WAXHAW — The Catholic Community of Waxhaw joyfully gathered July 1 at their church on Waxhaw-Marvin Road to watch their new shepherd, Father Benjamin Roberts, offer his first Mass on the first day of his new assignment.

Father Roberts drew laughter and applause less than a minute into his homily

“In the last 12 years, many priests have stood at this altar, many priests have celebrated Mass, and many priests have introduced themselves to you, and I get to say something that none of them ever did – I live here,” he said.

Father Roberts has been appointed to serve as priest-in-charge of the Catholic Community of Waxhaw alongside Father Patrick Cahill, pastor of St. Matthew Parish. The thriving former satellite campus of St. Matthew Parish is taking steps toward becoming a separate parish in response to the area’s growth. Together, the two priests will work with parishioners through the process of establishing the new parish.

Mass attendees received green wristbands reading “Catholic Community of Waxhaw” on one side and “Growing with the Love of Christ” on the other – a theme embraced by the congregation of about 1,600, which has worshiped at the Waxhaw campus for more than a decade.

Father Roberts quickly put his new flock at ease, joking, “I would have preferred that the Gospel reading (Matthew 8:28-34) for the evening did not end with the words, ‘but when they saw Him they begged Him to leave.’”

After shared laughter, he explained that Jesus was asked to leave because His presence required a mission the people of Gadara were unwilling to embrace. But “every grace that God gives comes with some kind of mission. It comes with some kind of response,” he said.

Father Roberts pointed to his own assignment as an example. After serving as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe for 14 years, Bishop Michael Martin asked him to take on the new role. At the time, he was staring at an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in his living room. After some discernment, Father Roberts looked to the Blessed Mother and humbly accepted.

“I am living proof that saying yes to God’s call brings about God’s grace,” he said.

Though surprised by the assignment, he trusted God had something more in mind.

“The work that we are about to do together is the work that God graced us with,” Father Roberts said. “It is not the work God does in me, it is not the work that God does in you, it is the work that God does in us.

"To build up His Church. To build a church. But ultimately, to grow with the love of Jesus. That is why I feel sorry for the people that asked Jesus to leave, because they never got to know the joy of being loved by Him...but what they missed is ours.”

Father Roberts, who grew up in nearby Lancaster, South Carolina, is already a familiar face to many Catholics in the region.

Nancy Weber, who has attended Mass at the Waxhaw campus for six years, said the occasion was especially meaningful because she had known Father Roberts since his time at Sacred Heart Parish in Salisbury.

“I have known Father Benjamin since he entered seminary. I love him, and where he goes, I would be willing to follow. He is wonderful,” she said. “We are thrilled this will become a parish. It is long overdue.”

Pam Machaud, who has been reluctant to call any particular church her home, said she believes she has finally found it.

“We sort of bounced around… Two weeks ago, we were introduced to Father Benjamin and got extremely excited,” she said. “We never built a parish, and it is something that I am in awe of… Father Roberts sounds so positive about us coming together as a church. It is not just his Church, or our Church, it is all our Church together… You always find the home you are supposed to be at, and this is the home where we are supposed to be.”

— Lisa M. Geraci. Photos by Troy C. Hull.

Find Mass times and more info about the new Catholic community in Union County: https://stmatthewcatholic.org/ccow/

A cornerstone of his efforts to restrict immigration, the ruling comes as a loss for Trump, who even attended oral arguments in the case, Trump v. Barbara, in person, marking the first time a sitting president has done so, according to records from the high court and the nonprofit Supreme Court Historical Society.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights -- to freely participate in our political community."

Citing comments made by Sen. Lyman Trumbull, a proponent of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which led to the 14th Amendment, Roberts wrote, "The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to 'every free-born person in this land.' We keep that promise today."

The case concerned an executive order signed by Trump within hours of returning to the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2025, that sought to change the longstanding legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

Trump's order, part of his administration's broader efforts to restrict immigration, sought to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who either lack permanent legal status or are temporary visa holders. The order said that after 30 days from the executive order's date, only children born to at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident parent would automatically acquire citizenship. It was promptly challenged in court.

Previously, the Supreme Court limited the ability of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions against the order while litigation over it proceeded, but did not directly address the merits of the order itself.

The Trump administration previously argued in defense of the order that the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" makes the president's order lawful, despite longstanding legal interpretation that children born in the U.S. are granted citizenship with only narrow exceptions.

But Roberts wrote, "The word 'jurisdiction' was hardly unknown to the drafters and ratifiers of the Fourteenth Amendment. Congress chose to use an established legal term and the Clause must be interpreted in that light."

Roberts was joined in his opinion by Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justice Brett Kavanaugh filed an opinion that concurred in the judgment but dissented in part. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissented.

In his own opinion, Kavanaugh wrote that he disagrees with the court's finding that the order violates the 14th Amendment, instead arguing that it is unlawful because it ran afoul of a federal statute governing birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, which specifies particular circumstances under which citizenship is granted at birth in accordance with that amendment.

"Congress could -- consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment -- amend §1401(a) or otherwise enact new legislation establishing exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country," he said. "But Congress has not yet done so."

Writing for the minority, Thomas argued the majority's ruling "adds to the sad history of the Fourteenth Amendment, which was designed and understood to secure equal rights for the freed blacks but has instead been repurposed for political projects that the Reconstruction Congress did not support."

Trump, in a post on his social media website Truth Social, argued, "The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process."

"No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship. They will have my Complete and Total Support!" he argued.

However, it was not immediately clear what the path forward for such legislation would be in Congress, as such a proposal would need to gain enough support to meet the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold in order to reach Trump's desk.

Ashley Feasley, the legal expert in residence at the Immigration Law and Policy Initiative at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, told OSV News, "Today's opinion is a victory for immigrant children born in the United States."

Roberts' opinion, she said, "while focused on Constitutional analysis and history and tradition, aligns with the bishops, who noted in their amicus brief on the case, the alignment of birthright citizenship with Church teaching as it treats 'birth within a community as a sufficient and objective basis for political belonging.'"

J. Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy and communications at the Center for Migration Studies of New York and the former director of migration policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told OSV News, "This decision shows that, when push comes to shove, the Constitution retains its authority and still guides our 250-year-old republic. It also sends a message to the administration that to change the Constitution you must go through a constitutional amendment process, not just use a pen."

"The executive order that was struck down would have returned us to a two-tiered society, with one group being stateless and having no rights in our democracy," he said. "The justices rightly did not take the nation back to that era."

Catholic social teaching on immigration involves three interrelated principles: the right of persons to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation's duty to regulate its borders with justice and mercy.

Anna Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, also known as CLINIC, said in a statement, "We are relieved and grateful that the Supreme Court has upheld this right that is so important for our identity as a nation and for safeguarding justice and human dignity."

"In our amicus brief, we explained how the values of Catholic social teaching, the particular realities of undocumented immigration in the United States, and our nation's legal history make upholding the tradition of birthright citizenship the most just outcome of this case," she said. "We are glad to receive a decision that will bring relief to immigrant families and our network. This is a win for immigrants, and a win for justice."

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and CLINIC previously submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, arguing that ending the practice of birthright citizenship would weaken families and risk leaving children stateless, thereby making them targets for violence, trafficking and exploitation.

"The principle of citizenship by birth is firmly rooted in Western legal tradition, enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment, and reaffirmed by this Court's precedent," it said. "It is equally grounded in Church teachings, which affirms the inherent dignity of every human person, especially the innocent child."

Appleby told OSV News, "I think the Church's voice made a difference here."

"This is a victory for human dignity and for human life," he said, adding the ruling is one that could be celebrated by "Catholics of all political views."

 — Kate Scanlon, OSV News

Father Curran shared his reflections on the broader psychological and spiritual significance of borders, while pointing to Jesus' crossing "the border of death into new life."

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

OSV News: Why did you feel it was important to be at this border Mass?

Father Curran: We're participating (as members of the Dominican order) for a variety of reasons.

One is that we're standing with the bishops at an important moment, and an especially historic week (the nation's 250th anniversary), which is unfortunately also a bad news week at the Supreme Court. How appropriate it is that we have to be here today, amid the quite disturbing news about the court's decision regarding Temporary Protected Status (for Haitians and Syrians), which is a huge setback in terms of those communities and people (under TPS protection) who reside all over the United States.

So the primary reason for the (border Mass) gathering is of course the dignity of immigrants, and how, especially on this 250th anniversary of the United States, we can keep in front of us the value of the immigrant spirit, the immigrant passion, as well as immigrant peoples' plight and their finding new roots in a place that collectively we have for generations called home.

OSV News: You've spent considerable time working to develop community presence and ownership in southwest Chicago through your role as community organizer with The Resurrection Project, a social impact organization. Talk about how communities use borders to define themselves in both positive and negative ways.

Father Curran: Border space is a sign of a relationship that is so basic to humanity across the world. People move in and out of a border zone in a regular pattern, going across the border for work, coming back across the border to where they call home.

There is a border economy, and there are border people that this event (the border Mass) lifts up. Many of us who are away from the border physically are not aware of this, if they haven't lived close to or in such places.

I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. My father came here from Ireland in 1960. My mother's roots are in Los Angeles. I say that because my parents crossed multiple borders to fall in love. They met in Chicago, and it's so much the immigrant story; this is not unique.

In the very local reality of Chicago, neighborhoods become borders in unique ways, such that people visiting from other places (can sense that), because of how different and solid the border of a neighborhood seems. That's not necessarily a common experience in some other cities of the United States, but certainly in Chicago, it is true and feels absolutely real.

The positive aspect of this is that communities have built up a sense of home in a place over generations. There's a sense of welcome in such neighborhoods for people in the difficulty of the first years of arrival (as immigrants). There is a vibrance of culture and traditions you can find and experience. In Chicago, in a Catholic way, everyone still asks, "What parish are you from?"

And that is mostly a healthy experience of a border, because then people can identify you: "Oh, you're from that area." It helps to locate some of your life experience, to understand each other and our own self-identity.

But there is a negative part of that experience. I'm talking about the edges of communities who, because of the color of their skin or their accent, experience a sense that "you don't belong here; your people are over in that neighborhood. Why are you trying to buy a house in this neighborhood? You can't rent here; you can't buy here."

We have pockets of community where we continue to isolate people or intimidate people from crossing borders of neighborhoods. That's not necessarily the best of our society; that's an ugly part of borders.

OSV News: As Catholics, how do we recover a proper sense of borders, aligned with God's intention?

Father Curran: This tension over borders is not new. Jesus, in the Gospels, experienced border frictions. The Jewish community from which he came from experienced border differences.

In speaking with the woman at the well (John 4:4-42), Jesus was crossing borders in their society. He went to the woman at the well and her community, who were considered "watered-down," less-than-authentic Jews by some.

Jesus fled from his homeland so that his parents, wisely, could protect him from the evil policy that was slaughtering innocent children in order to get rid of him. They (the Holy Family) fled to Egypt, as we remember in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 2:13-15); they were crossing borders to survive. Jesus absolutely lived through the traumas of this day in his own (historical) context, as we read about every Sunday.

All through salvation history, borders were an issue, a challenge. And we are often afraid to deal with these big subjects of "who's in" and "who's out" -- who's within my border, who belongs and who doesn't belong.

But we as the faithful believe in Jesus' resurrection. Jesus crossed the border of death into new life. The empty tomb reflects the crossing of a border.

We are border-crossing border people through the sacrament of baptism; we cross the border into the promise of new life. We do this as Catholics. This is our DNA.

If we proclaim we are Catholic, how do we live that out with regard to the borders with our lives?

Jesus knew how to do this. What are we doing about it?

— Gina Christian, OSV News

The case concerns a state ban on the AR-15 and other semiautomatic firearms in Connecticut and a similar ban in Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago.

The court took up the case the same day it issued major rulings finding President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship violated the 14th Amendment, and upholding West Virginia and Idaho state laws requiring student athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond to their biological sex rather than their self-identified gender.

The high court will hear the semiautomatic rifles case during its next term, which typically begins in October.

According to Giffords -- a group that works to prevent gun violence led by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who survived a shooting -- 11 states and the District of Columbia, have enacted laws that generally ban the sale, manufacture, and transfer of firearms categorized as assault weapons. Two other states, Minnesota and Virginia, have some additional restrictions.

Connecticut first enacted a ban on semiautomatic weapons in 1993. The state increased those restrictions after the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, when a gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle equipped with large capacity magazines killed 26 children and teachers. It was among the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for a national ban on assault weapons, a term that refers to military-style semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, and pistols fed by ammunition magazines of various capacities, arguing in favor of a federal assault weapons ban similar to the one they supported in the 1994 crime bill. That legislation had a sunset provision, and Congress allowed it to expire in 2004 without renewal.

That law, the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, commonly called the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, banned about a dozen specific firearms and features on guns, however, the law's effectiveness was debated as modifications to those features were adapted.

However, a 2004 study on the effectiveness of the ban, which was federally funded by the National Institute of Justice at the Department of Justice, found that the number of gun crimes involving assault weapons decreased by 17% in a sample of six U.S. cities: Baltimore, Miami, Milwaukee, Boston, St. Louis, and Anchorage.

The U.S. bishops have also supported other gun safety measures, including universal background checks and limitations on civilian access to high-capacity ammunition magazines, which allow a shooter to maintain a consistent rate of fire over a longer period of time without having to reload.

— Kate Scanlon, OSV News

The parish launched a capital campaign two years ago because the community is rapidly outgrowing its picturesque fieldstone church along U.S. 64.

A standing-room-only congregation attended the 9 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Martin, who confirmed five young people and then joined Father Jason Barone, pastor, for a groundbreaking ceremony adjacent to the existing church, which was dedicated in 1972 by Bishop Michael Begley.

“This church has been such a source of grace and goodness for the local community here,” Bishop Martin told the crowd gathered for the groundbreaking. “Over the next few years many of you will drive by on this road and you will see the construction, the dirt being moved, and you’ll say ‘I was there when it was blessed.’”

Bishop Martin encouraged the people to take the holiness they receive from attending Mass at St. Jude out into the larger world.

“What we need to do is take what this building means out into our community, to be the Church in the world, to be the living stones in our workplaces, in our marketplace and in our homes in particular,” he said.

Father Barone said breaking ground for a new church is a significant milestone for a community that has only been a parish for four years. St. Jude, formerly a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in Brevard, was elevated to parish status July 5, 2022, and Father Barone, formerly its administrator, was elevated to pastor.

According to statistics compiled by the parish, Sapphire and its surroundings are expected to grow by 10 to 13 percent by 2030, as more retirees and year-round residents move into the area. Several large residential communities are being built nearby, and the number of seasonal visitors continues to increase.

The existing church currently averages about 125 attendees at winter Masses and more than 400 during the summer.

“I’m extremely proud of this little community,” Father Barone said. “Just a few years ago we were a little mission, and now we’re a big boy parish building a church. I’m very proud of all of you who have made this a reality and humbled you have trusted my leadership of this project. I want to thank our Lord, our most Holy Mother and St. Jude, our patron.”

Funds for the new church are being raised through a campaign called “Building Our Future Together.” So far, about $11.3 million has been pledged, with a goal of about $13.4 million for the new church.

Construction drawings are nearly complete, and construction is expected to begin in the fall, according to Emmett Sapp, director of construction and real estate for the Diocese of Charlotte. Once completed, the new church will seat about 300 people on the main level and 28 in the choir loft.

A RICH HISTORY

The new church will be a far cry from the early days of Catholic worship in the Sapphire Valley, where Mass was first celebrated in 1964 in the meeting room of the Sapphire Valley Inn. In 1969, the congregation outgrew the meeting room. One of the original members, Gene Howerdd, became ill and prayed to St. Jude that if she could recover, she would do everything she could to raise funds for a Catholic chapel in the Sapphire Valley and have it named in his honor.  

Father Charles Mulholland, then the pastor in Brevard, petitioned the Bishop of Raleigh for permission to establish a mission, call it St. Jude and begin planning to build a church. Permission was given. Howerdd set out to complete her pledge, which she did by gifting several acres along U.S. 64 for the new church property. Father Mulholland’s brother, a professor at The Catholic University of America, arranged for architectural students there to submit designs for the chapel as a class project. One – an octagonal chapel of fieldstone – was chosen as the perfect complement to the mountain setting.

Construction of the current church started in 1971 and was completed in 1972. Classrooms, a parish hall and offices were added in 2001. Once the new church is completed, plans call for the current church to be turned into a parish hall.

This is not the only construction project on Father Barone’s plate. He also serves as pastor at Our Lady of the Mountains in Highlands, about 30 minutes away. Ground was broken for a new church there in summer 2024 and construction is nearly complete. Bishop Martin is slated to dedicate the new Highlands church over Labor Day weekend. Flooring and pews will be installed after the dedication.

The cost of the Highlands project is expected to be about $15.8 million, Sapp said.

The architect on both projects is McCrery Architects of Washington, D.C.

R.W. Allen Construction out of Augusta, Ga. Is the contractor for the project at St. Jude, and J. Davis Construction of Greenville, S.C., is the contractor in Highlands.

As Father Barone noted, “It’s all for the glory of God, who will not ask us how many churches we built but how we built up the living stones in the image and likeness of God.”

—  Christina Lee Knauss

During Mass, parishioners dressed in traditional attire reflecting their cultural heritage and took part in a flag procession honoring the many nations and backgrounds that make up the parish community. Representatives from several African and Caribbean nations participated in the celebration.

After Mass, parishioners gathered for an international picnic. The shared meal provided an opportunity for fellowship and cultural exchange as families sampled foods and learned about traditions from different countries and regions.

The annual celebration reflects the universal nature of the Catholic Church and a reminder that that people of many languages, cultures and traditions are united in one faith.

— Troy C. Hull

Bishops from the Province of Atlanta gather together on the steps of the Cathedral of Christ the King following the provincial Mass on June 25. Front row from left, Bishop John N. Tran; Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv.; Bishop Joel Konzen, SM; Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger III; back row from left, Bishop Luis Zarama of Raleigh; Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah; Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, of Charleston; and Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., of Charlotte.

The meeting provides the bishops of the province the opportunity to discuss topics relating to the region. This year, they discussed issues related to growth – which all of the dioceses are experiencing – and how to support clergy, religious and the faithful.

Attending the gathering were Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., of Atlanta; Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., of Charlotte; Bishop Luis Zarama of Raleigh; Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, of Charleston; Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah; and Atlanta’s three auxiliary bishops: Bishop Joel Konzen, SM, Bishop Bernard Shlesinger III and Bishop John Nhan Tran. 

Archbishop Hartmayer, OFM Conv., celebrated a midday provincial Mass at the cathedral June 25. His homily focused on the parable of the two builders in Matthew 7, from the day’s Gospel reading.

The archbishop highlighted Jesus’ challenging words that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Jesus warns that not even prophesying, driving out demons or doing mighty deeds in his name is enough, shared the archbishop. Jesus doesn’t dispute their activities but rather questions their foundation, said Archbishop Hartmayer.

“‘I never knew you,’ he said. You never opened your heart to me. You did all those things that look good, but there was not relationship between us,” said the archbishop in summarizing Jesus’ words.

In the parable, the wise man built his house on a rock to withstand the rain, floods and wind. The foolish man built his house on sand, and it collapsed in ruin. 

Mass is celebrated communally as an act of faith in the “foundation on which we should build our house,” said Archbishop Hartmayer.

When bishops pray, govern, teach or sit with others in crisis, “we do this work on (the) rock, or not at all,” he said.

“The question is not whether we have been busy in the Lord’s name. The question is whether the Word of God has reached the foundation of our lives,” said Archbishop Hartmayer. 

The Eucharist serves to strengthen this foundation, he emphasized.

“That is why you are here. We are not here to inspect a building, but to shore up our foundation, to continue to add another layer of solid rock,” he said.

Following Mass, the bishops chatted with parishioners outside the cathedral. During their meetings, the bishops also listened to presentations from Atlanta’s synod leaders and discussed next steps the Vatican is asking dioceses to take in the synodal process, which involves soliciting parishioners opinions on various topics in the Church. 

— Nichole Golden, Georgia Bulletin

Watch the Province Meeting Mass

During the dedication Father Pat Hoare, chaplain of Pennybyrn, joked, “There is enough water coming down outside, maybe I shouldn’t sprinkle it with more.”

The courtyard is a memorial to former Pennybyrn residents, Melvin and Ruth Witcher. 

Their son Doug Witcher was the benefactor who made the courtyard a reality.

“I remember just how much Melvin loved being outdoors during his time (here). He and I would sit together and visit the outdoor spaces each location offered, and it was clear how much joy it brought him to be in those courtyard settings,” said Director of Development and Community Relations Sarah Barker.

As a landscaper, Melvin understood how to thoughtfully plant and care for landscapes. Melvin appreciated the simple gifts of nature — the beauty of flowers, the tranquility of being outside, and especially the peaceful sounds of water moving, trickling and bubbling.

Barker, Father Hoare, and the rest of the Pennybyrn community look forward to planting flowers, listening to birdsong, enjoying nature and making space to hear God’s quiet invitation in their souls for many years to come. 

“All of these moments will become part of Melvin and Ruth’s continuing legacy,” Barker said. “We are so deeply grateful for these additions that have enhanced our ministry.” 

—    Lisa M. Geraci, photos provided by Pennybyrn

Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is encouraging parishioners, families and parish communities to take part in the effort through a local initiative called “250 Works of Mercy.”

The initiative builds on a national invitation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which is commemorating America’s 250th anniversary by highlighting the contributions of Catholics and the impact of our faith on our nation’s history. As part of the celebration, the bishops are encouraging Catholics to pray for the unity and healing of our country through a collective “250 Hours of Adoration” and “250 Works of Mercy.”

The “250 Works of Mercy” initiative invites people to live out the seven corporal works of mercy in tangible ways throughout the summer.

Need a reminder? The Corporal Works of Mercy are feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, and burying the dead.

“The ‘250 Works of Mercy’ campaign reminds us that faith must be lived out loud to truly be alive,” said Gerry Carter, executive director and CEO of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. “Catholic Charities stands eager to support the countless ways our parishes and parishioners serve neighbors in need across the entire diocese.”
Rooted in the Gospel of Matthew, the corporal works of mercy are central to Catholic life and provide practical ways for the faithful to encounter Christ in those who are suffering or in need.

“As Catholics, we are called not only to believe in mercy, but to live it,” said Virginia Garramone, the agency’s director of development. “This is a beautiful opportunity to celebrate our nation’s anniversary by putting our faith into action. Whether it’s volunteering, donating needed items, checking in on a lonely neighbor or making a charitable gift, each act of mercy becomes a visible sign of Christ’s love in our communities.”

— Christina Lee Knauss

Put mercy into action

As Catholics across the Diocese of Charlotte respond to the U.S. bishops’ invitation to participate in the “250 Works of Mercy,” Catholic Charities offers opportunities to serve neighbors in need throughout western North Carolina. Here are some of the local needs:

Charlotte regional office: 704-370-3262 or volunteercharlotte@ccdoc.org. Needs include:

• Welcome home kit assembly
• Furniture warehouse organization
• Food pantry distribution (Tuesday)
• Food distribution at pop-up farmers market (first and third Thursdays)

Winston-Salem regional office: 336-727-0705. Help assemble much-needed supplies for families visiting the food pantry:

• Cat and dog food bags
• Laundry pod bags
• Shaved Ivory soap hygiene kits
• Toiletry bags

Salisbury regional office: Volunteers needed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact Deacon Jeff Font at 704-370-3234.

• Organize diapers and wipes in office
• Clean office space
• Prepare community outreach materials

Lenoir regional office: Volunteers needed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact Silvia Echeverria at 828-434-5710. Needs include:

• Organize diapers
• Pack client bags
• Welcome clients in the waiting room
• Organize files
• Conduct inventory
• Paint the office

Make a monetary donation

In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, Catholic Charities is inviting the faithful to help secure 250 gifts to support neighbors in need across western North Carolina.
Whether your gift helps stock a food pantry, provide mental health counseling, assist a veteran, support disaster recovery or provide burial assistance to a grieving family, every gift becomes an act of mercy.

To donate, visit: https://giving.gofundme.com/campaign/815131/donate

Share it on social
Whether you volunteer, donate needed supplies, support a neighbor, or make a charitable gift, Catholic Charities would love to hear your story.

Share your act of mercy on social media using #250ActsOfMercyCCDOC to show how faith in action transforms lives and strengthens communities.

St. Peter’s Social Justice Ministry hosted a “Season of Faithful Witness” prayer service that allowed participants to stand in solidarity with immigrants.

The service was organized by the Uptown Charlotte parish’s Social Justice Ministry as part of the “Season of Faithful Witness” initiative. This nationwide effort is coordinated through Catholics in Communion – a coalition of Catholic organizations, communities and leaders responding to challenges currently facing immigrants and vulnerable families. The group focuses on prayer, public witness and faithful action.

“Catholics across the country are gathering in public spaces to bear faithful witness to the dignity of every person,” said Jesuit Father Mark Scalese, parochial vicar at St. Peter. “We gather because we believe we are one Body in Christ. And when members of that body are suffering – when families are afraid, when neighbors feel forgotten, when human dignity is threatened – our faith calls us to respond with prayer, solidarity and courage.”

The service included songs and Scripture readings focused on the plight of migrants and refugees, as well as passages from a message Pope Leo XIV prepared for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees in 2025. Participants also heard from Charlotte-area immigrants who have faced challenges. Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin has repeatedly called for outreach and support for immigrants in public statements.

As Father Scalese noted, “We come together to ask God to open our hearts, strengthen our courage, and help us become what we receive in the Eucharist: the Body of Christ for the life of the world.”

— Christina Lee Knauss

The Diocese of Charlotte organizes vocation discernment camps for young men and women every summer on the campus of Belmont Abbey College. The events are filled with faith, fellowship and fun. (Amy Burger and Troy C. Hull)

As Father Brian Becker, vocations promoter for the diocese, explained, “The camps are mostly to come away from the world and spend a week alone with God and ask Him the question: ‘What are you calling me to do?’”

The 11th annual Quo Vadis Days vocation discernment camp for young men June 15-19 saw 100 campers spend a week alongside priests, monks and seminarians at Belmont Abbey College. The following week, at the same location, the Daughters of the Virgin Mary apostolate led the 10th annual Duc in Altum for 108 girls ranging in age from 15 to 19. On June 22, 110 preteen girls gathered for a one-day mini-camp called “Talitha Koum.”

Since 2014, the camps have served as the starting point for many of the diocese’s seminarians, priests and religious.

When the camps were introduced by then-Bishop Peter Jugis, no one could anticipate the wave of vocations the diocese is currently celebrating, with a record number of 10 priests ordained this year. St. Joseph College Seminary, founded in 2016, boasts 27 seminarians, with more receiving advanced formation at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati and the Pontifical North American College in Rome, all ready to take their next steps toward the priesthood.

Sharing their calls

Many of the seminarians and sisters volunteering at the camp confirmed their calling during their own stay at Quo Vadis Days or Duc in Altum.

“I went two years before I entered the seminary,” said seminarian Walter Frei. “This was an opportunity to meet with Father Becker and talk to others already in formation. It was a good jump start to my discernment process – a little insight on what life in the seminary was truly like.”

Now Frei is studying at St. Joseph College Seminary, and his brother, Father Max Frei, who also attended, was ordained in May.

Micah Burgess, a fellow seminarian at St. Joseph College Seminary, feels similarly about the head start Quo Vadis Days gave him.

“After my first year of being Catholic, I looked into seminaries and heard about Quo Vadis Days,” Burgess said. “I went three times in high school. My junior year, I didn’t really know if I wanted to go to seminary and told God this was the week to show me. On the last day, I felt called to kneel in front of the Mary statue, and I just knew that I was being called to go to seminary.”

This year, the newly ordained priests and deacons and the seminarians shared their discernment journeys. The new priests gave the talks, were available for confessions, preached homilies and celebrated Masses.

Each day’s activities included Mass, Eucharistic adoration, prayers, quiet reflection and a rosary – practices Father Becker and Duc in Altum organizer Sister Mary Jacinta strongly encouraged attendees to continue long after the camp ends.

Other high notes of the Quo Vadis Days camp were a tour of the college seminary in Mount Holly, a procession through the Belmont Abbey College campus, singing vespers with the Benedictine monks and learning the history of the abbey from Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari. On Thursday, Bishop Michael Martin celebrated Mass and, at the end of each day, they found time for fraternity through competitive sports.

‘God is calling’

For the young women, Sister Mary Elizabeth focused on the details. “We just want these girls to know that God loves them,” she said. “We didn’t just give them bandanas. We gave them beautiful bandanas, because that is what they are – beautiful – and we wanted to show them that in every detail. They are precious, the girls love God and they are having a lot of fun. These girls are beautiful, and we want them to feel beautiful this week because that is how God sees them.”

At the Duc in Altum camp, the girls listened to motivational talks from members of religious orders from across the country, visited the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in High Point, and shared sisterhood fun through crafting and pelting each other with water balloons.

“This is just an awesome way to come together with a bunch of girls who realize that they may have an interest in the religious life,” said 14-year-old Ava Howell. “It is a great way to know your faith better and have some time with God. Realizing there are more vocations than marriage is awesome. I want to be open to God’s plan for me, and that is why I love this retreat.”

Father Becker said he prays the camps will prepare the young people with the discernment tools they need to move forward in their holiness journey – whether it is through the seminary, religious life, marriage or singlehood.

“‘Vocation’ comes from the Latin word ‘Vocare,’ which means to call. God is calling. It is our job to listen,” he said. “Pray consistently and sincerely. Open your heart and allow the Lord to give you His invitation.”

— Lisa M. Geraci. Photos by Troy C. Hull, Amy Burger and David J. Billings

This summer marked the 25th anniversary of Camp SOAR. The Special Olympics Athletic Retreat offers a real summer camp experience for people with intellectual disabilities in the Charlotte region. (Troy C. Hull | Catholic New Herald)

CHARLOTTE — If you want to experience pure joy in action, it can be found at Camp SOAR. For 25 years, the Special Olympics Athletic Retreat has been offering a summer camp experience for people with intellectual disabilities in the Charlotte region.

Held annually at the Levine Jewish Community Center on Providence Road, this year’s camp hosted more than 300 campers assisted by 400 volunteers from area businesses and schools, including many from Charlotte Catholic High School and Holy Trinity Middle School.

A lasting legacy

The June 15-19 camp marked two milestones, one happy and one sad. Campers celebrated the program’s 25th year but also started the week with an emotional tribute to founder Bob Bowler, who passed away in September.

Bowler, a member of St. Gabriel Parish, volunteered with Special Olympics North Carolina for 40 years and started Camp SOAR in 2000 because he wanted the athletes to experience summer fun.

“Many of them saw their siblings going off to summer camp but they didn’t have a chance for a similar experience,” said Marilynn Bowler, Bob’s widow, who made several visits to this year’s camp. She was brought to tears of joy a few times as she saw the fruits of her late husband’s work.

Bowler’s memory and image were never far from the minds of organizers and volunteers. Several people wore commemorative T-shirts with his picture on them.

“I arrived the other day and was presented with one of these shirts and was in tears,” Marilynn Bowler said. “I remember when Bob came up with the idea of this camp. Bob’s background was in sales, and he was comfortable selling both products and ideas. He was so enthusiastic about starting this camp and surrounded himself with people who believed in this idea, and now 25 years later, we’re here.”

The camp is divided into two segments, one serving younger children and another geared toward teens and adults. Some have been attending the camp annually since childhood, and a few former participants are now volunteers.

It’s a daily flurry of activity from morning until afternoon, with campers moving constantly between different sports and activities. Each of them has a “buddy” volunteer who accompanies and assists them and cheers them on.

A week of fun

During the week, the campers participated in a variety of sports including basketball, boxing, bocce, bowling, soccer, tennis, pickleball, swimming and golf.

They also took part in daily arts and crafts and bingo and divided into teams to take part in a daily program that promoted general fitness along with the fun.

On June 18, Bishop Michael Martin paid a visit and even picked up a golf club to take a few swings on one of the athletic fields. He also took time to offer some golf tips to campers, showing them how to properly swing and grip the clubs. Bishop Martin also watched a spirited basketball session that featured a powerful slam dunk from one camper.

Throughout the day, volunteers and campers cheered each other on. No accomplishment was ignored, and smiles were the norm.

Camp ended with Friday Fun Day on June 19, with jugglers, movies and the highly anticipated annual dance party.

“Bob initially asked how we could pull this off, because he didn’t have any money for it and no facilities, but he did it,” said Al Tinson, a member of St. John Neumann Parish who along with Bowler helped to launch the camp and has been a volunteer ever since. “We started with just 25 campers and a handful of volunteers, and now we have hundreds involved. Many people come back year after year, and that’s the number one thing that pleased Bob.”

Emma Keese started as a volunteer when she was a freshman at Charlotte Catholic High School. The rising sophomore at St. Mary’s University in Indiana, where she majors in psychology and Spanish, was happy to be back.

“The reason I keep coming back is the fundamental joy that is present there,” Keese said. “When a camper recognizes you and there is that connection and recognition and appreciation, there is no feeling like it. It’s unmatched. What makes Camp SOAR so special is the joy and energy that’s present there.”

Many former student SOAR volunteers have gone on to pursue degrees and careers in special education and other related fields, Tinson said.

“We have no idea how much of an impact this program has had on the community, both in North Carolina and around the country,” he said. “This is all because of what Bob started. It’s a tough thing to not have him here – it leaves a huge hole. But the people came back, and they’re carrying on for him.”

— Christina Lee Knauss

A resident helps unwrap the new campus with Bishop Martin. The project represents the largest expansion in the nonprofit’s 70-year history and provides additional space for its youngest residents. (Photos provided; Troy C. Hull | Catholic News Herald)

BELMONT — A giant ‘Mercy Moment’ milestone occurred June 18, as Holy Angels dedicated its Treescape Campus, celebrating the largest expansion project in the nonprofit’s 70-year history.

A ‘Mercy Moment’ is when an unexpected, perfectly timed blessing or instance of help arrives without explanation. Thousands of these moments are built into the mortar of this expansion project, which has been in the making for the past decade.

“This campus is more than a collection of beautiful buildings,” said Holy Angels’ President and CEO Kerri Massey. “It reflects what happens when love leads the way.”

Sponsored and founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Holy Angels is located on 17.5 acres in Belmont and provides care for more than 85 residents, ranging from 3 years old to 84, who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Treescape Campus includes three six-bedroom homes named Maple, Magnolia and Dogwood in honor of the native trees surrounding the property. Each 6,000-square-foot, single-story home features private bedrooms, family-style living and dining spaces, multi-sensory rooms and accessible outdoor areas.

The campus also includes the new 10,000-square-foot Holy Angels Community Center, featuring a saltwater pool, a gathering space – the community’s largest – and a specialized commercial kitchen where dietary staff can create the more than 90,000 individualized meals served each year to suit residents’ dietary needs.

This summer, Holy Angels’ youngest residents, ages 3 to 19, are expected to move into their new homes on the 4.5-acre campus designed to address their intellectual and developmental disabilities and delicate medical conditions.

The timing of the opening is a ‘Mercy Moment’ in itself, as their current home was damaged by a fire last month, displacing the residents and putting them in temporary housing across campus until the expansion was ready.

Residents Wyatt and Nora, along with their families, started the ribbon-cutting ceremony by “unwrapping” the campus. Bishop Michael Martin, joined by Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, Father Dennis Kuhn and the Sisters of Mercy, blessed the homes and gathering spaces.

In his remarks, Bishop Martin pointed out that “the residents of Holy Angels reveal to us God’s image and likeness through their different abilities” and prayed that Holy Angels would continue to challenge the world to “experience and appreciate how these children of God reflect to us God’s image and likeness in a way that we would never have imagined.”

The impact of the campus is best understood through the families whose lives it will touch. One of the most moving moments came from Sara Anderson, whose son Nolan will move into the new campus after seven years at Holy Angels.

“This has truly been a labor of love, and we should all be so proud that we were able to have a part in making this dream a reality,” Anderson said.

Another resident angel commemorated during the event was Martha, who lived at Holy Angels for 50 years before she passed away two years ago. She will forever be remembered through Martha’s Courtyard, which features five metal sculptures of her favorite animal, penguins, designed by local artist Bob Doster. Doster meticulously welded together metal resident and staff handprints to create the birds that represent Martha and her family members.

“Our children’s campus wasn’t built by one person,” Massey said. “It was built by families who shared their hopes, donors who gave generously, architects who listened carefully, construction crews who worked through heat and rain, and staff who imagined what could be.”

The project represents years of planning by Holy Angels, led by President Emeritus Regina Moody.

“Here at Treescape, our kids will get to live like other kids – with their own room, spaces that meet their unique needs and connections to nature all around them,” Moody said.

Moody recognized the organizations and individuals who helped make the project possible, including the Sisters of Mercy, the Order of Malta and the State of North Carolina.

Donors’ contributions will remain planted in the very fabric of the building, with three-dimensional flowers displaying the donors’ names affixed to the community center walls.

“This campus is rooted in the love of countless people who believed in its potential, and we know the miracles are still to come,” Massey said. “The lives that will be lived here, the memories that will be made here and the future that will take shape here are the greatest celebration of all.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

Father Matthew Harrison, campus minister at High Point University, and a group of students trekked 200 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain this summer, deepening their spiritual journeys.

HIGH POINT— Father Matthew Harrison and a group of college students from High Point University’s Campus Ministry trekked the Camino de Santiago in Spain in May, following in the footsteps of St. James the Apostle.

This was the third time Father Harrison has hiked the Camino, and each experience has had its own challenges and benefits.

“Taking the students and leading them through the spiritual journey of St. James and tapping into the apostolic zeal that is so inherent to the Camino was a different experience,” said Father Harrison, who serves as their campus minister.

The Camino, dubbed “The Way of St. James,” marks the pathway forged by St. James the Apostle as he evangelized across Europe. The path spans more than 200 recognized routes encompassing thousands of miles of trails, with primary routes passing through Spain, Portugal and France.

“There is something so beautiful about being disconnected in nature, but on a deeper level feeling that connection to St. James and going back to the roots of our Christian faith is amazing,” Father Harrison said. “St. James literally walked to the end of the earth to preach the Gospel, and that reinvigorates me with my own desire to evangelize always and everywhere.”

Father Harrison chose the Camino Francés route because it is the most traveled, has the most resources and is heavy with pilgrims. The path winds through congested cities full of sights and sounds capable of bringing even the least spiritual person to their knees – the perfect setting to maximize evangelization while bonding spiritually with his students and God.

“A majority of people on the trail are not Catholics,” Father Harrison said. “A lot of people there are looking for God or looking for something, and almost every conversation we have is able to navigate towards Christ and turn into a moment of evangelization.”

Their chosen route travels nearly 500 miles, but the group had time for only 200. They hit hot spots like the “House of Light” Cathedral in León and the ancient Roman walled town of Astorga. They ended at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, where, like most pilgrims, they spent their final moments stretched out on stone ground reflecting on their journey toward God.

For the pilgrims, the quiet reflection times, journaling, digital fasting, prayers and evangelism opportunities felt like a long-needed retreat.

“The Camino simplified life and showed me the things we live for,” said participant Caleb Knox. “I don’t think I appreciated sacred spaces before this trip.”

“We were praying constantly together and celebrated Mass all over the place,” Father Harrison said. They offered Mass most notably at the ruins of the monastery that St.

Francis of Assisi visited during his own Camino adventure.

During the two-week trip, they stayed overnight at inexpensive hostels, chowing down on cheap pasta, cereal or rice – carbs to help fuel them on their long journey.

Each day, students took a turn leading the group in prayer. When they were not praying, they were discussing everything from technology and feeling rushed in modern society to geopolitics and wars, “doom scrolling” and the animal kingdom.

For the most part, they put their cell phones aside, trying to use them for less than an hour a day. Father Harrison wore his Roman collar, and the students all traveled with their backpacks that featured a shell, the symbol of Catholic pilgrims, displayed on the back.

Going as the spiritual father of the group was different for Father Harrison, who experienced the same physical exhaustion as his students but also focused on how to turn hiking activities into opportunities for spiritual growth.

There were bad blisters and sore legs, knees and feet, but the Camino, just like life and the weather, continued to move forward unconcerned about the pilgrims’ personal struggles.

On day one, a May downpour caused the men to run for cover. By the second week, though, the students were unfazed by the weather. A massive sheet of rain appeared in front of them, and instead of scattering for shelter, they plowed right through without words – a complete contrast that impressed Father Harrison.

“As a group we grew and matured,” he said. “One of the beautiful things about the Camino is that it is incredibly challenging, but all the men were able to push hard through those moments and get to the other side successfully, together as a team.”

The trip left an impression on Father Harrison, and he hopes to make it an annual campus ministry trip.

“It is not just a personal journey for each of them, but a journey for our community and our campus ministry, for us to get closer to Christ,” he said. “I definitely want to take more students on this pilgrimage. It is an opportunity for them to grow both in their faith and as future leaders in the Church and the world. Doing something hard like this makes you a stronger person and a better version of yourself.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

Ten years ago, Julie was feeling lost after going through a painful divorce. The young mother of three was angry, fearful and sad, and she felt her relationship with God and her Catholic faith slipping away.

“God and I were not on good terms,” she remembers.

Then, she learned about Catholic spiritual direction. The practice pairs people with trained professionals who help them examine their relationship with God, their pursuit of holiness, and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

She began meeting monthly with a spiritual director in the Charlotte area. In hour-long sessions, they talked about her life experiences and the trouble she was having with faith. Those initial sessions grew into a years-long spiritual direction relationship that has helped Julie feel renewed – in both her daily life and her relationship to God and the Church.

“I needed somebody else to find it important for me to invest in my faith, because I was not at a place where I wanted to do that,” said Julie, who asked that only her first name be used to protect her identity. “It was so important to have her support in figuring out my unique situation and to help me to try to find my way back to faith.”
worth the effort

The process took time and work but was well worth the effort, she says.

“Very slowly and intentionally, I kind of rebuilt my faith one tiny little brick at a time,” Julie said. “I thought there were rules and regulations and boxes we were supposed to check to earn God’s love, and I learned that those were not our faith.”

Many people like Julie in the Diocese of Charlotte have benefited from spiritual direction, and both guides and seekers encourage others interested in deepening their faith to explore the practice.

“Spiritual direction can have a profoundly positive effect on people’s lives by bringing you closer to Jesus,” said Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv. “It provides support and clarity during big life transitions, difficult decisions and periods of spiritual questioning. But it’s more than that: It helps people explore their beliefs and experiences more deeply – and can lead to greater self-awareness and a stronger sense of purpose.”

‘Sit with people’

Spiritual directors can be members of the clergy or lay people who receive specialized training. Formation programs vary from one to four years and include study of spirituality, theology and religious traditions, listening skills, ethics, and discernment practices. They also typically require supervised practice with seekers as well as their own personal spiritual practice, mentoring and ongoing education.

“It just really is a privilege to sit with people and to listen to their faith experiences, to walk with them on that journey,” said St. Peter parishioner Allain Andry, who became a spiritual director after going through a four-year formation program at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

St. Matthew parishioner Karen Scully also completed the Fairfield program and became a spiritual director in 2021.

“Spiritual direction is accompanying a person on their spiritual life,” Scully said. “How is God acting in your life? How is this being manifested? Or if you feel He is not in your life, and you want Him there, how do we respond to God’s call?”

“It’s all about accompanying someone on their spiritual journey, having a discerning listener and a contemplative presence,” she said. “We try to dig a little deeper. It’s a way of deepening their relationship with God in a confidential, solemn, holy space.”

Benedictine Father Elias Correa-Torres, who teaches physical sciences at Belmont Abbey College, started offering spiritual direction in response to requests from students and parishioners.

“Spiritual direction can be very helpful,” he said, “especially for those who are serious about seeking God and a life dedicated to Him.”

Trusting and listening

Many people seek spiritual direction when going through discernment, either for a religious vocation, marriage or for another major life event, Father Correa-Torres said.

Others are looking to deepen their prayer lives or to discover how God is working in life’s challenges.

He asks seekers what they are looking for and then offers insights.

“I bring in a lot of Scripture and a lot of information from the lives of the saints for perspective,” he said. “It is a matter of trusting God’s presence there, and listening. … I know

I don’t have all the answers – we’re relying on God. I will often pray in the middle of a session asking for the Holy Spirit to guide me.”

As Julie relates, “This is my individual journey … she’s not leading me. She just comes along beside me for one hour a month. There is never any judgment … she turns the reflection back and asks questions: ‘What do you think God is trying to tell you? How do you feel called to do the next thing in your life?’ It’s a conversation where she and God and I are in the same spiritual space.”

Scully notes it is also important to remember what spiritual direction is not – it is not a substitute for mental health treatment or counseling, and it is different from preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Spiritual directors, whether lay people or clergy, have their own guides. As a Benedictine priest, Father Correa-Torres is required to receive spiritual direction and meets with his director regularly. Both Andry and Scully regularly attend spiritual direction and meet monthly with a supervisor.

Quiet in a loud world

Many seeking spiritual direction say the experience helps them see God moving in their lives.

Jake Goduti, who grew up in Huntersville as a parishioner at St. Mark Parish, sought spiritual direction after he graduated from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

His college years led him to take his faith more seriously, and he realized spiritual direction might help with the challenge of seeking God amid the distractions of adult life. He turned to the pastor who was there for him in his youth – Father John Putnam.

“Prayer can be a difficult journey, especially with how loud the world is, and Father Putnam was there to offer assistance,” Goduti said.

Goduti, a project coordinator in the diocese’s construction and real estate office, now attends St. Anne Parish in Charlotte and said the lessons he learned in spiritual direction still help him in daily life.

“I learned how to build a habit of being silent, listening for the movements of God through prayer,” he said. “Spiritual direction helped me to have the tools to know what God was calling me to do on a day-to-day basis, and what the peace of God feels like.”

For Julie, spiritual direction helped bring her back into relationship with God and with the faith she chose as a convert.

“It’s a conversation, a judgment-free zone for anybody whether they want to go a centimeter deeper in their faith or a mile deeper,” she said. “Really it is all about your individual journey.”

— Catholic News Herald

To learn more

To find a spiritual director, reach out to your parish, contact the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory, or visit sites including The Emmaus Center for Spirituality, www.emmauscenterforspirituality.com, and Ignatian Spiritual Direction Formation, www.worldonfireformationprogram.com.

The new seminary chapel will accommodate about 250 people and will offer much-needed space for prayer and quiet contemplation. (Troy C. Hull | Catholic News Herald)

Father Matthew Kauth, seminary rector, said chapel construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The $24 million project marks a significant milestone in the seminary’s continued growth. Working in collaboration with Bishop Michael Martin, seminary and diocesan leaders adopted a plan that not only includes a new chapel with seating for about 250 people, an office, a guest suite and other program spaces, but also will pay off existing seminary construction debt and set aside funding for an endowment to pay for long-term capital needs.

The project includes $20.7 million for the construction and related sitework and furnishings, $2 million for the endowment and $1.7 million for debt elimination. The funding comes from generous donors, many of whom gave to the seminary’s first capital campaign.

The new chapel will serve as more than an architectural addition, Father Kauth said – it is central to priestly formation.

“We form our buildings and then they form us,” Father Kauth said. “Proportion, integrity, clarity, harmony – all of these go into a building and they then go into those who live there. This has a subtle but powerful effect on the spiritual life.”

Father Kauth said one of the things that any seminary needs is space: “Ultimately, you create an atmosphere of openness and lucidity where the eye of the mind can rest.”

The project will also enable the seminary’s existing chapel – which seats only 50 and was originally designed as a lecture and dining hall – to be repurposed for lectures, banquets and other diocesan events.

Father Kauth said construction has gone unusually well.

“This has been perhaps the smoothest that I’ve ever encountered,” Father Kauth said.

He credited the progress to careful planning, strong execution by the team of architects and contractors and, of course, the prayers of the faithful.

The chapel is the latest milestone in the development of St. Joseph College Seminary, which was established in 2016 under then-Bishop Peter Jugis. In its early years, the seminary operated out of several temporary houses before securing land and building its permanent campus, located not far from Belmont Abbey College, in 2020.

To date, 24 priests have been ordained who came through St. Joseph College Seminary and are serving across the diocese.
— Walter Frei

The visual identity includes a refined formal coat of arms and a new digital logo, as part of a broad communications platform to help the growing diocese present a consistent, recognizable visual presence and welcoming message.

Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, led the effort over several years in collaboration with two bishops, the diocese’s Communications Office, and award-winning brand strategy firm BROOKHOUSE, based in Charlotte.

The effort began in 2022 as the diocese sought to update its coat of arms after its 50th anniversary.

“We came to appreciate that our logomark was just the tip of the iceberg,” Monsignor Winslow said.

“We also needed to more clearly articulate who we are as a diocese and how our mission fits within the universal Church.”

The diocese’s new “brand platform,” he said, includes a new look and a promise the diocese and its ministries aspire to deliver.

“At a time when people are searching for meaning and belonging, the Catholic Church of western North Carolina offers people ‘something more’ – God and the truth of the Gospel set within a joyful, hospitable and authentic community grounded in 2,000 years of the teaching and traditions of the Catholic faith. Here, we help people encounter Jesus Christ and share Him and His love with others.”

The promise is evident in the Church’s sacramental life and should be in all of its daily interactions with parishioners and the broader community, he said.

“‘Something more’ is not a slogan, it is what we offer to those we are interacting with – as well as a call to action for our parishes, schools and ministries,” he said. “It expresses a truth at the heart of our faith. In the Eucharist, there is ‘something more’ than bread and wine. In baptism, there is ‘something more’ than water washing over you.

And when you interact with us, at the diocese and in all of our ministries, we should go the extra mile to deliver ‘something more,’ something deeper, than you might expect.”

The refreshed coat of arms preserves the essential symbolism chosen by the diocese’s first bishop, Bishop Michael Begley. It continues to feature a Celtic cross on a green background – recalling the Irish immigrants who were among the first Catholics to settle in North Carolina and honoring St. Patrick, patron of the diocese’s St. Patrick Cathedral. A crown on a Marian blue field symbolizes two queens: Queen Charlotte, the wife of British King George III for whom the diocese’s see city is named, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and Mother of the Church.

The design has been simplified and refined with a cleaner style in keeping with other dioceses’ coats of arms, and its updated color palette of blue, green and gold provides improved flexibility in printing and reproduction.

The logotype is a version of Capitolium, an award-winning serif typeface designed by Dutch type designer Gerard Unger for the Jubilee of the Catholic Church in 2000.

The diocese also introduced a simplified secondary mark more suitable for digital platforms and community outreach. It pulls the Celtic cross from the formal coat of arms to provide a more immediate and recognizable expression of the diocese’s identity while remaining visually connected to the formal coat of arms.

Both logos were created by Charlotte-based designer Todd Aldridge, a successful freelance designer and Brand Creative Operations director for Harley-Davidson Motor Co.

Aldridge has developed brand identities for nationally recognized organizations, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he designed the university’s iconic “C” logo.

The Diocese of Charlotte’s coat of arms has evolved several times since the diocese was established in 1972, most recently with a commemorative gold version created for its 50th anniversary in 2022.

 — Patricia L. Guilfoyle

The National Constitution Center will bestow its Liberty Medal on Pope Leo July 3 during a public ceremony outside its location at Independence Mall in Philadelphia, part of Independence National Historical Park, home to several sites of historical significance in the nation’s founding.
Established in 1988 to mark the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, and hosted by the center since 2006, the Liberty Medal honors both individuals and organizations “who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe,” said the National Constitution Center in a June 22 media advisory listing the event’s key speakers.

The center – a private nonprofit that promotes constitutional education and civic debate – had announced its decision to honor Pope Leo back on March 16.

The center noted at the time that the ceremony will take place amid the Independence Week events set to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

An ‘advocate for religious liberty’

Vince Stango, the center’s interim president and CEO, described Pope Leo in that March announcement as a “consistent advocate for religious liberty, freedom of conscience, and human dignity.”

Pope Leo is only the second religious leader to receive the Liberty Medal, preceded by the 2015 recipient, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia – the city that was the nation’s capital from 1790 until 1800 – will be among the religious leaders addressing the crowds in person at the event, which will also be livestreamed on the center’s YouTube channel.

On June 11, the archbishop read a message from Pope Leo on religious liberty to attendees of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s 2026 Canterbury Medal Gala, held at the National Constitution Center.

In that message, dated June 4, Pope Leo described religious freedom as “the cornerstone of any just society” and “an integral part of upholding human dignity.”

The first U.S.-born pope noted that efforts to safeguard religious liberty “acquire particular significance as the United States of America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its foundation.

“Indeed, we can recognize in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence an expression of the truth regarding the human person,” said Pope Leo in his Becket gala message. “Namely, the innate dignity of every man and woman, created by God in His own image and likeness, and the rights that stem therefrom.”

‘A fitting recognition’

In March, Archbishop Pérez had described the bestowal of the medal on Pope Leo as “a fitting recognition of the Holy Father’s long dedication and fidelity to advancing liberty for all people throughout the world.

“In many ways, his tireless work as a priest, bishop, cardinal, and now shepherd of the universal Church has focused on lifting up the dignity of all people and building pathways to peace,” said Archbishop Pérez at the time.

Also on hand with the archbishop will be Imam Quaiser D. Abdullah, director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Muslim Engagement; the Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness, the first female pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church, founded in 1794; the Rev. Luis A. Cortés Jr., founder, president and CEO of the faith-based nonprofit Esperanza, which provides an array of services to Hispanic communities; and Rabbi Jill L. Maderer, senior rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia.

Past recipients of the Liberty Medal include Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Sen. John McCain, U.S. Rep.

John Lewis and human rights advocate Malala Yousafzai.

The Liberty Medal is typically accompanied by a prize sponsored by philanthropists Ira Lubert and Pamela Estadt, with contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals.

In a March statement to OSV News, the center confirmed that the medal “traditionally includes a $100,000 prize,” adding that “the Holy See has not yet indicated how it may be used.”

“Any decisions regarding the prize will be made by the Vatican, and we will share additional information when it becomes available,” the center told OSV News at the time.

— Gina Christian, OSV News

Co-hosted by CUA’s Center for the Constitution and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and Carroll Forum for Citizenship and Public Life, along with the University of Notre Dame’s Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government, the conference included a video address by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighting Catholics’ presence and influence on the nation.

“It has been 250 years since a new people declared themselves to the world. At the time, less than 2% were Catholic, but the nation they built would come to serve as one of the proudest and most enduring testaments to the eternal truth of our faith,” Rubio, himself a Catholic, stated.
the american experiment

One of the symposium’s central panels was titled “Catholic Social Thought and the American Experiment” and featured Russell Hittinger, executive director of the Institute for Human Ecology at CUA; Kenneth Grasso, professor and department chair of political science at Texas State University; Ryan T. Anderson, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center; and CUA professor Sarah Gustafson.

Grasso focused his presentation on the late Father John Courtney Murray, an American Jesuit priest known for reconciling Catholicism with American pluralism and religious freedom.

“Murray in some sense was a celebrant of the American experiment, admired the Founding Fathers, somebody who celebrated America’s success; he also thought that America was in deep trouble.”

The moral tradition “provided the justification and substance of the American experiment and had been the source of its success,” Grasso said. However, Murray also saw that “the very moral tradition which made American democracy compatible with Catholicism no longer lives in the minds and hearts of Americans.”

“Modern culture’s rejection of the Christian mode of existence” has created a spiritual vacuum “that will be filled by an explicitly non-Christian mode of existence,” Grasso said.

“The American experiment will not long survive the revelation that was its ultimate inspiration. Where does this leave us? Murray says it leaves the body politic in a grave crisis,” Grasso said.

Anderson focused his remarks on the contemporary application of Catholic social teaching.

“There are four fundamental basic principles of Catholic social thought,” Anderson said. “Human dignity, the common good, subsidiarity, solidarity.”

“We’re all created for friendship with God. And so it’s both the origin and the end of the human person that explains the nature of humanity.”

When it comes to social thought and the Declaration regarding “the account of liberty and religious liberty in particular,” there are “tensions” between the two, Anderson said.

“But there’s also surprising overlap and harmonization between the account that [James] Madison gives us ... in which he says ‘the reason that we have rights to religious liberty is because we have duties to the Creator.’

— Tessa Gervasini, Ken Oliver-Méndez, Catholic News Agency

In his final general audience until Aug. 5, Pope Leo also encouraged young people to use the downtime of summer vacation to attend Mass, go to confession frequently, reflect on Scripture, go on spiritual retreats and pilgrimages and spend time with loved ones. 

"Vacation is a time for rest and to seek signs of God in the beauty of creation," he said in his remarks to Polish-speaking visitors. He also asked people to pray for students so that they may "choose wisely" the schools and universities they will attend and "discern with prudence their vocation."

Continuing his series on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, the pope focused on "Sacrosanctum Concilium," the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, explaining how the Eucharist draws the faithful into deeper communion with God and one another.

Receiving Christ in the Eucharist transforms believers into the Body of Christ, whose head is the risen Lord seated at the right hand of the Father, the pope said.

"Thus, the Eucharist is the sacrament of the Kingdom that is to come," Pope Leo said.

The Eucharist teaches Catholics to adopt Christ's way of self-giving love and to be "drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other," he said.

"This gift draws us into the dynamic of unity, offering a powerful antidote to the forces of division that undermine our world, our communities, our families, and our hearts," he said.

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy teaches that the faithful are called to "offer themselves in union with Jesus Christ" to the Father "through the hands of the priest and together with him," the pope said. Participation in the Eucharist also means being formed by God's word and "nourished at the table of the Lord's body."

The Eucharist cannot be separated from the Word of God, the pope said, noting that the liturgy and the Eucharist form "one single act of worship." Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he said Scripture illuminates and explains the mystery of the Eucharist, while the Eucharist opens believers to a deeper understanding of Scripture.

"This Word nourishes and sustains us together with the Eucharistic bread and leads us from the decay of sin to new life in Christ," Pope Leo said.

Referring to the Second Vatican Council's focus on giving Catholics greater access to Scripture, the pope pointed to the Lectionary -- the book containing the biblical readings proclaimed at Mass -- as a result of the council's liturgical reform. The expanded collection of readings used in the Church's liturgies today, he said, reflects the richness of the Church's living tradition, combining "fidelity to tradition with openness to legitimate progress."

"Dear brothers and sisters, let us draw with faith from this source of divine life and allow ourselves to be transformed by the mystery we celebrate," he said.

By Josephine Peterson, Catholic News Service

Judges praised the diocese’s coverage of issues that impacted people’s lives and faith – including immigration, recovery after Tropical Storm Helene, Holy Week and Eucharistic Congress celebrations, and a diocesan-wide faith survey of parishioners. 

Among the awards announced June 19 was a second-place finish for Best Newspaper among non-weekly Catholic newspapers in the U.S. and Canada. The award recognizes the publication that most demonstrates consistent quality and originality of overall content, writing and headlines, editorials, art and graphics, design and usability.

Another highlight was three first-place awards for Spanish-language reporting, led by the diocese’s Spanish Media Coordinator Brian Segovia. People of Hispanic origin now make up about half of the diocese’s 575,000 Catholics. 

“It is gratifying to see our work recognized by our peers, especially in such a broad array of categories – and in both English and Spanish,” said Catholic News Herald Editor Trish Stukbauer. “We couldn’t do this work without the strong support of our bishop and our parishes, schools and ministries, who every day lay their hearts on the line to live out the Gospel.”

The Catholic Media Association’s annual awards spotlight the work of Catholic print and digital publications of dioceses, wire services, religious orders and other Catholic organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The awards were announced during the association’s annual conference, this year held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., serves as publisher of the Catholic News Herald and cites good communication among his top priorities. The news outlet publishes content daily on its website and social media channels, and mails a print edition every two weeks to more than 65,000 registered households across western North Carolina.

Overall, the publication earned eight first-place awards and other honors for its work in 2025, including: 

First place

• Best Seasonal Issue: “This Great Joy Needs to Shared” (Holy Week), Catholic News Herald staff
• Best Front Page: “Faith Amid Fear,” (immigration) David Puckett
• Best Photograph – General News: “Faith Amid Fear,” Troy C. Hull
• Best Story and Photo Package by two individuals or more: “Faith Amid Fear,” Brian Segovia and Lisa Geraci
• Best Investigative News Writing Reporting – Non-Weekly: “Resilience: One Year Later, Helene Survivors Still Feel the Pain, but Walk Forward in Faith,” Christina Lee Knauss
• Best Story and Photo Package – Spanish: “Guadalupe Convoca Multitudes y Toma el Coraz de la Diesis (Guadalupe Torch draws multitudes and captures the heart of the diocese” (Guadalupe Torch), Brian Segovia and Lisa Geraci
• Best Reporting on Immigration – Spanish: “Parroquias Ajustan Actividades Ante Presencia de Patrulla Fronteriza en Charlotte” (immigration), Brian Segovia and Lisa Geraci
• Best Feature Writing – Spanish: “Desde Mooresville Hasta Huánuco: ‘Entre Fronteras’ Conecta Feligreses en un Mismo Latido,” (radio outreach), Brian Segovia

Second place

• Best Newspaper among non-weekly U.S. and Canadian diocesan newspapers: Catholic News Herald staff 
• Best In-depth News/Special Reporting – Non-Weekly: “2025 Eucharistic Congress,” Catholic News Herald staff
• Best Media Kit: “Catholic News Herald Media Kit 2025,” David Puckett and Kevin Eagan 

Third place

• Best Analysis/Background/Round-Up News Writing – The Gerard E. Sherry Award – Non-Weekly: “Disciple Maker Index: From Believers to Disciples,” Patricia L. Guilfoyle

Honorable mention

• Best News Writing – Single Article – National Event: “Catholic Charities Navigates Refugee Funding Halt,” Liz Chandler and Christina Lee Knauss 
• Best Single Advertisement Small Space: “St. Luke Music Director,” David Puckett and Kevin Eagan 
• Best News Writing on a Local Event – Non-Weekly: “Thank God for Sending Angels,” Christina Lee Knauss
• Best Reporting on the Celebration of a Sacrament: “Finding Their Way Home: Spirit-Filled Journeys of New Catholics in the Charlotte Diocese,” Lisa Geraci

— Catholic News Herald

A Knight of Columbus for 51 years, Cikanovich rose early on a Friday morning to join dozens of others from the Diocese of Wilmington who took part in the 6 a.m. Eucharistic procession led by Bishop William E. Koenig. Processors with guitars led hymns, while others sang and prayed quietly along the way as the sun rose beyond the sand and the Atlantic Ocean beside them.

"To walk with Jesus on the boardwalk is amazing," Kathleen Higgins told The Dialog, news outlet of the Diocese of Wilmington. "I never thought it would happen."

The Eucharistic procession was part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, whose nine "perpetual pilgrims" spent June 11-12 in the Diocese of Wilmington, which covers Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore. The pilgrims joined the 17-block sunrise procession, ready to explain to onlookers what the procession was, and who the Eucharist is.

Eddie Gutierrez, a perpetual pilgrim from Phoenix, encountered two men on the boardwalk whom he said were "perhaps still wandering from the night before."

"I introduced myself and told them who we were, and what we were doing," he wrote in a blog post for OSV News. "I said, 'We're out here praying for people, praying for unity, brother,' and one quickly and hastily responded, 'Can we pray for me right now, please?'"

Gutierrez prayed with them on the spot.

"This is always my favorite encounter because it's so natural and people are so hungry for prayer, and it's a perfect opportunity to let them know Who and What they are seeking is Jesus in the Eucharist," he wrote.

The young men asked Gutierrez to pray that they stop drinking and take ownership of their own lives, he said.

"They hugged each other and hugged me in a prayer circle, and we asked God to free them of any chains they had and asked him to guide them always. After we finished the prayer, they were smiling and grateful -- they truly felt like beloved sons in that moment," he wrote.

Similar opportunities for evangelization were plentiful as the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's caravan of perpetual pilgrims continued northward along the East Coast, heading from the Diocese of Wilmington and through the New Jersey dioceses of Camden (June 12-14) and Paterson (June 14-15), before taking a two-day private retreat at the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in New York City June 16-17.

Pilgrims' first stop in the Diocese of Camden June 12 was for Mass and a Eucharistic procession at St. Mary's Parish in Gloucester City, the location of the first European settlement in New Jersey, Fort Nassau, which was established in 1623. The parish, founded in 1848, is the diocese's oldest.

At a June 13 Mass in Ventnor City, New Jersey, ahead of a second boardwalk procession with participants in the diocese's senior care ministry, Bishop Joseph A. Williams of Camden noted that the perpetual pilgrims had, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus the day before, crossed the Delaware River "just like George Washington" to bring "the Heart of Jesus into South Jersey," according to the Catholic Star Herald, the diocesan newspaper.

Another procession in Haddonfield, New Jersey, marked the place the New Jersey General Assembly met in 1777 to declare the colony an independent state. With the theme "One Nation Under God," the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage has included sites important to the United States' founding and Catholic history.

In the Diocese of Paterson, more than 1,700 people participated in a morning procession and Mass in Passaic, New Jersey, June 14. The next day included Divine Liturgy with the state's Byzantine Catholic community in Woodland Park, followed by another procession leading to Mass that evening in the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Paterson.

Writing in The Beacon, the publication of the Diocese of Paterson, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney called the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage "just one of countless ways that we do what Jesus asks us to do as he sends us out to His people, the sheep of His flock, 'As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand,'" referring to the Gospel reading from Sunday, June 14.

The celebration in Passaic featured witness talks by popular speakers Father Rafael Capó of the Archdiocese of Miami and Father Heriberto García from Jalisco state in Mexico, who focused on how lives are transformed when influenced by the Eucharist.

Father Capó told pilgrims, "Let the Eucharist influence your mission until it becomes your way of life -- until you stop keeping Christ to yourself and share him with the world," The Beacon reported.

The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage launched on Pentecost Sunday, which coincided with Memorial Day weekend, from St. Augustine, Florida, home to the oldest site of a continuous Catholic presence in what is now the United States. Its caravan of perpetual pilgrims has traveled northward along the East Coast and will reach Maine before heading to Philadelphia for the Independence Day weekend.

At their retreat at the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine in Manhattan, the pilgrims will have the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Frances Cabrini, this year's route patroness -- which happens to fall on the same week Pope Leo XIV plans to venerate her heart in northern Italy.

The pilgrims will then spend June 18-20 in the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts, and June 20-23 in the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire.

 — Cathy Rossi / The Dialog, OSV News

Recipients of the award, named after the servant for the poorest of the poor, are recognized for humble service, compassion, generosity, and dedication to others, and for echoing Mother Teresa’s dedication to doing small things with great love.

A parishioner since 1998, Robie has devoted much of his professional life to serving the poor and underserved. A physician specializing in Internal Medicine, he has worked with the Pacific and Caribbean Island Outreach Program to provide medical care in remote and impoverished communities. He continues this ministry as one of three physicians serving at the Community Care Center Clinic, where free healthcare is provided to those in need.

In 2020, he became involved with the Joseph-Mary Foundation, established by Father Peter Nouck to support the educational and healthcare needs of young people in Cameroon. He helped coordinate the shipment of medical equipment and supplies and assisted in the development of a $2.4 million hospital that has dramatically improved healthcare outcomes in the region.

Within Holy Family Parish, Robie previously taught Religious Education to second grade and middle school students and currently serves as a soundboard operator at the Saturday evening Mass while leading the monthly Rosary before Mass.

Robie and his wife, Joan, recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. Together they have three children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

— LeiLanie D'Agostino

Each year, the nine-month pilgrimage starts in March and ends on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The pilgrimage, which honors Our Lady of Guadalupe and expresses international unity and dedication to the sanctity of life, began in 1960, when the first live rose was blessed by a bishop in Ontario. Today, eight silver roses travel different routes throughout North America, several of which begin in Canada and end in Mexico. 

Father Lucas Rossi, pastor of St. John the Evangelist, led a bilingual prayer service, litany and rosary, followed by a gathering in the parish hall. Mark DeMarco welcomed visitors on behalf of the Knights of Columbus, who host the program. 

In 2001, when Carl Anderson, past Supreme Knight of the Knight of Columbus, expanded the Silver Rose Program, he told those gathered for their annual meeting in Toronto,

“Through (the Silver Rose Program) we honor not only Our Lady of Guadalupe and express unity of the (Knights of Columbus), but we also reaffirm the Order’s dedication to the sanctity of human life. It is to the Blessed Mother that we turn in prayer as we work to end the Culture of Death that grips our society. As we think in terms of ‘One Life, One Rose,’ it is most appropriate that we turn to Our Lady of Guadalupe who made known her will through Juan Diego, and the miracle of roses.”

— Gail Webb

ORLANDO, Florida — Headlining the June 10 public session of the U.S. bishops' spring plenary in Orlando were addresses by the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, along with a preliminary presentation on proposed updates to the bishops' landmark document on protection policies for children and minors.

A highlight in the afternoon was a report on World Youth Day 2027, accompanied by a gift of traditional Asian paper fans for each bishop from South Korea -- whose capital, Seoul, will host the international event.

In a morning presentation, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, said the bishops are reviewing proposed updates to the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," seeking to define key terms while balancing care for victim-survivors with accused clergy's right to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.

The suggested changes would keep the charter focused "exclusively" on clergy abuse of minors, with a new document being developed to address abuse involving vulnerable adults, Bishop Knestout said. Voting on the agenda item was scheduled for June 11.

He said the revised text includes a glossary of terms in response to diocesan requests, and -- drawing on canon law -- the integration of"the right of an accused to the presumption of innocence."

Following the presentation, Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas -- citing several factors, and calling for a "more synodal approach" -- asked if it would be possible to suspend the vote on the revisions pending further consultation among presbyteral councils and diocesan review boards.

At the start of the public session, Msgr. Michael J.K. Fuller, the USCCB's general secretary, read a message from the U.S. bishops to Pope Leo XIV thanking him for his new encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" and for shining "the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise" of artificial intelligence and "emerging technologies."

The bishop said the pope's teaching is a timely reminder that human life and dignity must remain at the center of technological development. Marking the first year of Pope Leo's pontificate, they prayed that he would continue to be a guiding light for both the Church and the wider world.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City gave his first address to the body of bishops as USCCB president, having been elected during the conference's annual fall meeting in November 2025.

The Church must "put out into the deep" and "create hope in Christ," he said. He told the bishops he was "especially pleased to recognize the impact" of the USCCB's special message on migration, released during the conference's November 2025 plenary assembly amid the Trump administration's hardline crackdown on immigration, which has seen sweeping mass detentions and deportations.

The USCCB message "demonstrated our united concern as pastors for the dignity of every person, especially our migrant brothers and sisters," said Archbishop Coakley.

Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia gave his inaugural address to the bishops as nuncio to the U.S.
He was named to his new post in March, after having previously served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations.

In his remarks, he highlighted the consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, urged the bishops to fulfill their mission as missionary disciples by welcoming immigrants in their midst, and reminded his brother bishops he is there for them, especially in moments when their responsibilities as episcopal shepherds leads them to feel isolated.

"My service here is one of listening, trust, and shared discernment within the Church that we are all serving together," Archbishop Caccia said.

In the late afternoon, as chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, Bishop Edward J. Burns of Dallas gave a report on World Youth Day 2027, which is to take place Aug. 3-8 in Seoul, and he introduced Auxiliary Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee of Seoul, general coordinator for WYD 2027, who brought traditional Asian folding fans as a gift to the bishops.

Bishop Burns said some 10,000 to 15,000 young pilgrims will travel to South Korea, a number he said would be comparable to the U.S. presence at WYD in Brazil (2013) and in Panama (2019).

Bishop Lee said he hopes all U.S. bishops will inspire young people of their dioceses to participate in the global event. The bishop detailed how the Catholic Church of Korea began in the hands of the laypeople, became strengthened by the blood of 10,000-plus martyrs, and served as a sanctuary for democracy and human rights.

"I have a simple hope that by the end of this presentation, Seoul will feel a little less far away," Bishop Lee said. After the Korean War (1950-1953), he said, "Korea was one of the poorest countries of the world. In 80 years, Korea moved from devastation to renewal. The hardships did not have the final world. Hope can renew and heal a nation."

Bishop Lee also spoke about three special WYD events that are to take place with Pope Leo XIV -- a meeting with people facing hardships, interreligious dialogue, and prayers for world peace.

World Youth Day promises to be a "powerful opportunity" for young people from across the globe to witness how "God's love never ceases, regardless of circumstances," the bishop said, adding that three special events with Pope Leo XIV are planned -- a meeting with people facing hardships, interreligious dialogue and prayers for world peace.

The bishops also heard from mathematical biologist Santiago Schnell, a Catholic scientist and provost of Dartmouth University. He was invited to speak June 10 by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, USCCB secretary and chair of its Committee on Priorities and Plans.

The talk anticipated the bishops' discussion of the 25th anniversary of the USCCB's implementation of "Ex Corde Ecclesia," St. John Paul II's apostolic constitution on Catholic universities.

The Catholic imagination needs to be reawakened in academic life to nurture leaders who can become "voices for the Catholic Church," Schnell advised the nation's bishops.

During his presentation, Schnell -- formerly dean of the University of Notre Dame's College of Science -- warned that Catholics were, as his presentation title asserted, "educated, yet absent" from American intellectual life.

"The Catholic paradox is that we have a massive infrastructure of higher education with average outcomes," said Schnell. "We are not educating sufficient Catholics in our Catholic higher educational system. And we're not educating them, actually, to become leaders."

The bishops also heard a preliminary presentation on portions of two texts for consideration: a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass, which provides the Scripture readings and psalm for each day's liturgy; and the 2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement.

In a voice vote they showed support for the local advancement of two separate American canonization causes: Bishop Daniel J. Felton of Duluth, Minnesota, gave a presentation on the cause opened in his diocese for pioneer missionary priest Msgr. Joseph Buh and Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami presented the cause of entrepreneur-turned-evangelist John Rick Miller.

The consultation of a body of bishops -- at either the regional or national level -- is required by Church legislation governing the canonization process as a cause gets underway.

— Julie Asher, OSV News

Church must 'put out into the deep,' offer hope in Christ to all, says USCCB president

ORLANDO, Florida — The Church must "put out into the deep" and "create hope in Christ," said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The archbishop shared his thoughts in his opening address at the USCCB's annual spring plenary assembly, taking place June 10-12 in Orlando.

The public sessions of the meeting, June 10 and 11, were being livestreamed through the USCCB's website at usccb.org.

Archbishop Coakley opened the public sessions with his first address as USCCB president, having been elected during the conference's annual fall meeting in November 2025.

He began his remarks with a lighthearted quote of a comment Blessed John Paul I reportedly made to the cardinals upon his papal election: "May God forgive you for what you have done.”

Also speaking to the bishops was Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, who was appointed as papal nuncio to the U.S. in March, having previously served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations. Archbishop Caccia succeeded Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who turned 80 in January and had served in the post since 2016.

The meeting will see expected votes on several action items on the USCCB's agenda, which was publicly released June 8.

Among those items are revisions to the USCCB's "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," adopted in 2002 and updated at regular intervals over the ensuing years; episcopal consultations for the canonization causes of Slovenian missionary priest Msgr. Joseph Francis Buh and lay American John Rick Miller; and proposed adjustments to portions of several liturgical texts. Presentations on several initiatives, such as Catholic prison ministry and World Youth Day 2027, were also scheduled.

In his address, Archbishop Coakley said he was "especially pleased to recognize the impact" of the USCCB's special message on migration, which was released during the conference's November 2025 plenary assembly under Archbishop Coakley's predecessor as USCCB president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese of the Military Services.

The statement, overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. bishops, came amid the Trump administration's hardline crackdown on immigration, which has seen sweeping mass detentions and deportations.

The USCCB message "demonstrated our united concern as pastors for the dignity of every person, especially our migrant brothers and sisters," said Archbishop Coakley.

He noted that "the concern, the grief over how people are being treated, expressed in our message, remains as relevant now," adding, "We continue to advocate for “meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.”

Archbishop Coakley said he was "grateful" for the unity of the U.S. bishops with each other and with Pope Leo XIV, whom he quoted frequently in his comments.

The archbishop said that during the past six months of his tenure as USCCB president, he had returned "many times" to Luke 5:4, the Scripture verse that he chose for his episcopal motto: "Duc in altum."

"It is the verse from the Gospel according to St. Luke where the Lord says to Peter, 'Put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch,'" he explained.

The words are not only a source of comfort but "a command and a challenge," said Archbishop Coakley.

Both the Church and its bishops are "commanded to put out into the deep water, to move beyond our comfort zones and the safe places where we can maintain our illusions of safety and control."

He added, "Obeying this command is perhaps more necessary at this moment than ever."

Archbishop Coakley pointed to current challenges such as "constant flux … forced migration, polarization, disruptions, climatic, and economic upheavals, artificial intelligence, and wars," as well as the struggles of those who "are wondering what it even means to be a human person."

To restore hope, he said, "the truth of Christ must be proclaimed all the more confidently."

Peace, "which is the heart of the truth of Christ, always brings hope," said Archbishop Coakley.

Threats to that hope include attacks on human dignity, especially against "the unborn … the elderly … the sick and suffering," he said.

He also cited "the violence of war and injustice," as well as "the scourge of racism," "abuse, disdain and contempt -- especially towards the poor, the stranger, the condemned and the outcast."

Restoring hope "necessitates preaching" that "life is a gift from God," said Archbishop Coakley. "Every life has value and dignity, and we cannot forfeit that dignity, even when it is besmirched by sin and wickedness. It comes from God."

That truth "will renew hope in the hardest of hearts," he said.

Another threat is polarization "within our country, and even within our Church," said the archbishop, who described such division as "a scandal that can only be overcome through encounter, through the cultivation of interpersonal relationships and conversations between those who may disagree."

"We must never give up on those who are different or see things differently," he said.

Archbishop Coakley said that the "record numbers" entering the Church this year and prior were both "a great sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit" and "a further example of how we need to put out into the deep."

The bishops' current mission directive, "to reach out to the disaffiliated and the unaffiliated, remains a major task in helping to restore hope," he said.

Looking ahead to the U.S. bishops' June 11 consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Archbishop Coakley said he was "reminded how deep, unfathomable, and profound is the love that lives in that heart, and how it embraces the entire world."

"It excludes no one," he said. "Can there be a greater message of hope? Can a greater gift of hope be offered? It is the love flowing from the Sacred Heart of Jesus that feeds our hope."

— Gina Christian, OSV News

Nuncio to U.S. bishops: Truth of human heart comes from the heart of Christ

ORLANDO, Florida — The new apostolic nuncio to the United States told the U.S. bishops June 10 their "generosity and collaboration" will assist him in carrying out his new mission "at the service of communion and peace."

Those words were offered by Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia in his inaugural address to the bishops as nuncio to the U.S. during the first public session of their June 10-12 spring plenary at the Omni Resort at ChampionsGate near Orlando.

He gave thanks to his "brother bishops" for their fraternal welcome and turned to the new president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops -- Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City -- and said "so we begin together."

The two prelates both addressed the assembly for the first time in their current positions; the nuncio was named in March, after having previously served as the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations, and the new USCCB president was elected last November.

In his address, Archbishop Caccia highlighted the consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, urged the bishops to fulfill their mission as missionary disciples by welcoming immigrants in their midst, and reminded his brother bishops he is there for them, especially in moments when their responsibilities as episcopal shepherds leads them to feel isolated.

"My service here is one of listening, trust, and shared discernment within the Church that we are all serving together," Archbishop Caccia said.

Grateful for the U.S. bishop's fraternal welcome, the archbishop remarked how "beautiful is the image of unity of brother bishops gathered," sharing the same sprit and fulfilling the same mission. He added if he were to encapsulate his feelings in a few words, it would be "great esteem for the Church in America," which he said has "given so much to the universal church, even giving us our pope."

But he added that esteem does mean "wounds that remain in the life of the Church" should be ignored.

"I see the election of Pope Leo as a gift of the Holy Spirit, encouraging the Church in this country, on one hand to foster what is best in her tradition and on the other to continue facing with determination those wounds in her recent history that have caused much suffering especially through the cases of abuse," he told the U.S. bishops.

"As the (Second Vatican) Council reminds us, the Church is at once holy and always in need of being purified. Let us pray and work together for her renewal, so that her witness may be credible, her communities safe and her mission ever more faithful to the Gospel."

Leaders of the Church are called to witness to one another the "peace of the risen Christ," borrowing the words of Pope Leo XIV, as a peace that is "unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering," and a peace of God’s unconditional love.

As "builders of peace," Archbishop Caccia said the formal consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will occur at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe June 11, would serve as a "spiritual center" of the assembly.

"When the heart is lost, the person becomes fragmented. When the heart is healed, life can find unity again," the archbishop said. "From the heart of Christ, the Church learns the truth of the human heart: its dignity, its wounds, its desire for God, and its need for communion."

Archbishop Caccia said the U.S. Church certainly understands the missionary spirit, as its young history benefited from the missionaries who arrived on U.S. shores from other lands.

But he said the Church sends missionaries and awakens missionary disciples not just to go to foreign lands, but to welcome immigrants seeking hope in the United States. He said bishops should meet immigrants "with the charity of Christ, to recognize their dignity, and to help them find a place in the life of the community is also part of a missionary Church."

Before his closing remarks, the archbishop gifted each U.S. bishop a pocket-sized booklet containing the two dogmatic constitutions of the Second Vatican Council: "Lumen Gentium," on (on the Church) and "Dei Verbum" (on Divine Revelation). He said the constitutions "remind us who the Church is, and how the Church listens to the Word of God."

"They bring us back to the sources of our communion and mission," he told the bishops. "This continuity is important. We are not beginning again from zero. We receive a living tradition; and above all, we receive the love of Christ, poured out from his heart for the life of the world."

 — Jean Gonzalez, OSV News

U.S. bishops consider updates to landmark child protection policies

ORLANDO, Florida — The U.S. Catholic bishops are reviewing proposed updates to their landmark document on protection policies for children and minors, seeking to define key terms while balancing care for victim-survivors with accused clergy's right to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.

The potential revisions were preliminarily introduced June 10 during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' spring plenary assembly in Orlando.

The suggested changes would keep the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" focused "exclusively" on clergy abuse of minors, with a new document being developed to address abuse involving vulnerable adults, said Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, in his introductory remarks.

Joining Bishop Knestout on the dais were Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York, chair of the USCCB's Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; and Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, chair of the USCCB's Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance. Both committees have also weighed in on charter updates, as have the USCCB's general counsel and its consultative National Review Board.

The charter -- instituted by the USCCB in 2002 as a number of clerical abuse scandals emerged -- lays out a comprehensive set of procedures for addressing allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. Commonly called the Dallas Charter, the document also includes guidelines for reconciliation, healing, accountability and prevention of abuse.

A year after the charter's most recent revision in 2018, Pope Francis issued the motu proprio "Vos Estis Lux Mundi" ("You are the light of the world"), outlining global legal procedures for how the church should deal with clergy sexual abuse, including procedures for investigating bishops. The updated 2023 version included the specific term "vulnerable adults," and extended investigations to leaders of Vatican-recognized international Catholic lay associations and movements.

Bishop Knestout said that "forthcoming documents" are expected from the Vatican, "specifically the Universal Guidelines Framework being prepared by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and canonical legislation on spiritual abuse."

Both of those "may impact" the charter, he said.

Bishop Knestout noted that "none of the proposed modifications" to the charter would require changes to the U.S. bishops' 2005 essential norms, which are the particular application of the Church's canon law on the issue to the Church in the U.S.

He said the revised text includes a glossary of terms "in response to repeated requests from dioceses on having more consistent definitions."

In addition, said Bishop Knestout, proposed revisions -- drawing on canon law -- integrate "the right of an accused to the presumption of innocence."

Additional modifications include "the clear allowance for electronic letters of suitability," and "an added reference to the protection of information under the seal of the Sacrament of Penance," he said.

He also noted that among the general provisions under "Vos Estis" is "the identification of mandatory Church reporters to complement mandatory reporting to civil authorities.

Following the presentation, Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas -- citing several factors -- asked if it would be possible to suspend the vote on the revisions pending further consultation among presbyteral councils and diocesan review boards. The latter are consultative bodies required under the charter, with members assisting bishops in their assessment of abuse allegations.

In particular, ArchbIshop McKnight pointed to concerns over the revisions "will impact known victims, as well as unknown" and priests.

In response, Bishop Knestout - acknowledging that the charter is "not a perfect document" -- noted that consultation on the revision has been "occuring for about five years," with "input received on multiple occasions from bishops."

Archbishop McKnight, while affirming "there has been extensive consultation over many years," said that "a lot has happened" since 2022, the last year that, as he was aware, consultations had taken place.

"There are a lot of new bishops that have been appointed since that time," he observed, while calling for a "more synodal" approach, with "better feedback and buy-in" regarding "how we're addressing these issues."

Archbishop McKnight underscored the need "make it very clear and not create more ambiguity" with respect to the charter.

The USCCB is expected to further debate and vote on the proposed charter revisions June 11.

— Gina Christian, OSV News

In a “real estate summit” last month, the diocese brought together Church leaders and Catholic professionals in the fields of real estate, development, law, construction and finance to help shape a comprehensive strategy for managing its property portfolio and future needs.

The summit examined how real estate can help address challenges created by growth – including overcrowded churches, rising school enrollment, expanding ministries and emerging pastoral needs. The goal is not simply to buy more land or construct new buildings, leaders said, but to anticipate and respond to real estate needs to more effectively serve its communities.

“As a significant landowner in western North Carolina, we need to be nimble as we invite and attract more people into the Catholic Church,” said Bishop Michael Martin, who convened the summit to seek advice and foster relationships with industry experts.

“We need to prepare now,” he said, “for realities we anticipate will be playing out in 20 years in our churches, schools and ministries.”

A comprehensive strategy would inform and guide future decisions about property acquisitions and sales, development opportunities and facility investments. It would help the diocese stay ahead of real estate trends and pay attention to areas in need of the Church’s presence as communities grow.

An estimated 575,000 Catholics live within the 46 counties encompassed by the diocese, and projections indicate another 30% increase in population by 2050.

“We’ve got a lot more people we’re trying to serve now,” said Emmett Sapp, the diocese’s director of real estate and construction, “so we’re looking at all the different ways to respond to that.” The diocese is already building to accommodate the influx – with more than 80 parish, school and ministry projects undertaken since 2018. The diocese owns or oversees more than 100 properties from Greensboro to Asheville and beyond, including 93 churches and 20 schools.

Summit participant David Longo, chairman of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and member of St. Matthew Parish in south Charlotte, said just as businesses do, the diocese must be ready to act when opportunities emerge.

“A comprehensive real estate strategy will give the diocese a consistent, overarching framework for making decisions, leveraging opportunities and finding creative ways to manage growth,” said Longo, one of a dozen local leaders who will continue to help guide the diocese.

A real estate strategy would help determine whether to expand a church or build a new one, purchase adjacent property near a parish or school, and acquire land in fast-growing areas for future ministry sites.

It would also help leaders further evaluate major projects, among them:

• The future of the diocese’s aging Pastoral Center in uptown Charlotte
• The possible location of a new parish in Charlotte that could also serve as a future cathedral site
• Planning for possible Catholic schools in currently underserved areas.

Complicating the diocese’s ability to respond to growth, leaders noted, is the fact that securing land is becoming more difficult as costs rise and availability declines. Land acquisition is among the diocese’s priorities in its $150 million philanthropic initiative “Making Room – for More to Know the Love of Jesus,” which the diocese launched this month.

Diocesan leaders said they were inspired by the urgency of growth as well as the diocese’s history of strategic investments. In the 1980s, then-Bishop John Donoghue and his chancellor, Monsignor John McSweeney, bought land along the future Interstate 485 corridor before the Charlotte beltway was built, enabling the eventual establishment of St. Matthew, St. Mark and St. Luke parishes. Today, those congregations are among the diocese’s largest, serving 50,000 people.

Acquiring land in high-growth areas is only one option, Sapp said. Others might include expanding facilities, creating new parishes, or adding Masses to accommodate more people. Another focus is the diocese’s inventory of vacant and underutilized land.

The summit marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to ensure responsible stewardship of the resources, said Matt Ferrante, the diocese’s chief financial officer.

A Real Estate and Facilities Subcommittee is also being formed under the recently expanded Diocesan Finance Council to bring together professionals with deep expertise who will help advise diocesan leaders.

Leaders agree the goal is to take a forward-looking approach, rather than waiting until growth pressures become critical.

“We know the growth occurring throughout western North Carolina will continue to shape the needs of our parishes, schools and ministries,” Ferrante said. “Our goal is to be proactive, strategic and thoughtful in how we steward our facilities and real estate resources in support of the Church’s mission.”

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle

Terry Goitom, accompanied by her daughter, Nighisti Tecle, traveled to Lourdes, France, as a “malade” – a person with an aggressive disease seeking healing.

“Even before the cancer, there was Lourdes. I had always wanted to go,” Goitom said. “This, to me, is a big miracle.”

This May, more than a dozen Order of Malta members from the Diocese of Charlotte traveled to Lourdes, France, to convene with global members of the oldest lay religious order for their annual pilgrimage.

Together, knights and dames carried “Malades” – people suffering from aggressive ailments – in pull-carts across the 130-acre sanctuary nestled next to the Gave de Pau River, which offers spiritual and healing pathways.

“Bringing the malades to the waters is just so fulfilling,” the region hospitaller for Charlotte, Dame Ellen Linares, said. “People are really able to see love in action, what Christ wanted us to be on Earth.”

Goitom was the chosen malade from the Diocese of Charlotte, and her daughter, Nighisti Tecle, was her designated companion.

The two were escorted by Order of Malta members and led through candlelight processions, brought to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes Basilica for Masses, taken to the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto apparition site for prayer, and assisted to the famed healing baths.

Dignitaries such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Cardinal Arthur Roche and Jesuit Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda took turns preaching homilies full of hope and love.

Lourdes has been recognized as a healing site since 1858, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous and instructed her to dig.

Dutifully, she burrowed through the dried mud Mary pointed to and drank the first dirty water that sprang from the hole. The next day, the puddle was transformed into a giant clear spring that still thrives.

More than 4 million pilgrims visit the site each year to bathe in the healing springs that are home to more than 7,000 recorded healings and 72 medical miracles confirmed by the Vatican.

Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey was there to greet her when she arrived in Lourdes.

The road to Lourdes

Goitom has felt a personal connection to Lourdes, through Belmont Abbey’s campus replica grotto, since 2021. Fittingly, she rolled off the plane in Lourdes and right into the arms of Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey, who blessed and prayed over her and her daughter.

For many years, she visited the Abbey every morning for Mass and then prayed the rosary at the grotto, where she discussed plans with Mary for how it would be when she was able to go to Lourdes.

On Valentine’s Day in 2023, Goitom went to Mass, but her side hurt too much to do much else. After months of physical therapy, a trip to the emergency room showed a misdiagnosis; it was an aggressive cancer causing her pain.

Turning to our lady for help

Goitom prayed in the St. Joseph Adoration Chapel all that night. When her daughter Tecle, whose father was also in ill health, learned of her mother’s diagnosis, she fell into despair.

“I wanted my mom to be healed. It broke my heart,” she said. “I thought I was not praying enough, and I was getting punished because of me fleeing from the Church.”

For her birthday on Feb. 11, which is also the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, Tecle visited the abbey grotto in the pouring rain and prayed.

“I said I know I am not your strongest Christian, but my mom is sick and she really wants to go to Lourdes,” Tecle begged.

Two weeks later, Don Meanor of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte called Goitom. They were going to Lourdes – Frank Grass, Order of Malta Knight and fellow member of St. Gabriel Parish, sponsored her and Tecle.

His wife, like Goitom, fell victim to ovarian cancer. He still wears the teal bracelet the couple received when she was diagnosed and has the bottle of holy water from Lourdes that he placed on her forehead every night. He now carries the hope of physical healing Goitom may experience in her place.

“Don saw this opportunity and batted for us. If it wasn’t for him, Frank and the Order of Malta. I don’t think it ever would have happened,” Tecle said.

In Lourdes, Goitom was given a sticker with her name and placed it on the largest candle she ever saw, which was put on the grotto rocks where passersby could pray for the malades. The candle burned all week, and she said she can still recall feeling its flame.

When they first saw the spring and grotto, the mother and daughter were overwhelmed.

“It was so beautiful, I couldn’t even take a picture. I just wanted to soak in every moment of it,” Tecle said. “It brought us to tears because we realized where we were and all the prayers and support it took us to get there.”

Meeting the other malades made Goitom’s own diagnosis fade.

“Some of the malade stories were so sad,” said Goitom. “All of us were there for the same reason, and it was amazing to see people still fighting, still smiling, still having so much faith.”

When Goitom was led to the bath waters, she prayed while the people surrounding her sang “Ave Maria.”

“People say there is a thin veil between heaven and earth, and I felt it. I felt warmth all through my body,” Goitom said. “When I was in the bath, I wanted to fully submerge, and it touched my heart. I was saying remove this cancer from my body. I felt very close to God. I was not fearful, just peaceful. Mary brought me there. I planned in all types of ways, but it never happened, but she got me there her own way.”

And, as the baths soothed Goitom, Tecle felt her own strength in Mary while she walked the life-sized Stations of the Cross.

“Mary was watching someone she loved suffer, and she was helpless,” Tecle said. “It was at the Ninth Dtation of the Cross when I cried. I understood why I was there. I know when I leave this place, I know that I will never truly be alone in my burdens.”

Goitom does not know if she may be cured, but this trip taught her to surrender her burden to God.

“I don’t have any fear,” Goitom said. “I am praying and waiting. I have learned in my experience to surrender it to God. The doctors say something, but God has the final say, and I am not scared.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

Father Sullivan, who often credits daily Mass at St. Matthew with helping him discern the brotherhood and priesthood, will be saying a Mass of Thanksgiving at 10:45 a.m. June 21 in St. Matthew Church. His new assignment, effective July 1, will be at St. Francis Church in Hackensack, New Jersey. 

— Photos courtesy of Patty Armstrong

Charlotte Catholic High School’s girls soccer team pulled off a dream season, going undefeated to rank first in the nation and to win the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 6A state title. 

“(It) was an amazing moment,” says Charlotte Catholic left forward Marguerite McPhillips, celebrating at a May 26 team get-together. “We all are so close, such a tight knit community, and we all wanted this for each other…We knew what had to be done, and we put it all out there.” 

Charlotte Catholic’s lacrosse program also achieved a coup with both the girls and boys teams winning state championships.

Overall, the Cougars spring championships topped off a banner year in which student athletes captured a total of seven team state championships, the most of any NCHSAA school in North Carolina.   

Christ the King High School also won state championships in girls soccer and boys golf this spring. 

“There was so much joy in the moment when we won,” says Christ the King soccer coach Brooke Bradt, whose team won their fourth 2A state championship last week, despite a season plagued with injuries and challenges. 

Combined with the five state championships captured last fall, the diocese’s Catholic Schools won a total of 10 titles for the 2025-26 school year – plus additional state championships captured by individual athletes. 

Catholic Schools Superintendent Greg Monroe attributes the athletic success to the investment teachers and coaches make in their students – as well as the modeling and support of families. Also, he cites:

• Catholic School athletes are typically strong academically, he says, and “the discipline required to excel in the classroom translates to excellence on the field.” 
• Catholic Schools are relatively small, so students often play multiple sports, cross-training that makes them stronger in their preferred sports.
• Many students have been playing together for years, moving through Catholic Schools together beginning in elementary school. “They get along, they have good chemistry, and they play to each other’s strengths,” Monroe says.

Here’s a closer look at the spring victories:

Charlotte Catholic soccer 

The girls team won 1-0 over the Jacksonville Cardinals in the May 29 title game. The team learned earlier in the day they had been ranked No. 1 in the country by nationally recognized high school sports tracker MaxPreps. 

Junior Savannah Leckner scored the winning – and only – goal. 

Right wing Mary Martin Spinner cites one key to the championship: “We never took a game lightly and we always showed up and put the work in. Honestly, I feel like we really deserved the championship this year, and we got it done.” 

Longtime Cougar soccer coach Gary Hoilett agrees. “The girls just had a fantastic year. They bonded well, they played as a team and from the beginning of the season showed determination.”

Christ the King soccer 

The girls team overcame a challenging season to win the 2A state championship on May 29 with a 3-0 victory over Franklin Academy from Wake Forest. Junior Addison Pierce had a hattrick, scoring all three of the team’s goals. It was the team’s fourth state title in five years. 

The victory was especially sweet, coach Bradt says, following repeated challenges in the run-up to the championship, including multiple player injuries and an inability to play on their home field because of ongoing renovations. Bradt coached most of the season while expecting a baby that was born on May 1. 

“This championship meant a lot to us, especially after everything we’ve gone through this season,” she says. “With all the ups and downs and how much work the girls have put in, they deserved it one hundred percent.” 

Charlotte Catholic lacrosse

Both the girls and boys lacrosse teams won state championships May 29, in a developing division spanning 1A through 6A schools.

Both won with the same score, 9-8. 

The boys team beat Middle Creek High School from Apex in a highly anticipated matchup after the NCHSAA expanded its playoff brackets to allow more teams to compete. It was the lacrosse team’s second state championship. 

The girls team won in overtime, defeating East Chapel Hill High School. The program has two previous state championships, most recently in 2014.

Christ the King golf 

Earlier in May, the boys golf team won the program’s first state championship May 11-12 capturing the 2A championship over Mitchell High School in Bakersville. The outcome came down to the final hole, with Christ the King winning by just two strokes to gain the title with a final team score of 650.

Other state team championships: 

This spring topped off a 2025-2026 school year of state team championships for all three Catholic high schools.

Charlotte Catholic also captured state team championships in girls tennis, boys soccer, girls swimming and girls golf. 

Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville capture the boys 2A cross country state championship. 

Christ the King’s women’s cross country team also won the 2A state championships in the fall. 

Two high schools also captured club championships in sports being newly introduced to the league: Charlotte Catholic in mens rugby and Christ the King in men’s volleyball. 

Best of the Best

Athletic teams at Diocese of Charlotte Catholic High Schools won a total of 10 team state championships as  well as individual titles in spring and fall sports during 2025-26 school year.

Charlotte Catholic (6A):

Girls – golf, tennis, swimming, soccer and lacrosse.

Boys – soccer and lacrosse. Individual championships – Girls Golf (6A), Elizabeth Guthrie. Tennis (6A), Ella Davis and Madison McWilliams, doubles. Wrestling, Jackson D’Ettore - 6A 120 lb. Swimming (6A), 50 Free – Kathryn Kern, 100 Butterfly – Madi Hertzig, 100 Free – CJ Bernardo, Diving – Reagan Leckner, 200 Free Relay –  Kathryn Kern, Ellie Druhan, Olivia Jacobson and Madi Hertzig, 400 Free Relay – CJ Bernardo, Caroline Meehan, Olivia Jacobson, Madi Hertzig. 

Christ the King (2A):

Boys – golf and volleyball (1A-4A division).Individual championships – Diving, Avery Noonan.  Track, 4x800m relay – Brandi Malloy, Claire Oglesby, Shea Roche and Anna White (1A-2A division). 

Bishop McGuinness (2A): Boys – Cross country. Individual championship – Drew Pacholke.

— Christina Lee Knauss. Photo by Troy C. Hull

MADRID — More than 1.2 million people filled the streets of Madrid as Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass and led a Eucharistic procession through the heart of the Spanish capital June 7 for the solemnity of Corpus Christi, the liturgical feast celebrating the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

"We are gathered around the Eucharist, the gift of Christ's living presence among us. He who wished to offer us his life so that we might enter into communion with the Father and become his children, is here as the living Bread come down from heaven, to nourish us with the very life of God, with a love stronger than death," Pope Leo said in his homily.

"Just as Christ gives himself as food in the Eucharistic celebration, the procession shows that he is not confined to the church, but comes out to meet us," he added. "Jesus travels the streets, crosses the squares and visits our neighborhoods, dwelling in the settings of our daily lives."

-- Eucharistic grace to transform people's lives --

The pope offered Mass in the Plaza de Cibeles, the city's iconic neoclassical fountain square where several of Madrid's grand avenues converge, before leading the Corpus Christi procession that wound nearly a mile and a half through streets adorned with elaborate floral carpets crafted by local artisans from more than 30,000 carnations.

Children who recently received the sacrament of First Communion scattered flower petals and religious sisters carried candles near the front of the long procession of priests and bishops, culminating with a golden canopy under which Pope Leo carried the large monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. People in the crowd knelt down and tossed flowers as the Eucharist passed by.

In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on the power of Eucharistic grace to transform people's lives.

"It is not merely a matter of bringing out the monstrance, but of allowing ourselves to be brought out of our selfishness and indifference, of a comfortable, private faith, so as to respond to his invitation to conversion, to change our perspective, and to welcome his presence which transforms us," the pope said, telling Spaniards to live their faith courageously in the public square.

The task of Spain today and in the future, the pope said, is to "ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today."

In a country struggling with extreme political polarization and unhealed wounds of the Civil War, the pope said the living faith can transform society as "no one can kneel before the Lord" and at the same time "despise their brother."

Catholic roots of Spain can be "a school" that "teaches us of the gratuitousness of love that becomes a gift, so that it may flow among us and break the chains of all selfishness," and one "from which we learn that God is a real presence and that we too are called to be present in the realities and challenges of society, not shying away, but personally committing ourselves to the building of the common good."

-- Silent fidelity to the Eucharist --

As Pope Leo passed by in the procession, he may have recognized one of the faces in the crowd.

Twenty-eight-year-old Erci Torres from Peru, was confirmed by Pope Leo when he served as her bishop at the Santa Rosa de Lima parish in Chiclayo. Today she lives in Madrid and was thrilled to see the pope again.

"It was a very unforgettable experience," Torres told OSV News. "And to imagine that he is now the pope is incredible."

During the Mass, Pope Leo invoked St. Manuel González García, an early 20th-century Spanish bishop who passionately urged people to recognize the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Today the saint is known as "the bishop of the abandoned tabernacle" because on his tomb in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of Palencia Cathedral, it is written, "I ask to be buried next to a tabernacle, so that my bones after my death, like my tongue and my pen in life, may always be repeating to those who pass by: 'Jesus is here! Jesus is here! Do not leave him abandoned!'"

Pope Leo said, "His life reminds us that the Eucharist should be honored not only during great celebrations or on special occasions, but also through the silent fidelity of those who accompany the Lord with a humble and quiet friendship that is nourished day by day."

The pope also drew on the poetry of St. John of the Cross, who, while imprisoned in Toledo around the time of Corpus Christi in 1578, found the Lord in the darkness of his cell, which the pope described as "a presence from which emanates a light that never fades."

-- Special moment for Madrileños --

Crowds lined the major avenues leading to the plaza for hours before the Mass began, with 2,300 Eucharistic ministers needed to distribute communion to the assembled faithful. About 400 musicians provided music for the liturgy, including an orchestral ensemble.

Among the crowd was the Adam family, eight siblings who waited together for hours to take part in the papal Mass. Seventeen-year-old Patricia Adam is the second oldest of the 8 siblings. Her older sister played violin in the orchestra for the papal Mass.

"For me, my Catholic faith is living a relationship with God and with Jesus in intimacy," Adam said. "Being here with my family means a lot because it is not just a relationship one to one, but all together with God."

Nearby 23-year-old Lucia waited with her four siblings and 17 cousins as they attended the Mass together.

"Faith has always been so important to me," she said. "I have an aunt who is a nun. She is from the Missionaries of Charity. She's my best example of faith."

-- Corpus Christi: a beloved public expression of faith --

The elaborate floral carpets lining the Calle de Alcalá were created by artisans from the Galician town of Ponteareas, working alongside more than 160 volunteers. The 16 large carpets depicting Eucharistic and Christian symbols lined the streets.

"The solemn processions held on this day have for centuries shaped the piety, art, music, architecture and life of the Spanish people," Pope Leo said. "Even today, they still express and manifest the spiritual sentiments of this country through the beauty and elegance of the floral carpets, the altars erected in the streets, the carefully crafted monstrances and stands, the hymns and the liturgical vestments."

For Spaniards, Corpus Christi remains one of the country's most beloved public expressions of faith and an example of how deeply rooted popular piety remains in Spanish culture.

"This is not an exhibition," the pope said. "It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us, who becomes bread to satiate our hunger for life, and visits the recesses of our hearts and history, even those shrouded in darkness."

"May the Lord Jesus, present in the Eucharist, transform you into bread that is broken, given, and offered, so that a life of fullness may spring forth for you, for your families, and for your country."

— OSV News

'Be human as Christ is,' Pope Leo XIV tells half a million youth in Madrid

MADRID  — Pope Leo XIV urged half a million young people gathered in Madrid June 6 to reject superficiality and become "men and women of flesh and blood," telling them that the mission he entrusts to them is simply to "be human."

"The mission I entrust to you is precisely this: that you be human," the pope said during an evening prayer vigil in Madrid's Plaza de Lima. "Yes, be human: men and women of flesh and blood! Not mere appearances, but trustworthy faces."

"Be human as Christ is," he urged.

The gathering drew approximately 500,000 people and combined music, testimonies, Marian devotion and Eucharistic adoration in what organizers described as a "festival of faith." Young people began arriving hours before the pope's appearance, filling the plaza and surrounding streets in the heart of the Spanish capital.

-- Massive crowd to greet Pope Leo --

The scale of the gathering became apparent as Pope Leo tried to reach the stage. The journey along Madrid's Paseo de la Castellana stretched for more than 20 minutes as the popemobile moved slowly through the sea of pilgrims, repeatedly stopping while Pope Leo greeted the faithful. Along the route, he embraced worshippers lining the barriers and kissed dozens of babies passed forward by their parents.

Many others watched from apartment balconies and terraces overlooking the broad boulevard, creating a continuous presence along the route connecting the city center to the vigil site.

When he finally arrived at the stage in Plaza de Lima, the welcome only intensified. Thousands of young people waved Vatican and Spanish flags and broke into chants of "Esta es la juventud del Papa" ("This is the pope's youth"). Pope Leo appeared visibly moved as he paused to take in the scene before Cardinal Jose Cobo of Madrid began the final part of the evening's program.

-- Dialogue with the youth --

In a departure from the formal settings often associated with papal events, the dialogue unfolded on a stage arranged like a living room.

There, young people and the pope spoke about faith, vocation and the search for meaning, creating the impression of a conversation between generations united less by age than by a common desire to follow Christ. The exchange followed a performance from "Godspell," the musical produced by "Zorro" actor Antonio Banderas, which helped set the tone for an evening organizers described as a "festival of faith."

During a dialogue with young people, Pope Leo reflected on saints who shaped his spiritual life, including St. John Chrysostom, St. Thomas of Villanova and St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, the Spanish missionary bishop who evangelized Peru in the 16th century.

Asked about his own missionary years in Peru, the pope said he most treasured the witness of faith shown by people who faced hardship without losing hope.

"As I proclaimed the Gospel, I too was transformed by it," he said. " I have seen how the Word of God can transform conflict into peace, can be a source of reconciliation, peace, and justice."

Leo also encouraged young people to seek silence amid the noise of contemporary life.

"When we seek silence, we choose what not to listen to and which noises not to let distract us," he said. "It is in silence that we come to understand that ideologies pass away, while the truth always remains."

Pope Leo connected that invitation directly to the Eucharistic adoration that followed -- and during which the entire square fell silent.

"Eucharistic adoration, which we share this evening, is the perfect place to be silent, to open our hearts, and to 'be' ourselves in the presence of the Lord," he said.

Turning to the role of Christians in contemporary society, Pope Leo reminded the crowd that "Jesus' disciples are always people of their time, but never prisoners of a passing era."

He urged young Catholics to become missionaries in today's world, including in digital spaces, and challenged them to be "the salt of the earth and the light of the world."

-- A youth Catholic revival --

Looking around the plaza before the pope's arrival, Laura Blanco, who traveled to Madrid from Burgos with a group of 15 friends, said she sees that missionary spirit already at work among young people.

Two members of her group were baptized as children but grew up in nonreligious households, she said.

"They knew we were coming, they knew the pope was coming, and they wanted to join us," Blanco said. "One of them comes to Mass with me every day now. We study together, and we end the day by going to Mass."

Blushing, she added that faith may be playing an unexpected role in another kind of discernment.

"I think he likes me. I know I like him," she said. "Seeing how important my faith is to me, I think he's trying to get to know it well enough to see if he can live with it."

In fact, after one of the young men on the stage mentioned he was a newlywed, Pope Leo went visibly off the cuff to urge young people to "not be afraid of marriage. Do not be afraid of forming a family!"

Earlier, the pope emphasized: "Never be afraid to consider a vocation to the priesthood, religious life, or other services in the Church" -- to much applause from the crowd.

-- A blend of prayer and Spanish culture --

Before Leo arrived at Plaza de Lima, pilgrims prayed the rosary's luminous mysteries, with meditations offered by young people and accompanied by sacred art from Madrid's Prado Museum.

This part of the vigil was the prelude of the city's "White and Yellow Night," during which some of Madrid's most important museums, including the Prado, opened their doors free of charge to pilgrims and visitors ahead of the pope's Mass and the Corpus Christi procession on Sunday.

As they waited for Pope Leo's arrival, giant screens replayed images from the visits of St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to Spain. Special attention was given to the 2011 World Youth Day vigil at Madrid's Cuatro Vientos airfield, where pilgrims endured extreme heat and a violent storm before joining Pope Benedict in Eucharistic adoration.

Organizers addressed a-then-still-absent and popemobile-riding Pope Leo directly, urging him:
"Fifteen years after World Youth Day Madrid 2011, where young people discovered that together we are stronger than the elements, today more than ever we want to welcome you, Holy Father. Inspire us as your predecessors inspired our parents, grandparents and older brothers and sisters."

Father José Gabriel Vera Beorlegui, spokesman for the Spanish bishops' conference, said the pope's visit comes at a moment when many people are searching for hope amid global instability.

"The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Spain is a reason for joy for the whole Church," he said. "People are anguished by war, anger, violence, lies and corruption in the world. Christ is the light that will help the Church in Spain, but also Spanish society, move forward."

As darkness settled over Madrid, the music and celebrations gave way to silence as hundreds of thousands of young people joined Pope Leo in Eucharistic adoration, bringing to a close an evening that connected Spain's Catholic past with a new generation being called to shape its future.
 — Ines San Martin, OSV News

Pope Leo XIV calls defense of life the measure of a nation’s moral greatness in landmark parliament speech

MADRID  — In a sweeping address to the Spanish parliament, Pope Leo XIV delivered a forceful defense of the dignity of every human life, declaring that its protection is not a partisan issue but "a goal of civilization," while addressing the issues of abortion, migration, freedom of conscience, the seal of confession and the Church’s role in public life.

"If life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have? Can a community that casts into the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence, or those who depend entirely on the care of others be called fully just?" the pope asked the members of congress in his speech on June 8.

"The defense of human life is neither a partisan issue nor a confessional interest: it is a goal of civilization," he emphasized. "Every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to its natural end, in every circumstance of its existence."

It was the first time in history that a pope addressed the Spanish parliament -- a moment met with much anticipation in a country facing deep political polarization.

Ahead of the speech there had been tension among both the right and the left in Spain over what the pope would say to the legislature, known as Las Cortes Generales. In the end, Pope Leo received a seven-minute standing ovation for remarks that did not shy away from some of the most debated issues in the country.

In the 30-minute speech, touching on issues from euthanasia to artificial intelligence, the pope underlined that "every truly just society is built upon the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person," warning that when that certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable suffer first and the law loses its deepest meaning.

"The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile," the pope said.

-- A multifaceted analysis of the issue of migration in Spain --

In addressing the highly polarizing issue of migration in Spain, Pope Leo gave a multifaceted analysis, saying no nation can handle the challenge alone and calling migration "an eminently moral and legal issue" requiring a coordinated response that addresses root causes.

"The situation of migrants and refugees calls for a response that focuses on people, addresses the root causes that force them to leave, and goes beyond the mere management of migration flows," Pope Leo said.

He described a twofold demand for social justice: offering safe and legal pathways with real integration opportunities, while also promoting the right to remain in one's homeland by addressing lack of peace, security, and decent living conditions.

The pope also called for stronger prevention and rescue efforts for trafficking victims through regional and multilateral cooperation.

"The affirmation of human dignity cannot remain abstract when so many people are forced to leave everything behind in search of peace, security, and a future," he said.

"The tragic drama of migration also challenges the conscience of nations and the ethical foundation of the international order today."

-- Freedom of conscience and the seal of confession --

Pope Leo offered a strong defense of freedom of conscience in the parliament chamber, underlining what he called the duty to protect the inner space where personal convictions, conscience and faith develop.

He described "freedom of thought, conscience and religion" as a fundamental right protecting the most intimate sphere of the person.

"The freedom upon which the contemporary state is built, if it is authentic, recognizes the religious dimension of the human person, respects it and protects it legally; and it ensures that faith is not a reason for which a person has to forfeit his or her contribution to society," he said.

"Without confusing the legal sphere with the moral one, it is also worth recalling that freedom must be understood in its fullness. Being free does not simply mean being free from coercion or having many choices; it means being able to recognize the good and commit to it responsibly," he added.

The pope connected the seal of confession to religious freedom, describing it as part of the broader space that guarantees religious communities their own sphere of life and internal discipline.

Protecting it legally, he said, preserves "a sacred space of inner freedom, where the believer can open his or her soul to God without fear of external pressures."

-- The importance of the family --

Pope Leo called the family "the primary human reality and the natural foundation of community," saying that where families are upheld, the spiritual and social stability of nations is strengthened. He described the family as "the first school of humanity," where people learn to welcome life, care for others, forgive, serve and live together.

"Educational institutions also play a decisive role in this task. In them, new generations can learn to seek and love the truth, to reflect on the meaning of life and the dignity of every person," he said.

"For this reason, many parents who wish for their children to learn to relate to others, to think critically, and to acquire solid values place great hope in these institutions, seeing them as valuable allies in their children's education."

-- The role of the Church in the public square --

Pope Leo framed his speech within a reflection on the Church's place in public life, stressing that when the Church speaks on public matters it does so while respecting the proper mission of civil institutions and the legitimate authority of those who legislate.

He challenged parliamentarians to consider what conception of the human person inspires their laws.

"Beyond the legitimate diversity of positions, every legislative task ultimately confronts a decisive question: what conception of the human person inspires laws, and what kind of society do those laws build?" he asked, arguing that human dignity must guide every legal system.

The pope warned that the world is undergoing "a profound spiritual and cultural crisis," manifesting in violence, polarization and mutual distrust, and called on leaders to foster dialogue, historical reconciliation and civic friendship.

He also cautioned politicians about their particular responsibility for language, saying words have the power to either illuminate reality or distort it.

"Those who hold public office therefore have a special obligation to be mindful of their words in order to disarm language," the pope said. "Firmness does not require contempt; disagreement does not entail humiliation."

"Remember that every decision by public authorities affects real people, especially those who have less power to make their voices heard," he said.

 — Courtney Mares, OSV News

Catholic Church has message for everyone, pope says before landing in Spain

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE FROM ROME TO MADRID — Before touching down in Spain for his fourth apostolic journey abroad, Pope Leo XIV told reporters traveling with him that his plan was to meet with all facets of society: Catholics, young people, migrants, the poor and regular citizens.

"The Church has a message for everyone," he said in Spanish June 6, offering special greetings to journalists from Spain and those from other nations. "Thank you very much for your service."

The pope's June 6-12 visit to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands also comes at a time when the capital is hosting a major sporting event, -- Real Madrid is facing La Laguna Tenerife in Game 3 of their quarterfinal series --and the Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who performed at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, Bad Bunny, is playing six concert dates, kicking off his Spain tour the evening of the pope's arrival.

Aware that the star's shows are scheduled around the same time as the pope's prayer vigil with youth June 6 and meeting representatives of the "world of culture, art and sport" June 7, the pope said it will be interesting to see those young people who will still choose to see the pope.

"If they are confronted with the question: do they want to see Bad Bunny or do they want to see the pope, I think many will see Bad Bunny. But I think there will also be a few there to see the pope. And that says something, you know," he said in English.

Asked about reports of an increase in young people joining the Catholic Church, the pope said he was "very pleased by the reports." According to a recent blog from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, about half of Gen-Z raised Catholic retain that identity into adulthood.

Young people who are "looking for something more," he said, often have grown up without a "spiritual dimension in their lives. They realize there's an emptiness and a lack of a sense of meaning, and perhaps my visiting is helping to awaken" something further that they may still not be able to define.

While he has visited Spain many times, particularly during his 12 years as prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, he said he was looking forward to visiting this predominantly Catholic though increasingly-secularized country as pope: "to meet the faithful, celebrate the faith, proclaim the message of Jesus Christ."

Pope Leo is scheduled to visit Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands June 6-12, visiting migrants and the poor as well as the royal family, dignitaries, representatives of the world of culture, sports and politicians, becoming the first pope to address the Spanish parliament in Madrid.

He will also meet privately with survivors of sexual abuse by clergy. Cases of abuse, he told one reporter, "are still an open wound," adding that it was "unfortunately impossible to meet everyone that wanted" a papal audience.

He told the pool reporter that he always "fought against" known cases of abuse wherever he was serving and would continue to do so as pope.

Pope Leo will lead many events with the nation's Catholics, and one of the highlights will be his blessing of the recently-completed central tower of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, which now makes it the tallest church in the world at nearly 535 feet. The event also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of its architect, Antoni Gaudí.

But, at the same time, he was going to "greet everyone, all of society, because the Church has a message for everyone, as you have seen this very clearly, I believe, in the encyclical letter" published May 25 on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, he said in his main remarks.

The trip will be an opportunity to discover the "great enthusiasm" of the people, Pope Leo told reporters on the plane.

"There are many Catholics here, and I especially want to highlight the presence of young people," he said.

"By everyone sharing the joy of the faith, we can send a very positive message," he said, of "God's love, of charity, of respect for every human being."

The pope then walked down the aisle of the plane, greeting each of the 80 journalists individually, answering their questions, taking selfies and accepting gifts, such as a small wooden cross made from the wreckage of boats that had been carrying migrants to the Italian island of Lampedusa, where he will visit July 4.

One French reporter reminded him that June 6 marked the anniversary of "D-Day," when American, British and Canadian forces invaded Normandy, France, to free Western Europe of Nazi occupation during World War II. Asked whether he would like to visit the region to bring a message of peace, the pope said, "Yes, my father was there," serving in the Navy and taking part in the landings.

Asked if he will support the United States soccer team during the FIFA World Cup this summer, he replied, "I will certainly support the U.S., though I am not sure how many games I will be able to see."

When asked which of the two highest-ranked Spanish squads he was a fan of: Real Madrid or Barcelona, he responded: "That's easy...the pope is for all teams, but Prevost is Real Madrid!"
— Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service