CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte invites married and engaged couples to take time out from their busy schedules and strengthen their vocations through the eighth annual Together in Holiness conference this fall.
The event will be held in two locations – Charlotte and Greensboro – from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Nov. 21 and is hosted by the Marriage, Family and Life Office in partnership with the St. John Paul II Foundation.
“The conference is a great example of coming together as the family of God,” said Brendan Dudley, the diocese’s marriage preparation, enrichment and family program director. “We hope this will be a springboard for all of our parishes to develop year-round marriage enrichment opportunities that will help couples grow in their love for Jesus.”
This year’s conference theme is “United in Love” and will feature keynote speakers from national and local platforms ready to share lessons on love and faith. Sessions will focus on three topics: Communion with the Holy Spirit, Finding common ground in Christ, and Forgiveness: the key to lasting unity.
The event will take place at St. Ann Church in Charlotte and at St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. Childcare will be available at both locations.
Local speakers Dr. Mario Sacasa, a marriage counselor with more than 20 years of experience, will be featured at the Greensboro program. Christine Wisdom, owner and executive director of Wisdom Integrative Counseling, will be featured at the Charlotte program.
Both programs will also include two couples. Deacon Jason Bulman,a theologian, and his wife Rachel Bulman, a podcaster and writer, will discuss marriage and children, contributing stories of their life together raising six children. Educators and speakers Colin and Aimee MacIver, known for their theological approach to faith formation, will focus on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, the sacramental nature of marriage and discipleship.
Mass will be celebrated during the programs, and there will be an opportunity for confession and Eucharistic Adoration throughout the day. St. Ann will provide headsets for Spanish speakers who will translate the presentations simultaneously.
Register for the event online at www.forlifeandfamily.org/events/th26-cnc-e.
— Lisa M. Geraci
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Leaders from the Diocese of Charlotte participated in “Deepening Our Moral Witness,” a regional gathering in eastern Tennessee hosted by the dioceses of Knoxville and Lexington and the Hope Border Institute.
Six bishops met with diocesan and immigrant non-profit leaders Sept. 30 to discuss ongoing immigration enforcement actions, Church teaching on migration and best practices to support migrants affected by mass deportation policies.
The Charlotte diocese’s Communications Director Liz Chandler, Hispanic Media Coordinator Brian Segovia and Hispanic Ministry Director Steven Samol participated in seminars on local and global Church initiatives defending the dignity of migrants, immigrant testimonies, effective communication strategies, and diocesan and parish planning.
Diocesan leaders from across the South donned pins with the message “We Stand with Immigrants” and joined a press conference led by the bishops of Knoxville, Lexington and Memphis where they spoke in support of migrants.
“We have a responsibility to care for the dignity of each and every human person and to respect the rights and due process that are due to citizens and anyone who lives on U.S. soil,’ said
Knoxville Bishop Mark Beckman. “What we see needs a response not only of compassion, but also of justice. Let’s work together today to build a world where everyone has a home.”
Samol said the press conference was a powerful example of the Church’s prophetic voice on the moral issue of human dignity.
“What challenged me was not necessarily a change in my concern for migrants, but a deeper understanding that the Church’s response must begin with the person, not the policy,” Samol said.
Samol saw the conference as a calling to dive deeper into learning about the immigrant experience in the diocese.
“These are not anonymous statistics. They are parishioners, volunteers, parents, friends and neighbors. Sharing their stories can help our communities recognize the human impact of these realities and encourage greater solidarity and prayerful support,” Samol said. “Migrants are not an issue to be managed, but members of the human family.”
— Catholic News Herald
