‘Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return’
CHARLOTTE — Ash Wednesday looked different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now entering its second year.
This year’s midday Mass Feb. 17 at St. Patrick Cathedral was streamed live on the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel so people homebound during the pandemic could participate remotely. Churches across the diocese also added more Ash Wednesday Masses to accommodate more worshipers in person while ensuring limited, socially distanced capacities.
Another change was in the distribution of ashes: ashes were sprinkled on people’s head rather than placed on their forehead in the shape of a cross, following instructions from the Vatican. This alternative way of commemorating Ash Wednesday is still popular in Rome, and more closely resembles Old Testament tradition.
During a brief homily before distributing ashes to people as they knelt in the pews, Bishop Peter Jugis explained the significance of the ashes – no matter which way people receive them.
“Ashes are a sign of sorrow for our sins and our wrongdoing. Ashes are a sign of penitence,” he said.
“They are an acknowledgment that we have sinned – and not only that we have sinned, but that we are sorry for our sins and we are begging God for the grace of conversion, to have a change of heart and to receive His grace to be cleansed of our sins.”
“So how do we know what our sins are?” he continued. “Look to the 10 Commandments. Jesus says, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.’
Of course we love Jesus – that is why we are here. And because we love Jesus we are sorry for our sins, sorry for any way we have offended Him – and out of love for Him (sorry for how we have) failed in loving others.”
Bishop Jugis then blessed the ashes, sprinkling them with holy water.
Standing at the top of the sanctuary steps he addressed the congregation, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” before descending the sanctuary steps to silently sprinkle the ashes on the heads of the faithful, weaving in and out of the pews as he worked his way to the back of the church.
Bishop Jugis was assisted at Mass by Deacon Paul Bruck, who also distributed ashes to the limited-capacity crowd.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day penitential period of fasting, prayer and almsgiving before Easter.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Marvelously transformed
CLEMMONS — Parishioners at Holy Family Church celebrated a long-awaited milestone Jan. 27, with the blessing of their new chapel and cemetery.
Bishop Peter Jugis led the ceremonies at the parish to open the 130-seat chapel and bless a new Catholic burial section and columbarium at Westlawn Gardens of Memory cemetery in Clemmons.
The new 2,040-square-foot chapel is what parishioners consider the “crowning jewel” in a series of improvements at the parish’s Bishop William G. Curlin Center, adjacent to the main church.
During the Mass, Bishop Jugis blessed the chapel, its sanctuary and new altar with holy water and consecrated the altar with sacred chrism. He then lit incense in a bowl placed upon the altar during the sacred rite of consecration. Two parishioners then prepared the altar with white linen cloths for the celebration of the Mass.
In his homily, Bishop Jugis commended parishioners’ efforts and remarked how the space had been “marvelously transformed into a thing of beauty to give honor and glory to Almighty God, so as to worship God in this holy space.”
He noted that the newly consecrated altar exists to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, just as Jesus Christ commanded to be perpetuated as a living memorial until He comes again.
“A sacrifice needs an altar,” he explained. “When we come to Mass, we are offering the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of the world – and for our own salvation, and for the intentions that we bring to Mass.”
At the conclusion of Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament was placed in the chapel’s original tabernacle and the adjacent sanctuary lamp was lit – signifying that Christ was now present.
Concelebrating at the Mass were Father James Stuhrenberg, pastor; Father Peter Nouck, parochial vicar; and former pastor Father Michael Buttner. Deacon John Harrison assisted.
At the conclusion of Mass, Bishop Peter Jugis performed the official Rite of Installation of a Pastor for Father Stuhrenberg, who was assigned as pastor of the parish last July following Father Buttner’s retirement.
Deacon Harrison served as project leader for the Curlin Center renovation. He noted, “The new chapel will be a great addition for our parish. It will provide a quiet and more intimate space for prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, small funerals and weddings, weekday Masses and more.”
When the present church was built and dedicated in 2005, Holy Family’s first church was converted into a multi-purpose facility and renamed in honor of Charlotte’s third bishop.
“However, for many years it was just a big windowless room with chairs,” Deacon Harrison explained. “We used it for some faith formation activities, meetings and office space, but, due to the lack of separation walls, the 4,600-square-foot room was quite noisy and not an efficient use of the space.
Therefore, it was very much underutilized.”
The parish developed a plan to renovate the Curlin Center using its portion of the Diocese of Charlotte’s “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign funding. Parishioners wanted to renovate the under-used space into a chapel, two classrooms and a library/meeting room, three faith formation/ministry offices, a faith formation workroom and a storage space.
“This space provides a beautiful chapel for prayer, much-needed meeting rooms, and offices,” Father Stuhrenberg said. “The staff seems really happy with their new offices. I appreciate everyone who donated to this project, especially given the challenges posed by COVID-19.”
To fund the $723,00 renovation, the parish used $300,000 from its FFHL campaign proceeds and conducted a parish capital campaign from 2019 to 2020 to raise the remaining $423,000 for the project.
The renovation work began in July 2020 and was completed in January.
To cap off the events of Jan. 27, Bishop Jugis, Father Stuhrenberg, Father Nouck and Deacon Harrison traveled to nearby Westlawn Gardens of Memory to bless a new Catholic cemetery area with 336 plots and a columbarium with 160 niches.
“This project was started and planned under the leadership of Father Buttner as pastor, and I am glad to inherit the fruit of the work. The team did a really great job,” Father Stuhrenberg said.
“It was so wonderful to have our bishop come and dedicate the altar. Bishop Jugis mentioned how this small chapel here, which seats 130 people, is bigger than many of the churches in the diocese. How blessed we are!” he added.
— Story and photos by SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
