‘The need is just astronomical right now’
With rising numbers of people experiencing homelessness due to the pandemic, Charlotte-area parishes are getting creative and ramping up efforts to respond at a time when traditional methods of outreach are on hold.
Taking a page from Pope Francis himself, who has advocated for the Church to “leave her four walls” and “go to the margins” to help people in need, local parishes are preparing and delivering food, personal items, bedding and other assistance as public health restrictions have stymied hands-on efforts to help those who are homeless.
Charlotte’s Room in the Inn program, a network of churches and other sites offering overnight shelter during winter months, was suspended last fall. An encampment has since developed north of uptown with more than 100 people living in tents and make-shift shelters with little access to food, health care or counseling.
“The need is just astronomical right now,” said St. Mark volunteer Mary Kowalchuk, who delivers sandwiches for those who are homeless. “It’s just heart-wrenching to me...When I go by ‘tent city,’ it is just getting bigger and bigger. It’s very sad. It opens your eyes to say, ‘How lucky am I?’ It has also opened my eyes to how generous people are.”
Parishes continue to partner with relief agencies including Roof Above, Charlotte’s frontline nonprofit dedicated to fighting homelessness and sponsor for Room in the Inn.
“We are grateful for the hard work and contributions of our area Catholic churches and so many religious organizations across this community,” said Liz Clasen-Kelly, CEO of Roof Above, which was created through the merger of Urban Ministry and Men’s Shelter of Charlotte. “People of faith are addressing the most basic human needs of people who find themselves without homes – from providing nourishing meals and warm winter items, to helping those in need secure housing, to furnishing items that make a house a home.”
From providing food and supplies to making financial donations, parishes such as St. Gabriel, St. Mark, St. Matthew, St. Patrick and St. Peter are doing everything they can to keep going to the margins, even during this pandemic, to lend a hand to those most in need.
‘The way of the Church is precisely to leave her four walls behind and to go out in search of those who are distant, those on the ‘outskirts of life.’
— Pope Francis
St. Gabriel donates beds, supplies
A longtime participant in the Room in the Inn program, St. Gabriel Church has hosted men, women, and even children who are homeless overnight in its large school cafeteria – weekly during the winter until the program’s suspension.
“Our parish supplies have been provided to many organizations who are serving the homeless this winter – helping to alleviate current needs,” said parish ministry and volunteer coordinator Karen Brown.
“Although our volunteers have not been able to assist, we have continued to provide provisions to Roof Above for a monthly dinner during this time and look forward to the time when our parishioners will be able to prepare and serve our neighbors in person.”
Early on, St. Gabriel donated its supplies on hand to meet the immediate needs of those who are homeless. Beds used as part of Room in the Inn were delivered to a variety of charities including the Missionaries of Charity, Center for Community Transitions, Salvation Army Center of Hope, and Our Lady of Consolation Church.
Clothing, toiletries and other supplies went to Roof Above, Catholic Charities, Center for Community Transitions, Charlotte Rescue Mission, Cochrane Collegiate Families, Dove’s Nest, Mira Via, Our Lady of Consolation, The Relatives Youth Crisis Center, the Salvation Army and Thompson Child & Family Resources.
Through the Christmas Giving Tree efforts, gift cards were provided to families who are transitioning out of homelessness through the Salvation Army Center of Hope. Parishioners are also making sandwiches for Roof Above’s daily lunch program, and contributing to food drives to keep the Catholic Charities food pantry well stocked. In addition, St. Gabriel’s Homemakers of Mercy ministry, dedicated to helping people move beyond homelessness, also continues to collect furniture and household items for agencies helping those who are homeless to move into permanent housing.
St. Mark feeds and warms
Sandwiches have become a love language for parishioners of St. Mark Church who want to show their concern for people struggling with homelessness. Through the pandemic, parishioners have made thousands of sandwiches for Roof Above’s daily lunch program to feed people in need.
Kowalchuk and her husband John spearhead the weekly sandwich collection, devoting hours each Wednesday to gather more than 160 donated bagged lunches, load their vehicle and transport the food to Roof Above’s satellite location on Nations Ford Road.
“When the pandemic hit, (Roof Above’s) Men’s Shelter reached out to the church requesting help,” Kowalchuk said. “We use Signup Genius and we even have people from outside the parish donating lunches on Wednesdays. Families have found it to be a good family activity and a way to help people in need.”
Kowalchuk said the sandwich ministry is meaningful for people in many ways. She loves hearing parishioners’ stories of what serving others means to them as they drop off sandwiches. St. Mark’s prayer shawl ministry also has been assisting, knitting scarves for people in need which Kowalchuk delivers along with the sandwiches.
“As a parish and as individual followers of Christ, we have an obligation to put faith into practice,” said Father John Putnam, pastor. “The best way to do this is by engaging in the corporal works of mercy and recognizing Christ in those we serve.”
St. Matthew ‘helps from home’
As part of the parish’s Feeding the Hungry ministry, St. Matthew parishioners are helping from home during the pandemic – making muffins and sandwiches for delivery to homeless shelters and programs.
The parish also continues its collection drives for toiletry and personal items for people living at the tent encampment, and donates shower shoes and locks for distribution through Roof Above.
“Our outreach ministries serving our brothers and sisters in need continue to operate, but not within our campus walls,” said Antoinette Usher, St. Matthew’s chief operating officer. “Our parishioners are committed to doing more at a time when we all know so much more is needed.”
Mel’s Diner, the parish’s food truck ministry that serves area homeless and refugee communities, continues to provide food on Saturday mornings, taking donations to people who are serving uptown neighborhoods. Parishioners and volunteers prepare food in advance such as casseroles to serve on location each week. They also help distribute food received from local restaurants and a nearby grocery store.
“I have a heart of gratitude that we are still able to continue to serve people in need,” said volunteer Marianne Raispis. “Knowing there are so many people in need… COVID can’t stop us from reaching out to those in need. We just have to find a safe way to do it.”
“COVID has presented many challenges for us as well as other parishes,” echoed Usher, “but with an open mind and an open heart, we can continue to do God’s work.”
St. Patrick digs deep
With health restrictions hampering traditional outreach, St. Patrick parishioners are generously donating food and money to purchase food for those who are homeless.
A drive to collect items and gift cards to aid the homeless was also a specific effort of parishioners’ Christmas Giving Tree, in addition to the Christmas Day meals they traditionally distribute to local people in need.
“While we usually volunteer to cook and serve at the (Roof Above) Men’s Shelter of Charlotte every other month, the pandemic has prevented us from doing so,” said James Sarkis, parish communications coordinator. “Instead, we have been collecting financial contributions for the shelter every other month.”
St. Peter also assists families
In a typical year, parishioner Glen McLaughlin would be coordinating St. Peter volunteers to assist with housing 12 homeless men overnight in Biss Hall, one night each week during the winter.
The church on Tryon Street is one of 100 host sites that offered a hot meal and warm bed in addition to fellowship on cold nights.
For now, the parish has switched from on-site hosting to providing lunches. Teams of volunteers representing various ministries at the parish prepare bagged lunches for delivery. Roof Above coordinators “can also go online and click on needed items to donate, which are directly delivered to the Roof Above shelter,” McLaughlin said.
Parishioners also donated more than 800 items for people who are homeless during their Christmas Giving Tree collection. And volunteers continue to work at Roof Above’s service center on College Street, helping to serve lunch once a week to those in need.
The parish also has embraced Druid Hills Academy families during the pandemic, as part of a decade-long partnership with the local public preK-8 school.
“Our mission is to support the students, teachers and staff, and families of Druid Hills Academy,” says Suzanne Wittebort, chair of the St. Peter Church/Druid Hills Academy Partnership steering committee. “The economic crisis has hit this community very hard. Recently I was told that at least 20 of our families with multiple children are homeless, many living in hotels.”
The parish has supplied food directly to the school for distribution to families. Through the Christmas Angel Tree, parishioners donated Walmart and Target gift cards for families. Recently, the St. Peter Sages seniors group donated nearly 100 Walmart and Food Lion gift cards for Druid Hills families and staff.
The fight against homelessness is personal for many parishioners: Some have come forward individually to prevent evictions, and provided funds for temporary housing for at least one large family that was evicted.
“We are so grateful to our parishioners and friends for stepping up to so generously support our Druid Hills families, Wittebort said. “We are happy that we can connect those who can help with those who need help in this stressful time.”
Homemakers of Mercy continue serving through pandemic
CHARLOTTE — Undaunted by the pandemic, Homemakers of Mercy continues its ministry to help individuals and families ease the transition as they settle into apartment homes across the Charlotte region.
Founded in 2009, Homemakers of Mercy is a collaborative effort between St. Gabriel Church and St. Matthew Church, which collects furniture and household items to help people in need settle into apartments. The ministry was inspired by Sisters of Mercy Therese Galligan and the late Jeanne Marie Kienast, who served at the two churches and joined with church volunteers to begin the settlement assistance program.
Homemakers of Mercy had to curtail its hands-on efforts to move families into homes to protect the health and safety of its volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. But that hasn’t stopped volunteers from continuing to collect furniture and household good from generous parishioners to pass along to other agencies that are moving people into permanent housing.
Homemakers of Mercy volunteers collect donations one Saturday each month. Furniture such as sofas, kitchen tables, dressers, end tables and nightstands are accepted. Household necessities including dishes, silverware, housewares, cleaning supplies and new bedding can usually be accepted.
To find out more about the Homemakers of Mercy ministry and its monthly furniture collections, go online to stgabrielchurch.org/hom. If you have questions, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
— SuAenn Howell, senior reporter
‘A gentle giant'
SWANNANOA — Richard J. Isele, a retiree who moved to Black Mountain from Florida in 2016, joined St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa and immediately made his generous presence known. Richard, better known as “Dick,” joined several ministries and, as a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, he became active in the Knights council at the parish. Isele was drawn to pastoral care ministries and often visited the sick at home and in nursing homes. Although he was in the parish for less than three years, Isele’s service is a beautiful example of generosity of spirit and stewardship both in life and in death, people recall. He died in November 2018.
Knowing his illness was terminal, prior to his passing, Isele contacted the parish to share his plans to remember St. Margaret Mary Parish in his final wishes. Once his request arrived at the parish, the pastor and parish finance council established the Richard J. Isele Endowment Fund to benefit St. Margaret Mary Church through the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation. Half of the original $30,000 estate gift was used to establish the endowment and the other half to support the general needs of the parish.
An additional $76,900 gift from Isele’s estate was shared equally between the Richard J. Isele Endowment Fund and St. Margaret Mary Parish this past January.
Grand Knight Jessie Boeckermann, a member of St. Margaret Mary Parish, considered Isele a friend and mentor.
“We were blessed with Dick’s presence at St. Margaret Mary’s and the Knights of Columbus Council 13016,” Boeckermann said. “Dick was a gentle giant, a man with an amazing voice, calming presence and positive spirit. He added significance, value and warmth into most of the rooms and conversations he entered. He spoke with clarity, calm and wisdom. He was always caring and attentive to the needs of those around him. He also had a great sense of humor, laugh and smile.”
Boeckermann recalled Isele was always giving of his time, experience and knowledge.
“He died at 78, and I wish he could have stayed around for many more years. He was a strong Catholic who cared deeply about the Church and the work of helping people in need,” Boeckermann said.
“More and more parishioners are remembering our churches in their estate plans even if they have not lived in this diocese for very long,” noted Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “Richard felt so connected to St. Margaret Mary’s that he left his estate gift to them even though he had lived in this diocese only since 2016.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter. Claudia Graham contributed
Create an endowment
Interested in setting up an endowment? Establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a gift of real estate, a gift of life insurance, cash or securities sufficient to set up an endowment, or a life income arrangement such as a trust or annuity.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
As the world continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19, including an increased number of those going hungry, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is asking Catholics to remember Matthew 25:40 as CRS Rice Bowl begins.
As the gospel tells us, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” This verse calls on Catholics to reach out and help those most in need.
“During the Lenten season so many Catholics around the world choose to make a sacrifice,” said Beth Martin, CRS’ director of campaign action and content. “Using CRS’ Rice Bowl materials, Catholics here in the United States have the ability to turn that sacrifice into a gift.
By giving something up, like that daily cup of coffee, and putting that money into the Rice Bowl donation box, Catholics can go a step above and beyond and look out for the least of our sisters and brothers.”
CRS Rice Bowl, the Lenten program that began in 1975, will begin on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. Each year, families from more than 14,000 communities across the country use nearly 4 million rice bowls for almsgiving, which they turn in at the end of Lent. These donations make a difference overseas and here in the United States, with 75 percent going to CRS programming in targeted countries and the remaining 25 percent staying in the Diocese of Charlotte. AS COVID-19 increases unemployment and hunger worldwide, those donations are lifesaving for communities overseas and here at home.
In response to the increase of world hunger caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, CRS is working with partners to provide emergency food rations in more than 30 countries as well promoting COVID-19 prevention and awareness.
“The donations from CRS Rice Bowl allow families everywhere to overcome the hurdles placed in front of them,” Martin said. “And in the past year, there have been a lot. COVID-19 is increasing global hunger and malnutrition, and several natural disasters have left thousands without a home or without crops to feed their families and communities. Everyone everywhere has struggled.”
Each year, CRS Rice Bowl highlights communities from different countries around the world. This year, Rice Bowl participants are introduced to the people of Madagascar, El Salvador and Timor-Leste and how they are working hard to overcome the factors that can lead to hunger, including drought and flooding.
“The people of Madagascar, El Salvador and Timor-Leste are resourceful,” said Martin. “They use all of the tools available to them to fight against hunger and provide for themselves and their families. The donations from CRS Rice Bowl add to that toolbox. What Catholics give up for Lent can change lives.”
Resources available online
At www.crsricebowl.org: Catholic Relief Services has a lot of resources for you and your family this Lenten season. Besides the rice bowl kit that you can download online, find video “Stories of Hope” from people who have been aided by CRS, and meatless recipes from the countries featured by CRS this Lent. All materials are available in English and Spanish.
How to give and mini-grants information
If your parish or school participates in the CRS Rice Bowl campaign, giving guidelines are provided. You can also give directly to CRS Rice Bowl securely online at www.crsricebowl.org; by phone at 1-877-435-7277; or by mail to CRS Rice Bowl, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21297-0303.
Find info on CRS Rice Bowl $1,000 Mini Grants at www.ccdoc.org/cchdcrs.
Timor-Leste: Squash, Bean and Corn Stew 
(Batar Da’An)
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. fair trade olive oil
3 cups water
1 butternut squash, cut into small pieces
1 10-oz. bag frozen corn
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked rice
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add water and squash, and increase heat until water is simmering. Add corn and kidney beans, reduce to medium heat, and cook stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes until squash is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Madagascar: Greens with Rice
(Vary Amin’Anana)
2 tbsp. fair trade olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 cups packed collard greens or kale
1 cups rice
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in medium-sized pot. Add onion, tomato, garlic and ginger, and sauté until just tender. Add collard greens or kale, and stir 1 minute. Add rice, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on medium heat for 25 minutes or until water is absorbed.
Makes 4-5 servings.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Find more meatless recipes and the stories behind their cultures online at www.crsricebowl.org.
Pictured above: Paulino da Costa Ximenes, 53, pictured in Libagua village, Timor-Leste, with his wife Eliza da Costa Martins and their seven children: Leila da Costa Magno, 12, Sandra Salleta da Costa Magno, 7, Celcio da Costa Magno, 5, Celcia da Costa Magno, 3, Laurenfina da Costa Magno, 2, Luciano da Costa Magno, 2, and Cidalria da Costa Magno, 1. Eliza has been part of the CRS TOMAK nutrition project for over two years. Timor-Leste has the highest rate of child malnutrition in Asia with almost half of children under 5 stunted. Widespread poor growth is attributed to limited availability of nutritional foods and high child illness. In Timor-Leste, subsistence agriculture is the main livelihood strategy for most of the rural population. The country is food insecure, so household nutritional security is difficult to achieve. (Photo by Anny Djahova | Catholic Relief Services)
Livestream brings 7,000 students together for the first time for Catholic Schools Week Mass
CHARLOTTE — Thousands of Catholic students across the Diocese of Charlotte tuned in Monday from their classrooms to attend a special Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis, streamed live from St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. The school system-wide livestream was a first for the diocese.
Fifth-graders from St. Patrick School next door to the cathedral were among the few attending the Mass in person. Wearing face coverings and sitting socially distanced in the pews, they represented their 7,000 peers at the diocese’s 19 schools watching on the diocese’s YouTube channel from their classrooms – made possible thanks to technology all of the schools have employed to seamlessly offer both in-person and remote learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You are part of an historic event. This is the first time this has ever happened in the history of our diocese,” Bishop Jugis told students. “We are coming together as one huge Catholic Schools family in the Diocese of Charlotte, all united as one in this Mass.”
In his homily, the bishop remarked on the significance of the livestreamed Mass – telling them that it’s about more than just fancy technology.
“At this Mass we are accomplishing something amazing: to bring together all of the Catholic schools of the diocese, virtually of course, for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Mass keeps us united as one – even though we may be physically many miles apart.”
Each year National Catholic Schools Week celebrates the importance of a Catholic education, he noted.
“The great mission of a Catholic school education, my dear young people, is to lead you to meet Jesus Christ, the Savior, and to develop a lasting relationship with Jesus throughout your years of Catholic school education,” he said. “Because our faith is not something of the past, dead and gone. Our faith is a friendship with the Lord that is lived today. We know that we can meet and know the Savior today and have a living relationship with Him.”
“How do we do that? By being serious about your prayer (life), either when you are alone or in a group with others, and especially at Mass or even praying the holy rosary. Be serious about prayer, coming into Jesus’ presence,” he explained.
Learning about the Catholic faith and reading the Bible are additional ways students may come to know Jesus better, he encouraged students.
“For instance, in your religion class, be serious about that in order to develop that friendship with Jesus, growing deeper and deeper and deeper.
“After all, Jesus is the most important person ever to have lived, and ever will have lived in the history of the human race. Jesus is not dead but is alive, and (He) is the risen Savior (who) is close to you now.”
He also reminded the Catholic school community of the importance of the crucifix, where Jesus sacrificed His life for us.
“In every (Catholic) church you see a crucifix. The cross where Jesus offered His life for love of you, for your salvation,” he said. “Now, being Catholic schools, I am sure you see a crucifix hanging on the walls somewhere in your school – and maybe even right now in your classroom.
“I wonder how many of you also have a crucifix hanging on the wall in your home or maybe even on the wall in your bedroom, or a stand-up crucifix on your desk or dresser, to remind you just how much Jesus loves you, to remind you just how much Jesus loves you in offering His life for you?”
The bishop emphasized that it is important to take this relationship and friendship with Jesus seriously.
“Jesus says, ‘There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’ and ‘You are my friends,’ He says, ‘if you do what I command you.’”
“Friends of Jesus, the living Savior. Your best friend” – that’s how we should think of Jesus in our own lives, Bishop Jugis told students.
He encouraged them to imitate the love of Jesus, as witnessed by the cross, when serving others out of a love for Christ.
“The crucifix reminds us to love just as Jesus has loved us,” he said.
Concelebrating the Feb. 1 Mass for National Catholic Schools Week were school chaplains Father John Putnam of St. Mark School and Christ the King High School in Huntersville; Father Joseph Matlak of Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte; and Father Noah Carter of Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.
Catholic Schools Superintendent Dr. Greg Monroe and other school system officials also attended the Mass.
Catholic Schools are celebrating National Catholic Schools Week from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 with activities and special daily themes celebrating parishes, communities, students and families, the nation, vocations, as well as faculty, staff and volunteers. Just like the Mass with Bishop Jugis, festivities look a little different this year with pandemic safety protocols in place.
Concluding his homily, Bishop Jugis commended the students, “What a tremendous force for good you all are in your local communities by faithfully living and practicing your faith. I am proud of every one of you. May you always stay close to the Lord.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Watch the Mass
View the archived Feb. 1 Catholic Schools Week Mass with Bishop Jugis online.