Bishop Jugis preaches at Easter Vigil: Share the light, love of Christ in this broken world
Show GalleryCHARLOTTE — “This is the night that with a pillar of fire banished the darkness of sin! This is the night that even now, throughout the world sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and from the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them to His holy ones.”
The Exsultet – the “Praeconium Paschale,” or Easter Proclamation – at the start of the Easter Vigil should inspire all Catholics to share the light and love of Christ with others, Bishop Jugis preached April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral.
The three-hour liturgy commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ began with the blessing of the Paschal fire and lighting of the Paschal candle at the Marian grotto outside the cathedral. Then hundreds of faithful processed behind Bishop Jugis – candles in hand – into the darkened cathedral to hear the Exsultet chanted by Deacon Brian McNulty. Slowly, the cathedral was bathed in candlelight from hundreds of candles lit from the single Paschal candle.
“I was struck by the beautiful singing by our deacon of the Exsultet,” Bishop Jugis noted in his homily, particularly the following words: “But now we know the praises of this pillar, which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light…”
The light remained undimmed despite being shared, the bishop emphasized, calling everyone’s attention to how their candles spread light throughout the cathedral after being lit from the Paschal candle, which remained undimmed.
“That is the way it is with the charity of Christ, which we receive from the heart of Christ Himself,” Bishop Jugis said, “shared through many Christian lives, undimmed, but spreading out into the world to be a leaven, lifting up the world with the love of Christ.”
In his homily, Bishop Jugis also reflected on Jesus’ gift of Himself for the salvation of the world – a message he touched upon throughout Holy Week leading up to Easter.
“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is real,” he said. “That is the miracle that we Christians celebrate on this Easter Sunday and every day of our lives.”
“Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
Catechumens approach the altar to receive the sacrament of confirmation during the Easter Vigil April 20 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. “Death, the grave cannot hold Him. He conquered death, He is victorious over death,” the bishop continued. “He is also victorious over that which causes death: sin.”
“Jesus brings us back into communion with God,” he said, “back into relationship with Almighty God” by redeeming us from sin.
Bishop Jugis also welcomed seven new Catholics at the Easter Vigil, giving them the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion.
The sacraments are the way Jesus provides His people with “avenues of grace” – the means of sanctification and sharing in God’s divine life, he noted.
“It is because Jesus wants to make us holy – Jesus wants us to experience that communion with God, that He earned at the cost of His own life – that He gives us the sacraments.”
Through the sacraments of initiation and particularly baptism, the putting on of a “new life in Christ,” all Catholics are reminded “of the great gift that we have been given, to live in communion with God,” he said.
Through baptism “we are children of God,” he said. “We have been reborn into the family of God.”
As such, we are called to holiness, he said.
“How is that going to be evident in the world? It’s not meant just for ourselves, but if we are living holy lives – living those grace-filled lives, living in friendship with God – then we are living the great command that Jesus gave us, His children: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’
“What a tremendous leaven of charity that is for the Catholic Christian community living in the midst of this world, a world which is broken by hatred, by lies, by violence, by wars, by darkness all around.
“Where would the world be without Christian love? The charity of Christians is a leaven in the midst of that world.”
“With Easter joy,” he concluded, “let us celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the victor over death and what causes death, sin.”
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
WINSTON-SALEM — For the past three years, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has set out to help strengthen and build better lives for young adults in the Triad.
Partnering with Forsyth Technical Community College’s Mazie S. Woodruff Center, Catholic Charities offers a program to help young adults continue their education past high school – especially in situations where a student has economic challenges.
Called “Stay the Course,” this joint effort has proved valuable assistance this academic year for 30 students who came through Stay the Course with help from Catholic Charities staff.
Stay the Course was developed by researchers from the School of Economics at the University of Notre Dame, in collaboration with Catholic Charities Fort Worth, Texas. This free, confidential program provides a team of professionals who work with students to keep them on the path to graduation.
Stay the Course staff (called “navigators”) particularly focus on helping students deal with severe roadblocks in life: homelessness, loss of income, and/or family emergencies. These navigators help students get familiar with the college system, then help them manage through situations that could prompt them to drop out.
Alexis Long serves as a navigator for Stay the Course, interacting with students and helping to guide them through their unique challenges as they advance in their academic careers.
“I have over 30 people this year, which is great!” Long said. “I have seven people who will participate in Commencement in May, some are getting certificates and some are getting their actual degrees. That is very exciting.”
This year Long says she has had more younger students seeking out the Stay the Course program.
“I have worked with them individually and collectively and we have created goals about things they wanted to do throughout the semester and what they are planning to do once they graduate. We have gone on college tours, we have researched majors, talked through relationship issues and getting more involved in things on campus,” Long explained.
Long feels privileged to be a part of their journey. “I meet people where they are and get them to where they want to be.”
Lakisha Crews has been a studying at Forsyth Tech for almost three years and will receive three certificates this spring. This July she will graduate with an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She hopes to find a position in a pre-kindergarten classroom at a child care center.
“The Stay the Course program has helped me out tremendously,” Crews said. “Ms. Alexis Long has helped me stay in school because there have been times I gave up and was going to drop out and she pushed me to keep on going.”
Crews says Long helped her establish a plan for school and succeed at it.
“She has also helped me accomplish a lot of these goals throughout this semester and last semester. The Stay the Course program lets me know that I have a support system behind me.”
Crews appreciates that the program has also really done a lot for her outside of school by assisting her with food, a bus pass and supplies for her house.
She says Long “is there when I need her. When I tell her I am going through depression dealing with my mother’s health, she rushes to me to help me through it.
“This program is doing a lot for me and without this program I do not know if I would still be the woman I am today.”
Sierra Armstrong is a Stay The Course participant who will graduate May 9 from the Human Services Program at Forsyth Tech. Upon graduation she hopes to transfer to WSSU to work towards her bachelor’s degree and eventually earn a master’s degree, with the goal of working as a mental health social worker serving children and adolescents.
“Through the Stay the Course program, I have received guidance in making current and future school career decisions,” Armstrong explained. “I have been able to network with other human services professionals and other students who were able to share with me their experiences and offer up their advice.”
Through this program, Armstrong received help with identifying financial and educational resources to help her on her journey. She also received support in setting personal and educational goals and working to manage and maintain those goals.
“I believe that this wonderful program for all students and would provide students with a support system. Students can utilize this program to their benefit,” she said.
“I discovered this program through a friend of mine and eventually I brought a couple of my friends into the program.
“This program has been a big help in my life and I would love to continue with this program throughout the rest of my college career.”
Armstrong is thankful to Long for her assistance and being there every step of the way since being in the program.
“She has been so supportive. She has given me great advice and has been there to help me navigate through my personal and educational struggles.
“I’m so glad to have met her and I appreciate all the help she’s given me and everything she has done for me.
“She is the perfect example of do what you love and love what you do and she’s proven that to me since I have met her.”
Funding for the Stay the Course program is provided by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, a grant from the United Way and other fundraising efforts.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Get more information
Interested in Stay the Course? The Winston-Salem area program is open to Forsyth Technical Community College students who: live in the 27105 ZIP code, are younger than 35, are low-income (Pell eligible), are enrolled in at least one non-distance learning class, and would benefit from non-academic support to persevere in school.
All services are free and confidential. Stay the Course is a voluntary program designed to offer non-academic support students to stay in school and persevere toward earning a college degree.
Visit www.ccdoc.org and click on the Services link to learn more.