FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Remembering, Witnessing and Moving Forward
Dear Friends,
This week's Carolina Catholic newsletter arrives on a significant weekend.
Twenty-five years ago today, our nation was forever changed by the attacks of September 11, 2001. We remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives, the families who were left behind, and the courage of the first responders and ordinary Americans who came together in the aftermath.
For Catholics, remembering September 11 is also an opportunity to pray.
We should pray for those who died, for their families, for those who continue to carry the wounds of that day, and for our country. We should also remember that the challenges facing our nation today require more than political solutions. They require people of faith willing to live their faith courageously.
That makes this weekend's Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte especially meaningful.
As Catholics gather together around the Eucharist, we are reminded of the source of our unity. We may disagree about politics, culture and many of the issues confronting our country, but our Catholic identity begins somewhere deeper: with Jesus Christ and His presence in the Eucharist.
That is something worth remembering—not only during a Eucharistic Congress, but every day.
This week also brings another moment of remembrance. We remember Charlie Kirk, whose life and work had a significant impact on America's political and cultural conversation. His death is a reminder of how deeply divided and often hostile our public discourse has become.
Whatever our individual opinions about Charlie Kirk or the political issues he championed, Catholics should be able to recognize the importance of having difficult conversations without abandoning charity, truth or respect for human dignity.
That is increasingly what I believe Carolina Catholic should provide.
As I mentioned previously, we're making some changes to the newsletter. We're going to be more selective about the stories we cover and put greater emphasis on the issues that matter to Catholics—locally, nationally and culturally.
And I want to hear from you.
Several readers have already responded with suggestions about what they would like Carolina Catholic to cover. One of the subjects generating significant interest is Islam, Muslims and their impact on Christian America. Another reader suggested that we devote more attention to the good works being done by the Knights of Columbus in our parishes and communities.
These are exactly the kinds of conversations I want us to have.
There are important questions facing Catholics today. Some are difficult. Some are controversial. Some require us to look beyond the headlines and ask what our faith teaches us about the world around us.
I don't believe Carolina Catholic needs to tell you what to think.
I believe we can help you understand what is happening, why it matters, and how Catholics should respond.
As we remember September 11, gather around the Eucharist and reflect on the loss of another voice in America's public conversation, perhaps the most important question is this:
What kind of people are we called to be in the midst of the world in which God has placed us?
That is a conversation worth having.
Thank you for being part of Carolina Catholic—and please continue to tell me what you want us to talk about.
God bless,
David M. Papandrea, OFS
Chairman
Carolina Catholic Media
