CHARLOTTE — Eight schools are receiving a total $173,400 to use for tuition assistance this fall, thanks to the Diocese of Charlotte’s “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign. It is the highest amount given out since the aid program began.
The $65 million FFHL campaign is funding capital projects, endowments and other needs across the growing diocese. Included in the campaign is a tuition assistance endowment available to the diocese’s 19 schools. The endowment has more than $4.7 million in assets.
The $173,400 will go to eight diocesan schools that applied for the 2021-’22 school year. The funds are expected to help dozens of participating Catholic families who have the greatest financial need.
Tuition assistance funds were awarded to: Asheville Catholic School, $77,833; Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, $22,963; Immaculata School in Hendersonville, $16,576; Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point, $18,432; Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro, $3,470; Sacred Heart School in Salisbury, $21,734; St. Leo School in Winston-Salem, $5,492; and St. Michael School in Gastonia, $6,900.
“Devoting FFHL funds to tuition assistance makes a difference in our parish schools,” said Catherine Rusch, Our Lady of Grace School’s principal. “It makes a mission-driven Catholic education a reality for families who would not be able to attend otherwise.”
“The FFHL tuition assistance endowment allows principals to make Catholic education more accessible in their communities,” explained Allana Ramkissoon, assistant superintendent of schools. “It is our goal to provide an environment where young people are formed through Gospel teachings and are able to pursue excellence as fully alive disciples of Christ. A partnership with parishes makes this possible through tuition assistance, and communities are enriched tenfold by the contributions.”
The FFHL tuition assistance endowment is administered by a committee consisting of the diocese’s schools superintendent, chief financial officer and members of the diocesan school board. Available income from the endowment is distributed to qualifying diocesan schools that apply each year for student financial aid.
An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is never touched, but the income from which can be used according to the wishes of the donor organization or person. Endowments provide a way to generate income and help sustain the long-term strength and viability of the recipient parish, school or ministry.
To date, a total of $600,230 has been awarded to the diocese’s schools. In its first year in 2017, FFHL tuition assistance totaling $49,372 was given out to four diocesan schools. In 2020, $152,213 was awarded to seven schools.
To qualify for the tuition assistance money, the school must receive local parish support of at least $500 per participating Catholic student and must have awarded all of its tuition assistance funds it already has for that school year. Schools that do not receive $500 per student in parish support may be considered if there are extenuating financial circumstances that preclude this level of support. Qualifying schools may request funds from the FFHL endowment for participating Catholic students with a financial need (determined to be 75 percent or more of the family’s full tuition and fees, as determined by a third-party company).
The tuition assistance endowment is one of seven endowments funded through the FFHL campaign.
“The FFHL campaign continues to have a significant impact on the work being done in parishes and in ministries across the diocese that provide services to parishioners,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Catholic Charities staffing up to resettle victims of war, persecution
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte expects to welcome hundreds of refugees over the next year, a return to normal after a decline caused by the pandemic and federal policy changes.
The Catholic Church is one of the largest refugee resettlement agencies in the United States. In partnership with dioceses, the Church through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services Office resettles approximately 30 percent of the refugees who arrive in the U.S. each year. Catholic Charities manages the resettlement process here in western North Carolina, helping refugees work toward self-sufficiency and eventually attain citizenship.
Their resettlement offices in Charlotte and Asheville anticipate receiving more refugees as the government-imposed cap is raised and the Asheville office expands its operations.
Sandy Buck, who heads up the refugee resettlement program for Catholic Charities, expects refugee arrivals to return to typical levels starting next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
“The expectation from the USCCB is that we will receive 400 total refugees in Charlotte over the next year, which ends Sept. 30, 2022,” Buck said. Of those, she added, 25 are expected to be special immigrant visas for Afghani translators who helped the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan.
Pandemic, policy limited arrivals
Refugees are victims of war, political upheaval, religious, economic or ethnic persecution. Many are forced to leave homes, jobs and families to stay alive. Refugees pay taxes in the U.S. and repay their travel expenses.
Helped by funding from the USCCB and the state, Catholic Charities’ staff work with refugees in both the short and long term, up to five years, to find housing, health care, schools, community and cultural orientation, and budgeting and financial education. They also offer employment assistance, driver’s education, interpretation services and transportation to initial appointments.
The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the Trump administration’s decision to reduce the number of refugees coming in to the United States, dropped refugee arrivals to historically low levels.
From Oct. 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2020, Catholic Charities resettled 110 refugees. This current fiscal year, the agency has resettled 44 refugees, 26 in Charlotte – that’s what the agency used to resettle in one month, Buck said.
Buck said they could resettle another 50 or so people before the year ends Sept. 30.
The pace is expected to pick up in 2022, with as many as 400 new arrivals – part of the Biden administration’s move to raise the prior administration’s cap on refugees from 15,000.
Biden said the previous administration’s cap did not reflect the country’s values “as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees.”
The president acknowledged it will be difficult to meet the new higher number, however. “The sad truth is that we will not achieve 62,500 admissions this year. We are working quickly to undo the damage of the last four years. It will take some time, but that work is already underway,” he said in a statement.
Because of the low number of arrivals over the past couple of years, the Refugee Resettlement Office reduced its staff, so now it has to rebuild the program to be prepared to welcome the higher influx of refugees.
Catholic Charities has received funding to hire and train new staff before more refugees start arriving in October, Buck said. There are two active job listings, and she said she anticipates more hiring in both Charlotte and Asheville.
The good news is that the arrival numbers are expected to ramp up over time, she said. “I don’t anticipate all the arrivals to start happening immediately. It’ll gradually start increasing. It’s going to take a long time to rebuild the pipeline overseas.”
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting travel restrictions will continue to slow down refugee arrivals, Buck said, as processing of refugees’ applications has always been done in person. Countries are working on how to do that safely when not every country has as much access to the vaccines as the United States does.
Although the Charlotte and Asheville offices often saw months pass with no incoming refugees in 2020 and 2021, both have remained busy, Buck noted. Staff reached out to refugees already settled here to see if they needed help due to the economic impacts of the pandemic, such as job loss. Support has included supplies from the food pantry or help paying back-due rent or utilities.
“We spent a lot of time making sure everyone is still doing well,” Buck said.
Asheville office expanding
In a related move, Catholic Charities’ Asheville office is expanding its resettlement operations starting this fall. Instead of helping only refugees already in the area apply to bring family members here, the agency’s mandate will include resettling new refugees. As a designated “sub-office,” they will begin receiving a number of refugees to settle, starting with an estimated goal of 150. So for the first time, the staff will work to set up housing for incoming refugees, too, Buck said. Volunteers and donations of household items to set up apartments will be needed.
— Kimberly Bender, Online reporter
How can you help?
At www.ccdoc.org: Find out how to volunteer or donate to help the Refugee Resettlement Offices in Charlotte and Asheville welcome refugees
Refugee children have fun, learn at summer camps
Show GalleryCHARLOTTE — Refugee children recently resettled in Charlotte have spent their summer learning and having fun in new ways.
Elementary through high school students are attending the Refugee Youth Summer Camp two days a week, said Kayla Mitchell, Refugee Youth Program assistant facilitator.
“We try to expand on different things they already know and introduce them to new activities through field trips and enrichment activities,” Mitchell said. “From the feedback we’ve received, they’re really enjoying it.”
Field trips included a trip by the elementary students to Jubilee Farms to learn how a farm works and Discovery Place Museum.
The older students went to Carowinds, sponsored by Allegiance Staffing, and took two college tours – to Queens University of Charlotte and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte – to learn about possibilities in higher education.
The students also had craft days, learned about different careers including cooking, met with law enforcement officers and firefighters, explored different sports, participated in a field day and even went swimming.
For some of the students, it was their first time participating in these types of activities.
There are 14 elementary students and 23 middle and high school students enrolled in the camps. This year marks a return to summer camps, as COVID-19 restrictions prevented them last year.
— Photos provided by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte
Faith, charity and beauty
ASHEVILLE — Staff and volunteers of St. Lawrence Basilica rolled out the red carpet Aug. 8 to welcome returning parishioners and Bishop Peter Jugis to celebrate the parish’s patronal feast day.
It was the bishop’s first visit to the historic basilica this year, and for many parishioners, their first time inside since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the parish to switch to livestreamed Masses.
Dressed in red vestments to mark the feast day, Bishop Jugis highlighted in his homily the faith and charity of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr.
“We see both of these in the life of St. Lawrence. His amazing witness of charity and faith inspires us as we celebrate his feast day as our parish patron saint,” Bishop Jugis said.
He recalled how St. Lawrence was renowned for his ministry of charity to the poor people of Rome and said the saint’s example of charity should always inspire the faithful in service to the poor and the needy.
St. Lawrence also offered his life as a martyr for Christ – an even greater witness of his charity, the bishop noted.
“No doubt St. Lawrence could have avoided suffering, torture and death if he had just denied Christ and denied his faith, as the emperor demanded of all Christians.
But St. Lawrence said no. He had found ‘the pearl of great price’ as Jesus speaks of in His parables,” Bishop Jugis explained.
“Faith and charity, charity and faith, go hand in hand in the life of St. Lawrence.”
“All of this comes from Jesus, who shows us His perfect charity. He offers His life on the cross – so great is His love for us, for our salvation, and for the forgiveness of our sins. As a further sign of charity and His love for us, He gives Himself to us at every Mass in the Holy Eucharist,” he continued. “From now until the end of time, from the Last Supper until His second coming, His charity knows no limits. Jesus’ love is everlasting.”
Concelebrating the Mass was Father Nohe Torres, parochial vicar. The basilica’s pastor, Father Roger Arnsparger, served as master of ceremonies and was assisted by Deacon Phillip Miles. Several seminarians from St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly also participated in the liturgy.
After Mass all were invited to a parish picnic held under a large tent in the parking lot next to the basilica.
Parish staff, ministry volunteers and Knights of Columbus were all smiles as they greeted guests, newcomers and longtime parishioners, welcoming them back after more than a year of limited or no ability to attend Mass in person or participate in parish activities.
When asked what she loves most about her parish of 11 years, choir member Dona Cavanagh said, “I love the choir. It’s a little extra job to do, it gives us a purpose.
I couldn’t not come on Sundays. It gets me out of the door in the morning. I just have to be here, it’s a wonderful place.
Usher Chris Fiore and his wife Kamilla have been parishioners of the basilica for more than four years. “We came and visited a couple of years before we moved here. The first time we saw the basilica we were on vacation in Tennessee. We were driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and decided we wanted to come see it. We fell in love with the basilica.”
Fiore says what he loves about it now, after being involved at the parish is that “it’s such a vibrant community. There is so much spirit. People are really fervent here.”
Tom Bernard and his wife Denise are newcomers to the parish after moving to Asheville last April. They have joined the choir and sang for the feast day Mass. Bernard said when they came to the area, “we fell in love with the basilica. It reminds us so much of the churches in New Orleans where we are from. We were drawn to it for that reason.”
Deacon Miles, who has served the parish for the past five years, says he loves the people. “Everyone tells me we have a beautiful church, but it is made more beautiful when the people are in it. It is a special community.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
‘Everyone tells me we have a beautiful church, but it is made more beautiful when the people are in it.’
Deacon Phillip Miles
About St. Lawrence Basilica
St. Lawrence Basilica is one of two minor basilicas in the Charlotte diocese; the other is Mary Help of Christians Basilica in Belmont.
There are two kinds of basilicas in the Catholic Church: major (or papal) and minor. The Church’s four major basilicas are all in Rome: St. Peter, St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Mary Major. Minor basilicas, on the other hand, are churches around the world designated by the pope that stand out because of their antiquity, dignity, historical importance, architectural and artistic worth, or significance to the Church.
When he was pope, St. John Paul II designated the Asheville church as a minor basilica in 1993 for its unique architecture: with its massive tiled dome, it is the only church designed and built by the renowned Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino.
The basilica sits on a hill in downtown Asheville. The red brick building, built in the Spanish Renaissance style, is capped by a copper dome guarded by statues of St. Lawrence, St. Stephen and St. Aloysius Gonzaga.
The 82-foot-by-58-foot dome, constructed of terracotta tile and mortar like most of the church, is one of the largest free-standing elliptical domes in North America. It features the same vaulting technique and herringbone tile pattern that Guastavino used at Grand Central Terminal and Ellis Island’s Registry Room, as well as 200-plus other locations in New York City, and at Asheville’s Biltmore House.
Guastavino is actually buried inside the basilica he built, and visitors can visit his crypt to the left of the main altar.
Self-guided tours are available. Tours are free but donations are very much appreciated.
Renovation campaign launches this fall
St. Lawrence Basilica was one of a select few churches nationwide to participate the National Fund for Sacred Places in 2020, a program of Partners for Sacred Places, the only national non-sectarian nonprofit that helps communities preserve their historic religious properties. Its mission is to build a shared sense of responsibility for the future of sacred places.
The award means the basilica can receive a matching grant of up to $250,000 and a package of customized planning grants, training and technical assistance, coaching and consulting services through Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This funding and support will be used to help launch a parish capital campaign this fall to make urgently needed repairs to the dome, roof and parapets.
Parishioner Mary Everist is helping to secure resources for the basilica’s preservation and spreading the word about the need for donations to garner the matching grant.
“We have a $250,000 matching grant, so we have to raise $500,000 to receive the matching grant. All of the money we raise now will go directly to that matching grant,” Everist explains. “You don’t need to wait for the campaign. All of the money goes to the preservation of the basilica.”
Questions? Contact Everist at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the parish office at 828-252-6042.
More online
At www.saintlawrencebasilica.org: Learn more about the history and architecture of St. Lawrence Basilica, view the Mass and confession schedule, and plan your visit
At www.savethebasilica.org: Support the Basilica Preservation Fund to repair and restore the historic basilica
CHARLOTTE — Everyone is invited to attend a week-long celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary starting Sunday, Aug. 15, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Each night from Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption, to Aug. 22, the memorial of the Queenship of Mary, the Charlotte parish will host reflections on some of Our Lady’s titles in the Church, followed by recitation of the rosary:
- 6-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15: “Gate of Heaven,” by Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville
- 6-7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16: “Mother of the Church,” by Father Paul Buchanan, pastor of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont
- 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17: “New Eve,” by Father Jason Christian, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon
- 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18: Ancient Devotion to Mary in the Christian East, by Father Joseph Matlak of St. Basil the Great Eastern Catholic Parish in Charlotte
- 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19: “Virgin Most Powerful,” by Father Timothy Reid, pastor of St. Ann Church in Charlotte
- 6-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20: “Seat of Wisdom,” by Dominican Father Ephrem Reese
- 6:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21: “Mother of God,” by Father Jonathan Torres of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte
- 6-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22: “Queen Mother,” by Father Innocent Amasiorah, Charlotte-area Catholic campus minister
St. Thomas Aquinas Church is located at 1400 Suther Road in Charlotte. For details, go online to the parish’s website, www.stacharlotte.com.
