Dream come true
CHARLOTTE — What began as a dream 40 years ago has become reality as the MACS Fine Arts Center opened its doors, ushering in a new era of arts education for thousands of Catholic students.
With more than 300 students, teachers and donors gathered Aug. 10 to celebrate, Bishop Peter Jugis cut the ribbon, dedicated and blessed the 47,000-square-foot building with holy water. Flanking him were Catholic Schools and other diocesan leaders, including Mercy Sister Paulette Williams, who was principal of Charlotte Catholic High School from 1980 to 2000.
“I wasn’t sure which side of heaven I was going to be on for this day, but I’m still here – and we have a magnificent building to celebrate today,” said Sister Paulette, who long ago imagined a space where students could express their creativity. “When they say you can dream it and make it come true, well, sometimes it just takes 40 years to do that!”
Located on Charlotte Catholic’s campus, the MACS Fine Arts Center is open for use by K-12 students at all nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools and features a 600-seat auditorium with fully equipped stage, balcony and high-quality performance and exhibit space. The sleek, state-of-the-art facility with floor-to-ceiling windows also includes an art room, band room, choral room, ceramics studio, dance studio and digital lab.
Principal Kurt Telford thanked Sister Paulette during his remarks. “We who are here at Charlotte Catholic now, we really are standing on your shoulders. We really appreciate what you have done for us.”
Bishop Jugis led the prayer service to bless and dedicate new facility.
“We dedicate this building to the education of youth, to the progress of the arts and to learning,” he said, praying that “it becomes a center where students and teachers, imbued with the words of Truth, will search for the wisdom that guides the human life and strive wholeheartedly to stand by Christ as their teacher.”
Dr. Gregory Monroe, Catholic Schools superintendent, compared the Fine Arts Center to “something you’d see on a college campus” and echoed the bishop’s sentiments.
“The arts give us the ability to intentionally create, grow and share our Catholic culture,” Monroe said. “Beauty is a universal language and gateway to Truth, and in this new facility, our students will produce and perform beautiful art which will lead people closer to God who is Truth, Beauty and Goodness.”
Juniors Madelyn Haines and Madison Molloy were all smiles while taking part in the dedication service. Both looked forward to benefiting from the fine arts and band rehearsal space when they and other Charlotte Catholic students began classes in the new building Aug. 17.
“The art rooms we had before were so small. I’m excited!” Haines said.
“I think that it’s cool that they built this whole thing to put a higher focus on the development of the arts – and it’s nice that it’s very pretty,” Molloy added.
Marcus Riter, theater director, said the new space will help cultivate the love and craft of the arts. “We’ve been able to accomplish great things so far within the confines of spaces we’ve outgrown,” he said, “but this new building holds the potential for endless possibilities.”
Photography teacher Vincent Pham, who graduated from Charlotte Catholic in 2016, said he’s already planning for photo exhibits: “It’s a great space for students to learn and showcase their work.”
Despite construction challenges created by the pandemic, celebrants at the dedication ceremony marveled that the project finished on time. The work also included extensive renovations to several Charlotte Catholic classrooms that previously housed art education.
“This campus improvement will touch every student at the school,” said Tish Macuga, one of the capital campaign general co-chairs. “This is quite a feat with all the challenges in the last two years, and I credit the construction team as well as our donors who have been so generous.”
In closing remarks, Sister Paulette expressed her gratitude: “I’m grateful to all of you who made it possible. I really hope that God will continue to bless us on this journey, plus all of the young people who are going to enjoy this legacy for decades to come.”
— SueAnn Howell. Photos by SueAnn Howell.
CHARLOTTE — Eighteen college students who are Catholic parishioners in North Carolina each have been awarded a $1,500 George Pitman Scholarship from the George Pitman Endowment Fund.
The endowment was established by the late George Warren Pitman, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who once lived in Charlotte. He made the scholarships available to applicants who reside in either Mecklenburg County or the town of Dunn.
Pitman, a renowned designer, built a successful business in the Carolinas and Virginia before passing away in 2007 at the age of 79. For more than 30 years, he ran his design firm, George Pitman Inc., from his home in Charlotte’s Myers Park neighborhood. He was a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., and Bright’s School of Design in Chicago, and he bequeathed $1.2 million of his estate to establish an endowment that funds need-based scholarships to Catholic students who wish to earn an undergraduate degree.
Through the George Warren Pitman Scholarship Fund, college-bound Catholics can apply for renewable awards of up to $1,500, depending on the type of college (two-year, four-year or vocational) they plan to attend.
Two freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and 10 seniors are receiving scholarships. They will attend universities including: Appalachian State University, Belmont Abbey College, Catholic University of America, Hillsdale College, High Point University, Purdue University, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington, University of Dayton, University of Tennessee, University of Notre Dame and Washington and Lee University.
The application period for the George Pitman Scholarship runs from Dec. 3 to March 1. (For application information, contact Jim Kelley, development director for the Diocese of Charlotte, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
“Mr. Pitman’s transformative gift continues to benefit Catholic students to attend a college or university of their choice,” Kelley said.
He added, “More and more people across the diocese are remembering the Church in their estate plans – gifts from thousands of dollars to millions – and we are thankful for their generosity.”
Those like Pitman who make a planned gift that benefits the diocese or any of its parishes, schools, ministries or agencies become members of the Catholic Heritage Society. The Catholic Heritage Society is comprised of more than 1,500 people in the diocese, many of whom are leaving gifts to the diocesan foundation in their wills.
Since 1994, the foundation has distributed $13.2 million to the diocese and its parishes, schools and ministries.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter