Legatus topped off the year by welcoming two new chapters. Tom Monaghan made his traditional visits at charteringceremonies in Raleigh, North Carolina and Evansville, Indiana in November and December. Although the pandemic brought challenges to gathering memberships, both groups found creative ways to still draw new members.
Raleigh Chapter
The chartering Mass for the Raleigh Chapter commenced on November 18 at St. Michael the Archangel Church, with Monsignor David Brockman officiating joined by pastor Fr. Michael Burbeck. Dinner and a conversational ‘chat’ with Tom Monaghan followed at the Prestonwood Country Club just down the street from the church.
Before a group in Raleigh got started, Chapter president Charlie Dougherty and his wife Shannon had been “at-large” Legatus members for 20 years. “We first learned about Legatus through an advertisement in the National Catholic Register,” Charlie explained. “I thought it would be nice to try, so we joined and have loved it ever since.”
With no local chapter at the time, the Doughertys’ at-large membership allowed them to participate in various Legatus activities. “We attended the yearly Summits and pilgrimages to Rome and other places, and did an Enclave,” Shannon said. “We were very happy to have connected with people in Legatus nationwide.”
When a Legatus chapter began forming in Raleigh, the Doughertys anticipated enjoying the company of like-minded people closer to home. Andy Oreffice was their first president, but after his recent move back to his Atlanta Chapter, Charlie was then chosen.
Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama had agreed to a chapter in their diocese and their good friend Father Phillip Tighe offered to be the founding chaplain. “Fr. Tighe was very helpful getting things started,” Charlie said. Sadly, his health declined due to cancer in 2019 and 2020 and he died this past August. Prior to that, he introduced the ministry to Father Daniel Oschwald who agreed to come on as his replacement.
In addition to Fr. Tighe’s help, Charlie said connections were made through networking in the diocese and with those involved in pro-life work. Gathering membership became especially challenging during the pandemic, Charlie noted, but he credited Legatus with finding ways around that.
“We got to 15 toward the end of summer, but had to be creative,” Charlie said. “We couldn’t have in-person meetings, so we did things virtually. The Legatus folks were inventive.” Having dinners brought individually to members, enjoying speakers on Zoom, and participating in a wine tasting event through home-delivered samples were fun ways to continue monthly meetings.
Evansville Chapter
Evansville chartered on December 1 in the Diocese of Evansville. Mass was celebrated at the St. Benedict Cathedral with Bishop Joseph Siegel as the main celebrant and Fr. Tyler Tenbarge (Chapter chaplain) and Fr. Alex Zenthoefer (associate chaplain) joining him. A celebratory dinner and ceremony followed at the Evansville Country Club.
President Matthew Nix and his wife Lindsey were originally charter members in the Louisville Chapter. “Evansville didn’t yet have a chapter, so we were a part of Louisville for about four years,” Lindsey explained. The four-hour round trip was not a deterrent. “We saw the value in having that time together in the car, kid-free, enjoying one another’s company,” Matthew noted.
Still, they began to feel that it would also be nice to network with other Catholics professionally, closer to home. They began by reaching out to Fr. Tyler Tenbarge who is Lindsey’s cousin. He is the director of the Fr. Deydier House of Discernment, and director of vocations at St. Boniface parish.
“We first took him as a guest to a Louisville meeting to introduce him to Legatus,” Lindsey shared. “He’s a very dynamic speaker and spent time in Rome at the Gregorian University, so he has a lot to draw on. He ended up being asked to be a speaker in Louisville, so when we made the jump to Evansville, he was excited to be on board.”
“Father Tyler was instrumental in helping us connect with some key folks,” Matthew said. “We met with three or four couples who we thought would be strong candidates and then they helped us recruit others. We had our information night just as the world was shutting down from the pandemic, so that created some hurdles.”
The Nixes credited having a dynamic chaplain as a help with recruitment. “People know they are going to get a great homily each month tailored specifically to them,” Lindsey said.
Since the Nixes are both in their mid-30s, they were able to also reach other couples in their age group, in addition to some in their 50s and 60s and one in his 80s who is a chairman of the board and still very involved in church and politics. “The feedback we’ve gotten from folks is that they really enjoy doing this as a couple once a month, coming together with other Legates,” Lindsey said.
PATTI ARMSTRONGis a Legatus magazine contributing writer.