Faithful attended Masses on Feb. 3 for blessings of the throat at St. Mark in Huntersville and at Our Lady of Annunciation Church in Albemarle for the Feast of St. Blaise.
St. William Church in Murphy parishioners also received a blessing of the throats during weekend masses on the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr.
Blessing of throat with prayer for the intercession of St. Blaise was also conferred at Immaculate Conception in Forest City. The special candles used for the blessings were acquired by Deacon Andy Cilone at St. Blaise Church in Dubrovnik, Croatia, during a pilgrimage.
St. Blaise was a physician, and bishop who was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron combs, and beheaded. His feast day is Feb. 3.
Little is known about St. Blaise prior to his mention in a court physician's medical journal. The physician, Aëtius Amidenus, spoke of St. Blaise's aid in treating objects caught in the throat. He was also mentioned in the book of Acts, where he was aided by animals and treated people and beasts alike.
“Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness;
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen."
Rev. Fr. Peter Fitzgibbons said this prayer several times on during mass at Our Lady of Annunciation Parish Church in Albemarle on Friday.
Blessing of throat with prayer for the intercession of St. Blaise was conferred at Immaculate Conception in Forest City.
— Photosby Giuliana Polinari Riley, Craig Allen and Patrick Hession, coorespondents and provided by Amy Burger and Done Espina
CHARLOTTE — Someone apparently stole mail from St. Matthew Church and tried to cash checks, according to a letter sent to parishioners from Monsignor John McSweeny.
It appears that a theft from the mailbox on the church property occurred at the end of January. Parish officials were made aware of the situation by two parishioners reporting that their online bill pay donation checks to St. Matthew were attempted to be cashed by persons unaffiliated with St. Matthew Church, Monsignor McSweeny said.
Both checks were mailed to the physical address, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, and not our post office box, PO Box 49349.
The church changed the mailbox on our campus to one in which mail can only be deposited, but needs a key to be retrieved.
They recommend mail to the parish be sent to the P.O Box: St. Matthew Catholic Church, P.O. Box 49349
Charlotte, NC 28277.
St. Matthew Church name and address is also being used in a fraudulent check scheme, where packages are being mailed to individuals with a check inside, Monsignor McSweeny said.
The parish’s name is not associated with anything relating to the check, it simply appears as a return address on the outside of the envelope, making it appear that the package has been sent by St. Matthew Church.
This is a common scheme, and these priority mail packages have not been sent by St. Matthew Church. The check in the envelope is fraudulent and should not be cashed.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and the United States Postal Service Inspector are aware of the incidents.
— Catholic News Herald