OND September A 2014: Vol. 68 No 14

VOL. 68, NO. 14

WWW.CROOKSTON.ORG

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Keeping our kids Catholic Leading our families in the mission of evangelization Story by Amanda Zurface Coordinator of Justice, Marriage & Family Life, Office of the New Evangelization

“Keeping Your Kids Catholic” and “Marriage – Ambassadors for Christ” are the keynote addresses that will be offered

by David Rinaldi on Sunday, October 5.

Rinaldi will speak at the Year of Marriage Congress, the culminating event of the Diocese of Crookston’s Year of Marriage.

The Congress is a celebratory event that will include Mass, speakers, a concert, and prayer on October 3, 4 and 5 at the Crookston Inn and Convention Center and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston, Minn.

Rinaldi is the Program Director for the National Evangelization Teams (NET) Ministries. During Rinaldi’s time with NET, he has offered presentations to thousands of youth and adults around the country. Through these presentations and encounters, he has been able to guide and interact with young people. He has led many in prayer and has had the opportunity to engage in holy conversations with them. David has had the chance to ask young people important questions like: “What did your parents do well to bring you to this specific point in your Catholic faith?” And, “What do you wish your parents would have done differently?” David will speak about these questions, share responses he has received and more during his two keynote presentations.

Based in West Saint Paul, Minn., NET

Ministries’ mission is to “challenge young Catholics to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church.” The Diocese of Crookston has many connections to NET Ministries. Elizabeth Rzepka, the Diocese of Crookston’s Coordinator of Catechesis & Youth Ministry stated, “NET will serve in the Diocese of Crookston this upcoming October 10-28, including the annual Diocesan Youth Rally … The diocese is home to numerous NET alumni, and currently, there are three missionaries from the Diocese of Crookston: Joseph Hollcraft (serving with Team 14), Cody Klamm (serving with Team 10) and Katie Arens (serving with Team 3). All three missionaries will be formally commissioned for service on September 9, and afterward begin their year of service to youth all over the country.” According to the website for NET Ministries, “Every August, 150 young Catholics aged 1828 leave behind their jobs, school, family, and friends to devote nine months to serving with NET. Divided into 12 teams, they travel across the U.S. for nine months to share the Gospel with young people and their families. Since 1981, NET teams have led over 26,000 retreats and ministered to more than 1.6 million young Catholics.”

David, a native of Connecticut, holds a degree in Communications and is a commissioned officer for the U.S. Air Force.

He holds a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Ave Maria University and also serves as a professional Catholic speaker. David has lived in South Saint

Paul, with his wife and three sons since 2002. He has 20 years of experience in ministry, with seventeen of those years being with NET Ministries.

The descriptions and schedule of David Rinaldi’s talks are as follows: Sunday, October 5 9:10 a.m. – Keeping Your Kids Catholic: “Teenagers are bombarded every day with a flurry of negative influences from the media, the culture, and their peers. What’s a parent to do? How can parents compete with TV, movies, the internet, and pop culture? The Church teaches that in order to carry out the task of leading people (including our kids) to Christ, we must ‘scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in light of the Gospel.’ That’s precisely what David Rinaldi will do in this presentation. After examining the current trends in teen spirituality, David will give some time-tested tips on raising your kids to be faithful Catholics.”

10:30 a.m. – Marriage – Ambassadors for Christ: “When Jesus commanded, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel’ (Mark 16:15), He wasn’t just talking to bishops, priests, and religious.

He was talking to you and me. As spouses and parents, we are tasked with leading our families (domestic churches) in the mission of evangelization. But how in the world are we supposed to be evangelists when we have groceries to buy, diapers to change, jobs to do, and yards to rake?

In this presentation, David gives practical tips on how to fulfill our baptismal call in

Mr. David Rinaldi of NET Ministries

the busyness of our daily lives.”

The Year of Marriage Congress registration closes on Monday, September 15. Full scholarships are available!

Register online at www.crookston.org/Congress or call 218-281-4533, ext. 432.

You are invited to join with others across the Diocese of Crookston in praying a NOVENA for the 9 days leading up to the MARRIAGE CONGRESS by reciting THE HOLY FAMILY PRAYER daily and reflecting on the Novena’s Daily Intention.

THE HOLY FAMILY PRAYER

JESUS, Son of God and Son of Mary, bless our family. Graciously inspire in us the unity, peace, and mutual love that you found in your own family in the little town of Nazareth.

MARY, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, nourish our family with your faith and your love.

Keep us close to your Son, Jesus, in all our sorrows and joys.

JOSEPH, Foster-father to Jesus, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm. Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.

HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH, make our family one with you. Help us to be instruments of peace. Grant that love, strengthened by grace, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass. May we always have God at the center of our hearts and homes until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with you.

AMEN

INSIDE

VOL. 68, NO. 14:

DAY 1 - SEPTEMBER 24

DAY 6 - SEPTEMBER 29

Thanksgiving for family blessings

Families struggling for unity

DAY 2 - SEPTEMBER 25

DAY 7 - SEPTEMBER 30

DAY 3 - SEPTEMBER 26

DAY 8 - OCTOBER 1

DAY 4 - SEPTEMBER 27

DAY 9 - OCTOBER 2

Engaged couples

Single-parent families

Families with special needs children Religious vocations in families

Families affected by abuse and addictions Your family’s special intention

DAY 5 - SEPTEMBER 28 Families caring for elderly

Pg. 3 - Bishop’s Guild Summer Event Re-Cap Pg. 4 - Empower Conference & XLT for Youth Pg. 8 - Sarah Hart Concert Photos

Taken from the Missionaries of the Holy Family website: http://www.msf-america.org

Pg. 9 - Fall Dinner Listings Pg. 12 - Catechetical Sunday Confession Series Pg. 16 - Marriage Congress Registration Info

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September 10, 2014

A

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Voice from the Valley

BY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER

Back to School; Back To Learning September brings cooler temps, shorter days, the harvest, and the changing of the season.

“Summer Vacation” is over and it’s back to school, and back to formal learning for folks young and old. I want to thank all who are engaged in the ministry of education in this local church: all in our Catholic schools and all in our parish faith formation programs; all who teach including our priests, deacons, religious, lay men and women; and of course parents who are the first and best teachers of their children in the ways of faith.

On August 28, we celebrated the memorial of St. Augustine.

In his Confessions, he writes about how, as a young man, he was lost. He says that he plunged himself into the lovely things which God created but did so without God. “You were with me but I was not with you … Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.”

As our young people again take up the task of learning about life, our world, and the many wonderful things God has made, may all who work with and teach them also help them investigate and learn with God, not without God. If they learn with God and not without God, created things will not keep them from God, but will lead them to know, appreciate, thank and praise God all the more. God will help them truly learn and come to true insight and understanding of all life, of themselves, and of God too.

They will come to know more

deeply the purpose God has for their lives, the purpose which alone brings complete happiness and fulfillment. That purpose, ultimately, is union with God in every aspect of their being, and they will fall in love with God more this year. Like St. Augustine they will be able to say: “I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more.” May this year be a year of growth in holiness for them all.

Catechetical Sunday Speaking of teaching, we will once again celebrate Catechetical Sunday on Sunday, Sept. 21.

It was in 1935 that the Holy See asked the Church throughout the world to acknowledge the importance of the teaching ministry for the spread of the Gospel message. Beginning in 1971, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Department of Education began producing materials to help parishes celebrate Catechetical Sunday and honor those who are engaged in the teaching ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel and an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission. This year’s theme is: “Teaching About God’s Gift of Forgiveness.” This theme invites parishes, catechists and all of us to explore the richness of God’s forgiveness and the special gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In our pastoral plan Meeting Christ – Living Christ, Goal Two calls for promotion of “a greater understanding and appreciation of the sacraments for the

purpose of personal conversion and recognition of the strength and grace the sacraments give us for living a holy life.” The materials available for this year’s Catechetical Sunday can help us do this now and throughout the whole year in classrooms, groups or personal prayer. Next year we will emphasize the New Evangelization and Goal Six which calls for strengthening our commitment to the New Evangelization. A renewal of the appreciation for and frequent celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is key to this goal, as Pope Benedict XVI, in a 2012 address, noted: “The New Evangelization begins in the confessional!”

I invite all to make good use of this year’s Catechetical Sunday materials now and throughout the upcoming year. I hope each of us will come to appreciate and make better use of God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Marriage Congress I want to say a word to encourage you to attend our Year of Marriage Congress. I hope to see a HUGE number of families from all corners of this great diocese in attendance. The speakers lined up for these days are truly outstanding and I know all who hear them will be enriched.

How wonderful as an offering to God, and how rewarding for us, is the rich experience of the local church gathered in prayer around the bishop. If you can’t come for all of it, come for some of it. If you haven’t signed up yet, I invite you to do so now by calling 218-281-4533, ext.

432 or by going online at www. crookston.org/Congress.

BISHOP’S CALENDAR September 13 September 14 September 17 September 28 September 28 September 30

6:00 p.m.

10:30 a.m.

Rite of Confirmation, St. Mary’s, Warroad Rite of Confirmation, Sacred Heart, Baudette

Minnesota Catholic Conference

8:30 a.m.

Mass, St. Theodore’s, Laporte

10:30 a.m.

9:00 a.m.

Mass, Our Lady of the Pines, Nevis Interview, Real Presence Radio (LIVE)

(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 Diocese of Crookston.

Subscriptions: $13.65 per year in the diocese, $14.90 per year outside the diocese.

Publisher:

Editor:

Associate Editor:

Editorial Assistant:

The Most Reverend Michael J. Hoeppner Bishop of the Diocese of Crookston Rev. Robert Schreiner Office of the New Evangelization, Director Mrs. Janelle C. Gergen jgergen@crookston.org Mrs. Katrina Genereux kgenereux@crookston.org

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

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

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

DIOCESAN

September 10, 2014

3

Office of Stewardship & Development hosts 2014 Bishop’s Guild Summer Event Story by Lisa Hatlestad Stewardship Manager Office of Stewardship & Development MENTOR, MINN - As overcast skies made way for sunshine on Sunday afternoon, August 17, a record number of Bishop’s Guild guests gathered at St. Lawrence Church in Mentor for pontoon rides and a walleye dinner on Maple Lake, a tradition initiated three years ago.

The Bishop’s Guild consists of diocesan parishioners who make a gift of $1,200 or more to the Diocesan Annual Appeal. Participation in the Bishop’s Guild represents nearly 18 percent of total DAA contributions each year; a strong foundation upon which the appeal is grown.

Each summer, guild members and their guests are invited to a day of fellowship and prayer with Bishop Michael Hoeppner. This is a day Bishop particularly enjoys, as it allows him unstructured time to spend with donors. DAA chairpersons from each parish were invited to join this year’s celebration as special guests.

Boaters returned to St. Lawrence by golf cart in time to gather for evening prayer in the sanctuary. Bishop Hoeppner presided and Vicar General Msgr. David Baumgartner canted; Bonnie Lee, Director of the diocesan Office of Worship & Liturgy and Tina Stanger, Superintendant of Catholic Schools, accompanied. At the end of prayer Sarah Ryan, daughter of Chad and Joanne Ryan and Bailey Bradford, daughter of St. Lawrence parishioners Terrill and Tom Bradford,

sang a beautiful duet of the official Diocese of Crookston Year of Marriage song, “Holy Family,”

by Danielle Rose with the audience joining in the chorus.

Guests then mingled and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and refreshments in the gathering space before being seated for dinner. Guest speakers Chad Ryan, recently appointed Finance Officer for the Diocese of Crookston, and Janelle Gergen, Associate Editor of Our Northland Diocese, spoke about the paths that led them to diocesan ministry.

Grateful acknowledgement was given to St. Francis de Sales parishioners Bob and Lori Siegel and Siegel Communications for their sponsorship of the Bishop’s Guild Summer Event for the third consecutive year.

Chancery staff and their spouses served guests a delicious walleye dinner prepared by Jack Sullivan, Kenny Beauchane and Joe Chaput, St. Lawrence parishioners. Just before the ice cream sundae bar – always a hit at the Bishop’s Guild party – Bishop Hoeppner stood to share remarks and his gratitude with a farewell blessing to the 110 guests present. Bishop also thanked Chancery staff and St. Lawrence Parish for once again hosting the event, and the many St. Lawrence volunteers who made the day joyful and pleasant for everyone. The event was hosted and coordinated by the Office of Stewardship and Development, directed by Reathel Giannonatti, J.D. Lisa Hatlestad manages the Diocesen Annual Appeal.

Photos - Clockwise, beginning top right: The Bishop’s Guild Summer Event begins with pontoon rides on beautiful Maple Lake.

Bob Seigel, a Bishop’s Guild Event sponsor, reads Scripture at Evening Prayer with Bishop Hoeppner.

Msgr. David Baumgartner, Bailey Bradford, Sarah Ryan and Tina Stanger sing during Evening Prayer.

Paul Hatlestad and Jim Clauson scoop ice cream for guests at the sundae bar.

Tom Super, JoLynn Pribula and Fr. Dave Super chat after dinner. (Photo Credit: Janelle C. Gergen)

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September 10, 2014

DIOCESAN

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Empower Conference “inspires” many Story by Mark Hollcraft Director of Life Teen Ministries Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception MOORHEAD, MINN - Every fall, Life Teen, Inc. leads a series of one day regional events with nationallevel training in areas around the country. This year, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Moorhead hosted one of these 13 trainings. The theme for the Empower Conference and all of Life Teen training and leadership events is “INSPIRE(D).”

Priests, deacons, youth ministers, core members and catechists from several parishes attended. People from the dioceses of Crookston, Fargo, St. Cloud, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Duluth and Dubuque, Iowa were represented. Of the 52 participants, 25 were present from the Diocese of Crookston to dive deeper and wider in their understanding of the “what’s” and “how’s” of taking teens and their families deeper into their Catholic faith.

Highlights of the day included: Holy Mass presided by Father Larry Delaney and assisted by Deacon Bryan Kujawa, who preached the homily; keynote talks given by Katie Gray, Central Regional Director for Life Teen in their St. Louis, Mo. office, and Mark Hollcraft, par-

ish youth minister in Crookston and Life Teen’s Area Contact for the state of Minnesota. The training also included break-out sessions led by Gray, Hollcraft and Elizabeth Rzepka, Coordinator of Catechesis and Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Crookston. Breakouts discussed discipleship with teens, investing in core teams and catechists, ministering to a culture immersed in technology, what Pope Francis is saying to young people today, presenting to teens and some do’s and don’ts for core members/catechists. In addition to the training, great music and prayer were led throughout the day by Jordan Buchhorn.

Life Teen, established in 1985, is a Eucharist-centered youth ministry movement that serves parishes and challenges them to lead teens closer to Christ. This challenge has been one that as a movement, Life Teen has sought to be faithful to the vision from which it began: “bring teens to the Mass” and let the catechesis flow from the Mass (Bl. Teresa of Calcutta). While there have been growing pains along the way, it has grown to be one of the premiere experiences for teens to tangibly encounter Jesus Christ.

From 1985 to present, our papal leadership has continued to inspire

Participants of the Empower Conference are shown praying with one another.

Music ministry was led by Jordan Buchhorn of St. Joseph’s, Moorhead.

the world’s young church. “The New Evangelization in which the whole continent is engaged means that faith cannot be taken for granted, but must be explicitly proposed in all its breadth and richness” (St. John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, no. 69). “Our own time, then, must be increasingly marked by new hearing of God’s word and

a New Evangelization. Recovering the centrality of the divine word in the Christian life leads us to appreciate anew the deepest meaning of the forceful appeal of Pope John Paul II: to pursue the mission ad gentes and vigorously to embark upon the New Evangelization, especially in those nations where the Gospel has been forgotten or

Katie Gray of Life Teen, Inc., providing a dynamic keynote presentation.

(Photo Credit: Elizabeth Rzepka)

meets with indifference as a result of widespread secularism” (Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini no.

122). And now Pope Francis, “The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you.” (World Youth Day, Rio – Brazil)

Diocesan-wide XLT for youth celebrated 2014 Year of Marriage Story by Janelle C. Gergen Associate Editor Our Northland Diocese

CROOKSTON, MINN - The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception hosted a Diocesan-wide XLT (short for Exalt!) on Sunday, August 24 for youth. The regional event for high school teenagers featured a marriage-themed witness talk by the Central Regional Director for Life Teen, Katie Gray and her husband Jason, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praise and worship and Benediction. It was a blessed evening of prayer and fellowship which allowed teens to reflect on the Sacrament of Marriage and the covenantal love of Christ.

Following the event, the Cathedral Life Teen Core Team hosted dinner for all in attendance.

Pope Francis on Marriage: “Today there are those who say that marriage is out of fashion.

Is it out of fashion? In a culture of relativism and the ephemeral, many preach the importance of ‘enjoying’ the moment ... I have confidence in you and I pray for you. Have courage to ‘swim against the tide.’ And also have the courage to be happy.”

- July 28, 2013 World Youth Day Address

Right: Katie and Jason Gray share their story of vocational discernment and how the Sacrament of Marriage has impacted their spiritual journey.

Far Right: Rev. Robert Schreiner and teens from across the Diocese of Crookston kneel in adoration of Our Lord in the monstrance.

(Photo Credit: Janelle C. Gergen)

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

DIOCESAN

Diocesan training for catechists: Best practices deanery sessions Story by Elizabeth Rzepka Coordinator of Catechesis & Youth Ministry Office of the New Evangelization This fall the Office of the New Evangelization is offering a training session entitled: “Catechists’ Best Practices” for all K-12 catechists throughout the Diocese. The training session is being repeated in each Deanery to offer a variety of dates and locations to allow more people to participate. This session is being offered in anticipation of the new teaching year to affirm foundational ministry principles as well as to encourage the remarkable work of catechists throughout the Diocese of Crookston. The first of five sessions was held

on Wednesday, August 27, at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Dilworth. More than 40 people attended the 90-minute presentation.

St. Bernard’s in Thief River Falls hosted the event on Wednesday, September 3, and Holy Rosary in Detroit Lakes hosted the September 10 session.

Remaining opportunities will take place at the following locations: Wednesday, September 17: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

St. Stephen’s, Stephen Thursday, September 25: 6:30-8:00 p.m.

St. Philip’s, Bemidji

September 10, 2014

5

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CROOKSTON’S - 19TH ANNUAL -

Marriage Celebration Day HIS EXCELLENCY BISHOP MICHAEL J. HOEPPNER requests the presence of the faithful to gather together to honor all marriages and families within this 2014 “Year of Marriage” at the 19th Annual

Marriage Celebration Day.

Women’s Cursillo coming soon!

In the past, Cursillo weekends in the Diocese of Crookston have been held in February and March. That time of year is difficult for some people to get away. Now the women of our diocese have another option – Cursillo in the fall. A women’s Cursillo weekend will be held September 25-28, 2014, at Sand Hill Lake Bible Camp located six miles south of Fosston.

A Cursillo weekend provides an opportunity to focus on and learn more about the Catholic faith, the sacraments and prayer. It also offers a chance for those attending to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus and to meet others who share the same desire to deepen

their faith. The weekend can be an exciting, challenging, and life-changing experience.

The Cursillo weekend begins Thursday evening and goes through late Sunday afternoon.

Consider attending a Cursillo; it is a wonderful opportunity to focus on Jesus and your own faith journey without the distractions of daily life. It is a gift you give to yourself.

For more information, call Mary Derosier at 218-253-4623 or Carol Olsonawski at 218689-9081. There are still openings for women interested in attending this weekend. Applications may be found online here: http://crookstoncursillo.catholicweb.com/ or at your local parish office.

Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you land; serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song.

REV. FR. FRANCIS JOSEPH KULHAWIK born to Nicodemus and Josephine Kulhawik SEPTEMBER 20, 1914 Open House to celebrate 100 Years of Life September 22, 2014 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Villa St. Vincent Dining Room Crookston, MN

Please join us on

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5TH AT 2:00 P.M. for Holy Mass and a Reception to follow.

Location: The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 702 Summit Avenue Crookston, Minnesota No RSVP is required for this year’s celebration.

This Mass will also serve as the Closing Mass for the Year of Marriage Congress which is being held October 3-5, in Crookston, MN. To learn more and register for the Congress, please call 218-281-4533, ext. 432 or visit www.crookston.org/Congress.

YEAR OF MARRIAGE: Upcoming Events October 3-5 2014 Year of Marriage Congress – “As Christ Loves: The Divine Beauty of Married Life & Love,” featuring Keynote Speakers: Danielle Rose, Fr. Thomas Loya & the Tabor Life Institute, David Rinaldi and Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner. Pre-registration is required at: http://www.crookston.org/congress/.

October 4 – 7:00 p.m. “Love & Life Concert” with Music Missionary: Danielle Rose at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston. Free and open to the public.

October 5 – 2:00 p.m. Closing Mass of the Congress and the 19th Annual Diocesan Marriage Celebration Day at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

October 21 – 7:00 p.m. The Final Deanery Gathering with Bishop Michael Hoeppner, “FAMILIES: The Domestic Church”, St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Bemidji.

October 24-26 Men’s (Widowers) Diego House Retreat: “Til Death Do Us Part” with Father Chuck Huck.

November 22 – 5:00 p.m. Closing Mass of the Diocese of Crookston’s 2014 “Year of Marriage” with Bishop Michael Hoeppner at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston.

Sponsored by the Office of the New Evangelization 218- 281-4533 ▪ www.crookston.org/YOM

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September 10, 2014

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Our passions need to be formed Here in Colorado, it is not hard for any of us on the Front Range to remember the impact of out-of-control fires on our community. It was in fact almost exactly a year ago that we experienced the Black Forest Fire and the loss of more than 500 homes and properties. We observed that it only takes a small fire in the right conditions to engulf a forest. In a similar way, situations in everyday life can fuel our passions to the point of losing control, if only for a moment. By passions, I am referring to the gamut of emotions, feelings, urges and desires. This would include sexual desire, but is certainly not exclusive to it.

Our passions are certainly influenced by what historically is called concupiscence — that inherited tendency to desire what is sinful. Though in a sense “natural,” this does not of course mean that all desires and all levels of them are good. We can desire all kinds of things at our worst moments. At the same time, our passions are often a very important part of who we are, but they need to be formed.

For example, as small children, we go through the “terrible

INTEGRITY HUMAN PERSON INSIGHTS

By Dan Spadaro, MA, LPC Synidcated through The Colorado Catholic Herald

twos” to some degree. It is in the nature of 2 and 3-year-olds to claim every toy they want as their own, cry when they don’t get their way and demand attention. This of course is not wrong or sinful for a 2-year-old, but willful. Character needs to be formed starting even at a tender age — it does not suddenly appear like a spring of fresh bubbling water in the desert. We all need to grow toward maturity by going through the often-difficult process of breaking our selfishness and acquiring the skills of generosity and virtues like temperance. It is our natural path to being able to love others, rather than being self-seeking. When there is significant impairment in this area, it can lead to nar-

cissism, or worse, antisocial or criminal behavior in adulthood.

The Catechism makes the point: “The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy” (CCC 2339).

So how do we deal with our passions in a healthy manner?

Three possible approaches for dealing with passions are often debated. One option is to indulge the passions by giving them free rein. It is the thought, “Why should I fight what seems so natural?” In a sense we say, “What is the point? It takes too much work to resist this anyway.” Even those who are honest about morality may resist for a time, but the difficulties of life

make escape more appealing.

Secondly, we can try to suppress the passions or almost ignore them altogether. I am told that there is an expression in Spanish, which refers to letting go of control. The phrase, “Darle la rienda suelta,” literally means to give the reins to the horse. Meaning that if the rider gives up the reins, the horse would be allowed to “run wild.”

This is like the first approach, where an indulgence in life is allowed to grow out of control, be it food, alcohol, sex or chocolate. On the other hand, suppression of the passions might look more like one of two things, either fighting the horse with too strong of a hand, creating a battle for control between horse and rider and thus making things worse, or just avoiding the ride altogether out of fear of what might happen. It would follow that we need a cooperation of horse and rider to live well. Suppression or repression in ongoing practice tends to lead to times of indulgence and then avoidance.

The third option we could call redirecting or retraining our passions. It often involves a surren-

der of our own will in very practical everyday situations, while at the same time a persistent retraining of our desires (virtue of temperance) toward serving the needs of others. Here I think that we need the reminder that we can’t do this purely on our own, and humbly acknowledging that God will provide for our needs. St. John Paul II has offered us insights on this subject, but he also reinforces that we are not trying to stifle our emotions: “This does not mean that the virtuous, sober man cannot be ‘spontaneous,’ cannot enjoy, cannot weep, cannot express his feelings; that is, it does not mean that he must become insensitive, ‘indifferent,’ as if he were made of ice or stone” (General Audience, 1978). But he continued by saying that to reach a “mature spontaneity,” we need continuous work on virtue and practice with a “special ‘vigilance’” over our behavior.

Dan Spadaro, MA, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor and a member of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. His website is www.imagodeicounseling.com. Integrity is syndicated through The Colorado Catholic Herald.

“What you do for the least among you…you do for Me.” Not long ago the Family Care Foundation (FCF) published an interesting report dealing with the world in which we live. It challenged me, and probably all of us, to remember our relationship to the billions who share this small planet.

The FCF, in a nutshell, works to address poverty issues throughout the world. As Catholics, Catholic Relief Services does the same in our name and is a reliable avenue through which we funnel needed resources to those in need.

The premise of the FCF report was simple: if the world in which we live was a single village of 100 people, what would it look like?

Here is what the report found: The village would have 61 Asians, 13 Africans, 12 Europeans, nine Latin Americans and five from the United States and Canada. 50 would be male. 50 would be female. 75 would be non-white; 25 white. 67 would be non-Christian; 33 would be Christian.

80 would live in substandard

LIFE FIRST

By Father Don Braukmann Parochial Vicar - St. Philip’s Parish, Bemidji and St. Charles Parish, Pennington

housing. 16 would not be able to read or write. 50 would be malnourished, and one would be dying of starvation.

33 would be without access to a safe water supply. 39 would lack access to quality sanitation.

24 would not have any electricity and of the 76 with electricity, a majority would only use it for light at night.

Eight people would have access to the Internet. One would have a college education. One would have HIV. Two would be near birth; one near death. Five would control 32 percent of the entire world’s wealth; all five would be United States citizens.

48 would live on less than $2 a

day. 20 would live on less than $1 a day.

As small as the world seems to be getting (we say it all the time), the perspective of the report reminds us it is much larger and even more complicated than we may realize. Reducing our billions to a village of 100 challenges all of us to remember who we are and what our role in the world is meant to be. What we do for the least of our brothers and sisters will be judged back on us.

Yes, the United States is a generous country and I do not write this column as an attempt to put us on a guilt trip. In fact, I hope it does the opposite! I hope, with

grateful hearts for the blessings we share, we will continue to reach out to those in need. I hope we will choose political leaders who have more than an “America First” mentality and who see our wealth as an opportunity to expand the blessing to those without.

I know much of the problem is not our unwillingness to help others; it is the political structure and history of violence which paralyses so many nations and cultures. Yet, through Catholic Relief Services and other groups we can slowly, one person, one village at a time, make a difference.

A daily three-minute glance at the headlines makes it clear how broken humanity is. Thousands of children press against our southern border to have a chance at a life of dignity among us. The Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria are beheaded, crucified and slaughtered at will by terrorists.

Abortion is offered as the answer to over population and we cling to the death penalty as if

it can solve our social problems.

Parents watch their children die and children watch their parents die in parts of Africa where drought and hate are abundant.

Let us remember why and for whom we reach out to the world.

It is for Christ, still on the cross in the bodies of all who suffer.

What we do for others, we do for Christ; it really is as simple or as complicated as that.

One last thought from Mother Teresa who lived in poverty physically, emotionally and spiritually. She saw the broadest picture of poverty in her ministry.

She said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.”

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

COMMENTARY

September 10, 2014

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A beatitude marriage: Part I CREDO REJOICE AND BE GLAD, FOR YOUR REWARD IS GREAT IN HEAVEN, (MATTHEW 5:12): A Beatitude Marriage

I concluded my previous column by posing this question for the reader to consider: “Do I follow God’s plan for marriage?” It is important for all to understand that marriage is not merely for the benefit of the two who are married; the sacrament of marriage is ultimately part of God’s plan for the salvation of the world. If you have been reading these columns over the previous months, you have read a number of times that God calls spouses to reflect God’s love in this world through their marriage. They are to reflect God’s love to each other, to children and other family members, to their faith community and to the entire world.

St. John Paul II, early in his papacy, published the apostolic exhortation “On the Family.” It was written at the conclusion of a synod of bishops on the family and is considered a masterful summation of Catholic teaching on the sacrament of marriage

A NEW EVANGELIZATION WITNESS

By Dr. Mark Krejci, guest columnist

Sponsored by the Diocesan Office of the New Evangelization and the Christian family. He wrote that many of the faithful “have become uncertain and bewildered over their role or even doubtful and almost unaware of the ultimate meaning and truth of conjugal (marital) and family life.” The Holy Father not only described God’s plan for marriage but also provided guidance concerning how Catholic couples should live their family life within this plan. “On the Family” was St. John Paul II’s call to the Catholic faithful that we must remain true to God’s plan for marriage.

The Holy Father described the four tasks for married couples and the families they form.

These tasks are: 1. Forming a community of persons, 2. Serv-

ing life, 3. Participating in the development of society and 4.

Sharing in the life and mission of the church. I will use this column to describe the first task in more detail and will review the other three in my next column.

What does it mean to form a community of persons, or using the word of the Holy Father, a communion between the woman and man in the marital sacrament? The word communion evokes an image of great intimacy and connection. Spouses are to form a communion based on a deep love for each other. Because God created us out of love, marriage is to be created, sustained and centered on the love God has for us all. The Sacrament of Marriage, based on a communion

of two loving persons committed to a never-ending union, is meant to reflect what God desires to have with us. God longs to be in communion with us when we join the saints in heaven for all of eternity. Therefore, marriage was created by God to reflect God’s desire to be united with us. The intimacy we will have with God is unlike anything we will experience on earth; so we can see why God would use marriage as a (albeit imperfect) reflection of our union with God in heaven.

There is nothing more intimate on this earth than the marital bond. Marriage is to be a lifelong bond that brings a wife and husband together in an intimacy that is only to be shared with one’s spouse; a loving bond that is meant to be the deepest commitment anyone can make on this earth. This communion of persons is meant to reflect God’s desire for communion with us in heaven. God is connected to the saints in heaven in an intimate bond that will never end, a loving communion between God who is love and his beloved creation.

Think of the great honor and

responsibility spouses have when following God’s plan for marriage. Through marital love, reciprocally shared between wife and husband, spouses are to reflect God’s desire to share eternal love with all in heaven. Not only are the husband and wife called

by God to reflect God’s love to each other, but by the way the two love each other they should show their children, their family, their parish and the world some measure of the loving communion we will have with God in heaven.

How does St. John Paul II’s four-point guide for marital and family life connect with the beatitudes? God has given each marriage a purpose that ultimately calls couples to see marital union as participation in God’s plan for salvation of the world. This is a tall order! But God has given each couple a guide on how to fulfill their marital calling. The Gospel serves as this guide and if couples follow the beatitudes every day in their marriage, they will be strengthened and able to fulfill God’s plan. They will bring blessings not just to their marriage but into the world.

A great source of comfort and direction Submitted by Dan Gendreau St. Mary’s Parish, Two Inlets Over the years I have spent many hours in Eucharistic adoration which has proven a great source of comfort and direction in my life.

Many bring devotional materials to read but I generally bring my bible and try to spend a fair amount of my Holy Hour simply being quiet. Occasionally, I do experience what I believe to be the guidance of the Holy Spirt.

This is not a voice per se but an awareness of another will or personality, a still small voice in my awareness.

I would like to tell you about one such experience that was pivotal in my music ministry.

As I write this, I am a month from my 68th birthday. At 16 I became a performance musician and at the age of 27 entered into music ministry. For the better part of all that time, I could never master the art of singing and playing at the same time. I could sing fairly well and was a good instrumentalist but put the two together and not so much. This would have been a valuable skill and I worked at it for many, many years to no avail.

Several years ago, during my Holy Hour, I found myself in an

EXPOSITION PRAYER IN THE DIOCESE OF CROOKSTON

Ms. Bonnie Lee

Director of the Office of Worship argument with the Holy Spirit.

Sounds pretty dumb, but this is the same type of discussion experienced by Abram, Moses, and even St. Peter revolving around something asked of us that we thought ourselves unable to do.

Though this went on for a half hour, condensed, it was something like this: “Daniel, I have something I wish you to do for me.”

“Yes Lord, what would that be?”

“I want you to lead my people in song.”

“Lord, I have been doing that for over 20 years.”

“Alone.”

“But Lord, I have never been able to sing and play at the same time. You know this. You’ve watched me struggle and listened to me pray about it for years.”

“I will help you.”

“But Lord, I think this is nearly

impossible.”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

“That’s St. Paul, isn’t it?”

“Philippians 4:13 ... I will help you.”

“I am a much better guitarist than I am a singer; can you help me with my voice?”

“I was thinking I would take on the instrument, your voice is yours and you must deal with it.”

“Yes Lord I will try.”

Over the next several weeks I worked on it and it started to come together. At first I started playing behind the choir with the piano and singing my part at the same time. Then I accompanied myself when it came my turn to cantor. Though my confidence was building I still didn’t feel competent to lead the singing at Mass by myself.

A little over a month later, Mary, our keyboardist and direc-

tor, told me she was going to Ireland for 10 days with her family and wanted me to lead the singing at the Sunday Mass that she would miss. I had misgivings, but Mary is a tough person to say no to. I agreed.

On the Thursday before I was to lead music, I heard the five words that can strike terror into the heart of any church musician at almost any time: “Bishop will be here Sunday.”

Now this assignment became an absolute panic.

Sunday morning arrives. I had managed to talk a couple of the ladies in the choir to join me so I felt somewhat covered but as I struck the first notes of the introduction to “Gather Us In” my heart started to pound and it continued pounding all through Mass.

By the end of the Gloria I was beginning to wonder if a 60-something heart could endure this abuse. By the end of the Psalm, I was wondering if one’s breast bone could actually be shattered from the inside. By the end of the Holy, Holy, Holy, I was taking some comfort in the fact that the holy oils were in their case right behind me, for my quick anointing when I dropped. By the end of the recessional I decided I could cancel my stress test at the clinic.

All went well. I did feel pretty

exhausted but it had all gone very well.

This experience has been a source of pondering at many subsequent Holy Hours and I’ve come to grow from and understand many things that happened within it. First, God is faithful.

As he promised, he stood with me and strengthened me, even through all that stress, as He has every time I’ve had the privilege of leading the singing at Mass.

Secondly, if you want to see the work of God’s hand in your life, look to the coincidences. I would never have felt the Holy Spirit’s presence in this if I had not endured that very stressful situation. Bishop’s presence was key to providing that experience which reinforced my reliance on God’s strength. Lastly, don’t argue with the Holy Spirit. He is always right and He is not beyond getting Bishop out of bed before dawn and having him drive for two hours to help straighten your little self out.

You are invited to submit your testimonial of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament to: blee@crookston.org or P.O. Box 610, Crookston, MN 56716.

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OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

A beautiful night with Sarah Hart Grammy-nominated musician gave prayerful concert at the Cathedral

225 people from around the Diocese of Crookston came to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, August 24 for the second in the Love & Life Concert series during this 2014 Year of Marriage.

Sarah Hart actively engaged the audience by performing several pieces of music, sharing the stories of their creation and how the prayers of her heart have been put to song.

Hart spent several minutes greeting guests, signing autographs and taking photos with concert-goers as event concluded. (Photos credited to: Janelle C. Gergen)

A free-will offering totaling $537 benefitted the Bemidji and Fargo 40 Days For Life campaigns. Pictured above: 40 Days For Life representatives Mary Thoelke and Colleen Samson of Fargo, ND.

THANK YOU!

THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF ABORTION 2014 Fall Worldwide Campaign: September 24 – November 2 THE DIOCESE OF CROOKSTON’S OFFICE OF THE NEW EVANGELIZATION WILL LEAD A ROSARY FOR THE UNBORN:

Saturday, November 1 @ 12:00 p.m.

Outside Planned Parenthood: 2504 Hannah Ave. NW, Bemidji, MN

40 Days for Life team members in Bemidji are highly grateful for the donation. It provides much encouragement and assists in the campaign operation in many ways.

To learn more about the 40 Days For Life campaign in Bemidji, please contact Lisa Beyer at beyer@paulbunyan.net. For information regarding the 40 Days For Life campaign in Fargo, please contact Colleen Samson at phc@polarcomm.com.

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

AROUND THE DIOCESE

September 10, 2014

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Fall Dinners in the Diocese of Crookston SATURDAY, SEPT. 13, 2014: ST. FRANCIS, FISHER Turkey A’la king Fall Luncheon & Bazaar 11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 14, 2014: ST. JOHN’S, NEBISH Roast beef dinner 11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21, 2014: SACRED HEART, WILTON

Chicken and ham dinner, Bazaar, and Craft Sale 11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21, 2014: SACRED HEART, ROSEAU Turkey and meatball supper 5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Fr. Augie Gothman pictured with First Holy Communicants from St. Mary’s Parish, Warroad. (Submitted photo)

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21, 2014: ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, LAKE PARK Chicken dinner, Craft & Bake Sale 11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21, 2014: ST. ANN’S, BLACKDUCK Pork loin dinner 11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21, 2014: ST. JOSEPH’S, BEAULIEU Roast beef and ham dinner, Raffle, Craft & Bake Sale 11:30 A.M. SUNDAY, SEPT. 21, 2014: ST. ANDREW’S, HAWLEY Turkey dinner

11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 28, 2014: ST. PHILIP’S, BEMIDJI Roast pork dinner & Fall Festival 10:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. SUNDAY, SEPT. 28, 2014: ST. MARY’S, FOSSTON Turkey dinner & Fall Bazaar 11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. SUNDAY, SEPT. 28, 2014: ST. ANNE’S, GOODRIDGE Pan-fried walleye dinner 11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 2014: ST. MARY’S, TWO INLETS Roast beef and pork dinner & Silent Auction AMERICAN LEGION, PARK RAPIDS

4:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, OCT. 5, 2014: ST. ANN’S, WAUBUN Meatball and ham dinner & Raffle WAUBUN COMMUNITY CENTER

11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

SUNDAY, OCT. 12, 2014: ST. BENEDICT’S, WHITE EARTH Chicken and meatball dinner & Bazaar OGEMA COMMUNITY CENTER

11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

SUNDAY, OCT. 12, 2014: ST. JOSEPH’S, FERTILE Turkey dinner & Bazaar

11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.

SUNDAY, OCT. 19, 2014: ST. ANDREW’S, HAWLEY Turkey dinner 11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M.

10 September 10, 2014

AROUND THE DIOCESE

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Bishop celebrates sacraments at St. Francis de Sales Parish, Moorhead Bishop Hoeppner visited St. Francis de Sales Parish in Moorhead, Minn., on Sunday, August 24. He presided at Mass for Hispanic members of the Guadalupe Ministry of St Francis. During Mass he baptized two members of the community; an adult named Michael Torres (far right) and an infant, Camila Rocha (right). (Photos submitted by: Swede Stelzer)

VOCATION PRAYER OF POPE JOHN PAUL II: Lord Jesus, as you once called the first disciples to make them fishers of men, let your sweet invitation continue to resound: Come follow me! Give young men and women the grace of responding quickly to your voice. Support our bishops, priests, and consecrated people in their apostolic labor. Grant perseverance to our seminarians and to all those who are carrying out the ideal of a life totally consecrated to your service. Awaken in our community a missionary eagerness. Lord, send workers to your harvest and do not allow humanity to be lost for the lack of pastors, missionaries, and people dedicated to the cause of the Gospel.

Mary, Mother of the Church, the model of every vocation, help us to say “yes” to the Lord who calls us to cooperate in the divine plan of salvation. Amen.

Editorial Assistant joins OND staff The Office of the New Evangelization has hired Mrs. Katrina Genereux as Editorial Assistant for Our Northland Diocese. She began work on Sept. 2.

Genereux was born and raised in Hutchinson, Minn., located in the Diocese of New Ulm. In 2009, Genereux completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in News and Editorial Journalism at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. While in South Dakota, she worked for the campus newspaper, The Collegian, and completed an internship with the Aberdeen American News in Aberdeen, S.D. In 2010, Genereux moved to Crookston, Minn. and began working for the Polk County Sheriff ’s Office as a records clerk before beginning at Our Northland Diocese. Since coming to the diocese, Genereux has spent time as a Core Member with the Life Teen program at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Genereux is grateful for the opportunity to combine her field of study with her Catholic faith. She looks forward to learning more about the parishes and people of the Diocese of Crookston as she covers events and writes articles.

Katrina Genereux Editorial Assistant & Staff Writer Our Northland Diocese

Genereux has been married to her husband, Nick, for five years. They have a daughter, Layla. The family lives in Crookston.

Katrina can be reached at the Chancery by calling 218-281-4533, ext. 421, or by emailing kgenereux@crookston.org.

PLEASE

pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life

wants your news and advertisements!

Find 2014-15 publishing dates and submission deadlines on the web: http://www.crookston.org/ond/

The next OND submission deadline is: Wednesday, September 17 by 12:00 p.m.

Email: Janelle C. Gergen Associate Editor jgergen@crookston.org

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

DIOCESAN

September 10, 2014

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12 September 10, 2014

COMMENTARY

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

The New Evangelization begins in the confessional Address of Benedict XVI to bishops, priests and seminarians March 9, 2012 “… the Sacraments and the Proclamation of the Word must never be conceived as separate; on the contrary, “Jesus says that the proclamation of the Kingdom of God is the goal of his mission; this proclamation, however, is not only a ‘discourse’ but at the same time includes his action; the signs and miracles that Jesus works show that the Kingdom comes as a present reality and in the end coincides with his very Person, with his gift of himself .... The priest represents Christ, the One sent by the Father, he continues his mission, through the ‘word’ and the ‘sacrament’, in this totality of body and soul, of sign and word” (General Audience, 5 May 2010).

This totality, rooted in the very mystery of the Incarnation, suggests to us that the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is itself a proclamation and therefore a path to take for the work of the New Evangelization.

In what sense then is sacramental confession a “path” for the New Evangelization? First of all because the New Evangelization draws its lifeblood from the holiness of the children of the Church, from the daily journey of personal and community conversion in order to be ever more closely conformed to Christ. Then there is a close connection between holiness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, witnessed by all the saints of history. The real conversion of our hearts, which means opening ourselves to God’s transforming and renewing action, is the “driving force” of every reform and is expressed in a real evangelizing effort. In confession, through the freely bestowed action of divine Mercy, repentant sinners are justified, pardoned and sanctified and abandon their former selves to be reclothed in the new.

Only those who have let themselves be profoundly renewed by divine grace are able to bear within them — and hence to proclaim — the newness of the Gospel. In his Apostolic Letter “Novo Millennio Ineunte”, Blessed John Paul II said: “I am also asking for renewed pastoral courage in ensuring that the day-to-day teaching of Christian communities persuasively and effectively presents the practice of the Sacrament of Reconciliation” (n. 37).

I would like to reassert this appeal, in the awareness that the New Evangelization must acquaint the people of our time with the

face of Christ “as mysterium pietatis, the one in whom God shows us his compassionate heart and reconciles us fully with himself. It is this face of Christ that must be rediscovered through the Sacrament of Penance” (ibid.).

In an age of educational emergency in which relativism is calling into question the very possibility of an education understood as a gradual introduction to knowledge of the truth, to the profound sense of reality, hence as a gradual introduction to the relationship with the Truth which is God, Christians are called to proclaim energetically the possibility of the encounter between today’s people and Jesus Christ, in whom God made himself so close that that he may be seen and heard.

In this perspective the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which begins with a look at one’s actual condition in life, contributes uniquely to achieving that “openness of heart” which enables one to turn one’s gaze to God so that he may enter one’s life. The certainty that he is close and in his mercy awaits the human being, even one who is involved in sin, in order to heal his weakness with the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is always a ray of hope for the world.

Dear priests and dear deacons who are preparing for the priesthood, in the administration of this sacrament you are given, or you will be given, the possibility of being instruments of an ever renewed meeting of people with God. All who turn to you, precisely because of their condition as sinners, will experience within them a profound desire: the desire for change, the desire for mercy and, ultimately, the desire for the encounter with Christ and for him to embrace them once again.

You will therefore be collaborators and protagonists of a great many possible “new beginnings”, as many as the penitents who come to you, bearing in mind that the authentic meaning of every “newness” does not consist so much in the abandonment or excision of the past. Rather it consists in welcoming Christ and in opening yourselves to his Presence, ever new and ever capable of transforming and illuminating all the patches of shade and ceaselessly unfolding new horizons.

The New Evangelization, therefore, also begins in the confessional! That is, it begins in the mysterious encounter between the endless question of human beings, a sign

within them of the Creator Mystery and God’s Mercy, the only adequate response to the human need for infinity.

If the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is this, if the faithful have a real experience of that Mercy which Jesus of Nazareth, Lord and Christ has given to us, they themselves will become credible witnesses of that holiness which is the aim of the New Evangelization.

If all this is true for the lay faithful, dear friends, it acquires even greater importance for each one of

us. The minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation collaborates with the New Evangelization in the first place by renewing himself, his own awareness that he is a sinner and is in need of receiving sacramental pardon. In this way may be renewed the encounter with Christ, which was begun in Baptism and has found its specific and definitive form in the sacrament of Orders.

This is my hope for each one of you: may the newness of Christ always be the center and reason for your priestly existence, so that those who meet you through your

ministry may exclaim as did Andrew and John “we have found the Messiah” (Jn 1:41). In this way, every Confession, from which each Christian will emerge renewed, will be a step ahead in the New Evangelization. May Mary, Mother of Mercy, Refuge for us sinners and Star of the New Evangelization, accompany us on our way. I thank you warmly and I willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing to you.”

OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

NATIONAL

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Courts strike down two same-sex marriage bans, but uphold another

By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) – A federal judge upheld an amendment to Louisiana’s state constitution in early September that defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, but later that same week, a federal court struck down same-sex marriage bans in Wisconsin and Indiana.

In the Louisiana case, U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman said Sept. 3 the state did not overstep its authority in adopting a constitutional amendment approved in 2004 by 78 percent of the voters that banned same-sex marriage.

It was the first such decision by a federal court since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act last year.

“The defendants (the state) maintain that marriage is a legitimate concern of state law and policy, that it may be rightly regulated because of what for centuries has been understood to be its role,” Feldman wrote in his 32-page decision.

The plaintiffs were six samesex couples who had wed in other states and wanted Louisiana to recognize their marriages. A seventh couple living in Louisiana sought

the right to marry in the state.

Feldman said for gays to have rights superior to the democratic process, they must constitute a protected class, and no court has bestowed that status on them. “In light of still-binding precedent, this court declines to fashion a new suspect class. To do so would distort precedent and demean the democratic process,” he wrote.

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, lauded the decision in a Sept. 3 statement.

“The federal court rightly declared that Louisiana’s marriage laws ‘serve a central state interest of linking children to an intact family formed by their biological parents,’” Archbishop Cordileone said. “The federal court affirmed that the voters of Louisiana who overwhelmingly chose to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman in their state constitution made a rational decision by embracing the definition of marriage ‘that has endured in history for thousands of years, and prevails in a majority of states today.’”

He added, “Those who are arguing to redefine marriage based

A woman holds a sign for traditional marriage on the West Lawn of the Capitol in Washington June 19. In early September, a court in Chicago ruled that bans of same-sex marriage in Wisconsin and Indiana were unconstitutional while a Louisiana judge upheld that state’s ban of the practice. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

upon the desires and interests of adults were presented by this court with obvious questions raised by the logical consequences of their arguments to which they were unable to give an answer, including: ‘Must marriage be limited to only two people?’ Indeed, all who work to promote and defend marriage should be encouraged by this federal court decision.”

But on Sept. 4, a three-judge federal appeals courts in Chicago overturned same-sex marriage bans in

both Indiana and Wisconsin, calling the bans unconstitutional.

States cannot justify gay marriage bans on the grounds of the tradition of marriage being for one man and one woman, the U.S. 7th Circuit court of Appeals said.

“Tradition per se therefore cannot be a lawful ground for discrimination -- regardless of the age of the tradition,” the court said, citing the “historical realities” of “bad traditions” as cannibalism, footbinding and suttee -- the practice

of a widow immolating herself on her husband’s funeral pyre -- as well as traditions that are neither good nor bad, such as Halloween trick-or-treating.

After separate courts in Wisconsin and Indiana overturned the same-sex marriage bans in their respective states in June, the cases were combined before the federal panel.

Noting that the ruling “follows the trend of similar decisions across the nation,” the Wisconsin Catholic Conference said in a Sept.

5 statement, “These opinions focus on opposition and animus, rather than the state’s recognition of the nature of marriage. We now await a determination by the U.S. Supreme Court on whether a state and its citizenry retain the power and right to define civil marriage.”

The statement added, “No court can change our Catholic teaching on marriage and no one is suggesting that the ruling will have that effect. ... Whatever the Supreme Court decides, the challenge for Catholics going forward is the same as it has always been, to witness our belief in marriage and what it signifies in a way that invites others to share in our belief.”

Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s cause for sainthood suspended indefinitely

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) – The canonization cause of Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been suspended indefinitely, according to a statement issued Sept. 3 by the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, where the archbishop was born.

The suspension was announced “with immense sadness,” the diocese said. “The process to verify a possible miracle attributed to Sheen had been going extremely well, and only awaited a vote of the cardinals and the approval of the Holy Father. There was every indication that a possible date for beatification in Peoria would have been scheduled for as early as the coming year.”

Archbishop Sheen, who gained fame in the 1950s with a primetime television series called “Life Is Worth Living,” died in New York in 1979.

The diocesan statement said the Archdiocese of New York denied a request from Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria, president of the Archbishop Sheen Foundation, to move the archbishop’s body to Peoria.

Deacon Greg Kendra, in a Sept.

3 posting on his blog The Deacon’s Bench, said the reason for the request was for “official inspection and to take first-class relics from the remains.”

A Sept. 4 statement from Joseph Zwilling, communications director for the New York Archdiocese, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York “did express a hesitance in exhuming the body” absent a directive from the Vatican Congregation for Saints’ Causes and family approval. The statement added that Archbishop Sheen’s “closest surviving family members” asked that the archbishop’s wishes be respected and that he had “expressly stated his desire that his remains be

buried in New York.”

Zwilling said Cardinal Dolan “does object to the dismemberment of the archbishop’s body,” but, were it to be exhumed, relics that might have been buried with Archbishop Sheen might be “reverently collected” and “shared generously” with the Peoria Diocese.

If the Peoria Diocese’s decision is final to suspend Archbishop Sheen’s cause and to assign it to the Vatican congregation’s historical archives, Zwilling said, “the Archdiocese of New York would welcome the opportunity to assume responsibility for the cause in an attempt to move it forward.”

“After further discussion with Rome, it was decided that the Sheen Cause would now have to be relegated to the congregation’s historic archive,” the Peoria diocesan statement said.

Bonnie Engstrom, whose delivery of a stillborn baby in 2010 provided the basis for a possible

miracle attributable to Archbishop Sheen, expressed sadness and confusion over the delay in the sainthood cause.

“We are very disappointed that the cause to canonize Venerable Fulton Sheen had to be closed, especially because it had been progressing so well,” she told the Catholic Herald, a British Catholic newspaper. “We are incredibly saddened and confused by the Archdiocese of New York’s decision to not cooperate with the Sheen Foundation on the cause. We trust in the goodness of God.” Engstrom’s son James had no recorded heartbeat for 61 minutes after delivery. Then, as doctors were about to pronounce the child dead, James’ heart started beating. He has defied doctors’ predictions that he would not survive, or that he would have severe physical and developmental limitations. In March, a seven-member team of medical experts convoked by the Vatican

reported there is no natural explanation for the boy’s survival.

“Countless supporters especially from the local church in Central Illinois have given their time, treasure and talent for this good work with the clear understanding that the body of Venerable Sheen would return to the diocese,” the Peoria statement said. “Bishop Jenky was personally assured on several occasions by the Archdiocese of New York that the transfer of the body would take place at the appropriate time. New York’s change of mind took place as the work on behalf of the cause had reached a significant stage.”

Archbishop Sheen, after his years in the TV limelight, retained a high profile by running the Society for the Propagation of the Faith out of New York City.

14 September 10, 2014

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OUR NORTHLAND DIOCESE

Pope says Gospel brings new life, new freedom

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Do not be afraid to change and let go of obsolete structures, Pope Francis said, because Jesus has brought new wine that needs fresh wineskins.

“The Gospel is newness. The Gospel is celebration. And one can live the Gospel fully only with a joyous and renewed heart,” he said in a homily Sept. 5. Among those invited to the morning Mass were parishioners of the Paulist-

run American parish in Rome, the Church of Santa Susanna.

The pope’s homily centered on the day’s Gospel reading in which the scribes and Pharisees questioned Jesus about his disciples not following laws concerning fasting.

Jesus answered, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” He continued with a parable underlining the need to use new vessels or wineskins to hold new wine -- a new message of renewed life.

Pope Francis said Jesus brought

a new freedom in which the Christian is not “the slave to many tiny laws,” but follows with an open heart a new commandment of love and the rules of the beatitudes.

The Pharisees and scribes created “small laws” that they were custodians of but also prisoners, he said during an early morning Mass in the chapel of his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

“This law by these people wasn’t bad,” he said; the people were just imprisoned, “in wait for the faith to come,” the faith, the “definitive

freedom” that was revealed in Jesus Christ.

“The newness of the Gospel is that -- it is to redeem (us) from the law,” he said, according to Vatican Radio.

“Now one of you could tell me: ‘But father, don’t Christians have laws?’ Yes! Jesus said: ‘I have come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it’” through “the beatitudes, the law of love, total love, like he, Jesus, loved us.”

This “is the newness of the Gospel, it is celebration, joy and free-

dom,” he said.

Jesus’ parable of new wineskins for new wine means “to not be afraid of changing things according to the law of the Gospel.”

“That’s why the church asks us, all of us, for some changes. It asks us to leave behind temporary structures: They’re not needed. Take up fresh wineskins, those of the Gospel.”

Christians today observe “the law that Jesus brought to its fulfillment, in the commandment of love” and following the beatitudes.

Sistine Chapel weathers fallout from ‘Francis effect’ on attendance

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The “Francis effect” has spilled over into the Sistine Chapel, bringing a surge in visitors but also increasing risks to maintenance of what Antonio Paolucci, director of the Vatican Museums, calls “the world’s chapel.”

Prior to a 14-year restoration, completed in 1994, visitors to the chapel numbered about 1.5 million annually. That rose to more than 5 million in 2011. Since the March 2013 election of Pope Francis, whose weekly public audiences and readings of the Angelus have boosted turnout in St. Peter’s Square, the number of chapel visitors is up to 5.5 million, or 20,000 per day and 30,000 on the last Sunday of every month, when admission is free.

Every 20 minutes, a group of almost 700 people is let into the room, which measures less than 6,000 square feet.

So many visitors not only make the viewing experience less pleasant, they bring in perspiration and bacteria that threaten the survival of masterpieces by Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, Pinturicchio, Perugino and, most famously, Michelangelo.

Recent accounts in the Italian press have complained that the chapel is “as crowded as a train station,” and warned that a “wall” of human breath threatens “unimaginable disaster” for the 12,000 square feet of painted surfaces. As one headline put it, “The enemy is you.” Paolucci himself wrote in the Vatican newspaper that the chapel “risks being a victim of its own success.”

The problems are aggravated by the late-15th-century chapel’s peculiar design, which resembles that of a fortress, possibly reflecting the defensive architecture of Avignon, France, during an earlier period of

The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums is pictured in this March 9, 2013, file photo, as preparations began for the conclave that elected Pope Francis. His election has boosted the number of visitors to the Vatican and also the Museums. To protect the Sistine Chapel, new air conditioning and LED lighting systems are being installed. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

papal exile there. The chapel has no exterior entrance, and is entered solely through the Apostolic Palace; its high windows are permanently closed and abut an interior balcony called, in medieval style, a “patrol corridor.”

All this keeps the exchange of air to a minimum, accentuating the effects of pollution, including windborne car exhaust and dust, and of exterior humidity and abrupt changes in temperature.

One obvious remedy would be to reduce the number of visitors, but Paolucci has vigorously opposed this, insisting the faithful have a right to see the room where cardinals have elected new popes for more than five centuries.

The present air-conditioning system, installed in the mid-1990s, was designed for only half the current number of visitors, so the Vatican is installing a powerful new system slated to be operative in October.

That is not the only new technology being introduced to assist in conservation.

To reduce the risk of heat damage from illumination, the Vatican is installing an advanced LED lighting system that, according to its manufacturer, will also slash energy consumption by 60 to 80 percent. The previous halogen lamps, installed in the 1980s, used 90 percent of the energy for heat and only 10 percent for light.

LED illumination has its critics.

Because each LED light must be color-adjusted for the surface upon which it is directed, colors can appear inconsistent.

Total cost for the 7,000 new LED lights and their installation was $2.5 million, almost half of it paid for by the European Union, the rest by private sponsors.

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COMMENTARY

WORD to LIFE September 14

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm78:1bc-2, 34-38; Gospel: John 3:13-17

Philippians 2:6-11

September 10, 2014

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FOR FAITH-SHARING GROUPS

September 21

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18; Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a; Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16a By Catholic News Service

By Catholic News Service A common sight on televised sporting events is the “Jn 3:16” sign. You see it held aloft in the crowd behind home plate or waving beside the “Go Big Red” placard in the end zone.

Practicing Christians know it refers to the Bible passage in the Gospel of John that says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

One can only assume that the people displaying the sign are well-meaning, would-be evangelists who want to give witness to this tenet of Christian faith before millions of television viewers.

Good idea, as far as it goes. But nonbelievers and marginal believers, while they may know that “Jn 3:16” is a verse in the Bible, don’t know its meaning. So just holding up this combination of letters and numbers for the cameras isn’t a very effective way to call people to faith.

So why don’t they just hold up a cross?

After all, it’s a universally recognized symbol of death and resurrection. Believers and nonbelievers, atheists and agnostics, all know what it means.

The Scriptures for this weekend call us to the “Exaltation of the Holy Cross.” In fact, the Gospel reading includes John 3:16, which describes the saving grace of this symbol. Its message is that the Son of God paid with his death the price to free humankind from its sinfulness.

One look at the cross says it all. It reminds us of our sin and Jesus’ sacrificial act of love. It does call us to faith.

In the Old Testament, God similarly called people to faith through a powerful symbol. He told Moses to lift up an im-

age of a serpent to remind the people of the serpents that were sent to punish them for their complaints against God. If they looked upon the serpent, recognizing the consequences of their sin, they would be saved.

Although we rarely see the cross held up at sporting events for the TV cameras, Christians aren’t shy about displaying it. It calls us to place faith in a God who is good and loves us mightily.

One look at the cross says it all.

Questions: What do you think of and feel when you look upon the cross?

How does it call you to faith?

“SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP, SO THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” -- JOHN 3:14-15

Our daughter was not pleased the day she found out her dad had offered her brother a guitar if he got a B average on his report card.

He already had the guitar in hand by the time she learned of his good fortune.

“Huh! Reeeally?” she remarked in a voice loud enough to be sure her parents picked up her icy tone. Then she just tossed aside all subtlety and noted straight out to us that she’d never been offered a nice incentive for good grades.

We knew that as well as we knew she had never needed any outside motivation to achieve her academic potential. Brother did. The incentive actually helped him become a more diligent student. He also appreciated his father’s generosity and still cherishes that first guitar.

But all his sister could see was that she never got an extra reward for her grades.

The parable in this week’s Gospel asks the same rhetorical question my husband could have asked our daughter: “Are you envious because I am generous?”

Most people have difficulty with this parable. It runs counter to our human concept of justice, especially the commonly held value of “a day’s pay for a day’s work.” The landowner paid those who worked only an hour the same amount as those who had toiled a full day. He realized they needed to feed their families, too.

It would take several years’ maturity before our daughter got over that guitar. But eventually she recognized occasions when she herself was the exclusive object of her father’s generosity. Then she understood that we provided for each of our children according to their unique abilities, interests and challenges.

Jesus’ parable reveals that God gives us not only what is just, but more -- what we need. Isaiah explains this divine quality of generosity: “So high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.”

What does one say to the grumbling laborers or the pouty daughter? Isaiah says, “Seek the Lord ... while he is near.” That is, rather than being envious of another’s reward, look to God in our own intimate relationship with him where his generosity is found in gifts unique to our needs.

Questions: When have you been envious of the blessings someone else has received?

How has God provided for you in a way that is unique to your need?

“SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, CALL HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR.” -- ISAIAH 55:6

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