The “IRON PRIESTS” arrived in Houston earlier this week to scope out the course where they ultimately ran 26.2 miles, biked 112 miles, and swam 2.4 miles – all in one day.

While technically a triathlon, for the priests it’s a pilgrimage that also inspires their flocks .

“I am not an athlete and then a triathlete. I am a priest of Jesus Christ first,” said Father Martinez, parochial vicar of St. Mark Church in Huntersville.

They spent a lot of the race praying, blessing bikes, helping others and talking to people about faith.

Saturday started at 6:30 am with a murky morning swim through a tight canal. Father Martinez volunteered to be the last of the 3,100 contestants to start the swim – a place no one wanted.

Father Martinez told the announcer that he is a Catholic priest and said, “I am not scared to be last. The last should be first.”

The bike portion was a two-loop stretch of flat highway, where both priests ran into challenges.

“My seat came loose,” said Father Harrison, the campus minister for High Point University. “I fastened it back at a weird angle, so it was kind of mentally brutal because I was sitting at this weird angle for six hours.”

Father Martinez almost mentally shut down.

“It gets lonely out there. You are out there for hours. It was like you vs. you, and it crossed my mind to stop,” Father Martinez said. “But, I was offering the race up for so many –my parishioners, my eighth graders, my children who were receiving their Confirmation that morning, the bishop, the diocese – that is what fueled me.”

Several sporadic downpours drenched competitors.

“Everybody slowed down dramatically,” Father Harrison said. “It helped because it cooled you down but also slowed you down. At that speed (around 19 mph), it felt almost like hail.”

Father Martinez gave a competitor stuck on the side of the road his spare tire.

To finish the event, they ran a three-loop course, cheered on by thousands of fans. The Hippie Hallow section of the track and its boisterous fans revitalized the priests.

“On mile 20, when you go through that tunnel of people cheering you on, banging trash cans, and dressed up like hippies, it energizes you for the next mile or two,” Father Harrison laughed.

The finish line was the best part for Father Martinez, when he crossed it with his red “Christ is King” flag, and the announcer remembered him from the start.

“Father Martinez is going to church tomorrow as an IRONMAN,” she announced.

The winner of the competition, a triathlon powerhouse from Norway, Kristian Blummenfelt, placed the medal around Father Martinez's neck at the finish line and took a photo beside him holding the flag.

“Finishing a race like this was a good accomplishment, but it was not as fulfilling or nearly as satisfying as the day I was ordained a priest,” Father Martinez said. “IRONMAN is an earthly title. When I die, that ends here, but I am always going to be a priest of Jesus Christ for all eternity.”

From hospital beds to IRONMAN finishes – Father Martinez

The best part of Father Martinez’s finish was being surrounded by family and friends, the same ones who supported him when he couldn’t support himself.

“My mom, my sister, my brother-in-law, my childhood best friend, and even Father Harrison were waiting for me at the finish line,” Father Martinez said. “That meant a lot to me because those people were the same people that spent the most amount of time in the hospital, at my bedside and praying for me. That healed a part of my soul that I didn’t know needed healing.”

Two years ago, before his ordination, Father Martinez was not in good health. He went in for knee surgery and shortly after had an intestinal blockage, which progressed into the need for multiple emergency surgeries.

“I was in the hospital for a month connected to tubes, all cut up,” Father Martinez recalls. “I had to literally learn how to walk again.”

Once discharged, he had to use a walker. His last surgery was just six weeks before he was ordained a priest.

“For me, that was a huge moment. I thought, ‘okay, God is calling me to suffer and to offer it up for a purpose and make reparation for sins’,” said Father Martinez.

Once he received permission to exercise from the doctor, he was so grateful.

“I was so grateful I was even able to walk by myself. I wasn’t even able to put on my own shoes. My mom had to dress me,” he recalled. “I couldn’t even get in and out of bed by myself. You name it, I couldn’t do it. It was humbling.”

After healing, Father Martinez felt God granted him a season of good health, and he was ready to use it.

“God is granting me health, so I am going to maximize it and do everything I can to glorify Him!” he said.

He started skateboarding, playing tennis, and eventually running. That’s when he fell in love with endurance sports.

He ran a marathon, thought it was overhyped, and looked for the next level of endurance. He didn’t know how to swim or bike at the time but had IRONMAN in his periphery.

“There is no limit to what the human body can do. It is in your mind where the limitations are,” he said. “If you tell yourself, you can do it, you can really achieve it as long as you put your faith in God and really push yourself.”

Though they finished the race, God and the goal of winning over souls for Christ were the real trophies.

“I don’t know if I am an inspiration, but I want my students and my parishioners to know, stop with the someday – today is the day,” Father Martinez said. “Whether it is studying, wanting to learn a new language, or especially wanting to get closer to God, don’t say, 'I want to work on that someday.' That someday is today. That is my biggest plug… Tomorrow is not guaranteed. You have the present moment that God has gifted you. Don’t wait for tomorrow with what can be done today.”

The Road to IRONMAN – Father Harrison

Father Harrison's journey toward endurance started at age 19, during his first year in the seminary, when he walked the nearly 500 mile Camino de Santiago that follows the route of the Apostle James through Spain.

“Having to push my body for the Gospel was something I never had to experience before until then,” Father Harrison said.

Two years later, he and his brother, seminarian John Harrison, tackled that same “Gospel endurance” by walking from Greensboro to Maryland, praying the rosary and stopping ay churches along the way Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s memorial. They took backpacks and a $100 bill.

“When you are really pushing yourself with these bigger efforts, you really have to rely more on God,” Father Harrison said.

While serving at Mass after he was ordained a deacon, he stepped down from the altar and felt his leg buckle. 

“My legs were so weak because I had not been exercising, and I had gained a lot of weight. I just thought, ‘Wow, I am only 25, and I can’t serve at the altar the way I need to,’” he remembered.

He started running, training and participating in marathons, placing second in the 2024 Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio, amongst his age group.

As Father Harrison said, “It is my hope when the students see their spiritual father pushing himself that it will inspire them to push through hard things, both spiritually and physically, and to seek God through it and learn how to love the Cross.” 

What’s next?

Father Harrison’s next adventure will start in two weeks. He is taking a group of collegiate Knights of Columbus to walk the Camino in Spain.

Father Martinez is in search of his next adventure.

*Father Martinez said a Mass for the repose of the soul of the IRONMAN contestant who lost her life during the swimming leg of the competition, Brazilian triathlete and influencer Mara Flavia.

— Lisa M. Geraci

“For 150 years, Belmont Abbey College has formed generations of students to think critically, lead faithfully and serve others with purpose,” said Dr. Jeffrey Talley, president of the college. “Since 1876, we have remained dedicated not only to preparing students for successful careers but also to forming lives rooted in truth and virtue.”

Belmont Abbey College is the region’s only Catholic private liberal arts college. This fall, the college announced the highest total enrollment in its history – 1,741 students. The college offers 30 undergraduate and seven graduate programs and has more than 17,000 alumni.

Throughout its anniversary year, the college will host events bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni and the surrounding community. The year kicks off with a Founders Day celebration honoring the college’s Benedictine legacy that includes Vespers followed by a German Festival featuring food, music, games and a biergarten. 

A lasting legacy

Beyond education, the college and abbey have been instrumental in helping to establish and invigorate the Church in North Carolina.
“Beginning with our first abbot, Bishop Leo Haid, who was responsible for the Catholic Church in the entire state of North Carolina, Belmont Abbey has played an active role in the Church in the Southeast,” said Abbot Placid Solari, the current Abbot of Belmont Abbey.

Unique in American Catholic history, Belmont Abbey existed as an independent diocese from 1910 until its incorporation into the Diocese of Charlotte in 1977. Early leaders such as founder Benedictine Father Herman and patrons including Saint Katharine Drexel devoted themselves both to building up the Church and founding a college.

“Together with the Sisters of Mercy,” Abbot Placid noted, “the monks began Catholic education in North Carolina and established monasteries and schools also in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.” 

Belmont Abbey College continues to earn national recognition for academic excellence. It ranked number 12 among regional colleges in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing it in the top 10% percent. It was also ranked number two for undergraduate teaching among regional colleges for the second consecutive year.

The college plays a significant role in the diocese by providing academic formation for seminarians at Saint Joseph College Seminary and for candidates studying to become permanent deacons in the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh. The campus regularly hosts diocesan events, including the Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage, as well as vocational discernment retreats such as Duc in Altum, and Quo Vadis Days. Over the years, many alumni have served the Church as bishops, priests, deacons and consecrated religious.

Building on a strong Honors College, a vibrant NCAA Division II athletic program, and new initiatives such as the American Semester in Washington, D.C. – that offers students internships, study and firsthand experience in the nation’s capital – the college continues to expand opportunities for student formation. 

As Talley said, “As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to our founding mission and to the graduates who carry that mission into the world each day.”

For more information about Belmont Abbey College’s 150th anniversary celebrations, visit www.bac.edu/150.

— Catholic News Herald and Belmont Abbey College

“This is amazing and life changing for both mothers and babies in our local community,” said Executive Director Hank Chardos. 

Chardos and his wife opened Birthright in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1980, and after seeing the overwhelming need, started the Charlotte chapter in 2024. Nationwide, the organization’s 170 chapters assist expectant mothers with pregnancy support resources.

During the gala, the Diocese of Charlotte and Victory Christian Center were presented with Louise Summerhill Awards – named after the Birthright founder – for supporting the Charlotte chapter.

Its cozy office is a home located on Monroe Road that is not built out of brick and mortar, Chardos said, but faith and love. Its walls are covered with photos of smiling babies, all small testimonials of the miracle that happens when God takes over.

As Chardos said of the moms who walk in its door, “We want to find out who she is, what her needs are, and after that connect her with lots of resources. Before she leaves, she knows that we want to help.”

“When you walk in, you feel welcome,” volunteer Nicole Schrift said. “There is no shortage of hugs, there is no shortage of prayers… but one thing is for certain: every beautiful woman I have encountered becomes brave, fierce and resolute.”  

Two of those mothers, Jordan Myers and Ta’Nya Mays, attended the gala with their new bundles of joy to share stories of the guidance, support and love they received from Birthright. 

“When I first connected with Birthright, I was at a place where I was overwhelmed, uncertain, and honestly alone,” Myers confessed. “Life didn’t look the way I thought it would, and I was trying to figure out how to move forward while carrying so much weight.” 

As a mother of two small children, she did not have the luxury of falling apart, she said. There were days she did not know how she would make it or where to turn.

“They didn’t judge me. Birthright stepped in with compassion and support,” Myers said. 

Just as they do with every client, Birthright’s 16 volunteers offered essentials like food, diapers, and wipes, provided emotional support, and connected her with a mass of resources. The team topped it all with prayers from more than 250 people on its prayer line.

“When someone shows up for you like that, it is truly life changing. Because of Birthright, I didn’t feel alone anymore,” Myers said. “I felt seen and supported. I felt like I had a village behind me. They reminded me that I can keep going even on those days when I didn’t believe it myself.”

Birthright provides hope, she said. The “village” transforms a mother’s journey to joy rather than fear. Whether it is Uber rides, hospital visits, a 3:00 a.m. prayer request, a home-cooked meal, or a loving hand to hold – Birthright is there. 

St. Mark parishioner Gina Bertucci, loves giving back through Birthright. As a single mother of two children, she sympathizes with the moms she assists. 

“If everyone helps a little, it helps a lot,” Bertucci said. “Not all our moms come in happy, but once they have that baby in their arms and they have that support, they are suddenly overjoyed. They need to be embraced and loved.”

To volunteer at Birthright or donate to support expectant mothers, visit https://birthrightofcharlotte.org/

— Lisa Geraci 

NEBO — Catholic Scouts across the Diocese of Charlotte celebrated faith, fun and the historic election of Pope Leo XIV at the 2026 Catholic Camporee April 17-19.

Organized every spring by the Charlotte Diocese Catholic Committee on Scouting, the weekend of fellowship and adventure brought together more than 300 Scouts, parents and leaders. Highlights included popular scouting activities such as fishing, climbing, kite-flying and slingshots, Catholic-themed faith activities about the new American pope, and an evening program with skits and songs.

David Dorsch, troop committee chair at St. Patrick Cathedral’s Troop 9, served as Camporee scoutmaster. Camporee cubmaster was David Coe from St. Matthew Parish’s Pack 8 in Charlotte.

This year’s Camporee was the final one for Deacon Martin Ricart III, who is retiring after serving 12 years as spiritual advisor to the diocese’s Catholic scouting program. During the weekend, he passed the baton to Deacon Charles “Chuck” Hindbaugh, who was recently appointed by Bishop Michael Martin. Ordained in 2021, Deacon Hindbaugh serves at Our Lady of the Americas Parish in Biscoe.

The Camporee concluded with Mass Sunday morning in the Camp Grimes dining hall, offered by retired Father Dennis Kuhn.

During his homily, Father Kuhn enlisted the help of some of the youngest Scouts to illustrate the day’s Gospel reading about the two disciples meeting the risen Lord on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

“The story of the road to Emmaus is absolutely beautiful,” Father Kuhn said.

As he retold the Gospel story, Father Kuhn handed the kids various poster signs he’d made: “Jesus,” “Traveler 1” and “Traveler 2,” “Emmaus – 7 miles,” and more. Then he held up a hotdog bun, delighting the kids.

“When the bread was broken, all of a sudden, what happened? Their eyes were opened,” he said, holding up a poster with a giant eye drawn on it.

“What are we going to do in a few moments over here, when we have the bread and the wine coming up? What happens to that bread – who does it become?” he asked. “Jesus!” the kids cheered.

“Yes, we find Jesus in the breaking of the bread,” he explained. Jesus is also found in our families and among the sick, the forgotten and the needy among us, he said.

“Remember this story,” he told them. “Believe and trust in Jesus Christ. That’s what it’s about.”

He encouraged the kids to pray like the disciples on the road to Emmaus did when they asked Jesus: “Stay with us.”

“Stay with me, be present to me, be present to my family,” he told the kids to pray. “Be present to those who are sick and suffering, be present to those I’ve lost in life.”

After the Mass, Scouts in attendance at the Camporee who had earned their Catholic religious emblems over the past year were recognized. Among them were:

• American Heritage Girls Troop NC 0146 (St. John Neumann Parish, Charlotte): Lucy Wood, “Deus et Familia Mea” (“God and My Family”)
• Cub Scout Pack 8 (St. Matthew Parish, Charlotte): Xavier Ahn, Light of Christ
• Cub Scout Pack 97 (St. Mark Parish, Huntersville): Tahina Ramarijaona, Light of Christ; Aaron Suhocki, Light of Christ; Jesse Suhocki, Light of Christ
• Cub Scout Pack 174 (St. Gabriel Parish, Charlotte): Sydney Michalek, Parvuli Dei
• Cub Scout Pack 324 (Sacred Heart Parish, Salisbury): Juliana Becker, Light of Christ
• Cub Scout Pack 721 (Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, High Point): Julieta Pietrangelo, Light of Christ; Felix Pietrangelo, Parvuli Dei; Owen Jenkins, Parvuli Dei; Finley Jarvis, Parvuli Dei

Six adult Scouting leaders were also recognized for their exceptional efforts in Scouting, with either the Bronze Pelican or St. George emblem.

The Bronze Pelican is a diocesan-level Catholic Scouting award honoring significant contributions to the spiritual development of Catholic youth. Recipients were:

• Debbie Johnson: St. Patrick Cub Scout Pack 9
• David Dorsch: St. Patrick Scout Troop 9
• Russ Anderson: St. Gabriel Scout Troop 174
• James Bolling, Edan Idzerda and Basil Lyberg: St. Matthew Scout Troop 8

The St. George emblem is awarded by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting on the recommendation of the diocesan scouting committee, to people who have made exemplary contributions to Catholic scouting within their units. Recipients were:

• Frank Schofield, St. Matthew Scout Troop 8
• Leslie Tesch, St. Gabriel Scout Troop 1174

“With Scouting, parents, parishes and dioceses have another avenue through which Catholic principles of ethics and morals can be shared and reinforced with youth,” said Mike Nielsen, chairman of the Charlotte Diocese Catholic Committee on Scouting. “The Catholic Camporee is a great opportunity to bring together youth and adults for Scouting activities, fun and fellowship.

An event like this isn’t possible without the involvement of many committed volunteers,” he said. “We are blessed to have so many people actively engaged in planning and presenting the Camporee. We are grateful to each and every one of them.”

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle. Photos by Brandon Whelan and Patricia Guilfoyle.

Troop 1174 is chartered by St. Gabriel Parish in Charlotte and already has 12 members in less than two months. Led by Scoutmaster Leslie Tesch (pictured) and Assistant Scoutmasters Russ Anderson, Karen Horne, Shannon Kolenik (pictured) and Brian Tenholder, the troop meets weekly. It hosts monthly camping trips and will participate in council-sponsored events throughout the year.

The troop serves girls aged 11-17, providing a path in scouting for girls as they advance from Cub Scout packs as well as welcoming girls who are brand new to scouting in the Charlotte area.

Inaugural troop members are: (pictured) Sarah Tenholder, senior patrol leader, Brigid Anderson, Hadley Frost, Ava Gundlach, Maire Keane, Rose Keane, Bridget Kolenik and Tara Kolenik; (not pictured) Elizabeth Cowden, Anne Marie Horne, Maggie O’Malley and Francesca Tawil.

“St. Gabriel has had a long, proud heritage of Catholic scouting in its Cub Scout Pack and male Scout Troop 174,” said Tesch. “To be able to provide a faith-based opportunity for young women to experience the adventure, leadership, service and spiritual growth that scouting offers is a meaningful and exciting next chapter in that tradition.”

To learn more about how to join, email the new troop at troop1174charlotte@gmail.com.

— Photo provided by Leslie Tesch

The annual Book Battle sees teams of students from Catholic schools face off against each other at MACS Fine Arts Center at Charlotte Catholic High School. It’s similar to Quiz Bowl, a national competition that tests knowledge of general academic subjects. The difference is these questions are focused on literature – a book lover’s dream.

Dru Edwards, a fourth-grader at Sacred Heart School in Salisbury, said the contest helped him get out of his reading comfort zone.

“I like reading, and through this I read a lot of books I would not normally have been interested in, but discovered were really good,” Edwards said.

The St. Jerome Book Battle was created by the diocesan Catholic Schools Office to encourage students to read books “that promote the true, the good and the beautiful and foster growth in virtue.”

Each school year, lists of 15 books are provided for fourth- and fifth-grade students and sixth- through eighth-graders. Guided by team coaches, the students spend months reading the books and participating in activities to increase their understanding of the works.

This year’s lists featured everything from historical and adventure novels to fantasy and mystery offerings, and two books focused on the lives of famous Catholic saints.

All of the books explore important themes such as faith, family, resilience, community, friendship and loyalty.

For Monday’s Book Battle, each school sent one team of 12 students who were asked questions about their books and awarded points for their answers. Teams compete against each other in preliminary rounds. The two highest scoring teams from the preliminary rounds compete head-to-head in a championship round.

Defending fourth and fifth grade champion St. Ann School edged out St Mark in a sudden death match to reach the championship round. St. Ann then won first place in today’s competition, with Our Lady of the Assumption School as the runner-up. Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte won the middle school competition held on March 9, and the runner-up was St. Mark School in Huntersville.

During a break between rounds, the team from Sacred Heart enjoyed snacks and talked with coach Leigh Yelton about how things were going. A book lover herself, Yelton teaches third grade but volunteered to handle the fourth- and fifth-grade team because it gives her a chance to interact with many of her former students.

“I’ve got a real love for literature and the language arts, so this is a wonderful thing to do,” Yelton said. “It honestly takes a lot of time and effort because our students start by reading the books the previous summer, and then our team meets frequently to prepare for the competition.”
Peyton Bloxsom, 11, a fourth-grader at Sacred Heart, said she enjoys the Book Battle because it not only gives her a chance to read but also to make some new friends.

— Christina Lee Knauss

Interested in reading the books featured in the St. Jerome Book Battle? Here are the books students read for this year’s event:

4th-5th grade reading list:

“A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett

“All-of-a-Kind Family” by Sydney Taylor

“The Big Wave” by Pearl S. Buck

“Breaking Stalin’s Nose” by Eugene Yelchin

“The Buried Bones Mystery” by Sharon M. Draper

“The Courage of Sarah Noble” by Alice Dalgliesh

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” by Roald Dahl

“Farmer Boy” by Laura Ingalls Wilder

“The Island of Two Trees” by Brian Kennelly

“The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis

“Princess Academy” by Shannon Hale

“Saint Clare of Assisi – Runaway Rich Girl” by Kim Hee-Ju

“Snow Treasure” by Marie McSwigan

“Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” by Grace Lin

“The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown

Middle School:

“100 Cupboards” by N.D. Wilson

“Fever 1793” by Laure Halse Anderson

“Freckles” by Gene Stratton-Porter

“Ghost: Running for His Life, or From It?” By Jason Reynolds

“The Golden Thread: A Novel about St. Ignatius Loyola” by Louis De Wohl

“Guardian Angel House” by Kathy Clark

“I, Juan de Pareja” by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino

“Kon-Tiki” by Thor Heyerdahl

“On the Far Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George

“Out of My Mind” by Sharon M. Draper

“Saving Mount Rushmore” by Andrea Jo Rodgers

“Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster” by Jonathan Auxier

“Swiss Family Robinson” by Johann David Wyss

“Thirst” by Varsha Bajaj

“The Wednesday Wars” by Gary D. Schmidt

More people in their 20s and 30s are discovering the Catholic Church. Nationally, clergy and new Catholics are crediting the growing interest to increased digital resources, interest sparked by an American pope, and a desire to fill a void with a deeper spiritual life – often at the encouragement of friends or family members. (Provided and Amy Burger | Catholic News Herald) CHARLOTTE — In line with national trends, the number of people entering the Church this Easter season is surging across the Diocese of Charlotte.

Diocesan leaders and new Catholics themselves credit a range of influences – from pop culture to Pope Leo – but point to a common question driving the surge:

Is there something more to life?

That search for meaning is drawing more people into the Church, with parishes reporting a sharp rise in baptisms and receptions into full communion. Clergy say many are in their 20s and 30s, often drawn by a desire for meaning, stability and community and sparked by personal relationships or encounters with the faith online.

The diocese is expected to meet or surpass last year’s 1,743 new members – the highest in at least a decade. That follows two consecutive years of 43% growth in people joining the Church.

Final numbers are still coming in from the diocese’s 93 churches, but several, including parishes in Charlotte, Hendersonville and Greensboro, are reporting a surge.

Parishes aren’t the only ones seeing growth. High Point University’s Campus Ministry saw 17 college students receiving the sacraments of initiation.

While population growth in western North Carolina is partly the reason – the diocese has grown 50% in the past decade – clergy say something deeper is happening.

“We are seeing the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit all over this amazing phenomenon,” says Father Andres Gutierrez, pastor of Immaculate Conception in Hendersonville, “from the moving personal stories of searching and meaning, to the conversations where the content of faith ‘clicked,’ to the experiences where faith transitioned from content to lived reality in their personal lives and in the community.”

The number of adults coming into the Church in 2026 is expected to surpass last year’s landmark total. The drop noted above reflects the disruption of services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

FLOCKING TO THE FAITH

What’s happening here reflects a broader trend.

According to data collected by the religion app Hallow, American dioceses are seeing an average of 38% more converts to Catholicism this year than in 2025.

Secular and religious media are capturing the moment with headlines like the New York Times’ “Roman Catholics see a surge of new converts” and the National Catholic Register’s

“Something’s Happening: Catholic converts surge in many U.S. dioceses.”

Many report a similar pattern: Gen Z and Millennials – those aged 14-35 – are leading this resurgence.

Michael Shelton, 22, is among them. He and his wife Cressida were baptized during the Easter Vigil at St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Mars Hill.

“There have been so many changes albeit religious or political views, but we are starting to get more involved and are becoming something different than our predecessors,” Shelton says of his generation. “No matter what you are chasing, it doesn’t feel as good as following God. And I think we are starting to realize it.”

Olivia Owen, 26, had little knowledge of the Catholic faith until her Catholic fiancé invited her to Mass. She was among six people baptized and confirmed by Bishop Michael Martin during the

Easter Vigil at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.

The moment was “life-changing,” Owen said afterwards. “It was beautiful, it was wonderful.”

CLICKING TO CATHOLICISM

Nationally, clergy and new Catholics credit growing interest in part to the digital world – with access to Church history, podcasts and videos by Catholic influencers, and apps like Hallow and Exodus 90. But it’s not the only factor.

“For many, it is a Catholic friend or relative who inspired them,” says Deacon Matthew Newsome, who leads Campus Ministry at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. “For many others, it is a desire to practice a more historically rooted version of Christianity. For others, it is a desire for more organized, traditional liturgy.”

Nicole Neuse, 18, always believed God existed, but as she neared the end of high school, “life questions” persisted: “Why are we here? Where did we come from? What is going on?” she says.

Visits to non-denominational megachurches failed to provide the answers she was seeking. Curious about the Eucharist, she searched online and learned about the Catholic Church.

“What really got me was the early Church Fathers and how strongly they believed in the Real Presence of the Eucharist,” she says. “And then it took a lot of time going through each teaching and slowly finding the justifications.”

Neuse was among 88 people welcomed into the Church during the Easter Vigil at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte.
Franciscan Father Casey Cole, a Catholic social influencer with 473,000 YouTube subscribers and 173,000 Instagram followers, has seen the interest among young adults firsthand.

To bridge the digital and real worlds, he and two fellow friars launched an outreach to young adults and the religiously unaffiliated. Between posting videos, they walk the streets of Uptown

Charlotte and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, spending time in bars and coffee shops, answering questions about the faith.

“There’s a tremendous openness to faith – there is definitely something going on countrywide,” Father Cole said. “There’s more interest, more fervor. We’ve had great conversations with atheists, Protestants and others who are looking at the Church in a different way.”

Pope Leo XIV – the first pope born in the United States – is another factor, along with Catholic politicians, celebrities and hit shows like “The Chosen” that have popularized the faith.

YEARNING FOR HOPE

But even more than that, says Bishop Michael Martin, is a deep craving for hope and certainty among young adults navigating a turbulent world. A former high school coach, principal and campus ministry director, he understands the pressures that today’s consumer-driven culture puts on young people.

“All of us at some point need to ask ourselves, ‘If there is nothing greater than this, then I am not sure that I can carry the weight of that,’” the bishop said recently. “The increase in anxiety and depression in our world – in particular, among our younger people – is a result of the message that has been promoted to them that there isn’t anything greater than this. After a while they start thinking, ‘Wow, if there is nothing else and it is all on me. … Gosh, there is too much going on. I can’t deal with all of that.’”

“People are trying their best to search through the reality of bigger questions,” he says.

While clergy can help Mass-goers deepen their faith, Bishop Martin notes in his pastoral vision for the diocese that everyone should “go out” as disciples, sharing the Gospel with others in need of the message.

“It’s obvious,” Father Gutierrez says, “many people are in search for things more substantial and affirming than digital relations, half-truths morality and cultural confusion.”

This was the case for John Hanson, 28, who was received into full communion at St. Patrick Cathedral.

“I think a lot of young people are looking at the world, and if we are being completely honest, things aren’t working,” Hanson says. “You start to think, ‘Why is that?’ And, for young people that come to Catholicism, that is at least a question.”

For clergy, ministry leaders and “cradle” Catholics, the trend is a sign of the Holy Spirit at work and a call to action.

As Deacon Newsome notes, it’s about “meeting students where they are at and accompanying them on their faith journeys. Who knows who else the Holy Spirit may send our way in the months to come.”

— Lisa Geraci

Welcome our newest brothers and sisters in the Church 

 As the number of people entering the Church this Easter season surges, here are a few of the personal stories behind the numbers:

Michael Shelton, 22, St. Andrew Church in Mars Hill

Michael Shelton was raised in Mars Hill by a Southern Baptist family who stopped attending church when he was about 6.

When he felt called to return to his faith later in life, he wasn’t certain he wanted to go back to that denomination.

“I just started questioning everything,” Shelton said. “And it was a simple question, ‘What is truth?’”

Although his family was not particularly religious, Catholicism was a line never to be crossed, and stepping into St. Andrew Church to get more information was not part of his agenda. 

“Growing up Baptist, you hear really bad things about Catholics – terrible things,” he said.

Instead, from a distance, he spent months online, scrolling and researching. He tried to steer clear, but each search seemed to lead him to more Catholic doctrine. He found “hidden” gems he had not been exposed to: St. Peter was the first pope and the Eucharist is the Body of Christ.

“The more I researched, the more I tried to disprove Catholicism, but I couldn’t. And that is what led me to go to St. Andrew,” Shelton said. 

At St. Andrew, the little church he had avoided looking at during his childhood school bus rides, he found answers.

At his first Mass, “When Father Anthony held up the Host, that was a bit of a moment for me, because right when they did, I was told that that was when heaven and earth hugged. That changed everything for me,” he said. “It was a new revelation, and I knew I was stepping into a new part of my life.”

Noah Galloway, 20, Western Carolina Campus Ministry

Noah Galloway, a member of the Western Carolina University marching band, is marching to the tune of a different drum – Catholicism. 

Joining the Church was not a decision he took lightly. He was in discernment for more than a year before joining the OCIA group led by campus minister Deacon Matthew Newsome. 

He was baptized in Indiana at 9 and raised Baptist, but after moving to Clover, he felt his faith go stagnant. 

“I felt weak and unknowledgeable about faith in general,” he remembers. 

Although his devoted family attended Wednesday night and Sunday services regularly, he felt something was still missing. 

“They were very strong in their faith and very godly people,” he said. “But, when I came to Western, I stopped going to church altogether.” 

That all changed with a friend’s invitation to a campus ministry meeting. He went intrigued to learn more about Catholicism and never left. 

“I didn’t know about other religions. Overall, I never really heard anything about Catholicism in general,” Galloway recalled. “Because I noticed I was growing weaker in my faith, I really wanted to explore the other denominations to see what their beliefs were. So, when I had an ‘in’ to the Catholic Church, I went for it, and I never left, because I knew I found the truth.”

For him, the beauty of the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist was the turning point. 

“To witness that, it is so exciting. It almost calls to you every time it is there, and it is so close to being within reach,” he said.

Deacon Newsome said many catechumens and candidates came to the faith through fellow students.

“It is usual for us that a non-Catholic student will begin to participate in our ministry activities and attend liturgies with a friend,” Deacon Newsome said. Over the course of a semester or two, they might become open to becoming Catholic, as was the case with Noah,” said Deacon Newsome.

The WCU Catholic Campus Ministry brought three new Catholics, including Noah, into the Church this Easter season.

“Our small little campus ministry is getting full pretty quickly. Last year, it was sort of full, but at the start of this year, we’ve had to start pulling out extra fold-out chairs to fit people in,” Galloway said.  “And now the pews each Sunday are full.”

Nicole Neuse, 18, St. Matthew Church in Charlotte

Nicole Neuse is still processing the Easter Vigil Mass, during which she received three sacraments, gaining full communion into the Church.

She grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she attended a Christian primary school, learning Bible stories and about God. 

In 2017, her family moved to the Matthews area to escape civil unrest, high unemployment rates and increasing safety concerns. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic lingered through her early teens, she had “zero interest” in religion. 

Everything changed her junior year.

“I started having life questions. ‘Why are we here? Where did we come from? What is going on?’" she asked. “At 16, it was a good age to start thinking about these things.” 

She began church-shopping at popular mega-churches in the Ballantyne area. There were some clear contenders with strong youth faith communities, motivational preaching style and concert-like worship music. 

“The small groups were awesome. I absolutely loved the community,” Neuse said. “But I was still a baby Christian trying to connect the dots.”

Meanwhile, while shopping at Stonecrest, her mother heard church bells. That sound lured her to St. Matthew Church, where she started attending Bible studies and eventually OCIA.

“When I heard about it, I had a lot of objections but reluctantly went to Mass with her,” Neuse remembered. “Literally, at my first Mass, I was like, ‘I don’t like this. I don’t like the statues. I don’t like the kneelers.’ But I remember praying, ‘I don’t like this. I hate this, but if this is where You want me to go, here I am not going to let my own pride get in the way of this.’” 

Her mother became more steadfast in her faith and began challenging her daughter with theological questions Neuse was too curious to ignore. 

The real presence of God in the Eucharist was something her mother gave her to ponder, and, just like the Gen Z member she is, she googled it. 

“For me to believe something, I want to hear the evidence for it,” Neuse said. “What really got me was the early Church fathers and how strongly they believed in the real presence of the Eucharist,” she said. “And then it took a lot of time going through each teaching and slowly finding the justifications.”

In September, she enrolled in OCIT, a program for teens who plan to enter the Church. 

The sense of community she found with OCIT and Life Teen helped her grow into the faith, and after taking her last objections to Father Nicholas Kramer, she decided to take the next step. 

Now, she and her mother attend daily Mass, listen to reflections, meditate, and pray together on the Hallow app.

“Ever since the Easter Vigil I have been thinking, ‘what now?’” she said, excited about her future in the faith.

John Hanson, 28, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte

Like many new initiates, John Hanson relocated to Charlotte but began his faith journey somewhere else. 

As a child in San Diego, he and his mother explored different churches – never staying long but continuing to search for God. 

By 16, he was done.

“What kind of good God would not give him a dad, and make him and his mother struggle in poverty with no family?” he questioned, as he became agnostic.

When he started college, he started seeking God again, searching for reverence and piety. 

Yet, in California, Hanson had difficulty finding tradition. 

“There are a lot of Catholics by name, but they are not necessarily going to Mass. They can’t list the sacraments, but they say they believe in God,” Hanson said. “But, I didn’t really see it.”

He felt a pull to Islam and became committed to it. He repeated the prayers, read the Koran, and was devout but still did not feel the presence of God. 

The catalyst came after Ramadan. At the end of the Islamic holy month’s 30-day fast, he didn’t feel renewed. He felt physically hungry and spiritually starved. 

He prayed, “Listen, God, I am trying to find You. I am trying to find where You are. If this is the right thing, I will do this, but I need direction.”

The next day, his YouTube and Instagram feeds were very different – suddenly filled with Catholic apologetics. He saw it as divine intervention. After months of research, he relocated to Charlotte, ready to become Catholic.

“I was highly determined to become a Catholic by the time I first went to Mass,” Hanson recalled. “By that time, I was already a non-denominational Christian, agnostic, and then Muslim. I wanted to be 99% sure going forward into the next step. I was so sure because I couldn’t find any contradictions.”

The Mass and OCIA classes, combined with the vibrant community at St. Patrick Cathedral and the leadership of Father Peter Ascik as pastor, confirmed what he already knew: he found his true home.   

“Father Ascik said during OCIA, ‘Faith is a gift from God, and God gives it to everybody at least once,’” Hanson recalled. “When I heard that, it made sense. Maybe I received that grace. Maybe God saw that I was really trying and I was sorting through all these avenues, and He just gave me grace.”

Cressida Shelton, 19, St. Andrew Church in Mars Hill

For some newcomers to the faith, like Cressida Shelton, Catholicism followed a dramatic change.  When she became an adult, she fled the place where she was, which she described as “the cult.”

“I ran away from the cult on my 18th birthday,” she said. “At 12:01, I went out the door in the middle of the night and took off walking.”

She didn’t know or care where she was going, as long as it was far away from there. Maybe the new place would let her wear makeup and jewelry and paint her nails, she thought, and perhaps even wear leggings.

Escaping her situation was something she had only dreamed about since she was 13. After weeks of watching different camera angles, checking doors and monitoring sleeping habits, she finally got the courage to slip away in the night, feeling closer to freedom with each step. 

“It was definitely a well-thought-out process,” she said. “I prayed God would send down a hand and save me from it all.” 

She found out who that hand belonged to when she met Michael Shelton one April. 

“It was love at first sight. Our eyes met, and that was pretty much it,” she said. “We got married that June.”

Michael invited her to Mass at the St. Andrew Catholic Church down the block. 

“I looked at him like he was absolutely crazy,” she said. “I grew up hearing a bunch of terrible things about the Catholic Church, and I thought, ‘He cannot be serious right now.’” 

She would go for moral support, but after all she went through, organized religion was not something she wanted to be involved with. 

“I went to Mass as numb as I could be. I was going for Michael and Michael alone,” she remembered. “But, during Mass, I felt undeniable comfort and peace…It felt like home.” 

She left sobbing and begging Michael to go back the following Sunday. 

“I did not expect to feel like that, especially since I was so turned off from ever wanting to go to church again,” she said. “But, I went once, and I have not quit since.” 

Looking back, she can see God working that whole time. 

“This has been a wild journey. It was definitely a wild childhood. And, definitely a wild twist to become Catholic within a year,” she laughed. “I feel like this is where God wants me to be.” 

Cressida now volunteers at St. Andrew's food pantry and plans on becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and lector. 

Michael and Cressida are being remarried at St. Andrew Church on April 18.

Jeordyn Metzler, 30, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte

Jeordyn Metzler, who was drawn to the Church after a journey punctuated by grief, was baptized by Bishop Michael T. Martin at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Charlotte on Easter Vigil.

“I wasn’t raised religious,” she recalled of growing up with her mom. “She raised my brothers and me to just be kind. The only time I really went to church was when I slept over at a friend's house.”

Being a preteen in a godless world was pretty scary, she said.

“The world is so odd and daunting,” she said. “The fact that I was aimlessly on a track that I have no control over is a feeling of a hundred weighted blankets. Even on good days there is such a heaviness.”

At 22, she met a coworker whose faith changed everything.

“Cody was Christian and very devout,” she reminisced. “I never met someone so unapologetically himself in every way and form.”

In her past, Metzler, had encountered people who were not as “righteous” as they proclaimed. That gave her a distaste for Christianity, but her new friend was the real deal. He did not just talk about God, he acted out his faith through love for others.

“Unfortunately, last February, he passed away in Rock Hill in a motorcycle accident,” Metzler said. “After that happened, I got really somber and filled with grief. I was captivated with the idea of finding something…there is just something within me that I felt like I was missing out on. I truly needed something.”

Thinking there might not be anything after death left her feeling hopeless. “It made me scared to be alive, not like I didn’t want to be,” she said. “I felt lost and confused.”

She had all the worldly things. She had a great job and loved where she lived. She loved her friends and was on a women’s rugby team in Charlotte. Yet grief left a void she could not seem to fill. She thought about going to church and landed at St. Patrick Cathedral.

“I started with Catholicism first. I just remembered one of my earliest memories. My mother took me to a church for a wedding, and one of the sisters was there,” she said. “I was a child, but I felt her presence and didn’t want to leave her side.”

When she went to her first Mass at St. Patrick, she wept silently in the pew – tears not of despair, but of hope and joy.

“In that moment. I felt the weight literally being pulled from me,” she said. “I could breathe.”

She signed up for OCIA and started attending Mass. She couldn’t wait for both, feeling the beauty of the faith again and again.

"Having this overwhelming love is something that I really don’t think I ever had, and I missed out on for years,” she said.

For Metzler, it was a domino effect of blessings that she never realized she needed until something tragic happened.

“This really gave me closure to help me discover what I needed to shape me as a person,” she said. “I feel so weightless, and it is such a freeing feeling and a great way to go through life.”

Katy Papay, 36, St. Andrew Church in Mars Hill

Katy Papay was raised without any religious ties. For her, science took priority.

All those Bible stories can’t be true, she thought, writing off faith and living her life. 

When she met her husband, Matthew, in her late 20s, they moved fast, getting engaged within a year, and pregnant quickly thereafter. They had their first child, lost Matthew’s grandmother, who was a devout Catholic, and then Hurricane Helene hit in 2024.

“Our closest cities are Hot Springs, Marshall, and Erwin, Tennessee, and all three of those places were decimated by the hurricane,” she recalled.

Matthew was with the swift water rescue team of Buncombe County and deployed after the storm, witnessing the storm’s horrific aftermath on the Swannanoa River and in Black Mountain.

“It was a tough year, and then he had a dream that there was a Catholic church out in the mountain holler,” she said.

After researching, he found the Chapel of the Little Flower in Sodom, just like the one in his dream. They visited, finding a church that has been run by a Jesuit priest from the 1930s through the 1970s and was being renovated into a homestead.

For Matthew, this tiny pioneer church in the hills was a divine sign. He needed to get back to Church. He shared his desire for the Mass with Katy.

“He was raised Catholic, but I did not realize he ever wanted it to be a part of his life again,” she said. “I was very turned off. This was not part of our deal. Religion was not my cup of tea.”

That changed when they walked into St. Andrew Church.

“I really can’t put it all into words, but it felt right,” she said. “It felt very reverent and peaceful.”

All the trauma of Helene, the social media doom scrolling, and thoughts of the traumatic birth she recently experienced, seemed to dissipate in the moment, she said.

“This was something I’ve been craving for so long but didn’t really know how to find,” she said.

Subsequently, they started attending regularly and she joined OCIA.

“Everything I learned was just fascinating,” she said. “After receiving news I was pregnant again, I wanted to lean into my new faith with God.”

The birth was a quick delivery with no problems. The post-partem anxiety she had with her daughter did not return with this second child.

“It was the first time I saw faith firsthand,” she said. “I told my priest, I give all my thanks to God.”

Katy and Matthew will be remarried at St. Andrew Church in Mars Hill on April 18, continuing their journey with God.

Olivia Owen, 26, St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte

Olivia Owen is originally from Nashville, raised in a devout Baptist family who attended Bible studies and worship services multiple times a week. 

As an adult, she moved away from her faith, relocated to Charlotte and met her future fiancé. He invited her to St. Patrick Cathedral, where she fell in love twice, once with him and a second time with the Catholic church.

Though she was always attracted to the beauty of Catholicism and curious about Catholic teachings, she had never experienced it.

“Growing up in Nashville, the Catholic Church was a bit of an enigma to me. I didn’t have any Catholic friends growing up,” she said.

They started attending every Sunday, and she felt herself captured by the reverence of the Mass and the tradition. Eventually, she took the next step and joined OCIA. 

“The community at St. Patrick, and the fact that Catholicism is so accessible right now with podcasts and the internet, it makes it all so much more approachable,” she noted.

In their spare time, Owen and her fiancé listen to Father Mike Schmitz podcasts. 

“Father Schmitz is accessible but also thorough and engaging,” she said. 

Those same factors contributed to her fiancé’s conversion just a few years before. . 

“It was great having an example of the conversion process walking with me, and being able to have him guide me,” she said. 

OCIA’s classroom-style approach was welcoming, and she felt a strong sense of community. The other students were not just people attending a class with her, but her new brothers and sisters in Christ. 

“My faith definitely grew through the OCIA process, and the classes specifically,” she said. “There is a great community there at St. Patrick. It is filled with lots of young professionals. It is a welcoming environment for anyone at any walk of life.”

Owen was baptized by the bishop on Easter Vigil, an experience she will never forget. She has received four sacraments thus far and is saving the fifth for August, when she and her fiancé will join God at the altar for the sacrament of Holy Matrimony.

“It’s going to be a long day,” admits Father Harrison, who is planning on pushing himself non-stop for 10 to 14 hours.  

The “IRON priests” have been training since January for their first-ever competition. They arrived earlier this week to scope out the course.

It’s technically a triathlon, but for the priests it’s more like a pilgrimage that also inspires their flock. Along with their running shoes and bikes, they packed athletic outfits with Roman collars.

As Father Harrison, the campus minister for High Point University, said, “It is my hope when the students see their spiritual father pushing himself that it will inspire them with their own studies and journeys. To push through hard things, both spiritually and physically, and to seek God through it and learn how to love the Cross.” 

Saturday will start early at 6:20 am with a 2.4-mile morning swim with 3,100 competitors through the murky waters and tight space of The Woodlands Waterway Canal. From there the priests will bike a swift 112-mile, two-loop stretch of flat terrain of the Hardy Toll Road, notorious for its tough wind and treeless unshaded areas. To finish, they will run 26.2 miles through the heart of The Woodlands in a three-loop course, while they are cheered on by thousands of fans.

Traditionally, when runners reach the finish line, everyone yells, “You are an IRONMAN.” Fathers Harrison and Martinez may instead hear, “You are an IRON PRIEST.”  

—  Lisa M. Geraci

 Watch Father Harrison and Father Martinez live: 

Prison ministry volunteers from St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville were at the Iredell County Detention Center as a dozen men came into the Church. (Photo provided)

It was the first time Catholic sacraments of initiation had been held at the jail, and it came about because of prison ministry volunteers from St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville.

Father Bernard Oleru, St. Philip’s pastor, visited the detention center April 4 to administer the baptisms, first Holy Communions and confirmations for the dozen men who had completed an abbreviated version of the OCIA program, the process by which adults are initiated into the Church.

“It was a truly uplifting experience,” said Greg Nikiel, who along with fellow parishioner John Moloney helped launch the prison ministry program a year ago. Before he moved to nearby

Troutman in 2024, the retired fireman had been active in prison ministry in Buffalo, New York, and wanted to get involved with a similar ministry in his new home community.

Moloney said the ministry was sparked by a conversation with Nikiel and others at a Tuesday night men’s Bible study.

“A few of the men asked themselves when I actually break out of my ‘Holy Huddles’ of my Bible study groups and my Cursillo Group reunion and actually go and meet with Jesus one on one in the jail or at the nursing home,” Moloney said.

Motivated by that question, Nikiel, Moloney and other volunteers visited the detention center to begin the process of background checks and other steps they needed to take to start a ministry to inmates. Seven men and seven women from the Statesville parish completed the process and launched the ministry.

The volunteers usually visit the inmates once a week, offering Scripture study and the OCIA program. They were also able to distribute ashes to inmates on Ash Wednesday, and Father Oleru has made visits to the facility.

“The ministers share so many stories of how the inmates have touched their lives, broken their hearts, brought them to new spiritual highs,” Moloney said.

“The inmates and staff have been blown away with the joy and the grace that Father Bernard has shared on his visits … and the staff has often stopped us and thanked on the work we’re doing. They will share that they can feel and see the incredible works that are occurring in the various cell blocks and pods through this ministry.”

This first year brought joyful results at Easter, when the men were initiated into the Church by Father Oleru as their fellow inmates cheered, Nikiel said.

"It was an amazing experience, something I have never had before in my 19 years as a priest," Father Oleru said. "Seeing these people being able to receive Christ, to come to Christ in the midst of their distress and being welcomed into the Catholic Church – their joy was so overwhelming to me." 

At the same time, four female volunteers joined in prayer and fellowship with a group in the women’s dormitory. Father Oleru also was permitted to offer a prayer and blessing there, an event that was special because men aren’t typically allowed in the women’s section.

Father Oleru’s visit originally was planned as a video call because of this restriction, so his in-person prayer for the women was also a first for the jail, Nikiel said.

Building on these notable firsts, future plans for the prison ministry call for working with inmates after their release. Volunteers are putting together a program called “RE-ENTRY” that will help women and men find housing, create resumés and find employment after their release, Moloney said.

— Christina Lee Knauss

In many ways, White envisions his path through St. Paul’s lens: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

White will be ordained as a transitional deacon May 23, a step on his journey to the priesthood. A cradle Catholic who attended St. Mark Church in Huntersville with his family, White went to Catholic school and excelled in both cross-country and academics, things he believes prepared him for a life of discipleship.

White’s running partner Deacon John Cuppett, who will be ordained a priest on May 30, will be vesting him. Cuppett believes White’s approachability and friendliness will serve him well when the time comes to lead his own flock.

Right now, White is on track to be one of the first of four seminarians from the 2018 Christ the King High School graduating class to reach this vocation milestone.

White’s longtime classmate Bradley Loftin will also become a transitional deacon on May 23. Loftin, who has known White since kindergarten, believes his friend has grown in the faith.

“Throughout the years of getting to know Connor more and more, it is clear to me he has a deep love for our Lord and the Church,” Loftin says. “The devotion he has to the people he loves stands out to me.”

Loftin, White and some high school friends have a tradition that has caught on with priests and seminarians at St. Mark Parish.

“Every Saturday at 11 p.m., it would be me, White, and a few of our friends from high school. We would do an hour of Eucharistic Adoration and get a milkshake from Cookout after,” Loftin says.

After this Easter Vigil, the tradition continued as it has for the past eight years – this time with Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, who celebrated the Vigil Mass at St. Mark.

“Even Father Winslow showed up this year,” says Loftin, who noted that while White favors Oreo Mint milkshakes, “I am more a Reese’s guy.”

Meet Connor White

White’s home parish: St. Mark, Huntersville

Colleges: Elon University and St. Joseph College Seminary

Degrees: Philosophy and Latin

Theology: Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology (Athenaeum of Ohio)

Summer assignments: Holy Cross (Kernersville), St. Margaret Mary (Swannanoa) and St. Francis of Assisi/St. Frances of Rome (Jefferson and Sparta).

Since ordinands typically select someone who was instrumental to their vocation to vest them, who will be vesting you? Deacon John Cuppett will be vesting me. Deacon Cuppett and I entered seminary together in 2020 and quickly became close friends. We shared so many great memories in seminary, and I asked him to vest me so this occasion will be yet another event that we can share together.

What are some of your hobbies? I love running and playing golf with family and friends. I also enjoy reading, cooking with friends and making coffee/espresso-based drinks.

When did you first realize you had a call to the priesthood? I first began discerning a call to the priesthood during my confirmation retreat around the beginning of high school.

Why did you decide to become a priest in the Diocese of Charlotte? I was born and raised in the Charlotte area, so this diocese is home. I received the sacraments here and attended Catholic school (K-12) at St. Mark and Christ the King. I feel called to minister to this diocese, as this is where my faith has been cultivated and vocation fostered.

Do you feel a special devotion to any saints? My closest saint-friends are St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and St. Therese of Lisieux. They both have taught me how to pray and charitably live with others. St. Elizabeth emphasizes the Divine Indwelling (the Holy Trinity residing within the soul of a baptized person), something I was immediately drawn to. I also have devotions to other priest-saints: St. Thomas Becket, St. John Fisher and St. Pius X.

Who helped you on your faith journey? St. Paul reminds us “faith comes from hearing,” so the faith is handed on by our elders. My family and, more particularly, my parents have raised my siblings and me by sending us to Catholic school and nurturing the faith at home. Father John Putnam, pastor at St. Mark Parish, has also helped me, encouraging my vocation and seminary discernment.

What did you do as a child that may have foreshadowed the priesthood? While at Christ the King, I worked with the chaplain at the time, Father Paul McNulty, who ultimately became a great priestly role model. Living the Catholic life is not a solo endeavor, and I have met some of my closest friends in school, some of whom are also in seminary.

— Lisa M. Geraci

Your DSA contributions at work

Seminarian education is funded in part by the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. Learn more about the DSA and how to donate online at www.charlottediocese.org/dsa.

Crowds of parishioners overflow into the parking lot of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church during Ash Wednesday.

The parish currently worships in a 14,000-square-foot multipurpose building that doubles as a church and activity center, with basketball goals and storage for hundreds of chairs that volunteers set up, then put away, again and again, depending on the day’s activities.

The largest predominantly Hispanic parish in the diocese, Our Lady of Guadalupe ranks second in Mass attendance among the diocese’s 93 churches and exemplifies the larger trend of growth among Hispanic Catholics.

“Population growth in Charlotte consistently ranks among the highest in the country as people move to this area seeking job opportunities, better quality of life and nice weather,” said Emmett Sapp, the diocese’s director of construction and real estate.

“The fastest growing demographic is the Hispanic population, which historically has been predominantly Catholic. Parishes are doing everything they can to accommodate this influx, and it’s wonderful to see faith communities like Our Lady of Guadalupe maturing to a place where building a church home is within financial reach as they become a larger part of the fabric of our diocese.”

A glimpse of the future

The parish still has a long process of design and fundraising ahead before construction can begin, but diocesan leaders have approved the project to move forward with engaging professionals to create schematic designs for a new church with targeted seating capacity of 1,500 people and costs likely exceeding $10 million. Initial designs and cost estimates are expected by fall, to be followed by more detailed design documents – all of which require diocesan approval. Fundraising is expected to begin in January.

Our Lady of Guadalupe leaders recently offered the parish a glimpse of what the 32-acre campus might look like a generation from now. Church leaders shared architectural renderings that include a new church along with at least three multipurpose buildings on manicured grounds along Tuckaseegee Road.

“We still have a long way to do, but we have begun,” says Vincentian Father Marvin Navas, pastor. “This first step means that a dream that has been in the hearts of many can become reality… I feel that many people feel that sense of joy with this first step.”

Established in 2007, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s redevelopment coincides with a 36% spike in the city’s Hispanic population over the past decade, according to U.S. Census estimates.

North Carolina has seen dramatic growth among Hispanics since 1990, when the estimated 77,000 Hispanics made up just 1.2% of the population. By 2020, thanks to the state’s diverse economic opportunities and relative affordability, some 1.1 million Hispanics accounted for 10% of the population.

Other parishes are also experiencing this growth among Hispanics, who now make up at least half of the Catholics living in the diocese.

At Our Lady of Guadalupe, the parish juggles scheduling conflicts with eight weekend Masses and hundreds of organizations and groups competing for the space.

“The space we currently have is actually large, but it is too small now for our community,” Father Navas said. “Every Mass is full, but we also have meetings there and catechism classes in the same space. Sometimes we have canceled different activities to accommodate others. We are reaching our limit.”

A community center

This parish community has seen many changes, beginning in 1972 when the diocese’s first shepherd, Bishop Michael J. Begley, established the Hispanic Catholic Center to serve immigrants and connect them more fully with the diocese.

The cultural center on Tuckaseegee Road was dedicated in 2002 to Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 2007, it was elevated to parish status under that name, reflecting its role as the spiritual home for Hispanic Catholics in Charlotte.

Today, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s presence extends far beyond the church walls and is positioned as a leader in faith and outreach.

The parish serves as a trusted hub for medical and social service referrals, partnering with providers such as Novant Health, and anchors one of the diocese’s busiest food pantries. Since 2012, Casa Marillac has provided weekly food distributions to more than 300 families in collaboration with Second Harvest Food Bank.

The parish also sustains a vibrant community through liturgies and faith formation, and its annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe draws people from across the diocese for an all-night celebration of prayer, song, dance and cultural expression that symbolizes a shared Hispanic devotion.

In the summer of 2025, parish leaders shared their pastoral plan with Bishop Michael Martin, explaining the need to build a church and other campus facilities for the future. They then went to work developing a master plan for the next 20 years, charting a possible path for development.

“With the master plan as a backdrop, the parish will now start developing a schematic design and gathering construction cost estimates for the new church,” Sapp said. “By early 2027, the parish should be ready to unveil plans for the new church and begin fundraising in conjunction with the diocese.”

“The dream has always been with us within this community,” Father Navas said. “We have a dream that the Virgin of Guadalupe, who came down to Tepeyac, will also come down to this new Tepeyac.”

— Brian Segovia

More than 600 households across seven mountain counties were warmer this winter thanks to a propane program coordinated by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte and funded by a generous donation. The propane went to survivors of Tropical Storm Helene who are still living in temporary housing as they work to recover from the damage. (Photo provided)ASHEVILLE — This past winter, hundreds of people in the mountains still recovering from Tropical Storm Helene got heating help from Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte and progress was made on the first wave of property buyouts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Through its Propane Special Project, the agency was able to help 619 households in seven mountain counties with access to propane, a necessary and versatile fuel for those still living in campers, waiting for their flood-damaged homes to be repaired or rebuilt.

The propane project developed in tandem with the agency’s larger weatherization project, which helped more than 250 households insulate and protect their campers from the cold weather.

“During the colder parts of this past winter, people were literally burning through the propane to heat their campers and to cook food,” said Glenn Middleton, disaster parish and community coordinator for Catholic Charities in Asheville.

“While the weatherization we did helped, the campers themselves aren’t insulated as well as a house is, so they used a lot of propane to heat them,” he said.

To make the propane exchange happen, the agency worked with long-term recovery groups in Avery, Madison, Polk and Yancey counties as well as Fairview Strong and The Blessing Project out of Buncombe County and Giving Goods NC and Feed the People in McDowell County.

Families in Haywood, Jackson, Buncombe, McDonald, Henderson, Transylvania, Polk, Yancey, Avery, Madison and Mitchell counties received propane. Middleton said household size ranged from one to 10 people.

Funding came from a single donation of $19,141 to Catholic Charities.

The long-term recovery groups and local organizations connected with local and regional propane companies that they trusted to distribute the fuel.

Between 100 and 400 20-gallon tanks and about a dozen 100-gallon tanks went out to survivors each week, Middleton said.

In most cases, survivors received vouchers they could use in direct transactions with the propane company. Partner organizations also set up on-site refill programs where people could get their propane tanks refilled.

The program launched in January and ran through early March.

Work is currently in progress to help people who will continue to need help with propane during the spring and summer.
FEMA buyouts

Spring’s arrival also saw some long-awaited progress on property buyouts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA announced on April 6 that more than $26 million had been awarded to the state to eliminate flood risks for properties that had been severely damaged by Helene. The state will use the funding, administered through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, to buy 75 damaged residential properties in Henderson, Polk and Yancey counties.

The buyouts included 53 homes damaged by flood landslides in the Burnsville and Green Mountain communities of Yancey County, 18 flood-damaged homes in Fletcher, Gerton and Hendersonville in Henderson County, and four flood-damaged properties in Tryon and Saluda in Polk County.

FEMA expects to award more funding for property buyout acquisitions in the weeks ahead.

The buyouts can’t come soon enough for homeowners who have been struggling since the storm hit in the fall of 2024. After disasters like Helene, owners are often still required to pay mortgages, property taxes and other expenses – even if their homes and property are unlivable.

“We are hopeful that the buyouts continue, because we know there are many hundreds more waiting for help from that program,” Middleton said.

— Christina Lee Knauss

Parishioners from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, including Bob and Michele Valliere, and other people in the diocese have been instrumental in funding and supporting a new tiny house community for veterans in need. (Lisa M. Geraci | Catholic News Herald)

“These signs will always remain here as part of their dedication to our veterans and the homeless population of Guilford County,” Scott Jones, founder of Tiny House Community Development Inc., said at an April 11 ribbon-cutting ceremony when the name was unveiled.

Jones explained how the Vallieres’ stewardship and love propelled the six-home project forward.

“Bob has been the reason that we were able to do this today, because of his persistence and his dedication to veterans and seeing this community built,” Davis said. “It was just fitting to honor him and his wife Michele.

“He pushed to fuel this, and I am so honored to have him and the Catholics that rallied behind him along the way.”

This development is Jones’ third in the past 10 years in the Triad and the first dedicated exclusively to homeless veterans. Each of its six homes is named after a military branch and finished with new furniture donated by Bob’s Discount Furniture.

The Vallieres began this journey with Jones in 2024, after seeing him on the local TV news raising awareness about the 80-plus veterans and families in Guilford County who needed a home.

The cause appealed to Bob Vallieres, a Vietnam veteran, and his ministry, the IHM Military, Veterans and Families Outreach Ministry (MVFO).

With the support of Father Patrick O’Connor, their pastor, members started a fundraiser to sponsor one of the one-bedroom tiny homes and surpassed expectations, raising $40,000 – enough for the two-bedroom Coast Guard home.

“He reached out to a lot of people and was so involved in this,” said Air Force veteran and donor Lauren Flossman. “So, I decided to help out where I could.”

IHM was proud to be the first and only parish to sponsor a home in the community, but the aid did not stop there.

IHM MVFO members started serving blueberry pancakes every Tuesday morning at Jones’ community in Greensboro, while the IHM Habitat for Humanity spent weekends and some weekdays building the High Point homes.

As the parish ministries learned more about the families they were serving – their struggles, passions and personalities – help expanded. The Christmas Giving Tree ministry placed tags on the tree that provided household items for the Coast Guard home. Parishioners were so generous that they had extra items for the other five houses.

While their stewardship progressed, so did their passion to recruit more support, and other Catholic churches and parishioners took notice.

Lt. Col. Mike and Kathy Mader, an Air Force family from St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte, read about the project in the Catholic News Herald, and they felt God calling them to sponsor a home.

“We have been involved with projects like this in Rock Hill,” Kathy Mader said. “We called Bob and got involved. We are impressed with this community and all the people that came together to help make this happen.”

Now, the home bears a plaque dedicated to them, reminding veterans who will occupy it that they are not alone.

Another couple, parishioners of Holy Family in Clemmons, sponsored a tiny home anonymously. The home bears the name “Holy Family” house.

The veterans have yet to move in and the second phase – two three-bedroom homes – will soon break ground, but Valliere and his MVFO team are excited to meet the families and help further the legacy.

“I am so proud of Immaculate Heart of Mary, who has stepped up to support the Tiny House Home Community,” Bob Valliere told the crowd at the opening. “Our work as Christians is an ongoing effort, as difficult as it is, to follow the steps of Jesus as He has instructed us to – to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, clothe the needy and, as is here today, shelter the homeless.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

A dedicated member of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa from 2010 until her passing in 2021 at the age of 89, the retired librarian attended Mass regularly and made a lasting commitment to the parish she loved.

“Doris was a parishioner who was quietly engaged at our parish,” said Claudia Graham, pastoral associate at St. Margaret Mary Parish. “She demonstrated her faith by regular Mass attendance on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Doris understood the importance of supporting the financial needs of the parish with consistent contributions to the offertory and especially by remembering St. Margaret Mary in her final wishes.”

After her passing, the parish received a bequest of more than $134,000.

“The pastor and the Parish Finance Council directed $70,000 to parish savings and the balance of $64,040.72 established the Doris Thibodeau Memorial Endowment Fund,” Graham explained. The funds are earmarked to support future campus building improvements.

Born on July 28, 1932, in Brooklyn, New York, Thibodeau’s family moved to Nova Scotia. She attended Mount Saint Vincent University, where she earned degrees in library science.

She began her library career in Santa Clara, California, before joining the American Red Cross, where she served in Korea and France in Recreation Services and later with Army Special Services as a civilian librarian. Upon returning to the United States, Thibodeau earned her master’s degree in library science at Western Reserve University, specializing in the history of medicine and rare books. She spent the final 20 years of her career as a librarian at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore.

Retirement led Thibodeau to Asheville, where she embraced the area’s social, cultural and outdoor offerings. She enjoyed the opera, theater, reading, golf and active involvement in her church, which her endowment is now helping to grow.

“Endowments are the gift that keeps on giving,” Graham said. “Since receiving Doris’ gift, our parish has been able to utilize some of the endowment earnings to cover initial costs associated with our Bells of Hope capital campaign.” When complete, the $4.5 million capital campaign will enable the parish to more than double seating capacity in the 90-year-old church and usher in other needed improvements.

“Across our diocese there are people like Doris who are leading lives of quiet impact,” said Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director. “While they may not get involved in activities in their churches beyond going to Mass, their love for their parishes continues, and the difference they make in perpetuity with an endowment can be substantial.”

— Courtney McLaughlin

Fund an endowment

Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school? You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities.

For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.

Johnathan Jaheim Henderson, 22, of Lancaster, South Carolina, was arrested by Kannapolis Police March 20. He was arraigned and released March 23 from the Cabarrus County Jail on a $30,000 bond, and his next court date is April 8, court records show.

Henderson joined Christ the King in March 2025 as a part-time assistant football coach after passing a mandatory background screening. School administrators said he was terminated in June 2025 after they learned he had been conducting unsanctioned football training sessions with players off campus and outside normal school operations, and using unauthorized communication channels to arrange the sessions.

In September, administrators received new information from students indicating that some of Henderson’s communications may have included inappropriate and sexually explicit phone and electronic messages with two 16-year-old students.

School officials shared the information with football team parents and the Kannapolis Police Department, which launched an investigation that led to Henderson’s arrest.

— Catholic News Herald

Students honored their heritage by wearing traditional attire at Mass Thursday, showing the richness of a community united in faith. The celebration continued with a food tasting featuring flavors from around the world.

The week was a joyful reminder that while we come from many places, we are one in Christ.

— Troy C. Hull

Eaton brings nearly three decades of experience in Catholic education, serving as a teacher, principal and diocesan leader. She holds a master’s degree in School Leadership from St. Louis University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

“I am excited and blessed to serve as the next principal of St. Matthew Catholic School,” Eaton said. “Throughout my years in Catholic education, I have been grateful for the opportunity to help students grow academically and in their faith. I look forward to partnering with the faculty, staff and families of St. Matthew as we continue the tradition of educating saints and scholars.”

Eaton previously served as Director of Educational Services for the Diocese of Des Moines, supporting schools in curriculum development, professional learning and student services.

From 2011-2014, she was principal of St. Patrick Catholic School in Perry, Iowa. She led the led the school as it grew from 85 to 125 students, strengthened academic programs and built community partnerships. In 2014, she served as the first principal of St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School in Ankeny, Iowa, guiding the school through its early development and growth until 2019.

She then returned to her roots, working with students scoring below grade-level in math and reading and the teachers who support them as an interventionist/student support teacher at St. Anthony Catholic School in Des Moines. There, she was also a member of the St. Anthony Leadership Team.

“It was clear from our first conversations that Mrs. Eaton has a real love for her faith and a genuine joy in working with children,” said Dr. Greg Monroe, the diocesan superintendent of schools, “and she will be a great fit for our school system with her past experiences and skillset.”

The search for a new principal at St. Matthew began Jan. 1, when Kevin O’Herron, who served as principal for 27 years of the school’s 33-year history became assistant superintendent of schools for the diocese. Suzanne Beasley, who stepped in as interim principal, will continue her leadership as assistant principal.

“I am grateful to Mrs. Beasley for her steady leadership as interim principal over these many months, and to the search committee for the time, prayer, and discernment they gave to helping us land the next principal of St. Matthew,” Monroe said. “I look forward to working closely with Mrs. Eaton as we build on the great legacy and traditions of St. Matthew and keep pursuing excellence as we look to the future.”

— Trish Stukbauer 

Miller, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, took home his first title as conference champ at the Big South Indoor Track and Field Championship in Mill Spring while maintaining his evangelistic, God-warrior attitude, wherever his sneakers carry him.

“He is one of my very active Catholic students at High Point,” Father Harrison said. “AJ’s faith while also being a D1 athlete and conference champ is an inspiration to so many.”

The track champion, who is known for praying before runs, not removing his crucifix for races, and making the sign of the cross at meets is gaining attention for his speed and perseverance.

“I just try to keep God at the focus, remember why I am doing it, and hope that I can glorify Him,” Miller said. “I want to reach out to people and inspire them to do the same.”

Miller didn’t come to High Point University for its Division I track team.

“The weather is what brought me South,” Miller laughed. “I wanted a lot less of the winter than I usually would have back in Pittsburgh.”

As a freshman, he tried out for track not expecting much, even though he has run since he was in seventh grade and at Montour High School in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, where he won the Track and Field Most Valuable Player award in 2024.

“Throughout high school I was not bad at track, but not great. During senior year I was able to really focus and get better. I was able to barely make the team here,” Miller said. “Then last year, the standard got really strict, and I had to devote a lot of time to even stay on the team. Now, this year, I’ve kept that momentum, and I’ve come to be like our top runner for the 800.”

Though his success came as a welcome surprise, his competitive attitude and dedication were always a part of him.

“I started running as a dare from a friend. To prepare for soccer, my friend went out for cross-country, and he said I should, too,” Miller said. “I didn’t want to, and he said I was scared. So, I joined.”

Miller admits to initially hating running, taking years to like it even after he joined cross country.

“Once you get to a certain point, it becomes enjoyable. It is almost like a release, kind of therapeutic,” Miller said.

The college experience has brought him closer to the finish line faster and to God, who he credits with his successes.

“Throughout most of my life I didn’t really practice my faith much. I always believed, but I wasn’t big on doing stuff with it” said Miller, who was raised Catholic. “ But, then, when I got to college,

I decided to step it up. I actually started knowing why I believe what I believe.”

Miller’s dedication to both God and track is hardcore. He lifts weights and runs eight to 15 miles every day except Sunday, which he reserves for Mass and prayer.

While he runs, he often contemplates God.

“On runs, if I am on my own, I have some philosophical thoughts to keep me busy. But on race days, the night before I always pray, an hour before I’ll pray, too, and even at the start line I’ll make the sign of the cross – it focuses me on God instead of the pain I am about to go through,” Miller said.

Sometimes he is accompanied by his running buddy, Father Harrison, and in between breaths, they talk about faith.

“Father Harrison is so relatable, and he is a runner, too. He is training for Iron Man right now, and when I go on runs with him, he is fun to talk with,” Miller said.

Miller’s coach, Mike Esposito, who has coached for more than 20 years, is as impressed with Miller’s physical progress as Father Harrison is with his spiritual journey.

Miller’s personal-best time of 1:50.6 minutes 800-meter, puts him on track to be one of the elite collegiate contenders who may qualify as one of the top 48th on the East Coast, allowing him to later compete in the NCAA East Preliminaries on a national level.

Miller’s parents often come down to the Carolinas, not wanting to miss a beat of their son’s newfound stamina and faith. Miller credits God for his ability and with each step, runs closer and closer to Him.

“I’m all about pushing my limit and finding a new one, so I’m seeing how far I can take this,” Miller said. “Whatever the plan God has, I’ll trust that.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

The project will include new bleachers, restrooms, and an emergency access road, creating a safe and welcoming environment for students, families and visiting teams.

The joyful celebration, which included music, snacks and pizza, coincided with Senior Night for the women’s soccer team, making it a special time to honor student-athletes and celebrate their contributions.

—  Photos provided by Nicole Seeling

The Sophia Institute for Teachers was founded in 2013 to renew and rebuild Catholic culture through service to Catholic education.

The Institute’s Master Teacher Council recognizes teachers and administrators nationwide who demonstrate exceptional instructional expertise, strong student outcomes and a proven ability to mentor and support fellow educators.

Members serve as instructional leaders, content experts and partners to teachers seeking to grow in pedagogical skill.

Charlie McKinney, president of the Sophia Institute, explained, “Selection to the Sophia Master Teacher Council reflects both professional excellence and a deep commitment to strengthening Catholic education through mentorship, collaboration and faithful witness.”

At a time when Catholic educators face increasing academic expectations, cultural pressures and the responsibility of forming students in faith and reason, the Sophia Master Teacher Council provides concrete, classroom-tested support by offering mentorship, practical resources and real-time guidance that strengthens and develops teachers and the students they serve.
— Catholic News Herald

The performance had the crowd on its feet, guiding students through moments in history with powerful musical testimony. The choir’s energy and spirit resonated throughout the gym.

The annual visit is a favorite event, and one student said he will miss it when he graduates. He encouraged his fellow students to embrace the moment.

Through songs and heartfelt witness, the choir reminded students that faith can be expressed in many ways.

As one classmate shared with peers, while the style of celebration may differ, the spiritual benefits remain the same.

— Photos by Troy C. Hull. Video by Ameila Kudela.

CHARLOTTE — The Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Honors Band took to the stage Feb. 28 for its inaugural concert at the Fine Arts Center at Charlotte Catholic High School.

The arena hummed with the sounds of well-greased trumpets, flutes, trombones and clarinets and thumped with the rhythmic beats of the drums and xylophones. The beautiful results made it almost inconceivable to believe that just 24 hours prior, the band members had never played together.

The weekend ended with the concert as a grand finale, but the first-ever Honors Band had to work hard to get there. 

“I’d like to think of it as a 24-hour marathon of putting all this music together,” said Ben Ranzinger, MACS instrumental music director and the architect behind the program. He collaborated with Jacob Bohan, band director of Charlotte Catholic, this academic year to launch the program.

“We have a lot of different schools that have really strong band programs, but we wanted the opportunity to be able to come together each year to perform,” said Ranzinger.  

The Honors Band pulls from the finest instrumental talent in three Mecklenburg County middle schools and two high schools. All 75 musicians were nominated by their band directors due to their skill and dedication.

As St. Mark Band Director Christopher D'Allura explained, “with cramming challenging music into just two days' time, you have to just nominate your players who can handle the rigor.” 

The 35 middle-school members were chosen from Our Lady of Assumption and Holy Trinity in Charlotte and St. Mark in Huntersville, while the 41 high-school members were from Charlotte Catholic and Christ the King in Huntersville. They performed pieces including “Barbarossa” by William Himes, “Barnburner” by Michael Story, and “Rocketship” by Kevin Day as if they had rehearsed together the songs all year long.

The grueling weekend of clinics, started after a half-day of school on Friday until 8:00 p.m., and continued from Saturday morning until the concert at 2:30 p.m. 

Two clinicians stepped in for the challenge. Bohan taught the middle schoolers. 

“We hope they come back on Monday totally different,” Bohan said. “Everything they did in the last two days is what we try to spend all quarter teaching them. I think they absolutely nailed it, and now the bar is set.”

At the high school level, Cougars and Crusaders spent their days sitting side by side, learning their new repertoires from Winthrop professor, Instructor of Music and Assistant Band Director, Dr. Kirstin Jeri.

“I am always looking to get out and work with students, whether at the middle school or at the high school level,” Jeri said. “We want to be able to support and get involved.”

Band directors from all five schools cheered on their students. 

“This is a great opportunity for our kids that need a little bit more of a challenge,” said Tracy Shoff, band director of Holy Trinity. 

Shoff taught many of the Charlotte Catholic band students at Holy Trinity and appreciates their progress. 

“It is so nice to see them continue to love what they do, because you have to find your passion,” Shoff said. “That is the whole key in life.”

Charlotte Catholic student Wolfgang Burger, whom Shoff taught percussion, reflected, “I feel so blessed to do this. I have been playing percussion since 4th grade, and it has become such an important part of my life, and I love it.”

Now, Shoff teaches his brother, Otto, who is auditioning to be a tuba player in the North Carolina All-State Band next week and is also part of the Honors Band. 

“They can make such great music because they have this innate ability, and when they all come together, it is just a magical thing. It is beautiful,” Shoff said.

Parents, like Kortney Ficke, could not be happier. Ficke thought the concert showcased her child’s potential, which he worked so hard to discover. Marshall Ficke, a sophomore at Charlotte Catholic, has played the drums and bass guitar since third grade, starting with School of Rock lessons and then progressing to the band at Holy Trinity. He is now part of the Honors Band, the jazz band and the pit orchestra. 

“It is hard to put in words what this community has meant to Marshall, and the music, and the outlet it gives him at home. He is upstairs practicing all the time,” said Ficke. “He talks about doing this through college, and just to see he found his passion. It means a lot."

The Honors Band concept is more than a one-hit wonder in Ranzinger’s eyes.

“Having an event like this as a recurring tradition will give something for our older band members to look forward to each and every year,” Ranzinger said. 

Bohan agrees, “This is not only a wonderful life skill, but it is also team building. It is all these incredible things that make each one of us who we are.”

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

When the school was initially built in 2009, a dedicated art room was not included. The space that is currently being used for weekly art classes also hosts music and small group instruction.

To convert the space to a fully functional art room, a wall that was opened to an adjacent classroom will be sealed and soundproofed. Additional storage designed for art supplies and a sink will be incorporated, as well as upgrades to interior finishes to create an environment that promotes creativity. Existing furniture will be replaced with flexible seating that can accommodate students of varying ages.

“Providing a space that dignifies the artistic process sends a clear message to students that their creativity is valued and worth investing in,” Principal Erin Brinkley said.

Thanks to the grant, renovations are planned to take place this summer to be ready for the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic school year.

“This grant is an investment in children, in creativity, and in the mission of Catholic education,” Brinkley said. “On behalf of the students, families, faculty and parish community, heartfelt thanks are extended to the Sheas for making this dream a reality.”

Shea Family Charities is one of the most significant philanthropic supporters of Catholic education across the country, assisting more than 400 Catholic schools with grants providing for renovations, new construction and needed expansion projects.

Over the past 30 years, the charity has granted an estimated $11 million toward school projects in the diocese, assisting St. Ann, Holy Trinity Middle School and Our Lady of the Assumption in

Charlotte, Immaculata in Hendersonville, St. Michael in Gastonia, Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro, Our Lady of Mercy in Winston-Salem, and now the art room at Sacred Heart. From the mountains to the Piedmont to the Triad, the organization has helped Catholic education thrive.

“To witness a family choose to invest so intentionally in a school that holds such significance for so many is both humbling and inspiring,” said Brinkley, who attended Sacred Heart as a child.

“Sacred Heart has been special to me for a long time, and for someone else to invest in the place that I love dearly is hard to put into words,” she said.

The art room was the first item on a list of the growing school’s proposed plans that include a preschool expansion as well as dedicated spaces for music, special education and therapy.

“This renovation was prioritized because the arts form the whole child. Academic excellence and creative expression go hand in hand,” Brinkley said.

The new layout and flexible furniture will allow students to work on projects in creative collaborative workstations. An expansion into an adjacent outdoor space will include a cement patio, outdoor furniture and shaded areas, allowing students to have easy access to be inspired by the beauty of nature.

“This will allow for simultaneous indoor and outdoor instruction, giving students opportunities to sketch from nature and experience art in a dynamic setting,” Brinkley said. “They can learn that beauty matters. Creativity is a gift from God, and they are called to use that gift well.”

— Lisa M. Geraci

Shaileen Riginos

Riginos comes to the diocese with two decades of Catholic education experience. Most recently, she served as associate superintendent for the Diocese of Charleston, where she provided strategic leadership across 32 Catholic schools, supporting pastors, diocesan leaders and school administrators. She previously spent 10 years as principal at St. Anne Catholic School in Rock Hill. 

“Christ the King has long been a model of what a thriving Catholic high school can be,” Riginos said. “While leading the expansion of St. Anne Catholic School into the first PK-3 through 12 school in the Diocese of Charleston, I often looked to CTK as an example of strong Catholic identity and student formation. To now have the privilege of serving as its president feels like it is coming full circle.”

Current CTK President Dr. Carl Semmler, who served as principal for six years and as president for the past three, will transition into a newly created position as Executive Director of Catholic Identity, Operations and Capital Improvements for the Catholic Schools office.

 In that role, Semmler will partner with stakeholders to foster a strong Catholic identity within the 20 Diocese of Charlotte schools, assisting with the execution of capital improvements and collaborating to ensure the schools have an operating budget that supports the vision of both local school and diocesan leaders.

 “The nine years that I will have spent at CTK have been an absolute blessing,” Semmler said.

 “The students, parents, faculty, staff and fellow administrators have been an inspiration to me and a strength to my faith.  As a community, we have grown in every possible way.”

 CTK was founded in 2011 with 28 students. During his tenure as its first president, a role he assumed in 2023, Semmler grew the school from 260 students to 435 this academic year. 

 At a time when the campus is undergoing a $12 million expansion project, increasing its footprint to handle enrollment that is expected to eventually reach 600 students, Riginos will collaborate with the leadership team, including Principal Mark Tolcher, to ensure a seamless transition.

 The high school leadership model that the diocese uses allows high school principals to handle academic oversight and daily operations, while presidents focus on shaping the mission and vision of the school, community relationships, financial management and fundraising.

Riginos, who will be the first female high school president in the diocese, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Her appointment comes after a national search. 

 “Mrs. Riginos brings broad experience at both the diocesan and school levels, along with strong expertise in strategic planning and relationship building, which will serve the Christ the King community well as the school continues to grow,” said Dr. Greg Monroe, the diocesan superintendent of schools. “I look forward to seeing what she and Mr. Tolcher will accomplish together as the leadership team of Christ the King.” 

 While Semmler will be fully immersed in his new responsibilities, Semmler told the Catholic News Herald he wants Riginos to know he is just a phone call away. 

“I am here for you,” Semmeler said he would tell her. “I want to help you and the school be successful.” 

Although Riginos worked for the Diocese of Charleston, she, along with her husband and three children, already call the Greater Charlotte area home. 

Riginos said she is looking forward “to working alongside students, teachers, staff, and families as we continue the mission of forming young men and women in faith, academic excellence and service.” 

— Lisa M. Geraci

Students lined the halls as Bagpiper Brendan Anderson, a junior at Charlotte Catholic High School, played the bagpipes while St. Patrick walked through the school spreading St. Patrick's Day spirit. Students were also treated to an amazing Irish Step Dance performance featuring many of their classmates.  

On Saturday, a sea of green lined Tryon Street for Charlotte’s 2026 St. Patrick Day Parade.

More than 1,000 marchers, including students, teachers and parents from some of the Diocese of Charlotte's Catholic schools – St. Ann, Our Lady of the Assumption, St. Patrick and Charlotte Catholic High School – marched in the parade through uptown Charlotte. Other schools and parishes planned to continue festivities through the week.

—  Photos by Troy C. Hull and provided

The musical is the school adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway hit “Hadestown,” written by the same playwright, Anaïs Mitchell.

“We chose this show because the themes resonate with young people and the music is amazing,” said Sarah Varricchio, theater director.
The two-act show with its New Orleans jazz vibe, mature themes of love vs. fate, and playlist of 35 songs left the crowd at the edge of their seats.

For the first time, a school production featured the new 12-foot-by-30-foot video wall as the stage backdrop. The tech-savvy set led guests through a portal of seamless scene changes from the bustling streets of New Orleans to the grueling underworld of Hades. Characters dressed as Greek gods danced and sang through a moving set of flowers, rain, jazz clubs and underground coal, while audience members witnessed the love story of Orpheus (Liam McSorley) and Eurydice (Ingrid Siega). Narrator Hermes (Lucia Varricchio) navigated the audience through the couple’s perilous journey through Hades, run by Hades, the god of the underworld (Hudson Hughes), and his wife, Persephone (Camille Lemke).

The cast, plus a set crew of six and five pit orchestra members, practiced the musical since October under the stage direction of Varricchio, the vocal coaching of Randy Price and the choreography of Rachel Patterson.

— Lisa M. Geraci | Catholic News Herald

Students from Charlotte Catholic and Bishop McGuinness high schools took a field trip to local movie theaters to learn more about the legacy of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. The movie gave students the opportunity to reflect on the political polarization of our time and how to bring people together.

Buses from Charlotte Catholic and Bishop McGuinness high schools drove through the morning dew for a special screening of “Cabrini,” an Angel Studios production, at Regal Theaters at

Piper Glen in Charlotte and AMC in High Point. Christ the King High School will view the movie in their gymnasium at a later date.

“A couple of years ago, when it first came out, some of the parishes did a screening, and that was my introduction,” said Dr. Greg Monroe, the diocesan superintendent of schools. “I was blown away by the way it showed the human element for this saint who did so much for migrants and was such a witness to the corporal works of mercy, showing us how we are supposed to work for all people.”

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini’s actions resonated with Monroe, and when folks in the Catholic Diocese of Dallas introduced him to the film’s directors with the goal of bringing the saint’s message to local students and educators, he was all in.

“They mentioned how some dioceses were taking the messages found in Mother Cabrini’s life and using them as part of their lesson plans,” Monroe said. “In schools we come from all walks of life, and we have teachers from different backgrounds. … It is a nice bridge to see what Mother Cabrini was trying to do and what we are trying to do with our students. It was so beautiful how Mother Cabrini saw the inherent dignity of every single person, no matter who they were or where they were from – she considered them a beloved child of God.”

From 1889 to 1910, more than two million Italian immigrants came to New York City in pursuit of the American dream. Instead, they found a nightmare, with many denied access to healthcare, education and housing. Racial slurs followed migrants through the city while they worked and lived in slums infested with rats.

In the Five Points area of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where most immigrants settled, thousands of abandoned children slept under steam grates and existed in the dark cement tunnels of the city’s sewage system.

In the midst of that chaos, one nun, Frances Xavier Cabrini, overcame gender persecution and ethnic discrimination to create an orphanage and hospital for the neglected Italian immigrants.

The movie “Cabrini,” based on her life story and released in 2024, showcased her journey of resilience and persistence. During her 67 years, she established 67 hospitals and orphanages across the globe and became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized.

Though her work was largely focused on Italian immigrants in New York City, her message of human dignity remains relevant today, when migrants are still persecuted, called names and treated as second class.

The movie is trending in Catholic schools across the nation, which are incorporating its message in their curriculum to help students understand the Catholic view on human dignity associated with current events such as modern-day immigration.

Most Charlotte Catholic students said they better appreciated the works of the saint and the rawness of discrimination through the film.

“We learned a little about it in history class, but not like that graphic,” said student Brynley Wilde. “I loved the movie so much. I like how she had women power. She was very inspiring. And she took control of the men who were trying to stop her. She just kept going, even in the face of danger.”

Monroe said the movie was important on both a theological and an educational level.

“In a world that is so polarizing and fractured, where you have so much adversity, this can be a real opportunity to reflect,” Monroe said. “How can we learn from the challenges that Mother Cabrini experienced to strengthen and enhance what we are trying to do in our diocese? Especially in a diocese with so many different demographics, how can we support them and bring them together, all through the lens of our faith?”

— Lisa M. Geraci 

Who was Mother Cabrini?

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be a canonized, is known as the patron saint of immigrants.

Refused admission to the religious order which had educated her to be a teacher, she began charitable work at the House of Providence Orphanage in Cadogno, Italy. In September 1877, she made her vows there. When the bishop closed the orphanage in 1880, he named Frances prioress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Seven young women from the orphanage joined her.

Since her childhood in Italy, she had wanted to be a missionary in China but, at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, Frances went west instead of east. She traveled with six sisters to New York City in 1889 to work with the thousands of Italian immigrants living there.

She provided the poorest of the poor Italian immigrants of New York with food, shelter, education and health services. By the 1890s, she established services in Chicago, also erecting several hospitals. She expanded those services to all immigrants across the country and around the world.

By the time of her death in 1917, at age 67, the naturalized American citizen had established 67 education, health and social service institutions throughout the world.
The route of the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage – which will come through the Diocese of Charlotte – is named after the saint.

— OSV News and Catholic News Herald

— Photo provided by St. Gabriel School

The support was made possible through the charitable legacy of Vic Nussbaum Jr., a former Greensboro mayor and long-time member of St. Pius X Parish.

“At Our Lady of Grace, this endowment is more than financial assistance; it is tangible support of our belief that every child deserves to be formed in truth, beauty and goodness,” said Principal Catherine Rusch. “It allows families to say yes to Catholic education and strengthens our mission to shape virtuous leaders and faithful disciples within our Panther family.”

The late Nussbaum – a self-proclaimed “Catholic Yankee in Dixie” who became one of Greensboro’s biggest boosters and its mayor for three terms, from 1987 to 1993 – was focused on expanding libraries, providing low-income housing and improving the quality of public education.

He was a devout Catholic, attending Mass every day at 6 a.m., and was a friend to the downtrodden, said Jim Melvin, who was mayor when Nussbaum was first elected to the Greensboro City Council in 1973.
Nussbaum attended Our Lady of Grace Church and sent his children to Our Lady of Grace School, and after a cross-town move later was active at St. Pius X Church. He believed Catholic schools not only provide a great education but are crucial to carrying on the faith.

Across the diocese, donors like Nussbaum have given one-time gifts of cash or stock, pledged to capital campaigns or projects, or left gifts in their estate plans. Such gifts have benefited parishes, Catholic schools, the diocese, the diocese’s foundation and St. Joseph College Seminary.

“We receive gifts of every amount, and all of them make a difference,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director. “There have been some individuals with significant resources who have had so much confidence in the Church’s leadership and commitment to their faith that they have given $1 million or more. I invite others to be part of our mission in this kind of significant way to help build up the Church across western North Carolina. Gifts given to establish endowments in particular help change people’s lives because they keep on growing and providing returns year after year.”

As Rusch noted, “In my eighth year as principal, I can see that the beauty of an endowment is its lasting impact. A single investment continues to bear fruit year after year, ensuring that students are able to receive an authentic Catholic education at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School.”

— Courtney McLaughlin

Fund an endowment

Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school? You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities.

For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or gmrhodes@rcdoc.