‘Jesus was a great crewmate’ 
Astronaut Kevin Chilton shares his experiences in space and his faith journey with members of Legatus May 7. The group of Catholic business executives focuses on helping leaders bring faith into their workplaces.
CHARLOTTE — It’s not often you meet a Catholic whose faith journey includes receiving the Eucharist in space, but that was the story former NASA astronaut and devout Catholic Kevin Chilton shared May 7 with members of the Charlotte chapter of Legatus, an organization of Catholic business executives.
Chilton’s story began with a fascination with flight nurtured in California that led him to become an astronaut and a four-star general in the U.S. Air Force. His testimony is the type of programming Legatus members have heard for the past decade as they seek to live a dynamic Catholic life.
Founded by Domino’s pizza CEO Tom Monaghan in 1987, the goal of Legatus (Latin for “envoy” or “ambassador”) is to help high-level business leaders grow in their faith and learn how to share and preserve Catholic values in a hyper-secular atmosphere. It has more than 5,500 members across 90-plus chapters primarily in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Charlotte chapter is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and recently received an honor to enhance that milestone. President Kevin Scully, an architect who attends St. Mark Parish in Huntersville, was honored as the organization’s 2026 “President of the Year,” primarily for growing the chapter.
Scully first joined Legatus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was excited to become part of the Charlotte chapter when he moved here in 2022.
“It’s certainly humbling to receive an honor like this, and it’s been great to step into the chapter here and help it grow,” he said. “Legatus definitely has helped me strengthen my faith because you’re surrounded by other strong Catholic leaders. We can lean on each other and learn from each other.”
At monthly meetings, members go to confession, pray the rosary and attend Mass, share fellowship time, and listen to speakers like Chilton selected for both their life experiences and their powerful faith messages.
Chilton deftly illustrated how his faith was interwoven through his career with the Air Force and with NASA, the most moving part being his description of receiving the Eucharist in space.
Catholic astronauts can get permission from their diocese to take a pyx containing consecrated Hosts so they can receive the sacrament in orbit.
He first shared the Eucharist with another Catholic astronaut as a pilot on the space shuttle Endeavour in 1992, while crew members were struggling to repair a satellite. The next morning, a solution to the problem was found.
On his second Endeavour trip, he received the Eucharist in profound silence while the shuttle orbited on the dark side of Earth and then faced the sunlight. In 1996, while serving as commander of the shuttle Atlantis, Chilton received the sacrament after a historic docking with the Russian space station Mir.
“Having the opportunity to receive the Body of Christ while orbiting God’s creation, this beautiful planet, pictures don’t do it justice,” Chilton said. “It’s just so phenomenal to look down on it. You feel so small and so humbled by this gift.”
Chilton talked about how God’s providence led him to the greatest opportunities in his life, and also shared his struggles with understanding the miracle of the Mass.
He encouraged members to read the Gospels repeatedly to fully understand their message and to cherish the union they have found with Jesus and with others through the Mass.
A space for leaders
“We have the opportunity to witness a miracle each time we go to Mass,” he said. “And Jesus was a great crewmate for me on all three flights.”
Listening to speakers like Chilton is an inspiring part of what draws member David Anderson, a member of St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte, and his wife to Legatus.
“Through Legatus, you build some amazing relationships with like-minded people that will last a lifetime,” he said.
Sharon Kucia, who runs a consulting firm, was introduced to the organization in Savannah in 2014. In 2015, she and a few others asked then-Bishop Peter Jugis for permission to bring Legatus to the diocese.
“I just saw a gap in the Charlotte business community – there didn’t seem to be a dedicated space for Catholic leaders to discuss and live out their faith,” she said.
As the organization has grown, Kucia like other members has felt its influence.
“It is absolutely a bunch of people who study, live and spread their faith through both their personal and professional lives,” Kucia said. “Legatus encourages you to live out your faith with integrity and courage. Business is such a secular environment, and we aim to form our members to be ambassadors for Christ.”
— Christina Lee Knauss