BELMONT — Caring for the Earth and for God’s creation is an important part of being a Catholic, one reflected in writings of Pope Benedict XVI and in Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si.”
A capacity crowd of 150 people from 40 parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte reflected on this and discussed ways to care for the Earth and people in need on Feb. 8 at “Walking with the Spirit in the World,” a conference sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. The event was held on the Sisters of Mercy campus in Belmont and featured keynote talks by Bishop Michael Martin and Catherine Wright.
Wright, a Christian eco-theologian at Wingate University who focuses on science, Catholicism, spirituality and ethics, is the author of “Creation, God and Humanity” and “Caring for Our Common Home.”
Wright talked about the lives of Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi and how their spiritual legacy – as well as the lives of other prominent Franciscans throughout history – reflected a concern for both the natural world and the needs of the poor and suffering. She also described how Jesuits founder St. Ignatius of Loyola believed in “finding God in all things,” and how this approach can help people cultivate a respect for all of God’s creation – and, consequently, want to preserve it.
“You can’t love if you don’t know love, and you can’t treat others with dignity if you don’t recognize your own.” — Bishop Michael Martin
In his address to the group, Bishop Michael Martin reflected on the call of “Laudato Si” for all people to recognize God’s work in their fellow humans and in the natural world.
Bishop Martin said one of today’s major problems is the tendency for people to live in what he called a “transactional model” with others. Transactional relationships are based on a “what can you do for me?” attitude instead of respect and care for others, Bishop Martin said.
“We’re trying to manage our resources and can’t find ways to love each other,” he said.
That transactional side of our culture, he said, has also led too many people to dismiss their inherent dignity as children of God, which in turn has driven them away from a concern for others and for creation.
“You can’t love if you don’t know love, and you can’t treat others with dignity if you don’t recognize your own,” he said.
A panel discussion featured three people discussing issues affecting the environment and North Carolina residents:
Larry Baldwin of Waterkeeper Alliance spoke about the polluting practices of large factory farms, particularly in eastern North Carolina. He serves as the Pure Farms, Pure Waters coordinator for the alliance. Baldwin talked about the amount of pollution both hog and poultry farms produce, suggested attendees learn about the sources of the food they eat, and offered advice on how to reach out to legislators to encourage more sustainable, clean ways to handle waste from such farms.
Mara Fenn and Erica Grace Lubamba, who work with Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, discussed how climate change and other factors are destroying natural environments, affecting the poor worldwide and causing some to be displaced from their home countries. Fenn is a refugee employment case worker with Catholic Charities, and Lubamba is a refugee employment specialist. Both help legal refugees who are resettled in the diocese find employment.
The event also allowed attendees to discuss strategies for promoting care for the environment at the individual and parish level and beyond.
— Christina Lee Knauss
CHARLOTTE — Bishop Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., announces the retirement of Father George D. Byers, pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Andrews and Prince of Peace Mission in Robbinsville, effective Feb. 11, 2025. Details of the assignment of a new pastor will be forthcoming.
Father Byers was ordained for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1992 and has served in the Diocese of Charlotte since 2013.
— Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — Father Benjamin Roberts, D.Min., took a summer course in ecumenism and interreligious dialogue at the Centro Pro Unione in Rome in 2011, but it was far from his first exposure to the concept that deals with the relationship between Catholics and other Christian denominations.
“I was baptized in the Episcopal Church, raised Lutheran and then was received into full communion as a Catholic in my early 20s,” Father Roberts explains. “So, for me, ecumenism is both a theological commitment, because it’s the Church’s commitment, but also a personal commitment.”
He noted that since he has dear friends who are Lutheran, Presbyterian and Baptist ministers as well as family members who are not Catholic, “working with other Christians is really part of my lifeblood.”
It’s no surprise then that Bishop Michael Martin appointed Father Roberts as ecumenical officer for the Diocese of Charlotte, effective Jan. 29.
The ecumenical officer is the principal advisor to the bishop on ecumenical and interreligious matters; represents the bishop and diocese to the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (CADEIO), a national organization that works with the U.S. bishops, as well as to other ecumenical and interreligious gatherings; serves as a consultant to diocesan leaders and entities on ecumenical and interreligious matters; and promotes a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and understanding with other faith communities.
The position went dormant about 13 years ago, and while Father Roberts advised then-Bishop Peter Jugis on ecumenical questions over the years, his focus was on his roles as pastor of Our
Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe and as chairman of the diocese’s Presbyteral Council. He is also the new president of the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics, a professional guild for the support and mutual sharing of scholarship for those who teach preaching.
“I’ve informally been doing this work, and so now the bishop has decided to make this official, reflecting his commitment to working with other Christians and other religions in our area,” Father Roberts said.
The appointment received praise from CADEIO President Dr. F. Javier Orozco, OFS, PhD.
“Our Church and CADEIO, in particular, will be blessed by the pastoral care, leadership and expertise Father Roberts brings to our ecumenical and interreligious ministry,” Orozco said. “This past year, I had the opportunity to meet Father Roberts in person, and I was impressed by his generous heart and love for people and cultures.”
Monsignor Gregory Fairbanks, dean of the School of Diaconal Formation at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania, was one of Father Roberts’ professors.
“He definitely has a passion for this work,” said Monsignor Fairbanks, who is a former official of the Dicastery for Christian Unity in Rome and works on ecumenical matters for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “I think ecumenism is so admirable in our world today where nobody wants to talk to each other anymore – just talk about each other. I think he has the personal qualities to be able to listen, to learn, and to dialogue in a respectful way with others.”
Father Roberts sees a path forward during these contentious times through ecumenical friendship.
“To me that means friendly relationships with Christians of other denominations,” he explains. “We recognize we are in union in Christ Jesus and that we are able to speak and become friends and cultivate personal relationship but recognize, of course, that that also takes place in the context of our faith convictions.”
As Orozco notes, “In a Jubilee Year when we seek to grow more intentionally in our identity as ‘pilgrims of hope,’ I believe building bridges of interreligious cooperation and ecumenical unity are meaningful steps forward in our common mission of faith.”
In a world that often emphasizes differences instead of focusing on similarities, Father Roberts said he looks forward to providing guidance and building bridges in his new role.
“I’m grateful for the bishop’s appointment and allowing me to continue and to officially work in this area which I’m really passionate about,” he said.
— Trish Stukbauer