | Catholic News Herald
HUNTERSVILLE — St. Mark students attended Mass Nov. 3 to celebrate All Saints Day. The yearly tradition sees all of the second-grade students come to Mass dressed as their favorite saint. But it is not just a dress-up day for the students. It is part of a larger class project where they study their saint, create poster and make class presentations for their sacrament preparation leading up to their first Holy Communion in the spring.
— Photo provided by Amy Burger
CHARLOTTE — St. Ann parish offered a Missa Cantata (High Mass in the Extraordinary Form) for the feast of All Souls’ Day. The Mass was offered by pastor Father Timothy Reid and after Mass, Father Reid vested in a new black requiem cope to offer prayers for the parish’s deceased members. The cope was funded by an initiative of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community and St. Ann parishioners. The evening also featured two other requiem Masses, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte and St. Michael Church in Gastonia.
— Mike FitzGerald | Catholic News Herald
GASTONIA — Students at St. Michael School also researched and dressed up as their favorite saint in preparation for All Saints Day. After their research was complete, students wrote a narrative about the saint’s life in the first person. Students then memorized their narrative and presented it at the “Saints Alive” museum. On Oct. 28, the “saints” took their place in the museum (a.k.a. gym), and held their pose until the red button on their back was pushed. Once their button was pushed, the saint came alive and told all about his or her life to the visitors. Parents, students and staff were impressed with the students’ depiction of their saint and some even said they learned a lot from the young saints!
— Photo provided by Tammy Eason
