‘We come to give thanks to God’
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish celebrates 75th anniversary
Bishop Peter Jugis and five priests concelebrated the 75th anniversary Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Pictured from left are: Father John Paul Arowosoge, MSP; Father Peter Nouck; Father Ambrose Akinwande, MSP, pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Church; Bishop Jugis; Father Paul Asoh, MSP; and retired Father Wilbur Thomas, a local vocation from the parish. (Photos by SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald)LEXINGTON — The 75th anniversary of Our Lady of the Rosary Church was commemorated Oct. 5, with a special Mass offered by Bishop Peter Jugis that also included the blessing of a new altar.
Bishop Jugis was joined at the altar by Father Ambrose Akinwande, MSP, pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish; retired Father Wilbur Thomas, who grew up at the parish; Father John Paul Arowosoge, MSP, who has assisted at the parish over the past three summers; Father Peter Nouck, parochial vicar of Holy Family Church in Clemmons; and Father Paul Asoh, MSP, parochial vicar of St. Therese Church in Mooresville.
“You have reached a significant milestone in the history of your parish, now 75 years. I am happy to be here with all of you,” Bishop Jugis said during his homily.
He recalled that St. Paul wrote to the Christians of the first century that we are to give thanks to God the Father always and in everything in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
“So it is in that spirit today that we come in thanksgiving to God the Father, in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ… to give thanks for Our Lady of the Rosary Parish which He, God the Father, has planted here in Lexington, North Carolina,” Bishop Jugis said.
He noted that it was fitting to come together to give thanks to God for all the graces He has granted throughout the years to help the faithful grow in holiness: by receiving the sacraments; by listening to the Word of God and putting it into practice; and by being formed in the teachings of the Catholic faith given to us by Jesus.
“We come with that sense of thanksgiving to God for all of the blessings and graces that have been bestowed upon the Catholic community here over the past 75 years,” he said.
The new altar, carved from wood, was donated by a longtime parishioner in memory of her late husband. It features a relief image of the Last Supper.
Before blessing the new altar, Bishop Jugis explained the dedication ceremony and why it was a significant moment for the parish.
“It is quite significant that the Holy Mass is the place where we come in thanksgiving to God the Father through Jesus, because the Holy Mass is where it all began 75 years ago in 1944 – with the celebration of the first Mass here in Lexington.”
“So it is a beautiful testimony to the faith and the holiness of the faithful of this parish that you present a new altar to the Lord for the celebration of Mass today,” he said, “to honor the 75th anniversary year of the celebration of the first Mass and the establishment of the Catholic mission here in Lexington.”
“What we celebrate here transforms us and we carry that transformation and that power of Christ’s grace and love and holiness with us into our homes, into our families, into our workplaces, into our schools, into stores, into every place we go.”
Parishioner Mary Ann Brown has been a member of the Lexington parish since 1971, and helped get a weekly Spanish Mass arranged at the parish.
“I was fortunate to find a wonderful, welcoming parish,” Brown said. “I feel like our church has been so open and caring for the community.”
Jimmy Day, a member of the Knights of Columbus, has been at the parish for 30 years now, ever since he relocated with his job from Pittsburgh, Pa.
“It’s a small-town atmosphere, like a family more or less… we do everything together,” Day said. “In our parish we try to get our kids involved. They are our future.”
Teresa Kines, a lifelong member of the parish who was instrumental in organizing the 75th anniversary events, said, “I think tradition is ingrained in me, in that I have never looked at any other church to attend.” She added, “I think the next 75 years will be amazing as we begin building a new foundation for the future.”
Father Akinwande has served at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish for the past three years and shared that his experiences there have been spiritually enriching, morally uplifting and pastorally inspiring.
“I have encountered wonderful parishioners who love and believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Catholic faith and principles,” he said. “Their belief in the salvation that our Lord Jesus Christ has brought us, has always strengthened their resolve to be true ambassadors of God’s Holy Church. We’ve really come a long way, leaning and depending on Jesus.”
In the closing remarks of his homily, Bishop Jugis prayed, “May this 75th anniversary year encourage you to a greater witness and service to Christ. As the Gospel reading today reminds us, we are His servants. We have done what we have been asked us to do. It is all about Jesus and faithfully following Him.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
History of Our Lady of the Rosary Church
1944
In January, the current parish of Our Lady of the Rosary was a mission of St. Edward Church in High Point. At that time, Davidson County was only 1 percent Catholic. In April, the mission was transferred as a mission of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury.
1945
With 15 Catholics enrolled, the mission was named Holy Rosary Parish.
1946
A house and property located at 619 S. Main St. was purchased for approximately $7,000. The house was more than 100 years old, and was owned by Dr. Cathell, who was a mayor of Lexington. That November, Our Lady of the Rosary Church was officially named.
1948
Weekly Masses began being offered at Ideal Funeral Home, and continued until 1952. Mass also held in homes.
1951
Thomasville became a mission of Our Lady of the Rosary Church.
1953
Parishioners requested permission to build a church with $8,000 in savings. They were required to have one-third of the cost, so a fundraiser was held. Pews were $75 each and a brick was 50 cents.
1954
The Thomasville church was completed.
1957
The parish was given permission to evaluate building a church at a cost of about $15,000, not to exceed $18,000, on the present site. In September, construction began on the new church.
1958
Holy Rosary Church was completed, and on July 16, 1958, the church was formally dedicated by Raleigh Bishop Vincent S. Waters. In November, Mocksville became a mission of Holy Rosary Parish and the mission of Thomasville then became a mission of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. Late that year, the old residential house was demolished.
1960s
The parish, numbering approximately 2,000 members, celebrated its 25th anniversary.
1973
Father Wilbur Thomas, a Lexington native and former member of the parish, was ordained to priesthood – one of the first priests for the Diocese of Charlotte.
1990
Patrick Pollen was commissioned to design the stained glass windows. These windows were made and installed by Glass Sculpture for $15,750.
2017
The church went through an extensive renovation. The parish used $46,520 of its “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign money towards the $70,000 remodeling effort. Parishioners pitched in with their own labor, saving thousands of dollars.
‘It was wonderful to be part of the new frontier’
Father Frank O’Rourke, pastor of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte for the past 12 years, will retire Oct. 15 after 44 years of priestly ministry in the Diocese of Charlotte. One of the first seminarians ordained for the Charlotte diocese which was formed in 1972, Father O’Rourke has been instrumental in serving the people of God during the explosive growth and development of the Catholic Church in western North Carolina. (SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Heral
CHARLOTTE — Father Francis “Frank” O’Rourke, 76, was among the first seminarians of the Diocese of Charlotte when it was carved out of the Raleigh diocese in the early 1970s.
Ordained by Bishop Michael J. Begley at St. Ann Church in Charlotte in 1975, Father O’Rourke has served as pastor of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte for the past 12 years. He is retiring this month after 44 years of priestly ministry.
“When I first came to the diocese (from Philadelphia, Pa.) parish councils were being formed,” Father O’Rourke recalls. “It was all new. Liturgical committees, education committees were being formed, for both Catholic schools and religious education. All those offices just started.
“It was wonderful to be part of what I used to say was the new frontier,” he says. “This Diocese of Charlotte was a new frontier. When I got here there were 40,000 Catholics. To be part of that was wonderful.”
Father O’Rourke admits he has worn many hats in the diocese over the years.
“I started out helping in the Tribunal. I accompanied the Tribunal secretary, Mary Lou Hildreth. She really knew her stuff. For many years she developed the work of the Tribunal,” he explains. “It taught me a lot about marriage. It helped me be more committed to marriage preparation. I worked for years with Catholic Engaged Encounter marriage preparation.”
Father O’Rourke explains that through that effort, which was part of Catholic Charities, he became very connected with the Trinitarians, the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Trinity in Charlotte.
“They did outreach in the community on family life, forming a community and helping people who needed counseling,” he recalls. He shared that when he was studying for a degree in social work at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., he did an internship at Catholic Charities at his parish with the Trinitarians’ guidance.
“The Trinitarian Sisters had a big impact on my life,” he says.
Also making a difference in his priesthood were the Sisters of Mercy, whose motherhouse is in Belmont. He was actually ordained a transitional deacon in the Sisters of Mercy Chapel in Belmont.
“I think I am the only one (seminarian) to be ordained in that chapel,” he recalls fondly.
In the early years of his priestly ministry, Father O’Rourke was kept very busy and he believes all the involvement he had in various offices and committees made him a better priest. He even served as diocesan vocations director for a time.
“Being the vocations director was another one of those privileged opportunities that I had that brings back many good memories,” he says. “Then, most of the men we were ordaining were older men, generally speaking. Now, to see the number of vocations growing and the diversity of the vocations across many different ethnic communities represented in our diocese is a real blessing.”
Father O’Rourke says he has always been humbled by the generosity of people, their gifts and talents. “Through the committees, councils, etc., I have met people who have inspired me. I have come to believe that for real ministry there has to be a sense of mutuality. I have to reverence people as they reverence me. It’s marvelous.”
“When I first came here as pastor I had a theme I would use when I first met the staff. It was: ‘kick it up a notch.’ It recognized that everything was good here. I tell people everything you see here now, this has all been built anew since I was first here years ago.
“By ‘kick it up a notch,’ I was saying this was a gift, St. Gabriel’s,” he explains. “It was not just a gift to me, but it was a gift to the others who were sharing this community with me. By kicking it up a notch, I just meant everything is good, but just look and see how you can make it better.”
He believes St. Gabriel Parish is a legacy that has been passed on to its members. “We have to nurture this parish. This parish has always had a sense of reaching out beyond to others, joining with others in the community in a special response to the poor and needy.”
Father Frank has a soft spot for the parish’s RespectAbility ministry, which serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. ”We have people come from all over the city from group homes for dances and bingo and an annual RespectAbility Mass,” he says.
“The community from Holy Angels comes and participates in the liturgy,” he adds. “It is very humbling to be the priest who gathers others at the table of the Lord for that liturgy.”
He remarks upon the explosion in growth of the diocese, noting that when he moved to the diocese from Philadelphia, there was only a handful of parishes in the Charlotte area.
“The growth of just the St. Gabriel community, to 3,400 families (now) and a Spanish liturgy which is thriving and growing, is wonderful. We are fortunate we have two priests, (parochial vicar) Father Gabriel Carvajal-Salazar and Father Fidel Melo (vicar of Hispanic Ministry), to help assist the growing Hispanic community at the parish,” he notes.
Of his brother priests at St. Gabriel, he says, “We have a very unique relationship, a great respect for each other. One day I suddenly realized they are taking care of ‘the old man,’ in a nice sense. Even now they check to make sure I am OK to celebrate the next Mass. I feel a great fraternity and loving care (from them). It’s nice to be a part of that.”
Shares Father Melo, “God provides for His people with generous shepherds at every time. Father Frank’s tireless love, dedication and service to the Church has been a blessing and inspiration to many in the Church’s community, among people of all backgrounds. We pray for him at this time of his retirement.”
Deacon Larry O’Toole has served St. Gabriel Parish since he and his wife Judy relocated to Charlotte in 2010.
“With Father Frank’s guidance and collaborative spirit these past 10 years at St. Gabriel’s, it has been fulfilling,” Deacon O’Toole says. “I not only found meaningful ministry but a welcoming community and a spiritual, loving, caring home.”
He adds that Father O’Rourke’s concern for all the people of Charlotte, demonstrated by his collaboration with many churches and community outreach services, has inspired him and his wife, and Father O’Rourke’s leadership in these areas has helped him grow in his ministry.
“Father Frank’s persona of welcoming, generosity, helpfulness, availability, spirituality and reverence, and his unbelievable memory of people (present and past) is remarkable,” Deacon O’Toole says.
Father O’Rourke says that at every parish where he has served, he has felt a unity with the people there.
“As I am packing up and trying to sort things out, I come across reminders of all the different parishes and offices I have served in,” he says. “I’ve had many wonderful memories that have affirmed me in my priesthood and enriched my life.
“I believe that I have always seen myself as sharing with others the journey of life in faith. The journey of life in faith is not something you do alone. It’s something you do with people who are on that same journey in faith together,” he explains.
“Father Frank often speaks of how we are ‘companions on the journey,’ and he truly walks with all of the people his life touches and has touched,” notes Libby McLaughlin, St. Gabriel parishioner and tithing committee member.
“In his 44 years as a priest, and as we reflect on his ministry at St. Gabriel’s, he has been a constant presence, sharing our joys and sorrows, encouraging and nurturing all those he encounters with a smile and a kind word, but also issuing a challenge – to stretch and share our gifts and talents, not only with each other and our parish, but in the greater Charlotte community where we live and work as well,” McLaughlin says.
“I think he lives, every day, what Pope Francis admonishes his priests to do as they lead their parishes and live their gift of priesthood… to ‘smell like the sheep’, (to be) a companion on life’s journey,” she adds.
On Oct. 15, Father O’Rourke will officially retire and turn over the reins of the parish to Father Richard Sutter.
“I feel that Father Richard appreciates what is here. I was happy when I heard he was coming. I am looking forward to passing on the torch, as they say, and hopefully he will find what I found here – a home among brothers and sisters who are working for the building up of the kingdom.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter