HICKORY — The call to follow God can often seem formidable, but for 60 men and women from across the Diocese of Charlotte, saying "yes" to God has changed their lives.
Their "yes" was taking part in the diocese's Lay Ministry Formation Program, a journey that began in 2014 and reached a milestone July 9 with their graduation.
Through this two-year formation program, laypeople learn more about the faith so they may better fulfill their baptismal call to participate in the Church's mission. It focuses on four areas of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. The program is comprised of 150 hours of classes – everything from Scripture, Church history and Church councils, Christology, liturgy and the sacraments, to Catholic moral and social teachings, prayer and gift discernment.
For those who completed the program, July 9 was a day of celebration and anticipation about where God will lead them next. The past two years of study may have been challenging, graduates said, but well worth the effort.
"Lay Ministry has allowed me to take yet another step in my faith journey by opening my heart, nourishing my mind and soul so that I may continue walking the path as one of God's humble servants," said Hugh Holland of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont.
"My knowledge of the history of the Catholic Church is deeper, as is my faith. I have also met a lot of new friends from across the diocese that I wouldn't have otherwise," said Bill Youngblood of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.
"I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for all this program has poured into me," said Carol Everhart of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonsville. "We know that by virtue of our baptism we are all called to serve, and we do, in many ways in our own vocations, but if you are ready to go deeper in your understanding and application of God's call, I lovingly encourage you to explore this program."
"For the Catholic who has always felt they need to know more about their faith, the Lay Ministry course is RCIA to the fourth power," said Hank Kaczmarek of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton.
"The commitment was not easy, but I believe it was worth the effort," said Patrick L. Roach of Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Winston-Salem. "I particularly feel blessed to have been introduced to the Divine Office, and I feel the whole experience has brought me closer to God. I now know that there is so much to learn about my Catholic faith, and although I have just finished two years of study the journey is just beginning."
During a Mass at the Catholic Conference Center to celebrate their graduation, graduates were encouraged to keep saying "yes" to God.
In his homily Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, reflected on the day's readings, including Isaiah 6:1-8, in which the prophet encounters God. When God sanctifies him and calls him, Isaiah responds, "Here I am, send me!"
Isaiah serves as a model of how we should respond to God's similar call to us, Monsignor West said.
"Dear friends in Christ, the very same commitment is being asked of us this morning," he said. "Christ is inviting you to work with Him to make His love and mercy a real experience for those whom you encounter on the journey of life."
"I realize that in hearing this call, it is a daunting one," he acknowledged. "Nevertheless, it is what is being asked of us as we formally embrace a life of Gospel ministry, side by side with the Lord Jesus."
In his closing comments at the graduation ceremony, Frank Villaronga, diocesan director of the Lay Ministry program, also told the graduates to keep going on their spiritual journey.
"I've heard you say 'yes' several times today," he said with a smile. "Hopefully, you'll begin to realize what that 'yes' is and continue to say' yes,' and figure out how to live that out."
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Editor
New classes starting
The 2016-'18 Lay Ministry Formation Program begins Sept. 24, with classes scheduled in Arden, Bryson City, Charlotte, Greensboro and Lenoir. All Catholic adults are welcome to apply.
For details, contact Frank Villaronga, director of the diocesan Evangelization and Adult Education Office, at 704-370-3274 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CHARLOTTE — Memorial Day is an opportunity to pray for the souls of all the military men and women who have died serving our country, and for their families, said Bishop Peter Jugis.
During a Mass for the military offered May 30 at St. Patrick Cathedral, Bishop Jugis noted that "the observance taking place here in this church is slightly different from the observance taking place beyond the walls of this church, in secular society."
"At this Mass we not only remember our war dead," he said. "We gather together to pray for our deceased family members, friends and relatives who have given their lives in war – praying for their salvation and the eternal repose of their souls.
"May the graces of this Holy Mass benefit them and help them to be prepared for entrance into heavenly glory."
053016-military-mass-2Bishop Jugis begins the Liturgy of the Eucharist during the May 30 Mass for the military.It is important to pray for our deceased family and friends, Bishop Jugis said. "Death does not sever the relationship that we have with them. Our prayers are still effective signs of our love and affection for them."
We should also pray for veterans and for those still serving in the military today, he said, especially those serving in dangerous assignments. May "God protect them and shield them from all evil and all harm."
Veterans still carry the physical and emotional scars of their military service, he noted, so "we pray that God may be their close and constant companion, to heal them, strengthen them and bring them peace."
Bishop Jugis also encouraged those in attendance to pray for justice and lasting peace, through their own conversion of heart.
"Peace has to begin in the heart of every human being," he said, "and that peace happens only by dedicating our life to a right relationship with God."
That means loving God, obeying His commandments, confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness as Jesus taught us, he explained.
053016-military-mass-3Retired Army Col. Rebecca Tomsyck greets Bishop Peter Jugis after the Mass for the military offered May 30 at St. Patrick Cathedral. Tomsyck served 10 years in Europe and the Middle East."Wars, conflicts and disorder (in the world) are all the result of war, conflict and disorder and sin in the human heart," he said, adding, "We all know the slogan, 'Know Jesus, know peace; no Jesus, no peace.'"
"As we offer this sacrifice of salvation of the Holy Mass," he concluded, "we ask the Lord to bless our veterans, we ask the Lord to bless those who are currently serving, and we ask Him especially to bless those who have died while serving in the military, and for their families.
"Jesus heals, Jesus saves."
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
BELMONT — Bishop Peter Jugis told more than 100 young men on the Quo Vadis Days-Diocese of Charlotte retreat today at Mass at Belmont Abbey College that "God is the goal of your life. God is the focus of your life."
Our four new transitional deacons, several priests of the diocese and our soon to be ordained Deacon David McCanless were all present at Mass Wednesday morning.
Quo Vadis Days is a week-long vocations discernment camp for young men.
Please pray for all of our priests and seminarians and our young men discerning a vocation.
— Photos by SueAnn Howell and Lorenzo Pedro, Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — Father Joe Mulligan, a warm-hearted, gregarious priest with 40 years of ministering to people in the Diocese of Charlotte, is seldom at a loss for words. But a phone call one week ago left him speechless.
That phone call came from the Carolina Panthers' director of Player Engagement, Mark Carrier, who told Father Joe that the Panthers' Catholic players had chosen him to go to Super Bowl 50 as their chaplain. Carrier said, the players were inviting Father Joe to accompany them on their historic trip to the Big Game in Santa Clara, California, and would Father Joe like to go?
Father Mulligan replied, "It's a good thing I'm sitting down. As a person that usually has a lot of things to say, I'm just filled with gratitude and overjoyed to be able to go."
"That was as much as I could get out," he recalls.
A Philadelphia native of Irish descent, Father Joe has ministered to the Catholic families in the Panthers organization since the team joined the NFL and played their first pre-season game in 1995. Once among several Catholic chaplains who rotated in serving the team, Father Joe has served as the permanent Catholic chaplain since 2013. He offers Mass for them, ministers to their families and prays for them.
Father Mulligan says he celebrates Mass before every home game for about half a dozen Catholic players, including team captains Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly and Ryan Kalil; some of the coaches; the team's trainer and assistant trainer; and some of their family members.
"Occasionally, during the pre-season games, the Mass is at the stadium, but most of the time it's a Mass at the hotel where they convene the night before a regular home game," he explains.
"I do all the pre-season games and all the home games – playoff games and everything. And, of course, the last three years they've been in the playoffs, so my presence and their success has coincided," Father Mulligan quips.
Father Joe has ministered in the Charlotte diocese since his ordination in 1975. Last year he celebrated his 40th anniversary of priestly ordination. Besides his work with the Panthers, Father Joe serves in hospital ministry as a chaplain at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, and he helps out at Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont for Father Frank Cancro, pastor, when needed.
The priest credits All-Pro tight end Olsen as the catalyst for being invited to the Super Bowl with the team. "Nobody has said to me that they (the players) actually took a vote or something. But I'm sure there was some sort of 'we would like to have the Catholic Mass, so let's invite Father Joe.' And Greg Olsen probably spoke up and said 'I'll take care of it,'" Father Mulligan speculates. "(Olsen) is one of the team captains and that's the kind of guy he is."
Father Mulligan said he will travel to Santa Clara via a commercial airline Feb. 5 and will offer Mass for the players, coaching staff and family members on Super Bowl Sunday.
When asked how he plans to prepare the players for the big game, the chaplain says he does not deviate from the regular Mass readings.
Says Father Joe, "I follow along with the Scripture readings for the Mass of the day. So I want them to feel that we're in sync with the Church."
He adds, "I try to make it as pertinent to what's going in the Church. If it's Advent, we go through the Advent cycle."
Looking ahead to this Sunday's Gospel reading of Luke 5:1-11, Father Mulligan says this Sunday's Super Bowl will be an opportunity for the Carolina Panthers to "dig deeper."
This Sunday's Gospel "has to do with the Apostles fishing and casting a net, and they haven't caught anything. And Jesus says you have to 'cast your net,' 'lower your nets'... Lower your nets is an imagery of digging deeper," he explains.
"I'm going to apply the sense of lowering your nets and digging deeper as an image for what needs to happen if they're going to come out victorious, both in life and following Christ and in winning the Super Bowl."
— Rico De Silva, Hispanic Communications Reporter
WAXHAW — Hundreds of people turned out to venerate a relic of St. Sharbel, a 19th century Lebanese monk, at St. Matthew Church and the Maronite Mission of Charlotte June 4 and 5.
The faithful attended several Masses in honor of the relic's visit to Charlotte, including a Maronite Mass celebrated June 5 at St. Matthew's Waxhaw campus.
The famous hermit's relic, taken from one of his bones, was encased in a small reliquary secured atop a large wooden box that is a replica of his coffin. About 200 people, mostly from the Lebanese community, waved white handkerchiefs to welcome the relic as it was processed into the church for the start of the Maronite liturgy. It was placed in front of the altar during the Mass, which was offered by the Maronite mission's pastor, Father Elie Mikhael.
A Maronite priest from the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, which encompasses 16 states including North Carolina, Father Elie has served as the pastor for the Maronite Mission of Charlotte since December.
"The presence of the saints among us is to strengthen our faith – to set up our hearts in the right place and destiny," Father Mikhael noted in his homily. "Saints come to us and remind us to lift up our hearts to the Lord."
"Saints among us remind us that life's cycle for believers starts with life, goes through death, to resurrection and eternal life," he said.
"St. Sharbel comes to us today as a humble monk," he added. "Sharbel didn't write books; didn't preach at cathedrals or big churches; didn't use emails, Facebook, or web pages, or Snapchats or WhatsApp to reach out to people. He knew how to whisper in God's ears, and put his heart into God's hands. And (he) was able from his monastery to reach out, not only to people around him, but to people from around the world."
St. Sharbel Makhlouf was born on May 8, 1828, in Biqa-Kafra, northern Lebanon. Joseph, his baptismal name, was the last of the five children born to a poor but devout family. He left home when he was 23, entering the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya. Ordained a priest in 1859, he was noted for his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He lived as a hermit, but his reputation for holiness caused people to seek him out. He died on Christmas Eve in 1898, and was buried in the monastery's cemetery.
Soon after his death, an extraordinary bright light surrounded his grave for more than a month. Because of this phenomena and its many witnesses, officials at the monastery requested permission from Church authorities to exhume the body. His corpse, which was found without decay four months after his death, and had been secreting sweat and blood, was transferred into a special coffin. Hordes of pilgrims started visiting the monastery and asking for his miraculous intercession.
For 67 years St. Sharbel's incorrupt remains exuded a fluid described by all accounts as supernatural in nature. When he was beatified in 1965, his remains were found to have decayed until only his bones were left, and the mysterious fluid ceased. However, nough had been collected before his beatification to furnish a supply from which small quantities are still distributed. Small pieces of cloth from St. Sharbel's garments and those that were saturated in the fluid are likewise distributed. St. Sharbel was canonized in 1977.
St. Sharbel's relic has been touring Maronite churches on the East Coast since February, and including stops in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. Charlotte was the last stop on the tour.
— Rico De Silva, Hispanic Communications Reporter