CHARLOTTE — Father Matthew Codd was officially installed as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church Sept. 15, succeeding Father Patrick Winslow, who is now the vicar general and chancellor for the Diocese of Charlotte.
Bishop Peter Jugis installed Father Codd during Mass Sept. 15. The official letter of appointment was read aloud to the congregation at the start of the Mass, and Father Codd then made a profession of faith and oath of fidelity to the Church.
During his homily, Bishop Jugis drew parallels between the pastor’s responsibilities and the day’s Gospel reading from Luke, chapter 15 (“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine and go after that the lost one until he finds it?…I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine who have no need of repentance”).
A pastor has three primary roles: teaching, sanctifying and governing, the bishop noted. A pastor must be mindful of all three aspects in his ministry but remain focused on his most important work: offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is “the very center of the life of the parish. It is the most important event that takes place in the parish.”
“It is here Jesus is continuing to save us, the giving of His life is still being offered to us for the salvation of the world. What He accomplished once and for all through Calvary is made perpetually present through the ages, through the Real Presence of the Sacrifice at Mass,” he said. “Everything else we do in the parish flows from the light and the love we celebrate here at this altar.”
He encouraged parishioners to cooperate and assist their new pastor in continuing St. Thomas Aquinas Parish’s mission to serve Christ and be a beacon of the Gospel in the community, and he urged them to pray daily for Father Codd’s ministry, “that he may be an effective shepherd for you.”
Present at the installation Mass were Father Codd’s parents, Trent and Celine Codd, who came in from Asheville for the special day.
Concelebrating the Mass with the bishop and Father Codd were Father Matthew Bean, parochial vicar; and Father Paul McNulty, in residence.
Deacon James Witulski, who assisted at the Mass along with Deacon Joe Diaz, noted, “St. Thomas Aquinas was fortunate to also have had Father Patrick Winslow, who did amazing work as our pastor prior to recently becoming the chancellor and vicar general of our diocese. We are now blessed to have Father Matthew Codd as our new pastor, as he is a holy and reverent priest. We look forward to Father Codd’s time with us as he begins his new journey as our pastor.”
“We are so blessed to have Father Codd,” added parishioner Monica Bailey, who helped coordinate a reception for the new pastor after the Mass.
Since his ordination in 2012, Father Codd served at St. Mark Church in Huntersville and St. Aloysius Church in Hickory before becoming pastor at St. Elizabeth Church in Boone.
“Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and helpful,” Father Codd said of his transition to his new parish. “I was not expecting to leave St. Elizabeth at all – in fact, it was a complete surprise to me. Now that I am here, what I mainly wish to do at St. Thomas is to bring the love of Christ here in whatever way I can.”
— Lisa Geraci, Correspondent