CHARLOTTE — The true meaning of Christmas is found in the love of Jesus Christ, Bishop Peter Jugis preached to a reduced-capacity congregation during Midnight Mass.
St. Patrick Cathedral, like many other churches across the Diocese of Charlotte, offered joyous yet subdued Christmas services Dec. 24-25 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health precautions in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus included lowered in-person Mass attendance and livestreamed Masses for those unable to attend in person.
At the cathedral’s traditional Mass at Midnight on Dec. 25, a little over 100 people who had registered in advance sat socially distanced from each other in the pews, while hundreds more watched the Mass streamed live on YouTube. The festive poinsettias and greenery adorning the cathedral contrasted with the sparse congregation, face coverings and hand sanitizing stations.
Bishop Jugis blessed those present and watching via the livestream and told them they had “come to the right place” to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
The meaning of Christmas is found in the word itself, he said. “The true meaning of Christmas is Jesus. It’s just that simple. A simple word, one word: the name of the Son of God.”
Yet, he continued, “the world searches and searches and searches for the true meaning of Christmas.”
Social media “chatter,” he said, tells us “the true meaning of Christmas is family. The true meaning of Christmas is friends. Smiles, health, wellbeing and joy.”
He then recalled the words of St. Augustine: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
He continued, “That describes the world perfectly – restlessly searching for a way to give a secular meaning to Christmas without reference to Jesus.”
“Without Jesus,” Bishop Jugis said, “all you are left with is a ‘happy holiday’ – but not Christmas.”
He encouraged people to demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others.
“God the Father gave the world the gift of His Son, and that is the greatest gift that we can give to others,” he said. “To live and to practice our faith, and to bring the love of Christ to others.”
In a greeting to all those present and watching from around the diocese, Bishop Jugis said, “My very best wishes to all of you as we celebrate the great feast of Christmas. May Christ bless you and your families with His peace and love this day and always.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
“God the Father gave the world the gift of His Son, and that is the greatest gift that we can give to others. To live and to practice our faith, and to bring the love of Christ to others.” — Bishop Peter Jugis
Help support tomorrow’s priests today
CHARLOTTE — One thousand people in the Diocese of Charlotte have stepped forward so far to fund the St. Joseph College Seminary capital campaign.
To date, $17.1 million has been raised towards the $20 million goal for the new college seminary building project that was completed this fall.
A broad communication campaign continues to keep parishioners apprised of the status of the fundraising campaign, appealing to all of the faithful to play a part in raising the additional $2.9 million in pledges by Dec. 31.
In a Dec. 14 letter, Bishop Jugis asked the faithful to prayerfully consider a three-year pledge to help fund the college seminary.
“Your pledge is an essential building block in our quest to form many more good and holy priests for the Diocese of Charlotte. Let us promote and cultivate priestly vocations to serve our joyful and growing diocesan family,” he said.
With Gothic architecture and brickwork inspired by nearby Belmont Abbey, where in 1876 Benedictine monks planted the roots of Catholicism in western North Carolina, the two-story, 30,000-square-foot building includes 40 dorm rooms, a chapel, classroom and library, faculty offices, a refectory and kitchen, and a picturesque cloister walk where students can meditate and pray.
Twenty-seven men currently call St. Joseph College Seminary home.
The aim of the college seminary program is to nurture local vocations among the parishes and families in the diocese, close to home, before the men graduate and go on to major seminaries located elsewhere to complete their priestly formation and return for ordination to serve in the diocese’s growing parishes.
“As we journey through this season of Advent, preparing for the birthday of Jesus Christ and the celebration of Christmas, I ask for your prayerful consideration in this matter,” Bishop Jugis said.
“Our Lord has given us an extraordinary gift of a large number of young men who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. We have gone from 16 men in formation to 41 in only five years, with 27 of these men in the first four years of their formation, the college seminary phase. In response, we are creating a place that will allow these young men to discern their vocations close to home, and close to you and the parishes that they will one day serve as priests,” he noted.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Support the St. Joseph College Seminary campaign
Pledge financial support for the college seminary by returning the pledge card included with the Dec. 14 letter from Bishop Jugis or go online to www.stjcs.org.
Donations can also be mailed to: St. Joseph College Seminary, c/o Development, 22 Arctus Ave., Mount Holly, NC 28120. Questions?
Contact Fredrik Akerblom, St. Joseph College Seminary development director, at 704-302-6386 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..