OND June A 2016 Vol. 70 No 11

VOL. 70, NO. 11

WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG

JUNE 8, 2016

Graduates celebrate!

Members of the Class of 2016 throw their caps in the air outside Sacred Heart School following their graduation ceremony held May 29. (Photo credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND) TURN TO PAGE 3 FOR COVERAGE OF THE EVENT.

2016: A milestone year for Bishop Emeritus Balke Retired bishop to turn 85, celebrate 40th anniversary of episcopal ordination

By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND

In September, Bishop Emeritus Victor H. Balke will turn 85 and will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of his episcopal ordination.

After retiring in 2007, he lived independently in Moorhead until macular degeneration made driving to the churches in Moorhead a problem. He moved to the rectory at Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks, in 2014. The rectory is adjacent to the church, making it more convenient for him to participate in

INSIDE

VOL. 70. NO. 11:

parish life.

“The main joy of retirement is being ‘schedule free’, at least for the most part,” Bishop Balke said. He stays busy hearing confessions, presiding at or concelebrating Mass, and assisting at penance services throughout the greater Grand Forks area when needed. He also enjoys riding his bike, going for walks, using the treadmill, praying the rosary, visiting the Blessed Sacrament and taking naps.

“If naps extend one’s life, as I’ve heard it said, I should live a long, long time,” Bishop Balke said.

Bishop Emeritus Victor H. Balke

Other than impaired vision, he considers himself to be in good health.

Pg. 3 - Sacred Heart School Graduation Coverage Pg. 7 - Benedictine Sister Edith Bedard Obituary Pg. 9 - MCC Legislative Session Summary

“Given my age, though, I usually add ‘as far as I know’,” he said. “Still, I know I am very blessed to be as healthy as I am. ... I see so many others, even younger than I, who are sick or handicapped and suffer a great deal. I admire them for their acceptance of their condition, and I am grateful for their example.”

He views aging as an opportunity to receive God’s grace and draw nearer to Christ on the cross.

“It’s the grace of God, under the pressure of aging, which enables us to endure illness and physical or mental limitation,”

Bishop Balke said. “His grace enables us to become more and more patient with ourselves, with our diminishment, with our inability to do as much as before. Accepting suffering patiently, even our limitations due to aging, is a way of sharing in the Passion of Christ.”

DAILY LIFE Bishop Balke’s day usually starts a little before 5:30 a.m.

He eats breakfast and has a holy hour before morning Mass.

“After Mass, I sometimes join the folks for coffee and cookies, BISHOP BALKE: Continued on Page 6

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June 8, 2016

A

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Voice from the Valley

BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER

CHILD VICTIMS ACT EXPIRATION All diocesan households should have received a letter from me over Memorial Day Weekend discussing the 14 new claims of sexual abuse and civil suits served against the Diocese of Crookston and against eight of our parishes. These allegations and suits have been brought forward as the threeyear window set by the Minnesota Child Victims Act drew to a close on May 25. This legislation lifted the statute of limitations on sexual abuse, thus allowing victims from years ago to file civil suits now.

I want you to know that we are working with our attorneys and insurers to draw these cases to a fair resolution for all parties involved. We are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all people, especially the young and vulnerable. The healing and support of victims remains a priority for us. Please join me in praying for the spiritual and emotional well-being of all victims of sexual abuse.

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by clergy in the past, please call our Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, Louann McGlynn at 218-2817895.

I want you to also know that the exciting work and mission

of the Church will enthusiastically continue here.

Many years ago, Pope St. Gregory the Great noted that, “Holy Church, inasmuch as she keeps searching for the rewards of eternal life, has been called the dawn.” The dawn, he said, “dispels the darkness and welcomes the light, it holds both of them, the one mixed with the other, as it were.” He then asked, “Are not all of us who follow the truth in this life daybreak and dawn? While we do some things which already belong to the light, we are not free from the remnants of darkness.”

And so we move forward, dealing with these new claims of past incidents of sexual abuse by priests which are remnants of darkness indeed. We continue to turn to Our Risen Lord, the true Light of the World, the Head of the Church, who continually dispels the darkness, helping each of us see and welcome the light and live honorably in the light of holiness each day.

MINNESOTA LEGISLATIVE SESSION “You are the light of the world … let your light shine before people so that, seeing your good works, they may give glory to your Father in heaven.”

(Mt 5:14) There were a number of

Turn to Page 9 for a full recap of the legislative session from The Catholic Spirit, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. bright spots in the past legislative session in Minnesota. Over 4,000 House bills and over 3,600 Senate bills were introduced in this 2015-2016 session.

One bill called for the creation of a surrogacy commission to thoroughly study the issue of legalizing surrogacy in Minnesota. Surrogacy is a multi-billion dollar worldwide industry and some want to legalize it in Minnesota, even though it is immoral, dangerous and unsafe.

Surrogacy is unsafe for women and children. It poses many dangers, ranging from the physical and psychological health of the mother and the child born of surrogacy, to ethical and legal entanglements, to lack of industry regulations and issues surrounding gamete procurement.

Many worked together to pass the bill that set up a surrogacy commission. The com-

mission’s mandate will be to take a careful look at this issue before surrogacy would ever be considered for legalization in Minnesota.

Another bright spot in this year’s session was in the area of drug sentencing reform. Legislation was passed that provides harsher punishments for those dealing drugs, those who habitually possess drugs and those who commit drug crimes involving firearms or other aggravating factors.

New legislation also shows some leniency for first-time offenders and those in possession of lower quantities. It also allows for conditional or early release of some non-violent offenders. Mandatory sentencing for third, fourth, and fifth degree offenses was eliminated.

During this session, hearings on a bill introduced to legalize physician-assisted suicide, the “Minnesota Compassionate Care Act,” were held in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The bill was resoundingly defeated, with the author pulling it from further

(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.

BISHOP’S CALENDAR June 13-17

USCCB Spring Special Assembly

consideration in this session.

Diverse voices were heard in testimony against the bill: palliative care doctor and nurses, other health care professionals, advocates for the disabled, elder care service providers, legal professionals, religious groups and pro-life advocates – all saying we should care for people, not kill them.

Defeating physician-assisted suicide, passing the surrogacy commission, helping to create the moral imperative for sentencing reform are good accomplishments. Involvement is the key. The Minnesota Catholic Advocacy Network continues to grow and is a great tool to help make good things happen. For more information, or to sign up for the Minnesota Catholic Advocacy Network, visit www.mncc.org/actioncenter. Thanks to all who take an active role in the public life of our state, letting this good work shine for the true common good.

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

June 21

7:45 a.m.

June 21

12:00 p.m.

Priests’ Council Meeting, Chancery, Crookston

June 22

11:30 a.m.

South Central Deanery Pilgrimage to Holy Door, Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

June 25

5:00 p.m.

Mass, St. Patrick’s, Kelliher

Editorial Assistant: Mrs. Katrina Genereux

kgenereux@crookston.org

June 26

8:00 a.m.

Mass, St. Ann’s, Blackduck

Proofreader:

June 26

10:15 a.m.

Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston

Associate Editor: Mrs. Janelle C. Gergen

jgergen@crookston.org

Mass, St. John’s, Nebish

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.

Deacon Dan Hannig

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

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

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

AROUND THE DIOCESE

June 8, 2016

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The Class of 2016 graduates from Sacred Heart School Spotlight on Catholic Education: St. Michael’s School

By Janelle C. Gergen Associate Editor, OND

EAST GRAND FORKS – Hundreds gathered at Msgr. A.I. Merth Gymnasium in East Grand Forks on May 29 for Sacred Heart School’s 2016 commencement exercises. Diplomas were conferred to 24 graduating seniors by Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner and Superintendent Msgr. Mike Foltz.

Michele Frances Remer, Valedictorian, spoke on behalf of the class. She shared the class verse, Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.”

Remer described the ways in which the Class of 2016 faced adversities and changes in their years together at the school.

In closing, she said, “Sacred Heart has taught us that even though we may sometimes feel as though God is not there to comfort us, we need to keep pursuing a life full of holiness, live for Jesus, and strengthen our relationship with him. If we do these things, we will spend eternal life with God and with each other.”

The commencement address was delivered by Father Larry Delaney, Pastor of St. Joseph’s, Moorhead. Father Delaney was Associate Pastor for Sacred Heart Parish and its missions of Holy Trinity, Tabor, and St. Francis of Assisi, Fisher, from 1996 to 2001 and Pastor of the parishes as well as Superintendent of Sacred Heart School from 2001 to 2013.

He referenced Pope Francis’ recent Apostolic Exhortation, “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love). He spoke of the ethical formation of children and thanked parents for providing their children a Catholic education, entrusting them to Sacred Heart School as a way to partner with them in “shaping the will of their children, fostering good habits and a natural inclination towards goodness.”

Quoting the class verse, Father Delaney spoke of how the placement of trust in parents, teachers, loved ones, friends and God can “lead us not only through darkness, but to his light.” In departing Sacred Heart School, he asked the members of the Class of 2016 to trust that God will use them and the gifts they have been given in the next chapters of their lives.

Principal David Andrys pre-

“Sacred Heart has taught us that even though we may sometimes feel as though God is not there to comfort us, we need to keep pursuing a life full of holiness, live for Jesus, and strengthen our relationship with him.”

– Michele Remer, Valedictorian, Class of 2016 Bishop Hoeppner, clergy, staff, School Advisory Council members and the Class of 2016 take a few minutes to pray around the altar prior to commencement. (Photos credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)

Father Larry Delaney delivers the commencement address.

sented the class and called each member forward to receive a diploma. Cheers of congratulations from loved ones and friends were heard from the crowd.

Bishop Hoeppner addressed the class by saying, “Your hard work and sacrifice have resulted in success ... As we look to the future, we ask that you continue to be faithful to your roots, to your family and to this beautiful school.” He thanked the teachers and parents in attendance as well, noting the hard work and sacrifices they continuously offer to make Catholic education possible.

Commencement exercises closed with a blessing imparted by the bishop. The school band played recessional music as the Class of 2016 processed outside. The young men and women quickly gathered for a celebratory tossing of their caps, symbolizing the end of one journey and the start of another.

Sacred Heart School President Carl Adolphson carries the ceremonial mace as he leads the Class of 2016 from Sacred Heart Church to Msgr. A.I. Merth Gymnasium for commencement exercises.

Class of 2016 Valedictorian, Michele Frances Remer, speaks on behalf of the graduating seniors.

Matthew Patrick Ogaard shakes the hand of Superintendent, Msgr. Mike Foltz, after receiving his diploma from Adolphson.

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June 8, 2016

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Lessons of Christ’s care found in fish and loaves This past weekend our family traveled west, over the Great Divide to attend a mountain retreat with a number of families camping in the woods. Of course with four children under the age of nine and surrounded by other hoards of roaming children, “retreat” is a relative term. There were many things competing for attention and basic needs to be met. But the hurriedness of the meals, conferences, discipline of children and hikes, provided a reminder that God is ultimately the one who meets and satisfies our needs.

Matthew’s account of Jesus’s miracle of the loaves and fish, emphasized this message of God’s providence. This seemingly straightforward miracle is a reminder of the intensions of a God who wishes to satisfy and fulfill all our needs.

He is ready to fill our hearts and our stomachs. Generally speaking, the first words out of my 4-year-old’s mouth in the morning are, “I want something to eat.” He is expressing his need to be taken care of.

Developmental psychology reminds us that at about age four, children can start to learn the

INTEGRITY: HUMAN PERSON INSIGHTS

By Mr. Dan Spadaro, MA, LPC Syndicated through The Colorado Catholic Herald

“Jesus gives us the example of a God who is not distracted by the sufferings of life, but able to still identify and meet the needs of his children ... Jesus affirms that he will remain constant in this task, ever accessible and responsive to our needs.”

ability to understand and tolerate that their own needs must be weighed with the needs of parents and others. Those struggling with lust or addiction have either forgotten or never learned the value of this lesson. For the person recover-

ing from lust, the ability to deal with the competing needs of others and their own, is very much a reeducation in how to relate to and love others. Pope St. John Paul II spoke about a similar reeducation when he said, “the person to succeed

in mastering (sexual) impulse and excitement, must be committed to a progressive education in self-control of the will, the feelings, of the emotions.”

(Theology of the Body, paragraph 408.)

All who struggled with lust and distorted relationships are really expressing a deep thirst or hunger for real relationship. We are certainly created with the need for connection. Psychology recognizes this need for relation, evidenced particularly in the field of attachment theory, which posits that we are imbedded with a drive for connection from the earliest moments of our life. We have a desire to be nurtured and protected by caregivers. In the words of the father of attachment theory, John Bowlby, we seek to have our caregivers provide us with “accessibility and responsiveness” to meet our needs. When a parent’s attention is inconsistent or absent, children have a variety of reactions. Some children can handle small doses of this, but others become frantic and chaotic. Often parents who have their own addictive history lack the experience or ability to meet their children’s needs well.

Children can grow up with a resolution to meet their own needs on their own terms, at least when push comes to shove. Subconscious beliefs can develop like: “I am the only one who realizes or cares about my needs, so only I can really meet them,” or “I can’t trust others to help me, they are not reliable anyway.” So this vulnerability in a child can provide an opportunity for addictive habits to take root.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus, in the midst of grieving the death of John the Baptist, is faced with the needs of hungry people who have sought him out in a “lonely place.” Jesus gives us the example of a God who is not distracted by the sufferings of life, but able to still identify and meet the needs of his children. Often in our own times of pain we are incapable of meeting the needs of others.

We do need to seek the help of another to support us. Jesus affirms that he will remain constant in this task, ever accessible and responsive to our needs. The question then is, do we trust him?

Mercy can be defined as kindness we do not deserve Folks, I can’t make this stuff up!

I am sure most readers have been hearing about the recent controversy at the Cincinnati Zoo when zoo officials had to shoot a 400 pound gorilla named Harambe. The shooting was in response to a 4-year-old child falling into a moat and being grabbed and dragged by the gorilla.

Those making the decision to shoot to kill said using a tranquilizer was too dangerous.

They could not predict how the gorilla would react to the shot while waiting for the medicine to take effect.

As is now far too common in such situations, the outrage against the zoo and the parents of the child sadly reveals how far from reality many Americans have drifted. By nightfall, a prayer vigil was being held for the gorilla and calls for prosecuting the parents of the child were aplenty.

Within 24 hours, a Facebook page entitled “Justice for Harambe” was bolting its way

LIFE FIRST

By Father Don Braukmann

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

through the Facebook empire.

One angry protester said, “I hope there’ll be some kind of charges brought against the parents whose negligence caused the death of a beautiful gorilla.” Need I say more about how insane we have become?

Of course the situation was a tragedy! Of course it was a “beautiful gorilla”! Of course procedures and measures taken all need to be reviewed, but to condemn zoo officials for saving the life of the child is absurd! The gorilla is an animal.

The little boy is a human being.

Where is the choice in that?

A friend said to me, “Why are

you surprised an animal’s life is considered more precious than a human life? That has been true in America for quite some time and it happened while too many of us were sleeping.”

But, wait, there is more!

Earlier in May word came from Bodega Bay in California that a Humpback whale was tangled in fishing lines and could not break free. The report decried how human selfishness led to the “disaster” and caused horrific injury and suffering for the whale and other sea animals. A specially trained “rescue team” for whales arrived on the scene to save the animal

and restore its freedom. The report stated it is against the law to come closer than 100 yards to a whale unless you have a special rescue permit from the Oceanic Society.

Friends, how sickening these stories become when we have to fight to defend the most basic human right, the right to life of a human being in the womb!

If there is no right to life, no other right is safe. If there is no right to life, forget about our debates over the border, education, healthcare and ISIS. Even though the right to life is built into our constitution, the document has been muted by those who insist the human child must die so we can live as we wish.

“No one can come within 100 yards of a whale without a permit.” Are you kidding me?

How about passing a law which keeps abortionists a hundred yards from a human womb?

Where is the “rescue team” when the suction of an abortionist’s tool begins to dismember a child cradled in her

mother’s womb? There is no rescue team. Those who try are arrested while those who rescue a whale are declared heroes!

As some gather to pray for a dead gorilla, where are the prayer vigils outside Planned Parenthood abortion mills after the killing of dozens of children in a single day? America, have we lost our minds?

If a baby in the womb is wanted by his mother but dies because of the action of a drunk driver, that driver can be charged with murder. However, if that child is not wanted and dies because of the action of an abortionist, the law sanctions and the taxpayer pays for the child’s killing.

When will God’s patience run out?

In a Year of Mercy we have shown we are still barbarians in how we treat the most vulnerable among us. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy … even though we certainly don’t deserve it …

I guess that is why it’s called MERCY.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

June 8, 2016

5

Panegyric for a moment: A retrospective As I get older, time becomes more and more an intriguing thing. The older I get, the more I begin to see moments within the context of a whole – rather than as a kind of “standalone” experience. I evaluate experiences not as single-scene episodes with their own value, but rather as scenes within the broader context of a whole and within which it finds its value and meaning.

Whether or not that makes sense, I want to take the occasion of the final appearance of a CREDO article in OND to speak of the “moment” that was the origin and duration of the Office of the New Evangelization (which we affectionately dubbed “The O.N.E.”). I consider myself an extraordinarily blessed man to have worked with the staff that comprised the original O.N.E. during my stint as its director.

This is, in a manner of speaking, a peek behind the curtain at the personal stories behind the work of the office.

When I first came into the newly formed office, Msgr.

Baumgartner (Vicar General at the time) gave me the freedom to hire the people I (and he) believed would serve with a vision consistent with the New Evangelization principles of St. John Paul II. By Divine Providence, three women (and in turn one man) were presented to us who fit that bill exactly.

Elizabeth Rzepka came to the diocese from a parish in Ann Arbor, Mich., which is noted by the Siena Institute to be one of the most highly intentional Catholic communities of disciples in the country. When she came for an interview for

CREDO: A NEW EVANGELIZATION WITNESS

By Father Robert Schreiner, S.T.L.

Director of the Office of the New Evangelization

the position of Coordinator of Catechesis & Youth Ministry, I peppered her with, what I considered, impossible questions for the average person to answer about the theology of the New Evangelization of John Paul and its relationship to catechesis and youth ministry. Clearly due to her studies in Rome and her own insatiable intellectual curiosity, she responded with answers which were on point and insightful!

And she did so confidently, and I’d add, fearlessly. She was to go on during her tenure with us to complete, with honors, a Master’s Degree in Theology with a specialization in the New Evangelization.

Amanda Zurface came to us from her home in the heart of Ohio via her Roman studies to take up the work of Marriage & Family Life. While she was with us, she completed her Canon Law Degree (J.C.L.). Originally, according to the Pastoral Letter of 2010, Justice was to be yoked with Evangelization.

But Amanda’s passion for and experience with justice issues in the Church made the decision to link it with her office a no-brainer. She had previous

experience interning with the CCHD of the USCCB, and, due to her Roman connections, she was asked to write the new statutes for a re-organized Caritas Internationalis - the Social Justice arm of the Holy See. She was honored for this work at their annual meeting in Rome after their adoption. During her tenure with us, she also completed an internship with the Vatican’s diplomatic mission at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She came to us with a vision that was as global as the Universal Church and as personal as the poor in need before her.

Anna Kliner served as my Executive Assistant and became an indispensable aspect of our O.N.E. operations as she managed registrations, as well as provided guidance for the organization and regulation of our O.N.E. events and initiatives.

She brought to us a profound dedication to professionalism, a home-grown sensitivity to small town life in the Diocese of Crookston (born and raised in Euclid, Minn.), and an indefatigable joy in being a part of the mission of the Church.

Mark Hollcraft has been the

most recent addition of the O.N.E. experience, brought in to replace Elizabeth Rzepka at her departure. I had worked with Mark for seven years as my Youth Ministry/Life Teen Director when I was Rector of the Cathedral. To offer the Diocesan catechesis and youth ministry position to him when it became open was another nobrainer when the occasion presented itself. Anyone who has watched Mark work with teens knows not only of his love of teenagers and their growth in faith, but also and especially, his deep and abiding love of the Church.

In the end, this is what has made my last four years working with these beautiful souls so profoundly rich: Each and every one of them has a passionate love for the Church. Each one of them has a passion for maintaining an unwavering orthodoxy in union with the Magisterium of the Church. Each one of them carries within them a truly missionary spirit.

And each one of them can articulate the fundamental principles of the New Evangelization as given by the Pontificates of John Paul, Benedict and Francis - something which often is, as yet, otherwise lost on or unknown by other leaders of the Church.

Beyond their ecclesial bona fides, each in their own personal way were inspirations to me of the path to holiness: Elizabeth’s indomitable trust in Divine Providence; Amanda’s unsullied love of Christ’s Bride, the Church; Anna’s unfailing daily default in Holy Spirit joy and gratitude; and Mark’s unflinching personal and spiritual

integrity and capacity for true discernment. I rejoice they have each found ways and places in which to continue their journey to holiness. Elizabeth pursues her call to religious life; as does Anna pursue her Carmelite vocation as a professed religious.

Amanda’s background and talent was constantly recognized by many other dioceses and organizations while working with us. She finally said yes to the international work of Covenant Eyes when taking a position with them; a position specifically created for her unique gifts and experience by the executive staff of that organization.

And Mark’s profound spiritual and ministerial charisms have been called back to the origins of his own young adult faith formation and ministry with a director’s position in the international Catholic missionary organization, NET Ministries, USA. I’m old enough now to reflect on these 4 years and see them within a broader context of life. And this is what I see: For a brief stretch in time – a “moment,” really – I worked with some exceptionally talented, joy-filled young adults whose passion and love of Holy Church and her mission daily inspired me and caused me to have hope for the greater Church and her future. For this experience, I am a blessed man.

And because of their ministerial witness, because of their pursuit of personal holiness, I can reaffirm as if I, too, were young again: I believe. CREDO. Mille gratie, amici!

As of June 1, the following Diocese of Crookston parishes have met their goal:

STATUS REPORT

St. Rose of Lima, Argyle

St. Peter, Gentilly

St. Peter the Apostle, Park Rapids

St. Mary, Badger

St. John, Georgetown

St. Charles, Pennington

St. Joseph, Bagley

St. Clement, Grygla

St. Theodore, Ponsford

St. Philip, Bemidji

St. Patrick, Hallock

Sacred Heart, Roseau

St. Joseph, Brooks

Holy Family, Halstad

St. Cecilia, Sabin

Assumption, Callaway

St. Patrick, Kelliher

St. Stephen, Stephen

St. Elizabeth, Dilworth

St. Michael, Mahnomen

St. Bernard, Thief River Falls

St. Philip, Falun

St. Lawrence, Mentor

St. Benedict, White Earth

St. Francis of Assisi, Fisher

St. Francis Xavier, Oklee

Assumption, Florian

St. Joseph, Oslo

If you have not yet made a gift to the 2016 DAA, you may do so by visiting www.crookston.org/daa

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June 8, 2016

DIOCESAN

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

BISHOP BALKE: Continued from Page 1 especially on Wednesdays, when sausage is served in the school cafeteria,” he said.

Often in the morning, he spends time reading and responding to emails. Using a vision machine, he reads the paper, then moves onto more spiritual reading. Lunch is followed by a nap and exercise.

Bishop Balke prays the rosary at 4:30 p.m., and around 5 p.m., he and the other priests who live at the rectory gather for Evening Prayer if they are available. Father Xavier Ilango, Pastor of Sacred Heart; Holy Trinity, Tabor, and St. Francis of Assisi’s, Fisher; Father John Christianson, Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart and its mission parishes; and Msgr. Michael Foltz, Superintendent of Sacred Heart School and Vicar General for the Diocese of Crookston, also live at the rectory.

Bishop Balke said they watch the news, have dinner and then go their separate ways for the evening and come back together for Night Prayer when possible.

REFLECTIONS ON TIME AS BISHOP OF CROOKSTON Bishop Balke served as the sixth Bishop of Crookston from Sept. 2, 1976 to Nov. 30, 2007.

At his episcopal ordination, Archbishop John R. Roach of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis delivered the homily. He described the responsibilities of a bishop as a beautiful burden. Looking back nearly 40 years later, Bishop Balke finds that description has been true.

“There is something beautiful about being in the line of apostolic succession in union with the Pope,” said Bishop Balke.

“And the responsibility, or burden, of the Office of Bishop is also beautiful because it involves presiding over a local Church.”

The bishop’s duty is to support the parishes of his diocese to do the best they can to proclaim the Gospel, offer prayer and liturgical worship and serve those in need.

“It’s the beautiful burden of bringing about the kingdom of God, not on our own, but by the grace of God,” he said.

Bishop Balke arrived in the Diocese of Crookston from Illinois at the age of 44, and served for more than 30 years.

He brought with him a zeal for liturgy and care for his people in spiritual and practical ways.

“One way I tried to serve the Diocese of Crookston was to

An open Book of the Gospels is placed on Bishop Victor H. Balke’s head by Archbishop John R. Roach during Bishop Balke’s episcopal ordination Sept. 2, 1976. (OND File Photo)

emphasize from the very beginning the importance of the liturgical life of the diocese and of each parish,” he said.

A number of churches were built to support this liturgical life, including the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston.

“Another way I tried to fulfill my duty to serve was to encourage the various movements within the Church,” said Bishop Balke.

During his time, TEC, Cursillo, Marriage Encounter and other programs were brought to the diocese.

“Over the years, these movements have deepened the spiritual lives of many, many people,” Bishop Balke said.

Bishop Balke was also part of instituting health insurance and retirement programs for priests and lay employees of the diocese. He also established the Diocesan Annual Appeal, the Priests’ Retirement Trust and spearheaded the Faith for Tomorrow campaign.

“I have to say that, whatever the achievements during my time, not one could have been accomplished except by the grace of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit,” he said. “In addition, I could have done nothing without a great deal of work by many, many people in and

“I have to say that, whatever the achievements during my time, not one could have been accomplished except by the grace of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit.”

– Bishop Balke

out of the Curia.”

Although he is retired, Bishop Balke’s ministry in the Diocese of Crookston is far from over.

He will continue to encourage the faithful to believe, pray and serve for as long as he is able.

The people of the Diocese of Crookston have the opportunity to contribute to the collection for retired priests held on Father’s Day weekend.

The collection will be taken at Masses on June 18 and 19, and helps pay for health insurance, unreimbursed medical expenses, continuing education costs and other needs of our retired priests, including Bishop Balke.

Bishop Balke embraces Deacon Matthew Schmitz following his diaconate ordination at St. Joseph’s, Red Lake Falls, on April 30.

(Photo credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

St. Vincent de Paul formation day at St. Philip’s, Bemidji You are invited to the St. Vincent de Paul St. Philip’s Conference Formation Day called “Foundations in the Bridges out of Poverty” at St. Philip’s, Bemidji.

Pope Francis continually reminds us to seek out and minister to the poor. In order to help, we must first seek to understand the causes and impact of poverty.

In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, join us for a one day workshop discussing Dr. Ruby Payne’s research on poverty through the lens of economic class. We will look at the research, learn about hidden rules and mental models, explore the roles of family structure, language and story, and examine the resources

needed to break the cycle of poverty.

The workshop will be held on June 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at St. Philip’s. There will be a $10 fee to the cover cost of materials. Contact Sue Young at 218-368-6606 to register for this conference by June 15.

Clerical Support Specialist The Diocese of Crookston is seeking a full-time Clerical Support Specialist. This position serves diocesan staff by performing reception duties for the Chancery offices, assists with clerical tasks involving mailings and correspondence, as well as logistical details relating to special events.

Candidates for this position should have professional experience in a clerical setting, a strong aptitude for multi-tasking, and proficient computer skills.

Interviews begin by June 15th with a desired start date of July 1st.

Send resume and references to:

Diocese of Crookston, Attn: Jim Clauson, PO Box 610, Crookston MN 56716; or email jclauson@crookston.org.

AROUND THE DIOCESE

June 8, 2016

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Benedictine Sister Edith Bedard dies at age 97 Sister Edith Bedard, 97, died at Villa Saint Vincent on May 13.

Sister Edith Bedard’s journey of 97 years, including 75 of them as a Benedictine sister, began on April 16, 1919, in Charlesbourg, Quebec, Canada.

She was one of 22 children born to Alma and Barthelemy Bedard. Sister Edith recalls her mother saying that she was born in the early morning on a stormy April day in Holy Week.

Despite the weather, that same afternoon she was taken to the parish church and baptized Anna Marie Pauline Bedard At age 13, Pauline expressed her desire to enter the convent, but her mother said she was too young. She encouraged her to pray to know God’s will. Pauline continued to dream of serving God as a sister.

When Pauline was 19, her cousin, Sister Cecilia Beaudry and her mother were visiting.

Pauline made up her mind to go to the U.S. with her cousin and become a Benedictine sister like her. She obtained her parents’ consent, and when Sister Cecilia left to return to Crookston, Pauline went with her accompanied by her aunt and mother.

On August 27, 1938, Pauline was to enter the monastic community, but she could not speak English, so Sister Cecilia and Sister Cuthbert LaCoursiere were commissioned to teach her the formula of entrance. Sister Edith wrote later that her pronunciation and French accent must have sounded unfamiliar to the sisters but she was admitted just the same. A week later her father came to accompany his wife back to Canada.

In July 1939, Pauline received the habit and her name as a sister, Sister Edith. She wrote, “My

Sister Edith Bedard

mother and brother came for the celebration. What a happy day! I really was a sister now giving myself to God.” Four years later at her final profession, her mother and aunt were present again. Sister Edith wrote: “Now it is for life!”

Sister Edith said the days were sometimes very lonely, especially on holidays. Every New Year’s Day, in French-Canadian culture, it was customary to kneel and receive the father’s blessing, so she would write for his blessing. When the letter came she would kneel down and make the sign of the cross. Later, she received permission to call her family on New Year’s Day. The first time she called, she and her parents were overcome with tears as she knelt by the phone to receive the blessing. From that time on, it became a yearly event.

She had many talents including culinary skills, sewing and efficient, competent execution of her assignments. Many sisters on mission welcomed

her ministry and prayerful, joyful presence. Her competence led her to appointments as dietary supervisor in hospitals in Red Lake Falls, Crookston and Mahnomen. In Red Lake Falls, she was often seen pulling a little red wagon filled with fresh, homemade bread which she distributed to many elderly and other people in need.

One of her last assignments was to the Chancery where she and Sister Cuthbert were an unbeatable team. They were appreciated by the bishops who had busy lives and schedules.

The sisters tried to make life pleasant for them.

Sister Edith also had hobbies.

One involved dressing dolls in the Benedictine habit. They were so life-like, one would expect them to talk! Sister Edith also won many prizes at county fairs for her culinary and baking skill.

When Sister Edith finally came back to the Mount due to health problems, she never used the word “retire.” Sister Edith’s health problems involved a time of convalescence at Villa Saint Vincent. When she was able to return to the Mount, she exclaimed that it was a good experience for her to see what those old people have to go through.

She was only 90 years young.

And so the journey that began in Charlesbourg, Quebec continued, prayerfully, and somewhat more slowly, but she was always present in chapel for morning, noon and evening prayer and for Eucharist. Until she entered Villa Saint Vincent, she wore her Benedictine habit, white during weekdays and black on Sundays and feasts. One still could count on a bright smile and time to converse. Until her death, she spoke with a distinct, delightful French accent.

Now she can say with God, “Ce n´est pas seulement pour la vie; c´est pour l’éternité (Not only is it for life, it is for eternity)!”

Reception of the body of Sister Edith took place on May 17 at 4:30 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m. The funeral was at 10:30 a.m. on May 18. All services were at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, Crookston.

Gifts in memory of Sister Edith may be given to Mount Saint Benedict Foundation.

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June 8, 2016

AROUND THE DIOCESE

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Former student creates new logo for St. Michael’s School

Ron Arel, Father Joe DeCrans, Father Bill DeCrans and Knights of Columbus State Marshall Dan DeCrans presented seminarian Nathan Brunn with a check in memory of deceased Fourth Degree Knight, Alfonse DeCrans on April 30. (Photo illustration submitted

by Michael Greene)

Seminarian receives donation from Knights of Columbus Nate Brunn, a seminarian for the Diocese of Crookston, was presented with a check for $500 in memory of Alfonse DeCrans on April 30 at St. Joseph’s, Red Lake Falls.

DeCrans is the deceased father of Father Joe DeCrans and Father Bill DeCrans.

Alfonse, a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, desired that a donation be made to a seminarian of the diocese rather than having a chalice purchased and presented in

his name.

Brunn was chosen because he was assigned to St. Peter the Apostle in Park Rapids where Alfonse and Helen DeCrans were longtime parishioners.

Brunn was also a member of the Pope John Paul II 4th Degree Assembly of the Knights of Columbus.

Ron Arel, Father Joe, Father Bill and Knights of Columbus State Marshall Dan DeCrans presented the check to Brunn.

Ava Penner and students and staff of St. Michael’s School, Mahnomen, hold their new banner. Penner attended St. Michael’s School, and is currently studying graphic design at the University of Minnesota.

She designed the school’s new logo. (Submitted photo)

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DIOCESAN

June 8, 2016

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MCC: Surrogacy commission, drug sentencing reform among legislative wins

By Maria Wiering, Editor The Catholic Spirit

The establishment of a surrogacy commission, passage of drug sentencing reform legislation and withdrawal of a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide are among the victories the Minnesota Catholic Conference is celebrating following the end of the Minnesota State Legislature’s 11-week session May 23.

“A lot of good things were done this session, even in divided government,” said Jason Adkins, MCC executive director, referring to the dynamic of a Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a DFLcontrolled Senate.

That dynamic “can be an important opportunity to advance legislation that really serves the common good,” he said. “The divided government prevents some of the more partisan or ideologically driven pieces of legislation from moving forward. Given that gridlock, . . . it’s important for people to find places where they can build common ground on what they can agree on, and when there is agreement reached, it’s a real powerful symbol of bipartisanship.”

He added: “If the Catholic Conference can play an important role in building those bridges and bringing people together, and identifying ways where there is common ground, then we’ve really added value to the whole public discussion.”

IMPORTANT STEPS FOR STATE That bipartisan cooperation led to the passage of several pieces of MCC-backed legislation, including one establishing

a surrogacy commission, which MCC listed as a top priority at the beginning of the session.

As advocates for public policy on behalf of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, MCC has long supported creating a commission to study the issue of commercial gestational surrogacy, or the practice of a women contracting to become pregnant and gestate a baby to be raised by someone else, often a party previously unknown to her.

Minnesota law does not provide a legal framework to “sell your baby,” Adkins said, which is why the fertility treatment industry is eager for the state to adopt regulations to protect surrogacy contracts and the industry’s investment in the state.

“We are deeply troubled by this, and we said the only way that Minnesota is going to be able to look at this rationally is if we create some sort of legislative mechanism, like a commission, to study it in further detail,” he said. “The normal legislative process of a few hearings in each house is simply not sufficient to properly address public policy questions that have deep ethical implications, but also have to deal with new and emerging technologies, and have a strong financial component to them.”

Director of the Office of Youth Ministry and Catechesis The Diocese of Crookston is seeking a full time Director of the Office of Youth Ministry and Catechesis. This office serves the pastors, parish youth ministers and parish directors of religious education and formation.

The candidate is a voice in the diocese for our young people. The candidate will coordinate all diocesan youth activities (camps, rallies, trainings, etc.) with the assistance of parish employees and volunteers. The candidate will also conduct training sessions for catechesis in parishes.

We are seeking a candidate with an educational background and experience in the areas of youth ministry and religious education. The qualifying candidate needs to be a practicing Catholic who has an understanding of the teachings of the Catholic Church and desires to promote them.

Send resume and references to:

Diocese of Crookston, Attn: Jim Clauson, PO Box 610, Crookston MN 56716; or email jclauson@crookston.org.

Interviews begin by June 13.

Adkins also praised the passage of drug sentencing reform legislation, calling it the “most important criminal justice reform in decades in Minnesota.”

The legislation was a way to ensure the state’s drug laws keep up with changes in the drug trade while justly punishing drug criminals, he said.

At the same time, it provides addicts and non-violent offenders the things they need “to be restored to the community,” Adkins said, such as addiction treatment.

“It was inspiring to see prosecutors, law enforcement, criminal defense attorneys, justice advocacy groups come together — groups that are normally opposed on a number of public policy questions — and really find ways to improve our drug sentencing laws,” he said. He also credited lawmakers who were willing to take the political risk of being tagged as “soft on crime” in an election year.

“It’s really important in the Year of Mercy to be talking about the way the role of mercy can be extended to all areas of our life, public policy included,” he added. “What our advocacy did was really help drive the moral imperative behind making this change.”

Also notable was the author’s withdrawal of a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Minnesota from committee consideration. Adkins expects the issue to be raised again next year, and MCC is continuing to work with a diverse coalition of physician-assisted suicide opponents aiming to increase awareness and education about the issue.

Adkins considers physicianassisted suicide to be a form of “false mercy,” as advocates cloak the position as one of compassion or dignity.

“Minnesota is the state with the best health care in the nation, and perhaps even most of the world, and for us to say we’re going to let people die because of their fear that they have no other choices” is wrong, Adkins said. “We want to say, no, there is a hand to be there, to walk with you, so real compassion — to walk with or suffer with someone, to journey together,” he added. “We want to create a state that focuses on journeying together with people and walking with them, not simply sending them home with a vial of pills to die.”

He said the showing of op-

position to the legislation at the March hearing held by the House’s Minnesota Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee was impressive and built momentum for fighting the legislation.

MFIP BOOST AMONG MISSES While some Capitol-watchers have lamented the failure of the Legislature to pass in its final hours a bonding bill to fund roads, bridges and other infrastructure, prompting discussions of a possible summer special session, Adkins said the evaluation of the Legislature’s outcome depends on one’s perspective.

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing that government isn’t spending money,” he said.

“It seems to me that there are some important needs in regards to some building projects, some capital investments that could be made, some expenditures on public transportation, but simply the absence of a deal is not in and of itself necessarily a travesty,” he said.

With a $900 million state budget surplus, however, Adkins is disappointed that increasing funding for the Minnesota Family Investment Program never gained the traction he had hoped, especially when the effort had bipartisan support. The welfare program for families hasn’t increased its cash grant in 30 years, essentially “trying to overcome 2016 poverty with 1986 public assistance,” Adkins said.

“We think that especially in a time of surplus that our spending priorities should be rooted in a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, and they should have the option of first claim on our resources,” he said.

At the beginning of the legislative session, MCC listed among its priorities school choice-related tax credits. Two of them were nearly included in an omnibus bill passed at the end of the session, but they did not make the final version.

Despite their exclusion from the bill, Adkins called their momentum “incredibly exciting.”

“Those pieces of legislation got further than they had before. They were in the final deals and then got traded away for other things. That was incredibly disappointing, but we can be heartened by the relationships that were built among non-traditional allies and the outreach,” he said.

He added: “We think that our

conversations with [Gov. Mark Dayton] have helped him understand the imperative behind giving kids more opportunities, how nonpublic schools are changing lives, [and] how that family setting that characterizes so many Catholic schools can really be a game changer in a child’s life.”

In April, Dayton visited Ascension Catholic School in Minneapolis along with Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Bishop Andrew Cozzens. Ascension is among Catholic schools whose families would likely benefit from school choice tax credits.

“We’re excited to continue the conversation with him [Dayton] this year,” Adkins said, noting MCC’s involvement in Opportunity for All Kids, or OAK, a coalition advocating for school choice legislation in the state.

LOOKING AHEAD MCC is now focused on the 2017 legislative session, which will follow the 2016 election in November. All 134 seats in the state’s House and all 67 seats in the Senate are up for election in 2016.

This summer, MCC will also be closely following the work of the gestational surrogacy commission, which is expected to begin meeting in July and file a report to the Legislature in December. There is widespread misunderstanding, including among Catholics, about the threats commercial surrogacy pose to the common good, Adkins said.

“The surrogacy industry and the media continuously presents this narrative that these arrangements are always positive and beneficial for both parties and a wonderful experience, . . . but there are all other sorts of stories that come out that show that there are real problems and serious concerns, not just with regards to the well-being of women, but the potential commodification of children,” he said. “We’re excited that this commission has been passed so we can really dig in and legislators will have the information they need to make good public policy decisions surrounding this issue.”

MCC will also continue to its “ending political homelessness” campaign, which aims to help Catholics find their place in influencing public policy, and building its Catholic Advocacy Network at http://www.mncc. org.

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June 8, 2016

NATIONAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Archdiocese offers $65 million in remuneration for sex abuse victims

By Maria Wiering Catholic News Service ST. PAUL, MINN. – Sixteen months after entering Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis filed a plan for reorganization May 26 as part of the bankruptcy process.

The plan identifies more than $65 million in assets the archdiocese anticipates will be available to compensate victims of clergy sexual abuse, with the potential for that amount to grow.

The plan outlines specific sources for funds available for victim remuneration, including at least $8.7 million from the sale of archdiocesan properties, including three chancery buildings, as well as more than $33 million from insurance settlements. It establishes a trust for victim remuneration funds, with a court-approved allocation protocol.

The plan also includes settlements from parish insurers of approximately $13.7 million with the potential for future settlements from archdiocesan insurers that are not currently entering into agreements with the archdiocese. The archdiocese is seeking to transfer the rights of recovery for those policies to the trustee of the trust for victims.

“We filed our plan today – at 16 months – because victims/ survivors cannot be compensated until a plan for reorganization is finalized and approved,” Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis said during a news conference May 26. “The longer the process lasts, more money is spent on attorneys’ fees and bankruptcy expenses, and, in turn, less money is available for victims/ survivors. ... We are submitting our plan now in the hope of compensating victims/survivors and promoting healing sooner rather than later.”

The plan filing came a day after the deadline for decades-old sexual abuse claims to be filed under the Minnesota Child Victims Act, which the state Legislature passed in 2013. The law lifted for three years the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse civil suits.

The lifting of the statute ushered in a wave of claims against clergy who had been or were serving in the archdiocese, leading the archdiocese to enter bankruptcy in January 2015 as a means to distribute assets equitably and fairly among victims.

Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda speaks at a news conference following the Dec. 18 filing of a settlement agreement between the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. (Photo credit: CNS/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit)

By a court-established claim deadline in August 2015, more than 400 claims of clergy sexual abuse had been filed against the archdiocese.

In a May 25 statement, the Minnesota bishops apologized for the pain suffered by victims of clergy sex abuse and their families, and thanked them for coming forward.

“While we cannot say or do anything to return the innocence of youth that was stolen, we will work to restore broken relationships with family, friends and loved ones and heal the pain caused to so many,” they said, also promising to continue to work to create safe environments for children, immediately report every allegation, and employ “stringent” hiring practices.

In entering reorganization, the archdiocese sought to continue the essential ministries and mission of the local Church, leaders said at the time.

The plan does not distribute some assets the archdiocese owns, because church officials say they are essential for its core mission and cannot be considered salable assets with market value. They include property occupied by the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Totino-Grace

High School in Fridley, Benilde-St. Margaret’s School in St. Louis Park and DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis.

The plan also asks for a resolution of 323 lawsuits against 97 parishes in the archdiocese by means of a channeling injunction. It also establishes a counseling fund for victims with an initial $500,000 contribution from the archdiocese, and it incorporates protocols from a civil settlement between the archdiocese and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office designed to ensure the archdiocese is adhering to best practices in child abuse prevention.

For implementation, the archdiocese’s plan requires approval from U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Kressel, who is expected to look for agreement from attorneys from the Unsecured Creditors Committee that the plan meets the needs of both victims and the archdiocese.

The plan is “moving us into what we hope is the final phase of the reorganization proceedings,” said Joseph Kueppers, the archdiocese’s chancellor for civil affairs. “We need to move out of this bankruptcy process so we can move ahead with the mission of the Catholic Church,

which is making the name of Jesus Christ known and loved.”

The timeline of the next phase of reorganization is unknown, Kueppers said, but he expected a May 31 court hearing to provide direction.

Speaking May 26 on the lawn of the archbishop’s Summit Avenue residence, which is among properties the archdiocese has sold and is temporarily leasing, Archbishop Hebda acknowledged that the plan may be modified before it is approved.

“While we believe this plan is fair, we also know that some well-intentioned people may raise objections,” he said. “Reorganizations sometimes involve modifying an initial plan. We are committed to working earnestly with everyone involved to find a fair, just and timely resolution.”

Prior to the plan filing, victims’ attorneys called into question whether the archdiocese was making available all potential sources for victim compensation. In a motion filed with the court May 23, attorney Robert Kugler, who represents sexual abuse victims in the archdiocese’s bankruptcy proceedings, argued that the archdiocese should consider parishes and foundations as fund sources, despite their separate incorpo-

ration.

Kugler alleges that in recent decades the archdiocese separated itself from more than $1 billion in assets through the separate incorporation of parishes and the establishment of separate entities for donations, such as the Catholic Community Foundation and the Catholic Finance Corp.

In a May 24 news conference, Jeff Anderson, a St. Paul attorney representing 378 sexual abuse victims with claims against the archdiocese, said these additional assets could total $1.7 billion.

Speaking May 24 at a separate news conference responding to the accusations, Archbishop Hebda said the archdiocese is carefully reviewing the motion and will count on the court to properly evaluate it.

“Let me be extremely clear: The archdiocese has disclosed all of its assets and followed all of the rules set forth by the court and all directives from the judge,” he said.

At the May 26 news conference, Archbishop Hebda added that he found the accusations “surprising and confusing, particularly since those same lawyers were well aware of all that we have been doing in mediation to maximize the assets available to those who have been harmed.”

He said that he has been advised that confiscating the assets of separately incorporated entities for victim remuneration “is simply contrary to law.”

“In the event that our parishes, Catholic schools and other Catholic groups would wrongly be forced to make their assets available to those who have claims against the archdiocese, there is no question that the impact would be felt in our community by all those who benefit from the ongoing charitable work of parishes, Catholic schools and other Catholic groups throughout the 12 counties that comprise the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis,” he said.

“We truly want to do what is right. We have people praying all over the diocese that we might act correctly and take the high road,” he added. “We unfortunately will never be able to undo the harm caused, but we have been striving to compensate those harmed, to help in any way we can with their healing, and to create and maintain safe environments for all children.”

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Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service

A gender-neutral bathroom at the University of California, Irvine is seen in this Sept. 30, 2014, file photo. (Photo credit: CNS)

“Especially at a young age and in schools, it is important that our children understand the depth of God’s love for them and their intrinsic worth and beauty. Children should always be and feel safe and secure and know they are loved,” they said.

They said that children, youth and parents in “difficult situations,” such as the focus of the federal guidance, “deserve compassion, sensitivity and respect.”

“All of these can be expressed without infringing on legitimate concerns about privacy and security on the part of the other young students and parents,” the two prelates said, but pointed out that the guidance issued May 13 “does not even attempt to achieve this balance.”

“It unfortunately does not respect the ongoing political discussion at the state and local levels and in Congress, or the broader cultural discussion, about how best to address these sensitive issues,” they said. “Rather, the guidance shortcircuits those discussions entirely.”

They quoted Pope Francis, who said recently that “biological sex and the sociocultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated.

“We pray that the government make room for more just and compassionate approaches and policies in this sensitive area, in order to serve the good of all students and parents, as well as the common good,” Bishop Malone and Archbishop Lucas said.

Five bishops named to group working to implement ‘Amoris Laetitia’ in U.S. Catholic News Service WASHINGTON – The archbishop who heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has appointed the chairmen of five USCCB committees to an informal working group on the implementation of Pope Francis’ recent apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia.”

The hope is that the working group would have a fuller understanding of the range of activities to implement the document by mid-September, said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, USCCB president.

The working group will mar-

June 8, 2016

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House OKs bill increasing ways to protect religious freedom worldwide

Obama directive on transgender access ‘deeply disturbing’ WASHINGTON – The Obama administration’s May 13 directive on transgender access to bathrooms “that treats ‘a student’s gender identity as the student’s sex’ is deeply disturbing,” said the chairmen of two U.S. Catholic bishops’ committees.

“The guidance fails to address a number of important concerns and contradicts a basic understanding of human formation so well expressed

by Pope Francis: that ‘the young need to be helped to accept their own body as it was created,’” the two bishops said in a statement May 16.

The statement was issued by Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, who is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, and Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Nebraska, who is chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Catholic Education.

The directive, or guidance, was issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education. The departments said it applies to all public schools and colleges and universities that received federal funding. It “summarizes a school’s Title IX obligations regarding transgender students,” they said, and also explains how the Education and Justice departments will “evaluate a school’s compliance with these obligations.”

The federal Title IX statute prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities, like sports. AP reported that the Obama administration earlier had warned schools that denying transgender students access to the facilities and activities of their choice was illegal under its interpretation of federal sex discrimination laws.

In their statement Bishop Malone and Archbishop Lucas noted that the Catholic Church “consistently affirms the inherent dignity of each and every human person and advocates for the well being of all people, particularly the most vulnerable.”

shal the resources of the USCCB to assist bishops with the positive reception and ongoing implementation of “Amoris Laetitia,” to learn the various initiatives taking place in the diocese to help with a positive reception, and to update the Vatican on various initiatives, especially with the hope of offering Pope Francis an update at the time of the annual curial visits.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia, chairman-elect of the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, and a delegate to last October’s Synod of Bishops on the family, agreed to coordinate the working group.

The other members of the working group include: Bishop Michael Burbidge of Raleigh, North Carolina, chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis, chairman of the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance; Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; and Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, chairman of the Committee on Doctrine.

“Amoris Laetitia” was issued in April after synods in 2014 and 2015.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House May 16 unanimously passed the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, giving the Obama administration and the U.S. State Department new resources to combat what the bill’s bipartisan supporters say is “a worldwide escalation” of Christian persecution and anti-Semitism.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, RNew Jersey, was the author of the bill named for former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, a Republican who represented Virginia’s 10th Congressional District from 1981 to 2015.

According to Smith, more than 20 years ago, Wolf “had the foresight to make advancing the right to religious freedom a high U.S. foreign policy priority.”

“Today religious freedom is still under attack and we must upgrade our programs and methods to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” said Smith, who has held more than a dozen hearings on religious freedom.

The newly approved measure, also known as H.R. 1150, requires that international religious freedom policies be integrated into national security, immigration, rule of law and other relevant U.S. foreign policy priorities; creates a “designated persons list” of individuals sanctioned for participating or directing religious freedom abuses; and expands diplomatic training on international religious freedom for all State Department diplomats.

It gives the U.S. president the authority to designate “nonstate actors” as severe violators of international religious freedom and requires that the ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom will report directly to the secretary of state.

It also creates a “tier system” for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s reports on countries of particular concern and a special watch list – similar to the tier system used in the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report.

For example, in the trafficking report, the State Depart-

ment places each country on one of three tiers based on the extent of its government’s efforts to comply with the “minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” found in Section 108 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. “The U.S. House has taken an important step to empower government officials to address the persecution of religious minorities throughout the world,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said in a statement May 18.

He said the Knights of Columbus applauded the House for its vote and urged the Senate, “to quickly follow suit and the president to sign this important legislation into law.”

Anderson was among those who testified at Smith’s Dec. 9 hearing on assisting victims of Islamic State violence.

Smith said the world is facing “an unprecedented crisis of international religious freedom” that “undermines liberty, prosperity and peace.”

The situation “poses a direct challenge to the U.S. interests,” particularly interests in the Middle East, Russia, China and sub-Saharan Africa, according to the congressman.

“A robust religious freedom diplomacy is necessary to advance U.S. interests in stability, security, and economic development,” Smith said in a statement.

The congressman is a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is chairman of its Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

“Where there is more religious freedom, there is more economic freedom, more women’s empowerment, more political stability, more freedom of speech, and less terrorism,” he added.

H.R. 1150 was co-sponsored by a leading Democrat, Rep. Anna Eshoo of California, and had more than 100 bipartisan co-sponsors. The Knights of Columbus is one of several religious organizations backing the measure, along with representatives of ethnic minority groups and nongovernmental organizations.

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June 8, 2016

INTERNATIONAL

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Armenians say ‘whole population’ set to welcome Pope Francis in June

By James Martone Catholic News Service YEREVAN, ARMENIA – Many Armenians say Pope Francis will be widely welcomed when he visits the country in June, thanks in part to a remark he made about genocide more than a year ago.

In separate interviews, people of the landlocked, mountainous country in Eurasia said many Armenians view the pontiff favorably as well for his moral stance on pressing world issues and for his elevation of an Armenian monk to the rank of doctor of the church.

“It is an invitation from everybody,” said Mekhitarist Father Serop Tchamourlian, when asked about Pope Francis’ upcoming visit.

Father Serop projected that “the whole population” would come out to greet the pope during his trip here. The Vatican has said the June 24-26 trip is in response to an invitation from the patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, and from Armenia’s government.

Father Serop and others in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, told Catholic News Service that they felt the pope’s use of the term genocide in referring to their history was a boost to long-term disputes with neighboring Turkey, over what they said had been a concentrated attempt to wipe out Armenians from territories under Ottoman control in 1915-18.

The priest said he was planning to attend as many of the events scheduled for the pope’s visit as possible, along with the

Armenian women pray during a 2001 Mass celebrated by St. John Paul II at Echmiadzin, in Vagharshapat, Armenia. Many Armenians said Pope Francis will be widely welcomed when he visits Armenia June 24-26, thanks in part to a remark he made more than a year ago in which he referred to the forced evacuation of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as “genocide.” (Photo credit: CNS/Sergei Supinsky, EPA)

32 young men ages 14-17 whom he oversees at Yerevan’s only Catholic seminary for minors.

“It was all just a real big message of justice and truth, to accept something happened,” he said of the April 2015 remark Pope Francis made in St. Peter’s Basilica to a gathering of Armenian Christians, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

In that address, Pope Francis lamented the forced expulsions and killings of Christians in the world and said atrocities from the past had to be recognized – not hidden or denied – for true reconciliation and healing to come to the world. The pope quoted from a joint declaration

signed in 2001 by Catholicos Karekin and St. John Paul II, saying that what had happened to the Armenians was generally considered “the first genocide of the 20th century.”

Most historians estimate that anywhere from 800,000 to 1.5 million Armenians perished during those years, but Turkey contests such estimates and rejects accusations of genocide.

The Turkish government withdrew its ambassador to the Holy See over the pope’s 2015 remark, but returned him in February, following a Vatican communique that termed the 1915-18 events “tragic,” but made no reference to genocide.

Pope Francis is “very, very

popular in Armenia,” said Nvard Manasian, who works as a communications expert for a development organization and teaches at Yerevan State University.

She said Armenians were looking forward to the pope’s visit and that local media had been talking about it for weeks.

Manasian said she, too, appreciated the pope’s April 2015 remark about the genocide; her paternal grandmother was the sole survivor of massacres perpetrated by Ottomans a century ago in what is now Turkey, she said.

It was the pope’s active and compassionate position on such difficult issues – including refugees, poverty and global warming – that endeared him to her in particular, and to millions of others in general, regardless of denomination, said Manasian who, like more than 90 percent of Armenians is a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“We have our catholicos, but ... I still would listen to what (Pope Francis) has to say, because he says it through experience, it’s true, it’s lived ... it actually resonates,” she said.

Following in the footsteps of St. John Paul, Pope Francis will spend much of his time in the country as the guest of the majority Armenian Apostolic Church and will attend a divine liturgy celebrated by Catholicos Karekin. Pope Francis, like St. John Paul, also is scheduled to visit the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, a monument to the estimated 1.5 million Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks in 1915-18.

Independent researcher, writer and Armenian Catholic Nareg Seferian said that, in addition to the pope’s widely publicized and “moving” remark about the genocide, Armenians also greatly appreciated Pope Francis’ decision last year to designate a 10th-century Armenian monk, St. Gregory of Narek, a doctor of the church.

St. Gregory’s “Book of Prayers,” also known as “Book of Lamentations,” is considered by Armenians to be among the most important pieces of Armenian literature, Seferian said, describing it as “a mystical prayer book,” only “second to the Bible as a holy work.”

“I think it’s fair to say that most Armenians are big fans of Pope Francis at this point,” said Seferian, noting that his first name – Nareg – was the Armenian word commonly used to refer to St. Gregory’s famous book.

Father Serop said St. John Paul’s visit increased understanding between the nation’s Orthodox majority and its minority Catholics.

He said he thought Pope Francis’s visit would have similar effects.

“I was here when Pope John Paul II visited Armenia in 2001 for the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity of Armenia, and after the visit I can tell that many things changed ... the personal relation changed in the thinking of the people,” said Father Serop. “I am sure that with prayer and with this kind dialogue we will arrive at the unity desired by Jesus,” he said.

Priest in Vietnam released in advance of President Obama’s visit

By James Martone Catholic News Service YEREVAN, ARMENIA – Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly, a human rights campaigner jailed

by Vietnamese authorities, was released from prison three days ahead of the May 22 arrival of U.S. President Barack Obama.

In photos released by the Archdiocese of Hue, the 80-year-old priest can be seen kneeling – with assistance – before the archbishop upon his return to his parish, reported ucanews.com. The archdiocese reported that the priest was in good health.

Ordained in 1974, Father Ly had spent more than two de-

cades cumulatively in prison and 15 years under house arrest on a range of charges related to his activism. The latest arrest dated back to 2007, when he was sentenced to eight years in prison and five years house arrest on anti-government activities. He was released in 2010 to get treatment for a brain tumor, only to be reimprisoned the following year.

Father Ly had been an outspoken rights activist, campaigning for democracy and freedom of speech and speaking out against the government confiscation of church property.

While his release was welcomed by the U.S. government, his sentence was about to end

regardless. Arrested Feb. 19, 2007, Father Ly was handed an eight-year sentence that was suspended between March 15, 2010, and July 25, 2011, meaning he was released barely one month short of serving a full eight years. It is unclear whether he still faces a five-year probationary house arrest that was part of the original sentencing, ucanews.com reported.

A priest in Hue City who asked not to be named told ucanews.com that government officials informed Archbishop Francois Xavier Le Van Hong of Hue that Father Ly would be granted a special reprieve for the 126th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh’s birthdate May 19.

“The communist government rarely releases prisoners of religious freedom and conscience on that occasion. Father Ly was pardoned due to the government bowing to pressure from the U.S. government,” the priest explained. “The government made this concession to the U.S. so as to get financial support from Obama’s visit.”

Rights groups have been pressing Obama to use his trip to push the Vietnamese government to release political prisoners and tie trade deals to human rights. An estimated 130 people are currently imprisoned for acts of peaceful dissent, according to the International Federation for Human Rights. Last

month, a coalition of 19 groups, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Human Rights Watch, sent an open letter to Obama highlighting attacks on defenders of human rights and religious freedoms.

“We therefore strongly urge you to take the opportunity of your visit to Vietnam to make clear, both in private and in public, that U.S.-Vietnamese relationship will not fundamentally advance absent meaningful human rights improvements, including the release of imprisoned activists, an end to harassment of civil society groups, and respect for international law,” the letter read.

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INTERNATIONAL

June 8, 2016

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Prayer is no magic wand; it strengthens faith in tough times, pope says

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY – Prayer is not a magic wand that fulfills your desires, but it is what helps you keep the faith when you don’t understand God’s will, Pope Francis said.

Prayer is meant to be “our daily bread, our powerful weapon and the staff for our journey,” he said May 25 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

In his catechesis, the pope talked about the Gospel parable of the persistent widow, who incessantly appealed to a corrupt judge for justice.

Judges at the time were supposed to be filled with the fear of God as they impartially and faithfully upheld the laws of Moses, the pope said. But the judge in this parable was dishonest and only cared about himself. He had no interest in protecting the rights of the weakest and easily exploited members of society, which included widows, orphans and foreigners, he said.

“Faced with the judge’s indifference, the widow resorted to her only weapon – to keep incessantly pestering him, presenting him with her appeal for justice,” the pope said.

The judge finally gives in, he said, “not because he is moved by mercy or because his conscience forces him to,” but be-

“We all experience moments of exhaustion and discouragement, above all when our prayers don’t seem to work.”

– Pope Francis

cause of her perseverance. He realizes he will never rid himself of her until he delivers a just decision, and so he does, the pope said.

He said Jesus uses this parable to show that if a widow with no clout or influence could sway an uncaring judge merely through her patient and persistent pleas, then imagine how powerful that same force of prayer is when directed toward a loving, merciful and benevolent God. Jesus is showing how important and necessary it is to pray tirelessly, all the time and not just every now and then, “when I feel like it,” the pope said.

“We all experience moments of exhaustion and discouragement, above all when our prayers don’t seem to work,” he said.

Contrary to the stubborn judge, he said, God speedily secures “the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night,” according to the

Argentina’s flag is seen as Pope Francis greets the crowd during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican May 25. (Photo credit: CNS/Paul Haring)

Gospel of St. Luke (18:1-8).

But that doesn’t mean God will respond when “and in the ways that we want. Prayer is not a magic wand,” the pope said.

When Jesus prayed that his father spare him from “the bitter cup of his passion,” he also put himself fully in God’s hands, asking that the father’s will – not

his own – be done.

Jesus shows how prayer is about strengthening one’s relationship with the father – transforming one’s own wishes and conforming them to God’s will, he said.

Prayer “helps us keep our faith in God and to trust him even when we do not under-

stand his will.”

“Prayer is what keeps the faith; without it, faith wavers,” Pope Francis said. And it is in prayer that people experience the compassion of God who comes to his children “filled with merciful love.”

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Pope: In Eucharist, find strength to share faith with others

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service ROME – A Corpus Christi procession should honor Christ’s gift of himself in the Eucharist, but also should be a pledge to share bread and faith with the people of the cities and towns where the processions take place, Pope Francis said.

Just as the “breaking of the bread” became the icon of the early Christian community, giving of oneself in order to nourish others spiritually and physically should be a sign of Christians today, the pope said May 26, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

On a warm spring evening, the pope’s celebration began with Mass outside Rome’s Basilica of St. John Lateran and was to be followed by a traditional Corpus Christi procession from St. John Lateran to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one mile away. Hundreds of members of parish and diocesan confraternities and sodalities – dressed in blue, brown, black or white capes and robes – joined the pope for Mass and would make the nighttime walk to St. Mary Major for eucharistic benediction with him.

“May this action of the eucharistic procession, which we will carry out shortly, respond to Jesus’ command,” he said in his homily. The procession should be “an action to commemorate him; an action to give food to the crowds of today; an act to break open our faith and our lives as a sign of Christ’s love for this city and for the whole world.”

In every celebration of the Eucharist, the pope said, the people place simple bread and wine into “poor hands anointed by the Holy Spirit” and Jesus “gives us his body and his

Jesus restores life through compassion, not magic, Pope Francis says

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service

Pope Francis leads Benediction outside the Basilica of St. Mary Major on the feast of Corpus Christi in Rome May 26. (Photo credit: CNS/Paul Haring)

blood.”

The people’s gifts are an important part of the process, just as they were when Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two fish, Pope Francis said.

“Indeed,” he said, “it is Jesus who blesses and breaks the loaves and provides sufficient food to satisfy the whole crowd, but it is the disciples who offer the five loaves and two fish.”

“Jesus wanted it this way,” he said. Rather than letting the disciples send the people away to find food, Jesus wanted the disciples to “put at his disposal what little they had.”

“And there is another gesture: The pieces of bread, broken by the holy and venerable hands of Our Lord, pass into the poor hands of the disciples, who distribute these to the people,” Pope Francis said.

The miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish, he said, “signals what Christ wants to accomplish for the salvation of all mankind, giving his own flesh and blood. And yet this needs always to happen through those two small actions: offering the few loaves and fish which we have; receiving the

bread broken by the hands of Jesus and giving it to all.”

Later in the Mass, a couple with four children and a grandmother with her three grandchildren brought the gifts of bread and wine to the pope for consecration.

Pope Francis urged the crowd gathered on the lawn outside the basilica to consider all the holy men and women throughout history who have given their lives, “’broken’ themselves,” in order to nourish others.

“How many mothers, how many fathers, together with the slices of bread they provide each day on the tables of their homes, have broken their hearts to let their children grow, and grow well,” he said. “How many Christians, as responsible citizens, have broken their own lives to defend the dignity of all, especially the poorest, the marginalized and those discriminated!”

The source of strength for such given, he said, is found in “the Eucharist, in the power of the risen Lord’s love, who today too breaks bread for us and repeats: ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’”

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

VATICAN CITY – Even in the midst of suffering and death, Christians can become witnesses of the resurrection and the power of God’s compassion, Pope Francis said as he proclaimed two new saints.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus’ raising of a young widow’s child was not a magical performance but rather a reminder that he takes death upon himself to restore the suffering to new life, the pope said June 5.

At the beginning of the Mass in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis canonized St. Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad of Sweden, who re-founded the Bridgettine sisters in the early 1900s, and St. Stanislaus Papczynski of Poland, founder of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception.

Banners bearing the image of the two new saints hung from the facade of St. Peter’s

Basilica as some 40,000 people joined members of the two saints’ religious orders for the outdoor Mass.

Born in Sweden in 1870 and baptized into the Lutheran Church, St. Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad had immigrated to the United States in 1886 to earn money for her family back home. After working as a nurse, she became a Catholic in 1902. Moving to Rome, she dedicated her life and her religious order to prayer and work for Christian unity. St. John Paul II beatified her in Rome in 2000.

In the 17th century, St. Stanislaus Papczynski founded the first Polish religious order of men at time of seemingly endless war, famine and disease when many Poles, especially soldiers, did not prepare themselves for death. The order promoted social justice and prayers for the dying while establishing clinics and shelters for the suffering.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

WORD to LIFE June 12

ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13 Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11 Gospel: Luke 7:36-8:3 or Luke 7:36-50

Galatians 2:16, 19-21

By Jean Denton Catholic News Service This Wednesday, Bettina will spend two hours volunteering at her community’s free clinic, which offers a range of medical services for the working poor.

She’s not a medical volunteer but goes to the clinic every Wednesday to greet and take information from clients and potential clients to determine or confirm their eligibility for services.

She’s aware that her tasks are minimal and that her annual monetary donation to the clinic is far more valuable than her service, but she has continued her weekly stint for years simply because she loves the free clinic for how it makes a significant difference in individuals’ lives – including hers.

She loves seeing the staff and volunteer nurses, doctors, dentists and pharmacists treat the patients with respect and genuine concern. She loves observing the easy, familiar relationship that various clinic personnel have with patients who have depended on them for years. Bettina’s love of the clinic is personal.

Many years ago, she was a patient there. Struggling financially and psychologically while trying to put herself through college, she depended on the free clinic for her regular medication for depression.

Our Scriptures for this weekend speak about God’s saving mercy. The Gospel tells how a person’s gratitude for being saved by Jesus’ mercy produces a deep and lasting love. A woman anointing Jesus’ feet after bathing them with her tears was lifted out of a life bound by

June 8, 2016

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FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS

June 19

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Zechariah 12:10-11; 13:1 Gospel: Luke 9:18-24

Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9

Galatians 3:26-29

By Jean Denton Catholic News Service

sin. Now her love for him was sealed.

Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees that a personal experience of love and mercy begets a greater response of love and mercy than a lesser relationship.

Bettina’s love and commitment to the free clinic grew out of her experience of mercy. Once lost in the darkness of depression, she was lifted free to have a productive future. Her gratitude to God and the people at the free clinic who do God’s work of compassion and healing is boundless and is shown in her actions.

While many people appreciate the valuable contributions the clinic and its volunteers make in the community, Bettina and others who’ve experienced its saving graces firsthand respond with true abiding love.

Questions: When have you directly experienced Jesus’ mercy?

How has that experience affected your relationship with him?

"I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD WHO HAS LOVED ME AND GIVEN HIMSELF UP FOR ME." – GALATIANS 2:20

In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ disciples acknowledge him as “the Christ of God,” the promised Messiah who will save the world.

He proceeds to tell them how this will happen: through his suffering, death and resurrection. Then he adds that whoever “wishes to come after me” would have to give up his former way of life and take on Jesus’ way, including the suffering that goes along with it.

No doubt if there had been a Galilean word for “yikes!” the disciples would have uttered it at that point. It’s one thing to know and accept who Jesus is.

The harder part comes in facing what that means in one’s relationship with him and in choosing to spend one’s life following him.

As a catechist, I often sensed this struggle in teenagers preparing for confirmation. The young people came with a wide range of faith formation prior to entering the program. Some had attended parish formation classes since they were in kindergarten; others had received rigorous religious education in Catholic school; and still others had only minimal catechesis since receiving their first Communion as second-graders.

Each year, as the class progressed, I saw nearly all of the young people grow to an understanding and acceptance of who Jesus is. But not all seemed certain about their desire to be confirmed in the church.

Interestingly, the individuals most conflicted were those who had a personal, spiritual relationship with Jesus.

Invariably, as the day for the sacrament approached, those young people would tell me, “I don’t think I’m ready.”

They didn’t take this step lightly. For them, coming into full participation in the church was a serious moment of truth. It meant making the decision to actively follow Jesus as a disciple with all the complications that entails.

Most of these conscientious ones chose to be confirmed. But a few decided to wait until they felt sure they could hold up their end of the bargain.

I’ve never worried for their souls. It was obvious they had a deep faith in Jesus as their guide and savior. Besides, the fact that they were stressing over whether they could serve him well enough revealed they already had taken up their crosses.

Questions: What makes the difference for you between knowing who Jesus is and taking up your cross to follow him?

"WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL SAVE IT." – LUKE 9:24

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DIOCESAN

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE