CHARLOTTE — Father Benjamin Roberts, D.Min., took a summer course in ecumenism and interreligious dialogue at the Centro Pro Unione in Rome in 2011, but it was far from his first exposure to the concept that deals with the relationship between Catholics and other Christian denominations.
“I was baptized in the Episcopal Church, raised Lutheran and then was received into full communion as a Catholic in my early 20s,” Father Roberts explains. “So, for me, ecumenism is both a theological commitment, because it’s the Church’s commitment, but also a personal commitment.”
He noted that since he has dear friends who are Lutheran, Presbyterian and Baptist ministers as well as family members who are not Catholic, “working with other Christians is really part of my lifeblood.”
It’s no surprise then that Bishop Michael Martin appointed Father Roberts as ecumenical officer for the Diocese of Charlotte, effective Jan. 29.
The ecumenical officer is the principal advisor to the bishop on ecumenical and interreligious matters; represents the bishop and diocese to the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (CADEIO), a national organization that works with the U.S. bishops, as well as to other ecumenical and interreligious gatherings; serves as a consultant to diocesan leaders and entities on ecumenical and interreligious matters; and promotes a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and understanding with other faith communities.
The position went dormant about 13 years ago, and while Father Roberts advised then-Bishop Peter Jugis on ecumenical questions over the years, his focus was on his roles as pastor of Our
Lady of Lourdes Parish in Monroe and as chairman of the diocese’s Presbyteral Council. He is also the new president of the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics, a professional guild for the support and mutual sharing of scholarship for those who teach preaching.
“I’ve informally been doing this work, and so now the bishop has decided to make this official, reflecting his commitment to working with other Christians and other religions in our area,” Father Roberts said.
The appointment received praise from CADEIO President Dr. F. Javier Orozco, OFS, PhD.
“Our Church and CADEIO, in particular, will be blessed by the pastoral care, leadership and expertise Father Roberts brings to our ecumenical and interreligious ministry,” Orozco said. “This past year, I had the opportunity to meet Father Roberts in person, and I was impressed by his generous heart and love for people and cultures.”
Monsignor Gregory Fairbanks, dean of the School of Diaconal Formation at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania, was one of Father Roberts’ professors.
“He definitely has a passion for this work,” said Monsignor Fairbanks, who is a former official of the Dicastery for Christian Unity in Rome and works on ecumenical matters for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “I think ecumenism is so admirable in our world today where nobody wants to talk to each other anymore – just talk about each other. I think he has the personal qualities to be able to listen, to learn, and to dialogue in a respectful way with others.”
Father Roberts sees a path forward during these contentious times through ecumenical friendship.
“To me that means friendly relationships with Christians of other denominations,” he explains. “We recognize we are in union in Christ Jesus and that we are able to speak and become friends and cultivate personal relationship but recognize, of course, that that also takes place in the context of our faith convictions.”
As Orozco notes, “In a Jubilee Year when we seek to grow more intentionally in our identity as ‘pilgrims of hope,’ I believe building bridges of interreligious cooperation and ecumenical unity are meaningful steps forward in our common mission of faith.”
In a world that often emphasizes differences instead of focusing on similarities, Father Roberts said he looks forward to providing guidance and building bridges in his new role.
“I’m grateful for the bishop’s appointment and allowing me to continue and to officially work in this area which I’m really passionate about,” he said.
— Trish Stukbauer
CHARLOTTE — From a young age, Father Noah Carter has been deeply impacted by the beauty of Catholic liturgy.
Father Carter
“My experience of the liturgy was always of something that obviously was not manmade – that we were just custodians and guardians of something that is much bigger than us and that can be traced all the way back to the apostles,” he said.
It’s fitting then that in his new role as the diocese’s director of liturgy he is overseeing changes in the Office of Divine Worship designed to support parishes and educate parishioners to participate more actively at Mass.
“One of the first things that the bishop asked me to do when I took on the office was to organize it in such a way that it would be an even greater resource to our parishes and to the liturgical life that is the ordinary means by which most parishioners interact with their churches,” Father Carter said.
The first change was to rename it the Office for Divine Worship. The more active word “for” reflects the bishop’s aim to be more engaged in parish liturgical efforts, Father Carter said, and to proactively tackle questions. He said it also reflects the vital role the office already plays in ensuring that plans for major renovation or construction of sacred spaces – churches, chapels or cemeteries – follow Church norms.
More than 10 parishes are currently working on major projects that involve sacred spaces, Father Carter said. “A large part of what the office is doing now is reviewing each stage of the plans.”
Because of that growing workload, the diocese will be hiring a full-time associate director of liturgy to manage day-to-day tasks, as well as form two commissions: one for Sacred Art and Architecture and one for Sacred Music, he said.
Envisioned by the Second Vatican Council, these commissions comprised of lay people and clergy will serve pastors, parishes and music programs by offering resources, answering questions and considering their respective liturgical elements.
Also new is the role of consultors, “priests and lay people with expertise in specified areas who would be a sounding board for those who work in this office and also serve as liaisons from the Office for Divine Worship to those different commissions,” Father Carter said.
In addition, he explained, “The hope is for the office to take some of the burden off of priests when it comes to training lectors and extraordinary ministers and that, in the future, we’ll be able to provide ongoing education by leveraging technology – not only for parish staff but also for the liturgical volunteers throughout the diocese.”
— Trish Stukbauer