NEWS FROM ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS, MOUNT OLIVE

Greetings from North Carolina, the first in flight State, the first in freedom State, a swing State, the most military friendly State in the nation, unofficial pickle capital, you name it. Warm greetings from our much-loved city of Mount Olive; Even though the name is: Mount Olive, the reality is, you will find neither mountains nor olives here. Just know that the inspiration is biblical, for the Biblical Mount of Olives. Everything is well in all CICM parishes here in the Diocese of Raleigh. As the saying goes, no news is good news. All parishes are busy with the new Faith Formation and Pastoral Year.

St. Mary of the Angels, Mount Olive: Here at St. Mary of the Angels, Mount Olive, the harvest is abundant, and every day we try to apply Saint Francis’ advice: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

Each month of August, we have two critical celebrations: Our patron Saint (August 2) and the Anniversary of the Dedication of our church (August 28, 2011); both special and milestone events are an opportunity to reflect on the nature, the mission, and the vocation of our parish.

Young Adults: Our Young Adults celebrated their first anniversary. We started last September, and it’s been a fun ride. We have come to acknowledge the spiritual needs of this age group, but also their contribution to the life of the church and society.

Each month, they participate in the liturgy of the church (Young Adult Mass) with hospitality, readings, collection, testimony, and more. They meet every other Sunday, and they have Social gatherings, including weekend outings to the beach. In October, they are going on a pilgrimage for this Jubilee year experience.

CICM Gathering: This month’s gathering was held here in Mount Olive. For these special occasions, we celebrated Celso Tabalanza’s 29th Ordination Anniversary and Eric Imbao’s birthday

Mass for children with special needs: Twice a year (Spring and Fall), we celebrate Mass for children with special needs and their families. Many families are not comfortable and bring them to normal Mass for the disruption, embarrassment, and sometimes the panic of being around many people and a lot of noise. There is training for such a Mass and ministry to them.

Pilgrim Bible: September is the month of the Word of God. Our Bible Study Group organizes a Pilgrim Bible to promote the culture of reading the Bible. Families who have signed up receive this Pilgrim Bible and keep it for a week, with the commitment to read it as a family once a day. We are encouraged by the positive response!

Saint Michael Ministry: When we go to church, we hope to pray with all serenity and peace, but the reality of our society is different. With so many instances of mass shootings, hate crimes, and other emergencies such as medical or fire situations, the Diocese has encouraged each parish to develop their own comprehensive plan for safety and security. Our parish is glad that so many parishioners with different backgrounds responded quickly: law enforcement officers, registered nurses, firefighters, and school principals. A comprehensive safety and security plan is currently being developed and finalized, one that we hope will serve as a model and inspiration for other parishes. Proactive preparation ensures that we remain safe rather than sorry.

Annual Diocesan Retreat: September 15-19, 2025 was our annual retreat with the Diocese of Raleigh. It was an enjoyable and grace-filled fellowship among us CICM NC Confreres, as well as with Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama, the Vicar General, Fr. Michael Burbeck and the Diocesan Director of Vocation, Fr. Michael Schuetz.