Seminarians Patrick Gallagher and Matthew Stanley are talking with a man they met uptown. Please say a prayer for our seminarians and also for all those who are homeless in our communities. (Provided photo)
CHARLOTTE — Two Diocese of Charlotte seminarians have embarked on a new ministry, taking to the streets of Uptown Charlotte to help care for men and women experiencing homelessness during this Lenten season.
Jordan Haag and Matthew Hennessy, both in their second year at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly, started their homeless support mission project just before Ash Wednesday and walk the area around St. Peter Church on Fridays and Saturdays to minister to those in need.
The seminarians seek out people living on the streets and offer whatever they can to help them – a sandwich, a bottle of water, or the simple gift of conversation.
Haag, 32, said he decided earlier this year to try out an outreach to Charlotte’s homeless population because of positive experiences he had doing similar work with a ministry called Urban Hearts while stationed in Alaska when he served in the U.S. Army.
Haag and Hennessy enlisted the aid of altar servers from St. Patrick Cathedral who help the outreach by collecting necessities between weekend Masses. Donations of items ranging from food and water to warm clothing and spiritual items such as holy cards and rosaries are welcomed. Haag said members of St. Patrick have responded “in a huge way” with donations of goods and financial support for the ministry.
Hennessy, 21, a member of Charlotte’s St. Gabriel Parish, said doing outreach to the homeless is new to him, and he was excited to join his fellow seminarian.
“This is an important way to live out the corporal works of mercy during Lent and evangelize through example,” Hennessy said. “Sometimes people need food and water, and sometimes they just need another person to have a friendly conversation with. I love what we’re doing.”
The seminarians hope the number of volunteers will continue to grow and perhaps enable them to expand the ministry to Gastonia and other areas around Charlotte.
“We’ve served people of all races as well as people in their late 20s to those in their 70s,” Haag said.
“Some people aren’t receptive to what we’re doing, but most are, and even people who are nonreligious have wanted to talk with us.
We’re out there to evangelize through our actions, and nine times out of 10 the people we meet are the ones who bring up God to us and want to talk about Him.”
The pair have also encountered more than a few Catholics living on Charlotte’s streets, including a memorable meeting with one devout woman who said emphatically, “The Eucharist is the heart of the faith.”
When volunteers go out, they work in teams of two or three and also try to collect the first names of the people they encounter to add to a prayer list during the week.
“The first week we got six people to pray for, and now we’re up to 15 or 16 names a week,” Haag said.
The weekly outreach will continue through Lent, and then likely switch to a biweekly schedule after Easter.
— Christina Lee Knauss
Get involved
This Lent, Diocese of Charlotte seminarians Matthew Hennessy (left) and Jordan Haag began a new ministry to help serve men and women experiencing homelessness. With the help of volunteers and donations, they take to the streets of uptown Charlotte each weekend, providing food, water, prayer and friendly conversation to those in need. (Photo provided) Altar servers at St. Patrick Cathedral are helping seminarians Jordan Haag and Matthew Hennessy collect much-needed items during weekend Masses.
Needed items include first-aid supplies, small bottles of hand sanitizer, toothbrushes and toothpaste, health snacks like granola, trail mix and protein bars, men’s underwear, feminine products, jackets, toboggan hats, gloves, socks, hand/feet warmers, healthy drinks and bottled water, holy cards, rosaries and small New Testaments.
To learn more about the mission, volunteer, or make a donation, please email Jordan Haag at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..