‘Peace to this household’
CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis recently blessed Guardian Angel Villa, the Diocese of Charlotte Housing Corp.’s largest-ever affordable housing project, as the first residents prepared to move into their new homes before Christmas.
The housing corporation, in partnership with Douglas Development and Schaumber Development, opened the 81-unit apartment building this week, offering below-market rent for seniors in a city with a severe lack of affordable housing.
A unique public-private-nonprofit partnership made the nearly $14 million project possible, with the housing corporation and its development partners securing federal tax credits and below-market loans from the state and the City of Charlotte.
The three-story Guardian Angel Villa is located on a 20-acre tract owned by the diocese on South Tryon Street in the Steele Creek area. It is the second housing facility on a campus with room for additional development and that already includes Mother Teresa Villa for adults with developmental disabilities.
On Dec. 9, Bishop Jugis sprinkled holy water and blessed the building, noting that the Christmas season is near and praying, “Peace to this household. Peace to all mankind. May we pray that the same heavenly blessing remain upon all who live at Guardian Angel Villa and upon this building.”
Guardian Angel Villa is the fourth affordable housing project for the housing corporation, founded in 2001 to create, maintain and promote housing for seniors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable people. Overall, the diocese has made available 153 affordable housing units in Charlotte and Salisbury, which are open for lease to people of all backgrounds.
Located on Guardian Angel Lane, the 102,000-square-foot building includes two elevators and is designed for seniors aged 55 and older, including some who have disabilities. It has 27 one-bedroom and 54 two-bedroom units. Nine apartments are accessible for people with hearing and mobility challenges.
Guardian Angel Villa features a chapel, outdoor spaces with rocking chairs and benches, a large front porch and balcony where residents can relax, enjoy the gardens and socialize.
Three-quarters of the units will lease to seniors earning 60 percent or below the area median income. One-quarter will lease to those making 30 percent or below area median income. Rents are projected to range from $342 to $866, depending on income, household size and apartment size.
During his blessing, Bishop Jugis was accompanied by Monsignor Patrick Winslow, president of the housing corporation and vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, and Adriel Cardenas, executive director of the housing corporation.
The bishop began his blessing of the facility from the chapel on the third floor, praying, “When Jesus Christ took flesh of the Blessed Virgin Mary, He made His home with us. Let us now pray that He will enter this residence, this home, and bless it with His presence.
“May He always be here among the residents; may He nurture their love for each other. May He share in their joys and comfort them in their sorrows. Inspired by the teachings of Jesus and His example, may they seek to make their new home a dwelling place of love diffusing far and wide the goodness of Christ.”
Funding for the project includes a $9.3 million allocation of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits syndicated by RBC Community Investments and a $250,000 loan from North Carolina. Both funding sources will be administered by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency. Additional funding included a $1.75 million loan from the Charlotte Housing Trust Fund. The diocese provided the land at a substantially reduced cost.
The housing corporation co-owns and co-developed the building with Douglas and Schaumber development companies. Other project partners include Progress Design Studio, architect; Progress Carolina, general contractor; Wells Fargo, construction financing; Freddie Mac and Prudential, debt financing.
Excel Property Management manages Guardian Angel Villa and is accepting applicants.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Get information
Excel Property Management is accepting applications to Guardian Angel Villa. To apply, contact Excel Property Management at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 919-878-0522, ext. 265. All are welcome to apply.
Celebrations of the birth of Christ looked and felt different this year, but nonetheless Catholics across the Diocese of Charlotte marked the holy season with joy. Priests offered more Masses – indoors, outdoors and live online – to welcome as many worshipers as possible. Churches arranged reservations to ensure Mass attendance was capped at a safe number and people were spaced apart in the pews. People went out of their way to greet one another and offer prayers for others’ health and wellbeing.
In his Christmas message, Father Casey Coleman, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro, echoed the sentiments of many this Christmas – and 2020 in general: “During this time of pandemic we are being reminded that the practice of our faith needs to be intentional and is not a matter of convenience. We need to maintain patience and charity in all circumstances toward one another, mutually building each other up through prayer and kindness within our parish family, the Catholic Church, amongst fellow Christians, and most especially with those who are not Christian. If we do, we will grow not just in number, but most importantly in these difficult times we will grow in Faith, Hope, and Love.”
Social media has become a valuable tool for maintaining human connectedness despite the isolation imposed by the pandemic, and many people went online to express concern for others in need and gratitude for their faith. Parishioner Mary De La Fuente wrote on St. Barnabas Church’s Facebook page, “Christmas can’t be canceled. Christmas can never be canceled – not by presidents or governors, prime ministers or politicians. Christmas, after all, is the celebration of the birth of Emmanuel, God joining himself to suffering humanity as a tiny and vulnerable baby 2,000 years ago in a humble manger in Bethlehem. And nothing can ever ‘cancel’ the hope and excitement that Christian believers experience every year as they celebrate the earthly arrival of Jesus. So while our Christmas celebrations this year might be different than in the past, they should be as joyful as ever, bringing us the true peace that can only come from the Christ Child.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
Help support tomorrow’s priests today
CHARLOTTE — One thousand people in the Diocese of Charlotte have stepped forward so far to fund the St. Joseph College Seminary capital campaign.
To date, $17.1 million has been raised towards the $20 million goal for the new college seminary building project that was completed this fall.
A broad communication campaign continues to keep parishioners apprised of the status of the fundraising campaign, appealing to all of the faithful to play a part in raising the additional $2.9 million in pledges by Dec. 31.
In a Dec. 14 letter, Bishop Jugis asked the faithful to prayerfully consider a three-year pledge to help fund the college seminary.
“Your pledge is an essential building block in our quest to form many more good and holy priests for the Diocese of Charlotte. Let us promote and cultivate priestly vocations to serve our joyful and growing diocesan family,” he said.
With Gothic architecture and brickwork inspired by nearby Belmont Abbey, where in 1876 Benedictine monks planted the roots of Catholicism in western North Carolina, the two-story, 30,000-square-foot building includes 40 dorm rooms, a chapel, classroom and library, faculty offices, a refectory and kitchen, and a picturesque cloister walk where students can meditate and pray.
Twenty-seven men currently call St. Joseph College Seminary home.
The aim of the college seminary program is to nurture local vocations among the parishes and families in the diocese, close to home, before the men graduate and go on to major seminaries located elsewhere to complete their priestly formation and return for ordination to serve in the diocese’s growing parishes.
“As we journey through this season of Advent, preparing for the birthday of Jesus Christ and the celebration of Christmas, I ask for your prayerful consideration in this matter,” Bishop Jugis said.
“Our Lord has given us an extraordinary gift of a large number of young men who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. We have gone from 16 men in formation to 41 in only five years, with 27 of these men in the first four years of their formation, the college seminary phase. In response, we are creating a place that will allow these young men to discern their vocations close to home, and close to you and the parishes that they will one day serve as priests,” he noted.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Support the St. Joseph College Seminary campaign
Pledge financial support for the college seminary by returning the pledge card included with the Dec. 14 letter from Bishop Jugis or go online to www.stjcs.org.
Donations can also be mailed to: St. Joseph College Seminary, c/o Development, 22 Arctus Ave., Mount Holly, NC 28120. Questions?
Contact Fredrik Akerblom, St. Joseph College Seminary development director, at 704-302-6386 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
CHARLOTTE — The true meaning of Christmas is found in the love of Jesus Christ, Bishop Peter Jugis preached to a reduced-capacity congregation during Midnight Mass.
St. Patrick Cathedral, like many other churches across the Diocese of Charlotte, offered joyous yet subdued Christmas services Dec. 24-25 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health precautions in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus included lowered in-person Mass attendance and livestreamed Masses for those unable to attend in person.
At the cathedral’s traditional Mass at Midnight on Dec. 25, a little over 100 people who had registered in advance sat socially distanced from each other in the pews, while hundreds more watched the Mass streamed live on YouTube. The festive poinsettias and greenery adorning the cathedral contrasted with the sparse congregation, face coverings and hand sanitizing stations.
Bishop Jugis blessed those present and watching via the livestream and told them they had “come to the right place” to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
The meaning of Christmas is found in the word itself, he said. “The true meaning of Christmas is Jesus. It’s just that simple. A simple word, one word: the name of the Son of God.”
Yet, he continued, “the world searches and searches and searches for the true meaning of Christmas.”
Social media “chatter,” he said, tells us “the true meaning of Christmas is family. The true meaning of Christmas is friends. Smiles, health, wellbeing and joy.”
He then recalled the words of St. Augustine: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
He continued, “That describes the world perfectly – restlessly searching for a way to give a secular meaning to Christmas without reference to Jesus.”
“Without Jesus,” Bishop Jugis said, “all you are left with is a ‘happy holiday’ – but not Christmas.”
He encouraged people to demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others.
“God the Father gave the world the gift of His Son, and that is the greatest gift that we can give to others,” he said. “To live and to practice our faith, and to bring the love of Christ to others.”
In a greeting to all those present and watching from around the diocese, Bishop Jugis said, “My very best wishes to all of you as we celebrate the great feast of Christmas. May Christ bless you and your families with His peace and love this day and always.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
“God the Father gave the world the gift of His Son, and that is the greatest gift that we can give to others. To live and to practice our faith, and to bring the love of Christ to others.” — Bishop Peter Jugis
A drive-through luminary display to honor and remember those who made an impact in our lives
BELMONT — Holy Angels celebrates its 65th anniversary with a powerful and inspirational luminary display.
The first Share the Light event will connect the community with Holy Angels, allowing supporters to drive through campus illuminated with candles, angels and a live progressive nativity scene with roles played by our residents.
On Saturday, Dec. 20 from 6 to 8 p.m., everyone is invited to drive through an audio-enhanced tour of the Holy Angels campus at 6600 Wilkinson Blvd. in Belmont.
"In this year filled with so many struggles and darkness, we wanted to help shine the light and be a beacon of hope for our community,” said Holy Angels President and CEO Regina Moody. “This is a perfect time for us to begin our 65 years of joy celebration!”
The community is invited to honor and/ or memorialize a loved one, friend or anyone else who made an impact in their lives. A donation of $25 for each luminary tribute and/or $250 for an Angel tribute with the name of the person or group is a very special way to share light and joy this season.
“We all know nurses, teachers and other front-line workers who went above and beyond this year to help and keep our country running,” Moody said. “Let’s celebrate these extraordinary heroes with a luminary or angel in their honor.”
Share the Light will be on what would have been the 65th birthday of Maria Morrow, the first resident of Holy Angels. They also consider this the birthday of Holy Angels.
In 1955, a desperate and overwhelmed mother left her infant child in the permanent care of the Sisters of Mercy. Medical professionals believed she wouldn’t live past three months old because of her medical disabilities. Maria left a remarkable legacy in her 54 years on Earth.
Now, Holy Angels celebrates her and all of the other residents, past, present and in the future in our 65 years of Joy for the Differently Able.
Holy Angels will invite the people being honored or the families of loved ones being memorialized to our first luminary display. These luminaries, angels and signs will be placed throughout the Holy Angels campus.
The public is invited on Dec. 20 to drive through campus and listen to the story of Holy Angels along with some Christmas music while experiencing this powerful light exhibit. With other Christmas events being canceled or minimalized this season, this is a chance to make family memories from the safe distance of your own car.
“We really hope this will make a lasting impression on our community, and becomes an annual tradition for many families for years to come,” Moody said.
Holy Angels was founded in 1955 by the Sisters of Mercy. The private, nonprofit corporation located in Belmont, NC, provides residential services and innovative programs for children and adults with intellectual developmental disabilities many with delicate medical conditions.
For more information, visit www.holyangelsnc.org/luminaries.
— Catholic News Herald