Ministers of unity and peace
HUNTERSVILLE — Bishop Peter Jugis ordained 12 men as permanent deacons for the Diocese of Charlotte during a two-hour Mass Sept. 25 at St. Mark Church.
The new deacons are Joseph Becker, Eduardo Bernal, Carl Brown, Charles Hindbaugh, Todd Labonte, John Langlois, Thomas Martin, William Melton Jr., Francisco Piña, Herbert Quintanilla, Joe Smith and Margarito Franco Torres.
With this ordination class, the diocese now has 146 permanent deacons – the most in its history – serving throughout western North Carolina, where the Catholic population numbers more than 500,000.
During the ordination rite, the men knelt one by one before Bishop Jugis three times. First, the bishop clasped their hands as they committed to serve him and the Church. Second, the bishop laid hands on their heads, invoking the Holy Spirit. And lastly, they received the Book of the Gospels to symbolize their ministry to preach and teach.
The newly ordained deacons will now be able to assist at the altar during Mass, proclaim the Gospel at Mass, give homilies, administer the sacrament of baptism and officiate at weddings. Permanent deacons serve in parishes as well as in specialized pastoral areas such as Hispanic Ministry, RCIA, the airport chaplaincy and prison ministry.
Father joins his son in service
Deacon Joseph Becker follows his son, Father Brian Becker, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church in Swannanoa, into service to the Church.
“The son that I clothed as a child is now my spiritual father as a priest. For him to clothe me in the vestments of the diaconate was such a blessing,” Deacon Becker said.
“It’s been a great joy to watch my father’s progress to the diaconate over the last several years,” Father Becker noted. “Through the process, we’ve had great discussions as he’s continued to be formed in the Church’s intellectual tradition.”
“So many have benefited from his teaching and work, even during his formation, that I’m excited to see the impact of God’s grace as my father now embarks on the diaconal ministry he has received,” Father Becker added.
Deacon Becker preached his first Mass Sept. 26 at his home parish of St. Matthew in Charlotte. Father Becker served as main celebrant.
“For myself, it was a profound experience to be joined on the altar by my father, the man who first taught me the faith,” Father Becker said. “On a natural level, things seemed to be back in their proper order as my father was preaching to me instead of I to him!”
A family dedicated to serving the Lord
Deacon Thomas Martin, who assisted Bishop Jugis at the diaconate ordination Mass, has been assigned to his home parish of St. Mark. Two of his sons, Luke and Patrick, are in formation for the diocesan priesthood and served at the altar for their father’s ordination.
“It is a great blessing to serve at Holy Mass, be close to the priest as he celebrates the Eucharist, and distribute Holy Communion to the congregation,” Deacon Martin said. “I am thankful for my bride, Heather, and our seven children, who have always supported and encouraged me to follow God’s call to be a deacon.”
Of her husband, Heather Martin said, “I am so proud of Thomas for having the courage to answer God’s call to be a deacon. He is a good and faithful man who has faithfully guided our family in service of our Lord and others. Our family motto is Joshua 24:15b, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ We rejoice on this glorious day, and we look forward to serving Our Lord and His people with him.”
“These newly ordained deacons and their wives, called to journey with them, are men and women of great faith,” said Deacon John Martino, director of the permanent diaconate for the past five years.
“During these years of discernment and formation, they have endured the difficult times, enjoyed the good times, and grown in their faith. As husband and wife, they witness to the strength of God and the importance of the Church within their families and in their relationships with others.”
“The Diocese of Charlotte is blessed in the years ahead with the ministry God has planned for them,” Deacon Martino added.
‘God give you great zeal for all’
In his closing remarks, Bishop Jugis gave special thanks and recognition to the new deacons’ wives, families, parish families and pastors for their support, and for everyone who has prayed for the men during their formation and were responsible for their formation over the years.
“They will be giving back to you, their parishioners, to serve and … through their preaching of the Word, through their ministry and through the sacraments, to bring you closer to Almighty God and bring you further along the path of your salvation,” Bishop Jugis said.
And to the 12 he gave a blessing: “May God who has called you to the service of others in His Church give you great zeal for all, especially the afflicted and the poor. May He who has entrusted you with preaching of the Gospel of Christ help you as you live according to His Word to be its sincere and fervent witnesses.
“May He who has appointed you stewards of His mysteries make you imitators of His Son, Jesus Christ, and ministers of unity and peace in the world.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Photos by Amy Burger, SueAnn Howell and James Sarkis.
Meet our new deacons
Deacon Joseph Becker
Assignment: St. Matthew Church, Charlotte
Wife: Tammy Becker
Family: Three adult children, three grandchildren
Originally from: Cincinnati, Ohio
Lived in diocese: First arrived 1985, spent a few years away, back since 2010
Deacon Eduardo Bernal
Assignment: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Charlotte
Wife: Brenda Arroyo
Family: One child
Originally from: El Salvador
Lived in diocese: Since 2000
Deacon Carl Brown
Assignment: Good Shepherd Mission, King
Wife: Leslie Brown
Family: Three adult children, five grandchildren
Originally from: Chicago, Illinois area
Lived in diocese: Since 1992
Deacon Charles Hindbaugh
Assignment: Our Lady of the Americas Church, Biscoe
Wife: Mary Hindbaugh
Originally from: Monroe, Michigan
Lived in diocese: Since 2011
Deacon Todd Labonte
Assignment: St. James the Greater Church, Concord
Wife: Michelle Labonte
Family: Two teenage children
Originally from: Biddeford, Maine
Lived in diocese: Since 2016
Deacon John Langlois
Assignment: St. Eugene Church, Asheville
Wife: Marie Langlois
Family: Two children
Originally from: Greenville, Rhode Island
Lived in diocese: Since 1991
Deacon Thomas Martin
Assignment: St. Mark Church, Huntersville
Wife: Heather Martin
Family: Seven children ranging in age from 27-13
Originally from: Midland, Michigan
Lived in diocese: First arrived 1998, spent a few years away, 19 years total
Deacon William Melton Jr.
Assignment: St. Michael the Archangel Church, Gastonia
Wife: Laurie Melton
Family: Two adult children
Originally from: Mount Holly
Lived in diocese: Native, convert, entered Church in 1994
Deacon Francisco Piña
Assignment: St. Aloysius Church, Hickory
Wife: Viviana Maria Piña
Family: Three children, three grandchildren
Originally from: Queretaro, Mexico
Lived in diocese: Since 1991
Deacon Herbert Quintanilla
Assignment: St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte
Wife: Guadalupe Quintanilla
Family: Seven children, two grandchildren
Originally from: San Vicente, El Salvador
Lived in diocese: Since 2008
Deacon Joseph Smith
Assignment: St. Thérèse Church, Mooresville
Wife: Sue Smith
Family: Two children, two grandchildren
Originally from: Baltimore, Maryland
Lived in diocese: Since 2005
Deacon Margarito Franco Torres
Assignment: Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe
Wife: Nancy Morales
Family: Five children, three grandchildren
Originally from: San Miguel Tlaltetelco
Lived in diocese: Since 2001
‘A tremendous sign of hope’: St. Joseph College Seminary welcomes new men
CHARLOTTE — St. Joseph College Seminary welcomed its latest class of seminarians earlier this week – bringing the total enrollment in the Diocese of Charlotte’s vocations program to a record number of 49 men in various stages of formation for the priesthood.
The newest men in the program were officially welcomed Aug. 7 during a Mass offered by the college seminary’s rector, Father Matthew Kauth, at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.
Mark Becker, Elijah Buerkle, Jordan Haag, Matthew Hennessy, Jonathan Hernandez, Theodore Holthe and Jeremy Smith – members of the incoming “Golf class” – join 14 other men living at the college seminary in Mount Holly and taking classes at nearby Belmont Abbey College in Belmont.
“I’m always rather interested to see what Our Lord ‘tees up’ on the day the new class enters the seminary,” Father Kauth said in his homily. “Every year it seems to be the case that somewhere in the Scriptures, for seven years in a row now, there’s a line in one of the readings or in the Gospel that says something about not being afraid.
“The opening of the Gospel today (Luke 12:32) is actually quite simple: ‘Do not be afraid any longer.’ There He serves it up to us again on the day of the new entrance of, in this case, the ‘Golf class.’ Eight of you have stepped up and said, ‘I am going to do this.’”
The college seminarians come from five parishes from the Charlotte area as well as western North Carolina: Buerkle, Hernandez and Smith are from St. Mark Parish in Huntersville; Holthe is from St. Ann Parish in Charlotte; Haag is from St. Frances of Rome Parish in Sparta; Hennessy is from St. Gabriel Parish in Charlotte; and Becker is from St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte.
Christ the King Catholic High School graduate Jonathan Hernandez, 18, says his discernment was about just choosing to take a leap of faith.
“It was more like a decision (for me). I was at a crossroads. I had a feeling in my head. There was a point where I just had to decide ‘I’m gonna do it,’” he said.
His parents, Wilder and Lina Hernandez, are pleased their son is acting on the promptings he has felt to explore a priestly vocation close to home at St. Joseph College Seminary.
“It is a blessing because he made his decision. It’s a blessing because he can stay close. I am so happy and grateful. I can’t ask for more. I’m so proud,” Lina Hernandez said.
After Mass, the new college seminarians moved in to their new rooms, attended orientation at the college seminary, and met the other 14 seminarians.
Besides the 21 college seminarians in Mount Holly, the diocese has 28 men studying for the priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio – a total of 49 men who hail from 22 parishes across western North Carolina.
“The fact that this continues is a beautiful sign of God’s continuing providence in the Diocese of Charlotte, in the Church and in the lives of these men,” said Father Matthew Buettner, the college seminary’s spiritual director. “It is a tremendous sign of hope. Above all, that’s what It gives all of us – hope for the future of the Church. When you meet these men, they leave you with hope.”
— SueAnn Howell. Photos by SueAnn Howell, Catholic News Herald and provided by Fredrik Akerblom, St. Joseph College Seminary
Learn more
Established in 2016, St. Joseph College Seminary is for undergraduate men discerning a possible religious vocation, before taking the step of enrolling in a major seminary for specific formation to the priesthood for the Diocese of Charlotte. Students work toward a bachelor’s degree at nearby Belmont Abbey College while experiencing a Benedictine-style communal life on their path of discernment.Check out the college seminary website at www.stjcs.org.
