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September 18, 2026

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2 02 6 EUCH ARISTIC CON GR E S S

Bishop consecrates Our Lady of the Mountains Church 5

Sister Joan Pearson to retire after 56 years 4

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Called. Formed. Sent. Eucharist Congress inspires thousands to answer God’s call 9-14 Congreso Eucarístico inspira a miles a responder al llamado de Dios 10

At a glance 2

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

CATHOLIC ALL WEEK

SEPTEMBER 18, 2026

Timely tips for blending faith & life

VOLUME 35 • NUMBER 24

1123 S. CHURCH ST. CHARLOTTE, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@rcdoc.org

704-370-3333 PUBLISHER The Most Reverend Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte

INDEX Contact us.....................................2 Español.................................10, 16-17 Our Diocese............................. 4-14 Our Faith........................................3 Our Schools................................. 15 Scripture.......................................3 U.S. news.................................18-19 Viewpoints.............................22-23 World news............................ 20-21

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ore than 13,000 people turned out to renew their spirit and walk with Christ at the Diocese of Charlotte’s Eucharistic Congress last weekend, trekking through the streets of Uptown Charlotte in one of the largest Eucharistic processions in the nation. While participants were energized by Bishop Michael Martin and other dynamic Catholic voices, the weekend was much more than a one-time event. The Eucharistic Congress is meant to be one step on a lifetime journey of renewal and a call to share the message of hope with a world longing for it. Here are some ways you can relive those moments (or live them for the first time) and deepen your experience. SPEND TIME IN ADORATION

Called.

Eucharistic Adoration is at the heart of the Congress, and there are many opportunities to take that experience further. Many of our churches offer regular Eucharistic Adoration, and some offer Perpetual Adoration chapels that are open 24/7. Visit the diocese’s website, www.charlottediocese. org, and click on “Eucharistic Adoration” under “Faith Life.”

Formed.

LISTEN TO THE SPEAKERS

Whether you were there for every moment of the programming and Mass or weren’t able to attend, you can hear the educational tracks in English and Spanish, as well as Holy Hour and closing Mass homilies. Visit the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel to take advantage of this opportunity to grow in your faith and understanding of Catholic teachings through these inspiring talks.

Sent.

TAKE GOD OUT INTO THE WORLD

In the Eucharistic Congress’ closing video, five priests from across the diocese offered suggestions for how to build on what participants started over the weekend. Ranging from attending Mass and receiving the sacraments to volunteering in faith formation, campus ministry or by doing works of charity, the suggestions focused on getting out of our comfort zones and into a world in need of hope. — Catholic News Herald, photo by Patrick Schneider Scan the QR code for this week’s recommended prayers and activities

Diocesan calendar of events EVENTS Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., will participate in the following events over the coming weeks:

45+ SINGLES FELLOWSHIP EVENT: Join St. Mark Parish’s 45+ Singles for fellowship and fun 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at The Serve Pickleball + Kitchen, 20220 Chartown Drive, Cornelius. Email 45plussingles@gmail.com with questions. EXORCISING HALLOWEEN: Author Charles Fraune speaks on sanctifying the season at 11 a.m. Oct. 3 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. Come early at 10 a.m. for first Saturday Mass followed by a blessing of religious objects. WHAT TO DO AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: High school students and parents are invited to attend this event with representatives and information from Newman Guide recommended schools, 7-9 p.m. Monday Oct. 5 in Aquinas Hall, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte. PRAYER SERVICES IGBO MASS: 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, St. Mary’s Church, 812 Duke St., Greensboro. VIGIL OF THE TWO HEARTS: Vigil begins with 8 p.m. First Friday Mass on Oct. 2, followed by Eucharistic Adoration and concludes with 8 a.m. First Saturday Mass Oct. 3. St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road East, Charlotte. Details: www.defendthefamily.org/twohearts.

SEPT. 19 – 4 P.M. Cursillo Grand Ultreya Mass * Dan Nicholas Park, Salisbury

School Teachers InService * Bishop McGuinness High School, Kernersville

SEPT. 27 – 4 P.M. Campus Ministry Mass * Western Carolina University, Cullowhee

SEPT. 23-25 SEPT. 20 – 10:45 A.M. SEPI Regional Encuentro * SEPT. 29 – 6 P.M. St. Matthew Parish’s 40th St. Augustine, Fla. Pastor Installation Mass Anniversary Mass St. Charles Borromeo St. Matthew Church, SEPT. 27 – 10:30 A.M. Church, Morganton Charlotte Mass for Catholic Committee on Appalachia * * Denotes a private event. SEPT. 21 – 9 A.M. YMCA Blue Ridge Mass for DOC Catholic Assembly, Black Mountain

Our faith

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

10 facts about St. Teresa of Calcutta, 10 years after her canonization

Pope Leo XIV

Pope: Technology cannot replace human relationships

n a world of increasing technological dependence and polarization, Pope Leo XIV said there is greater urgency for humanity to see itself as a single “human community.” “The perfection of the human person and the development of society must be regarded as closely interdependent: to set them against one another or separate them would be to render them meaningless,” the pope said during his Sept. 16 weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square. As artificial intelligence opens up new possibilities, it also comes with risks as relationships become more virtual and less personal, Pope Leo said, continuing his series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution “Gaudium et Spes.” The constitution highlights human 1 interdependence and the need for mutual respect, he said, and invites people to draw strength from God’s plan that all people “constitute one family and treat one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” That is why, he said, “love for God and neighbor is the first and greatest commandment.” 1 2 Pope Leo warned that as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into society, there is a risk of people becoming accustomed to “delegating to algorithms decisions that are the sole preserve of the human conscience.” To build a more humane and just world, he said, people must move beyond 1 2 3 an “individualistic mindset” and invest in human relationships with substance and depth. Diversity among people and peoples “must not be considered as a danger or a threat, but rather as a resource for enrichment and growth,” he said. “The vision of humanity as a1 2 3 4 community of persons enables us to work together to seek the common good,” the pope said. Pope Leo also highlighted the constitution’s emphasis on respect for the human person, citing its condemnation of “whatever is opposed to life itself,” including murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia and willful self-destruction, 1 2 3 4 5 as well as slavery, prostitution, human trafficking and “disgraceful working conditions” in which people are treated as tools for profit.

Daily Scripture readings

FRANCESCA POLLIO FENTON | Catholic News Agency

n Sept. 5, Catholics celebrate the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, popularly known as Mother Teresa, and this year marks 10 years since she was declared a saint by the Catholic Church. The beloved religious sister was known globally for her work among the poorest of the poor in India and for founding the Missionaries of Charity. Yet behind the familiar image are aspects of her life that may not be as well-known:

St. Teresa’s daily prayer St. Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) adapted this prayer from John Henry Cardinal Newman’s “Meditations and Prayers.” She said it with her Missionaries of Charity sisters daily.

RADIATING CHRIST

1 SHE 2 3WASN’T 4 5BORN6 IN7INDIA 8 9 10 Mother Teresa was born Anjezë (Agnes)

Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire and is now the capital of North Macedonia. She came from an ethnic Albanian family and was the youngest of five children – two of whom died in infancy.

LUCIANO MELLACE, REUTERS | OSV NEWS

St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Calcutta visit a home for the destitute and dying in India in 1986 that was run by the order she founded.

RECEIVED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 17 28 39LIFE410AT 518 6 7 8 SHE 9 10 1 2 SHE 3 4ENTERED 5 6RELIGIOUS When Mother Teresa received the Nobel At age 12, she felt called to serve the poor and at 18, left home to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order of nuns, with the intention to serve in India.

Peace Prize in 1979, she asked that the money that would have been spent on the customary banquet instead be given to the poor.

in Ireland, she took the name Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century French nun known as the “Little Flower” who was known for her simplicity and doing things in her “Little Way.”

Despite being a woman of deep prayer, her letters revealed that she sometimes felt distant from God even as she continued serving him.

SHE EXPERIENCED SPIRITUAL DARKNESS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 SHE CHOSE HER NAME She endured decades of what she 10 2 3 4HOW 5 6 7 8 9 described as profound interior darkness. Upon her arrival at Rathfarnham Abbey

REACH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WORLDWIDE Today the Missionaries of Charity have

3 4 SHE 5 6WAS7A TEACHER 8 9 10 Before beginning her work among the

poor, Mother Teresa taught in India for nearly two decades. After making her first vows in 1931, she was assigned to the Loretto Entally community and taught at St. Mary’s Bengali Medium School for girls in Calcuttta. In 1944 she became principal.

754 homes in 138 countries around the world and a little more than 5,000 nuns serving the poorest of the poor.

Dear Jesus, Help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Your Spirit and Life. Penetrate and possess my whole being So utterly that my life may only be A radiance of Yours. Shine through me and be so in me That every soul I come in contact with May feel Your presence in my soul. Let them look up, And see no longer me, but only Jesus! Stay with me and then I will begin To shine as You shine, So to shine as to be a light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from You; None of it will be mine. It will be You, shining on others through me. Let me thus praise You In the way You love best, By shining on those around me. Let me preach You without preaching, Not by words but by example, By the catching force, The sympathetic inﬂuence of what I do, The evident fullness of the love My heart bears for You. Amen. —Mother Teresa Center

4 5 6AOn‘CALL 7 WITHIN 8 9 A10CALL’ Sept. 10, 1946, Mother Teresa

experienced what she would refer to as the “call within a call.” She received inspiration from God asking her to establish a religious community that would serve the poorest of the poor.

IMMEDIATELY 10 5 6 SHE 7 8DIDN’T 9 ANSWER In August 1948, Teresa left the Loreto

convent and went to medical training with the Medical Mission Sisters in Patna. In December, she returned to Calcutta and worked in the slums, tending to the sick and dying. On Oct. 7, 1950, she established the congregation of the Missionaries of Charity.

10 BRANCHES FOR MEN 6 7 SHE 8 9FOUNDED Teresa founded the Missionaries of

Charity Brothers in 1963 and in 1984 the Missionaries of Charity Fathers. She also created groups for lay people.

LUCIANO MELLACE, REUTERS | CNS

St. Teresa of Calcutta presents documents for a new house to a villager in 1994 in Mumbai, India. Mother Teresa once said, “Love begins at home” and worked tirelessly to care for the poor.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8-9, part of the daily readings for Sept. 20, 2026

Snap the QR code (right) to get the Mass readings for every day, in English or Spanish, online at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website.

Our diocese 4

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Director of faith formation hired CHARLOTTE— Christy Cabaniss has been hired as the director of faith formation, effective Aug. 24, the Diocese of Charlotte’s Office of Catechetical & Faith Formation has announced. Cabaniss brings more than 20 years of experience serving the Church through a variety of ministry and leadership roles, including 4th grade catechist, parish catechetical leader, pastoral associate and, most recently, director for missionary discipleship for the Diocese of Cleveland. Cabaniss She holds a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry from Seton Hill University and a master’s degree from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. She is pursuing doctoral studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, continuing her commitment to lifelong learning and faith formation.

— Catholic News Herald

Suzanne Carney selected as safe environment coordinator CHARLOTTE — Suzanne Carney has joined the Diocese of Charlotte as its safe environment program coordinator. Carney is responsible for overseeing the diocese’s comprehensive program for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, helping parishes, schools and ministries maintain compliance with diocesan policies and the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection for Children and Young People. Carney succeeds David Vasquez, who is moving into Carney a special projects role for the diocese after serving as safe environment coordinator since 2023. Carney brings nearly two decades of leadership and ministry experience. Prior to joining the diocese, Carney served in several leadership roles at St. James the Greater Church in Concord, including preschool director and family faith formation coordinator. She holds degrees in Criminal Justice and Early Childhood Education and Development and has been recognized as Preschool Director of the Year and Community Leader of the Year. “After many years of working directly with children and families in parish ministry at St. James, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve all families, parishes and schools throughout the Diocese of Charlotte,” she said. “I am also very grateful for the work of my predecessor and the strong foundation he built, that was entrusted to me. I look forward to building upon this foundation while supporting our parishes and schools in creating environments where the safety and dignity of every individual remain at the heart of what we do.” A Charlotte native, Carney and her husband, Bobby, have been married for 31 years and have two daughters. They are parishioners at St. James. — Catholic News Herald

VOICE FOR THE VULNERABLE

Sister Joan to retire after 56 years of service to others LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE – Sister Joan Pearson looks like a jovial grandmother with her rosy cheeks, compassionate blue eyes, and warm, perpetual smile. But don’t let that fool you. With a black belt in karate and a passion for justice, she’s actually a fierce advocate for “her people,” that is, people living on the margins – the poor, the immigrants, the homeless, minorities – people with whom she has spent a lifetime. For 56 years, Sister Joan has ministered from big-city slums to the backwoods, along the southern U.S. border, and for the last 30 years in the Diocese of Charlotte – which until recently was considered “mission” territory by the Catholic Church. Sister Joan has focused her work in North Carolina on the complex needs of Hispanic Catholics and communities. She tends an immense network of contacts that can reach thousands, and was instrumental in providing information during Operation Charlotte’s Web, when ICE came to town looking to arrest immigrants. Her work has led to the creation of faith formation programs, leadership positions, retreats, and continued growth within the Hispanic community. Now, at 74, she is preparing to retire – which actually will be more of a transition from formal fulltime work at the diocese’s headquarters to volunteering for the Church. Currently the Assistant to the Director of Hispanic Ministry, she jokes that she wants to become a Walmart greeter “because I love people.” But if you know Sister Joan, her idea of volunteering will almost certainly exceed the demands of a full-time job. As a Sister of St. Joseph, she embodies the mission of her religious congregation, founded in 1650 around a kitchen table in France: “Our mission is to bring all into unity with God, one another, and with all creation,” their website says. They do so by serving “the dear neighbor, standing with and for the poor and vulnerable, and by advocating for systemic change.” “That’s Sister Joan to the core,” says longtime friend and colleague Jim Kelley, the diocese’s director of development. “She’s always taking people in power to task to make change that will help improve the lives of those who are less fortunate. Yet she does so in a light-hearted way that makes people listen.” Monsignor Patrick Winslow, the diocese’s vicar general and chancellor, has been on the receiving end of Sister Joan’s advocacy more than once. “She’s kind and affable – and that’s what makes her particularly effective,” he says. “She’s just a joy. You smile when you see her coming. And her delivery is always done in good humor.”

LESSON IN EQUALITY

The oldest of five girls, young Joan – then called Anna – grew up in a devout Catholic

FILE PHOTOS | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Sister Joan Pearson grew up in the Diocese of Charlotte and has served here for many of the past 56 years. (Clockwise from left) She is shown in her first grade photo at St. Leo School, in the broadcast booth for the Eucharistic Congress, with Bishop Emeritus Peter Jugis and working on her black belt in karate.

family on a gravel road in Old Town, near Winston-Salem. “We weren’t poor,” she says, “but there wasn’t a lot of fluff.” One day, when she was 6 or 8, she and her mother were examining an illustration of two girls longing to climb the stairway to heaven. The white girl, as Sister Joan remembers it, was several steps up on the staircase, on her way to heaven, while the black girl was left behind on the ground. “That’s not right,” her mother told her. “This girl should be on the same step as this girl.” It was a lesson in equality she never forgot and one that deepened as she came of age in the 1960s. Sister Joan also absorbed her parents’ Catholic influence: Her mother, a homemaker, was a member of the Catholic Daughters service group and a faith formation teacher. Her father, who served in the military, was a Knight of Columbus, a lector and a member of their parish council at St. Leo the Great in Winston-Salem. A product of the Charlotte diocese, she attended St. Leo School and Bishop McGuinness High School, where the Sisters of St. Joseph would profoundly influence the trajectory of her life. During summers, she accompanied the Mission Helpers of the Scared Heart as they went door-to-door in poor neighborhoods offering resources and evangelizing. On weekends, she spent time over at St. Benedict the Moor, the African American church, helping with Masses and the faith

formation classes. “We didn’t consider the people there marginalized. We just saw it as a parish that needed help,” she said. “We were all in it together.” She so loved the leadership and demeanor of the Sisters of St. Joseph that she wanted to become one. “I wanted to be as happy as they were,” she recalls. She entered the convent in Philadelphia in 1970 and began her career in religious life, which included serving as a group home supervisor, a clinical therapist and an elementary school teacher in the Italian sections of New Jersey, the Puerto Rican communities of Pennsylvania, and in urban areas of North Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling, and she began to pick up Spanish along the way. Then, in the mid-1990s, while teaching at an all-Hispanic school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, she received an unusual request from North Carolina. The Triad area was experiencing an “incredible explosion” of Hispanic Catholics, she says, and Father Jim Solari – pastor of St. Leo the Great – needed help. He requested a nun be sent down to work with the Hispanic population on outreach. “When he made this appeal, they thought SISTER JOAN, SEE PAGE 24

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

‘TREASURE THIS MOMENT’

Bishop consecrates new Our Lady of the Mountains Church LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

HIGHLANDS — The consecration of a new Our Lady of the Mountains Church began with the chirping of crickets and ended with a cascade of rose petals, marking two milestones for the Diocese of Charlotte: a new church and a new parish. The Sept. 6 Mass was celebrated by Bishop Michael Martin and Father Jason Barone. It was a historic first for them both, as well as the 300 people who gathered inside the Baroque-style church perched atop a hill in the aptly named town of Highlands. The 8,000-square-foot, $15 million church still needs some finishing work, but the consecration date was selected so the community could celebrate before the mostly seasonal congregation relocates after the Labor Day holiday. This was the first time many witnessed the special rite in which a building is consecrated and set aside as a sacred house of worship – and they were not alone in celebrating. Crickets inside the church had joined in with the voices of the choir singing the entrance hymn. “Crickets … usually the mention of the word speaks to silence, and yet, this morning even the crickets rejoice,” the bishop joked as he greeted the congregation. “This is, in many ways, probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am 64 and have never been to one, let alone as the bishop,” he continued. “Treasure this moment – it is unique in the life of the Church.”

TROY C. HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Michael Martin accepts the construction drawings for the new church. Other key aspects of the consecration rite include anointing the altar with chrism (below), lighting incense to represent prayers rising to heaven, blessing the walls, dressing the altar and lighting the candles to represent the light of Christ.

A CASCADE OF BLESSINGS

SACRED MOMENTS SHARED

During the consecration rite, Father Barone, parochial administrator, formally presented the construction drawings to the bishop, who held them up to represent his acceptance of the church on behalf of the diocese. The bishop then blessed the walls of the church and the people with holy water. The bishop sealed a first-class relic of St. Justine into the altar. He then anointed the altar with

stands as a beacon to remind us every single day of what the world needs and what we have been sent to accomplish,” he said. “We do not come here just to receive God’s Word … we come here to be touched by it, claimed by it and to go forth to proclaim it by our lives and our words. If all we did was create a beautiful space to hear God’s Word and crickets thereafter, we have missed the purpose for which God’s Word goes out.” His homily ended with a standing ovation as he praised the efforts of Father Barone, who has devoted many hours to planning the beautiful structure for his parishioners and for the glory of God. Bishop Martin noted it is fitting that the building is not yet completed, since the work of the Church is ongoing. “Not in the studs that we still see exposed, not in the concrete floor… but in the way the Church envisions a holy, sacred space like this being a springboard for building the Body of Christ,” he said. “We have to build God’s kingdom wherever we go … now the real work starts. May this sacred space, this consecrated church, empower all of us to build God’s kingdom.”

chrism and lit a brazier of incense to represent the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. Clergy then incensed the parishioners, and before the Liturgy of the Eucharist began, the altar was dressed in

linens and candles were lit, representing the light of Christ.

A BEACON TO THE WORLD

In his homily, Bishop Martin noted the grandeur of the sacred

space and encouraged the congregation to bring the joy of the day’s celebration out into the world – sharing the Gospel message of salvation with others. “This beautiful new church

There was one final surprise. The JD Davis team that spent most of the last year building the church snuck up to the rooftop during the closing procession to drop thousands of rose petals through the oculus, a circular window in the dome of the new church. This cascade of petals through the oculus is a tradition that dates to the year 609 at the Pantheon in Rome, and represents the Holy Spirit’s descent on Mary and the apostles at Pentecost. It awed the congregation, bringing many to tears.

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Read more and see more photos

2026-27 Presbyteral Council officers, members announced CHARLOTTE — New officers and members have been selected for the Diocese of Charlotte’s Presbyteral Council, a group that advises the bishop in governing the diocese. Officers for the 2026-27 session are: n Chairman: Father Benjamin Roberts, V.F., priest-in-charge of the Catholic Community of Waxhaw n Vice Chairman: Father Peter Ascik, pastor and rector of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte n Secretary: Father David McCanless, Campus Ministry chaplain at Wake Forest University n Treasurer: Father John Putnam, J.V., pastor of St. Mark Parish in Huntersville

Roberts

Ascik

and judicial vicar for the diocese Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., serves as president of the Presbyteral Council.

McCanless

Putnam

Elected by fellow priests to serve a three-year term from 2026 to 2029 on the Presbyteral Council is Jesuit Father Mark Scalese. Re-elected to serve an

additional three-year term are Father Peter Ascik, pastor and rector of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte; Father Patrick Cahill, pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte; and Father Alfonso Gamez, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lenoir. Other members of the Presbyteral Council are listed on the diocese’s website, www.charlottediocese.org. Required by Church law, the Presbyteral Council represents all priests in the diocese and is “like a senate of the bishop” (Code of Canon Law 495 §1), with about half the members elected by priests and others appointed by the bishop. — Catholic News Herald

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Take a St. Francis pilgrimage LISA GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

n this Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, spend his feast day weekend (Oct. 3-4) exploring places with connections to the saint. Just don’t leave your dog at home - there will be pet blessings galore across the diocese. While you’re

exploring, befriend a squirrel, hug a tree or hike a trail or two. If you are feeling daring, go St. Francis style - barefoot. If you encounter a fierce wolf along the way, run first and then pray hard, but feel free to preach to the birds. Mt. Airy

2 Francis 6 7Church, 10 8 9Lenoir* 1 St. 3 4 of5 Assisi

Jefferson

procession. While you are there: n Venerate first- and third-class St. Francis of Assisi relics in the church’s left chapel. n Say a prayer for vocations in front of the St. Francis Memorial Fountain. n Visit the old church at 1025 College Ave. History: St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir was founded by Franciscan friars who arrived in Caldwell County in 1932.

Winston-Salem

Stoneville

Boone

1 Lenoir

328-B Woodsway Lane NW, Lenoir 828-754-5281 Events: n Oct. 3: 9 a.m. Mass, followed by a pet blessing and parish festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. n Oct. 4: 10 a.m. Mass (English), followed by a procession; noon Mass (Spanish), followed by a

Pilgrimage stops

Morganton

Asheville

Waynesville

Asheboro

Mooresville

N O R T H

Hendersonville

Mocksville Statesville

C A R O L I N A

Franklin

High Point

Hickory

Greensboro

Gastonia

Shelby 85

6 Concord Charlotte

20 MILES

Monroe

4 5 of6 Assisi 9 10Mocksville* 1 2 St. 3 Francis 7 8Church, 862 Yadkinville Road, Mocksville 336-751-2973 Events: n Oct. 3: 1 p.m. pet blessing n Oct. 4: 10:20 a.m. procession with a St. Francis of Assisi relic, Mass and blessing with the relic, followed by a festival. Fun fact: In 1980, St. Francis of Assisi Church welcomed its first resident pastor – Friars of Atonement Father Noel McSweeney – and with him, parish status.

10 Franklin* 8 9Church, 4 Francis 1 2 3 St. 5 6 of7 Assisi 299 Maple St., Franklin 828-524-2289 Events: Oct 4: Mass 9 a.m. in English and 11 a.m. in Spanish Take the trip: Drive the scenic route to Our Lady of the Mountains Church in Highlands to visit its new Baroque-style church. Along the way stop at the seven waterfalls right off the road.

* In its decree for the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, the Apostolic Penitentiary announced that plenary indulgences will be granted to Catholics “under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father), to those who participate in a pilgrimage to churches named after the saint – those marked with an * are eligible. Read more online at charlottediocese.org/year-of-st-francis/

10 Greater Church, Concord 8 9 the 1 2 3 4 5 6 St. 7 James

p.m. and Mass at 4:30 p.m.) While you are there: n At the church: See 34 stained-glass windows, including scenes from St. Francis’ life n Take a hike: St. Francis walked barefoot across Europe for 20 years and thousands of miles. To honor him, take the dogs for a walk along more than 400 miles of marked trails within 90 minutes of Jefferson. Both the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway pass through Ashe County.

139 Manor Ave. SW, Concord 704-720-0600 Events: n Oct. 3: 11:30 a.m. Transitus service with Franciscans Father Casey Cole, OFM, and Father Roberto “Tito” Serrano, OFM.

6 Francis 9 10 Prayer Center, Stoneville 1 2 3 4 5 St. 7 8 Springs 477 Grogan Road, Stoneville 336-573-3751 Events: n Oct. 3: 4 to 6 p.m. Transitus service in the St. Francis Prayer Chapel, followed by processions to the Glass Chapel and the columbarium, concluding with dinner (RSVP required).

10of Mercy Church, Winston Salem 8 9Lady 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Our

2 3 4 St. 6 7 of8 Assisi 9 10Church, Jefferson* 5 Francis 167 St. Francis Place, Jefferson 336-246-9151 Events: n Oct. 2: 4 p.m. pet blessings n Oct. 3: 2:30 p.m. Transitus of St. Francis with Father Jacob Mlakar and the Secular Franciscan Fraternity. (Confessions at 3:45

While you are there: n Main building: Timeline of St. Francis’ life in paintings along

the hallway n Grounds and facility: Sculptures, paintings and works of art

dedicated to St. Francis and St. Clare n Trails: Take a hike along the paths to a large mural of St.

Francis atop a hill

1730 Link Road, Winston-Salem 336-723-8238 Events: n Oct. 4: 11 a.m. Mass. Secular Franciscans will renew their promises and Sister Kathy Ganiel, OSF will renew her vows.

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

St. Joseph lifts Christ up a little higher with makeover LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

NEWTON — The heavy circular bronze tabernacle at St. Joseph Church in Newton was held up more by the Blessed Sacrament than its wobbly, barely supported shelf. “We wanted to secure the tabernacle,” office manager Kara Antonio said. “It has always been kind of leaning. … That is what got the whole thing rolling.” The “security issue” was one of the top items on Father Julio Dominguez’s to-do list when he first toured the campus as pastor last year. “The Blessed Sacrament was almost falling and was not bolted to the shelf,” Father Dominguez recalled. “It looked like gold. Someone could try to steal it.” What came next was not just a new shelf but a complete sanctuary makeover. New pastors sometimes want to make changes, so when Father Dominguez took to the pulpit, pulled out hand-drawn designs and shared his vision, parishioners appeased him with smiles and donations but were a bit uncertain. “He was still new, and they were wondering if they would like the changes,” Antonio recalled. Father Dominguez reached out to his friend Julio Vasquez, a parishioner at St. Michael Church in Gastonia. Instead of requesting money to fund the construction work, Vasquez requested a crew. As parishioners started to come together, they realized they had all the talent they needed for each of the pieces that had to be completed. Before long, the laborers turned out to be the parishioners themselves. A stellar carpenter among them, Guillermo Martinez, could make the reredos (back altarpiece) to hold the tabernacle. He could also build niches for the beautiful statues, one of Mary and one of Joseph, that were anonymously donated and could go on either side of the altar. The wood chairs and pews were hard on the elders’ backs and bottoms. Wilber Valente, an expert in upholstery, volunteered to make pew covers and upholster the chairs for free – even including the fabric. The pews looked a bit worn – Felipe Teron could rescue them with his millwork expertise. The need for a stair railing for the altar

LISA M. GERACI |CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD AND PROVIDED

Parishioners donated their time and labor to redo the sanctuary at St. Joseph Church in Newton. The project began when new pastor Father Julio Dominguez realized the tabernacle was barely supported by a shaky shelf. Below, parishioners redo upholstery for the sanctuary chairs and pews.

steps was apparent. Father Dominguez fell when he was trying to replace the altar fabric, so Apolonio Trejo stepped in to redo the staircase.

Men from Charlotte and Salisbury helped Vasquez with the flooring. Soon, the idea of building a more secure tabernacle turned into a three-week adventure that united the parish. Parishioners worked morning to night from mid-July through the first week of August. One parishioner even took his vacation days to assist with the project. “He offered that for the church, and I thought that was very giving,” Antonio said. “It was a joint team effort, that’s for sure, that got everyone rejuvenated and excited.” The project superintendent was none other than Father Dominguez, with his detailed schedules, coordinated crew maps, construction sketches and color swatches. “One thing I loved about doing this is I saw their devotion. This is their work for God,” Father Dominguez said.

The construction crew laughed and prayed as they worked alongside their new shepherd, who seemed to know as much about their trades as they did. “The organization that he did to make everything run so smoothly was impressive,” Antonio said. “It was very well handled, but there were some very late nights.” Slowly, the old, dark carpeting was replaced with bright tiling. “Our church is already dark because the only windows we have are stained glass,” Antonio said. “The dark carpet made it feel a little dingy. Now, it is so much brighter and cleaner.” The sanctuary platform was equipped with new steps and a railing, and the threadbare sanctuary chairs were reupholstered. The peeling pews were sanded and shellacked back to their former glory. The Mary and Joseph statues had special homes carved out for them, and the lighting was rearranged to make the area brighter. The altar was refaced with a lamb to match the newly constructed reredos. Father Dominguez donated his painting of the Passion, which was used as the backing for the reredos. And, to the delight of the elderly parishioners, atop the hardwood pews, newly upholstered coverings welcomed them. The crowning moment was when the tabernacle took its rightful place in the middle of the now-secure wooden reredos behind the altar. “They would have to break down the altar to take the tabernacle,” Father Dominguez said. “It is secure, bolted and enclosed. When they held Mass for the first time in the renovated space, any lingering uncertainties were erased as parishioners embraced the improvements they made. “The tabernacle is beautiful. You’re just drawn to it. When you walk in, it looks so much shinier,” Antonio said. “It looks bigger. I really appreciate it. It’s eyecatching, and everyone keeps stopping in to take a fresh look.” Father Jim Collins, the retired pastor who continues to celebrate Mass and visit the parish regularly, loves the improvements and celebrated all the dedication from parishioners, who are all looking forward to Father Dominguez’s next pitch. No spoilers, but get your paintbrushes ready!

Join hands and pray for life CHARLOTTE — Faithful across the Diocese of Charlotte are encouraged to gather on Sunday, Oct. 4, to kick off Respect Life Month and form Life Chains as a public witness to the dignity of all human life. “Our united prayers, sacrifices and efforts to protect human life and heal the wounds inflicted by abortion remain as important as ever,” said Bishop Daniel E. Thomas – Bishop of Toledo, Ohio, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities – earlier this year. “Let us remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that every human life may be protected in law and welcomed in love, and that abortion may be unthinkable.”

Life Chains will take place in these communities Oct. 4. For details about these and other Life Chain events, go online to www.lifechain.org.

BINH AN NGUYEN

Parishioners participate in a Life Chain outside St. Matthew last year.

CHARLOTTE 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., 2-3 p.m. CONCORD 800 block of South Union St. in front of Food Lion, 2-3 p.m.; Joe Andruzzi, 704-7960075 GREENSBORO Battleground Ave., 2:30-3:30 p.m.; Mark Shelly, 336-312-4810 HUNTERSVILLE The sidewalk in front of St. Mark Church, Stumptown Road, 2-3 p.m. MOCKSVILLE Event is moved to 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 11. St Francis of Assisi Parish, 862 Yadkinville Road; David Taylor, 226-406-1089

MOORESVILLE St. Therese Parish will be joining St. Mark Parish in Huntersville NEWTON Meet at the Catawba County Museum of History, 30 N College Ave. They will start in prayer and walk around downtown, 1-3 p.m. WAYNESVILLE On the corner of Russ Ave. and Howell Mill Road on the side of the street facing Burger King, 2 p.m. WINSTON-SALEM Home Depot parking lot on Haines Mall Blvd., 2 p.m.; Joe Rogers, 419-944-5375

— Catholic News Herald and OSV News

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

St. Mark team creates 4,041 rosaries for Fulton Sheen beatification AMY BURGER catholicnews@rcdoc.org

HUNTERSVILLE — Seventy-five years after Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen introduced the World Mission Rosary, parishioners at St. Mark Church in Huntersville spent their summer making more than 4,000 of them for his upcoming beatification. Members of the parish’s Rosary Makers Ministry – Our Lady Undoer of Knots – handknotted 4,041 World Mission Rosaries. The rosaries were blessed Aug. 30 and shipped to join a nationwide effort preparing for Sheen’s Sept. 24 beatification in St. Louis. Sheen was one of the most recognizable American Catholic figures of the 20th century. A bishop, author and popular radio and television preacher, he brought the Catholic faith into millions of homes. He served for 16 years as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the United States, now part of The Pontifical Mission Societies USA. In preparation for his beatification, Catholics were asked to make 75,000 World Mission Rosaries, marking the 75th anniversary of the rosary Sheen designed. At St. Mark, Rosary Makers Ministry coordinator Sharon Torczynski saw the request from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist and decided the parish could help. She set a goal of 4,000. They finished 4,041.

A ROSARY FOR THE WORLD

Sheen introduced the rosary to help Catholics pray for the Church and its missions. Its five decades represent different regions: green for Africa, blue for the

AMY BURGER | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

The World Mission Rosary was designed by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen 75 years ago as a way for Catholics to pray for peace around the world. In preparation for his beatification, Catholics are making 75,000 rosaries that will be prayed at the service. A team at St. Mark Parish in Huntersville assembled more than 4,000. Pacific Islands, white for Europe, red for the Americas and yellow for Asia. For Torczynski, the timing of the project was hard to miss. “What’s really cool is Fulton Sheen designed this for world peace, and right now we’re in turmoil with all the wars going on,”

she said. “What perfect timing for him to be beatified and have the World Mission Rosaries at a time when the world needs peace.” The work continued throughout the summer. Parishioners picked up materials to work at home and came together at meetings. Some were longtime rosary makers; others had just learned. People who could not knot rosaries helped count beads, cut cord, prepare kits and package finished rosaries.

LEARNING TO MAKE A ROSARY

Erica Barnett Richardson was one of the newcomers. She had recently begun attending St. Mark and was going through OCIA with her husband when she saw the project in the parish bulletin. “I really just wanted to do something for God,” Richardson said. She learned how by watching YouTube. By late summer, she had completed her first batch of 50 and was working on 50 more. At the same time, Richardson was learning to pray the rosary. A few months earlier, her mother-in-law had given her a rosary from the Vatican as she was becoming interested in Catholicism. She

now prays it in the morning and at night. “It’s literally just changed my life,” she said. “I just feel more connected to God..” Other members brought their own connections. Margaret Allen once lived in Rochester, New York, where Sheen served as bishop from 1966 to 1969. “I feel more connected, which is helping me a lot,” Allen said. Linda Lombardo, who has been making rosaries for more than a year, thought about the people who would eventually receive them. “You can pray without a rosary, right?” she said. “But once you have it in your hand, it’s a lot easier to start.”

BLESSED AND SENT

On Aug. 30, members of the ministry gathered at St. Mark with baskets filled with completed rosaries. Father Christopher Angermeyer blessed all 4,041. After the blessing, he thanked the rosary makers. “I know it’s a lot of dedication, so I’m happy you guys were able to do this,” Father Angermeyer told the group. The following day, Torczynski and volunteer Karen Orvis packed four boxes weighing 154 pounds for shipment. Before the beatification Mass, the rosaries will be blessed and distributed to those attending, who can take them home. Torczynski has thought about that moment. “Just imagine the power of the prayer,” she said. “It gives me goosebumps.”

Sisters of Mercy inaugurate solar energy project on Belmont campus BELMONT — The future got a little brighter Sept. 1 as the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas launched a solar panel installation project on their Belmont campus. “The Sisters of Mercy are committed to do our part to make life on our home, planet Earth, sustainable for generations into the future,” said Sister Judith Frikker, RSM, a member of the sisters’ institute leadership team. The 1,152 panels were expected to be fully operational by the end of September, providing an estimated 919 megawatt hours of electricity annually, about 30% of the campus’ total electricity usage. Belmont Mayor Joe Jordan, Belmont City Council member Jim Hefferan and City

of Belmont Chief of Police Boyce “Corky” Falls were on hand for the ribbon cutting. Father Paul Buchanan, pastor of Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont, blessed the project. The $3 million project is the first solar panel installation project by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and represents a major step toward their goal of achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2045. “We have called ourselves to align our institutional practices with actions to address the urgent climate crisis that we all face,” Sister Judith said. “There is much that needs to be done, and that will only be effective if we collaborate in this effort.” — Catholic News Herald

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI 2026 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

‘All of us have been called’ Eucharistic Congress inspires thousands to answer God’s call CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS, LISA GERACI AND TRISH STUKBAUER catholicnews@rcdoc.org

HARLOTTE — More than 13,000 Catholics filled the Charlotte Convention Center Sept. 11-12 for a joyful weekend of music, prayer and fellowship. Bishop Michael Martin welcomed attendees to the 22nd Annual Eucharistic Congress with words of hope that reflected the importance of the annual event and the significance of this year’s theme: “Called. Formed. Sent.” “Praise God that we have this opportunity here in western North Carolina to celebrate Jesus Christ, to celebrate His risen, broken Body and Blood in the Eucharist,” Bishop Martin said. “That’s what we’re going to be focusing on this weekend – that all of us have been called, that these moments help us to be formed, all ultimately so that we can be sent.” Friday evening began with a young adults networking session that drew those who wanted to meet new friends and seek a deeper connection to their faith. The event was part of a focus on outreach to youth and young adults that included youthful speakers and opened with a concert by The Scally Brothers, a Christian pop duo from Toledo, Ohio. Brothers Zach and Jake Scally were excited to attend the Congress because of the event’s profound witness of the faith in the city streets. “The same Holy Spirit that reached out to us years ago is reaching out to young people today. We see it on a national scale – young people are really starting to stand up for what is right,” Jake Scally said. “They’re tired of the lies and they want to stand up for the truth.” Friday’s excitement led into Saturday morning’s Eucharistic procession – one of the largest in the nation. Thousands of Catholics from the diocese’s 93 parishes and missions and representing various organizations walked for more than 40 minutes as they made their way from St. Peter Church through Uptown. Melony Rayala and her husband Chris traveled across the state from Cary in the Diocese

Eucharistic Adoration is at the heart of the Eucharistic Congress, which drew more than 13,000 to the Charlotte Convention Center Sept. 11-12. of Raleigh to take part in the procession and to offer support to others through prayer. “It’s just beautiful to see people from this diocese and other places come together to pray and show the love of Christ,” Rayala said. Father Kevin Martinez, parochial vicar at St. Mark Church in Huntersville, delivered an inspiring Holy Hour homily. “Formation with Messiah is not a one-time ordeal – it is a journey of walking with the Lord, day in and day out,” he said, reminding people that the same Messiah who walked the earth 2,000 years ago is still present in the Eucharist. “Once you accept being one of His disciples, the Lord will ask you to cast into the deep waters, and He will transform your ordinary life into

(Inset) First Communicants dressed in their sacramental attire scatter rose petals on the ground during the Eucharistic procession. (Above) Bishop Michael Martin welcomes the crowds on Friday evening before the concert. an extraordinary one.” Attendees then heard from speakers who offered inspiring talks in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and special

programs for youth. Shoppers browsed an expanded section of 104 vendors offering Catholic T-shirts, books, statues, jewelry, pottery and more. Ponchos

emblazoned with Our Lady of Guadalupe sold out Friday night and could be seen everywhere throughout the weekend. The 9,800 chairs in the main hall were often filled to overflowing, while in a quiet upstairs area, worshippers prayed in the chapel and priests from across the diocese teamed up to hear a record 1,517 confessions. In his homily message for the concluding Mass, Bishop Martin drew from the Gospel (Luke 9:11b-17) that recalled the feeding of the multitudes during which Jesus told his disciples to “go feed them yourselves” to emphasize the Congress’ theme of service. “The saddest reality of Christianity in our time is … CONGRESS, SEE PAGE 14

More online At www.catholicnewsherald.com: Experience the Eucharistic Congress through photos and videos

The Congress featured a concert by the Scally Brothers and interactive exhibits, including a map of the diocese that allowed people to tag their home parishes. (Right) Father Kevin Martinez of St. Mark Church in Huntersville gives a bilingual Holy Hour Homily after the Eucharistic procession Saturday.

PHOTOS BY JASON BLANCO, LIZ CHANDLER, EDWARD CHAPLINSKY JR., OLIVIA DIAGIOVANNI, LISA M. GERACI, TROY C. HULL, CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS, SERGIO LOPEZ, PATRICK SCHNEIDER, BRIAN SEGOVIA AND PROVIDED

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD 2026 CONGRESO EUCARÍSTICO

‘Todos hemos sido llamados’ Congreso Eucarístico inspira a miles a responder al llamado de Dios CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS, LISA GERACI Y TRISH STUKBAUER catholicnews@rcdoc.org

HARLOTTE — Más de 13.000 católicos llenaron el Centro de Convenciones de Charlotte los días 11 y 12 de septiembre para disfrutar de un alegre fin de semana de música, oración y fraternidad. El obispo Michael Martin dio la bienvenida a los asistentes al 22.º Congreso Eucarístico Anual con palabras de esperanza que reflejaron la importancia del evento anual y el significado del tema de este año: “Llamados. Formados. Enviados”. “Alabado sea Dios porque tenemos esta oportunidad aquí, en el oeste de Carolina del Norte, de celebrar a Jesucristo, de celebrar su Cuerpo y Sangre resucitados y entregados en la Eucaristía”, dijo el obispo Martin. “En eso nos vamos a enfocar este fin de semana: en que todos hemos sido llamados, en que estos momentos nos ayudan a ser formados, todo ello, en última instancia, para que podamos ser enviados”. El viernes por la noche comenzó con una sesión de contactos para jóvenes adultos que reunió a quienes querían conocer nuevos amigos y buscar una conexión más profunda con su fe. El evento formó parte de un enfoque especial en el acercamiento a los jóvenes y adultos jóvenes, que incluyó oradores jóvenes y comenzó con un concierto de The Scally Brothers, un dúo cristiano de música pop de Toledo, Ohio. Los hermanos Zach y Jake Scally estaban entusiasmados de asistir al Congreso debido al profundo testimonio de fe que el evento ofrecía en las calles de la ciudad. “El mismo Espíritu Santo que se acercó a nosotros hace años se está acercando a los jóvenes de hoy. Lo vemos a nivel nacional: los jóvenes realmente están comenzando a defender lo que es correcto”, dijo Jake Scally. “Están cansados de las mentiras y quieren defender la verdad”. La emoción del viernes dio paso a la procesión eucarística del sábado por la mañana, una de las más grandes del país. Miles de católicos de las 93 parroquias y misiones de la diócesis, y representantes de diversas organizaciones, caminaron durante más de 40 minutos mientras avanzaban desde la iglesia de San Pedro por el centro de la ciudad. Melony Rayala y su esposo, Chris, viajaron desde Cary, en la

(En el sentido de las agujas del reloj) La gente esperó en largas filas para hablar con el padre Marcos Galvisa, sacerdote, predicador y evangelista católico venezolano. Ana Munley, nacida en Venezuela, es conferencista católica, creadora de contenido digital y presentadora del pódcast AfterMass. Miles de personas participaron en una procesión eucarística. Diócesis de Raleigh, al otro lado del estado, para participar en la procesión y ofrecer apoyo a los demás mediante la oración. “Es simplemente hermoso ver a personas de esta diócesis y de otros lugares reunirse para orar y mostrar el amor de Cristo”, dijo Rayala. El padre Kevin Martinez, vicario parroquial de la iglesia de San Marcos en Huntersville, pronunció una inspiradora homilía durante la Hora Santa. “La formación con el Mesías no es una experiencia que ocurre una sola vez; es un camino de caminar con el Señor, día tras día”, dijo, recordando a las personas que el mismo Mesías que caminó por la tierra hace 2.000 años sigue presente en la Eucaristía. “Una

vez que aceptas ser uno de sus discípulos, el Señor te pedirá que te adentres en las aguas profundas, y transformará tu vida ordinaria en una vida extraordinaria”. Los asistentes escucharon después a oradores que ofrecieron charlas inspiradoras. Los compradores recorrieron una sección ampliada con 104 vendedores que ofrecían

camisetas católicas, libros, estatuas, joyería, cerámica y mucho más. Los ponchos con la imagen de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe se agotaron el viernes por la noche y pudieron verse por todas partes. Las 9.800 sillas del salón principal a menudo estaban completamente ocupadas, mientras que, en una tranquila zona del piso superior, los

fieles oraban en la capilla y sacerdotes de toda la diócesis se unieron para escuchar un récord de 1.517 confesiones. En su homilía durante la Misa de clausura, el obispo Martin recurrió al Evangelio (Lucas 9:11b-17), que recuerda la multiplicación de los panes para la multitud, cuando Jesús dijo a sus discípulos que “denles ustedes de comer” para enfatizar el tema del servicio del Congreso. “La realidad más triste del cristianismo en nuestro tiempo no es que las personas… no vean ejemplos de personas cuyas vidas hayan sido transformadas por el amor de Cristo, especialmente en la Eucaristía; eso depende de ti y de mí”. “Hermanos y hermanas, somos llamados, somos formados y somos enviados”, enfatizó el obispo Martin. “Que seamos apasionados por cada uno de estos aspectos y que permitamos que la pasión de nuestro Dios en la cruz, quebrantado y compartido en este altar, nos dé el poder para ir y darles ustedes mismos de comer”. La Misa, que contó con una gran asistencia, concluyó con una invitación bilingüe en video del obispo y cinco sacerdotes, quienes ofrecieron sugerencias sobre cómo continuar lo iniciado en el Congreso, desde asistir a Misa y recibir los sacramentos hasta ofrecerse como voluntarios en la formación en la fe, el ministerio universitario o las obras de caridad. El padre Marcel Amadi, de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación en Charlotte, concluyó el mensaje: “Necesitamos salir a hacer discípulos de todas las naciones, como Cristo nos diría en Mateo 28. No te quedes con todas estas gracias y bendiciones para ti mismo. Ve a compartirlas y trae a más personas a la Iglesia de Dios”.

Más online En www.catholicnewsherald.com: Vive el Congreso Eucarístico a través de fotos y videos

(De izquierda a derecha) Los compradores pudieron recorrer 104 puestos llenos de artículos religiosos católicos y escribir sus deseos para el futuro.

FOTOS DE JASON BLANCO, LIZ CHANDLER, EDWARD CHAPLINSKY JR., OLIVIA DIAGIOVANNI, LISA M. GERACI, TROY C. HULL, CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS, SERGIO LOPEZ, PATRICK SCHNEIDER, BRIAN SEGOVIA Y FOTOS PROPORCIONADAS

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI 2026 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

Sights and Sounds ‘I really love the chance for young adults to be here together and that there are activities geared toward us. You saw so many young people here alongside older people, all together.’ Elba Moreno Parishioner, St. Eugene Church, Asheville

Friday evening concluded with a concert by The Scally Brothers, a Catholic pop duo from Toledo, Ohio. The popular pair appealed to a young audience. Their breakout single, “Keep Hopin’,” reached nearly 100 radio stations and has garnered more than 3.5 million streams worldwide.

(From left) Some visitors to the Catholic News Herald’s booth were surprised to find baskets of tiny Jesus, Mary and Our Lady of Guadalupe figures that had been blessed by Father Christopher Angermeyer of St. Mark Church when he blessed the space before the Congress. A Vigil Project band member has an emotional moment on stage. Bishop Michael Martin mingles with young adults Friday evening at a networking event.

(From left) Young Catholic Professionals and the Truthly Catholic app sponsored the Friday evening young adult mixer. Children and adults found Catholic treasures to take home. Families dropped to their knees before the Eucharist during Holy Hour and the Eucharistic procession.

iiiSeptember 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM TH

2026 E U C H AR IS

More than 100 priests from the dioc Eucharistic procession.

‘Watching t

At left and above, the Eucharistic P for adoration this year was borrowe

Music, songs and laughter were part Frances of Rome Parish in Sparta (a

HE COVER

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

S T IC CON GRESS

cese turned out to walk in Saturday’s morning

Children were taking it all in during the day, which featured talks and a Holy Hour.

The Congress was filled with moments of real connection between priests and parishioners.

A beautiful moment set the tone for a reflective Holy Hour as thousands inside the Convention Center hit their knees.

the procession and seeing so many people coming down the streets — it’s just a ‘wow’ moment.’

Renee Cutler –

St. Therese Church, Mooresville

Eucharistic Procession Parishioners such as those from Our Lady of the Americas in Biscoe travelled across the diocese to march.

Procession is a highly visible witness to the Catholic faith on the streets of Charlotte. Every year, passersby stop to ask and lean more about the faith that unites us. Above right, the monstrance used ed from St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville.

t of joyful diverse expressions of the Catholic faith that parishes like St. above right) brought to the procession.

Along the procession route, groups fell to their knees in prayer to worship the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Diverse music and cultures came together as part of one Catholic faith.

From senior citizens to children and teens, Catholics came out to process and worship together.

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD 2026 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

Closing Mass

During the closing Mass, Bishop Martin encouraged participants to be passionate Catholics who hear God’s call, allow it to form them, and are then sent out to bring Jesus to a world in need.

‘My brothers and sisters, we are called, we are formed, and we are sent.’

First communicants and siblings brought childlike joy to the celebration. (Far right) prayer intentions left in the boat during the Congress were carried up to the altar during the offertory.

Bishop Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv.

Development Services Coordinator The Diocese of Charlotte Development Office has an opening for a full-time Development Services Coordinator to serve as the primary administrator of the office’s Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT CRM. This position ensures the accuracy and effective use of data while supporting fundraising, stewardship, reporting, and decision-making. The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience administering a comparable donor CRM, with strong skills in reporting, querying, data management, and process improvement. Responsibilities include: Administer and optimize the CRM, including database integrity and quality control, queries, reports, dashboards, exports, data management, user support, training, and development of SOPs and database standards. Lead CRM automation and process improvements while providing data and reporting support for fundraising, donor stewardship, campaigns, gift processing, and collaboration with Development, Finance, the Catholic Foundation, and other diocesan departments. Please submit cover letter and resume to: Patty DiSandro, Development Office pkdisandro@rcdoc.org

Bishop Michael Martin kneels during the Holy Hour. The Eucharistic Congress provided many opportunities for people to deepen their faith.

CONGRESS FROM PAGE 9

that people … don’t see examples of people whose lives have been transformed by the love of Christ, especially in the Eucharist – that’s on you and me.” “My brothers and sisters, we are called, we are formed, and we are sent,” Bishop Martin emphasized. “May we be passionate about each and may we allow the passion of our God on the cross, broken and shared on this altar, to empower us to go feed them yourselves.”

The packed Mass concluded with a bilingual video invitation from the bishop and five priests offering suggestions for how to build on the Congress, ranging from attending Mass and receiving the sacraments to volunteering in faith formation, campus ministry or works of charity. Father Marcel Amadi of Our Lady of Consolation in Charlotte wrapped up the message: “We need to go out to make disciples of all nations as Christ would tell us in Matthew 28. Don’t keep all of these graces and blessings to yourself. Go share them and bring more people into God’s Church.”

Our schools

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Johnston Scholarship Fund gives $68K in tuition aid to students in 7 schools CHARLOTTE — Students in seven Catholic schools across the diocese will receive a total of $68,000 in financial aid from the C. Philip Johnston-Aline W. Kaneer Scholarship Fund, paying all their tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year. The fund was created by Johnston with $4 million from his estate after his death in 2017. Johnston was born in Charlotte and then Johnston lived all over the country before retiring in the Southeast. He attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and earned a master’s degree

from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1958. He began his career in the entertainment industry, and under the stage name of Kelly Kinnear, he worked with Hollywood legends including Jack Benny, Ed Sullivan and George C. Scott. When acting work became scarce, he took what was intended to be temporary job working for Conrad Hilton in a new credit card venture called Carte Blanche. He rose to success in the emerging industry and, after reaching the position of senior vice president at a large regional bank in St. Louis, he left to lead a nonprofit specializing in consumer credit counseling. “I first met with Mr. Johnston back in 1989. He made his decision to put this (scholarship) gift in his estate back then,”

said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “He never wavered from that commitment, despite the fact that he moved away from the diocese later in life.” Students from all 20 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte are eligible for scholarship awards from the fund. The schools that students will attend this year are Our Lady of Assumption in Charlotte, Our Lady of Mercy and St. Leo schools in Winston-Salem, Sacred Heart School in Salisbury, Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, Immaculata Catholic School in Hendersonville, and St. Mark in Huntersville. The scholarship awarded to each student ranges from $5,600 to $17,042, depending on tuition cost and need. Each student can

continue receiving assistance through the scholarship fund for the length of their academic career as long as they remain eligible. Kelley noted, “Philip Johnston is one of over 1,900 people who told us they are caring for the needs of the Church by leaving some entity in our diocese in their estate plans. Whether we have already received those gifts or will receive them decades down the road, we remain grateful to their commitment to the Church.” Since 1986, entities including parishes, schools and ministries have received more than 70 gifts of $1 million or more from individuals such as Johnston, typically to help fund capital projects or endowments. — Catholic News Herald

Remembering 9/11 Across the diocese, Catholics remembered the events of Sept. 11, 2001, in a variety of ways. Students and parishioners attended prayer services and Mass, held flag ceremonies – like the one pictured at St. Gabriel School – heard from police and firefighters and participated in service projects to remember the past while praying and acting for a brighter future. To mark the day, Bishop Michael Martin appeared on WBT’s Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman. “We talk a lot about wanting something better for our children,” Bishop Martin noted. “I think one of the ways is to show them how we can move beyond feelings of devastation, anger and hurt to get to a place of forgiveness and acceptance and again that concept of agency – that I can do things differently so that the world is a better place, that we can make it better with God’s grace.” PHOTO PROVIDED

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catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 16

San José eleva un poco más a Cristo con una renovación LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

NEWTON — El pesado sagrario circular de bronce de la iglesia de San José en Newton se sostenía más gracias al Santísimo Sacramento que a su tambaleante estante, apenas sujeto. “Queríamos asegurar el sagrario”, dijo Kara Antonio, gerente de la oficina. “Siempre había estado un poco inclinado... Eso fue lo que puso todo en marcha”. El “problema de seguridad” era uno de los principales asuntos de la lista de pendientes del padre Julio Domínguez cuando visitó por primera vez el campus como párroco el año pasado. “El Santísimo Sacramento casi se caía y el sagrario no estaba atornillado al estante”, recordó el padre Domínguez. “Parecía de oro. Alguien podría intentar robarlo”. Lo que siguió no fue simplemente la instalación de un nuevo estante, sino una renovación completa del presbiterio. A veces, los párrocos nuevos quieren hacer cambios, así que cuando el padre Domínguez subió al púlpito, sacó unos diseños dibujados a mano y compartió su visión, los feligreses lo recibieron con sonrisas y donaciones, aunque también con cierta incertidumbre. “Todavía era nuevo, y se preguntaban si les gustarían los cambios”, recordó Antonio. El padre Domínguez recurrió a su amigo Julio Vásquez, feligrés de la iglesia de San Miguel en Gastonia. En lugar de pedir más dinero para financiar las obras, Vásquez pidió una cuadrilla de trabajadores. A medida que los feligreses comenzaron a reunirse, se dieron cuenta de que tenían todo el talento necesario para completar cada una de las tareas. No pasó mucho tiempo antes de que los trabajadores resultaran ser los propios feligreses. Entre ellos había un excelente carpintero, Guillermo Martínez, quien podía construir el retablo para sostener el sagrario. También podía construir nichos para las hermosas estatuas de María y José, donadas anónimamente, que podían colocarse a ambos lados del altar. Las sillas y los bancos de madera eran duros para la espalda y los asientos de las personas mayores. Wilber Valente, experto en tapicería, se ofreció voluntariamente a fabricar cubiertas para los bancos y tapizar las sillas sin cobrar nada, incluso aportando la tela.

LISA M. GERACI | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD Y PROPORCIONADO

Los feligreses se unieron y donaron su tiempo y trabajo para renovar el presbiterio de la Iglesia de San José en Newton. El proyecto comenzó cuando el nuevo párroco, el padre Julio Domínguez, se dio cuenta de que el sagrario apenas estaba sostenido por una repisa inestable.

Los feligreses donaron su tiempo y trabajo para realizar los cambios en el presbiterio. El padre Domínguez muestra la tapicería renovada de las sillas y los bancos del presbiterio. La pintura detrás del altar fue donada por el padre Domínguez. Los bancos se veían un poco desgastados, pero Felipe Terón podía restaurarlos gracias a su experiencia en trabajos de carpintería y molduras. La necesidad de colocar una baranda en las escaleras del altar era evidente. El padre Domínguez ya se había caído una vez cuando intentaba cambiar la tela del altar. Apolonio Trejo intervino para rehacer las escaleras. Los hombres de Charlotte y Salisbury ayudaron a Vasquez con el piso. Pronto, la idea de construir un sagrario más seguro se convirtió en una aventura de tres semanas que unió a toda la parroquia. Los feligreses trabajaron desde la mañana hasta la noche,

desde mediados de julio hasta la primera semana de agosto. Incluso un feligrés utilizó sus días de vacaciones para ayudar con el proyecto. “Él ofreció sus vacaciones para la iglesia, y pensé que fue un gesto muy generoso”, dijo

Antonio. “Fue un verdadero esfuerzo conjunto, eso está claro, que hizo que todos recuperaran el entusiasmo y se ilusionaran”. El superintendente de la obra no fue otro que el padre Domínguez, con sus detallados horarios, mapas de las cuadrillas coordinadas, bocetos de construcción y muestras de colores. “Una de las cosas que más me gustó de hacer esto fue ver su devoción. Este es su trabajo para Dios”, dijo el padre Domínguez. La cuadrilla de construcción reía y rezaba mientras trabajaba junto a su nuevo pastor, quien parecía conocer tanto de sus oficios como ellos mismos. “La organización que tuvo para

que todo funcionara con tanta fluidez fue impresionante”, dijo Antonio. “Todo estuvo muy bien coordinado, aunque hubo algunas noches muy largas”. Poco a poco, la vieja y oscura alfombra fue reemplazada por brillantes baldosas. “Nuestra iglesia ya es oscura porque las únicas ventanas que tenemos son vitrales”, dijo Antonio. “La alfombra oscura hacía que se sintiera un poco lúgubre. Ahora está mucho más luminosa y limpia”. La plataforma del presbiterio recibió nuevas escaleras y una baranda, y las sillas desgastadas del presbiterio fueron retapizadas. Los bancos, cuya pintura y acabado se habían deteriorado, fueron lijados y barnizados hasta recuperar su antiguo esplendor. Se tallaron nichos especiales para las estatuas de María y José, y se reorganizó la iluminación para hacer más luminosa el área. El frente del altar fue revestido nuevamente con la imagen de un cordero para hacer juego con el nuevo retablo. El padre Domínguez donó su pintura de la Pasión, que se utilizó como fondo del retablo. Y, para alegría de los feligreses mayores, sobre los bancos de madera recién restaurados se colocaron nuevas cubiertas tapizadas que los hicieron mucho más cómodos. El momento culminante llegó cuando el sagrario ocupó su lugar correspondiente en el centro del ahora seguro retablo de madera, detrás del altar. “Tendrían que desmantelar el altar para llevarse el sagrario”, dijo el padre Domínguez. “Está asegurado, atornillado y encerrado”. Cuando celebraron por primera vez la Misa en el espacio renovado, cualquier incertidumbre que quedara desapareció cuando los feligreses acogieron con entusiasmo las mejoras que ellos mismos habían realizado. “El sagrario es hermoso. Te atrae. Cuando entras, se ve mucho más brillante”, dijo Antonio. “Parece más grande. Realmente lo aprecio. Llama la atención, y todos siguen entrando para volver a mirarlo”. El padre Jim Collins, párroco jubilado que continúa celebrando Misa y visitando regularmente la parroquia, está encantado con las mejoras y elogió toda la dedicación de los feligreses, quienes esperan con entusiasmo la próxima propuesta del padre Domínguez. No les voy a contar nada todavía, pero ¡vayan preparando los pinceles!

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

La voz de los vulnerables Papa León XIV

La tecnología no puede reemplazar el valor de las relaciones humanas

n un mundo cada vez más dependiente de la tecnología y cada vez más polarizado, el Papa León XIV afirmó que es más urgente que nunca que la humanidad se vea a sí misma como una “comunidad humana”. “El perfeccionamiento de la persona humana y el desarrollo de la sociedad deben ser considerados entre ellos como estrechamente interdependientes: oponerlos o separarlos supondría anularlos”, dijo el Papa durante su audiencia general del 16 de septiembre en la Plaza de San Pedro. Si bien la inteligencia artificial abre nuevas posibilidades, también conlleva riesgos, ya que las relaciones se vuelven más virtuales y menos personales, señaló el Papa León, al continuar su serie de reflexiones sobre la constitución pastoral del Concilio Vaticano II “Gaudium et Spes”. La constitución destaca la interdependencia humana y la necesidad del respeto mutuo, dijo, e invita a las personas a sacar fuerzas del plan de Dios según el cual todos los seres humanos “constituyan una sola familia y se traten entre sí con espíritu de hermanos”. Por eso, dijo, “el amor de Dios y del prójimo es el primero y el mayor mandamiento”. El Papa León advirtió que, a medida que la inteligencia artificial se integra cada vez más en la sociedad, existe el riesgo de que las personas se acostumbren a “delegar en los algoritmos decisiones que corresponden solo a la conciencia humana”. Para construir un mundo más humano y justo, dijo, las personas deben ir más allá de una “mentalidad individualista” e invertir en relaciones humanas que tengan sustancia y profundidad. La diversidad entre las personas y los pueblos “no debe ser considerada como un peligro o una amenaza, sino como potencialidad de enriquecimiento y de crecimiento”, afirmó. “La visión de la humanidad como una comunidad de personas nos permite trabajar juntos en busca del bien común”, dijo el Papa en sus comentarios dirigidos a los peregrinos de habla inglesa. El Papa León también destacó el énfasis de la constitución en el respeto a la persona humana, citando su condena de todo “cuanto atenta contra la vida”, incluyendo el asesinato, el genocidio, el aborto, la eutanasia y el suicidio deliberado, así como la esclavitud, la prostitución, la trata de personas, las detenciones arbitrarias, las deportaciones y las “condiciones laborales degradantes” en las que se trata a las personas como herramientas para obtener ganancias.

La Hermana Joan se jubila después de 56 años de servicio a los demás LISA M. GERACI lmgeraci@rcdoc.org

CHARLOTTE – La Hermana Joan Pearson parece una abuela jovial, con sus mejillas sonrosadas, sus compasivos ojos azules y su cálida sonrisa permanente. Pero no se deje engañar. Con un cinturón negro en karate y una gran pasión por la justicia, en realidad es una firme defensora de “su gente” es decir, de las personas que viven al margen de la sociedad – los pobres, los inmigrantes, las personas sin hogar, las minorías – personas con las que ha compartido toda una vida. Durante 56 años, la Hermana Joan ha ejercido su ministerio desde los barrios marginales de grandes ciudades hasta las zonas rurales más apartadas, a lo largo de la frontera sur de Estados Unidos y, durante los últimos 30 años, en la Diócesis de Charlotte – que hasta hace poco era considerada territorio de “misión” por la Iglesia Católica. La Hermana Joan ha centrado su trabajo en Carolina del Norte en las complejas necesidades de los católicos y las comunidades hispanas. Mantiene una enorme red de contactos que puede llegar a miles de personas y fue fundamental para proporcionar información durante la Operación Charlotte’s Web, cuando ICE llegó a la ciudad en busca de inmigrantes para arrestarlos. Su trabajo ha llevado a la creación de programas de formación en la fe, puestos de liderazgo, retiros y un crecimiento continuo dentro de la comunidad hispana. Ahora, a sus 74 años, se prepara para jubilarse – aunque, en realidad, será más una transición de su trabajo formal a tiempo completo en la sede de la diócesis a trabajar como voluntaria para la Iglesia. Bromea diciendo que quiere convertirse en una empleada de Walmart que recibe a los clientes “porque amo a la gente”. Pero si conoce a la Hermana Joan, su idea de ser voluntaria casi con toda seguridad superará las exigencias de un trabajo de tiempo completo. Como Hermana de San José, encarna la misión de su congregación, fundada en 1650 alrededor de una mesa de cocina en Francia: “Nuestra misión es llevar a todos a la unidad con Dios, unos con otros y con toda la creación”, dice su sitio web. Lo hacen sirviendo “al querido prójimo, estando junto a los pobres y vulnerables y abogando por un cambio sistémico”.

LECCIÓN SOBRE LA IGUALDAD

La mayor de cinco hermanas, la joven Joan – entonces llamada Anna – creció en una devota familia católica en un camino de grava en Old Town, Carolina del Norte, cerca de Winston-Salem. “No éramos pobres”, dice, “pero tampoco había mucho de sobra”. Un día, cuando tenía 6 u 8 años, ella y su madre estaban examinando una ilustración de dos niñas que anhelaban subir por la escalera al cielo. La niña blanca, según recuerda la Hermana Joan, estaba varios escalones más arriba en la escalera, camino al cielo, mientras que la niña negra había quedado atrás, en el suelo. “Eso no está bien”, le dijo su madre. “Esta niña debería estar en el mismo escalón que esta niña”. Fue una lección de igualdad que nunca olvidó y que se profundizó a medida que crecía durante la década de 1960. La Hermana Joan también absorbió la influencia católica de sus padres: su madre, ama de casa, era miembro del grupo de servicio Catholic Daughters y maestra de formación en la fe. Su padre, quien sirvió en el ejército, era

FOTO DE ARCHIVO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

La hermana Joan Pearson creció en la Diócesis de Charlotte y ha servido aquí durante muchos de los últimos 56 años. (En el sentido de las agujas del reloj, desde la izquierda) Se la muestra en el Congreso Eucarístico, enseñando en la Escuela St. Leo y trabajando para obtener su cinturón negro en karate.

Caballero de Colón, lector y miembro del consejo parroquial de St. Leo the Great.

CORAZÓN PARA LOS HISPANOS

El traslado dio comienzo a su nuevo ministerio en la Diócesis de Charlotte, donde ha sido fundamental para construir puentes con la comunidad hispana. Tal como lo hizo en la escuela secundaria, la Hermana Joan llamaba a las puertas de complejos de apartamentos y parques de casas móviles para evangelizar, aunque esta vez era ella quien llevaba el hábito. Cuando su español entrecortado le fallaba, se comunicaba mediante el lenguaje corporal, la emoción y el amor, algo que la comunidad hispana comprendió y acogió. “Tiene una personalidad emocional que es extremadamente dulce y que es como miel para los hispanos”, dice el padre Julio Domínguez, quien trabajó estrechamente con ella como coordinador del Ministerio Hispano. La comunidad hispana expresó su necesidad de tener acceso a los sacramentos y a clases de formación en la fe en español. Querían bautizar y confirmar a sus hijos. Querían casarse y confesarse. Esto era algo con lo que la Hermana Joan

empatizaba profundamente. Su defensa de programas y actividades de acercamiento ha ayudado a los hispanohablantes a encontrar un hogar en muchas de las 93 iglesias de la diócesis. Más de la mitad de los 575.000 católicos que se estima viven en la diócesis son hispanos. “En muchas áreas se la conoce como una monja que dice las cosas sin rodeos. Si ve que las cosas no funcionan como deberían, se lo hará saber”, dijo el diácono Eduardo Bernal, coordinador hispano del área de Mecklenburg. “Usted puede ser el párroco, puede ser el obispo, puede ser el canciller, puede ser quien sea. Ella le dirá las cosas como son”. Durante su jubilación, inicialmente permanecerá en Carolina del Norte, visitando a amigos y familiares y haciendo voluntariado para la Iglesia. Finalmente, es posible que regrese a la congregación de su casa madre en Filadelfia, pero dice que su corazón permanece con la población hispana de la diócesis.

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catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

U.S. dioceses to receive tilma replicas for 500th anniversary of Marian apparitions at Tepeyac AMIRA ABUZEID Catholic News Agency

The U.S. bishops have published a pastoral plan calling for a faithful replica of St. Juan Diego’s tilma to be enthroned in every diocese in the United States as the Church prepares for the 500th anniversary of the Guadalupe Marian apparitions in 2031. The proposal is set out in “One Tilma, One Heart: Walking with Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Footsteps of Saint Juan Diego” and is part of the Intercontinental Guadalupe Novena’s 2025–2028 strategic plan, which aims at “a profound spiritual renewal and unity under the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe.” Bishops from Mexico, the U.S. and Canada each carried home tilma replicas after their historic meeting last week at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB); Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California; Bishop Eugenio Lira Rugarcía of Matamoros, Mexico; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Annede-la-Pocatière, Canada, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, attended the meeting. Under the plan, each diocese in the U.S. will receive a tilma for enthronement in its cathedral followed by two years of missionary activity including pilgrimages, service and catechesis as the image travels to parishes beginning in 2027. The original tilma, the cactus-fiber cloak on which Mary’s image miraculously appeared on Tepeyac Hill Ave Maria Mutual Funds – 10.375x6.26Knowles Ad | 2026 03in

PAUL HARING | CNS

The original image of Our Lady of Guadalupe impressed on the cloak of St. Juan Diego is seen in the basilica in Mexico City. Each diocese will receive a tilma replica for enthronement in its cathedral as the image travels to parishes beginning in 2027. Mexico in 1531, remains at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The replicated images are printed on cloth similar to the original, and those touched to the original tilma will be treated as third-class relics. The pastoral plan presents the tilma not only as an object

of devotion but also as a “living catechetical witness” meant to make Catholics messengers of hope like St. Juan Diego. Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, said at the bishops’ June plenary that a tilma for each diocese could be presented to ordinaries in Baltimore in November for veneration in cathedrals or other sites designated by bishops. After enthronement, the image is to travel through parishes and what organizers call “contemporary Tepeyacs,” or places marked by suffering, exclusion, migration and violence. Local missionaries known as Juandieguitos will accompany the image, listen to community concerns, and help establish “sacred little houses” as sites of welcome, reconciliation and Guadalupan formation, according to the pastoral plan. A bilingual Order of Enthronement of the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, originally prepared by the Mexican bishops’ liturgy commission, was also posted by the USCCB. The rite envisions a solemn diocesan Mass with procession, a prayer of consecration, and a blessing of the community “under the mantle of Mary.” The bishops noted that the effort is in preparation both for the 2031 anniversary of Mary’s apparitions at Tepeyac and for the Great Jubilee of 2033, the Church’s planned extraordinary Holy Year of Redemption, marking 2,000 years since Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Citing Pope Francis’ Dec. 12, 2022, homily, hoped-for fruits of the effort include the “renewal of a Christocentric faith through Marian mediation,” reconciliation of polarized communities, strengthening of Hispanic cultural identity, and a network of Marian shrines.

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September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, marking when al-Qaida terrorists hijacked and crashed four planes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing 2,977 people. Thousands have died in years since from 9/11-related illnesses, adding to the death toll. Recalling the horrors of 9/11, Archbishop Broglio said, “We find it difficult to forgive, and more difficult to work for reconciliation. We find challenging the notion that I cannot change another, or his or her perceptions,” he reflected. “But I can change mine,” he said, adding, “Drawing on divine grace, I can be an instrument of reconciliation.”

In Brief

Minneapolis in 2024, alleging the nonrenewal of an employment contract violated protections. The Catholic institutions argued the Minnesota Human Rights Act has exceptions that aim to

protect church autonomy, and they are free to hire individuals who adhere to their policies. A decision is expected in early 2027. — OSV News

Belmont Abbey College hosts death penalty discussion in D.C. GREGORY A. SHEMITZ | CNS

Firefighters march across the Brooklyn Bridge from the World Trade Center site in Manhattan en route to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Brooklyn Sept. 11. The annual procession is followed by a memorial Mass.

9/11 Mass in DC calls on Catholics to be agents of reconciliation WASHINGTON — While overwhelming sorrow at the memory of the dead from 9/11 comes easily, the continuing challenge for Catholics is forgiveness and reconciliation in a fractured world, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio said in his Sept. 11 homily. Archbishop Broglio, head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, called for “reconciliation, dialogue, and rebuilding a sense of our common humanity.” The afternoon Mass in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was a quiet, reflective end to a day filled with somber and emotional 25th anniversary commemorations in New

BELMONT — Belmont Abbey College, in collaboration with Catholic Mobilizing Network, hosted a special reception on Catholic teaching regarding the death penalty. The Sept. 16 event took place at the Belmont House on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. The event was set in the middle of the most active executing month in the United States in 15 years, which is just on the heels of a historic number of 47 state executions in 2025. Syl Scheiber, whose daughter Shannon was murdered in 1998, shared how his response to the worst tragedy a parent can experience was shaped by his deep Catholic faith.

“ Is your family protected? ”

Minnesota court hears challenge to Catholic school gender policy MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments Sept. 1 in a case brought by a former employee of a Catholic school who said their employment contract was not renewed after identifying as transgender. Reyzl Grace MoChridhe sued Academy of Holy Angels and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and

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"Supernatural Imagination in Newman and Hopkins: The Mind's Road to God." Newman, and Hopkins who learned from Newman, had a vivid understanding of the way that one can encounter God through the imagination, especially the literary imagination. Using Newman's Callista and some of his sermons, and the poetry of Hopkins such as “The Wreck of the Deutschland,” we can see this concept at work. Both writers want people to guard their imaginations, so as to be open to God rather than lured into revering the work of their own minds.

Cardinal Newman Lecture EVENT DETAILS

Saturday, 17 October 2026 9am–1pm

In-person and livestream Noon Mass followed by lunch Registration appreciated. This event is offered free of charge as a gift to the community from The Oratory.

Presented by: Bernadette Waterman Ward, PhD Educated at Harvard and Stanford, Bernadette Waterman Ward is a Professor of English and the King Fellow at the University of Dallas.

The Oratory Center for Spirituality Register at RockHillOratory.org/Events Scan here for more details

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Unlock your potential to make a difference. An IRA rollover gift to your parish, the diocese, Catholic school, agency, or the Foundation provides meaningful support without impacting your checkbook, and can maximize your giving potential. For more information, go to www.charlottediocese.givingplan.net or call Gina Rhodes at 704/370-3364.

Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte

Our world 20

catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

New travel series takes viewers to birthplace of Christianity FRANCESCA POLLIO FENTON EWTN News

A new travel show by EWTN Studios takes viewers on a journey to key places where Christianity began. The series, “The Road Less Traveled,” is hosted by Dave Stotts, and its first season takes place in Turkey. Viewers will get a unique look into places like Antioch, the birthplace of Christianity; the underground cities of Cappadocia; Ephesus;, Constantinople (present-day Istanbul); and other key spots where the early Church was formed. Stotts is a longtime on-location storyteller who has spent more than 20 years exploring the world, most notably in his series “Drive Thru History” aired on TBN. With a deep passion for the story of Christianity and how it has spread across the world, he brings viewers face-to-face with the places that have shaped the faith and invites audiences to rediscover the important figures and saints who impacted modern Christianity. In an interview with EWTN News, Stotts explained that during his time doing “Drive Thru History,” he “experienced firsthand the impact that Christian history can have.” “In ‘The Road Less Traveled,’ we go even further – down forgotten roads and off the beaten path – to come face-to-face with the lives of saints, martyrs and heroes of the Catholic past. Seeing their witness has the

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Host Dave Stotts says the first season of “The Road Less Traveled” begins “where the Gospel first spread – Syrian Antioch, where believers were first called ‘Christians’ and where the Cave Church of St. Peter still stands.” power to ignite our own faith in powerful ways today,” he said. “We wanted to explore this history on location and inspire viewers through a fast-paced, adventurous learning experience.” “From there, we follow the roads to the underground churches of Cappadocia, then to the breathtaking ruins of ancient Ephesus, where St. Paul’s preaching turned

the city’s paganism upside down. Next, we travel to the seven churches of Revelation and explore each of the letters St. John wrote to them in the Book of Revelation,” Stotts explained. While in ancient Myra, the show uncovers the story of St. Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop whose legacy lives on today as Santa Claus.

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Viewers are then taken to ancient Nicaea, where the Church formulated Christianity’s most foundational creed. “Finally, we end the series in ancient Constantinople – present-day Istanbul – where we stand in the breathtaking Hagia Sophia and discover how the Christian faith helped shape history itself,” Stotts said. Recalling one of the most impactful moments he had while recording the series, Stotts spoke about descending nearly 200 feet to the lowest level of Derinkuyu in ancient Cappadocia. “There we explored what was once a hidden, rock-hewn, cross-shaped church carved entirely out of volcanic rock,” he recalled. “It was inspiring to see the lengths, and depths, that persecuted Christians were willing to go to practice their faith. I came away challenged to live my own faith with that same kind of courage today.” He added: “It can be easy to take the faith we’ve inherited for granted. But exploring history has the power to give us a fresh appreciation for the faith we practice today.” Stotts said he hopes viewers “will not only see the world-shaping impact of the early Christians but also be inspired to pattern our own lives after their courageous witness.” “The Road Less Traveled” can be watched for free on EWTN+ and on EWTN.com.

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September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

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In Brief

his imprisonment had reminded prisoners they were not alone. His return comes as pressure on Belarus’ Catholic Church continues. Father Janusz Pulit, a Polish-born priest, is among 17 priests reportedly denied state permits in 2026. Dozens of parishes have also lost legal status under restrictive legislation.

Questions remain three months Pope Leo commemorates 9/11, praying for all who ‘bear wounds’ after Mozambique bishop’s murder VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States during his Sept. 13 Angelus address, offering prayers for victims and survivors still carrying the wounds of “that tragic day.” Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the first U.S.-born pope recalled the anniversary and said he was praying both for those who lost their lives and for those who continue to suffer from the attacks’ lasting impact. Nearly 3,000 people died that day, with thousands more perishing in the years that followed from illnesses related to the attack. Amid ongoing conflicts around the world, the pope urged people to pray for God’s gift of peace. Pope Leo said the memory of Sept. 11 should renew a commitment to peace, especially through prayer, entrusted to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. The anniversary also holds personal significance for the pope. Then-Father Robert Prevost was in Rome attending the Augustinian Order’s general chapter when the attacks occurred. Just days later, on Sept. 14, 2001, his 46th birthday, he was elected prior general of the worldwide order. Reflecting on the attacks in a Sept. 21, 2001, homily, Father Prevost said that “while many seek revenge … Augustinians must bear witness to the Gospel and to its values of unity, dialogue, peace and reconciliation.”

Belarusian Catholic dissident returns home after exile GRODNO, Belarus — Andrzej Poczobut, a Belarusian Catholic dissident and journalist, returned to Belarus Sept. 8 after five months in exile in Poland, saying he was prepared to risk arrest and urging Western Catholics to remember Christians imprisoned by the regime. “I hope people will remember the fate of priests and lay Catholics now suffering in prison, showing through prayers that they’re not indifferent,” he told OSV News. Poczobut was freed in April after serving part of an eight-year hard-labor sentence. He had been detained since 2021 and convicted of allegedly libeling President Alexander Lukashenka. He was released following U.S. and Polish interventions. Poczobut met Pope Leo XIV in Rome Sept. 2 and asked the pope’s blessing for his family and Belarus. He said Catholic solidarity during

MAPUTO, Mozambique — Catholic bishops in Mozambique say they remain perplexed and deeply grieved over the lack of answers three months after the assassination of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso. The prelate was found shot to death at his Quelimane residence in the Afonso early hours of June 6. In a Sept. 4 statement concluding their plenary assembly, the bishops’ conference pressed authorities for answers, noting investigators have released no details identifying who ordered or carried out the killing, nor any motive. The bishops called the slaying a harsh blow to the nation’s church, which continues to mourn a young leader described as a pastor who loved peace and his people. Bishop Citora Afonso’s violent death “at the hands of an assassin was a harsh blow to the heart of the Catholic Church in Mozambique and continues to cause us grief.”

German archbishop says U.S. border wall recalls Berlin Wall HAMBURG, Germany — A German archbishop

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touring the U.S.–Mexico border said the massive fortifications dividing El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, remind him of the Berlin Wall. Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg, who chairs the German bishops’ migration commission, described the razor wire and towering barriers as disturbing during an interview following a weeklong visit. He warned that when nations treat migration purely as a security threat, basic human dignity is lost. Drawing a parallel between the migration crisis in the U.S. and growing tensions in Europe, Archbishop Hesse expressed concern that, in most circumstances, “the rule of law and the respect for human rights are declining.” Archbishop Hesse met with local church leaders, including El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz, as well as aid workers and migrants facing deportation. He credited the Catholic Church with sustaining the humanitarian response on the ground, noting that Catholic groups operate

roughly 80% of the region’s migrant shelters.

Life advocates welcome defeat of assisted suicide bill in England LONDON — The Catholic Church in England and Wales welcomed the Sept. 11 defeat of a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. Members of Parliament rejected the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in a 286 to 270 vote. Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the bishops’ conference lead on life issues, thanked lawmakers and campaigners who opposed the measure, including medical professionals, disability advocates, faith groups “and those of no faith who stood up for the dignity and sanctity of every life.”

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catholicnewsherald.com | September 18, 2026 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Greg Erlandson

Laura Kelly Fanucci

Memento mori: Remember you must die

What love teaches us about God

hen my husband and I had been married all of three months, we signed up to become a team couple with our local Engaged Encounter program. We had enjoyed the retreat that we took as a requirement of our pre-Cana preparation, surprised to find it fun and helpful, not the drudgery we’d expected. We were bright-eyed, 25 years young and besotted with each other. How could we have known at the start what it would mean to stay together in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for better and for worse? Life doled out both sides, as life always does. We got heaps of joy and heaps of grief. We lost our way along the way. We needed peers and mentors, old and young, to help us keep going. We needed to remember we were never alone, even (and especially) in the hardest parts. This is the gift of every sacrament. In good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for better and for worse, God stays with us. Yes, in our marriage, I believe we chose the right partner. Yes, we worked hard to survive what could have broken us. But it was grace that held us. The wonder that when two became one, we were always three: the trinity of a marriage made in Love. God is the glue that holds us together,

that helps repair the broken parts. God is the grace that surprises us, the laughter through tears, the reconciliation after pain, the awe of discovering someone anew after decades spent by their side.

ALWAYS, GOD LOVES WITH US

Twenty years later, I still hesitate to write about marriage. I have walked with friends through separation and divorce. I know there is no simple formula for the life God calls each of us to live. But what marriage has taught me beyond a shadow of a doubt is one simple truth: God loves with us. Not only as a spouse, but as a parent, sibling, child and friend, I have been able to love most deeply when I remember that God is part of every relationship. Whenever the demands of love test our limits, our third partner is waiting to step in and shape whatever comes next. What relief to accept that we cannot make it on our own. Through marriage, I have come to know God in my love for my children, parents, siblings and friends. The mystery of love is wider than we know, for the Trinity gives the model. We need each other, and we need God most of all. LAURA KELLY FANUCCI is an author, speaker and founder of Mothering Spirit.

Protecting God’s Children We proclaim Christ to the world around us by our efforts to provide a safe environment for all people, especially the young and the vulnerable. The Catholic Church is absolutely committed to the safety of children. Together we can make a Promise to Protect and a Pledge to Heal. Suspect sexual abuse or misconduct?

If you have information about possible sexual abuse or misconduct by any clergy, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Charlotte, report concerns safely, securely and anonymously 24/7 over the phone using the diocese’s new hotline, 1-888-630-5929, or online: www.RedFlagReporting.com/RCDOC Please note: If you suspect a child is in danger, please contact 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency. Safe Environment training

Every Church worker must go through abuse prevention and education training. Find more information about the Diocese of Charlotte’s Safe Environment program, sign up for Protecting God’s Children training and more: Go to www.charlottediocese.org and click on “Safe Environment” For more information or questions, please contact the diocese’s Safe Environment Office: www.safeenvironment@rcdoc.org or 704-370-3222

wonder if you can tell the age of a person by the number of dead people’s phone numbers he still has saved on his phone? It could be like judging the age of a tree by the rings on its core. A young person may have only a few. I feel like I must have at least a hundred. Every time I scroll through my phone’s address book, I am struck by the faces that come to mind of colleagues and friends and family members who have passed. “Have passed” is an increasingly common euphemism for “have died.” It seems somehow less edgy, less definitive. They’ve “moved on,” but they haven’t moved out of my address book. I can’t delete them. That name and number in my phone is like a grave marker, a tangible remembrance. That little bit of digital data carries immeasurable weight. As someone who has more years behind me than ahead of me (at least on this earth), even my phone’s address book is a reminder that I’m getting closer to final exams (another euphemism). My address book is a little bit like the skull that medieval philosophers would keep on their desk as a reminder of what will befall us all. My high school friend who died too soon. My mentor whom I still wish I could talk with. A neighbor I only really got to know in her final months battling cancer. A priest who was for me the embodiment of God’s mercy. The faces come to mind.

PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

I almost always say a quick prayer for them. I figure there is a very good chance all of us will spend some time in Purgatory getting ourselves cleaned up before we meet the Lord, so I take comfort in the Church’s encouragement that we pray for the souls in Purgatory. For a long while, I would promise “thoughts and prayers” when someone needed them, but my memory was never as good as my intentions, and it would be easy to forget. Following the example of my uncle, a Trappist monk who spent a large part of his day praying for people, I started keeping a list. When people on that list died, I would put a little cross by their name, a reminder to keep praying. My prayer list is starting to look like the Hill of Crosses in northern Lithuania, and perhaps serves the same function.

A GROWING LIST

Recently, my prayer list has grown a bit too rapidly. A church musician with whom I once edited a literary magazine in high school. An acquaintance in a serious bicycling accident. A woman looking for a

SAM LUCERO | OSV NEWS

A crucifixion scene is depicted at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. The photograph was taken using an infrared camera filter. teaching job in a down market. But especially for my mother-in-law. She’s at the venerable age of 97. A French citizen born in Algeria, her emigration to the United States with her husband was an act of pure faith – in him and in the American dream. She was a great cook, a loving mother, her husband’s helpmate. Her days are quiet now, and she has grown quiet, too, as the veil of old age descends about her. It is too late to talk about the past or the future. It is not too late to embrace her still with love and with prayer. I laugh at those health statistics that say the chance of death is reduced by such and such a percentage. No, the chance of death remains 100% for all of us. That phone address book, that list, my motherin-law: They are all a little memento mori, reminders that this is not our final destination. God willing, what is to come will surpass all our expectations. GREG ERLANDSON, an award-winning Catholic publisher, editor and journalist, is a columnist at OSV News. Follow him on X @GregErlandson.

September 18, 2026 | catholicnewsherald.com CATHOLIC NEWS HERALDI

Father Joshua J. Whitfield

In heaven as it isn’t on earth

Letters to the Editor

Pope Leo tells us that Christ is ‘the key, the focal point and the goal of all human history’ ISTOCK PHOTO

Fresco of the Last Judgment inside the Florence Duomo dome, showing Christ in glory surrounded by saints, angels, and scenes of heaven and hell. As Catholics, we are invited to look at life and eternity through a different perspective.

orothy Day thought that the parable of the workers from Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 20:1-16a) justified a Catholic’s support for the idea of a living wage. She wrote, “He spoke of the living wage, not equal pay for equal work, in the parable of those who came at the first and the eleventh hour.” Now aside from this specific suggestive interpretation, her general point was that, by our accounting, God is often inexplicably gracious, and further that God’s graciousness should make us gracious too – in all things, even in matters economic. At the end of the parable Jesus says, “the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Mt 20:16). He is not talking about wages here but about Israel, the covenants, the kingdom of God, and who is welcome.

THE KINGDOM WILL SURPRISE US

Jesus is saying that when it is all said and done, we are going to be surprised by who we see in the kingdom. Because it won’t just be those who are conventionally good or conventionally religious or righteous; the kingdom will also include sinners and tax collectors, those with faith and the penitent, whomever they are. Even if they played the game wrong all their lives, or didn’t play at all, still it’s possible that they just might win in the end. For such is God’s generosity. And not just included, such people might even find themselves “first” in the kingdom of heaven. It’s best not to be too clear what being first may precisely mean; St. Paul wrote that “star differs from star” in glory, and it’s probably better to leave it at that (1 Cor 15:41). Nonetheless, we will likely be very surprised by who is in heaven and how it’s all arranged. If the “In Paradisum” is anything to go by, heaven has a homeless man working the door – that’s the point: in heaven as it isn’t on earth. It’s exactly what the self-righteous Mrs. Turpin learned at the end of Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Revelation.” In a vision she saw the heavenly procession. At the front of it was a “vast horde of souls …

battalions of freaks,” people whom she had always looked down on and judged. And only at the end of the line did she see “a tribe of people whom she recognized at once as those who, like herself … always had a little of everything.” These latter saints at the back of line, all their lives, were used to being first – but again, in heaven as it isn’t on earth. That’s why O’Connor ends the story telling us about their “shocked and altered faces” and how all their superficial virtues had to be “burned away.” They had to learn just how differently God saw things.

CAN WE SEE AS GOD SEES?

That is the spiritual and moral challenge of the parable. How differently does God see things? How differently does He see others? And if He sees others differently – say, if He loves them – then why do we hold on to our prejudices and petty hatreds? Wouldn’t it be sensible, spiritually and morally speaking, to change how we see things and see other people? Wouldn’t it be sensible to try to see the way God sees? For that is what would truly make us gracious. And here we come back to what Dorothy Day was saying about this parable and a living wage. What she was suggesting is that sometimes one’s spiritual sense should override one’s economic sense, that sometimes – often, in fact – one should not just be fair but gracious. For that’s exactly how God is; that’s exactly what He does. “Graciousness is an old-fashioned word, but it has a beautiful religious tradition,” Day once wrote. It’s to participate in divine life. So, this parable invites us to look at everything differently. It invites us to see everything from God’s perspective, to see everything in terms of grace and graciousness. Which is, admittedly, to see things strangely. But it’s also to see a better world and maybe the beginning of heaven, too. FATHER JOSHUA J. WHITFIELD is pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas and author of “The Crisis of Bad Preaching” (Ave Maria Press) and other books.

In last week’s Catholic News Herald (Sept. 4, page 3), Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful to be “attentive to the signs of the times,” to address present issues of our time. He goes on to tell us that we cannot be unengaged spectators. Christ is “the key, the focal point and the goal of all human history.” This is similar to St. Paul encouraging the Corinthians to “run the race” (1 Cor 9:2427). Christ should be the center of our lives, so we can “win the prize,” which is Christ. And hopefully, we will engage, “run the race,” and “win the prize,” joining Him with the Father in heaven for eternity. Jon Gauthier, St. Matthew parishioner and published author

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SISTER JOAN FROM PAGE 4

of me because they knew I was comfortable in the South,” Sister Joan recalls. “And, at that point, my parents were elderly.” So she moved back to the same parish where she’d received her first confirmation and gone to school and felt God’s call to a religious life of service to others.

HEART FOR HISPANICS

The move began her new ministry in the Diocese of Charlotte, where she has been monumental in building bridges into the Hispanic community. Just as she did in high school, Sister Joan knocked on doors of apartment complexes and trailer parks evangelizing, although this time she was the one wearing the habit. When her broken Spanish failed her, she communicated with body language, emotion and love, something the Hispanic community understood and embraced. “She has an emotional personality that is extremely sweet, and that is like honey for the Hispanics,” says Father Julio Dominguez, who worked closely with her as Hispanic Ministry Coordinator. The Hispanic community vocalized their need for access to sacraments and faith formation classes in Spanish. They wanted to get their kids baptized and confirmed. They wanted to get married and to go to Confession. This was something Sister Joan greatly empathized with. “Some of us have a ‘them’ and ‘us’ mentality,” she says. “Let us understand that we share the Church. We don’t have to divide it. We share the same faith. We share the same altar. We share the same parish.” Her advocacy for programs and outreach

FILE PHOTO | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Sister Joan Pearson takes a moment to laugh during a dinner. The smiling face of Hispanic Ministry is set to retire after 56 years.

“Working alongside the Hispanic faithful – especially the poor, the immigrant, the marginalized – has been one of the greatest blessings of my life...”

have helped Spanish speakers find a home at many of the diocese’s 93 churches. More than half of the estimated 575,000 Catholics living in the diocese are Hispanic. She’s now fluent in Spanish and a whiz on WhatsApp, a primary method of

communication for Hispanics and others with family living around the world. She helped build the diocese’s network of 10 Hispanic Coordinators, who are paid to serve in assigned areas called “vicariates” across the western half of the state.

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“She is known in many areas as a nononsense nun. If she sees things not working the way they are supposed to, she will let you know,” Deacon Eduardo Bernal, the Hispanic Coordinator of the Mecklenburg area, said. “You can be the pastor, you could be the bishop, you could be the chancellor, you could be whoever. She will tell you how it is.” At the same time, you might also find Sister Joan at a Hispanic retreat, attending a baptism, hitting a piñata during the Christmas Las Posadas celebration, or at a quinceañera party. In her retirement, she will stay in North Carolina initially, visiting with friends and family and volunteering for the Church. Ultimately, she may return to the congregation’s motherhouse in Philadelphia but says her heart resides with the Hispanic population in the diocese. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to accompany so many individuals, families, and parish communities over the years,” she wrote in her retirement letter. “Working alongside the Hispanic faithful – especially the poor, the immigrant, the marginalized, has been one of the greatest blessings of my life and has strengthened my religious vocation as a Sister of St. Joseph in countless ways. “I am sincerely thankful to all with whom I have had the opportunity to serve. I have been blessed by the guidance and support of my many colleagues whose dedication to the Gospel has inspired me throughout my ministry. Together we have shared the responsibility and joy of building up the Kingdom of God, and just in general, have had a lot of fun and adventures!! “My heart is full of gratitude and countless memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.” —Liz Chandler contributed