JEFFERSON — Members of St. Francis of Assisi Church’s Hispanic community hosted a fiesta June 24 on the church grounds as a fundraiser to help reduce the parish’s building debt.
Music, dancing, games and much authentic fare created a festival atmosphere.
Pictured from left are Victor Hernandez, Irma Ruiz and Alejandro Ramirez making tamales.
— Tom Mayer; Patrick Hession, correspondent
ELYSBURG, Pa. — Jyllian Carter, a former member of St. Ann Church in Charlotte, took her first step toward becoming a Carmelite nun on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus June 8 with her profession of temporary vows, taking the name Sister Gabrielle of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Mass in the Extraordinary Form was offered by her former pastor, Father Timothy Reid, at the Carmelite Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Elysburg, Pa.
The daughter of James and Jennifer Carter joined the Carmelite Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in 2016. The traditional community of cloistered Discalced Carmelite nuns exclusively follow the Mass in the Extraordinary Form and accompanying Rites.
Sister Gabrielle is among three former Diocese of Charlotte parishioners at the Elysburg convent. Sister Bernadette of the Angels (formerly Sara Foreman of St. Michael Parish in Gastonia) joined in 2011, and Sister Mary Guadalupe (formerly Emma Rivas, also of St. Michael Parish) joined in 2017.
— Mike FitzGerald, correspondent