NET MINISTRIES
NETWORKS
Fall 2012
Challenging young Catholics to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church
WHAT’S INSIDE: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / MEET THE 12-13 TEAMS / WHY I BECAME A PRIEST / COMMISSIONING MASS / IGNITING FAITH
why i became a priest: ‘i knew I had to change the direction I was headed’
By Fr. Mark Wiesner, NET Alumnus 87-88
home, I would be going. So rather than bemoan the dullness of spending an hour each Sunday morning in church, I started to do ministry.
My vocation story is not one of great drama, grand For mostly self-serving reasons, I began to serve as an revelations and miraculous occurrences. It is one of acolyte, sing in the choir, and lector. It was not long before I began to hear from the “pillars of the church” God simply trying to get through my thick head. that I would be a wonderful priest. I found that I was raised in what you would probably call a typical comment amusing, and while I did not know what Catholic family. We went to church every Sunday I wanted to spend my life doing, I was fairly certain and Holy Day without fail, prayed before meals, and being a priest was not part of the plan. attended weekly faith formation classes. I went to a Catholic high school and received all my sacraments When I went off to college, my faith went with me. I found myself involved with the Newman Center and at exactly the age you would expect. continued to be part of ministry. Only now it was for And like most young Catholics, I was bored at Mass. the social aspect more than any other reason. However, I knew that as long as I lived in my parents’
Continued on Page 7
NET MINISTRIES
NETWORKS Fall 2012
Challenging young Catholics to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church
board of
directors PRESIDENT: Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, D.D. FOUNDER/ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Mr. Mark Berchem, M.S.W., M.T.S. TREASURER: Mr. Jack Cozzens Mr. Gerald Brennan, CIMA Mr. Gordon DeMarais, M.A.T. Mrs. Jan Gloudeman Mr. Thomas Grundhoefer, J.D. Mr. Daniel Hagen, CFA Mrs. Helen Healy Mrs. Patricia Huber Mrs. Barbara Koch Mr. Edward Kocourek Dr. James Kolar, D.MIN. Mr. Alan Kraling Mr. Patrick Regan EPISCOPAL ADVISORY BOARD: Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Ph.D., S.T.D. Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, D.D. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, D.D. Bishop Frederick F. Campbell, D.D. Bishop Sam G. Jacobs, D.D. NET is under the ecclesiastical vigilance of the Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. It is governed by a national board of directors, is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and has been audited by Lewis, Kisch and Associates, Ltd.
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a w ord from n e t ’s
executive director
Dear Friends, On October 11, the Church began the Year of Faith as promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI. In his Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei, Benedict wrote, “The year of faith … is a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world.” The Church is calling us to a deeper conversion, inviting us to an ever deeper entrusting of ourselves to Christ. This is precisely what the new NET team members have experienced during their five weeks of training prior to beginning their ministry. Before going out to talk about God’s love and mercy with young people, the team members are invited to re-examine their own life. Have they entrusted themselves completely to Christ? Are they spending time with Him daily in prayer and reflection? Are their hearts filled with Christ’s love which will impel them to share their faith passionately with the young people they serve? After spending the past five weeks with them at NET training, I can give a resounding answer of “Yes!” The team members spent two of those weeks secluded in a rural camp setting. During this time away, team members were immersed in a systematic review of the essence of our faith. Reconciliation and daily Mass, combined with daily personal and corporate prayer, provided an environment for this “authentic and renewed conversion” that Pope Benedict wrote about. The last three weeks of their training taught them the skills they need to effectively communicate faith to the younger generation. Now, after being commissioned by Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn, they have left the NET Center to begin their mission. Quoting again from our Holy Father, “Today, as in the past, he sends us through the highways of the world to proclaim his Gospel to all peoples … Through his love, Jesus Christ attracts to himself the people of every generation.” As our NET teams begin their mission, I invite you to join with me in praying that their witness and ministry will be effective in attracting many, many young people to Christ. Thank you for partnering with us. With my gratitude, Mark Berchem Founder and Executive Director
meet the 2012-2013 teams
1
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Luke Jacobson, Stephanie Mahe, David Hall, Emily Nagel, David McMyne, Mary Clare Stroh, Dan Scheiben, Andrea Sousa-Johnson Front Row: Sarah Marie Pedersen, Brandon Hall (leader), Emily Runstedler (leader), Chris Baker
fall route:
team one
2
September 22-25: St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN September 27-October 22: Washington, DC October 23-26: Venice, FL October 27-November 13: Richmond, VA November 13-17: Pittsburgh, PA November 27-December 6: Greensburg, PA December 6-14: Gary, IN
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Jonah Soucy, Ashlee Medeiros, Charlie Horonzy, Amy Johnson, Paul Conrad, Michaela Barta, Daniel Menezes, Annie Morris, Franz Casiano
Front Row: Chrissy Beiriger, Cord Dorcey (leader), Katie Slonina (leader), Dominic Schaefer, Rebecca Gray
fall route:
September 22-December 14: St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN
team two (home team)
3
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Inshal Chenet, Clay Malone, Lizzie Wakefield, Jacob Simons, Bridget Huddleston, Brandon Benke, Kate Gapp
Front Row: Michelle Harkey, Michael Fontana, Sara Drake (leader), Clinton Shields (leader), Bridgette Rueff
fall route:
team three
September 22-October 9: Superior, WI October 9-25: Rockford, IL October 25-November 21: Winona, MN November 21-26: St. Cloud, MN November 26-December 7: Fargo, ND December 7-9: New Ulm, MN December 10-14: St. Cloud, MN
Page 3 FALL 2012
4
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Brystal Baumgart, Chris Lincoln, JaNae Pahlen, Christopher Koeppen, Maddie Black, Mike Pabst, Shannon Murray Front Row: Chad O’Neil, Veronica Rincon-Zarazua (leader), Mike Kulig (leader), Rose Cronin, Andrew Calhoun
fall route:
September 22-25: St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN September 27-October 9: Burlington, VT October 9-November 8: Manchester, NH November 8-14: Springfield, MA November 14-20: Providence, RI November 27-December 9: Philadelphia, PA December 9-12: Allentown, PA
team four
5
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Joe Zabinski, Malia Fernandez, Greg Rynda, Ruthie Gross, Tim Sandquist, Maggie White, Ike Kebe, Diego Araujo Front Row: Niki Johnson, Tucker Hartline, Caitlin Craig (leader), Jim Aerts (leader), Anna Scherber
fall route:
team five
6
September 22-October 9: Davenport, IA October 11-19: Belleville, IL October 19-November 6: Joliet, IL November 6-9: Peoria, IL November 10-21: Wheeling-Charleston, WV November 28-December 11: Camden, NJ December 11-13: Allentown, PA
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Emily Kane, Will Penisten, Becky Price, Dismas Setiawan, Clare Utecht, Anthony Gialanella, Chelsea Coronado Front Row: Nick Lahr, Chika Anyanwu (leader), John Notermann (leader), Lizzy Kuhn, Miles Edens
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fall route:
September 23-October 9: Toledo, OH October 9-12: Columbus, OH October 12-23: Toledo, OH October 23-November 17: Cincinnati, OH November 17-20: St. Louis, MO November 23-27: Lafayette, IN November 27-December 13: Grand Rapids, MI
team six
7
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Majka Krupova, Jimmy John Teaford, Hannah Strobel, Brandon Jaquish, Sara Heselton, Josh Salonek, Nicole Wellington Front Row: Marco Rubalcava, Tatum Greenslade (leader), Patrick Welsh (leader), Ashley Cermak, Matt Godfrey
fall route:
team seven
8
September 22-October 1: St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN October 1-2: Winona, MN October 4-19: La Crosse, WI October 20-November 8: New Ulm, MN November 8-15: Rapid City, SD November 17-25: Phoenix, AZ November 27-December 14: Sioux Falls, SD
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Kelsey Parks, Cody Dean, Abby Evans, RJ Convento
Front Row: Ryan Pordash, Ashley Hrabe (leader), Chris Yakkel (leader), Emily Ferguson
fall route:
September 22-December 14: Plymouth, MN
team eight (school team)
9
pictured left to right:
Back Row: Jonathan Dajao, Angelyn Von Rueden, Colby Flis, Sarah O’Hearn, Josh Calhoun, Kristen Miranda
Front Row: Hailey McNeely, Greg Montana (leader), Paeter Wait (leader), John Poston
fall route:
September 22-December 14: Forest Lake, MN
team nine (parish team)
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10
pictured left to right:
Back Row: David Murn, Grace Maiers, Ben Hall, Stephanie Kopacek, Paul Williams, Gabby Swift, Skippy Hynes Front Row: Rachel Sparks, Josh Travis (leader), Shalini Fernandez (leader), Michael Sumcizk, Carissa Bull
fall route:
September 22-24: Sioux Falls, SD September 24-October 11: Bismarck, ND October 12-25: Salina, KS October 25-30: Dodge City, KS November 1-15: Baton Rouge, LA November 15-26: Lafayette, LA November 27-December 6: Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO December 8-10: Joliet, IL
team ten
11
pictured left to right: Back Row: Jay Burke, Shelby Folkers, Dan McCallister, Missy Haas, Zach Blaszak
Front Row: Brittany Wilcox, Alex Krajec, Kayla Avila (leader), Daniel Rivera (leader), Bekah Nelson
fall route:
September 22-December 14: Lakeville, MN
team eleven (parish team)
• Read what they’ve been up to • See where they’re going next • Leave comments and words of encouragement • Pray for the team members by name • Ask for prayers
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Keep up
with the teams
www.netusa.org/blog
why i became a priest (continued from cover) Along the way I became good friends with my dorm RA, Ron, a Baptist. Once a week he and I would play racquetball and often our conversations would turn to our respective Christian faiths. Eventually I attended Baptist services with him, and he would come to Mass with me. As we drew near to graduation, Ron told me that he was going on a mission to Africa after graduation and was trying to learn the native language. Something about the idea of mission, and the adventure of it, caught my imagination. I told Ron it sounded great, but that if I ever did anything like that I would need to go somewhere where English was spoken. The next day he introduced me to a friend of his who was going to spend six weeks after graduation with an interdenominational Christian organization called “Youth with a Mission” (YWAM) at the Edinburgh Arts Festival in Scotland, performing Gospel-themed street theater. The idea captivated me, so I applied to join the YWAM program and was accepted. My experience with YWAM was beyond anything I could have foreseen. I ended up not performing at the glamorous international arts festival, but in a very rundown area of Glasgow, speaking to strangers on the street and going door-todoor talking with people about their faith. In the evenings, we would serve coffee, tea and sandwiches in the basement of a church to runaways, the homeless and addicts of all sorts. This was far outside my northern California suburban comfort zone — and it was there that, for the first time in my life, my faith exploded. It leapt to life in ways that left me breathless.
In new situations and in a foreign country with nothing else to rely on, God became very real to me. Lifted from my comfortable surroundings, God was what I had to rely on. I found myself doing ministry, not to keep from getting bored or for its social aspects, but because it was truly needed and because I had gifts for it. I found it profoundly challenging and fulfilling. It was not always fun, but it felt right and worth doing well.
Even with moments of insight, I was hesitant to commit my life to ordained ministry. It might be nice to say there was one crystal moment when God appeared to me, spoke divine words, and I knew in my heart my call to be a priest. That’s not how my vocation came to me. It came to me over decades through the example of God’s people and a heart at
When I returned home, I went “This was far outside my northern to work in the family business. California suburban comfort zone — While I did just fine in business, after about a year I woke up and it was there that, for the first time one morning and realized I no in my life, my faith exploded.” longer felt the energy or sense of fulfillment I had found so lifegiving and life-changing in Scotland. I prayer. From my parents, whose support knew I had to change the direction I was and love has never failed and gave me headed, and my best guess was that my the foundation of faith, to the “pillars of life’s work would somehow have faith at the church,” to the unflinching support of its center. the St. Francis of Assisi community who encouraged and prayed and financed So I began to look for other opportunities my mission experiences, through those and discovered NET Ministries. I applied, who spoke to me in Scotland, and the was accepted and spent a year traveling staff, team and high school students with a team of 12 people conducting on two continents whom I met through retreats for Catholic youth around the NET, and so many others, I eventually U.S. and later, in Australia. recognized God’s voice and found the courage to accept the invitation to share Daily I was sharing my faith, and the in the ministry of Jesus. more I shared my faith, the more it grew. It was in March of my NET year that I contacted the vocations director for my diocese, writing, “while I am not sure I want to be a priest, priesthood may be what God wants for me. In that case, what I want really doesn’t matter much.” Arguably, my year serving with NET is the reason I am now serving as a priest. It was sharing my faith for a year that led me to believe I could share my faith for a lifetime. It was the year that helped me realize how being a child of God was meant to shape everything about the way I lived and understood myself.
Fr. Mark Wiesner NET Alumnus 87-88
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Commissioning Mass 2012 On September 21, 2012, Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, along with Fr. John Montejano and Fr. Donald DeGrood, blessed and commissioned the 127 2012-2013 NET team members to go and proclaim the Gospel to young people across the United States.
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IGNITING FAITH
a bold new plan by NET MINISTRIES
Are you one of the many mature Catholics concerned about the growing number of young people disengaging from the Church? Are you stymied as to a solution or how you can help? Please take heart, for addressing this challenge is exactly what NET Ministries has been doing for the last thirty years. Each fall, NET trains and sends out twelvemember teams of college-aged young adults to conduct evangelistic retreats for 60,000 Catholic youth across the United States.
Please consider including NET Ministries in your estate plans.
Page 8 FALL 2012
You can play an indispensible role in this national effort to ignite faith in Catholic youth by including NET Ministries in your estate plans. For more information on how you can partner with NET to awaken faith in young Catholics today and far into the future, please visit www.netusa.org/legacy.
alumni update “i believe; help my unbelief!” “Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ He said, ‘Who are you, sir?’ The reply came, ‘Iam Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.’” (Acts 9:1-6) Many of us are familiar with the story of Paul’s conversion, and perhaps some of us have even had similar experiences. Not that we were knocked down by a bright light or endured temporary blindness (at least not physically), but more than likely a dramatic encounter with Jesus changed the course of our life. Reflecting on Paul’s story can lead us into deeper insight to our own walks certain “Here I am, Lord! down roads we encounRight here! ter in life and how RIGHT HERE! to respond when Speak to me!” the dramatic call to change knocks us down. A fact that I often forget is that Paul was passionately fighting Christians. Although not one we’d want to emulate, he lived a life of zeal about something in which he believed very strongly. His was not the lukewarmness described in Revelation 3. How passionate am I about anything? Have I fallen into lukewarmness? Have I
become so comfortable with my life that I don’t want to do anything to upset the balance, because it actually might cost me something or make me break a sweat? Have you ever tried to carry a person who was lifeless or unable to help? It is extremely difficult to get dead weight moving. Paul was already moving passionately in one direction – just the wrong one. The Lord didn’t need to enkindle a fire in his belly; he just had to change the wind direction. Perhaps your life reflects Paul’s passion. I imagine some of you are like me and wish the Lord would speak as clearly as he did to Paul. Paul heard an audible voice! And Jesus even identified Himself! How many times have we pleaded for the Lord to speak so clearly? But maybe your experience is one of seemingly utter silence. “Here I am Lord! Right here! RIGHT HERE! Speak to me!” Yet, perhaps He is speaking to us. Is it possible that we have already heard his voice, but it is too drowned out by the noise we allow to dominate our lives? Or conceivably, Jesus spoke, but we didn’t like the answer or direction. Sure, Jesus spoke very audibly to Paul, but he didn’t really tell him much. ”Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” Can you imagine how Paul must have felt? Stunned? Bewildered? Confused? Perhaps a little scared? After all, he was placing his trust in the very one he had been adamantly persecuting! As was frequent with the revealed commands in the gospels, Jesus was succinct and direct. To paraphrase, “Get up and go, then wait.” Huh? Can’t you give me more, Lord? I’m dying with anguish here! I just want to know your will! As most of you know, I recently made
the decision to discontinue my work with NET. Like Paul’s experience, my life’s direction took a sudden and dramatic turn. The circumstances of how it all came about are rather trivial in some ways (just as whether Saul was actually riding a horse or not – Scripture does not say anything about a horse), but the bottom line is that the Lord asked me to change the direction of my life. I was honestly a bit stunned. Like Paul, there were no other directions given. No plan, just, “Do this, and then I will tell you what to do later on.” Kind of ironic that I helped come up with NET’s theme this year: “I believe; help my unbelief.” And so, I take daily steps of faith. I continue on my own road to Damascus. I know not what awaits. But with Paul, I take solace in two simple truths: I need help and I’m not alone. As a result of the bright light and encounter, Paul became temporarily blind. He proceeded to Damascus, but he needed help to get to his destination. In fact, Paul had to be led by the hand because he couldn’t see. Lastly, Paul was able to walk in faith because HE ENCOUNTERED JESUS! When one looks Love in the face and truly experiences Him in a personal way, the possibilities become endless and fear scurries away. Although I am sad to leave 24 years of blessed ministry and wonderful experiences and people, I walk forward in faith and hope because it is Jesus who calls me. I may not know what lies ahead, but like Paul, I can only imagine that my life is just beginning. Christopher Kraker NET Alumnus 1988-89 Staff 1989-2012
Alumni Update NETWORKS FALL 2012
alumni update weddings
KATIE ROHAN (05-06, 08-09, Staff 1012) is the new High School Life Teen Youth Minister at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hoover, AL. RICHARD CARRILLO (09-10, Staff 1012) is the Campus Minister/Choir Director at Providence Academy in Plymouth, MN. ASHLEY BEUTLER (05-06, 06-07, Staff 11-Present) is serving as the Local Outreach Assistant at NET Ministries for her second year on Mission Staff.
ELLEN (BINA) KONECK (07-08) and Bobby Koneck were married on December 31, 2011 at St Odilia Catholic Church in Shoreview, MN. They recently moved to Indiana, where she is studying toward a Master’s of Divinity at the University of Notre Dame. BRITTNEY (QUIRK) LAVIGNE (08-09, 09-10) and ROBERT LAVIGNE (07-08, 08-09, 09-10) were married on August 17, 2012 in Wisconsin.
vocations FR. BRANDON MORAVITZ (98-99), FR. CASEY JONES (01-02), FR. EDWIN LEONARD (03-04, 04-05) and FR. JOHN PAUL OUELLETTE (92-93, 93-94) were ordained to the priesthood in summer 2012.
FR. MARK WIESNER (87-88) was reassigned as Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Livermore, CA on September 1, 2012. FR. STEVEN BAUER (97-98) was reassigned to serve on the formation faculty at St. Joseph College Seminary, the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Chicago, effective on July 1, 2012. LUPITA GARCIA (07-08) joined the sisters of the Eucharistic Missionaries of the Most Holy Trinity in Mexico City, Mexico on August 12, 2012.
Alumni Update NETWORKS FALL 2012
KATE WALTERS (06-07, 07-08) is in North Dakota working with the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity at St. Ann’s Mission. She teaches 5th grade to children of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.
other news
NICK PETRILLO (08-09, 09-10, Staff 10-11) was accepted into seminary for the Diocese of Trenton, NJ. He officially began his time at St. Mary’s Seminary on August 23, 2012. TARA SMITH (09-10) entered the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration on October 15th, 2012. The monastery is dedicated to Our Lady of Solitude and is located in Tonopah, Arizona.
new jobs DEACON BRIAN PARK (03-04, Staff 0407), DEACON JUSTIN RUISS (04-05) and DEACON JAMES VANDERLAAN (04-05) were ordained as transitional deacons in Summer 2012.
RYAN LOPEZ (09-10, Staff 10-Present) has transitioned from NET Ministries Mission Staff to full-time staff. He is now the Team Schedule Administrator.
DONNY TODD (01-02) is a finalist in the 2012 Best of New Catholic Music Contest. Learn more at www.rockingromans.com/ contests/boncm2012/entries.
BIANCA TRUJILLO (09-10) was blessed with the opportunity of becoming the Youth Director for English Youth & Young Adults at St. Anthony Parish in Hughson, CA. ANNA CARTER (09-10, Staff 10-12) was hired as a Theology teacher at St. Thomas More High School in Milwaukee, WI.
MOLLY MILROY (97-98) began a new ministry for single Catholic girls at www. singlecatholicgirl.com. Have something you’d like to share? Submit your news to alison@netusa.org.