CHARLOTTE — On July 1, 1995, a day full of sunshine and smiles, then Bishop William G. Curlin ordained 11 men as permanent deacons for the Diocese of Charlotte. The day marked the culmination of five years of preparation, two years of Lay Ministry and three years of formation.
During the Mass at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, the group listened carefully as Bishop Curlin prayed during the ordination rite: "Receive the Gospel of Christ. Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you teach."
Twenty years have brought many changes in the ministry and the lives of these men, six of whom remain in ministry in the diocese:
- Deacon Wayne Adams, 72, has been assigned to Our Lady of the Highways Church in Thomasville since his ordination, joyfully serving the parish and community. He continues as an adjunct hospital chaplain at the Thomasville hospital, a ministry that began before ordination, making rounds and gathering with families who have lost a loved one. Baptism preparation classes, assisting with confirmation retreats and helping his pastor are part of his routine. As a young Southern Baptist man rooted in Kannapolis, he never imagined one day becoming Catholic – and a permanent deacon at that. It all began when he met Ursula, the Catholic girl who would become his wife. Serving in the U.S. Army in Germany in 1966, he spoke no German and she spoke no English, but they were attracted to each other so both carried dictionaries to converse. Dating for about a year and considering a wedding, he did not want a mixed marriage, two religions, in the family. He prayed for insight and realized that the bias against Catholicism he'd learned as a child missed the basic fact that Protestants and Catholics were both Christians. He then received guidance from the Army chaplain, a Dutch priest, and converted to Catholicism. The chaplain officiated at their wedding on Sept. 28, 1967. They lived in Germany for several years, then decided to settle back in his native North Carolina. So Newton became home, and St. Aloysius Church in Hickory their new parish. A job opportunity brought him to Thomasville in 1988 and to Our Lady of the Highways Parish. He became interested in the diaconate when Father John Murphy, OSFS, his pastor, told him about the program, and in 1992 he applied. "During the entire formation period I was discerning my call, questioning, and only at the end did it seem the right thing to do. Being a deacon has been a joy."
-Deacon Michael Langsdorf, 61, and his wife Mary are Philadelphia area natives who moved to North Carolina in 1976. With four children and eight grandchildren, he has been particularly involved in youth ministry, youth catechesis and faith formation at his parish, Divine Redeemer Church in Boonville, and his former parish, Holy Family Church in Clemmons. As his children reached their teen years, he responded to the call to the diaconate that he had perceived for some time. Step by step his response continues through 20 years ordained. At the Boonville parish, which has a large Hispanic and small English community, his focus is providing for those who prefer English-speaking faith formation and sacramental preparation. He teaches faith formation for grades 8-12 and confirmation preparation, and he cares for those who prefer English baptism preparation classes and RCIA when needed. At the same time, he finds the larger Divine Redeemer community "very welcoming and faith filled" as he proclaims the Gospel in Spanish when assisting at the Spanish Masses.
- Deacon Carlos Medina, 65, and his wife Martha moved from Nicaragua to Miami in 1978 with their children, and job opportunities brought the family to Charlotte in 1981. Within days of arriving he went to the Sunday evening Spanish Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral, and he has been immersed in the life of the diocese ever since – asking simply of then chancellor Monsignor Joseph Kerin: "I have nothing and I am asking nothing from you. I just want to know what is it that I can do for my Church?" He served on the Hispanic Council and grew in his knowledge of the faith thanks to SEPI, the Hispanic Evangelization and Formation institute of the U.S. bishops in the Southeastern U.S. He trained to serve as a lector and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and he continued serving the Charlotte area Hispanic community. His Cursillo experience in 1988 brought a new joy, he recalls. He began attending daily Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral and joined Cursillo leadership at the local and regional levels. Then Bishop John Donaghue, who was the regional episcopal advisor for Cursillo, asked him, "Why don't you study to be a deacon?" He applied, praying, "I will not mourn if not ordained, Lord. Deacon or not, I will serve you." He thoroughly enjoyed the diaconate formation and speaks with admiration of the late Monsignor Anthony Kovacic, who formerly directed the permanent diaconate program. After ordination, he was assigned to the Hispanic Center (now Our Lady of Guadalupe Church) in Charlotte. He also began assisting at the daily English Mass at the cathedral, at the request of then rector and pastor, Father Frank O'Rourke. His first assignment upon ordination to the Hispanic Ministry involved establishing ministries for the growing Latino community wherever needed, starting with helping Father Tom Clements to start a Hispanic Ministry at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury. He ministered to the Latino community by establishing faith formation classes, administering the sacrament of baptism, officiating at weddings and funerals, and preaching at Spanish-language Masses. He then went to St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton to do the same for the next five years. In 2002 he was assigned to St. Patrick Cathedral – the place where his ministry in the Church began 21 years earlier.
- Deacon Ron Steinkamp, 71, and his wife Bette are natives of Quincy, Ill. They have experienced God working in both Catholic and ecumenical activities over the years, and helped the parishes in the communities where they lived, including forming a parish community and building a church where none existed, prison ministry and youth leadership. When a job promotion brought them to Thomasville and Our Lady of the Highways Church, they immediately sought out the diocesan charismatic groups and Cursillo movement, which was a source of spiritual strength for them when they lived in Virginia. Catholic Charismatic Renewal conferences introduced them to the diaconal ministry, particularly to Deacon Hugo May and his wife Bobbie. They were good models, and it was Deacon Hugo who vested him at ordination. The diocesan Lay Ministry Formation program attracted their attention and they enrolled in 1990, seeking deeper faith formation. He applied to the diaconate in 1992 and greatly appreciated being accepted. Upon ordination, he was assigned to the Thomasville parish, where both he and his wife continued as adjunct hospital chaplains at the Thomasville hospital, led the RCIA and adult formation events and remained active with the charismatic conferences and Cursillo. In January 1999 he was assigned to St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, assisting Father Frank Connelly. In July 2005 Bishop Peter Jugis appointed him for a three-year term as spiritual advisor to the Cursillo Movement. In 2010 concluding a three-year Summer Institute at Quincy University, Deacon Steinkamp earned a master's degree in theological studies. Then on March 25, 2011, he was appointed by Bishop Jugis as director of the Permanent Diaconate for the Charlotte diocese. He continues at his parish assignment with RCIA, Bible study, baptisms and marriages, and serves as a marriage tribunal advocate on annulment cases. He often turns to his wife saying, "Pinch me as I must be dreaming: this farm boy from Illinois is an ordained deacon." He even presided at the 2000 wedding of his mother, then aged 79, to her childhood sweetheart.
- Deacon Rafael Torres, 69, serves at St. Luke Church in Mint Hill. When this U.S. Army Vietnam veteran moved with his wife Gladys and three children to Charlotte from Puerto Rico in 1982, he never imagined his present life. His brother lived in Charlotte and Rafael secured a job with a cooking oil refinery soon after arrival. He made a career of it, and retired after 30 years. But, he says, his diaconal vocation and spiritual life have been more exciting and deeply rewarding. He became involved with the Hispanic Catholic community in Charlotte and when the Spanish Cursillo was introduced he made a weekend. He says the Cursillo weekend "meant everything to me ... what we learned that lay people can do to evangelize," and he stayed active in Cursillo and worked on lay teams speaking, serving and in leadership. Sister Pilar Dalmau, ACJ, who led the Charlotte Hispanic Ministry at that time, urged him and others to take the Lay Ministry Formation program starting in 1990. Two years later, he was one of three Spanish-speaking men admitted to diaconate formation. Upon ordination he was assigned to Hispanic Ministry and he served at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Charlotte for 10 years. He went on to serve Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Charlotte for three years, then was transferred to St. Luke Church. "That is an interesting story," he relates. "I was visiting St. Luke for the 1 p.m. Sunday Spanish Mass and introduced myself to the pastor before Mass. He said, 'Deacon, put on an alb and stole and preach the Mass today.' I replied, 'I have no vestments and no homily prepared.' The pastor replied, "We have vestments and you can preach my homily that I wrote in Spanish.' That is how it started." A second Spanish-speaking deacon had come to Our Lady of the Assumption Church, and the pastor arranged for Deacon Rafael to move to St. Luke so that both communities could have Spanish-speaking deacons to minister to their growing Latino populations. He continues to preach at the 1 p.m. Spanish Mass, which has grown from 80 to an average of more than 300 attendees over the past seven years. He administers the sacrament of baptism, officiates at weddings and funerals, presides at quinceañeras, and serves as a marriage tribunal advocate on annulment cases. He is blessed by his parish community and as a Knight of Columbus in the St. Luke council.
- Deacon John Weisenhorn, 81, and his wife Rosemarie have lived in Gastonia for 35 years, and he has served at St. Michael the Archangel Church since his ordination. Over his 20 years of ministry, his particular focus has been marriage preparation, and he says his own marriage has enriched his ministry to young couples. And, he adds, parenting a family of 11 children and frequent moves for his job earlier in their marriage has added to his perspective on marriage and family life. The Weisenhorns lived in Charlotte for a short time in the 1970s and attended St. Ann Church, where then Father Tony Kovacic was pastor. A few years later when they moved back to Charlotte, they got back together with their former pastor. He told them about the newly-established permanent diaconate program, which he directed, and suggested that John apply. "It was tempting but with young children and a new job, I knew my first vocation needed my attention and I declined," he recalls. But 10 years later, he entered the Lay Ministry Formation program and then applied. Upon ordination he was hired by his parish as a pastoral associate for a time. Over these 20 years many changes occurred at the parish, a new church building was dedicated, and he has assisted eight different pastors. Reflecting upon his ministry, he recalls how his nine years of service as a full-time chaplain at Covenant Village retirement community in Gastonia has taught him so much: "The people taught me how to grow old with dignity, how to die with dignity, as I often sat by the bedside as death came." A particular blessing for this deacon has also been presiding at the weddings of several of his children, as well as baptizing his grandchildren.
Other deacons in ministry
Many deacons serving in the Diocese of Charlotte were ordained for another diocese. Moving to our area because of work or family considerations, they have continued their service to the people of God in assignments granted by the bishop. Several of these celebrate milestone anniversaries this year:
35 years
- Deacon Francis J. Camacho, 78, was ordained on June 7, 1980, for the Diocese of Fall River, Ma. Moving to the Diocese of Venice, Fla., in 1989 he was later incardinated there in 2003 and appointed diocesan director of the Permanent Diaconate, which he continues to do. With seasonal residence in North Carolina, he was granted faculties and assigned to St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville in 2014 by Bishop Jugis. Last fall he and his wife Lillian celebrated 53 years of marriage.
10 years
- Deacon Mark J. King, 53, was ordained June 12, 2005, for the Diocese of Norwich, Ct. In 2009, he moved to the Charlotte diocese and was granted faculties and assigned to St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. Four years later, upon relocating in the city, Deacon Mark was reassigned by Bishop Jugis to St. Gabriel Church. He and his wife Susan just celebrated 30 years of marriage on June 8.
- Educated in Florida, Deacon Richard J. Zandy, 60, was ordained for the Diocese of Venice on June 4, 2005, and has served since 2011 at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Mars Hill. He has lived seasonally in Burnsville and works in ministry in both dioceses throughout the year.
5 years
- Deacon Philip B. Miles, 66, is new to the Charlotte diocese, having receive his assignment by Bishop Jugis to St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville in January. He was ordained on Feb. 6, 2010, for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and relocated to North Carolina to be near family. He and his wife Eileen will celebrate 45 years of marriage in July.
Cory Catron ordained to the transitional diaconate May 30
Cory Catron ordained to the transitional diaconate May 30CHARLOTTE — St. Patrick Cathedral was the site where one man's life changed forever today. Aaron Cory Catron was presented by Father Christopher Gober, director of vocations for the Charlotte diocese, to Bishop Peter J. Jugis and the lay faithful as a candidate for the transitional diaconate. After vouching for his character and preparedness, Father Gober then asked Bishop Jugis to accept Catron for the ordination to the diaconate.
A resounding round of applause went up as Bishop Jugis gave his approval.
Catron was then asked to stand before Bishop Jugis and the congregation made up of priests, deacons, religious men and women and laity to profess his fidelity to the Catholic Church and his bishop. He was then seated before the bishop at the base of the sanctuary steps for the homily.
"Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Cory Catron is now to be advanced to the order of deacons through the laying on of hands and the prayer of ordination," Bishop Jugis said.
He explained that Catron would receive the gifts of Holy Spirit in ordination to help the bishop and his priests in the Ministry of the Word, of the Altar and of Charity.
"He (Catron) will demonstrate that he is a servant, a servant to all, following example of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. As a minister of the Altar he will proclaim the Gospel, prepare the Sacrifice, and distribute the Lord's Body and Blood to the faithful.
"As minister of the Word he will instruct believers and non-believers in the doctrine of Christ, and he will preside over public prayer, assist at and bless marriages, bring viaticum to the dying, conduct funeral rites and administer baptism."
Bishop Jugis explained that in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles during the diaconate Mass which spoke of the deacon, Philip, St. Luke shares the story of how the deacon ran to catch up with a chariot to speak to the man riding in it.
"He took the initiative and asked the question of the chariot passenger 'Do you understand what you are reading in the prophet Isaiah?' We see a beautiful example of enthusiasm, engaging himself in the ministry," Bishop Jugis said.
"He took the initiative, instructing the man in the doctrine of Christ, proclaiming Jesus to him. Then he administered the sacrament of baptism when the court official requested to be baptized."
According to St. Luke, Philip was then snatched away by the Holy Spirit and he went about proclaiming Jesus to all of the surrounding towns as far as Caesarea.
"Such enthusiasm, engaging himself in the diaconal ministry," Bishop Jugis noted. "This whole reading is a perfect example not only of diaconal ministry, but of Pope Francis' teaching on personal encounter as a most effective method of evangelization, bringing Christ to others through a personal encounter with them. Certainly Deacon Philip models diaconal ministry for us in an exemplary way."
Bishop Jugis also explained that the Ministry of the Word and the Ministry of the Altar are also accompanied by the Ministry of Charity, which is also an essential part of the work of deacons from the beginning.
"What could be a greater work of charity than to devote oneself to the salvation of another?" he asked.
The Gospel reading from Matthew 5:13-16, was particularly appropriate for the diaconate Mass, Bishop Jugis said, as it reminds us ‒ particularly those called to Holy Orders ‒ that followers of Christ are to be 'the light of the world' and must 'let their light shine before others' so that they may see our good deeds and glorify our heavenly Father.
At that point, Bishop Jugis addressed Catron directly. "Now dear son, you are to be raised to the order of the diaconate. A whole new life opens before you beginning today; the life of an ordained minister of the Church.
"You will now be changed by the action of the Holy Spirit. He will mark you with an indelible character to configure you to Jesus Christ who came as the Servant of all...You are united to Christ the Deacon, the Servant, through the sanctifying grace of diaconate ordination.
"You must also from this day forward, every day, unite yourself to Christ seeking to configure yourself to Him."
Bishop Jugis reminded Catron that he needed to exercise this ministry in the celibate state, because "Celibacy is a sign and expression of your pastoral charity and the source of spiritual fruitfulness in the world. It enables you to be more free in service of God and in service of others.
"Remain united to Christ in a most profound way through your prayer every day. He is your close friend, your close companion."
Bishop Jugis then recalled that the Apostles enumerated some perfect qualities for deacons as the first deacons were known to be men of good reputation, filled with Holy Spirit and wisdom.
"And so must you be, of good reputation, your conduct always beyond reproach as a sacred minister."
He also recounted how St. Paul in his Second Letter to Timothy, wanted deacons to be dignified, which demanded that they held fast to the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.
"And so must you do, firmly rooted and grounded in the faith so that you may teach what comes to us from the Apostles; that you may teach Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life."
After the homily, Catron approached Bishop Jugis, placing his hands in the bishop's hands, vowing his obedience to him. Then Catron descended the sanctuary stairs and lay prostrate on the floor during the Litany of the Saints, while all gathered sang in unison.
Upon rising from the floor at the conclusion of the litany, Catron again approached Bishop Jugis in the sanctuary and knelt while Bishop Jugis laid his hands upon his head, invoking the Holy Spirit. At the conclusion of bishop's prayers, now Deacon Catron descended the sanctuary to be vested by transitional Deacon Casey Coleman and permanent Deacon Ruben Tamayo. His parents, Jerry and Mia Catron, and family sat in the front pews, proudly watching his vesting.
After being greeted by the priests and deacons assembled for the diaconate Mass, Deacon Catron prepared the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. He then assisted Bishop Jugis at the altar, distributing the Precious Blood at Communion.
During the Mass, Bishop Jugis encouraged Deacon Catron in his ordained ministry saying, "Through your faithful service, may you be blessed to hear the Lord say to you on the last day, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.'"
— SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald. Photos by SueAnn Howell
Aaron Cory Catron
Home parish: St. Frances of Rome Church, Sparta; originally St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Wytheville, Va.
Raised in: Rural Retreat, Va.
Family: Parents, Jerry and Mia Catron; brother, Micah Catron
College: Belmont Abbey College, Class of 2010
Degree: B.A. in Theology and Philosophy
Pre-Theology: Pontifical College Josephinum
Theology: Pontifical College Josephinum
Summer assignments in the diocese: Previously at St. John the Evangelist Church, Waynesville, and Immaculate Conception Mission, Canton, in 2011; St. Francis of Assisi Church, Jefferson, and St. Frances of Rome Mission, Sparta, in 2012; St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte, in 2014
Interests/hobbies: "I like to read and write, and also to be outdoors ‒ fishing, hiking, camping and boating. Having been raised by a librarian I have a broad and eclectic taste in books. I find writing to be a helpful spiritual discipline sometimes, and use it almost as a form of contemplative prayer."
Q&A with the new deacon
CNH: When did you first realize you had a vocation to the priesthood?
Deacon Catron: I think the thought of priesthood was there sometime when I was in high school – particularly later on, junior and senior year. I was raised Catholic but didn't really come to appreciate and understand my faith and to learn more about it until I began reading up on it in about the ninth grade. As I grew in my understanding and my prayer life, a vague attraction to the priesthood began.
Going to Belmont Abbey was hugely catalytic to bringing that into focus, as was attending the Eucharistic Congress each year. I think the Congress in 2006 was the first time I had a concrete sense that God might be calling me to the priesthood. I felt a certain peace as I walked behind the Blessed Sacrament, almost like something was telling me to follow.
CNH: Who has mentored you or given you a good example to follow during these years of discernment and seminary studies?
Deacon Catron: First, my grandfather, who passed away in 2005, was a tremendous example of faith, family and learning. It was his books about Catholicism that I inherited and that paved the way for me initially. My parents, of course, were supportive the whole way, particularly once I had a clear vision of where I might be headed.
The monks at Belmont Abbey, particularly Abbot Placid, Father Kieran, Father Arthur, Brother Edward and Brother Andrew, whose friendship and guidance throughout the years I was in college and thereafter, were a constant help. And Father James Stuhrenberg, who was my summer pastor in 2012, is a shining example of priestly joy and fraternity.
CNH: What would you like to say to young men who may have a call to the priesthood?
Deacon Catron: Prayer is absolutely essential. Prayer, and realizing that God puts certain people in your life at certain times to teach you something. Sometimes the lessons are a joy, sometimes they are very difficult, and sometimes the difficult lessons open you to the more joyous ones.
Be aware of the ways in which He can be working in your life. Know that you're not alone in your desire to do His will, and seek the friendship of those who will bring that out. Seek also people who can help you in your struggles – in which you are also not alone.
CNH: Is there any comment you would like to share with our readers about becoming a transitional deacon here in the Diocese of Charlotte?
Deacon Catron: I am grateful for the prayers and sacrifices of such a wonderful diocese over the years. I am very blessed to be called to serve here, and I can't wait to get to work serving you.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
GREENSBORO — Monsignor Joseph Showfety returned to the church of his childhood May 19 to say Mass and give thanks to God for his priestly vocation. The day marked his 60th jubilee of ordination, and the place – St. Benedict Church in Greensboro – was where he had first felt the call to priestly life as a young altar boy.
Monsignor Showfety is one of the first native priests in the Diocese of Charlotte and served for seven years as its first chancellor.
Pictured: Monsignor Showfety celebrated his 60th anniversary of ordination with Mass May 19 at St. Benedict Church in Greensboro followed by a reception hosted by the Vincent G. Taylor Fourth Degree Assembly 779.(Photo provided by Father Paul Gary)
Growing up the son of devout Lebanese Catholic immigrants Abdou and Edna Showfety, Monsignor Showfety lived just a few blocks away from St. Benedict's, and starting in the third grade at St. Benedict School he began serving 7 a.m. daily Mass. He credits Daughter of Charity Sister Genevieve Riordan and the other women religious who were his teachers, as well as Monsignor Hugh Dolan, pastor, for encouraging his vocation.
Serving at the altar drew him closer to Christ, he recalls, and he thinks it's unfortunate that more children today do not have the same opportunity to attend daily Mass as he once did.
"Priests can be a great, great influence on kids," he notes.
He attended The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., in the final months of World War II and then spent 16 months in the Navy. After service he went to Mount Saint Mary's College (now University) in Emmitsburg, Md., for four years. Bishop Vincent Waters of Raleigh then transferred him to St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, the nation's oldest Catholic seminary, to complete his studies. He remains grateful that Bishop Waters moved him to St. Mary's, and he has many fond memories of the rector there, Sulpician Father James Laubacher.
"He was a very good man," he recalls, and had just the right approach in guiding each of the men through their discernment and preparation for the priesthood. No small feat for the rector, when Monsignor Showfety's class alone had 153 men.
During the summers the young seminarian worked in parishes, doing mostly "census work" – visiting parish families' homes and updating the parish rolls. It was grueling work in the summer heat and humidity, he recalls, especially given the black serge cassocks they wore at the time, but he didn't mind.
He was ordained by Bishop Waters on May 19, 1955, along with Father Thomas Clements and the late Father Robert Shea.
He remembers Bishop Waters as a demanding yet fair leader who knew every inch of his North Carolina territory and loved the Church. "He knew the parishes, he knew the priests," he says. "I can never exaggerate the work he did for the Church in this state. It was his goal to have a Catholic presence in every county in the state."
Before he retired in 2002, Monsignor Showfety served in 11 parishes in North Carolina, and nearly everywhere he served he either oversaw new building projects or renovations.
One of his first assignments was at a small parish in eastern North Carolina, he remembers. When he checked the bank account, he found only $1.73, he says with a laugh. When he left the parish for his next assignment a couple of years later, the parish had a couple thousand dollars in the bank, he adds.
Monsignor Showfety also served as director of Our Lady of the Hills Camp, principal of Asheville Catholic High School and director of Bishop McGuinness High School, but it as the first chancellor of the diocese from 1972 to 1979 that the impact of his service still resounds today.
He was one of the first to learn in late 1971 when Bishop Waters told Monsignor Michael Begley that he had petitioned Rome to divide his diocese of 60,000 Catholics and create the Charlotte diocese.
Diocese of Charlotte archive photo Our Lady of Grace Church was dedicated on Sept. 14, 1952, presided over by apostolic delegate Archbishop Amleto Cicognani (center). The priest with his back facing the congregation is Monsignor Hugh Dolan, and behind him is Monsignor Lawrence Newman. Note, second from right, serving as vimp is a young Joseph Showfety of Greensboro, who later became one of the area's first native priests and then rose to serve as the new Diocese of Charlotte's first chancellor when the diocese was established in 1972.The story goes like this: Two days before Thanksgiving 1971, Bishop Waters visited Monsignor Begley in Greensboro, then pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church. Under the guise of looking for property in Greensboro for future parish use, Bishop Waters took the pastor with him. The Raleigh diocese already owned property nearby to relocate Notre Dame High School.
Monsignor Showfety describes what happened next: "Bishop Waters and Monsignor Begley were driving toward the property when the bishop pulled over. 'I'm going to ask you a question. If you say "yes" I'll take it from there. If you say "no" you must never say a word about this conversation to anyone.'
"Intrigued but not surprised by the secrecy, Monsignor Begley wondered what the question was. 'Rome has decided to make Charlotte a diocese with you as the bishop,' said Bishop Waters. 'Do you accept?" The monsignor didn't hesitate and answered, "Yes." Bishop Waters simply put the car in gear and the bishop with the bishop-elect continued down the road."
So how did Monsignor Showfety become the first chancellor?
He recalls that there had been a freak snowstorm in Hendersonville, where he served as pastor at Immaculate Conception Church. He had just come back to the rectory from shoveling a path to the church through the 15 inches of snow. It was a First Friday, Dec. 3, 1971, and he had to prepare to celebrate 11 a.m. Mass. The phone rang.
"It was Bishop-elect Begley calling. I congratulated him and our conversation continued. He said, 'I want you to be chancellor.' My reply was, 'I want to build a new church in Hendersonville.' He replied, 'I know you do. It'll be built, but not by you. I want you in Charlotte.'"
For the next few weeks, Monsignor Showfety traveled back and forth several times to Raleigh to work with the chancellor there, Monsignor Louis Morton. It was the holiday season, but there were only six weeks to set everything up. The date for Bishop Begley's ordination had been set for Jan. 12, 1972, at St. Patrick Cathedral, which was being elevated from its status as a parish church.
Titles for all parish properties and all diocesan vehicles had to be transferred from Bishop Waters to Bishop Begley. It was quite a lot to do for the six men involved: two bishops, two chancellors and two attorneys. Monsignor Showfety spent three days just transferring car titles at the state Department of Motor Vehicles in Raleigh. "The police in that office asked me if I lived there," he remembers with a chuckle.
That excitement and rapid pace set the tone for the new diocese and Monsignor Showfety's role as chancellor, but, he adds, "everything fit in place." The two dioceses worked together through the complex work with warmth and a spirit of brotherhood. Bishop Waters, he recalls, treated the new diocese with generosity and fairness: "He took care of us as much as his own diocese."
A temporary office was set up for the new bishop and the chancellor in a couple of rooms of the rectory at St. Patrick Cathedral by its pastor, Father Richard Allen.
On Jan. 12, 1972, Bishop Begley was ordained, and that night Bishop Waters and Bishop Begley hosted a large dinner at a downtown Charlotte hotel to celebrate.
The next morning, Monsignor Showfety says, "we were open for business."
Neither Bishop Begley nor Monsignor Showfety – then Father Showfety – had any experience for their new jobs, he recalls with a laugh. They had been parish priests and run schools, and Bishop Begley had led Raleigh's Catholic Charities office, but neither had worked in a chancery.
"You grew into the job by doing the work," he says. "You were involved in everything."
The people of the newborn diocese were supportive, he adds, and "the priests were extremely, extremely cooperative and helpful." Particularly Father Allen at the cathedral, Monsignor Showfety says, who "was always extremely helpful in every way."
Bishop Begley spent a lot of time traveling, particularly for confirmations, and Monsignor Showfety accompanied him as his master of ceremonies. Monsignor Showfety also remained busy with the new work of the diocese as well as filling in at parishes wherever needed.
About a month after Bishop Begley was ordained, they found a home for sale about a block away from the cathedral and purchased it for $82,500 to serve as the bishop's residence. "It was a beautiful home," but it needed a little work, Monsignor Showfety recalls. Friends from High Point renovated the house and set up a chapel, as well as furnished and decorated it.
The new diocese set up a fiscal calendar and accounting system, issued its first financial report 18 months after the diocese's creation, and looked for office property so they could move out of a small house on St. Patrick's campus that served as the chancery.
In 1974, the diocese purchased and renovated an office building on Morehead Street near downtown Charlotte – its first consolidated office space.
Monsignor Showfety also formed the first diocesan finance council, consisting of lay professionals from around the diocese, and negotiated health insurance coverage for clergy and staff. A process for reviewing building projects and large capital expenditures was also put into place, to ensure that the parishes and the diocese would not take on more debt than they could afford.
The work of the new diocese occupied much of Monsignor Showfety's time, even as he continued filling in at parishes.
One of the last projects Monsignor Showfety was involved in as chancellor was renovation of St. Patrick Cathedral in 1979, to accommodate the changes of Vatican II.
Some earlier plans had included a proposal to replace the pews with folding chairs and the altar with a portable altar that could be moved to different places in the church, but that proposal was rejected. The diocese hired Francis Gibbons of Baltimore, who was known for church renovations and also later did work at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem.
The marble altar was reworked, a new pipe organ was installed, and the ceiling was redesigned. Over the nave, a blue and silver ceiling was painted depicting crowns with a cross along with wheat and grapes representing the Eucharist. The design comes from the diocesan coat of arms and serves as a reminder of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg, for whom the city of Charlotte was named.
Besides all of the other firsts that Monsignor Showfety was a part of, he was among the first of four monsignors appointed by the new diocese in 1976. (The three others were Monsignors William Pharr, Richard Allen and Michael O'Keefe.)
It was meant to be a surprise, but that day – as on most days – he was the one to open the mail. He couldn't help but see the confirmation letter from Rome, he recalls with a laugh, and he had to feign surprise when Bishop Begley made the announcement that afternoon.
Of all the changes over the years, the 88-year-old Monsignor Showfety is proud of how the diocese has grown and flourished, and he applauds the growing participation of the laity and an emphasis on stewardship.
He notes, "It was the biggest honor and privilege of my priesthood" to serve as the diocese's first chancellor.
"I look back now and thank God for the vocation He gave me."
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor. Includes excerpt from "Voices and Places of The People of God," by David Hains
Other jubilarians
Other priests celebrating special anniversaries of ordination in May and June include: Father Thomas Clements, 60 years; Jesuit Father Francis Reese and Benedictine Father Kieran Neilson, 55 years; Monsignor Richard Bellow and Jesuit Donald Ward, 45 years; Father Richard Hanson, Father Joseph Mulligan and Benedictine Father David Brown, 40 years; Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari and Benedictine Father Christopher Kirchgessner, 35 years; Father John Allen, 25 years; Father James Collins, Father Eric Houseknecht and Father Mark Lawlor, 20 years; Father David Brzoska, Father Joseph Dinh, Father Christopher Gober, Father Matthew Kauth, Father Shawn O'Neal, Father Luis Osorio and Father Frank Seabo, 15 years; Father James Ebright, 10 years; and Father Gabriel Carvajal-Salazar, Father John Eckert and Father David Miller, 5 years.
MOORESVILLE — The first time you meet Jesuit Fathers Frank Reese and Don Ward, you get the sense that you are in for a few laughs. Their friendship forged over the past four years as Jesuit priests serving the people at St. Thérèse Church is evident. They poke fun at each other, smiling as they exchange inside jokes. It seems as if they have been friends and roommates forever.
"We've been banished to the downstairs (of the rectory)," they joke.
Despite the fact that Father Frank, 87, entered the Jesuit order in 1950 and Father Don, 76, entered in 1957, the two have more of a brotherly relationship.
This year, Father Frank is celebrating his 55th anniversary of ordination; Father Don his 45th.
Both priests say they grew up in very devout Catholic families in Philadelphia, attending Catholic schools during their formative years, and the Jesuits they came into contact with in their families and in their schools really made an impression on them.
But Father Don remembers rejecting the idea of a priestly vocation during his senior year of high school.
"I went to Holy Cross (in Worchester, Mass.), thinking I was going to be a doctor, and I met a very nice chemistry teacher who taught me that was not my vocation," Father Don jokes. "Somewhere during the first year of college, I thought I would like to do what I saw Jesuits doing. I never thought about any other order or the diocesan priesthood."
Father Frank spent 14 months in the Army in the mid-1940s before discerning his call to the priesthood.
The two laugh about their college experiences.
"Frank went to St. Joe College and I went to Holy Cross," Father Don explains. "But Frank finished and I didn't!"
"And I had the same experience with chemistry!" Father Frank chimes in.
Pictured: Brother Jesuits, Father Frank Reese (far left) and Father Donald Ward (far right) are pictured with Bishop Peter J. Jugis after the dedication of the new St. Thérèse Church March 28 in Mooresville. They are celebrating 55 years and 45 years of priestly ministry, respectively. Also pictured are Jesuit Father Vincent Curtin, pastor; Deacon Joe Santen; Deacon Myles Decker; and Jesuit Father Dominic Totaro. (SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald)
Father Frank has an interesting explanation as to why he passed through the various steps of Jesuit formation more quickly than usual. "It was because I was bald," he deadpans, and people thought he was a later vocation.
After novitiate studies and vows in Wernersville, Pa., Father Frank studied philosophy in Spring Hill, Ala., for two years (1953-'55) with Jesuits from all over the country. He then taught for two years at Georgetown Prep outside Washington, D.C.
In 1957, Father Frank entered the largest Jesuit seminary in the U.S., Woodstock College outside of Baltimore (now closed), for his theology studies.
"It wasn't easy, but it was worthwhile," he recalls.
He was ordained in the Woodstock College Chapel by Cardinal Egidio Vagnozzi, on June 19, 1960, along with 23 other Jesuits.
"It was a joyful time," he recalls, especially since his parents and some of his other family were able to attend. "It was great to be finally getting out into parishes, to get out of the House of Studies."
Father Frank also worked with six other priests who served at a mental hospital in Shillington, Pa., after ordination while finishing his theology studies.
Father Don, who was ordained after the Second Vatican Council, had a slightly different experience. He studied theology at a new seminary north of Chicago, in Aurora, Ill., staying in a former Hilton Hotel with a room overlooking a pool.
"It was very good for me. I had studied (for years) with the same people. I hadn't left the province. I didn't know anyone (out there). It was much more structured than the East Coast. The Midwest was more structured. I had a great time."
He returned to Woodstock College for his second and third year of seminary. "I really did like Woodstock. I really liked theology. It was a happy time for me."
Father Don was also ordained in the chapel at Woodstock College, in 1970, by Cardinal Lawrence Sheehan in the last class ordained there. He remembers driving home to attend his sister's graduation the day before his ordination and then driving his father through a bad storm to attend his ordination the next day. His dad was ill, so it meant a lot to have him there, he says.
"His being there is what I remember most about the ordination. I don't remember anything about the Mass."
"I mentioned my dad in my first homily," he adds. "He told me if I talked too long he'd walk out. A famous Jesuit who was there told me that was the best homily he had ever heard!"
Teaching was a huge part of both priests' experiences as they developed their gifts and talents.
Father Frank spent his first year after ordination in tertianship, a third year of spiritual formation. He was sent to high schools in Pittsburgh, Pa., then back to his beloved Philadelphia, where he taught at St. Joseph's Preparatory School for 11 years. After a sabbatical in Toronto, he asked to work in Appalachia and was assigned to start spiritual retreats in Hot Springs, N.C., at what became the Jesuit House of Prayer. He was also the pastor for Madison County, where the Jesuits first came to minister in the 1920s.
"I worked with a wonderful pioneer priest, Jesuit Father Andy Graves. He was a wonderful mentor and friend. (Also) Father Joe McCloskey and Mercy Sister Peggy Verstege. It was a great experience."
After Father Don was ordained, he served briefly in Boston and then spent nine years at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C. He always had a deep desire to serve outside the U.S., and begged his Jesuit superiors to send him abroad. He finally got his wish in 1981, when he was sent to Chile.
He spent two years in Santiago teaching in the high school there. He also worked with the outreach to the poor started by St. Alberto Hurtado called Hogar de Cristo (Home of Christ), helping the needy. He was able to work in Osorno for three years before returning to the U.S. to serve at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia – the same school where Father Frank taught years before.
Father Don jokingly admits that his superiors have "matched the jobs to my personality" over the years.
His love of new experiences and exposure to different cultures have allowed him to travel the world during his priestly ministry, especially Africa.
"It was challenging. It grew on me. I loved Africa."
He bounced back and forth between cities in the northeastern U.S. (Camden, N.J., was one city where he served Puerto Rican and Dominican parishioners) and places like the Dominican Republic and Africa. "It was a fabulous experience," he said of serving the elderly in the Dominican Republic.
Father Frank, on the other hand, has a very distinguished service record here in the U.S., especially in western North Carolina, where he also served in Mars Hill, working with the Catholic community to build St. Andrew the Apostle Church in 1991 and ministering to the people of nearby Sacred Heart Mission in Burnsville. He had a growing Hispanic population at his parishes there and he greatly appreciated their deep love of the faith. He admits his grasp of Spanish, which he did not learn until his 70s, was a bit of a challenge.
But, he recalls, "It was a very joyful experience. Studying the Bible in a new language was a great gift. It opens your eyes in a different way."
He had the help of Sister Verstege in assisting the Hispanic community in Burnsville, where she still ministers today.
Father Frank says he never could have imagined all that the Lord has done in his life as he has followed the path of St. Ignatius of Loyola in serving the Church as a Jesuit.
"We are formed in the spirituality of St. Ignatius, our founder, which calls us to strive to know Jesus more intimately, love Him more ardently and serve Him more perfectly, and always to strive for the 'magis,' i.e., to try to do whatever is for the greater glory of God."
"I could tell God was doing something different when he moved me to North Carolina," he adds. "I could feel it in my being."
Father Don has also settled into life in North Carolina at the growing parish of St. Thérèse. He has been there for seven years, arriving before Father Frank, and now particularly ministers to the parish's Latino community.
"Of all the changes (in my assignments) this adjustment has been the easiest of my life," he says. "I really like North Carolina!"
Both Father Frank and Father Don have advice for men discerning the priesthood.
"Pray. Talk to people. Trust," says Father Frank. "Keep trying to follow the leading of the Lord. In my experience, the Lord leads. It may require patience. Trust requires that."
Father Don agrees that prayer is essential. "Pray. Have a spiritual director. Stay close to the Eucharist."
They both agree that they are very blessed by the communities they serve, which welcomed them warmly.
"It's been a joy ride," Father Frank says about his priestly vocation, drawing laughter from Father Don. "Some days!" chimes in Father Don.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
GREENSBORO — Donielle Wilde, her husband Keith and their 10 children know what it's like to receive a miracle ‒ well, two miracles, actually. One is a healthy little bundle of joy named Sylvia Hope, delivered via C-section after a harrowing pregnancy which was overshadowed by a cancer diagnosis. The other, they say, is a complete healing from that cancer.
The Wilde family's ordeal began when Donielle was nine weeks pregnant. When she met with her obstetrician for a routine ultrasound, he noticed a 5-centimeter mass on her ovary that looked suspicious. Donielle underwent surgery to remove the stage IV tumor, which doctors said they might not have discovered if Donielle hadn't been pregnant.
"All went well," Donielle says, but doctor thought there was still a significant risk of cancer because the tumor turned out to be metastasized from breast cancer that Donielle had fought a decade ago. Her oncologist recommended that Donielle abort her unborn baby girl, then start aggressive chemotherapy to prevent the cancer from spreading further. The tumor, doctors told her, was growing fast, as her pregnant body was feeding the cancer.
Donielle and Keith flatly refused to have an abortion, and Donielle decided to put off chemotherapy until after the baby was born. It was a risky move, but they said they didn't want to put their unborn daughter in harm's way. Instead, they relied on their Catholic faith, praying for the strength to follow whatever would be God's will in their lives.
Keith and Donielle Wilde pose with their little miracle, Sylvia Hope; Pictured at top: A giggling Sylvia Hope on her father's lap. (Photos by SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald)"We felt like she was such a blessing, because if she wasn't there growing we would never have known the cancer was there," Donielle explains. "It could have easily killed me. I felt like she had saved my life, and it was my obligation to save hers.
"I wanted to meet her – this beautiful child inside me."
The entire family eagerly awaited the arrival of Sylvia Hope, especially the Wildes' other nine children. "The children were all excited to have another sibling," Donielle recalls.
Prayer also helped Donielle through another challenge in her pregnancy: a large blood clot that broke up and went to both of her lungs.
"I didn't feel anything. I didn't have shortness of breath. I had no pain. I didn't know anything was happening," Donielle describes. "I credit that to the power of prayer. When we did find out that the clot was there, immediately people were praying for our situation."
After that, the rest of her pregnancy went perfectly, she says.
"It was a very joyous time for us with the anticipation of her arrival. I felt like it was one of my easiest pregnancies. I had so much energy! God really blessed us quite a bit."
Doctors continued to monitor her pregnancy, determined to deliver Sylvia Hope as soon as feasible so that Donielle could begin chemotherapy. On Nov. 6, 2014, Sylvia Hope was born via C-section, weighing 7 lbs., 1 oz.
"It was an incredible experience," she remembers. "I'd never had a C-Section. It felt like it was my first time having a baby – it was all different."
Her obstetrician Dr. Lewis Lipscomb, also a Catholic, led them in prayer before entering the delivery room, which Donielle says "just put all of us at such peace."
Donielle wore two religious medals during her pregnancy, one a third-class relic of St. Peregrine and another a second-class relic of St. Gianna Beretta Molla. She asked Lipscomb if he would put them in his pocket during surgery. "He said, 'No, I'm not going to put them in my pocket.' He then placed them around his neck. He handed me a wooden rosary, which was just so beautiful, (and) which I was able to hold during surgery."
The delivery room was crowded with medical staff "because of the uncertainty of the situation," she remembers, and she remained awake throughout the delivery.
"Sylvia came out perfect. There was nothing wrong with her," she says.
Donielle became a little concerned when she overheard Keith and others saying "I've never seen anything like this before!" But there was nothing wrong – it was just that Sylvia Hope was born already with a bottom tooth.
Immediately after the baby was born, doctors performed surgery to check for any cancer, and they removed one cancerous nodule, Donielle says.
"Nothing new grew during the pregnancy, which is extremely unusual," she says. "The cancer should have grown, it should have spread. Scientifically, everything was lined up for that to happen – and none of that happened."
Donielle recovered quickly from both surgeries, and on Nov. 21 returned to her oncologist.
He told her that tests had found no cancer. "You're grossly N.E.D.!" he said. N.E.D. stands for "no evidence of disease," doctors' shorthand for remission.
That, says Keith, "is really remarkable. It has to be one in a million, scientifically. We know in our hearts we were blessed with a great healing from God, no doubt about it."
Lipscomb is pleasantly surprised with how well Donielle is doing.
"It's quite encouraging that she has remained without evidence of disease," he says. "It's important we keep watching her closely in case she should show any signs of recurring disease. I do credit her speedy recovery and condition to her faith and her fervent prayer. She is a courageous woman.
"St. Gianna was someone that she asked for intercession during her pregnancy. It's no accident that she sought her intercession, as St. Gianna was faced with a similar situation in which she also had a tumor in her pregnancy and was told to abort her baby. Fortunately, her baby lived and has her life because of her mother's sacrifice.
"I think that paints a good picture of what Donielle did, too."
Their Catholic faith, Donielle and Keith both say, was instrumental throughout this challenge in their lives.
"The greatest gift I have ever received is my Catholic faith," Donielle says. "I thank my parents often for passing this faith down to me. Living out this love for my faith hasn't always been easy. I have learned it is only in cultivating it that brings about fruition. We must never stay idle, we must never be too busy to pray."
The family has always prayed together, particularly "morning and evening prayers together as a family which would always end with us consecrating ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary," she says, but at the start of Lent "we decided to 'kick it up a notch' by saying the rosary together every evening as part of our Lenten prayers. Even though it was often difficult to get through a rosary with nine children and the oldest was only 12, we persevered and it became easier."
After Lent they continued the nightly rosary and consecration, she says. "As our love for the Blessed Mother grew as a family, we felt the desire to show her our love in return. In May of 2014 I asked my parish priest if he could enroll our family in the brown scapular. He graciously said yes."
The Blessed Virgin Mary had helped lay a strong foundation for what they would have to face, Donielle says as she looks back on the past year. Their prayer life and reliance on the Blessed Virgin Mary helped propel them through the stage IV cancer diagnosis during her pregnancy, she says.
"We felt equipped and ready for anything. That grace and peace was bestowed upon our family through Our Lady of the Rosary and the brown scapular."
Donielle also credits her healing to the intercession of several saints, and the sacrament of anointing of the sick that she received from her priest.
"It is a tremendous blessing to be part of this Catholic faith that through the centuries has been enriched with these beautiful sacraments and sacramentals to help us along the way," she says.
Above all, she says, she and Keith are grateful for the prayers of so many people in North Carolina and around the country.
"It was extremely humbling. At first I felt uncomfortable asking for prayers because I know of many other people suffering or experiencing tragedy that I felt were more in need of prayer than me – as if I was using them all up.
Sylvia and Father Joseph Mack at her baptism at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro. (Photo provided by Donielle Wilde)"Then once again I was humbled. One Sunday at Mass while reciting the Penitential Rite it struck me as we are all saying, 'brothers and sisters ... pray for me to the Lord our God.' There it was, right there in the Mass. That is the Universal Church in action. We are our brothers' keeper, we all need each other on this path to holiness."
To all those who prayerfully accompanied them on their journey Donielle says, "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for imitating Christ's love through your actions of prayer and sacrifice on our behalf."
Lipscomb asks everyone to keep Donielle in their prayers.
"Time will tell," he says. "There's always a chance of recurrence. That is why I continue to pray for Donielle and others should be encouraged to do so as well."
The Wildes view their ordeal not as a test of their faith, but as a way to unite their suffering to that of Jesus Christ on the cross.
"It is only through Him that you will be able to experience the joy of suffering and peace of the unknown," Donielle says. "I told my oncologists that if I made it through my pregnancy, I would do anything they recommended once Sylvia Hope was born. There was never a point that I felt fear.
"Often we need to step back and take a look at the situation we are facing with two sets of lenses: the natural and the spiritual. In my case, it was very easy to discern what to do when the other option was that of taking the life of my child. We need to remind ourselves that the devil wants us to be scared, fearful and in despair. We must rebuke those feelings by placing our trust in God.
"The things my oncologists had predicted to happen, such as an aggressive continued spread of cancer due to the pregnancy producing hormones acting like fertilizer to a plant, didn't happen, and no one knows why."
She adds, "I've come to the realization in my own heart that God wants to perform miracles. We just need to allow Him to do so, giving Him enough room to work and ridding ourselves of anything that is not of God, beginning with fear, anxiety and despair.
"God wants to restore order. We may not always understand His plan, but must trust and hope in difficult circumstances. Be at peace no matter what!"
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter