The Church in North Carolina

Room at the Inn named its new complex for Fran and Paul Breitbach during the organization's 27th annual fundraiser in Greensboro. The Breitbachs, who are parishioners at St. Leo the Great, provided the gift to launch the Promise Center in Kernersville.

The center will house a support services center, a volunteer building, an education center, and a childhood development center. Bishop Michael Martin praised the Breitbachs in a video message, noting their long-term support for the Church and ministries like Room at the Inn.

Since 2001, Room at the Inn has provided housing for more than 600 homeless mothers through maternity shelters and has assisted thousands of others through community resources and educational programs. Founder Albert Hodges, a parishioner at Our Lady of Grace, stated that the organization seeks to support young women in building better lives.

The Diocese of Charlotte will host the Discipleship Conference on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Hickory Convention Center. Formerly called the Diocesan Catechetical Conference, the event has been renamed to reflect the pastoral vision and baptismal call of the diocese, according to Christy Cabaniss, director of faith formation.

The conference is open to anyone seeking to grow in faith and leadership. Kenn deMoll, director of innovation and formation at St. John Church in Westminster, Maryland, will deliver the keynote address titled "The Ministry Reset: Rethinking Challenges, Reimagining Possibilities."

Other scheduled presentations include a session by Jaun Ayala and Mary Briganti regarding connecting youth to the Catholic faith after high school, as well as a talk on the role of accompaniment and mentorship in ministry. The event returns to Hickory after being held in various locations across the diocese in previous years.

A multimedia exhibit about the Shroud of Turin will be on display at Central United in Denton, North Carolina, from Nov. 8 to 15. The free educational display, titled “Man in the Shroud,” features a life-sized replica of the cloth, a life-sized crucifix, a film, and 62 educational panels.

Peter Mcguire of Denton organized the exhibit, which is based at the National Shrine of Maximilian Kolbe in Marytown, Illinois. Mcguire travels to Illinois to transport the materials to North Carolina and coordinates with volunteers to set up the display. This marks the second time the exhibit has visited the state; Mcguire previously brought the display to two churches in Elkin in 2022.

Father Peter Ascik, pastor of St. Patrick Cathedral, is calling for increased Catholic participation in pro-life activities in Charlotte. He noted that while the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in the Dobbs case allowed states to restrict abortion, the number and rate of abortions have increased in North Carolina and across the United States. Advocates attribute this growth to the expanded use of abortion pills obtained through telemedicine.

Father Ascik urged more people to join efforts such as 40 Days for Life, Walking With Moms in Need, and local pregnancy resource centers. He observed that few local parishes have implemented the Walking With Moms in Need ministry, a support program promoted by the U.S. bishops. Local advocates currently support ministries including MiraVia and Room at the Inn through prayer outside facilities and assistance for mothers.

The Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem invested 29 new members during an annual meeting held October 23–24. The Diocese of Raleigh hosted the gathering, which included members from the Carolinas, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Five individuals from the Diocese of Charlotte received investiture: Stephen Barringer, Father Casey Coleman, Patricia Guilfoyle, Lorena Haynes, and Jason Haynes. During the event, Zachariah Blankenbaker was promoted to Knight Commander, while Gail Buckley Barringer and Justice Blankenbaker were promoted to Dame Commander.

The order provides financial support to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to fund schools, hospitals, clinics, seminaries, and social welfare projects in Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, and the Palestinian territories.