MEET ST. ANDREW PARISHIONER CATHY MICHAELSON
Finding Opportunities to Serve and Grow in Faith
1 ST. JAMES ST. JOSEPHST. ANDREW
Holy Family Area
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
SEPTEMBER 2022
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hances are that if you’ve attended St. Andrew, you’ve met Cathy Michaelson. She’s been a parishioner since 1971 and has helped in many areas, from the youth group to funeral lun cheons. Currently, Cathy is a member of St. Andrew’s Administra tive Council and has been on the council several times in the past as well.Cathy grew up in Sauk Centre, which is home to a lot of Catholics. So when she moved to Granite Falls, it was a bit of an adjustment.“Iremember people being really surprised when I told them I was Catholic,” Cathy says. “It was never hard to be Catholic in Sauk Centre. A lot of people around me were Catholic.” Cathy and her husband, Paul, have two children, Tony and Katie. Cathy taught elementary school in Granite Falls for 44 years. She initially retired after 35 years and returned to work ing for nine more. She used that passion and love for teaching to teach Confirmation and Faith Formation classes for many years. She also led the Faith Formation Christmas program for several years.Cathy can now be found helping out at funeral luncheons when asked or serving as an Extraordinary Minis ter of Holy Communion. In addition, she occasionally leads the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross during Lent, continued on page 5
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To find out more about the Stewardship Starts at Home book, visit www.stewardship-starts-at-home.company.site.
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the 2022 book, Stewardship Starts at Home: Using God’s Gifts To Grow As Disciples Of Christ In Our Domestic Church, written by stewardship expert and retreat leader Lisa McArdle and published by Catholic Stewardship Consultants. This excerpt is reprinted with permission from CSC.
There are Four Pillars of a Stewardship Parish — Prayer, Hospitality, Formation, and Service. The third pillar — Formation — teaches us to know and love our God and our faith.According to the United States Confer ence of Catholic Bishops’ National Directory for Catechesis (2005, #20), there are six tasks of faith formation that constitute a uni fied whole by which faith formation seeks to achieve its objective. This primary objective is the formation of disciples of Jesus Christ. The six tasks of formation promote knowledge of the faith, promote knowledge of the meaning of the liturgy and the sacraments, promote moral formation in Jesus Christ, teach us how to pray, prepare one to live in com munity, and participate actively in the life of the Church, and promote a missionary spirit that prepares one to be present as Christians in society. Take a moment to consider how fully you are current ly formed. When is the last time you read a book about the Catholic faith? When is the last time you participated in a Bible study? When is the last time you read and reflected on the readings before Mass? Or looked up something in the Catechism?Frequently, the last faith formation parishioners re ceive dates back to when they completed their Confirma tion preparation or attended their last religious formation class as a middle or high school student. This means decades may have gone by since parishio ners and family members have experienced formation. If that is the last time that you have formed yourself or that members of your families have formed themselves, don’t panic. You are not alone. This realization is an opportunity for growth. A chance to dip your toe back in the water of faith formation and even to learn alongside the members of your family, including the youngest mem bers who are also learning. Don’t ever feel embarrassed that you don’t know an answer to the faith questions asked to you by your children or grandchildren. Instead, learn together!Remember, the more fully you are formed, the better you will understand God’s calling for your family. Furthermore, the more you are formed in the faith the easier it will be to answer the call of discipleship. Being properly formed in our faith and listening to God’s call allows us to understand if we are on the right path or if we need to redirect. Being prayerful and wellformed are key to our following His plan for our lives instead of our own wishes and desires. Remember, as stewards, we strive to listen to God and use the gifts He has given us to serve those he places in our paths. Thank fully, it is easier now more than ever to form ourselves and our families.Thereis no need to search for faith-formation oppor tunities. These options can be sent directly to our smart phones and tablets. Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire ministry sends free daily readings along with a brief gospel reflec tion straight to our inboxes. Blessed is She even provides an endearing female faith formation perspective — per fect for women young and old. Plus, if you want to form yourself specifically in Scripture, you can also opt for the free podcast, The Bible in a Year featuring the entertaining Fr. Mike Schmitz, from Ascension Presents. Honestly, the possibilities are endless. Formation is the fuel that keeps your family moving forward as stewards and in becoming all that Christ is calling you to be. Have confidence as you incorporate this ongoing learning into your daily routines.
The Importance of CATHOLIC FAITH FORMATION
B irthdays are always special occasions we all enjoy celebrating. We send cards, give gifts, gather with family and loved ones, sing “Happy Birthday,” and en joy the traditional birthday cake. We make a big deal about birthdays because they remind us how special, precious, and won derful is the gift of life given to us by God. On the Church’s calendar, we celebrate three important birthdays. On Dec. 25, we celebrate the Birthday of Jesus; on June 24, we celebrate the Birthday of St. John the Baptist; and on Sept. 8, we celebrate the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Why do we celebrate Mary’s birthday on Sept. 8? The answer lies in another very important feast day of Our Lady, and that is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8. The Immaculate Conception is a dogma of the Church, which states that Mary was preserved free from all stain of Original Sin from the very first moment of her conception (this grace also preserved Mary from all sin throughout her life). This was a special gift from God and a wonderful privi lege bestowed upon the Blessed Mother as she would become the pure, holy vessel to carry in her womb Christ, the Son of God. So, since we celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, we celebrate her birthday exactly nine months later on Sept. 8!
Sincerelyyou!yours in Christ, Fr. Paul Timmerman, Pastor My Dear Friends in Christ,
There are even some unique ways to celebrate Mary’s birthday. You can make a special birthday cake for Mary and have it as a family dessert one night this month — and even light a candle on the cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to Mary. Have your children or grandchildren make a birth day card for Mary — place it at the foot of Mary’s statue in your house to show your love for the Mother of God. Decide to do a good deed or act of kindness and make that your special gift to Mary for her birthday. If you really want to make our Blessed Mother happy, gather for some family prayer time and pray a family Rosary as your gift to Mary. These are just some of the many ways we can honor our Blessed Mother and celebrate her birthday this month. Happy birthday, Blessed Mother Mary — we love
A Letter From Our Pastor THIS MONTH, WE HONOR OUR BLESSED MOTHER ON HER BIRTHDAY
“I went to Catholic school my senior year of high school,” Pauline says. “My friends were all Catholic and I would join them on Saturday afternoons as they went to Confession and I would simply sit in the church. We would spend time at the local parish on Saturday evenings and I always enjoyed spending time with my Catholic friends.”
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MEET PARISHIONER Learning and Loving the
t. James parishioner Pauline Pate has always known and lived many aspects of her life through the lens of Catholicism, but did not become Catholic until later in life. Her mother’s family was Catholic and she was raised visiting relatives’ homes and see ing statues of Mary and other sacramentals in their houses. As a teenager, Pauline started learning about Catholicism and had many questions, so she deferred her sacraments — but that curiosity about the faith continued to linger throughout her life.
Pauline married a Methodist man and went on to raise two girls. She placed a high priority on her marriage and her children but was always searching for more when it came to her faith. Her husband was never interested in Catholicism but was supportive of Pauline’s desire to become Catholic soon before his death.
Pauline Pate, Ph.D.
— Cathy Michaelson “After 89 years of a wonderful life, I know God has me in His hand and I am not afraid of dying. I just think He has me here to do a few more things first before He calls me home.”
Although the natural aging of life slows her down, she believes God keeps her here to do good. “God has been with me every step of the way,” Pauline says. “I believe He has guided me to where I am today and I feel so blessed. Many people are afraid of dying. After 89 years of a wonderful life, I know God has me in His hand and I am not afraid of dying. I just think He has me here to do a few more things first before He calls me home.”
“If you don’t get involved, you are missing out on an opportunity to get to know people. Yes, we are a small church, but you may be surprised who you get to know and like.”
“One of my favorite things to do was read at Mass,” Pauline says. “I also served with the prison ministry before they closed the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton. Each winter I participate in a Bi ble study and recently took up praying the Liturgy of the Hours each day. I also am very fond of gardening and the beauty I can share through it.”
Cathy believes parishioners need to do more than simply show up on Sunday. “If you don’t get involved, you are missing out on an opportunity to get to know people,” she says. “Yes, we are a small church, but you may be surprised who you get to know and like.”
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Of all the ministries in which Cathy has been involved, the most rewarding has been Confirmation because she now sees the kids she taught all those years ago at Mass as adults, sometimes with their own families. In turn, Cathy feels she gets a lot from seeing other people practice their faith.
PAULINE PATE
CATHY MICHAELSON continued from front cover
recognizing that it’s hard for Fr. Paul Timmerman to cover all these things at every church.
PARISHIONER PAULINE PATE the Culture of Catholicism
“I had the opportunity to obtain a doctorate in Classical Studies from Loyola University in Chicago through the National Defense Education Act,” Pauline says. “Looking back, this degree helped me to dis cover more about the faith on my own and grow in Catholicism. I taught Latin, Greek, English, children’s literature, linguistics, and the classics, where so much beauty and truths of the faith can be found.”
“It reminds me of the John F. Kennedy quote, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country,’” she says. “That’s the same we should do for our church.”
“Seeing others helps me stay focused on my faith,” she says. “It makes you feel more a part of something.”Inherfree time, Cathy loves to be at the lake. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, baking, and doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
It was through teaching these subjects in the Caribbean and finally going to Mass with a friend of hers that Pauline finally decided to receive the sacraments and become Catholic. After her husband’s passing, Pauline moved to Dawson in 2005 and con tinued to grow deeper in her faith.
“It’s your special time with these parishioners, but it brings them close to Christ. Plus, they find out what’s going on at church. Most don’t get out, if at all. It keeps them abreast of things.”
Carl acknowledges that the act of taking Holy Communion to parishioners who are unable to attend Mass is truly taking the love of Christ to them.
Not only is Carl able to help others remain close to Christ and strong in their faith, but he also realizes that his own faith has been strengthened through his ministry.“Iam seeing people who are basically coming to the end of life, and they are very welcoming, and their faith is deep,” he says. “It is a comfort for them. I have one parishioner I see, who said he had it really tough during the COVID restrictions. He told me he always went to Mass all his life, but under COVID, he couldn’t go for almost a year. He was asked if he wanted to have someone come in and give him Com munion, and was very welcoming to that.”
T he remarkable experience of taking Holy Com munion to a homebound elderly friend led Carl Niemand to continue his service as a St. Joseph Par ish Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion to the Homebound.“Itwasa
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“It is important that we receive the Body of Christ at least once a week,” he says. “They appreciate it, that it shows Christ’s love for us, and it’s important they see it each week.”
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION TO THE HOMEBOUND
“Bringing Communion is only part of it,” he says.
wonderful experience, so Father as signed me to other gentlemen to care for,” Carl says.
Interested in becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?
Carl’s ministry is to men from St. Joseph Par ish. He typically takes Holy Communion to them on Wednesdays.“Weusually talk awhile, and Father has set up a little prayer we do ahead of their receiving Commu nion, and then I present the Host,” Carl says. “We may talk awhile after, depending on how they’re feeling and if they want to visit.”
Contact the Area Office at 320-269-5954.
The other parishioners in Carl’s ministry have also been very thankful for his care. “It kind of surprised me, but they were very wel coming of me into their homes, where I go,” Carl says. “I was quite amazed at how happy they are to see me eachCarlweek.”encourages others who are considering this ministry to take that step.
Ensuring the Love of Christ is Given to All Parishioners
S ept. 3 is the feast day of St. Gregory the Great. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the Feast of St. Gregory also falls around the time when Americans make our national observance of Labor Day. While a shining example of Christian virtue, St. Gregory the Great also sheds light on the fuller value and purpose of labor and human work. St. Gregory was born in Rome around 540 to a wealthy family, with several family members not ed for holiness of life. He was raised and educated during times of great trial, both for the Church in general, and for Rome, a city besieged by several waves of Gregorybarbarians.wasmade prefect of Rome at a young age. He struggled with the call to give all in follow ing Christ, but finally chose a monastic life, donating his estates to the founding of monasteries. His three years of monastic seclusion were some of the most enjoyable of his life. Once Gregory was ordained as a deacon, he was sent to the Court of Byzantium as ambassador, where he struggled greatly with the court’s worldly atmo sphere. Having provided, with some difficulty, six years of faithful service to the court, he was joyfully recalled to Rome. Gregory was appointed abbot of St. Andrew’s Monastery, which under his leadership, produced many monks who were later renowned for holiness of life. He was later chosen to be a mission ary to England. This demonstrates how highly re garded Gregory must have been by this time, for after he was sent away, an uprising immediately arose among the populace of Rome. A team of messengers was then dispatched to bring him back, which they successfully did. The death of Pope Pelagius II in 590 led to Greg ory being immediately chosen by the clergy and peo ple of Rome as the pope’s successor. Some sources suggest that Gregory was dragged from his bed, while others maintain that he fled from the city and hid for threeDespitedays. his initial unwillingness to accept the burden of the papacy, Gregory spent the final 14 years of his life devoting all of his energy towards his work as pope.
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ST. GREGORY THE GREAT: Laboring for the Kingdom of God Gregory’s life produced fruit that would continue to mature for centuries to come — guidance for the care of souls, reformation of the liturgy, sending mis sionaries to spread faith abroad, and much more. He is arguably one of the greatest foundational supports of medieval Europe, and thus, of our own society today.Americans celebrate Labor Day, the yearly tribute given to our country’s workers. The day’s purpose is to remind us of the real social and economic contri butions made through the early Labor Movement, up to workers in the present day. As Catholics, we can also celebrate Labor Day continued on back cover
Wednesday 5 p.m. — St. James, Dawson Thursday 5:30 p.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo Friday 10 a.m. — St. Andrew, Granite Falls
Saturday 5 p.m. — St. Andrew, Granite Falls 7 p.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo in Spanish
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CONFESSION TIMES: 30 minutes before daily Mass Sunday 8 a.m. — St. James, Dawson Saturday 9:30 - 10 a.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo 4:15 - 4:50 p.m. — St. Andrew, Granite Falls with a deeper Christian understanding of its purpose.
8 512 Black Oak Ave. Montevideo, MN www.holyfamilyarea.org56265
Tuesday 5 p.m. - St. Andrew, Granite Falls
Jesus spoke often about “the Kingdom of God,” and He taught us that it is already here — however, not in its perfect, final form. Christians receive the Kingdom at baptism, and they also build it inside themselves through the varied ways of working to grow in personal holiness. They also work to build the kingdom, just as Gregory did, by offering Christ-like service in all areas of their lives. Thus, in our own Christian lives, we continue the same work that St. Gregory performed, and to which all of us are called, in the building of the King dom of God.
Sunday 8:30 a.m. — St. James, Dawson 10:30 a.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo
ST. GREGORY THE GREAT continued from page 7
MASS TIMES (After Labor Day)
Perhaps it is no coincidence that the Feast of St. Gregory also falls around the time when Americans make our national observance of Labor Day. While a shining example of Christian virtue, St. Gregory the Great also sheds light on the fuller value and purpose of labor and human work.
SEPTEMBER 2022
