Members of the St. Peter’s Sages community are joined by their pastor, Jesuit Father Tim Stephens, and parishioners in the 20s/30s group July 25 at the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte for some time of fellowship and to celebrate the Church’s inaugural World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Photos provided by St. Peter Church.CHARLOTTE — A sage, by definition, is “a person who has wisdom that comes with age and experience.”
In the first endeavor of its kind in the history of the 170-year-old parish, the Sages of St. Peter Church – parishioners 59 and older – are pooling their collective wisdom, talents and life experiences to educate and connect younger generations to their rich Catholic heritage.
A team of Sages has created a video history of their parish, the first Catholic church in Charlotte. The St. Peter Sages History Project is a compilation of information, archival photos and video interviews with longtime parishioners, clergy, artists and patrons of the arts.
The goal is to paint a comprehensive understanding of how the parish has evolved over the decades, and acknowledging the Benedictine, diocesan and Jesuit priests who, together with the People of God, nurtured the Catholic community in Charlotte.
The Sages ministry began in 2018 with the support of then-pastor Jesuit Father Jim Shea. Now more than 450 parishioners are considered part of the Sages ministry.
“Our true mission, to use Father Shea’s words, is for older adults to have enhanced opportunities to stay connected, develop our spiritual sense by going deeper and sharing our collective wisdom with younger parishioners,” says the Sages chair, Louise Rice.
Rice, along with parishioners Tony Bucci and Joe Breen, spent countless hours researching and implementing the history project. All three are presenters in the video series.
Bucci, a retired educator with a degree in and love of history, saw this project as an opportunity to take up the challenge from his pastor to go deeper into his Catholic faith and in service to his parish.
“As Joe and I discussed the possibility of doing another history, we said that it had to ‘go deeper,’ that it had to be put in the context of Catholicism in the Carolinas as well as in the more immediate area,” Bucci says. “We also decided that it needed to be visual, and oral, as much as possible.”
They relied on the talents of videographer Liz Egan, interviewer Tim Funk, communications consultant Susan Long, technical advisor Gene Katz and parish communications coordinator Joan Guthrie.
Part I is “A History of St. Peter Catholic Late 18th Century to Early 21st Century,” and Part II is “A History of St. Peter From the Dark Ages to the Renaissance: Religious Art and the Arrival of the Jesuits.”
Artist Ben Long, who created the parish’s famed floor-to-ceiling fresco – a triptych that graced the sanctuary wall from 1989 to 2002 before it was seemingly destroyed by an earthquake – is one of those interviewed in Part II. Retired banking executive and Charlotte icon Hugh McColl Jr., a patron of the arts, is also featured. Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari of Belmont Abbey shares how the monastic community in Belmont helped develop the parish through its early years.
An important part of the Sages History Project, Guthrie notes, was interviewing older parishioners who grew up attending St. Peter Church and who describe their memories of the small Catholic community that existed then in Charlotte.
Videographer Liz Egan films retired Charlotte bank executive, Hugh McColl Jr., during his interview with St. Peter parishioner Tim Funk.“Every parish should be cognizant of recording the recollections of their elders for a lasting, living legacy of their church,” Guthrie says. “What a gift it is to have these conversations digitally archived.”
Organizers plan to release Part III, “A History of the Jesuits at St. Peter,” via a Sages Zoom call Sept. 25.
“Our team intends that this presentation will be archived, used and expanded upon by future generations,” Bucci explains. “The people of our parish love St. Peter. It would be great if more and more parish members can learn more about and be proud of our deep and wonderful heritage.”
The Sages History Project is just one component of their ministry, which encompasses spiritual, service and social outreach. Most recently, Sages attended Mass July 25, to celebrate the Church’s inaugural World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. A social gathering with participants in the 20s/30s Ministry was held after Mass at a local brewery.
“Our older adult ministry is vibrant, involved and always eager to ‘share our wisdom,’” Rice says.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Check out the Sages videos
At www.stpeterscatholic.org/spiritual-resources: View the St. Peter Sages History Project videos online via the parish website or on the parish’s YouTube channel