OND Jan. A 2016 Vol. 70 No. 1

VOL. 70, NO. 1

WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG

JANUARY 13, 2016

Pro-life efforts planned in Diocese of Crookston Holy hour, walk to provide witness, mark 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND

Jan. 22 will be the 43rd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling that made abortion legal throughout the U.S. Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens use the day to express their dissent and publicly cry out for a change in the law as well as a change in the hearts of our nation to respect life. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops asks Catholics throughout the nation to observe this day as a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.

For those not able to attend the marches and rallies taking place at our national and state capitols, there are opportunities within the Diocese of Crookston to pray and witness to the sanctity of life.

PRAYING FOR CHANGE The Office of the New Evangelization is sponsoring a Holy Hour for Reparation and Healing at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston, on Jan. 22 from 7 – 8 p.m.

“Every January 22nd, we have an opportunity to understand once again and teach others about God’s love for every human life, as well as to remember that each one of us is made in his image and that we are all unique and unrepeatable,” said Amanda Zurface, Coordinator of Justice, Marriage & Family Life for the Diocese of Crookston’s Office of the New Evangelization.

Zurface emphasized three purposes for holding the holy hour: “To make reparation or ask for forgiveness, to seek God’s healing for all those who have been involved in abortions … and to come together as a

INSIDE VOL. 70. NO. 1:

diocesan community to adore Jesus together, asking for his mercy and begging for a culture of life.”

She said, “Through our adoration and worship of Jesus in the monstrance, we are making actual contact with the very wellspring of grace. This is immeasurably powerful … it’s the perfect place to bring our cares, concerns, joys and – in this case – the biggest tragedy of our day: abortion.”

Father Robert Schreiner, director of the Office of the New Evangelization will preside at the holy hour and offer a short homily.

People who are unable to travel to Crookston to participate in the holy hour are encouraged to contact their parish to see if any similar events will be held. The Minnesota Catholic Conference has also made a list of ideas for acts of reparation. The list can be viewed at www.crookston.org/mcc.

MARCHING FOR LIFE In addition to public witness through prayer, there is an opportunity for people of all faiths to take action and make their opinions heard through the Right to Life March in Bemidji on Jan. 23.

The ecumenical event will begin at noon outside the Beltrami County Courthouse at 701 Minnesota Ave. A short prayer will be said and then those gathered will walk approximately one mile, ending at St. Philip’s Catholic Church.

Following the walk, the Knights of Columbus will serve a simple meal. The March for Life Committee has invited Janelle Gergen of Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks, to give a short speech. Gergen will speak about her second child, PRO-LIFE: Continued on Page 7

Pg. 3 - Middle School Youth Rally Preview Pg. 6 - Spotlight on Catholic Schools Pg. 7 - OSB Sister Bridget Durkin Obituary

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January 13, 2016

A

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Voice from the Valley

BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER

HAPPY NEW YEAR A very happy and blessed New Year to each and every one. For so many folks, maybe you included, as a new year begins it’s time again for new New Year’s resolutions to change and improve oneself (and maybe even the world too). I, for one, like to go on retreat every January. I have done so consistently since being ordained a priest in 1975 and now, January is the month when the bishops of our region go on retreat. I find the beginning of the new year is a good time to pause, reflect and ask God’s guidance for the path to follow in the new year. As a new year begins, we might consider whether we really need a new New Year’s resolution or rather just renew our resolve and energy for what is really an old resolution. That resolution is the resolution of faith: to journey with Jesus every day of the year.

“Jesus did not come to teach a philosophy, an ideology but rather ‘a way,’ a journey to be undertaken with him, and we learn the way as we go, by walking.” (Pope Francis) As the old song put it, “to see Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, follow Thee more nearly, day by day.”

Now that’s a great resolution that certainly will make for an exciting new year. And certainly, as we put our energy into this, Jesus will continue to teach us as we go. Jesus will show us how our human life, bonded now as it is through baptism with Je-

sus’ own divine life, can shine and flourish all the more. Oh, we know there will be crosses; life has its crosses. But Jesus will bring us through those crosses just as he himself came through his cross to the glory of resurrected life. In this exciting year, we will know peace, his peace, the peace the world cannot give. This year, we will know joy, the joy of God’s love that Jesus brings to us as we journey with him, so that his joy may be ours and our joy may be complete. And when we, walking with Jesus, encounter those in need, Jesus will show us the way to be compassionate. It is, after all, an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy and Jesus is, as Pope Francis wrote in the bull of indiction, “the face of the Father’s mercy.” With renewed energy, in this new year we too will be a face of mercy, a hand of compassion, bringing Christ’s peace and joy to those in need. With a resolution like this, not only will we improve, so too will our world.

As Pope Francis says, a compassionate church “provides a beacon of hope… You…help to change the course of your local communities, your states, your country, and the world by your witness to that encounter with the Lord Jesus who gives us abundant life and joy.” Yes, let us continue our resolve to walk each day with Jesus. That’s a resolution that we know for sure will bring us – and the world – an exciting new year.

PRAY FOR LIFE Jan. 22, 2016, marks the 43rd

Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner hosted Msgr. Michael Foltz, and Office of Vocations staff, Father Xavier Ilango and Father Vincent Miller, and the diocesan seminarians for a Christmas gathering Dec. 23. (Photo credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)

anniversary of the Supreme Court’s getting it wrong when it comes to life. It is the 43rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

Since then, 56 million children’s lives have been lost to abortion, and millions of others have suffered from these tragic deaths.

I invite you to join millions of Catholics across our country to join in a novena for a Culture of Life by offering special prayer beginning Jan. 16, and continuing through Jan. 24.

Pray a Rosary for Life each day; use materials easily obtained at www.usccb.org; celebrate Mass on Jan. 22, the day designated by the Roman Missal as a special day for prayer and penance called “the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.” We are asked to observe this day described by the missal as, “a particular day of prayer for the full restitution of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for

BISHOP’S CALENDAR

the violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.” In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we ask for God’s mercy and help.

‘CATHOLIC SCHOOLS: COMMUNITIES OF FAITH, KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICE’ This is the theme for this year’s National Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 31 – Feb. 6. Each year during Catholic Schools Week, we express our gratitude for the great service

the teachers, administrators and staff give to our young people who attend Catholic schools in the Diocese of Crookston.

We also thank the many parents, grandparents and parish members who sacrifice to make our Catholic schools possible. All the hard work and sacrifice are so worth it as our Catholic schools truly provide “an advantage for life” for our young people. That’s what I call Catholic school education, “an advantage for life.” I have mentioned this before, but research continues to show that Catholic schools matter. They offer quality Catholic instruction in the faith and quality academic education in a safe environment. Data continues to show high national test scores, high graduation rates, and higher church participation after graduation for Catholic school students. Thanks to all who make our “Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service” possible for the enrichment of our young people and Church.

(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:

Rev. Robert Schreiner Office of the New Evangelization, Director

January 16

5:00 p.m.

Rite of Confirmation, St. John’s, Nebish

January 17

8:00 a.m.

Rite of Confirmation, St. Patrick’s, Kelliher

Associate Editor:

January 17

11:30 a.m.

Rite of Confirmation, St. Ann’s, Blackduck

Editorial Assistant: Mrs. Katrina Genereux

kgenereux@crookston.org

January 19

7:45 a.m.

Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

January 19

6:00 p.m.

Diocesan Annual Appeal Banquet, Cathedral, Crookston

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.

Proofreader:

Mrs. Janelle C. Gergen jgergen@crookston.org

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: http://www.crookston.org/ond/

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

DIOCESAN

January 13, 2016

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Year of Mercy is inspiration for youth rally theme

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND

On April 16, middle school students of the Diocese of Crookston will have a unique opportunity to explore the presence of mercy in their lives.

The 2016 Diocesan Middle School Youth Rally will be held from 12 – 8:30 p.m. at Hawley High School in Hawley, Minn. Any students currently in grades six through eight are invited to attend. Interested families should speak to their director of religious education, youth minister or pastor about registering for the event. Registration forms are also available online at www.crookston.org/ events/diocese-of-crookston/ diocesan-middle-school-youthrally.

In response to Pope Francis’ call for the world to celebrate a Jubilee Year of Mercy, the theme for the youth rally is Make Way for Mercy.

Mark Hollcraft, the Associate Director of the Office of the New Evangelization and Coordinator of Catechesis and Youth Ministry, said he has been working closely with St. Andrew’s, Hawley and volunteers from the Southwest Deanery to develop the environment and other details of the diocesan youth rally.

Throughout the event, the students will hear from keynote speaker Nic Davidson, celebrate Mass with Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner and attend a

selection of break-out sessions.

They will also have the opportunity for recreation similar to high school youth rallies with a 3x3 basketball tournament, dance with DJ Bill Lage and other activities. In keeping with the theme, the planning team hopes to provide ways for attendees to learn about and participate in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

According to Hollcraft, the keynote address will focus on God’s mercy through the Year of Mercy as well as suggesting creative ways to encounter Christ in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Davidson’s website states he has been working as a Catholic youth minister missionary, speaker and author since joining the Catholic Church in 2008.

Renata Kingsbury, Youth Minister at St. Mary’s, Warroad, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the day.

Hollcraft hopes students who attend will experience, “an encounter with Jesus Christ’s mercy and see how his Church is the ultimate vehicle of encountering God’s mercy.”

He believes it is important for the diocese and parishes to reach out to students in this age group. “Over the years, ministry studies have shown that when a family and parish get involved at an earlier age, they are more likely to stay involved, not only through high school, but also to have a stronger foundation through their college years.

Nic Davidson, keynote speaker for the April 16 Middle School Youth Rally. (Submitted photo)

This is not just a positive impact to the middle school teen involved, but also impacts their family,” Hollcraft said. “[It] not only invites active participation from the teen and their family, but draws these families and teens into an authentic, deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Their participation in the Church is no longer just an act of service, but a response to a real relationship between that teen and Jesus through the Catholic faith and all of its riches,” he added.

The theme of mercy at the mid-April youth rally will carry through to the St. John Paul II Middle School Camp this summer. Families are asked to consider sending their middleschool-aged children to one or both of these events, and are encouraged to contact their youth minister or pastor for more information.

Your parish youth minister

The theme for the 2016 Middle School Youth Rally is Make Way for Mercy, as seen in this poster. The theme coincides with the Year of Mercy being celebrated by the universal Church. (Submitted image)

Diocesan schools and 12 parishes receive Faith For Tomorrow grants OND Staff Reports

Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner and the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) have announced recipients of grants from the 2015 Faith For Tomorrow Endowment.

CCF received 39 Faith For Tomorrow grant applications from 12 parishes within the Diocese of Crookston. The board approved 30 of the requests – some were fully funded, others partially.

The following parishes received a portion of the $48,244 awarded by the CCF board: Assumption, Barnesville; St. Philip’s, Bemidji; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston; Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks; St. Mary’s, Fosston; Blessed Sacrament, Greenbush; St. Michael’s, Mahnomen; St. Francis de Sales’, Moorhead;

St. Joseph’s, Moorhead; St. Francis Xavier’s, Oklee; St. Bernard’s, Thief River Falls and St. Mary’s, Warroad.

The committee also voted to distribute close to 25 percent of the available funds among the eight Catholic schools in the Diocese of Crookston.

Cathedral School, Crookston; St. Bernard’s School, Thief River Falls; St. Joseph’s School, Moorhead; St. Mary’s Mission School, Red Lake; St. Michael’s School, Mahnomen; St. Philip’s School, Bemidji; and Sacred Heart School, East Grand Forks each received $2,180.

The Faith For Tomorrow Grant is funded by the diocesan Faith Formation Endowment.

The endowment’s funding priorities for grant cycles from 2015 – 2020 are: Continuing education for lay leaders, parish religious education and forma-

tion, Catholic school subsidy and evangelization.

Some of the projects that received funding during this grant cycle are: • A couples’ night out event for the purpose of encouraging faithful members in their journeys and reaching out to those who have fallen away.

• Textbooks, workbooks, teacher guides and DVDs for religious education programs.

• Bible study programs for youth and adults.

• A television and a DVD player for religious education classes to watch videos included in religious education curricula.

• A Year of Mercy enrich-

ment program to be offered in a Bible study setting.

• A campus ministry program that provides home cooked meals for college students following Mass.

• Family-based activities combined with religious education programs for Grades 1-5 to help strengthen relationships between families and the parish.

• Lenten retreat for women.

• An introductory session on Natural Family Planning open to all who want to learn about NFP. • Summer programs for elementary and high school students.

• NET retreat for middle school students.

• A deacon’s continuing grief counseling education.

• Assistance sending a youth minister to the St. John Bosco Conference for formation in catechesis and the New Evangelization.

• A mission week and adult faith formation workshop customized for members of the Hispanic community.

• Part-time Hispanic Ministry coordinator to help with organizing Spanish Mass, sacramental preparation and outreach to the Hispanic community.

For more information about the Faith For Tomorrow grant program or to learn how to apply for the next grant cycle, visit: www.crookston.org/ccf.

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January 13, 2016

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Merciful as the father: Psalm 41 “As for me I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me’…”

(Psalm 41:4) Nothing is so isolating as pain. Physical pain. Emotional pain. Psychological pain. Pain never is satisfied with where it has landed. It seems driven to spread itself. So pain in one place often triggers pain in other places. With a promise of remedy, the pain is bearable … for a while. Hope staunches the spread of it … for a while. But if the pain endures, or worse – if it weaves and dodges out of one’s awareness alternately suggesting relief quickly following with the announcement of its return like crashing wave after wave upon the shores of our consciousness – then, hope’s flame can waver and sometimes flicker out into a smoldering wick of what might have been.

The darkness, then, which inhabits the mind, body and soul seems to become the very definition of “aloneness.” But the aloneness experienced with pain is unique in so far as it is more than being simply that: alone. It is also a sense of intense isolation; of being shut

CREDO A NEW EVANGELIZATION WITNESS

By Father Robert Schreiner, S.T.L.

Director of the Office of the New Evangelization

out of others’ understanding and of being shut within one’s own experience. It leaves one with a sense of having no outlet which could lead to communion with another, even with those with whom once there was a deep and profound communion of love and friendship.

“My enemies say of me in malice: ‘When will he die and his name perish?’ And when one comes to me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers mischief.” (Psalm 41: 5-6) “All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.” (Psalm 41: 7) “They say … ‘he will not rise from where he lies.’ Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted who ate of my bread,

has lifted his heel against me.”

(Psalm 41:8-9) Is this the fate of the suffering ones? Is this the cross of the pained among us that God would impose a burden so isolating that no one can be sent to them? Can no one reach across the abyss of solitary darkness and offer a hand which lifts up hope, or a word of kindness which rekindles the flame by which we can see another’s caring face – a look of compassionate understanding?

No. Of course not. Such isolation for his children is far from the mind of God – the Father of the crucified one. One and one alone who could bear it was given it to bear and redeem. It is done. Hope – rooted in him

– cannot be quenched by even the strongest gales of pain’s brutality upon the soul. Our God is a god of eternal mercy who never ceases to reach out to the suffering and to the lost so as to find and to heal them.

“The Lord delivers the poor in the day of trouble; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land … The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you heal all his infirmities.” (Psalm 41:2-3) It is for the suffering one to allow the occasion of the pain not to turn into self-isolating darkness, but rather with each wave to become, instead, the occasion for a litany of praise to the God of Mercy. Faith in the Divine Mercy roots hope in a never-ending font and source of power. Remedy – for all that the earth may fail or succeed in its attempts for a limited success – can never be matched by the divine remedy of mercy.

Only Divine Mercy can complete any remedy for the one who seeks it. Thus does one pray: “O Lord be gracious to me and heal me …”

And more to ponder: “Blessed is he who considers the poor!” (Psalm 41:1) Not only is it incomprehensible to the mind of God that any of his children should be left without light or hope in their pain, providing thus as he does the remedy of Divine Mercy, but he also provides ambassadors of this mercy. He sends the faithful to the suffering with a hand which can lift up hope to the weary heart and to utter a word of faith to rekindle the light. To us comes the call, the mission and the blessedness of a life which seeks out the suffering and becomes that hand and that word. We are sent to be that face of compassion and love which reveals the face of Divine Mercy to our brothers and sisters. They are not meant for pain’s isolation, but by his will are to be held deeply within the communion of God’s love.

Thus it is that you and I can become merciful like the father.

Blessed are they who bring mercy to those in pain and suffering leaving them isolated and alone no longer …

Let your servant go in peace: Part 1 Editor’s note: This is the first of a six-part series discussing the Church’s teaching and sacraments surrounding the end of life. Through this column, the Office of Worship will reflect on the call to bury the dead as part of the corporal works of mercy during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Let your servant go in peace: This was part of Simeon’s prayer of praise as recorded in the Gospel of Luke when he was graced with seeing the Messiah with his own eyes.

How blessed he and Anna were to have lived so long! We in the 21st century seem to struggle with the whole reality of death and dying. On one hand, our society glorifies it, calling it the ultimate sacrifice, lifting up those who have fallen in the line of duty, and rightly so.

And parents (and all involved in forming young minds, souls, and hearts) are very aware of popular video-games played by their children and teens, not to mention the movies that adults (and older teens) frequent. And then, on the other hand, denying it with a constant barrage of advertisements for drugs and creams and numerous con-

FROM THE OFFICE OF: WORSHIP AND LITURGY

By Mrs. Mary Dahl

Director of the Office of Worship and Liturgy

coctions that will help us rejuvenate, renew, and reinvigorate ourselves (and even our pets) so that we will live with “quality” seemingly forever.

How does being a Catholic these days matter when it comes to death and dying?

In these next few articles, I will briefly present what our Church teaches and offers for us to consider when we come to this threshold of our lives.

As we celebrate and respect the beginning of our human life, we are called to celebrate and respect the ending of it as well.

A continuous garment woven with threads of joy and sorrow, as well as the mundane and ordinary, each unique and worthy of time spent. We await a birth for nine months … we do not

always have the luxury of time to “await” a death.

During this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, works of mercy by the faithful are especially highlighted. The Catholic Church has traditionally encouraged her children to understand the practice of merciful love by dividing these works of mercy into two kinds: corporal (that is, bodily) and spiritual.

The corporal works are: Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit those in prison, comfort the sick and bury the dead. We have been encouraged to expand the literal words into everyday opportunities: giving to food banks, donating monies to organizations which build wells and visiting those

who are homebound.

How well do we incorporate or celebrate that seventh work of mercy in this day and age?

As I was growing up, my parents seemed to always be “going to the funeral home” for someone in our small town of 3,000. Their sense of being there for the families of the deceased, no matter if they were blood-related or not, or if they were Catholic or not, was everpresent. The deceased or the grief-stricken had been their

neighbors, friends, coworkers or even classmates. As I’ve entered mature adulthood and have said good-bye to my parents-in-law and my dad, I have received the grace of experiencing the gift of time given to me and my loved ones through the rites offered by our Catholic tradition.

In paragraph 10 of Pope Francis’ document, “Misericordiae Vultus” (The Face of Mercy), he writes: “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy.” One of my professors used to chide me when I would talk of the Church as a thirdperson entity. He reminded me with a gentle smile, “Remember, even as a student, you are the Church as well.” So when Pope Francis writes and speaks of how mercy is foundational, I always need to remember mercy is to be the foundation of my life. Next issue’s topic: The Last Rites – Care of the Dying.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

January 13, 2016

5

Minnesota politics in the Year of Mercy The current Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis is an opportunity to reconsider how the creative force of mercy can be extended to the realm of public policy. Though the aim of law is to establish justice, it can be enriched by a life-giving mercy that seeks to restore and maintain right relationships – the true aim of justice.

Otherwise, the execution of justice can become merely the impersonal application of commands.

Some appeals for mercy in public life are justified, while others are actually pity or false compassion posing as mercy.

Distinguishing one from the other requires that we are attentive to the truth of things, including our shortcomings both as individuals and as a society, as well as God’s providential ordering of creation known through revelation and the natural law. Two issues in particular highlight the proper and improper application of mercy to public policy: mass incarceration policies and proposals to legalize physician-assisted suicide.

CLEMENCY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

By Mr. Jason Adkins

Executive Director Minnesota Catholic Conference

The United States is the world’s most aggressive incarcerator, containing only five percent of the world’s population but holding 25 percent of its prisoners.

A bipartisan consensus is emerging, however, that mass incarceration policies are not the primary source of the continued decline in crime, but have actually become counterproductive, too financially burdensome, and even inhumane – particularly for non-violent offenders who comprise almost half of the state prison population.

Besides the strain on public budgets, there are significant social costs to mass incarceration. For example, there are 2.7 million minor children with a parent behind bars. More than one in nine black children have

a parent incarcerated. Mass incarceration has disrupted marriage rates and will no doubt contribute to negative outcomes among affected children who spend part or all of their childhood without one parent.

So what can be done? As Minnesota’s prison population reaches capacity, it may be worth considering three reforms that manifest mercy to offenders but at the same time make our criminal justice system more just by healing and restoring social relationships in a way that is consistent with public safety.

First, Minnesota should consider recalibrating its criminal penalties and sentencing guidelines, especially for non-violent offenses that have been particularly harmful to young men from minority communities

and which have put their lives on a difficult trajectory. Second, Minnesota could reform the practices of its Board of Pardons to allow for reprieves or commutations of sentences when warranted. Third, Minnesota should restore the vote to felony offenders who have completed their time of incarceration and are living and working in the community under supervised release (probation or parole).

‘MERCY’ KILLING IS A FAILURE TO LOVE Minnesotans will begin hearing much more about legalizing physician-assisted suicide in 2016. It is claimed that assisting someone’s suicide is the “compassionate” and “merciful” thing to do so that people do not experience prolonged suffering and can “die with dignity.”

But sending someone home with a vial of pills to end their life is not merciful. As Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia has written: “The moral law guides us toward choices that are life-giving, and true mercy is always intimately linked to truth. Indulging our own or another’s flawed choices

in the supposed service of mercy defeats mercy’s true goal.”

Compassion literally means to “suffer with,” and true mercy emphasizes the relational care that the sick and suffering deserve—and that we owe them.

Assisting a suicide, on the other hand, is merely a small and misguided act of pity, and legalizing it would indeed be pitiful— an utter failure by this state to make the policy choice to accompany people in a difficult stage of life so they need not “feel like a burden” (sadly, one of the main reasons cited by people wishing to receive “aid in dying”).

Minnesota should instead enact creative programs in the areas of palliative care, advance care planning, healthcare workforce development and social assistance to ensure that no one feels coerced into ending their life prematurely because they lack other options or adequate care.

In these ways, by properly applying mercy to public policy issues such as mass incarceration and physician-assisted suicide, we can more fully live out God’s mercy in this Jubilee Year.

One last thought to ponder at the close of Christmas As this issue reaches your mailbox I know the Christmas tree, ornaments and Nativity set will all be returned to their proper places for storage. The Christmas season may be over but I ask that we consider one more perspective inspired by the Christmas story.

It hit me on the Feast of the Epiphany. Preparing for that weekend’s homily I could not get out of my mind one specific fact: the three kings – the royalty of earth – found the King of the Universe in a barn, in a feed trough, with the smells of the farm heavy in the air.

Maybe that is not a profound insight for you but, for some reason, it was for me.

The Savior, the source of all hope, the creator of the stars and all that exists beyond them, came to be born in a barn because there was no room for him anywhere else in the world.

No room for God on earth … it seems, at times that is still true.

I heard on the news last week how still another small fishing

LIFE FIRST

By Father Don Braukmann

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

boat crammed with 50 refugees fleeing ISIS was rescued near Greece, just before it sank.

There was a dad on the boat weeping when the rescuers found them. He could not find his son and he quickly learned, as they left the sinking boat, his boy was no longer in the boat; he was nowhere to be found. It was as if there was no room for him, in that boat, on this earth.

Is there really no room on this planet for those who must run away from ISIS? I don’t claim to have an answer but is there really, really no room for a father who is trying to save his son from a life of terror? Is “No Vacancy” really the Ameri-

can response? Is there no room for refugees running for their lives from ISIS while I sleep in a warm house with five empty bedrooms and a full fridge?

The first time Jesus was rejected and told there was no room for him was when he was in Mary’s womb. The innkeeper seemed to speak for the whole world when he said, “NO! You are not welcome. There is no room for you in this place and certainly not in our hearts.”

No room in the world for a child in the womb? Things really haven’t changed, have they?

Is there no room for the homeless in our community because of the fear of having

them in our neighborhood?

The Bemidji public school system has to have a social worker on staff who deals with homeless students! We have poured money into the development of our water front and are raising money to save an old library, worthy causes to be sure, but we have to have a position at the school to care for homeless children?

The teaching of the Catholic Church is clear when it comes to our definition of marriage. It is a core teaching of our faith, but does that mean there is no room for those with same sex attraction in our pews or in our homes?

Is there no way we can help the unemployed? Help pay the cost of education for our youth (the key to freedom!)? Provide quality health care for mind and body? All these needs while on Jan. 3, most of us watched Adrian Peterson, the running back for the Vikings, make $962,000 in that single game. It didn’t matter if the Vikings won or not, he made $25,000 each

time he touched the ball. That same night, Aaron Rodgers of the Packers made $1,375,000.

And finally, is there no room for Jesus in our hearts because we don’t have time, we don’t want to be too religious, or the schedule just makes it inconvenient?

In all of these questions I am speaking to myself as well. I don’t have the answers to many things but I pray by asking the questions, we can, together, seek Christ’s answer.

Is there room for Jesus on this planet? In the Catholic Church? In our nation? In our parishes?

In our families? In our schools? In our wombs? In our relationships? In our marriages? In our hearts?

Lord, Jesus, you slipped into the world as a baby. Stars became radiant. Animals bowed low.

Shepherds fell to their knees.

Earthly kings left their thrones.

Jesus … slip into our hearts … here … now … as we are.

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January 13, 2016

SPECIAL SERIES: CATHOLIC EDUCATION

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Spotlight on Catholic Education: Sacred Heart School As Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner visits Catholic classrooms throughout the Diocese of Crookston, OND will shine a light on the uniqueness of these eight schools.

Sacred Heart School Highlights Location: 200 Third Street NW, East Grand Forks.

Enrollment: 390 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Sacred Heart School, East Grand Forks. (Submitted photo)

A FEW THOUGHTS FROM SACRED HEART SCHOOL PRESIDENT, CARL ADOLPHSON The reasons he is passionate about working in Catholic Education: Having the ability to set a

life-long foundation in a child’s faith is what keeps me passionate! Where else can you help form a child in a way which will set the stage for their entire lives and hopefully move them toward eternal life with our Lord and Savior? I’m honored to have this responsibility and feel very passionate about our mission!

Why he encourages parents to choose Catholic education: It is the best investment you

could make for your child! They not only get a top notch Adolphson academic education, they also learn the foundations of the faith and begin forming a personal relationship with Christ. At a Catholic school, the children learn that God isn’t just a part of our lives on Sundays and at home. It helps form a student as a child of Christ and by partnering with parents, a Catholic education will put them in a position to form a solid faith life. What more incentive does one need if that’s the case? The individualized instruction available in a small school is a big plus. Also, the old saying, “You are who your friends are” usually holds true. For the most part, at a Catholic school you will give your child the opportunity to form friendships and hang around with children and families who have similar values, hopes and dreams for their children and really value education. Many of our parents are really child-focused in their family dynamics, and they tend to quickly connect with one another because they share the same values. You are really setting your child up for success by choosing a Catholic education.

Website: www.sacredheartegf.net/school Mascot: Eagles.

Theme for the 2015-2016 school year: Community, Faith & Service.

Mission

statement:

Founded upon our Benedictine heritage of prayer and work, Sacred Heart Catholic School promotes faith in Jesus Christ, educates youth and ministers to all.

The ways Sacred Heart School maintains its Catholic Identity through: Daily morning prayer, adoration, rosary, Liturgy of the Hours, lectio divina and other forms of prayer. Students celebrate weekly school Mass, and take part in youth nights, theosis speakers, and religion curriculum approved by the USCCB, as well as Christmas programs, service projects, etc.

Community outreach: The school participates in multiple service projects that build the themes of community, family, and service. They also participate in grade-specific service projects with the Catholic schools in Grand Forks, which are a part of the Diocese of Fargo.

SNAPSHOTS OF SACRED HEART SCHOOL

Elementary students touch a blue-tongued skink during a visit from the environmental science class.

The high school students presented each animal to the classroom and spoke about their habitat, anatomy and other facts. (Submitted photo)

The Sacred Heart girl’s basketball team poses with their first place trophy at the NCTC Christmas tournament. (Submitted photo)

Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner delivers a homily to the high school students at Mass on Dec. 18. (Photo credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

AROUND THE DIOCESE

January 13, 2016

7

PRO-LIFE: Continued from Page 1

JohnPaul Gergen who was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a fatal illness, at 18 weeks gestation.

Gergen and her husband, Ben, were committed to carrying him to term, not knowing what the length of his life outside the womb would be. She will also speak about the importance of Minnesota’s Prenatal Trisomy Diagnosis Awareness Act that was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Mark Dayton in 2015. The law helps support parents who receive adverse prenatal diagnosis by requiring medical professionals to provide them with resources that promote the choice of life.

One of the goals of this event is to help raise awareness of life issues such as those faced by the Gergen family.

Lisa Beyer is a parishioner at St. Philip’s Bemidji, and is involved in the St. Gianna pro-life group at the parish. She spoke about the importance of the march, saying, “It is surely much easier to remain at home to pray for abortion laws to be overturned – and much more comfortable. ... We have to be visible to let others know that we are not giving up and will continue to witness until abortion ends.”

Angel Krigbaum and her husband, Hank, have been involved in the planning of these marches for many years. Angel said their involvement is personal because they have an adopted son. “He may not have been my son … but she chose life instead of death,” she said.

Krigbaum is also on the board of the Northwoods Pregnancy Care Center (NPCC).

“It’s a sin that our nation has this abortion and now it’s been two generations at least, now it’s just part of daily living,” Krigbaum said. She said the Right to Life March is “our way of reinvigorating people and getting them to realize what they’re doing and what is happening.”

Beyer said, “The march is really about love … I feel for the women and girls seeking or having had abortions as much as the babies. It is my prayer that hearts and minds of others on the opposite side of life can be changed by our prayers and witnessing.”

Elizabeth Upgren is the chairwoman of the board for NPCC. She said her involvement with the pro-life movement began because of her strong feelings about the sanctity of life.

“I was a young teenager when Roe v. Wade was passed and it changed our country and that just had a huge impact on me,” she said.

The pregnancy center just moved to its new location at 609 Bemidji Ave, Bemidji, and is within walking distance of Bemidji State University. Upgren said the clientele has doubled each year the center has been open. She is excited that the center has an ultrasound machine so soon; she expected it to take at least five years.

“Statistically they say 70 to 80 percent of girls who see the child or even see the heartbeat of the child ... carry to full term,” Upgren said.

The center has been very involved with local churches. According to Upgren that’s where most of the center’s financial and spiritual support comes from.

Upgren attends the Right to Life March, and says people usually like to have an update about the pregnancy care center.

She said the march sometimes makes the issue more visible for people in the community.

“At least for the moments we’re out there marching, it can reach

A large pro-life sign is carried at the front of the Right to Life March in Bemidji Jan. 17, 2015. This year, the march will be held Jan. 23, one day after the 43rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling. (OND file photo)

people better than the center itself because there’s a bunch of us out there on the road marching with signs and it definitely makes people stop and think,” Upgren said.

A member of the community told Upgren about a mother and her teenage daughter who drove by the march one year.

The girl asked about it and her mother explained what the marchers stood for.

“She was abortion minded, and seeing that group marching changed her mind,” Upgren said. “I don’t know how many stories are out there like that, but I know there was one.”

“I don’t know if it is enough,” Angel Krigbaum said. “I don’t know if it’s ever enough because we haven’t changed the law … but I do think people are becoming more aware of it. …

That’s what we’re trying for.”

Benedictine Sister Bridget Durkin, 83, dies Sister Bridget Durkin, 83, passed away at Riverview Care Center, Crookston, on Jan. 3.

Bridget Durkin was born on Feb. 5, 1932, in Ardoch, N.D., to John and Martha (Lapinski) Durkin as one of their nine children. Bridget received her elementary education in a oneroom country school in Walsh County, N.D., and later graduated from Mount Saint Benedict Academy. Bridget was baptized, received her first Eucharist and was confirmed in Saint John the Baptist Church in Ardoch.

She was confirmed by Bishop Aloisius Muench, later Cardinal Muench.

Bridget was first inspired to become a sister by the Presentation Sisters who taught her for two weeks of summer religious education. She later considered the Maryknoll Sisters because she admired their work as missionaries, and she felt that she wanted to serve God as they did. Eventually she became acquainted with the Benedictine Sisters from Mount Saint Benedict Monastery. She was attracted to both Mount Saint

Sister Bridget Durkin

Benedict Academy and the monastic community by the friendliness of the students and the sisters. She wrote that she felt that all were treated as if each one was important. She was attracted by their “friendliness with each other, no cliques or class distinctions between rich and poor.” She was drawn not only by the friendliness of the place but also because she felt that everywhere there “seemed to be music – everyone seemed to be singing – Mass, the conservatory, the girls’ chorus, the

chant of the sisters singing the Divine Office.”

Bridget entered Mount Saint Benedict Monastery on Jan. 3, 1954, and was invested in the Benedictine habit on July 2, 1954, when she was received into the novitiate and was given the name Sister Romana. Later, she returned to her baptismal name. She pronounced her temporary commitment as a Benedictine sister a year later.

She made her final monastic profession on July 11, 1960.

Sister Bridget received an Associate of Arts degree from Corbett College in Crookston.

She generously shared her gifts in caring for the chapel at the Mount and in working in the garden. Her work in the garden was long and arduous, and marked by pride in the success of the garden in providing vegetables for Saint Vincent’s Nursing Home, Saint Francis Hospital, Mount Saint Benedict Academy and the monastery, plus many disadvantaged people. Her flower gardens yielded beautiful blooms for the chapel as well as other parts of the

monastery.

Her work as sacristan was meticulous. The linens used on the altar were perfectly pressed; the utensils used for flower arrangements were cleaned and stored immaculately; candlesticks and candelabra never had a speck of dried wax on them. Sister Bridget had an artistic nature that was exhibited in a multitude of ways but especially in gorgeous arrangements of flowers that adorned the altar. On the occasion of her 25th jubilee of monastic profession, she was extremely proud to receive a message from Benedictine Father Roger Schoenbechler, who wrote, “I am sending you a copy of my translation of The Book of Psalms. Kindly accept it with my compliments as a token of gratitude to you for the years of faithfulness you did in the sacristy at the Mount, providing daily for the Holy Sacrifice.”

Sister Bridget treasured this communication for the rest of her life. Sister Bridget celebrated her 60th jubilee of monastic profession on July 26, 2015.

Sister Bridget’s artistic gifts also manifested themselves in the creation of woodcarvings as a member of Valley Woodcarvers.

When Sister Bridget was asked what the one thing she was most grateful for was, she said, “That I am a Benedictine Sister, especially in this community, Mount Saint Benedict.”

Sister Bridget was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Theodore, Joseph and John, sisters Betty Staskivige, Vernie Drege and Helen Bearson. Sister Bridget is survived by her sisters, Evelyn (Walter) Paschke and Madonna (Lowell) Barsness, many nieces and nephews and the Sisters of Saint Benedict of Crookston.

Reception of Sister Bridget’s body was at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, with visitation until the 7 p.m. prayer service. Sister Bridget’s funeral was at 11 a.m. on Jan. 7, with Msgr. Roger Grundhaus presiding. All services were held in Sacred Heart Chapel at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, 620 Summit Ave. Crookston.

8

January 13, 2016

KC’s donate coats

Dilworth Knights of Columbus deliver coats to Dilworth Elementary.

Tony Riniker and Chuck Breid brought the coats to the school and took a photo with the children. (Submitted photo)

AROUND THE DIOCESE

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

St. Michael’s School creates live Nativity

Students at St. Michael’s School, Mahnomen, dress in costume and reenact events surrounding the birth of Jesus. (Submitted photo)

Celebrating Confirmation

Nationally known radio host, author, mother to speak at Real Presence Radio annual banquet

St. Mary’s, Badger. (Submitted photo)

Jennifer Fulwiler, host of The Jennifer Fulwiler Show on SiriusXM and author of “Something Other Than God�, will be the speaker at Real Presence Radio’s annual fundraising banquet in Fargo on Feb. 29 and in Bismarck on March 1.

Jennifer is a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of six who works out of her quaint, three-bedroom home in Austin, Texas. Most people hear this and think that life must be one crazy adventure for her.

Though life definitely keeps Jennifer on her toes, she readily admits that her life is really not all that different than the lives of moms all across America.

Jennifer has stated on a number of occasions that motherhood in our modern society is very isolated and unnatural.

Children were meant to be

raised within a community of individuals all working together for their good. However, nowadays, much of the childrearing falls on the shoulders of mothers alone. In order to keep her sanity in all of this, Jennifer worked on her book and continues to host her radio show.

These projects give her a creative outlet, and an evangelization outlet separate from her call to motherhood. Jennifer also states the importance of remaining flexible and open to the different arenas in which the Holy Spirit is calling each one of us.

A convert to Catholicism herself, Jennifer relates to the importance of Catholic radio in her own life as well as the lives of many others. Becoming Catholic isn’t always celebrated and is often quite a long pro-

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cess. Catholic radio allowed her to “explore this faith without anyone else knowing about it�.

Whether someone is afraid to announce their beliefs, homebound, or just an introvert, Catholic radio provides a channel for these individuals to listen to the truths of our faith from the comfort and security of their own homes and vehicles. It is a safe, welcoming platform on which to build their growing love for Jesus Christ.

Connect with Jennifer Fulwiler at jenniferfulwiler.com and attend one of our banquets in 2016 to learn more about her!

Real Presence Radio is seeking sponsors for the banquet.

Sponsorship levels are $250, $500 or $1,000. Supporters of Real Presence Radio also can be table hosts. Table hosts invite eight guests to join them at their tables. Banquet attendees also may come as guests. Guests are asked to call the Real Presence office at 877-795-0122 to RSVP.

CORRECTION: An error was made in Vol. 69, No. 22, of Our Northland Diocese in the article “Diocesan youth join more than 20,000 at national conference� (Pg. 3).

Youth minister Theresa Renecker’s name was misspelled throughout the article.

Our Northland Diocese apologizes for the error!

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Camp Corbett update

Camp Corbett was closed this past season because the revenue generated was not sufficient to continue operating. The Diocese of Crookston does not have resources available to subsidize the camp or make the necessary repairs and improvements for viability. If a party or group is interested in accepting the financial and managerial responsibilities of operating the camp, as well as committing to its long term repairs and improvements, please contact Jim Clauson with the Diocese of Crookston at 218281-4533 to acquire more information.

AROUND THE DIOCESE

Thief River Falls Knights of Columbus hosting 59th Ice Fishing Derby The 59th annual Ice Fishing Derby, hosted by the Knights of Columbus Council #4619, will commence on Jan. 31. The derby will run from 1-3 p.m. in Thief River Falls, Minn.

Ice fishing will take place near the 8th Street bridge on Highway 1, across from Northland Community and Technical College.

A drawing for one $500 and nine $100 prizes will be held on the ice at 3 p.m. Raffle tickets are available from Council #4619 members or at the entrance of the fishing derby.

Entrants need not be present to win, but must be at least 18 years old.

Additionally, $100 will be awarded for the largest North-

ern and Walleye caught during this event. A $50 prize will be awarded for the first fish weighed in. These awards are available to anyone fishing on the ice. Ice holes will be predrilled, so all participants need is their favorite fishing rod.

Minnows will be provided by the Knights of Columbus. As a reminder, DNR rules apply to this event.

Many area businesses also provide donated prizes that will be given away during the Ice Fishing Derby. A concession stand and warming house will be available. The Ice Fishing Derby is open to everyone. Contact Robert Buresh at 218-681-7204 for more information.

January 13, 2016

9

2016 Cursillo dates set Another year is beginning which makes it the perfect time to think and pray about attending a Cursillo retreat weekend.

For those that have been part of a weekend, now is the time to start asking God if he has anyone in mind that he would like you to invite. There are two men’s weekends and two women’s weekends planned for 2016: • Spring retreat for men is Feb. 25-28 • Spring retreat for women is March 17-20 • Fall retreat for men is Sept. 29-Oct. 2 • Fall retreat for women is Oct. 27-30 Cursillo (pronounced kursee-yo) is a weekend retreat that provides an opportunity to focus on and learn more about the Catholic faith, the sacraments and prayer. It also offers

a chance for those attending to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus and to meet others who share the same desire to deepen their Catholic faith. The weekend can be an exciting, challenging and lifechanging experience. It begins on Thursday evening and ends on Sunday afternoon. For more information, call Carol Olsonawski at 218-689-9081 or Bobbi Mercil at 701-866-5706.

Applications may be found through the diocesan website, www.crookston.org, under the Ministries/Offices tab located at the top of the Web page, or at your local parish office.

Send applications for the women’s weekends to: Carol Olsonawski at 312 Atlantic Ave N., Hallock, MN 56728.

Send applications for the men’s weekends to: Bobbi Mercil at 2262 Wilderness Trail, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501.

wants your news and advertisements!

Find 2016 publishing dates and submission deadlines on the web: www.crookston.org/ond The next OND submission deadline is: Wednesday, January 20 by 12:00 p.m.

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

10

January 13, 2016

NATIONAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Pharmacists ask Supreme Court for review of conscience on contraceptives

By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) – Two pharmacists and a familyowned pharmacy have asked the Supreme Court to review a Washington state law that would force pharmacists to sell abortion-inducing contraceptive drugs.

The pharmacists, Margo Thelen and Rhonda Mesler, and the Stormans family have been battling the issue in court since 2007, at first blocking the law’s implementation the day before it was scheduled to go into effect.

They lost in July when a threejudge panel of 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a 2012 court victory that would have permitted them to refuse to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception drugs such as Plan B and ella, and to refer customers to other pharmacies that would fill them.

At the time, the pharmacists said they would appeal the ruling to the full 9th Circuit. But the request before the high court, submitted Jan. 4, asked the justices to look at the case.

“The Ninth Circuit reversed, ignoring the district court’s extensive factual findings and adopting an exceptionally narrow interpretation of the free exercise clause. It held that any law can satisfy the free exercise clause, no matter how clearly it targets religious conduct in practice, as long as it might also be applied to nonreligious conduct in theory,” said the petition.

It added, “For over 40 years, Congress and all 50 states have protected the right of pharmacists, doctors, nurses and other health professionals to step aside when asked to participate in what they consider to be an abortion. The [federal appellate court] decision ... authorizes a dangerous intrusion on this right, which can only exacerbate intense cultural conflict over these issues.”

“It is absurd to force a pharmacy to sell drugs against their conscience when there are over 30 pharmacies within five miles that already sell the exact same drugs,” said a Jan. 4 statement

by Luke Goodrich, deputy general counsel of the Becket Fund

“Because of their religious beliefs, petitioners cannot stock or dispense the morning-after or week-after pills – collectively, ‘Plan B’ – which the FDA has recognized can prevent implantation of an embryo. ... Dispensing these drugs would make them guilty of destroying human life.”

– Petition requesting the Supreme Court to review a proposed Washington state law

for Religious Liberty, which is representing the pharmacists.

“This law does nothing but punish people of faith.”

The 9th Circuit panel rejected the free exercise claim lodged by the plaintiffs, as well as claims on equal protection and due process, the latter of which had been rejected by the lower court but was considered anew by the appellate court. The judges held that the rules, promulgated by the Washington Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission, were neutral on their face.

Thelen and Mesler work at a Ralph’s Thriftway grocery store in Washington state. It is owned

by the Stormans family, which also owns the pharmacy located inside.

“A retail pharmacy like Ralph’s typically stocks about 15 percent of available drugs,” said the petition to the Supreme Court. “Decisions about which drugs to stock are based on a variety of factors, such as demand for a drug, cost of a drug, whether a drug is sold only in bulk, shelf space, shelf life, manufacturer or supplier restrictions, insurance requirements and reimbursement rates, administrative costs, monitoring or training costs and competitors’ practices,” it added.

“When a customer requests a drug that a pharmacy does not stock, standard practice is to refer the customer to another pharmacy. Pharmacies do this many times daily,” the filing said.

“Even when a drug is in stock, pharmacies routinely refer customers elsewhere for a variety of reasons – such as when a prescription requires extra time (like simple compounding or unit dosing), or when a customer offers a form of payment that the pharmacy does not accept. The state has stipulated that referral is standard practice and is often the most effective way to serve a customer.”

But in the pharmacists’ case, it added, they are “Christians who believe that life is sacred from the moment of conception. Because of their religious beliefs, petitioners cannot stock or dispense the morning-after or week-after pills – collectively, ‘Plan B’ – which the FDA has recognized can prevent implantation of an embryo. ...

Dispensing these drugs would make them guilty of destroying human life.”

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

NATIONAL

January 13, 2016

11

March for Life changes venues, but strengthens message

By Kurt Jensen Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) – The annual March for Life, set for Jan. 22, will convene in a new location in the nation’s capital for the traditional midday rally.

Because of the ongoing refurbishment of the National Mall and strict new regulations that require temporary flooring to protect the grass, the rally has been moved from the West Front of the Capitol to the Washington Monument grounds.

“We were lucky to get that.

It’s going to cost us $70,000, and it’s not something we budgeted for,” said Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, president of March for Life. “It’s the most economical wide-open space we could afford.”

Other than the venue, the event, which draws busloads of Catholic parishioners and parochial school students, is expected to remain much the same.

Held since 1974, the march marks the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v.

Wade decision in 1973, which legalized abortion.

“Pro-Life is Pro-Woman” is this year’s theme.

“We know that abortion takes the life of one and wounds the life of another, so we always try to emphasize ... that there’s always hope and healing for anyone who’s made that sad decision, and it’s very important in terms of our messaging,” Monahan-Mancini told Catholic News Service.

It’s also intended as a way to blunt critics, “because of the (presidential) election and a lot of the rhetoric about the false ‘war on women,’” MonahanMancini added.

Retired Baltimore Ravens football player Matt Birk is the headline speaker at the rally and that evening’s Rose Dinner.

Monahan-Mancini said she expected at least a couple of Republican presidential candidates to speak at the rally as well, but that any announcement would come just before the event.

The day before the march, Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, will lead a prayer rally at the Planned Parenthood offices in Washington. A youth rally at the Renaissance Hotel follows.

Other march-related activities include a Mass opening the overnight National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica

Young people walk with a banner past the U.S. Capitol in 2012 during the annual March for Life in Washington. (Photo credit: Bob Roller/ CNS)

of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Jan. 21 and a Mass the next morning at the Basilica; a Mass and interdenominational prayer service at Constitution Hall prior to the march; and two similar events, Youth Rally and Mass for Life, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington at the Verizon Center and the D.C. Armory.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will be honored at the Constitution Hall event for being the first governor to sign the Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act. The legislation is under review in a state appeals court.

Two recent events loom over this year’s march. Last summer, an anti-abortion organization in California, the Center for Medical Progress, released a series of secretly recorded videos that it claimed show representatives from Planned Parenthood clinics discussing the use of aborted infant parts for profit. In November, a gunman opened fire at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic, killing three and wounding nine. The suspect, Robert Dear, was reported as telling police, “No more baby parts,” in an apparent reference to the videos.

The videos are the subject of litigation in U.S. District Court,

Northern District of California, where a judge will decide whether the videos should be permanently suppressed because they violate California laws about secret recordings and also contributed to clinic arsons. Excerpts of the videos remain available on YouTube.

Even in truncated form, the videos have had an effect, said Michael Ciccocioppo, executive director of Pennsylvania ProLife Federation, a march participant.

“I haven’t seen every single video from start to finish, but I’ve seen parts of all the videos,” he said. “When you listen to these doctors sitting around eating their lunch, eating their salad, drinking their wine and talking so callously about what they do and how much they can get for these body parts, I mean it really has exposed to the nation how horrendous these things are that are going on.”

Monahan-Mancini agreed that the videos are “very hard to watch.” However, she finds them helpful to the pro-life effort.

“The thing with abortion is, it’s very much in the dark. It’s a violent kind of thing,” she said. “The great gift, regardless if you agree with the (recording) approach, is bringing into the light what happens behind

closed doors. It was just so clear that there was a lack of respect for these little babies. They were just objects, objects for material gain.”

As for the Colorado shooter, “That’s their responsibility when people like that act in that way,” Ciccocioppo said. “It’s not the responsibility of the (anti-abortion) movement. This man has nothing to do with us.”

“The truth is going to come out one way or the other,” Father Pavone said. “The safest way to proceed for the vast majority of those involved in the march is through the peaceful, prayerful activities and legitimate avenues of government.”

Nationally, support for legalized abortion remains strong.

An Associated Press poll taken shortly after the Colorado incident showed support at its highest level in two years.

The poll found that 58 percent of the respondents thought abortion should be legal in most or all cases. That’s an increase from 51 percent who said so at the beginning of 2015. The poll showed equal support among both Democrats and Republicans.

“I don’t think that poll is fair,” Monahan-Mancini said. “And I don’t think it’s reflective of the average American and what they think.”

Reversing the landmark Supreme Court decision remains the long-term goal of the march. But organizers told CNS they prefer to focus on changing the nationwide conversation.

“I think we have a much loftier goal, and that’s to change the hearts and minds of Americans.

That no woman, in her right mind, would ever choose abortion. Because we really have a deprived culture when any woman thinks that’s an empowering act,” Monahan-Mancini said.

Ciccocioppo said the challenge to the pro-life movement in its quest to overturn Roe v.

Wade is “that the court is still stacked against us.”

“But we’re in this for the long haul. This is going to be going on for as long as it takes,” he said.

“First of all, to recognize the humanity of the unborn child in law,” he continued. “But also, another focus of the march is obviously to help get the truth out there about how abortion harms women physically, emotionally and mentally, and kills living human beings, so we can get the hearts and minds of the culture to really accept the fact that this is killing of little human beings, citizens of our country.”

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January 13, 2016

INTERNATIONAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

God’s mercy knows ‘no limits,’ frees people, Pope Francis says

By Carol Glatz and Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – God’s ability to forgive “knows no limits” as his mercy frees people from bitterness and despair, Pope Francis said.

“The church’s forgiveness must be every bit as broad as that offered by Jesus on the cross and by Mary at his feet.

There is no other way,” he said after opening the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Mary Major Jan. 1, the feast of Mary, Mother of God, and the World Day of Prayer for Peace.

On the first day of the new year, Pope Francis opened the last holy door in Rome as part of the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy.

“The door we have opened is, in fact, a Door of Mercy,” he said in his homily, referring to the Roman basilica’s large bronze doors depicting Mary presenting her resurrected son, Jesus.

“Those who cross its threshold are called to enter into the merciful love of the father with complete trust and freedom

from fear; they can leave this basilica knowing with certainty that Mary is ever at their side,” especially during times of trouble and sorrow, he said.

At the church dedicated to Mary and on her feast day as Mother of God, the pope explained how Mary is the mother of mercy because she bore “the very face of divine mercy,” the son of God “made incarnate for our salvation.”

“Mary is an icon of how the church must offer forgiveness to those who seek it. The mother of forgiveness teaches the church that the forgiveness granted on Golgotha knows no limits. Neither the law with its quibbles, nor the wisdom of this world with its distinctions, can hold it back,” he said.

Mary offers the world Jesus, who in turn, offers that forgiveness which “renews life, enables us once more to do God’s will and fills us with true happiness,” the pope said.

“The power of forgiveness is the true antidote to the sadness caused by resentment and vengeance,” which do nothing but “trouble the mind and wound the heart, robbing it of rest and

peace.”

After the Mass, the pope symbolically opened another door, this time the large iron gates in front of a smaller chapel housing a Marian icon he is particularly devoted to – the “Salus Populi Romani” (health of the Roman people).

A deacon told the congregation to pray together with the Holy Father and ask Mary “to take us by the hand and lead us to the Lord Jesus.” After the pope pushed open the gates, he brought up a small floral arrangement of white lilies to the altar and prayed in silence before the icon.

Earlier in the day, the pope further marked the World Day of Peace in his noon Angelus address, when he said peace must not only be cultivated but also conquered in a spiritual fight being waged by war and indifference.

Christians are called at the beginning of the new year to open their hearts and “reawaken the attention to one’s neighbor, to those who are closest,” he said.

“War is not the only enemy of peace, but also indifference, which makes us think only of

ourselves and creates barriers, suspicions, fears and closures. These are the enemies of peace,” the pope said.

Recalling the church’s celebration of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the pope asked for her intercession so that the faithful may imitate her in guarding and meditating on all that happens in their hearts.

The pope also celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the morning to mark the Marian feast day.

God is present in human history, he said, despite signs and events that “tend to make us think instead that he is absent.”

“Sometimes we ask ourselves how it is possible that human injustice persists unabated, and that the arrogance of the powerful continues to demean the weak, relegating them to the most squalid outskirts of our world,” he said.

“How can the fullness of time have come when we are witnessing hordes of men, women and children fleeing war, hunger and persecution, ready to risk their lives simply to encounter respect for their fundamental rights?”

Pope Francis went on to say that notwithstanding those events, the “swollen torrent” of misery is powerless “before the ocean of mercy which floods our world.” The grace of Christ “brings our hope of salvation to fulfillment” and gives Christians the strength to build a more “just and fraternal world.”

“Where philosophical reason and political negotiation cannot arrive, there the power of faith, which brings the grace of Christ’s Gospel, can arrive, opening ever new pathways to reason and to negotiation,” he said.

In an Angelus address Jan. 3, the pope reminded visitors in St. Peter’s Square to keep a small book of the Gospels with them at all times and read at least one verse each day “in order to know Jesus better, to open our heart up wide to Jesus” and share him with others.

He also asked people take on the title of his World Day of Peace message, “Overcome Indifference and Win Peace,” like a New Year’s resolution to “put into practice” with God’s help.

Pope makes secret stop at Nativity scene’s birthplace

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis made a surprise visit to the place where his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, created the world’s first Nativity scene.

“He wanted to visit the sanctuary and places where St. Francis, on Christmas Eve in 1223, represented the first living Nativity in history,” Bishop Domenico Pompili of Rieti told ANSA, the Italian news agency.

The pope had nothing listed on his official schedule, and so he used the free day to visit the Franciscan shrine in Greccio, a town 60 miles northeast of Rome and 56 miles south of Assisi.

The bishop said he and the shrine’s prior were the only people informed a few days ahead of time of the pope’s plans to make the Jan. 4 visit.

As the pope arrived in a blue Ford Focus accompanied by two plainclothes security guards, the shrine’s guardian said he was caught completely off guard. “I didn’t even have my habit on and I quickly went to the refectory to put it on. Then I opened

the gate for the pope,” Franciscan Father Alfredo Silvestri told the Italian bishops’ TV2000.

The pope also made an unannounced stop at a local youth meeting organized by the diocese. Amid loud cheers and chants of “Francesco,” some participants were moved to tears.

The pope told the some 150 young people that their bishop had told him it would be a good idea to pray at Greccio during the Christmas season. “So I came to pray. But I won’t say what white lie he used to lure me here,” the pope joked.

In impromptu remarks, the pope told them to reflect on two important signs associated with Christ’s birth: the star of Bethlehem and the baby in a manger.

“The sky is full of stars, isn’t it? But there is one that is special,” the star that inspired the Three Wise Men to leave everything behind and begin a journey into the unknown, he said.

The pope asked the young people to be on the lookout in their own lives for a “special star that calls us to do something greater, to strike out on a jour-

ney, to make a decision.”

“We have to ask for this grace of discovering ‘the star’ that God today wants to show me because that star will lead me to Jesus,” he said.

The second sign, which the angels tell the shepherds about, is a baby born in a manger, he said.

This shows, the pope said, how “God lowered himself, obliterated himself to be like us, to walk before us, but with smallness, that is, you can say, humility, which goes against pride, self-importance, arrogance.”

The pope asked them to think about whether their own lives were “meek, humble, [one] that doesn’t turn up its nose, that isn’t full of pride.”

The Three Wise Men were very smart “because they let themselves be led by the star.

All the splendor of Herod’s huge palace” did not fool them because they were able to sense right away that the promised king they were looking for was not there, the pope said.

He told the young people he hoped their lives would always be guided by these two signs –

Pope Francis prays in front of a Nativity scene during a Jan. 4 surprise visit to the Franciscan shrine in Greccio, Italy. (Photo credit: CNS/L’Osservatore Romano, handout via EPA)

two gifts from God. He asked they always have that star that will guide them and “the humility to rediscover Jesus in the

little ones, the humble, the poor, in those who are a cast off by society and from our own life.”

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Seek out signs God offers everyone for finding Jesus, pope says

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – Go out and seek the signs God is offering everyone today that will lead to Christ, Pope Francis said.

The thirst for God is present in everyone, and it’s the church’s task to help those with “a restless heart” by pointing them to the true light of Christ, the pope said Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany, which marks the manifestation of Jesus as savior to the world.

In his homily during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope said the church’s mission is to help people “know the face of the father” by first receiving “God’s light and then to reflect it. This is her duty.”

The church must always remember, however, that the light it shares is the glory of the Lord. “The church cannot deceive herself into thinking that she shines with her own light.

She cannot,” he said.

“Christ is the true light shining in the darkness. To the extent that the church remains anchored in him, to the extent she lets herself be illuminated by him, she is able to bring light into the lives of individuals and peoples,” he said.

It is only by receiving this divine light that Christians can be true to their vocation of proclaiming the Gospel, which is not proselytism, not a mere profession and “not simply one option among many,” but an

obligation, he said.

The Three Wise Men who come from afar seeking the promised king show that “the seeds of truth are present everywhere, for they are the gift of the creator, who calls all people to recognize him as the good and faithful father,” the pope said.

“The church has the task of recognizing and bringing forth more clearly the desire for God, which is present in the heart of every man and woman,” he said.

“Like the Wise Men, countless people, even in our own day, have a restless heart, which continues to seek without finding sure answers,” he said.

“They, too, are looking for a star to show them the path to Bethlehem.”

But Christians must also keep asking and looking for the Christ child as well, especially in today’s age, and “to seek the signs which God offers us, realizing that they require our diligence in order to interpret them and, therefore, understand his will.”

“And once we have found him, let us worship him with all our heart, and present him with our gifts: our freedom, our intelligence, and our love,” the pope said.

As people follow the light that “streams from the face of Christ full of mercy and fidelity,” he said, do not forget that this light is also “very small,” coming from a tiny, humble

Pope Francis kisses a statue of Baby Jesus as he celebrates Mass on the feast of the Epiphany in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Jan. 6. (Photo credit: Andrew Medichini pool via Reuters /CNS)

child in a manger.

“True wisdom lies concealed in the face of this child. It is here, in the simplicity of Bethlehem, that the life of the church is summed up.”

While Pope Francis and thousands of people were at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, thousands more lined the main boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Square for the traditional, folkloric Epiphany celebration. Marching bands, Roman gladiators and hundreds of people in Renaissance costumes paraded up the street along with the Three Kings and real camels.

At the Angelus at midday, the pope said the revelation of

Jesus to the shepherds and the Three Wise Men “teaches us that in order to encounter Jesus it is necessary to know to look up to heaven, to not be withdrawn into oneself, but to have a heart and mind open to the horizon of God, who always surprises us, to know to welcome his message and respond quickly and generously.”

The Three Wise Men also compel “us to not be satisfied with mediocrity, to not just stumble along in life, but to seek out the meaning of things and to look deeply at the great mystery of life with passion. And they teach us to not be scandalized by smallness and poverty

but to recognize the majesty in humility and know how to kneel before it.”

Finding that star, such as the Gospel, is a source of great joy and consolation, he said, because one feels “guided and not abandoned to our fate.”

“Without listening to the Gospel, it is not possible to encounter” Jesus, he said.

The pope asked people to pray that the Virgin Mary “help us turn our gaze away from ourselves, to let ourselves be guided by the star of the Gospel in order to encounter Jesus, and to know how to lower ourselves in order to adore him.”

The best legacy children can receive from parents is faith, pope says

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY – The best thing parents can pass on to their children is their religious faith, Pope Francis said as he baptized 26 babies.

Ensure this faith “not be lost, help make it grow and pass it on as a legacy,” he told the infants’ parents and godparents.

The pope presided over the annual morning liturgy in the Sistine Chapel Jan. 10, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

He told the parents that when he asked them, “What do you ask of God’s church” for their child and they responded, “Faith,” the ritual was part of “a chain” of handing on the faith throughout history.

“These children, as the years go by, will be taking your place with another child -- your grandchildren -- and they will ask the

same thing: faith,” he said in his brief, unscripted homily.

“Don’t forget that the greatest legacy that you can leave your children is faith,” he said, adding he hoped they would always be capable of helping their children grow in the faith.

The infants, wearing their Sunday best – chiffon or lacy dresses, cotton cardigans or plush overalls – were baptized over a font supported by an ornately detailed bronze olive tree.

One by one, the pope poured water from a gilded shell and gently caressed the head of each of the 13 girls and 13 boys.

As he has done in the past, he told the mothers not to hesitate in breast-feeding their babies during the ceremony.

Later in the day, before praying the Angelus with visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said being bap-

tized carries with it “the responsibility of following Jesus – the obedient servant – and reproducing in us his same likeness, that is, gentleness, humility, tenderness.”

Even though “this is not easy, especially if we are surrounded by so much intolerance, pride, rigidity,” he said, “it is possible with the power that comes from the Holy Spirit.”

“The Holy Spirit, received for the first time on the day of our baptism, opens our heart to the truth, to the whole truth. The Spirit drives our lives along the challenging, but joyous path of charity and solidarity toward our brothers and sisters,” he said.

He reminded people to find out the date of their baptism if they didn’t know because it was an important day that merits celebrating every year.

“It is the date of our rebirth

Pope Francis pours water over the head of a baby as he celebrates the baptism of 26 babies in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Jan. 10. The baptisms were held on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

(Photo credit: L’Osservatore Romano, handout/CNS)

as children of God,” he said, and “celebrating that day signifies and reaffirms our belonging to Jesus with the commitment

to live like Christians, members of the church and a new humanity in which all are brothers and sisters.”

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COMMENTARY

WORD to LIFE January 17

SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 62:1-5 Gospel: John 2:1-11

Psalm 96:1-3, 7-10

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

By Sharon K. Perkins Catholic News Service

In January 2014, I was able to fulfill the dream of a lifetime by traveling to the Holy Land on pilgrimage. A highlight of the trip for many of my traveling companions was celebrating Mass in the Wedding Church at Kafr Cana, a century-old chapel built over the site associated with the miracle in today’s Gospel.

At the end of the homily, married couples were given the opportunity to renew their wedding vows, and I recorded some poignant videos of several friends doing so. But the reason I was able to capture the images is because my own spouse was not with me that day.

My husband had a previously scheduled business commitment that he was unable to set aside, so I traveled to Israel without him. I bought him a souvenir bottle of Cana wine and consoled myself with the knowledge that he would make the same pilgrimage a few months later, but I felt our separation acutely.

We’re at a point in our 37-year marriage when our children are grown, our respective careers make great demands on our time, various losses have taken their toll and some of our closest contemporaries have separated or divorced.

Amid such profound challenges, a renewal of our own vows among friends in such a sacred place would have been reassuring.

In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies the end of Israel’s exile, using the celebratory image of a reunited bride and bridegroom to describe the joyful encounter of a people with their God. Against this backdrop, the beginning of

Jesus’ ministry at a wedding in Cana has hopeful implications for believers who struggle with God’s call to Christian marriage.

Even the strongest marriages of faithfilled couples are relentlessly tested from without and within. The wine of young romance lasts for a limited time and as at Cana, those emptying jars, left to themselves, can eventually signal a crisis.

On our wedding day, my husband and I consecrated ourselves to each other – but we also consecrated our marriage to Jesus and to his mother. Sustaining our commitment requires daily (sometimes hourly!) reconsecration and hard work. But Jesus promises to replenish our empty vessels with an abundance of new wine, even better than the old, if we but entrust our marriage to his care.

Questions: Have you ever felt acutely separated or exiled from God? What do today’s readings say to you about how highly God upholds marriage as a sign of his faithfulness to his people? To you personally?

"AS A BRIDEGROOM REJOICES IN HIS BRIDE SO SHALL YOUR GOD REJOICE IN YOU." – ISAIAH 62:5B

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FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS

January 24

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10 Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Psalm 19:8-10, 15

1 Corinthians 12:12-30

By Jeff Hensley Catholic News Service

In Luke’s Gospel for this weekend, Jesus rises in the temple to read from the Book of Isaiah, where he proclaims that the poor will have glad tidings brought to them, a year of liberty would be proclaimed to the captives, recovery of sight given to the blind, and the oppressed would be set free.

Jesus sits again, and with all eyes in the synagogue intently on him, says, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

We have the specifics outlined in the rest of the Gospels, as we see Jesus walking about performing wonders, healing the ill and proclaiming the coming of the kingdom of God, which he embodies, to rich and poor alike.

But building the kingdom doesn’t stop there. Paul, speaking to the Corinthians, addresses many of the dimensions of Jesus enfleshed in his people, his body.

Paul emphasizes that all of us do not engage in the same manifestations of the Spirit: “The body is not a single part, but many,” he says.

That truth remains to this day. When I see Jesus in those I encounter, I see various manifestations of the body.

The young woman behind the deli counter at the grocery store has a smile and a presence that clearly identifies her as a believer. She confirms it when I ask her if she is a Christian and what church she attends.

My two colleagues from the Catholic press with whom I recently toured the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington are proclaimers of the Gospel. I know

them both by their functions within the body and by their behavior across the years. They are servant leaders within the body of Christ.

My wife, whose compassion extends beyond her family and colleagues to generously embrace the immigrants and refugees she teaches, shows the healing power of love that endures. Would any of these alone show forth all the complexity of Christ’s body? It’s not necessary. It takes all of us as church to bring Christ’s presence into the world.

Questions: All parts of the body of Christ are essential.

How do you make his presence manifest to those around you?

"NOW YOU ARE CHRIST’S BODY, AND INDIVIDUALLY PARTS OF IT." – 1 CORINTHIANS 12:27

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The CCHD Collection will take place at parishes in the Diocese of Crookston on November 21 and 22.