‘Love one another as I also have loved you’
CHARLOTTE — Twelve men took the next step in their formation for the permanent diaconate Saturday: instituted as acolytes by Bishop Peter Jugis during a special Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral.
During the same Mass, permanent deacons of the Diocese of Charlotte gathered to renew their ordination promises, an annual celebration which was more subdued this year due to public health restrictions.
The men instituted as acolytes include: Joseph Becker, Eduardo Bernal, Carl Brown, Margarito Franco, Charles Hindbaugh, Todd Labonte, John Langlois, Thomas Martin, Richard Michaels, Francisco Piña, Herbert Quintanilla and Joseph Smith. A 13th deacon candidate, William Melton Jr., will be instituted as acolyte at a later date.
As acolytes, the men are now entrusted with the duties of attending to the altar, assisting the deacon and priest at Mass, and distributing Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers.
During Mass, the deacon candidates sat socially distanced on one side of the cathedral, with more than 20 permanent deacons doing likewise on the other side of the aisle. Under normal circumstances, the cathedral would be filled with the deacons, deacon candidates, their wives and families, as the 
diocese's permanent deacons – as well as their wives – renewed their commitment to serving the Church.
During the institution rite, the 12 deacon candidates, clothed in white albs, approached the altar one by one and knelt before the bishop. He placed aciborium in the hands of each candidate and said, “Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of His Church.” To which they replied, "Amen."
In his homily, Bishop Jugis urged the deacon candidates to draw closer to the Eucharist in their daily lives.
“It is a great day to celebrate the institution to the ministry of acolyte, to be in the service of the Holy Eucharist,” he said, on the feast of the Assumption, Mary’s being taken up to heaven body and soul. Her Assumption is a reminder that “we also – sinners that we are – have Jesus Christ, of life everlasting beyond the grave and resurrection from the dead, and the glory of heaven through the Eucharist.”
Bishop Jugis told the men they were receiving a special grace by being formally instituted as acolytes of the Church. “You must cultivate that grace through intimate friendship with Jesus in the Eucharist,” he advised them.
“There is a reality beyond what we can see with our eyes and touch with our hands, and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is such a reality,” Bishop Jugis said. “Our faith opens up to us an authentic reality which is beyond appearances. The Apostles carefully preserved Jesus’ words and intent and design at the Last Supper regarding the Eucharist and faithfully passed this on to the Church. And the Church, in turn, has been equally faithful in preserving what she has received from the Lord Himself: ‘This is my Body, This is my Blood.’”
Bishop Jugis told the 12 new acolytes, “I encourage you to go to church often to pray before the tabernacle, especially when your parish has exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament.”
Bishop Jugis then addressed the congregation – those sitting in the pews and those watching the livestream of the Mass online: “I would even like all of the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion in our parishes to make time to pray before the tabernacle and especially be present at Eucharistic exposition and Adoration, and even to commit to take an hour or two each week at one of our Perpetual Adoration chapels in the diocese.
“Extraordinary ministers are not mere functionaries, just to show up to distribute the sacred Species,” he continued. “We must all cultivate a deeper love and spirituality for the Holy Eucharist.”
Your DSA contributions at work
The diocese’s Permanent Diaconate program is funded by contributions to the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. Learn more about the DSA and how you can contribute at www.charlottediocese.org/dsa.
The public health restrictions in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic have helped everyone realize “how much we hunger for the Bread of Life and how much we need the Eucharist for our growth in holiness,” he added.
Turning again to the 12 men, he said, “As acolytes, live the example of love which we celebrate in the Lord’s sacrifice on the altar.”
He then read from the official instruction from the rite of Acolyte, saying:
“Dear sons in Christ, as people chosen for the ministry of acolyte, you will have a special role in the Church’s ministry. The summit and source of the Church’s life is the Eucharist, which builds up the Christian community and makes it grow.
“It is your responsibility to assist priests and deacons in carrying out their ministry and, as special ministers, to give Holy Communion to the faithful at the liturgy and to the sick. Because you are specially called to this ministry, you should strive to live more fully by the Lord’s sacrifice and to be molded more perfectly in its likeness.
“You should seek to understand the deep spiritual meaning of what you do, so that you may offer yourselves daily to God as spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ.
“In performing your ministry bear in mind that, as you share the one Bread with your brothers and sisters, so you form one body with them. Show a sincere love for Christ’s Mystical Body, God’s holy people, and especially for the weak and the sick.
“Be obedient to the commandment which the Lord gave to His Apostles at the Last Supper: ‘Love one another as I also have loved you.’”
The 13 deacon candidates are scheduled for ordination to the permanent diaconate in 2021.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
For more information
To learn more about the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Charlotte go online to https://charlottediocese.org/permanent-diaconate/.