The international pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima. (Photo by Dennis Callahan Photos)CHARLOTTE — Come to St. Vincent de Paul Church to pray for world peace and the salvation of souls, during a Communal First Saturdays Devotion this Saturday, Sept. 3.
The First Saturdays Devotion, also known as the “Five First Saturdays,” is Catholics’ response to a special request by Mary – as told to three shepherd children in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal – for people to have a conversion of heart and make reparation for all the sins against God.
A Communal First Saturdays Devotion is organized so that a larger number of people may join together as a strong, visible and collective witness to the power of prayer and faith in Our 
A statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, from St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. (Photo by SueAnn Howell)Lady’s promise of peace.
The morning will start at 8 a.m. with prayer, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and confessions at 8:30 a.m. Mass is at 9 a.m.followed by the rosary with Scripture meditations at 9:45 a.m.
St. Vincent de Paul Parish is located at 6828 Old Reid Road. Learn more about Communal First Saturdays at www.communalfirstsaturdays.org.
— SueAnn Howell
Does your parish help run a food pantry or have an emergency services program? Perhaps your parish or ministry provides food assistance for children during summer months, offers meals for those who are homeless, or sponsors a community garden that provides fresh produce to those in need.
If so, consider applying for a Catholic Charities CRS Rice Bowl Mini-Grant for up to $1,000 in grant funds.
Catholic Charities is now accepting applications for CRS Rice Bowl Mini-Grants. For every $3 of CRS Rice Bowl funds sent to CRS for overseas projects, $1 remains in the Diocese of Charlotte to help fund a local grant program that supports poverty and hunger fighting projects of diocesan Catholic entities.
Projects must target hunger and poverty in communities in the Diocese of Charlotte.
Only one grant can be submitted per Catholic entity and grant applications must be reviewed and signed by the pastor of the parish, principal of the school, or director of the diocesan office applying for the grant.
Completed and signed applications are due, in scanned PDF, by the email deadline of Monday, Oct. 17.
Applications, including guidelines and eligibility criteria, are available at www.ccdoc.org/cchdcrs.
— Joseph Purello