a Catholic Parish serving the University Area of Charlotte North Carolina

Contact Information
 

Due to the nature of the pandemic, the office will be closed for the time being. The best way to reach the pastor and staff is by email:

For Father Matthew Codd: pastor@stacharlotte.com
For Father Matthew Bean: mpbean@charlottediocese.org
For Sacramental needs and documents:  Marie Aymar Watkinson  - maymar@stacharlotte.com
For general inquiries, scheduling and Mass intentions: Valerie Gebhardt - vgebhardt@stacharlotte.com
For financial questions: Gina Schafer— gschafer@stacharlotte.com
For general parish functions and operations: Tim Flynn— tflynn@stacharlotte.com
For online, newsletter, and Facebook communications & inquiries: Monica Bailey - volunteers@stacharlotte.com

For emergencies, call the parish office at (704) 549-1607 and follow the prompt to be directed to the emergency line.

Are you, or is anyone you know in need of a compassionate ear during this time of crisis?  More info.

Transcript of Father Matthew's Address to Parish

Home Devotions and Prayer Sign up

Please consider committing to a daily prayer.  We have compiled a list that can help add anotherdevotion to your spiritual life.  We hope that seeing others online praying with you will bring a sense of connection during this time of separation.

Click here for the sign up.               Click here for the links to the prayers.

Prayers with the Sisters

Sister Edeva and Sister Zeny will lead us in the Rosary every evening at
6:30 p.m. On Sundays following the Rosary, you can pray the Sunday Evening Prayer with them. Join the livestream on Facebook.

Sunday, March 29 - Fifth Sunday of Lent

Church Prayer

The Church will be open for silent prayer:

Monday through Saturday: 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sundays: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Please park in every other spot. Leave at least one empty parking spot between your car and other vehicles.  We have orange cones to help you with this.  Also, please observe

strict self-distancing of at least 6-feet between you and

other people, both in the Church, and

onsite here at St. Thomas Aquinas.
 

We are having the Church disinfected with a hospital grade disinfectant twice a week by a professional cleaning company, and we have also left spray disinfectant bottles in the narthex.  If you come to pray, please use the disinfectant bottles to help us keep the Church clean by spraying down the part of the pew you use for your visit to Our Lord.  Thanks!

Confession

Please park in every other spot. Leave at least one empty parking spot between your car and other vehicles.  We have orange cones to help you with this.  Also, please observe strict self-distancing of

at least 6-feet between you and other people, both

by the cars, and in the confession lines.

Monday-Friday outside from 6-7 p.m. (NEW!)
Saturday, outside from 4-5 p.m.
NOTE:  There will be no Confession
or Adoration during the Triduum.

Adoration & Benediction

Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. & Saturday from 4-5 p.m.

Confession will be outside the Parish Center. Please note that inclement weather may occur in the coming weeks, so have appropriate weather gear when waiting in the courtyard. The line will form on the sidewalks.  Please maintain at least 6 feet distance between you and other penitents as well as the priests, and as well properly self-distance if you are outside near your vehicle. You may complete your penance inside the Church or in your car facing the monstrance, which will be located inside the Parish Center on the second floor facing the parking lot.  NOTE: Please park every other car in the parking lot.  Do not park directly next to another car, but leave one spot in between vehicles.

Sunday Mass Live Stream at 9:30 am

Throughout the next few weeks, including Easter, we will be Live Streaming Masses each day. Daily Mass will take place each day at 9 a.m. and Sunday Mass will be live-streamed at 9:30 a.m. Please join if you are able to. It is our plan to be together as a parish community as much as we are able. Share your prayer intentions for the week in the chat, participate at home with responses, and make a spiritual communion during communion time led by our priests. 

Visits from Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament

to the Homes of Parishioners

While we are all away from the Sacraments, we will be continuing to do Visits from Jesus for as long as we are able. Our priests and deacons will be driving with only one other person and will not be able to leave the vicinity of the car in order to comply with the updated order for Mecklenburg County. If you want to sign up for next week, please do so at this link.

Other Resources for Prayer, Live Streams

of Holy Mass & Eucharistic Adoration

Below are some other prayer and devotional resources for you, as well as other places locally, nationally, and internationally that are offering live stream Masses.

Holy Mass

• LIVEMASS.NET

• EWTN

• St. Mark Catholic Church

• St. Matthew Catholic Church

Eucharistic Adoration

• Benedictine Nuns of Perpetual Adoration (London)
• Divine Mercy Shrine (Vilnius, Lithuania)
• EWTN Chapel (Alabama)
• World Center of Prayer for Peace (Niepokalanowa, Poland)

Prayers & Devotions

Below are many prayers and devotions that you can do in your home with your family.

• Procession in Time of Epidemic & Plague
• The Rosary
• Divine Mercy Chaplet
• Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
• Litany of Loreto
• Litany of St. Joseph
• Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonsus de Liguori (video)

A Financial Update

While Holy Mass and events have been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the ministries of the parish are still active in the community and continue to depend upon your financial support. The only change to the life of the parish has been the elimination of group gatherings.

Ministries continue to meet via conference calls, faith formation continues via virtual classrooms and home assignments, Sunday Mass is being conducted and being streamed for your participation, and we continue to provide support to many of the service agencies throughout the area. Our Clergy continue to provide spiritual guidance and daily reflections.

With this in mind, I ask that you continue your financial support of St. Thomas Aquinas parish if you are not adversely impacted by this crisis. I encourage you to either mail your weekly offertory gift to the parish office at 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte NC. 28213 or by online giving. You may access the parish's online giving platform here: https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/1828. You may also drop your offertory gift off if you are here for prayer in the Church by sliding it under the back sacristy door, or on Wednesdays, if you are here for adoration or confession, you can ask the staff present and they will be happy to show you where to drop it off.

We are so grateful for your support through this difficult time, and please be assured of my daily prayer for you and your loved ones. 

Fr. Matthew
 

Hours for Church prayers for the Triduum:
Holy Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Good Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Holy Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Holy Week Liturgies & Special Events
Palm Sunday: 9:30 a.m. (Palm Crosses will be available in the Church during the times when the Church is open for prayer - please do not handle them, but simply choose one and only touch that one when you take it).
Morning Prayer for the Triduum:  9:00 a.m.
     Breviary Prayers: Thursday   Friday   Saturday
Holy Thursday: 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday Passion Liturgy: 3:00 p.m.
Good Friday Burial of the Shroud (Byzantine - St. Basil Parish): TBD
Good Friday Tenebrae Service: 8:00 p.m.
Holy Saturday: 8:00 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 9:30 a.m.