‘Bible Women Speak’ retreat set for July 17-19
MAGGIE VALLEY — Living Waters Catholic Retreat Center, tucked away in the picturesque Smoky Mountains, has reopened under revised public health guidelines and is hosting its first weekend retreat in July.
Deacon William Shaw, director of Living Waters, oversaw compliance with public health protocols before reopening the center.
“We have gone through our entire facilities evaluating and making all things compliant for public health requirements,” Deacon Shaw said, to ensure the well-being of guests and employees. “The main lobby, guest rooms, dining room, kitchen, chapel and meeting rooms are all sanitized and arranged to accommodate current sanitary and social distancing requirements.”
One of the first events the retreat center will host is “Bible Women Speak” July 17-19 with Olivia Woodford.
Woodford holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from Boston University and has performed and directed regional and off-Broadway theater productions, as well as taught theater to people of all ages.
She is a member of Network of Biblical Storytellers International, the founder of Healing Theater and a professional storyteller. Her career has been focused on how to connect theater with the sacred.
She was “inspired to create sacred dramas based on the Gospels to have the words and verses leap from the page and into our lives and hearts in a meaningful and beautiful way,” she said.
The July 17-19 retreat can accommodate 20 participants. It will be a weekend to embrace the words of Scripture with a live voice who shares the uniqueness of each of the women of the Bible as they are presented.
The cost of the weekend retreat is $215 per person which includes retreat fee; two-night, three-day stay; and all meals from Friday night.
Living Waters Catholic Retreat Center offers private, group, diocesan youth sponsored as well as preached, directed and nature retreats. There are also many opportunities for hiking and meditative walks.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter. Living Waters Catholic Retreat Center contributed.
Pictured: Living Waters Retreat Center in Maggie Valley offers beautiful views for retreatants. (Photos by SueAnn Howell and Living Waters Retreat Center)
For more info
To learn more about “Bible Women Speak,” go online to www.catholicretreat.org. To register, call Living Waters at 828-926-3833.
CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter J. Jugis announces the following clergy assignments for the newly ordained priests:
- Father Jacob Mlakar will serve as parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte.
- Father Jonathan Torres will serve parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.
Bishop Jugis announces the following clergy assignments and retirements:
- Father Paul Asoh, MSP, will serve as pastor of St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva, effective July 21. The Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria priest has been serving as parochial vicar of St. Therese Church in Mooresville.
- Father Brian J. Becker has been named pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church in Swannanoa, effective July 21. He has been serving as parochial administrator there since the death of the former pastor, Father Matthew Leonard, in late December 2019.
- Father Christopher A. Bond will serve as pastor of St. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine and St. Bernadette Mission in Linville, effective Aug. 4. Father Bond has been serving as pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Maggie Valley.
- Father Paul M. Buchanan will serve as pastor of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont effective July 21, succeeding Father Francis T. Cancro, who is retiring. Father Buchanan has been serving as pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro.
- Father A. Cory Catron will serve as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson and St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta. Father Catron has been serving as parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte.
- Father Gabriel Carvajal-Salazar is moving from parochial vicar at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte to serve as Hispanic Ministry Coordinator for the Albemarle Vicariate, effective July 21.
- Father Casey A. Coleman will serve as pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro, effective July 21. Father Coleman has been serving as pastor of St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva.
- Father Christopher M. Gober will serve as pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem effective Aug. 4, succeeding Father Brian J. Cook, who is retiring. Father Gober has been serving as pastor of St. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine and St. Bernadette Mission in Linville.
- Father Michael T. Mitchell, from outside the diocese, will serve as parochial vicar at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, effective July 21.
- Father W. Becket Soule, O.P., from outside the diocese, will serve as pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Maggie Valley, effective Aug. 4.
- Father James Stuhrenberg will serve as pastor of Holy Family Church in Clemmons effective July 21, succeeding the Very Rev. Michael J. Buttner, V.F., who is retiring. Father Stuhrenberg has been serving as pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Jefferson and St. Frances of Rome Mission in Sparta.
- Father Britt A. Taylor will serve as parochial vicar at St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem. He has been serving as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville.
Bishop Jugis made the official assignment announcements July 14, 2020.
— Catholic News Herald
BELMONT — Nine seminarians of the Diocese of Charlotte participated in a two-week Spanish immersion program June 8-19 at the new St. Joseph College Seminary campus.
This is the first time the program was conducted in the diocese. The program is a supplement to two years of in-class studies.
Carmen Garmilla, a Spanish teacher at Charlotte Catholic High School, instructed the men in vocabulary, grammar and culture.
“I am really amazed by their disposition to learn,” Garmilla said. “The level of respect, willingness to learn and participation is incredible.
They are very fine young men, who have a true desire to understand not only the language, but the culture and the people.”
Each day began with Mass offered in Spanish, and for 12 hours the men conversed only in Spanish.
Meals were prepared by seminarian Anthony del Cid Lucero, from Guatemala, featuring traditional dishes from Spanish-speaking countries.
Father Alfonso Gamez, parochial vicar of St. Mark Church in Huntersville, also sat in on some of the sessions, providing his insights.
— Photo provided
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
There is a deep sadness at the center of our hearts over the horribly tragic death of George Floyd, and now Rayshard Brooks, and all that has transpired over the past few weeks. Please join me in praying for the repose of the souls of George and Rayshard, and for God’s strength and love to be with their families and friends, and all who mourn their passing.
We also must pray for our country, that the Holy Spirit will help us to heal deep wounds and hurts in our society, and help us move toward reconciliation and peace. We Catholic bishops in the United States affirmed in “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love – A Pastoral Letter Against Racism,” that racism infects our nation. We wrote: “Racism arises when – either consciously or unconsciously – a person holds that his or her own race or ethnicity is superior, and therefore judges persons of other races or ethnicities as inferior and unworthy of equal regard. When this conviction or attitude leads individuals or groups to exclude, ridicule, mistreat, or unjustly discriminate against persons on the basis of their race or ethnicity, it is sinful. Racist acts are sinful because they violate justice. They reveal a failure to acknowledge the human dignity of the persons offended, to recognize them as the neighbors Christ calls us to love (Mt. 22:39).”
In our recent celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), Saint Paul reminded us: “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor. 10:17). As Catholics, our unity in Christ is strengthened by our partaking of the one Holy Eucharist, Jesus. Through our union with Christ, may we who are of different races and ethnicities in the Diocese of Charlotte remain united to each other in mutual love, and be a leaven of Christ’s peace in our local communities.
May the Prince of Peace generously bestow His blessing upon us, especially at this time of great need.
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus,
Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis
Bishop of Charlotte