CHARLOTTE — Dr. Bill Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, spoke at a recent “Theology on Tap” event organized for young adults who attend St. Patrick Cathedral.
The event held at Tyber Creek Pub in Charlotte attracted well over 50 young adults, who heard Thierfelder speak on the importance of “awareness” – an awareness of the reality of the Real Presence of Jesus in our lives and our universal call to love as God’s road map to our happiness in this life and the next. “We are called to know, love and serve God in this life so as to be happy with Him forever in the next life.”
Thierfelder compared the Real Presence (Jesus in the Eucharist) in our lives and our need and desire to live in the present moment, to be truly present to those around us, versus the virtual world our technology-obsessed culture promotes.
It was yet another great Catholic Young Adult gathering thanks to the leadership of the Theology on Tap chair, Joe Westerhaus, and the co-leaders of the cathedral’s young adult ministry, Margaret Dechant and Stu Vaughn, along with Ashleigh Lawrence spearheading communication and social networking.
Learn more about the young adult ministry on Facebook at “The Cathedral of St. Patrick - Young Adult Ministry,” or go to www.stpatricks.org.
— Photo provided by Father Richard Sutter
CHARLOTTE — The confirmation class at St. Peter Church recently spent a “Social Justice Day” at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse organized and led by catechist and parishioner Spencer Merriweather who is an assistant district attorney assigned to the district attorney’s Homicide Team.
During the annual “Social Justice Day at the Court,” confirmation students also met and learned from Walter Dennis, a jail chaplain with Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office; Heather Taraska, a prosecutor, assistant district attorney, supervisor of the district attorney’s Juvenile Team and St. Peter parishioner; Missy Owen, a criminal defense attorney and St. Peter parishioner; District Court Judge Donnie Hoover; and Pamela Escobar, the community outreach administrator for the court system.
Each of these court professionals discussed their unique perspectives on how they practice their Catholic faith within the criminal justice system. The youth also participated in exercises using the Scriptures to facilitate discussions about what Jesus teaches about justice and mercy.
To watch the court in action, the confirmation candidates even sat in on a few trials.
— Photo provided by Cathy Chiappetta and Joan Guthrie