CHARLOTTE — Thirteen grants totaling $56,605 from the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte will provide tangible assistance to families in need and help bridge cultural barriers.
The annual awards, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, are based on need and on the impact the funds are expected to have on local communities. This year, six parishes and two missions, two food pantries and three Catholic schools will benefit from these grants.
This year’s recipients include critical ministries working to provide food assistance during these challenging economic times. Both the Sister Mary Robert Food Ministry at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury and the Casa Marillac Food Pantry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Charlotte each received $5,000.
Holy Cross Church in Kernersville will use its $5,000 grant to break down language and cultural barriers that prevent parish families from interacting with each other. The funds will sponsor a parish-based program called “Deconstructing Babel.” This original program, created by parish staff in the education and formation office, is a bilingual, intercultural program that will bring parishioners together to share a meal and conversation each week.
During the mealtime, parishioners will have assigned seats. Each table will have cards to help with simple conversation phrases and dialogue in both English and Spanish. After the meal, the groups will split into their preferred language group. The Spanish-speaking group will learn about the traditions and cultural elements of the United States. The English-speaking group will learn about the traditions and cultural elements of Hispanic cultures and families.
“The spiritual life of our parishioners is directly tied to how much they identify as equal members of the same parish family,” said Father Noah Carter, pastor. “In my experience, there is a subtle and unspoken fear about experiencing a different culture and feeling out of place. ‘Deconstructing Babel’ is about bringing together our members in ways where they are free to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn about each other’s outlooks on life from their diverse backgrounds and experience.
“In the end, we hope that this program will bind up families from different cultures and make all of us proud to call all our fellow parishioners a brother or sister in Christ,” he added.
Since 2001, the foundation has awarded 409 grants totaling $1,152,509. These grants are distributed from four of the foundation’s 300-plus endowments.
“These grants have helped improve the lives of thousands of people. We are so thankful to the individuals and families who establish endowments to make it possible,” said Gina Rhodes, diocesan director of planned giving.
2022 Diocesan Foundation grant recipients
- Holy Cross Church in Kernersville: “Deconstructing Babel – bridging the ESL and SSL communities,” $5,000
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Charlotte: Casa Marillac Food Pantry, $5,000
- Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte: “Spirit and Song” book grant, $4,080
- Our Lady of the Assumption School in Charlotte: flexible seating for focused learning, $2,000
- Our Lady of the Mountains Mission in Highlands: mold remediation in the rectory, $5,000
- Prince of Peace Mission in Robbinsville: replace heating and cooling system, $4,025
- Sacred Heart School in Salisbury: school master garden and greenhouse, $5,000
- Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury: food pantry run by the Sister Mary Robert Food Ministry, $5,000
- St. Ann School in Charlotte: learning support resource enhancements, $3,000
- St. Ann School in Charlotte: 10 new iPads for the first-grade classroom, $5,000
- St. Benedict the Moor Church in Winston-Salem: replace church and rectory doors, $5,000
- St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Shelby: construction of a children’s play area next to the parish center, $3,500
- St. Therese Church in Mooresville: faith formation restructuring curriculum, $5,000
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter