OND Apr. B Vol. 71 No. 8

VOL. 71, NO. 8

WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG

APRIL 19, 2017

Chrism consecrated throughout the world TURN TO PAGE 8 FOR COVERAGE OF THE CHRISM MASS HELD AT CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, CROOKSTON, ON APRIL 10.

Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner breathes over the opening of the vessel containing olive oil and balsam perfume while consecrating the Sacred Chrism during the Chrism Mass. It was held April 10 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston. (Photo credit: Janelle C. Gergen/ OND)

The Holy Triduum

Pope Francis breathes over Chrism Oil, a gesture symbolizing the infusion of the Holy Spirit, during the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 13. (Photo credit: CNS/Paul Haring)

THE LITURGIES OF HOLY THURSDAY, GOOD FRIDAY AND THE EASTER VIGIL ARE SOME OF THE RICHEST OF THE CHURCH YEAR. TURN TO PAGE 12 TO SEE HOW THEY WERE CELEBRATED BY POPE FRANCIS AT THE VATICAN.

(Photos: CNS)

INSIDE VOL. 71, NO. 8:

Pg. 3 - Fatima Centenary Celebrations Pg. 10 - Word to Life Scripture Reflection Pg. 15 - Prayer and Scripture Calendars

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April 19, 2017

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COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Voice from the Valley

BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER

EASTER 2017 “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

The right hand of the Lord has struck with power; the right hand of the Lord is exalted. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

These words of Psalm 118 precede our first hearing of the Gospel of Easter proclaimed at the Easter Vigil. These days of Easter are wonderful. Beginning with the Easter Vigil, continuing through Easter Sunday, throughout the Octave of Easter, on Divine Mercy Sunday and all the Sundays and weekdays of Easter, clear up through Pentecost, we relish

during the Easter Season in the hope and joy the Risen Lord brings to us. We “shall not die.”

What we will do is “declare the works of the Lord!”

“Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love,” Pope Francis notes this in his Apostolic Exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel”. The Easter story is the true story of God who loves us so much that the Son of God came to us. Jesus became one of us to free us from our profoundly sad state by suffering and dying on a cross and rising again to bring us new life, an eternal, joyous life.

The first proclamation of the Easter Gospel for us this year is the resurrection account from St. Matthew’s Gospel

that is proclaimed at the Easter Vigil. In this passage, profound sadness is turned into amazing joy. I love Matthew’s account of that Easter Sunday.

It tells us how the two women, (Mary Magdalene and the other Mary), came to the tomb as “the first day (literally day one) of the week was dawning.” Indeed it was the first day of the new creation, as a new day for all humankind was dawning.

“An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it,” the Gospel states. Can’t you see this angel dusting himself (or herself) off after rolling back the stone and then plopping down on it, all the while grinning at the two women with a smile stretch-

BISHOP’S CALENDAR April 21

5:00 p.m.

CDA State Convention Mass and Banquet, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

April 22

6:00 p.m.

Rite of Confirmation, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

April 23

11:00 a.m.

April 29

5:00 p.m.

April 30

11:45 a.m.

ing from ear to ear? Remember why the stone is rolled back: not to let Jesus out (he’s already risen) but to let the women in so they can see and believe that Jesus has risen.

The first thing the angel says to the astonished, mouthgaping women, is: “Do not be afraid.” Then, the angel gives the good news: “He has been raised from the dead.”

Matthew says that the women run off, fearful yet overjoyed, ready to tell others. They are ready to evangelize. It’s on their way to tell others that they themselves encounter the risen

Lord. “And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.” The very first words the risen Lord speaks in Matthew’s Gospel are: “Do not be afraid.”

Having encountered him, their infinite sadness is cured by infinite love. The risen Lord commissions Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to bring the good news to others: “Go tell my brothers…”

VOICE: Cont. on Page 7

CAPTIONS FOR FRONT PAGE TRIDUUM PHOTOS FROM THE LEFT: Pope Francis embraces an inmate as he arrives April 13 at Paliano prison outside of Rome to celebrate Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The pontiff washed the feet of 12 inmates at the maximum security prison.

Pope Francis venerates the crucifix as he leads the Good Friday service in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 14.

Pope Francis carries a candle as he arrives to celebrate the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 15.

Rite of Confirmation, Holy Rosary, Detroit Lakes Rite of Confirmation, St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead Rite of Confirmation, St. Joseph’s, Moorhead

May 2

7:45 a.m.

Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

May 3

9:00 a.m.

School Mass and Classroom Visits, Holy Rosary, Detroit Lakes

May 6

6:00 p.m.

Rite of Confirmation, Sacred Heart, Roseau

May 7

10:30 a.m.

May 9

7:45 a.m.

Rite of Confirmation, St. Cecilia, Sabin Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

NATIONAL COLLECTION UPDATE

The faithful of the Diocese of Crookston generously supported the National Collection for Retired Religious with a donation of: $53,409.10.

CHRISM MASS COLLECTION UPDATE

The faithful of the Diocese of Crookston generously supported the Chrism Mass collection with a donation of: $2,690.49. St. Mary’s Mission, Red Lake, and the Care and Share in Crookston will each receive $1,345.24.

VICTIM ASSISTANCE STATEMENT

If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, your first call should be to law enforcement.

If you have been abused by a Catholic priest or another person in Church ministry, the Diocese of Crookston Victim’s Assistance Coordinator is also available to offer you help and healing.

Please contact Louann McGlynn at 218-281-7895 (24-hour confidential number) or Lmcglynn@ crookston.org.

(USPS 414-940) Our Northland Diocese is a semi-monthly newspaper committed to publishing Good News for the purpose of strengthening and furthering the Reign of God in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston.

Subscriptions: $16.34 per year in the diocese, $17.88 per year outside the diocese.

Publisher:

The Most Reverend Michael J. Hoeppner Bishop of the Diocese of Crookston

Editor:

Dr. Mark Krejci

Associate Editor: Mrs. Janelle C. Gergen

jgergen@crookston.org Editorial Assistant: Mrs. Katrina Genereux

kgenereux@crookston.org Proofreader:

Deacon Dan Hannig

For questions about subscriptions or address changes, please contact: Mrs. Renee Tate at rtate@crookston.org Periodical postage paid in Crookston, MN and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: send address changes to: Our Northland Diocese PO Box 610, Crookston, MN 56716-0610 Phone: 218-281-4533 Publishing dates and submission deadlines for news and advertisements can be found online: www.crookston.org/ond/

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Cathedral receives donation of Our Lady of Fatima statue A statue of Our Lady of Fatima was recently donated to Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston.

Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner will bless the statue on May 2 following 7:45 a.m. Mass. It will remain in the gathering space for the duration of the centenary.

(Submitted photo)

LOCAL

April 19, 2017

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Series of events planned to celebrate 100th anniversary of Fatima apparitions May 13 is the 100th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. The faithful of the Diocese of Crookston are invited to join in a journey beginning that day and concluding Oct. 13.

Our Lady of Fatima appeared six times to three Portuguese shepherd children throughout 1917. This year, an event will be held on each of the anniversary dates.

The events will be held at St. Joseph’s, Red Lake Falls or Huot Park, depending on the date. Huot Park, also called Old Crossing Treaty Park, is located on County Road 104 southwest of Red Lake Falls.

Participants are encouraged to bring umbrellas or chairs if desired.

Father Bob Schreiner, pastor of St. Joseph’s, Brooks and St. Joseph’s, Red Lake Falls, will lead each of the events.

Rosary convocations held in 2015 and 2016 focused on Our Lady of Fatima in anticipation of the Centennial.

WITH PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD The Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston joyfully announces the ordination of

Nathan Andrew Brunn son of Leonard and Mildred Brunn to the Sacred Order of Deacons through the imposition of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit

By His Excellency, THE MOST REVEREND MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER, Bishop of Crookston.

Saturday, the twentieth of May, in the two thousand and seventeenth year of the Lord at ten o’clock in the morning.

ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 218 10th Street South, Moorhead, Minnesota Reception to follow.

Schedule of Centenary Events MAY 13: St. Joseph’s, Red Lake Falls – Holy Mass will be held

at 10 a.m., followed by a holy hour including Exposition, Adoration, recitation of the Rosary, a brief presentation about the initial apparition followed by Benediction. A free-will offering lunch will be served afterward.

JUNE 13: Shrine of Our Lady, Huot Park – A potluck meal will start at 6 p.m. for those who wish to bring a dish to share. Bottled water will be provided. The anniversary event will begin with a candlelight At 7 p.m., there will be a Eucharistic procession, Rosary, a presentation on the second apparition and Benediction.

JULY 13: Shrine of Our Lady located at Huot Park – The July event will follow the same schedule as June, but focus on the third apparition.

AUG. 19: Shrine of Our Lady, Huot Park – A sunrise Eucharistic procession will begin at 7 a.m. followed by a presentation about the fourth apparition. It will close with Benediction. Rolls and juice will be served in the park shelter afterwards.

SEPT. 13: Shrine of Our Lady, Huot Park – The September event will follow the same schedule as June, but focus on the fifth apparition.

OCT. 13: St. Joseph’s, Red Lake Falls – The sixth and final event will begin with recitation of the Rosary at 6:30 p.m., followed by Holy Mass at 7 p.m. A light reception will follow.

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April 19, 2017

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Faith provides light for living life in the public arena Catholics must play an important part in the renewal of public life. And they should do so as Catholics, not just as citizens who happen to be Catholic.

One of the objections to Catholic participation in the public square is that we are trying to impose our beliefs on others. This is a mistaken perception. Catholics, and the Church generally, are not trying to coerce the public to embrace specific religious practices or matters of revelation, such as eating fish on Friday, going to Mass weekly, making a good confession regularly, or professing the dogma of the Assumption of Mary.

Catholic political engagement instead focuses on helping officials and the public better see the objective reality of our human nature, a reality that is accessible to non-Catholics and provides our society with the principles needed to foster human flourishing. To live “faith in the public arena” means bringing a perspective rooted in reason (but illuminated by the light of faith) to bear on impor-

FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

By Jason Adkins

Executive Director Minnesota Catholic Conference

tant public questions. We propose, we do not impose.

FACTS, NOT VALUES Consider some of the principles that guide the Catholic Church’s social advocacy: the dignity of the human person at all stages of life; helping the poor and vulnerable as a matter of justice; the value of civil law as a pillar of social order; the challenge of racism; the importance of work for sustenance and dignity; the right to migrate; the evils of war and torture ; the peril of environmental degradation; the humanity of the unborn; the importance

of marriage between a man and a woman as the foundational building block of society.

These are not just “values,” but truths and facts of our existence that are accessible to all persons, because each person is endowed by the Creator God with the faculty of reason— whether he or she believes in Him or not! Indeed, many nonCatholics recognize the important realities listed above and work to advance these principles.

We know, however, that the human mind is darkened by sin, and that we are plagued in our fallen state by concupiscence.

As a result, it is difficult for persons or even whole societies to recognize the truth, see plainly the reality of our condition, or propose the proper solutions to problems. And sometimes, people, Catholics included, may acknowledge some truths and facts of our existence, but fail to see the whole. We see through a glass darkly.

LIGHT OF FAITH This is where the light of faith comes in. Faith, both as a body of revealed truths (“the Faith”) and as a supernatural virtue infused by grace, is indispensable in the pursuit of a more perfect society. Faith in the public arena is not a grab bag of religious practices, subjective viewpoints, or sectarian values unique to Catholics that we try to make non-Catholics embrace.

Instead, it is a way of seeing the whole – the full truth about how God created the world, the reality of who we are and how we fall short of the demands of justice, and the tools needed to fix a broken social order—to “restore all things in Christ,”

that is, to the intention of the Creator God who providentially ordered this world for our stewardship.

As our witness is about helping the public see properly the facts in front of them and the truths and principles that should guide the discourse about a specific question, we need not preface our remarks with “the Church teaches” or “the Gospel demands.” The light of faith helps us see reality, but in our public witness as a Church, we talk about the facts of reality. These facts are binding on everyone who dwells in this world, whether they acknowledge them or not.

Catholics, therefore, gifted with the light of faith, abdicate their responsibilities to their fellow brothers and sisters and their duties as citizens of a community when they fail to participate in public life. It is a sin against both charity and justice to not propose to the world those truths that foster human flourishing and the common good. It is hiding our light under a bushel.

‘The Case for Christ’ and a stubbornly historical religion “The Case for Christ” is a film adaptation of Lee Strobel’s best-selling book of the same name, one that has made an enormous splash in Evangelical circles and beyond. It is the story of a young, ambitious (and atheist) reporter for the Chicago Tribune, who fell into a psychological and spiritual crisis when his wife became a Christian. The scenes involving Lee and his spouse, which play out over many months of their married life, struck me as poignant and believable – and I say this with some authority, having worked with a number of couples in a similar situation. In some cases, a non-believing spouse might look upon his partner’s faith as a harmless diversion, a bit like a hobby, but in other cases, the non-believer sees the dawning of faith in his beloved as something akin to a betrayal. This latter situation strongly obtained in the Strobel’s marriage.

In order to resolve the tension, Lee used his considerable analytical and investigative skills to debunk the faith that was so beguiling his wife. The focus of his inquiry was, at the suggestion of a Christian colleague at the Tribune, the resurrection

WORD ON FIRE

By Bishop Robert Barron

Founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

“‘The Case for Christ’ is interesting for any number of reasons, but I think it is particularly compelling for its subtle portrayal of the psychological, spiritual, and intellectual dynamics of evangelization.” of Jesus. If Jesus didn’t rise, his friend explained, Christianity crumbles like a house of cards.

The narrative unfolds, then, as a kind of detective story, Strobel hunting down leads, interrogating experts, asking the hard questions.

I liked this for a couple of

reasons. First, at its best, Christianity is not fideist, that is to say, reliant upon a pure and uncritical act of faith on the part of its adherents. Rather, it happily embraces reason and welcomes critical questions.

Secondly, and relatedly, Christianity is a stubbornly historical

religion. It is not a philosophy (though it can employ philosophical language), nor is it a spirituality (though a spirituality can be distilled from it); rather, it is a relationship to an historical figure about whom an extraordinary historical claim has been made, namely, that he rose bodily from the dead.

Now especially in recent years, many attempts have been made to mitigate the scandal of this assertion. Jesus was a great moral exemplar, a powerful teacher of spiritual truth, an inspiring man of God – and it doesn’t particularly matter whether the reports of resurrection are factually accurate.

Indeed, it is probably best to read them as mythic or symbolic. To all of that, classical Christianity says no. It agrees with Lee Strobel’s colleague: if the resurrection didn’t happen, Christianity should be allowed to fall onto the ash heap of history. Therefore, watching our intrepid investigator go about his work is, for a true Christian, thrilling, precisely because the questions are legitimate and something is very really at stake.

So what were his inquiries?

First, he wondered whether the resurrection stories were

just fairy tales, pious inventions meant to take away our fear of death. But he learned that, in point of fact, many people claimed to have seen Jesus after his crucifixion, including five hundred at once. Moreover, most of the leaders of the early Church went to their deaths defending the legitimacy of what they taught. Would anyone do that for a myth or a legend of his own invention?

But another question came to his mind: might they all have been victims of a mass hallucination? A psychologist patiently explained that waking dreams are not shared by hundreds of people at different times and different places. “If hundreds of individuals had the same hallucination, that would be a greater miracle than the resurrection,” she informed him with a smile.

But what about the reliability of the Christian texts themselves? Weren’t they written long after the events described?

A Catholic priest, who is also an archeologist and specialist in ancient manuscripts, told him that the number of early copies of the Christian Gospels BISHOP BARRON: Cont. on Page 7

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

April 19, 2017

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The family lives “Alleluia” because of Christ’s empty tomb When it comes to the Easter season, there is a great line from scripture that seems so appropriate in this age. It is from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: “For the Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”

Given that the cross was the most horrific form of torture that the Roman world knew, and it was only used for the most serious offenders in the empire, the idea that the cross became a sign of grace and love was very confusing to the Jews and Gentiles who did not know of or believe in the ultimate end. If you do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus, then the cross as a sign of hope makes no sense. For Christians, the cross is not just the object to remind us of sacrifice, it also points us to the empty tomb. We are an Easter people who believe God took on human flesh, whose body died a painful death, and then was fol-

PRAYING WITH THE FAMILY

By Dr. Mark Krejci

Director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life

the resurrection but think Easter is a great idea. Visit many stores in the days before Easter and there will be a “pre-Easter” sale going on. You will be able to purchase all of the classic Easter candy, baskets and the paper grass that ends up all over the house, and of course all manner of bunnies (stuffed, paper, clay, and chocolate). The Easter merchandise comes out and the grocery stores stock up on ham. Easter is not only a holy season, but also one of the merchandising seasons in our country. In the end, whether it is due to a school holiday

lowed by the glorious resurrection of the living God and His ascension into heaven.

For those that do not believe in the resurrection, not only the cross but the celebration of Easter is considered foolish.

There are some who advocate that schools should not have a holiday on Easter Monday and, if they do, the word Easter should not be used (call it “Spring Monday” instead).

Others claim that calendars should not list “Easter” at all because this is not a holiday for all people. Of course there are some who may not believe in

or merchant advertising, I appreciate that the word Easter is on the minds of many whether they are Christian or not. Who knows how many people become curious about the empty tomb while they are purchasing their jelly beans and chocolate bunnies.

If a person, curious about Easter because of these factors, knows you are a Christian and looks to you seeking an explanation, what witness to the resurrection would they see? How does the empty tomb impact your life? Can people see in the way we live our lives how we are different? To put it in the context of the focus of my column, what does Easter mean for your marriage and family today?

In short, our entire family should be centered on this belief: Christ rose from the dead and is waiting for us in heaven.

Our life in our family should prepare each other for this heavenly destiny. We should love each other because we have the glorious responsibility of reflecting the love of God

to our family. We should live our family life as an alleluia to the Lord. Alleluia – that word that means “God be praised” – should be on our lips and in our hearts as we live in our families. We live our alleluia by loving our family. We share the love of God with our spouse, our children, our parents, our brothers and sisters, our entire family and all of God’s family.

We say alleluia every time we do something kind for our family.

We say alleluia when we care for our family, when we are patient with our family, when we forgive our family. We say alleluia when our family brings us great joy as well as when our family is the source of our sorrow. We praise God for giving us the opportunity to share His love with the people who are in our family.

May you and your family be a living alleluia in the world.

May you and your family pray your alleluias to the Lord and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus each and every day.

Betty was a pillar of our parish; her voice made Christmas Christmas I have written before about the gift I had growing up in a small country parish north of New York Mills. Holy Cross Church is located 12 miles north of New York Mills in Butler Township. The small settlement once had a good ‘ol fashion country store run by my grandparents and a farm implement dealership across the road owned and operated by my uncle.

The church was just a quarter mile down a side road. It was my “home town” and where so many of the most important moments of my life occurred.

The sacred land on which Holy Cross Church rests is where I was baptized, made my first communion, was confirmed and ordained a deacon.

Four of my seven siblings were married there. The cemetery is filled with friends and family including my parents, all four grandparents and, someday, me.

Holy Cross Church was the center of social life for many of us growing up. From monthly 4-H meetings to simply serving as a place to hang out with friends; the building was a second home.

We were 50 families strong and, like dairy cattle in a barn, we knew where everyone sat in church. The boys sat on the left and the girls on the right. Once

LIFE

FIRST

By Father Don Braukmann

Parochial Vicar - St. Philip’s Parish, Bemidji and St. Charles Parish, Pennington

you were married you could join your spouse in the back of the church which is funny, as I think of it, given the fact there were only 13 pews. The choir held the choir, of course, and somehow one corner of the loft became the spot for young single men to perch.

I love the land. I love the quiet. I love the people.

Recently, one of the pillars of the small community and parish died. Betty was 85. She and her husband, Clarence, would have celebrated 65 years of marriage in June. 60 of those 65 years were lived on Clarence’s family farm in Butler. There, they raised 11 kids in a four bedroom, one bathroom house just a half mile from Holy Cross.

To know Betty, was to know constant motion – she was constantly busy, and often repeat-

ed the phrase, “most things in life are accomplished by tired people.” It was as if she found joy in embracing toil; whether it was cooking, cleaning, mending clothes, gardening, harvesting, canning, and so on. If there was a task that needed to be completed, she just did it, usually while singing or humming.

When she did sit down, she did so with purpose and would read or write; although, on occasion she did watch television. She especially enjoyed Carol Burnett’s show and Bob Newhart; her laughter was contagious.

I remember receiving several letters a year from Betty ... handwritten of course. She took the time to make sure I was doing okay and filling me in on her kids with whom I had grown up.

Each Christmas she wrote a

poem for her family inviting them to live life to the full.

She despised gossip and although she said what she thought when you wanted to hear it and when you didn’t, she knew God had given her two ears and one mouth and used each in their proper proportion!

In 2001 Betty, through her optimism and sheer determination, defeated a rare blood cancer. It was that experience which led her to reach out to other cancer patients offering comfort and support.

Betty loved music and was blessed with a beautiful soprano voice that was often heard in her home as she performed daily household tasks. She was the backbone of our parish choir, a group of ten who sang every Sunday. If there was a wedding or funeral at Holy Cross, you could count on Betty being the soloist. Even if it was a son or daughter’s wedding or a friends funeral, she sang and it flowed from her soul. All who went to Holy Cross will forever remember how she sang the “Ave Maria” like no one else. Just calling to mind her voice and that song brings tears to my eyes.

Best part of it was watching Clarence, and later her children, cry each time she sang it. She often swore she was singing it one more time and that was it

as she thought her voice was fading. Yet, sing it again she did! Her voice made Christmas Christmas.

The reason I write about Betty and Holy Cross is because the Diocese of Crookston is made up of many “Holy Cross” churches ... small parishes where people know each other and where they sit each Sunday!

If you are blessed to be part of such a parish, please don’t take it for granted. They may not always be there.

Holy Cross burned to the ground 18 years ago when hit by lightning. Most of us thought, given the priest shortage, the Diocese of St. Cloud would not give permission for it to be rebuilt. It was and still remains, for me, a little slice of heaven.

It may seem we have a shortage of “Betty’s” along with a shortage of priests, yet such wonderful people are sitting in our pews week after week, year after year, decade after decade.

Cherish their presence. Let them know how important they are. They put flesh and blood on the beautiful truth that we are the “Body and Blood of Christ” in the world.

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April 19, 2017

LOCAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Students re-enact Stations of the Cross

St. Andrew’s Hawley youth participated in a 30 hour famine March 25-26. (Submitted photo)

Youth participate in 30 hour famine The youth at St. Andrew’s, Hawley, participated in a 30 hour famine March 25-26 sponsored by World Vision. The teens, who are in 8th through 10th grade, began their fast at 6 a.m. on March 25 and ended it by receiving the Eucharist at Mass on Sunday morning.

St. Andrew’s began doing the famine nine years ago. Over the years, the youth have raised over $9,000 to fight hunger.

The most current statistics, according to World Vision, state that worldwide, 16,000 children 5 years of age and younger die every day from malnutrition and related diseases. During the 30 hour fast, that equates to approximately 20,000 children dying. The youth decorated crosses and placed them in front of the church. They made 450 crosses, each one representing approximately 45 deaths.

Retirement party planned for teacher who spent 42 years at St. Joseph’s It is with mixed feelings that St. Joseph’s School announces the retirement of Joel Sayre.

Sayre has been the Phy-Ed teacher at St. Joseph’s School for 42 years, and he has decided that the time has come to retire.

His contributions to the school during these 42 years will not be forgotten.

There will be a retirement party in Sayre’s honor on May 21, from 2-5 p.m. in the St. Joseph’s School Gym.

Joel Sayre

wants your news and advertisements!

Find 2017 publishing dates and submission deadlines on the web: www.crookston.org/ond The next OND submission deadline is: Wednesday, April 26, by 12:00 p.m.

E-mail: Janelle C. Gergen, Associate Editor jgergen@crookston.org

Youth of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls present the “Living Stations of the Cross” on March 22, during Family Faith Night. This meaningful reflection of the Lord’s Passion and Death, was presented in preparation for Holy Week. (Submitted photo)

Registration open for regional meeting of the Society of St. Vincent DePaul The North Central Region of the Society of St. Vincent DePaul has opened registration for their annual regional meeting. The 2017 meeting is being hosted by the Rockford Council of St. Vincent DePaul. The theme is “Hearts and Hands in God’s Service.”

It will be held on June 22 to 24, 2017 at the Pheasant Run Resort located 4051 East Main Street in St. Charles, Ill. Registration is $135, and includes five meals and materials. To

register, visit: npotogether. org/ncr2017. Accommodations are available at the resort with a special rate until June 9. Call 630-584-6300 to make reservations. Many workshops will be available and Vincentians from across the Midwest will attend.

The Society of St. Vincent DePaul is one of the largest Catholic lay organizations in the world. Vincentians are located worldwide and headquartered in Paris, France. The

headquarters for the United States is in St. Louis, Mo. Most conferences are parish-based, and our mission is to provide assistance to those in need through home visits. Vincentians evaluate how to help those in need and then try to provide the assistance.

The North Central Region includes dioceses in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

April 19, 2017

7

BARRON: Cont’d from Page 4 VALLEY: Continued from Page 2 far surpasses that of any other ancient text, including the Iliad of Homer and the Dialogues of Plato.

At each stage of the process, Strobel continued to wonder, question, balk, and argue, all the time maintaining the default position that Christianity is bunk. Nevertheless, it was becoming clear that the relentlessness of the counter-arguments and their stubborn congruence with one another was wearing him down. This made me think of John Henry Newman’s famous account of how we come to religious assent.

It is very rarely by virtue of one clinching argument, Newman said, but rather through the slow, steady confluence of inference, hunch, intuition, experience, the witness of others, etc. This convergence of probabilities, under the aegis of what Newman called the “illative sense,” customarily leads the mind to assent.

In the course of their conversation, Strobel’s priest-archeologist interlocutor showed the skeptical journalist a reproduction of the Shroud of Turin, purported to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Gazing into

the eyes of the image, Strobel asked, “What would have made him go through all of this?” The priest responded, “That’s easy: love.” As the arguments were jostling in his head, Strobel remembered that image and that explanation— and the filmmakers insinuate that this is what finally pushed him over into belief.

“The Case for Christ” is interesting for any number of reasons, but I think it is particularly compelling for its subtle portrayal of the psychological, spiritual, and intellectual dynamics of evangelization.

As Psalm 118 encourages, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

My friends, I pray that your Easter days will be filled with your own encounters with the risen Lord. May you see how journeying with him through this life does indeed result in sadness, fear, and even sufferings being changed into joy and amazement. I also pray that you will be effective in bringing the Good News to others – others of your family, others of your neighborhoods, others in our world. Others are waiting to hear.

Our world is hungry to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ who alone saves us and leads us to the joy of eternal life. We are his disciples, evangelizers for him in our day, “convinced

that, through the working of the Spirit, there already exists in individuals and peoples an expectation, even an unconscious one, of knowing the truth about God, about man, and about how we are to be set free from sin and death.” God has commissioned us. May God help us to bring this truth to our world.

I leave you with these words from Pope Francis’s “Joy of the Gospel”: “We have a treasure of life and love which cannot deceive, and a message which cannot mislead or disappoint.”

So, let us sing: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Jesus has been raised from the dead! God has turned our sadness into joy.

May the joy and peace of the Risen Lord be with you always.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen! Amen!

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LOCAL

Calling for the Holy Spirit to bring new life through sacraments

Left: Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner receives the oil that will be consecrated as Holy Chrism from Deacon Tom Cerar. The Chrism Mass was held April 10 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Below: Deacon Matthew Schmitz, a seminarian for the diocese, pours the Oil of the Sick as Bishop Hoeppner blesses it.

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND

CROOKSTON, MINN. – Near Easter, in dioceses throughout the world, olive oil is blessed and consecrated at the Chrism Mass, then distributed to representatives of each parish for use during sacraments and for special acts of dedication.

Faithful from around the Diocese of Crookston gathered at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston, on April 10 to celebrate the Chrism Mass.

Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner concelebrated the Mass with priests from around the diocese. During the Mass, the priests were invited to stand and renew the priestly commitments made at their ordinations.

The Oil of the Sick and “Tonight we call the Oil of Catechumens upon our loving were blessed by Bishop Hoeppner. The third oil, the God to send Holy Chrism, was mixed with forth the Holy balsam and then breathed on Spirit upon the by the bishop before being consecrated. oils. We pray “Tonight we call upon our that all who are loving God to send forth the Holy Spirit upon the oils. We anointed with pray that all who are anointthem will know ed with them will know the the very life and very life and power of God,” Bishop Hoeppner said during power of God.” the homily. “May we and all – Bishop Michael J. who receive anointing with Hoeppner the consecrated and blessed oil, allow the Holy Spirit to interiorly transform us so that the beauty of holiness – the splendor of holiness – may shine more brilliantly from us out into our world.”

Following Communion, representatives from each parish came forward to receive a set of oils on behalf of their parish communities from Bishop Hoeppner.

Confirmation students Harmon Liebl and Britton Fuglseth were very honored to represent St. Joseph’s, Fertile, by receiving the holy oils.

“I came here last year and I wanted to do it ever since,” Fuglseth said.

Michelle Mullenbach received the oil for Our Lady of the Pines, Nevis. It was her first time attending the Chrism Mass.

“It was very spiritual,” she said.

Her daughter, Faith, received the oils for St. Theodore of Tarsus, Laporte, and will be confirmed this year.

Gloria Dziengel from St. Patrick, Hallock, has been to Chrism Mass many times.

“It’s just very impressive. I love it all,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way to start Holy Week and a very special time.”

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2017 CHRISM MASS CAN BE FOUND AT: FACEBOOK.COM/OURNORTHLANDDIOCESE.

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Above: Confirmation students Britton Fuglseth and Harmon Liebl receive the Holy Oils for their parish, St. Joseph’s, Fertile, from Bishop Hoeppner.

Right: Deacon Tom Cerar, Deacon Kermit Erickson and Deacon John Bruggeman process Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception’s Holy Oils to the back of the sanctuary at the end of Mass.

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Priests of the Diocese of Crookston renew the promises they made at their ordinations, as they do each year during the Chrism Mass. (Photos credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)

Deacon Steve Thomas proclaims the Gospel during the Chrism Mass.

Bishop Hoeppner and the concelebrating priests of the Diocese of Crookston gather around the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer.

Bishop Hoeppner delivers his homily during the Chrism Mass. He spoke about the Holy Spirit’s power to transform the lives of the faithful.

Bishop Hoeppner takes a photo with the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus who gathered to serve as honor guard at the Chrism Mass.

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April 19, 2017

COMMENTARY

WORD to LIFE April 23

Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24;

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER 1 Peter 1:3-9;

By Sharon K. Perkins Catholic News Service We all know people who endure hardships and trials but who never seem to complain or grumble. They manage to remain positive and joyful through it all.

I wish I could count myself among those people, but I admit to being sometimes a bit slow to see the silver lining in the cloud.

Yet, one cannot read any of today’s readings without being lifted up to another plane. Six times the words “rejoice” and “joy” are used, and several more times the biblical writers burst forth with words of thanksgiving and spontaneous exultation. And why shouldn’t they? It is this resurrection joy, spilling over into praise, that propelled Jesus’ followers to “evangelize” -- literally, share the good news.

In his apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium,” Pope Francis taps into this same joy when he writes: “The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.”

On Divine Mercy Sunday, we rejoice in the knowledge that in the resurrected Lord, each of us is loved without recrimination, without strings attached and without limits or preconditions. Sometimes we’re like Thomas and it’s hard to see Jesus, the face of the Father’s mercy, but Jesus continually reveals himself to us in new and unexpected ways. We’re blessed to be “those who have not seen and have believed,” living lives of joy and praise in such a way that others are able

April 30

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY Acts 2:42-47; Gospel: John 10:19-31

Acts 2:14, 22-33; Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11;

1 Peter 1:17-21;

By Jean Denton Catholic News Service

to see Jesus and believe in him.

It’s reasonable to read the Acts account of the early church as a legendary story in the distant past, out of reach for us today. But the pope exhorts: “I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the church’s journey in years to come.” This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it!

When have you been able to experience joy despite difficult circumstances?

In what way has Jesus shown you the face of the Father’s mercy?

I once served on a parish committee a boost to your faith, you listen to the that was tasked with developing a com- Scripture interpreting the teachings of prehensive design for the interior of our the prophets, reminding you of Jesus’ life new sanctuary. The idea was to plan the and ministry and what it meant to you. entire decor so that all the artistic eleJust as your heart begins burning with ments combined – stained glass, statuary, renewed understanding and inspiration, wall decoration, crucifix – would create the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins. You a meaningful space to enhance worship. recall the disciples seated at table with JeDuring our discussions, some com- sus, remember his paschal sacrifice and mittee members observed how the at- at the moment of consecration you recmosphere in certain churches seemed to ognize him in the breaking of the bread. enliven the presence of God. Our design Our daily lives can easily pull us away consultant, an accomplished artist in a from our faith. That’s why we are drawn variety of media, also reminded us about back into church each week, so our hearts the quality of art to both teach and trans- will burn again in an atmosphere where port. we can walk with Jesus and be reassured Our task turned out to be arduous, of his promise. partly because of members’ differing tastes in art. But mostly we labored over what images to include that would best speak to our worship and enrich the formation of our faith community.

I wish I had paid more attention at the time to the Gospel story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, because it reveals all the elements of God’s comprehensive design for our life with him.

In this passage from today’s readings, the disciples are confused and having doubts about Jesus after his death.

As their faith appears to be wavering, Jesus explains in detail who he was, why he came and how his resurrection now confirms their beliefs and, moreover, signifies the reality of the world’s salvation.

Questions: Our worship at Mass effectively mirrors the disciples’ experience on the road If you met Jesus on the road, what doubts in to Emmaus. Imagine yourself on the your faith would you want to discuss with him? road with them that day as you enter the What in your worship environment enhances sanctuary for Sunday worship: Needing your communication with God?

“YOU REJOICE WITH AN INDESCRIBABLE AND GLORIOUS JOY, AS YOU ATTAIN THE GOAL OF YOUR FAITH, THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS.” – 1 PETER 1:8-9

“WERE NOT OUR HEARTS BURNING WITHIN US WHILE HE SPOKE TO US ON THE WAY AND OPENED THE SCRIPTURES TO US?” – LUKE 24:32

Questions:

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At Easter, Catholics urged to welcome God’s love, share with others The faithful may feel unworthy of Christ’s love because he “paid so high a price for our salvation,” but “let us not be afraid,” said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of GalvestonHouston, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“Let’s allow ourselves to be taken – even seized – with Easter joy. As we proclaim on Easter Sunday, ‘Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining,’” the cardinal said in his Easter message April 16.

“Welcome the love of God into your life,” Cardinal Di-

Mother’s Day collection to support national shrine’s dome project WASHINGTON (CNS) – A special one-time national collection will be taken at U.S. parishes at Masses on Mother’s Day, May 14, to support the mosaic ornamentation of the Trinity Dome, the “crowning jewel” of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The mosaic will depict the Trinity, Mary and 13 saints associated with the United States or the national shrine, the four evangelists and words from the Nicene Creed. The finished dome also will mark the completion of the national shrine, according to the original architectural plans for the church set to mark its centennial in 2020 – the 100th anniversary of the placement of its foundational stone. The U.S. Catholic bishops approved the special collection in November 2015 during their annual fall general assembly.

New Jersey man pleads guilty to plotting attack on pope during 2015 visit PHILADELPHIA (CNS) – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty April 3 of plotting an attack on Pope Francis during the pontiff ’s visit to Philadelphia in 2015 during the World Meeting of Families. Santos Colon Jr., 17, of Lindenwold in Camden County, pleaded guilty in a New Jersey federal court to one count of attempting to provide material support to terrorists. Court documents show Colon admitted to acting under the name Ahmad Shakoor in support of the Islamic State, though it is not clear whether he was in communication with the terrorist group. In a statement, the

Nardo said. “Share it with those around you, especially the most vulnerable of our sisters and brothers. In this way, we proU.S. Department of Justice said that in 2015, Colon planned between June 30 and Aug. 14 to utilize a sniper to shoot the pope during his public Sunday Mass Sept. 27 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. He also planned to set off bombs in the surrounding area.

Up to several hundred thousand people were in attendance on the parkway that day as the concluding Mass to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia and the first apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the United States was celebrated without incident.

Bishops say Syria peace can only come through ‘dialogue, reconciliation’ WASHINGTON (CNS) – Officials of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops April 7 urged renewed peace efforts for Syria, echoing Pope Francis’ call for “dialogue and reconciliation” as the only way to attain peace in a country rocked by an ongoing civil war. “The long-standing position of our conference of bishops is that the Syrian people urgently need a political solution,” said a joint statement from Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of GalvestonHouston, USCCB president, and Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New Mexico, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace.

“We ask the United States to work tirelessly with other governments to obtain a cease-fire, initiate serious negotiations, provide impartial humanitarian assistance, and encourage efforts to build an inclusive society in Syria that protects the rights of all its citizens, including Christians and other minorities,” they said. The U.S. launched 59 missiles from the USS Ross and USS Porter in

claim with Mary, ‘I have seen the Lord.’ Sing joyfully, ‘the Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.’ Happy Easter!”

Here is the full text of his statement: “Through Christ’s passion, his burial in the tomb and his glorious resurrection, we come to realize the enormity of the Lord’s sacrifice for us. We may feel unworthy of his love who paid so high a price for our salvation. Let us not be afraid.

Let’s allow ourselves to be taken – even seized – with Easter joy. As we proclaim on Easter Sunday, ‘Christ indeed from

death is risen, our new life obtaining.’

“In the Gospel of John, chapter 10, Jesus says the shepherd calls his own sheep by name, ‘I am the Good Shepherd and I know mine.’ In chapter 20, how much fear and doubt must have gripped Mary of Magdala as she stood by the tomb? There, it was Jesus who rescued Mary from her fears and darkness by calling her name. Listen carefully. Mary thought she had discovered the risen Lord, but it was the risen Lord who discovered her. Jesus calls out to each of us by name today as he

did the very first Easter Sunday.

His promise fulfilled. His word brings life, ‘I am the Good Shepherd and I know mine.’

“Jesus waits for you and me, embracing us in our moments of greatest need and desire.

Welcome the love of God into your life. Share it with those around you, especially the most vulnerable of our sisters and brothers. In this way, we proclaim with Mary, ‘I have seen the Lord.’ Sing joyfully, ‘the Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.’ Happy Easter!”

the Mediterranean early April 7 local time. U.S. officials said they targeted Shayrat Air Base’s airstrips, hangars, control tower and ammunition areas. The United States was criticized for carrying out the missile strikes against Syria before investigations into the origins of chemical attacks reported April 4.

and father,” the three bishops said in the letter to Rep Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania. “The Inclusion Act is needed because child welfare service providers are being subjected to discrimination because of their sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions,” said a USCCB fact sheet on the bill.

Catholic leaders praise rulings granting stays to Arkansas death-row inmates

Bishops back bill to let agencies opt out of adoption for same-sex couples

Trump signs bill to let states redirect funds away from abortion clinics

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Three bishops, in a joint letter to the measure’s sponsor, voiced their support of the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, which would permit social service agencies to refuse on religious grounds to provide adoption or foster services for households headed by same-sex couples.

The bishops, who chair three U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees, called it a “needed bill. The Inclusion Act protects the freedom of all child welfare providers by ensuring they will not be discriminated against by the government because of their religious beliefs or moral convictions,” said the April 10 letter, signed

by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty; Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, chair of the bishops’ Subcommittee for the Defense and Promotion of Marriage; and Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Fla., chairman of their Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

“The act prevents the federal government and states that receive federal funds for child welfare services from excluding child welfare providers who believe that children deserve to be placed with a married mother

WASHINGTON (CNS) – President Donald Trump signed a bill into law April 13 that allows states to redirect Title X family planning funding away from clinics that perform abortions and to community clinics that provide comprehensive health care for women and children.

The new law overrides a rule change made in the last days of the Obama administration that prevented states from doing so. “The clear purpose of this Title X rule change was to benefit abortion providers like Planned Parenthood,” said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, who is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on ProLife Activities. “Congress has done well to reverse this very bad public policy, and to restore the ability of states to stop one stream of our tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood and redirect it to community health centers that provide comprehensive primary and preventive health care,” he said in a March 31 statement a day after the Senate voted for the measure.

Vice President Mike Pence, as president of the Senate, cast a tiebreaking vote March 30 allowing passage of a joint resolution to block the Obama-era regulation that went into effect Jan. 18, just two days before Trump was sworn in.

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Catholic leaders praised the federal and state rulings that granted stays of execution for a group of Arkansas death-row inmates during the week of April 17. Karen Clifton, executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network against the Death Penalty, said in an April 16 statement that the plan to execute these men in such a short period of time brought about “an extraordinary response from so many people calling for a culture of life and an end to this practice of retribution.” A federal judge’s April 15 ruling stopped the state from executing six of the inmates with a preliminary injunction handed down in response to a lawsuit filed by the inmates, who claimed the executions were unconstitutional because of their rapid pace and the ineffectiveness of the lethal injection drug midazolam.

They claimed the sedative drug doesn’t always work and causes those who are being executed to feel pain from the use of the other two lethal injection drugs.

The previous day, an Arkansas judge, responding to a lawsuit from two pharmaceutical companies, issued a temporary restraining order on the state’s executions based on evidence the state may not have obtained midazolam properly. The state and federal judges’ rulings are both under appeal by the state.

A significant delay in these arguments could indefinitely halt these executions since the state’s supply of midazolam will run out at the end of the month and state officials have said they have no source to obtain a further supply of the sedative.

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April 19, 2017

INTERNATIONAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Pope washes feet of 12 prison inmates at Holy Thursday Mass

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – In a gesture of service toward marginalized people, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 inmates, including three women and a man who is converting from Islam to Catholicism.

Although in Jesus’ time, washing the feet of one’s guests was performed by slaves, Jesus “reverses” this role, the pope said during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper April 13 at a prison 45 miles from Rome.

“He came into this world to serve, to serve us. He came to make himself a slave for us, to give his life for us and to love us to the end,” he said.

Pope Francis made his way by car to a penitentiary in Paliano, which houses 70 men and women who testified as a witness for the state against associates or accomplices.

To protect the safety and security of the prisoners, only a live audio feed of the pope’s homily was provided by Vatican Radio as well as selected photographs released by the Vatican.

The Vatican said April 13 that among the 12 inmates who participated in the foot washing ceremony, “two are sentenced to life imprisonment and all the others should finish their sentences between 2019 and 2073.”

In his brief homily, which he delivered off-the-cuff, the pope said that upon his arrival, people greeted him saying, “‘Here comes the pope, the head of the church.’”

“Jesus is the head of the church. The pope is merely the image of Jesus, and I want to do the same as he did. In this ceremony, the pastor washes the feet of the faithful. [The role] reverses: The one who seems to be the greatest must do the work of a slave,” he said.

“Jesus is the head of the church. The pope is merely the image of Jesus, and I want to do the same as he did. In this ceremony, the pastor washes the feet of the faithful.

[The role] reverses: The one who seems to be the greatest must do the work of a slave.”

– Pope Francis

Pope Francis kisses the foot of an inmate April 13 at Paliano prison outside of Rome as he celebrates Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The pontiff washed the feet of 12 inmates at the maximum security prison. (Photo credit: CNS/L’Osservatore Romano)

This gesture, he continued, is meant to “sow love among us” and that the faithful, even those in prison, can imitate Christ in the same manner.

“I ask that if you can perform a help or a service for

your companion here in prison, do it. This is love, this is like washing the feet. It means being the servant of the other,” the pope said.

Recalling another Gospel reading, in which Jesus tells

his disciples that the greatest among them must be at the service of others, Pope Francis said Christ put his words into action by washing his disciple’s feet and “it is what Jesus does with us.”

“For this reason, during this ceremony, let us think about Jesus. This isn’t a folkloric ceremony. It is a gesture to remind us of what Jesus gave us. After this, he took bread and gave us his body; he took wine and gave us his blood. This is the love of God,” the pope said.

Vatican Radio reported that several other inmates took an active role in the liturgy, including four who served as altar servers. Other inmates prepared homemade gifts for the pope, among them were two dessert cakes, a handcrafted wooden cross and fresh vegetables grown in the prison garden.

The evening Mass was the second of two Holy Thursday liturgies for Pope Francis. The first was a morning Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

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Pope to priests: Never separate truth, joy, mercy from the Gospel

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – Always preach the whole truth of the Gospel with humility and respect and never be afraid to offer that truth just “one sip at a time,” Pope Francis told the world’s priests.

The Gospel is truth, “brimming with joy and mercy. We should never attempt to separate these three graces of the Gospel: its truth, which is nonnegotiable; its mercy, which is unconditional and offered to all sinners; and its joy, which is personal and open to everyone,” he said April 13 during the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Presiding over the first of two Holy Thursday liturgies, Pope Francis blessed the oils that will be used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination and the anointing of the sick.

With Holy Thursday commemorating the day Jesus shared his priesthood with the apostles, Pope Francis led the more than 1,500 priests, bish- Pope Francis raises the Book of the Gospels as he celebrates Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s ops and cardinals in a renewal Basilica at the Vatican April 13. (Photo credit; CNS/Paul Haring) of their priestly vows and dedicated his homily to the impor- for those who do not let it fully tance of preaching with a joy and concretely shape people’s that touches people’s hearts. lives just “because they feel “The mercy of the good news can never “The priest makes the mes- more comfortable seeing it be a false commiseration, one that leaves sage joyful by his whole be- printed in book,” he said in a ing,” he said, and it is in “little homily delivered in Italian. sinners in their misery without holding out a things” that this joy is best “The mercy of the good hand to lift them up and help them take a shared. news can never be a false comFor example, he said, by miseration, one that leaves sinstep in the direction of change.” stepping into today’s “no man’s ners in their misery without – Pope Francis lands” to bring God’s mercy to holding out a hand to lift them forsaken situations, by picking up and help them take a step in up the phone and scheduling the direction of change,” Pope a needed meeting, by patiently Francis said.

The pope then offered priests Gospel in many, different ways allowing others “to take up our And the good news “can for every age, every person and three images of “three new time.” wineskins” so that the good never be gloomy or indiffer- every culture. he said.

The “good news” of the ent, for it expresses a joy that is These joys “need to be news may be full and contaGospel is not a thing, he said, completely personal,” coming poured into new wineskins,” gious, inclusive and concrete, but a mission that brings “de- from a father who cannot bear so that “the good news is kept meek and truthful. lightful and comforting joy” to to have even one of “his little fresh – and preserving it is necLike Mary and the stone wathe evangelizer. essary – without turning sour ter jars at the wedding feast of ones be lost.”

The truth of the good news The Holy Spirit always helps but being poured out in abun- Cana, be “filled to the brim,” can never be an abstract truth communicate the joys of the dance.” ready and willing to do God’s

will and courageously go out to assist others, the pope said.

Like St. Teresa of Kolkata and the Samaritan woman who drew water at the well for Jesus, be concrete and help Jesus in his mission, he said.

Just as Jesus called to the Samaritan woman, “I am thirsty,” he calls to everyone, and Mother Teresa heard him calling her to take him to the poor and be his light.

Mother Teresa was concrete with her smile and the tender way she touched people’s wounds, the pope said. Priests need to be like this -- concrete and tender, he added.

The last image is the “fathomless vessel of the Lord’s pierced heart, his utter meekness, humility and poverty which draw all people to himself,” he said.

Priests have to learn from Jesus that “announcing a great joy to the poor can only be done in a respectful, humble, and even humbling, way.”

“Evangelization cannot be presumptuous. The integrity of the truth cannot be rigid,” he said, because the truth was made flesh, was born a tender baby, and was a man who died on the cross.

The Holy Spirit teaches the whole truth, but “he is not afraid to do this one sip at a time.”

Let the Spirit tell “us in every situation what we need to say to our enemies” as he illuminates every small step forward.

“This meekness and integrity gives joy to the poor, revives sinners, and grants relief to those oppressed by the devil,” the pope said.

Later in the day, the pope was celebrated the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at a prison 45 miles from Rome, housing men and women who testified as a witness for the state against associates or accomplices. He washed the feet of 12 inmates.

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April 19, 2017

INTERNATIONAL

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Risen Christ calls all to follow him on path to life, pope says

By Cindy Wooden and Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – Jesus is the risen shepherd who takes upon his shoulders “our brothers and sisters crushed by evil in all its varied forms,” Pope Francis said before giving his solemn Easter blessing.

With tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square April 16, the pope called on Christians to be instruments of Christ’s outreach to refugees and migrants, victims of war and exploitation, famine and loneliness.

For the 30th year in a row, Dutch farmers and florists blanketed the area around the altar with grass and 35,000 flowers and plants: lilies, roses, tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, birch and linden.

Preaching without a prepared text, Pope Francis began – as he did the night before at the Easter Vigil – imagining the disciples desolate because “the one they loved so much was executed. He died.”

While they are huddling in fear, the angel tells them, “He is risen.” And, the pope said, the church continues to proclaim that message always and everywhere, including to those whose lives are truly, unfairly difficult.

“It is the mystery of the cornerstone that was discarded, but has become the foundation of our existence,” he said. And those who follow Jesus, “we pebbles,” find meaning even in the midst of suffering because of sure hope in the resurrection.

Pope Francis suggested everyone find a quiet place on Easter to reflect on their problems and the problems of the world and then tell God, “I don’t know how this will end, but I know Christ has risen.”

Almost immediately after the homily, a brief but intense rain began to fall on the crowd, leading people to scramble to find umbrellas, jackets or plastic bags to keep themselves dry.

After celebrating the morning Easter Mass, Pope Francis gave his blessing “urbi et orbi,” to the city of Rome and the world.

Before reciting the blessing, he told the crowd that “in every age, the risen shepherd tirelessly seeks us, his brothers and sisters, wandering in the deserts of this world. With the marks of the Passion – the wounds of his merciful love – he draws us

Pope Francis greets the crowd after delivering his Easter message and blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 16. (Photo credit: CNS/ Paul Haring)

to follow him on his way, the way of life.”

Christ seeks out all those in need, he said. “He comes to meet them through our brothers and sisters who treat them with respect and kindness and help them to hear his voice, an unforgettable voice, a voice calling them back to friendship with God.” Pope Francis mentioned a long list of those for whom the Lord gives special attention, including victims of human trafficking, abused children, victims of terrorism and people forced to flee their homes because of war, famine and poverty.

“In the complex and often dramatic situations of today’s world, may the risen Lord guide the steps of all those who work for justice and peace,” Pope Francis said. “May he grant the leaders of nations the courage they need to prevent the spread of conflicts and to put a halt to the arms trade.”

The pope also offered special prayers for peace in Syria, South Sudan, Somalia, Congo and Ukraine, and for a peaceful resolution of political tensions in Latin America.

The pope’s celebration of Easter got underway the night before in a packed St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Easter Vigil began with the lighting of the fire and Easter candle in the atrium of the basilica. Walking behind the

“In every age, the risen shepherd tirelessly seeks us, his brothers and sisters, wandering in the deserts of this world. With the marks of the Passion – the wounds of his merciful love – he draws us to follow him on his way, the way of life.”

– Pope Francis Easter candle and carrying a candle of his own, Pope Francis entered the basilica in darkness.

The basilica was gently illuminated only by candlelight and the low light emanating from cellphones capturing the solemn procession.

The bells of St. Peter’s pealed in the night, the sound echoing through nearby Roman streets, announcing the joy of the Resurrection.

During the vigil, Pope Francis baptized 11 people: five women and six men from Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, the United States, Albania, Malta, Malaysia and China.

One by one, the catechumens approached the pope who asked them if they wished to receive baptism. After responding, “Yes, I do,” they lowered their heads as the pope poured water over their foreheads.

Among them was Ali Acacius

Damavandy from the United States who smiled brightly as the baptismal waters streamed down his head.

In his homily, reflecting on the Easter account from the Gospel of St. Matthew, the pope recalled the women who went “with uncertain and weary steps” to Christ’s tomb.

The pope said the faces of those women, full of sorrow and despair, reflect the faces of mothers, grandmothers, children and young people who carry the “burden of injustice and brutality.”

The poor and the exploited, the lonely and the abandoned, and “immigrants deprived of country, house and family” suffer the heartbreak reflected on the faces of the women at the tomb who have seen “human dignity crucified,” he said.

However, the pope added, in the silence of death, Jesus’ heartbeat resounds and his res-

urrection comes as a gift and as “a transforming force” to a humanity broken by greed and war.

“In the Resurrection, Christ rolled back the stone of the tomb, but he wants also to break down all the walls that keep us locked in our sterile pessimism, in our carefully constructed ivory towers that isolate us from life, in our compulsive need for security and in boundless ambition that can make us compromise the dignity of others,” he said.

Pope Francis called on Christians to follow the example of the woman who, upon learning of Christ’s victory over death, ran to the city and proclaimed the good news in those places “where death seems the only way out.”

Presiding over the Stations of the Cross Good Friday, April 14, at Rome’s Colosseum, Pope Francis offered a prayer expressing both shame for the sins of humanity and hope in God’s mercy.

A crowd of about 20,000 people joined the pope at the Rome landmark. They had passed through two security checks and were watched over by a heavy police presence given recent terrorist attacks in Europe.

At the end of the service, Pope Francis recited a prayer to Jesus that he had composed.

“Oh Christ, our only savior, we turn to you again this year with eyes lowered in shame and with hearts full of hope.”

The shame comes from all the “devastation, destruction and shipwrecks that have become normal in our lives,” he said, hours after some 2,000 migrants were rescued in the Mediterranean Sea. The shame comes from wars, discrimination and the failure to denounce injustice.

Turning to the sexual abuse crisis, Pope Francis expressed “shame for all the times we bishops, priests, consecrated men and women have scandalized and injured your body, the church.”

But the pope also prayed that Christians would be filled with the hope that comes from knowing that “you do not treat us according to our merits, but only according to the abundance of your mercy.”

Christian hope, he said, means trusting that Jesus’ cross can “transform our hardened hearts into hearts of flesh capable of dreaming, forgiving and loving.”

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

PRAYER CALENDAR

MAY 2017

MAY 1 ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER Fr. Duane Pribula (retired) MAY 2 ST. ATHANASIUS, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH Fr. Bob Pryor (retired) MAY 3 STS. PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES Fr. Joe Richards MAY 4 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Jerry Rogers MAY 5 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Bob Schreiner MAY 6 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Luis Silva MAY 7 FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Fr. Bob Stone (retired) MAY 8 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Pat Sullivan MAY 9 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. David Super MAY 10 ST. DAMIEN DE VEUSTER, PRIEST Fr. Johnmelkies Suvakeen MAY 11 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Emmanuel Sylvester MAY 12 STS. NEREUS AND ACHILLEUS, MARTYRS; ST. PANCRAS, MARTYR Fr. Craig Vasek MAY 13 OUR LADY OF FATIMA Fr. Dennis Wieland MAY 14 FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Fr. Larry Wieseler (retired) MAY 15 ST. ISIDORE Fr. John Kleinwachter MAY 16 EASTER WEEKDAY Msgr. Donald Krebs (retired)

MAY 17 EASTER WEEKDAY Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner MAY 18 ST. JOHN I, POPE, MARTYR Bishop Victor H. Balke (retired) MAY 19 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Todd Arends MAY 20 ST. BERNARDINE OF SIENA, PRIEST Msgr. David Baumgartner MAY 21 SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Fr. Don Braukmann MAY 22 ST. RITA OF CASCIA, RELIGIOUS Fr. Luis Buitron MAY 23 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Tim Bushy MAY 24 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. John Christianson MAY 25 ST. BEDE THE VENERABLE, PRIEST, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH; ST. GREGORY VII, POPE; ST. MARY MAGDALENE DE PAZZI, VIRGIN Fr. John Cox, OMI MAY 26 ST. PHILIP NERI, PRIEST Fr. Bill DeCrans MAY 27 ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY Fr. Joe DeCrans (retired) MAY 28 THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Fr. Larry Delaney MAY 29 EASTER WEEKDAY Fr. Antony Fernando MAY 30 EASTER WEEKDAY Msgr. Mike Foltz MAY 31 THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Fr. Tom Friedl

VOCATION PRAYER OF POPE FRANCIS: God our Father, you made each of us to use our gifts in the Body of Christ. We ask that you inspire young people whom you call to priesthood and consecrated life to courageously follow your will. Send workers into your great harvest so that the Gospel is preached, the poor are served with love, the suffering are comforted, and Your people are strengthened by the sacraments. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER

April 19, 2017

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POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION

MAY 2017

(Photo credit: CNS)

CHRISTIANS IN AFRICA That Christians in Africa, in imitation of the Merciful Jesus, may give prophetic witness to reconciliation, justice, and peace.

DAILY SCRIPTURE MAY 1 - Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; Jn 6:22-29 MAY 2 - Acts 7:51-8A1a; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6-7b, 8a, 17, 21ab; Jn 6:30-35 MAY 3 - 1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19:2-5; Jn 14:6-14 MAY 4 - Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-9, 1617, 20; Jn 6:44-51 MAY 5 - Acts 9:1-20; Ps 117:1-2; Jn 6:52-59 MAY 6 - Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116:12-17; Jn 6:60-69 MAY 7 - Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps 23:1-6; 1 Pt 2:20b-25; Jn 10:1-10 MAY 8 - Acts 11:1-18; Ps 42:2-3; 43:3-4; Jn 10:11-18 MAY 9 - Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1-7; Jn 10:22-30 MAY 10 - Acts 12:24-13:5a; Ps 67:23, 5-6, 8; Jn 12:44-50 MAY 11 - Acts 13:13-25; Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25, 27; Jn 13:16-20 MAY 12 - Acts 13:26-33; Ps 2:6-11; Jn 14:1-6 MAY 13 - Acts 13:44-52; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 14:7-14 MAY 14 - Acts 6:1-7; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 Pt 2:4-9; Jn 14:1-12 MAY 15 - Acts 14:5-18; Ps 115:1-5, 15-16; Jn 14:21-26 MAY 16 - Acts 14:19-28; PS 145:1013ab, 21; Jn 14:27-31a

MAY 2017 MAY 17 - Acts 15:1-6; Ps 122:1-5; Jn 15:1-8 MAY 18 - Acts 15:7-21; Ps 96:1-3, 10; Jn 15:9-11 MAY 19 - Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57:8-10, 12; Jn 15:12-17 MAY 20 - Acts 16:1-10; Ps 100:1-3, 5; JN 15:18-21 MAY 21 - Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps 66:17, 16, 20; 1 Pt 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21 MAY 22 - Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1-6a, 9b; Jn 15:26-16:4a MAY 23 - Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8; Jn 16:5-11 MAY 24 - Acts 17:15, 22-18:1; Ps 148:1-2, 11-14; Jn 16:12-15 MAY 25 - Acts 18:1-8; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 16:16-20 MAY 26 - Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23 MAY 27 - Acts 18:23-28; Ps 47:2-3, 8-10; Jn 16:23b-28 MAY 28 - Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20 MAY 29 - Acts 19:1-8; Ps 68:2-7; Jn 16:29-33 MAY 30 - Acts 20:17-27; Ps 68:10-11, 20-21; JN 17:1-11a MAY 31 - Zep 3:14-18a or Rom 12:916; (Ps) Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6; Lk 1:3956

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OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE