VOL. 70, NO. 6
WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG
MARCH 23, 2016
Changes coming to diocesan Office of Vocations New, yet familiar faces to guide discernment, formation of seminarians By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND
The Diocese of Crookston’s Office of Vocations is entering a season of change. Father Xavier Ilango will be appointed Director of Vocations in place of Father Vincent Miller, the current director, on July 1. Father Miller is the Rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston. Father Ilango is the Associate Director for the Office of Vocations and Pastor of Sacred Heart in East Grand Forks and Holy Trinity in Tabor. Father Craig Vasek began serving as Associate Director on March 1, and has been tasked with promoting vocations. He is also Pastor of St. Patrick’s in Hallock and Holy Rosary in Lancaster. REACHING POTENTIAL PRIESTS The Office of Vocations exists to support seminarians and
Father Craig Vasek
Diocesan seminarians Nathan Brunn, Michael Arey and Matthew Schmitz take a photo with Vicar General Msgr. Michael Foltz, Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner, Father Vincent Miller and Father Xavier Ilango during a Christmas gathering. (Photo credit: Janelle C. Gergen/OND)
promote the priesthood and vocational discernment within the Diocese of Crookston. “Certainly one of the great-
est joys is when somebody asks the question, ‘God what do you want me to do in my life?’ and then they really search and find
out what that is,” Father Miller said. He has been part of that process for more than a decade since beginning his work in the
Office of Vocations in 2002. “When you open your heart to God’s call, it’s just a transforming moment,” he said. “The discernment part is a challenging time, and so I think it’s very rewarding to us priests to be able to mentor during that time.” During Father Miller’s time as Vocation Director, the work of the office has become two-fold. VOCATIONS: Continued on Page 7
Presentations will help protect families from pornography Priest from Diocese of Lincoln will speak at two parishes, providing statistics, strategies By Katrina Genereux Staff Writer, OND
Pornography is not a topic that most parents are comfortable speaking about with their children and teenagers, but it is becoming more and more necessary in our increasingly technology-saturated culture. The Diocese of Crookston’s Office of the New Evangelization is hosting two presentations by Father Shawn Kilcawley that will help make this topic easier to tackle. Father Kilcawley will give his presentation entitled: Beginning Again
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from Christ’s Mercy at St. Joseph’s, Moorhead on April 27, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and at St. Bernard’s, Thief River Falls on April 28, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Father Kilcawley is a priest from the Diocese of Lincoln in Nebraska, and is also the Program Director and Theological Advisor to the Integrity Restored ministry. Last fall, the Office of the New Evangelization invited him to speak to the priests of the diocese during their annual study day about the harms of pornography and what can be done to fight it.
Father Shawn Kilcawley
“As a follow-up to the ‘priests only’ meeting, we are now bringing Father Shawn back to speak directly with parents
Pg. 3 - Spotlight on Catholic Schools Series Pg. 6 - Middle School Youth Rally Pg. 10 - DAA Status Report
about the reality and reach of internet-based pornography into the lives of their kids, and to provide practical tips on how to have conversations as a family about this pandemic, allowing for a healthy and holy approach to it,” said Father Robert Schreiner, Director of the Office of the New Evangelization. During the presentation, Father Kilcawley will share how the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have transformed his priesthood and can transform families. He will focus on the ways technology and accidental ex-
posure to internet pornography can distort the call to love as God loves. Father Kilcawley will also provide tools to assist parents in their vocation to be the image of Christ’s mercy in their families. Father Schreiner stressed that anyone who has children or works with them should attend Father Kilcawley’s presentation. “Too many parents and grandparents or guardians think that internet-based pornography is beyond the reach of interest of their children. The statistics on these matters MERCY: Continued on Page 6