Livestream brings 7,000 students together for the first time for Catholic Schools Week Mass
CHARLOTTE — Thousands of Catholic students across the Diocese of Charlotte tuned in Monday from their classrooms to attend a special Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis, streamed live from St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. The school system-wide livestream was a first for the diocese.
Fifth-graders from St. Patrick School next door to the cathedral were among the few attending the Mass in person. Wearing face coverings and sitting socially distanced in the pews, they represented their 7,000 peers at the diocese’s 19 schools watching on the diocese’s YouTube channel from their classrooms – made possible thanks to technology all of the schools have employed to seamlessly offer both in-person and remote learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You are part of an historic event. This is the first time this has ever happened in the history of our diocese,” Bishop Jugis told students. “We are coming together as one huge Catholic Schools family in the Diocese of Charlotte, all united as one in this Mass.”
In his homily, the bishop remarked on the significance of the livestreamed Mass – telling them that it’s about more than just fancy technology.
“At this Mass we are accomplishing something amazing: to bring together all of the Catholic schools of the diocese, virtually of course, for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Mass keeps us united as one – even though we may be physically many miles apart.”
Each year National Catholic Schools Week celebrates the importance of a Catholic education, he noted.
“The great mission of a Catholic school education, my dear young people, is to lead you to meet Jesus Christ, the Savior, and to develop a lasting relationship with Jesus throughout your years of Catholic school education,” he said. “Because our faith is not something of the past, dead and gone. Our faith is a friendship with the Lord that is lived today. We know that we can meet and know the Savior today and have a living relationship with Him.”
“How do we do that? By being serious about your prayer (life), either when you are alone or in a group with others, and especially at Mass or even praying the holy rosary. Be serious about prayer, coming into Jesus’ presence,” he explained.
Learning about the Catholic faith and reading the Bible are additional ways students may come to know Jesus better, he encouraged students.
“For instance, in your religion class, be serious about that in order to develop that friendship with Jesus, growing deeper and deeper and deeper.
“After all, Jesus is the most important person ever to have lived, and ever will have lived in the history of the human race. Jesus is not dead but is alive, and (He) is the risen Savior (who) is close to you now.”
He also reminded the Catholic school community of the importance of the crucifix, where Jesus sacrificed His life for us.
“In every (Catholic) church you see a crucifix. The cross where Jesus offered His life for love of you, for your salvation,” he said. “Now, being Catholic schools, I am sure you see a crucifix hanging on the walls somewhere in your school – and maybe even right now in your classroom.
“I wonder how many of you also have a crucifix hanging on the wall in your home or maybe even on the wall in your bedroom, or a stand-up crucifix on your desk or dresser, to remind you just how much Jesus loves you, to remind you just how much Jesus loves you in offering His life for you?”
The bishop emphasized that it is important to take this relationship and friendship with Jesus seriously.
“Jesus says, ‘There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’ and ‘You are my friends,’ He says, ‘if you do what I command you.’”
“Friends of Jesus, the living Savior. Your best friend” – that’s how we should think of Jesus in our own lives, Bishop Jugis told students.
He encouraged them to imitate the love of Jesus, as witnessed by the cross, when serving others out of a love for Christ.
“The crucifix reminds us to love just as Jesus has loved us,” he said.
Concelebrating the Feb. 1 Mass for National Catholic Schools Week were school chaplains Father John Putnam of St. Mark School and Christ the King High School in Huntersville; Father Joseph Matlak of Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte; and Father Noah Carter of Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville.
Catholic Schools Superintendent Dr. Greg Monroe and other school system officials also attended the Mass.
Catholic Schools are celebrating National Catholic Schools Week from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 with activities and special daily themes celebrating parishes, communities, students and families, the nation, vocations, as well as faculty, staff and volunteers. Just like the Mass with Bishop Jugis, festivities look a little different this year with pandemic safety protocols in place.
Concluding his homily, Bishop Jugis commended the students, “What a tremendous force for good you all are in your local communities by faithfully living and practicing your faith. I am proud of every one of you. May you always stay close to the Lord.”
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Watch the Mass
View the archived Feb. 1 Catholic Schools Week Mass with Bishop Jugis online.