With the Heart, We See: A Legacy of Love and Service
Mark, Joni and the entire Mona family would like the opportunity to bless St. Patrick's further by presenting the gifting of the school and community center to The Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to the divine relationship and life's work of Archbishop William Curlin and Mother Theresa.
Bishop William G. Curlin (1927–2017), third Bishop of Charlotte, North Carolina, was a close friend, spiritual director, and collaborator of St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) for more than 20 years.
They first met in the early 1970s in Washington, D.C., when Curlin was a priest serving poor parishes. Mother Teresa approached him after Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; they talked for hours about serving the poor. She later summoned him to Calcutta to give retreats to her sisters—the first of many visits. She called him her spiritual father and spiritual son; he counseled her during periods of her “dark night” of the soul and served as spiritual director for her nuns.
Together they championed the Gift of Peace Home in Washington, a residence for people dying of AIDS and other terminal illnesses that opened in 1983 and was staffed by Missionaries of Charity. After Curlin became Bishop of Charlotte in 1994, Mother Teresa sent sisters there; he invited her to the city on June 13, 1995, for the convent dedication and an ecumenical prayer service at the Charlotte Coliseum that drew more than 19,000 people. He continued as spiritual director for the local Missionaries of Charity even after retiring in 2002.
When she died in 1997, Curlin traveled to Calcutta for her funeral as a representative of the U.S. bishops. He later contributed to the official investigation of her life for the cause of canonization and spoke frequently about her after she was declared a saint in 2016. He often quoted her: look with the heart and you will see Jesus in the poor and dying. He died December 23, 2017, at age 90.
The Missionaries of Charity convent they established in east Charlotte continues to serve the poorest. Curlin kept personal notes, photos, and gifts from her, including a holy card in his missal with her handwritten blessing.
The Mona Family Stewardship Story
Mark and Joni Mona with their Brilliancy Foundation, Inc., a
501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1997 has served low income families in the Catholic Church for 30 years.
The Mona family has been the steward of St. Patrick's School for over a decade and has enriched the lives of thousands of local Haitian students and families.
Over this past decade the family has infused the institution with a renewed sense of purpose beyond it's initial mission, becoming not only a center for academic achievement but also a hub for community development and humanitarian aid.
The Blessing Continues.
The education, community development, and humanitarian aid, at St. Patrick’s School offers an unparalleled opportunity to make a difference.
- A well-established institution with a strong foundation in academics and community support.
- The chance to lead innovative programs that empower individuals and uplift an entire community.
- The responsibility of carrying forward a legacy of compassion, hope, and transformative action.
Together, we can ensure that St. Patrick’s School remains a shining light in Haiti, inspiring hope and providing opportunity for generations to come.