Members of the community built around Greensboro’s Franciscan Center gathered for a Mass celebrated by Father Louis Canino, OFM at St Mary Church. The center has moved to a new, smaller location after years of taking St. Francis’ missionary spirit to the streets of the city. (Lisa M. Geraci | Catholic News Herald)

“I didn’t want the year to go by without honoring St. Francis, not just his Feast Day but we had to celebrate the 800th anniversary,” said Father Louie. “What was problematic was that simultaneously we had to leave our own place.”

The Mass hosted at St. Mary Church in Greensboro had more than 200 in attendance. It was the first Mass the group had celebrated since July, when their almost four-decade streak of Wednesday Masses at the Franciscan Center on Greene Street was put on hold.

It was then that the group received notice from Elon University that the center’s lease would not be extended. The Franciscan Center is where Father Louie ran a gift shop, offered Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and presided over Wednesday Mass for the past 36 years.

While running the center, he became available for whatever spiritual needs his inner-city neighbors brought to him – a confessor to the sinner, an advisor to the stressed, a waiter to the hungry, and a comforter to the broken.

Drawing from that experience, Father Louie focused his homily on how St. Francis is relevant today.

“If this legacy of St. Francis was emblazoned on the hearts of legions of people today, our community and our world would be in a better place,” Father Louie said. “It would resemble the Kingdom of God here on Earth.”

The Franciscan Center regulars in the pews understood because they strive to follow that legacy.

“We have been practicing what St. Francis has said and we live up to it,” said Mike Bohen, who admits to tearing up during the emotional Mass.  “We need somebody that aspires to do more than go to Church and go home. Father Louie inspires us in our faith.”

In his homily Father Louie said, “St. Francis’ spiritual family grew and grew so much that three orders were founded by him.”

In a similar way, the community of Franciscans in the Triad grew from Father Louie starting an experimental storefront in 1990.

Father Louie’s street ministry was accessible to people who may not reach out to a parish priest but would open a shop door to converse with the humble man in a hooded brown habit.

Kathleen Zeller, a parishioner at St. Pius X, met Father Louie after she decided to return to her Catholic faith and visited the gift shop for a Bible.

“He reminded me so much of a missionary priest I spent a lot of time with when I was growing up. It was really nice,” Zeller said. “It was like a transformation for me. I begged him to let me volunteer …  and we have been together every Tuesday ever since.”

Some came to the center as Father Louie said St. Francis might have.

“In his early youth, Francis would be by no means considered a saint. He was forever consumed with the values of the world,” he shared in his homily.

God changed that in St. Francis, and Father Louie has witnessed similar changes in those who have battled addiction.

“Over 36 years we have held meetings every day,” Father Louie said. “I have seen thousands –  even today some of the AA people came.”

The humble priest does not take credit, as he said in his homily message, “Francis’ transformation … came from God and not from his newly adopted lifestyle.”

As he left the ambo, Father Louie told the story of a man he hitched a ride from while he traced the path of St. Francis. He never forgot the reason the man, who wasn’t a Catholic, told him he was in Assisi.

“I want to catch the spirit of St. Francis,’”he repeated, fighting back tears, and then instructed his group. “I want you and I to have the same burning desire to catch the spirit of St. Francis and continue to live his legacy here and now.”

The Mass served as a welcome breather for the community, a reassurance that they will move forward as they transition from the former storefront to new second floor office space on Friendly Avenue.

“We ended up moving the 15th of September and last week was the first time it looked like it was put together again,” Zeller said. “It is going to be good, and maybe he will slow down a little bit because he works as hard as he needs to work.”

Father Louie admits that though the downsizing was unexpected, God has His own plans.

“Moving from over 5,000 square feet to a little over 700 square feet was a challenge,” Father Louie said. “It truly was, but it all worked out. I didn’t plan this at all, but God planned it.”

The gift shop will remain closed and the AA group has moved to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, but at 82, Father Louie has found another calling modeled after St. Francis.

“After enduring a horrific year in prison and then being released, his state of desolation caused him to seek help,” he said earlier in his homily. “What is remarkable and also providential is that he sought help from a divine agent.”

Father Louie is now guiding prisoners to that divine agent.

“I felt like I needed to reach out to prisoners,” Father Louie said. “That is one corporal work of mercy I have never done, and I want to do that.”

Father Louie has spent his life showing others the way of St. Francis, and his community plans to continue gathering at the new center for spiritual counseling, confessions and fellowship.

“Some people say we don’t need heroes. I think we do. Father Louie is that for us in this community,” Bohen said. “He makes you proud to be a Catholic. And we are supposed to be living out these corporal works of mercy.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

The Knights, who collected more than 110 flags throughout the year, opened the ceremony with a formal salute by an honor guard made up of Fourth Degree Knights from several parishes.

The ceremony is in its 15th year and is an important one for veterans, including organizer James Strauss.

“I was a Vietnam veteran. I never saw combat, but I saw the people who came back and were spit on at the airport as I came back,” Strauss said. “I will never in my life forgive or forget that. So, Veterans Day affects me a little bit differently. The ability to honor the people around me who died for this country and suffered for this country holds a special meaning.”

Strauss does not have a photo of his late father who was a World War II veteran, but he does have a poem his father wrote while he fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

“One of my nephews found it and sent it to me and I was able to read that at the ceremony,” Strauss said. “So, this year added a little bit extra on top of everything…I do get choked up about it.”

Under the U.S. Flag Code, if an American flag becomes worn, faded or torn, it must be properly disposed of, preferably by fire.

The ceremony ended with a ceremonial burning in the fire pit in St. Luke’s outdoor Marian courtyard – the large statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, watching over them.

— Lisa M. Geraci

On Oct. 30, Catholic lawmakers, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., spearheaded a letter signed by 91 members of Congress, asking Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to formally invite the Chicago-born pope to speak at a joint session of the legislative body in January, when it convenes for its 120th session.

"As the first ever American-born Pope, his unique perspective, and ties to our country, would serve as a unifying force for members of Congress," said the lawmakers in their letter. "Following a divisive election, Pope Leo's unifying message of service, compassion for fellow mankind, and the importance of human dignity would be especially timely."

The letter attracted media attention following the tumultuous election, which saw Democrats regain robust control of both the House and the Senate.

If Pope Leo does end up addressing Congress, it may possibly not include either of the lawmakers who led the charge to invite him. Fitzpatrick lost his seat in the election and, as of press time, Thompson is projected to lose his closely contested district race against another Democrat.

Johnson reportedly plans to step aside as House Speaker, with several media outlets citing his recent private call with staff. Jeffries has meanwhile announced his candidacy for House Speaker.

Despite the historic flux in the midterms, at least one lawmaker has continued to express support for the Pope Leo initiative, with Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., posting on X Nov. 6 that he had signed the letter.

In their request, the lawmakers said that Pope Leo's proposed "visit would offer a much-needed outlook as we navigate complex foreign and domestic issues."

They pointed to Pope Francis' 2015 address to Congress -- which marked the first time a pope had addressed a joint session of the legislative body -- and cited its "undeniable historical significance and cultural impact."

In its Oct. 30 press release accompanying the letter, Thompson's office quoted Jesuit Father Chris Kellerman, justice and ecology secretary for the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, who described Pope Leo as "arguably the strongest moral voice in our world for the promotion of human dignity, peace and the common good."

"A joint address to Congress from the Holy Father would not only offer a precious opportunity to hear to his wisdom but could also serve as a joyous celebration of the United States and its tradition of religious freedom," said Father Kellerman.

Laurie Carafone, executive director of the Catholic advocacy group Network, said in the press release that the lobbying group's members "enthusiastically support this important bipartisan effort."

"Pope Leo's urgent and universal call for peace, for greater love, and for solidarity that recognizes and champions the dignity of every person, no exceptions, is urgently needed," Carafone said. "Our prayer is that his visit inspires lawmakers, Catholics, and all people of good will to work together to create laws that protect our shared humanity and the common good."

 — Gina Christian, OSV News

CHARLOTTE — The annual Guadalupan Torch Run spent a week in the Diocese of Charlotte, winding through 11 parishes as a visible sign of faith, hope and connection.

The relay pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe begins in Mexico City and ends at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, covering more than 3,000 miles.

The Marian fire symbolizes the light of faith, the love of Mary, and the hope of an immigrant community divided by a shared border.

The pilgrimage has taken place since 2002 and has become a symbol of hope for immigrants, bringing an image of Mary often touched by friends and family members on its journey to Hispanic communities across the United States.

— Brian Segovia, Troy C.Hull and provided

Guadalupan Torch comes to Hamlet

HAMLET — Hundreds of people gathered at St. James Church as the Guadalupan Torch arrived in Hamlet for the first time in the parish’s history.

The Carrera Antorcha Guadalupana México-Nueva York torch run, in its 24th year, is making its way through the Diocese of Charlotte, from the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City up the East Coast to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

The torch represents for many, especially immigrant communities, the maternal love and support of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. The torch’s annual journey attracts thousands along the 3,000-mile route, which this year includes nine stops through the Charlotte diocese.

A deep connection with faith and family often overwhelms people like Moises Vargas, a parishioner of Divine Redeemer in Boonville, when they hold the torch.

“It’s our mother, my family, you know, I haven’t seen my mom in 30 years,” Vargas said. “So, if my mom goes to Mexico and holds the torch and I come here and hold the torch, I feel her. It's our faith. It’s God.”

Our Lady of Guadalupe is credited with transforming the indigenous populations in Mexico from paganism to Christianity through her apparition to St. Juan Diego.

Dancers at St. James Church expressed their honor and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe through a deeply spiritual dance called “Matachines,” which celebrates the triumph of Christian faith and Mary's motherly protection.

— Lisa M. Geraci

While pursuing his degree, he balanced his priestly duties as the parochial administrator of St. Benedict the Moor Church and Good Shepherd Mission in King.

He graduated from Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada, with a master's in canon law and his ecclesiastical licentiate in canon law.

He will receive his certificate in January and is invited to walk in the graduation ceremony this June.

The ordinarily two-year program took him four to complete.

“Since I was serving in the parish and doing it online, I took the extended version,” he said.

Each year he would make a mandatory in-person trip to the college for 10 days.

He completed his last class in Rome, where he met Pope Leo.

“He greeted me,” Father Yumo said. “It was such a great honor to meet him.”

Father Yumo initially enrolled in the program because he felt compelled by his parishioners back in the Diocese of Buea, Cameroon.

“I was motivated by the fact that there are many couples back in my home country who have been waiting for annulments. But they are unable to have them because the process takes too long,” Father Yumo said. “They do not have tribunals in every diocese. Before coming here, I was serving at the Family Life Office, so I encountered many of those situations. I felt that studying Canon Law would provide the tools I need to help in that direction.”

Father Yumo expressed his gratitude to his many well-wishers, including his old friends at St. Mark Church in Huntersville - where he served as parochial vicar - his communities at St.

Benedict the Moor and Good Shepherd, The Knights of Columbus, The Ancient Order of the Hibernians and Mary’s Women of Joy. They have all have supported him through this journey for years and have showered him with congratulatory cakes, parties and love since his graduation.

“They contributed so much to make it so I could achieve this,” he said. “I especially would love to thank Dr. Dennis and Monica Golden, who I consider my parents over here.”

If anyone knows Father Yumo, they will agree this would be a great time to belt out his favorite saying, “God is good… All the time!”

Congratulations, Father Yumo!

— Lisa M. Geraci

Students got a hands-on lesson in science and racing when the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) team from Charlotte Motor Speedway visited the school.

The excitement began in the classroom, where students learned about polymers and how they're used in the racing industry, including cleaning up spills on pit road. Then things got a little messy as students put their new knowledge to work by making their own slime.

But the fun didn't stop there. Students headed outside, where they traded slime for tires and learned what it takes to be part of a NASCAR pit crew. Using a Bandolero race car, they practiced tire changes and discovered the importance of teamwork on race day.

From mixing slime to working on a race car, the visit gave students a chance to see how science and engineering support motorsports.

— Troy C. Hull

National Vocation Awareness Week -- which this year began Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 7 -- "reminds us of the beautiful witness of those who have responded to God's call to serve in ordained ministry as priests and deacons, and men and women who serve in consecrated life," Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York said in a statement.

He is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.

"We thank God for all vocations and pray for a deepened spirit of joy in marriages, in the priesthood and diaconate, and in all forms of consecrated life. Your witness to a joy-filled vocation inspires young people to follow God's call with courage," Archbishop Hicks said.

Resources for National Vocation Awareness Week are available on the USCCB's website in both English and Spanish. Among the resources are Holy Hours and prayers for vocations; vocation discernment tips; and tools to help parents talk about vocations with their children, including the "ABCs of Fostering Vocations"; and suggestions for "Building a Domestic Church."

Among the materials is a top-10 list of things to do to promote vocations. It encourages all Catholics to "pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life" and "invite active young adults and teens to consider a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life."

"Teach young people how to pray," it says. "Pope Benedict XVI said that unless we teach our youth how to pray, they will never hear God calling them into a deeper relationship with Him and into the discipleship of the Church."

The top-10 list also has suggestions for those considering a vocation, such as: "Practice the faith," "be a good disciple" and "enter into the silence."

"Silence is key to sanity and wholeness," the list says. "We can only 'hear' the voice of God if we are quiet. Take out the ear buds of your iPhone, iPod, and iTunes and listen to God, the great I AM."

A USCCB release with Archbishop Hicks' statement for National Vocation Awareness Week quoted from Pope Leo XIV's message for the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations on April 26.

"God dwells in our hearts. A vocation entails an intimate dialogue with the One who calls and invites us to respond, despite the deafening noise of the world, with true joy and generosity," Pope Leo said.

"Through the intimacy of his friendship, you will discover how to give of yourselves, whether through marriage, the priesthood, the permanent diaconate, or consecrated life," he added. "Every vocation is an immeasurable gift for the Church and for those who receive it with joy."

National Vocation Awareness Week began in 1976 when the U.S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday of the year to call attention to the importance of upholding vocations and praying for those discerning a religious vocation and celebrating those who were in ordained ministry and consecrated life.

In 1997, the celebration was moved to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and in 2014, the USCCB's Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations moved the observance to November to influence youth and young adults by engaging Catholic schools and colleges.

— OSV News

“Christ the King was founded on faith and reason. Pope John Paul II wrote that faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of the truth,”

President Shaileen Riginos said. “Today, we open a new academic wing. May it be one more way our students rise toward truth.”

Throughout the event, the student body broke out in song, dance and applause, honoring the original campus and the new addition – celebrating the twin wings, old and new, and the 15th anniversary of the building, which opened in 2011.

The $12 million Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools educational expansion project marked the largest building initiative CTK has undergone in its short history.

The school that began humbly with 27 students was maxed to capacity this academic year with 453 students. Now, thanks to the addition, the building will be able to accommodate as many as 650 Crusaders.

School leaders, students and parents toured the new facilities, which were blessed moments before by Campus Chaplain Father John Cuppett.

The 17,000-square-foot space created a new rear entrance for the school. The main doors open into a spacious lobby that features a Crusaders spirit store, a concession stand and a new trophy case. The lobby branches out to two hallways on the left and right before attaching to the rear gym entrance.

The hallway on the left leads to a new weight room – filled with new equipment – and a large band room. The hallway on the right features to two new classrooms, one of which house language arts while the other is shared by Spanish and performing arts classes. Further down the right hall there is a new design lab outfitted with woodworking tools for the industrial shop, woodworking and fine arts classes.

“This gives students enough space to spread out and gives more opportunities for these guys to learn all different things,” Sara Aiello, a parent with three children enrolled at Christ the King, said. “This will give different avenues for kids to explore different interests.”

The end of the hall opens into a new cafeteria, which holds 275 students, an attached commercial kitchen, and an outdoor 50-seat eatery. The original cafeteria is being remodeled into additional classroom space.

“The food was not made here before – they had to bring in food everyday – but now it is going to be made here all day,” Anna Haynes, a junior, said. “Now, we are able to have breakfast, snacks and lunch. I am so excited to see this school grow like this.”

Superintendent Greg Monroe also expressed his excitement for the addition and encouraged students to approach it with a sense of gratitude.

“Have grateful hearts. I know you do. I know that is one thing that defines a Crusader, that we don’t take things for granted, but also when we have beautiful things around us please continue to rise to that challenge,” Monroe said. “Continue to pursue excellence. Continue to unlock our potential as a Crusader and as a member of our diocese.”

In her address to the student body and faculty, Riginos expressed that these improvements demonstrate Pope John Paul’s vision of faith and reason paired together to equal truth within the Crusader community.

“Saint John Paul II is a fitting patron for this building because there is a piece of his life in every room of it,” Riginos said.

As a playwright, actor, stoneworker, philosopher and kayaker, he would appreciate each new room, she speculated.

“He was not one thing, and neither are you,” she said. “The athlete belongs in the theater. The artist belongs in the weight room. The scholar belongs in the design lab. God didn’t make any of you to be just one thing. He made you in His image and He made you on purpose.”
— Lisa M. Geraci

Monsignor Gary

“Monsignor” is a title granted by the pope, typically based on the local bishop’s recommendation. It is a rare honor from the Vatican, and it has been given to only a handful of priests in the Diocese of Charlotte since its founding in 1972.

On the Feast of All Saints Day, Bishop Michael Martin sent the news to priests: “I am pleased to announce that Pope Leo XIV has honored Father Paul Gary with the title of Chaplain of His Holiness!” Bishop Martin wrote.

“Monsignor Gary’s 42 years of priestly ministry has had wide-ranging impact on people and parishes,” Bishop Martin said. “He has built up the faith of the parishioners he has served and is well-known in our diocese for his loving and gracious spirit.”

Monsignor Gary was surprised and humbled by the news.

“I am deeply honored by becoming a Monsignor and I am extremely grateful to Pope Leo XIV and to my bishop, Bishop Martin, for bestowing this privilege upon me,” Monsignor Gary said. “It is not just my accomplishment, but something the whole parish can be proud of.”

Monsignor Gary is widely known as the “construction priest.” His leadership as pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville and St. Luke Parish in Mint Hill resulted in new churches for those growing communities. While he was rector at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte, he oversaw the completion of the parish’s Family Life Center.

Father Gary grew up on Long Island in New York as a cradle Catholic. He was educated in Catholic schools along with his four brothers, including his identical twin, Peter Gary, who is also a parishioner at St. Luke.

He attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in 1980 and was ordained by Bishop Michael Begley at St. Patrick Cathedral on Feb. 11, 1984.

His diocesan assignments ranged from parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville and St. John Neumann Parish in Charlotte, to pastor at St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem and St. Philip the Apostle parish. In 1996, he became the rector at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte where he served until 2008. Then, he was assigned to St. Luke as pastor, where he has spent the last 18 years shepherding the growing parish.

More than 200 St. Luke parishioners and friends voiced their congratulations on the parish’s Facebook post announcing the new title.

“Congratulations to Monsignor Gary!” wrote Michelle Fabrize. “We are blessed to have such a faithful shepherd.”

As Father Andrew Templeton, parochial vicar at St. Luke noted, “This papal honor is not merely a recognition of past accomplishments, but also a testament to the many lives touched through Monsignor Gary's priesthood and his faithful service to the People of God.”

 — Lisa M. Geraci 

Related story: Father Paul Gary celebrates 40 years of priesthood

• Monsignor Roger Arnsparger, V.F., pastor and rector, St. Lawrence Basilica, Asheville
• Father Paul Asoh, M.S.P., V.F., pastor, St. Mary Mother of God Parish, Sylva
• Father Christopher Bond, pastor, St. Lucien, Spruce Pine, and St. Bernadette, Linville (reappointed)
• Father W. Christian Cook, V.F., pastor, St. Pius X Parish, Greensboro (reappointed)
• Father Julio Domiguez, pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Newton (reappointed)
• Father Christopher Gober, V.F., St. Leo the Great Parish, Winston-Salem (reappointed)
• Father Mark Lawlor, V.F., pastor, St. Therese Parish, Mooresville
• Father David McCanless, Campus Ministry chaplain at Wake Forest University (reappointed)
• Father Paul McNulty, V.F., pastor, St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Gastonia (reappointed)
• Father Adrian Porras, V.F., pastor, St. Barnabas Parish, Arden (reappointed)
• Father John Starczewski, V.F., pastor, St. John Neumann Parish, Charlotte (reappointed)

Bishop Martin serves as president of the Presbyteral Council.

Other members of the Presbyteral Council, including those elected by fellow priests in September, are listed on the diocese’s website, www.charlottediocese.org.

Required by Church law, the Presbyteral Council represents all priests in the diocese and is “like a senate of the bishop” (Code of Canon Law 495 §1), with about half the members elected by priests and others appointed by the bishop.

— Catholic News Herald

About 400 saints came out Nov. 1 to experience comradery, the faith-based games, the candy and the fun.

Longtime parishioner Kim Kostner, who managed the facepainting booth with the help of her son dressed as Saint Carlo Acutis, said it is something parishioners look forward to each year.

Her favorite part? 

“The march,” she said. “I love walking around and dancing with the kids. It is like one big family.” 

With the Louis Armstrong song, “When the Saints Go Marching In,” blaring from outside speakers, hundreds of saints, including a baby Saint Michael the Archangel, a pregnant Virgin Mary, and even a young Saint Dorothy, processed through the parking lot. 

Amongst them, Father Michael Carlson, the pastor, dressed like his Confirmation saint, Saint Olaf, the Norwegian Viking.

“This is a good chance for us to get together but also to learn about various saints. I mean, every year I learn about a new saint myself,” Father Carlson said. “The kids also have a lot of fun with it. It is a good chance for them to learn to serve one another.”

Cars for the Trunk-or-Treat circled the parking lot and were filled not only with candy but also with lessons on faith. One trailer had a Day of the Dead shrine, while others dedicated their trunks to their favorite saints. 

The eighth-grade confirmation class hosted the saintly games, such as “Fill Dorothy’s Basket” and “St. Patrick Drives Out the Snake,” and were required to keep the theme by dressing up too. 

Organizer Meg Barrett even dressed up as Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Though she retired as the Faith Formation director years ago, she still takes time every year to put on this event she started 20 years ago. 

Barrett’s drive is “seeing all the families out here and the people that actually take their time to dress their kids up as saints.” 

— Lisa M. Geraci

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Five Franciscan friars killed in present-day Georgia for defending Church teaching in 1597 were beatified Oct. 31 in a Mass where Church leaders considered their witness amid historical complexities and contemporary challenges.

The Mass at the Savannah Convention Center began at 11 a.m. with Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto, the papal delegate, as principal celebrant.

"The 16th-century Franciscan friars from Spain, courageous missionaries ministering to the Guale people in La Florida, are bright lights for our journey of faith, as they reflect the light of Christ into the challenges and complexities of a wounded world," he said in the homily. "It is imperative to remember those blessed souls who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith, especially those who gave the supreme witness of their very lives."

Concelebrating bishops included Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, papal nuncio to the U.S.; Bishop Stephen D. Parkes of Savannah; Bishop J. Kevin Boland, bishop emeritus of Savannah; Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Atlanta; Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo of Mérida and Badajoz, Spain; and Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília of Urgell, Spain, a delegate of Spain's episcopal conference.

Concelebrants included Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin, himself a Franciscan. Also concelebrating the Mass were Father Michael Perry, provincial minister of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe of the Order of Friars Minor, and Father Giovangiuseppe Califano, the order's postulator general, along with dozens of other priests.

Among the Charlotte clergy in attendance was Deacon Matthew Newsome, campus minister at Western Carolina University, who attended the beatification with a group of students from Western Carolina.

“It was just gorgeous to see the universal church really represented,” said Deacon Newsome, “to gather and to celebrate, it was a very uplifting experience.”

That thought was echoed by Daniela Mendoza, a freshman at Western Carolina. 

“It felt like a gift from the Lord to come here,” said Mendoza, a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist in Waynesville. Seeing a beatification or canonization had been on her bucket list, and this event fulfilled her expectations. “It really felt like I was like a part of the universal Church,” she said.

Cardinal Leo’s homily resonated with Deacon Newsome. 

“It really hammered home to me that the life that we're called to live as Christians is meant to be different than the life of the world, different than the life that we led before,” he said. “Whatever the demands of that call might be, we shouldn't shy away from them.

“The second thing that really impacted me was just the closeness that I felt to the martyrs being here, and that was something that I wasn't necessarily expecting,” he reflected.  While he learned their stories before the trip,  he felt closer “being here physically, being among the salt marshes and the Palmetto trees in the land where they literally gave their lives to spread the Gospel and to spread the truth and the joy of Jesus Christ to peoples that they had no obligation to. They were here out of sheer love for them and spilled their blood here in this soil… it's made me feel tremendously close to them and I hope they keep accompanying me for quite a long time to come.”

Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto, the papal delegate and principal celebrant, prays during the beatification Mass for the five Georgia Martyrs Oct. 31, 2026, at the Savannah Convention Center on Hutchinson Island in Savannah, Ga. The martyred Spanish Franciscan missionaries, who were killed at their Georgia missions in 1597, were Fathers Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añon, and Francisco de Veráscola and Brother Antonio de Badajoz. (OSV News photo/George Martell)

‘Unconquered heralds of Christ’

Near the beginning of Mass, Bishop Parkes made the official request for beatification to Cardinal Leo, briefly outlining the history of the friars' cause. He noted that the Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscans.

Bishop Perry read short biographies in English of each of the Georgia Martyrs, drawn from contemporary accounts and records, followed by the biographies in Spanish read by Father Pablo Migone, the Diocese of Savannah's vicar of mission advancement and one of the driving forces behind the effort to recognize the Georgia Martyrs formally as saints of the Church.

Cardinal Leo then read aloud Pope Leo XIV's apostolic letter proclaiming the five friars beatified. Archbishop Hartmayer, a Conventual Franciscan friar, read the letter in English, and Archbishop Vives i Sicília read the letter in Spanish.

The letter, which Pope Leo signed in Rome Sept. 30, 2026, the feast of St. Jerome, called the Georgia Martyrs "unconquered heralds of Christ" who "placed the saving truth of the Gospel before their own safety." It also established Sept. 22 as the martyrs' liturgical memorial.

With the official proclamation, the official beatification image of the five friars was unveiled to the hymn "Holy God, we praise thy name." Drawing on traditional depictions of the martyrs, the artwork "The Georgia Martyrs" by Savannah artist Jared Matthew Seff won a contest for the official image held this year by the Diocese of Savannah.

This is the official image by artist Jared Seff for the beatification of the Georgia Martyrs on Oct. 31, 2026, in Savannah, Ga. Seff won a competition hosted by the Diocese of Savannah, which brought in about 100 paintings. The artworks were displayed in an exhibit connected to the beatification at the Savannah Convention Center. (OSV News photo/courtesy Diocese of Savannah)1597 Guale Uprising

In 1597, the Spanish Franciscans Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añon, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola were ministering at five missions along the coast and barrier islands of present-day Georgia when they were killed out of hatred for the faith by a band of Indigenous men between Sept. 14-17.

The friars' murders were prompted by Father de Corpa angering the heir to a Guale chiefdom, Juanillo, by telling him that as a baptized Christian, he could not follow his culture's custom and take a second wife. Juanillo and his men killed the priest at a mission near the contemporary city of Eulonia, Georgia, before killing four of the other five Franciscan missionaries ministering in the area. The sixth friar, Francisco de Avila, was kidnapped and tortured for months before being set free. The incident is known as the 1597 Guale Uprising.

At the time, the Spaniards knew the wider coastal area as La Florida, home to the settlement of St. Augustine, established in 1565. By 1595, the friars had established five missions along the coast. Prior to their murders, the six Franciscans appear to have lived among the Guale and other indigenous peoples in peace, without a military presence, for two years.

The beatification Mass drew around 10,000 attendees. The processional cross was adorned with palms, a traditional sign of martyrdom. The liturgy included a choir and orchestra. A setting of Psalm 116 in Spanish by Marc Cerisier and a motet for Communion titled "Eternal Glory" by Jessica French were composed for the liturgy.

People attend the beatification Mass for the five Georgia Martyrs Oct. 31, 2026, at the Savannah Convention Center. (OSV News photo/George Martell)

Martyrs’ witness to Church teaching on matrimony

In remarks after the beatification rite, Bishop Parkes said, "I truly believe that through the intercession of Blessed Pedro de Corpa and four companions there will be greater respect for the dignity and character of the sacrament of holy matrimony."

He continued: "May the witness of these holy men inspire fidelity between spouses, called into the covenantal bond of holy matrimony and help to create a renewed commitment to the growth of faith-filled families in the state of Georgia and beyond."

In the homily, preached in English and Spanish, Cardinal Leo spoke about the martyrs' witness to the truth of Church teaching and how their lives 400 years ago challenge Christians to more deeply embrace their faith today. In Spanish, the cardinal sent a special greeting to the delegation that came from Spain to share in this moment of faith and joy.

With their beatification, "these newly minted blesseds are constituted powerful intercessors and extraordinary examples for every believer," he said.

"Fidelity to Christ himself is the glory of the martyrs," Cardinal Leo said. "The Church considers martyrdom an exceptional gift, and as the fullest proof of life."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that martyrdom "is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith. It means bearing witness even unto death," he said, quoting paragraph 2473. "The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude."

"For those who have not entered into the mystery of God in Christ, their death might seem as a total and utter catastrophe, but it is not so," he said.

Pointing to the Mass' Gospel reading from John 15:18-21, Cardinal Leo said, "St. John sets the record straight."

"Whoever is begotten by God conquers the world, and the victory that conquers the world is our faith," he said. "Who indeed is the victor over the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

"Very often today, aspects of the Catholic faith are challenged by many, and in countless ways we are cajoled and tempted to water down the very demands of the Gospel -- to compromise the integrity of our faith, and to conform ourselves to the spirit of this age," he continued.

With the martyrs' witness, "we come to comprehend more clearly" the need to conform one's life to Christ, "and to see everything and anyone in our life -- relationships, studies, work and ministry -- in relation to him and to his eternal kingdom."

Faith the greatest gift to share

Cardinal Leo noted that the beatification coincided with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the United States and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis' death.

"Of the many gifts we can give to others, the faith is among the greatest," he said. While Christians can share their time, resources and belongings, "preaching, teaching, sharing and witnessing to the faith is truly No. 1 on the list," he said.

The martyrs' example helps young people in particular, he said, "to appreciate that no greater treasure can be found in this earthly existence than following Jesus with an undivided heart and using generously our gifts to serve others and to build up God's kingdom. The meaning, the purpose, and the joy we experience in living for the Lord is unparalleled."

He concluded: "There are still some things today worth living and dying for."

Bishop Stephen D. Parkes of Savannah, Ga., prays during the beatification Mass for the five Georgia Martyrs. (OSV News photo/George Martell)

Trees at beatification to be planted at martyrs’ monument

As the Mass ended, Bishop Parkes gave thanks to God for the witness of Blessed Pedro de Corpa and his four companions. He recognized the Church dignitaries present at the beatification and the work of those who helped to advance the martyrs' cause and efforts to prepare the beatification liturgy.

He said that the eight palm trees used during the beatification to adorn the convention center would be transplanted at the Georgia Martyrs' monument at Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church in Darien, Georgia.

"If you happen to be driving by, perhaps you will stop, say a prayer and give thanks to God for the graces received and for family life," he said.

A long road to beatification

Reports from civil and religious leaders in the months and years after the Franciscans' deaths reveal that the slain friars' contemporaries saw them as martyrs. New research in the 20th century about the history of La Florida and the Georgia Martyrs bolstered efforts to move forward with a cause for their beatification.

The Mass program recognized the many people over decades who were instrumental to the martyrs' cause, dating back to Bishop John M. Gannon of Erie, Pennsylvania, who served as that diocese's shepherd from 1920-1966, proposed that the U.S. bishops petition the Holy See for the Georgia Martyrs' cause.

The names of the Georgia Martyrs were included in two efforts in the early 20th century to launch canonization causes for people, many of whom were missionaries, martyred for the faith over the course of several centuries in the United States and surrounding countries. After neither effort moved forward, the Franciscans decided to focus their efforts on a group of martyrs who died for the same reason, honing in on Blessed Pedro de Corpa and companions.

With the support of the Order of Franciscans Minor, the Diocese of Savannah opened the cause for the martyrs' canonization in February 1984 under Savannah's Bishop Raymond W. Lessard, who died in 2016. In January 2025, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to formally recognize the five friars' martyrdom "in hatred of the faith" and they received the title "venerable."

The Mass' program also recognized the contributions of Franciscan Father Conrad Harkins, the former vice-postulator for the cause who died in 2020, and David Hurst Thomas, senior curator in residence for North American Archaeology at the American Museum of Natural History, "for their extraordinary contributions" to the cause. "Their work on the ruins of Mission Santa Catalina de Guale shed new light on the intersection of Chiefdom, Crown, and Church during the Spanish mission period on the Georgia coast," it stated.

Franciscan friars process during the beatification Mass for the five Georgia Martyrs. (OSV News photo/George Martell)

Location of Georgia Martyrs’ relics a mystery

While what was recovered of the martyrs' relics was linked to miraculous cures, their current location is unknown. Remains of all the friars but Friar Francisco were identified after their deaths, and their relics and some other personal items were collected in the months and years that followed and brought to St. Augustine. Some scholars speculate that Franciscans took the martyrs' remains with them to Cuba when St. Augustine transferred to British rule in 1763. A skull recovered at the Fort King George State Historical Site in Darien may have belonged to one of the friars and is being tested to learn more about its origins.

On Nov. 1, Bishop Parkes will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at 11:30 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Savannah, which will also be livestreamed at the cathedral's website, savannahcathedral.org.

The Georgia Martyrs' beatification was the second beatification to take place in the United States this year. In September, Blessed Fulton J. Sheen was beatified by papal delegate Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis.

Beatification is the second-to-last stage in the process that seeks canonization, by which the pope proclaims that a person is truly in heaven. A beatification comes after the person's life, reputation and writings are investigated. For martyrs, beatification does not require the confirmation of a miracle attributed to their intercession. However, a miracle is usually required for canonization.

— Maria Wiering is senior managing editor for OSV News. Lauretta Brown, OSV News' culture editor, reported from Savannah.

The tradition of the Red Mass has roots in Europe, where it was started by Pope Innocent IV in 1243 for the Ecclesial Judicial Court. The tradition spread over the centuries and now Red Masses are celebrated in many nations to mark the beginning of the judicial year. In the U.S., the Red Mass is usually celebrated in the fall to coincide with the beginning of a new Supreme Court session.

The liturgy takes its title from the fact that celebrants wear red vestments because it is a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit. The tradition of the Red Mass in Charlotte was revived in 2024, and this was the 19th held in the diocese.

Bishop Michael Martin offered a homily that asked attendees to focus on their faith in Christ as they go through the often challenging tasks of their daily work.

“I’m so grateful that you place your professional lives on the altar with Jesus as an offering to God, who has given you gifts to enable you to do the wonderful work you do,” Bishop Maritn said. “He trusts you with the law, with justice on this Earth, and He gives you His Spirit.”

The Gospel reading for the Mass from Matthew featured Christ speaking “woe” on the Pharisees for their strict interpretation of minor rules without focusing on larger issues of justice and mercy. Bishop Martin asked the congregation to focus on both of the modern interpretations of the word “woe.”

First, he said, “woe” means negativity that can come to those who do their work without focusing on God’s Word. But he also asked the congregation to focus on “whoa,” which means a stopping point  –  a chance to focus on God’s presence in all of our daily lives, whether we work in the law or in other professions.

“If there is one thing I would hope tonight’s celebration would encourage, it would be the courage of all of you in your professional lives to realize that in that breath, in that space between stimulus and response, is where you slow things down just enough to realize the presence of the Holy Spirit,” he said.

He emphasized that God does not send His Spirit to the faithful at baptism and confirmation so it can impact only their personal lives, but also their careers.

“His Spirit wants to impact your approach to your profession…in understanding more deeply the nuance that is so much a part of trying to define justice in the world,” he said.

The Mass featured beautiful music offered by organist Gianfranco DeLuca and Will Esser as cantor, including a version of Cesar Franck’s “Panis Angelicus” as the Communion hymn. The evening ended with an inspiring version of the hymn “O Beyond All Praising,” with a second verse echoing the evening’s theme of serving justice: “Then hear, O gracious Savior, accept the love we bring, that we know your favor may serve you as our king.”

Austin Walsh, president of the St. Thomas More Society, said the annual Mass gives Catholic legal professionals the chance to remember the faith and integrity of the saint, the patron of lawyers, and to “orient their work towards giving glory to God.”

“The Red Mass is a moving reminder that the practice of law is ultimate in service of well-ordered justice,” he said, “and that we cannot compromise our faith and formation to win a point.” 

After the liturgy, attendees took time to talk with Bishop Martin and each other.

“It’s an opportunity to gather as a legal community and to see people we might sometimes see in court and professionally,” said Matthew Hoefling, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte who attended with several family members who are also attorneys. “It’s a chance for us to pray together and be together.”

— Christina Lee Knauss

CHARLOTTE — The 32nd annual fundraising banquet for MiraVia welcomed more than 1,400 people to witness God’s light lived out through the mothers and children the nonprofit serves every day. 

The event themed “Where Love Gives Life,” told a story of love that started for many mothers at MiraVia’s maternity home situated on the campus of Belmont Abbey. 

This is the place where more than 600 pregnant women since 1994 have found refuge, hope and a home during a time of uncertainty.  

Kingsley Murray, one such mother, shared her testimony as an intrepid college student in another state and the fear she felt when she found out she was pregnant. 

Then, she learned about MiraVia’s college residence program – and moved across the country after she was accepted to the program. She moved into maternity home and enrolled at Belmont Abbey College, where she continued her education and was able to give birth to her son.

Kingsley’s pregnancy did not keep her from the Dean's List. She could be a mother and a student. 

She heard her baby say his first word in his crib at MiraVia. 

“Light,” the boy said. 

Murray recently graduated from Chapel Hill and is now pursuing a career as a journalist with son – her light – at her side. 

MiraVia’s Executive Director Debbie Capen had many more stories that spread smiles. 

MiraVia housed 14 pregnant college students this year. The program assisted women from all over the country – some of whom, like Kingsley, transferred to Belmont Abbey College, while others moved into the residence and continued their education virtually at another college. The program provides housing, books, material goods, meals and spiritual, educational and parental support. 

In addition, MiraVia’s outreach center distributed 96,000 diapers and 34,600 clothing items, serving 1,790 pregnant women and mothers. Capen thanked their many volunteers who put in more than 2,000 service hours over the year, and donors for their generous support.

Bishop Michael Martin, who opened the fundraiser with an invocation, encouraged the audience, as MiraVia so eloquently demonstrates, to step out in faith through discipleship, even when the circumstances seem dire. 

“While we commit ourselves to do everything we can to support the mission of MiraVia, we also have to commit ourselves to go out into the world and to bring the Good News to a world that doesn’t know how incredibly gifted we are to be co-creators with the Almighty,” he said. “That is our mission. That is the Good News we are meant to share.” 

Keynote speaker Sister Cora Caeli, of the Sisters of Life, shared lessons she learned coming from an order with a charism for protecting and enhancing the sacredness of human life. 

“We all long for a place to call home,” Sister Caeli said. For many, MiraVia is that home.

She went on to explain that life is messy but that we should take heart because the “battle belongs to God.” 

“With God everything is a gift,” she said, repeating the theme for the night. “Love gives life… Allow Him to reign even when things don’t make sense.”

 — Lisa M. Geraci 

GREENSBORO — More than 1,000 people turned out for Room at the Inn’s annual fundraiser – sharing stories, giving selflessly, and rousing the room to work harder to protect the unborn and support their mothers.

Triad-area clergy, parishioners, Knights of Columbus and pro-life leaders who attended the 27th annual event in a hotel ballroom form the frontline of the Church’s efforts to eliminate abortion.

Since 2001, Room at the Inn (RATI) has housed more than 600 homeless mothers through its maternity shelters and assisted thousands through educational programs and community resources.

“If we are going to be a pro-life Church…we have to do more than oppose abortion. We have to walk with these young women and help them have a better life,” said RATI founder Albert Hodges, a parishioner at Our Lady of Grace. “We are not just pro-life. We are pro-abundant life.”

Bishop Michael Martin made a virtual appearance to call out the leadership of St. Leo the Great parishioners Fran and Paul Breitbach, longtime prolife supporters whose gift has helped launch RATI’s new “Promise Center” for pregnant women.

“For decades they have given generously of themselves to strengthen our Church and help ministries like Room at the Inn flourish,” the bishop said via video. “Faith is not simply something you profess. It is something you proclaim your entire lives.”

Located in Kernersville, the promise center will be named for the Breitbachs and will house a RATI support services center, a volunteer building, an education center, and a childhood development center.  

Video testimonials chronicled the impact of RATI’s advocacy: Julissa, who is deaf, was homeless when she found she was pregnant. With little hope, she contacted RATI. She didn’t expect much, but that night RATI volunteers picked up Julissa and brought her to a room and a bed, where she lived out her pregnancy and time as a new mom.

Dr. Bill Pincus was awarded RATI’s “Conrad Lewis Kimbrough Pro-Life Award” for his leadership as the president of the NC Right to Life organization, a leader in pro-life advocacy across the state.

A parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Asheboro, Pincus applauded the sidewalk advocacy RATI does outside abortion facilities: “What they do and what everyone does on the sidewalk is give that woman that a last chance – give that baby that last chance for life.”

Matt Fradd, the Pints for Aquinas podcast host, ended his keynote speech with a simple request: “Offer a Holy Rosary…for the beautiful souls that they are ministering to because this is a spiritual war.”

—  Lisa M. Geraci

CHARLOTTE — While death is inevitable, we Catholics believe that the sacrifice of Jesus destroyed the power of death and opened the gates of heaven. Here are a few tangible things we can do during “Hallowtide” – a festive, solemn and holy period Oct. 31-Nov. 2 originating in the 6th century – to remember and pray for our deceased loved ones.

All Hallows’ Eve

All Hallows’ Eve falls on Oct. 31, when the Church traditionally held a vigil as worshipers prepared themselves with prayers and fasting prior to All Hallows’ Day (All Saints Day). The name comes from the Old English “hallowed,” meaning holy or sanctified – now shortened to the familiar word “Hallowe’en.”

To do: Build a bonfire representing Christ’s light and victory over death, go to Mass and remember your loved ones. (It’s also fine to indulge children in Halloween festivities.)

Day of the Dead

The traditional Mexican celebration Dia de los Muertos – or Day of the Dead – has become a mainstream holiday in pop culture, with its colorfully decorated sugar skulls. It is a celebration of life to honor the memory of deceased loved ones, pray for souls in purgatory and seek intercession on their behalf from those in heaven. It begins the evening of Oct. 31 and runs through Nov. 2.

To do: Build a home altar

All Saints Day
The Feast of All Saints (Nov. 1) dates to the 4th century, when persecuted Christian communities held prayer vigils, lit fires and candles, and celebrated Masses for martyrs.
To do: Go to Mass (it’s a holy day of obligation) and pray to the saints, known and unknown, that they continue to guide us along our path to salvation and intercede for souls in purgatory.

All Souls’ Day
The Feast of All Souls (Nov. 2) is a holy day to honor and pray for all the dead. Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on earth, souls in purgatory are cleansed of their sins so they may enter heaven. The custom of setting a special day to pray for the dead on Nov. 2 was first established by St. Odilo of Cluny in 998.

To do: Pray for the souls in purgatory and give up something on their behalf. Visit a cemetery to pray for the dead, lighting candles or bringing flowers. There is an indulgence for souls in purgatory that can be obtained by those in a state of grace who visit a cemetery or a church and say specified prayers for each.

How to build a home altar
Day of the Dead home altars are usually comprised of three tiers representing the living, the departed souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven:
1. Set up a three-tiered shelf or table. On the top tier, place a crucifix or icon of Our Lord, surrounded by images of saints or the Blessed Virgin Mary.
2. On the middle tier, place pictures or memorabilia of departed loved ones.
3. On the lowest tier, place favorite foods or beverages of deceased loved ones. You can add colorful skulls made of sugar, clay or chocolate as a reminder that while death is a certainty, we strive for eternal life with God in heaven.
4. Use colorful paper, representing joy, to decorate the altar. Add flowers, such as yellow marigolds that symbolize Mary. Place votive candles on all three levels, symbolizing Christ as the Light of the World. Then, remember your departed loved ones at the altar – through prayer, by sharing funny and meaningful stories, and by serving their favorite foods.

The Guadalupan Torch Run is returning to nine parishes in the diocese this year after a condensed itinerary last year. The torch is a symbol of unity and hope across countries. (Troy C. Hull | Catholic News Herald)

The Guadalupe Torch Run is a relay pilgrimage that travels each year through Mexico and the United States in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Marian fire symbolizes the light of faith, the love of Mary, and the hope of an immigrant community divided by a shared border.

The journey begins in Mexico City and ends at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, covering more than 3,000 miles.

The pilgrimage has taken place since 2002 and has become a symbol of hope for immigrants, bringing an image of Mary often touched by friends and family members on its journey to Mexican communities across the United States.

The torch and a large replica of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be transported in a trailer with glass windows, allowing people to see them along the route and at each stop.

At each stop, the torch will be welcomed with a procession. Masses will also be celebrated, and traditional Mexican dances accompanied by music will be performed, along with other activities, before participants accompany the torch to its next destination.

In the Charlotte diocese, the Guadalupan Torch Run has become an annual tradition that has brought together thousands of people to venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Last year, amid threats of mass deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Charlotte area, the torch took on added significance as a beacon of hope for immigrant communities facing fear and uncertainty.

This year, the pilgrimage will see a return to two traditions interrupted by last year’s immigration concerns: A group of runners will once again accompany the torch, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Charlotte will welcome the pilgrimage after opting not to host it last year.

— Brian Segovia

Planned stops

• Nov. 2: Immaculate Conception, Hendersonville
• Nov. 3: St. Joseph, Newton
• Nov. 4: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Charlotte; arrival at 6 p.m.
• Nov. 5: St. James, Hamlet; arrival at 6 p.m.
• Nov. 6: St. Francis of Assisi, Rich Park, Mocksville; arrival at 4:30 p.m.
• Nov. 6: Divine Redeemer, Boonville; arrival at 10 p.m.
• Nov. 7: Our Lady of the Rosary, Lexington; arrival at 9:30 a.m.
• Nov. 7: Holy Infant, Reidsville; arrival at 6 p.m.
• Nov. 7: St. Mary’s, Greensboro; arrival at 9 p.m.
• Nov. 8: Our Lady of the Highways, Thomasville; arrival at noon.
• Nov. 8: Immaculate Heart of Mary, High Point; arrival at 6 p.m.

Consult your local parish for any updates to this schedule.

First-class relics of St. Bernadette will stop at the three parishes in the diocese. The 130-pound reliquary contains pieces of bone and muscle the beloved saint’s ribs, femur and knee.

St. Bernadette’s relics are traveling throughout the nation and will stop at three diocesan churches. The public is invited to attend a special week of veneration and sacred moments with one of the most beloved saints of modern times.

This is the second time the relics have visited the diocese. In 2022, the tour went through St. Bernadette Church in Linville. It will now also stop at Belmont Abbey in Belmont and St. Pius X in Greensboro.

“St. Bernadette continues to mean so much to people because her life reminds us that God is close to us in our humility and vulnerability,” said Father Christopher Bond, pastor of St. Bernadette. “I am grateful that her relics will return this November, and I look forward to welcoming people once again to pray, find comfort and experience the hope that made her first visit so meaningful.”

The 24-karat gold-plated St. Bernadette reliquary weighs about 130 pounds. The first-class relics are fragments of St. Bernadette’s bone and hair.

The relic will be accompanied by two Grotto of Massabielle rocks that are mounted on wooden boards and the healing waters from the Lourdes spring, which will be used for anointing of the sick and healing Masses.

According to Toni Pallatto, the U.S. representative for the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes who is organizing the events, the St. Bernadette relics have reportedly already brought healing to many.

She related that a man in Washington, D.C., has claimed a medical miracle after his tumor reportedly shrunk to the point where doctors said there was no need for medical intervention.

“Remember, healing is not only physical. There is a lot of spiritual healing that goes on,” said Pallatto. “Bringing St. Bernadette to so many locations with the opportunity for healing, hope, prayer and penance is remarkable, particularly in today’s world where we are looking for healing and hope. We are bringing this to people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

Belmont Abbey, Belmont

Wednesday, Nov. 11

·       10 a.m. – 8 p.m. — Veneration

Thursday, Nov. 12

·       9 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Veneration

St. Bernadette Church, Linville

Friday, Nov. 13

·       3 p.m. — Welcoming celebration

·       3:30 – 8 p.m. — Veneration

·       4 – 6 p.m. — Confessions Available

Saturday, Nov. 14

·       8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. — Public Veneration

·       9 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Confessions Available

·       2 p.m. — Anointing of the Sick

·       4 p.m. — Vigil Mass (fulfills Sunday obligation)

·       5:30 – 8 p.m. — Veneration

Sunday, Nov. 15

·       8:00 – 10:45 a.m. —Veneration

·       11 a.m. — Mass

St. Pius X Church, Greensboro

Sunday, Nov. 15

·       5 – 5:30 p.m. — Welcoming celebration

·       6– 7:30 p.m. — Confession

·       6 – 9 p.m. — Veneration

·       8 p.m. — Candlelight rosary

·       9 p.m. — Church closes

Monday, Nov. 16

·       8:30 a.m. — Mass followed by veneration

·       9:30 a.m. — Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experience (video presentation)

·       11 a.m. – 1 p.m. — Confession

·       11 a.m. – 2 p.m. —Eucharistic adoration

·       12 p.m. — Rosary

·       2 p.m. — Benediction

·       2:15 p.m. — Anointing of the Sick & Lourdes Water Blessing

·       3 p.m. — Divine Mercy Chaplet

·       8 p.m. — Candlelight rosary

·       9 p.m. — Church closes

Tuesday, Nov. 17

·       9:30 a.m. — Veneration and rosary

·       12 p.m. — Farewell celebration

For more information or scheduling updates visit https://bernadette-usa.lourdes-france.com/ip.php?pg=St-Bernadette-Relics-Tour-Map

More online
At www.tinyurl.com/4av8hsh2: Learn more and check for scheduling updates

The 2026 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore is set for Nov. 16–19, with public portions on Nov. 17–18.

The gathering, which has been livestreamed for the past 15 years, also will include addresses by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, USCCB president, and by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, papal nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Oscar Cantù of the Diocese of San José, California, will address the bishops on AI. He chairs the Task Force on Preserving Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, which the USCCB created this year to advance the Church’s priorities on AI, as laid out in Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.

An address by Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, who chairs the Committee on Migration, will provide an update one year after U.S. bishops adopted a special message that opposes “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”
Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, who chairs the Committee for Cultural Diversity in the Church, will address the bishops on the Guadalupan Novena. The bishops are also expected to vote on an annual observance of a Day of Prayer for Racial Justice.

The bishops also plan to discuss evidence of increased conversions and a reported resurgence of religious interest among young adults in a panel presentation on new life in the Church.
Catholics can also expect votes on whether the bishops support investigating the canonization causes for Maria Middleton and Thomas Steven Vander Woude, two Americans whose causes are being investigated by their dioceses.

There will also be a vote on a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass and Book of the Gospels.

The bishops will vote on whether to approve the USCCB budget. There will also be a vote to approve a review and update of the pastoral plan for the Secretariat on Pro-Life Activities. The bishops also will vote on updates to the USCCB’s Diocesan Financial Reporting Guidelines and Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines.

With terms expiring for certain leadership positions, the USCCB will also elect replacements.

The bishops will elect a new secretary, choosing between Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio.

They will also vote on who will chair the committees on Catholic Education, Communications, Cultural Diversity in the Church, Doctrine, National Collections and Pro-Life Activities.

Each bishop selected will serve as bishop-elect for one year and will then take over the role in the fall of 2027 and serve three-year terms.

SAVANNAH — On Oct. 3, Catholics around the world marked the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. Not long after his death in 1226, his spiritual sons would carry the Gospel far beyond Italy to Africa, Asia and, eventually, to the Americas. And on Oct. 31, the Church will beatify five Franciscan missionaries from Spain who were martyred in 1597 in what is now the state of Georgia.

The beatification comes at fitting moment, just days after Catholics around the world mark World Mission Sunday on Oct. 18. This annual observance celebrates the Church’s enduring call to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth and the role every Catholic plays in that mission through prayer, sacrifice and generous giving.

A powerful story

The story of the Georgia Martyrs offers a powerful early example of that missionary spirit on American soil. More than two decades before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Franciscan missionaries had already left Spain to evangelize the Indigenous peoples along what is now the Georgia coast. They established missions among the Guale people, learning their language and customs, preaching the Gospel and celebrating the sacraments.

Guale society was organized around a network of villages, with leadership mostly passing through matrilineal lines. Upon the death of the cacique (chief), the chiefdom transferred to the son or daughter of the cacique’s eldest sister. Because this structure was built upon a system of inheritance through the female, it was common for chiefs to take more than one wife.

The Franciscans, however, taught that those who had accepted baptism were also called to embrace the Christian understanding of marriage, which excludes any kind of plural marriage. That teaching brought one of these Franciscans, Father Pedro de Corpa, into conflict with Juanillo, a young man who was heir to an important chiefdom. When Juanillo sought to take a second wife, de Corpa reminded him that, as a Christian, he could not do this. In response, Juanillo and several followers killed de Corpa on Sept. 14, 1597.

The group then moved from mission to mission, killing the friars Blas Rodríguez, Miguel de Añon, Antonio de Badajóz and Francisco de Veráscola.

Complexity of cultures

There is a danger in telling their story simply as a clash between Christianity and Indigenous culture. The encounter between Europeans and the native peoples of the Americas was enormously complicated, and its history includes exploitation, violence and profound cultural loss. But acknowledging that larger history should not obscure the particular witness of these five men who lost their lives in service of Christ and his Gospel. They had left their homes and familiar surroundings to live among people whose language and way of life were vastly different from their own.

The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has pointed to that initial decision as the first evidence of their willingness to give their lives for Christ. Their martyrdom did not begin on the days in September 1597 when they were killed. It began when they allowed themselves to be sent.

These five could not have imagined that the missions where they labored would one day become part of the United States, much less the vibrant Catholic Church that would take root here. But that is often the way the Gospel grows. The seed is planted by people who never live to see the harvest.

Nor were they the last missionaries to make the ultimate sacrifice on this continent. On Oct. 19, the Church celebrated the feast of the North American Martyrs (St. Isaac Jogues, St. Jean de Brébeuf and their companions). These French Jesuit missionaries crossed the Atlantic to bring the Gospel to the Indigenous peoples of New France, in what is now Canada and upstate New York.

Their stories bear striking similarities to those of the Spanish Franciscans. They too left behind the familiarity and security of Europe, and they, too, ultimately gave their lives for the mission they had embraced.

Centuries later, the direction of that missionary movement would change. The Church in the United States, once a mission territory, would send its priests, religious and lay people to bring the Gospel to other parts of the world. And some of them, too, would pay the ultimate price.

Among them were four American women who were murdered in El Salvador in December 1980.

Stanley Rother, a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City serving in Guatemala, remained with his people amid growing violence, insisting that “the shepherd cannot run,” and on July 28, 1981, he was murdered in his rectory. Beatified in 2017, he became the first U.S.-born martyr recognized by the Church.

When the five Georgia Martyrs are beatified on Oct. 31, we will remember not only the sacrifice of these brave Franciscans, but also the missionary story they represent. Their witness reminds us that the call to mission belongs to every Christian: To carry the Gospel beyond ourselves and trust that God will bring to harvest the seeds we may never see grow.

— Father Anthony D. Andreassi, OSV News Father Anthony D. Andreassi, is associate national director of The Pontifical Mission Societies USA.

More online
At www.diosav.org: Watch the beatification at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, and learn more

Savannah bishop shares timeless witness of Georgia Martyrs ahead of beatification

SAVANNAH — What would you give your life for? This is the question and challenge that Bishop Stephen D. Parkes of the Diocese of Savannah has been putting before young people receiving the sacrament of confirmation as his Georgia diocese prepares for the historic beatification of five Franciscan missionaries who laid down their lives for their Catholic faith on that same soil over 400 years ago.

"This has relevance for today," he told OSV News in a recent interview, "because in our world today, there's just so much happening and so much going on. And we hear all these divergent opinions and you think, 'Well, what do I believe? What do I feel so strongly about that I'm going to shed my blood for it?'"

"We know many are suffering; they're just struggling today and trying to find their place and wondering how their gifts and talents are going to serve the world," he said, "And when we embrace something and we feel strongly about it, well, we stand up for it."

The Georgia Martyrs, five Franciscans from Spain who were martyred in 1597 ministering to the Guale people, without any Spanish military presence, were Friars Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez, Miguel de Añon, Antonio de Badajóz and Francisco de Veráscola.

"The native peoples adopted them, welcomed them into their culture, and the Franciscans were good at evangelization. So, the five of them, they settled into various missions and they ended up becoming a part of the everyday life of the people," he noted. "That in and of itself was remarkable."

Their martyrdom came after Father Pedro de Corpa stood by the Church's teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman when the soon-to-be chief Juanillo wanted to take a second wife. Juanillo had Father Pedro killed and started an attack on the other Franciscans serving in different missions who were hunted down and killed.

Bishop Parkes observed the distinct personalities of each of the Georgia Martyrs.

"They came from different places in Spain and then they were known for certain things. Blas was a calm and devout pastor," he said, "Miguel was a gentle musician. Antonio was a gifted communicator and Francisco, he was called the Cantabrian Giant. He was an athlete. Apparently, he was well known to the young people ... around St. Simon's Island, where he ministered. He was a wrestler and he really worked with all the young people. He was very good at connecting with them."

"Each one would have suffered individually," he emphasized, "and they would have made that decision to say, 'I am going to give my life for this.' And that's a huge decision."

"This was almost 200 years before our country was even officially founded," he added, "it's very interesting to note that the faith was a part of life in such a way that it made its way to these shores."

Bishop Parkes first heard of the Georgia Martyrs when he became bishop of the Diocese of Savannah in 2020.

"Immediately upon my arrival," he said, "I noticed pictures of these five men around in almost every place that I went; but also, people were very excited to tell me (about them), which says something about the devotional life of the people in the local area. That's been an important part, I believe, of their cause."

"To get to know them, to spread the word, history is so important," he added, "especially in our faith, as we well know, we celebrate history. We learn from history. And I notice in Georgia, there's a great love for history."

The beatification is the first ever in the state of Georgia and the Southeast United States and the sixth beatification to take place on U.S. soil.

Bishop Parkes noted the Georgia Martyrs' cause was brought forward in the 1950s by the Order of Friars Minor, the Franciscans, and in 1984, the late Bishop Raymond W. Lessard officially opened it on behalf of the diocese.

Regarding why the beatification was moving forward now all these years later, he said such things take time: both as people become familiar with the story, but also as their story is appreciated more.

"We don't really know; there's mystery in it," he said. "I've asked that question, 'Why is it that it's happening during my time as bishop?' And there's mystery in that. And I say, 'Well, God has a plan somewhere along the line and I'm very grateful for that because it's a big opportunity for us to promote our Catholic faith.'"

Bishop Parkes said he hopes the beatification might result in a veneration of the Georgia martyrs by married and engaged couples within the diocese.

"Wouldn't it be beautiful if every household, every marriage that's being prepared, every couple preparing for marriage knows the story; that they look to the martyrs for their intercession, to these new blesseds -- as of Oct. 31 -- for their intercession for loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity in their marriage?"

"What a beautiful witness," he said. "Maybe they'll have pictures of them in their home, and that would be something that, again, would be part of our local Catholic culture."

Bishop Parkes said that he attended the beatification of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen in September, calling the experience "beautiful" to be able to "learn more about Fulton Sheen," who was a "great communicator and touched millions and millions of lives."

"The story of the martyrs is different," he said. "It's kind of delving into our history, our heart, realizing that from hundreds of years ago that holy people walked here in our soil and what they went through for our faith to be here today."

"We wonder, we struggle with things in our faith or promoting the faith," he said, "and resistance. What did they face back then? They lost their lives for it, because there was a lack of understanding or an openness about it."

Bishop Parkes was able to visit St. Catherines Island, the only site of martyrdom that has been identified with certainty where Father Miguel de Añon and Brother Antonio de Badajoz lost their lives. The mission on St. Catherines, rediscovered in the 1980s, is located on the privately owned island, and is closed to the general public.

"They were able to recreate what that Guale village looked like, even to the point where we actually have a place there through the generosity of the St. Catherines Island Foundation, we are able to have an outdoor chapel there," he said, adding that the diocese planted a group of palm trees on the outline of the chapel.

"I believe 430 of the natives are buried there," he said. "I went there on All Souls' Day, my very first visit, and it was just a beautiful experience, connecting with the history."

Bishop Parkes said the beatification taking place on Oct. 31, Halloween, was no coincidence.

"We had to submit a number of dates to the dicastery, and then it would be approved by the Holy Father," he explained. "This was our first choice."

"Halloween has taken a dark turn in these last decades," he said, "and there's a lot of nonsense that goes along with it. And I think this is a reminder of what it really is, and that is All Hallows' Eve and the next day is All Saints' Day. So we will be having a Mass of Thanksgiving at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist on All Saints' Day, where we will recognize obviously all of the saints, but recognize these new blesseds."

He said, "It's a great connection, I think, to make, that we should live liturgically. And this is an opportunity for us to live the liturgical life of the Church within our secular calendar."

He said that having the beatification on a Saturday would also help those traveling from all over the state to attend as the diocese is over 37,000 square miles.

The diocese is expecting over 8,000 people to be in attendance for the beatification and have already had to expand the event to a larger venue.

"I feel as though we've put into place and planned all of the tools that are needed for a milestone, memorable, spiritually fulfilling celebration," Bishop Parkes said. "We'll let the Holy Spirit take it from there." 

— Lauretta Brown, OSV News

Georgia Martyrs' beatification the next big event for US Church

ATLANTA — While six years separate the two most recent U.S. beatifications of Blessed Michael J. McGivney in 2020 and Blessed Fulton J. Sheen on Sept. 24, mere weeks pass before the next: five Franciscan friars known as the Georgia Martyrs on Oct. 31.

Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto will celebrate the 11 a.m. beatification Mass, which will be livestreamed on social media channels and the diocesan website, diosav.org, as well as by EWTN.

Speaking about the Georgia Martyrs with OSV News, Cardinal Leo said, "We all have that same command from the Lord Jesus to go make disciples."

"The Georgia Martyrs offered more than self-sacrifice," he said. "They brought it to the next level in terms of self-gift. ... It was a choice and a decision to make a gift to the Lord by becoming a gift to his people, who needed to know him and to live for him."

In 1597, the Spanish Franciscans Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez de Cuacos, Miguel de Añón, Antonio de Badajoz and Francisco de Veráscola were ministering at five missions along the coast and barrier islands of present-day Georgia when they were killed out of hatred for the faith by a band of Indigenous men between Sept. 14-17.

The friars' murders were prompted by Father de Corpa angering the heir to a Guale chiefdom, Juanillo, by telling him that as a baptized Christian, he could not follow his culture's custom and take a second wife. Juanillo and his men killed the priest at a mission near the contemporary city of Eulonia, Georgia, before killing four of the other five Franciscan missionaries ministering in the area. The sixth friar, Francisco de Avila, was kidnapped and tortured for months before being set free. The incident is known as the 1597 Guale Uprising.

At the time, the Spaniards knew the wider coastal area as La Florida, home to the settlement of St. Augustine, established in 1565. By 1595, the friars had established five missions along the coast. Prior to their murders, the six Franciscans appear to have lived among the Guale and other indigenous peoples in peace, without a military presence, for two years.

About a month after the friars were killed, the governor of La Florida led an expedition to locate the martyred friars' bodies. According to the Diocese of Savannah's website on the martyrs, there is no record of Friar Francisco's remains being found. The bodies of Friars Blas, Miguel and Antonio were found buried in shallow graves on St. Catherines Island. The men in the October 1597 expedition reburied them, with the exception of the severed head of Friar Miguel, which they took with them.

Less than a decade later, when Franciscans had returned to the coastline to evangelize, the friars' bodies on St. Catherines Island were exhumed and brought to St. Augustine, but their whereabouts today are unknown. Some scholars speculate that Franciscans took the martyrs' remains with them to Cuba when St. Augustine transferred to British rule in 1763.

Friar Pedro de Corpa was decapitated and his body was not found; the location of his skull is uncertain. A skull recovered at the Fort King George State Historical Site in Darien may belong to Friar Pedro or Father Francisco, and testing is underway to learn more about its origins.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage drew attention to the martyrs in May, as the nine perpetual pilgrims spent the third day of their pilgrimage in southern Georgia, walking in a Eucharistic procession at Fort King George, where Friar Francisco is believed to have been killed.

The five Franciscans' martyrdom is "a reminder of how the Church has, over the centuries, continued to send out missionaries to all peoples, to all nations, to faraway places," Father Pablo Migone, vicar for mission advancement for the Diocese of Savannah, said during that visit. "That is something we have done from the very beginning from the words of Jesus to the apostles."

The Beatification Mass is not ticketed, and seats in the Savannah Convention Center are first come, first served. Doors for the liturgy open at 8 a.m. Oct. 31. The convention center will host the Georgia Martyr Museum between 8-10:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m.

The Mass coincides with Halloween, the eve of All Saints' Day. It also coincides with the Jubilee Year of their order's founder, St. Francis of Assisi, which commemorates the 800th anniversary of his death.

On Nov. 1, Bishop Stephen D. Parkes of Savannah will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at 11:30 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Savannah, which will also be livestreamed at the cathedral's website, savannahcathedral.org.

Reports from civil and religious leaders in the months and years after the Franciscans' deaths reveal that the slain friars' contemporaries saw them as martyrs. New research in the 20th century about the history of La Florida and the Georgia Martyrs bolstered efforts to move forward with a cause for their beatification.

With the support of the Order of Franciscans Minor, the Diocese of Savannah opened the cause for the martyrs' canonization in February 1984 under Savannah's Bishop Raymond W. Lessard, who died in 2016. In January 2025, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to formally recognize the five friars' martyrdom "in hatred of the faith."

Alongside the sainthood cause for the five Georgia martyrs is a separate cause for the Martyrs of La Florida Missions, which encompasses 58 people martyred in the region between 1549 and 1715. Known as Antonio Inija and Companions, Servants of God, their collective cause officially opened Oct. 12, 2015, and includes Dominican, Franciscan and Jesuit priests; lay men and women; and children, including an unborn child.

 — Maria Wiering, OSV News

The dinner at the Omni Severin Hotel followed a Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis. Concelebrating were Bishop Cozzens and Bishop Timothy L. Doherty of Lafayette, Indiana, with Indianapolis Archbishop Charles C. Thompson as principal celebrant.

"As we look toward the 11th National Eucharistic Congress in 2029, we do well to keep before us the continued outpouring of graces and blessings stemming from the National Eucharistic Revival that continues to bear fruit throughout the Church, local and universal," Archbishop Thompson said in his homily.

Before announcing the location of the 2029 congress at the dinner, Bishop Cozzens, board chairman of National Eucharistic Congress Inc., spoke of the impact of the 10th congress, held in Indianapolis July 17-21, 2024.

"Everywhere I go now, people tell me stories about how the congress impacted them," he said. "I really want to say thank you to the people of Indianapolis and to your role in that."

A press release announcing the 2029 congress identified specific impacts of the 2024 gathering, including "renewed participation" in Eucharistic adoration and confession, "greater reverence at Mass, increased confidence among clergy in preaching about the Real Presence, and growth in parish evangelization and service."

The congress also has resulted in new adoration chapels opening, local Eucharistic initiatives flourishing, seminarian enrollment growing, new religious vocations and increasing numbers of people entering the Church, the release said.

To "really have an impact on the country," Bishop Cozzens said the plan is to hold a National Eucharistic Congress every four years in various cities around the country.

In deciding where to hold the 2029 congress, several aspects were considered, he said. Among them were centrality, facilities, accessibility, hospitality and a proven ability to host national events.

"We looked at several potential hosts … but Indianapolis just came out on top again," said Bishop Cozzens.

Of particular note was the "Hoosier hospitality here in Indianapolis and the way that you all welcomed the whole country here" in 2024, he said.

He also noted that returning to the city for the 2029 congress "really helps us to build on what we've done already. And it helps us in that way to do something that's both bigger and better. … We expect it to be an event that will affect a generation of Catholics."

Archbishop Thompson also shared his thoughts that evening on Indianapolis hosting the 2029 congress.

"We are grateful, we are honored to celebrate, to serve and to be the host," he said after thanking Bishop Cozzens and the National Eucharistic Congress Inc. team "for all the great work that you do."

Several speakers at the event noted the impact of the last congress, an impact Archbishop Thompson connected to the closing words of every Mass: "Go forth."

He spoke of the "co-responsibility" of "every baptized person to take their role in that mission," noting that the National Eucharistic Congress must "always be connected to service" and "has to be connected always with the larger Church."

Archbishop Cozzens called the 2029 congress a "launching point" for two "great anniversaries for the Church."

First is the 500th anniversary of the 1531 apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.

"Because of the 9 million people who converted to the Catholic faith in the decade after she appeared, "she's been declared the patroness of the new evangelization in our country," he said.

"It's part of why we chose the rose as the logo (for the next congress) with the Eucharist there at the center, because we want the congress actually to be a moment for us to devote to Mary and to teach us how to love the Eucharist," said Bishop Cozzens.

He called the next major anniversary for the Church in 2033 "the great jubilee of our redemption," when Christ was crucified and when the Church came into being at Pentecost.

"So, we want to help prepare the country for these two moments," said Bishop Cozzens. "In 2029, you can think of it as a launching point for what we hope will have a great impact on the evangelization of the world."

Seminarian Antonio Harbert is "really stoked" for that moment. The member of St. Joseph Parish in Shelbyville is a senior at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis.

He is a witness to the increase in seminarians noted in the press release.

The college seminary, which accepts men from the archdiocese and four other dioceses, had 18 new seminarians enroll this fall. Last year, there were 20 seminarians total at Bishop Simon Bruté.

"We've almost doubled in seminarians from last year to this," Halbert told The Criterion, the archdiocesan newspaper. "I would say that fruit comes from the Eucharistic Congress."

Hosting the 11th National Eucharistic Congress will take effort, Archbishop Thompson noted.

"Whether it's time, talent or treasure, it takes a lot of people to make this happen," he said, but he is "eager" to start the process.

The planning process is just beginning, with information such as specific dates, event speakers and more to come later.

— Natalie Hoefer / The Criterion, OSV News

The beautiful fall mountain weather was a welcome gift for the close-knit parish that has weathered many storms in recent years. St. Margaret Mary faced down the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024 and helped members of the community rebuild their lives afterward.

Two years later, another hurricane disrupted their anniversary celebrations. The procession was originally planned for Oct. 11, the anniversary of the church’s dedication. But high winds and rain from Hurricane Isaias forced the event to be postponed a week.

The procession, led by parochial administrator Father Aaron Huber, was the joyful conclusion to nearly a month of festivities that included a Sept. 20 anniversary picnic and an Oct. 16 Mass on the feast day of the parish’s patron saint, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

After the 8:30 a.m. Mass, the congregation who had filled the pews filed outside and followed Father Huber, who carried the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance down Andrews Place and other adjacent roads and then across the street into Grovemont Park.

The presence of Christ had a special meaning there because the park was a destination of hope after Hurricane Helene. Members of the community – including St. Margaret Mary parishioners – set up there to share food and supplies with hundreds of storm survivors.

The surrounding mountains covered in fall color were a dramatic backdrop for the beautiful witness of faith.

“In the past I’ve had to drive hours and hundreds of miles to attend a procession like this, and now I get to take part in this beautiful day,” said parishioner Barbara Freeman, whose memories of St. Margaret Mary include Mass going on uninterrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also recalled bringing non-Catholic friends to retreats and events who eventually were drawn to the faith.

A church in the mountains

The idea of a Catholic parish in Swannanoa came from Raleigh Bishop William Hafey, who in 1936 purchased a plot of land to build a church to serve an influx of northeastern and French-Canadian Catholics who came to work at Beacon Manufacturing’s blanket mill, a major employer in the Valley for more than 80 years until it closed in 2002.  

The church was built on the site of a former hotel that was part of the E.W. Grove real estate development called Grovemont-On-Swannanoa. Its construction was made possible by a $15,000 gift given by Kate Kelly of St. Louis through the Catholic Extension Society.

Bishop Hafey dedicated the church on Oct. 11, 1938. At the time it was the only Catholic parish between Biltmore and Lenoir east of Asheville.

Beverly Penland has been a member of the parish for 54 years, joining shortly after she moved to nearby Black Mountain from Massachusetts.

“When I came here there were only about 100 families in the parish and I came to practically know everybody, and I still know most of the people,” Penland  said. “It’s just been a very warm and accepting parish for everyone, and I hope I’ve kept that going myself with how I treat people here.”

Penland raised her son and daughter at St. Margaret Mary and led faith formation classes for many years. She has watched the parish grow and change with the community. For a while, she said, the parish served a small community of Filipino Catholics, and then more Hispanic families joined as they moved into the area for work.

She also has seen the interior of the church change, from plain yellow glass windows to beautiful stained glass that was designed by a parishioner – the faces of the saints, the Blessed Mother and others modeled after early members of the congregation.  She remembers when the Stations of the Cross went up, designed by another area resident. When she first started attending, there was no air conditioning.

As it looks back on 90 years of sharing God’s love in the Swannanoa valley, St. Margaret Mary is also looking toward the future. On Oct. 16, 2025, the parish launched a $4.5 million capital campaign called “Bells of Hope” in honor of the church bells that people in the area love to hear.

Ohio-based architect William Heyer is the lead architect for the project, which would expand the church’s seating capacity from 140 to 303 and add 3,086 square feet to its current 1,891-square-foot layout. Side aisles, new accessible seating, a portico and patio, a choir loft and a rest room will be added, and the narthex will be enlarged.

While the building is growing, Penland and others said the closeness of the community forged over the years and reinforced during Hurricane Helene will remain.

“Everyone that comes here feels welcome – it’s a church that is friendly and reverent,” she said. “Every priest that has been here has been a joy. And every time I’ve needed help, someone at this parish has been there for me.”

— Christina Lee Knauss

Foundations of a church in the mountains

The idea for a Catholic parish in Swannanoa came from Raleigh Bishop William Hafey, who in 1936 purchased a plot of land to build a church to serve an influx of northeastern and French-Canadian Catholics who came to work at Beacon Manufacturing’s blanket mill, a major employer in the valley for more than 80 years until it closed in 2002.

The church was built on the site of a former hotel that was part of the E.W. Grove real estate development called Grovemont-On-Swannanoa. Its construction was made possible by a $15,000 gift given by Kate Kelly of St. Louis through the Catholic Extension Society.

Bishop Hafey dedicated the church on Oct. 11, 1938. At the time it was the only Catholic parish between Biltmore and Lenoir east of Asheville.

At Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in High Point, the day marked the first Mass said in Portuguese, while at St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte, Brazilian parishioners celebrated six months of weekly Sunday Masses.

Although the church does not track parishioners by ethnicity, leaders say the Brazilian population is growing as more companies rooted in Brazil – including Volvo and TSEA Energy  – expand in the state.

To serve the demographic, Father Patrick O’Connor, OSFS, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, practiced daily for two weeks to memorize the liturgy in Portuguese. 

“Parishioners made tapes of the Mass for me, and I just listened to them over and over again,” Father O’Connor said. “It was a lot of work, but I just wanted to do something for our growing number of Portuguese-speaking parishioners."

The Mass, organized by Brazilian parishioner, Kamila Pereira, drew more than 200 parishioners, surprising Giuliana Koch.

“I wrote on my Facebook page that this Mass is a seed we just planted that will give us wonderful fruits of love in the future,” Koch said.

In Charlotte, Paula Simoncello also noticed a recent influx of Brazilian Catholics.

Simoncello, who arranged the first Brazilian Mass at St. John Neumann in 2008, said almost 200 people attended Oct. 12 – their largest crowd to date.

“There are…local Christian denominations with Catholic Brazilians, because we didn’t have a Mass or Church to go to. But now, many are coming back,” Simoncello said. “Since April, we have been able to offer Mass weekly. The small group we started with is now around 150 each Sunday.”  

Father Adilso Coelho, a native Brazilian who presides over the Mass, travels from the Diocese of Charleston. He is pastor of Divine Saviour in York and parochial administrator of St. Anne in Rock Hill.

He and Simoncello pray for the day he won’t have to make so many trips.

“Our big dream is to have a Brazilian priest assigned to us in the Diocese of Charlotte,” Simoncello said, “so we can have all the other things, not only the Mass.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

Catholicism in Brazil

Patroness

Our Lady of Aparecida, Feast Day Oct. 12 

Our Lady of Aparecida is 14-inch terracotta statue found in 1717 during a fishing voyage that started out as a total failure. The fishermen threw out their nets, but instead of fish they caught a headless, dark-skinned Blessed Mother statue. They threw the nets a second time and retrieved the statue’s head. When they connected the two pieces and tried again, their nets were overfilled with fish. 

Larger than life

• The Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida is the second-largest church in the world – second only to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The interior covers nearly 130,000 square feet and can accommodate approximately up to 70,000 worshippers
• Brazil’s iconic 98-foot statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro may be the most well-known, but Christ the Protector in Encantada, Rio Grande do Sol, completed in 2024, is about 18 feet taller. 
• Although Brazil is the largest Catholic nation in the world with more than 110 million residents claiming the faith, the percentage of the population has declined dramatically – shrinking from 93% in 1963 to 56% today. 

A saint for the single

In Brazil, Saint Anthony finds more than lost keys – he is known to find a spouse for his single devotees. Singles often take the infant Jesus from St. Anthony statues and vow to return Him once their mate is found. 

Pope Leo XIV clasps his hands after leading the Angelus in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 18, 2026, after being released from the hospital the previous day. Lead surgeon Dr. Stefano Margaritora said the pope's recovery is progressing normally and that there is no medical reason to cancel his planned Nov. 6-17 trip to South America. (OSV News photo/Matteo Pernaselci, Vatican Media)

"I would like to thank all those who have prayed for me in recent days. I have truly sensed your support," the pope said after leading the crowd in St. Peter's Square in the prayer of the Angelus.

"This experience has made me feel particularly close to all those who are living with illness or infirmity. Now that I have overcome this delicate phase, as you know, I will gradually resume my activities, always with God’s help and your prayers," he added.

The pope said he was especially grateful to all of the doctors, nurses, and staff at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he underwent lung cancer surgery on Oct. 13 to remove the lower lobe of the right lung.

It was Pope Leo's first public appearance since he was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital the day prior after his doctors deemed him fit to return to the Vatican earlier than had been originally expected.

Thousands of people in St. Peter's Square on the cloudy Sunday cheered loudly when the pope waved from the window of his papal apartment less than 24 hours after his hospital discharge.

-- Emotional pilgrims welcoming Pope Leo back to the Vatican --

For Ylenia Casati, a 32-year-old woman from Siena, Italy, the experience was very moving.

"It was emotional. I almost started crying because it was so wonderful to see him again,” Casati told OSV News.

"Today was the first Angelus right after his hospitalization, and I wanted and needed to see him, and to be reassured by hearing him and seeing that he was doing well.”

Her friend, Ilaria Beatrice, 31, from Prato, Italy, described St. Peter's Square as "full of passion, full of love, of excitement."

"To feel like part of such a close-knit community of believers, it’s wonderful," she said. "To turn around and see people clapping, crying, and cheering -- it gives you so much strength."

The Oct. 17 announcement of the pope’s imminent discharge from the hospital the day prior came earlier than previously expected, as the Holy See Press Office had originally indicated that the pope would remain in the hospital for about a week following his Oct. 13 admission to Gemelli on the day of his surgery.

-- Pope's surgeon praised Pope Leo as an 'ideal' patient, said pope can go to South America --

Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the lead surgeon for Pope Leo's 90-minute lung cancer operation on Oct. 13, said in an interview with Vatican News on the day of his hospital discharge that he saw no clinical reason to cancel the pope's planned trip to South America.

"As for a long trip involving air travel in about three weeks, I would say there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place," Margaritora said, indicating that he believed from a medical standpoint that Pope Leo could be ready to undertake the demanding visit to Latin America scheduled for Nov. 6-17.

"At the time of his discharge from the hospital, Pope Leo was in entirely satisfactory clinical condition," the surgeon said. "The lung’s re-expansion after surgery is proceeding according to the usual timetable."

The surgeon estimated that it usually takes "a couple of weeks to make a truly complete physical recovery after this kind of operation."

"Since almost a week has already passed, I believe the pope could be fully recovered in another ten days or so," he said.

Margaritora, who is the chief thoracic surgeon at Gemelli Hospital, described Pope Leo as "an ideal patient."

"He was always serene, always smiling, and rarely complained, despite the pain a person inevitably feels, even with all the measures we take," he said.

The doctor also shared a story of how Pope Leo offered a helping hand moving chairs in the chapel so that he could celebrate Mass two days after his cancer surgery.

"On the second day after the operation, we turned around and found him arranging the chairs in the chapel himself. We said, 'Holy Father, we can do that.' And he replied, 'It doesn’t matter. I can do it, so I will.' What can I say? He really was an absolutely ideal patient," Margaritora said.

-- Pope Leo celebrating the centenary of World Mission Sunday --

In his Angelus address, the pope marked the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday.

"Let us think of how much missionary history has unfolded over these 100 years," Pope Leo said. "Let us pray that the Church may always remain faithful to the mandate of the Risen Lord: 'Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.'"

Before praying the Marian prayer of the Angelus in Latin with the crowd, Pope Leo reflected on Sunday's Gospel in which St. Matthew records Jesus as saying, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

Pope Leo said, "In Jesus, we contemplate a God who is not afraid of history but comes instead to dwell within it. His Kingdom does not abolish human roles and responsibilities. It does, however, call us to live without compromise, free from selfish ambitions and unjust motives, seeking above all the Kingdom of God and his righteousness."

The pope described Jesus' teaching to render unto Caesar as a command "to be truthful, free from servile fear or hypocrisy, (and) free to do good."

"Let us pray to the Lord to help us live in this way. And let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary," he said.

— Courtney Mares, OSV News

In a statement released Oct. 16, the Vatican press office said the pope celebrated Mass in a room set up on the hospital's 10th floor, with off-duty medical staff and members of the Vatican Gendarmerie.

"In his homily, the pope thanked all the staff -- doctors, nurses, and orderlies -- for the work they do every day caring for the sick and their frailties, and especially for what they have done and continue to do for him," the statement read.

In the afternoon, the Vatican press office said Pope Leo received, in separate visits, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the newly elected dean of the College of Cardinals, and Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the papal vicar for Rome and archpriest of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Luigi Carbone, the pope's personal doctor, and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the chief surgeon for his operation, released a joint statement saying that blood tests and a chest X-ray "confirmed the constant improvement in his general condition."

The doctors noted that Pope Leo continues to receive physiotherapy and that his recovery "allows him to carry out normal daily activities completely independently."

Briefing journalists at the press office Oct. 16, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during Mass, Pope Leo distributed Communion to those present and remained in "good spirits."

However, he also cautioned against expecting an immediate discharge, adding that the Vatican is following the medical team's guidance.

"At the moment, we have received no communication from the doctors regarding discharge, other than what we had from the beginning concerning the one-week timeframe," Bruni said. "If there are any changes, they will be the ones to communicate it to us in their own way and time."

Bruni also confirmed that the pope's Sunday Angelus address "will take place"; however, logistical arrangements are still being finalized. "His current room is not the one where Pope Francis stayed," he explained. "So regarding where he might appear, further information will follow."

Pope Leo has continued his daily work routine from the hospital, the Vatican spokesman said, noting that the pontiff received a visit Oct. 15 from Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, the substitute secretary for general affairs at the Vatican Secretariat of State.

 — Junno Arocho Esteves, OSV News

Rescuers use a crane to carry the body of a killed person found under debris of an apartment building in Lviv, Ukraine July 30, 2026, damaged during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine. A Russian ballistic missile and drone barrage across Ukraine killed at least eight civilians, including children, and injured more than 50 others, officials said July 30, and NATO scrambled its warplanes after one of the missiles crossed into Poland. (OSV News photo/Roman Baluk, Reuters)

The Holy See Press Office announced that the pope -- currently in Rome's Gemelli Hospital following an Oct. 13 lung cancer surgery -- "expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky," located in Ukraine's partially occupied Kherson region.

Pope Leo's call comes after a Sept. 19 appeal by the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, urging the pope and other global religious leaders to intervene.

The pope's call also coincided with his message for World Food Day (Oct. 16), in which he described "regular access to safe, adequate and sufficient food" as "a basic human right" to be safeguarded by nations."

Oleshky and its surrounding communities are estimated to have more than 6,000 civilians remaining there, including some 200 children, who are "effectively trapped in a 'gray zone' near the front line," said UCCRO.

Russian forces have imposed a "humanitarian blockade," with food supplies last "delivered to the area at the end of May," the council said.

In addition, Russian officials have repeatedly refused to permit both evacuations and humanitarian aid, said Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha in a Sept. 21 Facebook post.

Sybiha said in his post that "chilling accounts are emerging" from Oleshky of residents who "scavenge for food scraps and gather grass, as there is simply no other food available."

According to Reuters, the Kremlin released an Oct. 16 statement regarding the call between Pope Leo and Putin, with the exchange described as taking place "in a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect."

Putin, who wished the pope a speedy recovery, "thanked the pope for his willingness" to assist in "resolving the conflict" and "for his humanitarian efforts," said the Kremlin.

Putin also provided "a detailed explanation" concerning what he called Kyiv's "responsibility" for the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, while expressing "support" for the Vatican's aim to facilitate civilian safety and the delivery of essential aid, the Kremlin said.

"It has been agreed to cooperate on this ?matter," said the Kremlin.

Over the past several months, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War has issued multiple warnings of a "dire" and "Russian-manufactured humanitarian crisis" in Oleshky.

In its Oct. 2 assessment, ISW noted Oleshky has not received any food deliveries since May 26. Drone attacks, mines and Russian occupation forces have prevented the remaining residents from fleeing.

ISW said that Russia has "deliberately weaponized deprivation and bureaucratic mismanagement," with the blockade placing "thousands at risk of disease, starvation, and abuse at the hands of Russian forces."

Russia's aid blockade has further compounded previous damage to Oleshky, which was one of several cities flooded by Russia's 2023 intentional destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in Kherson, said UCCRO.

International humanitarian law, which governs armed conflict, mandates "rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need," according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Holy See Press Office said Pope Leo "called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population."

In addition, said the press office, "the Holy Father reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to promoting dialogue and peace."

Russia's attacks -- initiated in 2014, and accelerated by a 2022 full-scale invasion -- have been classified as a genocide in multiple reports by the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy and the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights.

 — Gina Christian, OSV News

Lorraine and John Lamonica are one of 80 couples who recently celebrated milestone anniversaries with Bishop Michael Martin. CHARLOTTE — St. Patrick Cathedral was full of love stories as more than 80 couples gathered for a special Wedding Anniversary Mass Oct. 11.

Bishop Michael T. Martin presided over the Mass and commended the couples on their love deeply rooted in Christ.

Ironically, that same weekend, a Vatican summit was addressing the global deterioration of matrimony and families due to the rise in cohabitation. Statistics from a 2026 Institute for Family Studies study seemingly agreed, reporting that the number of Catholic weddings has plunged by 74% since 1970. That same study did find that faith influences marital satisfaction, with 79% of

Massgoing Catholics saying they were happily married, compared to 66% of non-religious couples.

At St. Patrick Cathedral, however, married couples sat hand-in-hand, still thriving at milestone anniversaries of 25 and 50 years.

Bishop Martin recognized some reasons why love appears skewed through a worldly lens. Those answers can be found in the day’s liturgical readings, he said in his homily.

“‘Charm’ and ‘beauty’ … are fleeting,” the bishop said, referencing the first reading from Proverbs 31.

“The world misses the depth of relationships when it gets simply caught up in charm and beauty, when they don’t carry through to the uncharming and unbeautiful times,” he said.

The married couples present in the pews learned early on to make their unions less about charm and beauty and more about God and the virtues mentioned in Colossians 3:12-17: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness.

“If you don’t have compassion for your spouse, check your pulse, your relationship is dead,” Bishop Martin said.

“It begins with compassion. My heart gives and bleeds for you, that is the hallmark and the foundation,” he said.

At that, he asked the couples to turn to one another and say that they could love them even more.

“Wherever you are in your current journey, if you think this is as good as it gets, you don’t know God,” he told them. “You can be more in love with your spouse.”

His suggestions for a continued marriage full of God’s love were to pray together and share Jesus’ love with others – not by professing love for one another in the fruit section of the grocery store, he joked, but by being an example for other couples.

“We have to be on fire by sharing the love of Jesus with the world,” he said.

Attendees Lorraine and John Lamonica, married for 50 years and members of St. Aloysius Parish in Hickory, have been each other’s prayer warriors for years.

They go to Mass every Sunday and sometimes more often, as she is an altar server. And they never miss weekly Eucharistic Adoration.

Lorraine Lamonica credits the example of discipleship they received from their parents and the faith they have in God.

“His parents were really religious. My parents were really religious,” she said. “My parents were married for over 50 years. Seeing their life rubs off on you seeing how happy they were.”

Now, they are honored their granddaughter will follow in their footsteps, choosing to marry on their June 5 anniversary date.

“Being married isn’t easy, but it all works, it all blends, but it is all under the umbrella of God,” Lorraine Lamonica said. “I really believe that because we had God first – it worked. Keep focused on you and each other, your children and God.”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

Advice from married couples for married couples

Keep God First 
Kenneth and Erbie Rose

Kenneth and Erbie Rose’s love story started charmingly enough, but they say what has kept it strong is their Catholic faith and love of God.

First meeting at an Our Lady of Consolation Parish youth group function, the tall, smart-witted, cunning Kenneth Rose became a fixture in Erbie’s mind – so much so that when prom season rolled around later that year, she only had her sights on one guy: Kenneth.

“I did not hear from her anymore until the spring,” Kenneth says. “One night the Commodores were performing on our campus, and they had a sing-along. I was up there on stage playing the bongos. And one of her friends came up there on the stage and brought me a perfumed letter from

Erbie inviting me to her high school prom.”

It was a yes! Kenneth still remembers every minute of that prom night. Soon the young couple filled their nights with cruising down Beatties Ford

Road in Kenneth’s ’55 Chevy. The music was pumping, and when the traffic lights turned red, they’d turn on their dance moves in the middle of the street. They drank shakes at South 21 and rode the ferris wheel at Belmont amusement park. On weekends, they took trips to Myrtle Beach.

After they met each other’s families, Kenneth got down on one knee, and this time Erbie was the one to say yes. She joined OCIA classes, and soon they faced one another on the altar of Our Lady of Consolation – the church where they met – and professed their marriage vows.

Sixty years and four children later, they can finish each other’s sentences, still look into each other’s eyes as if they have a special secret, and laugh together at (some of) Kenneth’s jokes.

Compassion is what kept them bonded as they changed the diapers of their twin babies side-by-side in the middle of the night, taught youth ministry together, sang in the Gospel choir, and co-chaired many parish ministries while raising their growing family.

As a family, they would take the Eucharist to the sick – bringing their children along to play instruments to entertain the nursing home residents, and later, their granddaughter who would sing.

Now in their 80s, they remain committed to their faith and love for one another.

“God first, and then your spouse as your best friend to rely on and tell everything to, compromise with,” Erbie emphasizes. “He’s my best friend.”

Have compassion 
Sarah and Joe Lamonica

Sarah and Joe Lamonica, who have been married 25 years, did not start dating with butterflies in their stomachs. Instead, their love grew out of a place of grief.

The two met as a young widow and widower, both in a state of bereavement dealing with the death of their spouses.

Sarah recalls, “It was nice to have someone to really talk to and who really understood me, and we both happened to be Catholic.”

Joe was a New Jersey police officer, and Sarah worked with him. The two were paired up by co-workers and hit it off. They were in their 50s and had some children still home and others out of the house. The family dynamic blended well, however, and the two families came together in their brokenness. They moved to Hickory when Joe retired, because they wanted to be close to his brother John. Now, the two couples attend St. Aloysius Church together.

Sarah says the key to being in a happy marriage is being there for one another and trusting each other.

Be kind to one another 
Melvin and Elease Askew

When Elease visited her cousin in Ohio for a job opportunity, she was introduced to Melvin Askew. It was a funny coincidence – they went to the same high school in Alabama and were reunited in a city far from home.

Six months later, he proposed and they were married. Elease did not find a job on that visit to Ohio, but she did find the love of her life.

“When we first got married, I didn’t really know how to cook. So he would step in and make dinner for the family,” Elease recalls. “Every morning, he would get up early and make breakfast while I helped get the kids ready for school.”

Today, the Askews, who are members Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Charlotte, like to dance and still share recipes. The key to a great marriage, they say, is to keep God first and to keep laughing.

“We enjoy doing things together and keeping laughter in the family. Most of all, our faith has kept us grounded, and being close to our God helped us make choices to strengthen our family,” she says. 

Have humility 
Luis Navarrete and Coral Martinez

Luis Navarrete and Coral Martinez knew each other since they were 10 and were friends long before they were spouses. Luis traveled out of town a lot for work, but whenever he returned home, he always found Coral. Over the years, their friendship grew into more.

They were married in the Church, but at the time Luis wasn’t attending Mass regularly.

“At one point I was working and was out of town often. I missed my family. I created a bad habit of spending time with myself,” Luis recalls. “That’s when we decided to start going back to church, and it opened my eyes.”

Their faith has helped their marriage and has been a constant in the lives of their children. After 25 years, they are thriving at St. Joseph Parish in Kannapolis and are excited for the next 25 years in holiness.

“Keep God in your marriage,” Luis advises. “If you don’t have God in your marriage, the foundation is not strong and can fall, but He makes everything strong.”

Be patient and gentle
Lorraine and John Lamonica

Coming out of a difficult break-up, Lorraine was done with men, but when she crossed paths with John Lamonica, she started to change her mind.

They were both Italian Catholics from Brooklyn living in New Jersey. What were the chances? They got along well, and when she met his family, she immediately felt as if it was an extension of her own.

John knew from the second he met Lorraine she was “the one,” and he announced it to everyone. Soon enough, he proposed.

They were married in the Church and had one of those huge Italian weddings.

They moved to Hickory and as they got settled, his mother and brother followed, and so did Lorraine’s. John became a real estate agent, and through the years the growing Lamonica family started taking up entire pews at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory.

“We had some issues...but it didn’t separate us,” Lorraine recalls. “My dad was sick for like 10 years, and we took care of him, and we were always there for him. We never split because of it.

Trying to juggle a family and my father, then his mom got sick, and then my mom got sick.”

Lorraine says the key to staying in a relationship for 50 years is working as a team, keeping the faith and avoiding worldly advice.

She says, “It all works, it all blends, but it is all under the umbrella of God.”

More online
At www.charlottediocese.org/faith-life/marriage-family-and-life: Find marriage resources

The event will be held in two locations – Charlotte and Greensboro – from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Nov. 21 and is hosted by the Marriage, Family and Life Office in partnership with the St. John Paul II Foundation.

“The conference is a great example of coming together as the family of God,” said Brendan Dudley, the diocese’s marriage preparation, enrichment and family program director. “We hope this will be a springboard for all of our parishes to develop year-round marriage enrichment opportunities that will help couples grow in their love for Jesus.”

This year’s conference theme is “United in Love” and will feature keynote speakers from national and local platforms ready to share lessons on love and faith. Sessions will focus on three topics: Communion with the Holy Spirit, Finding common ground in Christ, and Forgiveness: the key to lasting unity.

The event will take place at St. Ann Church in Charlotte and at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. Childcare will be available at both locations.

Local speakers Dr. Mario Sacasa, a marriage counselor with more than 20 years of experience, will be featured at the Greensboro program. Christine Wisdom, owner and executive director of Wisdom Integrative Counseling, will be featured at the Charlotte program.

Both programs will also include two couples. Deacon Jason Bulman,a theologian, and his wife Rachel Bulman, a podcaster and writer, will discuss marriage and children, contributing stories of their life together raising six children. Educators and speakers Colin and Aimee MacIver, known for their theological approach to faith formation, will focus on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, the sacramental nature of marriage and discipleship.

Mass will be celebrated during the programs, and there will be an opportunity for confession and Eucharistic Adoration throughout the day. St. Ann will provide headsets for Spanish speakers who will translate the presentations simultaneously.

Register for the event online at www.forlifeandfamily.org/events/th26-cnc-e.

 — Lisa M. Geraci 

Six bishops met with diocesan and immigrant non-profit leaders Sept. 30 to discuss ongoing immigration enforcement actions, Church teaching on migration and best practices to support migrants affected by mass deportation policies.

The Charlotte diocese’s Communications Director Liz Chandler, Hispanic Media Coordinator Brian Segovia and Hispanic Ministry Director Steven Samol participated in seminars on local and global Church initiatives defending the dignity of migrants, immigrant testimonies, effective communication strategies, and diocesan and parish planning.

Diocesan leaders from across the South donned pins with the message “We Stand with Immigrants” and joined a press conference led by the bishops of Knoxville, Lexington and Memphis where they spoke in support of migrants.

“We have a responsibility to care for the dignity of each and every human person and to respect the rights and due process that are due to citizens and anyone who lives on U.S. soil,’ said

Knoxville Bishop Mark Beckman. “What we see needs a response not only of compassion, but also of justice. Let’s work together today to build a world where everyone has a home.”

Samol said the press conference was a powerful example of the Church’s prophetic voice on the moral issue of human dignity.

“What challenged me was not necessarily a change in my concern for migrants, but a deeper understanding that the Church’s response must begin with the person, not the policy,” Samol said.

Samol saw the conference as a calling to dive deeper into learning about the immigrant experience in the diocese.

“These are not anonymous statistics. They are parishioners, volunteers, parents, friends and neighbors. Sharing their stories can help our communities recognize the human impact of these realities and encourage greater solidarity and prayerful support,” Samol said. “Migrants are not an issue to be managed, but members of the human family.”

— Catholic News Herald

Mental Health Sunday is part of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops’ National Catholic Mental Health Campaign, a year-round initiative of the U.S. bishops that encourages the faithful to respond and bring awareness to the growing mental health crisis in the country.

While the campaign is a year-round initiative, a special emphasis is placed on the issue Oct. 10-18. During that week, the Novena for Mental Health is prayed. The novena includes themes related to mental health to reflect on and uses a pray, learn, act structure, which means that each day includes a prayer, a section where participants can learn about mental health issues and about those suffering, and a call to action where participants are encouraged to get involved.

The petitions in the novena include praying for the removal of stigma, the mental health ministry, families, youth and young adults, childhood, the effects of racial discrimination, poverty, suicide awareness and grief.

Parishes and dioceses are being encouraged to launch a mental health resource or provide resources in the narthex after Masses, take part in the novena as a parish community, invite parishioners to bring their petitions about mental health issues to pray as a community, include mental health issues during the Prayer of the Faithful at all Masses, or offer a blessing for those who work in mental health ministries.

The Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, is answering this call through the launch of its Mental Health Ministry, which was introduced to the diocesan community on Oct. 10. Bishop Earl Fernandes celebrated Mass at the St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus and recognized individuals with mental health challenges, caregivers and mental health professionals.

Pope Leo XIV also called upon the faithful to join in prayer during the month of October for mental health ministry.

“Melancholy, bad character, confusion of senses – today, we understand that behind these old labels lies a deep, silent suffering not only of those affected by mental disorders but also of their loved ones and their communities,” Pope Leo said in a video released Oct. 1 on X.

He added: “We live in a world full of tensions, and even as solutions grow so does the number of people in crisis. This October, let us pray for the mental health ministry – an urgent and ever- more-needed service in our Church and in the world.”

In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recited an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention.

 —  Francesca Pollio Fenton, Catholic News Agency

Resources

• The Church in the United States is renewing its National Catholic Mental Health Campaign, encouraging all people to become more aware of the issues, eliminate the stigmas around mental illness, and seek creative ways to journey with those who struggle. Novena prayers, videos on awareness, discussions with experts and more are available on the USSCB’s website at www.usccb.org/mental-health
• Locally, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has mental health counseling resources available on a sliding scale. Learn more at ccdoc.org/counseling
• Watch the pope talk about his prayer intention at www.popesprayer.va/praywiththepope