OND July A Vol. 71 No 13

VOL. 71, NO. 13

WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG

JULY 12, 2017

Matthew Schmitz welcomed to the priesthood on June 17 Clergy and seminarians applaud Father Matthew Schmitz immediately following his ordination to the priesthood held June 17 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston. (Photo credit: Cariveau Candids)

TURN TO PAGE 8 FOR COVERAGE OF THE ORDINATION.

Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America Right: People walk in a eucharistic procession during the “Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America” July 3 in Orlando, Fla. Leaders from dioceses and various Catholic organizations gathered for the July 1-4 convocation. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

TURN TO PAGE 12 FOR CNS COVERAGE OF THE HISTORIC GATHERING. COVERAGE FROM THE DIOCESE OF CROOKSTON’S DELEGATION WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF OND.

INSIDE

VOL. 71. NO. 13:

Pg. 3 - Catholic Home Missions Visits Diocese Pg. 6 - NET Missionary Profiles Pg. 7 - Changes coming to OND

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July 12, 2017

A

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Voice from the Valley

BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER

SUITS As I mentioned to you previously, the case filed against the Diocese of Crookston and against me personally was originally scheduled for a hearing on August 3, 2017. We chose the earliest of the options we were given. Now, the hearing date has been changed by the Court due to scheduling conflicts of the attorneys. The new hearing date is September 20, 2017.

Again, this hearing is a first hearing, not the trial. We have made a motion for dismissal on the grounds that there was failure to state any viable claim.

I remain committed to keeping you informed regarding this matter as the case progresses through the judicial system.

Please continue to pray for a quick and fair resolve to all our lawsuits and for all harmed by the matter of sexual abuse.

A NEW PRIEST Since the June 17 ordination, this is the first opportunity I have had to write and congratu-

late our new priest, Father Matthew Schmitz!

“So it was that Christ sent the apostles just as he himself had been sent by the Father.

Through these same apostles he made their successors, the bishops, sharers in his consecration and mission. Their ministerial role has been handed down to priests in a limited degree. Thus established in the order of the priesthood, they are co-workers of the Episcopal order in the proper fulfillment of the apostolic mission entrusted to the bishops by Christ. Inasmuch as they are connected with the Episcopal order, the priestly office shares in the authority by which Christ Himself builds up, sanctifies, and rules His Body.”

(Presbyterorum Ordinis) What a wonderful blessing it is as a bishop to administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders and ordain a young man for service as a priest. We thank Father Matt for the gift of his life for priestly service to God’s people here. Please continue to pray for our priests and pray that the Good Lord will continue

to bless us with the priests we need.

Parents and grandparents, please continue to help your young sons as they discern what God wants them to do as his disciples. Help them be unafraid to consider being a priest. We look forward to the next General Synod of Bishops at the Vatican this fall. The topic will be about young people in the Church and vocational discernment. How can we accompany all our youth in their faith journey and help them be truly missionary minded disciples of Jesus Christ in our day?

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE Congratulations are in order once again for our great diocesan newspaper. The Catholic Press Association has awarded OND a third place award in the category of “Best Coverage of the Year of Mercy” by Janelle Gergen, Associate Editor, and Katrina Genereux, Staff Writer.

Deacon Mark Krejci is our Editor. We congratulate and thank him, Janelle and Katrina for their great work.

REFUGEES At the June meeting of the nation’s bishops, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops heard a rather sad report on the state of refugees in our world. We were told there are about 65 million refugees in the world. This is the largest number of refugees ever! At no other time in the history of the world have there been as many people fleeing their homelands, leaving most – if not all – of their possessions behind. These 65 million people are in need of food and clothing and housing and care! How do we see these refugees? As aliens? As workers? As dangerous? How about as our brothers and sisters, people made in the image of God? In 2012, the Catholic bishops of Minnesota issued the statement “Unlocking the Gates of our Hearts.” We spoke of the need for immigration reform in our country, reform which respects the dignity and inherent human rights of every person and which also respects the rights and obligations of a country to protect its citizens

and to control its borders. This need continues today. Some people might want to come to our country to do us harm, but that cannot stop us from reaching out a helping hand to those who genuinely need our help and care. The USCCB continues to work for comprehensive immigration reform with leaders at the federal level. May all of us continue to call on our legislators and leaders to work hard for comprehensive, good, just and merciful immigration reform.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM We have once again celebrated our Independence Day on the Fourth of July. We Catholics of the United States have finished our Fortnight for Freedom, our novena thanking Almighty God for the freedoms we have in America and asking that our religious freedom not be lost.

At the June meeting of the USCCB, we heard a report on VOICE: Continued on Page 10

BISHOP’S CALENDAR July 11

7:45 a.m.

Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

July 12

4:00 p.m.

Mass, St. John Paul II Camp, Park Rapids

July 25

7:45 a.m.

Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

July 26

10:00 a.m.

Tax Seminar, St. Lawrence, Mentor

July 27

12:00 p.m.

Priests’ Retirement Trust, Chancery

July 28

10:00 a.m.

Mass, Pastoral Visit, St. Mary’s Care Center, Detroit Lakes

July 29

4:00 p.m.

Mass, St. Charles, Pennington

July 30

9:00 a.m.

Mass, St. Catherine, Lake Itasca

NATIONAL COLLECTION UPDATE The faithful of the Diocese of Crookston generously supported the USCCB collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe with a total donation of $6,117.01.

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:

Deacon Mark Krejci, Ph.D.

Associate Editor: Mrs. Janelle C. Gergen

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

kgenereux@crookston.org

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

LOCAL

July 12, 2017

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Catholic Home Missions representative visits diocese

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND CROOKSTON – Ken Ong, a Grants Specialist with Catholic Home Missions visited with diocesan staff members and toured portions of the Diocese of Crookston June 19-20.

The Diocese of Crookston is considered a mission diocese, and each year is eligible to apply for Catholic Home Mission grants. In 2017 the diocese received $155,000 in grant funds to support Catholic schools, administration, evangelization, justice, catechesis, youth ministry, marriage and family life, vocations and worship.

“Catholic Home Missions has been a consistent supporter of the diocese through the years,” said Chad Ryan, Finance Officer for the Diocese of Crookston.

“The grants we get from them are approximately five percent of our operating budget and provide a valuable support to our ministries.”

The funding distributed by Catholic Home Missions is gathered through an annual collection held the last weekend of April. The collection was started by the U.S. bishops in 1998.

As a grants specialist, Ong goes through approximately 85 grant applications each year. He said the purpose for visiting is to see firsthand the challenges faced by mission dioceses.

“There is always something not mentioned in the applications that we could be helping with,” Ong said. “It is helpful to have as much information as possible to make sure that the

About the Home Missions What are they?

Grant Specialist Ken Ong from Catholic Home Missions takes a photo with Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner and Chad Ryan, Diocesan Finance Officer, following a meeting on June 19. Ong visited the diocese on June 19-20 to meet people whose ministries receive funding from Catholic Home Missions. He also visited St. Mary’s Mission, Red Lake; St. Philip’s, Bemidji; and Sacred Heart School, East Grand Forks.

(Photo credit: Katrina Genereux/OND)

amount we are giving each diocese is sufficient or is needed.”

During his visit, Ong toured the Chancery, met with staff members and priests whose ministries receive support from Catholic Home Missions grants, and visited St. Mary’s Mission in Red Lake, St. Philip’s, Bemidji; and Sacred Heart School, East Grand Forks.

“I like to tell dioceses that what we do, it’s not our money.

It’s your money, it’s the Church’s, it’s the Catholics in the pews that are generous and have contributed to your diocese. I don’t want people to think that I’m coming here to check up on

them, but more that I’m here in support … and to see what we can do because we are walking together in this,” Ong said.

According to Ong, the Catholic Home Missions appeal collection generates approximately $9.5 million. He said most of the funds collected go back out to mission dioceses.

“There’s about four to seven percent overhead that we use, but everything else goes back out to the mission dioceses for anything you can think of,” he said.

Some things the grants fund include: salaries, utilities, seminarian education, Hispanic min-

istry, lay ministry, parish support and education. He said the only things they don’t fund are capital campaigns and buildings.

According to their website, the 85 “Home Missions” are considered, “dioceses and parishes in the United States including its territories and former territories, which cannot provide basic pastoral services to Catholics without outside help. Basic pastoral services include Mass and sacraments, religious education and ministry training for priests, deacons, religious sisters and lay people.”

To learn more, visit www.usccb.org and search for Catholic Home Missions.

“Home Missions” is the name for dioceses and parishes in the United States, including its territories and former territories, which cannot provide basic pastoral services to Catholics without outside help.

Basic pastoral services include Mass and sacraments, religious education, and ministry training for priests, deacons, religious sisters and lay people.

Where are they?

Surprisingly, the Catholic Church is poorly established in many parts of our country, especially Appalachia, the South, the Southwest, the Rocky Mountain States, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Generally speaking, the home missions are everywhere that Catholics are few and the Church is fragile.

Source: www.usccb.org/catholic-giving/ opportunities-for-giving/catholic-homemissions-appeal/what-are-home-missions.cfm

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July 12, 2017

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Proclaiming the Gospel is essential to evangelization Evangelization is a number of things, but there is one aspect that is essential to evangelization. It includes embracing virtues and learning to grow in them and improve their application in our lives. Evangelization includes participating in and receiving the sacraments.

Evangelization includes being hospitable, welcoming and treating others as you want to be treated. However, any of our efforts in evangelization are incomplete without a proclamation of the Gospel and an invitation to follow Jesus Christ. It is essential.

What does it mean to proclaim or share the Gospel? In his Apostolic Exhortation to the Church in Asia, St. John Paul II said, “There can be no true evangelization without the explicit proclamation of Jesus as Lord” and there is no true evangelization, “… without the primacy of the proclamation of Jesus Christ in all evangelizing work.” The final quote from this document that I would like to share is this: “If the Church is to fulfill its providential des-

EVERYDAY

DISCIPLESHIP

By AJ Garcia

Director of the Office of New Evangelization and Justice

“If the Church is to fulfill its providential destiny, evangelization as the joyful, patient, and progressive preaching of the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority.”

– Pope St. John Paul II

tiny, evangelization as the joyful, patient, and progressive preaching of the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority.”

Reflecting on these same three quotes, Pope Francis tells us that “these words hold true for all of us.”

Often in evangelization – whether we work for the Church

or long for a family member to return to the Church – we are in search of the “silver bullet”.

We seek that one video, talk, book or program that is going to convince someone to commit to Jesus and the Church on the spot. While that is certainly possible, and the Lord can do whatever he wants, this can’t be our expectation. Pope St. John

Paul II said evangelization is a joyful, patient and progressive preaching. Maybe we’re not all preachers. That’s OK. Let’s insert the word teaching or invitation in the place of preaching.

We all have the capacity to invite someone to know and follow Jesus!

I would say there are four basic elements of sharing the Gospel: 1. We are created for relationship. God created us to love others, be loved by him and to return to him one day in heaven.

2. Through our sin and rejection of God, that relationship is broken.

3. God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sin and be restored to the relationship we were created for.

4. Finally, if this is true, we have a decision to make: Will we repent of our sins, acknowledge Jesus as Lord and follow him?

There is a time and place to share the Gospel. It is best received and welcomed when you have a friendship … or at

least a mutual respect for one another. Think about when you would be more likely to listen to someone share a passion of theirs. Are you more likely to listen to a stranger that approaches you or to someone you trust or whose reputation you respect? This is why we can’t wait for someone else to invite our family and friends back to the Church, it is our responsibility.

Sharing the Gospel and inviting someone to follow Jesus is something we should pray about doing, plan for and practice. I am not saying that we should limit the power of the Gospel and of the Holy Spirit, but we should be more intentional and thoughtful in our approach to evangelization.

Evangelization includes the things mentioned above, such as treating others nicely, being respectful, etc. However, evangelization cannot be limited to those things. Without a specific proclamation of the Gospel including an invitation to follow Jesus, what we’re doing isn’t actually evangelization.

Enough! It is time to be president, Mr. President We just celebrated our 241st Independence Day. I admit, the pessimist in me sometimes wonders how many more we still have coming.

We truly are a blessed nation.

What a gift to live where we can gather where we wish, as we wish, to worship how we wish.

As a child I used to fret I would wake up from a dream and discover I am living in a war-torn, poverty-stricken nation surviving from one meal to the next. I have not woken up to such a reality so far! I think I am safely awake, overweight and aware of the blessings granted this nation and my life.

And yet, I see storm clouds brewing not that far in the distance, not that far at all.

America, our moral compass has been turned upside down.

Too many of our political leaders act like spoiled children who take their ball and go home if they don’t get their way. Civil (and I do mean civil) discourse has been replaced with name calling, pouting, slanted news and revenge seeking.

There seems to be no statesmen or stateswomen left who have a clue when it comes to the definition of “compromise” for the common good.

Other nations who once looked

LIFE FIRST

By Father Don Braukmann

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

at us for leadership (both moral and political) now shake their heads, or worse, snicker behind our back.

And, it must be said, in the mix of it all is our President treating the high office of the Presidency as it if were play land at “McDonald’s.”

Mr. President, it is time to be a real president. Yes, you won the election but are tragically and dramatically losing the governing.

As pro-lifers we seem willing to contort our own moral sensibilities to accommodate a man who occasionally says he is prolife, yet speaks and tweets like anyone but a true pro-lifer.

I think we all hoped the president would grow up once he stepped into the Oval Office when it came to his treat-

ment of women and those who disagree with him. That hasn’t happened and clearly never will.

How can someone claiming to be pro-life publicly denigrate the physical characteristics of women on a regular basis? Actually, the word “denigrate” is putting it mildly!

Mr. President, it is through those bodies where life itself comes into being!

We may gain a “pro-life” Supreme Court on the issue of abortion during this president’s time in office, but reversing Roe v. Wade places abortion laws back in the hands of the states. What good is that when the reputation of the pro-life movement is being desecrated by a President who refuses to understand what it means to live and breathe the pro-life

cause?

We will look like fools when we try to convince the nation, state by state, that we are pro-life when our model and spokesperson for the pro-life cause has uttered the most horrific, disgraceful, sexist statements. He has done this before he was a candidate, while he was a candidate and now as President of the United States of America. For the first time ever in my life, parents need to take their children out of the room when the president speaks.

Yes, Mr. President, you have not gotten a fair deal from some in the media but a primary culprit is looking straight at you in the mirror each morning.

Our health care system is in shambles. Why on earth would we replace a “Democrat Health Care System” with a “Republican Health Care System” when in two, four or six years the party in the majority will “replace and repeal” their opponents plan? Basic health care is a right each person in this wealthy nation has; it is not merely a privilege ... check Catholic teaching.

Why would we want one party to run the health care system when both Democrats and Republicans get sick? Stability in the system is critical, not a sys-

tem that puts its political finger in the wind every two years!

Education is the key to selfsufficiency. Why are both parties going to their respective corners and barking at each other instead of finding a middle ground to help the most people? This is true of issue after issue that involves the dignity of human life.

Of course this is not all on the president’s lap, but it is the president who sets the tone, just as Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan did before him.

Men with human weakness, but men who did not lash out with childish rants about a person’s body parts or character.

We are pro-life. Being “prolife” means more than being simply “pro-birth.” When Roe v. Wade falls our work REALLY begins and where will our reputation be? Mr. President, you continue to embarrass us as pro-lifers and as Americans.

It must stop. Take the higher moral ground, let those filled with hate humiliate themselves.

Lead and inspire us with a new hope and commitment to justice for every human being no matter their age, their health, their wealth or their convenience.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

July 12, 2017

5

‘Love is not boastful’: A marriage of two servants The example I use to start this column will turn some of you off. You will not even get through the first paragraph before saying “I’m not reading about this” and not finish the column. But don’t worry, I am not going into too much detail and will quickly move on.

As many of you know, I have been reflecting on Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia – Chapter 4 – and the next section covers “Love is not boastful.” Upon reading the title to this section, I immediately thought of a classic Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun. There is one song where Annie Oakley, the title character, and her sharpshooter rival Frank Butler, sing a song called Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better). The opening line of the song starts with Annie singing, “Anything you can do, I can do better, I can do anything better than you.” and then Frank and Annie going back and forth, “No, you can’t”, “Yes I can” two or three times. One boasts that they can “shoot a partridge, with a single cartridge” and the other replies “I can get a sparrow with a bow

PRAYING WITH THE FAMILY

By Deacon Mark Krejci, Ph.D.

Director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life

and arrow.” If you are not familiar with the song, you can find the movie version on YouTube. Now I know some of you do not like musicals but I come from a family that loves musical theatre and so I end up with this example of being “boastful” stuck in my head.

Pope Francis says that love is not to be “haughty, pushy, or arrogant” but I wonder if you know of any married couples who always seem to be in competition with each other, who in their own way are singing the “Anything you can do” song in their marriage. If they disagree with their spouse, they want their idea to “win” – they want

their way to triumph. But Pope Francis points out to us, “Jesus told his disciples that in a world where power prevails, each tries to dominate the other, but ‘it shall not be among you’ (Mt 20:26).” He sums up his reflections on “Love is not boastful” with great insight when he writes, “In family life, the logic of domination and competition about who is the most intelligent or powerful destroys love ... for ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ (1 Pet 5:5).”

We should not be boastful with our spouse, we should not be pushy or arrogant but, in contrast, we should be like Jesus

and be a servant. An alternative to seeing yourself needing to be “on top” in your marriage is to follow the teaching of Jesus when he says “the first is to be the last.” So, in your marriage, you should think of your spouse as someone to serve.

What would it mean to be a servant husband or a servant wife?

It means that we would seek to understand our spouse, to show concern for them, to help them see God by reflecting the love of Jesus to them. It means that we will set our needs aside to help meet the needs of our spouse. This is not meant to give your spouse permission to take advantage of you; each spouse is to equally respond with a servant’s heart. An attitude of service, when held by both husband and wife, will mean that a good balance will emerge so that both are being served as they serve the other.

I knew one couple where they “bent over backwards” to serve each other. He would always look for the opportunity to do something nice for her and she would do the same for him. They were always thinking

about kind and caring things they could do for each other, often doing these things without the other even noticing.

They both acted as a loving servant to the other, reflecting as best they could the loving service of Jesus to us all. Contrast this with a couple where the husband never wants to give in to his wife and the wife never does anything nice for her husband. This is the type of couple that will “keep count” of the number of times the other has bothered them or done something inconsiderate but never even notice when their spouse does something nice for them.

Guess which couple is going to be happier in their marriage?

Let me suggest you each pray this prayer for your marriage every day: “God, grant me a servant’s heart towards my wife/husband. Jesus, show me how to place my wife/husband first in my life. Holy Spirit, help me love my wife/husband as God loves us all.”

Entering into politics for love of Jesus, good of our neighbors him in return with the very love gized by loving Jesus through In my work as the Policy and FAITH which is his gift, brings forth in our love for others.

Outreach Coordinator for the

Minnesota Catholic Conference, I meet many Minnesota Catholics who have a deep aversion to politics. In their experience, politics are so steeped in special interests and dominated by power games that they don’t see why a Catholic should wade into such an imperfect arena.

These sentiments are understandable. The state of politics can be incredibly discouraging, and it may be tempting to simply wash our hands of the whole business.

But a recent meeting with some women involved in the Catholic Advocacy Network reminded me of why that’s not an option for disciples of Christ.

These ladies were not political activists, yet they were doing their part to influence the political process for good. When asked to explain why, one said, “We don’t like politics, but we love Jesus.”

This is the foundation for our political participation: our love for Jesus. Being active in politics is a practical way in which we answer Christ’s call to love him through love of neighbor.

With this mindset, we can face the discouragement and obstacles not out of love for politics,

IN THE PUBLIC ARENA

our lives and actions a primary and fundamental response: to desire, seek and protect the

By Rachel Herbeck good of others.

Outreach and Policy Coordinator Jesus’ love is the first prinMinnesota Catholic Conference ciple. We encounter his love and we truly love him in return when we seek and protect the good of others.”

The political arena provides us with concrete opportunities to love our neighbor. Political ACTION ALERT participation allows us to influence law and policy-making to Urge Senators Klobuchar and Franken to Co-Sponsor “Iraq and uphold and pursue the good of Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act” every human person. We are A bill to address the dire situation of Christians and other minorities convicted that the social docin Iraq and Syria has passed the U.S. House. But now the Iraq and trine of the Church proposes Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act must pass the very key to human happithe U.S. Senate. ness and fulfillment. We love Minnesota senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken need to support our neighbor when we work this important bi-partisan legislation. Please call them and urge them to create a society where every to show their commitment to addressing genocide by co-sponsoring person can truly flourish. the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act, The public square is a place which is currently before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. that is in desperate need of Catholics on fire with the love Sen. Amy Klobuchar 612-727-5220 and Sen. Al Franken: 651-221-1016 of Jesus, and it is exactly where we belong. We see clearly that but out of love for Jesus. him by loving our neighbors. the public square is seemingly We truly love our neighbors devoid of goodness and truth.

OUR FIRM FOUNDATION when we begin to will their We are being beckoned into We are created to love God authentic good. In Evangelii politics to fill that void of with in everything that we do; we Gaudium, Pope Francis writes, the light and love of Christ. exist to love God. While there As we set out on this task, “Accepting the first procare many ways to do this, Christ lamation, which invites us to our relationship with the Lord tells us that we tangibly love receive God’s love and to love fuels us. We go forward, ener-

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Keeping Christ as our foundation will allow us to persevere in the face of the setbacks and challenges we’re bound to experience in the political arena. It is no secret that we don’t always seem successful when it comes to politics; our viewpoints do not always win the day and the process can be frustrating and imperfect.

Set afire with love for Jesus, we can persevere through setbacks and discouragement. If we merely loved politics, our measure would be success. But as Mother Teresa reminds us, we are called to be faithful, not successful. We press on through discomfort and willingly make sacrifices, not because we are convicted of politics, but because we are convicted that our participation is a vital expression of our love for Christ.

Inspired by and rooted in this love, let us claim our place as Catholics in the public square.

Let us tirelessly work to influence our laws and lawmakers to cultivate communities rooted in truth, not because we like politics, but because we love Jesus.

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July 12, 2017

LOCAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

2017-2018 Safe Environment training module now available

Former St. Mary’s parishioner receives habit, religious name in cloistered Carmelite order

The 2017-2018 Safe Environment training module for the Diocese of Crookston is now available. Our Safe Environment year begins on July 1st, 2017 and runs through June 30th, 2018.

This year’s module is Component C, which covers reporting child abuse and the effects of pornography.

Safe Environment certification is necessary for every adult, age 18 or over, clergy, visiting clergy, employee, independent contractor, and volunteer in the Diocese of Crookston who has the potential for unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Certification includes a criminal background check, training related to recognizing and reporting child abuse, and agreement to abide by the Diocesan Safe Environment Policy and Code of Conduct.

The training module fulfills the certification requirement and consists of educational information and an interactive quiz. Please go online to www.crookston.org/offices/ safeenvironment/certification to complete the certification.

When you complete the test and hit submit you should see your test scores with a message

Anna Kliner, a former parishioner of St. Mary’s, Euclid, and former diocesan employee, transitioned from postulancy to being a novice with the Carmelite sisters at the Monastery of the Holy Name of Jesus in Denmark, Wis. She received her habit and name of Sister Mary Vianney of the Heart of Jesus on June 10.

that says you are finished. If you don’t see this and it takes you back to the beginning the information did not go through. You will need to do it again. If this does happen to you, once you open the training and before you start typing anything, please push the F5 key on the top of the keyboard as this will refresh the material and it should go through.

If you have questions about the module or whether or not you need to complete it, please contact the Safe Environment Coordinator at your parish.

If you’d like more information about the Office of Safe Environment in the Diocese of Crookston, please contact the coordinator, Jim Clauson, at 218-281-4533.

Sister Mary Vianney of the Heart of Jesus received her habit and religious name on June 10 at the cloistered Carmelite Monastery of the Holy Name of Jesus in Denmark, Wis. (Submitted photo)

Our Lady of the Pines begins rectory project Ground breaking for the new parish rectory at Our Lady of the Pines, Nevis, took place following the 10:30 Mass on May 14.

After input from parishioners, council members, and the Rectory Building Committee, the Diocesan Building Commission approved the plan for the new rectory in January 2017. The design and size of the house were structured around diocesan guidelines and input from parish members. The inclusion of an office, chapel, sleeping accommodations for visiting priests and others who come to minister at our parishes, as well as handicap accessibility were all elements included in the final

Those present for the May 14 ground breaking for the Our Lady of the Pines rectory in Nevis take a photo with their shovels in hand.

design.

Parish committees reviewed two general contractor bids and awarded the project to B-

Dirt Construction from Brainerd. Construction is expected to be complete in September.

Diocesan young adults prepare to serve with NET in U.S., Ireland Rachel LaSart

Kyliegh Van Den Eykel

Home parish: Sacred Heart, Frazee Serving with: NET Ministries Ireland

Home parish: Sacred Heart, Frazee Serving with: NET Ministries USA

Why she is becoming a missionary: My first exposure

Why she is becoming a missionary: I grew up learning about NET Ministries. I wasn’t able to go to a retreat when I was younger, but then my freshman year of college when I went to M-State, I was a Religious Education teacher for seventh and eighth grade ... and there was a NET team that was coming for junior high and I helped chaperone it.

to NET Ministries was through retreats at my parish. In a casual conversation one day, someone suggested that I consider joining NET. I started researching and eventually I found NET Ireland’s website. While I was discerning, there was something in me that changed. I felt a burning in my heart and a certainty about NET Ireland that I had never felt before and I had to pursue it. I am going to be a missionary with NET because I want to grow in my faith, share my time and talents with others, proclaim the Gospel, and experience a different culture.

Above all of these, I am serving NET Ireland because it feels right ... because I feel called.

LaSart is looking forward to: What I am looking forward to the most is the opportunity to facilitate retreats. I love retreats because it is such an effective opportunity for youth to experience the love of Christ in a more personal way.

Prayer request: I ask that you please pray that the Holy Spirit be upon us to prompt the missionaries’ words and actions and touch the hearts of the young people we serve.

If you feel called to financially support LaSart, donations can be made at www.netministries.ie/donate.

Van Den Eykel looks forward to: Meeting all the people and staying with the host families is going to be really cool because you get to minister to them too and then helping bring middle schoolers and high schoolers into a closer relationship with Jesus. Middle school and high school can be very hard and I feel like if you don’t have a relationship with the Lord, things can get really dicey really quick, and so just to be able to provide them with the tools and the skills to turn to Jesus when they need to instead of turning to other things.

Prayer request: Pray for fellow NET missionaries and their fundraising efforts … and for the teenagers and children that are going to experience NET this year to be open to the Holy Spirit.

If you feel called to financially support Van Den Eykel, donations can be made at www.netusa.org/donate.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

LOCAL

July 12, 2017

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2016 survey leads to changes for OND, diocesan communications

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND

Changes are coming to Our Northland Diocese, including a new design and increased web presence for the newspaper and the Diocese of Crookston.

On July 1, Janelle Gergen was named Communications Manager for the Diocese of Crookston. Gergen will graduate with a Master of Science in Communication from Purdue University in August. She brings more than 12 years of combined experience in marketing, publishing, design and full-time parish ministry to her new role.

She is beginning her fourth year of work with Our Northland Diocese and diocesan communication efforts.

“I am hopeful the Diocese of Crookston will find new ways to benefit from these areas of expertise I am able to offer. From a more practical standpoint, my employment background gives tactical and hands-on experience for navigating our upcoming expansion into digital news and social media,” Gergen said.

Our Northland Diocese’s revamped website will launch the beginning of August at www. crookston.org/ond. The new website will feature content that is sharable through email and social media. The website will host local, national and international news stories; commentary columns and photo galleries.

Gergen said it may also expand to include audio and video files from diocesan events.

The digital content on the website will also be shared through OND’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ournorth-

The updated masthead, or top portion of the front page of Our Northland Diocese, will debut in the August 23 edition. (Illustration credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)

“A primary hope is that a focused effort in communication management means the Diocese of Crookston can expand its reach through engaging not only the dedicated faithful, but also the fallen away.”

– Janelle C. Gergen Communications Manager

landdiocese) as well as the OND Twitter feed (@ONDiocese).

“This means readers can email links of news stories to other people or engage with the content by ‘liking’, ‘sharing’ or ‘retweeting’ the information with their own social media accounts,” Gergen said.

The August issue of OND will feature an updated look and will provide several ways for readers to engage the newspaper’s digital content.

Gergen will also launch a social media presence for the Diocese of Crookston in August, highlighting the work of diocesan offices and events.

“With a social media presence, the Diocese of Crookston will be able to create and deliver messages that are timely, coordinated, consistent and relevant

Development / Stewardship Director Sacred Heart School and Parish is seeking a Development/Stewardship Director. This position is responsible for executing the development plan, promoting volunteerism, and facilitating financial growth for the School and Parish.

Full job description can be found at: www.sacredheartegf.net/employment

Application deadline is July 21, 2017. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, reference list and letters of recommendation to: Carl Adolphson, School President 200 3rd ST NW East Grand Forks, MN 56721 Or cadolphson@sacredheartegf.net

to Catholics in northwest Minnesota,” Gergen said. “The content delivered on social media will leverage the teaching and expertise of the Church in order to address issues and trends that are important to and affect people today.”

The diocesan social media presence will include daily Scripture, upcoming event notices, and apologetics and faith formation resources.

These changes began taking form in the fall of 2016 when a Communications Taskforce was created at the request of the bishop. Several diocesan staff members, including Gergen, Deacon Mark Krejci, AJ Garcia and Msgr. Mike Foltz gathered to assess both internal and external communications in conjunction with evangelization efforts.

“The group quickly realized a survey was necessary in order to take stock in the methods that are effective, the methods needing improvement and for evaluating ways in which the Diocese of Crookston can communicate

Janelle C. Gergen

with increased efficiency,” Gergen said.

The communications survey was sent to the priests, deacons, parish secretaries, school principals, directors of religious education and youth ministers from all 66 parishes of the diocese.

Nearly 50 percent of those solicited participated in the survey.

Questions were posed about communication channels including OND, the diocesan website, social media and the diocesan General Mailing, a bimonthly e-newsletter sent to clergy and parish staff members.

Responses showed that people enjoy reading OND, but have a desire to share content, such as articles, online. Sixtyseven percent of respondents

said they would like to see OND increase its digital footprint.

More than half of the respondents said they would like the Diocese of Crookston to maintain a social media presence on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Respondents said they would like to see the following items on diocesan social media: daily Scripture, upcoming events, apologetics content, national and international Catholic news, faith formation resources, video presentations or messages from diocesan staff and resources available through the diocesan website.

“A primary hope is that a focused effort in communication management means the Diocese of Crookston can expand its reach through engaging not only the dedicated faithful, but also the fallen away,” Gergen said. “This is possible through a commitment to the oversight of print and digital collateral because information gathering and dissemination becomes streamlined, integrated and efficient.

Gergen said through these changes, OND will remain committed to its mission, which is, “publishing Good News for strengthening and furthering the reign of God in the Diocese of Crookston.”

“Electronic delivery of news and messaging is complementary to the work of the Holy Spirit and does not take the place of the personal encounter in evangelization,” said Gergen.

“However, an ever-changing communication landscape, punctuated by digital methods, means opportunity exists for the newspaper and the diocese to further and strengthen God’s presence in our local Church through online engagement. In techy-church language, this attempt is called content evangelization,” she said.

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July 12, 2017

LOCAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Father Matthew Schmitz ordained to priesthood His advice for others considering priestly vocation: pray, do not be afraid

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND CROOKSTON – On June 17, Matthew Schmitz was ordained to the ministerial priesthood by Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston.

At the beginning of the ordination Mass, in addition to thanking God, Bishop Hoeppner also congratulated and thanked the Schmitz family for the gift of Matthew.

Father Schmitz said the most surprising part of his ordination was the complete sense of peace that accompanied him throughout the liturgy.

“A lot of people told me right before the Mass started that they had been praying for me throughout the week and praying that I would have a great sense of peace, and I definitely felt that,” he said.

One moment from the ordination that particularly impacted him was being vested by Father Chuck Huck, Pastor of St. Philip, Bemidji and St. Charles, Pennington.

“As Father Chuck was vesting me, he had a big smile on his face and he kept saying ‘Father Matt’ and that was a very cool moment.”

Father Schmitz said Father Huck has been a big part of his vocational journey, helping him with discernment and getting into seminary.

At the conclusion of his ordination, Father Schmitz shared a few words about how his vocation to the priesthood was realized.

From the time he was in sixth grade, he was encouraged by the vocations directors of the diocese – first Father Joseph Richards and then Father Vincent Miller – to consider the priesthood.

He attended a vocations camp, after Father Richards told his parents it would be a good idea, and enjoyed it. Father Schmitz said he considered the priesthood off and on throughout his high school years, but really enjoyed working in business after college.

“A few years after I graduated from college, Father Chuck Huck came to my parish at a time when the Lord was really working on my heart and he was the one that helped me to take that next step,” Father Schmitz said during an interview with

Father Xavier Ilango, Director of the Office of Vocations for the Diocese of Crookston, presents Deacon Matthew Schmitz to Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner for ordination to the Order of the Priesthood on June 17 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston.

VISIT FACEBOOK.COM/OURNORTHLANDDIOCESE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM FATHER SCHMITZ’S ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD.

Our Northland Diocese a few weeks after his ordination.

He said being 17 hours away from home was a struggle when he began attending St. Meinrad Seminary, but it didn’t last long.

“I’ve been greatly blessed with the friendships I’ve had at seminary,” he said. Thirteen of his classmates travelled to Crookston to attend the ordination.

“What initially was something I was afraid of – being so far away from my family – turned into a huge blessing with all of the deep friendships that I developed down there,” Father Schmitz said.

His parents, Barbara and Arnold Schmitz, appreciated meeting some of his seminarian friends during his years at St. Meinrad.

“We were able to go down to St. Meinrad a couple of times and to see the way they form seminarians,” Barbara said. “It really gives us hope for the life of the Church and the young men coming into it.”

“We are very proud of Matthew,” said Arnold. “We are very proud of the journey he has started on. We’ve learned a lot from him over the journey, coming closer in our faith.”

Barbara said support as well as space to discern is important for young men considering the priesthood.

“Encourage them, but also let them do it. It needs to come from God … if it comes from God, even if they take another path for a little while, it’s always going to be there,” she said.

Arnold said sometimes people may fear “losing” their son and the plans they had for him – plans like marriage and grandchildren.

“In the end it’s the best thing because it is good for him, and it’s good for us,” he said. “Don’t be afraid of it.”

Father Schmitz said he would encourage men who may feel a tug toward the priesthood to pray and not be afraid.

“Have a life of prayer and if the Lord is calling you, that will be made clear, and then if he calls, don’t be afraid to take the next step,” he said.

Father Schmitz is the Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks; Holy Trinity, Tabor, and St. Francis, Fisher.

He is most looking forward to celebrating the sacraments with the people of the parishes he is serving.

“I had my first weekend Mass at Sacred Heart … and it was just awesome to be able to settle into the normalcy of parish life a little bit,” Father Schmitz said.

“To celebrate that first Mass with the community was a huge blessing.”

Matthew Schmitz lies prostrate for the Litany of Saints during his ordination to the priesthood. (Photos credit: Cariveau Candids)

Bishop Hoeppner imposes his hands upon Matthew Schmitz’s head in silent prayer during the Rite of Ordination.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

LOCAL

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Bishop Hoeppner anoints Father Schmitz’s hands with Sacred Chrism, consecrating them to offer sacrifice to God, as part of the Rite of Ordination.

Barbara and Arnold Schmitz present a chasuble and stole, the garments of the priesthood, to their son, Father Schmitz as Father Chuck Huck assists him with vesting.

Bishop Hoeppner presents Father Schmitz with the chalice and paten during the Rite of Ordination.

Above: Father Schmitz thanks his family, community at St. Meinrad’s Seminary and the people of the Diocese of Crookston for their support during his discernment and formation as a seminarian.

Right: Father Schmitz blesses his parents Arnold and Barbara for the first time following his ordination.

Father Matthew Schmitz distributes Holy Communion during his Mass of Ordination to the Priesthood.

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July 12, 2017

VOICE: Cont’d from Page 2 the work being done in our nation’s capital on health care reform. In America, we not only have the freedom to worship but we also have the freedom to follow our conscience and the freedom from interference of government in the practice of our religion. Currently, our government leaders are considering health care legislation and we need to urge our leaders to respect our rights of religious freedom as they do. Any health care legislation must contain conscience protections, not only for recipients of health care, but also for health care providers – that is, for doctors, nurses and hospital systems – who find themselves being

asked to provide services they believe are immoral. Health care legislation must avoid the use of federal funds for abortion. Health care legislation should provide for quality, affordable, and accessible health care for all, especially for the poor, while providing protection of conscience and protection of life in all its stages.

Again, the staff of the USCCB continues to work with federal legislators on forming good health care legislation. May all of us continue to call on our legislators and leaders to work for good health care legislation.

We also need to continue doing all we can in defense of our religious freedoms.

LOCAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

First Holy Communion

St. Rose of Lima, Argyle. (Submitted photo)

Assumption, Barnesville. (Submitted photo)

Confirmation

Holy Rosary Knights, Catholic Daughters hold fundraiser

St. Bernard, Thief River Falls. (Submitted photo)

Baccalaureate Prior to Easter, Todd and Susan Francis were burned in an explosive fire that also did extensive damage to their home. Council 3166 of the Knights of Columbus, with assistance from the Catholic Daughters, organized a spaghetti supper and silent auction fundraiser to help them with medical bills and home repairs. Presenting Susan and Todd with the check from the proceeds are: Knights Brad Carlson and Jerry Bursaw, Msgr. Timothy McGee, and Catholic Daughters Karen Bursaw and Mary Buschette. (Submitted photo)

St. Mary, Badger. (Submitted photo)

Crookston CDA Court welcomes new members

Officers of Crookston Catholic Daughters Court Bishop Schenk take a photo with new members after their installation. (Submitted photo)

Assumption, Barnesville. (Submitted photo)

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

NATIONAL

July 12, 2017

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Take courage, recognize grace, apostolic nuncio to U.S. tells bishops

By Sean Gallagher Catholic News Service

INDIANAPOLIS – Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., called the U.S. Catholic bishops to be missionary disciples through listening and fostering solidarity and a culture of encounter.

He encouraged the U.S. bishops to view current challenges as “a time of grace.”

“Take courage,” he said, when the “tasks of the new evangelization and of building a culture of encounter and solidarity seem daunting.”

The archbishop, who was appointed nuncio a year ago, told the bishops June 14 at the start of their spring meeting in Indianapolis that in his travels throughout the country this year, he was impressed by the faith of Catholics and their dedication to their parishes “despite the many challenges

they face in living the faith in an increasingly secular culture that values efficiency and productivity over spiritual values.”

He reminded the bishops of Pope Francis’ call to “go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel” and noted that many of them will be discussing this more at the convocation of Catholic leaders in Orlando, Florida, in July.

In speaking about missionary discipleship, Archbishop Pierre recalled his presence as apostolic nuncio to Mexico at a meeting 10 years ago of the Latin American bishops’ council that took place in Aparecida, Brazil.

He said that the final document of that meeting, which addressed evangelization in a secularizing culture, was “a source of life for my mission and for the whole church in

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, July 19 by 12:00 p.m.

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

tinguished from the uniformity imposed upon peoples and nations under the guise of unity.”

Archbishop Pierre recognized the difficulty in promoting missionary discipleship in this way, but encouraged the bishops to do so nonetheless, reminding them that it is all done only in Christ.

“The genuine unity of the human family and of the members of the church can only be achieved in the Truth, who is a person,” he said. “The proof of our unity and solidarity -- of being of one heart and mind -will be in the love experienced by the members of the human Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, family.”

In a news conference folspeaks June 14 during the opening of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual spring assembly in Indianapolis. (Photo credit: CNS/ lowing the first session of the Sean Gallagher, The Criterion) meeting, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Latin America,” and was adopt- cess to health care.”

To deepen this “missionary president of the U.S. Confered by Pope Francis in his 2013 apostolic exhortation “Evan- attitude,” Archbishop Pierre ence of Catholic Bishops, said gelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of said that Pope Francis calls he was particularly impressed the Catholic Church “to listen by Archbishop Pierre’s reflecthe Gospel”). tions on “solidarity with the “I know that many of you, more.”

With the 2018 meeting of the varieties of peoples who are on along with your people, have already adopted this mission- Synod of Bishops on the topic the edges, or even at the cenary attitude, remembering, of of youth, faith and vocational ter, (of society) and who are course, that we are first disci- discernment in mind, Arch- part and parcel of the family ples, called to deeper commu- bishop Pierre emphasized “lis- of humankind that the church nion with the Master,” Arch- tening to and appreciating the embraces.”

“He approached the bishops, bishop Pierre said. “In this year, perspectives of young people it seems to me, in some ways, I have seen the fruits of your – who find themselves at the by encountering us, consoling labors in the defense of human periphery of the church.” us, counseling us,” Cardinal Archbishop Pierre went on to life, conscience and religious DiNardo said. “On the other liberty, in your genuine concern exhort the bishops to promote hand, he challenged us. And the for refugees and migrants, both a “culture of encounter.” challenging issue was solidarity.

At the same time, Archbishhere and throughout the world, I though he was very engaging.” as well as your zeal for families op Pierre noted that encouragand your work for adequate ac- ing solidarity “should be dis-

Bishops approve revisions to guidelines on sacraments for the disabled INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to the guidelines governing the celebration of sacraments for people with disabilities that take into account medical and technological developments. Approved 180-1 during the bishops’ spring general assembly June 14, the revisions in the “Guidelines for the Celebration of Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities” updates a document that was adopted in 1995.

The guidelines were developed as a tool to improve access to the sacraments by persons with disabilities and reduce inconsistencies in pastoral practice. The document followed the Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on Persons with Dis-

abilities in 1978 and a 1989 revision. The 1995 document was the first issued by the bishops on the topic at a national level.

Bishop leaders at the time said the document would allow the church to better minister to and be ministered to by people with disabilities. Among the issues the document addresses is physical access to worship to give people with disabilities “full, active and conscious participation, according to their capacity.”

Bishops’ voices called ‘vital’ to fight challenges to religious liberty INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) – The U.S. bishops voted June 15 to make the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty a permanent standing committee. The 13253 vote came on the second day of the bishops’ spring assembly in Indianapolis. There were five abstentions. A simple majority

was required for approval. The bishops’ action came less than a week before the start of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fifth annual Fortnight for Freedom June 21-July 4. It is a two-week period of prayer, advocacy and education on religious freedom. Before the vote, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, chairman of the committee since its creation in 2011, spoke in favor of making it permanent, arguing the need for the body stretches beyond the specific legal and public policy issues challenging religious freedom that continue to emerge. “Rather, the very idea of religious freedom and its roots in human nature is challenged,” he said, “along with the right of religious people and institutions to raise their voices in the public square and to perform ministries that serve the common good in accordance with their religious and moral convictions.”

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July 12, 2017

NATIONAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Catholic convocation: Combination pep rally, retreat inspires leaders

By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

ORLANDO, FLA. – From July 1-4 the main floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando was transformed into a huge parish hall with places for worship, prayer, discussion, and even coffee and doughnuts during the “Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America.”

At the convocation 3,500 church leaders – men and women religious, bishops and laypeople – gathered to set a new course for the U.S. Catholic Church.

Following a retreat format, each day started and ended with group prayer. Mass was celebrated each day in the hotel ballroom, and there were plenty of scheduled times for the sacrament of reconciliation and private prayer in a large room turned into an adoration chapel.

Many of the keynote sessions took the form of pep talks encouraging delegates to share their faith boldly with the world at large and within their own families and parishes. The numerous breakout sessions provided the working aspect of the gathering: closely examining what the church is doing and where it can do more.

More than 155 bishops attended the gathering, sitting with their delegations for meals and breakout sessions. Cardinals and bishops who spoke at keynote sessions or in Mass homilies encouraged participants that this was their time, their moment, stressing the urgency to bring God’s message of love to a divided world.

At the final Mass, described as a “Mass of Sending,” Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston said the church is called to achieve great things in the face of the impossible -- to unite people together by going to the peripheries of society and sharing the good

news of Jesus through action rooted in faith.

“Sisters and brothers, we are in a very, very significant time in our church in this country,” said Cardinal DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and he urged the delegates to receive God’s grace for the work ahead.

None of the homilists or keynote speakers sugarcoated the challenges for the modern church and more than once speakers pointed out that Catholics are leaving the church in greater numbers, particularly young adults, than those joining the church.

But as Auxiliary Bishop Robert E. Barron of Los Angeles pointed out: “The saints always loved a good fight and we should like a good fight too.”

The bishop, who addressed the crowd through a video hookup July 4, told them it was an “exciting time to be an evangelist” but that they also should pick up their game to evangelize effectively.

Throughout the convocation Pope Francis was pointed out as a model for modern Catholics to follow in inviting others, especially those on the peripheries, to Christ. Speakers also were quick to quote his 2013 apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”), which lays out a vision of the church dedicated to evangelization -- or missionary discipleship -- in a positive way, with a focus on society’s poorest and most vulnerable, including the aged, unborn and forgotten.

Two homilies during the convocation specifically quoted the pope’s admonition in “Evangelii Gaudium” that Catholics shouldn’t be “sourpusses” but should reflect joy.

Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl acknowledged that Catholics are not always comfortable with the idea of evangelizing, but said they need to be willing to step out of

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York embraces a nun as he and other prelates process during the opening Mass at the “Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America” July 1 in Orlando, Fla. Leaders from dioceses and various Catholic organizations gathered for the July 1-4 convocation.

(CNS photo/Bob Roller)

themselves and talk with people about their faith as part of an encounter the pope speaks about.

Part of this simply involves listening to people, caring for them and leading them to Jesus, said speaker Sister Miriam James Heidland, a sister of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.

Delegates were repeatedly encouraged to reach out to the peripheries especially to immigrants and the poor but also to all members of the church’s diverse family – people of all races, women and young people.

Hosffman Ospino, associate professor of theology and religious education at Boston College, said it is time for the church to start building a “language of communion” rather than dividing the church community into different groups and individually responding to those needs.

That message inspired Sister Kathleen Burton, a Sister of St. Joseph who is co-director of the Office of Faith Formation, Family Life and Lay Min-

istry Formation in the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, who said: “The walls need to come down.”

“There’s a renewed sense of evangelization and re-evangelization,” the delegate told Catholic News Service. “We’re being challenged that we don’t wait for people to come to us, but we’ve got to go out to them.”

For many delegates, seeing the church’s diversity – Latinos, African-Americans and Africans, Native Americans, and Asians from across the continent at the convocation – was an inspiring sight, helping them better understand the idea of the church as family.

Vanessa Griffin Campbell, director of the Office of Ministry to African American Catholics in the Diocese of Cleveland,

said the key to embracing diversity and going to the peripheries will be teamwork among laypeople, clergy and diocesan staff.

The church should “not just open the doors on Sunday,” she said, “but make sure our doors are open Sunday to Sunday.”

At the end of the closing Mass, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, who attended all four days of the convocation, congratulated attendees for the invigorating discussion.

He called it a “kairos,” or opportune moment, in the life of the U.S. church and said he would tell Pope Francis: “the Spirit is alive in the church in the United States.”

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS

True Christians are guided in the face of opposition, ha- in St. Peter’s Basilica were: Cartred and persecution. dinals Jean Zerbo of Bamako,

by God, not horoscopes, Mali, 73; Juan Jose Omella of Barcelona, Spain, 71; Anders crystal balls, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Bringing

Pope: Don’t fear ridicule from sharing the Gospel

the Gospel to the world isn’t a walk in the park; it will lead to ridicule and contempt, even persecution, Pope Francis said.

But Christians must never be afraid and must keep on going since “Jesus never leaves us on our own because we are precious to him,” the pope said before praying the Angelus June 25 with people gathered in St. Peter’s Square. The pope’s reflection centered on the day’s readings (Jer 20:10-13 and Mt 10:26-33), which speak about God always being with his people no matter what. In fact, in the Gospel reading Jesus tells his disciples three times to not be afraid and to “proclaim on the housetops” what has been revealed to them in a whisper.

The Lord still tells people today to never be afraid, the pope said.

“Jesus never leaves us on our own because we are precious to him.”

-Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Christians are called to detach themselves from power, reject violence and sacrifice themselves for God and others out of love, Pope Francis said. Christians must live the way Christ chose to: not as “persecutors, but persecuted; not arrogant, but meek; not as snake-oil salesmen, but subservient to the truth; not impostors, but honest,” he said June 28 during his weekly general audience. In fact, “Christians find repugnant the idea that suicide attackers might be called ‘martyrs’ because there is nothing in their purpose that can come close to the behavior of children of God,” who are called always to act out of love, he told the estimated 12,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. High temperatures and scattered sprinkles prompted the pope to tell guests in the Vatican audience hall that he was about to head outside to a “Turkish bath.” In his weekly catechesis, the pope continued his series on Christian hope by focusing on what gives Christians strength and perseverance

Pope Francis places a red biretta on new Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm during a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican June 28. The pope created five new cardinals at the service. (CNS)

Pope to new cardinals: serve people, tackle sins VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Cardinals are not called to be “princes” of the church, but to serve the people of God and tackle the sins of the world, Pope Francis told five new cardinals. Jesus “calls you to serve like him and with him, to serve the father and your brothers and sisters,” the pope said as he created five new cardinals from five nations June 28. The new cardinals created during the prayer service

Arborelius of Stockholm, 67; Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, apostolic vicar of Pakse, Laos, 73; and Gregorio Rosa Chavez, 74, auxiliary bishop of San Salvador, El Salvador. After reciting the Creed and taking an oath of fidelity to Pope Francis and his successors, each cardinal – in his new red robes – went up to Pope Francis and knelt before him. The pope gave them each a cardinal’s ring, a red skullcap and a red threecornered red hat. The crimson hue the cardinals wear is a reminder that they must be courageous and faithful to Christ, his church and the pope to the point of shedding blood, if necessary. They also received a scroll attesting to their appointment as cardinals and containing the name of their “titular church” in Rome. The assignment of a church is a sign they now are members of the clergy of the pope’s diocese.

Pope: Christians fight evil with love, sacrifice, never with violence VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Christians are called to detach themselves from power, reject violence and sacrifice themselves for God and others out of love, Pope Francis said. Christians must live the way Christ chose to: not as “persecutors, but persecuted; not arrogant, but meek; not as snake-oil salesmen, but subservient to the truth; not impostors, but honest,” he said June 28 during his weekly general audience. In fact, “Christians find repugnant the idea that suicide attackers might be called ‘martyrs’ because there is nothing in their purpose that can come close to the behavior of children of God,” who are called always to act out of love, he told the estimated 12,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. High temperatures

July 12, 2017

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and scattered sprinkles prompted the pope to tell guests in the Vatican audience hall that he was about to head outside to a “Turkish bath.” In his weekly catechesis, the pope continued his series on Christian hope by focusing on what gives Christians strength and perseverance in the face of opposition, hatred and persecution.

Pope tells archbishops not to be ‘armchair Catholics,’ but apostles VATICAN CITY (CNS) – “The Catholic Church’s new cardinals and new archbishops must be willing to risk everything, patiently endure evil and bear crosses like Jesus did,” Pope Francis said. “The Lord answers our prayers. He is faithful to the love we have professed for him, and he stands beside us at times of trial.” Just as he accompanied the apostles, “he will do the same for you,” the pope told five new cardinals and about 30 archbishops named during the past year. Pope Francis addressed the new cardinals and archbishops during his homily at a Mass in St. Peter’s Square June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, who are the patron saints of the Vatican and the city of Rome. The Mass was celebrated the day after Pope Francis created new cardinals from El Salvador, Mali, Laos, Sweden and Spain. Thirty-six archbishops appointed over the course of the past year were also invited to come to Rome to concelebrate the feast day Mass with Pope Francis. They came from 26 countries. The concelebrants included Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey; and Archbishops Paul D. Etienne of Anchorage, Alaska; and Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis. All three of the U.S. prelates have deep connections to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Archbishop Etienne was a priest of the archdiocese and Cardinal Tobin is the former archbishop.

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Cardinal Pell, professing innocence, will face charges in Australia VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Proclaiming his innocence after being charged with sexual abuse, Australian Cardinal George Pell said, “I’m looking forward finally to having my day in court.

I’m innocent of these charges.

They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,” he said June 29 during a brief news conference in the Vatican press office. Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office, said Pope Francis had granted Cardinal Pell a leave of absence from his position as prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy so that he can work on his defense. Cardinal Pell, Burke added, will not participate in any public liturgies while his case is being considered. “These matters have been under investigation now for two years,” Cardinal Pell told the press. “There’s been relentless character assas-

sination, a relentless character assassination, and for more than a month claims that a decision on whether to lay charges was imminent.” Without giving specifics about the number of charges or the incidents, police in Australia’s Victoria state announced June 29 that charges had been filed against the cardinal and that he has been called to appear in court July 18.

Pope names archbishop to succeed Cardinal Muller at doctrine office VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Promoting the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to the office of prefect, Pope Francis chose not to ask German Cardinal Gerhard Muller to serve a second fiveyear term in the post. The Vatican announced July 1 that the pope chose as prefect Spanish Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, 73, a Jesuit theologian who had been appointed secretary of the congregation in 2008 by then-

INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS

Pope Benedict XVI. “The Holy Father Francis thanked His Eminence Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller at the conclusion of his quinquennial mandate,” the Vatican announcement said. No new position was announced for Cardinal Muller, who at 69 is still more than five years away from the normal retirement age for a bishop.

Anticipating an announcement of the pope’s decision June 30, both the English Rorate Caeli blog and the Italian Corrispondenza Romana blog presented the pope’s move as a dismissal of the German cardinal, who originally was appointed to the post by now-retired Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Francis had met that morning with Cardinal Muller, whose five-year term was to end July 2. In an interview with Allgemeine Zeitung, the cardinal said the pope’s decision had been unexpected since such terms were usually renewed, but it did not bother him. He told the newspaper that Pope Francis wanted, in general, to limit the term of office to five

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years and he just happened to be the first person to which the new standard applied.

Pope calls for respecting parents’ wishes to care for dying child VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis called for respecting the wishes of a terminally ill child’s parents to accompany and care for their child “until the end.” Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman, said the pope was following “with affection and emotion” the events concerning Charlie Gard, a 10-monthold infant born in England with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness, brain damage and respiratory or liver failure; it is typically fatal. Expressing his closeness to the parents, Pope Francis said he was “praying for them, hoping that their desire to accompany and take care of their own baby until the end is not disregarded,” Burke’s written

statement said in Italian July 2.

In London, Charlie’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, crowdfunded nearly $1.7 million in four months to finance having the baby treated in the United States. However, when hospital officials wanted to stop providing life support for the baby, the parents went to a London court with their case, but the court ruled the baby should be allowed to “die with dignity” and doctors could stop providing life support. Further court actions, including a decision by the European Court of Human Rights June 27, upheld the ruling. The parents’ continued request to the hospital was to allow them to take Charlie home to die. That request has been denied, and the hospital had said it would be suspending life support June 30 -- a date that has since been extended.

The official Twitter account of Pope Francis, @Pontifex, posted a tweet June 30, “To defend human life, above all when it is wounded by illness, is a duty of love that God entrusts to all.”

Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) Endowments and Memorials General Endowment

St. Joseph, Beaulieu.........................................5,168.24

Our Lady of the Pines, Nevis............................5,615.50

Reverend Eugene Connelly..............................5,086.87

Bishop Balke...................................................15,000.00

St. Philip, Bemidji............................................90,063.39

St. Michael, Northome.......................................1,200.50

Mrs. Gladys Burlingame....................................1,000.00

Bishop Corbett.................................................20,000.00

St. Joseph, Benwood...........................................626.00

Most Holy Redeemer, Ogema...........................4,933.10

St. John Vianney...............................................3,000.00

Bishop Glenn...................................................10,000.00

St. Frances, Big Elbow Lake.............................1,189.77

St. Francis Xavier, Oklee...................................5,440.56

Bernard & Frances Crummy..............................2,500.00

Bishop Peschges.............................................20,000.00

St. Ann, Blackduck............................................1,873.75

St. Joseph, Oslo...............................................6,308.00

Henry and Ida Ricard......................................25,000.00

Bishop Povish..................................................10,000.00

St. Joseph, Brooks............................................7,340.00

St. Peter, Park Rapids.....................................14,889.53

Mr. & Mrs. R.W. Maves.....................................3,400.00

Dorothy Howard................................................5,045.62

Assumption, Callaway.......................................4,949.25

St. Charles, Pennington.........................................57.50

Total................................................................205,489.21

Edward P. Herold.............................................25,000.00

Cathedral, Crookston......................................55,750.85

St. Theodore, Ponsford.....................................1,288.50

Newman Ministry

Frank A. & Mabel Mallinger.............................78,920.01

Holy Rosary, Detroit Lakes..............................67,943.50

St. Joseph, Red Lake Falls.............................29,292.92

John Newman.................................................29,132.92

George E. Nemzek........................................250,000.00

St. Elizabeth, Dilworth.......................................1,552.50

St. Mary’s Mission, Red Lake...........................5,024.25

Total..................................................................29,132.92

Gertrude Niehoff............................................ 27,533.04

Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks.....................71,209.00

Sacred Heart, Roseau.......................................6,816.37

Youth Ministry

John Kowalski...................................................6,217.69

St. Mary, Euclid.................................................6,431.25

St. Cecilia, Sabin...............................................7,140.00

St. John Bosco................................................11,308.00

Margaret Widman..............................................5,000.00

St. Philip, Falun....................................................434.25

St. Stephen, Stephen........................................5,372.92

Total..................................................................11,308.00

Msgr. John D. Stearns.....................................23,696.15

St. Joseph, Fertile.............................................4,507.50

Holy Trinity, Tabor..............................................6,218.85

Special Designation

Reverend Jeremiah Sullivan...........................18,380.92

St. Francis, Fisher.............................................2,591.25

St. Bernard, Thief River Falls..........................73,066.88

Joe and Olga Merkens....................................28,458.02

Reverend John Merth........................................5,854.33

Assumption, Florian..........................................9,188.19

St. William, Twin Valley......................................5,271.25

Sacred Heart, Frazee, Cath............................40,449.76

Reverend John O’Toole Memorial...................27,523.38

St. Mary, Fosston............................................10,417.50

St. Mary, Two Inlets...........................................3,952.75

KC Frazee Catholic Edu.................................24,500.00

Reverend Louis McMahan..............................10,000.00

Sacred Heart, Frazee......................................23,861.50

Sts. Peter & Paul, Warren...............................14,278.83

John J. Arouni Catholic Education................356,000.00

Thomas & Patricia Hilger............................... 59,510.04

St. Peter, Gentilly...............................................2,166.25

St. Mary, Warroad..............................................4,956.57

Total................................................................449,407.78

Veronica ‘Roni’ Stainbrook..............................10,025.00

St. John, Georgetown........................................4,602.50

St. Ann, Waubun...............................................5,831.55

St. Joseph, Moorhead

Total................................................................627,706.18

St. Ann, Goodridge............................................1,212.50

St. Benedict, White Earth..................................1,697.00

School Operations Endow.............................138,363.02

Catholic Education

Blessed Sacrament, Greenbush.......................6,159.25

St. Joseph, Williams.............................................900.00

Sr. Mary Ann Welsch Endow.........................126,969.00

God’s Green Acre.............................................1,326.77

St. Clement, Grygla...........................................3,526.25

Sacred Heart, Wilton.........................................4,703.77

Parish Operations Endowment.......................54,532.00

Hartmann & Reimann Families.........................4,000.00

St. Patrick, Hallock............................................2,066.25

Total................................................................870,037.98

School Scholarship Endowment.....................63,055.00

Julia B. Musil...................................................38,018.32

Holy Family, Halstad..........................................4,893.75

Priests’ Retirement

Setter School Scholarship.............................385,955.84

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton................................650,500.00

St. Andrew, Hawley..........................................16,013.75

Rev. Ed Nistler Endowment..................................505.00

J. & K. Altobell School Scholarship.................21,295.00

Total................................................................693,845.09

St. Edward, Karlstad.............................................295.00

Leo Osowski Endowment................................10,000.00

RE & Youth Ministry.........................................14,090.33

Faith For Tomorrow-Catholic Education

St. Patrick, Kelliher............................................2,908.75

Joe and Jenny Prosby.......................................5,000.00

M A Ellis Building Fund.................................100,000.00

Capital Campaign Proceeds......................2,278,478.94

St. Francis Xavier, Lake Park...........................3,286.75

Frank Reid Endowment...................................49,372.86

SSG Andrew P. Nelson Scholarship...............14,510.00

Elvern Vanyo...................................................20,969.22

Holy Rosary, Lancaster..........................................77.50

Bishop Schenk.................................................11,250.00

Sr. D. Charest Parish Nurse............................31,187.00

Total.............................................................2,303,264.12

St. Mary of the Lk, Lake Eunice Tns.................9,981.25

John Stoltman Endowment...............................5,000.00

Alice Bartels Teacher Salaries.......................116,400.00

Parish Catholic Education

St. Theodore, Laporte.......................................1,600.00

Total..................................................................81,127.86

Msgr. Michael Foltz School Schol...................13,110.00

St. Joseph, Ada.................................................6,075.82

St. Michael, Mahnomen...................................11,670.00

Continued Education of Priests

Msgr. Michael Foltz Child & Youth FF.............13,665.00

St. John the Baptist, Alma....................................399.34

St. Lawrence, Mentor......................................33,778.38

St. Stephen’s...................................................20,000.00

Total.............................................................1,093,132.19

St. Rose of Lima, Argyle....................................6,784.58

St. Joseph, Middle River...................................1,422.50

The Orville J. Woeste......................................11,605.00

St. Mary, Badger...............................................1,887.00

St. Francis, Moorhead.....................................35,006.35

Dorothy Howard Estate...................................14,184.16

St. Joseph, Bagley...........................................11,299.50

St. Joseph, Moorhead.....................................92,333.82

Andrew & Frances Ignaszewski Mm.................5,000.00

Assumption, Barnesville....................................5,252.50

St. Anne, Naytahwaush.....................................2,069.70

Eva Charest Memorial...................................110,713.18

Sacred Heart, Baudette...................................21,558.70

St. John, Nebish................................................2,355.25

Leon & Irene Pribula.........................................4,000.00

This endowment listing will be printed again on October 4, 2017.

Want to know more about endowments and memorials within the Catholic Community Foundation? Do you have questions about the endowments published above?

Contact Joe Noel, CCF Director, at 218-281-4533, ext. 453 (office) or 218-280-6858 (mobile). Joe may also be reached at: jnoel@crookston.org.

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COMMENTARY

WORD to LIFE July 16

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 55:10-11; Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23

Psalm 65:10-14;

Romans 8:18-23

By Jeff Hedglen Catholic News Service It seems as though every time I turn on the news another horrible event has occurred. One day it is war in Afghanistan or elsewhere, another day it is one more EF5 tornado tearing through one or more states, another day it is mighty rivers cresting from an overabundance of rain or wild fires because of too little.

These are the big stories that make the national news. But daily, in much lessnoticed corners of the world, there is bullying and peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, hunger and neglect, and drug and human trafficking.

Just when I am about to be overwhelmed, I read St. Paul’s message for us this week: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” I find it hard to take comfort in these words because I am afraid they somehow lessen the circumstances of all those suffering in today’s world. Yet, I know Paul is speaking from a firsthand knowledge of suffering while still holding out hope in faith.

Paul himself had been shipwrecked and imprisoned, and he lived in a time of extreme persecution of the church by the Romans, yet even in the face of such hardship and fear he found a reason to hope.

He was living the message Jesus gives us in the Gospel: “The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” He knew that the seed of faith had been planted in his willing heart and

July 12, 2017

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FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS

July 23

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 Gospel: Matthew 13:24-33

Romans 8:26-27

By Sharon K. Perkins Catholic News Service

thus the fruit it was bearing and would continue to bear would outweigh his current sufferings.

The mystery of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus tells us that whatever suffering comes our way is not the end of the journey; it is but a pathway to the glory of God. This does not diminish the suffering experienced, and it does not take the pain away, but it does give us a reason to hope, for while we groan here on earth, we await our redemption in eternity.

Questions: As people of faith, how do we face times of extreme suffering and unexplainable tragedy?

How have you navigated the hard times in your own life?

"I CONSIDER THAT THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME ARE AS NOTHING COMPARED WITH THE GLORY TO BE REVEALED FOR US." – ROMANS 8:18

I had a conversation with a group of colleagues who also happened to be parents of young children, and we were sharing stories of various parenting techniques that we observed. A couple of techniques and characteristics stood out as both exemplary and very effective.

“The Look” was high on our list.

Having just observed “the Look” used by a young mother of four during Mass, I could describe it well: Whenever one of her brood became disruptive, she simply fixed her eyes on him or her with an expression that could have meant anything from “You know that there will be severe consequences for your behavior when we get home” to “I’ve taught you how to behave appropriately in church, and I’m really disappointed in you right now” to “I know you’re hungry/tired/need to go to the potty, but I’m sure you’re capable of lasting a while longer!”

Sometimes “the Look” was accompanied by a raised eyebrow, a gentle touch on the shoulder or a whispered word, but there was never any question about who was in charge.

Whatever unspoken family “code” had been established, there was an obvious, underlying assumption of parental authority that was calmly communicated, justly applied and gently enforced. It also indicated that Mom was fully aware of each child’s unique limitations and capabilities and was prepared to respond accordingly to each one’s age-appropriate need.

Although she must have had her moments of fatigue and frustration (she was

human, after all), there was no drama, no flare of temper, no demonstrated resentment. From my vantage point in the pew behind them, I was duly impressed.

Today’s readings convey these same unmistakable messages of God’s just, yet gentle, treatment of all his children, regardless of our individual capabilities and deficiencies. God’s lenience is also God’s strength. God compensates for our inadequacies in prayer. When the seeds of goodness in our lives are contaminated by sin or evil influences, God doesn’t petulantly overreact or intervene prematurely, but he patiently entrusts us with the time and encouragement that we need to learn from our mistakes -- albeit with the assurance of our eventual accountability.

It’s the constant, unwavering “Look” of love that gives us, God’s children, “good ground for hope.”

Questions: In what specific way(s) has God dealt leniently with you?

How has God’s example of kindness and justice taught you to treat others, especially those who are entrusted to your care?

"FOR YOUR MIGHT IS THE SOURCE OF JUSTICE; YOUR MASTERY OVER ALL THINGS MAKES YOU LENIENT TO ALL." – WISDOM 12:16

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